So... I know it's been a long time and I've lost all of you by now. But, now that Em has moved back to Tennessee, I must do something to keep her up to date on my kids and crafts.
Maybe this will get me posting at least once a month.
Above is a picture of my now 5 year old son on his birthday, wearing his chain mail set that I knitted for him. It's a tunic, a hood, and a couple of fingerless mitts (or, as I like to say, gauntlets).
I've been busy while not blogging. We've been working hard to be more eco-friendly. We use our own bags at stores as much as possible. We hang up clothes to dry as weather permits. We're walking even more to and from work and playschool.
I'm doing some sewing for Tailored Tadpole. Check out her stuff. If you get a blanket, it may be one that I made. It's been nice to get some extra money.
Hopefully, I'll get some of my own ideas and toys out there before too long. I'm working on it. Until then, check out my friend Tina's Etsy shop. She's just starting it up. She makes some great hairbows, hooded towels, and monogrammed pillows. She's on dial-up, though, so posting is a challenge.
My little girl is almost 16 months old and just now starting to do some walking on her own. I'll post some pictures of her next time.
Until next time...

The first of the bridesmaids' shawls is complete. I have only to block it. I've already started the second one. With a month to go I think I will be okay.
I found some great retro space kids fabric. I made two pillowcases out of them. One for Bruce and one for my neice, who wants to be like Bruce. Pillowcases are something that I just love. If there is a fabric that I can't stand to be without, I know that if I get a yard, I can always make it into a pillowcase. That way, the fabric is still whole and if I ever want to make anything else out of it, I can easily do it.

LAst here is a backpack carrier I made for Flora. The basic pattern is from Piecework Magazine's Jan/Feb 2005 issue. Actually, the shawl above is form there too. But in the pattern it is a garter stitch shawl, and I thought it would do better as stockingette stitch. I bought the hardware for the clips at REI, an outdoor store. I'll have to get someone to get a pic of it in use for me.

Pointy Kitty is almost done, and I have a dress for Flora for the wedding in the works. I've also been learning some Italian Smocking. I'll have to tell more another time. Now it's late and I'm pooped!

Even though it's been long times between postings, I've been doing quite a bit of crafting. I must get more pictures of what I've been doing, if only for myself. I have some plans in my head for many other projects, but here is some of what I've been working on lately.
First, the robot. I've been planning a robot for a bit now. I began my prototype and when I was this far in the process:

I decided that it would be fine and I made one to give as a birthday present for a four year-old. Notice the prototype above is not even sewn together. I have learned a lesson from this. Next time, I WILL just go ahead and sew it together. The end result is below. It's not bad, it's just not what I was wanting. His body is too wide, his arms are too skinny. All of this could have been avoided if I had just sewn the first one together. Then I would have known.
I just becaome too excited about the control panel and wanted to get started on it.

So it's back to the robot drawing board. I have some ideas of changes, and this time I will sew up the structure first. Detail embroideries, though fun, must be put on hold. I can't decide if I will still give it to the boy or not.

The first bridesmaids shawl will be finished tonight. It took three weeks with many nights of no knitting so I should have more than enough time to complete the second one by October 13th.

Below is Bruce's very first real writing ever. He wrote Emily on her present. Can you see it?

We're both very proud.

Thought I would post a couple of recent pictures. Above is Flora, taken on Saturday. She is now two months old and doing more and more smiling and talking.

Below, is a picture of Bruce getting his haircut. This was done a week and a half ago. The man cutting his hair is in our downtown. Mr. Fiber has been the one to take him there, I've never seen the man in person. Bruce does very well for him for some unknown reason. He fought in WWII.

I've been knitting on a caterpillar for B. Miz Knotty made one for Flora, (pic here) and he liked it immensely. He even went into my yarn stash and picked out the yarn he wanted me to use to make it! (Note to self: Change stash hiding place) I kept thinking he would forget about it, but no. So we borrowed the pattern. As I was getting out of the car to get the pattern, B said that I could then "cast on stitches" for it. Whe did this boy learn that you have to "cast on" to knit?! Maybe I should get some needles in his hands before too long.

So much is happening over at the KALs I'm involved in. I'm really enjoying them.

Knitters of Avalon

Harry Potter and the Book 7 KAL

Here we are this afternoon, doing some garden housekeeping that should have been done long ago. Flora in the hand-me-down Baby Bjorn, Bruce in his bicycle helmet (we had just returned from a walk/ride), we pulled up the basil carcasses and cut back the lemongrass.

While cutting back the lemongrass, my boy makes me proud. He says,

"I want to have some Tom Kha Gai."

It makes me proud because:

He knows he is cutting back lemongrass.

He knows lemongrass is an ingredient in Tom Kha Gai.

He likes Tom Kha Gai and wants to eat some.

Maybe one day he'll be a great chef.

Life around here has been trying to find some sort of schedule, to no avail. I'm finaly getting used to the fact that Flora won't be nursing. I've found bottles that I like and feel safe about, and that she likes. I've determined which formula seems to work best on her. And I've stopped pumping. She has enough of my milk in the freezer to give her 6 oz everyday for about a week and a half now.
Because I'm not nursing I am taking advatage of all the foods and drinks I've been depriving myself of while pregnant - sashimi, liver, a hot dog (I never eat these, but when you can't have them, it makes you want one), sake, and wine. I look forward to a nice corned beef dinner.
I stay away from all sorts of things when pregnant and nursing: alcohol, liver, nitrates and nitrites, raw fish, rare meat, soft yolk eggs, etc.
Last night I made Cooking Light's Veal Osso Bucco. (My FIL gives me his issues after he gets them. What a sweetie!) It turned out great - though I didn't have shanks, I had chops so I braised them intstead of letting them cook for 2 hours. It really was quite simple too. Mr Fiber liked the house smell when he came home.
I've been knitting whenever I can. Bottle feeding does not lend itself to knitting the way nursing does. You have to use hands when you bottle feed.
I've been dreaming of patterns that I want to start. Most of them involve yarn I already have, which is good since formula will be taking up my yarn money for awhile.
I'm reading the Harry Potters over again and completely loving it. I think I dream in wizard world now.
I took a couple of "which character are you" tests. I must admit, I really just wanted to be Neville. In many ways, I think I am much like his character. But you will see that one test had me as Hermione. I do tend to be a bit of an overachiever and goody two shoes when it comes to classes. I think those who attended the fair isle class with me can attest for that.



Which HP Kid Are You?

I really liked the results of the second test I took. Just look at that. I scored and Albus. Next up was Lupin, then Luna. I love all of those characters, but I don't know that I really am like them. I'm glad Percy was so far down on the list.

You scored as Albus Dumbledore. You are very wise, observant, and analyctical. You have a very "well-organized" mind, which makes you function in a calm and fair manner. Though you get angered easily, its rare of you to ever act our of temper. You are constantly seeing the good in people and are naturally forgiving because of it. You're easy to please and a great person to learn from. Albus Dumbledore 81% Remus Lupin 72% Luna Lovegood 66% Ron Weasley 63% Oliver Wood 59% Harry Potter 56% Sirius Black 53% Hermione Granger 53% Neville Longbottom 50% Bellatrix Lestrange 47% Lord Voldemort 41% Severus Snape 41% Percy Weasley 38% Draco Malfoy 9% Harry Potter Character Combatibility Test created with QuizFarm.com

I'm lucky to get much free time nowadays, so my postings will not be as often. I do hope to get up some kntiting pictures and more baby pictures before too long.