Siamo arrivati!...

We are here!...just.

After two (no three!) days of travel which involved nothing less than two 3 1/2 hour car drives, one 5 1/2 hour flight, one 3 hour flight, one train ride, one 3 1/2 hour bus ride and several hours of layovers, we are all feeling a little dazed but are no worse for wear other than being a wee bit exhausted and not being able to remember what day it is ;-) The not-so-glam bits of traveling...

But smiles were plentiful along the way and we had this to look forward to....

Aaaaahhhhh...

Siena is every bit as beautiful and magical as I remembered her being. She is still in her holiday finery and will be until epiphany (pix forthcoming), which is fine with me since,

I'm still feeling like I have one foot in the holiday season too.

We had a wonder-full break, full of gorgeous snowy days outside...

You've got mail ~ Vermont style...

My girl back from her semester across the pond!!!!...

{insert happiest of happy dances here}

And lots of coziness and joy inside...

Something pretty and functional for me found under the tree. Thanks to my sweet spouse and maker

Mim

i (just about the nicest person you'd ever want to meet here in blogland) for the prettiest needle case ever! And to my knitterly friends go check out

Mimi's site.

It's full of loveliness!...And did you catch the name of her shop?...I love it and knew that Mimi and I were kindred spirits the moment I saw it...just from my fave Jane Austen ever...

And now Siena...We are four here for now. My girl is back at school and started classes today, bless her heart. And my middle man will be with us for a week before he goes back to school.

Our apartment seems lovely, clean, and comfortable (for those of you who know me and understand my need for our house (even if it's just for a few months) to be a place I want to call home ~ you know what a huge relief this is for me. We will be here for three months ~ living, working and homeschooling. What a lucky duck I am, I know.

More soon, I promise. I thought I'd just bring you along with me on our Italian adventure, if thats okay. For now a parting shot of my view from the bus as our long day of travel was ending...aaahhh la bella Tuscany...

Somebody pinch me so I know we're really here!

~xox~

alison

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Girasole...

...one of my all time favorite Italian words...turning to the sun.  Even though I love and indeed crave and revel in grey days full of cozying, I am a heliotrope to my core.  But sunshine comes in all forms and fall means a lap full of colorful yarn and warmth from the oven baking something yummy.  Every year when the first hints of fall appear I am convinced that it must be my favorite season, but then I start thinking of the snow that is to come and get so excited for winter.  And is there anything more exciting than those first few hints of green after a winter of white...Or anything more lovely than a string of lazy summer days stretching out before you?  I think I just love the change.  Having grown up in southern Texas where the seasons are there but are so subtle, I find each change so exciting.  No matter that I have spent the whole of my adult life in four season locales, I still find it new and thrilling every time.  So here we are in Vermont with the promise of fall in the air and the remnants of summer still hanging on.  I am loving the grey misty mornings that greet us each morning with the clouds hugging the mountains outside my window...loving it!  As the day progresses it's always a mystery...will we get a last gasp of summer or a preview of fall?...best to pack the rain jackets and layer up just in case.  And today?...here is a view of my morning so far.  Out the front door...

 Good morning glory...

Hello sunshine...

 And into the garden...

 ...where the gifts of summer still abound.  Altogether wonderful these days of transitioning.  I'll get back to blogging about knitting and things crafty but for now, a big thank you for indulging me as I transition into our new life here in sabbaticaland.  Wishing you a sunny day!...

~xoxo~
alison 

    

Let the sabbatical begin!...

That's right!  We have hit the road and are officially on sabbatical! 

Well actually my husband is on sabbatical—the lad and I are just along for the ride, but it feels like we are all in it together (and indeed we are).  This sabbatical has been delayed several years and it feels so good and yet a little strange now that it's finally here.  I have that butterflies-in-the-stomach kind of anxiousness that always accompanies any new situation—you know that little flutter and thrill of possibility that lives behind your bellybutton, all of that what-will-it-be and where-will-it-take-us rush and excitement along with wee bit of apprehension, eagerness and earnestness.  Because I want to make the most of this time and want it to be good for all of us—productive and fun for all, I do spend a fair amount of time mulling things over, trying to get situated and deciding where and how to begin.  I want to get it right and yet know how ridiculous that is—how so much of what is good about taking a sabbatical is wrapped up in letting go and opening up.  Having done this before and knowing what a grand adventure it can be does help tons with the letting go and waiting and seeing.  The trick is to strike a balance—plan a bit and roll a lot.  Hence my sabbatical formula...

  carpe diem + que sera sera = la dolce vita.

