Category: things I make

yarn along

MarthaKimball2 Comments

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Ha!  I haven’t posted since last week’s yarn along.  It was a super busy week, followed by a weekend away visiting Brandon’s parents in South Carolina, and then back to busy with school and catching up on house things.  The weekend away afforded me some extra knitting time, so I cast on a new project, a Leksak tunic for Philippa.  I’m using up some old yarn in my stash that is something probably cheapy that I bought before I knew how to knit (used it for a weaving), but it feels like wool/dk weight.  It’s knitting up quickly.

Also, I’m eager to dive into Crossing the Waters by Leslie Leyland Fields.  I read her book Surviving the Island of Grace about her early life as a salmon fisherwoman on Kodiak Island in Alaska and thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in Alaska life.  This book looks promising!  She lends her knowledge and life experience as a fisherwoman as she looks at the biblical accounts of the disciples and their many experiences with Jesus on the water.

I’m linking up with Ginny’s weekly yarn along today, a little wednesday community that shares what we’re currently reading and knitting.  

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yarn along

MarthaKimball2 Comments

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I finished the little boy sweater for my nephew.  It’s blocking now, and I’m really happy with it!  I’ll share pics of it soon.  So now I’m working on a pair of socks for me, my first pair for myself.  I love them so far, though I think they have more “positive ease” than I realized, or whatever that means.  They are simple and cozy and so soft.

I’m still in the last few chapters of Moments and Days but this book, Slow Church, arrived at the library so I put other books on hold so I can maybe read it before its due back.  I can’t remember where I first heard about it but I was interested in it because of the way the authors address our current church culture, examining the way the wider cultural value on speed and efficiency has trickled into the way we approach and do church.  Borrowing from the “slow food” movement, the authors relate the McDonalization of our food to the “McDonalization” of our churches, viewing them as “spiritual filling stations, dispensaries of religious goods and services.”  Also, they had me at the byline: cultivating community in the patient way of Jesus.  Something in me stirred at those words–always, this hungering in us for community and something about the “patient” way of Jesus (such a good turn of phrase) that is always so counter to how we tend to do things.  We get away from His narrow way so quickly and easily, don’t we?  I’m enjoying the book so far and it makes me want to do a massive study on church.  Gah.

Linking up with Ginny of Small Things today to share current reads + knits along with her little community.  

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yarn along

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On last sleeve of this sweater.  Almost done!

I’ve been reading Indian Captive to Phoebe for our read aloud.  It is based on the true story of Mary Jemison who was captured and raised by the Seneca Indians from early childhood.  It has been admittedly a bit intense and emotional at a couple of points, in my opinion, and I’ve asked Phoebe throughout if she still wants to read it or if it’s too sad.  She has pled with me to keep going and doesn’t seem bothered by the hardship Mary faced.  We are about two chapters to finishing and both can’t wait to see what is going to happen.  It is a book I will probably make a mental note to revisit when we talk about this period in history, as it is a true story and deals with so many of the emotions and difficulties and prejudices of the Native American/White people conflict.  It has been powerful to gently talk with Phoebe about Mary’s response to difficulty and to adoption by the Native Americans.

I’m linking up with Ginny Sheller today and her weekly yarn along where we share what we are currently knitting and reading.

 

yarn along

MarthaKimball2 Comments

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I started this sweater for my nephew a bit ago, then had to rip it out after I split for sleeves and realized my stitch count was way off.  Second time around I have the sizing right, and am busy on the body of the it now.  I’ve been trying to devote all of my attention to it, but my free time for knitting/reading has been a bit less since starting school with Phoebe last week.  It will be late, but hopefully it will be worthwhile!

I’m still reading Moments & Days by Michelle Van Loon and have almost finished the first portion of the book on the Jewish calendar.  It is such a treasure to me to have a Jewish perspective on the feasts of the Lord, and even better that she shows how each feast/celebration finds their fulfillment in Jesus.  The design of God is brilliant.  I’m learning a lot!

I’m linking up with Ginny today and her weekly yarn along, where we share what we’re currently knitting + reading.

 

yarn along

MarthaKimball5 Comments

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I cast on for these “favourite socks” a couple of weeks ago for myself.  I’ve been wanting to knit myself a pair of socks since I knit some for everyone in my family last Christmas and never got around to doing a pair for me.  I have primarily been working on a sweater for my nephew but realized this morning after splitting for sleeves that my stitch count was so far off that I ripped the whole thing out to start over.  These socks are sort of my happy selfish knitting project when other things I am working on hit a stand-still.  Thank goodness for multiple WIPs.

