Happy Funksgiving!!

I hope everyone had a joyful, mouthwatering, laughter-filled, and truly wonderful Thanksgiving last Thursday!  I have so very much to be thankful for this year, and I did spend the day reflecting on how truly grateful I am for all that I have been given in this life.  Though there are days I feel worried about things, in my deepest heart I know I am one lucky girl to have all that I do!
 
For the first time this year we found ourselves traveling further than just across town to my Mother-In-Law’s as we usually do.  My Sister-In-Law hosted it this year and we bravely made our way into the heart of holiday traffic to spend a few hours with my husband’s side of the family.  It was difficult to leave my Mom to her own devices on Thanksgiving since I am her only close family left, and she had just recently been through surgery.  I felt guilty the entire day.  But we had arranged to have her over on Friday for our very own quiet celebration of Thanksgiving, a celebration I call “Funksgiving” (a play on our name), and that made me feel just slightly better about the way the chips had fallen.
 

Knittymunchkin loves Daddy’s old cars!

 
Funksgiving is not about getting dressed up, making uncomfortable small talk with people you don’t see often or know very well, or eating fancy foods that make all the guests ooh and ahh over the hostess’ cooking prowess.  It’s about comfort, calm, and a day spent in our own house relaxing and feeling thankful for all our blessings.  Funksgiving came about when my husband and I were first married and had to do the typical family negotiations involved around celebration of major holidays.  Which side of the family would get to spend which holidays with us?  Where would we go?  How could we avoid offending anyone?  My husband comes from a divided family.  His Dad pretty much gets the shaft and we rarely, if ever, see him around any holidays.  I think that’s because he is the easiest when it comes to these kinds of things.  He doesn’t make a fuss and prefers to take the pressure off of us by bowing out, rather than expecting us to have to choose between families.  So then it came down to my parents and my Mother-In-Law.  My parents chose Christmas Day (Christmas Eve has always been “ours” in our own home) and my Mother-In-Law chose Thanksgiving.  We hosted a couple Thanksgivings and Christmases in an attempt to include everyone, but it just didn’t seem to work out. Someone always seemed uncomfortable.   So then my Mother-In-Law started hosting Thanksgiving for that side of the family and my parents would go to a friend’s house to celebrate.  It felt strange not to see my folks at Thanksgiving. So we started inviting them to Funksgiving, which is traditionally the Friday after Thanksgiving, to try to keep everyone happy.
 
However, this was not the only motivation for the creation of Funksgiving.  Probably the greatest reason was this: leftovers.  Going to others’ homes for the big Thanksgiving meal meant that there was a massive dearth of holiday deliciousness in our fridge during my husband’s favorite holiday of the entire year.  No turkey sandwiches, no leftover green bean casserole, no potatoes and gravy to munch on for days as you relive the glory of a comforting and filling Thanksgiving meal.  We love spending this day with our little family, feeling grateful, and having a quiet meal together in our own home.  It reminds us, for yet another day, of all that we have to be thankful for.
 
In the spirit of Funksgiving, and because I am still working on decluttering our home, I have a few things I’d like to offer up to all of you lovely readers who take the time to visit my humble blog and stop, for even a moment, to read my nonsense.  I will give these items away, for free, to whoever leaves the first comment requesting the item.  Just one item per person, if you please, and only US requests (I am unable to ship international right now due to lack of funds).  If there seems a huge amount of interest in one particular item, or a question about who commented first, then I will hold a drawing to decide who receives it.
 
First up, is a copy of “Expectant Little Knits”.  This is all maternity patterns for those of you who are expecting, will be expecting, or know someone who is expecting.  I received a free copy of this, and as Knittymunchkin will be our one and only, I have absolutely no use for this book.  I’d love for one of you to take it off my hands and enjoy it!
 

“Expectant Little Knits” – image courtesy of amazon.com

 
My next offering is something a little more near and dear to my heart.  After recently completing a sweater that I’ve not failed to wear at least once a week since its finish (I’ll show you soon), I realized I have some hand knits that really need a better home than I’ve been giving them.  First up is this one: 28thirty (ravelry link).  I have lots of memories of working on this sweater, but only one memory of actually wearing it (other than the photo shoot).  I was newly pregnant and wore it to one of my checkups.  The receptionist complimented my sweater and when I told her I’d knit it myself she was pleasingly congratulatory on my knitting skillz.  Made me feel awesome, especially since I was feeling a tad chubbity with Knittymunchkin blossoming in my belly, but not awesome enough to keep on wearing it.  No matter what I try, it never looks right on me. One funny note: the sleeves look like earthworms, and I’ve always thought of it as my earthworm sweater :) Anyway, I knit this as a size Small and if you’d like to see more details and/or pics, the link to my ravelry project is here and the link to my original post about it on the blog is here.  Any other questions, please feel free to e-mail me or comment here on the blog.  I have just one request regarding this giveaway.  Please, I beg of you, don’t ask for this sweater only to felt, frog, or cut it up!  I want it to be worn by someone.  It would break my heart to have all my hard work destroyed so easily :(  Thank you!
 
