I like to move it, move it...

... I think I listen to that song ten times a day, easy. For anyone not familiar with it, its a song on Madagascar. We borrowed the movie from my sister, and my kids love the song -- the lovely creators of the DVD even went so far as to put a music video of the song on the DVD special features... and my children want to watch it over and over and over and over... I lie not -- even my ten and a half month old daughter dances to the song, and fusses when it is over. And my two year old? I think he has some talent -- he may dabble in break dancing.

So with the words "move it, move it" constantly running in my mind, I tend to feel more depressed when I get little done in a day! My MM list has been sorely neglected for three weeks now. I have a pile of "almost finished" projects that just need washed or felted -- and that requires being away from my baby for a few minutes -- something that she does not appreciate these days. I think she is reverting back to the needs she had as a newborn, minus the constant sleeping.

So, yes, I have some nearly finished things that I have time to glance at, but not really finish... Five pairs of mocs in need of felting. A hat in need of washing. A pair of shorts in need of lanolizing. Yarn in need of winding -- ah! But this I can do! My ball winder is right in the living room and that should be agreeable with the Little Miss. So, I have nine more (out of eleven total) balls of KnitPicks Elegance to wind into center pull skeins before Feb. 10th -- with a challenge like the Kimono sweater ahead of me for the Olympics, there is NO way I'm wasting time winding balls DURING the games! That counts as prep work/training most definitely!

It is seriously almost February. I was blindsided by that fact yesterday, when I was thinking about our next SweetKnits stocking -- a Valentine's theme, of course. But I thought I still had a whole week to prepare. Nope. February begins TOMORROW! *insert jaw dropping* I have a semi-custom for pants/shorts/capris ready to list, and I will possibly be listing a semi-custom for soakers... But listing semi-customs this close to the Olympics is dangerous! Must make sure that I can fulfill my commitments... I do want to have some mocs and stripey slippers to list -- of course, last night I was delayed on a slipper a bit because I needed to do a swatch for another project.

In my head, it all seems very attainable. I'm not stressing yet. *ha ha* I can do this. I have a custom order to fulfill this week, but it shouldn't take long once started. Then the semi-custom. So as long as the kids stay healthy and happy, and I don't come down with the plague, I should be able to get it done, and even still get to sleep at night!

And after the Olympics -- well, between knitting projects, we'll be breaking out the sewing machine! My little girl is almost one, and I have yet to start her birthday quilt! I looked through my stash of quilting squares (from my ebay craze of two years ago...) but wasn't in love with anything. Some online friends were talking about Amy Butler fabrics, so I had to go to ebay yet again and check out what was there... Quite a bit of money later, I have NINE yards of Amy Butler fabrics (all in one yard pieces), and in that stash of gorgeous cloth, there is the perfect blanket for my little princess. This will be the front, and this will be the back. I bought pink satin blanket edging. For the "quilting," I'll go around some of the paisley shaping on the front fabric (either with the machine or by hand -- haven't decided yet...).

Cheating? probably. Gorgeous? most definitely! Soft? um, yeah... this fabric is yummy! Only the best for my little girl, even though mommy is so busy with knitting that she has to take the easy way out...

And the other AB fabrics? Well, I have plans for those -- and you'll see them eventually...

lotsa pictures!!!

Thought I'd post a picture of my knitting spot. This is my corner of the living room, and it nearly ALWAYS looks like this. (notice the coffee mug on the right, as well as the ball winder. In the bag on the shelf under the mug is my swift). The little table to the left is covered with leftover yarns, and the bits of scrap yarn being save for use as yarn holders. The notebook on the left side arm is fill with Little Turtle Knits patterns. There is a bag on the floor that has two more binders of non-LTK patterns. You can see the book there -- haven't started that one yet, but the next time I'm working on a soaker or something in the round, I'll start reading it. The work-in-progress is a pair of adult sized Felted Mocs in "Rosewood" thick and thin merino from Wooly Wonders by Nada. Gorgeous stuff!!

