Nothing too new to share around here since last week.  I’m still working on the betula shawl, nearing the end of the short rows on one side of it.  It is so much squishy garter knitting which makes it soothing and mindless.

I’m about half way through The Brave Learner and still enjoying it and learning a lot.  I think it is helpful for any parent involved in their child’s education who desires to have a creative and inspiring home, not just homeschoolers.

What are you making and/or reading this week?

Joining Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.

In a week this shawl has grown quite a bit!  I’ve been knitting on it fairly monogamously, with a bit of sock knitting on the side.  I’ve tried ripping back on my nordiska but the cable detail on the raglan increases is making it a challenge!  I just can’t bear ripping it all out and starting all over as it was probably at least 15 hrs of work.  Anyway, in the meantime it is truly so satisfying to work with the beiroa yarn.  I love the slubby bits of brown wool when I come to it, and I love the weight and warmth of this shawl as it begins to take shape.  I’m almost done with the first big triangular section and am excited to start the short row sections on the sides of the triangle.  I know this is going to be something I wear constantly in the fall and winter.

We will start school lightly this week and I have been reading The Brave Learner after seeing Ginny recommend it on her blog.  I am really, really enjoying it and so encouraged by it.  In fact, I don’t think it could have come into my hands at a more perfect time.   She refers to feeling battered by the various philosophies and ideologies surrounding homeschooling–unschooling?  classical?  charlotte mason?  common core?  Not to mention all the various curriculum!  Don’t we all sometimes feel battered by all these ways in which we try to figure out the key to making our home school work?  Listen to this:

“The solution doesn’t lie in materials or ideology.  Rather, to experience joy, peace, and progress in home education requires a paradigm shift–a change in the criteria for how we see and stage our homeschools… The key to a kinder and gentler homeschool is attending to the details we overlook–the coziness of our homes, the principles of natural learning, and the tenderness of our intimate relationships.  It takes courage to move away from traditional methods of measurement: grade level, scope and sequence, the Common Core.  Our kids naturally lead the way, diving into whatever subject matter draws them, fearless in their belief that they can learn anything they want to learn.”

Bogart also talks about the common question we often hear thrown around these days: how do we get our children to love learning?  I love her thoughts on this, her questioning our motives in “getting” our children to love learning, and so forth.  I have been wrestling with some of these things in particular as Phoebe has been having some challenges with math which is making her “hate school,” and my main focus this school year has been about redeeming that love of learning.  I’m eager to learn and read further from Bogarts wisdom!  Already I’m very inspired and challenged.  I would recommend her book, though admittedly am only 50 pages in.

So what might you be reading or making these days?
Joining with Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.

 

I was happily knitting away on my nordiska sweater and was ready to join in the round (you knit flat for awhile at the beginning) and my stitch count was waaayyy off.  I counted increases diligently and I have no idea what I did, but I’ve been avoiding ripping back and figuring out how to do so (and maybe just having to start all over?).  So instead of dealing with it, I cast on a new project, as you do.  Don’t worry, I will get to it soon, I just find that when I hit a snag on a project, often if I set it aside for a bit I come back to it with more clarity later.  Meanwhile, I have been wanting to knit the Betula shawl since it came out a year or more ago.  I am knitting it in the called for yarn and the same color way as the original design, which I rarely do but I realized this is why I love this design so much.  Betula means “birch” in Portuguese, and knitting it with yarn from Portugal is so special.  It is such a soft and yet rustic wooly yarn, and it really isn’t appropriate to work on in all this August heat, but it does make me dream of fall days and I really want to have some warm woolens ready for those brisk days that will be upon us before we know it!

The kids and I have been reading Gone Away Lake, and I’m nearing the end of Knitlandia for my personal reading.

What are you making or reading lately?
Joining with Nicole’s Crafting On and Ginny’s Yarn Along.

We are into the part of summer where I feel a bit suffocated by the heat and cooped up in the house more than at any other time of year.  However, I’m still knitting when I can!  It’s a good time for me to get some things prepped for the coming cold weather, and I’m particularly working on a little knitted wardrobe for Wren.  I cast on a fairy dust cardigan for her in some leftover yarn from my soldotna.  I’m using a heavier weight yarn than what the pattern calls for so I’m hoping it’s not too big on her.  A little big would be just fine.  I plan to knit a few bloomers for her and at least one more romper, as well as a couple of bonnets.  Baby knits are so fun and fast, and a good way to use up small amounts of yarn.  Meanwhile I’m still making headway on other projects I have going, two gift shawls and a pair of socks for me.

Still reading Mother Culture, slow reader over here lately!

Joining with Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.