PunkKnits: Handmade Goods Gone Bad

Move Over Blog Here Comes Another One Not Quite LIke the Other One

2007-07-12T23:26:00.000-05:00

I've moved my blog...sort of. I guess you might say I've gone in a new direction?

Check it out- I Rant I Rave

I'm still totally consumed by knitting...so of course, I'm still blogging about that.

Teaching Art in America May be Dangerous to Your Health

2007-01-10T11:18:00.000-06:00

Adam has been teaching art at the high school and loving it. I'm getting used to being at home solo again and trying to get something done (e.g. blogging, knitting, work, childrearing...)! It's been an emotional time for us both, as this job for Adam has been a dream since his high school days and yet he is sub-ing for the guy who inspired him, us, many students. Crazy world. My father in-law sent me this video in regards to an art teacher who was fired after this surfaced via the internet.

This is something he did in his private time, and had nothing to do with school. You won't find Adam doing any ass paintings, but come on America treat teachers like people! Have a frickin' sense of humor. Let me know what you think.

Hematoma

2006-12-12T17:23:00.000-06:00

So I've been hula hooping lately...
I don't really find squirrels attractive normally, but since this one is hoop dancing I couldn't help myself.

I decided a couple of weeks ago that the extra 6 inches or so of love on my hips and waist had to go. Since I don't want to change anything about my diet, aka I want to drink and eat whatever I want, and I don't have the luxury of breastfeeding any children and melting pounds that way, I knew I would have to start doing some sort of exercise that was more calorie shedding than knitting cables in sweaters. So, of course, I wanted this "exercise" to be disguised as something "interesting" or "fun." Basically, I want an Anti-Christ to any traditional form of exercise, e.g. running on a tread-mill. Call me crazy, but I think I'm allergic to most forms of exercise. I can dance all night if there's a d.j. spinning and beer flowing. I will run down my driveway if I'm running late to meet Sage at the school bus. I've even been known to bike hundreds of miles, okay I was living on an island where it was my only mode of transport. However, I am most interested in exercise incognito. Hence, my collection of Belly Dancing for Fitness, Pilate's Ball Workout, New York Ballet Company Workout DVDs that collect dust on the shelf. Insert Adam rolling his eyes and sighing, "Can't you exercise like normal people?"

Me? Normal? Never.

And thus, my new found love for the hoop brought to me directly from the Betty Hoops, what a gal!

Meanwhile, my hoop and instructional DVD came in the mail about a month ago, and from the video I doubted I would really shed any pounds. However, it was interesting to know that all my life I had been hooping incorrectly! I was aghast! Okay, I wasn't.

Equipped with the correct form, and the new "weighted and padded for adult use" hoop I tried my best to keep up with Betty. Consequently, she kicked my ass. I was sweating profusely as I tried to keep the hoop moving and run in place at the same time. Yikes! It was damn fun and the next day my mid section was pleasantly sore, it was working!

Fast forward to day five of forty minutes of continual hooping. I am awesome! I can move around, I can run in place, holy shit I can't breathe. Huge bruise, under bruise HEMATOMA! A big blood clot had developed on my left hooping side.

Well, it's day four of no hooping for Amy until the blood/bruise/lump/extremely sore spot heals. Boo hoo.

I guess I'll have to sign up to Curves.

P.S.
I found the pattern for my sweater that I've been making up as I go along. So guess what? No peeking! I'm going to try and finish it by January 1st, and submit the pattern to Knitty by the fifth. I know it's wishful thinking that it should be posted, but you can't damn a gal for trying.

Peace out.

Blogger Santa Might Give Me Coal...

2006-12-10T16:29:00.000-06:00

Once again, I've been bad at getting to this blog. I can't believe it's been since October! Well, life is life and I just haven't had the time...

I've got three projects in the oven currently. First, a sweater/wrap/tunic/kimono that I'm designing as I knit. I had intended to submit the pattern to Knitty, but I lost the pattern along the way...so it will just be one of those one of a kind knitting mysteries. I will take some pics and post them soon. I know I always say that, but I will.

Second project is a sweater for my friend Pamela's son, Emmett. The yarn is more Malabrigo yarn from Uruaguay. The color is sunset, a varigated orange/rust and I just can't get enough of this stuff. It's pretty darn inexpensive for such a nice merino. The pattern is the same I used for Violet's cable knit duffle coat.

Lastly, I'm knitting a cute apple green alpaca scarf for Vee, incorporating some fluffy pink angora I picked up in New Mexico.
Yes, I made it to Mecca, aka LaLana Wools in Taos, New Mexico. My brother was married in Taos on a mountain top at sunrise last month. It was way cool. We stayed in an earthshipand it was amazing!

Here is a little treat that Adam found on YouTube. It's super cool, so take the time to download it, if your connection is like mine.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2006-10-11T01:10:00.000-05:00

If you haven't started digging thru your stash, looking for some pink fiber, now's the time...

So many of us have been affected by breast cancer. I'm sure all of us, could name at least one person affected.

This month I finished a scarf for Robin's aunt, she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I will post images soon.

I hope.

Meanwhile, here is some information on breast cancer.

How common is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women and affects approximately one million women worldwide.

Breast cancer accounts for 30 per cent of all female cancers in the UK and approximately 1 in 9 women in the UK will get breast cancer sometime during their life.

What are the risk factors leading to the development of breast cancer?

Age

The incidence of breast cancer increases with age and doubles every 10 years until the menopause when the rate of increase slows.

Approximately a quarter of breast cancers affect women under the age of 50, a half occur between the ages of 50 and 69 and the remaining quarter develop in women who are 70 years or older.

Geographical variation

There is quite a difference in incidence and death rate of breast cancer between different countries. The biggest difference is between Eastern and Western countries.

Recent, age-adjusted figures show that the rate of breast cancer per 100,000 women is 24.3 in Japan and 26.5 in China compared to 68.8 in England and Wales and 72.7 in Scotland and 90.7 in North America in white females.

However, studies of women from Japan who emigrate to the US show that their rates of breast cancer rise to become similar to US rates within just one or two generations, indicating that factors relating to everyday activities are more important than inherited factors in breast cancer.

Reproductive factors

Women who start menstruating early in life or who have a late menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer. Women who have natural menopause after the age of 55 are twice as likely to develop breast cancer as women who experience the menopause before the age of 45.

Age at first pregnancy

Having no children and being older at the time of the first birth both increase the lifetime incidence of breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer in women who have their first child after the age of 30 is about twice that of women having their first child before the age of 20.

The highest risk group are those who have their first child after the age of 35 and these women have an even higher risk than women who have no children. These observations indicate a ‘menstrual cycle effect’. During the monthly cycle a woman’s fluctuating hormone levels cause several changes within breast tissue, which are repeated every month.

These changes possibly encourage or amplify abnormalities in the cell repair processes within breast tissue, which can in some cases lead to breast cancer later in life.

Women who have fewer menstrual cycles before their first pregnancy, either through being older when they start menstruating or younger when they first get pregnant, run less chance of such an abnormality occurring.

Inherited risk

Up to 10 per cent of breast cancer in Western countries is due to an inherited factor. This factor can be passed on from either parent and some family members pass on the abnormal gene without developing cancer themselves.

It is not yet known how many breast cancer genes there are, but to date, two specific breast cancer genes have been identified (BRCA1 and BRCA2).

Previous breast disease

Women with certain benign changes in their breasts are at increased risk of breast cancer. These women present with a breast lump, have an operation and the breast tissue removed shows severe overgrowth of the cells lining the breast lobule.

The technical name for this type of breast condition is ‘severe atypical epithelial hyperplasia’. Although benign in itself, its occurrence in a particular woman multiplies her risk of developing breast cancer during her life by a factor of four.

Radiation

Doubling of the risk of breast cancer was observed among teenage girls exposed to radiation during the second world war.

Another study of women who received radiation to the chest as a result of repeated X-rays for tuberculosis, found that there was a risk among women who were first X-rayed between the ages of 10 and 14 years. Fortunately, as TB itself has been prevented, this risk is less relevant today.

Other studies have shown that women with Hodgkin's disease who received radiation therapy to the chest have an excess risk of breast cancer. As they are surviving to older age they are now developing not only unilateral but bilateral breast cancer.

