I’m making some nice progress.

Unfortunately, Olivia came home from school today overjoyed by the fact that there are birthday parties approaching. How many? I don’t know as I haven’t seen sight of any invitations yet. From the excited babbling, it sounds like there are two for sure, one of which is on Saturday. However, there is a third name being thrown about, so it is unknown exactly how many dolls I am going to be making in the immediate future. There is a positive side to this. By the time we’re done, I am going to have saved a boatload of money on birthday gifts. How do non knitting folk afford the rigors of classmates’ birthday parties?

UPDATE– I am rethinking the doll thing. I think it may be time for Olivia to start knitting for her birthday parties…… more tomorrow.

I have a good 20 cm of the front of mom’s sweater done. As I was knitting yesterday afternoon, something didn’t seem quite right. So I dug out the completed back, held it up to the front, and wanted to cry. They are very different. After stomping, shouting, throwing things, (those are figurative verbs, in actuality, I was) pouting, and then finally moping around feeling defeated, I decided to look at it again. I laid everything on the floor, smoothed it all out, and stared for awhile. Then I remembered that part way through the back, I decided that I was knitting too loose, and tightened it up a bit. So I held the bottom of the front of mom’s sweater up to the top of the back. It was dead on. Hallelujah!

Yes, there are a few inches on the bottom of the back of my mom’s sweater that are looser than the rest. I can deal with it. I don’t think that anyone is going to know but me, (and now you. You are not allowed to tell. I’m serious about that. I’ll know.) and even though I am a perfectionist that needs help, I am OK with this one. At least that is what I’m telling myself right now. And I will continue to, until the front is done, I “pin” it together, and force someone I know to mannequin for me.

In other news, there may be another poncho in my future. Well, Veronica’s getting one for sure, but I’m talking about a new, potential poncho. I’ve had a request. I’m looking forward to it. But I was just thinking…… When I knit my poncho in January, they weren’t “all the rage” yet, or even worse, the “hot new look for fall”. Cringe.

(In fact, I had people tell me that they loved it, and then ask me, “What are those called, again?”)

So I’ve been concerned about my very large, very loud, very stands out in a crowd poncho becoming very out of style once this new craze dies out. (I’m really aggravated by this). I don’t mind being a bit different and eccentric, but being “old fad” when we’re not talking 30 years old isn’t me. SO, it occurs to me that in poncho knitting, it is not at all difficult to leave very long, traceable ends on the inside, thereby making it easy to frog and reuse the $100 of gorgeous yarn devoted to the thing. I know this because I left those ends on mine in January. Not for fear of fashion trends, but in case I do end up loosing all of the 100 pounds I’ve set out to, and still want my same beautiful poncho. Just smaller.

Something to think about for those of you who are concerned about this as well.

Good morning all! I’m still plugging along.

Monday, I didn’t work out.
Tuesday, I did 50 minutes of treadmill.
Wednesday, I did 40 minutes of treadmill, weights, and part of PT.
Thursday, I didn’t work out.
Friday, I did 50 minutes of treadmill, weights, and part of PT again.
Today I’m going to do 50 minutes of treadmill, and hopefully my PT stretches.

I want to be doing more, but it’s taking ALL of my time. This week, I’m going to try to wake up early enough to have all of my exercising done before Abby goes to school. Then I’ll have the rest of the day to do other things.

I could be eating better too, although I’m not doing that bad. Awhile back, if you remember, I was eating super and not exercising as much. I guess I can do one or the other, but both at the same time continues to elude me.

No weight lost. I’m going to continue to work out, even if I don’t loose more weight, because I know it’s good for me, and working out feels SO good. It seems like, at some point, the weight will come off. I’m not sure why I’ve hit a plateau. I’ve actually contemplated doing some sort of “diet”, but I’m not that desperate yet. I won’t do anything unhealthy. Once I get to the point where I’m exercising really well, AND eating really well at the SAME TIME!!!, then I’ll know if I need to adopt a different strategy.

How’s it going for the rest of you?

That was quite a response yesterday! I listened. I made boots. Thank you to all who participated.

I actually ended up knitting FIVE legs for this doll. There was the one leg with tights and the one leg with a boot, then I knit the other leg with a boot. When I went to attach them however, I realized that the boots were about a half inch too short. They were calf boots. I wanted knee boots. So back to the needles I went and knit two more legs with boots. They’re pretty cute. A little bumpy and awkward looking, but still pretty cute.

Some answers to comment questions….

Carrie asked, “What yarn do you use?” While I would love to knit beautiful dolls with gorgeous natural fibers, the truth is that I originally sought out this pattern to use up some of the acrylic in my stash that has been gifted to me. I have found, however, that while the hair, limbs, and body look just fine in stiff acrylic yarn, the clothes really need to be knit with something softer. The dress on this doll was knit with a soft acrylic yarn that I think came from my friend Gayle. I’m sure I didn’t buy it, and there’s no label. The arms, legs, face and hair are Plymouth Encore (which is what the pattern calls for), and the boots are stiff Red Heart. Some of the other dolls have been knit using Lamb’s Pride worsted. I love that stuff, and it makes BEEEE-utiful doll clothes.

Lynn asked, “Where does the pattern come from?” Interweave Knits, Summer 2002. I ordered the back issue myself after seeing Kerstin’s adorable doll a while ago, and it arrived very quickly in the mail.

