i don't think he's going to be wearing this anymore...

recently Dave started drywalling upstairs. or more accurately, we started the 17 projects that need to be done before Dave can start drywalling upstairs.

one of those projects was assigned to me: cleaning out the attic.

back when my 4 older children were all small and we lived in a tiny house with an outhouse, wringer washer and cook stove, i had lots of time to knit sweaters for all of them.

i made G this really cool elephant sweater, which he loved. i gave it to him for his 3rd birthday.

when i came across it in the attic recently, i passed it down to A. she seems to like it just as well as her older brother did when he was 3!

more of the same- but better!

a few weeks ago, i wrote about how relaxing and theraputic it is for me to knit. a dear friend taught me how to make these round dishcloths. almost too much excitement to stand, isn't it? (although i will say, if you have any amount of testosterone running thorugh your veins, you will probably think that this round dishcloth is a doily!)

i quickly got started on a yellow one, and although they look complicated, it's an easy and repetitious pattern, and quick to learn. i splurged on a small ball of the blue variegated cotton, and made another round dishcloth. then, just be frugal and unboring, i made another square dishcloth in both the blue and yellow.


here's the pattern, if you'd like to try one yourself:

CO 16
Knit 1 row
* K 4, YO, K 10, turn
K back
K 4, YO, K 9, turn
K back
K 4, YO, K 8 turn
K back
K 4, YO, K 7, turn
K back (20 stitches)
BO 4, K to end
K back *
repeat until you have 13 points. bind off, sew together.


then topping off this dishcloth extravaganza, on another of my trips to town i bought some netting. actually, alot of netting. it's only 69 cents a yard, so i bought 6 yards. i cut it into 4" strips (lengthwise) and using a size Q crochet needle, i made these pot scrubbers. they're pretty easy, as well. just chain 5 stitches, and single crochet in each chain. (don't forget to chain one before turning the row) in no time at all, you'll have a handy-dandy scrubber of your own!

once and done.

i am daily reminded of what a privilege and blessing it is to be a full time wife, mother and homemaker. although the financial sacrifices that come with only one income are often a concern, we are commited to this old-fashioned lifestyle.

i truly love being at home, and strive every day to be more organized and efficient, running the household and the myriad of details that go with it to the best of my ability. i feel God's pleasure when i do it well.

but to be totally honest, sometimes it's hard not to get discouraged and/or frustrated. almost everything i do is something that i will need to do again tomorrow. now, I'm not complaining, just saying is all. no matter how much (or how well) i cook, clean, do laundry, feed animals, change diapers... it all starts again tomorrow. or sooner.

that's why i love knitting so much. a friend taught me how almost 18 years ago, and I've been hooked ever since. i can knit and purl to my heart's content, and (as long as i guard my knitting needles from curious little hands) what I've knit and purled will stay knit and purled. it's very satisfying, relaxing and therapeutic.

but these days i don't have much time to knit anything too complicated. so a few weeks ago, on one of my infrequent forays into town, i bought this rather large cone of variegated yellow cotton yarn. i could feel my fingers itching to start knitting something, and what a perfect opportunity to make some new dishcloths for our new kitchen!

the pattern is an old classic and quite simple:

CO 3 stitches
K 1 row
*K 1, YO, knit to end of row*
repeat from * to * until 50 stitches on needle
*K 2 tog, YO, K 2 tog, knit to end of row*
repeat from * to * until 5 stitches on needle
K 2 tog, YO, K 2 tog
K 3
bind off

I've been knitting a bit every day, and now have 5 dishcloths to show for it. the first 4 on the left, i only knitted up to 42 stitches. the bigger cloth on the right was knitted until i reached 50 stitches on the needle. i think i like the bigger size better. I'm planning on saving the new dishcloths until we get our new counter top installed. i still don't have a sink in the kitchen, so I'll have two things to celebrate when that finally gets done- water in the kitchen, and new dishcloths!

what an exciting (but blessed) life i lead!