And that concludes baby week!

I have a new free pattern to talk about (nothing to do with the above photo) but I've decided that it can wait until tomorrow because today I wanted to devote a post to something a bit more personal. I wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you for not only "bearing with me" while I went on and on about Rowan turning one year old and all the knits I've made for him, but for being incredibly supportive of me and my family. There is definitely a small part of me that worries that maybe you don't want to hear about my baby or his party, that you come here for TFA news and anything that is not specifically knitting related is not welcome. But you've proven that line of thinking to be so wrong and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!

I've said it time and time again, TFA is a family run business, so any new TFA news is really new family news since everything that happens at TFA comes directly from Chris and I and affects Rowan too. When you run this type of business, the lines between work and play are so blurred. So much of what we do is part work and part life and so a bit of real life spilling over onto the blog is bound to happen. I'm just thrilled that you're all ok with that! 

When I started this blog TFA was but a distant dream, and I still think of this space as a personal crafting journal rather than a corporate brand promoter. Of course, I knit with TFA yarn a lot! And when I release a new pattern or new colours you bet this is the first place I'll come to talk about it, but to me it's more than that. This blog has turned into a huge part of what I love about my job. Writing blog posts has never felt like work to me. Looking back on older posts feels like looking through my old diaries, and I love that I have this place to come and revisit favourite memories. 

I do intend to continue to post about my family's special moments and occasionally pop in with something that may have very little to do with knitting. Although like I said, my life = knitting, so a real life post with no knitting/yarn/colour/crafting content seems highly unlikely! 

So, thanks for the support, and oh ya, cute picture above right? Rowan photo-bombed my Eventide Shawl photoshoot. The Eventide Shawl you ask? Why yes, that's a new pattern that I'll have ready for you before the end of the month. That shot is one of my favourites of the day. So you see, our work photoshoot turned into a lovely mother/son memory for me. I already have this photo printed and in a photo album. Look at how shiny and blond his hair is! What I wouldn't give for hair like that. It's silk! 

Inspired by: WAHM

My Colour Dive Quilt Kit from Anna Maria Horner, the WAHM extraordinaire!

WAHM = work at home moms. 

For the past (almost) eleven months I have felt a little bit alone in my position as a work at home mom. I know a lot of stay at home moms or working moms who are on mat-leave for the first little while and then go back to work. We all juggle our lives as moms, wives and career women. But as a work at home mom I've been feeling a little isolated, like I couldn't really relate to the moms I know because no one shared my specific set of circumstances. 

Then I saw this series that one of my favourite blogs, A Cup Of Jo did a few years back. Scroll to the bottom and there are 8 interviews with work from home moms that I found really inspiring. The irony of the whole situation is that it took me the better part of a day to string together enough minutes to read the interviews. I was constantly being pulled away by work or life. Ha! Balance. The unattainable dream! After tucking Rowan into bed last night I finished reading the interviews and then chatted with Chris about how I think we can improve our work/life management and I'm feeling really good about it. I think carving out a bit of time once in a while to reflect upon your situation and find ways to make small changes that will hopefully make life more organized is really important. We've set new goals for ourselves, now lets see if we can stick to them!

Another blog post I read recently that really struck a chord was this one over on A Beautiful Mess about changing dreams. It highlights the importance of making plans, dreaming big, but then going with the flow. Following your path, even if it takes you places you didn't know you wanted to go. I feel like running TFA has had a lot of "changing dreams" moments. When I started TFA over 6 years ago I had one vision for my business, as time passed, life changed and our strengths and weaknesses became more clear to me things haven't always gone the way I thought I wanted them to. And I'm totally ok with that because I think that we're ending up exactly where we're supposed to be. 

And while I'm randomly chatting about work, motherhood, dreams and life, I've got to mention that stack of fabric pictured above. It's a Colour Dive Quilt Kit designed by Anna Maria Horner (the quilt pattern and all the fabrics) and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into it! Anna Maria Horner is an amazing textile designer who's aesthetic is so different from mine, but is still somehow so incredibly appealing to me. You know I love a good rainbow gradient, so there is just no way I could pass up this quilt kit. Anna Maria happens to be a mother of 7, her youngest just a few weeks younger than Rowan. If I'm not mistaken, she also works from home, and though I don't know her, just reading her blog and following her on instagram I really get the impression that I could learn a lot from her about balancing work and life with a busy family (her's being 7 times busier than mine!) 

Wishing everyone a very happy weekend. I've got two boys at home (ok, one baby and one man) who are both feeling a little under the weather so I think we'll be spending a good deal of it drinking tea and taking long naps. Doesn't that sound nice? We'll see what Rowan has to say about that. 

