I have so much to be excited about in my little knitting world!

Plimoth Plantation Kit and the Search for Historically Authentic Knitting Needles

Yesterday I received the knitting kit from Plimoth Plantation!  It came with a large skein of brown wool, a pattern for a flat cap, a flyer about the knitting club at Plimoth Plantation, and a note from Denise Lebica (manager of clothing and textiles at Plimoth).

I am so looking forward to knitting this up!  Historical clothing and textiles is my passion!  The only problem is that the pattern calls for #3 double point knitting needles, which I do not have yet.  (I usually knit a little loosely, so I probably need #2's.)  I would really like to get historically accurate knitting needles for this, for both the fun of it, and also because I would like the option of knitting on-site at the local museums while in period costume.

I have been doing research online regarding the types of knitting needles that people used throughout the last few centuries.  I have also been reading "A History of Hand Knitting" and asking questions on Ravelry about this.  What I have found out so far is that during the 17th and 18th centuries, people were using knitting needles, called knitting "pins," that were very thin, steel double pointed needles.  (When I say thin, I mean really thin.)  They knitted mostly in the round.  They didn't start using wooden knitting needles with balls on the end (used to keep the knitted items from falling off) until around the middle of the 19th century when they started knitting flat pieces.  So now I am looking for some thin, steel, double pointed needles in size 2, as historically accurate as possible.  This is a project all unto itself!

The hat is knitted in the round, which means that it is now time for me to learn how to knit in the round.  I have seen this done when my Mom was knitting socks, and I watched parts of a video on how to knit socks.  However, I have never attempted it myself.  I think I will just try to go by the pattern and see if I can do it.  If I have problems I can call up my Mom or go to the local yarn store.

My Pink Needles!
Something really great happened to me the other day!  I have been purging,  sorting, organizing and cleaning a lot lately.  Sunday I worked on organizing my craft supply cart and shelves.  (I converted Cosette's diaper changing table into a craft cart.  I love it!)  While going through everything I found the pink, plastic knitting needles on which my Mom taught me how to knit as a child!!!!  So exciting and cool!  I had no idea that I still had them!  I showed them to Cosette and she, of course, loved them!  Now when she is old enough, I can teach her on the same needles that my Mom taught me on!  How cool!

Pic of Winter Mouse on Ravelry
Another neat thing happened to me the other day!  A volunteer editor on Ravelry asked me to give them permission to use the picture of my Winter Mouse as the featured picture on the Jean Greenhowe pattern page (on Ravelry).  I couldn't hit the "yes" button fast enough!  How flattering and exciting!  (Of course, I think mine is one of two of those mouses on Ravelry, but hey! it is still so neat!)


Neat Patterns
Okay,  maybe this is stretching it, but I am so excited about some neat patterns that I got in the mail today.  I have been scoping out Jean Greenhowe's Little Dumpling Dolls 2 on Ebay (I am using part 1 for the Vanna White contest).  Well, while I was looking for that book, I saw a lot of others that I liked.  We are on a budget, so I have to be pretty choosy.

Today two came in the mail.   I got Alan Dart's Gnomes at Home pattern book.  It is for a little Gingerbread house and two little knomes that you knit.  SO cute!  I also got Jean Greenhowe's MacScarecrow Clan (A Scottish Scarecrow Family).  SO neat!

There is also a story book that Jean's daughter wrote, and that both she and Jean signed, that is all about the MacScarecrow family.  I really want to get it some point in the future (oh, that budget!).  Anyway, the MacScarecrow Clan is very cute, though I wasn't that interested until I found out about the storybook.  I thought it was such a neat idea to be able to read Cosette stories and also knit her the characters.  The pattern book also has a story in the back, so that should hold us until we can get the storybook someday.  :D

Read more about the MacScarecrow Clan here.

Vanna Contest
Well, I am almost done with the main doll that I will be admitting into the Vanna's Choice Contest.  I still have a lot to do,  though, so I must go so that I can knit away.  I hope you will all be knitting away too!

Have fun on your knitting clouds!
Faith

Vanna White, Pilgrims, and Babies...My Life is Complete

New addition to my yarn stash.

A Knitting Contest

I have yet another new project to tell you about.  I am entering a knitting contest!  :D  The other day I found out about a contest called the Vanna's Choice Contest.   To enter the contest you have to make a project using Vanna's Choice, Vanna's Choice Baby, or Vanna's Glamour Yarn.  It does not have to be your original design/pattern, but you can't violate copyright law (which basically means you have to have the designer's permission).  There are 4 categories: Afghans and Throws, Baby and Kids, Hats and Scarves, and Gifts and Crafts.  The deadline for the contest is February 1, 2010 (you have to apply to the contest with your photo by then).  So...I have exactly 18 days to finish a project and get it in on time.  :)

Here is a link to the website with more detailed information:  http://www.vannaschoice.com/. 

