There was lots of knitting in 2008, but unfortunately since I kept up neither my ravelry page or my blog, I can't name all of the things. I know that there were 6 pairs of picky pants, but I only know that because I see them in the morning when I get the baby dressed. There were untold hats and mittens, and no new scarves this year, though we very much need some new scarves. I finished this hat yesterday: 
and let me tell you, I think it is hilarious. I have a box full of old acrylic yarn that I picked up at a garage sale last year or maybe the year before. Every now and again when I need something small, I pull that box of acrylic out, and I almost always love the results. This hat is ridiculous, and just what Gus needed (those are the newest picky pants in the photo too).
So my 2008 knitting round up isn't very impressive. I started a big quilt project too, but I clearly haven't photographed that yet either. Maybe 2009 will be a better year for documenting my projects -but from the looks of that little pregnancy counter on the sidebar, I wouldn't count on it.
Blegh, sorry about all the downer stuff. I'm officially clearing the air.
This is my new favorite thing.
It's the slouchy cardigan from Greetings from Knit Cafe.
This was a project I started last summer. I have a distinct memory of bringing it to my first midwife appointment. The nurse asked me if I was knitting something for the baby, and I felt a little bad that I was making something for myself. I think at the time I was around 8 weeks pregnant, so not really something to feel bad about.
It turned out just lovely, and I'm sorry I don't have any idea what sort of yarn I used or the needles. I'm ashamed to admit I didn't do a gauge swatch, and when it was complete, it was way too small. I thought blocking would solve all of my problems - and it did - to some degree.
It's still a little tight, but it looks good. It's way to hot to wear now, being made of alpaca and close fitting. I can't wait for fall to curl up with this one.
I will search for the ball band. I think it might be misti alpaca, but I'm not sure. I had the knitting and most of the seaming done within a month of starting this project - but I became completely stalled when it came to attaching the sleeves and the hood. To this day, I still don't understand how they were supposed to attach. After 10 months on the UFO pile, I finally just dove in. It worked out fine, and I don't remember now what was so confusing. Something about the sleeve caps not fitting into the body at all.
It worked out for the best, and this fall I hope to whip up a quick little hoodie for the baby. With Dave's brown hoodie 95% finished (just waiting for a zipper), I'll have a family of hooded sweaters to show you soon. Yay! Knitting!
I've been spending a ton of time updating my Ravelry page with all the knitted things around the house. Most of them were before the blog or I never got around to blogging about them - I find that Ravelry is everything I ever wanted in a knitting blog - I just have to fill in forms, upload photos - I don't have to be terribly creative and I can look at all of my knitting on one page. I love it, and I still haven't gotten around to doing the stash and the needles section. Hopefully soon.
In the meantime, our little family of three has been busy. I took a second job - meaning I will now work a whopping 20 hours a week. I'm honestly a little nervous about it. Yes, the little guy is nearly 5 months old, but I've spent so much time with him in those 5 months I'm worried about being away from him so much. I know it will be good for each of us and he can spend more time with Dave and get more comfortable doing his bedtime routine and other things with him. I'm excited about the new job, especially because it comes with a great deal on a gym membership. Working out is something I've completely dismissed since Aug was born, and I can't wait to get back into swimming regularly.
Dave has been working like mad in the garden, and I feel terrible I haven't posted photos. He's completed a lot of stuff that was on hold - the front fence, the porch project, the shed addition. He's begun on the fence in the back too, all while keeping up a massive vegetable and flower garden. The daily haul of tomatoes is enough to shock anyone, and he's now pulling in beans, eggplants, and a mess of herbs. Peppers are just around the corner - the jalapenos are already producing faster than we can eat, and the pumpkins are turning orange. I think I'll have my wish that one of Gus's first meals will be butternut squash from our backyard, and in the meantime we've enjoyed the broccoli and the raspberries. It's totally overwhelming how the garden has grown this year, and I know that Dave has done it all. At best, I've sat out in the yard with him. I'm so proud of how much work he has put into making our yard better than it has ever been.
