Hello!

November is always a busy bee time for me. But inbetween the parent conferences and holiday prep I have found little bits of time to knit.

I went to Portland with my girlfriends and had so much fun. It was my first time away from the peanut and the timing was perfect. I went to Close Knit and bought the Peruvia for my Tilted Duster. Sally, the owner of the shop, is wonderful. I had such a good experience there. Another woman who worked there offered to wind up my yarn for me, without my asking. I told her one skein would be plenty for me to start swatching with but she insisted on winding at least two. I've never experienced that at a yarn shop before.



I finally got to meet Blue Garter Sarah that same day. Sarah is just as intelligent, graceful, witty, and fun as you think she is. She has such an interesting story to tell and I loved having some time to chat together at dinner.

My Peruvia swatch is lovely. I'm trying out the recommended size US10 needles and they feel like big Lincoln Logs in my hands compared to the very reasonably sized US4s I'm using for the Tangled Yoke. But the camera has a really hard time capturing the nuances of this color: Aquamarina 7143. It's a rich, deep teal color which, at first glance appears to be solid, yet a good bit of sunlight reveals the subtle blues and greens. In this photo, the color appears much brighter than it should, but you can see those color variations better.

I'm coming along with my Tangled Yoke Cardi, as well. The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in Graphite, reclaimed from the Not So Shrunken Cardi that never was. This yarn is lovely to knit with. I made The World's Biggest Swatch because I wanted to try it out on four different needle sizes and I enjoyed each of the different fabrics that resulted. At first, the garter rib was a pain because all the action happens on the wrong side where you can't see if you're lining up your knits and purls properly. But it didn't take long to fall into the rhythm of the pattern and start to admire the way the waist decreases disappeared into the faux side seam. I'm just now finishing up the ribbing at the hem and beginning the miles and miles of stockinette stitch for the body. Should be just the thing to knit during the new episodes of Project Runway!

Also, I've finished the Excellent Jacket but need to block it and figure out how to close it. Hopefully I'll be sharing that soon, too!

Here's a bit of a puzzle for you... you know my issues/lack of confidence with choosing the right size pattern for myself... my brother gave me this cute cardi for my birthday, which measures 36" at the bust. It's a great fit, there's no button band gaping. Most of my sweaters and cardis have negative ease. I am a 34 F, so I have a smallish torso in relation to my cup size, and a 39-40" bust measurement. Help! I'm waffling about the Tilted Duster. Since it's a bulkier yarn and an outer layer garment, I'm leaning toward the 40.5" size. Plus, the versions I've seen around Ravelry where the front points don't match up well or the size seems too small are very off-putting to me. However, I don't want to swim in the thing! Norah Gaughan recommended a little ease, maybe an inch or so, so again, the 40.5 seems right. Any advice?

Oh yes, I did mention my birthday. It was on 11/14... and I got myself the best birthday present of all: meet my lovely little MacBook! So helpful for working on National Board Certification wherever I happen to be. Nice to have my online and electronic knitting patterns, etc., right at my fingertips when I'm lounging in the living room. And thank you to the people in my neighborhood who, even though I do pay for DSL, have an unlocked wireless network that helps me zip about the 'nets as fast as you please. (Is that wrong?)

My MacBook is accessorized by the cuff of a mitten. Holiday pressies that I will reveal later.

Happy Thanksgiving! May you be surrounded by loved ones and blessings all weekend. I'm bringing the scrumptious Sweet Potato and Sausage Gratin with Thyme to my mom's house today. So yummy. Here's a snap before it's plopped in the oven.

Boo!

It's been busy 'round these parts lately, but we've managed to go to several Halloween parties, a pumpkin farm, etc., and cast on a Tangled Yoke Cardi, woot!

Friday morning I leave for my annual girlie trip to Portland, OR for a much needed break from the world. Send lemon drop money.

xoxo
K

Free Burma!

Square Root

Rusted Root by Zephyr Style,
modified size medium, which gave negative ease at the bust
Cotton Fleece, Caribbean Sea, 3 skeins
US4, US5, US6 needles

I'm calling mine a Square Root because of the modifications I made to the neckline.

