My wrists are killing me. Not from knitting - I wish! - no, from holding the baby's head. All the time. While she's sleeping on my shoulder, while she's nursing, while bathing her, while rocking her... ow! And so baby wrist has put a serious crimp on my knitting. Of course, never putting baby down except to sleep at night is putting a serious crimp on everything else I might need or want to do. But what else do I really need to do, right? Well...

After saying nothing for four days - what a good kid! - B finally asked me last night when I was going to finish his blankie. Okay, you're right, it's been long enough.

the very last unfinished picture of B's blankie

I started the seaming last night (the second hour of Amazing Race gave me a reason to stay up beyond my normal mother-of-a-newborn bedtime of 9pm). I tried the same single crochet seam that the other Sarah Dallas blankets call for, but I just didn't like it on this blanket. Maybe it was the patterning or the white yarn (B's choice, not mine), but it wasn't working for me. I took it out and decided to do the same seam but on the wrong side. The other blankets have it visible on the right side, so it offers more of a contrast to the big panels of color and matches the contrast edgings. What you get on the wrong side is little horizontal stitches every quarter inch or so. Really a nice look actually. So why not put that on the front? It's a clean look for this blanket. It doesn't interfere with those cool patterns and tones down the whitey white whiteness of the seaming yarn. Me likey.

I'm to finish the blankie and put it in B's bed by the time he gets home from school. Hang in there wrists!

The Charmed Knits knit-along is up and running! (Because I've got baby L to take care of, the publisher has kindly offered to run the knitalong. They've set up a blog and will be in charge of sign-ups, but I'll be over there posting and hosting too, so come join me!) The publisher has come up with a wonderful idea to kick off the knitalong too. They've generously provided one of the patterns from the book as a free pdf and have teamed up with Warm Woolies to donate hats knit from the pattern to orphaned children in America and elsewhere.

psst... go to the knitalong blog for a link to the pattern pdf!

Of course you're welcome to join and knit any Harry Potter pattern. I'm going to make a hat for sure as well as a few other things once the book comes out. I'll be posting some previews of patterns from the book in my sidebar in the weeks to come. And the book will be available in less than a month! That'll give us two months to knit for the movie premiere and book release. Huzzah!

My master webmaster has set up the sockapalooza 4 sign-up system and it's now in the testing phase. I'm going to shoot for opening sign-ups at the beginning of next week. Here's the 411 on what you'll need to sign up....

If you participated in the last round, you will be able to access your old info and update what needs updating (moved? don't like pink anymore? whatever). If you were in earlier rounds or this is your first time, you'll sign up as a new participant.

Everyone will need to provide a screen name (this will be your first name unless you specify some sort of alias), email, blog url (if you have one), address (this will only be given to the pal knitting for you), your foot measurements, your color, style and fiber preferences, and whether you're willing to ship internationally or not. You can also sign up to be a sock savior in this round in case someone drops out and their pal needs a new knitter. And you can offer to knit an extra pair of socks for a sock pal who did not receive socks in the last round. (Yes, that's right, there were a few knitters in the last round whose sock pals never managed to get socks out to them and they still need socks! And I know there are a few of you out there who would be twice as happy knitting two pairs of socks, so please consider signing up to take on an old pal from the last round.)

Send off date for sockapalooza 4 will be the beginning of August, so that should give everyone plenty of time to get socks knit for their pal. Remember, don't sign up if you don't think you can get socks knit in time. I can't wait to get started!

Or at least a knitwear model.

wee one in her grossmutter sweater

in her baby shrug from Shannon

in her LMKG bonnet from Shannon

in a sweater Oma crocheted for daddy 35 years ago

He loves it!

In fact, he loves it so much, he wanted us to take more pictures of it. He laid it out himself and pointed out all its features: "this part looks like tire tracks!"

Then he flipped it over so we can all see how cool it looks on the back.

Finally, he brought it upstairs and put it into bed with his old blankie. Now remember, his blankie was not as ripped and shredded as his brother's. He didn't NEED a new blankie; he WANTED one. So, he snuggles into bed, cuddles with both blankies for a second and then says, "I think my old blankie is better." Then he says, "No, I think this one is better than my old blankie." Then S said it wasn't fair that B gets to have both of his blankies when he had to give up his old one. Then mom swore off blankie knitting forever!

Nah, we settled it all (B can keep both blankies for now, S understands that his blankie is too fragile to sleep with anymore and I will knit again) and everyone is happy.

I haven't even mentioned the most amazing part of the whole knitting-new-blankies for everyone saga! Let's take a look again at S with his new blankie:

And a picture of S with his old blankie back in the days when it was whole:

What's different? That thumb! Yes, S's new blankie has helped him completely stop sucking his thumb.

