Extreme Knitting Redhead: Back on track

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Back on track

OK, I'm back on track at last! It's taken a while but I've picked up my knitting again and am ready for the next phase - steeks (eek!). The best description I've found is on Eunny Yang's blog and as she wrote the pattern for Autumn Rose I think I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.

Here's where I'm up to with the sweater. The next row sets the steek for the neckline and begins the decreases either side so I'll take photos of each stage. I've never doen this before; in fact, I'd never even heard of steeks until I started to investigate Fair Isle knitting. In this photo you can see the shaping for the waist (not that I've got a waist any more!). So, tomorrow I shall be attempting my first ever steek.

Here's a gratuitous cute kitty photo (Tinker is so sweet it's hard to believe he massacres bunnies and baby voles!)

This will be my next Fair Isle project. Marina, the doyenne of Fair Isle, tipped me off that Virtual Yarns had restocked so I have finally received my next project (which was going to be my first!).

Finally, I couldn't resist snapping this board outside the newsagent in the next village! My next marathon is on Sunday - the Three Forts Marathon, 27+ miles of hills. Bring it on!!!!

3 comments:

monica said...: that's not a marathon! that's an ultra....ultra tough!!! :-); May 1, 2008 at 3:01:00 PM PDT
Tina - omme i London said...: GULP - I'll keep my fingers crossed for the steek. I've yet to brave it, but ehmmm... can't really face it yet!; May 2, 2008 at 2:00:00 PM PDT
Marina said...: How did it go? Easy, right?

Love the colours of Oregon! I'm trying very hard not to buy another kit, but everybody's making it so difficult by flashing their new kits ;-)

Glad to see you've perked up and ready for next marathon. Good luck!; May 3, 2008 at 5:25:00 AM PDT

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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.