Mistress Stash Enhancer

on the needles...

(click on all pictures in post to in large them)

this isn't like me! I have 3 projects going at the same time (don't forget the mini van sock! Which has progressed to the heel gusset. yay me!) wildflower socks which are very Project Spectrum this month

which I'm not sure if I'm going to frog or not... I casted on the smaller size (56 sts) its a little hard to get over my heel, but once its on it fits very well. To frog, or not to frog?

also on the needles is knit and tonics something red. I've had the pattern forever and  the yarn for even longer. It's absolutely beautiful. Here is a close up, this picture is pretty close to the actual color. As ya'll know, red is *very* hard to capture!

I'm using Louet Sales Gems Merlin Camelot in color 60-2895-1. I'm calling it Red Rose. Much more romantic, no? Its 70% Merino and 30% linen. I bought this yarn 2 years, maybe 3 years, ago at Webs on sale. This is so sad, that I have to admit it. I just got the name of the yarn... Merlin Merino/Linen Mer Lin. Holy Crap I am slow!

...off the needles

Little socks for Allysa

(see my beautiful marigold that Bryce gave to me for Mother's Day? I love it!)

 I had enough yarn left over from my secret knitting, Kailey's socks, Corra's socks, another pair of socks for Allysa and my socks to knit a pair of socks for Allysa!

Stats:

Pattern- Waffle Rib II from Sensational knitted socks

Yarn- Socks that Rock medium weight in boysenberry and rhodenite

Needles- Inox US 2 dpns

Started- April ?, 2007

Finished- May 7,  2007

Notes- I cased on 44 sts. Leg measures 3", foot measures 6 1/2" She wears a child's size 10. When Allysa put on her new socks she proclaimed "now I can walk!"

I'm hoping to go to the Waynesburgh Co. Sheep and Wool this weekend, I will be schlepping Allysa and Kailey with me. (unless I can find a sitter for Allysa) Let me know if your going too!

What a week er, two weeks its been! So much has happened. Among the sleep overs, birthday parties, various chores and Mike being home on break, Kailey has been one little fussy baby. After talking to her Dr. I finally decided to have her tested for acid reflux. She has been very drooly, fussy, has the hiccups a lot, and seems to swallow frequently too. The Dr. called for a 18 hour ph study, and an ultrasound. Damn. It was a long 18 hours in the hospital while she was having her test. Both Bryce and Allysa had reflux, but they threw up. A.lot. Bryce had excessive periodic breathing too. Baby Love, has periodic breathing too. Quite a bit for her age too... our Dr. being on the safe side prescribed an apnea monitor for her to wear when she is sleeping. It has two electrodes attached to a belt that she wears around her chest. It monitors her heart rate and her breathing. Hopefully she won't have any episodes... Our Dr. also put her on Zantac and Reglan (no idea if I spelled that right). Which should stop the reflux, and hopefully heal any damage that may have been done to her esophagus.

Baby love has some new hand knits to show off, After picking up some cotton at the LYS two weeks ago I casted on for little hat

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Stats:

Pattern- Ruffled tulip hat by fiber trends

Yarn- 1.5 balls Paton's cotton worsted white, approx. 2 yards Patton's martinique in pink.

Needles- size 7 Clover dpns

Started- April 22, 2007

Finished- April 25, 2007

Notes- I used white for the whole hat, Instead of using the pink for the heart pattern. I used purl sts instead. And pink for the tie. Next time, I will in large the heart pattern and knit the heart patten with all purl sts. Its a little big on her right now, but she will grow into it. She is already 12lbs 5oz!

Baby love looks so sweet in Daddy's arms. (Daddy didn't know I was taking pictures, hehe!)

Baby love has a few MDK bibs to show off too,

Silly Mommy put the button hole on the wrong side of one! The buttons came from a tin of buttons I found in the basement of our home. I don't know how long they have been down there, it was a great find!

Now that Baby love is napping I'm going to go take a shower, I really should clean (ick), or knit (oh knit!), or maybe nap... mmm... nap....