Claimed by lollyknits! Thank you!!
 

28thirty – front view

 
Hope each of you had a joyful Thanksgiving and a very Happy Funksgiving to you as well!

 

Snot Rocket

Yes, that’s right.  My precious angel has recently infected me with the crud and both our noses are dripping like your favorite ice cream cone on a sweltering summer day.  I guess we’ve been pretty lucky.  It’s April after all, and this is our first bout of the year. Of course Knittymunchkin is made of rubber and you can hardly tell that he probably feels terrible, between his cold and the last two teeth that are trying to push through.  If only I could be so cheerful.  I just want to lay in bed watching trashy movies and sleeping for, oh, the next week.  Not happening.
 
Anyway, it’s Thursday again.  I have missed the last two (three, if you count my pass week).  But just because I haven’t posted, doesn’t mean I haven’t been chipping away at my goals.  I think the exercise of trying to write about it once a week has done its work, without me actually having to go so far as to bore you with my tales of semi-reformed hoarderliness.  That doesn’t mean I won’t continue to write about it, I just may not wax as poetic about it as I have up to this point (you don’t get off that easy, puh-lease!).  The emotionally charged items I expect to give up now and then will still get their due, but things that go by the wayside more easily will hopefully receive a little more brevity on my part.
 
So.  The Update:
 
Week 13 (March 29, 2012):  Pass from Week 7′s massive offload
 
Week 14 (April 5, 2012):  Candle & Bath stuff brought out of stash & put to use, pre-pregnancy jeans with hole in goddess grotto (ha ha) thrown out, 30 minutes of declutter every Tuesday established
 
Week 15 (April 12, 2012): 10 balls of yarn sent out via RAK, almost 1 lb. of dishcloth cotton scraps sent out via RAK, stickers sent out via RAK, sweater pledged via RAK underway, book mailed out via Bookmooch
 
Week 16 (this week): Book to Bookmooch
 
I’ll admit it.  The jeans were a little hard to part with.  I loved the way they fit when I was skinny; key phrase: when I was skinny.  Realistically, as much as I would love to fit into them again, I never will.  It’s a sad day when you feel defeated by your waistline.  My brain raced with reasons to keep them: the hole’s not that big, you can hardly see it, you could wear them to garden, you might fit into them again someday, they’re so cuuuuuuuute.  I gulped and threw them in the trash.  Immediately I felt the irrational urge to fish them out.  Instead, I walked away and found something else to occupy my mind.  And then….  I totally forgot about them.  Huh.  So that’s how it’s supposed to work!
 
That same week I was reading an article in SHAPE magazine written by the experts who counsel the people on “Hoarders”.  There were lots of tips in there on how to cut down on your clutter and get more organized.  I was particularly struck by the one that said you should set aside thirty minutes on a specific day each week to de-clutter.  It sounded like a great idea.  Now that I have a lot less structure in my days, being that I report to Knittymunchkin instead of a 9-5 workplace, I find it a lot harder to focus and get things accomplished.  You’d think somehow it would be easier, with all that time in my day, but it really isn’t.  Time with a two year old vanishes faster than you can say “Elmo”.  So scheduling specific organization time seemed like a great idea.  I chose Tuesday evenings for my new plan and so far it has worked really well.  Thirty minutes is long enough to get something done, but not long enough to feel like you are chained to a specific task.  The first week I could actually see the top of part of my desk again after just one session.  I’d realistically like to do this more than once a week, but for right now one session is about all I can commit to.  Still, it helps!
 

Little Bubbles Baby Set - Yoke

 
I mentioned that in Week 15 I pledged a sweater via the Random Acts of Kindness Group on Ravelry.  Every month you can post a wishlist and this month I posted on my wishlist that I needed a knitting recipient.  I had two kits for the Little Bubbles Baby Set from KnitPicks, and I never got around to knitting them for Knittymunchkin.  Now that he’s too big for the biggest size, it’s kind of a lost cause to make it for him.  So someone answered my request and I’m knitting this for her 5 month old.  Hopefully, by the time I finish it it will be the perfect size for her :)  The colors I have aren’t sold anymore (or shown on the pattern page) but I love them.  Knitting this makes me wish I’d had more time to knit things for Knittymunchkin before he was born.  Oh well.  Maybe I’ll save that second kit for the grandchild I may have one day.  I know that’s planning pretty far in advance, but it would be worth it to have it when the time is right.  Uh oh. Maybe I really haven’t made any progress!
 
