Progress

I've been home two weeks now. I'm making progress--I've graduated to a cane and moving around well. I've begun outpatient physical therapy and am working hard.

I'm also finding time (and energy) to stitch. I've made a lot of progress on my blue crewelwork piece. I put it away last spring with just a few motifs completed.  I decided I needed to put something light behind the palest stitching but couldn't decide what.  Fabric would fray, felt was too thick. I finally decided to use a couple layers of used drier sheets...handy and free, non fraying. They're under the pale yellow areas and you can see them basted down for an area that will be pale blue and green.

I began this scarf last summer and then on Thanksgiving found a dropped stitch a few rows back. Then, looking, I spotted another error. I tried to just unravel a bit, but quickly realised I don't have the skills to put it back on the needles in pattern.  And I decided it was a bit too wide.  Soooo, I unraveled the entire scarf and began over.

I understand the lace pattern better now and am much more relaxed knitting it.  I've added lifelines to help when I make another error and they also help with the anxiety.  It's coming along well and I'm nearly back to where I was before starting over.

We're still in the seemingly endless cycle of snow, very cold, more snow, more cold.  It's nice to be warm and snug!  I hope you're keeping warm and able to use the quiet winter to do what you love best.

Brief Visit

I'm home. Recuperating.

While I was in The Villa in South Holland for rehab, I was very pleased to find Jacobean design wallpaper borders in the hallways.

Hubby helped me get some iPad pix on my last day there. Lovely patterns.

Inspiration for stitching.

I'm not stitching yet. Most people think, wow, six weeks of stitching. For me it's been two weeks of never getting quite comfortable, groggy from the pain meds, unfocused and lethargic. That said, this time is 100% better than previous experiences and I'm beginning to feel the desire to stitch. 

Looking forward to being back soon.

off for a while

 My good friend Renee passed away last week. I realized I couldn't attend her service because I'll be post knee-replacement surgery.  So for my own memorial, I took advantage of this weekend's huge snowfall to make a snowangel for Renee.  It just felt right. 

 Here's Hubby out shoveling before the temperatures plunged.

 And here's our street, buried in snow.

 I have my first finish for 2014--two baby hats for the coming twins!  I think they're adorable.

And to keep me busy, I took out this crewel project to continue working on.  I hope to get a lot done while I'm recuperating.

I expect to be silent for several weeks at least. See you on the other side.

Word for 2014

This will be my last post for a while as I heal from knee replacement surgery.  And that will be my word for 2014: Heal.  I will need to heal my body from the surgery and also get ready for the second knee replacement this summer.  I need to heal my spirit from the loss of a good friend.  

And I think it would be good to pay attention to healing a few relationships--not just people but perhaps my relationship with food, with work, with the mounds of stuff we've accumulated....  

It's going to be a really interesting year! 

Last finish of 2013, and first project for 2014

 Hubby helped me take the final "DONE!" portraits of the two baby quilts on New Year's Day. They've been washed and folded ready to send off.  I took the final stitches on the binding at about 9:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve. 

 I really like them.  They're soft and cuddly.

Speaking of cuddly.  I jumped right into a new project...baby hats.  These babies are benefiting from my anxieties...I'm going to have a knee replaced next week (and will be away from blogging for a while).  I'm driving hubby nuts with my anxieties, but it would be a lot worse if I didn't have needlework to keep me focused.  The hats are flannel outside and polar fleece inside. They are sooo soft!  They're nearly done, but I'd like to add a line of running stitched around the edges of each hat--a different color, I think, for each. 

Books for the New Year

I got some presents to keep me reading and thinking as the new year begins. 

 I've been reading this one first. It's a lovely book that combines poetry with an embroidery inspired by the poem.  This book, and the inspriation kit in a previous post, is from the National Needlework Archive in Newbury, England.

 

 This is a book from my list, something to help me think better (I hope).

And this was a surprise find that looks like it will be a lot of fun.

Happy New Year!

Best wishes for a very happy and healthy new year for everyone.  Thank you for visiting my blog this year and for sharing your comments with me.