The increase in risk depends on the dose and the age at which they received radiation. Data has also suggested that there is increased risk of breast cancer in the other breast in patients having radiation to one breast.

Lifestyle

Although there is a close correlation between the incidence of breast cancer in a country and the dietary fat intake of that country, more detailed studies have shown that there does not appear to be a particularly strong or consistent relationship between fat intake in any individual and their risk of developing breast cancer.

Weight

Being overweight is associated with a doubling of the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women whereas amongst premenopausal women obesity is associated with reduced breast cancer incidence.

Alcohol intake

Some studies have shown a link between the amount of alcohol people drink and the incidence of breast cancer, but this relationship is not consistent and may be influenced by dietary factors other than alcohol.

Hormones

Women who take the contraceptive pill are at a slight increased risk while they take the Pill and they remain at risk for 10 years after coming of the Pill.

The increased risk is, however, very small and cancers diagnosed in women taking the oral contraceptive Pill are less likely to have spread than those cancers diagnosed in women who have never used the oral contraceptive.

The duration of use, age at first use, dose and type of hormone within the contraceptive appears to have no significant effect on breast cancer risk.

Women who begin taking the Pill before the age of 20 appear to have a higher risk than women who begin taking oral contraceptives at an older age.

Hormone replacement therapy

Among current users of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and those who have stopped using it one to four years previously, there is an increased risk of breast cancer.

The risk increases 1.023 times for each year of HRT use. This increased risk is very similar to the effect of a delay in the menopause by one year. The risk of breast cancer in a woman who has not used HRT increases 1.028 times for each year she is older at the menopause.

HRT using a combination of oestrogen and progestogen has been shown to be associated with a slightly higher risk of breast cancer than oestrogen-only HRT.

Cancers diagnosed in women taking HRT tend to be less advanced clinically than those diagnosed in women who have not used HRT. Current evidence suggests that HRT does not increase breast cancer mortality.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

Generally, breast cancers are not painful and women do not feel unwell with them.

Breast cancer is now commonly diagnosed by breast screening in women who have no symptoms. Approximately 6 in every 1000 women between the ages of 50 and 64 who attend for screening will be found to have breast cancer the first time they attend screening.

A lump in the breast. In many cases, the woman herself will first suspect the disease because she notices a lump or an area of lumpiness or irregularity in her breast tissue. This may happen when she is examining her breasts or while washing or applying lotion to her breasts, or the lump may be visible.

Other signs of breast cancer include:

a change in the skin: there is often dimpling or indentation of the skin with the formation of wrinkles. The nipple might be pulled in or there may be a discharge from the nipple.

occasionally the nipple itself changes. A rash can affect the nipple or the nipple may weep.

the breast may swell and become red and inflamed or the skin may change and become like the skin of an orange. In some breast cancers this is due to a blockage of the drainage of fluid from the breast.

patients sometimes present with a lump under the arm which is a sign that the cancer has spread to the lymph glands.

How is breast cancer diagnosed?

If a woman has any breast symptoms it is very important that she consult her doctor so that the cause of these symptoms can be found. If breast cancer is found at an early stage this improves the chances of recovery. As a rule, the doctor will ask her a number of questions.

Does the lump vary in relation to her menstrual cycle?

What previous breast problems has she had?

Is there any breast cancer in her family?

How many children has she had?

Physical examination

The doctor will look at her breasts, first with her arms by her sides, then above her head and, finally, with her arms pressing on her hips.

By looking carefully at the outline of the breast in various positions, the doctor can often see changes in the outline of the breast, which will help identify the site and cause of any problems.

Next, her breasts are examined while she is lying flat with her arms folded under her head.

If, during this examination, the doctor finds a lump, he or she will concentrate on this area examining with the fingertips and measuring the lump.

After checking her breasts, the doctor usually carefully examines the lymph glands under the patient's arm pit and those in the lower part of her neck.

Should the patient need any further investigations, the breast specialist in the breast clinic will organise any tests that are necessary.

Mammograms

If the patient is over 35 and has not had a breast X-ray within the past year, the doctor may arrange for one to be performed. Breast X-rays are known as mammograms.

Mammograms are a good way of identifying abnormalities in the breast, but they don't always tell whether they are benign or malignant.

Further tests are sometimes necessary and these tests include ultrasound and fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).

Ultrasound scanning

X-rays do not pass easily through the breasts of young women. Ultrasound scanning, which is familiar to many women by its use to look at babies during pregnancy, can also be used in the breast to tell whether a lump is fluid or solid.

Ultrasound is not useful as a screening test. It is useful if an abnormal shadow is seen on the mammogram because ultrasound is an accurate way of judging whether any abnormality is benign and straightforward or whether it is more likely to be serious.

Needle tests (FNAC)

Inserting a needle into the lump will show whether it is full of fluid (a cyst) or solid. The needle can allow a sample of cells to be removed for examination under the microscope (a process called cytology) and this is a very accurate method of finding out whether the lump is benign or malignant.

If there is an abnormality on the mammogram, but no lump to feel, then using either the X-ray machine or the ultrasound machine, it is possible to guide the needle into the area of abnormality and to obtain enough cells or tissue to obtain a definite diagnosis. The very fine needles used for this procedure give rise to its name.

Having the lump removed

After investigation, the doctor may decide the lump is benign and that it can be left alone. Alternatively the doctor may suggest that the lump should be removed. This is called an excision biopsy and it can be performed either while the patient is awake under local anaesthesia or, more commonly, under a general anaesthetic.

Before any operation, the patient will be asked to sign a consent form agreeing to the removal of the lump. It is important for the patient to know that the doctor performing the operation will only remove the lump and will not take any more tissue away without explaining any further procedure to the patient first and being given her consent.

What are the types of breast cancer?

Breast cancer was originally described according to its appearances, so words like scirrhous (meaning woody) were used and still appear in the literature.

More recently, breast cancer has been classified according to its appearances when under the microscope.

Early pathologists classified breast cancers into 'invasive ductal' cancers and 'invasive lobular' cancers believing that invasive ductal cancers arose in ducts and invasive lobular cancers in the lobules. However, it is now clear that all invasive ductal and invasive lobular cancers arise either in the terminal duct or the lobule. As the terms invasive ductal and lobular are in such common usage and as they have different appearances under the microscope they are still used.

A more logical classification divides tumours into those of 'special' and 'no special' type. Invasive carcinoma of no special type is also commonly referred to as invasive ductal carcinoma. It is the most common type and accounts for up to 85 per cent of all breast cancers.

Special types of tumour have particular microscopic features and these include invasive lobular carcinoma, invasive tubular, cribriform, medullary and mucinous cancers, with other types being uncommon. Many of the special type cancers have a better prognosis - in other words the patient has a higher chance of survival.

When a cancer is examined under the microscope, it is usually possible to assess how aggressive it is: in other words how far and how fast it is likely to spread. The tumour may be assigned to one of three grades ranging from grade I to grade III in order of seriousness. For instance, a grade I cancer is non-aggressive and unlikely to cause harm. In contrast, grade III tumours are aggressive and likely to cause harm, but can sometimes be controlled with effective treatment.

How is breast cancer treated?

The treatment of the disease depends on the tumour type and the stage of disease - how far it has spread to involve either lymph glands or other organs in the body. There are various ways a cancer can be staged and classified.

A simple way of staging or classifying breast cancer is to divide it into three groups.

Early or operable breast cancer

This describes cancer that is confined to the breast and/or the lymph glands in the axilla (arm pit) on the same side of the body

Locally advanced breast cancer

This has not apparently spread beyond the breast and axillary lymph glands but involves the skin or the chest wall of the breast.

These cancers tend to have a worse outlook than early breast cancer and are usually best initially treated by drug therapy or radiotherapy rather than surgery. In locally advanced breast cancer the skin of the breast can either be directly involved by cancer or it is swollen or red. These changes occur because cancer cells get into the fluid channels that drain the breast (lymphatics) and block them, which causes the skin of the breast to be swollen and look like the skin of an orange (peau d'orange).

Locally advanced breast cancers were initially treated with surgery but this treatment was successful in only about 30 per cent of patients.

