The other night while I worked my way slowly through gallons of green beans that needed to be stemmed, blanched, cooled, and frozen I said to Pete (who was also in the kitchen, tying flies for fishing), "I have a new hobby. It's food." And really, it's 90% of what I am thinking about, planning for, researching, reading about, and doing lately. I haven't been finding much time to craft this summer between all those jars of jam and pickles. I think this is what happens when you take food preservation up to the next level. This summer I am not writing (except here), I haven't picked up my knitting in months, and I'm finding time to sew only quick projects now and again.
But this morning I work up… cold. There was a cool breeze weaving its way throgh my house, whispering about September being just a few weeks away and the first thought I had was: knitting! I need want very much to make everyone a sweater this year. Have I lost it? The garden is brimming with food to put by, we're in the process of moving our business, and working on buying a farm and selling our house, and more immediately Sage's birthday is just three weeks away. And I am going to cast on four sweaters? (As an aside, I asked Sage last week if there was anything he'd like me to knit him for his birthday and he said, yes, a four-wheeler. Nice.)
In truth, I won't be casting on four sweaters. Just two. I already have sweaters on the needles for Pete and I (above). I started them last winter but somehow by February I needed to put aside both brown and grey and find something with a little more spunk to work on. So they have been hibernating for a while.
Sage chose his sweater, this pattern, which I love. This week we'll gather some sumac berries and black walnuts to dye some upcycled wool (from a sweater we unraveled) brown and grey. Lupine has chosen a Tiny Tea Leaves Cardigan (in black) to be her sweater for this winter. I'm not sure I can find a natural dye to give us a true black, so I might use some leftover Greener Shades dyes that I used on my grey sweater above.
To add to the knitting mania, I pulled out my purchased wool slippers this morning and the toes are blown out. Something I had conveniently forgotten when it was warm out and I didn't need slippers. So we'll add that to the list as well. I think a pair like those I made for Sage, above.
Oh, wait. There are also the mittens… we all need new mittens for this year, so that's a decent stash-buster I can start up just as soon as the garden is under control. I could go on, but I won't. I look forward to a long and restful winter, curled up with my knitting by the fire. Until then, I'll be in the kitchen with bushels of tomatoes!
For those of you who are on Ravelry you can find me here if you're interested. What's on your needles these days?
It’s way too hot here to think about holding anything warm in my lap yet. But I have been craving to do some hand quilting recently, I wonder what will come of that!!
I can’t wait to see Lupine’s black sweater!
oh, if i told you all that i was knitting these days, it would make even MY head spin. we have solstice gifts, the annual sweater for cody (big project),the annual sweater for my mother, two sweaters for crosby, and a wool romper, and my sweater goal for the year- finish a sweater every month for myself. this month is levenwick.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/levenwick
next month is aidez
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aidez
sooooo, yeah. that is just the start….. my journal fills up more and more everyday. especially as we become more sustainable. i am in the kitchen with food up to my ears canning and canning and freezing, one winter goal comes to mind- finish a quilt for our bed. oh my. i AM out of my mind at this point. at any rate, i just checked out this book this past week at the library- you may already have it/know about it. it is a nice reference for natural dyes.
http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Natural-Plant-Dyes-Blackberries/dp/1604690712
at night, when crosby is snuggled in bed, and cody and i are playing a game of scrabble or watching a movie together, i am knitting and he is tying flies…. it is one of my favorite things. i love to look at all of the little flies he ties all lined up together by type.
Ah, so it goes with true seasonal living. Knitting is for Winter, remember, when the warm wool feels so good in your lap. 🙂 Enjoy you harvest.
We just moved from Montana to Texas, so knitting is really not necessary, but I do anyways! I just finished my second gnome hat for Halloween, now on to little gnome sweaters to match. I just finished a baby bunting thing, just need a zipper sewn on, and I have plans for a nice headband for myself. OH, and almost have finished the second baby diaper cover! Before the current one in diapers outgrew it! Good thing another babe is due in 6ish weeks!
I’m so excited because I started my first pair of socks from a pattern, I have made socks before, but I just invented some strange way to do them.
Also lots of wool diaper covers for sale.
And some leg warmers for me abandoned when the heat started.
I am such a slow, slow SLOW knitter that any project goes stale before I have hopes of finishing. I knit washcloths, because they’re constantly needed and quick enough that I can finish them.
