A Few Sheep Shy of a Farm

and not enough time to knit! I’m working on several design ideas at the moment. The actual projects are, of course, rather top secret since I’m hoping to shop them around for publication . . . but I can tell you there has been (and will be) a whole lot of swatching going on!

I’m currently working on a lace swatch for a project idea. I’m pretty much near the end of it, just a bit more edging to work out and then the whole thing can be washed and blocked, samples compared and design features finalized. Then I’ll be writing the whole thing up and sending it off to a wonderful knitter who is going to test/sample knit it for me. Isn’t that exciting?

I’ve got another lace idea rattling around in my head which will likely be the next project to get worked out and then I’ve got 2 sweater ideas and a couple of Mystery kit ideas so there really is a lot going on. . . . thank heavens I’ve got some test knitters lined up! I’d never get this all together without help.

I’m also kicking around a business idea for a second business that would involve MIL. Can’t say too much but it could be a lot of fun and give her some employment . . . and yes, it involves knitting. If it happens I’ll be sure to post more about it here

I haven’t been to see Gram for a couple of weeks now. We’ve been sick; first a stomach bug and then a terrible cold which is still hanging on and so we just haven’t been up there. From what I hear she’s hanging in there still. Perhaps she plans to stay for her 86th birthday in a few weeks? Who knows. Its not the first time they’ve told us she’d be gone in days only to have her bounce back. I don’t expect it will be terribly much longer, afterall, kidney failure is a pretty serious thing. I’m going to try to get to see her sometime in the next few days but there is so much going on!

Today I have to go shopping. Clothes shopping actually. Funny, I don’t really enjoy doing that all that much. I need to leave the toddler because actually trying anything on while I have him is next to impossible (he has his Father’s patience when it comes to shopping) and I really need a new outfit for Tomorrow since we’ll be going to church for Palm Sunday. And I need an offical “Easter Outfit” as well. I’ve some idea of what I’m looking for, I just haven’t found it yet.

Then, this afternoon I’m having my hair “done”. Since we are doing the whole get dressed up thing tomorrow I’m actually going in and having my hair blown dry/ straight by someone who knows what he’s doing. If you know me ITRW you know that hair styling is sooooo not my thing. However, I have a fabulous hairdresser and he will make it right.

We also have the big baby shower tomorrow so I need to pick up a basket to wrap up all the gift stuff in and some sort of pretty box for the baby sweater I made for the little guy. I’d show it to you, but I can’t . . . I’ve submitted the pattern and so can’t show you the sweater. If anything comes of the submission, I’ll be sure to note here that it was the shower sweater . . . Which reminds me, I really need to knit another to have on hand in case I need to take more photos and I’m going to do another in some of my hand painted yarn . . . guess that will be next after the lace swatch . . . at least its quick and easy and I’ve practically got the pattern memorized I’ve spent so much time with it lately.

Speaking of baby sweaters. I’ve got two more, also from that pattern but in a different yarn, that I need to sew up and send off to the people they are for! One of the little ones is already a month old! Yikes! Better get moving on that I guess!

And the list of baby sweaters to knit just keeps growing lately. Here is a the current version:

Shower gift sweater - done
Friend of a dear friend - sweater knit, needs sewing and to finish bonnet.
Friend from playgroup - sweater knit, needs sewing and to finish bonnet.
Dear friend who is expecting #2 - new design?
Dear friend’s daughter expecting #2 - due?
Friend from playgroup - due late June, isn’t telling pink or blue!
Friend from playgroup - due in August? doesn’t know pink or blue yet
Dear Friend’s sister expecting her first - due?

And I get the feeling I’m missing one or two in there! Guess its a good thing I really like knitting small projects, huh?

I’m also working up to doing another dye day but at this point I don’t think it can happen till Easter is over with. My Mom just got a job and so isn’t available during the week to watch the toddler . . .and MIL is baking like she’s charged with feeding the world at the moment so she isn’t going to be available. In fact, I really need to spend a couple of days this next week giving her a hand and learning how to make the Easter goodies. How much is she making? Let’s put it this way, she bought a case of eggs, yeah, a restaurant size case, 15 dozen eggs and she isn’t sure it will be enough!

So once Easter and the baking are done with I’ll be dyeing up a couple of special orders and a whole big batch of sock yarn . . . . I’ve got some Wool/Bamboo that I’m dyeing to try out

We’re working on forming a new morning routine. The little guy is up at 6:00 am every day and he likes to have company. Normally I plop him down to watch PBS and try to doze on the couch until its really time to get up . . . actually its more involved than plopping. There are snacks and cuddles and diapers etc. but you get the idea.

Today I’m trying something different. After the snacks and diapers etc I started making the coffee and then came out here to the office to check mail & catch up on a few blogs. I’m trying to figure out just what to do with our new morning routine.

The catch is that “Daddy” is still asleep. Since he works nights a lot of the time it really wouldn’t be fair to ask him to get up at 6:00. And since our place is pretty small it isn’t like I can just jump into the stuff I would normally do after breakfast like tidying and vaccuming as all of that would certainly wake him. So I have to find something productive to do for a couple of hours that gets some of the work done without waking anyone.

And while it sounds like the perfect time to sit and knit there are two obstacles. The first is I don’t wake up well and certainly wouldn’t try to knit before coffee. The second is that the toddler is unlikely to look at my knitting in the room with him as a good idea. Doesn’t mean I won’t attempt it, just that I don’t have high hopes for the idea.

Okay, favorite cartoon is over . . . time for some scrambled eggs.

