11.29.2007

Beep.

Hi there! You have reached Dan & Becca.

We haven't forgotten to call you. The baby just isn't here yet. Trust us - we will let you know when the kiddo decides to arrive. Or when the doctors decide to "bring in the dynamite".

If you still are interested in talking to us, leave a message. In a nutshell, Dan's new job is going well and Becca is waiting as patiently as she can. Sorry we don't have anything more exciting to tell you :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

And the really funny thing is that aside from my mom and Betsy checking on me (and the other knitters online / blog readers) everyone is calling Dan!! :) Our phone has not rung so much ever!

The nonstress test / ultrasound stuff yesterday went well - heartbeat is fine, my blood pressure is fine, the amniotic fluid levels were on the low side. Kick counts have been ok too. I go for another nonstress test on Friday afternoon. Currently I'm waiting for the doctor to call me back to find out if the next step is just scheduling a regular appointment or if we go forward with induction.

Happy thoughts.

11.27.2007

Bored

No baby yet. I don't have an early bird, the bun is still in the oven and the little butterball is still getting roasted. We had a really nice Thanksgiving at my folks, though it was different - Nana was missed, Virginia was there and the in-laws didn't stay too long (my MIL had an accident earlier in the week and was not feeling well).

I should be taking advantage of these last few quiet days I suppose. BUT. I'm tired of reading. I'm not really feeling the knitting groove as much as I would like. I'm anxious about the baby. Mom is coming with me to my appointment tomorrow where they'll monitor the baby's heartbeat and movement and fluid levels. Hopefully we'll hear that everything is still fine and all, but still - I'm getting impatient and frustrated and anxious. Given that I have the time during the day of course my imagination gets away from me. And while our friends are well intentioned in calling to check in on us (even Dan's college roomates are calling to find out!) and my mom is calling to check on me I wish I had something better to tell them than "Nope, sorry, no baby yet." My brother and girlfriend were woken up by a phone call at 3am thinking it would be us with good news, but it was just someone yelling at them in Chinese. And that person knew nothing about a baby. Sheesh.

I cast on and finished a pair of hand / wrist warmers (from Last Minute Knitted Gifts) for my grandmother - her name is Veronica and that is the name of the yarn colorway. I don't know if she'll actually wear them, but maybe as glove liners? I think that I can make a second pair from the first skein and then give them to my mom - not sure if she would wear them either, but I am pretty sure she would appreciate the knitted gift in a pretty colorway that shares the name with her mom. The yarn is "Harrisville Silk & Wool" - it's a bit uneven in texture, but on the whole I like it.
Veronica Wrist Warmers

11.18.2007

Jive Turkey

First off, thanks to those who commented about the police tape scarf - the consensus is that it is a good idea, so I jumped in and cast on. So far I've got "Do Not" done - I'm going to adjust it slightly so it says "Do Not Cross Crime Scene" and repeat that. I'm using acrylic and it's curling, but I'll deal with that later.

A major thanks to Sara of goingcrafty.com - she let me know about her Jive Turkey Baby Hat pattern. Of course I knit it up. I used US 6 needles and cast on only 64 to make it a little smaller, in the hopes that Baby will arrive this week and actually be able to wear it. Otherwise, guaranteed I will make it again for next year :) It was a really quick knit and I expect it will get a big response when it does get shown off (this year or next). For now, Jackson is my model. Happy early Thanksgiving!

Jackson Jive Turkey
Turkey Dachshund

11.15.2007

Another Hat & Scarf idea for a teen guy?

In keeping my mind off the fact that the due date is one week away (and the added part of that which is that the due date is really just the midpoint of the two weeks prior and post in which baby could arrive) and keeping my mind from wondering if every little twitch or ache is the start of labor I'm still knitting away. Last night, I cast on, knit and cast off an "Umbilical Cord Hat" from "Stitch 'n Bitch".
Umbilical Cord Hat
I used Lousia Harding Kimono Angora yarn which is oh so soft! And thinking about it now, given that it is 70% angora probably doesn't make it the best sort of baby hat. But, for my baby it'll be ok - enough for a photo or two. The colorway is kind of a peas + carrots - there are shades of greens / yellows / oranges, but they aren't obnoxious. It's a good fall hat. (Or spring I suppose). Hurry up Baby H - you've got all these little knits to wear!!

This year for Christmas, the family (which is HUGE - I think there are at least 30 people) decided to do one to one exchanges - someone picked names out of a hat and you will give a gift (with a $ limit) to that one person. The Baby has my 13 (14?) year old cousin, Max. According to his mom, he would probably be happiest with gift cards to a sports store or itunes. That works out just find for us! She also mentioned that he likes CSI - so I google and "ravel" on ravelry and found this Police Tape Scarf - I think it's cool - and a possibility to knit up in time... I think I could do it in the round... Would a young teen guy like something like that?? I've got the materials... I might do it up just to do it and keep my mind off the sometime arrival of you know who.

