New Stuff

For the last 2 weeks I have been so sick. Sicker then I've been in years. I even had a fever, and I never get fevers. I feel like I'm only working on 80% health right now. I wish I would hurry up and get better! I need to do my christmas shopping. All I've gotten done is 1 present! I know I've got some time before the holidays, but I am already feeling the crunch. This year I am only making one christmas present, a stocking for my niece. Myself and my siblings all have the same type of stocking, a felt and sequin appliqué stocking. I've been "nominated" to make a matching stocking for my niece.



There are 100 pieces to be cut out, sequined, embroidered and appliquéd. I'm on piece 22. I will get this done before christmas!

I've finished my stocking swap, so I can finally post some pictures of the things I sent out.



Pattern: Lengthwise Garter Stitch Scarf
Yarn: Random bits and pieces from the stash in blacks and greys
Needles: US 10
Modifications: I just cast on 300 and knit while randomly changing rows. It came out really long, so next time I think I could do like 250 and it would be alright.


Pattern: Raisin Beret
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in black
Needles: US 3 and US 10
Modifications: I made some mistakes in the top decreases. I think it still looked ok. No pictures of me in it because I made it for a swap.




Pattern: Molly's Headband from Interweave knits
Yarn: Knitpicks Totem
Needles: US 6
Modifications: No modifications, it was easy to do and an easy chart to follow. No pictures of it on, because again it was for a swap.

Pattern: Sugi
Yarn: Knitpicks Shine Sport in Coral
Needles: US 4
Modifications: I changed the legs and just did them as I-cords. I also used a thinner yarn and smaller needles.

I'm still working on my tree jacket, but I'm almost done. I am about 1/2 done with the second sleeve and then it is done baby! I cannot wait to wear it. I think it fits really nicely. It feels like I have not made something for myself in so so so long. Maybe I'm selfish, but I've had enough for awhile of knitting for baby showers and swaps. I think I need to focus a little bit more on me me me!

One last bonus picture, Bud in the first snow of the year. He loves the snow. He likes to sit outside with his head up in the air just letting the snow land on him, until he's covered in white.



I wanted to get a picture of his face, but he was more interested in watching the snow fall then in getting his picture taken!

distracting you with baby pictures

I have no new pictures of knitting to show you. I've finished a few things to mail to my stocking swap pal (see last post for details). However, I cannot show pictures of that stuff until it's been received. So I'll distract everyone with cute baby pictures.






Bud News: Liver function has shown to be much worse now, then before he went on the antibiotics and the pills for his liver. He's being referred to a specialist and it looks like he will need to have a liver biopsy, which the Dr. is saying is very risky because of his current state...Depressing? Yes, go look at cute baby pictures!

Just an update to let everyone know that Bud is going into the vet tomorrow. Starting tonight, he is fasting. Then I'll drop him off at the vet in the morning where they are going to do a series of tests over the course of the day. I hope he cooperates! One of the things they will need to do is get him to eat while at the vet, and my picky picky dog does not like to eat anywhere but at home. There goes another $250...and this is just for the test, not for any treatment. I am curious to see how much weight he has lost...He definitely seems thinner to me. I'm nervous that his tests will not have changed. I want my dog to get his surgery so he can return to his playful self! Actually he does try to play now, all hopping around on 3 legs. But I try not to play with him for fear that he could cause himself further damage.

Everyone think positive thoughts!

My niece

My niece and my sister are doing wonderfully. Kaitlyn weighs in at 7lbs 3 ounces, is 19.75 inches long and has a head that is 13 inches in circumference. (measurements for future reference, in case I need a newborns head size). I think she's a cutie. She seems so tiny to me! I am totally not a baby person. I am not one of those people that needs to hold every baby I see, or thinks that every baby is cute. I am so glad that she is finally here and healthy. I think she looks a lot like my sister. Someone said that she actually looks a lot like me, which is not too strange since a lot of people mistake my sister and I for twins. I feel weird holding her. Like I could break her at any moment. I'm sure I'll get better with time. This all goes back to how I am just not a baby person.



Bud's Update: he's still on pills. 8-9 pills a day. Yeah it's a pain in the ass. I wish he could be a normal dog and just gobble down any treat he gets. But he's not. He now runs and hides in my room if I try to give him a treat of any sort. He also runs and hides when I try to get him to go out. He's pretty good at the limping on three legs thing. He will be going in next week (I think that's when the pills will be gone), and get his blood retested to see if anything has improved. They are going to test the liver function and his clotting ability and hopefully he'll be able to get his surgery. The one day he came in from outside and he slipped on the tile floor in the kitchen. His back legs went out from under him and he fell and I could just see how his knee popped out in a totally not right way. And he cried. When he stood up it luckily popped back into place. But it just reemphasizes that he really needs to get this surgery. I'm thinking good thoughts, praying that he'll be at least good enough to get the surgery.

Punk Rock Gift Exchange!

I've been lax in posting my awesome package that I received from my punk rock gift exchange secret pal Lindsay. The package is lovely and it helped to cheer me up a bit when I am so down and depressed about my doggy (see the bottom of this post for an update).



