Just a little video update over on my YouTube channel.
I hope you all carve out some time for yourselves with knitting in your hands!

Libby had a few friends over to help decorate the cookies.  They did an amazing job.

The winner of the book 60 more quick baby blankets is number 4, Missy.  Missy, please email me, and I will make sure this sweet book lands in your mailbox!

 I knit one present this year.  A pair of those mitts.  And when I finished I laid them on top of each other and low and behold they were two different lengths.  I was off by two rows.  I stretched and pulled and thought, heck, they are fine.  But then the voice in my head said, really?!  So... I cast on for another mitt.
And my awesome hairstylist will get a pair and an extra mitt.  A bonus mitt let's say.  In case she looses one. 😊

My college kids are home for Christmas break.  I have one happy heart.

I don't know what took me so long to buy a sweater, a mitten and a hat cookie cutter.  I mean seriously.  Knitters that like to bake without knitwear cookie cutters?!
I used this recipe.  Seriously good.  Waiting for Libby to get home from college to decorate them.  (Tomorrow!  Yippee!)

Okay, friends. This may be the cutest book of baby blanket patterns I have ever seen!
I flipped through the book marking my favorites with post it notes.  I think I put a post it note on every single pattern.  I'm not kidding.  This is honestly, the most spectacular selection of baby blanket patterns I have ever seen.
Honeycomb anything.  Swoon.
Are you kidding me?  Both of my boys would have been swaddled in this number.
These three farm animals tucked into bed.  Adorable.
There are so many more.  There is a mermaid Tail, heart motif, sailboats.  You name it.  It's in there.

And guess what?  The sweet peeps over at Sterling would like to give a copy to one of my readers.  If interested, please leave a comment here before Monday, December 18, 5pm EST, and I will have the random number generator choose a number.

Happy Friday!

Imagine being tucked away in a little valley, snugly nestled between hills and mountains, little houses lined up together in the brightest, happiest painted colors.  -knitcrate

I actually can imagine just that.  And it makes me excited for this time of year.  For two hour delays and for snow days.

This months knitcrate contained 2 skeins of La Bribes 100% Peruvian Highland Wool.  I just love the color way.  Perfect for a hat with ear warmers.  And the tempest Hat is just that. A crochet pattern was also included.  A lovely Frost Flower Cowl.

This crate retails for $63.00 and is available for $24.99.  If interested in ordering use the code FKW20 to receive 20% off of your first crate.  (That code works for any crate!)

Do you all think those thoughts?
How many more or less photos you would have taken?  I take a lot now.  I took a lot then.  It was digital back in 2007, after all.
Would I be the super photo snapping mom that I was with my camera?  Would I post all of the everyday pics that the younger moms of this generation post?  I tell my kids what a great photo album they would have had, cause in my mind, of course I would have!   I tell Andrew that he would have had an album!  (Haha!  Those poor youngest children.)
Happy 20017... From our 2007.
And in case you wondered?  They, of course, are wearing hand knit sweaters! 😉

Today marks three years without the only father I ever knew.  I would love to say that time heals all wounds.  I think as individuals we are able to move on.  But the feeling of loss is there. When you let yourself dig deep, and let yourself feel again, those feeling come bubbling to the surface.  And it's okay.  It's a gift to have had that much love in your life.  
I miss him.  I miss the way he opened his heart and loved unconditionally.  He taught me so much.  And for that, I am forever grateful.

 Meet toast with purls.

I think of these arm warmers as being a slightly dressier version of toast.  (My mind suddenly goes to making toast and wearing pearls.)😉

The pattern is over on ravelry and you can download your free copy using the code "merryandbright".     (Available until Midnight on Thursday.) I bet you can whip a pair out in time for a gift.  OR you can save the pattern and knit a pair for yourself over your holiday break.  Yes, a pair for yourself sounds lovely.

Enjoy!

xx, leslie

This was only the second year we have ever cut down our Christmas year.  We thought it would be really great to drive to the farm to get a fresh tree.  We found our favorite tree almost instantly.  Perfectly shaped and perfectly full.  It even came with it's very own birds nest.  We couldn't understand why everyone passed up this beauty!  The tree stand has never been without water, yet it is truly drying up before our very eyes.  It is shrinking and we can literally hear the needles falling onto the hardwood floor like gentle raindrops.  I'm thinking that by January 1st we will be left with our very own Charlie Brown Tree.

