Marie Grace Designs

Tools of a trade (or 2)...

I had hoped that by late today the vest I finished up would be done drying on the blocking board but the weather has been damp all day and nothing is drying. Its a good day to be a goose.

So the vest isn't dry enough to take off the board and the current project isn't far enough along yet to be sure its going to turn out as planned so here's a bit of knitting related sewing.

See, I have way too many double point needles and the fact that I've been trying to cram them all into one needle case has upset the needle case so much so that it has officially burst its seams.

Instead of buying a new case or resorting to carrying all my dpns in a sandwich bag or something similar I figured I'd dig into all those fat quarters I've been collecting and just make myself one (or 2 or 4).

A few fat quarters, a piece of heavy wool felt, and some bias strip makers should do the job. Maybe I'll make a few. Maybe I'll share.

Proving (once again)

Ya know people are people but something weird happens when you sit people next to a campfire or if they sit in one of those nylon folding chairs with the funny net cup-holder thinger built into in the arm.

The closer you get to the campfire the better the marshmallows taste and the less you care about the fact that the kids eating the marshmallows have dirty fingers and sticky faces.

Men who wear buttoned shirts and ties to work each day will sit around in a circle nodding about that shiny new tractor you have and not only do they nod and chat but they "get it", too.

The same mom who dusts and disinfects every kitchen surface within reach before and after dinner every single night will relish in a slab of beef that has just been pealed off a metal grate after being cooked over an open fire. And not a meat thermometer in sight.

A girl who grew up in the country and then moved away for a while will sit next to that fire while some guy (who is a school teacher by day) plays a guitar and the people across the road clap and whistle. She'll sit there and watch her kids play with glow sticks. She'll sit there and even though she doesn't even like country music she'll be reminded , once again, that you really can't have the perfect country and western song unless you mention Mama, trains, trucks, prison, and gett'in drunk.

Not only will she remember but if you put a coffee cup in her hand that just happens to be full of beer she just might sing along, too.

The accidental farmer...

Well... okay... maybe it wasn't all that accidental.

Though I've been rather busy knitting there's been lots of other stuff going on too.

Mac Daddy's tractor was delivered and let me tell you the man is in love. Anybody know where I can get some worsted wool in Cub Cadet yellow?

I informed him that he is now pre-paid for any gift giving occasion that occurs for the rest of his life.

Its your birthday? Go look at the tractor. Happy birthday.

Christmas? Go look at the tractor. Merry Christmas.

Our anniversary? Go look at the tractor. Happy anniversary.

(You get the idea.)

The kids are getting big and by kids I mean all of them whether they have 2 legs or 4.

From the left to the right are Nacho, Purl, and Zeke...

Purl would still be perfectly happy to come back up to the house and hang out on the sofa with me. I think she wonders what she did wrong to get put outside with those boys.

We hatched 5 chickens though we don't know what kind they are. Our 5 eggs were given to us by a neighbor and they were all a different color. Its been really neat to see how different all the chicks are.

And then there's the Goosers...

Now I realize that I am one of those people who is endlessly amused by small creatures but really these guys are in a class all their own. They are hilarious and they have no idea. They think I am their Mama and the rest of the family is their flock. We know this is normal imprinting and we were prepared for it but what I wasn't prepared for is that they also think that absolutely everything is an emergency.

She moved 2 feet to the left! Ahhh! Hurry!!

(waddle, waddle, waddle)

Oh no! She moved again!! Hurry!!

(waddle, waddle, tumble, waddle)

Quick!! We're going the WHOLE WAY across the yard!!! Hurry!!!

(waddle, waddle, tumble, tumble, waddle)

I don't mind telling you that all the (human) kids enjoy the animals but Tater is my little partner-in-crime. Her and I spend time most evenings walking the Goosers around so they can pick at clover and we can laugh at the way they tumble and waddle. We let the goats out of their pasture because they enjoy being with us. They follow us down into the woods so they can eat the wild roses that have taken over the hill and Purl especially loves to run full out as fast as her short legs can carry her back up over the hill to the front of the house so she can stand on the porch where she used to go to get her milk bottle.

Zeke will eventually grow to be a big goat so we have started training him on a halter and lead. He took right to it so even Tater can walk him and she just looks so proud of her silly goat wearing his fancy new halter.

I suppose a real farmer would think most of this is waste. We won't be eating our chickens and the one dairy goat we have is a boy. Geese won't do anything but leave a mess in their wake. So what good is all this anyway?

