August

Generally speaking, I like August. It's my birthday month, it's my favorite number month (which may have something to do with how it's my birthday month, considering that I conceived my favorite number when I was a little kid, but I've stuck with it, so...), it's Dave's and my anniversary month, and it's a month when lots of people (i.e. people who are the bosses of me) go out of town and I've got time to gather my thoughts.

This August has been oddly less than stellar. Much of it I'm sure has to do with the sudden and excessive heat, and feeling like you're baking to death constantly doesn't really do much for your mood. It's not that anything has happened, or that any particular thing has not been how it's supposed to be--I've just been feeling blah. And then unhappy about feeling blah. And then really unhappy about feeling blah.

So. Operation De-blah-ify Nikki has gone into effect. I just ran out and got a haircut, something I only do once or twice a year, so it's an event. I feel, sheepishly, somewhat blah about the haircut, which is all layered and piece-y, and very much the kind of thing I like on myself, except that it's all blowdried and smooth and so looks like not-my-hair, and I think I've had quite enough of feeling like things are not-my-body, thank you very much. So I'm going to go home and wash out all that hard work, and put some stuff in it to make it all frizzy and overly wavy, as though I'd just left the beach. Which is how I like it.

I have a manicure/pedicure booked for Wednesday. We're going out to dinner Wednesday night, and I'm wearing one of the few nice dresses I have that still fit me (I think continually trying on clothes that don't fit may possibly be contributing to that there blah-y feeling), and I might even go crazy and put on makeup and wear something other than tevas. (Who is this person that I have become that wears only tevas? This is not me! Next thing you know I'll own a pair of Birkenstocks and have to turn myself in for government testing because clearly I've been kidnapped by aliens).

I think something else I may want to consider making part of Operation De-Blah-ify is to not knit anymore garter stitch. Having just completed Baby Surprise Jacket, Baby Surprise Bonnet, much of a blanket for baby that is now all garter all the time, Baby Cozy, number of Saartje's Booties, and February Lady Sweater, (which is lying on the floor of my bedroom blocking its life out, and I'll have more for you on it as soon as it is physically possibly to put on something made of wool and not immediately expire), I'm pretty much gartered out. I really do love those bumps and ridges, but...come on. It's not the most interesting of stitches, now is it.

Unfortunately, I didn't realize I'd lost the garter love until I'd cast on for Abagail. And I'm not sure how I managed this, but I completely missed the exactly-like-February-sweater qualities it has, and so here I am knitting something I just finished. It is, luckily, smaller. It is also, unluckily, something of a sizing conundrum for me, so I've had to knit the yoke twice.

I'm using Rowan Calmer. One weird-ass yarn. From my completely uninformed deductions, it appears that there are two strands of the cotton/acrylic fiber, each constructed by braiding of all the things. The two strands are then very loosely plied together, making it feel like you're often holding two separate yarns and knitting with them at the same time. The yarn has kind of an oily feel, but produces a matte fabric, which I can see working great for patterns like Kim Hargreaves' Blithe, but perhaps isn't right for garter. But meh. I'm not ripping it out again.

I started out using Size 6 needles, using bulkier yarn and a larger needle than called for, because although the pattern said it was size 0-6 months, I wanted to ensure 6 monthness. There's not gauge nor measurement given in the pattern (about which I'm not complaining, mind you--it's a free pattern, given out of the goodness of the heart, and therefore whatever we get is more than we deserve) but I did a little measurement researching, checked my gauge, and saw that whatever I'd created, it was barely even going to fit a newborn. So I went up to Size 8 needles (the yarn label calls for Size 7, in case you're wondering), which according to the pattern will produce 24 monthness, but according to my measuring will still be on the tight side for a 6 monther. So who knows. I'm carrying on, and it'll fit Roo when it fits her.

And after that, no more garter stitch. Ever. For at least a couple of months.