Thursday, December 16, 2010

Gifting

Every year I convince myself that it will be the year our holidays are completely handmade, and every year I fail at it.*  This year is no exception.  I had grand plans for knitted gifts for everyone on my list, and now Christmas is a little over a week away and I have nothing to show for it.  Well, not nothing...I have two dishcloths and a sweet little pink and white baby sweater for my cousin...and a Christmas sweater on the needles for Connor and a nearly finished cowl.  But I wanted to make fingerless mitts for the ladies 10 washcloths and mittens or hats for the fellas.  It's possible I can finish the washcloths and make hats for everyone (that's 7 hats,people), if it's in a bulky weight yarn or a doubled worsted weight.  Truthfully, what I should do is work on one item each month and then by Christmas I'll be done.  In theory.   What I want to do is knit finish Connor's Christmas sweater, make something for my lovely hubbie and do a bunch if things just for me!  I rarely knit for myself and I have so many things I want to make, so many projects in my queue that i never get to because i am always knitting something for someone.  There aren't enough hours in the day to get it all done!  I am thinking of not knitting my brother a hat this year, (because we have some revision work to do on his Viking hat) and instead making him something funny and stitchy.  Anyway, we are getting in the Christmas spirit and this weekend the house will be cleaned and decorated, cards will be sent and gift planning will begin!


*Although, last year I whipped up two hats before Christmas and a pair of mittens by January..so that's not tooo bad....

Monday, December 13, 2010

NUTTU JA KYPÄRÄMYSSY (Jacket and Hat)

This post really only pertains to the knitters out there.  I found a hat pattern that I like, for the bambini, so I translated it.  I hope I translated it well, but not havging knit it yet, there's no way to know.  Anyway, below is the English translation of the original Finnish pattern Jacket and Hat by Arja Viitala

Jacket and Hat by Arja Viitala

Size: 23.5” (60 cm)
Yarn: 4 skeins of Novita Wool or 591 yards of any DK weight yarn
          (Approx. One hank of Novita for the hat (148yds) and 3 (444yds) for the jacket)
Needles: US 4 (3.5mm) and a 3.0mm crochet hook
Notions: 6 buttons
Gauge: 22 stitches and 50 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch
Stitch Pattern: Garter stitch, knit every row.

JACKET:

Back:

Cast on 60 stitches and work in garter stitch until the piece measures 9 ¾”  (25 cm)from CO edge, BO all stitches


Left Front:

Cast on 32 stitches and knit in garter stitch. When the piece measures 7 ¾” (20cm), begin the neckline over the next as follows:

1. BO 4 stitches, knit to end (28 sts)

2. Knit

3. BO 4 stitches, knit to end (24 sts)

4. Knit

5. BO 5 stitches, knit to end (19 sts)



Knit until the piece measures 9 ¾” (25 cm) from CO edge, BO all stitches


Right front: Knit as same for left front, adding button holes every 1.5”, starting 1 ¾” from CO edge, as follows: K3, K2tog, YO, K to end **

** Be sure to do neckline decreases on the same edge as you did the button holes!



Sleeves (knit both the same):
CO 40 stitches and k until the piece measures 4” (10cm)

Begin increases:


Knit 3, Inc 1, K to last 3, Inc 1, K3 (42 sts)

K for 1” (2cm)

Knit 3, Inc 1, K to last 3, Inc 1, K3 (44 sts)

K for 1” (2cm)

Knit 3, Inc 1, K to last 3, Inc 1, K3 (46 sts)

K for 1” (2cm)

Knit 3, Inc 1, K to last 3, Inc 1, K3 (48 sts)


Knit until the piece measures 7.5” from CO edge (19cm)

BO all stitches


Finishing:

Sew Shoulder seams, attach the sleeves and sew sleeve and side seams. Crochet around the edges as follows: *1sc, 2 ch, 1 dc, skip s 2-3 or 5-6 rows in between* repeat between **

~I do not crochet, so I am not sure if the above makes any sense in crochet language.

Attach buttons, weave in ends and block.



