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From Joanna's desk
Life has been sort of kicking my ass lately. I won’t go into it. As a result, I haven’t been getting much done. Finding the headspace for much more than staring at the tv has been a challenge and self care has been a priority. Nap time has become a regular fixture of my days off. Boy do kids have it wrong. Nap time is the best time. Part of working on self care is accepting that it is okay when I get nothing done. Like last week. I spent almost an entire day reading. It was heaven. What was I reading, you might ask? Carry on, by Rainbow Rowell. If you aren’t familiar, Rainbow Rowell writes young adult fiction. Our dear friend Claire introduced me to her books years ago and they quickly became some of my favorites. I’m drawn to them when life is hard or my mind is troubled. For me, her writing is like a cozy blanket on a cold night. Comfort reading. I’m sure we all have those books we turn to to soothe the weary mind. I spent some time thinking about why I turn to Rowell. What is it I love so much? Rowell’s characters are a big draw. They feel real and relatable, like you could go out into the world and find them. Each has their own struggles and flaws. They make mistakes. Rowell doesn’t make their lives simple, or easy. The hard realities they face aren’t ones that can only be found in the pages of a book either. Poverty, alienation, stagnation, loss, abuse, and neglected relationships. The struggle to figure out who you are amidst life’s changes. Rowell doesn’t let the struggles overpower or distract from the story. Her characters evolve over time. They experience friendship, devotion, compassion, empathy, hope, and love. Even if it is tough love. Sometimes from unlikely places. I don’t read Rowell to escape life, like I might with fantasy. It is right there on the page to be read and felt. But, she reminds the reader that all is not lost to struggle. There is hope and joy to be had in her pages, as there is in life. In the end, her characters may still be in a mess, but they are left in a hopeful moment. Carry On is the same as the others, but different. It started as fan fiction a character was writing in one of her books and became wildly popular. Rowell still gives us the real emotion and mess of life but with a bit of a fantasy flair. Magic school and vampires. What's not to like. I highly recommend it. Now, I’m not sure what to read next. I have a pile of things started, but favorites from the past are calling to me. Perhaps it is time to revisit a few? Are there books or authors you reach for when life gets rough? I’d love to hear about them. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
- President Theodore Roosevelt Postpartum is rough. It's one of the realities of childbirth that is often glossed over, often thought of as something that happens to other people. (For the record, I never gloss it over; I tell my friends. I talk about it. The more we talk about it, the more we normalize it, and the more the tribe of mom can help those new to our tribe adjust and seek help.) I recently had my second child and, blessed with 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, was looking forward to the time away from work to cuddle a baby. Without going into too many details, I wasn't happy at work. It was an unpleasant situation, compounded by a long commute, and company culture I struggles to find a place in. This was going to be a great reset. I had plans. I had goals. I was returning to a new role, billed to me as a perfect fit. I had pepped talked myself to the brink...brink of what, I am not sure, but I was pepped... and looking for rainbows. Then postpartum hit... hit harder and longer than with my first. It took all the lies I had been telling myself, all the positive things I had been focusing on, and mixed them in with all my feelings of shortcomings, added a little mommy guilt, garnished it with sleep depravation and broke me down nearly to the bedrock. Luckily, I have hit bedrock before in the last decade. I know how it looks. I know what it feels like. And at this point, I have the strength to start looking up. I also have an amazing life partner, a fleet of mom friends who keep me in check (see the power of the tribe of mom), and an amazing collection of friends who routinely step in and help you find the way in the dark. So, when I found myself sobbing, baby in my arms, thinking and saying out loud - and eventually to my unfailingly supportive husband: "I just need it to be okay to fail. I need it to be okay that I have tried and it is not working out. I need it to be okay that I can't make it work. I need it to be okay to fail." I found release. I sobbed over it for a few more weeks. I turned it over and over. I thought all the things moms think when we are feeling the weight of mom guilt, when we are feeling like we aren't doing enough. Then I found a way to let it go ... I decided that I needed a plan and I needed to give myself permission to be a failure. It was life-changing, both as a mom and as a professional. I went back to work with a plan. Not a great plan, but a plan. I like plans... Shit, very simply put, hit the fan. I put my foot in it; I rolled around in it. And when I felt all was lost, I found myself at the Central Exchange's Women's Leadership Lyceum. The theme this year was "Rise Up to the Challenge." All day long, I heard about making bold goals and running after them. I heard strong, inspiring speakers with empowering advice, and for once in my life, I was in the perfect place to really hear them. I sat "marred by dust and sweat and blood," ready to stop being timid and find my own way to dare greatly. I did just that. A new job opportunity landed in my lap. One that