The Novel Knit Girl Blog

I remember back in 2005 or 2006 when I attended a writing workshop at Northwestern University, where I had just graduated with my MA in fiction writing, and talk about blogging was all the rage - And I had no idea what blogging was! Fast forward 10-12 years and blogging is now almost a thing of the past. Granted, I don't have any readers, but it kind of bothers me that this little space on the Internet is almost gone because people can't be bothered to read anymore. They'd rather listen to or watch a podcast. I get that it's faster, but do we always need things to be moving so fast? This is why I've been remiss about blogging as of late. I have no readers, so I do it for myself. Maybe I should just write in a dam journal again. Anyway, the FO parade is here:  Flower Fairy and Leaf Sprite by Susan B. Anderson  Zadie Sweater by  Mercedes Tarasovich   Cozy Thermal Mitts  by Karen Everitt Hermione's Everyday Socks  by Erica Lueder Rebell

It's been a long summer. I think it's because I now work from home and I have a six-year-old and a nine-year-old roaming around that it's felt almost unbearably long. They are usually with grandparents during the day, but it's still exhausting. Confession time : I've bought so much yarn it's *almost* a problem. I fell in love with Indie dyed yarn and had to get my hands on some - okay, too much. But I love it all. As a result of this huge lapse, I'm starting an accountability chart and hoping to not buy any new yarn for 400 days . That's a LONG time - over a year. But, I think I can do it. I have to do it. I'm out of hiding places for yarn in my house. If I rent a storage unit for my yarn then I'll know it has gone too far. I've also put on a few pounds this summer - so, it's basically been a summer of total gluttony. I'm starting a toning class through the rec department in a few weeks, and getting scheduled with a personal train

It's been so busy.... I don't even think I can properly explain it. I have been knitting but I don't have a lot to show for it. I finished a blanket for my brother-in-law and new sister-in-law for their wedding, but I forgot to take a picture. I tried to make her a shawl, but it was a major fail. I'm trying to get a few things off my needles. There are a lot of things on a lot of different needles right now. Also, I have 3 babies to knit for. One will get more than the rest because he will be my new nephew, but  I'm hoping to give knit them all a little something. I don't think I've ever really knit successfully for a baby before, so we will see how this goes. FO's: Rose City Roller socks with yarn I bought in New Orleans.... Smooth Operator socks I made for my mom for Mother's Day....(they are prettier than they look in this terrible photo) And a campfire blanket shawl... which I love. Things I'm hoping to finish in the next

By the time I'm actually getting around to writing this, it is, of course, the second of May. May 1st is always a special day for me. Nine years ago on May 1st I became a mom for the first time. Being a mother isn't without its ups and downs, but for the most part, I've been in love with both of my children since the moment they were born. After my daughter was born, I didn't believe I could love another child as much, but then my son was born and I've never loved anyone the way I love him. So, Kid 1 is 9. She is loving and smart and kind and beautiful. She had her first friend party at our house with crafts and we all survived. I'm not all that nice, so having such a sweet daughter always comes as something of a surprise to me. She was so gracious  and I'm just so lucky to have her. Happy Birthday sweet girl! I've managed to finish a pair of DK Comfy Socks and the Windswept Shawl. I should finish a blanket shawl this week. Then, off to

All things considered, this actually turned out pretty sweet. I may, someday, make it again in a thicker yarn because I'm not sure how much use I'll get with something this dainty. But, it's done, and it's pretty. The colorway is Poppy and it is the Waterspout Shawl pattern by Anna Dalvi. Happiness is a finished lace shawl. In other news, I'm watching Thirteen Reasons Why on Netflix. I read the book and am finding the series fairly addicting. Heading to NOLA for work next week and hoping to have 2 more finished objects to show by then.

I just finished watching the Newton Documentary on PBS. On a rainy day. While my kids are at school.  This should not be done on a rainy day. However, it was beautiful and heartbreaking and horrifying and all the things it should be. I remember the day it happened: Friday, December 12, 2012. I had both kids home with me and I was working from home that day - maybe a day off school for my oldest, and my youngest stayed home with me on Fridays. I'll never forget hearing about the events of that day as long as I live. Safe, with my kids in Wisconsin, I wept for those families.  It's dreary and I'm tired. I finished a lace shawl yesterday and its being blocked in the basement as I type this. I'll have photos once it's dry. It's not perfect, but it's also not bad! I'm happy enough with the end result. Scrolling through my phone, here is a solid representation of my previous week... I made French macaroons with a white chocolate ganache for my f

So, sometime last week I opened up one of my many yarn storage containers around the house looking for - I can't even remember what I started looking for- and found this pretty coral yarn and lace shawl pattern (my first) that I had a few false starts on and eventually abandoned sometime in the last year or two. I still have it in my Ravelry project listing as in progress, and for some reason, I felt my time would be better spent recasting on this shawl than following through with any of the other projects I was committed to finishing up. I got through the first 50 rows and had to rip out 3 times. The good news is that this was a good crash course in the garter tab cast on and I'm now an expert. And, now, I'm glad to say that I've made it to row 56 and have the correct stitch count and am happy with the progress. Each row is well over 160 stitches now, so it has become slow going. But, for some reason, this came up and spoiled all my plans for last week. Sometim

