On to the Sleeves

I have been zipping along on my Naima sweater. I did order another skein of yarn, because I misread the yards versus meters requirement. I am so used to having yards come first, that I didn't pay attention. I have the right amount if I was using meters, but not enough yarn for my project since I ordered based on yards. Why oh why can't we just use metric. Oops!

This sweater has been a quick knit for me. I hope to have it complete by the end of the month or soon after. I am getting much quicker at purling and am even able to read while I knit again. It helps that I have had blocks of time to work on it. Eamon and I spent some time at the comic book store this week, which meant I could read and knit while he played Magic the Gathering. I finished We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. It started well, but had a bit of trouble in the middle and ended a bit abruptly. I also read a bit of The Cloudspotter's Guide: The Science, History, and Culture of Clouds while waiting for Eamon. It is for our homeschooling co op and quite good. Back home, I chose Men Explain Things To Me and Fangirl from the large stack of books I have here. I figure they offset each other. I started both yesterday but did not get very far. Have you read anything good lately? I spend a bit of time making lists after reading and knitting along with Ginny.

My Competitive Side

I have been furiously knitting this year inspired by a contest called the Yarnathon at Eat Sleep Knit. I have purchased on and off from ESK, but this year I am spending my whole yarn budget there. I am not planning on finishing the yarnthon (a marathon with yarn), but I love the added features this year. There are 12 KALs (knit alongs) to go along with the contest, which I love! There are also badges for knitting achievements like casting on over 400 stitches, knitting while binging watching a show, alternating skeins of yarn in a project, crocheting, spinning, and a whole host of other challenges. So far I have completed nine of the KALs and am well on my way to a tenth. I also have enough badges to reach silver status this month. It is all crazy fun, and this program touched on my competitive side dragging me out of my knitting slump. I love it.

The tenth KAL for me is a sweater free for all. I left it toward the end, because it seemed like a bigger project. Despite the oppressive heat of summer, I find I enjoy knitting sweaters at this time of year. I think it gives me hope that cooler temperatures will return some time in the future. A little bit of summer dreaming for me. I decided to knit the Naima sweater in Cascade 220. I love the pattern thus far. There are design elements to keep it interesting. I am currently finished with the body shaping and moving onto some short rows. I look forward to the pocket lining which incorporates a bit of color work. It feels like I am more than halfway through the garment, but I know the sleeves still remain. 

I took the sweater camping with me and was able to make a bit of progress on the drive. I appreciate all the stockinette, because I can usually read too. While sitting on the dock watching Dave and the kiddos kayak, I alternated between knitting and reading The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion. The book is nothing new, but is a great reminder of what I already know. I had a lot of should in my life, which I am gradually shedding in place of my truths. I appreciate the author's recognition that one still needs to have shelter and eat, so incorporating must into your life doesn't have to be all or nothing. The idea that sometimes a job/career/employment allows you to pursue your must is very true for me. The book is more of a journal and is visually appealing utilizing color, art, and font for emphasis. I would recommend it.

Officially Up and Ready for Readers

With help from people in our community, we installed our Little Free Library a couple weeks ago. It is fantastic. The library is adorned with our handprints and various wooden pieces we found at the neighborhood paint day. We even have a trio of wooden eggs on the top for our backyard gals. There is a chalkboard for messages. Right now it just encourages people to stop and take or leave a book. Eventually I think we will post little notes and messages about our area or even lists of great books we have read. We have had several people stop and check out the selection. We have an eclectic mix of cookbooks, magazines, children's book and novels.

While perusing the Little Free Library hashtag on Instagram, I noticed a note from Sasquatch Publishing supporting LFLs. I contacted their representative and obtained a box of books for our library. The addition of these titles is amazing. I did take a peek at quite a few and shared them with the kiddos before adding them to our library. I love all the support our endeavor has received and hope it brings a bit more reading to our community.

Finished and New Beginnings

I finished up the Hermione Socks last week. I made the foot a bit tighter than usual, because the socks were for Dave. The tighter gauge seems to work better with the shoes he wears daily to work.  I finished that pair just in time to start another one. I mentioned last week that I wanted to participate in the Through the Loops mystery sock. I received the first clue and quickly put my empty needles to work. I like how the clue is working up. I am using Miss Babs Yummy 2-ply in the Squash Blossum color way. It is much more yellow than the first photo depicts (it is a bit better in the second one). I am eager for the second clue which will be released tomorrow.

While waiting for the second sock clue to be published, I am working on a Nordic Wind shawl. I chose green and browns for the shawl and plan to use all of the skein in each color. I decided to add a fifth color after I started. I am not sure that was a great idea, because the fifth color is darker than the others. I am hoping the result is still a big, warm, cozy shawl. I am almost done with the third ball of yarn. I hope I can finish this by next week! I feel like my fingers are flying.

