Monday, January 24, 2011

Custom Fit

After seven years of being a mom, my body has changed a lot. So have my tastes in fashion (thank God, if I still dressed like I did when I was twenty I'd make people laugh). Unfortunately, my body doesn't always fit my tastes.

Over the last six months, I became increasingly aware that my clothes weren't looking that great on me anymore. Coincidentally, I began knitting six months ago. I have pored over pattern after pattern on Ravelry, looking for tops I could knit for myself. I came up with nothing, because everything I wanted to make, wouldn't look that great on me. More fitted tops accentuate my pooch and love handles (when did those get there?!?!?!), and a looser top just makes me look like I'm wearing a tent. Right around Christmas I fell in love with Camden. My first thought was, "This body can't pull off that sweater".  I really liked it though, so I added it to my favorite patterns list.

Just after New Years, I was getting out of the shower in our hotel room, and couldn't help but glance at my body (Why do hotels have wall to wall mirrors? Some of us don't like looking at our bodies that much!) And I just felt sad for myself. My husband deserves a sexier wife, my kids deserve a mom that is in enough shape to dance around crazy with them, and my clothes deserve a body that they can look good on.

After a couple of weeks of moping around, I came across Camden again, and I decided I was going to make that sweater damnit, and I was going to look good in it! I am estimating it will take me a few months to complete this project, just enough time for me to get back in shape! I'm very excited to complete both goals and can't wait to post the picture of me in my new sweater!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Pieces of Me

It has been a stressful but joyous holiday season. With all the shopping, cooking, present giving, and family visits done and over with, I finally have time to sit and write. Shortly after the new year began, my husband and I packed up our kids into the car and headed to Vegas, where my mother-in-law and her hubby were vacationing. I was forewarned of cold weather, so I made sure to pack hats, gloves, and scarves for everyone. I was secretly happy for the cold, because that meant I had an excuse to make my 15-month-old wear his brand new knit beanie (I was inspired to make it from this blog: Coffeebra).

Before this trip, I had NO idea how much my projects meant to me. I have made a few things for others, and I always felt a little pang whenever I would send the finished product off to its new owner. I quickly got over it by starting a new project. It took a baby who hates wearing hats to teach me how important my knitting really is for me.

Twice during our trip, I thought we had lost his beanie. I need to start off with saying that my daughter lost hers right away. I really didn't care, it was something we got at Wal-Mart for $1. Just two hours later, I thought my son had dropped his while we were out shopping. I FREAKED out, frantically tearing up our hotel room in search of it. I have to say that I have a wonderful husband, he was right there next to me helping me look. I was relieved to find it on the floor of our car when we left the hotel later that evening. My second scare happened when we returned to our car after going out for dinner that night. I was so happy when we found it again in the car, it was like being reunited with a lost child. As we were driving back to our hotel, I realized how much knitting really meant to me, why I felt that pang whenever I would give away something I spent time making. No matter the size of my projects, I grow to love them with every stitch I make. All the frustrations I suffer when I make mistakes are long forgotten when I hold up the finished product.

For some people, its their cooking, others photography, the list goes on. We all have that one thing we love to do that we pour our heart and soul into. For me, it really is knitting. So as I go on and on about my infatuation with this craft, you can sit there and look at me like I'm crazy all you want. That's fine with me, I just won't be knitting anything for you anytime soon.