I just wanted to share this blog post from Pioneer Woman with you: Knit Love. She has been traveling a lot and here she appreciates some lovely hand-knit gifts from her fans. Wouldn't you know, the first photo I saw I said, "That's Fetching!" I love it when I can spot a knit pattern right away.
In the photo, TLD is actually drinking water from a measuring spoon. This is how he "helped" wash dishes the day after Thanksgiving. He loves playing in water and drinking water from cups as well as from spoons. We'll be leaving for the holidays in the next day or so, so I just wanted to wish all of my readers a merry Christmas and happy holiday.
Knit Love!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Long live the dishcloth...
The dishcloth is dead!
In the "where are they now" series*, here is a beloved garterlac dishcloth. Previously blogged here, it was well loved. But, it tangled too many times with knives in the dishwater.
After snapping this photo, Itook pity on it declared it retired with meritorious decoration for its duty under fire, and sent it to its final resting place.
Thank you, dishcloth!
In the "where are they now" series*, here is a beloved garterlac dishcloth. Previously blogged here, it was well loved. But, it tangled too many times with knives in the dishwater.
After snapping this photo, I
Thank you, dishcloth!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Lambtown, USA
In early October, we all went to visit my SIL and their new baby in Davis, CA. We got there nice and early (thanks to TLD's sleep schedule) and had our visit. The Sweetie was slated to attend an evening Cal game (TLD opted to go to bed instead) so we had a free afternoon, just TLD and me.
I happened to remember it was the weekend of the Lambtown, USA, in Dixon, just a few miles from where we were! Admission was $1 (free for TLD) although parking was $5. TLD had a nice nap on the way there, and when he woke up, we went to check it out.
Way back when I first learned to knit, my teacher told me about the sheep to shawl competition, and I've been wanting to see it ever since. Here it was all laid out. The teams (5-6 people) card a fleece and spin it, and weave it into a shawl. The loom is pre-warped. But they even ply the wool before weaving! The shawls are judged on aesthetics and quality.
See more photos here.
Our souvenirs: TLD got an alpaca bear, because I held it up to him and he grabbed it, held it against his face, and said "Ooooh!". I got an alpaca finger puppet. Originally I thought TLD would like it but after the initial 10 seconds he showed no interest in it. I managed to resist the wiles of the marketplace. Whew!
I happened to remember it was the weekend of the Lambtown, USA, in Dixon, just a few miles from where we were! Admission was $1 (free for TLD) although parking was $5. TLD had a nice nap on the way there, and when he woke up, we went to check it out.
Way back when I first learned to knit, my teacher told me about the sheep to shawl competition, and I've been wanting to see it ever since. Here it was all laid out. The teams (5-6 people) card a fleece and spin it, and weave it into a shawl. The loom is pre-warped. But they even ply the wool before weaving! The shawls are judged on aesthetics and quality.
See more photos here.
Our souvenirs: TLD got an alpaca bear, because I held it up to him and he grabbed it, held it against his face, and said "Ooooh!". I got an alpaca finger puppet. Originally I thought TLD would like it but after the initial 10 seconds he showed no interest in it. I managed to resist the wiles of the marketplace. Whew!
Monday, December 7, 2009
FO: Cal Football Hat
It was the week before the Big Game (Cal v. Stanford, football) and the time was set for 4:30pm. We decided to take TLD and just see how it went - if he needed to leave, I'd take him. Maybe he'd make it to the end of the game. Who knew?
But - in the fashion of "the cobbler's children have no shoes" - TLD didn't have a warm hat that fit. (He has lots of sun hats.) I couldn't BUY one, I'm a knitter! So I broke out the blue and gold yarn I'd earmarked for a sweater (THAT wasn't going to happen in a week) and made another football hat, this time in the largest size, 2+ years. TLD is average in size, except in head circumference. He has a big cranium, in the 90th percentile for his age.
The 2+ year size fit perfectly, and he looks adorable in it. The night of the game, he wore it a little, but this past weekend we were at an outdoor event and he wore it pretty much the whole time. Yay! It makes my heart warm just to see him wearing a hat that I made for him.
Pattern: Football Hat from Itty-Bitty Hats
Yarn: Kraemer Yarns Summit Hill, worsted superwash
Needles: Size 5 for seed stitch, size 7 for the rest
Notes: As before, I decreased the stitch count on the crown by 1 stitch in order to make the seed stitch work out, then increased just before the stockinette portion. Then just knit like crazy. The belly button at the top is a little more open than I'd like, but I could repair it. The ear flaps sort of flap in the breeze, but it's very endearing. I didn't do the football or even a C in duplicate stitch - I didn't have time. Maybe I'll add it later, but my guess is it's done and it'll stay that way.
