Friday fun...

Just a bit of whimsy today...and a smile to go with your morning coffee.  A friend forwarded this to me and I thought many of you would like it.  It is an amazing little video and one that I think will appeal to knitterly types and others as well.  You should also check out this short on the making of the video.  I love them both and have played and replayed them...so amazing and the sort of images that I happily can't stop thinking about {and don't want to}.  Can't you just feel the creativity and the energy oozing from that project?  To say that I find these videos inspiring would be a gross understatement...I'm in love...tototally and completely...absolutely crushing on them.  
Another new love...here's a horrible picture of a darling top that I adore.  Meet Liesl...

I really am sorry about the picture—it really is wretched {what's with that face and weird stance?}, but I love this garment so much that I am swallowing my pride to share it with you.
It is a cocoknits pattern. Do you know these wonderful designs?...she seems to specialize in fun, wearable styles.

As you will notice, I changed the neckline of my Liesl a little—a late night knitting mistake that I discovered as I was knitting it and decided to embrace {so much quicker than ripping out and reknitting}.  Thankfully, I like it this way, though I might make another version of this using the original neckline. This is the project that went on and came off of my needles over spring break—so a fairly fast, if slightly boring and tedious knit {a lot of stockinette}. I worked my top in Berrocco's Naturlin—nice to knit with, very drapey and comfortable to wear.  As an added bonus, people apparently love this top...even those who don't normally notice of or comment on my knitting attire, admire this top {and fyi...I've seen it knit up in a variety of other yarns knit and worn by women of completely different body types}.  It's one of those patterns that seems to flatter everyone...love that!  I'm wearing mine with leggings to show the shaping {and because they are just so darn comfy, and I am big into comfy}, but it looks darling over jeans and skirts as well.

Before I go...thanks for the Wocket love.  The inventor sends his thanks as well.  He presented this week with much success.  As the mama, I'm delighted that he made an A+ on this project, but to my thinking the real success was the imagining, creating and crafting of it...but then again, me being me, it would be, right?

Hope you have a sunny and wonderful weekend!  Sending many happy thoughts your way...

xoxo~alison

The mother of invention...

...Or rather the mother {me} of the inventor {that would be him}.  Can you spot the invention?

 Meet the "Wocket"...a handy, dandy, upcycled pet care product—the perfect accessory for walks with man's best friend. 

A bag that attaches to Fido's leash—just the thing for carrying doggie biscuits, poop bags, keys and a little mad money—unencumbered dog walking at last!
This little gem was created for a school project—the invention convention—and it is my guy's first ever sewing machine project.  He did a great job {if I do say so myself}, and he loved using the machine.  It makes a mama proud.
When we started brainstorming for this project, the inventor informed me that he "did not want to do a project that involved sewing" because they "have been doing sewing in art..." and he "doesn't like sewing"...Nooooo!...Say it isn't so!...How did this happen?  Well anyway, I'm sure you can imagine how that comment wrangled my heart and rang in my ears.  Doesn't like sewing indeed, well we'll just see about that!...
"What if I let you use the sewing machine?" she says nonchanlantly.
A glimmer in the boy's eyes..."Really?" 
Oh yes, now I've got him!...Enter the rag bag and an old pair of jeans.  We looked at them and planned...snip, snip, snip..."we should use the pocket," he says...a pin here, a pin there and it's off to the sewing machine.  As my guy sewed the bottom and side seams together {so carefully and with such concentration} we talked about the straps and closure of the bag, and how to attach the wocket to the leash...it must be easy to get into, but not too gappy, and it must be secure on the leash, but removable.  He decided we really needed a button or snap.  Back to the jeans to decide what part of them we could use.  The two ends of the waist band were perfect for this.  Two quick seams later and voila!...

We stuffed it with a couple of  bags and some treats and took it for a spin around the block...

