Baby Shower Knit

There's a baby shower happening this weekend that I can't be at, so it was time to get the needles out so that I could at least send some handmade love by post. I fell back on what's becoming an old favourite, 'Aviatrix', a free pattern on Ravelry. An evening or so's knitting in Rowan Handknit Cotton and a vintage button adds up to a bit of old-fashioned loveliness for eagerly awaited baby girl.

Birthdays!

Our baby girl is nearly one! With her brother turning three the week before it's going to be a busy time. Somehow I've managed to swerve organising duties on both counts, as each of the grandmothers are taking a turn at hosting. All I have to do is send out the invitations, make a few cakes (including one like a Combine Harvester, gulp!) and turn up with the little ones. As we're not exactly sending out a huge number of invites to M's party, I had a go at making my own cards today, doodling with some felt pens. The theme, like her Christening is 'All Things Bright And Beautiful', partly because she's a summer baby who arrived with the flowers and partly because she is just that...bright and beautiful.

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember. Inspired by SouleMama.

Hatched Again!

Happy news today- our very dear friends announced the safe arrival of their first child. Welcome to the world baby Isaac! I don't need much prompting to get the knitting needles out and had already bought some Debbie Bliss Eco-Baby in preparation. I adapted a pattern from her 'Simply Baby' book to make a little hat with the little man's initial on it. It'll go in the post tomorrow, ready for when he comes home.

Three's company

So far, so good. There are some logistic puzzles to be solved when it comes to getting baby, toddler and buggy to and from the car/ up and down stairs etc. but we seem to be surviving. I know it's not that big a deal, mothers have been coping with more than one child for a long time, but for me it's a new challenge. Having friends has made a big difference to this- today we were up and at 'em before most sane people would emerge unless they had to go out to work. We headed for Fell Foot for football on the grass and much fun in the playpark. You may remember a certain very smart pair of red sandals bought at the start of the summer- they are holding up in structure, but not in looks, especially with regular soakings under the tap in the back garden and in muddy puddles- today was no exception! Little M slept peacefully throughout these adventures, as seems to be the habit for this chilled little girl. And yes, I even managed some knitting yesterday, although the picture is a demonstration of how something very unpromising can become something lovely (I hope). From left to right is the unfinished Manu cardigan sleeve, the completed sleeve and the body. Honestly it is! If only you could reach out and feel how soft the yarn is, and see how nice the slight colour variation when it forms a marl effect. Oh well, maybe when it's completed and photographed begin worn!

Weekending

The novelty of a rainy day after all the sunshine soon wore off, so when the clouds parted just a bit this Sunday afternoon we headed out. Our first choice plan was PYO strawberries, but perhaps unsurprisingly we found the farm but couldn't find the farmer. Plan B was Low Sizergh Barn, to walk their Farm Trail. The sunshine held, the baby slept in the front carrier throughout and it was felt that the most was made of our last day together before the end of paternity leave. Tomorrow its just me and the two babies- yikes! The benchmark for how well things go will be if I add a few inches to the second sleeve of Manu at some point in the day. Yes, that's right, even with all the events of recent weeks, I've somehow managed to get the body and one arm completed. I'll try and post some pics soon.

Sunshine

According to the weather forecast, it's not going to last much beyond the weekend, but the last couple of days we've seen, and felt, some proper sunshine. Yesterday we headed down to visit Great-grandparents by the seaside, the long and rather hot car journey giving the boy a chance to develop his own unique brand of summer style.
Today we stayed closer to home, with 'him indoors' chipping away at the heap of packing we need to do over the next few weeks. As the cloudless skies carried on into the afternoon we all decamped to a sun soaked garden and Penelope the chicken got a thorough house clean. Above is the view from my deckchair- yes, the small hillock my hand is resting on is in fact the ever expanding bump, which goes some way to explain why I was in the deckchair doing crochet, instead of helping out!

Learning at all ages

Note the label on the jar of Rhubarb and Ginger jam we were given today. How did my sister know it had 55 airmiles on it? Because she actually flew those 55 miles across the county to give it to us. Okay, not just to give us jam, but because her other half has learned to fly small planes as a hobby. And he's already a train driver- what a 'Boys Own' dream eh? I think a certain little man who seems intent on fulfilling the cliche that boys love all types of transport will be a bit of a fan when he's older!

Speaking of that little man, I am revelling in being a proud mummy today. We knew he was very dextrous, but given that he loves to be on the move all the time, it can be surprising how he can be still, concentrate and persevere. At a bit of a loss this afternoon, after our trip to the airfield, I grabbed these beads, sat with him on the sofa and showed him how to thread them. He watched, he attempted to copy but kept pulling the cord back out, tried a few more times and boom! after about ten minutes he had it! Lots of cheers and kisses followed, and soon he was threading up bead after bead, demanding a kiss for each one. Even when he struggled, he kept trying, working out which hand was best to use, adjusting his grip on the cord or the bead. Sorry to gush- I've no idea whether this is impressive or not for his age, but I'm very proud all the same!

This Moment

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

inspired by Amanda Blake Soule

Hatched #2

More happy news, as my pal Kate (friend since I was three! That's a lot more years than I care to mention!) has had her second little girl. All is safe and well and I got to send off another project I'd been working on. For the new arrival I was a bit uninspired about making something, so I got this instead, because I've always thought they were kind of cool. However, I also thought the newly minted 'big sister' needed a treat, so I got a t-shirt, also from Green Baby, then cut out some letters from scrap fabric and ironed them onto interfacing:



I pinned them in place (ooh, fiddly! Many pricked fingers!):



I over-stitched the letters by hand, et voila!, personalised 'Ra-Ra! Big Sister!' t-shirt.


Excuse the mood lighting in the photos- cutting, ironing, pinning and stitching just don't mix with a nearly-two year old, so it was all done in a couple of evenings.

Hatched!

Okay, one chick than can be counted now! I was so happy to hear of the birth of my friend Liz's son today. All is well, and he's been given the same name as our boy, so obviously we approve of the choice! This means that I can assign two knitted projects to a safe arrival. The baby hat was from a pattern I improvised, having made similar over the years. The ball was made using this Ravelry pattern which was a lot easier than I expected, just lots of short rows over a couple of evenings. Both are made from Debbie Bliss Ecobaby which is a lovely soft cotton that's a pleasure to knit with. I'm going to get them in the post tomorrow.
As fast as I finish one project, however, I add another to the list. I'm after knitting a new cardigan for myself, but can't decide between this and this but as P has decided to develop an obsession with trains and only really wants to wear a pyjama top that has a train on it, I might have to think of an applique/embroidery idea to transform some of his plain t-shirts.

Counting chickens...

Okay, you'll have to excuse me a big pun on this one, but I couldn't resist! You see, we treated ourselves to a lovely breakfast at Low Sizergh Barn this morning en route to Kendal (shoe shopping, yarn shopping and haircut!). We've still to get around to the Farm Trail, but had a little visit to the chickens on our way in.

Those chickens were, of course, fully hatched and ready for counting, but I do have a bit of a superstition about counting chicks of the human baby kind until they are safely here e.g. I don't like making things for the new arrival until they have arrived. My way around it is to make stuff for 'non specific babies who may just turn up'. Just now there are a couple of these imminent, not to mention our own, so I've been indulging in rather too much purchasing of Debbie Bliss Eco Aran and Eco Baby. I'm really enjoying knitting with soft but vibrant colours and yarn that feels gorgeous. Won't say anymore about what and for whom, but keep your fingers crossed for those hatchings!