Update

We are still at the apartment. We will be moving back home in the next 2 weeks. The flooring is down in 2 rooms. The built-in cupboards are back up so we can begin the process of putting things back.

It's been a nasty week for our family, though. 8 out of 9 family members have been sick: runny noise, cough, fever, earaches, mastitis (guess who?). After I got mastitis, PJ did not want to nurse on the affected breast. I started getting engorged, but by that time, he got sick and his appetite decreased. Yesterday and today, I noticed that he's so fussy. He tried to nurse, but can't get much of anything on one side (mastitis side), and still not enough for his liking on the other side.

This is breaking my heart. The earliest I've had a baby weaned was 18 months. He's not quite 12 months. He doesn't even want to wean. He doesn't like formula or water. I did get him to drink a bit of soy milk. I'm going to spend a lot of time pumping tomorrow to try to get my supply back up again.

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New Knitting Idea

One of the main reasons I started this blog was to chronicle my knitting projects - to keep track of which yarn I used, what size, gauge, needle size, etc, for future reference. It would be very easy to make a hardcopy version of this information using the new scrapbooking software I have been playing around with. I just made this page (4 x 6) and I can easily upload it to Costco and have it printed for $.17 and put a small-size photo album. How cool is that? I love it when hobbies merge: knitting, digital scrapbooking, photography.

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New Socks

I began a new pair of socks. I have Sensational Knitted Socks book and want to see how the sizes work with my larger size feet, so I picked an easy pattern to start off with and then will increase the difficulty if these turn out well. I'm using Trampoline Stretch 7.5 st/inch, Size 3.0 needles. The colorway is kind of funky, but I'm a fall girl, so it will work. I've never worked with a stretch yarn. So far, so good. It started pooling on the initial ribbing, but when I changed to the slip stitch rib, it doesn't appear to be making any sort of pattern.

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Moving on

The stocking is completed except for blocking. Thanks to Tammy who read my blog and suggested sources to help me with the short row heel, I was able to figure it out comparing notes. I actually was doing it right all along. Unless I'm reading the pattern incorrectly, it is the transition from the short rows to the foot that seems off. I will be making another stocking for another son, so I have made notes to watch out for that spot.

Today and yesterday, I have spent hours online trying to find an easy way to put together a yearbook for our homeschool co-op. Our co-op is nice size - up to 20 students per grade level from pre-K through high school and we traditionally put together a spiral bound yearbook. I found a free digital scrapbooking site which might just do the trick - Scrapbook Flair. Here is my first project which took about 10 minutes.



Not bad. It's basic, no-frills, but would be perfect for a yearbook. Now I'm trying to figure out the best way to get it printed and bound at a reasonable rate. Any ideas?

PS - My friend's daughter did not win the bridal contest. She won 2nd place and it was close. Too bad :(

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Not Sure

Okay, here is my latest attempt at the short-row heels. In the process of trying to understand these instructions, I have discovered a thing or 2 about short-row heels. There are quite a few ways to do them: with wraps, double wrapped, no wraps, with yarn overs, and it seems that everybody has their favorite or a slight variation. I have figured out that the directions I am using are for a yarn-over short row heel. I have taken a picture of some of the directions. It seems to look right - but what do I know. What I really need to do is show this to an expert. Maybe an expert or at least someone who understands this can confirm if it was knit correctly or not.




Nevertheless, as I got to the last line, "Transfer the last 13 sts back to the left needle and REKNIT these 13 sts with Cranberry". I am utterly lost. I don't know how many stitches I was supposed to have (I love it when directions tell me how many stitches I should have at various points.). I am just lost. I may have to put this aside for a while to find my brains again. I mean, come on, I've probably made 10 prs. of socks now. I even know how to do the Kitchener stitch. I should be able to get this.

I think it would be great if there was a place that showed the differences between the different styles of short-row heels and even styles of heel flaps. Is there any such book/website? I'm trying to remember if the Twisted Sister's Sock Workbook shows the differences. I checked it out at the library a while back and remember thinking it was a great book.

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Brain Overload

I'm struggling through this Christmas stocking on the yarn over short-row heels. How do I do a YO on a short row heel? Off to google. If you know of any good tutorials, please let me know.

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A favor, please?

I have a friend whose daughter is getting married and she has entered a local radio contest to win $23,000 bridal package. She is one of the top 7 finalists and the one who gets the most votes wins.

This girl is so sweet - she is a sign language interpreter and her fiance is deaf. I'd love to see her win. Their names are Karissa Loughridge and Michael Coleman.

VOTE HERE

Thanks so much - and feel free to pass this along!

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Snow Much Fun

DAY IN THE SNOW

Little Miss Innocent Pearly
who is she going to get?

SCORE!! She got her big brother, Tall Dude

Victory is sooooo sweet

Pumpkin boy, 9-yrs old, couldn't get enough of the white stuff

4-yrs old Bunny had the time of his life

Brown eyes - 7 yrs old
I may be small, but I make the best snowballs.


Who dares to cross this line?

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Extended Holiday

Today we got the rare treat of snow in Oregon. I've always wanted have snow in the background of a knitting project. Here is the snowman stocking that never got to be hung this Christmas due to obvious reasons this past month (read December blog posts). It's coming along well, now. I did have to take out a few inches while getting the hang of figuring out how much slack in dragging the alternate yarn along on the inside of the project. I'm hoping it will smooth out after it is blocked. This is the Annie's Woolens kit mentioned earlier.

On the homefront - dh picked up the laminate flooring at Home Depot last night and brought it home only to discover that they ordered the wrong flooring. They gave us the correct trim. The order # was just off by one number. It took 2 wks to get this order in, so we are going to try to extend our stay at the apartment by another 2 wks. It would be pretty difficult to put flooring in with all the activity of a large family around.

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Sweetness

Brothers - 15 years apart

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Shooting the Breeze

There's never a dull moment in a house full of boys. The other day I came downstairs to see this going on:

We love Nerf! (See the orange dart to the right of the hanging gorilla?)

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Sweater for Pearly's Doll

We are still at the apartment. The plumbing in our house has been repaired. The flooring is on order and should be arriving any day. We have been busy with much neglected schooling and now the homeschool co-op has started up again, so the busy life has begun again. A little knitting has been accomplished.



For Christmas, Pearly got the Just Like Me American Girl doll. She had been dreaming about this doll for quite a while. Unbeknownst to her, I also bought a book with patterns to knit sweaters for 18-inch dolls - Knits for Girls & Dolls, by Charlene Schurch. There was a mistake in the sleeve pattern, but was an easy fix. I will probably try another pattern. The sweaters don't take much yarn, so it would be a great way to use leftover yarn and of course Pearly won't mind adding to her doll's wardrobe.

I used Patons SWS Yarn. It's a wool/soy blend. It's a great yarn, but probably more suitable for larger sweaters - the striping was obviously wonky on such a small project, but we liked the look. Most importantly, little doll's owner loves it and that is what counts. I would definitely buy this yarn again.

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Christmas Bonus

Sometimes it's nice to have others in the family who pick up the camera. I found a treasure on my memory card this morning. Here's a picture of my 16-yr old son and me singing Christmas carols. It's a little dark, but that's exactly how it was. This year I'm directing a homeschool high school choir and he is in it. I love singing alto next to his bass voice. Makes a mom proud!

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