crafting with mom

Along with two cans of black beans (we can get that here, but she wasn't sure), a box of guava paste, and an old tarot card set I forgot I had, Mom brought her latest crafting adventure: a crochet project. Her cousin recently taught her how to maneuver the single hooked stick into perfectly knotted rows. 

She chose as soft yellow yarn and told me quite plainly that, "this blanket was for the first grandchild." Yup. Not just me with baby on the brain. I watched her hook the yarn and pull it back and forth, carefully taking more from the wound ball. She said she'd always wanted to learn how to crochet, as she had already learned to knit a long time ago. Knitting was something she used to do quite often and she claims there is a baby outfit that was mine, one she knitted herself.

I have heard others speak of knitting and crocheting. I'm pretty sure Julia Roberts is a big knitter. Fine company to keep. Both seem like good skills to have. I decided I needed to start learning at least one. I picked knitting. Yesterday, a thunderously rainy day, we hit the mall and then of course, Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts. I picked up two knitting needles, a beginners guide and some yarn:

When we got home, Mom showed me how to get things going and I set out on my knitting adventure. There we sat, side-by-side on the couch, she with her crochet and me with my knitting. Thankfully when I screwed up (which was often) she was able to undo my mess. Forget fancy patterns at this point, I'm just trying to get the purl stitch down. Obviously I have a long way to go and I need to learn how to hold the needles more comfortably. After knitting for an hour or so, for some reason, the left side of my neck and shoulder were a little grumpy. I think at the rate I'm going, my own blanket will also be for my first grandchild!

While we were out and about, we also hit up the store - as window shoppers, mind you - White House Black Market. Oh what pretty pretty frocks that store has. Unfortunately none are priced for a teacher's salary. Boo. There was one $88 blouse that caught my eye immediately:

The mannequin in the store wore the blouse paired with a sharp pair of dark denim jeans that were cut like trousers. Yes, please! I called Mom over to check it out and she quickly started going over the garment checking the seams and the darting. Did I fail to mention that Mom is a self-taught seamstress? Oh yeah. Check out the adorable dress she made for Daisy:

Like I was saying, Mom rocks. Well, I wasn't saying that exactly, but essentially I was. Mom did her seamstress once over and said, "I can make you that."  So while we were at Jo-Ann's we looked for some fabric that was similar to the chain print of the store-bought blouse. No such thing. Figures. She thought we'd find something but I warned her that Jo-Ann's round here was a FAR CRY from the garment district in Los Angeles. Instead we found a gorgeous paisley print:

And that's what Mom is doing as I write this. In fact she just stopped me to measure something on my arm. She'll whip this up by the time she leaves early Tuesday morning. No doubt. You just wait and see...