My yarn arrived for my next project;  humulus.  SO looking forward to casting on, but must wait until I finish a few small Christmas gifts.
It took me quite a while to decide on a yarn choice and color combo.  I'm going to be using the lovely Quince yarn in Lark.

It was the first time I made a peppermint cake.  I figured it was that time of year, and this year I am feeling particularly festive. It wasn't that pretty, but it sure was delicious.

Guys!  I'm not the first to do this... but it was my first time doing this.  I grabbed the greens from the discard pile at Home Depot.  Along with the discarded trunks.  And, voila!  Instant, inexpensive (free!) center piece.  That is happy decorating!

Pattern: 100 x simple cowl
Yarn: 4 skeins of Stonehedge Fiber Mill Crazy
Needle size:  size 8 (or 7) circular needles

 Ha.  So, remember when we decided to Rent the Chickens?!  Well, we loved it so much we decided to Adopt the Chickens.  The chicken experience was just too great.  And fresh eggs daily?  It's a dream!
Meet Scarlett, Violett, Gray and Lucille.

I have missed knitting for my kids so much.  I hat here or there.  A pair of socks.  An occasional sweater for Libby (in which I choose the pattern).  But most of my knitting is for myself.  Except for the gift of Toast I give often to others.  Ack.  Does that sound selfish?  I sure hope not.  It's just that my boys don't want me to knit them a sweater.  However, I think Steve would probably love a sweater so I should definitely think about making him one in 2018.
Well, a couple of weeks ago, I received a text from Libby with a screen shot of the Hotline sweater asking if I could make it for her.  Are you kidding me?!  I'M ON IT!  The fact that she went to Wool And The Gang's site, looking for a sweater for me to make her made my heart sing.  Truly music to this mothers ears.

I hope I always appreciate a sunrise and a sunset.
I am grateful to have the winter sunsets to admire from our home.
As the sun rose this morning, I drank coffee in bed while scrolling through instagram and treasuring the beauty of a cotton candy sky.
Appreciating the gift of another 24 hours of being alive.

So... guys!  A bouquet of yarn?  Talk about making my day!  The sweet peeps over at Knitcrate sent me this beautiful bouquet.  How wonderful for a knitter to receive!  I am SO remembering this as a gift idea.  They used straight knitting needles as the skeins "stems" to keep the skeins from flopping.  And yarn to hold the bouquet together.  Absolutely perfect.  And SO, SO, thoughtful!
Did you know that Sandy from by the lakeside is now dying her own yarn?  Yep.  She is.  And it is delicious.  This is her Casual Friday fingering weight yarn.  80% Superwash merino/ 20% nylon.  I love her names that she chose for them.  "Exceptionally Ordinary" on the left.  ""I hope there's pudding" on the right. (Are those awesome names or what?!)  Sandy will update her shop on December 7 at 12pm EST.  Her project bags are the bomb!
Spirited Fibers is Adirondack yarns own line. 80% washable merino/20% nylon.   It's dreamy... and those colors!

I'm seriously loosing sleep over all of this yarn.  I can't wait to cast on with all of it!

I'm thinking of a blogging challenge for the month of December.  I've missed my camera.  And this space.  I want to capture those moments of beauty that are everyday life.  So, I will try to post something every day.  Even if it is just a photo.  Feel free to join me and let me know if you do!

However, I am going to try to wear it more.   I'll be the girl wearing a bib if I'm having a red sauce or a red wine.

I bought this as a kit from Adirondack yarns.  They offer three gradient choices.  I had the hardest time deciding between the blue or the grey shades.  The taupe is great, too.  I'd actually like one in every color.   Then I would wear them all!

Pattern: Gradient Poncho in grey by Adirondack yarns.

When my sister and I took Andrew to Amsterdam last May, we googled yarn shops in the area. When I visit a city or country I always like to check out a yarn shop.  This one did not disappoint.  (I posted about it here.)  I bought one skein of yarn and one canvas bag.  I knew I would make a pair of toast, but was pleasantly surprised to have a lot of yarn left when I finished.  SO... I cast on for a pair of toasty and was thrilled that I had a pair of both.

Have you made toast or toasty?  If not, now's your chance.  To celebrate the shopping weekend, Toast and Toasty are 50% off now through the end of day Monday.   Follow this link and use the code "friendsgive" at checkout.

Also... The ultimate guide to Black Friday/Cyber Monday all things knitty sale can be found here.  (Thank you Knit Like Granny!)

Happy Weekend, Friends!

