Saisquoi?

This post is L-O-N-G overdue, and I apologize to Annika both for the crappy quality of my cellphone pictures and for the fact that it's taken me so long to post about Emmett. I promise I will take better pictures once I can find my actual camera.



I loved knitting this sweater. The yarn was a YarnPirate teal I bought many moons ago. The pattern was straightforward and the finished product is practical. Unless you're really particular regarding the placement of buttons for boys and girls, this is one of very few items I've knit that could totally be used by a male sibling, should such a thing come to pass. Of course, this sweater doesn't actually have buttons, because C finds them to be offensive.

Toddlers. They are weird.



Speaking of toddlers...I'm not going to have one for much longer. Someone is coming right up on three. MY BABY! WHAT HAPPENED?! C is getting so big. She talks all. The. Time. She loves mermaids and princesses and skulls and dolls and her family and rubber chickens and OMGgiraffes. She was a giraffe for Halloween and is still talking about it.



We have had a very difficult few months Chez Saisquoi, but things seem like they might be mending. I'm debating on how much to air via blog post because some of the stories are not entirely mine to tell. And the ones that are mine to tell are not happy and cheerful and I don't like how they present me as being, you know, human and all. But, at the same time, maybe it's helpful to post the difficult alongside the easy...the awful alongside the awesome. I don't know.

What I do know is that US Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I have a whole heck of a lot to be thankful for--starting with my big girl who makes turkey pictures with handprints and wants to sing Puff the Magic Dragon every night at bedtime, snuggled up with her Mama and Daddy.

PS: I do have buttons for the sweater. But since my child won't wear the sweater if it has buttons? I'll sew them on when she outgrows it. Oy.

These were a test-knit for Pumpkin Pie Baby completed in time for C's birthday. Here she is channelling Macaulay Culkin after receiving the mitts:




I used some Peace Fleece left over from a pair of ruffled longies I knit for her this summer, and the mittens knit up quickly. The slip-stitch pattern used for the hands yielded a thick, firm fabric that will be awesome for winter wear--especially this winter of extraordinary snowfall and bitter cold! If I were to make them again, the only change I'd make would be to lengthen the cuff--C has proven adept at removing the mittens and so, for us, longer is better.

Since I've got what I've got, and these were a test knit (meaning no modifications), I'll add a cord to keep them together and threaded through her jacket. Or, we'll limit wear to car trips rather than outside play.

These are actually my second finished objects of 2011. I knit myself a pair of fingerless gloves that I finished on January 2, but I've only got a crappy cell phone picture of those. They are, however, toasty warm--which is very important given this winter of lots of snow and coldness.

Hey, look! Cute baby in cute pants!







This is Leapfrog in Cascade 220, so they are multitasking pants which serve as excellent playclothes as well as a diaper cover. Oh, and did I mention the cuteness?

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with them. They are a little shorter than I'd like them to be, and so I'm considering taking out the cast-off edge and just adding another cable repeat or two to make them full length pants. Not that they're awful now...just shorter than I intended. C is a bit hard to knit for--her legs are very short (just like her Daddy's), so everything I make is either way too long or too short as I overcompensate. The first pair of longies I made for her ended up being about 4 inches too long because I followed the pattern rather than my kid.

I'm not quite sure where my error was on these because I actually tried them on her to confirm proper length before I cast off the first leg. I'm guessing she may have done something crazy like grow. Or I just can't measure to save my life. Either are possible.

In other news, I wrote a guest post for Babywearing It Up last week which you can find here.

And last weekend, we took C for her first trip to the Big City for dim sum.




A good time was had by all. She loved all the different things to try. Then we took her on the subway to go out to the North End from Chinatown so that we could get pastries at Mike's. The Beloved and I each had an espresso and we all shared a lobstertail. One of the ladies brought C a cookie and told us how beautiful she is. And we brought half a pound of raspberry bow cookies home (they didn't last the night...SO TASTY). We opted to put C in the Ergo rather than try a stroller--we always do a fair amount of walking when we go to the City and C can't quite keep up yet. But between the stairs at the restaurant (we ate on the 3rd floor), the stairs in the subway station, and being in small places like the subway and the bakery, babywearing really was the way to go. Even The Beloved was impressed with how easy it was; we're planning another trip next month for more dim sum and a visit to the aquarium.

I can hardly wait.

And completely unrelated to anything...I'm agonizing over the discrepancy between my Twitter ID (Lustau) and the rest of my online existence as Saisquoi. When I signed up for Twitter, Saisquoi was taken, so I gave myself a new name, but it's always bothered me that it doesn't match. I can change it, but my Twitter ID would include underscores (_) or numbers. I can't decide if I'd be happier as _Saisquoi or Saisquoi_ or even Sais_Quoi or if I should just remain Lustau on Twitter.

This what they call a "First World Problem." I really need to get out more.

I've decided that what I really want for my upcoming anniversary (8 years of wedded bliss, can you believe it???) is a knitting vacation. You know, where I don't have to do anything--work, housework, child care, etc. and can sit and knit. I need this. And when I share with you the projects that lie in various states around my house, I'm sure you'll agree.

I'm not going to count the dishcloth. I've always got one on the needles that I should be keeping in my purse or the diaper bag in case of emergencies. Like when C falls asleep in the car and she needs a nap so badly that there is no way in hell I'm going to chance waking her up by bringing her in the house. I could probably move something else into that spot, but the beauty of the dishcloth is that I don't care if anything happens to it while it lives in my purse...I'd be sad if something were to happen to a pair of socks or even the baby legwarmers.

Anyway, I've got going:

A Noro Striped Scarf (1/2 finished)
A pair of baby legwarmers in sock yarn (1/2 finished)
Owlet sweater (needs one sleeve, a cuff on the other sleeve, and button-eyes)
Baby Bloomers (getting ready to start the legs)
A pair of sleep socks (1 leg finished--debating on whether to turn these into legwarmers for C or frog them)
Aviatrix Baby Hat
Dubliner Socks (almost 1/2 finished)

I'm sure there's more unfinished stuff floating around, but this is all that comes to mind right now. Most of it has not made its way to Ravelry because I'd have to document and take pictures and it's all just so stressful.

