To the original crafter

When I was growing up, if you had told my Mom I would someday immerse myself in knitting, sewing and other crafty pursuits, I am pretty sure she would have laughed in your face.  I didn’t just not do crafts, I actively disdained them.  I groaned every time I had to wait around at the fabric and craft supply stores.  When she would proudly show off a doll she just made I would shrug apathetically and hope she wasn’t giving it to me.  I just didn’t get it.  (Sorry Mom.)

But now, things are different.  I finally get it.  Now I long to go fabric shopping with my Mom.  (And she is going to start knitting just as soon as we can have her first lesson.)  I still don’t really want one of those dolls she used to make (remember family, the ones with the really long wood legs and HUGE curly hair) but I now totally respect the talent it takes to flawlessly create one.  I am so happy the gene that makes me want to make stuff finally kicked in and I am grateful to my Mom for passing it along.

So to my original crafter, mother of 4, powerful teacher, talented creator, expert bargain shopper, loyal friend, and heart of our family…thank you for my life, for your example, for your awesome genes, and for your unconditional love.  Happy Mother’s Day.

I love you lots and lots and lots.

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I should be packing but…

The last couple months I have been in a bit of a knitting lull.  I’ve started several projects only to lose interest and frog or just put the project to the side.  I just couldn’t get excited–I wasn’t inspired by anything.

And then, about a week ago, I got my hands on a copy of this book:

Japanese Inspired Knits

I want to knit EVERYTHING in this book.  Okay, not everything but close.  First there is this sweet cardigan:

the fan

and this pretty fair isle:

summer in tokyo

I love, love, love, this cardigan coat:

flower buds

and finally, this clever tee:

the carp

While the one I am most excited about is “flower buds”, I thought I would first start with something a little more season appropriate.

beginnings of “the carp”

I love it!  I have never knit a sweater this way before, all in metered squares.  You basically knit it in stripes–such an interesting way to construct a garment.  I am excited to see how it all fits together.  Here is a close up:

The lighter yarn looks a little more green in person but I like the slight blue cast of it. Why my knitting mojo had to come back in force when I should be spending all my time packing boxes, I don’t know.  I guess that is just the way it goes.

Okay, back to kni…ur, packing.

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