Sunday, March 28, 2010

Sundays are for...

Waking to the sweet scent of blooms, spring coming in a frothy white. Remembering to use that early morning light to capture this year's show.
Sunday is for...
Sunday is for...
Sunday is for...

Seeking a new point of view of something very old.
Sunday is for...

Serious fun.
Sunday is for...

Salvaging enough wood to make a deck and a tree house for the boys. This is like finding a pot of gold to a carpenter.
Sunday is for...

Sewing and sewing and sewing seams. And finally feeling like I am getting somewhere on the Scrappy Summer quilt.
Sunday is for...
(I chain pieced two squares, pressed and decided on a rough layout and then started on the strips. Totally made this up. I bet there is a better method).


Silly colored Easter bagels. Mason chose pink and Owen chose blue. Shockingly colored but still very tasty.
Sunday is for...

Salad in a barrel. We water it and then pinch it carefully (you have to hear Mace tell me not to pull it, pinch it, Mama, no pull roots).
Sunday is for...

Seeds and soil. Turning the beds and pushing in the bean seeds. Dirty but fun.
Sunday is for...

Sun on bare feet. Muddy toes. Blankets on grass. A few stitches in the warm rays before I have to get up again and make something else for someone.
Sunday is for...
Sunday is for...

Sundays are not for rest around these parts. But that is quite alright.

Okay, now after writing this post I am tired.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

On Health and Fear

This one thanks to the stimulating post by sweetsalty Kate.

Ask me what I think of the new health care reform bill? Hmmm, you know what? I don’t really know.

It is likely it might put me out of a job, or steady work, at least. It might shift a system terribly out of balance a little closer to midline. It might break it. That all stands to be seen. You know what I do know? What we are doing right now is not working. Not all the time, anyway.

I have worked in health care in some capacity since I was 19. I started as a volunteer at a rehab facility. Then I graduated and started working in the field of neuro rehab at 22 as a physical therapist. I have worked in the county system, which is the safety net that catches the millions of uninsured folks in this country. Well, catches them sometimes. People vilify the Los Angeles county hospital system, but I will tell you a secret. If you are really really messed up in a trauma, you should go there. I have seen their neurosurgeons save people missing half their head. And their ortho is great. But it is a huge mess most of the time, not always because of the care provided but because of the population they serve. The marginalized, the unseen and unsupported, the undocumented; these folks have very little to catch them when something bad happens to them.

County cannot keep up with the amount of people that need their services but they cannot deny care. They never have enough employees and never have enough budget. It is hard to attract new employees to the slightly heinous setting. When I was hired in early 2000 they hired me as a temporary traveling P.T. even though I was local. They had a special fund to pull monies from to pay for travel employees to fill the gap of the unbudgeted county positions. Confusing? It is. Basically, they hired temps to fill positions that were not really there but needed. The number of patients create the need; the County is obligated to provide that care. There were quite a few of these employees in my department, most out of state and some out of country. The real (non-local) travelers were provided housing along with salary. They lived in Marina del Rey in deluxe apartments. I shudder to think of exactly what the travel budget of the county looked like. But you also have to realize, no one wants to work there and the County has obligations to their patients. An expensive stop gap and one that I think they put an end to by building a much smaller hospital with fewer beds in order to reduce the number of people they could house. Brilliant solution, right?

I have worked in the private rehab setting too. The one where people go after terrible things happen. Terrible things like strokes or spinal cord injuries or IEDs in Iraq. The place where people go when they need to relearn roles in life. It was once a really great hospital, but the last decade has seen major change in the way people receive rehab in this country and it has not been kind to the facility. This hospital receives mostly insured, a mixed population of young and old, some with an immense need for therapy and equipment and support. Without this rehab facility, people would fall through cracks and end up receiving less skilled care in nursing home settings. Some get what they need, others do not. And sometimes even giving them everything they need is not enough because it does not give them back functioning legs or brain, it cannot replace the life they had before their incident.


I have worked in acute trauma hospitals, in the outpatient setting, worked in pediatrics and I have floated between 4 hospitals at once. Now, mostly due to Motherhood, I have landed in home health care. After 10 years in the field of health care I think I know some things. But the main thing I know is that the system works for some and not for others.

I know we keep people alive longer, with more complications and more medications and more health issues than ever before. I know some of these people want desperately to be kept alive so they can see their children or grandchildren grow, so they can help their spouse, return to work, have a chance to run/hike/live again. And some want to die and be left alone and yet, they are treated and treated and treated. Usually these are the ones with really good Medicare. I am not joking.

