Five more bitty books.

After Knit Night and taking Fourthborn home, I ran by the other Half Price books in Arlington, as it's more or less along the way. (The one two weeks ago, in central Arlington, is a little out of the way, but then it's books we are talking about.) I was hoping to find more small books.

They were less per item than the ones I bought last week, and the manager very kindly knocked a significant portion off my tab "Because it's been a long time since Christmas."

In knitting news, I am about halfway up the back of the second tabard and nearly done with the salmon X-O pattern on the second sleeve of Avery's sweater (with most of the ends to date woven in).

I also shanked myself in the left calf while waiting for the elevator to go home after work. Says I to myself, "Did I just get bitten by something?" But no, there was a 0000 needle sticking out of the side of the bag. I haven't peeled out of my jeans yet to see if there's a visible mark on my leg.

Adela's arrival has been updated to "before the end of the day on Friday." I just don't want her to arrive on Saturday. We have important dolly fun planned, and I don't want to interrupt it to drive downtown to fetch her.

Avery sleeves

Avery's sweater stalled out sometime before I went back East to pick up Middlest last year. I don't remember why.

This morning, during General Conference (of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), I carefully put the first sleeve back onto needles and cast on for the second sleeve. When I took this picture, I had just completed the two-row pattern of little purple squares. As of this writing, I am midway up the orange X-O pattern.

My plan is to knit the second sleeve to where I stopped on the first, fit them against Avery, and work both sleeves up to the armscye. I think I remember that I lacked an inch, but it was a year ago when I tried it on him, and I've slept since then. Once the sleeves are ready to join the body, then I will decide if I want it to be patterned as well, or if I just want to knit it plain up to the armscye and knit a patterned yoke as I do the raglan shaping. Or round yoke. Or whatever. He's got great shoulders and could carry off a round yoke. We shall see what the muse declares. Or what Avery insists on.

Changing topics slightly, that soft orange is a perfect match for the ties I bought to make skirts for Adela and the Nana I have my eye on next. It's the yarn I used to knit a wee sweater for Middlest's little guy, October.

I've spent some time this weekend browsing Etsy. There are Russian artisans who make beautiful furniture. And today I found a shop that makes Thonet rockers in doll scale. Not bentwood like the human scale ones, but carefully crafted plywood ones. I think that maker lives in Spain.

Dolls and their toys.

Middlest bought this for the dolls last weekend.

Three of my Pukifees with their toys and/or pets: Joy, in the back with the bear that Beloved bought for Chutzpah. Chutzpah with the zombie doll that Squishy gave her, the ball from the penguin bowling game (out of camera range), and a little red wagon bought on my honeymoon. Praise with her puppy and the miniature Fisher-Price toy that I bought coming home from Tennessee last month.

Night, y'all. I'm tired and happy and going to bed.

Ribbons and lace and a tabard. Oh my.

One side of the bags. I'm not sure what I'll use that veiling for, but I can't wait to get my hands on it.

The other side of the bags. Source: FiniRibbon on Etsy. Her late grandmother was a milliner. Lisa and Phil have a plethora of amazing vintage goods in their shop.

The blocked tabard, waiting for buttons and snaps. Quarter for scale.

 

Today I paid off Adela; Mint on Card says that she will ship in up to five business days. I'm fine with that. It gives me time to make something beautiful for her. I also ordered a harp for Blessing and an alchemist's bookcase that Celeste will share with her. Middlest and I have already begun to plan the first photoshoot. The artist is doing a custom color for the bookcase. (You don't ask, you don't get.)

That's all I have for you tonight. We meet up in the morning with two of my other kids to pick up our next quilt blocks, and then I will curl up in the queen chair to bliss out on General Conference, knitting in hand.

A gift, and some shopping.

One of my friends was cleaning out her storage unit and found these dishes. The larger ones are SD sized, and the smaller ones make excellent plates for MSDs. The teacups are latte sized for my MSDs. I have a small table set on top of my dining room table, using a drawnwork handkerchief as a tablecloth and cutlery charms from Michael's as flatware. I have yet to find suitable glassware, but while on vacation earlier this month, I did bring home four mason jar shot glasses (with handles) to serve as mugs for the big dolls.

 

And here is Faith, sitting in a MCM chair we found at Daiso after a Costco run. A second identical chair has made its way home since I snapped this picture.

Tonight I brought home the laces and ribbons that I'd ordered from my favorite Etsy dealer. They're every bit as delightful as the batch I bought when I first started collecting dolls.

And while I was winding things up at Knit Night 2.0, I found a skein of Ella Rae laceweight in colors that should tone well with the neckties I bought to make doll skirts.

I have some serious catching up to do.

The last post was seven years ago. I had five(?) six!!! dolls. I now have fourteen, with a fifteenth on layaway that will be paid off day after tomorrow, and a sixteenth in my sights.

I also need to figure out how to access this blog from my smart phone. There are a bajillion pictures to copy and paste.

I'll try to get this figured out over the next couple of weeks.

Charity’s Box Opening

The obligatory box photo.



Still life with peanuts.



Excavation in progress.



Her LittleFée booklet.



Her dress, stockings, shoes, wig, and a second wig for Chutzpah (for modeling hats).



Discreetly placed shoes, for modesty’s sake.



Sitting up.



Charity waves hello!



And a close-up of her dear little face.



I took these in the break room at work, so none of her siblings were present. They all seem to be playing nicely, although Faith looks poutier than ever, and Temperance looks a little stunned.

I have a little over $50 saved up for the next doll, who will be Hope, and am a little sad that the Narin Firefly Bandy has apparently been discontinued. There are also a couple of outfits at Iplehouse that I want for Temperance, and I am putting out feelers for a group order.