tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521762388042340642012-02-03T11:19:41.589-07:00Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.comBlogger781100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-49644370753917600882012-02-03T11:19:00.003-07:002012-02-03T11:19:41.610-07:00

        A little bit of coloring... A little bit of painting trim... A litle more coloring... A little bit of tea... And a whole lot of snow... Perfect.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-71106652139555006052012-01-31T09:49:00.000-07:002012-01-31T09:49:00.845-07:00

Though gaining a daughter, I'm losing a craft room--a sacrifice I'm willing and excited to make! But it's time to start sorting out and setting up so I can have the room ready in June. This will be a slow process for me, squeezed in mostly while MMD reads the kids bedtime books and on the rare occasions I'm alone in the house. Most of my yarn and fabric will be stored here, in our

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-43720638972172027732012-01-27T09:30:00.000-07:002012-01-27T09:56:39.518-07:00

I think my last post about Arwen was a little confusing. I had meant to go back and add photos to that post to explain myself better, and it just didn't happen...ah well. Such is life. At any rate, my knitting progressed to the point where it resulted in an amorphous blob:  I love amorphous-blob type knitting. Baby surprise jacket? Classic. So I got a big kick out of this sweater. In the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-1095424552836655362012-01-20T08:33:00.000-07:002012-01-20T08:33:00.973-07:00

My top down sweater continues apace. Once I reached the bottom of the armpit, and following the directions in Custom Knits, I went back to the top to pick up stitches. This was a slow process of carefully unravelling the provisional cast on and adding each loop to the needle. On each side I picked up seventeen stitches, leaving the middle stitches on waste yarn. Later I'll pick those ones up for

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-39997500207071029612012-01-18T08:12:00.000-07:002012-01-18T08:12:00.428-07:00

It usually happens about once a week. Maybe if we're lucky, every few days. It usually starts with something small. "Mommy, I want to cut something." Out come the scissors and paper. Little hands get to work. Next we need glue.   Little hands start sticking and folding and assembling. They are busy. They rush around. They focus in. They have a mission.   They discuss their

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-63427982131222007562012-01-16T09:43:00.000-07:002012-01-16T09:43:00.171-07:00

I've been hoarding some gift cards to my LYS and finally went ahead and cashed them in.  I had just enough to buy a sweater's worth of Blackstone Tweed in the Salt Water colorway. I'm trying a new (to me) experiment with this yarn. I want to try modifying an already existing pattern, Kate Gilbert's beautiful Cardigan for Arwen, into a top-down sweater. I've never really modified much

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-56597567933118593942012-01-12T08:00:00.000-07:002012-01-12T08:00:09.874-07:00

RC's obsessions of late are dinosaurs and Legos. Mighty Machines are still cool, but not nearly as amazing as dinosaurs. His initial interest was somewhat exacerbated by the arrival at our local science museum of a T Rex exhibit that featured moving robotic (and somewhat scary) dinosaurs. We had just bought a museum membership when the new exhibit arrived, and RC has seen it at least 4 times.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-10167383992737159892012-01-10T13:39:00.000-07:002012-01-10T13:39:33.921-07:00

I have a lovely godson who is seven months old. He has the most Irish-y name and the most Irish-y look, with bright red hair and enormous cheeks and a huge smile. The kid was clearly in desperate need of a hand knit Aran sweater.   So I made him a Trellis.  Such a fun little knit--something this detailed is great to make for a baby because it's done on a small scale. If I need to rip back,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-73575312479331844902011-08-22T08:39:00.001-06:002011-08-22T08:39:00.835-06:00

Of course, I have been knitting. I usually am. I don't usually knit secret things, but this one was a secret, a gift for a special friend who'd been going through some suckitude.  A stole cannot fix these kinds of problems, but it sure doesn't hurt. The pattern is Anisette, and is made from the amazing Gypsy Wools alpaca lace I purchased on New Year's Eve. It has these

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-90163174380145254812011-06-26T21:05:00.000-06:002011-06-26T21:05:38.053-06:00

This year I got the kids really excited for Father's Day. It all started with Ing and her pajamas. Like every kid in the world, our kids have always had a bunch of clothes that proclaim how much they love their Mom or Dad. As they get older, we see less of these clothes in stores--especially for RC--but Ing still has one pair of pajamas that say I LOVE DADDY! They are her second favorite "

