Hip Dropped Stitches

My First Custom Fit Raglan

2013-12-29T09:25:00.000-05:00

After almost two years, I completed my first custom fit raglan!

Photo by Gary Amara Photography

For this project I used Pamela Costello's Incredible Custom-Fit Raglan pattern. It is truly a great guide to creating a custom sweater that fits perfectly. I included waist shaping by decreasing every 10 rows down to my natural waistline, and then increased every 10 rows to accommodate for hips. For the sleeves, I decreased every 10 rows down to the elbow, and then increased every 10 rows to create the bell shape. There is a small amount of ribbing at the bottom, but I kept the sleeves and neck in stockinette to have a soft rolled edge.

Now, why did this sweater take two years to complete? Most significantly, I have not knit much in the past year. However, in addition, I completed the body back in August of 2012. This spring, I finished the arms and the neck only to discover the yarn had been clipped (somehow... or it broke... definitely not moths... it was a clean cut... it's truly a mystery...) just below the bust line. I was in more of a I-want-this-sweater-to-be-perfect kind of mood when I made the discovery than a I-can-repair-this kind of mood, so I ripped the entire thing back and re-knit it. Then, I really didn't care for the neckline. I'd advise anyone using this pattern that the directions will result in a very snug neck. So, I unraveled the finished neckline, the original cast on, and down a few more rows, and re-knit it in the opposite direction. (I had to do some short row shaping to get the back of the neckline higher than the front as the original pattern does.) I am very glad I did the re-work. I would not have been happy with it in its previous state, but now, I love it.

Photo by Gary Amara Photography

This is likely my favorite sweater to date and I am looking forward to knitting another with a few lessons learned!

Pattern:	The Incredible, Custom-fit Raglan Sweater by Pamela Costello
Yarn:	Gifted Worsted Wool
Needles:	9
Started:	January 22, 2012
Completed:	December 26, 2013

You can see this project on Ravelry here.

Knittin' With A Kitten

2013-12-28T10:36:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, after a very long time, an FO is coming.

Are you as excited as I am?

In the meantime, a photo of this morning's knitting time with Avogadro, our almost-10-month old orange "kitten".

Stay tuned!

Mini Ewok Softies

2012-12-01T16:44:00.000-05:00

When I saw Wild Olive's mini Ewok softie, I could hardly stand the cuteness. I immediately thought of two couples, friends of mine, one with a baby girl soon celebrating her first birthday and one with a baby boy on the way.

And so...

... I made two!

These little guys are made out of sweaters I found at Goodwill and then felted. They are hand-stitched with black embroidery floss and heaps of love. I slightly under-stuffed them so each is super squeezable... and if I may say so... extremely cute.

I hope Baby E and Baby G enjoy them.

Thanks for the great pattern, Wild Olive!

My Custom Fit Raglan - Body Complete!

2012-08-14T11:45:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, Mr. HipDroppedStitches and I had no committments... and it rained... and I knit!

I finished the body of My Custom Fit Raglan. You can see the slight shaping through the waist... it fits perfectly! Now, it just needs arms and a neckline.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2012-08-06T12:11:00.000-04:00

This summer, I have been doing more gardening than dancing or knitting or sewing. This is our second year with our vegetable garden and the lessons we learned last year are paying off. Most significantly, we are using cages for the tomatoes instead of stakes, we increased the space between plans for easier harvesting, and we used taller cages for the cucumbers.

The garden after turning the soil, creating rows, and planting our seedlings and seeds.

The garden a few weeks after planting.

The garden this past weekend!

So far, we have mostly been harvesting cucumbers, lettuce, green beans, and zucchini (and a few jalapeno peppers). Delicious. It brings us (me and Mr. HipDroppedStitches) such joy to bring vegetables in from the garden for dinner in the evening. We are looking forward to the tomatoes, peas, onions, and carrots!