Big smiles all around...A very useful invention, and an altogether satisfying opportunity for my guy to design and make something of his very own...and a chance for me to watch him discover that he really likes doing something that he thought he didn't, something that I love.  He's already planning a pair of summer pj pants—can he know how happy this makes me?...shhhh, don't tell...

xoxo~
alison

Playing hookie...

Wow two posts in two days, and after all those days of not posting too...feels good!
There's been a bit of crochet going on during my absence...

Behold my new scarf! This is the one accessory that I took with me to Santa Barbara—I wore it almost everyday—I love it...a lot...

I love the yarn, the color, the fans, the whole thing.  It was the perfect light layer for cool evenings and freezing airplanes, and it allowed me to change up the look of the basic black shirts that I took with me—light packing—woohoo!...more room for yarn!

It got lots of attention.  I actually felt a little guilty and a bit like an impostor...you see, I am not really a crocheter.  I tend to see a crochet project I like and then learn the stitches and techniques I need to make it as I go—all those video tutorials on the web are great for this. This project was just so...a sample of this pretty scarf is hanging right next to the Noro Silk Garden display at Yarns Unlimited.  I have admired it every time I've gone into the shop for a while now and right before my trip to California I was feeling the itch for instant gratification—a project that I could whip up in a couple of days and then wear on my trip.  I work in the shop on Saturdays and by the end of my last work day before my trip, MaryAnn {the ever talented and stylish owner of Yarns...} had convinced me that I could tackle this project.  In addition, she was kind enough to get me started {and to listen to my whining about how crochet is so strange because its not knitting}.

This bookmark pattern from crochetroo is the origin of the scarf.  We have sent many a shopper off with two skeins of Noro and the link.  If you haven't seen crochetroo's blog, you should definitely check it out.  It is truly wonderful.  You should also check out this gorgeous version of the pattern, and you can find a French translation of the pattern here. 

My scarf is similar the bookmark {worked on a size H hook with two skeins of Silk Garden}.  I added an extra chain to my picots and just kept making fans until I was almost out of yarn.  This project is a good example of how patterns evolve to meet the needs of the maker.  MaryAnn has changed the pattern so that the ends are completely round, and she has also changed the way the fans attach to one another—very airy and pretty.  If you get a chance to visit Yarns Unlimited, you should check it out.  She's made a neckwarmer  {one skein} and a longer version—both are darling, has a pattern, and is considering offering a workshop for those interested. 

This is a fun and quick project.  I finished mine in two evenings...and remember, I'm not a crocheter.  The learning curve wasn't bad—easy, actually, I do like repeating patterns—and it was a great project for reminding me of how it feels to be a beginner again.  I love to get a dose of that feeling now and then—it's great for my teaching skills, plus it's just fun to learn something new.  Knitting, of course, will always be my first crafty love, but a bit of crochet is great for instant gratification!  I guess that's why they call it happy hooking {collective groan—okay, sorry for that, but I do love puns—I'll try to show more restraint in the future}.

Take care and have fun!...
xoxo~Alison

  

Spring peepers...

Peep love...This picture pretty much says it all!  This is my middle man getting ready to partake of his favorite springtime treat.  Look at that face...that is one happy kid!  He's rejoicing over the fact that he can actually eat the Peeps in his Easter basket this year {he recently had his braces removed—nice teeth, no?}.  I love these little marshmallow guys too—I never actually eat them {too sweet for me}, but I love how they look—all chubby, colorful and happy, so I was absolutely charmed when I saw this!...How fun is that?...I love it!  The thought and sense of humor that went in to making all of those scenes just makes my day {and of course it makes me want to play along...I think we might just have to try our hand at creating our own Peep diorama next year!}.

Anyway, enough silliness for now.  I'm off to enjoy this gorgeous day {first Easter in a while that hasn't been cold and rainy}.  Hope you are enjoying a beautiful and joyous spring day wherever you are!

xoxo~Alison

ps—Before I go I want to share our Easter eggs with you...

This is the second year in a row that we have tie dyed some of our eggs.  It is so much fun and so easy!

