I've moved on

Due to ongoing frustration with blogger and wanting to not have a blog strictly dedicated to knit & crochet, I can now be found at AbbySue's Place. I've expanded things a bit to include other crafts I'm fiddling with along with whatever else I feel like posting about.

So, if you are interested, head on over to my new home. If not, it was nice of you to stop by and I hope you found something of interest here.

Have a wonderful day!

Teresa 'aka' AbbySue

Mom's Simple Cape

This very basic design came about while trying to find a way to keep my mom warm. During my month long visit back home she had been moved to a beautiful new wing at the nursing home. She loves her new room and so do we! It's more like a luxury hotel with the added benefit (for some), of air conditioning. My mom has never really liked air conditioning and is having a little trouble adjusting to it so she is frequently cold. Getting a sweater on her can be quite difficult due not only to the paralysis, but the brace on her arm. Trying to keep a small blanket or shawl wrapped around her is a waste of time because if she moves, it slips away.

So, with my hook in hand, a tape measure and some yarn I sat down with my mom to come up with something that would work for her. First up on the agenda was making it so she could slip it on herself and not have to rely on a nurse or an aide to assist her. I fashioned the neckline so she could fasten the single button and slip it over her head. She has full use of her left arm so she can then adjust it into place.

The length was a major consideration. It couldn't be to long or it would be difficult for her to adjust the back while seated in her wheelchair and to short wouldn’t give her the warmth she needs. Making it to long would also add to much bulk, likely making it uncomfortable on her back. The solution was to take it as far as her waist line in the back with a little extra length in the front so she can wrap it across her if she chooses or cover the lower part of her arms if she wants to.

The final result, while not fancy, is the perfect solution. I used a shell stitch and sc for the neckline. My yarn of choice; 8 balls of Filatura Lanarota’s Luxor D.K., 50% cotton, 50% acrylic. I have another cape in progress using the same basic shape with a different stitch pattern. I plan to make enough of them so she’ll always have one handy if she catches a chill.

Off Topic: Breast Cancer Awareness

Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in American women. I know this only to well as the 3 generations that came before me have all had breast cancer. My great grandmother had it the first time when she was in her early 30's and then again in her late 30's. She was a survivor because she sought out treatment right away. She was a wonderful woman I remember with fondness and a smile. She died of old age when I was 12 years old.

My grandmother was in her mid to late 50's when she first noticed, and subsequently ignored that she had something wrong. It wasn't until my grandfather passed away that her daughters actually saw what had become of her breasts. You see, Grandma was in a bad way emotionally and needed prodding to take care of herself and realize that she still had a life to live. It was during this time that the 'girls' took her shopping for clothes because she had lost so much weight. Needless to say, they were horrified by what they saw. The cancer had migrated beyond her breasts thus requiring chemo in an attempt to stop its progression and shrink it down. Fortunately, other than losing her hair, the chemo didn't make Grandma sick. I would take her to get her treatment and then we would stop someplace for a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. We had a lot of fun together despite what she was going through. Sadly, the chemo didn't work for long and the cancer spread to her lungs and bones. When I last saw her before she passed away she was not only suffering terribly, but was so thin you could see all of her bones. Sometimes it's really difficult to remember her as she was before the cancer. Instead I'm stuck with these memories of her in her final days, laying in that hospital bed a mere shadow of who she was just wasting away.

My mother also had breast cancer. She didn't go for mammogram because she had one that hurt quite a bit. I tried in vain to get her to schedule appointments and go the same time I went. My daughter also tried to get her to go. Eight years later she sought out treatment when her cancer became painful and had spread from her breast up toward her shoulder. She had to undergo several months of chemo before any further treatment could be done as the cancer was rigidly affixed to connecting tissue. The chemo reduced the cancer somewhat so she was scheduled for a radical mastectomy. Sadly the cancer had spread through her lymph nodes so they had to be removed also. They were unable to remove everything so she had to go through several more months of chemo, followed by multiple radiation treatments.