In the remainder, the cancer recurred in the areas immediately next to where the surgery was performed

Advanced breast cancer

This is where the cancer has spread beyond the breast and arm pit to other parts or organs of the body such as lymph glands in the neck, bone, lungs, liver and brain.

Other tumours in the breast

A rare form of tumour in the breast arises from the supporting tissue and is called a sarcoma. These types of tumour are rare and account for much less than 1 per cent of all malignant tumours within the breast. These are usually best treated by surgery.

How does breast cancer develop?

Initially, carcinoma cells are confined within the lobule and adjacent ducts. These are known as non-invasive cancers or 'carcinoma in situ'.

As with invasive disease, there are two main types - ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS).

Under the microscope these look different and, clinically, these two types of non-invasive cancer behave differently and require different treatments. Certain types of DCIS develop characteristic tiny particles of calcium within them. These particles show up as tiny white dots on a mammogram.

DCIS is much more common than LCIS. DCIS accounts for over one fifth of all types of cancer detected by breast screening.

DCIS is treated by surgery which may be followed by radiotherapy and hormonal treatment. LCIS when diagnosed is usually treated by simple follow up with regular mammograms or with hormonal tablets (tamoxifen).

Only rarely is surgery used for LCIS.

DCIS is considered to be a pre-malignant breast disease. It is not early breast cancer, but if left untreated DCIS cells eventually spread into the surrounding connective tissue of the breast to form an invasive cancer. The time period in which DCIS changes into an invasive cancer appears to be over months and years rather than days or weeks.

When an invasive cancer has developed, it is at this stage that there is a risk that cancer cells can spread to nearby lymph glands, the most common lymph glands affected being in the axillary (armpit) region.

Cancer cells can also enter the blood stream through the blood vessels that supply the cancer and then move to other organs of the body where they grow and cause problems in these organs. The most common sites for breast cancer to spread to are the bones, lungs, liver and brain. Sarcomas if they spread do so mainly through the bloodstream.

Can breast cancer be prevented?

One particular medicine used to treat breast cancer, tamoxifen (eg Nolvadex D), has been shown in an American study to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by approximately 50 per cent in women at high risk of developing the disease. Research with tamoxifen and some other breast cancer medicines is still being carried out to determine if these are suitable options for preventing breast cancer. However, tamoxifen is associated with some rare but serious side effects that may make it unsuitable as a preventive measure.

Screening, as currently practised can reduce the mortality but not the incidence of breast cancer (and then only in the age group that is screened).

Once a woman reaches the age of 50, she will be invited to take part in a breast screening programme. In the UK, this means having a mammogram every three years up to the age of 64, although the upper age limit of routine screening is currently being extended to 70 years throughout the UK.. The aim of screening by mammography is to pick up cancer while it is still small before it has a chance to spread.

There are various reasons why women are not normally screened below the age of 50:

breast cancer is less common in younger women.

mammography is less likely to detect breast cancer in young women because the breast tissue is denser which can make breast cancer much more difficult to detect.

there is no evidence that breast screening below the age of 50 is cost effective.

How is breast cancer treated with surgery and radiotherapy?

Early breast cancer can be treated by a combination of local treatments to control the local disease and adjuvent treatments to kill any cells which may have spread.

Local treatments consist of surgery and radiotherapy.

Surgery

Surgery can be an excision of the tumour with surrounding normal breast tissue (breast conservation) or removal of the whole breast (mastectomy). Clinical trials comparing mastectomy and breast conservation have shown that the two produce identical results.

If the lump is relatively small it is usually possible for the surgeon to remove it along with a small amount of surrounding normal tissue. This is called lumpectomy, wide local excision or breast-conserving surgery.

With a larger lump, this breast-conserving operation may not be possible because so much of the breast tissue would have been taken away that it would badly distort the breast.

Once the lump and surrounding tissue is removed it needs to be examined under the microscope. In some women, the surrounding tissue is abnormal and a further operation is necessary.

A mastectomy (removal of the whole breast) may be necessary if:

the cancer is too large to remove and leave a reasonable looking breast after surgery.

there is more than one lump in the breast.

the cancer is directly underneath the nipple.

the patient has previously had a lumpectomy or wide excision and the tissue round the cancer is abnormal.

As well as removing the lump or breast, the surgeon will also usually remove some or all axillary lymph glands, which are found under the arm. There are about 20 of these lymph glands and they are the most common place for cancer to spread.

Knowing whether this has happened and, if so, how many glands are affected is important in both assessing the severity of the cancer and deciding on follow up treatment.

If the surgeon needs to check whether the cancer has spread to these glands, then removing either a single gland which drains the cancer or a few of these glands is all that is needed. If however the surgeon wants to find out exactly how many lymph glands are affected, then it is necessary to remove all 20 lymph nodes from the axilla.

If it has been decided to treat the patient by mastectomy, the surgeon will probably discuss with her the possibility of having her breast rebuilt at the same time. The results of breast rebuilding or reconstruction are usually more successful if this is performed straight away rather than left until many months or years later.

There is no evidence that immediate breast reconstruction makes any recurrence of the cancer more likely. If the cancer does return, reconstruction does not make it harder to detect.

Radiotherapy

Studies have shown that all patients treated by breast conserving surgery (lumpectomy or wide excision), should receive radiotherapy to the breast following surgery. This is given every day, Monday to Friday, over three to five weeks.

After mastectomy, radiotherapy is given to patients who are considered to be at risk of recurrence. Radiotherapy kills cells that are growing and has greater effects on cancer than on surrounding tissue.

After a few days of radiotherapy, the patient's skin may look red and feel a bit sore, rather like they have spent too long in the sun.

Towards the end of treatment, there may also be some blistering of the skin. The radiotherapy staff will give all the necessary advice about how to look after the treated skin.

How is breast cancer treated with medicines?

Medicines act on cancer cells, including those which have spread. We know that in some women there are small numbers of cancer cells that have spread beyond the breast but cannot be detected by scans. Medicines can kill these cells or prevent them from growing for many months and years after surgery with or without radiotherapy. This is called adjuvant treatment.

In some patients with larger but operable breast cancers, the medicines can be used before surgery to shrink the cancer. This allows some women who would initially have required a mastectomy to be treated by less extensive surgery. If the cancer has already spread at the time it is first diagnosed or a patient who is treated for early breast cancer develops a recurrence of the cancer at some other site in the body, then the only practical way of treating these two groups of patients is by medicines.

The medicines for treating breast cancer fall into two groups: hormones and chemotherapy. Whether the patient receives hormone therapy or chemotherapy will depend on the size of the tumour, type of tumour (including the grade) and whether the tumour has spread to involve the lymph glands.

Hormones

Most breast cancer is sensitive to the female hormone oestrogen. Sensitive cancer cells need oestrogen to stay alive and removal of oestrogen from the body or stopping any circulating oestrogen getting to the cancer cells is very effective at controlling or killing hormone-sensitive breast cancers. It is possible to determine whether a tumour is sensitive to hormones by performing a chemical test on the tumour.

Tumours can be classified into oestrogen sensitive and oestrogen insensitive tumours.

In premenopausal women who are still having regular menstrual periods, about half of all breast cancers are hormone sensitive. Over two thirds of tumours in postmenopausal women whose periods have stopped are oestrogen sensitive.

The most commonly used medicine against oestrogen sensitive tumours is tamoxifen (eg Nolvadex D). This medicine is an anti-oestrogen in its effect on breast cancers and works by stopping oestrogen getting to the cancer cells. It appears to be a very safe medicine but can cause side effects which can be distressing and these include flushing (similar to those women experience during the menopause), vaginal dryness and vaginal discharge.

Many women complain of weight gain on tamoxifen, but, in randomised studies, women taking tamoxifen put on a similar amount of weight to those women who were not receiving drug treatment. There is an increased incidence of eye problems and disturbance of vision. This is reversible if the medicine is stopped.

The most serious possible side effects of tamoxifen are that it can slightly increase the incidence of cancer of the lining of the womb, and slightly increase the risk of a blood clot in the leg (deep vein thrombosis). However the risks of both these side effects are very low. Tamoxifen has been widely used throughout the world and is a very safe medicine for pre and postmenopausal women. Few women have to stop the medicine because of side effects. Women who have had surgery for early breast cancer are commonly given tamoxifen following the surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence of the cancer.

