Double blog action!

So, it's not that I haven't been posting. It's that I've been posting at my other, brand-new, totally awesome photography blog. It even has my name on it!

http://www.veronicamachak.com

I am really excited to have a fancy new web presence for my photography. I'm really looking forward to having plenty to say about portraits, wedding photography, and all things crafty and DIY related to those things! Check it out and tell me what you think. And if, say, you needed or wanted photography, I'm at your service. :)

And don't worry, I've begun a Clapotis in Noro Silk Garden Lite (in one of the most gorgeous-and discontinued!- colorways), so there will be plenty of knitting content once I get back from Las Vegas. Mommy is taking a little trip by herself!

FO: Adamas shawl

Conceived in 2008, but not born till 2009, I present to you: Adamas. This thing has been in progress since April, but it got balled up when Vivienne came along and didn't get brought back out till I needed something to do in class this fall. I fully support Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's notions about knitting being important work for achieving fancier brain-waves and all that- I concentrate so much more on the discussion at hand in class when I have something to knit while I listen and talk. If only I could knit while reading...

Anyway, here's the shawl. It's knit with pagoda red hanpaintedyarn.com laceweight on size 4? 5? (it's a fleamarket circular, and my gauge is missing). The pattern is the beautiful Adamas, and I am looking forward to trying another of Mim's designs.

Here's one more picture which captures all the gloom of the subzero, sunless weather we have in a Michigan January:

New Year's Plans

I'm not calling them resolutions. I'm not. They're more like... goals. Things I'm hoping for. Things that I will try to do. With resolutions I feel there is a predestined failure waiting to realize itself. Maybe if I don't call them resolutions, they won't act like resolutions. It feels a little like trying too look at something in my peripheral vision, and I'm scared that if I turn my head, it'll disappear.

That's a little depressing. Perhaps what I mean to say is that if I try too hard to schedule my life, the fun goes out of the task, and nothing gets done. I want to have fun, and what follows are things I hope I'm doing when the fun happens.



Anyway, here we go, in no particular order:

• Sew more: I got a sewing machine for Christmas, so I am hoping to make some strides in my abilities. I want to make a couple of little quilts before I conquer the spaceman quilt- I bought those materials before Viv was born! Free motion quilting is on the list for 2009.


• Knit things I will actually use: Let's face it: I am a process knitter. It took me a long time to realize that, but now that I know, I need to tailor my projects to reflect that. No more knitting non-superwash socks (ack!), no more sweaters I won't wear and felted bags I won't use. I like lace, I like cardigans, and I like fancy schmancy knee socks. These are the things I will make... oh, and baby stuff, if it's fast and I think it will last. I want to try Socks that Rock this year, and I want to make one or two orders to handpaintedyarn.com or 100purewool.com.


• Stop kidding myself about gardening: I can't do it. I am bad at it. If Dan wants to try, fine. But no more planting tomato plants that I water all season to not get a single freakin' tomato (seriously! bad! at! gardening!).


• Redecorate the house on a budget: I need to paint, which my lovely landlord covers, but beyond that, I need to fix my house. I have been inspired, but I can't afford the sticker price on some of the things I love (mid-century furniture, bold graphic stuff, etc.). Watch the blog for some revealing photographs about my space as it transforms from crappy to ...less so. Fortunately, IKEA and Target hear me loud and clear... but I am conflicted about buying too much stuff from big-box stores. It reminds me too much of the narrator's apartment in Fight Club.
  
• and the big one: Start my photography business! This is going to take time. I am already booking some small weddings for the summer, so if you are looking for an affordable and friendly photographer who is super crafty and appreciates DIY weddings, I'm your girl. And I am willing to travel outside Michigan! I hope to have a nifty new blogsite up and running in the next week or so, and I'm heading to WPPI in Vegas in February (with big ups to my husband for watching the baby for, like, five days while I'm gone).

Whoosh

That's the sound of anyone's interest in my blog flying out the window.

Seriously, though, it's been busy. Between the baby, the two jobs (yes, I took another job at school... yeesh), school, the doped up (but still alive!) dog, and the other (normal) dog, things are really, really hectic. Oh, and did I mention that my husband is also working full-time while in school, and Christmas is 10 freaking days away?

