A project I like to call The Birds by Edith Hansen for Fremme, stitched with Danish Flower Thread on white linen. Excusez the crappiness of the picture, but the birds are already at the framer’s, so I can’t do better than this at the moment. Believe me when I say it’s beautiful.
If anyone should be interested in the chart, leave a comment, and I’ll send it to you. The chart looks used, but that’s because it actually was used. It’s still in good shape and above all, legible. If there’s more than one taker, I’ll do a draw.
Apart from finishing up The Birds, I’ve been knitting away on my knee sock - and with my size legs, it takes a good while to finish one - and crocheting away on my lovely, delicious, gorgeous, warm and snugly blanket. I’m adding squares as I go along, because if I would have to do all of that at the end, there would not be a blanket. Just a whooole lot of squares. My heartfelt thanks to Glenna the Great, by the way, for solving the conundrum of the squares. 1680 possible colour combinations... Who would have thought? Not me. I got as far as 480, and I thought that was a LOT. You’re a marvel, woman, as well as a heroine AND an inspirational stitcher :o)
I’m also making a weighted vest (or at least, trying to) for Pelle. He’s not been doing so well lately. He misses his Opa dreadfully, and he’s in a new group at his medical daycare centre - a group with ten or eleven children who are even wilder than he is. As some of you may know, Pelle is what everybody so politically correctly calls a 'special child' (as opposed to all the other children in the world, who are not special at all, I suppose. Honest to God, I don't know why I can't just say he's retarded, because that's what he is, and I don't love him any less for it. Nor would it make me feel worse if someone were to say to my face he's retarded, whereas I get really uncomfortable when people call him 'special'). Sorry, I'll get off my soap box now. Anyway, they are testing him for autism, and while I know he’s not a raging autist, so to speak, he certainly has his Rain Man-like qualities (doing sizeable jigsaw puzzles wrong side up and what have you). Anyway, I’ve heard that a weighted vest might help him to focus more on himself and less on his surroundings and to help him calm down a bit. Let’s hope it has some positive effects on him. Meanwhile, I, for my part, have a bit of a hard time coping with it all, too, so I guess that’s why I’m branching out with my crafting activities - just to keep my mind off of things. It’s either that or hit the sauce, and although the second option really appeals to me, I understand it’s generally frowned upon to go that road. Anyway, if you wonder why I’m quiet, or if you don’t like my foray into foreign crafting territory, at least you know what the cause for all this is :o)
Don't forget to tell me if you would like a chance to win the Fremme chart!
Yours wanderingly,
Annemarie.
26 comments:
Love the granny squares :) I'm sorry you and Pelle are having a tough time - if different types of crafting help, then go for it! {{Hugs}} to both of you.
Hey Annemarie, your birds look fabulous, the colours are very good too, although I would not stitch it myself as I have got a zillion charts LOL.
The blanket looks lovely and yes warm too I guess.
So sorry to hear your troubles with Pelle, it must be quite hard for you and I think that a second opinion is a good thing, your child is the most important being in your life and not the hospital or GP:))
LOL, says "Glenna the Great." 'Twas nothing but a bit of mathy fiddling, which is not at all the same thing as crocheting the darn squares!
Re: Pelle--I'm sorry you're having to go down that road. In case you don't already read this woman, you may want to look at her blog: http://olivespearls.typepad.com/knittersknitters/
Jen is the mother of 6, including an autistic daughter (more rare in girls than boys) and is a fabulous knitter and wonderful writer. Best wishes--(and in my world, taking to the bottle and crying both have the unfortunate effect of giving me a headache, so I don't do either one. All we can do is binge on thread...)
Hi Annemarie,
Well you know what I'm going to say, Boys are wild creatures!! I have two of them - both crazy, zany and I love them to pieces. We all have our quirks so don't forget that. Drs like to label our children but careful as you go - if Pelle does special needs then I hope he gets all the assistance needed. We all have characteristic of autism, I think. Both my boys are a little obsessive compulsive in their own ways. I used to be highly concerned that Zack would group all his matchbox cars by color and if you moved them out of place then he'd freak. If you didn't give him a matching cup to his plate, he'd freak. He would continually ask how we were going places, what route we were taking, etc - that all pretty much stopped but again, we all have our quirks depending on the level.
You are your child's best and only advocate so you go girl!
Love,
Tanya
I love your bird finish, and your granny squares as well. So pretty, both of them! I'm sorry you and Pelle are going through a rough time. Hang in there -- branching out with the crafting is a good thing to do.
Such a beautiful flying birds! Oh, I knew from the first glance it is Danish design, they are so special!
And your blanket looks so beautiful!
Best wishes,
Tatyana
I think The Birds are charming and the colors soothing!
God bless you and Pelle. He is the biggest blessing in your life, but some days it is hard to feel that way. Stitching/knitting/crafting are such a comfort and stress relief!
love love love the birds! I'm a Fremme-fan and have several designs, I totally understand your love for it.
I hope that the testing have as a result that they can guide Pelle as well as possible, that's the main thing. And love is always a good, the best, guide.
Take care, you and him both missing that lovely (grand)father.
Gorgeous and gorgeous! What can I say? I love the birds. Yes they do scream 80s but a sort of posh Lady Chatterley's lover type of thing - hippyish and fresh at the same time. I bet you don't know what the heck I am talking about do you? Luuuurve the blanket. I so need to blog. I haven't done a post for ages. Loads to show.
Dearest Annemarie, I haven't read blogs or posted in months, but I caught up with yours today. I'm so terribly sorry about your dad. I know both you and Pelle miss him awfully, and keeping busy definitely helps to give you time to rearrange your brain. I'm thinking of you.
I love, love your socks, and I've been knitting them also, although not with such gusto and devotion. They're wonderful in every way.
