Batty...

Now that it's October proper we are most definitely in pre-Halloween mode here—a fat pumpkin adorning our front stoop, me taking advantage of this spooky holiday to embrace the cobwebs on our porch and, of course, lots of talk of costume possibilities.  To add to the fun, I decided this was a good time to repaint our kitchen, pantry and center hallway {it all started with a couple rolls of contact paper and got totally out of hand from there}.  Actually, I'm not so much in the middle of painting, but more in the middle of emptying the contents of our pantry and cupboards and putting said stuff in our dining room...there it sits, waiting for me.  It's amazing really, how much one pantry can hold.  Needless to say,  the Halloween decorations aren't up yet, but the rolled oats, flour and miscellaneous bake ware  decorating our dining room are honestly a little scary in their own special way, and presumably they will eventually make way for the pumpkins, black cats and bats that we love so much.  I have so many decorating ideas that I want to try this year.  How is it that so many fun ideas flood the brain when you have little time to execute them?  Anyway, as I was getting into the thick of reorganizing, I discovered this little project.

I made this one up last year at about this time.  It is a quick and easy treat bag {really and truly, this one knits up in a flash...big needles + big yarn = big fun fast!}.  The pattern is a freebie on my web site.  Forgive the re-blogging of this project, but I thought some of you might find it a handy, last minute project.  I would love to use the bat motif on a sweater or maybe a pair of socks...it is Socktober after all.  I even have some black yarn that would be perfect...fingers crossed I can squeeze it in before the end of October.
Where ever you are, I hope that you are enjoying the kind of lovely Indian summer days that we have been having here these days...blue, blue skies, turning leaves, warm days and cool evenings...gorgeous!  Happy, happy fall to you and yours!

~alison

Socktoberfest!

It's that time again...Socktoberfest is here!  Time for a little pick-up-sticks, and this year I will be celebrating with the Through the Loops 2010 Mystery Knit Along. 

 This is my second year to participate in this KAL.  I had so much fun with this project last year that I couldn't wait to sign up again.  Here are my 2009 Mystery Socks...

I love them.  The picture isn't so great {taken with my iPhone right after I finished them at a cafe—oh the things my poor children have to put up with}.  But take my word for it, these socks are so pretty and so comfy.  Did I mention that I love them?
This project was full of firsts for me...my first knit along, my first pair of of lacy-ish socks and my first time using Jitterbug sock yarn {I love this yarn—it has a nice firm twist which is perfect for sock knitting and the colorways are gorgeous, plus it has the best name for a sock yarn ever}.

If you haven't participated in a KAL like this, I highly recommend it.  It was so much fun.  One of my favorite things about this project is the mystery itself.  It's really fun knitting along following Kirsten's directions and not completely knowing where you are going to end up {it helps to know that all of the Through the Loops patterns are beautiful,  so you are pretty much guaranteed a lovely pair of socks}.  Anyway, it was a great exercise in letting go for this knitter and was just plain fun watching my socks reveal themselves.  Last October the start of each new week found me waiting eagerly for the next clue.  Once the clue was up, I had to download it immediately and get my needles clicking to see where Kirsten was taking us...really too much fun!
If you do decide to play along, there is a great forum for fans of Through the Loops—lots of photo sharing and Q&A—very helpful.

Here's a peek at my the cuff of my mystery socks...

Looks a bit hedgehog~ish in this picture.  I'm using Shibui Sock yarn.  I love the colorways {sadly looks kind of washed out here}.  This yarn is oh-so-soft, but so far am not loving it quite as much as the Jitterbug.  I'm not sure how hard-wearing these socks will be {I'm kind of hard on my socks}, but I'll be nice to them and we'll see.  I do love the design—subtle waves twisting about—quite fetching.  Two cuffs done already and me counting the days till the next clue...October 8th—The Leg!...Can't wait!

Wanna' play along?...download the first clue {The Cuff} here!

Happy Socktober!!!!

~xoxo~
alison

October?

