Last week, I was struck by a strong urge to cast on knitting projects! That honestly hasn’t happened in quite some time. I think that there were three reasons that I got inspired: the sudden shift to fall weather, a particularly stressful day, but most of all, having a baby to knit for! My baby brother, Daniel, is having a baby! Well, not him exactly, but he and his wife are expecting their first baby, a little boy, in January. He will need some sweaters! And a hat! It’s cold in January! I asked for favorite baby patterns on Instagram and got lots of great suggestions. I cast on for a Baby Vertebrae this week and have plans for more projects. I will actually have to visit my local yarn store to buy some superwash yarn in the coming weeks and that is something fun to look forward to!
I miss having my own babies to knit for. I miss babies in general. Our oldest son, Seth, turned 20 last week. He found me sitting in my storage closet looking through old photos (everyone does this on birthdays, right?) His response was, “Really?” Yes, really. It’s hard to believe it’s been twenty years since Jonny and I were college kids with a baby, a very ornery baby who has grown into an ornery 20 year old whom I adore.
I hesitate to put in in writing, but our new little dog seems to be housetrained after many weeks of despair over his seeming inability to get with the program of going potty outside. (His previous owners kept him diapered and I think that made it a little more challenging for him.) We love him, but he still needs lots of training. He will leap onto my bed, which is fine, but then walks onto my desk to grab pencils or anything else he fancies to chew on. The other day I caught him on the kitchen table cleaning plates. He likes tables! He also nips the backs of my legs if I ignore him and I always find that quite startling. He’s very demanding! He really is sweet though and just wants to be loved. We all pick him up and carry him around like a baby. Hmmmm. Should I knit him a sweater?
I’ve been sewing lots of sachets, and hope to list them in my shop on Friday along with some soap and a bit of fall yarn. Keats and I have a great system now for making sachets, and I especially like the part where I get to justify watching a movie while sewing them closed. In the past couple of months, I have re-watched Miss Potter along with watching Judy, Ladies in Lavender, and Out of Africa. I almost never get to watch anything anymore because I just can’t stay up past 10:30 or so without paying for it the next day. It’s nice to be able to justify sitting down to “work” in the late afternoon on days when homeschooling is done. I think that Keats will have some things ready on Friday too, nice cutting boards and maybe some shawl pins as well. He’s struggling to find time to work now that school has started back along with baseball and music lessons (He is back in organ lessons after a 6-month break in addition to his viola lessons and quartet practice.) I fuss at him and tell him he has to learn to manage his time better because even with all that’s on his schedule he has a lot of free time. He usually replies that he needs to go practice (his viola). He sure does practice a lot! He’s also very seventeen. 🙂
Well, it’s after 8 a.m. and my kids are all still asleep! I better get moving on this day because they will surely be up and want some breakfast soon. Happy Monday to you!
p.s. updated to add that the knitted leaf patterns are by Elizabeth Murphy. You can find all her patterns here.
Meredith says
Those knitted leaves!! Will you be selling those on Etsy? Love them.
Karen says
I have two babies to knit for one that is due in January and one that is due in March. I just started a blanket for the January baby! Hopefully I will get everything I want knitted and be ready for the holidays.
Chiara says
I’m in Italy and not interested in specific curricula, but more in your decision making process. I’m a middle school teacher, and this year we have opted for a “normal” scholl for my 6yo. She loves it and, for temper, she really fits well in that type of setting. But homeschooling is always in the back of our minds. There is also a sort of coop in the wood that attracts us, especially for the freedom of movement in nature. Homeschooling in Italy is not well known, resources are present but not tought for homeschooling. The movement however is growing and maybe in the next years it will be easier for more people to take the plunge, for my family and I included.
Chiara says
Thank you very much for taking the time to answer me!
Ellen says
Oh, each first hint of autumn and cooler weather always makes me want to knit too. Of course, I’ve had so little time for it which makes me sad and antsy. Need to get my act together.
Ginny says
It’s really hard to find time for it! I used to knit for an hour or two nearly every night after the kids went to bed. These days they aren’t in bed early enough and I’m too tired at night anyway! I mostly knit while I’m homeschooling. Some subjects don’t allow for it, but some do! I’m always knitting while kids read to me. 🙂
Sue M. says
Dear Ginny,
I don’t post a comment to you as often as I should, but I sure do love your posts. Your pictures are always so peaceful, your children are so beautiful! I love your pureness and attitude of life in general. Your openness in being so “real” when it comes to mother-hood and the stresses that can come along with raising a family is very commendable.
