Yarn Along: Bright, Bright Sunshiny Day
/Great news! It's only going to be 90 degrees today and it's only going to feel like 90 degrees today. Excellent. I have been knitting sunshine lately. I was gifted some sock yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts in a lovely shade of Chamois. Mary Beth chose the color with a pair of legwarmers in mind. When the yarn came, she decided that she really, really wants those knit from Amy Butler Belle Organic Aran in poppy, the yarn I used for Sarah's summer sweater. So, I tucked the yarn into a basket in the studio and figured we'd find a use for it.
I had planned to make the girls Tiny Tea Leaves cardigans from Rowan Calmer, but I just couldn't get gauge. On a whim, I tried the sock yarn, held doubled and totally fell in love. I love the color. I love the stitch definition. And I really, really love the ruching. Oh, this pattern has wooed me! It's a good thing, too, because if I'd read the pattern to the end and known that I'm going to have to, "Pick up 2 stitches for every 3 rows. Knit 3 rows" I might have never started. Now, I'm just going to keep falling in love and worry about the big finish later.
In honor of the abundant sunshine and our beautifully blooming sunflowers, I went to pull out the sunflower books for today. On my way to finding them, I was distracted by our Thoreau picture books. I'm in a Thoreau mood. Indeed, I think it's a Thoreau kind of day.
A fictionalized account of Thoreau for older children. The text is based on Thoreau's writings and the art is light-filled and majestic and absolutely fitting for the message
These two are darling picture books for the younger set. Henry is a charming bear who lives Thoreau's life in the wilderness, collecting flowers, gathering blackberries, taking leisurely strolls. He builds his own house and he even nods to his neighbors, Emerson and Hawthorne.
In this beautiful book, the life of simplicity on Walden Pond is conveyed with Thoreau's own words and exquisite water color and oil paintings. In this one, he borrows an axe from his neighbor, Bronson Alcott. These books are such good food for thought and talk. I'm in the mood for one of those conversations today and I know just the children with which to have it.
I hope your day is all yellow and sunshiney, too!
Do go visit Ginny for more summer knitting and reading inspiration.