 Mr. Mailman delivered my knit picks order and the 2 knitting pure & simple patterns I ordered from One fine yarn. Now that I have the neck down v neck shaped cardi in my hands, I don't know what yarn to use. It calls for a dk or light worsted yarn. I so very want to knit a sweater right now, but my biggest problem well, is my boobs. (such interesting google hits I'll get from that sentence. I'm sure) I'm nursing Kailey, my boobs are huge. Soon my boobs will return to their normal size. (non existent) So what to knit, what to knit? I want to knit something that will still fit next year! I've been scouring  the net for dk or worsted weight that knits 5sts/inch on size 6 needles that isn't horribly expensive. Is that too much to ask?

So, am I just a sock knitter?

(New Seacoast Panda from yarn4socks.com gilded Lilly is mine, ashes and roses & sorbet are Mom's. btw yarn4socks is having a 20% all yarns containing green till the 22!)

yes, I'm a sock knitter.

I'm a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter. A friend.

I am crafter, a knitter, a quilter. A needle artist, a paper crafter, a photographer. 

I am cook, a repair-woman, a home owner. A volunteer, a jewelry artist, a decorator.

I am me, among many things. But most importantly I am loved.

Really, It's all about me. But I think we all know that already. KIDDING! A few posts ago I was whining that I was sick of knitting for others, and wanted to knit something for me. It felt like everything that came off my needles was for someone else, other than myself. And really, I can be pretty damned selfish. I'm not going to lie. So after B's crazy socks where done, I casted these baby's right on! Right on baby! Right on!

This is my sock Sunday night, as of yesterday afternoon I turned the heel and was moving down the foot. Damn it feels good to knit for me me me!!

Speaking of me me me, d,knit tagged me for the 6 weird things about me a few *ahem*months*cough* ago, even though I've been tagged for it before. I thought I would give it another go. My first answers sucked a bit the first time, and these are a bit odd

1. When loading my dishwasher the silverware *has* to be facing down. (the part that goes in your mouth goes down) I used to have to have the dishwasher loaded just right way, but I've relaxed a bit.

2. I have to wear shoes. I don't like to walk around barefoot or just in socks.

3. Not so weird, but I talk in my sleep. I've been known to have full conversations on the phone while sleeping too.

4. I have to drink water from a glass, not a plastic cup. Bottled water is ok though.

5. Can not eat soup out of a square dish or bowl.

6. My parents told the maternity nurse when I was born that they where going to name me "Lead bottom moose belly"

Sorry I can't remember the rules to this meme, so If ya haven't done it yet, and want to. Go for it. Let me know so I can read your answers! What? Yes, It is all about me me me, here's one more meme! Mary (kinda) tagged me for 5 things you haven't mentioned on your blog meme (I think that's what its called) This post I remembered to save on bloglines so I could go back to it (ya me!) Here we go

First, the Rules:
Someone Tags you, you post 5 things about yourself that you haven't already mentioned on your blog, you tag 5 more bloggers.

1. I once had a job at a local farm near where I grew up in Massachusetts washing eggs for 1 cent/egg.

2. I once *had* to bake blueberry muffins from scratch in the middle of the winter, my Dad was nice enough to buy me real blueberries. I mistakenly added 3 tablespoons of baking powder when I should have added 3 teaspoons of baking soda. Opps! Dad will never forget that one, those muffins where bad!

3. Mike is 15 years older than me.

4. I used to wonder if I would ever have kids, if I even wanted them. Now that I have them (4 of em!) I would never change a thing.

5. I used to write poetry in high school (come on who didn't!) and had once of my poems published.

I'm coping out of tagging, who ever wants to do it, go for it! Let me know if ya do it! Since it's all about me me me, I'm going to finish off my turtle chex mix, which btw is so.freaking.good, and knit my sock. Me me me!!! ; )

We had a 3 day weekend this weekend, after the kids having 3 days off last week thanks to the snow storm (which by the way, why wasn't it called a Nor'ester?) it was like we had a vacation from school. I'm looking forward to tomorrow which will hopefully bring back some bit of normalcy to our house. I say some, because Bryce has a cold and he's being dragged to the Dr tomorrow. Kailey has her 1 month appointment and I'm hoping to have him checked out too. He's supposed to have his adenoids removed this coming Monday. The kids where able to spend some time outside in the snow this weekend. They enjoyed themselves immensely and its a good thing Mema keeps us stocked with mittens!

