felted hat questions

For those who asked:) I made the hat approx third as big as it is, I washed in auto machine at 30 degrees
Didn't check through the wash cycle. I will give it another wash I think as it is still a little loose. Very warm though

Despair is a gift called Cancer

We got Mr Mog's results today which was great as it meant one less week to worry over them. The news wasn't good though:( They have decided that he has to start hormone pills Monday for 4 weeks, in 2 weeks time to start hormone injections(into the stomach apparently). Then 13th November, which is a very auspicious day n'est ce pas? he has to have operation to remove the core of his prostate. Then he has to have radiotherapy if the consultant radiographer thinks he is suitable for it. I tell you it just goes from bad to worse doesn't it? They had originally said hormones plus radiotherapy. Now it is necessary to have an operation. Mr Mog is very upset by it all and the list of side effects spelled out to him. Do we mention incontinence? erectile disfunction? Male menopause, iritability, tiredness. Do I need to go on? The poor lamb is not too happy with it all.
I feel so helpless, I am trying to be upbeat about it all and not let him see how worried it makes me. He is worried that he won't be able to give me the care I need.
Tell you what though I am so pleased we moved back home, nearer to our family and friends. The support will be invaluable and it also means they can visit him in hospital.
More later

Finished hat/fingerless gloves pictures

The pictures of the hat and fingerless gloves I made from Wye Sues yarn. Very warm and cosy. We need it today is freezing and an icy wind blowing from the sea:)

Knit knit the days along and FOs 1 and 2

No pictures but tomorrow for sure:)
I'm knitting like crazy at the moment. Its helping pass the time til Mr Mog can start his treatment. The results will be going before the specialist and committee?? on either this Thursday or next, then they will call Mr Mog and I in to explain them and the options for his treatment. Then and only then will they actually start treating the da*n cancer.
Its so frustrating the wait, we seem at a loose end wondering how to pass the time while waiting. I of course am knitting:) Mr Mog is making a farm for our oldest grandson and its coming along great. We now have pigsties, a bull pen and shelter. All from wood from scratch, he is a clever moggie:)
I've used my yarn prize from Wye Sue
the purple that was so yummy to the touch. I've made a pair of fingerless gloves and a felted ear flap hat. The hat is drying as we speak:) I ran out of yarn for the hat so mixed some knitpicks naked in with it and it just adds a little cream to the top. I love the warmth of the yarn and will enjoy wearing it so thanks Sue. Pictures tomorrow.

Shawls shawls and Happy Mabon:)

Where shall I start? Firstly a wonderful Mabon card arrived for us today from my SP, isn't it lovely? Thank you SP and happy mabon or autumn equinox to you and to all others listening in:))
May the fruits of the harvest go forth with you into the dark half of the year to nourish you
Then I finished the shawl in the MCY silk/wool yarn from my last SP. Didn't have anything to edge it with so left it plain. It is very warm and this one will be going to the hospice as part of the year of shawls. Don't you think the colours are stunning?
Finally another Sursa, this time in Kureyon. I fancy edging it in bright purple but we will see once it is finished:)
Mr Mog, the nurse rang last night to say now all his tests were in they would have a meeting andecide what treatment. It will either be this Thursday or the following Thursday. I'm hoping this week as the sooner the better for starting treatment

Finished Sursa, a pirze and the scan

I

Finished my Suras shawl,
pattern from Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton
Yarn Noro Iro and green handspun from unknown source.
Love love love making this shawl. I love the way the colours shade as you knit:)
I've started another in Noro Kureyon pictures later.
I also finished a simple shawl in the MYC silk/wool combo from my SP in the last round. It looks lovely and is quietly blocking as we speak so pictures for that in a couple of days.
I didn't give it a border as I didn't know what would go with it. Its quite a thick and thin yarn and I didn't have anything suitable, so for now it remains simple:)
The other picture above is the prize I won from Wye Sue
2 skeins of her fabulous handspun in purples:) I'm thinking hat and fingerless gloves. What do you think?
Thank you Sue a brilliant prize:))
The scan? Yes it was the MRI scan for Mr Mog today. Its not been a pleasant few days as he has been worrying over the scan and I've been worrying over him. As you do.
No sleep much last night and an early start as we had to be at the hospital for 8.45am. Meant starting off at 7.50 to drive the 4.5 miles because of the rush hour traffic. We made it with just 5 minutes to spare. It did mean we weren't sitting in the waiting room counting minutes though which was good. Mr Mog was in for almost an hour and I did my KIP. I worked on the kureyon sursa shawl and got quite a bit done while thinking positive thoughts that they wouldn't find any more traces of the cancer.
We won't know for a few days or so and it is going to be a long wait I think. However we have a friend coming to stay Friday to saturday then Saturday evening we have a group of friends coming over for an abundance party to celebrate the autumn equinox.
I'm hoping this will help
I think this turn of the wheel from Summer to autumn is always a time of flux and problems. A change from the light to the dark half of the year. I'm hopeful that after the weekend the new part of the wheel will herald positive healing news.
There we are

