Knit And Sew

 Crafting has been slow going since Joshua was born thanks to a bout with postpartum carpel tunnel. I've gotten carpel tunnel while pregnant, but this was the first time I'd ever gotten it after. It's finally nearly gone, so my knitting pace has sped up a bit. Naturally matching sweaters for my boys were the first things on my to do list. I put the buttons on Joshua's today, and I've gotten a decent way into knitting Levi's. I'm glad he got a little brother while he's still at an age where he thinks matching outfits are cool.
 

 

 

 

Next on my list is a quilt for Joshua. I've got the fabrics, and a basic idea of what I want to do. (Inspired by this.) I just have to work out exactly how I want things, and then get to stitchin'.
 

 

I'm pretty sure that I just want one large, off centered star, but then I saw this quilt with multiple stars, and I'm starting to feel a bit uncertain. I think I'll sleep on it. 

 

 

 P.S. The sweater is the Andalusia, and I knit it up in some Beaverslide Mule Spun yarn.



Lillian's Baptism

If I had actually blogged over the past 5 months the posts would have had titles like "Moving Is For The Birds", "We Are Sick", "We Are Sick Again", "Well, Whatayaknow, We Are Sick Yet Again", and "Hey, Look What I Knitted While We Were Sick!". Maybe it's not so bad that I lost my blogging mojo. However, there is one really lovely thing that happened somewhere in between getting settled in and the bouts of illness. On March 24th Lillian got baptized!

Oh, Happy Day!!

Okay, well, she didn't think it was such a happy occasion.

Poor baby.

After we finished torturing baptizing her, we went back to my parents' house for a little celebration.

And, somewhere in there we attempted to get some family photos. Ha! My kids had other ideas.

 Sophia's glare is a particularly nice touch in this one...

 It was a bit like herding cats, but we did eventually manage a few cute ones.

 Thankfully babies are pretty easy targets for the camera.

All in all it was a beautiful and fun day. I mean, really, how can you complain about any day that ends with a chubby, naked baby?!

For those who are interested: Lillian wore the baptism dress that my mom made for Sophia. I knitted her blanket. It's a free pattern called the Elven Pixie Blanket. I've only knitted a few blankets, but this is definitely my favorite of those patterns.

And More Knitting

So that sweater is nowhere near finished. The second I decided to speed demon it through some knitting Lillian also decided that she was cutting back on sleep, and the two bigs....well, they are their normal jump all over mama 24/7 selves. The needles just didn't get the workout I thought they would.

It's okay, though, because Levi had no idea what my plan was, so he'll be thrilled whenever I give it to him.

In the meantime, here's Sophia's sweater and matching hat* in action...

And, here's a little peek at a hat I made for Lillian. Pattern found here.**

And, since she's so darn cute, here are a couple more pics of her sporting more mama mades.***

Well, I'll be getting back to knitting now. Happy evening. :)

*The yellow hat is the Pomme. I wish I'd gone a bit bigger with it. It was a quick knit, so maybe I'll do another one.

**The pattern for the first (pale pink) hat on Lillian only comes in newborn size. It was easy to adjust, though, by going up a needle size and extending the length a bit.

***The vest is a Milo, and the last hat is a crocheted bobble hat.

A Sweater Deadline

The washing machine has been going non stop all day long, and that beast of a laundry pile just will not die. So, I'm done for the day with 4 loads still waiting and more to be added in tomorrow. Someday I will find peace with this whole laundry thing. Okay, so maybe not. But it's 9:30, and I'd rather be knitting than folding.

I've set myself a lofty goal...to finish this sweater in time for it to be Levi's birthday present. Yikes. That means a lot of knitting between now and Saturday. I can totally do this. Right?
I did at least lower my initial expectations. I was going to aim for a matching hat by then as well. Considering it took me 2 weeks to knit Sophia's sweater, I think it will be a miracle if I finish just the sweater by then. I only started it Friday. Better get to knitting. Wish me luck!

For curious knitters it's the Limepop Sweater.

A Sweater

My mother and I share a love for Agatha Christie mysteries, so when I saw a girl's sweater pattern aptly named 'Miss Marple' how could I possibly pass it up? It didn't hurt that the sweater was also adorable. Of course, this is what's been on my needles for the past couple of weeks.