Off to sniffle in bed with a book for a while.  Hope you are all staying healthy & happy!

 

Someone Has Been Knitting?

Wow, it’s been a while.  I suppose an explanation is in order.  You see, I’ve rather sadly become one of those bloggers that doesn’t blog regularly anymore :(  I see my stats dropping like the dirty bastard moths I am still swiping at now and again and though I feel deep sadness over that, I have come to the conclusion that there isn’t much I can do about it right now.  Time for blogging will come more regularly again (I hope!), but my focus is elsewhere for the time being.  Mostly on that little cherub napping in his room upstairs ;)
 
The silver lining to this is that I actually have knitting to show you!  Yes, I have actually been finishing things.  I’ve been subscribing to a new philosophy on knitting (and life in general) i.e., completing what I start and eliminating the baggage of everything else.  This is sort of new to me, and it’s actually been easier and more satisfying than I expected.  I think the first time I started and finished something this year and didn’t allow myself to start something else in the meantime, was just the boost I needed to break my habit.  Experiencing how good it feels to get that last stitch finished and take those photos so I can mark it “completed” in Ravelry has become downright addicting.
 
I know, I know.  Get to the pretty pictures already!  No one wants to hear you tooting your own horn.  So, I’ll dispense with the pleasantries and get down to it.  Just the nitty gritty deets for now and I’ll chit chat more next time.
 

Twisted

 

• Pattern: Twisted by Galia Lael  (Ravelry link here; My Ravelry project link here)
• Yarn:  Approximately 156 yds of Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky in “Wild Violet”
• Needles:  16 inch Size 9 & 10.5 bamboo circs
• Mods:  None
• Completed:  January 27, 2011

 
I made this for Amy as her Pay It Forward 2011 gifty.  This was such a quick and addicting knit!  Amy loves purple and she really likes hats, so this was a fun (and hopefully useful) thing to make for her.  I don’t have a lot of purple in my stash, but I did have this pretty yarn and it was just the right amount for this beret.  I was sweating having enough until the very last stitch, but squeaked by with just the right amount.  My first time blocking a hat on a dinner plate!
 

Multnomah

 

• Pattern: Multnomah by Kate Elsa  (Ravelry link here; My Ravelry project link here)
• Yarn:  Approximately 484 yds of Hill Country Yarns Superfine Supersock in “Blueberry Wine”
• Needles:  24 inch size 3 addi lace turbos
• Mods:  Knit extra lace repeats (19 total) to increase size of shawl
• Completed:  March 23, 2011

 
A gift for Lisa, this was my second completed Pay It Forward gifty for the year.  Lisa is also a purple fan!  I thought the colors would be perfect for her and I really wanted to knit a shawl. I love knitting shawls, even if I don’t wear them :) It turned out as more of a shawlette, even though I did many more repeats of the feather and fan pattern than were called for in the original pattern. I think the yarn was closer to laceweight than fingering; more than I’d realized initially. But I’m still happy with how it turned out and Lisa tells me she really likes it too. Hooray! Blocked this with blocking wires. My very first time! They are amazing, let me tell ya…..
 

Undergrowth

 

• Pattern: Undergrowth by Mandy Powers (Ravelry link here; My Ravelry project link here)
• Yarn:  Approximately 101 yds of Frog Tree Alpaca Sport in “#23″ (Red; MC) + 79 yds Knit Picks Andean Treasure in “Meringue Heather” (Cream; CC)
• Needles:  16 inch size 4 bamboo circs & dpns
• Mods:  None!
• Completed:  April 29, 2011

 
This hat was for Jess (my 3rd Pay It Forward gifty for 2011).  Jess mentioned one of her favorite colors was red and that she really liked hats (but never seemed to get to make one for herself).  I saw this pattern and had to make one.  It worked out perfectly because I had just the right red in my stash already!  A while back Jess wrote a post about “Potato Chip Knitting”.  You know, the kind you can’t put down?  I’d never heard that before and thought it was super clever :)  My potato chip knitting just happens to be colorwork, so how fitting that she should be the recipient of this hat!  This pattern was fantastic.  The instructions were clear & concise, and the design was amazing.  I would make about a zillion more of these if I had that many heads to put them on :)  I seriously couldn’t put this down.  So, I’ll just put this out there: if you want one and don’t have the skillz, time, or desire to knit one, let me know!  If you got the yarn, I got the time ;)
 

The Kumfy Schluttli

 

• Pattern: The Kumfy Schluttli by Meg Layaw (Ravelry link here; My Ravelry project link here)
• Yarn:  Approximately 232.5 yds of Dream In Color Classy in “Beach Fog”
• Needles:  24 inch size 8 bamboo circs & dpns
• Size:  3-9 months
• Completed:  May 19, 2011

 
I made this little sweater for a Ravelry penpal who just had a little boy in March.  I was kind of pushing it size-wise perhaps, but was hoping it would still fit him for a little.  Jess will recognize this yarn since I received it in trade from her sometime last year :)  What a truly adorable sweater!  And what a truly sketchy pattern.  I was surprised at that, but was ultimately able to figure things out, having knit a fair number of raglans by now in my knitting “career”.  Personally, I prefer patterns that lay it all out for you, and don’t appreciate it when things seem vague or too “casual” in the instructions.  But that’s just me.  Anyway, I can see myself making a few more of these.  It was super quick and satisfying to knit, and only took 1 hank of yarn!
 
