:: Yarn Along ::

Joining Ginny at Small Things for Yarn Along again today...

Sorry I didn't take a cuter pic this morning...treadmill time beat out "stage a cuter yarn along picture" time. You understand.

On the needles :: That above my friends, is the back of Mr. Wiedz's sweater! All bound off and waiting for the front and sleeves to be done. It was a complicated bind off (what part of this sweater isn't complicated) but I finally stole the last few minutes I needed yesterday afternoon and got it done. I cast on for the front last night. Ribbing. 110 stitches of 2x2 ribbing...but ribbing isn't complicated so I'll take it :).

On the nightstand :: Still reading The Maze Runner . It's good and I think I'm finally to the start of major action. My book club picked Don't Waste Your Life so I've got to try to get that downloaded and started soon.

:: Yarn Along ::

Joining Ginny at Small Things...

Mr. Wiedz went to the Vogue Knitting Live show in Seattle a few weeks ago for work and amongst the mounds of yarn he brought home for me was a swift!!! I had been wanting one for quite awhile and LOVE the one he got. It's the Super Swift II (ball winder too!)from Paradise Fibers...it's dreamy.

The downside of a swift is now that I have the ability to ball my own yarn so easily I find myself balling and then starting new projects...

On the needles :: right now there is too much on my needles. I've picked Mr. Wiedz's sweater back up. I took a new knitting friend to the yarn store the other day and while there picked up all the yarn needed to finish Mr. Wiedz's sweater so I won't have dye lot issues again. I'm working on my first Milo for #6. I wanted it a little big so it would fit her next fall so cast on for the 3T size. My yarn must be not worsted like the label said because the vest will fit her sometime between 4-5...maybe she'll wear it the first time she goes to kindergarten! Found yarn I know will be the right weight and will be casting on another one...they are great to knit! I started a hat for #4 yesterday...all mama-made beanies were too small for him the other day and he's desperate for a soccer practice hat. #3 will be after that. I also gathered all supplies necessary to make a mason jar cozy for a birthday coming up. Hmmmm, I must have cast-on-itis!

On the nightstand :: Got The Maze Runner (affiliate link :)) on my kindle after seeing the trailer for the movie coming soon. So far great book but I don't allow a lot of time in my day for reading so it's going slow.

:: Yarn Along ::

It's been so long since I've posted a Yarn Along. Hopefully I'll get a chance to post about a finished project later this week...

On the needles :: I'm working on crocheting balls for Operation Christmas Child boxes. I got the idea while finishing my last project and thought this would be a good way to use up stash yarn I have in a bunch of fun, bright colors and I even have a bag of stuffing stitting here not being used...I found this pattern by searching pinterest but there were about a million. I'm using the instructions for the smallest ball and I still think they are a good size. I'm hoping to make 3 for each box we'll be making...we'll see if I can find that many once it's actually time to put the boxes together.

On the nightstand :: I've been wishing lately I had more time to read...I'm really enjoying both of my books and I've pinned a few reading lists that I'd love to look into more. I'm reading Radical for a book club and I'm reading The House of Hades because I've read all the other books in the series (and they are SOOO good). I wish I had read ahead of #2 in his readers...maybe if I order the next set I'll have time to get ahead of him a little bit.

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: #1's sweater will only be on the needles for some part of today! I'm casting off!!! I'm thinking this thing is going to take FOREVER to block so I'll have plenty of time to find a zipper before setting in the sleeves, sewing up the seams and sewing in that zipper...I read and watched some tutorials and I think doing the zipper won't be too big of a deal (how did people learn to knit before you tube!). Next up is Mr. Wiedz's sweater. I'm going to set a goal of finishing it this summer. Since the sleeves knit flat I'm thinking the two at a time advice would be perfect here. #4 has also been waiting patiently for his turn so I think I'll start a sweater for him since I need some car/easy pick up-put down knitting (Mr. Wiedz's sweater is not that).

On the nightstand (kindle) :: Book Three of the Mortal Instruments series. When I started book one and book two I told myself I would only read that one...sometimes a series gets a little too predictable. But wow! good books. Into number 3 and really enjoying them!

:: Yarn Along ::

{this post contains affiliate links to the amazon books I'm currently reading, if you click through my link I'll get a little something-something, thank you.}



I haven't been here in so long!!! But I've missed it. What better way to jump back in than with Yarn Along with Ginny.