Though Gus is not quite 5 months old, we've started feeding him cereal. He's showed an interest in food for a long time, watching us intently during meals. He is delighted with eating - he chomps down on the spoon and opens his mouth for more. Our only real struggle with the little guy is trying to get him to take a nap longer than 45 minutes (and we're reading "The No Cry Sleep Solution" in attempt to do exactly that). He still loathes the car and most rides are full of fussing or sometimes screaming. There's little we can do about that at this point - pretty frequently we need to put him in the car. We do our best to drive during nap times and to keep him entertained. Hopefully that will improve soon.
The little guy is waking up, so no more time for blogging. I hope to get back to regular posting at some point - maybe when he's 5?
Sorry for not posting much. We're back from our wonderful trip, and have been updating photos like crazy at gusmonster. I've been meaning to do an update here too, but all of my internet time has been devoted to ravelry recently. I'm finally catching up with everyone else and I got my invite while we were out of town.
I love, love love this new toy, and I haven't had a chance to put up nearly as many photos of projects as I would like - and I haven't even started on the stash section. I've just been going through my completed projects and lining up new things in my queue. Once I get the rest of my photos up, regular posting will resume - I hope!
Pattern: Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket
Yarn: Lanaloft sports weight in Precious Stones
Needles: Takumi Clover US 5 24" circular
Modifications: none
What a fun, quick knit. Most people know this pattern, and it deserves it's popularity. It's construction is so clever, the seaming is so easy, and the stripes are neat.
I loved the yarn I chose, though it wasn't what I originally had in mind. The color is a deep green, with stripes of gold and purple. I love the mismatched buttons I chose, but again, not what I originally had in mind.
The two main problems I had was that 1. I ran out of yarn 2 ridges from the end of the pattern. I thought about buying another skein, and I searched my stash for something that would make a nice complementing border. Nothing worked, and out of impatience I gave up and bound off. I think it works, but it compounds problem number 2: it's too small for August. Way too small. This maybe would have fit him a month and a half ago, but there's not a chance now.
That's actually good, though. I can go back and get the yarn I originally wanted for the project but that was too bulky. I can knit it up in time for fall, and he will have a perfect blue striped sweater just as the weather gets cold.
And this little beauty will come east with me, and will be a gift for our friends, Laura and Dave - who are expecting a little boy any day.
Presto! Change-o!
Baby Surprise Jacket knitting is done! More photos once the shoulders are sewn and the buttons are attached. The only problem....is that it doesn't fit my baby. I had no idea what size it would be and wasn't trying for gauge, so it's really my own fault. I'll try to put it on him tomorrow when he's awake, but for now I don't think there's any way this will fit him. Harumph.
Oh well - we have friends expecting a little boy any day. I hope he likes green!
Oh, and yay for Catherine! Her little girl arrived - can't wait to see more photos, happy birthday Ameila!
Oh pie shawl, how I adore thee.
I am not ashamed to say that this was the most difficult thing I have ever knit. It absolutely kicked my ass. It tested my patience, it tested my skill, and it nearly brought me to tears more than once. I cannot believe I finished this in one month. I devoted nearly every evening and every spare second to it (and though I don't have a lot of those) there was one evening where Dave mentioned that he had joined a support group for men whose wives are knitting the "big blue thing."
Pattern: Elizabeth Zimmerman's pi shawl from Knitter's Almanac
Yarn: Misti Alpaca
Needles: US 7, most of it on a 32" circular
Gauge: 4-5 sts per in, after blocking
The night before I met Gail for the first time, I sat down at the kitchen table and cried. I believe I was 17 weeks pregnant, and yes - there was a lot of crying in those first months - but I remember feeling terrified. I had a list of questions to ask these potential midwives, and I was a little overwhelmed by the prospect of giving birth in general, let alone giving birth at home. We met with Gail and Clare, and they answered all of our questions patiently. We talked about many things, including pregnancy and birth, but also life and family, hopes and values. As we were getting up to leave, I really wasn't sold. I wasn't sure this was the right thing for us, just not the right fit. Before I saw it coming, Gail caught me in a huge bear hug. It surprised me, since I'm generally not a hugger (especially with strangers). Calm washed over me, and I knew in that moment that everything was going to be okay. Just then, I felt that I trusted Gail completely.
