tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69139045546565194142024-03-13T12:06:58.817-04:00Fiber With A Little CrunchKnitting.Spinning.Designing.Natural Living.Home LifeMelodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-11561925379536512112017-01-15T21:38:00.001-05:002017-01-15T21:38:41.195-05:00Stash/Sample Sale Going on NowAre you looking for a Valentine's Day present for a loved one or maybe yourself? Love a good discounted price? You've come to the right place. I'm having a Stash/Sample sale right now. You'll see a link over on the right hand navigation bar or follow the link below. I'm cleaning out older items in my studio and you get to benefit from these deeply discounted prices. If you see something you want, simply leave a message below the FB listing or you can send me an email at melkristdesigns@gmail.com. Thanks for taking the time to look. Please do share and help me get the word about this sale. I'd love to clear these out and send them on to new homes.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1332060393536105.1073741827.120849424657214&type=1&l=4def198120" target="_blank">Stash/Sample Sale</a></div>
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~Melody</div>
Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-4461783942676233372017-01-12T23:59:00.001-05:002017-01-25T02:22:45.204-05:00Washing and Blocking Wool and Other Animal Fibers<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Need some help washing your wool garment? Or maybe you have something made of other natural animal fibers, like alpaca, llama, cashmere, etc ? Here are a few of my top suggestions and a few links to help you learn more about the process. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What kind of detergent to use? My preferred wool wash is a brand called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Soak-S07-6G-Rinse-12-Ounce-Celebration/dp/B00II57Q1U/ref=cm_wl_huc_item" target="_blank">Soak</a>. A few drops into a basin are all that's needed. It doesn't require any rinsing and it comes in pleasant scents, including scentless. <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Other popular wool washes are Eucalan and Kookaburra and can be found online or at your local yarn store. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In a pinch, you can also use baby shampoo. Just be sure to rinse your knit carefully. Run the water into the basin and then put your handknit into the water. Water should never be poured over or water ran from the spigot straight onto your hand wash only knits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here's a link to a post I did about <a href="http://melkrist.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-to-care-for-wool-diaper-covers-and.html" target="_blank">washing wool</a>. This is more specifically geared towards washing wool diaper covers, but it details the specifics of how to be delicate with your knits and how I roll out them to dry in a towel. Please use COLD water for your most delicate handknits. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tin Can Knits has a great simple guide to <a href="https://blog.tincanknits.com/2013/06/14/blocking-basics/" target="_blank">washing and blocking</a> as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here's a quick video if you are more of a visual learner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">(She's missing the part where you roll the item in a towel before laying out to block. I also don't roll my knitwear around in the water. A simple push down into the water is enough.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">A few last tips on washing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> * Handknits don't require washing with every wear. I often wear a handknit for the entire season before washing. After wearing allow your handknit to air out a bit before putting it away. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> * A bottle of wool wash will last for a long time, so don't let the sticker shock scare you from buying a bottle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">A few last tips on blocking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> * Always use rust proof pins to block. Quilters T pins or daisy top pins are great so you can see them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> * It takes a bit of time and space to block your knits, but its worth it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> * Lace will look like a mess after its washed. So blocking is required. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> * You can block on any surface that allows the space to spread out your knit. Many people lay a towel on a spare bed and block there. Rubber interlocking mats are inexpesive, easy to use and store. The cheapest ones are the ABC mats found in the children's section. An ironing board is a great surface for a small item. Just remember that it may take some time to dry your item.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hope these tips help to de-mystify hand washing and blocking wool handknits. While there is some time and effort required, it's a very simple process and a worthy investment in the life of your handknit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">~Melody</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'll be writing about how to store your knits next!</span></div>
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Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-42707779425074096992017-01-11T00:53:00.002-05:002017-01-11T00:57:43.649-05:00Time for a RevivalWow its been 2 years since I last published a post here on this blog! So much has happened in my personal life. We added a new family member, our son Eliam, just before Thanksgiving 2015. Much of 2016 was spent being a caregiver to my in-laws while one of them had a major life saving surgery and follow up minor procedures at a hospital 8 hours from our home. My grandmother also needed some extra care. It was trying times with a young baby and a 3 year old to care for as well. We travelled a lot and stayed in more hotel rooms than I can remember. Understandably, I took some time off from my design business to focus on caring for my family. I got back into the swing of things shortly before my baby's 1st birthday.<br />
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I'm going to be loading a few new things to the blog over the next few weeks, including a portfolio of my designs and links to my online sales. I hope to get back into the swing of things soon. I suspect that process may take some time. If life has taught me anything, it's that I just have to give myself grace sometimes; grace to not be perfect, grace to expect delays, and grace to not consider everything a failure. Sometimes the best things come from trial and error. <br />
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Here's my favorite picture of my boys from our wonderful photographer at McSween Photography .<br />
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See you soon,</div>
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~Melody</div>
Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-74950979145697367922015-01-21T20:13:00.001-05:002015-01-21T20:13:40.678-05:00Inspire Me: Celtic Cables<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's a screenshot I took from one of my latest Google searches. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQVlHrECA2RKVm7GBITeMUp2oWwozQePgw1jYVNBzb7QkxEKmuLYMnyQ2q1vVUtYuiQ2B468l7MjmStEvMqggxNh6meql38fXgJ-rnxHQLoF-2rGGq9wYlQ2uYvqj3P7qOxctLdIXdUg/s1600/screenshot-celtic+cables.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQVlHrECA2RKVm7GBITeMUp2oWwozQePgw1jYVNBzb7QkxEKmuLYMnyQ2q1vVUtYuiQ2B468l7MjmStEvMqggxNh6meql38fXgJ-rnxHQLoF-2rGGq9wYlQ2uYvqj3P7qOxctLdIXdUg/s1600/screenshot-celtic+cables.jpg" height="331" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been focusing a lot of time learning about these beautiful intricate looking celtic cables, sometimes called knotwork. Its been quite the math lesson to learn how to design the perfect cable. Last week I was reading articles from a mathematician and this week I've been focused on geometry and how that applies to the symmetry I so love in my designs. It is positively hilarious that I used to hate math. In high school math made me miserable. Now I know its because I didn't fully grasp how those concepts could apply to a real life situation. I'll be honest, sometimes math still baffles me. I do have to take a few breaks between my studies just to let my brain rest. Every time I have a "breakthrough ah" moment, I say a quick mental thank you to all the math teachers I've had over the years. (Ms. English would be so proud.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Isn't it strange how easy it is to discredit something that's super challenging in the moment? More often than not, we just focus on the difficulty and not what future rewards it might bring. Tonight I'm thankful for all those difficult days and nights studying mathematical concepts and what seemed like endless hours of completing problems that surely no one would ever need to use again. Now all the hours I put into figuring out a problem end in the joy of finishing my knitting. Challenges can indeed bring joy in the end.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Housekeeping Note: I'll making a few changes to the blog. Inspire Me posts will now be made twice a month instead of weekly. </span>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-23200393780236030692015-01-17T19:38:00.001-05:002015-01-17T19:41:12.501-05:00To Darn or Not To Darn<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have a handknit sock dilemma. HOLES! Likely created by a lovely little insect in my sock drawer.