Knitting and Reading

Joining in again with Ginny at the beautiful blog Small Things to share what is on my needles and what I am reading.

After finishing Emmy's vest, I decided to pick up some inexpensive 25% wool/75% acrylic in a worsted weight at our little local yarn shop, to knit her a new hat as she is growing so fast.  I also wanted to improve my skills on double pointed needles, knitting in the round.  The needles are size 6 and I cast on 64 stitches.  The rim is a knit 2, purl 2 with enough to fold up on the bottom and then the rest is just knit.

Have I ever written about our local yarn shop?  I don't think so.  The owner is one of the most generous, thoughtful people I know.  She and her husband are dairy farmers.  Their children are grown now.   About a year and a half ago they lost their house to a fire.  Now they live in a mobile home on their land.  Now she rarely shares any of this nor does she share about the pains in her knees that have required surgery, nor the reason why her hands visibly shake, yet she continues to share her love of knitting with others.  To each our daughters she has given sweet gifts from her store - asking them if it was their birthday and although their reply was some time in the past, her reply was well happy late birthday.  This fall she is giving out yarn to all those that will knit for the families of Vermont that lost all in the floods of hurricane Irene.  She is a beautiful example of Christ's love.  To strive to be more like Jesus is a daily struggle.  To be selfless.  To be giving.  To be gracious.  To be grateful. 

I am reading White Fang by Jack London aloud to Isaac and Abby (ages 13 and11).  So far it is an exciting read for those interested in adventure in the Alaska wild lands.  One of the wonderful parts of homeschooling is to be able to learn and read right alongside our children.

Looking forward to finding out what you are reading and knitting today.

Warm wishes,
Tonya

Working

Our counters are getting full as our busy season is upon us.

Knitted gnomes off to make a new home.

A birch branch card hand holder for young children who have a hard time holding their playing cards.

This time of the year often makes me wonder whether I can manage all.  I start thinking of all the projects I wish I had time to do with the children and to make for others.  

Then I realize that it is time to stop the pity party and think of all of the blessings that having a family home business bring.  For example, at least one parent is always available and we do spend lots of time together.  As a one car family, because of the flexibility of the hours in our business, we can bring the children to their activities.  They are learning about entrepreneurship and how we must work together.

Having a full time home based family business is truly a dream come true.

Handmade Holiday - 2011 - Supporting Small Businesses

Busy with our little one and our own business, this year I am sure I won't be able to make something for everyone, so I will be buying some carefully chosen gifts from small businesses making goods by hand.   Etsy is a wonderful place to find handmade gifts make by individuals working mostly from their homes.

Heidi of Under the Humble Moon has started a directory of small mama made shops.

Some of the handmade goodness that can be found include

Art smocks from Humble Luna

Sweet little gnome people from Mama West Wind

Adorable tshirts from Mama Gone Green

There are so many more wonderful shops out there.  

If you offer hand made goods this holiday season through an online shop, mail order, through your blog, or some other means, please share your business by leaving a description and link in your comment.  

Teaching and Learning

This sweet girl of ours is learning so much so quickly - now interacting and cooing back at us with all different voices - sometimes a high pitched squeal, other times soft and soothing.  She is learning to use her hands and arms.  She will be two months old on Sunday.

She is also teaching me so much - to be more patient, to value the moments of time I have, and to keep life in perspective.    Her birth has also helped to strengthen my faith in a loving God that cares so much for us, provides for us, and has trusted me, our family and friends to care for and love her.  What an awesome responsibility and a gift.  I am so thankful.

Wishing you a beautiful weekend. We are having a Thanksgiving meal tomorrow with family arriving to share in the meal and then to see our oldest son, Thomas, playing the role of Jekyll  in the musical, Jekyll and Hyde.  I will be back here Monday for the Handmade Holiday post.

Yarn Along - Emmy's Vest is Done

...with DK weight yarn from Peace Fleece and our hand made birch buttons with wood burned hearts.

I am still reading The Charlotte Mason Companion. Reading time has been scarce lately as Emmy is still very fussy in the evening until bed time.  But on the bright side I am getting some extra exercise walking around with her.

Looking forward to seeing your projects and learning about some good reading.

Handmade Holiday - 2011

Sorry for the late post today.  Life is very full but truly it is wonderful.

First, I wanted to share a gem of a holiday magazine I picked up about two month's ago - Holiday Crafts.

Rarely do I purchase craft magazines because there is usually only maybe one project in it that I would do (except my subscription to Living Crafts), but I saw this one on the newsstand, thumbed through it and right away found many projects - many that can be made of wool or wool felt.

L

Like these sweet needle felted snowpeople...

Yesterday afternoon, I was able to spend time visiting with a friend, and we each started working on our own matryoshka ornament.  I thought it would be a nice gift to tie to a plate of home baked goods.

And please visit Old Gates Farm's blog for some inspiring handmade holiday posts such as her unique packaging idea - a hand knit washcloth with soap in a canning jar - I just love this.

If you have an idea to share or a link, please leave a note in your comment.

Thank you!

Two Little Ducks - a Project with Sarah

When our autumn edition of Living Crafts arrived the other day, Sarah looked through it and proclaimed, "We are going to make these adorable ducks tomorrow!"

So while all was quiet in our home last Sunday afternoon we began.
We do not have a copier to enlarge the pattern as the instructions stated, and instead traced the pattern as it was in the magazine to make small ducks.

Sarah asked to take a picture of me as we were working.

Sarah's duck in progress.  As I was showing her how to do certain stitches and sharing with her their names - the whip stitch and the running stitch - she commented how her mother is teaching her stitches and then she will teach them to her children, and her children will teach them to their children and so on...

what a wonderful thought.

(I just want to share that Suzy of Hip Mountain Mama is having a wonderful string of giveaways focusing on thankfulness.)