Two Black Sheep

Here Comes the Hotstepper

Happy Easter (maybe a day late) . . . holidays are different when you don't have kids in the house. There was no dying of the hard boiled eggs, no buying of the Easter candy, no attempting to make everyone happy with the Easter dinner but pleasing no one. Actually, it was kind of like any other Sunday for us, except that we celebrated with an all day Law and Order: UK marathon. By the end, I actually did believe that Jamie Bamber was a Brit after all. Amazing.

At least while I was off I got to knit on the February Lady Sweater, which I will now refer to by its new and improved name: Mabel. For some reason, I just don't want to call it by FLS possibly for fear of jinxing myself. So Mabel she is, and truly, I have no idea where the name came from . . . it just strikes me as a Mabel. I think I have about eight more inches of the body to go and then just the sleeves. It's coming along quite nicely, and the rhythm of the Gull Stitch comes back relatively quickly. Probably helps that I have a student teacher right now (and that I have a ton of television series on DVD to watch). I'm hoping . . . hoping  . . . that it will be done by the end of April. The shop is having a WIP-a-thon, but I'm not sure that I'm going to participate. Trust me, it's not that I don't have any WIPs (au contraire) but I really want to concentrate on getting a sweater done for a fall class . . . and I know my limits.

The sock I finished was started when I got my sweet peas tattooed this summer. It languished, as socks so often do, and needed only a few more round until it was finished. When I started this pair, I know that I intended to knit the left one spiraling one way and the right one spiraling the opposite. I think that if I reverse the position of the decrease and the way that I knit the decrease I should get the desired effect . . . but will I? For this one, I knit until the decrease, did a yarn over, and then knit two together. So, if I knit until the decrease, knit two together through the back loops (because I am lazy . . . sue me), and then the yarn over, I am thinking it will work. Famous last words?

Enjoy this beautiful weather . . . our state standardized tests begin this week . . . joy.

Ava

PS - The girls will be 19 in ten days . . . huh. We'll be celebrating  a week early next weekend in Philly with a big dinner . . . which should be fun.

Imma Be

It's hard for me to get enthusiastic about garter stitch. I know, I know . . . some people love it (Lola, for one) and create whole garments centered around the humble stitch, but me . . . meh. I could take it or leave it. However, I loved Lola's Rambling Rows that she made for Tuck and decided that when my co-worker at school announced she was pregnant, I would make her a Rambling Rows.

Two small problems: she wasn't finding out the sex of the baby and I hate garter stitch. At first, they didn't seem like much of a problem, but try picking gender neutral colors and you are left with icky pastels or bright primary colors. Both kind of make me want to puke. I was almost ready to say, "You know what color really needs a fashionable baby resurgence . . . gray!" until Joanne found some shades that I could live with. I knit and knit and knit on this baby blanket until I felt like my knuckles will most likely in twenty years when arthritis sets in. And still, it seemed like I was only on block 14 of 55. Through every snowstorm (and three seasons of Battlestar Galactica on DVD), I knit. This blanket has taught me many things:

1. How to tension my yarn properly around my index finger - yup, never quite did that before. Only problem . . . can't get the swing of it whilst purling.
2. How to weave in my ends as I go - I would still be weaving them in with a tapestry needle had I not done this each and every time I switched colors.
3. How much garter still blows - I don't get it. Really . . . it's soft and squishy, but blah.
4. How much I hate Dalegarn Falk - the yarn splits, it catches on my hands (but some how manages to look and feel amazing). 
5. How piss poor my crochet skills are - still have to use the "I Can't Believe I Can Crochet" booklet to produce a single crochet (and I added a three stitch picot border on top of the single crochet border in a shade of yellow that will haunt me in my dreams many years from now).

So, amidst the epic Olympic failure that were the Johnny Rotten mittens and every conceivable project that inspired lust in my eyes, I created a pretty lovely little baby blanket for the baby of pretty lovely parents one of whom will be missed sorely as I teach without her for the next quarter.

