Little Treats

It was time to place a boat load of stitch markers on the prayer shawl. Well, you know me, I didn't have the right kind. Those little rubber rings (though right for certain projects) weren't doing for me this time. So I trotted out and I bought these. How fun are they? I purchased them at Your Local Yarn Shop. She had several different styles to choose from. You should check 'em out!

Prayer Shawl

Church has a knitting group! Now I should have know this, but some how I did not. I found out about the group but accident. Bizy-girl (aka Bean, aka Curly) wore a hand knit dress to church a few weeks ago. It's knit up in a dark blue, all cotton yarn. Very cute orange flower buttons finish off the faux wrap style of the top. She looked adorable! My sister in-law knit it for Biz's first birthday. SIL is a fantastic knitter who turns out fabulous project after project. I'm a little envious of this, as I barely have time to finish a cup of coffee, let alone a project. Between choosing colleges with Soccer Chica, keeping a 2nd grade boy out of trouble, and changing a 15 month old baby (really the biggest challenge of them all) I can't seen to remember to breath. It' a good thing that breathing is not optional.

Well, while one of the church ladies was admiring the dress, she asked me if I knit it. For a split second I wanted to say "Why yes, yes, I did." Then I remembered where I was and I didn't want to hurt SIL feelings. Would she ever know? No. But I would know. And it would be wrong. Not to mention the ramifications of fibbing in church. Drat those morals.

Anyhow, she commenced to invite me to the prayer shawl group! I was so excited that I just had to go out an purchase new supplies to knit my very own prayer shawl. So I bought a pattern by Kristin Ohmadal for a scalloped lace edged shawl and some alpaca sock yarn by Classic Elite Yarns in a nice green. I really wanted a soft gray, but could find anything in my price rangethat I was in love with. Now I purchased it all at Your Local Yarn Shop here in Battle Creek. Did I ever mentioned that this shop is within walking distance of my home and work? How dangerous is that?! The gal who helped me was sweet and knew that I was struggling with my choices. She definitely had patience.

I am a little over half way done with the knitting. At this point it looks like I have knit a large, moldy dish cloth. But I know that the shawl will block out lovely, so I am not discouraged.

Here's What I Got

Obviously by the amount of posting I have been doing, my life is busy. So let's cut to the chase and show you my current WIP's.

First, I am working on a pair of pedicure socks for a very good friend's birthday. Well, her birthday was a few weeks ago and I only have one done. Guess we will move this one to the Christmas present column for her. These socks were first knit up as a pair of Roza Socks by Grumperina, but I really thought the colors got muddy. So after a soothing rip out session, they have become pedicure socks. I did not look for a pattern, but just made it up as I went. Some after thought research showed me that I was not the first to knit a sock like this. There are several lovely pedicure sock patterns out there.

Next, I have begun the Barn Raising Quilt by Shelley Mackie and Larissa Brown. I cast on for this in July and figure I'll be done some time in the next 10 years. My plan is to use all my old sock yarn scraps. Which I have almost blown through. See my predicament? I will need to knit new socks before I can knit the square. But this is an EASY pattern to memorize, so I can use it as my travel knitting. Plus ski season is coming and I will have lots of time to knit while watching the little one run around the lodge.

There are more, and I will try to update in the next few weeks with those projects. Missed you all!

Bow Tied

The ever elusive finished knit decided to show its self today. Though is has been complete for sometime, being shy, it only shows itself on cooler summer days/nights. The bow tied bolero was first seen in this area here. So as you can see by the date on the post, it hides from public view on purpose.

Want to know about this quiet knit? Well, it is a Debbie Bliss pattern, knit with Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton. The color just pops against the white linen dress that Bean has on. I started this on June 9, 2008 and finished on September 12, 2008. Again, the reminder that this knit is very shy. You can also find details on ravelry.

Unfortunately, I do not have a photos yet of the front, but it turned out well. If you follow my blog, you know that I am very careful not to publish the faces of our kids. There are several fabulous photos of the front, but all have the sweet Bean's face in them. yes I could crop them out, but I would also crop out part of the sweater. Babies just don't want to hold still. There is a very great appreciation for the professional photographers of babies in our household. How do they do it? Once we snap a decent photo, I will amend this post, OK?

