Round Up

Time for a little catch-up. Here are a few of the FOs from late 2009 and early 2010.

Scrap Hat (own design)

Child's banner - one of several birthday present projects for small boys in our family. Made with upcycled shirts, an old dress and some felt....

Green socks - generic top down pattern with grumperina stripe

Yarn - mainly Yarn Yard olive with some scraps of other green sock yarns to make up the pair.

Definitely non-identical twins.

Child's Cardigan (Rowan Family Collection)

So little time

Time is flying past, our little jelly bean is 9 weeks old already and much has been knitted and crafted since she came into the world, but nothing has been blogged... still, we thank the stars and the firmament above for all of that, and resolve (as with everything) to Do. Better. In. The. Future.

WIP: baby jelly bean

She's here!

A small girl arrived in our lives on 22 August at 0612, weighing 8lb 4.5oz. [Edited to add photo below.]



She was born at home in water, as planned, and in the same room and the same pool as her big brother 2 1/2 years earlier. Similarities ended there, as the two labours were completely different - but equally empowering. A birth story will follow no doubt.... you can read the bean's birth story here should you be so inclined.

FO: Dolly

Finally. The finishing took a bit of time - it's such a nice little knit, but the finishing is a bit time consuming... every time I make one (I think this is the third one), I think there must be an easier way of doing this, but I havent yet bothered to work out what that is.

Item: Dolly from JB29 by Martin Storey

Yarn: Patons 4 ply (I think), 100% wool

Time taken: a while! April-July 2009

Mods: picked up and knit the stitches for the ties, rather than sewing them on separately. No other mods.

Now that's Out Of The Way, there are other things to get on with. I really need to knit a hat for a friend's upcoming birthday, but instead, I have cast on for a childrens cardigan from the Rowan Family Collection. I decided that it would be a relatively quick project, and that it would make a useful inroad into my stash, which is still overflowing - although things are easing slightly. Last night I was able to organise some of the overflow into one of the storage tables, so something must have happened!

I'm knitting the cardigan using some balls of Jaeger Prelude which I picked up in a charity shop for 50p per ball. It's washable - but has some woolliness - and should make quite a good children's garment. Hopefully it will be fairly gender neutral, although it's primarily destined for a smallish girl. I managed a few rows over lunch today, while I was flicking through the Rowan magazine and newsletter which arrived through my letter box this morning. Mmm.

Progress?

We're having quite a nice summer this year - one with warmth and sunshine and a bit of rain here and there. Despite various hiccoughs this weekend, I managed to get a few things done:. One baby hat. Tick. Dolly(cardigan) knitted and now blocking. 3 jars of pink grapefruit marmalade. Tick. A batch of lemon and raspberry muffins. Tick. Haircut. Tick.

Maybe its the late pregnancy nesting kicking in, or just the weather, or just the cricket.... but I'm in a domestic frenzy at the moment, constantly thinking of the next thing to finish, to start, to do - whilst at the same time entertaining an energetic 2 1/2 year old who needs regular watering and feeding and constant potty encouragement.... (I wont mention the episode in the post office).

Just while I'm on the pregnancy thing: the very good folk at the Pregnancy and Parents Centre in Edinburgh are fundraising at the moment. The PPC (formerly Birth Resource Centre) is a very good thing - they offer lots of different types of support and activities for pregnant women and parents with young children. I find their antenatal yoga classes really helpful - and did last time I was pregnant too - and have had good support from local women including doulas and midwives through their homebirth support group. They do lots of other stuff too - baby music, birth preparation workshops, breastfeeding support.... check out their timetable for details and pass on to anyone you know who is pregnant or lives with small people....

If anyone is inclined, then you can donate directly via their website, or you can email them if you have any bright ideas about helping them to raise some cash. I've made one or two suggestions, and if you live on the southside of Edinburgh, then you can 'vote' for the PPC in this month's community matters draw at Waitrose. Shoppers spending more than £10 can receive a token to place in the box, and at the end of the month £1000 will be divided between the 3 local causes depending on the tokens they receive.

FO: Danish Blue socks

Here are the danish blue socks in all their glory and in use. Finished at last!

Pattern: generic top down pattern

Yarn: Bumbo sock yarn with Aloe Vera (bought in Denmark)

Now that these socks, and Wimbledon, are over, it's time for something else. The new series of Torchwood has me hooked, and while I watch I'm doing my best to crank through the small and very pink Dolly that I started earlier in the year. Last night I finished both fronts (knit at the same time) and started the back. Oh yes, and if Torchwood wasnt diverting enough, there's also the Tour de France and the Ashes to keep my inner sports enthusiast on edge...

Celebrations

Late June and early July is a time for celebration in our house. It's my birthday at the end of June, and as always I enjoyed a family time with cards and treats from my nearest and dearest.

Among these this year was Jane Brocket's lovely book 'The Gentle Art of Domesticity'. I've been dipping in and and out of this since it was unwrapped, and have ever since been fighting a strong desire to do some quilting. I've been nurturing some plans to take up quilting for a while, particularly since inheriting my grandmothers patchwork stash, with its handstitched hexagons backed with individual templates cut from cards and magazines... The bean has recently started sleeping in a bed rather than a cot, and I'd really like to make him a quilt top to cover his bed, using up some of his great grandmothers fabrics and various things I've got lurking in my stash. Reading Jane Brocket's book is in danger of sending me over the edge, but I know I've got other things to finish off first....



As well as family pleasures, we managed to venture out for some grown-up celebrations, and spent a lovely evening with old friends at a dinner dance organised by New Destiny, a charity working with children and young people in Brazil. One of our friends volunteered for them a couple of years ago, and helped them to build a safe house in a Brazilian slum. The work they do is important and sobering, but the evening was also fun, and I was more than astonished to win a prize in the after-dinner raffle. Just what I need: a posh haircut in Stockbridge!

As well as my birthday, we celebrate our wedding anniversary around now. 4 wonderful years of married life, one son and a soon-to-be-born babe adding to the pleasure. Happy Anniversary dear husband.

Finally, a huge congratulations to Clare and Andy, who recently celebrated the arrival of baby Emily a little earlier than anticipated (34 weeks). Best wishes to all including big sister Abigail - we hope you are well.