Kiss My Knits!

Some days you get the pelican…
…some days the pelican gets you.

Isn’t there some kind of saying about curiosity and cats? Hm.

While Turtlegirl was getting her socks off at Sock Summit 2009, I took care of her boys Calvin and Ripple. Also her fish. Which died. But the cats are thriving, so that was good enough to earn me some loot! Look what she brought me back from Sock Summit! Socks That Rock Rare Gems. Turtlegirl knows me so well. These are exactly my colors. I’m all about the cool tones.

Incidentally, Turtlegirl has a really cool sock pattern named after her cats Calvin and Ripple (Ravelry link). It’s really two patterns in one, with one sock named Calvin (wild and unpredictable) and one named Ripple (the traditional old man with traditional construction). I’ve seen them finished in person (Jane Prater did a particularly nice one), and they’re really cool, so if you’re looking for two new patterns for the price of one, I recommend it.

Thanks, Turtlegirl, I love my new yarn!

Pattern: Cedar Creek
Yarn: Creatively Dyed “Calypso” in colorway Mabolo
Needles: US size 0 (2mm) for foot and leg, US size 1 (2.25mm) for heel flap
Ravelry project page

Notes:This is one sturdy heel flap. They have you slipping stitches every row instead of every other, which is what I was used to. It’s an easy pattern to memorize but still requires some attention, making it good “on the go” knitting. If I had it to do over again I would have done a 1×1 ribbed cuff instead of the picot edge called for.

The yarn bled a little bit of blue but not much in its after-knitting soak. The skein is 500 yards and I’ve got plenty left. There’s no pooling or flashing, but the leg of one sock is noticeably darker than the other. Must have just been a darker patch which occurred during the dyeing process.

I have wide feet, but I’m usually a loose knitter so I didn’t increase from the called-for 60 to the 64 my gut said I should be using for the foot. They’re a little snugger than perhaps they should be. The pattern was clearly written and included a chart for the 12-stitch 4-row repeat. Like I say, it didn’t take long to get it down pat. I’d make these again.

The day the sock queen, Turtlegirl, links to me happens to be the day that I have actually finished my Cedar Creek socks (Ravelry project link). If they’re dry in time, Turtlegirl, I’ll bring them to knit night tonight.

(P.S. Your sock blockers rule.)

Em tackles the classics.

Things didn’t go badly, but they did… um… take a bit of a turn.

Em: Knock knock!
Me: Who’s there?
Em: Ach!
Me: Ach Who?
Em: Bless you!
Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!

She genuinely got me with that one. I may need to be around adults a little more. Fortunately there’s D&D tonight, and those guys are kind of close to adults. I’ll try to get last week’s writeup posted today.

Today’s moral is, look for the handmade option first.

My daughter had been asking for an old-fashioned sleeping cap for quite a while. Not only was this handmade cap less expensive than the mass-produced “made in China” ones at the larger sites, it looks a lot more stylish. It actually looks better in person than the picture shows, and is quite soft and comfortable. I… um… might have tried it on. Ahem. Anyway, the seamstress got it in the mail immediately and it was here within a few days ordering it. Excellent service! Many thanks to Pam at sewwoman.etsy.com!

Add to this an adorable “Cinderella” nightgown made specifically to Emily’s size by It’sHandmadeByMelanie and you’ve got a very happy little girl. It’s satiny on the outside but flannel-soft on the inside, and the tulle apron is removable to make it more comfy to sleep in. Melanie always does great work. We’ve got a Snow White nightgown that she made for Em in February that shows very little wear considering how much use it gets. I’m absolutely sure that she’ll outgrow it before it wears out, so I had her make the Cinderella gown a little big. Just as well too – Em’s had a growth spurt so it fits great. If you’re looking for a cute little gift for a cute little girl, I highly recommend It’sHandmadeByMelanie. Order well in advance – it looks like she’s gotten so popular she’s had to cut back to only doing custom orders.

Now if only it weren’t 98 degrees outside. Long nightgown, nightcap… this kid’s going to bake like a ham tonight. Well, that’s the price of fashion!

We took Em to Carowinds today. She’s been asking to ride a roller coaster. Don’t be fooled by the picture. While I am genuinely terrified, Em is thrilled. I think she’s a bit of a thrillseeker like her father.

In the past, Em hasn’t wanted to do new things, but this year, she has really branched out. She may only want to stay for a few minutes (although we were at Carowinds for five hours) but she wants to try everything. It’s like she was scared of the water, but this year she wants to put a toe in.

We’ve roller skated (both box skates and inline skates), ice skated, learned to ride a bike, and ridden a roller coaster. She’s enjoyed everything she’s tried.

It’s not just limited to new activities, she’s been wanting to try new foods too, in very small amounts. She’s discovered that she likes brie, cherries, and several other things she’s tried. She’s even asked for tofu.

I love this new phase in her development. She’s really blooming. I think back to the preschooler who had to constantly wear the same outfit and if she couldn’t, there would be an entire day of meltdowns. It’s a great reminder of how far she’s come and how far she still can go.