sometimes this happens

A confident knitter I am not. As long as everything goes along as required I'm just fine. But sometimes I realize I've knit when I should have purled. A few rows ago. Oh, how I do panic. And I just loose my nerve and set the project down. I go back to have another look at it once or twice, and finding nothing but mystery, I begin to avoid the project. And then I feel a bit haunted by it. There is clearly no progress and I feel badly.

These gorgeous and very simple leg warmers fell into a deep hibernation this winter. (Pattern here.) They were supposed to go to Hannah for Christmas (I told you the hibernation was deep!). I really don't know how the ribbing got off track, but it did, and they languished in a basket under the coffee table for months. (She hangs her head in embarrassment). 

A very wonderful and very Vermont thing came to my rescue. Did you hear this story on NPR about Front Porch Forum? An online group for neighbors, Front Porch Forum allows users to post a variety of needs/wants/trades/info. I finally posted a wish for a knitting guru. Within minutes, my inbox was filled with offers of help, and very kind invitations. A group of knitters gathers at our local library every Monday evening to knit and chat and wouldn't I like to come and join them? 

Oh, I did feel a flood of relief. Each person's response was warm and genuine and each offer of help made me feel more hopeful about my leg warmers. Several very stormy Monday evenings came and went and I stayed home. But last night, encouraged by the warm temperatures and extended daylight, I made my way down the hill and into the circle of women. Teachers, grandmas, farmers, old, young and in between (such fabulous knitters they are!)...I fell right in with them. My knitting snafu was solved and I have been knitting up a storm since. 

Sometimes we just need to ask for help. This is something I am working on. 

I am so glad I did. I have moved past the glitch in my knitting project and I have found another layer of connection in my new life...women gathered by creativity, craft and community.

These knitters, along with the quilters I have found in the VTMQG are starting to feel like my tribe.

How about you? Do you have a tribe? How did you create it?

stitching

At Nido this morning.

Our monthly VTMQG meeting.

Women have been stitching the world together 

since the beginning of time.

Happy International Women's Day!

still blooming...

There is a voice that doesn't use words.

Listen.

-Rumi

a birthday fox

When Alicia Paulson released her new patterns, our Gretta just had to have a fox. That was ages ago, and hoping that she had forgotten about it, I stitched up this handsome guy as a birthday surprise. Today Gretta turns 24, but she is a little kid at heart and I suspect that he will be a welcome addition to her futon in Brooklyn.

I had ordered a kit for my first stuffed critter from Alicia's website. When I made another rabbit I used the same instructions and my own supplies. I decided to simply order the PDF for the fox, which was very easy to do. I ordered the felt from Prairie Point Junction, the calico and stripes came from my fabric stash. I knit the scarf with scraps of wool that Gretta had gifted me with. It's spun from the sheep at Shelburne Farms, where Gretta did a nine month residency in 2013.

Alicia's instructions are well written and full color photos accompany them. The fox's snout was a bit tricky, and took a bit of fussing. The only disappointment I had was with the shirt. Alicia 's instructions called for cutting the buttonholes carefully with a seam ripper and finishing them with fray check. I was a nervous wreck doing this, and I am not at all happy with the results. In the future, I would sew snaps up and down the front, with buttons "for show" stitched on top (especially if the shirt will be taken on and off by little fingers).

I loved making this handsome fox, packing him in a box along with carefully wrapped Vermont maple syrup and a few other goodies, sending him off via the USPS and imagining him waiting for Gretta in Brooklyn. The birthday girl may be miles and miles away, but our best wishes are filled with love and warmth and I hope they travelled well.

thank you, sweet paper whites,

for bringing light and hope to the dark days of winter.

after you have composted a bit,

i'll see you again in the summer garden.

Town Meeting Day

Today I attended my first Town Meeting as a full time Vermonter. It was the 227th annual Town Meeting held here. 227th! We gathered in the antique Town Hall, nestled in on metal folding chairs. The Moderator had the annual report in hand, the five selectpeople gathered on the tiny stage. Before the meeting began, attention was called to this quilt (above), hanging behind the selectpeople. It is being raffled to raise money to restore our beautiful meetinghouse, just down the road from us.

(the meeting house, photo taken summer 2014)

Then two very articulate young ladies came forward, holding a poster promoting a spaghetti supper being held in a few weeks to raise funds for their sixth grade class trip to Boston. I think Batman and I may have to go eat some pasta!

The Moderator read a lovely quote by Susan Clark, an expert on traditional New England Town Meetings, reminding folks of best behavior. He also reviewed Robert's Rules of Order, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited and we jumped into the business at hand.

The "warrant" for the meeting included electing town officers, approving the purchase of a new truck, approval of the budget, consideration of the purchase and installation of solar panels on town property, the collection of property taxes and consideration of an ordinance to regulate barking dogs. 

I rode over to Town Hall with friends and we left when the meeting ended. For those who stayed, a pot luck lunch followed, and school district business was to be taken up next. (I think I'll make a day of it in 2016!)

While politicians do their thing in far away Washington, DC, neighbors gathered all over the state of Vermont today to practice democracy and self governance. The state motto, "Freedom and Unity" seemed very fitting today.

(While we await yet another snowstorm, I whipped up this Limerick Soda Bread from Sift Magazine.)

A year ago we were on the verge of accepting an offer on our house in CT, and today we are feeling more enmeshed in this new life of ours here in rural Vermont... Life is such a wonder!

crawling out of the den

Well, hello friends! We are just dragging ourselves out of the deepest hibernation den of perhaps the coldest February on record here in Vermont. And even tho the calendar says March 1st, it has just started snowing again.

Batman remains the eternal optimist and claims that meteorological spring begins on  March first, and so we are determined to embrace that fact.

Hyacinths are filling the house with an intoxicating scent, and I whipped up a batch of Lemon Zephyr Pancakes from the premiere issue of SIFT, a fabulous publication from King Arthur Flour.  I had a case of cabin fever the other day, so I drove 45 minutes south to King Arthur headquarters in Norwich, VT. It is a very dangerous place. In a very good way. I came home with the magazine, some wonderful flour and a fresh batch of sourdough starter. 

We've been watching lots of movies, and have become a bit addicted to some locally grown popcorn. On Friday, we went out into the world to see The Theory of Everything, both the story and the acting were amazing. Last night, we watched the true story of PRIDE, via Netflix DVD. (SEE IT!)

This week will be filled with some special firsts and a special sewing project. Come back soon to check things out.