Extreme Knitting Redhead: Making a start

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Making a start

I've made a start on the beautiful shawl. The colours really are gorgeous and this photo doesn't do them justice. The pattern is easy to follow and the mitred squares are much easier than I anticipated. The hardest part is dealing with the yarn as it's so fine and wispy. As there are so many colours, and hence lots of ends to weave in, I've started weaving them in as I go by using the 2 handed Fair Isle method. I always find it off-putting when I get to the end of a colourwork project and have to spend ages weaving in the ends.

This afternoon I began wallpapering the lounge and Barney helped in his own inimitable way.

7 comments:

Heldasland said...: Its looking good; October 18, 2007 at 8:03:00 AM PDT
Linda said...: The scarf is looking great. Did you see Crazy Aunt Purl's blog site? There is a photo of a person in Seattle wearing one. Now I really want one!

Linda; October 19, 2007 at 4:55:00 PM PDT
Susie Hewer said...: Thanks for the kind comments. I've got quite a bit further now as it's rather addictive.

Linda, thank you for telling me about Crazy AP's site. The shawl does look amazing. Are you in Italy now?; October 20, 2007 at 12:02:00 PM PDT
Unknown said...: Dear Susie,

Greetings from Hong Kong and Betake Marketing (HK) Limited!We are writing on behalf of a renowned property developer in Hong Kong.They are impressed with your marvelous work from your website and would like to invite you to Hong Kong for a knitting related charity event from Nov 29 - Dec 2, 2007. We are pleased to offer air ticket and accommodation for you. If you are interested to have more details please reply to rebecca@betake.com.hk. Look forward to hearing from you soonest.

Regards,
Rebecca Lau; October 23, 2007 at 2:55:00 AM PDT
Susie Hewer said...: Hi Rebecca,

Many thanks for your kind words. I am always happy to support worthwhile charities in whatever way I can. Please could post some details about your event on here?

Susie; October 24, 2007 at 1:26:00 AM PDT
Unknown said...: Dear Susie,

Sure. Can you provide your email address and I'll send you some event details. You may also drop a line to laubikki@gmail.com. Look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks.

Rebecca; October 26, 2007 at 8:34:00 PM PDT
TutleyMutley said...: Hi Susie - yep that was me bidding for the Alice Starmore book - but I'm not paying silly money! I've got some good reference type fairisle books anyway...
Your shawl is looking lovely - what 'big fair isle' you going to knit then?; November 19, 2007 at 6:05:00 PM PST

Post a Comment

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.