It’s almost Wednesday and I’m linking with Ginny for yarn along.

Has it been a week? How did that happen? It’s been a blur but there has been some knitting and reading happening…more knitting than reading which seems to be a common theme for me lately.

I finished Yellow Girl and my puerperium…apart from those pesky buttons. Yellow Girl is so sweet – I just love it. It’s for my little lady’s birthday later this week so I’d better get on those buttons. I will definitely be using the tiny tea leaves pattern again. It was easy to follow and well written. The puerperium was also a great pattern. I love it – even if it does look gigantic next to the newborn clothes I got washed and ready this week. Svenna offered her warning that it may end up closer to a 3-6 month size but I didn’t heed her advice soon enough (Svenna is the puerperium queen – she even has some in her shop). Although I’m dreaming of tiny newborn knits 3-6 months will be a more realistic age (and season) for sweater wearing but I am tempted to cast on a second in a tinier size.

After mentioning last week that I was going to knit this hat I tore it out and decided to knit a baby bonnet instead. None of my babes have worn a baby bonnet before so I’m hoping this will suit. I’m also hoping there is enough of that gorgeous cashmere blend for some socks or booties.

Last but not least I’ve been working on the Owlie Sack. I love the green Cascade Heathers wool I’m using and can’t wait to see it finished – and snuggling a baby! All these baby knits are getting me even more excited to meet our new addition.

Does this picture remind any of you of a mid-winter shot? Had to snag this photo during a hailstorm and it was suddenly very dark. I’ll update my ravelry shots when I get some sunshine tomorrow so you can get a better look at these projects.

After that long-winded delve into my knitting projects I feel somewhat apologetic about dragging you all into a long-winded discussion of my reading materials….I’ll aim for brief. I’m still enjoying Simplicity Parenting and raving that every parent should read it. If you haven’t you should. It’s great. I’ve been adding more knits to my queue from Vintage Knits for Modern Babies and More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts (my turn came up at the library again). And today I found my copy of what I consider to be the birth book, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth – I think anyone who is expecting or expects to be expecting should read it. I’m looking forward to revisiting her wisdom over the next couple of weeks.

Thanks always for visiting and if you’re interesting in more yarn along posts sharing current reads and knitting (or crocheting) projects stop by Ginny’s place.

Hope the week is treating you well!

Psst: I posted earlier today about the completed Winnie Cooper sweater as I’ve been promising for a couple of weeks now. Check it out here.

Here we are on the eve of another Wednesday and I’m happy to join Ginny in another yarn along.

After what felt like endless knitting while on vacation (which was a good thing) it’s been a bit slow since we got back to the many distractions of home. I’ve finished the sleeves on my Yellow Girl and have started on the button band. Against my inclination I’ve managed to stick to the projects at hand – for the most part. Puerperium‘s sleeves are still calling to be finished (and, er, started) but I did cast on this little hat. My mother-in-law gifted me her stash of beautiful wools when we were visiting and a buttery ball of a merino/silk/cashmere blend has been begging to be something special for babe. I still haven’t proceeded past the cast-on but I just may allow myself to get a little distracted with it tonight.

Amongst the finishing I have I’m insisting that I will get to work on the Owlie Sack this week. A friend is nearly finished one she began knitting and it is cuter than cute. I’m just dying to see a little babe all snuggled up in it.

I’m still reading Simplicity Parenting (visit last week’s post to hear me wax poetic about it). Have I mentioned how rubbish I am with non-fiction? I am seriously challenged without a storyline which is why, although I’m enjoying it immensely, I am still only half way through. Dare I pick up a fiction title in the meantime? Also, after Lydia mentioned it on her blog, I picked up Organic Body Care Recipes from the library along with Vintage Knits for Modern Babies after all of Tonya‘s inspiring baby knitting. I have enjoyed perusing both of them and getting ideas.

On the topic of the first title I have yet to attempt making up any of our personal care products but I have wanted to try for ages. I’m curious if any of you have beloved recipes for personal care products that you can’t do without. I’d love some ideas and tips!

Thanks for visiting!

I’m capturing one last yarn along image before we leave this island paradise and head for home.

I’ve had such a productive week for knitting – at the expense of my reading – but it’s been great to speed along on some projects I was worried I wouldn’t get done in time.

My Yellow Girl is only a few rows short of being cast off at the body and picked up at the sleeves. I’m using Berroco Ultra Alpaca – it is so lovely and one of my favourite wools. I’ve also finished the body of the puerperium that I’ve been making for the new babe in Fisherman’s Wool. Now I have lots of sleeves, weaving in of ends, blocking and buttons ahead of me…not my favourite pastimes but I’m hoping that I’ll at least have a chance to finish up the sleeves during the long drive home. If my attention wanders from those pesky sleeves I do have the pattern and wool ready to begin the Owlie Sack I mentioned a while back. It’s my reward for (almost) getting the birthday sweaters done.

And speaking of birthday sweaters I did completely finish my Winnie Cooper and only a few days late. I have yet to grab some modelled pictures but hopefully you’ll get a peek in the next week or so.