Simple and elegant in spirit (if a bit mixed up linguistically)—my favorite kind of equation.

This time around is a little different though—we are just three now.  I know, how can that be?...but it's true.  My dear middle man has embarked on his own adventure—first year of college!...

I will admit that I've had to give myself a stern talking to now and again (when I get especially mopey over having him gone).  I am so proud and so happy for him though, and knowing that he is in such a good spot and that there are so many wonderful things ahead of him really goes such a long way to easing the pinch of having another bird fly the nest.

And my oldest bird?...my she does fly!  She's off on another international jaunt—this time a semester abroad attending French university and is loving it so far...

It promises to be a year of newness, of getting out of comfort zones, of embracing new routines, experiences and people.  It's altogether a good thing shaking things up now and again.  Here's a glimpse of the shake up here...

So as you can see, nothing too strenuous so far.  After a busy summer of planning and prepping and sending dear ones away from home, we are now getting ourselves settled and are easing into this new school year.  For the next few months we'll be staying in one of my favorite spots—a place that I love and that is full of happy memories and that feels familiar and new at the same time—the perfect beginning before the next jump (ooh there's that flutter again!...so exciting, so good!).

Sending happy, new beginning thoughts your way!...
xoxo
~alison

Hello Friends,
Today is a really exciting and busy day but I just had to pop in with a quick "hi" before the day got away from me.  What's so exciting about today?...well I'll tell you...My girl is on her way home from Africa!!!  I can't wait to see her and am counting the minutes until her sweet self turns the corner of the concourse and she is walking across that airport terminal and into our arms.  I am so full of joy, and pride, and gratitude at this moment that words are really hardly enough.  Her semester abroad has been unbelievable and incredible and everything that her father would have wished it to be and more.  We feel so fortunate and have spent the last three months smiling and pinching ourselves that our girl has gotten to have all of these wonderful experiences and that she's enjoyed them to the fullest and truly appreciated them.  Here is a glimpse of her Malian life...

Am I just a horribly doting mother if I say that I think that she is totally darling?

I am also feeling tremendously flattered and very happy about the fact that my Three Kittens Mittens were featured on the Spud and Chloe blog.  How exciting is that?!!  I love Spud and Chloe—it's one of my favorite yarn lines and it was so nice of them to mention my mitts.

 If you're interested in the Three Kittens Mittens pattern, you might want to pop on over to Ravelry or Craftsy.  The pattern is still being offered at the introductory price (10% off) through the end of today.

One final note...it meant so much to me that you guys got my referencing what I was doing when I made the kitten mitts. That's what I love about these spaces—that you get it, that everything we do and make is tied so closely to the life that is swirling around us and the people who are near us (either literally or are those that we are just holding close in our hearts).  Here is a picture of my lovely mother who kept me company while I knitted the kitten mitts and who I am holding close now that she's back home...

and the view of my lap as I knitted the kitten mittens.  Actually, this is, more often than not, the view I  see as I look at my knitting.  It's good to have a friend...

Thanks for indulging me ;) Like I said, it's a big day around here and I'm feeling very sentimental.

Well okay then...I'm off to fold laundry, tidy-up, hopefully get some pattern work done, and shower before I drive to the airport.  

Have a great day!

~xoxo~
alison

Three Kittens Mittens...

I have another little show and tell.  I recently added the Three Kittens Mittens to my Ravelry and Craftsy stores! 

I had so much fun knitting these little mitts.  I worked them up in three sample sizes...

~Large To Fit Children 8 Up to Adult Small~  

~Medium~To Fit Children 4-6~

and

 ~Small~To Fit Children Ages 2-4~

The inspiration for this pattern came from two different "literary" places—from the nursery rhyme "The Three Little Kittens" and from Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Tom Kitten.  I loved both of these as a child, and my children (especially my cat-loving daughter) grew up loving them as well.  Do you know the rhyme?...

Three little kittens they lost their mittens,

And they began to cry, Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear

Our mittens we have lost. What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!