A Little Loss

2012-07-02T20:04:00.000-04:00

I recently miscarried at 11 weeks into my first pregnancy. I would like to share my experience here, not because I am seeking condolence, and not because I feel like I want the world to know this about me, but because I have been disappointed by the amount of information and discussion on this topic. I know women who have miscarried, but I have not spoken to any of them about the details. Our doctors and our books seemed intentionally vague. The fact is that this is not something people talk about, and I think that is extremely unfortunate. It is especially interesting because this is a surprisingly common occurrence. If you think you do not know anyone who has miscarried, you are probably wrong. I am writing this post to encourage discussion in the chance that it might help one woman, man, or couple.

Disclaimer: I want to share our decisions with you, but want to be clear that I am not advocating that the decisions we made would be right for all women. Every woman is different. Every couple is different. Every situation is different. I would simply like to share our decisions and the associated outcomes. I would also like to ask that if you are in your first trimester of pregnancy, that you not read this. There is no sense in worrying about every possibility. While positive intention may not guarantee the outcome you are hoping for, it is certainly the healthiest way to proceed.

I took a pregnancy test one day before I expected to start my period after suspecting (and hoping) I might be pregnant. I woke up early that morning and tried to tell myself to wait but simply could not. I took the test, saw two little pink lines, and woke my husband up (much earlier than he prefers to be awake) to share the wonderful news. We lied in bed together for a couple of hours in pure joy.

At this time, I began thinking about the idea of waiting two more months before telling the world we were expecting. The little baby growing in my belly was the only thing I could think about, and it was extremely difficult to prevent it from coming up in conversation with my friends and co-workers. In addition, my body began changing immediately. I was more tired than I could ever describe to you. My breasts hurt so much that I found myself holding them when moving around. (This was especially difficult to try NOT to do at work.) My digestive system came to a screeching halt which affected my eating habits and my waistline. I knew it was bloat, not baby, but either way, I could not wear any of my pants. (After only a couple of weeks I had to purchase bigger bras, and sew a couple of skirts with wide jersey knit waistbands that I could wear to work.) It was very strange to be experiencing all of this, to be so excited about something, and to answer questions like “How are you?” and “What’s new?” with “Good.” and “Not much.” Why do we wait to share this news? Is it because we do not want to have to deliver bad news if things do not work out? Is it because, if we were to lose the pregnancy, we would be embarrassed or ashamed? If we were to miscarry, would we not want the support of our closest family and friends?

After a couple of weeks, I thought, “I know everything is going to be okay” and we decided to share the news with our immediate family members, and a couple of our closest friends. Their excitement fueled our excitement. Their hopes and expectations grew along with ours.

Our routines changed immediately. The baby was the first thing I thought of every morning when I awoke. We began talking about plans relating to our careers... our finances... our home... potential baby names... We began reading pregnancy and birthing books... talking about our ideas and preferences... We chose a group of midwives to work with... I fell asleep every night with my hand on my belly... and if not my hand, my husband’s.

At 11 weeks into the pregnancy, my husband and I arrived at our appointment at which we were supposed to hear that little heartbeat for the first time. After a physical exam, the midwife glided the doppler stethoscope across my belly... for a long time. My husband held my hand. The midwife could not find a heartbeat. She left the room to schedule us for an immediate ultrasound. As I got dressed, I told my husband that I still knew that everything was going to be okay.

We arrived at a strange building and navigated a dark elevator and odd hallways to arrive at the imaging office. It did not feel like a very happy place, and nearly instantly my hopes took a major hit. An older, stocky man performed the first ultrasound. He did not see anything. He asked his female counterpart to come in to do a trans-vaginal ultrasound. She confirmed that it appeared the baby stopped growing at 7 or 8 weeks, and that there was no heartbeat. She left the room. My husband and I cried. I remember him saying “We’re both still alive.”

We went back to the office of the midwives and were met with overwhelming compassion. We were given time to cry and time to ask questions. The midwife explained that nearly 1 in 4 reported pregnancies end in miscarriage. It is very, very common. It was not a result of anything we did or did not do. Imagining all of the things that need to line up for a baby to develop successfully, it is easy to see why it does not always work. It also brings to light that, when it does, it is truly a miracle.

