Yarn, tea, and cozy blanket. HEAVEN!! Taken at my parents home in Woodland Park, CO
Hello dear friends! This is one of my “yarn break” posts where sometimes I write about other artsy projects that I’m working on. FEAR NOT! I’ve got the usual slew of yarn projects all about the house, in nearly every room, which will be posted soon. 😉
Today though, I’m simply taking a yarn break and want to kind of talk to ya. Yep! I’ve been blogging about my little projects and patterns for 9 months now. November is sort of the “thankful” month isn’t it, so I want to thank you for your inspiration (really THANK YOU!) and also share what else I’m thankful for in my life as well as a bit about the blog. I’d love to hear more about you too if you’re up for it. In fact, it would be fun to hear some of your stories on how you learned to knit and crochet. 🙂
Let me just say, I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this little blog, but it has been so fulfilling and a huge enrichment to my life. After teaching myself to knit and crochet through the internet and YouTube, I of course became addicted and never looked back. It was the perfect hobby for a busy mom – I could take it anywhere, make things while baby played at the park, and thelist goes on. I had been making up patterns mostly for Christmas gifts, and decided it might be nice to have them in one spot on the computer rather than on tiny scraps of paper all over the house. So the blog began even though I am not tech savvy in the least. It took quite a bit of help from my brother and his techy friends to encourage me to get this up and running. Now it’s gotten easier, but I still worry that I might blow up the computer sometime if I hit the wrong button. 😉
Besides yarn, we love being outside. Cave exploring always makes for a good adventure.
You’ve most certainly seen my daughter several times on the blog (usually in a hat like this). I guess I’m that parent that will annoy you with massive quantities of pictures! Of course, she’s my world. After wanting to have a child for a long time, and thinking it may never happen, she is a gift that I appreciate every minute of every day. After I had her, the hubby and I knew we somehow wanted make it work for me to stay home. I ended up leaving my Special Education teaching position (which I completely and totally loved and am still passionate about) to stay home with her full time. I still am a part time tutor, but it allows me to be with my baby most all of the time. She just turned FOUR, and is going to pre school now. People tell me all the time to enjoy her because children grow so fast. Is it bad that I’m already worried about my mental well being when she leaves for college someday?
Who said that quote about being a mom that goes something like “It’s hard to have your heart walking around outside your body”. Yep, that’s me.
Here’s the hubby that supports my yarn hobby. This was on our camping trip to Sand Dunes National Park, CO
I’m also married to a wonderful Polish man, and we do try to speak some Polish at home. Yes, I poke fun of him sometimes in the blog (thank goodness he doesn’t read it – wait, how rude!). While he does give me eyerolls about my yarn purchases, he is incredibly supportive of my little hobby. I think he sees that I need something like this to stay sane being home all day with baby. Any of you other mamas with me on this? Anyway, we met while he was on an exchange program here in the States. I went to Poland to visit him, and we got engaged to the shock and horror of my parents I’m sure. Ha! I am so grateful to him for working hard which allows me to spend these precious years with our baby. He is a kind hearted soul.
The forest just looking like a fairy tale.
We spend a lot of time in the mountains during the summer, both camping (remember my camper make-over?) and at my parents home. My daughter is very close with my parents and a lot of the pictures have been taken by my mom while we are visiting them. Getting out in nature is important to us, and that’s probably reflected in the photos on the blog.
Speaking of photos, I am trying to get better at taking pictures. All of my photos are taken by me, sometimes my mom, sometimes my husband, and believe it or not, I’ve got a couple up that my daughter took. The whole “photography” thing is fun to try and learn, but it’s also very time consuming. It’s like a whole new hobby on top of a hobby (knitting and crochet) on top of another hobby (blogging). Weeeee!
One of my favorite pics and projects this year. I was stunned when Homespun Magazine decided to publish it back in June.
So there’s a bit about us. It may look like I have everything together in the pictures, but the reality is, this is a happy life, but a messy, real, sometimes tough life! Overall, I remember how thankful I am that I am surrounded by people that I love and I get to enjoy hobbies with my bits of precious time.
