These Are My Confessions...

There is something so exciting about doing something you're not supposed to. There's the thrill of the new experience, the rush of the way something new touches you and with your heart racing and adrenaline pumping you don't care about the consequences, you enjoy the moment, no matter what it brings.

I confess, I had an affair....

... I cheated on the Baby Beef Blanket.

And it felt so good!

Those slippers were simply too magical to resist. I had to make them. I HAD TOO. It was a deep, primal urge I simply couldn't ignore.

Pattern: French Press Slippers by Melynda Bernardi

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool (100% wool)

Needles: US 15

Notes: If I was a smoker, I would totally light up having completed these. This is an incredibly easy item to knit- and felting wasn't nearly as terrifying as I thought it would be. What's even better- I used nearly the entire skein, I have MINIMAL leftovers, I can't make anything else! You can knit these in two evenings, or if you're me, a whole Saturday. If, and WHEN, I make these again, I would felt the shoe parts for longer and the strap for shorter. But in general I am extremely thrilled with these.

It went from looking like this pre-felting (pardon my iphone photo):

To this- post felting.

In a word? AWESOME.

But once I allowed myself to cheat on "Beef"- I couldn't stop. I just couldn't.

Does it help if this is intended for his little head?

Pattern: Hat (my own = CO 48 sts and fake it like you know what you're doing!) & Booties #7 White Booties from the ...baby...bebe...bambini book.

Yarn: Classic Elite Jil Eaton "Minnow Merino" in white and blue

Needles: Hat- US 8, Booties- US 7

Notes: This yarn is SO yummy. If I had a mint, (which is what I'd need to afford a shwack load of this), I would buy it and dive in like Scrooge McDuck used to with his money. This stuff is made of yummy and possibly kittens.

As if these distractions weren't enough- I kept it up. I confess I also knitted up a baby hat to add to my pile waiting to go to the hospital, giving me three more hats to add to the running total.

Yes. I know. I'm sick. I should be ashamed. I shouldn't be flaunting this blatant affair on this blog like I am. But I cannot help it. I NEEDED a break from the blankets. And, lest you stay up at night worrying yourself about my Beef project... I thought I'd let you know that I spent my entire Sunday knitting on it. (Yes, all this casual knitting took place on Friday and Saturday- perfect knitting weekend!)

Behold... Beef progress!

I'm nearly done the fourth section- just one more after that. I'm hoping for a reprieve from this bad boy by the weekend. There are two things I'm considering; outlining the words "Li'l Beef" which is barely recognizable right now (dammit!) and the cow eyes with a light brown color, and secondly, potentially adding a crochet (*VOMIT) border. I feel like the blanket is going to need some loving finishing and I worry that I don't have the patience to see it through. But let's get there and cross that bridge when we need to.

It felt good to cheat. I know I can't always allow myself cheating like that, but it was so satisfying to do something, ANYTHING, other than a blanket that I was more than willing to break my resolve. Having had a little distraction, I'm ready to keep on tackling Beef. Hopefully next week we'll be "oohing" and "aahing" over my FINISHED blanket.

Bless me knitters for I have sinned.

(and I still don't feel bad about it!)