Long ago FOs

Well, I'm going to try and get back on the blogging bandwagon. Thought I'd start with some finished knitting projects. Both have been done for a little while, but I never posted about them.

A hoodie cardi for Piers

I used Mission Falls 1824 wool which knited up nicely. I picked it and the pattern up at a LYS going out of business sale a while back. I love how it turned out.

Finally finished the Elfine socks I've been working on forever.


Pattern: Elfine's Socks
Yarn: Brooklyn Handspun Superwash

Currently working on some Christmas presents, so of course can't post about those yet. But, I'm working on uploading a bunch of our recent photos to Flickr. So far here are some from an early September bike ride to Gasworks park.

See the light

Piers has finally slept through the night for the last two nights in a row. I don't want to jinx it, but I feel like I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel...finally. Up until this week, his usual pattern was to sleep only about 3-4 hours at a time. After 10 months of this, you can imagine how it would just suck all the life out of you! I'm hoping this will last and I can start to feel normal again!

Along those lines (feeling normal) I'd like to get back to blogging again. I came up to start a post last night and realized that I had 35 unread comments going back to last April! I must have changed the setting at some point to moderate comments before they posted and not remembered/realized! So that was fun to read through all those. Thanks to all of you for your nice comments over the past months!

Also getting the camera out again to try and take more photos. I realized that I don't have any pictures of Piers since he was 4 months old! Well, we did have some until disaster struck. Peter backed up the laptop onto an external hard drive. After that the laptop died and we got a brand new one under our warranty (sweet! a warranty finally paid off!). While I was in the process of moving the data (photos included) from the external drive back to the laptop, Piers decided to pull the drive by the cord off of the table! Yup, you guessed it, goodbye all of our files from like the last 7 years! Some of the photos are backed up on CDs or the internet, but not the most current ones. So all photos from the last 6 months are now stuck inside this little box. Peter is going to attempt to recover them, but we aren't crossing our fingers. :(

Anyway, long story to say that I have new photos of the kids posted for anyone interested. Here is my favorite of Piers















And one of Helen looking like a big girl





View the rest of the series here.

Whole family has been sick pretty much all month long. Saturday was sunny outside and we are all finally starting to feel better. It seems that spring is on the way and we are coming out of hibernation.

I knitted a baby sweater for my friend Lesley who just had a little girl named Bianca. Of course I neglected to take a photo before I gave it to her. Hopefully she'll take one for me that I can post. Other knitting has kind of stalled. I'm back to Piers' striped hoody sweater. Just doing the finishing on it. I'm down to one side of the button band and sewing on the hood, then I'll be done. Then it's time to return to my second elfine sock. Man, how long has that been?!! Also need to work on my MIL's shawl that I promised her xmas '05! Then I think it's time for a spring project for me...we'll see.

Only a knitter would understand...

Helen picked out the red sweater I knit for her to wear to school yesterday. Awww.

4 months old

Piers turns 4 months old this week. I managed to get a few great photos today. He can be so cute when he is happy, but man can he get pissed off! Hopefully the tide will turn a little now that we are passing the 4 month mark.

For my family that are reading: more July photos here and here.

I've been knitting away on my Elfine socks. I finally took some progress photos. I'm almost finished with the first one.

Here's an up close shot of the lace.

I've also been working on another sweater for Piers. I needed a boring stockinette project to work on with my lace socks. Man, I forgot how nice it is to knit with worsted weight wool on 7s vs. lace weight on 1s! I literally went, "Aahh" when I started knitting. I'm using the Mission Falls 1824 wool I got for 50% off at a LYS closing sale this spring. I was going to make the 2T/3T size but cast on for the next larger size by mistake. Oops! It's ok though considering how long it takes me to finish things these days. This one is a fast knit so I think I'll be finished in a few months.

Sent out my August birthday swap last week. Can't wait to see what my pal is sending me this week!!

I've been busy this month going on field trips with Helen's preschool. We took the bus and walked out onto I-90 to watch the Blue Angels. Last week we went to Sunset Bowl. This week we are going to take 3 buses (crazy I know!) to Edmonds and ride the train to Seattle. Fun!

$3.74

While looking for some new Colorwonder Markers (greatest invention ever! close second - Mr. Clean Magic Easer) for Helen at Target yesterday morning, I came across this learn to knit kit for a summer halter. You may be thinking, "But you already know how to knit." Yeah, but this thing was marked down to $3.74. Here's the inside

Even though I'm going to throw out everthing else (the needles are super cheapy), at that price the yarn is a steal! It comes with 245 yards of this natural cotton stuff. I thought I'd try out some dying and knit up this or this for Miss Helen.