The midwife explained our options. Those options were as follows.

Expectant Management - Simply waiting for the woman’s body to recognize that the pregnancy has ended and to pass the “products of conception.”

Medical Management - Using medication to speed up the process.

Surgical Management - Scheduling a D and C (dilation and curettage). In this case, the patient is put under general anesthesia, the cervix is dilated, and the uterus is either scraped or a vacuum is used to empty the contents.

We did not make the decision right away. I (we) needed time to process the news. We were told under which circumstances to call the midwives (or go to the emergency room) no matter what time of day (or night). We went home.

Suddenly, I understood why people choose to keep this secret for months. People knew we had this appointment scheduled... people were waiting to hear the good news... and I did not want to talk to anyone. Making those phone calls was incredibly difficult. I desperately wanted the “telling people” part to be over, immediately.

My husband and I cried. We embraced. We poured a couple of drinks. We packed up all of the pregnancy and birthing books, prenatal yoga DVDs, and the baby journal we had started. We talked. And while we were really, really sad, we were also feeling exceptionally grateful to have each other. We love each other. We love our life together. And while we remain completely optimistic about having a baby one day, we knew that even if it were always just the two of us, we would live a very happy and full life together.

After a little while, I decided to lie down. I slept for three hours. I awoke with my hand on my belly. I think this was the hardest moment for me. It was like I had forgotten, and received the news all over again.

I could not sleep that first night. Instead, I lied on the couch and watched sitcoms in an attempt to distract my mind. One of our cats climbed up and stretched out over my hips and lower abdomen and stayed there all night. Cats are amazing. I dozed off here and there. I dreamed many therapeutic dreams. I dreamed that I held a tiny baby in my hand and said goodbye (when I awoke, I felt like I was saying goodbye to this round of hopes and expectations, not an actual baby)... I dreamed about a lot of people, places, and things that I have previously had a hard time letting go of, but was now able to let go of so easily...

The next morning I was still unsure of how I wanted to proceed. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I began focusing on the knowledge that a woman’s body knows how to handle pregnancy and birth. I knew that if I were to have any success in natural childbirth, having faith in my body and myself was crucial. I desperately wanted to let my body process the miscarriage naturally, as only it knew how. However, I was worried about how long it would take. I work full time and could not imagine sitting in the office wondering if and when it might happen. Fortunately, I have a job which can be performed at home, and so I decided to get ready for work, go into the office, and discuss my situation with my boss.

I recognize how fortunate I am to have a great relationship with my boss, and to feel comfortable enough sharing my situation with him. I, again, was met with great compassion and the flexibility to work from home during the process. I returned home feeling like waiting to let my body handle the situation was the right thing to do. Being home with my husband was especially beneficial in that we could continue talking and healing together.

When the midwife described the natural process to us, she explained that I might feel a little more crampy than a normal period, and that at some point I would start bleeding. She said that given how far into the pregnancy I was, she expected that I would see a large clot, about the size of a golf ball, when the miscarriage was complete. This seemed very manageable. That day I began feeling very crampy, and so I worked from home on the couch and waited.

That night, I had intense anxiety dreams. I woke up in a panic feeling like I wanted to go to the hospital immediately and have the D and C. In that moment, I did not feel like I could wait. Fortunately, I was able to calm myself and go back to sleep.

The next day (two days after hearing the news), I was significantly more crampy than my worst period. Again, I worked from home and waited.