We had tried almost everything to put an end to his nighttime thumb-sucking - threats from the doctor and the dentist, rewards for no thumb-sucking nights, bandages and wraps over the thumb - and nothing worked. But now it's been at least a month without any thumb-sucking. (The proof? We haven't once seen thumb near mouth when we check on the boys at night and, furthermore, S's one thumbnail is now perfectly grown in instead of always being shorter and softer than the other.)

Here's what happened. At the same time he switched blankies, we started having him wear gloves to bed. And rather than take them off, like he did with the bandages and wraps we'd tried, he kept them on. I think that once the blankie, which was such a huge part of his nighttime ritual, was removed, he didn't feel compelled to suck his thumb. He loves his new blankie, but he doesn't need to cuddle with it the exact same way that he did with his old blankie. We tossed the gloves after about two weeks. And now he can't wait for his yearly checkup to tell the doctor! He's so proud of himself.

Ahhh, the power of knitting.

Today is Red Sox opening day and everyone at the boys' school is wearing their Red Sox gear! (Note to self: Get wee one some Red Sox gear.) (Note to master webmaster: Do not even think of sending some sort of Yankee onesie up here for her!) They're collecting money at the school for the Jimmy Fund, the Red Sox long-time official charity supporting Dana Farber cancer research and the Jimmy Fund Children's Clinic. The boys brought in their dollars and wore their shirts proudly. And baby L and I just finished reading Faithful (the Stephen King, Stewart O'Nan book about the 2004 season when the Sox won the World Series) while nursing, so we're psyched! Go Sox!

And since it's opening day, how 'bout I open up sockapalooza sign-ups later today? My master webmaster has a few small changes to make (hope he'll still help after the Yankees comment above!) and then we should be able to go live later this evening. Don't worry, sign-ups will be open for at least a day, probably two, so you don't have to keep refreshing this page all day long. But if you do, maybe just consider going on over to the Jimmy Fund site and giving 'em a couple of bucks to help fight cancer, 'kay?

UPDATE: As of 9am Thursday, there are already 725 people signed up for Sockapalooza!

Okay, before you go sign-up, let me just remind you that by signing up you are agreeing to do three things:

1. Make a pair of socks for your pal that you genuinely believe they will enjoy and send them off on time (August 2nd!). Remember, your pal has taken the time to write up specific preferences, so please try your best to make socks they'll like. You may need to buy some new sock yarn. Don't be afraid to try out a new pattern or technique. No matter what, be sure to plan your knitting time so you will be ready by August 2nd and we can all send out socks at the same time.

2. Keep us updated on your progress by posting on the group blog (which is still in progress, don't worry, it'll be ready when we start knitting). It would also be great if you could keep in touch with the pal you're knitting for by sending some anonymous emails to them and maybe even leaving anonymous blog comments on their blog if possible. But remember, it's a SECRET, so don't tell your pal who you are! Open an anonymous email account (something like sockpal at gmail) and use a fake name when you sign up for that email account (like Sock Pal) so your name doesn't appear in an email signature somewhere. Use that email account to write to your pal and comment on their blog.

3. Please, please, please send some sort of thanks to the pal who sends you socks, so they at least know that they have arrived.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Now here's a list of all the info you'll need to sign-up.

- BASIC INFO: name; email address; blog address; mailing address. Don't worry, I won't be sharing your email or mailing addresses with anyone but your sock pal. Note that the first name you enter in the NAME box will be the name that appears on the participant list on my blog. If you use a web alias, this is the place to put it. And because the name box is really just for the participant list, the ADDRESS box needs to contain your full name and then your address.

- SHIPPING: Let me know if you prefer to ship only within your own country/continent and I'll do my best to match you up with someone there. Click on "international" if you're happy to ship anywhere.

- DETAILS: If you are a beginning sock knitter, be sure to check that box, so you are put in a group with other beginners. If you'd like to knit a second pair of socks (also to be sent by August 2nd) for someone who didn't receive socks in the last round, click that box and accept my heartfelt thanks! When matches are made, you will receive two sock pals to knit for. And lastly, if you're willing to be a sock savior for someone in this round whose pal drops out, click that box and I'll know who to contact later on when sock saviors are needed.

- PREFERENCES: This is the space to put everything you think your pal should know to make you some socks you'll like. Include at least your foot measurement from heel to tip of big toe AND foot circumference measured at the ball of the foot, plus any other measurements or info that your pal needs to make socks fit your feet. Then any style, fiber, or color preferences that are important and definitely any allergies that are relevant. If you're up for anything, just say that and your pal can have fun with your socks!

- COMMENTS: This box is just for your comments to me, so don't put any info for your pal in here - they won't see it!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Alright, GO!