So, um, busy.

I have done a little teeny tiny bit of knitting, though. All I have left is the bindoff on my Adamas shawl, and it looks gorgeous, if I do say so myself. I was going to give it away for Christmas, but with the amount of my oh-so-precious time that it took to make, I am keeping it for myself. I don't think there is anyone in the world who could really appreciate how much went into it but me, anyway. All the stolen moments, the pleasure of a couple stitches here and there, slowly crafting something just for me.

Right now, Christmas is a horizon of laziness and presents and giggling babies and eggnog and too many cookies that doesn't feel like it's getting any closer, despite the pressure of the dates on the calendar. All I have to do to get to Christmas is finish the paper I am currently writing and slide it across the conference table tomorrow night. And I mean slide- this desk is some kind of paper skating rink- anything you push in front of you glides gracefully and effortlessly across the desk. It has its own special physics. We spend a lot of time sliding rather than passing papers as a result. But that's not until six o'clock tomorrow and the paper's not done, and I'm getting more and more frazzled! Focus!

So, yeah, I'm probably going to be incommunicado again for a little bit, but it will get better. I'm only taking one class next semester, and I think that I'm going to start blogging from work, provided I can remember to post pictures to flickr when I am home.

This is from Halloween- peanut didn't really like the loud music

I swear I'm still alive

I just have been so BUSY! V is now FOUR months old, which blows my mind. She's babbling now, and army crawling around in her crib. She's long and svelte- certainly not the gigantic, fat baby I was expecting. She's so alert and inquisitive- every day is an adventure.

I have shot my first weddings as a (semi) pro, and I LOVE it. I am looking forward to Friday- my cousin is getting married, so I have a particular investment in photographing that wedding. :) If you're looking to hire a wedding photographer in the Midwest, I am willing to travel and I work for cheap (we're talking less than $500 for all day coverage!).

I just got hired at school to work as a student assistant for one of my professors from last year. I am nervous to be out of the house more, but I think it will do wonders for my time management and sanity to be away from V a little more.

And surprise of surprises, I've still been knitting despite the whirlwind of activity (class is good for something!). I am getting near the end of the Adamas shawl I started in the spring. I have memorized the lace repeat (doesn't usually happen), and it's really coming along swiftly, considering the amount of time I work on it. I am hoping to be done by Thanksgiving, but we'll see. I only get to work on it at school because V demands to be held when I am at home.

Gratitude.

Thank you, Alex, for such a beautiful gift. As you can see, Viv's a little peanut, so she'll be getting plenty of use out of your hat before the winter's over (which will be next May- this is the Mitten State, after all!).

This was the best picture I could get- it's still pretty warm here, so she didn't abide the hat for long. :P Fortunately, she's finally figured out how to soothe herself. I'm convinced that thumbs truly are nature's greatest invention.

I am grateful for the kindness you've shown me and my little girl, and I hope it revisits you a thousand times over.

FO: Bibstravaganza

Well, I did it. The knitting was done a while ago, but it took time to sew on the velcro (without a thimble- ugh.).

Bibstravaganza (lime green bib not pictured)
US size 5 needles
Sugar and Cream yarn, lots and lots (less than a skein per bib)

I based these on the Bibs O' Love from Mason Dixon Knitting. I didn't have the book, so I improvised. I got about 4 st to the inch, so I cast on 36 stitches and knit till there were 30 garter ridges. I bound off till there were only 9 stitches left (25%) and knit till the strap had 36 ridges, or until I could fold it diagonally across the bib itself. Sew on a little velcro and tada!

I didn't want to do buttons because the dogs are button fiends, and I fear I can never sew a button on tight enough to prevent them from eating it. For sweaters, this is not an issue, but bibs get tossed around and torn off and dropped on the floor enough that I was a little concerned.

I love the stupid kitchen cotton, although it's a little splitty (even for me). I really like the hand of the finished fabric, and the garter ridges are great for wiping spit/gunk/baby-ness off of Vivienne's face. I might embroider on these, or maybe make little felt appliqué patches. The orange one is just crying out for a little black bat or a Jack 'o' lantern. I highly recommend this project to anyone who needs baby accessories and who could use a little garter stitch therapy.