The following day (three days after hearing the news), I woke up feeling even more crampy than the previous day. My husband had meetings to attend, so he left with me knowing he was only a phone call away. By 10:30 AM, the cramping and pressure were so severe that I could no longer sit or lie down. I paced back and forth in the house. I walked around the yard (it was a beautiful day). I squatted in front of my laptop at the coffee table and worked. By noon, I had to focus on my breathing in order to not focus on the cramping and pressure. By 1PM, I felt like I could not be alone any longer. I called my husband, who was thankfully on his way home. By the time he got home, I was vomiting, and the pain and pressure were so strong that I could barely complete sentences. Since this was not how it was described to us, he called the midwives to see if what I was experiencing was “normal.” Now, I know that there is no “normal” when it comes to pregnancy and birth, but we were just looking to see if the amount of pain, pressure, and intensity warranted concern. I also wanted to know how much longer it might take, because I was at my pain threshold, was vomiting (and concerned about dehydration), and knew I was about 30 minutes away from the hospital. I feel the need to add here that I have experienced serious pain in my lifetime, and am not afraid of it. I underwent heart surgery when I was 12 and my body rejected every pain management option offered. I know what pain is, and this was extreme. The midwife did not seem concerned (but was also not terribly reassuring), but explained that, if I wanted to, I could go to the emergency room for pain medication. A little more time went by, and I could no longer stand. I told my husband I wanted to go to the emergency room.

We got into the car, and began driving. I was kneeling in the front seat, squirming around and breathing heavily. About half way there, I felt a huge gush of fluid... and instantly, the pain, pressure, cramping, and intensity were gone. Gone! I was in disbelief that such intensity could vanish immediately. My husband and I decided to turn around and go home.

When we got home, I sat on the toilet, and my husband and I looked at what had come out. It was gooey-clotty looking material... all added up, about the size of a golf ball, so we assumed that the products of conception had passed. We were told to watch the bleeding closely for the first two hours. I did a little math and realized that I could still make it to my hair appointment (which I always enjoy, and which is extremely hard to reschedule), and I did.

Over the course of the next two days, the bleeding slowed down. The cramping was minimal, and I was grateful to have been able to process the miscarriage naturally. I planned to return to the office on Monday morning.

However, when I awoke on Monday morning, I felt a little crampy, and a little bit of pressure. It was nothing like what I felt three days prior. I paced around the house for about an hour. When the pressure intensified, I sat on the toilet, and mass of tissue came out that was about the size of a lime. I called my husband in to take a look, and we determined that we were now seeing the products of conception that we were expecting. Three days later? With much less pain? I was so confused!

I never advocate looking for medical advice online, but after getting so little guidance from our midwives and our books, my husband and I resorted to it. We found many stories of women whose experiences were much more intense and extended than what they expected based on what they were told by their doctors. I was led to the following conclusions...

When giving birth, contractions act to dilate the cervix. When miscarrying, the cervix needs to dilate in order to expel the products of conception. Obviously, the cervix does not need to dilate as much as when giving birth, but when the cervix is dilating to give birth, it has already been softened (due to hormones) and dilates more easily. When miscarrying, the cervix has yet to be softened... and dilating an unsoftened cervix can be extremely painful. Many women said their miscarriages (within the same timeframe as mine) were more painful than giving birth for these reasons, and also because there is no break between contractions when miscarrying... they are constant. Of course, this was not every woman’s experience. Many women miscarried exactly as the midwife described... just a little cramping. I was grateful to learn I was not alone. I was also grateful to learn that if I reached that pain threshold in miscarrying, that did not mean I would not be able to handle natural childbirth.

Over the course of the next couple of days, the bleeding slowed to next to nothing. I embarked on a previously planned business trip (with air travel), desperately hoping that we were correct in believing the miscarriage was complete.

Two weeks later, we returned to see the midwives. The midwife felt that the size of my uterus indicated that everything was expelled, and that my cervix closed on its own. What a relief! I felt so grateful to have made the decision to let the process happen naturally. The process was healing, on its own. I did not need medical intervention. I did not need to become a patient in a hospital. I did not have anyone else take anything from me. My body knew what to do, and did it. For this, I am extremely grateful.

I have additional thoughts that I would like to share, that I am having a hard time fitting into this story, or forming into their own paragraphs, so here they are...

