Time-Out...
The February Lady Sweater is thisclose to being sent to "time-out." That's where uncooperative knitting patterns go. Usually to die. Part of it's my own fault. I had another migraine (more on that below), and toward the evening of this past Sunday, I thought I should knit.
Yeah. It was stupid. I had Hubby help me measure the arm-holes, and we decided that I was "there." So I thought I'd separate the armholes, putting them on waste yarn.
As I was happily counting the 65 stitches onto the waste yarn, I glanced down and noticed that about 45 or so stitches CAME OFF THE RIGHT NEEDLE. Yeah. Laying in my lap. Bare naked stitches, no needle.
Thankfully, there's enough wool in the silk/wool blend that the stitches "caught" and didn't entirely fade away.
I was very upset. I almost tossed it in the bin right there. I thought about saying some words. But mostly, I thought about rescuing the blasted thing before it was too late.
No picture. I was panicky. I actually held my breath till I was almost dizzy - I mean "more than migraine dizzy" dizzy... I was too afraid to move for a moment, much less breathe. This picture above shows how far apart the needles are. They're not supposed to be that far apart. The yarn at the top left is the yarn that's supposed to be on waste yarn for the sleeve hole. The yarn closest to the yarn bowl, and to the right needle?
That's the stuff that slipped off. It's on another hunk of waste yarn, and I only re-counted it 1700 times... No, not really, but it felt like that. And it's still wrong. This pic here at the left shows putting the "fallen" stitches back onto the needle. And sweating. Nearly swearing.
But I got 'em back on. Did the rest - I mean, I put the other sleeve-worth of stitches on their waste yarn, set it GENTLY in the knitting bag and went to bed.
I just couldn't face it. I couldn't face screwing it up again. I couldn't decide whether to frog it or press on. So I did the next best thing.
I went to bed and slept on it.
It's not a hard pattern. Really, it's not. But it's extremely slippery yarn. And the migraine didn't help.
So today, after errands, I picked it up again, and counted. And I'm off a bunch of stitches. A lot. And I re-counted. A bunch more times. And I'm still off. The sweater is going to grow (she says - and so do the instructions). So I took the number of stitches between the "button bands" and divided that number by 7, which is the total number of stitches in the lace pattern. It's divisible by 7, with a whole number! Yay, no fractions of stitches.
So I'm going for it. I'm putting this picture here, at the right. It's the completed yoke. I didn't do the lace pattern under the arms, so the yoke part is a little longer than the pattern suggests. But it's not as long as some Ravelers have made it. And at this point?
I'm gonna have to have a priest bless it. Because all I want to do is get it done. It's still beautiful yarn. It's going to be a gorgeous lace pattern. I'm in love with the buttons.
But I'm a bit annoyed at it right now. One more screw-up and it goes into Time-Out. It's going to be another "Teal Sock" at this rate.
(It's going to grow...it's going to grow...it's going to grow) This is my mantra right now. When I'm done here, I'm tackling the first 4-row repeat of lace and we'll see how this goes. I think this yarn needs to be this sweater. I hope this yarn wants to be this sweater.
More Migraines...
I'm a little worried. I've had a bunch of migraines, which may mean my daily Rx isn't working as well as it used to. And you know what bugs me is that I'm pretty much on the "last" migraine medicine there is.
Over 30+ years, I've tried 'em all. Including anti-depressants, which caused me to eat like a starving animal, and that's not going to happen. And I still had the migraines - plus I gained 8 lbs. in one week.
No thanks. Chiro doc says he can adjust me for the migraines. We'll see. It did work for my grandpa's sinus headaches (which I suspect might've been migraines, but back in that day, "men didn't get migraines").
I've been on this particular Rx (which I've complained about because it's hideously expensive) for about the past 12 years or so. And it's been working. And I'm at the top of the therapeutic dose. And my neuro wanted to try to get me off it, figuring that as I'm in menopause, maybe it's time.
But I've had a number of break-through migraines.
Maybe I need to look at Botox. If you flunk all the Rx treatments, Botox could be an option. I have to make an appointment and see her. It scares me a bit, because I've been under good control for a long-ish while.
Dogs & Summer...
Yeah, normally it's "dogs OF summer" but I have a little PSA (Public Service Announcement) for you all. Print the image and stick it on your fridge. And do this test. If you can place the BACK of your hand onto the asphalt or concrete, and hold it there for over 5 seconds -- and I mean pressing it in as if you were standing there - then you're good to walk Fido or FiFi.If not? It's too hot. Remember - they're barefoot. And wearing fur coats.
And really - with the temperatures in so many areas being so hot so often? For the love of Dog - don't jog with the pooch, even if you and the dog are "used" to it. Temperatures across the US are rising. It's not "normal" summer anymore. Storms are more violent. Heat is hotter. Dry is drier.
The dogs need to adjust and so do we. So please be aware of what's going on outside before you take the dogs out, or even let 'em loose at the dog park.
And let's talk ticks... Ticks are spreading into regions they haven't previously inhabited. Ticks are leading the Lyme disease charge. Our girls (the Elkies) are both positive for Lyme disease. We got them like that, because in Northern Wisconsin, where they were, they didn't bother to check them for Lyme, but we do in Illinois.
When we got Tippi & Quinn, their Lyme numbers were in the triple-digits. A couple weeks of doxycycline? We're good now. Numbers are stable. And of course, we're on flea & tick prevention year-round.
I'm also using an "outside fun" spray from Young Living Essential Oils. It's made of a couple of oils, plus the foaming Thieves soap. I spray it on myself when I'm doing outside yoga. I also had Kid #2 try it up where he lives, in "skeeter central." He says it works, but of course, you do have to reapply it. Not like DEET, but that's fine. I don't want to poison myself or my dogs.
So take care of your family - the bald ones and the furry ones.
The Ring...
So my friend "L" is a bigger Cub fan than I am. And this is his newest acquisition. We go back and forth on FaceBook about how the Boys are doing, and I'm kind of chill. It took us over 100 years to win the Big One. It's early yet. We're at .500 and it's ok. Obviously, a replica. But still stunning. I hope he brings it to church soon - I want to try it on. And I'll make him take a picture for me!
He said it weighs almost a pound. I wonder how he can lift his hand up off the table even!
There's a wimpy Bradford Collection version for the women, but if I'm going to go there, I'm going there the right way.
But I don't think I'll go there. I'll just borrow his ring for a photo op, if it doesn't break my hand! If I can get him to bring it, I'll get the picture for you.
Random Picture...
About 6 years ago, we had lots of rain. Lots. Of. Rain. It flooded. Our local park, where the dog park area is, was virtually ruined because the river there didn't "overrun" the bank - it charged through the park and took out trees, benches, pavilions and anything else in its way.
This shot is the back fence, nearest the river, of the dog park area of the park preserve. The area on the other side of the fence was all low-lying grass where the dogs would mosey around, nosing for bunnies and deer poop. The river wasn't really near it - probably 20-40 yards away.
Well. Mother Nature had other ideas that spring. It rained and rained and rained. And while we've had a "rainy" spring this year, we also had an extremely mild winter. The ground is still cracked and hard, even with several inches of rain at once, and with several days of rain over a long-ish period of time. I notice it when we're doing garden yoga - even though we're in an area which should be nicely drenched, it's not.
I guess we're lucky that our garden is native plants - they're used to the vagaries of Illinois "spring/summer" weather.
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