December 16, 2005

I went from this:












to this:













I cannot believe you're two weeks old already, little precious.

And the one we worried the most about, the One who's still just a baby himself, our little Bobo...how has he reacted to Princess Thumbelina of Quite-a-lot?
You tell me.

Llamaface...

Being the knitter that I am, I just love that Emperor's New Groove, but anyway...
I swatched for the Alpaca Cardigan with glitter today in three different yarns, just to get a handle on what gauge should look like, and I've come to the conclusion that I must be a very tight knitter. I never thought that before, but somehow, I'm getting 26-28 stitches on the size 4 needles (the pattern requires 23st/4") in every DK weight I swatched with. So why am I smiling? Perhaps it is because the Andean Silk I wanted to use for this is actually a worsted weight, so I can fudge the gauge a bit, or perhaps it's just insane pregnancy hormones.
***Crunch!!!***
The world may never know.

A watched pot never boils...

as my mother used to say. And a watched overdue mama may never labor...that's my own right there. I had a lot of great contractions this morning, and off and on throughout the day, but nothing at the moment. We walked miles in the mall, so I'm praying that things just get started on their own tonight. The midwife who delivered #1 and #3 is on tomorrow all day, so it would be *wonderful* if she could be there for this baby. That's what I'm hoping at least.

No baby yet

Thanks for everyone who checked in on me, but nope, still no baby. Went to the hospital on Friday during the snow storm (as most of you know)and I was only dilated a bit past two, so I walked for two hours (even climbed nine stories' worth of stairwells) and my contractions promptly took a break. THIS IS MY FOURTH BABY, UTERUS.....get to going already.
And what's adding insult to injury (injury being getting my membranes stripped this morning. Again.) is that every friend I had due in Nov/Dec/Jan has either already had their baby or will by the end of the week, thanks to the magic of scheduled inductions and sections. I really would prefer to labor and push out a baby, thank-you-very-much but the thought of another c-section when you consider that my child would have been outside of my body for the past week makes me a little misty. And I'm not the crying type. Logically, I know that I've gone into labor spontaneously twice, (had the section with Monkeyboy) but my irrational side wonders if I'll have to call Guinness about a record...either that or my hips will both dislocate.
On a more positive note, I reported knitting a hat to help the baby to realize she needs to get here. I've knit one every night since Thursday, although yesterday's had to be frogged and re-knit, so I have three hats, one UFO which will be frogged again this afternoon and re-knit in another yarn tonight. I was using Suri Merino, which is a lovely yarn (and I may use this for the Cardigan with Glitter, although I haven't swatched with it yet...can you say "incredible drape"?) but not right for a hat with little patterning. I thought I had cast on few enough stitches, but apparently the Suri thinks I'm knitting for a nine year-old. I have to go pick up fundraiser stuff tonight so I may stop over at Fabric Place on the way home. I have a sudden compulsion to knit everyone a Christmas Stocking.

AAAARGH...aka "What is wrong with me?"

I've had my butt kicked by a hat. Not just any hat, mind you, but Kate Gilbert's Shining Star hat. Lovely pattern, simple repeats, should be able to kick it out in an evening, no? No.
I've tried every solution (including Emily Oecker's circular beginning, yes) to cast on for a top down hat (did I mention how cute and SIMPLE it is, really?) and I cannot keep the needles straight, or I drop one on the floor and cannot bend over myself to pick it up, or it pulls to one side and looks wonky. Sigh. I suppose I'm going to have to spend nap time figuring the pattern out backwards to bind off at the crown. Which ticks me off because I thought that this hat would be DONE by now, but I'm a knitting loser this week.
I did knit a little skull cap out of some baby alpaca that Lauren sent me during SP4, so I guess her wee baby head won't be cold, but that's not the point. The Shining star is just so much cuter.
Can I have this baby yet?

Lucy, you have some 'splainin' to do

Don't know why that popped into my head, really. Just weird things running through there lately anyhow.
I'm still pregnant. My mother called yesterday and asked if I had had a baby yet. My own mother. I know that there's a little "under the microscope" feeling one gets at the end of a pregnancy, but my Mom? People calling you, just checking with morbid curiousity to see if you're still swollen or if you've literally popped open...you're-so-big-can-you-fit-any-more-in-there-are-you-sure-it's-not-twins-your-back-must-be-killing-you type thing. Bah.
I dreamt of knitting last night. Sitting around with some of my favorite knitbloggers, people I've never met in person and some that I have. I think I need to hit the S&B tonight as it could be my last for awhile and I haven't been since before Thanksgiving.
And special thanks to Mamma, whose tribute to her own creative children perked up *this* bedraggled Mama today. I really needed that.

