projects
There are days. Days when the kids get up before 5:30 and spend most of the day squabbling over whose turn it is to hold the week-old half-deflated birthday balloon, days when the two-year-old refuses to nap until 4:30 as she sits in the car cart in the grocery store where you have gone purely out desperation to get out of the house, days when the sight of a kitchen full of messy dishes and rice all over the floor makes you want to curl up in the corner and cry because all you have done for hours is clean up after people, days when you show up inadequately prepared for a rehearsal because you have to pay a sitter for every hour of practice time you get, and she's not available (or affordable) for the 3-4 hours per day you really need, days when you can't wait until it's time for your shower in the evening because that is literally the only 10 minutes you will be able to spend alone. At least it's nice to be needed.
I know, I know. I complain a lot. Don't sweat the small stuff and all that. But the days when absolutely all you do is deal with the small stuff over and over, it can get to you. So you do the dishes and have a glass of wine and settle down with your knitting for an hour or two before you go to bed and do it all over again the next day.
So I decided to do the knitting olympics. I almost didn't because right now I have other stuff stressing me out, but then I thought "What the heck. I knit all the time anyway; I might as well set a goal for myself." I made it reasonable, though. Afghans for Afghans has a March 1 deadline for children's sweaters, hats, socks and mittens, and I shall be knitting one of each (or a pair of each, as the case may be) for the duration of the 2010 Winter Olympic games. Here's the sweater I started Saturday night:
The pattern is a neckdown cardigan from Knitting Pure and Simple. I love those patterns for kids. I have at least half a dozen, and they're all pretty much the same: neckdown raglan sweaters in various gauges and sizes. This is at least the fourth or fifth I've knitted. I'm using Cascade Pastaza (50% wool/50% llama) at about 17 st per 4", so it is going quick and should be nice and warm. I've actually got another sweater 2/3 done in a slightly heavier weight wool, but I started it before the opening ceremonies, so I guess it doesn't officially count for the Knitting Olympics, but I'm hoping to finish it up too before the games are over.
You can see I'm already to the sleeves. I'd like to note that I'm using new DPNs, courtesy of Gay, whose giveaway contest I won a couple weeks ago. I got a whole pile of lovely bamboo DPNs in a BUNCH of sizes, plus a couple circulars. I was tickled pink to get her package in the mail, in the midst of those back-to-back blizzards, no less!
To be honest, I've won several blog giveaways lately, of the "leave a comment and I'll draw names randomly out of a hat" variety. I think I might be due for another giveaway here to balance the woolly karma, but more on that later.
Now, before I go watch some speed skating relays or snowboarding or whatever is on now, I have to show you this:
That is Stuart attempting to put together a pair of leather moccasins. He ordered a kit online and spent an hour last night trying to figure out the rather sparsely worded, badly illustrated instructions. Neither of us could really make heads or tails of them, so he's just going at it on his own. I'll let you know how they turn out.
I know, I know. I complain a lot. Don't sweat the small stuff and all that. But the days when absolutely all you do is deal with the small stuff over and over, it can get to you. So you do the dishes and have a glass of wine and settle down with your knitting for an hour or two before you go to bed and do it all over again the next day.
So I decided to do the knitting olympics. I almost didn't because right now I have other stuff stressing me out, but then I thought "What the heck. I knit all the time anyway; I might as well set a goal for myself." I made it reasonable, though. Afghans for Afghans has a March 1 deadline for children's sweaters, hats, socks and mittens, and I shall be knitting one of each (or a pair of each, as the case may be) for the duration of the 2010 Winter Olympic games. Here's the sweater I started Saturday night:
The pattern is a neckdown cardigan from Knitting Pure and Simple. I love those patterns for kids. I have at least half a dozen, and they're all pretty much the same: neckdown raglan sweaters in various gauges and sizes. This is at least the fourth or fifth I've knitted. I'm using Cascade Pastaza (50% wool/50% llama) at about 17 st per 4", so it is going quick and should be nice and warm. I've actually got another sweater 2/3 done in a slightly heavier weight wool, but I started it before the opening ceremonies, so I guess it doesn't officially count for the Knitting Olympics, but I'm hoping to finish it up too before the games are over.
You can see I'm already to the sleeves. I'd like to note that I'm using new DPNs, courtesy of Gay, whose giveaway contest I won a couple weeks ago. I got a whole pile of lovely bamboo DPNs in a BUNCH of sizes, plus a couple circulars. I was tickled pink to get her package in the mail, in the midst of those back-to-back blizzards, no less!
To be honest, I've won several blog giveaways lately, of the "leave a comment and I'll draw names randomly out of a hat" variety. I think I might be due for another giveaway here to balance the woolly karma, but more on that later.
Now, before I go watch some speed skating relays or snowboarding or whatever is on now, I have to show you this:
That is Stuart attempting to put together a pair of leather moccasins. He ordered a kit online and spent an hour last night trying to figure out the rather sparsely worded, badly illustrated instructions. Neither of us could really make heads or tails of them, so he's just going at it on his own. I'll let you know how they turn out.
Comments
-Chanterelle