Monday, August 31, 2009

I'm here, I'm here! :)

Hi Everyone! I'm sorry that I have been completely absent for awhile, but as Carli previously mentioned, I have been put on bedrest since June. For awhile, I had NO desire to knit. It either made me sick, or just antsy. I am back to knitting which is good, but not doing anything too exciting. I am doing a lot of baby knitting just to psych myself up. Don't get me wrong, we are happy for the baby coming, just have had a lot to deal with, so baby knitting keeps me in a good frame of mind! :) So, I have knit 3 baby hats, 1 baby sock (I should cast on for the other today) and about 1/3 of a baby blanket. We do not know whether we are having a boy or girl, so I am making some pink stuff and some blue stuff. I have about 7 friends that are preggo right now, so I'm sure that someone will have whatever we don't so I can pass it on to them. The baby blanket is black with silver sparkles in it. I am going to get a pink or blue ribbon to run through the eyelets (it is just a simply dishcloth blanket pattern) after the baby is born. Layla really likes it.
Let's see, what else? I ripped out my dad's cable scarf. After I was realistic with myself, I knew that I was probably NEVER actually going to finish it. So, he and I agreed that a hat would be better for him. So, I CO for a simply rib hat for him, which I am slowly working on. Although I think I handle ribbing a little better than Carli (I've never found myself huddled in the corner because of it babe!), it does get old after a while. I hope that he likes it whenever I get it finished.
There are a lot of things that I WANT to CO for, but just haven't had the gumption, but soon. One exciting thing (at least for me) is that I found a GREAT bag. I wanted a new diaper bag that wasn't actually a diaper bag, more of a big purse. Well, I found one that has 3 different compartments, one for baby things, one for my things, and one for a knitting project! I am thrilled. It is not from Jordana Paige, but it very much her style. It is orange and VERY cute! I love it!
Well, I hope that you are all doing well. We are 31 weeks today and making it one day at a time. I should be off bedrest in 3-5 weeks then whatever will be will be. Watch, all of the junk we have been through and this kiddo will NEVER want to come! :) I will try and get pics soon of the baby things!
Love,
Theresa

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Knitting...not blogging

Well, I am anyway. Poor Theresa is stuck in bedrest (we're just going to pretend she's behaving) with no desire to knit. I remember feeling that way when I was preggo, too, so I don't blame her a bit.

I've been pretty productive this summer, I have to say. Made a few hats for Hazel, made a cardi for a friend's birthday, made an earring holder and bracelet for my gorgeous SIL, Lindsay, several dishcloths, and a few little items for H's wardrobe. I can't remember what all I've done, so it's not fair to post about them all. I'm really proud, though!

My current WIPs are.....

1. Re-doing the Frat Feet for Matty as I can't seem to get the second sock right. I know it's a knitter problem and not a pattern problem, however, I must subconscieously be screwing them up b/c I just can't get it right and so I ripped them both out and am knitting him some plain vanilla socks with a cable up the center. something for pizazz but pretty basic. That way he'll get them before Hazel's old enough to learn to knit.

2. Still working on the lacey socks I'm supposed to be knitting with a friend. Margaret, however, has admitted defeat for the time being and has put them to the side for something a bit more paletable. Mine are simply hibernating b/c I've got to get started on Christmas this year if I want to actually get it all done.

3. For the first time EVER, I got a magazine and CO for one of the featured projects the next day. It's called Leafy Cardigan, and it's out of Yarn Forward Issue #17. Designed by Ms. Calista Yoo (who btw is an absolutely fabulous person...she's just really cool and fun to talk to and a very very very patient person). I thought it would look amazing on mom. And I had some chunky yarn, so here we go! I'm through the back panel, not without some serious help with it from Calista (did I mention how patient she is??). YF Mag left out a necessary chart legend, which they quickly corrected, but left out the legend for the WS of the chart, which confused things...again. I know how to read a chart, and God bless Calista for not being slightly rude about my confusion, like the mag editor was. I know she's stressed out about getting the new issue out, but patronizing me wasn't necessary, ya know? Anyway, Calista and I got that straightened out, then it came to the neckline. Now, let me follow by saying, the tech editor took the original pattern and chopped it up, making it more "suitable" for magazine print. Losing some of the complicated pattern in the process. Most of the conversations between Calista and I involved her being confused at what they had done to her pattern b/c it was originally one large chart, and chopping it up was causing a bit of confusion. Anywho. They forgot to inform all that when you get to a place in the pattern where the decreases eliminate any room for YOs to compensate for a double decrease, then eliminate all decreases outside of the raglan decreases and simply st st them. Wouldn't that be helpful? Don't you think? Poor Calista is so mad. Bless her heart. I'm seriously contemplating boycotting the magazine as they've treated her so badly and to be quite honest, I can't bare supporting a magazine that doesn't treat their contributors well. But that's other news. I'm through the back and 1/2 through the left front panel, so hopefully this will be something that gets to mom for her Birthday so she'll get more wear out of it! If not then we'll be giving it for Christmas :)

3. Some how. Lord only knows how. Probably cuz I love her to bits. I got talked into knitting hearts for Michelle's wedding fair booth so she can hang display cards on them. And we aren't talking 5 hearts. We're talking, like, 30. I have 4 done. I hate them. I'm knitting them with crap yarn b/c it's in my stash and needs consumed somehow and they're the colors she wants, but it's like knitting with, well, crap yarn. I am, however, going to let her weave in all the ends. Because I'm just not that generous. :) Actually, wouldn't that make it really evil? I don't want to be evil, but I have too much to do to sit down and knit 30 hearts and then weave in all the ends. So, I will do the knitting, she can weave. Enough said :) Plus I frogged 2 hearts just figuring out how to make a pretty knitted heart. so techinically I've made 6.

4. I found the coolest hat on the newest edition of Knitty. It's called Urbanista and I'm about 35% done with it. Probably more than that. Anyway, go check it out. Fabulous hat, knit flat, sided to side, all short rows, color work, and then you graft the ends together. I love it. I really don't love the tangle of colors as you have to have 6 balls of color going at the same time (well, by the end of one section), but the cool thing is it's just plain knitting, with all this stuff going on that makes it incredibly interesting. That's Adam's Christmas present.

5. I'm still working on baby things. In hopes that we'll have another baby. I know, I know. In God's time. I know, I trust, I really do, but I'm also losing patience. I hope God knows that by losing patience doesn't mean I want him to give in. I just wish my heart ache would lessen, ya know? Anyway, I'm still working on my Ruth's babytop. Love it, but I'm tired of ribbing as it's just seems endless. Can't make adult sized stuff with endless ribbing, you'll find me huddled in a ball in the corner with my knitting, drooling and muttering, "K2, P2, K2, P2, repeat. K2, P2, K2, P2, Repeat." Luckily I have about 15 more rows of ribbing and then 8 rows of garter stitch. Once I take a break from it for a week or two, It'll get done quite quickly.

Amazingly, that's it. I ripped out a scarf I started for my mom, and am contemplating ripping out the scarf I was making dad (for 3 years) and making them both something else, but until I get a bit more caught up. Problem is...what?