A little early

A little bit of Christmas came early around here. Wednesday, James went snooping, and found the present stash. He pulled out his Christmas pullover that I made, put it on and refused to take it off.

PATTERN: Santa Cruz pullover (size 4)

CREDIT: Mel Clark in Knit 2 Together

YARN: Knitpicks Wool Of the Andes Bulky in Bluebird (4 skeins)

NOTES: I followed the pattern as written, except for the front pocket. I used the larger needle instead of the smaller as intended.

He seems to like it. A lot.

Since James claimed his gift early, I felt it was only fair to let Jess have hers as well.

PATTERN: Fairly Easy Fair Isle (Size L)

CREDIT: Kate Watson in Stitch 'N Bitch Nation

YARN: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes Bulky in Coal (5 skeins), Red (1 skein), and Honey (1 skein).

NOTES: I changed the fair isle chart. I had to go up in needle size for gauge, which changed my row gauge, and I had to adjust accordingly. I also reinforced the button holes.

She's also pretty darn happy with hers.

I have one more thing I plan on making this Christmas, and that's a ski bonnet for my Mom. I cannot post it until she gets it though.

Don't touch me

The last few months have been a little hectic. We started a remodel that keeps getting sidelined. Nate's been traveling a lot for work, and it's high season for family social engagements.

Here we are approaching Christmas at an alarming rate, and I just cannot psych myself up for it. When people ask me what I want for Christmas, I respond with one of two answers:

"A new roof," or, "A day with no one touching me." I'm a joy to be around, what can I say.

There has been knitting, but pictures will have to wait until the gifts are received. I broke my own rule of no knitted gifts this year. I thought it might help me enjoy the season, rather then stress through it. It did help. I only made a few things that I'm confident will be well received.

Most of my shopping is done, but not all, which I'm sure shocks Cara the most. Usually I have a plan and most of my shopping wrapped up by Dec 1st.

Here's hoping I stumble upon the true joy of the season as I scramble to meet all commitments. Being an adult is hard, yo.

Unprepared

Its been a awhile. Sorry.

I don't know where to start, so I'm just going to start with today. 

I started a new project, while I wait for a yarn order to arrive. 

It's taking longer than I'd like, the drawback of ordering exactly what you want instead of just making due with what you have, so I poked around my ever-shrinking stash, I found some lovely Cascade 220 in a heather green, I think it's called turtle, and cast on a cowl.

The color s not quite true. It's pretty overcast today, so I needed the flash's assistance. I do love this herringbone stitch though.

This week is about getting ready for our Thanksgiving trip, then Jess' trip to Indy the following week.

How is it Thanksgiving already?! 

Funny the way it is

It shouldn't surprise me that I'm so much like my mom (I actually love it, the person I'm terrified of becoming is my father). 

I knit just like she sewed. I knit like a fiend for however long (the length varies), then I forget I ever knit a stitch for however long. I'm on or I'm off knitting. Super hard to "force" myself to on.

Remember the baby blanket?

Here it is on July 3rd.

Today? It almost has a section of orange around it. And that's it.

I should mentioned the deadline if it's getting to the parents before the big day is just around 5ish weeks. In other words? I'm screwed. Not just because I'm not fast with the needles but also because I'm second guessing everything. The colors, the patterns, my knitting (if I could maintain a tension that would be great).

If anyone has some tips on motivation, etc they would be very much appreciated. Also feel free to tell me the whole thing sucks, etc and I would cut my losses and throw the whole thing into the bonfire. 

Do over

I finished Jess' hat, only to have it proclaimed too small and "weird". Let me tell you, I am just loving thirteen years old right now. But she was very much correcton  the hat being too small.

But I did finish it.

Speaking of finishing, I pulled out the entrelac baby blanket and decided to put an applied icord edge.

Still working on my "Lisa Frank" blanket, and trying to decide on the next project.

In reality, my next project ought to be getting a handle on the house here. It's beyond messy.

Flamboozled

Jess, who hasn't knitted a stitch dice the 4th grade, announced this weekend tat she wanted to knit herself a hat. A fluffy hat, that was blue and white. After a few questions and a rough assisted sketch. (The things that child comes up with. It was quite a brainstorm.) Jess decided she wanted a chenille, blue and white, chevron hat. That she was going to knit. The blind kid who hasn't knitted a stitch in over three years, was going to knit herself a stranded color work hat. 

