Calling all knitters!

[FollowTheSun]

You have a Irish Wolfhound ????

Oh my, one of my dream dogs !!!

They are usually SO easy going, so noble, so regal. And so very short lived... sigh.

One day I will get one, even if my heart will get broken much to soon.

I have a hard time finding a truly responsible breeder. I'm willing to pay, but I demand that a breeders absolute Nr. 1 priority is the well being of the dogs, meaning choosing carefully who to breed, health tests, temperament tests, raised indoors, etc etc. I won't support back yard breeding or breeding for profit when no true effort for well being is put into it.

So...I guess I'll never get one, because I'm so picky, and there aren't many breeders to begin with..

A friend of mine put herself on a rescue group waiting list. Took 2 years but she finally got a wonderful Irish Wolfhound. Just an idea.

[FollowTheSun]

OMG! FollowTheSun, amazing work! I don't knit, but now I'm dying to learn! And you have joint hypermobility, too?? I have severe hEDS and can't work currently, and I'm sure I'd have to take lots of breaks knitting, but I need more things to occupy my time. What are the best resources to learn to knit, and do you have any other tips on knitting with hypermobility?

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That's exactly what I have too!! hEDS! And my youngest daughter has it too, more severely than I do (three knee surgeries so far at age 14 and mild POTS).

I'm sorry to hear you can't work right now. What did you do? I'm a nurse, and I can still work, thankfully, but it's hard sometimes and I know that I will eventually have to leave bedside nursing. I have a job as a float nurse so I can choose my own schedule. I work pretty much every other day (one day of recovery for every day of work), and I go to work with support hose, soft knee and ankle braces to protect my problem areas. And so far I'm still working, although it's not always easy. I always hurt somewhere. Right now my L shoulder is the problem child, but it's getting better. I have severe IT band syndrome, that's my main issue, but also severely injured my ankle last year, and my L wrist. I also get crooks in my neck a lot when I sleep, and sometimes use a soft neck brace. My weighted blanket is the best thing ever!

Please tell me more about your hEDS if you don't mind. It's hard to find others who truly get it. What are your problem areas? For me it's pretty much everything!

back to knitting: I sleep with a brace on my left wrist, sometimes both wrists in order to give maximum rest and healing between knitting sessions. I have a smaller wrist brace I will sometimes use on the left wrist during knitting, too. I use only the tiny needles, and I take a lot of breaks, which is why it takes awhile to finish a pair of socks. Since I work every other day, I knit every other day so that gives me breaks from it. Sometimes I have to take long breaks for a week or two.

The smaller wood needles are most comfortable. I learned to knit from a friend but the website knittinghelp.com was my main reference to get the basic stitches down. I don't do fancy complicated patterns that involve a lot of bending and twisting. I just do simple knit-purl. It's too bad you probably don't live closer or I'd teach you. You can find knitting classes at most yarn supply stores. Just explain you can only use small needles due to EDS and I'm sure they'd work with you. No bigger than size 8 for sure (I can only use size 1-2).

I have recently discovered painting my nails as a creative outlet. I'm not very good at it but it's fun to change the colors and I watch movies while I paint and let it dry.

I "read" a lot with Audible and podcasts. I was into jigsaw puzzles but bending over the puzzles hurts.

[zina10]

A friend of mine put herself on a rescue group waiting list. Took 2 years but she finally got a wonderful Irish Wolfhound. Just an idea.

I don't mind a rescue at all. Just didn't think there were any, given this breed is not as popular and there aren't as many breeders. I like to either support a responsible breeder, or rescue. Either one.

With a rescue, I simply have to make sure the dog fits into the family (of other animals) I can't and won't take on animals that are aggressive or with aggressive tendencies. While they are deserving of a home as well, I'm not the right home for that. I have to think of my other animals, which are big and small. All of them know the rules, I don't allow fighting or rank squabbles. They all share the same rank, which is below the humans, LOL. I love that they all get along wonderfully and every single one (from German Shepherd to Chihuahuas to the cat) are wonderful with any rescue creature I bring home, whether a injured kitten or even a nekkid little starling hatchling.

Rescues are very good at matching up the right homes, though. And I am not planning to add another dog just yet, so a long waiting list wouldn't bother me at all


Now back to knitting, LOL. Sorry, I couldn't resist, I love Irish Wolfhounds..

[zina10]

That's exactly what I have too!! hEDS! And my youngest daughter has it too, more severely than I do (three knee surgeries so far at age 14 and mild POTS).

I'm sorry to hear you can't work right now. What did you do? I'm a nurse, and I can still work, thankfully, but it's hard sometimes and I know that I will eventually have to leave bedside nursing. I have a job as a float nurse so I can choose my own schedule. I work pretty much every other day (one day of recovery for every day of work), and I go to work with support hose, soft knee and ankle braces to protect my problem areas. And so far I'm still working, although it's not always easy. I always hurt somewhere. Right now my L shoulder is the problem child, but it's getting better. I have severe IT band syndrome, that's my main issue, but also severely injured my ankle last year, and my L wrist. I also get crooks in my neck a lot when I sleep, and sometimes use a soft neck brace. My weighted blanket is the best thing ever!

