KnitterlyNotions

It's been 9 days since I met my little boy, and found out that I wouldn't get to take him home. In that time I've experienced many feelings and emotions, some of them familiar (I've laid my mom to rest, so grief isn't new to me) and some of them brand new. My biggest companions right now are sadness, guilt, depression and frustration. I know I'll be dealing with these feelings for a long time, even though I can try to rationalize away the guilt (it's not my fault he died, I wasn't selfish for electing to try vaginal birth instead of going for the planned C-section, babies were *meant* to be born vaginally, etc. etc.) I am still knitting, though I'm sure some would say I shouldn't. I need to keep my hands busy, and my hooks and needles have been my companions for a long time. I've made a few things since we lost Freddy, small things. I also started a blanket that I intend to donate to the hospital where Freddy was taken. They wrapped Fredd...

Jerek Alfred, our baby Freddy, was stillborn on December 10th after a successful (in every way than there being a baby for me to take home) VBAC that went wrong in the last couple of minutes with one of those little things that can happen to anyone. It wasn't my fault, or the midwife's. He was perfect in every way.

I am strange. Now, if you really do know me, this is a "duh" statement, but really. I am talking about something specific right now. I knit, a lot. And crochet. I make hats and scarves and various other things and I'm pretty good at it, or so I like to think. I have a big problem with one type of project though. I am not a mitten maker. It's not that I don't want to be a mitten maker. I do. I've tried I don't know how many times, and I've managed to make a few lonely single mittens. I have never made a pair, however. I keep trying though, because there is something about mittens that seems so... so... knitterly. I may finally be on the right track tonight. It is the progression of a mitten. This is the pattern,  Stashbuster Kids Charity Mittens . It uses double stranded worsted weight and size 10 needles, and the size I am making is only 24 stitches a round. That is not too bad! I don't want to put the thumb on yet, becau...

I made a new baby hat. I started it about a week ago, and I finally finished it today. I'm so happy with it I wanted to post how I did it. I usually have problems with getting a ribbed hat to look good all the way up to the decreases. This one looks good though. Here is the hat from the front: As you can see, it is preemie sized, probably 9" around stretched, though the ribbing allows it to shrink or grow as needed. I started it for the Precious Preemie Project . It's about 4" tall with a bit over a 1" folded up brim. I'm sorry my measurements aren't exact, I don't know where my tape measure went right now. However, preemies come in many sizes and Precious Preemie Project and many other charities work askfr preemie hats in many sizes. The gauge is fairly lose to be soft and stretchy. It's 3 stitches to the inch in k2p2 ribbing. Abbreviations: SSK: slip slip knit. Slip stitches as if to knit, then knit through both stitches at o...

Hello again. Two blog posts in two day? I know, shocking! I've been knitting and crocheting, of course, so I thought I would share a few of my latest projects. Yesterday I finished up a wool hat using Lamb's Pride that I started about a week ago. It's a charity knit of course, as are most things I make! It is called Turquoise Sideways HDC Hat , it is child sized and I am pretty happy with it. I also made three scarves, sideways in double crochet with double stranded worsted and a size M/N crochet hook. Super fast, 4 to 5 rows and you're done! :) Two of these, along with a hat to match one of them and another hat I made ages and ages ago, are packed up and ready to go to the Reservation when I get the chance to mail the package. I found the recipient on the Okini List . I sent another hat I made, along with a little sweater Tiri outgrew and a new board book, a few weeks ago. :) I've also made a few more things for Freddy. The most impressive is this: ...

As you all know, I am in the family way, and once the baby comes I shall be a sleep deprived zombie. What many don't know is you actually get a start on that state before Baby is born. Between it being ever harder to find a comfortable position, to hands and arms going numb due to pregnancy-related carpel tunnel syndrome, to (in my case) a cat that wakes you up 13 times in one night by stepping on your hair while trying to curl up around your head.... I'm a wee bit pooped. However, I am still knitting and crocheting. Tonight I started a baby washcloth to use up a small ball of cotton I have. I am calling it the Sleep-Deprived Baby Washcloth, since it is easy enough for even a sleep deprived mom to make. It is about 6 or 7 inches square, so large-ish baby, or come to think of it, probably the perfect size for a child who is starting to bathe himself. Here is the pattern: Small ball of 100% cotton, worsted weight yarn. (I used leftovers of one of those skeins of ...

I think I am melting. Major hot flashes here. If this is a taste of what menopause will be like, include me out. On the other hand, at least I am roasting for a good reason. I'm 30 1/2 weeks now, and things are starting to feel real. :-) Freddy hasn't been moving as much lately, and when he does the feelings are more stretches and thumps than the somersaults he used to do. Of course, he's about 17" long and 3 pounds now, so room is becoming more of a luxury. I wonder if he missed back when he was able to roll and play with ease. When Tiri was a new baby, they told me to swaddle her, so I did, and she enjoyed it. But she also had jaundice so she needed laid in the sunlight. This meant she was wearing only her diaper. After she did that a few times, she didn't want swaddled anymore. She seemed to like the leg room out here. Big baby girl stretchies!! <3 This was 21 day old Tiri. Looking at the photo, I can't wait to have another new baby!! Look a...