will hopefully give me the work life balance I need to pursue some long put off goals. If I hadn't gone through all those feelings I had been feeling and if I hadn't given myself permission to accept a perceived failure, I would never have said yes. I am glad I did. I am saying good-bye to the company I have worked for since 2007, my first "professional" gig. It's terrifying, but I am done being terrified of the unknown. I am tired of staying with what I know because it's what I know. It's time to, once more, proudly be... the man (or person) in the arena. A return to the fearless dreamer I once was. I am looking at gaining two to three more hours back in my day. I am looking at the potential that they hold. I am going back to school to finish up a degree program I have been chipping away at for ages... I am making a list of bold goals and am making plans to achieve them. I am working on living the spirit of the above quote. I can't wait to see what happens as a result. - Kate From Joanna's patio: I know it has been a while. Honestly, I have been rather unproductive of late, but I did finish a book last week! All hail the motivational powers of a library book due date. I know that many people out there don’t go to the library because of the due dates. The fees. The inconvenience of reading a book on someone else’s schedule. Personally, I love having the library on my phone. My local library has a lot of perks, one of which is access to an online selection of books I can read from my smartphone. The due date also forces me to actually set aside time to read. In the past few months I managed to check out and read a few things. Yesterday I finished Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig. Is it weird to say it is a lovely memoir about Haig’s experiences with depression? He honestly discusses his personal experiences with a major depressive episode and his life after with humor and optimism. It never felt too heavy or difficult to read. Shifts in format change tone between sections. Haig includes lists, quotes, and bits of dialogue. He includes conversations between his current self and his past self that really highlight how your perspective changes over time. You are constantly reminded that there is hope and joy in life, even at the worst times. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and even the smallest moments of joy should be celebrated. I feel it would benefit from rereading when I can take a bit more time with it. I certainly recommend you read it. On the knitting front, I’m sure I’ve finished things. My current projects include a sock and a baby knit. During the month of May I’m hoping to spin for at least 15 minutes a day, so keep an eye out for instagram posts of my progress. Hopefully next week I’ll have another book to share. I’m a huge dork. It will show. Be prepared. Joanna  Hello! And Happy National Craft Month!! We thought we would use this as an opportunity to tell you a little bit more about ourselves and what we like to craft. My name is Kate; I am the oldest of this sisterly duo. |
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I feel like I haven’t been up to much lately. My hands and wrists have been a bit of a problem as has working a lot. Despite this, my desk has gotten out of hand. I swear I just had it clean!
I thought it might be a good time to share what I’m working on and what I’m reading. If you take a look at my desk, we can start on the right side. Over the weekend I started some arm warmers for my older nephew. He requested a pair like Mama’s and I, being a good auntie, am knitting him a pair. I have the first one done, but not DONE done. I should bind that off and start the second one…
Below that (bottom right corner) is some of what I’ve been reading. Books haven’t been a great option, since it irritates the cranky hands. Around the time the trouble started Knitting Comfortably: The Ergonomics of Handknitting by Carson Demers arrived in the mail. Carson Demers knows what he is doing. The book on ergonomics happily holds itself open on any table (and in fact chastises anyone who is holding it while reading). I’m working my way through it while returning to some long neglected magazines. Under the book you may spy the Sock Yarn edition of PLY magazine. It is beautiful and fascinating… and I really need to finish it before the next one arrives.
If you’d kindly follow me to the left, you will see a delightful project bag with whales and a sock. I started this pair of socks in June, and I have just started the second sock. Hopefully, I’ll be reporting about the finished sock soon. Continuing the the left you’ll see my pill shaver and mittens. I love my mittens, but they do look shabby after a few weeks. What is left… ah, my other neglected Magazine. Spin Off is another good one about spinning. It is also another one I should finish before the next one is out… I tend to read an article here and there as the mood strikes.
What you can’t see is the project on my wheel and the book on my phone. Spinning, like knitting, is on the list of things my hands haven’t loved. None the less I persist, just at a slower rate. My phone is a gift and a curse. It causes a decent chunk of the hand problems. (PSA, don’t spend a lot of time holding your phones. Trust me.) My phone is also handy for reading. My local library offers both books and audiobooks through a handy app. I checked a book out and read with my phone propped up on a gadget cushion. Currently, I’m reading Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake. It is the third in a series I am very much enjoying.
I really hope I have something done to share soon. There is a pretty good chance the next post will be a bit more kitchen centric. I hope you like carbs. I certainly do.
