Bummer! I went to the doctor yesterday, and found out that I have to have surgery at the end of February. I have two massive fibroid tumors in my uterus and an ovarian cyst. They have been causing a lot of pain and trouble for me, so it's time for a hysterectomy. I did some research on the internet yesterday, and found some support groups. I also joined some yahoo groups to help me through the process.
I've never had surgery before, so I'm quite nervous about it. The only time I've gone to the hospital was when I delivered my three sons. Now, I'm going to deliver a uterus instead. lol
I found a knitting pattern on www.knitty.com for making a knitted uterus, so I might try to knit one up before I go. I can hang it on my door as a decoration just for fun. I'll need something to make me smile when I'm there. Here's a link to the pattern: http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTwomb.html
I'm looking for some other things to make as well. I might make the really long socks that go up to your thighs. (I know that hospitals get really cold sometimes). http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTverytallsocks.html I'm thinking that knitting lots of socks would be a good idea. I might make some of these basic tube socks as well. http://www.frugalhaus.com/homepage/tubesks.htm I think those would be quick to knit. I just found another quick knit sock pattern that looks toasty also: http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/quicksocks.html But, I think the Cottage Slipper Socks on the Lion Brand Webpage look the warmest and thickets. http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/kwe-socks.html
Heck, I might just make them all!
I think I'll make a wrap or throw also to keep my body warm. Those hospital blankets are pretty lousy.
Back to the knitting room!
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Lego Knitting Machine - Way Cool!
I just found the coolest knitting machine on the internet. It was made with Legos!
Here's a link to the video of the knitting machine in action.
http://homepage.mac.com/aklego/iMovieTheater23.html
Monday, January 23, 2006
Valentine's Day Knitted Baby Hat
I was just doing some searching on the internet to try to find some free knitting patterns for Valentine's Day. There is not that much available really. Then I remembered the cutest hat pattern I used once for making a roll-brim baby hat with a top knot. Here's the link to the pattern: http://www.vintageknits.com/babyhat.html
I think that pattern should be available when you do a search on Google for Valentine's Day patterns.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Moda Dea Cache - Poncho Plan
I just got some Moda Dea Cache yarn on sale tonight at Michael's for $3.00 a skein! I usually sells there for about $9.00 a skein, so it's quite a deal. I got 3 skeins, but I'm going to have to go tomorrow to get 2 more skeins, because I just found a pattern for a poncho that I HAVE to make! I think it will be gorgeous with this yarn. It was designed for a different yarn, but it looks like this will work. They are the same gauge, and they are both wool. Here's hoping!Here's a link to the pattern: http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/charles/charles.html
And here's a link to my yarn (same color as the ones I just bought - Wink):
http://www.herrschners.com/products/product.aspx?sku=710064
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Monday, January 16, 2006
Cornbread and Buttermilk
I know I'm a country girl, but tonight it has been confirmed. One of my favorite foods is cornbread and buttermilk mixed together in a bowl. It is SOOOO GOOD! I thought it was something that lots of people ate, because my whole family ate it when I was growing up. We had lots of country food though, because my step-dad raised all kinds of vegetables in the garden.
My sister and I had to help in the summer heat, planting seeds, "dusting"* plants, watering plants, picking beans and snapping them, picking and shelling peas, picking corn and shucking it, picking okra and slicing it to be fried, following the tractor and picking up the potatoes that popped up from the plows. It was torturous work in the southern heat. There were occasional breezes that came through the field, and we would each stand with our arms raised to welcome the coolness. Yes, the work was hard, but the food was wonderful.
My mother would can and freeze everything she could. She made homemade pickles, canned vegetable soup, tomatoes, and tomato juice, froze corn and peas, canned green beans. That pressure cooker was constantly whistling during harvest time. On the days she made pickles, the entire house smelled like vinegar - yuck! But the pickles were good, as well as everything else from our garden.
Tonight I decided to make some cornbread, and was getting so excited about it, because I knew I had some whole buttermilk in the fridge. I set the buttermilk out on the counter so it could come to room temperature while the cornbread was cooking in the oven.
I went down the hall to talk to Marvin while he was watching tv and playing on the computer. I laid on the bed and said, "I'm making some cornbread." He said, "Oh no! You're going to have cornbread and buttermilk again aren't you?" I said, "Of course - it's one of my favorite things to eat!" He was completely grossed out.