I knew that the neckline, as written, would be unflattering to me because it came up so high on the chest. So I decided that the easiest way to modify the silhouette, without messing with the lace inset, would be to simply drop the neckline. I cast on for the back, sleeves, and one stitch each for the left and right fronts, and knit back and forth until the neckline seemed to be at a depth that would work. For me, that was about 4". Then I cast on the front stitches, joined and knit on in the round as written. I'm very pleased with the result and feel that I could have gone down even further now that the ribbing is added on.

Many people have had problems with their sleeves being too tight or not puffy enough. I worried that I might, too, but I knit the sleeves as written, including going down from US6 to a US4 needle for the ribbing, and ended up with perfectly puffy sleeves that weren't too tight at all at the cuff.

Another modification I made was to add lots of shaping. This top looks pretty funny laid out flat... very hourglass shaped! Right under the bust, I placed steep mirrored decreases here at the side and also in two places at the back where a woman's shirt would have darts. After knitting straight for a bit, a added increases at these two places again for hip shaping.

Another view of the resulting fitted silhouette. I knit the hemline ribbing with a size US5 needle because I didn't want the ribbing to pull in toooo much at the hip.

I'm so pleased with how my Square Root turned out. If I had to do it all over again, I would have made the back darts longer and more gradual and kept the side darts the same. Then I would have added just a bit more increasing at the hip. From the back, you can see that the upper back is a bit looser than the lower back, but I'm still quite happy with the overall effect. So happy, in fact, that I'm having a bit of trouble choosing my next big project! I want another winner...

All of the modifications I made were possible because I had Barbara Walker's Knitting From the Top beside me. I also referred to Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits. This was my first top down design and I'm eager for more. It was really motivating, as I was knitting, to know that there would be so little finishing after I cast off.

One last view of that neckline. How do you like my new glasses?

MIA

Wow, it's been a month since I posted! Whoops.

My Rusted Root is all done now, blocked and dry and everything, just in time for the weather to abruptly turn chilly this week. No kidding. Suddenly, Mother Nature turned down the thermostat. I think there will be an opportunity to wear it later this week, though, and maybe get some kiddos at school to do a photoshoot since 7 and 8 year olds have done a better job than my own dear hubbo lately! I love Rusted Root, and will share all the details of my modifications with you soon. Let's just say it's very hourglass shaped.

I was fortunate enough to meet Melissa and Jenna a couple of weeks ago; they're two of the nicest gals you'll ever have a chance to meet. They came over to knit and we watched Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. They assured me that Wren looks quite dandy and that I should give it a chance. They brought cake. I think I'm going to keep them. :)

And look at what was in my mailbox recently: A picture of Baby Julia modeling her February Baby Sweater! I think the sleeves ended up a bit short, but her mama actually liked the length; Julia is beginning to eat solid (messy) foods.



I'm finishing up the Baby A Cardi and Hat from Yarnplay. The Kraemer Tatamy Tweed is just right for this project and will look great on the little boy it's for. I'm feeling a little uncertain about what to start next. I have lots of ideas and projects on my Ravelry queue, but none of them are jumping out at me right now. I think it might have to do with the fact that I loved knitting Rusted Root so much -- the top-downness of it! the fit and color! -- that I want to pick something else that's going to be a sure winner. So I've spent a lot of time cruising Ravelry and my Bloglines hoping for some inspiration to hit. I have a feeling it's going to be the Tangled Yoke Cardi in Silky Wool.

Meanwhile, I'm keeping busy with my daughter's social calendar (chuckle), work, and National Boards. We went to the local Kids Day at the Firehouse, look how cute my little firefighter is!





I'm definitely getting psyched up for the annual girly road trip to Portland; it's coming up in about a month. I've never spent the night away from the peanut and I'm ready for it. Let me tell you, I adore this girl! But I'm also ready to get away and have a cocktail or five. I'm also planning on buying a new MacBook (tax-free! woot!) while I'm down there. But mostly, it's a tradition that I cherish, spending a whole weekend with my buddies. Can't wait!

Wren

Berroco Wren
Berroco Zodiac, colorway Luna
Size Medium, approximately 10 skeins
Addi Turbos size US8 and US6
squinty eyed, overexposed photo courtesy of overcast Seattle summer day

I knit this cardi as written except for the collar. Instead of knitting it separately and then seaming it on, I picked up (fewer stitches than called for) and knit, decreasing one stitch at the beginning and end of every row.

