Knitting by Moonlight

Is This an Old Lady Thing?

2008-06-03T23:40:00.029-06:00

Columbine in the evening

I love the flowers and vegetables that grow in my yard, but I suspect it's an old lady thing.
When I was young, I remember thinking that I'd make a great old lady because I would take good care of potted geraniums in the windows. Well, I have none on a window sill, but plenty outdoors. They are a joy every day.

Iris are always my favorite.

There are new Iris budding, but not open yet. I know that one is so dark it is nearly black. I can't wait to see it. And the other one will be a surprise as I cannot remember what I ordered from schreinersgardens.com last year. (I can't remember what I did yesterday, and that IS and old lady thing.)

I bought a couple of these bright orange ceramic pots at Walmart. I also bought a red one. The blue was nice too. If they had them in chartreuse green, I would have bought them all. The orange is just going to look terrific with purple and fushia petunias, pink geranium and yummy green leaves hanging over the edge of the pot. They will fill out soon enough.

Ivy Geranium in another orange pot

Below are more of the Columbine. They were especially beautiful in the evening sunlight when I took the photos.

Cuz I've Just Been Busy!

2008-05-13T19:40:00.012-06:00

I didn't realize how much time had slipped by without blogging. Egads! It's cuz I've just been busy. I have started a little etsy shop: quirkylittlebirds.etsy.com. Now, I would post a link here, but I have no idea how to do that, nor how to get the little banner thingy posted at the side so you can just click on it. About all I can do is load a photo and type a few words. Anyway, I have beads all over the house and they are now about to drive me crazy with the mess, not to mention the fabric. Sheesh! It just takes over doesn't it?

Here's a few things I've made recently:

For those who love to shop, or those who "have to," the Get Your Monkey On bag. The details and the innards are all shown at the etsy site.

This is just a small part of a necklace loaded with sterling silver, freshwater pearls, and semi-precious stones.

This is another necklace that has earrings to go with it. I started this one a few years ago and just didn't get around to stringing it. Then, when I did, I didn't even like it. So, I took it apart and started all over and now I love it.

There are some bracelet and earring sets that are inexpensive and fun.

Here is a sampling:

And there's more, but this is enough for here.

Bloomin'

2008-04-26T20:16:00.018-06:00

For the last couple of months, I've been bringing in branches to get them to bloom indoors. As you can see, this branch still has fruit from last summer that the birds and the squirrels have overlooked.

While these blooms are wonderful to have in the house when we've all had it up to our eyeballs with cold weather, they cannot hold a candle to the blooms outdoors. Everywhere I drive, there are trees blooming white and pink. It reminds me of the holidays when so many trees are twinkling in the night.

This is the start of the blooms indoors. Really, when they all bloomed, they were lovely.

The blooms outdoors just take my beath away. The trees are filled with these precious little bits of spring heavenliness.
I think the forsythia are prettier than usual too.

I'm a Bag Lady

2008-04-24T21:53:00.016-06:00

For the better part of a year, I have been looking at patterns, even buying some that I think might make a great bag to haul around. Like most women, I am picky about the bag I carry. It has to have pockets inside and my keys and cell phone need to be easy to find. It should hold a business size envelope and a checkbook, along with a bulky wallet. It needs to be easy to get into and deep enough to hide the contents, but not so deep I can't find anything in that dark place. Also, I carry an extra bag for knitting, and that bag must be capable of holding a magezine, and sturdy enough to hold a book. I'm pondering how to make several bags for knitting, and I already have a little sewing bag in mind inspired by others whom I will tell you about in another post. The third bag is for my lunch, but I'm not going to make a lunch bag so I don't ponder that one at all. I just thought I'd mention that I am a bag lady who has a job and a home.

The bag fabric, Begonia Leaves from Philip Jacobs for Rowan, is one of my favorite. I have it in two colorways, and plenty of it too. I could not make up my mind which I liked best, but I was able to narrow it to two. The lining fabric is Spot from Kafe Fassett for Rowan.

