Golden Needle

She Knits!

Oh goody!  Actual knitting content to add to my blog!  As the baby sleeps longer stretches through the night and I rely less and less on Nutella's nap to sleep myself, I have more time to knit.  Over the holidays, I finished the baby blanket, and I even completed a second project!  (Your computer does not, I repeat, does NOT have a virus...I really finished two projects!).

I don't have a photo yet of the blanket, but I finished it while I was in California and went to my MIL's LYS, CloseKnit, in Riverside, to get a quick project.  I found this Fiber Trends pattern for baby booties - which I have been wanting to try.  The pair I made for Nutella were so cute - but totally unwearable because they always fell off!  These have a tie, so I will report back to you whether they stay on better.  These were made on size 4 dpns, using a washable acrylic that is new to me by King Cole called SmoothDK.

If they stay on, this will definitely be a pattern to keep in the repertoire!

Merry Christmas!

Another December Baby! 

We welcome:

December 1, 8lbs 6oz, blue eyes and a head perfectly shaped for handknit hats.

Now it's really time to finish that blanket of hers!

Does she somehow know?

It is quite hysterical to see people's reactions when they ask, "When are you due?" and I say, "Yesterday."  Mostly, women look at me with pity and sympathy, and men have utter fear in their eyes, hoping that my water doesn't break right there and then. 

Although I was not hoping that I would go post dates...again...I should not be too surprised since Nutella was not so timely herself.  I just stopped working a few days ago, and boy, does it feel nice to have some time off.  It's like taking a deep breath before the plunge back into having an infant again...Nutella, her daddy, and I have been having a lot of fun times together - in the last six months, I have only had 2 two day weekends off, so it has been a long time since we have had so much time together. 

This is us on our hike today after spending half an hour throwing rocks into the river:

So, do you think the baby knows her blanket isn't done yet?  It looks like a rumpled up pile right now, but I think the Pinwheel is going to turn out really nicely.  I was planning on doing one more iteration of the pattern in blue, but I think the blanket will be too big if I do.  Now that Nutella is showing serious attachment to her baby blanket, I am more careful about keeping within a reasonable size...Here's where we are now...Better keep knitting...

Happy Halloween!

I am not a cotton knitter

As some of you predicted in your comments, I did not like the Mission Falls Cotton.  It turns out, I should just stick to my knitter instincts.  I never like to knit with cotton, and this yarn was not the exception.

But I did head back to another LYS and I found the Berocco ___ yarn, and bought it in red, white, and blue, and am enjoying knitting the Pinwheel Blanket out of that.  It's just nice to have the needles in my hands again.

It doesn't look like anything too exciting, all crumpled up on 16" circulars like that, but it's a very soft yarn, washable, and it's just nice to be making something for the new baby...

I am looking forward to trying something a little more complicated soon - but for now, this is about as much brain power as I have left to dedicate to my knitting.  Next up - I'm thinking baby booties.  But again, I have to find a pattern that looks like it will stay on!  I will look into the suggestion of Melanie Falick's pattern...

In the meantime - gotta think about how to transition Nutella into a big girl bed so her little sister can have the crib when she gets here!

Back in the Saddle...

A quick trip to my LYS, and 12 hanks of Mission Falls Cotton later, I am on my way to starting the Pinwheel blanket.  Has anyone heard any good/bad/ugly about this yarn?  I know a lot of people who use it, and I am not usually big on the cottons, so if there is a warning to be had, let me know sooner, rather than later!

Also - does anyone know of a baby bootie pattern where the booties actually stay on the kids' foot?

Thanks!

(I swear, my next post will be more exciting than this...)

Some thoughts on blogging...

When time gets short, spending time with family and friends becomes an above-everything else priority.  Things like...blogging...get left in the dust.  I miss being away, and still try to peek in on ya'll every once in a while.  Excuse me for a little hiatus - which is not coming to an end just yet.

In the meantime...Nutella presents our new family addition:

She's waving hello to all the knitbloggers out there!

(Here's Nutella on 4th of July - hot dog and flag in hand!)

Busy Bees

No one can say I didn't take advantage of my last month off before residency - we have been busy bees!  Oddly, I have not had much knitting "urge" during this time, and now that I am starting back up, I have the urge back.  Well, it goes to show what a stress reliever knitting is for me - I do it most when I have the least time!

What's next on the needles?  Gosh, I wish I were inspired by something.  I need a short, good project that doesn't require too much thinking.  A baby blanket?  A kid's hat?  Something along those lines...

I bought this adorable acorn hat pattern, but I don't have any browns in my stash...

In the meantime, here's what Nutella thinks of my lack of knitting:

It's been busy around here...

I don't have a single stitch to show for myself for the whole month, but between taking the medical boards, and a huge family reunion for my graduation festivities, and the cutest strawberry picker you've ever seen...it's been crazy and wonderful, even without the knitting.

Back from Honduras...

Sorry to be MIA for so long - I just got back from an 11 day trip to Honduras with a group of physicians and nurses.  When you are in rural parts of a developing country, and there's no electricity, knitting (by headlamp) is a good way to pass the time. 

Here is one of my Nancy Bush socks:

I'll write more details about socks later (and also let you know where I am on my Roza socks).  Thank you to everyone who made suggestions about vacations.  It looks like we might fly into Seattle and take a jaunt to Vancouver and Whistler...but I am still looking for plane tickets!