An all-new issue of Knitty is out!!
I’m loving the wide variety of cardigan patterns (while I usually dislike bobbles, Surface has me quite intrigued), and am pretty sure that a Poinsettia neckwarmer will be coming to my needles soon.
One pattern might seem a bit silly to some, but you’ve got to admit the model’s pretty cute!
For the most part, when it comes to knitting, I’m a bit of a cheapskate. Sure, I shell out for luxurious yarns, but I really am a “one skein wonder” kind of gal. Sock yarns make a pair of socks per skein, lace-weight goes a long way; I seldom get enough of anything to make a ‘big’ project (sweater, scarf, etc).
Likewise with patterns. Rare enough do I buy magazines or books, let alone shell out for single patterns (in store or online). Especially with more free patterns available online than I could ever knit in my lifetime, it takes a lot to impress me enough to part with my cash.
Sylvi, from the Winter 2008 issue of Twist Collective, may just entice me to pony up for both patterns and a large quantity of yarn. What a fabulous coat! But oh, to have the time to knit it…
Keeping baby warm in wool.
The Baby Surprise Jacket that no-longer-secret pal Tanya knit for my baby-to-be has been keeping Morgana nice and toasty as the weather turns from fall to early winter. (We’ve had real snow here a few days! Just nothing that sticks.) I’ve also been knitting her a few little hats (you can see one in-progress beside me on the couch!), since baby hats never seem to be made to baby-head size, but I also seem to have a great knack for losing them in the house, so there are no photos! Thank goodness baby things are so small and quick to knit — I think we’ve got a chilly winter ahead, and many things to make up!
She also sported the purple BSJ on her first-ever outing — to the Purple Purl, of course! (Let’s get this one addicted to yarn good and early, shall we?) The Purl celebrated it’s one-year anniversary of opening this past Saturday, and some of us gathered Friday night to wish them a happy birthday, complete with surprise presents!
Mom & Baby leave the house for the first time, to sit comfortably amid good friends and colourful yarns!
Miko loves the new ball-winder — Jennifer might prefer the bubble wrap! :)
More photos of the baby and the shop’s celebration can be found on my Flickr.
On the whole, we’re all doing really well: settling into new routines and roles, gaining confidence as parents, loving the baby-time, starting to leave the house for errands and fun, and even finding a bit of time to knit!
I signed up for Secret Pal 13 both because I love getting “good mail” and because I thought perhaps having a commitment (with treats!) would help me get back into the blogging mode postpartum. We’ll see how it goes… For now, here’s the standard intro. questions (Hi, new Secret Pal!!). and this very brief update:
- Baby M. is awesome. I cannot believe how much love can be felt for such a tiny creature, that the heart can swell to encompass this love without displacing all others — I think I am loving Dru, my friends, and our families more than ever, too!
- There is a time-blurr effect happening here (can it really be her 1-week birthday tomorrow?), and I think I’m starting to enjoy this haze. I haven’t left the house since I was in labour, but I love being in our warm little nest.
- I have actually knit something — a baby hat! No photos, though, because I’ve lost it somewhere. It was a bit big anyway, so maybe I’ll try another… There is also an FO (a BSJ) that needs to be photographed, which was finished while I was in prelabour, but it’s way to big to be modeled by M. currently.
And now, on to…
Secret Pal 13 Questions
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Love natural animal fibers (wool, silk, alpaca), haven’t had much ‘time’ with natural plant fibers (cotton, bamboo, linen, etc) but would like to try more out, and can’t stand man-made fibers (acry-icky!).
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
A giant messy bin. Must fix this.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
About 6 years now — I consider myself an adventurous intermediate. E.g.: I’m not afraid of lace, but have never attempted intarsia.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Right here! Note I have sub-divided lists for knitting books & spinning books separate from novels & stufff.
5. What’s your favorite scent?
Citrusy-scents for wash-products, ambers & musks for perfumes (but usually I go for the eco/unscented things…)
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
HUGE sweet tooth! Love me some chocolate (dark & organic, even better!). No nut allergies, but not a huge peanut fan.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I spin on bogh drop-spindles and wheels (have an Ashford Joy). I have the stuff for needle-felting but haven’t palyed with it much. I also sew, craft spindles, and dabble in various other crafts.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I definitely have mp3 capabilities, and love Celtic and folk music, as well as “world fusion” (e.g. Indian-inspired) folk & electronica.
9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?
I’ve been on a purple & lime kick of late, but also love burgundies and warm autumnal tones.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Brand New Baby Girl!!! And 2 sweet cats.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yep — I live in Toronto! You’d have to be crazy not to wear this kind of accessory :)
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Smaller projects — socks, mitts, etc. — generally over large ones, but I’m having more success with sweaters these dasy, and usually have one long-term lace project on the needles somewhere.
