Basket Case

Every year for my birthday I try to learn something new. Except for a couple years when the stresses of life got in the way it’s gone well. One year I learned to knit. It took a long time for that to take hold but I very much enjoy it now. Another year I bought a beginner cheesemaking kit and learned to make cheese. Ummm, homemade mozzarella is delicious. I got a bunch of bread making books from the library one year and taught myself to make bread. I now have an entire shelf in my pantry devoted to flours, grains, and seeds. I love to make bread. It’s good for my soul. There have been other experiments throughout the years. Some I’ve enjoyed and others I haven’t but I was glad I tried them all. It feels good to learn something new even if you never want to try it again.

I’ve been having problems this year. My birthday is coming up next month and I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to try. There were a few options but none seemed quite right. I was thinking I could take a class in something I already knew and get better at it but that didn’t seem right. I am supposed to learn something new for my birthday. My birthday is only once a year; I can take classes anytime I want. It was really starting to bug me. Then last week, we went to Jamestown.

They have a re-created Native American village and we were having fun learning to prepare hides, grinding cornmeal, watching the chickens, and learning how to cook corn soup in clay pots over coals. It was interesting but I was more interested in the grass baskets. I liked the way they felt and the way they smelled. The woven patterns seemed so complicated but unassuming. In a way, they reminded me of every person I’ve ever loved. I couldn’t stop myself from picking them up and seeing how they were made. I was still thinking about them when we went to the fort and also when we boarded the boats. I stopped thinking about them when we got to the gift shop. Good grief, there must have been a hundred screaming kids in there. But they came back to mind when I saw a basket making kit. It was for children ages 10 and up but I figured I was definitely in the up category so I bought it. They weren’t the same types of basket. The kit was for the wide reed type baskets and I really like the grass baskets. It’ll be a good start.

I’ve looked through the directions and I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to figure it out. I think it’s one of those things you just have to do. So I’ll be doing it before long. When I get a free day and feel adventurous. Wish me luck!

Recommendations - Safety

I recommend that you always:

Grab one of these before grabbing something hot and satisfying. 

This is my new favorite knit potholder pattern.  It took me three tries to get it right but I’m liking it. 

Knit a Hat; Write a Blog Post

I finally got the hats for my daughters done. I let them pick their own yarn. The ones on top are last years hats. The new ones are on the bottom. It surprises me how much their tastes change from year to year. Heck, sometimes from day to day.

My little one went from pastel rainbow striped to fuzzy blue and burgundy. The oldest went from wanting a batch of fall leaves on top of her head to a tasteful mauve with colorful speckles. The year before I made a red chenille brimmed hat for her. Her sister choose a fuzzy lavender. I wonder what they’ll want next year. I suppose time will tell :)

Now back to work for me. My niece wants a fuzzy purple hat. Happy knitting!

I’ve been upgraded again! :)

Did I not ask Google to NOT upgrade anything for at least two weeks? They apparently could care less. They waited until I was on vacation and went and upgraded the stupid reader. Bunch of wusses. Had to do it when I wasn’t looking huh? I don’t care that I like the new reader better. So what if I can click on my pottery folder and only look at pottery. It’s very convenient. But this, it’s just principle…. Shit!

Ummm…It has been more than two weeks. I lost track of time. Sorry. Can you give me a month before you upgrade me again? Please? I’ll give you the link to knitting porn . Though, I guess since you are a search engine, you probably already have that. At least I tried.

Look Mom, I’m Needling!

Several years ago, for my birthday, I decided to learn to knit. I had a small bag of knit baby clothes that had belonged to my father-in-law. His mother had made them for him. They were over 70 years old and in perfect condition. I never met his mother. She passed away several years before I even knew my husband existed. But I felt like I had a small piece of her with me when I wrapped my new baby up in one of her comfy little sweaters. I loved how the soft wool felt in my hands. The perfect little stitches were amazing. I wanted to make something my children could use to keep their babies warm.

I went to the craft store, bought some needles, bought some yarn, bought a how-to-knit book and started. It didn’t go very well. The yarn, needles, and book ended up being launched across the room in a fit of frustration. It landed against the railing to the stairs and it stayed there for several weeks. I eventually put it all in a plastic grocery bag and tucked it away in my closet.

A few years later I found that bag in the back of the closet. I decided to give it one more try. Things went a lot easier this time. Before I knew it, I had made a pair of fuzzy purple mittens for my daughter. They didn’t fit well, they were a bit crooked, and the thumb had a small hole in it. She loved them. I made her a matching hat and scarf. Then I made a second set in warm fall colors for my other daughter. She was so proud of them.

Not too long ago, my youngest decided to “needle” like mommy. Her little hands wrapped in yarn and a big pair of orange needles that had belonged to her Grandmother was too charming to pass up. It didn’t take her long to change course. She decided the needles were a perfect tool to dig up worms. I can’t help but wonder if she’ll decided to try “needle-ing” again. A part of me hopes she does. I have a bunch of needles. They would be perfect for her babies to dig up worms.