Tag: the things i make

yarn along

MarthaKimball1 Comment

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I’ve finished up the body of phoebe’s sweater, working on the front edging now.  Once that is done, it will be onto sleeves.  I’m surprised with how quickly it has gone!  I haven’t been able to keep it a secret, trying it on her multiple times (it fits so nicely!), and it will be hard to wait till her birthday to give it to her when these chilly and often dreary November days are upon us.

I’m still reading We Took to the Woods, it seems to take me much longer to make it through books these days.  Still, I carry on.  This one, The Secret life of Sarah Hollenbeck, came in the mail last week for me to review.  I’ve read the first few chapters, and it’s okay so far, but the jury is still out on whether or not I will love it.  It’s the story of a woman with a broken marriage who begins writing steamy romance novels, which become wildly popular, and then she comes to know the Lord.  The story then unfolds of how she deals with her past and the binding book contract she has even as she walks into a new future.

Joining in with Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.
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yarn along

MarthaKimball4 Comments

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It’s quite a dreary dark rainy day here, so I had a hard time finding a spot with enough natural light to snap a photo.  Philippa’s sweet little sweater is blocking and I cast on for a leksak tunic for Phoebe a few days ago.  I’m a few inches below the underarm now, so I’m hopeful this will be a fairly quick knit, although a sweater for a seven year old will inevitably take longer.  I’m knitting it with yarn leftover from my Lila sweater, Shepherd’s Wool in color way seabreeze.  I’m knitting her the size 6 because her chest fits those measurements better and I remember this yarn blooming a little bit once blocked.  I seem to always knit their sweaters too big, despite getting gauge when I swatch, so I’m hoping this will actually fit her just right.

I’m still reading We Took to the Woods and enjoying it.  It’s a very peaceful and engaging read for before bed, which seems to be the only time I have lately.

Joining in with Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.
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yarn along

MarthaKimball4 Comments

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I suppose I’ve decided to make each of the children birthday sweaters again.  I wasn’t sure if I’d have time to squeeze in 3 sweaters before Christmas, but I’m going to give it a shot.  I’m also very tempted to knit baby knits that I have planned, but really I can work on those in January and February before baby comes so I’m trying to hold off.  I’m thankful that each of the sweaters I knit for the children last year still fit and they have been wearing them again in this chilly weather we’ve been having.  Honestly, it brings me joy every time I see them wearing them!  I decided on this little cropped sweater for Philippa with a lace/cable detail on the front.  I’m adding length so that it’s not quite as cropped and I’m knitting long sleeves, after seeing Brienne Moody’s version on instagram.  I’ve made a few mistakes on the lace/cable panel, but I don’t think it’s terribly noticeable and I’m learning that I’m not a perfectionist when knitting.  Good enough is good enough.  🙂  I’m knitting it with Shepherd’s Wool yarn, which is such a nice yarn to work with and fairly inexpensive.

Also, I’ve been reading We Took To the Woods.  It’s a memoir written by Louise Rich who with her husband made a life in the Maine backcountry.  I’m enjoying it so far, her writing is often humorous and full of tales of the adventures that are inevitable in a mainly subsistence lifestyle.

ps.  Happy Halloween!!

Joining with Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.
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yarn along

MarthaKimball3 Comments

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I knit the sweetest baby bonnet (free pattern!) the other night and just need to attach i-cord ties to it.  For some reason I’m having a mental block about best way to attach?  Any recommendations, knitters?  I have a 3 stitch i-cord.  I feel silly that I can’t figure it out.  I knit this bonnet with madelinetosh dk twist in color way snake.  Love the color so much.

Also, I received this beautiful book, Hinds’ Feet on High Places, to review.  I first read this book back in college and it was very special to me.  Recently my sister-in-law sent Phoebe a child’s version of it, which she has treasured.  I am really grateful to have a new pretty copy of this book myself to reread.  This story is a classic, an allegory about journeying from the lowlands of fear to the heights of trust, similar in some ways to Pilgrims Progress.  The cover of this book is stunning and the watercolor paintings sprinkled throughout are truly breathtaking.  A few special features are some coloring pages of key scriptures in the back of the book, as well as some words from the author, Hannah Hurnard, about how the book came to be, and a brief autobiography.  I would highly recommend it to anyone as a great gift book, especially for someone going through a trying or scary season.

Linking up with Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.

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Thanks to Tyndale Publishing for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my review.

 

yarn along

MarthaKimball1 Comment

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Making progress on my timber cardigan in brooklyn tweed shelter, color way fossil.  It’s good to be knitting again, albeit slowly.  This is a super enjoyable knit with the loveliest of yarns.  I’m trying to convince myself not to attempt birthday/Christmas sweaters for each of the children, but I find myself accidentally settling on yarns and patterns.  We’ll see.

I’ve been reading this biography of Francis Schaeffer for some time, I put it down when I was really sick with this pregnancy, but have just picked it back up in the last few days.  I have been so impacted by Schaeffer’s writing and work, as well as his wife and children’s writing on homemaking and home educating (Edith Schaeffer’s The Hidden Art of Homemaking, Susan Schaeffer Macaulay’s For the Children’s Sake).  It is fascinating to me to learn about this man and his family and the way they followed Christ and their impact on the Kingdom of God.

