Elemental Stitches

Winter Warmth

Since we moved to the central coast of California I have been forced to deal with bone chilling, freezing wet cold that seeps into your core and chills you to the bones.  We don't have this kind of cold in the high desert.  In the desert the temps dip below freezing every night and the wind gusts at 40 mph several times a week, but its generally dry and the cold is interrupted by warmer daytime temps which get into the low 70s on a good day.  Somehow I got away with wearing tank tops to school under my jackets all winter long.

Now, wearing only a tank top under my coat would be crazy.  I would be shivering in my boots in minutes.  To walk my daughter to school in the morning I wear jeans, a tank top which is covered by a long sleeved shirt, a heavy jacket, a cowl pulled up over my chin, and a hat.  I even wear my hair down as an extra layer of warmth against the cold.  My bare hands retreat inside the arms of my jacket to keep my fingers warm. 

But you know what?  I have fallen in love with this rainy wet weather.  I love the stormy gray clouds, daily scattered showers and the early morning fog that rolls into the bay dampening the noise of the city and forcing us to slow down on our way around town.  I love when the rain splatters against the windows and overflows the bird bath in the yard.  When the heavens break open and we get more rain in a couple hours then the desert gets in two years. 

My jacket is not able to keep my hands as warm as I like and its kinda weird to walk around with your hands missing!  So last week I finished up a pair of Susie's Reading Mitts (Ravelry Link Here) and I ADORE them!    These mitts have taken care of my cold hands and turned out to be the most beautiful thing I have ever made!  The gentle variation of cream and brown looks like falling snow on a bare winter forest.  I got lucky with this yarn.  It seems like it was made for this pattern.  I used Cascade Eco Duo in #1711, an all natural variegated color pattern.  Its the same super soft yarn I used for my cowl a couple weeks ago. 

I wear these mitts all the time now.  While reading, walking my little one to school, or taking winter photos.  They keep my hands toasty and my fingers free to do whatever page turning or button tapping that needs to be done.  Now all I need is a matching hat.

Carefree Clothes for Girls - Month 11/12

Spending the last year sewing from this book has improved my sewing confidence tremendously.  I feel like I am better at visualizing a project before I start.  I also now know enough about sewing that I can use my new knowledge and logic to figure out problems, instead of feeling frustrated and lost because I haven't mastered the basics. 

Do you know there are only two projects left?

The Lace Trimmed Coat

And the Pants with Leg Warmers.

The coat has lots of dainty details like lace and buttons.   The pants have knitting which can take some time if you are not a fast knitter.  

So this month you can pick either of the two patterns or both. 

Its up to you. 

In case you are curious I plan on doing the pants.  I've never sewn knitted fabric to woven fabric before.  Have fun and remember to include your link on this post when you are done!

Winner for Nov/Dec Sew Along

Hi everyone!  I am happy to announce that Rachel from Nest Full of Eggs is the winner for Nov/Dec.

Please check out Tanya's dress too, both came out great!

Rachel, you have a special knitted gift coming to you!  Look for an email about the details!

I would love to show you my dress, but I was not as fast as these two and it's not finished.  I know, I know, I am way behind!  I'll catch up! 

Also I am announcing the next project tomorrow!

Remembering Comet

It is always hard to let a beloved pet go.  Today my mom had to put one of our family dogs to sleep because he had developed an untreatable bone cancer.  We had him 11 years, since he was 6 months old.  I know he lived a wonderful happy and healthy life with us.  So many dogs are shuffled from home to home never finding a place where they can live out their lives loved and cared for.  Our home has never been one of those.  Once you are in, you are here to stay.

Things I always want to remember:

- I loved how Comet would hide under the big juniper bush next to the outer gate.  When people would come to visit no one would know he was there.  When they were halfway to the house they got the strange feeling something was watching them from behind.  Its a bit intimidating to turn around to see a big husky calmly watching you as he blocks off the only exit.  Even though he looked scary he was not aggressive in the least, he loved everyone he met instantly, but he was sure to let them know whose turf they were on.  I definitely got the impression he thought the whole situation was hilarious.

- He was the smartest dog I have ever met and understood a lot of English.  I swear he would respond with his facial expressions and "talk" back to me.

- My mom has a huge yard for a Californian.  When Comet was young he loved to catch sparrows.  He would bolt across the yard at top speed and leap into a flock of sparrows snatching one right out of the air.  It was incredible.  He escaped from the yard every once in a while to go exploring and would bring home a fair share of rabbits, squirrels, gophers and even a lamb.  He did let the lamb live.    He only herded it back to our house and into the backyard scaring the little critter half mad.

Thank you for being a loyal companion and friend.  Rest in peace buddy.

 

Finished Knits

I am working on my dress are you?  You have until this Saturday Jan 8th, 2011 to finish and post your link!

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Solstice, Brae's birthday, Christmas, and New Years slid by so quickly I hardly had a chance to enjoy them.  Instead of visiting family we were visited by many friends who we haven't seen since winter quarter started at their colleges.  Some stayed for a couple days, others for a week, and one more is staying for a couple months while his son is in the hospital nearby. 

Tom and I had a blast watching Brae open all her presents and have spent many frigid afternoons watching her ride her new bike in the driveway.  We have had a hard time finding a well fitting helmet.  Anyone know of a good kids bike helmet? 

I did my best to separate the holidays from her birthday, which falls on Dec 24th.  Its tough, but we just try to make Christmas Eve all about her and not about the holiday.

There was no way I was going to knit all my gifts this year.  I didn't want that added stress so I kept it simple.  My sister wanted a pair of fingerless mitts so I made her a pair of Thanksgiving Day Mitts.  The pattern can be found here at TwinKnits.  Or on Ravelry.

