Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Knitting Resumes

I'm back on it! I've made Elliott a hat and a scarf for myself and now I'm working on a Christmas gift-- yahoo! Nice to love knitting again. :)

Monday, September 27, 2010

Knausea

Hello, all. I am sorry it's been so long. I have been on knitting hiatus as I wait for "morning" sickness to pass. We are expecting our second child (Yay! Yay! Yay!) in April, and for some reason, when I'm not feeling well, knitting is the last thing I want to do. I have no idea why.

But we should be finding out whether it's a boy or a girl in the next few weeks, and I think that once I know which it is there should be a flurry of new knitting going on.

If you've been checking in all this time, thank you for sticking with me. I'll try to be more regular about it now that I've broken the seal.

Be with you again soon.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

For My Little Dude


Boys can wear lavender. They can. Mine will. He loves it.

Cute, fun, easy pattern. I'm sure I'll make another.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Another Cake

This one I did not bake. It was picked up at a bakery as a blank white cake, and I did this to it:



It's for my cousin's fiance's bridal shower and is based on some graphics from the invitation. I'm fairly happy with it.

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Misgivings

Well, I retried the Buttercup with a few more inches completed, and I wonder how this is going to look on me when it's finished. The design is intended to stand away from the body in a baby-dollish manner, and that does appear to be the effect I am achieving.

So what's the problem? I think it's a lapse in judgement (again) regarding what looks good on me and what doesn't. I get so distracted by the loveliness of the willowy model's figure and how the sweater drapes on her... and I get what I'm calling "Skinny Inside Syndrome". Since I am, after all, a skinny person on the inside, I identify with the model and see myself in the sweater the way she looks...

And then I try on the half-knit item, and I remember... The inside and the outside are a TEEEENY bit different.

We'll see. There is the intention of a second pregnancy in the offing. Perhaps this can be a belly-friendly knit.

Saturday, July 03, 2010

As Suggested


Commenter Anne Marie suggested that I try this on and make sure I'm on the right track. I'd say, "So far, so good." And I'm very relieved. I would hate to have to start this one over again when I'm already almost two balls of yarn in.

Thanks, Anne Marie, for peace of mind.

Friday, July 02, 2010

Curse You Small Gauge Sweater!!!


I am still trying to knit myself the perfect sweater. The sweater that I will want to wear every day. Recently I decided that perhaps the solution to the problem is gauge related. Finer gauge, more perfect sweater? I know there are lots of you who love the chunky sweater look, as do I, but being of a larger gauge myself, I think chunky yarn contributes to my body image issues. So fingering/sport weight it is.

I selected the Buttercup as my first attempt. It's knit top down, which means I am now working on the bodice and have just reached the lace panel... and there about a THOUSAND STITCHES on the needles. I can't wait to separate the sleeve stitches!

Just keep knitting, just keep knitting, just keep knitting knitting knitting...

Want to hear something extra demented? I'm planning to knit Senor a fine gauge sweater next. Eeesh!

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Secret Gifted Knitting

I worked on this for most of May and the beginning of June, but it was a gift that wasn't given until last Sunday. Now that it's safely with it's owner-to-be, I can share it with you.

This is a Pinwheel Blanket made for my nephew-to-be Mason, due in about 6 weeks. I made it with Twist Cotton from Twist Yarns of Intrigue, my favorite LYS. The yarn is soft and the colors are brilliant. You should get some, too!!!

I can't wait to see the little baby Mason wrapped up in this vibrant stripey softness. Okay, I can't wait to see him no matter what he's wrapped in.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Reboot


Something finished with which to restart things.


This is the Nikau Hoodie, but I swapped the palm motif for the cable motif from the Gathered Pullover. Thus the Gathered Nikau.

Hey, boy, watch where you're going!!

It's plenty large this time, so Elliott should be able to wear it for a while, possibly a couple of years. The sleeves are much too long, so they'll accomodate significant growth. We shall see how well the Handmaiden Casbah really holds up!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

He Did It!!!

http://outside-blog.away.com/blog/everest/

American Jordan Romero just became the youngest person ever to summit Mt. Everest! He did it this morning (don't ask me to calculate the time difference... no idea.) HE'S 13 YEARS OLD!!!! Dang. You know what I was still working on at 13? Holding hands with a boy.