Well, I'm one of those people who's mind never stops ticking. My hands must be busy and my mind must be occupied to keep my heart content. Quiet time makes me jumpy and relaxing isn't in my vocabulary. I don't sit still and I don't know that I really want to.

But being out on the hill with geese at my feet makes me smile. Listening to Tater tell them stories in her little warble voice as she builds little hay nests for them warms me and I can breathe deeply.

So while the boys play in the woods and eldest daughter talks on the phone about the horses she got to feed and brush at a friend's house Tater and I hang out with geese and goats.

And its totally worth it.

Finley Knitting Pattern

Finley is a textured Gansey style coat designed for both boys and girls. The hood, long length, and turned cuffs make it warm and functional as well as beautiful.

For the knitter, Finley offers rich texture and classic cabling. The entire coat is worked from the bottom up and utilizes traditional gusset shaping at the underarms and neckline. The continuos front moss stitch bands paired with the gusset shaping means there’s minimal finishing and the overall textures and cables remain undisturbed throughout the knitting.

Sizes:
2-3 (4-6, 8-10, 12-14) years.

Finished Measurements:
Chest: 29.5 (33.5, 37.5, 41) inches.
Length: 16 (20, 23, 26) inches.

Yarn:
Vermont Organic’s O-Wool Classic
100% certified organic merino
3.5 ounces/100 grams per hank
198 yards/181 meters per hank
5 (6, 7, 8) hanks
Sample shown in color “Slate”.

Needles:
32 inch US#7 (4.5mm) circular.
1 set of US#7 (4.5mm) double point needles.
OR the size needle you need to obtain appropriate gauge.

Extras:
Stitch markers, waste yarn, tapestry needle, 6 shank buttons.

Skill level:
Experienced.

Skills Needed:
Working from a chart, cabling, underarm gussets, inverted neck gussets.

Gauge:
18 stitches/25 rows = 4 inches over stockinette stitch.

Price: $6.00
Your printable pattern will be immediately downloadable in Adobe PDF (v5.0 or later) format

In Living Crafts magazine...

So here it is, my post on my first design(s) to be published in a national magazine. I guess I'm supposed to be all professional and just lightly pass it off. Maybe post about what we had for breakfast or write about some deep and meaningful thought I had while stuffing dirty socks (not knit ones) in the washing machine this morning and then just sort of mention in "by the way" fashion that there's this design in this magazine and it happens to be mine.

But really, I'm totally thrilled with the whole deal and I feel a bit vindicated after all the crap I take for doing primarily kids designs. So if it seems like I'm bragging I apologize cause I'm really just trying to share a happy moment and I want to say thank you to those who dig the kid's stuff.

And not only did I get a call asking if I could come up with a really cute cape, of all things, but it even landed on the cover...

It was a really fun project to design and knit and believe it or not I've had a sketch of a hooded cape in my "someday" sketch binder for quite some time.

Little Red's cape is a bottom up knit that is designed to be easy to work. After the bottom seed stitch border is worked 2 front seed panels are established as well as 2 front cable panels. Once these elements are set in place they remain completely undisturbed for the entire project, clear up through the hood.

It's knit with O~Wool Classic which is one of my favorite wool yarns because its really soft and smooth and the color choices are fabulous. You won't find a truer red yarn anywhere. (I, however, still can't manage to photograph red colors properly so don't take my word for it... go get yourself a sample.)

The only tough part about this whole thing is that Tater was really disappointed that we wouldn't be keeping the cape so before I sent it off to Living Crafts I took her picture for her. (She's really gotten used to being a little model and can put on her "I'm a diva" hat rather quickly.)

And just to prove that I can, indeed, do something other than kid's stuff there's also a great Vest for Dad in the same issue...

Now I know there's a shortage of men's patterns and I know a lot of us drag our feet when it comes to knitting for the men in our lives but it doesn't get much more classic, or easier, than this.

Dad's Vest is knit in the round from the bottom up so it goes relatively quickly though the stockinette section. The texture across the chest begins after all the armhole shaping so you won't have to fiddle with decreasing and keeping a stitch pattern correct at the same time.

Green Mountain Spinnery's Cotton Comfort yarn is a pleasure to knit with and even the guys will be happy to wear it.

So there ya have it. I wonder what's next!

:-)

MS&W (the aftermath)

So here it is, Wednesday already, and I'm just now getting around to posting about Maryland Sheep and Wool.