I chose to knit the medium (size 40) for my 38/39 self to allow for enough overlap of the fronts. I should have knit the size small (36); the pattern allows for more than enough overlap and the finished product is quite large. The fabric is very drapey and stretchy, and, in spite of waist shaping, the finished garment has a boxy fit on me. And yet, the sleeves are fitted just right, hmmm...

I can wear Wren open or closed in a variety of ways. I'm wearing it in this picture with one of the sides kind of doubled over under the other and held closed with an African porcupine quill I bought at Seattle Yarn Gallery. I'll need to play around with it to get a fit that's snug enough yet not bulky looking.

Sometimes The Pattern is Written That Way For A Reason

The ridiculousness that is my unfinished Wren, oh my. I thought Lolly had such a good idea when she picked up and knit her collar instead of knitting it separately and seaming it on later. I've reknit this collar a good three times now, trying to replicate the shaping of the original... Long story short, I'm still not really sure that I love it. I'm not so sure I love Wren at all. Anyway, I'm going to finish the collar tonight and weave in those ends and get 'er done. Hilarious how much time and energy has been spent on one of the simplest designs I've ever seen.

On a happier note, the peanut and I went to Eugene, Oregon to visit my dear friend Andria and her little girls. The girls have been featured here before, when I knit Anya's Snuggly Lace Hat and Julia's February Baby Sweater, and a couple of other times when they were just plain cute. Anywho, my girl and I had a lot of fun!

Watching the big girl catch bubbles,



Showing the baby girl how to catch bubbles,



Cracking oneself up by sitting on a trampoline for the first time and falling backwards. Over and over again.

I was hoping to do some yarn shopping while in Oregon, tax-free retail, you know, but No One I contacted in Portland or Eugene or even one or two inbetween carried the Berroco Peruvia I'm looking for to make a Tilted Duster. Dangit. I'll get it from WEBS when I'm ready; I just wanted to see it up close and personal and get it tax-free. I did stop over at Knit/Purl on the way home for a good old stretch of the legs. Although the shop is lovely and the folks there are fabulous, I was too busy Peanut wrangling to stop and smell the alpaca much. I'll be happy to go back there again someday. They were wonderful about directing me to the Three Lions Bakery for lunch; delicious huge sandwich and fruit cup too big for the Peanut and I to eat together in one sitting. I'll be going back there again, too.

What I'm Thinking About

- Just got a copy of Knitting Nature from the library and am enjoying this book so much. Even the designs that I wouldn't knit for myself are interesting. I love Norah Gaughan's expositions for each project. Thinking about modifying the Turbulance U-Neck to be more fitted, maybe less wide-necked. And re-fitting the Ogee Tunic, too. (Where can I get that necklace?) I love the details on both pieces; the shapes are wrong for me. Remembering that Yai-Ann has already knit several pieces from this book, and they happen to be amazing.

- Getting close to a finished Wren. The whole cardi is seamed up, just about halfway done with the collar (I picked up and knit, like Lolly, rather than knit the collar separately). Wondering how I'm going to secure the ends of this thing. I've never used such a slippery yarn before. I'm usually a big fan of the spit splice with the wooly fibers, but this yarn does NOT fit in that category. Hm. Thinking about getting some sewing thread and stitching the ends down, or ????

- Really wanting to go back to my Rusted Root, especially after seeing Tiennie's (you know this fits her perfectly) and Parikha's (Oh my. Parikha should be a model, no?). Wren is borrowing my US6 needle at the moment, so as soon as I finish that collar, it's back to the RR.

- Needing to finish childproofing the house. Peanut is definitely mobile now and is very curious. Becoming strong willed. Wonder where she gets that?

- Wondering how to end the nursing for good. We're down to twice a day; morning and night. Only now, she thinks it's absolutely hilarious to *pinch* me and laugh. Ouch. Not fun anymore. Any tips from the mamas out there?

Wanna Know Where My Stitches At?

