Merry Christmas and Happy 2009

Yes... the best presents still come under the tree.

If all goes well, this will be the last Christmas where it will be just Master Blackhead, Hex, Jynx, and me. To honor the end of one phase of life and the beginning of another, we're staying home this year and just enjoying the moment. The only real noise will be the sound of Starcraft gurgling on the computer. We've both long since learned to tune out the clicking of knitting needles. There's no hectic Christmas dinner rush, getting the place cleaned before everyone comes over, cleaning the place again once everyone leaves, loud family members sqwaking away about where to buy the cheapest item in bulk (you'd have to be Chinese to fully understand how loud that really is), and best of all no airports crowded with angry people. Of course, we miss our family, but one year to ourselves before all Hell breaks loose in a fit of diapered cacophony is surely a true treasure.

Speaking of Chaos in Diapers... the legwarmies are done. They are super cute. Hopefully they will also be very useful; especially, since I plan to make several more pairs. I really liked the TajMahal for this project. Usually variegated yarns pool in the ugliest ways and even more so when knit in the round. This yarn was subtle enough that the pooling gave interest without that "ugh... that's awful" look.

Name: Legwarmies, one size
Yarn: Filatura TajMahal
Yarn Source: Amazing Threads, Maple Grove, MN via MamaSara's Stash
Needles: US 3 9" Hiya Hiya
Pattern: http://nevernotknitting.blogspot.com/2008/01/legwarmies.html


Next up is the Upside Down Daisy Hat from Itty Bitty Hats. This will be the third one of these that I make. I made the hat part about a year ago and put it away after making the petals got tedious. Hopefully, I'll get to finish it this weekend.



What I am really going to be concentrating on is the Project Linus Security Blanket from Knitting for Peace. The modified feather and fan pattern is pretty easy and relaxing to work. I'm using Berroco's Comfort, which has been a surprise and a half. I expected going into this that I'd absolutely hate the yarn: It's totally synthetic after all. Surprise surprise... it's been great. It has really nice elastic bounce, which almost mimics a nice wool. It's soft and non-itchy too. It does have a tendency to split. I can see how a fast or tight or both knitter would hate this. This hasn't been too big of an issue for me seeing as how I'm just an average knitter (both speed and tension) ... just call me Joe the Knitter.

I have this entire lovely long weekend to work on this. Hopefully, it's enough time to finish, but not too much time. If I finish too soon, then I'll be itching to get to my LYS, which might not be open. I've been eyeing the presents under the tree and hoping with all my heart that there's yarn in one of those packages. Not that I need more, it's just nice to know it's there. To all of you who are wishing the same thing, Merry Christmas and may your tree be pregnant with balls and balls of yarn.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

First, this is why no one, not even the Little Blackheads should ever EVER over-indulge on Thanksgiving. Even if it is just some "harmless" catnip.

You never know who might have a camera while you're drowsy with food-coma and sitting on the couch with your pants undone. Hex is OK now. It did take a little while to come down from the high, but he's back to his weird, bathtub-obsessed, normal self.

I love the holidays. Master Blackhead and I haven't reached the point in our adult lives where the holidays are a time of stress and frustration... yet. We still like the decorating, eating, and gift-receiving... and I still LOVE the gift-buying/making. I fully recognize that in about 5 years, when I'm standing outside of ToysRUs at 4:00AM on Black Friday, trying to score an elusive "toy of the season" (e.g. Tickle Me Elmo or Furby), and crammed in line with other obsessed parents that I will undoubtedly hate gift-buying. I just hope at that time, while I'm busy cursing Mattel or whomever, that I just remember one thing: that this freakish holiday rush is a blessing because Huellen's here and the biggest crisis in my life is getting her a toy.

This year we've been busy eventhough we're pulling a Crichtonesuqe Christmas-Skip: no presents will be exchanged between Master Blackhead and me. We did however still manage five key tasks:
1. send out hundreds of holiday cards
2. get / make presents for our most beloved friends and family
3. hang up lights outside
4. decorate inside
5. host a knitting party

It's been fun so far, well until yesterday afternoon. I head to my LYS for a few hours of jolly knitting with my friends and what do I hear? This.

