The Cotton Shedd

Knitting with Cotton

I just finished my son's Christmas sweater. We'll call it Christmas in July.  It is the Seamless Saddle Shouldered pattern from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears.  The yarn is Dungarese.  I think I finally found the perfect yarn for knitting Aran or textural sweaters that are the perfect warmth for our Arizona winters.  Unless you are not born and bred in Arizona, then feel free to continue wearing shorts.

It feels like a sweatshirt.

Models remain headless to protect the innocent..

Free Range Knitter

My daughter brings her knitting everywhere just like her Mama.  I made her a little bag to keep snips, and counters, and tapestry needles in....

Winter Fun

We arrived at the mountain house and found a lot of snow from that big, big, storm...

 

The back porch is a snow cave and the big pile is just from the driveway.  Other houses had more...

 

Proper snowmen have been built in the yard.  Note the neighbor's really big snowman.  They could not let the lowlanders out do them...

 

I really like our snowman herd - they don't have to be fed and watered twice a day.

 

The crew has been doing lots of skiiing and Caboodle and I have stayed at the house and knit, walked in the snowy woods, split some good chocolate and snuggled.  Yesterday on a no ski day, I took an all day sock class.  Because of time constraints the main sock parts were done and not the middles, so I have a sock for a one legged goat.  I learned so much though.  Yarn & More in Pinetop is a great place and June is a wonderful teacher.  I started a real sock for Caboodle on the needles...

 

The quilt was made by Rod's grandmother out of scraps from the clothes she made her children and grandchildren.

A New Knitted Hat

A new knitted hat using double strand worsted wool from my own pattern.  She is now prepared for snow.

Knitting Is Good For The Soul

We had another 4-H knitting class last night.  I am enjoying this class so much.  It is thrilling to watch the girls (no boys signed up) discover the joy and beauty of creating something handmade.  I love watching how the different personalities and temperments approach this new skill/art form.  What a great little group of Mom's and daughters.

We have lost something so important in our cheap and mass produced society.  The beauty and spirit of the person that is in each handmade item can never be made by a machine or in the conditions of a sweatshop.  We have lost the contentment from making, being given, or buying something handmade, well made, and good.  I am hoping my young knitters discover the art, joy and value of handmade and pass that on to others.

I hope the young ladies get as much spirit filling nourishment from learning knitting as I do teaching it.  If you have a skill or an art consider passing it on to others.  The rewards are so many.

Rodney is coming home late and leaving early as they race to get the cotton in.  The Sunland Visitor Center had a tour yesterday.

Big Shots Knitting

Tonight we are having our first Big Shots 4-H knitting class here at the farm.

I am hoping the kiddos (and parents) get as much enjoyment out of it as I do.  This is my knitting basket full of handmade presents in progress.  Apparently, I have been in the mood for tweedy yarn.