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-19975472115598245482011-05-20T13:57:00.000-06:002011-05-20T13:57:54.169-06:00

The big work of this week has been planting. A lot went into the garden this year, including some investment plants:  blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, all of which will hopefully survive in our garden and be there for years to come. Seeing me so focused on the plants has made the kids want to get involved.  What's more fun than playing with dirt? Together, we planted

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-45917226098036615022011-05-09T14:48:00.000-06:002011-05-09T14:48:53.077-06:00

I had lots of fun making my mom a set of place mats for Mother's Day. I played with half-square triangles in different patterns. And I played with value, too, which I never seem to think enough about. I wanted them to be a reversible set of spring / summer place mats with light, floral pastels on one side and juicy summer brights on the other. Fabrics are all Oliver + S City Weekend.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-66259226031121085832011-04-21T13:16:00.000-06:002011-04-21T13:16:10.732-06:00

I'm in a bit of a snit with Goodale.  I brought her with on a road trip to Chicago and made lots and lots of progress. Miles of back and forth stockinette kept pace with miles and miles of Nebraska--a good knit for riding in the car very late at night. Nebraska is very dark at night--not much out there--but stockinette is easy to knit without looking. This is, I think, part of the snit, since I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-78515229215592195952011-04-13T08:41:00.003-06:002011-04-13T08:41:00.499-06:00

When I learned that I was going to have a daughter, I imagined myself being something of a lioness-mama, battering down society's expectations for my daughter and defending my home from princess-encrusted decor, in order to create for her a safe place to grow and learn and be herself.  I thought I would need to wield the sword of feminism. I thought I would need to fight.   Turns out, I got a

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-20984636852668874132011-04-11T13:21:00.000-06:002011-04-11T13:21:14.838-06:00

It gets slept under, too!

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-21088528426962725702011-03-15T11:15:00.000-06:002011-03-15T11:15:43.265-06:00

Getting closer and closer to the end of the Mighty Machines quilt, I couldn't help but add a few fun embellishments.  There is so much good information out there about new techniques and it is so easy to access.  I looked over this applique tutorial on the Purl Bee and in my head it morphed into a plan to add some trucks to the street on the quilt. I cut out some fun construction trucks from

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-30158389316618255262011-03-04T14:05:00.000-07:002011-03-04T14:05:14.795-07:00

I like to think about things, a lot, before I do them. I need to do some envisioning and imagining and pondering before I start a big project.  I like to work out a plan in my head, solving any problems mentally beforehand.  I spent a lot of time, after piecing the the Mighty Machines quilt, just thinking about how I was going to quilt it. I knew what I wanted to do, but I couldn't quite figure

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-78712185134760594602011-02-28T08:58:00.000-07:002011-02-28T08:58:00.281-07:00

We've been walloped with the sickies lately, and while that has previously led me to have some serious blocks of sewing time, this time around I got some sort of bug too, that has left me feeling stomachy and exhausted.  RC has been wandering about with a green river flowing from his nostrils and refusing to nap--at nearly four years old he's right when he tells Mommy he's too old--and Ing has

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-71053755762931359652011-02-10T08:42:00.000-07:002011-02-10T08:42:27.870-07:00

So excited was Ing when I gave her this sweater that she immediately put it on over her pajamas. She just as quickly took it off again so she could look at it. Looking at it, she loved it so much she just had to put it right back on again.  But then, since she couldn't really see it, she took it back off. So it went until we decided to set it aside just long enough to get some

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-21062649136232592912011-02-02T06:51:00.002-07:002011-02-02T06:51:00.243-07:00

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions that pertain to my hobbies.  I don’t really make them in general, actually.  Mostly because I seldom manage to keep them;  I feel like I’m setting myself up for failure.  When I do make a resolution I keep it unambitious, and as a result my most effective resolution to date has been to not leave my clothes on the floor.  I made that one when I was 24.  But

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-78417971709436205312011-01-31T13:41:00.000-07:002011-01-31T13:41:24.915-07:00