I do not feel like we had a baby who died. I very much believe that the little spirit who will join our family is still hovering around us, waiting for everything to be lined up perfectly before joining us in the material world.
I am glad we shared the news with the people we shared it with. The love and support of our closest family and friends were overwhelming and so very helpful.
I am glad we did not share the news further. Breaking the news was hard.
I am so very grateful for my job and my boss and the flexibility they afforded me. In another situation, I may have been forced to seek intervention.
I am so very grateful that my body knew what to do, however intense and uncomfortable it was. The natural process was healing, and gave me faith and confidence in myself and my body.
I am so very grateful that my husband supported the decision to wait and let things happen naturally... to be willing to examine things scientifically with me and help me determine what was what.
I am so very optimistic about our future family.
I am so very disappointed by the lack of information and discussion about this topic.
I am so very amazed by the wisdom of women’s bodies.
I am so very grateful for my husband and the love and life we share.
My intuition that “everything is going to be okay” was spot on. Not in the way I thought, but spot on.

This experience was and is one of the most difficult times in my life. At the same time, I have felt far less lost and helpless than I have in previous hard times. I know that this is because of my relationship with my husband, my happiness with our life together, my confidence in myself, in us, and in knowing that the universe is conspiring for us. While the most significant grief occurred in that first week, I still have difficult moments. Again, I am so very grateful for my husband, my family, and my amazing friends for their support. At such an unlucky time, I have never felt more lucky or more grateful.

If you know me (or if you do not), I am happy to talk about this with you. At the same time, please do not feel the need to say something or comment if you do not want to. I am fine. Actually, I am great. And as my intuition told me from the very beginning, everything will be okay.

My First Skirt Pattern

2012-03-25T14:27:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, moving forward on my quest for a closet full of me-made, perfectly fitting skirts and dresses, I began work on my first skirt pattern.

I used this tutorial on BurdaStyle to draft the pattern. First, Mr. HipDroppedStitches helped me take my measurements. Then, I began following the steps to draft the pattern. The directions were very easy to follow, with the exception of one step related to the darts. It reads "Fold your dart in half along the line drawn for the front dart length (L to M) and, using a tracing wheel, score across the waistline over the dart bulk so that it is flush with the waistline. Unfold and draw in the new shaping." I assume this has to do with making sure the waistline is consistent after sewing the darts, but I think it will be anyway. If anyone can shed some light on this, I would be ever so grateful. In the meantime, I am proceeding.

Using my newly drafted pattern, I cut the front and back pieces out of some thrifted pinstripe fabric. This fabric was very inexpensive, so I do not mind using it as a muslin. If it fits, it'll be a wearable muslin!

Next, I will sew the darts, and then the front and back pieces together. I will see how that fits before drafting the waistband. I am excited about the prospect of having a skirt pattern that fits perfectly, with which I can create a variety of skirts!

Thrifty Yarn

2012-03-19T18:17:00.000-04:00

I have a couple of recent thrifty yarn purchases that I just need to share with you! All three of these were picked up at a local Goodwill on different occasions.

First, five skeins of Bear Brand De Luxe Knitting Worsted in a lovely shade of...

brown! Mr. HipDroppedStitches was surprised that I picked up this yarn, but, the truth is, I look good in brown! Or, I could make a teddy bear! Either way... I could not pass up five skeins of 100% wool worsted weight yarn in perfect condition (all but one were sealed in plastic w/ original ball bands) for 99 cents each. That is $4.97 (minus 10% with my discount card) for five skeins... would you pass that up?

Next up, is a skein of Berroco Glace...

This 100% rayon worsted weight ribbon yarn cost me $1.99 (minus 10% with my discount card). Whenever I see ribbon yarn, I instantly begin thinking about dance accessories. I do not know if this would be enough for a hip scarf, but maybe...

And finally...

seven skeins of Classic Elite Yarns Imagine for 99 cents each! This is a DK weight cotton / rayon blend... lovely. Seven skeins for a total of $6.93 (minus 10% with my discount card). Score!

My First Mobius Cowl

2012-03-17T07:32:00.003-04:00

I completed my first mobius cowl! I specify with "first" because I love it so much that I know I will make at least another.

Photo by Gary Amara Photography

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For this project, I used Haley Waxberg's free pattern, Bulky Mobius Cowl. Before I began, as recommended, I watched Cat Bohrdi’s Intro to Mobius Knitting. I followed her instructions, and I was off! Boy, mobius knitting is fun! This project is so quick in a super bulky yarn, and I love the result.

