Knitting again

Back in February I took a class at the wonderful Knitche on how to knit continental to improve the speed of my knitting, because although I'm a good knitter, I am not at all fast.  It was a good class and I decided to only knit with the yarn in my left hand after that, to practice and improve and pick up speed.  Well, as it turns out, all it did was kill my desire to knit.  Sure, for a while I dutifully knit with the yarn in my left hand, and while it wasn't slower than how I knit before, my knitting didn't have the same even tension.  I knew the tension issues would resolve with practice, but instead, what happened is that slowly, I just stopped picking up my knitting.  Instead, I spun and crocheted; I like doing those things, so it wasn't a hardship, but I have a lot of knitting projects on the needles and I missed the easy (if slow) relationship I had with knitting.  So, yesterday, I decided, the heck with knitting faster eventually, I want to knit, period.  So, I'm back to my slow but steady throwing technique, and I knit more yesterday than I have for months.

Point Reyes, North Beach

We went out to California at the beginning of June to visit my parents.  Dave couldn't come due to too much work crap scheduled, but Margaret and Alice and I had a great time.  They were even good on the plane.

Reading with Grandpa Brian

As you can see, we went to the beach.  Had to rent a minivan to get us all there, two car seats and three adults do not fit into a Subaru Impreza Outback!  But it was worth it, Margaret loved seeing the ocean again, and Alice got her first taste (literally) of sand.  The first time we took Margaret to the ocean, she was crawling, and so when we set her on the sand, she tried to crawl, and because of, well, sand, her hands slipped out from under her and she face-planted.  I suppose it's lucky that Alice wasn't yet crawling, because she sat there fascinated and then started trying to eat the sand.  Didn't seem to hate it, thought it was interesting.

Rainbow across from my parents'

Swimming at Connie's

 My mom has some really wonderful friends, and one of them had us over to swim in her pool.  We had another offer from another friend, but it was our last day and Margaret was so tired she didn't even want to blow bubbles.  Alice and Margaret both loved the pool!  Margaret has been taking swimming lessons, and you could tell that she was much more comfortable with the water than last year.  She even swam the length of the pool and back by herself with a couple noodles.

 While we had the minivan, we also went to Fairytale Town.  It is such a cute place and Margaret had a blast.
 When we were at Point Reyes, Margaret kept asking to pet the cows we saw, so when she got a chance to pet this yearling, she was thrilled!  She also spent a good amount of time petting a sheep.

 One of the wonderful things about Fairytale Town is that everything is kid-powered.  There are no rides, just things for kids to climb on and play on and slide down.  To enjoy it, you have to be active.  Also, adults aren't allowed in without children, unless they are attending a birthday party and are on the guest list, so you don't just have random people there... it's just for the kids.

@ de Young Sculpture Garden

 One of the days, Margaret went to the Sacramento Zoo with my dad while my mom and I took Alice and went with one of my mom's friends into San Francisco.  There we went to the de Young Museum to see their exhibit "Balenciaga and Spain" and to the Legion of Honor to see "Pulp Fashion".  Nothing I say can really do justice to either exhibit.  Amazing. 

I also really enjoyed seeing some friends and their kids.  I just wish I could have spent more time with them, too!  Andrea and Jodi, bring the families out here!

We were in CA for 2.5 weeks, which was not enough time with friends and family, but a little too long to be out of our normal routine.  Margaret was a little hesitant to return to school, especially since during the summer she has a new teacher in a new room.  She got over her tears quickly, though and has been thoroughly enjoying herself.

Polwarth wool, color Hoarfrost.

Jen and Alice

The Friday after we returned, I went up to the Lake County Fairgrounds with Jen and Alice (Margaret spent Thursday night and Friday with her Grandma Kathy) to attend a class at the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair.  We took Photographing Your Fiber with the always wonderful Franklin Habit.  I had a fangirl squee moment when we walked into the class and he knew that we had met before.  The class was great; some of it was needed review, and some of it was new to me, but it was all fun and I got the nerve to play around with the settings on my camera.  The picture above is one I took at the end of class.  Although I would switch the lighting around a bit, the color is pretty true.  It is a mostly worsted spun combed top that I enjoyed spinning.

As I was standing in line waiting to get into the fair to class, I saw Carol Sulcoski of Go Knit in Your Hat and Black Bunny Fibers walking into the building.  When I happened to see her after class, I took the opportunity to say hi (even though I felt like an uberdork) and she was so friendly.  My darling friend Nan was there, and since I hadn't seen her in far too long, that was wonderful.  I also met up with a friend I only knew online, Diane, and had a blast hanging out with her.  Diane and I introduced ourselves to Abby Franquemont.  Now, I have wanted to take a spinning class with her for quite some time, but with Margaret and then Alice around, I thought it wasn't the best idea.  Well, she basically double-dog dared me to take a class with her that weekend, so when I got home, I signed up for her Blended Fibers class that Sunday morning.  Boy am I glad I did, I learned so much, including that I needed a new wheel.  My Louet S-10 is wonderful, but it is not great for spinning fine yarns.