HAT:

CO 32 stitches and K every row


1: K2, increase 1, k to last 4 stitches, K2tog, K2

2: K

Repeat rows 1 & 2 above 14 times (28 rows) then switch:



1: K2, K2tog, K to last 4 Inc1, K4

2: K

Repeat rows 1 & 2 above 14 times (28 rows) then switch:


1: K2, increase 1, k to last 4 stitches, K2tog, K2

2: K

Repeat rows 1 and 2 above 9 times (18 rows), then switch

(this is where the shaping is for the point above the face)



1: K2, K2tog, K to last 4 Inc1, K4

2: K

Repeat rows 1 and 2 above 9 times (18 rows), then switch

(this is where the shaping is for the point above the face)



1: K2, increase 1, k to last 4 stitches, K2tog, K2

2: K

Repeat rows 1 & 2 above 14 times (28 rows) then switch:



1: K2, K2tog, K to last 4 Inc1, K4

2: K
Repeat rows 1 & 2 above 14 times (28 rows)


Bind off all stitches
Finishing:
Sew edges together to that are opposite the point for the face. (See diagram below) Pick up 2-4 stitches at one edge and make an i-cord for 8”, repeat for other side.



Friday, December 10, 2010

The weekend

Ah, the weekend….the most wonderful time of the week.  I can’t wait to have a couple of days of solid “Connor Time”  I have a stack of freshly printed knitting patterns and plans to whip up a pair of mittens and at least one hat for my little guy.  I have plans for gifts, but am not entirely sure I will get to them.  What I really need is two to three days of solid knitting and nothing else.  I doubt that will ever happen.  In the mean time I will try to get at least a few things done.  I really need to do something for my DH, he hasn’t received a knitted anything in forever. Meanwhile, Stephen is loading up on hats.  Perhaps the goal should be one fabulous knitted gift per Christmas?  I could rotate the recipient each year.  THAT may be a plan, my friends. Going forward, not this year…this year people will get what they get. If it’s knitted, good for you!  If not, maybe next time!

Meanwhile, today is our fifth anniversary.  What a ride, five years dating, two married and 20 months, 2days of being parents.  Happy Anniversary.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

I sang "Rudolph" over 100 times last week.

I won’t apologize for my absence. I know now that by neglecting things here I was able to squeeze out every last moment of “Connor time” my days at home would allow. Now that I am at work again I can see how I would have regretted putting him off for this, and you. (No offense meant.)
Connor is in his fourth week of daycare, a nice little family care place with two sweet young women running it. Today is day two of dropping Connor off without tears. (His, not mine.) It’s a bittersweet victory. On the one hand I don’t want to see my little boy cry, on the other I am selfishly sad that he now seems to leave me with so much ease. I can picture his earnest little face, chubby hand waving good-bye. I was deserted for French toast.
I miss our days together, frustrating as they could sometimes be. Walks, playing at the park, feeding the ducks, stacking blocks, running back and forth over the footbridge at the neighboring apartments, snuggling together, all our daily activities. I especially miss laying him down for his naps, that moment just after he falls asleep where his whole body relaxes and I can feel all his weight resting on me, and hear him snore softly. I miss him, desperately. I know I am not the only mother to feel this way, but I do not know any other mothers with little ones in my area, and I don’t know any mothers who have been in my situation of being home for such a long time and then suddenly having to return to work. I feel isolated and alone with no one to really understand what I have been going through these weeks that I have returned to work.

It has been an adjustment, for both of us. For all of us, really. It’s a finely choreographed dance we do in the mornings now, if we miss one step the whole dance is off resulting in a missed lunch to make up for a missed morning, and a long and difficult evening with a cranky toddler.

Now that the Christmas lights are going up Connor has something to look at on our way to the highway. He loves the lights and often tells me that they are cool. In Springfield they have Bright Nights and we hope to take him before they are taken down. I think Connor will be riveted by the displays. I have found that singing Christmas carols to him is an effective way to keep him happy on the drive back home. His favorite is Rudolph. I believe I sang it every single night last week, at least twenty times. When it’s over, he says his version of “again”, so on and on we go. Sometimes he’ll allow a few repetitions of Jingle Bells, but only if I start it with the “dashing through the snow” verse, otherwise he gets upset that I have gypped him out of an entire song.

