Yarning along, with a throw back in time...

Hi everyone.  It is that time again - we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Amis' Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet !

As you can see from the picture, my scarf is growing.  It is being done in a spider web lace pattern, and the fiber is a Lions Brand wool. 

The new addition to the line up is a gift for a little one.  The fiber, Paton's Silk Bamboo blend is delightful - so incredibly soft.  The pattern is a bit of a granny stitch, reminiscent of by son's blanket, and is growing fast.

For reading, I have been going back to some old favorites.  The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.  Love, love, love it!

Did I say love?

Favorite scene?  In Voyager, when Claire travels back in time to Jamie, entering his printshop, only to have him faint in shock from the sight of her.

Ah, love...

Jamie and Claire can make anything better.

Have you read this series?  What is your favorite scene?

  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other interesting ventures of fiber fun. 

No real changes...a fiber and literary non-update....

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Amis' Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

And I feel a bit silly joining in.  See, I am working on the same sweater, and reading the same book.  Nothing new here....

Except for a really bad photo....sorry about that!
But both are going well, and the book especially is eye opening.  This is one that I would love to see introduced to some high school reading lists....Even if you don't agree with Joel Salatin, his style is bluntly honest and refreshing.

Very, very thought provoking.

Well, that is all that I have for now.  The morning hours are coming upon me, and I have some lunches to pack...and kids to drag out of their beds to get ready for a day at school

  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other interesting ventures into literary and fiber fun.

On the fiber, and literary, front...

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Amis' Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

Once I finished my son's blanket last week, I was a bit at odds.  But, that didn't last long.  I am now working on a sweater - for myself!  I am using Lion Brand Yarn Fisherman's Wool which has been lovely to work with.

Now, this is my first time working on a sweater, and I am taking a bottoms up approach, so we will have to see how it goes.  But, I am hoping to finish it before the end of winter.

Wearing wool in summer isn't so much fun.

On the literary side, I have a few books going.  I read and finished Barnheart by Jenna Woginrich (check out her blog Cold Antler Farm - love it) and it inspired me to move on to Joel Salatin's Folks, This Ain't Normal.  It is wonderfully thought provoking, making me reconsider quite a few things in my day to day practices.  I appreciate his absolute blunt honesty about how he sees the world. 

I would easily put both of these books up with Barbara Kingssolver's Animal Vegetable Miracle, a book that I found to be completely life changing.

Well, that is all that I have for now.  The morning hours are coming upon me, and I have chickens to let out of their coop :)

  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other interesting ventures into literary and fiber fun.

A fiber and literary update....quick!

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Amis' Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

And this is going to be a quick one - as I have gingerbread cookies in the oven (needing to be sent to school with my daughter this morning) and chickens that are waiting impatiently to be let out of the coop....and kids that will be running down the stairs any moment, searching for breakfast....

I finished the final holiday gift this past weekend - hurray!  I would do a show and tell, but I wouldn't want to ruin any surprises...And I have be working on my son's orange blanket this week, and hope to get it finished during the holiday break. 

On a fun note, I have been stock piling coupons for 50% off one item at the local craft store, and have been purchasing and savings bundles of wool yarn for later projects....

Reading-wise, I finished Friday Night Knitting Club last night...and frankly, was shocked by the ending.  I won't give away any secrets...but, wow.  Just wow.

Well, that is all on this end :)  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other interesting ventures into fiber and literary fun.

And if you are celebrating, I wish you all a joyeous holiday season....

Shawls, shawls, everywhere!

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Amis' Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

It has been a productive couple of days.



On Friday, I was at a tax conference...which was quite a fun time...and as a result, I finished the teal shawl, and added some length to the emerald green shawl (which I had previously thought to be done....but obviously changed my mind...;)  ).

And then, I was at another tax conference on Tuesday.  Not quite as much fun as Friday (honestly, Friday's presenter was so good, I think most others will pale in comparision for quite some time....), but just as productive, craft-wise.  'Cause, lo and behold!, I was able to make another teal shawl!  Using the fishnet stitch was great - it really helped it all come together speedy quick!



After the conference, I indulged and finally stopped by the local library....I have quite the stash to hold me for a few weeks. In particular I am loving the Friday Night Knitting Club. 6 pages in and I was sold. Hook, line, and sinker. I mean, has everyone already read this? Am I late to the party? It is fantastic!!!



And, as an added bonus, I have been able to sink a bit more into the book I am reading via BookSneeze.  It is getting quite good, now that I am getting the hang of the story line :)

Well, that is all on this end :)  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other interesting ventures into fiber and literary fun.

I will see you there!

Yarn along....and getting a move on....