FO and pattern: Goldie Dress

a dress or tunic for sweet babies aged 3-6 months (give or take)

Yarn

Joann Sensations Kashmira, one skein (284 yards)- sample is dyed with Kool-Aid and food coloring. You may need another skein, depending on length- the dress shown is knee length on a 1 month old baby

Needles

size 4 US circular and/or double point needles, or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge

6 stitches and 8 rows = 1 inch

Abbreviations/Skills Necessary

k- knit

p- purl

k2tog- knit two together

kfb- knit front and back of stitch

CO- cast on

BO- bind off

pm- place marker

slm- slip marker

garter st- k every row (k 1 row, p 1 row in the round)

Finished Measurements

9.5” across at underarm

7.25” from underarm to hem

(measurements are approximate, but remember- it will fit the baby at some point!)

Dress

Starting for collar, CO 54 st. Starting with a RS row, work in garter st for 1”, ending in RS row.

Row 1: K4, P6 (front), pm, P9 (sleeve), pm, P16 (back), pm, P9 (sleeve), pm, P6 (front), K4.

Row 2: *K to 1 st before marker, kfb, slm, kfb* and repeat from * to * till end of row.

Row 3: K4, P till 4 st before end, K4.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 till back has 44 st or desired width.

At the same time and after about 8 repeats of row 2 and 3, increase for the puffed sleeves (you can leave this part out if you don’t want puffy sleeves)

RS row: slm for sleeve, kfb, *k4, kfb*, repeat from * to * till last stitch before marker (don’t worry if it’s not totally even, just k remaining stitches), kfb, slm. Repeat this for both sleeve sections.

WS row: follow row 3 above

Repeat this till desired puffiness is achieved (I did three inc rows), or till back has 44 st.

Join fronts and back: on a RS row, K across front to first marker, remove marker, CO 4 st, pm, CO 4 st, slip sleeve st onto a piece of scrap yarn, remove marker, K back st, , remove marker, CO 4 st, pm, CO 4 st, slip sleeve st onto a piece of scrap yarn, remove marker, K to end. The markers are the sides of the dress and are where you will increase to create the A-line skirt.

Join to work in the round (don’t twist your knitting!) and continue in stockinette st. You will keep the four stitches on either side of the join in garter st (p a round, k a round) for 10 rounds or so, and k all the rest of the st. After that, k those 8 st every round (like the rest of the st).

At the same time, increase for the skirt. Every seventh round, increase as follows: k to one st before marker, kfb, slm, kfb. Repeat at the other marker. Repeat this one round every seventh round (or more if you want a more flared skirt, less if you want less flare). Knit till you want to stop- the dress shown extends past the baby’s bottom, but not quite to her knees.

For the border, k in garter st for 1” or so, and bind off in pattern. I would recommend starting and ending the border and bindoff at one of the markers, rather than in the front center of the dress.

For the sleeves, pick up 8-9 st where you CO at the armpit, and k the st around the arm. Join your work (don’t twist it) and k 3 rows in stockinette. To decrease the puffy sleeves:

Row 1: *k4, k2tog* and repeat from * to * around

Row 2: K

Repeat this till there are fewer than 40 st remaining (it will depend on how much you increased). Knit in garter st for ¾” and bind off loosely. I used EZ’s sewn bindoff for extra stretch- infants are wriggly!

Weave in your ends and have a fashion show.

Size Considerations and Variations

In order to make this dress larger, you have a couple of options:

CO more stitches, 1-2 more per section, increase the armhole depth (do more increases), and lengthen the skirt.

or

Knit out of thicker yarn at a larger gauge.

If you wanted, you could leave off the puffed sleeve increases and side increases. You could then knit it to a shorter length for a cute knitted t-shirt. To make the skirt flare out more, increase more frequently.

version 1.0- July 18, 2008

© 2008 Veronica Machak

Please don’t sell this pattern or things you make from this pattern.

Think good thoughts.

Viking had another seizure this morning. We're weighing our options- to medicate or not. We want her to have the highest possible quality of life, so it's hard to choose. On one hand, the seizures are, well, seizures, but on the other hand, the medication could have a (permanent) sedative effect and could also tax her liver. She seemed to have a pretty good day, though- about an hour was spent being nervous and aggressive, but then she mellowed out and was back to her old self.