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxSHgMKB2bMMQ_bOnnn6albvvlTwmJD0RZnmFRuuItBYGDKtF9fQZ1EJQEw6uAR9_J09bSXbsIPRXvO2XM26eLaT4AuCr0Fg7Wdm4sDFWE0Jr0p_teCSC7cE5B7ZXFqDRFJROq5WPOts/s1600/ABM_1421531255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxSHgMKB2bMMQ_bOnnn6albvvlTwmJD0RZnmFRuuItBYGDKtF9fQZ1EJQEw6uAR9_J09bSXbsIPRXvO2XM26eLaT4AuCr0Fg7Wdm4sDFWE0Jr0p_teCSC7cE5B7ZXFqDRFJROq5WPOts/s1600/ABM_1421531255.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm faced with a decision to make, to darn or not to darn. There are many methods for darning holes in your knitting; Swiss darning (duplicate stitching), weaving a patch, re-knitting a section, etc. There are specialty needles, darning eggs and even yarn marketed specifically for darning. All techniques are relatively easy and require just a few tools. Unfortunately, all methods of darning (minus machine sewing in a patch) require a considerable amount of time and concentrated effort. </span><a href="http://www.twistcollective.com/collection/107-articles/1673-darn-it-all" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Here</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> is a great reference if you'd like to learn how to darn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So how does one decide if darning is actually worth the time or not? Above you can see my socks. The arrows point out the holes placement. Honestly, when I first found these holes my immediate thought was to pick up the stitches a few rows above the hole, rip out the rest of the sock and re-knit them. I put my socks away for a little while, so I could think about what I wanted to do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's my basic question list for evaluating whether to darn:</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1) Is this a simple knit or something complex?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If my item is a pair of plain handknit socks or a hat, I consider those simple knits. For something like lacework in the middle of a shawl, I would more than likely consider that too complex to darn. I might find a way to secure the stitches around the hole and prevent further damage to the shawl, but not try to recreate the lacework.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2) Where is the hole located? Will that affect how the item wears?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the pair of socks above, one sock has a hole right in the heel gusset. I would have to be very careful no change was made to the tension of the sock in this area or it may not fit well. Socks need to have free range to move and bend with the pivoting of your feet. This particular hole is near the hinge point of my foot. I may also feel the darned area with the pressure of a shoe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3) Is this yarn one of a kind or can I buy more?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Typically I place a high value on hand dyed or handspun yarns and might choose to rip out and knit a new item from the salvaged yarns to have a "complete one of a kind" item. If I could buy more, I might be more inclined to fix the hole and order a new skein in the future if I wished.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4) Do I still have some yarn scraps to repair the hole? Or will color differences of a comparable yarn choice bother me?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It takes a bit of yarn to repair the hole. I typically try to save small scraps of all my sock yarns just for darning any future holes. On occasion though, that little scrap gets used in another project or I may need every yard to finish my project. Sometimes you have to substitute in another yarn or even a different stripe color in self-striping yarns. I always evaluate if that will be ok for me personally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5)How old is the item with a hole? Is there a sentimental attachment?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have I worn this item for a while? Do I feel like I got my wear out of it and am ready to move on? Knitted items, just like other clothing made from fabric, come to the point where they are threadbare and unwearable. If you've worn a sock for a few years, it's only a matter of time before it develops another hole. I usually repair them 3-5 times before considering them too old. The particular pair above have only been worn about 5 times, so these are newbies. I also started these while I was in labor with my son and worked on them during those long nights in the hospital before we got to come home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6)If I can't or decide not to repair the hole, can I use the yarn in another item?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes a hole represents an opportunity to make something new. This could simply mean just ripping out the yarn and knitting something new, but there's a lot more if you open your mind. You can salvage parts of your item and turn them into something useful. A non-repairable sock can be turned into a number of things; cuffs, small change purses, sock puppets for the kids, patches to needlefelt, etc. I've saw people take a special motif from a lace shawl, stabilize the edges with a clear thread, starch them and turn them into ornaments. The possibilities are really endless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's my decision? </span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm going to begin with the sock that has the hole in the gusset. In my opinion, its the sock that will need the most attention to detail. If I'm happy with the darning method I choose, I'll continue on and repair the two holes in the second sock. But if I decide mid project that the heel will be compromised from my darning attempts, I plan to rip both of the socks back up to the twisted ribbing and knit them again cuff down. I usually knit socks toe up, so this would make them a new project for me. I enjoy socks that match each other as closely as possible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's my method for making darning decisions. I do hope that none of you find yourself with insect damage like me or a snag in your knits. But if you do, I hope you give darning a consideration before throwing out those knits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(PS If you do feel the need to rid yourself of a knit with a hole, please let me or another knitter/crafter know first. We may love to revive that knit into something new.)</span><br />
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Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-4732057955148255372015-01-09T21:22:00.000-05:002015-01-09T21:22:33.007-05:00Inspire Me: Color<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm a colorful person. I don't shy from color in everyday life or my designs. I have plans to do more dyeing in the spring so I've been doing a little bit of study on color theory. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To keep things fun, I spent some time scrolling through color palettes on Pinterest this week. Here's a few of my favorites. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzTYuUhzqpJlIxo5cY5oyn0pLvyh_7qpApZRQ3DwZP6gDOdX08rlYmYIXAzWy364JrMBB6fun6eC6kvszCotm6uWVsrEM4djzAugx5QyJtsERhl_tHn6ZMKzPzFOr-BQRwXmzHX_qEFE/s1600/pinco+(18).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzTYuUhzqpJlIxo5cY5oyn0pLvyh_7qpApZRQ3DwZP6gDOdX08rlYmYIXAzWy364JrMBB6fun6eC6kvszCotm6uWVsrEM4djzAugx5QyJtsERhl_tHn6ZMKzPzFOr-BQRwXmzHX_qEFE/s1600/pinco+(18).jpeg" height="400" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezLbKvOIPr80_kLQUYYu2qxd0DhUCc3oyRyxrURrlE-BVM-Aq9PS9wBJMPlhORx2l7aEq-RZXU7FXLMCGe1GTsqoU-_HSQnXVDcVHD9KWUzgAQCBX2X527ayG-I-LaymAtbnrDPRdjno/s1600/pinco+(17).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezLbKvOIPr80_kLQUYYu2qxd0DhUCc3oyRyxrURrlE-BVM-Aq9PS9wBJMPlhORx2l7aEq-RZXU7FXLMCGe1GTsqoU-_HSQnXVDcVHD9KWUzgAQCBX2X527ayG-I-LaymAtbnrDPRdjno/s1600/pinco+(17).jpeg" height="400" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/melkrist/inspire-me-color-natureoutdoor/" target="_blank">Nature Color Board</a><br /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/melkrist/inspire-me-color/" target="_blank">Color Board</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also have a love for nature (which you could probably guess). There are so many unique color combinations in nature. I often find myself staring out a window and imaging a beautiful yarn or braid of fiber dyed in those colors. Sometimes I envision a lacey shawl with the ebb and flow of those colors in an interesting motif. I'm very blessed to live in such a beautiful area. Many people vacation in this valley to enjoy the view of the mountains. I hope to share a few of my own photos in the coming months.</span></div>
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Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-20079422033317232672015-01-05T11:46:00.000-05:002015-01-06T00:57:07.357-05:00Right Now 1.5.15<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Right Now...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WIeG3uTSGaLFLBoHj4NwCUhGROWdibBzSnvmiiuFQj44xnlunc8qeP0ETg-GghvXLN3M2iljziaunH3muHZt0MzQkww26UOwggrDQfWoBaIrUkIOb7A4nVIO8cRypVhYI1j23n5aCtI/s1600/IMG_20150106_001731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WIeG3uTSGaLFLBoHj4NwCUhGROWdibBzSnvmiiuFQj44xnlunc8qeP0ETg-GghvXLN3M2iljziaunH3muHZt0MzQkww26UOwggrDQfWoBaIrUkIOb7A4nVIO8cRypVhYI1j23n5aCtI/s1600/IMG_20150106_001731.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">11:46pm...my view while washing the last few pans from dinner...tile that needs repairs...toes that have a long expired pedicare...the random bath toy...and a quick glimpse of the tiny feet running through the house. </span></div>
Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-16948416560906027652015-01-04T14:55:00.001-05:002015-01-05T00:27:21.216-05:00Designing : Flaws and All<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Designing my own knitting patterns is incredibly rewarding. It's wonderful to look at a finished piece and say not only did my hands create that but I also pictured that in my mind, penned that in my sketchbook, drew out the chart and then put it all together with some string and needles. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the other hand, designing can be incredibly frustrating. Sometimes you have this beautiful vision in your head for a design and try as you might, your efforts to recreate that just don't seem to measure up. You know what you want but finding the perfect combo translated into a knitted item is daunting. There's a lot of trial and error. Many days spent are more in defeat than triumph. As a designer, you have to press on though. For me I sometimes have to lay that design to the side and focus on something else. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On my current design project, I'm being downright stubborn. I KNOW exactly what I want this hat to look like. Its not just an ordinary old hat, this one has meaning and a purpose. I'm designing a hat specifically to honor my husband. In our 15 years of marriage and all my crafting, I've never really made anything for him. I threw together a set of matching bow ties for him and my son for his 1st birthday party, but it wasn't really for my husband. This time I want to make something I can be proud of and something that my husband would be happy to wear. He knows I'm designing this hat for him so the pressure is on a bit more than usual. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm the type of person to throw my whole being into the things I make. I try to use every ounce of my know-how and ability to please the recipient. Perfectionism is both a blessing and a curse. I have to thank knitting though. It has allowed me to learn that sometimes its ok to let go and let something be imperfect. I'm an imperfect person, with flaws both obvious and hidden. Showing flaws isn't always a weakness. Sometimes showing those flaws is exactly what someone else may need. It may be that you, the one showing the flaws, needs to show yourself just how human and ordinary you really are. The flaws are what connects us all together. Just as in knitting, a flaw may stick out to you, but it may be beautiful to someone else and makes it complete.</span>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-83655735296090793352014-12-31T12:50:00.004-05:002014-12-31T12:52:24.413-05:00Inspire Me: New Studio Space<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrxys9Kmq62dWvrQDQJ-xoX4-PNLnNvKGqij9D8e7i42Oa5JJeDeSoP-2SFlTatxxcaXGnJbYbPmIAy3mN4DvAX1fe7QiTxfvARjiV3i2R1Gmz03c_BYjxms5D89aE22pVMQEVsSIHn4/s1600/pinco.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrxys9Kmq62dWvrQDQJ-xoX4-PNLnNvKGqij9D8e7i42Oa5JJeDeSoP-2SFlTatxxcaXGnJbYbPmIAy3mN4DvAX1fe7QiTxfvARjiV3i2R1Gmz03c_BYjxms5D89aE22pVMQEVsSIHn4/s1600/pinco.jpeg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Just a few inspiration pictures from my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/melkrist/new-studio-space/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest board</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For some time now I've been gathering ideas about how to downsize my studio. Yesterday I even noticed that one of my favorite bloggers, <a href="http://www.soulemama.com/" target="_blank">Soulemama</a>, posted pictures of her renovated studio. (I start writing my blog posts a bit in advance so she wasn't included in the above Pinterest board capture.) There are some beautiful studio spaces out there. Its very important for a creative person to have a space dedicated to said creativity. It's not just about a place to store your items, its a place to house ideas and bring them to life. To be truly inspired to create, you have to feel comfortable and inspired in the place you create them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I took a long time to create my old space. It was a dedicated room (the 3rd bedroom) in my home. Shelving full of fabrics, yarns and fiber and bulletin boards pinned with inspiration, artwork and my drafted sewing patterns filled the walls. There's a desk area for scrapbooking and general designing on one side with drawers and bins of notions, paints and yarns underneath. The other wall houses two sewing stations; one for the regular machine and one for the serger, with a rolling cart of sewing items close by. There's a bay window who's sill houses a couple of extra sewing machines and storage boxes. The closet of that room houses overflow craft items, seasonal fabrics and painting canvases. I think there's a few musical instruments in that closet too. But the time has come for me to give up my traditional studio space, at least in this house. I'll be giving this room to my son in the next couple years or so, since its the larger bedroom of the two.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also desire to let go of the items and crafts that I no longer need. In recent months I've sold a lot of my paper scrapbooking things. I mainly only digitally scrapbook now and that requires little more than my computer and some hard drive storage. I'm planning to go through those paints, fabrics and yarns too. I imagine its going to be hard both physically and emotionally. I get emotionally attached to things far too easily and so I hold on to them forever. Not only is that unhealthy for my small space, but it's not healthy for me either. I need to learn how to let go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I made a Pinterest board of small office/studio spaces that inspired and motivated me to continue my downsizing. I've been reading a few blogs about living in small spaces too. Slowly but surely I'm learning how to be content with less stuff. The photo above in top center is the one that most inspires me. It even looks like the corner I've chosen in my master bedroom. I need just a few storage shelves above my desk, a bulletin board to the right, my computer and a comfy chair. I'll be moving my sewing area to the dining room for now. That gives me the ability to watch Dealan play in the living room while I sew and cook at the same time. We have two safety gates on either side of the living room and hallway so his little curious fingers will be safe from my machine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over the coming months, I'd like to share my progress with you. I'll be doing a series focused on living in a small home and how that practically works. I'm sure that you'll be seeing more posts about small living that inspire me. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be sure to check out my Pinterest board if you need a little inspiration for your own studio space.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyone else downsizing a room or a creative space? I'd love to hear your experiences as well in the comments below.</span><br />
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Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-90884828706396716922014-12-28T15:32:00.000-05:002014-12-28T15:44:11.272-05:00DIY Dishwasher DetergentA few months ago I searched for a natural detergent to use in our dishwasher. I have used the little powder packets for years but felt it would be in the beat interest of my family to find something as close to natural as possible. I tried out a few natural line detergents but all were disappointing. Most just flat out didn't fully clean my dishes. Then the sobering reality of the price hit me hard when I was adding up our grocery expenditures for the month. So I decided something had to change and there had to be a solution that was both effective in cost and cleaning power.<br />
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I researched many different DIY recipes and techniques. I combined several together. The unique water chemistry of where you live directly affects the amount of each ingredient in your mixture. Hard water has higher concentrations of calcium and magnesium compounds, as well as other metals. I have moderately soft water. If you'd like to learn more about your own water source, please check out the <a href="http://water.usgs.gov/owq/hardness-alkalinity.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">USGS Office of Water Quality</a>.<br />
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Many of the recipes I found contained borax. There's some research questioning the safety of using borax near your food so I choose to avoid that ingredient. <br />
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Here's the recipe that works best for us. <br />
2 parts Washing Soda<br />
1 part Baking Soda<br />
1 part Citric Acid<br />
1/2 part Salt<br />
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You can add several drops of essential oils, such as lemon or lavender, if you want some additional smells. Some essential oils also have their own cleansing, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties.<br />
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I mix this up in very small batches because it has a tendency to draw moisture quickly. I mix mine and store in a small ziplock bag, so that I can squeeze as much air as possible. <br />
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Here's the proportions I use:<br />
1/2 cup Washing Soda<br />
1/4 cup Baking Soda<br />
1/4 cup Citric Acid<br />
1/8 cup Salt<br />
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I use roughly 1 1/2 teaspoons per load and this 1 1/8 cup mixture lasts about 12 loads. This lasts 2 - 2.5 weeks in our home. (Your amount may differ. This is based on the size of my detergent dispenser.)<br />
