Elephant Slippers

I started some bright bubble gum pink slippers on the way to Italy. I've made several pairs and have the pattern memorized so I figured they'd be perfect on the plane, train, etc. They worked up fast and I finished the second one in a week. The pattern is called Fuzzy Feet from Knitty.com, I used Cascade 220 double stranded. They knit up like a giant sock and then you felt them and they magically shrink to be a cute fuzzy booty slipper.

At least, that's what happened the first 4 times I made these. These pink ones looked really big for some reason. I was sure I had it right, they were just bigger than I remember (the hot wheel car is to give you perspective). Into the washing machine they go to get felted, but after, they still looked a little big. I check the pattern. I casted on 52 stitches (from memory, right!) And the pattern calls for 44! FORTY-FOUR! That's like 3 inches in circumference too big! For your FEET! I tried to shrink them more, but they were the right length, not the width. The cat is in the photo for perspective. So, what now? I can't unfelt them or unknit them and they are for a July Kentucky birthday! I might end up getting creative and making them a bag or something. Do you know any needy Hobbits that have cold feet?

In order to redeem my skills, I did finish and felt a bag correctly. This is a mobius Persian sling bag from Cat Bordhi's Second Treasury. I used Cascade 220, again. It's a swap for Butter's music teacher, she's giving us free classes in return.

The Guy in the Cafe

Butters and I had lunch after music today with his 'girlfriend' and her mom. We have a few places we rotate between, they are all kid friendly-high chairs, kid food, toys, and most importantly-not quiet places.

Well, my darling B decided to start screaming in the middle of lunch. We've been working on the Inside Voice and I ask him to be quiet and we say, "That's better," together. For some reason today, he just thought it was funny to yell really loud and keep doing it. This went on for less than a minute and I was trying my best, when the guy at the table behind us, gets up and says, "Looks like I need to find a quieter table." He walks to the other side of the restaurant. My friend and I look at each other with a, "he obviously hasn't spent much time around kids look." Meanwhile, Butters stops yelling and stayed relatively quiet the rest of the meal.

Now, I can't stop thinking about that guy, I'm a dweller and it's a bad habit of mine, but now I'm starting to get really pissed. It's not like I gave the kid a cookie and told him he had a beautiful yelling voice. I was working on the problem. Take a look at me, buddy. I haven't showered today, I'm 6 months pregnant, my food is cold and now I have to worry that I've just ruined someone else's lunch? I'm sorry you HAD to find another seat, but all you accomplished in announcing this to me is that now I feel like shit. I look like shit and now I feel like shit. I'm sorry to everyone in the restaurant, we had a problem and I fixed it. That's how he'll learn that you aren't supposed to yell in public. And worse yet, after that GUY's reaction, I was totally mad at Butters. Now I feel bad for being mad at my son. Why do other people do this to me?

I think I'll go finish off the Ben & Jerry's in the freezer. That will make me feel better. It's Banana Split, a new flavor.

No. I'm still pissed.

Knitting Terminology

I'm digging through my stash (yarn collection) to bring you an update of my knitting projects and teach some of you about the world of online knitting terminology.

Here is one project OTN (On The Needles), it's the first of a pair of socks for a Cmas gift. The recipient will be surprised and warmed. Christmas knitting already? I think I'll be busy the end of this year and was hoping to get ahead of the game!



This is another WIP (work in progress). A mobius bag for Butter's music teacher. It's actually finished and felted and drying right now. I'll get updated photos soon.








This one is embarrassing, it's my oldest UFO (Unfinished Object). It's a denim bag with a beautiful cable strap. All I have to do is sew it together and it's been one year! If I sew it together, I'll have a new bag. That's all it takes, and yet, I haven't done it. I hope to avoid punishment from the stash weasels!

Hi Animals

Hi Cow.















Hi Goat.











Hi Bunny.













Hi Bell.




Photos from Everett's Forest Park Animal Farm.

Maternity Milestone and Myths

I passed an important pregnancy milestone just before my trip to It-lee. I gave into maternity underwear. I've obviously been in maternity pants and tops for several months, but there's always that last frontier. The point where you can no longer say, "you can't really tell I'm pregnant from the back," and "I can still wear my regular clothes, but the maternity ones are just more comfortable." Mysteriously, your undies get smaller and smaller, and then they just downright disappear and you have to get The Big Ones.

