tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45169855529773548272024-02-18T18:09:14.590-08:00northern purly girlchronicles of a northern bc knitter...babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-5313903378242424562012-11-05T13:37:00.000-08:002012-11-05T13:37:43.732-08:00sweater season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFy3QBoK7eJRSk_6UqcyDe0NKymUKBK_mspVyW4-BFAtqmd2_-GB0nxrzU1x1hogFqjAOeHCITtFC63iU9O55QhJda0CjWHXk7l7bA0jZQrIdoWXRwfe9E0O4svmyBwLTGxQIPlVlA6Yk/s1600/audrey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFy3QBoK7eJRSk_6UqcyDe0NKymUKBK_mspVyW4-BFAtqmd2_-GB0nxrzU1x1hogFqjAOeHCITtFC63iU9O55QhJda0CjWHXk7l7bA0jZQrIdoWXRwfe9E0O4svmyBwLTGxQIPlVlA6Yk/s320/audrey.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Has it really been 4 months since I last posted/since the poo-in-the-tub incident? Wow. I really have no time and cannot recall where time has gone. I finished this sweater project a couple of months ago (not to mention several other projects) but have no time to blog about any of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I really appreciate how much time people put into their blogs. For me personally, I struggle to find a few minutes in each day to commit to crafting and finding the extra few to document/write about/photograph/edit it is nearly impossible! My life is as ADD as my brain...so much disorganised input, several things going on at once, utter chaos, missed appointments, forgetfulness, incomplete thoughts and sentences. etc. I once heard that your external world is only as organized as your internal one...which explains everything for me. But I digress...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Admittedly, blogging has been put on my back-burner. Well, it always sort of was, but now it's been put on the backest of back burners. Having chosen to home-educate my pre-schooler, a lot of my free evening time is spent researching activities for us to do, usually in the theme of a letter of the alphabet. Although it eats up a lot of time, I do enjoy the task. I love finding new ideas and then sharing them with my son. I have observed that his desire to learn is voracious...as long as I am creative and present the material in a fun, non-traditional-school-type way. Books are his strongest passion, we can sit and read forever it seems. But he loves alphabet activities, numbers and art. And he loves learning about new music, thus far his favourite being Louis Armstrong (about whom he learned when we were doing the letter A-themed activities).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because he is only 4, formal teaching is kept to a minimum, but our entire day is spent with education in mind. There are always opportunities to talk about numbers, basic reading stuff, basic science, history etc. And he eats it up. Play is of utmost importance; however, with our recent dump of snow, my concern is keeping him active indoors as he quickly becomes a whirlwind of crazy if he doesn't burn his endless stream of energy. Again, activities have to be fun and appear spontaneous; any hint of careful planning and/or inflexibility evokes his counterwill and a firm refusal of the activity. Emotional intelligence is something else we work on, which I am learning right along with him given that I have a lot of emotional maturity to do myself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, back to the sweater. The above photo features a sweater made out of sock yarn (i.e. it took forever because the yarn is so fine), a gorgeous shade of pink that I could not refuse when I saw it at the local yarn shop. Here's the link to the designer's <a href="http://janerichmond.blogspot.ca/2011/10/off-needles-audrey.html">blog</a>. I made the sweater a bit too big, a common theme in my sweater knitting. I deliberately increased the length somewhat so as to cover my bottom when paired with leggings. Overall a comfy and satisfying knit, though I do wish I knit the smallest size so that it was a bit more fitted. Ah well. It will do!</span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-10119965641649802962012-07-11T21:38:00.000-07:002012-07-11T22:00:53.210-07:00You Can't Make This Up!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh my goodness, what a night. I'm beat and am having one of those am-I-fit-to-be-a-parent days. It often happens when I haven't slept (the heat is keeping the babies up) and have cramps, which is today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So my mum and I ambitiously take the kids to the lake today which was fine...did the hotdog and snacks thing, and the kids loved it. But then I saw it happen: the twitch that occurs in my almost-4-year-old son's eye when he transforms from his sweet little self to this little tyrant. The kind that does everything you ask him not to, pesters everyone until they're blue in the face, and even hits with almost no provocation. For no apparent reason except that I think he has this pent-up energy that needs to be expended in a productive way but the heat and my lack of energy prevents that from happening. Plus my husband is between night shifts so he isn't readily available. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This behaviour continues all day and at the end of the day, I'm at the end of my rope. I angrily tell my son that I no longer want to be around him if he is going to continue pushing everyone away so I go outside to cool off. Meanwhile, he seems to understand that I mean business and all is ok...until the bath. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the ultimate parental nightmare. It goes something like this...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kids are behaving and having a grand ol' time. Co-operating, laughing, splashing in the water like puppies romping in a puddle; like baby unicorns prancing in a field of pansies. I'm even starting to smile for the first time in the evening. I say to the kids with love in my eye-lash-batting eyes..."be back in 10 seconds, I just have to get the towels!" and off I go cheerily down the hall thinking "sigh, what was my problem today? I love kids. I love parenthood. Bring it on world."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I come back to my son rocking the water back and forth like a giant wave-pool. A minor irritation but something that can be easily cleaned up and I'm done battling so I just watch lovingly as he and my 16-month-old daughter are laughing in the waves. "ok, i say, enough water mess, let's get you guys dried off!". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then my son says "oh mum, I forgot to tell you that sister pooed in the tub."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I stare, unblinking for a few moments...the whole world has come to a stop, i step off my little cheery merry-go-round, the birds in my head cease their sweet sweet song.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"WHAT THE FUCK???!!! when???"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"just before you went to get the towels."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So the whole time he's swirling the water around, spraying the walls, the floors, me, everything...he's been swirling the excrement around with it! I imagine pieces of poo oozing into every nook and cranny in the bathroom and am desperately fighting off a panic attack because my husband is at work and I have to keep my shit together. I gasp, curse, yell, panic in horror and throw them in the shower to clean them off and of course they hate showers and think I'm deliberately torturing them. No amount of rationalization can convince them that the shower is for their own good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During their snack I bleach the shit out of my bathroom. And put the soiled toys in a bucket to deal with later once I've emptied the dishwasher...big mistake. Because later while I'm flossing my son's teeth on his bed, my daughter has snuck into the bathroom and brings a couple of the toys over to us and dumps the water inside them on us. Onto round two of changing, clothing etc. I'm serious, this all happened just like this. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, I've tried to keep my blog free of ranting but I had to share this. Because I know there's parents out there who will laugh and reflect on their own similar experiences, and others who shudder to think it might happen to them. My childless friends will probably gag and think "I couldn't deal with that." And it gives me the opportunity to just share it with others and also provides me with a record of the event to which I can refer when I'm older and need a good laugh about the good times with young children. Good grief! Glad the kids are asleep. Going to indulge in some Haagen Dazs Coffee ice cream and pack for my first camping trip with the kids. That should be interesting. </span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-27209481413601107072012-07-10T21:49:00.002-07:002012-07-11T21:14:19.964-07:00creamy mushroom pasta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGFlSySMvGjGE_8B8OzUOft1_iGWrkAxo-dLVtCHXztcE75Rm4mKyxKVbJT7L0qrK3JhGZrJCeFyIQb-fTkPHAoqindO6CXnOqc64xlxHIpr6SVR2ZrfgmzdePu2sA3d1-sKPv-9Oyns/s1600/DSC04138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGFlSySMvGjGE_8B8OzUOft1_iGWrkAxo-dLVtCHXztcE75Rm4mKyxKVbJT7L0qrK3JhGZrJCeFyIQb-fTkPHAoqindO6CXnOqc64xlxHIpr6SVR2ZrfgmzdePu2sA3d1-sKPv-9Oyns/s320/DSC04138.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This recipe is a staple of mine that I've turned to for years when I am struggling to think up a meal. My version is adapted from a Canadian cookbook, the name of which escapes me. This pasta is so delicious, sophisticated and EASY. And my picky son even eats it, which speaks volumes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Couple cups of pasta</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons butter...more or less to suit your taste. sometimes i add twice this amount</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">couple glugs olive oil</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup finely diced onions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 finely diced garlic cloves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4-5 portobello mushrooms</span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3/4 cup tomato sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">heaping tablespoon dijon mustard (i hate this stuff EXCEPT in this recipe)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a few splashes red wine</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">half cup cream (or equal amount of coconut milk)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Heat butter and oil on medium heat and add onions and garlic; cook for a few minutes until veggies start to get tender. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes more. Stir in tomato sauce, dijon mustard, sugar and wine. Allow sauce to boil gently a few minutes; add cream and allow entire mixture to simmer slowly for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Toss pasta in the sauce and you have dinner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just a note: these measurements are approximate as I always just throw the ingredients together and hope for the best. You may want to add some salt and pepper; you may want to add some herbs when you add the onions (i've added thyme in the past with excellent results; basil is great too but usually I keep it simple). You may want to add more garlic, add chunky tomato sauce, etc. The wine really makes this recipe special though, don't skip out on that unless you have to for whatever reason.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Goes great with garlic toast, green salad and chicken breast. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OH and I posted on facebook today but thought I'd share it here as well...I finally finished the "Song of Ice and Fire" series (the first 5 books). It took me several months and I read several thousand pages...the majority of which was read in the middle of the night when my daughter needed time in the rocking chair to re-settle. I actually feel low-grade anxiety at the moment, enough that it's bugging me because I don't know what to do without it! What will I read tonight as i groggily stumble out of bed at 3 AM with the little one? My heart is beating irregularly just thinking about it. And with no release date for book 6, I feel even more ill. Is Jon going to make it? What will happen with Dany and her dragons? And the Stark kids...what of them? Ack!</span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-49046131718583368032012-07-07T03:59:00.000-07:002012-07-07T03:59:10.326-07:00peanut butter cup brownies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My kid wont sleep. She's 16 months old and has never slept much...she just doesn't need it the way other people do. The only way she'll sleep through the night (and by sleeping through, I just mean that I don't have to get up with her for two hours while she rocks out on the rocking chair...she still nurses every few hours) is if I deprive her of a nap by wearing her on my back so she can cat-nap. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So for example, I'll plan an outing that involves walking and/or bussing and at a certain point in the day, she'll sleep. And then my son and I will do something quiet like throw rocks in the river or practice phonics while riding the bus home while she's blissfully passed out and drooling in her nest on my back. And most of the time, the lack of a quality long nap doesn't even phase my baby. She wakes up ready to go and goes until bedtime with little fussing. She just doesn't need to sleep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tonight is no exception. She's teething and has been crying and it's 3:30 AM, I've been up since 2 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">AM and I've been doing this for several nights and I'm fucking tired! Usually I read the Song of Ice and Fire series but tonight I'm up in the rocking chair with her trying to fall asleep on my chest and I'm posting about brownies I made the other day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I came across this <a href="http://bunsinmyoven.com/2010/05/05/peanut-butter-brownies/">recipe</a> and HAD to try it. A sucker for chocolate and peanut butter, this recipe spoke to me with it's peanut butter batter, chocolate AND whole Reese Peanut Butter Cups! I changed up one thing slightly: I bought high quality milk chocolate, broke it up and tossed it in instead of the chocolate chips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My only complaint about the whole process was the bulk bag of Reeses cups that I bought, which was impossible to open. I hadn't had coffee, hadn't slept the night before and I had my son begging me to go on the trampoline with him so I didn't cope well with packaging that wouldn't budge. Try as I might I couldn't rip the stupid bag open, so I transformed into this loud, angry, rabid-foaming-at-the-mouth cursing baboon/Larry David/Lafayette-as-demon type character for a few moments until I finally thrashed the package opened/tore the whole thing to shreds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These brownies performed exactly as I'd planned...so delicious, so rich, so satisfyingly fattening. My good friend N came over that night and we ate these tasty treats and had tea with the children. Yay summer holidays. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok baby girl, go the fuck to sleep. You know what's crazy? It's 3:47 and the birds are already chirping outside. Don't they know it's time to sleep? Sleep everybody. If there is any mercy in this world, GO TO SLEEP! Or I swear, I'm going to turn into a loud, angry, rabid-foaming-at-the-mouth cursing baboon/Larry David Lafayette-as-demon type creature again. I mean it!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKciDpGA0xMw2XCz2iRUHzhmTbmdQ068Ctd9ZkBmUmxf5ODIS5kdGKtShA4QBvZ53jkCtXScmABoM_r4HYZGp-jR63MliXmdjF-_KmFeqxXxd7wv8QaDy8DVKV_mBM82-Wln5aQ5HoZpI/s1600/DSC04347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKciDpGA0xMw2XCz2iRUHzhmTbmdQ068Ctd9ZkBmUmxf5ODIS5kdGKtShA4QBvZ53jkCtXScmABoM_r4HYZGp-jR63MliXmdjF-_KmFeqxXxd7wv8QaDy8DVKV_mBM82-Wln5aQ5HoZpI/s320/DSC04347.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-32926517506456269932012-07-05T22:39:00.002-07:002012-07-05T22:39:50.865-07:00apple sauce muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last autumn Shawn's friends were kind enough to give us a huge box of their back yard apples. So I made apple sauce, apple sauce and more apple sauce (these tart apples that grow up here make the best apple sauce and pies) and canned it all. I canned so much that we hardly made a dent in the collection by the time spring hit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and one of my favourite things to eat in the morning is freshly baked muffins, so naturally the excess apple sauce burning a hole in my cupboard fit perfectly into this picture. I found this <a href="http://leitesculinaria.com/77240/recipes-applesauce-bread.html">recipe</a> on pinterest and tweaked it a bit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dividing the recipe into two, I substituted the suggested 1.5 cups white flour with 1 cup whole wheat, half cup white; instead of 3/4 cups of white sugar, I did closer to 1 cup; and I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla as well as increased the cinnamon. I did not use walnuts, but I'm sure they'd be great. When combining the dry and wet ingredients, I folded gently until JUST mixed, which creates the light fluffy muffins that I love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The end result: delicious, flavourful, and most importantly moist muffins ever. These easily rival my famous banana bread (muffin) recipe and the best part about that is that apples grow right here in our own back yard. Yum. Best enjoyed with fried eggs, lots of fresh fruit and fresh ground coffee. The stuff that dreams are made of! I rate this recipe a 5 out of 5!</span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-84560352520171711762012-06-22T20:04:00.002-07:002012-06-22T20:16:08.885-07:00the best loaf of bread ever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been baking sourdough for a while now, regularly feeding this lovely culture of a bacteria laden flour-water mixture for almost a year. Over the course of a year, I've been learning more and more about the finicky nature of this little being...how much and how often to feed it, the ratio of flour to water when preparing the dough, how to properly knead, the correct temperature to make the creature happy as it ferments all day, and the length of time to get it right without the end result being too sour, not sour enough, risen enough etc. You'd be amazed how much goes into the ancient art of sourdough bread. And I'm glad to say that I had achieved the point of effectively make a beautiful loaf of whole-wheat sourdough just about every time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I was getting bored. Until my friend showed me the book <a href="http://www.tartinebread.com/">Tartine Bread</a> and my whole outlook on sourdough has changed forever. Dramatic, yes I know. Amazing. Basically you use an immature sourdough starter (one that doesn't smell sour but rather, fruity) and you use way more water than in conventional recipes. What you get is a a very moist loaf with lots and lots of big air pockets, is super chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. I also cook the bread in a dutch oven now to cook with steam...the results are as close to a professional bakery as I have ever reached. I'm so excited! Here's some photos of my first attempt with the new method. I know you're drooling. This recipe is the "country white", which uses mostly white flour (which has been digested by the sourdough, making it more nutritious than regular white bread) but also has some whole wheat flour added.</span></div>
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<br />babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-64646784060783925042012-06-09T17:18:00.000-07:002012-06-09T17:19:04.319-07:00headband!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ugh, I'm so tired of being sick. It's going on two weeks and it's getting to be a bit ridiculous. What started out as a cold led to a laryngitis-type thing and is now a dry hacking caugh! grr. Anyway, enough about that. Over these last few weeks of survival, I've been reverting to headbands to take care of hair that I have no time for so I thought I'd share! The first one I sewed a couple of weeks ago out of a chocolate brown jersey knit fabric and is awesome for summer. Sometimes I just don't have time to deal with bangs so that's where this stretchy piece of fabric folded over a few times comes in handy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The second two with the lace I finished knitting several weeks ago but haven't had the opportunity to show off yet. I love them. Here's a <a href="http://rewindknits.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/pattern-convertable-center-row-lace-headband-neck-warmer/">link </a>to the pattern. I initially knit one for my girlfriend and I liked it so much that I knit one for me. The aran weight yarn makes it a bit heavy for hot summer days (which is where the stretchy headband comes in)but works great on cold days any time of year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's nothing like a head band for covering up bad 3-day-unwashed hair, for growing out hair, for covering up bangs you don't feel like dealing with or adding some interest to an otherwise routine day. I plan on making more once everyone is healthy and sleeping again. </span></div>
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<br />babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-82468968346113806362012-06-05T19:19:00.001-07:002012-06-05T19:19:42.028-07:00save a little chocolate for me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mother's day has long come and gone and I've been wanting to share the following recipes ever since the big day but have been completely unable to due to sick children, sick me, work, etc. Life has been crazy. I actually went insane last week, had a temper tantrum and took off up north for a few days to a tiny little town that is most underrated. My mother-in-law lives there part-time and she shared the parental role with us, which allowed me to get some much needed rest. A lovely retreat when the pressures of every day life boil over. And when you're a sick mumma with sick kids who just don't stop!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, for mother's day, I wanted to do something home-made for my mum (the person who has everything). After spending some time on pinterest looking for ideas, I decided on chocolates and home-made candles. The chocolates were amazing! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The candles turned out ok but were a bit finicky because the wax kept drying unevenly, creating huge craters which required me to re-melt and refill a couple of times with more wax. No big deal, just a bit more work than I'd planned and an end result that was less than perfect. But functional. I bought 2 little tea-cups second hand and bought candles from the dollar store that I melted down in a double-boiler. Voila, candles. Here's the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/273016/teacup-lights">link</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh my goodness, the chocolates...who knew that chocolate making was so easy and so delicious! The DIY versions were hands-down better than their commercial counterparts. Here's my <a href="http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/12/peppermint-patties/">favourite</a>, the home-made version of Pep's or York Peppermint Patties:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then there were my son's favourite, the Chocolate Peanut butter <a href="http://www.sophistimom.com/peanut-butter-turtles-chocolate-squares/">Turtles</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And finally, home made <a href="http://www.sophistimom.com/homemade-almond-joy/">Almond Joys</a>...so good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I made extras of all of them, then put them in the freezer. The intent was to always have a treat at arm's reach for visitors. But they haven't lasted long as we have been devouring them. Especially in the afternoon when one babe is asleep, the other is outside amusing himself with his dump trucks, and I find myself with a rare few minutes alone...nothing beats a chocolate and a coffee or tea by myself. Guess I have to make some more...</span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-39769868275064791842012-04-27T20:25:00.000-07:002012-04-27T20:25:01.774-07:00winter sweater<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i'm a bit late posting a photo of this project which i finished about 6 weeks ago. it took me the whole winter to knit as i could only work on it in short spurts. i've done some colour-work knitting in the past but this is by far the most complicated i've done thus far. getting the tension consistent took a bit of deliberation at first but afterward i didn't even have to think about it. the pattern was from the Debbie Bliss Fall/Winter 2011 <a href="http://store.vogueknitting.com/p-1901-debbie-bliss-magazine-2011-fallwinter.aspx">magazine</a>, a publication which i look forward to twice a year! my only complaint is the small collar which is hidden under my scarf...the small collar looks a bit odd with the bulky set-in-sleeve design. but ah well, i love the nordic design!</span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-64425539382740046912012-04-24T14:42:00.000-07:002012-04-24T14:48:15.504-07:00sewing!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for the first time in about 15 years, i sewed myself an article of clothing! i used to sew all the time in highschool, but not so much lately. life got in the way. but i had in mind the type of top i wanted but couldn't really find it, so i just made it myself. i found a pattern and voila! here it is! i love a dress/top in the summer. i hate how most of the ones i buy have straps that are too long and always fall down. i have no patience for the ones with hooks/eyes that dig into my skin and hurt. so i made sure to make it functional, comfortable and cute. i loved the end result so much, i went out and bought some more fabric yesterday to make another one!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the fabric for the one shown below is a simple eyelet cotton that cost about 7 dollars on sale, plus a zipper ($1.50), elastic ($1.50) and thread (already had it). the hooks and eyes cost next to nothing. so all in all, this shirt cost about 10 bucks, way cheaper than in the store. i had to sew it in about 20 stages because having 2 children isn't conducive to sewing. but it wouldn't have taken more than a couple afternoons if i could have concentrated on sewing alone. so it was totally worth it! i figure that the second time around will go much more quickly because i've got the rhythm down. the pattern is <a href="http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/patterns/sewingpatterns.pl?patternid=15604">SIMPLICITY 4127</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">so my son has been sick...feverish, sore throat and lethargy. so i'm letting him watch tv. ALL DAY. anyone who knows me knows how much i limit his TV viewing. i have these crazy ideas that if he watches too much TV his creativity will be totally zapped and he'll become this raging zombie who can't think for himself. crazy, right? i realize it's not all bad. but still have the anxiety. so because he's sick, i'm letting him watch all day to his heart's content and maybe he'll get the obsessive urge to watch TV out of his system? maybe? thank goodness for youtube. they've got everything on there! he's really into puff the magic dragon, one of my favourite childhood programs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-55524469573027457172012-02-18T22:08:00.000-08:002012-02-18T22:08:11.760-08:00moment-to-moment happiness.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWv74BU9sPt1B6pXJY74V_rRTUd5INvAK_P8vzjrcjX-xxda4v5Ptu4eseYNw7t4JugMBiy6yTIYVIK9lVD_T1retdDx77YwwUdBL4hL85z9ujZYhO5BDln2hhlFTheb4X1d5qX46cDWQ/s1600/DSC04086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWv74BU9sPt1B6pXJY74V_rRTUd5INvAK_P8vzjrcjX-xxda4v5Ptu4eseYNw7t4JugMBiy6yTIYVIK9lVD_T1retdDx77YwwUdBL4hL85z9ujZYhO5BDln2hhlFTheb4X1d5qX46cDWQ/s320/DSC04086.