A Sky Blanket

This little guy turned 10 last week.

10 is big.
I wanted to mark this year for him, to give him something that he can keep with him always. I wanted him to have something from me that shows my love, but something that was also unique for him. I am knitting him a Sky Blanket.
For each day of his 10th year I will check the sky at 1:00pm (the time he was born) and knit 2 rows on his blanket in the corresponding colour......

I will cast off on his 11th birthday, then give it to him one week later.
Each row filled with intention and love, such a joy to knit.
A Sky Blanket for my beautiful boy.
Mama xx

Catching Up

Such a long time since I was here.
So I am Catching Up and Taking Stock with a big nod to Pip at meetmeatmikes

Taking Stock right now:

Making : Baskets, Beanies, Blankets and a Shawl.

Cooking : Birthday Cakes.
Drinking : Tea, always tea.
Reading : The Dirty Chef by Matthew Evans and The Five Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly.
Wanting : To sew a quilt with some gorgeous hand blocked Indian fabrics but I can't decide on a design.

Looking : At the clear blue Winter sky.
Playing : Lots of retro 80's on CD.
Deciding : That I will knit my biggest little a Sky Blanket to commemorate his 10th year.
Wishing : For rain.
Enjoying : School holidays. Spending all day with my guys is awesome.
Waiting : For the yarn, for the Sky Blanket to arrive from Bendigo Woollen Mills.. so excited.
Liking : That Winter is here and we have already celebrated 2 of the 4 Winter birthdays.
Wondering : If the veggie patch is getting enough sun.
Loving : How my boys love each other.

Pondering : Woollen baskets, and hot water bottle covers and mug warmers with handmade wooden buttons.
Considering : If I should take the littlest to pre-prep before he starts school next year.
Watching : True Blood on Blu-ray. Halfway through Season 2. So much fun....
Hoping : I can finish the blanket on the needles and free them up before Saturday.
Marvelling : At how much better I feel after a haircut.
Needing : To sort and photograph my yarn stash and upload it to Ravelry.
Smelling : Freshly washed blonde curls on sweet little boy heads.

Following : Whole Hearted Journal.
Wearing : All the warm things.
Noticing : The days getting just a wee bit longer after the Winter Solstice.
Knowing : I am so much healthier (and lighter) now that my love and I are walking 9 kms a day. Everyday.

(This is the path we take)

Thinking : About how much my little guy has taught me in the last 10 years.
Feeling : So proud of all my guys and who they are growing up to be.
Admiring : My girl! Her style, her attitude, her thoughts, her sense of humour. Just Her.
Sorting : Clothes and storage as the littlest transitions from Mama and Dadda's room to sleeping in the boys bedroom.
Buying : Oranges, lemons, limes, ginger, rhubarb, mandarines and silver beet direct from the farmer at the top of our street. He is often around for a chat as well, it's so good hearing his stories and knowing we are supporting a local farmer.
Getting: Excited about the next two birthdays..... 10 and 5 both such important ones.
Bookmarking : Lots of Flying Geese and single star quilt patterns.
Disliking : Winter coughs and sniffles, especially during school holidays.
Opening : Awesome reports from both my guys.
Giggling : When my littlest tells me 'a joke'....
Snacking : On local apples, mandarines and homemade ginger cake.

Coveting : Everything here.
Helping : Winter sniffles on their way with lots of garlic and warming soups.

Hearing : The boys giggling and talking together before they go to sleep.

Yarn Along

I finished the cowl I was knitting last week. It is really lovely, just as snuggly and soft as we envisioned.
So I cast on a for a Dream Stripes. Such a sweet pattern, which is knitting up quite quickly despite the finer yarn I am using. Also despite the fact that I have ripped and restarted it three times so far. You need to be really careful not to carry the yarn up the side too tightly. I am a tight knitter anyway so I have to be really conscious of this and keep those edges loose. Lapses of concentration lead to ripping out of knitting.
As for the yarn I have absolutely no idea what either of them are, they were both op-shop finds without labels. The white/cream is definitely wool, the grey I think is some sort of blend. There is wool in there but possibly also nylon. It is beautifully soft whatever it is and so should be lovely around the neck. They are working well together, although the grey is knitting up a bit more lavender grey than it appears in the skein.

