First of all, many thanks to all of you who gave me moral support regarding my hearing thing. The good news is that it’s nearly back to normal. I still have a tiny bit of deficit in the very low frequency tones, but not so much as to be noticable without an audiologist telling me that. The ringing in my ear is gone, and I’ll be off the steroids as of tomorrow. So all is well. I still have to get an MRI, just as a precaution, but it’s not scheduled for another week, and I don’t expect any surprises there. I still cry at weird moments, thanks to the prednisone, and am having bizarre dreams, but I’m having to take fewer drugs to counteract the side effects of the original drugs, so that’s a good thing. I hate polypharmacy.
The one really swell side effect of prednisone? Though it’s made me terribly nauseated, so I can’t eat much, I haven’t lost an ounce, in fact I have gained weight. Son of a bitch, is all I have to say about that. This is all making me really sympathetic to the complaints of my patients when they whine about drug side effects. Count me in on the side of whining.
Now, on to the knitting. I finished the Forest Canopy Shoulder Shawl last night in the wee hours, and it’s on the blocking board. Here are photos. The Ipod is for scale.
Before the big stretch:
And after:
Sorry it looks a little technicolor. Next time I’ll grab mats of the same color.
Project Specifications:
Yarn: Mountain Colors Weavers Wool quarters, color Sagebrush. I used all but a few yards of the skein, though I possibly could have squeezed one more pattern repeat out of it.
Pattern: Forest Canopy Shoulder Shawl, by Susan Pierce Lawrence. This is just one of my favorite patterns. It looks all fancy and complicated, but is easy-peasy. The pattern repeat is just 8 rows, half of which are purled on the wrong side, so it’s easy to memorize after a couple of repeats. It’s also very easy to tell immediately if you’ve gotten off a stitch.
Started: September 1, 2006
Finished: September 14, 2006. I’d have finished it sooner if I was not such an easily distracted person. And I’m the slowest knitter in the west.
Needles: Knitpicks Options circular, size 4mm.
For: ?? This one is going in the gift pile, I can’t say for whom just yet.
What I learned: Lace can be fun and easy. I knew about the fun part, but easy? That was a new one. I also learned a bit about the construction of lace shawls.
I liked this one so much that I’m going to knit another one, this time in lace weight. Susan has a picture up from yesterday of one that she knit in Knitpicks Shadow. What do you know? I just happen to have one skein of that in the stash! Here it is, in a lovely red wine color.
This one might have to be for me. I’m off to wind up yarn.
Gorgeous! Just what the doctor ordered. 😉
Allow me to introduce myself as it is an honor to meet the slowest knitter in the west. I am the slowest knitter in the east. I am frustrated, aggravated, and humbled on a daily basis when I see these knitting sirens whipping out project after project. Actually kinda tees me off 🙂 (just jealous) but you oughta be glowing like a lightning bug over the beautiful and speedy job on your shawl. Bow bow
oooppss!!!!!!!! Almost forgot the most important reason I wanted to comment. YOU ARE AN ABSOLTE GENIUS with the blocking blocks! I have looked into buying a knitting blocking pad $80 and not too big. I love love love your innovative idea! I will be jumpin’ on that bandwagon myself. thanks
When I first read that you were taking prednisone I have to admit that I was waiting for you to comment about the weight gain. Our dog (not that I’m comparing you to the dog!) has been taking a fair amount of pred every day for the past year and boy, it has sure changed his shape. And he is ravenous all the time. I know you are just about done taking it, but did anyone recommend taking Pepcid AC with the pred? It calms your stomach down…just take the same mg dosage of pepcid as the pred.
And your shawl is beautiful. I have yet to knit one in large part because I have no idea where I’d where it!
Gorgeous gorgeous shawl! And, I’m so glad the hearing is better… now just to taper off that Prednisone!
The shawl is lovely, I may need to hunt up that pattern.
I’m so glad you’re feeling better….and I say if the prednisone worked, to hell with a few extra pounds.
So glad you’re feeling better! The shawl looks great.
I just got the shawl pattern, and I have some Mountain Colors Weavers Wool somewhere.
Glad you’re feeling better.
Beautiful shawl! The blocking boards are great. So glad that you are feeling better!
BEAUTIFUL!!! Isn’t it amazing what blocking does to lace. It looks like two different shawls.
The magic that is lace is so amazing to watch. Susan’s lace weight FC is so light and beautiful. You’ll love one out of the Shadow!
I’m just catching up and just read about your ear, boy am I sorry. I have all sorts of ear problems, nothing serious, but frustrating just the same. Hope it continues to improve and your off the drugs in no time flat.
Lovely shawl by the way, What a great idea for blocking though, your puzzle piece mats, easy to store, etc. I’m going to have to keep my eyes peeled for those. I know I’ve seent hem somewhere.
Glad your hearing is better. Very pretty shawl. Easy you say huh? I like easy….
So glad you’re getting better! Getting off the meds is something to look forward to. Just so happens that I got (yesterday) 4 different shades of Shadow from Knit Picks. I can not wait to start. You knit a shawl in 13 days & think that’s slow? Watch how long it takes me…on 2nd thought, don’t you’ve suffered enough lately.
I’m impressed. Very cool.
Glad you found my new link…boy, you can whine anytime..this must just be the most frustrating thing! Beleive me when I say, you are not the slowest knitter in the west…I can beat (or stay behind you) on that one!
Since you weren’t eating much, hopefully you will diurese and end up something negative. ‘Roids really do suck all the way around.
The shawl is beautiful. Looking forward to the modeled shot.
Oooh, pretty! Glad the hearing is improving, but bummer on the med side effects. Hopefully, they’ll go away soon.
The shawl is beautiful!! Can’t wait to see one in laceweight. Told ya lace wasn’t that hard. I’m glad to see you can now sympathize with your patients. Now, if I could only get my (male) doctor to go through menopause. Life would be good.
So glad you’re feeling better Lorette!
The shawl is stunning and I love the yarn you’ve picked for you next one!
I share your frustration with weird reactions to drugs, illnesses, etc. Your hearing loss and the weepy reaction to prednisone is enough to try a woman’s soul. It’s not a good thing when your body “craps out” on you for indecipherable reasons!! My memory is nearly fully returned, but my short term memory is still tenuous. And, I also feel weepy–complex things still overload me! Good luck returnign to normal soon.
I must be losing it over here–When I first read your entry I thought you said your iPod was for sale. The iPod is for SCAlE makes a lot more sense, though.
The shawl is beautiful!
What a great pattern! I went to look at Susan’s in Shadow, as I happen to have a hank or two of that hanging around my stash too…guess what just got added to my to-do list?
Hy Lorette
My name is Gisele. I live in S
Prednisone can really suck, but that shawl sure doesn’t! Nicely done, Lorette!
Last time I took Prednisone, I sported a bright red face for about five days. Really attractive….
I love the transformation – amazing how it’s nearly transparent after blocking, isn’t it? Glad you’re feeling better!
Hi Lorette, I enjoy reading your blogs and seeing all of your beautiful projects and I also like your sense of humor. It inspires me to keep knitting, I picked it up after being away from it for years. I too was just on prednisone for a week and a half for a severe asthma flareup, and my side effect was I could not sleep and I had so much energy I couldn’t sit still and I seemed to LOSE my appetite, for a short time anyway. Am off it now and boy am I tired after all the work I did *smile* Keep up the great work. I live vicariously through you and your fabulous trips. . . a knitter in Minnesota