Yesterday it all came together. I left the house to find fabric to line the bag I wanted, then rushed home to cut and sew. By evening, I had the bag completed. It felt great to have a project completed in just a few hours. I am so used to knitting and knitting and knitting, and then have that feeling of satisfaction, but in just a few hours? Wow! I am very pleased with the bag.
I made the inside pockets from the same fabric as the outside of the bag, and I used no zippers for the pockets to make it easy just to reach into the bag and find what I want. The outside pockets are just right for a cell phone or an iPod. The contrast between the bag lining and the pockets seems like a better idea when trying to find something I've sometimes had my hand in a pocket when it should have been in the bottom of a bag.

Why has no one come up with a bag light? We have book lights, knitting needles that light up, and little lights on key rings to help us find door locks and the ignition. A five-inch, cylindrical, battery operated light that hooks to the insdie of the bag so it would not get lost in the rest of the clutter would do a fine job.

It's Just Pincushions . . . and Shopping in San Francisco

2008-04-13T18:14:00.006-06:00

Last Wednesday, I flew to San Francisco to meet my daughter. She drove from Los Angeles with Ian, and her husband met us there on Friday. While she attended a conference, I watched over my newest grandson, Ian. That meant shopping with Ian in a stroller. The weather was absolutely perfect for walking . . . sunshine, not too hot, people on the street enjoying life, and a very sweet baby to make a delightful day even more so.

Our first stop was Britex. Now, that's four floors of fabric, trims, buttons, and all kinds of lovely stuff. Starting at the 4th floor, there are remnants. I mean a whole floor of remnants. We were working our way down when, at the 2nd floor, Ian pooped his pants, so that ended that, but I'd seen it anyway.

The next day, we went to Haight Street to find some velvets and silks at Discount Fabrics. I wandered down the street to Mendel's, but nothing there caught my eye. I finished up by returning to Britex on Saturday and doing some serious damage to my financial situation. I always think, "What the heck, I deserve it," and then I can continue to abuse my bank account without guilt.

Each evening, we ate dinner in some of San Francisco's finest. When I got home today, I stepped on the scale only to find I had not gained even one pound. What a miracle! I am so happy about it.

Anyway, I posted a photo of fabric recently, as I will do below. In the last post, I discussed some thoughts on creativity and technicality. Really, the fabric had nothing to do with anything original at all; it's just for pincushions. And all the trims, beads, velvets, and silks, and even silk velvets are for pincushions. There's not much new in the way of pincushions, so creativity must come from the way in which I plan to decorate the pincushion, and even that is not original at all since people have been embroidering pincushions since they started making them. And there's nothing too techinical about creating a pincushion either, even with beads and embroidery added.

I do, however, have some creative ideas, and they will be applied to clay. Some will be polymer and others will be mud that is fired in a kiln. It's the polymer clay that brings the techincal difficulties for me, but no matter, I will work those things out as I move along.

And when I speak of creativity, it is not the creative genius of which I speak. It is just me taking it all in and applying the information to whatever I dream of doing. That's part of the creative process for most of us . . . there's not too many new ideas out there. And we just keep plugging away, practicing, drawing our ideas, writing our ideas, and finding our own voice as we do so. There are only so many sources we can draw on in life, and we can twist them in whatever way we choose. Of course, there are those who are perverted and twist the life from life and give the rest of us the creeps, and there are creative geniuses whom we admire forever afterward. I'm just the artsy fartsy type who might once in a while do something worthy of attention.

Some velvets on the left and silks on the right. The photo really does nothing to portray the lusciousness of these fabrics.

Creativity vs Technicality

2008-04-05T13:15:00.009-06:00

Creativity blocks can last weeks, months, and God in Heaven, even years.

Speaking for myself, if years pass without any new creative ideas, I am (1) in a coma; (2) dissociated from my thoughts, (3) pathologically involved in something mindless and unimportant, i.e., a romantic attachment comes to mind immediately; or, (4) pursuing creative ideas by spending all my time and plenty of money following, to the letter, the instructions of someone who really is creative and acting upon it in the best possible way, i.e., they create, sell, and teach others. And their friends probably do the same.

