Yarn Along

Joining Ginny again this week from Small Things

Knitter's crack.  I've touched it.  And yes, I totally get it now.  If you've had it, you probably know what I'm talking about without my having to name it.  Gorgeous colors.  But the hand - springy, squooshy, unbelievable stitch definition.  It makes my ribbing look store bought.  You know what it is.  Madelinetosh.  In this case, it's Tosh Vintage.  Oh.my.goodness!

I allowed myself to buy some of this last month because of the intention that this will be made into an Easter (baptism maybe . . . why my 6 year old is still not baptized is a discussion for another post) dress for Coco.  My LYS has a promotion where, if you bring in an FO and either the ball band from the yarn you used or your receipt showing that they yarn you used came from this store, you'll receive 20% off of your next purchase.  So, I used that promo to snag some of this yarn.  And since I have cast on well outside of two weeks before Easter, I'd say I'm doing quite well on my intention!  I am very happy with my purchase.  I don't think I'll go overboard . . . Although I will report later whether I made it to the Leap Year sale at my LYS this morning between 7-9 to grab the steepest discount they are offering today in order to apply that 29% off to more Tosh Vintage.  This is really very, very lovely yarn.  I might check out Quince & Co's Chickadee next, though, because it looks like it is spun similarly to Vintage and the colors are beautiful.  I'd like to knit Paper Dolls for Coco for the fall and I want to explore whether using this yarn is a good idea.

And I finished last week's knitting.  A Mini Cobblestone for my Mr. Manny Man.  I am really happy with how it came out.  I was really unhappy when I realized that I only had one skein of that yellow . . . and really happy again when I discovered I had a mini skein, which I needed when I saw I was here and not yet done with the sleeves and not quite ready for the contrasting cuffs:

And without further ado . . . may I present you the handsome model!

Please disregard the door with no trim and Mr. Man's artistic expressions on the wall behind him.  I still have to block this number.  All in all, though, I am very happy with it.

Still reading A Mother's Heart.  I am really enjoying this book, and do feel like what I am taking in from it is beginning to show in my mothering.  And that's a good thing.

Birthday Crafting . . . I hope

Mr. Manny Man has his 3rd birthday coming up at the end of next month. Never mind that I discovered this weekend that his size 3 pants are starting to look short.  Sigh.  In any event, see that wanna be crown above?  I started it for his first birthday.  I'm feeling pretty good about being able to pull it together for this year, though!  Hold a good thought for me, if you would, please.  I can use all the extra motivation.

And that dragon up there . . . while his story is not as sad as that of the crown (he was cut for the most part Thanksgiving weekend - this past Thanksgiving thankyouverymuch), he only has a wee bit of sewing done on him.  And my little guy would like a dinosaur.

But, he loves, loves, loves, horses.  As you can see here:

This hobby horse traveled with us last summer to Hilton Head Island.  And he has co-opted his sister's Christmas gift - a horse for an 18" doll.  And he has named him (and his other horse friends) Barney.

So, you see, I have to consider this.  I should be able to whip up at least 2 of these, I'd think.

If I didn't have Easter knitting to do.  There is a lovely bunny pattern I found on ravelry that is just begging to be knit and I cast on for Coco's dress tonight.  And then there is the sweater I have to knit for the school auction (but that's not until the end of April).  And did I mention I want to do some charity knitting for Lent?

Oy.  I need more hours in the day.  But then who doesn't?

One more thing.  Miss Coco made her first needle felted project on Saturday.  I am so proud of her!

What are you working on?  This is my first time joining Nicole over at Frontier Dreams for her Craft Along.  Happy crafting!

This Moment

Joining Soulemama in her weekly post (my first time!) . . . .

Yarn Along

I have been woefully neglectful of this little blog.  How ironic, the name that is.  There is so much I have already forgotten because I have not written it down.  About 2 weeks ago, Coco asked me what her favorite foods were as a baby.  Sadly, I couldn't remember.  Fortunately, I had written it down somewhere!

Hopefully, by participating in this Yarn Along from Small Things, I can get to this space a little more regularly and record a bit much more.  You can see Ginny's Yarn Along page here

I impulsively cast on for this little number this past Friday night.  I need to knit a dress for Coco and had an entirely different sweater planned for Gian's birthday sweater (and had purchased new yarn to boot!).  I had also been wanting to knit him a mini Cobblestone in some wonderful, dark green Peace Fleece I have.  But, spring is coming, and dark green won't due.  And after his reaction to his last knit sweater (finished last week),  I just had to get another one going for him.  I remembered this yellow I had and knew it would be perfect.  Perfect lasted until Saturday when I was finishing the yoke and frantically looking for that apparently non-existent second skein of yellow Peace Fleece.  I went to my ravelry page and confirmed the awful truth.  I only had one skein of it.  I was not happy.  So, I had to figure out how to salvage this number.  And this is why I had to come up with something:

When I finished knitting said previous sweater, I tried it on Mr. Manny Man after having kitchenered one  arm pit and still having the other to go, and with ends hanging off of the sleeves and body.  You know what he said?  "I wuv it!"  With all the appropriate emphasis on "wuv".  Then when I went to take it off of him, do you know what he said?  "Not yet."  Not yet!!  He is truly my most knitworthy recipient.  And he's not quite 3 yet.  My dad and younger brother probably tie for second.

So, here it is:

The book is what I am currently reading and using in my prayer time in the mornings I manage to have prayer time.  A Mother's Heart A look at values, vision, and character for the Christian mother by Jean Fleming.  I bought this book almost 6 years ago.  Pitiful, I know.  It is a very good read, and it is enhancing my prayer time.  I am enjoying it very much.

Spending time with this book this morning helped me pull of the nearly impossible - making it to church tonight by myself with the kids.  I have been awful, just awful about getting them to church regularly and I am ashamed of my failure in this department.  But, I was happy, so very happy tonight.  The devil tried to discourage me when there was an accident on the way to church that slowed us down quite a bit.  I almost turned around.  But, I wanted my ashes.  I wanted the children to know this is an important day to recognize and acknowledge.  Blessedly, we made it.  What's more, they were good.  They were very, very good!  I didn't have to leave mass once.  Thank you, God!