Category: life lately

A beret for my mom – part 2

~ Maggie ~ 4 Comments

As you can see this beret is a lot bigger than the one I showed you yesterday. I think this will be a much better size, though now I worry it’s too big.
But I’ve actually got photos of my mom (the girls sent me pictures of them celebrating Sinterklaas with my parents) wearing one of her store-bought berets and I think the size of this one is similar. I hope so.

Sidenote: I cried when I saw those pictures. In public (we were at a beach bar with friends). Because – as you probably know if you’ve been reading here for a while – Sinterklaas used to be a big thing in our family and I loved hosting and preparing for these loud and chaotic gatherings. And now I wasn’t even there. And I also cried because I hardly recognized my mom in those pictures. She aged so much!
But she’s still there. And I know now that I have some real friends here on the island. Because they sat next to me and hugged me and comforted me, without even once saying how silly (and selfish) it is to cry when my family (and most important, my mom!) obviously had a lot of fun.

What I did

CO 78 stitches (5 mm needle, worsted weight yarn), join in the round
1-10 garter stitch
11. Kf&b of every stitch (156 stitches)

12-16 K entire round
17 P entire round
18-22 K entire round
23 P entire round
24-28 K entire round
29 P entire round

30. K24, ssk, repeat till end of round
31. K entire round
32. K23, ssk, repeat till end of round
33. K entire round
34. K22, ssk, repeat till end of round
35. P entire round
36. K21, ssk, repeat till end of round
37. K entire round
38. K20, ssk, repeat till end of round
39. K entire round
40. K19, ssk, repeat till end of round
41. P entire round
42. K18, ssk, repeat till end of round
43. K entire round
44. K17, ssk, repeat till end of round
45. K entire round
46. K16, ssk, repeat till end of round
47. P entire round
48. K15, ssk, repeat till end of round
49. K entire round
50. K14, ssk, repeat till end of round
51.K entire round
52. K13, ssk, repeat till end of round
53. P entire round
54. K12, ssk, repeat till end of round
55. K11, ssk, repeat till end of round
56. K10, ssk, repeat till end of round
57. K9, ssk, repeat till end of round
58. K8, ssk, repeat till end of round
59. K7, ssk, repeat till end of round
60. K6, ssk, repeat till end of round
61. K5, ssk, repeat till end of round
62. K4, ssk, repeat till end of round
63. K3, ssk, repeat till end of round
64. K2 ssk, repeat till end of round
65. K1, ssk, repeat till end of round
66.  ssk, repeat till end of round

Cut yarn and use darning needle to thread through remain stitches and pull to close top.
Weave in ends.

December!

~ Maggie ~ 6 Comments

And now it’s December.

The last month of a year that was… well, hard. On so many levels. I deleted a lot of words about this because I don’t want to pour negativity, sadness and fear into a world that needs just the opposite, both online and offline.

So, let’s just forget about that. Focus on the good stuff. I want to remember 2019 as the year we made our dream of moving to Curaçao come true, the year we found and bought and renovated and moved into that wonderful house with the amazing view, the year we met so many great new friends.

And now it’s December and it’s going to be a great month.
I’m going to allow myself to take it easy this week. Just a little bit of work to do and a lot of happy homemaking and gardening and packing.
Next week we’ll travel to Europe and I’ll see my family for the first time since July.
My mother is still alive and reasonably fit and that fact alone is worth being very happy about.
I have a date with some old friends that I haven’t seen in years.
We’ll celebrate our youngest 27th (!) birthday and meet her boyfriend for the first time.
We’re going to do a belated Sinterklaas and a lot of Christmas celebrating with family.
Oh, and I get to do a lot of shopping. Most of the practical kind (cotton sheets, vitamines, things we can’t get here), but there will be some thrifting, yarn shopping and fabric buying involved too. Fun!
And when we return we’ll be just in time to welcome a fresh new year here on the island we love so much.
Yes, it’s going to be a good month.

Wishing you all a happy December!

Crafty goals

~ Maggie ~ 2 Comments

Well, that was some week! But that’s what I say, write or think almost every week, so I guess it was a normal one after all. I did finish most of the bigger deadline work I had on my plate and that’s a big relief. I’ve also prepared most of the things I need to do when I’m in Holland and I’m looking forward to next week. Last week before we travel, not too much computer work to worry about, so I’m going to clean the house and do some gardening. Bliss! I may even get to my sewing machine.