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">my baby turned one the other day. sigh...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">what a year it has been...what a ride, an adventure...what a lesson and a privilege. my partner watched the kids for a couple hours on my daughter's birthday so that i could have time to reflect, for which i'm so grateful. being an introvert, i NEED time alone to reflect on major changes, otherwise i become this walking ball of emotion at risk of erupting at a moment's notice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">having two kids is the ultimate challenge. i'd say it's right up there with the learning curve a new mother experiences when she has her first but in a different way. you learn to have super-human stamina. there is virtually no rest with two young children, no sleep, almost no naps and no sleeping in. there is virtually no time to yourself (if you do things like baby-wear and co-sleep especially). the house is chaotic. you're constantly putting out fires. there is almost no quiet time. almost no time with your partner. no time to respond to emails in any significant way, or talk on the phone for long. because at any given time of the day, SOMEONE IS UP, and chances are, they're dying for some quality alone with you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">two kids need help dressing, two kids in car seats, two kids in winter gear, two kids who are (potentially) in diapers, two kids who need stories and songs at bed-time, two kids who also need nap routines, two kids to feed, two kid after whom to clean up, two kids' laundry, two kids fighting over the same toy, two kids who are sick at the same time. a few weeks ago, my husband and two children all had a stomach bug at basically the same time. this situation is particularly challenging because no one will come too close to help you because no one wants to get your bug. so you fend for yourself because you have no choice. you clean up two kids puke some time between when you're puking and your partner is puking. it is INTENSE.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">however, it's also phenomenally rewarding, in ways i cannot really describe because i lack the skills to do so. you become this amazing team...you, your partner, your oldest and your baby. you all have to bind together, give yourself up temporarily for the good of the unit. which is a tough lesson for the older child, but they learn...and it's beautiful and indescribably touching to watch your older child transform into an older sibling and learn this important spiritual lesson. that you are not the centre of the universe. someone else needs your parents <i>just as much as you do</i>. it's a tough lesson for the parents too who had likely became accustomed to quiet time when their only child was resting. with two kids, you hit the ground running and don't stop until your head hits the pillow. and then 2 hours later, your baby wakes up and needs to nurse. a few hours later, your older child has a nightmare. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but we are a unit. and slowly becoming a well-oiled machine. as a year has approached, it's finally gotten easier. once my oldest consistently pooed on the potty, got himself dressed (even if it's all backward, at least he's doing it on his own), can help get the breakfast table ready, help put away dishes, grab me the wrap when i leave it upstairs, fetch the baby's boots, put on his own boots...and when the baby started making fewer wet diapers, started feeding herself solid foods, started to play independently with toys for a few minutes so that i could load the dishwasher...all this happened around the same time and life got less overwhelming. i no longer needed to be in two places at the same time as often. i started to have less melt-downs and started to smile more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">my baby is one and it's been a wonderful year. challenging but rewarding. it's like anything in life...the stuff that's worth it requires the most time, effort, and above all, personal growth and the striving to overcome the self. research shows that on a moment to moment basis, parents of young children are less happy than parents with older children or people without children. but i think that research is failing to present the full picture of any spiritual endeavor which IS NOT about constant moment-to-moment happiness, but about growth, development of character, controlling emotional impulses, keeping focused on something bigger than yourself, shedding of the ego and most importantly, LOVE. and love is hard work...ask any couple married who has been together for decades and decades. they haven't always been HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY, but wouldn't trade their love for anything. i will never regret the many sleepless nights where i rocked my baby for hours (i still do this). i'll never regret every single night i've slept with my baby beside me. i'll never regret the countless hours i've spent reading the same books and singing the same songs to my oldest. or the countless hours i've held my baby, even when my back begins to break. i don't even regret our family puke fest because it was a challenge we all overcame <i>together.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">forget moment-to-moment happiness. i'll take life and love any day, along with its challenges. try my best to live life on life's terms, not my own terms. to my two babies, and to my love, thank you for this stellar year and i look forward to all of our future adventures. happy birthday baby girl. I SURVIVED A YEAR WITH TWO KIDS!!!!! :D</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-12234321508372923952012-02-18T19:53:00.001-08:002012-02-18T20:43:30.012-08:00mitts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i've been SOOOO behind in documenting my knitting projects in any way....i knit these mitts in december out of necessity for my daughter who desperately needed mitts. they're great little thumbless things</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> which took no time at all to whip up. they're so much like other simple mitts that i didn't bother writing them out, but they're simple garter stitch knit back and forth. i casted on 20 and after an inch or two, increased to 25 for a few rows, then decreased evenly 5 times, and every other row thereafter. this was all done </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">with worsted weight yarn and worked out perfectly for her dainty little hands. i finished off with an i-cord string to keep them together (it's mid february and haven't lost them yet!). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i promptly knit another pair of stripey ones for her gorgeous little cousin and gave them to her for christmas.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFVrZkSpIRFOOORFJuGkq-j35_f_ZcTBJtjZyC5v1PO6ujmmIRAPxhMFKLCNsn56yit3ApBoEbZ529BO6-esbLYvXeTDIlWE3ZMQX03dFK2KaT1I1Ct4KowX26kaHwMIeByad714vsXI/s1600/DSC03840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFVrZkSpIRFOOORFJuGkq-j35_f_ZcTBJtjZyC5v1PO6ujmmIRAPxhMFKLCNsn56yit3ApBoEbZ529BO6-esbLYvXeTDIlWE3ZMQX03dFK2KaT1I1Ct4KowX26kaHwMIeByad714vsXI/s320/DSC03840.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6pa974kZ6eSqjDfOrRv2f8sgD_Egac9HNKMrHmCyMOdwlPYfea4TGkUm9bfPDh0Xvc4wgdP7Y6jyDj2qG84kqumdL9j7bknCEALtWOirm0DfuxZHfYa0qw2IGx9fQ3cwmsxFWvI1Dwc/s1600/DSC03925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6pa974kZ6eSqjDfOrRv2f8sgD_Egac9HNKMrHmCyMOdwlPYfea4TGkUm9bfPDh0Xvc4wgdP7Y6jyDj2qG84kqumdL9j7bknCEALtWOirm0DfuxZHfYa0qw2IGx9fQ3cwmsxFWvI1Dwc/s320/DSC03925.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-65814581722722583372011-12-28T22:38:00.000-08:002012-01-11T21:24:30.723-08:00Garter-Rib Ear Hat<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">GARTER-RIB EAR HAT <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Here's a simple pattern for a toddler-preschooler hat that's both warm and adorable. The hat will fit a child with a 20 inch head (age 2-4), but is really stretchy so will accommodate a larger head as well. Knit in classic garter stitch but with a unique garterstitch-twist on a traditional ribbing that keeps things interesting. Practical i-cord side flaps will keep precious little ears warm while the decorative animal ears will make mothers swoon.</i></b></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Materials:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OBiaRb4ttMfPWLdJ3YMa190wf9FC2mYrn-5a3y4SxIzRQPDNficu8KzoLEABVJ8AkLdxISwPXMtUbUL26vWBxhEwLg6jaHFvdEH7A5j70YaXRW0gKcp5obQoINr8NvmSRT9-5pbDHbM/s1600/isaac.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OBiaRb4ttMfPWLdJ3YMa190wf9FC2mYrn-5a3y4SxIzRQPDNficu8KzoLEABVJ8AkLdxISwPXMtUbUL26vWBxhEwLg6jaHFvdEH7A5j70YaXRW0gKcp5obQoINr8NvmSRT9-5pbDHbM/s320/isaac.JPG" width="204" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 ball of Diamond Superwash Aran in Main colour (i used colour
# 1654).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 bal of Diamond Superwash Aran in Contrast colour (i
used colour # 7473).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4.5 mm 16 inch needle </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5 mm 16 inch needle AND double-pointed needles for
decreasing/i-cord. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">optional: stitch markers to assist with the decreases.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">optional: buttons for embellishment on the ears. </span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ABBREVIATIONS:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MC – Main Colour</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CC – Contrast Colour</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">K – Knit</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">P – Purl</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">K2tog – Knit two together</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SSK – Slip Slip Knit</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CO – Cast on</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">gauge – 18 stitches/4 inches on 5 mm needles.</span></div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Main Body of
Hat<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CO 72 stitches with 4.5 mm needles with CC. begin knitting in round being careful not to twist stitches. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">knit in garter rib pattern as follows:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1<sup>st</sup> row: KKKP</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2<sup>nd</sup> row: KPPP</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">repeat these last 2 rows a total of 8 times (16 rows).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Switch to MC and 5 mm needles.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">knit in garter stitch (*knit one row, purl the next*
repeat). continue for 4.5 inches from the cast-on edge, at which point you will begin decreasing. </span></div>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">decreases:<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 1: *knit 7, k2tog*. repeat. continue until end of
round. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 2: purl</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 3: *knit 6, k2tog*. repeat. continue until end of
round. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 4: purl</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 5: *knit 5, k2tog*. repeat. continue until end of
round.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 6: purl</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 7: *knit 4, k2tog*. repeat. continue until end of
round.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 8: purl</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 9: * knit 3, ktog*. repeat. continue until end of
round.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 10: *purl 2, p2tog*. repeat. continue until end of
round.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 11: *knit 1, k2tog*. repeat. continue until end of
round.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 12: *purl 2 tog* repeat until end of round. (8
stitches remain). </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">break yarn leaving a long tail and knit through the last
stitches. weave in wrong side of work. </span></div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ear Flaps:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">if you look closely, you can tell where the beginning of
the rows were (where the knit turned to a purl) as there is a line (a jog), or a break
in the fluidity of the row. i attempted to centre this line in between the ear
flaps. with right side facing, begin the
first ear flap by picking up stitches about one to one-and-a-half repeats of
the garter-rib away from the beginning of the row. measure how long your ear
flap ends up being (mine was 6 repeats of the garter rib). measure that
distance PLUS the 1 repeat give from the centre line to determine where to
start your second flap. these directions are finicky and strange so just eye-ball it the best you can.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 1: with CC and 5 mm DPN, pick up 21 stitches on the
ribbing with right side facing. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 2: (WS)knit</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 3: (RS)knit</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 4: k1, SSK, K until 3 stitches remain. K2tog, K1. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 5: K</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">continue the last 2 rows until 5 stitches remain. with
right side facing, begin i-cord.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Follow suggestions above for where to place the second
ear flap and follow the same directions above for the second ear flap.</span></div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ears:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Outer Ear (make 2).