I also just finished a hat to go with it, and I'm hoping to manage a matching pair of legwarmers soon. Eep. I do love knitting for little girls.

Ravelry notes here.

The Wait

I'll be 39 weeks tomorrow. The to do list is all done, and now we're just waiting. This is a first. I've never felt so ready for birth and a baby. Pre-labor contractions started 2 weeks ago, and they just keep going and going and going. Nothing terrifically painful, but enough to remind me that any day could be the day. Every night I snuggle with Sophia and find myself thinking, "This could be the last night of her being the baby." Of course, she'll always be my baby...

She has two lovely little handmade dolls, but this plastic one is her favorite. She carries it around, nurses it, and sometimes she puts it under her shirt, pops it out, and squeals, "Baay-beee!!" I guess she thinks that's how the one in my tummy is coming out? Oh, the crazy things that must run through their sweet heads!

On a semi-unrelated note, my knitting basket is nearly empty. It merely holds a pair of socks that Stephan has been patiently waiting for me to finish for...oh...5 months now. I got a wee bit caught up in the baby knitting. I think I would enjoy sock knitting if only it didn't involve the second sock which I have, finally, started. Of course, just having a sock to work on postpartum would never do, so yesterday a trip to the yarn shop was made. And, this prettiness is waiting for post-baby arrival...

Each time I pass by this stack of yumminess, I smile. If baby waits too long then I might be diving in a bit early. It is so very tempting. For you knitterly types it's destined to become a Rosabell sweater for me. The yarn on top is Spud & Chloe's Fine, and the yarn on bottom is Ella Rea's Lace Merino.

Also, Levi is coming home Sunday! I cannot wait. I've missed him so very much.

Everyday Blessings

The weekly counting of blessings...

: : Breakfast with a group of wonderful mamas.

: : Fun playdates.

: : Casting on a little something for myself.

: : 5 more weeks until baby is due!

: : Hand me downs...sorted and put away for later.

: : Fun dinners with family.

: : My sister visiting over the weekend.

: : My children's perma-grins upon the arrival of their beloved Aunt Annie.

: : Stephan rearranging our bedroom to accommodate the FIVE people who will soon be sleeping there.

: : Despite third trimester discomforts, I am extra grateful that this still classifies as the easiest of my pregnancies thus far. That has certainly been an unexpected blessing.

Hope y'all had a happy Monday!

Nesting Has Hit My Knitting Basket

You know that nesting is happening full force when I organize my knitting basket. I should have taken a before photo. I had my stuff randomly piled into two baskets....already finished patterns, projects in need of blocking, 7 needles no longer in use, leftover yarn, and even a couple of kiddo toys were tossed into the mix. It's no wonder I bought new markers recently. Hard to find such tiny things in such a big mess. I even found a little bag to hold my knitting notions and a tiny box for corralling those itty bitty markers. No more hunting around.
Note that there is only one project in there. That must be remedied asap. I try to keep the chaos down by only working on two to three projects at a time, but I think one is a bit too minimalist. I enjoy switching back and forth a bit. The other day I bought some pink yarn. Everything that I've made for this baby has been very boyish looking. My attempts at gender neutral were a complete flop. I'm thinking a few girly items need to be thrown into the mix just in case. But, now, what to make? I've made a couple of these, and I bought the yarn thinking I'd make another....

                                                    Source: ravelry.com via Madeline on Pinterest

Cute, no? But, then there's this sweetness...

                                                   Source: ravelry.com via Madeline on Pinterest

And, if I spend much more time on Pinterest and Ravelry I'll likely find 200 more strong contenders. I have trouble making decisions sometimes.

Knitting Funny

                                             Source: blog.lionbrand.com via Madeline on Pinterest

 

Carrie Grant in Mr. Lucky   

This is probably what I look like when I knit. Though, I hope with more feminine features.
I definitely do the furrowed brow.

Everyday Blessings

Just a few things that I am grateful for...