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You can pick up all these ingredients at your local grocery store very inexpensively. Citric acid is usually located with the home canning supplies in a small spice sized shaker container. You can save a lot of money by ordering citric acid in bulk online.<br />
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Another natural dishwasher tip is to add vinegar to your rinse aid dispenser for each load. If you don't have a dispenser or have one that's stubborn to open like mine, you can pour a few glubs (technical term) in the bottom of the dishwasher before you close the door. <br />
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If you find that this recipe leaves any film on your clear glasses/dishes, add more vinegar and/or reduce the amount of detergent you are using. Adding a faint amount more of baking soda and salt can give some extra cleaning power. <br />
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(Remember that salt and baking soda are abrasive and you may not want to check this out on your fine or vintage china.)Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-79894300621787594782014-12-25T23:42:00.000-05:002014-12-26T01:49:58.578-05:00Inspire Me - FamilyI suppose it's only fitting to talk about family the week of Christmas. We are very blessed to be surrounded by lots of family. My son has several sets of grandparents and great parents. This past week, we have taken time to visit with them all. There are special things about each one of them. I draw inspiration from not only their love, but also their personalities.<br />
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My Mammaw, my maternal grandmother, has such a gentle spirit. She is kind and patient while paying the utmost of attention to you. It's encouraging to be in her company because you know she truly values that time with you. She inspires me to be more attentive and intentional in my every day life.<br />
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My Granny and Papaw, my paternal grandparents, both have a lot of spunk. Its not uncommon for me to be surprised by something they say. They say what they think and you don't have to wonder about any hidden intent. I love how Granny is very serious about time spent with family. There are no excuses accepted for time not spent with family. They inspire me to keep my priorities in order and to be who I am with no apologies. <br />
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This year there were a few changes in our families' traditions and one old tradition brought back from my childhood. I, of course, had these grand plans to capture everything in pictures so we could replay the memories for years to come. But at the end of Christmas day, I was left with just a few random pictures of Dealan opening his gifts and a couple goofy family shots. In the end, I chose to just sit back and mentally take in everything. I looked at my son's face as he opened up his gifts and saw his true reactions face to face. Sometimes I think we loose those moments when we are so focused on capturing the 'best' photo of the day. I didn't want to loose those moments this time around. Dealan kept me on my toes most of the day chasing him around. He's a full on little guy, who very rarely slows down.<br />
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Merry Christmas everyone. I hope your day(s) were filled with family. May they ever inspire us.<br />
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P.S. I did get all my Christmas gift knitting finished...before Christmas Eve too !Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-62880593639935365772014-12-18T01:06:00.000-05:002014-12-18T01:09:09.718-05:00Inspire Me - Brokenness<div>
A few months ago an article came across my Feedly feed that featured
relection photographs of broken mirrors. The images stirred me and I
saved the article away to use as a future design reference. I saw such
beauty in those broken shards of glass.<br />
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In
my lifetime, I've experienced many times of intense brokenness. I
identify well with the mental, emotional and physical roller coaster ride
that brokenness brings. The thing I find most amazing about brokenness
is there is still beauty found right in the mess of it. I often find
myself looking for that beauty. Pushing through all the layers to
discover that one special gem inside. Countless times I've been inspired
and moved to tears by reading someone's story. Most of the time, I
never relay those feelings to them, but always say a word of prayer and
thanks to God for that brokenness. <br />
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Broken pieces make beautiful masterpieces. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.fubiz.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Broken-Mirror-by-Bing-Wright-9.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="307" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broken Mirror by Bing Wright<br />
<a href="http://www.fubiz.net/en/2014/05/24/broken-mirror-by-bing-wright/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.fubiz.net/en/2014/05/24/broken-mirror-by-bing-wright/</a></td></tr>
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Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-84584788944635550332014-12-14T15:00:00.000-05:002014-12-14T15:02:47.769-05:00Holiday SchedulesIf your family is anything like mine, things can get crazy very quickly around the holidays. It seems that every year I plan to slow things down, but each year its quite the opposite. In fact, I'm fairly certain that this year is more hectic than last year; with doctor's appointments, my husband's work schedule changes, prepping for my design publishing, last minute shopping and gift wrapping, etc. etc. There's absolutely never enough hours in a single day to complete my to do list. I'm going to have to focus on getting a better schedule for my home in general. (In fact, it's on my blogging calendar all ready.) <br />
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I'll be doing my best to keep up with the blogging schedule for the rest of the month, but please <a href="http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/bare.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">bear</a> with me if I'm a little late in posting. It seems lately the only "free" time I have is after my little night owl goes to sleep between 11-12midnight. I put Dad and son to bed (we co-sleep remember) and then sneak back out of bed for a few hours. <br />
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You can look forward to Inspire Me Tuesdays, a few Family Updates and one Natural Living/DIY Home post this month. I promise this one won't be focused on cloth diapering. Before the official launch of this blog, many people had requested a few tutorials and tips about how I cloth diaper. I was trying to fulfill a few of those requests before hopping on to new topics. If you'd like to make a request, please do so in a comment below or send me an email. My address can be found on the Contact tab above.<br />
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Also I'd love if you'd follow me on social media. I've added a few buttons above to help direct you. (The RSS button will be working soon.) For those of you wanting to only subscribe to specific sections of the blog, I'm working on a tutorial just for you. <br />
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Well I need to get back to placing all those last minute gift orders. Merry Christmas everyone. The countdown is on.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-27028796043575345692014-12-13T12:54:00.001-05:002014-12-13T12:58:22.696-05:00How To : Replace Elastics in Flip Covers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsz1qXTqIIsAyjnCtUeSzJXEkPL3YGUXvgRgS6IpPDplYhh9W2eEioTXKxNQafGDEiGxoSWzqidBGEr1DF7SITZGzPvE_Py6XQP4RI95tM7HkOSEPyWji1HeaA45zfEzVFzU_8iWEKS8/s1600/How+To+Flip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsz1qXTqIIsAyjnCtUeSzJXEkPL3YGUXvgRgS6IpPDplYhh9W2eEioTXKxNQafGDEiGxoSWzqidBGEr1DF7SITZGzPvE_Py6XQP4RI95tM7HkOSEPyWji1HeaA45zfEzVFzU_8iWEKS8/s1600/How+To+Flip.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Flip diaper covers from Cotton Babies are excellent fully adjustable one size cloth diaper covers. These are made from the same waterproof PUL fabric that many modern cloth diapers are made from, including Bum Genius 4.0s (my pocket diaper of choice). Over time with normal wear, elastics and closures need to be changed. Its very normal for a stash of diapers to be worn by multiple children in your family or even multiple families. </div>
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Changing elastics in some diapers is an easy process, but others require a few additional steps, like the Flip. There are a few similar covers on the market and these steps can also be a general reference point. </div>
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<b>Materials Needed :</b></div>
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Flip Cover</div>
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Seam Ripper</div>
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2 or 3 pieces of 1/4 inch Braided Elastic cut 4.5 inches each</div>
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Hand sewing needle</div>
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Matching Thread</div>
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Thimble (Optional)</div>
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Safety Pin or Paper Clip</div>
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Sewing Machine (Optional for Closing Seams)</div>
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Reserve 30 minutes - 1 hour </div>
