Loving Antalya

I'm in a bit of a love affair right now.


With my knitting. Yeah. Always try to keep it racy around here, right? But this friend of mine, one that had taken back seat for some time, has now come to the forefront and I am loving it though my wrists and fingertips are not.

It started with this hat designed by MJ.


I rarely peruse Ravelry right now, just not enough time. The lack of exposure to beautiful knits definitely cools the inclination to knit. But Julia linked up to the hat in a group email and I instantly fell in love. Interesting construction, cables, short rows. What is not to love? And then I felt up the test knit at our holiday meet up and I knew I had to commit. And I am so glad I did.

I am not done ... and I know people rarely actually blog about knitting anymore, especially without a FO to show, but man, I am loving this knit.

I am also finding myself highly in love with the recommended yarn, Valley Yarns Amherst. Warm 100% wooliness. The combination is irresistible and is helping my knitting mojo in spades.

The other thing spurring it is the fact that we might actually someday live in a climate that encourages the wearing of 100% wool handknit sweaters (for you non-knitters out there ...when you combine wool and hand knitting they tend to produce a very very warm garment). I have been discouraged in the past by knitting something that I wear only once or twice a year due to the lack of seasons in Southern California. Last weekend up in Northern California in the foothills hovering just below the snow line, all I could think about was thick knitted cabled cardigans, and cowls, and hats and scarves and mittens (oh my!). Highs in the 40s and lows in the teens make for knitted clothing options indeed.

And so in a possibly unwise, but I cannot help myself decision, I have recommitted to knitting this amazing, cable dense, hand wrecking love of a cardigan, the Saddle shoulder Aran cardigan designed by EZ/Meg Swanson and re-intepreted by Jared of Brooklyntweed glory. The ribbon, the horse shoe, the saddle shoulder. All so lovely, and possibly worn by myself in the future quasi farm setting perfectly complemented by my Hunter wellies. Ah the dreams we dream.

But to be honest, I have always wanted to knit that cardi and the hat I am working through is a reminder of the powerful beauty that is produced by the simple act of string on stick, loop and pull through. Those of you who do knit know the joy of watching a piece unfold and twist and turn in a language that is literally dictated by two bits, not 0 and 1, but knit and purl.

Those of you that do not knit, how I wish you could. If only to watch with fascinated eyes as your hands make this out of the hieroglyphs that is a knitting pattern chart.


Oooh, it feels good to have some knitting mojo back. And if I do work my way through the saddle shoulder cardigan and find that my mojo holds, how about this for a beauty of a piece. Alice Starmore has re-released her book Aran Knitting with a new pattern combining the joy of cables with the option of shaping to avoid that boxy sweater look that makes curvy girls look like sacks o'potatoes. Is it weird that I am dreaming of the knitting of Eala Bahn already? Probably.

Almost There

I have been trying to take it easy on the Holiday making front but as always, I have gone and bit off more than I can chew. It seems like JoAnns is perennially out of the bamboo stuffing I need to finish this and that toy, that I have misplaced my scissors, bobbins and brain on every occasion possible, and oh yeah, that thing called work? It is being terribly pesky and will not let up and let me be. It seems like people really prefer to wait to get sick just before the holiday. Sorry, that sounds horrible, it is just this can be a really busy time at work, right about that time one would wish it is not.

So, the making? It is going. Little stops and starts, but going. There are some textured knit mitts working their way off the needles. And a slew of hats that need to be packed and shipped North (they are going to end up being New Year gifts instead of for Christmas/Boxing Day ... but I am pretty sure the snow will still be on the ground up there in Canada).


This sweater which I finished some time ago is meant for a new little one that lives in a cold climate. It is a hybrid version of the Placket Neck Sweater from LMKG. I used the raglan shoulder decreases, but changed the neck line to this cute shruggy ribbed collar. I like it.

Though I do tend to knit really looong arms on all my bebe sweaters. As a mama, I should know better and stick with 3/4 sleeves that stay free of all the muck and guck. Note to self :: 3/4 sleeves next time.

Lately my knitting has been all about the simple 'sans pattern' project. It is nice to be able to visualize something I want to make, do some quick math and come out the other side with a pretty piece for someone.

This hat just makes me happy, nice colors and some comfortable earflaps to keep someone warm. This was knit top down which makes it super simple to size; just increase until it feels about right, knit until that feels right, switch to a edge stitch you like and wa-la! A hat.