Not to mention the three Rockin' Sock Club packages sitting on my dining room table. And yarn for two pairs of longies, two skirties, and some more soakers.

And we're not even going to talk about the possibilities for stash yarn, which I'm going to have to deal with sooner rather than later because we're again discussing the possibility of moving C into her own room...after I clean all of my crap out of it, strip the wallpaper, and paint it.

When I informed The Beloved of my need for a knitting vacation, he laughed. Apparently, we will be celebrating our anniversary with some new stainless steel pans. Which, you know, is great, but doesn't help me catch up at all.

Do your unfinished objects cause you stress? Mine do. Mostly because I used to be a one project girl. But now, well, you'll have to excuse me while I cast on for another pair of longies...

Like many families in daycare, we've had our run-ins with the modern day scourge of conjunctivitis, or PINK EYE. A week ago Friday, I got a call at 9:30 to please come and pick up C because she had goopy eyes. We called the doctor's office and they prescribed Erythromycin ointment over the phone. We dutifully smeared it in her eyes three times a day for a week. Yesterday, I got a call at 1:30--please come and pick up C because it looks like she has conjunctivitis again (still?).

Because you cannot really fight with daycare over the phone about whether or not the discharge coming from your child's eye is, in fact, PINK EYE, I went and picked her and called the doctor's office. They agreed that she should be seen because the PINK EYE should be gone after a week of antibiotics. But, alas, no appointments. So we could either wait and go this morning or go out to the walk-in/ERgent care clinic. I didn't believe she actually had PINK EYE that needed antibiotics, so we opted for the walk-in, hoping I'd be able to go to work today.

Here's what I wanted to have happen:

Dr: What's the problem?
Me: Goopy eye. She was treated for conjunctivitis last week and finished antibiotics on Thursday. She's had a cold and I think her father has a sinus infection. I wonder if her eyes are just draining from her cold?
Dr: It doesn't look like bacterial conjunctivitis--there would be more drainage if it was. I'll write you a note so she can go back to daycare.

Here's what actually happened:

Dr: What's the problem?
Me: Goopy eye. She was treated for conjunctivitis last week and finished antibiotics on Thursday. She's had a cold and I think her father has a sinus infection. I wonder if her eyes are just draining from her cold?
Dr: It doesn't look like bacterial conjunctivitis. Usually the pus is just running down their cheeks with that. And if her case last week was viral, then the antibiotics wouldn't have done anything for it, anyway. I'll write you a prescription for another 5 days of antibiotics and we'll see what that does.
Me: ?????

So my kid, who the doctor verbally indicated probably does not have bacterial conjunctivitis, has an "official" diagnosis of bacterial conjunctivitis, a different flavor of eye ointment to be applied three times daily for the next five days, and a day off from school. I have a not-actually-sick child and a day off from work. I also have a cold--so, at least one of us is actually sick on our sick day.

I'm hoping to get some knitting done on my Owlet for the Knitting Olympics. I figure if I can finish the neckline tonight and get some work done on the body, I may actually have a shot of finishing by the closing ceremonies.

C also seems to enjoy cooking, so I think we'll do some of that today as well. I'm thinking maybe we'll make meatloaf and mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables for dinner tonight. It's funny. A year ago, she was helping me cook dinner by sleeping in the sling while I baked. Now, she rifles through the cabinets and bangs on pots with a wooden spoon. She's already on her way to becoming an excellent cook, I think.



Or a fine eater.

The cool kids are having the Knitting Olympics and I want to play. However, I have a toddler--well, she's nearly toddling. And she's teething. And she has conjunctivitis.

I need to pick a project before cast-on tonight during the opening ceremonies. And I have it narrowed down to two possibilities: The Woven Kimono Cardigan or the Owlet sweater and a matching hat (scroll down to see the sweater).

If I were childless, I would go with the woven kimono. I've had the pattern and the yarn for a long time...like, since before I got pregnant...and it would definitely be a challenge for me to finish it in 17 days.

But I am not childless. I have a happy, little helper. Which is why I'm thinking Owls. It's not a big project and it's not technically difficult. But I've been knitting a baby hat for close to a month because between brain damage and a child who is in to absolutely EVERYTHING, I haven't been able to knit satisfactory short-rows.

Unfortunately, I don't have yarn for the owls. This is easy to rectify, though, since I unexpectedly get to spend most of the day at home with Miss C(onjunctivitis). She's not acting sick and if I don't let her touch anything, there's no real reason we couldn't go to the yarn store when she wakes up from her nap, is there?

What do you think? Are owls too lame to be Knitting Olympic-worthy? Should I sit this year out? Or should we head out to the Yarn Basket before Daddy gets home from work?

Don't look now, but there might be some knitting on this here blog...



Yes! Look! Knitting! I finished something! Great God Almighty!





This is the Scrappy Socky Stripey Cardi from f.pea, using Yarn Pirate merino sock yarn in the (wait for it) Sweet Pea colorway. (Note: I have an overabundance of sock yarn, if such a thing is possible, and am forever looking for patterns that can use variegated stuff. For some bizarre reason, I currently like baby and toddler sized items. Feel free to leave me suggestions.)

I made a couple of modifications--the most noticeable being the absence of stripes other than those caused by the variegated yarn. The reason for this mod? I was lazy and didn't feel like searching out a matching contrast. The yarn was busy enough. If I knit it again in a bigger size, I'll add the stripes for visual/knitting interest and also because I used almost an entire skein of sock yarn for this sweater and so will need to add more next time around.

Also, The Tadpole has chunky arms. Too chunky for the pattern as written. So, I added some extra stitches and decided against using the decreases. The sleeves are a bit long, but I actually like them wide.

