Knitting and Napping

My Electric Mayhem socks are all done except the heels! Thus they have moved from nighttime bedside knitting to full on daylight knitting. As brave as I am….I’m not going to knit fingering weight sock yarn in black in the dark, lol

PB has been on hand for the heels. These heels were ready about the same time the 4 week growth spurt hit. So PB has needed a little extra attention and tummy to tummy time from mommy. Luckily I have found a relatively comfortable and ergonomic position to knit while snuggling a baby.

We both stayed warm and cozy listening to music or podcasts while the heels grew and grew.

And sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy the baby snuggles before they are gone!

Happy Knitting!!

Thotful Progress

One bright side about PB deciding to come early….I got to attend my family’s annual reunion in my hometown. Mind you, this is an event I organize annually and had accepted that I would just miss it this year. But it all worked out and we had a lovely weekend and not a horrible first long car trip with two kids.

I squished myself in the middle row between my two children’s car seats to manage diaper changes, pacifiers, snacks and entertainment. (It wasn’t terribly comfortable but I survived). The kids did REALLY well on both the to and from trips so I squeezed in some knitting in the car and at the reunion while other people were holding/playing with my children. This is my hospital cast on of the Thotful Spot hat by Sarah Schira.

I finished the 2.5 inches of ribbing and put at least a couple inches of stockinette on the hat itself. The yarn is from Potion Yarns in their Temptress base in the Walk on the Left Side color. The blips of color are just mesmerizing to watch develop. Since this is stockinette and I’m back home, this has become my bedside/in the dark knitting. So I’m hoping it grows little by little when I can sneak a few minutes here and there.

Happy Knitting!!

Antarktis Update

This shawl was my Mother’s Day cast on for 2018. It’s the Antarktis by Janina Kallio in KnitCircus Trampoline base in the Needle in Haystack impressionist gradient.

I’m in the last section of lace and after that it’s just a lace border and BAM I’m done! I’m on track to have enough yarn to finish this project as written. Which is super exciting to get a full skein out of my stash.

I have an almost four week old baby. So I hear you ask, how could I possibly be getting any knitting done? This project has seen some action mostly because my house is has been full of guests willing to hold PB while I cook or knit. I’m grateful for the knitting time but I’m kinda also getting itchy about getting my house back to myself. I guess this world is all about balance and choices, lol. Maybe when all the guests are gone I will miss my knitting time?

In the  meantime…I’m going to look forward to a beautiful finished shawl! Happy Knitting!!

Electric Mayhem Progress

My Electric Mayhem socks are now two complete tubes waiting for heels!

I have been using these as my bedside knitting. I can knit in the dark while PB sleeps and I hide for some self care time. I love my family and boy howdy are my kids loved by some many people…but I have had visitors at my house pretty much non-stop since the week we came home from the hospital. And that’s just a lot for a sleep deprived mom of two. These socks have been very therapeutic for me. I get some alone time and make progress on some pretty amazing socks.

I measured and cut in for my afterthought heels on both socks. By popular vote in my house….I have listened to the masses and chosen to stick with the black sock yarn from Joanns for my heels. I briefly flirted with purple heels but ultimately came back around to black. Now I just need some uninterrupted knitting time (with light) to knit both heels and I’ll have a FO!

Happy Knitting

It’s An Electric HO

I don’t have any FOs this week, but I do have a HO! My first Electric Mayhem sock is completed. Okay, the tube is done and it still needs a heel in full disclosure. But that’s just a minor detail right?

But LOOK HOW PRETTY THIS IS!! I bow down to the prowess of indie dyers who can self-stripe and make gradients. This is a KnitCircus yarn for those who are curious. And I purchased a 75 gram set so I would make a me sized sock without wasting a precious inch of the wonderful color.

Jellybean is currently hunting Storm Troopers in the backyard before daycare. And so I treated myself to coffee and casting on the second sock on the back patio. Don’t you just love when your baby bump and knitting coordinate?

