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friends of ours are expecting their first little one in a few short weeks - a little man to be precise - and we were thrilled to join in the celebration for them this past weekend. since the mama-to-be is a knitter, i knew that in addition to a whole bunch of neccessities such as wipes + bottom cream, their little man would need something knit especially just for him. i kind of hemmed and hawed about what to knit, thinking i might make him one of these because it's such an easy + quick last-minute knit. but considering i procrastinated casting on until saturday, something bulky with big needles was in order.
and so, on saturday night, after a morning of rollerskating, and afternoon of sledding followed by dinner out with my favorite people, we put the wee ones to bed, poured ourselves a cocktail, and i pulled more last-minute knitted gifts off my shelf, knowing exactly which hat would be the perfect knit. after a quick look through my stash of leftovers, i settled on a quiet wintery pallette of creamy whites + grey and cast on while we were catching up on portlandia. i honestly wasn't sure how things were going to work out - i might fall asleep knitting (it wouldn't be the first time), my hands might go annoyingly numb, or i simply might not finish.
two
hours
later...
one very awesome pointy elf hat for baby kirby was complete, ends woven in and all ready for gifting on sunday. i love when a pattern is true to its description, and joelle knows her stuff. this little beanie is indeed pointy, very elf-like, and came together in two hours, as promised. you can see my notes on yarns, etc. on ravelry.
consider this one highly recommended for all you last-minute baby shower knitters. xoxo
[Pat is back this week with another morsel of rock goodness for Music Monday. between you + me, i am seriously loving his posts, and am thrilled to share this space with my mister. and i think he's kind of digging it, too. xoxo]
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Guys love women who rock. I should know, I married one. I always imagined that this was the secret told to all girls during that “special class” in fifth grade when they separated the boys and girls for the first time. And the attraction is much stronger than that of women to the sensitive guy “rocker”, because men and women alike can join in the frenzy, rather than one of us having to endure a set by a scruffy bearded dude in a cap (whether it be of the winter or the “Benny & Joon” variety). That just puts up walls rather than tears them down. True to this point, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is currently running a “Women Who Rock” exhibit, because the true woman rocker is unfortunately an edelweiss in the world of music. And besides, a “Men Who Rock” exhibit would probably be too John Parr and hairy chesty for anyone to truly enjoy.
Wild Flag’s recently released eponymous debut album on Merge Records is a genuine in your face garage rock romp. Check out Carrie Brownstein leading the charge through the band’s first single “Romance” like she is the love child of Chrissie Hynde and Nash Kato -
The band brings with it a stellar indie music pedigree (Sleater-Kinney, Helium, The Minders), and have made an album that takes the best parts of all those previous bands and puts a brand new stamp on the rock and roll passport. Trading off guitar and vocal attacks like they are equal parts Clash, Fugazi and Lush, Brownstein and Mary Timony have managed to remain distinct but blended to forge a potent two person front. Add in full throttle drums and a throwback organ and it becomes a blue ribbon recipe. It is, however, their skillful songwriting that really sets Wild Flag apart. Just when it is in danger of getting into re-treaded riot grrrl territory, they throw in a killer second guitar line, organ riff, or sing along back up vocals to remind you who’s the boss.
All this and they do their best Les Nessman imitation to beat a bunch of baseball playing bears in the video for “Electric Band” -
So, come on and put down that Fleet Foxes album for a while and live it up a little.
but you know what? i will not let negative nellie knock me off track.
no no no no no.
i am not going to give myself a hard time for not getting out there an extra day or two. i am not going to tell myself it was not enough. because this was what i could do this week when i was exhausted and felt like i was walking through pudding more than once. i listened when my body told me to rest (for 15 hours, ahem), and then got a whole bunch of fresh air in my lungs while sledding with my family saturday afternoon. and i feel so much better.
i did log a few more miles toward my goal this week. and that is indeed something to be happy about. heck, i have logged more miles in January so far than in December + November combined. (now that is something.) sure, i'm going to have to play catch up for the next few weeks - and that's ok. every step counts. never forget that. xoxo
this week i am updating a pattern i originally wrote in 2008 - Quilted Wristwarmers
these Quilted Wristwarmers embrace a love of patchwork quilts in a sewn variation of something that is typically knit. i love how they keep your hands and wrists cozy, while your fingers remain free to open doorknobs, find keys at the bottom of your bag, or to do a bit of stitching when you're out and about. this project is for all sorts of craftytypes (multi-crafters and non-knitters alike) who would love to create a quilted version of wristwarmers.
the sewing pattern is now available as an instant download in the Pattern SHOP
