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CREATING A PERSONAL PARADISE

I read this over the weekend and wanted to share… The excerpt is from Dr. Christiane Northrup’s blog. The article specifically can be linked to here.

“I have pretty much quelled my excess sugar cravings over the years by focusing on LOTS of activities that bring sweetness into my life in other ways besides eating sugar. This includes dancing tango in close embrace, listening to good music, de-cluttering my house, doing work I love, and taking long baths while reading good novels or looking out the window at the river. I have created a personal paradise for myself. This process has taken a lifetime…”

What a great way to change a not so healthy habit. Adding more sweetness to life…I like the sound of that!

KIDS ACTIVITY

We are going to try out first lapbook this week. The theme is “Going to the Grocery Store”. I found the info at Homeschool Share. The lessons revolve around three books that you read during the week and then you follow-up with activities that include an array of topics. This theme combines color sorting, finding shapes, beginning math and an introduction to money. Vivian is excited…I will post how it goes!

BABY HAT

I decided our little guy needs a baby hat so I am going to attempt to knit it…hopefully I can get it done before he arrives!

Here is the link at Fun Knits Free Patterns of the hat I am going to make!

Have a great week!

Marisa

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I also missed the Knit Along Reception at my LYS.  I made the Sweet Pea Coat and today we were all supposed to go in and have pictures taken, eat horsedourves and chocolate and have all kinds of merriment surrounding our creations…oohs and ahhs abounding.  But, alas, I missed out on that too.

While I was home, wallowing, I did find a bright spot.  I made a baby bonnet.  I've been wanting to make bonnets, and I really like the "Pilot cap" style.  While there are plenty of patterns online for this style cap I hadn't found just the one I wanted…Then I remembered Pauline, the bonnet I made for myself in December, out of a Chestnut Brown Malabrigo Worsted.  So I grabbed tape measure, Mini's toy ball (about the size of a baby head), and calculator and started figuring.  I used DK weight yarn, the leftover from the little kick bag, specifically, and altered the lengths, but otherwise worked the pattern as is for the small/medium size.  It is perfect for a little head of about 15" around…that's what the ball measured.

I think I'll be casting on for a few more of these.  The knit on the edge I-cord is such a lovely thing…a little time consuming, but I like making I-cord anyway.  I enjoyed the process, so who cares if it takes a bit of time.  I did not make all the leaves and flowers. I just put one little spiral on the side.  I'm thinking of putting some buttons around it, or knitting some bobbles to go there, but thought the other decorations were too much for such a little hat. The ensemble is the Kicking bag and new hat in the Silky Merino Malabrigo, and the little sweater was made for Mini back when she was an infant out of Rowan Kid Classic.  A great little outfit for the new baby!

The original Pauline pattern is by Knitting Kninja, and is free on her website.  She won a contest with that pattern, that was hosted by a Malabrigo group on Ravelry.  It's really a great construction, very simple and straight forward.  I love the adult version, and have worn a hat for the first time, in the winter, since I was about 12 years old.  I never found a hat I liked that didn't muss my hair, until now, so I've just toughed it out, all winter.  Not anymore…I have warm ears and all, thanks to this great hat.  I just went to grab the link for the pattern and she has plans for a baby and toddler size!!  I wonder how close what she did was to what I did.  I'll be checking in with her to see.  Too funny.

Changes to the Pattern:
DK Weight Yarn
Needle size:
6 instead of 7
8 instead of 10
still used 4, but you could drop to a 3 if you find 4 too large for picking up stitches.

I worked for 3.5" instead of 6".

Otherwise all the numbers were the same. 

Working the I-Cord I picked up 3 stitches, skipped one, then 3, and so on.  If I picked up every stitch it would have buckled.  I don't recall if I did this with the adult size, and it doesn't specify to do so, but it is a common practice, when picking up stitches, to do the 3/1 ratio.

I did not knit the ties, instead I just twisted yarn into little ties and stitched them on.  A lot faster for such a small project.