Knitting 0 Little Bean 1

My knitting mojo has been lying low for a while. Not completely awol, just kicking its heels and skulking around the corner.  The last time it went awol I was pregnant, and that's definitely not the case this time. 

Anywayz. 

Since the Rugby World Cup 2015 started, I've been making myself do some knitting while I watch grown men bash into each other whilst trying to get an oddly shaped ball over a white line. I picked up a sock of my own unvention, which I started earlier in the year. Things have been going very S L O W L Y with it since the heel flap. I love the look of the sock, but something about knitting it is really annoying me.

Last night, I sat down with my husband for an hour or two and we caught up on the last episode of Bake Off some serious documentaries. I picked up the sock, and managed finally to start the toe shaping. The end was in sight.

I put the sock aside, happy and relieved. I was looking forward to the Kitchener stitching to come, and went to bed.

This morning, on my way to the shower, I noticed a tangle of yarn on the carpet. It was a bit like - oh, b*gger, it was the sock yarn. All 4 DPNs were scattered to the wind, and the yarn tangled and stretched from one side of the room to the other. 

I found the needles. I picked up the yarn, and the sock, and I stuffed it in my bag. I didnt inspect the damage - my first glance was enough to confirm some serious damage to the toe, and quite a lot of squiggly frogged yarn. 

I glowered at the culprit. 

He gave me his winningest smile. 

Reader, I forgave him everything. 

Two!

Happy Birthday Little Bean!

Sunday tee #update

After yesterday's successful morning crafting I felt fairly pleased with myself. I petted those tees a bit, folding and refolding them and admiring my own handiwork.

Just before tea time I decided that it was time to put the tees away. As I laid the smaller tee in the cupboard I gave the oh-so-neat neckline an exploratory stretch. Hmm.

Would
It
Go
Over

The little bean's head?

I held my breath and tried. It stretched satisfyingly
streeeetch
but
Did
Not
Fit

Double curses.

I haven't decided whether to give the tee to someone with a smaller head (little beans noggin is on the big side) or redo it. Sigh.

Sunday tee (FO)

Crafting is a rare luxury at the moment, just because my energy and time is sooo limited. The other night I  had to rustle up a plain black tee-shirt for the bean's school dance show (we had tried and failed to buy one, and were running out of time). While the machine was on the table I took the opportunity to stitch up one of those raglan tees I cut out a couple of weeks ago.

This morning, while little bean had a nap and the jelly bean got on with some Halloween crafting, I managed to finish the neck of that little tee.  It was the first time I had successfully attempted to apply a neckband to a knit/t-shirt. There have been a few previous fails, but this time I read a tutorial that made sense to me, and I gave it a go.

We'll just gloss over the slight wrinkle which is - of course - At. The. Front.

Curses.

I also wrangled a neckband onto a plum stretch velvet tee which I made for the jelly bean in August. (And which looks nicer in real life). She took one look at it and said she didn't want it, but changed her mind today when I finished the neck. Again there is a wrinkle at the front, And I have managed to put it on back wards so the seam is also at the front. But, well, someone on a galloping horse probably wouldn't notice, and as these FOS are both upcycled remnants of previous garments I am not mcbothered.

Hand-made hand-me down (FO)

A long time ago, when the bean was small I discovered upcycling and refashioning. About then I made him some cute trousers with some of my old clothes - denim with a red stripe and some sweet tucks around the knees. I think the jelly bean might have worn them briefly and then they were passed onto another family with a baby boy to clothe.

Two weeks ago those mama-made toddler trews boomeranged their way back to us. I had sort of forgotten about them, - except for the odd glimpse in a few photos. Then that friend with the baby boy (now aged 4!) gave me a bag of too small boy things for the little bean, and there they were.

They fit the little bean perfectly -  and still have plenty of life left in them. I am putting them on him every chance I get and I'm super proud these hand-made trousers have lasted long enough to become hand-me downs!

Batch processing #cutting out

Little bean is growing out of things before our eyes. He's got a long back and round tummy (which all 16month olds should have) but it means t-shirts and tops don't fit for long.

Given that I have: 1) a reliable t-shirt pattern in his size and 2) lots of knit fabric in my stash  it seems sensible to whip up a few new t-shirts . This afternoon I managed to cut out fabric for three new tops. I used the fabric from some old t-shirts and outgrown clothes - including a dress belonging to the jelly bean. All in all I used two vests/camis of mine, one dress from the jelly bean,  one t-shirt of mine and part of little worn t-shirt donated by my husband.

I've bundled the cut out pieces together, so they are ready to sew next time I have an hour or two spare.

One

Our little bean is one today. 

A whole year of you. We are so lucky.

Happy Birthday little one.

One week in

We are one week into Advent, and already finding it hard to remember to open the calendars each morning! I cant imagine why that is, given the amount of chocolate which is available therein. 

Before you gasp in horror at the thought of chocolate advent calendars, I hasten to point out that the three calendars we have (yes, three) are the result of some grandmotherly rivalry generosity. 

We have a lovely fabric calendar with pockets, made by my mother-in-law, and for which she supplies chocolate each year. In addition, my mother sends the children a chocolate Advent calendar as well. So we have three. All of them chocolatey. 

In other news, progress on the Christmas list is going slowly because there have been some w o r k things to get out of the way. Still, the sock has grown a bit since yesterday, and I have ordered the turkey. The Christmas tree is next.

In other non-knitting and non-Christmas news, little bean is now crawling. He spent a week or so moving around in a non-conventional double knee shuffle, and then on Monday he managed to co-ordinate his limbs. He is only 6.5 months! So, we are rapidly adjusting to life with a very mobile baby.

Homework update (FO)

It has been a wild wild day here, with snow and rain and howling winds. We are all safe (so far).

While little bean and I were inside keeping cosy by the stove, I managed to finish off the last few rows of his hat. I still need to make a pompom and sew in the ends, but I'm ticking this one off the list. Done.

Baby hat, knitted in 4 ply oddment (grey ribbed brim) and variegated sock yarn (Regia I think). No pattern. I just winged it based on 100 stitches on 2.25mm needles, with a few stitches added after the ribbing to make it comfy.

As if babies were not charming enough, they are so amenable to modelling knits even at the dinner table. Cute huh?

Christmas 2013 in numbers:
cards received: 2
cards written: 12
cards posted: 0

Coming soon

Normal service (e.g. semi-regular blogging) will probably be restored in the next week or two. There are some insurmountable technical issues which are currently being surmounted, and after that happens I should be able to blog a bit more easily and a bit more frequently.

In the mean time:

1. knitting news - I have been casting on a few things here and there. I think I must be the queen of small things, for everything currently on the needles is 4ply and destined for a small person. 

2. sewing is much thought about but little done. life just gets in the way somehow. 

3. i am enjoying - really enjoying - being able to use my knitting skills to adapt and alter things I have made, so that they continue to be useful. Little bean is growing before our eyes, getting longer and longer and longer. The beanie hat I  made earlier in the year was a bit too small when I put it on his head the other day: now embiggened. The once fitting Charles is now too short in the body, although the sleeves continue to be a perfect length. I have dug the grey yarn out of the stash (just as well I didn't use it for something else) and plan to add an inch or two to the body to extend (my) enjoyment of this little sweater.  

First Knits

All is well here - we are enjoying getting to know our littlest bean, and adjusting to life as a family of five.

We are lucky enough to have a few knitters in the family, so here is the little bean in his first handknit....