Then you shall have no pie. 

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.

No, you shall have no pie.

The three little kittens they found their mittens,

And they began to cry, Oh, mother dear, see here, see here,

Our mittens we have found! Put on your mittens, you silly kittens,

And you shall have some pie. 

Purrr, purrr, purrr, 

Oh, let us have some pie.

The three little kittens put on their mittens,

And soon ate up the pie; Oh, mother dear, we greatly fear

Our mittens we have soiled. What! Soiled your mittens, you naughty kittens!

Then they began to sigh, 

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow. 

Then they began to sigh.

The three little kittens they washed their mittens,

And hung them out to dry; Oh! mother dear, do you not hear,

Our mittens we have washed! What! Washed your mittens, then you’re good kittens,

But I smell a rat close by. 

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.We smell a rat close by.

So fun!  And if you haven't read The Tale of Tom Kitten, I highly recommend it!  We read it so much when our big kids were little that the entire family had it memorized :)

I am offering these mittens at an introductory price of $4.95 (10% off) until March 15, 2012.   You can purchase them through Ravelry or Craftsy.

On a side note...My mom was visiting while I was working on this pattern and we spent our January days chatting, sipping tea, and eating gingerbread while I knitted away on kitten mittens.  It was delightful!...and now she will forever be a part of this patten for me.  Her presence is knitted into them :) This is one of my favorite things about hand knitting, that the people you are with, your location and what's around you becomes a part of the knitting and the finished knitted piece.  Makes me no end of happy.  Have a great weekend!

~xoxo~
alison

A feather for her nest...

Exactly one week ago today I was on my way to Minnesota to deposit my sweet girl in her college dorm room. Bittersweet is leave-taking. So hard to let her go but so good knowing that I am returning her to a place where she thrives so beautifully.
It was such a great summer, having her in the house again, and I am grateful for every second of it. Somewhere along the way my baby went and grew into this beautiful and lovely young woman. It's a wonderful thing when you realize that you like the almost-adult child you have unleashed upon the world almost as much as you love her—a really, really wonderful thing.
All throughout this year I have been working on a hug for my girl...

This was the perfect project to get me through our first year of living in this house without her.
It's bright and cheery, and I found it almost impossible to be mopey when I was working on it. These happy little squares were quick, portable, fun to crochet, and they accompanied me everywhere. I have great memories of the events and people that kept company with me and my squares throughout the year. I love that when I look at the blanket I see them in there.
And the coziness...

It made me so happy to imagine her dreaming sweetly beneath the finished blanket or snuggled up in it reading and studying into the wee hours on a cold Minnesota night. I had no idea the thoughts and feelings that working on it would provoke—not at all unlike the emotions that I felt when I made her first crib blanket and bunting—but it makes sense that you would put your hopes and dreams into a project like this.
And the finished product?...I have to say I love it, and the fact that I loved working on it as much as I love the finished project makes it just that much sweeter.
Here is a glimpse of my year {a little here-a little there} in crochet...
Squaring off...

Blocking...

Done!...

And this...

...is just what I was hoping for...and is even better than I imagined it.

A word of warning though...no one ever told me how addictive crochet is. It's the perfect little pick-me-up—I think I'm in love. Which reminds me!..thank you so much to Attic 24 for her wonderful patterns and tutorials. She is holding this non-crocheter's hand project by project. If you haven't checked her blog and tutorials—you must—no really, run don't walk over to her blog of handmade goodness! I used this pattern and adapted this border. The squares were crocheted together after the fact using this method. Yarn used was cascade 220.

More crochet love coming soon—here's a teaser...

Have a great weekend!

~xoxo
alison

There and back again...

So much has happened in the last week or two it feels like a blur.  There has been much coming and going here in The 'Castle, hither and yon.  First there was this happy journey...

...the much anticipated trip to retrieve my dear girl from her first year of college.  She did swimmingly this year and we couldn't be prouder of her, but that joy is completely dwarfed by the happiness that I feel over having her with us once again.  Sooooooo happy!!!!
After we got back from that whirlwind trip {22 hours of driving, packing and loading in 48 hours}, I was only home for a day before getting back on the road.  This time to Columbus, Ohio for TNNA.

