I LOVE RAKs!

A box came in, one that I had not ordered.  No one else here had ordered it either.  I opened it and was brought to tears immediately.  It was a RAK (Random Act of Kindness) by a member or my Ravelry group.

She had sent yarn to me, for making the baby, preemie, and preemie angel things for the hospital.  And was most generous too!  How does one thank a person for doing such a kind and wonderful thing?

Here is a photo of the yarn she sent -

It is all Caron's Simply Soft, which is the yarn that the hospital requested.  I can also use Caron's Natura Pounder yarn.  There is enough yarn here to keep me busy for a good while before running out!

A summer of hooking for a good cause awaits me with the gift of this yarn!   Thank you so much Jennifer!

Preemie Angle blankets & hats

This is what I've been up to all week, working on Preemie blanket/hat sets.

I am using Caron's Natura Pounder yarn in the baby print for the tiny blankets & hats.  With one skein, I got 3 blanket/hat sets, and one cocoon/hat set.  The blankets are approximately 14" square as requested, and the hats are tiny, sized with a preemie size chart.

All proceeds from my patterns are going for more yarn to make more of these.  The hospital need more preemie blankets, and those I enjoy making~

These are the first batch;

After I take them to the hospital I will find out if the pouch is the right size.  It's so tiny that just looking at it makes me sad that a life was lost so early, the blankets hit me the same way.

So now I am working on some Angel Pouches, tho that is not the name the designer gave it, I just can't stand to even type the correct name.  It is beautiful and I hope will bring some consulation to the parents they go to.

This is a link to the Angel Pouch pattern, in case you want to make some for your hospital too.

Tonis Angel Pouch

I won a pattern!

When I woke this morning, it was to find that I am in a full Fibro flare.  In other words, in misery.  A fibro flare is where you feel;

Pain all over

Fatigue

Sleep difficulties

Brain fog

Morning stiffness

Muscle knots, cramping, weakness

Digestive disorders

Headaches/migraines

Balance problems

Itchy/burning skin

After prying myself out of bed, limping to the kitchen where I turned the coffee pot on, and swallowed some medication to help with the pain, I turned the computer on to check my email while waiting for the coffee to be ready to pour.

My day turned much, much happier when I saw on FaceBook that I had won a pattern from Bella Crochet !   Thank you so very much Bella Crochet!
I immediately went to her site to drool over her patterns.  I had bought patterns from her previously so knew it would take some time to choose.  I highly recommend her site for beautiful, well written patterns.

After a cup of coffee, and much looking, I finally chose her Sedona Wrap.

I get cold very easily, love to read, need pockets for my phone & book, so this was just perfect for me!  It's almost as though she knew me and designed it just for me!  And my daughter too.  I imagine there will be two Sedona Wraps underway in this house soon~

Now, for an update on hubby, he is doing much much better, tho his blood is still not at the right thinness.  Now it is TOO thin!  The nurse sent us home Friday after the test, with the instruction for me to feed him some dark green leafy veggies to thicken the blood some.  And we are to continue having the iceberg lettuce salad every other day.  Next Friday, we will find out how well we've done.   Once his blood is stable, we will have to stay with that dietary regime for the rest of his life.

The main thing is that he IS doing much better, the doctor approved his return to work on Monday, and he is determined to eat as directed to get better and stay that way.  I kinda like the man, so am very happy that he actually wants to eat the way they've told him to.  And who knows, maybe both of us will be more healthy and lose some weight in the bargain!

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and that the coming week is the best you have ever had!

Not much crochet time lately

Well, I've not had much crochet time lately, at least not things that require a pattern.  I've made a bunch of newborn baby hats for the hospital, then Thursday got a call from them asking if I had a tiny blanket or cocoon for a baby that was not  going to live.  I didn't.  But I did whip out a little cocoon that afternoon and took it to them. 

A professional photographer comes in when they lose a baby, to take a photograph for the parents to keep.  They try to have the baby in a blanket with a cap, or a cocoon, for the photo, then they give them to the parents along with the photograph as a keepsake.

It breaks my heart to make them, but they asked if I could make some in a variegated baby blue & pink yarn.  So I will.  I had to order yarn, even with all the yarn I have, that kind/color was not in my Stash.   As soon as it comes in, I'll get started on some blankets & hats first then some cocoons.  The blankets need to be only 14 inches square.  That alone broke my heart.  So tiny, with no chance at Life.

It is a sad thing, but from the parents viewpoint, it is a loving thing.  So if you think you can do it for the parents in your area, contact your hospital and ask if they need them and what size is most needed.  I have nothing other than memories and a photograph of my two lost babies graves. So can say from personal experience that your work will be appreciated and loved for many years.

The reason I was crocheting only newborn hats for the past week, is that my husband was in the hospital with blood clots in his legs and lungs.  We are so very lucky that he agreed to go in.  He does not have pain with them, like most people does.  So we have to watch for other symptoms.  For the rest of his life he will be on Coumadin and on the Coumadin diet - very careful of vitamin K intake.  I did not realize that it thickens the blood, causing it clot quicker.  Naturally the foods he likes best have a lot of vitamin K in them.  I'll be giving all of our high-K foods to some friends who can use them, and not buying more.  This is at hubby's request.  He said that if he can't eat the amount he wants of them (huge bowls each serving) he'd rather not eat them at all.

We got him out of the hospital Tuesday afternoon, and he's still weak and needs more rest.  So this weekend we are enjoying some rainy weather, practicing go be professional Couch-Potatoes, and getting Square Eyed from watching movies.  Not a bad weekend, eh?

Wishing you and yours a happy weekend and good health!