Once again

Still working on knitted pants, though I don't think I knitted at all yesterday.

  Just no time.

Today is errand day in a big way and there are going to be dozens of people arriving on my doorstep for the weekend and I have firewood to buy and drag to the top of the hill and a beer keg to learn about and coolers and ice and... and and...a thousand and one other things to do.  

But Sunday, lovely Sunday, there will be knitting and ain't no one going to keep me from it.  

In my dreams, I had planned to have the wee Rochelle's little pair of pants completed to give to her tomorrow, but so it goes.  She will get them next week instead.

Charmed

I scanned hundreds of photos yesterday.  Well, it felt like I scanned hundreds of photos.  In between the parts that needed my hands and brain, I knit.  For hours.

I now have only a dozen or so rows left till it is bum increase time.  The bum increases make plenty of room for baby's diaper.  They are not many but it poofs the bum out most charmingly.  The pattern puts them on the sides, but on my first Pepita, I forgot the increases till it was a little late in the game.  I put them all on one row on the back and it was fine. I think I will do the same thing and do the short rows she recommends as well to give it just that little bit of extra room in the bottom.  

Charming.  I am charmed by a wee pair of pants. Knitted pants!

In a lot of ways, that says everything about me that the world needs to know.

I keep running into her!

Yesterday, while knitting (It fit in, but only a little) , I realized how easy it is to run into the good designers, the ones that just keep people knitting and talking about knitting and firing up our creative juices.  

My little Pepita was designed by Martina Behm, one of my personal favourite designers from Ravelry.  She isn't just mine.  

11,180 Hitchhikers have been made.  

1975 Lefties have been knit. (and I predict many many more after the next winter.  I am going to contribute a few to the total.  Have yarn.  Have pattern!)

Trillian - 2149

Nuvem - 2176

And so many more.

If you don't know what to make but you need to knit, chances are that Martina has just the right little something to take the edge off.  Her work appeals.  

Yesterday, while working on little green Pepita, I ran into Martina on the Rainey Sisters blog.  Their friend, Kim, knit it and entered it into the Minnesota State Fair.  It took third in its category!  Nice work Kim.

And while listening to the Knitmore Girls podcast, Naturalich - Episode 244,  I found Martina again!  

She is everywhere and for darn good reasons.  Yes Pepita is that good.  My little green one is telling me so, just as the first one knitted did.  Just as the many more I will make over time will for all the little babies I will come to know.

 

 Martina's other designs are just that good too. If you have yet to discover her, just click a link, any link and enjoy.

Arghghghghgh

I have a wedding coming up.  I have to go dress shopping.  I hate dress shopping for me.  There is just so little on the market that fits.  Maybe I could sew?  Sigh.  I know I will sort something out.  A person always does, don't they, but we don't have to like it.  It is so easy to see what is right on others and so hard to see what is right on ourselves me.  I suspect it is only me.

There was a lot of very happy green knitting yesterday.  I hope for a little today, maybe even knit group knitting.  I have to find time to get my hair cut and get my car plates renewed and meet the banker, and...and...and...

You know how that goes.  If there isn't knitting in there somewhere, I might as well just call it a day and retreat to my cave.  

So knitting there will be, not for long, but there will be knitting.

Now where was I

I had a lovely visit with my sister.  She would probably say she didn't help much but she did.  In case any one asks, I have wonderful sisters!

I did a little work on Pepita as the week progressed, but not so much as you would notice.  I am still a nice inch away from adding the wee bum increases, but I feel confident that that will be done in no time flat.

As is my wont, I have not been wholly faithful to Pepita.  

I picked up another non-thinking project that has been sitting for a very long time waiting for attention.  Many many moons ago, I made a blanket for son3.  I started one for son2 and worked up the first two sections and then set it aside till now.  

It is made out of my rather large stash of Berroco Comfort Chunky.  I originally bought the Comfort Chunky for 2 blankets that I wanted to make and then bought more when I was so pleased with the way this yarn worked up for the blanket.  Son2 never even asked for a blanket but it seems I mean to make him one anyway!

What you see here is the tan section 1 , black section 2 and orange section 3 of the Moderne Log Cabin Blanket.  When I picked it up the other day, I noticed a problem.  I doubt that it was why I stopped working on it, but once, seen it had to be corrected. 

The problem is best explained by showing you.

 As you see, Comfort Chunky.

As you see, Comfort, not so much chunky. (Forgive the blur)  I knew this when I bought it, but I think that I had planned to double it to compensate.  Then, once knitting, I forgot to compensate.  There really wasn't anything wrong with it.  The gauge was a little smaller, as you would expect. It would have worked and I could have lived with it, I suppose, but it did not feel right.  One of the things I really love about Comfort Chunky is the heft of it and sturdiness of it when knit at this gauge and that was entirely missing form the orange section on the first go round.  

  Knit doubling the yarn is a much better feel, more suited to the weight of the rest of the yarn.  I just have to knit the smallest bit more firmly to keep gauge and I am good.  

So, two very positive things to knit.  It is helping keep my head where it ought to be and keeping my focus on one stitch at a time, always moving forward.  That is all I can ask for from knitting and right now, it means everything to me.

Visiting

My sister came to help with stuff for a few days.  We  visited and talked till very late.  Pepita did not grow so much as I wished, but there was other recovered knitting that happened.  

I'll show you that tomorrow.  With pictures.  Today, I just want to go back to sleep!  Pepita will grow today too.  I am promising myself this.

Holy Katzenjammers

I have discovered the most amazing thing.  Knitting can be used to avoid other work, that while important, is not nearly as much fun.  

