life with a chronic disease and a really big yarn stash
Rocking the Week #1
This is so annoying: here we are at the end of another week and I have NO finished objects to show off. How can this be? The house is littered with projects that I have started or are planning to start soon… I tell myself that I’m just organizing and it will all come together soon. There’s no reason why I can’t have more than one knitting project cast on, right? As long as I’m in single digits I don’t have a problem! Seriously, that is a true statement: ask any knitter. I am reading books like crazy. Lots is going on, but I’m struggling to put together one theme that would be suitable for a blog post.
So, why don’t I just show you my week? Really, it will be fun. Here are all the moments of the week that prompted me to pull out the camera.
I found a tempting pattern for fingerless mitts with a hidden pocket (for hand warmers!!!) on Ravelry called Dueling Gradients. This Kauni yarn that I’ve been itching to try out should work great. The two balls actually have the same colors in them; the way the ball is wound affects the appearance. Sunday I cast on and started playing with the yarns and the pattern.Monday I wound off the warp for the dishtowels that I want to weave. Ugh. It is done.Tuesday I taught a Project Learning Tree workshop for teachers in the local school district. I had to sand down this 2 foot wide tree cookie for the teachers to use in one of their activities. Yikes. That was a lot more work than I expected, but look at those tree rings! This tree was 24 years old when it was cut down.Wednesday I headed to a hospital up north for pulmonary function testing. It’s official now; I don’t breathe as well now as I did a year ago. It’s almost a relief to get closer to the diagnosis: I really am out of breath (and not just out of shape!) On the way out of the hospital I bought this great figurine in the gift shop.and of course I visited another yarn shop. This time I went to Mew Mew’s Yarn Shop, and here is Mew Mew herself. How fun is that! She woke up from her nap while I was there and demanded attention. Mew Mew (and some new fabulous yarn) was just what I needed.Thursday I spent the afternoon getting the warp onto the loom with some cat assistance. This is called warping because you descend into a time warp that sucks dry the entire afternoon and leaves you blinking and tied in knots before it is over. Tedious and stressful at the same time. Cat assistance is not appreciated! How sad for MacKenzie.Today I finished warping the loom and then made these wickedly awesome stitch markers from some beads I bought at last year’s Interweave Yarn Fest. Wait! I did manage to finish something this week. The stitch markers are actual FOs!!
This evening I finished a fingerless (production knitting) mitt that I started last week and cast on another pair of socks. I now have four knitting projects in progress and a warped loom that I can start weaving on next week. Whew! There’s a lot going on.
Stay tuned for next week. I’m sure I’ll have something done by then. 🙂
I weave, knit and read in Aurora, Colorado where my garden lives. I have 2 sons, a knitting daughter-in-law, a grandson and two exceptionally spoiled kittens. In 2014 I was diagnosed with a serious rare autoimmune disease called systemic sclerosis along with Sjogren's Disease and fibromyalgia.
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9 thoughts on “Rocking the Week #1”
Two rows at a time will get you there…one warp at a time will get you there, well, maybe…but closer. I see progress, some days it just takes longer to be noticeable;-). Nice work, love the place markers. They look like a couple that were sent to me from a swap a few years back…it doesn’t seem that long.
I love the willow tree figurines, I have several and Abi has a few including that one, they are so simple and yet beautiful. Your warping sounds challenging especially with cat help! I love your FO’s 🙂 Enjoy your weekend.
What a lovely week! Your stitch markers are gorgeous and I love all of your yarns 🙂 Speaking of your breathing issues…have you looked into the diagnosis of PAH (Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension) or IPAH (Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension)? My cousin has it and it was very difficult to diagnose. It’s often mistaken for COPD or Asthma.
Right now they are looking at interstitial lung disease; the PFT supports that diagnosis so I think a lung CAT scan is right around the corner. I am at high risk for PAH so I’m going to ask for another echocardiogram when I talk to my rheumatologist. I’m so sorry to hear your cousin has PAH. As one of my doctors said, it’s good to have a diagnosis, but also a shame.
I watched the movie Bridge of Spies last night and loved the captured Russian spy who painted and refused to worry. “Would it help?” He replied when asked why he didn’t worry. That’s me, knitting away, waiting for lab results. 🙂
Yarn, Books & Roses 
Two rows at a time will get you there…one warp at a time will get you there, well, maybe…but closer. I see progress, some days it just takes longer to be noticeable;-). Nice work, love the place markers. They look like a couple that were sent to me from a swap a few years back…it doesn’t seem that long.
That’s right! I just need to keep working away. It’s a process anyway, righr?
I love the willow tree figurines, I have several and Abi has a few including that one, they are so simple and yet beautiful. Your warping sounds challenging especially with cat help! I love your FO’s 🙂 Enjoy your weekend.
The Willow Tree figurine just makes me feel good every time I look at it. I think I need more!!
Yes, one you start you’re hooked!!😉
Looks like you were pretty busy. Little bits of progress get you there even if it doesn’t feel like it. Your stitch markers are very nice!
That’s what I tell myself; I am making progress and eventually they will all be finished. Probably on the same week.
What a lovely week! Your stitch markers are gorgeous and I love all of your yarns 🙂 Speaking of your breathing issues…have you looked into the diagnosis of PAH (Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension) or IPAH (Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension)? My cousin has it and it was very difficult to diagnose. It’s often mistaken for COPD or Asthma.
Right now they are looking at interstitial lung disease; the PFT supports that diagnosis so I think a lung CAT scan is right around the corner. I am at high risk for PAH so I’m going to ask for another echocardiogram when I talk to my rheumatologist. I’m so sorry to hear your cousin has PAH. As one of my doctors said, it’s good to have a diagnosis, but also a shame.
I watched the movie Bridge of Spies last night and loved the captured Russian spy who painted and refused to worry. “Would it help?” He replied when asked why he didn’t worry. That’s me, knitting away, waiting for lab results. 🙂