Whew!  I suppose if I didn’t store stuff up to post it would go a lot faster (it’s already taken me 2 days to finish this post).  Anyhoo, I’ve got 2 more FO’s waiting to be blocked and a half-finished Spectra (OMG. LOVE.) to show soon too.  Guess I’d better get a move on!
 
Knit happy, blogg peeps :)

 

The Mayor Of Cooville

The Mayor of Cooville spends all day in his pajamas.  He lives at home with his parents and doesn’t have a job.  The Mayor of Cooville has people who cater to his every whim.  He’s not afraid to cry when he’s upset or wants his way and he knows who is really in charge and how to stay that way.  The Mayor of Cooville loves milk.  It’s his favorite.  In fact, he loves it so much he eats milk at every meal.  The Mayor of Cooville knows how to pour on the charm.  His smile could stop you dead in your tracks.  He stays up late and gets up early, and knows the importance of a nap (or three) during the day.  The Mayor of Cooville doesn’t have  a driver’s license but he loves riding in the car and will fall fast asleep while traveling.  He has a lot of potential and learns fast.  But most of all, the Mayor of Cooville still lets his Mama dress him funny……
 

Knittymunchkin!

 
I actually finished these sweaters in late 2009, all but the buttons.  But without the buttons on, it seemed silly to post and then things just got effing crazy with Knittymunchkin’s arrival and so on.  These are still a little big for him but I did put the brown and blue one on him when we took him for a walk last weekend.  I felt vaguely smug when we ran into a couple from our childbirth class and they exclaimed, “What a cute sweater!”, not knowing I had made it myself.  Rodger proudly told them so and then I felt even a bit more smug at their astonishment.  I’m so vain about my craft it’s sad ;)  Anyhoo, the specifics….
 

Felix Sweater in Patons Classic Wool

 

• Pattern: Felix’s Cardigan by Jacki Kelly (Ravelry link here, My Ravelry project link here)
• Yarn: Approximately 0.87 balls (194 yds) Patons Classic Wool in “Wedgewood”
• Needles:  Size 7 -  24 inch bamboo circs

 

Felix Sweater in Cascade Quatro

 

• Pattern: Felix’s Cardigan by Jacki Kelly (Ravelry link here, My Ravelry project link here)
• Yarn: 1 hank Cascade Quatro Color #9432
• Needles:  Size 7 -  24 inch bamboo circs

 
What can I say?  I love this sweater so much I made three (third one still needs buttons; photos to come)!  It’s super quick, super easy, and super cute.  I love that I can make one with pretty much one ball of yarn too.  Perfect for those random single skeins you might have hanging out in your stash.  Finding the perfect buttons though?  That search might take you longer than it does to knit the sweater!
 
Now I’m off to check on the Mayor of Cooville.  He’s one demanding taskmaster!  But this Girl Friday sure does love him :)

 

Friday Fill-In #174

Supermerino!

 
I’m feeling fickle.  See, I still wasn’t sure about that BSJ I started.  I had originally planned to use some pretty blue Artyarns Supermerino from my stash and when I didn’t have enough I bought 2 more hanks from someone destashing on Ravelry.  If you remember, I’m allowed to buy it if I need it for a project & someone is destashing it, so we’re still good here with working from stash.  But before I received the 2 extra hanks I started to wind my first hank to get started and I decided it wasn’t looking stripey enough for the BSJ I was envisioning.  So I got started with the Needful Yarns Darling instead.  But lets be real here.  It was starting to look like something a cat barfed up and R. Darling was keeping suspiciously mum about it, so when I received my destash supermerino and saw it was a completely (much lighter) dye lot than what I had in my stash, I saw striping potential and decided to cut my losses.  Who knows what the cat barf yarn will turn out to be, probably some kind of cat barf sweater, but for now my baby boy is getting a beautiful blue BSJ.
 

