Archive for November, 2009
It’s a busy time of year!
Friday, November 6th, 2009
First fire in our new house!
Whew! I just took a minute to really think about everything that’s going on around here, just in daily life, and it’s a LOT.
We moved into our new house on October 1, and have been doing lots of fix-er-up projects like painting, redoing the kitchen cabinets, and getting the yard in order. We also had to quickly learn how to winterize a Southwestern home. It’s different than the homes we grew up and saw our parents getting ready for winter! We have 2 swamp coolers that have to be drained, cleaned, and wrapped…and instead of one big furnace, we have several little gas wall furnaces to be cleaned and lit. We also have a fireplace…so had to call a chimney sweep and order wood. It’s been a LOT of STUFF!
I’m also waaaay into my online classes (in case you hadn’t guessed from my posts lately). It’s been such a WONDERFUL adventure! I’ve met so many great people and have really felt encouraged to get back into designing. Since starting the classes, I’ve self-published SIX new patterns. I think it’s just what I needed. It’s easy to feel isolated and out of the loop, living in a warm climate and not near a big city! It’s great to have the students to give me that energy boost every day! 
Last night, I got to talk to Marly of the Yarn Thing Podcast about the site and the classes. It’s always great to talk to Marly, she’s so energetic and fun. You can listen to the interview here.
In addition to that, the final, final deadline for my next book is next Friday.
AND…we’re having a BABY. I’m so excited. I keep looking at the ultrasound images and trying to imagine what she’ll look like. She has a perfectly round head and big cheeks (already, at 24 weeks!) just like Mazie did! I sold our guest room mattress set on CraigsList (I LOVE CragisList) so now I can fully turn that room into the nursery! Mazie has already been putting her toys in there and she LOVES having that whole room just to play in.
I’m also SO full of ideas for kids’ knits! I really can’t believe that I didn’t do more patterns as Mazie grew, but I guess I was stuck in a rut then. And now … I’m not!
Mazie and I get so worn out by the end of the day that we sometimes even fall asleep sideways and with our glasses on.
Posted in just chit chat | No Comments »
My baby is a big girl now!
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
I took Mazie to the park today. The last time we went, I had to go down the slide with her, and hold her hand while she walked around the jungle gym.
But THIS time…my brave girl did it all by herself!!
I am a proud Mommy!
Mazie is growing up so fast that I was *also* encouraged to finish up the pattern for my Vestvember vest, Violet: a vest that grows with your child
Statistics:
Yarn:
2(2, 3) hanks Berocco Vintage: (50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon; 3.5 oz / 100 g; 217 yds / 198 m; Machine wash. Lay flat to dry) Color: Lilacs # 5183
Gauge:
4.5 sts = 1″; 18 sts & 24 rows = 4″ (10cm)
Needle:
7 (US) / 4.5 mm (or size to obtain gauge) 16” circular needle, and either DPN, long needle for magic loop, or 2 circs for working neckline in the round.
Sizes: 12 mo.(2,4) / 16-20(20-24, 24-28)” chest measurement
Notes
This sweater is worked in the round from the top down with no seaming. Front and back are worked separately for a few inches after the sleeve caps are bound off.
The sweater is designed to grow with your child. As she grows, remove one or more of the under arm button bands to create a deeper armhole. Unhem l purl ridge at a time as you need more length at the bottom of the sweater.
The longer you knit the sweater, the more hem you have to play with, and the more your child can grow and still wear this garment. Be sure to cast on loosely so that the neckline will be stretchy enough to accommodate a growing head circumference, too! (Sizes 12 mo.(2, 4) will accommodate up to 21(23,23)” head circumference.)
The pattern can be purchased for $5 from my Ravelry shop.
Posted in Patterns, baby, gift knitting | No Comments »
We are just THRILLED that it is VESTVEMBER!
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
So…after talking several times with both Yahaira and Karen in recent days, I decided to cast on for a Vestvember project! (There are both Ravelry and Flickr groups for Vestvember…be sure to check them out!)
I was at Unravel the other day, because I heard a rumor that they had ordered some Lorna’s Laces yarn and wanted to see that for myself. They didn’t have any Lorna’s, but they did have this interesting yarn from Berroco. I used to shy away from yarns with high acrylic content, but after successfully using Berroco’s Comfort for a big project for myself a few years ago:
(it has held up GREAT!) I decided to give the Vintage a try.
It feels so nice in the hand, it’s soft, lofty, but still has that Cascade 220 (another fave of mine) feel of like, “ok, this is just plain, simple, old-fashioned YARN.” I *like* fluffy fancy high-end wools, but sometimes my knitting history calls from deep down inside and I just want YARN. BUT…this is more than “just yarn” … it’s MACHINE WASHABLE. And it feels GOOD! And the colors are FABULOUS! And…And…I knit my Vestvember project in TWO DAYS.
I decided to make a little vest for my Mazie.
Yahaira is doing a turtle / cowl, so I totally copied that. Well, let it sink into my brain until my brain said, “Hey! How about a turtle / cowl?” And I said, “Well, that would be GREAT! I wonder if Yahaira would think that would be cute?” (wink) Here is the start of my turtleneck on top of the cabinets that Nathan is refacing. (little peek into life at the New House.)
THEN…I thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool if I could make this sweater for Mazie one year and have it still fit the NEXT year?” SO…I lengthened the armholes (in a decorative way) with the plan of adding little tabs at the side that I can move down as she gets bigger.
I also did a little deco thing at the hem, so that I could fold the hem at any of the purl ridges and hem it…then LET IT DOWN as she needs more length!! I didn’t hem this one, but I *could.*
Mazie likes it…I think.