The yarn is Aslan Trends Los Andes... lovely to work with, and lovely to wear. I am actually wearing this even more often than my Vite Cowl and receive even more compliments on it. I will have to whip up a couple more in other colors, and perhaps a couple more even as gifts. I love wearing scarves in the winter, and often leave them on throughout the day. It is nice to have an option without long dangling scarf tails!

Pattern:	Bulky Mobius Cowl by Haley Waxberg
Yarn:	Aslan Trends Los Andes
Needles:	15
Started:	January 16, 2012
Completed:	January 18, 2012

You can see this project on Ravelry here.

Progress on My Custom Fit Raglan and My Rocky Mountain High Socks

2012-03-15T12:14:00.001-04:00

I have another finished knitting project to share, but rather than show you two blue cowls in a row, I thought I would update you on my progress on my Custom Fit Raglan, and My Rocky Mountain High Socks.

First... my raglan!

This is coming along nicely. It might be finished just in time for summer! Fortunately (for this reason only), we sometimes wear sweaters in Maine in the summer. And, I think the color of this one will be perfect for a walk on the beach with some white linen pants... I can hardly wait (for summer or the sweater)! I tried this on when it came down to just below my bustline. I really like the fit so far. It should be just at my waist now and time to try it on again.

And here are the socks...

These guys made their second trip to Colorado during our February vacation! That is an indicator of how long ago I started them. Either way, they are shaping up nicely. After trying them on, I am even more inspired to finish them up.

My Vite Cowl

2012-03-12T18:58:00.003-04:00

Remember the Vite Cowl that I told you I knit during a weekend in the Berkshires?

Here it is!

Photo by Gary Amara Photography

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The pattern, Vite Cowl by Kristi Johnson, calls for super bulky yarn and size 15 needles. I used bulky yarn and size 13 needles. I really wanted to use this skein of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky that I purchased at Goodwill for $1.99 (minus 10%, I love my discount card!), and I thought that a slightly smaller version might suit me better anyway. Fortunately, I think I was right. This yarn was lovely to knit with and I while I love a bargain, I would happily pay full price for it in the future.

I highly recommend this pattern. This was my first attempt at knitting a pattern like this, and I loved seeing the leaves that make up this cowl take shape. I was delighted to find that I was eventually able to "read my knitting" instead of reading the pattern which enabled me to knit it up very quickly!

This cowl has been one of my go-to items in the morning since its completion. It is so pretty that I do not think twice about leaving it on all day at work (I often find it too cold in the office). I just love it!

Pattern:	Vite Cowl by Kristi Johnson
Yarn:	Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky (1 skein)
Needles:	13
Started:	January 13, 2012
Completed:	January 15, 2012

You can see this project on Ravelry here.

February Vacation

2012-03-07T17:13:00.000-05:00

During February vacation, we did some travelling...

Hartsel "Jail" on the way to the hot springs at Mount Princeton, Colorado

Mount Blanca, Colorado

Great Sand Dunes, Colorado

The cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado.

Four Corners, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Reid Park Zoo, Arizona

Relaxing by the pool at the Omni Tucson National Resort

...and it was amazing. More photos here.

And now that we've settled back in at home, I am looking forward to carving out more knitting and sewing time (and dancing!)... stay tuned!

I Won Lovell Designs Earrings!

2012-03-06T12:02:00.001-05:00

I discovered the well to do, you blog just in time for Suz's Dress to Impress project. For the project, Suz wore the same dress every day for 30 days using different accessories for a variety of looks. The project benefited Dress for Success® of Southern Maine. Very cool project, and very cool blog.

At the beginning of February, well to do, you hosted a giveaway with Lovell Designs... and guess what?! I won!

This lovely box arrived in the mail...

which contained this lovely pair of earrings...

I love them! Thank you well to do, you and Lovell Designs!