: : Saturday's rain threw off my errand running plans, but since I've been working on a mild cold it was just the rest I needed. I spent most of the day knitting, drinking tea, and doing laundry. The laundry monster has been officially tamed...at least for now.

: : This baby's kicks are getting stronger by the day...a good reason to sit around naval gazing. :) Stephan was even able to feel a couple of them on Valentine's day.

: : Sophia grew overnight. She's looking so little girlish now and not quite so babyish....a tad bittersweet. Her imagination is beginning to take off as well. She's been pretending to be a dog lately. She crawls around with a toy bone in her mouth and tries to say "Ruff". I just want to squeeze her!

: : The way Levi and Sophia crack each other up makes my heart nearly burst. Their ease with one another is something I never anticipated and am so grateful for.

: : I've already posted about Valentine's day, but it really was lovely and worth a second mention.

Hope y'all have had a week brimming over with blessings.

Happy Monday!

Favorite New Toy?

This is what he asks to do every day now.

"Mama, I love to wind yarn for you! Can I wind more?" 

"Sorry, Baby, there is no more." 

"Mama, can I wind more tomorrow?" 

If it was up to him we'd spend our grocery money on yarn just so that he could wind it.

The first swifts I looked at were the umbrella style. They're pretty, but at upwards of $50 I knew I would cringe every time my kids went near it. I didn't want something that I only felt comfortable pulling out when they were sleeping. Yay for this Amish-design swift. It's inexpensive and seems to be reasonably kid-proof...a good combo. The ball winder was also inexpensive, and so far, so good.

At Last!

I finally finished Levi's Gramps Cardigan. I blocked it a couple of days ago, and put the buttons on today. This is the first knitting project that I've been really proud of. To say it was a challenge is an understatement. There were so many times when I sat there scratching my head and thinking I'm never going to get past this point. It was my first go at cables which were actually surprisingly easy. The hard parts came in trying to figure out the construction with vague instructions, decreasing through the cables, short rows in ribbing, and some math errors in the pattern itself. Yikes. The only really noticeable flaw is in the collar. I made it way too wide. I think in my short row confusion I ended up adding too many rows. Oh, yeah, and I put the buttons on the wrong side...oops. I still love the way it turned out, and more importantly Levi is thrilled. He was involved in the decision making process from the beginning and has been diligently checking my progress for the past 5 months. He had final say over the pattern, the yarn color, and the buttons. The boy's got taste...if I do say so myself.

For the knitterly types: I used 3 skeins of Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Paints. I knit the sweater in a size 6, so he would have room to grow. My Ravelry notes are here. Happy knitting!

Knitting Pretty

 

via

Miss Hepburn makes me want to have better posture while knitting.

Everyday Blessings

Maybe it's just pregnancy hormones, but I have been extra grouchy this week. I'll blame it on the return of fatigue...really, though, most of attitude comes down to choice. I haven't been choosing so wisely lately.
I think a little reorienting of perspective is definitely in order today, so here are just a few of the blessings from my week...

: : Tonight's yoga class. Getting out of the house to do something good for my body and soul is refreshing. Also, I came home to a happy, albeit rowdy, house and got hugs all around.

: : Stephan ripped out our old (very beaten up) counter tops and replaced them with new ones. There's still a lot of touch up work to be done on his next week off, but the kitchen looks so much brighter now.

: : Stephan has been busy. On top of home renovations, he sold my old car and his old motorcycle. I admit to getting extra grouchy about all of the phone calls and interruptions, but the motorcycle sold in two days and the car in one. Plus, our bank account looks much happier now.

: : A friend lent me some knitting needles and sent along a bag of clothes and some cute hand knit legwarmers for Fia. Generosity is always something to smile about.

: : I finished knitting the owlie sleep sack for the new baby, and I'm making lots of headway on Levi's sweater. And, I have a swift and ball winder being shipped to me as we speak. I cannot wait. I'm trying to hold off on my next knitting project so I can test drive them on the yarn. I'm glad I can knit again. The first trimester was made all the more difficult because knitting made me nauseated. I'm not sure if this is actually true or not, but in my head I'm a better person when I can knit.

