Cricket in a Biscuit

At deer camp, Uncle Mark observed I really need to get back to blogging. He's right! It's been far too long, and there is so much to share. The delay can be partly attributed to my desire to have a video with each blog, which ended up taking much more time than initially anticipated, time I just don't have — but more on that later. Also, my phone storage is full again. In the past, that was solved by using google to back up my photos so they could be deleted, but now my google storage is full, too. I take a lot of photos! Why don't we get to the goodies right away? I have a pattern to share with you! This little fox is incredibly simple to make, and the results are just too cute. It's a basic chevron stitch and whips up in no time. The full pattern is available for free as a ravelry download . The fox design and my lack of time are actually very much related. The story started a couple years ago when my Auntie Becky met a lady named, Lois. Lois had alpacas, a...

A basket full of singles and two plied skeins, that much closer to a finished sweater. It's safe to say I underestimated what, exactly, a spindle spun sweater from raw fleece would entail. I started carding fiber in October of 2015, and the project is still not complete… but it's getting closer! My first miscalculation was the amount of time it would take to card an entire fleece by hand. Hint: it's a long time, especially when your husband is allergic. I did not see that coming! I've processed other wool around him with no trouble, but something about this particular fleece put him in a bad state. Generally, I prefer to work with wool outside, so I didn't think it would be a big deal, but the fall of 2015 proved rather rainy. When there was time, there was rain. When there was sun, there was no time, and working inside wasn't an option due to allergens. Still, by summer, I'd made some decent progress, having carded approximately 2/3 of the fleece ...

How a simple hobby lead to a simpler life "Does it save you money?" A question which invariably comes up when people find out I am a handspinner. As someone who uses a lot of yarn, it is logical to assume I would save money by making my own. "No," I chuckle, "it does not." Angora goat: a luxury fiber I'd have never otherwise tried outside of spinning. Now, just as a brief aside, handspinning has brought me into contact with much higher quality material. I rarely purchased 100% wool yarns, but I do spin them quite frequently. The cost of fully prepped spinning fiber is very much in line with commercial yarns of similar fiber content and quality. So, while my costs have increased, the quality of my finished items has as well. Still, spinning is a hobby, and as such, it is done for enjoyment, not economy. Supported spindling: my favorite way to spin. I used to feel guilt over my spinning related expenses, due mainly, I suspect, to being a...

We've been breaking from our usual patterns at the Dahl house. I switched gears a bit with my fitness, and decided to give 21 Day Fix * a go. I resisted for a long time, fearing regression, but it's been a fun change. Granted, I'm not lifting the heavy weights, but it's a challenge in a new direction, and the shorter workouts feel great. I'm taking on a new challenge in my knitting as well, stranded colorwork. When I've dabbled in the past, the results have been less than stellar. Sometimes, however, the right motivation is all that is required. Russian dolls, matryoshka, are "a thing" in our house. Laney and I love them; we built her fifth birthday around a matryoshka theme. So, when doll leggings landed on my radar, they were immediately elevated to unicorn status. (The first pair I saw were the wrong size.) Now, I've been trying to curtail unnecessary spending due to unexpected expenses. Darren has needed a slew of dental work — I...

In the Venn diagram of my life, the overlap between crafting and fitness just expanded. Links between handcrafting and improved mental health have been studied and documented , but what about physical health? I typically associate the many hours spent hunched over my knitting and crochet with poor posture, back pain, and increased risk of carpal tunnel. However, I recently saw something which has put me on a mission to change that. Worlds collide: I already use yoga to ease craft-related aches. Now, spinning has become a tool to correct my posture. Perusing Instagram instead of folding laundry, I came across an intriguing image. It was two skeletons viewed from the side, one with an exaggerated spinal curve. The caption explained one skeleton demonstrated an anterior pelvic tilt, while the other showed a  neutral spine and pelvis.   The reason for killing time on Instagram in the first place was due to searing lower back pain. It's been plaguing me for...