And I'm still knitting

Not much sleep last night, but no contractions yet either. I'm still here. And yet, I'm feeling "in-a-rut-ish". I have Christmas socks that need knitting, and yet for no good reason whatsoever, I cast on for another Ribby Cardi with the Tree Bark Melange Paton's merino....Hub's sweater yarn. He saw me knitting it and asked, "OOOH~what pattern is that?" and I hunkered down behind my needles, hung my head in shame and said..."it's a woman's sweater pattern." The defeat in his eyes made me take pity on him, and so, I've decided that the Ribby was just a, what-do-you-call-it-now, um, ploy...yes, a total sham devised by me to fool the poor dear into thinking I wasn't Christmas knitting for him this year. I left Ribby on the needles and yesterday afternoon cast on for Lucky, from Knitty's Man Issue. Why didn't I realize that mistake-rib still takes as long as a regular 2X2 rib, what with all the purling and such? Oh well, at least it's mindless, and he has no clue.

Take 3

Good thing they're so darn cute.

Sometime, you just need a good Ballpark Frank

I know I'm losing it when I'm blogging about hot dogs, but oh well. Purchased a package of nitrite-free, filler-free 'dogs from Trader Joes this week, thinking that they'd be healthier and less of a junk food to the kids, and that at least I wouldn't be brining the latest babe (need to think of a good pseudonym for her too, now that I think of it) in chemical soup. Too bad that they tasted as funky as they did. Like I said, sometimes you shouldn't mess with preservative perfection.
I'm searching for the perfect "back-to-my-body" knit. I have about ten things I'd like to start, but then I get frightened that perhaps *this* body is it and that the size S I'd knit would fit around my forearm, and I chicken out.
Off to swatch again...it's about the largest piece I can focus on at one time.

I know an old lady who swallowed an octopus

That's how I'm feeling at the moment. 1cm dilated, no more. For those of you not in the know, that's typical for me. Two weeks left.

On a cheerier note, I believe that Mamma has persuaded me to knit this:



By the time this distracted Mama gets it done, I may actually be able to wear it. I've only gained 32 lbs with this babe (as opposed to the 40+ I usually pack on) so perhaps it will be easier to ditch and I'll be back in my jeans- my JEANS!- in a few months' time.

Off to check the stash and oogle yarn...

Elvis has left the building

This is the last of a series of just,well, really tired posts. Look at that, I almost typed, "tured". Real nice.
You see, I'm 38 weeks pregnant. OK, not until Tuesday, but still, I'm rounding up. My belly is so why shouldn't I? Anyhow (sometimes I type 'anyhoo' and then I realize I *hate* it when I hear someone use that word. Hate it.) I'm just about checked out of my life at this point waiting for this babe to arrive. I feel like I'm going through the motions, just getting through the day, because honestly, I'm just plain beat. As you know, there are three other little ones under four feet tall in this house and it's a perpetual motion machine around here. Sorry to sound like such a bummer, but I'm just going to go stick my head in the sand until December 13th. Or later, as each child has been 'late' by 3, 2, and 4 days, respectively. I always thought that that number was supposed to go down with each pregnancy (as labor is *supposed* to be shorter each time as well. My first was 12 hours, the third was about 8. Guess that works) but somehow someone forgot to tell my body it's okay to have a baby anytime after the docs give the 'all clear' signal.
So we're waiting. And I'm driving everyone crazy.
And I'm trying to knit, but I'm just being plain stupid and making ill-timed mistakes, and then realizing that it takes more brain RAM than I possess to rip out half of a Conwy sock to fix the third row of cabling and then get back into it. LL on size 1s should be banned from gestating women, I swear.
MIL's Christmas socks in Bearfoot are more than halfway done, and I'm quite pleased. Since we wear the same size, I knit hers to be the same length as mine, and they *do* fit me, so I'm crossing my fingers that somehow my feet just appear to be the size of a small dinghy and in fact, are not.
Two weeks left.

The waiting is the hardest part

Two weeks, 6 days, and some-how-ever-many-hours. Until my due date. Which I always pass. But it would be nice to have a baby on THanksgiving, wouldn't it? My grandfather was born on Thanksgiving and they always teased him that they got two turkeys that year. I'm just not feeling myself lately, I guess. No serious contractions yet, just that "Who the heck is talking out of my mouth?" feeling again. It's like I cannot make normal conversation anymore....sheesh.

