A Hoot and a Holler

Happy Birthday Little Alice!

 

I love knitting things for little people.  I want instant gratification. I love how it turned out.  

  

Everyone thinks she is a boy in this sweater so she MUST wear the hot pink pants. 

 

  
 
 I cannot believe it.  This went by way too fast! You just celebrated your first birthday! Just so you know, you still have us wrapped around your little finger.  You are one of the happiest babies I have ever seen.  You are starting to get a little louder.  So that you can let us know what you want.  It's a mandatory skill you must acquire  when you have the older sisters that you do.  You have to get in there and fight for your rights. I love watching your older sisters fall head over heels in love with you.  How they sneak you into their room and dress you up and try to make you play "the bad guy".   I love watching your wild eyed excitement when you see your sisters "coming for you" when we pick them up from school.  I love it when you start bopping to the 80s club music on my cell when it rings. I love hearing you squeal when I push you in the swings at the playground. I love watching you maneuver your way around the house.  Not quite a crawl.  More of a one legged crabby butt scoot.  I love how impressed you are with yourself when you pull yourself up and cruise around the house.  I love it when I leave you alone in a room with baby wipes for three seconds you will have the package emptied by the time I come back.  I love how you smile at every stranger you encounter but if they try to talk to you, you bury your face on me.  I love watching the shy way you connect with everyone from the dry cleaners, to the bagel shop, to the bakery, the car service dudes, and so on. Thanks to your older sisters, they each knew it was your birthday and were well aware that treats were in order.  I love how your face lights up when you see your dad.  I love when you wave at my cell phone and say "Dad".  I love watching you go nuts when you hear him walk in the door after work.  I am plain oatmeal, he is oatmeal with Cinnamon and sugar.  I accept that.  The truth is, when your hungry, scared, angry, sick, or when your older sisters torture you in the name of fun you want ME. Let me confess something to you my sweet girl.  I want you too. We all want you. So slow down and stop growing so fast.  There's no hurry.   We love it just the way it is.  

 
     

 

Knit & Purl

Isn't this the sweetest little dress you have ever seen?  I absolutely love it.  I wish I could say that I made it but I didn't.  It's one of my favorite dresses from last year.  My older daughter wore it and I cannot wait to bring it out again. 
What I did make is the little pink cardigan.  I chose a very soft cotton yarn.  It is a Minnoknit (is that how you spell it?) pattern.  Very easy and fun to do.  I hope the sweater fits my three year old this year.  I would love to see this bright bubble gum pink color running around my house again.

We had a quiet, lazy week end.  It was freezing cold outside.  No real signs of spring yet.  It's a busy week in my house.  I have a craft fair this Saturday.  I have 30 onesies to applique and 50 hair clips half finished. I better get to work.

The Sweater Curse!

You've  heard the story of the Sweater Curse" haven't you?  Well, the story says that you should never knit a sweater for a boy friend because your relationship will go to pot shortly there after.  Since my husband and I have been married for ten years I decided that it was safe.  BOY WAS I WRONG!  We have been in therapy ever since! (just kidding).  This is the first grown up sweater I've attempted.  It's made from a beautiful thick wool yarn.  This picture does not do it any justice.  It's the warmest sweater ever.  I am happy with the results. It's a little short and the shoulders are a little funky but I love it anyway. Not bad for a first try.  It actually fits me better and he never wears it.  Hmmmmm...

I learned a BIG lesson with this project.  If your doing a bigger project buy all the yarn at the beginning.  I thought I would just purchase it little by little as I could afford it (it was very expensive).  Big mistake!  I went back to the store and the yarn was gone.  They were not planning to reorder it.  I spent two weeks searching all over the country for it.  I finally found a women who owned a shop in Canada who shipped me her last three skeins.  I will never make that mistake again.
   

Spring Pinafore Dress!

Another baby girl due in April!  This calls for a pinafore dress.  This is one of my absolute favorite things to knit for a girl.  I think I have made four of them.  It is pretty simple.  The only tricky party (for me) is the pocket with the flower.  I still have not mastered it. Each time I make one it gets a little easier.  For some strange reason I don't like to be challenged with my knitting.  I want it to be a mindless activity that I can do when watching TV.  If I have to count and pay close attention to rows I get annoyed. One of my new years resolutions is to learn how to crochet.  So far I haven't even attempted it.  I think I will whip up some red Mary Jane booties to go with it. I also think it needs a crisp white shirt with a round collar, some daffodils for mommy and we are set.  The pattern is available at Knitty .  The designer is Kate Gilbert. She lives in Paris (and I hate her for that).  What I love about this design is that at first this is worn as a pinafore dress and then after the baby grows it can be worn at a tunic with leggings.  I wish I knew about his pattern when my girls were this little.

Mother Nature! Bring It On!

In honor of this weeks cold weather,  I have decided that it's officially  "Hat Week".  Here are a few more hats I made for my girls.  I LOVE goofy winter hat's on children.  The first one is made holding a wool and a novelty yarn together. I did it on circular needles. The result was this great purple afro. I love it.  She loves it.  She will be seven in July.  How much longer will she be willing to wear a goofy hat for her mom?  I have a feeling things will need to get a little more sophisticated it the next few years :(.

The second one was made using up my stash.  I held together a pink and green wool yarn.  It's very simple to make.  It's basically a rectangle with seams down the sides and ribbing on the bottom (to help it stay on). 


This Christmas gift has come in handy this week. I look like a giant pea but who the hell cares.  It's the warmest down coat on the planet.  I don't even flinch when its freezing.

I cannot tell you how much I LOVE my new Hunter boot's. When I have these on I secretly feel giddy when I see slush or a huge puddle.  I could walk through a swimming pool and my feet would stay dry.  They are very comfortable.  If you live in an area with lot's of rain or snow I highly recommend them. They come in lot's of colors.  I chose chocolate brown.  They are available at Zappos (free shipping).  Ok, I must shut up.  I sound like an infomercial.