First of many hats...

I'm still bitter that I left a tropical climate and returned to frigid temperatures. Mike, my hubby, spent the winter in India last year and complained miserably for months when the weather hit the single digits upon his return.  I was only away for a week and haven't found a way to shake the chill.  I wasn't very supportive after a few weeks of his complaining.  I spent a lot of time rolling my eyes and not giving him much sympathy.  This might be why he was the first recipient of this hat pattern I've finally figured out. 

I remade it fifteen times but now it's almost perfect-o.  One row has twisted stitches and I dropped a stitch along the way.  Fortunately for me Mike is not a knitter and can't tell.  In fact, I'm still such a newbie I didn't realize it either until my friend Day's trained eye spotted it.

In other news my daily photo project will resume tomorrow.  

The home stretch in that not at all way...

Who knew that watching paint dry could be so enjoyable.  I have really enjoyed making this blanket for my parents.  Today I woke up at 8ish and knit until 12:30.  Wanna know how much I finished in that time?  Guess.  Two and a half squares.  The blanket has forty in total.  It was fine though I have to watch something or read something while I"m knitting otherwise I'll get a headache and go crossed eyed.  In the 3 1/2 hours I watched 'Lipstick Jungle' and 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants II'.  

I've added some pictures of the blanket here.  I wanted to update along the way because I've made a ton of things but don't ever take pictures.  Ok, if I'm really being honest I'm not great with cataloguing so I've probably lost them.  This blog has inspired me to keep trucking and  update it.  Even though I think the only two people who will check back on a regular basis are Andy and Andrea.  

I'm 10 squares (20 hours) away from completing the knitted part of the blanket.  Then I have to sew the strips together and THEN needle point little hidden messages in Greek all over the blanket.   So, that when my parents are looking at it they'll see little notes that say I love you, you're great, thanks etc. My friend Day gave me that idea.  I was thinking about stencilling a fabric border and quilting it together.  Like I have time for that. 

What comes first - carpel tunnel or a completed blanket?

I think my parents have super human powers and I want to show them how great I think they are. My parents helped my husband and I get married this summer. They did everything from paying for most of it, listening to me whine, hosting party after party, giving us tons of presents and partying like rock stars until the wee hours of the morning. As a thank you I wanted to make something really meaningful for them this Christmas. Ok, that's a lie. I wanted it for the wedding but was so busy and overwhelmed the blanket took a back seat.

After the wedding I started working like a little bunny, didn't follow a pattern and happily displayed my progress to my new Gramma who raised an eyebrow, instructed me to rip it apart, start over and follow a flippin pattern. She softened the blow by offering to do it for me. I was so close to taking her up on it. Instead, to make myself feel better, I took a pair of mittens she was making for low income families. I know, I know, but I've never had a Gramma who knit until now. I couldn't help it.

So, I started anew. I'm following a pattern this time. It consists of one painful knit row after another. I'm 55% finished the blanket with 9 days to go. I've basically spent every available second on knitting or working at my computer. As a result I think I have carpel tunnel. Not the kind where your wrists hurt and you say 'oh, I have carpel tunnel'. No, no, not that kind. I'm hardcore. My wrists burn, fingers feel tingly, my palms feel like they are itchy and on fire and sometimes I get a weird bump smack dab in the middle of my palm about 1/4 inch high and the size of a quarter. Needless to say this has slowed down my progress in the final stretch.

I have a Doctor's appointment on Friday. Hopefully she can help. The carpel tunnel wrist guards I wear to bed and warm baths have been helping though.

Stay tuned for updates and pictures. Because, come hell or high water I am finishing that f'en blanket. Let's hope my Mom doesn't ask for a gift receipt so she can return it.