I’m still reading Simplicity Parenting and enjoying it although I’ve only been picking it up while I’ve been luxuriating in my in-laws soaker tub (losing some gravity can do wonders for a heavily pregnant body). I love the talk of simplification of toys, clothing, etc (although I hesitate over his recommendation to reduce the amount of books simply because I love them so). As I mentioned last week, it’s so nice to hear so many of our values echoed and I feel more empowered to make some “executive decisions” over some of the toys we’ve stockpiled. As much as we try to keep it to a minimum by choice and necessity in our small space, they can add up over birthdays and Christmas. I have a mental list of some sorting and purging to do when we get home!

I’m also looking through Gentle Babies which is a guide to the use of essential oils through pregnancy, infancy and childhood. We use essential oils all the time and they’ve been so useful during this pregnancy. Now I’ve been reading through the information on labour and thinking about which oils I’d like to have on hand. It is exciting to think about the approach of this new little one!

Now I’m off to finish up some last minute packing, take the buns out of the oven for tomorrow’s lunch and maybe finish off those last few rows on the Yellow Girl.

Thanks for stopping by! I may be a day late in my visiting but I’m looking forward to seeing what other’s are up to over at Ginny’s yarn along.

We are basking in the lost sense of time that vacation brings and I’ve suddenly found myself on eve of Wednesday’s yarn along. I’ve been enjoying extra time to knit and read during these restful days although you may notice I haven’t even gotten started on two of the projects I was hoping to cast-on over this past week.

I have cast-off on my Winnie Cooper, though. Finishing, blocking and sewing on of buttons are all that remain for the first birthday sweater of the summer. It will be a bit late as the birthday is nearly over but what’s sweeter than a gift you weren’t expecting arriving a couple days late? Right? I’ll show it modelled on the birthday girl when I have it completed.

For our trip down to Victoria last week I decided I needed to cast-on something fun and off of my “required knitting” list. Svenna has been showing a whole host of sweet little sweaters in the puerperium pattern and I couldn’t resist casting one on for our baby to be. I’m knitting it in Fisherman’s Wool and loving how it’s coming together. It is such a sweet, simple, free pattern and I have already have plans to knit a second one in a bright colour – perhaps an orange?

I’m still reading Simplicity Parenting and thoroughly enjoying it. It rings so true and puts words to many of the thoughts and practices that we value in our family. I haven’t gotten deep into it yet but I’m already boring everyone with quote after quote. More than anything I’m finding it is helping me let myself off the hook for not wanting our little people enrolled in endless activities, surrounded by endless toys and bombarded by endless distractions. I’ve never felt good about any of those things but have occasionally allowed myself to feel guilty about it in the face of society’s expectations. I feel like this book is settling my soul a bit on that count. I may have more of a review to offer next week but so far I’ve been nodding in agreement with the author’s words.

And that’s it for me now. I’m off to give goodnight kisses to the birthday girl (and her siblings), nibble an extra slice of birthday cake and finally knit the swatch for the next birthday sweater I keep mentioning.

For more yarn along post, visit Ginny at Small Things.

I am soaking up vacation time and getting my fill of knitting and reading. As the littles circle grandma and grandpa like moths to a flame, I’ve been blessed with some much needed rest for me and the little jumping bean we are so excited to meet.

My Winnie Cooper is coming along so nicely. I’m getting quite excited that I may actually have it completed in time for next week’s birthday. I have nearly finished the first sleeve and only have the remaining sleeve and button band to get through. Of course I realized I forgot to bring (or even think about) buttons but my mother-in-law has kindly offered me a root through her stash so I’ll see what I can find there.

I keep meaning to start the gauge for my yellow girl’s tiny tea leaves but have been reluctant to put down the Winnie Cooper in case I get too distracted. Maybe today is the day. I’ve also been avoiding the gauge swatch and tweaking for my summer cardigan which I’m hoping to knit as part of this KAL over at luvinthemommyhood. I was so happy to win a pattern giveaway over there for three of Hannah Fettig‘s patterns that now I’m hesitating over my original pattern choice. Oh the joy of knitting dreams!

I finally finished reading The Distant Hours and quite enjoyed it. As I’ve said before (and I maintain now that I finished it), I wouldn’t recommend it as highly as the first Kate Morton novel I read, The Forgotten Garden. It was still a good read, though, with some gentle suspense and nothing too stressful – just the right kind of vacation novel for me. Although some might find it a bit slow moving at times I enjoy the delayed gratification of a longer developed storyline.

Now I’m switching gears and hoping to start Simplicity Parenting. I’ve heard so much about it and while I am a terrible reader of non-fiction I’m hoping I can commit to it. We’ll see if I can stick to my word on that and not be pulled aside by The Thirteenth Tale which is calling rather more loudly from the bedside table.

And now we’re off for more adventuring…with plenty of knitting and reading thrown in for good measure.

Thanks for stopping by – for more yarn along posts visit Ginny at Small Things.