I finished my tea leaves! I have to say that I loved every minute of making this cardi, my first top-down sweater. I liked trying it on as I went; I like watching the beautiful madelinetosh change colors as I worked through it.  I got a little tired on the sleeves, I'll admit, and shortened them to 3/4 length, mainly because I couldn't wait to wear it.  And I sure have worn it, almost every

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-59922958152096817532011-01-26T14:54:00.001-07:002011-01-26T14:57:32.975-07:00

While Carrie was in town over New Year’s, we took a day trip up to Boulder to go to Gypsy Wools.  The day was cold and snowy and there was gray everywhere, so it was such a joy to go into the shop and see colorcolor everywhere. Such a vibrant sight warmed us right up.   {it's like the sun shines from indoors} I love this shop.  It’s just off the Pearl Street mall, which is always

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-68884755514213000462011-01-21T10:03:00.000-07:002011-01-21T10:03:37.203-07:00

On the nights when MMD and I have grownup dinner, its equal and opposite (and slightly earlier) reaction is of course...Kiddinner. This is a great time to serve things that the kids love but that we are tired of or don't necessarily want to eat.  Like mac 'n cheese, for instance. I will happily never eat another bite of mac 'n cheese for as long as I live.  Ugh. Most recently, though, RC

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-42831187070205662112011-01-19T10:09:00.001-07:002011-01-19T10:09:00.847-07:00

Just needs a new button band... {metal?} {or recycled?} And just the right buttons... When I started this blog I really wanted it to be a place where I give updates of my progress, not just show off FO's.  So I feel a little guilty that I've never shown any progress on this sweater and here it is almost done.  I did not just conjure it out of nowhere;  in fact it's been on

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-3813187006958244262011-01-17T09:03:00.001-07:002011-01-17T09:03:00.133-07:00

We had marvelous good holidays and I can't quite believe we are here at King day already; I'm still sort of wallowing in the wonderment that was our amazing Christmas this year.   We had great visits from Santa;   A beautiful Christmas morning; and were given amazing gifts.  I even had some time for some last minute craftiness and whipped up these goody bags.  We filled them with

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-33692142128262264732010-12-22T13:52:00.001-07:002010-12-22T13:52:00.212-07:00

I finally finished up my Super Secret Presents. They weren't all that time-consuming; we've just been blessed by good health this year, so of course I have had little time to sew. Once I scheduled myself a good chunkaroo of sewing time I was able to finish them off, and more... A new baby girl joins my extended family in February.  Of course we are more than excited to welcome her and the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-14345347948950357642010-12-20T13:52:00.000-07:002010-12-20T13:52:50.461-07:00

Oh man did we cram those tins full of cookies the night before school ended.   These were our masterpiece by far. We used this recipe, then rolled the ends in crushed candy canes--I think it took about ten mini candy canes.  The extra step is worth it, really really worth it. Of course, we know better than to give away cookies without sampling them first. That would be foolish.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-44462122684872515712010-12-16T11:30:00.000-07:002010-12-16T11:30:07.020-07:00

My first piece of knit writing has been published at Petite Purls! Petite Purls is such a fun, cute little online magazine and I am so honored to have an essay published there. It's always filled with adorable, comfy, wearable knits for kids. I especially love that they always have patterns for toddlers and a range of sizes, as well as patterns for babies.  They also do great profiles of moms

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-22999251321657832332010-12-09T08:32:00.007-07:002010-12-09T08:32:00.344-07:00

Several years ago now, I took my most recent trip to IKEA.  I was with a few friends, and we were, for some reason, delighted that a store had opened closer to our home.  I have no idea what I went in there looking for, and mostly no idea what I bought, except that I know I bought a tea set.  An adorable, child’s size, porcelain tea set, with the intention of making it into a Christmas gift for

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-3986425028832618142010-11-24T08:43:00.000-07:002010-11-24T08:43:00.124-07:00

I've had a spate of FO's here lately, though I really finished them all about a week ago. For some reason, this is how I roll; I seem to always be finishing a bunch of things up at the same time.  Must be all those years teaching, having to wrap up five classes all at once come semester's end.  At any rate, this is my last FO for a while; I'm excited to be casting on for some fun new things and

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-16539675508589146132010-11-22T08:53:00.008-07:002010-11-22T08:53:00.959-07:00

