stash, knit, repeat

Business and super-secret life planning are likely to keep me super-busy for the next week, so please forgive me until I can sit in front of the computer for more than 10 minutes.

But until then:

Something just needs a ribbon, and

the postman is currently my favorite stranger, and

You should absolutely go make yourself some funny-shaped gingersnaps.

Hope you’re all well!

Usually I like to finish one thing before starting another. Not true at the moment, apparently. Exhibit A:

Anastasia socks in Sunshine Yarns, “Emerald Isle”, cast on for St. Patty’s Day. These will be my March socks. They are wicked fun to knit, and toe-up gussets are the coolest things EVER, and I can’t wait to wear them.

Exhibit B:

A nearly-finished Matinee Coat (Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino booklet), for our babysitter’s new baby. This one just needs seaming, ribbon, and a picot hem. Probably a few hours of work, tops. And so cute! But, Exhibit C:

Instead of finishing either one of these worthy projects, neither of which will take much time at all, I cast on for a baby vest that I have no hope of finishing by the time I see the recipient tomorrow. Why? Who knows! It’s cute, though.

(Cable Tank Top from the Baby Cashmerino 3 booklet, smallest size.)

At least finishing all 3 of these up by the end of March is highly likely?

It’s not the right season, necessarily… but Jacob is more than pleased with the latest sock addition, anyway.

(I think he likes socks that match his hair the best of all.)

Pattern: Conwy from Nancy Bush’s “Knitting on the Road”

Yarn: Sundara sock yarn, color “Bronzed Sienna”

Time Elapsed: A couple of weeks, ish?

Modifications/Notes: I made two major modifications. First, I shortened the leg of the sock considerably (2.5 inches, I think, in all) to support slightly lower yardage and my own sock preferences. These are about 6.5 inches long from the cuff to the top of the heel flap.

I also omitted 6 stitches of decrease, resulting in a 66-stitch sock instead of a 60-stitch sock. (You start with 72 and then decrease down.) I also also didn’t like the look of the charted decreases–they seemed like they’d produce a big ol’ stockinette portion on the back of my sock. Not the look I was going for. So I fiddled some and did the decreases thusly:

You can pretty much figure out what I did from the picture, but it might help to know that I started on round 1, decreased two stitches per decrease round, and did 7 rows in between decrease rows. I don’t really remember where I started the decreases, except that it was way after Bush called for them.

It was a star toe, I think, a new one for me. It doesn’t have a kitchener at the front–you just decrease down to 8 stitches and then pull the yarn through. I don’t mind kitchener, but it was fun to try a different toe for a change.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t gush about this yarn for a little while. The Sundara colors are incredibly fabulous, saturated, and rich, without question. But on top of that, the yarn is soft as can be, seems very sturdy, and provides fantastic stitch definition. There really isn’t much more one could want in a sock yarn.

Plus, the color makes you want to bake pumpkin muffins. And that’s never a bad thing.

Thank you all so, so very much for your well-wishes and shared stories. They really warmed my heart.

I did something totally crazy yesterday: I ripped out the Torgeir sweater I was having so much trouble with. The Silky Wool is now back in the closet, and I feel so much better for it. My wips are cleared out (only the Cleopatra Wrap remains as a long-term project), my knitting feels new again.

And I finished the Conwy socks, too, but a FO post will have to wait for blocking and daylight to happen.

So my February installment of the Year of Socks is a little late, but only by a few days. I think this month is going to be all about small projects–another pair of socks, certainly. Some progress on Cleopatra but I don’t expect to finish it this month. Mostly because it seems like every woman I know is having babies, these days. There’s only one logical reaction, I think…

…run to my lys and buy a ton of machine-washable baby wool.

I wasn’t quite sure when I’d write this post. The miscarriage I had in October has made me jumpy, more secretive, more nervous that maybe this time when I go to the doctor, something will be wrong. But, my friends, the time has come to fess up. Because I got the cutest gift in the known universe this weekend, from the lovely and wonderful Sarah.

(I have a hard time knitting for babies not yet born, but I’m so glad others don’t share my neurosis.)

So! I’m in the middle of my 16th week, finally past the 24-hour nausea. Able to knit again. Sitting in the living room, in fact, enjoying the sunshine and turning the heel on my Conwy sock while Jacob reads his book. (”I do it all by myself, Mommy.”) Although Jacob is as enthusiastic-sounding about our upcoming change as he is about everything, I’m pretty sure he has no idea what will be happening some months from now.

What’s it like for me, this time around? Well, I’ll tell you one thing. The stomach muscles pretty much just rolled over and played dead starting the second I found out. I’m in my beloved Gap jeans a full two months earlier than with Jacob, this time.

Wish me luck at my doctor’s appointment next week, okay?