Last I heard, which was a few days ago now, Gram was still plugging along. Its been a few days now since we’ve seen her. I may stop in tomorrow afternoon but I’m not sure yet.

The baby has a little cold. Nothing serious, just a bit stuffy/runny and enough to make him a touch on the cranky side. We’re planning to go to playgroup in the morning but may cancel if he’s miserable. We haven’t been for a few weeks now so we’d both really like to go but I don’t want to take him if he’s too sick. If we go, we may stop on the way back, esp. since it really is on the way back, to see how Gram is doing.

Knitting wise I’m still sort of holding off from working on my “real” projects for now. I want to go back to them, and may soon since this isn’t all happening like we thought it would. I’d really like to be making progress on Fern. I miss working on her and had hoped to keep some momentium so Fern wouldn’t turn into one of next year’s UFOs.

I’ve been doing baby things still. I’m working on a bonnet to go with the sweaters. Still working on the design of it but it will be pretty simple overall. I’m finding more and more that there is something nice about working on simple projects. Don’t get me wrong, I love complicated (Fern anyone?) but at time when life is crazy it can be nice to just have something you can work on without too many mental gymnastics. Know what I mean?

I’m working on the Prairie Blanket from Oat Couture for the nephew’s new baby. I’m only at about 25 inches and it needs to reach at least 38 before the turning row. I am actually considering making it more like 40 inches so it will really fit a toddler bed. That should give the whole thing alonger life span. Since the shower is April 1st I have a sneaking hunch that the blanket is going to wind up being a welcome home present instead. At least I have the sweater finished and it may have a matching bonnet by then . . . . and I bought a few things so I can put a basket together . . . .

I’m also cooking up several design ideas. I can’t say much about them at this point but I’m really starting to feel like designing is the direction I’d like to move in. I’m having such a good time playing with yarns and stitches and ideas that I think this may be the thing. I can tell you that I currently have one pattern under submission but it will be a while before I know anything . . . once I can say more I surely will.

Okay, off to fix little Mr. Sniffles some dinner. I’m really hoping he’ll have an early/easy night tonight so I can spend some time working on one of these ideas! Wish me luck!

Gram has been transfered from the hospital back to the home she’s been living in for the past year and a half and they’ve signed her up for hospice care.

Funny thing is, she’s actually doing a bit better. Her color is better, she feels fine and her numbers appear better.

I don’t think this means she’s going to be okay, just that we may get a few extra weeks with her from the looks of things. My aunt and I were discussing all this the other day and both agreed its all the extra visits and attention. We’re all getting her to eat better, to drink more and she’s thriving on all the company.

I couldn’t count the number of times we’ve nearly lost Gram in the last 20 years, something like 6 or 7, and somehow she manages to surprise us again. I’m planning to go see her again tomorrow, perhaps stay for a couple of hours, and take advantage of the extra time I’ll get to have with her. I’m bringing some of my Geneaology research so I can see if she has some more names, dates or stories rattling around for me.

Thanks Marg for your kind words, sorry to hear about your mother.

Knitting wise, I’m still sticking to baby stuff and I’m thinking other than the baby gift blanket I’m doing next is going to be something for the Afghans for Afghans Mother’s day campaign. Seems like an appropriate project for now.

Toddler and I had a stomach bug this week, suspect we picked it up at the nursing home where gram is, feeling better now . . . but didnt’ get out all week. He’s going to be raring to go by tomorrow.

Off to do some laundry

We recently learned that my Gram is dying. Her kidneys are going and within a few days they expect she will be in a comma. Actually, I was told according to the results of her bloodwork she should already be there now. They expect she will last for a week or two after that, a month at most.

I’ve had 2 visits with her since learning this. One was a long, sit and chat visit while she was having a good day. The other was a shorter, bring the baby, later in the day when she was tired but had a good chance to say good-bye visit.

She isn’t in any pain, just tired and more out of it than ususal. She is pretty much entirely unaware of what is happening to her. I think on some level she must know, but they aren’t worrying her with details. She would have been 86 this April.

I’m pretty crushed by the thought that she won’t be there anymore. She has been a constant in my life. Someone I could always count on to be my cheering squad, to share a laugh or just to sit with. I call her every time I make her fish chowder recipe, usually to have her walk me through it again. She was the first person to try to teach me to knit, though I didn’t yet have the patience for it then. I already miss her.

As you might imagine, I’m coping with large quantities of chocolate and by knitting next to constantly. The thing is, I decided the night I learned she would be leaving us that I don’t want to knit on anything I will be keeping, not the sweater, not Dom’s scarf and not my shawl. I don’t want to pick up something a year, or ten years from now and think “oh, yes, this is the sweater I knit while Gram was dying”.

Instead I’m working on baby gifts, as we need several over the next weeks/months and I may do some hats to be given away or a few things for the latest Afghans for Afghans drive. I need to keep as busy as possible, just not with things that will be staying here. . . . .

So all my projects are on hold indefinately. Once things are settled again I’ll rework my plan for the remainder of the year. I just can’t think to do it now.

The Good News

We have had a small bit of good news: The nephew’s new baby will likely not be as early as we had been told. The “high-risk” Dr thinks there is a good chance he will make it through to at least 32 week, perhaps longer. That was very good news indeed.

And we have a date for the baby shower, April 1. Provided I am able, I’m planning to attend and likely bringing the little guy. Since MIL is going as well we’ll have 2 sets of hands to keep him reined in.

I probably won’t post much the next few weeks as not much other than gifts are being made, but I’ll keep you posted.

I’m off to make a cup of tea and work on the gift blanket so its done for the shower.