Mittens, Take Two

A busy week, but I finally remembered to make the time to stop at True North Yarn Co to pick out yarn for my cousins mittens.



Without further ado, I cast on for them after dinner tonight. I'm feeling much more optimistic about these ones!!

I have also made fine progress on my 2^nd Stitch Surfers. Just finished the heel shaping.



Tomorrow a new clue comes out on the Vanessa Ives MKAL - can't wait to see what's next!!

Busy, busy, busy!!

Its Thanksgiving weekend this weekend; I have my son and his girlfriend coming, as well as my dad and his lady friend. I will be cooking all of the things!!

I'm back to work 1/2 days next week. It will be bittersweet. Almost 6 years; I've made a lot of friends and while I am excited about my new opportunity, there are a lot of people that I will miss at The Mighty Mart of Wal!!
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Location:Tree Top St,Essa,Canada

Woohoo!!!

I finished a Stitch Surfer sock!!!



Clearly my foot is bigger than the Signature sock blocker! I clearly need to buy the larger one ;)


A friend needed some help today since they had car trouble, so I was able to cast on and get started on the 2^nd straight away.



I also decided to follow the pattern to match up the striping. I am generally in the fraternal sock camp, but these seemed worth the effort of attempting identicalness I'm not unimpressed with the instructions, and my ability to execute them!!

I am quite exhausted from just driving about today. I'm relaxing with some wine and my knitting. App't with the surgeon tomorrow to see what I may be permitted to do. fingers crossed!!!

Chica slept well last night, but was still off this morning. She seems to be much better this afternoon. Clearly nothing serious, it so unlike her. I'm so glad she's herself again. <3


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Vanessa Ives

A fairly easy clue to get started on the Vanessa Ives MKAL. I decided to alternate to colours of the beads in sections as the beads are placed on stitches individually rather than strung onto the working yarn and knit in. It's a lot more challenging to be random with two colours than you might imagine.











I am very pleased with it so far. I am using a 1mm crochet hook to place the beads on the stitches, and the 3.5mm hook to make the nupps.


It is interesting that the lighter colored beads have a consistently larger inner hole and are more easily slid onto the stitch. The darker beads are hit & miss if I can even get them into the hook, and then it's a struggle to slide them down. This despite them both being 6/0 beads.

The Denise 2 Go needles are working perfectly for this project. The cables straighten out nicely in hot water, and the kit comes with a joiner, so I've been able to lengthen my cord enough to continue working.
The join - that's seriously one of the top considerations in a chiding a circular needle. It is not nearly as smooth as the Addi's, but while there is a unevenness at the join, it is not overly bothersome. It doesn't impede and backlog the movement of stitches the way I have found on lesser quality needles.

I am nearly at the ribbing of my Stitch Surfers!!! I am impressed - though I generally require instep shaping, they fit very well without it.


Can't wait to finish and get on with the second sock!!

I've been on a winning streak on the interwebs as well!!
I won the Skagway pattern set from TanisKnits and a Halloween bag, stitch marker and yarn from CraftsOMatic!!!

Three more days until I check in with my surgeon. I am excited. I have felt well today, and hoping that a few more restful days stress-free is just too much to ask for will give me allowance to increase my activity levels.

The incision site that was giving me some trouble is healing well. The slough skin is mostly gone; the pink skin is closing over. It's still tender, but it's getting better.


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In the Purple

I love the knitting belt that Elise sent to me!! The purple is so fun and that new leather smell
... who doesn't love the scent of leather in the morning? Or afternoon. Or night.






They fit not badly. I have lovely high in steps and find that instep shaping is critical. But I'm really not proficient a sock knitter, especially at toe up (this is only my 2^nd toe up sock ever!!) and in this unique pattern, to just fudge instep shaping.

I was treated to lunch at Cicco's a lovely little Italian restaurant in Minesing today. Absolutely delicious!! I had a pulled pork sandwich, and while they didn't have coleslaw for it (I have suggested it), it was practically perfect. And the fries. Hand cut, perfectly fried and generously portioned. I would definitely go back for dinner. Their Barrie location has live music every Saturday.
I had to take a picture of this positively Jurassic plant outside - it's leaves are gigantic.



I am feeling off the last day or so. The allergy meds are brilliant at handling the symptoms, but my body is still struggling with the allergens. My glands are swollen and I just feel oogy.
My abdomen isn't stabby today, but is feeling delicate. I need to be slow sitting/standing. Definitely going to call the surgeon tomorrow.

Hoping for a solid sleep tonight. I'm getting old you know.
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Catching Up

I have had some insomnia lately; my brain trying to sort out all the flotsam and jetsam in my life at the mo. And there's just been so much not sleeping followed by napping that knitting progress rather slumped like an airless blowup doll.
yeah, not sure where *that* metaphor came from!

I ripped out to the commencement of the heel shaping on my Stitch Surfers.


There were giant holes on the heel corners as the last 2 lines of the heel shaping were a bit off to my interpretation, but Helen didn't have holes, so I wasn't going to have holes either!! I know, her glee at my misfortune is rather transparent
I'm back to where I was; full steam ahead!!

