Prairie Girl Knits

Craft On!

2012-01-23T13:20:00.002-06:00

So it's been a busy time for me crafting wise. Little Toddler Man and I have got into a fairly good groove where he plays with toys kept specifically in my sewing area or plays on the piano (also in the same room). Occasionally a game of match the charm squares, put the pins in the pincushion or sort buttons amuses him as well, allowing me a bit of time on the machine while Baby Boy naps.

I decided to try a couple of patterns from my Sewing For Boys book. LTM has been showing a lot of interest in taking himself to the potty, but I've found that most of his pants aren't really accommodating. Whoever thought zippers and buttons on toddlers' clothes a good idea must have either not had a toddler of their own, or they didn't mind as they spent countless hours running a small tot to the bathroom all the while the tot was arguing, "No! Me do!" (or is that just in my house?)

So, I chose the Little Heartbreaker Pants. I really like this pattern. Simple, easy on, easy off, adjustable elastic waist. Perfect. I also love the details, the Hong Kong finish on the pockets - who knew it was called that? Not me, but I like it - and the red railroad fabric I used for the waistband facing and pockets - I sometimes wish I could put them on him inside out so everyone could see the details!

Before I did the cuffs I wanted to check the length, so LTM happily tried them on. Poor Baby Boy felt left out. He came running to me tugging at his pants and babbling and gesturing wildly. I asked him if he wanted mommy to make him new trousers as too and a mad bobbing up and down of his little head and repeated smiles and "uh huh" and it was pretty obvious. He wanted new pants too. I promised I'd make him a new pair the next day.

I thought I'd do the Treasure Pocket Pants for him. I thought using the denim for facings might be a bit bulky especially on an elasticized waist, so I dug through my bin of cottons and found enough leftover to use the construction print I'd made his shopping cart harness from back in the spring. So, his pair has the cotton print on the waist and hem facings as well I made some bias tape out of it for the pockets. I really love these pants on him and he was really happy too, so win, win again!

Moving right along, LTM has grown so much lately that all his pajamas are getting ridiculously short on him so using my favourite Kwik Sew pattern, I whipped up a new pair of flannel jammies for him one afternoon.

I had another couple baby gifts needed so a set of Baprons for one little one and a Austen Lee Romper for the other were my next projects. I had used up the last of my good colours of bias tape on the last few baprons I had made so I made my own. I really think if I'm going to do that again I'll get one of those handy little gadgets for making it. Well I'll get one as long as it saves me from more burnt finger tips. Ouch!

I also finished a project that's been on the go for three years now, but I can't show you pictures or say any more about it just yet. It's a super secret surprise for someone!

Oh and under the category of reuse and repurpose, I cut apart a sweater I knit when I was expecting LTM, that was itchy and ill fitting, not to mention at some point one of the dogs or cats had chewed a big hole in it. I've never worn it, never will, and with the gaping hole it's not as though I could donate it anywhere. So part of it became cuffs for a super quick pair of polar fleece mitts I made for myself before taking the little boys out to play yesterday afternoon.

In knitting news, I'm on a sock kick! My friend, who is a fantastic seamstress and owner of Monster Pants (need diapers? Check out her Facebook page, she makes adorable ones!) is also a fantastic knitter. To cheer me up she sent me a gorgeous pair of hand knit socks! I love them and now remember what I love about hand knit socks, so I've fixed the holes in my Pomatomus socks and cast on last night for a quick pair of Tiny Tulip socks!

Now. If you'll excuse me, Baby Boy is napping, LTM is having a quiet time and I have some knitting to do, although I suppose I should tackle the dishes, do some laundry and mop the floors first...

Pizza Night on the Prairies

2012-01-16T12:28:00.000-06:00

We live in a rural area, the closest town is about 15 minutes from us. Delivery is not an option. We probably could get take out pizza, but chances are it would hardly be hot once we got it home, plus the choices of pizzerias in town are abysmal. Why spend $$ on crappy pizza? So we make it here at home. Even Baby Boy, who is (shudder) a finicky eater likes it. Little Toddler Man loves it too, so I thought I'd share my recipe for no-fail yummy crust and a few of our favorite topping combos!

Pizza Crust
(makes three - four crusts depending on the size of your pans)

Heat oven to 205 C / 400 F
Mix 2 tsp of sugar into 2 cups of warm water
Dissolve 2 pkg of yeast in warm water/sugar and let sit about ten minutes
Add 2 tsp salt, 2 TBSP oil (at this point I usually throw in either oregano or basil or even sometimes some minced garlic)
Stir in 5 cups of flour, then knead dough until smooth and elastic.
Cover and let rise (I usually find a half hour long enough)
Divide and roll out crusts and place on pans that have been liberally sprinkled with cornmeal.
Bake in oven ten minutes (this prevents a soggy crust in the end so you don't want to skip this step.)

VARIATION: N likes to make a stuffed crust. So easy to do! Simply cut strips of mozzarella cheese and place along outer edges of pan, leaving enough dough to fold over the cheese and seal. Nom. Nom.

Cool your crusts a few minutes while you finish preparing toppings (this takes me an inordinately long time because I have two toddler sous chefs helping me!

Toppings

Ham and Pineapple - kid friendly favorite as evidenced by the fact a certain LTM ate no less than two and a half on Friday night and Baby Boy had close to two slices!

Spread about 1/4 cup zesty (or your favorite) pasta sauce on crust
Add well drained pineapple chunks and lots of diced ham. Don't skimp on ham and use luncheon meat. No, no, no. Go for the gusto and use real honest to goodness ham. You won't regret it! Promise!
Top with mozzarella cheese

Spicey Chicken - (BF)G loves this one!

Spread about 1/4 cup ranch dressing on crust
Mix cooked, diced chicken breast with Franks Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce to taste and put on crust
Finish topping pizza with chopped tomatoes, red pepper and of course lots of cheese. For this one I like to use a combo of mozzarella and cheddar.

Greek - or Eat Your Veggies

Spread about 1/4 cup of pasta sauce on crust
Top with chopped tomatoes, green pepper, red onions and black olives. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella and lots of crumbled feta cheese.

Bake pizza at 400 F for about 10-12 minutes, then switch to broil for about 3-5 minutes. Remove and let sit for ten minutes, cut and enjoy your feast! I guarantee you'll never want take out or delivery again!

More Than Just a Quilt

2012-01-12T22:52:00.001-06:00

In the beginning there was a group of "Summer Mommies" who met on Ravelry when they were expecting babies in the summer of 2009. The mommies found out that not only did they love to knit, several of them had a similiar addiction to sewing as well!

One day one of those Mommies suggested that a fabric swap be done. It was decreed that each Mommy would send the other Mommies a pre-determined amount of 5" Charm Squares. Oh what fun ensued. Swap I, II, III and IV went ahead in a mad flurry of cotton zipping around the globe!

And thus the Summer Mommies Friendship Quilt was born.

Let me tell you, there is a certain thrill in getting envelopes stuffed with gorgeous fabric rather than the usual offerings of the post (bills, bills and more bills!). The stack of squares grew larger and larger. The possibilities of what could be done with the fabric grew equally large!

I had about a million different ideas swirling around in my head. Being new to quilting I was pretty daunted by doing anything too big, but then (BF)G was asking for a quilt for our bed, and here I was with this healthy stash of already cut fabric... so I finally decided on the size of quilt I'd make. Queen. Yep. Queen sized. Me, who has only managed to ever finish two baby sized quilts and one twin sized quilt top (some day I'll get that sucker finished too!) making a queen sized quilt!! What an undertaking. But in for a penny in for a pound I always figure!

So size determined, the next step was to figure out how to go about doing it. I fell in love with pinwheels somewhere along the way and knew that somehow, someway my quilt would have to have them. But I only had so many pairs of squares and a whole lot more of singles, so I knew I couldn't do exclusively pinwheels. After weeks of designing and re-designing in my head I finally decided to do pinwheel blocks of white and pairs alternating with more pinwheels that are probably not called pinwheels at all, (but I like to think of them as such), made up of eight different fabrics.

April 2011 - Quilt blocks are all sewn

April saw the start of the actual sewing. Blocks were finished relatively easily. A few re-dos here and there to fix non-perfect points and I was pretty happy with the results. Then came the peicing them all together. A bit daunted and out of thread, I took a bit of a break, then dove back into it whole heartedly!

Testing the layout - note a wee Baby Boy trying to steal the blocks!

By June I was finished the quilt top. Easy peasy. Right? All that was left to do was choose backing and binding, make my quilt sandwhich and finish it. I selected binding at the fabric store in the city, without problems, but couldn't find a backing I liked. I didn't want to peice together - too expensive, I didn't want an extra wide print - all the store in the city had, so I phoned around to some local country shops figuring surely they would have a good selection of quilt backing fabrics. I hit pay dirt. A jaunt, one sunny fall morning to the next town over to the shop, a store that was actually housed in someone's house. It was a weird little twilight zone-ish kind of experience as sometimes very small towns can be - people noticed as I drove down the street. They actually stopped and stared. It was abundantly clear they wondered who the stranger was in their midst. But in the end the backing was procured. I was all set to finish.

June 2011 - The Quilt top is finished!

What I did not count on was the abject fear I had that I would well and truly somehow ruin my quilt. That trepidation kept my quilt from being finished for months. Then I decided weather was turning cold, (BF)G was asking about the quilt and the quilt itself would call to me from it's spot on the shelf everytime I worked on another project. Deciding it was now or never, late in the fall I started tackling the machine quilting of it. I did a bit each day, hauling my machine upstairs to the kitchen table as soon as the boys went down for a nap. It was hard work. I really felt I didn't have a hot clue what I was doing, but it got done, and the binding was sewn on. Then the handstitching needed to be done. Let me tell you, there is something daunting about the task of hand sewing approximately 370" of fabric. It sat a few weeks while I worked up the motivation.

Then early one December morning, in much need of distraction, I sat down and started stitiching. I didn't get very far that morning, but later that night I curled up in the armchair and started again. It took me several occasions to get all that hand sewing done, but I finally had it finished just after New Year's. A Summer Mama sent me some Shout Colour Catcher sheets - oh how scared I was to put the quilt in the wash. I had visions of disaster. But the colour catcher sheets proved their worth. The quilt came out looking vibrant as ever, the sheet like mud. Thank heavens the quilt did not look like mud. I think that would have been the end of me, or at least my sanity!

The Summer Mommies Friendship Quilt
2011

So my quilt sits on my bed now, pretty, cozy and warm. There are millions of mistakes in it, but really it doesn't matter to me if there is a pucker here or there, or if the seams don't line up perfectly in every single block. The Friendship quilt is so much more than just a quilt to me. It's a representation of the friendship, support, and love that exists in the Summer Mama's group. A group of women who, from across the globe, that have, for the most part, never met in person, that have shared this journey of motherhood together. We've celebrated milestones of our children, and the joy of the births of new babies. We've laughed, joked, and debated with each other. We've moaned about the intricacies of the terrible twos and potty training. And we've cried and been heartbroken together as we mourned the loss of the few babies who never got the chance to live. Always supportive, always caring. As I stitched the binding, curled up under the weight and warmth of the quilt, it was a reminder of that support and it was a comfort to me. Another mama mentioned that it was like a big hug. And indeed it is.

First Projects of the New Year

2012-01-11T08:43:00.001-06:00

I hope you all had a happy and healthy start to 2012! After a low point for us earlier in December, I'm glad to say things seem to be on the upswing! I had all five of my beautiful children home Christmas morning, we celebrated (BF)G's 49th birthday and (BF)G, the little boys and I rang in the new year our favorite way. Quietly and at home with a prime rib dinner(even the Yorkshire pudding rose to the occasion! I was so happy to see their puffy, golden perfection as I took them out of the oven. They can be a bit finicky and sometimes fall a bit flat shall we say!), and we rounded out the evening with a video marathon. I've even had a chance to do some crafting. It feels good.

First up was a new hat for Little Toddler Man. His Christmas one was a disaster! Too big, too girly and too downright ridiculous. In making his new one I turned to the tried and true Toddler Ear Flap Hat pattern I used for Baby Boy's Christmas hat. Ah. Success.

I also got my first major sewing project of the year done! (BF)G gave me two new books for Christmas, Growing Up Sew Liberated and Sewing for Boys. I was completely smitten with the play tent in the first book, so set to work. I had enough home dec fabric left from LTM's pouch sling I'd made for him when he was a baby to use as contrast and got some inexpensive clearance home dec fabric ($3/m) for the tent panels, spent $11 for some PVC conduit for poles (bamboo garden poles it called for were going to ring in about $40. Eeek!)and so for $20 and a few hours time the little one's now have their own play tent. The only thing I really did differently was to do a double fold binding along the bottom edge rather than a hem. I thought it tied it all together nicely that way. The boys have been loving it so far!

Feeling like I was on a roll, I made a couple more Bapron bibs for friends' little ones, a tea wallet to send to another friend, and finally finished the matching sets of flannel pjs requested by (BF)G, LTM and Baby Boy that I started forever ago! I really hope they still fit...

And in really, really big crafty news (well to me anyways) I put the final hand stitches into the binding of my quilt, washed and dried it. It's done!!!! It does feel like it should have it's own post given the magnitude of the project though, so you'll have to wait a bit for the details on that one!

I'll leave you with a pic (BF)G's niece sent of her little one on her 1st birthday wearing the "Cupcake Outfit"

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

2011-12-30T16:17:00.000-06:00

I used some awesome patterns, tutorials and recipes in my holiday crafting over the last several weeks. As promised I wanted to give you the info. Giving credit where credit is due, plus you can go off and make your own now if you want! :)

So let's go with the felt food first. There's loads of tutorials out there, but I used these particular ones as my jumping off point. (the hotdog was my own creation - if I ever get my computer and scanner working again I'll try to do a tutorial up for it)
Craftiness is not Optional
Skip to my Lou

For the real food head on over to my favorite crockpot site, A Year of Slow Cooking for Nuts and Bolts and Chex Party Mix

For sewing the Cupcake Outfit is a skirt of my own design and the top is a modified Charlie Tee. You know where that's from... My fave Fishsticks Designs. The Heating pad is from a great tutorial at The Green Wife and the pocket warmers adapted from Diamonds Fur and Laundry. The doll tents are from Sew Mama Sew.

All knitting patterns can be found in Ravelry's database. They include: Jacques Cousteau Hat, Snowboarder Hat That Rocks, Toddler Ear Flap Hat, Star Crossed Slouchy Beret, and Nottingham.

There we go! I think that should cover it! Happy crafting!

The Round Up

2011-12-29T13:42:00.052-06:00

As promised, here is a round up of the holiday craftiness I was so busy with! I'm in a hurry so no notes as to what patterns, tutorials etc I used. I'll add those later, I promise! And thanks to a combination of blogger's uncooperative nature and the fact I'm doing this post from my iPad, (yes, the Mac is still dead) the projects are in absolutely no particular order!

Knitting! Sewing! Cooking! Oh my!

Woe is me

2011-12-05T10:22:00.000-06:00

My trusty Mac has died. (possibly thanks to a certain two year old). I have to locate the disc (why can I not seem to grasp how important organization is until I'm madly looking for something and telling (BF)G, "I know where it is. It can only be in one of three spots"). Then hopefully it's just a matter of reinstalling my operating system. Touch wood.

Thankfully after the last time, ahem, J and I managed to accidentally wipe everything out, I've been much more diligent about backing up my photos. Wish I could say the same for some other things - some writing I've done in the past, patterns, tutorials I'd saved and so on. Oh well. No use crying over spilt milk, or lost files as the case may be. The pictures are the important ones and I have those.

I've been crafting up a storm lately, but I can't tell you about it and definitely can't show you. Tis the season for secrecy after all! ;)

I'll do a round up before the new year probably, because I am really loving some of the things I've been working on. In big news too, my Summer Mommies Friendship Quilt is almost done!!!!! All that is left to do is handsew 368" of double fold binding. I'm so excited, but unfortunately holiday projects must take precedent.

I've done a few little crafts with the toddlers in preparation for the holidays. We've done salt dough ornaments and my two favourites, santas and reindeer using hand and footprints!

What is it they say about intentions?

2011-11-07T11:40:00.001-06:00

I always have the best of intentions to get things done. So often I lack on the follow through.

My own little KCWC was about a big a bust as the actual KCWC for me. I got next to nothing accomplished. But I've decided to be ok with that. I just have to accept the fact that I don't have the chance to sew every day. I could. You know. Instead of go to bed at night, but with two little boys that like to get up with the rooster down the road, I need my sleep!

I did get a few crafty things done though, so here's the round up so far!

I made a hat to go with the owl outfit I made for my friend's little one - I loved this pattern! It's Barbara Prime's Owl Tuque.

Owl Tuque and Owl Outfit

I also made a tea pouch for another friend who was saying one day how she was freezing at work - a case of air conditioning still being on when it shouldn't have - and she didn't have tea to warm up with. So I thought a little tea pouch she could slip in her bag or desk would be in order. Then she can always have her tea with her!

Tea to Go!

I also jumped on the Bapron bandwagon and made a couple for friends who have just had babies. I can see what all the fuss is about! It's a great little pattern, although how it could fit up to a 30lb toddler is beyond me. I tried it on Baby Boy and he was like a 26lb stuffed sausage. I might make him a couple, but I'll have to make them a bit wider!

Bapron 1

Bapron 2 and washcloth

No pictures yet. I'll get one when the whole lot is done, but last but not least I got one pajama top done for the matching jammies of 2011 so far. Finally. I should really get my act together and sew the other two. (BF)G isn't likely to outgrow his, but LTM is definitely at risk at the rate he's growing these days!

Speaking of LTM, he and Baby Boy didn't get dressed up and go out for Halloween this year. Both of them are too little for candy and it would require driving into town or the city to go trick or treating. Something I was just not willing to do on a weeknight at bedtime for candy they can't eat. But we did carve a pumpkin. We had a nice big pumpkin that LTM grew himself from a little seed. He was pretty proud of that pumpkin, rightfully so! He took care of it for many months, watering it with his little watering can, checking on it every day to see how it was growing. He really enjoyed the carving part too – helping with removing the seeds, which we then washed together and roasted. Turns out it's his new favourite snack! He's always trying to sneak into the cupboard for a few!

Little Toddler Man's Pumpkin!!

Last but not least I have to mention J and G! J turned 21 yesterday and G turns 19 tomorrow!!! I can't believe it's 21 years already since I became a mother for the first time! It seems like a blink of an eye ago, J and G were little toddlers like Baby Boy and Little Toddler Man are now. How fast it goes and what an incredible journey it's been so far! Happy birthday to my two beautiful ~~children~~ adults!!!

J and Baby Boy - taken July 2011

G and LTM taken October 2011

So much for having a plan...

2011-10-18T23:01:00.001-05:00

First and foremost Baby Boy turned one on October 7th. How is my baby already one???? Happy Birthday little fellow!

Last week was Kids Clothing Week Challenge. I was going to be participating for the first time - somehow I always find out after the fact that it's on, but this time I found out a whole few days ahead of time. So I made a plan. It looked something like this:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday -

cut out flannel for boys and (BF)G's new set of matching pjs (ok - I realize (BF)G's pjs don't really fit in with KCWC, but whatever. If I'm cutting out a gazillion yards of the same fabric I might as well do it all in one fell swoop.
sew at least complete sets for the boys (Using Kwik Sew pattern 3126)

Thursday -

make new hat for LTM using the Eddie Cap tutorial

Friday and Saturday -

make outfit for friend's expected baby
make LTM a new belt using elsie marley's tutorial

Sunday -

finish up odds and ends from the week and possibly begin work on a birthday gift I hope to make

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!

I'm so dilusional it hurts!

Here's how the week actually shaped up:

Monday -

Cut out fabric for pjs, realize I don't have enough for the fronts of the boys tops and (BF)G's top in it's entirety

Tuesday -

Go to my local LFS and buy another 2.5 m of flannel, preshrink it once home

Wednesday -

Sweet nothing - oh! Not true. Pop into the fabric store in the city for corduroy for LTM's hat

Thursday -

Cut out hat
Start sewing pjs - get the boys' bottoms done except for elastic

Friday -

definitely sweet nothin' done

Saturday -

ditto

Sunday -

Feeling all woe is me, I completely failed at my first KCWC I decided to make one project and see it through to completion. The Eddie Cap is sewn and well loved.

So. What a bust. All the challenge required was one hour a day. I tried to be realistic and tell myself if some days didn't get any challenge love it was alright because other days I could double up. Ah well. Life being life, sometimes other things come before sewing, and (BF)G had a week of vacation time from work and spending time with him and the little guys, plus spending a day with G before she took off for Costa Rica for the next six weeks all fell into the coming before sewing category.

That being said, I really wanted to do KCWC, so although the official week is done, I'm doing my own little challenge this week, just to say I did it. So far so good. Right now I can't for the life of me remember what it was I did Monday. Hmmm. No clue. Must be getting old. The memory is going! Tuesday I cut out and sewed the pants for my friend's baby as well as cut out the shirt. Today I sewed the shirt. And thought about cutting out the remaining top pieces for the matching pjs - does thinking about it count?? Tomorrow, maybe I'll actually start tackling the tops! Once they're finished I'll see what comes next. Belt (kind of necessary - suddenly LTM has become a skinny minny and his pants keep falling down) or the birthday gift - birthday's not till December so maybe I can wait on that one.

I did do some major sewing before Baby Boy's birthday and KCWC. I made Baby Boy his birthday crown and nine goodie bags using Fishstick's tutorial. I also knit two hats for the babies that were too little for regular party goodie bags and finished a blanket square and small toy.

The round up of finished projects (in no particular order thanks to Blogger not letting me put the photos where I wanted them to be):

Baby Gift Outfit
(top is Fishstick's Lap Tee and bottoms adapted from a Simplicity pattern)

Blanket Square and Toy for a communal project

Party Favor Petunnia

Party Favor Pumpkin

Goodie Bags for Baby Boy's party guests

The Eddie Cap

The Eddie Cap View 2

So overall some good productivity. Just not during the week I expected to focus on it.

PS: It's just come to me what I did on Monday! I sewed (BF)G's pj bottoms! Phew. That lack of memory was kind of bugging me!

Busy, busy, busy!

2011-10-05T12:11:00.001-05:00

I've been so busy sewing, knitting, and, well, living, I haven't had time to blog about anything for ages.

I shouldn't be blogging now. I should be getting ready for Baby Boy's first birthday party! I can't believe my wee little boy is turning one in two short days! How did that happen so fast??

I thought I'd do a quick round up of my month's work!

Sleepy Baby models his newest pjs - Fishsticks Designs Lazy Days Lounge Set with modified sleeves

LTM in his Thomas pjs - Fishsticks Designs Charlie Tee and bottoms from Kwik Sew 3126

Fishsticks Designs Little Fishies Undies because apparently every other pair LTM owns are "TOO TIGHT MOMMY"

Felt Tools and Toolbox from Serving Pink Lemonade

Fishstick's Designs Austen Lee Coverall - 1st version (before the toddler/scissors incident) with modifications

Fishsticks Designs Austen Lee Coverall Version 2 with modified sleeves and legs

So mostly practical sewing - except the tool box and the Austen Lee Coveralls those are for a swap with my October 2010 Mommies Group. The first set, you'll notice the caption mentions a toddler/scissor incident... let's just say I'm quite proud to say I did not yell, cry or scream even... and the toddler is still here. Very proud indeed. I had just finished the last of the snaps on the legs, folded the outfit neatly to be wrapped and stepped away from the kitchen counter for a second to put the remaining snaps up where no little fingers could grab them and try to eat them. As I turned back to the kitchen, my heart almost stopped to see LTM with a pair of children's craft scissors (that honestly barely cut paper) in his pudgy little toddler hands.

