I'm back!

It's been three months since my last post. How does so much time go by so quickly? But in the interim of no knitting and no blogging, I turned a big belly into a beautiful baby boy! Yeah!


So I don't know what to call all of my children on this blog. Everyone seems to have great nicknames to protect their children's identities. Valerie's Post explored her take on the phenomenon, and I've been deciding what to call my kids besides, "the three-year-old" or "my oldest". How do you approach this if it doesn't come naturally?


My knitting has suffered from never having two hands free, as has my typing! However, I have completed my first felting project! I got to turn this...



...into this!


It's so cool to actually experience the before and after.




I used my three-year-old (what will I call her?) as a model for scale.
The pattern is the Squatty Sidekick from Knitting Daily. Now my 9-year-old wants one too.

What Have I been up to?

A sigh for the untouched "Avast" sweater.

Well, the baby is due in less than three weeks. Could this possibly be true? I've just discovered the secret to making the end of the ninth month go quickly. If you put of ALL baby preparation, you will suddenly be hit by a sense of absolute panic, and you'll hope that time passes more slowly. Wow do I have a lot to do! Of course it doesn't help that a big event makes me think that I could accomplish what I can't otherwise: having everything in my home and life organized and clean all at the same time. Yeah, right. I've decided my biggest goals are making room for the bassinette in my bedroom and ordering a nursing bra. Of course today is my 2, no 3 year old's birthday, and Tuesday is my boy's birthday, and I'm helping my mom finish with finish work on her cabin this weekend, and, and, and.


This all leads to the fact that I haven't touched my knitting needles in a week. I have touched the crochet hook (a blanket for the baby), and I've carried my kintting bag around, but otherwise, nothing. *SIGH* I started these socks too, and I would so love to work on them.

Happy PI Day!

If y'all didn't know, today was PI day....you know, 3.14, March 14? This holiday must be celebrated by eating pie, of course! This was my second pi day, as I just learned about it last year. I just had a fantastic day of pie, intermingled with high stress of a science fair and minor crisis for my Mom.

On a low-fat diet and everything, I managed to love pie day! (OK, I cheated a little). For lunch, we had beef and chicken pot pies, chocolate pie, pecan pie, rhubarb pie, huckleberry pie, chess pie (wow!), and lowfat Blueberry Crumble pie. This all enjoyed with some fun and intelligent women that I don't get to see enough of. (OK, OK, of whom I don't see enough?)

If that wasn't enough, for dinner (late, after the science fair), I had an AMAZING low-fat beef pie with a crust that was made from potatoes+ that was made especially for me by another caring friend, then had a little blackberry and banana cream pie for dessert. What a day.

I've completely neglected the many knitting projects I have going, but the picture at the top is most of the stuff I have on the needles right now.

The Value of Friends

Valerie, what can I say but thanks? If anyone reads this who isn't Valerie, there's nothing like a friend you buys you yarn+ on a teary, tragic type of day. I had one of those days this Thursday, and while my husband and mother were sympathetic, they also tried to paint the bigger picture for me and suggest lessons to be learned. Sometimes you just need to grieve and overreact for a while before you get reasonable. Valerie gave me permission to do so.


And she also gave me some nice meditative knitting. I neglected many other duties and knit the beginnning of a sock. The picture was taken at night and isn't great. What you can't tell is that the sock is about the right size for a lumberjack. I could tell this 1/4 in into the ribbing, but I couldn't bring myself to stop. I just had to get to the lace pattern. What you also can't see is that something went horribly wrong with the lace pattern, and I still don't know exactly what I did wrong. To tell you the truth, I just didn't care when I was staying up to late knitting. I just wanted to watch the subtle change of color, and play with my needles. I'm going to figure out what to do before I rip it out.

I have so many more pictures to post...but they'll wait for another mood, I guess.

