Dealing with sick parent

Dad is still in the hospital. I did do more knitting as I worried about him today. Mom is super stressed and I am not sure if she will be able to take care of him. Doctors say he has had several strokes this past year and the brain is atrophied. His balance is off but wants to get up frequently to use the bathroom. He had a high fever and fluid in his lungs. That is better.

He was the most modest, intelligent and kind man growing up. Today he is argumentative and does not care that I have to put the bed pan under him or wipe him. This is so difficult...Making the decisions about how to care for him is even harder. He was better mentally today . The social worker came in to talk with us. Mom does not want assisted living or to leave her home. He hated the nursing home he was in for a few months last year after he fell.

The sweater saga..kimono

My 85 year old dad is in the hospital the last 2 days. I have plenty of nervous energy waiting while he sleeps most of the time. So I did get a bit of the sweater done..this is a lot for me..

I learned the mattress stitch to sew up the kimono and now I am crocheting the edges. The finishing part is taking a long time..

twins to knit for.....

Picture of Sarah and Jason's Twins ( A and B)..is this cool or what? My nephew and his wife Sarah found out yesterday they are having twins in May. Now I have some babies to knit for!

Stitches Stuff came today

The paperwork came today. Stitches is getting closer and I am saving my $. Funny,they even provide a service to mail all your stuff home . Some people must get a little carried away. Better not bring the Mini.

Now- Have to figure out what I signed up for and what homework /materials are needed . My classes are all beginners ones and I am sure I will learn a lot about felting 101, cables, everything beyond knit and purl and finishing .

purple kimono progress and moth eggs destroyed

I am blocking the baby kimono .. now have to figure out how to do the mattress stitch. This stretchy cotton makes it hard to see bars I am supposed to go through in the stitch. I better wait till it is sunny during the day so I can see.

Gross thing accomplished today. I went around and scraped off the moth eggs on my trees today. These yellow masses can can potentially hatch over 1,000 disgusting caterpillars next spring . Moths were so destructive this year eating the leaves and dropping their poop all over. Eggs are now soaking in a can of bleach .

http://wendyknits.net/ Celtic Swan Forge dpn's are on my wish list. Wendy's blog is better than any knitting magazine or book.




























































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Is knitting making me fat?

Since I started knitting 7 months ago I have gained 10 pounds? Yikes. I keep telling myself to go for a walk or do a tape ..Maybe it is because I am retired too. But, husband claims I am sitting too much? would think knitting would help me lose weight because it keeps my hands busy from snacking. Nothing fits): winter coming and it will only get worse.so depressing. Sitting at this computer so much does not help either, I guess?

Friday..

Went to knitting last night and we are getting excited about Stitches. My first Stitches so I signed up for several classes. Hope I left time to shop. But, maybe that is a good thing $$$

Still working on the front left of the Mason Dixon kimono.

Went to 2 church sales today with my EBay selling friend. Had to get up in the dark to be the first there ):. I was looking for knitting and spinning stuff & found none .But is was ok because she filled her car up with EBay stuff .

Found another blog I plan to visit daily..My favorites now are :

• http://wendyknits.net
• http://www.purlingswine.com/
• http://theraineysisters.com

Beautiful Fall Day

It is so gorgeous out today..Brisk fall air and lots of color. Took a long walk with husband today and I am loving this retirement more and more. I have to weave in the yarn on the helmet liner before I go to knitting group tonight. The finishing part I dread -but knitting on the deck looking out at this view is not bad...

Just watched the taped Knitty Gritty with guest Annie Modesitt with an easy to knit corset -T.

ooooooohhhhhh this looks like something to knit and to wear...

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_4920958,00.htm

the kimono progress

Knitters on some blogs suggest this is a weekend project and takes a few hours? Not for me..I try to knit faster only to make more mistakes..

Forget the sweater...do the kimonos!