At the knitting group last night, the amazingly cute Hayden claimed that, considering her blonde hair and blue eyes, she could totally be my daughter, and therefore needs a doll of her own. Ignoring the fact that there was a serious hole in her logic, (about 20 years or so), I told her that the best way to score a doll from me, would be to invite one of my daughters to her birthday party, since only ONE out of the THREE of them actually has a doll. An impending birthday party seems to be what gets them done around here. :-). Hayden really is incredibly cute, and I want her hair!

Now I present… Miss Mary Sunshine’s birthday gift!

Mary Sunshine’s doll is coming together nicely. I am faced, once again, with the highly unpleasant task of attaching hair. (It lost its intrigue, oh, 2 or 3 dolls ago).

Absolute tedium. I wish she could put her OWN stupid hair in!

Here’s a question… Tights? or boots? It is difficult to tell in the photo, but the dark color on her legs is that fabulous plum yarn that coifs my doll. Mary Sunshine’s doll is currently without feet on either leg, but before I create them, I’m trying to decide whether to give her plum colored tights or plum colored boots. Nate favors the boots. I think it could go either way, but if I do the tights, I’ll need to figure out what in the world color her shoes should be. Boots would eliminate that dilemma.

Keep in mind that she will have masses of hair. Boots on a girl with masses of hair looks much different then boots on a bald chick. So you’ll need to use some imagination and visualize. What do you think?

That’s right, it’s BIRTHDAY PARTY time! Olivia has an invitation for Saturday. This girl’s name is Mary Sunshine. Isn’t that the cutest? Here’s how I spent a portion of yesterday…

I really don’t want to dedicate an entire week to this, so I decided to try the “dressed doll” option of the pattern. Until now, I had been highly opposed to it, but so far, I think it is going to be incredibly cute! I know my girls like it. Abigail spent the day trying to gift her doll to Olivia or Veronica (who STILL don’t have their own), thinking that I would then make her one with a pretty pink dress like this one. There were no takers. They’re all smitten with the dress. All three of them want one.

I am fussy about variegated yarns. I really like how they look in the skein, but when they’re knit up, I find I have issues. I have to say though that I really like this dress so far. It’s very cute. I’ve had an incredibly difficult time amassing other colors around it that work, like skin and hair color, but I think I’ve finally got it. I also think I nailed it!

I’m not going to tell.

You just have to wait.

Hehe.

Wow! And that about says it….. Wow!!! I won one of Becky’s prizes for the Bucket Hat knitalong. I’m thrilled! I don’t typically win things. Thank you so very much Becky! Here’s the link, for anyone who might like to read the announcement for themselves. (Most of you have probably read it already, that was primarily for Grandma.)

Yesterday was indeed eventful. Miss Olivia finished her scarf!

I was able to take some cute pictures of Abigail and her completed backpack!

(I’ve started saving images differently, making them larger pictures with smaller files. They work beautifully on my computer, but if anything isn’t working for you, please let me know.)

I would once again like to thank Yvette in France for making a liner for Olivia’s, as we’ve had our first messy spill, and I was able to shake it out instead of trying to brush it out of felted mohair fibers. Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!

What a day!

Voting for the People’s Choice award is happening all this week at this link at Fluffa!. There are some great hats to vote for. While I am eligible for this contest, having already won a prize, I am not going to solicit votes for myself. But in the spirit of the knit along, and our upcoming Primaries, (fellow Americans), I would encourage everyone to go and vote!

I tried to take pictures of Abigail and her backpack, but they didn’t turn out very well. Lighting was a serious problem, and being late for the bus was another. BUT, I’ll show you one of them because you all have been waiting so patiently. Keep in mind, this is not the official “finished object” photo shoot.

I think the straps are too long, and I’ve already done some tinkering. I am going to continue to mess with it a little to get a better fit for her, but for the most part, it is done. I will get some better pictures when I have better light. (The bumpy looking thing on the top, between the straps is a folded down hanging loop).

I’ve been working on mom’s sweater front.

This weekend has been fun, and busy, and we didn’t do any chores. My house is trashed. If I behave responsibly at all today, I won’t get much knitting done. That doesn’t sound like much fun, does it?

I did fabulous exercising this week, and I’ve put on a couple pounds. What’s up with THAT?!

So Monday, I did weights, physical therapy, and 50 minutes on the treadmill.

Tuesday, the same.

Wednesday, the same once again.

Thursday, I did 40 minutes of treadmill.

Friday, I did weights, part of my physical therapy, and 50 minutes on the treadmill.

It is so wonderful having an aerobic machine at home. I send Olivia off to afternoon kindergarten, come home, and jump on the treadmill while Veronica plays with marbles and such along side me in the garage. It works GREAT!

THANK YOU RACHEL AND JASON!!!!!

I haven’t been eating as well as I’ve been exercising unfortunately. That is undoubtedly why I’ve gained a few pounds. Grrr. Monday started with Krispy Kreme, and the rest of the week has been somewhere along those lines. It’s always something isn’t it? Please send some encouragement for next week!

That being said, we’re off to the Bite of Crossroads! It’s always better to start a diet on Monday, right? So this week is going out with a bang, and that’s OK. Nate and I went last night with some friends and left the kids. Today, we’re all going. It should be some wild and crazy fun!

How has your week been, fellow Health Groupers?