Last week’s goals:

 Knitting:

✔  finish second beret
/ knit some of these slippers (the pattern is no longer online, but I have it written down in my notebook) to keep my feet warm when we’re in Holland (started one this morning!)
– decide if I could make more of them as gifts (maybe better than hats?)
✔  use up the rest of the Christmas yarn (knit my first circle, fun!)

Sewing:
Not at all, I’ll just copy and paste my list to next week…


This week’s goals:

 Knitting:

– finish the slippers (the pattern is no longer online, but I have it written down in my notebook) to keep my feet warm when we’re in Holland
– decide if I’m doing handmade gifts and if so, what I need to knit (or sew?)
– knit a hat (or more slippers)
– start knitting another cowl? (I have this great pattern that I can’t wait to try)

Sewing:

The fact that I’m not sewing doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about the things I want to do. I keep adding to that list… Oh well, we’ll see.

– hem that plaid cotton I bought to use as a tablecloth
– make placemats (the ones we’re using are stained and not washable – not my smartest buy)
– purse for daily use
– quilt (or maybe start small and make a table runner?)
– drawstring bags to use in my suitcase while traveling (I love the packing cubes like these that I see all over the internet and of course I could either order them or try to make them, but I think simple drawstring bags could help with the packing chaos too, so I’m trying that first).

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Thank you!

~ Maggie ~ 5 Comments

Three things I want to thank you (yes, you – daily readers, occasional readers, new readers, all of you) for:

1. the fact my little blog gets some pageviews at all really helps to keep going. I’ve had periods without any readers and though I love blogging for a lot of reasons, it’s more fun to see that some people are actually reading here.

2. comments. I know commenting on blogger can be hard sometimes (especially when you’re not signed in to google), but I appreciate it so so much when someone takes the time and effort to actually react to my daily chatting. It makes me feel like I’m having my morning tea with all of you, instead of alone with my laptop.

3. friendship. I notice that each time I post something really personal, I get so many encouraging, loving reactions. It feels like I’ve got some real friends out there. I really can’t put into words how much that means to me.

So, thank you. For all of that (and more).

Wishing you all a wonderful, happy Thanksgiving!

Linking up with Carole’s Three on Thursday

Spiral up (or down?)

~ Maggie ~ 4 Comments

Another gray hat. I know… But I had this really big skein and it is actually a nice shade of gray. I think the men in my family will be happy to wear these hats. But I have to admit that I’m glad I’m almost done with it.

Almost two years ago, I was toying with the idea to start writing patterns for the hats I made. I actually published a few, but they never really took off. Also, pattern writing is a lot of work, especially if you want to sell them. I usually don’t bother with gauge and things like that, but I’d need to. So I decided to let go of that plan though I sometimes still think that it would be so great to make (some) money with knitting.
A few days ago I did realize I could just add some notes to my posts about the things I knit. Not really patterns, but just “what I did” in pattern language. So that’s what you got yesterday.
But then I moved on to writing today’s post and I realized that I have been very bad at taking notes these days and I don’t really remember the specifics of this one. It shouldn’t be too hard to explain in words what I did though, so let me try.

What I did:

I could write an intricate pattern for that spiraling ribbing, but the trick is to cast on one stitch less than you’d need for the ribbing you’re using. I did a K1, P1 ribbing, so I cast on an odd number (don’t remember how many – 79 probably, since that’s about the number of stitches that makes an adult-sized hat with this yarn) and just kept doing K1, P1.
When I thought the ribbing was high enough I increased the stitches (K3, K1f&b) and kept knitting till I had a nice slouchy hat. The top was finished by alternating k2tog and K rows until I had approximately 10 stitches left. Pulled the thread through the remaining stitches and wove in ends.

Green

~ Maggie ~ 4 Comments

But not with envy 😉

A few months ago, I felt unhappy because all the yarn I had left to knit with was gray. Rather depressing. But buying yarn is not easy here. There are a few shops that carry it (as far as I know) and none of them has a lot.
At that moment I even thought there were only two shops that carried it. But I was in town and decided to pop into a fabric store I discovered that day. And there, right in the back they actually had some yarn. Acrylic, of course (they love their polyester here – clothes, sheets, fabric, and yarn), but there was this green that I loved (still my favorite color, it seems). I asked if there were more skeins than the three on the shelve and they dug through a few boxes for me, but alas, no luck there. I bought the three skeins anyway. Just because they were there. And they weren’t grey.