When the cornbread was ready, he followed me to the kitchen and watched me take it out of the oven. I cut off a big slice and put it on a plate for him, and helped him butter it real good. Steam was rising from the bread, and the butter melted fast - it was delicious! I had some with him, and we both gobbled it up.
Then, I reached for a bowl to get some more cornbread and Marvin just ran out of the room yelling, "Yuck! I know what you're going to do." I ignored him, cut off some cornbread and crumbled it in the bowl. Then I picked up the warm buttermilk and poured it over the cornbread, stirring it up with a spoon. When the buttermilk mixed in with the bread, I added a little more buttermilk to make it the right consistency.
I carried the mixture to the craft room, so I could sit in my rocker and eat it while watching HGTV. Marvin came in the room saying, "Gross! I love you, but I can't stand to watch you eating that." I said, "Then why did you come in here? Go away, so I can eat my delicacy in peace."
I thoroughly enjoyed my cornbread and buttermilk. The cornbread was just right - no sugar added, just natural. If you add sugar to the cornbread, it doesn't taste right with buttermilk. I've had that sugared cornbread before, and it only tastes good by itself. You have to follow the recipe on the mix that doesn't call for sugar. That's the only way to make it right if you intend to add buttermilk after it's cooked.
After my meal, I decided to look on the internet to see how many others out there enjoy cornbread and buttermilk like me. Not that many, apparently. The only references I could find were "soul food" websites. lol
Oh well, I don't care who likes it or who doesn't. I'm gonna keep eating it until the day I die, because I love it!
* for those of you who don't know, "dusting" plants is putting "sevin" dust in an old sock and shaking it over the plants to keep the bugs away. Yes, it's a pesticide.
My sister and I had to help in the summer heat, planting seeds, "dusting"* plants, watering plants, picking beans and snapping them, picking and shelling peas, picking corn and shucking it, picking okra and slicing it to be fried, following the tractor and picking up the potatoes that popped up from the plows. It was torturous work in the southern heat. There were occasional breezes that came through the field, and we would each stand with our arms raised to welcome the coolness. Yes, the work was hard, but the food was wonderful.
My mother would can and freeze everything she could. She made homemade pickles, canned vegetable soup, tomatoes, and tomato juice, froze corn and peas, canned green beans. That pressure cooker was constantly whistling during harvest time. On the days she made pickles, the entire house smelled like vinegar - yuck! But the pickles were good, as well as everything else from our garden.
Tonight I decided to make some cornbread, and was getting so excited about it, because I knew I had some whole buttermilk in the fridge. I set the buttermilk out on the counter so it could come to room temperature while the cornbread was cooking in the oven.
I went down the hall to talk to Marvin while he was watching tv and playing on the computer. I laid on the bed and said, "I'm making some cornbread." He said, "Oh no! You're going to have cornbread and buttermilk again aren't you?" I said, "Of course - it's one of my favorite things to eat!" He was completely grossed out.
When the cornbread was ready, he followed me to the kitchen and watched me take it out of the oven. I cut off a big slice and put it on a plate for him, and helped him butter it real good. Steam was rising from the bread, and the butter melted fast - it was delicious! I had some with him, and we both gobbled it up.
Then, I reached for a bowl to get some more cornbread and Marvin just ran out of the room yelling, "Yuck! I know what you're going to do." I ignored him, cut off some cornbread and crumbled it in the bowl. Then I picked up the warm buttermilk and poured it over the cornbread, stirring it up with a spoon. When the buttermilk mixed in with the bread, I added a little more buttermilk to make it the right consistency.
I carried the mixture to the craft room, so I could sit in my rocker and eat it while watching HGTV. Marvin came in the room saying, "Gross! I love you, but I can't stand to watch you eating that." I said, "Then why did you come in here? Go away, so I can eat my delicacy in peace."
I thoroughly enjoyed my cornbread and buttermilk. The cornbread was just right - no sugar added, just natural. If you add sugar to the cornbread, it doesn't taste right with buttermilk. I've had that sugared cornbread before, and it only tastes good by itself. You have to follow the recipe on the mix that doesn't call for sugar. That's the only way to make it right if you intend to add buttermilk after it's cooked.