With my cry of "Noooooooo..." he happily said, "I helping you Mommy! I cutting the fabric for you!" Sigh... Of course the scissors that barely cut paper had managed to see fit to work just fine on my just finished gift. Back to the drawing board. I mended the back of the romper so Baby Boy is able to get use out of it, but without enough tool fabric to make a new romper I had to figure out something different.

Truth be told, I kind of like the second version better. I did a much better job modifying the cuffs on the sleeves and the ankles, and I think it looks better with the contrast instead of the all over print. Or maybe I've just convinced myself of that so I feel better! Ha ha! I also did the next size up after realizing my little swap partner is taller than baby boy and the first romper fit baby boy to a tee. So important lesson learned. Do NOT turn your back on a two year old with go-go gadget arms that might snag a pair of scissors in the blink of an eye.

I've been knitting too - catching up on some blanket squares and strips for different group blankets my fellow Summer Mommies 2009 group are making for new babies that are expected in our little circle. I'm looking forward to finishing my commitments for those so I can get back to knitting other things.

The rest of this week will see me busy with prep for the aforementioned birthday and then next week I'm going to take the plunge and jump into the Kids Clothing Week Challenge hosted by Elsie Marley. We'll see how well I do...

More with less - or for heaven's sake I need to stop spending so much!

2011-09-09T13:50:00.003-05:00

So it became official this week!

I am going to be a stay at home mommy. For the next while anyways. The hope is until the little ones start school, but we'll see how things go. I'm both excited to be able to have the opportunity and a little bit petrified of giving up that security that having a job provides.

I'm hoping to do some work on my degree while I'm off - I had started a few years back taking courses through Athabasca University, and may look at going back to it. I am just not sure if the degree I was originally pursuing, (BA in Communications) is what I still want to do. Time to think on it, I suppose.

With fall in the air and the realization that I need to tighten the belt when it comes to spending if I'm to be a SAHM, I've been thinking a lot about making more with less so to speak. I do alright with that already, but will be exploring more and more ways to make things stretch.

My Mom has always been good at that sort of thing. And a fantastic cook. She has a knack for tossing a bit of this and a bit of that together and coming up with something fabulous! I try to be like her in my own cooking and I think I'm measuring up pretty well, but every now and again a call or visit to Mom is in order for a recipe. Often times I'll get a basic outline of the ingredients (That little bit of this, little bit of that I just mentioned? Lots of times recipes go like that) I've called on Mom's expertise a couple of times recently. Especially on those days between my bi-weekly grocery shop and the fridge is looking a little bare. The first was a recipe for Beet Soup. Mmmmm. I do love me some beets.

Here's my variation:

Place the following in the crockpot:

One onion, chopped

Four or five large beets, chopped

Two or three stocks of celery, chopped

Three or four carrots, chopped

Four large potatoes, chopped

(add in here whatever other veg you have in the crisper needing to be used up - the other day I threw in a handful of green beans)

Four cups of stock (I've used beef or chicken - all depends what's on hand)

Salt and pepper to taste

Turn on crock pot to high and cook for three to four hours. About half an hour before serving, I pour in 2 Tablespoons of vinegar and give it a stir. I like to serve it with sour cream to garnish and a fresh from the oven homemade beer rye bread. Nom. Nom.

Reminds me I'll have to be making a trip to the local farmer's market for some more beets. I think I'll make up a couple of batches and freeze for winter for quick easy meals.

Yesterday I got a hankering for chocolate syrup to go in my coffee. I don't live close enough to town to hop in the truck on a whim and drive to the grocery store for something like chocolate syrup, not to mention it would definitely fly in the face of my new more with less mind set to do that, so I called Mom.

She had a recipe for me in a jif, and shortly thereafter I had chocolate syrup and a very happy little toddler (Treats? In my milk? Mmmmm!)

Mom's Chocolate Syrup recipe from some old well used book in her collection. (She thinks it was her old Five Roses Cookbook - or I think that's what she said anyways!)

Mix 1/2 cup cocoa powder and a 1/2 cup cold water in a saucepan to make a paste. Add 1/4 cup boiling water and a 1/2 cup sugar. Boil on stove for three minutes, cool and add 1 tsp of vanilla. Put in a jar. I store mine in the fridge. The cookbook said somewhere cool (written before refrigerators were around Mom figures!)

Easy peasy and a whole lot cheaper and tastier than Nestle Quik!!

Less spending in the kitchen is an awesome start I figure. Hopefully it'll also help reduce the stress when I go through the check out at the grocery store. It darn well near gives me heart palpitations these days!!

We've been busy around the house too! LTM has moved from his crib to a "big boy bed". We wanted to re-do the floor in his room before doing the switch over, so (BF)G took two vacation days off the other week and got it done! He had lots of help in the process!

And in case you're wondering what happened to my sewing and knitting efforts, no need to worry. That obsession still stands firm. I finished the baby outfit gift that I mentioned needing to work on last time.

Inspired by the "Comfy Sleep Set" I'll dub my little puffed sleeve dress the "comfy dress". It has an soft interlock bodice and a cotton skirt. Bloomers are a hybrid between Simplicity pattern #4243 and Fishsticks designs "Newborn Bloomers". The socks are of course from my very favourite baby sock book, "Cute Knits for Baby Feet".

I also whipped up a taggy block for a friend's little one as well. Why have I not made these before? They are so unbelievably simple and cute! I only wish I'd added more taggies, but I was working with what I had at home that went nicely with the fabric - remember that whole more with less thing? It also means less fabric and notion shopping too. (which I think I may find considerably harder than other areas of thriftiness...)

I'm still plugging away at finishing my Jane with a Pop top (I have a weird thing going on with one side seam at the hip - not sure what I did there and I can't decide what I want to do for sleeves or how to finish the whole thing off... so many things to think about!) and have got absolutely no where on my Amy Cardigan. Not so much as a pattern drafted even. Although that's high on my list. I really want to have it done for the cooler weather!

So, as I embark on my next projects I'll have a full belly, a warm cup of mocha to enjoy, and all the time in the world (well, that the boys allow me that is) without my having to think about going back to work!

Getting Creative

2011-08-29T12:40:00.005-05:00

I can't believe here we are at the end of August already. Where has the time gone? Soon fall will be upon us here on the prairies. I'm ok with that though. I love everything about fall. The leaves crunching under my feet as I walk. The cool, crisp air. Cozy sweaters. No bugs. (not that we've had many this summer so I can't complain, but usually they're an annoyance!). There's something too about seeing the farmer's fields with the combines working into the wee hours and their bales of hay all neatly placed in a row. Yes. I will not be disappointed when fall is here!

In between playing outside with the little guys and doing the usual household routine, I've had some time to get some sewing and knitting done!

The round up of finished projects is as follows:

Baby Shell by Full of Fluff and denim skirt (my own design)

Hoodie and pants set (Fishsticks Designs: Charlie Hoodie and pants from the Lazy Days Lounge set)

Baby Boy Tethered In!!

Two harnesses for use with regular chairs or grocery carts that don't have safety straps! (modification of Piccoli Piselli's Handy Harness pattern)

I also knit a barbie outfit, made a barbie sleeping bag and pillow and tent for my niece's third birthday. (Outfit from a Swedish site, Sticka till Barbie, sleeping bag/pillow my own design and tent from Sew Mama Sew) Sadly I forgot to take a picture of the clothes - but go take a look at the website. It's got a huge selection of patterns!

I also had to give a housewarming gift this month. I hummed and hawed as to what to bring. Wine? The couple doesn't really drink wine too often. Flowers? I figured others would bring flowers. What else to get as a little something? They've got everything they need for their home, it's their third one together after all. Then a wee bit of inspiration hit a little late on a Saturday night. I could make something for them. But not just any something. I wanted to do something a little bit out of the ordinary.

One of my favourite Christmas movies is "It's a Wonderful Life", (can you believe I had never seen the movie until a few years ago???), since first seeing the movie, I've liked the way the Bailey's welcome the Martini family into their home :

Bread - that this house may never know hunger.
Salt - that life may always have flavor.
Wine - that joy and prosperity may reign forever.

Inspiration in mind, I had to get moving on it! Housewarming was the next afternoon. I woke up early Sunday morning and set to work. I got bread dough rising, called (BF)G and asked him to pick up a nice bottle of wine on his way from work to the party (I know I wasn't going to get wine, but hey! It fit and they can cook with it if they don't want to drink it!), then made a little organza bag for salt. Found a basket that I'd kept for just such a purpose, and made a little cotton cloth to line the bottom. But what about a card? Seemed to me it needed an explanation of sorts, just in case they weren't as obsessed as I am with the movie and wondered why I was giving them such an assortment. So I set to work on the card. Now. Let me say, making cards/scrapbooking type crafts are not my strong suit. Paper, scissors, and glue? They are often not my friend! But determination can get me pretty far. (That and a huge stack of paper for the mistakes I did cutting the darned thing out.) I was smart. I did a practice template on scrap first. Otherwise I am certain I would have run out of paper! But the end result was well worth the frustration and time that it took! I was really quite pleased.

All in all a pretty good round up! I've got a few small things in the works right now - The Jane With A Pop Top from luvinthemommyhood for myself, a dress for yet another baby gift (should really be drafting that pattern right now...) and hopefully the Amy Cardigan (also from luvinthemommyhood) for myself as well if I have enough fabric in my stash.

Then of course there's the quilts... Oh the quilts. My top priority should actually be the Summer Mommies Friendship Quilt, given fall and it's chilly nights is headed our way.

Time to get creative!

Look at me posting again so soon!

2011-08-01T23:54:00.002-05:00

Huh. Now what kind of freaky time/space thing have we entered into that here it is not more than a few days since my last post and I'm back to post again!

I've been busy. Well, I think I'm always busy, but I've got some things done! Practical, needed to get done kind of things!

I mentioned last time that I was going to make the Pea Pod Carrier from Picolli Piscelli. It's done! I love it and more importantly, baby boy seems to love it! Even LTM had a turn in it. Although I sure wouldn't want to lug his 3', 32 1/2lb toddler self very far or very long. Whoo boy. He's a big lad these days! But the squiggle monster that is Baby Boy worked out quite nicely. He can't squiggle out. Which is big in my books, given the pouch sling and ring sling have become a nightmare to use with him. I do love a hip carry for an older baby, and Baby Boy had perfected his houdini like technique of digging in his toes to whatever he could on my body, the stiffening his little legs, standing straight up and wiggling free. Didn't matter how snug as a bug I put him in it he could get loose. The last trip to the fabric store where I found myself suddenly juggling a handful of notions, a bolt of fabric, LTM and Baby Boy who had sprung himself free from his sling was what put me over the edge and furthered my resolve to make a new carrier.

We really like trains in this house these days!

Trapped!!!

Next on the list were some pjs for the little guys. It's been hot here. Crazy hot. And we don't have a/c, so some comfy summer jammies were definitely a must. I turned to Fishsticks Designs once again. Have I mentioned how much I love these patterns. They're fantastic. So easy to sew and the fit is awesome. They're designed by a mom. To a lot of kids. She knows what works.

This time I used the Lazy Days Lounge Set. LTM was first. He had tried to claim all three yards of fabric I'd ordered for himself, but I told him he could pick two. Baby Boy had to get one. So, he chose. Cars for his first pair, tools for his second pair and grudgingly Baby Boy could have the giraffes. But he really wanted giraffes too, so I made a compromise. I told him he could have pjs out of cars and tools. Baby Boy could have pjs out of giraffes but I'd make him some undies out of the left overs. Happy with that deal he allowed me to start cutting out. I still have to sew the tool ones - but I'm loving the ones I've done so far! The boys like them too! LTM wanted them on the second I snipped the last threads and then didn't want to take them off. Even Baby Boy was happy as a clam when he tried on his. The pattern is really a good one for comfort and having good quality knit fabric helps!

LTM lounges in his lounge set!

Baby Boy happy his new jammies

Unmentionables!

With a new pair of jammies for each boy I thought I'd take a wee break and do the one other quick project I've had in mind. LTM has been potty trained since June, but we still go through lots of laundry each day. He definitely is in need of extras! Instead of paying upwards of $10 for a three pack of little boys undies, I figure I might as well make a few pairs with the left over fabric I have in my stash. They take about a half hour to make, so not even worth factoring in the "how much is my time worth" aspect when deciding if it's worth it too make them instead of buy them. Plus I had promised.

Today I sat down for a few minutes and made the first two pairs. It's almost getting embarrassing to say it was Fishsticks Designs again. (I'm starting to feel like an advertisement!)

Little Fishies with a couple of easy modifications (no inner layer on the tool ones, only a partial inner layer on the giraffes in the front panel, and FOE instead of waist and leg bands - I thought I'd see which style I prefer before I make more.)

Rockin' his rocket shirt and short set!

I'm excited to report that I received Baby Boy's swap parcel in the post the other day! What a lovely parcel it was - chocolate, lemon sherbet candies and a tea towel for me, a stuffed toy for LTM and a super cute outfit for Baby Boy. The picture's a tad blurry, but the little fellow Will. Not. Stand. Still. He has to play chase the camera every single time I try and take a picture of him these days! Since he learned to walk a few weeks ago... and then run a few days later I have hardly been able to get a decent picture of him!

I found it funny that both myself and the mom who was sewing for baby boy made a short and tee set, and not only that, but we both made similar style tees! There's something to be said for ease of dressing with a lap neck tee!

So that's the round up for this week! I should be off - it shaping up to be a long night! Both little fellows have already been awake screaming with nightmares tonight. Must be the heat, but if this is going to be the trend tonight I'd better catch some sleep while I can!

I must be in some sort of time warp...

2011-07-24T14:30:00.000-05:00

One where time has sped up at an alarming rate!!!! I have no idea where the month and a half since I last posted has gone. It certainly flew by!

In that time I did some sewing, I did some knitting, I did a whole lot of housework (at least I'm sure I must have) and I did a whole lot of enjoying life with the little guys! Oh and of course LTM turned two and I turned (gulp!) 40! Now there's some sort of freaky space time continuum going on that made it possible for me to be 40 already!

No pictures of knitting yet, because quite frankly nothing has been finished and I just don't feel like taking pictures mid-project these days. I did almost finish a little sweater for a friend's baby (hmmm. Baby is due soon. I should really think about finishing it!) It's a fantastic little pattern, written by a friend of mine. I highly recommend you checking out, Full of Fluff's Baby Shell. Check out her other patterns while you're at it! They're all kinds of awesome!!

I'm also working on a hobby horse for LTM because his current favourite song is "Yankee Doodle" and he likes to pretend he's riding on a pony all the time. Except sometimes his "ponies" don't ride very well. It's hard to make a ball co-operate really. I should get cracking on that one too and finish it before the boys are graduating high school!

In sewing I've done a few things. I signed up for a swap in one of my Mommies groups on Rav, and made an shorts and tee set and pair of training undies for my swap partner's little guy. He's the same age as Baby Boy, but his mama is doing EC-ing with him, so hopefully the undies are helpful. They'd be a bloomin' disaster here! I used Fishsticks Designs Lap Tee Pattern and Little Fishies Undies as well as a shorts pattern of my own design.

Let's see... What else did I do? I made a hat for LTM - ok. Actually it was for the swap, but I made a slight calculation error and it turned out a hat for LTM to grow into. He likes it, but it'll be better for fall or when his head grows... a lot. No pictures yet. I'm kind of too embarrassed.

I did have some other successes though! Using the Aquarius Swim Diaper tutorial I've made a couple swim diapers. A couple for our little niece and so far one pair for Baby Boy. I love the pattern and will make at least one more for Baby Boy, but I've been waiting on the fabric I ordered for it to arrive.

Last but not least on the finished sewing project list... What Little Toddler Man's birthday would be complete without a birthday crown?

I've cut out loads of other things (a couple pairs of Fishsticks Designs Lazy Days Lounge Set for the boys, a baby carrier, and a lap tee for Baby Boy.) Sewing time has just been somewhat elusive lately!

Now if you'll excuse me... it's a beautiful sunny day and I've got two boys itching to get outside to play. See you later!

Some New Projects and Yet Another Snag

2011-06-04T22:35:00.000-05:00

I've been at the machine a bit lately. Last week I had a really long stint when both little boys decided Saturday afternoon was a good napping afternoon. I managed about two hours time I think! It's amazing what can be accomplished in a block of time like that!

My circle of friends are still in the midst of a baby boom, so I've a list of gifts to make a mile long. Really. Every time I figure out what I want to make for one babe to be, another Mommy announces a new arrival on the way. Luckily I enjoy making baby things and they go nice and quickly!

I actually really love the gift I made last weekend! I hope the Mommy I'm giving it to (and of course her baby girl) will love it just as much!

I used made by Rae's pattern for the dress, Fishsticks Designs' pattern for the bloomers and the shrug is "Confection" from The ShizKnit. All fantastic patterns that I'll definitely turn to again and again I'm sure!

I also made another pair of pjs for Baby Boy, again using Fishsticks Designs "Comfy Sleep Set" pattern. I made this set a bit bigger because Baby Boy has already outgrown the first set I made him!

I think he's looking pretty comfy in them while he plays. What do you think?

Anyone want to take a stab
at figuring out exactly what
I'm supposed to do next?

I started working on my Lopi sweater. You know the previously doomed, but then saved, and now... once again doomed sweater. I picked it up quite some time ago, determined to finish it. I was so close. Only the neckline, hood and finishing to be done. Then one day I went out and foolishly, oh so foolishly, left my pattern where the dogs could reach it. I came home to find, much to my dismay, that the dogs had eaten my pattern. The very part I need in order to finish the sweater, GONE. There were some tattered and torn pieces of paper scattered around the room, and I tried to salvage them. Unfortunately they didn't belong to the sweater I am knitting. I've finished the neckline, I'll eventually do the hood, but how to attach one to the other and finish the sweater is beyond me. I tried it on too. And it's too small. Way too small for decency. I'm greatly saddened, no make that frustrated, by this final snag in the Lopi from hell.

Spring, Glorious Spring!

2011-05-24T13:05:00.000-05:00

Daddy and LTM on the "Motorbycle"

We have had some lovely weather this spring. I know there will be those that argue with that statement. Sure we a rather late snowstorm a couple weeks ago, and of course it rained on the Victoria Day long weekend (but it always rains on the long weekend, so really, just expect it, then you won't be disappointed!), but all in all, it's been a glorious spring!

After carefully inspecting the dandelion,
Baby Boy furthers his investigation by tasting it too!

I have been enjoying the time playing outside with my wee men folk. It's amazing to watch them explore and discover. To them it's a 3 1/2 acre playground at their disposal. Little Toddler Man is fascinated by the barns and must investigate them at least once a day. He loves the big "horsey barn" best of all - truth be told so do I. It holds such promise. Those big, well built stalls just waiting for the day we can put horses in them! He's not quite as fond of the little barn, which is, well little, and old, and in need of repair. But all in due time. We have plans for that too. (BF)G and I picture a large greenhouse. N pictures a place to build a chicken coop. LTM pictures more "horsies" and who knows what Baby Boy pictures when he looks at it from the comfort of Mommy or Daddy's arms. We also must inspect the garden shed on a daily basis, I suppose to make sure the dirt bike and the lawn mower are still there where they should be. LTM thinks the dirt bike (or Motorbycle as he called it for several weeks) is one of the greatest things ever. He also holds the garden tractor in similar high regard!

There are still days, despite encroaching neighbours, and increasing traffic down our quiet gravel road, that it really feels like I'm living in a big park. Watching both little boys stand at the window to watch the bunnies, squirrels, blue jays and robins gives me a sense of peace.

LTM and Baby Boy playing together!

Ah how I love me some craftiness!

2011-05-09T13:47:00.002-05:00

I've got a bit of a system going in order to get my crafty fix. Of course I'd love more time, but I'll take what I can get.

It is much easier to get things accomplished if I break them up into little parcels of productivity. For example with sewing I try to have everything cut out and ready to go so that if I get a moment of time to sit at the machine I actually can spend time doing the sewing. Cutting out can be done with toddler afoot. Sewing cannot. It all comes down to time management. And just you watch. Now that I've developed my, in theory, fail proof method for accomplishment something or someone (aka Little Toddler Man or Baby Boy) will throw a wrench into it and I'll have to figure out a new system. But such is life with two very busy little boys.

Other than the odd snowfall and some wet, rainy weather here and there it has been phenomenal here in my little corner of the prairies, so crafty time has taken a back seat to outside play time with my little guys. It's amazing how much both little ones love to be outdoors. Even the baby who just gets to pretty much sit in his stroller or on occasion have a go in the swing loves it. He can be fussy as can be until he realizes we're on our way outside and suddenly he's all smiles and coos! LTM would spend every waking hour (plus more) outside if I let him. If we need to venture out in the car anywhere I've taken to warning him for at least half an hour before we are to leave, "We have to go in the car today. We're going to go [to the city, grocery store, whatever], and then when we come home we'll go outside to play. Ok? Say ok, Mommy." (we find if we ask him to say "ok" to things he's much more agreeable, I think he's figured out there's some sort of connection to saying ok and following through on it!). I usually have to repeat this little conversation several times before leaving or it's get to the garage open the car door up and have a wailing toddler, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Outside to play." or better yet, open up the garage door and the toddler bolts as I'm putting baby in his car seat all the while yelling, "I'm running away. I'm running away." Good thing we have 3 1/2 fenced in acres in which he can run away. I'd be terrified if our garage opened up on to a busy lane or street!

Comfy PJs / Puppy Apron / Rag Quilt

I have still managed to get some good sewing and knitting time in too! I took part in a SAL (sew along) with my fellow October Mommies on Ravelry and made a great new pair of pjs for Baby Boy. I used Fishsticks Pattern's Comfy Sleep Set pattern and loved it. I really hope to make another couple pairs and some for LTM too! It's a fantastic little pattern!

I got LTM's apron done too. I'm really pleased with how it turned out and I think he's pretty happy with it too. It's already had lots of use in the kitchen!

Baby Boy needed a new quilt too, so using an online tutorial I made him a snuggly flannel rag quilt. Rag quilts have to be the easiest thing going! Well, except for the cutting of the seam allowances that is. My hand may actually never be the same again. I didn't take the quilt to a laundromat to wash, but instead threw it in a zippered duvet cover and hoped for the best. Thank goodness for the duvet cover, or I'd be probably in a lot of trouble with (BF)G and calling a repair shop. What an amazing amount of flannel fluff comes off of one small baby quilt! It's finished though, and I'm really pleased with how it all turned out! Best part is Baby Boy seems quite pleased with it too. Doesn't help him sleep any better unfortunately, but it does make him happy to snuggle down underneath it!

I'm about to get going again on my Summer Mommies Friendship quilt, and am just working up my nerve for it. I've come to the part that scares me. Putting it all together! Eeek!

French Press Slippers /
Water to Sky Anklets

In knitting, I made yet another pair of French Press Felted Slippers. This time for LTM to give his daycare provider on his last day there. I also managed to finish the second sock for my "Pay it Forward 2011" project #5, and then came to the sickening realization that my pair of socks were not identical twins. They weren't even fraternal twins. They were complete strangers. Same ball of yarn. Two very different colours. Both in the purple family, but that's about it. The picture doesn't really show how very different they are, but trust me. They don't even come close in real life. Guess I have a new pair of mismatched socks to call my own. No progress has been made on any of my other WIPs yet (Lopi, Chiton, Clapotis... etc.). I'll get to them sooner or later. Maybe!

In the meantime, I plan to enjoy the great outdoors with my little men, craft when I get the chance and feel good about the accomplishments I do have and not worry about those projects that languish for ages untouched!

Sticking to a Plan... or not!

2011-04-19T22:01:00.000-05:00

A few crafty weeks have gone by since my last post.

I've been trying to be good and stick to a plan. Really. I have. Apparently though I suffer from low stick-to-it-ness. But I do need some sort of plan. Or schedule. Or focus. Or something. It's just that there's so many lovely patterns, yarns and fabrics out there and sometimes the siren song of a new project is just too strong for me to ignore!

