Time Out Tuesday

I realized this morning that today is Tuesday and I have nothing prepared for Timeless Tuesday. I'm not sure what came next in my knitting history. There's Rob's hat, the Kaffe Fasset vest, Rob's sweater...I'm sure I must have made more than that during the two years we were dating! I'll try to do something tomorrow. I'm feeling crappy today, thanks in part to sleepless nights with Megan. When I don't get enough sleep my arthritis flares up, and my neck is taking a beating today. Hopefully once she weans she'll sleep more, and I can take something better than ibuprofen. Which is not working today :(

Some photos to share instead. Those are the pumpkin hats I've been making to use up a ball of Red Heart. had to buy a ball of green for the stems, LOL (but bought from my LYS!). Despite 'following' a pattern, they seem to be a little long. There was no gauge given in the pattern. In the close up you can see the one I did with random stripes of two different oranges. I like that one. In the top photo you can see the tuck st. hat, which still needs a leaf. I'm going to give these to the maternity ward/breastfeeding clinic...next year, LOL. They were all made on the knitting machines (KP 30 on the KnitSmart, I dont' know, for the LK150...maybe T6).
This is called a "FrankenKozy" style MT. It's not the one I was using on Saturday downtown. This was the first one I made. I took apart a stretch twill pouch I had made and used that for the body. The straps are made from the long skinny piece left over from making the gauze wrap. The body is a little short if Megan falls asleep, and it's' more comfortable if I wear it on my front, but I still like it! I even tried it with Lucy on my back. She's heavy! I've tried several times now to load that photo with Lucy, but it won't come up. Edit to add: Those jeans are actually regular size low rise jeans. How sad is it that I'm so short-waisted that low rise jeans still come up to my waist? I swear I don't buy Mom jeans! And my boobs don't normally look like that either--I was trying a new way to tie the straps. Now I know, I won't leave the house like that!
And here's some shots of Megan helping Daddy install a pot drawer. I've been asking for 7 years for a pot drawer. He was going to make one...but this one came on sale at Canadian Tire. It's a little smaller than what I wanted, but at least it's in! Megan was the star of the show at story time when she shuffled across the circle. Instead of walking forward, she shuffles sideways. And she has finally found her voice. She chatters quite a bit now, although still not quite at the level she should. And she is laughing now too! Before, she'd laugh only if you tickled her, or sometimes if Huey put on a really good show right in front of her. Now she's laughing at lots of things! We call her Pteradactyl Girl because she squawks and squeals. She's pretty cranky right now. Wrapped up in our crazy pink 'Moby' wrap, she is fighting falling asleep.
Time to get the kids ready for dinner, then trick or treating!

Your Opinion Please!

Went to get the mitten/hat yarn this morning....Lens Mill doesn't have the new colours of Patons Decor! So disappointed. So we choose Shetland Chunky. I know it's not a lot of wool in it, but any amount is better than mitts made out of Canadiana/Satin/Super Saver. Also picked up some odd balls of Decor to add to the bag, LOL. And some Divine :) OH, I LOVE that yarn. Like wearing a bunny. A nice purple colour to add some trim to Lucy's hat/mitts.

Took the kids downtown for trick or treating. Lots of fun! Lots of loot. Several stores ran out--last year there wasn't a good turnout. Lucy even got a carnation at the flower store because they only had one treat left...which Huey grabbed, LOL. As we turned to leave the jeweler store, the owner called out "Have you been to China?" I thought...what the ? Then I realized she'd seen Megan in the MT carrier on my back. The woman was Chinese. She was very impressed :) She said her husband wouldn't let her wear her babies out in public, only at home, because people would think she's crazy :( So we chatted for a minute, but I still don't know how to pronounce Mei Tei (Mai Tei? Mei Tai? I'll have to look it up again!).

Thanks for the lovely comments on the blanket! I try to plan it so if I take it to knitting group, I'm working on a plain knit row! Hee Hee. Really shocks the ladies when my fingers fly, LOL. Otherwise, it's for boring road trips, not-too-late nights, and afternoon soaps :)

Opinion time! The older kids are Huey, Lucy, and what shall Megan be? Meggy, or Meggie? Her middle name is Anne. I think Meganne would be neat....but cause the problems that we hate with unusual names, LOL.

No pictures today? Forgot to take some while trick or treating!

