NaKniSweMo

Mission Accomplished!!!

I finished my overdyed Koigu Kersti On The Easy Side sweater that was my #1 goal for the NaKniSweMo. There were way more stitches than it would appear with all of the on-the-needle swatching & re-knitting that I did!! You can definitely see the lighter yarn on the sleeves - again, it just deepens my appreciation for the yarn dyers out there who can predictably replicate their awesome yarns. This has sated my dyeing desires for a bit but I'm sure that I'll feel the urge ... someone better warn Buffy!!!

I also finished China Clouds, knit 3 scarves for my Dr.'s secretary & nurse who have been awesome squeezing me in to see the Dr. & helping me out through some of the chemo drama and for one of my best friends who has been an super supportive, and banged out a pair of mittens for Amanda this past weekend.

Phew!! December is not likely to slow me down ... I'll share what I can but some things are still Top Secret! Yeah, you know the drill ;-).

I got a Rx for Arthrotec - it has totally taken care of the crippling bone/joint pain that I was suffering in my legs and the excruciating stomach pains. The drugs in the chemo therapy affect the faster replicating cells in our body - hair follicles and stomach linings are at the top of the list. My fingers are crossed that the subsequent treatments are controlled by the Arthrotec and don't get worse ...
I've got a bit of an eye infection that I have drops for. Irritatingly, the eyelashes on my right eye have mostly come out as a result so I have unbalanced eyelashes. SIGH, it's the little things.
I've also noticed that I don't get "sleep sand" in my eyes in the morning anymore. I guess that the chemo is totally cleansing my body ... how bizarre. My eyes also water constantly, which is annoying.

Got My Head Outta the Clouds

Just over 2 years in the making (way longer than I estimated :: hanging my head in shame::) but China Clouds is now in the books!! I put a real push on last week - I swear, it was a mission!!

It's been a journey that I totally loved. Even though I put her aside for other projects she waited patiently for me to return and it was love again. It was a challenge - my first real Kaffe - and I do feel triumphant.
I'll put it in the mail to Jackie this week - I wish that I could see her face. I hope that the reality of it lives up to her expectations!!

My last three treatments are Taxotere and it freakin' sucks!! I knew that I had it too good these past few months & now I'm paying for it.

I have to sit with my fingers in ice while the drug is administered (1-1.5 hours) to help prevent damage to my fingernails so knitting is out.
Now I have the most wicked bone/joint pain from my waist down; horrible, stabbing/shooting pains that is probably like arthritis to the 'enth degree. Sitting, walking, laying down - no position is any worse or better than another.
My stomach is in knots - not nauseous, just gut-wrenching pain. Eating, not eating, water ... nothing seems to make the pain better or worse.
My lips are numb-ish and my taste buds are shot - everything tastes kind of grey and soapy.
I'm going to get some better drugs tomorrow for the bone/joint pain but it's going to be a long couple of months ahead with nothing but strength of will to haul my ass through each hour.

Not sure about blogging The Amazing Race tonight - concentrating & sitting up are not my strong suits right now.

No Bad News Today

China Clouds progress = excellent!!! I'm almost at the armhole shaping of the back - I might really get this done this month!!!
I am at the halfway point on my On The Easy Side sweater. It weighs 302g which contradicts the 2 part of balls #5 & 6 (which weigh 26g) that I'm on. So I should be good to take out a dark skein & a light skein (I still have 2 light-ish skeins and I only need one for the end of the 2^nd sleeve) and still be able to finish the sweater. The extra 28g won't be problematic - as soon as I hit the spot on the 2^nd sleeve where the light skein needs to be introduced I'll switch to the light skein.

I totally forgot to show you the Signature Needle Arts sock blockers that I received as a gift!! My love for Signature needles is quite well known so this was totally the perfect gift - I can't wait to finish a pair of socks!

AND I won a contest!! It turns out that 800 is my lucky number! Amanda helped me to pick out Vacation as our colourway. You all also know about my love for handdyed yarn so this was a completely excellent win!! Amanda has requested mittens ... she also wants a slouchy winter hat.

2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back, Another Step Forward

With a few stutter steps along the way.
So after checking the size and # of sts (geez, there are only 2 sizes but I'm a measure once cut twice measure twice cut once kinda gal) yesterday I was off to the races on the rev st border. Until I started on the intarsia chart - why were there leftover sts on the body portion??? Because I cast on for the large size instead of the small. Really good thing there wasn't actual cutting involved!! Rip it out, re-knit it and tink back a several times because I knit instead of purled or forgot the decreases. At the end of the day the border is done but it took a whole day instead of half that time. Sigh. Shake it off ... going to knit on some nice, easy socks before bed.