Thoughts on 2014

I have this feeling that 2014 is going to be a great year. I'm not sure why. I've moved seamlessly into writing the date ending with a 4 rather than ending with a 3. Usually that takes me a few days to get used to, but not this year! I think that it's the 4. I just like years that end in 4, they feel good.

Looking back on 2013, I'm still not really able to wrap my mind around all that has happened. I became a mother. Enough said. How much bigger a life change can you really make? Having a baby required me to make lots of work changes as well, tough decisions, but I know that they were the right decisions. There were lots of moments in the first few months when I wondered if I could do it all. My work needed me, my baby needed me, I felt like I was failing at everything. But bit by bit, 9 months later, I think that it's all working out. I've spread myself thinner than I'm used to, but y'know what? I like it that way! Rowan has made me stop trying to always multitask and rather work harder when I'm working and play harder when I'm playing. He's given my life the balance that I wasn't able to find on my own. The past 9 months have been very empowering in that way.

at 6 weeks - learning to make it work.

Having Rowan has changed everything. I used to try so hard to find balance in my work and my life. My work is my life and my hobby is my work. It used to be confusing, but now it's all starting to make sense. I had a moment after Rowan was born where I was complaining to my sister about how overwhelmed I was. I didn't take a day off - the second I would put Rowan down I would run into my office to try and get some work done. I was bemoaning my lack of "me time". My sister Lilia, in her ever wise if not so tactful way, reminded me that frankly, I love my work. That if I had all the "me time" in the world I would likely spend it knitting, Ravelling, blogging, playing with yarn... what exactly was I complaining about? I'm not sure she realizes what a huge impact that conversation had on me. She was totally right and it was just the kick in the pants I needed. Any time I feel overwhelmed now I just think of my brilliant sister and her words of wisdom. "Get over yourself Tanis. Your baby is adorable and you work a job that you love, what's your problem?" Gotta love sisters. 

at 2 months - inspires in his own special way.

I don't have any big New Years resolutions to share. I've never been big on resolutions, though I do like the idea of a clean slate, the beginning of the school year has always felt more like "New Year" to me than January 1st ever has. This year, my only real mission is to live slowly, savour every minute and be spontaneous. I've frequently shared my desire to find more balance in life on this blog, and I think that I'm actually getting closer to achieving that for myself. Funny, you'd think that adding a baby to the mix would throw us all for a major loop, but Rowan has actually helped me (probably more like forced me) to slow down, take breaks and let my mind wander. 

I feel that what is right for me this year is to do whatever feels right "right now".  I find that I really don't work as well with too many fixed deadline and long term goals. Of course I have an idea of what I'd like to accomplish and how I plan to go about it, but find that I work best when I allow myself to just ride the waves of inspiration as they come to me. So this year, rather than setting up too many official goals, my plan is to just live in the moment, both personally and professionally, and do what feels right.

I want to maintain the creative passion that got me started in this business in the first place. I am so fortunate to still get extremely excited every time we hit on a great new colourway. You should have seen me when Chris came in from the studio with the first batch of Lotus; I actually squealed! My enthusiasm for colours, fibers and designing has gained momentum throughout the years. The 2013 Boxing Day Etsy update was an excellent reminder that I am still as excited as ever about colour, and sharing it with people (like you!) who appreciate it makes me so excited I can hardly stand it. Making gorgeous colours and then hoarding them really would not have the same effect. It's the sharing that makes it all so rewarding.

So my plans for 2014? Play, teach and learn with my baby boy as much as possible. Talk, walk, cook and be with my husband as much as possible. Dream, draw, colour and knit for my work as much as possible. A little bit of everything, not too little of any, the perfect life/work cocktail. I think I can do it!

Rowan photo bomb!

Oh, and I'll make 1 official goal for 2014, finish up the collection of baby boy knits that I've been working on forever!

Rowan giggles his way through the Purple Purl

Two Friday's ago Chris, Rowan and I made a trip to Toronto to visit family, friends and the Purple Purl! The Purple Purl has been a huge friend and supporter of TFA since the beginning. I get to visit with the lovely owners, Jen and Miko, when I do shows in the GTA, but those visits are crazy and chaotic, it was so nice to get to sit with them for an evening and enjoy the warm and friendly ambiance of their little shop at a more relaxed pace. 

Here is our evening in photos. Lots of friendly knitters came out to knit with us. Lots of lovely ladies cooed and made faces at Rowan, and man, did Rowan ever love it! He spent the entire time we were there lapping up all the attention and laughing at how incredibly hilarious he finds Jen. It obviously helps that the Purl is very baby friendly. As soon as we arrived Miko grabbed Rowan and set up a little play zone for him, check out that awesome blanket he got to play on! And those toys, they are way better equipped in the toy department then I am. If I lived in Toronto, I think that I would go to the Purple Purl to have Rowan "babysat" more often then I should. This kid just loves yarn shops. It's amazing. 