I loved that this sweater had NO SEAMING. The only sewing I did was to put the buttons on. I'm not crazy about the button loops, but I haven't decided what I'd like to do to make them better. Something to think about in all my spare time, I suppose.

Overall, a cute sweater. The way the yarn pooled? I couldn't have planned it any better. i love it. However, I should have made the sweater one size bigger than I did because The Tadpole will have outgrown it by, like, tomorrow. She's not very long, but she's a solid baby. So, while there's plenty of length in the sweater for her, she's already stretching those button loops. Oh well. Live and learn.

Now I have to decide what comes next on the knitting agenda. I have yarn for soakers, and she needs soakers since she's outgrown all of her diaper covers. And she may be ready to wear wool now as (knock wood) I think she's down to pooping only two times a day instead of, like, seven.

But, gasp, I also have a hankering to knit myself a sweater. Seriously--I bought the yarn and the pattern well over a year ago. I meant to knit it while I was pregnant because it would have worked over my bump. But it would still be a very useful sweater for nursing. And I could wear it if I ever decided to do this grow-a-baby-thing again.

So, what do you think? More cute stuff for my cute kid, or something for the Mama?

Well, the groundhog has proclaimed 6 more weeks of winter. Good thing the little bastard lives in Pennsylvania--otherwise, I'd be tempted to take PFC Sibling's BB Gun out of the closet and hunt him down.

Last night, The Beloved took out the mirror on the passenger side of his car--sliding into my car as he tried to pull into our driveway. I haven't been out to see what he did to my car in the process. But getting in and out of our house should qualify us for some sort of hazardous pay. We can't see around the snowbanks left by the plow when backing out of the driveway. I'm a little nervous because The Tadpole and I need to make our first "solo" outing today so that I can authorize the doctor's office to release medical information to the short-term disability people so that I may collect a small amount of money during part of my maternity leave. Important, as I've realized that not only do I need to keep the baby clothed, but that I don't really own any practical nursing tops. The button-down shirts I owned would be great if I could button them over my (or Dolly Parton's) chest. I also could do with some more bras as both of us tend to wind up covered in milk after a feeding--even if I cover up with a burp cloth or a towel. The things I never thought of!

At least I know I'm producing enough food for her.

But back to the rodent. I should have seen it coming. We're supposed to get more snow tomorrow--if the storm tracks to the East (or--if the Gods are smiling on us), we should only get 1-3 inches. But, if the storm tracks to the West, we'll be up in the 4-7+ inches range. Super fun as The Beloved has returned to work, so The Tadpole and I will have to try and keep up with the snow as we need to get out of the driveway on Wednesday morning to go for her 2 week checkup. The snowbanks beside our driveway are already taller than my car, making me wonder where the snow is going to go...but it's all part of the adventure of living in New England, yeah? The fun here never ends!

Actually, things here are pretty fun--outside of the weather. The Tadpole continues to amaze me. She is so much fun. Right now, she's taking a nap in my lap while I type. She's fairly laid back, eating well, and sleeping well. She's also starting to be awake for longer periods of time, and she loves to play with her Daddy and me. Playing largely consists of making goofy faces at us, but she does it with aplomb. She also likes to sit in her bouncy chair or in her sling--which means I can occasionally do some knitting. I'm working on a pair of Heelless Sleeping Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush and using some Yarn Pirate BFL sock yarn in the June Bug colorway (Booty Club exclusive). However, the knitting is very slow going because the baby is distracting. In the best possible way. Speaking of distracting...I'm sure she needs a kiss just now...

I may be about ready to emerge from my dark place. Maybe just stick my head out and sniff around like a prairie dog or something.

So, anyhow-- here's some of the stuff that's gone on during my moment of silence.

1. Retail therapy. When miserable, shop. Sounds like a good adage, eh? I now own this bag and this digital camera. While they may not make me happy, I have a cool bag and a 12MP camera which is easy to use and takes some sweet pictures. As soon as I get the software loaded on the 'puter, I'll share. I've also bought fiber, yarn, and sheep earrings. And books. And maybe some pants. But the books and pants don't count. Books never count...kind of like sock yarn...and the pants, well, I'm in denial about the weight I've put on, but my jeans weren't working so well for me. So it was necessity and not therapy. I would much rather not have had to buy new pants.

2. Knitting. I've been working more or less diligently on the Beloved's Cobblestone pullover. I'm almost done with the second arm. But then I got distracted. I had to go to a Christian Ed workshop a couple of weeks ago and thought that bringing an entire sweater might be poor taste. Socks just seem more polite in their compactness. At the end of day 1 I was ready to start the toe on the Dublin Bay sock. And it was abundantly clear that I was not going to have enough yarn to finish it. So I started the Child's French Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks. So far, so good. The pattern is quick to pick up and I'm really happy with how it's coming along.

3. Spinning. Yeah. You read me right. I picked up my spindle again. My sister is in the process of theoretically moving her crap out of my house since she now has a job and an assignment to scenic Fort Hood, Texas. In this process, I don't have any suitable place to put my wheel (whine, bitch, moan), but I can use my spindle anywhere. I had forgotten how much fun it is. I bought some fiber at WEBS two weekends ago and am now torn--should I spin it on my wheel or my spindle? Oh, the decisions!

4. Watching TV. I don't watch real TV. Mostly Netflix on-demand (The Beloved and I have gone through a couple of seasons of Sliders and Bullsh!t) or TV series The Beloved has picked up on DVD. We just finished Season 1 of Supernatural. Jensen Ackles has started to grow on me. I might have to make the husbeast pick up Season 2. We picked up The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones vol. 3 this weekend and are working our way through that.

5. Playing Rock Band. Once you start, you start classifying tunes on the radio as Rock Band material. Sad, but true.

6. Grilling. The Beloved and I bought a gas grill a couple of weeks ago (he paid, so it doesn't count as retail therapy). I'm really into grilled pineapple. It's about the best. Thing. Ever. Seriously.

