Hello Bandwagon

Hey Flan,

So I was trying to figure out what pattern to make for The Sister's birthday. Originally, I was going to make a Ribbi Pulli but then got all infatuated with The Central Park Hoodie. I took the drastic step of actually asking her which one she would prefer and she went with the CPH. I cast on (twice, because apparently I can't do anything properly the first time) and it's going swimmingly.

I decided to make the smallest size but then started worrying that it's too small. Par for the course really. So I emailed her again to ask if she's going to want to layer under it. If she says yes I'm going to have to rip out the 10" I've done so far and start over, but that doesn't really stop me from knitting on it.

The Sister and The Mommy are coming EIGHT weeks from tomorrow! I'm so very excited I'm very nearly beside myself.

Hope things are going well.

(In)Voluntary Transitions

Hey Flan,

I hope your mountain of work isn't too daunting.

This week seems to be an unexpected week of transitions and it's only Wednesday.
Yarn related transitions all translating into me having nothing to knit:

• I finished a Baby Surprise Jacket. Although I'm excited about the finsihed part it turned out to be very very "Granola Crunchy" and not at all "JCrew". Unfortunately, the people that were going to be the recipients are so much more the JCrew set than the GC, so that won't work.
• I got out The Mommy's Sweater from last Christmas and thought about ripping and beginning again, but haven't actually made it that far.
• I noticed that my most beloved felted slippers that I adore have actually been used enough as to have a hole! I've never worn out a piece of knitwear before and am both happy and sad by my discovery. Undaunted, I took myself over to knitpicks where they were having a delightful sale and purchased some yarn for a replacement project. Of course it isn't here yet.
• I went so far as to email The Sister to tell her I'm going to knit her a sweater for her birthday and would she please choose a pattern so that I could get started- and hopefully finished- in the next 9 weeks.
• Wanting to have something to knit I unearthed the Baby Bootie Book and some Rowan Cotton Glace. I can concentrate enough at lunch to work on the itty bitty booties and finished one yesterday. It's adorable but they really don't take very long so it's more of a stop gap measure than an actual project.

Life related transitions:

• The Hubby will (hopefully) be finished with his last final NINE weeks from TODAY! With the newly minted diploma he will be able to get a "real" job, we will be able to move from Lower Alabama and all will be well.
• However, we found out Monday night that the owner of the house we're renting is now wanting to sell. We would have 60 days from whenever it is sold and the house across the street took a good few months to sell. We do want to move from this house, but being the control freak that I am, I wanted to do it according to my timeline.I'm trying to be grateful for motivational factors of all types and to remember that we were homeless once before in Alabama and it turned out ok.

Off to clean the house so it isn't completely frightening when the real estate agent comes by later today. I was trying to figure out what to do with all the yarn. The Mommy suggested I hide it in the dryer.

The MOST Ridiculous Thing I have Ever Heard...

... ever.

Hey Flan,

I was perusing the new books today and came across two tidbits of knowledge that are simply too outrageous not to share.

1. If a venemous snake bits another venemous snake of the same species the bitten snake will not die. The book did not state what would happen if one venemous snake bit a venemous snake of a dissimilar species, but I guess we all need something to ponder. The paragraph did point out that some snakes just go ahead and eat other snakes, so I guess it's sort of a six of one, half dozen of another kind of deal.

2. There was a book that shall remain nameless. It falls into the "Weight Loss" genre. As I am currently perusing quite a few of those books, I picked it up to look at the back cover. This particular book was espousing the virtues of cutting sugar out of one's diet. The quote, as directly as I recall said:

' If you have a sweet tooth try chewing on a cinnamon stick to squelch the craving.'

That is singularly the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, seen or witnessed. Who -other than the freak of an auther- has ever thought/said/ expressed the sentiment that cheesecake, chocolate, pie, cookies, tortes, mousses, flans, flambes, brulees, jams, jellies or anything else that could possibly be considered for entry in something found on the Food Network be satisfactorily replaced by NAWING ON SOME BARK???

That's just ridiculous.

Charlotte

Kathleen-
Aubree of Knit Night and the previous baby shower, had a beautiful baby girl 3 weeks ago (3 weeks ago today, actually). So in honor of having seen Aubree almost every week of her pregnancy, and the Baby Blanket, C has to be for beautiful Charlotte. Tonight Charlotte came to Knit Night for the first time (or at least the first time not in utero), and slept through the whole thing.


And yes, she is wearing the Baby Surprise Jacket I made her (I'm so proud!!)


Her accomplished knitter of a mother placed knitting needles in her hands...
And she grabbed on like she was born to....which of course, she was!
And see those cute booties knit by a great-aunt?


