the blog languishes

I've not been blogging. It's hard to get back into the habit.

I did, however, finish Billy's sweater. 1 down, 11 to go!

Sweater #2 is in progress. I'm knitting an Iced from Knitty Fall 2010, which I have knit before. I'm using Polar in brown for the bulk of the sweater with some Manos for the collar. Pics to come!

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I really need to knit for B more

His 26 inch chest makes for fast knitting, especially at 19 st/4"!

I finished the back on Friday night and cast on for the front ribbing at his swimming lesson on Saturday. The intarsia starts right away. I've done this section twice; I missed a row the first time. It looks much nicer this time, as well as being the right size.

I'm not sure if he realizes I'm knitting the sweater he asked for, but he's asked for another one. He wants an Irish flag sweater. He loves flags. We spend time on google images looking up flags a lot.

mini-post

Billy's sweater is growing. I got a lot of knitting done on the bus ride in this morning. I haven't been knitting too much this week. I've been reading and last night I was exhausted so I went to bed right after B. (Which is why I knit on the way to work instead of taking my ususal nap.)

I hope to get the back done this weekend. It looks really narrow to me, but I measured him this morning and he's got the right chest measurement. I need to make it much longer.

The best part of this whole idea is the planning. I spend lots of time thinking about what yarn for who and which pattern and which month it would best fit. Google docs is my friend!

12 in 12

So, my ambitious idea for this year is one that's been done before. Knit 12 sweaters in 12 months. I've never done it before. I usually get 4 or 5 done each year. Mostly I knit the 4 sweaters for our parents, maybe one other and then lots of socks and things.

Last month while working on my Christmas gifts, I thought how great it would be if I did more than just little gifts for my family. Our parents all have multiple sweaters I've knit them. But, I've only ever made 1 sweater for one sister and nothing more than socks or hats for my brothers-in-law.

So, I decided I should knit them all sweaters. With the parent sweaters that's 11 (plus 1 for me). I've got a semblance of a plan and hope to get at least half of my Christmas gifts made throughout the year (parents will still get their sweaters for birthdays). I haven't set any rules, really. The only rule is that all 12 have to be done this year. I hope to use a lot of stash yarn (which I did last year with the parent sweaters and most of my Christmas gifts). I hope to do some sweaters that are a little challenging, but I'm looking at consisten effort here to get me through the year.

First up, is Billy. He asked me to knit him a Trickster sweater. He went as a Trickster* for Halloween and now wants a sweater.

I didn't have anything in stash so I ordered some worsted comfort from KnitPicks in red and yellow and cast on yesterday.

I hope to have it done to give to him on his birthday next month.

So, I'm being ambitious this year. Posting might be interesting if anyone actually reads this blog (especially anyone I'm related to).

*in case you haven't watched all the episodes of Destroy Build Destroy on Cartoon Network like Billy, a trickster is one of the teams that competed and they wore shirts like this.

it's dusty in here

I'm thinking of cleaning the place up and posting again. I've got a crazy ambitious plan for 2012 that's rolling around in my head.

blob to star

This pointy blob on my needles is 3/5 of the way to becoming a star.

It's supposed to be a bath mat, in which case it will be the biggest bathmat I've ever had. I'm hoping washing it then drying it in a hot dryer will shrink it down and firm up the fabric a bit.

it's hard to photograph yourself

Self drafted skirt in blue cotton lawn. I'm not sure how flattering it is. I do not know why my legs look so blue in the photo. Nothern exposure, perhaps?

My current knitting.

current project and some fabric stashing

do you remember?

10 years ago I was rocking out at my wedding reception. Man was that a good time!

That's why I married him, you know. We always have fun together.

If it weren't for him, I'd probably never leave the house.

still feeling freaked

The pediatrician finally called back about the referral today.

She's insisting upon seeing B. I was going to write before she gives me the referral, but who knows if she will.

Hubby says she has to give it to us, but does she really? If she's a good little gatekeeper and there's nothing obviously wrong, will she?