And that's about it. It's almost warm enough to start taking the moped out, and that makes me happy. And next week I'm taking off from work and driving to Texas with my mother. I may be in jail or a psych ward afterwards, so if you don't hear anything... Actually, it shouldn't be that bad. Particularly since my sister is flying out and not driving down with us. We're taking her car and then flying back home. High point of the trip? We're going to Graceland. I can hardly wait. Seriously.

One last bit before I check out and play with fire--I mean, put together a fine repast for my darling husband... If The Crafty Preppy and The Quintessential Procrastinator would be good enough to e-mail me re: Pay it Forward, I'd be grateful. I've procrastinated long enough and am ready to start making stuff again.

So little time...

I've decided to mostly put the Dublin Bay sock aside. It's still in my purse for waiting room and lunch break knitting because it's mindless at this point. I'll continue until I run out of yarn and then decide what I want to do.

In the meantime, I've started Cobblestone sleeve number one. Have any of you knit this sweater? I've seen hundreds online, but don't actually know anyone who's completed one. The sleeve seems really long. The size I'm knitting calls for a 20-inch sleeve, which just seems long, particularly for my husband who has short, stubby little arms. But with the yoke, I'm not sure where I should be measuring from to find The Beloved's actual arm length. Any thoughts? Otherwise, I'll continue knitting according to the instructions and if it doesn't fit my special guy, I'll see if it fits my brother or my dad (who are also special guys in their own right).

Since my socks have failed me (or perhaps I've failed the socks), it's time to move on and start something new. So I started going through my stash of sock yarns and this is what I found:


Mind you, that isn't all of the sock yarn I have, but my camera battery was running low. And the light today isn't all that good. Anyway.

So, I've got all of this yarn and no idea where to start. That's not true--I have some ideas, but I'm not sure which to chose first. Here's what I'm thinking:

I bought some KnitPicks Gloss in Burgundy with the intention of knitting a pair of Cleissidra Socks. Cute, eh? I think they would be very nice. Although, I might need to buy a skirt to show them off.

I've also been perusing my books of sock patterns. There are several that look good and I've narrowed down some choices. I've got some more Gloss in Parsley for the Anniversary Socks in Favorite Socks. Then, there's the Child's French Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks. I've earmarked some fuscia Lang Jawoll for those. Not photographed, but somewhere in my stash is some light blue sportweight mystery yarn (I think it may have bought it on e-bay from Dye Studio, but I can't remember) that is intended to become Whitby from Knitting on the Road.

That's not even mentioning the several skeins of Yarn Pirate sock yarn I could work with. And four balls of KnitPicks Essential in Cocoa purchased for my husband who then decided he wanted something else that is currently available for playtime.

It seems all that's left is to decide. However, I've not been much very good at deciding lately, and so they all sit...waiting...

Guess it's back to the sleeve for me!

Hey, remember this?



This pair of socks is the bane of my existence. The Roman Catholic church may have done away with Purgatory, but I tell you these socks make me wonder if we don't, in fact, have it here on earth.

So, when last I spoke of these blasted socks, I was unhappy with the striping pattern and wondering if I shouldn't rip them out and try again on larger needles. Instead, I started the second sock on larger needles to see how it looked. And, frankly, I liked the sock on 0s better. The stitches are so tidy and small. And the sock fits really nice. And maybe the pooling isn't that bad and the striping isn't horribly obnoxious:





But, look where I am on the sock:



As you can see, there's still a fair amount of foot and toe left before sock #1 is finished. And I don't know if I have enough freakin' yarn. Yeah.

Now. I may have plenty of yarn because apparently I was on crack when I wound the skein into balls and one ball is larger than the other. And I started with the smaller ball. So, I'm wondering if I shouldn't put this sock aside and knit the second one and then finish up when I know I have leftover yarn?

To tell you the truth, though, this sock is no longer making me happy. In fact, the sock has seemed to work against me every step of the way. I've a mind to stick the sock and the other ball of yarn in a bag and shove the bag to the back of my stash until my mental state has improved somewhat.

It's a shame, though, because the yarn has been wonderful to work with (striping aside)--it's really soft and I bet finished socks would be a divine wearing experience.

Sigh.

On a happier note (hopefully), I finished the body of the Beloved's Cobblestone Sweater yesterday and will start the sleeves today. No pictures, though. Honestly, it looks just like the other pictures--only longer.

This has been part of my problem in regularly maintaining what seems to be mostly a knitting blog...I'm slow and so there's not much to report. Still knitting the sock. Still knitting the sweater. Doesn't look much different. Meh.

Add that to my general to severe sense of malaise of late and...well...bad blogger.

On the malaise front--I thank everyone who commented and/or e-mailed regarding my last couple of posts. I truly appreciate the warm thoughts. Things here are...maybe not better, but not quite so grim. The Beloved and I had a...discussion...about how things are, how I feel, and how I can't have this be my problem. I mean, I treat it like my problem. I very much see it as my problem and feel like it's my problem--largely because I don't get a sense from him that he sees any sort of problem at all. Which mostly leaves me feeling....like I'm not enough. Or like there's something wrong with me that makes me as bothered and upset as I've been. Part of me thinks it may be time to dig my therapist's business card out of my wallet. And then another part thinks, well, what the hell is he going to do about it? He can't fix anything or make it better. I don't know. It all just seems to require more effort or energy than I can muster right now.

Polly knows how I feel. Well, on the energy front.



It's hard work being that cute. Seriously.

Hot damn--I finally finished!


Alpaca Silk Shrug
Pattern: Silk Shrug designed by Bobbi Intveld for Blue Sky Alpacas
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk in the Ginger Colorway
Purchased from: kpixie.com
Needles: Addi turbo US size 3 (3.25 mm) for body
Knitpicks Options US size 9 (5.5 mm) for ruffle
I'm quite happy with how this turned out. As always, I apologize for the less than ideal pictures and the less than ideal model, but, hey--I figured out how to use the timer on my camera! Cool, huh?