I finished something that's been hanging over me!! Yeah! I've decided that if a knitting project was hanging over me, maybe it's not the best thing for me to knit. I loved this pattern, and it turned out great, but I don't think I'm a lace knitter at heart (at least yet). It was too slow for me, and I had to read the pattern the whole time. Of course, I am suffering from pregnant brain! Anyway, it was great to finish this scarf, give it to my sister, and have her love it. As Marly said, you somehow don't believe compliments from relatives, because they have to be nice to you, but I'm still flattered.

I started my first sock ever last night. Yes it's true, I've never knitted socks. I can't help wanting to, however, when so many knitters/bloggers make so many and have so much fun doing it. Anyway, I cast on a chunky wool sock last night while hoping that my husband would get home from work, and got about half finished before I gave up and went to bed. Husband didn't get home until 1:45 am. Good thing we went to lunch for Valentine's day. I finished the sock today except for grafting the toe...with me luck!

Frogging

After reading knitting books and blogs, I have come to think of the word frogging for unravelling my work and starting again, but where does it come from? Actually, it's usually best not to know the answer to such questions.

I finally started on a crocheted baby afghan for my son. I crocheted one for my first child, and it was finished before she was born. The second one was finished a couple of months after my first son's birth. On the third, after an exhaustive search to find yarn I liked in the color I wanted, I found out that the last two skeins of my "no dye lot" yarn didn't match. I was so frustrated I quit for a long while. I finally (at least a year later) ordered a BUNCH of new yarn and started all over. It wasn't until I was finished that I realized that at least one of the skeins I used didn't quite match. Good thing I didn't notice earlier is all I can say. Third child's afghan was already a year and a half late.

So I finally found the colors my husband picked in a yarn I liked and started afghan number four, but I got this far and decided that I really had done the initial chain stiches too tight. I frogged it all, did it again, really loose...too loose. I'm on try number three now.

Palettes

Well, I finished two squares for the Square-a-long and got them mailed off. I'm really excited to see that finished product!

Valerie has offered to knit some squares for a blanket for my baby. Yeah! I think we'll do a trade. I've been thinking about color palettes. Valerie has some pretty orange shaded yarn, and my baby's bedroom-to-be is light blue. I'm crocheting him a deep red and gray apghan (tradition to crochet one for each child). How about something like this?



I've started making some progress on hubby's sweater. It was going very slowly with a cable needle. Since only one stitch went on the needle, the needle kept falling out. I finally searched the web for info on cabling without a needle. It's perfect for this application, and I've learned a new skill. Yeah! Thanks everyone for your generous tutorials.

Swatch

I swatched! Really, that says it all. I've been dreaming of making this sweater for my husband for a couple of months now. It will be Avast from Fall 2006 Knitty. My husband approved and said it should be made of scratchy wool. I bought merino anyway, but not expensive merino. The color of the picture doesn't show it, but the yarn really is a traditional dark heather gray. What was even better than the fact that I actually knit a swatch is that it came out exactly to gauge. Wow. Now I just need to decide which size to make!

meme 2

I've had a hard time getting back to the second half of my meme challenge. So many things are going on. I've been slowed down on all of my knitting, and had to actually get some things done this weekend!

I've finished one skein of baby alpaca yarn in this scarf for my Sister. I've decided that for it not to be skimpy, I'll really have to do the whole second skein. This lace is beautiful, but slow, which is a bit discouraging. So Val, thou lover of baby alpaca, can you spit join it? I just finished the blue striped scarf and I have so many ends to weave in. I'd love to try this trick.


I finished my first (maybe last...I had such plans!) square for the Square-along. I love this self patterning yarn!! I'm going to take a sock class from the local yarn store. The itch has gotten unbearable.

So the rest of the meme challenge from Valerie is to list 10 things that represent concepts or themes in my life that start with the letter...T. So let's see:

Tummy--I think about mine all the time. I'm associating this word with not only my growing abdomen (full of kicking baby) but my empty stomach. First I was put on a low-fat diet for the my gall bladder problems. One of the doctors told me that the gall bladder also helped with protein digestion so I shouldn't overdo protein. Now my OB has asked me to go on a carbohydrate-restricted diabetic diet. I was sent to a dietician for advice. She told me to only have 30-45 g or carbohydrate at a meal, but to make sure an get my 2000 calories a day. I'm hungry, but I don't know what to eat.

