Ah, Musik

What a wonderful 24 hours of music it's been.

Last night I went to the Schubert Club concert featuring 4 amazing singers who performed Brahms' Neue Liebeslieder, which is usually performed by a chorus.

It was transcendent.

And then this morning, The Wedding was jam-packed with so many magical musical moments.

I Was Glad

Jerusalem

And a new exciting setting of Ubi Caritas.

Say what you will about the media attention surrounding this wedding, I think it's nice for a change to concentrate on something beautiful and filled with love.

Add to all of this excitement that it's a spectacular day outside, and tonight the Elder is dancing in her first recital, I am feeling pretty good about this Friday!

Have a great weekend everybody.

Yarn Along

It's (almost) Wednesday, Happy Yarn Along!

Since I finished The Hour I First Believed last week I haven't started reading anything new. In fact, I can't believe that it's been a week!

I'm feeling a little nostalgic this week, so I am deciding between these 4 titles. They are all old favorites, but I just don't know what I feel like reading.

In knitting news, I am making another pair of socks.

Now, if you knew me personally, you would realize that this is out of the ordinary for me.

Usually I am the person saying "you can buy socks at Target for a buck, and why would you want to spend all that time on something that will go inside your shoe anyway?"

However, I am eating my words.

Having a sock on the needles is really satisfying.

Totally portable, fun to wear, and who could resist those big fun stripes?

Head on over to Ginny's for more fun knitting and reading.

Simply Ten Good Things

Amanda inspired so many of us this morning with her list of ten simple things that make her happy.

Here are some of my own

going out on a kids and mama date when there's no school

knitting at the park

seeing the SUN

new friends

lego madness all over the place

seeing them play together

a fresh hard-boiled egg for breakfast

making music

the smell of a wood fire in the backyard (a neighbor's for now, but we don't need to wait long for our own)

new paint in the kitchen

Caritas Vocal Ensemble

Caritas Vocal Ensemble is a group of singers on a mission. We sing benefit concerts to raise funds and awareness for local non-profits who provide basic human services to our friends and neighbors most in need.

Now holding auditions for all voice parts.

Please contact Jessica Bandelin at caritasvocalensemble@gmail.com to schedule an audition

For more information about our mission and our music please visit www.caritasvocalensemble.org

Happy Easter!

I got to hear this both services today, and I wouldn't mind hearing again right now!

To put a cherry on the top, this was with a brass ensemble this morning.

I hope the bunny treats you well.

Yarn Along

Happy Wednesday

It's time to Yarn Along again!
I have a couple of finished things this week, I finished the hooded scarf that I was working on two weeks ago as well as last week's sock. The cuff of the second sock is behind me, and I may finish the pair by class next Monday.

This week I have been reading The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb.
It is so good! There are twists and turns and some really hard stuff (it starts with the shootings at Columbine High School).
There is something that I just can't resist about Wally Lamb. His stories draw me in and I just don't want to stop reading. When I read She's Come Undone, I just sat down and read all night through. I literally didn't want to put it down. Unfortunately, this leads to a little less laundry and a little more computer time for the Younger. It's a good thing it's so rotten outside so I can justify the sitting and reading.

Update: I finished the book this morning, despite the fact that my eyes were dilated from my eye appointment, and wept.

What a writer that Wally Lamb is.

Free Plants!

A neighbor down the street had a big pile of shrubs out on their boulevard with a sign -
Free Plants Please Take.
How could I resist?
Despite the coming storm, I pulled down our compost pile (we had planned on moving it anyway), dug some holes, mixed up some fertilizer and water and transplanted these babies this morning.
At first I thought they were all this fringe-y shrub that I recognized from the neighbor's yard, but then I realized that 2 were lilacs.
I love lilacs and I have always wanted a big yard-full of them.
As a bonus, I found this lilac that I had assumed dead, budding and beginning to leaf in the middle of my compost pile. I threw it in there at least 18 months ago, but the benefit of not turning your compost seems to be that the outer layers insulate the inner ones.
Now, hopefully, in the summer I won't have to look at that not-too-attractive chain link fence.

Sundogs Barking at the Break of Dawn

These always say snow to me.

I'm a Model!

Look who got a new pair of sunglasses.

Quilts for Quake Survivors

I just posted this on the Treadle Blog, but I am so proud of the work that was finished in the two evenings of Quilts for Quake Survivors at Treadle Yard Goods, I wanted to share it here too.
The 10 ladies last night, and 7 from the week before, cut, pieced and assembled 2 quilt tops, one back and a nice big stack of squares, strips and centers to send away to Quilts for Quake Survivors.
As a bonus, many of us caught the Log Cabin bug, and so you might see a new quilting project from me sometime soon, but maybe not too soon...

Kids Clothing Week Challenge - Spring Edition

Elsie Marley is hosting a Kids Clothing Week again the second week of May.
Even with the inordinate amount of sewing that I have been up to lately, the kids could still use some spring/summer wear.
They have both done lots of growing since the last couple of KCWCs, so I am quite excited to join in!
In addition to clothes, both of the kids need new accessories for the Fall. The Elder needs another new backpack, and she has the fabric all picked out, and the Younger needs a lunch box.




What fun! Now, to plan...

yarn along

Today, I am knitting a sock.
It's the first sock that I have knitted for myself in about 8 years.
I started teaching a sock class on Monday, and I thought I should do the homework too.
The books are all music books. I have an audition on Sunday, and I have to choose the songs to sing.
I think I have it narrowed down to some Schubert and an American song, but it could still change.
Happy Yarn Along!

Things making me happy

A few fantastic things in my life -
being surrounded by creative people in my home and work
signs of spring

this song

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues by subpop
and hiking with an intrepid explorerWhat's making your day today?