I've been afraid of alpaca for a while, though I don't really know why.  I'm not shy of animal fibers and I dearly love wools, but alpaca--I just thought it was going to itch, and be too hot.  I know, I know, I've heard all about how it's the most hypoallergenic of the animal fibers, and people who love alpaca--they dearly love alpaca.  I've rubbed many a skein against my face, and I just never

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-6117774746028343732010-11-18T17:14:00.002-07:002010-11-21T20:58:07.810-07:00

Knitting for my children doesn't generally work out for me.  I've had a few solid wins, most notably Ing's Cuppy Hat.  So deeply does she love this hat that when the 80 degree days started to hit last spring, I had to hide it for a while; she was getting too hot in it. But I've also had some devastating losses.  I'm not sure how to categorize RC's latest hat.  I wouldn't call it a loss, but

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-4611610536160213262010-11-16T13:15:00.000-07:002010-11-16T13:15:36.796-07:00

The great irony of procrastinating is that you spend more time avoiding the task than it takes to actually do it.  Most people figure this out by the time they are adults. Not me, I guess. After hiding her away for two months, I bit the bullet last week and sat down to finish up Flower Child.  Less than twenty-four hours later, she was done. I had already done quite a bit of the mass amount of

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-41143809381901849662010-11-05T08:51:00.007-06:002010-11-05T08:51:00.290-06:00

As part of our Midwest journey, we stopped over to visit Carrie in her wonderful, Lego-filled home, and amid the many delightful things that happened there, she presented me with a hat. A really very lovely hat, which she was rather offhanded about actually.  She told me she’s caught the yarn bug, and is rolling out hats like nobody’s business. She crochets.  Evidently that goes faster.  And she

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-62228107714851676622010-11-03T09:13:00.002-06:002010-11-03T10:22:36.354-06:00

Our visit back to Chicago was grandly busy.  Lots of family visits, lots of kid fun, lots of restaurants.  My love of cheese fries was rekindled.  The kids held up really well through all the plane rides and the long drives.  I was proud of them and proud of MMD and I for the work we’ve done in training them to travel.  I know a lot of people who worry about the stress of traveling with children,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-34478370745270393342010-11-01T09:12:00.029-06:002010-11-01T09:12:00.415-06:00

Here, gathered together and basking in the glow of the Christmas 2009 tree, sit the Super Secret Socks, or S3, as they came to call themselves.  Proudly displayed on their new owners' feet, the S3 laughed at their size contrasts and the surprise their owners felt upon unwrapping them Christmas morning. Nearly a year later, I hunted down the Super Secret Socks.  What are you up to now, socks?

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-18687437485054913592010-10-29T09:57:00.001-06:002010-10-29T09:57:00.588-06:00

Before I tell the story of Ing's sock, a few words about Ing. She's not the Type A kid in our family; she's rather artistic and free. She's a bit of a slob. I say this fondly, because I am too.  She often sets things down absentmindedly and then, when she cannot find them, grows upset.  This is a trait she gets from MMD.  Yet at the same time, she is a hoarder, a trait she gets from me.  She

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-35962154909190247182010-10-27T09:47:00.002-06:002010-10-27T09:47:00.588-06:00

As last Christmas approached, RC was going through a phase where he claimed yellow was his favorite color. This was fortunate, since I had a large amount of gold yarn left over after finishing the toes of MMD's socks.  Halfway through the second sock, RC's favorite color abruptly changed to blue. Oops.  I tried to brainwash him; it had worked with the Christmas gifts, as such: My SIL, spying for

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-15755463736151336822010-10-25T09:14:00.004-06:002010-10-25T09:14:00.819-06:00

I'm off to Chicago for fun and relaxing family visits this week, but I hate to lose momentum with my blog.  So I'll entertain you with some old knits.  I thought of this series of knits, and the stories attached to them, because I'm pretty excited about what I'm making for my family for Christmas this year.  I had an idea rolling around in my head, and then I happened upon a great sale for the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-66626743005315578952010-10-21T15:11:00.000-06:002010-10-21T15:11:41.432-06:00

Now that I get Ing all to myself three mornings a week, she's getting a huge kick out of being my "helper."  If I open the dishwasher, she rushes to unload it (sorting silverware is her favorite part).  If I head for the laundry room, she wants to turn the knobs and press the buttons.   The other day she "helped" me make RC's quilt, piling the scraps up in the order she thought most attractive.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-82127622250725414592010-10-19T14:58:00.002-06:002010-10-21T23:16:55.170-06:00

