fresh from the yarn garden

i was photographing these for their new owner.

these are for the yoda craft swap, remember?

and my littlest son comes into the room,

jumps on the bed

and says to me,

"mama, i think you won the yoda,

these are such pretty flowers.

and he's going to be mine."

go figure!

my REAL daybook

no simple woman daybook today.
i am just not feeling it.
but here is a peek at my REAL daybook.
the one with all of my life plans, hopes and dreams in it.
i carry it with me everywhere, but the pages are almost done
and as you can see, i don't want to part with its' sunflower-y goodness
and so an idea, an ORIGINAL idea, popped into my head.
so yes, these fingerless gloves come from my imagination,
so if you've seen something like them before,
please don't tell me because it will spoil the fun for me.
i am rarely creative enough to think up my own ideas,
but i really feel these are an original.
unless all the whos down in whoville are wearing them.
don't they look like something the whos would wear?

i know i could've had a career as a hand-model.

but i chose homeschooling instead!

ps. stay tuned for the "stem and leaf".

warm hands

the grey hand-warmers are done.

it isn't very cold outside in these parts,

but they sure are cute.

"and they're both the same, mom!"

she tells me.

like that really matters.

i tweaked the pattern over and over

and it wasn't easy because i had trouble

even deciphering what i'd written in my own language.

but they're finished and i'm pretty happy with them.

i can't wait to start a black pair for myself.

i'll wear them while i sip iced tea......

a first

my first real yarn.

ever.

i found a little store that has the prettiest yarn i've seen.

the lady even rolled my silk skein(see the header picture) with a special machine.

i never even knew there was such a thing.

she did it for me because she said it was yummy!

it is probably better that i don't go there too often.

however, they do have knitting classes

and a knit night.

it is like a paradise.

so if you don't see me for a while, you'll know

that i am busy with my first real yarn.

crochet fingerless gloves

so i've had it in my head lately that i MUST make a pair of fingerless gloves.

i started making my daughter some grey hand warmers and was having a bit of trouble, i got frustrated and tired of looking at the grey yarn, so i started these........

they are coming out better than i thought, however, they still seem kind of funny looking to me. but then again, since i cannot follow a pattern for the life of me, this will have to do. i have written the pattern down in my own language so that i can replicate it for the other hand. i like the pattern, it looks a little different for once. i think i'll try some in black ones after these are done (and after i finish those darn grey ones). they are kind of BRIGHT, if you know what i mean, i am not even sure if i'll wear them!

on a different note, i had another friend offer to teach me how to knit this week coming up. i may just take her up on it because that is one of my goals for this year, after all! during a visit to her home the other day she showed me many different knitting projects she had made and one blanket in particular that she was working on, was so pretty. i left her house very enthusiastic about the prospect of actually learning the skill, but still not sure if i will be able to do it.

well, i need to spend some time with my Lord tonight. thankfully the house is quiet, everyone went to bed early. we have been staying up way too late and i am so ready to get this house back in order again.

goodnight.

complete

the winter purse is finally complete and just in time for Christmas!

someone has been eyeing it all the while that i've been making it

and since she is so hard to buy for, because she is so special to me,

i think this will be her gift.

yes, this is definitely the kind of thing that should go to

the one i still call mama.

p.s. the only reason i am posting pictures is because she is VERY busy

these days and i know she won't have time to read all of this nonsense

until after Christmas.

daddy, ssshhhhhh, please don't tell.

the little boy hat

"i wanted a blue and camo one."

"it's itchy."

"can i take it off now?"

i guess we need to work on a spirit of gratitude.

the rainbow scarf

she picked this yarn out one day and i thought it was kind of garish.

but i try never to discourage her own sense of "style".

she is not a 30+ year old woman like me!

because it is fat yarn it had to be made into something

that was flattering to the yarn itself,

as well as flattering on her.

hence the rainbow scarf was born.

she loves the warm, itchy thing because it will match with anything and because i told her i would make her different flowers to pin on it.

thank heaven for little girls!

this could be made by the most novice crocheter.


i used:
~fat yarn from joann's.
~an N-9.00MM needle
~wool tapestry yarn
~a tapestry needle
(be careful with those things, they aren't something you want to drop or lose!)
~wool felt and a button of your choice color scheme


i crocheted 8 rows across of single-stitch crochet and kept stitching until i used up the whole ball of yarn. the flower is simply made out of felt and a button with a few stitches around the edges which add the crinkly effect to the petals. i attached it to the scarf with embroidery thread. i used yellow wool tapestry yarn to do some simple stitches on opposite ends of the scarf.
the nice thing about this kind of project is it can be done so quickly. i finished the scarf while watching a movie with my boys and the flower and edging followed later the same evening.
it is easy enough that even kids could try their hand at it.

in fact i remember being in the 4th grade and making a pink and purple striped scarf that looked like something from a dr. seuss cartoon as my very first project.
and as you can see, i have come so far! (please don't laugh.)
so in the spirit of what dr. laura might say if she crocheted ........now go make something!

the winter purse

The winter purse is waiting to be finished. The yarn has all the colors of fall and winter beautifully woven into it. I started it in the summer when my grandmother got sick. We spent many long nights waiting in the hospital while doctors tried to figure out what was wrong with her, the children were home with my husband and my fingers needed something to do. Finally, she was moved to a nursing home after a pacemaker was implanted, she had congestive heart failure. It was so hard to see this independent little woman who loved gardening and cooking so much, reduced to hospital beds and
nursing homes.

Sometimes when I went to visit, she was usually so sedated that I 'd just sit there and crochet quietly, listening to her breathing.

Last night that same little woman was here as we celebrated my mother's 52nd birthday.

She helped me with the food, she happily indulged on a piece of Mocha Almond Fudge

icecream cake, it was a wonderful evening.

After we were all finished with dinner I sat on the couch, listening to all of the conversations going on around me as I worked a few lines of new stitches. The voices were all of the people I love the most, my husband, my parents, my children, my grandma, what music to my ears......

It is time to finish that purse so that my memories associated with this project will be much happier than when I started it.

The rhythms of my sewing tend to flow with the rythms of my life, is it so for you too?

A Winter Wrap

she says the flowers bring a touch of spring to

her fall................

Simple Fall Sewing Projects

A patchwork tablecloth made from thrifted

and new fabric with an embroidered "Fall '08" tag

A mini pumpkin pincushion that sits on top

of my sewing machine

Crocheted pot holders for all of the cooking
I seem to be doing these days


And finally, quilted pumpkin coasters
for all our morning cups of cocoa and coffee.
These little coasters are so easy to make, not to mention they'd be
perfect holiday gifts for family and friends!

I hope this encourages someone to do a little sewing, because these things, little though they may be, add just the right touch to any home. I certainly don't want to stress the importance of "things", but I'd like to think that as my children grow, they will treasure the time it took to try and make our home special and they will carry it with them when they leave. These few projects are not too hard to enlist the help of small hands either. My children enjoy helping to choose fabric, adding a few of their own stiches, etc. What a precious way to spend the upcoming long winter evenings. So turn off the internet or t.v. and sew, sew, sew......