Stitches in Play

very slow but steady...

During these busy days filled with kiddos, chores, errands, sports, pets, school and synagogue volunteering, birthdays and holidays I am adopting Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's quote:

“Do not hurry; do not rest.”

I have chosen to do a bit of making as often as I can.  No timeline or finish date because a little bit of sewing or just one row of knitting is so much better than none at all.

Over the last several weeks I sewed together lots of squares...

Then I sewed them between strips of white kona.  Cut them up and sewed them back together again.

Yesterday I added borders.  It's about a 50 inch square and I hope to keep going until it's about 70 x 60 inch throw size.

Also as part of my "Do not hurry; Do not rest" philosophy I have greatly cut down on multi-tasking (I have been doing at least three things at once ever since I can remember) and my days have been so much happier and run much more smoothly. I'm much less stressed and far more productive.  Also, doing just one thing at a time has allowed me to be fully present in my days.  Last week I even decided that I would turn off the music while walking the dog each morning (we usually walk two miles) and I have been able to hear (and see) the birds sing instead.  I have always made it a point to be fully present with my kiddos but there's a difference here too - as I am much calmer these days.

Hope you are doing what you need to be fully present in your days - in life, really.

reading + quilting

Sometime in June of 2012 I gave up watching television in the evenings (altogether really) and started reading books instead.  For some reason the television made me anxious and I had trouble falling asleep - while reading calms and entertains me at the same time.  In the past ten months I've read nearly forty books - some great, others not so much.  I want to share the best ones here with you.

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

The Fault in our Stars by John Green 

Shine, Shine, Shine by Lydia Netzer

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

No reviews from me - these books are all excellent.  I linked the titles to amazon if you'd like to read what other's have said.

I'm progressing right along with my star blocks but I just realized that I may need to sash the outside edge in the white kona cotton so that I can square up my quilt easily without sacrificing any of the design.  I wasn't planning on this and will need to order another yard of the white kona cotton. What do you think - no sashing or a 2 inch white border to help square up the quilt after quilting?

Happy Reading and Quilting to you all on this Thursday.

Which also happens to be pi day so I hope you also get to eat some pie - while reading and quilting, of course!  Fortunately pie also tastes great and works wonders if you're eating it while your kiddos are running around screaming and bickering.  Have a great day!

summer update

Third week of summer break is in full swing around here.  We are very busy with swimming and playing, dance camp for the girl and guitar lessons for the boys.  Of course there is still tons of taekwondo and torah study for the boys who will be chanting torah for the first time during high holidays this year. There is also tons of cooking and eating which requires much grocery shopping and many farmer's market visits.  The plumbing issue I mentioned in my last post turned out to require major pipe replacement and drywall repair - could've been a lot worse but I do have a major patch in the guest bathroom that still requires taping, sanding and painting. 

Through all the playing and driving and learning and plumbing I have managed to take a few pictures.  Not much is new but David no longer wants to have his picture taken.

Ezra is still reading two to three books per week.

Abigail is becoming more independent each day - unfortunately all this independence is accompanied by a heavy dose of sassyness.  Today she asked me if other seven year olds still sleep with a stuffie.  I told her that she shouldn't concern herself with what others do and should continue to do what feels right for her.  Without missing a beat Abigail said,"You're right, I should just follow my own path."  Indeed, each moment of every day this girl follows her own path - which keeps this mama on her toes.

And speaking of me, I hung these mirrors in the foyer. Just trying to pretty up the parts of the house that still have drywall!

I spied this deer in our yard. Turns out there are lots of deer in the city where hunting is not permitted!

I let this girl out for some fresh air.

I baked heart shaped brownies to celebrate a job well done.

I restocked supplies.

And I read John Green's books The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska - both amazing! Both novels are quick reads geared for the teen audience and they make just perfect summer reading. 


I also managed to sit here for half an hour and read before the thunder storm rolled in.  That's Ezra on the rocks - he wasn't as bothered by the huge storm.  Hope your week is wonderful!

"The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore."  Vincent van Gogh

working the land

We had a busy and exciting weekend full of sport's tournaments and competitions but each evening we could not wait to return home and "work the land."

