The Socks are Done!!!!

Yeah, Yippee, The Socks from Hell are done!!!! I am so relieved. These socks were the thorn in my side for a long time. It will be a very very long time (maybe never) before I make Hubby another pair of socks using 00 dpns. I used Cherry Tree Hill Yarn and I can not tell you what the colors are because the bands are long gone. Blue and Orange for the Mets (hopefully they will win), Islanders (hockey season is almost here) and Da Bears. Wasn't Hubby sweet to pick 3 teams that had the same colors? Actually it just happen to be, but it makes my life a little easier - I only had to knit 1 pair of socks!! = )



Yes I did knit them opposite each other. I had to be different. I also could not wait for Hubby to come home to take a picture.



I also finished one of pair for christmas. I am using Knit Picks Swish and size 5 dpns. (wow the knitting went fast on size 5) The pattern is Ribbed Lace from Sensational Knitted Socks. I know B&W really doesn't show much so here is another pic of the lace.



Since it has been a little stressful here, I dug out some baby alpaca and started a scarf for myself. I used a pattern that the Harlot posted a while ago. (I can not find it right now but I will keep looking.) It is the same on both sides and does not curl. It is simple, so I do not have to pay attention but it is not coma inducing garter. (no offense to anyone - garter put me to sleep) Note: I found the link. Click here



The yarn is Plymouth Yarn - Baby Alpaca Grande. I am using 10.5 needles. The color is a twist of red and orange. I love baby alpaca. It is so soft you just want to crawl inside and snuggle. (No I do not have a problem)

Hubby will have surgery in the next 2-3 weeks (as soon as all paper work, routine tests and insurance crap is taken care of) to see if this lesion is cancerous or not. Needless to say there is still worrying going on here. If it is cancer we have the luck that this type of cancer is one of the slowest that there is. I would, of course, prefer it not to be cancer.

The Son lost his other front tooth.



I smile every time I see him smile. He also sounds so cute with the lisp. (I did work on his sweater. It just looks like a bigger black blob).

Well I need to go check on the yarn I am dying for Jill's contest to raise money for her walk. You did check her blog out and donate if possible right? She is walking to fight breast cancer.

Keri Chart Written Out

I have received several emails asking if I could write out the chart for Keri - not a problem. Here it is.

Keri Chart Written Out

Row 1 : k1, yo, k5, yo, k3tog, yo, k5, yo, k1

Row 2: k17

Row 3: k1, yo, k1, k2tog, p1, skp, k1, yo, p1, yo, k1, skp, p1, k2tog, k1, yo, k1

Row 4: k4, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k4

Row 5: k1, yo, k1, k2tog, p1, skp, k1,p1, k1, skp, p1, k2tog, k1, yo, k1

Row 6: k4, p1,k2,p1,k2,p1,k4

Row 7: k1, yo, k1, yo, k2tog, p1, skp. p1, skp, p1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k1

Row 8: k5, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k5

Row 9: k1, yo. k3, yo, s1 k2tog PSSO, p1, k3tog, yo ,k3, yo, k1

Row 10: k7, p1, k7

Help Fight Breast Cancer

My friend Jill is raising money to fight breast cancer. She is also having a blog contest to go along with donations. Please stop by her blog and donate if you can. Every dollar helps. Thank You.

This Time - Knitting = )

Well over here at house of worry, there has been knitting going on.



This is Hubby's second sock from hell. I am close to the end. I guess even difficult knitting is being kind to me these days. While I was knitting the foot I almost went to far before the heel. I caught myself on the last row of the last orange strip.




This is the scarf that I was making as a gift but well - I changed my mind (meaning no more patience for it) and now it will become a pillow. It was becoming to wide for a scarf and I really did not want to knit it anymore. You can see the YO's made a picture, but there are also purls in there that make more petals. I still have to block it.

I have been working on The Son's sweater but well it still looks like a black blob at this point.



