Just Sit Back & Knit

Update & 11 Days!

I've gotten a lot done since my last post...but there is still a lot more to go.

The ballet-style slippers for my sister-in-law have not been touched. Same with the wool soaker that just needs a few buttons. And the single sock is still single.

I've finished the gifts for my midwife and other birth attendants.

I almost finished the first fingerless glove (hand/wrist warmers from last minute knitted gifts) before I decided to switch to a different yarn. I changed from the Noro Cash Iroha (called for in the women's version of the pattern) to the less expensive Araucania Nature Wool Worsted that looks like the Koigu used in the men's version of the pattern. I like the look of the men's version better -- the rib pattern looks better than the offset-rib pattern in the women's version.

this is the third time I've used the calorimetry from the most recent knitty. This one is for Kristie, our childbirth educator and our midwife's student midwife. She'll be attending the birth, too (fingers-crossed that she's not working at her other job when I have the baby).

And two facecloths for Donna, our midwife's assistant:

And last weekend I made these, my sixth pair of slippers. And this pair is for me! I love them.

And since I've been meaning to post this picture...a circle of slippers. The first five pairs for very happy (and warm footed) family members.

I've managed some work on the matinee coat from Debbie Bliss's Simply Baby for my cousin.

and the baby's blanket is finished except for some ends that still need to be woven in. Once I've done that I'll wash it and it'll be ready to welcome the baby.

Finally, the list of things to do before the baby comes has shrunk...a little.

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My due date is just eleven days away...wow! The baby has dropped in the last week or so. My husband thinks I'll have the baby tomorrow but my guess is that I'll go late and deliver on the tenth or eleventh.

My long list of things to do or buy or knit or sew is full of things that aren't critical. Yesterday morning I woke up at five AM (after not going to sleep until after midnight) and couldn't fall back asleep because I kept thinking of all the things I had to do. I got out of bed and finished up some of the more important things. Today I completed work on one time consuming sewing project that I really wanted to get done before the baby. I made nearly thirty "warmy-wet" wipes (flannel reusable baby wipes) and four receiving blankets for the birth. The blankets were made from one cut-up king size flannel sheet while the warmy-wets were made from old flannel pillowcases and some flannel from my scrap basket.

Today I finished a big knitting project that I can't yet reveal here...I don't want the recipient to see it here before I gift her with it.

Tomorrow I hope to shorten some curtain panels I bought at K-mart to cover the small windows in each of our bedrooms. That and putting elastic in a pair of drawstring pj pants of my husband's will complete my sewing projects.

Next week I have to work on my neice's computer and continue with my knitting projects in a prioritized order: sister-in-law's slippers, brother-in-law's slippers and the matinee coat. And wait for the baby who hopefully won't come between Monday and Friday (my mom is going out of town).

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and for fun...crazy pregnant ladies

Happy New Year!

I haven't posted since I've been off work, and you know, the longer I wait to post, the harder it gets to sit down and do it. But this morning Fletchersmama told me to at least post pictures of what I've been working on. So here goes.

First for the pictures of the items I had no plans to make...

calorimetry x2 (hi dad!):

a nice felted bowl:

a single sock:

a wool soaker (missing half of its buttons):

Now for the items that I planned to finished before the baby is born...

fingerless gloves for my wonderful midwife:

yarn to make calorimetry again, this time for our childbirth educator (who is a student midwife and will most likely be at the birth), and more yarn to make facecloths for our midwife's assistant:

more yarn - two pairs of slippers (one pair for me and one pair for my youngest brother-in-law) and a matinee sweater (for my cousin who is due with twins in April--my sister is making the same sweater in a different color):

ballet-style slippers for my younger sister-in-law:

and, of course, the baby's blanket:

not to mention the rest of things to do before the baby comes...

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and for fun, pictures of the parents-to-be...

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and i love this

Still Here, Just Barely

Well, I've already broken my promise, but I am going to try to do better this year!

Currently my digital camera is broken, and, being the procrastinator I am I have not taken any pictures of finished products for a while.  When I pulled out my camera to take a picture of what I am working on, I found it completely unresponsive.  Yes, I checked the batteries.

So, I am working on a felted hat my Nana commissioned.  A lace scarf for myself - thanks to Barbara's help.  And mittens for Fletcher's 4th birthday!!!!!  His birthday in Saturday the 13th and we will be having a party here at home.  I am in denial.

I have also spent the last, oh, 48-70 hours obsessed with figuring out my new MP3 player and how to make it work.  I now know how to get audio tapes on there and listen to them.  The problem comes when I turn off  and then back on my player.  I doesn't save the spot I quit at.  To make matters worse it won't fast forward. Both of these issues only occur with netlibrary files. 
So, that leaves me with three choices, 1) listen to every 3-12 hour story in one sitting ( and though I would love to listen to a tape and knit uninterrupted for 12 hours - in this house that would be impossible), 2) not listen to library story tapes and only buy them online - which defeats the purpose of me getting this thing - to stop accruing late fees at the library and still get story tapes for free, or 3) ditch the MP3 player and go back to checking out at the library and paying my large late-fee fines.
I loathe technology.

Here's a picture just to have one:

This is from some time this summer.
Fletch with his pants on his head
and shirt on his butt.