The production of oestrogen in postmenopausal women requires an enzyme called aromatase. A new class of medicines for treating breast cancers blocks this aromatase enzyme. These medicines are called aromatase inhibitors and include letrozole (Femara), anastrazole (Arimidex) and exemestane (Aromasin). They are very effective in postmenopausal women with oestrogen sensitive tunours. The side effects include flushings, nausea and lack of appetite. Occasionally, women have to stop the medicine because of the constant feeling of sickness.

In premenopausal women the major source of oestrogen is the ovaries. Either removing the ovaries or using an injectable medicine called goserelin (Zoladex), which stops the ovaries from producing oestrogen are effective treatments in hormone sensitive breast cancer. The medicine which stops the ovaries working has to be injected once a month. Side effects of this type of medicine or removal of the ovaries include the rapid onset of menopausal symptoms.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy involves being given a combination of anti-cancer medicines, often up to three at a time. The prime target for such medicines is cancer cells that are actively growing and dividing. Unfortunately, anticancer medicines are not able to recognise cancer cells specifically and they also kill normally dividing cells such as the blood and hair cells. The art of the science behind successful cancer chemotherapy is combining medicines which are chosen to minimise the damage to blood cells while maximising damage to cancer cells.

Chemotherapy may be preferable for more advanced cancer that is not hormone responsive and for aggressive disease, particularly if the cancer has spread to other sites, such as the liver. It is sometimes administered prior to surgery in order to shrink a tumour. As outlined above, this sometimes means that the surgeon is able to perform less extensive surgery in patients whose cancers respond.

Cancer chemotherapy is usually given through an intravenous drip in the hand or arm on an outpatient basis. Treatments vary but each session usually lasts between one and two hours and is repeated every three weeks. Patients may be frightened because they have heard about very unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting and hair loss. In fact, by no means everyone will experience all or even any of these problems. Some of the anti-cancer drugs that are in common use cause little or no hair thinning and anti-sickness medicine given with the chemotherapy works well.

A common complaint in people receiving chemotherapy is of weight gain. This is due to the anti-sickness pills which are taken after the chemotherapy. Once the chemotherapy is finished, providing the patient remains active, they should return to their initial weight. One of the less well-known side effects of chemotherapy is to cause premature menopause. This means that periods are likely to stop at a much earlier age if you have had this type of treatment. Bringing forward the menopause is particularly likely to occur in women in their late 30s and 40s, but even younger women can find that their periods temporarily stop during chemotherapy.

Treatment for locally advanced breast cancer

Some patients whose cancer is locally advanced because it has grown directly into the skin overlying the breast are suitable for surgery and are treated in an identical way to patients with early or operable breast cancer. The majority of patients with locally advanced breast cancer are treated with drug therapy followed by surgery and/or radiotherapy. Some patients with locally advanced breast cancer are treated by radiotherapy initially which can be followed by drug therapy and/or surgery.

Drug therapy can consist of either hormonal therapy in slower growing hormone sensitive cancers or chemotherapy in hormone sensitive or more rapidly growing cancers.

Outlook for patients with operable or early breast cancer

There are various factors which relate to survival in breast cancer.

These include:

tumour size - the smaller the tumour the more likely a patient is to survive.

spread to axillary lymph nodes - the single best factor which predicts a person's survival is the presence or absence of cancer cells in the lymph glands. The more lymph glands which are affected, the worse is the outcome.

the tumour type.

the grade (whether it is a grade I which has a good prognosis or a grade III which has a poorer prognosis).

whether tumour cells are seen by the pathologist in lymph channels or blood vessels.

whether the tumour is slow growing or fast growing.

whether it expresses hormone receptors.

the genetic abnormalities in the cancer.

Outlook for patients with locally advanced breast cancer

The outlook is worse than for patients who present with operable breast cancer. Local recurrence of the disease after treatment is a problem even in patients who have had drug treatment, surgery and radiotherapy. Control rates of disease are however much better than they used to be when surgery was the initial treatment. The outlook is better in patients who have a good response to their initial drug treatment. In approximately 10 per cent of patients who receive chemotherapy, the drug treatment is so effective than when surgery is performed, no breast cancer cells can be identified in the breast or the lymph glands.

Outlook for patients with metastatic breast cancer

Metastasis is the process of further spread of the cancer within the body, away from the site at which the cancer starts. People whose cancers have already spread have a much worse outlook than those whose disease is apparently localised. There are differences in survival, depending on the site affected.

What the #!@#$%^&*()!!!!! !@#$%^%^ NBC?!!!

2006-09-08T16:23:00.000-05:00

There are very few things I do religiously, (just ask my mother who prays night and day I will start bringing my kids to church) however, on Monday nights I relish one specific weekly ritual.

First, I put the children to bed. Second I pour myself a VERY LARGE glass of red wine. Thirdly I grab the slacker knitting project I'm working on (bag, hat, scarf something nonchalant). Fourth I sit my ass down on the couch. Fifth I grab the T.V. remote.

Voilla! It's Monday. It's 9 p.m. I've had a great night. I've been to yoga class. I've made some tasty food. And now I'm watching Allison Deboux solve Phoenix's murder mysteries.

Cue in record screech.....!!

No !@#$$%%% Medium series premier until January 2007? Your moving the show to Sundays? What the hell!!! I already have a pleasant Sunday, Fox has taken care of that for me!!

Calm down Amy. I've always said life should not revolve around television programs. It always bothered me when college friends would cut our dinners together at the "Caf" short to get to their dorm room to watch "Friends." Life is what happens when your busy watching t.v., I always said.

Buth what the !@#$$%^%^?! Now that I have two children, a house to keep up, a husband laundry's to wash, dry, fold and put away, two dogs to groom, and a business I need my brain waves to melt and deaden for at least one hour weekly.

Oh Patti Arquette what are they doing to you?

Did you see this coming in a vision or dream? Did your dead uncle's monkey tell you the execs at NBC were a-holes? No wonder they're last in the ratings!!

Oh well, I GUESS I could read a book or something...

Thank goodness I still have Crossing Jordan. Oh crap did I really just admit to that?

"They're Ba-Ack"

2006-09-07T16:44:00.001-05:00

Oh what a cute blonde girl she was...

So I've been a bit MIA as of late...tis the season for a-sneezin. My hayfever allergy is driving me batty!! Meanwhile, the wedding bells have been ding donging almost every weekend, and my oldest started first grade this week.

"Ch ch ch changes. Time to make a change..."

So, it may seem I've been far too busy for knitting. Alas, we true zealots know that THERE IS ALWAYS TIME FOR KNITTING!! It's that whole sleeping thing (and blogging thing) I've been denying myself of.

I've got two projects in the oven. One, I'm basically making up on my own & would love to post pics and discuss it. However, I'm thinking if it turns out okay I'll try and submit it to Knitty?! I bought the yarn in Mississippi this May and knew from the get go what I wanted to make from it. This is the yarnI'm using.

Also, I'm knitting a pink scarf for Breast cancer survivors. My knitting group, Wright County Knitting for Others,which meets every 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month are donating them to some local women. I don't make it to many of the group's knit togethers, and I rarely have a project to contribute...but I am trying. I'm sure it will be a great feeling to know it might brighten someone's day. There are now more than 1 in 9 women diagnosed with breast cancer everyday....can you imagine? I just heard a story of a woman who is 3 years older than me, who has a new baby and a 5 year old who was just diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. She is suffering from a rare form of breast cancer that causes the breast to become inflammed and red. I will try and send her the scarf if I can. So sad. I found the pattern for the project in Scarf Style. It's a great open lace pattern. I'm using a nice pink and brown painted silk. I'll post pics of the WIP soon. Here are few pics of the yarn. The color is actual more like the second picture, but the fiber is silk (pic one)

Fine Wine, Cheese, & Leather

2006-06-04T14:05:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's June! Truly, this was the fastest year of my life, and as I pick up speed going downhill towards that magical third decade of life-the big 30, I know the cronies were right when I held my little Sage as a newborn and they all said "Oh! You just wait, he'll be graduating from High School before you know it!"

I rolled my eyes, of course...and here we are, 6 years later and he's two days shy from completing his first year of primary school. Does anyone call it that anymore? Ageism.