Who needs their Ravelry project page when they can have their end of the couch? Yes, my end of the couch is next to the wall where I keep allll the ongoing projects. Even though I check in to Ravelry quite regularly, I still have my own "system". I'm laughing. Click for notes:



Remember that plan I had to finish an old, languishing project after each new project I finished? Yeah. That wouldn't be true to my creative process, or something. As soon as I get to the finishing part of a project, I lose interest. Which is really surprising since I grew up sewing, so it's not like I'm uncomfortable with seaming or anything. So I cast on a couple of new projects since my last post about knitting.

Baby A Cardi from Yarnplay is being knit up with Kraemer Tatamy Tweed, a yarn that has been recommended a couple of times by Diana. It's a machine washable cotton/acrylic blend that feels lovely, soft and drapey on the needles, and comes in cheap 100g skeins. The construction is similar to other projects in Yarnplay; the bottom band is knit horizontally, stitches are picked up on the "side" and then the top is knit vertically. It's a gift for a coworker whose little boy is due later this month.

One of my girlfriends needed to borrow the needle I was using for the baby set, oh darn, I got to cast on Rusted Root in the meantime! I decided to drop the front neckline by about 4" and knit the size medium. I'm planning lots of other mods, so I figure I can try 'er on as I go. This is actually my first top down project and I'm really enjoying it. I keep thinking about the "no finishing" aspect and I'm psyched. (I did actually start a Not So Shrunken Cardi a couple of years ago but had a rough start with the size -- way too big -- and never did pick it back up again.)




Also? Guess who turned one a couple of weeks ago?

I Like To Watch Listen, Part 3

Thanks for all of your comments about podcasts. Here are a few more notes and reviews for those who are interested...

Knitcast

I'm quite sure the first podcast I ever listened to was Knitcast with Marie Irshad. I loved her accent, her obvious confidence with a microphone (she has radio journalism experience galore), and the interesting guests she brought to the show. Since it was my first podcast, I didn't fret much over sound quality issues, etc., and just enjoyed the free entertainment. I listened to every one of her podcasts -- she began in February 2005; I must've found her not long after that -- and was loathe to delete them from my iTunes. Marie hasn't published a new podcast for some time, now, but about a month ago she posted a brief blurb promising to come back soon.

Cast On

At some point I found Cast On with Brenda Dayne. I was in love. The tone of her voice, the content, and the technical quality of her podcast, made this the show for me. I have listened to all 50 broadcasts... looks like there is a 51st now. Episode 50, Scouting for Grownups, is the beginning of a new series and made me laugh out loud as I was power-walking through my neighborhood, alone. (Look, mom, that crazy lady is walking by our house again. Why is she laughing and crying?) The story called Lanyard just touched every sort of nerve/emotion I have about being a daughter and being a mother. I loved the part about how making a simple, crappy lanyard at summer camp could possibly be enough of a gift for the woman who gave birth to you, fed you, took care of you when you were sick... and how I can't wait to get simple, crappy lanyards from my own little girl someday. Anyway, once in a while Brenda's metapodcasting gets a little moldy for me, but I keep listening because I adore the Today's Sweater segment, the contributers' stories, the humor that's fun but not over the top, and all the other little features. It's usually right around an hour long, just right for an evening walk around my neighborhood.

It's a Purl, Man

I did download an episode of It's a Purl, Man (my brain always reads: Itzhak Perlman) a while back and kind of forgot to listen to it. So thanks for reminding me! I listened to the State of the Knit Blog episode, which featured Subway Knitter Colleen. Guido has a lovely, calm voice and seems like he would be the nicest, easiest to talk to person. I love that he's a man who knits and blogs and podcasts. Having Colleen there was a bonus for me; I've been a Subway Knitter reader for ages. In this episode they mention some of their must-read blogs as well as have a conversation about the blogger persona vs. the real person, and how we maintain a certain degree of privacy in our lives as bloggers. I will be listening to more episodes of this podcast!

So, for the record, my current podcast subscriptions are:
Stash and Burn
Cast On
Knitcast (if/when a new episode emerges!)
It's a Purl, Man

You've mentioned some others that I might try this summer, such as Sticks & String, Pointy Sticks, Pixie Purls, and Knitpicks Reading Room.

Happy Father's Day

Dear Daddy,

Happy Father's Day! You are so funny. I like the way you make me laugh and help me walk all over the house. Any day now I will be able to do it all by myself. But I will still want to hold hands and play with you!

