Evolution Of A Hat…

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning predicting six more weeks of winter. We haven’t had a whole lot of winter around here. We’ve had a lot of ‘early spring’ weather and just a couple quick rounds of snow. However, I enjoy winter! I enjoy the snow and cuddling in the house and having a whole slew of reasons to stay at home and read or knit or make soup or bake bread. And so I’m hoping that good ‘ole Phil’s prediction today will mean that there is still a chance for us to see some good old fashioned winter around here before all is said and done.

Call my extensive winter knit knitting wishful thinking…but let’s just say that if winter should, in fact, decide to show her beautiful face…we will be ready! This hat was a super quick and fun knit (really, just about a day to finish)! I didn’t have a hat that I had made and, well, I guess I really just wanted one! It’s the Dottie Hat by Hannah Fettig. I made my sister-in-law the corresponding cowl for her birthday and thought it would be the perfect pattern for this much coveted self made hat of my own! Of course, I used Quince yarn (one could say I have a bit of an addiction to their particular brand of wonderful!). I used just under one skein of  Puffin in Frost.

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Just, You Know, Hanging Out…

Tuesday, January 31, 2012


My internet is acting all funky. Sometimes it works…sometimes it doesn’t. I’m guessing that it is the modem in need of replacement and, because I just don’t want to spend the money on that right now, I’m trying to ignore and work around this issue. In fact, this has brought about the most wonderful blessing really…the blessing of a quieter mind.

You see, it’s not really “The Internet” that is evil…It’s more that I can easily lose hours and hours per day in various rabbit holes around here and end up with a very messy house and poor self image. It’s a double edged sword really: this space offers so much inspiration and connection…things that have been complete and utter blessings in my life. But when used out of healthy moderation, anything can become a little toxic. So this recent series of technological malfunctions is offering me a sort of space that I didn’t even how badly I needed.

It’s good to sometimes get some distance and breathing room from all the chatter that pervades the online world 24/7. It’s good to hear your own thoughts and listen to your own breath and learn again how to march to the beat of your own drum.

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Speaking of rest…I was at Paper Coterie yesterday talking about winter’s display of the need for a little down time! Also, the fourth installment of the Thoughtfully Irrelevant collaboration went up yesterday…and it, too, speaks to the need to listen to yourself and tend to what you’re needing! See if you can find the connection and story that emerges when the image and words combine!

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Photography { A Life Session }…

Friday, January 27, 2012


I haven’t shared any portrait work here in quite a while. But I love the feel of this session so much and wanted to share some of my favorites! I had the privilege of taking maternity portraits for this family and could not have been more eager to come and capture the adorable little life they created! The session was so relaxed and natural…and I think their comfort and naturalness lends this very beautiful, calm element to their photos. And the baby! Oh my goodness…she is such a doll! And you could tell at every moment just how much Mom & Dad adored her! As a photographer, it doesn’t get much better than working with families like this!

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Playing With Pictures {and $30 for you to play too!}…

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

My husband is home today…And because of the little bit of extra freedom that implies, I’m devoting today to playing with pictures! I have to finish up a photo session, order some prints, and then head over to Paper Coterie to make myself a new calendar and a planner too! It’s time…it is almost February after all!

If you’d like to play with pictures today too, here is a special gift for you! Use the code MADELINEBEA at checkout to get $30 off your Paper Coterie purchase!!! Yaaa-hooo!!!! The offer is good through Feb. 7th and YOU CAN USE IT AS MANY TIMES AS YOU’D LIKE!!!!!!! Standard shipping rates apply. Enjoy! I cannot wait to hear what you do with it!

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For Him…

Thursday, January 19, 2012


For Christmas this year, I made a semi-last minute decision to knit a pair of mitts for my husband. I don’t honestly know what I was thinking…amidst all the other holiday knitting I was doing…and, well, amidst all the holiday stuff in general…I honestly couldn’t say why I chose to add another project into the mix. But I wanted to knit something for him so badly that I decided I’d find a way to make it work.

So amidst other projects {and without his knowledge} I proceeded to knit him a pair of the Masse Mitts {from Quince, of course!}. Each time I picked up the project, this feeling of complete endearment for him would wash over me. There was just something so moving about the act of knitting something for my husband…something that would keep him warm. It was my first cable project…and a challenging one at that. But I enjoyed learning and putting in the effort for this man who means so very much to me!

Once the mitts were done, I had an extra skein of yarn and one week left until Christmas and decided I wanted to make him a hat to go with them. I found the pattern for A Hat Fit For A Fella and loved that it would surely come down over his ears and it had a cable pattern as well. This, in hindsight, would have been an ideal beginner cable pattern. But as it stood, putting the effort and work in on the mitts made the hat a very simple and quick knit…perfect for those last few late nights leading up to Christmas.

And, of course, my inner photography lover is always thinking of what these knitting projects will mean for her! And so I knew that once the gifts were given, that I wanted to take him out back on a cold day and photograph him wearing the set! {he’s really such a good sport about such things!} With three little girls in the house, it was nice to put some focused attention back on him for a change!

I used Quince’s Lark in Sabine for both the mitts and the hat. You can find my Ravelry notes for both here…

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