It's Vest Time

Time flies when you are knitting a sweater a month. Yes, knitting is taking up a good deal of time. When it is time to sit and chill, the knitting comes out. I'm even coming up with strategies so that there won't be any down time with the current sweater. For example, usually I would wait and block all of the sweater pieces together. With my Central Park no Hoodie, I decided I could block the fronts and back while I am knitting the sleeves. This way, when the sleeves are blocking, I can sew up the shoulders and work on the collar and buttonbands. Clever thinking, huh!! Frank Gilbreth would be proud. Coincidentally, the Gilbreth family lived in the town where I grew up - the house they owned was 2 blocks away from my family's house. The story goes that you could actually see the marks on the wood floor where the children rollerskated in the house.

I promised pictures of my first finished knit for NaKniSweMoDo and here are the classic bathroom mirror shots. I've already worn the vest several times since I finished it last week. I'd say it is a hit.

Of course, I can't help thinking about what sweaters/yarn may be coming in 2009. Margene has been singing the praises of Beaverslide for quite a while and I finally decided to order some sample color cards so that I can make an educated choice. I've heard such great things about this yarn and I can definitely see some in my future.

Aaahoo, Werewolves of London

What would you do on a snow day when the schools are closed and you have to stay home from work? Some people might play out in the snow - go sledding or build a snowman. Others might curl up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa and watch a movie or read a good book. My daughter and I did go out and spend some time in the snow - I shoveled while she built a snow fort but most of our day was spent making werewolves.

What you say? Yes, we did make werewolves - werewolf cupcakes that is. Yesterday was my daughter's birthday and we wanted to make cupcakes to share with her class. And since I have the book Hello Cupcake!, I couldn't just make regular cupcakes. We started out by preparing the marshmallows.

Fruit Rollups are used for the inside of the mouth. Then you need to "glue" on the ears and muzzle with some frosting.

Aren't they looking cute! The frosting part was difficult - I think my frosting to fur technique needs a little bit of work.

We used M&Ms for the eyes and nose. Here they are (32 werewolves later) - part of our pack of werewolves.

The white frosting is supposed to be teeth. Personally I think they look like they are foaming at the mouth, but that may be totally appropriate for werewolves. And I found out that the cupcakes were a hit. The teacher and the children loved them. It was a snow day well spent!

Cupcakes weren't the only thing finished that day. I was able to wear my first sweater of NaKniSweMoDo yesterday and plan on wearing it today as well. Details will be posted soon.

One Short of a Hat Trick

I think that I am using that term correctly, but if there are any hockey fans out there please feel free to correct me!

My daughter has been wearing her new hat everyday since it was finished. As you must know, that makes this knitting mom very happy. Since this hat went so quickly, I decided to make a matching hat to the Dream in Color Tulip baby cardigan I had gifted last month. The baby is due in February and I thought she should have a nice warm hat. Plus I had some leftover yarn from the cardigan that has been sitting around feeling lonely and unused so it was a good match.

The picture came out a little dark, but Bob the sock monkey is enjoying the hat tremendously. Too bad he could only wear it for a short while since I wrapped it up quickly and gave it to the expectant mother who was very happy with it.

The observant readers may notice the cute little pompoms that adorn the top of each hat. I ended up with these Clover pompom makers in a Yankee swap and my daughter and I have been having a blast making pompoms. I have the sizes shown in the linked review and two smaller sizes. They are a great way to use up some yarn and just plain fun to make.

Who's being selfish?

I once knew a woman who would make up a slogan for the year depending on what it was she wanted to accomplish for that time. For example, I remember one year where her resolution was to to clean things out and declutter, so the slogan was "Out the door in 2004.".

As I started this year of 12 sweaters, I began to wonder if I was going to feel like this was a selfish goal. After all, I will totally admit that these sweaters are probably going to be all for me. I will make sweaters for my daughter and I did make sweaters for my mom and a vest for my dad but when I look at the work involved and the way people like things to fit just so - well, the bottom line is that I'm planning on knitting the sweaters for me and I'm sticking with that. Yes, this could change but right now I'm going with the premise that they are all for me. So, selfish? Maybe.

But I have begun to realize that there is time for little things while I am knitting those sweaters. So yesterday I picked up this hat for my daughter and now am almost done. She designed this hat - drew me a picture with color requirements and all. We still need to decide on the color of the pompom, but it's almost done.

Oh, and the orange and green were Mission Falls superwash wool from the stash. Shopping from the stash is definitely another goal for this year. So there is time to knit things for others although the next few small things that I'd like to knit - Toasty and a Forest Canopy Cowl - well, there are kind of both for me.

Oh, and the saying I came up with for the year - yeah, well that sounds a bit selfish too.

It's all mine in 2009.

Happy Knitting!

My NaKniSweMoDo Progress

I promised pictures and here are some of my 2009 sweaters in progress. First up is the completed back of my Central Park No Hoodie. I finished the back this past Tuesday and started one of the fronts last night. I'm still loving the Peace Fleece. And the color. And the pattern - really it's a win-win-win proposition all the way!

This next picture is the back of my Noro Striped vest. This picture was taken yesterday morning and last night I finished up the back.

This is my mindless knitting since I do need to keep track of the rows on my CPNH so that I know when to make the cable. I also can say that I am definitely having fun with this - I should hope so since we are only 8 days into 2009. There's still a long stretch to go. Well, I wish I could say it's back to knitting for me but first I must get through the daily grind. I need to talk to some people at work about a new job - wish me luck!

I Cheated!

Ok, I admit it. I cheated. I started working on my 2009 sweaters 6 days early. I just couldn't wait anymore. I hope that no one will throw me out of the group!!

This holiday I seemed to be quite together in getting most of my knitted gifts done in time. I ended up making several cowls (two with the Forest Canopy Cowl pattern, one with the Spiralicious pattern and one that buttoned for a friend that would hate pulling something on and off over her head). I also made three of the Noro striped scarves (the third one was finished on Christmas Day for my Dad) and a Ravenclaw hat. I'll have some pictures and talk more about those when I get home to my computer.

Now I am visiting in NJ for a while and I brought the yarn for my first sweaters of 2009. Yeah, I could have brought something else to work on and I wouldn't have been tempted, but it really is the perfect time to get some quality knitting in and I just couldn't help myself. The first two sweaters I am working on will be the Central Park Hoodie in Shaba Green Peace Fleece and Amy King's striped Noro vest from Knitty in Noro Silk Garden. I figure they should compliment each other since the vest will be great for mindless knitting and I'm not sure how much I will need to concentrate on the Central Park Hoodie. I have decided to make the button closure on the hoodie and will actually not make the hoodie - so I guess it's actually a CPNH instead of a CPH. I loved Norma's and have since seen Anne's and Karen is finishing up hers and I think that I will get much more wear out of it and love mine more with the buttons and collar.

Please forgive me for breaking the rules but I am having fun and that is definitely one of the most important rules for this 12 sweaters in 2009 marathon!

Reading

I can’t tell you how happy this picture makes me. I have always loved reading and of course I read to my daughter to help develop her love of books and reading. It wasn’t until the past year or so that she will voluntarily pick up a book and tell me how much she loves it. Right now she is reading the Judy Moody books and it makes me smile when she tells me how funny the story is and how happy she is that I bought her these books. I'm so glad that we have another reader in the family!