Reading and knitting time again. I haven't been here for a couple of weeks, as i have not had anything new to show - I think you would all get pretty bored with a stripe by stripe account of my ripple, so i will give a little update on that soon.
There has been an icy north wind hereabouts over the last few days -real finger numbing stuff. James has been asking me to knit him something pink for ages, so the time seemed right for a pair of pink handwarmers. The yarn is from the stash I inherited from my mother - an aran, or worsted weight from the Falkland Islands. Most of the stash is cream, traditional aran sweater yarn, but there are two balls of bright cerise pink - just the job. I am making up the pattern based on various mitten instructions I have- the first time I have ever done this, so, if it works out I will share it here and on Raverly. Don't hold your breath though :)
I dreamt about my mother last night. In the dream, we were moving to America, but was concerned about leaving all my crafty stuff behind. She appeared and said to me "Don't worry - the first thing we see when we get to Santa Monica is a huge sewing machine shop." So there you are. I now have this wonderful vision of her having a wonderful time in a huge heavenly craft store - I like that.
Reading - well this week the Library Van came, and the lovely man had brought some books he thought I would like. A photographic history of the Women's Land Army, and a light and fluffy country romance type story, Mulberry Lane by Elvi Rhodes. I sometime go through phases when I like to read about English country village life, and this is one of them. It should pass soon.
So that is me this week, joining in with Ginny's wonderful Yarn Along. See you there. xx
Good for James, boy do love pink - and why not? Our grandson Harry is just the same! Enjoy your books.
ReplyDeleteWonderful dream Jacqui. Wonderful wool. That will be nice and warm for James.
ReplyDeleteMuch love
Come to America, we have lots and lots of craft places! We will load you up!
ReplyDeleteLove the pink and how nice that it was your Mother's!
xx
What a fabulous dream! That sounds like one of those not-just-a-dream dreams in fact. (Oh and I hope the seeds found you?) x
ReplyDeleteA pretty yarn and a lovely dream! Thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteI inherited my mom's yarn stash and I always think of her when I go through it :) Love the pink!! I do not think you can lose that in the winter in the snow...
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet dream, and even better to be using yarn that was once your mom's for James!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this week! I love your old tractor! How fun! I remember my grandpa's old tractor. I wonder what happened to it? I love the yarn and it's history. I am not brave enough for mittens yet. I especially loved the picture of the church in the distance, is that very close to where you live? I live in the desert so your landscape is very different from mine and I love all your pictures!
ReplyDeleteHello dear Jacqui. Dropping by to see how you're doing. Such a wonderful dream about your mother.
ReplyDeleteRecently I read a book by Kate Morton called The Forgotten Garden. Have you read it? It's just fantastic.
I love the dream of your mother. So charming that your library man knows you well enough to pick out books for you!
ReplyDeletei love that your boy wants pink, my granma rose used to knit pink for every baby, she said pink looks best on babies. i'm sure your hand warmers will turn out just lovely.
ReplyDeletehow funny, santa monica, my firstborn son was born the next town over from there and my husband was born in santa monica. but if you come here, you must come north, to santa barbara, i'll take you to the best craft stores ever.
and i've never known anyone with wool from the falklands. the last time my husband was there he came home with a bag of handpainted wool, enough for a sweater for me he said. :) i just love it. (i can't wait to go there someday). love that you have your mom's wool.
Your picture made me smile, something so happy about it.
ReplyDeleteBoth my boys wear pink and love it.
I have to admit every now and then I want to read a book about an english country village as well. LOL
Lovely colour wool Jacqui, just right for this time of year! Your dream sounds very prophetic - it must be good to feel your Mum is enjoying the big craft store in the sky. Land Army book looks interesting - what a good library man you have! xx
ReplyDelete;-) I occcasionally like a fluffy romance too.
ReplyDeleteLoving the colour of your mum's wool. Beautiful. Fabulous dream too, ahhh for crafty heaven eh :-)
Don't be ashamed of the book Jacqui, I am totally with you on this - every so often I give in, say a silent prayer to my English Literature university lecturer and read something really really trashy and not very literary - at the moment, ironically (since I live in an archetypal English Village) I am reading a book about life and love in the Highlands, 'Highland Fling' by Katie Fforde. I love books about the Highlands. Last year I watched the entirety of Monarch of the Glen (even after Archie left) over the winter...OK I'll stop now.