But the fun didn't stop there. Oh no. I went to the dentist today. And then I worked a full day with a screaming infant on my lap. Ergh, it was not the best day, all around.

But I did finish Viv's dress, and I'm almost done drafting a pattern. Hooray.

And there's a new Venture Bros. to watch. And last night we laughed our way through Wizard People, Dear Reader (seriously- you NEED to watch this thing, even if you don't care about Harry Potter, which I certainly don't). Well, I made it half way, and then fell asleep in a pile of blankets with my darling Viking (Vandal was nearby). And I redesigned the blog and changed around the comment system so I can finally reply to folks. So there's that.

And then there's these photos, which make the stress melt away. I am so glad that when I get to the end of my life, I'll be able to look back and remember how beautiful and tiny and precious and soft my daughter was at the beginning of hers.

It's been emotional.

Terror...and elation

special needs = especially needy?

So, Viking had a seizure. It was the scariest moment of my life, rivaled only by Dan's first panic attack (the 'heart attack'). We heard her scrambling in her crate, and when she wouldn't respond to our voices, we thought something was in there, biting her. Dan opened the crate, and she wouldn't come out. We panicked, he tore the top off the crate, and there she was- wild-eyed, twitching, and drooling so much she was foaming at the mouth. After an eternity, she snapped out of it, but she was so disoriented and scared (probably from Mom and Dad screaming and crying...shoot) that she limped around the room as fast as her front legs could take her, peeing on the rugs and barking at Dan.

A trip to the doggie ER and $200 worth of tests concludes... she's epileptic. Huh.

Then, five days later, she stops eating and starts vomiting, which, for this dog, is utterly out of character. We get more panicked- was she poisoned? Is it an obstruction? Are the problems related? Another trip to the vet, another $200 (x-rays, more bloodwork, stool exam...so, so broke) and... nothing. It's not an intestinal blockage, as far was we know, it's not an endocrine disease (she had other symptoms that could have just been incidental?)...it's maybe something she ate, but she was vomiting so much, there wasn't anything in her tummy to examine, poor girl. She got some medication for nausea, and three days later, she's on the mend. I spend a lot of time these days thinking about poop, and I'm pleased to report my dog's is getting back to normal. Yipes. I am grateful for our (new, less-expensive-than-the-old-one) vet, though- he called three days in a row to check that she was improving. He seemed to really care, and even more importantly, he seemed to take into consideration that even though we're broke college kids with a newborn, we love our dogs like family and want to keep them healthy. He was methodical in his approach and was willing to go one test at a time to rule out problems. He's a keeper.

Accomplishment

everything is more interesting with babies!

I have actually been doing quite a bit of knitting! I've got nine bibs done (ends woven in and everything!). They just need velcro and embellishment before I can start strapping them to Viv. But because I procrastinate when it comes to finishing, I cast on for another project. I have a single ball of yarn I dyed with Kool-aid, and I looked and looked for the perfect pattern to use it. When I came up with nothing, I thought what the hell and decided to write my own. I will have details in the next day or so- I am almost done! If you need a pattern for a cute baby dress, watch this space.

Ennui

I am back to work (as we speak!). It's not easy getting back to the grind, but the vet bills blindsided us, and we're already taking a hit from the time off for the baby. I just got an email; apparently I've been at this job for two years now. Huh. I am not one for hanging on to jobs (I have no career yet, so they're all just jobs), and I normally would have gotten the wanderlust by now. Maybe it's because I'm not waiting tables? Not dealing with the public does wonders for my job satisfaction, apparently.

Catharsis

Songs I listen to if I want to have a good, healthy cry:

• Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running
• Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day
• Ben Folds - The Luckiest
• Suzanne Vega - World Before Columbus
• Bjork - Joga
• Aimee Mann - Wise Up
• Belle and Sebastian - The State I Am In
• Catatonia - Valerian
• David Bowie - Conversation Piece
• Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place
  

I'm kind of shocked that I have been feeling so good. I was a prime candidate for post-partum depression, and I'm still waiting for the shoe to drop. So far, though, I have been feeling great, despite some frustration and adjustment. I still feel like I have a lot of emotions to process, though, and so some cathartic tears have been in order. It's kind of hard to explain to friends and family why I would listen to things that make me cry, especially songs that make me cry so. damn. hard. But they're good tears, they're cleansing tears, they're tears of joy.