Introducing my new project.

Yarn: Bernat Baby Blanket in Baby Blue & White

Pattern: improvised

There it is

The granny square blanket is done. I was worried the vintage yarn wouldn't last for the dimensions I wanted for this blanket, and I was right. So, I got out my markers and graph paper and came up with a plan. Luckily there was also some white yarn in the bag, so I used it to fill in what I couldn't continue in the pattern I set.

I like it. I'm not sure what I'll do with it.

The first week of Pre-K went smashingly. James had started to argue with me about 20 minutes before school on day two. I finally told him that he was going, & that was the end of it. Once we pulled into the lot, he was fine, and even a little excited. When I picked him up he declared that he loves his school, and that I am a good mommy for making him go.

So, I'd say that's a win.

A new granny square project, that I've dubbed the "Lisa Frank", because the bright colors bring forth happy memories of my childhood, which was chock-full of Lisa Frank stationary, etc. 

Then there is also this:

I may have fallen down a crochet rabbit hole. I cannot decide what I want to knit. I don't feel like finishing my socks in progress. I have some sweaters que, but it's too hot around here to have a lapful of wool. I have some adorable little critters to make, but I need to do some yarn shopping yet for them.

This is it.

Today is the big day! Today is James' first day of Pre-K. This summer we have had a lot of problems with seperation anxiety. Things did start to look up after we toured his school and met the teachers. 

This weekend he's been telling me about all the cool stuff he's going to get to do at school. But, he seems to think I'm going too, even after I tell him that I'm not.

So today when it was time to go, he told me no. Very calmly. Then he got in the car, and the whole drive to school he told me he was not doing this. We walked into the building and he hit full meltdown.  

I gave him a hug, and a kids, reminded him that Mom always comes back, then I peeled him off of me and walked out.

Later on, the teacher texted me this photo.

While he was away, I spent my glorious free time cleaning up and smuggling out all the toys, etc. for donation. Something that is quite impossible when the kids are always with you.

It's an exciting life here, I must say.

When it was time to pick up James, I drove in a little early, and watched from the lot while he played on the playground. He was so excited to tell me about his day, then asked when he goes back.

Thank goodness.

It's going to be ok.

I'm still working on the granny square blanket. I'm hoping to have it ready for a border this week.

This week we tour James' school and hopefully get him excited about going. We've had some seperation anxiety issues this summer. In fact, this is what happened last time we talked to him about school.

So this is going to be a challenge for all of us.

I have to say though, I'm very much looking forward to a few hours a week by myself. 

Compelled

So I've been distracted lately. I can't seem to decided on my next knit project. Anything I want to make, I do not have the yarn budget for, (had to buy a new car, you know) and those projects I can make, I'm just not feeling at the moment. We won't even mention the bag of started socks that I don't feel like working on either.

As I had mentioned before, August brings family reunions to these parts. Nate's Aunt brought me a box this year. It was full of various craft projects. One in particular, caught my attention. In the box were various balls of yarn and a few crocheted granny squares. They called to me. I had no choice. 

Now the box only contained about forty finished squares. So I've been busy making more. I'm not sure the yarn will hold out, so I'm about to get a little creative in the layout. Right now I'm assembling from one corner to the opposite corner. I'm just thinking the yarn is not going to last, so I may need to get a little creative with the other two corners.

The question is, what will I do with it when it's done? Do I keep it, gift it, or sell it?

Reboot

When I rebooted the blog, I had intended on posting once a week. I've already failed. Heh.

The news on my car was initially not very bad, but upon further investigation, the news became grim. So, I have been without a car for most of July. 

We decided our best option was to buy a new car. We had bought the Nissan new in 2005, and it had been a great car. The only issue I had with it in nine years, was the AC developed a leak a few years ago.

So we sold the car, and bought a new one a couple weeks ago.

Our 2014 Honda Accord.

Now you would think that being stuck at home, I would have a lot done to show you, but I don't.

August brought in two family reunions, it brought Jess home from visiting my folks, & today it brought the first day of school.

My big, bad, eighth grader.

Bad Cara

I ask Erin to make the blog go and then, in Cara fashion, I do nothing with or about it. 

