I have a problem with chapstick. To this day, I don't regret not getting an epidural in time, but I do regret not having any chapstick on hand during my son's birth, ha!
Anyhow, I was really okay -- the rash is still plaguing me, but I'm surprisingly not too crabby about it -- it provides a good excuse to avoid the gym this week and knit. I remember when a certain knitter had her rash and I'm definitely utilizing the love of oatmeal and hydrocortizone. Nothing like referring to the wisdom of knitters. At least it's not a heat wave!
I did my whole mouth at once partly because I have that DDS fear and also hey who wants to pay for that anesthesia twice if you don't have to? (and yeah, it wasn't just one spot, 'cause I got to complicate things ... always)
I got my stitches out today. I'm terrified of that gum grafting you all described where they take a piece from the roof of your mouth so I asked them if I was at risk for that, but so far ... no. Also, despite the fact that I got the all clear for crunchy tacos and tortilla chips, I had ramen and karaage for lunch instead, ha! I'm so anticlimactic like that. It's like being excited to stay up late on the weekend to knit and then I pass out at 9:30 drooling to a Rosemary & Thyme episode on PBS. By the way nothing clears a room in my apartment faster than an episode of those two gardening ladies sleuthing about. I should buy the DVDs. ;)
The work has been really busy. There is an aspect of timing that is important which of course means I've got to sabotage myself and go two steps forward one step back.
I dunno, times like these I really start going down the knitting rabbit hole at home. I think especially since I am not exercising very much and I am grasping for a sense of control ... let me explain:
I am so excited to knit something new. A garment! So I spend an hour tearing through my apartment looking for a pattern I xeroxed. I fear I recycled it in my haste to declutter, depaper and make surface space.
That's okay right? Because there are only 1.2 million patterns I've been DYING to work on, right?
SO I turn to a cardigan that looks fairly simple. Top down. OK. But whoa, hey, what's this provisional cast on thing? I don't know if you know this, but the Provisional cast on is like the She-devil of knitting to me. I get going a bit, I think okay not so bad, and then I don't know. I second guess myself. Do you do this? Well let me explain something. IF you second guess with the provisional cast on, there is only so far you can go until it's FROG CITY. oh mah gah. I sort of threw it on the ground before going to bed last night. I gave it my sternest Mom face and said, "I'll deal with you later!"
Here's the thing, I can't read patterns. They make me feel dumb. Does this happen to you, where you read the instruction and then you say outloud a little like Rainman, "What does that mean? WHAT does that MEAN?"
Other people said, "oh this pattern is easy to do and easy to read!" So part of me thinks, great, I'm stupid. Another part of me thinks, isn't there any easier way to do a neckband? Stupid, stupid.
And that is your insight to my garment knitting.
Maybe it's a half decaf knitting week for me.
Hang tight folks, I'll show you a snippet in the next week or so along with that blocked baby blanket.
Wishing you all successful or at least stress-free, non stupid knitting time, oh yeah, and the best of Oral health to us all!
Oh, yes. Patterns make me feel so stupid. My brain doesn't work in the same way as most designers I have discovered.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes on that itch!
I feel that way all the time about patterns, I look up the project on Ravelry and everybody is smiling wearing their great sweater and I can't figure out how to get the first row done. I spent two days on a crochet shawl once, just trying to get the first five rows right, after that it was a breeze. Actually with menopause most things make me feel really dumb, where did my brain cells go????
ReplyDeleteGlad you are doing better, you teach that knitting a thing or two, you are the BOSS!
Meredith
wow, so not fun with all the dental work but you know what? you did it and now you can pat yourself on the back and buy yourself a big big present. My son had extensive dental work done from a dental injury (breaking teeth?! from sports or stupidity). He has a dental implant and they had to do a bone repair before the post. As he just said last week "those were dark times". Thank god for dental experts and really good numbing stuff.
ReplyDeleteI love your description of falling asleep during Rosemary and Thyme - I do the same thing (and I do love that show!).
ReplyDeleteI avoid patterns with provisional cast-on because I am completely unable to wrap my brain around it - that and wrap and turn short rows. Life is too short to agonize, and I am supposed to be enjoying my knitting!
I've been knitting forever and most patterns are written poorly so it most likely is not you! Sweaters especially are tough because so much is happening at the same time. You would do well to do a top down pattern or a pattern where the sweater pieces are knit separately and seamed together after; a bother but easier to get each part accurate. Pushing yourself to learn is good, just don't get frustrated-put it down a lot if you need to!
ReplyDeletebummer with the dental crud going on....I had a 'gummy tuck' years ago, too. Just no fun---but I haven't had any trouble since. (fingers crossed)
ReplyDeleteThat pattern reading stuff...makes my head spin sometimes, too....but you DO know that different parts of the world write patterns somewhat differently (not quite so obvious in this internet world, but there are still some definite slants) so when you are blaming yourself for being somewhat 'dense'....you might want to check to see where the designer is from and just take this as a lesson on a cultural variation!!!
Sorry about the dental work, it sounds scary. So glad that it's over though, no doubt it's a relief. Patterns make me very cross at times, I'm very much a simple scarf person. Wishing you a good weekend. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteGlad the worst of the dental stuff is over. It's all good from here on!!!
ReplyDeleteI was reading through some sock pattern books last week and thought the same thing. I AM good at reading patterns, but all those crazy symbols had me thinking, "what the heck????" I'm thinking I probably will NOT be knitting anything from those books.
Some designers SHOULDN'T write their own patterns because what seems clear to them is like mud to the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteYou made a wise decision to do the whole mouth at once because once it's done, it's done. Speedy recovery. . .happy knitting.
It can be intimidating to look at a new pattern and see all of these sections all over. Try Eskimimi's provisional cast on. I like it the best where you cast with a crochet hook onto the needle. You are so funny. Did you have conscious sedation? That's what my periodontist did but I always fell asleep; I listened to music so I wouldn't hear that damn drilling and stuff.
ReplyDeleteSo if you didn't have a rooftop gum graft, what did you have?
ReplyDeleteI am the WORST at reading patterns. I find those patterns at Michael's in the back by the scratchy acrylic yarn.....have the best and easiest patterns to read.
Why do you think I love the same patterns over and over again? Patterns are difficult for me.
Wishing you some Valentine goodness Ellen. You make me laugh!
Why worry about a provisional cast on? It comes out right?
You are too funny!! LOL. Some of us are visual, some of us can see it, some of us can't. As long as you enjoy the knitting just do it! Don't sweat the small print!
ReplyDeleteThere are few things I fear as much as dental work -- and gum surgery sounds even worse. I am sending you a ton of sympathy and support. You are incredibly brave for surviving such a trauma!
ReplyDeleteI find I have to read patterns very slowly and bit by bit. They are not always well-written. I like pictures better, to be honest.
Glad you are on the road back after all that icky dental work. It made me shudder just to read your account! I heard once that someone used knitting patterns at a literacy workshop to demonstrate what it's like to not be able to read, so don't feel bad about those patterns. They are crazy hard sometimes and once in a while aren't always correct. Hope you're back to 100% real soon!
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