Winter Projects

 

It is so nice to have snow this year!  Last year we had a smattering here and there but nothing that ever stuck very long.  So far we have a good amount and it's staying cold (which I'm hoping means good sap running in the Spring).  Without much to do around the outside of the house I'm finding things to keep me busy inside like reading.  I can't wait to read Dinner, a Love Story  I love the blog it came from very much and I can't wait to bite into the book.  The other two books are ones that have been on my Amazon wish list forever.  I'm giving them a test drive before deciding to buy them.  We have so many books that I'm really trying to make sure that the new ones coming don't just have the same information as the ones already on the shelf.

I'm also working on another pair of socks.  It is the same simple toe up style that I've done before but I'm a quicker knitter this time around with a little more patience and a lot more experience.  I think this pair will end up a pair not just one lonely sock floating around the house mate-less. 

New Baby

Okay I'm not having a baby but my brother and sister-in-law had a baby earlier this month.  He is just the cutest little nugget ever!  Well most babies are though aren't they?  As the auntie I made him a set of mitts and a hat.  I so with that I had known how to knit before my babies were born, although Jeff did point out that before our babies were born we wouldn't have been able to afford the yarn or the needles anyway!  He is totally right to.  At least now I can do cute stuff for other peoples babies. Well and a few things for my not so little ones :)

Felted Nesting Bowls

Free Pattern: Felted Nesting Bowls

     I need a little bit of a brain break. All the Christmas knitting got finished in time even a last minute day before gift. I want to try something a little fun just because. When going through my yarn stash I have a few colors were there isn't much left over so I found these adorable felted bowls and decided that I had to try them. They are so quick to knit up and the felting helps cover up any minor oops that you might make. This pattern is free and if you are so inclined it is a great way to use up some of your very small left over scraps.
     I love the red of this bowl so much, it is actually made of the left over yarn from my Harry Potter knitting.  We are saving change in it to buy ourselves a clothes line.  The kids are enjoying watching the money accumulate and have each asked for their own change bowl :)

Trying to Surface

    Oh My Goodness!!!  I always forget how insane fall gets around here.  We've had so much going on as a family I'm not sure which end is up some days.  This hat is a project that I've been working on for Jeff for a few weeks Jack is modeling it for me.  I don't have a pattern for it but it is just a basic beanie style.  One thing I do love about this is the way that the increases create this awesome spiral effect.  It's pretty neat. 

   I'm also working on another hat for Molly for her birthday.  The whole family loves the Harry Potter books and movies, she decided she needed a house scarf and we found a pattern for one of the knitted hats that Hermione wears in one of the movies to go with it.  I'll show you that later as it actually starts to look like a hat.

   We have 30 quarts of tomatoes put up and a ton of other stuff to.  30 quarts is not going to last us through the year but we have not been able to harvest as much from our own garden as we had hoped.  The weather turned really cold and most of our tomatoes have simply stayed green.  This last week we've had some gorgeous days in the high 70's so maybe we will get a few more jars but I'm not going to hold my breath.  What have you guys been doing?  Any good canning recipes I should try with all those green tomatoes?

What's Off My Needles

Remember this post?  Well my project is done and this is what it looks like!  Isn't that color just stunning?!  I'm glad you can't see too close because they are far from perfect (like not exactly the same length) but I'm so very happy for my first attempt at anything this tricky.  If you click here it will take you to a link to the pattern I used and it's free!  Just in case you want to make your own pair of fingerless mitts.  The next pair is well underway for a Christmas present so I won't be able to show you.  This gorgeous yarn is what I'm using it is Malabrigo Rios a wonderful super wash 100% wool worsted weight yarn.  I have learned so much by taking the class to make the mitts, I've even started another project that works in a round for that one I'm using a 80% bamboo 20% wool yarn, it makes me smile to think of bamboo yarn I don't know why :)
What do you have on your needles?  Are you thinking of Christmas gifts yet?

This post is being submitted to Made by You Monday over at Skip to my Lou click on over and see what everyone else is making too!

On my needles

This is one of the two projects I'm working on right now.  Molly has been taking knitting classes every Thursday all summer long.  She has learned to knit, purl and bind off.  I'm very proud of her.  One day while I was killing time I asked about one of the projects hanging up in the store and got myself scheduled for a class too.  This is the very first time I've ever used double ended needles or knitted in a round.  When this is done I should have a pair of fingerless reading mitts!  Isn't the yarn I'm using gorgeous?!  The color is called Rio and it is a super wash wool.  I can't wait to keep working on it and showing off how it progresses to you guys! 

This is what Grandma's are for

 Over the winter my mom and step-dad came to stay with us over night.  We had a great time with them.  I got to make venison for dinner to treat them and my mother-in-laws delicious breakfast casserole for everyone the next morning.
   While they were with us my mom taught me how to knit and she also showed Miss M.  I love the photo of their hands together.  This is exactly what Grandma's are for.