Apparently there are some exciting stories to come, but as of now, Jordan's sleeping it off safely at Camp 2, which is still really effing high up there.

I'm so excited!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Need a Plan

As with the lotion, I am feeling bogged down by many multiples in my house. Things tend to linger, and the longer they linger the less I see them and thus the more likely they are to linger (there have been hoarders in my lineage). These things turn into visual noise, which causes a feeling of anxiety and distraction, which leads me into a never-ending cycle of trying to solve the problem. Thus: many lotions, many knitting projects, many books being read simultaneously, many lipsticks, many many many. I long for a simpler way of being. I'd love to have a favorite lotion, a favorite lipstick, a singe work-in-progress, a "the book" I'm reading...

So the question is: to finish the multiples until there is only one left or to discard those that I'm just not sold on?

Some issues will go one way and some the other.

Today I'll address knitting. I'd like to destash. I'd like to produce many beautiful items. I want out from under the list of plans, the pile of wish-I-coulds. I can't do them right now, so I extend the list so far out into someday that by the time I get to start a new project I don't want to make those projects anymore. I need to discard my somedays and focus on what I am making now so that when I am done with the current project I can choose a new someday for that day.

Does this make sense? The fact that I can't explain it better is a symptom of the problem. Distraction. Noise. Guilt. Regret. Why go about a hobby that I love in such a way that it makes me unhappy? But how to fix it?

A destash plan. A knitting monogamy plan.

1. Mason's present: Mason is my nephew-to-be. He will be in August, but his shower is in June. Which is soon. So I need to finish his item. I will keep it out so that it gets worked on in free moments. I plan to finish it by the end of May.

2. Linen scarf: I finally gave in to the urge to get some Louet linen yarn. It's not cheap, but it is wonderful (opinion based on a washed swatch at the shop), and I've had a hankering for a summer scarf. I did not give in to that hankering while at the Gap this week so that I could instead knit myself a summer scarf from the linen I'd been wanting. So far, so good. I finished the first ball of yarn and went on to the second... I'll wait until I get to end of this ball before deciding if I'll need a third. It's just stockinette, which usually bores me to tears... but I've been enjoying it this time. Perhaps because I can read while I work on it...

I'm reading Into Thin Air, which I am loving. I already read The Climb, which chronicles the same incident on Mt. Everest, but it's really interesting to read another side of the story. I'm actually considering reading a third account written by one of the women on the tragic expedition of May 10, 1996. Or perhaps a book about some other expedition. At the moment, my interest in Everest seems fairly limitless. If you think you might be interested, I highly recommend both of the books I mentioned. And if you're interested in what's going on on Everest right now, check out The Outside Blog. There's a 13-year-old American kid up there right now and he's currently near the beginning of his summit bid. Go check it out!

I digressed. Here's to simplification!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Destash of a Different Kind

I should be the most moist person in the world.



Look at this stash of lotion!!! How does this happen?

I can tell you. When I'm having a bad day or feeling not quite as good about myself as I would like, I go looking for a solution. For some reason I like to look at Riteaid... and for some reason, being more moisturized or more tan or more firm or more wrinkle-free always seems like it would make me feel better. But then the lotions float around all over the house, and while they don't get used regularly enough to have their proposed effect, they each get used a little at a time and thus never get used up.

Well, no more. One body lotion, one hand lotion, one face lotion and one foot lotion. That seems like a lot, but I'm putting the rest in a box and out of sight until I finish one.

Fewer bottles = Less guilt.

And then once they're all used up then I can shop for something that I'll really love to smear on myself and not feel obligated to all of the other unguents hanging around the house. I will be moist!

PS. I hate the word "moist". Hate. It.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Another Cake

This time for our anniversary. Number 4!!




The lighting is not great, so the colors aren't quite right. The fondant was a very subtle off-white, the moon was silver, and the flowers were more coral than this photo would indicate. It was a small cake, only about 6 inches across. I looked into ways to make the cake more firm in order to build it up better. It worked. More eggs, less water. Next time I'm going to try the suggestion to add instant pudding mix to the batter. Time to try to make a cake in the shape of... something... maybe one of those purse cakes?