Lindsay included some incredible Frog Tree Merino. It is so so so soft. I want to just squish my face in it! Then there is a skein of Scarlet Fleece Painted Merino. It's a hand-dyed yarn in the colorway "I See Red!". The colors are just so beautiful in it. I love it. There was also a cute bee tape measure, sour patch kids, and a box of sprees. The little pin that is clipped on the the Scarlet Fleece is one that my pal designed herself. It's fabulous! Finally, because my pal is just so wonderful she sent me a book off my wishlist! The book is Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. I had read some of Richelle's other books and I know I am going to love this book too. So as anyone can surely tell, I love my package!



Here's the update on my dog: he cannot have the surgery because something is wrong with his liver and his blood tests have come back all messed up. The surgeon refuses to do the surgery. The vet wants to do a liver biopsy or put him on antibiotics and some other liver pills. It's possible Bud has a low level infection that is messing up his liver and the pills would solve this problem. It's also possible that its not an infection and its something more serious. A biopsy would be $800 on top of the almost $3000 of the leg surgery. Needless to say, I cannot afford to have the biopsy and the leg surgery. So we are going to give him the antibiotics and the liver pills and hope this clears up the problem. He will be on the pain pills, antibiotics, and liver pills for awhile and then be retested. For now he is so doped up that he doesn't move much, but at least he is not in pain. The vet says the not eating is a side effect of the pain meds. I feel guilty as all hell that I cannot afford to do the best for him.

It's been a no good, horrible, terrible week.

I have the bajillion knits to post about. And 2 swap packages (punk rock gift exchange and a craftster paper swap). But instead I'm going to tell about bud.



Bud is my dog. He's about 7 now. I found him through some friends of my boyfriend who had gotten a dog from a litter of puppies that came before bud. The people who owned Bud's mom pretty much let her go whilly-nilly all over the place and they were about ready to take Bud to the pound when I found him. He's half german shepherd and half collie. When I picked him up he was so incredibly filthy, I wished I could have taken the other puppy with me as well.

From the moment Bud came home he's been my dog more then anyone else's. When I brought him home he would not go anywhere in the house or in the yard where he did not see me walk first. I had to teach him that it was ok to go by other people. He was so scared sometimes that if a stranger tried to pet him, he would growl at them. (imagine little tiny mutt dog acting so tough). We think the family where he was born must have beat him, his behavior was not normal puppy behavior. And now he cannot stand to hear raised voices or even play fighting without jumping in to protect someone.



Well I've gotten him past his anti-social behaviors. He's a little cautious at times, but I think he's a great dog and he's mine. I belong to him as much as he belongs to me.

On Wednesday Bud went out into the yard to play and soon came back crying. He could not put any weight on his back left leg. I took him to the vet on Thursday. Bud has an ACL tear. He needs surgery. He's in a lot of pain. The surgery is very expensive, but this is something that will not heal on its own. This is complicated by the fact that Bud has had liver problems in the past, and the vet is not even sure if he's a candidate for surgery right now. The blood tests will be back today and hopefully he'll be able to get the surgery. Bud is supposed to take pain pills and I have probably one of the only dogs in the world who does not gulp his food, he chews every last bite of his food. This means he tastes the pills and spits them all out.

Bud is in a lot of pain. He's not eating. He's decided to settle into my bedroom, which is at the top of a flight of stairs. He doesn't want to go down the stairs. He doesn't want to go outside. Sometimes he just cries.

It's killing me. I hope the vet will call and say that he can get his surgery. I hope that I can find a way to pay for this expensive and much needed surgery.

I finished some things in February!

So I did finish one of the sweaters I was writing about in my last entry. Of course all it needed was a bare minimum to be finished, darning the underarms and sewing in ends. Really I do not know why I procrastinated so incredibly long! I don't have pictures of it on, but here are some of it laid out.

Pattern: Minisweater, by Glampyre.
Yarn: Cotton-ease
Needles: US 8?
Modification: I joined the body and made it a full length sweater, and I added full length arms on to it. I haven't worked too much on the other sweater that has been languishing on the sidelines for a long while. I started a sleeve, and I've done maybe 2 inches. I did start one item that I had not planned on. One of my cousins has just announced that she is pregnant, so I started a baby blanket. I have a while to work on it (baby is due in September), but I thought I might as well start it now. I am doing a "dishcloth" blanket. Like this pattern, with yarn that was on sale at Hobby Lobby last weekend. It is going super fast so far!

Another thing I've been working on is putting a few items on Etsy. I put up some jewelry and little things that I've made. I already sold one beaded knit bracelet that I made! I have a couple more that I've finished that I think I will be adding either today or tomorrow as well. I completed the earrings below yesterday. They are made with Czech Glass Beads. I think they are simple and elegant! Click on the picture to see some other items I have made.


I am feeling so tired! It was a trying morning (already). I had to take the dog to the vet for an ultrasound, which will hopefully figure out some problems he has been having. He hates hates HATES to ride in the car, so it was fun in morning traffic to be driving a big crying baby dog. And he hates that I had to leave him there alone to have the tests! Hopefully they will figure things out and it won't be anything serious.

I am working on figuring out how to do things a little better with this blog. For example, I now made it so clicking on the pictures of the sweater will take you to my Flickr page, and clicking on the picture of the earrings will take you to my etsy shop. Really, I know it is such a little thing, but I feel all kinds of proud of myself!

flickr

bud
Originally uploaded by rebeldaisy.

I am trying to figure out this whole posting from flickr stuff! When you use flickr do you just use the blog this photo link? I am not sure if there is a better way of doing things? Also once you've added photos to Flickr is it possible to rearrange them? Some of the photos I've added are all out of order.