Hello, October...here so soon?...what happened to my good friend September? Oh dear September, where did you go?....you're one of my very favorite months and you up and left before I even knew you were here, leaving me bereft with a list full of good intentions.  Ah well, lucky for me that I like your neighbor October very well and our visit will last a full 31 days {30 days indeed!}.

Yes, unbelievably, October is on the doorstep {oh wait it's in the door} and instead of fretting about the spilt milk of a month that was September, I am ready to move forward with just the quickest of glances back.  It has been a busy couple of weeks here in our little corner.  September is always a month of transition, but has been even more so this year.  After depositing my girl at college—still adjusting to that one {can anyone tell me when I will stop putting a plate out for her, or telling restaurant hostesses that there are 5 in our party?  I almost bought an extra opera ticket yesterday, just because I'm in the habit of saying 2 adult and 3 student tickets—realized it just in the nick of time—phew!}. In addition to all of that we have returned to homeschooling {I homeschooled our older two when they were younger, but this is a new thing for the lad} .  Needless to say, our days have been full.
Full of long walks, scientific observation and nature journaling  outside...

 and chemistry and physics inside {aka baking}...

{We've been playing with Beth Hensperger's Bread Bible, yum~science never tasted so good!  Did you see the size of those challah loaves?...our first baking of challah~delish and fun to make!...more of that for us!}

There has been lots of this...

some of this {origami crane mobiles~fyi they make great care package fodder}...

and happily there has been lots of this for both the mama and the lad...

And now, here we are, it's official...Fall is upon us!  It's getting crisp out, leaves are turning and we are finally feeling the first nip of autumn.  We are settling in, and routines of a sort are forming.
October promises to be full of all sorts of good things and I am ready to welcome it with open arms.  It is, after all, one of my very favorite months, and to my thinking the official beginning of the knitting and baking year—not that the knitting and baking ever really stop around here, but for some reason it always feels like the beginning—the start of cozy, homey, contented times.  So bring on the sweaters, warm up the teapot and let the nesting commence!...Happy Fall!!!

~xoxo
alison

Birdie...

There and back again!  We are home from our cross country college drop-off...a little bit worse for the wear {sooo tired} but feeling really positive about our daughter's new home away from home...I can see her thriving there. There is so much that I want to share about this experience and this time but I am still very much in the midst of processing it all, and to be honest I can't talk about it quite yet without getting misty {actually I'm moving between mild humidity and monsoon depending on the moment}.  So we'll save that for another day and instead go for a little {drum roll please}...tahdah!...

 This is my latest published design—The Birdie Backpack appearing in the new issue of Petite Purls!...

There are so many cute patterns in the 2010 Fall Issue.  I'm honored to be in such good company.  Last year my Ladybug Coat was a part of their premier fall issue, and I feel so fortunate to have another design included in this terrific online magazine. 
 
All about Birdie...

I had such fun making this backpack.  It was quick, no stress, and just plain fun to knit...one of those whimsical projects that just makes you smile while you're working on it.  I love that!  Plus, it has pockets!...

...secret pockets!  I really, really love that!  There is a pocket on the underside of each wing.  You can omit this detail and just make your birdie without pockets, but why-oh-why would you? 
The details...
The bag is worked from the bottom-up, in the round with Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Skinny Cotton.
Note: If you haven't used this yarn before {I hadn't}, let me tell you, it is fantastic.  I have always used Tahki's Cotton Classic when making cotton knits.  Cotton Classic a lovely yarn and will forever be one of my faves {so many great colors to choose from}, but I am so happy to have another great go-to cotton yarn.  The Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton has a little less sheen than the Cotton Classic and it washes to a soft, oh so yummy texture...ideal for making that favorite weekend sweater—you know the one—it's more old friend than sweater.  This yarn is strong and durable enough for a backpack and soft enough to be right next to the skin—pretty great, right?

The backpack opens and closes with a zipper along the back of the bag.  I-cord feet, a knitted beak, layered button eyes, and knitted top-feather tufts finish off the bag design.  I lined my bag to give it a little more structure and make it a bit more rugged {we are hard on our knits}, but you could make yours without the lining if you wanted.