I started socks for The Daughter. The yarn is Dancing from Knit Picks (where else). They are just simple 2 x 2 ribbing. I did learn a lesson though. Do not start the heel flap when I am not able to concentrate. I forgot to move the stitches and well there is a 4 stitch rib on one side. Oh well. My Daughter loves them and when I discovered the boo boo (which was after I grafted the toe - of course) and said I would have to redo the sock she threw a crying fit. She was cute getting all upset, so I told her that I would leave it and make the second one the same.




Well that is all of the knitting I have to show. I would have showed the Tiffany Mitts but well after I almost finished chart D I realized I messed up on the 2nd to last row of chart c and yes I frogged it back. I knitted about 5 rows of chart D. Maybe next time. Other then that we are just trying to get through the days. We have researched online about what is happening and well I have stopped. It is depressing. Now I know it is good to be informed but there is a point where too much information is a bad thing. When we know what it is then I will look more into it. Hubby's appointment is on Thursday.

Trust Your Feelings!!

My first thoughts on Hubby's dr were not good but I chalked it up to the fact that I was worried. I should of listened to my feelings. Yesterday Hubby and I went to his dr appointment. We waited 2 hours for a 2 minute (no lie) visit. He had told us over the phone that all results were great. Well he again told us everything was fine and then so Oh wait there were Hurthle cells present. We asked what did that mean. oh nothing we just have to watch it and unless it was bothering him we would do nothing. Yes doc it is bothering him. The lesion (now it is a lesion not a nodule) is breaking his collar bone. So he recommended a surgeon, handed us a copy of the biopsy results and told us to come back in a month.

Here are the problems: 1. Hurthle cells can only be tested for cancerous cells by removing the lesion and thyroid and then testing. Needle biopsies can not determine this. 2. Hurthle cells become cancerous. 3. If there are Hurthle cells present they need to be removed. 4. the surgeon he recommended is retired!!!! 5. He did not go over the blood work results. The lesion is causing Hubby's thyroid to overact and that needs to be taken care of. 6. The lesion grew .5 cm in a month.

I was so angry that when we got into the car I called my mom and asked her to look up Hurthle cells. Of course she is a mom and said she could not get any results - she saw the results but did not want us to get upset in the car. When we got home I checked to see what I could find. Not good news. Hurthle cells are closely related to cancer. They turn into cancer cells. So what did Dr. Idiot want us to do - wait until it is cancerous!!


Today I took off from work and went to our primary doctor. She looked at the paper and said immediately "he needs to see a surgeon". I have been on the phone all morning. I got Hubby an appointment with the surgeon in a week. I also found a new endocrinologist. It is about a 40 minute ride away but this doctor is highly recommended. The doctors there have already seen the sonogram and biopsy results and he will be seen shortly after the surgeon sees him. They have also heard complaints about Dr. Idiot.

I just thank whoever that we didn't just say ok and waited. I am also glad we have a great primary doctor and staff. There are many horror stories about waiting out there. So now I am on the verge of totally freaking out. It is not a death sentence if treated properly but it is still very scary.

So if you have a bad feeling about a doctor or what a doctor thinks or does - trust them!!! Go see another doctor, get a second opinion or third. Unfortunately not all doctors know what they are doing.

(I will have knitting next time I promise - Thank you for letting me rant)

Just a little post today.

Just a little post today.

I am tired. I started a new drug and well it makes me tired. My body has to get use to the drug and the tiredness will fade. The RA makes me feel exhausted all the time and well with this added to that it is amazing that I can even function. And in 2 weeks my dose gets doubled. Yeah!!! It is done this way to make the transition easy -yeah okay. It also takes up to 3 months to work. How come there is no miracle pill yet?

Tomorrow is Hubby's dr. appointment and we will hopefully find out what he is going to do about the nodule that is so big it is breaking Hubby's collar bone. Yes I am a little pissy about that. When we were told it was a nodule we both thought small pea size. Not one doctor told us that is was big!!! No we had to find out from the doctor who did the biopsy.

On a happier note The Son lost his third tooth but his first top one. This pic makes me smile.



