Stitches in Play

doing what i have to do

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do"  -Epictetus

I've been thinking a lot about this quote lately.  The calendar says it's spring yet the weather is dark and dreary and yesterday it snowed and rained and hailed and then snowed again.  I can't seem to focus or sit still long enough to complete any making.  Instead I feel the need to clean, to declutter, to donate and toss. 

Back to the above quote.  I want "to be" a mama who spends time reading, talking, playing, and walking through the woods with my children.  I already do these things but i also spend a lot of time caring for "stuff."  So what I "have to do" is keep my home free of stuff that needs washing, dusting, tending to or picking up - this will give me more free time to spend doing those things I find important.

For the past week I have been cleaning out drawers and closets and donating any clothes that have not been worn in the past year.  I feel a bit more free with each to-be-donated bag that is loaded onto the minivan.  I go quickly before I can change my mind because the rational me knows that I will not miss any of these items.  I am sure of this because many of the donated things are items I considered letting go of last year but figured I would find a use for them.  Well guess what? I didn't.  I never wore the cute brand name jeans that never fit me quite right and caused my stomach to stick out.  (Alright, it may not have been ALL the jeans' fault but you know what I mean)  I'd rather wear the same two pairs of jeans (with a white cotton tee from Target + a cardi) everyday and look lean and put together than wear a hundred different outfits that make me look frumpy and cause me to feel less confident.  Actually, I'm wearing more clothes now because I rediscovered several shirts that were buried behind all the stuff I never wore and I have lots of empty hangers for a few new Spring items.  But I have no plans to go shopping any time soon because those bare hangers are making me oh so happy.  Happiness really is in the little things - or in the lack of little things.

I've cleared books off my coffee table (bench, really) which, of course, encourages kiddos standing on and jumping off said coffee table-bench.  But that is all part of the carefree play that is in the "what would be" part of above quote.

I also put away pillows and quilts that adorned the couch.  These inevitably ended up on the floor, collecting dog hair and dust bunnies (I have no idea where these come from as bunnies are about the only pet that we don't have), and causing my kiddos to trip as they race through the family room.  All this caused this mama to reprimand said kiddos so I did "what I have to do" in order to achieve the "what I would be."

Even my husband noticed that two lamps were gone and asked why they didn't make the cut.  For a brief moment I questioned whether I had cleared out too much or left too little.  Maybe I had created a home that was so bare bones that even my guy - who rarely notices such things - realized that we were living with less.  But no, I had not cleared away and donated too much - I took away just the right amount of stuff to create a home where the unnecessary clutter was gone and what was left had room to shine - and that was what greg noticed. 

Yes, my home is pared down to the things that we need and love.  Things that did not serve a purpose had to go - i'm sure that someone perusing my local thrift store right now is seeking a red glass lamp and will be overjoyed when she comes accross the one I donated.  I feel like a giver - which sure beats feeling like a hoarder!

For extra clearing out fun I went through each of our sock and underwear drawers and pulled out items that were worn or didn't have a match.  You don't need to know this but I kept only four white bras - the ones that looked good under white tees and only the underwear that I actually wear.  This really is too much information for a crafty blog but if this helps someone out there clear the excess clutter out of their homes then so be it. 

Since I cleaned out all the excess I am able to breathe deeper and feel less stressed.  Plus I have more room for flowers and more time to enjoy them!

And for moments when you feel like this, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

"Out of clutter find simplicity; from discord find harmony; in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." -Albert Einstein

just life

Cannot believe more than a week has passed since I was last here. 

During this past week rain has poured down and bright sunshine has shone.

David had strep throat and got to spend a quiet day at home with mama while the effects of his antibiotics kicked in. 

Having Mondays off from school has provided us with a true day off.  A day without taekwondo practice or tournaments or hebrew school or swim meets.  We are loving these Mondays.

