Friday, September 20, 2013

I've also been knitting!

In addition to hanging out with the little duck, moving, and studying, I have been knitting.  I have a sweater started for Camden (and yarn for a couple more), but I had to put that on hold for a bit while I did some deadline knitting.  The chick I drove back and forth with the school all of last year is pregnant and her shower was this past weekend.  Since I couldn't be there, not only did I have to finish this, but finish it early since it needed to be mailed.  Nothing like putting a little pressure on myself when I have 478 pieces of household goods to find a place for.

Of course, among those 478 pieces of household goods are probably 78 boxes of yarn.  Maybe more, maybe less.  Could I find what I wanted?  No.  So I had to order online from Eat, Sleep, Knit.  And of course, I threw in a little extra.  Since I was, you know, paying for shipping and all.
The yarn on the left, the purple, became a Baby Tea Leaves (Rav link).  The other two are for Camden.  I'm thinking that the red might be a charming little sweater vest, but I'm not sure.  It is all Madelinetosh and it is all lovely.

I had to wind the yarn for the Baby Tea Leaves the old fashioned way, between two chairs.
Because my craft room looks like this, and I can't find my ball winder and swift:
It wound up nicely into a roly poly little ball.
Which eventually became this:
That is after a blocking.  I made the smallest size, which I think is listed as "0-6 months."  It is so wee and adorable.  The next time I make it, though, I need to bind of the button band a bit more loosely.  As you can see, I wasn't able to properly straighten it out along the bottom edge.
But really, who is going to be looking at that when this is on an adorable little baby!  And the mother, being a non-knitter, probably won't even know it shouldn't really be like that, if she even notices.
The color in the last picture is off.  I wanted to take a final picture before I packaged it up and the day was overcast.  The color is much more clear and vibrant, and the previous pictures are actually pretty true, color-wise.  The pattern was great, too.  Clear instructions, easy to follow.  I'm already planning two more, one in the same size and another to fit a five year old.  Partly I just love working with this yarn!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Back from a "break"

Yes, it has been some time since I have been here.  I have some valid reasons, though.  

First, I finished Phase I of the nursing program I was in, meaning that now I am active in Phase II (the Master's portion) while simultaneously studying for the NCLEX.

Second, we moved.  Mike was transferred to MCAS Beaufort, so we are now living in South Carolina.  Mike has been down here since mid-way through July.  I got here in the middle of August.  We received our pack-up about three weeks ago.  I've only just today finished putting the books on the shelves in the living room.  Don't even ask about the craft room!

And third, I've been spending a lot of time with this guy:
This is Camden, and he joined our family in June when he was a month old.  He is the sweetest little boy ever and he has me wrapped around his tiny little finger.  He is a tiny little guy--he is just over three months old and is barely out of newborn-sized clothing--but he brings us so much joy.

The dogs love him, too.  Frosty is never very far from him.
My days are finally starting to fall into a pattern, so I am hoping to get here more often.  I have a lot to share!  I've been knitting a LOT and have some really fun and interesting things planned for the fall.  So here's to being "here"!