I did get my peacock stitch cotton bag finished for Pay It Forward 2011, made a pair of "Fetching" fingerless gloves as a thank you to one of the ladies that has cared for LTM over the past year at his daycare, and also started a pair of ankle socks for my 5th Pay It Forward project.

I've done a bit of knitting on my Lopi sweater, but not much. Disaster has struck again. This time in manner of itchiness. My word! I thought I'd go crazy. How is it I knit three quarters of a sweater no problem (well, with itching - there certainly were other problems!) and then bam. Get to the yoke and it's all I can do to keep knitting and not scratch my arms to ribbons with my needles. This problem does not bode well in the least for wearing of this sweater!!!

I switched over to Chiton for awhile. Only I've hit a snag on it too. I've got the bottom band done, and have suddenly fallen out of love with the colour. You see, I am a very fickle knitter and chooser of colours. I was enjoying the coral-y pink up until I remembered the gorgeous green bamboo I have sitting in my stash. Now I keep thinking Chiton would be so much better in green than pink. I don't even have a clue if the bamboo would be remotely suitable guage wise, but I'm obsessed. It's a problem. I do realize it. That's the first step right?

On the sewing front, I've been lacking machine time lately. Baby Boy and Little Toddler Man refuse to nap at the same time these days, so I'm limited by either sewing late at night (Not a good plan. Never mix tired with operating a machine. Or much stitch ripping will ensue!) or while LTM naps I get a few minutes if Baby Boy feels like co-operating and playing in his exersaucer (or applesaucer as LTM calls it!)

Kitty Cat for the Kitchen!

In the time I've had I've been slowly plugging away at things. I made an apron for (BF)G's great niece for her birthday that I absolutely love! It was good fun making it too! It's a McCall's pattern and super easy! I'm going to make either a puppy or a frog one for LTM and then later on as Baby Boy gets bigger he'll get which ever critter LTM didn't get. I think LTM has his heart set on a puppy one mind you!

I've been also working on the major project of making my queen sized quilt. I've got about half my blocks done. I'm dreading putting it all together. That's where I usually lose it on the perfection in seam allowances. Which in quilting turns out is a big (frustrating) deal!

I'm also obsessing about a rag quilt for Baby Boy. I have all the top flannel ready to go and the batting. Just need to find the perfect backing flannel and I'll be all set!

I'm looking forward to having some more finished projects to talk about in the coming weeks! And really. I'm going to figure out a plan and stick with it! Maybe...

Where does the time go???

2011-03-18T12:40:00.003-05:00

Lopi in Progress

The last time I posted I told you about the Lopi Sweater of Doom. Just to update, there have been no more disasters. Mostly because there has been very little knitting on in it since my last posting. I've managed to finish the main body without further incident and cast on for the sleeves. Progress came to a temporary halt when I realized I didn't have the correct needles to continue on with the sleeves. Needles have been bought. Progress has resumed!

It's a zoo out there!

I've been so caught up in "baby knitting" for that previously mentioned baby boom that seems to be going on in my circle of friends, that I've had little time to get really back to the sweater. The weather is warming though and I'm hell bent on wearing it this spring... or next fall... so I hope to get back to it soon!

I finished the flannel pjs/elephant socks I mentioned last time. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. Instead of doing embroidery for the tusks and eyes, I chose to sew on felt. Embroidery being a major achiles heel in my crafting ability, and this being a gift for someone else, I really didn't want to make a mess of it!

Duckies!

I've also finished yet another pair of "Quack!" socks. To change things up from my usual with this pattern I used Sirdar Snowflake. Let me just say, that before you jump to use snowflake on anything, consider carefully what details might be important. Wrapping and turning stitches works fine. The knitting in the wraps afterwards as you go? Not so much. Can't see the darn things. And doing bar increases also is enough to send a gal over the edge on this stuff. But the end result is pretty good, so it all depends how much you enjoy the feeling of wanting to poke your own eyes out with your knitting needles versus how much you enjoy cute fuzzy baby socks will determine whether or not you'll want to venture down that particular path I guess.

Both the elephant socks and the ducky feet are from one of my very favourite (and now thanks to LTM who also enjoys looking at it) somewhat tattered books, "Cute Knits for Baby Feet". I've used the book more than any other pattern book I own I think. If you need cute and fast for baby, check it out. There's all sorts of great knitterly gifting opportunities that await, which is just the sort of thing a crafty kind of girl needs when faced with a baby boom!

I also whipped up a soaker to go with the duck feet. As a matter of fact I whipped it up 1 3/4 times. It would turn out that I do not posess magical abilities to have a ball of yarn that I started out knowing full well there was likely no way there'd be enough to actually finish grow in length to accomodate my needs. No the darn thing just kept right on getting smaller, yet I kept knitting. Finally 3/4 of the way in, common sense prevailed and I ripped it all out. A new, sufficient ball of yarn worked much better!! I used the WHW Plain Wrap as the basis and a chart from an old Paton's sweater pattern for the duck.

I've managed to get myself into a couple more projects too. One I can justify because it's a "Pay it Forward 2011" project. I've knit the pattern before and liked the finished result, so I thought it worthy of a repeat. It's a simple peacock stitch bag pattern that's ridiculously easy to remember as you knit along and goes quite quickly. I just need to find the beaded handles that I know are in my craft supplies stash somewhere and then do some stash diving in my fabric bins for the perfect quilting cotton to line it with. (Of which I'm dead certain I must have as well!).

The second project is the Chiton Pullover from the latest issue of Knitscene. I've only got a mere 2" done on the bottom band so this is obviously going to be a long term relationship. I harbour no such dillusions that I could possibly finish it in time for this summer, but I think there may be hope for next year depending on how faithful I'm feeling towards it after endless miles of stocking stitch!

I finished the final pair of cowboy jammies, but (BF)G will not let me take photographic evidence of it. Or at least post photographic evidence of the cuteness that is the three of them in matching pjs!

Not too much else going on crafty wise for me, just lots of ideas floating around in my head. Mostly quilty type ideas. I'm trying to be good though... I have four quilts (two with the tops completed and two that are in the very beginning stages of sewing) to finish before I can let myself move onto something else in that department!

Chugging along...

2011-02-11T14:34:00.002-06:00

"Pay It Forward 2011"
French Press Slippers/Star Crossed Slouchy/French Press Slippers

Well here we are almost mid-February. I can't believe how time flies. Little Toddler Man is 19 months old, and Baby Boy turned four months at the beginning of the week! As I said, time flies!

I've had some good crafty days lately. Well in terms of getting things done anyways. Not sure all of them could actually be considered "good" really!

Let's start out with the not-so-good. I decided to re-visit my Icelandic hooded pullover that I started last spring. Only a few rows in I decided I'd better rip it all out and start over due to a error in colour judgement. (Not quite sure how it happened, but I started out with the wrong colour and it was just not going to cut it!) So ribbit, ribbit, ribbit went the sweater. No problem. I wasn't going to be daunted. After all... I was only a few rows in.

So I cast on again, this time in the colour I'd originally intended as the first colour. Liking how it was going, I boldly started into the first colour change and chart. Ooops! Had an extra stitch. Oh well. Just knit 2 together. Who's going to be the wiser. If only that had been the only problem. Blithly knitting along I sailed through the first chart and started the second. Only to realize I'd a) done only four rows per basketweave section in chart one instead of five, as well as realize that for the better part of the back of the sweater I'd knit using one 5.5mm needle and one 6mm needle and b) I somehow managed to fail counting to two. Two white, two gray, two white etc. had somehow become two white, two gray, two white... ooops where'd that third gray stitch come from??? Fixed that and continued on. Someone shaken, but not willing to be deterred. Then I colour changed at the wrong point, started the cable row in chart three at the wrong time, forgot I was going to make up for the missing three rows in chart one by knitting a couple extra in chart three and ultimately ended up in a pattern of work four rounds, rip back one.

I've persevered if for no other reason than this bloody sweater is not going to beat me!! Things are going much better now - touch wood - the next color change and chart is upon me and its only a single colour moss stitch... hopefully I can rise to the challenge and make it through the next 19 rows of the Lopi Sweater of Doom without incident!

I did have some non-stressfull knitting as well! I made the little guys some playfood - a waffle, fried egg and bacon to be exact. LTM seemed pleased. It was easy. I had no disasters.

I also knit N a hat at his request - it was a super easy stash buster and actually managed to get rid of two partial balls of yarn completely. Made me happy to have an actual "bust of the stash" and made N happy to have a new hat! LTM modelled it for me since N wasn't home.

Along with the Sweater of Doom, I'm also working on a pair of elephant socks for a friend's baby to go along with the pjs I made for her little guy. I also have another baby gift in the wings waiting to be made. Actually looks like I have quite a few in the wings. What's with the baby boom these days??? I think for the next one up I'll knit a pair of "quack" the duck socks that seem to be well received. I've made them a couple times now, so should be to strenuous of a task!

I've managed to completely finish the second set of cowboy jammies for the boys too and they've been getting lots of use. (BF)G's are cut out and if a certain Baby Boy would conveniently nap while LTM did, I could maybe, just maybe get them done!

At least I can still be crafty...

2011-01-28T10:52:00.003-06:00

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!

I'm back... and so soon!

2010-12-10T21:51:00.014-06:00

Baking cookies
Originally uploaded by Highlanddancemom

Wow! Look at me go! Two blog posts in seven days! Amazing!

Things have been going well on the crafting front! (I should add some sort of disclaimer here that by crafting I mean knitting... sewing is still really not happening much to my dismay!)

I feel like I've accomplished much this week between baking up a storm - Little Toddler Man loves to "help" - and finishing up another knitting project, and deciding once and for all to tackle the pattern that has been my nemesis for two and a half years. This year it will get done in time for Christmas and the recipient shall actually receive it this year! It won't sit another season in my knitting basket. I, did even get a very brief chance to sew. Granted it required Baby Boy to chill out in his swing for a bit and Little Toddler Man to nap and me to sew like a fiend before all went to heck in a hand basket, but I did finish the long overdue baby gift for a friend. Yes. Accomplishment, sweet accomplishment is MINE!!!!

As I said, LTM has shown a great interest in baking these days. So much so that the first thing he does upon waking in the morning and being "released" from his crib is to drag a chair from the dining room into the kitchen and demand to "HELP". It matters not too him that I, bleary-eyed, and in my pjs have no intention of starting anything more than the kettle for a pot of tea. No siree. He is a demanding little tryrant. Cracking the whip as early as 6:00am.

No - I do not give in to his commands, but come afternoon we can be usually found in the kitchen making something, whether he's helping me make pastry for tarts or dough for cut out cookies, or even just throwing the ingredients into the bread machine for the day's loaf. He's even helped make puppy treats (be forwarned if you think you'd like to try your hand at it - apparently it's very tasty dough to a toddler, but does contain flax (well my recipe does anyways), which apparently works similar to bran. Just sayin'). He has a funny little thought process about baking however. Instead of making dough and rolling it out and then cutting it, then baking it, he has simplified the whole process. He figures you should just make then dough, then "EAT THE DOUGH!!!!!" I suppose to him the rest is just a waste of time. Cut out the middle man (or oven as the case may be) and all.

Anyways - it has been fun preparing for Christmas with him, even though a bit trying sometimes! (Also be forwarned - do not assume because the dogs are contained when tarts are cooling on the counter that they'll be safe. No. I learned that lesson the hard way as my 17 month old scarfed down two from the cooling racks in record time.)

On the crafting front, I have made a pair of slippers as a gift for G. I used the French Press Felted Slippers pattern and let me tell you, it's an awesome, quick (as in you wouldn't believe how quick) pattern to whip up. I had initially knit them using Winter White Paton's Classic because quite frankly I have a tonne of it. But that seem a) boring and b) unwise with our sometimes not so pristine floors - hey! I have three dogs, and three cats and a toddler. What do you expect???? Anyways given reasons "a" and "b" I decided on a whim after knitting up all the pieces to throw them in the crockpot with some water, vinegar, and about 1/2 tsp rose and 1/2 tsp royal blue Wilton dyes.

I am most pleased with the outcome! Felting them took no time at all either! Two rounds in the washer and they are happily drying out now. Once dry I'll sew some fabulous, yet to be found and purchased buttons on the tabs they'll be done and ready to wrap up! I hope she likes them - I know I sure do! So much so that I am definitely planning to knit a pair for myself sometime in the next few weeks.

The other gift in question is the Clementine Shawlette, and I'm a mere 8 inches from being done. I figure if I knit at least an inch a day, I can be wrapping it up in time for Christmas too! It's been a thorn in my side for far too long. How can counting to four be so darned difficult? I stopped and started this bloomin' thing so many times it's ridiculous, and then there was the daunting 15" of four row repeat that did me in. But I'm on a roll now!

As mentioned, the baby gift is done! I think it turned out really well. Better than Baby Boy's cowboy jammies. I like the thinner bias trim that I used this time! If I make them again I'll definitely go that route.

Highlanddancemom

It seems to me I've done other things too - but I can't really recall at this moment in time what they might have been. Oh yes - I repaired a mitten that apparently was chewed by one of the dogs, ahem, Bella, not too mention any names!

Next on my list of things to do is to finish LTM's Sheldon the Turtle (I do believe I am the ONLY one confused as all get out on the I-cord attachement part!), and I plan to knit an orange for Baby Boy's stocking. I figure he's too young for an actual orange, but I could easily (I hope - touch wood) get one knitted up and put a little bell in it and Bob's your uncle fits the bill as orange and ball. Dual purpose in the stocking... gotta love that!

So until next time, happy crafting or baking or whatever it is you're up to these days!

Busy days!

2010-12-03T09:44:00.012-06:00

Quite some time has passed again since I last had the chance to blog at all. I so rarely get a chance to be on the computer now that I'm home with Baby Boy and Little Toddler Man. Our days are busy and interesting to say the least. Moments like the day I could not find Little Toddler Man's sippy cup of milk anywhere, yet I knew he'd just had it moments before. Upon asking him where his cup was, he scurried over to the fish tank and opened the lid of the canopy. On close inspection, sure enough I spotted the sippy cup in question, merrily bobbing along the surface of the water at the back of the tank, slowly pouring its contents down towards the fish. (The fish have also been the recipients of puppy food and a fur trimmed slipper as well). I don't think they appreciate the gifts as much as Little Toddler Man must assume they do. Thankfully the fascination with the tank seems to be dwindling, as is the fascination with letting our Newf/Pyrenese out of her kennel when she needs to be in it. He's also stopped trying to feed the dogs every waking moment of the day (ok - that one I was able to stop by putting a gate up across the closet doors where the food is kept!). His latest obsession that I hope ends before a trip to the emergency is necessary, is climbing on everything. The table being his favourite it would seem! Baby Boy keeps me hopping too - he's a content little fellow, just very, very hungry all the time it would seem! I can't believe early next week he'll be two months old. Life is good though! The boys have really bonded with each other and seem to enjoy each other's company already!

Needless to say, not much is getting done in the way of crafty persuits. Although, I've had some chance between knitting in the car en route to the city a few times, and getting a few rows done here and there through out the day when the boys sometimes co-ordinate their naps and in the evening when Baby Boy has a bottle and snuggle with Daddy. I've even managed to finish a few things. Knitting seems to work out alright. Sewing is a horse of a different colour! I can't seem to get the time to get down to the sewing room so in desperation I did try bringing my machines upstairs to the kitchen table to work on a very late baby gift for a friend. What an ordeal that was. I should have realized that given Little Toddler Man's obsession with climbing and his incredible curiousity it would be a futile attempt, but sometimes I don't think things through with the utmost clarity before hand. Let's just say it's going to take a while to figure out the tension on my serger again - those dials just proved to be way too much fun for the little man!

But, as I said, I have finished a few things!

First up was Baby Boy's stocking. His matches Little Toddler Man's, but is slightly different colours. I'm really happy with how it turned out! It's a great little pattern from "Cute Knits for Baby Feet". Knits up in a jif - especially this time I did it in the round so no seaming except about two inches or less on the bottom of the stocking.

Feeling quite bold about being able to finish a project, I decided a pair of mittens were in order for Baby Boy. He refused to keep a blanket tucked in around him and his little fingers were always poking out of his jacket. Also a quick knit, I was able to finish his "Baby Nordic Mitts" in no time.

Of course he needed a new hat too. In a couple of hours (probably not even a couple of hours) of knitting time, his new hat was done. It's a fun little pattern from Amanda Keyes called the "Zozo Pixie Cables". Unfortunately I misjudged the size of Baby Boy's noggin and it turned out quite large on him. The way the hat is knit though, it worked out well to turn it around and pop it on his head with the neckband becoming the front edge of the hat and the front becoming the bottom of the hat. It now fits (will for ages, because as he outgrows it this way, I can just turn it around the proper way!) and I think it's pretty darned cute.

Last but certainly not least is mittens for Little Toddler Man. We've had a devil of a time finding mittens that fit and are easy to put on his pudgy little hands. And what is with baby/toddler mitten thumbs? They make them so tiny, I'm not sure how anyone is expected to put an actual thumb in it!! Especially a somewhat unco-operative thumb. Anyways, just a basic pair of mittens, but hopefully they'll do the trick!

As for sewing? Well - dreams of sewing Christmas gifts are now clearly just that... dreams. If the kimono pajamas for the baby gift are any indication, there is no way that I'll ever get such a lofty goal of a quilt finished in time. Maybe for next Christmas (or ten years from now...), but not this year. No. Just not going to happen. Unless by some miracle I'm able to figure out a way to get both boys to simultaneously nap for great long chunks of time...

Thomas Andrew

2010-10-12T15:48:00.002-05:00

Thomas Andrew
Originally uploaded by Highlanddancemom

Baby Boy made his very prompt arrival into the world on October 7th, 2010 at 11:09am.

Imagine that... being born on one's due date!

I went to bed on Wednesday night feeling pretty good - had oodles of plans for getting tons done on Thursday. I had an OB appointment in the city in the morning and then I was going to come home and tackle some much necessary housework and get things done. Ha ha ha...

I was woken up at 3:00am by what I assumed was a doozy of a braxton hicks contraction. I got up, went to the loo, came back to bed, crawled under the covers and had another. Feeling kind of annoyed that my sleep was being interupted I tossed and turned for a few minutes then had another contraction. Glancing at the clock I figured they were about 8 minutes apart. (BF)G was just getting up to go to work and asked if he should stay home. I figured why bother. I wasn't in labour... first off labour contractions would be stronger, closer together, and in another week's time or so.

About 40 minutes later I was calling him telling him to turn back, I was kind of sure it was "showtime". Contractions were now 3 1/2 minutes apart. He came back home, we got the dogs all sorted out, Little Toddler Man woke at about 5:00am, so we got him up and dressed, gave him breakfast and around 6:00am headed to the city. We dropped LTM off at his auntie's house, and then continued on to the hospital, where they admitted me. I was still not sure if it could really be labour given contractions were still 2 1/2 minutes apart and I could sort of talk through them. But according to the triage nurse I was 5, almost 6cm dilated and definitely in labour. Who am I to argue? They walked me over to one of their "luxury suites" in the Labour Delivery Recovery PostPartum ward - I've stayed in fancy expensive hotels that were not as nice as the room I had!

I hung out there for awhile without a care in the world. Contractions were down to about one every five minutes, baby's heart rate was good. The OB on call came into see me, of course there'd been no progression from where I'd been at in triage, (thankfully no regression either mind you!) and so she offered to break my water. I figured why not - let's get this show on the road.

So, the water was broken at 10:10am, then I stood up and woosh. Instant hard core labour!! Contractions were one on top of the other. Forget joking and laughing like I'd been doing only five minutes before, forget thinking that I'd kind of like a snack. Forget anything except focusing on getting through each contraction! Within half an hour the nurse checked again - I was a bit hesitant because the last thing I wanted to hear was that there was no change, but the nurse was fairly certain things were moving along. She was right. I was well into transition. A few more contractions and the OB was called back in, and I was instructed to push when I felt like it.

Push I did. Twice.

Then the OB told me very kindly, "Open your eyes, see what you've got" Somehow I managed in two pushes to give birth to my 9 lbs 3 oz, 22" long baby boy and not realize I was done. As I opened my eyes she was putting Thomas on my chest and I couldn't believe my little boy was already here!

It was an amazing birth experience! Like Little Toddler Man's only easier and better. (BF)G of course was as always amazingly strong and my rock that I clung to. He's pretty good at this "labour coach" thing... perhaps he should consider a sideline career. He always is so calm and reassuring and can keep me focused on things when need be. Well, not just with labour come to think of it. That's kind of our life full stop. I'm pretty lucky that way!

Only thing I wasn't happy with was that they put an IV in me in triage. I was worried that would make it far too easy for me to accept pain meds, but I told my nurses and the OB my goal was to make it without anything other than the gas at the most. The nurses never even offered anything else. I did tell my nurse at one point she could bring the gas in, but then it sat in the corner never used. With LTM I did use the gas a few times to get through contractions. With Thomas I didn't need anything at all. In the end the IV came in handy too, as I had to be given Oxcytocin(sp?) for some issues with bleeding. I guess that's common both with big babies and the fact that I've done this a few times before! I can easily tell you I was feeling incredibly pleased with myself about that, given one of the worries I had leading up to my due date was that I would have to have pain meds and somehow I'd be disappointed in myself.

So life as a mom of five begins for me and so far I'm loving every moment of it... although I could use a touch more sleep! ;)

And now for baby boy's pajamas...

2010-09-13T12:13:00.006-05:00

I am abso-bloomin-lutely thrilled with how baby boy's pjs have turned out! Now I just need a cozy, cuddly baby boy to put in them... but I can wait a few more weeks for that thanks! (In fact I need to wait a few more weeks for that, because this mommy to be is NO WHERE near ready to have a newborn just yet!)

As mentioned in my last posting, I used a tutorial from Habitual to make the Kimono top. It's a great tutorial - I highly recommend it! The bottoms are straight forward, nothing exciting and are from Simplicity pattern #3582. I've made both top and bottoms in a 3 month-ish size (which if baby boy follows suit with Little Toddler Man it should mean just about newborn in our house!)

I did make a few wee adjustments to the top, just because I figured a squirmy wormy of a baby (again assuming baby boy follows in big brother's footsteps) might come all undone without some extra reinforcements in the closure department.

First off I added an extra set of ties lower down on the front of the top - easy peasy, nothing to it. Just made a quick facing for the front instead of hemming it down the way the tutorial showed and added the opposite tie into the side seam same as the top tie.

That bottom tie should keep it all together!

I got to thinking though (thankfully before sewing the opposite side seam), that all would be well and good on the outside, but what about the inside? I had visions of things slip slidin' away and slight wardrobe malfunctions (or at least discomforts) occuring. So I decided to add some extra reinforcements there by way of some snaps. I sewed two (interfaced and folded over) strips of narrow bias tape into the side seam and added a snap on the end of each of them. I added their corresponding bits on the opposite front - the snap goes through just the top layer of fabric and interfacing on the front. That way I figured no cold metal bits would be touching baby's bare skin as the backs are covered by the facing.

Now it would take the skill of Houdini to extricate himself from the pjs! (I think!)

Did I mention I love these pjs???

A previously undiclosed project now named!

2010-09-10T12:16:00.003-05:00

You may have noticed along my side bar under "At the Machine" a project listed as Undisclosed project that shall not be named. It was left un-named simply because the recipient happens to read the blog and I didn't want him knowing what I was up to!

Forever ago, when I was expecting Little Toddler Man, I stumbled across some flannel with cowboys printed on it. What a find it was! I couldn't believe my luck! Now, I suppose, before I go any further, I should explain my excitement over flannel.

