sane mum, once insane knitter

more finished and works in progress.

A blanket for baby from a lovely person. I can't really crochet. I bought the new deb stoller book but I am not sure how far I will really get with it. I feel safer with knitting. I wish I could knit faster and I think crochet is faster but knitting seems to call to me more. I just wish only one project at a time would call to me though. there is always something more tempting out there I am itching to do.

Josephine, I have done the back to the shoulders. Then, I read one of the the yarn harlot's books the other day on blocking and how if you really want something to fit you need to swatch (I do) and then wash the swatch as the finished item would be washed then leave to dry then measure. I don't do the second bit. I am just itching to start. And then now I think back to all the cardigans and jerseys I have knitted that I was disappointed with because they didn't fit. So, maybe I should try this idea. Which I always knew about but felt like was a waste of wool or of my time or.... but maybe the 2 unworn large items in my closet speak for themselves there. But, my hoodie top will now work perfectly with my preggy belly so it may get some wear this winter.

Baby socks. I knitted the ones from Interweave Knits (same edition as baby kimono which I still have to get done) ages ago, pre this pregnancy. I gave some pink ones away to someone with a baby girl and she was thrilled. I kept a big blue pair. I look at them now and they seem monster sized. At least compared to the new ones I have done. I bought a cheap pair of newborn cotton socks to size against and did a 2nd pair that still came out quite large.

So, I downsized again and now I think I am in the ball park for a newborn in terms of sock size. and they are so damn cute in the stripes. the plain blue ones bored the crap out of me but knitting stripes (and just carrying the yarn and ignoring the colour jag cos the only fix - knitting a round then picking up old colour at start of next and knitting it with new colour - I know for it looked worse than the jag)

I am knitting a second pair now that will have blue heels and toes. I maybe need some other ideas. Although I like the stripes so maybe I will just stick with them and do a slightly bigger (and a slightly smaller??) pair.

Because of the socks Josephine is very neglected. Although that's also due to me feeling shattered lately and it seems to big to pick up. I really wanted to wear Josephine this winter and I think she will work well with preggy belly. I am going to look big anyway so why not wear a bulky knit jacket which I think might make me look huge. But I love the pattern too much to care.

Giving knitting away. The hat still lies on the dining room table. I gave the gloves to SIL via other's so did not see her unwrap them. Have heard not a word from her. Gosh, even if I hated something I'd still say thanks and lie that I liked it. So no more handknits for her ever again. I should have known anyway when she asked me to knit her toy dog a sweater a month back. She seemed to think I could do one in an hour or so. She probably thinks the gloves took me 5 minutes or something, not the 3 nights they did take. Now I know. The FIL has not seen his hat as I wanted to gift it in person and maybe add a verbal caveat "if you don't like it give it back as it looks cool on me". I will have to get brave. It was a quick knit but not that quick and I had to fudge the pattern and come up with a plan for the earflaps so they stayed down. I invest too much feeling in things I make maybe and then I have a hard time giving them away. Although not always as some people are appreciative, even some people (like the one I gave the baby socks to) who have never knitted before.