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Amis' Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

Well, the morning is starting a bit better than last Wednesday....although it is Vermont, there is no snow on the ground, and therefore, no shoveling to be done....

But I admit, it seems strange....temps in the 40's and 50's at this time of year is completely odd....and it makes it a bit difficult to get ready for the holidays.

I do need to get in gear and get moving!  I have crafts to finish!!

Now that the emerald shawl is complete, and the felted slippers are packed away, the only project currently on my list for the holidays is this teal shawl.  I am hoping at it will continue to come together well - and with a fish net stitch (my new favorite, I think), it has been speeding along....about 1/4 the way through at this point. 

The reading list is moving along as well.  Thanks to BookSneeze, I am reading my way through Softly & Tenderly by Sara Evans. 
\

I admit, it was the pretty cover that attracted me ;)  But, unfortunately, I think there was a predecessor to this one...'cause I am a bit lost in the first few chapters.  Once I battle on, through, I am sure I will figure it all out :)

Well, that is all on this end :)  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other interesting ventures into fiber and literary fun.

I will see you there!

An Amish Wedding...a book review :)

So...I don't think that I mentioned this to anyone, but I signed up to review books with BookSneeze.com....and I just finished my first book.   So, without further ado, it is time to tell you what I really think!

What is the book, you ask?  It is An Amish Wedding, by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, and Kelly Long.

At this title, I bet I have some friends shaking their heads...Amish?  Lee Ann?  She can't even pass for kind-of religious!

Well, it is true.  I don't go much for organized religion, but there is just something about Amish fiction that I love.

And, that is how I felt about this book.  I absolutely loved it!  I found it to be a more modern, refreshing take on the Amish, showing how bits of the English can at time seep in the corners.  And, at the end of the day, it is family and their beliefs that tie them together.

The book is written by three women, who in turn tell the tales of three different Amish women.  And these tales are focused around one community during the busy Amish wedding season.

In A Perfect Secret, Rose readies herself to marry her best friend, while at the same time, longing for a bit more excitement and intrigue for her life.  In A Perfect Match, Naomi, the older sister of Priscilla, Rose's best friend, meets  a new young man who has come to town for the celebration Priscella's marriage to Chester.  And in A Perfect Plan, we learn more about Priscilla as she trys oh-so-hard to plan the most perfect wedding to her fiance, Chester.

These interweavings storylines hug you tight and pull you right in.  They are engaging, hopeful, and spirited, and I can't wait to see what these authors do next!

Taking stock....of my fiber world

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

Now that the immediate tax filing deadline of October 31st has been met and gone by, the focus on the home has returned.  In taking stock of the large canvas bag that holds all of my works in progress, I see that I have several in the mix. 

The gray hat is nearly complete, needing just a few more rounds before it gets to a wearable stage.  The green shawl, on the other hand, needs a great deal more attention if it is going to be complete before the holidays.  And, the little Virginia Rose is going to need about 11 more companions before a small table centerpiece can be formed.

I think I have some good fiber work in my future.

On the reading front....well, not much is happening....I am nearly done with the audio book I was listening to, and am excited to return it and pick up another when I am at the library next.  I downloaded some reading on to my phone, for some literary fun on the go, but quickly realized that these downloads were of very short stories.  Being a lover of lengthy reading or triologies, I am left wanting for something a bit more. 

Any suggestions?  Would love some ideas for something in the fiction-fiber-homesteading-supernatural-etc... venue!!

Well, that is all on this end :)  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other happy ventures into fiber and literary fun.

I will see you there!

My happy escape...

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

I am a bit embarrassed to say that I have spent very little time with my handy-work this week.  We are tackling deadlines in the tax prep world and I am have not been home very much.  The daddy has taken the homemaking role for house and children this week, and has been fabulous as I have been off at work.

But, I have been able to afford small happy escapes.  I finished my little felted bag over the weekend, and began my adventure into crocheted lace.  Pictured above is the beginning of a rose motif.  And with long periods of time spent by myself, traveling to and from the office, I have been continuing to listen to "A Discovery of Witches" on audio.

Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other happy ventures into fiber and literary fun.

I will see you there!

A little yarn with a lot of reading mixed in....

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

On the fiber side, I have been work on the woolen shawl that I will giving as a holiday gift this season.  It has been going along well, but I am needing to constantly read the pattern to insure that I am making the right stitches...and I am not used to reading patterns. 

But, on the plus side, I am really enjoying the process, and am looking foward to seeing how it turns out. 

My daughter's blanket is also growing a bit each day....