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With 5 mm needle and MC, cast on 10. Do 8 rows garter
stitch (k each row). </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Decreases:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 1: k 1, SSK, knit until 3 stitches remain, k2tog, k1.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 2: k</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Repeat last row 1; 6 stitches remain. rather than knit
another row, bind off.</span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Inner Ear (make 2).
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">with 5mm needles in CC, co 8. Do 6 rows garter stitch (k
each row). </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Decreases:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 1: k1, SSK, K until 3 stitches remain, k2tog, k1. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 2: k</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 3: repeat row 1; 4 stitches remain. rather than knit
another row, bind off.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">sew inner ear onto outer ear with the bottom flat side
lined up and the inner ear centred on the outer ear. you’ll have two adorable
ears which you must then sew onto the hat. this was a bit tricky to do evenly
so give yourself some time. i tried to line them up with the cetre of the ear
flaps, about 4 ridges or so from the top of the hat, but you may want to put
them elsewhere. experiment. i sewed buttons onto the middle of the ears for
fun. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I kept rough notes while creating this pattern and
thought I’d share. If something is unclear or outright confusing, just email me
and i’ll do my best to shed some light. ravelry link is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-rib-ear-hat">here.</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-76446107297298722412011-11-15T21:31:00.001-08:002011-11-23T15:23:09.964-08:00Garter Ribbing My Baby Hat!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Here's a simple baby hat that knits up quickly with a soft and lovely DK weight yarn. The pattern features a garter-ribbing, which is an interesting variation of the conventional rib that blends in perfectly with a classic garter stitch hat and ear flaps. Top it all off with an adorable pom-pom and your baby will be both irresistibly cute and warm when the snow flies. </b> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwOKhdUGsQnZMqStRcFKmh04ypeHC3sQOCQNnPsxwe5XbJcfAJtlHjTjBeYMTxtGTwfaSLoolTUOpeDCvWsd2tLM9o69mHqXsba8aaIGpE4Af2T230lCOXy5e1iP3nxAasezJjkQxiWo/s1600/DSC03644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwOKhdUGsQnZMqStRcFKmh04ypeHC3sQOCQNnPsxwe5XbJcfAJtlHjTjBeYMTxtGTwfaSLoolTUOpeDCvWsd2tLM9o69mHqXsba8aaIGpE4Af2T230lCOXy5e1iP3nxAasezJjkQxiWo/s200/DSC03644.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYTIdUs6BFeIR-bEdiWlGDbED_gXAm2NAn6pfbR6jeEIvfiX4cD3vfZ8atNM18vnPN9aQAOu4MBX05Wmp4N34KGkFnF787_7aaxDgxwnvEorLfEUFpm2LvaChh2wqpDJ_PtN8GBPTOfA/s1600/DSC03665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYTIdUs6BFeIR-bEdiWlGDbED_gXAm2NAn6pfbR6jeEIvfiX4cD3vfZ8atNM18vnPN9aQAOu4MBX05Wmp4N34KGkFnF787_7aaxDgxwnvEorLfEUFpm2LvaChh2wqpDJ_PtN8GBPTOfA/s320/DSC03665.JPG" width="158" /></a><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Materials</span></u></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-1 ball of Sublime Organic Merino Wool DK – Main colour (MC)
is shade 0112 (cream)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-1 ball of Sublime Organic Merino Wool DK – Contrast
colour (CC) is shade 189 (pinkish purple)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-3.5 mm 16 inch circular needle</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-4 mm 16 inch circular needle AND Double Pointed needles </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-stitch markers</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-darning needle</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>ABBREVIATIONS</u>:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MC – Main Colour</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CC – Contrast Colour</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">K – Knit</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">P – Purl</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">K2tog – Knit two together</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SSK – Slip Slip Knit</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CO – Cast on</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Gauge – 22 sts per
4 inches with 4 mm needles in garter-stitch </b>should fit a 9 -12 month head (and even beyond) though there’s
lots of room for play with baby hats…their heads grow so quickly that at some
point, the hat will fit!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">NOTE: the appearance of a “ridge” characterizes garter
stitch, which you can observe after knitting a few rows. When i refer to a
“ridge” I’m referring to 2 full rows of garter stitch (alternating K and P rows
in the round; straight K stitches when knitting back and forth). </span></div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Main Body of
Hat<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With MC and 3.5 mm needles, CO 76 stitches the join in round.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">K 2 rows of garter rib as follows:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <b>row
1</b>- *KKKP* repeat until end of round.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <b> row
2</b> - *KPPP* repeat until end of round.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">repeat these last 2 rows for a total of 18 more rows.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Switch to MC and 4 mm needles and work the remainder of hat in garter
stitch (K a row, P a row, repeat) and knit 3 full garter stitch ridges (or 6
rows alternating K and P, ending with a P row). Switch to CC and K one full
ridge (2 rows). Repeat these steps (3 ridges of MC, 1 ridge CC) 2 more times
for a total of 3 full repeats. Then, knit 3 more ridges of MC . Beginning in the next section, you will work
one final ridge of CC, which is where you will start your decreases. </span></div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Decreases</span></u></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You’ll be on a CC row now. Continue in colour pattern; reminders to switch colours will be indicated in italics.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 1</b>: (K2tog, K14, SSK, PM, K1, PM). repeat 4 times. 68
stitches remain. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 2</b>: P, slipping stitch markers as you go. DO THIS FOR ALL EVEN NUMBERED ROWS, IN THIS SECTION. 14 will be your last even row.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 3</b>: <i>Switch to MC.</i>(K2tog, K 12, SSK, PM, K1, PM).
repeat 4 times. 60 stitches remain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 5:</b> (K2tog, K10, SSK, PM, K1, PM). Repeat 4 times. 52
stitches remain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 7:</b> (K2tog, K8, SSK, PM, K1, PM). Repeat 4 times. 44
stitches remain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 9:</b> <i>SWITCH</i> <i>to CC</i>, (K2tog, K6, SSK, PM, K1,PM). Repeat 4 times. 36
stitches remain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 11:</b> <i>SWITCH to MC</i>(K2tog, K4, SSK, PM, K1, PM). Repeat 4
times. 28 stitches remain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 13:</b> (K2tog, K 2, SSK, PM, K1, PM). Repeat 4 times. 20
stitches remain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 15:</b> (K2tog, SSK, PM, K1, PM). Repeat 4 times. 12 stitches remain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">break yarn, place on darning needle and weave yarn
through the last stitches, secure. </span></div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ear Flaps<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">if you look closely, you can tell where the beginning of
the rows were (where the knit turned to a purl) as there is a line, or a break
in the fluidity of the row. i attempted to centre this line in between the ear
flaps but you don't need to be so picky. however, if pickiness is your thing, read on... </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">with right side facing, begin the
first ear flap by picking up stitches about one repeat of the garter-rib away
from the beginning of the row. measure how long your ear flap ends up being
(mine was 5 repeats of the garter rib). measure that distance PLUS the 1 repeat
give from the centre line to determine where to start your second flap. hope this makes sense. if not, just experiment with it. it's the kind of thing you know how to do with practice.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 1</b>: with CC and 4 mm DPN, pick up 19 stitches on the
ribbing with right side facing. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 2:</b> (WS)knit</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 3:</b> (RS)knit</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 4: </b>k1, SSK, K until 3 stitches before end of row. K2tog, K1. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>row 5:</b> K</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">continue the last 2 rows until 3 stitches remain. with
right side facing, begin i-cord. knit i-cord to desired length.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">make a pom-pom, then fasten to top of hat.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfZoWMX18GG-Bzo6cL6oclhvk3xKv05B0jSODumXfqBz7-WKQF2b52-ADzhaWhlkq1o18_1QRVmU6gxiz_XyDTAFluI4UzmfX47h8fKImfpLggHrLfhI2U6gd5X7R9wxg9lAvtjKl5GU/s1600/DSC03660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfZoWMX18GG-Bzo6cL6oclhvk3xKv05B0jSODumXfqBz7-WKQF2b52-ADzhaWhlkq1o18_1QRVmU6gxiz_XyDTAFluI4UzmfX47h8fKImfpLggHrLfhI2U6gd5X7R9wxg9lAvtjKl5GU/s320/DSC03660.JPG" width="219" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please let me know if you have any questions about this pattern. i kept basic scratch notes while creating this hat and i haven't done any test-knitting yet. email me at lux.arnott@gmail.com if you need clarification. Ravelry link to the pattern is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-ribbing-my-baby-hat" target="_blank">here.</a></span></div>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-61562776754062399062011-11-06T17:59:00.000-08:002011-11-06T17:59:55.385-08:00it's november!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">so i'm at the in-laws and have snuck away to write a quick post because my baby is asleep on the bed in the next room and my son is playing with his cousin and i forgot my knitting needles...what better time to do a little typing!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">so i've been doing a lot of thrift store shopping and have made LOTS of scores lately! cashmerino and angora yarn, whole seasons of deadwood (still have to catch up on this series which everybody raves about), amazing deals on kids clothes...and recently, these totally adorable plates! i couldn't resist. in our attempts to keep down on clutter (i can't escape clutter, i think it's in my genes), i'm swapping them for plates i already have, which i will donate. yay organization!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">also, i wanted to post halloween photos! i found this great blog which inspired me to make my own cardboard thomas costume. like most 3 year olds, my son loves thomas and after seeing the lame assortment of thomas costumes available, i decided to create my own. here's the <a href="http://mothermaker.blogspot.com/2010/10/making-of-thomas.html">blog</a>. and here's some photos. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioli5XJIfxz3DBwopQ3GoYcmjlm0sfloFPftKdTahyphenhyphenJwlupSmpizQe_2uy65K4olmYEAUfdo6ZQy_8CYNd456CmNCVAuShp87dIUoWLHtXN0AFFne2neBNp10UdiUV3mtC5Qg5aKSAhcc/s1600/DSC03623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioli5XJIfxz3DBwopQ3GoYcmjlm0sfloFPftKdTahyphenhyphenJwlupSmpizQe_2uy65K4olmYEAUfdo6ZQy_8CYNd456CmNCVAuShp87dIUoWLHtXN0AFFne2neBNp10UdiUV3mtC5Qg5aKSAhcc/s320/DSC03623.JPG" width="252" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYTeCHwLVWTkQSU3vdbev5_PDLWzFSe_n8M8PTjnrpwu1-NencOwZzez_po4Ly6j-7PsVaIQku47Gp9kckrOmB3iEfa54DZUA5gDpZmWFDw85cKxHBJJFgdpH3IoVeUAwfMkSPdlVT3E/s1600/DSC03618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYTeCHwLVWTkQSU3vdbev5_PDLWzFSe_n8M8PTjnrpwu1-NencOwZzez_po4Ly6j-7PsVaIQku47Gp9kckrOmB3iEfa54DZUA5gDpZmWFDw85cKxHBJJFgdpH3IoVeUAwfMkSPdlVT3E/s320/DSC03618.JPG" width="229" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and finally, here's my latest knitting project. it took nearly 3 skeins of Cascade 220! lots of yarn. but lots of easy garterstitch. and it's one of the most gratifying projects i've ever knit! so comfy, so cute and so incredibly practical! the wind never sneaks into my neck anymore. i think i might be done with the toque/hat combo, at least on a day-to-day basis. this will be my go-to protection from the cold. the patter is called "loxley" and can be seen <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/babyblue/loxley">here</a> on ravelry.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHEdnzmqphHTmOECs0i6ngyMwc8xugvD2qMnkkRboeepp-h2p0QExVeOa2OMOGX5F3OVvG4uKsq-avURIlNWjZmcxrORjCVsiJkEApceVMKBOZodSnZDHSFwr1Zp7a7EbAVBgDTa2e_M/s1600/DSC03642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHEdnzmqphHTmOECs0i6ngyMwc8xugvD2qMnkkRboeepp-h2p0QExVeOa2OMOGX5F3OVvG4uKsq-avURIlNWjZmcxrORjCVsiJkEApceVMKBOZodSnZDHSFwr1Zp7a7EbAVBgDTa2e_M/s320/DSC03642.JPG" width="282" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HRWZthMAPpIx_G7fWRZmRjlxOmeAm4jTMBql1pEZ2Czr4E9JFt0GumWRXSxlasM6X4c7LOYeNTv7ujfZwNKaDoeo7pVZlPV0lwjLxaJroeB47xBdM8jE8HmCGFMTBy_bb63DCvsXXjM/s1600/DSC03634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HRWZthMAPpIx_G7fWRZmRjlxOmeAm4jTMBql1pEZ2Czr4E9JFt0GumWRXSxlasM6X4c7LOYeNTv7ujfZwNKaDoeo7pVZlPV0lwjLxaJroeB47xBdM8jE8HmCGFMTBy_bb63DCvsXXjM/s320/DSC03634.JPG" width="207" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-17479875916415304292011-10-12T15:47:00.000-07:002011-10-12T15:49:36.641-07:00autumn<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">so it's officially my favourite time of year!! the transition from summer to winter...i love the colours, the smells and the chill in the air. as much as i love the warmth and life of summer, i admit that by the end of august i'm excited about pulling out the sweaters, toques, wrist-warmers, boots etc.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">last week, my son and i picked leaves and set them aside to dry. then we took out some wooden beads that i bought at the victoria swappy a few months ago for super cheap and we strung them onto knotted string. he choose the colour scheme. then he and his teddy bear helped me clip the dried leaves onto the string and we hung them up today!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i just finished a sweater for myself. it was super-easy, just straight stockinette with simple increases and round knitting. i knitted it while the kids played in the grass and while watching true blood and curb your enthusiasm. does everyone agree that this season of true blood was by far the greatest? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCGVRGm3U3M-mZwdpnirx7AEZp-iZjgUNBl9-fxx6nRarPUKSwU0lgN64avGzcm4P3tgE3gXXwzE1wgBPUNPiLRyax8HNgDpvbUggb-xJPU15FkTSc2d1TFyI4sI4sfcafBcXlOYitUk/s1600/DSC03584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCGVRGm3U3M-mZwdpnirx7AEZp-iZjgUNBl9-fxx6nRarPUKSwU0lgN64avGzcm4P3tgE3gXXwzE1wgBPUNPiLRyax8HNgDpvbUggb-xJPU15FkTSc2d1TFyI4sI4sfcafBcXlOYitUk/s320/DSC03584.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-72555865771248649012011-09-10T21:56:00.000-07:002011-09-10T21:56:08.196-07:00september september, girl where you been so long?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">among the many reasons we decided to buy land and build a
house was to obtain our goal of being more self-sustaining. not because it’s
trendy or whatever. but because of the cumulative effect of many shitty things
like peak oil, peak soil, climate change, economic collapse, etc. which are
kind of concerning. so together, we started to educate ourselves on gardening,
food preservation, frugality, knitting, carpentry, etc…</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">this winter i would like to use as much peserved food as
possible, (and as little grocery out-of-season food as possible) so i’ve been
canning up a storm! every year i try to preserve more and more, and use less
and less of the imported stuff. we have a HUGE crabapple tree and i’m doing
just about everything you can do with crabapples, including jellies, mushes and
juices. canning them whole is great for dessert as well. this year, i took a
leap and canned jelly without commercial pectin…something veteran canners would
do with little thought, but something about which i (a self-taught learner) have
always been reluctant. it turns out i was afraid for nothing, because the
result was great! i like doing things that require as little processed stuff as
possible…</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i bought 20 pounds of nectarines for 20 bucks today, and plan on canning those tomorrow. i've already canned 20 pounds each of peaches and nectarines. also, i bought 20 pounds of pears for 25 bucks today and canned those.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> this is my first year canning pears and it's even more time consuming than peaches! hopefully the end product is worth it.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaWYr2reEK4LiJURJXgzdhJUNy9P9N4D4gRRyeBxCXthV_ZKFttdM8XOGv5psYe6Ut0URsQ76Pwu_R4vUHAef-Kn3u3bfVBugKtgk0Ff8rbNKG4We0KwLX2S8NyEXRyjj27Mt0adWiCw/s1600/DSC03414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaWYr2reEK4LiJURJXgzdhJUNy9P9N4D4gRRyeBxCXthV_ZKFttdM8XOGv5psYe6Ut0URsQ76Pwu_R4vUHAef-Kn3u3bfVBugKtgk0Ff8rbNKG4We0KwLX2S8NyEXRyjj27Mt0adWiCw/s320/DSC03414.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">boiling crabapple juice!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdk0qR2y14_PVuNSTIGzIqwxWTezYHNQzC9tHVgMD981K9H9EqzlZvEA2h6F0SHxZ10QxBlCRljJmWfAlJtyLZStxEXQkeO3DByvPXMoad7ELdjmuQiMAryVPE6en6io2cESnAMB6eTm4/s1600/DSC03418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdk0qR2y14_PVuNSTIGzIqwxWTezYHNQzC9tHVgMD981K9H9EqzlZvEA2h6F0SHxZ10QxBlCRljJmWfAlJtyLZStxEXQkeO3DByvPXMoad7ELdjmuQiMAryVPE6en6io2cESnAMB6eTm4/s320/DSC03418.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">spoon test for ensuring the jelly is "done"<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in other fascinating news we’re in the process of preparing
a few new garden beds. unfortunately, our land is ROCKY, WEEDY and SANDY and
the land needs lots of effort and energy on our part. it’s sort of like
breaking in a pair of wooden shoes (or about as easy as convincing the masses
that global warming exists). my father-in-law built a rock sieve, which
operates with the use of elbow grease and gravity to sift through dirt, so we’ve
been spending our days as of late hucking chunks of earth onto the medieval-looking
contraption (doesn’t it look like some kind of torture chamber?) . </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEigyx4hVZp0YrKtrlC2j-6vnO3ifuin6fdqcbhIWUQInv0_8otsxDGKu70ViafOVc9WzOohZze9IGkBiwLg81plKoDQGrwPGJReGQlL29itgKUcwRoetX081f8er3dkZG3HtQsCwBHqk/s1600/DSC03432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEigyx4hVZp0YrKtrlC2j-6vnO3ifuin6fdqcbhIWUQInv0_8otsxDGKu70ViafOVc9WzOohZze9IGkBiwLg81plKoDQGrwPGJReGQlL29itgKUcwRoetX081f8er3dkZG3HtQsCwBHqk/s320/DSC03432.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">notice the sifted sand versus the rock pile!! rar!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6AYQKlsRilybNCmYrLU8kS3sGX_mzFWCrUguFhsFgWSFVetQjw_pEbMDjtUtA01ZfY8vgAZ6SpLIYxE83ZZ2xeT5HRFILFfF6rcsVUfYl2skzdYTjCN-zR3ARd_-3Mv5b03GodLguDUA/s1600/DSC03431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6AYQKlsRilybNCmYrLU8kS3sGX_mzFWCrUguFhsFgWSFVetQjw_pEbMDjtUtA01ZfY8vgAZ6SpLIYxE83ZZ2xeT5HRFILFfF6rcsVUfYl2skzdYTjCN-zR3ARd_-3Mv5b03GodLguDUA/s320/DSC03431.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">enormous pile of dirt which is being overtaken by weeds.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">luckily, the
enormous dirt pile through which we are sifting (which was set aside during the back-filling stage of our house
building) also doubles as my son’s favourite play spot. he literally spends
hours there digging around and getting dirty while we work the land (and our
abs, our arses, biceps, pregnancy guts, etc). he is a much happier child when
allowed unrestricted time out-doors to roam around, so dirt-hucking is a rather
enjoyable experience for everybody involved.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuK1nmP-aFWglSlb-xHor1_3Rlz6GUTPdR95zjI5A02I5lPuiqGoEXbdgjxYiabZS4Tka8j556mR226o3JVZf9G4pb86jcpjQD34pzW5ORRiCvEDCENCHC6FjRNJbGX6diNLYQwyyRgQ0/s1600/DSC03430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuK1nmP-aFWglSlb-xHor1_3Rlz6GUTPdR95zjI5A02I5lPuiqGoEXbdgjxYiabZS4Tka8j556mR226o3JVZf9G4pb86jcpjQD34pzW5ORRiCvEDCENCHC6FjRNJbGX6diNLYQwyyRgQ0/s320/DSC03430.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">prepared bed!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;">to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">build</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;"> a bed, we
loosened the existing dirt down about a foot, added another foot of sifted dirt, then
topped it off with a delicious inch of city compost (we got it for free earlier this summer). we then planted some hairy vetch (a nitrogen fixing
cover-crop, NOT a venereal disease!) which we’ll turn under in the spring. hopefully,
this will partially prep the soil for next year. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
notice the rock boarder. my son created that...his very own "rock-train." those are just a fraction of the rocks that we dug up in the process. <b>if you ever want to keep a kid busy, just come to my house, help us dig up rocks, and encourage the kid to build a "rock-train." </b>i'm thinking of patenting the idea. "your child will stay out of your hair for hours!". the catch is that you have to build it in my back yard. come one, come all!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
hmm…there’s someone shooting a gun outside right now. it’s
pitch black out, what the hell are they shooting at?</div>
</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-20389513448086686392011-09-04T14:20:00.000-07:002011-09-04T16:01:01.645-07:00life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9h99RZafU_TEoTFO7x7NgDDWT_FU9tSSf50T1zhC3CMCZRN3Pc9keOX4JRzkCi_-MjYWE0AfhTuZEF2OBPuX_pKrvoWpQ6ULl2M_yZxU_je45URsF4r4OVnRDyhGTZfX6plVaNDsgCQY/s1600/DSC03427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9h99RZafU_TEoTFO7x7NgDDWT_FU9tSSf50T1zhC3CMCZRN3Pc9keOX4JRzkCi_-MjYWE0AfhTuZEF2OBPuX_pKrvoWpQ6ULl2M_yZxU_je45URsF4r4OVnRDyhGTZfX6plVaNDsgCQY/s320/DSC03427.JPG" width="179" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">only have about 3 minutes to update this blog....here's a few photos of the latest knittng projects plus some photos of the house, which by the way, we're living in (yay!). i've had so little time to do anything but basically exist....we moved into our new house, which means we moved stuff from our old house AND my mum's house, where we were staying. and the whole process, with two young children in tow, was overwhelmingly time-consuming! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">now we just have to tame our yard, which is OUT OF CONTROL, which you can observe in the photo below. also take note of the huge southern exposure windows! we hope to use as little heat as possible this winter as the low southern sun shines its beauty indoors! we installed radiant floor heating (no forced-air furnace system!), with a super-efficient gas boiler that heats the water which runs through the floor (well, runs through tubing in the floor). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6DUee7NN-8jD60UVqNRJi0Zq-ofqqHqgWy6X7K2NiedIZSW3j2U1EI42mWw5LWFQdMwtQoduSnYsQhWWSu_TD9Iz0dMsN76KX8cI2El7qdn9YG41X7jXgSaz9wMaD8g0gePpV2Q2Xk8/s1600/DSC03433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6DUee7NN-8jD60UVqNRJi0Zq-ofqqHqgWy6X7K2NiedIZSW3j2U1EI42mWw5LWFQdMwtQoduSnYsQhWWSu_TD9Iz0dMsN76KX8cI2El7qdn9YG41X7jXgSaz9wMaD8g0gePpV2Q2Xk8/s320/DSC03433.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and on to the knitting, of which there is little...