four little booties sitting in a row....

...waiting for owners to fill them with toes!
Are you surprised to hear from me? I have taken a short hiatus to... well... grow a few people. And to knit them wee garments. Double of everything. They have little sweaters to go with these booties and little hats to match. I have actually been quite the knitting fool, in between eating ridiculous amounts of food and sleeping 13 hours a night. And still working full time. And getting the nursery set up. And did I mention sleeping whenever possible?

Where were we? Ah, yes. Knitting for the babies. At some point I realized that as a knitter, I cannot in good conscience clothe the new monsters in anything I have not knit for them myself. Ergo, baby knitting. Which ROCKS. I've been using Debbie Bliss patterns for the booties and cardigan, and a Louisa Harding pattern for the beanie caps. Here's one of the cardigans:
I just need to sew the snap bands on these guys and they will be good to go. Cuz buttons on a wiggly baby? Not so much. Especially not with TWO wiggly babies. :D

Baby knitting is fast becoming my favorite pastime. It's quick, it's easy, it uses up remnants, and it's SO FREAKIN CUTE. What's not to love?

The skinny bitch is skinny no longer

I realize that I have been quiet for some time, and I do apologize, but I actually have a very good reason for my silence. For the better part of two months, I've been unable to do much besides try to get through my day. Yes, dramatic and sad sounding, right? Not so much.

My husband and I decided that after almost 10 years together, it was time. Yup. I'm expecting. But that's not all. I'm expecting TWINS.

If ever I needed my knitting mojo back, it's now. And lo did the sun did shine down and I started going through the many baby patterns that my loving Nana left to me. Yes, I will knit again. I MUST knit again, and I must start post-haste. I need to get it all in now before the twins are born because heaven knows I'll have NO time after.

Anyway, now that I can look at a computer (or anything else for that matter) without getting ill, I will be writing more often. Hopefully with knitting content. :D

It's not knitting, but it's not nothing either

The knitting mojo has gone. She is on summer vacation - probably hanging out with Santa Claus on some beach in the Caribbean. On the other hand, the sewing mojo has returned. Since the niece turned one, I figured I'd make a little somethin somethin for her...Cute little monster, isn't she? This is Simplicity pattern 4243, and it was so easy it was almost ridiculous. The edging is just red hem tape. There's a hat in this pattern that might make it to my sewing board too - I have plenty of the Amy Butler fabric leftover....
Schmoo.

I also made myself a nice summer dress... pics to follow shortly...

Hope you all are enjoying your time outdoors! Hooray for summer!

Success!

The wedding was a resounding success, and my dear friend Andy has pledged his life to a wonderful woman. I wish them many years of love and happiness!

Wherefore art thou?

I must say, after that behemoth of a project, I'm feeling rather... uninspired. I have enough stash to knit around the world and back (egads. wait till you SEE what's in my stash now.) and I've been perusing Ravelry and finding a few cute patterns, but nothing that I must cast on for NOW.

Come to think of it, the only moment of emotion during my Ravelry hunt was when I found a rather cute baby pattern on a weirdly deformed baby, until I discovered that the aforementioned deformed baby was under a smudge on my screen and it was actually quite a cute baby.

Other than that, meh.

Mojo, oh mojo, what has happened to thee?

I really really hope

That the recipients of this gift are not reading my blog. I hope. Hope hope hope. Because here she is:

Pattern: Girasole by Jared Flood

Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash - ~15 skeins
Needles: 9 circs
Mods: I left off the last repeat of chart G (last one before the edging)
I liked the 3-2-1 effect of it, plus I wasn't sure if I was going to
run out of yarn or not.

This is a wedding gift for a very dear friend of mine. I had thought it was going to be a wrench to give away, but actually, I'm kind of looking forward to it. She's going to have to go out for a few more photo shoots though... once she's done blocking.

I'm pretty sure I'll knit this again - the pattern is really well written and easy to follow, once you remind yourself how to read charts. Plus I think I would like one for my own living room - maybe in a deep burgundy red... jes?

Girasole...

...is done. Waiting patiently to be washed and blocked by its ridiculously busy knitter.

A shiny red wagon...

...that I have fallen off the back of. *sigh* How could a month go by and I haven't noticed? Actually, I know how, but I won't depress you with the details. The point is, I am back on my shiny red wagon. And despite my silence the last month, I HAVE been knitting, but it's secret knitting and not available for public consumption as of yet. Soon, my pretties. Soon.

You're calibrating the what?

The cigar knucks. I had originally knit these for my Uncle Scott, but... but. I am sorry to say that he is no longer in need of gloves of any sort. These are to be bequeathed to my Uncle Norm (my aunt Melody's husband).

I asked my darling husband to model these for us and told him to just do something with his hands.

"Well, I suppose the flux capacitor needs some calibration..."

Melodious gloves

In January, my immediate family reconnected with my father's sister, Melody. It's been years, both sides have had troubles, and we all just kind of fell away. And despite the circumstances, it was wonderful to see her again - I had forgotten just how warm and funny a woman she is.

