knitting « Plath’s Adventures

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November 8, 2008

The peace fleece longies are finished! I love how they turned out. I thought I was making them really long so Eleanore would be able to wear them for quite a while, but it turns out I only need to cuff them a tiny bit! My girl is growing so fast it’s unbelievable. She was wearing an 18-24 month onesie on Halloween, and she’s only 7 months!

In addition to knitting, I’ve also gotten back into my other old hobby, which I haven’t done in more than two years. Soaping! I’ve managed to soap three batches this week, and hope to be started selling online again in a few weeks

Tags:knitting, longies, rainbow longies, soaping, making soap, peace fleece
Posted in knitting, soaping | 4 Comments »

First words

October 29, 2008

I posted a few days ago that Eleanore’s first word was hi. Well, her second word is mama.

I’m such a proud mama Jason is mad that she’s saying mama before dada.

The rainbow longies are coming along nicely. I just had to put an order in for violet, so they’ll probably be stalled for a few days, but so far, so good. Here they are pictured on my nightstand, which is just about the only place I get knitting done these days. I knit in bed after I nurse Eleanore to sleep.

I also cast my vote today in the election! I’m excited to feel as though I’m actually making a difference this year, as North Carolina has not swung democrat in the election in 40 years and they just may go democrat this year. I hope my vote puts them over the top!

Tags:voting, peace fleece longies, longies, rainbow longies, first word
Posted in knitting | 3 Comments »

Need longies, stat

October 25, 2008

I think it’s time to knit some more longies. Sigh. She’s just growing too fast. After wearing these only a handful of times, and just now really needing something warm to wear (our high yesterday was only in the 50s), Ellie’s longies are looking more like capris. Remember this post? They were folded over at the waist and WAY too long. I can’t believe that was FOUR months ago. How time flies.

Her Christmas stocking is now finished. I ended up just knitting a basic 56 stitch sock pattern and like the results. I’m not sure how I feel about the embroidered E though. I haven’t woven in the ends of my embroidery yet, as I may pull it out and start over.

Jason thinks I should embroider her full name, but Eleanore is pretty long, and I just don’t feel right putting a nickname on her stocking for some reason. I’ve cast on for Jason’s stocking using red as the main color, but I may set it aside to start knitting Eleanore’s rainbow longies I’ve been planning. I have the yarn all picked out ~ more peace fleece. I initially wasn’t too sure about the peace fleece. It feels a little rough, and isn’t a dream to knit with, but after a few lanolin washes, I love how they’ve softened up. And their story is inspiring, of course.

New milestones: Ellie is doing wonderful sitting up by herself now. She loves sitting in front of a basket of toys and emptying it. She’s also waving! We couldn’t believe it when we had someone over for dinner and when they waved goodbye before they left, she waved right back. Still no crawling, but she’s great at doing push ups and pivoting in little half circles all the way around the room.

Posted in knitting | 7 Comments »

We’re finally getting settled

October 15, 2008

It feels as though I was just typing those words about a year ago… That’s because I was. A year ago tomorrow, I posted about settling in after our move to North Carolina. And here we are, a year later, settling in after moving again. Ugh. Moving stinks, especially with a 6 month old!

We decided to take a little break from the unpacking last weekend, and headed up to the mountains to the Sky Top Apple Orchard and to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The color near Asheville was nowhere near peak, but there was quite a bit once we reached the Grandfather Mountain area. It’s been a yearly tradition for as long as I’ve known Jason, to go to the apple orchard to pick apples. North Carolina apples are good, but they’re not quite as tasty as Michigan apples. Ellie didn’t know any different though:

She is so close to crawling, I don’t think she can get any closer without actually doing it. Showing her skills at the orchard:

We’ve officially declared “hi” her first word. She’s says it back to you when you tell her hi.
The view from the orchard was amazing.

If you’ve never driven the Blue Ridge, my pictures cannot do the view justice. The road is simply amazing. There are hundreds of scenic view turn-offs. We took a short drive last year, and immediately donated to become Friends of the Blue Ridge. So far, it’s definitely my favorite place in North Carolina.

I finished the Hudson Hat, and love how it came out. I think Eleanore likes it, too.

I’ve started on Ellie’s Christmas stocking. I plan on knitting a very basic, green stocking out of Peace Fleece with a red heel and toe. I may embroider her name on the top as well, and I plan on knitting one eventually for Jason with red as the main color, with a green toe and heel.

I got side-tracked, however when I realized that I have no idea what she should be for Halloween, and it’s coming up very quickly. I think her costume this year will be very simple. My plan is a black cat with a black onesie and pants, and I’m knitting her a kittyville hat (using the measurements for the lil devil hat), and an i-cord tail out of cottonease. Not very creative, but at least I won’t be buying her a big silly, expensive costume.

Well, a little someone is awake, so I must go change a diaper.