That leaves me with a wide open knitting agenda, which has already been filled with the February Lady Sweater. Once more with enthusiasm, but this time with superwash . . . because I learn from my mistakes.

Enjoy the weekend and the holiday!

Ava

(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To

Let's see . . . since our last post, the following things have occurred:

1. I attended my first ever Stitch and Pitch along with several of the ladies I knit with on Tuesday evenings. We were going to take two cars but wound up only needing one . . . best thing ever to happen. It truly helps when your driver, the fabulous husband of one of the ladies in question who always calls to give us our estimated departure time on Tuesday evenings, is a former New York City cab driver. Enter car, sit down, laugh a lot, arrive at Citi Field without causing an accident. There were about 200 or so knitters in left field in the promenade (which sounds glamorous as all get out until you realize that it is a nice way of saying "nose bleed" section) all knitting away, which is probably what the Mets were doing, too. There is no other way of excusing the 10 run lead that the Braves had at the bottom of the 3rd. I knit on my EZ moccasins from The Knitter's Almanac; they might be one of the few patterns by EZ that I just don't get . . . truly not liking this pattern, but at least the girls will have a comfy pair of socks when I am done. Oh, and if you ever want free stuff, make sure you have Maryann with you . . . and by free stuff I am talking about books from Nikki Epstein that Nikki autographs to you right before she hands them to over (thanks for the Harding book, my Italian guru).

2. Owing to my crap skills of cabling and chatting at the same time, I crossed a cable the wrong way three times - it looks very, very drunken - on my latest project, so I had to drop down 18 rows and knit up the correct cable. I sure as hell was not going to rip out 18 rows just to fix four effing stitches. Then, to add insult to injury, the last cable that I knit that night after I actually got to knit was wrong. Maybe it's old age setting in.

3. Awesome segue . . . the Flyer turned 40 amid suffering from the flu. Sure it wasn't the flu, but it sucked ass nonetheless especially since the girls were home for the weekend. I debated whether I should get him a card that lamented what a pain it was getting older with the health issues or one that explained that he was just a few years away from making crap up . . . and chose the last one. Luckily he is on the mend, but between the two of us, we've been sickish since August 14.

4. Beth Brown Reinsel visited Mountain Knits and Pearls again for another workshop. This time, she demonstrated different gansey techniques with a small sample sweater. And, shockingly enough, I actually finished this one. Granted, it will never grace a person, bear, or Barbie, but I know of a really nice bottle of wine that has been longing for a hand-knit merino sweater.

5. Probably the best part of the blog silence, Lola had business in New York City earlier last week, so I hopped on a train (missing my first train by 30 seconds - I counted!) to visit with my sister for a day and a half. I treated her to her first Indian meal, which was excellent by the way, after which we both needed the ten block hike back to the hotel. The following day, I successfully got us to six different shops from the Midtown to the Upper East side to Soho and back again with only one wrong turn . . . and even that wasn't really a wrong turn since I simply didn't read the address on my print out correctly. Even Lola will admit that she was subtly impressed. Hits: Amma for dinner, School Products for the birthday yarn and yak, Knitty City just because. Misses: 'wichcraft for not living up to the hype, the R train for not having its schedule labeled better, and Purl for not having anything that piqued my interest (but I'll let that slide this one time). 

6. And finally, we bought a new mattress. We actually bought the box springs as well, but they wouldn't fit up the stairs . . . just another charming example of why living in a house that was built almost 100 years ago keeps you on your toes.

That's it . . . nothing major, nothing really new, nothing exciting . . . just life. I have several "obligation" knits that I have to get done before I can tackle anything fun and exciting. But all in all, fall is looking to be a pretty interesting season.

Ava

How Soon Is Now?

