Thoughtful Thursday ~ Bess Streeter Aldrich

Davis Lake, Oregon

“I think that love is more like a light that you carry. At first childish happiness keeps it lighted and after that romance. Then motherhood lights it and then duty . . . and maybe after that sorrow. You wouldn't think that sorrow could be a light, would you, dearie? But it can. And then after that, service lights it. Yes. . . . I think that is what love is to a woman . . . a lantern in her hand.” 

~Bess Streeter Aldrich, A Lantern in Her Hand

Here's a sneak peek at my current knitting project. I'm not the most accomplished pattern designer in the world, so mainly my method consists of entreating the pattern and charts to "please work out!" I'm sure there's a more mathematical way to do this, but I'm afraid it would muddle my brain.

For Today

Craftiness for today

 My latest knitting project has been the Daphne Purse, as seen on the front of Knitting Little Luxuries. I'm using an evergreen color for it, and some old yarn that I've saved for years specifically for this project. I'm over half way done with the knitting now, so hopefully I'll finish it soon!


I'm also working on some sewing projects lately. There's a lap quilt in the works, an apron waiting to be made, and a green blouse with little white flowers to be finished. My Grandma gave me a bunch of fabrics and I can't wait to turn them all into something lovely.

Leafing through the pages

-Les Miserables | Victor Hugo

-Not Regina | Christmas Carol Kauffman

- The Acts

Plans for the afternoon

My Mom and I will be heading over to a friends house to discuss Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot. After that I go over to my Grammy's house to watch a movie with her. Tonight I think it will be the first three episodes of Jeeves and Wooster.


Excited about
I ordered some books recently, and one of them still hasn't come yet, so I'm looking forward to it's arrival. Also, I just ordered some yarn last night, hopefully for a new Classic Kniterature item. I don't order yarn very often, so it really is very exciting! I'm also pleased to be getting my Pampered Chef business geared up again. 






What is your day going to look like?

I Was Featured!

I was perusing the recent activity in my Etsy account, when I was completely delighted and excited to discover that my fingerless gloves had been featured in a treasury! This is the first time that has ever happened, that I'm aware of, so it's really fun for me!

I thought I would share my joy, and link to the treasury also. Just click on the picture below to check it out.

Kitties and Knitting

They just seem to go together.

Needlecraft from the 20's

My aunt gave me a box a few months ago and when I opened it I was delighted to find an entire stack of Needlecraft Magazines from the 20's!  I was completely and utterly happy as I started to delve through the stack.  I made the mistake of setting them aside though, and now my Aunt wants them back, and I have to hurry to look through them all!




There are pretty patterns for all kinds of needlecrafting, and ads for the most hilarious products, cures, and ideas!  I have really enjoyed looking through them as I copy down the patterns, and even some recipes, that I would like to keep.


On the inside flap of each magazine is a full page ad or illustration for Cream of Wheat.  Honestly, if these were mine, I would consider copying them and hanging them on the wall.

Children of the world love Cream of Wheat!

Another ad that keeps popping up is one so similar to the ones that we often see today, that I couldn't help but laugh. There's nothing new under the sun, right?





Once again, have you found any treasures lately? If so, what were they and what make you so excited about them?

Lace on a Wet Foam Block and Other Tales of Crafting

Life seems kind of...well, like life, right now.  I wouldn't say that life is like a chair of bowlies, but things keep moving despite me, who is currently a stick-in-the-mud.  I'm sick.

I have been working like crazy on a conglomeration of projects.  The picture above is actually a sneak peek of one of those, which I am VERY excited about, and is currently being blocked on some foam puzzle pieces. (Hey, a knitter has to do what a knitter has to do!)

For another project, I have been hired to crochet two baby blankets for twins, and I am a *smidgen* away from being done with the pink one.  Yay!  Now I just have to finish the blue one before I get home next week!

The reason I am going home next week, is because one of my good friends is hosting a homeschool, historical ball!  I really wanted to go last year, but being clear across the U.S. was a little bit of an obstacle.  This year, although I live in a different state, I'm ready for it! I am going to wear a pretty lace dress that I have. It's not historical, by any means, but it will be pretty and special enough to wear to the ball, I guess.

I've been sewing on a rather large project recently, and then occasionally trying to work on stuff for Classic Kniterature, but it's a little hard when there are so many other pressing projects to be worked on!  Ah well, all things will work out eventually.

Anyhoo, that's what I'm about lately, so if you drop by, don't be surprised if you see me furiously crocheting/knitting/sewing away, or at least bumming around with a tissue box.

What projects have YOU been working on lately?

Introducing Classic Kniterature!

Everyone, I would like to introduce you to what has been filling my days these last week.  I have thought about, pondered upon, and dreamed for this for longer than that, and now I am finally (hopefully!) putting some of those ideas into action.

I would like to present to you, Classic Kniterature.  My shop and blog where I plan on selling some of my handknits, as well as my own handknit designs.  The link goes to the blog, which you can find at http://www.classickniterature.com.  There is not a link to the shop just yet, since there is nothing for sale in the shop, but whenever there are updates, and such, you can find them over at the blog.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures, quotes, or anything awesome to put in this post to help advertise.  I'm slowly working on that, but these things take time. 

So basically, I just wanted to make you guys aware of what I was up to, so you can follow the updates over at Classic Kniterature, and start getting excited for things to come!

