nana

I learned to knit + crochet from my Grandma, one rainy day when I was a little girl. (Isn’t that how so many of us learned? A weary adult trying to find a way to entertain us and contain a bit of the boundless energy? I fully admit to teaching my boys just so I could get them to sit down for a few minutes) Now, she’s too arthritic to be able to do any stitching, though she asks me about my projects whenever I see her. I know she probably misses being able to work with yarn, although it wasn’t an all-consuming passion for her like it is for me. I think it was more just something all women her age knew how to do, as much a part of a young Brooklyn girl’s education as knowing how to make gravy and meatballs.

Her birthday is this coming Monday, and I though there was no more appropriate gift than a handmade blanket, born of the craft she passed on to me so long ago. I started this on Saturday night, but had to rip out all but the first row I did that night, because I was distracted watching a movie and did the stitch all wrong. The pattern is the 5 1/2 Hour Throw, modified to work on a slightly smaller hook, with doubled yarn. I’m using Homespun in a plum shade, and Red Heart in a medium pink.Only for her would I suffer through these yarns, because I know she’s neither got the space nor the inclination to handwash a wool blanket. I know she’ll love snuggling up in this, and then being able to toss it in her building’s massive washing machine without worry.

Happy Birthday, grandma!

But every once in a while, I’ll get in this headspace where I just cannot fall asleep. Sure, I’m tired. Sure, I want to sleep. I need to sleep. But the brain just won’t stand for it. Often, these sleepless nights coincide with bursts of creativity, when my mind is brimming with ideas, designs, craft projects I want to work on, things that I need to tinker with on the website, and most recently, my committee work with the Association of Knitwear Designers, Inc. I’ve learned to stop fighting these nights where I’m still awake well after midnight, and now try to embrace them for the rare, quiet moments they provide. Let’s face it, the only time my household is quiet is after midnight!

It’s 12:46 am as I’m writing this, and I’ve spent the past hour working on the design of my new cart (sorry, no preview yet. Soon, I promise!) I’ve sketched out three new designs and will add them to the (large) pile of “To Be Swatched” sketches (surely I’m not the only designer who has a pile like this?!)

I’ve been catching up on blog reading, and have fallen in love with Amanda’s sweet babes’ Bird Calendar. The ideas are whipping around my head for next year’s gifts, already. I’ve been admiring Meg’s Emmeline Apron, and really trying to stop myself from emailing her to pester about when the pattern will be released. I really want one (or ten!) of those aprons. So cute. I’m pretending to ignore Amy’s homemade marshmellows, because, well the holidays are over and I can’t make any more excuses for eating sweets. But I’m counting the days till Valentine’s when I can make them as treats for the boys. The only thing stopping me from busting out the rubber cement and making some seriously adorable bubble mailers right now is the fact that both the bubble wrap and rubber cement are in my craft closet, which is in the room that Rusty is asleep in and the door squeeks which will wake him up.

So, what do YOU do when you can’t sleep?

Today is my birthday. My 30th Birthday. For the past several weeks, everyone around me has been making a big to-do, talking about how this is the end of my youth and I’m now most certainly “old.” I usually stare them down for a few moments, then let my eyes wander to the wee boys who are usually running circles around us and finally, erupt in fits of laughter.

Old? OLD?! Dude, I’ve got 4 (4!!!) kids. Boys. I already am OLD.

How is it that your children can simultaneously make you feel so very old and so very youthful at the same time? It’s one of the myriad gifts of parenting; when I’m feeling down and dreary, a quick game of tag with my boys envigorates me and reminds me that there’s plenty of life left in these bones. But one roll of my 7 year old’s eyes, and wham! I feel like I’m the crustiest old broad, so completely out of touch with the youngun’s.

Of course, having 4 kids really turned me into a grown-up far faster than some arbitrary age ever could. Being MaMa to these fantastically interesting boys has taught me to meet their needs (without sacrificing my own)…to love unconditionally (and from a place in my heart I didn’t even know existed)…to prioritize (and let go of the unneccessary ideas and ideals that hold me down)… and to multitask better than anyone I know.

Can you guess how many things I am doing in this picture? We’re at the park, so I’m making sure three insane boys are not hurting themselves (or any other unfortunate kids who get in their paths). It’s morning, so I’m drinking coffee. I’ve got the bub in the sling, so naturally I’m nursing (yes, after 4 kids, you get that good at nursing discreetly) And, of course, I’m knitting. Because without the knitting, I would be too crazy and far gone to be able to do any of the other things.

Today, I’m off to IKEA to spend some quality time looking for bathroom accoutrement for our soon-to-start renovations. I figure the birthday has got to give me some good juju and I’ll find exactly what I need.

After all, you only turn 30 once.

But, since I generally have at least two kids with me at all times, one of which is in diapers (cloth, naturally) and the other who likes to toss assorted sundries like toys, food, sippy cups and shoes in my bag, those little something bags don’t cut it.

Thus, the bulk of my bag stash is of the large variety. Totes, backpacks, messenger bags, a few Kecchi’s, and one well-loved (and thrifted!) Petunia Picklebottom – these are the bags I turn to over and over. And now, I’ve got another that I am aching to add to the stash.

sigh Isn’t it lovely? Naturally, I’ll be reverse-engineering the pattern since, #1: I can never manage to follow a pattern, and #2: there’s no way (NO WAY!) I’ll be using the 19 hanks of Ultra Alpaca the original calls for (and I doubt very much that I’ll be double stranding, which I’m guessing the original must do to eat that much yardage) Do you know how much 19 hanks of that yarn costs?!??! This is a diaper bag, people!

I think I’ll play around with my trusty felting standby, Classic Merino. I’ve been perusing some of my treasuries for a few eye-catching peeries, but I’m considering just using Paton’s Soy Wool Stripes, too (hey, will be much easier that way – instant color fun without the fuss)

Now to just decide the best way to break it to C that I am adding yet another bag to the stash…