It's perfect for short outings, just the right size for a sketch book, a pencil box, a snack and some light reading.  Our Birdie will be busy keeping us company on outings to the local nature park this fall...can't wait!

~xox~
alison

ps~Thanks so much for the love this week.  I can't tell you how much your wishes and thoughtfulness meant to me...knowing you were out there really helped prop me up...you'll never know how much.  You guys are the best!

My girl...

Here she is, my girl, wearing her first ever I-made-it-myself sweater...

She did a great job and I think it looks great on her.  It is a slightly adapted version of Emma Fassio's design and is a really wearable and flattering little garment...

...love that hemline...so cute!  You may remember this version from earlier in the summer—it {like most clothes these days} is cuter on her but I don't mind a bit.  She made her version with a double strand of Berroco NaturLin {love this yarn!}.  The night that she finished this sweet tunic, she immediately swatched and cast on for her second ever sweater—Liesl, a Coco Knits pattern.  She's knitting it in Lang's Tosca Light {another great yarn}.  It's going to be gorgeous and is progressing nicely—I'll keep you posted.

I don't have to tell you how happy all of this knitting this makes her mama.  After a couple of early false starts with knitting {consisting mainly of last minute scarves for gifting and one ill-fated and unfinished sweater—due to an unfortunate combo of a poorly written pattern and icky yarn—no fun}, I feel confident that she is now a true knitting convert, and I am over the moon about it.  It is so gratifying to sit and knit with her, to see her reach for her knitting needles, to enjoy a Saturday stitching, talking and laughing at the knitting shop with her.  Knitting is such a huge part of my life, such a great source of joy and comfort to me, and it brings me no end of happiness to see my girl get it and share it...and how timely that it should come right now, right before she leaves the nest.

Which brings me to another little item...I will be absent here for a few days as we are taking my sweetie off to her first year of college.  I'm not going to delve too deeply into all of that right now...the feelings, the excitement that I have for her, the pride that I feel, the anxiousness, the knowledge that I will miss her more than words can say, and that I am so very happy for her all at the same time.  No, I am not going to go into all of that...there will be time enough and I just can't right now...no time to open that up right now {not that I haven't already had my moments~pass the tissues please}, but for now there is still so much to do and it's time to put one foot in front of another...one...foot...in front...of...the other...

I'll be back next week with a little show and tell {I'm really excited about this one}.  Until then...happy knitting!

~xox~
alison

LYS love...

The LYS {Local Yarn Store for any non-knitting types out there}, aka home-away-from home to most knitters—the place where so much more than knitting and yarn acquisition occurs {although, happily there is plenty of that too}.  It's where we gather and share our lives, where friendships are made and grow.
I live in a rural midwestern town {read—the middle of nowhere} and there are no knitting stores in our area, but shortly after our move here I was invited to teach and work part-time at a shop an hour down the road.  Needless to say, I jumped at the offer and through the intervening years it has been a godsend for me.  Yarns Unlimited has been a Bloomington institution for over 30 years.  It is known for its beautiful yarns and positive energy, and I feel so fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful shop.  When I think of Yarns, the words empowering and supportive come to mind.  Whether it's a tricky lace pattern or sending a child off to college, "you can do it—it's going to be okay" and "we'll be here to help you along the way"  are the words of encouragement that I, and so many others hear at Yarns.  That's really what a good LYS offers.

Now, I'll be honest, I do sometimes buy yarn online, and there are some wonderful indie yarn producers and online yarn providers that I truly love and happily support, but I have to say that no amount of online offerings will ever replace a good brick and mortar yarn store—you just can't get that touchy feely {and here I'm talking both about the burying your hand deep into a hank of lovely wool part of knit shopping as well as the "we're here for you" part}. 