Taking the waters...

...that's where I'll be.

As a girl who spent her entire childhood near an ocean, I have to say that the hardest thing about living in the midwest is the lack of salt water and sea air, and every once in a while I need a little beach time to keep me feeling centered and happy.

So I'm off to sunny California for a few days of beach combing—these are from my last trip—love how the sand is still clinging to them

 

...for some girl time with a good friend, and of course some seaside knitting.  

I'll meet you back here in a few days—a little more relaxed and sun-kissed—see you soon!

xoxo~

alison 

Exhaling...

Aaahhhh!...Spring...it feels soooooo good!   Okay, yes it's true, my house is a mess...yes, that garden needs to be raked and tended...yes, there are so many shoulds on my list right now, but for this moment it's time to exhale, to breathe deep, to bask and enjoy... 
A patch of sun...

Habu in my fingers...

Wondering at and admiring the growing bit of cloth that will become my "Kusha Kusha" scarf {knitted with merino wool and silk stainless steel yarn...crazy but so lovely!}

Seeing old friends who have popped up to say hello {and remembering the chubby toddler hands that planted said friends}...

And the company of the sweet pup who keeps watch over it all...

...Much to enjoy indeed!

Wishing you sunny spring days and blue skies...

~xoxo~

Alison

ps—To you sweet knitters, thanks for the interest in the neck wrap from my last post!  I will be making the pattern available—it's in the works!

 

Springing back...

Back again and springing forward!..So sorry for the sudden disappearance.  Illness has been in residence here for way too long!  March has really felt like the month that wasn't, but spring is on its way, the sun is shining, the crocuses {crocii???} are blooming and brighter and healthier days are on their way...I just know it!!!

As you might expect, the energy level has been unusually low around here lately.  Times like these make me appreciate how much really does get done when we are all up and running...I sometimes have trouble seeing that, and it's good to be reminded and to be grateful.  The bit of creating that has been going on has been decidedly low-key...some knitting here and there and some kitchen play focused on comfort food and on my quest for the perfect Irish soda bread recipe.

Soda bread...yum!...so simple so good!  My family loves the stuff.  I have a couple of recipes that I like {one uses baking soda, the other one doesn't~go figure}. This year, to shake things up,  I am conducting a little soda bread bake-off.  So if you have a favorite recipe, please send it my way—I'd love to give it a go. 

March is officially soda bread month in our house.  Do you have foods that you associate with specific months?  I recently realized that I do...there are foods that I only make during certain months...February is cherry pie {President's Day~you know, the cherry tree and all}...March is soda bread...April is coconut {generally macaroons}...May is lemon meringue pie...etc.  These are just the sweets—when I get to thinking about it I realize that there are certain savories that I only make in certain months...not sure why or how this evolved.  It's funny, because I like to think of myself as pretty spontaneous but when I really take a look...not so much.  Thankfully, no one is complaining—I guess they think it's normal...my kids must assume that you can only have cherry pie in February—ha!

...And the knitting...

This is a pattern that I made for a class that I am teaching at Yarns Unlimited.  It's a floral neck wrap, perfect for chasing the spring chill and for surrounding  streppy, virussy, hoarse throats in a layer of pretty warmth.  I made this wrap for just for fun—one for me and one for my girl.  It has gotten lots of attention, hence the pattern and the class.  I will be making this pattern available for sale through Knitting by Hand and Ravelry in the future.  There are two versions of the pattern—a spring/summer version with a ruffly rose and a three season version with a bobbled flower.  This is the three season version...

Well friends, farewell for now...I'm off to play some serious catch up...sixes and sevens...that's where I'm living right now!...Better go brew a pot of tea and bake another loaf of soda bread first, though!...

~xoxo
alison

ps~...and to those of you who have been struggling with lingering winter colds, flus and whatnot—I know there are a lot of you out there—I'm sending happy, healthful thoughts your way!...Be well and bring on the sunshine!