Knitting....I'm absolutely addicted to Bearfoot. I went to the LYS this morning and bought two more skeins, one for Mom, one for MIL (neither of whom read this blog, so pbbbttthhhpptt~you'll both be sur-pri-ised!) and I'm trying to figure out which patterns to use. MIL was very gracious this week and stayed for us for three days while DH was in Toronto (just in case, dear. You never know what might happen) and Mom's coming up for two weeks once this little bambina actually gets here. I was thinking Christmas, but I may just give them early if she makes her appearance sooner. I really like a slightly lacey pattern, sans cabling if I can help it for the bulk factor. I must say that my favorite socks of all time (and I've knit five pair so far!) were Sockbug's RIver Rapids Socks. The pattern is easy to memorize (although I changed the number of knit-around rows to 4 instead of 3 as it elongated the pattern. Unlike what Hub says, it wasn't *ahem* a mistake. Cough, cough.
I'm still plugging ahead on Hub's Conwy socks, which are beautiful, but so slow going on the LL and size 1s that I can't seem to really concentrate on what repeat I'm on, etc. When I get motivated I'll break out the notebook and really go to work. But the wooly mohair is calling to be wound into a lovely ball....must...not...keep...for...myself.
Anyone up for a game of guess when this baby's coming?

We're getting there

First, Happy Veteran's day to everyone. I'm so thankful for your contribution to the freedom of our country and my personal safety. Words are not enough, but thank you.

Today, I'm starting to feel better. The princess is home from school today, as is the monkey boy. And they're actually getting along...should I say that? Don't want to jinx myself. I actually slept about 1/2 hour longer than I usually do because they were cuddled together reading books this morning. Yay! I have no idea what happened between yesterday and today, but hallelujah.

Second River Rapids sock is almost done. Like if I get off the computer now at 10:05, it should be finished by lunchtime done. I think that I have a second "if I could only knit with one yarn for the rest of my life, I would choose this" yarn, and that is Mountain Colors Bearfoot. The color, the hand, the froggability without showing frogginess, *sigh*. Aurora 8, you're still tops in my book too.

That leads to Hub's socks. I think I may just veg out and knit these in plain stockinette. Boring, I know, but he'd prefer it, and it would get me a quick "kudos" from him, as I've only ever finished one project from him. We have a running joke that he will get a sweater one day. I started one for him while we were dating, and grew to hate LB Woolease and then became a better knitter and my gauge changed, and well, it's just a big basket of frogged goodness now. That's almost ten years of promised sweater angst. I started another sweater for him this fall, but I don't like the yarn for the project, and I'm thinking that my DH's tendency to wear his clothes in a full throttle way might just preclude the use of Paton's Merino. I see a big bark-green pilled mess, and that ain't good, folks. I'm thinking perhaps something in a cotton blend or a superwash may just work better. I'm just not knitting sweaters right now, as I'm sock-addicted.

Off to try to grab a shower while the kids are camping in Monkeyboy's room, and then, sock-love.

Son of a knitblogger

Silly, I know. Little Bobo, our youngest as yet, is finally over the croup. His sister, the Princess, is still hacking upon rising every morning, although she seems no worse for the wear. Their chunky, pregnant Mama, on the other hand, has finally succumbed to the beginning of Cold Season. I've been trying to get to bed early, and therefore have knit very little. I'm halfway done with the second of the River Rapids socks, but other than that I have little ambition. Dear Hub keeps asking when HIS socks will be started. I haven't the heart to tell him that I need to finish another Cascading leaves first, nevermind the two sleeves for Princess' sweaters (which she may need this week as it's finally getting colder here).
I really, really want to go to ABC tonight and knit, but my head is feeling not-so-good. Perhaps another early night might just ward off the full-blown ick. I can hope, at least.

