Deadlines

Tomorrow is D-day, the day of my friend's baby shower. And I forgot about it completely until Monday afternoon, when, in a sudden crystalline moment of realization, I said "Oh shit!" I racked my brains for a quick baby knit, while trying to maintain some semblance of productivity. It wasn't until I was staring at the bottom of the pool later that evening that I had a revelation: An EZ baby surplice (Rav link)! In stash yarn! I could feel the beams of light streaming down from the heavens even though it was a) dark and b) completely overcast even if the sun had been up.

So Monday night I cast on. The yarn I'm using (discontinued Cotton Top that arrived on my doorstep in a bag of dirt) is bigger then what is called for in the pattern, but I think that will work out well. I'm knitting the smaller size, and I think it will end up about 6 month size when I'm done. Given that my friend is on the small size, and the massive expandability of this particular pattern, I'm hoping that it will still work for her little one next winter.

Of course, having said that, I now realize that I've never met her husband. He's probably a 6'5" Oklahoma linebacker, and she's going to give birth to an 11 lb baby. It doesn't seem likely, but you never know.

Time to get back to knitting work.

OTN Report

So here's what I'm currently working on:

1. Commuting socks – I ride the bus to work, which in Houston means 1 hr+ from where I live on the west side of town to downtown where I work. Socks are always in progress – this pair were supposed to be a present for my Dad for his birthday. His birthday was at the end of March. I used to have a really hard time remembering the exact date of his birthday (the 21st or the 22nd?), but now I have no problems because his birthday is the day before my oldest daughter’s birthday. Problem solved. Anyway, his birthday was at the end of March, and I cast on for his birthday socks a week and a half ago. Oooops! In my own defense, I was working on a pair of birthday socks for my husband in March, and his birthday is earlier in the month then Dad’s, so…these are the current bus socks: Trekking XXL with Knitpicks Essential on the heels and toes to maximize the stripy goodness.

2) Baby pants from Alison Hansel’s pattern. Knitpicks Shine Sport, which I’ve never used before – it’s very soft and nice to knit with. Plus machine-washable which is a necessity with anything going within a 30 foot radius of a baby. Or at least my baby. I’m trying to finish these very soon so they still fit her. You may wonder why a baby would need knit pants in Texas in June*, but her classroom at daycare is approximately the temperature of a meat locker, so these seem like a good idea.

Another knit item for said baby: EZ’s baby surprise jacket in the wrap-around, V-neck version from Spring/Summer 2007 Vogue Knitting. This poor sweater has been languishing for at least a month and a half with one shoulder grafted. All I have left to do is knit the cuffs and (maybe) do some edging. And find buttons. Not so hard, right? I predict this sweater will be finished when its intended recipient is potty-training. Oh well.

So that’s the current OTN list. Want to take any bets on how long it takes to get them finished? Also: please note the attractive backdrop for the first two pictures is the ongoing kitchen renovation. Not the most lovely of photo ops, but so be it - it was handy.

*My husband rolls his eyes and says “Knit pants???!!!” in a totally scandalized voice whenever he sees them. Whatever dude, they’re cute.