Seriously, this woman has no sense of what it means to knit something for someone. It takes careful planning, pattern selecting/designing, finding the perfect yarn, sizing (sometimes), and most of all KNITTING the gift. Ultimately what I find most disturbing about this article is its flagrant demonstration of what most people have known for years: journalistic integrity is on the decline. If she had done her research (which I thought journalists were supposed to do), she'd realize that crafting is a pretty nonsensical way to try and save money. Take for example a seemingly simple pair of socks. At the low end of the price range are socks in Target's One Spot section for $1 a pair... at Neiman's a pair of cashmere socks will cost you $33. At the low end, sock yarn for a pair of socks at JoAnn is going for $4.49... cashmere sock yarn at Webs runs at around $36 or Koigu's silk Mori at just under $55/pair. These don't even factor in the cost for needles (from $5 for dpns to $30 for two Addi circs) or time (16 hours x $6.55/hr = $104.80). Yes, crafting is a great way to make gifts on the cheap. Yeah right!

Moving on, here are two handknit sweaters I designed and knitted just for the baby. The pictures suck, I know. When I post the patterns, I'll have better ones.

Name: Prima Donna, size 12 month
Yarn: Shepherd's Wool in Pink Heather and Cascade 220 in Khaki
Yarn Source: Amazing Threads, Maple Grove, MN
Needles: US 5 32" Addi Turbo, Size H crochet hook
Pattern: My own.
Comments: Shepherd's Wool is fabulous. I love the elasticity and it is so soft. If feels more like a merino yarn. The price was fabulous too: $7.50 for 260 yards. I can see why this has been a bestseller.


Name: Creamsicle, size 6-12 month
Yarn: Karabella Aurora 8 in Peach and White
Yarn Source: Amazing Threads, Maple Grove, MN
Needles: US 7 32" Addi Turbo, Size H crochet hook
Pattern: My own.
Comments: This is awesome yarn and I'm sorry that Bobbi doesn't carry it anymore; however, I think Berroco Pure Merino would make for a nice substitute.

Anyway here are some pictures of what's been happening lately.

Party favors for the knitting group.

A really cool sunrise.

Another baby sweater has started and stalled. I ran out of yarn! Ahhhh! Must go back for more.

Here are it's fronts and backs. I think I'll get some navy blue for the sleeves and side gussets.


Starting some legwarmers in the meantime. This is Filatura MajMahal, which is discontinued. That's a real shame because this is truly luxe yarn.

Baby Says Hi

It's official. Mama Blackhead is always (as in 100%) right when predicting a baby's gender. She called it two months ago: girl. Last week the ultrasound showed... you guessed it... a girl. She's active and can't stay still. In one of our first images of her she said 'hi.'


This was absolutely unbelievable. I know that it happens everyday in hospital around the world: moms and dads-to-be see their baby for the first time. Nonetheless, this was the coolest and most amazing thing I've ever seen, and definitely trumps anything I've ever seen on a TV screen too.

All this giddiness and happiness is spreading (Aren't babies wonderful that way?) to all our friends and family. Today, Baby Blackhead received her first present and it was even made by hand. Behold, booties crocheted by quateryrd.


So this just about lit a fire under my prego behind. I have yet to start knitting for the baby. I'm working on a top for myself and still have about half way to go. Plus, this is my own design, which means added work time. For those of you who are saying, "well start something for the baby anyway," you must understand that I can't. I knit on one project at a time. If I put down a project to start another, it is the kiss of Frog for the first. Did I mention that this top is being knit out of mohair, which is almost impossible to frog? I know lots of knitters who bounce between projects, but I personally hate it. I feel so distracted. So I just plod through one project at a time. Sure, I've put projects aside with the intent of finishing them someday, but who are we kidding... they're really just living their last days in the Frog Pond.

Now I need to get cranking on my mohair top, write the pattern, and trouble Thor to proof it for me. Thor really helped me with my last pattern. I learned so much, but suspect that I still have LOTS to learn.