When we found out we were expecting, (BF)G and I would talk and dream about our baby to be. (BF)G would often say, "If it's a boy, he can wear cowboy pajamas!" I thought this rather sweet and set to work trying to find baby cowboy jammies. My searches were futile. So then I switched to looking for the perfect fabric for a pair of jammies. I was having such a hard time finding what I wanted and then lo and behold, one day I spotted a new bolt of flannel at my local Fabricland. It was just the thing, so I grabbed it, high-tailed it to the cutting counter and got what seemed like a ridiculous amount of the fabric. I had suddenly decided that not only should baby have cowboy pjs, but so should Daddy!

My next step was to find a pattern for the pjs. I really, really had my heart set on traditional pjs. You know. The kind with the collar, buttons down the front and a little pocket. If a pattern exists for smaller than a toddler size, I never found it. But I did find a great Kwik Sew pattern that would fit the bill. (at least once baby was a bit bigger!).

I had such plans to have the matching pjs made for Christmas. I had the best of intentions, but we all know how those can go, so months passed and then it was getting warm and there seemed no point to flannel pjs at that point. So the fabric lay tucked away. Hidden from view. Then the weather turned cooler about a week ago and my mind went back to the cowboy flannel. The long weekend proved to be a great sewing weekend so when (BF)G went to deliver N to the city, and Little Toddler Man was down for a nap I swung into gear. By the time (BF)G was pulling in the driveway I had Little Toddler Man's pjs done except for the buttonholes and buttons. And the matching pj pants for Daddy were cut out and ready to go.

Sunday, (BF)G had to go to work, so as soon as Little Toddler Man went down for a nap, I scurried down to my machine, finished up the pjs, made the pj pants, and then cut out a pair of pjs from the left over flannel for baby boy. Baby boy's pjs are a combination of a Simplicity pattern for the bottoms and a modification of a fantastic kimono tutorial I found online from Habitual. I ran into some glitches with my machine, "Old Faithful" who, as it turns out is about as fickle as they get, and not faithful at all, so I'm a bit behind on baby boy's pjs. They're almost done now that "Old Fickle" is now on the floor under the sewing table in a time out and my other newer machine, who's always been very up front about being fickle has it's moment to shine up on the table. I hope to be able to show you a picture of my modified Kimono PJs soon!

In the meantime, I would like to leave you with a "still sleepy-eyed, just woke up" picture of Little Toddler Man in his new flannel pajamas...

A few more things to check off the "to-do" list!

2010-09-03T11:28:00.002-05:00

I'm very excited about the two projects I've recently finished! One of course is the bloomers and dress that I mentioned a while back, the next is the second baby gift I wanted to get made for another friend. I have made Baby Ruched Cardigan and a pair of ruffled hem leggings to match.

Knitting the cardi was a lot more fun than I figured it would be. I would never attempt to knit a sweater using sock yarn if it weren't a teeny tiny baby sweater, because I'd probably grow old and die before I ever got it finished, but a baby sweater... well that's just fast moving and fun! I am really loving the Stroll Tonal yarn that I bought from Knit Picks too. Such a pretty colour - makes me think of pumpkin pie - I guess that's not a bad thing for a gift for a fall baby! Of course I do have a "thing" for all things orange (or pumpkin for that matter... mmmm... pumkin spice lattes anyone?), so I was immediately drawn to the colourway, Foliage!

I have a few more baby gifts I want to work on - what is in the water these days??? It seems like at least half of everyone I know is expecting right now! One of these days I might actually try to make something for my very own baby boy who is due in five weeks time. So far poor little fellow only has some socks that are Momma made. I have some ideas - just kind of short on time right now. I do want to make some more sheets for the cradle, given the last set that I made for when Little Toddler Man was born were a bit lacking in the size department and if I had all the time in the world I was planning to follow a tutorial to make a mei tai. Funny how I was planning the mei tai back in April when it seemed like I did have all the time in the world. Ooops! I also found an online pattern for a "swaddling" blanket that I'd like to give a try.

I also have some more quilt projects I want to work on. I've got so many ideas up my sleeve. I think I maybe vastly underestimating my time though. I keep thinking, "Oh when I'm on leave I can work on that..." Yep. Because I am clearly delusional. I can't even get a lot done with just Little Toddler Man - to be fair, he is a bit of a busy boy and needs near on constant supervision lest he take a notion into his head to scale a fish tank - oh wait a minute, he's already done that... I'm not sure how my sleep deprived mind thinks that a newborn and Little Toddler Man underfoot will suddenly allow for all sorts of time for crafty persuits! I must be nuts!

A quest : Or what seems to be mission impossible!

2010-08-24T11:25:00.005-05:00

Little Toddler Man with his faithful companion Froggy

Little toddler man has a security blanket. It's a lovey that my good friend, Kristy bought for him before he was born. When she gave it to me, I thought "Aw... isn't that cute? Betcha it'll be a favourite." Little did I know that "Froggy" goes beyond favourite.

When he was five months old we attended a Christmas tea that G was dancing in. I'd taken Froggy along with us to amuse the baby with, then in a flurry of trying to get out of the place, get my errands done and get home before the day got too late I accidently left Froggy at the tea. I would never have guessed that at five months old, the baby would be aware that Froggy wasn't in his crib that night. It's not like he even snuggled the darned thing back then really.

The next morning I spent on the phone to the arena the tea was held at asking about lost and found to no avail. Then I started calling the organizers and someone had seen Froggy and figured there were only a few babies at the tea, and one of them would more than likely be missing their lovey. Thank heavens! Froggy was returned to us. Life was restored to it's normal state of bliss.

Fast forward to a few months later. Froggy would be clutched tight in Little Toddler Man's arms at night, but during the day he could stay in the crib. No problem. No worries about losing Froggy from the crib. Then there came the day a few weeks ago that when LTM got up he would not let go of Froggy for love or money. Froggy accompanied us to daycare that day and when I suggested that Froggy stay in the van for the way home the suggestion was greeted with a scowl and a tighter clutching of little chubby baby arms around it. Froggy and LTM have been inseparable since.

I'm now on a quest of sorts, out of fear of losing Froggy, to find a spare. Who could imagine that a little lovey bought at WalMart a year ago could be so terribly difficult to find. I've scoured the city, I've searched online, I'm just about willing to sell my soul for a spare Froggy. What is most heartwarming in all this is that my Ravelry Mommies group - of whom I've never met a single member in real life - are now all sharing my mission impossible to find just the right Froggy. We thought this morning, briefly, that we'd found a match on Ebay. Sadly, although it was close, it wasn't just the same. I'm thinking that Little Toddler Man is not likely to be fooled by some "reasonable facsimile" of his very faithful and ever present companion. Wish me luck in either finding a spare, or NEVER misplacing Froggy! Goodness knows washing him even is dicey! (Just ask the little man who moped about the house for a few hours the other day, searching high and low for Froggy because he didn't understand that Froggy was having a "bath" down in the laundry room)

Froggy really does accompany us every where we go!

Slowly working on getting things done

2010-08-20T11:40:00.007-05:00

So, the last time I was here I was talking about dying yarn. I thought I'd give you a quick update of what it is I did with that yarn!

I made soakers. DaisyHead Bloomers to be exact. Such a fun pattern. I think I may make it again if any of my friends or family turn out to be expecting baby girls! The pattern (although meant to go over cloth diapers) gives instructions on where to stop with the shaping should they be worn over disposables, so I figure no need to stick to making them just for the cloth diapering mommas!

This is a great pattern with really detailed instructions - which is what I felt I needed going into it given it was my first pair of soakers I've ever made and I had to do short row shaping (yikes - I've always been kind of afraid of short row shaping... not any more!). The size range is great too - from teeny weeny to toddler! Well worth the money spent on the pattern I'd say! And there is just something too cute about little girls in dresses and bloomers!

I've been wanting to get a lot of sewing done too lately, but alas, time seems, as always, to be in short supply and high demand. I did manage to make a fitted sheet for the playpen - something I'd been wanting to accomplish since I got the playpen when little toddler man was about two weeks old... Better late than never I figure and baby to be will definitely get use out of it. Toddler man consented to play in the play pen for a record five minutes the other day - funny how he used to LOVE being in there and now views it as a veritable prison - anyways - he was quite taken with the fabric and kept saying, "Oooooooooh" and pointing to all the different things in the print. Made me happy to see his reaction! It's the little things in life, you know?

I used a great tutorial I found online for the sheet - being math impaired such as I am, I didn't even want to attempt to figure out the measurements myself - I tried that last year with a sheet for the cradle mattress after having such success (using a tutorial) for the crib sheets and messed it up woefully. The cradle mattress all but folded itself end to end when I put the sheet on it. Maybe I'll revisit that idea again too - who knows. Maybe the gods of mathematics will smile favourably on me this time 'round!

That's been about it for finished crafty items for me - I'm working on a few things right now -- a little ruched cardi (for another friend expecting a baby girl) and of course my usual WIPs that have been hanging around forever. I'm collecting charm squares like a fiend - my mommies group is working on Charm Square Swap #3 now and I'm in hook, line and sinker. I plan to make on huge quilt eventually some day with all the squares I've amassed, but for now am satisfied to just go sort them, look at them and adore them.

Some day... seems to be a my life's motto these days...

In which I learn to properly dye yarn

2010-08-09T12:48:00.004-05:00

Why do pictures never show the colour just right? The yarn is actually most like the skein picture!

I've been on the hunt. I sewed a little dress for a friend's baby and I desperately want to knit some little bloomers to go with it. I want pink bloomers to match. Problem was despite my hunt I could not find the right shade of pink yarn for love or money. Then a friend suggested that I dye my own yarn. I thought about it for a bit. I've done some before - but never been exactly thrilled with the result. I've always used the microwave/kool aid method. How would I mix kool aid flavours to get the right shade of pink. Then my friend had another suggestion. Wilton dyes. You know - the ones that come in little tubs in about a million different colours? I wasn't sure how to go about using Wilton dyes or how they differed from using kool aid and couldn't get back to my friend. In all fairness, I guess she has other things to do in life besides sit idly by her computer waiting to hold my hand through the whole process.

I started to search online figuring someone must have a tutorial somewhere and that's when I stumbled upon a Knitty article on dying your own yarn. I printed it off, stopped in a Michaels for a tub of colour, headed home and grabbed one of my dozens of balls of Patons Classic in Winter White that I have in my stash (thank you Kristy for your mom's yarn - it's come in handy again already!!!) wound it into a skein and set it to soak in water and vinegar. Yes folks! I do think that is a fun way to spend a Friday evening! Who wouldn't?!?!

Saturday morning was an early one. I can't remember why. Normally (BF)G gets up with little toddler man when he wakes up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday, but for some reason I had to get up too - and little toddler man was up at 4:45am! By 8:00am my lovely pink yarn was cooling in the crockpot waiting for it's bath! I did end up dying it a bit more in the afternoon though as I wasn't sure it was just right. There were a few spots that seemed to be naked of colour altogether and that just wasn't going to do! After it's second time in the dye bath, it seemed MUCH better!

I hung it initially on the shower head to dry, but the house is so hot and humid right now it wasn't really drying quickly enough for my liking, so yesterday morning I took it outside while the sun was out and there was a lovely breeze blowing. By mid-morning I was casting on the bloomers happy as a clam about my yarn. There are still a few spots in it that didn't get as much dye as the rest and I was a bit concerned about it at first, but it seems to be knitting up with just a slight, subtle varigated look to it. I keep hoping I don't come across a really pale spot - but so far almost 2" in to the knitting and nothing hideous yet!

Now I am afraid that I may have created a bit of a problem for myself. It would seem that I can't stop thinking about the possibilities of dying yarn... I do have, afterall, several balls of Winter White Patons Classic just sitting there begging to become something different!

Oh - and the dress? It's a from a Simplicity pattern and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out! Picture quality may be sadly lacking here... I took the picture in my slightly dark living room late last night!

A couple of tiny hats!

2010-07-27T10:52:00.007-05:00

Baby hats are awesome! They take next to no time at all, use very little yarn and are super cute and fun to make.

Which would be the reason I signed up for a secret hat swap on my expectant momma's group on Ravelry. We are supposed to send our partner one baby hat, but in a moment of madness I made two and love them both so much that I'm sending both.

I fell in love with the Susan B. Anderson's Upside Down Daisy hat some time ago when I stumbled across the pattern on Ravelry. Little did I realize I'd had the Knit Simple magazine all along in my collection with just that pattern in it! Silly me. Since I only have one little girl, who's not so little anymore at 17 1/2 years old, I didn't think she'd appreciate a upside down daisy on her head - and since my wee man is, well, a wee man, I didn't think a daisy would be great for him either. Baby to be is a boy as well, so who could I knit this for? Then I got my swap partner and she's expecting a girl! Wheeee! Girly knitting. Finally!

So I made the little hat and love it!

But then I realized that I was supposed to be making a winter hat and since I made Upside Down Daisy out of cotton I thought maybe, although cute, it just wouldn't be warm enough to be called a winter hat. So I set to work making another hat. This time I did a simple little cap with an eyelet band. I used Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk for the yarn and it's so soft and snuggly. Hopefully it'll keep a wee girl warm in winter. I did a bit of a mistake in knitting the second hat. Hating seaming with a passion, I figured problem solved, I'd knit it in the round. How hard could that be? Not hard at all - unless you forget the fact that you should actually pay attention that you need to knit the purl rows instead of purling along them if they're meant to be the wrong side UNLESS you should be purling that row because in the pattern it tells you to knit on the wrong side. Ah well. I had good intentions and although it doesn't look as cute as the pattern, I'm still pretty happy with it. So I will send it as well!

I really hope my partner likes her new baby hats!

The Quilt!

2010-07-22T12:30:00.002-05:00

I'm done baby's quilt! I'm really quite pleased with it even though there are a few wonky bits here and there. I've decided that I'm new enough to quilting that I don't need to get all crazy perfectionist about things. Once the quilt has been spit up on, chewed on by the dog (yes - that happened to the Bean's quilt - nothing a wee bit of tears, and then several months of hiding in a closet (the quilt - not me), and some patching couldn't fix), and washed a million times I figure no one will notice the bits that aren't exactly the way they should be.

So here in all it's glory, fresh from the drier is my version of the Charm Squares Baby Quilt. I used a charm pack of Moda's Animal Alphabet for the blocks, some generic lime green cotton from my local fabric store for the sashing and backing and some red alphabet print (again from the Animal Alphabet collection) for the binding. It's a bit smaller than I pictured - why I don't check these kinds of things out ahead of time is beyond me, but I figure that just leaves the door wide open. Sort of like a movie with a loose ending that you just know means a sequel to come, this is a good reason to make a sequel quilt for when baby is a toddler. I like nothing more than an excuse to ponder more patterns and buy more fabric! ;)

Whee!!!

2010-07-12T12:46:00.005-05:00

Mondays are always kind of ho hum at the office. Ok I’ll admit it. Pretty much every day feels ho hum when I’m at work these days. Only because I’d much rather be home with my little toddler man. Plus add to that the fact that I sit day dreaming most of my day away lately. (Can we blame pregnancy hormones for that???). So many other things to think about besides work.

Anyways… in an effort of diversion from the ho hum I was busily checking my email a while ago scanning through the junk emails about to delete them all, when one caught my eye again. The subject line was something like, “You’ve Won our Monthly Draw” and I was about to check it for delete when something stopped me. I figured it would turn out to be just like the emails telling me about once a month that I’ve won some fabulous lottery prize if I’ll just send my credit card info for verification… You know the kind I mean… but what the heck. I was looking for a diversion, so hoping I wasn’t going to open something that would then crash my system with some plague of a virus I clicked on the email.

I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A while back my attention was drawn to Green Fairy Quilts and I signed up for their newsletter/notification. I also entered my name in their monthly drawings and did I mention yet?

I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I, who never ever win anything, have won the June monthly drawing! They’re going to send me the Garden Party Quilt Pattern, which is designed by the shop owner herself. It’s a really cute pattern and I’m super duper excited about it!!! I’m SILLY EXCITED about it actually!!!!!

In other crafty news, I have finished the quilting portion of the baby’s quilt. There are a few wonky spots in it, but I’m trying not to let that drive me crazy! I’ve learned a few things along the way I think and that’s what counts. Right? I hope to get the binding at least started tonight if not finished. We’ll see how tired I am come evening. My little man was up at 4:30am this morning and unfortunately I’d stayed up late last night – quilting the quilt thank you very much. I wasn’t banking on getting up so early when I through caution to the wind and stayed up till almost 11:00pm. Yawn! Hopefully in the next few days I can show you the finished quilt!

I also finished the baby socks I’ve been working on. I decided to use up some yarn for them and chose my Jawoll Jacquard from the first pair of socks I ever knit myself. Seemed like the perfect use for the tiny bit I had left over. I was ever so careful to match starting points in the self-patterning because I was determined to have an identical match. All was working according to plan until I ran into a join in the yarn about ½” from the finish line. No problem I figured. It looked like they had joined to keep the continuity of the pattern, so I figured I might be a touch off of a perfect match, but well within the limits I could live with, that is until I started knitting a dark blue stripe where a light blue stripe should have been. I hummed and hawed and finally decided after trying so hard to make it work out, and the fact I REALLY, REALLY wanted identical not fraternal twin socks, I frogged back and joined the yarn up where it should have been in the first place and continued happily on my way.

May I present to you my matching baby socks?!?

Also, I just have to send a big thank you out to my friend Andrea from my work knitting group who makes the nicest baby wash cloths ever to be had! Last year she gave me one for Douglas and I love it! That thing is the best for the bath cloth EVER!!! And despite it being washed over and over it’s never lost its softness which is awesome in my books! Well, at knitting on Wednesday she presented me with one for the new baby! I love the way she wraps it up on itself so it looks like a little flower. (Now – to save this for baby. Little toddler man cannot have it for his bath!)

Preparing for a Party!!

2010-07-02T10:49:00.006-05:00

Baby Bean will be one on Monday - I think this means he's no longer a "baby" but Toddler Bean just doesn't have quite the same ring to it does it?

Yesterday being Canada Day, and therefore a "no work for me" day, made for a great day to start getting prepared for his birthday party on Sunday afternoon. I decided that since there will be a total of seven little ones coming to help celebrate I would make some little kid friendly type goodie bags for them to take home with them. Trying to steer clear of sweets - because I'm kind of a stickler that way - I decided to make crayon rolls, and play dough and then I'll also include a cookie cutter for using with the play dough, a pad of paper to go along with the crayons and some bubble solution.

The crayon rolls are done! I'm so pleased with how they've turned out! I used a tutorial from V and Co.'s blog and they were pretty quick and easy to do!

I also got a couple batches of play dough made. Took me a bit to remember the recipe from way back when I used to make it all the time for G, N and J, but it did come back and I am now excited to think that Bean is going to be old enough for play dough fun soon - maybe not just yet thought... he's still in the "let's try to eat everything in sight" phase (with one exception - the kid who will happily try to chow down on a fluff ball of dust and fur will NOT eat a hamburger for love or money. He apparently thinks they are not in the worthy of being eaten category.)

Here's my tried and true recipe for play dough:

1 cup white flour

1/4 cup salt

2 TBSP Cream of tartar

1 cup water

1 TBSP oil

Mix the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a medium sized saucepan. Combine water and oil in a measuring cup and pour into the saucepan - stir until smooth. Cook on medium heat stirring the whole time until you begin to get a globby looking mess in your pot. Keep stirring, but keep a close watch on your globby mess, because right away it's going to miraculously go from being a glob of goo to play dough! As soon as it forms a nice play doughy ball in the middle of your pot turn off the heat and turn ball of dough onto lightly floured board. Knead for a few minutes and then cool. Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge when not being played with. There are a few options for making it fancy!

To colour it you can use a package of unsweetened kool aid mix (I used Cherry for the red!) and mix it in with the dry ingredients, or you can use regular food colouring (like I did for the yellow) - as many drops as you feel makes the colour the one you want - I am messy, so I tend to put the food colouring in my measuring cup along with the water and oil or I seem to have a talent for getting it on the countertop, myself and anything in between! For the red one I also added a bit of glitter in the mix just to make things sparkly!

Play dough was a absolute staple in my house when the kids were little. I've never been a fan of store bought play dough - the smell of it alone used to make me feel a wee bit nauseaus. And why go to the store when you can make your own great big ball of it in no time for next to no money!?!

Continuing on with my birthday party celebrations I decided to make Bean a crown to wear on his special day. He seemed pretty pleased with it when I tried it on him this morning when he woke up!

One chapter ends and another begins!

2010-06-29T13:09:00.004-05:00

For my girl that is! She's come to the end of high school! I can't believe it in some ways - seems like just yesterday she was off to kindergarten! Next up after the summer will be university! Time flies!

Receiving her Grade 12 diploma!

All grown up and ready to celebrate!

Getting things done!

2010-06-22T08:21:00.006-05:00

How has so much time passed since my last posting? I honestly have no idea where the days go right now!!!I’ve got some knitting FO’s to show and am kind of excited because it’s been a long while since I’ve had much knitting mojo going on!

First up is my Plath Cardigan. I originally started it back in May ’09 as a maternity cardi when I was still pregnant with Baby Bean. How I ever thought, knowing me and my procrastination, that I would finish a cardigan and have any chance of wearing it, when starting it in May and being due in July is beyond me! Of course it didn’t get finished!

I hauled it back out of hiding a few months ago (and literally it was hiding – couldn’t find it for the life of me for a bit – turned out it was in with my knitting stash of all places. Imagine that! Knitting hiding in with the knitting supplies… Go figure!) Anyways, it was looking dicey for finishing it in time for this pregnancy too with my lack of motivation to knit anything, but I persevered a bit at a time and lo and behold, finally finished it last week! The sizing isn’t great for me; it’s a touch big under the arms, but all things considered not too bad. I’m feeling a bit “meh” about it, not sure I really like it, heck I’m not sure I like it at all, but it’s done and maybe it’ll grow on me (or I'll grow into it) over the next couple months!

And seeing as how I’m now starting into my sixth month along in this pregnancy and had not yet knit a single stitch for this wee baby, I felt I really should do something! I’m going to make a Baby Shell (great little pattern from a mom I know in my mommies group on Rav), but can’t find my circ that I need and so far have been too busy to go actually buy a new one. So on Saturday I came to the conclusion that I needed something to start. Anything as a matter of fact!! So I grabbed a pattern, some needles and a ball of yarn as I headed out to the truck to go to the Manitoba Highland Gathering for G’s competition. In the time it took us to drive there and half way home I finished a sock! I don’t think I was ever at risk of succumbing to 2nd Sock Syndrome with this pair! They were just that quick and easy! Love a pattern like that! (by the way - the socks are actually a lovely pale blue - not gray... guess that's what happens when you take a picture when it's pouring down rain in the evening even using a flash didn't help.)

I also made a new skirt last week! Yes, I do realize I’m sort of addicted to the Florinda pattern, but it is a seriously easy and comfy skirt to make! I didn’t bother lining this one, so I think it took me less than an hour to make. This is from the $5.00/metre fabric I mentioned last time, so for maybe $10.00 (including fabric, the jersey knit for the panel and elastic), I have a new skirt. I think I’ll wear it to G’s high school graduation on Friday evening!

Speaking of G’s graduation – how on earth did she ever get old enough to graduate from high school??? – I need to make her clutch. I’m using this tutorial from U handbag.

Next up is focusing on making the crayon rolls for Baby Bean’s first birthday party. I really want to do some “loot bags” for the little ones and I’m figuring crayon rolls, pad of paper, bubble solution and maybe if I’m organized enough some homemade play dough and a cookie cutter. If I just get the crayon rolls done I’ll be thrilled! (I’ve 8 to make, so I really need to get cracking on it!) I’ll let you know how it goes!

I'm in. Hook. Line. Sinker.

2010-06-08T10:54:00.004-05:00

Or maybe I should say, "Needle, Thread, Fabric"

I know I've been extolling the virtues of Moda pre-cut fabrics lately, really I'm starting to feel like a bit of a walking advertisement for them, but I just can't seem to help myself.

