Plum Stitches

rainy day ramblings

I started this little scarf, for Chloe, I think, inspired by Sue's.  Although I'm opting for an embellishment and straight garter stitch.  I bought a similar scarf that was made out of cotton knit for Chloe last year from Anthropologie and now it's seem better days and needs to be replaced.

My littlest lady and I celebrated birthdays over the past two weeks.  I haven't hit the big one yet, but I'm getting very close.

We had a joint family party for all of the birthday celebrations and were able to eat out in our back yard.  A bit cramped, but that's city living, right?

On my birthday, I got a phone call from my two aunts in South Jersey saying they wanted to drive up for the day.  What a nice surprise!  Chloe was very excited that when they showed up her two cousins were in tow as well.

Jim booked me a massage appointment at the spa associated with our gym.  Sounds nice doesn't it? 

Well, I'm one of those people that prefers having female doctors, female masseuses, you get the picture.  I ended up having a male masseuse, which I figured would be fine.  It was fine until he started running his mouth about all his qualifications and then he started telling me about how I needed to tone up and lose some fat. 

I'm the first to admit that I have about 10-15 pounds extra baggage (I have lost all of the baby weight).  He also was kind of enough to point out and grab the spots that needed some toning.  So irritating!  The funny thing about all of it was that he's a personal trainer at the gym and gave me his number to call him to set up training.  I quickly lost the card.  Think I'll be looking up another trainer.

 

I bought this little crown off of Etsy in hopes of it becoming the 'birthday crown' in our house.  Unfortunately, it arrived late and Chloe quickly claimed it as her own.

bento box

I've been searching on and off since Chloe started eating lunch at school for a Bento Box.  I haven't been able to find one, until today at Whole Foods.  For some reason in my twisted mind I think if she has a Bento Box she'll magically start eating all sorts of things for lunch.  Am I delusional or what?  Although their site isn't so great, there are some good lunch ideas.  The company that sells them is Laptop Lunches.  

Pattern:  Kim's Hats, Last Minute Knitted Gifts

Size:  For a child, but I followed the direction for the woman's sizing, more or less

Yarn:  Berrocco Ultra Alpaca

Needles:  Size 8 circular

Notes:  Tired of this pattern yet?  I seem to be on a hat bender at the moment, we'll see how long it lasts ;-)

hat-fest

Having a little Hat Fest here in Jersey City...

Pattern:  Kim's Hats from Last Minute Knitted Gifts

Yarn:  from my stash (purple is Berocco Ultra Alpaca, blue hat is from misc. leftover yarn)

Needles:  Size 8 circular, dpns

Size:  Purple fits a toddler, blue is child-sized

Notes:  Such a quick and easy knit!  I started the blue one yesterday and just finished it today...

Low and behold my sewing machine was exercised this weekend!  I just love this fabric and Phoebe is wearing them today.  Pattern Huck Finn Pant from Weekend Sewing, by Heather Ross.  They're a little short for winter, next time I cut the pattern I'll make them a bit longer.

Hmm, what else? 

There's a new show on NBC called 'Mercy' that's filed in our neighborhood.  I haven't seen it yet, but in the first show there's an accident scene that they shot right in front of Chloe's school.   And we frequent the coffee shop in the episode as well.  Kind of morbid, huh?  But that's my hood.  I think it's on Wednesday night's at 8pm.  

Still sort of looking for a job - passively.  I sent my resume along to an opening that my background fits like a glove.  Haven't heard anything, maybe that's for the best.

pizzazz

Now that the weather is getting a little cooler, Chloe's in school for longer days and I'm in the house, I'm starting a mental checklist of things I want to get done inside.  Our house could really use a interior paint job.  We painted all the rooms when we moved in, but since then we've done lots of work.  Lots of work that's created dings and marks in the walls.   Oh, and also, the occasional coffee accident that  creates splash marks everywhere.   I'm sure no one but myself notices dings, marks and splashes, but they're really starting to bother me!   

Check out this cool tutorial over on Etsy about how to make a felt pillow with rosettes.  I love the orange, so festive and fall-ish.  I have a pile of felt left over from last Christmas that could finally be put to use...

Pattern:  Bold Banded Mittens, from Adorable Knits for Tots, by Zoe Mellor
Yarn: Needles: Size 8 circular

Size: 3-4 years

Notes:  These are a gift for one of Chloe's friends.  I think I might add a flower to the front of them to pump up the bling.  Those four year old girls are bananas about bling. 

If you happen to be a power knitter you could easily finish these in an evening.  Also, I skipped the stripes in the pattern.

I had an unusual (at least these days) creative burst yesterday and cut three pairs of pants for Phoebe from fabric in my stash.  I'm hoping to sew them up over the weekend.  I love the corduroy and am considering buying  a bit more to make a skirt for Chloe.

another one!

Pattern:  February Sweater (Sweater on Two Needles), by Elizabeth Zimmermann from The Knitter's Almanac

Yarn:  Brooks Farm Riata, I bought this a few years ago at The Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck

Needles:  Size 7 circular

Size:  I would say a 6 month old baby, but babies come in different sizes

Notes:  This time I skipped making buttons holes and was able to push the rather large button through the yarn.  I was worried this would work, but I think the sweater is knit loosely enough that it worked.  Also, my preference with this sweater has become keeping the buttons holes on the yoke part of the sweater.  I just love this pattern!

My thoughts of making this sweater bigger were WAY off.  It fits Phoebe, but is probably best suited for a younger baby that can grow into it.  I just love the color and the yarn, so I'll be sad to see it go, but I do have more of the yarn for another sweater.