On the needles :: I've been working on a sweater for #1 for the past couple of months. Its a really nice pattern worked on biggish needles with chucky yarn...LOVE! The Quince & Co yarn is so nice to work with. I'd heard all about Quince & Co but had never tried it. The sweater is going to be so nice and dense and soft. I'm on the second sleeve already and it's totally knitting up quickly and without all those awful second-sleeve-I've-already-done-this-don't-want-to-do-it-again issues. Next is the hood and band then in my effort to learn something new when I knit, a zipper! Yikes!

On the nightstand :: Another mom at baseball was carrying around a book a few weeks back. When I asked her about it I was interested and looked into Amazon. I got the first Mortal Instruments book, City of Bones, that night. I'm on book two, City of Ashes, now. Good books.

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: Really the only thing I've worked on all week is Mr. Wiedz's sweater. Oh, wait, that's not true. My car and Bible study knitting are two hats that I'm working on for the children. I've got one for #3 with left over yarn from his sweater, I'm going to have to change to a different color for the top since I ran out. I'm also working on a hat for #6. Back to Mr. Wiedz's sweater...I had a breakthrough! I've had two issues with this sweater. 1) the yarn color on newer skeins was different than what I had been using. 2) I wanted to work the back in garter or seed stitch instead of pattern. Last week I had Mr. Wiedz lay down and I laid the sweater on his chest so he could feel how lovely and heavy and warm it was getting. I realized that it was time to split for the neck, so the next time I worked on it I got out the directions and read up on doing that...to find out I need to add a skein of yarn at this point so I can work both sides of the neck going up to the shoulders. Of course, I don't have another skein right now. But I got to thinking this problem could actually solve my other two problems. I'll use this as the back. I'll be motivated to cast back on for the front, much more so than I was to cast back on for the back. The color problem (it really isn't as noticeable as I was worried about) will be on the back and will therefore bother me less. AND I'll know how much yarn it takes and will be able to buy it all at once eliminating the color problem from happening again. Wins all around!!!

On the nightstand :: nothing. I haven't picked up a book all week. Not even on the Kindle.

Yarning Along with Ginny.

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: Still stitching away on Mr. Wiedz's Sweater. I did use the skein of yarn that doesn't quite match (see it up there? It's yellow-er. My Stella Light makes the colors so true!!!...he says that's what homemade sweaters are like. I am alternating rows right now to ease the color change in hoping it is less noticeable, so far so good. I'm also working on a hat for #6. I had started a sweater for her but realized I would run out of yarn so ripped it all out and cast on the Vintage Hat from this favorite book of mine. I think I'll have enough yarn to make matching leg warmers too.

On the nightstand :: I finished The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile, oh my it was good. Such an interesting history and I think the author did a great job taking something we on this side of history criticize so quickly and easily and show her internal struggle with it. I love it. I'm still working on One Thousand Gifts and I'm trying to stay ahead of #2 with his history read-alouds, we are on Robert Fulton Boy Craftsman.

Yarning Along with Ginny.

:: Yarn Along ::

Reading and knitting are two of my favorite things...I also really enjoy "yarning along" with Ginny.

On the needles :: I'm working on a sweater vest for #5. I was so excited to finish the front and block both pieces so I could do the neckband and armbands...but I suck at picking up stitches. I tried, but it was wrong and looked terrible. I got some beautiful bulky yellow yarn for Christmas and found a scarf pattern right away to cast on (ravelry notes here). I love both the yarn and the pattern but somehow together they are not working too well. I'll continue on but I can only do a couple rows at a sitting before I'm not feeling the knitting mojo anymore.

On the nightstand :: I've got a lot going on with my reading right now...we made a trip to the library the other day and I paid up all our fees including our yearly "non-resident" fee (I was the largest transaction the kid had rang up). My mother-in-law had come with us so I was even able to go upstairs to the grown up section. I found two historical novels that looked interesting. But right now I am digging through One Thousand Gifts. It is a beautiful book. There's really a lot to it and I'm enjoying the thinking my brain does with what I read even days after I read it.

What are you reading? Making? Share in the comments and head over to Ginny's to link up!

:: Yarn Along ::

Oh, it has been so long!

But, not looking behind...forward only!

Yarning Along again with Ginny...here's what my pile is looking like.