: : That photo up there ought to be enough reason to feel blessed! Sophia loves to give kisses. When she wants to kiss you she makes the cutest fish lips and a little smacking noise to accompany them. The adorableness kills me.

What have your everyday blessings been lately?

Oh, The Cuteness

I've been diligently working on an owlie sleep sack for the new baby and on Levi's sweater that I started months and months ago. I have had plans to start up more baby projects when those are finished. Ahem. Then I saw this.

                                                    Source: lionbrand.com via Tanya on Pinterest

And, this.

                                      Source: images4.ravelrycache.com via Madeline on Pinterest

Now, all I can think about is how much fun it is to knit for girls. Both of those just scream Sophia. It probably doesn't hurt that they are in shades of purple. I am inexplicably drawn to purple and yellow when pregnant.

Maybe a little knitting detour is in order.

Food and Knitting

A good day = fulfilled pregnancy cravings and loads of knitting.

Today was a good day.
Stephan (my knight in shining armor) not only went out of his way to get me the best tacos around....

But, he also made me a bowl of my very favorite. Tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, and mint swimming in lemon juice...heaven.

And, he let me sit around knitting all afternoon while he entertained the kiddos.

I don't think I could have asked for a better husband. Or a better day.

Hope you had a happy Wednesday, too!

Some Knitting

During my first trimester just the thought of knitting made me feel queasy. I'm glad that's over with. Needles and yarn are quickly regaining their appeal. I knit these balls for Sophia, and, of course, now Levi wants some. They knit up quickly, so I should be able to manage.

I still haven't finished Levi's sweater. I'm a tad aggravated by knitting the sleeves on double points. They turn out fine, but I just don't enjoy extended dpn knitting. It's tiring on my hands....am I alone in that? The sleeves are knit from the bottom up, and I'm almost certain they get large enough (fairly quickly) for an itty bitty pair of circulars which means a trip to the knitting store is in order. Also, it's a little daunting to do cables with two children crawling all over me, so I need an easy project for when the kids are awake...one more reason to head to the store. :)

Now to decide what I want that easy project to be. Obviously, it needs to be something for the new baby. Stephan was traumatized by having to pull clothes over Sophia's head, so he has requested (more than once) that all of the new baby's clothes open in the front. That does narrow the choices down a bit. Here are a few of the list-toppers...

                                                    Source: ravelry.com via Madeline on Pinterest

                                                     Source: ravelry.com via Madeline on Pinterest

                                                Source: ravelry.com via Madeline on Pinterest

I'm leaning toward the top cardigan. Although, the other two are tugging hard. It'll likely be a last minute decision as I'm standing in front of all the lovely rows of yarn. Which one would you pick? Have you run across any adorable baby knitting (or crocheting or sewing) patterns lately?

Making

This sweater has been in the works for a few weeks. It's Levi's Gramps Cardigan...

It's my first go at cables, and I can't believe I was actually scared of them. Not so very terrifying after all. However, there are times (like when my children are bouncing off the walls) that I need a super easy project to turn to, so I cast on for the hat that Stephan has been asking for lately. (What he really wants is a Fair Isle hat. Ha! He's going to have to wait until our children are grown for that one. Maybe I'll manage a Fake Isle hat before then.) We went to The Knit Studio where he picked out the yarn and the pattern.

I measured his head, and I even did a gauge swatch. I knitted away for a couple of days, and voila. A hat......a hat that was way too big. What is up with my math skills? Sigh. I unraveled it, and cast on again. Then I set it aside because really I was a tinge aggravated. It didn't help that my failure coincided with Sophia teething and thus not sleeping much. I was in need of some immediate gratification knitting therapy, so I went with a cup cozy....

It was fast, easy, and patternless which made it oddly even more gratifying. Now maybe I can get to work on that hat again.

In between knitting I've started making Levi's Halloween costume....

In case the pile doesn't give it away, he's going to be either a dinosaur or a dragon. I'm thinking I'll make the wings detachable so that he can change his mind all last minutey. I've actually finished the spikes going up the hood, but I just haven't managed a photo yet. He's pretty particular this year. He wants eyes, teeth, and claws that "go like this not like this." Ahem. I think I'll have to teach the boy to sew soon if he's going to be so picky.