A fabulous new toy store opened in Jersey City a few weeks ago, called Jacks Toys (right next to my favorite bakery/coffee shop, Made with Love). This little book was acquired there and has become part of Chloe's growing library.  My SIL that lives in London has give us many, many wonderful books as well that both of her kids have outgrown.  She told me once that when she had kids she stopped by lipstick and started buying children's book.  I'm just happy Chloe is the beneficiary of this habit!

I got off-track...my point in bringing the book up is that last month after having dinner in the Meat Packing District, we wandered up to the High Line.  Which, I'm assuming this book is loosely based on, maybe I'm wrong.

The High Line, if you're not familiar with it, is an old rail track that was converted to a park.  It's a 'lifted' train track 30 feet above the ground.  It's really interesting and has a great view of the Hudson and Jersey City, looking West.

catching up

I just love this time of year - the weather cools off a bit, the days are getting a little shorter, acorns are dropping off the giant oak trees in our neighborhood and I feel like knitting again. 

For some reason I'm drawn to this pattern (February Sweater)- I think it's the fourth or fifth one I've made this year.  I keep hoping that I tweak it enough and figure out how to make it big enough for Chloe.  Although her size is a moving target, one of these days the sweater I make will fit her beautifully (wishful thinking?).

On the reading front, my book club hopped on the Julia Child  craze and is ready 'My Life in France.'  I saw the movie too, last month, which I enjoyed.  Although I seem to be day dreaming about food quite a bit these days.  It's a fun read if you like her or don't much about her. I find her particularly inspiring in that she really didn't start cooking with much enthusiasm until her late 30's. She reinvented herself.  

beginnings

The start of a new baby gift!  Hard to imagine wearing alpaca right now, give how humid it is today, but soon enough I'll be longing for the days of summer.

Had she actually munched on the Nastursium, I doubt she would have been pleased with the taste.

find of the week

How exciting are these!  Knock offs of the Morgan & Milo sneakers from Target, for a fraction of the cost.  They come in brown, pink and blue, up to size 12.

I had an appointment in the city today and found myself window shopping on 34th Street.   I dodged a good many tourists - the neighborhood is just crazy in the middle of the day.  I also found myself longing for the pre-children days when I would wander around New York after work shopping or killing time until I met a friend for dinner. Such freedom then that I never really appreciated! 

I'm having another of those moments when I really want to go back to work - I think to gain some element of that freedom.  Yesterday, I dug out the resume, started updating it and poked around on Monster.  We'll see where this leads me.  I have this huge fear recently that if I don't go back to work soon, I'll lose the momentum or what's left of it.  Alright, enough of my sob story (I just hope I'm not alone in feeling like this).

My knitting has been a bit uninspired the past few weeks and I need to get back on track.  'm sure that has to do with the heat of summer.  I've replaced it though, to an extent with reading. 

The moms group I'm part of has a frequent book swap.  The group is all done through Meetup, so as an event we have a book swap every 6 weeks or so.  It's great!  Last month I snagged the Josephine Bonaparte Collection.  Historic fiction about Napolean Bonaparte's wife - if you like historic fiction, these three books are will be right up your alley.  I finished the last one the other day and started on Netherland, which so far I'm enjoying. 

another Cisco

Pattern:  Cisco, from Berroco

Yarn:  Brooks Farm Riata

Needles:  Size 6 circular

Size:  Phoebe has a HUGE head, my guess is on a normal sized head this would fit up to 18 months

Notes:  I made modifications, more or less following Jared's lead.  One recommendation I would make is to mark the stitches for the shaping in the front of the hat.  I found it too confusing not to mark them and ended up frogging a few times.

After longing for the jewelry at  JCrew I decided it was time to bust out my surplus of beads.  A few years ago (well more than a few years ago now) a co-worker and I sold beaded necklaces at a few craft fairs and trunk shows.  We were enthusiastic at first and then it kind of fizzled. 

I still have two large boxes of beads along with necklaces that now need to be taken apart some day and the beads salvaged.

Off to pack - we're headed to the beach for the weekend.  I love going away, but feel like I spend most of my time packing and unpacking throughout the summer.  

Have a great weekend!

 

another placket-neck sweater

I seem to be in one of those grooves of knitting pattern repeats.  This is probably my fourth little placket-front sweater, but I can't help myself.  It's sweet, simple and and easy knit, love it!

Pattern:  Placket-Neck Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, by Joelle Hoverson
Size:  6 - 12 months
Yarn:  Stash yarn!  Jo Sharp Alpaca Kid Lustre purchase maybe two years ago to make a hat for myself.  I used about 3 skeins and have 2 left.  Hmmmm, what to do with it...
Needles:  Size 8 circular
Notes:  Like I said this is a repeat performer.  Hope the recipient likes it as much as I do.  The little orange buttons are from the massive vintage collection my mother gave me for Christmas a few years ago.  Also, I deviated a bit from the pattern and knit the sleeves in stockinette as opposed to in the round on dpns (which I never use).

In other exciting news, Chloe started napping again when she comes home from camp.  Not everyday, but at least a few days a week.  I've rigged it so they're both napping for a bit and I get some down time with no one asking me any questions, or jabbering away!  Ah, never have a truly appreciated silence so much. 

Her school is also going to start the kids 3.5-4years old with swimming lessons twice a week.  A new development, just across the street from her school has a gym with a pool and are allowing the kids to use for swim lessons.  Such a relief, I've been looking all over the place for lessons, but none seem to jive with our schedule for the summer.