things that make me happy

—

by

Kate Davies Designs
in

1. Garter stitch in the round. I had heard tell of this nifty technique, and after Jean mentioned it recently, I popped over to Fleegle’s marvelous blog where The Ways were revealed. Try it – it really is that simple. There is no visible join at the start of the round, and using two skeins of yarn is no impediment to anyone used to colourwork. It has transformed something I’ve been working on for a few months now. I am Very Excited. Fleegle is some sorta genius.

2. A lost-and-found story involving a dollheid tam and the power of the interwebz (scroll down the page for the English version if you don’t read Norweigan).

3. Best of all: My Dad, who recently discovered he has prostate cancer, had the offending gland whipped out a few days ago, and seems to be recovering remarkably well from surgery. We are off to Rochdale to see him! Huzzah!


(My Ma, Tom, My Dad)

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Comments

43 responses to “things that make me happy”

  1. heather Avatar
    heather

    Is everything ok? Haven’t heard from you for a while. How’s your father doing?

    Reply
  2. Alison Avatar
    Alison

    I am the knitter of the lost-and-found hat. While I would not have minding knitting another DollHeid hat – my mum was glad to have it back. I have knitted 2 doll hats and one dolls sweater (the hats were a warm-up) and they are lovely patterns. Glad to hear the good news about your Dad. Hope you both continue to see improving health.

    Reply
  3. frayedattheedge Avatar
    frayedattheedge

    Best wishes to your Dad for a full recovery.

    Reply
  4. Shannon B Avatar
    Shannon B

    Margaret from Canada – same here (but 2009). Dad is 73 and is cancer-free…no chemo or radiation, just the surgery. There have definitely been after-effects though…still working on those. Best of good luck to your Dad.

    Reply
  5. Melly Avatar
    Melly

    My prayers and thoughts are with your Dad and all of you. Such a great tam story!

    Reply
  6. magnusmog Avatar
    magnusmog

    Best wishes to your Dad.

    Reply
  7. Margaret in Canada Avatar
    Margaret in Canada

    I found you because of your interest in knitting. I keep following you because of your well expressed enthusiasm for life. Now I’ll be watching with added interest because of your Dad. (Our family has been experiencing the same form of cancer and its consequences since late 2010.) Best wishes. – MS

    Reply
  8. Jane, his wife! Avatar
    Jane, his wife!

    So glad to hear your father is doing so well!

    Reply
  9. Alison Avatar
    Alison

    Best wishes for your Dad’s recovery!

    Reply
  10. Hasenschneck Avatar
    Hasenschneck

    Garter stitch in the round – so obvious a technique when you think about it. But I would never have got there myself…

    Reply
  11. Mr. Puffy Avatar
    Mr. Puffy

    Best wishes for your Father’s full recovery. I love your Mother’s look ~ and that had better be a hand knit scarf ;)

    Reply
  12. Lynn Avatar
    Lynn

    Healing wishes to your dad.
    I love the tam story.

    Reply
  13. KathleenC Avatar
    KathleenC

    Good to hear that your Dad is doing well… Best wishes for continuing health!

    Reply
  14. pamG. Avatar
    pamG.

    saying a prayer and wishing the best for your dad’s speedy recovery

    Reply
  15. Linda Avatar
    Linda

    Glad to hear your dad is doing well.
    Thanks for the link to the tam story – very cool.

    Reply
  16. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    Keyhole surgery is amazing and certainly is less traumatic to the body, but any surgery is scary. Glad that it is in the past now.

    Reply
  17. Toffeeapple Avatar
    Toffeeapple

    What a great story about the Tam, this internet malarkey is wonderful isn’t it?

    Good luck to your Dad.

    Reply
  18. torirot Avatar
    torirot

    1. Garter stitch in the round hasn’t made me happy so far, I have to check out your link!
    2. Fantastic story!!
    3. Best wishes for your father :-)

    Have a nice weekend!

    Reply
  19. Lindy Avatar
    Lindy

    Have a lovely visit, and good health wishes for your Dad.

    Reply
  20. sue mcd Avatar
    sue mcd

    Enjoy your visit with your Ma and Dad and best wishes for his full recovery.
    Loved the lost dollheid story.

    Reply
  21. Sarah JS Avatar
    Sarah JS

    Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery for your Dad.