In the above photo Rowan is blurry because he is going crazy with laughter! Jen was shaking the vase that contained names for the TFA draw and he could not control himself. If he could stand, he would have doubled over. Adorable. 

And of course, I couldn't leave without some yarn. 

A super giant, beautiful skein of Malabrigo Rasta in Piedras which has already become a cowl. 

Some Turtlepurl self striping sock yarn in Burberry to knit some high class socks for Chris. 

I wish that I had taken a photo of the delicious beverage they made for me at the Purple Purl. They are a café too ya know. It was a Purly Fog (borrowed from Starbuck's London Fog, but I'll always think of it as a Purple Fog, much cuter). I have become addicted and now make one for myself every afternoon. Will share the recipe soon!

fall knits a plenty

My babies. I love them, they love me, they love each other and we all love our hand knits! 

And yes, I purposefully coordinated Rowan's blanket with his sweater and Stella's sweater with him. I'm upset that I didn't wear a red hat. 

Thanks

Chris and Rowan spend a lot of time outside together. Rowan loves the fresh air and instantly goes from fussy baby to happy camper when he makes the transition from cooped up inside to hanging out on the back deck. Yesterday morning, as usual, Chris laid down on the bench on our back deck and hung out with Rowan. Like any 6 month old, Rowan doesn't usually just lay still and calm, he's all about wiggling and squirming and looking around. But yesterday he just lay there on Chris for a minute, cheek to cheek. It lasted long enough for me to grab the camera and take a photo. They both even looked right at me and my poor little heart almost couldn't take it. Those two are the loves of my life and seeing them so in love with each other makes me melt. I'm a puddle.

I have so much to be thankful for, and I swear, I really do remember that every single day, not just today. Though it is nice to have an entire day to be reminded of all the blessing in your life and take a moment to be happy and grateful.

I'm thankful for my health, my yarn, my dog and most of all for my boys.

October 1

What a perfect fall day we've had. Chris, Rowan, Stella and I go for walks in the wooded park near our house almost every day. I always think that I should bring my camera because it is just so beautiful. The woods and fields change with every season and fall just might be natures very best light. Today we went for our walk and I remembered to grab the camera. Happy October 1 everyone!

My baby-centric vacation

Enjoying some quiet time in the shade.

Meeting his great grandmother "GG"

An evening stroll on the sandbars. 

A cottage style bath... with the hose!

Rocking chair, sunset, sleeping baby... heaven.

Our time out east this summer was wonderful. I think that there is nothing better than raising a baby surrounded by family. There was always someone there to help cuddle Rowan when he needed it, or to keep me company when I was on hour number 2 of walking around the cottage with a fussy baby (Rowan's awesome, but all babies have their fussy moments right!?) For the first time ever I took a ton of photos while on vacation this year, and guess what, Rowan is in just about every one. Here are just a few of my favourites, there are many more but I thought I'd be kind and share just these 5 today. 

Some thoughts on a Friday

Like probably all new parents, Chris and I spend all of our time trying to juggle baby wrangling with household chores plus work at TFA. If I don't have a baby in my arms (and most of the time even if I do) I'm running around trying to get things done, or sneak in a few minutes of computer work. But the other day the most amazing thing happened - and I always forget that it's one of my favourite things until it happens - completely out of the blue, the power went out! The house went completely silent. The electricity didn't care that I had lists and lists of things that I absolutely had to get done that day. It didn't know that I had thrown a mini tantrum that morning because there just wasn't time to do everything that I had to do. It just up and went silent. And it was amazing. It was like a giant exhale. All the humming and vibrating noises that we're so used to a house always making disappeared and we were left to just hang out. I stepped out of the office and into the living room where Chris was playing with Rowan and joined them on the floor.

The power outage didn't last long, maybe an hour and a half or so. Not long enough for the heat to take over the house, for the food in the fridge to go bad or for anybody to be bothered by it. Just long enough to make us realize that sometimes you just need to be forced to shut down.

That photo up there is of my father's mom, my Grandmaman, meeting her most recent great-grandchild, my Rowan. My family recently lost a very special member of our clan. My aunt, my cousin's mother, my father's sister, my Grandmaman's daughter. She was so much to all of us and the loss weighs heavily on our hearts. My aunt Nicole was a stitcher, a very talented needlecraft artist. I have a piece of her work that she gave to Chris and I for our wedding. I cherish it now more than ever, it's incredible how much meaning each of those stitches holds. 

For just a moment, an old lady is able to lovingly smile at the baby in her arms, even after having just said goodbye to the daughter who was once her own first baby. This moment I was able to look at my Grandmother with my son and know how lucky I am and how amazing this is for all three of us. For just a second we were able to forget about everything going on and just be in that special moment. 

