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A Cap for Ms. Jean

I love finishing projects!!! What a feeling of accomplishment, no matter the size.

This week found me knitting up a chemo cap for Knitting_Guy’s mom. He is a member of Knitting Help and Ravelry. He has two blogs…this one and this one.

He has contributed many posts on KH, and is simply adored by all. I remember when he first joined the site and started teaching himself to knit. His first scarf was full of mistakes, but he plugged on. Now he’s working on his first sweater. I’ve never even made a sweater. Wow!

What makes Knitting_Guy so endearing is that he is a trucker. He’s not afraid to knit wherever he stops. As a result, he has had some interesting experiences, which he has shared with his fellow KH’ers.

Anyhow, Knitting_Guy shared that his mom was going to be starting her second round of chemotherapy, so a bunch of us have joined forces to knit some goodies together for one big care package for her. Some of the knitters are working on squares that one member will seam up and another will crochet a border for. What a wonderful group of people. I’m honored to be counted among them.

When I went to KnitWitz in Jacksonville, I shopped with the main purpose of buying yarn for a hat. I wanted to make the No-Hair-Day Hairy Chemo Cap. My version does not look like the picture in the pattern due to the yarn I used. I used Rowan Calmer 482 (Powder Puff) stranded with Eyelash Trendsetter Yarns, color #12. The eyelash yarn is different from the FIZZ recommended in the pattern. However, I really like the yarn. It knit up well and is very soft.

I used magic loop because I didn’t have the right size dpns. It was a fast knit, and although I would have liked for it to turn out like the picture (I’m weird in that way), I still like it. It kind of reminds me of a Go-Go skirt.

I’m going to begin work on a pair of fingerless gloves to accompany the hat. This project is so addicting! It’s been a lot of fun thinking of items that will bring a smile to Ms. Jean’s face.

This is the best part of knitting.

Yarn Porn from Jacksonville

Hooray, hooray! AuburnChick went shopping!!! It’s pretty sad when I scout out yarn stores when we go out of town, but that’s exactly what I do. I got up bright and early this morning, GPS in hand,and made my way to KnitWitz, a “real” yarn store in Jacksonville. What a delightful store!!! Here’s what it looked like when I walked in…

To be fair, I justified my visit with the need to buy yarn for the chemo caps I am getting ready to make for a couple of people.

Here’s the Rowan Calmer that I plan on stranding with the Trendsetter eyelash yarn to make this pattern.

I bought this color (same brands as above) to make a cap for my daughter’s friend’s mom…the same gal I made the comfort throw for. She starts chemo the first week of June.

Now, here’s where I went off track a bit. Being in a real yarn store, and never having access to one, made me feel totally okay with buying the rest of what you’ll see.

I bought solid sock yarn because I’ve only made socks with striping or variegated yarn. There are many patterns that I’ve stayed away from because I just knew that the colors would hide all of the hard work.

This is Lorna’s Laces, and the colorway is Periwinkle. It is so pretty! I’ve finally, finally learned that you have to buy two skeins of this brand of yarn to make calf-length socks. Each skein is only 50g!

The next yarn is Berroco Comfort Sock. It’s either white or creme. Yeah, it seems like a “blah” color, but I think that everybody needs a pair of white socks, and I can already envision some lovely lace pattern.

Now, the neat thing about this store is that just when you think you’ve seen everything, you haven’t. As I got to the back, and I touched everything, I found myself fondling some very soft yarn. I picked it up to check the label, and lo and behold – Malabrigo! This is the first time I’ve actually seen it at a store! Remember that one of my KH buddies sent me some not too long ago, so it’s not the first time I’ve touched the stuff. But, I’ve never actually visited a yarn store that had it stocked! I fell in love with this color – Water Green. It is the same color as my first prom dress.

I left the store a bit poorer but richer in spirit.

Off I went to watch Soccer Chick play a game. Now, I never thought I would find it too hot to knit. I am cold-natured. But I have to say that today was the hottest day of soccer that I’ve sat through this season. I pulled out the Tidal Wave socks that I’ve been feverishly trying to finish but found myself unable to knit more than a couple of rounds before setting it aside.

However, I did elect to stay at the hotel while everyone went to dinner. I really wanted to finish these socks…and I DID!!! Lookie…

Please allow me to apologize for the absolutely horrible picture! Since I’m out of town, I don’t have my wonderful Ott Light, which allows for natural lighting and true colors to pop out.

The important thing is that the socks are done! So, a rundown on the sock stats. I used size 1 (2.50mm) circular needles (one 24″ and one 16″). The yarn is Tofutsies, color #799. Here is the link for the free pattern. It’s fabulously easy. I didn’t even use the chart for the second sock. I modified the pattern by continuing the pattern repeats down the top of the foot. I knit six pattern repeats down the leg and then six more from the instep to the beginning of the toes.

Tomorrow, I’ll cast on for the first of the two chemo caps. These will be a first for me…and I’m nervous about the eyelash yarn getting in the way of the knitting. But I trust that God will honor my desire to serve Him, even in this small endeavor, and will allow me to knit the caps without too much difficulty.