Book Review - Sweater Quest

Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously by Adrienne Martini

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


First off, I want to say that I am definitely pleased that knitting in novels, and other types of books, is becoming much more popular. If only they could be a little more friendly for those who purposely avoid adult content. (Like me.)

While Sweater Quest did have some language, on the whole it was something that I really enjoyed reading.

It follows the journey of one woman as she sets out to hand-knit the sweater of sweaters, a sweater known throughout the knitting world as one the most involved, inspiring, and intimidating patterns ever created. It was created by a woman who is mysterious and aggravating to knitters, and it was designed with a one-of-a-kind yarn that would break my bank if I even considered buying it. Here's the catch. She decided to do it in one year.

The author tells how she worked her way through knitter's and writer's block, asked for and received advice from experienced, well-known knitters, and how at the last things did and did not turn out how expected. In the end, you find out that it was as much a book about various knitting philosophies, it's history, and it's fascinating impact on the general public as it was about her own personal challenge.

For a knitter, it's well worth the read. For interested-non-knitters, it's also worth the read. For people who aren't interested at all, it may not be worth it, but overall, I would recommend this book as a good read, and one that you can learn from as well.

I would like to share with you what was basically my favorite paragraph from the whole book, although it is not the words of the author herself.  It is not an inspirational quote, by worldly standards, it is not necessarily descriptive peek at what is in the book, and it is not the best quote to end a post with, and yet I will. Adrienne Martini quoted from a historian, Tobi M. Voigt:

"American women who were active knitters during the 1960's and 1970's held a wide array of feelings and opinions about the feminist movement. Not unexpectedly, many of the women who continued to knit did not identify strongly with the feminist movement. They were happy as mothers and homemakers, and were largely unaffected by the feminist suggestions that their hobby trapped them in the home."

View all my reviews

Bronco's Yarn...Not!

Ok, so the title may be a bit odd or misleading, especially since I dislike sports.  However, I do like yarn, and on Thursday last, when I went to the Local Yarn Shop (LYS), I really wanted to buy something. Anything. Even if it was something small.  For those of you who don't know, LYS can be somewhat expensive.

So, I looked around, and finally settled on the clearance shelf, which was small, but there, right on top, rested a cute skein of orange and blue yarn! I snatched it up, with less grace than a lioness grabbing her dinner, and checked the price tag like a miser. $7. I checked the yardage like a dutiful bargain hunter. 350 yds. Well, that's pretty good.

Orginally this lovely gem was $24 and I got it for less than $7 because it was also %40 off! Yes, it was a good day. Add to that the fact that I got Fiddler on the Roof at the thrift store, in lovely condition, and I was one happy girl.

Now, alas I must figure out what I want to do with it! I was so dazzled by the color combinations, that I didn't realize that it was a little more variegated than like. Not to mention that it does look a little bit more like a college, sports, team's colors. So, do you know of any good patterns for a lovely variegated yarn? I'm thinkin' socks.

Socks are nice.

In Which I can't Make Up My Mind

I had figured that traveling with my Aunt would get me to a lot of neat stores and places, so it was no surprise when we came across a little thrift shop in downtown Astoria.

We browsed for a few moments before my eye caught a collection of items that will always arouse my interest.

Fabric, yarn, and craft supplies were all thrown together in some small shelves. I moved quickly to the yarn, knowing that it is in thrift shops like this where a knitter’s dream could come true.

There, lying on the top, rested four skeins of a delicate and pale, rose color. Hurriedly, I rotated the bundles to ascertain the fiber type. 75% acrylic and 25% wool! Perfect! The acrylic makes it easier to wash and maintain, while the wool keeps it warm and gives it a bit more class.

Locating the price tag, I could hardly believe what Providence had brought me. $1.00 a skein! Good yarn like this is often $5 or more when brand new, so this was definitely a deal!
I turned the yarn in my hands a minute, wondering how much cash I had, and debating if I really needed or wanted it.

Setting it all back down, I hurried back to my Aunt. I paused then, to check my wallet. Sure enough, there lay four dollar bills, a small representative of my dwindling resources.
Again, I debated, and continued to debate as I hopped from one eye-catching item to the next. I did not NEED the yarn, since I had a whole bag of it at home. Also, since I was traveling, did I want to spend my money on something I could get anywhere, instead of a souvenir?
Still, I wavered.

My Aunt seemed nearly done, and I still hadn’t made up my mind, when a lady appeared at the check-out with MY yarn cradled in her arms!

For it was that exact moment that I knew that I wanted that yarn. I had finally made up my mind, but all hope was gone. Someone else had made up her mind first.

As we walked out of the shop, I bemoaned the fate of the yarn, and my Aunt good-naturedly comforted me.

There will be other yarn.

The Answer to the Riddle: Knitted Purse

You are all so patient, and here, finally, is the answer to those befuddling pictures in my Can You Guess? post.


Those mysterious marks that looked so much like lions and dogs is actually a knitting pattern/chart. Alizona guessed the closest. Thanks for all of your guesses, though!


What sort of pattern, I hear you asking? This one!

I definitely can't wait to use it! I found the Albem pattern on Ravelry. As for the "button", it is actually a crocheted circle of fabric. I didn't have any real buttons, so I had to make do!


© 2009 Defective Compositions