Second Attempt

My stock of goodies is slowly building. I feel like I've got hats and zipper pins down, so this weekend I think I'm going to tackle a scarf or maybe a bag. Oh yes, and I have been been working on that zipper pin tutorial. I suppose it will all depend on my mood come Saturday afternoon.

Saturday morning is my first "Super Science Saturday." I've invited all the island preschool and kindergartners down to school for two hours of science fun. We're going to make worms, play with homemade snow, explore with magnets and make rainbows. I hope the kids have as much fun as I hope they will. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. Which reminds me, I need to get the parents to sign photo releases...

Branching Out

I did a little sewing this Sunday and did it ever feel good. I made the hat out of two wool coats I felted a few weeks ago. As luck would have it, I just happened to have the perfect fleece to line it with. This hat was actually my second attempt. My first try just fits my three year-old daughter's head. I'm glad I used a sweater that didn't felt quite right for that one.

I like the hat, but I love that little zipper flower. I made it into a pin so I (or whoever ends up with it) can take it off. And, of course, I had to make a pair of mittens to go with it - because I am all about mittens these days. I've committed to having 20 pair ready to sell by Mother's Day weekend. These look a little wonky in the photo, but they turned out great.

I wasn't sure how the mittens made with coat wool would turn out; most of the mittens I've made have been out of felted sweaters. There are so many women making mittens these days that there aren't as many sweaters available as there use to be. Plus they are getting more expensive. Branching out into coats and blazers (the leaves on that flower pin are from a felted wool blazer) has allowed me to get wool in colors and patterns I couldn't find in sweaters. And I just couldn't resist that fuzzy blue plaid!

The pattern for the hat is easy. I know that I am a math teacher, so easy for me isn't easy for everyone, but believe me it's a piece of cake.

I used a 7.5 inch diameter circle for the top and a 23.5 X 8 inch rectangle for the sides. If your head is bigger or smaller just adjust the size of the circle and rectangle accordingly. For an 8.5 inch diameter circle use a 26.75 inch rectangle, or for a 6.5 inch circle use a 20.5 inch rectangle. If you want to use a different size circle for the top, just remember the length of the rectangle you need to cut = the diameter of the circular top of the hat multiplied by 3.14. If you'd like more detailed directions on how to sew the hat, let me know. I can probably post them later this week.

Thank You

Thank you all so much for your support after my last post. The hugs, thoughts, and prayers were greatly appreciated. My husband and I drove down to the Memorial Service yesterday and it was wonderful. The church was over flowing with people, and while I can't speak for all of them, I can say that I left the service uplifted, full of other folk's fond memories of Karen and Edye, and determined to honor their memories by living life to the fullest each and every day.

Lost

photo via

I went to work today but I'm not myself. My thoughts are disjointed, not quite coherent, still not willing to accept the truth about the accident. Them going over the bluff on their snowmobile. That they're gone...

I just can't bring myself to retype one word of this. It's gut wrenching to imagine her husband and her boys going on without her, though I know somehow they will find a way. Don says he wishes he could just open his eyes and have it all have been a dream; an awful nightmare to leave behind. And my son, who sat on her lap at brunch on Sunday and really doesn't understand the concept of death, says he wants someone to "invent a way to bring her back to this world. Please Mama, I miss her."

So I snuggle him and remind him that he needs to remember all the things about her that made him smile. How she loved Tinkerbell just like he does, how she always had special treats just for him, how she let him touch everything in her house - even the fragile breakable things that made his mama nervous, and how she kept toys in her house just so they would be there when he and his sister came around the corner to visit. Those are the memories he needs to keep alive in his heart, even though right now, it aches to think about them. He smiled at me and reminded me that King Triton's heart was broken when his Queen died and Ariel and Sebastian fixed it, so someday our hearts will be fixed too. Such a sweet little boy. If only real life had a Disney ending so everyone could get a happily ever after...

Goodbye Karen.
Know that you are missed.
By all of us.

I'm Addicted

to bread.

Well, not just any bread. I love those crusty artisan loaves you get in the deli section for $3.50 each. I can literally eat 3/4 of a loaf by myself - in one sitting. I won't be buying it any more because now I can make my own, thanks to my mother-in-law. She bought me this book for Christmas and it's fantastic. I've only tried the Master Recipe, but I picked up bread flour, whole wheat flour, and flax seeds when I was off the island this week just so I would be ready to try something different.

Needless to say we've had bread just about every day for the past week and I plan to mix up another batch this afternoon. I'd be in the kitchen right now but we are heading out the door for Mackinac's annual Winter Festival Brunch down at the school. My mouth is watering just thinking about those pancakes and bacon, so the bread is going to have to wait.

Michigan Quilts!

I'm guest blogging today over at Michigan Quilts! Come on over and check it out. Caron, the brains behind the Michigan Quilts! blog, is an avid quilter, author, teacher, and fellow Michigander. When she invited me to be a guest blogger, how could I refuse? Looking at the other guest bloggers she's had, I'm quite honored to have been included in her list.

Yep, that quilt pictured above is this one. Believe it or not - it's finally finished. Read all about it over at Michigan Quilts!