The machine sewing has stalled lately but I anticipate a few hours this week to power through the planned projects. I was totally sidetracked by the wonderful felt ornaments over at Posie Gets Cozy. I always love her attention to detail and I could not resist downloading the latest ornamanet directions. Then my hands just started cutting felt and stitching bits which quickly became the sweetest little coat.


This ornament is going to one of my favorite friends. She is that friend, the one that makes the most perfect handmade Christmas cards and looks like she walked out of an Anthropologie advert and yet is so sincere and lovely and wonderful. Hard to buy for but this will be just right for her to hang on her tree.


So, the all the plans may or may not come through. I did a lot of prep work this weekend and plan to watch some holiday movies with sewing and knitting needles in hand. There are a few boy dolls that need limbs and eyes, another little inchworm in the making and some Christmas pants. Wish me luck.


And happy holidays, however they are shaping up for you and yours.

Stitch Stitch Stitch

Lately, I feel a bit like the only things I can accomplish are those of the simplest nature. Twisty complicated patterns have not called me for some time and I find myself most comfortable when the making I am making is centered around simple, clean, simple, small .... simple.

There is something about rounds of st-st that soothe the hand and mind without requiring conscious thought, conscious tracking or action. Those seem to be beyond me of late and so I keep turning to the simplest of knit stitches, stockinette in the round. In the last two weeks I have knit no less than three st-st hats for the upcoming cold weather. The first is soft and blue and was meant for a small head but grew and grew. So I then made sure to make the next two smaller and tighter and perfectly simply clean.

And another is almost done, black and (okay, okay, i will stop with the s word) warm.

I think this is when the making of things pulls me through. Things have been rough in a new way; ends not meeting, trying to find time and space to not just survive but thrive and enjoy and worry less and think less and create more and clean ... oh, yes, that is being put on the priority list. The effort it all takes sometimes seems insurmountable. But then I take the time to let the st-st move through my fingers and I take the time to grab the camera for a few shots of recently finished knits worn by very reluctant models and I look at that ... the culmination of the making.





And I feel better. I think I need to listen to the knits though and keep it very simple.

In Like a Lion

I think I am not alone in wishing February a not so fond farewell. We are just into the month of March, but I can feel the shift; the days lengthening, the energy sapped in the darkest month of February is on the return. I am loving the crisp and cool weather, storms blowing in and out almost every other day....sweeping the sky of smog and blanketing our mountains in fresh new snow. The rain never lasts long and the snow is not outside the home so there is nothing to complain about. I know that is not quite the case on the East and you have my deepest sympathies as the winter drags on over there.

Speaking of the East Coast...I finally took a step in that direction. Quite literally, actually. Over the weekend I decided to attend the Blogher 10 Conference. In part because it is in NYC and a great reason to head back in that direction after 10 long years away. In part because some of my favorite women are going to be there and I love thinking of this as an opportunity to meet, listen and speak to some of the people that have been so inspiring in so many ways. So, if you are going or in the area (ahem, Marnie) then I want to know. I kinda' feel the same way I did when I was 17 and moving to NYC to start at NYU...not knowing a soul in the city and not exactly sure where it was all leading to. Excited and a little intimidated.

The decision seemed to spur some fresh energy for clearing and starting so I gathered all the pretty things I could find and decided to take a few photos...inspiration in a minutes time. I love doing this when I am trying to focus my relatively scattered creative energy. All these things have been lying around on my bedside table, in piles and bags.


First up, Easter finery...well, not that we celebrate Easter, let's call it Spring finery. I have had the urge to sew up some more Oliver and S pants, the grey corduroy is light wale and looks quite handsome next to some Heather Ross lining fabric.

Eventually I hope to pair the pants with some (lets hope) quickly knitted vests and we will have the outfits to take them through Spring family celebrations, birthday parties and graduations. The yarn is a closeout cotton with a fairly soft hand...the swatch was the start but I am almost halfway through a vest body in the knitting. Something about all that Olympic knitting has kept my hands itching to knit more.



And then there were all the scraps from the cutting of the pants and I am starting to understand how hard it is to toss scraps (especially OOP Heather Ross stuff) and I ran into a tutorial on string squares over at Film in the Fridge and the scraps quickly became a few of these squares. Fun, right?

I am gleaning so much inspiration from Julie Frick (who was going to blog again, but so far is sticking with Flickr...man, Flickr and Twitter have so killed the blog world) and the latest thought is to pair the strip squares with fresh green tree squares and see what happens...

An then I found this on the bedside table, initially intended for a yoga classmate and her now 8 month old daughter...