Well, my friends, I'm going to attempt to change that (in my head Yoda just said "There is no try, only do" - I hope that's the right phrase.... my internal nerd is apparently having issues again). 

On the knitting front I have too many projects in the making to mention however a baby blanket and a pair of socks are on the forefront. The socks are just for myself, I've been attempting to make myself a pair of socks since before Christmas when I told my dad that's why I wasn't knitting him another pair (knit 'em two - three pairs of socks and they expect them to start showing up every month or so). The baby blanket is for a baby that's not due.... um.... I'm really bad at this... I think the baby is about halfway done. I need a ridiculous deadline to get the fire going under me, like they are in the delivery room. 

Anyway I knit like the wind on the baby blanket when we were in Minnesota. Vacation with the in-laws in a remote location? Knitting literally saves lives. Of course now that I'm home I've glanced in the blanket's direction a couple times.

And now.... a gratuitous wedding photo (married The Boy June 13th, helicopter, Niagara Falls)

Avoidance

In order to avoid all of my sock projects that I don't feel like finishing, I decided I'm just going to try to work through my stash.

So my latest finished project is the Tempest Beret by Kate Gagnon Osborn from the Best of Knitscene book. I'm using some Berroco Vintage for it, and I believe it's going to be a gift.

As for the Entrelac baby blanket, I ended up just adding a few rows of single crochet around it. Then I set it aside. I figure if there comes a time tgat I need a baby gift, I can add a decorative crochet edge to it and be done.

My current project is the oscilloscope shawl by Kate Gagon Osborn. I'm also using Berroco vintage for this one too.

The good news is I've heard from the mechanic, and the news sounds not so bad. It's been over a week now. I called today and the parts are in, but the work is not done yet. Sigh.

Finished!

The entrelac baby blanket is done. Well, the entrelac part is. Now I'm trying to decide on the border. As pretty as this yarn is, (Berocco, vintage, color? ) I'm tired of it. 

There is a reason I don't use varigated yarns much. Self striping yarns are a whole other story.

So now onto the border, on which I'm still undecided.

This week we attempted Vacation Bible School with James. The first night, he cried a lot, but was able to eventually calm down and join in the fun. The next night he cried more. We ended up having to come get him because he just would not calm down. Tonight, we didn't even attempt, because the mere mention had him welling up with tears.

I'm trying to decide my next project. There are a couple of sock projects I have going, and I seem to always have at least one sock project, I've been making these while I try to decide:

Pattern: Recluse by Lisa Mutch
Yarn: oddballs from the stash
Notes: pattern calls for worsted, doubled, but many of these I have been making from chunky weight yarn.

A couple projects

So I know I have been a while gone, and I haven't been sure how to go about getting back into posting somewhat regularly. I'm just going to try to pick up with the present and do my best.

The progress on my entrelac project has stalled. Once I realized it would have to be a baby blanket, due to the amount of yarn I have left, I haven't been too keen on finishing it. It's gorgeous, but I don't think I have any baby gifts needed in the near future. With no looming deadline, my interest has faded a bit.

My toe2toe project has reached the second toe. Once that is done, I will figure heel placements, then split the whole thing for the top cuffs.

This week the kids and I headed to Valparaiso, to visit some family. The trip had been long overdue, and I think we all enjoyed it. Jess is extending her stay, so James and I returned home without her.

We got home just fine, but the next day the car broke down, so it's now in the shop.

The fair

As a child, I loved the fair, but when Jess was little, the fair was just a big ball of anxiety for her. The lights, the noise, the crowds, the smells, made her miserable. As she has gotten older, those things that once spurred panic are now tolerable, but I can't say she enjoys it.

A few years ago she discovered roller coasters, and loves them. Last night the promise of a couple carnival rides and fried pickles was enough to convince her to come to the fair with us.

James riding the merry-go-round. Nate and Jess riding the scrambler in the background.

I think she had fun. By the way, can I tell you how much I love this picture?

We also went through the 4-H exhibits to find the ones Jess submitted.

Reserve Champion.

Champion

Champion.

Jess is pretty pleased. We are proud of her.

... And we're back.

We are moving/ reviving the blog. I have some work to do around here, so I'll work on that and we will be with you shortly.