Thanks to each of you for the inspiration that you have given me!
Love your stories……………..you are so lucky to have a husband that supports you……mine does too….to a certain point…..but I can tell he likes for me to pay more attention to him…..
God Bless
That was one of the nicest post I have read in a long time. I am 67 widowed and also adore my grandchildren which I am so blessed to have living right next door to me. I recently lost my Mother 93 yrs young. She was the inspiration of this family and I had the pleasure of having her in my home for the past 18 years. Your wonderful post just made me think of her. We have always crocheted and knitted. However living in Florida not much need for knitting. I find crochet easier. I love your blog and Love you.
Hi Nancy,
How very sweet your comment is. Thanks for taking the time to let me know a bit about yourself. You are blessed indeed to have your grandchildren living right next door to you. I am so sorry for the loss of your dear mother. That must have been really hard especially after she lived with you for so long. Thanks again Nancy for taking the time to leave a comment. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your dear family!
That was a wonderful read. Thanks for sharing your life with us. My husband also supports my knitting and crochet habit. When going into a craft store his last words are stay as long as you want and enjoy. Thanks again for sharing.
Oh, you’ve got a good husband to tell you something like that when you go in the craft store. 🙂 I’m not sure that mine has ever said that.
I’m so glad you are liking the blog and thanks for the sweet words Ruth Ann. 🙂
Love all your patterns and your blog too. thank you for sharing your story.
You’re welcome! Thank you Silvia for the kind words! 🙂
What a great post! I love your pictures and you are doing a great job! You have inspired so many of my projects and finally I am becoming more confident to build from your patterns. I learned to crochet from a kids learn to crochet book and YouTube. My Grandma, my Mom and my Aunt all crochet, but I had never taken the time to learn and then my Mom gave me my Grandma’s hooks and I was hooked. It was a part of her with me after 30 years of her being gone. With every project I finish my Mom tells me that my Grandma is so happy with me. Between raising chickens and crochet and cooking all the time I and becoming my Grandma! Now I am teaching my Mom crochet techniques over the phone, I’m now outside of Seattle and my parents are in Florida. She mostly makes baskets and placemats and the like. No need for blankets or hats or scarves in FL!
I too am a full time “at home mom” but with a 9 1/2 yo and a 3 1/2yo, I spend most of my days getting groceries and taking them to and from the karate dojo. I didn’t get to stay home for our son and I so wish I would have. Now today he looks me eye to eye and can pick me up and we have conversations! Now I am loving every day home with my baby girl, she is also in preschool three days a week, and we play all day. She loves taking out my yarn and sorting the colors and my big button bag and sorting those. During my latest blanket project she would find the next color yarn for me and stage them. She loves to play in my tackle box of hooks and pens and stitch makers. I can see her crocheting some day!
Thank you for such a lovely blog, I am always happy to see the notification in my inbox and look forward to sitting down and reading your posts! Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m so happy to learn more about you Amy! You’ve been an inspiration to me with that amazing blanket, and you’ve been so kind to post so many pictures of what you’ve made on my page. I LOVE seeing it all….and you are doing an awesome job with making them your own! I can’t believe that you had all of those family members crocheting and you never had! Isn’t YouTube the best to learn? By the way, Seattle is one of my favorite places. My brother lived there for years, he went to University of Washington and it was such a treat to visit him. For sure your mom doesn’t need the scarves and all down in Florida. I sometimes think of the folks in the warmer weather climates and what they must knit and crochet. It’s so great that you get to stay home with your kids now too….and it’s so cool that we have girls just about the same age. How cute that your daughter would find the next color yarn for your blanket. Adorable! And you have chickens?! Oh I’m jealous. 🙂 With your son, he’s certainly at that age that you are having to drive him all over for activities – he must be good at Karate! Thanks again Amy for all the support and kind words. I’m so happy to know more about you! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well!
Yes, we have 6 chickens!! 3 of them are currently laying eggs almost every day! It’s so fun for my youngest to run out and find an egg in the nesting box. She loves the chickens too, some times a bit too much. Chickens are super super easy!
