Yarn Along (June)

Two of my favourite things are knitting and reading and I love sharing my projects and current reads here. I would love for you to join me each month and share what you are knitting (or crocheting) and reading too! - Ginny Sheller

I've been hand winding skeins of wool for the rather long-winded blanket I have been working on for my little darling of a nephew. I had imagined gifting it to him for his first birthday, but that deadline went whooshing past recently. Still, I have almost finished the second colour and this delightful yellow will be the next, and middle block, of colour in the toddler bed sized blanket.

I've just finished reading 'Strawberry Girl' with the children, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Most nights we snuggle into my bed at 7.30pm and read for 45 minutes before bed. Sometimes we get carried away by the story and read for longer. Other times sleep overcomes them and books are put aside. Our next read aloud is 'A Wrinkle In Time.' Both of which came highly recommended by several lists of books to read aloud to children.

Meanwhile, I have been reading 'A Wood of One's Own' and dreaming of buying a plot of land within driving distance of our home to call our own for weekend escapes and bush rambling. It really is but a dream, as hubby doesn't have the same interest and such a plot is not in the budget. But a girl can dream. Meanwhile, I will make do with Ruth Pavey's descriptions of her own woodland in Somerset, England.

I've also been reading 'The Well Trained Mind - A Guide to a Classical Education at Home'. I found it as rigorous as it purported to be, and so compelling as a lover of academics and classic books. I was carried away with the thought of using this method to teach my brilliant children who would speak Latin, ready Shakespeare and avidly read the books I chose for them. However, it eventually dawned on me that this is the kind of education I wished I had had and not the education that my children are currently interested in. Still, I am inspired to further my learning and they are always welcome to join in with me on that journey in their own unschooling way!

I bought another book today, 'The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart' by Holly Ringland, and I can't wait to get started. I was ready to part with my money as soon as I read in the blurb on the back cover, 'In the Victorian tradition, every flower has a meaning and, as she settles into her new life, Alice uses this language of native flowers to say things that are too hard to speak.'

Here's to making more time for knitting and reading. xx

Yarn Love

This week the postman brought me four of skeins of pickle and co fibres delicious hand dyed wool. Oh, navy, yellow white and grey! The perfect colours for a toddler blanket for my twin sister's baby. The parcel has been sitting in my workshop, admired by all who have visited. And after appreciating the softness of the skeins for a few days (and staring at them lovingly), I finally wound the grey into a ball and have cast on. 

I was reminded of the day that there was a huge storm in the City and I couldn't get back to my car, nor drive in the crazy rain at any rate. I'd gone in alone to visit the art gallery, and it was there I waited out the wild weather. Beforehand, as the grey clouds had gathered and the wind blew hints of the trouble to come, I had wandered through a craft market on my way to the gallery. It was here I first saw pickle and co fibres and met the lovely Marnie. As we chatted we realised that the graphic designer who created her logo was the same who had created my catalogue. We talked yarn and jewellery. I drooled over her wares. And while I sat in the gallery cafe later with a cup of tea, watching the rain pound the outside world, I hoped she and her yarn had managed to stay dry.