Funky Knits/A Story

1FUNKYKNITWIT: Funky Knits

I love this blog and had to share this post!
How creative, inspiring and funny.

Tick, tick, tick...

I detest the built in stove top timers. They sound like fire alarms or other such distressing wails and with an infant around that's tough competition!

After coming across this little guy I've been much more relaxed at setting timers especially while my children sleep just down the hall. Plus I love the tick, tick, ticking it makes while its on and the Brrrring! at the end. There's something more comforting about those sounds... because my Nanny and my Mom both use timers more like this one.

Rhubarb Streusel Muffins Oh My!

They are delicious!

Smitten Kitchen, you've done it again. And thanks to my sister for sending me the link: Rhubarb Streusel Muffins.

What I liked most was that I didn't feel I had to go sparingly on the topping even after putting 1/3 into the batter mix. Yum Yum.

As well, I hand mixed all of the ingredients where I'm normally very lazy about this. But my sister does this quite often and encourages me to do it as well... I always thought it would be too time consuming, but you know what's more time consuming??? Washing all of the parts to the mixer. (ALL of the parts of course means the bowl and the attachment)

...Anyways, it was a lot easier than the recipe page made it look like and these days with an infant and toddler my time is very precious and unavailable. But I say, make'em! They're worth it.

Muffin mix Step 1

Crumble topping!

Le Rhubarb...

...Le Voila!

A Damn Good Cookie

Craving a baked goodie I made my favourite Smitten Kitchen cookie!
My sister prefers to hand mix her batters... I do not. June would not approve, I'm sure!
The recipe is easy and super sweet. But you won't find any pecans in them as the recipe calls for since my fiance is not a fan of this kind of ingredient messing with his cookies!

An Honour

When I declared I was going to start knitting my mom handed me her original set of needles that my dad bought her. I can't tell you exactly what year they're from but you can tell they did their rounds and made very many loved pieces! I remember this set very well from my childhood.

As my first two projects have required circular needles I haven't had the pleasure of knitting with these yet, but soon...

Thanks mom! x0

Still has the original needle gauge guide!

Counting Sheep

Yesterday I had the opportunity to nap. Hallelujah!
The toddler went for a nap as well as the 5 week old.
Never mind that the infant grunts a lot in her sleep and she sleeps in a bassinet beside me.
But as exhausted as I was (a night of zero sleep beforehand) I could not sleep.
I felt mentally exhausted as well as physically.
So I lay there craving a nap and it just wouldn't happen.

With that kind of trouble I decided to try counting sheep. Hey? Why not? I've never tried before though.

My dilemma even in this? What do the sheep look like?
Do they look like Russell from one of my toddler's books?















Or do they look like Shaun from Wallace and Gromit?















Or some other form? Like... well... a real sheep?
Are they jumping over the fence? Or jumping clouds? Or simply crossing the road?

And you wonder why I'm exhausted?
I can't even allow myself the luxury of falling asleep because I'm so looney tired imagining these ridiculous scenarios!

Off to attempt today's nap. Over and out.

Washable Ewe?

I had a textiles teacher in college who told us that if she could rename her daughters they would be Poly and Esther in honour, of course, of Polyester. There is nothing you couldn't do with or to the fabric and still not ruin it. (never mind its extreme flammability).

When knitting you want to knit with yarn that is washable most of the time. Especially if its a gift for a child. However, wool feels so nice. Sometimes synthetic feels synthetic. (but not all does)

But synthetic equals more economical and machine wash and dry.

Wool equals great feel to the touch and either hand wash or at least gentle cycle with lay flat to dry.

There are also cotton blends but I'm not going to get that detailed!

Today though, Debbie Stoller, the author of Stitch 'N Bitch posted that she's got a Washable Ewe wool! I know there's others out there, like the one I bought by Liberty Wool, but I wanted to share with you. 

(click below for a preview of her colours)

Washable Ewe!

More Than I Can Chew?

I've started a new project without having finished the first yet... but for good reason.
And the Reason? Another post...

But for now I wanted to share the beautiful colours of my next project... of which the details will not be divulged as the recipient may be aware of this blog! But I will tell you that it is a much bigger leap than I needed to take at this point.