Another note, because the ties were so long (next time I would make them shorter), they are wrapped around Bean and tied in the back. Since she is crawling and can not be bothered by things hanging down, this was the best solution.

blast from my past

I found this vest in a pile of clothes a friend gave to me when Biz was born. It looked familiar. Where did I recognize this top from? Think, Trixie, think . . . then it hit me.

I knit that damn thing!

At first I was a little irked that a gift was "re-gifted" back to me. But then it occurred to me that because this was one of my first knits, no photos were ever taken. All I had to document this fun garment was a notebook page with the details. So, let's begin, shall we.

We are all aware that I lean (understatement) toward Debbie Bliss patterns. I am not sure if it is the pattern itself or the styling/photos in the books that reel me in. either way, I have knit a few here, and here, and here, and . . . you get the picture.

This pattern is titled Eyelet Vest and is on page 8 of Special Knits by Debbie Bliss. I knit this in record time, only five days from start to finish. That includes shopping for ribbon and buttons.

Can I mention, extremely off topic by the way, that it is almost 60 degrees outside! The sun is shinning, the birds are singing and I can hear the hum of a boat motor on the lake. Biz is napping on a blanket next to the slider, which is open slightly to let in a fresh breeze. If I take a deep breath, I can almost smell summer.

Back to the matter at hand. I used Plymouth Yarns Dreambaby DK in a soft green. It knit well, from what I can remember. The yarn also seems to have stood the test of time and baby wear, as there is no pilling and any stains wash right out. Feeling smooth and soft is also another positive for this yarn. I ask myself why I haven't knit with this yarn again. There is no excuse, except maybe that I like natural fibers better than microfiber. Only taking two balls of yarn was very easy on the pocket book! Back in 2006 I wasn't as worried about these things as I am now.

A word about the notions on this vest. The pattern calls for a small button at the back of the neck (thank heavens, because Biz's big noggin definitely would not fit through without it). I chose a small shell button with browns and greens. It compliments that piece nicely. After several attempts to photograph the button I gave up. Biz was not cooperative at all. The ribbon is run-of-the-mill ribbon from the local craft shop in an ivory color. I do not know the brand.

Blocking the vest after each wash is a must. Notice the fabric roll at the bottom. No matter what I do, at the end of the day it is rolling.

So this was my trip down knitting memory lane. It is very nice to see where I started my knitting era and how I have changed since then. Re-gifting back to me in this case was good. Note to self: I think I'll hold on to this vest for when Biz has a baby. Then it's not re-gifting . . . it's passing along heirlooms!

New Look

What do you think?

Better Photo

Here is a better photo of tulle-ing around.



If you want all the juicy details, they can be fournd here.

Tulle - ing Around

Here is a cute little hat I knit for Bean. What a fun project. It has all the ingredients to make for a quick, adorable project.

Obviously, Bean wouldn't hold still to get a clear, crisp photo. So we take what we can get.

Details incase you want to make one too. The pattern is from Susan B. Anderson's Itty-Bitty Hats, called Simple Baby Cap 1. I followed the directions to add the tulle, though next time I will shorten the tulle length's from 20 inches to 10 or 15 inches. I used Debbie Bliss' Baby Cashmerino in lavender. Can you believe I found tulle that matches perfectly?!

Nearly Done

As you can imagine, babies get in the way of knitting. Seriously, I thought I would chug right along after Bean was born. Gleefully knitting, stopping for the occasional diaper change, feeding or play time. Can we all say "Wrong!" together?

Picture this: I am serenely sitting in my pristine house, knitting on my next project. It was started yesterday and I will finish it tomorrow (though all other knitters are taking a month or more to complete it). Being dressed in a trendy, yet classic outfit that is newly pressed, I am comfortable and looking good. The sun is a casting her rays through my spotless windows on to my lap, where my knitting rests. A soft baby lullaby plays in the background; I smile and turn to look at my lovely jewel of a baby sleeping in the bassinet next to me. She gently stirs, coos, and then returns to blissful dreams. All the while I knit. Truly the perfect picture.