It's been a three years and the cancer has not returned but she now spends her days in a residential care facility because she had a severe stroke and requires 24/7 care. Had she not been going through all that she did with the breast cancer, I have no doubt she would have discussed with her Dr. what she had going on as far as the symptoms she was experiencing regarding the blockage that led to the stroke. It's heartbreaking visiting with my mom. She for the most part is unable to communicate, is paralyzed on her right side and spends her days so heavily sedated in order to combat her pain that she mostly sleeps in her wheelchair. Her short term memory is pretty much non-existent but she for the most part has retained her lifetime memories which can be very frustrating for her given the condition she's in now.

Experts predict 178,000 women will develop breast cancer in the United States in 2007. Breast cancer can also occur in men, but it's far less common. For 2007, the predicted number of new breast cancers in men is 2,000.

Statistically I am a high-risk candidate for developing breast cancer. I am fortunate in that I am a patient at Mayo Clinic and was asked based on my family history, if I would be willing to meet with the Dr. who was conducting a research study. This meeting was no guarantee that I would be selected to participate; it was more a fact finding meeting to see if I qualified to participate based on a formulary developed by the Dr's as far as risk factors. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance and met with 3 different Dr's. After being examined and questioned extensively, I was asked to participate in the study that involves not only a yearly mammogram but also a breast MRI. Why? The purpose of the study was to show insurance companies that breast cancer could be detected much earlier through breast MRI for women at high risk than through a standard mammogram. MRI shows much more detail thus enables Dr's to spot suspicious areas for further investigation before they have a chance to spread into something life threatening.

Last year after my mammogram, which showed no abnormalities I went the same day for an MRI. My MRI, which takes about 1/2 hour showed an area that needed further checking. I was scheduled for another MRI that was done under sedation. The second MRI takes 4 to 5000 images that show abnormalities as small as a pinhead. Based on my second MRI I was scheduled for an ultra sound guided biopsy. This is the second biopsy I've had. The first was several years earlier in my other breast and turned out to be a compound cyst. The biopsy results indicated I had a fibro adenoma, which is a non-cancerous tumor. Phew! This year my mammogram and MRI were both fine.

This study has had fantastic results and saved many lives. Based on the findings, insurance companies are now covering breast MRI for women at high risk AND paying for follow up visits every 6 months for breast exams. I have no doubt this whole process will save many more lives. The first step however begins with you! Even if you aren't considered high risk, monthly breast exams are critical. After all, who knows your breasts better than you do? If you find a lump, no matter how small contact your Dr right away and have your yearly mammogram. What's a little discomfort compared to suffering through chemo, surgery and potential death? I've seen first hand what breast cancer can do when not taken care of right away. It's horrifying, devastating and in many cases, deadly.

If you don't have insurance and can't afford to pay for a mammogram there are many programs out there to help pay for it. Many hospitals and clinics also offer free screenings a couple times a year. Do some digging, get help if you have to and remember that early detection drastically increases your chances of survival.

Victoria Secret Knock-Off Skirt

This skirt was such a pleasure to make, worked up very quickly and fits like a dream. I made a simple tie belt with wooden beads and did a full repeat of the final chart in order to make the skirt long enough for me. I also added sc picot, sc edging to finish it off.

My yarn of choice was KnitPicks Shine Sport, color cream. This yarn is so wonderful to work with. Shine Sport is a 4 ply blend of 60% pima cotton, 40% modal. The yarn is very soft, has a wonderful drape, a little bit of a shine and also comes in worsted weight.

Being allergic to wool, I find it extremely frustrating trying to find really nice light weight yarns that are not made from some type of animal fiber or 100% acrylic. While very time consuming, Shine Sport is easily split from a 4 ply to a 2 ply or even a single ply for a nice fingering/lace weight yarn when anything heavier just won't do.

I decided against lining this skirt and will instead make a few simple pull on A-line cotton slips in various colors to wear under it. For the above picture I placed some black fabric inside the skirt so that the stitching pattern was more visible. I have not blocked this yet and really don't think I will as I like the way it looks as is. If needed I might blast it with a little steam but other than that will leave it alone.

The charted pattern for this skirt was based on a skirt being sold by Victoria's Secret. I originally saw this pattern when it was a CAL at Crochetville however it has since been removed. Per forum guidelines, formal permission must be obtained from the designer in order to have the pattern posted. As the original poster of the pattern has been unable to reach the designer, the pattern is no longer available at the 'ville but it can be found doing a google search.