I don't teach anymore, not formally anyway, and I feel like my current work--raising two rather brilliant children--is far more high-pressure.  This is tough stuff, to try to be a perfect mother. While my intellect knows that it's impossible, that obviously no one is perfect, I still beat myself up every time I misstep.  Each mistake makes me work harder to be better.  And I know that this is the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-51872494405274354922010-10-15T15:13:00.003-06:002010-10-15T16:09:11.109-06:00

The Mighty Machines blanket continues apace.  The pattern I am using is called Urban Cabin, and it's been really fun to piece.  I collected a bunch of car- and truck-themed fat quarters and found an appropriately asphalt-colored background fabric to keep it somewhat muted.  The finished quilt top will have 36 blocks in a 6x6 arrangement.  Below are some of my favorite blocks, and while I know

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-21482494416889540032010-10-13T09:53:00.003-06:002010-10-15T16:07:15.868-06:00

Mikey came over the other night for dinner and a hat. For some reason he's been a hot topic lately, especially with Ing.  Part of it, I'm sure, was seeing me making something for him.  Following that she became addicted to a bear he brought her from Munich when she was a baby.  There is a Lego figurine named for him, who drives a flashy sports car.  All the while, RC has been wanting to show

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-74229246138898488792010-10-11T09:23:00.001-06:002010-10-21T23:29:02.632-06:00

A new-ish tradition for MMD and I is something I like to call Grownup Dinner.   We eat as a family almost every night, and his job is such that on many weeknights he rolls in the door just before dinnertime.  That means we don't always get to eat the more flavorful foods we once enjoyed, since the kids are still into a fairly bland diet, and we don't often get to cook together anymore.  I really

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-65680827614612884452010-10-08T07:34:00.001-06:002010-10-08T07:34:00.481-06:00

Deep into Season 3 of The Wire, right around the time Major Colvin legalizes drugs on the West side of Baltimore, I told MMD, I need a shtick.  For the blog, I mean.  Because it's no longer enough to just be a knitting blog; that's not really a niche anymore.  There are some truly classic knitblogs out there (Yarn Harlot, anyone?), and of course all the good designers have a blog, but I'm too

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-18280177820185281722010-10-05T16:28:00.001-06:002010-10-05T16:28:00.202-06:00

We are definitely going through the Why Phase around here.  Every interaction, every day, all day long, it's whywhywhywhy. RC: Mommy, why are you eating lunch? Me: It's lunchtime. RC: Why is it lunchtime? Me: It's noon.  We always eat lunch at noon. RC: Why? Me: Because we need to stop and eat in the middle of the day. RC: Why do we need to stop and eat in the middle of the day? Me: Because

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-83098183278371192932010-10-03T17:28:00.000-06:002010-10-03T17:28:00.468-06:00

All couples develop systems over time.  MMD and I have been married over 9 years now, and we’ve been kitchening together far longer. We do it very well.  I’m always happy to cook for him because he loves to eat so much, and I’m always happy to eat his meals because he’s a very good cook.  The thing I really love, though, is cooking together.  I love our cooking system.  So ingrained in us is the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-80258062271019929932010-10-01T14:12:00.000-06:002010-10-01T14:12:45.332-06:00

The curtains, as I've mentioned, are done.  But they have also been hung for a while now, and I've just neglected to photograph them.   So dearly does RC love them that naps have pretty much become obsolete for him.  He lies in bed staring at them, studying them, and when I come in to tell him it's fine to get up, he will ask me something about one of the trucks, or climb up onto his chair

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-26183623581059009142010-09-22T20:15:00.000-06:002010-09-22T20:15:48.962-06:00

When I finished up Rosy Ptarmigan, all that was left was About 2 ½ yards.  I love when this happens, when there’s just that tiny bit left over, the perfect marriage of yardage and pattern.  I feel so proud, as if I actually did something to make that happen.  In reality I suppose that double-checking yardage requirements really is an action I took, but still, my pride may be a little bit

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-12428420040631180012010-09-20T08:14:00.001-06:002010-09-20T08:14:00.200-06:00

