Blueberry Hill
Yesterday was pretty dull – with shimmering heat making any outdoor activity quick and unpleasant. The supermarket was cool until Amelia spotted blueberries in the shopping trolley, immediately wanted some, couldn’t have any so went purple in the face with her “My mother is a cruel, nasty, selfish cow” blood curdling howl. There’s nothing more stressful than a full trolley, a long check-out line and screaming child, as I am sure you have been told, experienced or witnessed before. I would rather turn right out into peak hour traffic than have to do that regularly.
We went to the library in the afternoon and I found a couple of good illustration books (see sidebar or links 1 and 2). In the Caldecott one, I discovered that Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are was originally mocked up in 1955 as Where the Wild Horses Are. His little dummies are beautiful in themselves. I realise that I have a book all about getting Children’s books together and then ready to pitch to a publisher – story boards, making dummies etc. – but the thing is unfortunately in storage for another few months. At this rate I won’t be needing it in any huge hurry.
So back at home in the air conditioned lounge, while Amelia sorted her tin of old christmas cards and looked through her new library books, I got quite a lot of my knitting done and will be finished the scarf in the next day or two. After spending some time Tuesday night admiring Suzette’s scarf that she is whipping through on huge needles I have decided that I might try this one next. It is looking fabulous and quite sophisticated unlike my basic bulky knit which just looks kind of uneven and bulky and alarmingly red.
‘Where the Wild Horses Are’. Huh. Go figure.
Ay ay ay, baby tantrums. I just wrote in my journal about my own misadventures out and about with my baby beastie. There seems to be no easy way through this stage. (Though chocolate works 50% of the time.)
Ah yes… but Amelia has just been put on a dairy free diet – so I am going to have to use blueberries instead!
my initial reaction to your proposed next project was one of awe and disbelief. “too hard,” i thought, but then i remembered that my first project was a hooded jumper. who am i to say?
if you want an easy scarf that looks fancy and takes no time at all, though, i highly recommend the worm scarf from kris percival’s “knitting pretty” (i own it; the rest of the book is pretty bad) or the amazing all-in-one scarf/hat/hand-pocket extravaganza knitted by bridget moynihan in “celebrity scarves” (kylie borrowed that one from the library; it, too, is another great pattern in a stinker of a book). lemme know if you wanna see pictures of either.
Suzette reassured me that it’s not such a hard pattern — but I would love to see the other scarves you mention Erin. I went over to the local knitting shop thismorning and got a bit carried away so I have some odd balls of stuff that need a project.
It’s not hard, really!! I just posted a picture of it on my website and it really does look much more intricate than it really is. Any pattern that I can finish (with all the distractions that kids bring) within a couple of days can’t be too hard – honest!
Your temper tantrum story made me feel a little better! I took my 2 year old to the Dr. yesterday and figures there would be a new nurse there named COOKIE! So, when she heard the word ‘cookie’ and THEN heard she couldn’t get a cookie – that is the nurse’s name (does this make sense to a toddler??) she threw herself on the floor screaming. Oh the joys of being a parent. : ^ )
Do babies wear scarves? I’m so tired of knitting entire baby sweaters…maybe if I could make baby scarves? 😉
Love the new template! And I envy anyone who even *tries* to knit, so I’m cheering for your scarf 🙂
oh my god, thank you so much for posting the article about maurice sendak. it’s so so exciting to see images of that dummy book and read about his frustrations.we’re doing a children’s book project at university right now, suffering pains over storylines and dummybooks. hehe.
I haven’t been here for a little while (a few months) and: good God! Amelia J is huge! Little people get big so quickly! I feel like somebody’s granny telling you this, but she looks so big now! Like a proper person.
My son is all about the “berries” too. We have to take snacks with us when we do our food shopping otherwise he gets really fussy over the food he cannot have in the cart. Toddlers, toddlers…Congratulations on finishing your scarf. One of my second scarves was a lace scarf and it wasn’t hard at all, I think you’ll be fine with the next pattern you chose.
I love your site. It’s too inspirational. I’ve visited in the past, but i can’t remember if there was a gallery section or someplace where we could see your work displayed. Am I missing a page or link? I’d love to see more of what you do. Great stuff!
I just got through reading Leonard Marcus’s “Ways of Telling”– a collection of his interviews with various children’s book authors. He does some decent interviews, too.
I hadn’t heard about the “Where the Wild Horses Are” title, but in the interview in “Ways”, Sendak sounds a little like a grump and a little like a sentimental genius. I guess the two aren’t mutually exclusive, though.
Send the blueberries to Thailand. We have all the fruits in the world but I would love some blueberries. I’ll trade you for some mangostein!
I’ve been by here a few times, and finally got to reading some of the older posts. Always interesting:) I like the “My mother is a cruel, nasty, selfish cow” bit.
I put you on my Blogroll, hope you don’t mind:)
Man, I wish I could knit. I don’t even have the patience to cross stitch! Oh, and I’ve linked you, just so you know. You’re lovely.
OK, I don’t know what this sayd about me but when my son throws a wobbly (? – is that how you say it there?) I actually get amused.
This sounds so horrible. His face contorts into this strange shape and his little lip quivels, its all too cute in a sadistic, cruel mother thinking sort of way.
My son will be scarred, I see this now. It’s all clear.
hey! i have been a long time reader of yours and used to come here everyday to check on the link o las, shopping section, and especially the cooking, why dont you update those anmore??? I loved them!
Oooooo Loooobylu, la la la la love the new layout, seems like yesterday that you were announcing the beginning of the australian summer…
The best scarves are basic bulky knobby knibby knitted scarves because they are so -not- made in a cold factory somewhere.
🙂
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