Tuesday, October 14, 2008

New Projects

swallowtail2

I have about six projects on the needles right now. I'm working on The Clementine Shawlette in some amazing hand painted fingering weight merino with sterling silver that was given to me by a dear friend. I'm also making a pair of socks using some Intention Yarn by Lime & Violet using the Nutkin pattern by Beth LaPensee that was giving to me by another great friend. Yet another friend (I know, I'm so lucky) gave me some Blue Heron Chenille that I haven't found the right pattern for yet but I'm looking. I don't have photos of any of these projects and I haven't added them to Ravelry either.

I've also started Print O' The Wave by Eunny Yang out of some gorgeous Penthouse Silk by Neightborhood Fiber Company that I bought a couple of years ago. I started several projects with this yarn but none stuck until now. I've got about 8 inches of the center panel finished and was going pretty strong on it until the Loopy Ewe got in a shipment of Handmaiden Sea Silk. I've been waiting a long time for some Ivory Sea Silk and there it was in my cart at last. That's when I saw the Moss color. Out flew the Ivory, in went the Moss and that was that. I had been saving my money for Stitches East in November but a skein of Sea Silk might be impossible to find there so I wasn't taking a chance. It came a couple of weeks ago and I fondled it and sniffed it and let it sit on the coffee table for weeks knowing that I wanted to make the Swallowtail Shawl but that I had so many things going right now that I just couldn't start another one.

You know where I'm going with this of course. On Sunday I finaly wound the skein and dug out the Fall 2006 issue of Interweave Knits and started. It's going really fast because this isn't really a "laceweight" yarn.

swallowtail1

I'm always working on baby socks and have a pair done. I'm working on matching handsies to go with these socks because I had a request for a set.

I've had two chemo treatments now, one-third of the way done, whew! This one left me tired, so tired. But I can't complain because I can handle tired just fine. I'm back at work this week and next week and then it'll be time for my third treatment. Friends and family are taking such great care of me. How will I ever repay everyone's kindness?

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow - Part II

before1I went to my beautician to have my remaining hair buzzed off last night. Here's a front view of the hair that was left after my first chemo treatment. It was driving me nuts under my hats. It was itchy and being pressed down in unnatural directions was making my scalp hurt.
before2Here's the back view. Lovely, isn't it?

First Linda Sue gave me a Mohawk because, really, how many opportunities does a straight-laced, white bread girl like me get to see herself in a Mohawk? It would have looked better if my hair had been thicker but of course it wasn't or we wouldn't be doing this in the first place.

mohawkNext she shaved off the top of the Mohawk and left me with some weird Hare Krishna type look.
going
Then she really got down to the job at hand and shaved it using a series of blades until there was just stubble left. The stubble is like velcro and sticks to all my hats and scarves. It should soon fall out though because my next chemo is on Monday.

After a lot of buzzing I finally ended up with the look I was after. I give you - Uncle Fester. Some black shadow around the eye and a black coat and I'm ready for Halloween.

gone

Then we really got silly and Linda Sue gave me a wig that I could use if I wanted but it's really not me. Wouldn't you agree?

i-don't-think-so

I'm going to order a wig from her that fits me better and looks more like my own hair. I know, I know, what's the fun in that?