I’ve always enjoyed your blog for many years but this year it is even more enjoyable to come to a peaceful place in the midst of the seemingly never ending craziness we all find in our world these days.
I can hardly believe how much your children have grown! I think I started following you around the time Job was born. Larkspur and Beatrice were just little itty-bitty girls. 🙂 Now they are lovely young ladies! I actually had to look twice (or more:)) to see it is you in today’s’ pics, you looked so much like Larkspur when you were young! At first, I thought, in several of the pics, it may be her.
And that little doggie of yours is adorable! And yes a sweater is definitely in order for when the weather gets colder! Not only for the necessity of it but for the cuteness especially! 🙂
Ever since you did your post about starting a possible You-Tube channel I meant to comment on it. That would be absolutely wonderful and I would love it! I know it takes a lot of work to edit and all, but I bet your children would love helping out and doing it! It could become a nice little gainful monetary project for you as well.
Thanks so much for taking the time to write your posts – I think your blog may be my fave of all the hundreds of blogs I’ve been on over the years!
Have a wonderful week, Ginny!
Sue M. says
P.S. Oh and I missed seeing darling little Mabel in your post today. 🙂
Ginny says
Sue, thank you for this wonderful comment!!! I appreciate it! Love, Ginny
Chiara says
Dear Ginny, thank you for your post! In a very confusing time for my carreer, I love the peace of your writings. Can you please share more on your homeschooling choices? Thanks! Chiara
Ginny says
Hi Chiara!
Are you wondering about specific curricula? I use lots of different things, not one specific curriculum. I’m happy to answer your questions.
Chiara says
I made a mess and my original reply is now a new comment! Sorry for the chaos!
Joan says
Ginny congratultions
Ginny congratulations to your brother and his wife. Enjoy knitting for the baby.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SETH Wishing you happiness and Blessings throughout the year.
Have a good week Ginny
Joan,Marilyn and Marion
Myriam Legault says
Hi Ginny,
What book are you using for homeschooling in the picture, if you don’t mind me asking? I’m about to embark on phonics with my daughter and feeling a bit daunted… thanks!
Ginny says
Hi Myriam! That is a spelling book from Memoria Press. It’s called Traditional Spelling level 1. I really like it, but for phonics we use All About Reading. I highly recommend it and have written several posts about it over the years. Here’s a post from 2012! https://gsheller.com/2012/07/reading-with-larkspur.html
Tara says
Speaking of missing babies, kids growing up, dogs who like attention and knitting for them made me think of the book “Separation Anxiety”by Laura Zigman.
Also, in response to some of your latest posts, I wanted to say thank you for your blog posts and the effort you take to make them. I love reading your blog; I don’t allow myself to look at the internet during the day, except for your blog. It’s such a peaceful, funny, real place to come and have a break. Please don’t feel like your posts need to be polished or you need to spend a lot of time on them. I love just reading your thoughts and what you’re up to. Thank you
Lynette Pruett says
Oh, Ginny, I am so happy to find a quiet, gentle post from you this morning. It’s something I needed, after being sick since Friday night. Yuk. I think I’ve turned the corner, though.
Yes, yes, yes! Please do knit that little baby dog a sweater! When I was 13, and bought the Columbia-Minerva book, “Teach Yourself to Knit”, I selected a pattern from the book, a skein of yarn, and a pair of size 8 Boye aluminum needles. The yarn was a variegated gray and blue, and the project: knit my little dog, Peppy, a sweater! I grew up in south-central Texas, so I don’t know what possessed me to think that my dog needed a sweater (she didn’t), but that project catapulted me to a lifetime of knitting. It’s been, ahem, 56 years since that first knitting project, and I am so happy my life has been filled with this journey.
So choose some yarn, get a pattern, and have a ball knitting for your “baby”. And spend as much time as you can in that box of old photographs. They are a balm for our souls. I hope you have a wonderful day.
Heidi says
Your photos are so beautiful Ginny and your new little fur baby is SO photogenic!!!?
I’m on my last bar of your soap so will order on Friday…..it’s so soothing. The sachets are so pretty also. Thank you for great products.❤️
Daniela says
The leaf garland is so pretty!!!!! Where did you get the pattern for it?
Ginny says
I just added a link to the end of my post!