Day 4--Books

My grandma was a teacher...is still a teacher in many ways! She taught early elementary for many years. She is still a kid magnet, too. The other day we were in Wendy's and I could hear her giggling as various children went up to her...just drawn in by her warmth and genuine love.

My grandma always read to her grandkids. My parents read to us quite a bit as well, I believe inspired by how much my grandma read to children. I absolutely love to read and I tribute my grandma for creating a family of readers.

My nieces love to read and they love to read to their Nana. A actually learned to read as Nana read to her and sounded out the words one by one.

Reading opens up so many doors. There are so many adventures to be found behind the pages of a book.

Of course, my grandma not only gave her family a love for reading but a love for crafting, knitting in particular. My mom and I took my grandma to the local knitting store YfY and in no time at all, she'd befriended several knitters, including one newbie, and was sharing patterns and ideas with them. I love my grandma and her infectious spirit...when I "grow up" I want to be just like her! ;0)

Days of Gratitude and Thankfulness--Day 1--My Family

A neat trend on Facebook during the month of November is to spend each day saying what you are thankful for...I've decided to actively participate this year and will tailor my general thankfulness with a crafty edge as much as possible on this blog.

I am one day behind...I didn't think to blog my thankfulness until today ;0)

Day 1--I am thankful for my family and the time we will get to spend together soon.

Last summer, my middle sister moved her family to Arizona when her husband got a job teaching on an Apache Reservation. Two weeks after her third child was born! We miss them so much and it's hard missing out on the baby growing up. She keeps a weekly photo blog which is AWESOME but nothing beats seeing someone in person. The new tradition is that she hosts Thanksgiving and we all drive out to Arizona to be a family united and to eat LOTS of food!

The only bummer is that it's too much of a drive for my grandma to come. We'd be more than happy to make a route with lots of stops for her but at 88, if she decides it's too much, well, I think we should respect her decision. We will miss her, though I know my cousin and his family will make sure she's taken care of.

I have been meaning to post this pictures of my nieces, the fourth generation of knitters, learning how to knit from my grandma a few years ago. Then I have one of two of them knitting that I just took recently. I'm thankful for my family and for the creativeness and craftiness that flows through it. A family that knits to together knits themselves together as a closer knit family ;0)

E learned to knit when she was 7! Grandma taught her even before mom and I picked it up.

 G learning on big needles. She's now progressed to make a scarf for her older half-sister!

A learning from her Nana, the master knitter of the family (over 70 years!)

I love to watch my grandma's hands knit and hear the clacking of her needles.

  Hand knit hats were a big hit for Christmas last year! Here's mom, dad and I being pirates, just a goofy thing that we like to do in our family!

  E working on a sock last Christmas.

E & G knitting 2009

E and G knitting 2011...wow, how time FLIES!

I can't believe how grownup my nieces are here. I'm so glad that they are carrying on a family tradition. Now to just get my sisters into knitting...

Baby It's Cold Outside...Okay, Not So Much Just Yet!

Leave it to me to spend the summer knitting blankets! I have a baby explosion going on with friends and family...it seems like almost everyone has just had one or is announcing they are pregnant.

I was inspired by a post on a blog...which one, I sadly cannot remember...to create these super easy, super soft baby blankets!



Here's a closer look...



The pattern is SUPER easy, perfect for a beginner. I love chunky and bulky yarns (size 5 &6) because they knit up so fast. So using the bulky/chunky baby yarns they have in abundance at the craft stores...



...I cast on about 90 stitches on a size 11 circular needle. You can make the stripes as wide or as narrow as you want and use as many colors/shades/textures as you want, too.

I will say, Velvet Spun by Lion Brand is VERY difficult to use in this project. You end up with gaping holes that need to be sewed up to keep baby's fingers from getting caught up in them. It is so soft, though...sigh. Also, the pompom yarn would be super cute and super soft to use in this touchy-feeling blanket, but I just don't get a long with the pompoms!

Oh, I also made a very simple baby blanket pattern and that one I remember the blog link to! LOL
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/free-knitting-patterns-for-baby-blankets2.htm



I've made it twice, once with a baby sport weight yarn (that claimed it was a 4 but felt like a 3) and a size 5 weight variegated yarn that made for one HUGE blanket! Here's a second shot that shows the colors off better.



My blanket knitting is going to take off again here soon, I want to make some child sized Afghans for G & A for Christmas. I better get off this blog and get to knitting!

Sewing...ish

Knitting is my current obsession but I've been wanting to gain some sewing machine skills. My friend, Mylinh, has an amazing talent. She marvels us through her blog with all sorts of clever creations. It helps that she has an adorable daughter to dress but she makes non-clothes items as well. M offered to teach me to sew when I commented on her blog how much I'd like to give it a hand. Maybe she doesn't know what she is getting into...I have major bobbin issues left over from 7th grade Home-Ec. She posted a picture of a darling bag she sewed for a co-worker and I picked that to be my first attempt. Well, first four attempts. I'm going to make one for each of my nieces. Our other friend, Laura, wants to join in the fun, too. I already went and bought the fabrics...on sale at Joann's, of course. (Hobby Lobby has two weeks until their projected opening up in Temecula and I'm SO THERE!)

I really tried to find fabrics that complement my niece's personalities. A's was the hardest, for some reason. I found some cute patterns but they were in curderoy and I wasn't sure if that would be harder to sew so I kept looking. I actually go stressed out over it...I had to remind myself, it's a process. It's enjoyable. And as soon as I changed my mindset, I spotted the fabric I bought for her. All of the girls get floral patterns, except for baby I. She gets a kitty print in honor of her first word "eow". I bought contrasting fabric for the bottom of the bags and straps. Now, it's time to set a date to sew. Better start making sure all of the excess machine parts are together in one place. Would hate to get to her house with the machine minus the power cable! (LOL)

The fabrics go by age left to right...E, G, A and I :0)