A Winter Sweater in Summer, and Some Pumpkin Stocks

I finished a sweater for Jamie a few days ago. I thought about blocking it, then decided to leave it alone. It looks good as is, and is an acrylic/wool blend, so blocking is only marginally successful, in my experience. So here is the front.
Here is the back.
And here's a closer view of the back. I'm also making a hat to go with it in simple rib and stockinette. I do have a pattern for a cabled infant hat, so I may make that one as well. This was a Dale of Norway pattern (17504 Cardigan), using Patons Decor Sand and Sea. The hat that I had done earlier (it was a bit too small) was really just too cute, but somehow the sweater falls short of expectations. I do like it, and I'm particularly enamored of the buttons, but it's not as cute as I had hoped. Mama loves it, though. It worked up very fast, and was very easy to do and carry around, so I'll definitely be doing more baby sweaters. I'll probably do this sweater again, but in a solid. I'd like to do it in 100% wool but I don't have access to much pure wool yarn. I'm seriously tempted to order some online, but I'm so picky about color that it'd be like gambling. Eh. Maybe I will.

I also finished my purple scarf. I adore it! Thank you Amanda for the the yarn! I used a reversible cable pattern (here) that was very easy to do, and to memorize. It's so soft, and has a nice thickness without being bulky.

So I've been working on doula training and attended one birth. Congrats, John and Julie and baby Tommy! He's a gorgeous boy and has a shocking head of luscious black hair! I've learned a lot, and will continue doing everything I can to learn more and get better. The one birth I attended was very hard, but very rewarding. It's my opinion that no woman should give birth without a doula. Labor is a very hard process, and it's very easy to get disheartened and stress out, which causes labor to be complicated and harder than it needs to be (oh, how life is like that, also!). Doulas provide much needed emotional and physical support to laboring women and their loved ones, and gives them the tools they need to voice their wants and needs to each other and to the medical staff. The nurses at Memorial that we dealt with were wonderful, and the doctor was, too, but we didn't deal with her as much until the end. It was really hard work, and after being awake for 29 hours on only 4 hours sleep, I was spent. I tried to eat and get some sleep, but it was too late, I got a massive migraine. It wasn't until the next day that I felt better. One thing was so funny. Michael came in to check on me and went to throw out something, and stopped. He picked up the knotted off trash bag and held it up at eye level, and looked totally confused. In fact his expression said, "Dear God, what is this?" As he stood there examining it, I tried not to laugh even in my near dead state. I told him then how I'd thrown up in the trash can and knotted off the bag so it wouldn't stink. His face was blank for a moment, then said, "Oh. Okay." And then he left taking the bag with him. I found that inordinately amusing, and still do. He's priceless. Poor man didn't know how sick I was until then. The image of him standing there holding up that plastic bag at eye level, totally baffled and trying to analyze the contents, not realizing he was holding a bag of vomit amuses me still. HAHAHAHA.

I bought some new bras today. SOOOOO sexy! I weaned Jamie for health reasons (migraine management), and so now I don't need to wear the nursing bras and I don't leak anymore. I wore nursing bras or sleeping bras (a looser sort of athletic bra for nursing women) constantly, just as was recommended by the books to reduce sagging, and I my breasts are just as perky as before I had Jamie. Even so, when I went to Victoria's Secret for a fitting, I was prepared for a change, and there was a difference. Before I had Jamie, I was a 36-D, and now, at the same weight, I'm a 34-D. Yep, I'm a happy woman.

Tomorrow is our one year wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe! Two years ago Michael and I hadn't even met. One year ago we had our family and friends come together to witness our vows before God. It was a perfect day. Now we are happy and having a wonderful time together. I am even happier now than I was then. Even when the man annoys me, he is my perfect match. It's amazing how we fit together. We have so much fun just being together, just hanging out. Actually, if he didn't annoy me sometimes, I'd think he was too good to be true!

Well, sorry for the long rambling post. I know it's been a while, and it's light on crafting content, but I've been very busy. Child rearing, research, family life, doula training, the Diamond Rainbow quilt, Tommy's Garden Wall Quilt, my Garden lap quilt, Jamie's sweater, my purple scarf, three baby afghans, my first socks, etc... And so I leave you with photos of the growing things which Michael has tended so well this year.