Well, hello! Apparently, it's March. The days just go so fast. . . .
Thank you for all of the sweet words and reminiscences on my last post. That was so much fun. It took forever to put together but it was really fun to do. I wish I could do cool stuff like that more often but I don't because my brain is not that organized. I made a to-do list the other day and it looked like the dog's breakfast, as they say. I'm kind of all over the place. Volleying at the net, as I say. Thwack, tennis ball. Thwack at you, another tennis ball. Backhand, forehand, through the legs. Missed that one. We all went for a long walk last weekend and got lost, and wound up wandering around randomly, eventually working (ugh, it was a slog, uphill) our way back to a favorite cafe and a club sandwich for mama, after which I felt much better about everything. Everything feels mildly reckless and scattered. My projects are coming together, but I need to keep my racket up. I feel flat-footed. Quilt kits are 75% of the way there but they're not there yet.
I love age four. I love it. She's so sweet and so dramatic and so imaginative and so, so, so sweet. Aaaaaaagh. I love her so much. Girl doesn't stand still. The only clear picture I could get of her in her new sweater was when she was trying to balance a yardstick on her head. She never stands still, or sits still, or lays still until the minute that last note is sung (I sing her to sleep every night) and we get under our covers together and I wrap my arm around her, and she literally falls asleep in less than a minute. I lay there in bed with her, luxuriating (finally stopping for a minute) in between the pale pink flannel sheets before slipping out of bed. I leave her in the big bed until Andy gets home at 9:00 p.m., and then he transfers her to her own bed long after she's fallen asleep. When I open the bedroom door, Bridget and Clover Meadow are always just on the other side of it, waiting for me. The minute Amelia is asleep the pets always come out, and seem to relax. We all go downstairs and clamber onto the couch to wait for Andy to get home. I pull out my yarn basket. I'd made a new Cricket sweater for Mimi much earlier this winter but just got around to blocking it. The Thousand Tiny Tulips sweater came out quite cute, and she loves it, and I needed that. I saw Amanda's blanket and, at almost the exact same moment, a little vintage copy of Tale of Two Bad Mice that Andy had bought me as a surprise arrived in the mail, so I decided to start a sport-weight stash blanket for Mimi inspired by its colors. The blanket is crocheted, in moss stitch, with an E hook, wide enough to fit across her toddler bed, done is horizontal stripes, each one as wide as whatever amount of yarn I have left in that partial skein. No thinking, other than choosing the next color. This is the start of my Beatrix Blanket (it's folded in half, here):
I think this is right:
Chain an odd number of stitches the width of the blanket you'd like.
Foundation Row: Sc in the 3rd ch from the hook, *ch 1, skip next ch, sc in the next ch; repeat from * to end, turn.
Row 2: Ch 2, sc in the next ch-1 sp, *ch 1, sc in the next ch-1 sp; repeat from * to end, ending with a sc in the ch-2 sp at the start of Row 1, turn.
Repeat Row 2, changing color at the end of a row when you run out of yarn for each color, until your blanket is the desired length.
Oh how I enjoyed a visit to your cozy home and getting to see the whirling blue of little miss. She's a doll. Your new blanket is wonderful. I'm crocheting a corner-2-corner shawl right now and it's comforting to have it across my legs during this chilly time. Happy March to you all! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
I wonder how old Amelia will be before she realizes how lucky she is to have such a creative Mommy?! I love your blog posts Alicia. Happy March. xx
Oops. Previous comment signed in as my husband!!
"immensely satisfying" is also precisely how i'd describe every visit to your wonderful blog. *thank you*
Love it! Had no idea there was a crochet moss stitch. This is something I want to remember. xo :)
Alicia, those little sweaters are adorable. Do you always put a band on the inside of the button band? I love it and think it would make the button holes last so much longer.
Please let me know if that is the case. I may have to try that.
Those sweaters are the best ever. I'm glad you live in a cooler climate so we can see them all. You two are blessed to have each other.
LOVE your sweet postings. The photos are wonderful and tell a story on their own. You're all over the place because you are so creative. Your brain doesn't take a break. On to the next project. Love that you share with your readers.
I love all the greens in these photos. I'm so tired of snow and slush and can't wait to see some green, but I know it is months away here in Canada. At least I can enjoy your green! I recently watched the movie Miss Potter with Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor. It is excellent, and I think you would enjoy it if you haven't already seen it.
It's been at least 20 years since I last crochet, yet here I am, thinking of buying hooks and yarn again. I live in Texas where it's too hot to mess with yarn even in winter. *sigh* I'm too old for this. :D
That's lovely work you've done; especially the colors.