-Joanna
There is one thing that strikes fear into the hearts of wool lovers. Moths. Moths that could be quietly noming away at our wool. At least one podcast I listen to has talked about moths of late, possibly two. As a result, I haven’t been able to get the little critters off my mind. It was time for action.
| It is a good practice to toss one’s stash at least once a year. Tossing your stash is simply getting all of your yarn (or fabric or books.. Or whatever it is you collect that may be edible to bugs) and checking it for damage before stowing it away again. I do it… mostly once a year. Sometimes I am more motivated by reorganizing than moth threats. So, a few weeks ago I dug out nearly all of my crafting supplies and had a good toss and organize while the Husband was at work. |  All my craft supplies minus the books and broken sewing machine. |
 ALL the yarn! Sorted by weight. | I did manage to set aside a few things to donate to my lovely friend’s efforts to spread knitting to the world. I also found *gasp* a suspicious bug on top of a yarn container. I smashed it too quickly to check if it was the yarn eating variety or not. Thankfully there were no signs of damage, but it did lead to the hasty use of the Amazon buy now button for some cedar oil. Cedar is one of the scents that moths do not enjoy (lavender is also a good deterrent). The trick is having a strong concentration of the scent in an airtight container. Over time the oils in cedar wood chests and blocks dissipate and need to be replenished. I just need to chuck my blocks in a container with the oil or wipe it all down and pop them back in with my yarn. Easy. |
For those who are curious about what to do in the case of moths in your yarn, I’ll give you an overview. The larva are really the problem and, like most of us, they do not enjoy extremes in temperature. If I remember correctly, the trick is to place everything in temperatures over 120 F or under 18F long enough to kill them. Depending on where you live and the time of year, that isn’t too hard to come by. The dash of your car in the summer will do the trick. Iowa is cold enough right now, I could just set my stash outside for a few days to get the job done. Hopefully I never have to.
An added benefit of the toss is rediscovering yarn for long planned projects. Hopefully, some of that will get knit up soon.
- Joanna
An added benefit of the toss is rediscovering yarn for long planned projects. Hopefully, some of that will get knit up soon.
- Joanna
I decided it was time to provide an update on my reading adventures.
You may note a theme: parenting. We had a baby in October and, although this is my second, I thought a little reading was in order.
I have been going to a breastfeeding support group here locally. Nighttime Parenting was recommended in that group. I highly recommend it as well. There is a lot of guilt that goes on with modern parenting. This book helped relieve me of some of it. It struck a cord. It talks about the basics of baby and child sleep. It talks about the impacts of breastfeeding and baby sleep on mama's sleep. It covers co-sleeping in all its forms and the pros/cons of that. There is a slant. It was put out by La Leche league. But at the same time, it also states that you should do what is best for your household and your baby. He states that ultimately that is up to you. If you are a new parent or about to be a parent, it's worth the read. There is even a section on fathers.
I finished Girl in Reverse as well recently. It is pleasant to have Kansas City represented so accurately in novel form. We often are not. Of course, it helps that she is from the area. I love that the Nelson Atkins Art Gallery is featured. It is one of my favorite things in the city. The journey follows a Chinese student who was adopted when she was very young as she searches for information about her previous life. It is set during the Korean War and touches on the prejudice that was present in that period. I think that it is a relatively lighter hand than most would have taken on the subject. I did enjoy it. I think I will probably put some of her other novels on my list. I do so enjoy supporting local artists.
The other books in the stack are works in progress. The Country of the Pointed Firs is a reread. It is one of my favorites. I am reading it allowed to the new little one. It is so beautifully written.
A short update on the shawl: I don't have a lot of experience with short rows. Instead of flying fast and loose, I put in a safety line. I am glad that I did. After completely section two of the shawl, I had two extra stitches and an odd little hole. So, I ripped it out and am starting over on that section today.
- Kate
You may note a theme: parenting. We had a baby in October and, although this is my second, I thought a little reading was in order.
I have been going to a breastfeeding support group here locally. Nighttime Parenting was recommended in that group. I highly recommend it as well. There is a lot of guilt that goes on with modern parenting. This book helped relieve me of some of it. It struck a cord. It talks about the basics of baby and child sleep. It talks about the impacts of breastfeeding and baby sleep on mama's sleep. It covers co-sleeping in all its forms and the pros/cons of that. There is a slant. It was put out by La Leche league. But at the same time, it also states that you should do what is best for your household and your baby. He states that ultimately that is up to you. If you are a new parent or about to be a parent, it's worth the read. There is even a section on fathers.