My Project

After looking at the winners from last year, and thinking about something that I could knit in about 3 weeks, I decided that a Jean Greenhowe design would be great for this.  While the designs I have made so far are pretty simple, some of them are very elaborate. Just the kind of thing to enter into a contest like this.Sunday night I emailed Jean Greenhowe for permission to use one of her designs in the contest.  Well, I got the reply Monday and they gave me permission!  :D  Yay!

So, last night I called my Mom and we brainstormed about what I could make to enter the contest.  I know one of her Red Nosed Gange clowns would be the best, but I wasn't really feeling it, plus, as a new knitter I wasn't sure if I could get it done in time. 

Check out a picture of the Jean Greenhowe clown, Sidney Slapstick, that my Mom made me when I was little.  Hers is the avatar for the pattern on Ravelry.  Can you tell I am a proud daughter?  :D

Well, after much discussion, we decided that the best one for me to knit was Winifred and her Wool Shop.  I will be personalizing this to Vanna's Choice Yarn.  I am so excited about this!  If I have time, I will also make one or more of the other Little Dumpling Dolls, like Lady Letitia.  You can see all of them here on Jean Greenhowe's website.  I am planning on making a little "set" to photograph the dolls in, too, since you have to send in a photo of the dolls.  This may or may not be as elaborate as Jean Greenhowe's set.  I guess that will all depend on time limits, as well.

A Trip to Michael's

Today I went to Michael's to get all the yarn.  There were so many great colors, and I decided to go with my own color scheme for the dolls, so it took me a while to pick out the colors.  I got a LOT of yarn. :) I vowed to take back whatever I didn't use, though, and that made me feel better. :)  Also, Vanna's Choice is on sale for 2 for $5.  After having visited yarn shops, learning about luxury yarn from my Mom, and receiving such luxury yarn from my Mom, this price seemed unbelievable.  Still, on my budget it is a lot.  Once again...I will take back whatever I don't use.  :D  I sure do hope I win the $1,000 first prize!!!!  :D 

The yarn in the right column was yarn that I already owned.  It makes me feel a little better to say that.  ;)

Yet another project...Plimouth Style

I also confirmed with Plimouth Plantation that I will be a volunteer knitter for them!  :D  Yay!  They will be sending me yarn and an historically accurate pattern in order to knit a hat for one of their historical interpreters.  I am so excited about this, as I have been wanting to learn more about the history of knitting.  One of my most passionate interests is historical clothing and textiles.  I am so intrigued, and very excited and humbled to get to be a part of this.  I can hardly wait to get my kit in the mail!  :D  I only wish that I lived closer to them so that I could be a part of the Knitter's Club.  Check it out:  Plimouth Plantation Knitter's Club.

Well, between our normal hectic life, knitting for a contest, knitting for Plimouth Plantation, and knitting for the pro-life ministry...do you think I will be getting much sleep?  Maybe this wasn't the best week to train myself to get into bed by 10:00 pm....

Your Yawning Yarnie,
Faith

New Look, New Project, New Knitting Resolution

Hello!  I hope everyone's New Year has been great!  I have been feeling a lot better lately, and thought I would say hello.  :)  I have spent the week doing normal chores like laundry and dishes, but trying not to over do it too much.  I have been knitting as much as I can on my projects, which has been fun (of course!).  I have also been spending time with Nathan's Mom who was off for the holidays, which was great! It was fun to do some fun things with her and Cosette, to relax, to juice some vegetables and fruit, and to spend a little extra time with my hubby. Tonight we went to the Olive Garden, (which was wonderful!), and we just talked and talked and talked. Nathan will start classes tomorrow, so my little reverie will be at and end. It sure has been nice to relax and spend time together. :) sigh!


A New Look

Well, as you can see, my blog looks a little different. I was reading a blog that I follow, (http://studentknitter.blogspot.com/), and saw a link to a free blog background page. They have beautiful graphics, so I decided to try it out. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. I would love to know if you like it, or if you think it is too busy. I may try different ones out in the next few weeks, so feel free to let me know which ones you like. :)


A New Project

Right before coming back home I started a Debbie Bliss baby sweater (embroidered baby sweater) in a size 3T for Cosette.  I am using some kettle dyed, orange wool that is gorgeous!  (Thanks Mom!)  The sweater has a moss stitch pattern, which is fun to knit, and shows off the colors of the yarn beautifully.  I am using size 4 and 6 knitting needles.  I am working on the back portion of the sweater right now. 