I remember driving to Adam's parent's house by myself to meet with him. The road to their home twists and turns, you can't go very quickly, and it gives your mind time to ponder. I came up with this great Aha! I am never ever going to get younger, ever. Seems banal, but it was a profound moment for me.

Back to knitting...Here are some photos of the finished "Violet Turns into a Two." I think may be the project I am most proud of so far. It was so wonderful to work on, I ate my vegetables quick, so I could get back to the dessert of it. There aren't enough knitting projects that I have felt this way about....but you just never know how you are going to feel until your about halfway through the stitches. I think the playfullness I felt whilst knitting the sweater come out in the end.

I hope she cherishes it some day. For now, I have to bribe her with adventures outside...and of course it's June now, and too hot to wear. It will fit for quite some time, I think. Get better with age. As all of us women do.

The Toddler is Coming...The Toddler is Coming!

2006-04-27T14:27:00.000-05:00

As we approach April 28th, the day Violet becomes a two year old, we send people running in fear.

Here is the WIP, only one day left to finish it...a hood and toggle buttons to track down.

At least she'll wear the damn thing without crying and yelling, "Off! Off!"

Yay!

Color Blind?

2006-04-20T09:19:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos of the WIP for little Vee. I don't think I could get away with something so colorful for anyone else...

Oililly Eat Your Heart Out!

2006-04-14T20:17:00.000-05:00

Went to Silver Creek Cabin the other day to pick up some yarn to ffinish the Steek Vest. Of course I couldn't go home with something "new." So...I gravitated to the Malabrigo stash she had in the entry way. This merino wool is so soft and is hand dyed by a co-op of women in Uraguay. How romantic!!! The colors are amazing. See Doggone sleeves...

Well, they out did themselves with their Seleccion Privada. The colors are trippy, bold, exciting...I love watching them as they change and pass through my fingers.

I picked three different types, all featuring an Apple Green: A, B & H.

I'm making a "duffle coat" for Violet. It has some cables, and seed stitch, a hood...I'll post pics soon. I'm done with the back and 1/2 of the front. Each section is a different Privada group of colors.

You can find the pattern for the duffle coat in Zoe Mellor's book, "Double Knits."

Me, but Only Cyber Better

2006-04-13T14:24:00.000-05:00

Make your own on Stortrooper.

Just Sleeves Doggone It! Free Pattern!

2006-04-11T10:49:00.000-05:00

This was my first submission to Knitty. It obviously didn't get in. But it was really good practice for me writing my own pattern. Use it if you wish, but don't sell any!

Just Sleeves Dog-gone It!
by Amy
Difficulty [Tangy/Piquant]
As an artist living in New Mexico, my best friend Pam requested I knit her some sleeves she could throw in her purse for when she wanted to warm up a bit. “Do you want long fingerless gloves?”
“No.”
“Do you want a shrug?”
“No.”
“Do you want pulse warmers?”
“No. I just want sleeves.”
“Just sleeves?”
“Just sleeves, dog-gone it!”
I googled, I searched my knitting books, I scanned the archives of Knitty, looking for a pattern for just sleeves. If there are patterns, I couldn’t find any…so I came up with one of my own.
Like flared jeans, these are meant to flatter your arms with a wide cuff and decreasing to a tight fit as you go up the arm. It’s very easy to custom fit your sleeves, as you can try them on as your decreasing and decide if they are getting tight enough for your tastes.
I’ve included two versions of just sleeves, the lace pattern may look difficult, but it’s pretty easy and will give you a good chance to practice your YO s and decreases-so try it!
Meanwhile, this is a good project to try new things as well-like other lace patterns, or cables, or to play with knits & purls to come up with something truly unique to your style. It’s also a great project to use up some of your stash, and I’m not talking mous-stash…throw in some stripes-whatever! Go on & be adventurous! People are sure to say, “where’s the rest of your sweater?” anyway, so you may as well look like a Rockstar!
I used Malabrigo because it’s so darn soft, the hand dyed yarn is so funky looking, & I love the fact that it comes from a co-op of women in Uruaguay…but you can use any worsted weight yarn.

Photo credit [Model:Amy Sparks & Otto - Photographer:Adam Sparks]

SIZE
S [ M, L, XL,] (shown in size S)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Length: 13.5[13.5,14.14.5] inches

MATERIALS
Diamond Sleeves:
[MC] Malabrigo [100% Merino Wool; 215yd per 100g skein]; color: Sunset; 1 [1, 2, 2] skeins
Knit/Purl Cuff Sleeves:
[MC] Malabrigo [100% Merino Wool; 215yd per 100g skein]; color: Red Pearl; 1 [1, 2, 2] skeins

1 set(s) US #7/4.5mm double-point needles

notions required [darning needle, stitch markers]

GAUGE
18 sts/26 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES
Sleeves are knit in the round on dpns.
Diamond Sleeves: Skpo (Sl 1 st knitwise, k1, pass slipped st over)

PATTERN
Diamond Sleeves [make 2]
CO 48[48,50,50]
Divide on dpns, place marker for beginning of round, be careful not to twist.

Row 1:
K15, place marker, k8, YO, skpo,k7, place marker, k to end of round
Row 2 & EOR until row 14:
Knit even
Row 3:
Knit, slip marker, k6, k2tog, YO, k, YO, skpo, k6, slip marker, k to end of round
Row 5:
Knit, slip marker, k5, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, skpo, k5, slip marker, k to end of round
Row 7:
K, slip marker, k4, k2tog, YO, k5, YO, skpo, k4, slip marker, k
Row 9:
K, slip marker, k3, k2tog, YO, k2, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, skpo, k3, slip marker, k
Row 11:
K, slip marker, k2, k2tog, YO, k2, k2tog, YO, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, skpo, k2, slip marker, k
Row 13:
K, slip marker, k, *k2tog, YO* 3 times, k3, YO, skpo, k, slip marker, k

Row 14:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 15:
k, slip marker, k2tog, k2, *k2tog , YO*4 times, k3, YO, skpo, slip marker, k
Row 16:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 17:
k, slip marker, k2, YO, skpo, k1, *k2tog, YO*3 times, k2, k2tog, YO, k2, slip marker, k
Row 18:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 19:
k, slip marker, k3, YO, skpo, k1, *k2to, YO * 2 times, k2, k2tog, YO, k3, slip marker, k
Row 20:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 21:
k, slip marker, k4, YO, skpo, k1, k2tog, YO, k2, k2tog, YO, k4, slip marker, k
Row 22:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 23:
k, slip marker, k5, YO, skpo, k3, k2tog, YO, k5, slip marker, k
Row 24:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 25:
K, slip marker, k6, YO, skpo, k1, k2tog, YO, k6, slip marker, k
Row 26:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 27:
K, k6, YO, sl 1 knitwise, k2tog, psso, YO, k7, slip marker, k
Row 28:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK : 32 [32, 34, 34] stitches
Row 29:
K, slip marker, k8, YO, skpo, k7, slip marker, k
Row 30 & EOR:
Knit even
Row 31:
K, slip marker, k6, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, skpo, k6, slip marker, k
Row 33:
K, slip marker, k5, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, skpo, k5, slip marker, k
Row 35:
K, slip marker, k4, k2tog, YO, k5, YO, skpo, k4, slip marker, k
Row 37:
K, slip marker, k3, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, skpo, k2, YO, skpo, k3, slip marker, k
Row 39:
K, slip marker, k2, k2tog, YO, k3, *YO, skpo *2 times, k2, YO, skpo, k2, slip marker, k
Row 41:
K, slip marker, k1, k2tog, YO, k3, *YO, skpo * 3 times, k2, YO, skpo, k1, slip marker, k
Row 43:
K, slip marker, k2tog, YO, k3, *YO, skpo * 4 times, k2, YO, skpo, k2, slip marker, k
Row 45:
K, slip marker, k2, YO, skpo, k2, *YO, skpo * 3 times, k1, k2tog, YO, k2, slip marker, k
Row 47:
K, slip marker, k3, YO, skpo, k2, *YO, skpo * 2 times, k1, k2tog, YO, k3, slip marker, k
Row 49:
K, slip marker, k4, YO, skpo, k2, YO, skpo, k1, k2tog, YO, k4, slip marker, k
Row 51:
K, slip marker, k5, YO, skpo, k3, k2tog, YO, k5, slip marker, k
Row 53:
K, slip marker, k6, YO, skpo, k1, k2tog, YO, k6, slip marker, k
Row 55:
K, slip marker, k7, YO,sl 1 knitwise, k2tog, psso, YO, k7, slip marker, k
Rows 57-112:
Repeat Rows 1-56, without decreasing.
Row 113:
BO loosely.