Aaaaaahhhh...this is the entrance to the convention hall {a mecca of sorts for yarnies} where I spent three busy, blissful days among gorgeous yarn with lots of incredibly talented and serious knitters {and when I say serious, I mean many of my idols in the knitting world were there. Can I tell you how difficult it was difficult keeping one's composure with all of those big time designers roaming the halls?}.
This was my first time to visit any kind of trade show, it was an absolute blast, and I owe it all to the lovely Brandy and Allegra of Petite Purls.  I was lucky enough to go as a designer for Petite Purls {maybe you remember this and/or this?} along with my roomie, the talented Angela Tong, whose darling Mao was included in this summer's issue.  Here you can see the lovely Brandy, coding away before the big release of the Summer 2011 issue {they put the final touches of the issue while at TNNA~it was a thrill watching these talented women work!}...

 By the way, if you haven't seen the new issue, you should pop on over to check it out.  Brandy and Allegra have really outdone themselves with this one.  It is absolutely beautiful and is as full as can be of adorable toy patterns {this issue is their 2nd anniversary issue and it's all toys...TOYS people!...darling knitted toys!...pure summer knitting fun!...love!}, in addition to all the toy cuteness there are lots of great reviews, articles and interviews included in this bigger-than-ever issue.
Here is a shot of Angela, Allegra and me right before leaving the conference {sadly we had already said our goodbyes to Brandy}.

There was a lovely dinner with the good folks from Wiley, along with some of the other Wiley authors at the conference—the incomparable Carol Feller of Stolen Stitches {I cannot wait to get my hands on her soon to be released Contemporary Irish Knits}, Kristi Porter with more Knitting in the Sun goodness, and Melissa Morgan-Oakes with her new book on circular knitting.

And there was swag, and book signings {can't wait to dive into the projects from these beautiful books}, and goodies galore!...

I met scores of amazing women, saw countless skeins of gorgeous yarn, and left the conference even more convinced than ever that knitters really are some of the nicest, most generous people on the planet.  Phew!...quite the weekend!  And now I'm home again, back with my loves, with summer in full swing and with my head swimming from all of the inspiration of last weekend. I'm looking forward to taking all of that knitterly magic with me right into the heart of summer...

Mmmm...

~xox
alison

Having it all...

I grew up with the firm belief that I could have it all...everything my heart desired was mine if I wanted it badly enough and if I worked hard enough to get it.  At the time I thought of having it all in terms of family and career, but as I've gotten older, I've realized that I have so internalized that belief that it extends to all facets of my life.  This is a good thing~mostly~but it can also lead to some frustration and to some hard bumps with reality.  I mean it seems like, I should be able to design knitting patterns, homeschool, maintain my weaving business, cook all of our food from scratch, make our clothes, teach, read, be socially active, play with family and friends, exercise daily, take classes, repair and keep a picture-perfect house, and~here's the kicker~be spontaneous at all times.  I should be able to keep all of those plates spinning at the same time, right?...apparently not.  Now, I'm not saying it can't be done.  I  firmly believe that there are some high-energy souls out there who manage all of this and more~my visits in blogland reinforce this believe and constantly inspire me~but I'm just not that girl. 
My dear mother has a maxim...you can't have a clean house and a productive sewing table at the same time.  I'm so grateful for that {on recollection though, I think she did, in fact, manage both}.  But what a gift she gives me when she tells me that, and how often do I need to hear it.  It reminds me that I can have it all, but maybe not all of it at the same time.
Weaving is part of my "all" and it has been a missing part.  When I was working on my book a few things had to take a back seat.  My loom was pushed off to the side in the push to get the designs knitted and the book written.  After the book was done it seemed like there were lots of loose ends to take care of...so still no weaving.  I was waiting for the ideal time...a time when everything would be perfect and nothing would have to slide for me to incorporate weaving back into my life.  I knew that once that loom was open, it would call to me.  And so it has.  Over the last week or so, I've decided to make peace with my dust bunnies and incomplete home repairs, to take some time to get reacquainted with an old friend.

first this...

 

then this...

then a bit more...

It feels so good to be reunited with my loom.  And even if I am a little rusty and my house is...well, a little more than messy...I am happy, the ideas are flowing, and my fingers are itchy for more.  What could be better?  Here's to having it all...one piece at a time.

Happy Monday! 

~xoxo~

alison