Happy birthday! and "selfish" Sunday knitting

Twenty-five years ago today around this time I was in serious labor. For those of you who know the stages (and I know them well) I was starting what they call "transition" - that point in time where your labor is truly nasty, but you can't push yet. That's a time when many women curse, scream, call their partner every name in the book. Thankfully I was not like that. I can be a b**** at other times, but I always figured I freely had a hand in making the baby, so why curse on the day the poor wee thing is born?
Although I will say, as John and I were making our way up the St. Joseph's Hospital back elevator to the L & D suite, another man - most likely a doc - also in the elevator, John kiddingly said to me "mother of five" and I couldn't resist responding with "father of two." We both laughed, but the doc looked at me like I was the biggest whore who ever lived - and at that moment I sure looked like the biggest something that ever lived. Although I gotta say, whoring was the last thing on my mind.
We had four other kids at home - our youngest at the time - Danny - was only 14 months old. I had spent a couple of days the previous week in the hospital for toxemia/pre-eclampsia, and on top of that they had told us the baby (we didn't know if it was a boy or a girl) was breach (i.e. butt or foot first), so my doc told me I had to get right into the hospital the minute I started labor. Because of my previous hospitalization, my dear mother-in-law had already come down to stay with us and was home with the kids.
Well, I soon found out that the baby was NOT breach and I was stuck in the hospital for what was going to be eight more hours. In all my other pregnancies, I was a firm believer in waiting awhile as labor progressed - walking, sacking out on the couch, even getting out for a bit just to ease the monotony. But this time I couldn't do that. I guess the blood pressure thing was worrisome and although I was only 30 and thought I was immortal, I did listen to the doctor when he told me to get my butt into the hospital.
In the end all was well and our fifth child, and fourth daughter, Sabrina Lynn, was born. Believe it or not, she was the only one of our children whose arrival started out as a bit of a surprise. Her presence in my life has ever since been a delightful surprise. Happy Birthday!
Well, I did not go to church today. I got up in time, but then stuff just started getting in the way. I was sorry to miss the service because I think some of the bell choir were going to be playing a four-in-hand piece this morning. I also think we may be looking at substitute organists for the next few weeks while Nancy is on vacation and I am therefore debating with myself whether to take this opportunity to go visit other churches in our area, and at least once if not more to the Washington National Cathedral. I am so lucky to live relatively close by; I should take advantage of that from time to time. Maybe I'll e-mail Vicki and see if she has a spare nanosecond to come visit with us and maybe attend a service or two before her ordination. sorry... thinking out "loud."
On the knitting front, I started on my "selfish" project. (Colin, I know, it's not selfish to knit for oneself - which is why I'm putting it in quotes:)). The Green Autumn mittens from Fall 2008 Vogue Knitting, designed by Jared Flood are examples of very complex and ornate textured knitting, but the really cool thing is they're small:)! Although I gotta say, I wouldn't mind knitting a sweater using these patterns. Jared, what can I say, I love your work! This picture is a fairly accurate (at least to my computer) rendering of the yarn color. Unfortunately, there is something lost here in the texture definition, but I think once the pieces are blocked, it will become more apparent. Don't know if you can tell, but I've taken about six rows off the cuff - I have fairly short arms, so I don't need all that cuff length. The pattern calls for 3 balls of 115 yards of yarn - which could mean anything from about 250-345 yards. If I have enough left over (or if I can find a third skein of this yarn) I will probably knit that hat out of Vogue I mentioned in my 7/30 post. Or use some aspect of this pattern in that hat. We shall see.
And speaking of Jared's excellent work, I hope I am not bungling it in this:

Right now it probably looks like a monstrosity, but the feather and fan edge is not done and it's all bunched up on the needles and not yet blocked. The pattern calls for some serious blocking to ensure that the resulting fabric has a decent drape - a good thing for a baby blanket. This one will definitely NOT be touching the baby's skin - but it will definitely keep him warm!
Well, that's all I have for today. Stay well, dear readers, whoever and wherever you are. God be with you 'til we meet again!
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Comments

joannamauselina said…
Nothing selfish about knitting for yourself! I do it all the time~ I know that I am the only one who will really appreciate and understand all the effort going into these things. Plus, it can't be selfish,because I am such an unselfish person. BTW, I have the same Nancy Bush Knitting in Estonia book that you have, and I LOVE it. I plan to unselfishly knit something for myself any day.
Mandy said…
There is nothing selfish in knitting for yourself. I often knit things for myself. On one or two occasions, my elder daughter has arrived and said "Ooh I like that" and it has left with her............... That may seem strange, but then I have had the pleasure of making something and can the start thinking of what I would like to knit to replace it.
That apart, wouldn't it be strange if, as a knitter, you had none of your own work to wear?

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