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Unsnap the rise snaps to the largest size. Carefully use your seam ripper to open approximately 1.5 inches of stitches from the waist snap tabs. You want to be careful not to make any unnecessary holes or pricks, which could affect the ability to prevent leaks from the diaper. For reference sake, I chose to do this on the inside of the cover, but you could also do this on the outside. </div>
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When you first rip that seam open you won't immediately see the elastic. You have to peel the leg casing (binding) back a bit. </div>
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Pull that elastic out a bit and the sew your new elastic right on top of the old one. This is a bit too tight of an area to use a sewing machine, so you'll need to sew by hand. Hand sewing also helps you keep accidental pricks and stray stitches to a minimum. You may need a thimble to help push the needle through the layers. </div>
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You'll be using the old elastic to pull the new one through the casing. Sewing the pieces together eliminates the need to attach a safety pin to guide it through. Don't knot the end, just leave a long string of thread hanging so its simple to remove later. </div>
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Carefully cut the old piece of elastic free just past where it was originally sewn. Then open the opposite end (close to the rise snaps) and locate the attached end of the old elastic. </div>
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Once you've exposed the old elastic on the other side, simply pull it and the new elastic will glide right through the leg casing.</div>
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At this point, I attach a safety pin or paper clip horizontally across the new piece of elastic about an inch from the end. This just holds the new elastic through the casing so you don't loose it inside. Take out the loose stitches and secure the new elastic over the old one,just like Step 4. Then remove the safety pin or paper clip. The new elastic should be fully inside the leg casing now. </div>
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Carefully clip the old elastic away. Make sure that it is the free piece of elastic outside of the cover. </div>
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Then line up the leg casing on the front and back, making sure the elastic is on the inside, and sew closed. Try to sew in the same place as the original stitches. Also make sure to backstitch where the opening and original stitches meet. I use a sewing machine for a neat professional edge, but you can hand sew if you prefer. </div>
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Repeat on the other leg and/or the waist. The waist elastic is attached a bit closer to the waist snap tabs. </div>
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<i>(I promise the next tutorial won't be for cloth diapers. I have been promising these for a while, so I wanted to get those out of the way.)</i></div>
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<br />Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-56572445563810543562014-12-09T17:21:00.000-05:002014-12-09T17:28:06.159-05:00Inspire Me - Simply Enjoy The MomentThis evening I find myself sitting by the pale white light of my sparsely decorated Christmas tree with my sick little one cuddled close to my breast. He just awoke from his nap in need of some momma milk and love. I'm just sitting here breathing in his sweet smells and listening to the gentle rhythm of his little stuffy nose. He has rolled over now onto my chest fast asleep in the most comforting place he knows.<br />
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My mind has been drifting all day wondering just what was inspiring to me this week. As I sit here, I can think of nothing more inspiring than moments when you can take a breath and simply enjoy the moment. Nothing else matters, requires thought or your direct attention in those precious and often elusive moments. I hope you too have a few of those moments roll your way this week.<br />
<br />Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-9943009410840965882014-12-08T12:29:00.000-05:002014-12-08T12:29:57.201-05:00Ready for a Healthy Dose of Honesty?I hope you got to know me a little better during premiere week. It felt very strange to talk about myself that much. However, I wanted to basically highlight all the different parts of myself and how I plan to share that here on the blog.<br />
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So now for today...are you ready for a healthy dose of honesty? I started my Christmas gift knitting yesterday. Yes, on December 7th, I began knitting gifts that are supposed to be finished, wrapped and delivered on December 25th. Oi, I'm very behind this year. I have been planning for months. On my calendar it stated that my Christmas knitting was to begin in September. I'm not exactly sure how I got so behind, but here I am in the second week of December without any finished Christmas gifts.<br />
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Realistically I will have to downsize my list. I know this, yet I also know that I'll push myself to the very last second in an attempt to finish every project.<br />
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So what's on that list? On my needles there's a cotton reuseable Swifter cover. I have yarn pulled from my stash for socks, slippers, a few hats, and several dishcloth sets. There's also a box full of felting fleece set to become dryer balls and covered soaps. This was my previously downsized gift list.<br />
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In my design bag, I have the ribbing of a hat for my husband. (In all my years of knitting I've never made him a hat.) Plus swatches and sketches for a toddler sweater design for a friend's daughter.<br />
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Needless to say, I have plenty of knitting to fill my down moments. I suppose only time will tell how much I actually finish before Christmas. Anyone in the same procrastination boat as me?Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-48908640086481971792014-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:002014-12-07T09:45:03.843-05:00Melody - FaithMy faith in Jesus Christ has been the one constant thing in my life. I became a Christian as a child, but solidified my faith and personal relationship with God as a late teen/young adult. I did a lot of soul and scripture searching to find what I truly believed. I grew up in an extremely legalistic church full of false guilt and hypocrisy. Ironically my husband and I did ministry in that very church later on. We were youth pastors there for 5 years. Additionally, we were youth leaders at our current church for 3 years. I have also worked in children's ministry, media and productions, and lead praise and worship.<br />
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My greatest test of faith has been the long struggle we had with infertility and loss. Infertility shaped my faith in ways I never knew possible. It is still an area that stings when I think about it. We lost many little ones, of course, my heart still longs for them. I blogged about that in the past and wish to move on, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention it here.<br />
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I have a great passion for people and strive to see beyond the exterior of people. I seek to see their heart and choose to believe in the potential of the individual. My heart hurts when others hurt. I wholeheartedly desire to see an end to hatred and shaming. Nothing bothers me more than racism and predjuice.<br />
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Although my devotional writings won't be the focus of this blog, occasionally something provokes my heart and I must write it out. I'll put those directly into the devotional archive. There are a few posts there from my old blogs. You are welcome to read those and share your thoughts if you wish.<br />
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My life verses...<span class="text 2Cor-1-3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>Blessed <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">be</i> the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><span class="text 2Cor-1-4" id="en-NKJV-28805" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span>who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. </span><br />
<span class="text 2Cor-1-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> 2 Corinthians 1:3-4</span>Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-63532625581841128912014-12-06T18:42:00.001-05:002014-12-06T23:35:37.576-05:00Melody - Natural Living MommaI'm a very passionate person in general and mothering is no exception. I take my role as Momma and wife seriously. Long before I became a mother, I knew that attachment parenting was for us. I'm a breastfeeding, babywearing, co-sleeping, and cloth diapering Momma. We practice baby led weaning and gentle discipline. I'm also an advocate for car seat safety and extended rear facing. You'll see these topics in further detail throughout the blog, not in a specific section or regular post at the present time.<br />
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Having a handmade home is another great passion of mine. We strive to have an all natural diet, filled with real foods and scratch made meals. Occasionally I'll share tips and recipes that we love. Growing our own foods brings great satisfaction. I'll be sharing about gardening in the spring and summer.<br />
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We also have lots of DIY projects around our home. Currently we're doing some home renovations. I'll be sharing those along with my own survival tips for living in a small home. We strive to make do with what we have and approach life in a frugal manner.<br />
