cnyttan

The Tube

2007-12-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

The Tube dilemma. What to do, what to do... AP picked up the Tube last night and asked "Is this a leg warmer for a reindeer?"

Alas, if it were a reindeer leg-warmer, I had better get busy making (at least) three more (if not 31 more).

Fun with Santa

2007-12-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

The holidays approacheth and we thought it would be fun to do some kid-stuff to get ready for X-mas. So we went to this Art With Santa thing where the kiddies could make ornaments and sit on Santa's lap, etc. This is AP before we mentioned sitting on Santa's lap:

This is AP after we mentioned sitting on Santa's lap:

So let's see if the baby will do it...

Oh, wait... She'll be ok for just a sec-

Oh, no she won't.

Dang. So much for Santa.

Back at the ranch, we have all kids of goings-on in anticipation (if that's the word) for the arrival of in-laws and other husband-related family.
We have a festive (though fuzzy in this photo) house.

In which I have been busy making stuff to freeze for The Visit.

Trust me, it tastes a lot better than it looks in that pic.
Sometimes, what really bothers me is how much I have been... well... domesticated. I'm sure my Former Self would be aghast.

At least I'm not the only one who's been tamed. Witness:

The baby charmer using his skills to lull the little one to sleep.
Speaking of skills, I have knitted material. (Knitting, by the way, is a pastime that would surely cause my FS to riot dramatically.) Interestingly, I can also make someone hold up my knitting for viewing. As a demonstration, I present the following:

a) I love how he's holding it like it's a used kleenex and b) no, I don't know what this is supposed to be, so don't ask. The yarn was so pretty and soft and I just went at it with no plan and ended up with a 6" by 18" strip, which of course becomes an 18" tube when left to its own devices. An 18" tube. Too short for a scarf. Too skinny to be folded in half to make some sort of bag. It can be felted... Of course then I'd have a 4" x 10" rectangle. Which would make a nice... Barbie mattress? Pot holder? A knitted trivet perhaps? God knows there aren't enough of those.

Worst Blogger

2007-11-26T08:59:00.000-08:00

It's been (another) two months and I am just now adding a new post. Oh dear. Maybe next year will be better (ha ha ha ha).
This is what I've managed lately:

It's a sheep. Scarf. A sheep scarf. It still needs blocking so it does not so much resemble a recently-fed python with the bulge in the middle. I'm not sure who the lucky sheep-scarf-recipient will be...

New sofas, in addition to making a nice background for the sheep scarf photo shoot, inspired me to frankenstein our living room curtains. I added a cotton border to our green linen curtains and made matching pillows for abovementioned sofas. Check it out.

And so, "It's Alive!" though not perfect, not 'professional', but still I am pretty pleased with my efforts here.

Other new things? Here are two potential Christmas card pictures:

Why are these shots so weird? Perhaps it's the fact that my subects won't sit still (at least not at the same time). At least these aren't blurry and they were taken before melee - which did indeed include some crying - ensued...

Santa, however, will stand still

and look cherry-cheeked for the camera.

Long time no blog

2007-09-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

It hasn't been just 'a while' since I've added to this blog; it's been over a month. That's pretty sad. I have been doing things and there are some WIPs floating around my home (and office), but I figured no one wants to read my new course proposal...

Still, I did get around to taking some shots of projects past.

I made these flags for AP's room.

I have made a simple hat for my mother-in-law for Christmas (hope she hasn't heard about the blog!).

And I made a caterpillar scarf (which still needs some finishing touches, like weaving in ends and adding eyes) for my husband's nephew. I also (just this past weekend) finished knitting a scarf for said husband (felted Rowan cotton, very manly) minus, of course, the weaving in.

A final note: as a parent, it seems like some times you're heartbroken that your kids aren't more like you and some times it breaks your heart that they're just like you. AP had preschool pictures yesterday and freaked out when she got crayon on her top before she had her picture taken. She's a perfectionist like me (which is why I sometimes have a hard time starting new projects - and I'm not talking about knitting here - since I hate the thought of trying and falling short).

Episodes

2007-08-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

Episode One
4 yr old Anne Paige picks up a gallon jug of water and carries it from the car to the kitchen. When asked by her daddy how she 'got so strong', she replies "Edamame."

Episode Two
There's this little girl at AP's daycare who always seems a little disheveled, hair all messy maybe not quite all-the way clean, that sort of thing. A week or so ago she came up to me one morning and just threw her arms around my waist. Not knowing what to do I think I patted her head a little til she let go. I thought maybe I looked like her mom or something... Anyway, this morning all the kids came in swimsuits (Wed is 'swimday') and I was getting AP and Kate settled when this girl came up to me and asked me to help her put her bathing suit on. I tried to dodge the job saying that 'Ms Michelle could probably help you' but AP was right there and said "Mom, she asked you for help so you have to." And so I did. Thanks for the reminder, Anne Paige.

An Actual New Post

2007-07-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

Well, now that summer school is over, grades are in, etc. I can get back to what I started, oh, two weeks ago! I have been busy-busy and even a little crafty-busy (see below). First is the kinda floppy 'crown' I made for Anne Paige out of a recycled sweater. Well, she seems to like it (though wearing wool-sweater creations - even regal headwear - in 90 degree heat does seem a bit extreme, even for a 'princess').

Anyway, I finally completed a long-promised project for the above big girl: the "twirly top" from Vickie Howell's book (Guide to Knitting What Kids Really Want) and indeed, this knitted tank with streamers does twirl nicely:

I've worked up a small felted 'bowl' (husband says "hat for squirrel") and am stymied about 'big sweater project' (I vowed to make sweaters for both girls for this winter). Will post pics and details about this soon. Now for obligatory baby photos (have baby, must distribute pictures...).

Baby smiles, though they occur often in the wild, are difficult to capture ... these mercurial creatures aren't often caught on film (hence blurry smile in pic #2).

And this specimen is indeed a rarity! She sleeps at last (and, yes, she is sucking on the 'ear' of a Pooh Bear bib). If only it worked at night!

See, I'm a Good Mom

2007-07-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

I have two kids (one is 4 the other is 5 months), a husband and a job which means that most days, at any point in the afternoon, I could probably just lie down where I'm standing and take a nap. Even on tile.

First Hello

2007-07-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

Hi folks,

First, let me explain my blog title. Cnyttan is Old English for 'to tie' which, over time, became modern day 'to knit'. The 'C' at the beginning was originally pronounced - as were the now-silent first letters of words like "knight", "write" and "gnaw". Pronunications change yet spelling doesn't (which can make for a pretty screwed up spelling system).

So, I'm slightly geeky, I teach linguistics, I'm interested in knitting and I apparently feel compelled to share a little of me with you. Thanks for reading.