knitting for the tree

LuluBeans yarn has recently made it's way to Edith & Edna, and after seeing it in person and touching it I had to have some pretty much immediately. It's really fabulously yummy. I had no idea what it was going to become, but it's arrival coincided with the arrival of our tree last week. Hanging the skein on the tree to take a photo (of course!), I knew just exactly what it needed to be. But I had to hurry.

And so I started knitting. And that knitting went everywhere with me for days.

Really. Everywhere.

Somewhere along the way, I ran out of yarn. Got some more. Kept knitting.

And finally...last night...my dear sweet family's wait was over, as my really super long i-cord was finished. Long enough to wrap around the tree as our knitted 'garland', so that we could finally - finally - move onto the decorating of the tree.

They're really a very patient lot when it comes to Mama's silly little ideas. I thank them for that. 

There's a pattern in Handknit Holidays by Melanie Falick for a knitted garland that includes several i-cords together with pompoms. This was my original plan, but really, it's just not nice to string these little ones along (literally) longer than I already did. So I'll put that started cord away and enjoy the first of our winter storms today (it's still coming down! We're hoping for a foot), and cozy up with the finished tree too. Maybe next year the garland shall grow.

Comments

[jean]

so lovely!

[shannon]

What a great idea! I also can't believe your little ones were willing to wait for even a moment. Mine sat below me while I put up the lights saying, "Can't you do that any faster!" Maybe this will have to be something I work on for the mantle or next year's tree.

[Pam]

What a fabulous idea. I might have to get the kiddos involved after they came in from playing in all this wonderful new snow we woke up to.

[bigbucketgirl]

"They're really a very patient lot when it comes to Mama's silly little ideas. I thank them for that" Ditto over here!

[jen j-m]

lulubeans yarn is the best! garland is a perfect idea for it. your tree looks lovely.
enjoy the snowy day today - i have an insistent mob begging for sledding but i think we need another inch or two first.
xo

[heather]

what a great idea - all of these holiday posts make me so darn teary! i will happily sob my way through blog reading these next few weeks, everything is so sweet and beautiful out here... your story made me think of the book Little Things by Anne Laurin.

[asti]

What a lovely thing to do for the tree. Great yarn....must look it up.
We just got our tree up - we decided to use our little pretend ones from the attic this year due to going a bit early. Not quite the same as the real thing but still, it now feels officially Christmas and thats lovely!

[aprill]

oh!
this is just about my favorite thing ever that i have seen made with my yarn!!!
i feel honored to be a part of your family's holiday tree.

[Eren]

Aaack! What a super idea. And I can do the same thing with crochet Im sure. OK, Im stealing this and running with it as fast as I possibly can. Our papa comes home on Wednesday, so hopefully we can get our tree then.

Super!!!

[christina]

love the yarn, and the idea! Wow, great idea! Have a great day!
Christina Gomez

[cyndi]

oh so cute! and that yarn is gorgeous.

i've been meaning to ask you something. i'm interested in learning embroidery. could you recommend a good book for beginners?

[Ram in the Thicket]

We got our tree up this weekend too, and are enjoying it's glow while we watch the snow fall today.

[Suzanne]

I've been knitting the same garland for three days now!!! I was going to give up until I saw yours...LOL! Melanie's book is great too--lots of doable projects for the holidays.

[SOULEMAMA]

Cyndi - I think Sublime Stitching is a wonderful beginning embroidery book. It explains all the stitches as well as providing a TON of iron-on transfer patterns.
http://www.sublimestitching.com/sublimebook.html

[emily]

Oh wow! You've just inspired me to make one of those too! only I think that I will knit my icord around a string of LED lights (which don't heat up like regular ones.) Thank you so much for the inspiration- your blog is like a daily dose of inspiration for me and I really appreciate your blog. Happy holidays!

[Kelly]

Yes, Eren...My son made a super loooooooong crocheted garland for our tree. It is absolutely fabulous! Your garland is fabulous, as well, Amanda, such beautiful yarn! I love the intensity of the boys, in the picture of them at the table...must be something in the works, with those two! Oh, JOY!

[bellablue]

Amanda, The bathtub knitting shot is hysterical! I'm more of a bathtub reader myself because, as you know, knitting just does not relax me in the way it does you.

Wish we were about 30 miles closer today so the kids could play outside together. I still have that image of Cal and Ella crammed into his sled at the top of your little hill.

[Carrie]

Better than a paper-chain, a lot better than a popcorn chain, and oh so much better than tinsel!

[kristin]

amanda, this is just beautiful. you had such a great vision for that yarn - it works perfect (how much yarn did it take?). my 2 favorite shots are the close up of the soft garland on the tree and the bathtub knitting. that is me too! while i lifeguard bathtime, i bring in the knitting.

