Baby showers bring May flowers?

Today was SIL's baby shower. She's due on the 26th of April. Oy . . . it was uber boring!

I gifted her child:
The pea pod sweater
Mostly because it didn't work out the way I wanted it to, and I would have noticed every time I put it on Sprout.

The Olive You hat -- even though it was cute . . . I didn't love it. And as I said previously, there are Too Many Hats for this baby!

Are we sensing a theme yet? Wait, there's one more handmade gift I gave her . . . .

The Arabesque Baby Blanket! Why? It was beautiful! I worked so hard it! I hated the cast off!! Now, I never have to look at it again. I don't mind admitting it became a hated FO -- largely due to the acrylic/nylon yarn, but also because of that crappy cast off. In retrospect, I should have used something different. Hindsight and all that.

Showers. Ugh. Why do we even HAVE them? They're dull, they're akward, they're uncomfortable -- and yet every bride, and every pregnant woman hopes they'll rate and someone will throw a shower. Hell, I even said YES! when someone offered to throw me a baby shower. (First Sunday in June!)
We attend grudingly. And yet, when it's our turn, we invite everyone we know. Why? Presents! That, and knowing that the attendees care enough about you to put their plans on hold, and devote an afternoon to showing their love and support for your cause. And that's pretty cool.

I should bring you up to date on the knitting.
Currently on the needles:
Wraplan - linked in previous post. Made with this: Can't get much more gender neutral, now can we?
In light of the pink gifts we've already received, I've started thinking 'Oh God, what if it's a boy?' -- this sweater ensures that our baby will have something handknit to wear, regardless of sex. I still have plenty of pink yarn and darling patterns in mind . . . in case the ultrasound tech's guess was right.

This yarn, purchased on Saturday, will become the Cardigan For Merry. I'm going to work the st st sections at work - mindless enough - and do the fronts and hood at home.

Simultaneously I plan on casting on and working mom's birthday sweater . . . you know . . maybe that's not a great idea. Isn't that how I got myself into 7 WIPs? Okay, this bit needs re-thinking. I want to do this sweater before Sprout's arrival though, because I have the distinct impression that less than a little knitting will be done between July and October. By the way, here's the yarn.

Of course, I still want to do the Eyelet Chemise for myself - in fact, I swatched for it already.
Not enough hours in a day, right? Well . . . I still have one week of vacation booked prior to July . . . I can always hope!

Agonizing Dilemma

Okay, not really . . . but I don't know what to do!
In my Ravelry queue there are a number of currently tempting things - 3 baby sweaters, begging to be knit, 5 grown up sweaters/tops I would LOVE to knit, a handful of undeniably cute miscellaneous items, and 4 super gorgeous lace pieces -- all of these things demand to be cast on immediately. Why is that? Because! The (dreaded) chocolate jacket is just about done! Yesiree! I'm down to the last 11 cm of doomy st st. Now, 6 rows make 2.5 cm -- that's about 27 rows left to go . . in total. Duuuuuddddde. It's draining, it's boring, but I'm so almost done! The fronts are both blocked and ready for assembly, so really, I could have this accursed thing done and wearable by Sunday. A week ahead of schedule. Cool, no? I thought I was setting a truly ambitious deadline, saying a week from tomorrow.

But I digress, back to the issue at hand. What to knit next?
The case for Baby stuff: it's quick - usually.
The case for grownup stuff: Sometimes quick, one thing is meant to be a gift . . . needs to be done, but not until October.
The case for lace: So pretty! So tempting!
The case against baby stuff: . . . uhhh . . . . Oh, I know, it's hard to pick which one to do!
The case against grown up stuff: None of it will fit until post baby anyway. What's the rush?
The case against lace: Can't take it places, can't work on it mindlessly, and I already have 2 lace projects wallowing in WIP land.

So I've narrowed it down.
A) Cardigan for Merry - pattern is sized 12-18 months, will have to procure yarn (darn!) UPDATE ** Got the yarn!
B) Provence Cardi - Sized 6-9 months. Have yarn . . . maybe not enough, but I have it. UPDATE ** Eliminated. Definitely don't have enough yarn.
C) Grown up Eyelet Chemise - short and opens in the front, so it will fit during pregnancy. Yummy Linen on deck for this one. UPDATE ** Swatched. Just need to fish it out of the dryer.
D) Tailored Scallops - Birthday gift for mom, doesn't have to be finished until October, but who knows where things will be once the baby arrives. Plus, I'm stoked about the yarn - Needful, Arte and I LOVE the colour.
E) Juno Regina Stole - Yep, it's lace . . but it would make a super mom's day gift for one of the moms, wouldn't you say? Looks fairly straight forward too.

These are the patterns I'm agonizing over right now. I love them all. I want to cast them all on! Help me decide!

