My belated and off-topic Thanksgiving post

I often draft posts in my head. My newest, in-the-head draft, consisted of a list of all the things I am thankful for in my life. Like snuggling new babies, my husband of 11 years (it seems like just yesterday it was our 10 year celebration), and of course my boys.

I was wading through some pictures to emphasize each of these points and came across this one from this weekend.

What a lovely moment between a mother and her son. Passing on the craft. He was excitedly following my instructions and quite proud of himself for knitting a row.

Then I realized this is what was going on behind me.


Note the look of intensity on my Stink's face. I assure you he's not thinking of knitting with that; only what trouble he can get himself into.

For Healthy Girls

Let us be thankful.

Thanks to everyone for their kind words and thoughts. It took a while but the new one arrived on October 9. We are doing well if somewhat tired. My Mom has been a big help. Maybe I'll get the chance to do the same for one of my girls.

Happy Thanksgiving!

She's Arrived!!

A bouncing baby girl arrived this evening to Mama J and her dude.

Everyone is doing well - J. sounded amazing when I talked to her.

Baby Girl was ..... you're not going to believe this .... 9lbs 8oz. Whoa.

I hope to meet the beautiful baby this weekend.

Stay tuned.

I got nothin'....

I know you're all waiting for a post to say "Hey, the baby is here!" No one more, I'm sure, than my partner in crime.

But I got nothin' to tell ya.

So instead I'll woo you with pretty pictures of something I finished a while ago, and was just blocked last week with my newly purchased blocking wires (which are heaven....).


My Hanami v. 2.0.


Now, last I talked about this baby, I said that I was going to throw it in the Christmas Cumulus.

I've changed my mind.

It's mine, all mine.

And in another attempt to woo you, I'll show you my first completed sock for the September STR shipment. Spoiler Alert!!

The colour way is called Tidal Pooling and is my favourite so far.

Did it work? Did I divert your attention? I'm sure I didn't, but it was a worthy try, right?

(and we're all sending good thoughts to the baby......go towards the light baby....gooooo....)

In which all is made well

Don't be scared. It all turns out right in the end. See?

It's not easy to knit other projects when you know you have a sweater that just underwent major surgery. When I got home from the massacre, I sat down to finish the edging.

Before all this cutting and sweing nonsense started, I used some yarn in a contrasting colour to mark some important stitches. One line of running stitch marked where we would be cutting. Two more lines marked where I would pick up the stitches for the buttonbands on either side of the steek.

I attacked the buttonhole side first, picking up stitches along the marked line. I used the ole pick up 3 stitches for every 4 rows and that seemed to work nicely.

A little 2 x 2 rib and some buttonhole magic and I was almost done that side. All that was left was to sew done the cut edge. T. and I attended a workshop with Lucy Neatby a year ago and she cut a sweater before our unbelieving eyes. Then she used a simple blanket stitch to sew down the edge. Now, I'm no former Sailor who knows a whole lot about knitting, but I figured if Lucy could do it, without batting an eyelash, then maybe I could do it.

And I think it turned out quite well. All that remained was to repeat all this business on the other side and I was mostly done. A bath, some blocking and buttons and I have a lovely new sweater.

I did make some mods early on by making 3/4 length sleeves which I prefer. I cast on 60 stitches, worked the twisted rib on these and then adjusted the sleeve length to match a couple of other 3/4 length sleeves that I like from other sweaters.

Overall, I think I will love this sweater but it's hard to know how well it will fit given my advanced stage of pregnancy. Hopefully I'll be able to model it for you soon. In the meantime, think happy thoughts and let's hope this little knitter in training hurries up.