Before my California afterglow fades any more, let me tell you about the yarn shop I visited in Santa Rosa. I had been there before, because this shop is just down the street from where my friend lives.  I took a nice little stroll on a sunny Friday morning and found myself inside Cast Away.  One of my favorite things about this shop is the boat used for display just inside the door—so fittingly

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-64488900244771360412010-09-17T09:11:00.001-06:002010-09-17T09:11:00.372-06:00

On the plane home from California, I cast on another project, a long overdue hat for Mikey.  I asked him the other day to tell me again what he wanted in a hat, since he asked me to do this two years ago. Sweet guy that he is, he insisted it had only been about six months.  Anyway, he wants a long brim, so he can fold it back a bit.  He also insists that he has a bigger head than most men,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-87803117423452420512010-09-15T15:22:00.000-06:002010-09-15T15:22:19.913-06:00

My trip to Cali was perfect. Amazing, refreshing, and calming. Almost meditative.  I visited with my oldest and dearest friend. I played with her son, who is now old enough to be played with.  We drank wine, ate local cheese, got pedis, wandered through downtown Sebastopol and poked around this shop full of good vibes and beautiful art. We talked, and talked, and talked. I talk to no one else

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-36794082853469630072010-09-09T13:36:00.001-06:002010-09-09T13:39:51.329-06:00

I did not reach my goal. Flower Child is still unfinished. One cuff and two side seams and a number of loose ends remain.  It was a deliberate decision.  On Tuesday night, as I hunched over the miles and miles of stockinette, sniffling my way through a rough cold, listening to my exhausted children hack rather than sleep, and neglecting to pay attention to MMD, I looked up at the sweater and

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-87079423817335480242010-09-06T14:19:00.000-06:002010-09-06T14:19:33.717-06:00

On Friday evening, the last section of Flower Child came off my needles.  There I sat, my self-imposed deadline beat by five days, and I got a little cocky.  With six days to go before my trip to Cali, could it be possible for me to wear a completed sweater on my trip? Could I do all the seaming before Thursday afternoon? I didn’t debate. I immediately decided to go for the extra credit. Now

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-75089583390940825302010-08-31T20:38:00.000-06:002010-08-31T20:38:31.877-06:00

Today I cast on the last three stitches of Flower Child.  One section left to go, and I’m well ahead of deadline.  Maybe I should set myself deadlines more often! (Maybe I set myself a goal that was impossible to fail.)  One more time through the chart, some stockinette and shaping, and all the pieces will be finished.  You’ll notice my unbelievably long cast-on tail: this is to be used in

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-54106850609040814962010-08-25T17:20:00.002-06:002010-08-25T17:20:00.236-06:00

My friend Carrie makes cross-stitch gifts that are not only beautiful but unexpected—I was more than surprised and flattered to have her present me with a framed cross-stitch for each of my children, even though I had seen her stitch gifts a-plenty over the years. I’m always impressed by crafters who gift their creations, and Carrie gives away pretty much everything she makes.  She explained to

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-77679199260757582062010-08-23T13:32:00.000-06:002010-08-23T13:32:33.033-06:00

We...  ...are so excited that the cousins came to visit. ..all went to the mountains. ...rode on Daddy's shoulders.  The mountains were still bigger than us.  ...hiked and explored Rocky Mountain National Park. ..rode the Alpine Slide at Winter Park. ...got back just in time to start Preschool today. ...made memories.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-57126076902611029972010-08-22T20:07:00.000-06:002010-08-22T20:07:36.083-06:00

I cast on for a sock. It’s nothing against Flower Child.  I still love Flower Child, I still want to work on her, and I still want to wear her.  I’m progressing nicely.  It’s just that I was at a rough patch.  I was working on the chart, and I was up at the top of it where there are tiny little cables, and the kids were having a loud day, but I still wanted to knit.  I knew I’d mess up the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-28270614423336953742010-08-19T13:28:00.000-06:002010-08-19T13:28:00.349-06:00

One day at the library RC discovered a DVD entitled Mighty Machines.  It's a TV show, evidently on Canada's public television station, that showcases different vehicles--mostly trucks--and the work that they do.  The first episode we watched was called "The Wrecking Yard" and it explained how cars are taken apart and the parts are recycled.  Each truck has a personality, and the voice-overs