UPDATE ** Since I couldn't decide, I cast on another Offset Wraplan -- Don't come crying to me if you choose to give this one a shot . . it's in need of corrections. Now I have the yarn for Merry, I'll cast on the easy st st bits and work them at my desk at work. Once I get the Chocolate Jacket (dreaded as ever) finished, I'll cast on for Mom's birthday sweater. Best to get it out of the way I think. The Eyelet Chemise still calls to me . . . hopefully the other things won't take long.

Just when I think . . .

. . . I'm not that big, or things aren't changing anymore, I compare photos from weeks ago to photos taken recently. Ie:
And I realize that things really are going on in there.

I've been concerned of late with a slowing of fetal movement. Told the OB at my visit yesterday, and he says not to worry about it. How do I NOT worry about it? She's hardly moving at all anymore! This isn't supposed to happen for weeks yet! But, she's growing, as evidenced by my growing belly, and her heartbeat is strong . . . Maybe she's just lazy. She gets that from her father. ;)

Cripey.

So, I'm down to 4 WIP's.
The Chocolate Jacket, which is fast becoming The Dreaded Chocolate Jacket.
Baby Blues - baby sized jeans, which are currently in the wash, then will be finished within hours.
Leda's Dream Scarf - found the pattern, now I just have to DO it!
Frost Flowers and Leaves - Deserves to be a full sized shawl, it really does.

My goal was to have the WIP file cleared out by May. And by cleared out, I mean down to 2. I'm learning that I'm no longer capable of JUST 2 things on the go, though. This morning, in fact, I cast on for yet another tiny hat. Seriously, this child is going to have FAR too many hats. I need to start gifting them. And it's not like that would be an issue. I know plenty of pregnant women.

My problem with the current WIP file is that everything except the jeans . . . well, they've all lost their shine. I just don't want to work on them anymore.
I'm giving myself 2 weeks for the chocolate jacket, which is about 45% knit up at this point. I want to have it to wear for the Maple Sugar Festival, since my winter coat no longer fits me, and we will doubtless be traipsing around this festival for an hour or more.
I think I can make it too. I have this week off (yay vacation!) and I should be able to finish the fronts. Then I'll just have the back, blocking and making up to do. Piece of cake right? Wish me luck.

Some Sad News -- Not about the baby

Whenever I say I heard some sad news, everyone freaks about the baby. Let me preface this by saying this sad bit o' news has NOTHING to do with my pregnancy. The Sprout is still turning somersaults, and kicking and whatnot. This is other sad news.

My LYS is closing it's doors.
Selfish reason why this is terrible: This is particularly heartbreaking for me, because now to get yarn that is not acrylic or acrylic based, I will have to drive for an hour. It will throw a severe wrench into my knitting.
Non-selfish reason why this is terrible: 6 women have lost their jobs, and one family has lost their business. I can't even imagine being the owner of said LYS and having to admit it's just not working out. How she must have cried.
One HORRIBLE thing to say: This is a little good . . . for the time being, anyway, because they are having a great big sale!! 50% off -- yay! It's bittersweet.

I went on Friday morning, right at opening, and it was a complete madhouse. Here is what $265 will get you at a closing sale:

• One gorgeous Lantern Moon basket-y bag type thing. Not sure if I'll keep it, or pass it on. For now, it stores ALL that yarn!
  

• one skein of pretty coloured tofutsies
• 2 skeins of Rowan Denim
• 2 Skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino
• 4 skeins of Misti Alpaca Hand-paint
• 9 skeins of Misti Alpaca Lace
  
• 6 balls of Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo, which I had just discovered and fallen in love with.
  
• One skein of Euroflax Linen
• 10 skeins of Bonsai to finally make the bonsai tunic

35 Skeins of yarn, a bag, and 2 Addi Turbo needles. What a score!

And now, some GOOD news!

I got my Valentine's swap package in the mail - finally! I was worried it might have disappeared, but it showed up late last week.

The trouble with baby knits . . .

They're just so darn fast! Really . . . I cast on for a dress on the 27th, and finished it three days later on the 1st. It would have been done on the 29th, but I ran out of yarn after the LYS closed.

Why is this trouble you ask? Because, it's addictive! And it cuts into my motivation to finish that which is languishing on the needles. AND it gets pricey, because I have to keep buying yarn to knit up into adorable little things.

The dress is the sweetest thing! It will be our daughter's coming home outfit, if she is a girl. Here are some shadowy pictures:
The Dress was a fabulous knit. Really enjoyable, and FAST for nothing but st st in the round.

Details:
Tura Maeve Dress.
Scroll down, it's in english below.
3 skeins, plus a few yards Svale (lovely to work with, but splitty)

Right now, I'm also working on a sweater for a boy, in case our daughter is a son, and doesn't want to wear a pretty dress home from the hospital. I cast it on yesterday, and only have one sleeve and button bands left to do. See? Too Fast!