Plum Stitches

milan jacket

Here's a little sweater that's been missing its buttons for a few months.  FINALLY sewed them on, so now it's in the completed pile.  Of course, now it doesn't fit the baby it was intended for, so I'll have to save for another.

Phoebe started walking at Christmas, so for the past month she's looked a bit like Frankenstein (we've taken to calling her 'franken-baby').  She's gotten steadier on her feet - it's only a matter of time before we're racing around trying to keep up with her.

I seem to have cursed myself with buying new alpine boots and skis, as now I'm having problems with my knee.  Earlier in the week I went to an orthopedic surgeon and now I'm just waiting for approvals for an MRI.  Nothing is definite at this point, but it looks like I may have torn my meniscus. 

When I was a teenager I had major reconstructive surgery on my knee (it used to dislocate like crazy).  The surgery was a success - I was able to play sports and lead an active lifestyle, so this is a big bummer for me.  You know you can make up any excuse in the book not to go to the gym or go running, but the minute the Doctor tells you to take it easy, that's when you really want to get some exercise.  Oh well, I guess that's life.  Hopefully I have an answer and a solution soon.  

 

Pattern:  Milan Jacket, Natural Knits for Moms and Babies by Louisa Harding

Yarn:  Plymouth Alpaca D.K.

Needles:  Size 5 & 6

Size:  6 months

Notes:  This was a pretty easy knit, although the more I knit, the more I detest seaming!  I really wish some of these baby designers would come up with patterns that don't involve seaming.

floppy ears

Pattern:  Kim's Hats, Last Minute Knitted Gifts, ears are from Bunny Beanie from Noe Knit

Size:  Child

Yarn:  Plymouth Indiecita Alpaca

Needles:  Size 8 circular

Notes:  I do love the ears on this!  If I were going to make it again, I would use smaller needles so that it's a bit tighter to keep the winter drafts away.

soaking up the sun

We seem to have a little micro-climate in our back garden, which keeps a few things from hibernating during the winter.  The rosemary has grown into more of a shrub, reminding me of the rosemary hedges in Northern California. 

And the sweet, Sweet Woodruff is soaking up and stretching towards the January sun.

 

 
Pattern:  Little Sister's Dress, by Tora Froseth Design

Needles:  Size 5 circula

Yarn:  Plymouth Baby Alpaca D.k.

Size:  24 months

Notes:  This little dress is very sweet and easy to make.  For some reason it took me forever, though!

wips

I have lots of unfinished pieces lying around the house, mostly due to underestimating the amount of yarn needed!

This little sweater was inspired by the simple garter stitch at Bonpoint.  I finished everything up to the right front before I ran out of yarn (again).

This is hat is Shroom, from the new issue of Knitty.  A good friend whipped up one of these and it looked fabulous!I had a ball of Twinkle, which I thought was enough to make the hat, but no.  I'm almost done, but this will have to wait as well.

 

 

And lastly, not a wip, but a finished necklace.  I have an abundance of beads/necklaces that I never sold. 

Last week I pulled them out and donated many of them to Dress for Success, they were looking for 'accessories.'  Chloe, in true fashion was mesmerized by all of them and has taken to wearing them around the house and to school. 

find(s) of the week

This rod from Ikea is ingenious!  I've seen it on a few sites out there, like ohdeedoh and finally took the $14 plunge.

It's actually a curtain wire system called Dignitet.  (Everytime I say that name all I can think of is Owen Wilson's character in Bottle Rocket) 

The wire is adjustable, so you can customize it to the size of your wall.  If you don't have an Ikea near you, I'm pretty sure you can order it online.

And...drumroll...my favorite free find of the day, is the inside of this box from Piperlime!  The entire inside of the box is covered with these bright, cheery limes!

How cool is this?  I'm going to save it and use it for the little pink cardboard house I plan on constructing very soon.  I thought it might make cute shutters or something. 

in action

A few other shots of the little sweater in action.  In hindsight, I would have made it a bit longer to allow for room to grow, but it should work for the rest of the winter.

We don't watch all that much TV, but when I do want to watch it, it never seems like anything is on!  Well, the other night, during a bit of channel surfing I stumbled on Planet Emeril on Planet Green.  Now, when I think of Emeril, all I seem to think of is my grandmother (who sadly is no longer around) religiously watching him from bed every night as she dozed in and out of sleep. 

Anyway, he has a new show on Planet Green that's his 'take on fresh, whole foods.'  It's pretty good and the episode I stumbled on was all about his adventure in Vermont.  It looks like there are some other good topics coming up.  I would also add that I think his personality on this show is really toned down, I'm not sure that I was ever a fan (or not) of his previous show on the Food Network, but I thought he was pretty likable.

felt circles and a sweater

Pattern:  February Sweater on Two Needles, Elizabeth Zimmermann, Knitter's Almanac

Yarn:  Misti Alpaca Chunky, Periwinkle

Needles:  Size 8 circular

Sizing:  I followed the instructions, but with heavier yarn and much larger needles.  It fits a 15 month old with room to grow, although the sleeves are a bit cropped.

Notes:  I finally, finally successfully upped the sizing on this sweater.  I loved working with the yarn, it's soft and squishy.  The only drawback is it sheds.  The color is off in the picture - it's more of a grayish lilac, which doesn't really come through.

I was successful (with a little help from my mother) in making my very own felt circles.  These were a bit last minute, so they only adorned a few gifts, but the colors are varied enough that I think I can use them throughout the year on gifts.

getting organized in 2010

That's my big goal for this year.  Not only my house, but myself. Oh, and two other goals: learn to crochet, and to surf.  Crocheting, I plan to tackle later this week with the help of a neighborhood friend.  Surfing will have to wait until summer but, have you checked out this adorable surf board that Heather Ross is designing for Walden Boards. Too cute for words.  A girl has to have great gear, right? 

But, seriously, surfing has been something I've wanted to tackle for years and the past few I have been either pregnant or breastfeeding, so I think this just might be my year!

As for the holidays, we ran around like crazy people, had fun with family and friends and now we're finally home (big sigh of relief).  We spent the New Year holiday with friends in Killington, managed to ski a day ourselves and Chloe went to ski school for the first time. 

I would also add that by some miracle the day we skied was actually on the warmer side and there was a small amount of new snow.  Not the standard East Coast skiing where the temperature sinks to below zero and you find yourself tumbling down the mountain because you just hit a patch of ice the length of your driveway.

Happy New Year!