Our wedding cake was a bare white cake with bare branches on it. Now you can see our trees have bloomed.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Head Injury


I hit my head on a wallhanging and ended up with three staples in my head. Good times!

So I'm knitting myself a new hat. :) (that's the Ravelry link)

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Here's some knitting



SUCCESSFUL!!!

Selbu Modern
The grey yarn is Smooshy in the Cloud Jungle colorway.
The purple is Shibui sock-- don't know the name of the color, but I love it.

This is for my Aunt Claudia

(p.s. There is some Lorna's Laces in Mineshaft thrown in around the crown to stretch the last of the cloud jungle. You can tell by the light areas, but otherwise it's a pretty seamless joining to two wildly different yarns. Nice call.)

Monday, April 12, 2010

So it turns out...

... I might be an extraordinarily slow knitter.

Two rounds of a Jaywalker take me 8 minutes... ??? That's only 168 stitches. How can that be?!

Granted, it's not slow in terms of new knitter speeds, but I've been knitting for about 6 years. Every day. This sock is going to take me FOREVER! In fact, I'm so slow that my brain hasn't realized that I'm actually still working on my first Jaywalker, which is weird because I gave those to my mom years ago, and she doesn't know either that she's wearing socks that don't actually exist.

So far I've knit for over 3hrs 45min and my sock is only 3 or 4 inches long.

I am ashamed.

I'd like to try knitting 168 stitches of something else and see how long it takes me, because 8 minutes can not not not be my empirical time for 168 stitches. It can't even be close.

Monday, April 05, 2010

Age-Old Question

How long does it take to knit a sock?

Much like how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, this answer varies for most people, and very few, if any, bother to find out the real answer. But I get asked all the time how long it takes me to knit a sock...

So I am going to find out. For the second sock of a pair of Jaywalkers I am going to keep track of how long I spend. I am as curious as you are to know.

Which begs the question (right, Senor), are you curious to know?

Saturday, April 03, 2010

Happy Easter

This is how we'll be celebrating tomorrow:



Cake #2: Chocolate cake with strawberry whipped cream filling. Yum!

The Cake



Last week I spent 9 hours making this cake for Elliott's first birthday. With the help of my mom and my friend Nicki, we baked the cake, made the fondant, and assembled this beauty. I even drove it home safely in the trunk of my car-- I was so worried about it.

Once home, I showed it to Senor and he said innocently, "Is there a reason you guys put the 1 on backwards?"

Nope. We just didn't notice. I didn't. My mom didn't. My dad didn't. And Elliott doesn't know his numbers yet, so he was no help.

At least there was no way to fix it...

Thursday, April 01, 2010

What I've Been Doing

My own design.



So far so good. Needs hemming and neck ribbing.

And some little stripey pants to go with it.

I'm kinda enjoying this. :)

Monday, March 29, 2010

It was Finished in Time

I began Elliott in June, 2008.



I began the cross stitch, to the best of my recollection, in January, 2009.



I finished Elliott in March, 2009.



I finished the cross stitch in March, 2010. Before his first birthday.

It's the thing I forgot that I always wanted to make for my kids someday. I just didn't remember that I always wanted to until someday was almost here.

Now he's one year old, I'm about 5 years older, and my son has an heirloom that his mother worked uncounted hours creating just for him, finishing it just in time to be a year late. But it's finished.

And because I won't be making the same mistake again, I've already started a second for hypothetical future brother or sister... because I'm pretty sure that once there are two of them there won't be time to finish things late anymore.

And because cross stitch is strangely compelling.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

This is Not My Tattoo

But I kinda wish it was...

Episode Three: The Royal Tenenbaums

I don't think you're an asshole, Royal. I just think you're kind of a son of a bitch.


If you haven't seen this movie, you've got to. It's a weird one, but it grows on you... and then eventually it's permanent. Like this tattoo. But don't put it on your body, just put it in your heart.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

This is Not My Tattoo

Episode Two: 525,600 Minutes

That's about how long I would have thought this was cool.


And from then on I never would have had to worry about my track marks showing because I'd have worn long sleeves for the rest of my 525,600 x 80 minutes.

Saturday, March 06, 2010

11 months, 10 days



"Ain't no stoppin' us now, we're on the move!"