Anticipation

Viv's 0th birthday is in a week (we decided to have a meet-and-greet party rather than entertain the 40+ family members on my dad's side individually). We're going to Gencon this August (nerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrd!). And there are two people in this house who are really looking forward to the end of pelvic rest (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more).

Also: Batman. And Hellboy. And X-Files.

FO (just about!): Nursery

Well, here it is. I'm a little disappointed in the photos. It's been so stormy and gray in Michigan this last week, but I wanted to get something posted before what I assume will be radio blackout starting on Friday. :P My parents want to know what I want for my birthday (last week!), and I think a better wide-angle camera lens just shot to the top of the list.

Dan painted the walls, and I did the sewing and crocheting. The crib is vintage (it was mine, when I was a baby), and the art on the walls I put together from things from the Martha Stewart aisle at Michaels. We were aiming for a gender-neutral theme based loosely on Katamari Damacy, one of our favorite video games. We had a limited budget- I'd estimate that I spent about $60 on fabric, $15 on craft supplies, and $60 on furniture (the rocker and the changing table)- the rest we already had and repurposed or were given.

The crib bumpers and the quilt are in the bed (now with a mattress!), ready to take over for mommy as the baby house (although it's going to be a long, long summer before anyone in this house needs a quilt!).

The house next door has really reflective siding on it, so even though it's a northern exposure, there is a lot of light thrown on the crib. I made these curtains from scraps from the bumper project and some broadcloth to match the green wall. Now it's really dark in there with the curtains closed! I'm a little shocked that they match as well as they do- I was winging it, and I have been fighting the sewing machine all week (more on that later, though).

This is what happens when your budget is exhausted (and small to begin with). These are alphabet cards scored on clearance at Michaels (that Martha Stewart craft aisle is killer), strung on black satin ribbon.

My sister and I made these. Dan wanted a Katamari-themed room, and this is where it came out in a more literal sense. They're printed on glossy paper, mounted with puffy tape (you know, the 3D stuff) on scrapbook paper in those Martha Stewart shadowboxes (on clearance for $3!). These were a lot of fun to make, although cutting out the little Katamari cousins was not easy. They're only an inch tall, at most, and my scissor skills can be rivaled by any dexterous third grader.

Bibstravaganza continues apace, although I did stop to finish stuff for the baby's room and then got sidetracked by sewing diapers. I was all set to just do prefolds and rubber pants or butt sweaters, but then the nesting instinct blindsided me. I was transported to the flannel aisle at Joann Fabrics, where I proceeded to throw caution to the wind. Once I have more done, I will show them off. They really are cute... I hope they fit.

I have to go clean the house. Apparently my in-laws are coming down tomorrow, not Friday. Which means, of course, that the night before the birth, the night before major surgery, the last night Dan and I have as a couple (ahem) will be spent entertaining houseguests. Sigh. I leave you with one of the last pictures of the baby on the inside. The bump really only is visible from the side in a lot of my clothes, even now. I'm kind of shocked. I think it means I'll be back into my old clothes relatively quickly, but it probably also means I'm going to look like the old me with a rapidly-deflated beach ball taped to my front. :)

Bibstravaganza

I can't believe that in less than a week, I will no longer be pregnant. That seems like a feat in itself, but on top of that, Dan and I will be fumbling with a newborn baby! I have been dragging my feet in packing for the hospital, but Friday is looming ever closer and I don't want to be caught at the hospital without my favorite nightgown (that's part of the problem- I don't want to pack something I want to wear all the time!).