    Reply
  22. carolyn Avatar
    carolyn

    Best wishes for your Dad! Hope you have a lovely visit. :)

    Reply
  23. lucette Avatar
    lucette

    So glad to know that your Dad is recovering.
    I read the story of the missing tam and thought it was quite amazing.

    Reply
  24. Julie Avatar
    Julie

    Best wishes to your Dad for a speedy recovery!

    I loved the story of the dollheid tam. I don’t always post pictures of my finished projects on Ravelry. Most of my projects are gifts and I’m usually in a hurry to get them blocked and sent on their way. From now on I will be sure to post all my projects.

    Thank you for another wonderful blog post!

    Reply
  25. Bonnie Avatar
    Bonnie

    Now I want to start something with garter stitch in the round so I can try this. It is brilliant! Glad your dad is doing well. Hope you have a wonderful visit!

    Reply
  26. ruth Avatar
    ruth

    Sounds like your dad is on the mend. Good for him!
    That garter stitch idea is brilliant! Just brilliant!

    Reply
  27. flaky Avatar
    flaky

    Best wishes to your Dad (and Mom! I know how stressful it is when your spouse is ill).

    I am off to try my hand at Garter in the Round (sounds like a rock band…)

    Reply
    1. lizzi Avatar
      lizzi

      …..more like Morris dancers……….

      Reply
  28. Ruth Avatar
    Ruth

    Thanks for sharing the tip! Must go and make it make sense in my head :) Hope you have a good trip to Rochdale, and that your dad recovers well.

    Reply
  29. Karen Avatar
    Karen

    Gosh, you look so much like your ma, I did a double-take!
    Here’s wishing your dad a very speedy recovery, and hope all is well very soon, xx

    Reply
  30. Lydia Avatar
    Lydia

    Wings of light recovery to your Dad…

    Reply
  31. Carol Avatar
    Carol

    Wishing you Dad have a FULL and SPEEDY recovery.

    Reply
  32. Roobeedoo Avatar
    Roobeedoo

    You read Jean’s blog too? I thought she was my well-kept secret!
    Good luck to your dad – that’s supposed to be one of the “best” cancers to get, in the sense that it is eminently treatable when caught early.

    Reply
  33. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    I send my best wishes for your dad’s health!

    And genius indeed! I cannot wait to try garter in the round. I LOVE garter.

    Reply
  34. virginia Avatar
    virginia

    Glad to hear your dad is doing well! I think I should tell you, that lad in the black shirt looks like he just might have a crush on you. :)

    Reply
  35. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    Fleegle *is* a complete and utter genius! And so pleased to hear your other good news too.

    Reply
  36. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    Wishing your dad a good recovery. My Dad was told 2 years ago by consultant that he had already lived 3 years longer than expected. It’s 12 years since his op…and he is 87.

    Great news that dollheid was spotted by someone who knew about Ravelry and helped find it’s way home . I just sewed a label into my neepheid yesterday after I thought I’d lost it…but it was in wrong bag!

    Reply
    1. Laura Avatar
      Laura

      I got the numbers wrong…it’s 19 years since my Dad’s op and he just told me he was discharged from consultant 3 weeks ago.

      Reply
  37. Ma Avatar
    Ma

    Just to add to Kate’s happiness which we’re euphorically sharing – Especially our good fortune to have the amazingly positive and talented surgeon who was prepared to take a risk with a guy over 70 and, whats more, play his music whilst performing the wonderful keyhole surgery – so Dr Jazz had his part to play too. As well as a fantastic team of operative and recovery staff at the Manchester Royal Infirmary. . .

    Reply
  38. MaggieO Avatar
    MaggieO

    Get well Dad…will check out the garter stitch technique. Great pic of the family

    Reply
  39. knitlass Avatar
    knitlass

    Yep. Fleegle is defo a genius. I wish I could invent such elegant solutions to these problems! Maybe when I grow up I’ll develop such powers… Ah, the good old prostate – I think my dad has been relieved of his too, but all my mother says is ‘your dad has been in to hospital for some work on his plumbing…’

    Reply
  40. Anja Avatar
    Anja

    Garter stitch in the round! Craziness! Must try it out :)

    Reply
  41. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    Wishing your Dad all the best in his recovery.

    Reply

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