Knit/Purl Cuffs [make 2]
CO 48[48,50,50]
Divide on dpns, place marker for beginning of round, be careful not to twist.

Row 1:
K0[0,1,1]*k3, p1, k1, k3, p3 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 2:
K0[0,1,1]*p1,k3,p1,k1,p1,k3,p2* 4 times k0[01,1]
Row 3:
K0[0,1,1}*p2,k3,p1,k1,p1,k3,p1* 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 4:
K0[0,1,1] *p3, k3, p1,k1,p1,k3 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 5:
K0[0,1,1] *k1,p3, k3, p1, k1, p1, k2* 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 6:
K0[01,1,] *k2,p3,k3,p1,k1,p1,k1 *4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 7:
K0[0,1,1] *k3,p3,k3,p1,k1,p1 *4 times
Row 8:
K0[0,1,1] *p1,k3,p3,k3,p1,k1 *4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 9:
K0[0,1,1] *k1,p1,k3,p3,k3,p1 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 10:
K0[0,1,1] *p1,k1,p1,k3,p3,k3 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 11:
Ko[0,1,1] *k1,p1,k1,p1, k3, p3, k2 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 12:
K0[0,1,1] *k2, p1, k1, p1, k3, p3, k1 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 13:
Knit even
Row 14 -decrease row:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 15:
Knit even
Row 16:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 17:
Knit even
Row 18:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 19:
Knit even
Row 20:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 21:
Knit even
Row 22:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 23:
Knit even
Row 24:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 25:
Knit even
Row 26:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 27:
Knit even
Row 28:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK: 32[32,34,34]st
Work Rows 29-100 or until piece measures approx. 12[12, 12.5, 12.5] inches from CO edge in Stockinette
Row 101:
Purl round
Rows 102-104:
Knit round
Row 105:
Purl round

Row 106-108:
Knit round
Row 109:
Purl round
Row 110-112
Knit round
Row 113:
Purl round
Row 114:
BO loosely.

FINISHING
Weave in ends.

Sprung!

2006-04-02T21:20:00.000-05:00

There's something about the month of April that kicks you in the kiester and promotes good work ethic.

All of a sudden I'm dusting my shelves, finishing my taxes, washing my windows. Getting the winter stink out of the house.

Went to Arizona to visit the in-laws for a couple of days. Superstition Mountain is a fine place to ponder. Woke up to birds singing and lynx prowling. Did some yoga on the roof of the casita. Intended to do lots of knitting and wine sipping. The desert didn't motivate the former. Back home to the MN puddle and Teva speaks to me again.

I decided to plunge into the Steek Vest from Loop D Loop I made some boo boos, but I knit it in about 2 days of nonchalant knitting days on size 13s.

Next time I knit this I will definitley make the body longer. I'm so glad belly shirts are "out." Well, they really have been "out" of my world since 1999?! Perhaps I will knit it in Collinette merino tape, or do something forty-ish? Feedback?! I really like the whole sweater tank thing. Never interested me before. But damn! It's so great not to put in sleeves!

Hot Mama

2006-02-28T21:14:00.000-06:00

Isn't she beautiful?!

Here is Ann pregnant with the twins, wearing the dress I donned when prego with Violet. It looks beautiful on her!

Okay...seeing Ann this pregnant kicks me in the knitter. I will finish the hats and booties I started for the twins! The sweaters...those will have to come in another year or so! Sorry Ann, I had the best intentions.

To motherhood!

Finished Already?

2006-02-28T20:12:00.000-06:00

I cannot take any credit for this finished project. This lovely boy and his sweater have been brought to you by Ms. Becca Doherty-mother, knitter, bad ass extraordinaire. I, myself, can finish no projects as of late. I picked up a Zoe Mellor book on booties for babies. If I keep the projects small will I stay focused?

I have lots of babies to knit for...but just no ambition! I'm too busy with reality...great!

So...3 cheers for Becca. Hip! Hip! Hooray! And here's to Spring bringing in some motivation!

Where do We Go From Here

2006-02-08T17:41:00.000-06:00

I stayed up until 4 a.m. writing my first true pattern. I never would have guessed it would have taken me so long! I submitted the pattern, and a few fotos to Knitty & called it a day.

I've had a difficult time starting my next knitting project....I've actually been concentrating on catching up with all the wedding videos. I've brought a few pattern books home from the library for inspiration, and have even started a few baby girl type sweaters intended for Ann & Bobby's baby twin "Ruby." I have already finished a sweater and hat for the boy twin, "Ford." I'm thinking of frogging the sweater, I'm just not that keen on it & starting over & going with two hats for now.....I've started another project, or at least a gauge for a project for Violet. Although, I don't know why I keep knitting her things...we all know she won't wear anything but hats.

Any ideas?

I also started, and frogged, a purse to be knit and felted with some yarn Jayne gave me. It's from Canada, and colors I would never pick-blues, aquas, yellows. It's really to beautiful to felt. It's hairy, and I think it might lose this quality a bit?

Maybe an afghan, squares of new stitches, pieced together, made up of all the "gift yarn" I've received from everyone? That might be nice, a rainbow of colors that I would never choose....

Cool?

I don't know. It's back to the grind.

I won't hear from Knitty until they decide to use my pattern. At least they didn't email right away-that means they are considering it?!

Crazy-ness.

Hip Hip Hooray Hair Day!

2006-02-03T03:48:00.000-06:00

This has NOTHING to do with knitting. I got my haircut, finally, it's been since May of 2005....This is honestly the best my hair has ever looked. I have to brag, damn it, I have to! I even had teenage boys following me around the grocery store, "She's hot," I heard one say.

Thanks Melissa.

Melissa Hunt-Schuft, Hair Guru Extraordinare, Salon Estilo Rocks

E=mt2

2006-01-25T00:07:00.000-06:00

Put the finishing touches on the "flat cat" by Zoe Mellor for Emmett. Emmett is Pam's son who turned 2 January 8th. He's such a lovely boy. I hope he gives this crazy, not so flat cat, lots o love.

Meow.

Paint me a Picture of me Painting I'd Rather be Knitting

2006-01-19T02:14:00.000-06:00

I've been painting the In Hot Water coffee house for the past two days. Adobe tan walls. White trim. All good. Then, of course, the big oops! I painted the floor boards dark red! Looks like crap! I will be fixing it tomorrow, or should I say today, before the mob descends. My mom is in Nicaragua and hopefully she'll like the change.

Otherwise, Sue and I will be stuck in the shop again for two days, knee deep in color.

Pam emailed me a pic of the sweater. A bit of a Charlie Brown look with the grafting...the button is beautiful in person-metal with an enamel, glaze I think....?

Thanks Nancy for the kudos on the knitting. Yes, Teva, is definitely my fav.

Moonlight on the Banwy River

2006-01-16T23:05:00.000-06:00

My brother, Andrew, and his gal pal Sharon were visiting Minnesota from Missiissppi for Christmas. Ironically, they live across the street from a fiber store and neither of them knit.

Sharon showed me a scarf she liked out of Rowan Big Knits, using Rowan Biggie Print, which is pretty damn expensive! The scarf called for 4 skeins basically an eighty dollar scarf? Okay, I exaggerate a bit...but we decided it might be more fun for her to pick out some fiber from Patty's shop.

Sharon liked the Colinette Point 5 right away, another bulky yarn. I said,"oooo...I like that too. I used that with Rowan kidsilk once on really big needles. I kinda wound the thick stuff through the thin. Here, look at this stuff..."

She picked out a beautiful Rowan kidsilk Night (with a bit of sparkle aka polyster in it), and a gray/purple-ish Colinette.

After giving her a hug goodbye at the shop, I headed home to dig out the pattern from the Knitty Archives. It's called Luscious Loopy.

Here's the finished product.