Seraphina Shawl

I'm stunned that it's been so long since I posted. Mostly it's because I spent a month in NY visiting my family. Added to that, I still don't have a working camera but I did manage to borrow one so I could take pics of my most recent FO's.

This is the second Seraphina I have made. The first one I made last year using TLC Essentials and I struggled quite a bit figuring out the pattern. Fortunately the designer included alot of pictures with the pattern so I charted it from those and was then able to easily complete it. By the way, I don't have the first one I made...my daughter absconded with it when I was visiting NY last year. She also received a Sweet Pea Shawl and 2 beaded doilies.

For this Seraphina I used 2 full skeins of Jo-Ann Sensations Rainbow Boucle that I ran across in a clearance bin several months ago for $5.00 a skein. Using 2 full skeins may seem like an awful lot of yarn but I'm tall and wanted my shawl to be long enough to keep me warm during evening walks on the beach once the weather changes. Including the simple chained fringe, this shawl goes just past the back of my knees. It's a perfect length for me and I can wrap the wings over my shoulders and it stays put.

While this pattern can be very confusing at first, once you figure out the repeats it works up very quickly. I am very pleased with this shawl and absolutely love the striping pattern created with this yarn.

Exceptional options needles arrived

I am beyond pleased with KnitPicks Options interchangeable needle set! Not only did it take less than a week for them to get here (came in yesterday's mail), the needles and cords are far more superior then I anticipated. The needles are very smooth and light-weight with nice pointy tips. The cords are extremely flexible with a very smooth join that easily tightens down with the included key.

I went through and checked every needle and cord by screwing them together to be sure there were no flaws. The set as a whole is absolutely perfect. Although I was going to wait until today to actually try knitting with them, I just couldn't do it! While sitting in the dark last night watching TV I cast on to do a swatch just to see how the needles felt. I am in awe! As a new knitter I have trouble keeping my knit and pearl stitches uniform. Not so with Knit Picks Options! Not only were my stitches perfectly uniform my speed had at a minimum, doubled. Even more amazing, I was able to sit there and knit in the dark with no difficulty. Normally I have to watch every movement of my needles and I didn't have to with these.

I won't give up my Denise needles as I still feel they are better suited to certain fibers and added to that, I'll likely have less difficulty getting through airport security with them. But, needless to say, I can't wait to get more of the options needles & cords until I have the complete line. Oh Chris!? ;):D

Latest yarn stash

I haven't done any crocheting in the last few days because I've been busy with other things. I've been laid up since July 2nd. with 2 herniated discs and am finally starting to feel much better. I'm still quite sore but I'm standing straighter and as long as I remember to walk with more of a shuffle than taking actual steps I get around pretty good. So, I've been trying to catch up on things around the house by chasing dust bunnies and taking care of the so-called piles I've accumulated within arms reach of where I've spent the last month sitting or laying down. While it's been nice having things close enough (crocheting, knitting, books, etc.) so that I wouldn't go out of my mind with boredom or cause myself excruciating pain trying to find something to do, I'm tired of looking at the clutter and so is Chris! I'd say that's a good sign that I am in fact feeling better! lol

One of the things I did yesterday was get out my ball winder so I could take care of my most recent shipment of yarn/thread. I wind pretty much everything, including crochet thread. This enables me to address any flaws in the yarn/thread (breaks, knots, defects, etc.) before I'm halfway into a project. I find cones difficult to work from because you have to have them positioned 'just right' so the yarn feeds freely and thread with the cardboard cores are not only cumbersome, but awkward in that the thread does not feed freely unless you have a ball holder of some sort. I have no desire to carry a huge cone of yarn or a ball of thread still on the cardboard when I'm on the go. By winding everything I'm able to slip a ball of yarn or thread into an appropriate sized zip bag, drop it in my purse or tote bag and I'm good to go. My supplies stay clean and neat and I can easily work from my purse or bag by just opening the bag a crack.