Well I am off to get dinner started. I figure if I start now (3:20) I should be done by dinner time = ) I also see lots of coffee in my future ; )

Good News and More Good News!!!

Okay I got good news and good news.
First good news :
I called Hubby’s doctor since well we didn’t get a call from them (hate that) and I talked to him. He wanted to wait until Hubby’s appointment but we needed to know wether it was cancer or not. He did tell us that it is not cancer (YEAH!!!!!) Other details will have to wait for the appoinment, which is fine with me. I can relax a little now.
Second good news:
I wrote out my pattern for the fingerless mitts. It took me longer then I thought it would. It took me all morning for me to get the chart on my computer and to get it into my blog ( I write my blogs out first on Appleworks then copy and paste). What a pain in the butt but I have it done!! (still working on getting that darn chart uploaded)

TaDa. Here it is. I named it Keri. I named it after Keri who is hosting the Fingerless Mitts KAL. I would not have designed them if not for the KAL so as a way to say thank you I named them after her.

*** Please excuse this interruption for some important information :My friend, Jill, is doing a walk to fight breast cancer and she is having a contest. Please go check out her blog and donate if you can. The more money raised the better we will be able to fight this demon. Thank You. We now return you to the scheduled blog****

Keri

-KnitPicks Sierra (now named Cadena).( I used one hank and I had eactly 1 yard out of 110 yards left over. If you use another bulky yarn please have a little extra just in case.)
-size 10 dpns (I used 4)


CO - cast on
BO - bind off
K -knit
P-purl
PM- place marker
SM- slip marker
M1- increase 1 (use your favorite way to increase)
N1 - needle 1
N2 - needle 2
N3 - needle 3
PU - pick up stitch
K2tog - knit the next 2 stitches together


CO 33, divide stitches - N1- 9, N2- 15, N3 - 9

N1 and N3 will be K2 P2 ribbing throughout entire mitt.
N2 is the lace section - using the chart

For Both Mitts:

N1 and N3 ribbing
N2 knit across

Repeat one more time

N1 and N3 - ribbing
N2 start chart

Repeat chart twice


Thumb Gusset for Left Mitt.:

(you should be on row 1 of chart 3rd repeat)
N1- P1,K2,P2,K1,PM,M1,PM,K1,P2
N2 - chart row 1
N3 - ribbing

(the markers should be in the last K2 on N1)

next round

N1 - P1,K2,P2,K1,SM,K1,SM,K1,P2
N2 - chart row 2
N3 - ribbing

next round

N1 - P1,K2,P2,K1,SM,M1,K1,M1, SM,K1,P2
N2 - chart row 3
N3 - ribbing

next round

N1 - P1,K2,P2,K1,SM,K3,SM,K1,P2
N2 - chart row 4
N3 - ribbing

Continue increasing every other round (M1 right after 1st marker and M1 right before 2nd marker) until there are 11 stitches between markers then just knit across until finished row 3 of chart on 4th repeat.

Both Mitts 2:
On the next round (it should be row 4 of chart) when you get to the first marker - remove marker and place the 11 stitches on a holder or waste yarn then K1 P2
N2- chart row 4
N3- ribbing

Continue until last row of chart then:
N1 - ribbing
N2 - K across
N3 - ribbing

BO in pattern (knit the knit and purl the purl)

Thumb:
Round 1: (PU stitches where the thumb meets mitt)
N1- PU 1 stitch from mitt, slip 3 from holder/waste yarn
N2 - slip 5 from holder/waste yarn
N3 - slip 3 from holder/waste yarn PU 1 stitch
(13 stitches)

Round 2:
N1 - K2tog K2
N2 - K5
N3 - K2, K2tog
(11 stitches)

Round 3,4,5 - K around
Round 6 - BO loosely

Weave in ends. If there is still a gap where thumb meets mitt use the tail to close it.


Right Mitt:
Repeat directions For Both Mitts.

