Knitting Calm

No matter what craziness is going on in my life and right now and there is plenty of it... it seems all I have to do is pick up my knitting needles and start  knitting even a few stitches and I immediately feel calm.

I ran into our bedroom for something in a huge rush and saw my knitting on my bed stand.  As I waited for my family to get their things to head out the door I decided to knit a few stitches while standing there waiting and it felt as though all of the stress just melted off of me.  It was an immediate difference that stuck with me.  It's no secret that hand work for years is known for something people do when they are relaxing, grandmothers, mothers, and daughters working on hand sewing, crocheting, and knitting while dinner simmers away, taking advantage of the lull in the day to relax and catch up on sewing and mending.  Perhaps, though it wasn't that they were working during a slow in their day that was relaxing, but the other way around.  During a slow time of the day they picked up their hand work and it caused the stress to melt away and they relaxed further and caught their breath before the hustle and bustle returned when everyone came home from work and school and their day once again became busy.

Fast Forward December

It never fails, no matter how prepared I am for how busy this month is, it seems like the fast forward button gets pushed and the month just speeds by!  I have purposely been standing on the brakes each and every day but no matter what I do it is moving by really quickly!!!

I try to stop and enjoy something in nature each day.  It is all around us, free, and most importantly beautiful!  This is from the other evening.  I love all the colors of the sky while the dark is closing in fast.

The weather is supposed to turn cold here after the weekend.  This might last for days or for the afternoon.  One never really knows.  I worked quickly and finished up my scarf anyway so I can enjoy a layer of warmth.  I am really looking forward to using something that is both practical and beautiful that I made myself.  What a wonderful feeling :)

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I was able to understand the yarn while knitting and keep the pattern consistent through the entire piece this time. I might give mittens a try, I never have been much of a hat person :)

New Knitting Stitch

Periodically I like to learn a new knitting stitch.  I am a beginning knitter so I don't want to get carried away and confuse myself but I am well beyond knit and purl.  Not in ability, just in the boredom department.  I'm ready for something new after making many dishcloth's.  I used the stitches in the dishcloth's to make a beautiful and simple scarf like the one I am working on now.  However, my fingers were itching to try something else so.... I found this raspberry stitch.

I found it on you tube here.  The person posting is called iknitwithcatfur if for some reason you have trouble linking you could find her video's by  name.  I believe I watched another video by the same person when I was learning to make my first dishcloth.  She does a very good job and has many other video's that I will watch in time after I learn this well.  What is pictured above is a very humble beginning.  I really like the texture of the stitch and will use another color to make a scarf.  Wishing you the joy of learning new things! :)

Gentle Day

Today was a nice slow day.  I rested and washed up some dishes and tidied up the house a bit.  I like days like this.  It is soothing and just feels gentle and calm.  I spent some time working on the scarf I am knitting for myself.  Each day I think it is cold outside, and the  next day is even colder!  There are a few warm days sprinkled in but it is persistently cold and to deny winter is on it's way is only being foolish.  I decided I needed to put aside a few projects for others and work on my scarf so I am also warm :)  I look forward to using it when it is finished.

 When it was dinner time I sauteed some onions and minced garlic and made a meat free sauce for spaghetti.  I have been trying to cook several meat free meals each week.  Slowly I am adding recipes to do this.  In time I will have a good variety and would like to eat less meats.  Meats are becoming even more expensive and I would like to eat from our garden next year as much as possible and reduce the amount I am going to the supermarket.  We live in a rural area and it costs not only in gas, but wear and tear on our vehicles to drive back and forth all the time.  In past months I have greatly reduced the amount that I go to town and have enjoyed this.  I like being home and enjoy doing things here.  I do enjoy gathering with my friends for quilting and an occasional breakfast, but I feel tired and disconnected from what I would like to be doing at home when I go too much. In short, I am a home body :)

 I am really looking forward to a productive garden so I am able to can my own sauce instead of using store bought.  I remember my mom using sauce that she canned from the garden when I was little.  I hope I am not being too optimistic.   My dh asked if I was aware how many tomatoes sauce used?  Hmmm, this is a good question to think about.  He wants to make sure if I am planning on making our own sauce, enough for all of next year, that I plant plan for enough tomatoes.  I need to do some research I believe! :)  Either way, it is goals like this that make me excited to have a productive garden.   :)

Going Backward in the Right Direction

Today I spent the day quietly knitting while watching Edwardian Farm and finished dd2's winter scarf.

Each time I made a yarn change the color pattern changed as well.  I didn't catch this criss cross pattern until I saw it in the photo.  It felt really good to get this put in her basket of mittens and hats so the first time it is cold she can wear it and be warm.  She loves it!

