Touching Heaven & 2 blankets {textured and checkered}

I have done another 1.5 or so squares

on my blue checkered blanket!

I am almost done with Touching Heaven by the 

now Fr. John Oliver.

It is the story of how he and others went to 

Valaam Monastery in the early '90s and

how it slowly transformed him from a new

and still somewhat floundering Orthodox Christian

to someone who is beginning to grow towards

the quiet steady contemplative life that 

he saw in the Monks of Valaam. 

This book is really helpful in seeing 

what our North American society can do to a person 

and what encounters with monasticism

rooted in centuries of tradition can do 

to transform the same person.

I hope to do a book review on it in the future; 

as you can see from all the tabs, 

there are sections that I want to return to.

For now I would say if you

are looking for evidence of a Christian tradition 

of prayer worthy to replace and indeed to go beyond 

things such as Zen meditation and other 

popular forms of spirituality today,

this book can be a gentle 

and enlightening introduction. 

Back to the blanket I am making.

I am quite pleased with my progress;

I am mastering the moss/seed stitch and simple

ribbing... it's been fun to mix up the colours and 

stitches as I go along!

As you can see I am gaining ground on this

second section and have just 1.5 blocks to go!

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And now to finally show you the blanket that

I finished months ago but was waiting

to give as a present.

It's now been given! 

It turned out well! 

It was a joy to knit!

It's a nice warm lap blanket,

perfect for a winter's day, with tea, book and perhaps

a bit of chocolate to enjoy!

Ravelry here.

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What are you making and reading?

Yarn Along with us!

Cozy Striped Blanket Borders Begun!

I am about halfway through L' Engle's Two-Part Invention.

I am really enjoying this; the first time I am re-reading it since

I gave my copy away to a cousin years ago and first 

time since I myself am married.

It's a comforting, real, consoling read.

I decided to do a boarder that is 'ribbed' as it were.

I have not picked up stitches yet as I kept knitting 

only where I already have a 'live' thread going.  

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I think I will practice a bit before making the boarder itself,

but am confident that I can do it.

I am pleased that so far I've done the first border section without mistake.

A few times I frogged back slightly but feel

that I am getting the hang of paying attention to my knitting

to do a more constant slightly more complicated stitch. 

I am excited to add a border to the rest of this blanket!

I think it will finish it off nicely. 

I am enjoying the colour combination!

And am already thinking of my next blanket, 

which will be in shades of blue and with continued stitching variations. 

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What are you reading and creating?

I would love to hear!

Yarn Along with us!

Blanket Strips Done & Our Christmas Tree

The blanket stripes are done!

This picture is a bit mute on the colour of it but I am 

almost done weaving in all ends!

Question: do I bind off completely before 

picking up stitches for the boarder? I think I do...

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I have chosen one of the red yarns for the boarder

and hope to start on this by Sunday in the car ride to church :)

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It's a busy time of year but I am reading snatches of 

L'Engle's Two-Part Invention.

A lovely re-read.

Our Christmas Tree!!

I got the presents wrapped yesterday!

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What are you creating and reading?

Any Christmas Joys in decorating? :)

Yarn Along with us!

Down to last stripes + Encouragement for Today

I am down to the last two or so strips on

my textured lap blanket!

(Ravelry here).

Slowly slowly it comes!

I hope to do a seed stitch boarder... 

It's been a good knit so far, 

though it takes a lot of time!

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I finished A New Song by Jan Karon

and really liked this quotation that she quotes:

 I had dreams of knitting ornaments this year

for our tree but, well, my to-do list is a mile long again

and as my Mr. Husband says, we must triage.

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It's more important to seek to be aware of what season we are in

as we approach Christ's Nativity and seek His mercy...

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What are you reading and creating?

Do yarn along with us!

A New Song and More Blanket Stripes

I am finally making some real progress on 

the blanket!

At least three more stripes are needed before

I can work on a boarder.

As you can see, I am still on a Jan Karon kick!

Finished book # 3, don't yet have book # 4 so am reading 

#5 instead which is A New Song

I am pleased with the 'textured look' of this blanket...

My goal is for it to be a long lap blanket to sit curled up in

when reading a book and drinking tea.

What are you reading and creating?

Yarn Along with us!

A Light in the Window, GKC & Blanket Stripes

My textured Blanket is progressing!

