Yarn Along

Joining with Ginny at Small Things for today's Yarn Along!

I've had a severe case of cast-on-itis as of late and this is the start of yet another new project!  This time, a Christmas gift for my Mama.  The yarn (Lily Chin Tribeca) isn't my favorite to work with, but it makes a fabric with a nice, soft halo and was a steal at $2 a ball!  More on the pattern in my Ravelry notebook :)  It's pretty and ruffle-y and sweet.

Still not much in the way of reading lately, but I did receive my fall issue of Deeply Rooted Mag & have been savoring one article at a time.

Campside on a Rainy Day - A Test Knit

I'm so excited to finally be sharing this!  There was quite a bit of up and down with this pattern, but it's been released now and even better than that - it's FREE!  The pattern is Campside by Alicia Plummer and goodness is it ever beautiful.  The yarn (Julie Asselin Leizu DK) is perfect for the shawl and, well, just perfect in general.  I really wanted to channel the end of summer camping vibe, so my sister and I made an evening of it.  We even made a makeshift tepee out of a sheet and some sticks, and built a fire in the rain (not an easy task).  I wear this all the time now - so go ahead and grab the pattern and get started!

A Tiny Gift for a Tiny Person

I whipped these up last week for a precious, expecting mama in my Sunday School class.  I'm a sucker for something simple and sweet - can't wait to get photos on the little one when she arrives!  Had the yarn (patons silk bamboo) on hand so I only had to buy buttons and elastic lace for the headband.  Patterns are Mary Jane Booties and Mini Hair Bow.

Grandparents and Gifts

Since both sets of my grandparents have been divorced and some have since settled down with new people, I have a LOT of grandparents and boy am I thankful for them!  I was a little late finding out that it's Grandparent's Day (and most of my grandparents aren't exactly local) so I gathered some things I had at home to take to my Grandma.  That ended up including a couple dozen eggs, several tomatoes, and one can each of salsa, sauerkraut and dilly beans.  She was tickled with her gift and our visit and, well, that makes me smile :)

Speaking of gifts and grandparents, I have gotten some of the most thoughtful gifts in the last week for no special occasion but to say "I'm thinking of you."  

My Granny Carol dropped some old pamphlets and things in the mail (she knows just what I like!) with a sweet note, and then a few days later left a few books for me at my mom's house.  Lots of fun kitchen reading and new recipe trying in in store for this week!

I went to visit my other Grandma and she sent me home with a mini version of her huge pickle holder/strainer just because.

And then both on the same day, my mother in law sent home a jar of vegetable soup (a recipe I wanted to can but was just too lazy) and her sister sent a serving bowl she found at a yard sale and thought I'd like.

And Paw Paw Fuzzy sent me home with two huge boxes of his mother's canning jars!  I think my family has to be the most thoughtful and giving bunch on the planet and I am oh so thankful for them.