And actually both kids do karate now. It’s so awesome to see a three year old in pigtails in a gi doing karate chops and yelling in her high pitched voice. She gets into her brother karate weapons and runs around the house! Yikes!!
Ok, back to this Sunday Shawl project and I really must get to sleep, but HGTV is on and this project is coming together!!!
TTYL!!!
BTW, a bag of yarn balls and a big bag of buttons keeps a little girl busy for about 45 minutes!!!
Jessica, this post truly brought a smile to my face. You are a sweetheart of a daughter and I am so proud of you. I always knew you have been blessed with many gifts, but my goodness, this is just incredible how in a very short time you have created so many fun patterns and ideas to share. Enjoy your yarn break and while we are talking about November being a month for being thankful, I am thankful for you!
Hi Jessica! Much the same as you I taught myself to knit by reading books, sheer force of determination mostly! I learned the basic crochet stitches as a child, but for many years I didn’t enjoy it. About 15 years ago, I was ill and bored so I picked up a hook and yarn again. I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed it, I even had a boutique sell my shrugs, bags, and cover ups. But I never could get the hang of knitting, so many people tried to teach me, nothing worked. But a little over two years ago, I finally got it! Now, I can’t stop, the more complex the better. I too have one child who is my world, but she’s 27 now. I really enjoy your blog and recommend it to anyone who is a shy knitter or novice at crochet. Your patterns are easy-to-use, fun, creative and just plain adorable! Thank you for taking the time to write a blog, it is a lot of work! I hope that you keep going forward, and I am not surprised that your photo made it into a magazine it is my favorite one on your blog. Happy thanksgiving to you and your family!
Hi Rebecca!
You’re welcome, and thank YOU for taking the time to write a bit about yourself and for all the sweet words about my blog. It means a ton to me! Wow, you have quite a story and history with crocheting. What a dream to have your own boutique with your shrugs and whatnot. Lovely! You know, I am similar to you in that knitting was so much more difficult for me to learn than crochet. How cool that you conquered that and now you are making such complex projects. That’s awesome. I really would like to start to stretch my skills a bit more this year. I also enjoy hearing from other mamas with only one child. I don’t know too many myself, so it’s nice to hear of others out there. Thanks again for the kind words, and have a happy Thanksgiving!
Jessica,
Thank you for that lovely, heart felt post:) I am just starting to knit with my fingers and arms, but am looking into some needles to learn that too! I have a 14 month old and for about 2 weeks, I knit almost every night! My hubby is also supportive, but he really has to be because I support him with his nerdy hobbies! Ha:) thank you for all of your patterns and pictures, it makes me feel like I sort of know you by reading your posts and you seem like a very nice and loving mom/person to be around.
Ha ha! You are right. If we support the hubby’s nerdy hobbies, they better support ours. Ha! That made me laugh. I’m so happy to know a bit about you too Chianne. Thanks for sharing! I think I replied to your other comment that I’ve wanted to try the arm knitting thing. So I should try that, and you should try the needles. 🙂 Thanks for your kind words about the blog.
My boyfriend’s mom taught me how to crochet. She also taught all of her children, boys too…each one made a blanket. A few years later I found a booklet ( 27¢, which tells you it was quite a while ago) with doilies, placemats, and tablecloths made with knit crosheen (? sp). I bought some tiny hooks and set to work. I made placemats,a collar, and a tablecloth that took about a year to make. Now I crochet with a group at my church called Loving Hands. We make blankets, hats, scarves, prayer shawls, baby clothes, chemo caps, pillows for church members, people who come to our free lunch and to our food pantry. When there’s an auction at church we make things for that too. It’s a lot of fun. I have tried to learn to knit but it has eluded me so far. I love to cross stitch also. I do a lot of it in front of the TV. I need to keep my hands busy; it’s hard to just sit!!
Thanks for sharing Lynn! You’ve done some big projects! I hear ya about having to keep the hands busy. It’s always been hard for me to just sit and watch t.v. without doing something with my hands.
