indieknits

Our Little Wriggler

By pure fluke I caught the tail end of the Wollmeise update this morning, so have a skein of Safran 100% Superwash heading my way :) I did actually attempt to catch the Mama Blue update last night at 2am. I relied on my pregnancy bladder to wake me up and it was almost spot on - I woke up at 2:20am but the shop was already sold out!

We think we have settled on a name for baby - Emma. It's classic, short, and works well with our surname. Little Emms is doing very well! She wriggles around quite a lot whilst I'm at work, and in the evenings when I'm relaxing on the sofa. She's our little wriggler :) The doppler works really well and we love listening to her every day. We've also got her room looking more like a baby's room instead of a charity shop/junk room. The cot is assembled, the mattress has been ordered and all her clothes are in the drawers.

:)

Secret Pal Questionnaire

Here's my Secret Pal questionnaire!! SP, I hope this covers everything but please let me know if you need any more info!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love most natural fibres, with the exception of mohair and angora - I find mohair too itchy and angora too shreddy! (unless I just haven't used the right yarns?). Favourites are merino, cashmere and silk.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Currently I have my circulars shoved in a drawer, and my straights in vases.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting for about 5 years now (I think!) and consider myself intermediate. I taught myself using Debbie Stoller's Stitch N Bitch book.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I have an Amazon wishlist here.

5. What's your favorite scent? Oooh... there are lots! Probably easier to say what I don't particularly like - not mad on vanilla or anything too floral.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I definitely have a sweet tooth - especially since I became pregnant! I love pretty much all chocolate and all candy :)

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I have tried my hand at other crafts, but right now I am only knitting. I think my head can only handle one craft at the moment!

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I love lots of different types of music. My husband has LOTS and is always telling me which albums I need to add to my iPod!

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I am open to most colours, but don't like anything too neon for instance nothing that's BRIGHT orange, yellow or green (if that makes sense!). I tend to lean towards reds and purples, as well as subtle blues and greens. I like colours that look really natural too.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I am married and expecting my first baby on 2nd December. No pets!

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I love wearing hats and scarves in the winter, but can't stand ponchos!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Mostly socks and lace shawls/scaves, although I do like to take on the odd garment now and again.

13. What are you knitting right now? Boring stockinette stitch socks!! There is also lots of baby knitting in the pipeline.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? YES! I love handmade gifts.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? If I'm knitting socks I prefer to use DPNs (Knit Pro nickel ones), for lace I like to use Knit Pro interchangeables (nickel again), and for garments I use straights (bamboo) or my Knit Pro interchangeables, depending on the project.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes, I have both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? My boring stockinette stitch socks!! I started them about a month ago.

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe? I love Christmas :)

19. Is there anything that you collect? Besides yarn? Heehee. No, nothing else!

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I'd really like to get my hands on Sock Innovation by Cookie A, Wollmeise Molly (I always miss the updates these days!) or any Mama Blue yarn. I used to subscribe to Interweave Kntis but didn't renew because I am seriously lacking in storage space!

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Not right now - I will learn Magic Loop one day!! I have the booklets but just haven't got round to it yet.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I love knitting socks and am a size UK 7.

23. When is your birthday? 26th May (the big 3-0 next year!)

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? YES! I am a Ravelry addict and my username is indieknits.

Aghhh

Stupid Royal Mail. They have lost 3 of my parcels!! One of which is YARN! I ordered all 3 items 2 weeks ago, and have a feeling they are stuck in a mail bag that's waiting to be sorted after the strike. Grrr. The yarn I am waiting on is a skein of Dream In Color Classy, and I am planning on making a Baby Bolero with it. Maybe I should just cast on with another yarn, it's bound to turn up then!

We've ordered a baby doppler from eBay (wisely getting it sent to Ross's office) so when that arrives we'll be able to hear baby's heartbeat!

17 weeks

Hello! How are you all?