I finished Girl in Reverse as well recently. It is pleasant to have Kansas City represented so accurately in novel form. We often are not. Of course, it helps that she is from the area. I love that the Nelson Atkins Art Gallery is featured. It is one of my favorite things in the city. The journey follows a Chinese student who was adopted when she was very young as she searches for information about her previous life. It is set during the Korean War and touches on the prejudice that was present in that period. I think that it is a relatively lighter hand than most would have taken on the subject. I did enjoy it. I think I will probably put some of her other novels on my list. I do so enjoy supporting local artists.
The other books in the stack are works in progress. The Country of the Pointed Firs is a reread. It is one of my favorites. I am reading it allowed to the new little one. It is so beautifully written.
A short update on the shawl: I don't have a lot of experience with short rows. Instead of flying fast and loose, I put in a safety line. I am glad that I did. After completely section two of the shawl, I had two extra stitches and an odd little hole. So, I ripped it out and am starting over on that section today.
- Kate
From the computers of Kate and Joanna:
J: Welcome back to the blog. We have not forgotten.
K: We began last year with good intentions.
J: But, You know… Life
K: Life got one of us pregnant.
J: And one of us an unexpected death.
K: This year we will be better. We promise.
J: We have renewed determination!
K: And new year spunk!! We thought we would start with the knit-a-long we promised you. You voted. We started it on the first with excitement.
J: We set about the fiddly job of starting a shawl. Alas, it was quite fiddly. Too fiddly for the result we were getting.
K: And we gave up. We feel bad. But we found something much better. We Promise.
The Wonder Woman Wrap, by Carissa Browning
J: Isn’t it brilliant! Dorky, in a subtle, but classy way? We stuck with the same yarn we originally planned on using. Kate, why don’t you tell us all about your yarn?
K: I am using one of my favorites Gloss Fingerling. I have knit a shawl with this before. It's pretty forgiving if you have to frog. It has a nice shimmer to it. And comes in loads of amazing colors. I am using Velveteen and Bordeaux. It's a dream. Joanna, What yarn are you using?
J: I’m knitting with something new to me, Diadem Fingering. The rather luxurious yarn is 50% alpaca and 50% silk, making it super soft and sleek with a beautiful shine. It feels wonderful on the hands, but is a wee bit problematic. It splits a bit and does not appreciate being ripped back. I’m sure it will be wonderful knit up, if not in the knitting process. I am using Moonstone and Garnet.
K: Mine by contrast is 70% wool and 30% silk
J: I think we can all agree that silk is lovely.
K: Very lovely.
J: The designer, Carissa Browning, designed the shawl in two sizes. Wee, is the smaller of about 60 inches wide and 11 inches high. Wondrous is larger at 86 inches wide and 22 high. That is assuming you bother with swatch for gauge... which I did not. I don’t think either of our yarns match the pattern... clearly we are the sort of females to play it a bit fast and loose.
K: We love to live on the edge. I am doing the wee.
J: I am doing the wondrous.
K: This is our second Knit-a-long
J: Let’s hope it doesn’t take as long.
K: Three years on a shawl would be a bit much.
J: Yeah, if it took that long I would have some serious questions.
K: We often have a bit of... knitter shiny object syndrome. But we will be dedicated and focused. Also this is a super cool shawl.
J: I am very excited! This shawl has been on my mind for quite a while. I’m kinda digging out less conventional color choices.
K: I love being being nerdy in unconventional ways. Should be fun. You will also get a lesson in contrasts. Joanna knits tighter than I do as a general rule. And the differences in yarn choices will be fun to see.
J: You might be wondering how we are running this knit-a-long. We will knit together and apart, checking in at the end of each pattern section.
K: We will update you on our thoughts regarding the pattern, the yarn, and our overall feelings regarding the project
J: If you’d like to follow us more closely, we have an option for that!
K: Instagram!!
J: Stay tuned for more because IT WILL HAPPEN!
J: Welcome back to the blog. We have not forgotten.
K: We began last year with good intentions.
J: But, You know… Life
K: Life got one of us pregnant.
J: And one of us an unexpected death.
K: This year we will be better. We promise.
J: We have renewed determination!
K: And new year spunk!! We thought we would start with the knit-a-long we promised you. You voted. We started it on the first with excitement.
J: We set about the fiddly job of starting a shawl. Alas, it was quite fiddly. Too fiddly for the result we were getting.
K: And we gave up. We feel bad. But we found something much better. We Promise.
The Wonder Woman Wrap, by Carissa Browning
J: Isn’t it brilliant! Dorky, in a subtle, but classy way? We stuck with the same yarn we originally planned on using. Kate, why don’t you tell us all about your yarn?
K: I am using one of my favorites Gloss Fingerling. I have knit a shawl with this before. It's pretty forgiving if you have to frog. It has a nice shimmer to it. And comes in loads of amazing colors. I am using Velveteen and Bordeaux. It's a dream. Joanna, What yarn are you using?