Admittedly with all the knitting, there hasn't been much reading. Although it is a good book, I am still working on Nora Webster. Maybe I can finish both the book and the shawl by next week. Then I would have two new things to share on the Yarn Along and the Craft On!

Stolen Time Socks

My socks are progressing quite quickly, much faster than my reading. I am hoping to steal a bit of time today to finish them. I only have another inch before the toe decreases. Two weeks for a pair of socks isn't too bad.

As I knit the foot, I have been plotting my next project. I am trying to decide what yarn and pattern I most want to knit. The evidence of this process is currently piled on my desk. I am planning on joining the Nordic Wind KAL a bit late. I really like the subtle shifting colors used in the basic triangular shawl. I also will be casting on for the Through the Loops Mystery Sock beginning tomorrow. I have joined each year and really enjoy the process. I also want to knit a sweater for Aine out of some yarn she selected last month. I am planning on making the new Shirley Temple pattern. And then I want to make a sweater for myself. So many ideas and such a tough time deciding!

I finished All the Light We Cannot See a few weeks ago. It was such a good book. I enjoyed it so much, I even recommended it to a woman at the library who was looking for a new read. When that was done, I picked up Nora Webster. It took a bit to get into it, and I ended up needing to return the book to the library. I promptly put it back on hold and was able to pick it up earlier this week. I find the main character quite interesting. Her emotions and reactions resonant with me in the dealing with my mom and discussions of widowhood. I hope to find a bit more time in the next week to finish it.

Joining back up with Ginny for the Yarn Along.

Our Library

Years ago I read about the Little Free Libraries and was enchanted. I loved the idea of sharing books and my love of reading with others. We lived in a neighborhood with rules though, so my dream of having a little spot for books was set aside. Fast forward to our current home. We live in a somewhat walkable, historic neighborhood vibrant with personality. When we moved into the house, I took out the mailbox, the only such structure on the street*. It was quite easy as it was brand new and just slid onto a short post. I could not remove the short post, since it was sunk in cement. I decided that would be the spot for our Little Free Library.

When I mentioned my plan to a friend, she told me about her attempt the previous year to get libraries installed throughout our neighborhood. It had fizzled, but our talk gave it new life. Over the course of the last nine months, there have been neighborhood meetings, book donations, supply donations, and build days. Finally our install date is coming closer, and my dream of a library a reality.

On Saturday Aine, Benton, and I joined fellow neighborhood bibliophiles to decorate boxes. The head builder created a very simple design in hopes that it would speed the process. It doesn't snow and rains very little, so we don't need a peaked roof. Using donated paint, the kiddos set to work. Admittedly I had a different vision, but I quickly set that aside. There was paint on clothing, shoes, hands, and hair. I attached scrap wood shapes painted in an array of colors to the side. We painted a chalkboard sign on another. The three of us added paint to our hands and put our prints on the third. It was deemed a masterpiece. After cleaning up with our friends, I brought two cups of paint home to Dave and Eamon. They quickly added their handprints to our library. One more week and we are ready for the big install. I am ridiculously excited!

*A word of caution in case anyone else wants to remove their mailbox: We live in an urban area and have a mail slot into our home. The curbside box seemed redundant. I asked the postal carrier before I removed the mailbox, and he said he thought it would be fine. He was a substitute. I did get a visit from our regular postal carrier a few days later. She agreed with my decision, but said I would need to clear it with the post master. The routes are timed and that would change it.

A Little Knitting

Bond Street 

Halloweeny Socks

I didn't knit much this summer. I just didn't feel like picking up the needles. Initially I wasn't sure what to make. Then I realized my list of knit-worthy gift recipients is shrinking, and I have enough wool sweaters and socks for my climate. I just lost my mojo. One night I was traipsing through the inter-webs and arrived at ravelry. Inspired I decided to cast on a new project. A few weeks later and my knitting resolve has returned. I finished up the Bond Street Shawl and quickly cast on for a pair of autumnal socks. I finished the first sock in four days. The second is taking a bit longer, but it soon will be off the needles. My list of "want to knit" is quickly growing. First, since I cannot resist a mystery knit along, I am again playing along with Stephen West and his mystery shawl. After that I am not sure. I have a few shawls queued, a stocking to finish, and I think we just may need new hats.

And since I haven't played in a bit with Ginny and her Yarn Along, I may as well include my reading. My reading has been eclectic. I finished Anatomy of a Misfit. It was part of a group read here in Arizona. I found it a bit lacking even taking into account the YA label. I have a pile of books to read next. I started The Sea as well as March. I am not usually one to read multiple books at once, but I didn't have my current read while out and had to substitute. The kiddos and I are also reading When You Reach Me together. It is for our boo group. We only have about 40 more pages to go. They really like how it references A Wrinkle in Time. I am curious to see how it ends.

