1. You're thinking about redecorating a bedroom using Goodnight Moon as inspiration.
2. You start eating fish more, not because Dr. Oz recommends it, but b/c Sally Sheep from Sally Sheep's New Nibbles has heard "that fish is good for you."
3. You start obsessing over knitting Christmas stockings because of the subliminal knitting messages in Good Night Moon and Counting Christmas.
Little C. loves books and these three are definitely his top favorites right now. They are also directly responsible for inspiring me to knit a Christmas stocking in JULY! (well, except for Sally Sheep. Unless you want to make a huge leap and connect sheep to wool to knitting).
Clearly I've been heavily influenced by Little C's reading material lately, especially Good Night Moon. Like a gazillion other parents, we read this book to our child every single night. We've been doing this for at least the last 365 days. So yeah, it starts becoming a part of you.
Because of this I've contemplated making a nursery that looks like the room in the story. When you've read the book over a hundred times this begins to seem like a good idea. But truthfully, who could really live with green walls/ ceiling and a red carpet? I know I'm not the only person who has thought of doing this though. Here's an interior design scheme and also a real-life couple who created it for their child here. (It's the third picture down on the link--note: no red carpet in the room though). Thankfully, my nursery is already finished, so I can abandon this idea completely.
But that knitting bunny-granny? bunny-nanny? seems to speak directly to me. What's she knitting? A scarf? Hmmm...maybe I should knit a scarf...
Did she also knit the socks and mittens that hang by the fire? Hmmm....maybe I should knit Little C. some socks and mittens too...The old noggin started cranking up, but I continued on with life as I know it and tried to get the subliminal knitting messages out of my head.
Goodnight Moon may be the nighttime fave, but the daytime favorite of Little C's that is read often in my house (and holds too much influence over me) is Counting Christmas by Karen Katz. In this story we see a couple examples of Christmas stockings.
Socks...stockings...knitting...my mind started whirring again, but I pushed the thoughts away and managed to continue on with my usual routine.
*****
HOWEVER, after months of having these images in my face (and trying to eat more fish), I finally succumbed and searched for stocking patterns on Ravelry. I love the rustic look of these stockings and ordered the snowman pattern right away.
It wasn't long before I plunged in to short rows, and heel/ toe confusion. I still have no idea how to make the heel or the toe. The toe part is actually on kind of sideways, but it doesn't bother me too much. I have never made socks before so it was all new to me. I'm even thinking of making a regular pair of socks just to understand heel/ toe construction. So, this stocking might wind up being a test knit. If not, I think I can live with it looking like this for a while. The tentative goal is to make one for me, my husband, and any other little ones we may have, but I'd definitely like to do a better job knitting the next ones.
Another error I made was pulling my yarn too tight across the snowman scene. When doing colorwork and carrying a color across the back of your knitting, the tighter you pull your yarn, the tighter the fabric becomes. Anyway, there's barely any stretch to the fabric there which isn't good when putting presents in a stocking. Live and learn.
I started using duplicate stitch to add Little C's name to the top. This was also a new technique for me. I learned how to do it here. I'm sure I'll finish it the week before Christmas or something.
I also would like to line the inside with fabric to help make stuffing it with toys easier. And I have to add a little crochet loop so it can hang from the fireplace. I did enjoy making it and it went very quickly (except for the heel/ toe). They were a total mystery to me!
The best thing of all? I feel liberated from the hold of Goodnight Moon and Counting Christmas now! (I think I will stick with Sally Sheep's suggestion to eat more fish though, since it is so good for you.)
I love the stocking!!! It's gorgeous! (would you look at that??!!) Def. line the inside of you can, b/c when I was little we had stockings like that, and all the goodies would get tangled up with the yarn inside.
ReplyDelete"Would you look at that!"
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it. I also had stockings like these growing up. I'd love to go through my mom's xmas decorations and try to find them again.