The blanket

I identify a lot with being a crafty person. In the crochet and knitting projects I feel very creative even when following a pattern someone else wrote. Most of the time I don't really manage to do exactly as the pattern calls for anyway, I have my own way of doing things and often like to add or subtract a little to put more of myself into the project. The crocheted blanket shown on the picture below is one of those really easy things that stay with me for many months as it is the perfect project for when you are really focusing on something else, like the tv or a conversation.


The pattern is Soft waves from the book
200 ripple stitch patterns by Jan Eaton.
I've made two baby blankets from this pattern before but this time the recipient isn't a friend or relative like previous times.
Let me introduce the future owner of this blanket.




Life is gradually changing for yours truly and in September this little bundle will join the family and make the transition from wild and crazy (:-D as if I ever was...) to settled and maternal complete.

Mother-to-be... Strange thought.

keah

2010

This year has had a fairly good start. It's still winter in Stockholm, I've continued the exercise I started in 2009, I've knitted baby clothes for friends who welcomed their second child just a few days ago. The coming weeks will be just as busy with choir concert, bird sitting, seeing friends, attending a wedding, getting started on more baby clothes for two sets of friends whose little ones are expected to arrive early April.

I have a strong feeling this month will fly past even faster than January did and I don't mind that the slightest. A big part of why is that I'm not exactly happy with work. Too much to do on too few people under normal circumstances and in addition to that one colleague is on sick leave... Not that the situation is likely to get better in March, but we'll at least be one month closer to Easter and some time off. Trying to focus on the positive here. *grins*

Easter is for going north and seeing the families. Most of all of course the latest addition, my niece, born in November. I get frequent updates from my sister and of course pictures galore, but that doesn't even come close to the real thing. We got to see her over Christmas, but at that point she was mostly about eating, sleeping, crying and not that communicative being just one month old. I'm thrilled about being able to follow her grow and evolve into a little person.

Here's to evolving!
Cheers!

keah

So this swine flu thing

News, factiods, rumours, horror stories. It's really hard to identify the useful and reliable bits from all the buzz. My policy so far has been to stay out of the discussion since I haven't made my mind up yet. The other day though I found this and felt that it says very much of what I have been thinking. Horrible headline though.
I still haven't decided whether I should take the vaccine or not, but leaning towards not...

In the meantime I knit. Swine flu.



*grins*

And remember to wash your hands!

keah

Relaxation of sorts

Throughout my life (I know, I make it sound like I'm fast approaching my retirement here, but I just liked that beginning, so there) I've had hobbies of many different kinds, few of which I have really stuck by. Reading books is one shining example of the opposite, but I hardly count that as a hobby anymore since it's more or less a necessity for life and sanity. *grins*
My mother has always been a keen knitter/crocheter/needleworker and I have since I was a little girl looked at what she produced in awe. From time to time I tried it a bit myself with the guidance from her. Neither needlework nor crocheting really caught on, but knitting on the other hand did. I never made anything big or fancy when I was younger, mostly because of my impatience, but the fascination for knitting remained unbroken.
Summer 2004 I found an old scarf project that I had abandoned at only 30 or something rows. I remembered that the aim had been to create a striped scarf with bright colours and so with a few potentially cold winter and spring months in Melbourne in mind I happily took up the task of knitting my multicoloured scarf. It turned out a lot longer than I had originally planned as I kept finding more and more nice colours to add but it came in very handy as I could wrap it around me and almost use it as a blanket at times.
Last summer I suddenly felt the urge come over me again - I just had to find something to knit! I went to the craft store in town and bought a pattern, yarn, and needles for making a poncho and over the next couple of months I made ponchos left and right for myself, mother, friend, sister. Next I got my friend in Iceland to start knitting and we inspired each other to find new and fun patterns online. Now came the task of understanding a pattern in English. Before I thought it hard enough to decipher all the abbreviations into something that made sense in Swedish, but joy and surprise, it wasn't as hard as I had imagined doing it in English. Internet is quite a help there I must admit but now I happily search English as well as Swedish sites for new patterns.
To connect all this to my headline I have come to the conclusion that I love knitting! It is really rewarding to see something grow from the mere twiddling of your fingers. *grins* And while it is relaxing to do things with your hands and let your mind rest it tends to grow into an obsession with me and I can sit for whole days knitting and just stopping for food once in a while. This makes both my hands and shoulders sore and forces me to stop and listen to my body. Body vs mind... *ponders* I think I'll take my knitting and go watch tv now.

*grins*

keah