Being new and therefore incredibly inexperienced in the world of quilting I like the thought of anything that makes it a bit easier for me to progress in my quilting abilities and these pre-cut goodies seem to be just the thing to help me along. I can't (or won't because it's a bit embarassing) tell you how much time I spend online these days oogling fabric and patterns. Plotting and planning projects. Too bad I don't get near as much time to actually sit down and sew! All in time though... all in time.

As you might notice I've added a few new things to my list of, well, "favourite things" and now because of one of those, I now have to go add another to my list. V and Co. has a giveaway on her blog right now sponsored by Green Fairy Quilts. Because that's all I need in my life... yet another website to go to for hours on end! ha ha! But I think I'm actually in love. I really like how their site is laid out - and the prices look great! I forsee some shopping in my very near future! Eeek! (I believe my credit card is now trembling away in fear...).

I am taking part right now in a charm square swap with my Mommies group over on Ravelry and because we've all been talking quilting and charm squares lately, we've lured a few more previously non-sewing mommies into the fold. We're going to have a second charm square swap coming up soon so they can partake as well and so I am going to completely justify any purchases in the near future as necessary for my swap participation. How's that sound?

On the sewing front at home, I ditched the cat pee batting - (BF)G raised a very good point when he said, "What if you can't smell the pee anymore after it's washed, but the cats can and keep peeing on it?" I near well died at the thought of that, so out it went. Good thing I got such a good deal on it or my thrifty (ok, cheap) side would have had a bit of coronary over tossing it out! I grabbed the spare batting out of the closet and set to work on making my Charm Squares Baby Quilt sandwich, pinned it all to death and have started machine quilting it. I am pretty happy so far with my efforts and hope to have a chance to do a bit more soon. I also finished sewing all my blocks together for the Oh Cherry Oh baby blanket. Only now I really, really like it and am contemplating getting another honey bun and making the whole thing bigger. To heck with baby blankets... I'm thinking picnics in the park type blankets instead. We'll see!

Oh and I fell victim to the siren call of some pretty black and white cotton the other day at the fabric store. It was $5.00/metre. I figured I couldn't go wrong. I think this momma's going to get yet another skirt!

On the knitting front - Plath is coming along. Slowly but surely. I'm working on the ribbing of the placket and bottom right now. It's taking forever. I may have had this little baby before I ever get it finished at this rate...

Now, off to go ponder what fabrics I really must have! :)

Anyone want a cat? How about three?

2010-06-04T12:59:00.004-05:00

I'm feeling a wee bit more than a little defeated in my quilt making efforts. Not because of the fabric. Not because of the quilting. No indeed. I've been beaten. By my cats.

I lovingly draped the quilt tops in progress, along with the batting and backing for one over top the jolly jumper that currently resides in my sewing corner of the basement. I figured it was a good way to keep them nice and pretty and out of the reach of drooly dogs and shedding cats. It was working like a charm. Until yesterday that is.

I came home after a lovely afternoon and evening to find, much to my horror, that my whole neatly draped pile of fabric was in a heap on the floor underneath the jolly jumper. I was annoyed that it was heaped up like that, but figured all that would be needed would be a quick pressing of the tops and the backing and I'd be right back on track. Being late, I decided it would be prudent to just hang them back up and deal with them today instead.

As I picked them up it hit me. Like a tonne of bricks. That unmistakable odour of cat pee. I am out for kitty blood at the moment. (and a way to wash my batting prior to using). GRRRRRRRR.

In happier and more exciting news, I have baby to be's first photos in my possesion. I love this one in particular where baby is looking all snug as a bug in a rug!

Momma needed a new frock!

2010-05-26T10:35:00.007-05:00

Well, actually a skirt to be precise. I made my first Florinda skirt a while back, but hadn't had a chance to wear it, or even seem to get a picture of it, but yesterday the sun was shining and it seemed warm enough to wear a skirt to work. Too bad I didn't realize we were under a "wind warning" and the winds were gusting at about 90kms/hour yesterday. Go figure. The one day I wear a skirt in almost a year. It was ok though - a little dicey walking from the far end of the parking lot to the office, but I managed to keep the skirt in the realm of decency and all was well.

Here's me in the first skirt I made - this one had a full maternity panel, which I will definately appreciate as the months go along and I get bigger.

Being as pleased as I was with the first attempt, I decided to throw caution to the wind and make a second skirt. This time doing a different waist. I love this skirt too! And seriously, I cannot say enough good things about this pattern. It's a great fit, the instructions are well laid out and easy to understand. Even if I'd barely sewn a stitch in my life, I think I could have made this pattern successfully!

Since I am becoming like a teenager who refuses to go to bed at night despite knowing I have to get up in the morning (ok - well, I'm in bed by 10:30 at the latest unlike a teen who would willy nilly stay up until the wee hours of the morning) I've also been able to get some work done on the second baby quilt I'm making. This is the "girl" quilt. I'm using Moda's Oh Cherry Oh honey bun to do the strips. I wanted something a little more fun and funky than classic for the quilt. I am considering doing a sort of aqua blue sashing fabric just to add to the fun. Not sure yet though - we'll see once my blocks are done.

Now, I have to say that a honey bun is fantastic. I can not even begin to imagine cutting out all those strips of fabric I would have needed. I'd still be cutting by the time baby to be was a parent to be at the rate I cut things (and at the rate of disasterous results with my cutting - I seem to have trouble with the straight lines!) I've got two 8 strip panels sewn so far - I think that will make 10 blocks. I've three more panels to go. They do take some time, but I'm learning to streamline the process as I go. Instead of sew, iron, sew, iron etc. I do sew, sew, iron, sew, sew, iron. It doesn't seem like it would make much difference, but it has! So here's my in progress shot.

A good use for the time being unused jolly jumper too don't you think? ;)

In knitting news - yes! There is knitting news these days! I've managed to finish one of the sleeves on the Plath Cardi and am underway on the second sleeve. They're 3/4 length. It shouldn't take me long. I hope. Although the last sleeve took me probably a month or more. But I'm motivated now. I really am.

Why the sudden motivation you ask? Simple. I'm dying to cast on for another project, and I won't allow myself the luxury until Plath is done. My good friend, K, messaged me the other day asking if I'd like some of her mom's yarn stash. Her mom, had sadly passed away suddenly recently and K and her brothers were trying to sort through things. I went on Saturday and let me say, K's mom's stash put my stash to shame. She had the most incredible yarns in that stash of hers - and what a knitter she was!! I have a Lopi sweater that I've always wanted to make since I got the pattern about 13 years ago, and thanks to K and her brothers, I have exactly the Lopi yarn for it. I also have accquired some Euroflax Linen, some Arucania Nature Wool, some Patons Classic, quite a bit of White Buffalo 6 ply, much more Lopi and some other lovely treats as well. (and to let you know the scope of the stash in question? I did not even make a dent. Not a dent!!)

So thank you to K and her brothers. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! I am honoured to have this legacy from such a incredible craftswoman as your mother was.

A little progress...

2010-05-20T15:21:00.003-05:00

So not much has been done in the way of crafty persuits in my household over the last week. I had such high hopes, but they were kind of dashed when we got our two weeks worth of homework for Bella's puppy school.

It's a doozy of an assignment! We have to have her tethered to us at all times that we are awake and home. (I'm currently thinking of how practical it would be to leave home for the remainder of the assignment!). Needless to say, having a 60lb four legged furry barnacle attached to me at the hip has greatly decreased my time (not to mention energy) for much of anything.

However, I did get some sewing time in this week after everyone else had gone to bed. I paid the price for staying up late, but got at least a wee sense of satisfaction in accomplishment. I finished the "surprise" quilt top that I mentioned before. Now to back, quilt and bind the sucker. That'll be a whole other journey in madness I'm sure! I also got the top done for the first of the two baby quilts I'm planning on making.

Now just to choose fabric for the backing and binding on this one too! I've got some thoughts rattling around in my head, but haven't quite decided what route to take with it just yet.

I have high hopes (once again) that this weekend, being the long weekend, will bring me lots of time for enjoying my sewing and maybe some knitting as well! I think I've managed a total of four or five rows on my plath cardi, which, would actually be perfect for wearing right now. Must get some time to finish it!!!

So keep your fingers crossed for me please!

Need a Few More Hours Please

2010-05-10T10:57:00.004-05:00

And to stop needing to go to bed by 8:00pm. This early to bed nonsense is really cutting into my crafty time these days. Baby Bean goes to bed between 7:00 and 8:00 and unfortunately, I'm fast on his heels to bed myself. I need to either quit my job and become a lady of leisure or find a few extra "awake" hours in the day.

I had really hoped to get in loads of sewing time and maybe some knitting too this weekend. It didn't happen. Now it's Monday, back to the weekday grind which means I'll have to wait until next weekend to hopefully get to any crafty type stuff.

I did take a few minutes while the baby napped yesterday to cut out my squares and decide on a layout for baby quilt #1, which in my head I'm thinking of as the "boy quilt" - although (BF)G tells me he thinks it would be great for boy or girl. He just groaned and shook his head when I told him, "But honey! I've got more fabric and a different pattern coming for a "girl quilt!" I believe he's quickly realizing that he's fighting a losing battle here.

As I was saying, I laid out my squares and rectangles for the Charm Squares Baby Quilt. I'm quite tickled with the fabric I chose for it! It's busy, bright and cheery.

After doing my layout, I got N to come over to the table and take a look at it. I told him to see if there was any of the squares he felt should be switched around, and asked what colour I should get for the sashing. He was quick to take interest and told me he thought a light green like the background colour of one of the squares would be great for the sashing. I'm going to follow his advice (green is exactly what I was thinking too actually) and go on the hunt for the perfect fabric. I forgot to ask him what colour I should do the binding and backing in. Maybe I'll ask him tonight. For a 15 1/2 year old boy he's pretty good with this whole quilt planning business!

Quilt layout - minus the sashing in between of course

I seem to have a new obsession...

2010-05-03T10:01:00.006-05:00

I have a new obsession. I sensed it could become a problem last year, but then it sort of settled down to a mere interest until just recently when it grew back up into a full fledged obsession. Perhaps addiction – I’m not sure which term would be more appropriate.

Let’s just say I’ve always had a bit of a thing for textiles. I grew up in a home where sewn and hand knit items were not just common place but kind of a way of life. In high school I took three years of Fashion Design Technology. I sewed like a fiend for the kids when they were little, worked in a fabric shop in the late 90’s (didn’t make much money at it, but worked there none the less and had a great stash to show for those long hours on my feet), and have done more than my fair share of dance costumes and odd “freelance” type jobs. A great fabric calls to me in the same manner that a great yarn calls to me. I’m weak in the presence of it.

I’ve collected quilting magazines and books over the years - what did I do with those books anyways? I had a great stash of them too, now I’ve no idea where they’ve gone. Did I get rid of them at some point? Seems unlikely but one never knows over the course of time. Despite collecting patterns and books though I’d never been quite brave enough to try it until last spring, that is, when I was expecting Baby Bean and I decided it was high time I should try making a quilt.

Well, the quilt turned out lovely and I was hooked. I’ve got a second quilt in the works, but Baby Bean is not one to let mama sit and sew for very long so it sits in one of the bins waiting for a good time to work on it. It’s also a bit of surprise for one of my teens, (won’t say which one just on the off chance they someday stumble upon these musings before the quilt is finished and presented) so it’s also got to be worked on only when the kid in question is not home.

In the meantime I have discovered something wonderful. Pre-cut quilt fabric bundles. Layer Cakes, Jelly Rolls, Honey Buns and Turnovers, OH MY!!!!!!!!!! In the last week alone I’ve succumbed to two different charm packs, a honey bun and a turnover. At this rate I sense I may have a bit of a problem. But they really couldn’t make quilting any easier could they?

Then I discovered my next problem the Moda Bakeshop. Well, now if the people over at the Moda fabric company aren’t just the smartest marketing strategists around I’m not sure who is. I went to the bakeshop for ideas of what to do with my newly acquired stash and what happens? Not only do I come up with a myriad of ideas for my stash, I come up with a myriad of ideas which now require stash.

Anyone know of a program I could get into? I think I need some professional help!

PS: New knitting to show as well! Here’s a picture of G’s “Championship Piggie”. The pig seems to somehow oddly be the championship mascot for her dance school, even their school tank tops and shorts has a little pig on them, so, and this year I thought I’d make her one to take with her for good luck. Piggie even has some "motivational" type charms strapped around his neck. I told her yesterday - "You have the Piggie - you have the power" and it seemed to keep her spirits up and motivate her into a 3rd runner up spot! Not too shabby considering lessons and practicing have greatly fallen by the wayside this year between illnesses, injuries, grade 12, and working. Way to go G!!

Focus, Strength, Discipline

Some Amendments and a Confession

2010-04-19T16:35:00.006-05:00

We'll start with the ammendment part of the post!

So as it would turn out, I forgot about a few WIP that I have had languishing on the needles...

I forgot to mention two projects - really I hope there's only two more, because otherwise I've gone from the realm of the kind of having a problem to the realm of good grief I really should get help for this kind of madness!

I told you I succumb easily to the siren song of a new project - I was going to say cast on, but apparently I'm not just limited to knitting in this insanity. I just can't help myself (you'll see proof of this in a moment actually!)

Without further ado I present the forgotten two WIP:

Bristow - I was doing great on this one in the winter - didn't really like the colour, but thought it would grow on me. Have the back and half the right front done. The colour has not grown on me, but how do you completely abandon a project, even if you really don't like it, when so much time has gone into it? HOW?!?!

Pembroke Vest - What should have been a quick to finish knit sat lost and lonely wanting only a neckline and armholes done. I even bought the needles about a month ago that I would need to finish it because I was too lazy (ok this is kind of embarassing) to go down and search through my mess to find the needles that I'm almost positive I probably already had a set of.

So there you have it... another couple to add to the list.

And now the confession. Not two days after posting that I was going to finish up some WIP before starting something new I fell prey to Cafe au Lait mitts. Actually I fell prey to them several weeks ago, but didn't like the yarn I was using so after all but finishing one I gave up on them. But couldn't forget them. The pattern called to me (repeatedly - it was pretty pushy that way and refused to be ignored). So the other day I cast on... they took two days to knit and I love them. Of course the weather is now freakishly warm so instead of wearing them this spring (who needs mitts of any sort fingerless or not when it's +20C outside?) I'll save them lovingly for the fall.

Suffering from the guilt of my failed mission to finish the WIP first, I felt I should actually really do some honest to goodness work on one of them. Seeing as how Pembroke seemed to be the most likely to give me a sense of accomplishment I set to work yesterday. Took no time at all and it was done - seems kind of silly now that I didn't finish it ages ago.

Not sure how much I like my yarn choice. It's a nice enough colour, but perhaps Peace Fleece was a bit of an odd choice for a baby's vest. He's not likely to get much wear out of it regardless of washability (and the scratchy factor) though anyways given I procrastinated so long on it that it barely fits him now. Whatever the case may be - chalk one up for success in my dimishing the WIP list! That in itself is worth something.

I also made a skirt for myself yesterday - the Florinda skirt from Farmingwife on Etsy. Yes - I am expecting again (due in the fall) and figure sooner or later will have an actual need for something nice but comfortable to wear - I love the pattern! I've already got plans for a second one in different fabric with a slightly different waist band. Sorry no pictures yet of this project - I'll have to get that done one of these days!

So, no more promises on working on WIPs only. Turns out I need to know my limits and embrace them. I am just not a one (or six) project kind of gal. What can I say?

Where does the time go?

2010-04-13T11:23:00.001-05:00

All smiles
Originally uploaded by Highlanddancemom

One minute I was pregnant, then it seems within the blink of an eye life has become about chasing a very active nine month old around. Baby Bean is not much of a baby anymore it would seem. He can crawl with a staggering speed, walk around the furniture and climbs like a monkey.

I feel very remiss in the fact that I last posted that my wee man was five months old and prior to that I think he was only a few months old. So much for my regular blogging. I am hoping that my return to work (and therefore return to regularly scheduled coffee and lunch breaks) will allow a bit more time in the day for jotting down a few thoughts once in a while.

I'd love to say I had oodles of projects to show you from my time away from the blog, but the sad truth is after a mad knitting run just before Christmas - four sock monkies, a couple of hats and five bunnies - I have not finished a blessed thing. No sewing been happening either unfortunately. I have plans though... Oh yes and good intentions to boot.

I have decided I should finish my current WIP that have been languishing in the deepest darkest reaches of my house. In fact three of them I'd actually managed to lose for a bit. Not sure what that says about my skills as a housekeeper, but none the less. They were lost. Nothing makes me want to knit something more than when I can't find it. Unfortunately once found, I knit for a bit, then my eye starts to wander to something else. It's a bit of a curse, really.

So without further ado, here is the list of projects I plan on working on over the next little while (and maybe if I'm lucky I'll actually finish a few of them too!) :

Plath Cardi - so close to being able to finish this one! Just need to do the sleeves and the trim then I could maybe actually get some wear out of it for the spring!

Clapotis - started this one as a KAL with my Ravelry Mommies group. Stalled out when I foolishly managed to grab the needle and pull it straight out of all the stitches. Really should get back at it - the KAL finished January 15th. I'm no where near done.

Clementine Shawlette - Really, if I could find some focus, then maybe, just maybe this old, old, old WIP could become and FO. I started it in 2007 on the trip to Peru, frogged it sometime later that year and restarted it. Got more than 3/4 of the way done and got bored. I have a mere 10 inches left to go - but it's the boring part - same four rows of pattern over and over and over.

Chevron Scarf - No where near done this one. About 5 or 6 inches into a very long scarf that I started last spring. You know the kind of project. You see a picture of it and you just have to have it? Life cannot continue until you knit it? Well - same sort of thing goes for this as for my darling Clementine. I got bored. And fast. But the yarn is really pretty (Knit Picks Imagination), so you never know. I may show it some love again some day.

Froot Loops Socks - halfway done sock number 1. It's a sad and sorry situation when you suffer from 1st sock syndrome, let alone 2nd sock syndrome. I think I may just frog these. The yarn (Panda Cotton) does not play well with me. It splits, it snags, it causes no end of grief.

So there you have it! We'll see how far I get on my mission to finish things up before I fall prey to my wandering eye and the lust for a new project. The siren call of the cast on is never far off you know.

Baby Bean is Five Months Old!!!

2009-12-13T23:35:00.001-06:00

Douglas 5 months
Originally uploaded by Highlanddancemom

The last five months of my life have flown by so quickly. In what feels like the blink of an eye, my little baby is not so little anymore. It's so hard to believe he's already five months old.

I get so busy that I didn't even realize it was October the last time I posted an entry! I've been doing all sorts of knitting these days, but most of it I can't talk about right now. It's of the super secret holiday kind, and I just don't want to take any chances of surprises being spoiled.

I'm lucky to have such a content little man. He likes to play while I get to knit. I've developed a system of 1 1/2 eyes on baby and 1/2 an eye on my knitting. Needless to say there's no intricate lace knitting going on in my house these days! Well, not that there really ever was really. Some day I'd love to start, but I know my limitations and dropping what ever I'm doing in a heart beat to rescue the baby from under the kitchen table, or the dog's ear from baby's teeth or what have you and then picking up and continuing fall way over my limitations. For now it's plain, easy to follow instructions or mindless knitting for me. I don't mind though. Knitting is knitting!

Baby Bean as Auntie Geri loves to still call him loves to be on the move. These days if I put him on the floor on a blanket he stays on it for all of three seconds (tops) and then is off. Today he made his way around the entire living room using his combination scoot and roll method. Later on in the day he did the same in the dining room, well that is until he managed to get stuck under the legs of one of the chairs. I rescued him and he was off again.

Thinking of my little man, makes me realize how lucky we are to have him! I'm on Ravelry a lot these days with my Summer Mommies group and would like to just throw a suggestion out there to anyone who has some extra knitting time on their hands and would like a simple but meaningful project to work on.

One of the moms in the expectant moms group I was in tragically lost her wee daughter less than an hour after she was born. As a gesture of comfort some of the other mothers got together and knit the mom a blanket. The mom then spearheaded a project that seems to have taken off - sad to say there is such need for it, but that is unfortunately reality. Anyways, the concept is to make blankets to comfort those who have lost a child. If you're interested you can visit the Schuyler Blanket Project on Ravelry, or the Facebook group. I've just come on board with pledging squares for blankets, but when I look at my baby, and my three other babies that are now all teens, I realize how blessed I am in my life and I feel compelled to try and help out.

Who knows when I'll find the time to post next, I'm so hit and miss with it these days, so I will take the time now to wish everyone a very happy holiday season!

Taste testing a new toy

2009-10-21T13:05:00.007-05:00

Taste testing a new toy
Originally uploaded by Highlanddancemom

My sewing machine got a very brief workout this morning. (by brief I mean 10 minutes or less - but that's more than it's seen in the last three and a half months!)

I was in a toy store the other day perusing the aisles when I spied something in a lady's cart that intrigued me. It was a fleece ball with little "tags" of different ribbons sticking out from the seams. I'd remembered reading somewhere about these "ingenious" toys that are supposed to be the bees knees for baby to play with. I searched the store until I found the display that contained these veritable treasures and almost fell over in shock at the price of them. For example, they had a teeny weeny triangle of fleece with about four "tags" on it on sale (ON SALE no less!!!) for $12.99. I was somewhat incredulous that people would pay that much - let alone the regular price - for something like that . Being ever so thrifty, I tucked the idea into the little filing cabinet in my brain along with the other, "I can make that myself, better and for a lot less" ideas and went about my day.

Yesterday I happened to drop into my local fabric store and thought what the heck. A wee piece of orange fleece, a wee piece of black fleece and some ribbons (Ok - I splurged and spent a whopping $2.50 on a spool of Hallowe'en themed ribbon - but hey - I can use that for a myriad of other projects down the road I'm sure). A few minutes at the machine, a run through the laundry and Douglas seems pretty darned pleased with my efforts of this morning!

On the knitting front, I seem to be a touch obsessed with hats. I started and finished my Tretta hat in less than 24 hours and have just last night cast on for the Marsan Watchcap. I am the "Queen of Hats" these days, which is odd given I rarely ever wear a hat myself. But they are quick, easy to pick up for a minute and then put down again at the... well... drop of a hat or the cry of a hungry baby and they are nothing if not next-to-instant gratification! Not to mention sometimes a pretty big necessity for living on the prairies in the winter!

A pumpkin hat for my l'il punkin

2009-10-16T14:00:00.003-05:00

A pumpkin hat for my l'il punkin
Originally uploaded by Highlanddancemom

So since I'm back in the land of the online, I thought I'd give you a few pictures of my recent FOs. My very favourite to date being baby's pumpkin hat. I love this pattern! Seven had brought it to our attention on Knitty the other day and I'll confess to developing an immediate obsession to make this hat for my "l'il punkin". It's a great pattern - can't say enough good things about it. It whipped up in a couple of hours using Cascade 220 for the hat and Ella Rae Classic for the stem. LOVE IT!!!!!

I've also managed a few other projects lately. My Pomotamus have been done for a little while actually. I knit them mostly in the car en route to and from the city. Occassionally I was able to get a row or two done in the evening when Douglas was being given a bottle by Daddy (I try to make sure there's one bottle every couple of days or so in the fridge so Daddy can have some of the feeding time snuggles too and as an added bonus it gives me a few minutes to myself!)

Car knitting (since G got her license) has been my main time to get the needles out, and in between sock one and two of Pomotamus I took a short break to make myself a pair of felted slippers - I'm always greatly amused by the excessive size of pre-felted items! They are kind of funny looking but cozy, so that's what counts in my books.

Last but not least on the FO list is another favourite project. A Christmas stocking for baby! This one is from "Cute Knits for Baby Feet" which is a fun little book I picked up when I was still pregnant. If you're in dire need of a stocking in a hurry, make this one your go to pattern. Seriously. Two days and it was done, and it's the perfect size for baby.

