Swiftly Wind Your Yarn!

The last time I was in South Africa, my mother-in-law gifted me her old yarn winder. You can see more here (the yarn winder is near the end of the post).

I have used that thing a LOT since then. I'm not sure how I wound so much yarn before I had it, but I've definitely used it a ton. 

With my recent purchase of this yarn in the basket, I decided I finally needed a swift to go with my winder. Sure, I could unwind the yarn from the skein using two chairs, or an extra pair of hands, but frankly that takes too long. In that span of time, the Peanut is already climbing the bookshelf. 

So, for my recent birthday, I decided to get a swift. I didn't want to pay an arm and a leg though. After all, I need both arms to knit. But lo and behold, you can order a fairly cheap one online from Walmart! 

I tested it out this past week, and much to my glee, the Peanut was so busy staring at the yarn going around in circles, he forgot all about the bookshelf. I was able to wind all of those yarns swiftly (I guess that's why they call it a swift??) 

And now my yarn looks even prettier and more organized. Now if I could only find the time to actually knit or crochet something with it. 

 

Happy (Early) Mother's Day

Mother's Day comes early in the United Kingdom. Every year I notice it because I have a slew of British friends wishing each other a Happy Mum's Day. Today is the day, so Happy Mother's Day to my mummy pals across the pond. 

Years ago, when I lived and worked in England, I would buy my own mother a card and send it early. I knew if I waited until May, when Mother's Day is celebrated in the USA, then I wouldn't be able to find a card. I had a momentary panic a few years back when I thought that South Africa celebrated Mother's Day in March as well, and I hadn't called my mother-in-law. They too celebrate in May, thankfully at least for me. 

This past week, my own mom visited the Peanut and me. We ate, we laughed and we watched the Peanut try to stand all on his own. He's a brave and fearless little stinker.

My mom has become quite the traveler since this post. She's visited several times over the past few years, and I realized the other week when I stepped on a plane for the first time in two years that my own mother has flown more than me during that time.  

On the day she left, we reminisced about all of the times she's driven hours and hours to either get me on a plane or pick me up from one. We laughed, because now with the Peanut, I don't even have the energy to drive her two hours to her airport... so I put her on a shuttle. My mom didn't seem to mind, or if she did, she certainly didn't say anything. Moms are good like that. Now that I'm one myself, I'm starting to get a glimpse of all the things you'll do for your kids, even if it means driving hours to the airport, or riding in a shuttle for two hours with a bunch of strangers. (Thanks Mom!)

So, Happy Mother's Day to all of the British mothers... and Happy early Mother's Day to the rest of us!

Pictures are worth 1,000 words...

I kind of liked my photo recap the other week and I decided that since I seem to be blogging less, I should post lots of photos more often. One photo after all, is worth 1,000 words. So it makes sense that a few photos should make up for a lack of blogging on my part, right?

So here's what I've been up to: 

I've been waiting for Spring, and the sunshine finally started streaming through the windows a little more this week. 

The Peanut took his first flight across America a few weeks ago! 

He did great. His mama was pretty exhausted, though.

I started to crochet a blanket, using this pattern.  

(I also wrote about the blanket with the same pattern here.)

I made it into my local yarn store to pick up some buttons for this cardigan.

This gorgeous pile of yarn came home with me from Idaho. (Every time I visit this store, I break my promise to only use my stash and I make a yarn haul.)

These awesome scissors also made it into my bag. Cutting yarn is now even more delightful.

I am very much looking forward to the return of the Sailor in a few weeks. The Peanut is also missing him.

I'm a little excited to be using this cool vintage yarn holder I found at an antique shop a few weeks ago.

The Peanut has gone mobile. My little guy crawls all over the place and is now pulling himself up onto everything he can grab. 

 

And finally, this happened tonight... thanks to the aforementioned mobility of the Peanut. The little guy is into everything.

Welcome to my somewhat chaotic world nowadays! 

Sharing the Gifts

Last night, my friend's eight-year-old daughter made her brother a blanket for his stuffed owl. 

I taught this little munchkin to crochet a few years ago, but as soon as I left town, she promptly forgot. I gave her a quick refresher this week, and now she can't stop crocheting. 

In other news, my friend scrounged up this fleece outfit I sewed for her son a decade ago. 

These fleece suits and hat were my go-to baby gifts before I really learned to knit or crochet. She's passing it back to me for the Peanut, just in time since he's rapidly outgrowing his outdoor outfits. 

Now both the Peanut and the owl will stay warm this winter. And we all get to share the gifts. 

Baby, It's COLD Outside

We moved south for several reasons: one of which was to escape the gloom and frigid temps of the north. Imagine my surprise when I saw the single digits and snowstorm predicted for this week. 

I've said before that I once interviewed a 102-year-old British lady (she went on to live to be 104) and she used to say she didn't mind the weather, as long as she was dressed for it. 

I tend to agree, but I'm still looking forward to warmer temps. In the meantime, I've been using up the leftover yarn from my own warm cardigan. 

(Have no fear, Peanut. Mama is frantically trying to finish another sweater for you before you outgrow it.)

Pattern is from Love Knitting for Baby February/March 2014. There's no photo, but it's a basic baby cardi with ribbing. This one, Little Coffee Bean, is very similar, only with stripes. You can see mine here.

Stay warm everyone and if you're snowbound, I hope you've stocked up on yarn!