My Custom-Fit Raglan In Progress

2012-01-24T18:19:00.000-05:00

In knitting related news, I finished up a couple of quick cowls in the past two weeks that I cannot wait to show you. I hope to have time for photos this weekend, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I cast on for a custom-fit raglan sweater. For my Butterfly Capelet, I used Pamela Costello's Incredible Custom-Fit Raglan guide to get the general size and shape. Since I already have those calculations, and I have more of the same yarn (in a different color), I thought I would try to use the guide to complete a whole sweater. Here are the beginnings...

It is coming along!

Happy Fourth Birthday, HipDroppedStitches!

2012-01-20T06:00:00.005-05:00

This blog is four years old today! When I first re-read the third birthday post, where I wrote that I hoped "to do a lot more sewing this year" and dreamed of filling "my closet with comfortable, fashionable, and well-fitting skirts and dresses" made by me, I felt a little disappointed. I do not yet have a closet full of me-made clothing that I love. Then I began looking back at the past year's posts, and discovered that I completed more than I thought I had!

My closet is not yet full of me-made clothing, but I did make several pieces that became wardrobe staples. I wear the first Anda dress I made quite often (and receive many compliments on it). It became my go-to dress for when I was traveling by air for work this year. It is comfortable enough to sit on a plane for hours (and it does not wrinkle), and I always feel put together upon arrival to my destination. I wear those lounge pants, and that refashioned sweater all the time, too. So comfortable! And each of those skirts (here, here, and here) were worn numerous times this spring, summer, and fall. The infinity dresses were a bit of a flop (here and here), but my shoe sugar projects were a success (here and here)! And for gifts, the baby blankets were well received (here and here), as were the hand warmers. Mr. HipDroppedStitches wears his lounge pants and his hat, too. Oh, and there are at least three dance costumes and a dress in progress that have yet to be featured here.

Considering that this year also included our wedding, honeymoon, wedding celebration, a trip to Mexico for a friend's wedding, and several business trips, I am a little surprised I completed as much as I did! And honestly, I am a little glad my closet is not already full of me-made clothing... I have so many ideas and need space for them! I think year five is going to be a very good year.

Vite Cowl In Progress

2012-01-16T11:57:00.002-05:00

Mr. HipDroppedStitches and I joined family in a trip to the Berkshires this past weekend. We had a great time... a perfect mixture of fun and relaxation. While some in our party were planning to ski and snowboard, I planned to hit the pool, relax in the hot tub, and knit!

Here I am in the pool with my nieces...

And here is my knitting going for a little swim once we got home...

I cast on for the Vite Cowl by Kristi Johnson on the drive there, knit a bit here and there, and cast off on the drive home. It is currently blocking on the dining room table (and hopefully not becoming a cat bed for the day). Stay tuned for more details and finished photos!

Merry Christmas to Me

2012-01-11T06:15:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season this year. Believe it or not, it is not yet over for me. We had our next to last holiday party this past weekend, and have one more in a week and a half. I feel like the new year is not really beginning until February.

I did receive a few great gifts that I thought you might like to see. First, this beautiful yarn from my SIL and her family.

I cannot wait to knit something up with it!

Then, from Mr. HipDroppedStitches...

... pattern weights! I am looking forward to pulling these out of my sewing cabinet rather than gathering our heaviest kitchen items in the future.

The gift I am most excited about, however, is this...

... new fabric shears from Mr. HipDroppedStitches! Are they not stunning? They are insanely sharp and actually have a serrated edge in order to grip the fabric as they cut. I love them. I cannot wait to start a new project and put them to use!

Turning a Heel for the First Time

2012-01-10T06:30:00.001-05:00

I started knitting these socks (my first pair!) in March 2010. They, like my other recent knitting FOs, sat untouched for some time. I am delighted to be making progress on them again. In fact, I just turned a heel for the first time!

In this stage, I think they look like two little sock monsters. Do you see it? The markers look like eyes to me, and the opening like mouths. Very silly. I'm excited to finish these up (hopefully) soon!