 

We turned our old sandbox into a planter box and filed it with sweet onions and arugula and cherry tomatoes. 

 

Ezra and David took great pride in planting everything just so.

 

We liked our new bed so much that we built a second one for strawberries, cucumbers and more tomatoes.

I had to take a minute to let it sink in that my kiddos were growing up and had chosen to turn their play space into a garden.   We do live on five acres and they still have plenty of space in which to play but for the past ten years they have swung and climbed and jumped and dug and been pirates and super heroes in this space.  But today they are gardeners who are taking great pride in selecting and growing their own crop.  My kiddos are growing and that's a good thing.

Then we watered all our little seedlings and wished them to bear loads of yummy, healthy, fruit.

And then, just to show this mama that we are not all grown up just yet, we watered one another!  Good times.

In the meantime, I finished assembling the nine-patch quilt top only to realize that I have completed three quilt tops in the last month - all of which are patiently waiting to be sandwiched and quilted.  I better get to work.

But before I go I'd like to share that I just finished reading the book Lighting Their Fires by Rafe Esquith and I cannot recommend it highly enough.  

Hope you get a chance to work your land this week.  And if you think you don't have enough space watch this.

giveaway winner and some q & a

The random number generator said #16 so the winner of the giveaway is Dodi of the lovely new-to-me blog live, laugh, food, craft.  Congratulations Dodi and please email me your address so I can get the apron and wool out to you!   Thanks to everyone for playing along - I am truly touched by all the kind comments you left.

And Tracy of Bits of Everything please email me your address and I will send you something - not sure what yet but I was blown away by this comment you left on yesterday's post.  Tracy wrote:

"YEAH!!!! I was so excited when I saw this post. I have been working on this and wondered what the finished product would look like. Here is a pic of my strips. http://bellaandmolly.blogspot.com/2010/02/here-project-there-project-everywhere.html
I will have to let know when I get it done."

Yes, that's right, this woman trusted me enough to begin piecing even though I neglected to post what the finished quilt would actually look like until yesterday - how awesome is that!

And now for some answers to your questions...

1.  How do you prepare your chai tea?

First, it's important to use a good quality chai tea bag.  My favorite teas (that are available out here in the country) are Good Earth Chai, Tazo Chai, and Twinings Chai.  Fill cup 1/3-1/2 full of milk and microwave for one minute to warm.  Then place tea bag in the cup and fill to top with boiling water from kettle.  Let steep several minutes and sweeten with honey.  Enjoy!

2.  What fabric did you use for this apron?

This is a home decor weight Free Spirit fabric.  It's from the Prairie Gothic line by Jane Sassaman. 

 

What size is your deputy tote and will it fit standard sized notebooks?

Well, I totally forgot to mention that the finished size of this tote is about 13" x 13 inches and that it will fit numerous 8 1/2" x 11" notebooks. (see photo above)  I took this photo several weeks ago and since then I have finished reading the book Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson.  Nobody asked but just in case you were wondering it's a beautiful book and I really enjoyed it.

 

How do you get your sweaters to drape so well?

While the correct size is important, sweaters need to drape well in order to look good.  My favorite way to achieve drape is to use a thinner yarn paired with slightly larger than recommended needle size.  If gauge is too tight the resulting fabric will be stiff and even a perfectly fitting sweater will not drape well or look as good.  Having said that, I do the opposite for cardis.

Updated to answer yet another wonderful question I just received:  

- even though I use a one size larger needle, I still try to obtain stitch gauge so that the sweater fits.  But I do not worry about getting the row gauge perfect - mine is usually a bit bigger than stated in the pattern but I don't worry too much about this because I usually like my sweaters to be about 15 inches from the bottom to armhole shaping so I just knit until I get that length.  If I'm knitting top down, I just stop when I reach desired length.  If you are a very lose knitter you will not need to go up a needle size because then you may have holes in your sweater.

- I also usually go down one needle size for the ribbing.  This pulls the bottom, neckline and cuffs in a bit and creates a more tailored look. I did this with the Francis sweater above.