Here's B's crazy socks after a day of wear, He loves how the socks don't match! When I asked B how much he liked his new socks he replied with

"This much!!!" ahhh, this is why I love to knit him socks. Do you know what is so crazy about these socks? I have a walnut sized ball of lapis left over. Crazzzy! The needles didn't even get a chance to cool before I wound up a hank of brand spanken new sock yarn! More on that tomorrow, Here's a pic of Kailey holding my needles 

gotta start 'em while they're young!

PS Does anyone know where you can purchase downloadable Knitting Pure and Simple patterns? I'm dying to have the top down V-shaped Cardigan and don't want to wait a week for it to be mailed to me.

Between my naps and such, there has been a bit of knitting and finishing too! These poor little booties have been waiting very patiently for buttons, they fit Kailey's feet fairly well with a pair of socks. They are so cute, ya almost want to knit a pair for every little girl ya know

ok, I do want to knit them for every little girl I know. But everyone I know who's pregnant is having a boy!

Stats:

Pattern: Mary Jane booties from Knitting for Babies walmart brochure found in check out line.

Yarn: Joann's sensations Bellezza Collection Tesoro 100% wool, color 954 Leftover from Comforting Jenn square

Needles: US 3

Time: ummm... knitting time maybe 2 hours per bootie, but they've been waiting for buttons for 3 weeks!

Notes: I started the first bootie Jan 17 and finished it that night, I started the second bootie the morning of Jan 18 and finished it sometime during my hospital stay. Then the little booties sat around waiting for lil buttons which I found upstairs in my button drawer.

Sometime in November  I bought a hank of Inca Cotton from Stitch your Art out to knit the baby borelo from One Skein. Then the knitting blah's hit, and I finally casted on sometime last week.

Stats:

Pattern: Baby Borelo from One Skein

Yarn: Inca Cotton 100% Organic Cotton Ecru

Needles: US 8 knit pick options

Time: 1 week maybe?

Notes: I forgot to change to a size 9 needle when knitting the ribbing, oops! I think it turned out well. I'm hoping if I put the leftover yarn together with the needles and the finished sweater it will magically reproduce and I will have a baby gift for Mike's cousin who had her baby boy last week. Hey one can dream right? ; )

one more, cause she is so darned cute

Sometime during the first two weeks I knit these

2 of Abigail's 4 corners dishcloths, Abigail you where right they are the perfect knit when one can't concentrate to well.. and yet I still managed to screw up my second cloth (the green one) one side is smaller than the rest. No idea what happened!! The red one is also a good inch bigger around than the green one. I guess I was more "relaxed" when I knit that one! Abigail just came up with a cool new scrubby pattern called tribbles. Finally, something to do will all that leftover cotton!

The kids had a snow day today we baked cookies and chilled out in our jammies all day. They have another one tomorrow. Weatherman says we're getting snow

damn, I think for once the weatherman might be right! They say we'll be getting 6-10 inches of snow tonight, and 5-8 inches of snow tomorrow. I don't think they'll be going to school on Thursday either!

Updated family pic!

Bryce, Corra holding Kailey and Allysa. Just lookin' at em makes me want to smile even though right now they have remodeled Bryce's pterodactyl hot wheels track and are shooting cars from the playroom into the hallway, some cars are making it across the hallway into the living room. *sigh* they grow up too fast

There has been some knitting here these past two weeks, I finally finished my toe up socks from my sock class sometime this past week. What day did I finish them? No idea, really... maybe Monday-ish? But don't they look nice?

(click on all pictures to embiggen)

My first sock class was in November where we learned how to start the toe, I didn't originally pick this yarn for my first toe up socks. We lost power here the morning of the class, I was planning on winding up my yarn that morning. That yarn didn't want to cooperate, its *really* hard to untangle a wonky skein in a dim room. So, in an attempt to save what sanity I had left,  I had to use a ball that was already wound.