Fun for All!

Yes, I do have some brain power left. Not much though. This is the blanket I was working on last night:


Had another great night at SnB last night. Even getting told we've got to be using yarn from the shop during the get togethers couldn't dampen it. I actually was using a ball of their yarn, for the pumpkin stems. And had I known about the great orange, I would have bought it for the hats. So we might just buy a ball to make hats or mitts or something--so we can keep meeting there. Which is only fair. As it was pointed out...the store is open while we're there, someone could come in and see what we're doing...then find out the yarn isn't available there. And we do want her to stay in business :) It's just hard to justify buying anything when I'm insulating the basement with my stash. Lucy has a new coat, and needs new mittens and a hat. I have a HUGE stash of Decor. But not the right shades. I'd like to keep using Decor for kid's winter stuff. But certainly I will shop there for new projects!

This blanket is in Jaggerspun Zephyr, 50% wool, 50% silk. It's supposed to be a soft white, like the picture on the left, not the very creamy colour in the other two photos! The square pattern in the middle is called "Charlotte", a free square doily pattern from the internet. The only free square doily pattern on the internet. I've selected the other motifs from my various stitch dictionaries. They are all united by the theme "Diamonds". It should have been done awhile ago, but I was waiting for a knitting forum friend to send me the pattern for the Kerry Blue Shawl and she never did. So I cast on (again and again) for this while Rob took Huey to Indiana in early July, thinking Murphy would visit and the other pattern would arrive the next day. Still waiting....But babies grow and Christmas looms....

The Tale of a Bunny and a Frog

After I made the pumpkin hats, I had a little of one of the oranges, but not enough for anything, so I did random stripes of the two oranges, and did a tiny newborn hat. SO cute! Guess I should take a picture of it, LOL.

Then, I still had a LOT of the Red Heart orange staring at me, so I thought I'd do some "Mile-a-Minute" pumpkin hats (with random columns of ribbing, and a slightly different top). I think there's 4 done, but I might undo the bottom one as it's too loose (I already undone one. I started with KP 45, did one, then KP40, did one, KP35....but the KP45 was way too loose so I undid it). I was looking around for the last little bit of the great yarn I've used for the stems of the other pumpkins. A mossy green with flecks of other colours, a little rough textured.

While searching the basket under my desk full of odds and ends, uncompleted stuff, etc, I found a bunny with one ear sewn on and the darning needle dangling from the other ear. If you've never made a Heartstrings bunny, you've got to check it out! I made one, summer of 2005 of pink/purple Bernat Boa for Lucy. She loved it! But my square was more rectangular, and the bunny is long and skinny (doesn't help that the Boa stretched as Lucy squeezed the bajeebers out of the poor thing. No real bunnies for her!).
I decided I would use up a bunch of odd browns and creams yarns I had bought to make my in-laws an afghan, and I would make a pile of these squares to make bunnies. A nice simple project for the new knitting machine. Well, I have a pile of squares....
For the Knitting Olympics I was going to make a pair of alpaca gloves. Uh huh. With a 2 month old refluxy newborn. At the same moment we finally bought a new house. Yeah. I got the swatch done. I changed my game plan--I would finish a bunny a day. Knit two quick ears, some simple sewing. Uh huh. Hence, the one-eared bunny in the basket.
I decided right there and then to finish it. On the floor. And I did!

He's got a very plump behind. (Edited to add: I make the squares anywhere from 6-8" wide, instead of 4". Still keep the math easy--cast on what the ball band says plus half or two thirds.) And the back legs always end up pointy. Maybe I'm sewing them wrong. But he's darn cute. Megan agrees. I think I did the purl side as the outside. It's Bernat Soft Boucle. I remember buying it at Len's Mill and the teenybopper cashier called it "Buckle". LOL.

Now for the frog :(
While cleaning up looking for the green stem yarn...I took a close look at the Whine Wrap Cardigan. I was ticked that when I frogged the back, I got almost to the point I had ripped back the fronts, and then realized I didn't need to--the front's had the neck shaping and I had done too much between the bottom lace and the start of the neck shaping. On the back, I only had to go back to where the armholes should have started. When I put the other pieces on the machine and redid them, I used the mast from the LK150. The KnitSmart doesn't have a mast, it's like the Bond. You pull out the yarn you need for each row, so there is NO tension on it. But you have to take up the slack at the ends of the rows or it pops out of the yarn guide and you lose the sts. It appears using the yarn mast, while ensuring a more even tension (if you don't pull out enough yarn, and the carriage gets stopped by the yarn tension, it affects the garment tension, with the KnitSmart), resulted in a tighter row tension. And probably stitch tension too. It's pretty obvious.

