Knitterykate 2

My granddaughter loves her Skye Paw Patrol animal. When we were out east (which Toronto and Ottawa call out west) she asked me to make Skye some socks. I wanted to make them before we headed home but the yarn I had was just too thick to make teeny tiny socks. Plus I didn't have teeny tiny needles. When I got home (truly out west) I dug out some sock yarn and some needles appropriate to the yarn. So I thought. As it turned out, the socks were a smidge too big. Rolled down they seem to fit. Sorta. But she loves them! At least they are not too small.

I figured out a way to fix those pesky holes that socks get after a few wears. All you need to do is to find some matching yarn or something close. Then you pick up stitches several rows above the hole with a little leeway on either side of the hole. Knit away! And only knit. You will be making a garter stitch flap. Knit for a while - long enough to cover the hole. Then pick up stitches on the other side of the hole. And knit the flap and the sock together. Finally, sew down some side seams. Voila! Done and cushy too!

I didn't realize that gallbladder surgery is one of the most frequent operations there is. I finally got mine out! It was a breeze and besides the effects of the anesthesia there were no other indications that I even had surgery. Oh! besides the bruising and incision around my belly button and the three other tiny cuts across my abdomen. The anesthesiologist put a mask over my face and said, "I'm giving you some oxygen." The next thing I knew I was waking up! I know there was a tube down my throat because my mouth and throat were a bit sore. I think I had an iv in my hand - I just don't remember.  Two weeks later I was at my gp's to get my staples out as per the form letter they send out to all gallbladder patients. And my doctor said, "there are no staples." I was glued back together!  Well, I needed to see her anyway for other reasons so it really wasn't a wasted trip. We left right away to go to Regina and to see the older girls and their fami...

  I have had this quilt in storage for quite some time as I have been busy making children and baby sweaters. I put it on my list of things to get to and found myself making progress slowly but surely.  It seems I work best that way - a little bit done on all projects gets them finished. Then when I see "the light at the end of the tunnel" I make a blitz run and finish the project. Unfortunately,  this project has no end in sight. There are many steps involve to make just one square and you need two completed squares to be able to put in one piece of color. You start with a seven inch square Fold and iron flat every side in about 1/4 inch Fold in half (and take out previous machine stitching because this is going to be all hand done) From the folded edge sew up the two sides for 1.5 inches  Flip and twist and turn to get this shape Fold the points to the other side and tack. Do another square and insert your printed fabric between the two squares. So if my instructio...

Hand knit socks do wear out. If they are worn, that is. I have mixed feelings when it comes to receiving worn out socks to mend. I'm always happy to see that they've been worn so much that they are now worn out but not happy that I now need to mend them.  I kept my Granpa's darning disc for this very reason. Actually,  I'm pretty sure it was his. That's what I've been told anyway. He was born in 1899 and may have used it in his youth.  So it could be over 100 years old! Who knows? It may have even been his mother's. It works very well to keep the sock stable so that I can easily mend it. Ready to wear again!

Waiting  for treatment  A few months have passed since our visit to California. I got sick. Real sick and ended up in the hospital overnight. I know I was really sick because I didn't pick up my knitting needles for a long time. I ended up with cholecystitus - I'm probably spelling that wrong. Anyway, it turned out I had a swollen and infected gallbladder with a 12mm stone blocking a duct. It was so bad they wouldn't do surgery until the inflammation went down. I'm better now after three rounds of iv antibiotics and two oral rounds, but surgery is planned for September 5th and I'm on a no-fat super strict diet. And yes, I've lost weight.  Now on to more fun stuff! The grands with their parents came to visit! Later, we got company in the form of little people and their parents! "Helping" A visit to the zoo! Lego. Always Lego. A visit to the beach with Uncle T. Reading. Again. We had so much fun. I'm just sorry they all had to go and that they live s...