On the Move

Today we celebrated, and then we panicked.

Our baby has learned the art of self propulsion. It isn't elegant, but it is effective.

These aren't the best photos, just a few quick ones snapped after bath time. Getting ready for bed is going to get very interesting from here on out! I'll get a some video up as soon as I find the charger to my camcorder.





I know his face is blurry, but I couldn't resist those eyes and that smile.

Don't Laugh

So there are probably several mothers out there who will laugh at this statement, but I will make it none-the-less.

Lace knitting and parenting are not natural bedfellows.

This is not the first time I have knit this lace stitch. It is the first time since Little Sir arrived in Yarnnation. Little did I know the two are not terribly compatible.

"What!" you say in shock and disbelief, "lace is not easily knit with constant interruption and lack of sleep?"

Despite the slow progress and the multiple rip backs, and the dozens of picked up yarn overs, it is coming along beautifully.



The yarn is Jojoland Harmony purchased at Little Knits (the link will take you there.) I have lost the ball band, but despite the widely varied color differences between the photos and my yarn, I believe it is color HC03. I just love the colors and the color changes keep me interested.



The pattern is from Evelyn Clark's Knitted Lace Triangles.

Super Talented Friends

I have some very talented friends. I am just loving some of the work one of them showed off on her blog today.

Jeanie and Jewel


Isn't this cool (BTW, it's copyrighted, 2008 by The Paper Nut and I hope that she doesn't get mad at me for posting it here, but I figure since I'm telling all of you how much I love it she probably won't mind.)

If you like good design, baby products, and beautiful stationary products, her blog is likely to become one of your favorites.

Oh yes, and there are rumors of an Etsy shop opening soon!!!

What kind of awful person. . .

In case any of you don't read The Panopticon (you should, he's hysterical and talented) I thought I would cross post his recent news flash.

I've just had a conversation with Mary Ann, the owner of Knitter's Niche at 3026 N. Southport. Knitter's Niche isn't a big place, but it's one of Chicago's oldest yarn shops and Mary Ann is known far and wide for her deep knowledge (particularly of lace knitting), her enthusiasm, and her loveably gruff persona.

On Monday night, somebody broke into the shop and made off with $5,000 worth of yarn and, perhaps worse, eight lace stoles representing years of Mary Ann's work.

Whoever the thief or thieves are, they know the craft. With the exception of an entire shelf of inexpensive cotton, all the yarns taken were the cream of the crop, including chunky and worsted weight hand-dyed Misti Alpaca.

The finished works taken included:

• a white lace stole with clematis edging
• a capelet of mossy green, hand-dyed kidsilk with ribbon trim
• a stole in grey-beige hand-dyed alpaca
• a shoulder scarf in sage green cashmere
• a stole in rose hand-dyed cashmere/silk
• a stole in pink hand-dyed kidsilk
• a large feather-and-fan stole in variegated red, turquoise and copper bamboo/silk

The person(s) responsible took all this–but didn't touch the cash box.

If you have any information, please get in touch with Mary Ann at (773) 472-9276.

And if you're the person who did this, I hope:

• every skein of yarn you own or touch gets moths,
• every finished object you've ever made gets torn to pieces, and
  
• your fingers twist into knots so painful you can never knit, crochet or otherwise create anything ever again.

Stealing somebody's merchandise is wrong. Stealing years of someone's creativity is disgusting.

And karma, may I remind you, is a bitch.

Isn't that just about the worst thing you can imagine? I can't believe someone who knows the massive amount of work that goes into a lace shawl would even consider such an act.

Spinning and Swimming

It's too hot to knit. I made a major mistake in the lace shawl I am working on.



It's too hot to spin. I plied an entire bobbin in the same direction that I spun the singles


This is the lovely BFL I am spinning- this bobbin plied in the appropriate direction.

Thank goodness it is going to cool down tomorrow.

Little Sir thought water was a better medium than wool.


The next Michael Phelps, perhaps?








He was so happy that he could kick and swim around the pool to his heart content.

We Have Lift Off!

At long last, I am returning to the online knit world, and delighted to announce the launch of our adoption blog

Might Be Baby Wright

Please take some time to visit and find out how you can help us adopt our next little family member.

With the adoption blog comes the opening of my Etsy store, the proceeds of which will go to our adoption fund and to children's charities.

Pamangkin

In addition to hand knit baby items knit by myself and my family and hand painted onesies, I will be putting my treasure hunting skills to the test and adding vintage and hand made items that I find in second hand, consignment, and thrift stores.

There aren't a lot of items listed right now, but I have a lot more to list. Inventory will increase in the coming days and weeks.

Here is a little taste of some of the treasures I have found in the last few weeks. Most of these things are all ready spoken for, but they will give you an idea of what to expect.

Sleep is Over-rated. . . No, Not Really.

I have been knitting baby hats any time that I am sitting still. Soon I will tell you why, it is just taking longer than I thought.

What me overestimate my ability to get things done in a timely manner??? Never!!! You mean I DO need to sleep? When did that happen?

Anyway, here is some knitting to admire while I try to capture the headless chicken running through my life.

Summer Fun

We've been having so much fun this summer.



Little Sir *LOVES* going to the wading pool.







We've also been getting to know the city's beautiful parks better.







Oh, the cuteness is enough to kill me!





Mama, I think I've got this swing thing figured out. . . maybe. . .



Also, here is our sad sad sad garden. (This isn't our backyard, we co-garden with some friends of ours and it is their yard.) Are any other North Westerners experiencing a bad growing year? There just hasn't been enough hot days yet this summer. Last year at this time we had cucumbers coming out our ears and big bushy tomato plants. Sigh. . .



And here's a fun shot of the Duke, as he is often neglected, photo wise, here in Yarnnation.

We are all enjoying a fun and very busy summer.

I've been knitting like mad. I'll let you in on my secret sometime this week.