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Jellybean’s Purple Blanket

I have been indulging in another nesting project. Jellybean’s love of purple has not abated and his blanket has been giving me stares of shame from the WIP bucket. I had started off like gang busters on this thing back during the Pigskin Party football KAL. I finished one skein in record time and then promptly let pregnancy and other projects steamroll this right to the bottom of my list. Now I have this crazy arbitrary idea that this needs to be done before PB gets here because Jellybean NEEDS a super hot blanket at the end of May in 90+ degree Kansas weather.

In the photo above, I have completed (almost) three full skeins out of four now. I have the fourth skein split in half. My plan is to use the first half to grow the blanket and then the second half to put a simple single crochet border around the edge to hide the few places where I lost and had to add back an edge stitch here and there.

Fingers crossed I can maintain momentum on this. My bump is growing daily and it makes it hard to craft, knitting or crochet, in a comfortable fashion long enough to make any progress.

 

Nesting….Knitting Style

So PB’s arrival marches ever closer. And while we are not ready because why would we need the bassinet assembled, the car seat installed, or meals in the freezer? But I do have my hospital bag is packed and you guys…..I may have included a (wishful thinking) project in there.

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I have been lusting after the Thotful Spot Hat by Sarah Schira for awhile. And the speckled DK skein from Potion Yarns has been calling my name since Knitting in the Heartland. In a fit of nesting I pulled out some needles, the yarn, printed pattern and a brand spanking new project bag…..and I cast on and established the brim pattern. And then promptly tucked the whole shebang into my suitcase.

I realistically may never touch it during my hospital stay. (I will have a guaranteed three night stay thanks to a c-section so it is a possibility.) But part of me feels reassured that if need be I will have pretty yarn and an easy project if I get the knitting itch. Maybe that is it’s point? To be a source of comfort and mental focal point during a time of joyous yet monumental change….just waiting in case it’s needed from inside a cheerful project bag. Only time will tell!

Happy Knitting!!!

Cast On: Electric Mayhem Socks

My flow of webex meetings and conference calls is not slowing down anytime soon. So I know I needed more purse/backpack knitting after having empty sock needles. And because I have been storing up a well curated stash…I know I could just go shopping through my lovelies!

Because of my baby brain and current complete lack of energy I knew the perfect sock skein to grab. And by perfect, I mean already caked up in a matching set….no winding up required! This is my Electric Mayem color from KnitCircus Yarn on their Greatest of Ease base. Literally I only had to grab a project bag and some empty needles.

I hope to get these cast on today during my webinar. My plan is to get started on a 68 stitch toe-up vanilla sock and knit the tube until I run out of yarn. This is their 75 gram set  so that should be just about the right amount of yarn for my size socks while not having to stop before the gradient is done. I will use my big box store workhorse yarn to put in afterthought heels in a solid black.

This is one yarn I’m not concerned about saving scraps for my memory blanket. I want to get every bit of delicious color gradient into the sock. I am so giddy to get these going and watch those electric colors transition!

Happy Knitting!!

The Memory Blanket Rides Again

While waiting for inspiration to strike….I pulled out my trusty memory blanket!

This just makes me so happy! I’m two squares away from squaring this off again. I don’t even care how hot this is on my lap while I knit, that’s how much I love this!

I did fall down the Etsy hole and may or may not have ordered a large project bag to contain this beast. Right now it lives in a plastic sheet set bag with the zipper that’s wearing out. I feel like something this beautiful deserves proper storage! I’ll share my bag once it gets here….teeehee….

Happy Knitting!!

Drunken Watermelon Heel

I managed to meet my goal of working through the Drunken Watermelon heel yesterday!

I do admit this was quite a bit of knitting for me, especially given I am working a 72 stitch sock and gusset increases can feel like FOREVER.  But I’m pleased with my progress and gusset heels just fit me so nicely. Now I only have 13 pattern repeats or 52 rows of leg knitting to get to the ribbing.

Not going to lie, the weather is improving in Kansas and between conference calls and outside playtime for Jellybean……I’m interested to see how far I can get today and tomorrow on this….

Dare I dream that these are a FO by the weekend?