What I will admit is that I do spend plenty of time and money reading, looking at the work of artists in any media, talking with creative friends, and just plain thought. For me, the ideas filter in often, probably due to the amount of time I spend in research and thought. My issue is most often the technical aspect of art . . . how to execute an idea and bring it to life. Perhaps this is lack of experience and formal training in art except for several university courses and a couple of years in the ceramics department of a small college.

On the other hand, perhaps many artists struggle with the technicalities of how best carry out the design. I do know that metalsmiths puzzle it out this way when it comes to clasps, hinges, and so forth.

How aggravating it is to feel like I am wasting energy struggling with one this or another, or to attempt to develop an idea and run head-on into the technical brick wall. Yet, there are times when ideas and the knowledge to accomplish the goal flow like molten lava in abundance. I feel giddy and gleeful when this happens. A few days ago I had this experience while at work. So, with a little notepad, I sketched and made notations. Now, I have begun to gather materials to bring life to my ideas. Soon, the fun begins, the total absorption in which you float free of time and space.

Let the fun begin, and believe me, this is only part of what is going on in my house!

Ron, Mary Beth, and Baby Madeleine: Faces of Happiness

2008-04-02T05:16:00.008-06:00

On February 6th, I wrote a blog entry called Double Vision after knitting a couple of eggplant hats for the parents of a new baby whose auntie made her an eggplant hat. They look so happy with this sweet baby. I wish I could tell you more about them; Ron works for the company where I work. I often see him in the breakroom, but other than that, he and I work in completely different area. He just happened to want to have some hats knit and flagged me down in the hallway after seeing me knitting all the time. I'm glad he did. The hats were fun to make, and I've been able to get to know another wonderful person where I work.

A South Facing Garden Does Best . . . Unless

2008-03-30T20:12:00.009-06:00

. . . unless there is a fence and tall trees that block the afternoon sunlight.

Southwestern Idaho is sagebrush and desert. Not far from Boise, the mountains and forests provide the beautiful imagery most people envision as that life is like in Idaho, and in northern Idaho, it is like that. In the mountains, rivers and streams happily rush over boulders, and the scent of pine flushes urban life and desert living from the body and mind. There are numerous hot springs within a short drive. Alas, I don’t reside amongst the pines, but as most people in the Treasure Valley, I endure the dry, sun baked earth and the heat.

These circumstances considered, trees are an important part of the landscape. Fences too. They are more than privacy screens and territorial barriers. They provide protection form the harsh rays that brown leaves and with flowers.

I’ve found that if I keep the soil moist, the flowers and vegetables are abundant and lush in spite of, or perhaps because of all the warm sunlight.

The issue in my garden is the fence and trees at the southern end of the lot. All the flowering bulbs and plants are late to bloom, and some never reach the blooming stage at all. Daffodils in July are a bit out of place considering July is the hottest month of the year in this region of Idaho.

When I noticed a blur of purple amongst silvery lavender this past week, my first impression was that someone’s trash had blown into the yard. And then I look again . . . crocuses were blooming!

Spring is Just About Here

2008-03-13T15:34:00.012-06:00

While home from work this week, knitting continues with booties and hats. I am also doing some polymer clay work, but nothing is ready to be seen yet. Maybe by next week there will be enough to be worthy of a photo or two.

In the meantime, the forcing continues. Forcing. In our culture, the word conjures negative images and emotions. In the plant world, it takes on a positive meaning. While in the doctor's office today, I saw a short article on forcing in the March issue of Country Home magazine. It showed some gorgeous crabapple branches with dark pink flowers. I know Martha Stewart has wirtten about it more than once, and I do own a book simply called, Forcing.

While checking on the outdoor goings-on yesterday, I noticed the weeping cherry was ready to bud. I prompting got the shears and trimmed it to manageable size without guilt. All the branches found a spot in my house. Today there are a few wee flowers opening.

I also checked on the viburnum, a shrub that is new to me and requires no forcing at all. Why I had not heard of this early flowering delight, I do not know, but last year it sent forth pink blossums that caught me by surprise. The former owner of this house planted them and I did not notice them the year before, but I had wondered about the nondescript shrubs that seemed out of place and rather, well, worthless. This year, I looked forward to the pink flowers that offer real hope of spring in this wintery clime.