There is always so much to be thankful for.  However, this year, I am overwhelmed with how grateful I am for this life.
So thankful for this Tribe of knitters.  Truly a gift.
Hope everyone has a heart full of Love and a hand filled with yarn.
xx,
leslie

It truly is a great day when I see this blue box in my mail delivery!  I was so excited to see the word cozy as soon as I opened the box.  That seems to be one of our favorite words in our house!  So the "cozy" theme is perfect.
The patterns:  For intermediate/advanced ::  Sage Cowl.
For the beginner ::  Fawn Hat & Mitts
The extras:  My very own first pair of ChiaoGoo needles!  I have heard a lot of people talk about these and love them.  I, quite honestly, love the name.  I'm super excited to give them a try.

I should have been telling you the retail value of these boxes.  I guess I'll start now!  The retail value of this crate is $75.00 (The cost for the Artisan Crate is $34.99) If interested in ordering, use the code FKW20 to receive 20% off your first Knitcrate.  (That code works for any crate!)

Happy weekend!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and friends on my last post.  Things are progressing with all of the boys and healing is happening.  Praise the Lord.  Andrew had the drain and all of the stitches removed and I gave him his last Lovenox shot!  (YIPPEE!)  He will start PT next Monday.
Because I love showing you what is in the Knitcrates, and documenting it for myself, it seems that I can't move forward with November's crate  (which arrived today!) until I show you October's crate.
October was good.  Very, very good.
The yarn:  A hundred Ravens, Raven's Wing, 100% Superwash merino wool.  I just love this gorgeous purple, especially appropriate for Halloween and the theme of Octobers crate... wicked!

The pattern:  Always two patterns.  One beginner, and one intermediate.  The beginner is a pair of Moonwalk Legwarmers. (I'm wondering if Libby would like these.)  The intermediate/advanced is a pair of aeronaut armwarmers and a hat.  I'm crazy about the arm warmers.
The extra:  An adorable magnetic bookmark by Crafted Van.  I forgot how much I love magnetic bookmarks!

As always, if you are interested in ordering, use the promo code FKW20 to receive 20% off your first knitcrate!

Three weeks ago, Steve and I headed to the Oregon Coast.  It's been on my list for a while.  We felt it was just what we needed after recuperating from my broken foot and ankle.  That all seems so silly now.
Our first morning there, I received a text that rocked my world more than anything I had ever been through before.  You see, my sweet Andrew had been in an auto accident.  The text came through in a group text that included the parents of Andrew's golf team.  Andrew and three other members of the golf team were involved in an auto accident.  Andrew was driving.  I crumbled to my knees.  The SUV hit a bank, flipped and hit a utility poll.  The utility poll fell on the car.  Three boys were rushed to the ER at Children's Hospital.  My son, Andrew, was pinned in the car.  It took the fire department two hours to get him out.  Once out, he was rushed to the trauma unit.
I was totally helpless on the other side of the country.
The next 20 hours are a complete blur.  Getting ourselves to Portland Airport.  We purchased tickets to Pittsburgh via San Francisco.  The San Francisco flights were cancelled due to the awful fires.  Rerouted through Newark, we finally made it home at 11am the next day.
Andrew had been through the first of 3 surgeries to repair his femur.  Three of the four boys had to be hospitalized.  Each sustaining injuries that will take care and time.
The accident has left scars on all of the boys.  Physical and emotional.  To say that I have been afraid has been an understatement.  I've worried non stop about all of the boys.  About their families.  I hate that they have all gone throw this extremely difficult time.  The love and support from our community along with the power of prayer from friends and family will never be forgotten.  God has answered our prayers and eventually all of our boys will be back to themselves.

The fragility of life is always present.  But has been even more so during these past few weeks.  Please, remind your people not to speed.  To pay attention.  To live life carefully.  It's beautiful and precious and by the grace of God they are all here to enjoy it.  Thank you God.

I haven't knit many shawls in my life.  Actually, maybe only a handful.  But, wow.  I can see why so many knitters love to knit them.  SO much versatility when you wear a shawl.  And it truly fits anyone.
This was a pattern that was in the March KNITCRATE.  (The monthly subscription where you receive yarn + pattern.) I saw the pattern on Ravely thinking it was the same one.  Which it is.  However, the pattern on Ravelry uses a worsted weight yarn.  And this one used a fingering weight yarn.
Knit out of Crock -O- Dye.  65% Superwash Wool, 20 Nylon and 15% silk.  Super soft.  Super airy.  Warmth without weight.  Gotta love that.

Happy Weekend friends!