Miiiiighty quiet

Hi Wooly,

I've been quiet because I've been sick. I just found out I have Graves Disease (a very treatable thyroid disorder). I've been going back and forth to the doctor's, taking meds, etc. My family went on vacation and I had to miss it. So, I've been sitting around, knitting, watching TV, and eating. I'm making socks and am almost finished with the pair. DH has the camera in New England, but when he gets home, I'll post some pics.

Hesira

PS: The socks I'm making are dusty pink, but it's a really pretty color. Make that child something blue, purple, green. It doesn't have to be pink!

Wooly wrote:

It is very quite here!

I am working on a counted thread embroidery piece that will be made into the lid of a handmade basket (which I purchased). This will be a Christmas gift. It is a pattern of a bunch of acorns in a circle with the alphabet as an inner circle. Then there is another acorn doodad that is stitched and tied on. The basket will be lined with a pretty fabric.

I'm still working on my NYCO.....stockinette in the round is pretty boring and I do better with it if I am working on it in the car. Maybe I will take it to work tomorrow afternoon and try to work on it there. Friday afternoons are very slow.

I am also transferring a Dutch sampler to a computer program because my copy is very, very worn and it will help me in reversing the patterns (from right to left mirror images).

Also, I've been doing a lot of thinking on projects I want to do....an embroidered pillow for a friend/co-worker who will turn 40 this year....Kool-aid dyed yarn.....knitted hats....knitted scarf for DH....maybe try my first pair of socks. The socks might be good to take along to Tacoma (we leave in 10 days).

DH is driving in from Austin tonight and should be here in another half hour or so. I guess I should throw another load of laundry into the washer and fold the towels that just finished drying.

Happy stitching, everyone!

BonnieBlue

You mention kool-aid dyed yarn, below.

My daughter perked up - can you give me a brief lesson in how you do that?

Moon

On 20 Jul 2006 17:51:46 -0700, "hesira" spewed forth :

I can identify with that. I started getting hyperthyroid about 18mo ago, went from "elevated but not alarming" to "oh my god you're extra toxic!" from February to April of this year; my antibodies skyrocketed at the same time. I had to take PTU for a while, then I had two rounds of radiation, earlier this week I had a couple of nodules biopsied (results next week). The good news: I lost some weight. The bad news: I lost my eyebrows, an alarming portion of my previously abundant hair. The good news: my hair and eyebrows will grow back. The bad news: I'll be hypothyroid within a year (or sooner) and I hear that's just as bad as being hyperthyroid.

I've been going back and

Bummer you had to miss your vacation!

Oh I will, but my friend specifically asked for some pink stuff. I have several hanks of pink J&S jumper wool in the stash, so I'll make a baby surprise, a cap and some booties to satisfy the pink craving. Then I can branch out. Girly doesn't always mean pink, especially when I'm the knitter :D

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Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

I was thinking the same thing. (how quiet it is).

Years ago when my daughter was pg for the 3rd time and we found out it was a girl (after she had 2 boys), I went crazy buying pink things. I'm not a huge fan of pink either, but it's funny how your mind can go pink in that situation (laugh).

I'm working on my 2nd incarnation of the Peacock Feathers Shawl, and cross my fingers - this time it seems to be working ! I've been much more careful about the stitch count, and I like the way it's working up in the multi-ply cotton yarn. I still have a pair of socks for DH on the needles, a heavy sweater for my granddaughter in Bernat Velour (this is AWFUL yarn), and another shawl for myself that gets worked on occasionally.

The weather has been very warm and extremely dry. Our municipality has issued a burning ban - no burning garbage, grass, etc. because everything is like a tinderbox. I'm running around with watering cans every day watering the hanging baskets, the tomato plants, blueberries and raspberries. Last year our area had too much rain, this year we're crying for it. It's starting to become a problem for the local farmers.

Shelagh

On Fri, 21 Jul 2006 01:29:29 GMT, "Moon Shyne" spewed forth :

Make up one packet of Koolade (or other powdered, unsugared drink mix) in a cup of hot water. Dip one end of a hank of yarn in the cup and hang the yarn so it'll hang in the cup until all the dye is absorbed. Repeat ad naus until the entire hank is dyed. That's if you want a "space-dyed" look. For same-color-all-over use several packets of the same flavor, make them up in water adequate to cover the item and nuke or cook on the stove until boiling, then allow to cool.

Done.

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Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

Apparently I'm hypothyroid. Mine was diagnosed around 5 years when I was working on losing weight - lost 30 lbs then couldn't lose any more. I complained bitterly to the doctor that even though I was eating properly, walking a mile a day 5 days a week - nothing was happening. He did the blood test (without telling me), then called me up a few days later to tell me about it. My sister told me our mom was hypothyroid too.

We horsed around for a few months getting the dosage for Synthroid right, and I take one a day. Other than that, I haven't noticed anything.... I haven't been overtired or had any of the other symptoms. (shrug). The medication only costs around $6 a month. Just like any other disease, it affects each person differently. I hope your symptoms are small and manageable.