With my first pregnancy, I went clothes shopping with my mom. We had so much fun, her mom took her and she wanted to treat me, that's what Moms are for! We got to the undies section. I liked the leopard print bikini's. "Look they even make a maternity thong!" My mom said, "Let's buy you the briefs." Now, this is a woman who would buy me Longbutts at Christmas. You know what I mean, the kind that go halfway up your back. I know it's popular for girls to show their undies these days, but I don't think 9 inches of white cotton fabric showing above and beyond your jeans is what's in.

"I'm not going to need the briefs, Mom. I'll get these bikinis."
"We'll just get a few packs of the briefs." Mom (little did I know), wisely said.

Now, I don't want to exaggerate, but I can't stress how LARGE these SuperLongButtBriefs are. I had to fold them three times just to get them to fit in my regular underwear drawer. Over. Over. And up. They have no right to have the word, Medium, on the tag.

Well, wouldn't you know it, and it wasn't the first or last time, My mom was right. By month 8 or so, I was firing up the heavy equipment: Bring Me My Big Ones, I NEED THE BIG ONES! I just wanted to be comfortable. Without stepping over the TMI boundry, I'm not to that point yet. I'm still in the cute, obviously pregnant but not uncomfortable phase. But, I will try to dispel a popular pregnancy myth: being pregnant can pretty much suck.

I love carrying a child, I'm proud to be a woman, blah blah blah. I've also had vomiting and nausea for 5.5 months and now that it's over the heartburn has started. I have a super short fuse. We aren't blissful and glowing, we are easily irate and under stress constantly. Look at all the information we are expected to handle: drink water, but not too much, eat healthy-avoid fish, sprouts, stinky cheese and anything you used to love before, don't get too stressed-you could hurt the baby, don't get in a hot tub or raise your body temp, get exercise, but don't get out of breath. Don't lay on your back, obviously, you can't lay on your front. Try to get some sleep.

Aside from all that, I do plan to have a great summer with Butters, spending lots of time outside and enjoying being a mom of one, until all hell breaks loose and all three of our lives change forever. And the dog's, for that matter!

Italian Knitting Review

Fate guided me to two yarn stores in Italy. I used the woolworks site and found a listing of yarn stores, but the directions were so vague and mapquest wasn't helping. So, I threw caution to thew wind and I found two wonderful little shops.

First off, I explored Lucca with the bride and groom. It's a walled city and cars aren't allowed in. We had a nice lunch and tiramisu while the rains came down, then we walked. We just strolled through the city heading towards the center plaza. A few block in, I looked in a window and saw sock yarn. "I must stop here." The bride was more than happy to pick some yarn for me to make her something and the groom entertained himself politely. I got some lace weight-1400 yards for 4 euros! Hello, that's like a third of what I pay in the US. Also, some self striping mohair for myself. The store has been there for over 60 years and they make most of the yarns in the city. We continued walking and hit the wall on the opposite side of town, then walked along the wall on our way back to our car. Later that day we drive to the coast and saw the mountains, stopped for gelati and heading back, with a rainbow following us.

Later in the week, I went to Florence, with this family. We had a great time exploring the Duomo, that plaza, that bridge. We sat down to lunch, I looked up, and there was a knitting store!! I met Beatrice, the sweetest shop owner. We had a laugh over the pregnancy language barrier. She asked me how longer I had and I thought she asked how far along was I. I told her 6 months, she said, "no, no, no." It was then I realized that's what most Italians had been asking, and we say the opposite, I wondered why they looked at me funny. I found the softest most amazing merino wool, blue for a sweater for Butters and pink heathered for a sweater for the bump. This was a bit more of a splurge, it's a larger city and a very popular area. But, it was worth it!

Here's what I knitted on the way to, in and on the way home from this amazing country. A new wedding shawl. I told Maria I'd bring my wedding shawl for her to wear and I couldn't find it! I started this on the day I left and tried my hardest to make it work, but I failed. The bright pink middle photo is a fuzzy feet slipper sock, to be felted. The last is the Zimmerman February Sweater in a lilac-y pink from Nature's Palate.

Back from Italy!

My high school Latin teacher would be so proud...I made it to Italy and back!

My bump and I left the husband and little butters together for a week and we jetted off to boot country for my friend Maria's wedding. I would play the part of the pregnant bridesmaid.

I landed and Rome (via JFK during all the buzz) and walked to the Collesium. Took a train to Florence and got a ride to the Villa where we'd be spending the week.

I toonzed in Florence, Lucca, and lots of little villages that I can't remember the names, but I have it all written down somewhere! Here are a few snaps of the bump in various places.