Wool {in large quantities}

Have you ever wondered what ten pounds of wool yarn looks like?  It's A LOT.  And it came delivered to my doorstep in a giant box!  Forty skeins {10, 390 yards} is the most yarn I have ever purchased at one time, so this is a very exciting moment for me!  {I won't even tell you that I've been obsessively tracking this package's journey from KP headquarters}

Contents:  

*10 skeins of  Superwash Merino/Nylon Sock Yarn

*20 skeins of 100% Wool in worsted weight

*10 skeins of 100% Wool in bulky weight

I have plans for a few of the worsted's and I'm going to attempt several skeins of self~striping sock yarn {per custom request}, but the rest is yet to be determined!  What are your favorite colors?  Solids, variegated, kettle dyeds?  I can't wait to see what comes of this...

{Yarn Along}

Joining in with Ginny today for her weekly Yarn Along {where reading and yarn are at one with the universe.  As it should be!}  

Really it's about all I've been doing for the last few days, since these pesky germs have decided to invade my body with a vengeance. 

It probably wouldn't have gotten this bad had I listened to my body last week when it was telling me to slow down.  I was in denial.  There were meals to cook, laundry to wash, rocks to be identified, woods to be hiked through, orders to be sent.  You know normal life stuff with a family and small business. 

It really isn't all that bad though, slowing down a bit; knitting and reading.  Knitting always makes everything better, especially with hand dyed merino.  I took it out of the shop and decided to use it myself!  I'm working on a bib design that I'm going to give to our favorite coffee shop waitress.  She's the most adorable looking pregnant woman I've ever met and is about to give birth at any moment!! 

As for the reading, the boys and I have been reading from my mom's childhood book, Let's Read A Story.  It's an anthology of children's stories, including a short story, "Willie's Pockets" by Margaret Wise Brown.

What are you knitting and reading this week?

A French Connection: Good Karma Blanket Update

As promised, I have some updated pictures of the baby blanket to share with you all!  

Mom says, "This blanket has great karma! Really, how could it not, with this much LOVE ??"  

We're just thrilled both mama and baby are so happy with the results~

Heat Wave

Dear Midwesterners,
I know it's been a long hard week of subtropical heat with no end in sight. Your hair is sticking to the back of your neck, the windows have clouded over from the humidity, the dog won't even think of stepping outside of the air conditioned house, and you're just a wee bit snippy because it's even too hot to go swimming.  Heck, the mosquitoes have almost given up, but really you have to quit with all the complaining and wishing cold weather upon us again.   Need I remind you frozen tundra residents that it's less than 90 days until the first average snowfall, so go eat a popsicle or something and try to remember how much fun it is to scrape the ice off your windshield when it's 20 below!

Wishing you a cool and joyful weekend~

Hand Dyed Yarn

How do we spend 110 degree days in Wisconsin?  Why creating hand dyed yarn, of course!  {Clearly, the heat has effected my sensibilities}

~An array of colors inspired by Mother Nature's summer creations~

A nice soft lime for a doll I have in the works.

Call it peacock or teal, but I say it reminds me of a perfect afternoon next to the river with a couple of my favorite people.

Doesn't this one remind you of sea glass?  I can't wait until we can get back up to Lake Superior and walk the rocky beaches collecting some of the little treasures.

The orange is all mine! {I suppose I'll keep the boy, too}

The most divine shade of brown;  Chestnut.  A warm, rich brown is such a hard color to dye and this one came out beyond words.

I'm so glad at least one of my children still loves being photographed.  This scarlet is as bright as his smile!

And finally, a creamy yellow inspired by a patch of Hoary Puccoon growing along the edge of our favorite trail.  Hoary Puccoon was used widely by Native Americans as a source of reddish brown dye for their baskets and pottery.  {hmm, think I may have to try this one!}

If I had to choose, my favorite would be the sea glass.  Which one do you like best?

I'll be listing them all tomorrow on Etsy, so come take a peek~

p.s. Go join Ginny over at SmallThings for her Yarn Along and all kinds of fantastic inspiration.

A Birthday Weekend

Lucas, our youngest, turned six last week.  I told him he wasn't allowed to grow up anymore, but he doesn't seem to be listening.  For his birthday weekend Luke chose to spend some time at the Jackson Street Roundhouse Museum in St. Paul, MN. 

The museum is 100% run by volunteers and a wonderful older man who shared Luke's enthusiasm for trains took him under his wing and gave us all the grand VIP tour.

We were able to ride on one of the only working round house tables in the country!

A group of volunteers work twice a week restoring old trains for the historical Osceola Railway.  Right now they're working to restore a Steam Engine that's over 100 years old.  Cole was fascinated with the size of the wrenches needed to remove bolts from the engine's wheels!

As we left the building, Lucas asked if I would take his picture next to the model train so he would never, ever forget this day.   

Oh, how I love the tradition of birthday weekends.   Happy Birthday, my sweet boy!

What are your favorite birthday traditions?

A French Connection

Remember last summer when some friends and I turned a giant pile of garter stitch squares into a "Countless Woolen Ties of Love" blanket for Rebekah and Patrick's wedding gift?  Well, we've been at it again!  This time for a friend's wee little bébé across the ocean in France.

In true sewing bee style, we infused our love and good wishes into forty eight organic cotton garter stitch squares all knit by friends and family from around the country.

The blanket {and grandma} made it's way safely over the ocean for an extended stay in France.  I can't wait to share some pictures with you all!

On Being Organized

On being organized... some say I'm not.   I say I am.  There's a method to the madness.  I do have a place for everything.... a little bit here and a little bit there.  Like my knitting pattern notes... on a pile of coffee shop napkins.

Weekending

Record braking heat sent us running to the lake, with grandma and grandpa, for the holiday weekend!  We enjoyed a lot of good food, a pre~birthday celebration for Luke {Yep, that's a store bought cake.  No way were we turning on the oven!}, lots of swimming, and an evening of fire works.  

I hope you had a wonderful weekend~

this moment

Inspired by soulemama: {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, savor and remember.

Wishing you a happy weekend~