That trust never wavered, and it was her that I relied on most heavily during my labor. She was the one I called when I felt my first contractions, she was the one I leaned on against on the wall when we were trying to change the baby's position, and she was the one who got me through that most awful night - Monday - when I was so sure that I wanted to give up. When we asked Clare and Emme to leave after 2 days of labor, it was Gail that we asked to stay. She didn't leave our house for nearly 3 days, and so far as I knew - she was happy to do it.
Dave and I joke that Gail is a modern day witch - that she knows things about the natural world that most folks would miss. Her knowledge of homeopathy was able to slow my labor that second night so I could get some rest. Even now, with Dave so sick - we asked the nurses at the clinic if the baby was at risk, and when they weren't sure, the first person I thought of to ask was Gail. She just knows things, somehow, and that makes me feel lucky to have known her.
And so, for Gail, a shawl. A shawl that was sooooo freaking complicated that I couldn't find the big, glaring mistake in the lace pattern. It grimaces out at me from these photos, and I only hope she won't notice. This was my first attempt at knitting lace, and I realize only now what an undertaking it was.
I don't think that Gail is a lacy-shawl wearing type of lady. In fact, she might be the exact opposite of a lacy-shawl wearing lady, but I don't care. I wanted something she could wrap around herself, something that would be soft, and would make her feel calm. That first hug was just the beginning, and over the months of my pregnancy and after, there were many hugs exchanged.
I think it is suitable that this shawl took my knitting to a higher level, and it taught me something about patience, about being too big for my britches, about biting off more than I can chew. I learned something very similar from Gail, and when I look back at that scared pregnant lady, crying at her kitchen table, I feel like there are decades between who I was then and who I am now. It was Gail who guided me across that bridge, from woman to mother, and for that - for all that she taught me - I am terribly, terrible grateful.
Personally, I have never been a fan of felted items, but I thought a big, floppy, felted bag would suit Clare. I could never quite put my finger on her - she swung between totally professional and totally wacky. I remember last winter, after she saw Dave and I all suited up in our many knitted winter items, she took up her knitting needles and produced a number of fun, stripey scarves. I think this bag will complement them nicely.
Pattern: None, I just knit a big circle and ended with a 3 needle bind off, then attached handles.
Yarn: Plymouth Boku in two different colorways
Needles: My trusty old US 10 circulars
Gauge: I didn't measure before I felted, and I can't measure now.
Clare was amazing during the birth. There were times when Dave and I were in our bedroom, working through the contractions. Clare would come in, and sit with her back against the wall and eyes closed. I could hear her breathing, and just her calm presence made me slow down, follow her breath, and relax a little bit. I remember that she made me the most delicious bowl of oatmeal I have ever eaten. I'm hungry just thinking about it.
Clare was the midwife I saw most while I was pregnant. There were times when my checkups were just with her, and she was also my yoga teacher so I saw her on a near weekly basis. I came to absolutely adore her, and I miss her fun smile and her goofy attitude. She made me laugh so many times when I thought I was beyond laughter, and I'm grateful to her for it.
I don't know for sure that she'll like this bag, but it turned out just the way I expected it to. It's sturdy and useful, and also fun. I wasn't sure I was going to line it with fabric, but when I started my new job and found out that Crafty Planet is just across the street, I couldn't help but pop in for 1/2 yard to finish this off. I like the contrast of the plain floral pattern inside, and I think it gives the finished bag a nice touch.
3 midwives attended August's birth - well, technically 2 midwives and 1 a doula. In the weeks immediately afterward, I decided to knit them all gifts as a thank you for the spectacular job they did, both before, during, and after our little guy came into the world. Honestly, I owe these women so much that simple knitted gifts don't seem like they quite cut it.
I cannot believe it took me 3 full months to complete these 3 projects, but I had a lot less knitting time than I had anticipated. Who new a newborn would almost always require two hands?
Midwife gift 1 - socks!