</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73hJ6uD_Z0xz-kfHjf38PFJlu1lpmbJB3fjxIB7dUGcqV4PwaGGWaOoTE0khrHm2e1Ph1iMx6pUsLrYLvaiLnGmqQSjapA7tMe2L_KqsZ5hDQ3M_lBOx3kEEISlRD34_DIkPq3Q-mBBM/s1600/DSC03226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73hJ6uD_Z0xz-kfHjf38PFJlu1lpmbJB3fjxIB7dUGcqV4PwaGGWaOoTE0khrHm2e1Ph1iMx6pUsLrYLvaiLnGmqQSjapA7tMe2L_KqsZ5hDQ3M_lBOx3kEEISlRD34_DIkPq3Q-mBBM/s320/DSC03226.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">baby shorts</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJvlfatt_CqZDYhUkR6xtS1c_Ay1fzYHjnTxCAxY66V5LUVav7ngy6BAWhCV1idnB_IG0QDVeBiw1PmI1H3Ynsz7eOiEzEo8WelWZlxsRHi8Rlo9i8Lut0qEYmKTXrDHMPlTvLmP1yzQ/s1600/DSC03452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJvlfatt_CqZDYhUkR6xtS1c_Ay1fzYHjnTxCAxY66V5LUVav7ngy6BAWhCV1idnB_IG0QDVeBiw1PmI1H3Ynsz7eOiEzEo8WelWZlxsRHi8Rlo9i8Lut0qEYmKTXrDHMPlTvLmP1yzQ/s320/DSC03452.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">summer scarf</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-71953239702501657612011-06-04T16:49:00.000-07:002011-06-04T17:04:57.637-07:00diaper free!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for information on "natural infant hygiene" (aka "elimination communication" or "diaper free") go to </span><a href="http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/">http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/</a>.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for the last 6 weeks, i have been putting my baby to bed with no diaper. that's right, no diaper...just her bare bum and a top. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">many of my friends/family know that with my first child, i enjoyed the benefits of placing my infant over the potty to catch his poos...(he pooed several times a day---after breastfeeding--- which is a lot of ass-wiping not to mention a lot of laundry when cloth diapering). i realized quickly the benefits of getting him to poo on a potty; namely, it resulted in less orange/stinky laundry, no shitty diaper leaks (mums, you know what i'm talking about...orange poo that comes UP the back of the diaper dirtying their entire outfit which gets IN their hair as you take the soiled onsie OFF, not to mention the necessary mid-day bath that follows), and perhaps most importantly, a cleaner bum for the baby (imagine having to sit in your own stool for even minutes at time? YUCK). i was really overwhelmed with my first child so i didn't worry a lot about catching pees...if i caught them, great. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i caught his poos in the middle of the night with my first-born too until he stopped pooping at night...sometime between his 5th and 6th month. again, it was easier holding him over the pot in the middle of the night than changing a diaper at night. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but i still diapered him at night otherwise. i was so sleep deprived, i didn't have it in me to experiment with no-diapers. once he stopped pooing at night, i stopped attempting to catch anything at night, savouring the sleep instead and letting the diaper do the work.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">with my second baby, i decided to take "diaper-free" more seriously. i re-read "Diaper-Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygeine" by Ingrid Bauer and when baby was about 2 months old, decided i was ready to try going diaper-free at night. i anticipated a lot of stress...i got my bed totally prepared for countless leaks (an absorbent sheep-fleece, towels, extra blankets, pre-fold diapers, etc) closed my eyes tight with my daughter laying peacefully beside me and wondered: is this going to work? why am i crazy and insist on doing everything the difficult way?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">imagine my surprise when on my first night, i did not miss a single pee? and imagine my surprise when i woke up from one of the better sleeps i'd had since she was born?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">here's how it works. if you're a breastfeeding parent who co-sleeps (whether the baby is in the bed, on a mattress beside your bed, or in a crib beside your bed), you know that your baby wakes several times a night to feed anyway. in general, babies don't pee while asleep. the trick is, and it's simple: when your baby wakes to feed, hold baby over a receptacle on the side of your bed and she will pee. my daughter is now just over 3 months and i haven't used a diaper at night since (with the exception of the square pre-fold diapers i put under her bottom in case i miss a pee...which gets changed out swiftly and without fuss once i realize i've missed, which is usually almost right away).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">since i started, i have had misses. mostly because i sometimes can't rouse myself out of sleep in time to pick her up (although, at least 90% of the time, our sleep cycles are identical and i usually wake up a minute or two before she needs to feed). but i have a sheep fleece (that prevents urine from soaking through to the mattress) on which we sleep so if she pees before i get her (usually a minute or two passes before i realize she's awake and hasn't waited for me to pick her up), i simply pull out the cotton placed under her bum (like i said earlier, a prefold cotton diaper, an old towl, etc) and slip another one under her bum. DONE. i don't even have to turn on a light. or even sit up for that matter. even holding her on the potty does not require me turning on a light (i use the light emitting from my clock radio) because the metal bowl i use as her toilet is huge. turning on the light rouses her and makes it more difficult for her to settle so i'm thankful i don't have to use it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">even the most advanced cloth diaper and/or disposable diaper leaks. when i used diapers, i'd say that at least once or twice a week my daughter would leak and i'd have to change her sleeper. which is disruptive and annoying. now, there are no leaks...(just occasional misses, which i've explained is resolved quickly and efficiently).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">further, she <b>cries less at night...which directly results in me sleeping more at night...crying is almost eliminated entirely! </b>she has always struggled with gas; her sleeper plus diaper prevented her from kicking/straightening her legs in attempts to pass the gas. such restriction set her off in a rage literally EVERY SINGLE NIGHT AT 3 AM (the recovery from which sometimes took an hour or two depending on how upset she got) until we went diaper/pj free. she has not had a single 2 hour gas-fit since we made the change. (the very act of holding a babies legs up over a bowl helps to pass gas in itself...doing this a few times a night helps the gas pass gradually over the night rather than accumulating to the point of unbearable discomfort). when she doesn't cry, i don't stress: when i don't stress, i get back to sleep right away.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">also, imagine sitting in a urine soaked, unbreathable plastic diaper all night (whether it's an expensive pocket diaper that uses microfibre...an oil/petro-chemical product...or a disposable diaper, which uses plastic). imagine how much nicer it is to let your bits and pieces air out while you slumber! especially for a girl...think of pathogens that thrive in moist environments, short urethras, etc.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">finally, i'll mention the obvious...going diaper free at night reduces the number of diapers you need. if you cloth diaper, this means several diapers and several changes (unless you're using a pocket diaper like fuzzy bunz, in which case, you'll still save diapers but not as many). if you use disposables, this method will save you approximately 2-3 diapers a night, depending on whether your little one poos, is a heavy wetter, etc. this results in huge $$ savings.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">anyway the point of my post is NOT to give the impression that "my way is the best" or to cast judgement on those that use diapers at night. the use of diapers is the norm in our society and there is little wisdom to help mums with any alternatives. in fact, the use of disposables has only become the norm in the past several decades...humans have been around a lot longer than that. the point of my post is <b>to offer another perspective and to help out any mums who might be interested in trying this out.</b> if anyone reading this wants to learn more, email me at hotsaki_7@hotmail.com and i'll do my best to shed some light. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i thought i'd add that my mattress has never been soaked once, and i've been doing it for 6 weeks. i even did it when i was out of town for a week. i've never been shat on (though i've been peed on once...not really a big deal, pee is sterile and the incident occurred in the morning when i was too lazy to move my ass and get her on the potty in time). my daughter is used to our rhythm: wake up (she does not cry...she merely shimmies and i'm usually waking up from a sleep cycle anyway---see above re: coinciding sleep cycles---), drowsily pee on a potty, drink milk, and drift back to sleep. all of this happens almost without waking in a matter of minutes. <b>if you're waking up already to breastfeed, it's only one other step that literally takes an additional 15 seconds.</b> it's brilliant really, and so simple. many cultures have been doing it this way since the dawn of time. i often think my grandma and her 12 children...in her little village in greece, there were no diapers. i imagine she must have done it something like this...too bad i never got to meet her and ask...</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-80662258065406902862011-05-28T19:58:00.000-07:002011-05-28T20:00:13.544-07:00so busy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">here's what i've been upto lately knitting wise. i don't have much time anymore as baby is getting bigger (3 months!), toddler is getting challenging (tantrums, obnoxious behaviour etc) and...yah, that's basically it. oh and we're still building a house. we just got back from the lower mainland where we visited family and bought our cabinets. so we're installing them now, as well as baseboards, trim etc. it's almost entirely painted! when the place is less of a mess, i'll post photos. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i'm definitely feeling the, oh i don't know the word, hmm....commitment? of having 2 children. like i have no time for myself anymore. and i wont complain extensively, life with two children is mostly good. but basic things...like fighting to have showers, not having time to exercise, sneaking in a few pages here and there of reading but nothing else, almost not knitting at all, delayed responses to emails, wishing i got more sleep. oh, and yes so typical, looking like crap all the time. and i know it'll be over soon so i try...really hard... to stay present and focused and enjoy them while they're young...because before you know it, they wont need me nearly as much and i'll have time to do all the things i long to do now. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in the mean time, here's some photos of some of the craftiness i've been upto lately. oh and my previous post included photos of my latest design. i've had thousands of hits to my page with people looking at the pattern...i feel so honoured that people actually time out of their day to check it out! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4Y_ZMnWiKtokCzPyhyphenhyphenHDzwtQPOmSXNaq1VAsFs-T2Juf59KbIag-zav63CZYA8kJ3FfH2CnCCY-WaGlfsbXwIwGiQz8CRIHN_vRyJ_G0I9My7IUNlmfd0gJKYWcHnx32gMt4sc3nhEc/s1600/DSC03111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4Y_ZMnWiKtokCzPyhyphenhyphenHDzwtQPOmSXNaq1VAsFs-T2Juf59KbIag-zav63CZYA8kJ3FfH2CnCCY-WaGlfsbXwIwGiQz8CRIHN_vRyJ_G0I9My7IUNlmfd0gJKYWcHnx32gMt4sc3nhEc/s320/DSC03111.JPG" width="179" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qyxpr8tGp5hslxnY4Eab8Uz8zKi0reUi0r71Emuit1gBOM6bveO8ffNtJnxfZSo-wcbFdtxJLqH6FXdRPLcREd-nucEafmzk8rGEZJQfum9ycyI0yBV0ZPS-me8XFRqlvFnU9ya-9oY/s1600/DSC03106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qyxpr8tGp5hslxnY4Eab8Uz8zKi0reUi0r71Emuit1gBOM6bveO8ffNtJnxfZSo-wcbFdtxJLqH6FXdRPLcREd-nucEafmzk8rGEZJQfum9ycyI0yBV0ZPS-me8XFRqlvFnU9ya-9oY/s320/DSC03106.