Thank you.
Ahem. See? I'm so old I forgot to add the -ed to crochet and the correct amount of punctuation. Wait until you see MY afghan. LOL.
Beautiful, simply beautiful! Four is a magical age... I remember my girls at four... very special times. Enjoy! Hugs to all in your sweet little family. xoxo
Your knitting is superb. Love Mimi's sweaters and the lap blanket is so very Mimi. Four years old and so full of vim and vigor, what a wonderful time of life.
Soon the daffodils & tulips will be popping their little heads out like sunshine from the earth. Spring is awakening after a long winters sleep.
Wow, I am ADORING the Thousand Tiny Tulips sweater!! xoxoxxo
Beautiful! All of it! I may have to finally learn to crochet, if only for making blankets. Knitting blankets just takes way too long. I must admit I did a double take when the words sport weight moved past my eyes. The crocheted moss stitch is gorgeous. Perfectly inspired name for her blanket with your chosen palette.
My grand daughter is also 4....and it is indeed a beautiful age...and she too can't be still ...she is the first little girl in our life and I am treasuring every moment...and enjoying all the crafting for her...bless you and your sweet family xx
These sweaters are so inspiring. So much so that I am almost ready to take up knitting. No yet, but soon. She looks so big and so happy. 4 is a good age. I work in a Pediatric ER and I love to see 4 year olds. I always play guess the age when I go in the room. And when I see someone I am pretty sure is 4, I always look at them seriously and say, "You're 5 years old." They protest that they are only 4, but I tell them you can't be 4 because you are too big. They love that. It's a fun game at work for me and the children.
Hi I love reading your blog and looking into your creative world.
Oh my i just LOVE your fireplace! And actually everything else about this article, how sweet your little girl is!
such lovely sweaters!!! she is so beautiful! what treasured photos! A busy time for you! What a beautiful blanket you are making! Just perfect! what a nice gift of that book! Such thoughtfulness! That walk sounds just right and needing the cafe break, I totally hear you on that! God bless you and your beautiful family!!!
Oh, it is spring with you already, here everything is grey, bare and dark. We are longing so for the first leaves.
I love your cardigans, beautifull ! And I enjoy Beatrix Potter
With love Manon
Hi Alicia! I've been following your blog for a couple of years now and have been so touched by your story, how Amelia came into your lives, and love seeing your photos and writing. It's so funny, I've often had the urge to comment, but never did until now I've read about you reading The Tale of Two Bad Mice! I bought it for my daughter, Matilda, who is 6, for Christmas. I've been giving her one Beatrix Potter story every Christmas and birthday since she was born. I had never read the stories myself before then, had never realised how fantastic and funny they are! So, we have been reading about Tom & Hunca Munca ourselves recently and loving it! (I mean, how did she even come up with that name!?) Tilly's favourite, so far, is Squirrel Nutkin, probably because he is a very naughty squirrel! She makes me do voices for each character, and she can almost recite the rhymes without prompting, and always with lots of bouncing on the bed! Its all highly amusing! So joyful!
Very beautiful cardigan too, by the way!
Very best wishes, Becks xx
Good Morning Alicia ~
I am new to your blog - I found you on Bloglovin -
What a beautiful blog.
I love your story about Beatrix Potter ~ I use to read the same books to our daughter Alyson
We also purchased the little ceramic figures for her to see and hold while I read her the story.
She has a love for little things to this day and she is 31 now.
As I read your story it brought back so many memories of those times.
Your work is beautiful ~ I purchased the nurse utensil ~ I make small heart ornaments and it very difficult to stuff the point of the heart this will be very welcoming -
I also purchased the instant download for the quilt - I am going to introduce quilting to my Etsy store. I am excited to start quilting again.
I am so happy I found your blog.
Have a wonderful day.
Much love,
Rose
Love everything as usual! The sweater with the floral buttonhole placket is adorable. I want one in my size ☺.
Thanks for sharing your Beatrix Blanket pattern. Love the colors. Oh it would be fun if could share a short video of Amelia talking. With those of us that have followed you since her birth, we feel like we know you but yet we don't because it's all through pictures and words. But it's been so fun to watch her grow and learn and I just love to hear children talk at that age and pronounce words. I understand if that goes against the rules you decided upon on your blog but if not maybe you could indulge your readers in a short video while she's playing and distracted with her toys. It would brighten our day just like your blog always inspires me. Enjoy March!! It's been so warm here in the Midwest - we also have crocus' blooming and redbud trees and forsythias blooming about a month early. 🌺☀