Thumb Gusset for Righ Mitt:
Again row 1 of 3rd repeat

N1 - ribbing
N2 - chart row 1
N3 - P2,K1,PM,M1,PM,K1,P2,K2,P1
(markers should be in the 1st K2 on N3)

next row

N1 - ribbing
N2 - chart row 2
N3 - P2,K1,SM,K1,SM,K1,P2,K2,P1

Continue to increase the same way as left mitt until 11 stitches between markers then knit across until end of row 3 of 4th repeat of chart.

Repeat directions for Both Mitts 2 and Thumb.

(Note about the chart. I could not get it uploaded- I am still working on it so in the mean time here a a nice picture of it. Sorry. The one I have on my computer is much better, but I am having problems, If i can not get the chart uploaded I will write it out)











Copyright - Qutecowgirl. This my pattern. Feel free to use it just remember not to say that it is yours. = ).
Any questions or problems with pattern email me at mrstank1(at)optonline(dot)net.

They are DONE!!!!!

I finally finished the fingerless mitts that I designed (still have to think of a name, any suggestions?). There is only a tiny difference between the two. Tension. It seems when I stress knit I knit tighter. Looking at them I do not really see a difference but I feel the difference when they are on.





Hubby was at work and well I wanted to post about them (no patience what so ever) so this is what I have.

I used KnitPicks Sierra (now called Cadena) in Pool (discontinued color). On size 10 dpns. I used 109 out of 110 yards. No lie. I measured the piece I had left and it measured 36 inches. Pretty neat.

Now I have to write out the pattern so it makes sense to someone else other then me.


My Dr. Update. New drug (I have my fingers crossed that I will not have an allergic reaction) and more blood tests in 2 weeks to check how everything is going. The Dr. is also testing for Lupus. She thinks I may have a combo thing going. I have the "mask thing" going on my face. It is a like a cross of sunburn and freckles but it is only on my cheeks. I am also losing my hair. Big time. Like clog the tub after 5 minutes. Run my hand thru it and I have a handful -big time. I am not vain about it it is just annoying to keep picking hair off of me every minute. I see a hair cut in my future. I was told that this is normal during a flare up (which I am having) but since my hair is past my shoulders, losing all of this hair makes it look thinner then it really is. It is hair after all and it will grow back (eventually).

update

I do not why all of a sudden Blogger is making my pics huge. I am trying to fix. (ok i uploaded again but this time to blogger.)



Well here is an update on things that I am working on so I do not think. (no word from the dr’s yet - could this be good news?). I get to go to my doctor tomorrow. I am hoping what ever meds she puts me on work. I am going a little crazy here. (and the kids are not to blame for once) = ).

Here is Hubby’s sock (from hell). I am almost done with the 2nd strip on the foot (of 5 before the heel).

(The sock still hates me. It is using the knitting black hole on me)

I am almost done on the second fingerless mitt.



I am loving them. So far my notes seem to be good. Of course I am reading my own notes so it makes it a little easier. I have to sit down and really right them out the proper way.

I also started a new project for when I wait for the bus to drop Daughter and Son home. I take Buddha* outside early to play and run around while we wait. It is my son’s sweater for christmas. It will (hopefully) be a hooded boy size Jesse’s Flames sweater from Stitch n Bitch Nation. You can somewhat see the garter ridge ribbing.





I am also knitting it in the round (I hate finishing work) to avoid sewing.

Here is an update on the scarf. I have to block when I am done to open up the yarn overs. Also the B/W does not show it well.



I want to work on Tiffany but alas I can not concentrate enough. I keep making silly mistakes and ripping. Maybe in a few days I will try again.

*formally The Baby. She is now 3 and a half. She has been called Buddha since she was a baby. Anytime she would nurse or eat (still to this day) she gets a Buddha belly.


My Buddha.

I am Nice!?

I was given this by Stimey. She has a really nice blog so please be nice and go read her nice blog. Okay I am done with the nice. = ). It is my first award. Yeah!!! Now to pass it on!

Here is who I am passing it on to:

Lene

Abby

Jen

Jill


These wonderful women have been great and very supportive.

Enjoy Ladies - You deserve it.

Now the waiting begins.