I am currently in a knitting frenzy, trying to get something done for everyone on my list, getting distracted by other projects I want to do for Connor and myself. I found out that my cousin and his wife are have a baby girl, so I’ve knit them a few things…and am addicted to baby knitting. I want to make ten thousand bonnets, but have had to rein it in. There are sweaters and socks to make for myself and for Connor. I have 3 skeins of Christmas sock yarn and have not cast on for a single pair, even though I only justified the last purchase by promising myself I would do so. I have a sample pair to knit for a friend and two designs in the works. And yet, I have only finished Jess’s birthday gift. I have sooo much more to do. I think it is time for a project a night; small, simple things that can be done quickly. Intermixed with all o that is my desire to decorate for Christmas, clean out the house and make some Christmas things…a banner, a stocking for Connor and some soft ornaments for the bottom of the tree…otherwise known as the “Connor Zone”. As you can see I have a lot on my plate and very little time in which to get it done. If I could enlist helpers, I would. I would have everyone I know over to help me craft things and clean and decorate. I’d entice them with food, desserts, wine and beer. However, I think I am too far from my loved ones and therefore it is up to the two of us to get it all done. Everything that needs to be done, will be. Everything else can wait.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Le Sigh

Wow! What a jerk, I've been. Not only did I blow my resolution, but I've taken months to finally get back on here and post something! I really admire those moms who post every day. They must hand their kids over to their husbands and RUN to the computer to put together a post. I wish I was more like that. In any event a lot has been going on since my last post. Connor began crawling and is now walking, well running really. He has also figured out how to go up the stairs and up a stepladder, but not down. He runs away and laughs when I chase him. It's all very cute. On the other side of it, I think he may be starting the "Terrific Twos" early. He screams, I mean SCREAMS when he does not get his way. HE has temper tantrums quite often. I do my best to ignore the screaming and crying and I explain to him why things are the way they are and give him something else to do. It works about half the time. So, what else? Well, the little monkey turned one on the 8th of April and Steve got married on the 10th of April. It was a nice wedding, although I STILL haven't seen any of their pictures.


On the job front, I still don't have one, but I need one before the end of summer. Sigh. The thought of putting Connor in daycare makes me queasy. I don't like the idea of non-family looking after him, but millions of people do it, so I know I just need to man up about it. In knitting, not a whole lot, some dishcloths some swiffer covers I have 2 pair of socks and a sweater on the needles. I'd really like to start designing. So maybe I will, I just really don't like gauge swatches! Again, I'm just going t have to suck it up, because I have an idea for a sweater for the C-Man and it's not going to write itself.

We went to AZ in May for my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. I had a great time. We all did. We took Connor to the zoo for the first time and Ryan's second time. They loved it! There were bears and monkeys, lions and rhinos and elephants. It was great. i wish I could afford to go out there more often. It's always so nice to spend time with my grandparents. I really love and miss them so much.

I let Connor play with markers yesterday. It was both good and bad. Good: he had a lot of fun and I have his first masterpiece on the fridge. Bad: When he got bored he sucked on the end of the marker and we both still bear the marks of a green marker. Apparently they wash off of everything but skin. I think I'll get him some of those Crayola ones that only write on the special paper. Might be easier.

Well, I think that gets you mostly caught up with things. The stuff I skipped over is all of your typical family drama. Which I can't really talk about. Let's just say I'm hurt and I'm upset and I'm sad for Connor because he's really the one that loses on all of this. Speaking of Connor I'm going to end this with a few pictures of my baby boy.
On his birthday


At the splash park in Tempe, AZ



At McCormick Ranch Railroad Park in Scottsdale, AZ

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Where does the time go?

Holy crap! Where DOES the time go? I have really broken my resolution. To be fair, though I did try to post an awesome video of Connor last week but blogger took FOREVER to load it, and eventually my computer said, "no more!" And stopped the whole thing. Sigh. And now it's all screwy and I can't post a picture or anything. So that's that. I really have a lot more to say, but I hear a crying baby, so I better go take care of that. More soon...

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Plants

I started keeping plants this year, well last year, but towards the end, and have managed to keep five, yes FIVE plants alive. Which is a small miracle because plants never tell you when they need water, they just up and die on you. Stupid martyrs. So I have two ivys a creeping charlie, some hanging flowers and a Christmas cactus, currently blooming. I also pulled up some wild mint from the backyard and put it in a pot in the house. It's growing like mad, and I have no idea what to do with it! Connor voted for eating it right out of the pot. Well, not so much eating as pulling leaves off and sucking on them until something else catches his interest. I voted that suggestion down, so now I just need to figure out what to do with this out of control mint. Suggestions? While you're ruminating, I am going to go out and get some pots to replant the cactus and the flowers, they are quickly outgrowing their homes. Maybe I'll go to Annie's they have a sign luring me over there...something about having everything I need to make my own terrarium...

Some things...

