From Our House to Yours


May you have the warmest of holidays.

Peace,

From
Kristin
Julia
The Farmer
and the Flock

Boston Pre-Christmas

This year I have made a dedicated effort to take Julia to first NYC and this past week Boston. Living in the country has lots of advantages but I think it is so important to see the other sides of life. Luckily, our good friend Cathy Payson (yes, the knitwear designer) lives in South Boston so we have a great place to stay. We took the bus into town from her apartment and walked our little feet off.

Here are some snaps of our quick trip beginning with a beaming Julia outside one of the many historic buildings on Beacon Hill.


Cathy and Julia in the lobby of the beautiful Copley Plaza Hotel (part of the Fairmont Hotel chain). This place is so lovely and the doormen, receptionists, and concierge made us feel so welcome. There is even a "hotel dog" named Katie who lives in the lobby.


One of the sparkling chandeliers

Room rates exceeded our budget. Maybe in our next life.

We headed down Boylston Street, Newbury Street, and Commonwealth Ave. stopping at every hotel lobby along the way. Julia has a thing for hotels because of the Eloise books by Kay Thompson.

Yarn motifs and things made of yarn had invaded Newbury Street too. Cute!


We walked across the Public Garden to visit the "Make Way for Ducklings" ducklings. They were smartly dressed for the holidays and we met lots of new friends with their parents and grandparents all loving the ducklings and their Mama.


Off to Charles Street and Beacon Hill to look at doorknobs, eat some lunch and enjoy what makes Boston Boston. I love all the hidden gardens off the back alleys that were originally built along cowpaths (yes, as in moo).

Took this photo of a "sunflower house" for the farmer. I know nothing about it other than it was beautiful and just off Charles Street across from "Hill House." Loved the colors, the layers and of course the sunflowers.


When we got home I remarked to The Farmer that Boston was so tame. The lights in the Park weren't on during the day and the decorations were subtle. He reminded me that no, Boston isn't NY - it's a "cloth coat" city. He's right.

I just love how it feels so old and quaint. The people are friendly and there's of mix of nationalities. The bus is cheap and clean (the busdrivers let Julia ride for free - thanks guys!) The shopkeepers are friendly and polite. There's lots of great food. When my sister Nancy was just out of college she lived on Boylston Street above the Pour House and we used to visit a lot. I have great memories of exploring the city with my sisters and friends and it was great fun to share it with my daughter.

This photo of Trinity Church on Copley kind of says it all. That's the Hancock Tower beside the church. It is wonderful how the sense of history is melded with the newer building styles. If you have never visited, please try. There are several great museums and lots and lots of great things to do.

From Trash to Treasure


I made this little coat for Julia and she wore it for at least two winters. It was thick and cosy - knit of a strand of mohair and wool in seed stitch. This summer I felted it and it lay in my big bag of felted sweaters. We're always looking for mittens so I decided to try an experiment.

I traced around one of Julia's mittens and added a little extra for ease since the felt was so thick. I cut four pieces of felt, using the bottom rolled edge as the edge for the mitten. I decorated two pieces with flowers and a little border using Paternayan Persian and a single strand. Then I sewed them all together with blanket stitch.


I have been trying to get Julia to put them on but she says they are a little tight. If she refuses, I'll use them for a decoration on the tree. I really like the way they came out. It might be back to knitting some mittens for her - she has become quite the mitten snob. Whose fault is that?

My first everlasting wreath


I’ve had a bag full of assorted color pom poms on my desk for a couple years now. They keep floating from pile to pile. I never wanted to part with them, just in case. I made them out of odds and ends of Julia yarn and they were part of the photo shoot for Colorful Stitchery. I also had a few 12 inch embroidery hoops purchased at the thrift store. They were too awkward to use and were taking up unnecessary space. They were destined to go back to the thrift store. But then the holidays arrived and the pom poms married the embroidery hoop via some hot glue while Vera the cat supervised as she likes to do.


I like to make wreaths - go into the woods, collect the greens, and then wire them in bunches to a wreath form. I'm kind of a purist - no fake greens for me. I don't have a wreath that you take out of a box every year - although I must admit, it would be easier. Sometimes I never get to the wreath making and then we have none. But not now. I've got my own version of a "wreath in a box" and it's made of my odd balls in kicky colors of Julia Wool/Mohair/Alpaca. Quite fitting for this house full of yarn, knitting and color. Now I just have to decide where to hang it. Outside definitely won't do.

Bella Dia has a great pom pom tutorial which is easy for kids to do. There are also pom pom makers available - I like the Clover brand best. Go ahead and use up all those odd balls.

