lightbulb: ON!

Holy hell! It's all finally clicking! The yarn I'm getting is all thick and thin and ugly as hell but at least it's yarn! And I'm spinning! Actually spinning cotton! I never thought I'd ever get it! (shamefully enough I've been avoiding spinning cotton for years because I'm scared of the short fibers. meep.) But Yay!! Yay for trying things out! I'll take a pic for y'all tomorrow ok?

Things not to do in this heat.

Do not follow the link in your e-mail to the spin-off mag page. Because you know what that leads to? It leads to you breaking out your stash of spain merino in the 32 degree heat that's what. But that's what I did. And, ooh, the stuff I found there! The effect of twisting in plying (intriguing!!) Wraps per inch (Hmmm. Want to know more...) and Cables: Demystifying the mysterious yarn, gotta read that! All this talk of YARN And ways that they twist! I can feel the fibers spinning, sliding through my hands already! And so that's why there's several spinning contraptions strewn about my room. And truth be told, I'm glad to be spinning again. The smell of wool and the quiet whrrrr whrrr of my wheel has indeed been missed.

I know spinning wool in Thailand is insane, believe me, I do. But I had no choice. I tried using the Mr's Charkha to spin some of his cotton poonis first, but I suck at cotton. The strands are just too short. They slip right through my hands before I can get the twist into them. A pile of fluffy discarded cotton was building up pretty quickly around me. I had to bring out my wheel to remind myself that I can spin. Just not cotton apparently. Does anyone who spins cotton have any advice for me? Because honestly I don't know what the hell I'm going to do with all the merino wool I'll wind up spinning otherwise.

(On a rather weird note, every picture I managed to find of a Charkha spinner the person seems to be rail thin. I found a clip of Ghandi spinning, the guy on this page is thin and The Mr. who is skinny as a pole seems to have no trouble at all spinning with it either. Hmmm.. can I blame my ample figure for my spinning suckiness? Please?)

Home

It's well in to the dry season here in Thailand. A dry hot wind is making this old house creak and groan tonight. It's a good house to be in in this hot humid weather, windows all around to let in the wind, and high ceilings so the air can circulate. My grandfather built this house and 5 generations have walked it's rooms so far. I've never written down how much I love this house with it's ancient shutters and teakwood floors polished with generations of footsteps. Everywhere I go I know that this house is waiting for me with it's ageless shadows, waiting for me to come home.

Mini Bikini

Mari's bikini, originally uploaded by dumplingrrl.

Forgive the ratty couch sofa. We're going to the beach this month and I wanted to make Mari something to wear while she lounges by the pool. I had a bit of cotton yarn left over so I decided to make her an itty bitty bikini. This sassy little number features and triangular granny square top and stretchy knit bottoms. Great for lying around on the beach or nursing by the pool. Alas, it is not poop proof.

Mini Bikini

Yarn: Any worsted weight cotton yarn. 2 colors.
Gauge: 16 st. to 4 inch
Hook: 6/0 in Japan size (I’m not so sure how that works out in US size though. It measures about 3mm)
Needle: US no. 5
It's sized for a six month old baby. To make it bigger use bigger yarn and hook/needle and add a few st to the cast on for the bottom, dec to only maybe 15 st and inc until it covers your babe's but. It's knitted flat so you can try it on as you go along.)

Bikini Top.

Using Main color Ch 3. sl st into first ch to make loop.

Rnd 1: ch 3, 2 dc in to center loop, ch 2, (3 dc in to center loop, 2 ch) rep once more. Join with sl st to last chain on first ch column.

Rnd 2: sl st to first 2 ch space. Ch 3. 2 dc into the 2 ch space. Ch 2. 3 dc in to same 2 ch space. Ch 1. (3 dc in to the next 2 ch space. Ch 2. 3 dc into same 2 ch space. Ch 1) rep once. Join with sl st to top of first chain column.

Rnd 3: sl st to next ch 2 space. Change to contrast color. work 3 sc in to ch 2 space. (Sc in to each st until next ch 2 space, work 3 sc in to ch 2 space) Repeat once. Sc to end of rnd. sl st to join.

Rnd 4: (Sc, dc, sc in to next st. sl st in to next st) repeat until you’ve edged 2 sides of the triangle. (About 10 scallops.)
Break yarn and bind off.

