My kind of garage sale

My local yarn store had a garage sale this weekend. What a great idea! People brought their unwanted yarn/books/gadgets to the yarn store all week. The seller sets the price. When your items sell, you get gift certificates at the yarn store. Anything that doesn't sell will be returned to you, or found a new good home for charity, whichever you wanted.

I had been looking forward to this all month. It turned out to be anticlimatic, for me at least. I saw other knitters with full baskets. I had one eye on Bugaboo, one eye on Doodlebug, and one eye trying to shop. Plus, I have some much great yarn at home, and so little knitting time, I had decided that I wouldn't buy anything that wasn't better than what I had at home. I couldn't believe it, but I didn't buy anything. I was tempted by a few things, but what is the point in getting a great deal on sweater yarn when I already have so many projects in the queue so it would just sit there with the rest?

At least it was a success for the store and other knitters, because that means that she will probably do it again. And maybe I can take better advantage then. And since I had both kids, no Sock club either. Sigh.

Today, it is all about the oppotunities that slip away.

The Perfect Storm, the Perfect Calm

Element #1: My in-laws are moving. That means that for the past several weeks, they have been busy packing boxes, looking at houses, and fretting over appraisals, inspections and repairs. Therefore, very stressed and not very available to watch my boys. So my mom has been picking up the slack.

Element #2: It is tax time, spring, and finally time to sell my grandmother's house all at the same time. So my mom is sorting through records, sweating in her yard, and planing trips to Illinois to meet with relators and such. When she isn't watching my kids four days a week or more.

Element #3: My husband is not as proactive in taking primary care of our children as I would wish. Yesterday, he told me that he was taking a half day off for a dentist appointment, so after that and a hair cut, he would pick up our toddler so Mom would just have to worry about the newborn. He didn't, for reasons I am still not clear.

Element #4: Doodlebug had a little tummyache, and spent most of the day crying. Bugaboo was practicing the fine art of jealousy, disrespect, and doing whatever he had been told not to do. All while crying and whining whenever his little brother cried. By the time I picked (both of them) up after work, everyone was in tears, including my mother.

So last night, I arranged for me to stay home this morning, and for my mother in law to watch the kids in the afternoon. Mom gets a day "off", can de-stress, and get some things done.

Then last night, my father-in-law asked Bugaboo if he wanted to spend the night with them in the hotel, but he had to ask me. It was so cute, he walked right up to me and starting giving me kisses. So I packed off my tempermental toddler for the evening, my husband fell asleep on the couch by 8:30, and tucked my newborn into his crib. I was alone, all alone, and had the morning to get things done. I put a DVD in, and knit. That was the longest continuous time I have knit for . . . I can remember how long.

This morning, I slept in (which was not part of the original plan, but was changed during the 90 minutes of waking time between 4 and 5:30 am), have laundry going, fixed a filling breakfast, and will clean the kitchen. And I think I will still have time to do some knitting.

Today, it is all about the combined elements.

The endless middle

The disadvantage to knitting two socks at once is that it seems like it takes forever. You knit endlessly on the leg of the sock. Then there is the heel excitement. And then back to knitting endlessly on the foot.

I just have to keep reminding myself: I am knitting two socks at once. It will take twice as long. I am avoiding the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome. I am knitting two socks at once. It will take twice as long.

When this little guy lets me knit, that is.




A better view of the socks. They are turning out very pretty. Grandma loves all things pastel, and she is liking the stripes.

Today, it is all about the spring colors, inside and outside.

In my spare time. . .

I have a lot less spare time than I used to. In my single days, I knit in the evenings. Every Thursday night I did kickboxing and painted my nails. I worked out an additional one to two times per week. On the weekends, I worked on my house, and worked in the yard, and rode my motorcycle.



Nowadays, when I get home from work, I am caring for children while I cook dinner, start laundry, and do the dishes. When Bugaboo goes to bed, I pick up toys, fold laundry, etc. On the weekends, I catch up on everything that was undone during the week. Unless we have plans, then I just start the week behind.



Does anyone know how long it will take to knit a pair of socks when you average 32 minutes of knitting time per week?



Like the new knitting model? He makes everything I give up worth it.


Today it is all about the losses. . . and the gains.

New Toys

My birthday was last week, and I received some nice new toys. Some spiral DPN holders, and a new sock knitting book, and sock blockers.

And a new techie toy: a Dell netbook. I remember the laptop I took with me to college. Back when laptops were new. It didn't even have a mouse, but neither did desktops way back when. They have come a long way baby since then. This handy little device is super tiny and light, and it is even pink. :-) I am typing on it right now. Can't download pictures (yet), but I will figure that out soon.

I have been working on Grandma's socks too. It took two days to finish casting on, but I have been zipping along ever since. Two socks on two circular needles, simple ribbed pattern. I have about an inch finished. That doesn't sound like much, but considering how much time and energy I have to devote to knitting these days, it is huge progress.

Today, it is all about the new toys.

Socks for Grandma

I can't find my camera this morning, so pictures will have to wait until next time.

I started my mother's socks a few days ago. Toe-up, a make-it-up-as-I-go general idea in my head, and detailed notes so I can replicate the finished product in a second sock.

Then, the other day, my mother mentioned that my grandmother wants me to make her a pair of socks. Now, don't get me wrong, I consider that a compliment to my knitterly abilities. However, agreeing to knit socks for a 93 year old woman carries a lot of pressure. THESE socks can't be procrastinated. THESE socks can be put aside in favor of the newest yarn, pattern or technique that captures my attention. THESE socks have to be finished, without undue delay. I am not sure that Mom and Grandma really understand that knitting a sock in sock yarn is not a small project, even if it is small in size.

SO, the first hurdle was easy. I already had the perfect yarn. My grandmother loves pastels, I had some Opal Petticoat, that I had frogged from a previously unloved project. Last night, I hunted down two Size 2 circulars, so I can knit both socks at a time. I also rinsed the yarn, to get the kinks out from its previous life. This mornimg, the yarn in nearly dry, and I can wind it into a ball. I hope to start knitting today.

Because with a toddler and newborn in the house, I have so much free time.

Today, it is all about the pressure.

The Gift of Knitting

The disadvantage to giving someone a gift that you have knitted. . . is sometimes they like it TOO much. I knitted my mother some socks. They were finished a while ago, except for (pause for the chorus from the peanut gallery) "kitchnering the toes".

A year later (possibly more, but I am giving myself the benefit of the doubt), I finally kitchnered, the same time as I did my Pomotomus socks. I grandly presented the finished socks to my mom, and not long after, she proudly displayed that she was wearing them.

A week ago, we were arranging for a needlepoint piece of hers to be framed, so we paused at the sock yarn. I found one that caught my fancy, and so did Mom. After we finished with our purchasing, she handed her yarn to me. Um, it appears that she wishes me to knit another pair of socks.

Today, it is all about the complimentary request.