Yours truly has been coping with the usual aggravated hand issues, which have been mentioned in earlier posts, so I won't bore you again, but that's why I've been in Off Mode. Until just recently there was no knitting on my end and a lot of grief about not knitting, thus nothing to write about. Then my PT miracle worker, Vicki designed a splint that keeps my third and fourth fingers immobilized, so the tendons can't be stressed, and it has helped mightily, as well as the wearing of a carpal tunnel wrist support. In the meanwhile I've explored rigid heddle table looms, which I find daunting but interesting, and a pin-loom thing, the DIY Weaver, which reminds me of making potholders in third grade, though the results are better.
This clutch and shoulder bag were made with the DIY Weaver.
So knitting is happening once again, both slowly in terms of gradual re-entry, and quickly, because I'm using enormous needles, number 17s currently. The rehab key is to work with large-scale needles, since they're less taxing to hold, and thick yarn.
This color-block baby blanket measures about 32" x 35" (unblocked), is done in Lion Brand's Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (80% acrylic, 20% wool, good for babies), and was knitted with #17 needles. Time elapsed from beginning to end of knitting--about eight hours. Quite amazing, IMHO. I designed the pattern, such as it is, and you can find it here, for free. Kramer wants me to give him the blanket, but it's already got an owner. She arrives sometime within the next few weeks, and will be a young citizen of Brooklyn, NY. (There are no surprises for expectant parents anymore. Had I been given the option of knowing my babies' pre-birth genders, would I have accepted? I can't decide.)
So, the saga continues, and the next post will arrive sooner than this. In the meanwhile, happy summer knitting to us all.
