Home school mostly. Six and a half months ago I had a baby. Right before that we moved into our present home and had to find and fill it with furniture. Focus on our specific home school curriculum didn't happen. We fell behind, shamelessly. So, after our winter company all returned "from whence they came," we started devouring curriculum work in earnest. I hope to be finished with our school year by the end of July. That is a lofty goal as we are not quite yet half way through the program.
I did promise to make Gabrielle an Easter dress in and around our busy schedule. There were times I didn't think I would finish. Those times generally involved a seam ripper. But prayers sustained the day and the dress made it's Easter debut. Gabrielle was overjoyed.
This is the first real sewing I have done on my Bernina. I sewed most of Gabrielle's dress with the manual in my lap. I have to say the Bernina is a good machine. It seems more solid than my old Viking. I was surprised at how much basic sewing I'd forgotten in the last two years. I didn't use a pattern for this dress and there were a few times when I wished I had.
Gabrielle said she felt like a real princess. (Gabrielle helped to design this dress with that goal in mind.) I thought she was terribly over-dressed. I confess, I was a bit embarrassed when she told everyone I made the dress. It looked more like she was going to a prom than Easter church services. But at 6 1/2, Gabrielle will probably not be interested in frilly dresses made by Mom for much longer, so I decided to indulge her. I do think I will make her another dress as soon as I can so she doesn't try to wear this one to church every Sunday. Of course I promised Gregory I would sew a shirt for him first.
I've been working on my knitting. Right now every ongoing knitting project is poised on the edge of the frog pond. I need to rip out about 3 inches of the sweater I am knitting for Michael. I ran out of charted pattern before I ran out of sweater and I don't like my improvising. With my mother's socks, I must have been a bit too enthusiastic because I ended up going too far without starting the toes and must now rip them back to size.
I have really discovered the joy of podcasting. I have subscribed to 3 of my favorite churches for excellent podcast sermons. My present favorite is my former church in Gulf Breeze, Calvary Chapel Gulf Breeze. Pastor John is so funny. I really miss him. Check it out! I love to listen to my favorite podcasts while knitting, spinning or mopping.
Last August, give or take, I decided to use some of our insurance money on a completely self indulgent thing for myself. I never mentioned it, because I felt like I really didn't NEED it. It arrived a couple of days ago and now I find I did "need" it after all!
It is a Pegasus Spinning Wheel from Wyatt Wheels. I can't believe how wonderfully it spins! Making lace weight yarn is so simple with this high quality wheel. I can certainly understand why there is now a year long waiting list. This is the kind of wheel you truly must spin on to fully appreciate. There are not words or pictures enough to convey its quality. It is sitting in my dining room right now as this is the only place I could find room for it.
On a side note, my husband believes after the former "mistress" of the house made her husband paint all of the walls pink, he had to sell it and move his family to a new house. The paint would not have been our first choice, but I don't know when we will get a chance to paint it more to our liking.
I'm spinning some fiber I received from Melissa in a fiber exchange which she organized for our Christian Artisans group. I sure wish I knew what it was because it is just lovely. I'm sure she told me, but I cannot remember.
I finally got back to washing fleece - from last year. Here is a beautiful GC NI from Running Moon Farm.
Picking through this fleece, there seemed to be wool that would be good for sock yarn and then other, much finer wool with a fine crimp that begs to be a lace weight shawl. I only wish my schedule could accommodate all of my ideas!
Naturally, no post would be complete without baby pictures. Here are my efforts to fold clothes while Michael is awake.
I have to distract him so he doesn't "help" too much.
Here, he is just too cute!
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