I have also been a patient in our health care system. The latest was my pregnancy with the twins. My husband was employed and had fair insurance and it covered us, but it excluded maternity. Yep. You heard me right. Excluded. But I work in medicine and I know a lot about a lot. I knew that California has a program specifically for pregnant women. You have to qualify, of course. I was not working at the time so we were a one income family. We qualified under their income guide lines and I received all of my maternity medical care under this program. It cost us 700 dollars total. I had private insurance, saw a specialist every few weeks, delivered in one of the top rated hospitals in our area and paid nothing for meds or hospitalization or complications post c-section. Not a cent other than the 700 hundred dollars. Yes, it is a state program. And a damn fine one too. If you live in California and have questions about it email me. Half my friends have used it since we had the boys. As an example of a ‘government run’ program, I have nothing but praise for its efficiency, efficacy and availability. And for the fact that it left us with two healthy children and no debt.

I also know how to be my own health care advocate, and lobby for better care for myself, my family and my patients by using my medical knowledge. I use my knowledge when I need to, try not to abuse it and try to inform my patients how to better be their own advocates. Another secret? Insurances can be pretty damn accommodating when you are a squeaky wheel and know medical jargon. What sucks is that if you do not know how to squeak, you will not get any oil. When my Mama was in the hospital last week every single provider knew I was a therapist. They were respectful and so was I. But when they wanted to discharge her two days after her knee replacement and she called me crying and unsure, you better believe I told her exactly what to say. And of course, they let her stay. They are not monsters, just opportunists.

Right now, in my position, I make a more than a reasonable amount of money. Yes, I went to college. Yes, I work hard and feel that I provide excellent care to the people that I follow. And I chose to work for a non-profit home care so the bottom line is really not the focus at our company. I am pretty sure my salary is on the on the lower end of the spectrum of home care therapists. Which boggles my mind because I think that they pay me quite well, thank you. What I love about our company is that they provide uncompensated care when they can, they truly provide support to the community and most nurses and therapists care almost fanatically about our patients. The environment itself supports ethical use of our patient’s resources, whether they have Medicare or some other insurance. I try to approach my patients with the idea that this could be my mother/father/sister/brother/child and what would I want for them. I try to go to bat for my patients who have insurance that metes out therapy in single session increments. I try to provide respectful and needed care and I leave when there is no reason to be there. I try to do my job well. And I do think that what I do makes a difference and helps people stay in their homes and out of the hospital.

Having said that, I think there are so many things that have to change. We need better personal responsibility for our own health. We need better knowledge of how to speak with agents in insurance to represent ourselves and our health needs and demand better service. We need better accountability of our medical staff, better use of our skills with less use of our services so that the bill does not add up to such staggering numbers. We need to stop thinking of health care as a way to make money. I think the crux of the problem is that we treat people as a commodity in this country and it is starting to break down. Making money off sick people is sick. And it is not working.

Is this bill going to change all of the above? Probably not. But it is going to help affect change. It is helping us discuss and acknowledge the drawbacks in our system, the lack of a system, the lack of accountability. It is starting the change.

And just so you know, after all of my years working and seeing how it goes, I totally support social medicine. All the best health care workers I have ever met worked in the settings where government was providing the care. They were not there for the money, they were there because of their calling to their field. And aren’t those the people you want caring for your mother/father/husband/child/sister/brother/friend?

Kate asked what I fear? To be honest, not very much. I do not listen to the reports of doom and the insane rhetoric flying around in the air of this country right now. I live my daily life, perform to the best of my abilities in my job and remember that I may have to remain very flexible in order to stay in my field. Fear can suck it. That's what I say to that big ol' fear boner, Kate.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

All Good

Can I tug at your heart strings for a minute?
tWIN lOVE

Sometimes these boys of mine catch me unawares. Sometimes they are just so together.

They were going to the Bank. Owen had his requisite bag. Plastic grocery stuffed with balls. And off they went.
tWIN lOVE
tWIN lOVE

Be still my heart.

They are my heart.

Mama loves you, boys. So very very much.

tWIN lOVE

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Spring :: Closet Love

Just wanted you all to know that I am thankful for the responses you gave to my last post. I am always so hesitant to write out some of those types of thoughts. I can write endlessly about the things the kids do or the things that I create, but throw an opinion in there and I start to feel clumsy with my words. And shy. It took me quite a few minutes to hit publish and there was almost a delete...and it is not like I was railing against the system in any huge way. I don't really fancy myself a writer, maybe it is better to call me 'one who documents', but it is nice to know when I want to throw something out there, you, my people, are willing to read it. So thanks.

