Just show notes from the video this time. We’ve had three deaths in the family over the past 3 months, culminating in the passing of my father-in-law. I had enough energy in me to get the video done, but not much otherwise.
Last time we swatched; in this video, we knit! I’ve cast on Andi Satterlund’s vintage inspired cardigan, Crumb. This sweater should look awesome with one of my 50’s style sun dresses or empire-waisted mini dresses…if I can get it past the stage where it looks like a slightly frowsy Old God In Training…
I also baked some bread and played a little Untitled Goose Game with the husbeast. We needed some fun and distraction because this week we experienced the sadness of saying goodbye to a loved member of our immediate family.
DMC Daisy Wreath Pattern Aida cloth rescued from another long-forgotten project with a missing pattern. Yes, I know I should have waited and bought black cloth for maximum POP, but it is what it is.
Thread: An Assortment of DMC and Anchor embroidery floss that matched those outlined in the pattern.
This week’s video is about knitting a gauge swatch for a new sweater!
Learning from past mistakes
I’ve only made one adult sweater in my years as a knitter. It was a Cobblestone Pullover designed by Jared Flood that I made from Cascade 220 for the Husbeast.
My first attempt was…not good. I remembered to swatch, but I used yarn from Michaels and didn’t realize the dye lots were different until I had finished two sleeves and was partway done with the body. The tip-off was the very noticeable difference between the two dye lots on the torso. Then realizing both arms were different shades….it was a mess.
Messes being cleaned up all over the place
I wound up making a trip to one of the local yarn stores that deals specifically in what I call “workhorse yarns” – the kinds of sturdy, reliable yarns that knitters generally turn to when they need a yarn they know will Just Work.
Yes, Gina Brown’s in Calgary is something like the early 2000s Apple Computer of yarn, but it’s very reasonably priced and they don’t redesign their stock every 6 months. Which is a good thing.
Choose your own adventure
I chose the Crumb sweater by Andi Satterlund. It’s a vintage-style sweater that will be nice and cozy for cool summer evenings. I have some dresses and long shirts that should go well with the design.
I’d picked up a sweater’s-worth of yarn from Michaels a few years back with the intention of making a Central Park Hoodie. The bulk of the yarn – about 5 balls – is one dye lot. I think the other 3 balls are one or two other dye lots.
Paton’s Classic Wool – Worsted – in Plum Heather 77307
The Crumb cardigan looks like the largest size will require the 5 balls of yarn. If it comes down to it, I’ll re-knit, alternating dye lots per row. It would be easier if this pattern was knit in the round, but I’ll figure something out.
Swatch for the pattern
The first thing I did was take one of those 3 extra balls of yarn and knit a swatch. Then I knit another. See, the pattern calls for 18 stitches and 26 rows over 4 inches square. The first swatch came out a bit big, so I went down a needle size for the second.
One swatch each per needle size attempted.
The next step was giving the swatches a soak and dry. The larger swatch shrank down to the right stitch gauge. Row gauge is a bit more tricky, so I’m not going to worry too much about it.
And away we go!
I’ve since cast on for the sweater, and I’m enjoying it. I guess we’ll see how things shape up by next weekend!
It didn’t take long to complete the pair of socks cast on in Video #1. The only time I ever really have issues is when someone decides I need to try colour work. I’ll stick to mittens for those, thanks. Colourworked socks are not my cup of tea.
The video glosses over the hows and how-to’s of knitting socks. I didn’t want to turn it into a tutorial, more a slice-of-life. Socks were knit. Yay!
Waxing Poetic about Socks
I find that the humble sock is a perfect project. It’s small enough to be portable, and it’s not so large as to overheat a knitter in summer. They’re suitable for chatting over a cup of tea, or an evening glass of wine. You can knit them by the fireplace, or in front of the campfire. Best of all, they’re as complicated as you want them to be. You can knit them plain, use cables, fancy them up with lace, or add new colours.
They are one of the most perfect projects ever.
Completed Lang Jawoll self-striping socks
Well…unless you live in a place where socks aren’t necessary. I can see them being a bit inappropriate on the beach. Still, very handy when the weather turns chill, and you need something besides flip flops to keep your toeses cozy.