I finished these in just a couple days of knitting.  The pattern is simple, but not so simple that it becomes tedious.  The cable pattern is very similar to the Star Crossed Beret & Cowl patterns.  I might make myself a set one day using all three patterns.  I knit with the super soft and squishy Spud & Chloe Sweater yarn which I will definitely use again. 

Brae was the only other person who received something knitted this year.  She was in desperate need of some warmies.  I used the Legwarmies pattern by Alana from Never Not Knitting.  The yarn is Debbie Stoller's Alpaca Love.  A nice inexpensive yarn I found at Michaels. 

I also made matching fingerless mitts.  I winged it with a generic mitten pattern modifying the tops to make the mittens fingerless.  It worked out perfectly. 

I had planned on a matching hat but didn't get to that.  Its on the list for this month.  Ice has moved in and is chilling us to the core on the way to school every morning.  My new cowl has been great at keeping away the chill.  So great that I have plans for a hat with the same yarn. 

More on that soon.

An Old Free Pattern Renewed - Toms Crossed Cowl

Remember the cowl I knitted for Tom back in Fall of 09?  I have been wanting to make another one since then and I finally had a chance over the holidays.  I went to my favorite yarn shop, Green Planet Yarn in Campbell, Ca and came across three beautiful skeins of Cascade Eco Duo.  At the time I would have sworn that Shalom, a gorgeous sweater I have been wanting to knit required Eco Duo, an Aran weight yarn, but I was wrong.  It needs Eco Wool, a bulky weight yarn.  So there I was with three soft as Peter Cottontail skeins of yarn just dying to be knit into something.  And it would be a shame not to have it next to the skin.  Since the Bay Area rain is freezing me to the core I decided a cowl and a new pair of fingerless mitts (pics coming soon!) were in order.  As for the third skein.  Any ideas? 

I made a few changes to the original pattern.  Enough that I rewrote it for you.

Tom's Star Crossed Cowl

- One Ball of Cascade Yarns Eco Duo or other aran or worsted weight yarn

- 16inch US9 Circular

- Row Marker

- Cable Needle (CN)

Gauge is not too important but in case you need it mine was 5st = 1 in, in pattern stitch.

If you would like to make a larger, loose cowl just increase your cast on stitches by multiples of 9 stitches.

Pattern

Cast on 90 st and join in the round being careful not to twist your stitches.  Place row marker.

Rows 1-5:  [k1,p1] Repeat to end of row.

Begin Pattern Stitch

Row 1-4:  Knit all stitches.

Row 5: *Slip 3 to CN, hold in back, k3, k3 from CN, K3.  Repeat from *

Rows 6-10:  Knit all stitches.

Row 11:  *k3, slip next 3 stitches to CN, hold in front, k3, k3 from CN.  Repeat from *

Repeat Rows 1-11 three times.

Next 4 rows:  Knit all stitches.

Next 5 rows:  [k1,p1] Repeat to end of row.

Bind off loosely in 1x1 rib stitch [k1,p1] and weave in ends.  Learn how to bind off in rib here.

I know all our Pacific rain has buried half the country in snow, so I am constantly reminding myself to count my blessings!  I hope you are all staying warm!

2010 - The Year of Beginnings

Sitting on the couch this morning with a cup of tea I thought about all that happened this year.  For us 2010 has been a year of beginnings.  Starting with Tom's new job, then we moved to a new city.  I finally started a food blog, a photo business on the side and my little one has started Kindergarten.  We have paid off some nagging debts, got another car, grew 100 pounds of food in our little backyard.  We have been blessed this year!

Looking forward to 2011...  I have no clue what to expect.  I feel like I am looking into a fog which has happily settled itself over my plans for the future obscuring them from my vision.  There are many things I would like to do this year, but the timing is not right.  Those dreams must wait a little longer.  For now I am going to take this as a sign that 2011 is a blank slate that I can color in as I wish.  It's in my hands. 

One thing I know for sure, 2011 will be a good year.  We will get through our rough patches with love, we will celebrate our happy times together and I will be here on my blog next Dec 31st wondering what craziness 2012 will bring. 

Happy New Year To You All!

Happy Holidays

Hi Everyone,

The holidays completely swept me up!  I have had lots of yummy food, lots of knitting and hanging out with old friends.  I will try to post some of the stuff I have made this month sometime soon.  And that includes my jacket from our sew a long!  I know I still haven't posted it!

Happy Holidays to all of you! 

I hope that the spirit of Santa has touched you all in some special way this holiday season!

Weekend in Pictures - Deck the Halls

We rested.

We found.

We sang.

We decked the halls.

Our Weekend in Pictures

How to Make Felt Broccoli

Shhhhh!  Don't tell anyone!  I have been gardening and cooking in secret, late at night, when the child is snuggled into bed.  So far I haven't gotten caught and I am getting a lot of food stored up.  Here is what I have so far.

One night I was trying to figure out how to make broccoli.  My searches on the internet turned up nothing so I sat down with some green felt and began to play.  I was floored when I figured it out.  SOOOOO EASY!!!  Seriously, you can make a broccoli floret in 5 minutes and here is how.

Supplies

• small amount of green felt
• scissors
• needle and green embroidery thread

1.  Cut a rectangle out of green felt.  Mine was about 6x9 inches.  It doesn't have to be exact.

2.  Fold in half lengthwise.

3.  Make small cuts (about halfway) all the way down the folded side.  You can see all the cuts in the below picture.  My cuts are about 1/2 inch wide, but again size is not important.  Just do what looks good to you.

4.  Start to roll tightly from one side all the way until the whole thing is rolled up.

5.  The end will have a little bit of fabric sticking out so tuck that under the top piece of felt.  (below photo)

6.  Fold over so its covered.

7.  Sew up the seam with green embroidery thread.

8.  Now make 3 more and enjoy with butter!