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Lastly, we cut chemical cleaners, including skincare products from our lives. I'll be sharing my tips and share our journey to eliminating those from our every day. In line with my handmade home philosophy, we keep our use of disposable products to a bare minimum, which saves us a lot of money.<br />
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Its my dream to be a homesteader with a small flock of sheep and other livestock. We'd have the grandparents nearby and be able to care for them as well. I call myself a wannabe homesteader.<br />
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You've probably already figured this is going to be the 'crunch' section of the blog. There will be a monthly DIY Home and Natural Living post.<br />
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(One last post in the About Me series. I'll be talking about faith next.)Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-858593022420366572014-12-05T19:15:00.000-05:002014-12-05T19:15:37.818-05:00FamilyI felt that I couldn't post any more without first introducing my family to everyone.<br />
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My husband, RL and I were high school sweethearts and have been married for 15 years. We love to be creative together. He has a wonderful eye for color and I regularly consult with him during my designing process. He works in retail and is a fireman and rescue technician in his down time. I couldn't have asked for a more loving and supportive husband.<br />
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Our son, Dealan, was born in April 2013 after a long battle with infertility and losses. He is our miracle, hope revealed, and constant joy. We are so thankful God chose to bless us with this wonderful child. He's full of wonder, energy and determination. He loves being surrounded by people and commands their attention. He's such a happy child and is the most loving little boy I've ever met. He loves with his whole heart and its incredible to witness how he affects other people.<br />
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I'll be writing about family life from time to time. We are blessed to have lots of grandparents and extended family around us. After waiting so long to have a family of our own, its made us appreciate just how important it is to enjoy today for today. We do our best to enjoy the simple joys of life. Family life is too precious to waste. </div>
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There are 2 more posts in the About Me series to complete premiere week. </div>
<br />Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-5546872401801865602014-12-04T21:30:00.001-05:002014-12-04T22:11:33.337-05:00Melody - Fiber ArtistAs a child, I explored many different crafting and creative avenues. Much of my sewing skills can be attributed to my mother, who taught me to love and respect the relationship of fabric and thread. She dabbled a little bit with yarn as well. As a teen, I began painting and making unconventional things into something new and purposeful. A few years ago, I began the love affair with all things yarn. I taught myself to knit and the rest...well the rest is my next adventure.<br />
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A large part of this blog will focus on my life as a fiber artist. You may ask, what is a fiber artist? Basically a fiber artist is someone who uses fiber as their medium; fleece, yarn, fabric, thread, etc.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJzJxO0O19oGUzTOi5qD91CJH1t7Vy-ORacoToMzk2nDsX8IOPDn-uNjjj8AmYDf_z_HcpXyxMcUwe7kfhOuVH6mQphRlusob80i8i9rh6OUOhjzEL92Vh_ysFixnubuwJAklNfs9q1g/s1600/PicsArt_1417748772730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJzJxO0O19oGUzTOi5qD91CJH1t7Vy-ORacoToMzk2nDsX8IOPDn-uNjjj8AmYDf_z_HcpXyxMcUwe7kfhOuVH6mQphRlusob80i8i9rh6OUOhjzEL92Vh_ysFixnubuwJAklNfs9q1g/s1600/PicsArt_1417748772730.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing a cowl I designed and knit from my handspun</td></tr>
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I enjoy spinning clean fleece/roving into yarn, knitting yarn into a garment and transforming a flat piece of fabric into something wearable with shape. Occasionally I find myself dyeing yarn with some unique color combo that goes along with one of my designs. Designing custom clothing and new knitting patterns for others to enjoy are my latest passions. My patterns will be available to purchase in 2015.<br />
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I'll be sharing my latest knitting, spinning and design projects with you throughout the month, along with a few tutorials and techniques posts. You can find all of those linked at the top of the page. In addition, I'll post dates and information on how you can purchase any of my designs and any shows/local sales.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-425623074496362952014-12-03T08:00:00.000-05:002017-01-11T11:22:43.789-05:00How to Care for Wool Diaper Covers and Longies<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0.25em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: large;">This week's Tutorial is my all time most requested how to. The washing instructions apply to any wool object. So those of you who don't cloth diaper or have small children can still apply these basic principles to your delicate knits (store bought and hand knit). </span></h3>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><i>Originally Posted on November 22, 2011</i></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 15px;">I recently got a custom order request for some wool longies. Wool is a great alternative for a cloth diaper cover up because it wicks away moisture, it's breathable and it has an incredible ability to absorb wetness and still feel NOT feel damp (up to 30% of it's weight). Wool covers have been used for centuries by cloth diapering mommas.</span></h3>
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Many people use them simply as wool pants because they are quite warm and so cute. Here's one of the pairs I made. Looks just like Little Elf pants, huh?<br />
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The question I most often get though is "How do I care for them? Are they hard to wash?" So I'll attempt to explain how I wash them and then lanolize them. Lanolin is a natural substance that makes wool waterproof. When wool is processed and dyed, this lanolin is stripped away and so in order to have those waterproof properties, you have to add it back to the wool.<br />
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This is a relatively simple process that takes just a few minutes of time. Yes wool covers are hand-washed, but you don't need to wash them that often. Most of the time, you can simply allow them to dry and air out after being soiled and reuse them. As long as they aren't soiled with poo or smell like urine, you'll only need to wash them once a week or so. (This depends on how many you have in rotation as well. If you use them more often, they'll need washing more often.)<br />
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<u><b>Washing Wool</b></u><br />
Wool should only be washed in a wool wash of some sort. Woolite is NOT to be used with your delicate hand-knits or covers. Woolite is primarily a water softener and contains several chemicals that can cause HARM to your knits. Save that for your delicate lingerie. You can use baby shampoo or wash in a pinch, but those need to be rinsed out. Soak is my favorite wool wash, not only because I love the scents available, but because it doesn't have to be rinsed out. Other popular wool washes are Eucalan and Kookaburra and can be found online or at your local yarn store.<br />
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<b><i>Step by Step:</i></b><br />
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1. Drop a few drops of wool wash into a basin or in your sink. Fill the sink with warm water. You don't want your water boiling hot or lukewarm, somewhere in between is nice.<br />
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2. Remove any solid waste and place your woolies into the water. Gently press them under the water. Don't vigorously agitate them around. Wool is quite delicate when wet and you don't want to permanently felt your woolies. Be kind to them and allow them to soak up the water and wash. Allow your woolies to sit in the water for about 15 minutes.<br />
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At this point, you can tell whether you need lanolize them or not. If you notice that water is standing in a lot of little puddles on your woolies and/or the woolies are floating above the water, then you don't need to lanolize yet. If there's just a few little puddles or none at all, then it's time to lanolize them.<br />
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One unique tidbit to add....Wool has a very distinct smell while wet. Some people say it smells like a wet dog. The smell goes away entirely once its dry so don't be alarmed. Your finished product will smell like the wool wash you washed it in. It's something you get used to quickly. I'd just advise not taking a big whiff after getting your wool out of the water. :-)<br />
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3. When you come to check on your woolies, you can swish them around in the water a bit more. I like to leave my woolies in the water until the water has returned to close to room temperature, but you can take them out at this point if you'd like. I'd leave them in longer if they were heavily soiled.<br />
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4. Pull the drain from your sink or start pouring the water out of your basin. Hold onto your knits so they don't go down the drain or out of your basin. Gently fold your woolies together into a small little square in your hand. Gently press with the opposite hand to push out excess water. DON'T wring your woolies or aggressively squish them. Remember that wool is delicate when wet.<br />
