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As I posted on Monday, this week I had the pleasure of attending a book signing with author and knitter Joanna Johnson. What I failed to mention was that we also got to host the lovely Johnson family at our home for a night.
Me, Joanna, and Elise at the book signing.
Joanna and I met at TNNA 2010 (the first TNNA for the both of us) and became fast friends. We have always made time for a quick dinner or lunch together at TNNA since then, but this visit was an extra treat. Although it was one quick evening, we finally got to spend a little unhurried time together.
The kids even got to explore the pond a bit and decided that they would like to stay a little longer (which wasn't possible with the book tour time constraints, but we still felt privileged that they felt that way).
Phoebe's Birthday is Joanna's third book. She has once again collaborated with her husband, Eric, who illustrates the stories. As with her other books, you will find knitting patterns (outfits from the story), in the back of the book. Phoebe's Birthday also has a little something extra as it includes sewing patterns as well, even a pattern for a quilt!
*Phoebe the mouse, in 'mermouse', sewn form for the new book
Phoebe's Spool Quilt
Phoebe's Party Dress and Phoebe's Sun Romper
And now, continuing with the "Christmas in July" theme I set earlier this week (click here to enter the Stella Pattern Collection Giveaway), I have a signed copy of Phoebe's Birthday to giveaway to one lucky reader.
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Since the story is dedicated to Joanna and Eric's grandparents, I think it is only fitting to incorporate this in to the giveaway. So, in order to be in the running, just share something about a grandparent in the comments below. It can be a memory, a story, or just something special you like/liked about them.
Make sure to include a name, and place I can reach you if you win. Contest will be open until Thursday, July 26, 2012 at 11:59 pm, with our winner announced Friday, the 27th.
If you want to learn more about the Johnson family and their work, check out their website at www.slatefallspressbooks.com
![](<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/melynda-bernardi-designs/32049"><img src="http://www.ravelry.com/images/shopping/buy-now.gif" border="0"/></a>)
Both of my Grandparents are gone, but they live on in me. I have truly embraced my knitting and spinning side which must be in the blood cause both my Mum and Grandma excelled at them. They would bring my distant family back to Northern Michigan for holidays and celebrations. However, I have inherited my Husbands Grandparents and I tell him to cherish them every moment.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago my aunt gave me sets of my nana's steel DPNs and this set of wood DPNs the length of my arm. Nana crocheted too, and I was so grateful that petunia got to wear the hats and booties nana made me. Nana passed away when I was a tween and I love carrying on the family craft gene.
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited that there's a new Phoebe story! I love the new patterns and can't wait to see the sewing patterns. Thank you!
My grandmother Laura was always lifting her family up in prayer. So thankful for that. The book looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother is a painter. Since I'm an artist, I think I get all of my creativity from her. My mother is hopelessly uncrafty, but my grandmother also sews and knits and crochets. We have a lot in common and she's the only grandparent I've ever been close to.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, my grandparents were fabulous gardeners. And every summer there was a raspberry bush growing up the back fence. I would run out there are pick all the ripest berries, their lush flavor bursting in my mouth. Last year my husband and I planted berries in our grandparents honor, for me, raspberries, for him, boysenberries. My daughter and I have been sneaking out and eating the ripe ones off the bush, they taste just the way summer should.
ReplyDeleteknitonepugtwo@gmail.com
I was born in Germany but we immigrated when I was a baby. As I got older my parents spoke german only when they didn't want my brother and I to know what they were talking about.
ReplyDeleteMy paternal grandparents came to visit when I was 4 and we didn't have any trouble understanding each other. I wasn't fluent but we communicated fine. They came for another visit when I was 9 and we didn't understand each other at all. I wish I could have known any of my grandparents as an adult, all of mine have passed years ago.
I think this shows how much little kids are little sponges, they can learn so much without the structured learning they get as they get older.
My grandparents are high school sweethearts, I have a picture of them from their prom on my computer and it always makes me happy to see it, you can just see how happy they were and still are! They both now have facebook accounts (my grandma is very tech-savvy) and watching my grandpa say such sweet things about her is adorable :) Motivating and so very cute
ReplyDeleteI grew up in my grandma's home and she helped to raise me from birth until she passed away my freshman year of college. I'm grateful for all the memories I have of her reading me bedtime stories, watching old movies, teaching me the basics of how to cook, and watching her do fun things in the kitchen like make bread & butter pickles from scratch and deep fry corn fritters. My life would likely not have turned out as well as it has if she hadn’t been there to give me a home and to spend so much time with me.
