Thursday, June 29, 2006

Yarn Buying Withdrawal

I haven't bought any yarn in 2 months! Not since before the baby was born. There I was, smug that I was doing so well in Rebekah's Yarn Focus Challenge (Rebekah, am I still in the hunt?). I had made only one purchase since starting that challenge, some Muench Big Baby yarn from By Hand Yarn and Knitting in Sonora. That seems like ages ago.

Can you blame me for a sudden urge to splurge? Lori told me about these stretchy circulars that would be neat for socks. So what if I haven't knit socks in a while. Wouldn't these be a good reason to whip up a pair?

I've been hankering for the Lantern Moon circular needles. So help me, I might just buy an entire set. If the needles ever get here, that is. Apparently they are still in transit from Vietnam. Does anyone else want these? They would be an unabashed self-indulgence. So beautiful I'd be afraid to knit with them.

OK, the day has started. Baby is fed, bathed and napping and it's not even 9am. I'm doing good. If she's amenable we might even go on a shopping trip this morning, woohooo! Yesterday I watched a show about a couple in the 40's who started their family later in life and now have had 6 kids in 5 years. EEEEEK! How do mothers manage their time? I'm still mystified.

Monday, June 26, 2006

A Time to Knit

Quick, while the baby is sleeping I will post a short entry in my woefully neglected blog. Not that I haven't thought about it. I wish I could write every day! But a little person named Karalyn, aka "Spitty", is currently demanding all of my time so that's the way it goes.

In very spare moments I've been able to do a little knitting. Since the baby arrived I've knit another baby hat and a cardigan:

This is the Baby Hat from One Skein
baby_hat

Details - yarn is Peru DK Luxury, 70% merino, 20% alpaca and 10% silk. I used US size 4 needles but didn't change the pattern other than that. I originally knit this while Karalyn was in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) but her head was still too small to wear it properly. Now her head may be too big and it's super hot here so she won't wear it anyway. It's a cute hat. Easy pattern, very fast.

The latest item is the Baby Bolero, also from One Skein
baby_bolero

This one is knit with Debbie Bliss cotton cashmere and is leftover yarn from the Diane tank from last year. I think I knit this on size 9 needles for the body and size 10 for the ribbing. Another easy knit, pretty quick. I wish I had done this in the round, though, instead of in separate pieces.

I'm currently halfway through another knitted item, a dress, for Miss Karalyn. That one is really, really fast but I wasn't able to do much more over the weekend beyond completing the back.

My days are different now (see Babe in the Wool). Before, I used to obsess about what I would knit and what yarn I would buy next. Now I am the 24/7 caretaker of a tiny baby. And it takes so much time! I've always taken pride in being an organized person and I think I still do pretty well, but wow it's a challenge every day just to be showered and changed by 10am. I still think about knitting a lot because it's my little escape. Those moments when I can knit more than one row are like gold.

Hopefully I can get more done when Karalyn is a little older (or is that just a pipe dream?)

smiling