- another tip is to knit sweaters a bit shorter so that they don't drape way over the belly giving me that 'bump.'  Shorter sweaters visually "cut" the midsection in half making the not-so-flat-belly less noticeable.  If you do not know what I am talking about here - disregard this advice completely. 

 

Drape is not so good for a cardi because it causes the bottom corners to sag and pull.  For a cardi,especially this shalom cardi where the bottom edges are not supported by buttons, I achieved a tighter gauge by using thicker wool + thinner than recommended needles to get a thicker fabric with very little drape that kinda holds its own shape.  I use this as a general rule but remember there are exceptions to every rule - when in doubt, follow the pattern recommendations. 

 

What music do your kiddos like to make up dances to?

We listen to a lot of music but our favorite music to sing along with and make up silly dances to has been the Groove to the Music Backyardigans CD.  This disk covers all types of music including swing, jig, hip hop, salsa, country, zydeco and rock and is our family's favorite CD to dance to - silly or not.  Go take a listen for yourself.

Please remember that I am not a sewing, knitting, tea brewing, or silly dancing expert.  (hmmm,  well maybe I am a silly dancing expert!  I'll have to get back to you on that one.)  Anyhow this is just how I do things so take what you want and leave the rest - or better yet tell me how you do things differently.

Have a wonderful weekend!

happiness

It's Sunday night and I'm feeling happy.

 

Happiness is kiddos who no longer ask what's for dessert. 

They already know we're having apple oatmeal cake  (topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips of course).

Happiness is knowing that no matter how much things change, kids' crafts remain the same. 

I got this circa 1974 craft book at our library book sale.

 

Happiness is spying my febrile girlie (who spent the day in her pajamas) enjoying some restful quiet time.

Happiness is playing with gorgeous, simple, handmade toys that entertain children of all ages. 

Because when kiddos tire of playing the intended game they make up their own rules and keep right on playing.  Thank you Tonya.

Happiness is the opportunity to play with super cool fabrics for this months 12 squared quilting bee.

Happiness is when my ten-year-old son takes a photo of me for no reason at all.

He borrowed my camera to take a picture of an ice crystal formation in the woods.  He said he took this picture because he wanted to know what i was thinking.  I told him that it was fifty degrees out, the sun was shining, my kiddos were playing a game in the woods, and the birds were chirping all around - and I was thinking how happy I was.

What is making you happy today?

love that girl

Today my littlest kiddo turned five.

 Love That Girl

(Inspired by Jack who was inspired by Walter Dean Myers)

Love that girl,

like a bird loves to fly

I said I love that girl

like a bird loves to fly.

Love to snuggle her in the morning

love to tell her,

"I'm so glad you're mine!"

The idea for this poem - as well as many of the words - was taken from one of my favorite books ever.  Love That Dog by Sharon Creech.  

Abigail truly 'gets' poetry and we read this book often.  However, lately she's been reading it to me.

 

She is a scientist in the truest sense of the word and is constantly aware of the world around her.  Today she pointed out that this wasp was about to sting the bumble bee!

 

She is a foodie and loves to help cook.  Today she devoured a bowl of butter beans and angel hair pasta - school makes her very hungry.

 

In the evening she opened her presents, took a bath, blew out the candles on her cake (technically it's a Boston Creme Pie - this girl knows what she wants), ate a huge slice and went to bed surrounded by her gifts.  It was a great day.

Tomorrow, I'll share the small gift I made for Abigail as well as the scoop sweater.

the first day

Today was the first day of school. 

I didn't get pictures of the kiddos this morning because the rain came down.  hard.

 

I drove the kiddos to the bus and headed to a nearby coffee shop where my new PTA duties included hanging out and answering questions from "new to school moms" at an event called crying over coffee.  There I learned two things:  (1) I do not enjoy small talk and (2) I have already managed to over-extend myself with the volunteering.  In case you were wondering, nobody cried.

 

I returned home to a dark and quiet house and outside the rain was still coming down. hard.  I turned on all the lights but then it felt bright and cold so I packed a bag and went to the gym.  There I remembered how much I love running on the elliptical machine.  And how I missed listening to my music.