Aubree and Charlotte at their first post-birth Knit Night!

So C is for Charlotte....a baby truly wrapped in the love of handknits.

Quite a Week

Hey Flan,

Last week was one I was estatic to bid farewell to. The one bright spot was that I acquired a new EZ book! The Opinionated Knitter has been added to my collection and I am beyond thrilled. I think that leaves just one book (Knitting Around) that I do not yet have. I don't knit that much from the delightful EZ, but reading her books makes me feel smarter. Two things I'm very excited about in regards to her are the pictures found on Ravelry- the other is mr.brooklyntweed who loves her patterns and shows us all how it's done. My brain is not nearly gifted enough to imagine what the final product will bring, so the photos are indespenisble. Also, did you know the Schoolhouse Press website sells YARN!?! I was trying to figure out what 10 oz of Sheepsdown meant in "regular" terms, googled it and there you go. So exciting.

Other news... Let's see... The main part of the knitting for The PPC is finished! Well, that would be exciting if I were any less bumfuzzled about how to put the whole thing together. I checked out practically the entire knitting section from the local library in an effort to figure out how to put it together. The winners are: The Ultimate Knitting Book from the nice people at Vogue, and Knit Fix. They both had suggestions for what to do with reverse stockinette. HOWEVER, there is NARY a word about what to do with reverse stockinette on a diagonal. I decided The PPC and I needed some time apart and shoved the whole blessed thing in a bag where it will remain until Knit Night when I'm planning on pleading with the more expert knitters for guidance.

Thoroughly besotted with my new book and equally as thoroughly disgusted with the making up of a blanket (which EZ would have had the good sense not to have started), I decided that the world really did need another Baby Surprise Jacket and have cast on in a delightful combination of slate gray and "willow leaf". The ladies at the yarn store looked slightly askance when I combined gray and nearly puce green, but I love it so far.

Hope you're staying warm and that M had a nice birthday.

We Interrupt the Blog...

For a public service announcement. Today is Super-Tuesday. If you (like Kathleen and I) live in any of the 24 states holding primaries or caucuses today, please vote.

Minnesota has caucuses (so voting is restricted to a couple hours in the evening), and my dedication to voting is such that I'm skipping Knit Night to attend...sorry lovely Knit Night ladies!

Incidentally, if you're in Minnesota and want information about how the caucuses work, try this website:

MN Secretary of State For nonpartisan information on all the precinct caucuses, to find your caucus location (which is probably NOT your normal polling place) and how caucuses work.

Most importantly perhaps, is that you can choose just to cast your presidential ballot, and then leave, not staying for the party business section of the caucus. Best to check with your political party to make sure of the open ballot times.

We'll be back to knitting tomorrow!

Befuddled

Hey Flan,

So it's Mardi Gras weekend! That means, for citizens of two US cities (ours, the one where Mardi Gras started, and the other one who borrowed it and made it famous), there are two days with no work (!) following two weeks of parades, balls, coronations, etc. Today is Joe Caine Day. Mr. Caine was the man who restarted Mardi Gras following the Waw-uh (The War of Northern Aggression if you're on this side of the line) and today is dedicated to him- and I heard something about a football game happening but didn't really pay attention.

Instead, my attention has been extremely focused and a gaping anomaly. Ok, when trying to find a top down sweater pattern (btw: big shout out to Shelly who recommended the Barbara Walker book! It's on order and hasn't yet arrived, so that project is on hold, but rescued from permanent hold by her excellent suggestion) there were only patterns in parts to be found.

HOWEVER, when trying to find seaming and blocking methods to use for The PPC (Princess Pram Cover) it seems that ALL blankets/ afghans EVERYWHERE were worked in one piece.

Does anyone ELSE see that disparity?

Sweaters only come in parts, but blankets only come in single bits.

My main findings; block first (check) then mattress stitch (nu-uh- don't wanna). Firstly, I'd like to say that I love the mattress stitch. Absolutely love it. Fantastic for all those sweaters in pieces of nice stockinette that need to be fashioned into one. However, I find that it makes the reverse ugly. Not bad when your tummy and shoulders are the witnesses to the ugly as is the case with a sweater, but not good when anyone (including the infant recipient) could just turn the blanket OVER.

HENCE, a better method is sought and not yet found. I decided that maybe the secret lies in the blocking and I'm going to try it again just for fun. THEN I'm going to call in the Knit Night reinforcements.

Tomorrow: GUMBO and 'nana puddin'. I make ONE pot of Gumbo per year. It takes ALL afternoon and, in my decidedly non Southern opinion, is not very delicious. However, The Hubby likes it and I make it for him.