Naturally Optimistic

At long last! The "Boyfriend Scarf" which I made for Steve for Christmas 2010, is finished! I think I actually finished it last Feb or March but it took me until last night to weave in the ends. How lame is that?? The pattern is from Chicks with Sticks . It's a very cool book that I've had on loan from a friend longer than I should admit. The yarn is delicious & would knit up really fast on big needles, but the point of the scarf is to be super warm so it's only done on size 5's (maybe 6's? I can't remember, it's been a while!). It's a simple basket weave pattern which I love. Hopefully it'll keep Steve warm! It's been a long time coming!

Project: Sling Bag Start Date: Fall 2009 (?) Status: Incomplete Using the awesome "Shrek" inspired yarn which I've had since I did a knitting swap back in the fall of 2006 (!), I decided to make this bag for myself. Something I've yet to do! And of course I have yet to finish! I need to finish knitting the strap (not pictured), felt bag & strap, line & make decorative flowers. Ha. At this rate I should be done by 2016. Project: Boyfriend (Husband) Scarf Start Date: November 2010 Intended Completion Date: Christmas 2010 Status: ALMOST completed Whatever made me think I could start such a thick scarf on such small needles in November & be done in December. I guess I AM an optimist. I gave this to Steve for Christmas anyway - on needles - & have worked on it pretty much exclusively at Stitch & Bitch for the past 5 months. I finished a few weeks ago! Whohoo! But I still need to weave in the ends...by NEXT Christmas it will be done for sure.... Project...

My babies were models this fall for Three Irish Girls Yarn - a company based here in Duluth. While the yarn is FABULOUS and beautiful - I think the models are pretty darn cute too.

I've got all the pieces & started stitching together the rows last night. It's not perfect by a LONG shot but it has a certain "homespun" kind of charm. I've never pieced knitted pieces together before so I guess it's a learning process. I'm excited to have this project finished! Soon!

The baby blanket continues. I thought I had finished all the squares, and I did but realized after looking at them more closely that one of the multi-colored squares is too short. It's supposed to be 36 rows long, & 30 rows wide but I did it 30 x 30. Whoops. No big deal, I'll re-do another one & have a spare "wash cloth" I guess. Now I have to try to figure out how to get them stitched together properly & crochet a border (hi Michelle!). Maybe if I finish this blanket, the baby will come! I should start knitting right now....

The baby blanket for #2 is coming along nicely. These squares knit up pretty quickly and I'm so much happier with the color & texture. It's fun to switch between colors & patterns too. Prevents burnout (at least thus far). I'm hoping to keep this pace up and finish this blanket sooner rather than later...but I know myself so I won't hold myself to that!

I knitted up the first square of the baby blanket on Friday night. I hated it. I hated how light-weight & delicate it was (I love this yarn for another baby blanket pattern I have); the ends & sides curled up, the pattern was all wonky, it did not have the drape I was expecting. So, I took back the yarn. All of it - sans the skein I had partially used (bummer that I started with my least favorite color, hmph). I went back to Yarn Harbor and they set me straight! They showed me some beautiful cotton yarn (a little more $$ but a LOT more delicious colors to choose from), she showed me how I was reading the pattern incorrectly (duh, well THAT would do it!) and a couple ladies who were there knitting gave me lots of input & advice on my color choices (which was a-okay by me!). So, here are the new colors for the baby blanket: A little more 'fun' a little brighter, my camera doesn't do the color justice but these are lovely, richly saturated and have a great texture....

Maybe I was so excited about destashing a bit, because then it allowed me to go and acquire some NEW for the stash. I figured before I lose my income completely (or take a rather hefty pay-cut - COMING SOON! FEBRUARY 2010) I would indulge in yarn for a new project. I bought this book when I found out I was pregnant again as a gift for myself. My sole purpose in buying it was for this blanket... So, Baby #2 will *hopefully* have a lovely cozy handmade-by-Mama blanket to welcome him/her. We'll see how I do. It's 45 squares sewn together...I figured if I get bored I can do some at a time and then come back to it. Oh! I also have a WIP... I've had this fabulous yarn since I did a "Knit-Flix" swap back in 2006. I just never knew what to do with it...last weekend I wanted to start something new so searched my yarn stash (hence the destashing) and then the patterns I had on hand + my needles and came up with a "Scoop Bag" in the "Chicks with Sticks" ...

I went to Stitch & Bitch with all the lovely ladies last night and it was a blast. It was much needed. I'm so glad Holly was there to regale us with stories of her hysterectomy, and Sarah M was there to gross us out with stories of obscenely large burn blisters on her hands from tie-dyeing accidents; Theresa & Andrea were there throwing in tales of newly finished hardwood floors, all manner of pets & cat poop; Anna showed Michelle the "Naughty Knits" book & I managed to totally screw up my project and then make Holly fix it for me...at which time I stopped working all together. ha! There was a lot of laughter, a bowl of bacon-bacon dip consumed AND they destashed my yarn stash! Yes! I've had a LARGE bin of yarn that I either purchased & never used or scraps that I'll probably never get to and since I'm trying to make room in my house, I just let it all go. I'm someone who holds on to potential "supplies" for years and years an...

I did it! I knitted my first sock. The first item of wearable clothing. Whohoooo! There are some *issues* but all in all I think it turned out very well for a first effort. I think I could've made the foot a big longer as it feels as though it doesn't quite fit my heel right...but hey! I'm learning. Now hopefully I can remember how to knit the matching one so I don't end up with a sock-orphan right off the bat.