Sign-ups are now closed

Sign-ups will be open for at least 48 hours and probably longer (unless a bazillion people sign up!), so don't rush. Take the time to measure your foot properly and think about what sort of socks you'd really like before you sign up. But remember, you must sign-up through the above link. DO NOT SEND ME YOUR INFO THROUGH EMAIL. After you have followed the instructions there and submitted your info, you should get a new screen telling you that your information has been added to the database. Once you get that screen, you're all set! You can always click on the main link again to request a session to change your info if you need to. (There's no need to contact me. Trust me, changing things yourself through the system will always be faster! For example, I would have posted all this earlier, but I've been trapped motionless under a sleeping baby for the last three hours!)

Once sign-ups are closed, the system will make the matches and when they're all ready, I'll announce it here and you'll be able to get your sock pal's info by clicking on the same link above. (Isn't my master webmaster clever?)

And one absolute, final, last thing. Say it with me: SOCKAPAL-WOOOOOO-HOOOOOO-ZA!

While I watch the sockapalooza sign-ups roll in, I'm going to get started on a Gryffindor house hat for the Charmed Knits knitalong. Unsurprisingly, I've got a few leftover skeins of maroon and gold yarn in my stash.

Cascade 220

Why don't you join us and knit a hat for charity? In the meantime, while we wait for the book to roll into stores, here are a few teasers...

Atypically.knit's now-classic House Scarves! Isn't this where we all started our Harry Potter knitting? Lauren's scarves are in the book and she's even worked up a new version for us. (And there might just be a couple of other patterns from her in there too. Wink, wink.)

And how could I possibly do an HP knitting book without the weasley sweater? This is a new pattern written for a larger gauge, so it's even easier and faster to knit than the original!

Hope you're getting as excited as I am!

We're up to 850 participants - wow! - so I'll have to be closing down Sockapalooza sign-ups soon. You've got until 10pm eastern time tonight to sign up. After that the link to sign-up will no longer work. If you've already signed-up, you will be still be able to update your information. I'll need at least a week to get sock pal matches organized, so in the meantime make sure all your info and preferences are correct as soon as possible!

Sock, sock, hoorah!

UPDATE 10pm: Sign-ups are now closed

Are you getting ready for sockapalooza?? I am! I'm working on the database (cleaning up the entries - there are always a few folks who didn't quite read the instructions correctly and have info in the wrong place) and hubby is working on the matching program. But knitting-wise, I thought, why don't I try out a little something socky I've never done before?

Would you believe it, I've never done a figure eight cast on or toe-up socks?! I like top-down socks a lot and so never bothered to try doing things the other way. But after seeing Cookie A on Knitty Gritty last week and watching her explain the technique, I thought 'that looks kinda cool.'

I didn't want to start any socks just yet, but I remembered that this cool kid's anime hat pattern from Hello Yarn is worked the same way from the top down, beginning with a figure eight cast on.

So wee one will be getting yet another funky hat. And I'll get some practice working a cast on for toe-up socks. Fun!

Although baby L is letting me get a little knitting done these days (a very little!), I can't seem to finish anything. All I manage to do is start quickie projects. After starting (and not finishing) the anime hat, I decided to start a hat for a classmate of the boys' whose mom just had another baby.

I figured the Last-Minute Knitted Gifts children's cotton hat would be simple enough for me to get done quickly. Wee one and I went out to Black Sheep Knitting and while she slept...

picture removed at request of store owner

I spied some pretty pretty Summer Tweed that would be perfect for the hat.

Wonder if I'll ever finish it.

And here's yet another project I've started (without finishing any of the previous projects, mind you). My Charmed Knits house hat (for the knitalong) is underway!

It's stalled here ready for it's gold stripes. It's been stuck at this point for three days, waiting for me to get a moment to wind the gold yarn. Ahhh, life with a newborn. And it doesn't help that the swift is in her room either!

Well, while I'm waiting for the opportune moment to wind my Gryffindor gold, I can show you two more sneak peeks at projects from the book!

It's a wizard hat, just like every student at Hogwarts wears! And to go with it, a wizard robe! Both are super easy to knit and look really authentic.

And do you see Errol up there? He's so fun. I can't wait to make one myself!

Still no finishing here.

Well, I did kinda finish this children's cotton hat (see, I did the i-cord bow and everything!), but then I realized that it was going to be too small for the newborn I knit it for. My row gauge just wasn't what it was supposed to be! The hat barely fits baby L and this newborn was bigger than she was. And I'd like for her to be able to wear it for at least a month ('cause you know spring's never really going to come to Boston - not at least until summer does).

So I ripped it back to the beginning of the decreases and am reknitting the top. The cotton's got some stretch, so width isn't the problem. It's simply too short. A few more inches and then maybe, just maybe, I'll have finished something!

(Hubby gives me a break during this school vacation week by taking the boys off my hands for a day and still I don't get to post until 3pm! And if you've sent me an email in the last week, uh, yeah, I'm getting to them. Slowly. One email at a time.)