Added to my stash and now ready to be placed in storage bags: Peaches & Cream worsted, 1lb. each, color desert sand and sea mist. Peaches & Cream 3 ply baby weight, 1lb. each, color peaches 'n cream and moon silk. Rayon Super Petalspun worsted, 1lb., color ivory. Rayon Petalspun sport, 1lb., color ecru. AB size 3 perle cotton, 6 balls 230 yards each in ecru & earthtone. AB size 10 crochet thread, 6 balls 350 years each in denim. AB size 10 crochet thread, 6 skeins 400 yards each in white.

I do have certain projects for all of the above and the white thread I will dye to a specific shade I have in mind. Of course I want to just dive right in and get started with my new yarn but I'm trying real hard to hold myself back and finish stuff I already have on my hook or needles. It's so hard though to keep myself from starting just one more thing...I want to play with the new stuff...yanno? lol


As a final note, I am SO glad that several months ago I ordered color cards with yarn samples...something I wish I had done a very long time ago. Having the cards took the guess work out of finding exactly what I wanted as far as color, texture, ply, and all those other things that go in to selecting fiber for a project. Now I don't have to worry about the accuracy of colors I see on various websites that sell yarn...all I have to do is look at my samples and I can not only see the colors, but touch the fiber and also easily pick out coordinating colors with 100% accuracy. Life is good... :)

Easy progress bars for new blogger. No images required! :-)

I have been fiddling with this since before I went public with this blog to come up with a workable solution that would allow me to have basic progress bars for my WIP's, etc. without having to host a slew of small, pre-made images. I have a paid Photo Bucket account so the actual hosting of images isn't an issue, I just didn't want to deal with images or tables, which I can't seem to use (tables) without messing up. I wanted simple to use with 'minimal' changes needed for size and color. Everyone has their own preferences...images, tables, etc. My preference is this script so here it is! :)

You will not need to mess with your template code. This all goes right in a 'page element'. I am using the new version of blogger and unless someone lets me know otherwise, I do not know if this will work in the older version of blogger.

I found a block of code over at Unlikely Words via web archive, but it wouldn't work 'as is' inthe 'new blogger'.. Through reading up on XHTML, and LOTS of trial & error I finally came up with a working script. As scripted progress bars seem to be a much sought after option, I thought I would share my solution so others who want it can simply copy/paste it into their page element.

Under Template > Page Elements choose add a page element. Select "Add HTML/JavaScript" Type in your title then copy/paste the below into the body.

<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
  // drawPercentBar()
  // Written by Matthew Harvey (matt AT unlikelywords DOT com)
  // (http://www.unlikelywords.com/html-morsels/)
  // Modified to XHTML 1.0 Standards by Teresa Daniels (hooks-n-needles.blogspot.com)
  // (http://hooks-n-needles.blogspot.com/)
  // Distributed under the Creative Commons
  // "Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0" License
  // (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/)
  function drawPercentBar(width, percent, color, background)
  {
    var pixels = width * (percent / 100);
    if (!background) { background = "none"; }

      document.write('<div style="position: relative; line-height: 1em; background-color: none; border: 1px  solid #AB6F6F; width: 200px;">');
      document.write('<div style="height: 1.5em; width: ' + pixels + 'px; background-color: '
                     + color + ';"></div>');
      document.write('<div style="position: absolute; text-align: center; padding-top: .25em; width: '
                     + width + 'px; top: 0; left: 0;">' + percent + '%</div>');
      document.write('</div>');
  }
</script>

Locate this line " border: 1px solid #AB6F6F; width: 200px; " and change the following to suite your template.

- "1px solid #AB6F6F;" This is the border of the actual bar. If you want a thicker border change the 1 to a 2, etc. and change the color hex # to represent your choice of border color. NOTE: These progress bars are transparent so your page background color will show as seen in the sample at the begining of this post.

- Change the "200px" for how wide you want your bars to be. Mine are set at 200px but many I've seen that use images for bars are about half that size. It's all a matter of preference and what size works best with your template.

Now to have a bar actually show up, add the below AFTER the script.

<div class="module-typelist module">

<div class="typelist-plain module-content"><ul class="module-list">


<div class="typelist-note-label"> ***Name of Item*** </div><div class="typelist-note"><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">drawPercentBar(200, 70, '#ffffff'); </script></div>


<br/>

<div class="typelist-note-label"> ***Name of Item*** </div><div class="typelist-note"><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">drawPercentBar(200, 35, '#ffffff'); </script></div>


<br/>


<div class="typelist-note-label"> ***Name of Item *** </div><div class="typelist-note"><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">drawPercentBar(200, 40, '#ffffff'); </script></div>


</ul></div></div></tr></table></div>

- You will now type in the name of your item where indicated above (*** Name of Item*** ). Then you will move on to make changes in the section in parentheses ( ).