Reality: My house looks like a bomb has gone off. Glasses, food and toys lay every where. All traces of knitting have been placed high and away because the sight of them makes me sad. There are umpteen projects in various stages of completion that are nowhere near the end (though all other knitters have completed the same projects months ago). I am in a semi-comatose state, with baby spit up on my holey sweatshirt and ripped jeans. BTW - if you could smell me, well . . . let's just say a bath in the last 24 hours hasn't happened. The snow is more than a foot deep and the temperature could freeze the *&!#% off a witch. We haven't seen sun in weeks! I'm not sure how we would as my windows are a filthy blend of finger prints, dirt and ice. Wall-e plays on the DVD player, while RM and I play Rock-Paper-Scissors to see who is going to change Bean's dirty pants. Did I mention that she can cry . . . LOUD? Truly the picture of reality.

While I make it sound terrible, I do love my family. We have a lot of fun and I wouldn't trade them for love or money. They are my life. My lovely, average, normal life.

I have managed to get some knitting done on my lunch hour. May I present Bean's Cardigan - pre blocking. It's a nice knit, that in someone else's knitting repertoire would have been completed much sooner. I think I cast on about September, 2008. The pattern is Cardigan with Moss Stitch Edging by Debbie Bliss. Easy to follow, though I found the pockets a bit fussy. If I were to make this again, I would omit them. I used the Bernat Soy Natural Blends that I frogged from Juliet. It is a very soft yarn. Leaving me to wonder why it was discontinued. If anyone has a clue to this, I would be glad to know. I now need to wash, block and sew on the button - in my free time.

Well, I lost at Rock-Paper-Scissor . . .

Remember?

What? I can't remember . . .

Coffee Cup

See, i knew it was a good thing . . .

Happy Holidays

We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

It's off to Boyne Mountain for our annual week of rest, relaxing and skiing/snowboarding. See you in the Snowflake Lounge! I'll be the one with a baby and my knitting. What a wonderful way to end 2008 and begin 2009.

Gifts From The Village

We are blessed to live in a neighborhood where everyone gets along. In truth, this is an understatement. During the summer month's we spend most of our days and/or evenings together. The kids play while the adults sip cocktails and laugh - a lot. We help one another when times are tough or when the big household job gets to be too much. Each adult in my neighborhood truly believes that it takes a village to raise a child. Consequently, we are entwined in each others lives. It is a great feeling.

When bean was born, they threw a shower for me. And someone was very thoughtful in their gift! The book is Cashmerino 2 by Debbie Bliss. There are some beautiful designs in here. Oh where to start!

A bonus was the yarn included. I see this as a cute little bolero or something. Who knows yet. It is sitting on my desk, aging to perfection. What an excuse to peruse ravelry for a new project!

Pouring In

Rain that is. Southwest Michigan seems to be getting quite a bit today. There is a small leak in our roof - in several places. With buckets safely under the offending leaks, I can now focus on the water that is slowing filling my basement. An indoor pool has always been a dream of mine, but honestly.

Why do we tolerate this? Because we a slowing working our way toward a new addition. These decisions are big and we wouldn't want to rush them. To make a roof replacement only to rip it off the next year for the addition is silly.

In the mean time, it pains me to report that sweet Juliet has met her demise and was frogged yesterday. Due to a slight miscalculation on my part, not enough yarn was purchased to complete the sweater. After checking several sources, I found out that the yarn has been discontinued and no one seems to have any. In addition, the sweater seems to be HUGE and I am knitting a small. The weight of double stranded yarn made the bodice stretch too much for my liking. New revelation - anything knit in a double strand of worsted or in a chunky yarn is too bulky for my frame. My thoughts are turning to knit this up single strand of worsted, in a different gauge. Having never attempted this feat, let alone without a net, I think I will table this for quiet, up-north knitting.

Silence

At 8:46 am we will remember.

Round And Round We Go

We took a little family trip to Cedar Point! I love thrill rides. The taller, faster and zoomier (my own word) the better. RM and soccer chica love the rides too. Boo-boo, not so much. So we were iffy on whether or not he would have a good time. It could have turned out as a day of motorized cars and Jr. Gemini for us. Yet, he found his inner coaster love and can't be kept off them. As for Bean, she definitely wouldn't ride any rides this year. Our model of baby definitely does not come equipped with thrill ride capabilities. We will have to purchase that up grade when she gets to be 48" tall. She reclined gracefully in the stroller, choosing to be chauffeured around the park in style.