Love,
Peanut

P.S. I hope you like the present I got you...


The White Stripes
Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA
Wed, Sep 26, 2007 08:00 PM

I Like To Watch Listen, Part 2

Are you a regular Lime and Violet listener? I've heard about them many times but just last week went to download an episode. I listened to Episode 36: Bellybutton Funk-O-Rama.

Was this a normal podcast for them? I mean, is it representative of their usual style, or were they being especially wacky that week? Just askin'. Parts of it were pretty funny, but I kind of felt like the new girl at summer camp, where everyone else already knew each other and they had a million hilarious, weird inside jokes that went right over my head. And I'm a wacky gal.

So tell me if you're a Lime and Violet regular, and if I should give them another try.

I Like To Watch Listen

Have you been listening to Stash and Burn? I love it. I don't have a huge stash by any means, and I think it's a little kooky to have a regularly recurring podcast that's all about how you have way too much yarn but you keep getting more. (hee hee, I mean, if we would ALL stop fiddling around on the internets and reorganizing our stashes, etc., think of all the knitting we would get done! sigh...) But I love listening to Nicole and Jenny talk about their yarns, patterns, projects, techniques, etc. And the last couple of podcasts have them going on assignment to various yarn stores and events. Mostly, I like their style; I feel like I'm listening to a couple of my best buds. Plus, they both say, "yaaaaayyyyy!" a lot. :)

The last podcast, Episode 17: Sticks Are For Kids, though, I felt was written just for me. Here are a couple of reasons why:

Teaching the Youngsters
They chat about Jenny's experience teaching some schoolkids how to knit... I have considered this many times (I teach elementary school) but haven't figured out how it would make sense with my whole class. This spring I did a little weaving activity with cheap-o tangly acrylic yarn and drinking straws, which was interesting and difficult (yarn) at the same time. But now I have some new ideas... perhaps next year I'll try to teach finger knitting first. The kids are always interested in knitting when they either see me doing it or see me wearing something I've knit.

Our First Knitting Books
I, too, found the Stich N Bitch books invaluable when I was first learning to knit. The illustrations and language made every step so easy to follow. I used the first SNB book as my go-to reference for quite a while until I found Nancie Wiseman. Now she is my Constant Companion. Some day, I want to get a copy of Montse Stanley's book, too.

Jenny and Nicole wonder about Vogue Knitting patterns and how they keep hearing about terrible errata in each pattern. I did knit my absolute favorite (so far!) sweater, Shawl Collared Pullover, from a VK magazine. That pattern was really very well written and didn't have any errors that I could see.



So, if you haven't tried Stash and Burn, give it a listen. It's usually only about half an hour long and well edited, so easy on the ears.

Sweet plans

I got my WEBS sale order! I got my WEBS sale order! Woot!

At the last moment, I decided to order 12 balls of Queensland Collection Uruguay DK (70% merino, 20% alpaca, 10% silk, 100% soft and yummy). Here's what the color looks like on the WEBS site:



Here's my stab at the color (must. take. photoshop lessons.):



In real life it's a bit inbetween... very pretty and plummy. I'm going to use it to make Sweetheart from Domiknitrix. Love that shape, fit, neckline. The bow? Not so much. Mine will be a solid Sweetheart.



My little button approves, no matter what color it is!

Welcome June!

Goodkarma family is happy to get out and enjoy the good weather!

I'm coming around the bend on two projects, and you know what that means... time to start something new before I actually (ever? haha) finish them! I've got my copy of Rusted Root here, and I've got my lovely blue Cotton Fleece. I'm looking forward to starting this top soon but want to think it through before diving in.



1. Which size to knit? Size M is 36-39 and size L is 40-43. Too much variance in the sizes to make me feel comfortable. I usually choose a 39 or 40, so you can see my dilemma. If you've knit RR, especially in Cotton Fleece, can you tell me the actual finished bust measurement of your sweater and which size you knit?

2. I think the neckline is a bit too high for me, so I want to modify it a bit. At the same time, I don't want to fiddle too much with the overall design. I'm spending some time with Barbara Walker as I think this through a little.

3. Must. add. waist shaping. For shizzle. At least that will be the easiest part of it all!

Tag! I'm it!