And now back to regularly scheduled programming. I have been meaning to write up about my newly organized craft space. There was a lesson in the Mondo course about clearing. When things get stuck, it is time to do a clearing. Clearings can be digging through a dark closet, a stack of forgotten piles, a sweep of the floor. In my case this clearing was all three. Things in our common living space had reached epic bad proportions with fabric piles everywhere, cut and uncut, started and unfinished. It was ugly.
Closet Reno :: Before

It was hard to live with. And did I mention it was ugly? Hard to be inspired to do anything when the space was so jumbled.

For years I have been meaning to revamp a small hall closet, but too many ideas swamped any actions.
Closet Renovation Complete

Finally, I decided on a plan :: simple straight shelves running the length. Tim was able to find scrap at the shop and I covered them with a roll of positionable Contact paper. Two shelves had nice cherry veneer, so those were left as is. I gathered all of the fabric floating around and used 6 or 7 clear 1$ boxes to sort and stash. Cheap magazine holders hold patterns and magazines. And within a few afternoons, I finally had a usable and workable space. Total cost roughly in the 25$ range.
Closet Renovation Complete
Closet Renovation Complete
Closet Renovation Complete
Closet Renovation Complete


The difference it has made has been unbelievable. I have had people ask me before how it is that I get some of this stuff done. Most of my productivity can be attributed to the plethora of adult hands I have available in the home. But some is definitely due to accessible craft space.

Closet Renovation Complete


My machine is always out and now, my projects are always sorted. I can grab, iron, seam, get up and wrestle two boys apart, sit down and do a bit more, etc. Part of what I love is that they watch and actively participate in the things I love to do. Owen has become an expert at pushing the foot pedal when I am chain piecing and Mace can call a Pinwheel quilt square when he sees one. They may not dream of being sewers, but I have a feeling they are going to know how if that skill is ever needed.

The last month has really allowed us some time to focus on Home, organizing and creating spaces that make us feel like singing. This process has taken years and is far from complete, but, man, does it feel good to see corners of my home cleared of piles and piles of projects. Another huge plus, something I thought we would never really see through, was the completion of Tim"s wood shop in the garage. Just a few months back the garage was a 'scary' space, with little access. The bones were all there; cabinets and equipment, but we were not utilizing any of it. Then a few weeks back I arrived home, parked in the driveway and heard the boys through our garage door. They sounded as if they were having a blast. I walked into the garage and had to rub my disbelieving eyes. It was immaculate; table saw open, tools organized, all stray item and giant holiday storage boxes taken up to the attic. It was surreal.

And now Tim too has a workable space where he can build and create and finish the house (ahem, hem). And I have taken full advantage of that spread of table and used it too.
Alabama Skirt :: Progressing


I guess when Spring comes, clearing follows. It feels good to have found the energy and drive to finish these projects. Next up...the disaster area we call a bedroom. Hmmmm, me thinks his working table saw is going to come in really handy at helping with that big hot mess.

And for full disclosure :: Sure, there is always a little bit of a mess somewhere. It would not be Home without it, right?
Closet Renovation Complete
Closet Renovation Complete


And so I ask you what part of your lives or Home could use a clearing these days? Sometimes it is simple, sometimes things need extensive damage control. But the end result is so worthwhile.

Happy Spring to you all!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Supported


Main Entry: 1sup·port
Pronunciation: \sə-ˈpȯrt\
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French supporter, from Late Latin supportare, from Latin, to transport, from sub- + portare to carry — more at fare
Date: 14th century

1 : to endure bravely or quietly : bear
2 a (1) : to promote the interests or cause of (2) : to uphold or defend as valid or right : advocate (3) : to argue or vote for b (1) : assist, help (2) : to act with (a star actor) (3) : to bid in bridge so as to show support for c : to provide with substantiation



This was quite a week. It began with my Mama’s admit to the hospital. I was so worried about the surgery despite the planning and preparation. I asked and you answered. And I felt lifted and supported and better. And now so does she.

And then there was the rest of the blog world and its interaction with my daily life. During the course of this week another controversial piece was published regarding blogging and I happened to take the time to read it. I usually don’t. But I listen to Neil and he listens to everyone and I was intrigued. So I read and browsed links here and there and came away with thoughts on it all, thoughts that I would usually just share with my husband (who is usually supremely uninterested but he has to listen, you know? Marriage vows and all).