As for reading this week I have been looking at Tula Pink's 100 Modern Quilt Blocks I am a beginner when it comes to quilting so I tend {at the moment} to look at lots of quilting blogs and books without committing to actually sewing anything. I intend though to complete at least one quilt this year and this book is inspiration indeed. I am pulling fabrics bit by bit and hoping to get started over the school holidays, which begin next week.

*My pretty postcard came from Anastasia at L'Accent Nou the perfect backdrop for these colours. Make sure you visit her and check out her beautiful necklaces and other handmade beauties. Simply wonderful things!

Late but joining in with Ginny

Sending Hugs

All done and ready to send.
The colour of this yarn is quite interesting, although it looks green it actually is made up of blue and yellow plies. That of course makes it look green but the hue changes quite significantly in different light.
Today I am going to sew up a cotton bag for it so it can be stored dust free in Summer (makes for less washing I hope) then next week I will be sending it on it's way to my friend so it will arrive in plenty of time for her to be able to pop it over her knees when the evenings are a little chillier.

Apple

Top : The middle just shy of his 4th birthday. {16/9/2010}
Bottom : The little one just past his 4th birthday. {12/8/2013}

Saturday Morning

Preparing sourdough for tomorrow's bread.
Planning seed and seedling purchases for our Spring/Summer planting and eating. Working on a new knitting project and reading a quilting book borrowed from the library.
Lots of plans and ideas.
So many lovely things.
A wonderful weekend.

Four Things For Friday | Mint Green Edition

This glass drawer pull

This wooden jewellery box

The New Gypsies

Mint from my garden

Tentatively thinking of Spring.

This Moment

{this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.
Soulemama

A Good Day

Today was the day I was going to sort and fold, wind and tidy my poor, neglected fabric and yarn. That mess {it is actually a lot worse than it appears in these photos} you see in the first three pictures has evolved over the last six months or so but especially since I moved my sewing machine and work table from the small space I occupied before into the wonderful light filled space I now call my own.

But the boys had a bonus day off school so instead......
I knit a little red mitten and started the second so the smallest boy would have 'fire hands'.
Washed the quilts and
Changed all the sheets
Read some Faraway Tree stories and Secret Seven adventures.
I started a sourdough starter and then I
Chopped up some chicken and made a laksa for dinner.

Not what I planned to do today but it was a good day.
I hope you had a good day too.

Joining in with the lovely Em

July Past and Present

They are growing up so very quickly......
That chubby baby is nearly 4. The sweet longhaired toddler is soon to be 7 and my big boy is now 9.
* The first pic is one of my most favourite photos, it happened to be taken in July.

Yarn Along

I have left all my other knitting projects abandoned in their various stages of complete(d)ness and have cast on for a thick and chunky scarf. This will be an end-of-year present for one of our teachers. I am loving how quickly I can knit a row of just 21 stitches in this super thick yarn on 10mm needles. It feels a little like I am wielding tree trunks though after using tiny needles for my Paulie and cowl. The yarn is a alpaca/acrylic mix that has been discontinued. I love the grey colour, but then I love all grey knits.

As for my reading this week; anyone who knows me well is aware of my deep and abiding love for Jane Austen and especially for Pride and Prejudice. I re-read it often. So when I saw Death Comes To Pemberley in my local 2nd hand bookshop I snapped it up. All I will say is if you too love Jane Austen and Elizabeth and Darcy then don't bother reading this book. Sadly I have read (most of) it and in some ways I wish I had not.

Linking up with Ginny

Lately

We have been quiet this week. 

* Azaleas from the garden. A splash of pink in a mainly blue house.

* The most gorgeous handspun yarn, gifted to me. The colours remind me of neapolitan ice cream.

* Despite having several things on the needles I could not resist using it and casting on for this.

* This little guy could do with a fresh coat of colour for Spring.

* The last red leaf hanging on the Japanese maple.

* My awesome man has weeded and dug over the veggie patch for me, I can't wait to plant in a few short weeks.

* Lots of rain this Winter has kept the garden green. The chook run will be going into this spot soon.

* Another splash of pink and a puppy pretending she is tired from her walk.

I have plans for this week.....

to sort and tidy

to knit and sew

to bake and create

How about you, do you have plans?

Linking up with Emily and the Stills this week