Yesterday, I signed off that I am a shit knitter. At times, I am pretty sure that we have all had our moments in which we question our ability to follow a simple pattern and make it work. After all, knitting is basically the same two stitches repeated until you have found a look you like. The pattern simply offers a way for you to get from point A to point B and have something reasonably useful to show for it. Lately, however, I am wondering why the hell I even bother. Never mind the February Lady Sweater debacle; that was my own cock up, and I kind of deserved exactly what I got. The three of the last four sweaters that I knit will never be worn by the recipients for whom they were knit. 75% is the chance that our OB/GYN gave us of having another set of twins . . . we walked away never to have any more. Knitting? Is that the same fate for you?

Here's the skinny. Bringing Sexy Back doesn't fit properly under the arms for Betty, and she'll never wear it. I took it to Knit Night, and Tricia and I came to the conclusion that either Mom serges a new underarm seam and I reknit the sleeves or I offer to someone who will wear it. Lola or the Other Sister might fit into it, so at least I can rest easy knowing that someone might actually get some use out of it. Purple Rain, which I knit for Miss Veronica, suffers the same fate . . . too big under the arms. She'll never, ever wear it. This one, I'm not that completely broken up about since I knit it as a sample for the shop as well. Lola did have this on our queue so perhaps the purple shade will sit sell with her. Otherwise, Mom might get this one; I'm sure I can find her something to sew for me. Granted, someone will wear the sweaters . . . just not the person for whom I intended. The fourth one? It's another February Baby Sweater, destined for one of Lola's friends in Columbus who are expecting their first baby in a few weeks. Hell, even that sweater I have no certainty that it will be worn by the child in question.

So . . . 75% odds? Do I give up knitting? Oh, god no . . . not unless  the Flyer wants an overly cranky wife on his hands or the girls want a mother who smothers them. Something has to occupy my hands, and it may as well be knitting. After all, there is Malabrigo Lace (that pink reminds me of Peeps) to be knit and Juliana's math to be rejiggered. I feel so Scarlet O'Hara at this moment since: As God as my witness, knitting's not going to lick me . . . at least I think that's what she meant to say.

Wish me luck - I'm ready to swatch for the next big adventure!

A

Wishful Thinking

Saturday brought the first class of the February Baby Sweater, and I half-heartedly thought about casting on for the adult version. The amount of projects that I have on the needles (note: I lie about what I really have posted in the side-bar) and what I should have on the needles made me pause, and instead, I cast on for the baby version for friends of Lola's who are expecting in May. Actually, I cast on twice: first in Pandora Rose (the chartreuse wasn't playing well with the stitch pattern) and then in a yarn called Fiesta, which I received in a swap. I think it will look lovely on a little girl in mid-October, and I can probably bribe Lola into taking some picture.

I'm trying to be a better teacher with my knitting classes and typed up some notes about the sweater. The problem is since it's an Elizabeth Zimmerman pattern, the notes are longer than the damn pattern. And, for once, I gave out the email address as well as the blog address in the notes if my students had a question over the week. For some reason, I've kept this very separate from knitting classes, but I think that is changing slowly. I mean, there are the names after all. How do you explain to people that you use a pseudonym on a "secret" blog (and really, it's only secret from our family) or that you chose the names you did because you and your sister have soft spots for strippers? Actually, it's getting easier every time it trips off my tongue.

I haven't the foggiest idea what to do with the two cakes of yarn in the photo. The top one is called "October" by Chameleon Colorworks and the bottom is by Cascade Heritage Paints in "Forest". Both could be made into socks, but I would like to find something new to do with the sock yarn. The Cascade could make a lovely pair of gloves or a Baby Surprise Jacket . . . suggestions?

We had parent/teacher conferences at work this week. Parents, teachers don't look forward to conferences any more than you do. We are most likely just as nervous sitting across from you as you are from us. Conferences went pretty well this time around, and during a down moment, one of my team-mates asked if I was looking forward to the girls heading to college in August. This is still very hard for me to talk about, but I told him that I was in a way, but it still petrifies me since so much of my adult life has been defined as being their mom. I don't know how I will handle it when they leave, and that terrifies me. I'm really counting on family and friends to help "manage" the situation. Otherwise, it's just me and Blue Moon.

