Birthday yarn is always the best

This has been a very fun mail week for me! Kate, Sarah and Tammy were so sweet and gave me a gift certificate to The Loopy Ewe for my birthday and I spent it almost immediately!!! So what did I purchase?

This is Scarlet Fleece in Favorite Jeans. Isn't it beautiful?

And this is J. Knits Lace-A-Licious in San Diego. I don't know who J. is exactly, but J has a way with color.

Also in the mail was another package from my Secret Pal! She spoiled me rotten with a collection of 5 teas and a little tea pot shaped strainer that is so adorable. I've recently been looking for a tea strainer because I had ordered some loose tea and had nothing to strain it with. Never one to admit defeat, I rigged a strainer out of a heavy-duty rubber band and a tea towel. This is so much cuter and much less messy. Thank you, Pal!

Just so you don't think that I haven't been knitting...

These are attempt #2 at Ailish's new pants. I made 2 pairs of Alison's Baby Bell Bottoms and Ailish wore them all the time! I knew that I wanted to make them again, but with some modifications. The pattern is written that you knit one leg, knit another leg, join in the round to knit the body and then seam the legs. I thought that working in the round the whole way would yield a much faster knit because of the minimal finishing times, so I started at the waist with plans to work down.

Lesson #1 - If you're going to make a lot of changes to a pattern maybe try knitting it in a yarn with similar gauge so that there's one less thing to think about.

Lesson #2 - If you're going to make a lot of changes to a pattern maybe try reading ahead so that you have an idea of where you're going.

Lesson #3 - If you're adding short rows to the back of the pants to make room for baby booty, keep track of which side is the back.

Lesson #4 - At some point you'll have realized that you just knit up a 15" long, very oddly shaped tube that will in no way fit your child in the next 12 months unless you start prepping her to become a sumo wrestler. This is acceptance and it is a good thing.

Lesson #5 - After a train wreck of a false-start, pick up those needles and cast on again! Maybe this time do a little more prep work, though.