ReplyDeleteEvery summer, Gram and Gramp would have us grandkids at their house for a week or two. (They have 14 grandkids, so it was a houseful!) We had the best time though! Gram always made plenty of good food, and no one could make us kids laugh like Gramp!
ReplyDeleteFond memory of staying at thier lake house and eating anything we wanted!,!
ReplyDeleteI remember my grandmother crocheting, mostly doilies and afghans. I imagine she could probably knit also, but I don't remember her doing it.
ReplyDeleteRav: GingerLee25
All of my grandparents are gone and I miss them dearly. I have *heard* that my grandmother once knit a sweater for my dad but I don't think he wore it; one sleeve was longer than the other. She didn't continue with knitting!
ReplyDeleteMy maternal grandmother crocheted antimacassars, tablecloths and bedspreads from the fine crochet thread. I have her crochet hooks, but they are more like needles they are so fine. I am now the grandmother of 3 and love knitting blankets and sweaters for my grands.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother absolutely spoiled me. I was the only granddaughter in a sea of boys, so I was always "special." I miss those days...
ReplyDeleteelizabeth.caveny @ gmail . com
My Grandma is such a warm and loving grandma. She still remembers my favorite snacks, and still has them on hand even though I am now in my mid-thirties and she in her mid-eighties. That is a big deal considering she has 13 grand children and eight great-grand children. Plus, I think it is really special that my little girl shares the same red curly hair as my grandma.
ReplyDeleteknitterlydesigns on Rav
None of my grandparents were especially nurturing, so when I had my own I decided to do the best I could. I have three little granddaughters, and they are sisters ages 5, 8 and 10. They all want me to teach them how to knit! We have great visits, always with some kind of creating activity, whether it's sewing, knitting, or just coloring. My favorite thing to give them of course are handmade sweaters and BOOKS! This would be a fun book to have, and we could make the projects together.
ReplyDeletemarcydoane@yahoo.com
My grandmother passed away 11 1/2 years ago, and I miss her more as time goes by.... The older I get the more I admire the woman she was and I long to talk to her! There was so much left unsaid...
ReplyDeleteShe was also an avid crocheter! :-) I wish we had had the time for her to teach me her craft....
My grandma taught me how to knit when I was in elementary school--little Barbie rugs and blankets. Now, my mom is working on Phoebe's sweater for my daughter. Saw this post early this morning, but didn't want to be # 1 in giveaway comments, hehe. Rav ID: nmujillybean
ReplyDeleteWe lived with my grandparents off and on as I grew up so I have wonderful memories of their strawberries, green beans, corn on the cob, etc. We cooked hamburgers outside on their brick fireplace and roasted marshmallows. Then I am lucky enough to have the memories of my grandma visiting me for a few weeks at a time while my children were young and playing games and cards with them. joheintz@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteOnly one of my grandparents are still with us. The rest passed when I was very young, and I wish I had been able to know them when I was mature enough to appreciate them. Thanks for the chance! I am intrigued by the idea of knitting patterns to match a book!
ReplyDeleteMy Nana wasn't crafty at all but my Grandmother and her sisters who came from England crocheted a lot. I have a piece of lace that they made that I have made into a garter for one of my girls. I still have a piece left to do something else with it. They all died when I was young but left their love of crocheting and knitting with me.
ReplyDeleteI did not learn to craft from my grandmother, but rather, I learned to cook from her. She is no longer with us, but her recipes live on.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmothers were wonderful women. They were an inspiration to me and I was blessed to have them in my life for many years. They are no longer with us, but their beautiful crocheted afghans are still lovingly used.... Fond memories include the fact that my Barbie dolls were the envy of the neighborhood with their crocheted wardrobes of dresses, capes, sweaters, and blankets.
ReplyDeleteI learned to knit from my mother at a early age and she learned from her mother at an even earlier age. I didn't see her often because she lived in another country but I know she loved us. She often gave me knitting needles for birthday presents. My other grandmother was a crocheted who made beautiful tablecloths.
ReplyDeleteAnita at adodds@bresnan.net
Although I don't recall her ever knitting, I have my grandmother's knitting needles, which I often used, and also inherited some of her yarn. They sat around in a bin for quite some time until I took up knitting a few years ago, after her death. I think of her every time I use them!