[tara]

Your tree looks wonderful! I love the i-cord idea.

[Anne]

The garland looks lovely.

[Tara]

Oh, I wish my yarn store wasn't 20 minutes away (because I would NEVER wish away this lovely snowstorm)! I would love to make a garland like that for our tree (which is barely decorated as we wait for all the ornaments snuggled in their advent pockets) - did it take more than 2 big skeins? Enjoy the snow, Soule family!

[SOULEMAMA]

Kristin & Tara -

I used two skeins of a heavy worsted handspun - roughly 100 yards each. It could have been longer, but I think next year if I add more cords to it, it will be a bit more substantial. And really - they didn't take long to knit up at all!

[Kristina]

That is very pretty yarn!

[Kerry]

The garland is beautiful, and your pictures put me in such a Christmassy mood!

I hope you don't mind, but I've written about your post in my new blog - the post is at http://www.fourgoodcorners.com/knitted-christmas-decorations-by-soule-mama/

Consider me inspired!

[alicia]

Great idea! Good choice for that yarn. And yay for snow! It is above freezing here in Nashville so I envy you!

[Grace]

cute! some great shots in this one ... the boys decorating the tree, you with the i-cord around your neck, and the closeup of the garland on the tree. love!

[sobral]

I think is wonderful all your ideas!
It star to dreaming!

[jen]

What a great idea!! And such pretty yarn too!

[gonzomama]

Wonderful idea, thanks for sharing!

[Veronica TM]

a beautiful idea! your tree looks wonderful!

[Nikki]

Love your tree, so pretty.

[martha]

what a terrific idea!

[anna maria]

HA! Great minds, I posted the beginnings of my crochet chin/garland this morning :)
xo,AM

[anna maria]

HA! Great minds, I posted the beginnings of my crochet chain/garland this morning :)
xo,AM

[Jillian]

Pretty. Pretty. Kid's finger knitting makes a great garland too! Happy snow days.

[greenemother]

Oh, it really was quite the weekend for decorating the tree. I just love the knitted garland, and I wanted to do it, but I think if I take on another project I'll just burst! How do you keep it all together? You amaze me.

[Meg]

Gee willakers. I'm so tempted to buy a ticket to Maine to relieve Edith and Edna of some of their stock!

[~ Junkyard Jennifer]

Oh how I wish I could knit! I love that garland. That yarn is so pretty.

[Amber]

What a great idea! Even my kids could make a fun little decoration like that...

I also loved the same sort of idea over on www.thesmallobject.com site to make fabric chains rather than the usual paper ones!

I'm dreaming up all sorts of decorations now...

[alexandra]

So totally cool
... now if I could only knit!!

[qalballah]

I'm trying to get mine to finger knit some garlands for our celebration soon. It is very. short.

:|

[ann-marie]

What a wonderful idea! I've been trying to find an idea for an ecological garland for a few weeks now!
Thank you! =)

[Diana]

Wow, looks like you need an i-chord mill. I just got one last week. The main problem is that it won't work with 1 stranded yarn like Noro.

[Kristy]

Hey, I'm doing the same thing (different yarn)! Plus I've made each of us one of the little knit balls that I'm going to embroider our names on (Olive, Mama, Daddy). Our tree this year will be entirely yarn, paper, straw & wood so that it is toddler-proof. Have you ever seen Steve & Megumi Biddle's Christmas Origami? It rocks for Christmas ornaments.

[Kristy]

Hey, I'm doing the same thing (different yarn)! Plus I've made each of us one of the little knit balls that I'm going to embroider our names on (Olive, Mama, Daddy). Our tree this year will be entirely yarn, paper, straw & wood so that it is toddler-proof. Have you ever seen Steve & Megumi Biddle's Christmas Origami? It rocks for Christmas ornaments.

[Kristy]

Hey, I'm doing the same thing (different yarn)! Plus I've made each of us one of the little knit balls that I'm going to embroider our names on (Olive, Mama, Daddy). Our tree this year will be entirely yarn, paper, straw & wood so that it is toddler-proof. Have you ever seen Steve & Megumi Biddle's Christmas Origami? It rocks for Christmas ornaments.

[Jennifer]

Oh that is so fabulous. And what a great use for some really lovely handspun like that. To really just show off each color and all the texture. I'll be using that next year!!

[shawnda]

OK....your blog, your house, all you do is AMAZING! : ) My friend sent me to you, and she was right....all you do is just beautiful to look at! : ) So, I was thinking the other day that I'm wanting something fun to do with our Christmas cards.....something unique! And I thought, who else to ask, but YOU! : ) Do you have any fun/creative/beautiful ideas?!:)

[Shannon B.]

Something is wrong with me. I cannot get the hang of knitting. I can cast on, I can do a simple knit stitch. I cannot get to row 2 though! Maybe I can do some garland though?