Not sure it will fit, but it has to go somewhere, it is too cute to sit on the bedside table any longer. A few buttons and a few ends to weave and I am committing to finding a place for it to go.

March is in like a Lion around here and it feels really quite good. How is it shaping up for you all?

Glancing through the pictures conforms my love of orange and brown and grey...so 70s but in a new way. I love the 70s so that seems to be all good.

Closing Ceremony :: 'Finished' Tomten

And so it is done.


The Olympics have come to their end, capped by a most wonderful hockey game that I watched as I sewed in the zipper on the Tomten. It was a fitting way to finish, watching the team I felt compelled to root for win it in overtime. It is not unAmerican, just right. I mean, this country rarely pays attention to the game and me thinks the Canadians deserved the gold in all ways. Oh, Canada. It seems I really do love you.

And I loved that the whole piece itself was knit to be sent to the Great White North, to a little love with a super sparkle in the eye. Cheeky little girl.


(Reluctantly modeled by my cheeky male monkey as I have no little girl to try it on)

There is nothing bad to be said about the knit. It came from EZ and she has her finger on perfected patterns. It is squishy and stretchy and really really generously sized, sure to fit the little one until her third, maybe fourth year. It is bright and warm and I cannot wait to send it on its way.



I feel as if I earned the gold, but it does have a bit of tarnish as I have one little wee bit to finish....one last sleeve to sew up and then just a few ends to weave in. Don't DQ me now...I have done my best.



It was a hell of a few weeks, with too many late nights watching. I am so glad I did it and I love that I used up every bit of Cascade 220 in the stash...the brown came in with just enough to weave in that last sleeve. If you have been waiting and wanting to knit an EZ, do it! I see myself re-visiting the Tomten well before the next Olympic Games.



For now though...playing with this soft cotton blend...

Easter and Birthdays are just around the corner and the boys need something nice.

And if you cannot tell from the pictures of the modeled Tomten :


The boys do not like wool
The boys do not like sweaters


The boys do not like Mama's knits (unless it is in vest form...the better to not touch their delicate bodies).

Hail to the Olympics

I am such a total sucker for the Olympics. Total. Sucker. I have to admit that I have spent the better part of the last few days watching hours of footage, hours and hours. I have stayed up until 1 a.m. despite the fact that we recorded the coverage on the DVR, stayed up because I literally cannot stop watching.

These people, these Olympians, impress me in so very many ways. They have such focus and determination and desire. I love sitting witness to the fruition of their dream. Some have come back and come back again and tried and hoped and trained, and finally receive redemption and validation. Some do not. But to me, all of them are champions in their own ways, in their own skin.

I remember when the Olympics were hosted by Los Angeles in 1984. My father worked at Cal State Los Angeles where they held some of the events. I remember going to the campus and feeling the magic, the vibration of the festival. I do not even remember if we watched any events, I can just recall walking around the campus and knowing in my heart that something wonderful was happening. I was 10 years old and along with millions of other young girls, found myself riveted to the TV when Mary Lou Retton came on. She meant so many things to my young girl Self, she was all I thought about for weeks after the Games.

That local Olympic festival left me with two very tangible things. The first was a desire to participate in gymnastics. After the Games, I signed up and trained, eventually even competed in lower level divisions. I was much too old when I started, and a part of me knew that. I never dreamed of Olympic gold but thrived on the environment of learning and challenge and discipline. My years of dance made the transition easier, but I never really conquered a fear of the uneven bars and eventually I asked my very supportive parents if I could leave it behind. I returned to dance and have never really regretted the decision. I just wish I was still as strong and flexible as that young girl who used to whip around the floor or perch precariously on the beam.

The other tangible? Well, after the Games, my father collected up three of the metal framed bunk beds used in the Olympic dorms. He brought them home to his growing family and explained where they came from. You would have thought they were Olympic gold. For weeks we would reverently touch the frames, thrilled to know we laid our heads in the very same spot some of the amazing Olympians had. I also may have embellished the story to classmates just a bit and bragged that I had May Lou Retton's actual bed (oh, yes I did). Those beds served our family for many years, withstanding much abuse, and they always meant so very much despite their lack of style or adornment.

Now, during these Games, I am making another tangible. We knitters, looped as we are, tend to jump at the chance to challenge ourselves. So, a few Games ago, a wonderful knitter/blogger/writer The Yarn Harlot started the Knitting Olympics. You pick a project, cast on at the Opening Ceremony and attempt to finish it by the end of the two weeks. I did it during the Summer Games with some success.