I haven't slept a wink

I have the Beatles rolling through my head at the moment. Just about all there is in there right now.
Socktober Update:
One finished pair of Retro Rib Socks in Knitpicks' Sock in Redwood. No photographs as the camera would not cooperate that day. I'm still not thrilled with the finished(read:fuzzy) product, but they're soooo soft. Very nice on the feet.
One sock: Sockbug's River Rapids in Mountain Colors Bearfoot. Color, Lupine.
Quite a lovely color, with much more blue than I've ever used before. No pictures of the sock, but I have to say that this pattern is one I'll make again. With the Bearfoot, of course.
I also finished sock one of the Cascading Leaves, shown in the below post.
Bad girl that I am, I cast on for Nancy Bush's Conwy socks in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, colorway Indian Summer. Note to self: Socks on #1s are not as fun as socks on #2s.
And I keep typing 'sicks'. Agh. Probably because we had to take Bobo to the E.R. at 1 am Sunday morning for the croup. Earned himself a shot of epinephrine and a neb treatment. Three kids with croup all in the same week. Here's hoping that the Princess will come home healthy enough tonight for the massive costume parade and candy fest that is Halloween in our neighborhood...

Houston, we have socks

This is the Cascading socks from the Townsend socks KAL on Yahoo. Forgive me for not linking, but I'll come back and fix that later.
Happy day, happy day.

Your Post Title here

I'm too tired to think of one. The littlest chunjy monkey has been up before 5 am every morning this week. THen, my phone line went kaflooey sometime between the hours of 3 am and 6 am yesterday. I can't seem to upload any of my sock pictures and I NEED A BREAK from the crazy monkeys. Harumph. Not to mention that I had to rip out *two* socks because they weren't turning out the way I wanted, then had to rip back 2 inches of the Cascading Leaves toe because I (how did I do this again) dropped a stitch in the first toe decrease row and it LADDERED (gasp) back down to the instep. Did that toe twice. This afternoon I spilled my drink (non-alcoholic for you jokesters) all over Hub's Socks that Rock yarn, preventing me from casting on for him....again. Bah.
And to top it off, I have to miss SnB tonight because I volunteered to paint a castle for the Book fair at the Princess' school.

Koigu, take me away.........

Socks and now more socks

Socktober Update:
I finally finished the Retro Rib Socks, and even got to wear them once already. I have to say I'm quite disappointed with the Knitpicks sock yarn for these, as after one wearing they're fuzzy and the stitch definition isn't great. If I'd have been thinking more clearly I would have saved it for a simple stockinette pair, but they're still a bit too fuzz-ball-ish to wear anywhere other than around the house. Pity.
On to more socks. I joined the Townsend socks KAL over at Yahoo Groups and am almost finished with sock #1 of the Cascading Leaves pattern, in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock something-or-other rose. I *love* this yarn and the pattern was easy enough and repetitive enough for a pregnant woman to start in the car on the way to Rhinebeck. Nice. Now I'm looking for a sock pattern for Hub to make of the Obsidian Socks that Rock that I purchased while in NY...

What every Amy Needs

I had to laugh today.
Via Wendy, just google "Your name here needs" and post the best 10 you find.

10. Amy needs help.
09. Amy needs to touch up her roots.
08. Amy needs a good topic for her film.
07. Amy needs help for life. (I guess I'm getting desperate here!)
06. Amy needs a new pair of shoes. (I like that idea.)
05. Amy needs to either wake up or start getting some extra will-power.
04. According to doctors, Amy needs to drop about 25 pounds. (This will happen in about two months, according to Amy)
03. Amy needs to come to the office to sign checks.
02. Amy needs some therapy, if you ask me.
01. Similarly, at the very least, Amy needs to be in "time out."

Enjoy.

Self-Inflicted Disaster, Part One

Didja ever do something that you just *knew* you shouldn't do, but everyone else was doing it, so that made it OK?
While I'm fully aware that this is not the first grade, I went ahead and jumped off the bridge, just like my mother warned me that I would someday do "if everyone else does it too."
I washed my Klaralund in the washing machine.
On gentle.
With a bit of gentle shampoo.
And I waited on it hand and foot, and when it started to spin too fast for my taste, I pulled her out of there.


And I'm not happy.


I guess I should find the good ol' sweater piller (de-piller? Pillerizer?) and go to work, because she's looking a bit bedraggled. Why, oh, why for the love of all that's Noro did I wash her in the washing machine?
Because it worked for everyone else, and I had heard about how the fabric improved, and how the stitches took up some and fit so much better afterward.
Mine's just a big fuzz ball that's misshapen and sad.

And so am I.