Would using indigo work for Lupine’s sweater? I use henna for my hair and many use indigo to create a black color. It’s blue in reality, but enough makes a deep blue-black. Just a thought. 🙂
I think this year I’ll attempt mittens from upcycled sweaters again — last year I accidentally sewed two left-handed ones. Ahem.
A hat, I’m just learning how to knit hats (yea, pretty basic I know) but I would like to make each of my sweeties a hat before winter. I just have a hard time finding the time to do it – and I’m not a very fast knitter.:)
I just had a little gasp today when I realized that it was August and I need to figure out what holiday sweaters I am knitting…yikes!!
I agree, except we need the knits done by the time the snow flies (or before the leaves fall). What to do, what to do…
Slow work and hats are the perfect way to start!
HI! I’m new here, from Rhythm of the Home. I knit year-round (though in the hot months, I reserve it for the mornings/evenings when it’s not so stuffy). I only work on one project at a time, and right now I’m in the middle of a baby surprise jacket for my first little one, due in December. It’s my first BSJ and I am in the ‘looks very odd’ stage right now. I’d love to make sweaters for my whole family – I should look into upcycling yarn!
I’m joining ya! There was something in the air last week that just whispered “knitting” to me as well. I pulled out a half-completed sweater ditched last Spring and now almost have it completed.
So far I only knit a bit here and there, but autumn is not too far away and once the needles are free (and the socks I started last winter are done), I want to make a pair of mittens that match the hat I made last year.
I think I should not wait much longer.
Oh, I’m envying your kitchen full of food right now! About two hours ago my entire garden was just decimated by hail. Sob! I guess I’ll be visiting the Farmer’s Market and hoping that the vendors were not in the same cell. I do understand the need to knit, tho with my it is hand sewing. I keep thinking I need to save that until winter when I have more time indoors, but I had to bust it out and give myself some peaceful stitching. Best of luck with your farm, by the way. I hope all goes well in that dept!!
Hi Rach,
Have to tell you and i’d like to tell the world. THERES NO NEED TO BLANCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!! Not for freezing not for drying. It is a hoax. I have been not blanching ummm forever. I fill a huge freezer with everything yes even corn, broc, beans, cabbage, calf ,,,,,anything. Dont believe me try it. Freeze one bag (I dare ya) of beans…not blanched…then stir fry roast anything…doesnt loose its color and no more soggy beans. It is crisp and fresh..peppers, eggplant, carrots as I said everything. Easy fresh and we are not pre cooking those important enzymes. Why do they say to do it?? I dont get it..it last and lasts and the product is far superior. Spread the word…we have been dupped! Really why would a person cook something cool it rapidly then stick it in a deep freeze? I always thought I couldnt buy it …doesnt make sense. No germs can live there…and we will cook it later. Have fun! Jodi
Thanks for the tip Jodi. I was considering it but heard they could be tough if you dont blanch. Next batch I get Ill defiantly do a test!
Blessings to your whole crew!
Thanks, Roxy. And boo on your hail! What a disappointment!
Hugs,
Rachel
Thats the most inspiring thing Ive read all day. Abandoned sweater almost done. Repeating over and over in my head…
I tried to talk Sage into a surprise jacket but he wouldnt go for it. I am a six-projects at a time person. That way if I get stuck I can take a break, yet keep knitting. 🙂
Felted mittens are good. Try a hat. It gets faster as you go, so by the time you get bored it starts picking up speed.
I love that you invented your own socks!
Brooke,
Something like this seems Texas friendly. You get to play with summer knits! Fun. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/andreas-shawl
I know what you mean. I did the sweater thing last year for each of my kiddos and I started knitting them in July. I’m not sure what to do about the mittens we need this year, but I’m having way too much fun with vegetables and the lake to worry…I guess it will mean some great fall crafting get-togethers? 🙂
No def. not tough….we have been growing/preserving most all veggies and meat that we eat since we moved out here…and never had a tough veggie…i have ehem 6 gardens…we eat ALOT! NEWS..Cory is married we have 3 grandchildren. Chris is soon to follow. Oh and more news…we have a KOMO and love grinding (Chris talked us into it!) Everyones great..blessings to you also!
YES!
Your knitting world seems full! Im finally casting on a sweater for winter tonight. Thanks for the book suggestion. I am working off of this one http://www.amazon.com/Harvesting-Color-Find-Plants-Natural/dp/1579654258 which combines foraging and natural dyes – two passions! If only I lived in Cali I could do more with it, but there are many that are local to me in the midwest as well. Blessings, Rachel
Wonderful! Thanks for the updates, Jodi. Hard to believe that you are grandparents!