ReplyDeleteI have many memories of my times with my maternal grandmother. We would spend the morning doing chores like laundry or grocery shopping. Once we ate lunch it was time for her "shows" on tv - and her knitting of course! She always had a basket of yarn balls which were leftover from her many projects. They eventually became granny square afghans or Barbie doll clothes. I often assisted in winding her yarn into balls - I was the swift :-). She taught me to knit too. I did abandoned it for a while, but picked it up again about 10 years ago. Hopefully someday I will have a granddaughter to share knitting with!
ReplyDeleteBoth my parents had to work a lot, so my Poppy filled in the gaps. He was a constant companion for me. The best memory is when my mom was at her night job, my Poppy would let me come downstairs and watch award shows. He knew all the celebrities. I just liked the pretty dresses. It was the only time I didn't have to share him with my brother. It was our quiet time together.
ReplyDeleteI have wonderful memories of my grandfather. I always felt a bit "different" and sort of "odd". But my grandfather always made me feel like I was the BEST little girl in the world. He lived on a farm and I loved following him around as he did his chores. But my favorite memory is of sitting on his lap on the tractor while he drove it. :) I loved that man so much.
ReplyDeleteMy dad has gotten harder for us kids to be around as he ages so it gave me much delight to realize that his grandkids truly enjoy hearing all his stories and his eccentric ways are just lovable quirks to them.
ReplyDeleteThis might sound silly.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid, I loved orange juice. As one of my grandmother's kindnesses, she was always stocked with freshly made OJ whenever we would go to visit and she was sure to offer it to me within the first 5 minutes of arriving. It made me feel very special that she remembered.
My grandma made miniatures. She did scenes and large dollhouses, but almost everything she made by hand. Cakes, presents, needlepoint pillows and chairs as well as painting the pictures in the houses. I think maybe my love of creating comes somewhat from her. I think she would love this book, and I know I would!
ReplyDeleterav id: shiggins
I'm not sure I appreciated it as much at the time, but now, looking back, I love that she was either knitting or crocheting and now I have most of her needles and hooks. I also have some of her creations, which is such a lovely reminder of the creative woman she was. :-)
ReplyDeleteI loved staying with my Grandmother who lived in the country. Waking up to the crows causing a commotion in the field was always a delightful sound. Shelling peas, picking flowers for the table, walking on her old creaky floors gave me a love for old houses that has never gone away. Those are memories I treasure.
ReplyDeleteMy grandma raised me, so I have more memories than most with her! I think one of my favorites was on my wedding day, when she walked me down the isle.
ReplyDeleteJas330 on Rav
My maternal grandmother taught me to sew and bought my first machine and my paternal grandmother taught me to knit and I am lucky enough to still knit on her needles 20plus years later. We welcomed our first baby, a daughter yesterday and I can't wait to build these same memories with my daughter now!
ReplyDeleteMy Gran - What can I say? A driving force, an inspiration, a determined strong will. She had such an attractive and inspiring ardor for life that was truly contagious. Her dedication to her friends, family and various projects was impressive. She was who she wanted to be... perhaps a bit of a feminist before it's time. She certainly was a real woman! She loved me for our similarities and also for our differences. She taught me to value who I am and to never give up, to be frugal and to knit. Three very important lessons, indeed! What fortune to have had such an example in my life.
ReplyDeleteSomething that's silly but stands out to me now that I'm grown, are baking with my grandmother, desserts mostly, and realizing that I have one finger that is a mirror image of hers! So funny and fun! I told her about my revelation and we laughed and compared, then laughed some more. The small simple and meaningful moments in life are what I cherish the most.
ReplyDeleteheatheranne99 at gmail dot com
I have extremely fond memories of my grandfather. So many memories, but I'll just share one little one. He used to alter the way a word would sound to make us giggle as kids. Like mayonnaise was mah-ha-a-naise. Still makes me giggle!
ReplyDeleteI'm Mooch on ravelry.
One of my granddaughters wants to be a mermaid when she grows up :) This would be perfect to make her everything in it :)
ReplyDeletehaPPy day,
crystal
Oh wow, I had never seen those books before but they are so cute and lovely!! This would make such an amazing gift for my niece's next bday, along with a handmade mousie. Just perfect! :-P
ReplyDeleteNow, as for memories with my grand parents... My "grannie" passed away last year. One of the most vivid memories of her was the day she dressed up as a gardener with men's clothes and large glasses, and came down from the garden to surprise us.. They were such a rich, posh and christian couple in so many ways, in a grand mansion. And yet my grandmother would buy us pepper candies & farting devices ... I kept being surprised to discover her so easy going.