Love your stories……………..you are so lucky to have a husband that supports you……mine does too….to a certain point…..but I can tell he likes for me to pay more attention to him…..
God Bless
That was one of the nicest post I have read in a long time. I am 67 widowed and also adore my grandchildren which I am so blessed to have living right next door to me. I recently lost my Mother 93 yrs young. She was the inspiration of this family and I had the pleasure of having her in my home for the past 18 years. Your wonderful post just made me think of her. We have always crocheted and knitted. However living in Florida not much need for knitting. I find crochet easier. I love your blog and Love you.
Hi Nancy,
How very sweet your comment is. Thanks for taking the time to let me know a bit about yourself. You are blessed indeed to have your grandchildren living right next door to you. I am so sorry for the loss of your dear mother. That must have been really hard especially after she lived with you for so long. Thanks again Nancy for taking the time to leave a comment. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your dear family!
That was a wonderful read. Thanks for sharing your life with us. My husband also supports my knitting and crochet habit. When going into a craft store his last words are stay as long as you want and enjoy. Thanks again for sharing.
Oh, you’ve got a good husband to tell you something like that when you go in the craft store. 🙂 I’m not sure that mine has ever said that.
I’m so glad you are liking the blog and thanks for the sweet words Ruth Ann. 🙂
Love all your patterns and your blog too. thank you for sharing your story.
You’re welcome! Thank you Silvia for the kind words! 🙂
What a great post! I love your pictures and you are doing a great job! You have inspired so many of my projects and finally I am becoming more confident to build from your patterns. I learned to crochet from a kids learn to crochet book and YouTube. My Grandma, my Mom and my Aunt all crochet, but I had never taken the time to learn and then my Mom gave me my Grandma’s hooks and I was hooked. It was a part of her with me after 30 years of her being gone. With every project I finish my Mom tells me that my Grandma is so happy with me. Between raising chickens and crochet and cooking all the time I and becoming my Grandma! Now I am teaching my Mom crochet techniques over the phone, I’m now outside of Seattle and my parents are in Florida. She mostly makes baskets and placemats and the like. No need for blankets or hats or scarves in FL!
I too am a full time “at home mom” but with a 9 1/2 yo and a 3 1/2yo, I spend most of my days getting groceries and taking them to and from the karate dojo. I didn’t get to stay home for our son and I so wish I would have. Now today he looks me eye to eye and can pick me up and we have conversations! Now I am loving every day home with my baby girl, she is also in preschool three days a week, and we play all day. She loves taking out my yarn and sorting the colors and my big button bag and sorting those. During my latest blanket project she would find the next color yarn for me and stage them. She loves to play in my tackle box of hooks and pens and stitch makers. I can see her crocheting some day!
Thank you for such a lovely blog, I am always happy to see the notification in my inbox and look forward to sitting down and reading your posts! Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m so happy to learn more about you Amy! You’ve been an inspiration to me with that amazing blanket, and you’ve been so kind to post so many pictures of what you’ve made on my page. I LOVE seeing it all….and you are doing an awesome job with making them your own! I can’t believe that you had all of those family members crocheting and you never had! Isn’t YouTube the best to learn? By the way, Seattle is one of my favorite places. My brother lived there for years, he went to University of Washington and it was such a treat to visit him. For sure your mom doesn’t need the scarves and all down in Florida. I sometimes think of the folks in the warmer weather climates and what they must knit and crochet. It’s so great that you get to stay home with your kids now too….and it’s so cool that we have girls just about the same age. How cute that your daughter would find the next color yarn for your blanket. Adorable! And you have chickens?! Oh I’m jealous. 🙂 With your son, he’s certainly at that age that you are having to drive him all over for activities – he must be good at Karate! Thanks again Amy for all the support and kind words. I’m so happy to know more about you! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well!
Yes, we have 6 chickens!! 3 of them are currently laying eggs almost every day! It’s so fun for my youngest to run out and find an egg in the nesting box. She loves the chickens too, some times a bit too much. Chickens are super super easy!