In the midst of all this baby stuff, the Little Blackheads are still a prominent fixture in my life. Jynx has been feeling under the weather and just finished a 3 week course of fluids, anitbiotics, Prednisone, and antioxidants. He's such a good sport and doesn't really ever fight. I think it might have something to do with the baby food he gets to eat during his drip. Now, when I go into the laundry room (where he got his IV) he follows me in anticipation of baby food. You'd think the very sight of the room would send him running, but the last week of fluids we didn't even have to carry him into the room. He came all by himself. He's looking much better. He's put on some weight and his coat has returned to its natural shiny state.


When I told a neighbor about his ailment and treatment course, she asked if we would put him down instead. I just about fainted. It wasn't like he deteriorated beyond available therapeutic modalities and was in constant excruciating pain. How could I even think of euthanasia? Absolutely not.

Hex, not to be outdone, continues in his role as Box Cat. It's amazing how driven he is to squeeze himself into boxes half his size. It isn't the best picture, but you can get the point.

I Voted

Today is going to be a defining moment in our history. Participate. Get out and vote. It's totally painless.

Should I Keep Going?

I'm not sure I like where this is going. In fact, I know I don't like where this is going. Then again, it doesn't look too bad in the pictures. It needs 1.5 sleeves, some woven in ends, and its done - c'est fini. Almost. I just don't know if I like it enough to keep going. You can't tell in the picture, but it's HUGE in the back. There's enough fabric back there to make me a matching scarf. And yet, I made this with 3" negative ease AND got stitch and row gauge. WTF?

So, it's just sitting in a bag awaiting a verdict. Should it stay or should it go?

Venus Published in Knitty

Many thanks to Knitty, its staff, and Amy Singer for including me in this season's edition of Knitty. Thank you Thor (from Amazing Threads) for all your help editing this pattern and whipping it into shape for submission.


Looking through Ravelry, I know there are some questions out there about the pattern. I'll try to answer them as best as I can.

1. The skirt is from Anthropologie a few seasons ago.
2. I'm 5'4" and have a 47" bustline. The 7" negative ease is what makes the garment shorter on me (losing length to width, some of you might remember Poisson's ratio from your materials science classes). My guess is that a garment closer to your actual bust measurement would be proportionately longer.
3. Malabrigo Silky Merino is classified as dk, but it fluffs up a bit. At the 16sts x 20 rows gauge, it's a pretty stretchy fabric. Here's a close up of my gauge swatch.
4. Yes, the collar is just supposed to roll like that. If you don't want it to, adding a bit of ribbing should help, but I haven't tried it.

I hope this helps. Happy knitting.

Pale Pink Pimple Sweater Almost Done

The Pale Pink Pimple Sweater needs only sleeves to be complete. This ribbed and seed stitch top down raglan pattern should have been a cinch, then again it is a Vague pattern rife with errata (like missing sets of sleeve increases.) I've decided to stop following the pattern and wing it with the sleeves. I made the size 44" bust thinking it gave me about 3" of negative ease, but instead (despite getting gauge) it looks like I have about 6" of positive ease. Master Blackhead said that it would be good as a maternity sweater this winter. Yes, I love my ever practical husband. Unfortunately, every time I look at it, I think "zit factory." Maybe bulky pink yarn wasn't such a good choice for a seed stitch sweater. Can we say benzoyl peroxide and salicyclic acid five times fast?

Anyway, I'm sure I'll like it when it's done.
Anyway, I hope I like it when it's done.
Anyway, I better like it when it's done.

Ok, weird. Some guy just drove by my house and took a picture of it. This would be the second "some guy" to drive by my house and take a picture of it. The first one said it's because he thinks the brick work is really cool, which it is. Nonetheless, it's still creepy for people to come by with camera in tow. So here's a picture of the brick in case you are wondering.


I just found our recently from our HVAC guy that the mason was pretty talented and wanted to try something completely different. He finally found a builder who let him go hog wild. I wasn't that keen on it when I first saw the house, but I love it now. Mom loved it at first sight.