happy feet

I adore this book.
The title makes me smile.  The photography is awesome.  And the patterns are ADORABLE!  I tried to limit my photos to 5, by choosing my favorite 5, but then ended up with 10 and then I noticed that most of them are on the cover.
If you are new to socks this book is for you.
If you have made a million socks, this book is for you.
Inside are patterns for everyone you know.  It's sort of like looking at the socks and knowing who you could immediately make them for.
The book is filled with over 40 items to knit for your "knees and toes".
Each sock seemed to have come with their own personalities.   For your own special peeps!
If you have never knit socks, no need to worry.  The fundamentals are all there, including the sock vocabulary.  There are top-down patterns, toe-up, afterthought heel and tube or spiral sock.  A section with tips and tricks as well.
A sock book at the perfect time.  Summer time knitting.  Socks are easy to transport and easy on the lap.
Sixth & Spring would like to give away a copy of happy feet to one of my readers.  If interested, please leave a comment here before Friday, May 2nd, 5pm EST.   I'll have the random number generator choose a number.

Oh!  And I forgot to mention here, but for those instagramers who would like to try to win a set of place mats, hop on over to my instagram ( lesliefriend ) and either regram my pic of the placemat  (with the world drawn on it) or just hashtag one of your pics with #giftofgreen and you will be automatically be entered to win a set.

Happy days to you!

happy earth day

Hi there!

Wow.  I didn't mean to be gone so long.  Life got a little busy.

Just wanted to wish you a Happy Earth Day.  Isn't this world just the coolest!  It really is a miracle.  To celebrate, I'd like to offer you 15% OFF your order of the chalkboard place mats.  It's an earth friendly product, made in the USA, that helps celebrate life.  Use them over and over again to write notes, practice school work, decorate for the holidays.  Plan now for gift giving!  It really is the gift of green.  

Enter the coupon code MIRACLE to receive 15% off of your order at checkout.  Coupon will expire on May 1, 2014.

Have a super, beautiful, earth friendly day!

it's about time.

After a long spell of making only quick little projects, I decided it was time to dive into another sweater.
Antler caught my eye.  Dove grey (2203) for the main color.  Citron (2202) for the contrasting color.

I'm headed to see some blue waters and hope to make a little dent in this.  Or not.  At least I have a project for the airplane ride.  My absolute favorite place for uninterrupted knitting.

Enjoy the last of March!

blue monday :: pink thursday

A friend of mine was looking for a pair of cabled fingerless mitts.  I scoured ravelry for a pattern that would be quick and came up with these.  Love them.  I'm excited to be passing them on to her tomorrow.

Pattern:  Blue Monday
Yarn:  Stash, washable wool.
Needles:  US 7
Modifications:  I knit one more cable repeat after the thumb.  A k2, p2 instead of the seed stitch cuff.  And, knit 7 rows for the thumb instead of 3.

I had a much needed manicure today in honor of the first day of spring.  Hello, romper room.

Happy Spring!

magnolia swirl cowl

Ever have one of those projects where knitting them is way more enjoyable than the finishing?  (All of them?!)  Well, this was definitely one of those.  
This pattern calls for you to whip stitch the long strip together using 5 yards of organza ribbon.  I decided to forego that detail and seam the edges together instead.  All 178" of it.  
I played with this knit and put off the seaming as long as I could.
I made hearts, wrote words, threw it around the kids shoulders and even considered wearing it as a knit strand instead of the cowl in which it was intended to be.  
The seaming took me quite a while and therefore the long strip traveled from the kitchen counter, to the den, to the car, to the bedroom.  Just about everywhere I went, it went.
After at least a week, (maybe two),  it was finished and blocked.
The result was completely worth it.  I love how the cables run horizontally.  Something new and different.  The yarn was beautiful to work with.  The merino, silk blend is really, really lovely.
And, it sits tight around your neck blocking air for those super cold days.

Pattern:  Magnolia Swirl Cowl
Yarn:  Magnolia, #5425 berry, 3 balls
Needles:  US 6

Happy Day!

to do on a sort of snowy day

What can you do when they forecast a big snow storm to hit your area on a Sunday?