On the needles I've got some random projects that have been on the go for awhile; Clementine Shawlette (longest ever WIP for me I think), Plath, and my chevron scarf, and a new addition to the WIP collection -Froot Loop socks.

Well, I'm being paged by a hungry little man, so I'm off for now. Happy knitting!

I'm back...

2009-10-08T19:43:00.006-05:00

After several months of dismal and then no internet access, I'm finally back. I thought I would just do a quick post to say hi and let you know I'm still around! Here's a couple of recent pictures of my little man, Douglas who was born on July 5th, 2009. He amazes us every day with how incredible he is!

Douglas at about 2 1/2 months old :

Douglas at 12 weeks old:

I'll be back in a few days with a longer update on this prairie girl's life!

Car wash weirdness continues... it must be me.

2009-06-12T11:34:00.010-05:00

Different car wash - ok same company, but different bay, different town even, same problem. TWICE!!!!! What am I doing wrong???? A big pick up truck went through ahead of me. No problem for him. I drive my little two-door Hyundai Accent in and it jams up the bloody thing. Least this time I had N keeping me company.

That's it. I'm not doing this anymore. My car can either stay dirty, or I will take it to the Chamois where they'll wash it for me. I refuse to get stuck a fifth time in the stinking car wash. It's beginning to give me a complex not to mention it's getting bloody embarassing that I am the only person on the face of the earth that cannot "operate" an automatic "touchless" car wash properly. Yeesh!

Anyways. Onto other much more pleasant topics.

My lovely SnB group, the Woolie Bullies, gave me a little surprise party on Wednesday night. I am so beyond touched by this that I get teary eyed every time I think about it. Not only did they bring cupcakes - love cupcakes by the way - but Nicole had made a really sweet card and all the girls had made a baby blanket for Bean. The fact that they all got together an knit the blanket is what gets me the most. What a sweet, wonderful, incredible gift. I know that this blanket will be loved and cherished.

Bean's Blankie from the girls

Speaking of blankies... I've been bitten by the quilting bug! I decided that Bean should have a crib quilt and so have set to work on my first ever quilt project! I'm really excited about it and laid all the center pieces out on the table to see what it might look like when finished. I have to say I'm happy with the look so far. I just hope I can sew an even straight seam on all the bits so that they line up well when it all goes together!

I've not done a whole lot of knitting myself as I've been busy with other ventures and activities. N had his final cadet banquet of the year, which was a big night for him! Not only was he the top Silver Star level cadet this year for his corps, he also got the top NCO award, plus top physical fitness award. The big one though, is that he got promoted to Warrant Officer and in the fall will be the corp's Regimental Sgt. Major, which is a pretty huge deal for a 14 1/2 year old who's crazy about cadets and plans a military career for his future!

N, the Commanding Officer and the outgoing RSM passing on the torch (well pace stick)

Other than that, G's been dancing like a maniac lately. Lessons (she's at four so far this week alone!), and competitions have been in full swing. She competed at the Mid-Canada Championships and Open Competition this past weekend here in the city and was quite successful! She was 2nd runner up for her age group at the Championships and got placings in the Village Maid (5th) and Hornpipe (2nd!) on Sunday. It was a good weekend despite the fact it was freezing cold - think mitts, sweaters, blankets! I was pretty much numb by the time we went home at the end of it! I felt sorry for any of the dancer's who wear vests instead of jackets. Brrrr.

Photographic evidence of turn out and pointy toes!!!!

I love how I caught her in the air on this one!

Weird things have been happening to me.

2009-06-09T13:17:00.002-05:00

First up in the weirdness would be the day I lost my shoes in the mud. My favourite gardening clogs and they're gone. Vanished completely.

It all started when Bella, decided in all her puppy wisdom, to go traipsing off to the barn one wet and soggy morning.

I'm trying desperately to train her to stay in the "yard" as I call it right now, rather than have her roaming all over the property when I can't easily chase her. (Training has been slow with progress even slower - possibly to the point of non-existent), so off I went traipsing after her.

She was in the mucky patch between the barn and the hay storage shed happily lapping up what ever muddy water she could get her little tongue on. So I called her to come. She ignored me and continued in her own merry way. So I called her again. This time much more sternly. This got me a look out of the corner of her eye and back to the muck she went. So I decided enough was enough and she needed to learn who was boss in our relationship. I took one step towards her, she darted off to the field, and I, much to my horror realized I was sinking and sinking fast. I yanked my foot up, but my shoe did not come with my foot, trying to save myself from toppling over, I moved slightly and next thing I knew, my other foot was stuck fast and sinking. Pulling it free, I lost the other shoe and ended up toppling over. (Balance being what it is at this stage of pregnancy, I'm not surprised about the toppling over and was just thankful to be landing in the soft muck rather than something harder) I must have let out a yelp, because Bella came whipping around the corner of the barn and plastered herself to my side as I righted myself, and hopped barefoot across the yard to the house. I went out to inspect my shoes later and found that there was only the tiniest bit of blue showing through the mud. Thinking to myself that it was far to wet (not to mention dangerous to my health and well being to retrieve them) I thought I'd come back for them when the ground had a chance to dry out a bit. Fast forward to the other day. I went back, thinking I could dig out my shoes, but they are gone. No sign of them. Not so much of a trace of where they could be. The ground has apparently swallowed them whole.

Who loses their shoes like that?????

Next weird thing on the list. The car wash. Let me preface this by saying I have been driving for about 20 years. And during those 20 years, I've been using the car wash for well, all of it. You know the kind - you pull up, drive in, the doors close, the car wash does it's magic, the doors open and you drive out with a nice clean car. No fuss, no muss. Well unless you are me and harbour a slight paranoia of getting trapped in one of them and then one day you actually do. Not once. BUT TWICE!!!!!

I drove in, the doors closed, the car wash started to work it's magic for about half a minute, then with a thump and a bit of a bump it all stopped. The little light that tells you where to stop was flashing madly, but that was all that was happening. It was getting hotter and hotter in the blasted thing, and I do believe I was on the verge of hyperventilating (or at least bursting into tears). Just when full on panic of the fact I was trapped in the car wash was really settling in the door started to open. I drove out and though out of kindness to others who might suffer similar fate, I should let the fellows in the gas station know that there was a problem. I explained what had happened and the one in charge said, "Oh. I'd better close that lane. You're the third person today whose had a problem with it." HELLO???? Two others suffered the same fate and you didn't close it at that point?

He then gave me a voucher for a new car wash and told me to try the other lane. So with much trepidation I did. The whole time telling myself that it had to be a one off occurence. After all, people use these things every day and never get stuck in them. What are the chances, etc...

So in I go. The doors close, the car wash gets even less done than the first time when, with a thump and a bump it stops. I couldn't believe my misfortune. Instead of panicking that time, I sat there completely incredulous. When the door opened, I drove out, soap all over half my car and drove home.

That was a week and a half ago. I still haven't returned. I really do need to wash my car, but do NOT want to get stuck again. I have to say, I'm thinking of paying the extra and taking it to a car wash where you get out and the nice people do the job for you. It's a bit more expensive, but then what is my mental health worth???

It's a zoo in here...

2009-05-19T09:04:00.008-05:00

This past weekend was our Victoria Day long weekend. The weather was not fit for man or beast - well, maybe not that bad, but certainly any dreams of getting some gardening done were dashed by the frigid temperatures we had.

I was also pretty tired all weekend from this ridiculous cold/flu I've had so I took the chance to take it easy and do some knitting.

So knit I did. I will admit to being on a bit of an animal kick here. First up we have "Big Ears". This pattern is the very reason I ordered "Cute Knits for Baby Feet" from Knitpicks in the first place. I absolutely had to have them.

Knit from Sirdar's Snuggly they whipped up in a flash. I started them Saturday afternoon and finished them Sunday afternoon. The part that took me the longest was embroidering the tusks on!

Monday, the weather looked much more promising at first - it was gorgeous out at 5:30 am when I took the dogs out, but by the time I'd gone inside, had breakfast, put my capris and t-shirt on and gone back outside to enjoy the weather, the wind had picked up from the north and the temps had dropped by 10 degrees at least. Needless to say, back indoors I went. Picked up my needles, the left over snuggly from my niece's baby sweater, and my new favourite book. So? What do you think of "Quack"?

I think they'll be darn cute booties for the cool mornings and evenings I think that we're in for this summer. And talk about a quick knit! They took all of about two hours in total including a few breaks.

Feeling bold I decided to cast on for my "Plath Cardigan." I'm in love with this sweater. I had some trouble out of the starting block with it, but that was simply pregnancy brain and nothing to do with the pattern. Let me tell you ladder rib stitch is a dream to do! I think I'm in love.

Has it been that long again?

2009-05-13T14:47:00.005-05:00

I used to be so good at keeping up with my blogging! And yet here it is weeks since my last post, and I'm finding myself so unmotivated to write anything. Part of my motivation problem is my internet connection.

Living in the middle of nowhere is great for peace, quiet and tranquility. To have roosters cock-a-doodle-dooing instead of the vulgar noises of the drunks and druggies down the street is a wonderous thing for one's sense of well being. But living in the middle of nowhere comes with it's downfalls. I have no access to high speed internet unless I want to pay huge amounts of money to have a satelite system set up. They have high speed 15 miles up the road in the village, but for me? Nope. No go. So I use dial up. Yes. That almost obsolete technology, which takes an eternity to load a page of text. Forget about uploading pictures or anything like that. So that leaves me coffee breaks and lunch breaks at work for updates, and sometimes, I'm just too tired of staring at the screen for work purposes to be bothered staring at it for other purposes on my breaks.

But - I didn't mean to turn this into a big pity party about my lack of high speed internet or how I'm so bloody tired most days I can't see straight. No. That's not my intent in the least.

What I want to do is share some pictures with you of the projects I spoke of in my last posting. (Just don't ask about the highland dance jacket. I'm not able to speak of that disaster yet as it might make me cry in frustration and anger still).

First up is my sling that I'm actually really happy with now that it's done. I've sewed over those seams about a million times out of a fear of my poor soon to be born baby crashing to the floor from faulty machine work on my behalf. I think the sling should safely be able to hold quite a hefty weight now. Although I couldn't test it out given the girth of my belly these days, and N wasn't quite willing to be a sling test dummy and put the dog in it like I suggested. I suggested Bella would be a good option at only 36 lbs versus Lucky at 110 lbs, but N was having none of it. In retrospect, I guess I can't blame him. I do hope that it carries a real live baby comfortably though!

Then I believe I spoke of booties and a ball - so here's those. Cute, not hard to make and used up some stash yarn. (Just don't follow the pattern explicitly. It would have you make two left feet - I kid you not) Nothing like using stash yarn to make a girl feel good and thrifty. Makes me actually feel kind of smug. I'm just like that!

Other projects on the go are (BF)G's socks - still. I've managed to get the cuff done and precisely one row of stocking stitch. Did I mention these are very boring and want to make me use my trusty 2.25mm dpns to poke my eye out just for some excitement?

Then as I mentioned I re-started the Fireside socks. (sorry - no pictures yet) I'm liking them. They're my "car" socks. I knit them when I'm in the passenger seat (obviously - I'm not crazy enough to knit them when I'm in the driver's seat. Is anyone that crazy????)

I've grown tired for the time being with my chevron scarf. I realize this makes me appear incredibly fickle. Just a few short weeks ago I was in love with the whole thing, but times change, people change. It's a four row pattern repeat. It gets dull after awhile. What can I say? I will go back to it, just not for a bit yet I think.

So that's about it for me and what I've been up to.

An exercise in frustration or possibly futility

2009-04-28T09:41:00.002-05:00

My new sewing machine is a menace to my mental health and well-being. I swear that the gods of all things related to needles, thread and tension have been frowning upon me as of late.

All I wanted to do was make a Ring Sling for baby Bean. What should have taken me mere moments to cut, hem, pleat and finish has taken me days. DAYS!!!! (and it's still not done!). Between four needles breaking, the tread breaking, fraying and otherwise being a pain in the arse and the machine not being able to function when confronted with two layers of pleated mid-weight linen, I'm ready to toss the whole kit and kaboodle out the window.

So I have given up for now. The Ring Sling will have to wait - at least until I can go buy some more heavy duty thread (different brand - who knows, maybe my machine is just stupidly picky, and heavy duty needles - no needles left that will sew anything beyond the weight of a light weight cotton.)

I did manage to sew a dress for myself - no pics yet, sorry. Haven't quite decided if I look decent in it enough to post any - I think I look enormous in it, but then again these days I feel like I look enormous in just about everything I wear.

I have also done the second muslin for G's new highland jacket. First one did not fit at all. Second one turns out doesn't either, but I think I need to add some darts for shaping and then all should be good with it. I've pinned the darts in - now just to take those pinned darts on the muslin and make them re-appear as darts on the actual velvet. Oh, velvet you strike terror into my heart and make my blood run to ice. I've got to get the bloody thing done. Provincials are on Sunday and she can't wear the same old ratty jacket she's been wearing - last competition not only was she bursting out of it, but a button did manage to fly off during the sword, causing her to land on the button, (it was that or land on the hilt of the sword to avoid the button - I think she chose the better option), twist her ankle and be very, very upset with her seamstress (me).

Anyways - so that's my tale of sewing woe. Knitting is going somewhat better! I've finished a couple of pairs of baby booties and a ball, (will post pics eventually), started a chevron scarf using Knit Picks, Imagination in Frog Prince and Looking Glass, and started a new pair of socks for me last night. I frogged back my first attempt at my Fireside socks that I'd started back in the fall in Claudia Handpainted Buckeye, and am now trying them in Estelle Arequipa in Scarlet. Of course (BF)G's socks are still on the go, but man alive they are boring me to death with their plain old ribbing and stocking stitch.

So that's all that's new for me. Hopefully next time I can report some much better news on the sewing machine versus Ring Sling front!

Bean's Jeans

2009-04-07T14:53:00.003-05:00

Beans jeans back
Originally uploaded by Highlanddancemom

Oh how I love this pattern!!!

My latest FO for baby is Blu. Such a fast knit! Took me only one "snow day" to do the knitting. The finishing was a bit of a different story, however, as my embroidery skills are sadly lacking.

I had to reach way back into the deep dark recesses of my memory (and when I say way back, I mean as in about 30 years way back) to the time Mom taught me how to embroider and I spent weeks working on a "sampler" of the different stitches.

Wouldn't you know it, as I finished the embroidery it hit me that somewhere in the boxes of craft things in my basement I seemed to recall having a leaflet that demonstrated all the different stitches. Sure enough after digging through two boxes I unearthed it. A little late for this project, but handy none the less should I ever take a notion into my head to try embroidering anything again!

The label was chosen by G. She said that since we always call baby "Bean" that's what the label should say. I thought it quite fitting and so there we go. "Bean's Jeans".

In other craftiness, I also finished the second diaper bag. I used Amy Butler's Nappy Bag pattern again - it's a great one, easy peasy and roomy. Gotta love that! This one was of course at the request of N and (BF)G who both were insistent that the first diaper bag I made was far too "pretty" for them to be carting around. Yeesh! What I won't do for my menfolk! I do like the way it turned out, I will admit. It's bright and cheery and the fabric has been sitting in my stash for something like 13 years since my Fanny's Fabric employee days.

Now I'm busily working on another baby project. Crochet this time!! It's another blanket. We'll see how this endeavor goes!

Another project for baby!

2009-04-03T09:23:00.003-05:00

baby blanket done
Originally uploaded by Highlanddancemom

Just a quick post to show my latest FO for baby!

I just finished this one the other night - didn't take long and I'm really happy with the outcome.

I knit the main part of the blanket with Sirdar Denim Aran Sport, which is a cotton, acrylic, wool blend and is super soft. The trim is of unknown content, but I'm pretty sure it's mostly cotton and was sent to me by Anna last summer.

I used the pattern Endora from Berroco and the modified the trim using (gulp!) crochet instead of picking up what would have felt like gazillions of stitches along the edges. I had a picture in my head of what I wanted it to look like and that was an edging similar to that on my afgan that my Granny had made for me when I was really little. So, to that end I dug out my "Teach yourself crochet" book and set to work. It's not up to Granny's standards, but for a first attempt at something like this I don't think I did too badly. I probably should have accomodated the corner increases a little better, but all in all, I'm well pleased!

This weekend's project will be to finish Blu - what an awesome pattern that is! But I'll save those details for later!

A finished knitting project!!!!

2009-03-12T11:46:00.005-05:00

Two posts in two days... what is going on here?!? Ha ha!

I just wanted to put up a super quick post about my latest FO! I have finally managed to finish up my Mr. Greenjeans. I'm happy to have it off the needles, not just because I hate having something lingering around for so long (makes me feel guilty when I start a new project) and also because in a freakish way of weather that I'm sure can't be only here on the Prairies, it's been fricken fracken freezing out there again. As in -30C and below with that wind which seems to always be whipping around out there these days. Brrr. So I was in need of a good warm cardi - have to dress in layers you know as despite the fact it's artic air outside, in the office it feels like the tropics. Layers, baby, are the answer!

Anyways... enough rambling! Here is my version of Mr. Greenjeans!

Not a very accurate show of the real colour, but I thought it showed the cables nicely!

I did a few modifications to it - really just in length - longer in the body and of course full sleeves. I used Briggs and Little Heritage in Purple Grape (gifted from Anna) for it. The yarn is a great, rustic, warm wool. Although some skeins were so "rustic" that I figured eventually I would come across not only a great many bits of straw and grass, but perhaps somewhere in there would be the whole bloomin' farm (sheep, farmer and all!), but no - just grass and straw. I did find it worth the effort though to pick out as much as I could as I went. I'm really quite happy with the final product!

And because of the great one button design of the sweater, it still fits! Even over my six month (seemingly large) pregnant belly. Although I will admit the button is pulling and will probably not do up at all by next week, but that's ok. I figure it will fit post-pregnancy quite well and that's really what counts! Because after all, it is mid-March and how much longer can winter last in this frozen place that I live in? I wasn't really expecting to get any wear out of it until fall anyways!

Getting ready for baby : or a tutorial on what to do with less than a metre of flannel

2009-03-10T11:33:00.015-05:00

Where does time go? It seems to be flying by at a somewhat alarming rate to say the least. I'm now at the six months pregnant mark (seems like just yesterday I was waiting for a call from my doctor to tell me if I was expecting or not!)

I figure it's about time to start getting ready for this wee baby. Of course I have a few things left over from J, G and N's baby days, but only the special knits and things like that. None of the day to day necessities. So I high tailed it over to the fabric store with the knowledge that flannel was on sale half price this month!

I've been on a receiving blanket, burp cloth and face cloth rampage. Last night was sewing night. The last few days before that were cutting out time - I kept getting too tired to drag my machines out. This is a ridiculously easy project (I promise even if you're new to sewing you too can make these in the blink of an eye!)

Purchase .7 metre of printed flannel, .5 of co-ordinating terry toweling (I got this 60% off so a good bargain too). I also bought 2 metres of white diaper flannel and some rickrack and ribbon trims in the same trip, but I'll get to that in a moment!

To start off, pre-shrink your fabrics. Wash and dry everything the way you're going to wash the finished product.

To make the receiving blanket, simply take one corner of your printed flannel and fold it over in a triangle to make a perfect square. Mark your cutting line and cut this piece out. Serge or do a narrow hem along all four sides of your square. Voila! Receiving blanket!

To make the burp cloth take that piece of flannel left over from the receiving blanket you just made and cut it to size. I think 10" x 20 " is a good size - this is just to throw over your shoulder to catch any yuckiness when baby is being burped so you could actually guage how wide your shoulder is and adjust to make it smaller or bigger depending. I tend to have shoulders like a line backer so if you're somewhat more daintily sized than me, you may want a bit narrower cloth. The choice is yours.

Cut a matching piece of terry towelling. Turn each piece right sides together and sew around the outside edges using a 1/2" seam allowance and don't forget to leave an opening for turning. Trim your seam allowance and clip the corners to reduce the bulk and turn right side out. If you want you can press the cloth at this point or just flatten it out with your hands. Top stitch about an 1/4" from the edge all the way around your rectangle to close up your opening and as well to add a bit of strenth to it. Now you've made a burp cloth! Sit back and admire your handywork! :)

The face cloth is simply done by using any left over piece that you feel is a big enough size and cutting a matching piece of terry. I used my serger to finish the edges all around, but if you don't have a serger you could either do them the same way you made your burp cloth or even easier than that, just zig-zag around the edges. It's a facecloth afterall... no need to get terribly fancy!

A finished set - receiving blanket, burp cloth and face cloth

So - back to that white flannel and ribbon I bought. Not all flannel, as it turns out, is the same width - or some shrinks more than others. So I ended up with a few pieces that were too narrow to be a burp cloth on their own, but waste not want not, I decided to get a bit fancier. (I have to say, so far - these are my favourite ones!!) Cut your white flannel into the same size as your other burp cloths were (again I used the 10" x 20"), then cut your left over printed flannel to a size you like for a center decorative panel. Lay the printed piece on the center of your white flannel - right sides both facing up. Zig-zag closely to the edge of the printed flannel. Then pick out your ribbon or trim that you are going to use and lay this over top the zig-zagged stitches. Sew with a straight stitch close to either edge of the ribbon if using ribbon or one line down the center if using rickrack. Your top piece is now finished and you can proceed with the terry as you did with your other burp cloths!

A work in progress...

And a finished product - this one's my favourite so far!

Most importantly... Have fun picking out the flannel, terry and ribbon! There are so many choice out there that the options are pretty much endless. You're baby will be spitting up on the cutest cloths around! :)

So between that and working on my Amy Butler Nappy Bag - yes - that is a cat inside the bag! Dora seems to have a predilection for "helping me" while I'm sewing!

Peek a boo Dora!

And finishing it, I've had a very productive time at my sewing machine as of late (of course all this baby sewing hasn't left time for the two huge projects I need to accomplish - a new highland jacket and a national vest for Ms. G, but all in due time I figure. Her old ones will do for this weekend's competition!)

Diaper bag, change pad and storage bag

So until next time, I hope you have fun with your knitting or sewing or whatever it is that you do to fill up your free time.

BBC Book List

2009-02-27T09:48:00.002-06:00

This little gem showed up on my Facebook today and I thought why not follow Purple Niko's lead and post it on my blog...

Quite a fun and interesting little exercise I have to say!

BBC’s Book List

The BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here. How do your reading habits stack up?

Instructions: Copy the list into a Note and put an ‘x‘ after those you have read, count ‘em up, compare tallies. This should be easy. Strutting and preening is optional.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen (x)
2 The Lord of the Rings
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (x)
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling (x - well the first one and the 4th one anyways)
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee ( x)
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights (x)
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens (x)
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott (x)
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier (x)
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien (x)
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (x)
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame (x)
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy (x)
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis (x)
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres (x)
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden (x)
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne (x)
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown (x)
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery (x)
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood (x)
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding (x)
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel (x)
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen (x)
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon (x)
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men- John Steinbeck (x)
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold (x)
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas (x)
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding (x)
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett (x)
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Inferno – Dante
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (x)
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry (x)
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White (x)
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom (x)
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad (x)
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery (x)
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare (x)
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl (x)
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

36 out of 100 - not bad if the average is 6, but makes me think I should be reading more actually...

Now. I challenge you to go through the list and see how many you've read! Have fun!

Some knitting progress and a new puppy!

2009-02-12T10:39:00.004-06:00

Finally. Progress in the knitting department.

I've been working on a few small projects for the most part, but picking up Greenjeans and doing a few rows here and there every now and again so it's getting some attention too.