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-51572884171347465762010-08-16T13:49:00.001-06:002010-08-16T13:51:52.596-06:00

I'm still knitting along, bit by bit, at Flower Child.  I'm just about halfway done.  The small piece with the needle in it, pictured below, is the fifth of ten pieces.  I like that I can adjust my % completed stat on Ravelry to 50% and be exactly correct, instead of looking at the finished pieces, saying, "eh," and just fudging. I know it doesn't matter really, but it gives me a silly feeling of

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-27628631871818332522010-08-13T15:20:00.000-06:002010-08-13T15:20:00.414-06:00

After making RC’s non-sharing blanket, I whipped up another one for Ing.  I’ve always been under the impression that quilting is really time-consuming, but I’m realizing that’s not true.  Must be an idea I got from all those Little House books.  If you use a sewing machine, and keep your designs simple, quilts go fast.  Real fast. It was fun to pick out the fabrics for this, and they were

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-39211625301580943822010-08-11T20:26:00.000-06:002010-08-11T20:26:35.516-06:00

I mentioned quilt squares in a previous post…. RC helped me pick out some extra fabric for the backing and the sashing on the front.  This was months ago. The backing, in particular, is a lovely flannel with a richly-colored underwater scene. He was really excited about it, and spent a lot of time talking about “my fish blanket.”  I really hadn’t intended the quilt to belong to him, and I was

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-52765695047083369052010-08-09T13:44:00.000-06:002010-08-09T13:44:00.546-06:00

It’s most certainly not fall, here.  The temperature lately is more moderate, like upper 80’s, but we’re still close enough to the 90- and 100+ degree days that fall feels like a faraway dream.  Yet fall magazines are arriving, along with fall patterns, and I am beginning to dream the dream…maple leaf cookies, wool on the needles, crock pots of stew, aspen leaves, seeing the pumpkins RC planted…

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-20448066526589864122010-08-06T11:28:00.001-06:002010-08-06T11:28:00.592-06:00

In the annals of nerd-hood, there’s really nothing more pleasing than a chart.  As a full-fledged nerd, I can attest to the feeling of deep joy that arises when an abstract concept can be expressed graphically.  When I was a teacher, I regularly demonstrated charts and graphs to my students as a method of mapping before writing.  More recently, I learned to use Visio in my (paying) job to make

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-38239030063743799972010-08-02T14:07:00.003-06:002010-08-02T14:07:00.648-06:00

Here's my latest WIP, Norah Gaughan's amazing Flower Child.  I've been eyeing it for a long time, but I fear commitment, especially where inanimate objects are concerned. I fell in love with the pattern at first sight, but I just couldn't bring myself to seal the deal. Even after purchasing the yarn, I waited a while to cast on.  But as time passed, I continued to wander back to the pattern and I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-62667319412284102392010-07-30T14:35:00.001-06:002010-07-30T14:35:00.323-06:00

It's sad news, truly sad news, to learn that a nearby LYS is closing.  We all know that times are tough right now and local businesses everywhere are closing up shop. This is a shop where I felt I took a bit of advantage, too: I attended their knit night for a while, but I often purchased yarn at other shops.  I know this is faux pas, but the fact remains: times are tight, and other shops carried

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-35597430129574009702010-07-26T14:34:00.000-06:002010-07-26T14:34:25.647-06:00

It's always fun to get a few new toys.  It's a nice way to help you get excited about the half-finished items, to motivate you to jump back into the hobby.  I love to wander about the notions section of an LYS looking for fun new goodies.  I especially love the hand lotions and project bags in my nearby shop, Colorful Yarns.  I rarely look elsewhere for a project bag, but I gotta tell ya, when I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-76110661563350720832010-07-14T13:03:00.000-06:002010-07-24T14:09:40.299-06:00

I can't believe I let this little number slip by me...I have no idea when I finished Milkweed.  It's a fun little shawlette in Skein Queen Squash, colourway Truffle. Note my use of the British colour? That's because this lovely yarn is out of the UK and was gifted to me in a Ravelry swap. I made the mistake of trying to wind it by hand, alone, by hanging it off a hook on my bathroom door, while

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-50688966040210116752010-07-06T06:55:00.000-06:002010-07-06T06:55:00.490-06:00