It's not blocked yet. But I really wanted to wear it today--look how excited I am!



This is my first grown-up sweater. I've knit a couple of baby ones, but never a full-sized, adult garment. The pattern was simple...occasionally boring...but finishes in a very elegant garment.

Thank you for your comments on the sock. I think I'm going to use Marianne's suggestion and start a sock on larger needles just to see what happens instead of ripping back blindly. If I like the modified version, I can always rip the first and start over, but if I hate the new sock, I haven't lost any ground. In all honesty, I was astounded by this suggestion. It's absolutely brilliant. Simple, elegant, practical...I wish I had thought of it. I knew there was a reason I always separate skeins of sock yarn into portions. And here it is.

My camera! Woo-hoo!

Now I can show you pictures of my baby socks and the finished Calamity socks. Can you stand it?


Baby Socks
Pattern: A variation on the Magic 28 theme (I think they were Magic 36)
Yarn: Yarn Pirate 100% merino sock yarn in the "Rum Runner" colorway
Purchased from: Yarn Pirate "Booty Club"
Needles: Susan Bates US size 1/2.25 mm (5-7 inch DPNs)

Cute, aren't they? But a little small for me. These fit a bit better:


Plain vanilla with a side of picot socks
Yarn: Yarn Pirate BFL sock yarn in the "Calamity" colorway
Purchased from" Yarn Pirate "Booty Club"
Needles: Knitpicks US size 1.5/2.5 mm (5-6 inch DPNs)

The lighting is crappy. I apologize. I miss sunshine, but am too lazy to use the photo editor right now...





I like them. They're cute. They took forever to finish, but I blame the Alpaca Silk Shrug. No pictures of that one, yet. I'm on the ruffle, which means it is almost done. The ruffle is supposed to be six inches long--I've knit three. It's killing me. The 5x5 ribbing may be more boring than the miles of stockinette. But I try to keep going because the end really is in sight.

I also started a pair of socks out of the "Butternut" colorway. I'm not thrilled with them. I like the colors and I like the texture of the yarn, which is a merino/tencel blend, but the colors are pooling funny. Now, I'm generally not bothered much by pooling, but, thus far, my sock just looks goofy. I can't get a picture that even approximates--I'll need sun for that one. I'm not ready to pull it out yet, because I can't be sure that it won't get better. I can live with a goofy looking cuff it it evens out eventually, but... (whine).

In other knitting news, I got a Ravelry request to use one of the photos of my Epiphany mittens (this one, I think) as a featured photo for the pattern I used (Basic Pattern for Children's Mittens by Elizabeth Durand). Neato, eh?

Otherwise, there isn't much else to report. Work is, well, work. I had my 90-day review last week, and they're letting me stay, so, that's good. They're happy with my work; I just need to get faster. Which I already knew, so...

The Beloved and I are refinancing the house. I'm sure it will be fine and it's the right thing to do and all, but just thinking about the large amounts of money involved just makes me feel ill. When the papers are all signed and its over, I'll be fine, but until that point I think I'll just hide under the bed or something.

PFC Sibling is still in medic training in Texas. She called last week to report that her orders now state that she will be shipping out for Iraq in June. It's not a surprise, but it's still a rather jarring reality. Last Sunday I was at a church brunch and someone asked about my sister. Another woman sitting with us said in shock and horror, "well how old is she?" My sister will be 28 next week. "Oh, well that's OK. At least she's not a baby."

Excuse me? Fortunately for everyone, I had a seven-year-old sitting next to me so I couldn't tell her what I really thought. Like it's somehow less horrible for my sister to go to war since she's "older." Like if her transport gets blown up on the way to some tent city hospital it'll be OK. You know, they should serve liquor at church brunches.

On that happy note, it is frickin' freezing here. I need to see why my fire isn't warming up the room. Maybe I should put my new socks on?

So, the good news is I've gotten a lot of knitting done lately! I've finished my picot socks knit with Yarn Pirate Calamity. They just need to be washed and blocked. I'm also nearly finished with the body of the Alpaca Silk Shrug--I've got about 20 rows left on the last sleeve, then seaming, then the six-inch ruffle.

The bad news? I can't show any of them to you. I've misplaced my freaking camera. Sigh.

This has been pretty much par for the course for me this past week or two.

A week ago today, I left for work at 7:30. Only I picked up the wrong set of keys, locking myself out of my house and my car. Yes, I felt smart. Particularly when The Beloved had to drive home from work--45 minutes away--to let me in. Did I mention how smart I felt?

Then The Beloved asked (very nicely) if he could have a night to raid on freakin' WoW. Yeah. This made me happy. But since I don't want to be the shrew wife who tells him, no, no hobbies for you, Computer Man, we agreed on a night. The deal was, I give him Friday Night for raiding and he reads chapter 11 of this book for me. I'm striving for the delusion that we will at least be speaking the same language vis-a-vis certain topics.

And add to all that fun the fact that I've just been extremely out of sorts. I'm not sure if it's my bad week or if it's seasonal depression or if it's something else. I'm just exceedingly moody and not desirous of getting out of bed in the morning. Meh.

The only thing I can think that could possibly help is to start a new knitting project. So, as soon as the body of the shrug is finished, I'll wind this yarn up:

and begin some new socks. I'm thinking about knitting these socks (scroll down, they're there) with that tasty merino/tencel yarn. And as soon as I finish the ASS, er, Alpaca Silk Shrug, I'll start on the Cobblestone Sweater for my darling spouse. So, I'm hoping that those will suffice as glimmers of hope on the horizon.