ReplyDeleteHand warmers in pink - Perfect.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have that vision of your Mother in craft heaven.
Enjoy the frivolous reading.
thats what the chhange in seasons brings huh more crafting and indoor luxuries like reading. Enjoy. X
ReplyDeleteI often dream of my mum too, it's a nice way to feel close, my mum used to love to knit, maybe they could get together for a heavenley knit and natter. Love the pink yarn, should be nice cosy mitts for James.xx
ReplyDeletemy four year old boy loves pink too! hand warmers are a great idea for a pink boy knit. i was intrigued too by your heaven dream of santa monica. i grew up near there and used to live nearby in the palisades. my favorite all time knitting store owned by a kiwi is there - wildfiber. it really is a great city for creatives.
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful to have your mother so close like that :-) Better than my dream (nightmare!) of the kitchen at camp catching fire! Hope it's not prophetic. I was so busy yelling and asking why the water buckets weren't in the kitchen that I woke myself up.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I think it's cold, I think of you and realise you're probably five degrees colder up there brrrr.
I don't read fiction much these days, but I do love a good romance novel...and how perfect to read when the weather is so cold. A hot man on the page sets the body alight ;-))
ah pink, my boy's fav colour too
ReplyDeletesee you saturday
xx
Thank you everyone.
ReplyDeleteI am still working though the dream, which had lots of interesting stuff in it. That was the first reference to Santa Monica in the dream - originally we were heading to Albuquerque, when my mother dropped in! I know that Saint Monica is known to patron Mothers of wayward children! In anycase, i do like to think of her - and other like minded women having a wonderful knit and natter in the very best craft spaces.
Hello Valarie - hope you are well. I haven't read that book, but it looks intersting.
Actually, I very rarely read fiction at all. And i have 4 reading moods, which seem to follow each other. Right now it is English country stuff, so it could be a novel, or books about the countryside and country people. This could last until Christmas, but a New England/Vermont phase could kick in at anytime. Very early in the New year, i expect a Scottish/Hebridean phase - although whether it will now that we are living here remains to be seen.
Lol @ Bonnie. katie Fforde is great when you are in that kind of mood.
Over the spring and summer I revert to various non-fiction books, depending on what is happening - farming and food, usually.
Debi - If it is the photo i think it is then yes - it is the Free Church of Scotland, just down the road from us.
Christine - yes they did thank you so much. A card should be on it's way to you.
Lori - what a lovely offer - thank you. Yes - Mum and her friend seemed to have bought the entire Falkland islands wool stock one year - lol. I had never heard of anyone else using it either. :)
Thank you all again xxx
Hey There! I recently discovered your blog and love it. I have bestowed the coveted 'Versatile Blogger' award on you! Please go to my blog for details! www.mollybeesattic.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteLovely Post. I love the colour of your wool, it will make gorgeous handwarmers, and traditionally pink was a boy colour anyway! I love the story of your dream, I only very rarely dream so vividly, maybe because I don't sleep soundly enough, but I do love to wake up and remember and ponder over a dream.
ReplyDeleteI am also loving your reading moods, I do that too! I love the Miss Read books, don't know if you've ever read any, but if you are in the English Countryside mood, then these are for you!
Have a lovely weekend, Liz x
Thank you MollyBee - it is very thoughtful of you. xx
ReplyDeleteLiz - I love Miss Read. I have been going through the town library's collection like a dose of salts lately. They have to haul them out of their reserved stock too, as they are not on the shelves.
xx
i love looking at pictures of wool and people's knitting. it reminds me of my childhood when my mum and nana used to knit all the time. i've pulled out some wool myself recently and am working on a scarf and a baby cardigan. feels good to get the needles out again although now i have to use the bamboo needles as my hands are not what they used to be.
ReplyDeleteI love Miss Read too. Love the idea of the cerise pink for your small boy. Are handwarmers the same as mittens?
ReplyDeleteHey - JTS - great news that we have another knitter. I like using the birch wood needles - Brittany, I think they are.
ReplyDeleteMArjorie - Hello - handwarmers are much like fingerless gloves.
xxx