And then they just sat there, because I didn’t know what to do with them. A shawl? But I don’t like how they slip off my shoulders constantly. A cowl? But I had plenty of yarn to work with and it would be nice to cover my shoulders.

I found inspiration on the internet (where else?). I already had this cowl in the back of my mind, but more recently I’ve been admiring Chris’ design and Jeannie’s version of it.
Could have waited for the pattern to be released, of course, but I was impatient and made up my own version. I can always knit another one when the pattern is there. Since really, you can’t have enough cowls (oh wait, maybe you can if you’re living in the tropics and only visit colder regions a few weeks every year. But let’s ignore that little fact.)

So I cast on some stitches (better description below) and used a stitch pattern based on Soulemama’s hat pattern. When I thought the neck section was high enough I doubled the stitches and just kept knitting from there.
I have to admit, it did get frustrating after a while. That stitch pattern is perfect for a small project like a hat and even a cowl, but it was very slow (and hard on the arthritic hands) knitting for the shoulder part.
But I do love the result.

I also love that the stitch pattern turned out to be reversible.  I may even prefer the inside…

What I did:

CO 102 stitches, join in the round
knit three ridges of garter stitch (alternating K and P rows)

Stitch pattern:
1. k1, yo, k2tog – repeat till end of round
2. k1, yo, k2tog – repeat till end of round
3,4,5 P all stitches

Repeat pattern 6 times

Increasing:
1. k1, yo till end of round (204 stitches)
2. K all stitches
3,4,5 P all stitches

Return to stitch pattern, repeat 9 times + first two rows once
knit three ridges of garter stitch
Cast off

Stop and notice

~ Maggie ~ 2 Comments

Even though – or maybe I should say because –  I’ve been feeling overwhelmed and stressed these past few weeks (months?), I’ve been trying really hard to stop and notice the beauty around me as often as I can.
I have always loved looking at the sky in times like these, though I can’t really put into words why (I’ll try anyway).
It makes me feel… unimportant, small. But in a good way. It’s comforting to realize that the world is not falling apart because my little life isn’t going smoothly. And it makes me think about how important the things I’m worrying about really are. The house isn’t as clean as I’d like, I’m running late with work assignments, I didn’t post on Instagram for a week, I should be writing a book, etc. etc. So what?
Things (even bigger, sad things like my mom’s disease) just happen because they happen. Sometimes to us or people close to us and then it hurts, but there are seven billion people on this little planet who all are going through something sometimes.
Still, the sunset is painting beautiful colors, rainbows appear, the stars are shining brightly, the moon is going through her phases, the world keeps turning. Always.
To me, this is comforting. So I try to stop and notice the beauty of the sky a few times every day.

Wishing you all a great, worry-free week!

Crafty goals

~ Maggie ~ 4 Comments

Last week I actually did great on the knitting goals, if I say so myself (ah, the benefits of aiming low!). On the sewing, not so much (not at all, actually). I did (partly) clean up and organize the entry room though and I have now a table ready to sew on. So who knows what will happen next week?

Last week’s list:

Knitting:

✔ work on green cowl (actually finished it! – show & tell next week)
✔ maybe start a beret for my mother (started one, finished it – turns out to be wearable, but rather tight, so I started another one – sneak peek in pictures above)

Sewing:
X purse for daily use
X quilt (or maybe start small and make a table runner?)
X drawstring bags to use in my suitcase while traveling (I love the packing cubes like these that I see all over the internet and of course I could either order them or try to make them, but I think simple drawstring bags could help with the packing chaos too, so I’m trying that first).

This week’s list

 Knitting:

– finish second beret
– knit some of these slippers (the pattern is no longer online, but I have it written down in my notebook) to keep my feet warm when we’re in Holland
– decide if I could make more of them as gifts (maybe better than hats?)
– use up the rest of the Christmas yarn (granny square to use as decoration on the table?)

Sewing:

The fact that I’m not sewing doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about the things I want to do. I keep adding to that list… Oh well, we’ll see.

