You are worth it

When I was in 8th Grade Home Ec (I’m a year younger than dirt), we made basic A-line skirts.  I found this lovely suede cotton and begged my mother to buy it for the project.  I don’t remember how much it was per yard but it wasn’t that expensive.  She was looking at the $.79 a yard fabric and I was looking at the $1.29 fabric or something like that.   My Home Ec teacher just so happened to be in the store at the very same time and overheard our conversation.  She told my mother that she should reconsider her decision and allow me to get the suede cotton.  If I didn’t like the fabric, I wasn’t going to wear the skirt.  She also reassured my mother that she would make sure I didn’t ruin the skirt.

Well, my mother decided she would get the fabric for me.  And I didn’t disappoint.  In fact my sister and I shared this skirt throughout high school.  By the time I graduated, it had seen better days.  But it was worth the cost of the fabric.

Which brings me to my point.  If you are going to spend the time knitting or sewing something, get the good yarn or fabric.   Get enough so you can play with it, get the feel of it, practice with it, swatch it.  Then go for it.

Life is too short to knit something out of yarn you don’t like. It takes a lot of time and effort to knit.  If you don’t like the yarn, you won’t wear it.  Rip it out and knit something else out of it.  Or give it away.

You are worth the “good” yarn.

And speaking of yarn…I made some substantial progress on my mittens last night.  I’m altering the pattern by making a slit on the palm so the top part will fold back and expose the fingers.  Not sure if I will make fingers or just add an extension for fingerless mitts.  I may also do the same for the thumb so the recipient can text while still keeping their hands warm.

Maybe I’ll even get a picture of my progress.

Is knitting hazardous to your health?

Back to Monday… 

We were home from Pittsburgh for about an hour or so and I started to feel a tingling sensation in my left hand, wrist, arm, shoulder and neck.  I had a tingling in my wrist a couple of weeks ago but this wasn’t going away.  Since I was already at the computer, I checked out those symptoms on-line (possible stroke or heart attack) and decided to go to the hospital.  After numerous tests (and I mean numerous), they ruled out a stroke and heart issues.  I most likely have a pinched nerve.  Could be serious but not life-threatening. 

Did I feel a bit like a hypochondriac or stupid by going to the hospital for a little tingling?  After it was all over, yes.  But given my family history and my recent bout with a blood clot in my leg, I thought it best to get checked out.  I wasn’t 100% sure I was alright and I wasn’t willing to risk my life by staying at home. 

Seriously: If you think you are having a medical emergency, get help.  It’s better to feel stupid after it’s over than to suffer permanent damage or even worse, be dead. 

I had a bad reaction to the adhesive pads they used for the heart monitor and I have itchy red welts to prove it!  I’ve never had a reaction to something like that before but I’ve never had those pads attached to my body for that length of time either. 

Lightbulb moment: Can my knitting be the cause of this pinched nerve? 

I did start these at the hospital. 

Knit Picks Ms Ida Chain Link Mittens

 

 And I forgot to mention that yesterday was International Beer Day

The Lace Hem Top is still a WIP.  After I figured out the short row shaping and bound off the shoulders, I was not happy.  I ripped out the last six rows and will attempt (for the last time, I hope) to get it right.  I am a perfectionist and I want this to be as perfect as I can make it.  Mr. Aitch will be out this evening so I can devote my entire attention to finishing this project.

Interesting few days…

I was a bit MIA for a few days but I’m home now.  For the past few days I have been in Morgantown, WV; Springs, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; and the hospital. 

Mr. Aitch wanted to go out to dinner last Friday.  Outback Steakhouse.  The closest one is in Morgantown, WV.  Only 68 miles away.  We took the Harley and it was a nice ride and dinner.  Not crowded at all when we got there but there were people waiting to get in when we left.  Good timing! 

Broken Stork Scissors

 

Saturday morning I went to Springs on my Suzuki to see the Scissors Guy about fixing my stork scissors.  The original pivot had been riveted and screwed and he said he couldn’t repair them.  I appreciated his honesty.    

Saturday afternoon I seamed one shoulder on the Lace Hem Topping.  I don’t like how it’s turning out.  lengthening the body by an inch and shortening the armhole by an inch helped with the fit.  I really want to get this finished.  For some reason this isn’t going as smoothly as I anticipated.  I am short row seaming challenged.  

The stitches are twisted so I took a break and made these

Lampwork stitch holders

 

Knit Picks Ms Ida Chain Link Mittens

 

Sunday we made a quick trip to Pittsburgh.    I took some yarn and a new mitten pattern to work on while Mr. Aitch drove.  (I even bought the recommended colors.)  In my haste to pack something  small to knit, I forgot one set of needles and didn’t get the project started.  As soon as we got home, I found the size needles I needed and put them in my knitting bag. 

Monday became the most interesting day and I’ll explain in a later post. 

It’s the right thing to do

“If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.”  Emma Bronder Kreidle, my grandmother.  

If you have been following my dilemma about the Lace Hem Top here and here, you know I am not happy with the armholes.  I tacked a few stitches together under the arm and shortened the shoulder by a half-inch on both the front and back thinking it would fix the problem.  

There are no shortcuts to doing something right.  I’ve spent too much time knitting this only to have it second-rate.  I would always look at it thinking I should have…  

So I ripped it down to the beginning of the armhole shaping and knit another inch before I start the armhole shaping for the second time.  Then I will make the armhole an inch shorter.   

Second attempt

 

It’s the right thing to do.  Right, Gram?  

On another note the thermometer already says it’s 89 degrees and it’s only 9:00 am.  Gonna be another hot day.  

Mr. Aitch and I “planned” to ride our motorcycles to the Farmer’s Market in Springs, PA this morning to visit a scissors repair man.  

Broken Stork Scissors

 

I have a pair of stork embroidery scissors and the pivot broke many years ago.  I didn’t want to throw them out so I finally found someone fairly local that would take a look at them to see if he could repair them.  Not sure if we want to ride 40 miles one way in this heat.  It just might be too darn hot.