so I finally finished knitting something.

As the title might suggest - I finally finished knitting something!  During the ten minutes each evening between putting Faelen to bed and subsequently falling asleep myself, drooling on the sofa, I have been slowly knitting this baby blanket.  Achieving often less than a row each evening, it has taken me three months (three months??) to complete, but it is done.  And as the recipient is due in less than a week I feel my timing is impeccable!

The pattern is from Lullaby Knits by Vibe Ulrik Sondergaard.  I initially felt intimidated by such a lacy stitch but actually, once I got into the swing of it, it was surprisingly simple!


And, just because I want to, here is a picture of it being modeled by the world's most adorable smiley chap.

baby boy: nursery thoughts.

Rationally I know that baby bump won’t notice or care what the nursery looks like, especially as he won't even be sleeping in it for the first few months, but it bothers me that his first room is basically a glorified utilities-cupboard.  It can be hard in rented home, especially a relatively short term let where spending money on paint and carpets would be foolish, to make a place seem like a home.  This seems to apply more for the nursery than any other room in the house; I would love to be able to paint the walls like my mum did for me and my brother growing up.  

D and I were both born at home in a tiny cottage surrounded by fields.  When we had to leave to move to the town, we were devastated.  Mum was wonderful though and worked so hard to make us a new, special place in the large, unloveable town house.  My bedroom was painted with a night scene at one end with a large moon and bats painted around the window, D had a green bedroom with strange aliens peering from behind the radiator and the side of his bed.

I wish baby bump could grow and play in a room that he knew was painted, with love, just for him.  As this is not possible I have been putting my efforts into small projects in an attempt to create a space that feels a little special.

This moggy was knit using a Donna Wilson pattern.  Whilst I know that he is unlikely to pick my lovingly handmade toy as his future favourite (growing up all nice toys paled in comparison to the one a family friend gave me from a Happy Meal) I can pretend that he may one day be appreciative! 

Overcoming SSS (second sock syndrome).

I had bad second sock syndrome (SSS) with this pair.  I knitted the first one about five months ago and was half way through the second sock (a feat in itself - I have a tendency to give myself a sock-break which becomes a sock-gap-year and ultimately results in one lonely sock) when I lost one of my double pointed needles.  I kept meaning to order a replacement needle but something always distracted me at the crucial, button clicking needle ordering moment.  



Then serendipity struck, James found the needle on the floor of the car.  My second sock could make it into the world.  I sat down to begin but, being a bit of an amateur knitter, I couldn't remember where I had got to on the pattern.  What ensued was a sulk of epic proportions, lasting about a month with the half-finished second sock sat sadly on the shelf (just look at that alliteration).

Yesterday however I put my sulk aside and spent time with my book, my second sock and google.  We made it!  They are so super snuggly it made it all worthwhile - now just to wait for autumnal, thick sock wearing weather.

If you are interested these socks were knitted on DPNs using the basic sock pattern from this book here.

On colds and SSS.

 

Urgh.  Well, I clearly got a little too enthusiastic about the whole 'oh my gosh it is summer' vibe and karma has struck out and given me a stinking cold.  Stinking.  Luckily I have a nice, medically obsessed, boyfriend who is force feeding me vitamins and health by the bowlful.  So I have been snuggling up on the sofa, watching Weeds, drinking tea, eating fruit and trying to overcome the SSS I have been suffering alongside my cold (Second Sock Syndrome, the phenomenon where, having painstakingly knitted one sock, you absolutely, totally, cannot be bothered to knit the second one).  It feels like a long road to SSS recovery, hopefully the cold will go quicker.

For the love of Saturdays.

Happy weekend all.  We finally made it!

I started my placement block this week at the hospital.  After two weeks of holiday, getting into the 9-5 swing has been a little tricky.  That said though, I am loving the weekend feeling again; endless mugs of tea and coffee, two breakfasts and a little time with my knitting whilst listening to the radio feels like such luxury.  

I also finished my first ever sock!  Admittedly it took an embarrassingly long time to complete but I am crazy proud of it.  I am knitting them with a silk and merino blend wool that I was saving for something special, but recently my knitting basket has got a little out of hand with 'wool that is too special to use', so I made the tough decision to stop just stroking the skeins and to put them to use.  They do feel slightly incredible, all soft and snuggly.  I may be wearing the single sock right now.  Now just to hurry up with the second one!

A little late for Easter

Sadly, in my typical pre-exam organised fashion, this little Bunny Rabbit was not ready in time for Easter Sunday.  He is my post-Easter-bunny instead.  I got the pattern here but simplifed a little, the bow-tie seemed a little unnecessary for this little chap! 

I love love love Easter (not just for the chocolate) but I love what a 'no-pressure' holiday it is.  Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, but Easter is a far more relaxing break!  Plus, I love those funny little pompom chicks that are sold everywhere, as apparently does my mother's dog, poor soggy chicks.

Now I have no excuse except to get on knitting these cushion covers for my mum though, expanses of grey just don't have the same magic as fluffy bunnies.