Spencer and SnB

First, the main body of Spencer is done, minus blocking. Have to run downstairs and grab the tape measure because I'm going to have to beat this thing into submission to get it to the measurements, I think. My gauge swatch was right on, and everything measured correctly as I was knitting, so I'm praying and crossing my fingers that it's the stretchy boing-iness of this yarn (Aurora 8) that is making me doubt myself. Maybe I'm just chunkier.
SnB last night was quite fun. I haven't been since they started meeting on Wed. nights, but it was the break and night out I really needed. I got a lot done and met Chris, Karen, Karen, Kathleen, and Audrey's friend, Pat, I believe. Seems like a great group.
Anyway, Spencer. I didn't really want to wet block it because that seriously cuts into my finishing time, but I'm beginning to think that I don't have a choice. I'll let ya know.

Ripped and torn

So I ripped out 30 rows of SS last night and managed to actually fo the first increase section the right way. Torn? Yes, I'm torn about whether or not I really want to make the big push to finish before Rhinebeck or take my time and enjoy the finishing of this sweater. Once the body knitting is done, I'll have to block that piece and do the edging, plus the applied I-cord. Not really that big a deal, but the seaming? I'm such a seaming procrastinator. OK, I'm just a procrastinator. Not a very lovely trait, but especially ugly when it comes to churning out FOs.
I'll be going to our local SnB tonight and the current plan is to just crank the thing out and get 'er done.
Off to take the Monkey to school and get yet another blood draw-fun is.

A different kind of sweater curse

Ever feel like the piece you've been working on *forever* has a mind and soul of its own, and that it just HATES you? I mean, I know that needles can feel that way (see this post about Boyd via Neglecting My Kids) but a sweater? Come on.
Today, however, I've been convinced. Bonne Marie wrote about having to frog Spencer after realizing that the cables in the front didn't match. Not only did I read her complete notes prior to casting on last Spring, but I made the same mistake. Duh. The problem is that I had already started the right sleeve by the time I even LOOKED to see if I had committed that error. Oh well, not *that* big a deal, right?
Wrong.
I then read the instructions to "Decrease one stitch at each end of needle every other row 6 times) as "Decrease one stitch at end of needle every other row" and instead of stopping, kept right on knitting, even though it didn't look possible that this sleeve was made to go along with the first. Think Abbott and Costello, folks.
And I thought that I could just match that baby up, block her out and finish her in time for this weekend. Hah.

More fun on size 1s...dpns that is.

It's Socktober!
I can't figure out which sock I want to knit...but I'm thinking it just may be Kristi's Spearfish sock, in the Cherry Tree Hill Old Rose.

Happy Columbus Day, y'all.

I'm sure I'll be making something lovely and Italian for dinner tonight, just for the holiday, you know.
Her Royal Highness and the Monkeyboy have the day off from school, so we took a little fieldy trip to Fabric Place to return some yarn and pick up some size 11 dpns for a very lovely gifty that Wendy sent to me this morning. I also picked up some Cascade 220 on sale (it's 2/$10 right now, yay) and got some fabric for a project for HRH's school.
It's a rainy day, and we're to have a full week of this to follow. SHould be exciting when the CT river overflows on Wednesday. Doomsdayers, beware.
Will try to get some knitting done this afternoon when the Bug and Monkey are napping.

One down

I'm knitting socks, as I mentioned. Retro Rib Socks, by Evelyn Clark, to be more precise. I've started many socks in the past, just to chicken out about heel-way through, but I'm done with half of this pair, kitchener stitch and all. I don't know what the big deal is about kitchener stitch~it's so logical and really easy. Freaked myself out over nothing. I can't wait to finish this next one so I can wear them. Ok, I really just want to start the next pair, which I think will be Amble from the Six Sox along. I purchased two skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Yarn's Supersock in Old Rose and Indian Summer, and I'm just waiting to use them...yum. I must say though, I've never had more difficulty in winding a skein than I did yesterday afternoon...the skeins looked great prior to trying to wind but they were really quite tangly and I ended up having to roll the other end into a ball and weave it back through to untangle and finally, yes, wind. Maybe it's just me.
Rain here all week long, so hopefully we'll have some extra cozy knitting time.

I'm officially banned

from starting a big new project for myself. At nearly 7 months pregnant, there's no way I'll finish a maternity-type sweater in time, and there's no point sobbing in my cheerios over the fact that I can't fit into one of Jenna Adorno's adorable little patterns. So I'm knitting socks. I'm hoping to have the first pair done by Rhinebeck weekend so I can wear my Birkenstocks with my lovely redwood socks. I can't imagine walking around all day in anything else, considering the amount of weight I've already gained with this little one.