I've had such anxiety the last two weeks when I realized I had to get on the ball about this. And it's not going to get better until that referral is faxed over and I get the acknowledgment of receipt etc from the child development center.

still freaked out

another freak out

So, I was finishing up the paperwork for B's neurodev eval and needed to copy his immunization card.

Hubby went to the drawer where we keep it, because I was on the phone with mom and dad for our weekly call, he can't find it.

I try helping him a bit while still on the phone and the two of us are freaking out.

I cut my call short.

We start looking everywhere. I tear apart the island under the drawer where I know I put it (and where Hubby found the prescription for B's recent bloodwork that I put in the drawer with the immuno record).

Cue frantic looking and getting short with each other (good news is we didn't scream at each other).

I have to call the pediatrician about the referral anyway, so I ask if we can get a copy of the records as well. It was a rambling message.

He gives up after lecturing me on losing a legal document.

I keep looking.

I decide to look in the drawer for the bazillionth time, picking things up instead of just flipping through them, and I find it. An hour and a half after we started looking.

Hubby has since put it in the same envelope as B's birth certificate, his passport, and our marriage license.

I think I might need one of his valium. Too bad the chocoloate mousse cake from Mother's day is all gone.

quiet moment in a busy Saturday

This is going to be one of our busiest Saturdays this Springer. Billy had soccer this morning (which was cut short due to thunder) and in about an hour his buddy Matthew's coming over and we're all going to T-ball pictures, then at 3:15 a T-ball game if the weather holds out.

Right now, my boys are out shopping for me and they may get haircuts if they have time.

I should be doing something productive, but I'm sitting here reading sewing blogs and thinking about having a little lie down. I love taking naps. Now that B's too old for naps, I rarely get to take them anymore.

I think I'd like a nap tomorrow instead of another gift.

(My gift from B at school yesterday was a potted flower in a pot he decorated, decoupage-style, and a card. We made a foam and bead bookmark together.)

don't mind me

I'm having a minor freak out. Hubby and I have an "intake" appointment with a neurodevelopmental pediatrician on the 20th. That means I finally have to look at the packet they sent us and fill out the paperwork and send it in. It also means I need to talk to our pediatrician about a referral.

I've got no idea what is in the packet as I have not looked at it at all. I told Hubby I would get a start on it tonight and I'm starting to freak a bit. No, I don't know why I'm getting anxious about paperwork.

I do know why I'm anxious about the referral part. Our pediatrician doesn't think B has a sensory problem and I always worry she's going to give me a hard time, because sometimes she does. I'm not always my best on the phone either.

Ultimately, I'm freaking out because what if they find something? I don't think they will. We've been spending time with a lot of boys B's age these days, with t-ball and soccer, and I think he's pretty well in the middle most of the time (if near the bottom for coordination and stuff).

But, it's the what ifs that kill me, you know?

Oh yeah, there's also the fact that the receptionist told me the insurance most likely won't pay for the intake appointment and we may be on the hook for the eval, too. I love my kid, but I do not love spending large amounts of cash when I'm not sure there's a need to. Ya know?

walking on sunshine

We have beautiful weather weekend on tap! I'm so happy to sit outside tonight in the upper 70s watching B play t-ball. And I won't be shivering at soccer tomorrow morning, for a nice change!

I've got other good things, too. Some extra money at work (performance bonus, give me a woot!) is a nice boost. The best news, though, is that the hubby is not going to have to work this weekend nor 60-70 hours next week. His company is part unionized and the union contract is up tonight. Hubby is not part of the union and would have to work tomorrow and 60-70 hours a week for the duration of the strike. Even though the union had a vote last week and authorized a strike, the current contract has been extended to May 14th so the union can review the company's latest offer. It might just be a two week reprieve, but it swee-eet! Hubby has been mondo stressed about this and he's been driving me up the wall. I didn't realize how uptight I was feeling about it until he told me about the contract extension this morning.