And to be honest....I've made plenty of mistakes on this thing. I've lost the enjoyment. I don't think it's a great match of yarn and pattern. Sure, the plain Astra allows you to see the lace section, but the solidness of the colour is ....cheap looking in the vast plain sections. I like yarns with a bit of interest. Some shading, a bit of texture, not wild, but not so perfect either. So I think I will frog the rest of it. I don't think I have any other yarn that fits the gauge and my interest. And I don't know what I'll do with the 10 balls of wine Astra. Something with more textural interest I guess. That would probably mean, not on the knitting machine, unless I do something with tuck stitches... I've also got several other projects in the queue that I want to get moving on.
Like a pair of alpaca gloves :)

Timeless Tuesday

Well, lets see if I can get the picture to post today.
Yeah! There she is! In all her acrylic glory! Kaffe Fassett's Whirling Stars.
I started this in August 1995. I went crazy buying all the yarn. His books are eye candy for colourholics. He says the more colour and texture the better. But I was still too unknowledged to be able to skillfully put it together on my own. I bought a huge pile of the yarn at LewisCraft. The clerk says to me "Are all these for one project? You've got several different weights here." I responded with something like "That's okay, with this pattern, if I run out of one early, I'll just get something else. I'll just use less of the small balls." I had no clue that she meant thickness when she said 'weight'. Most of the yarns I used were worsted weight (Canadiana), but some were DK (Astra) and some were even thinner (perhaps Kroy 4 ply). I don't remember if I got gauge or not, LOL.

The pattern was for a pullover, but I wanted a cardigan. No problem, there were some of those in the book, so I just photocopied the pattern, and drew the cardigan outline on the chart. Good idea, but the cardigan was a man's pattern, and the neck shaping is very deep.

I started the actual knitting when Rob and I headed out on our first road trip vacation as a couple. We met in late May, went away together the first time in late June, then just about every weekend after. Yeah, we were a little crazy, but not as crazy as my idea of knitting this while being the navigator!
I quickly realized that I couldn't work with 20 balls of yarn in the cab of the pick up. So that's what they mean by 'make bobbins of each colour' LOL. I made a bunch of little balls. But they kept unraveling. So I bought a pack of jumbo safety pins, and I'd pin each bobbin so it wouldn't unravel. I could also slide the pin on the needle after doing that section, or open the pin and put it on afterwards. So that worked out good.
There was still a lot I didn't know. This is one of the raglan seams. I had learned to do the decreases in one stitch from the edge, and I did learn how to mattress stitch the seams with this project, but I didn't know how to incorporate the colour work with the decreases, and ended up with some pretty icky sections. I solved this with the sleeves, by doing the colour pattern only where it was not affected by the raglan decreases (ie--up the center), and either side was done in dark brown. The decreases on the other raglan seam look better--they were the k2tog--I'm not sure what kind of dec. I used on this side! I think I did k2tog, but because of how they don't line up, it gives a twist to each one.

I used a doubled stockinette button band, like the pattern said to. It's very bulky. Although it's fairly flat and even, I probably picked up whatever the pattern said to. I do remember reading "Knitting In Plain English" by Maggie Righetti when I was putting this together, and the instruction to divide the edge into quarters and mark them, then pick up 1/4 of the sts needed for the total between each marker. Great advice. On something this big though, I'd divide it into even more sections! And, don't forget an increase point where the band goes from straight to angled! And do the backside of the band with a smaller needle. I think the pattern called for a turning row, but I didn't know why, so I didn't bother. You should bother!
A while after this sweater I took a workshop with Lucy Neatby on her Magic Buttonholes (try www.tradewinddesigns.com I'll check later for it). It was so clever, and tidy! But I wasn't about to rip this out, and I haven't done anything since in a double band of stockinette, and it doesn't work in other patterns.
I remember finishing this on Christmas Eve, up in the very cold sitting area upstairs at the old house. It was for my Mom! It fit, but it is very oversized. She recently gave it back to me thinking it'd be better for me to have it/do something with it, then to let it sit in the closet. So, I'm going to update it!

