OK, it’s September 29. When did that happen. Yesterday we were spending the final days of summer being lazy on the beach. Today I’m thinking about Halloween costumes and what I want to cook for Thanksgiving. My week in review:
Finished The Good Earth. Loved being completely transported to another time and enjoyed feeling such strong emotion from the written word.
Wrote a tutorial on how I bury the threads on the back of my quilt. Thought a little about making my blog all pictures and no words.
Attended a Girl Scout organizational meeting last night. Year two, still no vacancies for third graders, signed up to be interviewed as a troop leader next week. Almost cried when I picked Leil up from the gym after the meeting and she asked “Mom, is there a place for me?” Reminded me why I’m a stay at home mom.
Started Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier. Another outstanding Book Club recommendation that’s keeping me up past my bedtime.
Still can’t think of five weird things about me. A little worried that I really am that boring.
Made chicken noodle soup and fluffed pillows for Caitlin as she spent three days on the couch suffering the first bug of the season.
Mystery Quilt Step Two completed. A fun break from overthinking a quilt design.
Calling all Knitters! I need a good basic how-to knitting book. I finished my first scarf this week (yipppeee!) and I’m ready for my next project.
My blog went over 1,000 comments this week. Wow. Thanks guys. I have some fun things coming up to celebrate. Stay tuned.
Looking forward to celebrating my 44th birthday tomorrow. Me, Greg, Caitlin and Leil at home. Fresh dungeness crab, chocolate cake, champagne, and handmade cards.
Wishing everyone a great weekend!
Your mystery quilt is coming along nicely. It’s going to be stunning!
My suggestion for finding 5 weird things is to ask your hubby, kids, or sister! I’m sure they’d be MORE than willing to be helpful.
) Although, I must say, I’m glad she didn’t tag me. Hee hee. And that is NOT a hint that you tag me. Please don’t! Thanks in advance.
Happy almost birthday, as for a knitting book, i love the Yarn Girls, very easy projects and big yarns that knit up super fast.
Wow, looks like you’ve been busy!
I hope you have a HappyHappyHappy Birthday!!! Big HUG too
Falling Angels is so good. i really enjoyed it when i read it a few years ago, and it’s one of the few books wherein its characters remain real to me over time. really liked it! good to hear it’s keeping you up nights.
haven’t read the good earth, but should. i started a pearl buck bio a few months ago but put it aside for some reason. loved the bits of it i read and ended up buying a personal copy so i could make notes in pencil in it. What an interesting life!
and then a knitting book? wow. i have so many, which to chose? my favorite one is last minute knitted gifts. and i’m sure that like so many other knitting books, it has all the beginning information included in it. the stitch n bitch books are great with explaining things. i tried learnign from a book, and sort of did, except that when i went “public” with my knitting at my LYS, my LYSO corrected my technique.
They’re turning away Girl Scouts? What is the world coming to?!
Sounds like you have a fabulous day planned. Wishing you a very happy birthday.
We have the same birthday! Have a happy one!
Have a great birthday, and please don’t move to a pictures only blog — I’d miss the words!
Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitters Guide covers all the basics–pretty much everything you’d ever need to know is in there. For a pattern book, I’d second Bekka’s suggestion of Last Minute Knitted Gifts; there’s not a pattern in it that I don’t think is beautiful. It’s also gorgeously photographed. Just be careful that you get the second edition, as the first is famously riddled with errors–not what a beginning knitter needs!
Your daughter’s t-shirt is adorable, by the way–did you make it? And happy birthday!
Aww, that sucks that there’s no place for Leil in the girl scouts yet! I so wanted to be one when I was a little girl too. Hopefully they open up a spot for her soon.
Happy happy birthday to you! Hope your lovely family bakes you a special birthday cake.
Awesome week! The mini quilts look great, and I love your mystery quilt fabrcs. I’d be hard pressed to find 5 wierd things about myself as well, unless things like knowing pretty much all the words to Life of Brian and The Holy Grail count!
Hello – I enjoyed catching up on your blog today. You’ve made some lovely things this week. No surprises. Look how cute Leil is — I love seeing cute 3rd graders instead of being shocked at how they look like teenagers. Have a wonderful birthday weekend!
You know, I’ve heard the Stitch n Bitch Knitters Guide book is a really good starter. As is typical for me, I just got one of those thin books from Hobby Lobby, read a couple of pages and learned the rest on my own. One website that I have found extremely helpful is http://www.knittinghelp.com. It has great videos of different stitches and techniques and list several really great free projects found on the web. As for pattern books, I find books by Debbie Bliss pretty straightforward and I love her designs.
And doesn’t Leil look great! :0)
I hope you have a wonderful birthday full of family and laughter. :0)
Kathy, I just love those mini quilts. I wish my son was old enough to make drawings so that I could commission one from you. And I definitely needed that tutorial on burying threads – I’m sure I’ll use it for the next one, if I ever get to it.
Happy happy birthday.
I’m not sure what it is about this entry that makes me sigh so dramatically. Is it the no room in the Girl Scouts? (This makes me angry, actually. How can you be a volunteer leader and there be no room for your daughter? I do not get it. So maybe.)
I could go on and on — I have a love-hate relationship with comments that only touch on one aspect of a blog entry, like I didn’t read and react to the whole thing! but to elaborate much more would really be to be very, very neurotic in your space.