I don't particularly like the cast on that we used on the toe, looks like a funky caterpillar doesn't it? Must learn magic 8 cast on, I must, I must, I must!

By the time we had our next class in December, I had my homework finished (knit both feet of both socks) and was ready to turn both heels. I have to say I do like how this short row heel fits my heel. While I would like to learn a different cast off for the leg,

To cast off, I followed Cynthia's directions k1,yo all the way around then cast off. She said it would flare a bit, and boy does it! (She had another cast off, but I was feeling a wee bit lazy and didn't "feel" like figuring out the directions) I must learn a different cast off! I know people won't see the top of my socks, but it still bother's me.

After I slowly finished the first sock and the other one just languished in the bag. Remember this pick?

Notice how I'm wearing one hand knit sock? I have this thing with my knitting, if I put a project down and start another one. The project that I put down, well it has a *very* slim chance of ever getting finished. Some how these guys won,

Stats:

Pattern: Cynthia from Stitch your Art Out really clear toe-up sock instruction booklet. I increased up to 52 stitches for my foot.

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock medium weight in Lapis

Needles: 5 US1 knit picks dpns, 2 US1 knit picks circs

Time: HA! good question, 3 months?

Notes: I switched to 2 circs after I finished the second heel, so I could knit while holding Kailey. I have a new found love for the medium weight STR, it kept my toes nice and toasty yesterday during the cold weather! Even though Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow this morning and predicted an early spring, I have little faith in that fat, weasly rodent. The next week Mr Weatherman says our high will be in the 10's and its going to be coooold! Good thing I finished these socks, but then again Phil does have a decent accuracy rate of being correct 59% of the time.... hmmm... I wonder if they did their math right....

Finish off this post, I want to learn the magic 8 cast on, and a different cast off... right I'll get right on that... riiiight ; )

(updated family photo to coming soon!)

sometimes... I get this thought in my head that I can sew. Ok, I can sew. But I don't sew well. Even though Bryce who was watching me sew yesterday afternoon told me "Mommy, I don't know why you say you can't sew. Cause you do a good job!" Isn't he the cutest? Honestly, I'm never really happy with how my sewing projects look after I'm finished, or how they look after a few uses. But I always find myself buying more patterns, fabric and sitting in front of my sewing machine.

I think it has to do with the memories I have of sewing as a child. When I around 8 I would spend Saturdays at my Auntie Adair's house while my mom was at work, or my parents just wanted me outta their hair ; )  It was my Aunt that helped foster my creativity, she encouraged me to try new things and taught me things that her mother and her mother in law taught her. She always had fun things planned for us to do, and I can still remember kicking her butt playing Sorry!

When ever I iron fabric, the smell reminds me of Saturdays at her house. Using the sprinkle water bottle that was her MIL's and the hot iron sizzling away the moisture. Then the smell of her old singer as I would sew my Samantha doll a new dress. This weekend, after a trip to Jo-ann's last week I broke out my Lady Kenmore and tried to convince myself that yes. I can sew. At Jo-ann's I bought a nursing pillow and whipped up a cover for it using snuggly flannel

I finished up my Big Bad Baby Blanket Friday morning, after putting it and the flannel I bought for the backing through the washer and dryer I added the backing. Ha. Yeah. I can sew my ass. Piping, don't speak to me about piping. Apparently when my Aunt taught me her trick to adding piping it didn't stick in my head. I tried 3 times! THREE times, before I ripped it off for good and said screw it damnit.

I have to say though, the BBBB turned out great, the cotton tots fluffed up and softened like you wouldn't believe in the wash. I can't wait to wrap New Baby girl in it.

Stats:

Pattern: Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch and Bitch

yarn: 4 balls of Cotton tots in very berry.. I think... I started a different blanket with this yarn. Frogged it, and it marinated in the stash for a bit with out labels. So I'm not 100% sure how much I used.

needles: US 8 addi turbo

gauge: 4 sts/in before and after machine washing and drying

size: 27"W  x  32"L

notes: I only knit 15 rows of seed stitch, I couldn't take it anymore and just wanted to start on the pattern! I also used 1 yard of flannel to back the blanket, I hope this will help the blanket keep its shape. Since its soon to be loved and washed many, many times!  I was going to add piping to the edges, lets just say that didn't work out.