And just in time for the weekend……

 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Friday Fill-In #174
(get yours here)

1. I was always unsure about kids and marriage.  Now I think I know how I feel :)
2. I don’ t have much time to read anymore and I left my book on the coffee table just in case I could sneak a few pages in between chores.
3. Why did I wake up disoriented the other night, sure that I had forgotten the baby in his bassinet in the living room?
4. The giant list of things I need to do and don’t have much time for was in my thoughts today.
5. One of my father’s favorite sayings was “Don’t take any wooden nickels!”
6. Worn out – I know that feeling!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to knitting a few rows on my BSJ, tomorrow my plans include spending some extra time with R. Darling (he’s been working too much lately) and Sunday, I want to maybe do a few things in my garden!
 

I’m not very entertaining these days, but there you have it!

 

BTW:  Why do I always miss out on all the fun stuff?  Did you know it was Knitting & Crochet Blog Week???  Such a great idea.  Well, it’s too late for me this year, but maybe next year I’ll try to participate.  Hope those of you that did had fun with it and have a wonderful weekend everyone!

 

What Do You Do When….

Question:

What do you do when your little boy is starving but won’t settle and eat?  If he won’t sleep unless he’s swaddled and he cries the second you wrap him up?  What if he squalls when you hold him and wails even harder when you don’t?  And what if the second he falls asleep and you go to put him in his bassinet, he wakes up and starts crying all over again?  What if you do this all day, over and over, and nothing seems to work until you suddenly find yourself crying too?
 

Answer:

You take a deep breath and love him with all your might……

 

An unexpected surprise

 
Yesterday was indeed challenging.  It seems that at least every other day is like this .  But the great thing about yesterday, is that my sweet husband walked in the door just moments after my tears stopped with a great big bouquet of flowers and a smile and all I could say was, “I really needed these today!  Thank you sweetie!” Sometimes things just work out.
 

Current Projects

 
So I’m working on some stuff in between the baby stuff.  Those are our baby announcements that I finally got printed up and need to address and send.  Only about 2.5 months late.  Oh well.  What do you expect people?  He spent an entire month in the Special Care Nursery and I wasn’t about to send out a photo of him with an NG tube in his nose.
 
And what’s that?  No….freaking….way. You mean there’s actually some knitting content here?  Yes, that’s right.  I started a BSJ (Baby Surprise Jacket) for Little Mister.  I’m using some stash yarn because I’m damn serious about working from stash this year.  Not only because I can’t afford yarn anymore now that I work for free at home, but because I have so damn much of it and it’s taking over our house.  It’s kind of embarrassing.  I hid it in boxes and bags for a long time (from myself and from my husband) but now that I’m sorting through it, cataloging it, and getting it into Ravelry, I’m astonished by just how much I actually have.
 
*If you are R. Darling, stop reading here*
 
I think I said something a while back about having enough to make 40 pairs of socks? Try 128.  And I’m not done.  And I’m not counting the undyed stuff.  Oy.  (Seriously, don’t read this honey!  I only have enough for 2 pairs of socks!)  So I’m looking at this endeavor like some kind of fascinating puzzle.  Since I often buy enough for a full sweater, without knowing what sweater I might want to make with a specific yarn, I am finding it a fun challenge to find the perfect pattern for each yarn in order to maximize the usage of what I have without leaving too much behind.  Believe it or not, I’m having fun with it.  For the stuff that is just random bits here and there and stuff I’m not attached to, I’m thinking about making a gift stash of items I can give when I need a quick something for a birthday or a thank you or what have you.  I joined a group on Ravelry to help keep me motivated too: Shop The Stash 2010.  I don’t participate much in it yet, but it’s nice to know the company is there when/if I need it.
 
*You can start reading again here, Honey*
 
As for my BSJ, I don’t know if I’m liking the yarn I chose.  I thought it would be stripier and instead it’s sort of watercolor-ish.  The fiber might not work either – it’s a cotton acrylic blend that feels like plain old cotton.  I think I like it, but I’m not sure.  For now I’m going with it because knitting a BSJ is one of my 101 in 1001 Days goals and I’m pretty sure it’s one with a time limit that will go a lot faster than I expect, so I wanted to get started before he’s too big to fit in one.  Plus it’s all stash all the way baby, and I need to be focusing on that.  At least it’s fairly mindless garter stitch so I can usually get a few rows in each day before someone needs me for something.  These days my moments are few and far between and usually it’s a choice between eating, sleeping or knitting.  And believe it or not, sometimes knitting does win the competition!

 

Farewell To Warms

29 weeks 3 days!

 
Hard to believe that Christmas is over already.  It went so quickly and I never felt I got the chance to really enjoy it.  Could be that my cold from hell is still getting me down (come on Booger King – you’ve been in there well over a week already, it’s time to clear out dammit), or that R. Darling had to work Christmas Eve so it felt like just any other day, or maybe I’m just feeling a teeny bit sad knowing that this is our very last Christmas with just the two of us and we really didn’t do much to make it seem special.  Or maybe it’s those pregnancy hormones (get a load of that belly up there!)?  Whatever the reason, I’m feeling a little bittersweet over this holiday.  So maybe I’ll stretch it out just a little bit longer, watch my favorite movies one more time and bake that Christmas cake I never got around to.  It’s still December for another few days….
 