Moving On: Socks and More
I’ve cast on another pair of socks already — I thought I knew who they would belong to, but I’m pretty sure they’re for someone else entirely. Someone who I didn’t even have on my radar at this point in time.
Otherwise, I’m trying to figure out the next project. Will it be a lacy Victorian shawl? I broke out my copy of Jane Sowerby’s Victorian Lace Today, and am wondering if that’s something I should look into now, or perhaps later, when it’s too warm for anything more than lace weight?
Using available sources for research!
Perhaps a vintage-inspired sweater is the ticket. One of the perks of sheltering in place is that there are less dietary pitfalls to keep us from our usual poor eating habits, and the weight is slowly coming back down. I have at least one 50’s style dress, and a couple of “skater” style dresses that would look lovely in a 40’s/50’s crossover sweater.
The truth is, really nice sweaters haven’t changed much in the past 70 years. Going through the Mary Maxim back catalogue has reminded me that we are constantly recycling styles, and there are plenty of similar knits on Ravelry. Mostly, it’s a matter of deciding whether you want a cropped sweater to show off your full skirts, or a longer cardigan to flaunt your ability to afford yarn. After all, the boys are home from the war and you no longer have to unravel and re-knit your sweaters to be stylish (or make wartime supplies for the troops).
I’ve been looking over the designs of Andi Satterlund, and I’m liking what I’m seeing. I’m thinking of applying her Plain Jane pattern/workbook to some of the styles I’m seeing in the Mary Maxim back catalogue.
I Have…Opinions.
One of the things that came up in this week’s video is my opinion on “Jacquard” patterns in sock yarn. Dear friends, I dislike it immensely.
Hear me out: When I go to Knitpicks, I usually wind up gawking at their Felici self-striping sock yarn. Currently, they have colour ways that feature black, white, aqua blue, candy pink and yellow (Test Pattern) or navy, periwinkle, coral, apricot, and orange (Thunderstruck). Maybe three different shades of red is more up your alley (Rose Garden)?
None of those colour ways sounds boring. None of them involve muddying up one of the stripes with splatters of another colour entirely.
I know the “idea” behind the splatters is to make it look like you’ve done some intricate jacquard needlework on the area, but it never looks like that. Real jacquard is intentional. This pattern is…random at best.
Obviously, that’s just my opinion, but I suspect I’m not alone in it. I’ve noticed commercial yarn being wound to “hide” the splattered segments, and…I’m not happy with it. Nope. Not at all.
That said, it’s fodder for yet another video, likely coming soon, on Colour, Crafting, and the Joys of the Monochrome.
Bake Bread and Chill
Stay safe, folks. Grab a good audiobook or turn on your Netflix (I’m not going to suggest Prime due to their “themed” packages) and pull up some yarn. Pour some tea, coffee, or wine, and let’s just knit another pair of socks.
Maybe two. 😉
What are you doing while we’re all sheltering in place? Inquiring minds want to know!
It’s the first day of December, so that means American Thanksgiving is over and we lived through another November. For the more religious of us, that means we’re now firmly in Advent. There are only 24 shopping days til Yule. Are you ready?
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba at The Caffeinated Reviewer. You should check out her blog. And then check out the blogs of all the other awesome folks doing the Sunday Post. There are links. Lots and lots of links.
The tradition of the Advent Calendar seems to be moving farther and farther away from the Christian religion. Over the past 30 years, I’d say it’s become an effective marketing tool. It also lasts more than 24 days, truth be told. I feel it starts the moment any store figures they can get away with a Christmas display. So…somewhere around October 23rd.
When I was a kid, we had cheap little Christmas-tree themed advent calendars. Each day a small chocolate was dispensed from a tiny little peel-off window behind an ornament. If the amount of Disney-themed displays at Safeway are any indication, the tradition is still going strong.
You can even get Advent Calendars for the whiskey aficionado in your life.
Years ago, my mother and my grandmother made a soft-sculpture advent calendar wall-hanging. A random ornament was revealed each day from a little pouch sewn into the base of the calendar, and stuck with Velcro to the tree above.