I've also decided on no holiday knitting for this year. There's only a couple of non-blood-relations who appreciate the time and effort I have spent in past years and, well, my due date is December 13th, so I'm just nottagonnadoit. Feels really good to say.

I had the best of intentions

Story of my life. I'm just a bad blogger. I've had five total posts since April. Five. Add to that the fact that I have no digital camera and you get the most boring knitting blog that ever surfaced. Pooh on me.
I've had a re-growing interest in resurrecting this thing in the past week or so, so perhaps I'll be back. Like my UFOs, it seems I work in phases (although frogging seems to be my hobby of late rather than knitting, unfortunately). It is quite difficult to knit something in a size 34" when you're packing an extra 30 lbs and your chest is so ginormous that 34" seems more like the half circumference of your burgeoning belly. I notice that there was a Belly Along a year or so ago....I may just be willing to restart that if there are enough takers. Of course by the time I finish a project, I'll be back to a chest measurement of 34".
I'm having a serious case of the knitting blahs. I see things every day that I would *love* to knit, but then I cast on and realize that six inches of stockinette on a size 4 needle is just, well, too much stockinette for me to handle right now. I cast on for three different projects this week, all of which have been relegated to the Pond. And yet, I have two sweaters for the girl that are lacking only a sleeve before they can be called complete. Somebody stop me.
Off to find the next frogging lesson...until tomorrow, mmmwwwwwaaaaah.

I am merino wool

No surprise here. Via Rachel's blog, another Quizilla masterpiece. I am merino wool.
You are Merino Wool.
You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to
keep you close because you are so softhearted.
You love to be comfortable and warm from your
head to your toes.


What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Quite fun, and quite true.
More UFOs than I can shake two sticks at here, which I cannot understand as my computer time has been severely limited (just look at this blog). Dunno. I have a bad case of second sleeve syndrome, contributing to one unfinished Debbie Bliss sweater for the 6 year old and Kristen Nicholas' "Dancin' Daisies", also for said child. I need to just finish the darn things and get them sewn together. Soon. Like before she's fifteen.

Hum da dee dum, hum da dee dum

I'm still knitting. Amazing that it would take me almost a month to post again, but so much has happened in one month that it doesn't seem that long! We were on vacation for a week, the kids had some mysterious stomach bug (that mom and dad eventually caught too) for almost five days, and then my computer has been down for a week and I'm on temp service here. I know that the days don't all add up, but add to that one midway-through-pregnancy-brain and there you have it.
I just placed a nice order for some yarn for a couple of sweaters for Princess J and a few goodies for my poor, neglected SP. See above reasons for said neglecting. Should be here in three business days and I can't wait! I'm hoping to have the Beth sweater from Debbie Bliss' "Junior Knits" completed in that time...wishful thinking. I love that book as it really spans the ages of my kiddos.
Speaking of kiddos, I have an ultrasound on Monday to see what particular variety of baby we're expecting......

Baycation, baybee

Whew. I need it, too. We're off for five days to Whistler, BC for some R&R. My mother in law is staying with the kids....I hope she eats her Wheaties this week.
What to knit? That's still the question of the hour. We're taking a helicopter tour of a glacier and I'm knitting a little cap to wear as it can get cold up there. I think I'll finish before tonight, which again leaves me wondering what to bring. I'm bringing Spencer, for the ride to the resort from the airport, and I've just about settled on the Flower Basket Shawl from the same Fall IK, which saves some book space for some sock yarn and a little pattern or something.
See you Monday!

Green clouds are parting, y'all

Breathe in, breathe out. Not so ick constantly anymore, so I bit the bullet and decided to update. Again, not much knitting content. Hub and I decided to go to NYC last weekend sans kids and he went to the Yanks game (yes, they lost 17-1, ew.) and I trucked it down from Times Square to School Products to check out their marvelous selection of goodies. Cashmere, yes, but I wasn't feeling it as much as I was the baby camel, so I picked up two skeins in charcoal. Just lovely. I also picked up some laceweight yak/merino, again in charcoal. It just called my name. They put out gorgeous knitted, washed samples so you can get a good idea of how your finished products will feel once the spinning oil is removed. Like buttah, let me tell you. Well worth the walk.
The weekend prior I went to
WEBS and purchased a wonderful Lendrum double treadle. So *that's* why Amy's not knitting as much. Aha. Amassing lovely custom yarn for socks and such. Yay! I'm smacking myself for not grabbing up a bag of alpaca fleece when I had the chance. FIL says that the owner of his farm throws away the fleece from their sheep when they're shearing them. Excuse me? You want to give me fleece from your sheep? Why, thank you dear FIL. Fiber for me :)
I also have a little digital camera in my new phone so once I make the hike back to the store to get the adapter I will have pics. Maybe people will read my blog now. I know I want to see goodies when I'm blogging around.