My New Year's Resolution has finally begun! Good thing there was only one thing on the list this year. Knitting socks! My friend Laura came over last night to help me through the pattern. We are just on the, um, top part of the sock (I don't know the technical term) and haven't made it to the heel, gusset or obviously toe yet, but hopefully we'll be able to get through that part of the pattern tomorrow! It was fun, so far, and hopefully soon I'll have a sock! (then hopefully I will remember how to do it and be able to make a match for it!

Pretty mellow today....the usual morning routine - up, shower, dress, get baby up, bathe her, dress - breakfast for both of us - then on to whatever we've got going on. We were on the phone with Apple for a long time today trying to figure out the wireless connection nonsense. (solution - get another Mac and dump the dell + linksys router! Amen!), we sent 3 packages - which entailed wrapping, packing & walking to the post office to send. I watched the rest of "21" which I enjoyed, I finished my book (After Dark) and started another (Gods in Alabama). I did some work including tweaking our WAB listing (for festival submissions) and final listens on soundtrack tracks. I tried a new recipe (eggplant parmesan - review...pretty darn good) and now I'm knitting & watching men's beach volleyball. Someday Dahlia will have her blanket. Tomorrow's Friday! Tomorrow we send off the soundtrack for duplication. Saturday my parents come to town. Sunday we have anothe...

I've got nothing but thought I should post.... The blanket I made for Sam's little one, Sydney: The back of Dahlia's Valentine's outfit from last week: Dahlia in her Pooh outfit at Grandma & Grandpa's house:

Finished! The Triplet Baby Blankets...as of last week. These are the last two...the yellow is for Joshua and the green for George. I dragged Steve into a fabric store in Minneapolis with me yesterday. He was a good sport. I tried to make it interactive "ooh - I like this fabric, can you find one that matches in blue....etc" which worked for a while... It was so fun to be in a store with SELECTION. I was nearly freaking out. I spent a lot of money there...but I could easily spend that much every week! I have many Christmas projects to work on...you just might end up with these fabrics under your tree...... You never know.

Okay - these have been done for months and months....but I am trying to finish up the last two. I gave away these two this weekend so I had to take pics before I sent them off! The pink blanket is for my very lovely & adorable niece Hannah. I was finished with this one months before she was born and praying that at least one of the triplets would be a girl! Lucky me!! The blue blanket is for my cousin's cutie-pie son, Gavin. I started this one as a decoy when I taught my sister how to knit while she was on bedrest. Of course I ended up finishing this one months before the trips & Gavin's arrival too....sometimes I'm on schedule. I have a green one (for George) and a yellow one (for Josh) that I am finishing up. Then next on the needles is a lavendar one for Miss Sydney in SoCal (Sam's ultra-preemie - I didn't know there was such a distinction!) and then I'm taking a BREAK from knitting this pattern for a while. I'm getting burnt out but it is my very...

I haven't been doing as much as I had intended for CAOK II but a couple items fall into that category as well as "because I wanted to" too. Photo courtesy of Michelle I made this bag for Michelle for her knitting supplies. It is of cats, it is her favorite colors. She loved it! Yay! We knitted & had wine & conversation for the last time* on Thursday as today she's moving to Minneapolis. Hmph. I also included some fabulous Tastefully Simple Bountiful Beer Bread (my fave) and Bacon Bacon dip (my other fave). I made another bag for my sister. I made it in pink because that is her favorite color and since she's having triplets and doesn't know the sexes of the babies...she has no pink currently in her life (only yellows, greens, some blues). I also gave her some knitting needles (purple), yarn (purple), stitch markers and last night I taught her how to knit. She'll probably be on bed rest in the near future and had been wanting to learn. She did re...

I started this scarf for a friend last winter. My intention was to send a care package...last winter. But alas by the time I finished knitting it (it's very long and skinny, to be wrapped around one's neck many many times) it was warm! Then I stashed it away to have it ready for a fall care package. Wouldn't you know...fall rolled around and I couldn't find it! The "gift stash" had disappeared! I'm sure having pre-wedding festivities at my house did not help as I was "hiding" things in closets left and right. Well, after Christmas I found my stash and this scarf. I had to (still) weave in the ends but it was complete. I sent it along to intended recipient with some homemade soup and some gourmet hot chocolate too. I hope it helps get her through this cold winter. The scarf is called a "wavy ribbed" pattern from Better Homes & Gardens. I used a Lion's Brand yarn (so shoot me) with a very natural looking fiber. I liked how it turn...

I'm here tonight having sort of a "mental health" evening.... Ingredients: Noodles & butter pinot grigio knitting and COVER GIRL on Turner Classic Movies (thanks Peder for the heads up!) And next up FUNNY FACE (more wine & more knitting too).

I went to a new knitting group at my neighbor's house last night (hi anna!) and really just need to work on how much I talk. I mean to keep myself in check and I mean to just sit back and take everything in but by the end of the night I am just hating myself for the constant chatter I think that I am responsible for providing. Sheesh. I think it's because I get nervous in new situations and I want to appear "cool" or whatever and I just end up coming off as the biggest dork ever, which I am. And then the next day I feel yucky about it. Having wine DOES NOT help these situations and I did pretty good on that front (only 2 1/2 glasses in 3 hours) but I need to improve. I don't need to send potential new friends SCREAMING from me because I am so annoying. *sigh*

See? I told you that wee folks are on my brain.... Anyone know of a good pattern or two (or three, really...?) for baby booties? I'm sort of a square or rectangular knitter right now but would like to move into other shapes like....socks, sweaters, bags and BOOTIES! So I just thought I'd ask. My knitting group starts this month - yay! :)