It made me think again about the whole blogging thing and where I sit in relation to it all. There is always some chatter on Twitter about the ads, and people being ‘real’ writers, about profit and branding. I don’t think I read many big name bloggers because there is usually not much that speaks to me. I am not always sure of the who and what and when and how, all the nuances that are developing. Little peeks into the bigger world of blogs for profit have generated little interest on my part and I rarely read anything to do with parenting advice or product endorsement or media/politics. I have always gravitated towards the writers, those that afford views of the intimate, those that give small glimpses into lives well lived, those that create in creative ways. I find I return there again and again because they make me feel somehow….sometimes inspired, sometimes supported, sometimes just feel. But I do feel the tide that swirls around the edges of my reading choice, the controversy and hustle, the ideas of profit and professionalism.

I know each person that uses this medium chooses to write for their own reasons. Some because they need an outlet, some because it helps them support their family, some to follow others and some to show their leadership. There is an infinite amount of words out there, some use them skillfully, others seem to be fond of a sledge hammer approach. There are masters of wordage, intriguing warriors, ruthless entrepreneurs. And after reading for years and watching the change and all the crazy hype, I wonder sometimes how much it all really matters?

The ‘knickers in a twist’ generated by controversial topics take so much energy, you know? The people that love the drama always will and probably always have. We all thrive on different things.

I started really blogging when I asked for blessings on me and mine, 24 weeks pregnant with twins and in pre-term labor, so scared and worried and feeling alone. My contact with the world was my laptop and I was totally unsure of the medium, just lightly touching the world of blogs via knitting. I posted to a baby knitting blog asking for prayers from other expectant mamas and within minutes I received answers; women I had never met, mothers and grandmothers, all wishing well on those little floating people. It made me feel lifted and supported and better.

Over the years so much of it has changed, we all know that. But this week I asked and received again, just like that first time three years ago. People have drifted in and out of my ether, some have stayed the course through my meandering writing and topics. Some have even become my friends. And that makes me want to stay in this space a little bit longer, stay just as I am and how I am and ignore the background chatter that does not have to be my drama (but can be so fun to read from afar when it is juicy news).

I said that I would usually leave this rambling for Tim’s ears but today I felt like writing it out. I know so many of my folks have shifted their communication to other mediums and I miss them. And I think there is still good writing to be found, sometimes even ad free. And I wonder about you? Where do you sit in this odd world of blogging camps and communities if you sit at all? Do tell.

This post brought to you by a silly article, not enough sleep and the wonderful folks that left comments of love for my Mama this week. Copious thanks to the last.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Towards Recovery

Oh, my lovely friends, thank you so very much for your energy and thoughts and prayers. So appreciated and very helpful. She is through the surgery but struggling in the post-op phase with some nasty nausea and vomiting and the after effects of someone cutting apart your bones and joints and shoving some metal and silicone parts in. Ortho surgery can be pretty brutal, but I know she is on the road and it helps to know you, my friends in the ether, are all rooting for her. Keep them coming, if you do not mind.

It will be my shift at the hospital soon, but I had some time to myself this morning, a few precious hours of play time, as I think of it. I thought to share some of the pretty here...

Making up a few cards for her to rifle through when she starts to feel better. These hold some great quotes from Dr. Dyer's Dozen. I think my favorite is "Think from the end"...visualize it as you want it to be and work back from there. Great advice, especially right now.
for Review


And the quilt blocks march on here. This here is my third block, and then the sum of my efforts.
IMG_8027
IMG_8031

I am trying not to put too much thought into it, I gathered fat quarters from the stash that struck me as semi-coordinating and have just grabbed and pieced. I think I like it, but it is awfully cheery in color, right? And I have no idea where it is going but I do have the 4th block cut and ready to be sewn. I think one of my favorite part of this experiment is when my points actually match up, not an easy feat as the blocks have required more and more pieces.


And the real accomplishment this morning.
Alabama Skirt :: Progressing

All my Alabama skirt pieces are cut and inked. My fingers are all spotted with paint, but the hard part is done. I find the painting part to be the biggest bump to get over, it takes a lot of time and focus to get the stencil cut and the pieces painted, but once it is done, it feel like smooth sailing. My plan is for black paint with reverse applique for the stems and leaves and then actual applique in cream on the rose and buds.
Alabama Skirt :: Progressing
Alabama Skirt :: Progressing

I almost almost looking forward to a few hours in the hospital at bedside, giving help when needed and stitching away when not.

