New home . . . new beginnings

So sometimes a long silence is necessary . . .

College, and work, and study abroad are my reasons! I recently got back from traveling to Spain (and a weekend trip to Ireland) and studying in Spain and I've just moved into a house with a few friends. It is such a blessing to feel more settled in this city. After living in a dormitory for two years, it was time to get more settled and practice more adult habits (i.e. cooking normal adult food on a regular basis).

This post will mostly be about settling into my new residence. I'll talk later about Spain and those adventures. 

Last weekend, I found an adorable bedside table and a quilt rack from The Venue with one of my roommates. 

This lamp was a hand-me-down from my piano teacher, Shelley. I painted the brass base with white paint and I found the lampshade at Hope of Glory, a local thrift shop for $1. 

Most of the boxes have been emptied. Thanks to several friends (and family), my bed is assembled, and almost everything is settled. 

The desk and chair are actually both from Restore. I repainted the chair to match the desk.  I was amazed how much a few coats of paint can help an older piece of furniture. Unfortunately, because I was too eager to get started on the painting, I neglected to take a before picture. It was simply an average kitchen chair with worn out and scraped off finish, a honey wood color. It would have been pretty before the several years it has seen in someone's kitchen, so it was definitely time to paint it. The quilt above the desk is one I posted about a while ago here. I started that quilt a while ago (more than a year ago) and it finally has a place to go in my new bedroom. The purple quilt on the rack was my first quilt when I was fourteen. The pink one was made for me as a little baby by my grandmother. 

I found this little succulent at the Umbrella Market (basically a mid-week farmer's market with tents over the tables) today. It fits perfectly in the kitchen sink window next to our cow salt and pepper shakers and my little candle. 

My life has become very busy with the routine of working, which is great. I work from home in the mornings for an editing job and in the afternoons, I work at the gym. So I've been cooking and nesting in the mornings, and learning how to make food that packs well. After not really having access to a kitchen for two or so years, cooking is awesome. I've made spaghetti (from a can of sauce with adding lots of my own vegetables and meat), banana bread with chocolate chips (and applesauce), plenty of salad, sandwiches, beer can chicken (more on that later), and chicken pasta salad. Currently, I'm making whole wheat pita bread pockets and tzatziki sauce, which I will complete as a gyro with some chicken, lettuce, red onions, and feta cheese (seriously, this stuff is the best). We also had some fresh blackberries from a nearby farm from the Umbrella market. 

 If any of you have suggestions for good meals to make on a budget or meals that pack easily, please leave a comment! :) 

Family Knitter and Sweaters

Today I was delighted to learn from my paternal grandmother that her mother, Rosie Clay, my great-grandmother and namesake, was a knitter. I was so excited to learn this today; previously, I knew that several of my female ancestors crocheted and sewed most of their children's clothes, but had thought that I was the only knitter. My granny proceeded to show me the three sweaters that her mother knit and she even let me try them on. 

Rosie Clay had such an eye for detail. The sweater is knit entirely out of perfect stockinette stitch, the edge of the sleeves, collar, button band, and hem are crocheted scallops, and the front of the sweater is decorated with embroidered flowers and leaves. She also lined the shoulders and upper back of the sweater with thin fabric so that it would retain its shape. It is knit with 100% wool. She crocheted the buttons, as well.

Although it was knit by my great-grandmother sometime in the 1980s, it fits me well and would be something I could see myself wearing with a pair of brown slacks. Because it is wool, it would be a wonderful layer to fend off the cold in the autumn and winter.

This second sweater also was knit in wool. It is knit in a basket weave or moss stitch pattern with a garter stitch belt. The hem, sleeves, and collar are bordered with scalloped crochet. 

Here is the detail of the third sweater, a men's medium, with a shawl collar, knit for her husband. 

In the picture above (with the man's sweater), it a linen placemat by my great-grandmother's aunt and a crocheted doily that my great-grandmother made. The linen placemat was made from linen that my great-great-aunt grew, processed, and wove. My great-grandmother then crocheted the edging on the placemat. 

I was amazed by the knitting and fiber history that I learned from my grandmother this trip. Do you have any family knitting or crafting stories to share? Please leave a comment!

Happy Knitting!