Bleck-o-rama

I apologize for no knitting content. I've simply been too nauseous/tired to knit. I've skipped two sit and knits because of it, and I'm hoping it gets better soon.
I ripped out all of the Sideways Spencer after starting and re-starting it five times. Many thanks to Annie Modesitt for clarifying her pattern on her website. This pregnant brain just can't understand more than a stockinette scarf right now, and perhaps even that's pushing it.

Spring Knitty has Sprung, Y'all

I'm just so excited to report that the new Spring Issue is up!!! Of course, if you're a knitter, you probably already know that. If you didn't, you're probably not a knitter and you don't care :)

I have to make the Via Diagonale bag, and I've only made a few handbags in my lifetime. Compulsion, I tell you. Must...make...Wendy's...bag. Ay.

Now to figure out what winter knits to put on hold while I begin fresh. Ah, spring.

Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy

Can I even just tell you how wonderful this beautiful weather makes me feel? Ay!!!!!!
I'm just loving the sun and the kids had a wonderful time yesterday playing outside. Here comes Spring, Hallelujah!
I figured out how to paragraph now, so WATCH OUT!!!! I'm also talking about getting a digital camera so y'all can see I'm not fibbin' when I talk about what's on the needles. OK, so I'm paranoid.
SIL's Tempting is almost done. I *love* that Cashmerino and I wish I had another project waiting in the wings to make from it. I bought some cotton/acrylic blend to make one for myself, in PINK . Aren't you surprised?
Mom and grandma's scarves are coming along well, albeit a bit slowly. I tried to get a few rows in on Mom's as the kids played yesterday, but mohair and fresh spring mud don't mix well, so In The Bag it went. There's always later today.
I've got quite a few project ideas for this spring and summer. Hopefully this will be the first year that I've knit nearly every night all year round, instead of stopping when the weather hits that anti-knitting temperature. Like I said, lots of cotton and plant fiber projects in the works.
I'm so fickle.

Da da da da, da da da da

Picture me singing "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega. Got that song in your head? Good. I dare you to get rid of it. Agh! I'm knitting again after a four day hiatus. Was in IL last week and knit a bit on the plane, but I was so busy working the conference (Hearts at Home) that I didn't get much done during the time I was there. I'm making 'Tempting' for SIL for her birthday. I'm using the AC Moore cashmerino and I just love it. I had never been to an AC Moore prior to yesterday and I was really impressed by the amount of natural fibers that they carry in comparison to say, ahem, joann fabrics. I got some variegated mohair for scarves for Grandma and Mom for their birthdays, a week and a half late. Not like they live in NC or anything and can use mohair all year round. I'm such a bad planner.

The wait is over, Folksies

For me. But not for you, alas, as I still have no digital camera. So you cannot see the loveliness that is my Handpainted Yarn. Trust me that it is bee-you-tee-ful and a dream to knit with. You have to, because there's no more in stock over there. Try WEBS and look under 'Malabrigo'. You'll pay more, but hey, addiction is addiction.

Everybody calls me Duckie

Try watching the Wiggles' Cold Spaghetti Western and not having that song stick in your head. Now watch it three times in the same week. Kids are finally healthy, yay! My knitting has become stagnant again and I'm bored. Still waiting for my Handpainted Yarn order. Marcos emailed me that it was mailed on the first, so I'm anxiously awaiting it. This stuff is seriously addictive. I've always been a variegated fan, and I just love knitting with this yarn. I have sweaters for the children dancing in my head, although at this late date they won't be for Easter. I'd like to get some spring photos out of them though. My children all resemble their father (Italian, blue eyes, although the boys have green and brown) so I've chosen various blue shades for them. The girl and I went on a date Saturday for Mommy and me day. We shopped, we ate lunch (and chocolate cake with truffle sauce) and then we got our hair cut together. It was her first professional cut and she loooooved the shampoo. Can't blame her as that's my favorite part too. She looks just like Shirley Temple when it's wet but begged me to blow it out straight for church yesterday. Five going on fifteen, if you ask me. We had such a wonderful time. Sorry that I can't figure out how to make paragraph breaks in this format. I know, it drives me crazy too.