Joining with Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.
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yarn along

MarthaKimball2 Comments

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So this is my first real attempt back at knitting.  I’m having a hard time returning to the projects I have on the go already, and felt like I needed to restart with a clean slate.  Some days I feel a bit of an urge to knit, some days its still not there at all, so I know I’m not fully back to my knitting self–I’m hoping it does return?  The fall-ish weather helps a bit. I so loved knitting Noah’s sweater last year with Shelter yarn and have really been wanting to knit a sweater for both Brandon and I in it.  I’d love to make him one for Christmas, but honestly don’t know if I would be able to finish a large man sweater in time.  Plus its such pricey yarn.  I was able to buy this sweater’s quantity with my birthday money, and a friend lent me the pattern book for the Timber cardigan.  I’m hoping it’s not too boring to knit in white, but I know I will wear it a ton.  I’ve already made my first mistake and need to rip back two rows. 😦  Trying to find the energy to do that.  I’m beginning to dream of baby knits–lots of baby knits, as this will be my first baby since I’ve learned to knit.  Everything I look at is pretty gender specific though, so I think I may wait to find out what we’re having, if we do find out.

Phoebe and I are still reading The Secret Garden and I have picked up and nearly finished I Capture the Castle again.

Joining with Nicole’s weekly Crafting On.
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yarn along

MarthaKimball4 Comments

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I finished Mere Motherhood a few days ago and just so so enjoyed it.  I highly recommend it for any mom who is at least a year or so into homeschooling.  I think if I had read it before homeschooling I might not have quite commiserated with the author or found it so humorous.  Maybe it would have freaked me out.  I rarely laugh out loud at a book, but I was stifling fits of laughter in bed when reading this one on multiple occasions.  The author has 9 children, 8 boys and 1 girl, and she chronicles her homeschooling journey from the very beginning up to present.  I resonated with so much of what she shared, her struggle to find her philosophy of education, her parenting and housekeeping woes in the midst of schooling and pregnancy and new babies and life’s constant change.  It was truly a joy to read, a help in so many ways encouraging me toward the things that truly matter as a mother and homeschooler.  Reading the final chapters where she shares about the teen years reminded to me to really enjoy and engage in this present seasons with little ones!  I found her book to be gritty, honest, humorous, helpful, and I couldn’t put it down.  Will definitely be reading it again and passing it on to some friends!

I found A Charlotte Mason Companion at a recent local homeschooler’s curriculum sale and was so ecstatic.  It was on my summer reading list and finding it for $6 was a steal!  I’m even more eager to read it after reading Mere Motherhood and find myself continually drawn to and resonating with Charlotte Mason’s philosophy.

I’m on the last four rows of the Antarktis shawl for my mom.  Actually I technically finished the pattern a few days ago but I continued to add repeats of the garter and lace sections because I have so much yarn leftover!  I’m sure it will grow quite a bit once I block it and be a good size, which I hope is what my mom is looking for.  I can’t believe how quickly this knit up and I’m excited to gift it!  The yarn has been so very lovely to work with and I want to knit with all of Fibre Co.’s yarn!

What are you reading and making this week?

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yarn along

MarthaKimball2 Comments

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It took Brandon a little while to decide on a hat pattern for the yarn that he picked out, but we finally did and I cast on for it a few days ago.  He is very particular, not wanting anything slouchy or “trendy,” and likes more classic simple hats, but with some kind of a bit of interest.  So I think what we picked will be good.  This yarn is nice to work with so far, I’m still learning how variegated yarns knit up.  I can’t quite foresee it until I start knitting with it.  This one almost looks camo-ish to me as it knits up, so I’m curious to see how the end result will look.  It’s very bright and the blue is dark enough that in the evenings it’s hard to work on it because I can’t see my stitches super well in low light.  I’ve been working on some gift knitting as well, always a few projects on the go.  I’ve had a little idea too, something I’ve been praying about and thinking about, a way to share some of my knitting with you folks, too.  I’ll share more about it soon!

Still reading From Good to Grace (affiliate link), not much time for reading these busy days, and I’m enjoying this one slowly.. hoping I really digest it versus speed read through it and it not sink in.  Are you tired of seeing it’s cover yet? 🙂 🙂  Maybe next week I’ll be onto something new.  Maybe.

What are you knitting or reading lately?  I always love hearing from you and getting ideas for new books and projects!

Linking up with Nicole of Frontier Dreams weekly Crafting On.

 

yarn along

MarthaKimball1 Comment

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Still reading From Good to Grace by Christine Hoover and enjoying it so deeply.  Highly recommend.

Knitting philippa’s second sock.  She seemed completely disinterested in these until I tried the first sock on her and she started wiggling her little toes in it.  Now she is so excited to see me knitting the second one.  It amazes me every time, how excited the children get when I’m making something just for them.

What are you reading or making lately?  Linking up with Nicole’s Crafting On. ❤

yarn along

MarthaKimball3 Comments

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I finished Phoebe’s first sock and just turned the heel on the second one this morning.  She is begging me to finish these asap.  Even though NC summer heat is threatening to bear down on us, she wants socks. 🙂  I’m knitting Susan B Anderson’s ribbed socks for kids pattern in Knit Picks stroll gradient yarn (color way unicorn) and I used some leftovers from my “favourite socks” for heels + toes.  So fun and so fast to knit little kid socks.  A very satisfying knit!  But then, I feel like I say that about everything I knit.  Knitting is just satisfying. 🙂

I picked up The Awakening of Miss Prim after Ginny (the originator of the yarn along) mentioned she was going to read it, as she is also looking for some lighthearted fiction.  It captured me immediately and I can’t wait to get in bed at night and dive back into it.  I already don’t want it to end!

No real link up this week, except linking arms with my knitting friend over at the Being Bodeker blog. 🙂  
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