So anyway. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Sounds like you will have a lovely celebration, and I hope for more lovely weather for your day.
PS It’s kind of impossible to recommend a single knitting book to you. Wish I could magically share my ever-growing library with you.
I’m reading Falling Angels right now too. That, and the Memory Keeper’s Daughter.
I can recommend some good knitting books. What kind of book are you looking for? Techniques, patterns, a mix of both?
I found that the Stitch n Bitch book was really helpful to me when I first taught myself to knit. It can be annoyingly “hip” at times but she had a good way of expaining thing.
I can’t believe they can’t accomodate every girl that wants to be a scout…what a shame!
Happy Birthday!! I also really liked the Stitch and Bitch book. Some knitters also swear by the Sally Melville books.
I have a real issue hearing that your dd was turned away from girl scouts. I am a leader and we don’t turn away anyone. I am the troop organizer for my service unit and we find a place for everyone even if it means being a Juliette (at home girl scout who can still participate in activities). I would call your council office and discuss with them the matter. There is no reason to turn away a girl much less this being more than the first time.
Have a wonderful Birthday!
And boring, I don’t think so – we wouldn’t all be reading if you were!
Happy Birthday! Leil is just adorable in that photo! I can’t believe they turned her away. I was a girl scout for a short time, but Chloe was never interested. Just this past week a homeschool friend of ours started a homeschool Campfire kids club. Chloe is so into it! Maybe you can see if something like Campfire is available?
There are some good basic knitting books recommended already, but I started with Melanie Falick’s Kids Knitting and really enjoyed it. Have a fantastic weekend!
Happy birthday, dear Kathy! Hope it’s a wonderful one! Sorry for causing you undue stress by tagging you. You are far from boring–put that thought out of your head. The 5 weird things I listed no one seemed to think were all that weird. Hmmm. Maybe I’m boring?
Your Leil is beautiful. Sorry they didn’t have a spot for her. That really stinks.
Happy birthday! I’ve enjoyed your posts and will miss your words if you go to pictures only, but I know I’ll still come visit
Hope you have a happy birthday!
And if you go to all pix, change your preferences so fewer days are showing … I love your blog, but it does take forever to load!
Happy Birthday! Love the mystery project. This is not one of the ones I’ve done, so I’m anxious to see how it turns out. Wish I lived close enough to participate. Have a wonderful day.
happy happy birthday to you! 44 is a good year! i wish you many many more too…
love these little quilts! wonderful expressions..
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! It seems like only yesterday that you made your entrance into this world and what a wonderful day it was….you brought such joy to your Dad and I and the joy continues with your family. We returned from our short trip last night and have loved reading your blogs for this past week. Happy Birthday, we send you our love.
Hi,
I was just reading your blog for the first time–through a link at Apron Thrift Girl. I went to high school with your cousins Ted Jr, Kristin and Justin. Ted and I email every so often. They are a great family. My cousin went to elementary school with Ted Jr. and we played as kids a couple of times. We were friends in high school. Just had to comment. I voted for Ted Sr the first time and will again.
Cheers, Tonia
Have a great birthday, and have an extra piece of cake for me!
My all time favorite knitting book with the best photographs, explanations, practical tips and how-to-fix-you-mess-ups is Sally Melville’s The Knit Stitch (The Kniting Experience Book 1). I have all three of her books, I use them for reference as well as for patterns. She explains how to substitute yarns, how to weave in tails as you knit so you don’t have to do much finishing, and I could go on and on! No, I’m not related to her in any way. :0) I just get excited when I see a new knitter. Have fun finding books!
I saw the new pictures on flickr first and had to pop over to read the new post! I can’t believe they don’t have more room for girls? I was in Scouts my whole life with many leaders including my mom for a while. I also was the leader for my neices troop for several years while I babysat her and her 2 sisters. It’s fabulous, do it. Interviews huh? I guess that comes with the times these days.
When you find the book, SHARE please. I look at all the socks and drool over them! Happy Birthday!! I am almost one year older..mine comes up in Dec (45) gosh that’s hard to type. Hope you have a fabulous at home birthday with your family!!
No room in girls scouts? Am I reading/understanding correctly that the Girl Scouts is some sort of elitest club with a waiting list? Could this even be possible? It makes me want to start my own girls club where we make crafts all day, hike around for fun and anyone can join! As far as knitting books go, I do love the stitch and bitch because it explains things in a more colloquial way that makes it seem easier. The new Mason Dixon knitting is fantastic.
Oh- and HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! And the Martha Stewart Oct. )$ has an amazing bread pudding how to/recipe that seems tailor made for Thanksgiving dinner. I made it last night for guests and tonight I am making it to take to a party. Yummmm!
Happy belated birthday, Kathy!
Your mini quilts look great! As for knitting book, the book that taught me to knit and really got me interested was Debbie Stoller’s Stitch ‘n Bitch book. It really is good at explaining the techniques, and has quite a few interesting projects to try too.
hope you had a great birthday!
Happy birthday – congratulations on completing the scarf, you’l soon be onto jumpers!
I really loved The Good Earth. It’s a wonderful book.
And, I have to say, I really enjoyed Falling Angels too. Both are quit different, but they have something to say about traditions and history. Enjoy.