This year was a first for me helping out as a vendor. I hung out with Meredith at the Llamajama booth where we peddled yarn, finished knits, wool care products, and of course my patterns. It was a very different experience from just being a spectator, much more tiring. Business was good and I had a great time talking to lots of knitters (except of course for Bezzie who was too much of a snob to stop by and say hello) and even ran into a few people from my home town.

Now, if you guys haven't figured out yet that I don't get out alone much let me tell ya... I don't get out alone much. In fact, I'm pretty sure I can't remember the last time I went somewhere alone for more than an hour or so therefore a 2 1/2 hour drive and an entire weekend away was a real trip... literally. I did my share of worrying that I'd get lost driving in Maryland (I didn't) or that something terrible would happen at home while I wasn't there (nothing did).

I had an amazing moment Friday night after the booth was all set up... there I was with 2 good friends and free beer... no man to claim me... no kids that I was responsible for... no livestock that I needed to feed... just open spaces, fiber vendors, friends, and beer. The really crappy part about it is that it didn't really dawn on me how cool of a moment that was until Tuesday morning when I was home and doing laundry in my basement.

So anyway, I did manage to do a little shopping of my own while I was there. Some yarn, festival shirts, gifts for the kids, and I even bought a pair of hand knit socks for Mac Daddy. Now he has knit socks... and I didn't have to knit them.

My favorite thing of all though is my new plate I got for my truck. If you've never seen the artwork done by Conni Togel you are so missing it! Our booth was really close to hers so I had a chance to talk to her and her husband and they were both exceptionally nice. Her artwork is so colorful and fun...

So now that I'm home and have had a few days to clean the house and get everything back in order after leaving Mac Daddy and the kids home alone for 3 days recover I'm picking up where I left off knitting-wise. I've got a new pattern to release and a tutorial to finish up. Also, the magazine work I mentioned a while ago is out and about and up there on my side bar. I'll give some details in my next blog post, hopefully tomorrow.

Off to Maryland Sheep and Wool festival...

So much for a decent blog post before I leave for Maryland.

Between getting my stuff and myself ready to leave in the a.m. and trying to make sure Mac Daddy and The Crew have everything they need before I go, there's no time for much of anything.

I'll be helping out at the Llamajama booth (outside East area). We'll have lots of yarn, printed patterns, and great ready to wear knitted items.

We plan to attend the Ravelry party Saturday night, too!

Stop by and say Hi! I'm going to have a hard time staying at the booth with all the yarny festivities going on!

Longwood Gardens

Warning: long post, photo heavy, does contain knitting content:

So, after the 1000 Knitters meet up at Wool Gathering we still had a lot of the day left so we decided to take the kids to Longwood Gardens. Now, I'll tell you I wasn't sure this was a good decision because I honestly wasn't sure that acres of flowers and planted gardens was going to hold my the kids attention for real long. I mean it sounds wonderful but how long can you keep a 4 year old and a 9 year old happy with nothing but flowers?

Not only was I surprised at just how much I loved this place but the kids had a great time. There's lots of beautiful flowers (of course) but there's also history to read and lots of room to just relax and be yourself. We strolled around for hours, ate in the cafe, and really just played like we owned the place.

The flowers are amazing to say the least and really the entire place is just beautiful...

I think this one was my favorite of the entire day:

That little bundle of the most dainty, perfect flowers I have ever seen truly looked as if it had been molded from wax. Just amazing.

As you can see I took about a gazillion pictures. I have a terrible habit of taking great pictures of the kids only to find out, once we're home, that there appears to be a tree of a kite or some other strange object sprouting out of somebody's head in the background so I figured I'd just go ahead and do it on purpose and get it over with...

Yes, I know this is a cheesy thing to do but I couldn't help it. It amused me to no end. The really funny thing is that this same boy thinks farting is hilarious but got annoyed at his mother taking pictures of a fountain sprouting from his head.

His punishment? I made him do it again... (and I laughed even harder the second time)

And the most amazing thing of all I found at Longwood Gardens? Well, another knitter, of course!

I spied her from a mile away... sitting on a bench all alone... knitting! You would think I could have composed myself enough to just say hello and make some sort of polite comment about her knitting , but no. I had to plop down beside her and say something really mysterious (and possibly a little scary) like...

"Ohhhh... I just have to sit here for a minute with you! Wait til you see what I have in my bag!"

I'm pretty sure she was really relieved when I pulled my knitting out of my backpack. See, she looks relieved doesn't she...

"So, what are you knitting... I'm making a hooded play vest for my son... oh... really... a baby blanket for a friend... how nice..."

"Ahhh... merino... how wonderful....."

