Major Knitter

Perhaps My Favorite Sock Pose Ever

I knit two pairs of socks for Secundogeniture for his hospital visit.  One he wore the night before surgery and this pair he wore the day he got out.  Otherwise he had to wear those hospital socks with the sticky soles for safety reasons.  These are the socks with arch support I posted last week for Finishing Friday.

 

Yes - I made them big.  Secundogeniture is already wearing a Men's size 9 at the tender age of ten.  I can only imagine how much his paws are going to continue to grow.  His father is a 12 1/2 - 13.  So I decided to knit these a little bit big so he could grow into them.  I also wasn't familiar with this yarn, and wasn't too keen on the idea of them shrinking and going immediately to his younger cousin (like a recent pair).  This could require purchasing 2 skeins of 100 g sock yarn in the near future.

I started to knit a pair of Get Well Socks for Primogeniture, too, but who am I kidding?  He doesn't like handknit socks.  I'm still going to finish them.  You know, just in case he changes his mind. 

Repair of the Pectus Excavatum

OK - sorry about that.  I didn't mean to leave you in the dark for so long.  I had another post planned, but then my computer went haywire. 

Both my boys had surgery last week to repair a congenital deformity known as Pectus Excavatum.  They got a double whammy in the gene pool as it exists in their father and my father.  We did our research and decided that the best place for us to go was the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD) in Norfolk, Virginia, where this corrective Nuss Procedure was invented. 

We had such a wonderful experience that I want to help spread the word about this condition.  Dr. Nuss has trained pediatric surgeons from around the world to replicate this procedure.  We did look at some local doctors, but finally made the decision to go to CHKD.  I'm so glad we did.  Everyone took such great care of us.  The CHKD Pectus Clinic is amazing.  They really went out of their way to make us feel like we were the only patients in their care during our week long stay in the hospital. 

And if you're curious, this condition runs in families, so it is not all that uncommon to have brothers undergo this procedure at the same time.

Of course, the worry was much worse than the actual surgery and hospital stay.  It was very tiring and I'm so glad to be home.  Thank you all for your concern, thoughts and prayers.  It really means the world to me.

A Favorite Pastime with my Boys

In 2001, I was mobilized with the Marine Corps to Quantico, Virginia after 9/11.  I spent a year from October 2001 to September 2002 there away from Primogeniture (then in 2nd grade) and Secundogeniture (just turned 3 years old).  It was very difficult on all of us, but as a Marine, I was fortunate to be mobilized within driving distance from home.  I was able to see my boys every weekend.  In the meantime, I spent about 30-60 minutes every week night reading the first four Harry Potter books to Primogeniture over the phone.  It was the best thing for both of us.  I have since read the entire series to both boys nearly three times together.  We also purchased the CD series.  We've seen all the movies in the theatres and purchased all the DVDs.  It's something that reminds us that we can get through the hard times together.  J. K. Rowling will never know how much her books mean to me. 

This week, we're listening to the books again.  I have tears in my eyes and I am so thankful that once again Harry Potter is with us to help us get through this time.   We don't have a magic wand, but we have a bond that holds us together that is stronger than magic.

In the Press

Last month I got interviewed by an AP journalist who was writing an article about the cottage industry of creating patterns and clothes for the American Girl Doll.  She just sent me the link.  I think everything I told her is basically what came out in the article.  I create my patterns for the 18" dolls for free.  I'm sure the corporate headquarters of the American Girl Doll would have something to say if I sold my patterns off their famous product.  But many people want to create clothing for their daughter, niece, granddaughter, friend's new doll and not everyone can afford an entire wardrobe for these lovely dolls. So many people make their own patterns and shared them with the general public.

You can read the article by Anne Wallace Allen by clicking HERE.

Brownies

 

Mmmmm.  I love a good homemade brownie.  This is my mother's favorite Buttermilk Brownies.  Yummy.

What's your favorite brownie recipe?

Cardigan with Fair Isle Yoke

Ah yes.  The knitting bug is a vicious virus.  It takes hold and won't let go until it's run its course.  That's what happened to me.  I was perusing Debbie Bliss's patterns in Baby Cashmerino when I found this pattern - Cardigan with Fair Isle Yoke - and knew I simply must cast on immediately for such a sweet project.

 

So I got out my US Size 2 and 3 circular needles and cast on 125 sts.  So far I managed to knit a little over 3 inches.

I especially like that this sweateris knit in one piece. I hope this will be a quick knit despite the teensy tinsy needles.  Did I mention I have grand plans of knitting this one twice?