Moody Trim

2012-01-09T06:00:00.002-05:00

One of my very best girlfriends recently spent a weekend in NYC. When she returned, she presented me with a very thoughtful and generous gift...

... a beautiful sparkly velvety trim from Mood!!!!

I hope, hope, hope to visit Mood, myself, someday. Until then, I have this lovely trim as evidence that someone who was there was thinking of me. So special. Thank you, Dear Friend!!!

A Simple Hat For Mr. HipDroppedStitches

2012-01-08T15:40:00.000-05:00

Remember this hat? It's finally finished!

Mr. HipDroppedStitches assures me that he likes it and it is cozy and warm. I'll see if I can snap a photo of him in it soon.

You can see this project on Ravelry here.

Butterfly Capelet

2012-01-04T06:52:00.012-05:00

After two years (has it really been that long?), my Butterfly Capelet is complete!

Photo by Gary Amara Photography.

I began this project in January 2010 and finished it on the last day of 2011. I knew I had not been knitting much, but this is real proof. I hope to make more time for knitting in 2012!

Photo by Gary Amara Photography.

For this project, I used the same wool (a generous gift from my sister-in-law) that I used for my Butterfly Hat and my mittens. I used Pamela Costello's Incredible Custom-Fit Raglan guide to get the general size and shape (I simply did not separate for the arms and increased every ten rows for a gradual flare), and used the butterfly technique from Sofiya Cremin's Butterfly Hat.

Photo by Gary Amara Photography.

I wanted a capelet that was cozy, but did not completely conceal my figure. I think that by ending it at my natural waist line and adding a bit of vertical detailing down the front, I was able to make it work. In fact, I love it!

Photo by Gary Amara Photography.

You can see this project on Ravelry here.

Farewell Corona

2012-01-03T07:08:00.012-05:00

I recently, excitedly, picked up this project that had been sitting for too long... my Corona sweater... in the loveliest shade of pink Cascade 220... I was loving everything about it when knitting it, but it was set aside in the business of this past year... and when I picked it up again... I was devastated to find... that the moths found it first... and it is ruined... completely ruined.

All of my yarn and projects are sealed in bags and bins, but this wip was sitting, unprotected, in an open-top knitting bag. I have not seen signs of moths elsewhere, and I am fairly certain that the rest of my stash and projects are safe, but this loss hurts. I have yet to decide if I will begin this pattern again. I really like it. I might, someday. The wound is too fresh right now. Farewell, Corona.

A Baby Blanket for Baby P

2012-01-02T07:55:00.001-05:00

So many of our friends are having babies this year. It is very exciting! Baby P was born this summer and she is simply precious. I made this second baby blanket just for her! (I have yet to drop it in the mail, eeks! Tomorrow. I will mail it tomorrow.)

I used the same technique as I did with Baby E's blanket. I expected this blanket to go more quickly having already made one, but a couple of mistakes required a bit of rework. That was a little frustrating, but I think the end result is nice! I hope Baby P enjoys it!

Pretty Hand Warmers

2012-01-01T07:42:00.001-05:00

This year, as Christmas presents for a few of my favorite girlfriends, I made pretty hand warmers!

These are simply two squares of coordinating fabric serged together and filled with rice and lavender. They can be microwaved for 20 - 30 seconds and then placed either in coat pockets or mittens. They stay warm for quite some time. I might need to make a pair for myself!

An Eye Pillow for Mr. HipDroppedStitches

2011-12-31T07:51:00.001-05:00

Mr. HipDroppedStitches and I both enjoy practicing yoga, but we have not been making time for it lately. That is one of our goals for 2012, so when Mr. HipDroppedStitches mentioned wanting an eye pillow for the final resting pose, I decided I would make him one for Christmas.

You may recognize this fabric as it matches the lounge pants I made for him earlier this year. The outer fabric is similar to a pillow case in how it slides over the actual eye pillow. It may be removed and thrown in the wash. The eye pillow itself is made of muslin fabric and filled with rice and dried lavender. I serged the seams, but did the hem by hand.

I think he was delighted to find this handmade gift in his stocking this year!