Here's a close up of some unfelted Felted Mocs for a trade I'm doing. Front row is a cabled cap (okay, so that's not mocs) and matching mocs in size infant using "Naohm" single-ply merino from Irish Baby Knits -- oh so soft! Back row, starting from the left, Toddler mocs in "Christmas Blocks" 2ply LTK farm yarn, and Toddler mocs and Grade School mocs in "Mara" single-ply merino from IBK. Second picture is a partially felted pair of Preschool sized mocs in "Melissa" 2ply LTK farm yarn. I'm wasn't crazy about making the mocs previously, but after making all of these in the past week and a half, I'm starting to enjoy the pattern more. Of course, I may need to be reminded of that now that I'm working on an adult pair, which always takes lots longer...

And last picture for today is an almost complete pair of shorts for the upcoming FFA charity event. These are a size large shorts made from LTK 2ply farm yarn in "Christmas Blocks." Notice the difference in the body and the legs? Well, this is made from two skeins. Though dyed together, one skein had wider strips of yellow than the other, so I used one skein for the body and one for the legs. I decided that would be better than having just one leg look like the odd-ball. I think they are kinda cute. I hope others will agree with that.

I think I'm getting the hang of this picture thing! :)

well, very unproductive today...

... and I even had helpers over here today. *insert eyeroll* I stupidly used nap time for computer instead of knitting... and well, sisters visiting right now is just not going as planned...

So, drive-by post, I guess. Must order pizza for supper, and little sis was bugging me about when I was going to do it and I snapped and well... I'm trying to blog here!!! I hate that every time I TRY to do something, people start bugging me to do something else. Like Sunday mornings -- we are ALWAYS late on Sundays... late for choir -- pushing late for church. It irks me because I used to always be EARLY before marrying and having kids. Anyways, when my other half finally gets out of bed, and I sit at the computer to drink my coffee while checking email, he says "are you going to get in the shower?" Can I PLEASE drink my coffee? Doesn't the man understand that a woman NEEDS her COFFEE in the morning!! And in PEACE!! ugh...

So yes, I get touchy when I'm trying to get something done that is important to me, and others don't respect that and start bugging me about other things... Can I PLEASE just have these few moments to do MY thing? Without having to worry about supper or shower or kids? I promise I'll be back to my stressed-out, rushing-around, picking-up-after-the-kids self as soon as I'm done blogging, checking posts, or reading emails. Thank you.

Knitting Olympics, here I come!

I'm in -- and officially insane, I think! I decided that I'm going to be knitting this Kimono Sweater for myself. I've lost my mind, I know. Its going to be a HUGE challenge. Not necessarily the doing if it -- but the deadline of it! I've done cabling before, and I love doing it. But adult sweater, thin yarn (though heavenly -- its KnitPicks Elegance!), TONS of cables, two kids ages 2 and 10.5 months, 12 piano students, and 16 days...

My husband won't mind taking those 16 days off of work, right? Okay, so that's not happening. Not enough PTO in his year. Hm.... maybe see if my kid sis will come over after school every day to watch the kids??? Doubt she'd be interested in that... but maybe one or two days... Cancel piano lessons? Nah, need the moolah.... Give up sleep? hm... that one is promising...

Must stop dooming myself before I start. I CAN do this, right? I WANT to do this. I MUST do this!!!!! I do think I'm going to hit WEBS and buy another set of needles, though. This is a project for Addis... I've got them in 40", but I don't want to waste any precious time with Magic Looping (I'm not all that quick with it yet...) So, I'll be getting a 24" US5 circular for this... I have a Susan Bates set, but the points hurt my fingers... no sore fingers allowed in this challenge!

Okay -- so that's my Olympic challenge... now, I have to finish up my orders! Nearly done with the last charity pair of shorts. Then must do the mocs order. Then the custom pants (when the yarn gets here) -- won't take long, they are smalls. Then finish a kids sweater (though that could wait until after the Olympics...)...

What the heck am I still doing on this computer? Get knitting, girl!!!

A New Look!

Yeah!! My blog matches our store now. Thank you soo much to Marnie of Cushie Designs*. She does AMAZINGLY FAST work.

