Home Knits

I'm ashamed to admit this, but I typically don't do much fiber work during the summer months.  There, it's out.  This past summer, for instance, I did not knit or spin one single thing.  I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival in May.  Bought a bunch of fiber and yarn.  But I didn't work with any of it until September.  I say that I've been spinning yarn for a year but there was a good five months or so that my beloved wheel sat idle in a corner of my living room, glaring at me (in my mind) reproachfully.  There was one summer, years ago, that I did a fair amount of knitting (and teaching).  But I was in South Africa that summer.  And it was winter there.  It just fit.

In the summer I just want to be outside playing.  I am inspired to knit by the changing of the leaves, and the cool that sneaks into the air in autumn.  It's at this point that I start to think about hats, and scarves, and sweaters . . . and nesting.

Last year was the year of the hat for me.  This year is mostly the year of the handspun yarn, but I'm also feeling knitty-homey (I made that up).  If you search for "home knits" at Amazon, you'll find a bevy (I don't think that word is used enough) of books filled with nifty ideas for the home.  Years ago I purchased Erika Knight's "comforts of home" (that's right, no CAPS; the way I like it).  It's full of patterns for really simple knit items for the home.  I still love this book, in large part because the photos are really lovely.

Another favorite is the original "Mason Dixon Knitting" (ah, soon to be in paperback, I see).  This book contains a bunch of unabashedly country projects.  I love the felted boxes

and, of course, the moderne baby blanket. 

This year I started sewing.  I shared my first sewing project, which happened to be for the home.  And which also happened to be a knitting project, knit from my own handspun yarn.  Trifecta!  Nothing more satisfying (well, when it comes to fiber stuff, anyway - wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

The handspun, handknit, handsewn (well, parts of it) pillow experience was so cool, that I decided to give it another go.  The first pillow is for sale in my Etsy shop.  But this one is all mine.

Yup, that's suede(d fabric) on the back!  I love this pillow.  And it works so well with my other stuff.

And, then, there's the home spa.  Okay, the bathroom.  I'm pretty sure you can turn taking a shower into a special experience simply by crocheting some washcloths and calling them "exfoliating spa cloths."

These are made from a wonderful, scrubby little Elsebeth Lavold yarn called Bamboucle.  Each cloth (and the un-pictured bath mitt) used just under one ball (which I bought on super sale at A Tangled Skein - one of my favorite local yarn stores)  It also helps to use them with some all natural, organic, unscented body products like African black soap.
I buy this at a local African market for $5.99 a hunk (I'm not sure what else to call it).

For me that's at least a 2-month supply of soap that I use for body, face, and hair.  That's right - hair.  I can't remember the last time I bought shampoo.  I love this stuff.  It gets me super clean without leaving me feeling stripped.  Of course I do like to follow up with a slathering of shea butter - also bought at the local market on the cheap.  Both are said to have healing properties for all types of skin ailments.  Ah, the healing wisdom of Africa!

Anyhoo, I'm trying to decide what my home needs next.  I'm thinking some sort of throw.  We'll see . . .