On the needles :: I've pulled Mr. Wiedz's sweater out and am going to get motivated to work on it again...Mr. Wiedz says it's all he wants for Christmas. Since that isn't going to happen I'm not moving too quickly. All these other, faster, knits are jumping ahead in line. Unfortnuately, I've made a major first-sweater mistake and didn't buy all the yarn at once for the sweater. Of course at the time I was starting this project I only had the money for the two skeins I bought, but now that I've gone back to the yarn store for more yarn I see that the dye lots do matter (look at how much yellow there is in that new skein...that's pretty true color thanks to my Stella Lamp) and now Mr. Wiedz will have a two-tone sweater. I'm trying to get over it. We'll see if I ever let him wear it...

I'm also starting on my small list of handmades for Christmas. I'm working on the milanese loop for the babysitter using this yarn in pewter.

I pinned this idea from pinterest for crocheted bowls and balls that I'm going to do for #6 for Christmas. I found half the yarn at the local craft store and I'm ordering the other three colors so I can have a bright rainbow.

On the nightstand :: I've finally gotten my turn with The Mark of Athena now that #1 is finished. I just don't have the reading time that I used to so I'm going super slow even though it is a great book. The boys and I are reading Foundlings aloud (somewhat reluctantly on some parts) and #2 and I are very into it.

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: Oh, I'm so close with #3's sweater! It took me all week to remember to fit it to him and make sure we were ready for the neck ribbing. And I had every intention of sitting up last night and doing that ribbing but banking/book work won the day and I didn't get more than 8 stitches done yesterday.

I've been working on wash clothes too. I'm hoping to put together a stash of knitted goodness and find a craft show to hawk them. I have a list of potential projects to sell and even have quite a bit of yarn in my stash...it could work.

On the nightstand :: I have barely been reading. I gave up on The Secret Supper too. And last week I only did school prep things, like coloring hands to skip count by 5's. Last night I did pick back up my copy of Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit, a good refresher as we gear up to start a new year.

What are you knitting? Reading? Dreaming of? Leave a comment, I'd love to check it out. And join other Yarn Alongers at Ginny's.

Rowing :: Night of the Moonjellies

I've been trying to catch up...and I'm nearly there! I blogged about our row of Mike Mulligan here and our row of Storm in the Night here last week. They were fun rows, though not as fun as...

For our last row this year we did Night of the Moonjellies and it was perfect! It was a great way to kick off our summer break and a nice easy row without a lot of extras, the boys didn't miss them and I didn't feel too guilty about not providing them.

This is such a sweet book!

I think every activity we did centered around food for this row. We had a hamburger and milkshake dinner and #3 opened his own diner for lunch one day with hot dogs, homemade onion rings and orange soda. We invited some family that was in town for the day over to share our special lunch and had a great time, just like the boy in the story.

I wanted to go to the aquarium to see jelly fish with this row but it just never happened.

Links ::


bhoomplay.wordpress.com - jellyfish in a bottle tutorial (we didn't get to this either, sigh, so many good ideas out there)
delightful learning - inspiration
homeschool share - lapbook and printables

:: Yarn Along ::

 

On the needles :: I have been working on #3's sweater exclusively and I'm so happy about the progress. I'm hoping to have it off the needles and be working on a couple ideas I have percolating by the weekend.

On the nightstand :: I gave up on The Throne of Fire , I just couldn't get into it and it was taking up valuable space in my mind to worry if I should keep trying or not. #1 has read the whole series so far and doesn't enjoy them as much as the Olympians series but is glad she read them. Since she couldn't tell me book 3 was to die for I just couldn't keep going. I started The Secret Supper. Still too early to give an opinion.

Joining Ginny today for Yarn Along.

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: I finished(!) my shawl. I still have to weave ends and block it. I think I will really enjoy it this fall and winter when it is chilly...right now it is in the mid to high 90's and I have no need for a shawl. I do wish it were bigger, I'm thinking another skein of yarn would have been nice. As it was I only had about 2 feet of yarn left...I finished the last couple rows just begging for there to be enough. Just as I had hoped the yarn to finish #3's sweater came right after I finished the shawl so I've started sleeve number 2 and hopefully will be combining everything by the end of the week. I tried everything on him to make sure he hadn't grown out of it in the hiatus of working on it. He was so excited to see it pulled out again. Can't wait to finish it.