I started  chicken boiling this afternoon with seasonings to make chicken noodle soup for dinner.  When the knitting was finished I started to make dinner and to my horror I realized that I didn't have frozen noodles.  I took a breath and thought to myself "ok, you are ready for this do it!"  I had previously purchased a pasta cutter and have wanted to start making my own noodles but the frozen ones are not only convenient but I know they taste good!  Horrible excuse I know and what is the deal with this thinking anyway?  I always give things a try and really enjoy cooking.  I guess I put up a wall or something.  I pulled out four or five cookbooks and to my complete shock could not find a recipe for noodles!  Every recipe I read called for either dried or frozen noodles!!!  Now I knew without a doubt that this confirmed what I know to be true.  It was a sign it was high time for me to take another step back from the commercial preparation of our food and roll my sleeves up and tackle this head on.  I got online thankful for the vast amount of information available, located a recipe and went and made it.  It was without a doubt a step in the right direction.  Everyone liked them and DH and I thought they were better than the store bought ones!  I told DH what led to the noodle making and he went to the freezer and located the bag of frozen noodles lol.  We will use it when we need it but I guarantee that from now on we are enjoying our step back and will make them from scratch every time :)  For me, there truly is no greater satisfaction that making things yourself whenever possible.  I love that one step at a time we are backing away from processed foods and other items in our home.  There is a great satisfaction in making things that my family needs and providing for them in this way.  I encourage anyone that has the desire to go ahead and give making things a try instead of purchasing them from the market :)  I am sure you will be quite pleased with the results of your labor.

Scarf Knitting Project

Today you can really feel the cold in the air.  The kind of cold that lets you know it's time to double check the ice melt, snow shovel, mittens, hats, gloves and scarves.  Winter is on it's way and it's unavoidable.

While at camp this weekend my friend showed me how to make a simple scarf using two knit and two  purl stitches.  It makes a ribbed pattern like what you would have around the cuff of a sweater.  I cast on forty two stitches and started in.  I had to undo it several times but I have settled into it fairly well and it's about ten inches long now.  My  dd2 really likes it which is good because I am making it for her.  She made a scarf for me last night and loves that we are making each other scarves.  I agree, it is so sweet of her to make one for me so I have a home made scarf as well :)  When I finish this I will have dd1 pick out the yarn she would like for me to make a scarf out of for her.  I  hope to complete these fairly soon.  I doubt we will be having very many more warm days!

Whirlwind

Life lately has been a virtual whirlwind around our house!  School has again started and for me my day has calmed down a bit now.  The winding up for school to begin was crazy and I am glad to have life settled back down again and get back to blogging.  It is a special part of my day that I enjoy very much.  I am feeling so much  better now and have a spring in my step once again.  I am back to my old normal self.  I know this to be true because I feel like being creative and artistic, true signs my world is right again :)  Through all the insanity going on I have kept my knitting needles clicking and recently made up this very simple birthday candle bookmark.  My former Art Instructor's mother recently turned 96.  In order to honor her on this very special day, she asked for friends to send cards with candles on the front to put on a painted cake hanging on the wall.  The cards were the candles for the cake.  I didn't have time to dig out my scrapbooking supplies as I have been decluttering right now, and had my knitting right beside me so I decided to make a candle from that!  It turned out beautifully and she enjoyed it very much.  It was one of the candles on the top of the cake :)  How very sweet.  I was only so happy to contribute to a fantastic celebration of her birth.  My DD2 loved the candle which is also a bookmark and I made her one in honor of her birthday last month. I just love the yarn used.  It's so bright and cheerful and says Happy Birthday so clearly :)

 

I am going to begin another one for my DD1 who has a birthday coming up shortly.  Both of my DD's are avid readers and I know they will enjoy using them to mark their place knowing they were made lovingly by me for them.

Wishing you a bright and cheerful day!

Knitted Dishcloth

Last night I was determined to re-learn how to knit a dishcloth and looked up a couple of video's on U-Tube and watched them to relearn.  I started rather late and had to put it down reluctantly to go to bed.  I have to admit I was instantly hooked on knitting again and picked it up immediately when I woke up this morning.  I finished up my first attempt since re-learning this evening.  Not the most beautiful results but completely functional in my kitchen.

I hope to improve my skills enough to make some up for gifts along with several other home made items at Christmas. My first attempts at knitting a dishcloth had no edging, I like this design with edging on it. I am excited  to begin replacing store bought cloths for washing up in the kitchen.  I will use my bought dishcloths for dirtier jobs around the house.    Off to go start another :)