The Flyer leaves for Orlando on Tuesday and will be gone until Sunday. It's his first trip in ages; that will mean no sleep on Tuesday but stretching out the rest of the week across the bed. Since he is flying into Orlando, I can stock up on Lush's Ultra Bland without heading into Manhattan. Call it a Valentine's Day present, baby, and we're even. I'm thinking about getting him this for Valentine's Day - gives him something to look forward to when he gets back.

Enjoy your weekend . . . the weather here is rather sublime and my favorite temperature: mid-50s. The Flyer and I were rather impressed with the icicles from the trumpet vines out front. Clearly, they were taken a week ago as most of the snow has melted, leaving us with the icky gray road salt mixed with mud.

Ava

PS - Lola and I were bit by the "25 Random Things" on Facebook, so I decided to post it tomorrow on the blog for the "100 Things About Us" . . . we're 50 short - give us some time. Drop us an email if you are on Facebook and we'll add you to the friends' list.

Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's a Shame)

Tons of tags on this one, but really it boils down to this: with knitting, I seem to pick projects that are either a) sweaters knit in one piece or b) really, really big rectangles or c) afghans that will never be finished. Look closely at the photos, and you might see why that is.

Take for example the Spirit Sweater. Granted, it's really the February Lady Sweater but I just can't bring myself to call it that . . . probably because I'm no lady. I knit a row and feel exhausted. Over and over again, I remind myself that I am knitting the whole thing at one time (except for those sleeves), but it doesn't do any good. You've got to love EZ and her simplicity but maybe this is why she had the pattern for a baby. Even Liz might have found knitting for a 52 inch chest in the gull lace pattern a bit daunting (probably not, but it gets me through the day). The Big Fat Girl Crush? Long rectangle. Check back with me in a year and we'll see if I've made any progress. It's not a matter of purchasing all that Noro Silk Garden since I have had all the yarn for two years. The afghans? Good lord . . . three and none of them will keep me warm this year unless I pile the pieces strategically around me.

Maybe that's why I like socks . . . they're quicker, more portable, and seem to be a smaller project. In reality, the only thing they have going for them is the portability aspect. Even that will most likely change in the coming months as I teach myself knitting two at a time so that I can teach a class at the shop.

Enter Interweave's Holiday Knits issue. I was looking for something fast like last year's home run Koolhaas. No such luck this time around. Granted, it was replete with gorgeous (and I would have put periods between all the letters but am too lazy) hand knits, but there was nothing that seemed like it would go quickly that truly interested me. The one that piqued my interest was the Frost Flowers Stole (long rectangle? I'm your bitch). I bought the last copy at the knit shop - there were more coming, lest you think I got greedy - specifically for that pattern until the reality of casting on 992 stitches sunk in. Let me repeat that 992 stitches. The next sentence in the directions is: Casting on a large number of stitches can be a challenge (really? Thanks for the heads up IK) so you might want to put stitch markers every 20 stitches and make the tail of the 100s longer. Again, you are so insightful IK editors. I never - NEVER - would have thought to put stitch markers every 20 stitches. Then again, I never will need to since I would be knitting this. If anyone knits this, let me know . . . I would like to tip my hat!

The girls received their SAT results and we were all very thrilled with the results. Now? We wait to see which colleges say, "Come on down" and which ones say, "Thanks." I don't really remember it being this nerve wracking when I was the senior, but it probably was. I have a meeting to attend today about the girls, and I'm dreading it. Suffice it to say, the mama bear in me is coming out and it usually isn't a pretty sight even when I am trying to control the tone of my voice. Veronica says that tone is worse than being yelled at. I'll post about it later.

