Monthly Archives: November 2017

A Special Addition

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So in addition to tiny tot potty training, I have been working on another special project!

This truly has been why my knitting has fallen off. I get severe morning sickness that lasts 24/7, especially during the first half of my pregnancy. I am only able to achieve minimal function thanks to pharmaceutical nausea meds and a careful diet of oatmeal, sugar free power aid and peanut butter toast. I manage to feel okay during the day but I feel truly awful and get sick almost every night. And I fall into bed every night after Jellybean goes to bed instead of knitting!

I’m about 13 weeks now and chugging right along. I’m hoping to get some nausea relief around 20 weeks which is what happened with Jellybean. I really want to get started on some cute baby knits!!

Happy Knitting!!

Monkey Shenanigans

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Jellybean fell in love with shop sample toy monkey. It was the Monkey Business toy by Chris de Longpre. So we bought yarn and I snapped a photo of the pattern.

Well, I investigated the pattern when I got home and discovered it was knit flat and seamed. And the appendages were very small as in the number of stitches. And for a $6 pattern…..I didn’t want to work that hard. So I did some Ravelry digging and came up with this pattern.

It’s Gilbert the Sock Monkey by Jack Knits. It’s knit in the round with larger stitch count appendages that won’t be as fiddly. I will still have to sew on the finished pieces but at least I wont have to seam them too.

I didn’t tell Jellybean about the switcheroo….I’m banking on that he forgot what the original looks like and is just happy to get a toy!

Happy Knitting!!

Small Business Saturday Yarn Haul

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I’d thought I’d share my yarn haul from my Small Business Saturday excursion.

Spencer picked up two skeins of Plymouth Encore worsted in Purple (it photographed blue) and Pink to make his monkey toy. He was ADORABLE as he laid out a ton of colors on the floor and hemmed and hawed over which colors he wanted. When he settled on these two colors my eyebrows might have raised a tad but toddlers have their own ideas. So Jellybean of course got what he wanted.

I picked out two skeins of Cascade Heritage sock yarn, one in white and one in grey. These are the beginning of my contrasting bits and bobs stash.

Next up I fell victim to yarn fumes and picked up a skein of MJ Yarns Simple Sock in the most gorgeous deep royal blue. It was appropriately named “Kings Blue”. I have no clue what I will make with this but it HAD to come home with me.

Other than spending time with Jellybean the best part was that the whole shop had a 30% off sale! So I got a sweet deal on all these skeins and supported a small business.

Happy Knitting!!

Shopping Small With Someone Small

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My little man was getting a little restless after three days at the Grandparents. So we loaded up in the car and headed “to town”. Which for those raised in the sticks means driving at least an hour to a moderately large city that has more than a grocery store and antique shop/junk store. Jellybean and I dropped Grandma and Aunt Bar-bar at a Joann’s and spencer and I headed off to shop small at Yarns Sold and Told in Salina Ks.

I have been wanting to find some workhorse solid sock yarns for contrasting bits and bobs. Spence was SO FANTASTIC about shopping with mommy. We held hands and walked the sidewalks and chatted about toddler life. He was amazed by the yarn and fell in love with a shop sample knitted monkey. (Mommy was a softy and let him pick out yarn for mommy to knit a toy monkey. More about that later.)

While I perused sock yarn Jellybean found some sample ribbon scarves and proceeded to play dress up with the shop mirror. He asked one of the proprietors if he “looked pretty” and she just about burst out giggling as she assured him he did. He kept himself busy while I finished my shopping.

He was so amazing that we slid down the street to a local ice cream store and split two scoops of chocolate. It was a perfect mommy and Jellybean date! I’m going to hang on to that memory for awhile ❤️

Happy Knitting!

WIP Wednesday #2: Daunt Cowl

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My Daunt Cowl has been growing slowly oh low these past few weeks of potty training. I’m just now starting the last of the purples!

I’m still not sure I’m sold on the magic knots as I can tell where they are in my work. They are thus far staying on the back side of the work. But full disclose, I have not blocked this and blocking is ALWAYS magic. I do find myself rushing in order to get past the purples because up next is BLUE!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Mother-Of-All Shawl

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This is one of the last project/yarn combos I put together waaaay back in August to prepare for the Pigskin Party KAL. This is the MOA Shawl by Nick Davis using my MJ Yarns Simple Sock in the Mice and Men color.

I haven’t been getting a lot of knitting time lately and I’ve gotten in a bit of funk. Nothing in my WIPs *sounded* like fun. So I started this baby on annual personal day off of work to celebrate my birthday.

I’m two full repeats into the very easy pattern. I’m finding the variegated yarn is playing nicely with the pattern. This yarn will need a good blocking as this project just likes to kink back on itself like CRAZY! You see my fingers in the  photo because that’s the only way I could showcase the pattern!

Honestly I don’t know what I will wear this shawl with as my closet leans green and blue. But it’s just so pretty I’ll have to find something. Or else it will be my snoodling up shawl at my bedside!

Happy Knitting!!

Happy Birthday To Me

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My birthday came and went in a flurry of laundry and stomach flu woes. We have had some unseasonable weather her in the Midwest and it’s really reeking havoc on our immune systems….at least in this house.

Nonetheless, my husband asked for some birthday suggestions and I sent him some names of new-to-me yarn dyers that I would like to have something from. He picked Shannon of Mudpunch. She’s Canadian and I hear her mentioned on several Canadian podcasts I listen to. The hubby chose a speckle sock set in her Tundra/Desert colorway.

The yarn has a great hand and the lovely green colors are something I wouldn’t normally choose. I can decide if this needs to be a two color shawl or a pair of socks with contrasting heels/toes/cuffs. I’ve never done the later (on purpose anyway) and the former is still relatively new to me.

I think this yarn needs to ruminate in the stash for awhile! Happy Knitting!!

A Smidgeon of Sock

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I have been cheating on my Pigskin Party knitting.

This is a WIP that predates the KAL so it doesn’t count for points. But my Strands of Drunken Watermelon socks have been living in my desk and I’ve put some stitches on the second sock during long webinars and conference calls. I’ve made maybe an inch? Slowly but surely this will be sock someday!

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Daunt Cowl

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My Daunt Cowl has some seen some action!

I managed to plow throw the rows and rows of speckled solid color. I could not wait to start getting to the color changes!

I’ve now completed the three grey and black stripes. Next up is the purples in my rainbow of scraps. I just love looking at the rainbow cake unwind as I knit. It’s just so pretty!!

Happy Knitting!!