Fifty-six minutes

Today, I got fifty-six minutes to myself. I left the house ALONE at 12:58pm. I went to the yarn store, a consignment store a few doors down, and then to the pet food store. I got home at 1:54pm. It was nice to have peace and quiet. Well, it wasn't really that quiet. I cranked my CD player up very loud. I drove with the window all that way down, and no one complained. No one asked me any questions as I drove, as I shopped, or as I waited for my yarn to be wound. It was so nice. I need to get out by myself more often. I'd gotten really good about it when I was pregnant with Ellie. Since she's been born, I've left both girls with John just three times. Once to run to the grocery store (19 mins there and back) to get some carrots for dinner, once to get my hair cut (about an hour) and today. So, in 8.5 months I've had less than two and a half hours to myself. Sometimes John does watch both girls while I get stuff done around the house. I do appreciate it, but it isn't the same as leaving on my own.

Here's what I got at the yarn store. Can you guess what it will be?

"Ellie Ruth"

"Mary Beth"

Mary's is half way done. Hopefully I can do them both this week.

I noticed a little consignment shop was open 3 doors down from the yarn shop. It was mainly clothes, then I found these vintage fat quarters.

I never find cool stuff like that. And they were only 50 cents each. I would have bought more, but I only had $4 on me.

And so, my fifty-six minutes were up, and I resumed my full time job as Mommy.

It's here!

Nope, not the baby! Hopefully that post will contain an actual name for the baby. If we decide on one before he/she is born. Actually, we have a girl name. It's just the boy name that hasn't been completely figured out.

Anyway, it's here! My custom Purewool I have been waiting on for almost a month! I got a great price on it, and it was custom dyed for me. As much as I love dyeing yarn, I know I won't have time to do it this fall.


The eight skeins on the left will make 4 pairs of longies. The variegated will be for the main body/legs and the solids will be for trim. The purple on the bottom right is for a Christmas gift for our gift exchange, the white is in case I do get a chance to dye, and the reddish pink is for me. I thought it would be more red, but it will still work for me.

So, which will come first--4 pairs of longies or the baby? I have the yarn for the first pair in center pull balls already, and I just swatched it up. So I am ready to cast on the first pair tonight. Hopefully knitting ever spare minute of my day will keep my mind off these crazy on again, off again contractions I've been having every other day.

Gifts!

It really is true that I rarely make anything for myself. A friend of mine just moved for the millionth time, and I thought she might like a little housewarming gift. She told me her favorite colors are brown and green. So here's what I came up with:
These little dishcloths did not want to be photographed! I tried outside, inside, flash on, and flash off. But they are done and going out today.

Next on the needles will be a soaker for Firecracker.
I hope it is enough yarn! I weighed it out, but it sure doesn't look like much. I have no idea what those rocks are doing on the deck ledge. I think they are some project of Mary's. I also made another diaper for Firecracker yesterday. I am still working on perfecting the design. I am not the world's best seamstress. But if they work, I'll be happy. It's so much cheaper than buying them (and THAT is so much cheaper than using disposables).

I'm off to the doctor this morning for a prenatal checkup. Same old stuff. I'm 29 weeks today. We need to name this kid! I wish I could just peek inside quickly and see if the baby is a boy or girl!

New baby stuff

First of all, if this sweet baby inside of me doesn't get off my sciatic nerve soon, he/she is going to get a serious talking to as soon as he/she is born!! I suffered for the first 4 months, then felt great for a month, and now I am in miserable pain again. I've slept sitting up on the couch for the last 2 nights. Only 106 days to go!

Since we will be cloth diapering this new baby, I am currently working on his/her wool "stash." So far I've made 2 soakers, one pair of longies (which I now worry aren't long enough), and one pair of shorties. I've been dyeing up some of the yarn myself too. It's fun. I am trying really hard to make everything gender neutral since this baby will be a surprise.

Here's a yarn I dyed up a couple weeks ago.

It was supposed to be green, blue, yellow and MEDIUM purple, but the purple came out really dark. Oops. Oh well, the joy of dyeing.

I did this one last week.
It's actually several colors. That isn't the best picture. It's orange, 2 blues, 2 greens and yellow. I am knitting it up into some shorties right now. I started today and hope to finish Friday. Maybe sooner if I really get going on them.

I have some ideas for a few more colorways, but I need to pull the undyed yarn off the skein and weigh it first, etc so I haven't gotten to it. Maybe next week.