GOLB: Gratitude, & On Life's Blessings

Too many simultaneous projects. The special shawl grows only stitch by stitch. Not even row by row, it seems. A baby blanket, 2 rows at a time with long hiatuses in between. Never mind the much-needed mittens. And don't even mention to me the stack of baby sweaters without buttons, or the preemie baby clothes for babies that will probably be grandmothers by the time I finish darning in yarn ends. :-(

Maybe I need to regroup. I need to win something to help me focus: http://maryellenb.typepad.com/o_night_divine/2008/11/lapbooks-for-catholics.html
You enter, too, OK? We both need to focus on what's REALLY important. Far more important than buttons.

Esther

A follow-up to http://my.opera.com/EstherP/blog/2008/01/10/how-hard-is-it-to-find-the-right-yarn

Two photos to share are here


Two samples of Jaggerspun Zephyr. Top one, done on a 2.5mm hook and hand washed. Bottom one done on a 2.5 mm hook and then a 1.75 mm hook. Unwashed. Oh! How I like the looks of the coverage with the Zephyr and the 1.75 mm hook!


Second photo is a close-up of the Zephyr worked with the 2.5mm hook and then the 1.75mm hook. It's so soft, and very soft hand, good drape. Really good coverage.


I think I'm going with Zephyr, 1.75 mm hook. The project will take forever. But I'm not in any kind of a hurry. Oh, the 1.75 mm hook is an Inox.

By the way, the swatch is 20 stitches wide. Only slightly wider than a bank freebie lollipop.

A great big THANK YOU to my friend, Elizabeth, who thought Zephyr might work and happened to have some she could pop in the mail to me.

I'm working on a (shhh! SECRET!) project... Well, "working" is a generous term. I'm swatching and swatching and hunting and hoping and seeking THE right yarn for this project. The right yarn is so elusive, I can't believe it.

All that aside....

For Christmas 2007 I gave some handmade earrings to some people as Christmas gifts. To a friend of my late mom I sent a pair of earrings depicting St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Today I got the 'Thank You' note. Not only does this lovely woman display Christmas items that I had made for my mom and given her, but ALSO she displays and uses Christmas items I've given her in the past, but ALSO she is thrilled with her St. Elizabeth of Hungary earrings. She wrote in her note "I'm a graduate of St. Elizabeth's School of Nursing, so named for the very Saint Elizabeth of Hungary depicted on the earrings you made!"

Trust me, I did NOT know anything about her nursing degree when I sent the earrings!

His Love, worked through earthly hands, in myriad little miracles....

Happy All Saints Day to any one reading this.
Reminder: You can earn a Plenary Indulgence for any soul in Purgatory by visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead, now to 11/8. Today's a Holy Day in every sense of the word.
I'm going to pray to Blessed Rafqa Shabaq al-Rayes V (AC) [Feast day 3/23] to help me keep
knitting and crocheting despite all things that would hinder.

We had fun on the eve of All Saint's Day. My three butterflies and two bug catchers are here:

Today my dad celebrates his birthday. I sent him some framed photos that my youngest helped me collage with the computer. I sent a CD that I thought he'd like: Allan Sherman: "my son, the greatest". I was right about the CD; he totally loves it and has been enjoying it all day, laughing along.

I also made a unique hat, for a very tender bald head.

Lion Brand cashmere blend, 2 skeins
Aiko cashmere yarn, 1 skein
size 10 (US) 16" circular needle
(plus a really long 10 needle, a second 10 needle, or DPNs in size 10 - depending on how
YOU like to do top-of-hat decreases when only a few stitches remain)

C/o 60 in Lion cashmere, being careful not to twist, join in circle.
20 rows of 2x2 ribbing
1 row of stockinette
put in a life line of thread or other yarn thru stitches in first row of stockinette
19 more rows of stockinette stitch.
Reduce in the usual way to make a watch cap:
(k8, k2tog) around
k
(k7, k2tog) around
k
(k6, k2tog) around
k
(k5, k2tog) around
k
(k4, k2tog) around
k
(k3, k2tog) around
k
(k2, k2tog) around
k
(k1, k2tog) around
k
k2tog around
break off yarn, thread thru remaining few stitches at least twice. Tighten neatly. Darn in end.
Turn cap inside out.
With Aiko cashmere, pick up stitches at life line: 60 stitches.
Stockinette stitch for about 15 rows. Your Aiko knitting should reach to about the top of
the stockinette done in Lion yarn. Don't go higher than that.
Start decreasing violently: decimate the stitches on every row.
(k4, k2tog) around
(k3, k2tog) around
(k2, k2tog) around
(k1, k2tog) around
k2tog around
Break off yarn, thread thru remaining few stitches at least twice. Tighten neatly. Darn in end.

Darn in any other ends you have from ball join or beginnings of work.

You now have made one of the world's wonders: super soft watch cap with an amazingly soft lining. Very warm, but not oppressively so. The wool has excellent thermal qualities. Soft, soft, soft, for a tender scalp.

My dad called tonight and reports that the hat fits like a dream, is amazingly soft, wonderfully warm and comfortable. He's been wearing it all day and will wear it at night, too.

I have tears in my eyes for the sheer joy this brings my heart.

The cashmere hat lined in cashmere - outside view:


The cashmere hat lined in cashmere - the lining view:



Happy Birthday, Dad. I wish you many more.[/i][/u]