J: I’m knitting with something new to me, Diadem Fingering. The rather luxurious yarn is 50% alpaca and 50% silk, making it super soft and sleek with a beautiful shine. It feels wonderful on the hands, but is a wee bit problematic. It splits a bit and does not appreciate being ripped back. I’m sure it will be wonderful knit up, if not in the knitting process. I am using Moonstone and Garnet.
K: Mine by contrast is 70% wool and 30% silk
J: I think we can all agree that silk is lovely.
K: Very lovely.
J: The designer, Carissa Browning, designed the shawl in two sizes. Wee, is the smaller of about 60 inches wide and 11 inches high. Wondrous is larger at 86 inches wide and 22 high. That is assuming you bother with swatch for gauge... which I did not. I don’t think either of our yarns match the pattern... clearly we are the sort of females to play it a bit fast and loose.
K: We love to live on the edge. I am doing the wee.
J: I am doing the wondrous.
K: This is our second Knit-a-long
J: Let’s hope it doesn’t take as long.
K: Three years on a shawl would be a bit much.
J: Yeah, if it took that long I would have some serious questions.
K: We often have a bit of... knitter shiny object syndrome. But we will be dedicated and focused. Also this is a super cool shawl.
J: I am very excited! This shawl has been on my mind for quite a while. I’m kinda digging out less conventional color choices.
K: I love being being nerdy in unconventional ways. Should be fun. You will also get a lesson in contrasts. Joanna knits tighter than I do as a general rule. And the differences in yarn choices will be fun to see.
J: You might be wondering how we are running this knit-a-long. We will knit together and apart, checking in at the end of each pattern section.
K: We will update you on our thoughts regarding the pattern, the yarn, and our overall feelings regarding the project
J: If you’d like to follow us more closely, we have an option for that!
K: Instagram!!
J: Stay tuned for more because IT WILL HAPPEN!
 Kate's shawl |  Joanna's Shawl |
| From Joanna’s desk Hello, gentle readers. I hope you are all well. It has been quite a while, my apologies. It has been a rough month… or two. I wrote most of this post back in July, I think. I’m going to leave the bulk of it as is and update what needs updating. |  |
A bit over 2 years ago I took a delightful trip to visit friends in Tucson. When traveling, I prefer to see and spend money on local/ cultural things and among these local purchases is Arizona Ghost Stories by Antonio R. Garcez. I not not a huge fan of scary things, but have developed an interest in ghost stories (nothing too scary). It might not have been the most logical book purchase to make in Tombstone, but I’m still happy with the choice.
 | Each chapter is a different locations in Arizona and begins with a brief history of the location. The reader gets a good sense of where the location is and when it was established. If a story is in a public building or space, Garcez also gives a brief explanation of its history as well. I really enjoyed the context he provides, considering I have been to only a couple of the places the stories take place. Each of the stories come from interviews Garcez conducted with the individuals who experienced ghosts or off phenomena. Each person is given a bit of introduction, often including a description of where the interview took place and personal details. I can see why some people might prefer to get directly to the stories, but I enjoyed the brief glimpses into the interviewees lives; it adds a richness and relatability. |
I read the book over the course of the two years, one story here and there and thoroughly enjoyed it. Some of them were a bit unnerving, but nothing too terrifying. Arizona Ghost Stories is a good choice for anyone wanting a bit of spooky without a big commitment and if Arizona isn’t your thing, Garcez has several other books to choose from.
Around the writing of this post I had a case of what knitters call startitis. I had it with books. Mostly long ones. Since I last posted I have started reading the following (and since abandoned all of them for other books. See my list of books on the book page):
Sonia Purnell, Clementine The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill
Diana Gabaldon, Drums of Autumn
Henry James, What Maisie Knew
Leonie Swann, Three Bags Full
Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven: A Novel
On the knitting front, I did complete a large project, but it is a gift. I’ll post about that later. On the smaller project front, I have knit… four wash clothes. I’ve decided to always keep one on the go to break up the larger projects. My first pair of handspun socks are also on the needles out of the yarn i dyed a while back on the blog. I’ll talk more about those when they are done. What else… I have started and ripped out a couple things. I have started two sweaters for me and one for a baby. I need to get a handle on holiday knitting and work on that for a bit, so the personal sweaters are taking a back seat.
I’ve also been spinning a bit more. I got a nifty new spindle! It was 3D printed by a small business called Turtle Made. I love it. I’ve also been working more on my other spindle and my wheel.
Hopefully, I’ll be more on top of the blog. I won’t make any promises, but I’ll try.
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