Thursday, March 04, 2010

This is Not My Tattoo

A new segment on this blog. In which I display tattoos I might have once thought were cool enough to get, but thank goodness, I never did. Thank goodness, other people have. With this one, it was difficult to choose from all of the photos out there... I wasn't the only one who thought this was a good idea.

Episode One: The Dead Poets Society Days


I thought this saying was so cool and so meaningful and so life changing... for all of 7th grade. By and large, I can confidently say the only diem I would have carped would have been the day I got this tattoo. And then I'd have spent the rest of my life feeling terrible that I didn't live up to the tattoo I never should have gotten and the movie about how theater will only make you want to kill yourself.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Given All of the Options, I Choose None

I forgot about a work in progress when I made my list of what to work on next...

... it a project that's been dragging on for over a year now, and it's got an obvious opportunity for a new deadline coming up. I missed the first obvious deadline on March 25, 2009 when Elliott was born and I had not yet completed it.

Now it is nearly a year later, and I still have not finished it... though I am getting devilishly close. Can it be done by his first birthday? I've got 22 days. What is it? I don't believe I've mentioned it on the blog before...

... so you'll have to wait and see...

Any guesses?

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

That Kind of Day

I haven't showered. My hair needs to be dyed; my roots are out of control and revealing my age. I did some of the things on my to do list, but not all of them. The majority are left undone and may never get done. I've eaten too much, as usual, because I felt all day as though I hadn't had time to eat.

There are toys everywhere.

My bedtime is creeping later and later, but wake-up time this morning was exactly the same as usual. I'm so tired.

He cried every time I had to put him in his crib while I peed. He's still wearing his pajamas from this morning. He banged his face on the coffee table because crawling isn't safer than walking.

I found ants on his high chair. And the carpet. And on him.

But that's not the kind of day it was.

This evening, after I'd surrendered the remainder of my to-do list and my shower, he sat on my lap, buzzing his lips like an engine because he was holding one of his trucks. In a flash, I realized how precious that moment was. I tucked my face into his cheek and closed my eyes and tried to memorize his weight, his warmth, his constant expenditure of energy, his smell-- that unbathed baby smell. That's what kind of day it was: one that had a perfect moment. And then he leaned his head back far enough to look me in the eye, grabbed the too-short hair on the back of my head, patted my shoulder with his other fat little hand and gave me a wet baby kiss.

I guess he wanted to remember it forever, too.

Monday, March 01, 2010

I Declare These Games Closed

I didn't make it. I came close: Just half of the seaming left, plus weaving in the ends and putting in a zipper (yikes!). I probably could have made it, but it would require more extensive neglect of my husband and child, and I was not comfortable with that, so I surrendered. It's a decision all competitors must make for themselves: What am I willing to give up to win? Turns out I am not willing to give up lunch out with my boys or time playing with baby's new toys. Or sleep.

I am fine with the results of this decision. I got so close that I am satisfied with the effort, and I will have a finished sweater very soon.

Now, what to do next? There is a charge I am feeling now that this project is nearly finished. It makes me feel like I have a clean slate... but I don't. I have many WiPs that I could finish... I'm sorry, SHOULD finish.

- Endpaper Mitts, for Heaven's Sake!
- Honeypie
- Jaywalkers Revisited
- Laminaria (started pre-pregnancy, Hello! He's almost 1!!)
- Barn Raising Quilt #2

There are some projects that are at the forefront of the To Be Cast On list.
- Rainy Day Mitts (got the yarn already)
- Something for my nephew to be, aka Microcuz (got the yarn already)

And then there is everything else. I want to knit it all!! I want finished projects, so I should start with the already started, since I'm a lot closer to finishing those than things that aren't started yet (duh), but this is never the way my mind works.

And that's why I never have a clean slate. Never.

Sometimes I drive me crazy.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Progress: 5 Days to Go

The second sleeve is finished. The second front is started up to three inches of ribbing.

If this sweater is to be finished, I am going to take my friend Liz's suggestion and attempt to seam without blocking, a frustrating prospect, but hopefully less time consuming than the alternative.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Progress: 7 Days to Go

That includes today... Uh. Oh. I'm 1/3 of the way through the second sleeve... and then I have to do the second front, the hood, and the ribbed edging. Not to mention the blocking and seaming. Uh.Oh.