Have a lovely weekend . . . and stay warm! It's freezing on the East coast and the wool clogs are coming in very handy.

Ava

PS - the Winter Knotions Preview is up . . . some very tempting items in that one, especially the knee socks. See what I mean? Even the socks are getting longer - UGH!

Power and the Passion

So, my sister is a quitter . . . about fucking time! Honestly, Grace was the first knitting pattern I ever "officially" quit, but truth be told, there are lingering WIPs that are so far gone that I ought to quit them; when you pick up a project and can't remember where you are or why you were there, it might be time to call it quits whether the yarn was pricey silk-merino or cheap-ass acrylic.

Today's topic de rigeur is Obligation Knitting. You can call it Guilt Knitting or Knitting-for-Others or Knitting Because You Have To, but I'm going to call it what it is: knitting because you feel obligated. My Obligation Knitting takes the the form of EZ's beautiful February baby sweater. I knit this once before (out of obligation, by the way) for a colleague at work who was having a baby girl. The yarn was cheap and I wanted to try the pattern, so I wasn't too broken up over it.  Suffice it to say, the sweater turned out marginally okay, the colleague loved it, and slowly people began to expect a small baby sweater when the bumps began to grow. Turns out I started a trend and four baby sweaters later, I was fine with it. But this sweater is different. You see, up until this point, I liked all the colleagues that I was knitting for. This time around . . . I don't. Please - don't roll your eyes and say, "How horrible! How can she say that!" We just don't get along. Period. The truly bad part is we work on the same team, eat lunch together every day, and should work closely together. So, in a few short months she'll be welcoming her first child, and I was torn. To knit or not to knit . . . Shakespeare forgive me.

So, I began knitting it out of obligation. Sure I could have said no to that inner nag inside my head, but she just wouldn't go away. I rationalized it by saying that I was truly knitting for her baby girl who had done nothing to me other than make her mamma sick a little and thus inconvenience me during a project. So, Baby M will have a cute February baby sweater in the most luscious chili pepper red wool bamboo yarn Moda Dea could produce. I might be knitting out of obligation, but I don't have to knit it out of yarn that I don't like. Besides, that little nag in my head has a mind of her own and I have great plans for this pattern during the summer.

With Earth Day a mere 12 hours away, another topic I need to get off my chest is this whole push towards green marketing. Hello? Wal-Mart? Let's talk about how annoying those idiot pre-teens are that you have shilling your Coca-Cola t-shirts made with recycled plastic bottles. Here's a thought. Why not encourage people to drink less soda as a means of reducing plastic bottles in the first place instead of shoving crap t-shirts at us. Call it "feel good green" or "eco-consumerism" or whatever other good awful clap-trap your marketing firm thought up, you're still making a buck because you use cheap labor in a Third World country. And Campbell's Soup with a green label? Pittsburgh's favorite son is spinning in his grave as we speak. There are other blogs who put it better than I do, so please . . . go see what they have to say. For Earth Day, I plan on not handing out a single worksheet and have decided to reduce my printing by 25% for next year. If I can keep it up, I'll be back to slates for my students in no time at all.

So, I'll stop while I'm only a little bit bitter since I have the body of the sweater to finish as well as the seaming. Oh, and the baby shower. Did I mention that I'm co-planning the baby shower? No, well, I am. That takes obligation to a whole new level. Have a lovely time in Florida, Lola. Don't do anything I wouldn't do . . . that still leaves you plenty!

Ava

PS - If you live in Pennsylvania and you are registered . . . VOTE tomorrow! Even if your candidate has it all sewn up . . . VOTE!

Hurry Hurry Drive the Firetruck...