Apparently if you don't send thank you cards out right away people get upset. Who knew? Well, in any event, they are going out en masse today. In order to acheive that little feat I stopped bathing my baby. Yes that's right in exchange for "thank you's" I had to have a filthy baby for a few days. I mean, I wiped him with a washcloth but as we all know, that's not the same as a bath! He's cool with it though, he hasn't been crying about it and I can't write my name on him by wiping away filth, so all in all it's no big deal.

Moving on! Some things I have been knitting, I knit a bunch of bonnets and booties for an auction for my church, but of course I didn't take pics of everything. I also knit something for a friend's baby girl (bonnet & booties) and OF COURSE was in such a rush to mail it that I didn't take a photo of either, but they were super cute, lavender and flamingo pink! Can't you just picture it with little jeans and a long sleeve skull tee? I knit a hat for my dad, devil stylie, and an earflap hat for K and a Hannah hat for S. I'm starting a battle bonnet for Steve and mom & Anne are having gifts knit as well. And I need to do up another Gnomey hat for A's boy twin, the girl twin's is finished. Oh and I knit a Gnomey hat, a pixie hat and a pumpkin hat for C. So that's that, let's begin the photos! Of course, you can also access this on ravelry, too.

MONSTAH



Snowbunny



Laundry Day



Hannah Hat



Connor's Gnomey




Ok, so I have more photos but I haven't e-mailed them to myself from Ryan's phone yet, so we'll just have to wait on those.

I sent Ryan up justa minute ago to handle getting Connor down for a nap and it's completely silent. I wonder if they passed put from the stress of it all? Maybe Ryan actually got Connor to sleep and in his crib! I wonder...I better check on them...Nope, asleep on Ry's chest, but sleeping in his room. It's the little victories. Well, I better get to work over here. Until next time!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

That didn't take long

Boy, it sure didn't take long for me to start breaking my New Year's resolution! Well, can I beg off and blame it on a lousy internet connection and wanting to maximize my last couple days with the mom & Steve?

Monday was a great day for all of us, Steve babysat Connor so Mom and I could go out. We hit the salvation army where I got two wicker baskets, one for shoes the other for laundry, and three books for under $15.00! The we went to B&N and I got a couple knitting mags and a fun little book, the latest in the Undead & Unwed series. (I know, I know, but sometimes my brain needs a little bubblegum!) I also checked for Breaking Dawn in paperback, but they only had hardcover...is it in paperback yet? I sooo got sucked into that series. What can I say? I love vampire books. Anyway, so that was Monday and then on Tuesday it was time to drop them off at the airport. It was so nice to see them both, and I'll see them again in April for Connor's birthday and Stevie's wedding. It was such a help to have mom out here. Sometimes it's really nice to be able to have my hands free for an extended period of time!

This week I'm starting Connor on (hopefully) consistent naps in his crib, and not in the swing, in my arms, on the couch next to me, etc. and then we're going to move on to nighttime in the crib, consistently (hopefully). So I hope that goes well, but I think I might be in for an exhausting week or two. Right now he's playing in his pack n' play with his wooden caterpillar, but he just started making the sleepy noises so I think I'll go put him down for a nap. Pictures of my most recent knit things when I reconnect my laptop to the internet!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

It's been a while...

It's been a while, to say the least. I made a New Year's resolution to post at least once everyday this year, even if it's just a photo. I know, I know, I already missed two days, but that will lead me into the following year. As you probably already know, a lot has been going on this year. I had Connor, I graduated law school and took the bar exam (which I did not pass), Ry and I had our wedding ceremony and joined the church, and I've been here at home with the wee man. Which has, at times, been trying, but wonderful. And I have been knitting, I'll show you in another post.

Today Connor was baptized in the Methodist Church. He wore Ryan's baptism outfit and a bonnet that my mom made for him yesterday. It was a beautiful ceremony, our pastor has known Connor since he was four-ish months old, and Connor was so calm and at ease with him. He didn't even cry when our Pastor put the water to his head, although Ryan did. He was then blessed and walked around and show to the congregation. Then we were welcomed as new members of the church. It was a very special day for all of us. Ry's parents and sister couldn't make it because of inclement weather, and they were missed. However, because they couldn't make it we decided to share the baptism cake I made for him with the congregation and that was so special to me and to some of our new friends there. All in all it was a lovely day.

In his outfit


The bonnet Mom made


The cake



The baptism