"Moss/Seed" Stitch... I'm not doing too bad so far... except for somehow having 130 stitches 3 rows in when I should only have 126! But I have remedied.

Unlike June

We are in a new time for breastfeeding, very much unlike how June would have done.
Firstly; we do it.
Secondly; we do it in public.

Yesterday I took my new babe out for a walk for some new yarn and carried her in my "Faux-bie" as my girlfriend likes to call it. My home made Moby style carrier.

And it was close to nursing time but I didn't want to wait another half hour so I popped her in the carrier nursing style and voila! We walked along Queen West with her on my boob and no one the wiser! How mortified would June have been?!

Baby on the Boob!

Casting On for Morons

Really... casting on has been quite frustrating for me.
Okay, so I've only had to cast on a whole 5 stitches so far but it was the worst 5 stitches for me!

I referenced diagrams and drawings in 3 different books with no luck of making it easy for me.

I'm about to start a pattern where I need to cast on 126 stitches so instead of crying and rocking myself in a corner... I googled a video for it. I found one.

And it's exactly what I needed...
(Click here) for video and wow, I get it!
Thank you, thank you!

Work it Baby

Those days when you're so tired and feeling yucky. How do you make yourself feel better? I know many mamas who, try as they might, can't be hip every day. Its so much work and now with the toddler around my legs and the new born around as well, its hard to do!

Not just for style but I wonder if instead of throwing on those amazingly comfy yoga pants...

If maybe we might feel less tired and worn just by throwing on a dress instead? Its the same amount of work, it just feels more exhausting!

Reality of current styles being what they are... But how superb would it to be to walk down the street like this?

Speed & A Smile

How do you deal when your 3 week old is wailing away although you're doing everything to help calm her and then your toddler kicks in too?

If this were the 50's or 60's one might have taken a Dexedrine and then washed it down with a Gin & Tonic. But then one also might have put their baby down for a nap on any other occasion and walked down to Betty's for a cigarette and a drink. I'm not sure June would have done either of those things but it may be why she was always so damn chipper! Of course I'm not assuming any women did these things, I just believe everything I see on TV.

Instead, I myself, put on the kettle and never get around to having that nice warm cup of tea... until hours later when they're all finally asleep! But just the thought of having a cup of tea sometimes helps!

Knitting Publicly

So I went and started up a blog and then dropped off the face of the internet. What a great start eh? Well, I've said it before... blame the kids. That baby I was on bed rest for went and came anyway, 6 weeks early, and so I thought I'd have gotten a couple more blogs in before she came! But sweet as she is I really can't blame her.

I brought my knitting to the hospital to keep me company at night in my room but once released I still kept it with me for my time in the NICU. There are always a few hours between tending to the baby that I quietly spent knitting at her bedside and this kept me sane and content. But what I noticed was how many people, who might not have stopped to talk otherwise, did! It was like an open door for conversation which I didn't mind at all. But nurses who had been doing their job quite head down suddenly were my best friends! One nurse told me I'm the first mom she's ever seen knitting there in her year and a half. Other mom's were 'jealous' I had the patience for it. HA!

And they all complimented me on my work... but really, its so flawed its comical. Firstly I had been feeding my needle to the back of the other causing trouble with my gauge (too tight). I really have no idea why I did that but my mom was good not to laugh at me when I showed her. Then due to this my entire gauge changed when I started to knit properly. Then I was wrapping the yarn around the needle in the wrong direction on the first stitch of every row causing two stitches to be cast! Fantastic! So instead of a diamond shape being created its more of a staggered arrow head look. My yarn over effect now has completely changed although for the better. I don't know who the lucky recipient of this blanket will be but I'm thinking I'll get so good that in future years some lucky soul will have, on hand, a one-of-a-kind muck up worth hundreds! In addition, this past weekend my mom, yet again, pointed out that although its fine I pick up my stitch quite differently period. I'm just making crap up as I learn apparently. But whatever. Its a blanket and no one will need a brochure to tell them so when I'm done.

Here's some photos of my masterpiece.

At the halfway mark you can see I started out quite rough and have finally got it going... left to right.

Even scarier up close

So just stand back and blur your eyes... its just marvelous!