Life is continuing to tick over nicely for us. I can *almost* forget about the old flat - deposit (what's left of it) should be back in our account soon. We will then be able to upgrade Ross to a laptop and get rid of the computer desk, which is currently in baby's room. If anyone wants a free computer desk please let me know! It is a slightly bruised and battered Mikael from Ikea (identical to this but in Birch and without the magazine rack thingies on the top). It's sturdy but took a bit of a beating during the move.

I'm 17 weeks today, and think I've been able to feel her moving about! It seems to happen at night time, especially when I am in bed. On Sunday night I felt two definite kicks. I'm still feeling really good at the moment and hope that it continues.

First Baby Knit!

I started and finished my first baby knit on Thursday night! Here is Chickaboo, modelling it for me:

Pattern: Baby Hat from One Skein by Leigh Radford
Yarn Used: A very small amount of Malabrigo Worsted in Pollen

I have also ordered a skein of Dream In Color Classy from Socktopus, to make the Baby Bolero (also from One Skein).

We bought our buggy yesterday! I know it may be a little early, but it was on offer so we thought we may as well. It is a Mamas and Papas Pliko, which converts from a pram to a pushchair. Tomorrow my FiL is coming to collect some of the random junk in baby's room so we should be able to start sorting it out for her soon!! She is already accumulating quite a few cuddly toys :) Including my childhood buddy in the pic, Chickaboo. (Although his head is solid so he's not that cuddly. I used to throw him against the wall to make my sister Angie laugh. Amy, if you're reading (hi!!!! send me your e-mail address!!), this might be a bit of a flashback for you!!)

In other news: I am selling my sewing machine, if anyone is interested! Here's the eBay link.

16 weeks today!

At last! My home broadband was activated this morning. I spent so long farting around with it that it made me late and I had to rush to work. That was tricky. I seem to be getting out of breath just walking at a normal pace! Definitely starting to show now too. I am getting to that awkward inbetweeny stage where my clothes are too tight and maternity clothes are too big.

Nothing new on the knitting front. I want to get started on something, but my brain can't get any further than that at the moment. I have half a skein of Malabrigo Worsted in my stash so might cast on an Elfin hat.

Thanks for all your comments - I'm sorry I haven't been visiting your blogs as much as I should. It's all been a bit mental recently but life is starting to settle down again now, so I'll be back on track shortly!

Baby News!

Hello!

I am posting from Costa Coffee because we don't have any internet at home until next week... just wanted to share my scan picture with you all!

Turns out that I am 15 weeks, and not 12 as I thought! and we also found out that it will be..... a GIRL!

Secret Pal 14

It's been ages since I joined a swap so couldn't resist Secret Pal 14! It runs from July 1st so I should be nicely settled into the new flat by then. Can't wait to get spoiling!

Move day is tomorrow so I will be offline for a couple of weeks whilst I get my phone line and internet installed. Bye for now!

Now I Understand

Why some people hate Kureyon sock yarn.

I am constantly pulling big knotted clumps of yarn out of the ball. ARGH! It is knitting up beautifully though:

Nothing else new to report, I've just been packing and sleeping! Move day is next weekend so we're nearly there...

I shall leave you with a pic of our first (and only) home-grown strawberry!

 

(I have to admit to cheating quite a bit with this - we bought the plant from Ikea 2 weeks ago.)

So Tired.

Your eyes do not deceive you. I have indeed been knitting!

Pattern: Shur'tugal by Alice Yu
Yarn Used: Malabrigo Sock in Solis

These got finished this morning...just as the weather is turning too warm for hand knitted socks! This will probably be my last project for a few weeks whilst I move flat. We found somewhere very lovely about 10 minutes walk from where we are now, on a nice residential street and with a little garden! Move day is in 2 weeks so I am currently surrounded by bubble wrap and cardboard boxes.

I have been sooo tired that finding the energy to organise and pack whilst doing normal things like cook and do laundry and go to work can be a struggle. I can't wait until it's all over with and I am sitting in the garden, sipping on a lemonade with my feet up and enjoying the sunshine!