The Sewn Bind Off Saves the Day

I've had a busy weekend, including the Bell Choir clinic in Boerne. I haven't had much time for blogging or knitting, but on the bus I did have time to redo the bind off on the One Day Beret. I used the sewn bind off. Now it doesn't leave a mark on Lyndsey's forehead.

The sewn bind off always saves the day. It may not have the neat little loops that come with a regular bind off, but it's as stretchy as bind offs get.

Now I'm going to bed. I would be going to bed early, but thanks to Daylight Savings Time, I'm not.

Sleep Study Fail

Last night was my sleep study, and I feel like I failed.

I hardly slept at all last night, to the point that I couldn't go to work today. (I have a note from the sleep technician.) I'm worried that they didn't get the information they need.

Although I'm worried about the results (or lack of), the experience itself wasn't that bad.


This was the room I stayed in. It's more like a nice motel room than a hospital room. There's a regular full bed, not a hospital bed.


There was a flat screen television on the wall. There's a camera above it that taped me all night.

I got there around 9 p.m. After I got settled in, the sleep tech started to hook me up to everything. She taped some of the wires to my nightgown. There were a few electrodes on my chest. I was surprised by the number that went on my face.

The tech measured my skull and used a wax pencil to mark spots on my scalp.

Then they put one of those oxygen things in my nostrils to measure my breathing. There was something else that hooked to it to measure breathing through my mouth. I think I lost it during the night.

When all was done, I looked like this.


Of course, I brought my knitting. With all the berets I've made for other people, I decided it was time to make one for myself. I'm making another One Day Beret with a skein of Robincat's handspun that I bought at Gauge awhile back. The color is "Raspberry Beret," which seems appropriate.


Here's where I was in my knitting before bed, next to the box with all my wires in it.

I called Jules, then it was time for bed. It took me some time to get comfortable. I managed to pull out two of the sensors on my legs before I even fell asleep.

Eventually I fell asleep.

Then I woke up.

There was a crick in my lower back. I tried to stretch, but it was hard to move. I had to be untangled. I went to the bathroom.

You know when you're having trouble sleeping, and you know you must have slept at some point, but it doesn't seem like you did? All night was like that.

At some point the sleep tech said she should I have encouraged me more to take the sleeping pill the doctor had authorized. Of course, it was too late by then.

I know I move around a lot while I'm asleep, but I also need to move around a lot before I go to sleep to get comfortable. But every time I moved my head, I'd get tangled up in wires.

Finally, I was awake but resting when the sleep tech said she was going to "put me out of my misery" and end the study. It was 5:30 a.m.

The tech I said I could go home and really crash. Except I had work. That's when I decided to get a note.

As the tech took all the electrodes out of my hair, I asked her about how you become a sleep tech. Apparently it takes a health care background. She said she checks on the patients every half hour and documents what they're doing. The hardest part is interpreting the information. Sometimes it's clear cut, other times people are weird. (I bet I'm one of the weird people.)

When all the electrodes were out of my hair, I felt around. For a minute, I thought she'd missed some, but it turns out there was just so much goop for each electrode. I had to wash, rinse and repeat three times, and I think I still missed some.

I asked before I left if they got enough information. She said the recorded "some events", but she couldn't give me details. She couldn't even tell me how long I slept. There was a questionnaire where I had to guess how long I thought I slept, how often I woke up, etc.

I told her that I felt like I "failed" the test. The tech said I didn't.

I'll find out more on my follow up appointment Feb. 10.

FO: One Day Beret

I was basically finished with this yesterday during my break at work, but I wove in the ends and finished things off this evening.


I won't really know how I feel about it until Lyndsey tries it on. She said she looked like a "demented swami" when she saw this picture. I know I increased too far, so there's more "slouch" them normal.

Lyndsey has a small head, so the brim is small. I can't even begin to put it on my fat head. I didn't switch to a smaller needle for the ribbing, so I'm hoping it's the right size.


This is the pattern for the One Day Beret. I used one skein of Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb in "Black Purl." (I used almost the whole skein.)

I also used an extra long US Size 4 Addi Turbo Circular Knitting Needle. (I think it was 40 inches long, but I'm not sure.) I used magic loop.


I'll follow up after I give it to Lyndsey. This is her belated birthday gift.

Catching Up

This past week has been kind of rough. Work's been stressful, but there are signs that things are about to get better. I've been tired and frustrated, and not blogging much. It's time to catch up.

In The Kitchen

Last week I made Applesauce Chicken in the Crockpot. It was good, except for the burnt edges. I think I cooked it too long.