During one of the postpartum visits, our doula Emme mentioned how much she liked August's socks. He was wearing these ones, so I thought what better than to make her a pair for herself?
Pattern: I followed the basic sock recipe in Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Knitting Rules!
Yarn: Lanett Superwash
Needles: US 2
Gauge: 8.5 sts to the in
Mods: Hm... I finished these in the middle of April and I do not honestly remember.I think they're a pretty good replica of the original, and I hope she likes them. I no longer give socks to non-knitting friends, and Emme is a knitter herself. I don't think non-knitters realize how much work goes into a pair of hand knit socks, so there you have it.
I was kicking myself over how long this pair took me to knit, but that was long before I got to gift 2 and 3, and I realize now that a month for a pair of socks is nothing considering I was caring for our newborn at the same time.
During my long labor, Emme was patient and present. Though I know I snapped at her a few times, she was never anything other than wonderful toward me, and I'm grateful for the help she provided during the labor. She was extremely helpful in the first week of Gus's life as well, making a few special trips to my house to help me get started nursing. She was lovely and patient, and I'm so thankful for all she did to help our little family.
I have a small knitting problem. It involves brooklyn tweed. You see, every time he posts a new project, I fall completely in love with it and decide to knit it. Just recently, he posted the knitted garter stitch blanket. Even though I have at least 3 projects to finish before I will allow myself to start something new, I'm already picturing how this will keep us warm all winter long.
It was his pi shawl blanket that got me started on my own pi shawl, and I had originally planned to finish this shawl and start on a blanket just like his. The knitting was tricky though, and after 3 weeks I'm still 18 rows from the end. With each row 500+ stitches in lace weight, it takes me a good half hour to finish just one. I wanted to finish it by the weekend, though, so I could fix up the sweater that I made for Dave. He was supposed to get it for his birthday, and I actually finished sewing it all up the day prior. He tried it on, and it was a good 10 inches too long. I've got to rip back the fronts and back and reshape the armholes, something I promised would be complete by Fathers day. After that I want to do EZ's BSJ for my little guy, inspired again by brooklyn tweed - here.
Every garment he knits is so freaking gorgeous, that the problem isn't just in that I want to knit everything he posts. The problem is that he is a much more advanced knitter than I am, so while I get all excited and think each new project is the perfect project for me, I need to step back and realize - this guy has a talent I will never have.
Alas, I can click through his completed projects and dream, right? Now back to that gigantic shawl!
I spend a lot of time on the couch these days. Not as much as I did while I was pregnant, but there are days when it feels like Gus is nursing every 10 minute, and I'm totally pinned down. Fortunately, there isn't much that I have to get done, so I don't mind sitting down to feed the babe. I think about those who do this with a toddler, though, and I wonder how they manage it.
I finally saw Juno yesterday, and I'm in love with this song. I wanted to buy it from iTunes, but you have to buy the whole album and I really just wanted the song.
I've been knitting socks as a thank you for our midwives, and I have 2 and 1/2 socks complete. They are two different sizes, so I'm knitting a 3rd sock to match the 2nd one - which is the right size. I'm thinking about keeping the first one I knit and just redoing it to fit me. They're red with lots of stripes, and I have no photos because I don't feel like waking the baby up so I can go get the camera.
After I finish the socks, I'm going to get to work on the sheep mobile Dave and I planned to make. I have to knit at least 6 sheep, and I don't have a pattern or an idea how to do it. Once I'm finished with that, I want to make 2 more gifts for the other 2 midwives, and then another Sheldon for a pregnant friend. I also would like to knit up some pants for the baby, since none of the pants we have fit him yet. I think by the time I get to that, not only will it be too warm for pants, but he will probably be fitting in the ones that we have. I thought I would have a lot more time for knitting, but as it turns out, I never have two hands free at the same time.
I'm still trying to write about the labor - I want to remember the best parts of it. When I first tried to write about it, I got really sad when thinking about Paul and I haven't gone back to it. I know there are things in my memory that are fading that I would like to remember, so I'll try to get to it.
Remember this?
It was this!
Flip top mittens for my friend Steve out in Milwaukee. He received them this weekend and I'm happy to say they fit him perfectly. 
