Friday, September 26, 2008

It's Raining, It's Pouring......

My old man should be snoring!! Poor Mr. Fantastic, he had a very late night last night! It is so awful to have to go to work in the pouring rain, I even got up and drove him to the train this morning, poor fella'.

I was so excited to use this morning to finish test crocheting a pattern I wrote for Coats&Clark.... Last night I was ready to finish seaming and start the sleeves, when I looked at the piece on my dress form to check the color variations on the yarn, and I didn't like how the two sides were so different. I figured I would leave it for the morning to see if the color differences were really bothering me, and I would frog one side to try to match the color better. I pinned her up and noticed something..... I liked the way I pinned it, and I could design a completely different sweater with the same pieces as the one I just finished! Bonus! I do have to rip the one side to make more buttonholes, but sweet! the yarn is Sheep Shop and feels so nice! I will be able to show this one completed, because the pattern will be totally different than the one I just sent to Coats! Here she is up on my dress form:So, I was pumped... I have all morning to crochet one side, seam it up and put on sleeves. I am waiting for a couch delivery, so all is good. I went to reheat my coffee in the microwave and what do I see?
Yep, it's Son #2's lunch (my kid is the only one in the whole bloomin' school who doesn't like pizza!) back out into the pouring rain to deliver his lunch!

This weekend we will be hosting my best friend's family for dinner - she is moving to Florida on Sunday.... please think good thoughts for them as they embark on this new stage in their lives....

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

38 Is So Great!!

Yesterday was my birthday! On Sunday Mr. Fantastic invited my family to come over and have dinner, it was a wonderful time and I got to see Lady A in her birthday sweater! Here she is modeling it - and yes, I do think she will be able to wear it for a few years!
I received the most beautiful gifts from everyone, but I have to say the card given to me by Lady A was really special to me. There was a picture of me in my knitting chair making a heart (it was not complete) with a ball of yarn in one hand and my "knitters" in the other hand. The saying says: "Happy birthday Kimberly you are as pretty as the things you sew" See why I knit her things?!Thank you everyone for a wonderful day!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Birthday Poem




For my brother's oldest one....
who loves the flowers named for the sun.

Who is so loving and so smart...
the letters she writes melts your heart.

She loves butterflies, flowers, and birds...
she truly has the gift of words.

A true Hepburn style sweater...
to keep you warm in Autumn weather.

A niece born in the same month as me...
Enjoy your sweater this year and... try to make it three!


This sweater is a top down raglan basic formula of mine that I use a lot. This time I used an i-cord bind off and EZ's afterthought pockets. The sunflower was made using the kit from yesterday and took a couple of hours. I really enjoyed making this sweater (I made it over the summer)

I have to say....I couldn't find a picture of my niece alone, she is usually always with Son#2! I love you Lady A.......... have a wonderful birthday.

9/20/08 - I was just talking to my sister on the phone and I asked if she read the post about Lady A's birthday, she told me she was confused about the poem, so I feel like I have to explain (my sister is the smartest girl I know). I AM blond and i spelled sun... son - so the flower is a sunflower. The last line is supposed to mean I hope she wears the sweater for this year and hopefully for 3 years, get it? It takes a long time to make a sweater...... Oh, I wonder if Poe ever had to explain his work..... sorry for the confusion.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Olives in my pocket

Look who came to live with us!!! Model body type and measurement, so my finished garments fit the model's properly!!! I love her (well I secretly hate her because I want her measurements, but I'll fake it so she feels welcome!)

I found these really cool kits at the Manchester show in July and I am about to make a really cute pin later today......... you will see it on Friday's post. The company is called Decadent Fibers and they have the greatest stuff. Go check out the website. The kit I have here is for needle felting (I also have a pumpkin one) and it is really fun to do. More on Friday!


Yesterday I was doing the laundry ( I know, shocker) as I was placing the washed clothes into the dryer, something funky fell on the floor. Now, I have washed many things, but this little piece of black something had me stumped. I didn't want to smell it, but my curiosity got the best of me. What I found was an olive, well half of an olive - the other half made itself known to me a few pieces of clothes later in Son #2's pocket. I remembered at that instant Sunday dinner there were olives and I said to son #2, just try one - you might like it............ I guess he didn't like it! Instead of trying it and letting me know that he didn't like it, he chose to stick it in his pocket and not discuss it....... I can't be angry with him because I am doing the same thing..... my best friend is moving to Florida, in like 2 weeks. Instead of being around her as much as I can and enjoying the last bits of time we have together........... I am sticking the whole situation in my pocket. Lee, have a happy, wonderful life in Florida..........I will miss you!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Sunday is for family dinner

A few years back, my SIL and I started Sunday family dinners. It is such a great tradition, and it's great to get the cousins together and have a big sit-down. This weekend was my turn, and we had a really fun time. It was in the 90's and it was hard to figure out what to have. I didn't want Mr. Fantastic to have to grill, and I didn't want the oven on for a long time, so....... we had pasta!! It was great, pasta with mussels in a yummy sauce, salad and crusty bread (for soppin' up the glosh!) Here is a visualI knew my frog tree sweater was comfy, but I had no idea the teen set would love it as well, here is my niece lovin' the softness!!After dinner my SIL finished a project, and was very excited to start the next one. Here she is on her virgin wind with Mr. B...... I hope it was as good for her..........
My brother and his lady were here and he was very happy to model the first finished item for my SIL (it is a cowl for her friend's birthday). Now, my brother is all upset that he hasn't "made the blog", so here he is...............sorry ladies he is taken!

