What exactly is an “infant’s set” in the context of being something I have to knit for the fair? It makes me think of an entire outfit: dress, booties, hat. But what about boys who aren’t dressed in dresses. How about a sweater, booties, hat? Or would that need some sort of pants, too? What about a more summery dress that you wouldn’t want to wear a knitted hat with? And how big is an infant? Would that only be a size 0-3 months? Could it go up to 6 months. 9? Related, how big is a child’s sweater? Is a baby sweater a child sweater? And what is a sweater anyhow? Can it have short sleeves? Is a bolero a sweater?

Who knew this fair stuff would be so complicated.

I started 119 | Needlework | Embroidery | Needlepoint. I am making a really cool pin cushion based on a medieval design. Needlepoint kicks cross-stitch’s bootie.

I also plan to cast on tonight for something that will either be a knitted child’s sweater or part of an infant’s set. I am leaning towards the latter because I think I’d like to make a cool sweater for Anya.

Last night I finished the dread number 114. I am relieved. I am lighter and free and full of joy and song and dance. Or that could be the candy corn.

This is a piece called “Dragonfly Duo” by Dimensions Crafts. It’s a kit I got 50% off at AC Moore. I think the 50% I didn’t get had my sanity in it. I think it should be renamed, “Damned Dragonflies Bleepity Bleep Bleep.” I sent my suggestion to the manufactures, but I haven’t heard back from them yet.

Being the sadistic crafter I am, I started on my next project this afternoon: 113 | Needlework | Cross-Stitch | Christmas Item. For this piece I am using a pattern I found online called “Shades of Christmas,” from Crossing Montana. I chose this pattern because (1) it was free, (2) it only had 3 colors in it, and (3) it is small. Do you remember Unhelpful Store Lady from a month ago when I went to the local craft store to find cross-stitch supplies? I said, “Hey, I’m a cross-stitch newbie and I want to make this –show lady pattern–. Could you help me get what I need?” And Unhelpful Store Lady grumbled and led me directly to the 32 count Aida cloth and never once said, “This is not really for newbies,” or “You need magnifying glasses to stitch on this,” or “Whatever you do, do not try and stitch on this when you are in a car being driven by your crazy-driver husband going along wavy, windy, hilly roads with your whining pre-schooler in the backseat.” Not one word about any of that.

Strangely, once I had the magnifying glasses and a chair on solid ground and peace and quiet and a bowl of candy corn, this piece became not only much easier but actually pleasant. I think I can dig 32 count Aida. It’s more like real fabric, and the finished product doesn’t look like it is stitched on a piece of graph paper. And I definitely can dig the simple, small, three-color pattern that lacks half stitches, back stitches, and the insidious french knot.

Day 20: Continued 114 | Needlework | Cross-Stitch | Wall Hanging.

I finished a dragonfly today. Its body is a bit of a mess. If I had magical powers that made the things I cross-stitched become real, this poor dragonfly would keel over pretty much immediately after coming to life. Of course, if I did have those powers, I wouldn’t be stitching dragonflies. I bet it would be fairly complex to cross-stitch a hundred dollar bill accurately, though. At least for me. I’d end up arrested for counterfeiting. Do you think they’d give me cross-stitch supplies in jail? I would practice and practice until I had the craft perfected and then stitch a real dragon who would knock a hole in the wall of the jail cell and carry me away to freedom and not eat me for lunch.

“Let me out! Where is my dragon!!”

Days 18 and 19: Continued 114 | Needlework | Cross-Stitch | Wall Hanging

The back of my cross-stitch fabric resembles Anya’s hair when we forget to brush it for a few days. Except more colorful. I really wish I could say I am getting better, but I think the opposite is true. I stitch on.

Day 16: Completed 60 | Food | Jelly | Blackberry.

Day 17: Continued 114 | Needlework | Cross-Stitch | Wall Hanging; Continued 161 | Craft | Holiday Decorations | Fall.

Monday, three of the four classes from Anya’s school took a trip to a local farm to harvest potatoes. The school kids planted the potatoes last spring, and the harvested tubers will be sent to the local public schools for lunches. Anya’s teacher brought back a bucket of taters for the class, and today they washed, cut, and cooked them. Since Anya only goes half days, she wasn’t going to be there for the class potato snack. Her teacher let Anya pick one out to take home, and we’ll cook it up with dinner tonight. Last fall when we did the harvest, we were joined by three buses of public school kids. This time it was just us until maybe halfway through, when one bus of kids showed up. The day was cloudy and misty, and the ground was very wet. We saw all sorts of creatures: a little snake, a mouse, a tomato horn worm cocoon, and a honking bunch of earthworms.

I made a batch of blackberry jelly Sunday night. It tastes a lot like the raspberry jam. Last night I worked a little bit on the Halloween garland, and I started to wonder if this is really a “fall” decoration. There is a miscellaneous holiday decoration where Halloween would definitely fall, but Halloween is in fall, and there are no Spring or Summer or Winter classes. I’m gonna go with it. Last night I also went back to the cross-stitching. No matter how carefully I think I count, I keep finding little mistakes. Some I fix, some I let go. I’ll just add a couple extra squares of yellow here, move the green over there. Perhaps in the end it will still look sort of like what it is supposed to look like. I still want to make apple jelly and can apples before I put away the canning stuff, but my canning energy is mostly boiled away. Andy is making a cider press.

My feet stink.