I called it Monlight on the Banwy River because of the two colors used. The Rowan kidsilk is the Moonlight, and the Colinette the Banwy. I thought, Banwy what the hell does that mean. So I looked it up. It's a river in Wales. Cool.

I hope Sharon likes it!

It's so cool for people to pick out the yarn they want for a project. It adds to my stash in ways I never could. These are not colors I go for when tempted by the Wheel of Fortune of fibers at the yarn shop.

They are beautiful!

And...Drumroll please....I FINALLY FRAMED PAM'S PRINT!

I love knitting for Pamela because really appreciates the art of knitting, and she gives me fabulous prints in return! I am in awe of her talent! Our dining area has become a make-shift gallery for her amazing prints. This one is called "Seol Poppies." She traded me for Teva Durham's shrug out of Scarf Style. Good old Teva. I also knit Pam an orange version ot the green sweater I knit for myself with the leaf motif. It looks amazing on her. I will have her email me some photos to post on the blog. You can view more of her prints at New Grounds,or head to Alberquerque and look her up. She will also be on HGTV, I will keep you all posted when I hear more.

Ciao

Keebler, as in the Elf

2005-12-27T01:25:00.003-06:00

I'm blogging you cheer!
It's about time....

I've been sooo busy knitting that I haven't had any time to blog. Ahem. Yeah, or something...

Okay, so it's that time of the year, your stash (and I'm not talking mus) is growing by leaps and bounds. You've got three projects in the oven and you're so sick of all of them that you want to start something new with that great yarn you just bought yourself for Christmas!

Shocking!

I decided to knit an elf hat for Violet. Yeah! She will wear it! I just keep telling her that it's her special Santa helper hat.

"Santa...ho ho ho," she says.

Yay! The girl who refuses to wear anything her mommy knits her...!

2005-12-22T08:14:00.000-06:00

Tis the season for too many projects & basically business. I've been busy with the kids, and my other day job...so, of course all those gifts I wanted to knit for people are all 1/4 to 2/3 completed.

I haven't blogged in a while either.

Here are the WIP: 1. a crazy bag using the remainder of the Dancing Dogs yarn (the sweater Violet threw a hysterical fit in), and some Lopi from the Ben Franklin in town. The color of the Lopi is that blue you see when you want a Raspberry Slushie! The pattern looks like it should be knit with very "natural" colors, but I was never one for "should be's." 2. a flat cat from Zoe Mellor's awesome book,hysterical fit in), and some Lopi from the Ben Franklin in town. The color of the Lopi is that blue you see when you want a Raspberry Slushie! The pattern looks like it should be knit with very "natural" colors, but I was never one for "should be's." 2. a flat cat from Zoe Mellor's awesome book, "Double Knits" it's for my BFF Pam's son Emmett, I'm making it out of Llama, cotton, and wool in Adam's favorite triad-green, orange and purple. 3. a scarf in Noro Iro for my brother's girlfriend. They are coming from Mississippi so she definately need something extra for the bitter MN winter. I'm using a twisted rib stitch on size 15 needles, it looks like a chain fence. COOL!

I also picked up a BUNCH of great books from the library-inspire me! And, of course, I've been shopping again. The season is upon me to consume, consume, consume! It doesn't count if it's yarn-right?

I have managed to finish one significant project. I knit a sweater for Pam, best friend in ABQ, in this orange that looks fabo on her. Another Teva Durham project. I should have taken pics of her in it. Maybe I'll ask her to email me some! Damn-what was I thinking!!

A very cool thing happened at the yarn shop. A women was working there that usually isn't. When I asked her how she knew the owner she said that she raises llamas and sells her fiber to the owner. I asked her if she was from Evergreen Llamas. She said yes. I just happened to have Pam in the shop with me who was wearing the shrug I knit out of her Llama fiber. It was great!

Merry Christmas!

The Girl Won't Wear Knits...It's the PIts!

2005-10-18T21:10:00.000-05:00

Well, I've knit Little Miss Violet a brand new sweater, and she won't wear it. She cries and tries to pull her arms out of the sleeves. I've tried bribing her with "we'll put this on and we'll go outside." It's not working. Not only will she not wear the cute bulky sweater I knit her out of the fun "dancing dogs' circus yarns, but she won't wear ANYTHING that's knit. I also knit her the adorable Anouk jumper from Knitty I think you can see it on MagKnits too.

I thought "well, maybe it's just the items I knit....." I tried the cute domino knit, kool-aid dyed, spun all herself sweater by Sue Thwing today and YIKES! She threw a fit! The only knit items she will wear are HATS! Oh well.

Sage says "Maybe when she's two?!"

Here are pics of the sweater in "dancing dogs." It was a slick project, another from Teva Durham's new book. I'm addicted to her projects!

Sew Sew Suck My Toe!

2005-09-16T22:03:00.000-05:00

Well I did it.

I sewed the sleeves on the sweater for the THIRD time, and this time it's good enough DARN it (pun intended)!

I pinned the sleeves on nicely, took my sweet time, used the mattress stitch to make an invisible seam...and VOILA! The sleeve seams still look like poop. I tonight do solemnly swear to never again sew up a sweater I knit. I will hire a professional from my Stitch N' Bitch group.

So....because the sleave seams and the place in the middle of the sweater where I joined the top to the bottom using the kitchener stitch looked like something Triumph the Insult Dog would poop on.....I used a bit of ingenuity and brought in some new fiber using the duplicate stitch.

Stitch
Stitch
Stitch

That's a really difficult word to type, and it totally looks wrong.

I think I like the look. It's very bohemian. The fiber is AMAZINGLY soft. It's really heavy, but Sage curled up with it and said "oooh this is so nice...like a blankie." I have one skein left, and I think I will use it in the baby blanket I intemd to knit for my cousin's bambino due in October. Remember the circular one I said I was starting that I never did start?!

Here are some photos of the sweater before I sewed on the sleeves. It fits better now that the sleeves are in. So I guess I'm basically done with it. Just sew on the button and put in a little bit more duplicate stitching where I want to hide the boo boos.

Yeah! My first sweater! I hope Teva Durham would be proud of my lil' changes. It's so punk of me

On a completely off subject aside...we rescued a couple of stray kittens last week & I'm happy to say I found two great homes for them both! Here are some pics of the little girl that Otto tried to eat on many an occasion, Lucy. Lucy is happily adjusting to life in Mnpls. with Nick & Chad. She's our little country kitty living it up in the big city!

This End Up North

2005-09-03T19:56:00.000-05:00

Well it was up to Duluth this weekend for a wedding job. We brought the kids, so I stayed back at the Suites with them and Rachel and Adam worked their fannies off.

Whilst hanging out on the North Shore with Sage and Violet, walking along Lake Superior, watching cartoons, and eating carameled apples....I DID manage to visit Duluth's local fiber shop Yarn Harbor. It's a clean little place and I picked up some bulky spun by brown sheep. The shop didn't have a ton of fibers, but the ladies were really helpful and I basically just needed a darning needle. BECAUSE, drum roll please, I'm ready to FINISH MY SWEATER. I was really hoping I'd get to wear while I was up here in the great Northern chill. Alas, I forgot the "darn" needle at home so I won't probably start putting it together until we're on our way home.

I will post pics soon.

Check out www.yarnharbor.com in Duluth if you venture up North.

Back to my day job.

Onward Sweater Soldier

2005-08-25T09:29:00.000-05:00

Well...I've managed to finish the bottom half of this sweater and a bit of the top (see pic).

So far, so good. I've only made a few mistakes, and they're minor so I will try and fix them when the sweater is complete. I really like working with the misty alpaca baby alpaca. I think it will drape really nicely.

The color looks a bit strange in the photo, and well, it really is a bit strange. An ode to the 1970's days of avocado shag carpets. I think I really dig it. It brings back memories of hamburger gravy and simple days of my childhood spent outside playing with "chalk rocks." It also reminds me of the color of many of my grandma Gilmer's afghans. I didn't know until she was sick with cancer and on her deathbed that she had actually knit those green and orange afghans. Also, she had taken up knitting when she was going through a bad bout of depression, and after making her way out of it, vowed never to knit again. How sad. Knitting is what takes me "out" of my funk. It's such a great pallette cleanser.

Well, here's to knitting pulling everyone out of their daily funk n rolls.