BTW - how do you eat your Smarties?

Plus Ca Change

So I knit both of the On the Easy Side sweaters in the previous post - the Sweet Spot hit reliably at the 40 st point on the sleeves and at that repeat # in the body of the colourful version. On my current sweater it hit at 36 sts on the sleeve - why? I think that it's because I'm using Susan Bates needles instead of the Signature Needles that I used on the other two - my Sigs are being used for China Clouds & I'm loathe to change needles mid-project. Also because of the stiletto tip on the Sigs and my tendency to knit off of the tips I tend to knit tighter on them. I love this sweater so much because of the way the Sweet Spot hits in the body of and shows off the Koigu Kersti so well and that is entirely reliant on the #of sts in the body and I'm doing the M so it's the perfect repeat for a 40st Sweet Spot!!!

So ... I'm already on a 4.5mm (SB) needle and the gauge/fabric is lovely but I tried going up to a 5mm to see if that would work out - too loose and the patterning was too thin (I'm picky ... it's one of my many lovable quirks). Now it's a matter of adjusting the # of sts on the body to hit a 36st repeat. OMG - this is all of the scratching that I did trying to work that out, in addition to having a calculator almost overheating!! I'm going to blame it on the chemo (I will blame as much on treatment as I can) - my brain is totally addled lately!! I need to keep reminding the kids that it's not just because I'm getting old. I will have 20 extra sts on the body; boy am I glad that I dyed up the extra 2 skeins!!!

You'll see if you look closely (up near the top) where I've joined ball #2 - it's definitely a bit more intense in colour. All the more reason for my sorting out the gradation for a more balanced effect across the sweater. This definitely renews my admiration & appreciation for the indie dyers out there who create & re-create predictably such lovely colourways!! It's also cool that the increases above the Sweet Spot creates a bit of a stripey section then the next increase creates a sort of blocked effect.

I'm well under way for NaKniSweMo (OMG - you have no idea how many times I have to type that to get it right!!) even/especially with knitting probably half again as much sorting out the needle sizing - I knit a whack with the 4.5mm Sig, then the 5mm SB then ripped it all out and continued with the 4.5mm SB.

I started on the back of China Clouds - it feels so good to be on the last piece - I'm starting with the border again.




Amanda made the basketball team again - when will she get that she's really is good?!?

Bring it On!!!

Can you even believe that it's November already? No matter, I'm totally ready for whatever it has to throw at me.

I finished the RF of China Clouds!!! Just in time to decide about NaKniSweMo. I was torn - I'm not one to take a challenge lightly and I want to choose a sweater that would be challenging for me but I also am committed to finishing China Clouds, sooner rather than later. And the back of China Clouds is no small task so I've decided that I am going to do On The Easy Side from Knit One Below for which I over dyed some Koigu Kersti specially and have it laid out in knitting order. I sorted it so that the lighter skeins are going to be on the sleeves with the darker/richer colours in the body. I'm going to cast on as soon as I'm done posting this.




I also finished my Sweet Spot strip out of the yarn that I dyed at Shelridge Farm. Mine is on the left, the Creatively Dyed strip is on the right. It was a fun day that is memorialized in yarn!! I don't know what yarn I'll swatch up next - maybe I'll leave it to The People. Y'all did an excellent job picking a hair colour!

The new sleeping pills are the bomb but I have to make sure to take them early enough/go to bed early enough the night before if I've got AM plans because it takes me a bit to crawl out from under that hammer! Not complaining, just saying.

Oh - a winter picture for Elise. I'm not sure that she'll actually get to feel Canadian snow before she heads for her European home so this picture will have to play a good 2^nd fiddle.

3rd time NOT a Charm

The 3^rd round of chemo was NOT a charm. Last time it was headache, this time it was nausea. Even with the meds I was down for the count - nothing that a friend bringing ginger ale, another bringing dinner and a couple of days in bed couldn't cure but still. Today is better but still not excellent - I've been spoiled by good luck so far.
The fact that my period is not lighter & did not stop altogether - both possible side effects - but has decided to come every 3 weeks with chemo cycle just seems like adding insult to injury!! It's screwing with my hormones/emotions and is probably not helping my borderline anemia. Sigh - it's always something with cancer.

But the knitting is continuing. I finished the Ana Bandana yesterday in bed with Mischief. I'll get Amanda to model it tonight maybe - I think it will look cuter on her.

