back up and almost running.

we've been circling through the wringer this winter. normally i think we owenses are made of pretty stern stuff, but either that was a grave misconception or else these viruses are getting meaner, 'cause lo and behold the mister and i were both out cold for a solid six days.

my older two boys made pasta and kneaded pizza dough and more or less kept the family eating through the week. (this is one of those times as a mother when you're mildly dazed + terribly pleased to find you've managed to impart Something Useful to your kidlets after all. who knew they were actually paying attention? it's undeniably sweet.)



but we are back up and running, hallelujah, and though i've scads of backlogged work, my tippiest-top priority was teaching my daughter to make these bracelets in time for her friend piper's birthday.

ps i adore the name piper. it is perfect and happy and just gutsy enough. i have been secretly hoping for another girl so i can name her piper, which is why it's probably good that elle has a piper-friend instead, so we can just invite her over and call it good.

but let's talk bracelets.






they look braided, but they're actually finger-woven and made from a long strip of upcycled t-shirt. remember back in the eighties when we all were making those yarn leis? was that a thing here? most of me thinks probably not, 'cause why would the rest of creation be lei-making, but my hawaii peeps know just the yarny guys of which i speak.

so yes. these bracelets are constructed just like that, except with old t-shirt. and sometimes you just use two or three fingers to make a skinnier guy, and you probably should visit vanessa christenson's tutorial, because her jersey bracelets are such perfectly summery hues that they'll make you forget it's early february and the flu keeps camping out at your house.

next up, this rainbow rug. alas, i should've been teaching my boys to sew. happy weekending, dears!