I've never been a shy person.  Never ever!  My mom has pointed out to almost every medical person we encountered last week that it took her 5 minutes to push me out.  Then I had colic for the first couple months of my life.  See?  I never wanted to be silenced.  We don't even have a lot of shy people in our family.  Ava isn't one of them.  There have been a number of shopping trips where B & V have asked Ava & I not talk with the cashiers.  Yes, we're the people that talk about a good shit & ask the cashier's opinion.  In the isles of a supermarket, we've discussed whether an extended family member was on meth or crack (Come on.  Every family has one or two.  Don't they?).  Quiet, Modesty or Discretion are not words that you'll find in our vocabulary.

There is one thing that I am shy about, knitting.  This fact is still something that makes me insane.  I shrug it off when people compliment a finished project.  I don't openly talk about my hobby unless someone really presses.  If someone asks for me to teach them, I just think that they're being nice.  Ava knits with a group on a regular basis (I think) & has encouraged me to find one.  But I've only knit with a group once.  I had to transfer stitches so I could return some needles.  I stuck around for an extra 15 minutes.  I don't know why I didn't go back.  I enjoyed the women & I liked that I actually knew a lot about knitting.  I never had a lot of confidence about my skill level since taught myself how to knit 2 different times.  Once with a pamphlet from a craft store when I was in grade school.  And again 4 years ago with the aid of Debbie Stoller.  Ava had asked about doing a blog a couple months before we took the plunge.  I really wanted to, but my knitting shyness reared it's head.  What would we write about?  Would my FO be good enough?  Would people yell at me for enjoying a romp with cheap yarn?  Is mom going to be pissed at us more than she already is?  But we did it & haven't stopped.  I think that most bloggers would agree, the most important thing we've gained from the blog are the friends.

Our first contest winner was Sarah from Bella Knitting.  I love seeing pictures of her little one (but where's that puppy been) & of course her finished projects.  Damned if I don't want a Minimalist Cardigan now!  Last week, I was laying on the couch when the mail arrived & I noticed a box.  I went through my mental online shopping list.  Got the blocking wires, yarn, shoes, & fabric.  What's this?  When I opened it, I found the cutest postcard & a wonderful sweater.  I was so touched that she thought of us to take the time to create this gift.  As a knitter, I understand the time & energy it takes to create something.  I love when people gush over a simple hat that I've made.  But I've gotten pissed when I don't receive the "proper" reaction to a pair of socks.  Those people don't get gifts anymore.  Thank you Sarah for the lovely gift!  If I could thank you in person, I would.  Perhaps someday.

On our first excursion as a family, Tuck was kept warm with his very own hand-knit sweater.  I'm pretty confident in saying that it's an EZ Tomten, but I know for sure that it was knit with Karabella Aurora 8.  I have yet to knit with this yarn & I have known for a while that she loves it.  I swear to Sarah that next time I see some, I'll snatch it up.  I'll make a pilgrimage to School Products just to load up on it.  The fabric is so buttery & squishy that Tuck slept the entire time through a busy food court & Gus singing the "Firetruck" song.  Loudly.  Guess who also isn't shy?   

When the package arrived, it was the one of the only times that I wanted to tell our Mother about the blog.  She asked how I knew Sarah & I told her she was a friend that Ava & met online.  Sometimes the word "online" can frighten people.  I wanted to reassure Mom that Ava & I aren't involved in any creepy knitting games.  But I'm sure if I did slip & tell Mom, she wouldn't understand.  How do you explain to a non-blogger about your blog relationships?  How you check other blogs everyday to see if they've had a baby yet?  How you feel sorrow for bloggers that have lost loved ones?  How you start to worry if you haven't seen a post in a while (Ms. Pink?  Hello?)  Most bloggers that I read, I'd never recognize them on the street.  But someday I hope that Ava & I will get to meet some of our blog friends.

-L

p.s. Soon a FO photo-shoot of some Buckeye socks & Honeybee stole.