Now I sl st back to the middle of the last scallop and chain st a cord of about 10 in. (This is just a long string of chain stitches.)

Make another one like the first but instead of making a chain cord break the yarn leaving a 6 in. tail. Use the tail to sew the new triangle to the last one. Attach the yarn to the right bottom edge of second triangle and chain a 10 in. cord. Break yarn

Attach the yarn to the top of one triangle and chain a neck chain. Try it on and check if it’s the right length. Attach to top of other triangle. Weave in ends.

Bikini bottom

(This is knitted to provide stretch and then edged with crochet. It’s started from the front and decreased for the crotch area and increased for the back. Then the crochet edge is worked for back and then you come back and do the front edge.)
Using Main color CO 20.
Row 1: k2, p to 2 st from end, k2
Row 2: k2, k2tog, k to 4 st from end, k2tog through back loop, k2
Repeat last 2 rows until 10 st left on needle.
Finish on wrong side.
Next row: k to end.
Next row: k2, p to 2 st from end, k2
Continue until piece measures 6 in. finish on wrong side.
Next row: k2, inc1, k to 2 st from end, inc1, k2
Next row: k2, p to 2 st from end, k2
Continue until 34 st on needle. Finish on wrong side.

Hold with right side facing you. Change to Contrast color and using crochet hook sc into each st on needle. When you get to the end make a chain cord that measures 10 in. break yarn and weave in end.

Make a 10 in. chain cord. Hold the piece with right side facing you. Attach the cord to the beginning of the last row of sc. (Sc, dc, sc in to next st. sl st in to next st) repeat to end. Break off yarn and weave in ends.

Repeat for the front edge. Hold with right side facing you. Using contrast color and crochet hook sc in to each st of the CO edge. When you get to the end make a chain cord that measures 10 in. break yarn and weave in end.

Make a 10 in. chain cord. Hold the piece with right side facing you. Attach the cord to the beginning of the last row of sc. (Sc, dc, sc in to next st. sl st in to next st) repeat to end. Break off yarn and weave in ends.

How things work out.

I tried giving Mari some finger food today before her usual breakfast of pureed veg. A nice plate of sliced steamed carrots, pumpkin and some banana. She smeared all the pumpkin in to her clothes and sort of chucked the carrots around a bit and then picked up and tried to eat her plate. Yep. Then she smeared what was left of the pumpkin all over my clothes. Maybe the cooked veggies are a bit too slippery for her. I watched as she tried to grip the carrot but it kept slipping through her hands and she quickly became upset. So we settled down with a bowl of pumpkin puree and she was happy again.

Baby girl sure loves her food and will SCREAM if you try to take it away from her. Just like her mama.

NOM NOM NOM

That is the sound of my baby eating my food stuff. Today Mari snatched a piece of my lunch and proceeded to self feed herself the crust of my sandwich. You should have seen her stuffing her (tiny, adorable) face! Here I was mashing up her purees, making sure every bit of lump was gone and it turns out she's just as happy snacking on real live bread like a regular non-infant human being. I'm looking in to baby led weaning now but it's just ocurred to me, if BLW really is the way for me and Mari then haven't I just shelled out quite a bit of money for the hand grinder, baby food book, and feeding spoon... all that money, for nothing? (it's not that pricey but cash is kinda tight at the moment)

...

Trying not to think of it too much.

half a year.

I've just finished clearing out Mari's little closet. A tiny little newborn sized onesie was hidden at the bottom of it, and her old mitts and socks. It seems like she barely had time to wear them before she outgrew them. It's always bitter sweet clearing away her old clothes. I don't know how many times I'll be changing her wardrobe. Will it always tug at my heart? Another size outgrown, another step away from mama...

She turned 6 months old yesterday. A chunky, lively little girl with a mind of her own. She loves arching her back allll the way over and looking at the world upside down. When she's mad she stamps her little feet in vexation. Loves eating. And, this is so sweet, when I hold her up in front facing away from me she'll lean her head back and give me huge sloppy open mouthed kisses. I feel like my heart will burst sometimes.

Work is breaking my back. Juggling Mari and work is hard even if I'm working at home. Being apart from the Mr. all the time is really lonely. Sometimes I wish we can fast forward to a time when we are all together as a family but then I look at that tiny gumdrop face and I just wish time would stand still so I can kiss her, hold her, nurse her just a little bit longer.