Even if I can't often blog about it!
Ok - so I was doing sort of ok with updating the blog, but then technology woes hit full force.
I live in a rural area that does not have high speed internet. I rely on a wireless stick combined with a "booster" antenna system in order to be connected to the outside world via the Internet. Unfortunately the gods of wireless devices do not smile favourably on me either. My ability to connect is very much dependent on the time of day, the way the stars align with the moon, if I'm holding my head at the proper angle... you get the idea.
And blogger itself. Oh blogger you are a formidable foe. I can't decide if it's my computer or blogger or me, but I can't seem to often get blogger to even load. If it does load I get error message after error message, and post a picture? Well forget it. I think perhaps I am suppose to make some sort of sacrifice in order for a picture to post without issue. Trouble is I can't figure out what that sacrifice is meant to be. So probably no pictures for today. It'll depend on how much time and patience I have to fiddle around with things.
Anyways. Enough of my tale of woe. On to more interesting matters at hand. (Or at least more interesting to me and hopefully to you as well dear readers if in fact there are any still out here!). Crafting. Knitting. Sewing. Oh my!
I managed to get my Christmas knitting done. Mom was pleased with the Clementine Shawlette. So was I truth be told, if I may be so bold as to say I really liked it and was sorely tempted to keep it all for me! G seems to love her French Press Felted Slippers and wears them often when she's home. Little Toddler Man is tickled with his turtle.
I've had what feels like lots of progress in the crafty department lately. The key to my success in finishing things is to do small, quick to finish projects. It's not a perfect system, but it gets things done and gives me a sense of accomplishment.
I jumped on the "Pay It Forward 2011" bandwagon that was going around facebook at the beginning of the year and am happily going to pay it forward to nine people. I offered five, but what the heck. I have trouble saying no!
I'm pleased to report that three out of my projects are done. Two have been delivered already and one about to be put in the post to it's destination! I chose French Press Slippers for the first two projects. Can I say how much I absolutely love that pattern? Really. It's awesome! Easy, quick and great results! For project number three I chose to knit the Star crossed Slouchy beret using Manos del Uruguay Classica in the now discontinued, but fantastic colourway, "Eclipse". I really liked this pattern too - especially the second time I knit it after having completely read the pattern wrong the first time round! The next projects are up in the air. I have some ideas, but nothing nailed down yet. Good thing I have a year to complete them in!
I've also done some sewing lately. Not a whole lot, but enough to keep me happy. First up was a new Moby style wrap for (BF)G's neice, who had graciously lent me hers when I had LTM. Unfortunately, Bella, who was a mere pup at the time and going through her chewing on everything phase, thought the wrap a gift for her chewing pleasure, and chomped some nasty holes in it. It was still quite useable - I used it for both LTM and Baby Boy, but it was rather unsightly. I presented L with the new wrap the other day and she was pretty pleased with it! She put it on right away and popped her little one in it. Baby girl seems pretty pleased with it too. She snuggled down and went straight to sleep. I must admit to having wished I'd made a pretty wrap for myself when Baby Boy was still light enough to carry comfortably in one. At 3 1/2 months old, he's already over 17 lbs, so I find the ring sling much more practical for carting him around in!
I also made a new set of matching "cowboy jammies" for the boys, since both of them have long since outgrown the first pairs. Only Daddy still has his originals (not being likely to outgrow anything soon) - although if I ever get a chance to get to the fabric store, I do hope to get some more of the new fabric to make him another pair of pjs to match his little guys! I'm really happy with how they turned out - especially given that I dug out my long since used pattern making skills out of the deep dark recesses of my memory and made the pattern for Baby Boy's top so it would exactly match LTM's!
Back to knitting, I've done a couple of other small projects. I knit myself a pair of French Press Slippers (told you I love that pattern!) as well as a tea cozy. I've wanted a tea cozy for years. It's beyond me why I didn't knit one long ago. Took absolutely next to no time at all. I'm now working on a hat for N as my latest little project.
I've been busy knitting some squares for yet another Schuyler Blanket Project too. It's so tragically sad how many of these blankets are needed. Makes one realize just how precious each baby's birth is. Not that I don't already know it, but sometimes it's easy to take for granted when looking at my five kids. How blessed I've been in my life.
I'm knitting for one that is very near to my heart right now, and wanted an extra special square, so I sat down and created one. It's the first time I've designed anything knit wise, and it turned out. Not much of a pattern, just a simple cable desing but it's something and it was somehow more meaningful in my mind to create for the little one that it was knit in remembrance of.
So I've been happily busy with all things crafty, and happily busy chasing after LTM and watching Baby Boy grow and change as the weeks go by (won't be long before I'm chasing him too!). I've been wishing I could see more of J, G and N, but they've got busy lives of their own now, so I take what I can get!