Scheduling the c-section was hard. Really hard. It is so strange to have the mystery and excitement (and everything else) taken out of the experience. I cried a little after I got off the phone with the OB's office. I cried even more when I rewrote our birth plan. It was so hard to replace things like "We wish to have our parents present for labor, and for delivery if we desire" with "I would prefer my arms aren't restrained, and that oxygen not be delivered through a mask, if possible." I wish it weren't the case, but I am terrified of this surgery, and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it. At least Dan is being a real friend and advocate, and our midwife spent about an hour in the office with me, going over the entire procedure and giving me a lot of reassurance. I'm better than I was a week ago, but I don't know that I'll be ready, even when it's happening.

So, I engaged in a little retail therapy. Sugar 'n' Cream yarn was on sale for a dollar a ball at Michael's, so I bought $10 worth (hey, it was my birthday, after all). And I cast on for a bib- a simple, garter stitch bib loosely based on the one from Mason-Dixon Knitting (but I don't like buttons on baby clothes, and my gauge is never going to be their gauge). And when that one was finished, I cast on for another.

And another- I'm on to the orange ball. I can't wait till I have nothing but bits and bobs, and I am making little Frankenbibs and embellishing the solid-colored ones. I'll probably go back and get more yarn, too- I actually like the feel of the cotton, and it doesn't wear my hands out, at least not on size 6 needles (knitting the soakers on 1s was killing me! sometimes I don't like being such a loose knitter). And seriously- that's a lot of meditative garter stitch for the low, low price of ten bucks.

My birthday, by the way, was nice. I was feeling pretty damn depressed, so our plans changed in the middle of the afternoon from a movie to a walk around the Henry Ford Museum (one of my favorite places to loiter). We had fondue for dinner, and although I got oil on my silk blouse (just a little) and the cake I made wasn't so great, the day ended up much better than it started. I even had the pleasure of falling asleep during a massage and reading a little from a Terry Pratchett novel. It was a welcome respite from all the baby fretting.

FOs: Baby Butt Sweaters

Pattern: Curly Purly Soakers (size small)
Needles: US 1,2,3,5
Yarn: Lion Fishermen's Wool, dyed with Kool-Aid

These were pretty fun to make- I enjoyed the dyeing process, although it's kind of obvious that my sister and I were working on the same skeins, but from different ends and with different objectives. She also thought that we shouldn't waste the Kool-Aid, and made sure that every drop of the howevermany colors we mixed ended up on the yarn somewhere*. Sigh.

The pattern is really straightforward, although I need to use tiny needles to get gauge, or something like it. I don't enjoy weaving in ends or picking up stitches, so these took a little longer than an evening apiece. They're really adorable, and I hope they keep the pee in!

*And she's the one with the art degree. :P

FO (times two): Baby Booties

Pattern: Becky's Baby Booties
Yarn: an endless supply of Microspun
Needles: US 4
first pair: January-April 19, 2008
second pair (stripes): April 10 (the knitting)-20 (the sewing)

So, they're baby booties. There isn't much to say, except I made the first one in January, and then sat on the project FOREVER. They're the larger of the two sizes, and really quick to knit flat. The tedium comes when you have to weave in a brazillian little ends and seam up the bottoms and sides (yeesh). At least I perfected my mattress stitch abilities- I can now seam stockinette, garter stitch, and I can graft two cast on/bound off edges to one another. Yeah!

This project finally spelled the end of the Microspun from Holly. I actually quite like the finished fabric, and would consider using it again- just not in these colors. They're a little early-nineties-friendship-bracelet for me.

I'm here for the yarn program, 2008

For whatever reason, that's what the librarians at the Ann Arbor Public Library call Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's presentations/book lectures/motivational speeches? I suppose there isn't a better name. "Yarn Program" is good enough, I guess.

Anyway, I kept to myself, as usual- Holly and I spent some time catching up before the talk and after, which was great. I really, really don't like being so busy that I can't see my friends. There were a lot of pregnant women in the overflow room, and we all seemed to sit on one side. Weird. I actually kind of prefer it up there. I feel a lot of pressure when I'm an audience member, and for this kind of thing, I just want to sit and knit and laugh, you know? I don't want to stop counting in the middle of a row of lace to clap, as silly as that sounds. I'll surely lose count (for example, I reknit the same row three times while listening). Perhaps I should try tapping my needles together- they're aluminum, so they'll make some kind of sound.