Around this time I also started knitting baby things for Guardian Angels--a charity that gives premmie outfits to hospitals (run through a drug store chain called Guardian Drugs). I didn't take pictures of those, some of them were pretty sad! I also discovered the big Vogue Knitting book at the library (where I fell in love with Kaffe Fassett). I decided I was going to work through a bunch of the stitch patterns by making squares to turn into an afghan. In cheap, bright acrylic. Some of them were pretty sad! I made 8 , I think. They hung around, and finally last year, I sewed them together into a mini afghan. Hideous. I thought I'd donate it to the animal shelter. Not sure if it went when Rob took a bag of dog food. I'll check later.

From here on in, projects overlapped considerably. It's hard to put them in a precise order. Especially since I still can't find my brag book! I know I made Allie's baby blanket and Christening gown in the second half of 1998...but what all came between 1995 and 1998? Oh yeah....another Kaffe Fassett design...or two....Next week!

Went to SnB!

Went to SnB last Thursday. Had the greatest time! I didn't knit a single stitch. I wove in the ends on the one blue sock, did some shopping...I'm feeling bad that I haven't spent any money there in a long time, and there was the whole issue of last week--having to work on a project with something from there for a photo shoot...and I didn't have anything I could actually work on (but I did have something I had been working on a while ago). I bought a couple skeins of a lace yarn to make a Flower Basket Shawl. Don't know when I'm going to start it though---I just bought a big bag of fabric!! Sewing is expensive!!

Stay tuned for "Timeless Tuesday" tomorrow!!

Croak!

There's a lot of frogging happening here. Rip-it, Rip-it. That's Rip, not rib. Although there's a bit of ribbing going on.
The burgandy wrap sweater started it all. I was going to call it the Wine Wrap Sweater, but it comes out as Whine Wrap Sweater instead. And it's just too hard to say when I'm tired (as if I'm ever any other way). I'm having some gauge rage issues with the row gauge, but I'm hoping that'll keep it on the short side. I unravelled down to the lace on one front piece, got it back on the machine, worked the neck shapings for the next portion....have too many sts left before starting the next section. If it were hk, I'd probaby just fudge it, but I also seemed to end with the carriage on the wrong end. Rip Rip Rip. But I push the LK150 to the back of the desk and I'm using the tension mast from it with the KnitSmart :)
I'm going to rip out this tank top! I made it summer of 2005 while pregnant, on the KnitSmart. Custom fit, just for me, with short rows for the belly and bust, the back was quite a bit smaller than the front. I didn't have enough needles to do the front in one piece, so I added two small lace panels up the sides. It was made with 1824 just as it was discontinued--the only way I could afford it! I had almost enough left over to make a similiar one for my ma, but wasn't happy with the fit of hers. But I've just realized that it fits the gauge for this neat t-shirt. I think that will be a nice use of this yarn!
And, a sneak preview of the next Timeless Tuesday...just in case the scissors come out before then...

Okay, I've tried at least 5 times to load the next picture! I'll try later, it's time to get the kids. Lucy went to a farm today---on a bus! My baby!

Blog when one can!

In 2000 I knit a pair of socks that I loved. I remember working on one of them when Huey was born--but I can't remember if it was #1 or #2. However, they were knit a little tight, and the heel flap was not long enough. I ended up with a bit of yarn left over (Schoeller-Esslinger Fortissimma 4 ply), and was ticked that I hadn't made the legs longer. But the real downfall happened slowly, over the years. I didn't know that carpet was bad for wool socks :( Gradually a hole wore in one, under the heel. I thought about duplicate stitch darning it, but decided that would be too lumpy and potentially not permanent. Earlier this year I decided I simply must re-knit the foot, adding a bit of length to the heel flap as well. How long could that take?
I seriously cannot remember when I started fixing these. I think it was before we moved in May...my memory is so bad now that I don't even know. But I grafted the toe yesterday. There's still ends to weave in, but at least we're still in Socktober. Part of the problem was I didn't write down exactly which lace pattern I used from the Harmony Guides. I figured that out quick enough...but then never wrote it out on a piece of portable paper. So every time I picked them up, I had to re-think the pattern. Not a difficult pattern though--I was pregnant when I was making them, LOL.
To speed it up a little, I decided to drop the outer lace repeat part way down the foot, then the next outer ones as I got further. I ended up with one center repeat a little too early, but oh well.
What I can't decide now...is whether to fix the other one right away, or finish another pair of socks I have in progress. I don't mind them not matching, but the other one will need to be fixed soon. Tell me--fix it now while I'm still in the mode, or write the pattern down, stick the needles in the yarn, and finish the other pair?
The photos that didn't quite make the cut this time:
Megan's hand included because....she's Megan.
The blob on the right of this photo....Cooper checking out the action.

