Queen of the Universe

When one is sick around our house you become, Queen of the Universe. That means nothing you say or do can be held against you. Well, I started upchucking last Friday, and although I think my last episode was last night, one never knows. I think it was stress, a bad pump set and a virus trying literally to kill me (diabetes + insulin dependent diabetes = DKA or near death). SO rough week or so and I haven't blogged.

First off thank you to BAM my SP10, who turns out to Bethanie Ann Franks and I love her blog and have lots of questions, which I will email later. She has been such an inspiring spoiler. I made a felted bowl that holds most of the smaller stuff and hopefully now that Adam has returned we will get a photo of all her lovely swag. I promise another blog in a couple days oozing about her greatness.

Our house is excited about a bunch of stuff coming up, first off Harry Potter Movie, Cat Bordhi's sock book, Harry Potter book, kyphoplasty and doctors appointments, and the fourth of July. Lots to do in July.

And I need to go to sleep, I wonder how long I will remain Queen of the Universe.... I am beginning to like it, so I suspect not long.

He can't sing "Behind Blue Eyes" anymore!

Jason chose hazel green for his eye color last month

His green eyes are more "real" than the baby blues, I keep looking at him and thinking he looks different, "Oh yeah, the eyes!" Tony did such a great job painting them, they do the hazel color change trick, they bring out the varying hues depending on his clothing. Of course many new questions arise from this color change. When people ask about the eye color, where did he get it, from Mom or Dad ? The half kidding answer is, "My mother in law." Although his color choice was "Captain Kirk hazel, since he got all the space babes." Tony actually looked at my iris to model on, there is something a little off about looking into your husband's eyes, only to see your own. All of us kids have hazel eyes just like my mom. So I will try not to think about the incestuous nature of the new eye color.

More things that could wind yarn.

So I threw out the question of how to make a ball winder to a group of knitters. So far we have use kids, the little ones in my life won't sit still that long. I think felting in a wading pool is more their speed. Other ideas have included using a treadmill or bike. Which I like, my dad hooked a bike up to a generator once and if we wanted TV that summer we had to ride the bike. So if I want yarn neatly balled then I have to earn it on a bike or treadmill. Doesn't that defeat the laziness of not wanting to roll from a dresser drawer?

American Inventor

Dang it, first my automated video rental kiosk in the grocery store, and now my mixer for a ball winder. I'll have to stay with knitting "willy warmers" for American Inventor. Just google <"willy warmer">, for those who require description, the gay knitter guy choose a peach fleshy color and yeah, he gives the pattern, and it's exactly what it sounds like. The blogger states that they are used for wearing kilts, answering yet another lifelong mystery for some. But I doubt the judges of Inventor are reading knitting blogs so they might think this is a real invention. Or is this as bad as not being able to carry a tune and auditioning for Idol. Perhaps I should get some sleep, I hear that deprivation could cause one to have implausible ideas. Nite Nite.

Kitchen Aid Magic

http://geocachingknitter.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html


It already exists, I googled someone who googled someone else. Directions are pretty simple, a dough hook and a paper tube.

Knitting with a KitchenAid stand mixer:
Faced with winding 30 some skeins of Jamieson & Smith 2 ply jumper weight into center pull skeins, I decided to search the web for an easier method than a swift and a hand cranked ball winder. Not wanting to pay for an electric winder, DH and I figured out there had to be a way to attach a small motor to the ball winder. NOT! So what other small motors were in the house that allowed a circular wind motion? Why an electric mixer of course!!! Having had surgery for carpal tunnel once, I prefer to save the hand motions for knitting rather than winding.
Google search brought up these sites from knitters who already had the idea:http://www.figandplum.com/archives/000365.html using a hand held mixerhttp://geocities.com/mama_bear_007/ using a stand mixer
So out came the Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook. I found that cutting a 4" square of lightweight cardboard, taping it into a tube and slipping it over the dough hook worked perfectly. There were no empty cardboard cylinders in the house at the moment but I will save some paper towel cardboard. I think they would be even better than thinner cardboard tubes.The first couple of skeins were a bit comical as they looked more like children's tops than balled yarn but what the heck. It saved a lot of hand winding. Kitchen Aid stand mixer run on motor speed 6 balled a skein of yarn in about 45 seconds.
Lesson learned - Google is your friend.

And my aspirations as an inventor are crushed... I may have to try this. I have a elementary school teacher buddy who saves everything, I am sure she has toilet paper tubes. While unhappy that it's not original, I think tomorrow will be fun. And I can hardly wait until J asks, "What the heck is a mixer doing in the bedroom honey?" He wants to hear fresh whipped cream, he is going to be really confused with "making yarn balls".

Speaking of Moebius...

