What we're up to

We've had a steady stream of sniffles and other appointments that has kept me from a normal work schedule...but if I can read on my iPad or or work on my computer at odd moments, including work at night and whenever I fit it in... I can mostly keep up.  I've been working on a new kid sweater design (coming soon, I hope!) as well as an article or two.

Today, this article, talking about our kids' recent PBS "This Old House" obsession and stories from Genesis, came out in the Vancouver Jewish Independent.

Meanwhile, I checked out some interesting reads from our local library via their ebook system.  This means I can be sitting on the couch with a sick kid and still return all the books on time!
I'm not normally into "self-help" categories of books.  However, our library had something like a "Sweater, craft and cookbook section" and I came upon this quick read while looking up new craft and cookbooks.

 Live Lagom is an interesting book.  It's all about pursuing the concept of moderation.  Finding "just right" is not just a Swedish thing, I'd argue that most major religions also look for this!  However, I'm not ashamed to say I liked the photos and they drew me in. It's also an up to date understanding of how sustainability, eating, sleeping and working, etc. integrate with finding a balanced approach.


I'm also addicted to Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope series.  This is about a young intellectual woman who becomes a spy during WWII.  This latest one, The Prisoner in the Castle, cleverly references the history of British mysteries, complete with people being killed off, one by one, on an island while referring to Agatha Christie.  Also, it turns out this great author is married to a well-known puppeter who has worked for Sesame Street.  I happened to have a copy of his book on making kid puppets long before I got hooked on this series.

I hope, wherever you are, that you're enjoying fun reads, knits, and more without having the sniffles to go along with it!

Repair

Today was "International Repair Day" and while this link is about fixing electronics, it's relevant to my Vancouver Jewish Independent article which came out on Friday.  I called it "Thanks for the earth...buried under plastic."  (So, fixing electronics would be a good start there!)

The CBC Manitoba online also just ran an opinion piece I wrote, and it's called:
When it comes to inclusion for kids with special needs, Manitoba schools need improvement
It sure would be super if we had a quick fix that restored enough funding to the public schools to help them provide the legally mandated 'appropriate education' that kids with challenges need.

--It does seem like everything I'm working on has a "please fix-it" theme, doesn't it?

Finally, if you've been reading the blog a long time, you may remember the Infinity Sweater.

I wrote that blog post in November of 2016, which means my kid has been wearing and loving this sweater for a while now.  He's worn it for two full Manitoba winters (about once a week) and he doesn't want to give it up.  The good news is that the chest still fits him, although it's more fitted now than when he was pictured here, in 2016.  Also good news?  He's grown quite a bit.

So, we're just adding on a couple of inches of "extension" to the sleeves, and we think it probably will last one more winter.  We hope so, anyhow.  "We"= this kid and me.  Today we shopped for matching yarn in my stash, and we found that I'd used up all the dark blue, but we had both other contrasting colors left.  Here's what he chose.

Our temperatures today were right around freezing. (0C, 32F) so we did a lot of playing indoors this afternoon rather than go outside to play.  Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and we hope to explore a new playground.

Here's a bigger idea of the living room photo shoot for sleeve extensions...complete with the 'fits Victorian houses but is energy efficient' gas fireplace, pouring out warmth into the room.

And here's Sally the dog, staying warm by the fire.  She will be 14 years old (or so) in November!

Here's to another year of the Infinity Sweater!  I am probably never doing that mind-blowing math to make these symbols in stranded knitting on another kid yoke sweater, so let's enjoy it while we've got it....for a third year of wear.  (From age 5-7, so far)  Here's to Slow Fashion October--which in my house, includes lots of repair, and handmade stuff.

New article and some support from a friend

A new article went live on the Vancouver Jewish Independent's webpage on Friday:
Looking for new Jewish ideas

I admit that I was distracted by the U.S. political drama around the Supreme Court, as were many others. Then a friend of ours who works for United Way sent along this very helpful resource.  If you've been struggling with the sexual assault issues brought up by the recent US Supreme Court nomination, you're not alone.  This link will give you more info, along with a way to get support if you've been sorting through difficult stuff as a result of this political situation.

Finally, a funny note about my new sweater design.  I maybe didn't publicize it enough, or maybe not that many people knit sweaters for kids?  I don't know.  Anyhow, so far, I think two people have "favorited" the design on Ravelry.  That's all...and that's despite some really kind efforts to share the pattern on my behalf by others!

Meanwhile, folks have bought these three patterns in the last couple of days:

The Scarf Cowl

The Knitted Curtain

(It's a) Boucle Wrap
I admit, I've been writing and designing for a long while now (15 years?) and marketing new patterns still remains a mystery to me!  However, I'm always grateful when someone shows interest and buys my work.  (Any of my work is fine, really!)  Thank you...and happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

Freestyle Super--a new design!

 Hey, can you believe it?  We actually had a snowfall yesterday in Winnipeg.  One that stuck to grass and cars and decks and made a big icy mess!  Our leaves aren't even off the trees yet...but, this mom worked ahead.

Today, I launched a new knitting pattern called Freestyle Super! It comes in a bunch of kid sizes:
2-4, 4-6, 6-8, and 10-12, and it's an oversized pattern.

It even comes with a sample, all knit up, that fits both twins.

Hurray!

I used all North American yarns to knit this, and it was unbelievably quick knit on size #10.75(7mm) needles.  You could buy all Canadian yarns, like Custom Woolen Mills or Briggs & Little. 
Or, you could buy all U.S. yarns and consider the lovely Quince & Co. Puffin... or, you can combine them, as I did!

The pattern is now for sale online at both Ravelry.com and Loveknitting.com.  If you go to buy the pattern on Loveknitting, you will find I've paired up other yarns that they sell--but the colors mostly match this sample.  There are lots of yarn choices at this quick-knitting gauge.

Hope you enjoy these fun shots of our twins while they modelled and horsed around in the backyard.  (before it snowed.)  We're looking forward to wearing this sweater for a long while to come!

If you're even a little interested in knitting one of these for yourself, hustle over and download a pattern soon.  You can have many hours of knitting pleasure for the price of a fancy coffee.

Happy October!