Sylv (from chezplum.com)
My grandmother always made me feel welcome in her home. When I was a teenage I missed many days of school staying with my grandmother, simply because she wanted me to be with her. We ate '"big" hamburgers and chocolate cake' out on the veranda. I shouldn't have stayed home from school as often as I did but to this day (and she is 95 years), we have a wonderful relationship.
ReplyDeleteHer books are so cute! My grandmother, MumMum, wouldn't have had the time for cute books for kids -- she was entirely too busy raising the nine of her own! Visits to her home always included card games with the grandkids; but no Old Maid or Go Fish! We played Acey Deucy, and straight Poker -- and yes, we played for cash! MumMum was a card sharp and would wipe out our allowances. I think she was teaching us to mind our pocketbooks, 'coz it's a great big greedy world out there. Thanks, MumMum!
ReplyDeleteOne of my fondest memories of my paternal grandmother was her teaching me to crochet at 9 years old. I'd sit with her for hours. Now that I'm a grandmother, I can't wait to read this lovely book to my granddaughter. rhea_kohlman@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThis book would be wonderful to share with my granddaughter, making memories. As a child I would spend the summers with my grandparents. I would milk the cow, work in the garden beside my Gramma, pick blackberries, turn the crank on the washing machine while Gramma fed the clothes through, delivered milk and butter to the neighbor and loved every second of it. My Grandfather was a woodworker and would make many different kinds of toys. My grandparents worked together to make me a doll out of wood with button eyes... I still have that doll 48 years later. I hope that my grandchildren look back on the times we have had together with the same fond memories I have of my Grandparents.
ReplyDeleteIn the early 1900's, my grandmother came to the United States as a teenager, traveling by herself! A woman of great spirit and determination she was also an incredible needle artist. She made her living as a tailor, she sewed exquisite clothes for my sibblings and I, was an expert in knitting and crochet, embroidery, tatting, etc. My grandmother taught me patience and the confidence to try, try again. Phoebe's Birthday book along with quilt, dresses and dolls remind me of the cherished presents my grandmother made me. I don't come close to having my grandmother's talents, but I love sewing, knitting and embroidery. I see more Phoebe presents for my sister's grandchildren!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother was quite a lady, at 5'3" she was a real southern belle. She spent a month each summer in Iowa with our family and as I recall never wore pants. She had house dresses and her good dresses which got worn to church and outside the house. She was a great cook and loved swinging outside on a porch swing after dinner when the days work was done. She could sit out there for hours and not get mosquito bites! That always amazed me.
ReplyDeleteRLake on ravelry
My sweet grandmother gave birth to nine children in twenty years (one set of twins). The only time she ever weighed over 100 pounds was when she was "with child."
ReplyDeleteLovely giveaway! I have the Phoebe's Sweater book, and my daughter and I adore it.
ReplyDeleteMy grandma taught me to knit - which has given me not only a hobby, but now a business. I think of her often as I work, and wish she were here to see what a great gift her patience has become.
My grandma always took time to teach me crafts and cooking when I was little. She was very patient, and when I would think I made a mistake she encouraged me to think of it as an opportunity to make my project unique! I still go to her for recipes all the time. She's the best!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great book. I love the combination of knitting and sewing. We used to take a week every summer to sew at my grandma's house and I will cherish the memories of my time there.
ReplyDeleteBecky (gathersnomoss on Ravelry)
My name is Amanda but my G.G. (stood for Gorgeous Grandma) always called me Mandy Pandy :-) She's gone now but whenever I think about that it always brings a smile to my face
ReplyDeleteamanda
amanda.eldridge@lsgskychefs.com
I still have some of the birthday postcards received from my oma in the 60s! :)
ReplyDeleteanne
ennadoolf [at] gmail [dot] com
Oh, lovely!
ReplyDeleteMy grandma lived far away from me for most of my life, and we were nearly strangers when she moved back to Michigan. Though she's not the one that taught me, my love for sewing and knitting always gave us something to talk about and allowed us to become close. I'm glad for that.
albeaton@aol.com
I was lucky enough to have two sets of grandparents living a block apart in a small town in Iowa. Sunday dinners at their houses with diffrent sets of cousins is a treasured memory. I'm laurakam on rav
ReplyDeleteI have been so lucky to know and love three grandmothers, and two greats! My daughter even knew her great-great grandma and used to watch us knit together as we visited.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks gorgeous and I can't wait to pick up a copy for our home.