It's good to see you're hanging in there.
The birds are beautiful! Congrats on a fabulous finish. Sometimes green and grey is just what we need. I love the squares - so pretty. Hang in there, it's hard not to want to hit the sauce (or in my case, have a box of cookies), but I'm sending good thoughts for you both. And branching out is good!
Ok, maybe I am in the minority and Lord knows I am anything but politically correct, but I see nothing wrong with the word "retarded". That is the word my mother used...and she should know. She spent the first decade of her teaching career as a teacher of "retarded students". She says it loud and proud too if anyone asks her. Infact, she feels the same as you about the term "special". I think Pelle is far more 'normal' then all the rest of us by far! I sees things and feels things intensly; which I think the rest of the World should spend a bit of time doing. Now I will get off my soapbox too. Hey, BTW, enter me in the drawing for that lovely bird chart. I've been lusting after it for years.
I think the bird is beautiful!!!! Congratulations on this finish!!!! I love the granny squares~~ Wish I knew how to crochet....
Hang in there!!!
Congrats on finishing the birds, and I'd love to be included in the draw please - so what if it's eighties it's still gorgeous :-)
You've got just the right attitude about Pelle, I think - if you need a break, remember, it's the big show in Paris next month and there will be a boatful of Italians again :-)
Congratulations on finishing the birds! I absolutely LOVE your blanket. OH MY GOSH, love. My daughter knows how to crochet, does an excellent job, and I've shown her similar blankets/granny square combos and nothing. AGH! I'm going to have to show her your post.
If you need to disappear from blog land, take up yodeling, start collecting farm equipment, or just stitch obsessively to get through whatever it is you need to get through--do it. No need to apologize. I know how hard it is to lose a much loved father, and how hard it is to watch your other loved ones struggle with that loss. To deal with Pelle having more 'issues' must be like yet another punch when you are already down. Big hugs to you. FWIW, my 8 yr old nephew is autistic. Highly functioning and just the sweetest guy you'd ever want to meet. I would have thought it was his older, very obsessive/compulsive brother that would have been diagnosed as autistic, but it was the younger brother. I love all the nephews & nieces but this little guy has a special place in my heart. When he was diagnosed, my SIL & BIL had a very hard time with it, but they got him into a 'special' school and it's done wonders for him. I hope everything goes even better for Pelle. Again, thinking of you.
{{{{hugs}}}}! It's a lot to deal with and whatever helps you the most is what you should be doing. You are such a great mom :-). You and Pelle are so blessed to have each other.
Love all finishes and the granny square piece is so pretty.
Love your finish - I have a book of Edith's designs with birds so I cannot ask to be in the drawing. ;)
You know the story of Max's testing, right? I am just a little leery of the whole need to label, but I know that the labels are also necessary to some degree within the system. It's a pretty shitty spot to be caught in, and I'm just awfully sorry you're there and that you don't have a lot of support. I'm in your corner, even way over here in Maine, and I want you to remember all the things I've ever said to you about what a WONDERFUL MOTHER you are to Pelle and how very lucky he is to have you. Pelle's a great kid and no matter what label he's given, no one can take that away.
I like Glenna's comment about binging on thread... :-) You sound like a wonderful mother.
Your grannies are beautiful and make me want to pull out mine again.
The other comments are far more eloquent than anything I can say, but I'd like to add my voice here as well. I think that Pelle is one lucky little boy to have a mother who obviously adores him and wants the very best for him. Here's hoping you can find the support you need to help him and to take care of yourself, too.
I find the birds really beautiful, in a vintage yet now modern style. In the right frame they'd brighten any contemporary interior :)
I can understand how Pelle feels lost without his Opa... hopefully with spring coming he'll feel much better!
BTW, what happened to the travelling chart about the turns in the garden ;-)? I was on the list but haven't heard about it in ages.
Have a good week-end with plenty of ideas to cheer up!
Sorry to hear that you and Pelle are having a rough time. Stick to your stitching, knitting and crafting. Wish my Mom had had your sensibilities. Stay strong.
I love how you've set up your frame to work on Blue Lady. Very clever! If only I had room, I'd copy your idea for large pieces in a heartbeat! The Birds is lovely and I can't wait to see the framed results. Congrats on another 2011 finish!
Your birds are gorgeous, congratulations and your granny squares are looking lovely.
{{{{hugs}}}} to you and Pelle, hang in there.
I have loved this since I first saw it at your blog/house and it is even more beautiful now that it is finished! Congratulations on being able to happy dance around these sweet little birds. I would love the chart but am sure you already have a taker.
I also love your granny square afghan in progress. I am working away on mine too. I make 20 squares and then sew them together. I have figured now that I need to make 120 for a throw for me but then Jos needs to use it too so it will have to grow to 140 to 160 to cover those long legs of his...lol. A friend of mine told me to tell him to lay his butt on the couch and curl up if he wants to use it. :-)
I hope the vest helps Pelle. I can imagine what an empty space in his existence came about with the loss of his Opa. They had such a special relationship and it cannot be easy for him to understand why Opa is not there anymore. Big hugs to you but remember what a great job you do with him!
Hugs en groetjes ~
Heidi
Hi An!
I have you on my blog roll and stop in now and then.
You are a great mom and that's all that matters right now. You can only do your best and try anything you think will benefit your boy.
Your projects are really lovely.
Annemarie, I know exactly where you are coming from except it's a little opposite for me. Caleb is diagnosed autistic. He is currently failing school, isn't sleeping, can be very resistant to things. I could go on. So just keep your chin up-do what's best for Pelle and yourself. I hope the vest will help. It never hurts to try and for us some issues just have naturally resolved with time-which may happen with Pelle as he gets a little older.
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