I'm selfish about my knitting and I don't often knit for others.  I've learned that this is better for me and the fact is that I learned it the hard way.  There was the Incident of the Scarf, followed by the incident wherein a certain little boy cried every time he was made to wear a certain sweater. But when my brother Mikey asked me to make something for him, my immediate reaction was, well,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-6050218887841941222010-07-01T15:22:00.000-06:002010-07-01T15:22:00.445-06:00

I was obsessed with the Little House books as a child.  To be honest, I still am. I was gifted the full set of books in second grade, when I had already read through the series at least twice. I still have that set, and it is beyond dog-eared. It is rubber band-wrapped. The volume of Farmer Boy is, sadly, beyond repair. This is because not a year goes by that I don't wander back to at least one

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-9695577857404813032010-06-29T20:01:00.001-06:002010-08-02T20:21:22.235-06:00

Just don't post all that often. While I haven't been very busy writing, I have kept up with my knitting (and quilting!) and I have a few FO's to show off.  Let's begin today with the Camp Hoodie. I love its toasty goodness. I like my sweaters a little longer than called for by the pattern. I was also worried that the checkerboard band would fall a little too low on my body and bulk up my

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-29582288650305440632010-04-05T08:51:00.001-06:002010-08-02T20:15:30.958-06:00

It's been a crazy few weeks around here with some nasty bouts of sick and not a lot of time to be writing. But I've tenaciously managed to keep up with my crafting. Baby is done. I cast on for an Ishbel and I plan to go all-out, whole-hog, full-size on this shawl. The yarn is Sivilla, a silk/wool blend, in colorway Aloe Vera, gifted to me by my Finnish swap partner. I looooove this luscious

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-78201929236045969432010-03-19T14:43:00.000-06:002010-06-22T14:31:11.367-06:00

One of the things that's hard for me, when thinking about having a craft blog, is that I'm slow. I read a lot of knitting blogs and it feels like other knitters are so fast, as if their posts say, Here's the sweater I started yesterday...I'm wearing it to work today!I am sure that I hyperbolize it. I am sure that it takes other people a long time, too.I often feel robbed for time, just because I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-79378578508999602872010-03-01T13:34:00.001-07:002010-08-02T20:10:34.473-06:00

This is all I managed to knit during the Olympics. You can't even tell what it's supposed to be! I'm disappointed with myself, because I know in my heart I'm an Olympic level knitter. But I won't have a chance to prove it for two more years. For the record, it's the body and head of the baby doll. On the other hand... That's the table runner for MomC. The pins mark the last two feet or so of

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-57867681058176405772010-02-21T20:29:00.000-07:002010-06-22T14:31:11.404-06:00

Luckily, I can embroider. And if this table runner I am in charge of sewing for my MIL sucks--which it might--I will at least be redeemed by the embroidered message on the back corner.I am so enamored of quilts though, and I really want to be a quilter. I love the quilt shops, I love looking at fabrics, and I really love a good cuddle up under a quilt. I was hoping that this little experience

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-65297096146201490792010-02-17T09:25:00.000-07:002010-07-24T14:15:59.761-06:00

I won a giveaway on Susan Anderson's blog. Is this why I'm such a fangirl? Maybe. She told me that since the book wouldn't be out until March, it might be a while before I saw it, but it was less than a week before it arrived. I feel pretty cool being privy to a book that hasn't been released yet. I don't think I would have bought this book. The knitting books I fall in love with tend to have

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-446209547466943182010-02-15T15:06:00.000-07:002010-07-24T14:13:09.603-06:00

My two big projects right now are in the same color--this may become a problem. The first is Baby Doll Set, my project for Ravelympics. I'm competing for Team Colorado in the Skelegurumi. The finished doll will be for Ing. She's on a baby doll kick right now and this should be just perfect for her--she loves to pretend to change the baby's diapers but right now we don't have any baby dolls

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3052176238804234064.post-8870850061221229792010-02-14T14:27:00.000-07:002010-06-22T14:31:11.448-06:00

Cranberry shortbread hearts. Yummy, easy, adorable, and with scraps left over to enjoy. Definitely a great gift for Valentine's Day next year.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196417510985704926noreply@blogger.com0