<sup>I started a new project for Elise - I can't take a picture without giving it away (another Top Secret project) but here's what the yarn looks like. The beige is Kollage Sock-a-licious and the chocolate/cherry is Claudia's Hand Paint Fingering.

I've also finished the RF of China Clouds and am working on the ends!!! Just the back to do and final finishing - the end is in sight!!!





And how awesome is it to have friends whose last name is Comfort? Judy & Bob came by on the weekend to drop off the Back to Back trophy - yes, it's come back to roost in Canada.</sup>

Duped!!

Day 6 proved to be my most troublesome again this round - nothing really bad just a weird, hard-to-adjust kind of day. Fortunately it only lasts 24 hours!

I took Saturday night off from the sleeping pills - needless to say that I didn't sleep much. I took it last night but still didn't sleep well; I kept waking up so thirsty, getting a drink then waking up again a short time later to go to the bathroom!! ARGH Crossing my fingers for a good one tonight.

While I've been doing China Clouds I've worked out some things that, while they aren't necessarily short cuts, they do make the finishing a bit easier.
The dark grey accent around the curls for instance. I was adding in the extra yarn in the centre and then had that many more ends to sew in for just a few stitches. What I do now is leave the tail from the one side of the curl and duplicate stitch the rest of it on. It makes for a bit of a thicker bit on the fabric but it's really inconsequential because it's not on much of the fabric.






Short post for today - I'm feeling the tireds again. Not complaining though, especially if this is the worst!!

Measurable Progress

I have finished another pair of socks!! This is a bit momentous because even though I usually have a pair in progress I work on so many other things that socks seem take me forever, which is also why I tend to do just simple stockinette ones. Though I really do want to work through Cat Bordhi's sock book and maybe do one or two of the Yarnissima sock kits that I have.

Before I start on something new - something for Elise I think - I had to turn my attention back to China Clouds. I have both sleeves and the LF done and I'm past the armhole shaping on the RF. It's coming along nicely & I'm still loving working on it.





I finished the Eleanor Cowl out of Malabrigo's Silky Merino. It really helps keep the back of my neck warm at home! Even though I cast off loosely it's a bit snug going over my head - if I were to knit another one I would take the time to do a sewn bind off for even more stretch.
The hat is Jared's Koolhaas hat knit for me by my friend Joan. It fits wonderfully & is Amanda's favourite!



The Koigu Kersti that I over dyed has a definite range of vivid to lighter. The picture shows the lightest & most vivid out of the 14 that I did. I think that what I am going to do is start the sleeves in the lighter skeins, changing to the more vivid skeins for the body then back to light for the other side. I think that it will work out well and hopefully a bit graduated. I will make it so.

I'm feeling good - the 2^nd round of treatment has not hit me any harder than the 1^st. I'm feeling the tireds coming on today though, I'm glad that I have absolutely nothing planned for tomorrow and very little for the rest of the week.


I think that Mischief is being very spoiled by my being home; she absolutely loves insinuating herself onto my lap and I just have to work my knitting around her. I don't know if she just likes having her main human around or if she really sense a need in me for her singular comfort. Once she's settled & I can knit it's really nice.

The Good

The new/last colour on my Creatively Dyed Sweet Spot strip reminds me of an Amish quilt - dark but with bold/sedate (I know...) colours.












Sleeplessness = progress. China Clouds & I are back at it like reunited lovers. She is lapping up the attention!!








UPS brought me a box today and I was running around, took Kyle to work then went out to a movie and it rode with me but I didn't want to open it in the truck. Side story - I had always had this notion that going to a movie by myself would be pitiful & lonely. I don't know why ... who knows from notions?!? But today I just had the urge to be out by myself - I had plans for a nice dinner but that changed & I ended up with McD's so that I could see Inception. It was oddly empowering & freeing to go by myself!!! I loved it and I can totally see myself doing it more. It was from Roxie and right after Amanda pounced on me to see her new Blackberry - cheapest & most Mb efficient Smartphone - I opened the box. OMG - it's a beautiful quilt!!! It's huge but Kerwyn is already in bed & I didn't want him to wake up to a camera flash. I love the florals and I can feel the weight of the care/caring in the weight of it. My Granny was a quilter and when we were little we were allowed to thread needles for her quilting circle and only when they did "tie" quilts were we allowed to really help by tying knots in the yarns. Thank you Roxie - it's a treasure in so many ways.

