A First Birthday!

Today is my baby's first birthday. Wow, I can't believe how time has flown by!

Today also marked my return to work after being home on a one-year maternity leave (God Bless the Canadian government and their sage decision to grant such leaves). It didn't go too badly, but Lucas, my little velcro baby, had a hard time especially this morning. At least he's with grandma, which also made it easier on our 4 1/2 year old, Demetri, who was cared by grandma when I went back to work when he turned six months old. Grandma's a god-send and is an old hand at raising babies. So much loving care. We're very blessed to have her.

A sweet poncho for a sweet girl

Last week, I decided I wanted to make a poncho for my 12 yr old niece as a belated birthday present using one or both of these yarns (she loves pink and I happen to have the yarn in my stash...enough of it too).

So, I set about finding the "right" pattern for her, debated for a couple of days, bugged a couple of friends for their preference of pattern choices (thanks for the great advice Stashaholic!) and decided upon using the pink & white yarn by TLC Baby and this pattern:

And here's what I ended up with:

The pattern is so simple and works up pretty quickly. The only thing I changed was I added stitches to the base row for a wider neckline but that was pretty easy. I put it on my niece to be sure it fits before I proceed any further. It was perfect. It looked so delicate and pretty on her too. I'm so pleased and she's so excited. Now, I'm on the mad dash to get it finished...I hope to give it to her by the end of next week.

The pattern comes from this vintage booklet:

For anyone interested, I purchased this booklet from Yahoo Canada Auctions. I've purchased many, if not most, of my vintage patterns from this site. I find it has one of the best selections of vintage Patons and Beehive patterns (most of which were published here in Toronto). I've also bought some old Coats & Clark, King Cole and Bouquet knitting and crochet patterns from this site as well as some kewl patterns in British terminology.

Exchange puffy received!

I received this doily from Rose, my exchange partner for Happyghan's March small doily exchange. Isn't it so pretty? Rose also sent me some free leaflets, a few of which I didn't have in my pattern stash. Rose is also a member of the Toronto Hookups so I can thank her in person at tomorrow's monthly meeting. In the meantime, thank you so much Rose! I love the doily and I know just the place to put it!

We're moving!

I'm so thrilled! We found the cutest little house to rent, for not too much more than we pay now for a two bedroom, and we get the keys on May 1. We have until the end of the May to be moved out of our apartment so at least it'll make it easier for us to move, especially with me going back to work very soon (in less than 10 days!!!!).

It's the cutest little place. It's a small two storey. Two bedrooms upstairs plus main bath. Another bedroom on main floor plus two piece washroom. Nice size living room....lots and lots of cupboard space in the kitchen. And a YARD! So good for the kids. (For those who don't know, we have two boys...Demetri will be five in July and Lucas will be one on April 25 -- I'm on maternity leave until that date). The current owner recently bought the house and completely renovated it. He replaced almost everything in the house but the kitchen cupboards, the kitchen sink and the bathtub. New carpeting, new tile. New appliances!!!! Including a washer & dryer too! Woo Hoo!! (Those who truck loads of laundry down 18 floors will understand my excitement.) We'll have use of some of the basement...a laundry area and a small storage area. The owner's in the process of renovating the basement to make a one-bedroom apartment and those tenants will have their own washer & dryer too so we don't have to share. And they'll have their own separate entrance on the other side of the house.

Oh, so much to do!!!! Arranging with utilities. Getting baby gates for stairs. Packing, packing, packing and PURGING! It's amazing what you collect after six years of marriage and two kids later. My mom said she'll collect all the stuff for a garage sale and keep it at her house. Phew. Then we'll have a combined garage sale either in the fall or next spring. Oh and unhiding yarn stashes, craft stuff and pattern stashes! Yikes!!! I'm not ready for that one. How to explain??? :-)

Picots!

I'll just plainly say it. I really detest picots. Especially in thread 'cause I crochet so tightly and I always have trouble with pulling the slip stitch through. And the doily I'm trying to finish must have a gazillion picots in the last row too. Ugh. I try to avoid patterns with picots, but this pattern is sneaky...it doesn't mention the word "picot" but the instructions make them up! And of course, I was looking at the overall prettiness of the doily in the leaflet that I didn't pay too much attention to the little knobs in the last row. I tried to do a section or two of the last row without the picots, but I had to admit in the end that the doily really needed them as a "finishing touch". Without them, well, it just looked unfinished...like it was missing something. I even considered putting a bead in instead of the picots, but I really didn't feel like finishing off, stringing the beads and joining again. So, I frogged and proceeded to picot.

And yes, I'm not on schedule with the doily as stated in my previous post. But, stuff happened (what you get when you have two kids and sick relatives), so other things took precedence out of necessity. 'S'ok though. I've contacted my partner to let her know I'll be late and I hope she understands. :)