I believe this pattern originated with Catherine, I remember a downloadable PDF from her .mac site way back when. Since then I've modified it and added some features, and I like to think of it as my own. Steve saw Dave's flip tops when he was here in December, and mentioned he had nothing to keep his fingers warm that matched his new red jacket. What was I to do?
Though I think I've knit a version of this pattern 6 or 7 times, this was by far my favorite. The wool was fantastic to work with and the fingers are even and well planned (that's not usually the case). Dave always tells me that I should make up 5 pairs of them and see if I can sell them locally or online, but I have never got around to it. Maybe this summer I'll plan ahead and get it done for the fall. Men at his work ask about them regularly, most often wondering where he got his "shootin' gloves". I've found the flip top functionality not just good for shootin', but great for getting keys in a door, turning pages of a book while waiting for a bus, and of course - knitting in the winter.
I'm very glad they suit Steve, and I hope to be sure of the fit when he visits at the end of March. For people who don't wear a lot of hand knitted items, it seems like they are sometimes hesitant to complain when things don't fit quite right. It's best to be able to see the person wearing it. It wouldn't be too much trouble to pull the fingers back and make them wider or longer, depending on what he'd like. The one major flaw of this design is that because there is knitted fabric between your fingers, they get kind of squished when you close the top. Mostly Dave and I wear ours with the tops down, so it's not an issue. The top is just there for those really, really cold days, when you can't bear to have any exposed skin. Yay for surprise knitting!
I finished the bag that I started on Friday. Well, mostly finished. I sewed up all of the pieces last night, and think the bag is great. I love the cable pattern across the top of the bag, but I especially love the pattern along the strap. The bag is the perfect length for over the shoulder or across the chest.
Details -
Pattern: Tasha on Knitty
Yarn: Rowan Magpie in truffle
Needles: Size 7 Crystal Palace - they're inexpensive, but they're my favorite needles
Gauge: unknown
Modifications: None yet (see below)
I think the wool will hold up well, but it's nowhere near as sturdy as the denim the bag was designed with. I would have loved to knit the bag in denim, but my pocketbook 
couldn't take the hit, and I had this beautiful yarn from my sister in law. It will definitely stretch, which is why I'm thinking of a few modifications.
First, there are no pockets. It definitely needs a pocket, or I will never find my wallet inside. I was thinking about a kangaroo pocket at first, but I've decided I would prefer just a little side pocket on the inside.
I plan to use this bag for knitting and purse functions, so it'll contain keys, wallet, sunglasses and a random assortment of knitting. The problem with knit bags holding my knitting is that the needles always poke through. I was having trouble with this already this morning, so I'm planning to toss my stash of fabric this afternoon and see if I have something suitable for a lining. That would make the pocket question moot, and I could just sew a pocket into the lining. That 
might be nice. I was thinking a shimmery purple silk floral pattern. I know I don't have that in my stash, so maybe I'll stop at the Savers on the way home and see if they've got anything for me.
I'm really happy with this project, and while I used to shy away from complicated cables, this one was fun. I had to rip back the strap 3 or 4 times when I missed a cable round, but for the most part, it was extremely enjoyable. I think the main reason I never liked cabling was because it takes longer than regular knitting, but these days I knit a lot faster than I used to, and I don't mind the extra time for something decorative.
I'm putting something in the mail to a friend today, which I will show you once I know that he's received it. Here's a teaser photo (have I mentioned recently that I love my camera? I never used to be able to take close ups!)
I never get around to posting about my knitting works in progress, mostly because I forget that we have a camera until they're already completed. I tend to knit pretty quickly, and my recent projects have been small. I want to be sure I'll be able to finish it once I start, so most things aren't going past the 2 -3 day mark.
Friday night, I began this bag using Rowan Magpie (which I'm not finding on their website so it must be discontinued). My sister in law gave it to me for my birthday, and it's a nice purple-y brown color. I've got the front, back, side and bottom panels complete, now just working away on the strap.