To celebrate the reprieve, the gorgeous weather, and my performance at work, Hubby and I are going to Atlantic City tomorrow after soccer and coming back on Sunday. B and Molly get to spend the night with Grammy and Grandpa. They'll probably have as much fun as we will! We'll hit some tables, have some adult meals, spend time on the beach/boardwalk and maybe catch the Doobie Brothers. I can't wait!

I also had a great time at Purl yesterday with my friend. They've got a great new space, even though it's further away from our office than the last spot, it's lovely. I bought a couple of things.

The large skeins are cotton and will be made into a gift. The red is 825 yds of laceweight and for me, me, me! I wish they'd had two balls of the red. The shawl I really, really want to make needs about 1600 yds. Perhaps I can find more elsewhere....

Hope you all have a great weekend.

some old projects being worn

I made Billy a jacket over a year ago. He's been wearing it the last two days. He saw it hanging in his room and asked if he could wear it.

I think this makes the fourth or fifth time he's worn it since I sewed it.

It fits pretty well for now. It would be nice if he could wear it in the Fall as well.

Maybe I'll make him a different one, if he wants me to.

I thought I'd post this pic of my Dad in his birthday sweater. I wound up having to add 3 inches to the length, but he loves it.

My friend and I didn't make it to Purl on Tuesday. We're going today instead. I may buy something. I haven't bought any yarn since December...

photoless = boring

I drafted my new skirt pattern last night and cut out a wearable muslin. I have this navy cotton lawn with a tiny, tiny flower print that will be great for hot summer days. I decided to wait on the Word Search skirt until I have a pattern I'm completely happy with. I decided to go with an elastic waist, but cut it much smaller than I've done in the past. I'll have to shimmy it over my hips!

I really need to take some pictures of things to post. I have two finished skirts (lilac Easter skirt and red corduroy). Plus, I made my father-in-law a pair of Jets shorts for his birthday, just like the ones I made Dave for Christmas.

I have a couple of pairs of socks I've finished that I haven't posted.

I am making very good progress on the project I started last week for spawn of my sister.

Photoless blogs are boring. Especially when the blogger's got nothing funny to say.

My friend and I are visitng Purl's new space today at lunch. If I buy anything, I'll blog it. Just to keep us from falling asleep.

don't faint, it's another post

I finished my red corduroy skirt started in January. I need to wash it (I didn't pre-wash the fabric) and since the elastic turned pink as I was running it through the waistband, I think bleeding's going to be a problem. I'll try to get some pics to post later this week since I'm not posting about the thing I showed yesterday that I had to rip out and re-start due to inability to follow the pattern.
I'm obsessing about my next sewing project today, so I'll talk about that.

I've got about 5 yards of this fabric (Michael Miller's Word Search in cream and black) and I desperately want to make a nice flowy skirt out of it.

I think I'm going to make a six-gore skirt following this tutorial (not sure if I'll do a zip or an elastic waistband).

I know I should do a version in a fabric I don't love as much as I love this one (so much I'm planning accessories like a sun hat). That way I can be sure that the fit is right and that the style flatters, but I'm impatient and I've got the bug bad.

well, so much for coming right back

I started a little something this weekend. Some yarn I stashed a long time ago has been cast on for something that won't be blogged.

I just had to make new stitch markers. Hubby asked what happened to all the other ones I had. Well, I'm not quite sure where they went, but I like to make new ones for special projects. And this is one of the most special projects ever.

a plain, pink sock

Here's my current knitting project. Plain, pink sock. I bought the yarn hoping for red (I wear a lot of red and don't have any really red, handknit socks), but it's more of a faded red, dark pink. It started out as a bubble wrap sock (free pattern on ravelry), but I decided I didn't like that pattern in this color, so I'm working them plain. I like having some mindless knitting for the commute.

I've been doing other knitting and some sewing, but haven't been documenting it. I will document the last pair of socks I completed.