Another couch Pic

The kids wanted to "snuddle" (snuggle) on the couch... and Baby says "I tode!" (cold) I love the button detail on the end of the arms... I think for comfort sake, it'll need a couple of throw cushions; what do you think of bolsters? Two, that could go horizontally across the back or laterally against the arms?

What's That!?!!

Look at this beautiful picture from my new favorite Color Blog House of Turquoise. I adore this room and totally want to absorb this vibe for my own great room. I love the light walls, the light, casual curtains, the view outdoors, the turquoise.... I have been thinking of recovering my flowery $75 garage sale couch in orange and copying this room, sort of... but my friend Joy always says you should check Craigslist first... so I did. She should know, too, she's made slipcovers for her couches, they're these awesome red denim slipcovers that really look like she bought them straight from Pottery Barn... like her whole house, which is awesome... no A- WE- SOME! And lots of it came from Craigslist.

Today I asked my husband and another very nice man to shove this into my Suburban... it was a close fit, I almost had to leave the kids there. Also, it's a sleeper sofa, so it's, you know, HEAVY! But my man is studly and we wrestled this thing out of a lovely lady's house and into my own back room to await it's new home with the other lovely things we have no room for. It's not exactly luxury upholstery... I mean it's that fakey velvet that lasts forever and wipes clean with a damp cloth... kind of like Teflon. My orange Teflon couch is great and the best thing is... I won't feel mad at my beloved children when they rough house on it, because I didn't spend hours and hours making a slipcover... so with no further ado, the $75, retro mod, orange couch:

Sorry for the pic quality... I'll post a daylight pic tomorrow... but I just had to share!

Status Report

Hello, Dear Readers,

I know that you all hearing me say over and over again that my current status is "packing" is not all that interesting. So, I thought I'd give you photographic proof, and also let you in on a deal I snagged yesterday. I found these lovely, buttermilk colored pieces on Craigslist day before yesterday. I can't wait to see them in the Little Woman's room. They're short enough for a 4 year old to access, and they're small and divided to help a little person keep everything in its place. My 4 year old is a "cleany" by nature and I've been hampering that tendency by not making her storage spaces accessible for her, hence...

It's a great piece, and it's suitable for a sideboard or sofa table, as well, I think. It was advertised with a matching end table or bedside table, below, but the dear, sweet, gracious lady threw in this midcentury modern piece as well, which, I have to say, made my day! It just so happens that it matches another dresser we purchased in Colorado Springs years ago, and it will make a great set!

And...

Status: Packing

Knitting Post, so if you're not a fiber or color addict, you may want to catch the next post!

Well, knitting is continuing, though I've packed up the sewing equipment, and even most of the yarn... though I did keep out some projects to keep me busy between packing, cooking, laundry, and school. I have been garden planning, too, but I really can't do much till we're in the new house, except do a little mail ordering. Party month is coming... February is coming and there will be gifts to order and wrap and days of fun to declare. My head is full of thankfulness for God's Grace and provision and blessings, none of which I deserve, and all of which seem completely unearned, or even the opposite of what I should have. Also swimming around in my head is decorating ideas for our new home. That's my favorite part of moving: the anticipation of nesting. I keep having to remind myself that we need to just get the basics unpacked and then get the garden planted and a fence built to house Fang the beef steer more permanently than our back yard fence.

So, as this is a knitting post, on to the works in progress:

Another cushion cover, in a honeycomb pattern, with colorwork. Leftover Knit Picks Shine Sport from my babydoll tunic. This will be a rather large throw cushion, to coordinate with the Williamsburg cushion and the green cushion already made.

Beautiful, beautiful variegated Socks that Rock in the Crabby Mc Happypants colorway... a pair of lace stockings, or at least knee socks! Usually, I do not like lace in variegated yarn... but, I want a pair of lace socks, long ones, so.... there you go!

A stole... Eunny Jang's Print o' the Wave, practically free Knit Picks kettle dyed Shadow in Pacific colorway (a shade of turquoise green or blue that I'm quite fond of). I'm rather excited about this project, as it's my first real lace weight pattern to work, and it's working up very quickly. It's a simple, short pattern repeat, with all purl rows on the wrong side, so it's a good first lace shawl pattern, I think.... not to mention a good gift idea, for someone who might love beautiful, delicate handwork.

And finally, a cardigan to go with one of my winter skirts. I have a very pretty tan wool skirt, bias cut, A-line... with orange and chocolate and cream, and I've been looking for years for a suitable cardigan for it... I'm attempting to make one, finally. Mother Daughter Knits Grey Cardigan is the pattern. Lion Brand Fisherman's wool in brown... smells very nicely of lanolin.

Another Orange Post... Shocker!

Hi! Look, I'm making this pretty cushion cover out of my special Williamsburg yarn... I think it'll be perfect to bring the color in my curtains onto the couch without trying to get back the giant burnt orange velveteen couch that my husband's grandparents passed down to us and that I used to hate, but now wish I had again. I've been dreaming of recovering my couch, well, since I bought it for $75 at a garage sale, but I can't decide what color to cover it with. Charcoal? Navy denim? Brown? I can't decide. Whatever it is, it has to be washable, because my kids can be easily compared to hurricanes.

Anyway, the fabric is a little experiment by me... I checked out Barbara Walker's stitch encyclopedia and first tried the wool in a gorgeous, intricate ogee lace pattern... not good. The wool is just too slubby and variable in gauge to look pretty... then I thought of a beautiful fabric knitted in silk I saw once, and I turned to the section on twisted stitch patterns, found the twisted purl stitch, and came up with this:

I cast on 70 stitches, and just started up. The stitch is a good for a mindless knitting project. It would make a really nice pair of gloves in a very fine gauge, or a coat in a nice worsted... as the fabric is dense and firm... I think this stich is perfect for the varied tonality of this yarn, and see, it's gonna look great with my curtains!