During this week a sweet raccoon came to visit.  Then it fell out of his super tall tree, right on Remmy's head and bit him on the ear.  This was followed by a visit from the animal control officer, a visit to the veterinarian for a rabies booster, a visit from the county health department.  And many extra pets for our sweet doggie who goes above and beyond the call of duty to serve and protect his family from trespassers, big or small.

I spent two entire days at the kiddos' school finishing up an art fundraiser and setting up for this week's book fair.

I learned that my tires were so worn that they only had 1/32 (how is that possible) of their tread left.  I had them replaced, but not before I drove ninety miles into the big city and back - all the while holding my breath.

I tripped and fell and hurt my knee - it's still bruised and swollen but I didn't twist or tear anything and for that i am grateful.  It happened when I was chasing after my kiddos with a camera and a nosy neighbor came out to tell me gossip about another neighbor.  I was trying to smile politely while keeping up with my kiddos when I slipped on a large piece of gravel and fell.  Yet another reason to dislike gossip. 

My oldest kiddo turned twelve this weekend.  We celebrated with friends and pizza at a park in the big city and then we celebrated again at home with his favorite fish tacos and a raspberry amaretto cake.

The following are some of the many random pictures that I took this past week - in no particular order.

Do you see mr. raccoon high up in the tree?

   

Do you see the girly behind the sunflower?

Do you see the girl's teddy bear - sleeping on the kitchen table?  This teddy goes everywhere the girl goes.  And once a week, when the girl goes to school, teddy takes a bath in the washing machine.

This is what she looks like when i tell her that bear got a bath.

Do you see the girl, way in the distance, who took off down the road - all by herself?  And the big brother who takes the best care of said girl?

He turned his bike around to follow the girl who has no fears or inhibitions.

Girl ended up in the ditch. Boy helped her get back on track.

Then boy got some well deserved birthday cake.

I warned you it was random.  But so are the days of my life.  And it's these little moments that make up the best parts of my days.

And to steal a quote from Oscar Wilde's very funny play, "Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about."

See you back here soon with some 'making'.

abby's new cardi

Abigail could not wait to reveal her new mama-made sweater.

First, she "styled" the look.  (Translation:  she refused to wear the shirt and pants that i had picked out.)

Next, she "choreographed" the photo shoot.  (Translation:  she figured that 'all those people who read your blog' would think that the sweater was 'boring' if she 'just stood there'  so she decided to show you all that 'you can do' while wearing this cardi.) 

Apparently the sweater is good for doing this...

And this...

And for looking directly at the sun.

It's also perfectly suited for pointing at passing brothers...

And for "giving yourself a hug."

Oh, and she thought you should see the back.

Bet you didn't know that my knits were this versatile!  Yours can be too if you let Miss Abby conduct a "photo shoot" for you.

Now for the pattern - or lack thereof.  I wanted to knit Leslie's Libby cardi (pattern in Leslie's sidebar).  But the pattern is a bit too large for my girly who wears size 6-8 so I made up my own using the top-down raglan formula.  This basic formula can be found in many books on top down knitting but my favorite web instructions are written by Laura of cosmicpluto knits. 

Here are my numbers for this size 8 cardi:

I used worsted weight wool (Jo Sharp Classic DK Wool in the colors Limoncello and Antique) and

US sz 8 needles.

CO 70 stitches.

k1p1 ribbing for 6 rows. (for the band around the neck)

Divide for yolk (RS): k5 for button band, pm, k10 for front, pm, k10 for sleeve, pm, k20 for back, pm, k10 for sleeve, pm, k10 for front, pm, k5 for button band

row 2 (WS): k5 for button band, purl to last 5 stitches (last marker), k5

row 3 (RS): *k to 2 sts before marker, kf&b, k1, sl m, k1, kf&b*, repeat from * to * three more times. Knit to the end of the round.

row 4 (WS): k5, purl to last 5 stitches (last marker), k5.

Repeat rows 3 & 4 sixteen times.  (or until you have 42 stitches between the sleeve markers.)