So I find tying a bow tie to be horrendous for my honey and I. It takes a great deal of fussing. and the clip-ons look cheap, why bother? What about a moebius to create a faux bow tie with the twist and the openings on the ends, I can picture it, I can't describe it. The idea comes from the necklace in Cat Bordhi's Treasury of Magical Knitting series. Perhaps it won't look like an average bow tie, but it could look very modern, simple to wear and with felting even survive a night of gigging without the sag. Knit Picks has a pattern for a father's day bow tie... hmmm. I can try that first to moisten the parched brain cells, then try my idea. If the moebius is a failure of design, I'll just put it on the ogre shelf and laugh at it, perhaps call it a headband since the sock that went bad was pink, perhaps it is a lady ogre I making unique items for!!!!

Is it bad when you make a moebius out of a hank?

So without a ball winder and swift ... I have lots of hanks to wind. I found my top dresser drawer and a toilet paper tube work quite well for the occaisional roll. However, now I am wishing for something a bit more BOND (as in James). A high tech toy to wind my yarn. So I am imagining an attachment to my kitchen aid (instead of the usesless: ice cream maker, sausage maker, pasta roller or orange juicer) I want a automatic skein winding attachment. This seems to me to be a simple matter of re-purposing. Do you think we could convince the company to lower American cholesterol and assist weight loss by encouraging knitters? Imagine making a batch of low fat cookies while winding your yarn. Yep, sounds like perfection to me! For those not fortunate enough to have the mixer ( I inheirited mine from my grandma, it's 40 years old and the attachments are still designed to work with it, talk about legacy inclusion!) How about this... a bobbin fitter, it would go over the bobbin maker on the sewing machine and would wind the yarn same as it does thread. Any other nutty ideas?
Suzi

Low Lo Low

So I rarely have low blood sugars, but last night I did, around midnight. I treated it but that doesn't stop the adrenalin flowing, it keeps you awake for awhile. So I pulled out the racer back ribbon tank, it's all seed stitch, but the detail really doesn't show in my yarn of choice so mistakes make an imperfection, but one that goes unseen or unfelt. So I knit and listened to a PBS Frontline episode that I thought would be dud. It had audio description, so I settled in and didn't even look at the screen. It was the story of the tank guy, or rather the search for him. The tank guy was the one who stood in front of the rolling tanks at Tiananmen Square. I am pretty sure that it is running one more time this weekend. I am setting the DVR and saving it. Great journalism engrossing story and a good reminder of the price of freedom and what it is worth when you don't have a wal-mart in your country.

Big BIG biggest day ever!

Jason and Miss Penny went for a harnessed walk on their own today, I walked behind only to assist in refresher training for the ever so spoiled canine. She did pretty well and Jason and his cane were the best! My guy walked the block without assistance, no holding, no steering, no balance support, even with miss Penny tugging to the side of the road to pee. YIPPPPEEEEEEE! party! feista! I am so excited, I gotta go call my mommy!!!! The hospitalization happened June 26th last year and he is walking on his own less than a year later. Is my guy tough or what?

SCORE!

Good Suzi won. Boniva day is tiring because we get up early, and sit up for an hour and then what do we do? Well this Sunday we went back to bed after pills and waiting were over. We had a lovely day, read more of Treasury in the Forest. It's delightful, gotta read book. So what does good Suzi get for winning the Boniva battle - CHOCOLATE!!!!!

The Ginormous Scarf

I just finished a 72" scarf for a 63" young woman who is turning twenty this week. Why so long, so thick, I know she'll think I am crazy and this is what I have to offer in explanation:

As a Douglas Adams fan, a big scarf is like "always remembering to take your towel" and we all know how important that can be.

As a fan of Dr Who, well in my opinion a long scarf that is out of style and out proportion says, "I can handle being different, as long as I am loved, safe and warm" a good thought to put out into the universe.

I was often stuck with mass transit on a long distance in college, even then my meager babysitting didn't buy that much gas money. A long scarf can allow you to cover your eyes, have a pillow and a bit of blankie to nap on during tired stressful days.

Adults often need comfort and sometimes there is no one around to remind you how very much you are loved. I knit this scarf with all my heart hoping it would help her remember how geniune her family is, and that they love her and she is needed in this world. Even when you only have 2 hours left to write a ten page paper on why the impressionists changed the world while studying for a chemistry final. It's all worth it. She is worth it.

I knit it because being an Aunt is a privelage one she has let me do by remote since Jason's injuries. I want to do my best to be there for her even when I am not able to be in her presence. I knit it to remind her that I do sew and do all the girly stuff and when the day comes to make a bunch of bridal stuff because she is ready to start her own family, it would be my pleasure to help her with anything she needs.

I knit it to remind her that both her Mom and I place value on crafts of all kinds and we are here to teach her when she is ready to learn.

