So I have been finally prompted into doing a post about general yarny goodness by the sudden arrival of a surprise package on the porch. For me! It came from my mother-in-law in Chicago, which always says a lot about the fabulousness within. She happens to be a supremely talented rummage sale shopper, and she is constantly coming out of them with things that we only dream of here in the far less populated Northwest. But she doesn’t just find the fabulous kids’ clothes and funky vintage things that we swoon over all the time; she also has a mind that remembers random brands and names and things that come in handy when you are rummaging. In fact, I believe it is this talent that gives her the competitive edge in these situations. I should ask her to make me a set of flashcards, come to think of it, and start training now, in case I am ever there for the Winnetka Rummage Sale.
Anyway, here comes this box. Inside is a very sweet note: “Don’t worry if you can’t use it… I thought I remember you saying the name Rowan…. I paid less than $5 for it all…..” and lying beneath that note were (brace yourselves) TWENTY- SIX skeins of Rowan (I’m sure I did say it… I LURV Rowan) dk wool. YEE-HA! In case you have not run in the Rowan circle (make a flash card while you are thinking of it), each one of these little thingies is around $8. Yes – I got a $200 box of yarn unexpectedly (and very, very happily)! It was very much the Mother (in-law) Load. I fully intend to grow up to be a mother-in-law like this, which brings me back to the flashcards…..
But in other yarny news from my house, I have been working away on a little blanket for baby pinto (working more than the photo shows… this is one of those outdated pictures I took). Sometimes I go on a little sabbatical from knitting, and I crochet something or other. I started this little blanket, and then I made a couple of potholders out of some scraps I had left over from the blanket I made Titus a while back. 
Then I needed to knit again. I have some yarn for a couple of little things, but when your brain isn’t on its best behavior, starting new projects at night (my only knitting time) is not very wise. Things happen. It takes too much thought. So I did what I always do… I made some dishcloths in the meantime.
So I have been filling up my little Easter basket with some new and very brainless dishcloths and potholders. I can hear you asking about who needs all these potholders. Do I? Not really, no. But the yarn is so cheap, and the colors so satisfying, that I don’t mind overshooting our potholder needs. Besides, these are just sitting around the house right now looking festive. Who really needs to use them?
I have been doing more sewing than usual lately also. It is a lot harder to squeak in. I usually have to work very hard for three or four days to get a good chance to sew, and I won’t do it at night (brain power shortages) unless I have it all ready, and I know exactly what to do next. But still, somehow I have gotten some fun things done. So my next post will be probably be a little rambly thing like this one (with a lot of parenthesis also) about some good old fashioned fabric goodness.
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The colors of your potholders & cloths are lovely! Do you have any patterns (or links) you could share? My daughter (12)and I are learning to knit together right now and dishcloths and potholders are about our speed currently. *S*
Blessings on the journey~
Oh I’m so jealous!! I would kill for a good yarn shop! I have to buy online and wait for someone to come visit me. But I can get all the acrylic my heart could desire. Sigh.
Have fun!
Oh, I love all the colors! I must say, the pot holder is my favorite both in color and in pattern, very pretty. I have always admired Knitters/Crocheter’s as I do not do either well….but I will, someday, and I will remember that at name. Rowan.
That is a fabulous gift. I was at my mom’s at Thanksgiving, and she sent me home with several huge bags of yarn from her stash…my favorite Christmas present.
I’ve been thinking of doing a big granny square baby blanket. The one I’m working on now, for a little guy due next month, is small squares that are going to take a lot of putting-together time. The next arrival will be in May, hot on this one’s heels, so I’m thinking something quicker would be a good idea. Seeing your granny square nudges me even farther in that direction.
That stack of yarn looks fabulous. 🙂
One of the very sweet things my mother-in-law does for each child’s birthday is to give them something for their hope chest along with a birthday present. Yesterday was Morgan’s 11th birthday, and along with a birthday present she received a beautiful finely crocheted doily in the pineapple pattern. She and Grandma share a huge love for the pineapple patter.
What a find! I love Rowan Yarn too! You just might inspire me to pick up knitting again.
WHAT A MOTHER-IN-LAW!!! I am so, so, SO jealous! Not of your mother-in-law (I have an amazing one of my own!), but of the yarn.