Please tell me more about your hEDS if you don't mind. It's hard to find others who truly get it. What are your problem areas? For me it's pretty much everything!

back to knitting: I sleep with a brace on my left wrist, sometimes both wrists in order to give maximum rest and healing between knitting sessions. I have a smaller wrist brace I will sometimes use on the left wrist during knitting, too. I use only the tiny needles, and I take a lot of breaks, which is why it takes awhile to finish a pair of socks. Since I work every other day, I knit every other day so that gives me breaks from it. Sometimes I have to take long breaks for a week or two.

The smaller wood needles are most comfortable. I learned to knit from a friend but the website knittinghelp.com was my main reference to get the basic stitches down. I don't do fancy complicated patterns that involve a lot of bending and twisting. I just do simple knit-purl. It's too bad you probably don't live closer or I'd teach you. You can find knitting classes at most yarn supply stores. Just explain you can only use small needles due to EDS and I'm sure they'd work with you. No bigger than size 8 for sure (I can only use size 1-2).

I have recently discovered painting my nails as a creative outlet. I'm not very good at it but it's fun to change the colors and I watch movies while I paint and let it dry.

I "read" a lot with Audible and podcasts. I was into jigsaw puzzles but bending over the puzzles hurts.

While I do not have the issues you two have to deal with, I find the wooden needles so much more comfortable. For some reason the metal ones always make my fingers ache much more quickly. While my mom can't work with the wooden ones. She tried. And snapped some, LOL. I don't know how furiously she knits, but apparently she puts some pressure on those needles.

Have you ever used that Bamboo wool ?

It feels kind of slick while knitting and tends to want to separate, but I actually like it. Plus the socks are very pretty and great for summer. I always thought they are a great alternative for people with a wool allergy. They still get to have the natural fiber, the pretty socks, without having to worry about the allergy..

[FollowTheSun]

While I do not have the issues you two have to deal with, I find the wooden needles so much more comfortable. For some reason the metal ones always make my fingers ache much more quickly. While my mom can't work with the wooden ones. She tried. And snapped some, LOL. I don't know how furiously she knits, but apparently she puts some pressure on those needles.

Have you ever used that Bamboo wool ?

It feels kind of slick while knitting and tends to want to separate, but I actually like it. Plus the socks are very pretty and great for summer. I always thought they are a great alternative for people with a wool allergy. They still get to have the natural fiber, the pretty socks, without having to worry about the allergy..

Wow your mom must be really furious indeed! Breaking wooden needles!

I have been meaning to try bamboo but then forgot about it. I'll have to go and find some and try working with it. We have very hot summers and I'm always sad to not wear my socks. I don't mind wearing with sandals to show them off, but then it's too hot. I have tried knitting larger guage socks to allow air flow but then they are too loose on my feet.

How my stitches around are your socks? Where did you find your pattern that you love?

[zina10]

I really do like the bamboo. At first it feels weird, very slippery, but they knife fast and easy and the design repeats. It's a 100 gr wool, so one lasts for a pair of socks with left over.

I use 16 stitches per needle, as for design, I just learned it from my mom.

I learned knitting as a kid in school in Germany, but they use different words, so the instructions in books and on websites here can be confusing to me.

I also hold the yarn different then most people here. The yarn is in my left hand, as is the growing sock. The right hand just uses the working needle.

See, I don't know the correct expressions in English..lol.

Mosy people make the top of the sock smooth. I like to use the same pattern as on top of the foot all the way down to the heel. But instead of changing every other stitch, I go 2 stitches in between. In Germany we call it right and left stitches. Here they call them knit and purl stitches. I think.

Herr is one of the Bamboo socks. Wool is from Knit picks.






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[zina10]

And that's my hand in the sock..and not a crookedy foot..lol




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[zina10]

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[zina10]

Also bamboo




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[FollowTheSun]

Those are beautiful! My friend who taught me knitting is from Germany and uses a different way to hold yarn than the one I eventually moved to (which she calls the English style). I was not coordinated enough to do her method although it seemed that she had better speed with her way. Those socks are so yummy! I will have to share a pic of the ones I'm working on now...I do different things with mine, all very simple patterns and variations that I came up with over the years, all knit-purl, no lacework or cables. (It's supposed to be relaxing-- not complicated-- something simple enough that I can watch TV while doing it and still keep count).

Your heels are more roomy than mine. And you have a lot of patience to continue the ribbing all the way down the sock! I am usually too impatient/lazy and will sometimes do two rows of ribbing but yours hugs the foot much better I'm sure!

I see you use five needles (four and then the working needle). I use four needles (three and then one working) because it's easier to hold for me. So you use the traditional 64 stitches around and I usually use 56 around for size 1 needles, and 48 for size 2 needles-- but the size 2 needles make a looser fitting sock and too slippery for my taste.

I have not seen bamboo at knitpicks. I'll have to look harder. Where else do you get your sock yarn?