I started a new project today, and I am so pleased with it that I decided to post the pattern I made up for it. This is it. It's soft and comfy, but dense enough that it's not going to let much cold air through. Here is the pattern: *Materials* 1 skein Lion Brand Hometown USA #10 1/2 (6.5mm) 16 or 20 inch circular knitting needle Scissors Tapestry needle *Gauge* About 2 1/2 st. to the inch in stockinette Directions: Cast on 80 stitches loosely. Join without twisting to form a circle. Round 1: Knit 2, purl 2 around. Round 2-7: Repeat round 1. Round 8-13: Knit around. Round 14-21: Knit 2, purl 2 around. Bind off loosely (I used a larger needle for this part, but you don't have to.) Weave in your ends, trim tails. ~~~ And there you have it. This would make a good beginner pattern since there is no shaping, and it's a pretty fast project so it gives a real sense of accomplishment. If you make this pattern, check me out on Ravelry, I alwa...

Hi. I'm back. Actually, the computer is back. (Yay.) We got the newest one, whose screen wouldn't light up one morning for no reason at all, fixed. It was still warrantied so it went off and got some new parts and now it's good as new. I'm cruising along in the pregnancy. I feel pretty good, though getting bigger and less comfortable, especially when trying to sleep. I miss sleeping on my stomach! Soon, though, I will be able to again since it's less than three months till Freddy should be here! Speaking of how soon it is till Freddy is expected, I've been working on gathering things. I need to get more stuff for him, and today I started making a registry on Walmart.com. I don't know that I will be having a shower, but if anyone wants to get something I can send them there. I'm working on projects for Freddy too, of course! A few weeks ago I bought a Wild Things stamped cross stich baby quilt kit at Joanna to embroider for him. I have almost all o...

Boy!!! We had the ultrasound on the 22nd. Baby wasn't going to let us see, but just as the tech was about to give up, he gave up the goods. :-D Needless to say, we are excited. I found out then, Jerek gave in and had to know by bedtime that night, and I revealed to Kathy, Lynn and Allen, and then Facebook, with a cake that Wednesday the 24th. Here is the cake: . We got it at SuperValu in Wabasha. It was carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and it was yummy. It had walnuts and raisins in it. Of course I am knitting. I cast on a pair of my Faux-isle Mitts when I got out of the appointment. Since then, I've made a sock yarn hat, half another pair of mitts, and I've also cast on and frogged some other projects that weren't cooperating. The tractor is an applique and the little pastel thing is a peepee teepee. :) I don't have a photo of the hat, the pad is refusing to charge to I can't get the one I took of it up. :-( I have an appointm...

Hello again, I have another pattern for you. I came up with this making hats for the hospital in Ashland, WI while we were up visiting Jerek's family least week. (This hat's Ravelry page.) I didn't get to take a photo of most of the hats I made this way, as we were in a hurry to get on the road for home and I had to run in and drop these off just before we left, but all together I've made 5 of them, three of which went to the hospital to warm the babies of Ashland. This is a very versatile pattern, changing the hook and yarn changes the size. For the one pictured, which would fit a 5 to 7 pound newborn I think, you will need thinner worsted weight (I used Berroco Comfort) and and a size G hook. I've made the same pattern and got a larger newborn size with Bernat Cottontots and an F hook; a large preemie size using Berroco Comfort and a F hook; and a 0-3 month size with Red Heart with Love Solids (a thicker, Aran weight) and a G hook. As you can see, ...

This is a pattern for my Faux-isle Baby Mitts. I made up the pattern while making baby gifts for Michelle and I really like it so I decided to write it up. Here are the mitts: I am calling them Faux-isle because I used Bernat Baby Jacquard yarn to make them, which makes its own fair-isle pattern. :) Of course you can make them striped or solid or whatever you like. These are fairly forgiving in size. I don't have a small baby to try them on, but I think they should be newborn to about 6 month size, if not a little bigger. There's a lot of stretch in the cuff, and the body of the mitten is roomy since I think little hands should be able to stretch and flex and move. Gauge: 5 1/2 stitches to the inch in stockinette in the round. Supplies: DK weight yarn, like Bernat Baby Jacquard Size 6 double-pointed needles Scissors Tapestry needle Notes: I used a twisted cord for the ties. Here is a link to a YouTube video on how to make twisted cord. It's not e...

For Michelle, anyway. :) I've been knitting and crocheting for him, since her shower is in less than 2 weeks. We will see if I actually get to go, but I hope to. And if I don't, well, then I guess I'll give her the gifts another time. Here is what I have made for her so far: This is Faux-isle Baby Hat I am making mitts to match it, and will be writing the pattern up here when I get them both done since it's easy and cute. I have one mitt done now, and half of the second one. I also have these Pistachio Mitts made, I just crocheted these up one day at my aunt's house when the yarn wasn't behaving for what I had originally planned to make with it. These are made with 100% organically grown, spun, and dyed cotton. They are super soft! And lastly we have this Soft Burp Cloth . It's a good burp cloth size when put over the shoulder. I found the pattern in a Care Wear Newsletter, I think from 2007. Very fast and easy, you work one ro...

