Mornings

A while back, I posted about my wedding gift from my mother, this beautiful queen-sized quilt that we use as our summer comforter (read about it here).

My husband snapped this photo of me and Adrian modeling the coziness of the quilt.

From fiberarts images

The hardest part of being a new mom, for me, is forcing myself to relax and enjoy doing nothing at all. Really, it's hard. I feel like there is so much I should be doing (writing, mostly). I need to recognize and appreciate the luxury of lying in bed with my baby until 10 a.m.

Free Pattern: Vague-Douce Skinny Scarf

Vague-Douce means "soft wave"--the mitered stitches of this skinny scarf created a wave pattern. The cashmere yarn creates softness.

The space-dyed yarn creates the color pattern in the scarf, so this is a great pattern for multi-colored yarn.

From fiberarts images

Pattern requires only 100 yards (or more, of course) of an aran weight/heavy worsted weight yarn. Alternate yarn choices that would work great here are Noro Silk Garden, Malabrigo Worsted in the great space-dyed colors, and Paton's Soy Wool Stripes.

Fast-working 2-row pattern repeat worked across only 12 stitches. Easily modifiable to widen--just cast on more stitches in an even number.

Vague-Douce Skinny Scarf

Yarn Shown: Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 8-ply, Color Tahitian Garden #72, 1 Skein, 55 grams/100 yards.

Yarn Suggestions:
$$$ Noro Silk Garden
$$ Malabrigo Worsted
$ Patons SWS

Needles: US Size 10 / 6.00 mm

Pattern

CO 12 stitches (or any even number of stitches). Place marker at center of row.

Row 1: K1, ssk, k until 1 st before marker, kfb, slip marker, kfb, k until 3 sts rem in row, k2tog, k1.
Row 2: K all stitches.

Repeat rows 1-2 until 20 inches of yarn remain. Bind off. Weave in ends. Wrap around your neck and feel fabulous.

Note: Row 1 creates a mitered bend at the center of the work. The tails of the scarf will thus be shaped differently from one another--one will come to a point and one will bend like a "V".

From fiberarts images

Stymied

I'm feeling stymied with my knit projects. I have a fair number of WIPs, but each has something holding it back.

My Veronique is waiting on more yarn, since I ran out.

My Wisp revision is nearly finished but so tedious at this point because of the repetition of a complicated lace pattern.

My sweater-coat design is sucking ass honestly but might look okay on someone less post-partum--so I don't want to work on that either.

The mohair cardi design has turned into a frankenstein of weird freestyle knitting to the point that I don't think I could every write a pattern that anyone else could decipher. I should put it out of its misery--but that's exactly how I felt about Nella, and I'm so glad I didn't quit on her.

Doucement, the hat design, started out with a very wrong yarn choice so I'm reknitting it now, but again, bored with knitting the same thing twice.

And I don't want to work on my husband's new Gamekeeper because it's one thousand degrees outside.

My knititng is starting to feel like Outward Bound--something to be slogged through with the promise that I'll feel glad that I did. Ugh.

Dalloway + Bebe

We have the coolest art museum walking distance from our house. We don't go nearly enough. Every time we go, we always have a great time. So what's the problem? Inertia.

We walked over a recent Sunday and had brunch and then took in some culture. It was great. I brought my revised Dalloway for the indoor coolness. Adrian slept most of the time.

From Adrian June 14

Estivale + Bebe

These are fun posts. Modeling FOs with Adrian is so easy!

From Adrian June 28

"Real" Estivale FO post is here.
Earlier FO + bebe post is here.

FO: Estivale

From fiberarts images

In my never-ending quest for summery shrugs and mini-cardis to wear over my nursing bra tank tops, I have knit Estivale. I used some yarn from my stash and it was a perfect choice.

Pattern: Ribbed Lace Bolero by Kelly Maher. Available here.

Yarn: Artful Yarns Fable, cotton/silk blend, color Cinderella/99.

Needles: Size 10 and 7 bamboo circulars.

From fiberarts images

Mods: Used cable cast-on for flexibility, and then started with RS instead of WS. Cast on 106 stitches--but it ended up a little big. So I did some gathering at the edge using ssk/k2tog that ends up nearly invisible around the neck. I also lengthened the ribbed edge at the back, creating a fold in the fabric.

From fiberarts images

See project on Ravelry here.

Crochet Rail Guards + Bebe

Here's a portrait of Adrian, swaddled up, in his gigantic crib. I don't think he'll be sleeping in here for a few months.

From fiberarts images

See the pretty blue rail guards? Don't they match his complexion?
Free pattern is here.