Thunder Rolls

Still raining.  Thank god we got the basement waterproofed last month, or else that'd be one more thing I'd be worry about today.  Yesterday was so good!  I found an interesting product during my training (Anti Monkey Butt Itch powder anyone?).  Daycare was praising Gus.  What mother doesn't like that?  The only thing to make the day better was if we ran into a rainbow spouting chicken wings & cotton candy, instead Gus & I T-boned a Hyundai .  Not my fault & after 3 hours in  labor & deliver, everyone is in perfect health.  But once again, I'm stuck at home without a car.  This time, I'm spending the day tracking down the other person's insurance.  I was going to get a rental & take care of my trainings for the day, but SK begged me to stay at home & knit.  That's just what I'm doing.  He knows my Achilles heel.

Today will be spent working on Honeybee.  I have 2 repeats finished.  No real problems as of yet.  I still have to refer to the chart and the actual knitting.  I'd rather be knitting on my Denise's, but the Options have a nice point.  I just need to get used to the thin yarn slipping & then I'll be golden.  Ann's instructions have been great so far, but I need to customize the chart even further.  I highlight the even rows & then right out the differences between RS & WS knitting.  All instructions for the rows that begin on the left side of the fabric have got to be written in my left column.  This makes my knitting life so much easier.  I absolutely adore the color of the yarn.  I'm not usually a honey colored girl, but it's hypnotizing & yummy.

I also got around to taking pictures of TBA's BSJ.  It turned out much larger than expected.  According to some sizing chart I found online, it says the jacket should fit an 18 month-old.  It's big, but I don't think that it's that large.  I used Cider Moon's Glacier in the Thin Mint color.  No pooling & just a speckle of brown.  I was going to add longer sleeves & a collar, but I'll wait & see when the jacket will fit TBA.  If it's Spring, I'll keep the length.  I had to buy an extra ball to finish the jacket, so I had enough for a Zeebee hat.

Grover is the best model we had in the house.  I had a rocky start with this pattern.  How could that be?  It's garter, Lola!  I am so used to counting garter rows in the ridge form that I had forgotten that a ridge consist of 2 rows.  Thanks to the Julie at KnittingJuju for her excellent advice.  This is the second & final version of the hat.  My first hat was a 13 inch circumference with a 5 inch length.  It seemed really big.  Gus was a large baby, but not that big.  I ripped & decided to go with an 11 inch circumference.  The fabric is stretchy, so TBA's noggin will be nice & warm when he spends his first couple days in the world. Hopefully the lure of Honeybee will taper off long enough for me to knock another Zeebee out before the camping trip.

Back to the couch & the needles.
-Lola

I've Lost You

Oh how quiet our little house is...  Pup is sleeping in her chair; something she hasn't done in about a week.  She'll wake up just to pout because her buddy isn't here.  This will go on for about 3 days.  All night, Gus will ask about B, V & Ava.  And I'll be bored. 

Maybe I'll get out of my funk with a little Show & Tell.

Yep, that's TBA's BSJ!  I have about 7 more rows until I have to wrangle it into an actual sweater.  I ran out of yarn the first night that Ava came to visit, so it's been crumpled in a corner.  The BSJ is one of those knits that I'm unsure if I really love it, but I felt guilted into making one.   I felt like it was a knit that every knitter had to pull off their needles at least once.  I started knitting before Gus & I started getting into blogs during the pregnancy.  This is where I discovered EZ's methods.  After making the Totem for Gus, garter stitch got into my veins.  The BSJ was an obvious first sweater for TBA.  I bought the yarn prior to the big Sex Reveal (I'll post that later), & I love it!  After a rocky start, this project has been a home-run.  I'm hoping to finish up this weekend.

So let's talk about the contest.  Thank you for everyone's favorite childhood books.  They brought back so many memories.  Who doesn't love Beverly Clearly?  All the Frances' books, come on!?  Oh & Good Night Moon, I cry at the end of that book each time I read it to Gu!.   Drum-roll, please.

Mandy, email us your address & Ava will ship you a TwoBlackSheep gift!

I have a bunch of info & new projects to share in the next couple of days, but I've got to clean this house & do some actual work.
-Lola