Sweet Baby Knits

2008-03-09T19:32:00.007-06:00

Both my daughter, Cara, and my friend, Xiaoyan, had babies last fall. While they were expecting, we knit booties and hats, but mostly booties. Baby Ian and Baby Maicie have had toasty feet all winter. We eventually knit bigger booties for Ian because he's growing like there's no tomorrow.

These booties have been very popular and people often asked these moms where they got them. So we decided we might as well make more and open a little etsy shop so we can refer those who inquire to a place where they can get these simple, sweet booties and hats. I have not placed them on etsy yet, but we are going to get these up soon. The site, which has nothing on it yet, can be found at quirkylittlebirds.etsy.com.

Forcing Update

2008-03-08T19:59:00.003-07:00

Little did I realize that forcing the forsythia would be so easy and it would bloom so quickly. In less than a week it brought sunshine into the house. I think I should prune a few branches from the plum and the crabapple. This makes the dark days of winter so much shorter and will be something to look forward to as spring in Idaho doesn’t come along so early. I’ve recently seen the tulips and daffodils posted by Texas bloggers. I am so envious of their early spring. Do they even have winter in the south?

In Like a Lion?

2008-03-01T18:40:00.002-07:00

This is a weather report, and that's not exactly what I had in mind for a blog topic. Baby is as close to a lion as I can get today. Did it come in like a lion? Well, the sun was shining, and then it rained a little. Finally it hailed twice . . . all while the sun was shining. That's spring in Idaho's Treasure Valley. From one hour to the next, it often differs.

I wish I had a photo of what I did today. I drove to meet Susan who lives along the Snake River. The whole side of her house facing the river is windows. While we watched the birds, we played with polymer clay and made several fine pendants. They will show up here when I get to that stage. It's always nice to craft with a friend. You come away relaxed and have a little something in your hand too. It's satisfying all the way around.

Leap Year Leap In

2008-02-29T18:52:00.002-07:00

I’ve tried to keep this a knitting blog, but like many crafters, I am into a lot of other artsy endeavors. I have started quilting a little and I’ve returned to making jewelry. Once in a while, I scrapbook, but I could do that all the time if I left it under my nose and available. I started sewing once again after leaving it behind for twenty years. I used to make dolls and sell them many years ago, and I made clothing mostly for my children. Then, I just got fed up with it and finally sold my machines in a garage sale. Maybe I was impatient during those years because I didn’t knit then either. I’ve always loved to embroidery and recently purchased some flour sack dishtowels. As I was going through available transfers, I recognized many of the towels still in my kitchen drawer that my mother embroidered many, many years ago. After all these years, they are still in use and laundered, even if they have a few little holes in them. So, I am going to leap back into all these things this year and will be expanding my blog topic.

Forcing

2008-02-27T14:00:00.007-07:00

I've about had it with the snow this year! You probably have too if you live in any part of this country where it snows. In Idaho, we got more than usual and I think that is true of the rest of the country.

Often, I force bulbs in the house to add a little springtime cheer to the otherwise gray winter. This year, I didn't find the time to force bulbs indoors. I didn't even find the time to plant bulbs outdoors last fall. Cutting the branches of flowering shrubs and trees to force inside is another wonderful way to bring in some sunshine. (If you click on the title, Forcing, above, it is linked to more information.)

Fortunately, my yard, as well as so many others, have Forsythia budding. And this year, I remembered to cut some, but I just cannot . . . will not . . . wait for some color to show itself.