I am still reading Teaching From Rest and loving it, challenged by it already just in regards to parenting.  Moments and Days: How our Holy Celebrations Shape our Faith is absolutely excellent so far.  It came in the mail for review and I didn’t plan to start reading it but I couldn’t put it down, drawn immediately into the noise and smells and fray of modern-day Jerusalem and the story of a Chosen People set apart by their Sabbath rest.  Written by a Jewish woman who became a Christ-follower in her teens, she explains the Jewish calendar and the church calendar from her Jewish perspective.  She writes about the feasts and festivals of the Jewish people and shows how each one finds their fulfillment in Christ.  I’m very interested in her perspective that time is not merely something we are supposed to measure, but that it is a gift to us, that time measures us, in fact.

Linking up with Ginny’s weekly yarn along where we share what we are currently knitting + reading.

yarn along

MarthaKimball4 Comments

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I’m working on the second sleeve of this baby gown for my friend’s baby boy due in October.  It has been such an enjoyable and fast knit, and so cozy!  Since the pattern came as a bundle of three different patterns, I plan to cast on the sweater version for my nephew’s birthday coming up later this month.  My first sweater!

Also, I finished Come to the Family Table (I reviewed it in my last post), and have started Teaching from Rest per the recommendation of one of my best friends.  I’m underlining it constantly and thankful to be immersing my heart in these truths before beginning school for the first time in a couple of weeks.  Deep breath.

I’m linking up with Ginny’s weekly yarn along to share what we’re reading + knitting.

 

yarn along

MarthaKimball3 Comments

DSC_0015.jpgI finished the sunsuit over the weekend and need to sew on buttons and block, meanwhile I’m knitting the matching bonnet.  I absolutely love this set and want to knit one for philippa too!  So many ideas, so many things to knit, so little time.  I’m hoping to finish this up by this week and send it off to my cousin who requested it as a baby gift for a friend.

I finished The Light between Oceans over the weekend, too, and had a good cry.  I almost gave up reading it a couple of times, admittedly, just because it was painful to read in some ways, but I’m glad I saw it through to the end.  It was a good book, and I’m excited to see the movie now.

I picked up Come to the Family Table, a book I’m reviewing for the publisher, and am a few chapters in.  It’s about resisting the haste of our current day and age, returning to a slower existence around the table as a family, nurturing relationships there, savoring Jesus there. I am already getting some fun ideas to implement in our own home.  Each chapter ends with a simple recipe and an easy game to play as a family around the table as well as a devotional to share.  It would be a great book to read with your husband together, fairly light and easy reading, but my husband isn’t one to read books with me.  I have been bouncing ideas off of him though as I go, and it’s brought some interesting conversation. I asked him the other night if he felt like we have a “refreshing” home, and what is it like for him when he walks in the door from work at the end of the day.  He snorted, which launched us into some good natured teasing and laughter.  Humor goes a long way in these kinds of discussions!  We are looking for the first time to buy our very own home, so it’s neat to be reading this book and thinking about the layout of the kitchen/dining area, and how the layout affects my ability to slow down and enjoy a meal, as well as how it might affect guests.  Little things like that can make a big difference.

I’m linking up with Ginny’s weekly yarn along to share what we’re knitting + reading!

 

 

yarn along

MarthaKimball4 Comments

DSC_0027.jpgStill reading The Light Between Oceans and enjoying it, heart-wrenching though it be.

I cast on the bonsai sunsuit as a little commissioned project for a friend.  I’ve finished the bloomers portion except for the ribbing around the leg openings and am starting on the bib.  Can I just say how much I enjoy knitting baby items?  I haven’t knit much with cotton aside from dishcloths.  I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it, but I’m liking this yarn so far.  It’s super soft and I like the feel of it knitted up.

Joining up with Ginny + her weekly yarn along today to share what we’re currently reading + knitting!

 

 

yarn along

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I finished my icelandic slips and cast on this week for a sleep sack for one of my best friend’s baby due in the fall.  I really love it so far, almost done with the bodice and about to split for sleeves.  Knitting baby items = pure joy.

Also I began reading The Light Between Oceans because I don’t have enough books going already (ha), but I really do need a good novel.  I’m probably a third of the way through it and enjoying it though it does have some sad elements and the protagonists keep making decisions that give a sense of dread of what is to come in the book.  I guess thats what keeps me reading, though I know heartache is probably ahead.

Joining with Ginny‘s weekly yarn along today.

yarn along

MarthaKimball2 Comments

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I finished the Antarktis shawl for a friend, finished-knit photos to come soon!  My brother and sister-in-law brought me back some Lopi yarn (!!!) from their recent honeymoon to Iceland, so I cast on this week for a simple pair of slippers.  I think they will be so cozy and special because they truly came from Iceland!

I haven’t been doing a lot of reading lately, it seems.  Phoebe and I recently finished up an abridged/illustrated version of Anne of Green Gables during our read-aloud time, and we are five or so chapters into Caddie Woodlawn and enjoying it so far.

Joining with Ginny today to share what we are knitting + reading.