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5. Grab a towel and lay them out like this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfA-MLqSgqOldaYul8kyB9fOpXxs3UqdytkVeUSEDwIpEg3BKahDoFX62BQB8LnBzzEtsDyDAympBm8kP4YPzDSF8ORjL6o7yZnlgqWwFmuKsdIRaL5A-d85aQsZ9Xf1zihTQv1Yj_CNTN/s1600/2011-11-21+23.18.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #993300; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfA-MLqSgqOldaYul8kyB9fOpXxs3UqdytkVeUSEDwIpEg3BKahDoFX62BQB8LnBzzEtsDyDAympBm8kP4YPzDSF8ORjL6o7yZnlgqWwFmuKsdIRaL5A-d85aQsZ9Xf1zihTQv1Yj_CNTN/s320/2011-11-21+23.18.59.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 4px;" width="240" /></a>6. Now we're going to make a jelly roll with the towel. Once you get it all rolled up, use both hands to press down and squeeze out excess water. You'll be shocked at how much water actually comes out of the wool at this point.</div>
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7. If you're woolies are still super wet, you can repeat step 5 and 6 with a dry towel. Most of the time one roll in a towel will do. Now find a sweater dryer rack to lay them out flat to dry or place them on a dry towel and rotate sides often. DO NOT machine dry these or your child will no longer be able to wear them because they'll be a shrunken felted mess. </div>
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Here's the sweater dryer I made out of some PVC pipes, elbows, some mesh fabric that I sewed into a cover and some elastic cord to hold the cover on. I made mine large enough to hold a plus size adult sweater. It's around 3 feet square and cost around $5-$6 to make. At some point I'd love to find some way to add some legs to it, but for now drying over the tub works well for me.</div>
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<u><b>How to Lanolize Your Covers</b></u><br />
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As stated above in the washing instructions, when you're cover is no longer water resistant it's time to lanolize. You should be able to wash your cover several times before needing to lanolize. You'll need 4 things to lanolize: a small bottle with a lid (mine is a pump, but I don't use the pump), lanolin (mine is <span class="st">Lansinoh, the one breast feeding mothers use), a drop of baby shampoo and warm water.</span><br />
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<span class="st">Step 1: Take your small bottle, remove the lid , place a pea sized squirt of lanolin in the bottle and a drop of baby shampoo. Fill the bottle with the hottest tap water you can. </span><br />
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<span class="st">Step 2: Put the lid on your little bottle and shake for a few minutes. You are trying to melt the lanolin. Once the lanolin has melted you'll have a creamy frothy mixture.</span><br />
<span class="st"><br />Step 3: Empty your mixture into the sink or basin that you plan to use. Fill your sink or basin with warm water. Swirl the water and make sure the mixture is well incorporated. </span><br />
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Step 4: Gently push the woolies into the water and let sit for at least 15 minutes.<br />
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Step 5: Now repeat #4-7 from the washing instructions.<br />
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So there you have it. All the care instructions you'll need to wash and lanolize your wool diaper covers and longies. As a side note, its quite natural for your woolies to become a bit felted in the spots that your child rubs often, like knees for your crawling ones and bottoms if you've got a scooter. This won't affect the performance at all</div>
Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-33377890128772656482014-12-02T18:19:00.000-05:002014-12-02T22:30:59.985-05:00Inspire Me : Goodbye Fear<i>[I'll be posting an Inspire Me post weekly (for now on Tuesday). These will be anything that was particularly inspiring to me at that time. I've set up a few new Pinterest boards to store away sources of inspiration. I may link to those from time to time.]</i><br />
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This week I bring to you a quote by Joseph Chilton Pearce. (Graphic from me...courtesy of my Christmas tree)</div>
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My biggest struggle in life and creativity has been the fear of being wrong. I've pushed myself and been miserable trying to avoid failure at all costs. Through the years though, I've learned that living with this kind of fear isn't living at all. If knitting has taught me one thing, it is that being wrong is ok. Afterall, its only yarn and some needles. Pull those needles out, tug the end of the yarn, and suddenly all those tiny loops fall free to leave a pile of yarn waiting to be balled up again . The error is gone and you are presented with a opportunity to try again or make something completely new. The creative life presents so many ways to stretch yourself and learn. Goodbye fear, I no longer need you.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-72432728072662622462014-12-01T11:00:00.000-05:002014-12-01T11:00:05.245-05:00Blogging : Why?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-small;">(Premier Week - I'll be featuring a series of About Me posts in addition to my regular weekly and monthly posts. These will later be found together under the Contact/About Me tab.)</span></i></div>
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When I began to think about blogging again on a regular basis I posted several informal polls to my Facebook friends. One comment from an old friend prompted a lot of thought. Why did I care so much about blogging again? What changed that made my interest in writing suddenly reemerged?<br />
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When I really took the time to think about it, I found that my main desire is to keep memories alive. I have the ability to remember many things. For instance, I still remember a good portion of the call codes from my days of working a hospital switch board at age 15. I remember the placements of things hung on classroom walls from various rooms in elementary school through college. I can recall account numbers from my days working in state budgeting and accounting. Memories of color, drawings, and smells often drift in and out. However, I lack the ability to recall many of the things most important to me, like specific memories of family, friends in school, unique days in life, etc. I remember general things but the specifics always slip away in time.<br />
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My desire is to have a tangible form of memories. Throughout my life, journalling has proven to be a way of not only documenting life, but also sparking my ability to recall events when I desire to do so. A pen and paper or fingers and keys have always been a great personal asset to better my life.<br />
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I suposse it was only natural that I should make my living and be most content by using my hands and my mind together.Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-4923338850565546642014-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:002014-11-30T15:12:51.723-05:00Hello Again and Welcome<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4szMy7qTIwRMkKfuT-KnUUUJWGMbdvjM8SBXpb12Y8St2Q3cM2ZV3sYEuz5c5Mazx_pp7VDVUmz_NmxuW6TbLHR31tPOIwo0U1Rdh7eOf-bPkSzk__xti155QprcTThY9fJZj5ZmDA0Y/s1600/100_6510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4szMy7qTIwRMkKfuT-KnUUUJWGMbdvjM8SBXpb12Y8St2Q3cM2ZV3sYEuz5c5Mazx_pp7VDVUmz_NmxuW6TbLHR31tPOIwo0U1Rdh7eOf-bPkSzk__xti155QprcTThY9fJZj5ZmDA0Y/s1600/100_6510.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a>Hi, I'm Melody. Hello again. You may remember me from a past blog, Transitions of an Overachiever, or this may be our first meeting. With either case, sit back for a few and let me reintroduce myself and tell you a bit about this new blog.<br />
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I'm no stranger to barring my heart, soul and creative ideas on the internet. I began journaling online long before the days of Facebook and quickly formed some lasting relationships with a small group of women. Life has evolved in so many ways since those humble beginnings but writing online seems to be the one thing that always draws me back.<br />
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This blog is first and foremost for me. I want to write about things that I'm passionate for, thoughts that stir me from the mundane, and document life as I know it. I love the community a blog brings and I welcome that. This will be a way to share me, in all my quirky forms.<br />
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I'm a person who finds delight in many different things. I enjoy interacting with all sorts of people. I take comfort in the variety and diversity of others. People inspire me. Art and nature color my life. Music moves my very soul. My faith in God empowers me. Working with my hands drives me. Love and family make life worth living.<br />
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So won't you join me as I document my life? I'm currently a work at home Mom and wife of 15 years to my high school sweetheart. I spend most of my days chasing around the miracle we waited 12 years for. He is full of energy, joy and love; the typical 1 year old toddler. In my downtime, I'm a knitwear designer and a wannabe homesteader. Here you'll find a whole lot of fiber; knitting, spinning, and designing; and a little bit of crunch; natural living, cooking, gardening and some diy home. I'll also be throwing in family posts, things that inspire me and the occasional devotion (or archived posts).<br />