I am still feeling pretty good - mouth sores have started. FFS!!! I'm rinsing with non-alcohol mouthwash (though I really think that a nice rinse of Ginger & Rye couldn't hurt ;-)) and they are just more annoying than anything.
My head has been itchy - I think that I can feel hair cells dying. I know ... I'm going to try not using gel though - maybe I'm just more sensitive to the product.
I feel a bit like I'm coming down with something. I had a cold the weekend before treatment - I thought that it was just bad allergies but once I felt better I realized it was a cold - but it had gone away. I hate being so hyper-paranoid but apparently it's vigilance now. I called the nurse and she said I was right to jump on it - I'm going to see if I can get into my family Dr. tomorrow for a consult, throat swab & maybe some antibiotics.
Gilda said it best, "It's always something".

Measurables

It's been an up & down couple of days. Monday - bad. Day 6 and my stomach had no idea which way was up, whether it wanted food, drink or nothing, whether it wanted to keep sustenance in or get rid of it in the most expedient manner possible. I was trying to put out symptoms left, right & center and head them off at the pass. Any pass, I wasn't being picky!
My eyes are feeling different - I think that my vision is changing but the nurse suggested not going out & getting new glasses because they could keep changing & even change back! It's not really bad but just noticeable enough to me to be annoying to drive & sometimes watch TV.
The bone pain from the Neulasta is not bad ... knock on wood ... a deep twingy feeling, almost ghostly in it's passing making me wonder if I actually felt something. Oh yeah, there it is ... I feel it. It's not horrible, I just hope that all of these symptoms aren't cumulative and increase exponentially with each treatment.

Yesterday was better than Monday (Merciful Lord!!!) and today, while I slept little & unwell, today is feeling like it has potential. Shelly rearranged her day to give me a lift up to Gilda's for a support meeting. I can drive but I just feel a bit spacy so until I get a bit more used to it I don't think I feel good about driving more than to the store in town, if that.


The garter thing - being reworked.

Lina - done!! I like it - the fit is good with the pattern as written. I know ... bit of a passport pic but that's what happens when I'm left to my own devices!!


I'm into my last colour on the Creatively Dyed Sweet Spot strip - I really love Dianne's colourways!!


I sewed in all of the ends on the LF of China Clouds and attached the bands - looking good!


I picked up the RF to get busy on ... do you see that?!? All of those purl blips?!? OMG - I was happily knitting away on the wrong side of the band!!! Sigh. Situation under control - ripped out, re-started.

What Would I do Without Knitting

So ... just one more day before I get pathology results from the surgery. I seriously don't know how people who don't have a hobby/distraction/obsession get through hard times. I still think about the endless "what if's" while I knit but having the yarn sliding through my fingers and fabric coming off of the needles keeps me from dwelling too deeply and gives me a zen kind of peace that keeps the demons at bay.

You're familiar with China Clouds - I'm on to the RF now. After a wee OOPS! where I forgot to do the vent shaping on the border it's full steam ahead.

I started on the Beverly Cardigan for Julie - deadline Knitters Fair. I got this.

The Creatively Dyed Sweet Spot strip is going great - notice how just a wee change in tension changes the angle of the patterning. I knit that stretch at the beach - obviously quite relaxed. Still lovin' it!!

We went to the beach again yesterday - I taught Randy how to knit. After Nic & Krista learned Randy mentioned that he'd like to learn and what better place than at the beach. Another natural - he totally took to it!!!

My niece Chantal made me this lovely wall hanging - I don't know if she's heard me sing ... LOL. Thanks Chantal - love ya!!!

Life's a Beach

We had a great day at Wasaga Beach. I found the free parking lot that I always park at (though it's been a couple of years) after nearly stroking out at the $16 that the main beach parking lots were charging. Seriously ... on a week day?!? There was some sprinkles that we sat through then when thunder started about 1/2 hour later I made the girls pack it in. By the time they had made the 1st trip to the truck and come back the thunder clouds had passed by so I gave in to the pleas and we stayed another 3 hours!
Amanda is so photogenic & a beauty already! The picture of her running in the waves makes me think of her in a Survivor challenge - she'd totally be the smart, hot chick!!!
After a shower to get the sand out of all the places that sand manages to get I sat outside & watched Kerwyn toss the ball against the side of the garage. I love watching him. He has this cute little habit of examining the ball for defects then wiping it off on his shirt if he misses it.
I took a picture of me before we set out - the hat is a classic Chic Knits bucket hat.
I made progress yesterday on China Clouds & Mystery X & got a bit more done today at the beach on my Creatively Dyed Sweet Spot strip. I love how this is patterning!!

Sorry about that crazy pink yesterday - I don't know where that came from. Trying something new - again - today!!