 I will conclude with a few more California pictures.  I haven't even hit July, that will be coming soon.

Blowing bubbles with Grandpa Brian, Grandma Lynn and Alice in the background.

At the Tempo Park playground

At the "chicken park" in Fair Oaks.

Checking out the horses at Orangevale Park

First ice cream cone.  Strawberry.

One of the first few days when it was cold and rainy.

Long Day

I started this by giving a detailed description of the past two days.  Then I thought to myself, "Self, they don't need the gory details."  I deleted it and you may thank me later (I like yarn and fiber to spin, I will wait by my mailbox).  The upshot is that Margaret is sick and I feel really bad for her.  She's been vomiting and we spent the morning in the ER and Zofran helps, but she had to take another dose before bed and I was really hoping the dose in the hospital would have gotten her over the hump and she would have been better by now.

In other news, I painted her nails for the first time on Wednesday.  I got quick drying polish because if it took long to dry it wasn't going to stay on

Check out my awesome nails.

While she was feeling a little better today, we got our hair cut.  I take her to the same woman who cuts my hair because she got a crappy cut at one of the kid places, and I really like the woman who cuts my hair and she does a great job with Margaret, too.  I'll have to take a picture of her when she's feeling better.

I made the doll, AND the dress.  Crazy.

Margaret with Petronella.

 So, there is the doll in her dress.  Rather proud.  First time I believe I've sewn something on a machine that wasn't just a straight seam.  When I showed my mom on Skype she thought it was nice, but thought my mother-in-law made it.  She was much more appreciative of the awesomeness when she was informed that I made it (because it would have been no great shakes for either grandma to make because they both sew very well).

Pay no attention to the large drop of drool on my chin.

In other news, The Countess is getting bigger and stronger every day.  She was also really good while we were in the ER.  Started getting her to sleep in her own crib and room last Friday and so far it's going pretty well.

Figured out how to stop these entries from posting as notes in Facebook (really not at all intuitive).  Next time I'll show you progress on my Polwarth fiber.

Housekeeping

If you are reading this on Facebook, it might seem strange that I was talking about Alice as if I hadn't mentioned her before or posted pictures.  However, I am actually writing this at oldbeanknits.blogspot.com, my blog, which I've been crap at updating recently.  Somehow, a while ago, I linked things so these posts show up as FB notes, and I have no idea how to change it.  So, there you have it.  I'll have a real post again soon.

We've got a new addition

 Since my last post, Alice was born.

Hi, I'm here!

She was due December 3, and I had a C-section scheduled December 2.  She came November 23.  She was 9 lbs 1 oz and 21 inches.

Cuddling with Mommy.

Margaret checks out the new addition.

 Margaret has been a good big sister and likes to help... when she feels like it.

Hanging out on the lovely blanket from Nan.

Alice had her 4 month check up on Wednesday and weighed 16 lbs and was 25".  I can't believe she's only four months old, it seems like she's been here longer than that.  She's a sweet kid and pretty easy, which is good.  She loves Margaret and watches her like a hawk.

I can still get in a little spinning and knitting time, although there isn't much to show for it, yet.  This is some BFL top I spun with a short woolen draw.  Almost two hundred yards.  It is a bit warmer and less grey in color than it photographs.  It's not perfect, but I'm pretty happy with it.  I loved spinning it, it was so silky.  Right now I have a lovely Polwarth on the wheel, colorway Hoarfrost.  I'm trying a worsted draft and hoping it will be about a heavy fingering weight when plied.


Oh, I did sew a dress for the Waldorf doll I made Margaret.  I'm pretty impressed with myself since it is not my forte.  I am planning on getting back to blogging a bit more often, so I'll post a picture next time.  And more recent photos of the girls.

Oops

Didn't think it had been that long since my last post.  Let's see, still working on the Citron and the illusion scarf.  Also still working on one of the cardigans from Vogue's early fall issue.  Started a pair of the Octopus Mittens from 60 Quick Knits for Margaret.

Now for a quick summary of finished projects that have been photographed.

 Pair of socks, owed for a couple years now.  Finally finished, just need to actually get to the post to send them.

 The beaded shawl from Vogue Knitting a few years ago.  Yarn is Sophie's Toes in Crimson and I love it.

 Easy Tweedy Cowl in a wool and silk blend that I spun myself. 

 

Earwarmer headband in Queensland Collection Kathmandu Ultra with a flower in some of my wool/silk handspun.  Just need a button to finish it off.

Margaret and her friend Emma trick-or-treating on Sunday.  Such cute girls :)  Margaret's costume was on sale at One Step Ahead.  I got sparkly gold shoes at Target and black tights and a black turtleneck at Gymboree so she wouldn't freeze.  Luckily it was warmer this Halloween than last, although by the end (and we weren't out that long) I was quite chilly, even with my Hallowig on.