Well, I'm sitting at the computer in the living room. Barney is on the TV (insert eye roll here). There are books all over the floor -- my son seems to think they belong there rather than on the shelf. Little People zoo animals are mingling with Noah's Ark. Little girl is practicing her standing at the couch, looking at a book. And big boy is wandering from one room to the next with his little foam basketball. I have a pile of diapers to put away, and knitting spread out over my "knitting chair." Typical morning before nap time...

I have almost all of my knitting done for the charity events. Working on my last item. Took a small break from that this morning to finish up the first of Emma's stripey slippers -- she has one now, so hopefully that will push me to finish the second one! They match her easy peasy sweater, and the one completed slipper fits nicely.

Okay -- so I'm going to try to add a picture. Okay -- so I guess that puts the pictures at the beginning of the blog entry! ha ha I'll have to work on that. Anyways -- those pictures are a custom order that is no more! hee hee The customer wasn't in love with the pooling, so I have something to stock this weekend! :) They are a size small capri with a picot hem made of wonderful BFL from Wooly Wonders by Nada. I'm in LOVE with them, and very sad that they will not fit little girl. Though she's tiny, she needs a medium.

I'm planning to enter the Knitting Olympics -- but haven't decided on a project yet. I've got a about six possibilities, but cannot decide. When I do, I'll list my progress here, and then whoever decides to check on me can encourage me along the way! :) I'll be sure to post pictures of my progress, too.

Little girl is tired of standing...

Day two is always the hardest...

ugh... after a very productive day yesterday, I'm having a hard time "getting going" today... I'm trying to stick to the Motivated Moms schedule, and I've only managed to check off one or two things this morning -- by this point yesterday, I had more than half the list done... I just have no energy.

I really need to accomplish something, though, so that I can sit down and knit during my hour of TV after lunch. If I sit down right now, I'll feel a tad guilty. Yes, the knitting is my job now, but taking care of this house is also my job, right? MUST stay motivated!!!

I think I'm in denial over all the things I have to knit in the next few weeks. It doesn't help that the only actual store order is waiting for yarn, but I have other things to finish up -- mocs for a friend, and the rest of my trade with another friend. Then all the things I commited to for the charity auctions... oh yes, the charity auctions. I keep thinking they are so far away, but really, they aren't. I have to knit several things for them, too. I may sit down and do the keychain today, since that shouldn't take too long. And that will be one set complete. But then, I have to finish a nearly done pair of pants, make a newborn soaker, and make a large pair of shorts. And heavens, I hope that I'm not forgetting anything!!!

Must stay off this computer -- it sucks me in... ha ha!

Time flies!

Well, the holidays have come and gone. I didn't get nearly as much knitting done as I hoped I would... and I still haven't gotten much better at keeping up with this blog. I really should try harder -- I think its good for me to "let things out" and "think out loud"...

I had originally planned to knit Christmas gifts for everyone in my family, and in Don's family, but that didn't exactly happen as planned. I got a scarf knit for my littlest sister, and a hat started for my other little sister... Was going to knit a hat for my brother, but he bought one and said not to worry about it. I'll knit him something next year... hm... maybe a tie -- he has to wear ties most of the time at school... and there was that pattern in the latest Interview Knits... why didn't I think of that before!!! :)

anyways... back on track... um, well, I knit slippers for both of my parents -- felted mocs for my Dad and stripey slippers for my mom (Little Turtle Knits patterns). Haven't gotten anything done for the in-law's yet, though. I think I'll just get gift cards (we're getting kinda past the holiday season now) for most of them, but still knit a hat for my brother in law -- he's in the air force. :)

I made an easy peasy sweater for Em, and have one almost done for J, but ran out of yarn. Have a solution in mind, but waiting on the yarn to arrive... At any rate, that's as far as I got with personal knitting before I had to start with business knitting again. have whipped out two pairs of small pants, and half of a large pair in the last week... must catch up and hopefully even get ahead -- I have a list of things that I really really want to make for the kids.