On an unrelated note...well, maybe related, because the activity tickles me just a bit, I have two to Pay it Forward: The Crafty Preppy; and The Quintessential Procrastinator! In six to nine months, you will each receive something handmade from me! I'll be in touch shortly. But the rest of you--notice that I've only got two people for whom to make something! That means there is room for one more! So, the next person who leaves a comment and wants to pay some handmade gift goodness forward will be in. If you've got questions as to what in the hell I'm talking about, read the bottom half of this post.

Impressive, isn't it? It's a Ravelry Group that has made it their mission to try and knit/collect 4,000 hats during the 40 days of Lent for the Seaman's Church Institute. I have to admit, I'm intrigued.

Here's my conundrum, though... The Seaman's Institute is a fine program. I've knit for them in the past, right about the last time I picked up knitting. They received several garter-stitch hats and scarves made from the finest Red-Heart acrylic. (What? They requested the acrylic and I didn't know anything about yarn at that point, anyway.) And then I discovered Seafarer's Friend.

At this point in time, I prefer donating to the latter organization. Both carry out work to benefit working, merchant-type (as opposed to Navy-type) sailors. Both are Christian organizations, and the Seaman's Institute is even affiliated with the good ol' Episcopal Church*. But Seafarer's Friend is local. Donations go to sailors who come to my town during the course of their work. It's a way to express not only a sort of Christian hospitality, but also to extend hospitality on behalf of my community.

I'm big on local involvement. I truly believe that if we want to make the world a better place, we need to take a look out of our own front doors. And I believe that improvements in our immediate communities--familial, civic, religious, scholastic, whatever--can spread out and take root in ever widening groups. This isn't to say that one should never give to International Organizations--they need our help, too! I've just seen, way too often, people get wrapped up in the drama of feeding starving children halfway around the world while ignoring the starving child down the street.

My dream is to see a world with no starving children. But I digress.

4,000 hats in 40 days. Think of all the working sailors this would warm. Knitting seems an appropriate Lenten devotion, doesn't it? Many years ago I came to the realization that giving something up for Lent doesn't work for me. Deprivation does not help me get ready. Instead, I add something. I say morning prayer. Or I sing Compline every night. But devotional knitting might be the ticket for me this year. Maybe hats. Maybe Magic 28 socks. (Yes, Marianne, I'm still knitting them. I just never think to photograph them.) I've still got a little time to think about what I might like to do and where to send them.

What about you? Do you all have charitable organizations of choice for knitted stuff? Favorite places to do volunteer work? Lenten plans?

*I honestly don't care if a charity organization is religiously based. They could be Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Shinto, Manichean, or Atheist for all I care. The important thing is that they do good works and I can buy into some aspect of their mission. I don't even have to agree with all of what they believe--I've got problems with the theological beliefs of the Salvation Army, but they feed the hungry and do amazing relief work and I respect that and happily work their soup kitchen. In any event, I think the only reason I used the religious descriptor was to, well, describe the organizations.

That's what The Beloved calls this hat. What a little charmer!


Lyra's Hat
Size: Large (To fit a large child or small adult)
Yarn: Reynold's Blizzard colorways 688 and 673
Purchased at: A Loom with a View, Newburyport, MA
Needles: KA circular needles, US size 19/15 mm.
So, on Wednesday I visited my friend Libby for tea and a knitting lesson. Libby reported on the fabulous knitwear in The Golden Compass after she saw it and said to me, Saisquoi, I want this hat that Lyra wears when she's with the polar bears. You'll know it when you see it. It doesn't look hard. Do you think I can do it? Of course! So, we bought yarn, went back to her place, and had some knitting fun. She learned the cable cast on and how to purl before the end of the evening. I'm happy to see she taught herself the three-needle bind-off and has a completed hat! Yay for the finished object!!

I brought mine home and finished it off whilst watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the Beloved. It was quick and easy and very satisfying.







The Beloved is probably right and I look like a garden gnome gone bad, but the hat is warm and fuzzy and kind of cute. I fully intend on wearing it if the weather gets cold again. I will likely make the hat again...but probably for a small child and not for myself.

I've also decided to pony up and do this, which I've seen around blogtopia for a while: The Pay It Forward Exchange. It’s based on the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on. I'm coming in because of Marianne's post.

So here’s how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what that gift will be yet, and it won’t be sent this month, probably not next month, but it will be sent (within 6 months--or 9 months by Marianne's rules) and that’s a promise! What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

I will now Pay It Forward to you THREE, I wonder who you will be?! Please, be a PIF! You will enjoy it just as much as we do!

And, remember…you have 6 months (or 9 months, to be 'fair') to get your gifts done!
Also, you don’t have to knit or crochet to participate, anyone who can make a nice handmade gift is welcome to join.

Any takers?

Teddy Bears
Pattern: Knitted Cuddlies available from Knitting Daily
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino in the "Natural Mix" colorway
Purchased from: My local AC Moore
Needles: Knitpicks US size 7/4.5 mm (4 DPNs)

If you think these look familiar, you're right. This is the same pattern used to make Luigi (scroll down, I promise he's there). The pattern was quick, easy, and just the ticket for a handmade addition to Giving Tree gifts for Boy Baby and Girl Baby. I finished them on Saturday as Sunday was supposed to be the dropoff day at church. However, we had what is referred to as a big-ass Noreaster that day and church was canceled. Have you ever heard of anything so crazy? So I spent the rest of the day sitting on the couch and snuggling with Polly and knitting on the Alpaca Silk Shrug. Well, not really, but I wish that's how I spent my day.

Actually, I spent a good portion of the day trying to shovel out so that I could go to work this morning. The Beloved is on vacation and has come down with the obligatory cold. So he was of little help. Then the snowblower died. Then my neighbor's snow blower died. I seriously considered drinking the rest of the open bottle of sherry and then lying down naked in the back yard to see how long it would take me to die of exposure.