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Welcome to Fiber With A Little Crunch!<br />
<br />Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913904554656519414.post-74550278285814175792011-04-22T18:17:00.000-04:002014-12-01T17:30:05.038-05:00Divine Grace<h2 class="date-header" style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.2em; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 1.5em 0px 0.5em; text-transform: uppercase;">
Originally Posted on FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2011</h2>
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Grace....where do I even begin? When questioned about grace, most Christians would give a blanket answer about the gift of God's grace and how that makes their salvation possible. While this is very true, as you might have figured, I'm no ordinary Christian with a blanket answer. I feel impressed to share my personal experiences with grace.<br />
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<a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grace" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">Webster's</a> defines grace as (noun)<br />
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<span class="ssens"><i class="sn">1 a</i> <b>:</b> unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification </span><span class="ssens"><span class="break"></span><i class="sn">b</i> <b>:</b> a virtue coming from God </span><span class="ssens"><span class="break"></span><i class="sn">c</i> <b>:</b> a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace</span></div>
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<span class="ssens"><i class="sn">2a</i> <b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/approval" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">approval</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/favor" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">favor</a> <span class="vi"><stayed good="" his="" in=""><i>grace</i><i>s</i>></stayed></span> </span><span class="ssens"><span class="break"></span><i class="sn">b</i> <i>archaic</i> <b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercy" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">mercy</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pardon" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">pardon</a> </span><span class="ssens"><span class="break"></span><i class="sn">c</i> <b>:</b> a special favor <b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privilege" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">privilege</a> <span class="vi"><each by="" his="" in="" not="" place="" right=""><i>grace</i>, shall rule his heritage — Rudyard Kipling></each></span> </span><span class="ssens"><span class="break"></span><i class="sn">d</i><b>:</b> disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency </span><span class="ssens"><span class="break"></span><i class="sn">e</i> <b>:</b> a temporary exemption <b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reprieve" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">reprieve</a></span><br />
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<span class="ssens">Whether we realize or not, we all first learn grace from our mothers; mothers who gave us their all when we had nothing to give back in return. Mothers (and I'm speaking about those who are truly mothers, not just by biology) personify grace not only in terms of discipline matters, but also emotionally. From them we learn to deal with our thoughts and emotions, how to have compassion and love for others and how to go to others for help when we need it. In those beginning years, a child teaches their parent things as well. Children move mothers to seek for God's grace and in turn teach their child. Bottom line....mothers teach us grace by example.</span></div>
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<span class="ssens">If you are a member of my generation, chances are you either are from a home of divorce/single parent or had someone very close to you that was from one such home. My parents split up when I was around age 13, which is a very pivotal time in a young woman's life. I was always an old soul and mature beyond my years, but no amount of maturity can prepare a young teen for a life of brokeness. I know that the situation was not in my realm of control or responsibilty, but that didn't change its effect on me. I imagine that I've blocked out most of the memories of that time for a reason, but what I do remember is feeling lost. </span></div>
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<span class="ssens">I was looking for that grace that I'd been taught about at church. Grace was a concept to me at that time, but not a reality. Often times we have to experience something before God can teach us. We humans are quite stubborn...well I am anyway. I fought back at God pretty hard for several years. All throughout those years He granted me the grace I needed though; showing me the whole time how God's grace differs from human grace. I didn't know it at the time, but looking back I can see many times when His divine grace covered my complete stupidity. I was reckless with that grace and I pushed those limits far too often, yet somehow He held me tightly and never left me.</span></div>
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<span class="ssens">Shortly after high school, I got married, which was no small miracle. I'd said for years that I would never repeat my parents mistakes. *chuckles* I thought that meant that I'd be single for the rest of my life and have children either by adoption or IVF (yes I had a "plan" even then). I won't go into the whole story, but the short version is that after getting married I was suddenly very ill. I went through many doctors, hospital stays, medications, treatments and sadly lost pregnancies before discovering that I had PCOS. PCOS had been with me all along, but I didn't recognize it till it had taken a toll on my body and almost striped me of my sanity. God's grace alone spared my life. There were many times when I was so sick that I wanted to die. I didn't have the drive to even live the life I'd always dreamed about. Depression and illness had me bound. </span></div>
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<span class="ssens">I was bound until that one day....the one day that God showed me what His grace for me meant. I was delirious with pain and the stress of it all was actually inducing random seizures. Many memories are fuzzy of that time, but I remember this one day plainly. I was laying on my bed and I heard my husband calling my name. He was trying to bring me out of one of my 'spells'. I could hear the fear in his voice, but I couldn't shake the loosing control feeling that swept over me. Miraculously strength came to me out of nowhere and I was able to sit up. My vision had been blurry that day, but suddenly I had clarity in one circular area above the door that led to my bathroom. I don't remember why but my husband went and opened that door. As he joined me at my bedside, my focus went back to that spot on the doorway. Plain as day I saw a very small, child size being peaking around the top of the door. Granted my brain was still coming around from a seizure, I do believe this was a God-inspired moment and the being was in fact an angel. I watched as this little angel came through the doorway. I remember that I felt so loved at that moment. An incredible flood of peace filled my soul and I felt as if I'd been rescued from the middle of the ocean. I never heard anything audible and no the ground didn't shake or light didn't blind me from above. The only thing I saw was a child size angel who smiled at me. The being had light brown shoulder length hair and eyes that sparkled. But oh the smile....the smile was what let me know that God was not finished with me. He had granted me that grace again to make it through this difficulty. This time God allowed me to feel His grace.</span></div>
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<span class="ssens">To quickly finish this bit of my story, that was the last day I ever had one of those seizures. Shortly after that day, I was able to take control back from the doctors for my healthcare. With God's guidance, I purged my body of the medications that had caused me such harm. Within a year of that day, I was back to the road of recovery, but only because of God's grace. This was nothing that I did. See we don't earn God's grace and we can't replicate it either. No word that I've ever encountered could adequately describe such a grace like God's divine grace.</span></div>
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<span class="ssens">There's a lot more to my story; more times of joy and many more times of sadness, grief and loss. There are many unknowns in my life. But there's one thing I'm always certain of....God's wonderful undeniable Grace carries me through every moment. When I get caught up in my thoughts and feelings, I need only to think back to the lessons about grace that God has allowed me to live. I pray that you don't have to live out the same sort of life lessons that God has chosen for me, but if you should find yourself deep in the land of no-mercy, I pray that you will recognize this amazing grace we are celebrating at this time of year.</span></div>
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<span class="ssens">~*Melody</span></div>
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"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God <i>which was</i> with me" 1 Corinthians 15:10 NKJV <span class="ssens"> </span></div>
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Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15046770101176634067noreply@blogger.com0