Baby Blues

Thankfully, this post is about what's been on my needles lately, not post-partum depresson! I can't believe that it's already been a month since my last post, but I have been keeping pretty busy. I've had so many projects-in-progress and really wanted to finish all of them before blogging. Of course, life got in the way as well, as I've been tackling my "to-do before the baby is born list" and taking care of a sick kiddo.

First up I have my third pair of Stay-on Baby Booties from Knitting for Baby. I used Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, and although it is super soft, I do like the Koigu better. The gauge on this pair is a bit off, so they're probably be a little big for a newborn. Hopefully they'll still get plenty of use!

After seeing Soule Mama's beautiful kicking bag, I decided to make one of my own. I even had some sock yarn in my stash that worked out wonderfully. This did take a while since I was using size 2 needles, but it the was perfect project for car rides and watching tv. The wool/cotton blend will also be perfect for the summer: our days can reach the 90s, but our nights are still quite cool. (The kicking sack looks like a giant water-bottle cover just in case you're wondering; I just liked this close-up of the mock-cable ribbing the best of all the pics...)

Now this next project I finished months ago. For some reason I just wasn't very motivated to get out the camera. With Matthew we ended up doing part-time cloth diapering, but this time around I am determined to go full-time. I have learned a lot about the dos and don'ts, and hopefully this little one won't have Matthew's very sensitive skin. I purchased this pattern, the Hybrid Rib Soaker, more than a year-and-a-half ago from Little Turtle Knits, but this is the first time I'm actually knit it. It was super quick and a great stash buster (I used leftover Paton's Merino Wool from Pat's Cobblestone Pullover). The pattern comes in many sizes (perhaps 5?) and with the option of using either dk or worsted weight yarn. This cover is a size small and is just so adorable. I can't wait to meet its wearer!

Finally, everybody needs some good washcloths. A couple weeks ago, out of the blue, I had an itch to make some washcloths. I even had some Peaches and Creme cotton lying around (another stash-buster, yay!) and found this pattern after searching Ravelry (there is actually a VERY similar pattern in Knitting for Baby, but the Grandmother's Favorite is free). There's just something nostalgic about knitting washcloths for babies, don't you think? Anyway, I figured our new little one would appreciate his own washcloths instead of stained hand-me-downs from his brother. I plan on knitting many more in the future!

Finally, I'd like to thank you for all of your kind comments on my last post. I sometimes hesitate about sharing something so personal, but I do believe that those ups and downs of pregnancy, motherhood, and life in general, are all very real. I don't know of any "perfect" families, and although I often just enjoy highlighting the positive aspects of my life on this blog, I believe that it's more honest of me to also mention some of the trials. Life is good, but sometimes the road can get a bit bumpy.

Have a terrific weekend!

Just the Two of Us

As many of you reading this have already experienced yourselves, or have observed others experiencing, pregnancy can often be a series of ups and downs. Yesterday was definitely a "down" day for me. I was feeling absolutely huge, my back was in constant pain, I was tired from having a toddler in my bed the night before, my dogs wouldn't stop barking then tracked mud through the house when I let them in, and I was cursing our two-level house every time I had to use the bathroom or take Matthew to the potty (we have one bathroom, and it's upstairs).

I was trying to rest when the dogs prematurely woke Matthew up from his nap. I brought him into our room and was lying down with him when my husband called. My patient husband heard an ear-full about my day, and while talking with him I was just about near tears. That's when Matthew sat up, leaned over, and gave me a great big kiss and hug. After I hung up with Pat, Matthew continued to shower me with hugs and kisses. Those five minutes abolished all of the negative emotions I had been feeling that day. My back still hurts as I am typing this, I still feel huge and tired, and I wish we had a downstairs bathroom, but I will always cherish this time with my son. I know that with two it will be double the work, but I'm already looking forward to double the love.

I am actively trying to slow down my days, as I know that Matthew and I will never have this "just the two of us" time together. This morning, while running errands, he and I treated ourselves to a decaf hazelnut latte and applejuice (I'll let you guess who got what), and shared a slice of blueberry coffeecake. Earlier in the morning we sat in our pajamas cutting and pasting pictures onto cardstock (more about this later). This afternoon he "helped" my wash the dishes and organize his room. I am finding that even though I can accomplish chores at a much faster pace by myself, it is more pleasant and meaningful to have Matthew by my side. He is becoming such a big boy! I really believe that him feeling "helpful" will help with the transition when his brother arrives.

These days are so special. I am trying my best not to just anticipate the BIG day coming this spring, but to appreciate and treasure all of the little moments right now.

A Little Different

After all of my pre-Christmas knitting, I decided that I needed a little break. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, right? :) I hadn't crocheted in a while, and my brother had given me some yarn for Christmas (pretty good for a college student to think about his sister's domestic pursuits!), so I decided to make a baby blanket for our new little one. I think that it's important that he has some items that are his and not just hand-me-downs from his big brother (although there'll be plenty of those, too!). I also now have the hindsight of knowing how busy my life will be in the weeks and months following a birth, so I'm trying to plan ahead, at least a little. The pattern I used is Tiramisu, a free pattern, by Alicia Paulson. The body was a very simple single-crochet pattern, but the edging gives it that little something extra. I'm very happy with how it turned out!