Soften butter on the counter, put on comfy clothes, make creamy tomato basil sauce and homemade bread, take a nap, drink a lot of tea, watch a movie, and knit a hat.

It's another great pattern from Spider Woman Knits.  (Remember the Cowl!)

I have received so much joy from her free patterns, I think it's time I contribute a little something to her.

Happy Monday!

P. S.  I used this yarn.

those mitts, giveaway winner and trouble

{those mitts, extra long}

I love how enthusiastic all the comments were for Knit Nordic. There really is some fantastic history wrapped up in those nordic sweaters.  I just adore it.
The random number generator chose number 35, The Spindly Giraffe.  Please email (address in sidebar) me with your address so I can make sure Knit Nordic lands in your mailbox.

Today, our sweet Trouble turns 11.  Love her.  

knit nordic giveaway

I'm sure you have seen this book floating around.  Knit Nordic by Eline Oftedal.  
I have always been a big fan of those vintage Nordic sweaters.  Can you imagine finding one now?  Let me just say, I learned a lot of Nordic knitting history from this book.  The Norwegian word for "sweater" is "genser", which derives from the word "gansey".  "Gansey" is the name of the traditional Guernsey fishermen's sweaters.   The nordic design in the book all have a fascinating heritage.  Some have a long history, others have a shorter one.  The book was inspired by four of the classic Norwegian patterns: Marius, Setesdal, and Fana and Voss.
The Marius sweater first appeared in the 1950's but traces its roots back to the Sedesdal pattern.  Handknit sweaters were the height of fashion in the postwar era.  Bitten Eriksen was a knitwear designer who created designs for a wool mill.  She was also the mother of the well-known skiers Stein and Marius Eriksen; Stein won a gold medal at the Oslo Winter Olympics in 1952.  Bitten's husband, also named Marius, was a gymnast who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.  
The pieces in the book that derived from that design are a handbag, a racerback top, hotpants, a teddybear and a stocking.  
The Setesdal sweater dates back to 1848 when the artist Adolph Tidemand made a sketch of a young man wearing the sweater while visiting the Setesdal valley in the southern part of Norway.  The sweater was, and still is, knitted in black and white or grey and white, with a series of borders.
The pieces in the book that derived from the Setesdal pattern an ipad cover, a necktie, slippers, wristwarmers and a beanie.  
The Fana sweater originates from the west coast of Norway in a region named Bergen.  Bergen was the main trading town in Norway, so foreign fashions came to Bergen first before spreading to the rest of the country.  Photographs of fishermen wearing this sweater n Bergen date back to the late 1800's.  The Fana design is made up of a striped pattern, with a star design at the top and a checkered pattern at the bottom.
The pieces in the book that are derived from the Fana design are a beret, a half-sweater and a cup and coffee cozy.
The Voss sweater is a relatively new pattern in knitting, but has been around for centuries in embroidery.   This design is geometrical and often includes squares with a pattern inside.
The pieces in knit nordic that are derived from the Voss design are a toilet roll cover, potholders, a snood, a cushion cover and an iphone cover.

The techniques section in the back of the book, highlights many needs of a knitter.  Especially one getting started with nordic knitting and is a great reference to have on file.

If interested in winning a copy of knit nordic, please leave a comment before Wednesday the 26th, 9am EST.  I'll have the random number generator choose a name.

Happy Sunday!

calling all yogi's

I'm sure you have seen these.  Some people call them pedicure socks.  Others use them for yoga.  I happen to think they are great for both.  
This pattern is the treehugger warmers.  I really like this website.  They sell the item or a kit to make your own.  Genius.
I bought a kit, cause, hey, I LOVE to knit!
This pair is headed to my sister, Lisa.  To use while teaching or during her own practice.   I definitely have a few more of these in my knitting future.

