A Tale of Four

Still linking up to the yarn-along, although two days late. I haven't had access to a working computer. Despite the fact that we have three desktops. (And the reason I didn't have access wasn't because any of them were broken or techincally not working, but because they were in various phases of being updated or .... something. The hazards of being married to a computer person. :) )

Anyway.

One of my goals for this month was to knit the boys vests for the colder weather, all from the trusty Milo pattern. I started with Dominic's, picking the 1 year size since his birthday is in November. I knew it would be a bit big, but thought that wasn't a bad thing.

After I got about halfway through the shoulder straps, I thought perhaps I'd actually measure him. His chest was 2 inches smaller than the size I was knitting. In other words two whole sizes off.

And I kept knitting. I wanted it to be a little big, right? (Note to self: a two-inch difference on such a small person is NOT "little.") Well, I finished the shoulder straps, started on the body, and realized the torso of the vest looked quite a bit bigger than the torso of my baby.

And I decided to keep on going. I don't know. I knew I needed to rip it out and start over. But I didn't. By the time I was ready to knit the ribbing I found a post by the pattern designer, Georgie Hallam, who emphatically instructed knitters to measure the child's chest and if they wanted to knit it "bigger" to add length, not width. I knew there was no way Dominic was wearing this vest this winter--it practically could fit Michael--so I should've kept knitting and set it aside for next winter.

And then I bound off. So it's the perfect length for a one-year old but wide enough for a two-year old. (It would maybe reach Michael's belly-button. Maybe.)

I really can't explain this vest. I knew what I was doing wrong and kept doing it all anyway. So at some point I'm going undo the bind-off and make it a little longer. Just maybe not this year ... I don't really want to look at it.

Michael's vest, however, turned out beautifully. Although he kept saying he wanted yellow, and pointed out to me that I had yellow yarn on the shelf. (Not the right weight. Sorry kiddo.) But he likes it anyway.

Soon I will cast on a red vest for Gregory. And I've dug into the stash and found some DK weight to knit a fourth Milo for Dominic, this time in the 9 month size.

In the meantime, I've been taking a break by working on some leaves. Thirty down, eighty (or thereabouts) to go.

Dining Room--Before

Now that I have time to do more than nurse babies and change diapers (our twins just turned nine months old!!), I've been itching to do something about our dining room. Itching. So I hope this "before" will soon be an after--or at least an "in progress."

You may recall that this room is a rather shocking shade of pink. It has a beautiful picture window--the only window that lets you see straight into the house from the road--and in the evening when we're eating dinner the pink literally glows out into the dusk. Neighbors can't help but slow down and gawk at us while they drive by.

We've had paint chips sitting on the desk for a while now, and we've decided to ask Keith's dad to bring us the wallpaper remover next time we see him. So we're hoping to get started on this very soon--if not this weekend, then the next. Ideally, I would like to have everything done by the end of September so we can have friends over for a Michaelmas goose. :)

I imagine that the layout will stay the same for now. It's very bits-and-pieces; furniture that doesn't have a home anywhere else lives in here. Someday I'd like to get a used buffet or china cabinet and refinish it. After we paint, I'm hoping to hang some sort of shelving for my teacups, and put a little more thought into what goes on the walls and where.

Keith really dislikes our chandeliers (we also have one in the living room), so we're going to be taking this one down and replacing it with a drum-shade pendant. Eventually we'll replace the sconces too, or else just get rid of them. And then there's this switch plate. 

It's pretty, but very ... feminine, for a house full of boys. ;) And it really doesn't go with the wallpaper at all ... bronze with pink?

Eventually I think we also need to do something more substantial about the windows, but I'm not sure what. We like the natural light and truthfully, I'm not that concerned about privacy since we live on a very quiet street. But they just look kind of under-dressed, don't they? Or am I overanalyzing? The curtains are from Ikea--inexpensive and very pretty.

Michael has his own little corner. :) Both chairs are cracked from adult men sitting on them, but he doesn't seem to mind!

Knitting for Autumn

I've been on a real leaf-making kick, but yesterday I decided to switch gears and knit up a Milo vest for Dominic. This tweedy blue is quite lovely--it's called Seasalter. Gregory shall get a rust-colored vest ("Cardinal"), and Michael an asparagus green (aptly, "Asparagus"). (I am hoping there is enough green leftover to knit a leaf for his blanket, of course. :) ) All my boys shall have vests to layer in when the weather takes a turn towards cold.

And just some light reading for now. My "to-read" list keeps getting longer and longer, books that I must either buy or find at the library (probably in e-book form as our local library doesn't have a good adult selection at all ... I miss our old library very much). But then I remembered I had this book sitting in the stack on the end table. I am enjoying it.

Linking up with Ginny!

Knitting, crawling, leaves

Taking a break from scrubbing the kitchen floor to blog! It's been bugging me for a looong time, and we're having out-of-town company this weekend which finally gave me enough incentive to tackle it. :) 

This week is the Steel Valley Yarn Crawl. Do you remember those leaves I was knitting, and how I ran out of scraps for them? I decided that the yarn crawl would be a perfect time to buy yarn for Michael's leaf blanket--one skein at each store and I should be set for a while. 

What I didn't count on was how hard it is to build a color palette as you go ... especially if your first five colors came together randomly. Luckily fellow knitters are always ready with opinions about color. :) Here is the palette so far ... what do you think? 

About the green yarn on the far left ... I'm not sure if I want to use it for the blanket, or a Milo vest for one of the boys. It's a (non-super-wash) blend of merino, alpaca, and silk, which is not exactly the best for a blanket on a little boy's bed. 

I am thinking I want one more shade of blue--perhaps a little richer and deeper--maybe a brown, and then several more shades of green. 

Babies like to yarn crawl too! Taken by a friend. :)

(The baby that actually CAN crawl was there too, but he wasn't allowed on the floor. Except that one time I let him on the floor and he ate a tag and forced me to buy the skein of yarn it belonged to. Horrors.)

I'm a bit disappointed that I won't be able to make it to one of the stores. It's over an hour away, and a weekend daytrip is out because of our guest. Sigh. :( Maybe next year!

Linking up with Ginny.

What They Said (2)

A bit late, but I am finally getting around to linking up over at Rosie's blog!

Michael comes up with some gems, but I usually forget to write them down. And when I do write them down I forget to link them up. :-P So a few of these are a bit old. 

(While eating mango on the deck without a shirt on, looking down at his belly)

"Are you chubby?" 

(Talking about our trip to the National Aviary)

Me: Did you like seeing the penguins, Michael?
Michael: Yeah!
Me: Do you want to do that again sometime?
Michael: Swim in the water with the penguins! 

(After he'd just woken up from a nap)

Me: Michael, I think Dominic is talking to you. 

Michael, frowning: Dominic take a NAP. 

Wrong side of the crib ... 

They usually all get along. :)

(Shaking around a burp cloth, to the tune of "Shake Your Booty") 

"Wipe wipe wipe, wipe wipe wipe, wipe the spit up! "

Not gonna say who he learned that tune from. ;)

(Looking at a picture of a yak) 

"He says, 'Yakkity yak! Don't talk back!'" 

(After I got dressed for church and changed out of a purple nightgown)

"Mama wear purple pj dress. Mama wear purple pj dress! *bursts into tears*

Still not sure why he was so adamant I wear my pajamas to Mass!

(While Michael was looking out the front door)

Michael: Who's here?
Me: Is someone here Michael? Who do you see outside?
Michael: I see ... Grandma! 

Me: What is Grandma doing out there?

Michael: Holding a chainsaw! And cutting down trees! 

Pretty sure that's never happened, haha.