Tuesday, October 26, 2010

busy

Busy, busy, busy week last week.  Subbed Tuesday through Thursday, which we were so thankful for, but sheesh, I didn't get anything done!  Then Friday showed up and I had to hustle to try and do some minimal cleaning and get packed for the weekend in addition to taking a trip to the zoo to see an old friend.  We spend the weekend at my hubby's grandmother's house so that we don't have to make the drive back and forth to church 4 times.  Then Saturday was a FULL day with women's Bible study in the morning, grocery shopping, a Thirty One party, and then church.  We got back to Grandma's and I crashed on the couch.  Sunday was a fun day of church in the morning, an afternoon spent with good friends, and then dinner with the in-laws.  Phew!  Needless to say, not much knitting happened.

I have also decided to stop working on Bethany's sweater and finish up Jerek's.  I have realized that 90-99% of what I have knit has been for others, not my family or myself.  So, the baby sweater is hibernating as I finish up the sleeve for Jer's sweater and then finish assembling.  I was hoping to finish it this week, but with having to sew up some dragon feet for Jer's Hallowen costume, it may wait until next week.

Here's some fun pics of week last week!

Making Pizzas




Making Scarecrow Jerek and Painting a Pumpkin


Monday, October 18, 2010

20 hours in

I think that is how long I have been working on Bethany's baby sweater so far.  Frogged 5 times, completely.  I finally have a gauge right and I have about 2 inches knit and it is looking good.  I decided to do a hem instead of leaving the cast on edge as the bottom edge.  I learned how to do this from this pattern.  I made it for a friend's daughter last year.  To date it is my proudest knit.  It makes the knit piece look more professionally done and finished.

So, I continue on this little journey of creating my own pattern and design.  I plan on taking some pictures of my progress this afternoon.  I hope she loves it!

I also began up-cycling some sweaters last week that I bought from Goodwill.  The purses I intend to sew from the felted sweaters had to wait though.  Our drain on the washer plugged and flooded the garage.  I was mortified, thinking the sweater "turds" (as I call them) had plugged the drain.  Luckily for me, the plumber said that the drain had been clogged for a long time, probably long before we moved in.  PHEW! 

Of the three sweaters I bought, only 2 felted and the beautiful cream 100% mohair sweater only shrunk.  What disappointment!  It was that sweater I had planned on being the bulk of a cream, square purse with a red flower accent.  Unbeknown to me, the sweater was either superwash (meaning treated to prevent felting) or the chemicals to make it cream-colored prevented it from felting.  But it did shrink down to a nice size, just right for me!  I plan on wearing it rather then carrying it.

 Turds I pulled out of the washer
Those yet to be fished out . . .

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

breathtaking





My God is an artist!

frog, rip-it

Stitches are too far apart using the size 9s for the 1x1 border.  I am going to make another swatch in 1x1 rib and use smaller needles.  Figure out how many stitches I need to equal 19 inches, cast on, knit the border (not sure how big I am going to make it yet) and then decrease the stitches to get them back down to 96 for the body.

I took some measurements of a newborn size jacket my friend (Bethany's SIL) has for her baby girl.  Although, it is newborn, she says her daughter still swims in it, so I figured I could add a 1/2-1 inches to those measurements.  I took bottom to armpit measurements and sleeve measurements.  Hopefully these will work out.

Monday, October 11, 2010

cast on

Bethany's sweater is officially cast on!  I did some math and figured that I needed to CO 96 stitches as my gauge was 5 stitches per inch and I need 19 inches.  I am starting with a 1x1 rib in hopes of achieving the "triangle border" that the gap page highlights.  After talking with some people on ravelry, they all explained to me that it is just a small 1x1 rib that is making the triangle looking border.  So, that is where I begin.

Picture to be posted soon!

Friday, October 8, 2010

5 years

Today is my 5 year anniversary.  It is strange to think at just the tender age of 25, I have already been married for 5 years.  It feels more like an eternity. 

I have changed as a person.  I have grown up and matured.  The hardships we have had to endure have changed who I am, my character.  But it has all been worth more then the struggle.  My selfishness has been diminished and I now understand (at least to some degree) what it means to sacrificially and unconditionally love.  To put another before yourself and love that person wholly and completely even when you want to scream at him.  I have learned that in order to make a marriage work, my time and energy has to be devoted to loving and upholding, respecting and honoring, and placing the needs of my spouse far above my own.  And God has so richly blessed me with a spouse who does the same for me.  When we are both striving to love the other, we end up receiving far more love then what we need to carry on.

I have been challenged and strengthened, as a woman, as a wife, and as a Christian more so in the last 5 years then at any other time in my life.  I was halfway through my pregnancy with our son on our first anniversary.  Not only were we still learning to live with each other, learning to identify our wants and needs in view of the other, and learning how to love each other in the context of marriage, we were bombarded with the fears, anxieties, joys, and hopes of becoming parents.  My body was constantly changing and I struggled with how my husband might perceive me as I got bigger and bigger.

Being a mother has proven to be the hardest and most beautiful experience I have ever had.  It has shown me what it is to truly love and also the heart retching disappointment my Father must feel when I have sinned.  I have the most wonderful son in the world.  He is smart and intuitive.  He is loving and affectionate.  He is a blessing.  He also pushes the limits as far as possible and drives me crazy!  But I love him more and more each day, waiting expectantly to see how God will mold him and use him.

We have struggled financially, constantly having to deal with lay-offs and company closings.  I have had to learn how to make do with little, humble myself to accept help from others, and ask Jesus to comfort and strengthen my heart when my hope and joy seemed unreachable.  I have had to learn to be content in whatever situation God places us in, knowing that His plan and purpose for our lives is far greater then any of our dreams, knowing that the journey is just as important as the end.


I am looking forward to my anniversary next year.  To see where God has placed us, how he is using us, and how much more he will mold us.  I am hoping that in another 5 years, who I am now will be just another memory and that I will be more conformed to the image of my Jesus.

5 wonderful years ago

 03/22/07
us today