Profile view:
Photos taken with my phone, because it seems to take impossibly long to get photos from my camera to Flickr.
Oh, and the game? Cal won, in a very exciting finish. And TLD made it to the end, falling asleep on me in the front carrier with only 10 minutes or so left in the game. He stayed asleep for the rest of the game, the walk to the car, the drive to the house, and into the crib. It was a splendid day.
But - in the fashion of "the cobbler's children have no shoes" - TLD didn't have a warm hat that fit. (He has lots of sun hats.) I couldn't BUY one, I'm a knitter! So I broke out the blue and gold yarn I'd earmarked for a sweater (THAT wasn't going to happen in a week) and made another football hat, this time in the largest size, 2+ years. TLD is average in size, except in head circumference. He has a big cranium, in the 90th percentile for his age.
The 2+ year size fit perfectly, and he looks adorable in it. The night of the game, he wore it a little, but this past weekend we were at an outdoor event and he wore it pretty much the whole time. Yay! It makes my heart warm just to see him wearing a hat that I made for him.
Pattern: Football Hat from Itty-Bitty Hats
Yarn: Kraemer Yarns Summit Hill, worsted superwash
Needles: Size 5 for seed stitch, size 7 for the rest
Notes: As before, I decreased the stitch count on the crown by 1 stitch in order to make the seed stitch work out, then increased just before the stockinette portion. Then just knit like crazy. The belly button at the top is a little more open than I'd like, but I could repair it. The ear flaps sort of flap in the breeze, but it's very endearing. I didn't do the football or even a C in duplicate stitch - I didn't have time. Maybe I'll add it later, but my guess is it's done and it'll stay that way.
Profile view:
Photos taken with my phone, because it seems to take impossibly long to get photos from my camera to Flickr.
Oh, and the game? Cal won, in a very exciting finish. And TLD made it to the end, falling asleep on me in the front carrier with only 10 minutes or so left in the game. He stayed asleep for the rest of the game, the walk to the car, the drive to the house, and into the crib. It was a splendid day.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Random Wednesday (on Thursday)
My camera card is full, but I've been going to bed early every night this week fighting off a sore throat and cough. Hence, a random Wednesday (a day late) and a random photo. This is TLD doing what he loves best, dumping water out of a container. I think he's about to ask for more water.
Bullets:
Enough randomness for today. See you soon, hopefully with more pictures!
Bullets:
- Alana of Never Not Knitting is celebrating her 2nd blogiversary with a contest. Head over and congratulate her! For an entry into her big big prize, take a photo of yourself with a sign "I'm Never Not Knitting at ___" and send it to her.
- This one's not on Ravelry (yet): Roller Skating Penguins knitting pattern. Adorable!
- I saw this dress and I want to have it. I've also been actually planning to make a Polar Chullo and something by Alice or Jade Starmore, a child's vest or pullover in real Fair Isle. Might be 2010 is the year of colorwork.
- I also want to make one of these. Probably won't happen this year, but someday I'll have time.
- I've done the easy Christmas decorating. I swapped out the hanging on the back of the closet door from "birdhouse" to "Christmas tree" (we keep it hanging on the inside of the door during the rest of the year), got out red napkins (we don't do tablecloths right now because of TLD), and swapped out the everyday mugs for the Christmas mugs (these too, live in a high cabinet in the kitchen, so they're nearby). I'm ready for mulled wine!
- Still reading? A short whine: how come it takes 2+ full knitting/pumping sessions to do finishing on a Christmas stocking? I got to Kitchener the toe and weave in 10 ends yesterday. 5 ends to go, plus duplicate stitch 2 hearts and Niecey's name (have to chart it first too).
- Edited to add: I cooked this last night. It was really good and it used up food that was going to waste. Chicken thighs (unfortunately not on the bone, but it was still good) from the freezer (who knows how long), swiss chard that was wilty (but still good in soup), and we had it with a baguette that was hard but I toasted it in the oven and it was great, especially when dunked in soup. TLD loved it (well, he skipped the chard). The only thing was I couldn't find red lentils so I used brown, and I should have put them in sooner, because I think the brown take longer to cook. This morning at the store I found red lentils! I'll try them next time 'round.
Enough randomness for today. See you soon, hopefully with more pictures!
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