At dinner one evening, my aunt Melody bequeathed to me a beautiful scarf that she had knit herself. A discussion of knitting ensued, and she mentioned that she hadn't gotten the nerve to try gloves yet... enter the Melodious Gloves.These gloves are the result of two beautiful patterns... the Cigar gloves from Knitty, and Susie's Reading Mitts, by Janelle Masters. The colors were inspired by my aunt Melody - her favorites. I am hoping she likes these - they are a surprise...

And just in time for summer. I *REALLY* need more time to knit.

The Duchess

My yarn arrived, and I knit my fool head off. Only took me two evenings to finish this sweater, mostly due to my lack of skills with scissors and some mad ripping. So without further ado... voila.

Pattern: The Duchess Raglan
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Closeout - 11 skeins
Needles: 10 circs
Mods: None

When I first tried it on, it was a bit snug. So I blocked the hell out of it and now it fits like a dream. I might make a few mods though - I might crochet on some edging to keep the lower edge flat, and I might put even another inch or two in the midsection. I like my sweaters long in the middle. But! All in all, I'd have to say that I'm totally in love. The yarn is a dream against my skin... snuggly warm and smooshy and soft. Not one itchy from it! And the color is lovely - the color of ripe raspberries. Oh! Raspberries! Yummmm....

How is it that knitting always brings me back to food?

A poem

Roses are red...
this sweater is too...
I've run out of yarn,
So sad, but so true!

Thank heavens for ebay. I have three more skeins coming to help me finish - same lot and all! The yoke should be no problem - I'm going to have to do some creative editing of that midsection though. Can't have my belly button peeking out!

I can't believe it's been a month since I've updated. Where does the time go?! I've been knitting, slowly but surely. The shawl collar sweater is coming along... slooooooowly. The collar takes forever! I'm also knitting a pair of pretty pretty gloves for my aunt, in return for a delicious scarf she gave me last month. So it's coming along. Hopefully I'll have some FOs for you on my next post... I have a rather ambitious project waiting in the wings, and it's got a deadline. I got to get knittin!

On grief and works in progress.

I was reading one of the blogs on my roll, and I discovered someone else dealing with grief. And as I read the comments, and came back again to mine, I was again struck by the goodness of you people. You who read these blogs and leave kind comments. You who share in our totally unknown pain. It means more than you could possibly know.

Until the funeral, I had never seen my father cry. My aunt - who no one has seen or spoken to in 10 years - came and held my hand. People I had never met hugged me and shared their stories. I have always held things in, tried to deal with them on my own. During all this I found that sharing - even with these strangers - definitely made it easier, and speaking about it made it more real.

I can't thank you enough for reading, for commenting, for reaching out and sharing in something totally unrelated to you. It has helped me immensely to be able to speak to this, and hear kind words in return. So thank you - thank you - thank you.

However. As painful it may be, it is unwise to get lost in our grief. Mine has led to productivity. Over the past two weeks I have been knitting - both by Nana's bedside and to and from the funeral. Consequently, I have something to show you. A couple of somethings to show you, actually.

Shawl Collar Pullover - AVittadini - Vogue Knitting Winter 2004/05

I'm on the collar right now - and it is taking a REALLY long time. *sigh* So I started something quicker.

The Duchess Raglan

Debbie Bliss Chunky Cashmerino - Yummmmm. Can you just feel the yumminess? This took me all of two days. I'm on the sleeves now.

I have also been "enhancing". Now that my year of "No yarn purchases" is over, I thought I'd start out the new year right.


Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky - currently being used for the Duchess Raglan.
Rowan Cashcotton 4-ply. This will be used for the Apres-Surf Hoodie. All on mad sale at Webs. I am happy to report that my yarn-a-holic nature is back in full swing.

As you can see, I am moving forward. I will always think of Nana when I knit, and I will do my best to carry on the legacy. Given that I seem to have inherited the most atrocious patterns, I expect to rally quite magnificently.

Goodbye

Nana

Charlotte R. Alger

Aka Charlie.
Better known to me as Nana.

How do you even begin to sum up the impact someone has had on your life? All the things you remember? The sound of her voice when she'd call up and say "Lori, dear, how are you?". Her laugh when she found something funny. She sat down and taught you to knit at the age of 6. She kept the dirty jokes in the Bible and snickered in church as she told them to God when she prayed. She made the best fudge this side of the Mississippi and lemonade to boot (it had about a cup of sugar in it). She called herself a self-centered egotistical bastard and sang "I love myself, I think I'm grand, I go to the movies just to hold my hand". She called "fish" "feesh" and the freezer was an icebox, and a rubberband is a gumband. She survived my Grandpa Bill's death when my dad was 13 - she became an alcoholic and then sobered up - she was going on 30 some-odd years of being sober. For years she'd buy herself a gift and then wrap it and put it under the tree - when she opened it she'd say "Oh Bill! It's just what I wanted!". She called pastel pink "titty pink" and made (and wore) horrific puffy paint and ribbon sweatshirts. She taught me dedication, value, and the idea that you patronize the people who patronize you. She taught me that you never wait for a man to buy you jewelry. I'm pretty sure she also taught me to swear.

I could go on. I could go on for hours. I could probably max out this blogger. But I won't.

Suffice it to say that my grandmother was an extraordinary woman who had a huge impact on my life. And I'm going to miss her something fierce.