13. What are you knitting right now?
I’m exploring the new world of “baby knits”! On the needles currently for myself is a February Lady Sweater, though.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Love it! I’m greatly appreciative of receiving someone else’s creativity & time.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer metal circulars (Addis are the best!) and wooden for straights.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Swift yes, winder no.
17. How old is your oldest UFO?
A couple of years. I’ve culled the worst offenders, I think.
18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?
The winter holiday season is my absolute fave, always has been. I love the colours and lights and excuse to go baking-mad! My household celebrates Yule; it’s Christmas with the parents/in-laws.
19. Is there anything that you collect?
Books of faerie art, primarily coffee-table books of Brian Froud art. And yarn & spinning fliber, of course!!
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I’d love a set of Harmony circs., and there are many knitting books that look interesting but I don’t tend to buy them for myself (see amazon list). I don’t have any subscriptions, but routinely buy Interweave knits and Spin-Off, and usually get the holiday & F/W Vogue Knitting.
21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?
I’d like to get better at colourwork.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Sure am! Love to knit socks :) I wear a ladies US size 8-9.
23. When is your birthday?
February 1st!
24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what’s your ID?
“aemmeleia” on Ravelry.
Our daughter Morgana Amelia was born on Thursday November 6th at 7:07pm, weighing 7lbs 3oz and measuring 52cm. I had a *very* long home labour and eventually needed to transfer to the hospital for delivery, but came home just a few hours after and have been in a happy fog of new-parenthood ever since! I hope to write up a more complete birth story once I’ve recovered my braincells, but for now just know we are all happy, healthy, and utterly entranced with this beautiful new creature.
About 1/2 hour after birth.
I am a very lucky mother-to-be.
Amidst the craziness and generosity of the baby shower my SIL organized for me last weekend, there was one gift in particular that stood out. This gift was not even wrapped, just a large cardboard box full of hand-me-downs. Not usually something to get excited about, right?
Yet this box contained but one thing: three children’s worth of cloth diapers, for all stages!
Now, probably many of you are wondering why this is so exciting. Well, go look up the price of a single cloth diaper online real quick, and then consider the fact that there are 74 diapers in the above picture.
We knew cloth would be the right choice for us, having seen the math comparing yearly outlay of disposables vs. cloth (not to mention environmental and heath bonuses). It’s obvious that cloth are cheaper, but the down side to them is a large initial purchase. And that, for us, has now been effectively completely removed!
Oh, there was also an equal stash of vinyl covers/diaper wraps, too…
Sure, I probably will end up buying a few more tiny-sized diapers (there are far more medium and large ones in the new stash than smalls). And I much prefer the idea of wool soakers and longies to the plastic pants. But the thing of it is, these are now choices, not needs, and for that I am very grateful!
So, anyone got a favorite wool diaper-cover knitting pattern?
Unfinished: February Lady Sweater.
I know what you’re thinking: “Another sweater, already? Has she gotten cocky or something?” But hey, this is a really cute sweater, it’s construction and lace pattern are pretty easy, and I had yarn enough in my stash. Everyone else is doing it…
Unfinished: Baby Surprise Jacket.
It almost seems like one would have her “Knitter” status revoked if one was pregnant and did not knit this ubiquitous cardigan. It’s ok by my, though, since I love reading Elizabeth Zimmerman, and this particular pattern manages to be dead-simple and not ‘mindless’ at the same time. It’s also like the origami of knitwear — it’s fun to blindly knit along and not know how it will work out and then just twist the needles and see a glimpse of it all!
Unfinished: generic sock.
For those times that a simple sweater and/or garter stitch are still too complex… a boring ol’ sock. But it’s Austermann yarn “mit aloe vera“, which is pretty nice! And yes, sometimes I still can be sucked in by the novelty of yarn that stripes itself.
Unfinished: the nursery / baby ‘gear’.
I took a photo, but it’s just so overwhelming I can’t bring myself to upload it. There are many things that need to be not-in-there (some stuff that just needs to be trashed, and unfortunately more that need–ugh–organizing), a tonne of baby-shower gifts that need to find their new permanent homes (my gods, how many onsies does one baby need? I don’t think I’ll get to buy this baby any clothes until it’s a toddler!), and some critical pieces (crib? diaper pail?) that don’t even exist in this current reality.
And let’s not even talk about all those moms-to-be with their designer diaper bags and a month’s worth of meals in the freezer. Because that must be a myth, right?
