Adam's Nanny

Memories

 

 

 

It was a weekend of cleaning out old boxes and finding things that you were thought were lost to the universe forever.  One of my best finds this weekend were slides from 25 years ago when Adam’s Nanny was my own little business.  I created baby baskets.  Everything was handmade; bibs, sock dolls, baby pillows, tooth fairy boxes and even Christmas stockings. 

 

I’ve always been a little sad that there were no pictures of my work.   I was stressed enough keeping up with the orders (and this was before we all had computers and internet access) that I never even thought about photographing my work.   So I was thrilled this weekend when I discovered the slides that were taken for a juried craft show in Bar Harbor, Maine.  Amazingly, I made it into the show.  But seeing how my work has improved over the years, it is kind of scary that these babies made it into the show at all.  But now that I look at the difference, I guess the baby has put on some weight over the years.

 

(Then)

 

(Now)  

 

 

Here is the one of a kind  Fantasia Christmas stocking I made for Adam in 1988. (The saying on the stocking is "The Magic of Christmas is Found in Your Heart."

 

And a nap-time pillow with a rather sad baby leaning against it.

I've thought about starting again on Etsy but as much as I loved creating the baskets.  I remember disliking the stress of completing the orders.  Who knows, maybe in retirement I'll start again.  If not, I'll just make one beautiful basket for a future grandchild.

 

 

Granny Square Afghan

 
 

My granny square afghan is just about finished.  I just have to crochet the border tonight.  

  

Resting at the moment - waiting for the border to be applied.

 

A few quick snapshots this morning.

  
  

Hugs for Haiti Afghan

It's been a while since I picked up a crochet hook but I made up for it over the weekend.  I was going to knit squares for the Hugs for Haiti Group on Ravelry.  But after thinking about it, I decided to ask if crocheting a large granny square afghan would be okay.  The response was positive so this weekend I began working on the afghan with yarn that had been given to me by a friend.   

I found myself being completely consumed with the project and by last night I was almost finished with a 6 foot square afghan.  (And while crocheting I kept thinking positive thoughts for the recipient instead of wasting energy on negative ones as I sadly watched the Vikings lose.) 

I'll have my pictures posted tomorrow but if you want to see a similar afghan. Here is the one pictured in Knit Simple's Winter 2009/10 issue.

  

 

 

Trinity Stitch Shawl - Prayer Shawl

 

It's been a long time since I have knitted a prayer shawl for someone but I felt the need to make one for my cousin's wife who is recovering from a simple surgery that turned into a ten hour ordeal.  She is working very hard to recover but it can be difficult when you spend the holidays in and out of intensive care and  each time you take one step forward something happens to cause you to take two steps back.

I have knitted the traditional prayer shawls in the past, using the knit three/purl three pattern, but the pattern was not satisfying to  me this time.  So I went through all my patterns and found a worn paper with theTrinity Stitch shawl pattern, which is available for free.  Photos of the completed shawl can be seen here on Ravelry.  It is done in the trinity stitch and is a simple triangle pattern starting with one stitch.   I am so happy with the way this is turning out.  It is not so difficult that I have to concentrate on the pattern that I can't recite a simple pray as I knit.

I am using Filatura Di Crosa Zara extrafine merino superwash in a beautiful blue for the shawl.  I have never used this yarn before but I am loving every stitch that I knit.  It is working up fast and I have gotten this far on one skein.

 

  

 


 

  

 

New Ravelry Group - Hugs for Haiti

This morning I went onto Ravelry to see if there was something I could do to help with the Haiti Relief Effort.  I made a monetary donation but felt I still wanted to do more.  I found the Hugs for Haiti group on Ravelry.  This group already has the means to deliver items.

If anyone is interested, please go to Ravelry and visit Hugs for Haiti.  All information is posted there.  Below is the group description posted by the moderator. 

Hugs for Haiti

Light-weight, washable afghan squares of any kind will be collected, sewn together into afghans, and donated to World Care, as they are requesting new and gently used blankets, and have a means to get them to Haiti. World Care is in my home town, so I have no problem taking the finished projects right to them.These people are devastated, and most of them literally have absolutely nothing. Let’s do what we can. If you want to help, pm me, and I’ll let you know where you can send the squares. It is not “too hot” in Haiti for bedding items such as afghans to be useful. Remember, people need things to sleep on, as well as sleep under. The airstrip at the main airport in Haiti is intact and functional, and there are groups with the means to fly things to the island.

Simple Cowl - Last Minute Knitted Gifts

 

What a perfect day for my new red cowl …beautiful, bright and cold.  And it is exactly what I needed to go with my new red bag. This pattern is in Joelle Hoverson's  Last Minute Knitted Gifts and is labeled Pashmina Cowl.  I used Lobster Pot Yarn , 2 ply Cashmere, that I purchased last year at Purl Soho.  All the details are on  Ravelry. 

 

 

 

I have decided on my sweater pattern and can't wait to get started. 

Knitting Myself a New Sweater in the New Year

 

Christmas and New Year’s seemed so much less stressful this year.  Maybe because the holidays were spent at home, baking lots of cookies and snuggling in flannel pj’s with a glass of wine while watching the snow come down.

