As I sit down to write up this blog post I am completely amazed that we are now into February. Was it not just Christmas? I suddenly feel like I need to hurry up and finish a bunch of my knitting projects before Spring gets here. (Although I do not know why I fret when one considers that it can feel like winter all the up to June here in the Pacific Northwest.)

I just the other night picked up some yarn from my little shop to make Ariella a new sweater. I have really been wanting to make her a tea leaves cardigan but she does not like the idea of even 3/4 sleeves right now so upon browsing Ravelry a few nights back I stumbled upon this sweet little short sleeve sweater. It seems just perfect for Ariella and I find it to be the cutest little cardigan. I think a happy middle ground was found. I am so far really enjoying the easiness of the pattern even if it is written different than how most seamless patterns I have knit are written.

I picked up several books from my local library last week and am pouring over them at night when I should be going to bed. I love flipping through knitting books, even if I never intend to knit any of the patterns found in them. The only book I really have not delved into much is the one you see on top in the photo. It is a heavy subject and I have not had the energy for it just yet.

Before this posts grows too wordy I have to tell you about a children’s book that I am so excited to have found at my local library. In fact I think I love it more than Ariella and Gabriel! I found it at the library last week nestled under a section called “Fairy Tales” and just cannot not stop gazing at the photos in it.

The book is called Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes by Salley Mavor. This book has the most wonderful little hand sewn pictures to go with each nursery rhyme. They are so whimsical and beautiful with all their amazing details.

As you can see the illustrations are just wonderful. The little dolls in the photos are similar to the Bendy Dolls I made Ariella for Christmas this year. In fact, I browsed the author’s website multiple times for inspiration while I was making those dolls.  Amazon carries this book in hardcover and I have added it to my shopping cart. I just might have to get a copy just for me!

As always, thank you to Ginny for hosting this weekly Yarn Along. I cannot wait to see what everyone else has been up to this week.

XoXo

This week has finally brought with it a taste of winter. The past few days it has been snowing on and off. Today we are suppose to see the most of it.

Not as much as we saw in our previous home but enough to close the school for the older boys. (Much to their delight I might add!)

Ariella and Gabriel enjoy watching the snow come down and begin to pile up on the sidewalk. They are still(!) getting over being sick, in fact Gabriel took a turn for the worse last night so I am closely watching him today. I don’t want to risk them going out in the cold so we are enjoying a nice quiet snow day indoors coloring, reading stories, and playing dress up.

Taking care of sick little ones while determinedly fighting off getting sick myself has left little time (or energy) for reading this past week. I am still enjoying The Peach Keeper, even if it is at a very slow pace.

I just finished up Gabriel’s vest last night while watching the snow coming down and have yet to sew on the buttons. I really wanted an action shot of him wearing it but he was just in no mood for trying on Mommy’s knitwear today. I’m worried it may be a tad too small. I knit the 2 toddler size but am now thinking perhaps I should have made the 3. It may fit him for a very short time.

I can’t seem to decide on the buttons. I rummaged through my vintage button stash that I have been hoarding for nearly 8 years now and came up with three choices.

I would much rather use some handmade wooden buttons like these but would still need to get around to ordering them and I don’t want to wait even that long for him to wear the vest. He just might outgrow it before I get around to sewing the buttons on! Which ones do you prefer? I’m leaning towards the dark blue ones.

Thanks again to Ginny for hosting this week’s Yarn Along. I look forward to reading all of your posts.

The weather has been cold and snowy this weekend. Couple that with some still sick little ones and you will find me spending lots of time indoors working on various little crafts when I can steal a moment or two.

Before our move I purged so many of our unused items. I struggled when it came time to sort through my crafting supplies. I just could not bring myself to get rid of a large portion of my fabric stash. I vowed to myself that once we moved I MUST set about putting that stash to use or it would have to find its way to the donation bag.

This weekend I rummaged through my piles of used cotton sheets picking out ones that I thought complimented each other. I am now in the process of tearing them into strips and winding them into a ball of cotton fabric yarn. I intend to turn this ball of yarn into a rag rug. Perhaps for Ariella’s room? Many of the strips of fabric (like the one you see pictured above) come from her crib sheets when she was a baby.

On another note, remember my basket of rolags in the picture shown here? Well, here is the finished yarn!

I am so pleased with the results. The colors are exactly as I envisioned. Isn’t it nice when that happens?

I think it is saying it wants to be knit into a nice bulky and maybe lacey scarf. What do you think it wants to be? I’d love some suggestions!

Finally, I’m closing this post with a sneak peek pic of what I am currently working on for the shop. This particular yarn is being spun up before going into the dye pot. I’m still debating on what flower it wants to be dyed with.