waldorf mama

recent felting projects...

i just finished up the custom order i've been working on for a rainbow yoga mat bag and matching water bottle carrier...

pattern(s):  joelle hoverson's felted yoga mat bag and my felted water bottle carrier

my ravelry notes:  rainbow felted yoga mat bag and water bottle carrier

yarn:  various colorways of mostly malabrigo worsted

and i finally took a pic of the felted water bottle carriers i've made and kept for my own family...

pattern:  my felted water bottle carrier

my ravelry notes:  felted water bottle carriers :: for us!

yarn:  various single-ply worsted merinos

i also have a few new felting patterns in the works, which i hope to be sharing sometime soon!

maya's flute case...

at the beginning of grade 2 at our waldorf school (and in many other waldorf schools, i understand), each child's first handwork project of the year is their flute case...as they begin learning their pentatonic flutes in earnest during this 2nd year. each student gets to choose two colors of yarn, from the same color family, and they knit the case in a gradient fashion from the darker color to the lighter other. traditionally in our school, the case is knit with lamb's pride bulky in a long rectangle and then sewn together on one side, with eyelets made at the top for a handknitted cord used to close the case (and also hang around their neck during performances). i've spent many a year admiring all of the beautiful knitted flute cases that i've seen in our waldorf community...and now my girl is quite proud to have completed her own!

i couldn't be prouder of my knitting girl!

ravelry notes here.

on the needles this week...

the last couple of weeks i've been pacing myself as i work on a custom order rainbow felted yoga mat bag and matching water bottle carrier!

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pattern(s):  joelle hoverson's felted yoga mat bag and my felted water bottle carrier

my ravelry notes:  rainbow felted yoga mat bag and water bottle carrier

yarn:  various colorways of mostly malabrigo worsted

i also have a yarn stash update this week! a new batch of manos del uruguay maxima in various colorways:

in shocking...

in chrysantheum...

in highlighter...

in spirulina...

in acid...

in helium...

and in prince...

i'd love to hear what you're working on this week!

saint valentine...

in maya's class this year at our waldorf school (grade 2), the children were encouraged to make valentine's gifts for each of their classmates (30 total). as explained by her class teacher at our parent meeting earlier this year, this exercise is in place to act as a bit of a precurser for the development of their will forces before the onset of simple homework during grade 3. the only requirements were that the gift be handmade (all similar, with only their own name, as the giver, somewhere on the gift) and done entirely, from beginning to end, by the child (no help from parents)! maya decided early on that she wanted to do a watercolor heart, adorned with gold and silver paint pens...

over the course of 3-4 days, she...prepared the watercolor paints and paper, painted four large rainbow paintings (letting them dry overnight), traced and cut out 36 hearts (which included extras to allow for any mistakes), drew a simple border and wrote 'happy valentine's day' on the front of each heart, and wrote 'from maya' on the back (often singing as she worked!)...

i must say i was duly impressed with her forethought, diligence and perseverance on this creative project, as well as the beauty of each piece of artwork she created in the process and lovingly gave to her classmates.

a mini bloom...

or rather a mini mochi bloom, i should say. just finished this little dress to be gifted, so tiny and sweet!

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pattern: my personal hybrid version of tikki's bloom tunic and rainbow dress

my ravelry notes: mini mochi bloom

yarn: crystal palace mini mochi

hers and mine...

this week, maya and i have been knitting together on some fun new projects. i'm working on a quick newborn gift (for a friend's baby, who is due any time now!) - a tiny bloom dress in a sweet pastel rainbow mini mochi colorway. it's amazing to me that this dress, using this tiny fingering weight yarn, is made with the exact same number of stitches as the bloom tunics i've made for my big 7 year old girl! another reason to love tikki's bloom pattern. :)

pattern: my personal hybrid version of tikki's bloom tunic and rainbow dress

my ravelry notes: newborn rainbow bloom

yarn: crystal palace mini mochi

and maya began her first simple ribbed scarf! in a rainbow of malabrigo worsted colorways, of course.

pattern: simple 2x2 rib

my ravelry notes: maya's ribbed scarf

yarn: malabrigo merino worsted

and for my yarn stash update this week, i've got three more 100purewool.com yarns to share:

merino worsted 3-ply, in lima...

merino worsted 3-ply, in reign...

merino fingering, in reign...

what kind of creative endeavor are you working on this week?

araucania bloom tunic...

this may be my most favorite bloom tunic that i've knit for maya yet! i adore the feel and squishiness of this gorgeous plied yarn (a nice variation from my usual single ply favorite), not to mention the amazing colorways...and the aran weight of it makes this tunic feel quite a bit more substantial, which is nice. maya also specifically requested that i make several eyelet rows for the bottom border. :) after my previous attempts at beginning this tunic, i'm pleased to finally have it completed now and ready for her to wear and enjoy these last few months of cooler weather!

pattern:  my personal hybrid version of tikki's bloom tunic and rainbow dress

my ravelry notes here:  scrappy araucania bloom tunic

yarn:  araucania toconao multy