Yarn Along - Knitting Farm Slippers

 Farm yarn makes knitting so much more fun. To look at the yarn I'm working with and think to myself, "This fluffy stuff came off of my critters..." It amazes me every time. Sometimes I just feel the project and think of how it reminds me of feeling my sheeps. Sometimes, the project seems all the more special when you've lost a critter and their lovely fleece is part of that yarn. These slippers that I'm working on now, have a little bit of my sweet Clara in them. I miss her so. How sheeps can tug on one's heartstings. :')

Yoda, watches my stitches and reminds me that "the force is with me."

Yarn Along - A Pink Swirly Hat

Pattern - Swirly Hat by TChemGrrl

Yarn Along - 2014 Ravellenic Games/Finished Socks

Yarn Along - 2014 Ravellenic Games/ We Have Turned the Heel

Yarn Along - 2014 Ravellenic Games/Hannah's Knitting & Reading in SlowMo

I am challenging myself to knit a pair of socks during the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. I really enjoy watching the games in Sochi, Russia. I gasp whenever someone falls. Have nervous goosebumps whenever someone waits to do their great routine. I cry at the family embraces, and smiles of pure joy.

Needless to say, it's been very hard to knit and be so emotional at the same time. 

But, I'm trying. I am hoping to be up to the gusset by the first week. Hopefully with setting little goals for myself, I will overcome the daunting part of the dreaded heel. That will be so hard to do while watching figure skating or trying to understand the fundamentals of curling.

Also, I am slowly reading Desiring God by John Piper.
"The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever."

Yarn Along - Ripit goes the Cowl

I just recently finished The Book Thief. An excellent and worthwhile read, just have tissues nearby. :')
And I've had a rather slow start into John Piper's Desiring God. Seriously, I've not even begun chapter 1. It's seems good so far to me, then again how can a book that relates so much of the Bible and quotes so much C.S. Lewis be bad? It's just so very deeply thought-provoking. A more serious read. About joy. In God.

The knitting, well, it's a bit of a story, but for your sake, and mine, I'll summarize. I designed a hat for Valentine's Day. I'm trying to make a matching cowl, but I didn't take into account the extra 6 inches for the back of my neck. yep. I will learn from that one.

I'm hoping to join the 2014 Ravellenic Games, in which I will be knitting some cozy socks for Yarn Along'ing'. :)

Yarn Along - Morgy's Cowl

This lovely barn was on the way to Versailles, Kentucky. Papa and I spent most of the day Wednesday, driving down to UK's Oren Little Research Center for their annual Lambing School. I learned a lot, and gasped in horror a lot. But, it was extremely helpful and I enjoyed standing in the (literally) freezing cold barn surrounded by sheep for a few hours.

I also enjoyed the drive with Papa. It's nice to have him all to myself for a few hours to pick his brain about life and farming, and torture him with my tunes. 

He's such a great dad.

I've been reminded a couple times this week how fortunate I am to have such a loving dad. After watching Saving Mr. Banks and then Ragamuffin, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for my loving father who bears with my many weaknesses and treasures me still.

I was super busy on Wednesday, so you are getting the Yarn Along a day late. Sorry.

I finished the Lying in the Meadow Cowl designed by my friend Morgan Oesting. It's been so nice to have on the frigid cold days we've been having 'round here. Super warm and toasty. I really enjoyed making this cowl and it gave me an excuse to buy the mustard colored roving yarn that I've been drooling over...

Yarn Along - The Lonely Tree Shawl

So far, this Yarn Along thing is super great. I feel a little extra kick in my knitting everyday. My thinking being along the lines of "Hey, I don't want to be working on this same project next Yarn Along, I had better hurry this knitting up a wee bit." And then there's the fun of taking pretty pictures when you've finished something! Papa was kind enough to bear with my fiddling with manual settings before and after each picture he took of me with the beautiful Lonely Tree Shawl.

I also finished reading The Hobbit! and have the dwarves song stuck in my head most days...

I really like wearing this shawl around my neck. It's soft and light enough to not choke a person, but warm enough to keep me warm when the wind blows chilly.

A New Year, A New Thing - Yarn Along

I LOVE reading farm blogs. It's my one weakness. And, every time that I read through these wonderful blogs, I give myself a pep talk about how I need to do a better job of keeping up with our blog. 

So, in reading one of my favs, I noticed that some people are doing this "Yarn Along" thing. Basically, you take a picture of your current knitting project, and a bonus is also sharing the book that you're reading at the time. I thought with a New Year, I could try a new thing to help me keep up with our blog better. So here goes a resolution that I HAVE to keep up with, because you all will nag me until I do, right?

                                                         

I'm nearly finished with The Lonely Tree Shawl. I bought this beautiful yarn from Kit at the Woolfest in Falmouth, Kentucky last year. It's an uber soft blend of merino and silk, and so beautifully dyed!

And I'm at the most exciting part of The Hobbit, where Bilbo and Smaug talk in riddles to each other, and though I know the end of the story, it still sends shivers down my spine!