This year I chose a lovely and serviceable project designed by the esteemed Elizabeth Zimmerman.


Yards of yards of wool consumed by the simplest of garter stitch, perfect for knitting and watching, perfect because in the end you have the most lovely and elfin of pieces, sure to fit a small child for years and years. In a very appropriate turn, it will go to a Canadian friend (well, her young daughter), to be used in a place that receives blankets of snow and low enough temperatures to need a thick wool sweater.

A few things I am not loving is the NBC coverage with their sensationalism and sappy spots on the serious athletes. And their extremely late night showing times (thank god for the DVR for those mights when I fall asleep drooling in my knitting, like last night). And their horrible announcers that love to point out the supposed 'failure' of an athlete when things do not go well. I like that I can zip past their unneeded commentary and focus on the thing that I do love, the people and their achievements and joyous accomplishment.



And now, back to my own joyous accomplishment. Knit on, fellow Olympic knitter people. We can do it.

Btw :: Like the delicious juicy colors of the garter stitch? I do. Mmmmmm.

Making on Thursday

Today after I dropped the boys off at school, I did something I really needed to do. I turned off the computer and the ringer, turned up some NPR and started sewing.

I spent the last few days clearing the recesses of the house while listening to the Adicts (that is one way to psych yourself up to clean a bathroom used by two semi-potty trained boys), ignoring craft for cleaning, focusing on finding some clarity in a home that was starting to feel overwhelmingly cluttered. Once a semblance of order was restored, I gave myself permission to play and it felt oh so good.

I have always meant to quilt something for our room, our bed, and I decided to just go to my stash, cut 4 inch squares from any fabric in the stash and start chain piecing them without rhyme or reason.


I always hesitate to quilt as it seems too intimidating; color and pattern, theory and tone. So I just said, pa-shaw. It is for my eyes only, it cannot be all bad as I love all the bits and pieces that comprise my fabric stash. So far I have had fun learning (or maybe just making up?) my chain piecing, pressing and leaving the duos aside until I make enough.





The quilt will be based loosely onthis lovely one I found on FLickr. If my math serves me right, I need about 900 squares. Well, at least I am one third there. I intend for it to be a lightly batted summer quilt.

And then, I do not know if you noticed on the side bar, but this month has been declared the month of the BOY. The very first tutorial was a sweet little shirt with fold over shoulders. It is perfect for using up all those t-shirts I cannot convince Tim to donate. Today I sewed my first knit shirt for the boys.




And I can say it was fun. I just finished and they have yet to try it on as they are fast asleep, but it sure looks cute. I love that it is made from a t-shirt Tim bought on our last Canada trip where the boys were (um) made, let's say. (Oh, how I wish we were in Canada for the Olympics). I see many more of these coming off the needle. And I did it all on the regular old sewing machine. I tried a serger, but was immediately confused so I switched to a stretch stitch on my machine and it seems to work just fine.

And last but not least, I finally ditched my terrible knitting mojo and find myself with an almost complete set of hand warmers. I tried and tried last week, and failed and failed. I ripped out whole lace sections of this pattern, not pleased with the look. I neglected swatching and came away with a ridiculous paw of a mitt, not suitable for my friend's delicate hand. But now, ah, I have this.



The softest warm simple design with a motif from this pattern. And I can rest, happy with a day that brought some new skills, a new shirt and a nice knit.

Thanks, Thursday, I really needed that.

Make A Blanket, Win a Bag

Last year, about this time, Ravelry held their first SoCal event at Unwind. It was fun and my little group of knitting women gathered. I met and became a good friend of Jillian. Mary Heather came into town and I met the rock stars of Ravelry, Jess and Casey.

This year it came around again, our little group considerably smaller. MH was back, Julia knit this amazing piece to wear,


Shan slipped out for the night...Jillian got sick and we missed celebrating our first anniversary of friendship, Lori went to Canada and MJ is gallivanting through France, finding the latest class 5.3 to climb and designing some gorgeous and intriguing patterns, Kat was on the road with family. It was a fun time...though the absent were missed.

This year I was delighted to see the women from Namaste again.

(Kelly last year)
Kelly and Dawn are so funny and wonderful and their banter makes my sides hurt. Kelly insisted she had started a blog, but I was a little hazy from the sparkly pinot and could not find it. I told her she did not know what she was talking about (I think). But the next day, I did find the blog. Apparently I did not know what I was talking about. I am so happy that I did finally find it.