Double Vision

2008-02-06T15:58:00.002-07:00

Someone who works at the same company where I am employed stopped me one day and asked if I could knit him two hats: one for his wife and one for him. They were expecting a baby girl in late December and his sister-in-law knitted her an eggplant hat. He thought it would be fun if he and his wife had the same hat and then had their family photographs done. He told me he didn't need the hats until late February. I knew exactly what hat pattern he was referring to, but he said he would bring the hat in for me to see. So, after enjoying the cute baby hat, I procceded to adapt Ann Nordling's Kid's Fruit Cap pattern to an adult size. I used the same wool as the baby cap, Louet's Gems in Aubergine and Fern (double stranded) and US #6 needles. The first time I cast on 112 stitches and it was too large by far. I went down to 96 sitiches knit in the round and finished up the top with dpns. They fit nicely.

The curious cat in the background is Baby, my feral cat. This is a very rare photo of her although she has stood still recently for a few other photos. I got a new camera and she is not as quick to take flight when I point this one in her direction. She's been with me three years. Anyone who gets to touch her is lucky because she is like greased lightening. Nonetheless, she cuddles up with me each night and purrs deliciously. She follows me from room-to-room and often talks to me. She makes me feel special because she likes to be near me now and lets me pet her.

My next door neighbor moved. I don't know if he left one cat or two, but there is a big yellow cat sleeping in my garage now. He is too afraid to come into the house when we are home, although my son has caught him curled in a chair or in a cat bed sleeping. I have a large quilt in the garage and a cat bed on top of that. Each day he eats a whole bowl of food. Today, I caught him out there sleeping, so out the doggy door he flew and spent the day sitting on the fence. I hope he chills out one of these days. It's so much nicer inside.

What to Do with Unsightly Wool Socks

2008-02-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

Until recently, I had not discovered a way to wear wool on my feet around the house without getting zapped whenever I approached anything electrical. Then, while cleaning my closet, I came across the handknit socks I no longer wear, but seem unable to part with. After all, I put as many hours into those socks as my favorites. Some of them have pilled over time, and even felted a bit from the movement inside my shoe. They have become ugly, but still wearable.

Amongst the older socks were several pairs of slipper socks. Some have the nonskid designs on the soles and some are without. They really aren’t very warm because they are acrylic socks, but when I lived in the bay area and central California for a few years, they did the job nicely. When I returned to Idaho, they could not shelter my feet from the cold on any winter day. Thus, they were moved to the back of the sock drawer also. Aren't the colors in the above slipper socks appealing though?

So, while rummaging through the socks, it occurred to me that wearing two socks on each foot would do the job of keeping me warm and free of those nasty electrostatic discharges. I wear the wool sock inside the slipper sock. They are a wonderful solution to the often asked question, “What do you do with felted socks?”

Confessions of a Packrat

2008-01-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

The other day, I noticed a baby dress in my clothes closet. I believe the lace bodice is handmade, and the dress itself is completely handsewn. I asked myself why I still have this little baby dress that belonged to my older sister. She is now 68-years old! We only lived in the same house for four years during our childhood. When I was born, she was eight-years old, and by the time she was twelve, she’d been sent to live with an aunt. Yet, here is this sweet baby dress that has stayed with me all these years. It has traveled from Salt Lake City to Hollywood, and later to Idaho, back to California, perhaps, several times. It is once again in Idaho, and my sister probably has no memory of this little dress whatsoever.

Yesterday, amongst a box of unrelated items in my garage, I found a two-and-a-half-inch tall milk glass perfume bottle. There are small violets painted or decaled on it. It smells strongly like violets although it has been empty at least half a century. It belonged to a now long deceased aunt, the same aunt with whom my sister went to live when she was twelve. She passed so long ago; her children have both passed also. And while I loved my aunt dearly and cherish this little memento why is it not in the hands of one of her grandchildren?

My house is filled with items like these that I am unable to part with.

While reorganizing and moving yarn, needles, books, and patterns from my small home office into the loft upstairs, forgotten yarn, projects, those smaller needles that hide so well, and ideas scratched on notepaper resurfaced. In fact, much more appeared than my memory recalled.

It’s been my habit to rid myself of guilt by simply frogging any unfinished object that no longer holds my interest. For a true packrat who knits daily, this is nothing short of miraculous.

Yarn, any fiber, fabric, or paint are not nostalgic, sentimental objects. They are vessels of COLOR and texture; they are exciting in and of themselves, and they trigger imagination and creativity. When they fail to do that, they are objects that take up space . . . that cost plenty . . . and induce guilt in me for wastefulness.

