Knitting an Afghan

I grew up watching my mom knit. I thought it was so cool to sit beside her on the couch while she worked on whatever her current project was. Sometimes it was a sweater/cap/bootie set for a new baby. At other times, it was an afghan of some type. When I was in high school, she made my friends and me scarves in our school colors of purple and gold. She had the neatest rhythm in her knitting - Mom is a "thrower" so the whole couch jumped a little when she looped the yarn around her needles.

One of the projects I especially remember was a sampler afghan she made for my grandmother. It consists of 10o blocks. Each of 50 patterns was done in a varigated yarn and also in either of 2 solid colors. Then, each square had to be put together according to a chart to make the finished project. I can still see the stacks of knitted squares, little squares of paper with the number written on them, attached by a safety pin. When all the squares were done, she laid them out on her bed to begin putting them together.

A few years ago, my grandmother moved into an assisted living facility and we had to clean out years of accumulated memories from her house. While cleaning out the attic, we found that afghan. Needless to say, it was in less than great condition. Who knows what it had been home to during its stay in the attic. Regardless of its condition, I wanted that afghan! Thinking about the time of its creation brought back the warm, safe, happy feelings of my childhood days. I took it home, washed it and, in spite of a couple of moth holes, it came out pretty good!

One day a few months ago, after pouring over knitting books looking for projects that a non-talented knitter might be able to complete, I asked Mom about that afghan pattern. She found it in a notebook that she had long ago hand-copied patterns in. There were even some notations in my own childish handwriting in the margins!

We talked about it and decided to make another one together. So, as part of my "Rewards for Good Behavior" program to encourage me to do the things I need to do, we're going to get together when possible and knit the more complicated squares together. I'll knit the varigated squares while Mom knits the solid ones. I've finished simpler squares 1 and 3 and I'm working on square 5 now.

There's knitting going on in Shari's World these days!

First Day of School

CedarWoods School is back in session! Andy's first day of 11th grade went very well yesterday. We just completed classwork for our 2nd day - 2 down and 178 to go!

We have a full schedule for this year - English (which includes Grammar, Vocabulary, Composition and Literature), Business Math, Biology (complete with dissection labs!), American History, Spanish and Health/PE. I'm setting aside 3-1/2 hours for "classroom" instruction and then homework is on his own time - he's going to be learning alot about time management and setting priorities this year in addition to his academic studies.

Of course, Andy's not the only one working on his time management skills! This is the time of year that I wonder what I was thinking when I decided to go to work parttime while homeschooling a high schooler! This summer, I've been re-evaluating the things I do and how I do them in order to simplify routines and schedules to fit in everything that needs to get done. Sometimes it's a process of evaluating, then re-evaluating, then re-re-evaluating. I have to remind myself that there will be time to do some of the things I just want to do when Andy is through with school - which really isn't that far away! The historical fiction novel for the young adult market that I want to write will just have to wait a little while. The zippered, hoodie sweater that I want to knit will feel just as warm in a couple of years. I am working "rewards for good behavior" into my schedule - monthly dinner out with Karen, working on a knitted sampler afghan with my mom when I can make a couple of free hours to knit more complicated blocks under her guidance. All work and no play makes Shari kind of cranky!

Well, the laundry is piled to the basement ceiling in Shari's World today so I'll bring this entry to a close and get a load or two done before heading out to work. Till next time....