Funky Socks with Arch Support

Ask and you shall receive.  That's apparently the lesson I'm teaching my boys.  Secundogeniture asked that I knit him some socks with the OnLine sock yarn first.  So I did.  In fact, I knit this pair in less than 36 hours.  Perhaps that was not such a good idea for my aching body.  But they were quick and easy.  This time I incorporated the arch support nearly the entire length of the foot.  I knit a traditional top down sock with a heel flap.  I generally cast on 60 sts for my socks on either US Size 1 or 2s.  This time I happen to be using 2s (although I think that US Size 1s may have been the right call).  I started the heel gusset by separating the socks on 4 dpns - 30 sts on the foot, 30 sts on the instep and the remaining gusset sts on the side needles.

 

I knit the gussets normally until only 5 sts remained on each gusset.  Then the sts were getting a bit tight, so I split the instep sts (in my case 15 and 15) onto two dpns.  Lucky for me the Brittany Birch 5" dpns come in sets of 6 needles these days. 

 

Now is where my sophisticated brain power comes in. I developed this highly complex row counter to help me remember which row I was on for the Eye of Partridge arch support (which I knit ONLY on the bottom of the foot.)  I warn you.  It's not for the feint of heart.  Are you ready?  Can you handle this kind of technology?

 

Wow.  Isn't that just dandy?  Eye of Partridge is a simple stitch that is only 4 rows.  Here are the instructions for knitting Eye of Partridge in the round (at least this is how I attempted it)

Round 1:  *k 1, sl 1 knitwise,* repeat from * to * to last 2 sts - K2
Round 2:  knit around
Round 3:  *k 2, sl 1 knitwise,* repeat from * to * last 1 st, k1.
Round 4:  Repeat Row 2

So, every time I finished either Round 1 or 3, I would need a reminder about where I was.  I simply moved a stitch marker (on the piece of paper - not on my knitting) to the next arrow so I would know which round was next.  The numbers 1 and 2 refer to the 'k1' of round 1 and the 'k2' of round 3.  The x simply refers to "knit around".  Highly sophisticated gadget, don't you think?  I'm certain that the engineering department of MIT will be knocking down my door within the next few days for such brilliance.  No?

 

Well, no matter.  Here are my finished Funky Socks with arch support.  After all that work, the actual arch support is scarcely visible in the photo.  But you can definitely see how the bottom of the foot pulls in.  Believe me.  It's really there.  Honest!

BF pointed out to me that Secundogeniture has flat feet and probably doesn't need arch support in his socks.  Well.  There is that.  But a little extra hug on his feet from Mom can't be a bad thing, can it?

Don't answer that one either.

Wilma

Because you know I can't go a full week without a post about Wilma being cute.

 

Here she is carrying around her rawhide chew like it's a rare treasure.  Enjoy girl.  At least it's not my yarn or knitting needles.

Bags Packed. Knitting Projects Packed. Check.

I laugh with my knitting friends about traveling.  We have all seemed to figure out how to pack as little clothing as possible so that we can fit as many knitting projects as possible in our luggage.  Do you do this?  I generally pack socks for air travel.  But traveling by car is an entirely different matter.  Room is not an issue (to some extent) and I will not be charged an additional $100 for more than a skimpy duffle bag.  So, what to take?

1. Cardigan with Fair Isle Yoke #1
2. Cardigan with Fair Isle Yoke #2
3. Chutes and Ladders Socks
4. Springy Lace Socks
5. Newfoundland Mittens
6. Boy Scout Miniature Sock Ornaments
7. Cubes and Cables Socks

That should be more than enough to keep any one person busy for a full week of sitting around.  I'm also planning on taking a few books

1. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein 
2. North River by Pete Hammill
3. Rethinking the Great Depression by Gene Smiley
4. Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much by Anne Wilson Schaef (ya think???)

Yes, I have more bags packed for knitting and reading than for clothes. 

A Lull in the Action

I managed to knit the Cuban Heels on the Knitting Central Sock Club socks  - Cubes and Cables by Traveling Ann - but am at a bit of an impasse.  I think I'll wait until my other Sock Club buddies return from Winter Break to pick these up again.  Drat.  They were going so quickly, too.  I thought I might have them done for Finishing Friday.

 

Why am I at an impasse you ask?  Well, because I don't like to follow instructions.  I like to figure things out on my own.  So rather than knit these socks on dpns as recommended, I decided to do them on Magic Loop.  Now I think my math is all wrong.  Oops!  But they're sweet to knit, so I'll conquer this.  I might just rely on my friend's brain power rather than wasting my own.

No snickering, please.