- The "200" represents the size of bar and/or filling of the bar. I keep my border size & bar size the same.

- The second number represent the percentage and/or how much of the bar will be filled. If you set it to 50 the bar will be half full and 50% will show up centered in the bar. NOTE: The 50% will be in your blogs default font size and color. You blog's default font size determines the height of the bar. If you don't want to use your default font you will need to add font tags to change it.

- The hex# is for the color you want the bar to fill with. In this sample (and the image above) the bars fill with white.

Once you've made your changes save it and you're good to go. If you need more or less bars, add or remove the following for each instance: NOTE: If you don't want a line break between your bars remove the <br/> tag.

<br/> <div class="typelist-note-label"> ***Name of Item*** </div><div class="typelist-note"><script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">drawPercentBar(200, 35, '#ffffff'); </script></div>

I hope I've outlined how to do this so it's easy enough for all to follow. If you use this in your blog I'd love to see your customizations so please leave a comment with your blog URL so I can take a peek. :-) Additionally, please link back to this post if you would like to share this with others who may be interested in using it. But most of all...have fun tweaking it for your blog! :-)

Options Needle Set

WooHoo! Yippee! Yeehaaawww! I just ordered my very own set of Knit Picks Options Needles! I'm so excited! I can't wait until they arrive! I have had the entire line of needles on my 'wish list' for quite some time but really didn't expect to get them until maybe Christmas time or later. But...

Every few weeks or so Chris out of the blue just give me some money so I can get more yarn. He is so wonderful and supportive of my fiber addiction even though he says we need to move to a bigger place to have room for it all! lol Last week I received via UPS 12 pounds of yarn & thread so I never expected, not in the least, that today he would say "Why don't you go ahead and order those needles?" If it wasn't for the fact that I've been laid up with 2 herniated discs I would have done hand-springs! :-D

Needless to say, I ordered the set right away and added the WPI tool and knit card on as a bonus. I'll get the remaining needles some time down the road to complete the set but until then, I should have plenty to keep me occupied. I feel like a little kid waiting for Santa to come and bring me goodies. lol I love my pink Denise needles but have found they are not suited (for me anyway) to all types of yarn. That being said, I can't use 10" or 14" needles at all....give me circs or interchangeables any day. Granted I haven't been knitting for that long, but I wasn't able to teach myself to knit until I actually got the Denise needles. I know I will continue to use them but I am so looking forward to the click, click, click of the Knit Picks options set.

Library Thing

I recently started cataloging all my craft related books, magazines and what not over at Library Thing (thumbnail preview in sidebar) and while time consuming and no where near done yet, boy has it made things easier for me already! A quick glance at the thumbnail images (some I had to scan in myself) I can see exactly what I have or don't have. Now when I see a book I'm interested in on eBay, Amazon, etc. instead of jumping up to go rummage through my bookcases(s) I can simply open another tab and glance through my library.

To make a long story short: The past 5 years have been difficult in that when I moved to Florida everything I had in storage to be retrieved when I found a place to live mysteriously disapeared...some showing up in used goods stores back home....gee...wonder how that happened? *sigh* Needless to say I have had to start over and often find myself scratching my head because I'm sure I have something only to find out it was something I 'used' to have. A lifetime of stashing, collecting and treasuring things that were passed down in my family, gone! Just like that. I honestly believe it would have been easier for me to deal with emotionally had it happened as a result of a fire or natural disaster. At least then most of what I had would have been covered by insurance but no, my loss was due to the selfish, greedy cruelty of others.

Needless to say, library thing has been a very handy reference for me. Once I'm done cataloging & adding my tags I'll start checking out some of the other users library's. Some users have books for trade/sale..maybe I'll be able to hunt up some of the ones I used to have? It won't be quite the same because it wouldn't be the exact book given to me by my grandmother or mother but I would treasure them just the same. :-)