Timeless Tuesday

I've been waiting so long to post about this umm...sweater. The earliest I could have bought the pattern was April 95, but I think it was actually May or June. It's from a Rowan magazine, my first 'real' pattern. Unfortunately the attitude of the ladies in the yarn shop did not amuse me and I chose to go elsewhere for the yarn.
(Too bad for them, I lived only a couple blocks from the store. They could have had a great costumer...until they moved out of the town and I didn't drive, LOL).
The yarn called for was Rowan California Cotton, gauge: 22st and 32 rows to 4 inches. Which I got. Using Bernat Handicrafter---a worsted weight yarn used often for dishclothes. Because, you know, getting gauge is SO important! I had no idea, in those pre-internet days, that I need to match the gauge of the original yarn. If only I had chosen a DK cotton, this might have gotten finished. I gave away all the unused cotton once I knew better. So, it will forever stay a one sided sweater. Sleeveless, because somehow the armholes are only about 5" deep! I have no idea how that happened.
I haven't done much textured work since. I didn't mind it, but I got so confused with the symbols, although they are actually easy enough: a black dot to purl on the right side, or knit on the purl side....but I couldn't keep track of which row I was on on the chart....I knew the difference between a knit st and a purl stitch, but in seed stitch I was clueless...
What did I learn from this project? Years later I learned that it is okay to not finish something. To not enjoy a project is no indication of one's enjoyment of the entire craft. That I still wanted to keep on knitting, even though at times it seemed really hard. That working with cotton meant very sore hands. Of course, if I had been using DK cotton, and appropriate needles.....I might have a finished sweater, LOL.

A FO!

Yee Haw! I finished something! Seamed, ends woven, washed, and given to recipient!

They're not quite as bright as they look here. And yes, they are different colours. The one on the left was the first one, done in a tuck stitch. It went so quickly! The tuck st is not quite the look I wanted though, and it barely fits me. I have a small head so I knew it would be too small for just about any other adult. And it doesn't have a leaf yet.
The one on the right has ribs which took a while to latch up. It fits me, and is stretchy so I was hoping it'd fit the new owner--Lucy's JK teacher! She took it today (after a huge tantrum again, which ended with me carrying her to the truck without her coat or boots on!) and gave it to Mrs. T who tried it on right away and gave her a hug.
Wow. Something actually finished. Now I'm going to do a small one. Just because. What else can I do with leftover orange Red Heart?

Hi! My Name is Murphy!

I'm supposed to be in Georgetown right now, enjoying a multi-media presentation by world renown knitting designer, Fiona Ellis. No, I'm not typing this from a laptop with wireless connection.
At the least, I should be in downtown O'ville, getting my picture in the paper for an article on the LYS.
Nope. We've had a snowstorm....and almost 2 inches of snow. Snow, itself, is not the issue. The issue is the temperature drop over the evening, and the difference between down there and up here. Just like the night I rolled my car. So I am at home.

This week has been one Murphy law after another. Like today. I sent the in-laws to the school for Grandparent's Tea hosted by the JK/SK class. I sent them in my truck so they could bring home the kids. I thought "I'll get a head start on dinner". I was going to make corn chowder, nice and homey for a snowy day, and I actually had bacon. What I didn't have was onions. When there's only 5 ingredients in a recipe, you kinda need them all. We won't even delve into the rest of the day.

