sockily challenged

I stink at making socks. I don’t know if it’s just because I am not a sock person, I live in the land of Mickey mouse and flip-flops for a reason. My attempts at socks have all been dismal failures. They could fit fred flintstone’s feet. To be honest, I would give it up if it weren’t for that dratted yarn harlot who routinely turns out footwear than makes me green with envy. Sometimes, I’m tempted to pay that squirrel to frustrate her like the socks frustrate me, but that will not help my sock karma.  Hopefully, what will is that sock class i’m signing up for next month.

Is there any particular project you have that you just cannot get, no matter how many times you try?

a letter to my daughter

Livy Love,

Today, it hit me anew how big you are getting. It hits me every time you do something new. This morning when you woke up and said “good morning mommy, where’s daddy?” I remembered the tiny little peanut that used to fit snuggly in the crook of my elbow. The baby i didn’t put down for the first three months. Now, you are so busy that I cherish the few seconds you spend in my lap each day.

You are the single most amazing thing that ever happened to me, and I love you very much. You crack me up and drive me crazy every single day. I love/hate the evidence of you growing up right before my eyes. Today, when mommy wouldn’t let you have a popsicle for breakfast, You said “I telling you what Mommy, you’re making me mad!” and stomped off  to put yourself in timeout, I tried not to laugh at you because I could tell you were very serious.

I want you to know that your mommy and daddy love you more than anything else in the world. i never expected when i was dreaming about what kind of person you would be that you would be so smart, funny, kind, independent and beautiful. I could never have hoped for all those things in one tiny little 6 lb bundle.  In short, baby girl, we are extremely blessed to have you, and we are so grateful that God chose you to be ours

a little note

 finally was able to find all the links for my YOP list if you want to check them out they are on my “updated list” post.

She started it!

One of the great things about a younger sister is that when ever you are busted for doing something wrong, it’s all their fault. This is the right of the firstborn, your very own patsy. I used to think that the right expired once you were eighteen, but apparently not. Here I am, about to tattle.

“MOM!!! Shel dragged me to the yarn shop, made me buy silk yarn and she bought bamboo wool AND circular needles AND this gorgeous navy blue yarn that has sparkles that looks like stars against hte night sky. AND THEN she made me look at (shocked horror rises in my voice, even as I throw her the “Now you’re gonna get it” look) RAVELRY, mom, for just hours, just pattern after pattern, sweaters, cowls tanks and there’s more , mom, so much more She found Coachella, http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/coachella and then she says (cuz she’s evil, mom, pure evil “Gift of God” my foot) “Can you just START this for me since all the hard parts are at the beginning? AND THEN I (virtuosity personified, note the halo and wings) said “NO, I can’t cheat on my list, think of my poor waiting tunic yarn layng there (enter violins) cold and alone, patiently waiting to burst from it’s sad lonely cocoon into the butterly glory that is http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-leaves-tunic-2 but she is so sneaky and pushes and pushes me to my breaking point by saying “Please.” Devious, that one.  (end hurried run on sentence) Now, don’t you wish you had listened to me and gotten me that puppy I wanted instead of HER?”

Once again, all her fault.

Week 3

I had a very productive week, knitting -wise. I cast on the Fiji lace wrap (which I still can’t figure out how to link to the project, sorry), and as for

my car knitting project the windmill bag is a little more than half done.

 

I am researching which tank on my list will make a good car project.  Teaching my sister to knit has given me unexpected knitting time, since she actually wants me to knit at her house now, and we made a most successful trip to the LYS. So successful in fact, that we contemplated selling her husband’s kidney to pay for it. One small side effect of an eight hour day focussed on knitting is my hands are very sore!

Off to read what everyone else is up to this week!

It was self defense, I swear it!

It has taken me the better part of 15 years to get there, but I finally conned my sister into learning to knit. I think she was pushed over the edge because she was looking at my “Norweigian Knits” book and realising that I would not be able to knit her any of the yummy mittens in that book for at least a year. I was a little bit proud that she was able to get a recognisable row of knit stitches in less than ten minutes including the cast on, even though she is right handed and I am left. I was almost a little miffed at that as well since it took me well over an hour to do it. I consoled myself with the knowlege that it must have been my superior teaching skills, and now my favorite shopping partner will now be able to enable my yarn shopping as well as the rest of my clothing obsessions.

For those of you who use them, do blocking wires make a difference, and would you recommend them to a knitter that is slightly intimidated by the idea of blocking?

Blog-along post 2

I finished the garnet wrap! It was the first time I have ever started and finished a project in the same week before, Wait, I take that back, I once made a garter stitch scarf on the way to georgia, but, it was mostly to take the edge off the idea of spending a week in the mts w/ my mil.

This was also the 1st time I have ever worked with a bulky yarn. It was such an enjoyable and quick knit. The yarn is soft and sparkly in a subtle way. t was an easily split yarn would be my only (small) criticism of it.

 

I am now working on my windmill bag in the car, and am casting on another project for at home. I’m trying to decide between a tank top and reworking the tunic. I have to confess that I am very reluctant to take apart that tunic because it is half done but I love it too much to put that much time into it and not have it fit well and never wear it.  

Please ignore my appearance in the photos. I spent the day at Epcot with my family today. Since beginning this blog, I’m realising how much of my weekend belongs to the mouse. today, we ate at the Biergarten (delicious!) and was able to knit for an hour while Mike went on Soarin. One of the benefits of the windmill bag is that I can tuck it in my purse and it’s knit in strips so there’s nothing to pulling it out anywhere (even in line) and making progress. Wishing everyone a peaceful and productive week!