On the nightstand :: Slowly reading through The Throne of Fire . I just don't get into this series like I did Riordan's Olympian series . I'm trying though.

See more yarn, books and wonderfulness over at Ginny's.

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: I ordered yarn to finish the sweater I started LONG ago for #3, hoping to finish it before he outgrows it. I suddenly got the finishing bug and hoped to finish #6's sweater and my summer shawl project before the yarn arrived. And I was making great progress on #6's sweater, until I ran out of yarn. What is really the bummer about it is the yarn is from knitpicks, the same place I ordered from for #3's sweater...so more shipping to be paid. Wish I had know I was not going to be able to get both sleeves from the skein. So that's on hold while I work on finishing the shawl. It is nice to knit now that I have fixed my mistake and I can kind of see that I may finish this week. Just in time too, the mornings and evenings are sure cooling off around here.

Another project you see in the picture is what I spent much of last week doing. Dyeing yarn for the first time! With Queen Anne's Lace flowers! It was so cool, though time consuming! And I'm so thrilled with the color I got. Just have to figure out what to make with it.

On the nightstand :: I've been trying to read. I want to read. It just isn't going for me. I have The Throne of Fire from the library. And I want to read it so I can read The Serpent's Shadow, I bought #1 for kindle but so far I haven't been able to get into it.

Joining Ginny today! Much to see over there today...

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: I haven't worked on any knitting in weeks. I need to go to the yarn store for more for 2 of my biggest projects and ripping back all of my lace must have added a block in my brain about wanting to work on my shawl. But I realized that it will be fall before I know it so I need to get over my phobia about placing buttons myself and work on the sweater for #6. I purposely made it big, casting on the 6-12 month size, so it would fit her when it was sweater weather. I didn't want to have not finished it and miss sweater weather or her 6-12 month size. Though in my zest to place those buttons correctly I just knitted right along past the point of binding off the arm hole...back to ripping out. Sigh. I'm going to the yarn store this week so I'll have some more options soon. 

 On the nightstand :: It is that time of year where I'm not reading much but trying to read ahead and plan for school. I think I have all of my FIAR pre-planning done so now I just have to figure out when to put each book into our schedule. I'm ordering the rest of our books this week so I'll be planning and researching and scheduling for awhile yet.

Fo on over to Ginny's to see even morn yarn and books.

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: I was about half done with the lace pattern on my Multnomah when I had to tear it out. I missed something somewhere and was off. I knew I was off but kept going until I reached a point I couldn't fake it anymore...rip. Good thing I'm enjoying the simplicity of it and how pretty the lace is even though it is so simple and the yarn...I guess my summer shawl making is going to take all summer.

On the nightstand :: See that "lucky day" sticker? That's my library's brilliant idea of having a shelf next to the self-check out counter with a copy of new releases. I got to pick up a grown up book (the adult sections of the library are many floors above the children's section and very quiet...not something I want to haul my collection up to very often). I read The Witness by Nora Roberts in two days, this included two very late nights because I had to know if it turned out! I'm sticking with Jane Eyre and it is getting good. Surprised me, Mr. Rochester did...

:: Yarn Along ::

On the needles :: I didn't get as much knitting (or reading) time this week...last week must have been a fluke but I have been working on #5's vest. I should be able to finish up the ball of yarn in the next few days. I must also work away at Mr. Wiedz's sweater as I promised  myself no trips to the yarn store until I needed more yarn for that project.

On the nightstand :: I read a free kindle version of The Perfect Blend, I did not think too highly of it, glad I didn't purchase it but it was short and I wanted to know enough about what happen to finish it. I figured out how to download books from the library to my kindle but the options are pretty limited, I did find A Brief History of Montmaray and so far it is pretty good. AND I found a great thing at the library when I took the kids last week...an adult shelf right next to the check out counter! The one thing that is most difficult about our library is even though it has a beautiful children's section the adult section is upstairs and far away from that children's section. In order for me to check out books I have to haul everyone up there and put up with the stares of the patrons up there who think I'm nuts for having this many children and/or bringing them to the library. I know I can request books but if requested books aren't picked up by a certain date then the library charges a fee and I've experienced requested books being available all sorts of days other than the ones I'm there so that makes for extra trips to the library...not as convenient as it sounds. So from this shelf I found two books to check out...haven't even taken them out of the basket so have no idea if I scored or not.