yarn along.

It has been a busy couple of weeks so sadly I haven't been knitting as much as I would like. Still working on my grey cowl... I love the yarn that I am using it's from Shibui. It's so soft and squishy. :)

I have been reading a lot lately, maybe since it's summer and summer should be full of books! Anyway I finished the book Scary Close and can I just say it's an amazing book! Loved the author's honesty and wisdom. a great book. Right now I am reading Sisterchicks do the Hula, a fun read that makes me laugh. 

What are you knitting or reading?

yarn along

Happy summer! I am so excited that it's summer. I have so many fun plans. One of my plans it to finish this gray cowl. I love this color and it's an easy knit. I believe cowls are my favorite things to knit. Our beautiful peonies are officially over for the season. It has been such a joy to see them every morning and their scent is my favorite.  They are beautiful and I especially love the white ones. 

This week I am reading the book Scary Close. What a great book! I am not finished with it yet, but it's amazing! When I read it, I keep a journal beside me to write down quotes that speak to me. There are so many great tips and words of wisdom hidden in the pages of the book. If you need a book to read, you should try it.  I would recommend it a thousand times over!

yarn along.

It has been a while since I joined yarn along, life has been quite crazy. Thankfully it's starting to settle down. We moved (same state) but different part of New York. So right now it's all about new beginnings which is great in a way. Meeting new people, designing a new room, and getting to know a new area can be quite fun!

This week I am knitting another cowl. I am planning on bringing loads of cowls to college because they are one of my favorite things to wear. Also I love making them which is an added bonus! I love the color of this yarn it reminds me of lavender. So this cowl is going to be called the lavender cowl! :) 

Regarding reading, I just started a book called Far From the Maddening Crowd. It's hard to get into but it sounds good. 

What are you knitting or reading?

yarn along

Finished my grapefruit cowl! I have worn it a couple of times this week, it's so soft! Also the color is one of my favorites. Last week someone commented and told me the color looks like grapefruits, and I decided to call it my grapefruit cowl. :) The pattern I am using is Milchkaffee by Cabin Four. 

Also I am still reading Gone With the Wind. I honestly really love this book. I was thinking I would have a hard time getting into it, but surprised myself and now I can't put it down. It's such a great story and has been keeping me occupied in the evenings and early mornings. 

What are you knitting or reading?

yarn along.

I took a short break from knitting, since I just completed a sweater. I decided to make something simple and am knitting a cowl, for college. The pattern I am using is called Milchkaffee. It's really very simple just the basic garter stitch. For this pattern, they asked you to use 2 different colors, but I decided to stick to just one, which makes it even easier! Anyway, it's good to be knitting again!

This week I am reading Gone With the Wind, a classic. I just finished watching the movie, another classic and I realized I never read the book. Well the book is amazing! My goal is to finish it by the end of May. It's such and incredible read and so well written.

What are you knitting or reading?

yarn along| 1st finished sweater.

Finally! After 4 months, my white sweater is finished! There are no words to express the joy I felt after I finished it. I was really nervous when I needed to sew the sides and sleeves together. It took about 2 times to get it. But right smack dab in the middle of the sewing, I realized I needed to approach this in a positive way. This may sound strange, but my perspective changed when I thought positive thoughts. While sewing I listened to this album on repeat and ate to much dark chocolate!

I appreciate all of the sweet comments and encouragement I received as I was making this sweater. It was definitely something I have been wanting to make for awhile. I am so glad I finally found the courage inside of me to complete it!

The sweater very "loose" and airy, as you can tell by the sleeves. For my first sweater, I didn't want something complicated and was so glad I picked this pattern. The pattern is called Hayward and I found it on Ravelry. 

By the way, I totally forgot to sew the ends in! I was so excited to take a picture of the sweater I forgot to sew them in. But I promise you they are sewed in now!

yarn along.

Y'all I am still working on my sweater! I really hope I finish it by the end of April. I am so close! Right now, I am knitting the last sleeve and after that all I need to do is sew up all the different pieces. I keep pinching myself, because I am making a sweater! The whole experience was easier than I imagined. The only thing we fear is fear itself. -Franklin Roosevelt 

This week I am reading the Guernsey Literacy and the Potato Peel Society. I have read this book before and really enjoyed it. It's a great evening read.

yarn along.

Ahh the days are flying by! I have been so busy with school, getting ready for college, reading good books, and spending time with friends/family. It seems like I don't have as much time as I used to have for knitting and scrapbooking. It's sad to think, but I am happy to be busy. 

