The Novel Knit Girl Blog

It's been an exciting end of the summer. I accepted a new job with an amazing organization where I can work full-time from home (my dream come true) and I left a job that was making me unhappy. I used to love that job, but it became toxic in the end. And I wasn't doing well. I started taking some (prescribed and very low dosage) drugs and realized that my tension headaches are probably hormone and mood related. They run in my family and my mother and sister both also suffer from them. It's not TMJ and it will likely not get much better so I need to figure out how to manage them. But, in general, I love my new life! I love not having to rush out the door in the mornings and being at home all the time - getting some exercise and alone time in during the days so I'm enjoying being with my kids more when they are home with me. And, I love that I will be the one to get my kids from the bus and take them to their events and maybe even go on a field trip or two this year. ...

This is my daughter - aka Kid 1. She was given an ipod touch for her First Communion - not by me. Here she is in our bathroom, sending me a text to ask me if I'm okay. She cracks me up. Anyway, I was making a pair of Raw Honey Mitts to start my Christmas gift stash and she kept trying them on and asking if they were for her. So, I made her a smaller pair and I was pretty happy that I was able to size them down for her. So here they are, and here is a cute pic of her wearing them on the 2nd day of July.... after we learned she is getting a new Aunt - and me a new sister-in-law.  So far July has brought one last case of strep throat for my family (both kids had it and then my husband got a positive throat swab on July 3rd), a full-body rash for kid 2, a birthday party, hosting a 4th of July party, fireworks, a bit of t-ball, a quick trip to DC, a lot of exhaustion and a little break from knitting. I finished two books in record time and have had to cancel a lot ...

I think I shall,l from this day forward, always knit sweaters in bulky yarn. It goes so much faster. Also, short sleeves. The only thing I don't love about this sweater is that the sleeves are maybe bound off a little too tight. Other than that.... happiness. This is the lace yoke sweater pattern by Eunny Jang (Craftsy class: Choose Your Own Sweater Adventure). Tons of yarn left over, so there may be some bulky wool mittens and hats for Christmas gifts this year!

Variations on Gray.... These mitts. They are Clara Parkes stash mitts pattern and I loved the pattern and I love these mitts. Not the most beautiful things, but I chose my yarn well and they are very soft and comfy. Making a few more pairs for Christmas gifts. And, this is clearly my best thumb gusset to date. My mood is still very gray. Although my husband and I took a (too) short trip over the weekend - back to the place where we had our wedding reception nearly 13 years ago, and it was rejuvenating. I haven't been feeling like myself, but I'm trying to push through it and find some solutions that don't require medications that make me feel forgetful and loopy. There is an MRI in my future, but I'm not very concerned about it. It's my jaw. I just have to figure out how to keep it from getting so aggravated. I came back feeling better. More like myself and able to function again. So, that's something.

Show and tell. There was so much to this for me. It's an accomplishment. I made a sweater I think I'll actually wear. This is a pattern by Wendy Bernard - My first top down sweater. I also followed the Craftsy class. The class was okay - but I can't complain when I get a garment out of it! So, I did all the knit stitches using the continental-style. I still purled English-style. I don't have that down yet. Then, something clicked for me with magic loop the week before starting the sleeves and so I was able to use the magic loop method for making the sleeves. Overall, I'm really happy with this. I'll wear it with a long-sleeved t-shirt under it in the fall, winter and spring. It's wool, so too itchy to wear alone. I started doing yoga yesterday. I'm hoping that it will help with all my health "issues". I'm going to try for twice a day when I can (but if I'm being realistic, I'll be lucky for three to five times per week). I reall...

I don't have much new to report. Still knitting my gray sweater - should finish the body today Still dealing with TMJ and acid reflux Still too cold outside for my preferences We got a new roof on Monday, which wiped out our finances. I'm certainly in a year of change. I want to change many things. Mainly my day-to-day life. I'm working on it. Here's a shot of my in progress gray sweater. Knitting a top down sweater is new for me- it entails moving a lot of fabric around. I don't hate it.... it's just different. In fact, I might kind of like it. Jury's still out....But don't my stitches look pretty? I almost spilled an entire cup of hot chocolate on it this morning. I don't usually start my day with hot chocolate, but I was here so early that no one made coffee yet. To be clear, I am totally capable of making coffee - I just prefer not to. So, I grabbed a packet of hot chocolate while I waited out my half hour before I could eat my bre...

It's been a nice little April so far. In Wisconsin, we've had what can only be described as bi-polar weather and it has been making us all sick - literally! One day last weekend, it went from sunny and nice to like a snow tornado and then to a gentle rain during the course of 45 minutes. And it did this kind of thing all day long. I actually experienced three different seasons while taking my dog for a walk (remember Penelope? She is still adorable!). And, I'm finally really making some headway on my first top down sweater. It's gray, and I'm out of things to say about the color gray. I need to stay away from it for a while after this sweater. However, I think learning continental knitting has helped this sweater knit up much faster than it would have if I had been knitting it English-style. I still love English-style knitting (it just seems more pure to me or something), but, I'll admit that continental knitting seems faster and my tension is better. So, I ...