I am happy to say I finished the shawl this week and I am very pleased with it, in fact, I love it!!! I had already cast if off last week when I updated you on my progress and all that was left was adding the fringe. This shawl was a first for me on many fronts - first time knitting with mohair, first time knitting a shawl and first time adding fringe, how have I never done that before? I have never been a huge fringe person, and thought I might leave it off, but Justin convinced me to put some on to see how it looked. And...I love it.
I finished up reading The Chicken Whisper's Guide to Keeping Chickens and I won't lie, it seems like a lot of work. So, if any of you are backyard chicken keepers out there, some reassurance would be great right now...thanks.
With the shawl finished, I am focused on Reece's hat, not much done on it since last week, but this week it will get more attention. And I will be on the look out for my next knitting project, it seems strange to only have one thing on the needles right now.
On the reading front I have started reading the Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature which has come highly recommended to me from some of the moms at Oaks and Acorns. I have just started it so will have more details about it next week.
Happy yarn along!
Your shawl is lovely! Well done! And your book sounds very interesting, looking forward to hearing more about it :-)
ReplyDeleteYour shawl is lovely! It looks so yummy and warm. How do you only have one item on your needles?!?! I have items on needles and hooks...and sewing machine...and...wait. I'm starting to feel overwhelmed. Now I know why you only have one thing on your needles :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. And I have no idea how I only have one thing on the needles right now, but I will be changing that on the weekend :)
Deleteyour shawl looks fantastic! confession: i adore the fringe.
ReplyDeleteAwe, thanks. I think fringe is growing on me, I really like it.
DeleteWe keep backyard ducks, and they are so easy. The only problem is having to find someone to take care of them when we go out of town, which we hate paying a lot of money for.
ReplyDeleteHowever, ducks are VERY messy (and also very entertaining)... but if I had to do it over again, I would consider chickens more seriuosly!!
Good to know. Someone suggested we get a few ducks with our chicks, they said the ducks were a lot more fun than the chicks...who knows. I really want to get them, just need to get over everything I read :)
DeleteYou are one fast knitter! I'm quiet slow. I want to get chickens as well but I'm worried about the pack of coyotes that roam around our property.
ReplyDeleteYes, the coyotes, the vultures, the snakes, the foxes, you name it they like chickens. I pictured chickens freely roaming around our yard, but the book makes it seem like they need to be in a fenced in area with a roof. I see lots of blog pictures with chickens roaming, so I am assuming that is okay as long as they are locked up at night away from anything that might eat them :)
DeleteOh goodness, stay away from the chicken books - at least until you've got the chickens. And I guess some basic knowledge before acquiring the chickens is indeed important, but really, the books make everything sound so complicated and frightening. Our chickens have been quite easy. Ours do get locked in at night for safety, and are sometimes stuck in their outdoor yard (fences all around now, including the top, due to escaping hens who had fatal encounters with the dog - which is always heartbreaking). Our chickens have been SUCH a welcome addition to the farm. Okay, so I don't know that this was the reassurance you were looking for. But, really, we adore the creatures.
DeleteThanks for this, and you are so right, the book made it seem so very complicated and a little, well, a lot, frightening. It is nice to hear about your experience and it does offer some reassurance, thanks. I know they will be a great addition to our family and my little man will love them. I just have to put everything I read out of my mind, get ready for them as we should and then sit back and enjoy the adventure.
DeleteWhat a beautiful shawl Kim!! I am currently reading and enjoying Choosing Simplicity by Linda Breen Pierce.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day,
Shamima
Thanks so much Shamima. Your books sounds interesting, I will have to look it up.
DeleteKim, I'm not much of a fringe person either, but that really looks awesome! Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteI need to check out your book; is it about real coyotes? We have quite a few on our property and I see them everywhere!
Happy yarn along.
Thanks Tracey. The book is about connecting with nature through mentoring, or what they call Coyote Mentoring. This is the ancient way of passing on from one generation to the next the knowledge of and connection to nature. At its very best it helps individuals realize their full potential to the benefit of their community. It is pretty powerful stuff.
DeleteReece and I are planning to attend a week long camp this summer on the Art of Mentoring which is based on Coyote Mentoring. Can't wait!
I LOVE your shawl Kim. Could you please share the pattern or the source of the pattern with us? I would also love to see the front. I am currently knitting a scarf with some hand dyed, hand spun, I think, alpaca. I will post about it when I'm finished.
ReplyDeleteWe have chooks and I would highly recommend them. Once you have their house set up they aren't a lot of work. The worst bit is cleaning out their sleeping quarters as it can get a little smelly and it isn't much fun when it has been raining. If you can handle that you're set, easy, peasy. We had never had chooks until about 3 years ago and didn't grow up with them either, so were learning from scratch. I'll post about it soon. I had been thinking about doing this.
Sorry about your grandfather. I haven't read the post properly yet because I have been busy with my son and his broken wrist but will get to it soon.
Take care, Julie xxoo
Thanks Julie, that pattern comes from The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Knitting. I didn't follow the pattern fully as I found the mohair to be a bit of a challenge, so made it a little easier on myself.
DeleteGood to know on the chooks front. The cleaning won't be a problem, I can handle that. I think I just need to step away from that book and chill out a bit.
Thanks for your thoughts on my grandad, appreciated.
I saw the post on your son, hope he heals well.
The shawl is beautiful! I love the colour of that yarn. Such depth to it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I think so too :)
DeleteBeautiful! you wear it well.
ReplyDeleteAwe, thanks Lisa.
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