Saturday, January 15, 2011

Progress in Pink

Progress in Pink




   Small servings of warm & fuzzy are to the liking of Lady-of-the-House. These servings spring up in her realistic fiction and will sometimes embody the ideas of a post. Friendly hints to “advance toward the direction of one’s dreams” is what she wishes to offer. If some of these dreams happen to be accompanied by a portion of warm & fuzzy, so be it.








Carol in Blackberry Inn writes a warm & fuzzy:
[Emma] carefully lifted my knitting out of its basket. “. . . look at this pretty sweater. What a lovely rose color.” I had been knitting a cardigan for my daughter Emily, and was particular about my pinks.” Emma held it up to admire it in the sunbeams that streamed in through the windows. It did look pretty in the sunlight, or was it Emma’s encouragement that made me appreciate it more? I felt gratified. “You’re nearly done,” she said, returning it to its nesting place, leaving it with another of her affectionate pats.

   Just as particular about her pinks the Lady-of-the-House carefully chose two rose yarns; one pale and one saturated in color. She started knitting a sweater for a one-year-old following a new pattern – one with stripes. Someone dear to her is expecting a baby come spring. She was told that the speed of the heartbeat is a clue the baby will probably be a girl.



   Some years ago the Lady-of-the-House purchased some fabric in pink and teddy-bear-tan. “A little quilt with touches of pink would be a welcome addition to my grandma’s someday box,” she daydreamed. A home educating mother arranged the fabrics for her and precut the squares.


     She has a flair for creating kits for mothers and daughters with no fear of pink – if it’s the right pink. Her kits are marvelously handy for teaching sewing to young girls. Not online, look for “Kits for Kids” (in many colors) at the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania homeschool fair.


    A certain hand dyed peachy-pink wool roving caught the eye of the Lady-of-the-House.


    The optimistic expression “give it a whirl” must have been born of a spinster. This is precisely what the Lady-of-the-House has been doing in her winter evenings. She’s been practicing spinning. The yarn is all regrettably over-spun. Nevertheless, she advances toward her goal – another day, another whirl.









    A whirl is like a bicycle gear. The band that turns the spinning wheel also turns the whirl.

    After making skeins of natural wool she took her pink and with a knitty-knotty turned it into a skein. Added to the pile it is pleasingly conspicuous resting on a white windowsill.






    She knows what she wishes to make with the pink – a pair of mittens – for herself . . .  eventually.


  Begun months ago with the reading of the novel Jane Eyre, (she is in its later chapters now, sipping the reading like tea) the reproduction sampler of six-year-old Charlotte Bronte is nearly finished. With the realization that this, too, is pink – to resemble a faded red - the decision for the title of this post was solidified.
  

    Pink is unpopular. Shyness about this color is common. Is pink a favorite of yours? According to folklore, people who love pink are full of compassion and have a strong inclination to nurture others. They may have a sweet tooth, too.


    With less timidity pink has managed to make its way into the life of the Lady-of-the-House. Could it be the feminine, warm and fuzzy side of life peeping out? 

Post Script
    The Lady-of-the-House received a telephone call from the (above) expectant mother. An ultra-sound showed the baby-on-the-way yawn and suck a thumb.
    “How cute,” said the Lady-of-the-House. What she heard next made her laugh out loud.
    “Oh, and Mom, it looks like William will have a brother, after all.” 

18 comments:

  1. Karen,

    I LOVE pink! My sitting room has a lot(!) of pink. My husband is so gracious! ;o) I will have to do a tour of it on my blog. The description of the person who loves pink fits me to a "T"!

    Congratulations on your soon to be grandblessing!

    Love, Heather

    ReplyDelete
  2. Another Grandson! How wonderful!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Karen, when I was young, I hated pink. I thought it was too prissy and girly and somehow conveyed feminine weakness. Perhaps this is because I was raised by a feminist mother, and given a T-shirt that said "Anything boys can do, girls can do better?" As I was growing up I felt that femininity was something to be shunned, something to rise above. I strove to attain masculine strength, and not surprisingly, I liked masculine clothes, and the colour blue.