Thanks again, loves, you are all really the best. Be back here soon. :)

Sunday, March 14, 2010

My Mama needs your Prayers

Yesterday was my Mama's 59th birthday.


Today we celebrated with pedicures, a little shopping at Target to see what Liberty has to offer in the bargain area and then a lovely dinner with fresh cut flowers from the garden and fresh food and a stellar apple crumble pie (from Cocos restaurant, not handmade, but it tasted damn fine).


Tomorrow at 5:30 a.m. my Mama checks into the hospital for a scheduled knee replacement. It will be her second joint replacement in five years and will be performed by the same surgeon that did her hip. He is an excellent surgeon and I do trust him to take her through this, but that does not alleviate that clench in the gut.

The last few years have not been kind on my Mama's physical mobility. Her body has been attacked by Rheumatoid Arthritis, it has destroyed joints and frozen her once fluid self and left her in too much pain. It has made her cry and required that she request more help that she wants and yet, it has not broken her. Oh no. This woman with a core of steel, this woman who gave birth to eight children and raised them to be good people and shows patience and kindness and care for so many, she is not broken.

I would ask though, for a few moments of your time and your energy, that you send healing thoughts and words and prayers for her in the next few days. I know what my prayers for her look like...


A simple and safe and uncomplicated surgical procedure tomorrow

A manageable recovery with not too much pain and lots of rest and healing

A return to full functioning mobility once she can receive the RA drugs, that their effect becomes life changing and give her the recovery and mobility she has earned.


Don't feel bad for my Mama, she lives with such grace, even in the midst of crippling pain. But do pray, please. I would just love that.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Irresistable :: Stitching

Sometimes I cannot resist the lure of a new project. You may know that the new Alabama stitch book is out, making the blog tour rounds. I really loved making my skirt last year, it is a cherished piece of clothing that only improves with wear. It was also a huge endeavor, each minute stitch by hand. Initially I intended to bang out project after project, almost an A to Z plan as each piece in her first book is stunning and wearable and beautiful.

Well, that did not happen and the book returned to the shelving area, not at all forgotten, just subsumed under all the other things I HAD to do at that moment. But thanks to the new book and a need and desire for something beautiful and wearable and stunning, I am back at it.
Alabama Again

There is so much to each piece...at least, that is how I think at the start. It can feel almost overwhelming when the whole piece is considered, there is the material and the stencils and the stitching and the embellishments. I have found thinking of it with a 'one step at a time' mentality helps.
Alabama Again

So, I have the t-shirt material cut. I have the plan for the piece. And I have a re-usable stencil at the ready. For those of you that do stitch, I will put up my methods and recommendations in another post. For now, I have this test swatch ...
Alabama Again
A beautiful potential...and so many ideas and stitches to go. Wish me luck.

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Oh, Sunday.

We do not attend services on Sunday, but somehow the day always turns out feeling holy.

It is our family day, reserved for us, for rest and joyful practice...hikes, soil in our hands from the backyard, warm dinners, long hours together.

I loved this Sunday in particular...another storm blowing through in the middle of the night, leaving behind fresh blankets of snow up above, and clean crisp air in the cool morning. Taking the time to walk with them, proud to see their legs carry them up switchbacks, over rocks and little rivulets, straining to climb up on their own, then laughing as they tumble around on slippery ground. Watching unbridled enthusiasm for holes in the ground, oak trees, calling birds, people on bikes, mud flats.
Sunday Snaps :: Hiking


It feels like worship, when these moments happen. I can feel the blessing of it slide over my shoulders and wrap warmth around my heart just as the morning sun does. I feels like the most authentic worship I know right now.
Sunday Snaps :: Our Church


And I think I might be more inclined to go to Church if they held it on a wide open fire trail while the congregation hiked together.
church

Thursday, March 04, 2010

In Like a Lion

I think I am not alone in wishing February a not so fond farewell. We are just into the month of March, but I can feel the shift; the days lengthening, the energy sapped in the darkest month of February is on the return. I am loving the crisp and cool weather, storms blowing in and out almost every other day....sweeping the sky of smog and blanketing our mountains in fresh new snow. The rain never lasts long and the snow is not outside the home so there is nothing to complain about. I know that is not quite the case on the East and you have my deepest sympathies as the winter drags on over there.