My mom taught me to crochet when I was nine. In my teens, I did a lot of thread crochet…doilies, lace and such. But now that I’m a mama I stick more to yarn. I had to laugh when you wrote about your brain not behaving, and dishcloths being a good project, ’cause I can SO relate! In fact, I have a basket full of bright yellow yarn, waiting to be made into dishcloths right now.
May God bless you as you prepare for your new little one’s arrival! 🙂
Oh. My. Goodness!!!! What a blessing!
Several years ago (actually, I remember it was the night that the war with Iraq started), my sister Hilary and I inherited a Rubbermaid bucketful of yarn and crochet thread from a great-aunt (I think), and I’m still finding little treasures in it to use in my projects; most of it is Red Heart stuff, though. I always tell myself that someday I WILL use something better than Red Heart and Lion Brand. I am currently crocheting myself a second pair of socks with Premier Deborah Norville Serenity sock yarn, and I guess it is a step up, in that it doesn’t have acrylic in it. :o)
Have fun crafting with Rowan!
Blessings from Nevada,
Hannah
Thanks for posting Rachel! Baby Pinto’s blanket looks very pinkish. It looks as if you hit the Mother (in-law) Load back when you got married!
Love it!
I’m curious Rachel, when you **do** get your chance to sit down and work on projects: do you do it solely at night? How many hours do you typically spend on a project if it is at night? I’m looking for tips on how to get more project time in for myself.
Please, oh pretty please, post a pattern for (or the link to the pattern) for those dishcloths in the last picture. Or all the patterns! Love them!!
Hi all-
Janine – you are very right, that blanket is pinkish for sure! And I don’t think of pink as a gender neutral color if you know what I mean:)
To those of you who asked about the dishcloth pattern – I went back and put a link in to the pattern. I found it through ravelry, but it appears to originate from the blog I linked to. I do love it – so mindless!
Bobbinoggin – hard question! I think I probably average an hour to two and a half at night. I like knitting the most, because I can easily talk while I do it and it just requires me sitting. Also, it does not make a mess at all. On the weekends I usually get some more time. I usually take my knitting bag with me to Sabbath dinner ( and I may or may not work on something there). i love to have my knitting in the car so that if we stop somewhere or if I am waiting for my husband to come back out of Starbucks or something I can get a few rows done. However, I think it is important that whatever project you work on at night or at all other available hours is something that you actually love to do. For me, knitting is therapeutic and fun – a way to unwind. You would not catch me bringing a load of laundry over to Mom’s house to fold if I get a chance 🙂
I’m just home from the yarn store…..and I had a bit of fun there, but nothing to compare with the joy of receiving a box of love like that!
My favorite line in your post is this “I fully intend to grow up to be a mother-in-law like this…”
I want to grow up to be the kind of mother in law who would bring such inspiration.
You really are blessed!
Thanks for posting! I wanted to tell you that I have started knitting, and you were my inspiration. My main goal is your advent calendar mittens, which is my favorite of your projects. I am not even close to three dimensional objects yet (or come to think of it any real object yet), so we will see what progress I make before December 😉
Rach,
Tee-hee! That is a lot-a-Judy loving! NICE. I am so happy for you! I love those boxes too. Did she tell you what she found Tryn for her birthday? Anyhoo, the bambina blanket is darling and I personally love my washcloth.
p.s. I think you would die laughing at the Winnetka Rummage Sale….you would think we were all much too serious and whew, the people watching there is hysterical.
Meg-
I don’t think I would laugh – remember I am wanting to go into training for this event – how much more serious can you be? I am going to officially add that sale to my “do before you die” list! Glad you like your dishcloth (and hope it goes well with the light fixtures:)
Now…are those the potholders, the little periwinkle & green thing AND pink & white with a green edge, in the front of the basket?? Because that is a neat pattern, too. Ravelry as well?
Thanks for posting the link! I love knitting dishcloths and find all knitting perfect for all those music lessons I sit through each week!
Andrea – yup, those are also potholders. The pattern is from the book “Mason Dixon, Knitting Outside the Lines” which is a fun book – sorry I don’t have any freebie links to that one!
Rachel, last winter when I was pregnant with Cate (due in May as well) I was a mad potholder/dishcloth making MACHINE! I still chuckle to myself everytime I open the drawer that holds them all.