Stitching up a Winter Snowstorm


Patricia Orner, a talented and generous elementary school art teacher sent me photos from the Winter Arts Festival at her school in Cornwells, Pennsylvania. You may remember her from the post I wrote on August 3rd. She has been using Kids Embroidery to teach her students how to stitch. This fall, all the fifth and sixth graders made dainty stitched snowflakes using white yarn on light blue felt. They are wonderful! She said it was more fun than cutting snowflakes out of paper too!


It's not too late to order a signed copy of Kids Embroidery for a special Christmas gift. I have plenty in stock. You can either use my order form or send me an e-mail and I will send a Paypal invoice. I'll get the book out right away.

Bright Lights, Big Glittering Decorated City

I have great memories of visiting NYC when I was little with my family during the Christmas season. Growing up in NJ, it was easy to get there although dragging five small children around town would put me over the edge. (How did you do that Mom and Dad?) I have avoided taking Julia to NYC at Christmas until I knew she would be able to soak it all in and remember. This was the year. My sister Jenn gave us tickets to see Annie at Madison Square Garden as a Christmas gift. Mom, Jenn, Julia, Olivia (Jenn's little friend) and I did up the town after the play.

Lunch at Macy's after the play and the interactive Christmas windows.

"The Tree"

The Skaters at Rockefeller Center.

Saks' snowflakes - so pretty.


Tin soldiers above Radio City marquee.


What can I say - I love NY. Thank you Jenn for getting us there and making it happen in 2006.

Holiday Book Idea for Kids – The Goat Lady

“The Goat Lady” was recommended to me by our local librarian. It is a totally wonderful story about an old woman who raises milk goats next to a suburban development. Everyone thinks she is odd and the children are afraid of her. The story is true and is written and illustrated by Jane Bregoli. The story tells of the author’s children meeting Noelie, The Goat Lady, and how their friendship develops. The kids, parents, and other people in the neighborhood learn from Noelie. I don’t want to give too much away…… Just trust me that it is a perfect addition to any family’s library.


This story could happen anywhere in the USA as farming communities are trending towards suburbia. The mother/author/illustrator is a portrait painter and the book grew out of the paintings she did of her neighbor. The portraits of Noelie, the children, and the goats are wonderfully warm. This book has a lovely lesson in it for children and adults. The author has a lovely website too. The Goat Lady book was awarded the ASPCA's Childrens Book Prize.

A Farmish Update

Winter is upon us. We have been readying ourselves for the cold and it has taken its sweet time coming. This morning we had the first flakes of the season. I just love snow and hope we have a lot this year….. We’ve got a big pile of wood and the furnace is stoked with it.

There are certain things you do at the end of the year when you live on a farm. One thing is to pick up all the equipment you won’t use for a few months. It never seems there is enough time to do this when things are growing. We’ve still got a ways to go neatening and tidying – it isn’t our strong suit.

We planted our garlic and finished planting the last of the spring blooming daffodils, allium, and English Bluebells. I look forward to the blooms next spring.

I’ve moved the now grown baby chicks out of the rotating chicken coop since the grass has stopped growing. They are now with the adult chickens and they have started laying eggs! We have gone through a dearth of no eggs for a month so it is very exciting to have something to pick out of the nests – just in time for holiday treats.

The sheep are almost finished grazing the fields – there isn’t much grass left to eat. In a couple weeks, they will all be in a field where we have a “greenhouse” barn. There they will stay until next April when the grass starts growing and the ground has dried out. Some of them are looking pretty pregnant. The earliest we’ve ever had a lamb is December 23rd – I will be sure to post when the first baby is born along with official baby pictures. Soon, it will be lambs, lambs, lambs around the blog and the farm. I feel like I have neglected posting animal pictures but it has been so dreary that noone looks very photogenic at the moment.

Our pigs have taken up residence in our freezer. It happens every year and every year it makes me sad and lonely to know their fate. I enjoy feeding them and talking to them every morning. The dogs and I miss the pig routine. We raise pigs so we know where our food comes from and what it ate. We are fortunate to be able to grow our own proteins and share it with friends and family. In a couple weeks the bacon and the hams will be finished being smoked. Here’s an interesting sight from Great Britain to check out if you want to know more about growing your own food.

Hearts for the Holidays

I’ve added my first new project to the Stitchalong. Julia was home sick with a cough and a fever for the past five days. I had to find something to do so I wouldn’t go crazy so I made some little hearts for all of Julia’s special teachers. The plan was to have her help me sew them but she really wasn’t feeling well. Besides, sewing really isn’t her strong-point at this time. We sat on the couch and I sewed and she watched and worked on the teacher list which seems to have grown to exponential proportions. Hop on over to The Stitchalong to see more.

