With the needles

Pattern: Capucine

Yarn: Malabrigo worsted merino, Deja Vu, a little more than one skein

Left off the tassel in the back.

Loved the pattern, love the yarn. Not sure if I can actually pull off wearing it. Maybe I'll get brave.

In the meantime I had to pay Ethan to model it for me:



He was thrilled.

Yarn it all

I recently tried my hand at dyeing yarn for the first time.  I wanted to make duck feet for Sadie's costume but had no yellow yarn the right size.  I did, however, have yellow food coloring and an old skein of white yarn.  The transformation was so satisfying, I knew it would be something the kids would enjoy.

With the long weekend in mind, I bought several packets of Kool-Aid.   Each of the boys picked 2 different colors, Ethan found directions for dyeing on Knitty and we were off.  Some of the process in pictures, both low and high resolution:


 


 






 

 

 

Dont worry, be happy now

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,
and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.
G. K. Chesterton

I'm feeling less than thankful at the moment. Really kind of sick to my stomach over some bad news today. Not earth-shattering-someone's-dying kind of news, just car-trouble-money-stressfulness. An ideal time to focus on other things. And hope that it helps.

Around noon today, the sun poked out. I assumed it was fleeting and ran to get my camera.



Trying to keep ahead of Sadie's ravenous wailing (if I let her she would eat every food item in the house, perishable and non) and frantic signs for "MORE, MORE!", I snapped a few pictures of my favorite flower. Who cares if they're a little brown around the edges? They manage a cheerfulness I could never achieve.



After getting Adam settled at the table with food, the sun was still around so I snapped a few more pictures of my latest knitting obsession. The boy hat. So far, so good. And the yarn (Malabrigo) is just right.



I'm looking forward to making a couple of these, maybe even three if I can stretch 2 skeins that far.

Even though I'm still getting the occasional tomato out of my own garden, it was nice to get 3 gorgeous, ripe ones all at once, along with some peppers, from a friend of Keith's.



Salsa came to mind and I tried this recipe, via Smitten Kitchen. It was perfect.


(A food photographer I am not)

Because we somehow had an excess of milk (that never happens), I made some yogurt today. It's really just a few minutes of stirring and keeping it warm for a few hours after that. Believe me, it tastes a lot better than it looks here.



Drew was supposed to have his first soccer practice on Wednesday but it was canceled and rescheduled twice since then because of rain. It is several miles away and I wouldn't even have attempted it myself without a car but Keith was home today and decided he could do it. By bike. With all the boys. He is braver than I.


I'm glad I recently finished my custom safety flag for our bike trailer.



Sadie and I hung out at home and listened to her cry for a couple hours. Idyllic. Like in the movies.

But I did manage to get a photo of her boots in the three seconds that she wore them.



Now I'm sitting here trying not to bite my nails as it gets darker and darker and the boys aren't home yet. Back to square one.

Anticipation

We've got a lot to look forward to around these parts. Spring break starts tomorrow and hopefully, very soon, spring itself will pay a visit. One can always dream.

Ethan just finished winter soccer and will start the busy spring (did you hear me, spring?) season soon. Drew is excited to be playing micro soccer as well. I'm fairly confident he is ready, unlike the last time we tried. 4 days a week of soccer! I'm going to pretend that makes me really happy.

We are also excited about a new girl cousin, soon to be born! Any day now, right Claire? I can't wait to see pictures, and someday meet her in person. In the meantime, making stuff for her is the best I can do.

Of course, I'm going to show you what I made. Musn't disappoint.

I finally tried out Christine's Baby Booties, a popular pattern kicking around ravelry and the knitting world for years. Wish I'd tried it sooner for my own babies.

















Had to make Sadie a pair after I finished these. They really do stay on better than any other sock or soft shoe she has. I used a combination of old stash sock yarn for Sadie's so they aren't beautiful but they are warm with room to grow.

Claire told me about a great product she had her eye on called a diaper clutch. It's a changing pad which includes a pocket for storing wipes/diapers and rolls up for easy portability. There are some really nice ones available on etsy and a whole lot of free tutorials and variations online.
























I decided to attempt one, using a very straightforward tutorial found here. I found I had some vinyl in my stash which seemed perfect for the changing pad side and paired that with a heavy-weight cotton for the outside.

I liked it so much, I had to make one for myself. Quick, easy, cheap and practical. My kind of project.

















Also much anticipated: Maple syrup, if we are able to gather enough sap. More to come on that if spring cooperates.

This and that, for lack of anything better

I admit I've been a little jealous of all the snowstorms they've been having out East. I love that Big Storm anticipation. Finally, it looks like we're about to get in on some of that snow action.

Probably a crazy fantasy, but I'm hoping to get some extra time for knitting while hibernating.

