For the past year, I have gathered yarn like I would never have access to it again. I only wish I could be locked away in a mountain cabin with days and days stretching ahead of me to knit up all that yarn. I would emerge with that long-wanted dresser drawer filled with handmade socks, and all my wool sweaters would assure warmth for the rest of my life.

Like many knitters, crocheters, and fabric horders, I decided that this is the year to reduce the amount of fiber held captive in drawers and bins. First, I decided that I should not buy any yarn except as needed to complete a project that I have already begun. That decision prompted me to purchase even more yarn seeing that in 2008 the sever limitation begins. Perhaps I can post unwanted yarn for sale on one of the sites created for doing that, but it's really hard for me to part with yarn. Another permissable purchase is to by yarn that I am going to dye, and to purchase yarn that will be knit into something for sale. Right now, someone has asked me to knit some items for a gift; the yarn purchase is allowed in this case. Other than these exceptions, if I get a new idea, and I do not already have the yarn for it, I'll have to just , uh, I don't know what I will do with the idea. Write it down for the future? Pass it along? Try to dismiss it from my mind?

Blog Slacker!

2007-12-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

Blogging will resume after the holidays. Knitting continues daily though . . .

Super Duper SP11 Spoiler

2007-11-01T17:58:00.000-06:00

My Secret Pal has been wonderful during SP11. She has been generous with her gifts and in emailing me regularly. She really figured out what I like, and remarkably, she sometimes read my mind.

For example, in the first package she sent, she included a GoKnit Pouch in a yummy lime green. It was funny that I had wanted a small bag to take along my sock knitting to work each day, then, there it was! I’d also thought I should get some of those handy needle protector tips to keep my knitting from slipping off the needles, and once again, she seemed to read my mind and it arrived. It was better than a Santa Claus wish list.

In the first box there was sock yarn, and the worst of all temptations, a chocolate Dove bar. It is still next to me in my top desk drawer! There was a pack of gum too, but I chewed that up quickly because I do love chewing gum.

In this package, as you can readily see, there is more sweetness: a HUGE box of Lemonheads.

There are some challenges for me here too. Included is a bead kit that requires 0000 size needles to knit those little green and amber colored beads into a bracelet. And there is the Lavish Lace book by Carol Rasmussen Noble and Cheryl Potter. Which pattern should I try first? The projects look perfect for someone with as much lace knitting experience as I have (and that is very little).

There’s not one, but two skeins of yarn. The first is from Thirteen Mile Yarn in Montana. It is organic wool and is dyed with plant dyes. This is something I am reading about because I want to do this next summer and fall. Not only do I want to use my own garden plants and flowers, but I have been reading about mushroom dyes and want to try that as well. They claim you can make any color with mushrooms, but finding the right mushrooms to get the right color might be another story.

The second skein (difficult to see here) is from Yarn by Charlene in browns and blacks. This is another color combination I like. It looks warm and rich.

Lastly, there are a couple of darning needles from Clover. I like these needles in the tube case. They are handy to carry in my bag.

Sloozie Knows a Good Knit

2007-11-01T16:46:00.000-06:00

Just as I snapped this photo of the Boxy Cardigan I am knitting, Sloozie stepped forward to lie on it. The girl knows a good knit, a warm place in the sunshine, and how to get comfortable and cozy.

Designer: Michael Kors
Pattern: Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2007
Yarn: Elann's Sierra Aran
Color: Walnut

The Cutest Jack-O-Lantern

2007-10-31T04:43:00.000-06:00

There are no words for this!

Happy Halloween

2007-10-29T20:04:00.000-06:00

Last year, my grandson planted my vegetable garden. He was six years-old. We put in a couple of pumpkin plants and harvest only three pumpkins last fall. I decided to plant pumpkins where they would grow more vigorously for the next summer. (The photo is Olivia checking out her pumpkin last summer. She was not yet four years-old.)