This is a video of Margaret running around our backyard.  She wanted me to take this video.

Sorry this is not a very inspired post, I just figured I should put something up here since it's been over a month.  Oh, I did have my birthday October 24.  Dragging Dave to a birthday movie this weekend.  Do I force him to watch Easy A or The King's Speech or see Red, which I also want to see, but is more of a compromise.  I wish Harry Potter were already out!

Shawl blocking and a silly face

 Right now I'm actively working on a Citron and an illusion scarf that I've designed.  I'll talk more about those and post pictures when they are done, but so far, I am enjoying them.  I mostly knit the Citron while waiting in the pick-up/drop-off lines at Margaret's school because except for 4 rows out of 20, it's just stockinette, so I don't have to think about it too much. 

Today, I'm finally blocking a shawl I started about two years ago.  It's the Beaded Shawl from Vogue Knitting's 2008 Holiday issue.  I bought two skeins of Sophie's Toes yarn in Crimson and dark red glass beads to make the shawl.  I loved working with the yarn and seeing it all come together, but after a repeat or so of the second chart section, it languished in UFO hell.  I don't know why, there is no explanation, but there it sat.  Until a couple months ago when I decided it was high time the shawl was finished.  While working on it this time, however, I realized I would not have enough yarn to work the shawl full size.  Considering the yarn is hand-dyed and two years old (even though Emily is marvelously talented), I didn't think there was a possibility of getting more yarn in the same dye lot.  When I thought about it, though, the pattern calls for lace weight and I was using fingering weight and with all the beads, if I did make it full size, it would be huge and really heavy, so, I only did 5 total repeats of the second chart section.  Also, instead of the bind-off in the pattern (which while ok-ish in lace weight, would have been far too bulky in fingering weight), I just did this simple beaded bind-off. 

You can see the shawl in the background of the picture above (Margaret asked me to take a picture of her making a silly face), here are a couple others.  None are great, as the sky outside is rather cloudy.  I'll try to have a better photo shoot when it's dry.

I'm just glad I got around to blocking it, and took it out of the sink in the powder room before Dave got home and wanted to wash his hands.

Pictures will tell my story

Yes, it's been a while. I don't even remember what I talked about last and I can't be arsed to go back and read it, so, here are some pictures

Margaret started at a Montessori school in March. The primary classes are for kids who are three, but luckily they have a class for younger children, too. During the spring and summer she was in the Stepping Stones I class from 1-3pm (two and then three days a week). Now she's in Stepping Stones II which is from 8:30-12:30. She eats lunch there and then comes home to take a nap. She LOVES it.



During the spring, Margaret figured out how to pedal her tricycle, but she's a little tall for it (not that she's stopped riding it). So, I got her a Strider bike. It's amazing how quickly they can pick it up. She gets going so fast and loves picking up her feet to coast along.





We went to California to visit my parents in July. The following are pictures from the trip.

Blowing bubbles in the backyard with "Baba Lynn".








Checking out the flamingos at the zoo.








Checking out a sea snail at Irish Beach. She seems to be really tactile and wanted to touch everything from the dead crab we found to every anemone ever created. She was a little unsure of the ocean the first time we went down to the beach, but had a lot of fun by the end.




This was the last day at the beach, it was the coldest.








With "Baba Lynn" and "Baba Brian".








Back in the valley it was much warmer and a couple of friends invited us to swim in their pools. She loved it. We're now taking swimming lessons through the park district (indoor pool, since it's getting to be fall).





She's a ham and likes to make "silly faces".








Here is the closest I have to a before of our front door and porch area. It is also a before of our garage door. The garage door and opener were replaced in February, the door is now white.






After: We ripped out the box shrubs which were looking pretty punk and put in Everlow yews. We also added the railing and the bench. And of course, the crowing glory is a door that is not mostly bare metal with a little green paint left after it bubbled and broke and then was scraped. Next summer I'll add some large pots with some plants to soften the look of the porch, but in the meantime, I am so please with the improvement.


The Knitting (details on my Ravelry page):

Back of a shrug I made for Margaret.











Dorky me, but cute sweater. I've been wearing this one quite a bit.








This picture does no justice to the color, which is a beautiful natural brown, not at all grey like it seems. Anyway, I actually wore this recently, too. I love the cool mornings we've been having.









Here's a vest/shrug I'll be able to wear once I can close it over my chest. I am looking forward to that day because it is soft and squishy and will be nice and warm.









Last, but not least (except in size). Baby booties for the new one coming. Did I mention I was pregnant? Having another girl :) Chicago area yarn stores had a yarn crawl recently (shop hop) and Margaret and I went to 17 stores. We had a great time and I picked up this yarn at Nina's on Division Street.




I've got lots on the needles (and one on a hook), but that's more than enough pictures for now, I'll let your eyes rest until I have something finished to show you... which, I will try to do before the new baby comes at the beginning of December.