Week in Review

I have barely touched my knitting this week, though I have broken my 3 projects rule to start little crochet button-on bands for the kids' sippy cups, seeing as the girls will be entering the wide wonderful world of whole milk next week. I'm looking forward to tonight, as it seems the only time I get to knit is Friday nights. So, as a treat to you, my poor tortured reader, I'm going to take you through my typical Friday evening.

I get off of work at 1pm, almost invariably need to pick up *something* from the grocery store on the way home, because that's just my luck.

If the nap fairy came early, everyone's asleep and I have a little time to divide between chores and (hopefully) doing some knitting. In that case, I rouse everyone about 2.30pm for lunch.

If the nap fairy came late, I get to jump right in and start lunch. Most days, the girls are in need of a little boob time as well, and Andy needs a trip to the toilet. We'll have lunch on the table by 2pm and we eat, talk and have a little bit of family time before the evening starts.

If there has not been a nap yet, I get to get Andy and the girls down for nap by 3.30 or 4pm. My husband leaves for work about 4.30 and if they're napping, I get some time to knit and do those stupid chores. If they are already well rested, we might do a little craft project with the big guy or watch a movie. I don't have to worry about dinner Friday nights because Grandma and Poppop come to visit and they bring something.

Well, I baby-wrangle and keep everyone happy until the cavalry arrives at 7 or 7.30, dinner in hand. We eat, bathe babies and big guy, and if I have any additional errands to run, I'll do them quickly. Then I get my shower and the grandparents take my son home with them for an overnight. The girls and I may stay up a little longer, but I usually start rocking them to sleep about 9. By 10 or 10.30pm, I'll have two sleeping babies and (finally!) some time to myself. I knit voraciously and maybe have a glass of wine or some ice cream. This goes on until husband gets home at 1 or 2 am, at which point, I pack myself off to bed, as well.

And there you go. Friday Night. The only day I'm pretty much guaranteed to get time to knit - because I stay up all night.

More Projects ... More Fun

Friday: worked on what I said I would and realized that a little bit of each over several projects translates into nothing gets done even slower. So, I'm cutting down to my top 3 projects, cycling them out as I finish them. I'll list the current top 3 later on.

Saturday: not much knitting time, but it all went to Maggie's sweater.

Sunday, Monday: Not one stitch. It was very lonely.

Today: a little bit on Maggie's sweater - started the lace panel. Yaay!

OK, so my current Top 3:

1. Maggie's Helena Sweater, of course.
2. Cabled Jeanie Wrap. I think I should always try to have something in Noro on the needles at all times. Yum!
3. Recycled Place Mats: I have plastic shopping bags that need to go away. I need nigh indestructible place mats I can throw in the dishwasher and I won't cry if they get ruined. Plus the yarn is free.

This may make my posts more boring, focusing on three projects like this, but it needs to be done.

More on Projects - Saturday Morning

Maggie's Helena Sweater: It occurred to me, finishing off the top of the sweater last night, to check it against the one I made for Joan and see how similar the two pieces were so far. I may have used two different size needles for these, my twin sweaters. Worse yet, I may have lost my size 4 Addi circulars. I may have cast on for Joan's sweater with size 4 needles, and I know I cast on for Maggie's with the size 5 recommended by the pattern. Well, too far in now to rip it out and start over, so we'll be a little rough when we wash it and see if some careful felting might not be in order. Otherwise, the Furnace Mountain alpaca is soooo soft!

Lace Edging for Dresses: Pretty straightforward project, this one. I'm just making some lace to run along the midsection of two cotton dresses I'm making for the girls. Whether I finish these dresses anytime soon is a different story. But, dammit, they'll have handknit lace for the edges!

OK, I have babies orbiting me now and I have things I need to do today.

Update on Running Projects

So I promised I'd post something about what I've been working on this week. Well, starting from last Sunday, here are the projects I put in some time on. I'll elaborate when I have more time.

Sunday: Wound yarn for and cast on Maggie's Helena sweater in the Furnace Mountain alpaca.

Monday: Did a little on Maggie's sweater and a little bit of the white lace edging I've been making for the girls' dresses.

Tuesday: Another repeat on the lace and some crochet on the scarf hat pattern I've been working out.

Wednesday: Did about an inch on the cabled wrap at naptime and brought Maggie's sweater to Cosi's.

Thursday: Crocheted a bit on the Scarf Hat in the afternoon.

Friday (today!!): Almost done with the Scarf Hat at naptime, plan to finish it tonight and try it on/make pattern adjustments Saturday morning. After that, probably Maggie's sweater, my sweater and the cabled wrap.

Babies are a-wakin'. Time to go.

Look! A Pattern!

I post infrequently. I'm looking to change that.

Guess what? I had twins! Girls, at that!! Well, warm up the needles, I've got the first (of many, I hope) pattern inspired by my baby girls.

Footless
Baby tights for babies who hate socks
Size: 0-12 months (I'm looking to add the numbers for larger sizes, and maybe a newborn size - test knitters, anyone?)

Red Heart Heart & Sole Sock Yarn with Aloe
Size 1 circular or double point needles

Gauge: approx. 7 st/13 rows = 1" square.

CO 48 st. Divide between needles and join without twisting to form rounds.

Ribbing: (K2 tbl, p2) around. Repeat for 9 more rows.

Texture Stitch:
Row1: k around.
Row 2: (k1, p1) around.

Work in Texture Stitch for approx. 7" (about 45 repeats)

K 1 round.

Work 10 rows ribbing. BO all st in pattern.

Weave in ends. Insert baby legs.

Acrylic and Margarine

Sooo ... I was making dinner on Friday and I got to thinking - how did acrylic yarn get such a bad rap? It's machine washable, easy to work with, available in a multitude of colors and textures and it's hypoallergenic. How did it become the black sheep of the fiber family?

The series of events that led me here was that I was making fish for lunch and reached into the refrigerator for my all-fat, all-joy, real honest-to-goodness butter for the sauce and came up empty-handed. I was upset. I was in the middle of cooking, so a trip to the store was out of the question. I did, however, have margarine. Butter's low cholesterol, less fantastic little brother would have to play the part. It did, and the sauce was wonderful. The margarine melted beautifully and had a nice rich flavor to it. I began thinking how, even in my own non-spectacular cooking, I had written off margarine as the tasteless alternative for old people with heart problems. Maybe margarine wasn't so bad for some things, after all.

Later on in the evening, I was thinking of knitting up a small pillow cover for my toddler. I went to the closet and consulted my stash -- wool? Nope. Can't wash it. Cotton? Nope, too stiff for a nice soft pillow. It was then I reached way back and pulled out a long forgotten ball of Red Heart. Acrylic? Really? I knitted up a pillow cover and washed it. It came out surprisingly soft, and unlike wool, the same size. Acrylic was good for something after all. I could go to the store and get several colors and make one for every day of the week if I wanted to. It wouldn't cost me a fortune and no handwashing involved. So there. I made something from acrylic yarn -- and liked it!

So, remember, don't discount the versatility of acrylic just because of its discount price. Love and enjoy your acrylic right along with all the other options out there. Sometimes the underdog is the best one for the job.

My Weekend

I dyed yarn!! More to come on this, when I get some pictures taken ...

Oh, and I may or may not have accidentally dyed some small part of my baby blue ... what can I say? He likes to help.