I will continue trying to get it done, if for no other reason than to be that much closer to having a finished sweater by Sunday, but my hopes are dwindling.

So here's a cute video of one of the possible reasons I get less knitting done than necessary to be an Olympian:

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Progress: 10 Days to Go

I'm nearly done with sleeve one. I hope to finish it and start the next (or one of the fronts) before bed.

I might be in trouble, folks. I don't know if I can get it done...

But if Lindsey Vonn can win with swiss cheese on her shin, so can I.

ETA 10:20pm: Sleeve finished. Left front started, 2.5 inches of ribbing.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Progress: 12 days to go

The back is finished. The first sleeve is knit beyond the ribbing.

I'm so glad the married Chinese couple won the pairs figure skating! Now please, friends from the East, MOVE IN TOGETHER AND WEAR YOUR GOLD MEDALS AROUND THE HOUSE ON SUNDAY MORNINGS!!!

It's what we would do...

Monday, February 15, 2010

Knitting Olympics

17 days. One sweater. All in, no looking back.

I cast on for my Central Park Hoodie on Friday evening with the Opening Ceremonies of Vancouver 2010. I could hardly wait to start it! In good knitting company, I sat on my couch, kept one eye on the baby, who cooperated wonderfully, and one eye on my black wool silk blend as it began to grow into a sweater.

I took care of baby business, but beyond that, I knit for 6 hours straight and had several inches of sweater back to show for it by bedtime.

I knit as much as I could both Saturday and Sunday, and now it stands at 20 inches of back. I'm hoping to finish the back tonight. Barring any unforeseen complications, knitting or otherwise, I think this is a reasonable goal.

Then on to arm #1. Then front #1. Then arm #2. Then front #2. Then seaming and the hood.

It's totally doable. As long as Elliott's minor experiments in small w walking don't turn into capitol W Walking too quickly... Baby, it's all in your hands. Be good to Mama...

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Comparison


Elliott: 10 months

Elliott: Day 1

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Well...


It's crochet... it's a start. Step one toward one resolution.

I also looked up my local blood donation sites. Now I just need to find a time to go without the baby.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Recent Knitting- One


The first project started and finished in 2010: Elijah.

Size 2 needles
Elann Lara- less than one ball, what a deal!

One of Elliott's baby-buddies turned 1 last weekend, and that means knits were in order. I've been wanting to make Ysolda's Elijah since I first saw him. Colten's birthday was the perfect reason. We had to leave the party before the presents were opened, so I haven't heard whether Elijah was a hit, but I was very pleased with how he turned out and can highly recommend this pattern. I got some yarn to make one for Elliott.

A boy can have a purple elephant toy, right?

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Big Day

- Elliott's cutting tooth number 3!
- I'm officially going to be an auntie!
- Finished an Elijah! (Photos to come)
- Missed a call from best friend in Australia- Doh!
- Hung out at favorite knit shop, Twist, Yarns of Intrigue.
- Elliott has figured out how to tip up a bottle so that he can actually drink it.
- Elliott pointed at Senor and said very clearly, "Da da." That's it, folks. Da da wins.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Resolutions: 2010

Knitting Resolutions
Try knitting with beads
Try double knitting
Try crochet
Knit from stash
Try fair isle with more than two colors
Practice knitting continental style
Try entrelac
Knit baby gifts for two future baby relatives
Knit one pattern from each book in my personal library (if I've already knit one from a book before this, I don't have to knit another unless I want to)
Participate in Knitting Olympics
ETA 2/2/10: Knit a sock toe-up

Non-Knitting Resolutions
Do I even need to say "lose weight"?
Give Blood
Establish weekly routines
Establish sanity moments
Reset all internet passwords
Work harder at work
Curtail procrastinating behaviors (please try to ignore the fact that I am posting my New Year's Resolutions 6 days into the new year)

I've got a lot to do. How 'bout you?

Saturday, January 02, 2010

Back to Business


Elliott's a maniac, maniac on the floor. Yeah, baby, show us your resolutions!

Happy New Year, Folks! I'm back and plan to be better. I've missed you all.