This December also marks the end of another aspect of my knitting life that I’ve been working on nearly as long as I’ve been knitting.  Warm Woolies has officially shut its doors as of December 24, 2009 and will no longer be operating or receiving donations any longer.  As most of you know, I’ve  been contributing to Warm Woolies for quite some time now, and I truly believe in the great work that they do.  It’s been a pleasure to knit for them, knowing that one garment at a time, a whole army of knitters has been able to keep children here and abroad just a bit warmer each winter.  Though I understand that good things don’t always last, I am sad that this wonderful charity won’t be able to operate anymore.   Unfortunately, I didn’t make my goal this year of contributing to their 10 for 10 challenge (knit 10 items for children ages 10 and over) since morning sickness completely derailed my knitting efforts for close to 5 months, but on December 18 I did send off a final batch of 3 pairs of socks, 2 vests, 1 sweater (sized for approximately 6 years old), and 2 sweaters (sized 10 years old and up).  It felt good to mail off that last set of items, even if a little melancholic too, knowing that it’s the last time I’ll be doing it.  I wish all of the people from Warm Woolies the best of luck wherever they head after this endeavor!
 
And so, my final 2 projects for Warm Woolies (and probably for 2009):
 

Comfy Socks

 

• Pattern:  Comfy Socks from Knitscene (Ravelry link here, My Ravelry project link here)
• Yarn: Twilleys of Stamford Freedom 100% Wool; Color #408; 3 balls
• Needles:  Size 10.5 dpns

 
This pattern was super simple and instantly gratifying (super bulky wool + big needles = turbo knit).  I actually loved these so much I considered keeping them for myself, but that kinda defeats the purpose of charitable knitting ;)  Good thing I have more of this yarn left (thanks Troy!) so I could make myself a pair if I really felt like it.
 

July Mystery Sweater for Warm Woolies

 

• Pattern: Mystery Sweater KAL for the Warm Woolies (now Wool-Aid) group on Ravelry; for the pattern, you’ll have to look through the archives for the July Mystery Sweater at the group and collect all the “clues” (My Ravelry project link here)
• Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Bulky; Color “Scuba” #I141; 6 hanks (?)
• Needles: Size 10.5 circular

 
This was such a wonderful pattern!  While I was knitting the neckline I was absolutely confused as to how what I was doing would produce something like the photos I’d seen, but it turned out beautifully.  I opted for the “easy” version of the sleeves as I was sort of down to the wire finishing this on time, but I still think they turned out nice looking.  I won the yarn for the sweater in a contest on the Warm Woolies Group back in July and knitted faithfully along with each clue up until about clue #4, at which time I started incubating a bun in my oven and was so sick I could hardly stand to look at yarn for the next 5 months.  But when I found out Warm Woolies would be closing up shop and wouldn’t be accepting items past December 24th this year, I knew I had to get on it to finish this.  Not only for the little one who will be kept warm in it, but also out of obligation to the pattern designer and her generous gift of yarn to me.
 
So farewell Warm Woolies!  I will certainly miss you.
 
As for Christmas, I’ll miss you too.  I dearly hope that each and every one of you had a wonderful holiday and got to celebrate each moment to its fullest!!
 
And now, I think I heard someone say cake?

 

Today….

Today…..

• I have forgiven (mostly) my dog
• I am sore from yesterday’s strength-training session (the first in many long months!)
• I am happy to see the sunshine, but also charmed by the frosty patch in the backyard that just won’t melt
• I’m grateful for one last paycheck from my job to help us get by as we adjust to one income
• I am listening to Christmas music and feeling happy that it’s “that time of year” again
• I am finishing one last sweater for Warm Woolies

My forlorn, but nearly finished, July Mystery Sweater

• I am wondering why that guy at the bank felt safe letting his daughter hand me books and play with me while he was in an office 2 doors away signing paperwork – do I look trustworthy?  Or is it just because I’m a girl?
• I am going to be packing for a weekend inVegas
• I’m wondering what kind of kung fu master my baby will become as it kicks me over and over
• I was pleasantly surprised to find the snow back on my blog for the month of December
• I feel like the real reason I like Facebook is for the games ;)
• I’m hoping that you have a wonderful weekend and life is good!

See everyone when we get back from Vegas on Monday!

