Knitting In The North

Garter Love

 

As I mentioned before, Katie is knitting her own scarf this year - a simple, squishy garter stitch.  We looked through pictures on Ravelry, and found a hat she liked to match, and then I whipped up some of these fingerless mitts, as well.

 

She was really happy with them, which as any parents out there know, isn't always easy to pull off with a pre-teen!  I am learning, slowly, to not react too much to anything.  If I show too much approval, then it's automatically uncool, if I disapprove, then the appeal rises exponentially!  So I'm thrilled to see Katie taking an interest in knitting, but must restrain my joy, and keep it all very cool.

 

 

Particulars:

Pattern - Garter Stitch Hat and Fingerless Mitts (the mitt pattern is in Weekend Knitting)

Yarn - Rowan Plaid, in Spicy, about 1 1/4 balls

Needle size - 7mm for the hat, 5mm for the gloves

Modifications - Because Katie's head isn't quite full-size yet,  I cast on 56 stitches instead of the called-for 64.  This made for a perfect fit for her almost-11-year-old head.  For the mitts, I knit the smallest size, in the biggest gauge.  They're still a bit loose, but still functional.  I had purchased 3 balls of this yarn, and used one ball for the hat and the first mitt, then broke into the next ball.  That should leave plenty for Kate to finish her scarf with, and I find it very satisfying to get three projects out of the one batch of yarn.

It's All In The Jeans

 

This was an extremely satisfying project - one of those moments where everything comes together to make Knitting Project Perfection.  I've been eyeing it up for a long time, and was able to order the yarn, knit the project, and actually get some wear out of the item (that is, Liam is getting some wear...). 

Particulars:

Pattern - Baby's Denim Drawstring Pants, from my all-time favourite knitting book, Last-Minute Knitted Gifts

Yarn - Elann Den-M-Nit Pure Indigo Cotton , in Mid-Indigo, 3 balls

Size - 3 -6 months

Needles - an assortment of DPNs and Denise circulars, 4mm

Notes - I knit this pattern exactly as written (in my post-baby haze, it was a miracle I could follow the pattern, let alone try to make modifications!).  I will say I didn't love working with the yarn, and can not imagine knitting an adult sized garment from it - it was very stiff, and a bit hard on my hands.  However, I do love the finished product!  I was excited to try the denim yarn, while slightly skeptical about the whole shrinkage issue.  Once washed and dried, however, the jeans' measurements were right on, and the finished fabric is great.  The pattern is very well designed - the fit is great for a real, live baby, lots of diaper room, and the drawstring waist lets you snug it in, without cutting off circulation.  Here they are, in action:

Who Am I?

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Bette!

You are a Bette -- "I must be strong"

Bettes are direct, self-reliant, self-confident, and protective.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Stand up for yourself... and me.
• * Be confident, strong, and direct.
• * Don't gossip about me or betray my trust.
• * Be vulnerable and share your feelings. See and acknowledge my tender, vulnerable side.
• * Give me space to be alone.
• * Acknowledge the contributions I make, but don't flatter me.
• * I often speak in an assertive way. Don't automatically assume it's a personal attack.
• * When I scream, curse, and stomp around, try to remember that's just the way I am.

What I Like About Being a Bette

• * being independent and self-reliant
• * being able to take charge and meet challenges head on
• * being courageous, straightforward, and honest
• * getting all the enjoyment I can out of life
• * supporting, empowering, and protecting those close to me
• * upholding just causes

What's Hard About Being a Bette

• * overwhelming people with my bluntness; scaring them away when I don't intend to
• * being restless and impatient with others' incompetence
• * sticking my neck out for people and receiving no appreciation for it
• * never forgetting injuries or injustices
• * putting too much pressure on myself
• * getting high blood pressure when people don't obey the rules or when things don't go right

Bettes as Children Often

• * are independent; have an inner strength and a fighting spirit
• * are sometimes loners
• * seize control so they won't be controlled
• * figure out others' weaknesses
• * attack verbally or physically when provoked
• * take charge in the family because they perceive themselves as the strongest, or grow up in difficult or abusive surroundings

Bettes as Parents

• * are often loyal, caring, involved, and devoted
• * are sometimes overprotective
• * can be demanding, controlling, and rigid

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Poor Little Bunny*

One step in my effort to keep Liam's skin healthy is that I try to only have his skin in contact with natural fibres, especially cotton.  He has a little stuffed tiger that he loves to hug in his sleep, which is, of course, made from a synthetic plush material.  I came across this pattern on Ravelry, and figured it was just the thing for a little guy.  I used about half a skein of left over Blue Sky Dyed Cotton (soooo soft!).  This was my first experience with double knitting, for the head, and I quite enjoyed the rhythm of the knit, slip, knit action.  Plus, it felt so cool to thread my needle through and around when I was done, and end up with a little hole at the top for stuffing.  I wanted to get a shot of Liam holding his new friend, but he's very busy with his lastest favourite activity:

  ... looking out the window.