This week, I was tagged by Carry, Amanda, and Erin.

Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

Here are my facts:

1. The year I lived completely alone for the first time in my life was really very happy. I am a person who treasures solitude. Too bad I won't have any for at least another 18 years. ha!

2. I am healthier now as an omnivore than I ever was as a (fish eating) vegetarian. I didn't do the veg thing very well... you can eat a lot of cheesy pizza and fish and chips if you don't watch out! Now I do eat meat now and then but I've never been a big fan of the stuff.

3. I started Kindergarten when I was four. One day my mom heard me reading her Avon catalog and realized that I wasn't just mimicking the stories I'd memorized. I've been a bookworm ever since.

4. I used to hate hate hate being hot. Traveling in India cured me of that. It also cured me of being squeamish when using questionable public bathrooms.

5. I can't fall asleep if my feet are cold.

6. I hate eggs. Can't stand 'em. I think it's the texture, 'cause I'm not much of a mushroom fan, either. Anything that's kind of slimy is icky in my book. I also don't like to drink milk. I do love sushi and most sashimi... except eel. Weird, huh? Other than that, I love most foods and cuisines.

7. I'm very picky about my laundry and how it's done. I worry that my husband will shrink things in the dryer. I like to fold laundry and stack it neatly. But then, after it's stacked, I'm really bad at putting it away. I have little stacks of clean clothes on my dresser and on the floor in front of the dresser. So I'm being more intentional about putting the Peanut's clothes away and keeping her room tidy... I want to help her learn to be tidier and more organized than I am.

So many people have posted this meme this week! I don't know who to tag. If you have read this far and would like to play along, you're it! Let me know if you post this meme so I can read yours, too.

Woah, I'm a Mom!

For the first time, I didn't plan Mother's Day for everyone else. And by that, I mean for my husband and my brother. They're the kind of guys who mean well but wait until the last possible moment to even think about cards or gifts or plans.

This year I just sat back and let them figure it all out.

After my brother (I almost typed "bother", how 2nd grade) treated mom, Peanut and I to a lovely brunch, I took the little one to one of my favorite yarn shops for their Mother's Day sale. I treated myself to four skeins of Cotton Fleece in Caribbean Sea, as I've been considering a Rusted Root for myself, with a few tweaks now that I've done my homework and re-read my Barbara Walker (Knitting From The Top).




I don't know from Caribbean Sea, but I do know my Adriatic Sea...



...photo of Croatian Isle of Vis, Village Komiža, on a trip with my mom... we went together to find our roots a few years ago. Talk about coming full circle on Mother's Day!

Think I'm In Love But It Makes Me Kinda Nervous To Say So*

Excellent Jacket is finishing up slowly but surely...

I think I'm really going to like this jacket in spite of its bulk. It's nicely fitted without being too snug, bulky without being too chubbo. At least, that's my impression so far...

The I-cord cast-on I decided on turned out a little wonky. See the first set of knit stitches above the I-cord? (They're actually part of the cast on.) They're much taller than normal knit stitches. At first I thought I could live with it or that it kind of worked as a design feature, but as the jacket is coming together it definitely looks wack. So I'm slooooowly picking it out, what a pain. It's taking about ten times longer to pick out than it did to create in the first place. I'll go back and try an I-cord bind-off instead. This way, I can try it on and make sure I'm in love with the length before I bind-off. Yay!

I did it. I signed up for a Flickr account. Just for my Ravelry notebook. Hopefully the transition from photobucket will be an easy one!

*Isn't Beck the coolest cat?

Ravelry

Christie invited me to join Ravelry a few weeks ago. I went and signed up right away, and then got super busy. Last night I got a chance to spend more time on my Ravelry page and I think I'm in love. Frecklegirl and her beau set up the coolest thing that you never knew you needed! I mean, really. You can keep track of, for example:

:the projects you've finished,
:the projects you're working on or dreaming about,
:all of your needles and
:all of your books and magazines,
:your stash,
:other folks and their projects, and
:a forum for discussion.

It's all right there in one place and it flows together very nicely.

Here's the main page.

I hear that there is a huge list now of folks who want to sign up. It's a small venture by people who are doing it all for fun, so be patient if you have signed up but haven't heard anything yet.