Also I sewed a receiving blanket out of some cute lamb flannel that I couldn't pass up, thanks to Wool Winder's post that inspired me to do this. I had a little bit of flannel left over from the nursing pillow cover, the blankets, and had some boyish flannel in the stash. Now everyone has a little blankie

Ok. So sometimes when I think I can sew, I can.

Prego update: still.no.baby. Today is my due date and I'm off to tempt fate to embarrass the daylights outta me. Because I have errands that have to be ran, and can not wait. Last night I think I slept 2 hours, thanks to some fluid behind my left eardrum that is causing this obnoxious freaking humming noise. My Dr told me to take sudafed for it, that damn never kept me up before. But hell I'm still freaking wired! I think the baby has dropped, but I'm not completely sure since my back and hips don't hurt yet.  Grrr... I'm sure I'm super pleasant to be around with all this whining! Seriously though, will someone tell the crazy person in my head to stop humming? Or at least hum a tune? urgh!

This weekend while Corra and Bryce where at their Dad's and I pawned off Allysa had a sleep over with her cousin I drove down to Pittsburgh to spend some time with Mike. Yes, I wanted to go shopping but I mostly wanted us to spend time with him because hell. We aren't going to get to spend time together for quite some time once little girl is born!

I really enjoyed myself. Mike cooked me dinner, and breakfast (he did the dishes too!!), and I learned next time I visit him while he is on the road I must bring my coffee maker! I was on a mission this weekend to find a new stroller and hopefully a new car seat. Especially after reading this report. Can you guess which color car seat and stroller we bought?

Ha! Like you had to guess, right? Pink, pink, pink! Yes, we now have upped the chance that the ultrasounds where wrong and baby girl will end up being a boy. At least that's how I convinced Mike this was *the* stroller. I'm loven this pink. I think Mike was really enjoying Toys R Us, and maybe even liked Baby's R Us a bit too. Its a lot easier for me to get the kids outta Toy's R Us than it was for me to get Mike outta there!!

Saturday night, while Mike was cooking dinner I casted on for the Big Bad Baby Blanket from the first Stitch and Bitch. I'm using Bernat cotton tots in very berry that I bought for $2 on clearance at Wally World a loooong time ago. I went down a needle size to 8. I've already knit 9"! I hope to have this blanket done before baby girl makes her entrance. I some how doubt that she will be born before her due date (the 16), I have an inkling that she will be late just like her brother and sister. Ok.. her Mom and Dad too! Don't worry, I won't leave ya'll in the dark. I'll ask Mom to post when I go in to the hospital, ya'll want Mike to guest post while I'm gone right? (he doesn't get this blogging thing, and needs some encouragement!)

I better get going on this baby blanket if I'm going to get it done, maybe this is her special knit?

With my due date being 10 days away I'm wondering about the superstition some knitter's believe. You know the one, the baby won't come until their special knit is finished. I'm not a very superstitious person. But sometimes its fun just to believe. Last Wednesday I casted on for a ballet sweater from Sirdar Early Arrivals No. 2 and finished the knitting Thursday night after a some problems I had with the sleeve decreases. (I'm still not sure if I did them right or not!) With my belly looking like this

I swear I didn't swallow a basket ball,

and its *very* hard to take a decent picture of ones belly!

I'm wondering if I want to believe in that superstition. I debated about just seaming up part of the sweater, leaving an inch to be finished. Or maybe not sewing on the ribbon tie or the snap.

Why? Because I'm not ready! Even though this will be my fourth child, I still worry about labor. Will everything go ok? Will I know I'm in labor? What if I go early? What if I end up needing a c-section? What if, what if, what if?? Enough what if's to make Mike's head explode. Trust me, this was a fun midnight conversation filled with tears as my hormones drove me on a roller coaster of my lovely freak out. I know everything will work out ok, but there is always that little "what if" in the back of my mind.