Okay, I have known that about my knitting and about myself for a very very long time, but I haven't done that all summer and what is most surprising to myself, is that I did not even do it now.  

This is remarkable output from me, and I don't know where the heck this new stick to task self is coming from. 

As you see, Pepita is moving along brilliantly.  I did exactly what I set out to do.  Below the armpit join, and well and good onto the body.  I have about an inch and I have to do a few increases across the bum for diaper room.  Another few inches and then  the body is complete.  That is where I hope to be by days end today.

I love these little overalls. I love knitting for babies.  I love this green. 

Today again, there is much to do.  My sister is coming to help and to visit and to go to a bridal shower, and I have laundry to deal with so she has clean sheets for a bed.  I have some things to pack up and put away so that when my cleaner comes tomorrow, there are no mountains for her to move. I have cupboards to organize so that the garbage bags and the new recycle system is not living on the kitchen counter.  I have paperwork to fill out and do.  

Somewhere in there, there will be coffee and knitting.  There might even be wine and knitting.  There might, in fact, be too much wine, while visiting with my sister, so that the knitting is best set aside for a bit.  I look forward to a very nice day.  

But oh, there will be knitting.  Lovely, sweet green knitting. 

Pepita Green

 There we are.  It isn't big yet, but it is very Pepita ish.  I love how this starts and joins into one whole before the bum balloons just enough to be charming to make space for a wee ones diapers and then ends off in tiny little feet.  It is just the sweetest little thing for babies.

The yarn is, once again, the lush Dream in Color yarn, this time, Smooshy in the colour Emerald Darkness.  Emerald Darkness might just be my  new favourite colour in the whole wide world. My new favourite colour name to be sure.  Seriously, shouldn't all darknesses be emerald?  sigh.  It is magnificent and I can't wait to see how it looks on tiny Rachelle with her dark, dark hair.

So today, there will be a little knitting. There will be coffee. (Please note, I did not say a little.)  There will be judicious and just amounts of these throughout the tasks of the day.  There is much to do before the fall arrives.  We will see if we can't get our jobs done and still have something that looks a little more like a baby garment well on its way before this day is done.

Even Though

Though much has ended, my Brian would be the first to say that you have to move on.  So today what you see here, is someone taking a step.  Just one step, but that is how it begins isn't it?  One step, one foot in front of the other, till doing it is natural again.

I started a new project yesterday morning.  Or maybe it was Saturday night.  Anyway, I started Pepita for an almost new baby that I still haven't made anything for.  Pepita are those cute little overall, here, let me find a photo

Pepita.  A sweet pair of footed baby coveralls that ae the perfect thing between seasons when it is too warm to wear a bunting bag, but not warm enough for just a sleeper.  Its a great little snuggly piece that my sweet things mommie loved.

I am using the same great yarn, Dream in Color Smooshy, in a rich deep emerald green.  Photos tomorrow.

Happiness is always a by-product. It is probably a matter of temperament, and for anything I know it may be glandular. But it is not something that can be demanded from life, and if you are not happy you had better stop worrying about it and see what treasures you can pluck from your own brand of unhappiness.' - Robertson Davies

For now, I am off to start seeing what treasures I can pluck from this.  It might take a while, but I will find them.  He might not be here, but he is counting on me to notice.

   

And so it goes

My much loved husband passed away last Saturday.  It is very quiet around here and more than a little sad.  There are not enough pages to tell you about him and what he meant to me, not nearly enough.  Not even close to enough to tell you everything I learned from him and who I grew to be because of loving him.

 Brian and his dad

 Brian and his own wee sweet thing.  How he loved that little girl and how he looked forward to more grandchildren.

 Brian and my dad

Brian

34 years was not enough.

The Best Time.

I had the best time yesterday.  I took the evening and went shopping with my soon to be daughter in law.  She was shopping for wedding dresses.  And bridesmaids dresses.  Oh my gosh, it was so much fun.  I don't think I had that much fun shopping for my own.

I know that I shopped pretty quickly for mine.  I wasn't looking for anything frilly or too lacy and I found two that I loved.  One was a gorgeous thing. A simple floaty elegant layers of chiffons in a wrap dress style with an elegant big floppy bow at the waist.  I don't think it had any lace at all, just a few pearls for trims.  It had a high neckline and full sheer sleeves drawn to a tight cuff.  Classic.  Elegant and it would still look stylish today.  I did not get it and I am very happy I did not.

Because the wedding that took place one week before ours?  That bride wore it and I know that I shopped after she did.

I choose a simple jersey dress, fitted sleeves, a touch of lace at the collar and cuffs.  The whole thing was about the drape and flow of the skirt and the elegant swish of the organza lining.  It's simplicity was me.  I had a very simple airy veil which I loved, though I did not like the head piece very much at all.  The sales woman was not in the mood to see if they had other veils like it with prettier flowers, and mom said it was fine so since she bought the dress, I took it.  

These guys shopped with precision and fun.  The bride choose a couple that she liked in the cataloged to giver her sales person an idea of what she would like, and then the bridesmaids and the brides mom took to the racks and looked for things they thought she would like.  Then she tried them on.  Oh my heavens, what a pretty woman.  She sees flaws first in herself but in these dresses, she looked flirty and sexy and elegant and sultry and dainty like an old fashioned china doll.  I hope her eyes looked at herself in the mirror and saw what the rest of us saw.  A woman in love with a man.  

She looked fantastic in them all and oh my, I can't wait to see her in her choice again.  

It was a fantastic evening and a once in a lifetime pleasure to be part of.