Reminder about the Quilts for Quake Survivors

Just a reminder about the Quilts for Quake Survivors tonight at Treadle Yard Goods.


We've all seen the devastation in Japan, and now there is something we can do together to help those families who have lost so much.
Quilts for Quake Survivors is the brainchild of Daniela and Susan (author of Modern Log Cabin Quilting).
They're calling for supplies to make handmade lap and baby quilts to send to Japan.

A quote from their website -
Why Quilts you ask? Because quilts stand for love, warmth, and comfort. Log Cabin quilting is probably the easiest quilting method, extremely economical and yields beautiful results. It also symbolizes the heart of the home – the center square represents the lamplight or fire in the hearth, surrounded by the “logs” or walls of the log cabin. We’d like to share this feeling of friendship, home and warmth with those who need it most.

Please join us at Treadle 2 on April 8th and 15th, from 6-9 to cut strips, assemble blocks and hopefully put together some quilts for this great cause.

We ask that you bring along your scraps, and any stash fabric that you would like to donate and we'll provide the log-cabin know-how.

See you at the store soon,
Jess

Amended - Treadle 2 is around the corner from Treadle Yard Goods which sits at the corner of Grand Ave and Hamline Ave. in Saint Paul. Treadle 2 is down Hamline about 100 ft.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
See Amanda for more moments

Spring Color Week

White today.
Happy Spring!

Spring Color Week

Lavender today, white tomorrow.

Spring Color Week

Pink today, tomorrow lavender.

Yarn Along

Joining Ginny today, I know, it's been a while!
To tell the truth, I haven't been doing that much knitting lately.
I had a couple of test projects to finish up for Blue Sky Alpacas, but they're top secret until the patterns come out, so I couldn't share those.
Also, I have been sewing a lot the past few weeks.
Anyway, I am knitting something now -
This is a hooded scarf for a customer.
We looked through a lot of photos on Ravelry and the customer chose those features he liked the best out of the options available (narrow scarf, big rib, cable detail around the hood).
I'm designing this one as I go, so we'll see if it comes out alright in the end.
The yarn is Cocoon from Rowan.
So far I am loving the knitting, also the yarn holds up well to repeated ripping out, a casualty of designing on the needles.

The books are both new.
I have been eagerly awaiting Little Things to Sew by Liesl Gibson for some time, and I ran out and bought it this morning.
There are at least 6 projects that I'm really excited about, and the Elder has already picked out the fabric for one that she wants me to start TOMORROW please.

While I was at the bookstore I saw an inexpensive edition of Frankenstein, and since I have always wanted to read it, and there it was, I snapped it up.
There is a lot of great information about Mary Shelley's life and family in the beginning of the book, and that is about as much as I had time to read today.
I hope to start the actual story tomorrow.

What are you reading and knitting lately?

Spring Color Week

Yellow today, pink tomorrow.

Spring Color Week!

Poppytalk is hosting a Spring Color Week!
Green today, yellow tomorrow.

Quilts for Quake Survivors

Hi Guys and Gals,
I just posted this at Treadle Yard Goods' blog, but I wanted to get the word out here too.
Please join us this Friday and next Friday, we'll be doing our part to help those families who have lost so much in Japan due to their recent earthquake and tsunami.


We've all seen the devastation in Japan, and now there is something we can do together to help those families who have lost so much.
Quilts for Quake Survivors is the brainchild of Daniela and Susan (author of Modern Log Cabin Quilting).
They're calling for supplies to make handmade lap and baby quilts to send to Japan.

A quote from their website -
Why Quilts you ask? Because quilts stand for love, warmth, and comfort. Log Cabin quilting is probably the easiest quilting method, extremely economical and yields beautiful results. It also symbolizes the heart of the home – the center square represents the lamplight or fire in the hearth, surrounded by the “logs” or walls of the log cabin. We’d like to share this feeling of friendship, home and warmth with those who need it most.

Please join us at Treadle 2 on April 8th and 15th, from 6-9 to cut strips, assemble blocks and hopefully put together some quilts for this great cause.

We ask that you bring along your scraps, and any stash fabric that you would like to donate and we'll provide the log-cabin know-how.

See you at the store soon,
Jess

Amended - Treadle 2 is around the corner from Treadle Yard Goods which sits at the corner of Grand Ave and Hamline Ave. in Saint Paul. Treadle 2 is down Hamline about 100 ft.

Bare

Now don't get any lurid ideas, I am talking about my feet people.
Bare feet!
This is the first time feet have met grass since, well I don't know when exactly, but certainly before October.
I'm not afraid of you, boulevard glacier!
Now what to do with this new big empty space by the garage? (we took out a tree last year)
Time to start those seeds.

More Sewing

I finished up one more dress for the Elder a couple of days ago, and another this morning, which makes a total of 4 new dresses in the last 2 months.
It may be time to stop, she'll run out of room in the closet before long.
This first one is another model for Treadle, the pattern is M5694.
I did cheat a little, and I didn't make buttonholes for the straps.
The dress should still go on fine without them.

The second one is a pattern that I was trying out for the store from The Handmade Dress.This is the Miss Madeline Dress.
To tell the truth, I wasn't over the moon about this pattern.
The instructions were pretty clear, but there is a do-it-yourself quality to the pattern pieces that might be off-putting for some. Also, the assembly order was a little weird and the seam allowance was only 3/8" instead of 5/8". That last one is a picky thing, but I like to make french seams and that's just not an easy thing with so little seam allowance.
On the other hand, it does make a pretty cute dress, so I guess I would say try these patterns, but be prepared for some weirdness.

Now I think it's time to sew something for the Younger so he doesn't feel left out.
Have a great weekend!

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