First off, I was starting to feel a bit weird that I hadn't started to knit anything for the baby yet. I'm a bit old-fashioned (read: crazy) when it comes to baby things. I was once told, many moons ago when I was pregant with J, that you shouldn't get anything for the baby before you're seven months along. For whatever reason, that has stuck fast in my brain and I have trouble letting go of it. Really it's silly. Why should I wait until I'm in my third trimester, overly big and overly tired to start preparing for this little one. Plus people were starting to give me weird looks when they'd say, "So have you been knitting lots for baby?" and I say, "No. Nothing yet." It was like I was somehow failing as a knitting expectant mother.

Anyways - to ease my way in to baby knitting without upsetting any superstitious madness, I thought I'd make a couple of pairs of Magic Baby Slippers. They're a fantastic way to use up odds and ends of sock yarn you have left in your stash and they take no time at all to whip up! Because I don't know if this little one is a boy or girl I knit a pair of each.

Next on my list was my Capitan hat. I had been gifted the perfect shade of red lopi last summer and so thought I'd make myself a new hat to go along with the alpaca scarf I'd brought back from my trip to Peru. Apparently, I do not suit Capitan as well as I hoped. Given the ridiculous amount of laughter that ensued when I tried it on for (BF)G, I am thinking perhaps Capitan will be reserved for very cold days out in the yard at home, or will be finding a new home. So - you get to see the hat, without being able to see how silly I look in it. It is a great pattern though! Quick and easy to follow.

I've also been working on (BF)G's socks. They're my go to project when I'm on the go. I keep them in my purse and pull them out whenever I have some waiting to do or some spare time on my hands. I had forgotten that the pattern uses a "Dutch Heel" which is done rather differently then my usual heel that I'm used to, so for a bit it threw me, but once done, I had my "ah-ha" moment and remember that despite it's odd look, it's actually a pretty good heel for (BF)G's socks.

Alrighty - I did mention a new puppy! Because with the four cats, rat, fish, and two dogs, we clearly did not have enough pets already, we went and got ourselves another one. I'd like to introduce you to our baby dog, "Bella". She's only eight weeks old and is a cross between a Great Pyranese and a Newfie. In other words, she will grow to be the size of a small car! But she's beautiful, affectionate and already so smart.

Maybe next time I post I will actually have major progress done on Greenjeans. (It's my next goal in knitting accomplishments that I would like to achieve!)

I think I'm in love...

2009-01-29T11:38:00.003-06:00

Aren't we purdy?!?

My Soctoberfest socks are finally done! I managed to finish the last few rows of pattern and do the toe before supper last night and I am so happy with the results. I'm wearing them today and really... I think I'm in love!

As in every relationship we had our ups and downs. The ups were wonderful - that first sock coming together so quickly, so easily, so pretty. Then there were the downs - the first disaster, the second disaster, and so on. The almost continuous frogging and re-knitting. There were times when it seemed the only thing to do was throw in the towel and admit the love was gone. But then I'd look at the finished first sock and think that maybe there was a glimmer of a spark left. I'm so glad I perservered. The picture doesn't do them justice, but take my word on it. They're perfectly lovely! Especially on a morning where the windchill is making it feel like -36C out there.

I'm on a sock kick right now. Greenjeans be damned. I'm just not that into it right now. I just want socks. Lovely little projects that tuck so nicely into my purse and can be whipped out and worked on a moments notice of some spare time.

Being the selfless knitter (ok - we all know I'm not that selfless, but it sounded good I thought), I'm currently working on a pair of socks for (BF)G. He loved the Gentlemen's Plain Winter Socks (Nancy Bush - "Knitting Vintage Socks) that I made for him last year, so I thought why fix what ain't broke... I'm making him a second pair. These ones are out of Ram Wools new house sock yarn, Softly, which although soft enough is kind of splitty, and given it's just merino with no reinforcing power of nylon I'm a touch worried as to how they'll wear for him on a day to day in his workboots kind of basis, but we'll see. It's a great pattern for not having to pay close attention to, which if my Soctoberfest socks taught me anything, we all know I have no capabilities for focusing on anything these days making this ideal for me at this point in time!

Conquering a rogue sock

2009-01-25T12:16:00.005-06:00

My knitting has been going no where as of late. Well, not exactly no where. In truth, it's been going backwards a lot.

What is it that make one little sock so damned hard to knit? The first sock was a charmer. It went swimmingly. Really quickly. Fits like a dream.

The pattern is well written and the yarn (despite my initial battles with untangling it's 400 yds) lovely to work with so it makes a gal wonder what could go wrong?

Apparently my brain and the sudden loss of any ability to follow simple directions.

Back in October I cast on one night at SnB for the second sock of my Soctoberfest Mystery KAL sock. I was excited. I figured within two or three weeks I would be proudly wearing a new pair of socks. But something went terribly wrong. It took me the whole evening to cast on and do a couple of rows. I couldn't count properly. I had to cast on repeatedly before I managed to get all 64 stitches cast on. Then I twisted my stitches in the round so I had a quasi-mobius-esque type cuff. Sadly it all came out again. Finally conquered the cast on and thought I was off to the races.

I was wrong.

I knit the cuff and then compared it with my beautiful first sock. Something was amiss. The middle section was huge. Not just too long, but somehow too wide. But I decided I could ignore it. Telling myself, no one's going to see the cuff anyways.

I took a break from the sock until after Christmas and then decided it was time to finish it. So I plugged away on the second clue which is the patterned leg. 50 rows into the chart and somewhat alarmed that something seemed a little off, I thought I'd check the instructions to find out how many rows I repeated on the chart the second time. Much to my horror, it clearly said "Repeat rows 1-32 of the chart once. Repeat rows 1-16 one more time." Rows 1-32? My chart had 64 rows.

Then it hit me. I was knitting the foot chart. Not the leg. So somewhat disheartened, I began to frog. All the way back it went to the cuff. And I started again. Regaining my confidence with each row I did I began once again to envision proudly wearing my pretty socks. I finished the first 32 rows of the chart and stopped to admire my handiwork. I should mention I did think, about 16 rows earlier that something looked a touch off, but I was not going to be stopped in my quest to conquer the second sock. It was then that the gods of cursed socks struck me well and truly down.

I had not marked my pattern the last time I'd stopped working on it, and blithely had resumed where I thought I had been instead of carefully inspecting exactly which row I had finished at. Back to the frog pond I went. My heart heavy and my mind reeling with the ridiculousness of it all. How hard had it become for me to follow directions? Was I that lost in my own world that the simplest of tasks could become so daunting?

I am very pleased to say though, this little tale of woe has a happy ending after all. Well so far anyways.

Yesterday I picked up knitting and chart with much trepidation. I carefully examined where I should begin knitting, took a deep breath and began. I zipped through the remainder of the 32 rows, and continued on with rows 1 - 13. I had a glimmer of hope that I was on my way to conquering the rogue sock when I inspected my knitting and saw that it was as it should be. This morning saw the completion of row 14-16, the eye of partridge heel flap, and blessedly the turning of the heel with no disasters.

I know it's early days, but I am feeling brave enough to say that I declare my rogue second sock to have admitted defeat in the presence of my knitting determination. I shall have a nice new pair of socks after all.

Wish me luck on that foot chart. Really I've already had practice doing it twice before, so it should be a piece of cake... right? Next post I do I am determined to have a picture of my finished pair of socks to show you.

Until then, as I said, wish me luck and I hope you're having much more success in your knitting endeavors than I have been lately!

Happy New Year and all that...

2009-01-08T15:56:00.005-06:00

I can't believe it's been well over a month since my last posting. I used to be so good at staying on top of things, but that seems to have all gone downhill over the last little while.

We had a lovely Christmas holiday - the kids were home until mid-day on Christmas and then they were off to the sunny beaches of a Cuban resort with their Dad. I will admit to feeling a little twinge of glee when they came back to below normal temps and major snowfall. But that's just because I'm a little twisted and mean and really, that's what you get for going and sunning yourself in the dead of winter (and bragging about it to your poor mother whose stuck here in the frozen prairies! Muahahaha).

I didn't do much in the way of knitting over the holidays at all - but I did discover that I still know how to read - honestly it had been so long since I'd picked up a book for purposes other than cataloguing it, I really wasn't sure if I still posessed the skills necessary to read a whole book! But happily I can say I do and I read several over the two weeks!

I did manage to finish up a couple of projects for the holidays though. G love her alpaca and I have to say the pattern was a dream knit! So easy, so well written. I'm definately a fan! I knit it using a strand of Paton's Classic and a strand of Drops Alpaca held together.

I also finished J's Joey Ramone doll (with much help from N in the desperate hours leading up to Christmas Eve - that kid can do the finishing on a project like no one's business!). Unfortunately, no picture of it, because it went home with J to his apartment before I thought to take one.

N was to be the recipient of a pair of special mitts for doing his target practice in the winter, but given that I have really no concept of the passage of time, they did not get completed for Christmas, but were waiting for him when he arrived home from Cuba. Knit from Cascade 220, the should be warm as well as functional! He was really pleased with them, so I was pretty pleased myself.

Since getting back to work, I've picked up the needles again and am busily finishing up my Greenjeans - just one more sleeve and the ribbing to go! I also resumed working on the Clementine Shawlette - 15 more inches to go on that puppy, and the second sock from my Socktoberfest Mystery Sock KAL - yes, I realize Socktoberfest is long since past, but I got sidetracked for awhile - well let's just say a couple of months.

I am planning to have some 2009 FOs to show soon! I hope that the new year is treating you well so far! Until next time, which with any luck won't be so far in the distant future this time, happy knitting!

Squeeeeee!

2008-12-02T11:05:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, I got a lovely parcel all the way from Australia! Lea sent me wonderful goodies for the Amazing Autumn Coffeeswap. I wish I had my camera to take pictures of it all - you'll remember the dog incident of a while back which has left me camera-less. Anyways - I'll do my best to describe it and as soon as I can locate a camera will take a picture for the blog.

Everything was wrapped in brightly coloured tissue paper, which made the parcel even more fun! First off - there was coffee. A pound of fair trade coffee that if I hadn't slept in this morning, I would have enjoyed a cup first thing! Then there was quilt fabrics - oh the plotting and planning I've been doing. It's all in gorgeous shades of green. Next I opened a packet of chocolate. Oh chocolate how I love thee! Moving right along, the next packet I opened was two sweet felt snowmen ornaments, then a snowman picture frame, some beautiful soap, two skeins of gorgeous yarn (one hand dyed sock and another soft mohair blend which is absolutely begging to become a cowl for the winter) and a set of the most adorable snowmen stitch markers you could ever set your eyes on. I squealed so loudly when I opened the stitch markers I think I frightened the dogs and cats! ha ha!

Thank you to Lea for being such a fantastic and generous swap partner! I hope that your partner spoils you the way you've spoiled me!

Amazing Autumn Coffee Swap - Final Assignment

2008-11-27T10:48:00.003-06:00

This week is Thanksgiving in the US, and our Canadian friends have already celebrated their day of thanks. So for this week, share a recipe, or tell us what your favorite 'Fall Foods' are - for me, I just love some Chili!! I always enjoy it, but during the cool, crisp weather of Autumn, I truly begin to crave it and make it more often - what's your favorite?

Well, for me I crave soups and stews in the fall. There is something warming and satisfying about coming home after a long day, opening the door and being greeted by the smell of a rich, hearty soup that's been simmering all day in the crock pot.

I have several favourites - too many to start listing them here really. So I will give you the recipe for one that the whole family enjoys. It's sort of a cross between a soup and a stew, so easy to make and tastes fantastic (or at least in our opinions anyways!)

Italian Sausage Soup

1 lb Italian sausage, browned, cooled and then cut into bite sized pieces (use any "heat" level you like - sometimes I use mild other times hot, just depends on what I feel like!)
1 large can of chopped stewed tomatoes
1 package of Lipton Onion soup mix
1 jar of spaghetti sauce (any old kind will do!)
1 bag of frozen mixed veggies (I like the "Mediterranean" kind that has peppers and eggplant in it - sorry I can't for the life of me think of the brand. It's in a red bag at Superstore if that helps!)
water ( I usually just fill the now emptied out spaghetti sauce jar with water - it's usually enough!)
red pepper flakes
basil
salt and pepper
broad egg noodles
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients other than the noodles and cheese in the crockpot. Set to simmer on low for 10 hours. Half an hour before you want to eat, turn the crockpot to high, add approximately 1 1/2 cups of uncooked egg noodles, replace lid and cook for 1/2 hour more. Serve soup with freshly grated parmesan cheese as a garnish. On a really good day I'll put the bread machine on timer to be finished at the same time as the soup, which is a wonderful compliment to the meal. I'm just not always that organized in the morning!

Hope you enjoy the recipe!

As for knitting - I've done precious little of it over the last two weeks. I've been sick with what started out as a bit of a cold that then took a vicious turn for the worse and became a full on asthma attack. It's left me feeling too drained to do much of anything in the evenings besides put on my flannel jammies and crawl into bed. Maybe next week I'll have knitting to tell you about!

There'll be no knitting to show for awhile now...

2008-11-13T11:24:00.003-06:00

...because either Lucky or Guinness got bored the other morning at home and chewed my camera beyond recognition. They also did in a cel phone, a charger and half my knitting accessories. The next day they chowed down on the Canadian Tire flyer that had come in the mail and N's Christmas wish list. Yesterday they did not chew anything inappropriate. (Thankfully - because really. Their cuteness can only take them so far.)

Unfortunately, I did have knitting to show you. I managed to actually get some done over the last few days.

Mr. Greenjeans' body is now done. It's just wanting sleeves and the band around the edge to be done. I'm so close, I can almost feel it's cozy warmth already. Much to my horror, mind you, I'm a little concerned about the fit. The bust (oddly enough -- nothing ever fits properly across my shoulders and/or bust!) fits perfectly. The lower half of the sweater is leaving something to be desired. As in probably at least an inch on either side. Now. I figure it's one of two things. A) I was feeling anxious whilst knitting it and my guage went askew or B) I've gained way more weight than I should around my mid-section to date. Oh please let it be my guage...

Nicole at SnB last night did make me feel much better about it as she was wearing a stunning sweater that she knit awhile ago and I was struck by the fit of it. It was an incredible fit for her. As in to a tee. Then she told me it had previously been about three inches to narrow across the bust so she blocked the you know what out of it, and the end result was, well, what I would definately call a perfect fit. So, Nicole. I hope your blocking suggestion will work miracles. (and thankfully it's a one button kind of deal so if it doesn't meet in the middle so be it.)

On with the unphotographed progress of my WIP. I did manage to finish the mystery sock. It fits well, and I'm pretty happy with it. Starting the second sock was my SnB project for last night. Apparently, though, I have lost every knitting skill I ever posessed and had to cast on more than once. First time took me forever as I also have apparently lost any skill for counting past ten, but I finally got going and realized I was creating some sort of freaky mobius style sock cuff. Frogged it back and started over. I'm happy to report I've managed to do 3 rows of the cuff. Sad, I know. But there you have it.

No knitting to show...

2008-11-07T13:41:00.002-06:00

Sadly, my knitting muse has not been speaking to me lately. Well, actually it's more a case of I've just been too bloody tired in the evening to knit. I've been plugging away sporadically on my WIP, but have nothing really to show for it.

Mr. Greenjeans has stalled out, with only a couple inches left to go on the body. It seems to take me forever to knit a single row of it right now - I've no idea why. Prior to about two weeks ago it was zipping along famously.

My mystery sock KAL for Socktoberfest hit the brakes last week on the toe. The toe of all things!!! I have to rip it back and start it over - not the whole sock. Just the toe. I somehow managed to bugger it up and it's going off at a weird angle. Odd. Didn't think it possible to screw up a toe of a sock.

And the fireside sock that I started the day I went to divorce court, well I managed to get the whole cuff done waiting for my turn -- judge was running behind and apparently I knit very quickly when anxious, then I got another seven rows done in the waiting room at my doctor's office later on that day. (Let me tell you... there's no better way to spend a "vacation day" from work than going to court to finalize your divorce and then heading over to the dr. for a flu shot. Ugghh.) Anyways. Since that day I've done precisely one row on the sock since. I'm not sure I like the yarn for this pattern. It's Claudia Handpainted in Buckeye which I figured would be lovely, but it's turning out with great pools of grey on one side of the sock and the red a wee splotch on the other side.

Maybe tonight being Friday, which of course used to be my weekly knit night in front of the TV, might get me back in the swing of things. I will have a house full of teenagers for G's birthday party tonight and goodness knows I probably won't be able to sleep for all the racket that will probably ensue. Plus, it started snowing last night which means the cold weather is setting in. Perfect time to finish new socks and a sweater, don't you think?

Amazing Autumn Coffee Swap Assignment #3

2008-11-05T11:12:00.002-06:00

This morning I sit here sipping a fresh cup with a bit of cream and some sweetener.. and the first sip makes the morning seem just a bit better than it was before. I love the smell, the warm feel of the cup in my hand, the taste - just everything! What is it that you love about your first cup of the day? Are you a daily drinker? How do you take yours? Tell us how you love to enjoy your first cup!

Oh how I love my morning coffee. Mmmm. It's definately the best cup of the day. I usually take mine with milk and a sprinkle of caramel or chocolate in it for sweetness. A previous coffee swap partner had given me a wonderful container of "flavours" that you can use to either flavour your regular coffee when you brew it or just sprinkle some in your cup. It was a perfect way for me to cut way back on my sugar intake in my coffee.

I usually stagger upstairs in the morning to the kitchen and fix my cup of coffee then it's outside with the dogs. They seem to know that as soon as mom has a cup in her hands, it's time to head to the back door! Lucky and Guinness play in the yard while I keep my fingers warm by wrapping them around a steamy mug of coffee. Once I'm done my cup, then it's time to bring the dogs in, give them breakfast and start getting ready for my day. I love those first few minutes of peace and calm outside before the chaos begins!

I definately miss it if I don't have that first cup of the day!

Amazing Autumn Coffee Swap - Assignment #2

2008-10-29T10:59:00.002-05:00

This week's topic was up on the swap blog, so I thought I'd take a minute to type out a few thoughts.

With Halloween coming up this Friday, tell us what you think of when you think Halloween! Do you love it? Hate it? See it as a sign of Fall? Are you a total sucker for candy and little kids in cute costumes?

For me, living on the prairies Halloween is usually the sign of the end of fall and the beginning of winter. If it hasn't snowed here yet, it's likely to do so within the first few days following. (This year the temperature looks to be promising for all the little (and not so little ... ahem... Yes I'm talking about you G and N!!!) trick or treaters. I think I heard they're calling for a balmy +6 C!

I actually really enjoy Halloween. I love to see the kids coming to the door in their costumes. And even used to make a costume for myself to take my kids around in when they were little. The only thing that bugs me is when teenagers come to the door and haven't even bothered to put any effort into dressing up at all. I'll still give them candy, but wish they'd get really into the spirit of the fun!

Oh and what sucker I am for those Halloween treats! Mmmm. Candies.

This year I'm not sure how many kids will be coming to the door, first of all because I live in the country and second of all I'm in a very religious part of the province and I'm not sure that many of the local people celebrate the holiday. I am prepared; however, so come on over kids! And if the kids don't show up... well I bought stuff that we all like to eat, so it's not like it'll go to waste, but more likely, well, my waist if you know what I mean!

This topic reminds me, a few of us at the office decided we should mark the day in some fun way, especially given that it falls on a Friday this year, so we're going to bring in treats for everyone. (We've been very hush, hush about it so it should prove to be a good surprise for the rest!) I offered to make sugar cookies. Should be fun! Like the parties we used to have in the classroom in elementary school!

Happy Halloween to all who celebrate!

Amazing Autumn Coffee Swap Weekly Topic #1

2008-10-22T13:35:00.004-05:00

For the coffee swap I'm taking part in, our hostess has asked us to blog about a weekly topic which she will provide us with. Our first topic is up and here goes:

What makes a "Fall day" for you? How do you know it's here, and what do you love about the weather, the scenery, or something else that makes Autumn lovely?

Here on the prairies there are a few distinct changes that herald the beginning of fall for us. Even though the daytime temperatures may be still really warm, the evenings start to cool off more quickly. There is a certain "nip" in the air. Mornings are crisp too. The leaves, of course, start to change their colours and the geese start their annual migration south. You can hear them honking as they pass overhead in great flocks. Now that I live in rural Manitoba, another sure sign it's fall is apparent. Harvest season. Combines work the fields from early in the morning until late into the evenings. Once the fields are harvested, a less pleasant task takes place. This week I've had the great displeasure of having to drive past many fields where they are spreading manure to fertilize. Phew! What an awful smell!

The things I love most about fall are those crisp days, the amazing colours and the crunch of the leaves under foot. This year, being out in the country has made fall even more special for me (well except for the manure spreaders... I can't find a single good thing about that personally! Well I guess other than it is a good use of the stuff, and organic and all, but the smell... you just can't imagine the smell. Urgh). My new yard has trees completely surrounding it and the colours are absolutely stunning. I've been on a mission to capture them with the camera, but try as I might, I've not been able to get it just right yet. There's always something just a little off with my lighting.

Guinness enjoying a bright sunny morning early in the fall

Getting things done!

2008-10-19T12:57:00.009-05:00

Two weekends ago was our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. I love long weekends for getting lots done! I managed to finish the knitting and most of the finishing on the Cambridge Jacket for (BF)G - it fits really well and he's quite happy with it, thereby making me quite happy with it! Finished the knitting and most of the sewing on the baby sweater for my neice and made a pair of mittens for myself to match my cabled hat from last year - the mittens I'd made last year were ridiculous and only fit for frogging. This year's are much better! I was also able to finish the second clue on the mystery sock for Soctoberfest. Because I was so productive I allowed myself to cast on another project. Mr. Greenjeans from knitty has long been a coveted project for me.

During the week that followed I managed to buy a zipper for the Cambridge Jacket, complete clue 3 on the mystery sock - I LOVE the "eye of partridge" heel flap (it looks so much nicer than my usual standby heel flap, which is only slightly different then the eye of partridge one, but looks nowhere near as nice!) - and I continued to work madly away on my Mr. Greenjeans.

This weekend, Saturday was almost a complete write off in terms of accomplishments. G had a competition and of course since I somehow got on the committee for doing registration again this year (note to self - in future, do NOT miss important meetings where committee positions are being handed out!!) I ended up there for the whole day. Sunday, I decided that the housework had been neglected for far too many days and it was imperative that I get something done. The state of my kitchen was beginning to remind me of a story from when I was a small child. The story was of a man who wouldn't wash his dishes and ended up using flower pots and ashtrays, and so on and so forth. So I resisted temptation, did not pick up my knitting and instead spent a couple hours doing a good thorough cleaning of the house from top to bottom.

As a reward for my good behavior; however, I spent the next couple of hours curled up in the armchair knitting. Greenjeans is coming along quite nicely and so far I'm really enjoying it.

So for the pictorial summary of my knitting over the last week here goes:

Cambridge Jacket - done even the zipper is now in!

Baby sweater for Oona - done except I now hate the buttons I'd originally chosen from the myriad of choices in my button box (have I ever mentioned how I had a slight problem... urm... perhaps addiction is the better term... with buying buttons a few years ago?) so I have to dig some new ones out to completely finish it.

Mystery sock - clues 2 and 3 all finished!

Mittens - oh purple mittens how I love you! Especially since the morning after I made them I had a good hard frost to scrape from my car windows! Greenjeans - I'm loving you too! (weirdly enough I took this picture on my white counter top last night and the yarn is actually a heathered purple. Oddness in photographic colours indeed!

And since I'm a proud momma - this next picture is just to show you my girl looking pretty in her kilt at the competition on Saturday!

All in all a pretty productive week I think!

Amazing Autumn Coffee Swap

2008-10-17T11:40:00.004-05:00

Once again I'm participating in a yarn/coffee swap! Here's my questionaire for it:

About Your Yarn Passion
1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? When did you first learn? Knit – I learned the summer between grade two and three. (which makes it about 29 years or so!)