Tags:hudson hat, kittyville hat, blue ridge parkway, sky top orchard, apple orchard, north carolina
Posted in knitting | 4 Comments »

Packing up the yarn

September 26, 2008

We found a house to rent near our new property so we’re packing up and moving this weekend! Moving, even nearby, with a 5 1/2 month old teething gal is daunting, but nearly everything is in boxes now and ready to go. Too bad the weather is definitely not cooperating. It’s been pouring rain all day and to add even more fun to the mix, our area is having a gas shortage. Where you have been able to find gas, you’ll also find lines so long they’re blocking all the roads. Most stations have been out of gas completely. Joy.

I have been knitting this week, and surprisingly, it’s not longies. I bought the Hudson Hat pattern, for a no-brainer moving is stressing me out project. So far, it’s coming along well, although Ellie seems a little worried.

Maybe she’s worried that it’s a little big.

I’m making the toddler size since I figured it would be better to have it a little loose so she can wear it longer.

Tags:hudson hat, knitting, moving
Posted in knitting | 3 Comments »

We Survived

August 22, 2008

We survived our first road trip as a family of four (including Marzipan), but I think it will be a while until we attempt another. We had a few things to take care of with our house in Michigan that’s for rent, so we loaded up the Jeep and headed north for a week, visiting both sets of grandparents. Ellie did pretty well, although there were a few hairy moments, like the massive shirt-soaking spit-up ordeal (my shirt, not hers. go figure) while stopping for lunch, and then the poop blow-out episode, but we all survived and we’re happy to be home.

Eleanore had lots of firsts while we were on the road. She rolled from back to tummy for the first time outside under a pear tree in Michigan, and had her first big, squealing laugh that was so loud Jason heard it from clear across the house and came running. She’s really starting to notice the world around her, and *loves* Marzipan and Patches. Every time she sees Marzipan now, she smiles.

Here’s a video of her with the dog this week:

I finished one soaker while we were gone, and have almost finished the shorties I started while in Michigan. Both out of Purewool, the soaker is in the Lima colorway. I love the stripey color gradation.

I think I’m going to have to start knitting larges soon! I ordered the peace fleece for her Christmas stocking, so hopefully I can get started on that soon. I ordered enough for a pair of rainbow striped longies, too.

I found this adorable turtle soaker pattern while browsing ravelry this morning. I think it’s going to have to be my next knit! I also bought this cute gnome pattern the other day. I’m going to try and knit a few for Christmas, even though I abhor seaming.

Tags:cloth diapering, knitting, motherhood, shorties, soakers
Posted in knitting | 1 Comment »

Hide the paypal…

August 19, 2008

Three Irish Girls has 10% off and free shipping if you spend over $50. Go figure… I just spent $50 in a Peace Fleece co-op last week and can’t afford more yarn right now. Must resist…

Posted in knitting | No Comments »

Lots of Excitement

August 7, 2008

Eleanore is growing up so much. She rolled over for the first time two weeks ago, she gave us her first real giggle last night, and is rapidly outgrowing her six-nine month clothes and size medium diapers at four months. Yikes! I guess that mama’s milk is doing her good Speaking of diapers, I found my new favorite ones, even for nighttime, when my little girl can soak and leak through ANYTHING. Cricketts are our new nighttime solution with a hemp doubler by SMJAE, then topped with a Bummis Super Whisper Wrap (we save our wool for daytime). Finally we’re waking up with dry sheets! They’re a little plain, but I’ve dyed all of her infant size. She’s beginning to outgrow the rise, so I ordered six of the toddler size new from cricketts and picked up two from FSOT on diaperswappers, and I’ll probably eventually dye those, too. I love that there are only two sizes and they’re inexpensive. Not like those other one sized diapers out there… too pricey for me!

After those milestones, it almost makes my next bit of news lackluster. We’re buying some property down here with the plans to build. 2.1 acres in a nearby town will (hopefully) soon be ours. It just needs to pass the perk test, which hopefully it won’t have a problem doing.

And in other news, we’re taking our first road trip with Ellie, and are driving up to Ohio and then Michigan this weekend. Wish us luck, I’m so nervous traveling with her for the first time. She’s pretty good in the car for the most part, but it’s still a very long drive, even for us, let alone for her. I’m trying to sort out how to pack now…

Still soaker knitting. Finished this pair out of peace fleece. Love the way the yarn worked up, but I’m not happy with how tight I kitchenered it.

I’m really happy with how this purewool one turned out:

And this pair of shorties just came off my needles this week from Three Irish Girls in Conor:

I just cast on a quick soaker out of Purewool to work on during our trip (and packing 2 more skeins for another if I manage to finish), but when we get back I’m going to work on something else: a stocking for Eleanore for Christmas. Haven’t decided on a pattern yet, but I added a bunch to my ravelry queue to sort through later. I’m thinking either cables or simple stripes.