If you are having trouble joining the Stitchalong list, please re-email me. The learning curve is high with me and technology. It seems that I should not have put multiple people on the invites and some people are having trouble getting on.

Knitting has invaded popular culture

Suffice it to say, knitting is everywhere. I opened up the Sunday NY Times yesterday and there on the cover of The Book Review was an illustration of part of a sweater with duplicate stitch words. For industry veterans like myself, it still continues to amaze me how knitting keeps going. In shelter magazines, balls of yarn and needles are chosen styling accessories. Actresses on t.v. are seen with project in hands. Julia Roberts will be producing and starring in a movie called The Knitting Club based on an upcoming novel by Kate Jacobs. I say "keep it up" media - it helps us all! We welcome all new knitters with open arms!

Here's the link to Marian Bantjes site who illustrated the cover and more spot art inside (there are extra illustrations on her site). She says in an aside that creating the artwork was tedious. Hey Marian, I can feel your pain - I have spent hours working on an Adobe Illustrator sweater chart. It's not a piece of cake. And barely are we ever considered "artists" - we're just tech illustrators.

Nice to know we chart builders in the needlework industry are appreciated by graphic designers.

Knitted Pillow Patterns Now Available for DOWNLOAD!

Quite a few years ago, I made some pillows for my home. I was into my "every pillow on every couch should be handmade" phase. (Not much here has changed.) I wanted a relatively quick project that I could carry around with me but it had to be interesting enough so as not to bore me. I cast on and waited to see what would happen.

The first pillow I knit was a "Field Of Diamonds" pillow in Fair Isle in spring green and navy in an easy to remember diamond chart. After it was all done, I used up bits of odd colors of Julia to work duplicate stitch on top of the navy Fair Isle. The duplicate stitch made it possible to end up with a kaleidoscope looking project with a relative amount of ease. I like doing duplicate stitch because it is similar to needlepoint - using the knitted fabric as the canvas.


The second pillow which I made I called "Turkish Leaves." It is larger and more complicated. It begins with some oversize Fair Isle leaves, moves on to a checked pattern, then to a diamond design similar to the "Field of Diamonds" pillow, then finishes up with diamond and diagonal design. All of these patterns are split up with rows of reverse stockinette stitch. I did a whole bunch of duplicate stitch on top of the designs, some fun embroidery stitches, and added different colored bobbles that are sewn on after the whole thing is complete (they could also be knit in).


Both of the pillows have a mitered border in reverse stockinette stitch that really sets off the designs nicely. I backed them both in coordinating silk fabric which I hand sewed onto the backs of the knit pieces. I made these pillows for fun and for my own personal use.

After Knitting for Baby came out and I was desperate for a little publicity, I produced a homemade press release. I sent it off to a bunch of shelter magazines. The press release featured my home which I had just recently decorated with murals, fake wallpaper done with paint, stamping, and colorwashed walls. I hoped that one magazine might be interested in a knitting author who also liked to decorate and paint. I figured the chance of the idea getting picked up was slim to none, but why not try.

About six months later, I got a call from an editorial assistant at House and Garden. They had kept the press release and they were doing a story on knitting for the home. They asked me if the pillows that were on my couch were available for sale. I told them "no" but they are available as patterns for someone to knit themselves (of course at this point there was no pattern). They wanted to borrow them for photography. I washed them, packed them into a box along with some pretty balls of yarn and knitting needles, and sent them on their way to a NYC photo shoot. I crossed my fingers that the story would run.

To say I was excited would be putting it mildly. I have always loved House and Garden Magazine and to think that my pillows would be in it was just too good to be true. The article came out in the January 2003 issue. My friend Lori whipped the pattern into shape and my friend Linda (who owned Great Yarns in Raleigh, NC) took care of the kit and pattern fulfillment with my Julia yarn.

Fast forward almost four years later. My "Julia" yarn is now available nationally at your favorite local yarn store. The House and Garden pillow patterns had fallen into oblivion. After several e-mails from many of you, I was encouraged to try to bring the pillow patterns back into circulation. But how could I do it efficiently with the least amount of trouble. Once again, my technological genius web guru Lori figured it out. She told me about some designers who were selling downloaded patterns via the net including Leigh Radford and Pink Lemon Twist. (I know I should know this kind of stuff but I'm embarassed to say I am a bit lacking on all that is available on the internet.) Lori thought this would be a perfect solution for the wayward pillow patterns. She has guided the patterns back into the realms of the web and I am so thankful. What would I do without her? I don't even want to think about that.

You'll find the "Buy Now" buttons about half way down the Julia webpage. Click a couple times, pay a little cash, and there they will be on your computer in a PDF file ready to knit up for your home. If this goes well, I may design some more patterns for the web. I hope you like!