In the end I threw caution to the wind, and snickered a bit at fate while I sewed the whole sweater up, added the ribbon and sewed in the snap. My bag is packed, my belly button has disappeared, and I'm almost ready to have this baby.

First Finished Knit of 2007!

Stat's

Pattern: Sirdar Early Arrivals No. 2 Design B Ballerina cardigan

yarn: Beehive baby yarn acrylic color 3427

needles: US 2 & 3 Susan Bate's circs

gauge: uhh.. gotta check that....

size: 0-3 months, to fit a size 16" chest.

notes: I had a *bit* of a problem reading the pattern, this might have something to do with my inability to concentrate lately. I'm not sure if I knit the right front and the sleeves correctly. The right front looks a bit wonky to me. With that said, this is a sweet little sweater.

I'm off to Pittsburgh today to see Mike, hopefully spend some couple time together. Their may or may not be shopping involved. ; )

I hope finishing this sweater isn't going to bite me in the ass...

Would you believe me if I told you that I haven't really been knitting since I last posted, ummm a week ago? I know its hard to believe. Lately I've been feeling, well. blah. Yeah, blah. Not really interested in knitting, or blogging, or reading blogs. What is wrong with me? I think "nesting" has started to set in. Because I've been cleaning. Holy crap have I been cleaning. (I've also been Christmas shopping, almost done. Few more things for Mike and the stocking stuffers. And I'm done. My mail man is going to h.a.t.e. me these next two weeks! Ok, there is also the things to finish crafting... anyway) I have *finally* found the guest bed, my bedroom is clean, and I've cleaned off my craft table. *gasps*

I think my lack of knitting excitement might have something to due with what is currently on my needles

Irish hiking scarf in red worsted weight wool. heh. boring.

first toe up socks, heh. Not interested anymore.

Seriously people what is wrong with me? Why am I not excited about knitting my first toe up socks? Learning the Norwegian purl, figuring out continental knitting (I'm an English knitter) Is it because these socks have been on the needles so long I've lost interested? Or because the colorway isn't doing anything for me anymore? eh. There isn't anything I *really* want  to cast on either. Even better one of my neighbors said to me today:

"My, your getting big."

No.shit. Could you pllllleeeasse tell me something I don't know? 35 weeks, I should freaking hope I look pregnant. *gr*

ps. I haven't checked my email in a while, I'm very, very scared. ; )  oh, yeah two days left in the contest! Mike and I are enjoying reading all your suggestions, thank you!!

Saturday started off as any normal Saturday. Got breakfast, we all stayed in our PJ's for most of the morning and chilled out for a bit before it was time for me to leave for my toe up sock class. That was until I went to get ready and the damned power went out! I was chatting on the phone with my friend down the street when the power slooooowly dimmed out. Odd very odd. I finished getting Allysa ready, called the electric company and the babysitter to let her know what was up. The power did come back on for a few seconds, it was strange. The lights came back on and where very dim for a few seconds than went back out. I was trying not to think of the possibilities of what could be going on when I heard the big bang downtown after the lights went out the second time. At this time I had to rush to get to the sitters, who wasn't ready when I got there! Finally I got to the class which was being held at Stitch your Art out in State Collage, almost 45 minutes late. I still feel bad about being so damned late!

The class was SO much fun! I got to meet two lovely ladies and our teacher Cynthia where great. Cynthia gave us her pattern booklet for her toe up socks and walked us though the toe. This part was easy for me, I'm pretty comfortable working with double pointed needles. The heel is going to kick my arse.  I can't quite wrap my brain around how to knit a heel backwards.

Check it out teach! I made myself a pair of Mickey Mouse ears!

click to embiggen

Don't they look like mickey mouse ears to you? here are my toesies late Saturday night, thank goodness the power was back on when I came home. Neighbor buddy said it came back on around 2.  

clicky

For my class socks I'm using medium weight STR in Lapis that I've had in my stash for a bit. Ok Its been balled up since April (?) so its been marinating for a bit. The class rocked,I can't wait to go back and learn how to knit the heel. I've already got half my homework done already, if I was only this good at getting my homework done in school right mom!