Celtic Cast On

T started swimming lessons at the local pool last week.

She is enjoying it so much, a regular little fish. The first day of  class it was pouring buckets out, I figured she wouldn`t want to get in but it didn`t fizz her a bit, she loved every minute.  There are lots of fun toys to play with and a good amount of  people watching too.

 We bought a little blow up pool to have at home, Boss and Moo are enjoying being able to play too. 

Dame Edna eat your heart out!

Water is a fun way to cool off on these hot hot days.

Happy and Denny agree!

I’ve been working away on my mystery socks. Time is definitely a ticking and I’m unsure at this point whether I’m going to make the June 30th cut off.

One sock is complete and the other is in the works….

I was trucking right along until last night when I picked up my sock and realized I had  skipped the cuff altogether and started off with the leg chart. *groan* I made sure to use my highlighter second time around, highlighting CUFF, LEG and RIGHT SOCK. This was just before I frogged the entire thing. Hopefully it won’t take too long to re knit.

I’ve had lots of questions about the yarn I’m using. It’s  A Piece Of Vermont in the Jam colourway gifted by Lynne. The dyer is no longer making this yarn which is unfortunate as I have really enjoyed working with it  and seeing the subtle colour changes as I knit. It looks quite a bit different knit up than it did in the skein, I was quite surprised to see deep blues and some pinks throughout.

Boston and Molly are enjoying lots of outdoor time but wish black fly season was over. It’s much more enjoyable when you aren’t getting your ears eaten.

Boston : “I know I heard something squeak in here, you find it yet Moolee?”

Moolee: “sniff sniff sniff, Nope!”

I’m so happy with my little Lupin bed. Two years ago I made the bed and planted two packets of Lupin seeds just before Fall. Last year only two plants grew out of about 20-30 seeds with 3-5 flowers on each. I was quite disappointed as I was expecting it to be full of them. This year however the Lupin’s have bloomed VERY early and I have over 20 flowers on each plant. I just need one more plant in the front there and my little bed will be perfect. Can you imagine what it would have been like with 30 plants?? lol I bought some more Lupin seeds yesterday, packets with multiple colours, with plans for more Lupin growing this year. We have a whole side hill that would look sooo awesome covered in colourful Lupin’s.

Pattern:  Design C from Sirdar’s Baby Bamboo Too

Yarn: Rowan Handknit Cotton green

Needles: 3.25mm and 3.75mm straights

Start Date: June 27th 2009

Finish Date: August 7th 2009

 The “If Tadpole is a girl Cardi” is finally complete!! With just the sleeves left to knit I pushed it to the side angrily and tried to forget about it for a while as I kept frigging something up.  No matter how many times I started the second pattern on the sleeves it just wasn’t working. Finally once I gathered some patience and decided that I was going to FINISH this cardigan I realized that the pattern had an error and that it wasn’t me  messing it up at all.

For anyone wanting to knit this in the smallest size  the second pattern on the sleeves row 4 should read P0, * k1.p3* repeat.

As always the button was a challenge, I think my trouble is I know exactly what and then can never find what I’m looking for. I knew I wanted a shell look button but it had to be very small, then I remembered my mum’s button stash and went on the hunt. I found this cute  little vintage shell button in Mum’s many button jars that I thought was perfect.

This was my first time using Rowan Handknit Cotton, its soft and flexible unlike those crunchy types of cotton’s you sometimes find, a great yarn for various children’s knits, I can even see it made into a summer top for myself.

This will be super cute over a summer dress or paired with jeans/capri’s.

Now the only question  is will this be for Tadpole or a future sibling????

 Having two months of rain, fog and cold weather really makes you think about Autumn more and more. I’ve been dying to cast on for a cosy warm sweater for myself but seeing as that’s pretty much impossible at this present time I settled for a pair of cosy toe socks instead.

 I cast on for the  Gentlemen’s socks with Lozenge pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks, tailored for my little feet.  This is the third or fourth pattern I’ve knit from this book and it has once again proved to be a wonderful library addition.  I’m using Louet Gems in a lovely fall orange, these will be a lovely pair to have on hand this fall.

Of course the minute I start working on them we get beautiful weather, at least for one day anyway. Maybe I should just keep knitting socks if it makes the sun hang around.

My mum and dad are in the process of building a house on the most beautiful water frontage. Dad of course is building the house himself, and Moose has been helping out when he isn’t working. Being the preggo that I am I’m not much good for lugging wood and standing up walls so instead I get to enjoy my surroundings and do a little knitting.

I found a nice half shady half sunny spot on top of a pile of sheathing to work on my socks as well as keep an eye on the dogs.  Molly is perfectly content as long as she can see Moose at all times. She spent most of her day with me on  top of the sheathing watching her daddy’s every move.

After month’s of not being able to find buttons to match…..

I can finally show you my finished BSJ!

Pattern:Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann

Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport  multi in Bittersweet

Needles: 5mm circs

Start Date: March 3rd 2009

Finish Date: April 6th 2009

I don’t seem to have ANY notes from knitting this sweater… bad knitter! I do remember that I didn’t want to knit it again anytime soon, it seemed very fiddly to me always having to count to make sure I had enough stitches on either side etc. Once I got nearer to the end it seemed to get easier but it definitely wasn’t the relaxing knit that I was hoping for.

Luckily for me this sweater is for the Tadpole so I won’t need to make another one anytime soon

Just because they are soooo darn cute……  My babies!!

They were perched on top  of the sand pile we were using to make a level spot to put the pool…. don’t ask how it went, we no longer have a pool…. Bosty however loves to dig and enjoyed snoking and digging his little heart out while Molly preferred to use it as a crow’s nest to keep a close eye on her Dad.

Enjoy the sun we are finally getting!