 

Snow In July

The morning before last, I awoke at 4 AM with an insistent bladder.  No, I thought.  It’s too early.  Go back to sleep. I tried to roll over, but it was no use.  So I got up and took care of business, then snuggled back into my warm bed to get another couple hours of sleep.  Except that’s not what happened.  I tossed and turned, snippets of stupid songs I hate and to-do lists swirling around in my mind.  I even tried counting, which works on rare occasions for me, but to no avail.  Then, as luck would have it, I finally fell asleep.  My alarm would go off 15 minutes later.  Ugh.  But not before I had a dream that it had snowed overnight.  Like, a foot of snow, in July.  And in my dream I was so excited that I’d have something to blog about that I ran outside, took a photo, and wrote a blog post titled “WTF”.
 
So, it didn’t snow for real.  But if it had, I could have whipped out this sweater I made for Warm Woolies (my second for the 10 for 10 Challenge) that I finished over the weekend and it would have kept me nice and toasty.  Instead, I hope it will warm some other girl who really needs it in an orphanage somewhere.  That it will cheer her up on cold days, and that she’ll know someone somewhere far away cares enough to send her a woolen hug.  She might even have snow in July where she lives.
 

 

 

Pattern: Mystery Sweater by Christiane Burkhard (on Ravelry here)

Yarn: 7.4 skeins of Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Seconds in “RPM Pink”

Needles: Size 9 – 24″ bamboo circs and size 9 – 40″ Knit Picks Harmony Interchangeables

Mods:  None really, except taking some liberties with how many stitches to pick up around armholes and neck opening (my numbers didn’t match those established in the pattern)

New Techniques: Zip. Zero. Nada.  Although this is my first time knitting a sweater in the round, 3 needle binding off the shoulders & then picking up stitches around the armholes to knit the sleeves in the round from the top down.  It’s an interesting design.

Time Lapse: May 24, 2009 – July 11, 2009

Comments: I really enjoyed knitting this sweater and I put as much care into it as I would have if it was going to be mine.  The decorative trim at the hem, sleeve cuffs, and bust area kept my attention but didn’t make me crazy with too much chart reading.  The pattern was straightforward and easy to follow and I’m really happy with the result.  I might even make one in the next smaller size down (this was the adult small size) as my next 10 for 10 sweater.  A really great knit!

 

What Not To Wear

Whenever I see someone dressed inappropriately for trail use I laugh to myself just a little inside.  I mean, what were they thinking when they put on a skirt, some heels and a hoochie top, and then went for a walk?  It’s not like the parks around here have nice level boardwalks or smooth paved lanes.  We have dips, hollows, mud puddles, rocks and tree roots all lurking to trip you up.  Not to mention nettles and devil’s club, waiting to attack bare flesh.  But Sunday, in the name of the blog, I became one of those people not dressed for either the climate or the technicality of trail activities.  I could see people laughing inside as I walked by. But it’s all good.  I knew I had a purpose.  And maybe those other people I used to giggle at did too, though I think that perhaps their purpose was to try to look hot without somehow breaking a leg.  To each her own!
 

Click me for a larger photo

R. Darling was feeling creative....

 

Pattern: Bell-Sleeved Scoop-Neck Top from Glam Knits by Stefanie Japel (on Ravelry here)

Yarn: 4 hanks of Blue Sky Alpacas Brushed Suri in “Pink Lemonade”

Needles: Size 10.5 – 24″ addi turbos & Knit Picks Harmony interchangeables, size 9 – 24″ KP Harmony Interchangeables & size 7 – 24″ bamboo circulars

Mods:  Worked 1 extra repeat of eyelet pattern at bottom edge for added length, worked extra rows of eyelet trim around neckline to lessen depth

New Techniques: Not really, except I’d never knit a sweater with vertical bust shaping before

Time Lapse: March 11, 2009 – June 19, 2009

Comments:

First a note about the yarn.  There’s an error in the book.  You do not need 9 hanks of yarn to make the smallest size.  I used 4 but had purchased 10.  Oy.  The good thing is, I can knit a whole extra sweater most likely so the small fortune I spent won’t go completely to waste.  This yarn is absolutely sinful once it’s knit up, but I didn’t enjoy the process in the least.  I would say this is very “technical” yarn.  It’s furry, it catches, and I found myself with the tendency to drop stitches or knit two together without even realizing I’d done it.  I had to resort to counting stitches on every single row of knitting, to prevent from having to go back and fix mistakes.  And forget frogging.  It looks like a mess if you attempt to rip it out for any distance.  The alternative benefit is that, if you do make a mistake, no one will ever notice.
 

