You Gotta Enjoy the Time You Have

It could have been a bad weekend. Work is really stressful this year and I'm still dealing with pain from a work injury. But, I willed myself to set all that aside and enjoy the weekend. And, for once, it worked.

Here are a few of the lovely moments:

At a dinner party Friday evening, Steve showed us all how to make a Clementine into a candle. (Hints: score around the middle, preserve the center stem, and fill with olive oil.)

Saturday night, there was a birthday party for new mom Ilana. My daughter will be very jealous of this balloon. They both love Disney princesses:

And at long last, I have a picture of Ilana's daughter in the Babies and Bears Sweater that I knit for her, held by my dear friend, Debbie:

And there were quiet moments at home with Keith and his cats. Here is Weeko, perched to soak up some weak winter light:

Although winter is slow in coming this year. I actually went for a bike ride with friends on Saturday!  We only did 12 miles and I was exhausted. That's what happens when you get lazy about exercise I guess. Still it's cold enough for me to slip into my handmade socks, and that's a feeling that I love:

I hope that you have had a lovely weekend!

An Almost FO

I am enchanted with the Babies & Bear Sweater. It is done except for the buttons:

And here is the back:

Do you think it would work for a boy or a girl? I don't have a recipient in mind; I knit it for the practice of making a sweater, so I tried to find yarn that would feel right for either gender. I'm sure a special baby will come along one of these days.

It's a quiet weekend here, which is nice before the holidays. I went for a walk and lunch with friends this morning, then came home and cooked a Mushroom Marsala recipe from Fine Cooking. It was good, but not great. I haven't decided if I'll keep the recipe. I love chicken Marsala, so it would be nice to have some other uses for a bottle of that wine.

I hope you are having a peaceful pre-holiday weekend!

It's Time for Some Serious Kitchner Stitch

The Babies & Bears Sweater is ready to be seamed down the back:

The pattern calls for the Kitchner Stitch. I can Kitchner. I have closed up countless socks and a fair number of mittens this way. But this is 36 live stitches -- 72 if you count both sides. My worry is that I'll lose track of where I am. I figure I need to find a time where I will not be interrupted. Easier said than done! And no listing to podcasts.

I still have a long ways to go on this project. I have to knit a border and add a hood. Luckily there is no deadline.

I hope your week is going well. Mine has been unusually uneventful. When you're a special ed teacher, that's a good thing!

Don't forget to comment on this post to be part of the Fall Give-away.

I'm linking up with Frontier Dreams and Small Things.

Back With Knitting

I've been AWL again. This past week, I thought work was going to kill me! I came home every night and was asleep by 6 p.m.! Ridiculous. When I woke up Saturday morning, I realized that the dry throat that had been bothering me was really a sore throat. Yes, I'm a little slow. I was sick all week!

Yesterday was Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Repentance. Sadly, I had to cancel my dinner for that evening; I've been putting a Break Fast for those who actually fast, for more than a decade now. I hated to cancel, but a) it was clear that I didn't have the energy to put on any sort of event; and b) it wouldn't be very nice to spread the germs.

Instead, I spent the day napping and knitting -- not so bad as a consolation prize.

The first piece of the Babies and Bears Sweater is coming along nicely. The yarn is Encore Colorspun worsted, color 7749. My friend Marsha, who has knit countless sweaters, recommends Encore for babies and kids because, she says, it is soft, durable, and washable!

 I'm not knitting for any baby in particular, so I chose the most unisex color I could. I think this white with bluish/green streaks would be OK for a boy or a girl. I do have two pregnant people in my world, so it will definitely have a home when I finish it!

I think I'll make a cup of decaf and catch up with all of you. That's something I can do in bed!

WIP: It's A New One

Earlier this month, I blogged about how I want to make the Harriet Sweater. I bought the yarn and pattern at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. Lucky for me, my partner in yarn accumulation saw that the Harriet Sweater is adapted from Cottage Creations' Babies & Bear Sweater, so I picked up that pattern, too.

For once, I am going to think before I plunge into a major project. I am going to make the baby sweater first. I think it's a good idea because the construction of the sweater is unique: You knit it in two halves, beginning with the cuff of each arm, and then you use the Kitchner stitch to sew the backs together. Suzy has made the baby sweater before and assures me it's a bit strange but not too hard.

Besides, I just felt like casting-on something new and different. This school year is shaping up to be a challenging one, so I wanted to treat myself. It's a hectic week with the Jewish New Year starting tonight. I will take off Thursday to observe the holiday, which I always enjoy. Still, it's hard to miss a day at school. Special ed students, even more than other middle-schoolers, crave predictability!

I'm linking up with Ginny for Keep Calm, Craft On.