After a very mild winter, we finally have a snowstorm in March. I've been lazy lately - not with knitting, but with life. I've been working out, trying to cook, and doing all sorts of knitting, but my house is not in order or as clean as I'd like it and I hate leaving the house lately. I think it's finally happening. I'm becoming a knitting hermit. Last weekend was a cleanse weekend. My husband and I gave up hard liquor for Lent (not that we are church goers, but we felt like it was time for us to give something up for a while (or, we're drinking too much and wanted a reason to challenge ourselves to drink less)). I had some vanilla beans and since we're not drinking vodka at the moment, I decided to make some homemade vanilla. Then, I organized the bottom (food section) of my pantry and tossed all the expired stuff and put some of my mason jars to use as organizers. (This is before Kid 2 went snack hunting). Meanwhile, Kid 2 found his baby hat

Finally finished. Had to wash it and stretch out the arm seams a bit, but it's great. Next on the needles.... a colorful hat. Barley by Tin Can Knits.  Life is pretty good today.

I was sick last week. Like the kind of sick that just knocks you off your feet. Kid 1 was home from school for three days and Kid 2 got a day home also, though he probably didn't need it. We all made it through celebrating birthdays and Superbowl weekend and then the kids and I crashed with sickness.  So, that's over with and I did still manage to do some knitting and finish up a few smaller projects while sick or taking care of sick ones.  Waiting for Winter Mitts by Susan B. Anderson. These were fast, but I managed to screw up both thumb gussets the same way (I needed 2 more rows). They are fine and look nice - but they feel a little short without those extra rows. It was an easy pattern and I have a good amount of leftover bulky yarn, so these may be teacher gifts for next year. (The yarn that I used was the suggested yarn from the Barrett Wool Co. in Wisconsin - really pretty and nice to work with!) Here they are: And I finished this pretty Bonnie Cowl - I

The sweater pieces are done. I ordered another ball of yarn because I don't see how I'll have enough left to sew the thing together and add the border. Maybe it will all be okay, but I'm not optimistic by nature (or recent experience). It's been a week. Monday - Husband's birthday. He's 39. We're getting old. Tuesday - Kid 2's birthday. He's 6. We don't have babies anymore (we're getting old). Wednesday - Helped friend's son make his pinewood derby car for boy scouts. Thursday - Had parents over for dinner. Today... I think we are watching an animated movie after dinner, which means I can probably get away with falling asleep on the couch. Lot's of cake this week. I'm weighing heavy on the scale. And, my sweater parts are finished and blocked. Funny how I want to wear the damn thing, but I don't feel like sewing it together now. I cast on for a fun and easy cowl (I say fun and easy, but I've had to rip it o

Walnuts. They used to be harmless, but now it appears that they are my death nut. I used to eat them and just get a scrapped up feeling in my mouth, but it's recently escalated. A few months ago I ate two slices of walnut bread for breakfast and got really sick in every way - bad stomach, coughing, the works. You'd think I would take the experience and avoid future encounters with any walnuts. I'm a slow learner. On Saturday night we went out to my husband's work holiday party at the Grand Geneva in Lake Geneva - it was lovely and really nice. There was a four course meal and the second course was a salad with candied walnuts. I thought in my head, "you know, you probably shouldn't eat those," but then some weird part of me was like, "they're on the salad and they look good - eat them!" So, I did. Disaster. We ended up having to leave the party early. There I was, playing Blackjack with fake money, when I  suddenly became extremely over

I'm on the second front panel of my sweater. I'm starting to worry that I may run out of yarn, but we'll have to see what happens. I'm going to try to trust the pattern until it fails me. My life has revolved around cold and icy weather lately. I had the day off for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and my kids did not - so I celebrated by watching television and knitting all day long. It was lovely. I don't think I've had such a lovely and lazy day for a while. Well, okay, I just had one like a week and a half ago. But, there was a lot of television yesterday. I watched Victoria and Sherlock on PBS (DVR is a wonderful thing) and a foreign film with subtitles that I took out from the library (since I can't watch these types of films with either of the children under 9 in my household or my husband) and a little knitting. Everything was going great until I was trying to get the dog to pee outdoors during a sleet shower and went down on my ass on the cement on t

I literally have three sweaters on separate needles right now. I'm afraid the odds are against me for actually finishing one in time to wear this season. Trudging on anyway. Two are for me and one is for my son, for his 6th birthday. This was my day off last Tuesday after the kids had to go back to school. My version of heaven.... I wish every day included snuggling with the pup on the couch while finishing up a Dublin Murder Squad novel and knitting what I think will be one of my favorite sweaters if and when I get around to finishing it up. I've completed the back panel - now just need two front panels, two sleeves, two pockets and to seam it all together. Piece of cake! Also cast on for my Pop Life Cardigan from Wool and The Gang in the haze of last week... I just really wanted to try out the new yarn and needles - I must say, WATG's packaging is really amazing. I couldn't wait to dive in and try it out. It's the simple things sometimes. I'm only abo