I am also making plans for other fiber projects to take on.  I wish to work more on felting, but am running into a quandary in finding woolen yarn that I can purchase that is within my price range....and it is a meager price range at the moment....  But, for now, I will just continue with the sizable yarn supply that I have tucked away :)

I have been doing more reading this week, which is thoroughly enjoyable.  My house is littered with various books, such as Barbara Kingsolver's 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle', which I tap into whenever I need a bit of inspiration.  I also finished reading the Blosson Street series by Debbie Macomber. 

But, my favorite of all is the audio book that I am sinking into each time I am in the van (which is alot).  I am listening to a "Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness and am enthralled.  I have heard variously reviews of the books from friends, the negative critiquing the science aspect of the novel....but in knowing near to nothing science related (am much more of a math girl ;)  ) I am able to suspend any disbelief and just enjoy.

So, that is all that is going on in our little corner of the world.  Check out other Yarning Along at Ginny's, and some fun Work in Progress over at Tami's and at Ambassador Crochet.

See you there! 

An unsuspected success...

We had big plans for today...

In my minds eye, I saw myself waiting for the crack of dawn and then rushing outside to the newly enlarged garden.  I was going to run full force at the creation of more raised beds then I can count, and then relish in the future fruits of my labor.

But, that was not meant to be.

We awoke to the pouring of rain.  And while my husband still hurried off to greet the dawn from his duck blind, I merely gazed off into the sheets of rain coating the window glass.  This would not bode well.

And sadly, we were right.  While the rain sped away in the late morning, it was not until late afternoon until we ventured out to the garden.  Some of the saturation had fled the soil, but enough was still present to let the raising of garden beds be a tough task to tackle....but we trudged on, and ended a solid hour of wet work with several beds raised and in place. 

Thoroughly chilled, I fled back into the house to warm up and tend to more domestic details.  Many parts of the home have been cleaned, laundry and ironing have been dealt with, chapters of a book have been read, and I have actually finished untangling a mess of yarn that I have been struggling with for a week.

So, while the day didn't quite turn out as planned, it will still an unsuspected success of a different type. 

And I am glad.

All along the fiber front...

And.....we're back!

To the Yarn Along with Ginny!  To the Work in Progress with Tami!

There was a lot of happenings on the fiber front this week.  To start, after last Wednesday's post, I hauled cookies and finished up my felted slippers.  It was quite magical to see how a hot washer could transform them. 
 

Oh so floppy...


 

Transformed to firm and felted!

   I am now eager to get some more woollen yarn and try again.  In particular, I am thinking of picking up some fiber by Stitch Nation....as anyone tried this yet?  I have read some great reviews, but haven't actually come eye to eye with the brand as of yet.



Almost blanket stage...



And, then there was a purse...

Over the weekend, a last minute gift for a little girl prompted me to transform that baby blanket into a crocheted purse.  I am quite pleased with the result! 

I just hope that the recipient was happy as well.  Normally, our birthday giving to my daughters friends include small plastic items like Littlest Pet Shops - but my daughter had her heart set on a handmade gift - which I am totally happy to support.  But...nevermind the fact that she made this decision just 2 hours before the start of the party.... 

So, with those two items off their respective hooks, I am concentratiing on my daughter's blanket, and a shawl I am making for the holiday season....

 

In the beginning...



A work in process...

  

 the blanket has come a long way since the start...

  

  



At the start...



In the tangle...



but the shawl...well lets just say it is in the development stages....



On the reading end of the spectrum, I have put aside the latest Jim Butcher novel for the moment, in favor of Debbie Macomber's 'The Shop on Blossom Street'.  It is a light read, reminding me of Maeve Binchy, a solid favorite of mine.  Charming and fun - a sweet read for a fiber lover :)

So, that is all on this end.  Check back to Ginny's site for more Yarn Along fun and Tami's site for other Work In Progress.  I will see you there :)



Something a bit cozy....

Yarn Along with Ginny today....

I am continuing to practice my knitting....and have been making some some movement in a positive direction....but in the meantime, I need something else to work on.

That's where the slippers come in.  Late last week, I was working on some socks, and finally finished one of the pair....but was not happy with the fit.  The heel would just not work for me.  And instead of ripping it out again, I moved on to slippers.

In my mind, they will be of a Mary Jane design, but at the moment, I only have one sole in place.  I have high hopes that these will bring some coziness to the crisp Fall weather that is speeding towards us.

On the reading front, I have been very lucky to receive a loaner copy of Jim Butcher's Ghost Story.  It is the next in the Dresden stories, and I am loving it!  It is great to have something fun to read.

On the fiber front, I have also been reading "Knitting for Dummies", which sounds horrid, but has been very helpful in learning the basic knit and purl stitches.  I am entertaining the idea of finding a local knitting class for this fall, to assist in this learning process.  Can't have too much help :)

Well, that is all for now....Happy Wednesday everyone!