This may be my fastest project ever...

Well, maybe not ever -- I'm sure I've done some small things quicker than this. But considering this was a spinning and knitting project, it was fast!

On Friday, I spun the yarn...

4 oz. Falkland wool from cosymakes; about 185 yards; worsted.

2 oz. Blue Faced Leicester from Briar Rose Fibers; about 85 yards; worsted.

Yesterday, I knit the body. Today I knit the sleeves and button bands (twice...don't ask...button bands are going to be the death of me yet), added buttons and wove in my ends. Ta da! Baby Belle (Rav link), pattern by Cosette Cornelius-Bates. (And here's the Rav link for my project page...aren't I just all linky tonight?)

It's the small size, which is about 3 months. Thus, knitting it in two days doesn't seem quite as impressive as it would if it was, say, a sweater for me. LOL But still...

I spun the yarn first! That counts for something, right??

I wish I had better buttons for it. These were in my stash, and while they work well with the fabric, they aren't really what I'd choose for a baby sweater. I could have sworn I had a big tube of various baby/child buttons that I got when the shop closed last year, but I cannot find them anywhere. They aren't with all of my other buttons, which is where they should be. I have this vague recollection of stashing them somewhere special (yeah) since they were kid buttons that I don't use often. This could account for why I cannot find them. Or it could be that I'm totally hallucinating and never bought these buttons I'm thinking of, and I'm just remembering them from seeing them at the shop for so long.

The sure way for me to figure this out is to go and purchase different buttons for this sweater. If I do that, the other buttons will materialize the instant I get the new ones sewn on. :}

So much...

I have so much to say.

But I don't have time to say it just now.

What I will say for now...

...I finished my Plath cardi in time for the reunion! Yeay! I'm really pleased with it, even if I do not look pleased in this horrid photo. (Haven't had time for a good photo shoot with it yet, so just look at the sweater and not at me with the weird look on my face. I am, however, wearing the dress I was making the sweater to go with.) As it happened, I never even needed to put the sweater on until I was on my way home that night. Too hot. Figures. LOL Eh. At least I have a nice little sweater to wear this fall!

...our trip to Chicago was fantastic! Very full, lots of fun. I have pictures...lots and lots of pictures...and I'll share some of them just as soon as I can get them processed.

...summer is quickly coming to an end. We'll start our new school year on Monday. Our first year of high school. Eep! I'm ready, though. I think. No, I am ready. It's just a little overwhelming if I focus on it too much.

...as happens every year at this time, I'm in planning mode. Planning for school. Planning for the fall. Hand in hand with planning mode is introspection mode. It comes on especially strongly at this time of year. Maybe it's a force of the season changing? I don't know. I do know that it makes me want to become quiet, and still, and turn myself inward in many ways. Hopefully, I'll manage to strike a balance...inward/outward.

...I need to get a better grip on my time. Short of finding a way to add extra days to the week, I need to make better use of the 168 hours God's already given us weekly. Earlier bedtimes and less time on the computer are key, I think. We'll see how I manage those.

More soon! 

Whirlwind...

Life, since my last entry, has seemed like a whirlwind! This month is flying by, and I'm trying to make the most of what is left of summer.

I've been knitting, getting caught up on this year's charity hats, but I've also been making progress on my brown Plath cardi, which will hopefully be done in time for me to wear tomorrow night to my 25th high school reunion!

Yep...25 years. Crazy, eh? I'm really looking forward to it, though. I haven't been to one since our 5th, and everyone is still pretty much who they were in high school at that point. Anyway, should be fun!

And then on Saturday morning, the kids and I are hopping on a plane to Chicago for one of my patented spur-of-the-moment travel urge trips. I've never been to Chicago, other than to fly through. There are ton of cool things to do and see there. I found a great last-minute travel deal on Travelocity, and so...off we go! We'll also be celebrating the girlie's 13th birthday while there. Only bummer is that Kevin can't take time off work to come with us. :(

The following weekend, I'll be heading east to cheer on a couple friends from the gym at their kickboxing fights. The week after that, I'll be go to Youngstown to watch the WEC fights with some of those same people. Lots of fun stuff going on!

At some point, I'll get caught up with pictures and stuff here. For now, I'm just trying to get everything out of summer that I can. Hopefully you're enjoying these last few weeks of summer, too!