January 8, 2009
Calm after the Storm
What a month!
So much has been going on in the last month.
The first holiday event was Dec. 18th. That was Mikayla’s last day of school. She wanted me to make a scarf for her teacher, since her teacher liked the one I made for her so much. I was bored with that pattern, so I picked the Christmas Lace pattern (figured it was appropriate). If you are on Ravelry, you can find the pattern here.
On the 21st of Dec. I performed with (I think) 16 other men and women in the Assembly of God Church choir. I was told that we sounded really good. From my vantage point, the second time was better, but both services sounded good. We (husband, daughters, and I) were supposed to head out immediately following the second service to Sioux Falls, SD. Matt has quite a few family members there and they do the family Christmas there. Unfortunately, the windchill was dangerously cold that day and there were blizzard conditions on the way, so we chose to not go.
On the 24th, we left for Wilmar, MN to visit my mom. We spent the whole day there, frosting cookies, having fun, etc. It was a really fun day. I gave my mom and Tom each a hand knit soap sock, we really don’t exchange expensive gifts, but they liked them. The one I gave to my mom is here
On the 25th, my father and brother came and we had as relaxing a holiday as can be expected (and surprisingly a warm day considering just 4 days before, it was so bitter cold).
Mikayla decided the day after Christmas to take down the tree, so we did that too. Phew, what a couple of weeks.
Jan. 1, we just hung out until about 9:30PM, got the kids to bed late, then we just sat here and did our own thing, wished the hubby a happy new year, and that was it.
Jan. 4th we went to go visit Josh and Becky. Grammy Trumbo came at the same time and we celebrated Christmas yet again. I would be a complete liar if I said that seeing that wee lumpling did not make me want another one. I wanted another one anyway and seeing such a cute, sweet baby makes you want one even more. I made some little booties for baby Allison, and a calorimetry for Grammy.
Interspersed with all the knitting was a ton of baking and volunteering, which I love. I am really glad to back to “normal” life again now though.
December 3, 2008
Girls Gone Loopy
I love this little hat. My Mikayla loves it too. I got this pattern from hooked up knits. Bethany is a great friend and makes some really beautiful things. The pattern was totally easy and the finished hat looks really good. If you don’t have the right needles to make gauge, adjusting the pattern is easy too, if you are doing it on dpn’s it is even easier. You decrease twice per side (I used 4 dpns and a 5th to knit with) so on each side count all but the last 4 stitches on one side, then divide by 2, I was unlucky in that I had an odd number on each needle, so I did an even decrease, then an odd, but it still worked beautifully.
Here is the hat:
and here is the hat after it was stolen by sister Miranda, doing her best Pirate impression (she did steal the hat y’know)
You can find this on Ravelry here.
November 17, 2008
Deer hunters widow
Matt went deer hunting this last weekend. He has wanted to go with this group for some time, I don’t begrudge him the trip in the slightest. He enjoys hunting and it puts food on the table occasionally, food that we normally could not afford (do you know what deer, duck, goose, and pheasant cost).
That being said, I am tired. It is funny how a one and a half day trip actually equates to a week of extra work at work away from home. Working out the garage preparing and packing, taking trips to sight in barrels, spending time on the phone finalizing plans, etc. He left very late on Friday night, and got home later in the evening on Sunday. Now it is monday and he is gone again helping clean the meat. Again, I do not begrudge him that, he helped shoot it, if he wants to take some home, he should help clean it. It is just that I am so tired.
I took the opportunity to get started on a felted purse for me. My dear friend Rachel bought me a felting kit for my birthday, and I just have not had the opportunity to start it. I think I am going to change up the pattern a bit though, it calls for a straight box style purse, I am going to add a fringe on the top, I also want to change the handle style, it calls for a long i-cord over the shoulder strap, I really don’t like doing i-cord and I have no shoulders to speak of, so I am going to put on market bag style handles. Here is a picture of how far I am after Saturday.
November 15, 2008
Getting chilly
You can see your breath here now in the mornings. My very good friend Meleesa has lows at night of what our highs are during the day. It is this time of year that I envy her a bit. My back acts up every time it gets cold, I think I am in for a pretty long winter. I have been doing a bit of knitting again now that the temp demands it. I finished up a scarf that was supposed to be for me. I used the very first ball of yarn I bought just for fun. It was a pretty Mondial fresca, in all my favorite colors, rose, deep red and dark purple. I loved the drop stitch pattern I picked. I watched the striping happen, it was so pretty, the pattern came to life. I just loved it! That is, until I realized it was only going to be 32″ long and that yarn is no longer being made (and I could find none for sale on Ravelry). So here is the finished scarf, it will now be either Miranda’s or Mikayla’s, they have both laid claim to it. sigh.
I have found Ravelry to be rather addicting. There are so many patterns and wonderful people there. I get so many needs met. I can have wonderful conversation with like-minded ladies. I can find a pattern for just about anything I would want to knit (and some patterns that frankly leave me speechless). I get to see finished projects of all sorts and I can ask questions. I just really love that place.
June 17, 2008
Yeah, I know it is 80 degrees today
but I felt like working up a few things fast for the girls, so hats it was. This hat was intended for Mikayla when I cast it on, but it is too small, so it will be for Mirnada. You can find the pattern on Ravelry here.
I just cast on one for Mikayla, but increased the cast on by 10 and will make it taller by 1 inch.
June 11, 2008
Halter top for my youngest is complete
I just learned to knit in May, during the week between Mothers day and My birthday. I decided to make the Katja halter top for my youngest little lumpling. It ended up looking really good, I am so excited for it to warm up just a bit so she can wear it. If you are on ravelry, you can find the project here It is size 24 months but the pattern lists 3,6,9,12,18, and 24 mos. I can’t believe she will be 2 in August.
I love how the top looks tweed when worked (which makes sense since I used I used Serendipity Tweed yarn). Here is a picture of the finished work (I have not blocked it yet) and modeled.
May 19, 2008
Seeds in a Garden washcloth
I wrote a pattern last night, I am sure it has been done before, but I wanted to practice seed/moss stitch (my hands just hate doing it, so it was the best way to cure what ails them LOL). I will post my pattern/notes when I am done if it works, for any other noobie looking for an easy pattern to follow.
I hate counting, so I am using my daughters tiny hair ties (the ones that are smaller than your pinkie tip) and putting them on my even needle. When I have 18 hair ties on my needle, I will have (hopefully) the proper number of rows.
Here is a picture of the start of the work. One of these days, we will have money to invest in a new camera, this one is on it’s last leg, so I apologize in advance for picture quality.
*Editing to add* I ended up frogging this washcloth because I did not like this yarn with that pattern. I saved my “pattern” and will make it with a single color yarn soon, but right now, I have just put this aside.
May 18, 2008
I learned to knit
That’s right, after 5 YEARS of trying, i finally put my mind to it, and learned. I have been crocheting between 15 and 17 years, and I have to admit, I like knitting better so far. I am starting small, just wash cloths, I am going to participate in a wash cloth swap, which was a great chance to learn how to follow a pattern and get my tecnique down. I got my first pattern off of Ravelry, Grandma’s Favorite Dishcloth, the pattern is from Dish and Washcloth Mania.
Here is a picture of my first “work”