The only 'good' thing: I figured out why the Burgundy wrap was too long. I had gauge (or close enough), I had even eliminated an inch and a half to account for height. But the body was too long and the sleeves were right (let's not try to figure out why the body is too wide. One thing at a time). I was trying to pick up sts for the front band, and even though I had fewer rows, there was NO way I could stretch out the number of sts to pick up that I'm told for that size (I also don't understand why you pick up the lower part, do it, then pick up for around the slope and the neck).
So what happened?
Remember, I made this on the KnitSmart. Well, let's just say, it's not called "SmartKnitter". It says to knit until piece measures X inches. For the machine, you have to know how many rows that is. I figured that out. But I didn't clue in that it was "Work lace pattern 6 times, continue in st. stitch until piece measures X".....and I did X number of rows after the lace part.
DOH! I have the 4 raglan seams all done. And one of them I did three times. I don't have to rip out the sleeves, but I have to rip out the back and two front pieces all the way down almost to the lace portion! I've already knit the back twice! At least I don't have to redo the lace. Argh! I don't even like it all that much! I don't like how the ribbing on the bottom flips up. I don't like how it's sort of bunchy at the lace part and smooth above it. I think there should have been more sts increased above the lace. And it's also not that colour. It's a deep wine. You can see the flipping rib in the photo. F$#**ing rib.

Shall I go into details on the pumpkin hat saga? At least I tried out tuck stitch on the LK150. Let's leave it at that.
I wonder what will be wrong with the round lace blanket in Baby Soft DK--that giant skein I bought in Listowel (I added a picture afterwards to that post. And other posts have new pictures too. Go take a look. I'll still be here. It's too late to go to G'town). I know it's looking more puckery than the first one did. If I take the time to graft the last row then wash it....Murphy says the pucker won't smooth out.

I wonder what it costs to change your last name?

Timeless Tuesday

Tuesday already!
But first, I forgot to include this photo last week:
Knitting Osmosis strikes me every time I look at this photo, also from Sally Melville's "The Knitting Experience: Book 1". Rationally, I know I cannot wear anything braless (even a bathing suit, but really, I also cannot go out in public wearing a bra under my bathing suit--I think that would be a greater faux pas than the site of me braless in the suit). I know wearing leopard print pants, a black partially sheer top, and pinning my hair up while I schlep the kids to school will cause some strange looks. They already think I'm odd because of the babywearing habit. My legs will not suddenly grow 6", my belly flatten, and my neck lengthen.
Why do they use models that are so unrealistic to the average knitter....who is probably not that much different from the average woman?
There are two books of knitting for larger sizes. The older one is at our public library, but really, I felt it had nothing to offer. No unusual shapings to account for bulges and boobs, no magical techniques to make me look like the models. The newer book, by www.knitty.com creator is apparently a good read, but unless you're in the 'fluffy all over' category, it's not particularly helpful. I'm shaped like a D, not like an O or a 0 like most patterns write for--my front is quite a bit bigger than my back or shoulders indicate that it should be. :( for me, :) for Rob, LOL.
I loved Z's term "Bellylicious". I don't have that type of belly, I'm still not feeling the belly love, but I love the empowering feel of that word.
Onwards and Backwards:

At some point, while knitting, or after knitting the grey and white sweater, I decided my (ex) boyfriend needed a scarf, and maybe mittens. I don't remember. I bought some cheap black chunky yarn, it might have been Shetland Chunky, I don't know. I added the swirl pattern in purple to match his coat. There might have been a garter st. border, I don't know. It was a narrow scarf, and it totally rolled up. I tried ironing it flat. It became shiny. I gave it to him anyway and he wore it. I don't know where it is now, LOL. Probably trying desperately to rot in a landfill somewhere.

I also decided I needed some mittens for my new coat. I did not know:

1) The best cast on for ribbing

2) That increasing for the thumb gusset would screw up the swirl pattern

3) What a pattern repeat was and why the number of sts in the repeat is important

4) How to seam the side

5) How to seam the top

6) To leave long ends, and use them for seaming

7) How to hide the ends

8) Wool is best for mittens

Further along in my knitting experience, when I taught knitting, I used mittens as the first project. That might seem ambitious, but look at everything you should know. It's pretty amazing that I completed this first pair. It's even more amazing that I ever made mittens again. And it's pretty darn phenomenal that I kept this first pair. But then again...being acrylic blend, they're not going to rot in my basement, or in the landfill, so what's it matter where they're kept, LOL!