And actually both kids do karate now. It’s so awesome to see a three year old in pigtails in a gi doing karate chops and yelling in her high pitched voice. She gets into her brother karate weapons and runs around the house! Yikes!!
Ok, back to this Sunday Shawl project and I really must get to sleep, but HGTV is on and this project is coming together!!!
TTYL!!!
BTW, a bag of yarn balls and a big bag of buttons keeps a little girl busy for about 45 minutes!!!
Jessica, this post truly brought a smile to my face. You are a sweetheart of a daughter and I am so proud of you. I always knew you have been blessed with many gifts, but my goodness, this is just incredible how in a very short time you have created so many fun patterns and ideas to share. Enjoy your yarn break and while we are talking about November being a month for being thankful, I am thankful for you!
Hi Jessica! Much the same as you I taught myself to knit by reading books, sheer force of determination mostly! I learned the basic crochet stitches as a child, but for many years I didn’t enjoy it. About 15 years ago, I was ill and bored so I picked up a hook and yarn again. I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed it, I even had a boutique sell my shrugs, bags, and cover ups. But I never could get the hang of knitting, so many people tried to teach me, nothing worked. But a little over two years ago, I finally got it! Now, I can’t stop, the more complex the better. I too have one child who is my world, but she’s 27 now. I really enjoy your blog and recommend it to anyone who is a shy knitter or novice at crochet. Your patterns are easy-to-use, fun, creative and just plain adorable! Thank you for taking the time to write a blog, it is a lot of work! I hope that you keep going forward, and I am not surprised that your photo made it into a magazine it is my favorite one on your blog. Happy thanksgiving to you and your family!
Hi Rebecca!
You’re welcome, and thank YOU for taking the time to write a bit about yourself and for all the sweet words about my blog. It means a ton to me! Wow, you have quite a story and history with crocheting. What a dream to have your own boutique with your shrugs and whatnot. Lovely! You know, I am similar to you in that knitting was so much more difficult for me to learn than crochet. How cool that you conquered that and now you are making such complex projects. That’s awesome. I really would like to start to stretch my skills a bit more this year. I also enjoy hearing from other mamas with only one child. I don’t know too many myself, so it’s nice to hear of others out there. Thanks again for the kind words, and have a happy Thanksgiving!
Jessica,
Thank you for that lovely, heart felt post:) I am just starting to knit with my fingers and arms, but am looking into some needles to learn that too! I have a 14 month old and for about 2 weeks, I knit almost every night! My hubby is also supportive, but he really has to be because I support him with his nerdy hobbies! Ha:) thank you for all of your patterns and pictures, it makes me feel like I sort of know you by reading your posts and you seem like a very nice and loving mom/person to be around.
Ha ha! You are right. If we support the hubby’s nerdy hobbies, they better support ours. Ha! That made me laugh. I’m so happy to know a bit about you too Chianne. Thanks for sharing! I think I replied to your other comment that I’ve wanted to try the arm knitting thing. So I should try that, and you should try the needles. 🙂 Thanks for your kind words about the blog.
My boyfriend’s mom taught me how to crochet. She also taught all of her children, boys too…each one made a blanket. A few years later I found a booklet ( 27¢, which tells you it was quite a while ago) with doilies, placemats, and tablecloths made with knit crosheen (? sp). I bought some tiny hooks and set to work. I made placemats,a collar, and a tablecloth that took about a year to make. Now I crochet with a group at my church called Loving Hands. We make blankets, hats, scarves, prayer shawls, baby clothes, chemo caps, pillows for church members, people who come to our free lunch and to our food pantry. When there’s an auction at church we make things for that too. It’s a lot of fun. I have tried to learn to knit but it has eluded me so far. I love to cross stitch also. I do a lot of it in front of the TV. I need to keep my hands busy; it’s hard to just sit!!
Thanks for sharing Lynn! You’ve done some big projects! I hear ya about having to keep the hands busy. It’s always been hard for me to just sit and watch t.v. without doing something with my hands.