This year, my SiL sent me an Advent Calendar made of mini skeins of yarn. I have no words for how lovely this is! Today’s mini-skein is a wonderfully soft and sparkly pink and rose dyed yarn. I’ll have to make a mini sock ornament out of it for our tree 🙂
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday will be about the books I love to read over the holidays, and the Wednesday Weekly Blog Challenge wants to know about Book Boyfriends and/or Girlfriends. On Friday, I’ll share my favourite book covers of 2019. We’ll see what else I can get up to this week! 🙂
Finished Objects
I finished reading The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman. I wrote a review, so you can read my thoughts on the story.
What I’m Reading, Listening to and Watching
I started reading Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson. Still haven’t finished Save the Cat Writes a Novel or Stitches and Witches. They’ve been back-burnered while I chew through books I actively requested.
On the Needles
Turning the heel on Sock #2, Loops & Threads Perfect Pair colourway Born to Run
Turned the heel on sock #2 of my current pair. I like the feel of the yarn, I just haven’t been making as much time to knit lately.
Stash Acquisition
No new books. There is a new stove in the house, but no pictures (yet). We’re still getting the kitchen cleaned up after 2 days of moving things around!
I also have the lovely advent calendar mentioned in the first part of the blog post, so I think I’m good for this week!
It doesn’t feel like I did a lot this week, but I did find some reading time. I also managed to fit in a little sock knitting. Now if only I didn’t feel so exhausted!
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba at The Caffeinated Reviewer. You should check out her blog. And then check out the blogs of all the other awesome folks doing the Sunday Post. There are links. Lots and lots of links.
Sock knitting whilst hiding from the snow
That’s a lot of vintage yarn.
This week went simultaneously fast and slow. It felt like the week whipped by, except when it didn’t. When I wasn’t watching the road reports due to snowfall, I was out of the house. Mostly running errands and spending time with family. When I was home, I finished one sock, started the next, and put together some graphic design work for a personal project.
There’s a part of me that is really exhausted, and another part that feels like I did absolutely nothing.
I finished Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai! I’m still getting my thoughts in order so I can write my review. Not sure when I want to post it. Normally, with its release scheduled in 2020, I’d wait until a few weeks before the publishing date. However, I’m seeing reviews already popping up on Goodreads. So perhaps we’ll see it sooner rather than later.
I also finished The Killer Across the Table by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker. The review is already up, if you’d like to read it.
Last, but not least, I finished a sock. I had to check the length, rip back, and re-knit the toe a couple of times before I was happy with it. No picture until the second sock is done!
What I’m Reading, Listening to and Watching
I’m about 2/3 of the way through The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman, and will probably finish it by the end of the weekend. I have…mixed feelings.
Still wading through the writing book. Not surprised it’s taking a back seat to the suspenseful fiction. That’s pretty normal around here.
I’m not really a fan of Taylor Swift, but I do find Polyphonic’s perspective interesting. The last time I was really invested in the pop music scene, Whitney Houston and Madonna were topping the charts. Grunge and Industrial were on the rise, and the genres battled it out for chart dominance.
I wasn’t aware of the length of Swift’s career thus far, and some of the songs Polyphonic lists never filtered to my sphere of music. I’m genuinely impressed.
I’m not going to go out and immediately invest in a complete discography, but I’m impressed.
On the Needles
No second sock syndrome for me. I’m finished the cuff of sock #2 and working my way down to the heel.
Stash Acquisition
That’s a lot of yarn, alright.
My mother has been going through her stash of yarn, and came up with 10 balls of Baycrest Worsted acrylic, a few balls of Kroy sock yarn, and a super-haul of Scheepjes sock yarn. Just look at those vintage ball bands!
The Kroy is labelled “Lady Galt Kroy”, which I’ve come across before. Never was able to pin down the actual decade, and Mum can’t remember. However, a price tag fell off one of the many balls of yarn on my sofa, and the amount is about a quarter of the price we pay today.
At any rate, it’s now residing at my house rather than hers. Which means I won’t be lacking for sock yarn anytime soon.
