Extreme Knitting Redhead: Back with a vengeance

Monday, November 9, 2009

Back with a vengeance

Over the past few months I've acquired several cones of very fine wool - some cobweb, some 2 ply from various charity shops.

I've had it in the back of my mind that I would learn spinning one day and this seemed like the ideal opportunity to make a start with a drop spindle.

So here it is, a beginner's kit from Sara at itsavintagething on eBay. I emailed her beforehand to ask advice and she was very helpful. She has a little group I can join if I get stuck. I must say that the roving feels gorgeous and I shall have a little play later on to see if I can get to grips with it.

I whipped up these fingerless mitts as a gift and I know it's safe to show them as the recipient doesn't know about my blog (yet!).

Last but not least we have the poor neglected Oregon cardigan. I just picked her up the other day and knitted 2" on the sleeve so there's just about 2 more inches to go and the first sleeve is complete. Hallelujah! What finally persuaded me to pick her up and finish her was the thought of all that work going to waste. She's far to beautiful to end up as a ufo so I've made myself get on with it.

4 comments:

Shan said...: I love those mitts! The heart is stitched separately and sewn on?; November 9, 2009 at 12:54:00 PM PST
Susie Hewer said...: Thanks Shan! Yes, they were sewn on afterwards. The mitts looked a bit dull when I finished them so I decided to put one of my trademark hearts (a lot of my craftwork features hearts) on the back to make them special. I experimented with stocking stitch, moss stitch, crochet and even fluffy yarn but settled on plain old garter stitch as I thought it gave them a sort of homely feel.; November 10, 2009 at 2:05:00 AM PST
Linda said...: I know I'm partial to anything named "Oregon" since that's where I'm from, but that sweater is fabulous.; November 14, 2009 at 9:40:00 AM PST
Susie Hewer said...: Hi Linda,

Lovely to hear from you. How's Italy?; November 14, 2009 at 10:47:00 AM PST

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Mum's Story

In 1997 my mother, then aged 81, had a series of minor strokes. Shortly after that we started to notice behavioural changes notably memory loss and confusion over everyday items. We thought it was just old age finally catching up with her. Then she started wandering and had violent mood swings. Although she already lived with us it became obvious that she couldn't be left alone for long and so I left my job to care for her. The next few years saw a gradual decline into the blackness that is 'vascular dementia'. My normally placid mum became violent and aggressive. She had psychotic incidents where she would see imaginary people (children hiding in her wardrobe, Russians sitting on the stairs, women stealing her clothes) and she would shout at them and sometimes throw things too. She was so convincing that we used to go and check that there wasn't anyone there! When my sister died mum did not know who Judy was or that she was her daughter. There came a point when I suddenly realised she no longer knew that I was her daughter and this was a terrible time for me. In the last 2 years that she lived with us, life for us all became almost unbearable as she needed 24 hour care - she couldn't be left alone at all because she would either wander off or hurt herself, she never slept for more than 30 minutes at a time during the night, she became incontinent and incapable of doing anything for herself. Finally my husband and I realised that we could no longer provide her with the care that she needed and she went to live in a special care home where the team did a splendid job caring for her in the last few months of her life. There she lived a zombified existence unaware of who she was, what she was or where she was. It was heartbreaking. She died in March 2005, the day after her 89th birthday.

Thank you for taking the time to read mum's story and I hope you'll dig deep and sponsor me using the link below to help find a way of beating this destructive disease.