MRI scan, knitting and more

no pictures today sorry its been a rotten couple of days. Mr Mog has his MRI scan appointment for next Wednesday and he is starting to worry:( He is quite down at the moment and he isnt' sleeping too well. Neither am I but thats by the way. I'm trying to keep his spirits up but what do you do when it doesn't work?
He also has a problem with his shoulder hurting a lot, needs to go to the doctor but I think he is scared because of the cancer. I'm making him an appointment for Monday, not telling him til its time to go:)
Knitting, on with the decreases on the Sursa shawl now so won't be long til I do the frill. I want to make some simple bootees for the new baby girl thats due. An easy pattern that in no way resembles socks. Must do a browse after this.
Been checking out various narrowboat companies, wow what prices even for now after all the schools have gone back. Arm and a leg isn't enough they want both arms, both legs and the rest of you as a deposit. Oh and then theres the extra non returnable indemnities in case you don't bring the boat back in pristine condition. Then insurance. Get real people, we only want to cruise the darn canal not take over the boat for good.
Any way tomorrow we have the grandsons coming over after school and staying over. Mr Mog will enjoy that as much as me:) The boys love their grandad, they love all the things he makes them and he is far more patient playing with them than I am:)
He is currently making a farm for the oldest grandson and a garage to add to a dolls house for the younger one.(He wanted a dolls house so he can have one:))

I've virtually been to Canada:))and a trip on the canal

Firstly and most importantly my virtual vacation swap arrived. After this I can definately say I've "virtually" been to Canada. My hostess was Stacey and wow did she pull out all the stops. As you can see from my parcel lots to read, eat, play with and watch. Stacey did a fabulous journal on her trip around the region full of info on her and her family plus all the places we visited. After this I most definately want to go and visit in reality:)
Thank you Stacey for a wonderful gift and watch your mail box:))
Secondly although I see blogger has put pictures in backwars. Mr Mog and I took a trip to Skipton yesterday. We had a gorgeous journey there through vivid green parkland , past railways and the canal. When we got to Skipton we decided to have a little pleasure trip on a narrowboat from Penine Cruisers
Just a short trip to the underneath of Skipton Castle
and back. What a lovely trip it turned out to be, yet bittersweet. Mr Mog and I used to live on a canal boat for a while. In fact we only moved off it when my health became too bad to allow for us living away from the doctors surgery. This is only the second time we have been on the cut(what canal folks call the canal.) since then. First time was for Mr Mogs 60th and the man who owned that boat passed away a couple of months ago. So we went, we enjoyed it greatly. These are just a couple of photos from the day. My ambition now is to try and raise enough from my destash to take Mr Mog for a weeks canal holiday before his treatment starts. Fingers crossed as the cheapest I've found is £600.
As for treatment, we found out today he does have to have the MRI scan. So it is in his bones I think. The scan is next Wednesday and then they will decide what treatment will be.
He is bearing up well considerin g, I think I'm more of a wreck than he is. Trying to keep cheery isn't easy.
I'm going to organise an abundance party to celebrate the Autumn Equinox next week. We used to often have parties for the turn of the wheel and I think we need one don't you? Abundance party because of course this time of year there is an abundance of fruit , vegetables and grain from the harvest. A time to say thanks for this and enjoy the fruits:)

Finished my BSJ plus other finished items:)

Here you go, finished items:)
BSJ, pattern Elizabeth Zimmerman
Yarn hand dyed cotton from destash 2 years ago I think?
time taken 3 days
Will I do another? Yes

Pram /cot cover pattern Ocean lace stole from justonemorerow.com
Yarn mohair/wool from stash unnamed.
Time taken 2 days. Picture doesn't do justice to colour which is creamy white with speckles of pins/lemons

Julias shawl capelet pattern from Wrapped in comfort
Yarn mohair from stash, unknown
Time taken 5 days. Only stopped because I ran out of yarn. It is great as a shoulder warmer
there you have it, I am up to date I think:)

Some to eat, some to bathe in ,some to admire.