Hubby went for his biopsy Friday morning. The doctor had to do it twice. Now before he went I read up on it and everything you read tells you it feels like a bee sting. WRONG!!! The needle going in you do not feel, when it comes out it hurts. Having it done a second time in the same whole - well he probably now knows somewhat what childbirth feels like. Now Hubby is very good with pain (heck he played football on a broken leg for weeks) and for him to tell me he was in a lot of pain tells me it was bad. This Thing that is growing in him is pushing on his collar bone so much that is is about to break. We found this out friday. Why didn't any of the other doctors tell us this? Why did we find out from the doctor doing this test? i do not want to think about what that could mean- -that it is so big that it is pushing a good size bone almost to the breaking point! We were told it just a nodule and it needed to be tested. When I hear the word nodule I think the size of a pea. Peas do not break bones or push them out of position.

Okay I am done talking or thinking (well I should say I am going to try to be done) about it.

The doctor should have the results Thursday. Anyone want to guess how much sleep I will get until then? (of course the RA may help me sleep from exhaustion - for once it may be a good thing). I also see a lot of knitting.

I finished one fingerless mitt.







I will hopefully cast on the second during football today (Go Bears!!!- yes I know I am from NY, but the Bears are on the top of my list followed by the Colts, Patriots and Titans.) I will also see how well I take notes. =)


My Daughter turns 5 today. Wow. I wish I could slow down time just a little.

School is Back!!

Well the start of school has arrived (well it is day 2) and all is well with my kindergartner and my first grader. My Son's reaction “it’s just like last year mom”. My Daughter thinks the day is too long (last year she was in half day pre-k) but she enjoys it. The Baby (I have to come up with another name for her she is 3 and a half) is loving it. She gets to be home with daddy, just the 2 of them. Then when I come home and Hubby goes to work and it is just me and her. She misses her sister and brother but that is resolved with in 5 minutes of them being home again.

Oh I have exciting news, well exciting for parents out there. The Baby is finally potty trained. She has been fighting it for about a year and I guess something just clicked. It has been a week and just 1 accident. Yes I know that talking about may be jinxing this - I have my fingers crossed.

Me on the other hand, well I am hurting. The Plaquenil is out of my system and well the prednisone is not working (I can not go too high in dosage and have to wean off of it, my heart does not like this drug). I am taking a prescription NSAID that takes the edge off. Now that I am back to work it is even harder to get through the day. The exhaustion that comes with RA is a pain in the ass. When I was not working I could rest when I needed. Now I have to get up early, go to work, come home and do what ever needs to be done then I get the kids off the bus, make dinner, get the kids to do their homework, get everything ready for the next day (like lunches and whatever needs to go into the book bags), get the kids to bed ( not fun) and then I get to sit down. My body is not liking this one bit. My doctors appointment can not come fast enough.

Even though I am in pain at least I can still knit. It seems someone is giving me a little break in all of this. Granted I can not knit long before my hand stiffen up, but I can knit (I just take a break about every 15 minutes).

I came up with my fingerless mitts pattern. I picked a stitch pattern from my stitch dictionary added some ribbing and Ta-Da. I am still thinking about what I will to for the thumb. (I will get back about what the stitch is called I do not have the book handy) I am using KnitPicks Sierra (which has been renamed Cadena) in Pool on size 10 dpns.



I also started another pair of socks. The pattern is from Sensational Knitted Socks. It is called Lace Rib. I am using Swish from KnitPicks on size 5 dpns. Love it. The size 5’s are making fast work of the sock.


(yep they are for Christmas)

A BIG thank you to everyone crossing their fingers for us. This summer Hubby had to go for a CAT scan for a torn muscle. When the doctor read the films he found something growing where it was not suppose to be. Tomorrow morning he will have a biopsy done to find out what it is. I refuse to think about what it could be because it WILL be nothing. The hard part will be the waiting for the results. We were told a few days. I am going to be a wreck.

I am off to knit. I need to keep myself occupied.

School is Back!!