Nothing new to report

Because we've been sick for three weeks! Yuck! I'm heading off to the doc today to see if I have bronchitis. As an asthmatic, it seems the cold always migrates to my chest. The littlest boy has been quite sick the past two weeks, with an overlap of a few days each to his older siblings. I always manage to pick up everything they have. Not much knitting news, although I ordered some more from handpaintedyarn.com so we'll soon see that. I'm hoping that their version of laceweight is sock-able. And did I mention that my Mommy is here? She came all the way up just because she knows how sick I've been and has been such a saint helping me with the wee ones. Yay!

Happy Birthday to me!

Yes, it's today. And yes, it is my 30th.
Michael was sweet enough to throw me a little partay on Saturday. We had a nifty little time. Some of his co-workers chipped in to get me a gift certificate....for yarn. Yep, it's gone already.
I got: 1 skein of CE Tigress to make a quick poncho on size 50 needles (done in about two hours)
4 skeins of CE Premiere to make that twisty short row scarf in Scarf Style~Pam Allen
9 skeins of Silk Garden in that lovely red colorway (I'm too lazy to look up the color)
2 skeins of Lopi in eggplant to supplement my Banff
Scarf Style, by Pam Allen

I'm feeling seriously attention deficit with all the projects a'workin.
Think I'll go eat another piece of Tiramisu cake.

PS...I've been trying to get my Haloscan thingie up here, but Blogger hasn't been my friend lately.

I've been knitting....and ripping...

...and I've just been too busy to blog. I thought I would have some pictures up of this winter's projects, but it just hasn't happened yet. So, picture with me, if you will, a lovely Silk Garden #213 Klaralund *here* and the beginnings and dribs and drabs of my undulating stash over *here*.
Let's see. I knit about five inches into the back of my Ribby Cardi and realized that I probably should have made the next larger size, so I ripped that out. I cast on and knit the ribbing for the Gansey in the Old Way, from the last IWK, and realized that it was much too stretchy and wasn't going to have that nice, firm rib shape. Ripped that out. Found out that there really is a 10.75 needle for Simply Marilyn. Found out that I didn't have one. Cast on for Libby Baker's Belle Epoque with Jo Sharp Rare Comfort kid mohair....I wanted so desperately for it to work, but alas, even though it knits to gauge, the crocus bud pattern is totally MIA in the fuzziness. Ripped it out. Or should I say that it sits, waiting for me to rip it out, because I'm scared to frog mohair. I think that yarn is destined for something else, and soon, because I love it so much. I am scouting out more yarn for Belle Epoque~I love that pattern and I really want to knit it!
Purchased some laceweight from KnitPicks for some unspecified shawls for several upcoming birthdays....there's quite a few of you, so no one will know exactly who I'm talking about.
Oh yes. I had purchased some Cascade 220 Quattro for a sweater that I really just don't want to knit. Exactly half of that yarn is perfect for an Irish Hiking scarf, so that's what it's destined to be. For me. Perhaps the other half is already earmarked for you.....

From the top-down

I can't believe my little babe is one! The boy had a birthday on Sunday, which he wasn't especially able to enjoy due to the sniffles...aw, don't worry. We're having cake and ice cream with the family on Saturday. It just doesn't seem possible that a whole year could have passed. I remember driving to the hospital (OK~my husband drove) at 1 in the morning praying that I was going to be at least 3 cm so I wouldn't have to pack it up and go home....again. Yes, I have had three children, so you'd think I'd know, but for some reason this time, the third visit was the charm. Babe was born that morning....and now he's almost walking. *Sniff, sniff*
As for the knitting, well, I'm going full bore on this top down raglan. I never made one quite this way before and it's fairly mindless and fun. I dyed the yarn with cherry and grape Kool-aid, and I'm liking the random patterning.
Cast on and knit the first few rows of Belle Epoque the other night. I'm having a difficult time seeing what the crocus bud pattern will become. The Jo Sharp mohair is quite furry, albeit gorgeous, and I'm not getting much stitch definition. I'm trying to figure out whether or not to save it for another project, but I really dread frogging the mohair. Eek. What to do.....
I returned the yarn for the Kyoto KAL...don't even ask me what I was thinking when I ordered it. Move on. I'll find something before say, June. In returning that mess, I thought again about the ChicKnits Ribby Cardi, and so I ordered some Paton's Classic merino in pink and brown. With that, plus swatching for several other projects, I should keep busy. Not to mention I have a birthday cake to construct for Saturday......