Well I finished the front of my sweater and am now working on the sleeves. The only thing I keep questioning myself will it fit?! If it doesn't I can always give it to my sister, but I am hoping it does fit! Is this everyone's fear when your making a sweater? Cowls are easy because it's one size fits all, but sweaters are another story!

Also I just finished Lizzy & Jane. It's an amazing book about sisters, friendships, and finding your passion in life. I can't wait to read more from this author!

yarn along.

I am still knitting this sweater. I feel like I'll be knitting it for a while, but I am content with my slow knitting. It's all about the finished project and the memories that you make while knitting. Recently, I was thinking about my passions in life and one of them is knitting. To me it's amazing what you can make a ball of you, a pair of needles, and two hands. It's incredible to think. 

Right now I am reading Coming Attractions. The book is the third in a series that I love. I believe I have been reading books by this author since I was in 7th grade. Love this series and this author.

What are you knitting & reading?

 

yarn along

This week I am longing for spring! I can't wait to see green grass again and where flip flops! Spring come soon. I am still working on my lovely sweater. It has been fun and I love working on it. Recently I finished the Family Romanov. It was an excellent read! I love history, so this book was great for me. 

I am saddened that Downton Abbey is over for this year. It was such a great season, by far my favorite.

What are you knitting or reading?

yarn along.

My sweater is doing great. I love working with my favorite yarn and I am letting go of fears and perfection and pressing on to complete it.  Also not pictured I am learning to crochet. A friend from church is teaching my sister and I. It was such a great experience to learn another craft. I told her that I was afraid to learn and she answered, "Why are you afraid?" In my mind, I answered the fear of not getting it. But I let go of the fear and learned the basic stitch. It's so good to be surrounded by people who help you become a better person. I am so going to miss them all when I go to college. 

This week I finished reading the Astronaut Wives Club. I (wish) but didn't grow up in the space race, so I didn't firsthand see Neil Armstrong walk on the moon or anxiously watch the television as Apollo 13 circled the moon. But after reading stories and watching documentaries, I have always been amazed of the bravery of the men who went up to space. Through it all I never really thought of their families, but just of their famous trips into space. This book answered all of my questions. It mentioned the lives of the astronaut's wives, how they raised their families, and how afraid they were as their husband's went into space. It was a great weekend read that made me admire both the men and their wives bravery.  

What are you knitting or reading? 

yarn along.

Can I just say how excited I am to start my sweater again! After a few weeks of cowls, I am happily ready to start the back of my sweater. Hopefully I will not have any struggles, the first part was easy and I pray the back will be too! :) 

This week I am reading the Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen. I can't get enough of Jane! It has become such a passion for me to read anything related to Jane. I even checked out a dvd from the library that explores her home. Can't wait to watch it. But for now you'll find me knitting and watching X-Men! Have a happy Wednesday! 

What are you knitting or reading? 

yarn along.

Finally, I am on the last cowl 4 out of 4! Hopefully by next week I'll be knitting the back of my sweater. But I have to say, I really enjoyed the process and I liked working with different colors of yarn. It always seemed like I was knitting with a different color each week. Through all of this I have learned to be patient and that the best is yet to come! 

I have finished listening to Emma. It definitely took me awhile to finish it, but it's my second favorite Jane Austen book (my favorite will always be Pride and Prejudice.) At the end of the book I really enjoyed this quote that Mr. Knightly told Emma, "If I loved you less I might be able to talk about it more." So heartwarming!  Right now, I am reading Jane Austen's First Love. It's a sweet book written by the same author who wrote the Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen.  

yarn along.

This week I am still working on the cowls! Yes, even though there was the Superbowl and Downton Abbey, my knitting has been quite slow.  But on a brighter note, wasn't episode 5 of Downton Abbey the best? It was by far my favorite episode ever. I just love Downton! 

Right now, I am reading The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen. This book is on of my favorites and I totally recommend it to any Jane Austen fan. The memoir is all about the life of Jane Austen, it is a fiction book, but her personal life, family, and friends are all factual. It's a great read and makes you long to read all of Jane's books again! Thankfully I am still listening to Emma and am almost done! 

What are you knitting or reading? 

do what matters most.

This year I am learning to use my talents to help others. I like to say that I love knitting sweet little things for people and then making the package look pretty. But I wasn't doing it as often as I would have liked. God has been showing me in many ways to let go of perfection and to do more for others and not to focus so much on myself. To write this is hard, but to live this is even harder. Honestly it is hard to not think of myself as much and focus on others more. 

This week God put on my heart to give the baby booties that I was planning on selling to the pregnancy center, in my old hometown in Colorado. A few years ago, I donated a bunch of baby booties there and they were so appreciative. I knew I wanted to do it again, but never thought I had time to do it. 

