I like her.

I can't help it. I know Nikki McClure is really popular and everywhere I look and if for a moment I forget how that usually bugs me and turns me away I am honestly impressed and moved by her paper cuts. I love how simple the images are, how not simple the process must be, turning each corner and making delicate shapes with a blade or many different blades; how slow and thoughtful this handwork is. Also, I am drawn to parents who create and parent well at the same time. Bea has the book, "Awake to Nap" by her and on the back it says something I like very much,

"I made this book while my infant son napped. I could only cut the pictures while he slept so the pictures are small and quick gleanings from my new life as a mother.  The dining room table became my studio.  I would put down my pencil as lightly as possible so as not to disturb the baby, hoping for a few more moments of work before I, too, had to take a nap.

The alphabet was never finished intentionally; the naps were too short and life too thrilling to justify going all the way to Z. I no longer had the attention span and neither did my baby. We were too awake."

I love how we must incorporate our little ones into the lives we already had or the ones we want. It has to be the greatest example a parent can set: doing what you love and if a creative something is tugging at your shirt, take those moments in between everyone's needed naps and in between chores or forget the chores, just play the damn guitar.

Here is a fun interview with the talented Nikki McClure.

Watch Miranda July talk for two minutes about being a new parent.

The little things

The following pictures might show you how things move around here. I like the way this family thing is going. Many of these pictures were taken by Kenny. So, you may see some of his perspective too. Have you read how the sun's poles are currently switching? Amazing. I'm still trying to understand how to wrap my brain around it. On to the little things. Please note the two amazing quilts that Bea alternates playing on. The sweet hand stitched pink quilt is by Great Grandma Elaine and Great Great Grandma and the amazingly detailed bee themed quilt is from Great Aunt Judy. Lucky girl.

Half a year

My brain feels scattered like when paper flies in the air and then gently sways and rocks to the ground. So, it's a pretty good scattered though I don't get things accomplished the way I used to, with a brain like this and a baby. A baby, the girl of my dreams, Bea is six months old! It was half a year ago that we welcomed her into this chilly world and now, mid summer, she's eating sticks and tasting clover. She's so close to getting on her knees for the rock, right before the crawl. That girl wants to get around. When she nurses I watch her busy kneeding hands and then her long gulps as the milk comes in. Then she dozes, drinks, dozes and I think that I will not be able to watch this girl in this way for very much longer. I'm drinking it up and storing it for a day when she's older, swinging on the monkey bars (if she's that kind of gal). 

Her half birthday, it really does get better and better.

List

It's getting brisk out! Who knows, the heat may come back but a knitter doesn't care. It's time to start planning for autumn. Plus, a lady with little knitting time must start this shit early.

1. This lovely Heartwarmer for Bea. It's kind of a mini version of a Sontag, which I've started falling in love with thanks to Kate Davies. If you have never read her blog or seen her designs I highly recommend jaunting over to this Scottish gentlewoman's website. Inspiring!

2. Thrummed mittens. The pattern is from Interweave Knits October 2006. These have been on the list for years now. Can you believe you knit roving into the mitt? COZY! Three pairs coming right up. I can't help but want Bartlett Yarn for this project. It's simply my go to for heavy duty soon to be weathered knits.





3. Lots of basic socks, of course. Well, I'll probably only get around to a pair each and many for Bea. She has the smallest feet after all.

4. Many projects from this gem -

The Baby Surprise Jacket, Bonnet, and maybe the next size up in the Tomten and I can't help but want them in the sturdy wool of Bartlett again. It's water resistant and the color palate is, phew, the best.

5. And last but not really the last on the list because there's always something else on the list, a sweater for the man. I've got the yarn, Berroco Comfort from Close Knit. Talk about affordable and pretty, in teal. Maybe this pattern, from Purl Soho, without the pouch?

I truly want to hear about your projects now.

Dress

Blue Sky Alpaca : organic cotton from Close Knit,

Bea : baby with brand new tooth and a brand new dress,

and the sidewalk : cooled off after an evening nap and heavy direct sun all day.

This dress is the tester for my first ever written pattern. I'd like to see how comfortable a baby really is in it, how those straps stay up, if the length interferes with sitting, rolling, and eventually crawling. So far I'd like to change the weight of the yarn from worsted to sport, to keep it light. Maybe bring in the straps a little closer to the neck? The next dress, the one the pattern will be written from, will have some basic lace work instead of the two colors pictured here. I love the yarn and I love the fold over edge on the bottom there. It's so clean and pretty. Ah, it's cute and really fast, perfect for a busy person. A person busy with having fun. Anyway, I'll post the pattern as soon as it's finished!

little hand knits is alive!

June

Lots of pool time over here equals a good way to help long, teething, dad's at work, hot days. Lots of outside on a blanket time as well as she loves watching trees and tall grass move and the parent gets to lay down nearby and admire wide eyed, giggly fascination of such things. Sometimes tears form in this parent's eyes at the beauty in this and because just a few minutes before were really difficult with lots of crying and wriggling while trying to be bounced to sleep in a too warm house. I'm starting to understand our feisty girl's patterns a little more. Oh what a change of scenery and activity can do for all involved. I recommend it before anything else.

There are lots of new flowers in the mystery garden (we moved here in January) including an evening primrose (pictured at the top). It's amazing, flowering off and on all through the month and into July. It seems to close during the day and open in the evening, when it's cooler. We still have a few unknown green things with buds that are soon to pop!

Some lady, me, made Bea a tag toy! She loves tags. 

Just finished the pink knitted tank top. It was inspired by a Purl Bee pattern I'm having a really hard time finding again. 

and

Tried a new recipe for making fizzy kombucha. Ours is never fizzy and this is the closest it's ever been to store bought, deliciously carbonated kombucha. Check out this great tutorial: 

http://nourishingfoodways.com/2011/06/29/flavored-kombucha-how-to-make-your-favorites-at-home/

Isn't the scoby gross looking?