Pattern:  Treehugger Warmers
Yarn:  Wool and the gang, 100% Peruvian Pima Cotton, midnight blue.
Needle size:  US 8
Notes: Easy and Fast!

l o v e


You were created to love.
Have a beautiful day.

our "love day" cookie

Libby received a macaron maker for Christmas.  We weren't sure how well it would work, but were pleasantly surprised by the outcome.  I'll be honest.  We didn't make macarons that tasted like those from Laduree, but these were a little breeze of Paris in our kitchen.  
The kit includes super easy directions with a lot of different recipe's.  Many different choices and flavors.  
All the tools included to make the perfect little cookies.  And all perfectly sized.  
We made a basic buttercream frosting for the filling and tinted it pink for Valentine's Day.
These are almond flavored.
Next up, coconut.

new

Libby:  Watcha makin'?
Me:  A cowl.
Libby:  That's one skinny cowl.

Happy February!

ice ice baby

First off, it was so nice to read all of your fantastic and funny comments on my little knitting experiment. Thank you!  Carly Carter shared an article on twitter about the connection between yoga and knitting.  I thought it was a great read and doesn't surprise me one bit.  Although,  after all of these years of knitting, and knowing how much I love everything about it (The yarn, the feel, the rhythm, the sound;  the entire process, not just the finished project.) I feel like I will put out an effort to be more mindful when knitting.  More in the moment .   Unless, of course, I am working on a favorite mindless knit.  Because, I believe there is room for both.
On a freezing day earlier in the month, we froze bubbles.  It really was SO cool.  The bubbles would freeze almost instantly (in negative temperatures) and shatter when they hit the frozen earth.  
Stevie left a comment on how her family likes to make ice lanterns.  What?  We are all over that!  I love a good winter craft.  
I made a couple of mistakes along my ice lantern making journey.   First off, I used paper dixie cups in the center where the tea light will go.  Have you ever tried to get paper off of ice?  What was I thinking?  (I'm sure I was thinking of knitting.  Refer to last post.)  I used little pebbles to hold down the cup in the water.  That seemed to work well.  
The other mistake would have been that I didn't wear plastic gloves when removing the ice lantern from the plastic container.  The food coloring temporarily stained my hands.  Plastic gloves would make the process a whole lot neater.  
We had a lovely candlelight dinner by ice.  
The lanterns didn't melt too much.  They went back outside where they will remain frozen awaiting their next icy display.

Make the most of these cold days!

auld land syne mitts and an experiment

So, let's chat.
I'm curious to know how your brain functions when you are knitting.  Are you focused on your knitting and find it easy to sit and knit and do nothing else?  Or do you stop at every thought and act upon it?  

Last week, after finishing my first mitt, I was leafing through the book and noticed the "knitted gifts planning guide" which gives an estimate of how long a project should take.  These mitts are in the category of "4 hours or less". 

4 hours or less!  No.  Way.  It took me all week to make one mitt.  There is no way possible that it would have taken one mitt 2 hours.  No.  Way.  
So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and challenge that estimated time calculation.  
I gathered everything I needed, including tea and excluding my phone, purposely leaving it in the other room.  I sat down at the kitchen table and cast on for the second mitt.  

To say this was painful is an understatement.  It was torture.   The voices in my head started.  "Oh, I need to text Shelly."  "Hmm.  Who's teaching tomorrow's yoga class?"  "What year was Beetoven born?" "Who just text me?"  "I want to look at instagram."  "How many minutes per day should I be practicing piano?" "What is the balance in my checking account?" "I should really be calling mom."  "Oh shoot, I should have put those clothes in the dryer."  "When is Andrew's basketball game?"  "I want to check my email."  "I wonder if those boots are on sale."  "I should order those long johns for Charlie."  "Do I have an extra yogurt in the refrigerator for Libby's smoothie?" 

OH!!!!  It went on and on.  I wanted to pick up my phone a hundred times.  I wanted to pop up and do things a hundred times.  It was exactly like when I meditate and have to constantly bring myself back.  Over and over I had to bring myself back to my needles.  Listen to the sound. Watch the pattern unfold.  
But, I did it.  And from start to finish that mitt took two hours.  Including the time spent sewing in the label into the inside of a mitt.  
A gift for a friend.
Knit in 4 hours or less.