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I finished some more baby stuff. Two pairs of booties: These are Cozy Blue Slippers to Match the Hat . These are Booties for Surprising People . I also made a few hats. This is Cream and Lace Baby Cap . It's a 0-6 month size winter hat, probably destined to be a baby gift for Michelle. These three are micropreemie hats for Calvin's Hats: All the info on these is visible on my Ravelry project page. I improvised them all. The top one is cashmere, made with a small, embroidery-floss-sized sample skein of yarn. It's fingering weight. The other two are Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora. So soft and nice. I have news. I was to the midwife's today and I am going to have another baby! With that, stay tuned for a lot more baby knitting.

They say time is money: What does an hour mean to you? For some it means $8, or $12. For others, it means a crocheted baby hat. Some people will try to save an hour at any cost. The hour Andy Tucker saved my husband may well be paying for the rest of his life. I mentioned in brief before about the sprayer boom getting dropped on Jerek.The time it would have taken to get the flatbed was more than his supervisor thought he could spare, so he decided that it would work just as well and just as safely to try to tack the thing up on the side of the tender truck. It fell off onto Jerek, at which time they stood there an looked at him for a minute, as though expecting him to flip it back up onto the truck all by himself. Finally they got it off him, then they made him help lift it off the ground and put it back up. Later on, in transit with it the thing fell off again, and he had to help Andy lift it clear off the ground by hand. They knew he was in pain, he told them repeatedly...

So many babies and so much baby knitting! I finished the baby afghan for Michelle. I like how it turned out, and so did Tiri! Val's baby bump is already over half as big as she ever got with her last baby, and there are whispers of twins, all of which she is trying to silence, because she thinks four kids is enough. (And really, it is getting to the cap, at least as far as having that many plus a spare and two of them are newborn twins goes.) I'm also making baby booties. These are to keep. They need the tie yet, but I may hold off on that till we actually have another baby so the tie is gender-appropriate versus gender neutral. The pattern has a sweater too, as a set and I may make it as well since I have three skeins of the Plymouth Dream Baby DK I made the booties with. It's super soft and nice. Link to the Ravelry pattern page for Sweet Matinee Set: Booties. Linky to the Ravelry page for the matching sweater. I've also made a few other things...

Hi! How is everyone? I'm fine, just waiting to find out if we're pregnant this month. I don't have high hopes, because Jerek is just getting worse and that is pretty reliable birth control. Last night was the Memorial of Christ's Death. Jerek made it, though he wasn't in great shape after. I didn't drop the wine glass! :) If you would like to learn more about the meaning of the Lord's Evening Meal and why we as Jehovah's Witnesses celebrate that instead of Easter, please check out this article and related articles on jw.org. I am getting more and more surrounded by pregnant ladies! My cousin Michelle told me last weekend that she is 16 weeks pregnant! *Wham to the floor* We don't know the baby's gender, but I can't resist baby knitting. I started this baby afghan for her. It's even bigger now. I posted both photos because the one of it just after it was started showed the colors a bit truer (though it's still off. It...

Someone on Ravelry actually made my Nine Lines Washcloth! I am so happy. This is, to my knowledge, the first time someone has used one of my patterns. I suppose there are some who just didn't do a project page for them, but this person did and I got to see the FO and I am just really really really happy. As I think can you can tell. ;) Jerek is feeling a little better today (it is a "good day") and so we are just hanging out at home and he did dishes for me. Dished used to be his job, but now he doesn't do it as much. I love it when he does though. I've been putting away and sorting. I finished up a cat mat yesterday for Mats 4 Morris.  I tried to upload a photo but Internet Explorer keeps going screwy when I try, so no go today. You can find the photo and project page here.  I also finished a baby hat: Pink Garter Ridge Baby Hat.  I also got rid of a few projects I know I won't finish, so the yarn and needles are free to become whatever they will become. ...

Hello again. How is everyone? It's going about the same here, Jerek's still in the same shape. I did have a nice weekend. It was the circuit assembly, which is a two day series of Bible talks that takes place every year, along with the District Convention (three days) and the Special Assembly Day (one day.) There were many upbuilding Bible-based talks, and it was good to see a lot of people I haven't seen in a while. As you can tell by the title of the post, though, the assembly isn't the main point of my writing to you this time. I made a washcloth last week. I used a stitch pattern that I learned last fall from a afghan block. It was called Plowed Rows, but I didn't think that name fit the washcloth. Instead I am calling it Nine Lines, because it has nine lines. (I know, ain't I creative? (-:) Here is the cloth. Not a great photo, but as good as I can do right now. And on to the pattern. I think this would be a great pattern to learn how to slip ...