11.14.2007

An Unoriginal Post

A finished object! The Unoriginal Hat by the Yarn Harlot.
My Unoriginal Hat
Yarn: Fat Sheep Yarn, Raspberry colorway, from Farmhouse Yarns
Mods: I used two US11 (8.00mm) circulars because I don't have 7mm dpns but I do have a big head.
Other notes: It could be pregnancy brain or just not paying attention, but for whatever reason I started knitting this on US7 needles (that's only 4.5mm!) and when I was reading the chart I was working it backwards / upside down as is my usual for cables. It looked like crap. I reread the pattern, found the appropriate needles, and also found the written out instructions! Don't know how I missed those before. The end result is a rather snug head hugging hat, it's quite warm. It will also match two of the scarves I wear regularly so that's good.

In baby related news, as some people have asked: I'm feeling ok (but tired of getting in the way of myself. I would like to be able to bend over to put on socks or pull a blanket up from the other end of the couch. Or roll over in bed easily. And I'd like to be rid of the heartburn.) The due date is Thanksgiving. That's one week from this coming Thursday. At my appointment on Monday I was actually 1cm dilated, so that's good, but still doesn't mean much more than this is really going to happen. Dan has only two more days at work (he's starting a new job end of Nov / early Dec) so it would be great for Baby to decide to arrive this week.

And that's about it. Some of my WIP I've decided are just going to hibernate till spring. I've still got startitis. Oh and my grandmother has requested a second doorknob cosy. :)

11.12.2007

Baby Knits

Two FO's to blog about today - first off - baby booties!
Booties 2
Pattern: Saartjes Bootees (pdf file)
Yarn: leftover yarn that I used on the Carolina socks, Sockenwolle "Light" from handgefaerbt.com
Such a quick project. I do think I would like them better in a solid color or two, but for now, these are great!

Second, a Christmas Hat!
Christmas Tree Hat modeled
Pattern: Christmas Tree Hat from P2 Designs.
Yarns: stashbusting with Plymouth Wildflower DK (green), Plymouth Dreambaby DK (yellow), and Debbie Bliss Merino DK (red)
Mods: Instead of a PomPom, I made a star - so quick and easy! 5 rows!
I hope that it fits - I made the largest size (newborn) and it does have some stretch. I bet Jackson will be so happy to give up this side gig as a knitwear model.

11.11.2007

Mish Mash

My ravelry shirt arrived on Friday - yay! I haven't tried it on yet - saving that until after the baby arrives.

Which according to the doctor at Thursday's appointment the kid is not coming out any time soon. But he has been wrong. But he's also old so I should listen to him. Whatever. I'm ready to meet this little one and have the world meet them too! My next appointment is tomorrow, maybe something will have changed.

Knitting wise I'm working on a pair of Saartje's Booties using leftover sock yarn - so small, so cute!!

I was hoping for the weather to cool down, but this weekend it's been frigid! And now with the heat on I'm constantly all dried out. And my skin is really annoyed by this - feels like I have windburn or something.

Bleh. Next post should have photos. Something more than random ramblings.

11.05.2007

Seaweed

New magknits is up today! The socks are interesting - I'll keep them on the back burner for now. What really struck me was seaweed - what a neat idea!! I would love to start on it now, but don't yet have the baby to include in the measurements - maybe I could use my Cabbage Patch Kid, "Garnet Lenore"

Side story part 1: What a name for the Cabbage Patch Kid huh? That's the name she came with, I didn't love it, but never changed it either. My uncle used to tease me all the time "Garnet Lenore will soon be coleslaw!" and being 5 years old, I didn't get it. Until about high school when I realized what coleslaw was made of. To this day I still don't eat coleslaw.

Side story part 2: When I was 5 or 6 my Gram took my brother and me into New York City. Among other things we saw that day, we went to the Cabbage Patch Kid store / nursery in New york City. They had a cabbage patch staffed with nurses and you could witness the Cabbage Patch Kids being "born". Then, audience members could shout out names for them. Somewhere out there is a Cabbage Patch doll (or two) with the name of one of my mom's cousins.

11.04.2007

Dust in the Wind

I finally completed my largest knitting project to date - the tilted duster has all the seams complete and ends woven in! Excuse the poor lighting in the photos:
Tilted Duster (collar up) FO
It needs buttons and probably a blocking too (haven't ever done that - little nervous). But I also like it with the collar down:
Tilted Duster (collar down) FO
I'm undecided about it. Maybe at tomorrow's SnB I'll get some ideas on what to do with it.

I feel so proud - I actually made an adult sized garment and it fits! It's so warm too :) Glad I got it done before the baby arrives - it's a cute maternity sweater / outer layer / house sweater.
Give Life, Donate Blood