Pattern:  Auld Lang Syne Mitts, 50 knitted gifts for year-round giving
Yarn:  Stash
Needle:  5 and 6 dpn

when it's not just a hat

Sometimes, so much satisfaction can be derived from the simplest of patterns.  I can't even begin to tell you how finishing this hat in less than twenty four hours felt.  I have made my share of hats.  I love them.  And I love how it feels when you give them away.  But this one seemed extra special.  Maybe it was the fact that I haven't had that quick of a knit in a while.  (Although, this pattern is even faster.)
Or maybe it was because my sweet mother sent me the yarn along with the pattern.  Enough yarn for two hats.  So that I can give someone a warm hug for their head and keep one for myself.  
The tweedy, stripy yarn was so great to work with.  A new color surprising me, knitting a subtle stripe into the hat.

Pattern:  Candide Sailor's Watch Cap (Love how they spelled purl.)
Yarn:  Berrroco Lodge
Needles:  size 10

A two hour delay this morning because of the temperatures dropping below zero.  I've been hoping for that email that tells us that they cancelled school.  I have my hot coffee.  Three sleeping children.  And a hat to knit.

Happy Wednesday!

easy striped cowl

Well, I had to do a little bribing to get Charlie to model the easy striped cowl.  
I was looking for a quick cowl pattern that would suit a male and this is what I found. (Charlie doesn't think men should wear cowls.  I, personally, LOVE a man wearing anything hand knit!)  I had stash yarn from this sweater and this sweater and decided to combine the two.  
I ran the opposite color through each row and thought that perhaps it can be worn the opposite way as well.  A reversible cowl?  Even better.

Pattern:  Easy striped Cowl.
Yarn:  Berroco Peruvia Quick
Time:  Quick!  Love it!

baby it's c o l d outside!

There is nothing more than I love than a snow day.  And one that is referred to as a polar vortex, where the kids are stuck in the house with me, was an added bonus.
We baked.  And baked some more.  THESE were the perfect treat.
Libby and I ventured outside in the negative temps (while the boys watched from the heated house. Oy.) to try a fun experiment I learned from Heather.  
The bubbles freeze almost instantly and shatter when they hit the ground.  We tried desperately to have one land and not break but could only try for about 1 1/2 minutes before running back into the house giggling.  It was SO cold!
There was knitting.  AND a finished project.
So grateful to have a warm home with a day like this to remember.

calzone love

These c o l d days have me craving comfort food.  You know, the kind that warms you through and makes you sleep well under those down comforters.  I pulled out an old recipe from a couple of winters ago.  It was a winner!
I haven't had bread rising in a bowl on the kitchen counter for a while.  It felt so good.  
This, my friends is about to make 8 delicious calzones.  
You can really fill them with any of your favorites.  I prefer spinach, onion and ricotta, but just did ricotta this time around. (The kids favorites.)

Serve with a salad and some homemade marinara on the side.   And perhaps a glass of red wine to really warm you!

The dough:
1 cup of warm water, 1 1/2 tsp dry yeast, 1 Tbs honey.
When bubbly add:
2 1/2-3 cups flour (mixed whole wheat and white, or just white), 1 1/2 tsp salt.

Knead 10-15 minutes (I mix mine using the electric mixer fit with the dough blade and let it run for about 5 minutes adding water or flour depending on what is needed to form a ball.)  Cover, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.  About an hour. (Prepare filling while dough rises.)

The filling:
1/2 lb ricotta cheese, 2 TBLS minced fresh onion, 1 cup mozzarella cheese,  a couple spoonfuls of marinara.   You can add any veggies you have sauteed.  Add a bunch of garlic if you like, too.  Really, anything goes.

Punch down the risen dough and form into a ball.  Divide into 8 sections and roll out in rounds 1/4 inch thick.  Fill with 1/2 cup filling on one half of the circle, leaving a 1/2 inch rim.  Moisten the rim with water, fold the empty side over and crimp the edge with a fork.  Prick the top.  Bake on an oiled cookie sheet in an oven that has been pre-heated to 450˚ for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned.  Brush each pastry with a little butter as it emerges from the oven.

We don't have school tomorrow due to the cold temperatures.  I can't wait to be stuck in the house with  some yarn, the kids and the oven!

2 0 1 4

Happy 2014, my friends!
I wish you all the best, filled with health and happiness.
Can't wait to see what all the talented hands out there create!
xx,
leslie