A Blankie for a Birthday Girl

I haven't been posting about too much knitting because I've been devoting myself to finishing the Moderne Baby Blanket. If you recall, I started this blanket for granddaughter Felicity on the day she was born, March 4, 2007. She was born on her grandpa Joe's birthday and I cast on that same afternoon. The blanket languished in one of my work bags for quite a while until I decided I had better get busy and finish it up for her first birthday. The pattern is Mason Dixon Knitting's Moderne Baby Blanket. I used four colors of Dreambaby DK, which while soft and washable might be a bit too soft and drapey for my personal taste. I used a little under two skeins of the cream color, and slightly over two skeins each of the light green, dark green, and blue. There is a fair amount of yarn left over that I will save and use for something else someday. I followed the pattern exactly, except that I chose to do a knitted-on Icord edging in the cream color. I really like the Icord for edgings; the neatness really appeals to me. I don't know, though, if I will do another project again that is this big using only garter stitch. But I am quite pleased with the results and no regrets about doing this. The blanket has been wrapped and sent on its' way to the east coast, where it should arrive in time for Little Missy's birthday on Tuesday.

Physical Therapy

There is probably no better therapy for nerves that are shot to pieces than to knit with lovely, soft, and/or satisfyingly colored yarns. I've been working on the second Trekking sock when I can get the chance and am ready for the little sock needles. The play of colors in the Trekking is so soothing to the eye, and the feel of the wool on my fingers is elementally comforting. I'd really like to get these finished up soon. Perhaps if there is some down time at work this week -- hopefully the phones and the air conditioning are fixed -- I will get to do exactly that.

If I'm looking for something easy to knit, I work on bias squares for Rebuilding Greensburg. I've got plenty of yarn I could use for the squares, and I imagine that I will knit away on these until at some point I decide it's time to mail them off to Laura. Knitting on these -- any charity knitting -- is always guaranteed to make me feel better.

Finally, if I'm really in need of the ultimate comfort knitting, I reach for little Felicity's Moderne Baby Blanket. The Plymouth Dreambaby yarn is so soft, and I find the rows and rows of garter stitich to be endlessly soothing. I resisted getting Mason Dixon Knitting for a long time, but now it is one of my favorite books. I always smile when I pick it up. Who would have thought that plain old garter stitch could be so popular?

Then there is another kind of physical therapy, the one which involves pushing the proper computer buttons. This morning, when I checked my email, I found the news of Knitpicks 40% off books sale. So I promptly indulged in a little physical therapy of the library variety. Oh, and of the sock yarn variety as well.

Of course, taking Buddy for a walk also is good physical therapy. Especially when the evening sky looks like this.

No Spinning, No Knitting

Because I'm busy rocking.

Felicity

Felicity was the name of my great-grandmother, up through my father's side, making her the new Felicity's great-great-great-grandmother. Felicity, or Felisty, as she was commonly known, was born in 1847, and lived to be 96. She was a direct descendant of the founding French settlers of Detroit (in the year 1701); if you are familiar with the downtown Detroit area and all the streets named for the early settlers, then you are familiar with the family tree.



She grew up at a time when Indians still lived on family property. Her father built the lighthouses around the Great Lakes, as well as other edifices in the Detroit area. Felisty and her husband also contributed to the Detroit architecture of their day, and their names can be found inscribed in at least on historic building to this day. Some now well-known areas in downtown Detroit used to be family property many, many years ago. The family tree has been traced back through the sixteen hundreds to Quebec and Normandy. Every so often we hear from a long-lost branch of the family (Felisty had nine children) who is searching out the family tree.



Thank you for all your lovely comments on the last post. The new Blogger makes it very difficult to respond directly to your comments, which is the one thing that really irks me about it. Little Felicity and her mom are now home from the hospital and doing very well.



Little Felicity will also have a new blanket soon (I hope). On Sunday night I quickly cast on for the Moderne Baby Blanket, just so that Felicity will one day be able to say that her grandma started her blanket the day she was born.

New Shoots

It's Joe's birthday today. Spring is here. There are new shoots on the trees and shrubs.

It's Joe's birthday today. There are new shoots everywhere. At 4:45 this morning the phone rang. (I thought I was being called in to work.) It seems that Grandpa Joe's birthday present arrived early this morning on the east coast.

Felicity Elizabeth, 9 lbs, 2 oz, 19 inches. Dad (eldest son), Mom (dear DIL), and baby are doing fine.

Grandpa Joe is very happy with his present. Grandma Pat is very happy, too, that little Felicity decided to share her birthday with Grandpa.

Spring is here.