I am sending her things not so serious, socks and of course the pre-order on Harry Potter so she gets first dibs while her siblings drool as she finishes every last page.

Happy 20th Miss SugarBaby!!!! Your packages are on their way.

June 9th World knit outside day?

I read in VIP-ewes a knitting online group for blind knitters who tolerate this sightling in their discussions that June 9 is world wide knit outside day.

So my husband suggested that I go knit someplace no one ever sees a knitter. Like in the men's bathroom at madonna inn, (it's a tourist site in the area, Madonna Inn on the 101 in California, San Luis Obispo. The men's bathroom is visited by many a woman because it has a motion activated rock face waterfall for a urinal, even a blind guy can't miss ; ) Everyone who comes into town to visit with us gets a tour. When I was a little older than a kid, for some odd reason I thought all men's restrooms had urinals that acted like that one : ) Realistically, perhaps someone should suggest a better spot to pubically knit in a small town.

Boniva again

Darn it! Tomorrow is Boniva day

Good Suzi: It is going to be okay, it was the testosterone that made the situation worse with the two previous doses.

Bad Suzi: Here we go again, no picnic no fun, the early morning and the medication will have us stuck inside for a few days.

Good Suzi: Oh well even if it does knock him off his game for a couple days, Barbara won't be ill next week, and I have this stash to work with and birthday presents for neices and nephews. I would write out what they are, but they check in on the blog. Enjoy the break and work on fun stuff while he gets the drug out of his system.

Bad Suzi: You'll be too busy working and too tired to care. And you didn't stock up on chocolate!

Stay tuned who wins good Suzi or bad Suzi? Does J really have a problem with Boniva or has it been his recovery and bad timing. We will know this week one way or the other. Will U survive without chocolate until I go to Trader Joes?

Jason's Wellness

So much to be grateful for folks! Jason has been so much better since the kyphoplasty. He is able to roll up and sit, then get out of bed on his own more than 75% of the time. He has reduced his pain meds significantly. He is able to play for 45 minutes now. He is eating all meals at the table and getting out of bed. He is taking longer walks and is ready to start using a treadmill. He has had a geniune reduction in seizures. He is cultivating a more positive attitude, and truly believes that he has beat the odds. He is ready to start using Miss Penny and her harness to walk on his own with her assistance.

Testosterone patches were the key. The daily patch has simulated the natural rhythm of his body and no more emotional outbursts and issues with the waxing and waning of his shots.

This Sunday is music in the park around the corner, so we are planning a nice picnic and to listen to the music.

It's nice to feel normal. I am sure it feels even better to Jason.

Wubbie Bear - A project finished.

So a friends child's wubbie was in a terrible state of distress and in need of retirement. None of us can bear the separation, so I offered to tear apart wubbie and reknit with additional fibers into a stuffed bear, emily chose a bear. So off I went adding ragged fibers to a complimenting and contrasting base of worsted wool. This little bear is now heirloom quality with moveable eyes, a sweet smile and squashy belly. Even Emily agrees that wubbie has been transformed into something worth saving, so she has place wubbie bear in a place of honor on her bed. Anyone who comes to the house must meet wubbie bear. That's a nice feeling. Next time I go over I will try to get a picture of them together.

Of course then there is the one sock problem. Ok on our trip to LA I ran out of the yarn to finish even a one sock. FOr Mother's day similar problem, although since then I finished the sock but haven't had a chance to deliver it. And for my neice who was requesting school colors, and from Cat Bordhi, the cat sock, well, once again by the delivery date I have finished one sock. J is sending her notice that we pre-ordered Harry Potter for her, so she is okay with waiting a week. Then finally there is the felted boot I started a couple weeks ago. Well, it is huge, once again I can't imagine being able to felt this one small enough to make a slipper, not only that to make a second one will require three more balls, when the author only called for two (for both slippers). I have decided to felt this one first if outrageously out of proportion I will turn it into a scuptural peice.

Speaking of scuptural peices, I need to knit a felted mask of J's face. We get to keep the old eyeballs and I want to turn it into total artwork. I think if I start out with the concept of a face mask ski hat and then allow for looseness and shrinkage it should work. I have some stuff in stash to give it a first spin, but I have some very special additions to my stash yesterday that really speak to me to try to be more artistic and develop beyond my practical socks, hats, sweaters and scarves. I am inspired to make something truly representative of Jason with his eyes and my yarn/creativity.

So what is it with my one sock? I understand the ogre sock, I read the pattern wrong and when I changed the increases I in places doubled then and in the wrong places for got the decreases. The ogre sock in on the knob of the shelf next to the bed to remind me to pay attention, and to remind me to laugh at my mistakes. Summer brings on speed projects, knitting for school year, sewing clothes, and repairing those that can for the kids within the extended family. Let's hope some poor kid doesn't end up with one sock by fall.