2. Do you like using a particular type of needle or hook? (wood, metal, straight, circular) Is there something you've been wanting to try, or a particular size you always seem to be short on? I love wooden needles and right now am somewhat obsessed with my Knitpicks harmony 2.5 mm fixed circular. I just wish my silly kitten hadn’t thought it good for chewing on! (it’s a little rough in spots now. Grrr)

3. What kind of projects do you enjoy making? Any types you just haven't ever gotten into as much as others? I love just about anything.

4. What's on your needles\hook right now? What's your oldest UFO (unfinished object)? On the needles right now? Clementine Shawlette, Mystery Socks for a Soctoberfest KAL, Mr. GreenJeans, a baby sweater, and I’m just finishing up the Cambridge Jacket. My oldest is the Clementine Shawlette – I started it two summers ago, frogged it and re-started it this past summer.

5. If you were going on vacation tomorrow, what project(s) would travel with you? Socks, socks and more socks. (Small, easily transported and most airport security have no problem with wooden/bamboo needles, which I always use for socks)

6. What are your favorite types of yarns? Any you're allergic too, or just hate working with? Anything in particular you've been dying to try? I’m easy. I love most yarns equally – just not fun fur. I went on a fun fur jag a few years back and still have way to much of it in my stash!

7. What sort of colors do you love in yarns? Brights? Pastels? More muted colors? Variegated? Are there any you can't stand? I love rich colours, or earthy colours. I’m not much one for pastels or neons!

Your Coffee Passion
1. Do you prefer caffeinated or not? Caffeine. Definitely need the caffeine!

2. Whole bean or ground? For what type of pot or press? Whole bean – just a regular old drip coffee maker

3. What types of roasts do you enjoy? Are you more the light and lively or dark and robust type? A lighter roast is preferred

4. How do you 'take' your coffee? Creamers? Sweetener? Other add ins? Milk and my last coffeeswap partner sent me a set of flavour shakers for my coffee, there are about six variations of chocolate and caramel and I am completely addicted to them all.

5. That first morning cup - is it about the taste, or the caffeine? Both!

6. Do you enjoy going out to coffee shops like Starbucks? What are some of your favorites? I am shameful with the Starbucks! We have one right here in the library I work at so in the fall I’m a sucker for their Pumpkin Spice Latte. Mmmmm.

7. You've just made the perfect cup of coffee - is it in a thick mug, or a thinner cup? Where would you sit to drink it? A big thick mug. I’d sit on my back deck and enjoy the fall colours and the crisp morning air.

8. You're enjoying that perfect cup, and have a magic cabinet in your kitchen - when you open it, magically, your favorite treats will appear to enjoy alongside the coffee - what are they? Are they sweet? Crunchy? Soft and flaky? Sweet treats… I’ve never met one I didn’t like!

All about YOU!
1. Do you have other hobbies like spinning or scrapbooking? I sew and I do some scrapbooking when I have the time

2. Do you collect anything? Thimbles and snowmen.

3. What is your favorite part of Autumn? The colours of the leaves and the crispness of the air

4. What sort of scents do you enjoy? Any difference in what you like for your house versus what you like for your body? I like spicy sents for the home and very light floral sents for my body.

5. Are you allergic to anything? Nothing that would be applicable here

6. Are you on Ravelry? What's your ID? I’m Highlanddancemom on Ravelry

7. How would you spend an ideal fall afternoon/day? At home, out in the yard enjoying the last of the sunshine, or walking the dogs through the fields. If the weather’s gloomy, then I’d curl up on the couch or in the armchair in the living room and knit to my heart’s content!

So there you have it!

I'll be posting some knitting updates early next week (or on the weekend if I can ever get my internet at home back up and running...)

How is it October already?

2008-10-06T13:16:00.006-05:00

I really don't know where the days are going. Honestly, my life is flying by without so much as a "by your leave". We've had some lovely warm weather during the days but the evenings certainly have a brisk fall chill to them. Last Friday morning I actually had to unpack the window scraper before leaving for work! The colours are spectacular, with the leaves turning reds and golds. Although, we had a few really windy days and now the leaves from the oaks are now mostly all over my yard. It is beautiful though. I really do love fall here on the prairies.

In the time that's past since my last posting I've been busily getting to know the latest additions to our furry part of the family. Last Monday, I went to get a couple of "barn kittens". As I left (BF)G instructed me, "We're looking at two cats honey. NO more than two cats. OK?" I agreed and the kids and I happily piled into the van and headed off to a couple towns away to meet our new kitties. Somehow (BF)G's instructions were forgotten when the lady told me she had to get rid of the "baby" kitten as well. Problem was that the day before hand she'd had a bunch of little kids over and had let the kids play with the litter of tiny kittens. The momma of the young litter had decided that she wanted nothing to do with the kittens after that and dragged them off into the bush. Unfortunately the litter had all died out there, except for the wee one they'd found the next day crying. I couldn't leave it behind. I needed to at least try to give it a chance. So we took our two bigger kittens (I figure them to be about six or seven weeks old) and the baby (maybe three weeks old?) home. I tried so hard to save baby Dusty. Trying to feed him with a bottle, sleeping with him tucked into a blanket ontop of me so he'd stay warm. Spending every possible moment trying to get him stronger. Sadly, though, Dusty Kitty didn't make it. We dug a little grave for him in the back in between a couple of trees at the back of the field and said our goodbyes. It's amazing how a little creature no bigger than the palm of my hand that we only had for three days could become so firmly attached to our heartstrings.

Our other two kittens, Houdini and Dora are doing well though. They're getting used to us and the other animals. Lucky, one of our 1 1/2 year old golden's thinks he's their mama. He is very intent on taking care of them. Grooming them, making sure they're doing what he thinks they're supposed to. It's very sweet.

Lucky being "Puppy Momma" to Houdini (Stripey cat) and Dora (White Fluff Ball)

So amongst all the kitten business, I've not had a lot of time for knitting lately. But, I did manage to finish the sleeves of the Cambridge Jacket. Just need to sew the sleeve and body seams, then pick up and knit the collar. (BF)G might get his sweater before the snow flies! I've also been working on my niece's sweater and am almost done with it too.

I dyed some KnitPicks bare sock yarn the other night with koolaid and cast on Clue #1 last night for the Mystery Sock KAL on Ravelry for Soctoberfest. I figure it's always good to have a pair of socks on the go, so why not? I'm going to do the cabled version I think (unless it proves to be too hard right off the hop, then I'll do the basic version, which by the looks of the pictures already up on Ravelry, looks lovely too!). This will also be my first pair of socks knit using the "Magic Loop" method instead of DPNS. All went well with the cuff other than Dora Kitty started chewing on my needle and made it a bit rough in one spot. It was only slightly annoying, otherwise the process has been easy to catch on to. I wish I was brave enough to try two at a time, but I figure, best start with one new challenge at a time!

So - this week's (knitting) priorities will be finishing the Cambridge Jacket for (BF)G, finishing the sweater for baby girl and completing Clue #2 for my sock KAL. I'm eager to do all this because I'm desperately wanting to start knitting Mr. Greenjeans from knitty. That or the February Lady sweater. Still haven't made a final decision on that one. Although Melanie at my SnB group had a good point Greenjeans is a much more fitted look, while FLS is somewhat boxier. I think I should probably opt for the fitted look... but then again... Oh I don't know. Maybe I'll do the guage swatch for each and see which I like better. Really I shouldn't be even thinking about either sweater. I should be doing Christmas knitting and some Hats for Alex instead.

I've got some knitting to show you!

2008-09-23T11:40:00.005-05:00

Well, I finally decided what to knit on Friday night - a bit of everything! I did finish my Purple Breeze socks and I am really quite pleased with them. I really did enjoy using Maizy. It's very soft, almost silky to the touch and I had none of the "splitty" problems that I'd read others complaining about. I think maybe the company improved their product or I just lucked out. Either or, I was happy with it. And remembering that I'd purchased it on sale for under $5.00 made me even more happy about it. So here are my newest socks:

Purdy aren't they?

There is just one little thing that I should warn you about with Maizy. Remember how I just said a moment ago that the yarn felt almost silky to the touch? As it turns out, along with that silky feel comes a side effect that is not as desirable. These socks are SLIPPERY! And considering I have almost exclusively wood floors throughout most of my house, you can draw your own conclusions on that matter. But, yes, I'll be fine. My back will re-align itself soon I'm sure after contorting the way it did the other day as I tried to right myself before I managed to hit the floor. Thank you for asking.

So once the Breeze had blown through I decided to start in on the sleeves of (BF)G's sweater again. Determined not to have tangles in the yarn, I have now devised a very complex system of flipping over the ball of yarn each time I switch sleeves. So far it is working and I am feeling very self-congratulatory about it all. Alright. I know I shouldn't be. Pride goes before a fall (one might say I've already had that problem this week, so let's just not go there!) I also know that being so busy patting myself on the back for the lack of tangles as of late is just tempting fate, but hey! I'll take it while the going's good with these sleeves. So here's where I got to on them.

Not bad eh?

Now. Not to be crazy about starting new projects or anything, but really with Breeze done, and the sleeves being too big and cumbersome for my purse, I needed another small on-the-go project. I chose to start a new little project for my wee neice, Oona, who I introduced you to a couple of weeks ago. I figure I'd better get cracking on this sweater soon, or I'll procrastinate so long that she'll be graduating highschool before I ever get it made. So far I'm loving the Sirdar Snuggly DK I'm using. I've never met such a soft, cuddly acrylic. This may become my "go to" baby yarn from here on out. The pattern is quick and easy too, so I'm hopeful I will get this one done in no time!

Really - this yarn is as buttery soft as it looks!

I am a silly and fickle girl!

2008-09-18T16:06:00.004-05:00

Last week I posted that I was relegating my Purple Breeze socks to the hibernating category. I had ignored them so long I wanted to free myself from the guilt of it all. But, that was last week...

I did really well, focusing solely on the Cambridge Jacket for (BF)G - getting lots done on it. All that's left is the rest of the sleeves and the coller and of course sewing in a zipper, that although I am a trained seamstress, makes my blood run cold. Don't know why that is. Sewing zippers in stresses me out no matter what kind they are, but separating zippers on a hand knit frighten me even more. I know. I am a freak. What can I say.

Speaking of sleeves, because I like to cause myself major hassles and headaches, or, as I prefer to call it, give myself a challenge, I decided to do both sleeves at the same time. Now that's not too crazy, right? Where's the challenge in that you ask. Well, gather 'round and I tell you why it is messing with my poor brain. You see, I am already challenged by trying to remember which sleeve I've just finished working on and keeping them both even. I ended up giving up on the process a few months back on my Gathered Pullover because of the ridiculousness of it all. I would silently congratulate myself for the fact all my increases would be at the exact same point on both sleeves when I realized that one sleeve was now two inches longer than the other. Sometimes I am clueless!

Not wanting to fall prey to that particular headache this time, I devised a system of stitch markers that cannot possibly lead me astray. (So far so good). This project's challenge is actually born of the fact that I thought it a wise idea to use one ball of yarn. Take one end from the outside for one sleeve and one from the inside for the other. That way I'd be carting around less bulk, and wouldn't end up with multiple half used balls of yarn in the end. Oh yes, I could rationalize it every which way 'till Sunday.

So far in practice it's not been too taxing really except for the fact that I keep managing to tangle the strands to the point of no knitting, then have to spend precious knitting time untangling the mess I've just created. But I am determined to show this particular ball of yarn who's boss in this relationship. I will win. It may kill me. But I will do it.

Oh, but I digress. I started to tell you about the Purple Breeze. The supposedly hibernating Purple Breeze. Once I acknowledged the blasted things as actually hibernating, I could not stop thinking about them. It could also be that I'm using Maizy yarn, which is made from corn and I drive past about 45 minutes worth of corn fields on my way to and from work each day. The corn fields actually were taunting me I think - that or it's possible that I am truly losing my mind. Not sure which. Anyways, suffice it to say, the other night Purple Breeze came off the hibernating list and back into the WIP list. They're coming along swimmingly. (and no tangled yarn, so that's always a bonus!)

Now I just have to decide which project to focus on tonight when I host my very own "knitting night party for one" in which I plan to park myself on the couch after supper, pop in a movie (still no TV in the house. grrrr.) and knit to my heart's content. Hopefully I can make it past 9pm this week!

A new place and some new knitting

2008-09-10T11:20:00.006-05:00

It's certainly been a busy few weeks for our family! Of course as I mentioned, we moved into our new home. It was a hectic day and luckily the worst of the weather held off until we'd managed to get everything inside the house. Of course then the skies parted and it rained cats and dogs! I'm loving being out of the city and it's chaos. There's something so calming and wonderful about coming home to what I'm dubbing the homestead. It's quiet and peaceful. Perhaps as my Mom says, I'm returning to my roots. (My early years were spent on 80 acres of land east of Winnipeg).

I am a country girl through and through. I even had fun driving the garden tractor last night - although (BF)G mocked me, saying that I was looking a little too prim and proper on it, as though I was trying to be very regal. I wasn't. I was just a little nervous at first.

We still don't have the internet hooked up at home - turns out I need to get a modem - what gave me the idea a MAC had an internal modem I'll never know, but if it does it's well in hiding and I can't seem to find it, so maybe this weekend I'll go get me a modem. I'm still hoping to find a highspeed provider though. We also don't have any TV yet, so evenings that should be spent unpacking boxes have instead become time to watch all the DVDs that I never got a chance to watch before.

Of course along with DVD watching goes knitting! I've given up on the second "Breeze" sock for now. It languished so long in my bag that I figured I'd just relegate it to the "hibernating" category for awhile so that I don't need to feel guilt over neglecting it. Same goes for my Clementine Shawlette. I'm half done, but haven't even cast on for the second half. Can one suffer from second half syndrome just like second sock syndrome?

What I have been knitting is (BF)G's Cambridge Jacket. I love this pattern and it's been going fairly fast considering I only started it on Aug. 20th and then had to leave it alone for about five days whilst I finished packing/cleaning/moving. I did take a picture of it in my favourite knitting spot here at work. It was towards the end of August and a beautiful sunshine-y day. Now I have the back, the left front and most of the right front done. I really do want to have it finished by the start of the cool weather!

I also am anxious to start knitting something for my new baby neice! She's a sweetie and will suit the pattern and yarn I chose before she was born quite nicely (I must have known on some level that she'd be a girl - well more likely I just lucked out - after all... had a 50/50 chance didn't I?!?!). Can't post too many details here as her mommy sometimes visits the blog and although she knows some of the details, I don't want to give it all away yet! I also have a fantabulous second project idea in mind for little miss. (Maybe for Christmas - although given my procrastination it could become a gift for her second birthday - in similar fashion that her big brother's Raggedy Andy that was to be his baby gift became his 2nd year birthday gift too.)

I will be back...

2008-09-08T14:10:00.002-05:00

Just thought I should put out a quick post to say I'm still here... I know it's been a long time since my last posting again, but we moved last week and between moving chaos and no internet at home as of yet, I'm stuck with just saying a quick hello here from work.

I hope to have internet up and running again really soon... although it'll be dial up. Still better than nothing. I hate feeling out of touch plus I've got lots done on (BF)G's cambridge jacket and I want to show it off!

So until then happy knitting and hope to see you again soon!

The kindness of others

2008-08-19T12:35:00.006-05:00

After a week of feeling pretty low thanks to a great lack of appreciation on behalf of others, I have had my faith in the human race and the kindess of others restored.

In the spring when I went on a business trip to Toronto I met up with some lovely fellow knitters. One especially lovely knitter was A. She was actually who I had gone to meet. Not only was she fantastic about showing me around her work even though her schedule was enough to make my head spin, she was just so friendly and welcoming. Shortly after coming home from the trip, she emailed me and asked (asked?!?!?) if she could send me some of her stash she no longer was wanting. She wondered if I would mind giving them a good home. Would I!!! Fast forward a few weeks and lo and behold I get a call last Monday or Tuesday from the bus depot telling me my shipment is in. Four, (Yes, I said four) huge boxes of delectable yarn now calls my place home. It's beautiful yarns in colours that I would choose myself! Thank you A, for your incredible generosity!

The very next day I got a parcel card in my mailbox letting me know to pick up a parcel. I knew what it was... I was so excited. Months ago I ordered some yarn from Woolworks. Unfortunately they only ship within the USA. I posted my woes on Knitty and Kate jumped to my rescue. That problem solved I thought it was a done deal. Until I got the message that the yarn was out of stock. Sigh... Finally I got an email saying it was in stock, I contacted Kate to make sure she still didn't mind and my yarn was on it's way. Kate, being the wonderful, kind soul she is not only sent my yarn along fast as could be when it reached her, she also enclosed a beautiful skein of sock yarn along with it, telling me she couldn't bear to send just one lonely skein all by itself. So Kate, I thank you from the bottom of my heart as well.

Moving along a few more days - my stress level was hitting the roof due to a combination of getting ready to move, exhaustion from working at Folklorama all week, and feeling more than a little unappreciated and invisible (in-law type crap - no need to go into it, I'm over it now. Mostly anyways). One night, late in the week two of our volunteers left to go home. Moments later one came trudging back to the pavilion. Their car was out of gas. No body seemed to know what to do or didn't seem to care. I am not sure which. I offered to take them to get gas. No big deal. Wasn't any bother for me. Such a little thing to do, made such a difference to them that they brought me a beautiful boquet of flowers the next night as a thank you. I was so touched by it that I teared up and got all blubbery on them.
Those three acts of kindness mean so much to me. Especially during this time when I was feeling so low. Thank you to you four ladies who have cheered me up so much over the last days. I am not sure what I've done to deserve such wonderful treatment, but I am truly thankful for it.

As an aside... since this is a knitting blog I should post at least a wee bit about knitting. I've not had much time with the needles lately, but will tell you that I do have a FO that I'm very excited about.
Yes! Josephine is done and happily there are still (hopefully) a few warm days in which to wear her this summer!

Until next time - happy knitting!

PS: Welcome home N. I've missed you so much over the last six weeks!

Regularly scheduled programming to resume soon!

2008-08-11T11:53:00.007-05:00

Well - it's been a long haul, but the costumes are DONE! I calculated my sewing time yesterday and it worked out to 72 hours. 72 HOURS!!!!! No wonder I'm tired!

I've decided that I am taking a break from wearing my seamstress hat for at least awhile. I need to regroup after this summer's madness. I won't go into details here as it's done and over with, but to feel year after year that the time and effort I put in is less and less appreciated, well... I'm just not terribly into that anymore.

For what it's worth, in my humble opinion, the costumes look beautiful on stage.

Now that the sewing has been done for the year, I can focus on other things. Like packing for our upcoming move in three weeks. And knitting. My fingers twitch to get back at the needles. I've missed it these last few weeks! I want to finish up my WIP. I realize that now would be a good time to really delve into some holiday gift knitting too, rather than leave it till the last minute. So - in between packing I shall take some lovely little "me-time" breaks with some yarn and needles.

To date I've got the following to finish:

Clementine Shawlette - Exactly one half done!

Breeze - Again half done. One sock sits lonely in the basket waiting for it's mate!

Josephine - Oh Josephine, you are so close to being done. You need your sleeves and neckline. Maybe I'll do this one first!

Things that make me happy

2008-07-25T12:22:00.002-05:00

It occurs to me - well rather was bluntly pointed out to me the other day by (BF)G - that I've been a bit negative lately. Stress has a way of making me look at the down side of things, a glass-half-empty kind of attitude. And I've been stressed out lately. Between house hunting and the subsequent purchase of a new house, selling my current house, surgery, recovery, and having a million costumes to sew for the dance group it's all been compiling to make this Prairie Girl unhappy. And when stressed or unhappy I unfortunately make it widely known, at least to my nearest and dearest, that I'm not happy.

So in an exercise of positive thinking (I was watching Robson Arms the other night and the very theme was... positive thinking. Perhaps it was a sign! Probably not, but I digress), I've decided to list some of the things that have made me happy today.

In no particular order of importance...

1. It's Friday. Friday always makes me happy.

2. I've finally finished correcting the lousy temp girl's work - she's no longer here it's ok to say she was lousy that's not being negative it's being honest. (It's only taken me six months to complete so really it is making me very happy to have finished doing her work for her.)

3. I got a hotdog for lunch from the hotdog stand. A big jumbo hotdog complete with mustard relish, ketsup and loads of pickles. God it tasted good.

4. I'm almost done my Josephine Top, at the halfway mark of my Clementine Shawlette and almost done the first of a new pair of Breeze.

5. I'm making the aforementioned Breeze out of Maizy by Crystal Palace, which despite warnings by fellow knitters on Ravelry that the yarn was splitty and difficult and not stretchy and so on and so forth, I'm finding it lovely to work with. I was cautioned to forget cables - not sure why - but they're turning out beautifully. Maybe I got a good batch of Maizy. What else says summer quite like yarn made from corn though?!?

6. G will be home from Calgary (so will my camera that she took with her) in only six more sleeps and N will be home from Whitehorse in three more weeks!

7. We move into our new house in five weeks. AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Ok. I take that back. That makes me more stressed out. I've not even begun to contemplate packing.

7. (Re-visited) It's Friday. Did I mention it was Friday?

So there you go. An odd assortment of things that today have made me happy.

Look Mama. Look what I can do...

2008-07-14T21:42:00.002-05:00

Well it would appear that perhaps I've created a monster. A stash stealing monster.

Years ago I taught G how to knit. It didn't take. A few years later a lady at the church we were attending taught a kid's knitting class. The deal was she would provide the yarn and needles and the kids would each knit a dish cloth for the church kitchen. N and G both took the lessons faithfully each Sunday with Maureen. N was the only kid in the group to not only stick it out and finish his cloth. G meandered through hers and then lost it somewhere in the depths of her room. Fast forward a few more years to this past winter. G was bored spending the evening alone so I invited her to come along with me to SnB. I think for her the allure was more in the fact it was held in a pub then the knitting part, but I told her if she wanted to come she had to knit.

So she started again with the dish cloth idea. She knit one. It took her quite a few weeks but she finished it. Lumps, bumps and holes. But it was done and she was proud as could be. The next week I gave her another ball of cotton and she diligently set to work on it. It was done in much shorter order and had only one visible mistake and it was a tiny one at that. Last Wednesday I gave her yet another ball of cotton and said, "Can I teach you something different? How about the purl stitch? You could do a different pattern then." "No thanks Mom," she replied, "I like what I'm doing. It's easy." So Saturday she presented to me her finished dish cloth. And then said, "Uh, Mom. I need something to you know.... knit." I inquired if she was wanting another dishcloth, and she said no, she'd rather have something else. Maybe a scarf. So upstairs we went to my stash and she picked out some fluffy soft as can be yarn. (I've no idea at the moment what it is, but she's thrilled with it.)

Progress was swift and sure. And then she went to work. She knit in the van on the way back to her Dad's that night and when I dropped her off the scarf was about 3 inches long already. Then the panicked call came the next morning. "MOM!!!!!! I HAVE A PROBLEM!!!" My mind was racing. What could have happened. What kind of emergency. Calmly I asked what was wrong dreading what might come next. "MOM! I can't remember how to cast on." HUH? THis was not what I expected. Apparently G has had her first major foray into the frog pond and she wasn't pleased. I wonder if she managed to figure it out. Guess I'll find out when I talk to her tomorrow.

In my own knitting news... I finished the Retro Redux. The ribbing could have been a touch wider I think, but all in all I am really pleased with the way it turned out.

Please forgive the goofy look on my face. I swear I am possibly the most un-photogenic person alive. I always come across either looking stoned, or like I belong on a most wanted list. I would have had (BF)G take another picture for me, in hopes that my facial expression would at least look somewhat normal, but it was at that moment my rather drunk neighbour started making comments about porn pictures and I decided to high tail it inside the house. At least it shows my shrug.