(Fiona's Top, size 12 mos, my first attempt at lace. Yarn from stash)
















(Gaptastic Cowl, pattern on ravelry. Yarn: Zealana Eco Marino, elephant skin. Hopeful that I can pull off the cowl look.)


Also. I did it. A whole month of Bumbos. A lesson in perseverance, taught by a pink taskmaster. I really did find it surprising the way a goal forced my hand creatively. So many days I wondered how I could possibly come up with something new for a photo. And somehow, it happened in spite of me.

















Goal for February to be revealed soon!

For my next project

It's been only a week and this whole Bumbo thing is getting old. I'm not at all sure why I thought it was a good idea to give myself such a narrow focus. Hopefully I can stick it out. Since it's so terribly crucial and all.






















Fortunately, no one said the Bumbo had to have a baby in it.

Nearer to Spring

"I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.

'We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,'
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December."

- Oliver Herford, I Heard a Bird Sing

(Felt candle holder-or "Felt Fire Hazard" as Keith refers to it--pattern, and poem found here.)

Bumbo: Day 2

Warning: pictures may cause cavities.






















A few years ago, I tried out this pattern as a gift for a friend's baby. I modeled the hat on Drew, with one or two seconds of success. It was surprisingly quick and simple and, finding some yarn left over, I decided to attempt it again for Sadie. With matching boots, of course, so she can show her face in this town.

I ran out of yarn halfway through the hat and then found out it was discontinued. Typical. Ravelry to my rescue, once again!

Without further boring details, I bring you, Sadie, baby Uggs and Bumbo. All in one perfect storm of cuteness, if I say so myself!





































Now if I can just knit myself a pair of these things.

The reason we hoped for a girl

Leg Warmers. That's why.

(pattern here.)

What I'm loving right now

The color that is coming:






















My recently completed Monteagle bag:






















It expands to hold a large amount of objects and is deceptively strong. I used some yarn I'd had in my stash forever (Berroco linen flax) but ran out on the handle. Only then did I discover this yarn has been discontinued. Thanks to a kind soul on Ravelry who was willing to sell me a skein from their stash.

This top-down bonnet for Sadie:















I made it a little big, remembering that this pattern tends to run small. Little heads grow so fast. Used Paton's silk bamboo which is nice and soft but terribly unforgiving yarn. I dropped (and fixed) a couple stitches and it looks like a Tasmanian Devil had a party in the dead center of the hat.

Ethan's schoolwork: (I love that soccer has become a coping skill)






















Finding the perfect color for Sadie's room. And making some progress there. (More to come on that soon...I hope.)






















Beautiful weather and a nature walk with Adam and Sadie: (with Sadie asleep)

















It's rare that I have any quality alone time with any of my kids these days. I'm trying to make it a priority. With Ethan and Drew in school, for a few mornings a week, I'm able to give more attention to Adam.






















We had fun searching for little bits of nature to bring back home with us.

Working on

Yarn hair is harder than I thought.
















Prop hat by Kate Oates

for Isaiah

Tiny needles, tiny yarn and a smaller version of the smallest hat pattern I could find. I've been told his head is the size of a golf ball. I don't know many other details but I do know getting through each day is an accomplishment.

















"Day by day,
Stone by stone,
Build your secret slowly."

One and a half socks

Point to something that's red

More germs than inspiration in the air these days but I do have a new finished knit to share. *Cheers, Applause, Loud screams of joy*
















My first ever Wonderful Wallaby for Adam. I made size 4 since I'd heard they run a little small and it just fits, but not for long. It took two more skeins of yarn that the pattern called for (Knitpicks swish superwash, Fired Brick) and even then I ran a little short on the hood.

Otherwise, it was a simple, quick knit. It's soft and warm and Adam likes the pockets.






















Next time I'll do stockinette stitch rather than garter stitch on the hood. Garter stitch just tends to make things look more homemade than strictly necessary.

To make your eyes glaze over

Keith really wants me to write something unrelated to fibers or textiles. I'm sorry but this is all my brain can handle right now. Knitting, knitting and more knitting.

As the days get shorter, the evenings cooler, my knitting reflex is triggered. I can't help myself. I'm trying to stick to my stash for the most part and quick, mindless projects like hats. Everyone needs a hat, right? Almost as much as I need to knit one.

The first hat was inspired by the Ski Beanie I saw in this book. I modified it since it was a pattern for an adult but it ended up too small even for Adam. Yeah, I'm good. With rare knitting persistence, I frogged it and added some length. Now it fits Drew! And Adam too. All good. Details on Ravelry at some point. I really like this pattern.




































Another meathead! Made from one skein of Lamb's Pride Superwash Bulky I found on ebay for all of $2! Love.






















The skull and crossbones from the Skull Cap pattern on Ravelry, was my first attempt at intarsia in a long time. It was supposed to be for Ethan and I'm not sure what I did wrong but it's a little too small for him.






































Let the cold weather begin!