Doing Loop D Loops

2005-08-21T21:32:00.000-05:00

After many months of coveting the Teva Durham book "Loop D Loop," I went to Silver Creek Cabin and bought the book. It is such an AWESOME knitting book-chez punk! I've began the Leaves and Lace sweater with some really nice Alpaca yarn in 1970 something pea green. Teva calls for something a bit more asparagus colored and I've heard from some reviews online, about more scratchy than what I'm substituting. I'm using a bulky yarn from Misty Alpaca. It is soooo soft. I really like this pattern so far because it uses some new (for me) techniques. It uses a twisted stitch, where you knit or purl into the back of the stitch and you get to knit most of the sweater in the round, and then graft it together. Can we say NO SEWING (well, just a little sewing...) this also makes me very excited.

Y'all should check our her website www.loopdloop.com her stuff is way too cool.

Ciao.

I'll post some pics of the SIP (Sweater in Progress) when I can.

Give Me Some of That Ole Fashioned Knittin'

2005-08-05T00:52:00.000-05:00

Still procrastinating...and my allergies are kicking in full swing. I always know it's August when eyeballs itch so bad I want to rub them out of my eye sockets!
Here are some cool old images of knitters I found via the web.

Larry, Moe, and Me (Curly)

2005-08-05T00:18:00.000-05:00

Inspired by many a red head with curls, I went to Target the other day and bought some old fashioned sponge hair rollers and gave them a "go" today. Adam says he can't get over how different I look, Sage says he hates curly hair...except when it's his sister's golden locks.

Tonight I got around to finishing a few projects...I'm in full Wedding Video Procrastination mode, which is why I'm blogging and knitting of course! I sewed the petals on the "lazy daisy" purse, threw my "tree hugger" bag into the wash, and I am attempting to sew up a pillow I knit about 3 months ago! I don't think I'll get to Sage's dog tonight. It will go on looking like some sort of alien pig for a few more days.

Sage and I finished reading the first Chronicles of Narnia book: "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," and started the next one tonight at the dinner table. I'm sure he will be the only one starting kindergarten who has finished 4 Harry Potter books, and is listening to C.S. Lewis! What a kid! The Potter books were getting a bit advanced for him, so we decided to take a break (Mum and Dad that is, Sage would LOVE to read more.)

Adam received his new camera today and we played with it a bunch tonight. It's crazy how different one small upgrade can make in the quality of photos.

The new camera was a nice excuse to get Adam to take a bunch of photos of my knitting. Rock on!

A Wee Briget...

2005-08-03T18:55:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official-my cousins Nicole and Blake are finally getting around to joining me in the "Parents of Small Children" circle. So....in honor of their newest expecatations I will attempt to knit, drumroll please, a BABY AFGHAN.

I found a really cool pattern in the book, "The Knitting Goddess" by Deborah Bergman. It is a circular blanket knit from the inside out. It is called the Brigit Baby Blanket Pattern and is based on the Pi shawl. "The Pi shawl is a modern innovation in knitting designed by the beloved master designer and knitter Elizabeh Zimmermann that allws you to start in the center and work your way out into a circle....Symbolically speaking...the circle is a mystical symbol of wholeness, and when we take the roundness off the thing and give it four equal sides we make mystical wholeness tangible and physical" (Bergman 229-230).

I'm going to go through my yarn stash and find some soft things to use, and lots of color! Nicole's baby shower is on Sunday, and I doubt I will finish the project by then...so I will knit up one of my classic easy baby sweater patterns (see below photos of Violet in Noro, and cotton sheep sweater and hat). I can usually whip one of these up in about a day. I think I will add something punk...any suggestions? I'm a bit burned out on the old jolly roger.

Back to the ol' movie making....still have yet to finish up the WIP's. Tomorrow is another day.

Sew What!

2005-07-26T23:48:00.000-05:00

I've been busy this Summer.

Here is a bunny I knit for Violet. I call her Legs.

I bought the pattern for this bag up in Knife River at Playing with Yarn. It was a pretty cool place. I also bought some nifty discontinued Noro yarn called big BeBe and knit a scarf on the way to "Little Shop of Horrors" on Saturday. It's cool yarn, bright colored linen, silk, and cotton.

Eventually, the bag will look darling with a little blossom and stem handle, complete with felted leaves-that is, if I ever get around to sewing the petals of the flower on.....

This a pillow cushion I attempted to knit for our new leather sofa. The sofa is too slippery for knit pillows, so I went to TjMaxx for the blue ones....Adam says knit pillows are a waste of time...I kinda like them. I made another one, and have yet to sew it up. The story of my life.

I've been also trying to finish Sage's puppy, which looks more like a pig, but I need to embroider the face on and then I will take a photo. If all of his toys were to be handmade by Mumsy he would have about 3 toys total. What a pain in the ass! "Mom, that looks kind of wierd. Can you make me a t-rex?"

It's back to work for moi. Violet digs Mom's headphones. She's my rockstar.

If I Could Turn Back Time

2005-07-15T01:24:00.000-05:00

Cleaning out the old IPhoto closet again...I came across some more projects I finished and actually took some photos of the intended knittee using them.

We've got Pam and me and the kids in ABQ last September. Pam's purse was knit and felted from many scraps I had lying around. Way to use that stash, as in moustache...

We've got Candy in her fancy duds-I even made the buttons! She kept this on for about a half hour!

AND....

We've got Violet aka Drool Queen in a sweater (Noro Blossom) and hat (Ice Cream) that I knit for her when she was in utero.

I hope to find and post a photo of a more current project.

Ta.

Roger that Jolly

2005-07-15T01:04:00.000-05:00

I was going through a pirate phase this winter. Here are a couple of hats I made for Sage and Violet.

Sage would like me to complete a pirate sweater for him this fall. I'd better get on that! I knit the hat for Violet a bit snug, so I think it may get passed on to another wee girly friend...if I meet any new ones.

Sage's hat was my first intarsia project and it was really clumsy 'cause I knit it in the round. I found the beanie pattern for the hat on chicknits.com and I stole the intarsia image from Stich n Bitch Nation (see wristbands).

Getting Knitty with It

2005-07-15T00:53:00.000-05:00

Active photos of a knit-aholic. "Look Ma, no hands!"

Old Habits Die Hard

2005-07-14T13:24:00.000-05:00

Here are a few photos of past projects that I completed this spring.

The baby set is a pattern I made up as I went along, as I practised intarsia. I made it mostly out of a knubby cotton. This is my first cotton project and its a nice change. Not quite the stretch as other fibers but I thought it would be prudent as the baby (Max) came in May.

I knit the "shrug" for my best friend Pamela DiMauro who works as a printer/artist at the New Grounds Studio in Albq. New Mexico. You can check out some of her work at the Studio's website: www.newgroundsprintshop.com She is currently showing her work at the Creamery Inn in Downsville, WI. She traded me a beautiful print for the shrug which I knit in local alpaca. It's so incredibly soft. A lot of people gave me crap for this design..."where's the rest of the sweater?" But, I noticed that in this month's Anthropologie catalog they had something very similar....I based the design out of a pattern from Scarf Style, and tweaked it to fit Pam's shape and personality.

Saggy Sack

2005-07-01T20:13:00.000-05:00

So here it is my Saggy Sack, hanging from a tree in my backyard. However, in a few washes....voilla it becomes: "The Sophie Bag" You can find the pattern for this on www.magknits.com I've made this bag 3 times now, and I believe three times really is a charm because I think this is going to be one heck a bag. I'm planning on knitting a few pink blossoms, felting those, and sewing them on for an added charm.

I'll post the pics when the bag is finished.

Ta Ta.

You Blog I Blog We All Blog for Blog Blog!

2005-06-29T23:48:00.000-05:00

Well, everybody's doing it.....

This is the official first post of my punk knits blog. I'm currently staying up way too late in the evenings surfing all knitted related stuff. It's frankly getting out of control!

What punk knitting gone bad project am I currently working on? Well, I've promised myself I'd clean out my yarn stash this summer...so I've just finished a bag, which I'll throw in the wash tomorrow. I want to send it to my best friend's mother who let us crash at her house this weekend. And, I'm working on a little doggie toy for my five year old. Nothing really too punk right now. But it's punk in spirit.

I best be retiring to bed. I will post pics of the projects soon.