Three--The number of children I have. I've picked a word for each.

Tears--For the oldest, this is appropriate because she can't tell from moment to moment if she happy or if life is one great tragedy. I did't know girls were emotional so early. And she has no idea what to do about it.

Tooth--Second child just lost another tooth. I wonder how many days he'll have to pray for the tooth fairy to come before I remember to leave money?

Tantrums--Youngest child is two, and that should say it all. She is angelic one minute, and throws horrific tantrums the next. She is, however, old beyond her years.

Thread--can I use this to count as yarn? I'm thinking about thread every day. It's about time to start knitting threads for #4 on the way.

Truncate--this is what I feel I'm doing with all of the jobs, responsibilities, pleasures, and necessities of my life.

Tired--what I am all the time now.

Wow, 10 is a lot.

meme posts

Well, Valerie has taught me some new web vocabulary. A meme post is all about "me", but usually following an assignment given by someone else. In this case, it came as as direct challenge (request?) from Valerie.

So, first, the 123 challenge. I must:
1. Grab the book closest to you.
2. Open to page 123, look down to the 5th sentence.
3. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog.
4. Include the title and the author's name.

So, if I lean forward at my computer, I can reach "Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary" with my right hand, and "vi Editor: Pocket Reference" with my left. Luckily, the vi editor reference doesn't have 123 pages so you don't have to be bored with that. But a dictionary? Seemed dreary to me so I reached a hair further with each hand. But first, I'll be obedient. The dictionary was better than I thought:

"cham-paign n. Flat and open country. [< MF champagne < L campus field] --cham-paign' adj.
cham-pi-on n. 1. One who has defeated all opponenets and is ranked first, esp. in a sport. 2. Anything awarded first place."

Who knew that if you spelled champagne as "champaign", you were talking about nature, not celebration?

So, I couldn't help reaching further. My right hand found this with a little extra stretch:

"The morning sun was coming through the window behind him, falling on the pink flowers of the hibiscus plant that sat on the sill. The quote was from Ted Turner, the billionaire media mogul, founder of CNN, who had been lamenting his inability to snatch up the CBS network in a corporate megadeal. I had brought the story to Morrie this morning because I wondered if Turner ever found himself in my old professor's position, his breath disappearing, his body turning to stone, his days being crossed off the calendar one by one--would he really be crying over owning a network?"

This is from "Tuesday's with Morrie" by Mitch Albom. My sister-in-law lent it to me when my dad died....but I've never brought myself to read it. I was mourning too much then, and it's been slowly buried on my desk. But maybe I'll read it now. The Ted Turner quote was, "I don't want my tombstone to read 'I never owned a network.' "

And I know, I'm overzealous, but with my left hand, I reached this quote:

"Thus whatever might be the law of Congress and whatever might be the 'directives' or regulations, the courts, on this theory, would have no option but to enforce them, upholding them as constitutional, because they would possess no right to question their constitutionality.

"Obviously, under this system, amendments to the Constitution become unnecessary. A mere Act of Congress, indeed even a 'directive,' can work the change."

This is a quote from J. Reuben Clark, given 10/7/43, quoted in the book "Prophets, Principles and National Survival" compiled by Jerreld L. Newquist. Hmm. World War II era politics in this quote....I might have to back up and read more!

I'll have to leave the second half of my meme challenge for tomorrow. The hour is getting late for this pregnant woman, and my husband just gave me the eye when he said he was going to bed.

But one last thing. Today was my oldest brother Justin and my youngest sister Erin's birthday. Happy Birthdays! I haven't finished Erin's scarf yet. I'll have to post a picture tomorrow when I have the light to take one!