Here is my progress so far (please excuse my photography.  I am still learning how to best photograph my knitting):

A Knitting Resolution

I am also developing an idea.  I have been wanting to get involved in the Pro-Life ministry for a while, as I am very passionate about the Right to Life, and have my own pro-life story (perhaps I will share more about that in the future).  Well, with this crazy schedule, there is not much time to volunteer.  However, I read that the crisis pregnancy center here in Huntsville gives baby showers for the women that they help; and I thought that it would be neat if I could knit baby clothes for the baby showers.  Maybe other people will want to get involved as well.  What do you think?

I posted something asking for advice on a group forum on Ravelry, and someone responded wanting to give me some baby yarn that they didn't want anymore. I thought that was so sweet! It was also very encouraging to me, as I can see that others may also be interested in helping. Thanks so much Sharon!!!


I would love any ideas that you have.  Maybe the people at my church would be interested in helping?  I have been looking at baby patterns over the last couple of days, and am considering the different variations of the 5 hour baby sweater.  It seems quick, and I tried a swatch with an acrylic yarn, but it didn't turn out too well.  It did knit quickly on size 10 needles, but it was kind of thin looking.  Do you have any advice, ideas, quick baby patterns, or yarn recommendations?  I would appreciate any help you could give me!

I will let you know how this goes...

Faith

The Winter Mouse is Finished!

The Winter Mouse is Finished!

Yesterday Nathan picked up some stuffing for me, so I was able to stuff and sew together the Jean Greenhowe Winter Mouse that I have been knitting.  I am so pleased with the results!  Cosette absolutely loves it, which of course makes me even more  happy! 

Things I learned

This doll was just as easy to make as the little bunny that I recently made (also a Jean Greenhowe design).  It uses the same techniques of increasing:  knitting in the front and back of one stitch.  I learned a little more about knitting flat pieces that fold into little objects, opening my eyes to how creative you can get with knitting, and making sculptural type pieces.  For instance, the hat is a strip of knitted fabric, rolled up and sewn together.  It was so fun to see this little mouse come to life!

Modifications

The only thing that I did different from what the pattern calls for, is to leave off the hand warmer muff and the little gift that the mouse is supposed to carry in her hand.  I thought that my two year old would enjoy it a little more if the mouse's hands are free because she can make the mouse do more things with her hands. 

I cut out the little cardboard circles to go in the bottom, but they seem to fall out pretty easily (and they are the right size, too).  When the circles come out, then all the stuffing in the large skirt portion is exposed, and with a toddler, this could just be asking for trouble.  So, I think I may knit some fabric to sew into it, or maybe just use some felt.

Great Project!

Just like the bunny, knitting this little mouse boosted my self confidence with knitting.  It really gave me a sense of accomplishment, and helped me to be encouraged to do more.  It was a fun little doll to knit, and I must recommend it to anyone who wants to knit something a little different, something for a child, or something that does not take much time to knit.  With or without the gift and hand warmer added on, this little doll makes a very attractive Christmas decoration as well.

May you all have a Happy New Years!
Faith

A Great Christmas, despite walking pneumonia

Diagnosis:  Walking Pneumonia

Hello!  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  Ours was great, despite the fact that I am sick.  I found out the day after Christmas that I have walking pneumonia.  This could be a real downer, but instead, my spirits are up.  I have had a great time spending Christmas with my family, and all-in-all don't feel too horrible.  I have felt a lot worse with other illnesses, and it sounds like the medicine that I am taking should knock this out relatively quickly.  However, I am not taking this lightly, and am just laying around visiting with my family, knitting, and watching movies.  That part has been fun!  :) 

I will only be contagious for another couple of days, though it could take a month for all the symptoms to go away.  We are now in Birmingham visiting my Mom for Christmas, and since my Mom, husband, and daughter are already exposed, we decided to stay put until I am no longer contagious, and also so that I can get some rest.  (The doctor said that I am "very" contagious.)  Hopefully no one else will get this.

A Great Christmas!

On the bright side of things...We had a wonderful Christmas!  It was so fun watching Cosette open her presents this year!  She was able to open all her presents herself and to really get into it.  She seemed to enjoy it a lot, as well as decorating the Christmas tree.  It has been so neat watching her enjoy the Christmas lights and have so much fun this year!  She is a true blessing to my heart!