I also made the fanciest and least-practical potholder ever. But it sure is cute! This pattern comes from the Japanese-translated crochet book, Kyuuto! Lacy Crochet. The patterns are mainly schematics with some written instruction. Crocheting this potholder has helped me branch out and learn how to follow a schematic better. I also had never completed a project using lace thread before. It took some getting used to, but I'll definitely do it again. This potholder is now being used for decoration-purposes only in the kitchen. I wouldn't dare try to take anything hot out of the oven with it!

Some Eye Candy

On December 26, I ended up spending a good chunk of my Christmas money at the Etsy store, a little goodness. This adorable fabric was all shipped from Japan, and the customer service was great. Leslie even threw in an extra fat quarter (the striped fabric in the first pic), some paper Japanese Christmas bags, and a couple of lollipops. I can't wait to get started on a project for each fabric, but it has to be "perfect." I don't want to waste one bit of it!

Happy New Year! I have wanted to posted sooner, but I've been enjoying time with my husband home from teaching, family and friends visiting from out of town, eating delicious goodies, relaxing a bit, and doing a bit of crafting here and there. I hope that you all have had a blessed holiday as well.

We certainly had a white Christmas this year! We woke up to snow on Christmas morning, and there was still the ten inches on the ground from two days before. A week before that it had snowed about 16 inches, so we had quite a bit piled up (and still do)! It made Christmas all the more magical. Matthew was a much bigger participant this year than his first Christmas, and I can definitely say that he liked Christmas. :) Of course he enjoyed opening gifts, but he also enjoyed being around all of the family and friends who showered him with love and attention. We are so thankful for all of our loved ones. We even spent a couple of days in the "big city" of Albuquerque going to the aquarium and biopark. It was fun just to do something different and get out of our small, isolated town. I do always enjoy coming home, though!

As you can see in the next picture, I FINALLY finished Pat's Cobblestone Pullover. I seriously finished it at 11:00pm Christmas Eve, and I think there are still a couple of ends that I haven't weaved in yet. It fits him well and he's happy with it, and I'm happy to finally have it finished! Yay! About a month ago we discovered a wadded up wool sweater in the bottom of his hamper full of holes and covered in moth eggs. I told him that it would be in his best interest not to ever let that happen to this sweater. :) (I'll eventually have all the specifics up on Ravelry).

After all of the stockinette and garter stitching on such a large scale, I have taken a little break from knitting since my marathon on Christmas Eve. I've been enjoying crocheting and sewing, and just looking through my books, magazines, and on the internet for inspiration for my next project. It's nice to just relax with the crafting and not feel rushed.

We found out that Matthew will be having a little brother, which we're really excited about. There are some adorable patterns and ideas out there for little boys, but they're really more difficult to find than those for little girls. A friend steered me toward the Flickr group, Handmade Crafts for Boys, which is great. Boys need our crafting love, too! There will be a lot more on this in the months to come. :)

This year for Christmas gifts for my girlfriends, I decided to make the Artsy Clutch from Amy Karol's book, Bend the Rules Sewing. It's a quick and easy project, and the little bag can have so many uses. I have used mine as a purse, wallet, and even small-project knitting bag. This Christmas I made six, and since we were pretty much snowed in, I made them all using materials from my stash. It felt good to be resourceful!

Christmas Crafting

I can't believe that Christmas is less than two weeks away! I really try not to get stressed out about gifts, cards, etc., but sometimes it's hard not to. It's especially frustrating when I'm planning on finishing something in the evening and someone doesn't go to bed until 10:30pm! Again, I'm trying not to get stressed out. That's not what Christmas is about, right? And if some presents are a bit late, I'm sure the recipients will understand. Especially if he's 18 months old.

This year I decided to make a lot of my presents. At first I didn't think that I'd make too many, but then the ideas started piling up. I'm happy, however, that I do have something to show for the past week of Christmas crafting.

First up, a hat from the book Knitting for Baby. It was meant to be for a toddler, but well, my gauge was so off that it ended up for an adult! I used Blue Sky Alpacas' Organic Cotton, and it is super soft. (I think that the second hat pic looks a little bit like a squid).


Since the hat's first recipient was out of a present, I decided to knit some socks using the pattern Cozy Socks for Kids from Designer One Skein Wonders. I used one skein of Knit Picks Swish Superwash, and it was a pretty fast knit. When Matthew is a little older, I will definitely knit him a pair (or two, or three...).

Finally, I decided to join the bandwagon that started many years ago and make a tied fleece blanket. I've had this fleece for over a year now, and it has just been taking up space. (In my effort to declutter and make room for a new baby I've been trying to go into my stash for many of my Christmas presents materials. Charitable thrift stores in our area have also been receiving a lot from me lately, but this is another post entirely!). Matthew is obsessed with dogs right now, so I thought it would be a perfect little blanket for him to cozy up with.

Whew! It's actually a little bit refreshing (and therapeutic?) to document all that I've done. Sometimes I don't feel like anything is getting finished! Happy gift crafting (and buying)! :)

His First Gingerbread House

The best part about making a gingerbread house is eating it!