urban earth mother

I managed to score some beautiful llama/alpaca yarn at the winter farmers market a few weeks ago. I only bought two skeins and that seemed enough for a sweater for the sprog. I'm making it a bit long do she should be able to wear it next autumn and winter as well, provided she stays tall and skinny (clearly she didn't get that from me). I'll post when I finish and she's wearing it.

Well I did finally finish my nursing top only to find the neckline was VERY baggy. When I increased the front I didn't tak into accont that my shoulders are obviously slimmer than my chest. So collar has been removed and I'm frogging down a few rows to take that part in a bit. On the plus side, I've already woven in lots of ends and finished the short sleeves. I may decide when this part is actually finished to make some attachable long sleeves to get more varried use out of it too. But for now, just getting it to fit as is is the priority.

Our new house is much closer to the T station than our apartment was, but it is further out on the red line. This gives me a much longer ride and I've been taking the opportunity to get more knitting in. It's hard to knit at home with a active near-toddler so the commute is really the best time I have. Never going to work for me Since I not only nurse my daughter but also pump milk at work, I find I have to be mindful of what I wear all the time so that I can have access. With that in mind, I decided to make a nursing sweater. Knitty.com does have a pattern for a nursing halter , but while it looks nice, it's not going to offer me any support (I am MUCH more generously endowed than the model) so I had to think of something else.  I like the idea of something I could lift rather than pull down so decided to work something up myself. Work in progress Knitty had a pattern for a very easy pullover called Tempting that gave me an idea. The eyelet holes at the top mi...

It's been ages since I updated!. This is just a quickie to show off the sweater I'm making for SIL's baby due in November. I never made anything for the new niece in California when she was born in March, so that will be the next project. If I haven't burned out from getting back in the swing with knitting, then the things for the nephews will be forthcoming as well. But on to the current project! I'm making the hooded version of Daisy from Knitty.com. As you can see, I've nearly finished one side and am halfway through the back. Since it's for an infant, it's pretty fast going. Plus it's a dead easy pattern so I can knit on the T in the morning when I'm half asleep. That's it for now. More when I'm further along on this project.

I made a snood last week using this vintage pattern but still need to put the elastic in. I'll take pics of it on and my hair done when I've got it ready for prime time. Snoods work up really quickly. I think if I like how it looks on me, I'll make a few more as a stash-busting project. They go quicker than the kids' toys (that I have no picture of :( ) I made for the nephews.

Spouse was numb by the time he got to work and has requested legwarmers. I think I'm going to go for long socks instead, again from Essentials for the Forces. I'll pick up some #1 needles on my way home, but for added warmth I'm going to do them in DK/sport weight that I have kicking around the house. I may even try doing two at once . Wish me luck.

Sorry I've not posted in a while. I did manage to finish the Ubuntu bag and will post shots in the next day or so (I was chastised for not doing it). In the meantime, enjoy a shot of completed baby sweater #1 (on completed, but anonymous, nephew). I finished this one before Thanksgiving and then started another one (both are from One Skein Wonders). The second one, which I do not have picture of, is the Bamboo Baby Sweater , modified to make it larger using bigger needles and double stranding some sport weight wool I had kicking around. My finished on is red and green on the back, red and blue, and green and blue on the front, with green sleeves. I opted for two large buttons to close it since the YO edge was much larger on mine. There are two buttons on the other side as well so it can be closed either way and has a slightly double-breasted look to it. While it turned out nicely, it was a PAIN to make. I frogged that fucker four times! I think the problem was not knowing w...

So I haven't been working on the laptop bag lately, but have promised to finish it before beginning other projects. So I brought it to the laundromat and have made good progress on the second side. I'm halfway through this panel and then only need the sides top and strap! I fear the finishing will be my downfall, but it may be the one project spouse leaves me alone to work on (he seems to get jealous when I do things other than work on the computer next to him).

The Ubuntu bag is coming along nicely. The back is a bit scary right now (appologies for the blur). It will be better, and some of the holes filled once I've woven ends in and felted. Tomorrow I start the other side, and then it's just the side panels and top! I should post the color pattern too, since spouse worked so hard on it. It's 50x50, but I'm doing a bit more MC on the top, as per the original pattern from which I'm getting the dimensions.

This is the bag I started this weekend. It's the Everlasting Bagstopper from this month's Knitty. My options were overexpose it with the flash or have it too dark to see without. I just couldn't bring myself to turn on the overhead lights in the office to really correct it. And yes, the rest of my desk is a mess too. Instead of hemp, I'm using a cotton from my stash. A friend gave me a HUGE bag of this (plus lots of great wool), and after making a dress, I still have several balls left over. I may make a hat as well just to get rid of the stuff.

So I've decided to start this back up again, but as a knitting blog. I've got tons of UFOs around the house, commitments to clear the stash, and one item in the planning stage for spouse. I plan to post some pics of things in progress and recently finished soon (probably later tonight). No, I don't expect responses (there are many other knitting blogs you could be reading). this is mainly just for me to log my progress and maybe encourage me to finishe things once in a while.