Let's see, what have we been doing the last few weeks....ummm...We had Peter's Uncle and Aunt from Santa Cruz come for a visit. They brought along their kids, Nellie and Leon. We went and visited with Peter's cousin Susannah and her daughter Lilly. So Helen and Piers got to hang out with their cousins. We took a trip to the Ballard Locks (less than a mile from our house, but haven't been there since I was a kid!) and the Woodland Park Zoo. Nellie took photos with my camera - posted here. Just before the battery died I snapped this last photo of all of them.

Helen had a great time with them and even spent the night out at Susannah's by herself!

As for knitting, I've been working on my Elfine socks, but haven't snapped an in progress photo yet. I finally went to SnB at Cupcake Royale (so bummed they were all out of cupcakes by the time I got there! WTF? how can that be?! You sell cupcakes!!) the other night and Suzy helped me out with my short row heels! She always comes to my rescue! I'll post a photo soon....Piers is calling me....

Phildar Baby Cardigan

Finally done! It turned out pretty cute too. It's too bad I waited so long to finish this and it won't fit Helen anymore. I think part of the problem was the pattern being in French. I needed a little bit more knitting experience to be able to translate and understand the pattern.

Phildar Cardigan
Tricotez Calin N405 Printemps/Ete 2004
Yarn: Phildar Phil Ruban
Started: July 2004
Finished: July 2006! (hey at least I finished!)

August Birthday Swap

I joined the August Birthday Swap. Here is my questionaire for my swapper:

What day is your birthday?

August 17th

Are you crafty?

Yeah kind of. I used to be more crafty, but since I started knitting that's pretty much my only craft these days. With two young kids it's all I have time for!

Would you enjoy things like: Buttons, ribbons and embellishments?

Mmmm...probably not.

Do you dye your own wool?

Nope, haven't tried it yet. 2 1/2 year old and dye...don't want to go there. However, I love yarns that others have handdyed.

Do you like to scrapbook or make homemade cards?

Used to make cards, not anymore - gave all my stamping stuff away to make room for yarn! Tried scrapbooking and got WAY too stressed out by it.

What small project would you be interested in making? Socks, mittens, scarf, hat, baby items, wash cloths, doilies, shrugs etc

I'm kind of on a sock kick at the moment (or at least purchased some sock yarn, but only started on one pair so far) since having a baby in April and I haven't lost much weight yet. Socks are what fit right now! I'm into trying a shrug. I'd really like to knit Birch from Rowan.

What are your favorite scents?

Lavendar and Chammomile

Do you like stationary and cards?

Kind of, but don't write as much as I should.

Do you like hand lotions or soaps?

Yes, especially lavendar and chammomile scented. Since we bought our house with a hot tub, I don't take many baths though so don't use bath products.

Do you like to sew or embroider items?

I like to sew, just hard to find the time. I recently got the fabric and pattern for a skirt I want to make, but finding time to cut it out has been hard.

Do you like beads?

I like them, but don't do anything with them.

What kind of mail-able snacks do you like to eat?

Anything chocolate of course, but hard to mail in the heat of summer.

Do you like to wear costume jewelry? Necklace, earrings, bracelets etc.

Not really.

Do you like to play cards or board games?

Not really.

What are your favorite colors of yarn?

Brown, green, blue, red...in order of most likeable.

Do you like solid, variegated, heathers, or self stripping yarns?

Don't dig the heathers too much. Some variegated is ok, but I gravitate toward solids mostly. I'd love to try some self stripping yarn for socks.

Do you like kitchen magnets or key rings?

umm...maybe kitchen magnets.

Do you like picture frames?

Yes, but kind of have particular taste in this area.

Do you like to make/or use stitch markers?

Don't make them. Use them and like to use hand made ones, but only have two.

Do you collect anything?

Yarn

Do you have any allergies? Smoke, food, fiber, pets, etc..

Nope

Do you have any hobbies?

Kids and knitting.

Do you like scented or unscented candles?

unscented

Are you a fiber snob?

Not really, but I don't really like 100% acrylic yarn.

Weighing In

Piers had his two month (at 10 1/2 weeks) well visit today. He is one big kid - weighing in at 15 lbs, 9 oz, he ranks in the 97th percentile! He is 25" long which is 90th percentile for height. I had no idea. He just always seems so small compared to Helen!

I'm almost finished with my Phildar Baby Cardi I mentioned a few posts back. I just need to sew on the button and add the fringe. Can't wait to finish this dang thing! Then I can focus on my new socks...pictures later.