I have finally finished the Mock Cape!!! It needs a finishing blocking, but all the ends are done in.


I found the pattern a bit odd. Vague in some areas (no indication of # of dec reps, just the final stitch count to work to), but then overly detailed in others (endless stitch counts on the collar for the pick ups).

I got my hair trimmed and my fringe restored at Connect Hair Studio during the Canada Cuts fundraiser for Gilda's Club.


Thoughts of cutting it shorter flitted through my mind, but I am still loathe to do so given how long it is. Four and a half years since I finished chemo.

I stopped by the LCBO and the selection, even in Angus, of boxed wines was impressive!! My go to red, Bodacious, is now in an economical boxes format!!


What a gorgeous kick off to Autumn we had today, the Autumnal Equinox. I took full advantage.


The puppies are still adorable.





as if you doubted it

Amanda popped in yesterday. Not sure who was happier to put eyes on her - the puppies or myself!!! They went quite mad jumping around her, vying for attention.





We had fun trying to get an un-squinty one as we were facing the setting sun. Two beauties regardless!!

Healing is going well. Spotting is all but done with. I am still crampy if I walk too far/too fast, and I had some random, infrequent stabby pains yesterday. My surgeon is moving offices, so wasn't available today to check in with, but as its not happened today, my medical opinion is "normal".
All of the external stitches on the laparoscopic entry points have healed and fallen out save one. It's quite scabbed over, so I have put some covering on it to encourage softening and healing where it's not rubbing and catching on waistbands.

Ok - back to my Stitch Surfers. Yarn laying about everywhere, telling me what it all wants to be!!

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It's coming!!

The KW Knitters Fair is just two more sleeps away!! SQUEE!!!! One of the premier and knittingly-exclusive shows in Southern Ontario, it is not to be missed if you knit!!

I will be going with Helen. She is my Keeper and Head Nurse these days. Her status as Protector is trumped only by Petey.
I'll be at the Needle Emporium booth for a bit - who could resist?!? Check out Julie's blog for a heads up on what she'll be bringing with.
If you're going and want to meet up in the AM, text me or FB message me.

My Stitch Surfers have stalled; I've been diligently working on the Mock Cape. Body pieces are blocking.


I love the smell of wet wool!! Seriously.I'm targeting having it done for the Fair, and you know about me and deadlines.

I am still napping () most every day unless appts interfere. The puppies are still in mosey mode with me.
The pain is seriously so much better!! I still have crampy days; things are still healing/settling and any kind of abdominal effort - too much walking, sneezing, not knowing how much something weighs - can kick off spotting and pain. So I see, feel, and obey.
I just started driving, (being given the medical permission), and am being sparing with that as well since, as I drive a standard, the clutching does put some stress on my abdomen, so carefully I go.

I have booked a hair cut through Canada Cuts for Gilda's. There are various salons participating throughout the GTA, supporting Gilda's GTA & Gilda's Simcoe-Muskoka.
Get a great cut at a special price for a great cause. Help me keep the promise that no one faces cancer alone!!

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Ugh

I have been doing not much.
I had a few days off of my flute, and it showed in my practice yesterday!! But I set to with a passion and it all started coming back.
I find that the mouthpiece gets slippy rather easily, so I went with a trick that Myrelle mentioned - a piece of envelope sticky.


It serves as an oil/sweat absorber - brilliant.

The puppies got a bath. Petey hacked up something that he felt needed laying, and if one is getting wet, might as well do both!


They are funny, grooming each other afterwards!!
And they like Helen, acting as if I pay them no attention all day long!!


Petey is a sucker for a belly scratch!!

I have made it to the heel shaping on my Stitch Surfers!!


My Soxyzz told me so, which is just as well, as given the stitch distribution and being at the instep, it is almost impossible to try on my foot with any remote hope of accuracy.
I love this gadget!! It's portable, durable, and esthetically pleasing.Throw in that it's less than $15 Cdn and, more importantly, it's a Canadian indie shop, click that link and get one for yourself!!!

I helped Helen string beads Friday afternoon - I find the process of using a bead bowl much more fun than she did.


Helen was chasing the jumpers!!



I am working the fronts of the Mock Cape at the same time.


I find that the pattern is not as well written as could be hoped, so while I'm making notes, this ensures symmetrical accuracy.

I am knackered. Utterly exhausted. The Allergies are in full effect. The sneezing cannot be good. Given that lifting more than 10lbs is verboten, sneezing is clearly off the charts!!
I had no bleeding at all the first week. It has since started and increased, along with an increased degree of overall discomfort abdominally, along with some shaper pains, even at rest. Given that in really doing nothing more than increasing my walking distance/duration, (though not the gait), I'm chalking this up to sneezing.
I'll call the surgeon and my family doc on Tuesday to see what actual doctors think, and see if I can get some stronger/more effective symptom meds.

I hope that you are all enjoying the long weekend!!



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