Well the start of school has arrived (well it is day 2) and all is well with my kindergartner and my first grader. My Son reaction “it’s just like last year mom”. My Daughter thinks the day is too long (last year she was in half day pre-k) but she enjoys it. The Baby (I have to come up with another name for her she is 3 and a half) is loving it. She gets to be home with day, just the 2 of them. Then when I come home and Hubby goes to work and it is just me and her. She misses her sister and brother but that is resolved with in 5 minutes of them being home again.

Oh I have exciting news, well exciting for parents out there. The Baby is finally potty trained. She has been fighting it for about a year and I guess something just clicked. It has been a week and just 1 accident. Yes I know that talking about may be jinxing this - I have my fingers crossed.

Me on the other hand, well I am hurting. The Plaquenil is out of my system and well the prednisone is not working (I can not go too high in dosage and have to wean off of it, my heart does not like this drug). I am taking a prescription NSAID that takes the edge off. Now that I am back to work it is even harder to get through the day. The exhaustion that comes with RA is a pain in the ass. When I was not working I could rest when I needed. Now I have to get up early, go to work, come home and do what ever needs to be done then I get the kids off the bus, make dinner, get the kids to do their homework, get everything ready for the next day (like lunches and whatever needs to go into the book bags), get the kids to bed ( not fun) and then I get to sit down. My body is not liking this one bit. My doctors appointment can not come fast enough.

Even though I am in pain at least I can still knit. It seems someone is giving me a little break in all of this. Granted I can not knit long before my hand stiffen up, but I can knit (I just take a break about every 15 minutes).

I came up with my fingerless mitts pattern. I picked a stitch pattern from my stitch dictionary added some ribbing and Ta-Da. I am still thinking about what I will to for the thumb.
(I will get back about what the stitch is called I do not have the book handy) I am using KnitPicks Sierra in Pool on size 10 dpns.



I also started another pair of socks. The pattern is from Sensational Knitted Socks. It is called Lace Rib. I am using Swish from KnitPicks on size 5 dpns. Love it. The size 5’s are making fast work of the sock.





A BIG thank you to everyone crossing their fingers for us. This summer Hubby had to go for a CAT scan for a torn muscle. When the doctor read the films he found something growing where it was not suppose to be. Tomorrow morning he will have a biopsy done to find out what it is. I refuse to think about what it could be because it WILL be nothing. The hard part will be the waiting for the results. We were told a few days. I am going to be a wreck.

I am off to knit. I need to keep myself occupied.

Eyes!!!

I am taking Lene's Supreme Sillyness by posting pictures of eyes. I personally love taking pictures of eyes. I had pictures already on disc so this was easy to do. Well somewhat easy, I did not have any of mine. I found out it is hard to take a picture of your own eyes.

First is my nephews:


He was a baby in this picture. Next is my brother.



He can not be serious in any picture. Here is mine.

.

I need sleep. Here is my son's.

.

Here is my oldest daughter.



Lastly is the baby, well 3 and half year old baby.



The girl's pictures came out a little fuzzy, but on the camera they were in focus. I think my camera may be going.

On the knitting front I started Tiffany. I am done with chart C. The marathon knitting caused a blister on my finger where the dpn rubs. Go figure. Yesterday it was icky, but today is has gone down and is much less painful. I am hoping to get back to them soon. School and work starts tomorrow so I do not think there will be much knitting going on for the next few days.

Here is the progress.



On a personal note. Can everyone cross there fingers for me? I can not really go into it yet but there is a medical test coming up and well I figure if everyone crosses their fingers all will be well. It couldn't hurt. =). Thank you.

Monkeys are done!!!

Just a short post since I am excited that I finished the Mini Monkeys!!! Here are the pictures.







Here are the details: Knitpicks Gloss in Burgundy. 3mm Knitpicks dpns. I used one hank and about 10 yards from a second.

They are not for me (I do love them though and they fit perfectly) they are a christmas present. So far the count is 2 presents down - a heck of a lot more to go!!

Well I did finish redoing the Tiffany charts and well I am going to go cast on them now. I didn't start Hanami yet. maybe tomorrow?