Finished

I couldn't stay awake last night, although the story was so very good. I have read the book many times, and each time it grips me. I always gain something different with each reading. When I woke up this morning, I gathered our copy and my workout clothes. Normally I try to head out early to run, walk or strength train, but this morning I just had to finish the last 20 or so pages. I had to find out what happened to Jem and Scout. Again I was reminded of the ending and the brilliance of Harper Lee. That little book is full of so much goodness and insight. She crafts the tale with humble words and speech creating such a treasure.

I am taking an online course right now with Amanda of The Habit of Being entitled Write Now. The class focuses on the habit of writing daily and truly observing; crafting those tales we encounter throughout our lives and noticing the little things we can easily miss. One piece that struck me from the prompts was the belief that good writing comes from reading good works. I truly believe Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is a good work. Recently I also read a bit of Steinbeck. Somehow I had never read his work as a youth or in college. After just the first paragraph, I put it down. It was just so good. The imagery and the information provided in just that one group of sentences was profound. I even paused to share it with Dave.

There are many great works available, but I am continually drawn to older tomes. I even prefer many of the older children's works for the kiddos. So, although I still love to power through current fiction of questionable literary merit, I intersperse those reads with a return to the classics.

Another return to the classics is this sweater I recently finished. The pattern is Cape Cod from Thea Colman, and I love it. The sweater is perfect for throwing over a tee with a pair of jeans. The slight boatneck collar adds a touch of femininity to the raglan when combined with the lace panels in the front and back. I used cotton yarn this time, since I am finally accepting that Arizona is hot, and wool is only so practical here in my climate. I enjoyed working with the yarn, but I am not totally happy with the ribbing. It seems loose although I tried several different needle combinations. I think I may try a twisted rib next time.

Bringing the Story to Life

Pin and Jade in the pond with the turtle and bull frog on the ends

The hag's cottage

The castle

For the past few weeks, Dave has been reading The Hobbit at night to the kiddos. Each evening at dinner they recount the tale to me and talk about what happened the night before. They enjoy this time with their Daddy even if it is peppered with jumping, interrupting and general wiggly behavior. He is adapting to the bedtime routine, but I miss sharing stories with the kiddos. We usually have an audiobook in the car, but I keep gathering interesting chapter books from the library. These piles of books have been sitting unshared. Eamon often reads them and tells me which I need to read aloud. One he overlooked recently was The Prince of the Pond.

I started this short chapter book one evening this week while Dave was busy at bedtime. The kiddos loved the story and didn't want me to stop. The next morning we continued the story. Aine began crafting her own pond, hag's cottage, well and castle. She brought out some animals and people to add to the story. With the help of Benton, they reenacted the story for most of the morning. They talked about the story and other possible endings. Benton decided he wanted to raise his own tadpoles, and Aine wanted to know the fate of the characters even after the book ended. Their individual interests led us to the library. Benton found books on frogs, tadpoles, and cicadas. He picked a few to bring home. Aine was more concerned about the characters and spoke at length with the librarian about the existence of other books in the tale. I really like when a book works so well for our family on such a variety of levels.

Tiny Packages

Since moving into a new home, I have been busy unpacking and staging this chapter of our life. While moving and arranging, I found a few things in various stacks that I meant to mail to friends and family. I quickly set about fixing this oversight. Several trips have been made to the post office with a few more soon. The biggest items have been for the new babies arriving in our family this summer. We will be welcoming two nieces this year. In fact one made her appearance a bit early last week.

Usually babies born into our extended family are welcomed with handknits. However, a lot of my family lives where it is warm. The little lady, who arrived at the end of June, lives in sunny southern California, so her need for handknits is low. However, the next baby due lives in Michigan and will definitely need warmth. Earlier this year, my sister in love sent me a skein of yarn from the living history museum near her. I decided togive it back to her after making it into something for her fourth babe. I scoured Ravelry for just the right piece to use the 200 yards. I found a simple baby sweater and made it immediately.

The sweater knit up quickly, however my yarn soon ran out. I found a bit of rustic looking pink in my stash to use as trim. The look was perfect. Finding just the right buttons took a bit longer. I finally found some simple pink ones that coordinated well with the trim yarn. I am hoping it fits well and can keep my little niece warm. We shall see in a few more weeks!

I mentioned the other day about our source for audiobooks. The kiddos and I have been listening to the All of a Kind family series lately working our way through the series. Sometimes at home we will quickly listen to a Boxcar Children mystery. They really like those too. I started and finishedAbraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter while finishing the socks from last week's Yarn Along. Dave's brother (and the next expectant father) suggested that I read it. It is very far from my normal reading, but I found its historical context quite interesting. It isn't often that you can have a vampire novel about a former president that is surprisingly historically accurate.