Speaking of the East Coast...I finally took a step in that direction. Quite literally, actually. Over the weekend I decided to attend the Blogher 10 Conference. In part because it is in NYC and a great reason to head back in that direction after 10 long years away. In part because some of my favorite women are going to be there and I love thinking of this as an opportunity to meet, listen and speak to some of the people that have been so inspiring in so many ways. So, if you are going or in the area (ahem, Marnie) then I want to know. I kinda' feel the same way I did when I was 17 and moving to NYC to start at NYU...not knowing a soul in the city and not exactly sure where it was all leading to. Excited and a little intimidated.

The decision seemed to spur some fresh energy for clearing and starting so I gathered all the pretty things I could find and decided to take a few photos...inspiration in a minutes time. I love doing this when I am trying to focus my relatively scattered creative energy. All these things have been lying around on my bedside table, in piles and bags.
Gathering of Things I Like

First up, Easter finery...well, not that we celebrate Easter, let's call it Spring finery. I have had the urge to sew up some more Oliver and S pants, the grey corduroy is light wale and looks quite handsome next to some Heather Ross lining fabric.
Gathering of Things I Like
Eventually I hope to pair the pants with some (lets hope) quickly knitted vests and we will have the outfits to take them through Spring family celebrations, birthday parties and graduations. The yarn is a closeout cotton with a fairly soft hand...the swatch was the start but I am almost halfway through a vest body in the knitting. Something about all that Olympic knitting has kept my hands itching to knit more.
Gathering of Things I Like
Gathering of Things I Like

And then there were all the scraps from the cutting of the pants and I am starting to understand how hard it is to toss scraps (especially OOP Heather Ross stuff) and I ran into a tutorial on string squares over at Film in the Fridge and the scraps quickly became a few of these squares. Fun, right?
Gathering of Things I Like
I am gleaning so much inspiration from Julie Frick (who was going to blog again, but so far is sticking with Flickr...man, Flickr and Twitter have so killed the blog world) and the latest thought is to pair the strip squares with fresh green tree squares and see what happens...

An then I found this on the bedside table, initially intended for a yoga classmate and her now 8 month old daughter...
Gathering of Things I Like
Not sure it will fit, but it has to go somewhere, it is too cute to sit on the bedside table any longer. A few buttons and a few ends to weave and I am committing to finding a place for it to go.

March is in like a Lion around here and it feels really quite good. How is it shaping up for you all?

Glancing through the pictures conforms my love of orange and brown and grey...so 70s but in a new way. I love the 70s so that seems to be all good.

Monday, March 01, 2010

Closing Ceremony :: 'Finished' Tomten

And so it is done.
Gathering of Things I Like


The Olympics have come to their end, capped by a most wonderful hockey game that I watched as I sewed in the zipper on the Tomten. It was a fitting way to finish, watching the team I felt compelled to root for win it in overtime. It is not unAmerican, just right. I mean, this country rarely pays attention to the game and me thinks the Canadians deserved the gold in all ways. Oh, Canada. It seems I really do love you.

And I loved that the whole piece itself was knit to be sent to the Great White North, to a little love with a super sparkle in the eye. Cheeky little girl.
Tomten :: Done
Tomten :: Done

(Reluctantly modeled by my cheeky male monkey as I have no little girl to try it on)

There is nothing bad to be said about the knit. It came from EZ and she has her finger on perfected patterns. It is squishy and stretchy and really really generously sized, sure to fit the little one until her third, maybe fourth year. It is bright and warm and I cannot wait to send it on its way.
Tomten :: Done



I feel as if I earned the gold, but it does have a bit of tarnish as I have one little wee bit to finish....one last sleeve to sew up and then just a few ends to weave in. Don't DQ me now...I have done my best.
Tomten :: Done



It was a hell of a few weeks, with too many late nights watching. I am so glad I did it and I love that I used up every bit of Cascade 220 in the stash...the brown came in with just enough to weave in that last sleeve. If you have been waiting and wanting to knit an EZ, do it! I see myself re-visiting the Tomten well before the next Olympic Games.
Tomten :: Done



For now though...playing with this soft cotton blend...
Gathering of Things I Like

Easter and Birthdays are just around the corner and the boys need something nice.

And if you cannot tell from the pictures of the modeled Tomten :
Tomten :: Done


The boys do not like wool
The boys do not like sweaters
Tomten :: Done


The boys do not like Mama's knits (unless it is in vest form...the better to not touch their delicate bodies).