My husband and I decided to spend only $10 on one another for Christmas, focusing on stocking stuffers.  This turned out to be so much fun!  I was able to get him a neat magazine about the upcoming National Championship (Roll Tide Roll!), his favorite Giordelli chocolates, and a small bottle of Chardonay from the World Market.  He loved them! 

He got me one of my favorite movies:  Far and Away, some white chocolate truffles, and the winter Interweave knitting magazine, which he knows I love!  They were perfect!  I think I enjoyed this more than when we got bigger gifts for one another!  It was great!

It was also fun watching my Mom open her gifts, too!  This year, I was able to give her homemade knitted gifts:  My very first finished knitted project:  the dishcloth that she helped me start that really got me into knitting.  I especially wanted her to have it.  She said she is going to save it and not use it since it is so sentimental.  I also knitted a dishcloth in "gumdrop" for her, which was pretty.

I also made my Mom a little knitting-related gift.  She is always kidding around with me that her yarn stash is my inheritance...So, I made her this little gift, which was so fun to make for her.  She loved it!  :)  I also included a $10 gift certificate to Knitpicks.com, a wonderful website that she introduced me to.  It has been so neat sharing with her the joy of knitting!

Another one of the bright points of this week has been the sheer joy of getting to knit...a lot!  I have also really enjoyed getting to knit with my Mom, which I don't get to do nearly as much as I would like.

I have been knitting a little winter mouse for Cosette since Thanksgiving break.  I started and finished the skirt in one night, but got sick right after Thanksgiving (I guess with walking pneumonia, though I didn't know what it was at the time).  Anyway, I wasn't able to work on it anymore until now.  On Christmas Day, Nathan took Cosette to a family party for a little while, so Mom and I sat here knitting.  :)  I also worked on the mouse while waiting at the doctors office, and yesterday I finished the last two pieces:  the two little ears.  How exciting! 

Now all I have to do is get some stuffing.  I have no stuffing with me, and haven't been able to go get any since I am sick, so I am hoping to convince my husband to go to Michael's for me.  ;)  He seems pretty willing, so I am hoping to stuff the little mouse by tonight or tomorrow.

Here are the pictures of the unstuffed mouse:

These are the mouse's ears. 

I also finished another dishcloth for my Mom while waiting at the doctors office, and yesterday I made a dishcloth for our Aunt Lue; and I made Cosette a little mini-dishcloth to use on her play dishes.  She said, "for me?  for me?"  : D  This gave me the best feeling in the world!

Doctor's waiting room dishcloth for my Mom (some of her favorite colors).

Aunt Lue's dishcloth (this is called "chocolate umbre").

Cosette's Mini-dishcloth.

Well, even though I am pretty sick, I am enjoying time with my family, time knitting, and time really contemplating what is important in life:  God and my family.

May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas season, and a Happy New Year! 

Thanks for reading!   
Faith

Christmastime, My Finished Bunny, and A New Business

It's Christmastime!!!

A picture I took of a bird near Constitution Village last Christmas season.

Long time, no see!  It has been a while, but I just have to write something before Christmas arrives.  I could go into all the ups and downs over the last month or so since I have written, but I don't even know if I could remember all the details to share with you.  Needless to say, it has been a blur. 

What I will tell you, is that I have had back trouble that is better now, and my husband is finished with his fall semester, thank goodness!  His next semester will be his last for his degree, and he will graduate in May.  Yay!  I am so excited that we have almost completed our goal!  It has been challenging for us, but I know it will be worth it.

Now we can enjoy Christmastime, and all the wonderful things that it brings.  I just love walking down a sidewalk on a cool, brisk winter day, enjoying the outdoors.  (That is what we were doing when I captured the picture above, last year.)  I love Christmas trees, Christmas lights, and watching children's faces when they see such things.  I love going to church events, singing Christmas songs, and remembering the true reason for the season:  Christ's humble birth, and the greatest Christmas gift of all--new life.  I hope you all enjoy the season as much as I do! 

As for knitting...
I don't think I have yet gotten to share with you my knitted bunny.  I finished it in time for Cosette's birthday and she loved it!  I gained a lot of confidence by knitting this bunny.  It was a lot of fun too!!! 

Here are some pictures of the various stages of knitting and sewing the bunny:

My Favorite Picture: 

The one of my daughter, Cosette, opening her bunny birthday present.

Some things I learned by knitting this bunny...

I learned how to increase by working in both the front and back of a stitch. This seemed difficult to understand until I looked at an online recording of it. It is really simple once you see it done by someone. I am glad to have learned how to do it.


It is also my first time to sew a knitted object together, so I learned the difference between backstitching and oversewing.  I had to redo the seams at one point because of this. (The first time I wasn’t backstitching, and I didn’t sew far enough down on the knitted fabric, so it stretched out and didn’t look very good.)