We had a day of fun, thrills, and trip to first aide. Suffice to say the Snoopy Balloon ride did RM in. He can ride all the coasters, ski down double black diamonds, hike to the top of mountains, etc. But when it comes to the kiddie rides that go in a circle . . . he's toast. Having never had motion sickness before (and being a bit of a drama-king when it comes to feeling ill) RM thought there was something seriously wrong with him. He was certain it was a stroke, heart attack or some dreaded disease. So off to get some Dramamine and an hour of rest at the First Aide Station. For the rest of the day, it was RM not Boo-boo who was content to ride the motorized cars.

Note to all mothers nursing or not: Both First Aide stations in the park have a beautiful nursing room and kid area, complete with TV and games. This was a god-send for nursing and once discovered, used frequently. BTW - it's air conditioned.

So while RM and I took turns waiting for the kids to ride the coasters, I did a little knitting. I mentioned here that I bought some Panda Bamboo Silk at Your Local Yarn Shop. A hat for Bean would be the right choice because it is such a lovely shade of pink. Never having knit with this yarn before, a gauge square is a prerequisite. I think the hat will be a simple stockinette stitch and knit in the round. As for embellishments, I have vision of some flowers - big and flashy for Bean's inner diva.

Did you take note of the tennis shoes I was wearing? They are my beautiful Chuck Taylor's that I received for my anniversary of my birthday. I wear them everywhere. The other items on the stroller were necessities for the day. Gum to keep away bad breath. I always indulge in the over-priced, uber-greasy park food. Plus pain reliever to take away the various headaches that arise when we travel with a 16 year old (who wants nothing to do with kiddie rides and never smiles), a 6 year old (who discovered that he loves roller coasters - yea - and wants to ride them all NOW) and a 6 week old (who just wants to eat, sleep, and poop).

In the future, I will be knitting circles around RM as he sits out the circle amusement rides.

New Yarn Shop in Town

RM wanted me to get out of the house, though I don't understand why. I haven't showered in what seems like a month. My new perfume is a combination of baby poo, breast milk and 7 layers of floral scented deodorant. But he insisted I get out for an hour or two. So I showered and took a drive. Meandering along, I decided a nice visit to a new yarn shop would be good. And good it was. I wanted to snap up several things, but in the end got two skeins of Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Silk in pink and lavender. Not sure what I will make with them yet. Maybe a cute pair of socks and hat for Bean? A pair of bed socks for me? Belt or headband for Soccer Chica? Who knows. For that matter who cares? What I do know is that I got to purchase yarn from a nice shop.

There is a new yarn shop in my town! I should tell you it's within walking distance of my house! Please read into that statement "dangerous . . . too close for comfort . . . thinking of moving even closer." It's called Your Local Yarn Shop and it just opened. They have a good selection of yarn and shipments just keep coming in. Everyone was so friendly. There is a lovely spot with comfy couches and good light to "just come in and knit!", as I was so kindly invited to do.

The Great Unveiling

So I have been working on this project with RM for a while now. And many of you may have noticed a few baby knits I have made for a "dear friend." Well, here is what we have been stressing, sweating, eating right and exercising for . . .



We are pleased to announce that Curly or Bean, as she is now being called, entered our family in mid-July. She weighed 7 lbs and was 20 inches long. This model does all the normal things a baby girl is advertised to do. She poops (a lot), eats and sleeps. Repeat every two hours or so. We are woozy with excitement, OK really it's lack of sleep, but woozy just the same. At 40 years old, I don't know if I am equipped with the coping abilities needed for a new baby, but what the hell.

She is a blessing and we are very excited to welcome her. Hope you like my big project as much as we do.

Lot's of Life, a Little Knitting

My blog sub title says "Knitting . . . with a little life thrown in." Well, that is true with the exception that life has been over taking all knitting of late. Remember the secret project I have been terribly preoccupied with? Well, in a few more weeks that will be wrapped up. RM has even contributed a bit to give the finished product a little flair. We are breathless with anticipation. It has not been an easy road. Along the way we have had nausea, disappointments, aches, pains and many bumps in the road. I know the end result will be fantastic. Hopefully we get great reviews on it.

