A Slow Start

Marie recently wrote a great blog post about the difference between knitting after all else is done,  called 'reward' knitting, and knitting before the 'jobs' are finished  to fuel our lives's other demanding and joyful pursuits.  Called 'nutritional' knitting.

Yesterday, work ethic clearly at the fore ( Thanks, Dad) I fell into my knitting chair at the end of a day of  spring, window cleaning and winter, bed- linen washing, looking forward to  a couple of hours of rewarding time with some knitting.   But the fumes of the reward weren't strong enough.   

 Cinnie starts with a  lace panel that runs up the centre back of the sweater.  Despite   only 35 stitches in this panel,  I managed just a few inches before the eye lids drooped.  Today I intend to reward myself with  some nutritional knitting.

Movin' On

Skipping over spring entirely it would seem,  summer has arrived in my part of Ontario.  Sunny, warm days, morning coffee on the deck and a scramble to find my capris.  My knitting needs to keep pace with the seasons.  I am movin' on.

Movin' on means I will put My Modified Mothed  into hibernation.

 

 Or at least a time out.

 At almost 6 inches below the great divide of sleeves from body,

 

it is almost halfway to my finished length.  Almost.  Then the sleeves need to be knit.  With fine, fine yarn, it takes forever, even on the 4mm needle I am using.

Waiting in  the wings and getting more anxious with each passing, sunny, warm day is my
2013 Cinnie.   Mothed will become my tavel knitting so surely over the summer, with  an  11 hour  trip back and forth from the trailer,  it will get finished before fall and the wool-wearing season.

Add to that, the folly I succumbed to in purchasing the June issue of KNIT 'n Style. 

 Folly, because I recently spent a couple of days sorting through and giving away old knitting magazines and books.  Both of my knit groups were beneficiaries  of the great, 'magazine give-away' and still, I took 2 full bags to the local outreach Treasure Shop. 

You will, I'm sure,  see the futility in trying to resist a pattern like this one, offered up in the June issue.

 With instructions for both machine and hand knitting, it was meant to be.  For me.    Now for a  cool, rainy day to spend  in the basement with my machine.  Having waited so long for the sun and warm temperatures, I won't wish too hard.  Instead, I will start Cinnie.

The Big Announcement

Everyone knows now.  The announcement has been made.  The first trimester has passed, it is safe to tell.  My niece - the one that got married last year in New Orleans - is pregnant.

Auntie Brenda has started knitting.  First up - quick and easy booties.  A nice break  from  my never-ending Modified Mothed.

 

These little cuties are knit with left-over sock yarn.  The pattern called for 50g.  I couldn't imagine that such a small knit  would take that much yarn, but with only 25g remaining in my ball, I erred on the side of not running out of yarn.  I knit  the soles one colour, plain green  and the uppers a second colour in tones of  variegated greens.  A quick crocheted tie and they are done.  Checking the scale, I  have 10g of vareigated yarn left.  25g would do, making the booties a great stash pattern.

The pattern - Christine's Stay On Baby Booties  - I found here on ravelry.  The pattern calls for 4 ply yarn, but I can imagine them in thicker yarns, taking  baby through the toddler years, all with the same pattern. 

Auntie Brenda is excited about this baby.  It is the first baby in our extended family in 11 years.  Most often, I knit baby things for my baby sack, giving them away as babies appear in the neighbourhood or at Church. But now I can knit for a baby I will actually see and hold.  Only 6 months to wait.