Finishing and Starting

So along with trying to get my ravelry and sidebar up to date (not all my projects, just since the last time I brought them up to date), I figured I'd update here also.

I had some people over yesterday (monday) that helped with the kids and socialized with me. While they were here I managed to get some crafty stuff done.

I finished these socks:



...and kept working on these ones.



I worked on this spinning (and finished plying it today, drying now, nice photo when it's done hopefully)


...and I plan to start this one next.


I'm planning to try to make a thicker yarn and I'm toying with the idea of alternating the two colors (both are 100% Merino). They are sage and daffodil, the green isn't quite right in the picture though... We'll see what I do when I start it.

So that means I have kept up with the Tour de Fleece so far, spinning a bit every day, and so far have finished two seperate yarns (yardage and wpi info still to come for both of them)


I have also been doing the Hundred Push-up Challenge. I've been doing this every M/W/F and I was supposed to start week 5 this week. Instead of that, I figured I would do week four again, but this time do the middle column (I've been doing first column so far every week). And then next week I'll do week 4 again but do the right most column instead, and then start week 5 the following week, following the same pattern, so for the last three weeks (4, 5, and 6) I'll do them each three consecutive weeks, working through the columns. Make sense? So that means that yesterday I did 90 pushups over the course of about 15 minutes.

Starting to Catch up!

Since last we spoke....

I have been tending the kids, discovering the wonderful smell of line dried clothing (not everything, I'm not crazy, just a couple batches here and there to ease up on the electric bill while we have our window ACs on), enjoying the strawberry jam we made, researching some genealogy (some certificates from England!!), tending the garden (so many green tomatoes!), and alternating between watching instant netflix at night, and sleeping through (well, 5 hours is almost through the night, right?) and...


I have been spinning! Finally! Tour de fleece was the push I needed, and although I didn't sign up I did take it as an unofficial challenge. I started on July 4th (as my husband had the day off and I had a few minutes to start!) I have been spinning things out of my stash, and spinning a bit every day (well, one day I spent finishing the yarn, but still spinning related). So I finished this:




I received that for Christmas from Lily and sweet husband. The color is somewhere between those pictures. It took about a week between start time and when the finished yarn was dry. I haven't measure the length yet, but it was slightly more than 8 ounces, and it sure looks like a lot there now :) It is called Firesky (BFL) and is dyed by Mama-E bought through Creative Fibers
.

I am still working on my pair of socks...



...and I started a pair for my sweet husband.



I even pulled out another roving (purchased last year at rhinebeck) and have it half spun now.


I've even been sewing! I've so far made 2 small cloth bags,
(one for me)


(and one for Lily)


a wrap skirt and peasant blouse for Curly,


and we're planning an outfit for Lily.

This has been thanks to my younger sister coming over the past 2 days and spending her time holding Tomato-boy and playing with the girls.


And finally, I have pictures of the wrap I finished. This is something I started just days before going in to the hospital. I worked on it a bit there, and then a bit whenever I got the chance over the past weeks. I've had it finished for about a month now, I haven't blocked it and don't think I will. I'm planning to use it in the fall, during the time buildings transition between AC and heating.





It's a very simple pattern, two different rows on the front (really the same, just offset), and purl across the back. It's fittingly called the Stolen Moments Wrap! I really enjoyed making it and will probably do it again sometime when I have pretty yarn to show off.

Alive and Well

I realized the other day that I really do want to keep blogging, I just keep finding "better" uses of my time. So, instead of waiting for pictures to come off the camera, or for hours of quiet (or even a few minutes) I thought I'd write up a quick post while my girls are doing science and the boy is stretching on the floor.

I finished my shawl/stole recently. Umm... some day last week, so it only took me about 12 weeks (as I started it right before the little tomato was born and worked on it a bit in the hospital). That's right, he's now 12 weeks, and will be officially three months monday-ish. I still haven't blocked the thing, and I might not, but I will take some pictures sometime and put them up here.

I also finished one of my socks that I started after he was born. It only took me about 5 weeks to do one sock, so far the second one is taking me longer, but that's okay, at least I'm knitting again. I hope, sometime this weekend or next week to spin for the first time since his birth also.

This week we went strawberry picking (with the help of my mom and sister) and then spent a day and half making jam. The girls were so excited, and I was able to mostly work around little tomato's naps (with a little help of daddy holding him). It felt really good to do those things and to taste the fresh berries and the super fresh jam. (We opened one jar right away and I ate some that night - the same day we had picked the berries).

I'm also about to start a pair of socks for the sweet husband - he's questioning whether he wants toe socks, monkey socks, or a combination - but first comes swatching... maybe during the next nap :)

Busy busy busy

I got my birthday swap package. (Thank you Eileen!) My package to her can be seen here.

(not pictured here, two chocolate bars that were fairly quickly eaten)


Spring is coming... or maybe even here these days.



I am still knitting a little bit.

This is some mohair I got from a Swap (from Sue) and I found an easy stole/shawl pattern and worked a couple of rows and then brought it with me to the hospital. I actually did work on it some there (when someone else was holding the new one, or when I just needed to do something yarny or go nuts - new babies sleep a lot, me? not so much while in the hospital)


Other than that I've been



Just



...a little...



busy!

(pictures at 3 days, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks respectively, yes that is the baby surprise jacket I made for him. I normally don't post pictures of the kids for their current and future safety and privacy, there will be an exception for a few more months of baby pics I think before he'll go undercover. We're thinking about a blog-name for him. ...leaning towards 'Tomato' due to the glint of his hair - any better ideas?)

A New Family Member

A new little baby has joined our family. He was born on Monday and we came home today. He has decided to try to sleep through his first hours being home with big sisters. He is very sweet and cute and was just a bit over 8 lbs and a full 21 inches long. If you're part of the family and haven't seen pictures yet, send a quick email! More general pictures of him (in his knitted items of course) to follow sometime over the next week... after I sleep of course.