Unfinished: gestation.
Baby belly at 34 weeks
I’m beginning to find myself entering the ‘countdown’ phase, the point of no return looming close and feeling up to the challenge! (“Stuff” notwithstanding.) I know that there could be many more weeks before this little one decides it’s time to join us in the world, but I also can tell that my body is beginning to prepare for that transitional journey.
Having Dru tell me “I want to meet my baby now!” on a daily basis helps (or doesn’t), too :)
Finished: Work for 1 year.
Maternity leave has begun as of Monday. Most people consider this “early” (by which I mean I’m not due this week or anything), but I’m thinking about it as “on time” (by which I mean I think this is exactly the right time for me). Recognizing that I am an incredibly privileged woman with a strong job/union, an understanding work environment (which recognizes it’s stress levels), and a supportive partner, I am very grateful and glad that I can take this time in these last weeks before birth. While I have only got uncomfortable symptoms and no complications in this pregnancy, I still want to be both as strong as I can (mentally and physically) for the birth, and to have the healthiest baby I can grow. I plan on doing a lot of resting, a little bit of frivolity (High Tea, anyone?), and a huge amount of organizing/cleaning/prep work.
Finished: Tilted Duster
That’s right folks. I have been KNITTING. And now it is done!!!
Pattern:Tilted Duster, by Norah Gaughn, from Interweave Knits Fall 2007 (cover project!)
Yarn: Fibranatura Mermaid (42% cotton, 35% superwash merino wool, 12% silk & 11% seacell)
Needles: 5.5mm Addi Turbos
Notions: 4 Yew Wood buttons; 1 hook-and-eye closure
Started: Early August, 2008
Finished: October 1, 2008
Both yarn and buttons were purchased at the Purple Purl
This sweater is a huge accomplishment for me! First off, you should know that this really is the first sweater I’ve ever knit for myself that has turned out at all. One has been utter crap, the other, gorgeous as it was, once washed was destined to never go on my body (oh Gatsby Girl, how I miss you!). I knit a sweater for my sister that was an atrocity. I knit an aran sweater for my father that turned out quite well (about a year late, though). Really, Dru’s Cobblestone is about the only sweater that’s been knit in a timely fashion and has turned out well — until now!
I think that, pregnant or not, 2 months is a respectable time-frame for a larger project. I definitely think that the Addis helped speed things along, too :) Mostly because this was the first time I tried knitting both sleeves at once along the circs, which ensured that the sleeves were both symmetrical and both finished at the same time. I also knit the sleeves before I started the ’skirt’ portion, so once that was done all I had to do was the collar and the sewing. It might be a mental trick, but it worked: the project seemed to go at a good pace.
There are a few issues with this sweater, don’t get me wrong: the armscye is way strange (something I could ‘fix’ if it were sewing, but will just have to keep in mind for further knitted garments), the fronts are a bit small and the back a bit large, and the sleeves came out a bit long. But it fits pretty well overall, and I like having sleeves that can cover my wrists well! The only modification I’ve made has been to add a small hook-and-eye closure where the two angles of the front come together, to keep things neat.
Best of all, it really is the perfect maternity sweater to show of the baby-belly!
For anyone who’s into spinning with a drop-spindle, check this out!
Spindlicity is an online magazine just for spindle-spinning, which was on hiatus for a while… But it’s back! Yay!
There are lots of useful and interesting articles in the archive issues, and the new revamped format seems like they’re up for some great things. Let’s show them support and hope they stick around this time!
I know I haven’t been writing here too often at all recently, and usually I’ve kept this blog a space fairly clear of politics in general. But election time looms, both for Canada and the USA (though I know there are many Canadians who’d rather have a US vote this time around!), and there are things that need to be said. Things that, thankfully, have been put into words far more eloquently and succinctly than I could!
So please, read Arduous‘ post about de-politicizing environmental issues. (Then go read her back-posts, because she’s a very interesting blogger!)
I very much support what she has written here; that there are some issues that we shouldn’t allow to be turned into a Left vs. Right standpoint. Issues that affect everyone (both within and without of our own borders). Issues that we should not allow the politicians to use to sway our votes in their favour, but rather use to turn their thoughts to how they can best serve their electorates.
The state of the environment is one of these issues. Gender equality is another (and likewise ‘racial’ equality). These are things that belong to, that have effects on, each and every citizen regardless of ‘conservative’ or ‘liberal’ leanings. So no matter who you will be voting for this October or November, take a moment to think on what Arduous has said, on ways you can encourage the de-politicization of crucial matters, and on the issues that you will take no compromise for — no matter who gets elected.