I followed the directions for the eyes and nose, though I used different colors (blue for the eyes and pink for the nose and mouth. Black seemed too harsh for this bunny.) I came up with my own mouth. I liked the way it looked rouned instead of in v’s. I have a little stitch holding it down at the bottom of each curve.

I didn’t follow the pattern for the twisted yarn bow. Instead, I improvised an I-cord scarf. I remembered how to do it from memory, as I had read about it in one of my Mom’s book, or somewhere, I can’t really remember. (It was really late when I was finishing this up, and the internet was down, so I just decided to try it out.)

The only problem I have noticed since I gave it to Cosette, is with the eyes.  She pulls on them sometimes, and I have to repair them with a crochet hook.  Otherwise, the little bunny is doing well! 

New Projects

I have been working on dishcloths (of course) and I started on a Jean Greenhowe Winter Mouse.  You can see which one I am talking about here:  http://www.jeangreenhowe.com/animals.html  I started and finished the skirt over the Thanksgiving holiday, and haven't been able to do more since.  My goal is to finish it by Christmas, which shouldn't be hard given how quickly I knitted up the skirt portion.

Today I finally got to work on Nathan's scarf again.  I sure hope I can finish it by Christmas!  I will be on a knitting marathon from now until then.  Hopefully I will have it ready to go under the tree by Christmas Eve. 

I would love to hear from you all about the Christmas gifts you are knitting, and about your status on finishing them!  Please write me and tell me about them! 

My New Iron in the Fire

While this has nothing to do with knitting, I really want to share it with you before I go.  I started my own Discovery Toys business!  :) 

In case you have never came across them, Discovery Toys makes high quality, safe, educational toys.  I was really impressed with Discovery toys a few years ago, when I came across them at a Christmas market.  I am picky when it comes to my child's toys, regarding their educational qualities and their safety standards.  Discovery Toys met and exceeded all my expections. 

Recently I was trying to figure out how to make some extra income with my crazy schedule, I thought of Discovery Toys.  It is a great fit for me! 

You can visit my website at http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/faithbruner. 

Well, I hope you all have a great Christmas!
Faith

Memories, Beautiful Clothes, and Knitting at my friend Deborah's Wedding

Well, life has been as hectic as ever.  It seems we are out of town more often than in town sometimes.  The weekend before last we went out of town to see our close friend, Deborah, get married in Auburn, Alabama.  (The photo above is at the Moore's Mill Golf Club.)  It was so wonderful!  We had so much fun seeing Deborah, and also seeing several of our other friends from college.  It was perfect weather, which was great.  It was so wonderful to see that my friend had met a strong Christian man, and both sides of the family have a deep faith in God.  It was wonderful to see her get married, and to such a great guy!

Both Deborah's parents and her husband are Nigerian, so the majority of people there were Nigerian.  They wore beautiful outfits in gorgeous colors, with headdresses that sometimes matched, sometimes contrasted.  Deborah, her husband Abiola, and the wedding party wore traditional American wedding clothes, while their parents wore traditional Nigerian clothes.  All the parents' outfits were made from the same turquois fabric, and they wore orangy-red, large beaded jewelry which went perfectly.  Gorgeous!

Deborah and her Dad while taking a picture at the reception

Deborah and Abiola's family at the reception

A Suprise Knitting Connection

At the reception, one of our friends brought a gift that had a knitted ribbon. A third friend asked about it, and in the process we learned that all three of us knit! What a suprise! I think I have already gotten used to feeling like I am the only one around that knits, and I was so pleasantly suprised that my two friends had started knitting too! My friend had knitted the ivory colored ribbon on the way to the wedding. Of course, I had to bring out the dishcloth I was working on for Deborah. It was so neat to talk to them and learn what they were knitting. I also told them about Ravelry, and one of them has already joined!

Before leaving the reception, I told Deborah about all three of us becoming knitters.  She said that she used to knit, but had put it down.  I am going to have to encourage her to pick it up again.  Maybe after her knitted gifts from us she will be inspired!  Wouldn't it be wonderful if all four of us could visit and knit together?!  What a dream!  :D

Knitted Wedding Gifts

This is one of the dischloths that I knitted for Deborah and Abiola.  I knitted half of this on their wedding day.

I am knitting more of these for them.  I couldn't get them finished in time for the wedding, but they are in Puerto Rico, so I doubt they are missing them!

Congratulations Deborah and Abiola!!!

Talk to you all soon!  I have TONS more to share, just not enough time to write!

Faith