And here we have a mixture of todays images. We made chocolate orange pots and parkin with crystalised ginger to eat. Bath bombs scented with lemon essential oil for bathing delight. Potted up some money plant babies. Legend has it that if you keep one of these plants and care for it you will always have money. Doesn't say how much though:) Then Mr Mog took pictures of a baby frog on the pond and a delightful calendula flower. Images for all the senses. A lovely day

Autumn longing and I finished my BSJ:)Edited with photos

I woke up this morning to the first taste of damp on the air, Made me remember why I adore this time of year:) That taste of damp at dawn and dusk, the whisper of the leaves falling to the ground. The smell of wood fires, the chance to snuggle up in warm jumpers:)) The promise of rebirth. Oh boy do we need the rebirth here chez Moggie. Mr Mog had his bone scan yesterday. The papers were only put in Friday afternoon so I think the Goddess is definately helping things along:). He has to have a CAT scan soon as they can plan it, within the next 2 weeks but lets hope for sooner rather than later. Then a chance to see whether it is curable and oh how fingers are crossed that that will be the verdict. If not then what to do to keep it at bay.
Once I know I want to take him away for a few days, a visit to old haunts like Glastonbury, a trip to see an 89year old aunt who we both love and who lives down in Essex, a side trip to Oxford to a dear friends and whatever else Mr M wishes. We haven't been able to kiss since yesterday morning because of the radioactive injection for the bone scan. That will be finished tonight but in the meantime we are airkissing:) Not as good as the real thing but helps.
With the holiday in mind I'm destashing more to raise the funds, more yarns to sell that I won't use. Probably my posh kidsilk lace mohair, some Colinettes. The spinning wheel will have to go on ebay I think. Really I need to look around see what I have that can go, the break is far more important to keep Mr Mog's spirits up.
On a different note I finished my first BSJ a la Zimmerman. Yarn is horrid but it did for a first try. Photos soon as Mr Mog uploads them. I'm making a second one in some fine boucle handpainted in shades of pink by Jo

Perfect I think for a new baby girl, photos of the yarn with the finished jacket later.
Edited to add NO I am NOT making it in boucle:( I tried but with these arthritic fingers I can not feel the yarn so 4 rows of h**l later I'm stopping. Will have to accept that the mog can't knit in yarn finer than fingering without way too much pain. So back to the stash buckets, what can I use?

BSJ , Zimmerman for me:) Yarn pron and what next?

Yarn pron. this arrived today for me, some handdyed and some Silkwood yarn. Then while Mr Mog was photographing the yarn look what he saw. Isn't it a gorgeous butterfly?


Thanks for all the help on this, I managed to get hold of a pattern(thanks to a very kind person)
So without further ado a picture of my progress to daTe. My very first Baby surprise jacket.
Thoughts on ths:-
1. I do not like the yarn Rowan Cotton Glaze but didn't know what else to make it in where I'd have thick enough yarn and where I could see what I was doing. Next one, and oh yes there will be a next one, in something more babyish .
2. Without the explanatory notes I found on line I'd have been totally stuck. She isn't the easiest of patternwriters to follow is she?
3. It makes a change from the eternal shawls.

So what next I wonder?
What I do know, I need more non mohair yarns, but not cotton.
I need a set of circular needles for making hats so small circumference. What do you recommend? and where from?
Mr Mog had a visit from the Urology nurse today, very helpful guy who gave us lots more info and answered lots of questions. Oh and his bone scan came through already it is tomorrow. After that we have to wait for CAT scan. After that hopefully some treatment

Some of what I've been doing:)

I have been knitting:) I also have found a great new etsy seller of sock yarns. Knitting on the green
I purchased some yarn from Liz earlier in the week and needed 2 skeins . She only had one on listing but offered to dye me some up. Arrived today ready in a ball to knit. Camera hasn't done it justice the colour is velveteen and is a rich blue/purple mix. And no Jo I am not knitting socks:) I think it will be a shawl, quelle surprise:)
However lets take the pictures from the top shall we?
first off start of a top down shawl in colinette mohair mixed with black mohair, as always when on straights and this early nothing much to see but proof I'm knitting n'est ce pas?
Secondly a finished alpaca/mohair shawl awaiting blocking. very light exceedingly warm. loads of this alpaca left if anyone is interested in a trade? Not my colour.
Third pic, the Julia shawl from wrapped in comfort
Given up for now, too many stitches for concentration at the momment but I will be back. Yarn is Lister Cachet DK 70% acrylic(shush you at the back) 30% wool. I have this in this colour and a delightful turquoise mix, gifted by my friend Elaine. It is good to knit with.
Fourth pic the start of another Sursa shawl in Noro silver thaw. Not sure I like this, the yarn is a little tweedy for my liking I think but we will see.
4th pic is the yarn from etsy:)
5th pic is another ocean lace stole in mohair:)
see I am not being too lazy, some knitting content after all. I didn't realise what I'd done til I started ferreting out the stash.
I'm off to eat roast lamb and veg now, we have the 2 grandsons coming for the night so Mr Mog and I are having early meal.
Thanks for all the comments I really appreciate them.