We are generally a pretty hardy bunch, so the last few weeks have been overwhelming and a little bewildering. At least one person has been stay-at-home sick almost every day since the middle of January. A dental crisis and some overtime hours tacked on for good measure was more than I felt equipped to handle. But, as I explained to Laney when she was wondering why Daddy was out shoveling even though he was in misery, being a grownup means doing what needs to be done, even when you don't feel like it. It seems like the worst is behind us now, knock on wood, and I'm looking forward to everyone being back to normal. There is, however, an upside to an entire family requiring rest and unable to leave the house: plenty of time for quiet hobbies. We may have been under a self-imposed quarantine, but I got so much accomplished! Before, the illness, I finished the two cowls on which I'd been working. The Bear Hug is wrapped up and waiting for Ainsleigh's birthday, ...

There are well known benefits of yoga: increased strength and flexibility, relaxation and meditation. It's a great, low-impact fitness option accessible to anyone, regardless of ability. At its most basic, yoga is moving and stretching while being mindful of breaths and the sensations experienced by the body. What may be less widely known, yoga can be used with very specific purpose. Whatever remedy one is seeking, a quick google search will bring up various poses to help. Try it. Make up a condition just to see which poses could help alleviate it. This is going to veer into "too much information" territory, but I've never been one to shy from over sharing, so here goes. Irregularity has been a lifelong struggle for me. If my eating gets the tiniest bit off track, if I'm stressed, if I'm the slightest bit dehydrated, if it's almost that time of the month, if I used too much weight the last workout, there are repercussions. Quite by accident, I d...

Startitis, like the cold, must have been going around this week! I cast on three new projects, all cowls, but all very different. The first was, Fear of Commitment , a chunky knit which can be styled in a variety of ways. Taking a "Selfish Saturday," I added stops at Caribou Coffee and JoAnn Fabrics to my usual errand run. I got the yarn, Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Tweed in Oatmeal, and buttons for the Fear of Commitment Cowl. Two buttons, one large art button and one toggle, tied together with stretchy cord act a shawl pin used to style the cowl. I started the cowl the same afternoon, and finished it late Saturday night. While I knit, Darren and I watched the new, Magnificent 7 — another selfish Saturday splurge. A fan of the classic, I had misgivings about a remake, but it was great! We enjoyed it very much. Darren said I have redeemed myself. The last movie I bought, Bone Tomahawk, was awful. Sadly so, because it had definite potential. The dialog was ...

January is well underway, and it is cold! When the temperature gets this low, our poor furnace struggles to keep up, which can make finding motivation to do more than cuddle under a blanket on the couch difficult. It is really hard some mornings to slip into those workout clothes and get started, but I'm keeping up with Hammer and Chisel * despite the chill. Into the third week now, I'm starting to see the progress and can feel it when I strap on my belt. Even better, I'm getting stronger! This week, I set a new personal best for both pull-ups (overhand) and chin-ups (underhand) with eleven each. I do use an assist band, but it is still a huge improvement. The quick and measurable increases in strength, balance and flexibility with Hammer and Chisel are quite empowering and why I love the program so much. Darren had to spend a couple nights away from home due to road conditions, and he noticed a difference in just the three days he was gone. Also seeing a lot of pr...

Usually, I am very conscious of the background. I try not to embarrass myself by posting pictures with lurking piles of laundry or dishes. The camera angle is calculated to avoid dirty windows and crumbs on the floor. Watching today's playback, I was mortified to see, not only is the over-filled garbage can visible, so are the dishes. Most of them are clean, but still. Also, my complexion is a mess, there's an inexplicable amount of sweat given how cold it is in here, and I'm interrupted several times. My first instinct was to redo the whole thing. But, you know what? This is the Dahlhouse. This is my reality. There are always dirty dishes waiting. Sometime today, I will get the clean ones put away and the dirty ones washed, probably just in time to start supper. Laundry is ongoing, and will never be finished. We are almost to the point where the kids can be left unattended long enough for me to fold it somewhere other than the living room, but we're not there ye...