Normally I would make lame excuses for not blogging for so long, but this time is different, this time there are good excuses! My mom was in the hospital for a crappy, scary stretch. She's ok now but for a while there it was not good and exhausting and sad. We're all doing a little better now, getting used to a new way of things. Just goes to show you never, ever stop learning.

Also it seems everyone has been sick! Really sick, like doctor visits and medicine and the cough still hangs on for 6 weeks sick. And I got to get sick twice too! I got a cold thing and then a stomach thing. Ick! And let me tell you there are few things worse than sitting in a hospital worrying about your mom, wondering if you should just crawl into a hospital bed yourself... Anyway, then last week when it seemed we were done with all the people being sick, little Ella developed some weird skin condition and had to have a vet visit and some medicine of her own...


We don't know if it's a scratch or a skin allergy or what but she has to wear that rotten cone collar until she's done with the medicine. Poor baby...

Ironically, in the meantime, despite everything else being a mess, the knitting has gone surprisingly well. Somewhere along the line I finished knitting Cosima. Let it sit around for 2 weeks with no buttons, and then found buttons and finally finished it for real. And boy I'm so glad I did.



Pattern: Cosima
Yarn: Cuzco
Needles: Clover circs, Size 8 and 10.5 (I think)

Results: I love this. I've probably already worn it 3 times in 4 weeks. It's not as heavy or hot as the bulky yarn would make you think, I think it's the 3/4 sleeves. And for some reason, it's just so comfortable. It wasn't a difficult knit but definitely more chart reading than I'm used to. Also, seaming the raglan sleeves on the purl side (the front is the purl side) with all that patterning was a little tricky at times. I did lengthen the body by 2 inches and make the sleeves an inch wider for my chubby arms. I'm not sure this was necessary, when this yarn gets wet it stretches considerably. When it dried it shrunk back to the dimensions I wanted but I wonder if I could have just knit it normally and blocked it to that size. Either way it's wonderful. Definitely something I'm proud of.

And already poof! I'm about to finish the second sweater of the season.


This is #994 V-Neck Neck Down Raglan from Knitting Pure and Simple and it is flying. In this photo taken 2 days ago I'm in the middle of the second sleeve but as I type this I've finished the sleeve, I'm on the garter stitch neckband (translation-garter stitch neckband easy and fast!!!) and then I'll just have the little garter button bands (also easy and fast!!!) to go. I didn't think I'd manage 2 sweaters this year before the hot weather set in. I had originally thought I'd be stuffing this in a bag to wait to be finished sometime next fall. But it looks like I'm going to make it and I'm thrilled. So far the sweater is coming out great. It seems things are starting to look up.