Big Surprise... Unveiled...

Pssst... over here....

Not Gauge

So, let's face it, gauge is important. Right? Well, yeah. So, what I am going to tell you next is going to make you cringe. I never swatch. Nope, never. Therefore, I have no idea if I have gauge or not when making anything. No seriously.

Ok, let me explain. Most of what I make is baby/child clothes. I have two girls who are five years apart. Therefore, if it doesn't fit one, it's bound to fit the other some time. I also make socks. Socks generally are worked on a fairly standard number of stitches; therefore no gauge needed there either. And, up until just recently, I didn't make sweaters. Nope. Never.

Until now. Enter Emerald. So pretty. So soft. And, knit on such freakin big needles that I am having trouble getting gauge. I have tried going up an entire needle size (and trust me that's a huge difference between US 10 and 11). Luckily, the designer of the pattern is also my LYS owner, so after a quick call to her (and a brief refresher in how gauge works) and things are back on track. Hopefully.

I must admit, I am still nervous. It seems as though it may be just me overthinking things here, but sweaters have so many things which can go horribly wrong. The fit might not be right. The sleeves might be too short or too long. The dang thing might end up way too short. And, things like waist shaping and sort rows for the collar may not end up in the right place.

I love this sweater. I love the yarn. Please, Sweater Gods, help me to make this sweater fit perfectly.

Oh yeah, next post? Another unauthorized review of Cat Bordhi's new book and possibly a secret to share...

Random Thing Thursday

Just a few random things this Thursday to report.

1. Halloween was a hit at our house. I have one very satisfied and sugar bombed Turtle to prove it. Bunny & Daddy stayed out for an hour and a half(!) and only came home because the bag (and Daddy's pockets) was too full to shove any more candy into. Of course, Mommy took her usual cut of the candy...

2. The first Endpaper Mitt is almost off the needle. As soon as I have an hour to myself (and by this I mean without any children or Husband around), the tubular castoff will be learned, memorized, and completed and the next mitt will jump its way onto my needles. Wish me luck in finding that elusive hour...

3. I have a number of small things to finish on the baby cardi's I am working on. Steam blocking is required in one case - heh. What I want to know is who actually steam blocks a baby cardigan?!? Silly pattern designers.

4. I am working on a secret pattern design that may be avaliable soon to the general public. Can't discuss it just yet though. Stay tuned...

The Cats Came Back the Very Next Day...

Well, the cats have been returned to us and things are not going so well. Monkey has been snuffling and sneezing all over the place and it looks as though we are going to have to find a permanent home for them. I am heartbroken - finding a permanent home for them is going to be hard. Having to find someone that loves them and who will care for them will not be easy.



"please find us a new home"

In non-kitty news, I have been slogging along through several knitting projects and have finished a pair of baby Ugg booties. However, since the model in question is currently sleeping, pictures will have to wait.

A Little Love (and sleep) Goes a Long Way

Sanity has been (somewhat) restored to my house. After getting two nights worth of (mostly) adequate sleep, a little understanding from TG, and some love from my friends - your comments were most appreciated and really made my day! - I feel so much better.

Although life still has its ups and downs (Bunny tipped Monkey out of her Bumbo chair onto her face today after school) we can all cope so much better when we are heard and supported. You all are the best!

And, because I did promise knitting content today - here is an in progress pic of a pair of socks which are destined for my sister for Christmas. Too cute and apparently the fit is perfect. She just couldn't wait...

Can I Rant for a Moment??

OK, so I don't often discuss personal issues here because I know that a good deal of the people that come here don't know me well and therefore, won't care. But today, I need to vent. If you are looking for knitting content, come back later. I promise more knitting next week.

Some days it becomes a bit much to have two kids and a husband to take care of. There. I said it. Some days, it's a bit much taking care of just one kid, but we did have the hang of it and things were rolling along pretty smoothly before this baby was born. So, along comes number two and suddenly, I am without sleep on a daily basis. Seriously, I counted the number of hours of sleep I have had in the last week and it averages less than half the amount that I should have had. That makes for a tired and grumpy girl. And, I am sick. I have been sick for the last three weeks. My nose runs, my head aches, and I am exhausted all the time. I am seriously thinking that I have a sinus infection. Makes me think that the half a dozen sinus infections that I had after I had Bunny were partially a result of the lack of sleep I was getting.

I am also blown away by the amount of things that I do around here on a daily basis. I cook almost every night, I do laundry and wash dishes every day, I fix meals and get Bunny off to school every day. I make sure each room of the house is clean every day and try to do one deep cleaning chore every day. I research and sign Bunny up for her lessons and then make sure that she gets there on time with everything she needs. I feed and change and nurture Monkey all day and then feed and change and nurture her all night. I mend clothing and stuffies that have holes in them, I fold and hang up clothing that has fallen on the floor or come out of the laundry. I fix owies and I cuddle children. I make sure that there are bottles in the fridge for when I go and teach classes. And, I make sure that everyone gets what they need all of the time - vaccinations, book orders, Dr.'s, eye exams, dentist, and any other type of appointment you can think of; I make them.

Don't get me wrong, I love my children and I want to see them grow up happy and healthy which is why I do all of these things, but some days, I want some time to myself. I want to go to bed with TG at a decent hour and be able to spend some time with him. I want him to want to come to bed at a decent hour so that he isn't grumpy and hard to live with for days at a time. I want to be able to have the energy to enjoy my children and the things that they are doing. I want to have someone else cook the meals for a change and I want to have enough sleep to get over this illness. I want Bunny to start listening better and I want Monkey to sleep longer than two hours at a time. These are things I have no control over and I get that they will get better with time, but it doesn't make it any easier right now.

So, take the extreme fatigue and pair it with ongoing, nagging illness and it makes me irritable, teary, and super stressed. I have been trying my best to push through it because when you are a mom, you just do. Nobody gives a crap that you have just been up with a baby all night and are exhausted. Mom's just do. I get that. I don't want pity, I simply want to vent. I want to take five minutes, on my own blog to complain about how I feel.

If you are still here, thanks for sticking with me. I promise that this will not become a reoccurring theme. Knitting will return shortly. If you see me today, I will not snap at you or start to cry. In fact, everything will be fine because mom's just do. Trust me, I get that.

Stash Busting? Oh yeah.

Well, the self imposed yarn diet is working. I have been simultaneously knitting from my stash and fending off yarn cravings. It's been tough, but I am making it. I even went to two yarn stores on Tuesday and didn't buy a single thing!!

I am also making tons of progress on the projects I have been working on. First up, the Chunky Monkey Cardigan from Knitting for Two by Erica Knight. This has turned out to be such an instant gratification knit. Knit in Summer Tweed on US size 6 needles makes for a fast knit. I think that this project may have been knit fast enough that it will actually even fit Monkey once it is done.

As well, I am working on Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts. These are also an instant gratification knit and despite all the fairisle, are working up super quickly. I am not in love with the Italian Tubular Cast On, but once you get past that part, the mitts really speed along. There may be a class avaliable at my LYS in the near future - stay tuned for details.

Otherwise, on the baby front, both Bunny and Monkey are sick with colds again, which makes for some less than happy childrens. Will this ever end?? Or, am I in for a really miserable winter filled with sucky sick children??