(Hesira said)

family went on vacation and I had to miss it.

That's too bad...... I think I would have been bummed out missing a vacation! Hope you're doing okay....

Shelagh

Wooly,

I hope your biopsies come back negative. So far I don't have nodules or cancer, just an enlarged thyroid and very elavated levels of its hormone. Weirdly, my pituitary isn't making anything (zero count) and they are going to try to figure out which came first, the thyroid or pituitary.

I have a friend who also has Graves Disease, and she went through everything you described, but she is now leveled out and keeps it in check. I am scheduled to see an endocrinologist to figure out what treatment I need. I'll probably end up with the radiation. I hadn't thought about the hair loss. Mine is fine, and I can't afford to lose much of it. Oh, well, I guess I'll take whatever comes my way.

I've also lost a lot of weight quickly. I'm happy about that, but it's small consolation for the symptoms.

Yes, I'm sad about the vacation, but I'm actually beginning to enjoy my alone time. They've been gone since Friday, and will get home this Sunday.

I'm sure your pink baby surprize will be beautiful. Lucky girl. I have a little neice I make girl stuff for. In this world of boys (they are the majority in my family), I enjoy the occasional girlie project.

Hesira

Shillelagh,

I'm glad you don't feel the symptoms. Mine have been just awful for about 4 weeks. I'm on meds to control the shakiness and freaky heart rate. It helps but doesn't eradicate the symptoms completely.

I do miss my boys, but am getting used to solitude. This time alone has allowed me to rest and try to feel better.

Hesira

Shillelagh wrote:

I'm hitting the sack. I hope everyone has a peaceful Good Night,

Hesira

Wooly, it sure has been mighty quiet here.

I am working on a pair of socks for my 3 year old granddaughter, Ava.

An afghan for my pastor who is getting married in one month and a baby afghan for a friend of ours.

I am sad to hear about my friends with health problems, you are all in my thoughts.

I also want us all to remember our dear friends in Israel, may the soon have peace.

Hugs & God bless, Dennis & Gail

Wooly there are some nice pinks out there as well. I have made a great dress from a hot pink butterfly brand yarn, 100 % cotton from Greece. combining several shades of pink can be fun as well. Or hot pink with orange, or bright red is lots of fun as well

Els

I crocheted a baby blanket zig zag pattern and single crochet in hot pink and orange. The Mother wet bonkers over it.

I thought it was alright also.

We will have to enlighten our friend wooly on pink. :)

Hugs & God bless, Dennis & Gail

I really hope the group gets going.

Of course, it is summer and outdoor activities.

Hugs & God bless, Dennis & Gail

Thank you - we'll be trying this. Sometimes, you just can't find the right color...

:-)

Moon

Hi Moon

I also do lots of kool-aid dyeing; I just boil the wool in a solution of sugarless koolaid (either one, two or three packs, depending on the colour intensity I want) until the water is clear (yup, clear). I stir it gently to make sure the wool is always wet, unless I want a multitonal, in which case I don't stir it and let some of the yarn float just under the surface. You have to use 100% wool, unbleached to get a great effect. I've used others, though; light colours, tweeds, etc, and gotten lots of different effects.

In here are some photos of my koolaid projects:

here are some photos of my dyed yarn: are great sites for koolaid dyeing; just google it and tons popup.

Michelle

Um, mine didn't.

No, it's not necessarily so bad. I take an artificial thyroid hormone tablet every morning and everything is okey-dokey now (except for my hair).

Erin

On 21 Jul 2006 05:32:59 -0700, "Erin" spewed forth :

Well, I didn't need to hear that! My endo told me they will, and while I take medical advice with a large dose of salt, this gal is sharp and knows her stuff so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt for now.

I really don't miss my eyebrows, but my braid is woefully thin these days. I can't remember not carping about my hair being too long and unruly (waist-length and almost curly) but now that it isn't it's old self I sure do miss it.

Yeah, I'll be on meds for sure. It's that whole dialling in the dose thing that doesn't sound like much fun. Right now I'm still hyperthyroid but I feel a lot better than I did say, in March, when my T3 and T4 were both in the 80s (with lab standard ranges of not more than 5, iirc). If I can maintain *this* level of mild hyperthyroidism I think I'd be happy with it, but my doc wants me to be clinically (if not symptomatically) hypothyroid before she starts me on replacement.

So we'll see.

Now I'm off to beat back the overgrowth at the rental house next door (out-of-state owner pays me to "mind" the place when it's vacant), then a shower and knitting with the girls this afternoon. I also have to take a pair of Birks back to the shop (again) to have them rebuilt (again) because the usual cobbler seems to have an apprentice who can't get the uppers in the correct places on the new footbeds.

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Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

Quiet is nice at times; sure beats the occasional shouting. I've just started a simple lace scarf using Rowan Kidsilk and size 7 bamboo needles which need better points. What can I do to make them more pointy?