 

Even with all the baking and cooking I manage to begin a weight loss program at the beginning of December rather than make it yet another resolution for the New  Year…and it has worked. I came across the eating plan through an email from Dr. Wayne Dyer (yes, I read all his books to keep me sane) and in this particular email he had a link to his appearance on “Ellen” explaining how he had lost 17 pounds that he had resigned himself that he would never lose.   When I viewed the link, I saw that he did indeed lose all the weight.  I was impressed.   I was even more impressed by the simple method he used to shed the weight 15 grams of sugar a day and six 20-gram servings of carbs.  How easy is that?  It is all in a new book from Jorge Cruise but I decided to start the plan before the book was published.  (I just received my copy.)  And you know, it worked.  I am wearing jeans today that I never thought I would get into again and all my coats button.  Now I don’t have to wear my Clapotis to hide the fact that I couldn’t button my coat.   

 

I am not promoting the book, only the fact that I finally found something that works for me.  I have tried every diet, at the beginning of every year, my past entries will attest to that.  I have spent too much money on Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers and numerous unused memberships at the gym and here this simple method works.  I don’t mean to go on and on about this but I am proud of what I have accomplished.   

 

One of the motivators for losing weight (other than to be healthier) is seeing everyone in my knitting group modeling their beautiful sweaters while I was knitting accessories.  They were lovely scarves and shawls but I really wanted to knit a sweater or a vest that was actually flattering on me.  So this weekend I am going to find a pattern that I believe will work and start a sweater that I’ll model on completion.  I have one sweater that I can finally fit into again that I made when my son was 5 - that was 25 years ago and it still doesn’t fit as well as it did then.

 

I haven’t completely put my knitting aside.  Over the holidays I worked on a red cashmere cowl.  It is shown in Last Minute Knitted Gifts.  It is very simple, very pretty and very indulgent. (But it only takes one skein.)

 

This morning on the Today Show I saw Gretchen Rubin author of the book, The Happiness Project.  I guess losing this weight has turned this into the beginning of my Happiness Project. 

Jared Flood Class

I have to admit I am a Jared Flood  groupie and when I heard that my LYS, KnitKnack, was offering a class with Jared,  I signed up immediately.  I have been reading his blog for quite a while now and have admired all his beautiful patterns and his work.  I purchased his book as soon as it was published and I now lovingly have an autographed copy.

There were two classes that were offered, a sweater class and a lace class.  I chose the lace class and I am so happy that I did.  There was a lot of instruction on chart reading, which I have always tried to avoid, but after the class, have learned to appreciate for its accuracy.

Jared brought his Girasole with him to show everyone.   And of course I ordered the pattern the next day. 

 

 
 

I have never done a provisional cast on and was always a bit intimidated by this method.  But to my surprise, it was fairly easy and once he explained its use in lace knitting.  I completely understood the reasoning behind it.   I was so excited that when I got home, I started to unravel the horrible finishing border I had put on my lace shawl.  I will now add a new knitted border on the edging by  picking up the border stitches along the way as he demonstrated in the class.  I will post my progress as I make my away along the edge.   Right now I am still in the process of unraveling.

 

The shawl is actually a lovely forest green. The pictures don't do justice to the coloring.

I also completed my scarf for the Red Scarf Project and I'm mailing it off today.  Kermit agreed to model.

 
 

Tonight we were going to purchase our tree, but with all this rain, I think we'll have to wait. 

 

An Autmn Scarf and the Red Scarf Project

 

I just received an email this morning that the Lite FM station has begun playing Christmas music and the web is filled with “leaks” of Black Friday sales, but I would like to hang on to Autumn just a bit longer…at least until after Thanksgiving Day.  I still have my pumpkin and fall flowers displayed even though the stores are fully decorated for Christmas.

 

 

  
 

And since it was such a beautiful day yesterday, I decided to clear my head and take a walk in the park during lunch.  It was nice to see that there are still trees showing off their beautiful red and orange leaves and chrysanthemums and sunflowers still to be admired. 

 

 

 

 

I wore my recently completed “Swish Scarf.” (one of my favorite patterns,and is available, free, at This is Knit http://www.thisisknit.ie/swishscarf.pdf )  I knitted the scarf in Misti Alpaca’s Tone on Tone, 50 percent Alpaca, 50 percent Merino wool.  The end stitches along the length are unraveled and become the fringe.

 

  

 
 

It is a fast knit and provides that little bit of added warmth with a jacket. 

 

 

 

Today during lunch I am off to Patricia’s Yarns to purchase some Cascade 220 to make another scarf for the Red Scarf Project. 

 

The deadline is December 15^th and I know I can easily complete the scarf in time.

 

 

The End of Warm Woolies

 

I was shocked and upset when I opened my mailbox this morning and read this email from Warm Woolies.  I have enjoyed knitting for them and the idea that these children will no longer receive these garments, is upsetting.   There are a lot of charity knitting groups in need of knitters, so I'll do some research and get my needles ready to start again in the new year.

Dear Warm Woolies Friends,
 
Warm Woolies has decided to cease operating at the end of 2009. 
 
Warm Woolies has always relied on relationships with international adoption agencies and international relief efforts to distribute our pieces overseas.  Over the past year, due to matters beyond our control, these agencies and efforts are no longer able to distribute our pieces.  Without these distribution channels, we are no longer able to fulfill our mission of providing children around the world with warm clothing. 
 
We have posted answers to questions you might have below.  We will update the information on our website, so please check there if you have questions.  If your question is not answered there, please email us through the website.  We will respond as quickly as possible.
 
I cannot thank you enough for your generous contributions to Warm Woolies these past eight years.  We have accomplished tremendous things.  At last count, we had distributed over 35,000 knit pieces to children around the world who needed warm clothing. 
 
Warmest regards,
Kimberly Turnbow