After my meal, I decided to look on the internet to see how many others out there enjoy cornbread and buttermilk like me. Not that many, apparently. The only references I could find were "soul food" websites. lol
Oh well, I don't care who likes it or who doesn't. I'm gonna keep eating it until the day I die, because I love it!
* for those of you who don't know, "dusting" plants is putting "sevin" dust in an old sock and shaking it over the plants to keep the bugs away. Yes, it's a pesticide.
My First Real Skein of Homespun Yarn
I have been learning how to spin now for about 6 months. After many ugly attempts, I finally have spun enough to make a full skein that looks decent. I got the wool in an auction on eBay, and initially spun it WAY too tight. Last night, I ran it through my spinning wheel again in the opposite direction to loosen it up a bit. Then, I stretched it out in a swift, got it wet, and let it dry overnight. This morning, I was able to take it off the swift and it looks pretty good! It's just a single ply, but it's thick enough to be a worsted weight, so I guess I'll just use it as it is.
Josh's Afghan with Chenille Border Added
Here's the final photo of Josh's afghan, with the chenille border attached. The border is so soft, so it adds a a nice textural quality.
My First Afghan
When I learned to knit about 2 years ago, I asked my oldest son what he would like for me to make for him. He doesn't like sweaters, and I had already made him a knit hat, so he asked for an afghan. An afghan! That's huge!
But, I determined to have a go at it. I decided to make it a small afghan that he could use while sitting at his computer, since he LOVES to sit at his computer.
I started looking through patterns, and was getting frustrated, because they all looked so complicated. I asked Josh what colors did he want me to use. He chose Black and Blue, his favorite colors to wear. I looked through my stash of worsted weight yarn, and found several skeins of blue and black. I then decided to add some white to the afghan to add some contrast to those dark shades.
I found one pattern that looked interesting, but I would need to make about 25 squares and stitch them all together. Stitching seams is not my favorite thing to do, and I really didn't want to do it for 25 squares, so I decided to make my own design. I decided to make 5 continuous strips of knitted squares, then I would only need to stitch 5 strips together! It was still a pain, but better than the first option.
Here is the finished product! It turned out pretty good.
I made the first strip by knitting a square using Harris Tweed stitch in blue, then changed to black and did a square in garter stitch, then changed to white and used moss stitch. Then I added another black square, and blue square. Then I bound off those stitches.
Then, I made a little chart of how my squares would be arranged on a slip of paper. I then continued to make strips, using the chart as my guide.
I laid out the strips on my bed to make sure I had made them right, then I attached them side by side with easy crochet stitches. After that, I took this photo, because I was so proud to finally finish! (I started making this afghan about a year ago!)
After taking the photo, I looked at the afghan again, and decided to add a border around the edge. I used a different yarn for that - Lion Brand Chenille Thick and Quick. That yarn was so soft, and the color black really enhanced the whole afghan.
But, I determined to have a go at it. I decided to make it a small afghan that he could use while sitting at his computer, since he LOVES to sit at his computer.
I started looking through patterns, and was getting frustrated, because they all looked so complicated. I asked Josh what colors did he want me to use. He chose Black and Blue, his favorite colors to wear. I looked through my stash of worsted weight yarn, and found several skeins of blue and black. I then decided to add some white to the afghan to add some contrast to those dark shades.
I found one pattern that looked interesting, but I would need to make about 25 squares and stitch them all together. Stitching seams is not my favorite thing to do, and I really didn't want to do it for 25 squares, so I decided to make my own design. I decided to make 5 continuous strips of knitted squares, then I would only need to stitch 5 strips together! It was still a pain, but better than the first option.
Here is the finished product! It turned out pretty good.
I made the first strip by knitting a square using Harris Tweed stitch in blue, then changed to black and did a square in garter stitch, then changed to white and used moss stitch. Then I added another black square, and blue square. Then I bound off those stitches.
Then, I made a little chart of how my squares would be arranged on a slip of paper. I then continued to make strips, using the chart as my guide.
I laid out the strips on my bed to make sure I had made them right, then I attached them side by side with easy crochet stitches. After that, I took this photo, because I was so proud to finally finish! (I started making this afghan about a year ago!)
After taking the photo, I looked at the afghan again, and decided to add a border around the edge. I used a different yarn for that - Lion Brand Chenille Thick and Quick. That yarn was so soft, and the color black really enhanced the whole afghan.