"Oh yes, lets exchange email addresses... I think I have a pen... hmmmmm.... yes a lovely day.... have you seen the fountains...."

So, now there is proof that for every 1000 square acres of planted gardens there are at least 2 knitters.

Anyway... we all really did have a great time partly because the place is so big and open that there was no waiting in line and there was plenty of opportunity to just play. We hung out near the giant topiary animals for a while and Tater climbed a big grassy hill just so she could roll back down. Mac Daddy spent a good bit of time trying to find dirty words in the scientific plant names and was quite successful.

At one point the kids found a large area that had the thickest softest grass ever and they just flopped right down in it...

"Look at you guys... the grass is so thick you've almost disappeared! Oh my... where did you go... Honey, look... where did they go...."

Well, that was the start of Tater's mission to "hide" in every grassy patch she could find. (Ummmm.... hello... we're in the middle of a rather... ummmmm... large area that is rather inclined to have a lot of grass so you can imagine how this went, right?)

"Mama! Can you see me? Did I disappear again?"

"Mama! Look.... I dista-peeeerded again!"

"Mama! Come find me!"

"Daddy! Daddy! Where'd I go?"

"You can't seeeeeee meeeeeeee!!!!"

"I'm Innnn-bista-bull!!!"

She just didn't get sick of "hiding" in the grass. She wasn't just giggling she was belly-roll laughing the whole time. A long time, repeatedly.

I wish I was that easily amused. Then again, maybe I am. (See fountain pictures above.)

1000 Knitters, Kennett Square PA

Well, finally the day arrived to make the 2 1/2 hour trip to Kennett Square to be a part of the 1000 Knitters Project.

I poked and prodded everybody into getting up early to make the drive but they were just as excited as I was so it wasn't really a problem, see....

There were knitters everywhere... knitters in line, knitters sitting outside knitting... knitters sitting inside knitting... apparently by the end of the end of the day 131 knitters had their pictures taken by Franklin (I was #55).

There was lots of snacks and lots of yarn and lots of fibery conversations. You never would have known there was a waiting list and numbers being called and people that had driven hours just to be there. It was more like a general gathering of knitters just because... no pushing and shoving... no complaining about how long the wait would be... knitters are such cool people.

Knitters who had never met before would just strike up a conversation. I heard people chatting about yarns and books and I heard people discussing Ravelry. Everyone was super nice to the kids which made the wait for them so much easier.

A woman, who from what I understand was a reporter for a local Kennett Square newspaper, stopped in to snap a few pictures and ask Franklin some questions about what was going on. (Which reminds me... I need to get a copy of this week's Kennett Square newspaper somehow.)

Finally it was my turn to get my picture taken by Franklin. Ya know... I was so excited about going to get my picture taken and being part of the whole deal but I couldn't help but think for a minute about Franklin and how much work it must be for him. The traveling and all the people and the hustle and bustle. It must be exhausting. Yet there he is being patient and kind... I can't imagine a nicer person. When you sit to have your picture taken he chats with you like you're the only person in the room. If he's tired and feeling the strain of the day it certainly doesn't show.

As for me... I wish I had knit my row a little slower... so to savor the moment... but me being me, the nervous sort that I am... whizzed through my row blabbering about kids and asking if this was indeed Lucy Neatby's whole (in the scarf) and just being thankful that Delores was nowhere in sight and then it was over and I thanked Franklin repeatedly and shook his hand (again) and that was it.

So, here's my picture of Franklin taking my picture...

Those poor, neglected boys...

I know, I know... girls are so much easier to knit and sew for. There's so much to choose from and so many girly colors and fabrics and buttons and trims.

Though boys can be difficult to make things for, especially as they get older, I also find that boys are creatures of habit. If you can manage to make them something they really like you'll be rewarded by seeing them wear it to death.

The trick is to keep it simple, fun, and comfortable. Nothing fussy... nothing that makes you yell "don't get that dirty!" on their way out the door.

So on the fun side I gathered my boys some fun fabrics for some comfy pajama pants. I'll be turning, again, to my favorite sewing patterns from "Favorite Things". All of their patterns are easy to follow and turn out well.

On the simple side I've got 2 knitting projects going with the boys in mind. Quick to knit and easy to wear in boy friendly colors and fibers.

Speaking of boys and knitting... Mac Daddy, Tater, Son The Younger , and I are all heading to Wool Gathering tomorrow to meet Franklin. I'm just hoping he doesn't have Delores along... I'll be nervous enough without her flinging around that Romney attitude of hers.