When I started getting my supplies together, I realized that I love doing this. Organizing and knitting the baby booties and making the package look pretty makes me so happy. I realized that this is what I was made to do. 

A quote from my favorite author that is a reminder for me says, “The key is for you to discover what you love to do, what you were created to do, and then do it for the people around you with love. That is the abundant life, dear girl, no matter where in the world you live.” Robin Jones Gunn from the book Finally & Forever. 

The bags I created are one of my favorite things to make. They are fun to make, because you get to use paint, stamps, and my favorite that floral ribbon. Whenever I make these bags I think, “what would you like the bag to look like?” or “would this brighten your day?” My hope and dream for all of the knitted gifts/pretty packaging is it would make the receiver smile and know that they are loved. 

I would also like to know if you all know another place where I can send hats, booties, and blankets too? Please let me know in the comments! 

To view other bags I have made click here and here. I also found the tutorial on this blog.  

For the supplies, I used 8x10 muslin bags, Dear Lizzy ribbon, Dear Lizzy Daydreamer stamps, Magic Carpet kit, emerald paint, Americana paint Innocence, Dear Lizzy heart puffy stickers, Heavy Body acrylic paint, pink Berroco Comfort yarn, and Bernat blue yarn. 

yarn along.

This week New York and some other cities/states were hit by snow! It was definitely surprising to wake up to snow. I am originally from Colorado so I have seen alot of snow, but I haven't seen snow in a city. It felt good to shovel snow again and marvel at the beauty of white powder. 

Anyway I am still knitting the cowls, I am on 3 out of 4. I originally was going to make 5, but ran out of yarn. Also I am using the same pattern for all of them, which helps me to not get confused! Still wishing to pick up my sweater again, but first the cowls need to be finished! 

I am still listening to Emma and reading the paper, especially with a enticing cover story! 

yarn along.

I am still working on the cowls. Right now, I am on 2 out of 5. My goal is to start and finish a cowl in one week. It's definitely a big task, but thankfully I love making cowls. Unfortunately my sweater has been neglected, but after the cowls are done I want to start working on it again. I also think it's good to take a break from projects and work on others. It helps me not lose interest in the project.

At the moment I am listening to Emma by Jane Austen. I did finish the Goldfinch, finally! It wasn't my cup of tea and I do wish the ending was better but the main thing I am keeping in my heart is this song by Toby Mac, We lose our way, We get back up again It's never too late to get back up again, One day you will shine again, You may be knocked down, But not out forever.  

What are you knitting or reading? 

yarn along.

I finished the back of my sweater a few days ago! I couldn't believe how fast I knit it! I had plans to cast on the front part of the sweater, but a friend of mine asked if I could make a few cowls for her. So I jumped on the opportunity and took a break from my sweater. For me, I think this will be a good idea. I happen to get tired of projects to easily... and this will be a great break for me. Hopefully I'll finish the sweater, even though it may be completed in the summer. But the good thing is I'll be able to wear it this fall at the college I am attending! Bonus points right?!

Right now, I am finishing reading the Goldfinch. I really liked the beginning, but disliked the middle. I am hoping the end is good, because I really want to know what happens!! It's definitely not my favorite book, even though the beginning was amazing. 

Yarn Along.

I am making a sweater!!! The first part is fairly simple, but I am soaking up the simple moments because I know it will get harder in the future. The sweater pattern is called Hayward by Julie Hoover. Her designs are so pretty! 

Downton Abbey premiered in the US on Sunday. Since I don't have TV :( I was still able to watch the show on Masterpiece Classic PBS. If anyone would like to watch the 5th season click here. It's free and legal! :) It was so awesome to watch the show again and have my knitting in my hand. 

Right now I am still listening to Emma, but I also started The Goldfinch. I heard it was a really good book and the beginning is set in New York (where I live.) I can't wait to find out what happens in the end. 

What  are you knitting and reading? 

Yarn Along.

Honestly the title of the post should be, Melissa is making a sweater and has no idea what she is doing! I decided that I have been knitting cowls and scarfs for a while and have not ventured out to do something big (I think I was to scared that I would mess up.) But now I am ready! I decided to make this sweater on the night Downton Abbey starts and finish the day it ends to find more details about that click here. Also the yarn I am using is from Cascade and it is my favorite brand. Even though I am a little bit nervous this might be the hardest project I have ever completed, I am glad that the pattern is easy and I am using my favorite yarn! That's all that matters right!?

Anyway right now I am listening to Emma by Jane Austen. It's another great book by Jane. 

What are you reading or knitting? Also any helpful tips or encouragement would be greatly appreciated! :)