I want to have a long strap, so the bag will sit on my hip while it's over my shoulder. I measured the strap on one of our favorite over-the-shoulder bags, and it's 42". That seems extremely long to me, but I'm going to knit that far and see how it feels. I love, love, love the cable pattern on the strap, so I have no problem doing a little extra, even if I don't use it.
Hope to sew it up tonight. It never occurred to me to make a bag before, and I've been hauling around the same green and frilly purple felted thing that I made 5 years ago, and never really liked. This suits me much better, and I can't wait to have it complete.
I took a little knitting break, but I'm back at it. I've finished two new baby hats in the past week, both from the same skein of sock yarn. I would be lying if I said I knew the brand or color. I don't. The first, modeled here by Nammers (Dave's stuffed lamb from when he was wee) was done on size 3 needles and took me forever to knit.
I wasn't sure about the color, and had been hoping that there would be more green, blue, and yellow than purple. The purple is the most prominent, though, so I guess I need to come to terms with the fact that if we're having a boy he's going to wear a purple hat sometimes. Not really the worst thing in the world, but something to consider.
Dave told me he liked it, though, and said the color range reminded him of a ripening eggplant. Eggplants can be manly, right?
I did the second hat on size 5s, with the yarn held double. This one is adorable, and I can't wait to knit more in the same style at the baby grows.
(this hat modeled by a lamb who is not Nammers, but looks a lot like Nammers).
Dave has a few hats with this simple K2P2 ribbing, and I personally think it's one of the most comfortable hats to wear. Plus, the ribbing is really stretchy, so the hat will fit the baby a little longer than the stockinette ones.
Lastly, Sheldon!
Sadly, Sheldon was not created for our baby, but for another. Dave has a friend who is due a few weeks after me, and I'm trying to stay ahead of schedule on these baby gifts. While I would love to think that I will have nothing but time to knit those first few weeks after the birth, I know deep down that my spare time will be spent sleeping and showering, not knitting.
This is the 3rd turtle I've made, and I love this pattern. I particularly love the i-cord around the top of the shell. It's a nice finishing touch, and it's really fun to make. The best part about Sheldon, though, is that he's not shy at all:
He comes right out of his shell if you need him to. This cracks me up every time I see it. The little turtle legs, all floppy. The shell sitting there, discarded. This is a great pattern. Kudos to Ruth for coming up with it!
As you may have noticed, I haven't felt much like posting recently. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but I don't feel much like writing. Instead, I will present some finished things.
Finished thing 1: Huge Triangle Shawl
These photos aren't the greatest, but you get the idea.
Pattern: Huge Triangle Shawl from Greetings from Knit Cafe
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers (don't have the color band with me)
It was a slow project but I really enjoyed knitting it and I love wearing it. I've been trailing it around the house with me, and I will be sad to see it shipped to Aunt Grace. I know she'll enjoy it though, and I can't wait to make one for myself.
Also finished, baby yoda sweater and little tiny hat.
The sweater is based on this pattern, and was an extraordinarily quick knit.
The yarn is some beautiful variegated stuff I got out of the sale rack at Depth of Field. It's James C. Brett Marble, and it's incredibly soft. I made a few pattern changes while I was knitting, but didn't write them down and couldn't repeat them.
I really like the color and the way the sweater fits together. I realize that it's sort of a boy-ish sweater, but if the little one turns out to be a girl, it'll be just fine with me. I know we're supposed to dress little girls in pink all the time, but grey and brown suit me just fine, so I think my potential daughter will like them too.
Last, but not least, is a tiny little hat. I didn't follow a pattern for this, just cast on and knit until I was done. I had some trouble with gauge, and first ended up with a hat to fit me, but after some adjustments, I got it right. I was working on size 2 metal needles, and I had an impossible time dropping stitches. Though I've done a number of socks on these needles before, this yarn was particularly soft and slippery, so it was a little more difficult. It turned out great, though, and I hope it fits the baby.
Speaking of baby, he or she is apparently the weight of a pineapple this week. Things are still good, but I'm tired, and getting tired of being tired. Monday mornings are always hard, but today I'm really dragging. Hopefully things will pick up by tomorrow!
