She's my Girl

I have a Noro problem.  It's complex, but aren't all my problems?  I don't understand how knitters can knit sweaters or socks out of this yarn.  I just don't get it.  It's way too "earthy" for me.  But on the flip side, I love Noro!  I get almost giddy when the color is about to change.  How's the green going to look next to the pink?  How will that pink look next to the peach?  But what do I do with all my bottled up Noro love?  Make blankets, I guess.

I finished Lizard Ridge a long time ago and it quenched my Noro thirst. Still it isn't the blanket that I rushed to cuddle under. For a long time, it was purely for show.  One night Gus' blanket was in the wash & he needed an extra layer.  I threw Lizard Ridge over him and that's where you'll find the blanket.  Not the cheapest kid blanket or the most practical when we're still dealing with Pull-Ups.  But he calls it the sweater blanket and that warms my heart.  It has softened a little with use, but you don't buy Noro to touch.  You buy it for drama. 

This hat ignited my Noro love again, but I knew it was pointless.  How does one pull that onto their forehead?  How!?  But that love is so hard to ignore.  When I get that itch, something's gonna give and it usually turns into a large on-going project.  I needed a plan to scratch my Noro hive.   I'd knit the middle size Rambling Rows out of Kureyon.  This decision also solves another problem of mine.  I hate leaving a locally owned store without purchasing a thing.  I feel guilty when I leave with nothing.  I usually buy sock yarn, but I'm sick of loading the stash with yarn that doesn't get used.  Now I can pick up a ball here in Ohio and more the next time I'm on the road.  Before you know it, I'll have a beautiful afghan.  Noro lends itself to be knit in one sitting.  What's that blue going to look like next to the tan?  I'll keep knitting just to find out.  Problem solved and everyone is more than happy.

I also decided that I needed a new sweater project.  Say "Hello" to Diminishing Ribs.  Excellent kid-friendly knit.  Not that I really need a kid-friendly knit.  Garter is the friendliest of all the stitch patterns and Moderne Log Cabin should be my go-to kid knit.  Since my one repeat on Celite is finished, the Log Cabin will be fished out of the closet.  I've got a month to finish it.  The blanket is so large that it becomes difficult to turn and I'm also afraid that grubby little fingers will attack it.  Rib is found while the kids are playing.

I finished Childhood Unbound.  A decent parenting book for parents with children a little older than Gus.  It was nice to see what's coming, but I think that we're still about two years away from many of the issues that were discussed. I found that it had more explanation of why we're seeing certain kid attitudes more than how to discipline.  Which was really refreshing.  It was also nice to see that many of his tips were common sense to me.  Frank discussions, boundaries/limits, respect to both child and parent, and building a community around the family.  It was an easy read and not condescending or frightening.

I've also been thinking about reading a Chapter book to Gus each night.  I think that he's probably old enough to begin this routine, but I'm not sure which book to grab.  I'm guessing the book should be short and something without violence.  Duh, right?  Any suggestions?

L

Comments

[Janet]

My daughter is 4, and about a year ago, my dh started reading The Wizard of Oz to her. We have the version that is illustrated by Charles Santore (really beautiful). I thought that the "violence" like the melting witch and the flying monkeys would be too much, but she loved it and wanted it read over and over. I think it gave her some new tools for how to explain her feelings about tough situations. We read one or two pages a night and the book is finished in less than a week. Nice transition from picture books to ones with few.

[Cathi]

Our first chapter book was Charlotte's Web. I think that any of EB White's books would work, really. The kids liked them, there are interspersed illustrations, and the chapters were really short.

And- I think we are separated at birth a little bit- even though you have two sisters and a brother. I started that hex blanket with Noro, and I love being able to pick up Kureyon at shops as well, although I think your choice of pattern is better.

Thanks for the review of Childhood Unbound- I am definitely going to check it out.

Have a great day-xo

[Ava]

Matilda and James and the Giant Peach were the first chapter books that we read the girls (complete with the accents and voices) . . . but I think that Gus is a little too young. Give him at least one more year (so says your big sister).

Knitter's Review had something about the Noro knock-off Boku. Interesting stuff!

[Lola]

I figured James & the Giant Peach. I also was guessing that getting ahead of myself, but I thought I'd give it a try.

I've knit with Boku before. I used it for the last couple Lizard Ridge squares. It even has fake earth in it. It doesn't have the dramatic color changes though.

[Ava]

You know, you could start with very short chapter books with predictability like "The Magic Treehouse" series . . . let me think on this for a while.

[Lola]

We read to Chapter 3 of James & the Giant Peach. I think that if I read it in really funny voices & ask questions, he might be ok. There's a scribbled drawing every other page. That helps with keeping his attention. We flipped though & he asked about some of the future pics. I told him we'd have to keep reading to figure it out. It's going to have to be an Every-Night-Thing to keep him wanting more. But isn't everything that way?

[Jean Marie]

It depends on the child, some do well listening to chapter books and others like shorter reads!

Not chapter book, but a lot of boys like Thomas the Tank Engine, though it is old-fashioned, and it is possible to find compilations with many (or all) of the stories.

Paddington Bear books.

James Stevenson books - short chapters, funny - I especially like the Mud Flat books and The Pattaconk Brook.

Winnie the Pooh books.

Ameilia Bedelia books.

All boy tested and approved - I have a 15year old and a just turned 5 year old (and something of a taste for older books!)

[Jean Marie]

It depends on the child, some do well listening to chapter books and others like shorter reads!

Not chapter book, but a lot of boys like Thomas the Tank Engine, though it is old-fashioned, and it is possible to find compilations with many (or all) of the stories.

Paddington Bear books.

James Stevenson books - short chapters, funny - I especially like the Mud Flat books and The Pattaconk Brook.

Winnie the Pooh books.

Ameilia Bedelia books.

All boy tested and approved - I have a 15year old and a just turned 5 year old (and something of a taste for older books!)

[tricia]

We read Charlotte's Web, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and a Homer Price book of short stories. The illustrations in the Homer Price are great. My kids loved the lady losing her diamond ring in the donut batter and the silliness that follows in Homer Price. Also read the Thornton Burgess books, but maybe because they were my childhood favourites. We are also huge fans of kids books on tapes. What does your local library have.

Thanks for the link to the vortex hat. Neat construction.

[lesley]

hmm. chapter books eh? i had a set of (and still do) childrens versions of classics. swiss family, arabian nights, heidi, black beauty, alice in wonderland...any or all of which are good if broken up into chapters. and the kids versions are much more approachable than the adult versions. there are also the wind in the willows, the rescuers, and of course magic school bus and that sort of thing but i loved the classics. good first choice with roald dahl. he's funny :)