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-8286391272104269512011-04-19T15:41:00.000-07:002011-04-25T21:43:50.975-07:00yum, ice cream in the sping time!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>chocolate, strawberry and vanilla please</u></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;"></span></b></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>here’s a simple and quick garter stitch pattern for wrist warmers using straight needles and knitted flat with simple seaming at the end of the project.</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>the gauge is just a suggestion as there’s lot of room for variation. because these are quite fitted as described in the pattern, the needle size could easily increase to 4 mm and still fit most wrists. also, the striping pattern is just a suggestion…be creative and adjust the length, striping pattern etc.</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>this pattern calls for 3 different coloured worsted weight yarns with minimal amounts of contrast colour. try using scrap yarn to save yourself buying whole skeins.</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>this pattern was designed with a newborn in my arms; therefore there may be mistakes. please send me an email through <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/babyblue">ravelry</a> or at lux.arnott@gmail.com.</b></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>materials:</i> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">size 3.25 needles (or size necessary to obtain gauge)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">stitch holders</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">darning needle</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 buttons...3/4 inch maybe? again, give or take.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">your preferred worsted weight wool. i used PATONS CLASSIC WOOL in 3 different colours: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chestnut Brown (MC), </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Natural Mix,(CC1) and Orchid (CC2)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbP1mhlmOZyiCNbNr1ofnPoKJQU2OiR-H2QpTFOzRsiC7mBFKuD4Qm-UdPeYihSvDIqG9HXtwldwGBBpaB1ojSFqWgrewGruItgkTuR81SShnpt7XrzQ3US4YyT3yQBBpLX0KqLDJhuk/s1600/IMG_8984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbP1mhlmOZyiCNbNr1ofnPoKJQU2OiR-H2QpTFOzRsiC7mBFKuD4Qm-UdPeYihSvDIqG9HXtwldwGBBpaB1ojSFqWgrewGruItgkTuR81SShnpt7XrzQ3US4YyT3yQBBpLX0KqLDJhuk/s320/IMG_8984.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincHVY4wK5ABrixmRfZca4bnORhwB37R9hJQDA1sT6fVPKSXD-_vmNNwloAOBLkn2no4AktOmgJzaYp0dHIpJlUCWMEiKNITMcmlw07wNCHAepMKwnGNMiDiljWNUrc1NjW_EIuWgAtws/s1600/IMG_9006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincHVY4wK5ABrixmRfZca4bnORhwB37R9hJQDA1sT6fVPKSXD-_vmNNwloAOBLkn2no4AktOmgJzaYp0dHIpJlUCWMEiKNITMcmlw07wNCHAepMKwnGNMiDiljWNUrc1NjW_EIuWgAtws/s320/IMG_9006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">GAUGE: approx <b>22 sts per 10 cms/4 inches in garter stitch</b> when knitted on <b>3.25 mm needles</b>...give or take. gauge isn't horribly important in this pattern as it's in garter stitch which is very accommodating. these mitts fit both my small wrists and my sister's bigger wrists. making them a bit looser would work well for fitting over a sweater. otherwise they're designed mostly to fit under sweaters or with short sleeves.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>note</b>: it's not necessary to follow this pattern literally...add stripes wherever you want (or knit solid) and adjust the length to your liking. i think there were about 38 ridges overall before i increased for the thumbs. i provided the literal directions for those who liked the way i did it but i encourage you to do it your own way.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>also note</b>: with garter stitch, one "<i>ridge</i>" is actually <i>two rows</i>. i write the pattern referring to ridges because they're easier to keep track of. 38 ridges is 76 rows.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-cast on 40 sts in MC</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-Knit</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-switch to CC1 and knit 1 ridge</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-switch to MC and knit 1 ridge</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-switch to CC2 and knit 3 ridges</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-switch to MC and knit 4 ridges</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-switch to CC2 and knit 1 ridge</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-switch to MC and knit 1 ridge</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-switch to CC2 and knit 1 ridge</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-switch to MC and knit 2 ridges</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- colour-work row: alternate CC2 and MC stitches (i.e. knit one pink stitch then knit one brown stitch, knit one pink, knit one brown and continue doing this until the end of row row). do the same on the way back but opposite; knit a pink stitch into the brown stitch and knit a brown stitch into the pink stitch etc etc. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- switch to MC and k 8 ridges***(explanation for *** below)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- repeat colour work row</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- switch to MC and knit 2 ridges</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THUMB INCREASES</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 1: K1, M1, K until 1 stitch remaining. M1, K1</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row2: Knit</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 3: K2, M1, k until 2 stitches remaining. M1, K2.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 4: Knit</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 5: K3, M1, K until 3 stitches remaining. M1, K3. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 6: Knit</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 7: K4, M1, K until 4 stitches remaining. M1, K4.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 8: Knit</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 9: K5, M1, K until 5 stitches remaining. M1, K5. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 10: knit </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 11, 12: switch to CC1 and knit one ridge total...NO increases (in other words, knit two rows straight).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 13: K6, M1, K until 6 stitches remaining. M1, K6. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 14: Knit</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 15 and 16: REPEAT rows 11 and 12. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 17: K7, M1, K until 7 stitches remaining. M1 K7.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 18: knit </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 19: knit to last 7 stitches, then slip these remaining 7 stitches onto stitch holder. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">row 20: knit to last 7 stitches, then slip these remaining 7 stitches onto stitch holder. 40 stitches should remain.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- knit 3 ridges straight in MC</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- knit 3 ridges in CC2</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- knit 1 ridge in MC</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- knit 1 ridge in CC1</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- knit 2 ridges in MC</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- knit 1 ROW in MC</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- BO loosely</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SEAMS AND BAND</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- sew a seam from the top of the mitt to the thumb.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- transfer slipped stitches onto a needle and start knitting the row. when you get to a gap in the middle, pick up 2 stitches, then proceed to knit the rest of the stitches. knit two more ridges. knit 1 row, then BO.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">now knit the band:</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">with the right side facing you, pick up 6 stitches evenly in the middle of the large brown chunk of the mitt (***remember above when you knit 8 ridges of brown? start picking up at the second brown ridge from the bottom keep picking up until the 2nd ridge from the top. hope that makes sense). NOTE when you pick up these stitches, there should be a little seam formed on the wrong side of the mitt. you'll need this seam later for sewing up the mitt. knit 10 ridges (this forms a long slender band). make button hole by knitting 2 stitches, binding off 2, and then knitting the last 2 stitches. on the next row, knit 2, CO2, K2. knit 1 more ridge. knit 1 more ROW, then BO.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">now sew up the remainder of the mitt, beginning at the bottom, all the up to the top of the thumb. sew on button. repeat entire process again but sew button on opposite side of mitt. done!!!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THE DIRECTIONS ARE UNCLEAR OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR IF I MADE A MISTAKE (i don't know why i felt like yelling this message out, but there you have it). i'm scattered and rarely do things right the first time. especially right now with a new born :s</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">oh and if you want to use this pattern to make projects for profit, please ask first :)</span></div><div></div>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-542564152582295882011-04-03T17:38:00.000-07:002011-04-03T17:38:17.296-07:00well john, i DO believe in zimmerman!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">elizabeth zimmerman that is!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she is a genius. for those that don't know her, she's a knitting goddess. born in the thirties in europe, she moved to america at a young age and changed the way the world looks at knitting (or, at the very least, she changed the way that i looked at knitting). she challenged the notion that one must follow patterns, sew seams, and purl. and for this i'm grateful.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she does not hold your hand while knitting; rather she provides guidelines and leaves you to figure the rest out. she fosters independence by discouraging any sort of reliance on knitting "experts" and blind acceptance of knitting "rules" (e.g. that one must sew all pieces of a sweater together) and shows you how to draw upon your own creativity with basic math skills. she teaches you to nut up, stop making excuses and get to work. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she taught me to have a relaxed attitude toward knitting, gain independence in my knitting, have confidence in my knitting and fix mistakes in my knitting (as opposed to crying about it, throwing massive temper-tantrums, doing nothing to fix the mistake, and starting all over). these lessons have transfered into my real life as well; she helped me unlearn the lessons that years of formal education taught me...that i am indeed a competent human being and that i can do shit myself as opposed to a lame minion who must follow the rules laid out for me. that i can dictate my own fashion and call all the shots.i'm certain that she has indirectly helped me overcome my drive for perfection by teaching me that perfection in knitting (and in life) is absolutely silly and ridiculous. i learned to loosen up my tension as i knit and simultaneously, learned to loosen up in life as well.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">thanks EZ, you are definitely one of my heros...if i could choose one person that i could sit and have a conversation with, it would be you. you rebellious knitting punk genius you. rar.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the two following pictures are projects of hers which i have individualized and tailored to my children. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLwMhdu6AyTJ-AdM3vQvT-LYIUO4BGAxr0nRAoxAWYu8jVJGFkXeZPpHt2hyphenhyphenfHBDOCDLsbvOXvMLByGMCmlodzofmmNaVGL1eFeLZDovDEOW8yQExkp5sXQgOyaaY_g7BMByDoHH23WE/s1600/DSC02874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLwMhdu6AyTJ-AdM3vQvT-LYIUO4BGAxr0nRAoxAWYu8jVJGFkXeZPpHt2hyphenhyphenfHBDOCDLsbvOXvMLByGMCmlodzofmmNaVGL1eFeLZDovDEOW8yQExkp5sXQgOyaaY_g7BMByDoHH23WE/s320/DSC02874.JPG" width="179" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">these are diaper pants made for my new baby. they fit beautifully over her oversized cloth-diapered ass.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">this is my third of three tomten jackets (the other two can be viewed <a href="http://northernpurlygirl.blogspot.com/2011/01/im-addicted-to-baby-sweaters.html">here</a>)</span></div>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-1314974988046847372011-03-29T14:35:00.000-07:002011-03-29T14:35:33.496-07:00apron strings<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i recently stumbled upon this awesome blog: </span><a href="http://apronstringz.wordpress.com/">http://apronstringz.wordpress.com</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">due to lack of time, i can only say that this blogger's philosophies mesh with mine and so i love reading it. check it out if you're into the art of home-making. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">also, this article (which i found on her blog) is rad: </span><a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/meet-the-radical-homemakers">http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/meet-the-radical-homemakers</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">gotta go! really really fussy baby...</span>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-24777264915820216132011-03-21T23:08:00.000-07:002011-03-21T23:08:19.836-07:00bad hair days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">bad hair days come with being a parent. especially a parent of 2. within a couple of months of having my first child, i shaved my head to save myself the hassle of maintaining hair. which was great. and incredibly liberating but i thought i'd try a different strategy this time because growing out hair from short to long is, admittedly, about as appealing as eating toe-nails. someone else's toe-nails no less. there is always an inevitable "ugly phase". these days, time goes by so quickly that i never seem to be able to get everything done...let alone my hair. i anticipated that this would happen prior to giving birth to baby #2 so just before the big day arrived, i knitted this simple head band which can be found <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/babyblue/uno-cable-headband">here</a> on ravelry. it took 2 or so hours to complete. it doubles as an eye mask when taking necessary afternoon naps in brightly lit rooms.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lDel_yXrUhLxf8s-3qaJy0eQIm1gNDSlutIgWqlO6oliA1rbp3QXvcn09ABY-tkknwQaoDxA7wn1dEXc3BFa9avnifv_LXBh4gyXkNTawmN6frlQj_8fZrEJgvB5mBtLTasgDDG1X9k/s1600/DSC02747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lDel_yXrUhLxf8s-3qaJy0eQIm1gNDSlutIgWqlO6oliA1rbp3QXvcn09ABY-tkknwQaoDxA7wn1dEXc3BFa9avnifv_LXBh4gyXkNTawmN6frlQj_8fZrEJgvB5mBtLTasgDDG1X9k/s320/DSC02747.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBM9AN3LAj5hHF3Won1YdD8zdRtZLLZIRyOSVv3CTjgV54KpH-i2IZMB-wOAhgfYck-9MmH8CsC65Duq_fSy-MK8SN7RrmOZIMcfW3ZuHSFi26xKC6pDNtuWkqHg1SqjC8_B3bSAFx_w/s1600/DSC02767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBM9AN3LAj5hHF3Won1YdD8zdRtZLLZIRyOSVv3CTjgV54KpH-i2IZMB-wOAhgfYck-9MmH8CsC65Duq_fSy-MK8SN7RrmOZIMcfW3ZuHSFi26xKC6pDNtuWkqHg1SqjC8_B3bSAFx_w/s320/DSC02767.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">my baby is no longer new-born as she had her 5 week birthday today. she's getting so fat, quickly accumulating leg rolls that took my first born a couple of months to develop...so cute. oh sweet boob juice. yum. </span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it's really hitting home that i will never have a newborn again (it is my intention to have completed my commitment to the manufacturing and delivery of tiny humans...life may have other plans but i'll cross that bridge when and if i come to it). i recently packed up all my newborn clothing in a bag for donation, whereas last time, i packed them away in storage knowing that another baby would come one day. i'm relieved and also really sad to be giving this stuff away. relieved because i do want to carry on with my life (grad school? master gardener? professional knitter?) and enjoy fully the two babies that i have; but sad because each day that passes i'm floating that much further away from that particular era of my life. i'm a sentimental sappy sucker and as such, a tear spills from my eye when i think of my departure from that complicated place of mothering small children.</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i never thought i'd say this but IF the world wasn't so over-populated (each human requires an absurd amount of fossil fuel and other resources to sustain it), and IF life wasn't so expensive (a 3rd child means a mini-van, possibly a bigger house, way more expenses...think of the cost of even a modest calendar of activities) and IF our modern world supported families more (i.e. <b>1</b>- didn't scorn women who bear more than two children; <b>2</b> - didn't expect mums, who choose to prioritize their children over their career, to remain home alone with children all day without contact with other adults for days at a time (because chances are, their friends/family work full-time) and/or attend "mum-groups" which tend to have rigid schedules and a general lack of real intimacy...groups that are intended to replace aforementioned friends/family who are good citizens and have full-time work, which is the expectation and ultimate goal of life these days...why, i have no idea; <b>3</b> - didn't make it almost necessary for there to be a double income to maintain the "necessities" of life etc)...IF all of these things...i might actually consider a 3rd child. fucking crazy, right? this coming from a person who, just 5 years ago, doubted she would ever have children. it's addicting. kinda like tattoos, or so i'm told. more babies, more love, more cuddles. yesss....but in my case no...</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in other news. i had my first glass of red wine today in months!! (yes, i am aware that i am nursing and no i am not worried about it). my sister S and i made dinner tonight...an amazing pasta dish made with balsamic mushrooms and red peppers, olives, sundried tomatoes, basil, etc. we paired it with a spinach salad with home-made candied pecans, strawberries and raspberry vinagrette. spending time with my sis while preparing the meal was almost as fun as eating it together with the family. i will miss her this summer when she moves away to be with her love in saskatchewan...living with her for the past several months has been so much fun. </span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the last episode of 'big love" aired lastnight. i haven't had a chance to see it yet (see above re: having no time) but i'm sad to see it go. i liked how the show provided many complex views of polygamy and the drama was delicious. big love, i will miss you. </span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">what the hell am i doing. i should be sleeping. GOOD NIGHT!</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKDKz7OMyZpuiMV9CMRJT8CjQsf1Z237BfbNuxsSM8hJMmVZqy3-ZD0EzPMJuOV_G9p5DbrDGxIUkAw0PSCNzp1PtLXtb2oa1DhVob0LMMGpDGr5X3SJnLskcX46zW0UZgdxX0VEdd5E/s1600/DSC02763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKDKz7OMyZpuiMV9CMRJT8CjQsf1Z237BfbNuxsSM8hJMmVZqy3-ZD0EzPMJuOV_G9p5DbrDGxIUkAw0PSCNzp1PtLXtb2oa1DhVob0LMMGpDGr5X3SJnLskcX46zW0UZgdxX0VEdd5E/s320/DSC02763.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>babybluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01154585347215880735noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516985552977354827.post-46625662246639632892011-03-14T22:25:00.000-07:002011-03-14T22:25:37.830-07:00may your hands always be busy...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">more baby stuff!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">LEG WARMERS!!</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWW6EJyI5bYhpeADEULf1TZKBFxe_mkyqFG_eoZZ7ZvYIww3ZSiy6Qqo3t7YUoKFfO1zj3PU9VI-zITy8ySBqpRwL0qAIvEOifE_v_TL1NqLkk2rHgXA2QzSoTeLhQ81A-TeT4XqeL4Q0/s1600/top+hat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWW6EJyI5bYhpeADEULf1TZKBFxe_mkyqFG_eoZZ7ZvYIww3ZSiy6Qqo3t7YUoKFfO1zj3PU9VI-zITy8ySBqpRwL0qAIvEOifE_v_TL1NqLkk2rHgXA2QzSoTeLhQ81A-TeT4XqeL4Q0/s320/top+hat.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">oh, life with a new baby is so lovely. i've said it before and i'll say it again: i feel like this is my second chance at newborn motherhood. i can't get over how much more positive this experience has been. what a difference it makes to <b>a</b>) know what you're doing...like how to wear a baby properly, how to breastfeed, how to change a diaper, how to bathe baby, how to soothe baby, how to just relax and be a mum without worrying about everything you're missing in the outside world; <b>b</b>) to have extra hands...mostly for the toddler but for baby as well; <b>c</b>) to not have a colicky baby for 3 months <b>d</b>) to have a baby that will actually just hang out and NOT scream non-stop for hours <b>e</b>) to have a baby that will allow you to just sit while she sleeps rather than insist that you constantly bounce on an exercise ball <b>f</b>) to not have had a 52 hour labour that resulted in a long recovery time...with this one, i laboured for 1.5 hours and pushed 5 times...yes!! and<b> g</b>) to have an extra friend with a baby, one whose house i can just stop over at and one who will just come over, no fuss, no advanced planning, whether we're in PJ's, bawling our eyes out, happy, pissed-off, un-showered, whatever...just be. and who also happens to be in the midst of a major house reno while i'm building a house (and also living with her parents too, no less!!) so knows EXACTLY what i'm going through. thanks J for being there for me, you have no idea how you have made my experience as a mum so much richer.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the above photos are just more baby projects that i haven't had a chance to post yet. baby is wearing them all in this late march winter. can't wait for the snow to be gone...it's FINALLY melting. i'm actually getting time to knit these days too, mostly because i can knit while breastfeeding and in those glorious minutes immediately following when she pops off the boob and is in a state of milk bliss, just hanging out on my chest. i live for those moments. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">yes, i'm becoming one of those mums, who is just basking in the experience of mumhood. i always thought those mums were crazy or not being totally forthcoming about their experience with motherhood...how can they be so happy? so calm?? the truth is that they just didn't have colicky babies. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and i mean no harm to my first born whom i love dearly and with whom i have a wonderful relationship. he just had a tough first hand at life when he was stuck in my birth canal for hours and hours and hours. he just had stuff to sort out, like all of us do at some point in our lives. i love him dearly and he knows it. and i loved him dearly when he was a baby too, but it wasn't always easy and i was super depressed and anxious as a result of my inability to make him feel better (not being able to calm your baby/listening to baby screams for LITERALLY hours on end really takes its toll on your parenthood self-esteem after a while) AND inability to sleep. ever. however, in those early days, he did teach me about patience and sticking it out...and he taught me about unconditional love and having faith that everything does work out and truly does come out in the wash if you just give it some time. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ok enough. i'm going to sleep.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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