Well, they did just that! I started the seeds indoors. About ten days later, on Mother's Day, I planted them in a flower bed beneath my breakfast area inside and next to the patio outdoors. They grew slowly for a couple of weeks, then the warm weather took over and away they went. Later, when the pumpkins began forming, the vines had covered a weeping cherry tree and a shrub, so pumpkins nestled into the branches and grew to maturity. Pumpkins grew in the dirt, on the patio, and on the lawn although I kept trimming the vines to keep them out of most of the grassy area.

In early October, Peyton, Olivia, and Nathan spent and afternoon harvesting 37 pumpkins.

A few weeks later, Peyton and Olivia returned, along with their friend Preston so they could decorate their pumpkins. This year, they wanted to paint the faces of the pumpkins. It was fun to see how each turned out. I cut out sticky felt for my pumpkin, glued on googly eyes, and inserted pipe cleaners for hair. The children's dad, my son, Nathan, used paint, then embellished with a pipe cleaner and googly eyes. Although we were all the the same room, none of us used the same idea for our pumpkin.While the pumpkins dried, we went out to lunch, the took photos when we returned.

Ian

2007-10-10T21:54:00.000-06:00

We are so thrilled to have this little boy in our family! He is very kissable and cuddly . . . just the kind of baby that steals your heart right away.

Fall Events and Knitting

2007-10-06T15:15:00.000-06:00

I was fortunate to spend two full weeks with my new grandson, Ian. He is beautiful and peaceful. He makes cute sounds, but he does not really cry. His parents are attentive and keep him close. They are good at anticipating his needs, so crying isn’t necessary in order to get their attention or to let them know what he wants. It is wonderful to see how naturally they fit into the parent role and how loving they are.

I’ve heard that you know what kind of a parent you were when your own children become parents. I’m not too certain about the truth of that since I was sure not the same parent my parents were! On the other hand, I adored my babies, and I can see my daughter and her husband are very much the same.

Yarn: Lana Grossa Mega Boot Stretch
Needles: US #2 (3.0 mm)
Pattern: My own

While visiting, I completed a pair of socks, some fingerless mitts, a Lucy Bag, and made considerable progress on my Orchid Lace Scarf. I had another Baby Surprise Jacket underway when I went, but unfortunately, I ran out of yarn and could not find anyone in southern California near enough who sold that yarn. I ordered it online and returned home to find it on my kitchen table. I resumed knitting it right away.

While away, I had a bit of concern that we might experience our first frost and how it might damage the pumpkins. This afternoon, my grandchildren came over and cut 37 pumpkins. Some are still green, but they will turn orange even after cutting, just as tomatoes ripen after they are picked. Some will, of course, be used for Halloween, some for pies, and some are going to my LYS for decorations.

Too Much September!

2007-09-20T10:01:00.001-06:00

We have a new family member. Ian was born September 18th. He is my daughter's first child and he weighs 9 pounds! I am going to see him tomorrow morning for the first time. I am traveling to their home and staying two whole weeks. Although we all get along very well, I am sort of wondering if they are going to handle that lengthy stay. The other grandma will be there a week during that time too, but in the past, we have always had a terrific time together. I think we are going to simply continue to enjoy each other while adoring Ian.

No photos this time. I have been knitting like crazy . . . still. I have finished, well, not much. If I had, there would be pictures to share. What I'm knitting is the last of a plain pair of socks. They are only knit during work breaks. You know how that goes. There's not enough break time for a really good knitting session. Nonetheless, they are all done except for the foot of the second sock.

I am also knitting the Orchid Lace Scarf. The pattern is available at knitspot.com. I had some suri silk from Cherry Tree Hill in River Run. I'm enjoying knitting the lace this time and have learned the value of using a lifeline. Oh, it saves my knitting sanity.

I have yarn stacked up for several other projects to be started while I am at my daughter's. Really, more than I can actually do while there, but in case I get snowed in or something and cannot get home for a month, I'll have about enough. Waiting for me are: 2 BSJs, fingerless gloves, the Lucy Bag, and another pair of socks.

And perhaps, while I am away and rested, I can actually post some photos regularly. Hey! I've been busy!