Baby in Knitted Hats!

Baby in Wool!

The Best I Ever Made

Baby Knitting for ME!

I am expecting a baby.
I am due in about 10 days, and am excited but mostly nervous. The first 5 months I was
sick, but otherwise, I have been lucky and healthy throughout the pregnancy. Since I dive for a living, I had to essentially stop working as soon as I found out. This has been financially difficult, but restful at home, at least. I have been very blessed to have my DBF home most of the time with me as well.

But I haven't done too much knitting. I made a hat and bootie set for my friend (last post) and then finally made one pair of booties for Cletus the Fetus. (Socks that Rock leftovers from the River Rocked pattern. These are yet more of the Stay-On Baby Booties).
Then, in early May, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, and my life became daily worries and medical details, with carb counting, blood sugar testing, and this horrid fear that I was hurting the baby with my every move. Knitting cute baby things just seemed like the most superstitious thing ever. What would happen if something went wrong? So I worked on my brother's Christmas socks, now vastly overdue. For months. Okay, I was going to run out of yarn, so I had to rip back and re-do his first sock, but still: MONTHS! (I just checked. It took me 7 months to finish his socks. Sad.)
And so it went: The months went on, the worry and paranoia continued, the knitting of non-baby socks occurred. Then, slowly, I started making the Star Trek Bibs. I did the yellow, then the blue, then I worried some more. Perhaps armed with knowledge of my worry and exhaustion, my friends threw me a surprise baby shower, and they brought beads for one of those strung-together labor-bracelets. I got excited about knitting them together instead, and added some more beads, buttons, and jewelry to represent people not at the shower. The simple icord bracelet broke the knitting spell, in a way. Maybe having all those thoughts and prayers behind me?

Then I was on a roll. I finished the Ensign Redshirt Star Trek Bib, then, continuing the Sci-fi theme, used the remains from a Jayne hat to make a baby Jayne hat!
The watermellon hat came next, then pieces for a sweater, and parts of a bunny hat (still in progress). I am still nervous. I am still scared. But he will come any day now, and at least he will have good hats.

Baby Stuff! (Not for Me...YET!)

Tomato Hat!
Stay on Baby Booties!
I used leftover STR in the Garden Daze colorway: It is supposed to be like heirloom tomato colors? But then they just looked like Rasta Booties. So the Tomato Hat makes it a set... Sort of. And the recipient owns a headshop, so Rasta Booties are fitting...
If the Bootie fits?

Half a Year's Knitting... Pretty Slim!

My favorite hat ever: I thought it was time for a nice slouchy hat, and when the STR arrived (I obviously did not make the club selection with this!) I knew it had to be DBFs. Now, DBF is allergic to wool. I know, I know... but I love him anyway! And he loves subdued, military colors, and this olive drab yarn was so perfect for him. So I plotted! What I needed was an irresistible hat, versatile pattern, in the perfect color. And if all else failed, I would get to wear it around and he would get to look at it? But he loves it! Although he usually wears a cotton kerchief under it because of the wool...

These are two socks I made and gave away! Not even on Christmas! The Purple is a STR color and pattern- but a color and pattern that didn't belong together. Swing Sets out of Pepe La Plume. These went to a friend in trade- She made me an octopus diving hood!
And finally: Knetted by Cat Bordhi in River Rocked. These are a perfect color and size for a friend, and I hand delivered them when I visited her in November.
Not very impressive stash busting between August and December, is it?

Next projects: Tons of baby stuff!

Very Pretty Socks of Summer

Beet Toe and Heel!
I am loving these "Beet Greens" pattern! This is My <3 Beets 4u, the July 2010 pattern. I loved the Beet on the heel so much that I repeated it on the toe... I thought the beet greens just petering out on the toe looked lonely!

Steam Punk Socks!
Ada Lovelace by Star Athena in the very subtle Sweet Pea colorway. This was the May 2010 RSC pattern. I love this sock, but the colorway is too subtle. With the red dirt stains we get on white socks in Hawaii, it already looks stained. DBF said, "Is it dirty already?!?! It looks like my workboot socks". I am sure he didn't mean the lace and cuff and eyelets... right? I made this with the gap in the cuff for folding up or down. It makes a good tattoo peek.

Colorado Alpaca!
My very dear friend and now-Colorado-resident sent me a care package including some local yarn! It is very delicate and I am thinking of a twisted stitch aran cable hat maybe?

Did I Mention I Was Diving This Summer?

Busy, but Knitting, Part II:

These are the Spring Forwards, from Knitty. Made with STR In the Navy which I picked up a few years ago at Black Sheep Gathering. They are medium weight and thick and warm! I love the color and the pattern was fun.




These beauties are the March STR Rockin' Sock Club pattern. Secret Garden by Janel Laidman, in Wild Irishgirlie. I loved the roses and the gusset increases on this sock. Felt better doing these roses after the Yarn Harlot pattern Rogue Roses. Similar rosebuds in that one.













Ada Lovelace, the May 2010 RSC pattern. This is a steampunk-inspired knit in a very delicate "Sweet Pea" Colorway. Pretty! I am almost done with sock #1.













Stash Enhancement!


The July 2010 RSC kit arrived in Hawaii on August 3rd, pretty similar timing to the California Folks. Very pretty colors of Firecracker! I Don't know which pattern to do, yet. I have grand plans to knit every pattern they send me, just in non-club colorways for the patterns #2. Have yet to accomplish that...







Also an extra: Sock Candy in Granny Apple, and flip-flop (we call them Slippahs here) pattern, which may end up being useful for my lifestyle and disastrous to my slippah-tan.

Summertime Means Diving, Not Knitting, But Even So:

There have been socks: Whale Tails, in a rather busy colorway, for my friend who is off doing whale research in Australia. I didn't get them done in time for her going-away-party so these shall be a "Welcome Home" gift! Azure Socks, by Deb Barnhill, From Knitty Winter 2007. Steinbach Wolle, in a self-striping, maybe? Way too busy to see the Whale Tail pattern, and the wool felt thin after all the Blue Moon.




More Socks (In Progress): Spring Forwards in a decidedly wintery colorway. I am into dark blues right now. This is STR In The Navy, in Mediumweight. Off the foot, this pattern looks quilted, or entrelac. On the foot, the zigzag and lace is clear. Pretty!




Tiny iPhone Covers: For friends, using leftovers from socks. All Blue Moon Fibers. These are numbers 8 and 9 out of 10.





Stash Enhancement: Club package for May 2010, in Sweet Pea. Very delicate. My first thought was, "I don't want white socks! They will get dirty!" Which is funny, because most people in the nation have white socks. Just us crazy knitters who proclaim loud colors and want pristine socks. My second thought was, "OoOooh! Ada Lovelace is one pretty pattern! I guess I shall have white socks!"




The other is dark grey wool for a commissioned diving shrug!

Sweet Pink Honey!

This pattern is from Interweave Knits, and I was first drawn to the texture. Brioche-stitch... which is different than Brioche pattern?
It was easy and quick enough, and I like the look of the texture. I found the only problem was that I couldn't read the pattern too well, so if I put it down or paid too much attention to the movie, I found I lost my place.
The yarn is alpaca that I bought from alpaca farmers at the Black Sheep gathering in Oregon a few years ago. It is fuzzy and luxe.
Love it as a beret. But it is too pink: If I pull it over my ears cloche-style, it makes me look like a big penis head.
I asked DBF how he liked the texture, and he said, "It just looks like regular, only looser." Should have just made this with like size 18 needles?