Progress Report and Knitting Scout Badges

My step-mother fell on Monday and broke her femur just below the hip joint. The surgeon inserted a rod and some screws and now she's in the rehab unit for a few days. She has lived alone since my dad died in March 2006 and really values her independence. She lives about 100 miles from me so I'm not going to be able to look after her for more than a week (vacation from work) and I'm worried about how we're going to work this out. I know she doesn't want to come here because she doesn't know anyone and there still wouldn't be anyone there during the day. She'll be out of the hospital in a day or two so we're going to have to come up with a (low cost, cause none of us are rich) solution quick.

I've been working on a pair of Miriam Felton's Baby to Toddler Sized Socks for my step-mother's physical therapist. Her son is 5 months so I'm using Size #1US needles so that he can get some use of them before they're too small. I've finished one and cast on for the second. This is the third pair of these I've made and I'm still not tired of them. I'm a slow knitter and I can finish one of these in about 3 hours.

I was knitting in the hospital room and was amazed at the number of people who commented on my socks. One lady asked if I sell them and I told her I didn't think it was practical because the yarn cost over $20. She said I could probably sell them for $75 and I had to wonder who she thought would ever pay $75 for a pair of socks. Paris Hilton, perhaps?

I've stopped working on my Double Eyelet Rib Toe-Up Socks by Wendy Johnson of WendyKnits to work on the baby socks but I only have the leg of the second sock to finish and they're done. This has been an enjoyable if somewhat boring pattern to knit. It's only 4 chart lines so it's very easy for a beginning lace knitter. I didn't use the heel from this pattern because I didn't have it in front of me when I started the heel. Instead I used the wrap-less short-row heel with a gusset from Wendy's Southwestern Socks pattern. I really like this heel and it may become my favorite.

When I read Miriam's page I saw these Cast On Scout Knitting Badges and decided that's a few of them apply to me so I created a little bar with the applicable images. Thanks, Brenda.