– hem that plaid cotton I bought to use as a tablecloth
– make placemats (the ones we’re using are stained and not washable – not my smartest buy)
– purse for daily use
– quilt (or maybe start small and make a table runner?)
– drawstring bags to use in my suitcase while traveling (I love the packing cubes like these that I see all over the internet and of course I could either order them or try to make them, but I think simple drawstring bags could help with the packing chaos too, so I’m trying that first).

I’m hoping for a productive, creative weekend, though there’s also this other list of things I need to do…
Wishing you all a great one too!

Being grateful after all

~ Maggie ~ 12 Comments

I sometimes struggle with the whole grateful thing. Sometimes I try and know that behind my simple gratitudes is a world of ‘despite…’ and ‘still…’, “but…’ and other not so grateful thoughts. And then I don’t post them at all.
But last week I went to Carole’s blog to link up my post for Three on Tuesday and her post really hit me.

She talked about how the things she listed were all things that didn’t go very well at first and the struggle to get to a point she could be grateful for them. And then she said: “then we get to feel thankful in a way that’s bigger and better and more satisfying because it took some work to get there.”

Wow! That really struck a chord with me.

So it’s not wrong to know that you aren’t just simply thankful for some things… It’s not ungrateful to know that it’s hard to be thankful for them sometimes… I know, duh! But also, somewhat of an epiphany to me.  I have been trying to work up some higher serene feelings that just weren’t there (because, life) and now I’m finally starting to accept that it doesn’t have to be all that perfect.

So here are three things that I am thankful for today (despite…, but… etc.)

1. This house.
Talking about struggle… But it is all worth it. I already love it the way it is and it will be beautiful someday.

2. Living here.
I still get homesick every once in a while and there are times that I wished we never left, but I do love this island and the kind of life we’re able to live here.

3. Airplanes.
Ha! If I had to travel on a ship for six weeks to see my family I don’t think I’d moved here. I hate the flight itself (ten hours, no knitting allowed and I always have to force myself not to think about the fact that I’m in an aluminum tube going really fast and really high), but it takes me to my family, or back to my island and that’s why I am grateful that they exist.

Linking up with Carole’s Three on Tuesday

In my garden :: hopes and dreams

~ Maggie ~ 2 Comments

I’ve always wanted to grow my own food. And yes, I’ve done it too, for a while.

(writing that sent me to my blog archives. Remember this garden? I had to stop myself from digging too deep into the archives because I actually don’t even really have time to write this post, let alone read my own blog archives. I did find out that some older posts have missing pictures though because I deleted my Flickr account. Will have to fix that. Some day.)

I’ve also always wanted to grow medicinal herbs, but we used to live in a region that had so much pollution that I never really felt safe to do so.
Traveling and lack of time, energy and space made it hard for me these past few years, but now I’m dreaming again. After all, we have half an acre of land and that may not be enough to do real homesteading on, but it is plenty to play with.

Most of what you see here. behind the artificial grass, is my future garden, where I can plant whatever I want. It’s a lot bigger than it looks here. And then there’s the rest of our lot, that needs some landscaping. I think it would be fun to make a cactus garden with all different kinds of cactuses and succulents. And we need color. Bougainvilleas of course, but there must be some other possibilities too. All in good time…

Since we live in a completely different climate now, I have a lot to learn. But that’s part of the fun. Our coconut trees are growing steadily and we’ll probably have our first coconuts in about a year.
My first papaya tree needs to be planted soon, it’s growing really fast. The other seedlings need a bit more time, but they’re coming along too.
Two weeks ago I’ve planted an avocado pit and a kalbas. I’m watching it constantly, but so far, nothing has happened.

We already have quite a bit of aloë and agave growing here (it was here when we bought the house). I need to look into harvesting and using the aloë (there must be a way to keep it longer than a few days too) and I want to find out if the root of this agave is edible.

I found out I should have started growing a vegetable garden about now to be able to grow when there’s rain and to harvest before it gets really hot and dry so I have to skip this year. Next year I want to grow some corn and beans and maybe some zucchini, pumpkin and/or squash too.

Also on my list for next year: bananas, mangos, and soursops. Oh, and a lime tree (we use a lot of lime in our drinks). And I also want to try to plant a pineapple. How cool would it be to make a fruit salad or a smoothy with fruit from our own trees?

I would also love to find the edible kind of cactus that is indigenous here but isn’t growing on our land (the one in the picture is inedible but beautiful).

Oh, plenty of plans and dreams. But that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?