Summer Schedule

Summer schedule :: we will be taking 1 month off this summer to enjoy time with our family. Orders placed on or after July 10 will be processed and shipped the week of August 12th.

Hope you are all enjoying the laid back pace of summer stitching!

Tanis and Chris

I intend to spend my time away from the office focusing on these two guys. When I'm not snuggling with them I plan on doing lots of knitting, pattern writing and other fun creative pursuits that I'll be happy to share here. 

Our Day at the Farm

Sara Caracristi, me & Rowan and Jenna Rose. 

Last week Chris, Rowan and I went off together on our first adventure. This adventure involved about seven hours in the car spread over two days and an overnight stay at my brother's house. It was a big deal for us and it went off without a hitch! A small step for mankind, but a huge step for Chris and I as new parents. 

The main purpose of our trip was to get together with a couple of my best friends. Last year Jenna and Jeff moved from the city to the country. They now live on a farm, own a cheese business and among other things they have 3 adorable piglets! I've mentioned Jenna here before, she is a textile artist and makes the most beautiful products with her hand dyed and screen printed fabrics under the label Jenna Rose. They've converted the old sheep barn into her studio. It's beautiful. Jeff runs the cheese business, Back Forty Artisan Cheese. His cheese is made with Sheep's milk, and are hands down the best cheeses I've ever tasted. If you're ever in an area where you are lucky enough to find them, don't even think about it, just buy them, eat them with a pear and thank me later. 

Oh, and I guess I should mention the archery! Jeff has a compound bow and of course the guys were super keen on getting a little archery lesson from him. We discovered that Chris is left eye dominant, but with a right handed bow he had to aim with his right eye (I think). Bottom line, we also discovered that Chris can't close his left eye! He's exclusively a right eye winker apparently. So Jenna rigged him this awesome bandana eye patch so he could aim with accuracy. He was a natural and hit the target every time!

Anniversary

Today marks 3 years that Chris and I have been married. I didn't have a blog post planned, but then I checked my e-mail and my cousin had sent me this photo that she took of us lounging on her deck at the cottage 2 years ago. I think that this is the first time I've seen it. I love it and I love that gorgeous man.   

Inevitable

I think that every knitter who has a baby goes through what I'm going through right now. The inevitable realization that your knitting time is just not what it used to be. And it's a tough pill to swallow. In the past seven weeks I have knit one sock, 2 sleeves and a collar, and a wee baby sweater. Not terrible progress, but certainly nowhere near what I'm used to. For me, I think the struggle is less about the loss of "free" time that I would have previously devoted to knitting, but more about the loss of my creative output. Knitting, designing and making things is such a huge part of who I am that without it I feel a bit lost. That sounds dramatic, I don't feel terrible or sad, I just miss having an idea and then having all the time in the world to run with it and see it through.

The good news is Rowan is thriving! He is growing like a weed, smiling like the happiest little munchkin ever, and has given Chris and I so much to be grateful for that I feel silly to be missing my stitches. 

We're getting settled in to our new life/work schedule and I can see the day coming when I will have enough energy in the evenings to stay up after Rowan has gone to sleep and get some solid knitting time in. Until then, I'm writing down every idea that pops into my head so when my creative time comes back I'll be ready to make the most of it. Look out!

I'm glad that I stocked up on baby knits before I actually had a baby! This is the only thing I've knit for my little guy in the seven weeks since he was born. Details, and maybe even modeled shots, coming soon!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day... To ME! And all the other moms out there of course. I'm just a little bit excited to be a mom for the first time myself this year. ;) I'm a mom. What a thrill. Having a baby has made me feel so incredibly overwhelmed with love. I love Rowan more than I ever thought possible. I love Chris more than ever because he's such a natural, amazing dad and I see him every time I look into Rowan's little face. I love my parents because I now know how they felt when they had me, and I appreciate them for loving me this much. So much love!

Enjoy your day moms!

Due Date + Maternity shots

Tomorrow is my due date... apparently that means absolutely nothing, but I guess we'll see! Last week Chris and I decided that it was about time that we put a little effort into taking some maternity shots. At 39 weeks pregnant I was hopefully not going to be getting any bigger and if we missed this opportunity I'd regret it. So despite the fact that nobody feels particularly photogenic at 39 weeks pregnant I put in a bit of effort and I'm really glad that I did. We were aiming for a casual look. Just me, hanging out at home, super pregnant and hopefully Chris would manage to find a flattering angle. I'm really happy with the results. I'm also really happy that I managed to casually feature a knit in most of my favourite shots! I've worn a lot of my knit cardigans throughout this pregnancy, but my French Braid definitely earned it's spot as #1 cardigan. I've lived in this thing for the past couple of months!

So, without further ado, here I am; super pregnant, super happy and super excited to meet my baby (due to arrive right on schedule tomorrow right?!)