baby | Woolen Diversions

I do not have nearly enough time, lately. I miss it. Time and I have never had a really great relationship, to be honest. Once in college before a deadline I lamented to my friend “Why does time hate me?!?!” and he very sagely replied, “Time does not hate you, dear, it’s just indifferent to your plight.” That stuck with me. Time and I have been so rocky in the past that I actually tattooed a quote from a poem about time onto my body as a reminder that it is not my enemy, it is a gift, and it connects us all.

“That which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space.” – Kahlil Gibran

That said, I could really use a little more time to knit, spin, and relax. Seeing everybody’s pretty bobbins or knitting projects on Instagram and blogs is just making me sad these days because all I can think is WHEN DO THEY FIND THE TIME?! My life has been work, home, dinner, an hour to do things, sleep, then repeat for a while now. I squeeze in a little knitting here and there but if it’s anything that requires thought, the project stalls out waiting for me to have time to pay attention.

Newborn Vertebrae, click for project page.

Since this tiny baby cardi was all stockinette, I made great progress on it early in the week, finishing the body and the bottom hem. All that remains are the sleeves and picking up stitches for the border. It’s been like that since Tuesday, since both of those actions require a little thought on my part, and I just don’t have the energy for it by the end of the day…

So much clothing!

Calypso asserting dominance.

Darwin being snuggly.

All I’ve managed to do after work this week is wash and fold the gigantic mountain of clothes we received for the Hatchling at our first baby shower last weekend. Both cats showed quite an interest in the proceedings, it’s going to be hilarious to watch their reactions when the kid is actually here. We are having another shower this weekend, and another at the end of May, and while we are extremely lucky to receive so much love and generosity, I’m getting a little worried about where we will possibly store all the baby stuff. IT’S SO MUCH STUFF, GUYS. We should’ve rented a bigger apartment…

So apparently all I want out of life right now is a little more space and time. You know, just the basic cosmic stuff of the universe. Easy peasy. And I’m sure there are experienced parents out there laughing their heads off at my bemoaning a lack of time before the kid is even here. I know, I know, it’s just going to get worse…

OPK = Other People’s Knitting. That’s all I’ve been working on lately, things that are Not For Me. I do not even recognize my selfish-knitting-self right now.

Moonstone Fidra:

Brooklyn Tweed Quarry in Moonstone, click for project page.

My renewed attempt at the Fidra hat using Brooklyn Tweed Quarry yarn is SO MUCH NICER than my first try. The yarn really really really makes a difference here. The fluff-factor (a.k.a. spin and density of the yarn) is apparently very important for both fit and feel, and a simple colorway works so much better than the speckled one I used before.

So Long:

Malabrigo Mecha in Vaa, click for project page.

This is a new hat I began as a ‘see ya later’ gift for a coworker who is leaving the company this week. He is my favorite person there to chat science with, and since I process my emotions through yarn, a hat is happening. I’m winging it in a waffle knit pattern (alternate 3 rows of 2×2 rib with 3 rows of plain knit), using a 72 stitch cast-on with size 9 needles on a yarn that is classified as bulky but really knits up more like an aran weight (in my opinion).

Sherbet Baby:

Play At Life Boundless DK in Pastels, click for project page.

After a disappointing visit to the doctor where we did NOT find out the sex of our impending baby (little thing was being ‘wily’ according to the ultrasound tech) I consoled myself by starting the baby sweater I wanted to knit for it anyway. This is the Babycakes pattern by Laura Aylor. I’m making the 6 month old size, since Hatchling is due in June so it won’t be sweater-wearing-weather until he/she/it is a few months old. I’m using a fun rainbow gradient set by Play At Life Fiber Arts in the Pastels colorway (DK weight) and you know, it’s hard to be bummed when you’re knitting with such happy colors. The construction was pretty fun and engaging since I’ve never knit anything like it before (Barbara Walker’s top-down, seamless, simultaneous set-in sleeve method) but now it’s a bit boring since it’s all stockinette for the remainder of the body. At least the color changes will help pass the time.

Our future yogi all folded in half, with nowhere to go.

As for reading, I’ve actually zoomed through quite a few books in the best couple of weeks. I read the entire Kass Morgan The 100 trilogy, but really, those three could’ve been combined into one book easily, it was such easy fluff reading. The TV show is so different that it’s amusing to read the books and watch the show at the same time. Both are highly entertaining so even though the writing isn’t particularly ‘adult’ the concept is still pretty great. I’ve finished the Baby Bargains book (just in time to start figuring out what the heck we want on our registry) and am nearly done with Your Baby’s First Year, gifted to me from one of my best friends, who is a pediatrician and recommends it to all her patient’s parents. When things are feeling kinda shitty pregnancy-wise, it’s nice to think about the actual infant that should result from all this trouble. Also, I’m 20 weeks now, so HALFWAY FUCKING THERE. Woot.

That’s about all I’ve been up to this week. Linking up with Yarnalong and Stitch Along Wednesday.