So before we get too far away from our New England vacation, I want to take a moment to sing the praises of my Vermont LYS—

The Knitting Studio in Montpelier, Vermont.  You know that feeling you get when you walk into a yarn store and it just feels right~in a this could be my knitting home if I lived here kind of way?...Well that's how this shop feels to me.  It is my favorite kind of yarn store—colorful and cozy, stuffed to bursting with beautiful yarns from near and far {I especially love that they have lots of locally produced yarn}, gorgeous knitting accessory and notion offerings,  a great pattern/book selection, and with a staff that just oozes a good knitting~happy to be here~glad your here vibe.
Let's take a quick tour...  

That's my sweet girl admiring the buttons.  As you can see by her shopping bags, we did some serious damage at The Knitting Studio.  Over the summer my daughter made the transformation from being a casual~I need a scarf for gifting kind of knitter to a real~I love to knit~finisher of projects knitter {you know how happy this makes me!}, and in one of those bags is a sweater's worth of yarn—she began and completed her first sweater ever this summer—huzzah! {Ahem...the other bag?...we'll discuss that another time}.

And here you see the lovely Lee {on the left, in the rosy sweater and gorgeous lace skirt—all handknit of course}, along with some of the shop's very nice patrons.  Every time I stopped by this gem of a shop {more times than I care to admit}, I returned home feeling the kind of happiness that comes from a spell of admiring beautiful yarns among really nice, knowledgeable and positive people.  You can just tell that this is a place where good knitting and good friendships grow...LYS bliss for sure! 
Do you have a LYS love of your own?...I'd love to hear what shop makes your heart sing and gives you that happy knitting, perfectly at home feeling?

Wishing you much bliss...knitting and otherwise...

~alison

Hanging on to summer...

Okay, so posting by phone from the mountains...not so much.  It seems that my posts didn't make it all the way through and ended up abbreviated and a bit choppy.  So sorry to those of you who received my mixed-up missives.  It was worth a try though, and who knows maybe I'll figure it out before my next get-away.  I love the idea of the quick pic and three sentence away-from-home post, but then again, I guess that's what Twitter is for, right?

Anyway, we are indeed back home.  Our visit to the mountains was idyllic in every way and was exactly what we all needed.  Here's a peek at the face of our summer vacation... 

...big smiles and floaty relaxation all around...love.

Now that we're home, we are back at it {and how!}...one of our bunch is already in school {so not right} and the rest of us are getting ready for the start of a new semester.  It promises to be a big one around these parts, full of change and lots of firsts—more about that another day.  Anyway, suffice it to say that we've hit the ground running.  It's amazing how many directions five people can fly in at one time.   All the hubbub makes our little break feel even more precious and I am trying to hang on to every bit of it that I can, in every way that I can.  I've been living on a steady diet of tomatoes, basil and olive oil...YuM...

{really, is there anything better than toasted crusty bread, rubbed with a clove of garlic, and then buried under ripe tomatoes and basil with a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper?...no, I don't think there is}. 

I've been knitting and crocheting every possible moment...

Okay, the knitting isn't so different, but me crocheting and not griping that crochet isn't knitting is definitely a new thing.  I think that all of that yummy color must be doing it for me.  I'll post more about this little {actually not-so little} project very soon.

And lately I've become quite adept at ignoring the piles of laundry and stacks of books and yarn covering every available surface of our house—I figure the mess will still be there when things slow down a bit, and if I don't steal the remaining bits of summer that I can amidst all of the running around, it will be gone before I know it {but then there will be fall...lovely, knitterly, crispy fall...so no tears here!}.

Hope you are managing to steal a little summer for yourself...

xoxo~
alison

And the living is easy...

Hi from the Brookfield floating bridge.  Yes, this bridge actually floats—one of only a handful of floating bridges in the world.
I've been spending a lot of time drifting in this pond.  We make our way to the pond on every warm sunny day we get up here in the mountains (and even on some not-so warm days—brrrr!).  After all of the schedules and hubbub of our day to day it feels really good to drift aimlessly, letting all the cares of the world drain away and working on nothing more pressing than contemplating the clouds.  I usually have a hard time being still for this kind of thing, but this pond seems to do the trick for me and before I know it, I'm rocked into relax mode every time.

Sending you summer wishes for blue skies and aimless sunny afternoons.

 xoxo~alison