Slip the sleeve stitches onto scrap yarn and continue knitting the body of the sweater in stockinette stitch to desired length.

Work 14 rows garter stitch for the bottom band.  (knit every row)  Bind off.

Laura gives instructions for side shaping in her pattern.  I did not do any side shaping for a child's cardi but i highly recommend side shaping if you are knitting a cardi for yourself.

Slip sleeve stitches off scrap yarn and join stitches to work in the round (i love magic loop knitting method for sleeves) until sleeves are desired length.   Work 14 rows garter stitch.  Bind off.  Repeat for second sleeve. 

For the stripes I just switched between the two colors every 6, 8, 10 and 14 rows respectively.  See how the stripes become wider as the sweater progresses.  Have fun and make the stripes any width you like - just remember to do the same for the sleeves so that the stripes line up.

You can easily make this cardi larger by adding several more kf&b increases in the yoke before separating the sleeves.  Then knit the body and sleeves to desired length.

Hope you find these instructions helpful.  I know that wearing this cardi has helped my girly run faster through the woods, gather dozens of pine cones, and build a fort for all the imaginary students that she schools each day. 

it feels like monday or the winners are...

Oh my, I said I would announce the giveaway winners on Monday... but for some reason I keep on forgetting that with my kiddos home nearly every Monday, Tuesday has become my new Monday.  Thanks so much to all of you who entered - I really enjoyed reading all of your sweet and clever comments.  I couldn't choose just two winners so I chose three:

comment #5 - annri

comment #26 - miri

comment #32 Laura (no blog link)    Ladies, send me your addresses!

In the meantime:

We enjoyed a wonderful three-day weekend full of playing, house cleaning and organizing, and a trip here to see this.  Each of these will receive its own post sometime this week.  I'm off to read with some first graders and pick up a whole bunch of kiddo artwork from the art teacher that will be turned into mugs and totes for our next fundraiser - hoping to raise enough money so that we can have school on Mondays again!

On the home front:

Abigail's sweater is all done,

this quilt top is almost complete,

these ladies are enjoying their morning constitutional,

this kitty is in search of a warm and sunny perch,

and this girly is ready to reveal her new cardi.

Wishing you all a fabulous Tuesday!  (although it sure does feel like a Monday around here!)

 

giveaway in honor of rhythm of the home

For the last three days I have been suffering from the "icks" as we like to call them around here. Basically all the various flu symptoms but in a milder, gentler form because i did get a flu shot back in October.  Greg worked all weekend and my kiddos rose to the occasion and worked together to keep the house from becoming too much of a pigsty. And I even drove them to Taekwondo practice - kiddos received loads of exercise while mama sat in the car and watched though the window so as not to infect the innocent.  I woke up feeling much better this morning and headed right back to volunteer at the very place where I contracted the illness - my kiddos' school.

Enough about me.  The Spring issue of Rhythm of the Home launched yesterday and it is gorgeous and full of wonderful ideas and information.  I could not stop reading this piece on keeping free range bunnies - how awesome is that!  And under the section for 'warmth' you can find my article on using and making lavender drawer liners. 

These are so simple to sew and a great way to encourage kiddos to keep their belongings neat and put away.  

Now about you.  You can have your very own lavender drawer liner along with a heart tea towel for your kitchen.  I am giving away 2 sets  - just leave a comment on this post and I will announce 2 winners on Monday, March 7th.  There is also a giveaway on the Rhythm of the Home blog where you can win items donated by many of the contributors so be sure to leave a comment there too.  I had intended to donate my items to the ROTH giveaway but missed the deadline - enough said.

I hope you sew some of these - they will make your drawers (and clothes) smell wonderful.  My girly (she's six) now smells her underwear each morning before putting it on to "make sure the drawer liner is working properly!"  Quality control at its finest, people. They also make great gifts - my kiddos gifted these to their teachers for Valentine's day.

Have a wonderful Wednesday and don't forget to leave a comment for the giveaway!