*Poor Little Bunny is one of those family inside jokes, a catch phrase taken from this Youtube video.  In our household, though, I will readily admit that I am the one who gets the "Man Colds"!

Decisions

The first flakes of snow are swirling around outside.  It's not real snow, not yet, the kind of real first snow that makes me put on the Christmas music, even if it's Halloween.  It's good reminder snow.  It reminds me that life is about decisions. 

Today, for example, I could decide to be miserable because I'm sick, and feel awful.  Fall is ending, and I've barely been able to enjoy it.  One of the kids forgot to take the garbage out to the bin, and some dog ripped the whole bag open all over my deck last night (we're not sure who's responsible, it looks like the guilt lies with my 5th child, Not Me).  I picked up Liam, only to be drenched in spit up (seriously, it was a fountain).  The school bus was 15 minutes late on the first day the kids have had to wait in freezing temperatures.

I could decide to be miserable.  Or, I can decide to appreciate what I've got.  The chance to stay home with my babes, and not leave the house once when I feel sick.  A fire blazing in our fireplace, keeping us all toasty.  The beauty of the swirling snow flakes.  The smile on Liam's face.  Gwenyth's delight in her homemade playdough.  Finally finding a good granola bar recipe.  An impromptu visit from my parents.  Good, good things.  And you!  I have so much to show you, and I'm grateful to have someone to show.  So, here, look!

 

This is a two-fer, since I can show you Liam's wonderful, smiling, healing face, PLUS the knitted jeans that I made him, and actually fit, with room to grow!  The dermatologist believes it's simply nasty, nasty eczema, and the prescribed cream is working wonders.  We still need to try and figure out what cause the flare-ups, but at the moment, relief is wonderful, and I finally feel the way it's supposed to feel when you have a beautiful new baby.  Phew.  I'll share all the particulars on the jeans next time - I need to dig out my info, so I can be accurate.

Gwen insists I share this one with you - you'll have to look closely, but she's showing off her first little ball made from our homemade playdough.  Very exciting.  And even more wonderful, to have a child who's happy to turn off the TV and spend a happy hour creating!

It's That Time of Year

This weekend, we went for our annual fall walk at a local nature park.  It's nothing fancy, lots of woods with trails, that runs along the river, but it's "our" place.  Stuart & I walked there when we were dating, and have made regular visits there since.  Each fall, we seem to head down to this particular park, without planning it ahead of time.  While there, I can admire and gush about the crisp air, beautiful colours, the crunch of the leaves under my feet.  Stuart can grumble about how it's all dying, and dead, and winter is right around the corner.  So we're both happy.

I've been a bit quiet lately, for a few reasons.  One is that Stuart was away for a week on a work-related course, and I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to keep up without my partner.  Yikes.  The guy really does a lot around here.  Also, little Liam's been struggling with a nasty rash (you may have noticed it on his face in some of the previous pictures I've posted), and has been miserable.  Miserable.  Lots of crying, and grumping, and grizzling, and needing to be held All. The. Time.  Poor baby.  We've been trying everything under the sun to clear it up, while we've been waiting (and waiting and waiting) to get in to see a specialist.  Thankfully, that appointment is on Friday, so let's hope he has some super duper medical wisdom to offer us!

 

There has been knitting, though, and I've been dying to show you!  I've been working away on the Drops 103-1 sweater, and am almost to the finish line!  Just this afternoon I worked a 3 needle bind off at the shoulders, and picked up stitches for the collar.  Once that's done, it's just blocking and seaming, so I sincerely hope that by next weekend I'll have a lovely sweater to wear.  A lovely sweater that is not quite as pink as it looks above.  More burgundy, really.  (Perfect timing, actually, as the temperature is about to plummet.)

In honour of Socktoberfest, the Stash and Burn Ravelry group has set a challenge.  My goals for October are to finish the scarf shown above, in Spunky Eclectic Super Nova, and to knit a pair of Spiral Boot Socks.  We'll see how it goes, I may be flying so high on the rush of knitting an actual sweater, I have lost all sense of reason!