It's taken all week to get all the burnt stuff off the crock. I soaked it over and over with dish soap, then I "cooked" water and vinegar in it twice. Finally, I managed to get the last of it off with a pocket knife this afternoon. All that's left now are a few specks.

Tonight I'm putting together lasagna for tomorrow night.

My dishwasher is broken again. The good news is that the apartment is going to replace it. The bad news is that I have to wait another week before they put it in, and the standing water is getting higher.

Also, I got chemical burns from cleaning the freezer with bleach last week. (I know, I should have used gloves.) They're almost healed, but the resulting calluses on my fingertips make it hard to appreciate fiber.

Maybe I should stay out of the kitchen.

Sleeping

Tuesday I saw a sleep specialist, something I probably should have done ten years ago.

I've never slept like a normal person, but when I was in college, it got a lot worse. I never seem to feel rested, I toss, turn, kick and moan in my sleep, and sometimes my breathing is shallow and rapid.

The doctor suspects Periodic Limb Movement Disorder. From what I've read, it looks like it can be treated with medication.

A week from tonight I'll be doing a sleep study, where they hook me up to all sorts of machines and monitor my sleep.

I'm anxious to get the results. There's a strong possibly that they'll find something that can be fixed with medication or some other relatively simple treatment.

Taco Xpress

I've lived in Austin most of my life, but until last night I hadn't eaten at Maria's Taco Xpress. They're known for their good food and the giant statue of Maria with outstretched arms. I went with my sister, Katie, and her boyfriend, Aaron.


(The tacos were messy, but good.)

I think I'm going to eat my leftover taco after I finish blogging.

All my Taco Xpress pictures are here.

Parting Shot

After much questioning, I'm finally confident that I got the decreases right on the One Day Beret for my friend Lyndsey. Here she is modeling it. It should be finished tonight or tomorrow.

WIP: One Day Beret (and a look at my "Reeling Machine")

Last I week I broke out the "Reeling Machine" (a.k.a. swift) that I got for Christmas.

I had planned to set it up either on my coffee table or on the "bar" around my kitchen. However, both were too thick for the clamp. Instead, I set it up on a clutter-filled table. (Eventually, I'll clean it up and taking all that stuff to recycle. I'm working on the bedroom right now.)


This is the skein of Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb "Black Purl" that I bought on eBay. I wanted to make something quick and easy with really nice yarn. I found this skein while I was cleaning up, and I decided it was perfect.


The swift made winding the yarn much easier. No tangles.


I'm making the One Day Beret. So far, it's taking much more than a day, although it's still going quickly. The pattern is a "recipe" that can be used with any weight of yarn. I bet a chunkier yarn would have gone faster.

I presented the unfinished beret to my friend for her birthday. As you can see, it was the size of a small yarmulke when I gave it to her.

At her birthday party we watched Iron Jawed Angels. It's all about the women's suffrage movement. I highly recommend it, even if you aren't a Women's Studies major. (I have a Women's Studies minor.)

Anyway, I got involved in the movie and I increased until the beret was more than 8.5 inches in diameter. I debated unraveling it, but I decided The extra inch or so wouldn't be a big deal.


Here's where I am this evening. Hopefully I can make this a one week beret.

FO: Le Slouch (Code Name: Pink)

Cross posted at Sally Comes Unraveled and Year Long Gift-A-Long.


This is the first of a long parade of holiday FOs. We're starting with the Le Slouch (Ravelry link) that I made for my sister.


Her boyfriend tried it on too.


Here's the hat in it's infancy. My sister asked for a shawl, but I was running out of time for this Christmas. (And this was before I was sick.) I recommended a "jaunty beret."


I originally called it "Code Name: Pink" because I was originally planning to use some pink yarn in my stash. I ended up using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Amy's Vintage Office, the precious yarn I got on the Hill Country Yarn Crawl. I was hoping to save it for myself, but the color was too perfect for my sister.


Here is the hat from the bottom. I used US Size 6 needles for the ribbing and US Size 7 for the rest of the hat. This was unusual for me because US Size 7 is recommended on the yarn label. Normally I go way under what is recommended. However, the recommended gauge for the hat is smaller than the one on the yarn label.


I think seed stitch is a really good choice for this yarn. It adds some depth to the variegated colors.


Mom and I debated whether the ribbing was too small. It was a little tight on my head. But I knew if would get stretched out, and my head is bigger than most. Also, we debated exactly how it how it should sit on your head.

It fit Pancho Pig ok.


The good news is that there's half a ball of Amy's Vintage Office left so I can make something for myself.