Another Granny Square

Thank you all for the well wishes. My back/pinched nerve is feeling better but I'm still on muscle relaxers, can't stand for more than a moment and I'm still not walking well.  It's getting better though.  I've gotten the use of my leg back although I'm still completely numb from my mid thigh to mid calf.  That's an improvement though.  

Have you ever had a pinched nerve or back issues that caused numbness?  It's such a strange sensation.  My knee feels like it's about four feet in diameter, and even though the skin is completely numb, my thigh is sore to the touch and keeps itching.  It hurts to touch yet I can't feel it when I scratch.  It's very strange.  But I'll take numb over the massive muscle spasms I was having.

I'm still on the muscle relaxers so I haven't been knitting but I did finish another granny square baby blanket.  It's not traditional baby colors but I thought it would be perfect for a boy.  Actually, I'd like to have an adult size one for me.  I'm absolutely in love with the color combo.  Sunflower yellow, gray, sage green and dark blue.  It's very "me."

And so this post contains something else besides me whining about my back issues...

And because that is horribly pixilated...

Another horribly pixilated photo just to make sure your eyes are hurting and you have a headache.  😁

I can't get over how much Hayden has grown.  She's gotten a bunch of molars, her hair is growing into baby ringlets and she's saying more and more actual words.  She's so funny.  She's terrified of the train (remember that the train tracks are right beside our house?)  She hears the horn blow off in the distance and goes running to comforting arms.  But as long as you hold her, she likes to watch the train go by.  She gets so excited and shouts "choo choo" and giggles.  

Well, it's time for another round of pills so....

Elsa

 

Tropical Storm Elsa is upon us.  Thankfully I was able to spend a few minutes outside on the deck crocheting my giant granny square afghan before the rain started.  I am absolutely loving this YarnBee cotton yarn.

I was so glad, and sad, to hear how many of you have also suffered roof and a/c condensation leaks.  One good thing about our problems - they are keeping me active.  I LOVE wild weather and normally during a big storm, I sit in front of a window and watch the weather while I knit for 12+ hours straight.  Not this time!  Having to bail the drip buckets is forcing me to take crochet/craft breaks which is good for my arm as well as my entire body.

For those of you in Elsa's path, I pray you did/will make it through safely.

And then my arm fell off

So, remember the needlepoint I just finished and how I was excited about how quickly the project had gone so I was going to start another?  Remember how I'd said my arm was so sore from the repetitive motion of pulling the tread through the mesh?  Apparently, I did not remember that until I started the newest one.  It didn't take long to remind myself.  Ouch.  

So I decided to focus on knitting instead.  

But it's too hot to knit.  And since I'm spending most of my time outside on the deck because there's no TV or internet... and it's been 95 degrees and crazy humid.... It's just too hot to knit.

So what do you do when it's too hot to knit and your arm feels like you've had six flu shots in one day?

You begin a giant, single granny square, stash busting blanket.  Of course you do!

Although I had to resort to Google's help to remind myself how to start a granny square, the project was going well.  It was going well until I remembered that I'd stopped crocheting years and years ago because it irritates my carpal tunel so badly.  A few stitches and I can't even pick up a pencil for a week.

In other words, it was going well until my arm fell off.

Beaded Socks

 

I made Hayden some beaded socks.  They would have looked a lot better if I'd used white thread but I had the ecru in the craft drawer and I wasn't sure how her parents would feel about the beads so I went with what I had.

We put the socks on her and she immediately noticed the beads.

She loves to kick her feet and if she is anything like her Aunt Sarah, she will love wearing them and hearing the beads rattle/click/make noise.  

I made socks like these for Sarah from the time she was two until she was seven or eight.  She wore them constantly and they went through the washing machine, with or without bleach, and the dryer with no problems.  Not a single pair ever lost a bead so I feel pretty safe making them for Hayden.

If you have a young lady you'd like to make some for, they are super easy.  I've used round beads, but the triangular ones look better I think.  The thread wraps in the dent of the triangle and isn't as noticeable as on the round ones.  Besides the beads and thin cotton crochet thread, you'll need socks that have fold-over cuffs and a crochet hook small enough to go through the bead.  I use a USA4 hook.

So get your sock, poke the needle through just a tiny bit under the edge of the cuff, grab the thread and pull a loop through the sock.  I hold the yarn double for a few stiches to anchor it and then chain 3 (or 5 for older, bigger girls,) put the hook through a bead and pull the thread through.  Chain one to attach the bead then chain 3 (or 5) and attach it to the sock with another chain stitch.  Then just keep doing that all the way around.  The closer together you attach to the sock (if that makes sense,) the more full, ruffley, and fluffy beads will be, if beads can be fluffy.  Hopefully you understand what I'm trying to say.  

For this pair, I used whatever colored bead I grabbed out of the box but you can make patterns or add a special charm type bead, or use holiday themed colored beads... 

Oh and as a word of warning, do NOT use jingle bells.  Jingle bell socks are only cute for about 30 seconds then they become VERY, VERY annoying.  They also don't wash well. Trust me on that.

Sunday Hats - Cupcake

It's Sunday and you know what that means.  We're talking hat patterns.

Check out this adorable cupcake hat.

Cupcake Hat by Jenni Designs

Is that not the cutest thing?

Okay, okay, so it's crochet, not knit, but still.  Look at it.  It's adorable!  And it's a free pattern from Jenni Designs.  You can find the pattern on Ravelry here.

And now I'm craving cupcakes.  I'm off to beg & plead with my daughter to bake a batch while I try to remember how to crochet.