If you are not familar with the Namaste line of bags and accessories, you can see them here. These are local girls with a huge commitment to their business, but they are also caring and lovely individuals. Their latest blog post is a call to arms, well, knitting needles and sewing machines. They are holding a donation event, requesting hand made lap blankets to be given to children at CHLA. They did an awesome event for the Humane Society previously and I love how they just keep going. They are giving away prizes via raffle and I know there some readers here who are talented in creating.


I would love it if you clicked through and read for yourself. The deadline is January 31, which gives one a few weeks to work on a piece. I am working on a flannel blanket with some handwork, another fuzzy and soft fleece and another simple quilted cotton blanket. The request is for the pieces to be at least 24' by 24' which makes for a do-able and quick project. It is not much time, but I think it is just enough.


This January marks one year since Tuesday passed and this making has given me some focus, a place to put the prayers that I have felt welling up as the month moves on. Sometimes, I think it is not my place to grieve so much, for this child that was not mine. But she is a powerful soul, a little one that touched my life deeply and deeply touched the lives of many others. So, again, I would ask that if you can make and you love to make and you want to make, do it. And send your embodiment of love and healing to the women of Namaste so that they can pass it on to little ones that need it.


I am doing it for Tuesday, and her Mama, for me, for the littles that may be battling things that are almost too hard, to horrific to contemplate. I hope that you find a reason to pick up some of your favorite fabric and fiber and send some love their way. Namaste.

A Christmas Loved

I give fair warning that this is going to be a picture heavy post for those family unable to be with us this year, (Hi, Gramma Mona).

It was such a lovely holiday with all the requisite last minute shopping (done by Tim, bless that man) and last minute making. I tried my hand at homemade almond roca (with Andes mint chocolate melted on top), finally rolled out the gingerbread dough I mixed early last week (the cookies might have tasted better for the wait) and almost finished my home sewn gifts (there were a few given yesterday that were held together by straight pins and missing buttons).





This Christmas Eve we stayed close to home, using the time to play and prep and not take ourselves too seriously. I love that Christmas in our home is about the people gathering, dropping in and out and tinkering and eating and hastily wrapping presents until the wee hours. Tim actually told me that his favorite part of Christmas is the Eve when he does all his shopping and wrapping. Funny that I never knew that before yesterday. And, yes, I will hold him to it for all the years to come. He was invigorated by the quick forays into the crazy stores, I was by the homey tasks and it all seemed to come together as it should.






And we had a Christmas Eve visitor, but O did not quite make it long enough to see him.





Our Christmas morning is deeply steeped in a tradition, that of meeting our local Santa Claus out on the chilly morning street. He rides by on the shiny fire truck, waving as the handsome firemen hand out bags of unsalted peanuts and candy. We have done this since we moved into this home when I was five. The tradition part comes in with our extreme hyper-vigilance in waiting, we gather outside the minute we hear a distant fire truck, wait with hot coffee and cold hands, realize he is not anywhere near, start back inside, think we hear the sirens, turn around, go back, turn around. I think we do it because it makes it more fun. I know Grandpa Jim thought we were looped, and laughed right along with us when Santa finally came.






The presents were given and I am really glad we did not get the boys anything much because all the aunts and uncles and grandfolks ignored our entreaties to limit the toys and literally showered the boys with stuff. All really cool, non-batttery operated stuff, but WOW, those kids are set FOREVER. Not one person can pass up and hobby horse and a tool set, right? Mason's favorite, the trash truck with trash can included. Owen's...his new two wheeler bike. That he rode around the park without much help. That kid is unstoppable.






My favorite part of the day is always the family hike where we load up and head out. I love the bluebird sky and crisp air and long talks and running kids and sleeping kids. It just feels so right to celebrate the holiday in this way, honoring what we love and who we love. There was a lot of rides hitched and a little knitting time in order to finish a very last minute gift. The best part is that the gift may not be much needed as we found out a cousin is no longer being deployed.








And we actually found just the right bench to prop up the camera for a group shot (only one missing is my big brother and his wife).

The boys slept too little, ate too much candy, have so many new and very stimulating things (yeah, yeah, toys...just so hard to say it when we were aiming so low, you know?). The spirit of the season embraced us all. And it was a good day, a very very good holiday indeed.

Happy Holidays to you. However it came and went, I hope you found delight and magic in the small spaces and large surprises. Sending love and hopefully a few yearly recaps into this place.