Saturday, October 28, 2006

First Things First

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice. I am still having problems with my hands and am beginning to suspect arthritis. Although a friend suggested it might be a withdrawal symptom from stopping steroids (I had been taking steroids, initially very high doses, for a year and a half. I had a something (infarction, odema, aneurism - something) on my optic nerve and started to lose my eyesight (very scary). My eyesight is better than ever now but I had to withdraw the steroids slowly or the condition recurred. I ought to express my gratitude to the French Health System at this point who dealt with the situation so promptly, I am positive that if I had still been living in the UK I would be blind now). Anyhow maybe this is some kind of body detox and it will work itself out eventually. Once the Funky Scarf is finished I will avoid crochet for awhile. In reply to the comments I am sure the way I hold my hook exacerbates the matter and I have watched other, faster, better crochetters hold theirs completely differently and tried to emulate, but I get so clumsy I drop everything. I would also like to knit Continental and have the same problem. I obviously need more patience and willpower. BTW (Jaichan in the comments) what is a pastry scraper? Why would you want to scrape pastry?

I did get the fingerless mitts off to my Warm Hands, Warm Hearts swap pal Amy. I knit them out of Colinette Tagliatelli, a 90% merino tape. The suggested needle size is 8mm but I used 5mm and loved the resulting texture, very firm and like dense velvet. I stupidly didn't take a photo so will have to hope Amy posts to her blog when they get there. I am making myself a really long pair though which I hope to finish when all my 'duty' knitting is done. I should finish the funky scarf this weekend but in the meanwhile have received mine already from Janine in Guernsey. It was in 3 narrow strips joined periodically with tiny flowers. Very clever and quite lovely, it has attracted many admiring comments. Also with the scarf were some knitting magazines and some Green and Blacks chocolate (divine) I had never tried the milk one before so I had to sample it straight away (thats quite normal behaviour surely?)


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4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't worry - I'll post photos to my blog when I get them. They sound just wonderful and I can't wait until the package comes.

I hope that your arthritis isn't too serious and you can find a good balance with treatment and life. You never can tell what will happen when you come off of a medicine such as steroids. I've seen people have all kinds of reaction in the field I work in.

Here's warm wishes and hopes for the best!

3:29 PM  
Blogger jlmack said...

I hope it isn't arthritis and merely a pinched nerve.
My friend had a problem with her hand for a while (www.bitsofhappy.blogspot.com) and she took some time off from knitting. She's doing better now. I think knitting continental will really help.
This is a pastry scraper http://www.pastrychef.com/Catalog/bowl_scraper_1597105.htm
The write up isn't lying. These things are great; I had to make blue cheese rounds yesterday and I used one to scrape up the extra bits of cheese off the cutting board. It's helpful when making anything that has to be passed through a sieve, or getting dough off a cutting board.
I'll have to send you one!

3:39 PM  
Blogger Ambermoggie, a fragrant soul said...

Hope it isn't arthritis maylin but if it is you can work with it you hav e such strength and purpose you won't let it beat you:) After all I've had the rheumatoid arthritis since age 2(thats over 50 years me dear) and I'm not beat yet:)) Bloggers with aches unite
amber in Scotland

7:05 PM  
Blogger liten krubba said...

i am sad to hear about your hands, i sincerely hope it will get better. i just wanted to drop by and say that i've finally startet to spin! i've managed my first, although not so perfect, 2-ply yarn. still practising, so haven't dared to try the beautiful fibres you sent me. but, yesterday i just happend to buy myself a second spinning wheel. it was so pretty and gracious and cheap i could not resist...

thanks again for giving me the final push into spinning. i love it but find it terribly difficult sometimes!

best wishes from your former SP8

/myra

8:29 PM  

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