I admit to feeling impatient with it,

as it feels like I am never making the progress 

I mean to make!

But I have done a few stripes since last week

so am pleased with that...

And I am pleased with how it is going

and think it will be a great and warm

lap blanket!!

I am on a Jan Karon kick.

Explains how why my wish for 

even more blanket progress 

is not happening! :)

I am just enjoying the Fr. Tim saga a lot;

I read it years ago and it is a joy to reread;

I am finding it a lovely cheery and bright place to be.

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Also reading The Man Who Was Thursday by GK Chesterton

for an Advent Read along with

dear blog friend Mimi...

So far the book seems very much classic Chesterton 

and very well written.

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What are you making and reading?

Yarn Along with us!

In This Mountain ~ Textured Blanket & a Prayer Request!

I got Jan Karon's

In This Mountain

at the Princeton Library Book Sale a while back

and read this quickly over the last days.

So good, such an enjoyable read!

My blanket is coming along!

I just got a new yard order as well

so I will have enough to finish it off!

It's meant to be a long lap blanket and 

I am hoping just a few more stripes 

and I can then do the boarder! 

In your charity... a Prayer Request:

My Father-in-law is in the OR as I type for

a Cochlear Implant

please pray!

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....& for those keeping track of my three prayer requests this week...

~My Uncle's eye surgery went well, thank God!

He will have more check ups and surgeries to come however.

My Grandma's small surgery was postponed to Friday.

*

I am so blessed by all my blog friends

and pray I can be a blessing to you too!

If there is something/someone you want pray for today,

please let me know!

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And let us know what you are reading and creating!

Yarn Along with us!

9 years blogging, blanket progress and three books

My blanket is coming along!

I am on the 4th grey stripe!

About half way done with the body,

then to learn to make a boarder for it!

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Reading various books...

Re-reading Letters to an American Lady by Lewis

Reading The Seven Principles for Marking Marriage Work 

{Mr. Husband and I have a strong marriage but there

are seasons I am told and we know that to maintain

anything work is needed so I am glad to be reading this book!}

and soon to start O Pioneers! by Willa Cather as I loved

My Antonia and also Death Comes to an Archbishop

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This week my blog is 9 years running! 

First post was Wednesday November 5, 2005!

A lot has changed since then...

I am grateful for God for my life now

and for all of my blog friends throughout the years!

Thanks to all of you!!!

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So tell me:

what are you reading and creating today?

Do yarn along with us!

My Oma's Blankets

For years I had this blanket, and the ladybug

pillow that you see the top of.

It was not until I started knitting

that I really feel I saw what I had

in my Oma's blankets.

The one above is such a delightful bright

use of colours in seed stitch,

with border that ties it together.

Someday I want to make one like this.

My blanket is really patterned

after this one.

Here is the other blanket of my Oma's I have

so cozy on my white chair;

Cleo loves both of these...

I am making progress on my blanket

and now have the pattern of colours repeating...

I am very pleased with how it is going...

A little hard to tell, but the third red that is being knitted

is the same as the first, below the middle brighter red.

I am still thinking of how I will make the border...

My Antonia and textured blanket progress

After one of my dear friends

and I were emailing, I got the suggestion

to read Willa Cather,

as my friend was recently reading her letters

to a great degree of enjoyment.

So I got My Antonia out from the library

and finally finished it,

after many renewals... 

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I loved it. 

Such a clarity of vision, a redemption and salvation

of Antonia, a narration of a boy who was humble

and later chivalrous and in the end 

a narrator who honours others...

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I loved the portrayal of the native Faith of 

'the Bohemians' and how the moral law

that God has built into the fabric of everything

is so evident into this work.

*

And the cultured understanding of immigrants,

of music, beauty and books....

I could go on...

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Two people told me they found this book depressing;

I had a conversation with the library clerk and 

agreed with him that I could very well find this book

to not be depressing and truly I did not.

*

I think if you follow the narration of the main character,

and his loves, then the whole book is a wonder.

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So the blanket.

It's going well!

I have all four colours in now...

I am getting much better at not ribbing when I mean to seed stitch and 

love that I am growing in my innate kinesthetic understanding of

reading my knitting,

which is one of the reasons for this blanket, 

along side of the making of the blanket itself. 

I am purposely doing mostly seed stitch with some ribbing

and am pleased with the results.

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What are you reading and creating?

Yarn Along with us!