    Now, at age 32 and with my fourth baby (a girl) on the way, I find to my surprise, that I love the colour pink. For the past few years, I have been coming to terms with my womanhood and learning to embrace it instead of be ashamed of it as feminism taught me. I am planning on making a quilt for my new baby girl (due in April) and I find that I am ridiculously excited about choosing out all the different shades of pink fabric. How could I not have noticed before how pretty pink can be?

    Regarding the gender of babies--my midwife told me that she was positive this baby was a boy from the sound of his heart beat, but the ultrasound showed very clearly that it was definitely a girl. I don't think the heart beat method is very accurate!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Two grandsons will be wonderful--and maybe a granddaughter will come along another time for the pink sweater. Blessings on Mama and baby--and Grandma.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Karen,

    I am so happy to hear that a certain someone is expecting, again! Another boy!

    I am working on a project that would be perfect for a boy...my niece is expecting in 8 weeks. They don't know whether it is a boy or girl, but I couldn't resist the fabric!

    Lovely post as always.

    Your friend
    Deanna

    ReplyDelete
  6. Karen, I recently found your blog and LOVE all the books I have that you have written! I am currently reading Lessons at Blackberry Inn and loving it. I
    love pink too though I don't have a great sweet tooth:) Congratulations on being a grandmother!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Karen,

    I'm enjoying your blog so much. I have loved pink since I was a little girl. Just this week, I have been thinking a lot about pink. After some re-arranging of rooms, our three-year-old little girl is finally going to have a bedroom, and I've known all along I would paint it pink. (It's her favorite color, too.) I'm also picky about the shade of pink and am wanting to go with a "rosey" sort of color. The description of the type of person who likes pink, definitely fits me too!

    Congratulations on your new grandbaby!

    Autumn

    ReplyDelete
  8. Karen,
    Congratulations on a new grandchild.
    I want to also say how much I enjoy your books, homeschool and fiction.
    Thank you for writing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Karen. If you ply the yarn, that will take out some of the overtwist. Remember to ply in the opposite direction from your spinning. Your handspun looks very nice.

    Many blessings on the blue bundle of joy to be and his family.

    I really enjoy reading your blog. It is like merino wool for the soul.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love pink in all its hues from a soft pale barely rose to a bright intense bubble gum shade.Currently my crafting/sitting room is a cherry bright deep rosey pink.I love it.
    I grew up sandwiched between four brothers.The colour pink identified my things.If it was pink my brothers wouldn't touch it.
    I'm inspired by your post Karen.Hoping to put my wheel to the whirl someday soon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dear Karen,

    I am so thrilled to have found your blog! Recently I received the new CBD catalog, I always enjoy reading your reviews, and saw your blog listed. Your books have been a blessing to me for many years, I reread them at least once a year. Thank you for taking the time to blog.
    Blessings,
    Brenda

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Karen,
    although I am a purple girl, pink is close, and I have a whole bunch of pink patchwork and quilting fabric in my stash. Can't help it, keep on collecting fabric. Making baby-quilts is so nice. In the last 2 years, working on the pediatric SCT ward, 8 of our nurses had babies. They all got their own baby quilt, in the colors of the nursery. It was a fun project!
    Love from Holland,
    Anne-Marie

    ReplyDelete
  13. I also discovered your blog via the CBD catalog, and what a pleasure it was! Your books have been a great source of encouragement for my homeschooling journey.
    Pink is one of my favorite colors and often pops up in odd places throughout our home, and always in the garden flowers :) .
    Blessings,
    Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dear Ladies,
    I enjoy hearing how the color pink has been incorporated into your lives. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Pink rooms, pink fabric, pink flowers sound so pretty. Any pink, really, is the "right pink" if it is what you like.
    You've read between the lines of this post, too, I see. My hints on how pink sits with you touches on the subject of femininity. I'll confide in you. I'd like to feel more at home wearing pink because it is so pretty.
    Karen A.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Karen,
    I am so glad you had this post listed on your side bar, it would have taken me quite a while to read back a full year!

    I love pink and I say that unabashedly. Just today an upstairs guest bedroom was painted what I call a beige with pink tint...my children say, "It's pink Mama."

    We share some of the same interests. I am a past shepherdess that has spun and dyed her own wool. Now I live in the city, but those ten years were marvelous.

    And Jane Eyre, that novel is on the top of my booklist.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love pink. You do the most beautiful job, both with your children and education.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a brilliant way to end this very pink post!

    ReplyDelete