I get to knit-along

Aren't digital cameras fun? I get to take all of these horrible pictures and then show off the only one that half-way turns out. This is a close-up of the very tiny beginning of an afghan sqauare for the square-a-long that was just started yesterday.

Larissa at Stich Marker has been hosting some knit-a-longs for her upcoming book. I keep trying to get in on the action, but by the time I try to sign up, the knit-a-longs are always closed. That's probably just as well, because my family does like to eat. I'm really excited to be part of something that will turn into something real, however. And in the likely event that I'm not part of the book, at least I can donate afghan squares to charity!

Valerie was part of the the first knit-a-long, by the way, and her beautiful creativity made the cut for the book--and as an alternate too! Way to go Valerie!! Check It Out! Valerie's are the one with the mouse, and the one with the lime.

So my knitting above is interesting. I'm using little sock yarn on long 10 inch #2 needles. The needles are so thin they're flexible! I'll be glad for the length eventually, but I look kind of ludicrous right now. Oh, well.

Compliments

Yesterday I had to spend 3 1/2 hours at the hospital having a 3 hour glucose test. My initial test came out a little high, so I had to have a follow up. The test consists of fasting for 12 hours, then going into the hospital and having your blood drawn. If you look OK, you get to drink the icky orange drink, and they take your blood every hour for the next 3 hours. Oh, and you're not allowed to leave.

Actually, I found it not that bad to be stuck there. I was told to sit around for three hours. I took a book, a notebook to write in, and my knitting. I found I didn't have nearly enough time! Although, I was really anxious for food by the time it was done. Who ever thought of asking a pregnant woman to fast?

So while I was sitting in the laboratory lobby knitting, I found that LOTS of people wanted to strike up conversations. One older couple finished their test and stayed for another half hour just to talk to me. (That's when you're glad you're knitting not reading--you can keep up your activity.) So I had two people give me many compliments on the mobius scarf I was wearing. One lady came over just to tell me she loved it, and ask if I'd made it. She asked how much I'd charge to make one. Ummmm....I had no idea what to answer. I thought, $15-$20 is all I could ask, but wouldn't pay for my time. I came home and told Mark, and he said, "$60, at least!" My father-in-law said, "$100!" I'm flattered, but...Anyway, she took my name and phone number. She is looking for yarn. What will I tell her? It would be fun to knit on commission. Besides, I'm starved for compliments!

Birthdays

Well, Erin finally had her baby on my daughter Ellie's birthday. Neat! Everyone was excited. In honor of Sophie Elise's arrival, I finally finished the bunny I was knitting for her. It turned out better than I hoped!







I couldn't find any ribbon that matched the pink to tie a bow around bunny's neck, so the bow is made out of my last tiny three scraps of pink yarn tied together. Yikes! I would cause myself a lot less problems if I didn' t cut it so close.



Adelaide didn't want to be left out of the photo session, so here is a picture of her and the bunny. She is very excited that her cousin Edison had a baby sister. Edison has declared that his baby is a girl and is named Sophie, and Adelaide's baby is a boy and is named SpongeBob. How did I get so lucky?

My husband gave me a new knitting book (Two-Stitch Knits by. Jane Crowfoot) for Christmas. This book has some great patterns in it. I remembered on Christmas that we forgot to send a gift to our friend Roy in Colorado. So, I've been working on this rib-knit scarf from the book. I'm using my new "Options" needles from KnitPicks. They're also a Christmas gift from Mark, and they're so cool!


I've also been working on a baby sweater for my sister Erin, who is waiting to have a baby any minute. I started on a very practical machine-washable sweater, but I couldn't get some wool-cotton from my stash out of my mind. It's left over from a sweater my mom made me in the 80s! I had a limited amount, but I finally decided to use two colors and make it work. The pattern is the "Dumb Baby Sweater" from the book "Knitting in Plain English" by Maggie Righetti.


So, I had just enough yarn (I hoped) to make a little bunny rabbit to match the sweater. I'm still working on it, but here are the parts. This is the baby bunny from Fiona McTague's "Knitting for Babies and Toddlers".