{WIP} Gratitude

Daddy and Me

I touched about it in my last blog post, but lately I've been having a very hard time of it.  A few weeks ago, I went to call my dad at 5 pm like I always do - I was running a few minutes late and knew he worries.  When I couldn't get in touch with him for twenty minutes, I panicked and called my mother. She rushed home and found him collapsed at the bottom of the basement stairs where he had been since early that morning.  You see, my dad had a brain tumor 8 years ago...and it apparently came back.  The only reason I panicked was because my mom called me that weekend to let me know she was worried about him and was planning on making an appointment with a neurologist.  After a very trying week my father had an emergency angiogram and brain surgery to remove the tumor.  He survived, again. But when he fell down the stairs he fractured his back.  He has only recently been discharged from rehab, and was just informed he has brain cancer.  Apparently a non-bad form of cancer, which only means it is slow forming and won't spread.  He will be starting chemotherapy soon....and I am going to knit him or crochet him some spare mustaches.  I can picture my daddy bald, but not without a mustache.  I am a daddy's girl, through and through and it is hurting me more than you could ever know that I live almost 4 hours away and can't be there for my dad.  I am going through some tough personal things...and life is overwhelming at the moment.  I've had no motivation for much of anything...let alone knitting. But I'm going to be starting therapy next week and hope to rediscover myself and find away to help me cope with this awfulness.

My knitterly friends Erin & Julie suggested I join in the Fat Squirrel Speaks Gratitude KAL on Ravelry.  A KAL to remind us of what we are grateful for while we make something for ourselves.  I can honestly say I drew a blank when trying to decide what I'm grateful for - I know i have much to be grateful for: I have a well paying job, my dad despite everything is alive, I have amazing friends and a loving boyfriend. I am very grateful for Nate who lets me fall apart and just holds me telling me he loves me and it will be OK.  But sometimes I wonder if it really will ever be OK again.

While I try to remember the silver linings, I am going to be knitting myself a pair of fingerless gloves. I've decided on the Vancouver Fog pattern (found here on Ravelry) in some scrumptious Mad Tosh vintage (Earl Grey color way) - I went and did some deep stash diving to find this special yarn I've been saving for a rainy day. I literally just Cast On....so we shall see. 

{ToTT} Pattern Magnets

I'm trying out a new blog theme to write about.  I might set it up with a Mr.Linky if anyone else wants to participate in this theme.  

I'm a gadget girl - when I go to a new yarn store, the first thing I check out is the notions and tools to see if there is anything new.  When I first started knitting I thought it would be so simple. Just pick up needles and yarn and go.  Boy, was I surprised to find out how many tools were out there that made knitting possible.

So, today, I introduce you to my first Tools of the Trade (ToTT for short) post.  In these {ToTT} posts I will introduce you to some of my favorite tools and notions.  There will be needle reviews, and tips and tricks I've learned.  Let me know in the comments if you would be interested in me making this into something regular and if you would like to join me :)

My first post will be about a very simple, but perfect tool I use a lot.  It is the miPattern magnets by Slipped Stitch Studios.  I had picked up one a long time ago from a Long Island yarn shop (The Village Knitter in Babylon) and I thought what a simple and amazing product.  I use mine all the time.  And when I recently treated myself to the Doctor Who bag of the month club over at SSS, a set of three Whovian ones came with it.

The miPattern magnet is a very simple concept.  It's a ribbon with two magnets glued to it.  As shown in the picture to the left, it "snaps" together on your pattern be it a book or a printed out pattern and you can wiggle it up or down the page to keep your place.  The sets come in three sizes, so any type of pattern can easily be followed with it.  

It is much greener then using a sticky note, and it also does not fall off as easily.  If you're like me and often knit on the couch from printed out patterns there is always that instance where you are joined by a four legged member of the household and next thing you know your pattern is on the floor...with the pattern magnet you don't have to worry about losing your place.

I definitely recommend giving one a try!  It makes knitting on the go a breeze.

I definitely love learning what fellow knitters like to use to make their knitting lives easier!  Please let me know, if like me, you too would like to see what others use - if anyone is interested in joining me in {ToTT} I will probably make these posts on Saturday.

I have been very quiet blog-wise lately - although if you follow me on Instagram you will have seen what I was working on.  I am still working on the super secret fingerless gloves...and life has gotten out of control.  

The last week of February, my dad wound up getting sick and being rushed to the hospital.  It turned out that the brain tumor he had 8 years ago came back.  After one very scary week, dad survived another brain surgery and has only just yesterday been released from rehab to go home.  However, this time we learned he has brain cancer - although, he assures me, that it is not a "bad cancer" in the fact that it won't spread.  He will be starting radiation on Monday.  Due to all that has been going on...I've lost my knitting mojo a bit.  Truth be told I've lost my everything mojo...but I'm working on trying to get me back to being "me" again.