Fortunately my neighbor was able to fix his snowblower and he was able to remove the mountain of snow left by the plow. But then I had to shovel out another two times--after the sidewalk plow came through and again after the street plow came by again and knocked a wall of snow into my driveway. What is the appropriate gift for your snowblowing angel of a neighbor anyway? My husband, speaking in what I can only imagine was a fever accompanying his cold, asked our neighbor if he liked meat. (I said--find out if Mr. and Mrs. Neighbor are allergic to nuts--if no, we can send over some of the cookies I plan to bake this week. He asks "Do you like meat?" Sigh.) Apparently, my Beloved Spouse was thinking we could pick up a gift certificate to The Meat House for their Christmas Roast. The question just didn't come out sounding very...suave. My neighbor is probably convinced that we're completely deranged.

This morning I woke to find that everything was coated with ice. This makes it hard for the car to go. It was too much--I went inside and proceeded to have a meltdown at my husband. Who looks at me and says, "I thought you were good under pressure." Wonder of wonders, he is still alive. It must be a Christmas miracle.

Apparently it will take another Christmas miracle for us to get a tree. So, Christmas Eve is one week from today. Naturally, the Rotary Christmas Tree sale was not going on tonight. The Beloved, being good and patient and pragmatic, said "We'll try again tomorrow and we'll go earlier--before dinner." Saisquoi, being tired and bitter and resentful, said "I don't know why I expected to be able to buy a freakin' tree the week before Christmas anyway." I must be a South Pole elf.

Anyhow. I'm drinking egg nogg, trying very hard to feel Christmasy, what with all the snow and all, but I'm just tired and cranky. I'm afraid I'm coming down with my sweetie's cold (isn't sharing great?) and still have to get ready to host my in-laws on Christmas Eve, when, actually, I'll be at church trying somehow to pull together a children's story with participation for the service. (The prep work with the kids should have gotten done yesterday. But no church, so...) You know, I like the idea of Christmas. I like the stories. I like the singing. I like the time spent with family. All of this other stuff? Not so much. I'm not having fun right now, and I'm not quite sure how to make it be fun and not so painfully stressful.

So, instead, I'll have another egg nogg and work on my shrug and snuggle my cat and my husband. And if any of you have any ideas or any thoughts on alleviating pre-Christmas malaise, feel free to pass them along.

I'll try to post something cheerier tomorrow. Maybe if we manage to find a freakin' tree...

Yeah, I know it's not over yet. Exciting things could still happen in the next two days. But, I gotta tell you, I've got time to write right now and if it doesn't get done now, I can't guarantee it will happen before it's time to go back to work!

So, first up, some knitting. I've been working on the Alpaca Silk Shrug. The Alpaca & Silk Yarn from Blue Sky Alpacas is absolutely divine. Which is a good thing. Particularly since the miles and miles and miles of plain stockinette is becoming mind-numbing. There's not even any shaping to break up the monotony now that I'm past the first sleeve. Just 29 inches of knit the RS. Purl the WS. Repeat.

It's funny. I love knitting. So I thought, even if it's boring knitting I'll like it. This will be great for watching TV because I won't need to think too much. But, you know, I would just about kill for a yarn over. Or a cable somewhere. Even some shaping. Anything. I tell you, it's a good thing the yarn is so yummy, because I've still got miles to go before I sleep.







Looks good, though, doesn't it? In spite of all my whinging? I have vain hopes that it will be finished in time for me to wear on Christmas Eve. Which means that no one gets handknit gifts this year. Whoops! And there's no way The Beloved's sweater will be done. Particularly since I haven't even started it yet. And we won't even talk about my Romantic Hand Knit. I knit a swatch for that one....but....

So, yeah. If you choose to knit a sweater (or a sweater-like garment) from sportweight yarn on US size 3 needles, consider it the knitting equivalent of a marathon. Even The Beloved has noticed the slow-going. I think his comment other than "What do you want me to say? It looks exactly the same as when you showed it to me yesterday!" was "That's going to take you forever with all those itty-bitty stitches. Think of the millions of loops!" He did, however, comment that I did good work, so I suppose he's being supportive in his own way.

Next up, the Great Day of Eating. I love Thanksgiving. I love all the tasty food. I love that no one cares how much you eat. And I love seeing my extended family. I mean, my mother and my aunt do family dinner every Sunday, so we see a lot of my family, anyway, but, well, they're fun. We got a call from my sister at 2:00--the traditional family eating time--and so we all got to sing grace together. (We sing the song "The Lord's Been Good to Me" from "Johnny Appleseed.") PFC Sibling (formerly known as Resident Sibling) said she was so happy to get to sing over the phone with us because that was not the grace the Chaplain used at their Thanksgiving Dinner at Basic.

Anyhow. I, personally, have a lot to be thankful for. Not just this weekend, but always. I am thankful for The Beloved, for my home, for my family and for the wonderful relationship I have with them, for my friends, who have got to be among the most awesome human beings on the planet. I'm thankful for my job and for The Beloved's job. I'm thankful that my cats appear to be in good health. I'm thankful that all of us are in good health. Though I can whinge with the best of them, I really have nothing to complain about. And, you know, I'm thankful for that, too.

Yesterday was my parent's 33rd wedding anniversary. So, The Beloved and I took them out for Day After Thanksgiving festivities. No, we did not go shopping. But we did go to Boston. We had dinner at the Silvertone Bar & Grill, which is just off of Tremont Street about a block past the Common. Dad had some of the best Jerk Chicken ever, Mom had Steak Tips, and The Beloved and I had a couple of tasty burgers. Then, we got into the holiday spirit with the help of the Brian Setzer Orchestra and their 6th Annual Holiday Tour. They were playing at The Orpheum. OK--so, if you EVER have the chance to see these guys play, GO. They are so. Much. Fun. Even The Beloved had fun. My parents had fun. Totally great show. They played arrangements of Christmas songs, they played Stray Cats tunes, they played swing tunes, they played rockabilly. Fun for all!