I had one of these a week or so ago. Now, I really love my birthday, but really don't like receiving presents, being the center of attention or my age. Back about 7 years ago, I decided that I would no longer celebrate my birthday, but the anniversary of my favorite birthday. Happy anniversary-birthday to me!

The kids made a lovely cake that tasted a hell of a lot better than it looked. Though beautiful, it would not make Food Network's top ten list. I took this photo after the candles where gone and a few tasty pieces eaten.

JJ is getting ready to burst, literally. The baby should be here by Monday (as if nature doesn't take it's course, her doctor will be helping things along). When we spoke yesterday, she was having fun picking out what her little sprite will wear home from the hospital. She has even knitted a hat, sweater and booties for him if it is cool enough . . . in Oklahoma. Somehow, I doubt it will be that cool. But they could always turn up the A/C a little (kidding!). Mom is there providing love, support and smothering helping JJ out. Yep.

I started this little project the other day. It is the bow-tied bolero from Simple Knits by Debbie Bliss. Having made this several times (it makes a quick and easy new baby gift), I can knit it in my sleep. Someone near and dear is having a baby and I wanted to knit her something for after the baby arrives. She is having a little girl, so this will be perfect.

I am using Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton yarn for the sweater. It is so soft! Definitely will use this yarn again.

Seeing Double

So here is the finished product for JJ's little guys. This pattern is so easy to knit and goes fast. Too bad I don't have any more toddler boys to knit for.

I had to use the flash so the stitch definition would be clear. So, the colors are slightly off. I really think that JJ's boys will enjoy these sweaters with a pair of khaki shorts and sandals. Little Man looked adorable in it (his was the larger size) with white linen pants.

I had stated that the yarn matched perfectly despite a three year difference in knitting time. Well, I was wrong. The smaller size is a touch lighter than the larger. Yet to someone watching a toddler and infant, they will never notice. So, what the hey?!

JJ's new little man is due any day, with a scheduled induction for July 14. Um, sounds painful. We are all waiting with bated breath for the new little man to arrive. I'll keep you posted.

An now for the exciting details. I blogged about this here.

Pattern: Hooded Sweater by Debbie Bliss
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Needles: US 8 Bamboo Circular
Started: April 13, 2008
Finished: July 1, 2008
Notes: None, I was definitely taking the safe road on this one.

New Project

At the beginning of my knitting career, I knit a hooded sweater for Boo-boo. Because of my naivety in the realm of natural fibers I chose a lovely acrylic with no dye lot. I did not do a gauge swatch, just matched the recommendations on the ball band to the recommendations in the pattern. It knit up just fine, though pilled like mad. It must be mentioned that the pattern only went up to 12-24 month size. Alas, Boo-boo was well beyond that size by the time I took up knitting. What was I to do? What every naive new knitter does . . . I forged ahead and made something up. Really, I did. In actuality, I just made note of the adjustments the author made for each size and kept doing that on scrap paper until I got to the size I wanted. Bravely casting-on I and knit the sweater. At the conclusion of the knitting, blocking and sewing I had a great piece, that by sheer luck, fit the boy. He looked so sweet in it with khakis and sandals.

Forge ahead to now (in reality only a few years later). My sister, JJ is having a baby boy in late July. I am sending her all of Boo-boo's baby items in an effort to be kind and reuse some of the lovely things we had. While sorting these things I found the above mentioned hooded sweater. Still in great condition and ready to have the ends woven in - but that's another story for another day. My brain in it's tired and overworked state thought, "Hey why don't you give the already knitted sweater to JJ for LG and knit a second for the new baby!"

I cast on and am doing just that. Here are some details:

Pattern: Hooded Sweater by Debbie Bliss from Special Knits
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue
Needles: US 8 Bamboo Circular
Started: April 13, 2008

Even though these sweaters were knit 3 years apart, the colors match perfectly! Thank heavens for no-dye lot yarns! Hopefully we will get photos of these sweaters for all to see.