 
As for my overall opinion of this sweater, I’m not particularly happy with it.  It feels gorgeous to wear and I will probably keep it just because it feels nice.  I think the problem is most likely the ease.  I tend to like 2-3 inches of negative ease in my sweaters and this has about 1 inch which totally doesn’t work for me.  I feel fat in it and it makes me look dumpy.  Because it’s so “full” it doesn’t go with anything I own.  I admit, I had a clue it might turn out this way but didn’t want to frog back all that expensive yarn knowing it would look like crap afterwards and be possibly useless.  If I were to knit it again (and I could since I bought twice as much yarn as necessary) I would use smaller needles to adjust the size and possibly add more shaping.  I would probably add even more trim to the neckline as well, or even adjust the depth as I was knitting.  It’s just way too indecent and I think a camisole underneath might just spoil the look.  On a side note, I think the pictures in the book are highly deceptive.  The way the lights are shone on the model, you never see that the back of the sweater is rather loose.  The picture makes it look much more fitted than it is in reality.  The neckline appears much higher than it turns out to be as well.  Just sayin’ in case you think you’d like to make one yourself.  Maybe in a different yarn, with less drape, it would turn out differently.  I still like the design and the idea of how it should look, just not how my version turned out.
 

And where would we be without an outtake?

 

The traditional outtake

 

Hope your projects are coming along nicely!

 

Friday Fill-In #131 – Saturday 4th of July Edition

Today's Knitting Project - Another Warm Woolies Mystery Sweater

 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Friday Fill-In #131
(get yours here)
 

1. When I heard an M-80 at 2 AM last night I was totally incredulous and really kinda pissed.

2. Laughter is most definitely the best medicine.  But sometimes retail therapy goes a long way too ;)

3. It’s late, but I’m still being sort of lazy today.

4. Be good to those you love always.

5. My eyes have seen plenty of change in my hometown; some good, some bad.

6. I strongly hope that all of you have a wonderful 4th of July!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to knitting with my pooch, and Sunday, I want to try to get some photos of Pink Fluffy taken!
 

Happy 4th and Happy Weekend Bloggy Peeps!

 

WIP Wednesday – The Rule Of Three

I decided something recently.  I should never ever ev-er be allowed to have more than 3 WIP’s going at one time.  That’s not to say I haven’t indulged my bad habits in the past, but I’m attempting (emphasis on that last word) to change my evil ways.  I’m turning over a new leaf in my desire to simplify my life because, ultimately, simplicity is what I’m seeking and needing most right now.  Though I absolutely abhor odd numbers, 3 seems like just the right amount: 1 test knit (that rchrispy is a busy girl writing her patterns & such!), 1 Warm Woolies project, and 1 WIP which should most preferably be a UFO that needs finishing.  It’s the perfect amount of challenge, mixed with simple but karmically fulfilling, mixed with the sense of satisfaction that only comes from finishing a project (finally!).  So three it is.

And the current roundup?
 

A Pretty Hem

 

#1:  Pink Fluffy a.k.a. Bell-Sleeved Scoop-Neck Top from Glam Knits by Stefanie Japel (on Ravelry here).  I’m using the suggested yarn – Blue Sky Alpacas Brushed Suri – and it is oh so soft I swear I may never take it off once I put it on that first time.  If I could marry a yarn, this would probably be it.  Except it’s such a little bitch sometimes that I almost broke off our relationship, but luckily I came to my senses.  The body is finished and it just needs sleeves and a neckline.  I wanted to magic loop the sleeves but I didn’t have the right length and size of circs so I ordered a few interchangeable needles from Knit Picks which are in the mail as I type.  This will also give me a feel for their interchangeable needles and help me decide if I want to buy a whole set or not.  The gal at my LYS suggested I borrow them from somebody before committing to the whole set, but I don’t know anyone that has any.  Then Maryse posted about buying a couple needle tips and a couple cables to go with them and I figured – genius!  So I totally copied her :)  Thanks Maryse!

 

Another Hem Shot!

 

#2:  Mystery Sweater for Warm Woolies (on Ravelry here).  I’ve finished the hem pattern and am now in the straight stockinette portion.  I love the color of this yarn and I almost wish it was going to be for me (are you even surprised?)!  Sometimes mindless stockinette can be so soothing and I’m really glad that I have something in this stage right now so I can just pick it up whenever and knit a few rows without thinking too hard.

 

#3:  Secrety Squirrel Test Knit for rchrispy.  Sorry guys, no Ravelry linkies or pics to show.  But it’s in rotation and I’m working on it.  You probably won’t see it for a year (that’s my deadline) but I’m sure I’ll bring it up now and then.  Just ’cause I can.  ‘Nuff said.

 

Our New NordicTrack Treadmill

 

And because I’m the biggest work-in-progress of all, here’s our new toy (if you think it’s cool to call instruments of torture, toys).  Yep.  We gots us a treadmill.  I took the inaugural run last night (and then proceeded to bike 4 miles with R. Darling while he ran some trails) and spent some more time on there this afternoon.  My bikini better appreciate all the hard work I’m putting in.

 

So what are you working on?