And now, well, those were my plans for the weekend. I should probably do some laundry so that The Beloved and I have clothes to wear to work next week. We're talking about going to see No Country for Old Men, but The Beloved, I think, has had enough people and would rather order Chinese takeout and build a fire in the fireplace. Both are tempting, I tell you.

As a final note, y'all who are doing NaBloPoMo, hats off! I have a hard time posting once a week. And you guys have been at it every day. Good for you! And those excellent posts--well, just one more thing to be thankful for.

I meant to post a weekend roundup yesterday, but was a) too lazy; b) without photographs; and c) too lazy. I'm still without photographs, but felt as though I could post now and perhaps do a picture-heavy post later in the day. If I can train The Beloved to use the point-and-shoot camera, that is.

So, here's what I did this weekend:

1. Got a cholesterol test done. I know, I know, you're all jealous. It was a lot of fun. Particularly when the phlebotomist couldn't find a vein. After she stuck the needle into my arm. The bruising is highly attractive. I don't quite look like a junkie, but if I had waited another week or so, it would only have added to my Amy Winehouse Halloween Costume.

2. Visited my grandmother. Visited is a loose term. I sat with her for a while. My grandmother is not doing so well and when I saw her on Saturday, she was completely non-responsive. I believe they were going to stop the antibiotics and take her off of most--if not all--of the other equipment last night, but I haven't pulled it together enough to call my mother for the update. If you're a praying person and can stop to light a candle for her, I would be greatly appreciative.

3. Cut all of my hair off. Pictures would be helpful here, no? Alas, The Beloved was not able to manipulate my Canon Elph. Yeah, it's a point and shoot. He doesn't quite grasp that he needs to hold the button down until it clicks, and I just didn't have the patience to deal with him last night. I had taken a couple of pictures of myself with my camera phone, but, let's face it, they are of such craptastic quality that I can't in good conscience (and in complete sobriety) post them on the internet. Hopefully, tonight, we will find that the husbeast can, in fact, be trained.

Anyway. I'm happy with the haircut. It's a good change, it looks good, and it's easy for me to style and manage and stuff. The Beloved thinks I look like River Phoenix as the young Indiana Jones. What a charmer!

4. Looked at wedding rings. Yeah. Never thought I'd have to do this again, but about two weeks ago I developed a severe case of eczema on the ring finger of my left hand. It still hasn't cleared up all the way. I moved my wedding ring to my right hand and began to grow a nice little spot of itchy pain between my ring finger and my pinkie finger. My rings are now on a chain around my neck--I feel like I'm in high school.

Now, I know that it may not be an allergy to the ring itself--as my auntie says, it is probably an allergy to the soap that gets under the ring when I wash my hands. Or it's contact dermatitis aggravated by the band being too tight (it's not) or too wide (possible--it is on the wider side, particularly when I wear it with my engagement ring). But that doesn't explain why I don't have a problem when I wear silver rings--I have one with a wide band that I wear on my right hand that has never caused a problem. And I have never been able to wear gold in my piercings--ears or nose--without having a painful reaction. I don't know if it's the gold, or if I'm just really sensitive to the other metals they use in creating the alloy, but, let me tell you, the possibility of being allergic to my wedding ring really sucks. If the eczema on my left hand ever finishes clearing up, I'll give the ring another go before I call the doctor for some tests. Then, the search for a solution begins.

I went to the jewelry store to ask about having the inside of the ring plated or coated with something--rhodium, I think (I read about this online and wanted to see how much it would cost and how often I'd have to have it done in order to wear my wedding and engagement rings--both gold--without this fun little reaction) and no one seemed interested in talking about that. They were really interested in showing me all of their platinum rings. Platinum, after all, is nearly hypoallergenic. And, after all, "you're worth it." The Beloved is not so sure about that. Fortunately for him, I'm not scouting diamonds as well. We watched Blood Diamond on the HBO preview a couple of weeks ago, and, let me tell you, it really turns you off of wanting a nice big rock on your finger if you're thinking your money is going to arm ten year old boys and support genocide in African nations.

When I first bitched about this over Sunday coffee a couple of weeks ago (the owie finger, not the genocide thing), my father was the one who suggested putting the ring on a chain. "After all," he said, "You've got the husband. What else do you need?" And he's right. Except that after wearing a ring on that finger for seven years (five married, two engaged), I feel naked without it. I don't care if we get a plain silver band--I just hate looking down and seeing nothing there....well, except for the red band of dry, irritated skin, that is.

5. Went out for Teppanyaki with The Beloved. He had never been before. There's something really fun about watching someone play with knives and fire whilst preparing your meal. Plus, the food was quite tasty.

6. Indulged in retail therapy. No, I probably didn't need the Vera Bradley bag. But it was sooooo pretty. Besides, my auntie commented on the hugeness and overstuffed-ness of my everyday handbag, which made me feel bad. This is much better. Too small to overstuff.

7. Celebrated Baby Brother's 20th birthday. How the hell did he get to be 20? No one asked my permission on this one. I'm not sure how I feel about it. How can he be 20? Wasn't it just the other day that he was in love with Libby and chasing her around in full Power Rangers regalia? Or dressed as a purple dinosaur? Anyway. The official date is today--the Baby is now 20 years old. I think I need a lie down.

8. Worked on Conwy. Yeah. Remember that sock? I'm about halfway done with the foot on sock #2. The end is in sight.

9. Ordered yarn for the Romantic Hand Knits-along. I'll be knitting "A Room With a View" and I'll be knitting it in the colors used in the book. (Saisquoi receives a C- for creativity and thinking outside the box, I know.) I thought about doing the sweater in brown with white lace, but thought I'd look too much like a pilgrim. Plus, I like blue. I look good in blue. And I'm trying really hard to wear more colors. I've fallen into another gray/black/brown/ecru rut.

So, there you have it. Sort of busy. Busy enough that Sunday night found The Beloved and I watching Children of Men on the Cinemax free preview wondering where the weekend went. And why we keep picking such "feel good" films to watch.