The new and improved (read, now knit to the proper size) Last-Minute Knitted Gifts children's cotton hat! Wee one approves.

The pattern did end up being a good choice for this little quickie project. It was a fast knit and comes out looking adorable. What didn't work so much for me was the yarn. I can only presume that mommy hormones caused me to forget how much I dislike Rowan's summer tweed. The colors are great and I like the tweedy look, but it feels so stiff and dry. I don't find it a pleasant yarn to knit with. And apparently, the row gauge isn't quite up to par with it's fellow worsted weight yarns.

Note to self: Really, you don't like summer tweed. Remember you have a whole unfinished sweater in that yarn stuffed somewhere back in the stash! Now get out there and finish some hats in some yarns you really like!

I finally managed to wind that gold yarn... and so my first Charmed Knits House Hat is done! (Remember, you can download the free pattern from the book at the Charmed Knits knitalong site!)

I made the beanie style with the paired decreases on the top. I think it looks much more boyish than the standard swirly decreases that hat patterns usually create. I'll have to make a girly beret next.

Gotta say that I loved this Ultra Alpaca yarn! (Turns out the maroon wasn't Cascade 200 after all. The gold is, but I found the label for the maroon and it was Berroco's Ultra Alpaca.) Such a nice hand, very comfortable to work with, soft, smooth, and warm. Next time I'm looking for a lovely, cozy yarn for a cardi, I'll definitely keep this one in mind.

(Stay tuned later this week for another sneak peek at a pattern from the book!)

This is how I knit yesterday. After finding some black wool, I popped wee one in the sling, strapped on a shopping bag to hold my yarn, cast on for a Hufflepuff house hat and walked a rut in the floor.

Immediately after I started Otto the Owl from And So to Bed..., I realized that I didn't have enough of the main color yarn to finish him. No problem, between three local stores (including the one where I bought the yarn in the first place) and all the online stores out there, I should be able to get another ball. Or so I thought. Apparently, immediately after I started Otto everyone ran out of this shade of Rowan Cashsoft DK (appropriately called "donkey").

Finally, after weeks of waiting, the yarn came in at the Knitting Garden (love that store!) and I'm back in business.

Stripey body underway; scarf, wings and tail ready for seaming. This one's going to be so cute!

These ears totally make this hat! I can't deal with how cute it is and I've still got the face to add. I don't know if I'm going to be able to handle the cuteness when that's done!

Well, it's finally here - I got my copy of the book! It's just on its way to distributors now, I think, so it'll still be a bit before stores have it, but it's coming! To celebrate, I finished off my second house hat.

This one is a Hufflepuff beanie I made with Classic Elite Bazic from my stash. (Love the Bazic, by the way - totally one of my favorite kid yarns!) I've always felt like I'd be in Hufflepuff, so I was really eager to finally make a Hufflepuff item. Next up, maybe a Ravenclaw hat, since I like their colors the best of all the houses.

And now, since you haven't seen the book yet, another sneak preview:

These are Dobby's Socks, based on the mismatched pair of socks Harry sees Dobby wearing at Hogwarts in book three (one of which is Harry's old sock) and the pair that Dobby knits for Harry for Christmas in book four (you know, with the broomsticks and the snitches). They were so much fun to design! Dobby is such a unique and funny character and he's a fellow knitter, so I just had to include some sock patterns for him in the book!

(Pssst... you can see a couple of other previews at the Knitpicks site!)

Hello Sockapaloozers! I know we got blogger problems (I've contacted them and am hoping they can help us). I know we don't have a full participant list yet (update: yes we do!). But still, the knitting must go on, right? Are you ready for matches?!

Before you do anything, remember, do not tell your pal who you are! It should be a SECRET only to be revealed when you send the socks out in August. If you contact them to ask a question, be sure you are using an anonymous email account that does NOT have your name in it anywhere (beware, if you entered your name when you signed up for the email account, sometimes it will appear in the "from" line of the email!). If you leave a comment on their blog, be sure you are using a fake name (beware, if you've commented on their blog before, it may "remember" you, so type in a new name and email address!) Okay, everyone got it? Secret. Hush, hush. No telling.

Go to the database and request your pal's info!
(UPDATE: database is working again and you should receive all info for your pal!)

You'll be able to access this info throughout sockapalooza in case you forget it. You should be notified if your pal changes their address, but still it'd be a good idea to check it shortly before you send the socks out in August. (Very important note: We're all sending out socks in August! This isn't a race. We want all the socks to be sailing around the world and arriving at about the same time. If you have an international pal, you might want to send a few days earlier depending on shipping times, but otherwise, AUGUST, 'kay?!)

Okay, wee one says "sockapalooza on"!

(If you signed up to knit an extra pair of socks for someone forgotten in the last round, you should be sent some details about a second pal to knit for this week. Thank you very much!)