Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
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Knitting Friday 

I've spent the week dealing with hospice, which is a pallative treatment program for the dying, probably most used by the elderly at the end of life but the requirement (at least in our program) is that death has been diagnosed as most likely to occur within 6 months.

I won't give you my "one stop at a traffic light in-depth analysis of an entire city" impression of hospice but so far everyone I've dealt with has been very kind and informative. Two things I have discovered though: hospice becomes a new family member, you know the one who is always showing up and this hospice (and maybe all) has an up-front belief in god which they are very willingly to share. But, as a friend said: Whom do you think goes into this type of work, ruthless financiers? It is becoming obvious that my ability to isolate myself from a religious belief system I do not share is about to end.

My blog has never been a personal one, you know the type that even I enjoy reading, so I'm not going to dwell on this new facet in my life but I just wanted to explain why my postings for a while may be truncated or "go black" on certain days. You have to pace yourself if you are the caregiver with a hospice patient. You have to learn fast that you're not a mythical super hero. You always have to remember to eat well and exercise because this experience, for all family members, is enervating.

Knitting was done this week, pictures, however, were not taken. Let me just give you a few links and comments on my current projects.

For some reason, I am crocheting like crazy. Possibly because I opened some yarn drawers and realized that during my sleep the yarn fairy has made many, many visits to them and left unbelievable amounts of lace yarn. And, as you know, I only crochet with lace since life doesn't have enough years in it nor curses available if I knit with lace.

My latest crochet project is Lion Brand's:

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80877AD.html 

I'm usually wary of LB patterns. They're free but comments say that they miss a lot of needed directions or rows. Tranquil Wrap has the latter problem: too small. I started this as a summer shawl in crochet thread but, using as I hook, I didn't get the stitch definition I needed (you work in the stitches not in chain-spaces) so my stitch count got wacky fast. Then I switched to that off-white discloth weight cotton yarn which has been following around the house for weeks saying: Please love me. Well, I still don't love it but with a P hook I'm getting an open lace look in the Tranquil Wrap with it. It's a fast project and apparently others have repeated Row 4 through 9 much more often than the pattern calls for and have gotten a larger shawl.

The cotton thread (which is very wary of me and always says: You're going to frog me again, aren't you?) is now working its way into this: 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easy-iris-shawl

(This link may not work; you may have to cut and paste it.) 

I've mentioned the Easy Iris shawl before where you crochet the length and then pick up stitches from the side to crochet for the width. I've been making and frogging this pattern for quite a while; hopefully it will stick this time.

And finally, I'll leave you with a long term project which I may have spoken of before: a legacy project. That is, one you would like your family to inherit and pass on. I've been looking at an Aran-style sampler scarf or small Aran afghan for quite some time. If I had a million years, I could design my own patterns: And did you know that granny, great-granny, great-great-great granny...... spent two whole years just working out this one design? However, there is a very generous designer, Tammy Eigeman Thompson, who provides free, monthly Aran-style squares for the entire year: Here's an example from April 2013 on Ravelry: 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/april-square

You cast on 82 stitches and the pattern is 72 rows so these are big squares suitable for shawls or afghans.

You don't have to work Aran squares since the idea is make a work which is a "keeper." You could work a lace sampler legacy piece. Here are some good sites for these stitches: 

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory /lace_edging_squares_stitches.php

http://www.knitting-and.com/homework/ 

(above may be for the more advanced knitter) 

http://www.knittingonthenet.com/stitches.htm

(Great site for all sorts of stitch patterns. Don't forget, you can make this sampler using all types of stitch patterns.)

These are just a few links. There are so many stitch pattern books available, plus I think there is a 365 day stitch calendar. If you do knit or crochet and are even just thinking about a legacy project, it's never too early to start. By working sampler squares, you can finish a few, put the project away and then pick it up even years later. Since your squares will be finished you won't be asking yourself: Now, how did I work this half-completed square?, you'll just start on your next one. (Hint: Since your needle/hook might be missing from the project, be sure to write down the size you are using.)

That's it for this week. See you next week. Happy knitting.