 

After the gym I drove to the thrift store to drop off donations.  Then to the library to check out several books that david had requested.  And to the grocery store for food with which to pack all those lunches.  And still the rain came down.  I grabbed a quick lunch and went to my sewing space - but with no kiddos pulling out fabrics, or asking me to spell words, or screaming that the others were not playing fair - I must admit I was a bit lost.  So I settled on reading this amazing book for an hour and then I cast on for this simple yet elegant sweater.  And after folding yet another load of laundry it was time to drive on back to the bus stop where the rain continued to come down.

 

And gather my hungry, tired, and wet but very happy kiddos.

 

Everyone had a great day.

We all took warm baths and ate lots of homemade pizza, peaches, and ice cream.  And spent the evening cuddling on the couch while the kiddos fought over whose turn it was to tell mom all the exciting things that took place at school.  Ezra sat next to me and read while waiting for his turn to speak.  David kept track of how many minutes each kiddo spoke - to keep things fair.  And Abigail jumped on the ottoman for extra attention.  All was back to normal. 

And tomorrow this mama will be ready for a little knitting and sewing. 

summing up our summer

My rusted root is still damp (but totally worth all the trouble)  so I thought I'd share some of the playing, viewing, and reading that has filled our days and entertained us this summer.

First up:

Top five board games played in our house -

Qwirkle - my kiddos rank this the best family game ever.
Pentago - they rank this the best game ever for two players.
Blokus
Apples to Apples Junior
Uno

Some very good grown-up movies I've watched via Netflix this summer -

The Cake Eaters
Once - I highly recommend this film. Rent this one tonight!
The Lives of Others
Greenfingers
The Visitor
Waitress
Miss Petigrew Lives for a Day

Some very good family movies we've watched this summer -

Horton Hears a Who!
Shaun the Sheep:  Off the Baa
Bolt
The Iron Giant
Night at the Museum
Wall-e

The books I've read this summer (all very good) -

Saint Maybe  by Anne Tyler
Ladder of Years  by Anne Tyler
Personal History by Katherine Graham
A Fraction of the Whole  by Steve Toltz
Julie and Julia  by Julie Powell

And my daughter learned to swim this summer...

It cracks me up how she swims using only one arm - while holding her nose with the other!

I'll be back soon with some stitching - but for now it's all play around here!

first day of summer vacation

Today was abigail's first day of summer vacation.

So we spread an old blanket under our river birch tree and watched the leaves shimmer in the sunlight.

I wished I could read and knit at the same time because last night I stayed up way too late reading this amazing book that I highly recommend. But I so wanted to work on my cavern cardi.

When abigail became bored of listening to me talking about my reading and knitting we brought out the piggies, ella and lucy.

We fed them lettuce leaves left over from lunch.

Remy thought we were fattening them up so that he could have lunch.

Then one piggie went exploring...

And remy assured us that he would keep an eye on her!

After their walk, the two little piggies went home for a snack.

Abigail had her snack too.

Yum.

I received a question regarding how to quickly tell which way the blocks need to be rotated and which side to piece next.

Answer:  always sew onto the edge that has 3 fabrics exposed.  For example, in the above photo all the blocks need to be placed on the next strip so that it is sewn to the BOTTOM  ( where there are 3 fabrics exposed)

Here they are, placed correctly, onto the next strip.

Hope you're savoring these first days of summer.

yellow week - i will miss you

I have always loved the color yellow.

I recently painted my sewing area yellow (see photo below) and i enjoy yellow food - think lemon meringue pie, saffron rice, and Lay's potato chips.

At an art auction last year, I bought this fun art piece titled "man walking chicken." It sits in my sewing area and reminds me each day to enjoy all that I have and not take myself too seriously. 

This reminds me, yellow also makes me smile.

Smiling comes in handy when picking up the kiddos toys from the floor...

  

And I'm positive that yellow week had a lot to do with my choice of binding for this quilt...

I've even been sipping my favorite beverage - Lipton Spiced Chai - out of yellow teacups...

Thank you Erin for hosting yellow week!

 

Note:  Home is a beautifully written novel and I highly recommend it.  However, you should probably read it's prequel Gilead first - also very good.