I received a baby shower invite for my 53 year old friend( yes, really) that had twins. So, right then and there walked downtown and got yarn to make the Mason Dixon baby kimonos. http://masondixonkal.blogspot.com/ Started the purple one but it looks very small. I just looked at a knitter review and it said they run very small so maybe it was not my gauge dilemma again?I really tried to figure out the" gauge "thing . Even went to Babies R US today to measure the baby stuff to see if it was just my imagination. Maybe I forget how small babies are? . I didn't forget..it is looking very small..even so, I will finish it just for practice. I need to get these done by Oct 18th..maybe?

Monday

Used to be I hated Mondays..getting up early and faculty meetings,,,NO MORE..retirement makes Monday like a weekend.. Stayed up till 1:30 am working and reworking the sweater that is going at snail's pace .
Started a cool sock . I can read the knit and purls on this yarn. Lorna's Lace "Jeans". It is finer yarn than the last two I used for socks so I cast on more stitches. Did not do the "gauge" thing so I hope they do not turn out huge...

Rainy Sunday

Raining again today...A nice day for knitting but I HAVE to do some cleaning here. Yarn all over the place..Started new sock last night and got a few more inches on the sweater after I frogged a few inches..grrrrrrrrrrr

Helmet liners

The knitting friends came here last night and completed helmet liners. We all have made these wool hats for local soldiers. I guess they will be sent in their care packages around Christmas. Some of the parents of two soldiers came to a meeting a few weeks back. I hate "war" but support these unfortunate kids and their families. I hope the hat helps keep some soldier warm. ( pattern is available at the link.) Our hats go to OSOT c/c Stepanie Johnson
279 Cantrell Road, Monitcello,NY 12701 OSOT2004@aol.com

KITTY PI IS DONE

i JUST LOVE THIS! SO DOES MOLLY....

Kitty Pi

I was so excited today!Last night the Kitty Pi was completed during Kidnapped and Standoff WendyKnits. So today I did my first ever felting . I put this through the washer two times and was not sure when it was done for sure.. Looked all over for several containers to block it as I was not sure how much it would shrink . The directions said put it in a pillowcase holder with a zipper but I just had a pain pillowcase I tied. It ended up coming out of the case so I hope it did not attract too much other lint?
Anyways- now it is drying..Finding out how the colors developed was exciting..Now I wait for it to dry! I hope the kitties will like it!

fun projects

This is a cool bracelet that matches the necklace that I made at Camp this summer in Bradford,PA. It looks better than what the picture shows.( I think) One problem is that the thread stretches out after wearing it so I am giving it to my friend.

I am enjoying this project ! I have about 20 or so more rows to finish and then will do my first felting project ever..This is for Elizabeth's 3 cats :Mini,ChaCha and Mondo.

Starting kitty Pi

Need a break from the sweater which is not going very fast. Started Kitty Pi this afternoon but had a hard time finding #11 or higher dpn's so I am using 10 1/2.. This will be my first felted project and I have learned how to increase by knitting into back of the same stitch..I am up to 72 stitches but wonder how these dpn's will hold 144???? The colors are pretty purple, green and turquoise. Took me forever to wind the first ball of wool. There must be a trick because I got it terribly tangled trying to use the winder.
Thanks to lv2knit for the first comments I have received.

gaining or losing thoses stitches.

Stitches have a way of increasing and decreasing on "the" sweater. Maybe it is the alpaca yarn the way it splits? Or maybe it was because I was not concentrating while I was watching Greys Anatomy. Not getting very far on this sweater with all the taking out of rows....frustrating!!!!!! because I am lacking experience and being able to fix mistakes .. I have about 3 inches done with maybe 20 hours of time put in..sort of pathetic.

mohair wraplet

Finished this last night.
Now, I just have to fix a few gaps): and weave in the ends.

I love the colors-but- might have made it too small for around the shoulders?


Molly is my little helper.

sock yarn

This just came in the mail!
Lorna's Shepard Sock Yarn called Jeans. This will be my 3rd pair of socks and this yarn is so soft.This color will look great with jeans, I won't start them till I get started on the sweater (again)and finish the mohair shawl.I knit so darn slow mainly because I am still figuring things out and can't fix most of my mistakes.