I have two invitations at the moment, and will gladly send them to any of you... let me know in comments or email! I've given out my invitations for now, but Frecklegirl says that current members will periodically get more invitations, so let me know if you'd like one and I'll invite you when I get more! :)

Calendar, Anyone?

Amelie's ear infection didn't clear up all the way, so we just finished Round Two (ding! ding!) of antiobiotics. She's also teething again. Equals not much sleep for mama. On top of that, I'm applying for a scholarship for National Board Certification. Yes, I like being on the brink of insanity, what about it? In knitterly news, I am almost done with the back piece of Wren, and just need to pick up a skein of cheapo wool to seam up Excellent. The bulky yarn it's knit with would make very chubby seams.

Someone donated a bunch of brand new 2007 calendars to our staff and there were a couple of page-a-day knitting calendars left over. Leave a comment if you would like either of these... photos hotlinked to amazon for info/reviews...





Finally, maybe it's the sick baby, but I've been feeling quite domestic lately. I've been baking, cooking more, spring cleaning, etc. when I've had a moment or two. Tonight's dinner included this lovely, simple (thanks to my buddy Cuisinart) Leek and Potato Galette that I've spotted floating around blogland recently. Yum.

Pink Eyes and a Pink Dress

Well. I fell off the blog planet for a couple of weeks after finishing the February Baby Sweater. It's been a busy time, though...

Baby A had her first Easter egg hunt. The other children were running around, loading up their baskets with piles of eggs and we were very excited with the three that we found. The eggs made a noise when we shook them! Yay! So much fun. This egg hunt was on a farm way out in the country and Peanut got to meet her first horse that day, too. Seeing things for the first time all over again is such a gift.

The following week, she had pink eye and an ear infection. So. Miserable. I don't have pictures to show you and you wouldn't want to see them, anyway.

Then came the real Easter day. Church service with grandma and grandpa and a pretty pretty dress. She was feeling much better by then. After Easter, I had spring break. With spring break and a few "sick days" off with the Peanut, I haven't been at work for almost two weeks! Lots of time to knit, right? ... kind of ... I really wanted to knit Wren during spring break but what I have done is come *this* close to finishing the Excellent Jacket.

The sleeves were done first. Since it's such a chunky garment, I decided to knit the body all in one piece to avoid the bulk of side seams. Now I just have to pray that it fits the way I hope it will!

Next up, Wren. Also? I've decided that I have too many stalled projects and I'm going to finish one old project for every new one. So I might actually have something else to show you before Wren gets too far off the starting block.

February Baby Sweater

February Baby Sweater
from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, color #829, one ball plus a smidge of another, approximately 300 yards or fewer altogether.
Needles: Addi Turbo US7/4.5mm
New technique: The Russian Join!

I really wanted to knit one of these for my own little peanut, but as she's quickly growing out of the little sizes and into bigger and bigger ones, and since Elizabeth Zimmerman doesn't include schematics with her pithy instructions, I decided to knit one for a tiny baby first. I think this one knit up at about a size 6 months. Now I know approximately how to size the sweater up if I were to knit it at this gauge again.

One modification I might like to try is a stockinette stitch, raglan increase yoke, a la Linda. Garter stitch has never been my thing, aesthetically, and I really like the cleaner look of the stockinette stitch yoke she made.

I really wasn't so sure that the Cascade 220 Superwash was the right yarn for the project. It didn't feel very soft and I didn't want to gift something that felt acrylic-y. So when the knitting was all done, I tossed this little lacy number into the washing machine with a load of towels. If the color bled, I'd rather it happened on my navy blue towels than on a load of Julia's pretty baby girl things. In the end, the sweater came out very, very soft and has a slight halo. I've completely changed my attitude toward 220 Superwash. I want to use it again, soon. As for colorfastness, there was one light blue towel in the load and it didn't seem to change color at all.

I also want to say mille grazie to Kristen and Amanda for answering questions about adding the underarm stitches.

For Baby Julia, born February 2007

Cross posted to the Zimmermaniacs.

edited to add:

Here is a picture of Miss Julia at about seven months in her FBS. Notice that I would have made the sleeves a bit longer if I had to do it all again; as EZ says, babies come in all sizes!