Mother Culture
2017—A New Baby
I spent much of 2017 adjusting to life with a new little one in tow and, naturally, the transition impacted how I pursued my mother culture this year. With two homeschooling children, a preschooler, a toddler, and a new baby in the mix, I turned more toward books and no-brainer/quickie gratification yarn projects for reflective and satisfying down-time. And, if I’m being honest, I also watched quite a bit of PBS Masterpiece and BBC Drama, while knitting or nursing in the evenings…because, well, I had a great excuse!
Towards the end of the year, my dear friend Dawn Garrett interviewed me about my fiber arts hobbies for her “Mama Needs a Hobby” series over at Pam Barnhill’s blog. I was happy for the opportunity to share some of the projects I’ve completed, why I love yarnwork and how I fit it into my mothering life, as well as helpful tips for how to get started as a newbie.
Enjoy!
Fiber Arts with Angela Reed: Learning, Knowing, Creating Hobbies for Homeschool Moms
2016—A Year of Crochet Buntings
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Valentine’s Day (Feb):
Hearts galore…this free pattern by Sarahndipities was easy to whip up and was adorable for display in February. I made hearts in two colors (fuchsia and turquoise) and alternated them when I chained them together.
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St. Patty’s Day (March):
Shamrocks were my theme for March, so I used a green cotton yarn to work up these lucky darlings. Sarahndipities’ free pattern was sweet and simple, so once I crocheted the clovers, all I had to do was chain them together. Next year, I might graduate to a four-leaf clover pattern for more of a challenge, but either way, a shamrock or 4-leaf clover both say luck o’ the Irish!
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When I finished the bunting, I made some extra shamrocks to pin on the boys and worked one into a little multi-chain headband for my girl. Cute, cute!
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Spring (April/May):
April showers bring May flowers, so I wanted some blooms from my yarn stash too! This Mini Flower Garland pattern by Silly Old Suitcase was a really fun project for which I used many, many colors from my yarn bin. Maintaining the second round in a consistent color (I chose white) was the recommended strategy for keeping many diverse colors and textures within the common theme.
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Summertime (June-Sept):
I had HOPED to do a seashore inspired bunting this summer, but the fatigue of pregnancy #5 kept me disinterested. Oh well… maybe next year?
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Halloween/Autumn (Oct/Nov):
Scrappy happy pumpkins from the yarn stash patch! I modified this free pattern by Mrs. Micawber using various textures of yarn for the pumpkins and their stems, though I kept the same-sized needles and followed the directions as specified. Also, I plan to add some curlicues to the bunting chain for a vine effect. Will post a completed pic when I’m done!