Some knitting content

Yes, I do still knit. Some. Stitch by stitch, row by row... I finally got around to knitting a Baby Surprise Jacket, by Elizabeth Zimmerman. Before I finished the first, I started the second, and before I finished the second, I started a third...but modified it to be a pullover. The intention was that it would be for my niece Nya's first 4th of July, having been born at the end of May. Well...it didn't get finished in time. In fact, none of the 3 BSJ are actually finished! But I started another one! And then ripped it out and started a Baby Einstein instead.  I do love this striped version, but it is tiny.  Maybe even too small for newborn size.

Einstein Jackets. Love, and hate it. I made one. I wanted it shorter than the picture, more like a jacket. Didn't realize until I started the top part that I was basically a square instead of a rectangle. And I made it in a cream yarn. I look like a slightly toasted marshmallow in it. What I wanted to look like was this: Doesn't she look lean, and tall, and graceful? Although I am usually not guilty of knitting a pattern in the exact called for yarn, in the shade pictured, I am guilty of knitting osmosis. Somehow, I assume that if I knit it, I will look like the model. I KNOW this is stupid. I can easily look at a photo of a pattern and say "See how she has her arms above her head? The sleeves are too long. The scarf is obscuring the neckline. It looks like it's been pinned behind her back...." But show me an Alice Starmore pattern, and I assume if I knit it I will be teleported to the hills of Scotland, grow 6 inches (in height, thereby stretching out my weight), and have flowing red hair.
I also read self-help books and think it's going to work just by osmosis. "The Weight Solution"? I should be a toothpick by now. "The Courage to be Rich"? You'd think I could buy out the yarn store. "Raising Your Spirited Child"? Aren't my kids the picture of discipline perfection?

On Thursday night I got to go to my local knitting night. Yeah!! Sure, I got there late, and when I got home, Megan was covered in Oreo drool and eating ice cream with Daddy....but I got to talk to other adult knitters! I took a copy of "Hot Knits" and "Knitted Toys" that I got from the library. "Hot Knits" was very popular, with the last 3 copies at amazon.com being ordered that night, LOL. Everyone really liked this one: Pardon the Cutco knife, I don't have a scanner, and these knives are so perfectly balanced, they're great for holding books open, LOL. The back of the cable sweater has the same cables. The cables move across the sweater on an angle by inc. on one edge of it, and dec. on the other edge. I wonder if I could do this one on the machine?

The rib dress is gorgeous, but will I become tall, slender, brunette and stunning if I knit it?
I might make it as a top only :)

Fiona Ellis in Georgetown

Next Thursday is supposed to be my "Georgetown Night". Fiona Ellis is coming to put on a big presentation (provided someone comes up with a digital projector). Lucy has a 'Grandparent's Tea' at her kindergarten that afternoon, so Grandma (and Grandpa?) With the Pear Trees will be here. Do I take off to G'town? And then tonight, Rob comes in and says he's going to Luxembourg 'next week'. When Husky sends people on business trips, they make them as short as possible. It wouldn't surprise me if he's expected to fly out at 4am, stay one night there, get back at 2am and be expected to be back at work by 7:30am. And what day are we going to bet this occurs on?

And why do babies prefer to poop in a clean dry diaper?

Just a little eye candy as I have nothing new interesting to show; nothing as a .jpg file that I can upload. Can't even find Lucy in her Jane of the Jungle bikini. What's wrong with me? Oh...yeah, a stinky girl crawling around beside me...

Timeless Tuesday

I'm about to reveal a sweater that I admitted last week I actually wore in public. While the sins of the Grey and White Sweater were mainly on the insides, the sins of this sweater are....well, the entire sweater.

Yes, a Mary Maxim picture sweater. Of my cat. The cat given to me by my ex; the sweater kit was a gift from his parents, a month before the demise of our long term relationship. I finished this spring of 95.
The photo on the left shows my attempt at sewing the shoulder seams. I got one shoulder done like that, after many attempts, but could NOT get the other shoulder to look the same. Finally, somehow, it worked, and I had two matching, although strange, shoulder seams. The other photo shows what happens if you don't cast off in ribbing by ribbing. I added the grey stripe--again, I just had to modify the pattern. As well, I didn't fold the collar down inwards and sew it down; it seemed too bulky. The other lovely details are the unmatched neck decreases, not fully fashioned, and that attractive hole on the right from picking up the neckband sts.
I wore this sweater (somewhat) proudly, answering the question a million times "Is that a picture of your cat?". How clever was I to have knitted a picture of my very own cat, LOL!