nearing armholes

I made some progress this weekend. I'm nearly to the point of separating the body from the sleeves. Things will go much more quickly then. Which is good, as I have lots of Christmas presents to make! I did wind one ball of yarn over the weekend. It would have been two, but I forgot one skein in my desk.

I'm going to DC tomorrow for work, coming back Wednesday evening. I hope to get lots done on this sweater on the train.

actual knittng post

As you can see, I've made some progress. It makes good tv knitting, being mostly stockinette with a few increases. It will be great tv knitting when I can separate for the torso. Then it will just be round and round and round.

I'm taking an overnight trip to DC next week. I'm looking forward to the train ride, 6 hours of prime knitting time!

In other knitting news, I broke my yarn fast today. Ruth had posted a teaser earlier this week and I knew I had to have the resulting yarn. I scooped up one of the 10% cashmere skeins. I figure if I was going to break my fast, it should be with something good. I can't wait to get it!

speech therapy in action

So, part of B's language delay is a problem with sequencing. We've done a lot of homework on doing first, next, last sequences (retelling stories, explaining how to do something). This morning, B took his bagel to the dining room table, then he told me what he had just done and walked through it again. He said he grabbed the plate like this (with both hands), then he walked around the table and put the plate on the table to sit down and eat.

I was so proud. It makes the work and money and stress worth it to see him acquire these new skills. We get feedback from school about how much he's improved (some of the staff's known him since he was 2), that he speaks more clearly and articulates better. Seeing him take this huge step, talking in long sentences, getting a sequence right, it blows me away.

He's getting there. One of the next big tasks is getting him to stop saying "I forget" and "I don't know." Those are his two big fallbacks when he doesn't know how to say what he's thinking.

He works so hard; we'll get there.

no sweater progress to report

I have no sweater progress to report. I did the math and cast on last night. I knit over an inch and realized that I'd used to small a measurement for the neck. Riiiiip goes the sweater. I will cast on again this evening.

A literary interlude for you while I tackle this problem.

"If I was a ghost I would go to a haundted house to see a witch." by Billy, age 5.

I was so proud when I saw this hanging up in the classroom. B's very anxious about doing pictures for school work or speech therapy and it was exciting to see him come up with something so narrative. I'm also quite chuffed by the way his penmanship is improving in leaps and bounds. I love that kid!

do the needful

My company started working closely with Indian firms five or six years ago. We often hear intersting, nonidiomatic phrases from our colleagues in India. One of my favorite phrases they use is "do the needful." Usually said in response to a request, "we will do the needful."

Apparently, this can be interpreted as a very racy phrase referring to onanism in parts of the UK, which makes it even funnier.

I started swatching for my dad's birthday sweater this weekend in Needful Yarns Australian Merino. Three swatches were needed because the first has a gauge way too small (on a US 5) and the second seemed a little too drapey (US 7). I swatched a third time with a US 6 and although I like the fabric, I'm worried I won't have enough yarn at this gauge (about 6 st to an inch). But, even with the 7s I didn't get recommended gauge of 21 st/4 in, but just over 22 st/4 in.

I called in reinforcements and my knitting friend at work reassured me that the swatch on the 7s is fine and I should just go ahead. An 8 would make fabric that felt holey.

I've decided to do a pullover with a neck placket, I'm going to use the Woolworks top-down raglan guidelines, tweaking the neckline to get the placket. Woo hoo for knitting in the round and being able to adjust length as I go along. I'll be casting on tonight.

trick or treat

I think we had a good halloween. B's class joined in the parade at school. Hubby went instead of me, as I'd been conflicted all week since their party was scheduled for that afternoon. I got there in the afternoon and the party was B and one other K kid in the Pre-K classroom just having snacks. Everyone else from Kindergarten had gone home sick. We left shortly after B finished his snack. We went home and made cookies.

Trick or treating was a bit spritzy, but we had fun. B's a two-block trick or treater. We went up our street and down one side street and home. He seems pretty happy with his candy haul and doesn't mind that we ration it pretty strictly.

He didn't feel too well yesterday complaining of a headache that would get better with tylenol but come back. He was better this morning and couldn't wait to get out of bed for picture day at school today. He insisted he had to wear his dress shirt and tie so he'd look handsome and sharp.

He scored a goal at soccer this weekend. It wasn't beautiful, but Hubby and I are always so proud of him for being one of the most focused kids on the field. He may not be fast or very coordinated, but when he's motivated, he's very focused.

I didn't do too much, knitting or sewing wise this weekend. I did finish my Halloween skirt last week. I'll post a picture tomorrow. I got lots of compliments on it. I did swatch for my dad's birthday sweater this weekend. I hope to cast-on tonight.




















Here's my progress on the brick socks. I probably will put this aside for Dad's sweater and the other gifts I'm making.

more socks, sewing, etsy?

I wore another new pair of socks today. My blackberry blackrose socks. I apolize the bad photo. It is raining here again and a flash is my only option to not have blurry pictures. They are a skosh too long. But, that just means any accidental machine washing and drying won't ruin them.

I had a fun time last night playing scrabble on facebook with my sisters. We don't see nearly enough of each other, what with me living 6 hrs away. It was nice to "spend some time" with them, even if virtually. Even if I got my keister handed to me on a plate in the second game.

I got my Halloween skirt 75% done last night. Actually, 75% is probably generous. I still have to do the waistband and hem. And unpick the side seams a bit so I can fit my hand into the pockets! I showed it to B this morning (I'd left the remnant of the fabric on the table last night) and he thinks it's great. I sure hope it fits.

It's probably very illogical to think that a custom pattern drafted from measurements of myself that I took myself wouldn't fit, but there you have it.

My mindless knitting these days has been some cowls from sweater leftovers. I'm thinking of listing them on Etsy. What do you think?

And, progress on the Brick socks. Two repeats done (and one added at lunch after this picture was taken). I'm really enjoying the pattern. I think I'm going to knit every pattern in the book!