Category: the shelves

yarn along

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I’m working away on Phoebe’s sweater, knitting both sleeves now.  In the meantime, I am hoping to give each of the children a small knitted something for Christmas.  I finished some socks for Philippa, and I’ve cast on this beautiful slipped stitch tam for Phoebe.  She has asked for a hat like this for some time so I think she will love it, and it’s a quick mindless knit to work on when I don’t have the energy for colorwork sleeves.

I made it about half way through Ellie and Harp Maker and had to put it down.  It’s a nice enough book and an easy read, but it glorifies an extramarital affair and to me, there’s nothing glorious about that.  My heart has been broken more than once by infidelity and sexual sin in the lives of loved ones and the reality is that infidelity isn’t romantic, it destroys hearts and families.  I have no interest in reading about it, or people’s various attempts to justify it.

The children and I have been making our way through Hallelujah in the mornings and the older two really enjoy listening to Handel’s Messiah in little chunks each day as we go.  Are you enjoying an advent read this season?

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yarn along

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I split for sleeves on Phoebe’s birthday sweater last night (finally!) and I’m a little nervous that at this rate it’s probably unlikely I will finish this in time for her birthday later this month.  It’s just slow going, all-over color work with fingering weight yarn.  However, it will be so pretty in the end.  Can you see the horses on the yoke?  I’m hoping now that that part of the pattern is done, the body section will go a little faster (the chart is a bit simpler).

I grabbed Elli and the Harp Maker while at the library yesterday.  When we are there I rarely have time to look for books for myself but I saw this one as I was walking to the children’s section and it caught my eye.  I started it last night, and realized it’s been a long time since I’ve ready some fiction.  It was so nice to fall into a story.  I don’t know much about it and not sure if I will love it, but it was good light reading so far.  Do you have any fiction recommendations for me?  I’m in need of some, I realize.

Joining Nicole’s weekly Crafting On, and Ginny’s monthly Yarn Along.
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yarn along

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These November days have flown by and it sounds cliche but its hard to believe we are in the last few days until December.  I am just finishing the neckline of Noah’s birthday sweater so his should be done well in time for his birthday.  All my knitting time is going toward Phoebe’s birthday sweater now, which is so so fun to work on.  I’m really loving the yarn.  I’m finally knitting the horses part of the yoke and it’s fun to see them taking shape.

Not much reading this past week, we have a lot of sickness in the house and I’ve been up most nights either coughing myself or checking on feverish coughing children.  Too tired for much reading come bed time.  However, there’s always time for reading books with the children especially as we are cooped up with colds.  I love the wintry illustrations of Sing a Season Song.  All of our Christmas and Advent books are packed away with Christmas decorations in the attic and I can’t wait to pull that box out soon and enjoy those special books again.

Joining Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.
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yarn along

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I’ve been knitting mostly on Noah’s birthday sweater, finishing both sleeves and attaching them to the body, and then realized I was running out of the blue yarn for the last bit of blue stripe.  Woe is me. 😦 I tried to figure out ways to get around ordering another skein of yarn, but in the end I know I won’t like the look of it with one stripe being the wrong size and then I will likely run out of yarn in the other colors if I try to stretch them to take up the yardage of the blue stripe.  Needless to say, I admitted defeat and ordered another skein.  So that sweater is on hold for a few days.  It should be fairly quick to finish once the yarn arrives.

Meanwhile, I cast on Phoebe’s birthday sweater.  This sweater is a bit of a gamble as I’m trying to adjust an adult-sized sweater down to Phoebe’s size by using smaller yarn and needles and a tight gauge.  I think it is ambitious to hope to have it done within a month, it’s possible but I doubt it.  I couldn’t resist this sweater though because of the horses on the yoke.  Phoebe is going to love it, even if I finish it after her birthday.

Still reading On the Road with Saint Augustine.

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yarn along

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I cast on Noah’s birthday sweater a few days ago and am making good progress on it so far, almost done with the body below the sleeves.  He picked out the colors and I’m not sure if it will look good in the end but I love his input and wanted to make what he imagined come to reality.  I had wanted to knit him something with a color work yoke but he wanted big stripes.  My gauge is a bit off and this sweater is turning out on the big side, but I don’t have the heart to rip back and better to be too big than small.  I am using Beaverslide Dry Goods worsted weight yarn for the first time and it is really, really nice.  I would love a sweater in this yarn too one day!

The children and I began reading Pilgrim’s Progress last week.  We’ve read it before but I’m not sure if we finished it.

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yarn along

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Apart from seaming the underarms and blocking, Philippa’s birthday sweater is done!  I need to cast on Phoebe’s this week, but I haven’t had the time to wind up yarn and swatch, so I’ve picked up my featherweight in the meantime.  Ever so grateful for a few mindless projects on the go that I can pick up as needed and add a row or two.  Somehow the body of my featherweight is already nearly done, I’m knitting the last few rows of ribbing on the hem.  Then onto sleeves.  I’m going to try knitting with small circumference circulars on the sleeves and see if it helps me avoid laddering.  I ordered 9-inch but now I’m wondering if I shouldn’t have tried 12-inch?  Any recommendations, knitters?

I’m still reading On the Road with Saint Augustine.  I can’t move too quickly through this one, lots to mull over and reflect on.  Although let’s be honest, I’m not reading much these days, only the last few minutes before sleep.

Joining with Ginny’s November Yarn Along, and Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.
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Posted on by MarthaKimball 10

yarn along

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I’ve made a good bit of progress on Philippa’s birthday sweater.  I’ve just finished joining the sleeves and body and knitting the first bobble row.  I’ve also been working on a last minute bonnet for her for her halloween costume and a pair of birthday socks.  She’s been seeing sneak peeks of what I’m working on and is very excited to be the recipient of  a lot of woolly love lately.  I’m eager to get back to some of the more selfish projects I had going, but yarn will arrive soon for both Noah and Phoebe’s birthday sweaters and I need to start on them asap.  Noah’s should be a fairly quick knit, but Phoebe’s will be fingering weight color work and will likely take a bit longer.

I’m still reading On the Road with St. Augustine.  It’s a bit different than what I expected, but it’s interesting and thought-provoking and I’m curious to see where it will go.

I do hope to get a regular blog post up soon, sorry for the absence.  It has felt busy around here with just our regular mundane and ordinary living and sometimes I forget to stop and photograph those moments, too.  Can you believe it is the last few days of October?  Please, time, slow down.

Sending love and well wishes to you today, dear reader, and just wanting to extend a big thank you for reading along here, for kind comments and encouragement, for the thoughts you share in return with me.  I do love hearing from you.  I’m grateful for your company in this little corner.

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