Monday, August 21, 2006

I'm officially middle-aged!

Today, I'm turning 30. The big 3-0. And you know what? It's not a big deal. I don't feel any different than I did yesterday, though I have to admit that I feel a whole lot different than I did when I was 20.
Examples? More self-confidence, thicker skin. Criticism used to reduce me to tears. Now, I shrug it off with a smile and a professional "So what do you think we can do to solve this problem?"
Thank you, Mr. abusive grad school advisor!

I'm still a serial academic, but no longer desperately competitive. I guess I'm mellowing out. Instead of piling major upon major and pulling 16 hour days, I make sure I have time for knitting, baking, family. All the important things that make us happy rather than just successful.
I hope the personal growth continues, maybe without some of the major life crises we've had in the past 5 years or so.

And because this is a knitting blog, I should post a couple of pictures of the WIP I'm working on. Somehow, it seems especially appropriate to be working on something for my friend's baby. Lillian was born about a month ago. As I am entering a new phase in my life, she is beginning hers, and her parents are entering a new phase in theirs.

This is the back of Kate Gilbert's Samantha sweater dress. I'm making the 1 year old size because I haven't seen Lillian yet, and I don't know how big she is.
I have to admit that I got bored with stockinette stitch, but now, interesting things are happening. Note the slip stitch pattern towards the top. It's so pretty, and so much fun!
The bottom edge looks like a stocking stitch roll. It's not, it has YO's that will make a cute scallopy bottom when the seam is folded under (see closeup below).

Here's a closeup of the slip stitch pattern. The pattern between the two lines is actually a different slip stitch pattern, but I couldn't make it look less stockinette-like in this picture. It's quite different, though in a subtle way, and adds to the overall appeal of this otherwise simple piece.


I am particularly excited about the hem of this sweater dress. When it's folded over, it'll form little picot-y thingies. Here's what the edges of the sleeves and the bottom hem of the dress are going to look like when I'm done sewing up the seams:


Pretty, no? The provisional cast-on was a PITA, particularly because I did it with the same color yarn as the rest of the sweater. But this is so pretty, I'm sure the end result will be worth it!

OK, now I'm going for a nice long walk. Then, I'm headed for our friendly LYS! Hubby told me it was OK to hit the yarn store with his credit card! I love him, love him, love him!
Of course, I was planning a grand tour of Rhode Island yarn stores, but it turns out they are all closed on Mondays. Oh, well. Better for his finances, I suppose. And I'll find something I like anyway!

Birthday yarn, here I come!

10 comments:

soapy said...

Happy Birthday! I had a major issue with the 3-0 part and still say 29....lol Hope it's a good one for you!

Trillian42 said...

Happy birthday, honey! And welcome to your thirties! (I beat you here by almost 3 years)

The dress is going to be absolutely lovely - can't wait to see it when you finish it up!

And aren't picot edges awesome?

Kel said...

Aloha and Happy Birthday! Thirties are great: Twenties were fun but hard, and being 30 instantly grants you more credibility and respect. May you have a good birthday, a great year, and an awesome decade to come!

Brittany said...

Happy birthday! Birthday yarn? Yum!

cpurl17 said...

Happy Birthday!! Sigh...30 was a long time ago for me :)

Hope you melted down that credit card!

Westozcaat said...

Happy Birthday

LadyLungDoc said...

Oh dear, if 30 is middle age, what does that make me as I am about to turn 39?

Happy Birthday!!

Jo said...

What do you mean middle-aged? I plan to live way past 60 :)

Jo, the 33 year old.

Jo said...

Oh yeah... Happy Birthday ;)

gourdongirl said...

Happy belated birthday. Hell I wish I was 30 again....no I don't coz I wouldn't have my 2 boys!

I was 45 the day after you, BTW and I certainly DON'T feel middle aged, maybe in 5 years I will!!!!