More Winter Projects

A special order for mittens "like our great-grandma's" had me peering closely at a photo of a much-darned heirloom in a shadow box while I sketched and swatched and finally knit two pair for some customers.

A beautiful printout of The Christmas Account from the Bible is often welcomed thankfully by those we interact with in December - from grocery store clerks to our friendly clinic staff, who got the addition of little crocheted snowflakes with theirs.

Another little job for Reywa Fibers was testing just a section of this scarf pattern (in my own scrap-yarn) to help finalize the wording. My first attempt at knitting cables still has me thinking I'll usually leave them to Elsa who actually enjoys the process and does it beautifully!

Lyme Disease: Did you know?

Spring has finally arrived in the North! We get out in the fresh air and sunshine as many hours a day as possible. Gully shunned her indoor cat-bed as soon as the snow began to recede and began begging for our company outdoors.

But spring also means tick-season has returned. While still suffering daily from Lyme disease and co-infections contracted nearly 15 years ago, I have great concern at seeing my family and friends pulling ticks off themselves as they work and play outdoors each year. 

This area will be a lifelong test of faith and trust in God's providence and goodness. But we also should not be foolish or careless with the health God has given us. So I will post occasional information about Lyme Disease and how you can guard against it or seek treatment when infected.

"DID YOU KNOW? Most individuals who contract Lyme don't get it from a tick sting. Spiders, fleas, mosquitoes, deer flies, black flies, horse flies and other insects can transmit it.
Deer, birds, cows, horses, other mammals and rodents can also be carriers.
Lyme has been detected in all 50 U.S. states.
It's an issue that is quickly spreading across the entire globe -- 300,000+ people per year contract Lyme."

 CLICK HERE to learn more and sign up for free access to a two day replay of "The Best of Chronic Lyme Disease" online summit airing April 27-28, 2019

Every Story...

Every Story has two sides...  So the saying goes. 

                    

And so goes this new knitwear design. My "boss" at Reywa Fibers designed the Every Story colorwork hat sporting two distinct patterns - one on each "side" of the hat. I had the challenge of designing a mitten based off the two motifs using the same two skeins of Reywa's Harmony line of yak-down/wool blend yarn.

One of my Florida beach pictures gives a glimpse of the first prototype, but much has changed over the past two months. I just submitted the finalised pattern in time for a Local Yarn Store Day event this weekend. 

Among the Living

"Why do you seek the living among the dead? 

[Jesus] is not here, but has risen."

Luke 24:5b-6

(April flowers at the greenhouses)

April Blizzards

If April showers bring May flowers, 

what do April blizzards bring?!

Our winter-full of snow had mostly melted before this new layer. Strong winds are already whipping up 3-foot-deep drifts while a poor robin sits diconsolately fluffed out in the pagoda dogwood branches, not knowing how to eat from the feeders I just filled as the storm began. At least a whole flock of juncos found this a good place to be snowed-in.