We didn't stay for the book signing, because we were both too broke to get a book at the moment. I find myself more inspired by the Yarn Harlot's blog, anyway. There's something less rehearsed about it (obviously), and I think that's when she's at her absolute finest. Not that I would ever want there to be fewer knitting humor books out there, just that sometimes it's the things that she can't/won't say in a book that resonate most with me.

I managed to get two repeats done on the shawl while I was sitting there, which was nice. I am almost to the point where I won't need the chart for constant reassurance. I sense that this lace knitting attempt is going to go a lot quicker than previous ones. The larger needles are a start (lace is supposed to be full of holes, right?), and the purl-only wrongside rows are also helping.

A lot.

Ugh, it's dreary and I have to finish the taxes. Every time I sit down to do them, I realize I'm missing a crucial piece of information. Perhaps this time they'll get filed. At least we're getting a refund.

Tiny stitch obsession

the first repeat of the Adamas Shawl



a new obsession- cheaper than knitting

FO: Offset Baby Sweater

Pattern: Offset Wraplan
Yarn: Red Heart Sport, Baby Blue and Yellow, 1 skein apiece
Needles: US size 3
Size: 9-12 month?
March 20- April 6, 2008

The finished product is really cute, but the yarn is kind of scratchy (vintage Red Heart) and the collar instructions were just... wrong. I made that part up myself, but followed the rest of the pattern pretty closely. The buttons are from Joann's- they were having a 50% off sale, and I don't have a button stash, like most crafty people.

The fabric underneath is some yellow quilter's cotton and Alexander Henry's little dots print. They're for the nursery. Dan and I decided on a loosely-applied Katamari theme. The curtains and the cabinet pulls will be the only thing that get full Katamari treatment (and perhaps some toys). I intend to embroider a border of Katamari balls and cousins on the valance and cafe curtain.

Viking-dini

My dog somehow managed to slip her collar and make it disappear- I've been all over the back yard (it is finally SUNNY out!), and I just can't seem to find it. She is just dumb enough to eat the thing, but I can't even find the tags. She wouldn't eat those, too... would she?

The baby sweater I'm knitting is almost finished- I've got one more sleeve to go, and I think there's just enough yarn to do it. I really want to move on to the next project because stripes in the round are a recipe for tangles and ladders. Ugh.

FO: Monkey Socks

Pattern: Monkey Socks, by Cookie A.
Yarn: two skeins of Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, fall herbs
Needles: US size 1 DPNs
September 2007- March 20, 2008

I put these away for a little while when the nausea was really bad in the first trimester and I couldn't concentrate on anything, let alone tiny knitting. The lace chart was actually pretty easy to memorize, and this was the project that finally, finally cemented Kitchener in my mind (hooray!). I can see why this is one of the most popular patterns on the net- Cookie is a brilliant designer, and the instructions couldn't be easier to follow. I really want to try more of her patterns.

The yarn is a little splitty, but I don't generally split yarn so it wasn't a problem for me. The colors really are this vibrant, and the finished fabric is fantastic- smooth, soft, and cool. They ended up being a little short for me, so I gave them to my mom as an early Mother's Day gift (she wears socks year round, but usually only thin cotton anklets in the summer heat). I will most likely need three skeins for socks of my own, either with or without contrasting heels and toes. I can't wait to buy more of this once the yarn famine is over.

FO: Ribbed Lace Bolero

Pattern: Ribbed Lace Bolero
Yarn: GGH Samoa, a little over a skein, and Summer Tweed, a little over a skein
Needles: US size 6 and 8
February 22- March 7

I cast on 98 stitches as the author did, as I feel gauge/fiber choice might make this a little big (I’m more like 18-19” in the shoulders). I used Samoa for the ribbing and Summer Tweed for the lace because I saw them together in the stash and thought what the heck. It’s a little bigger in the shoulders than I would like, but it’s drapey, and I really like how the tweed and the cotton play off of each other. The Samoa makes a considerably less stable fabric than Cotton-ease, and I’m not sure I like it more. It was $3 a ball on clearance at my LYS, but I think if I make another one of these (and I might) I would use Cotton-ease. Still, a nice little stashbuster.

Taking pictures of yourself is difficult. Also: hello, pregnancy boobs!