Susan's Swirls

Over 2 years ago on my birthday my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is a very strong, wonderful woman who has gone thru all she needed to do and has emerged as a survivor on the other side. In January we celebrate both her birthday and her anniversary of ending all her treatments. This year it was 2 years and as a big sister and supporter of her, I decided to do a pair of socks for her. Now they could not be just any socks, but special ones. The first thing was the yarn. I admit it now. I have a yarn addiction. I am a Wollmeise yarn addict. (They say the first step is to admit you have an addiction...) So I had to look for the most perfect yarn for this project. I searched my stash and did not have a pink I wanted. I found on Ravelry that there were people with good suggestions for the color. I found a friend and traded to get the color called Dornroschen. But it was the dark version. That was okay, I would use it, it was a dark pink. I started the socks and yep, they were coming along nice. And then another Ravelry friend offered a trade for the same color in the light version. It was still early in the month, I could get them done. The trade was made. Frog the first, start the second pair.

Okay, about 3 inches done on the 2nd pair and I decided that the pattern was not for me. But the socks were. So, frog back to the ribbing and start knitting freestyle, i.e., figure it out as I go. The yarn was beautiful enough to knit it plain, but my sister is not a plain jane lady, she swirls through life, always around and being the person you want to be near. So simple swirls started and continued down the leg. Wow, almost to the point of doing the heel. Had to add some straight stitch to balace out the top, I'm into balancing... Turn the heel and onto the foot.

But what will make these a 'Breast Cancer' sock? I had at one point started socks that had a BC ribbon on it. That would be the answer. I contacted the designer of the ribbon and received her permission to use the design in my socks. But I decided I did not want to do it on both feet, one would do. So onto the foot and a ribbon on one and plain on the other. Oh my gosh, toe time!!

A few days to the end of the month and I need to finish. Toes got done and socks washed and blocked. Pictures taken and off to my sister before the end of the month. Phone call received, socks in hand, joy and happiness in voice. Could you ask for anything else?? Yep--Do they fit and can I have a picture of them on you? The answer to both :YES!!

So now I want to publish the pattern at the stong urging of a friend to raise money for Breast Cancer research. I have been working to get them up and available thru Ravelry with some success. But they will be available from me directly. So if you want a pattern for some great socks that can be done by a beginner, here are the socks for you. I am asking a donation of $3.00 for the pattern that will go totally for charity. Just click on my profile and then email me. I will send you paypal information. Once payment is received, I will email you the pattern.

Thanks for looking at these socks. And thanks for helping me celebrate my sister and all the other women who endure the treatment and either come out the other side into the light of life or into the heart and memories of those who cared.

Here are a few other shots of the socks for you to see. Click on them for a large version.

In the beginning-

I guess that every blog has a first post and this one will have to do as mine. It is a Friday night in February and NASCAR is on the TV in the living room. Normally I would be out there watching but tonight I decided it was time to start my own blog. Why you ask? Why not? It will give me another way to express the indivduallity that is mine.



It seems that in the last 6 months, knitting has become my needlework outlet. For years and years and years it was sewing and quilting. Do I still love these arts, yes. But after so many years of doing these I was ready to make a change. My sister Susan started doing some knitting again a few years ago and when I was at her house last summer she took me to her LYS (local yarn shop for the non-yarnies). It was like opening a new door and I was hooked back in. Since then I have learned about all the wonderful types of fiber that are available in the world and have started my own stash of the ones I like best. But I am not just a collector of yarn, I use what I buy. Socks, shawls, scarfs, hats and mittens have all been made and new things are always in progress. And I make for the family as well. I love seeing something new grow on the needles as I work on it. My husband has commented that a measure of my well being is if I am knitting or not. Observant person. I am sure that there will be lots in the future about my knitting journey.



Being a Grandma is the best. There is no other way to say it. I have one grandson, Myles, and he has my heart totally. He is handsome, funny, happy, irrascible, ornery and a handful at times, but what 4 year old isn't. He makes going to the park an adventure. He is fearless in the swimming pool but shy and scared about playing soccer. He loves video games like his Dad, Leapster for him, and being outside playing with his Mom planting in the garden. He is a wonderful mixture of both of his parents and I am proud how well they are raising him. Being a part of his life is VERY important to me.



I have 2 adult children. My son is married with his own son (see above ) and my daughter is recently engaged. Both have chosen well in their mates for life, people that are caring and complement their strengths. Through many trials and errors I have now tried to learn to let them live their own lives and be there when they need me. It has been a difficult lesson, one that I occasionally fall behind now and then, but one that gets easier with practice. Though I wish we lived closer, it is not too far to see them and have my whole family together every couple of months.



Pets. Chihuahuas. Two. They think that we are the tenants of the house and that they are the owners. But they are our 4 legged children. Where else can you get unconditional love any time of the day or night with wet 'bubbies' (kisses)? I love to sit on the couch knitting with one of the dogs tucked up tight to my side, or laying down with both curled around me. Love in 6# and 10# packages.



The love of my life, my husband Sam. He is gentle, makes me laugh and tries to make sure that I am a happy person. He has grown as a person so much in the last few years, going back to school and getting a dual degree with honors. I am so proud of all he has accomplished. He is now in a new phase of life, looking to take what he has learned and trying to put it to use in different avenues. He is a great photographer that will soon start to learn to do wedding photography. He does wonderful working with models and has an eye for portraits. Though not his favorite, he has an eye for catching the small scenes in everyday life that make you think, feel, question. He is innovative and creative. I believe in his talent and can't wait to see what he will do in the future.



So this is the beginning. Not sure how often I will blog, but it is a start. I hope you choose to follow my journey.