I give you......Gus on film (can you tell he was a model?) I call this one 'shy guy':And now he is getting into it:'sweet sheep':And finally: 'Zoolander's the look"With a brother like Gus, there is no need for outside entertainment!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Dance Mother I am Not!






Well, yesterday was Dumplin's first ballet and tap lesson. She has been very excited to go and I have been very excited as well. I even thought I was ahead of the game when the supplies she needed to have for the lessen were purchased well in advance (on Tuesday). I purchased the leotard, tights, ballet shoes, and tap shoes (I also had to purchase socks at the store to try said items on because she was wearing flip-flops). I was ahead of game, I was ready to be a great dance student mom....... until the first lesson.

We arrived at the studio 5 min before the lesson. Again I am singing my praises, I am not late, the boys are home doing their homework all is right with the world - until I open the door. Now, my friends I am a soccer, baseball, touch football kind of mom - I like to sit outside or in my car and knit or crochet. I was unprepared for the mayhem that was going on in the room. I had to get Dumplin in her ballet shoes in the space that was the size of a shoebox - for the record I know my underwear was showing to all behind me and I apologize, but as I have said, I was unprepared. Anyway, after the little girls line up with their tap shoes and march into the dance room, we mothers were left on our own. Many, many mothers (with other children in tow) had their video cameras, or cameras with 13 difference lenses to capture this beautiful moment of their daughters dancing careers. I found myself in the back of the room, not really being able to see, but to be honest, not really caring (I have a design due in a week). Next to me was another mother, feeling equally bad that she did not have a camera. Our conversation went something like this:
Mother: Hi, what number child is this for you?
Me: Number 3, you?
Mother: Yep, me too. First girl?
Me: Yep, I feel bad my daughter doesn't have a tutu like the other girls, I bought everything that was on the list - I never thought of a dance bag for the tap shoes (and let me tell you, I know that girls are judged by the others by the size of their tutus and how cool their dance bag is! Don't worry, I'm on it!)
Mother: Mine either, ask me anything about soccer, but dance.....
Me: I hear ya, my kid is the one that walked in with her tap shoes in the shoe box!

At least their wasn't peanut butter on her face!



In knitting news, here is the sweater I designed in Frog Tree merino. I love this thing and I can't wait to check the pattern by making another one - the yarn is already on order. I can picture wearing this in the winter when you are hanging out on a Sunday or Saturday, or really whenever. When I was making it on the beach, I had to try it on for people who were curious. I did, of course, in my bathing suit and the wool is so soft it didn't even scratch.



The design is a mixture of Barbara Walker, Elizabeth Zimmermann, and me! Knit from the top down with no seams (well, phony ones thanks to EZ) when you finish the last stitch you can basically wear it! The yarn is single ply so you can spit splice it (no ends to weave in!) and you can try it on as you go for the perfect fit! Class will be offered after the holidays at Knit knack.
Enjoy your day - I'm off to find a spectacular dance bag!!!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Back to School



Well, here they are on their first days of school! Son #1 and #2 started last Thursday and Dumplin started today!!! I can not believe how the time is flying by me. Son #1 started 4th grade and #2 started 2nd. Dumplin is in her last year of pre-school. Son #1 got contacts this summer and also informed me that he needed deodorant - WHAT!! Does the maturity of your eyes coincide with the need for underarm refreshment? Who knew that a $3.99 bottle of Old Spice (picked out by him) could give a kid so much enjoyment! Not to mention the excellent source of jokes by me and in a pinch Mr. Fantastic can borrow the stick and I can use the saline if mine runs out - bonus!

I hope now that I have designated times where I know I will be alone I will learn to use my time wisely. I am so lacking in the time management department. I keep thinking that if I leave things alone, everything will get done and I will have all the time in the world to play with my family, design, and knit and crochet to my hearts content (I really wanted to write knit and crochet, first, but............ that's just wrong man!)

Time to go pick up the crew!

I just looked at my blog post and was clicking on the pictures of my adorable children all dressed up and ready for their first days, when I click on the pictures (to make them really big because they are so cute) I notice that #2 has a huge milk mustache (maybe he is the one that needed the deodorant) and Dumplin has peanut butter all over her face (Mr. Fantastic, I did wipe her face before school) What a SUPER mom I am - nice, glad to have that documented on film!