How did your week go? Looks like mine was filled with reading and sock knitting. Not a bad place to be, honestly. Comment down below and tell me all about it!
I don’t exactly know where the phrase ‘happy sushi belly’ came from, but after Friday night, that’s exactly what I had. Welcome to the Sunday Post!
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at The Caffeinated Reviewer. You should check out her blog. And then check out the blogs of all the other awesome folks doing the Sunday Post. There are links. Lots and lots of links.
Happy Sushi Belly and a Semi-Unexpected ARC!
The Husbeast went back to work on Tuesday. He was lucky his vacation joined right up to Remembrance Day, so he had an extra day off to get ready to face the office.
For Remembrance Day, I talked about my Grandfather, a WWII vet. I also wrote how I support the Movember foundation in his honour. If you’re looking for a charitable contribution to put toward your taxes this year, can I suggest you consider making a donation to my Movember campaign? Every little bit helps.
Obviously, I’m not putting the thumbscrews to anyone.I haven’t exactly raised thousands of dollars in the past. That said, I’ll remind you again next week 😉
I’ve been teaching myself how to use OBS Studio for Twitch and YouTube streaming. I’ve been considering streaming World of Warcraft or The Sims, or just games as they appeal to me. While chatting about various and sundry things. Maybe I’ll find that one pocket of literate knitters who also play video games. It could happen.
Friday I took a day off…and we went out for Sushi! We were all so hungry we shut the place down. Definitely a night for happy sushi belly!
I have Top Ten Tuesday and Wednesday Weekly Blog Challenge posts already planned, and am hoping for at least one book review and one ramble about yarny goodness. You know, the usual stuff.
Finished Objects
I have a single sock (of a pair) that’s almost ready to come off the needles. I need to verify the fit first. Then I’ll be starting a new pair of socks. I’m a bit behind on my reading, despite doing some each day. I guess that’s what weekends are for!
What I’m Reading, Listening to and Watching
No change from last week on the reading front. I’m getting closer to the end on Killer Across the Table. Driving the Husbeast to work in the morning means I get to listen to Jonathan Groff compare lesser-known murderers to some of his more famous cases. I’m OK with that.
Yet another costuming/fashion video for you. Morgan Donner wears a corset for a week. Spoiler: She doesn’t die from the experience.
Contrary to popular belief, corsets didn’t exist solely to cinch the waist to extreme proportions. Most corsets, at least by the late 1800’s to early 1900’s were intended as support garments for the chest, and as shape wear. Between lycra and underwires, women wear much more uncomfortable “convenience” garments nowadays.
Trust me on this. I’ve worn corsets from different eras, and the most challenging experience was attempting to drive while wearing an Elizabethan effigy corset stiffened with cable ties. Not something I plan to attempt again anytime soon. A late Victorian or Edwardian corset would have been a vast improvement.
On the Needles
The Big Blue Blanket continues to grow. Picture of sock included. If it fits, I just need to Kitchener the toe.
Stash Acquisition
German edition of Witchmark, ARC of Stormsong by CL Polk, Grave Importance by Vivian Shaw
I came home from sushi with a cache of goodies even though I was nowhere near a bookstore. And one of those books hasn’t been released yet. And one’s in German and has a title that glows in the dark…
(Yes, it’s a care package from CL Polk. She spoils us on occasion. You can expect a highly biased review of Stormsong once I’ve finished the other 3 books I promised to read).
I received a digital ARC of the Kingdom Cold series by Brittni Chenelle. We’ll see if I get around to this one. The first book, at least, is YA – which isn’t my cup of tea, but I definitely appreciate the chance to look it over!
Otherwise, I haven’t added any new books this week. I’m looking to get caught up.
What have you been up to this week? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂
A plastic jar full of socks-to-be-darned with a Stephen King book for reference
I came across a strange artifact yesterday while I was cleaning a few surfaces in my home studio/office. It’s a strange plastic jar with a hole in the hinged lid. And it’s filled with socks waiting to be darned.
You know that old joke that goes: “Where do I get my story ideas? I have the brain of a small child…and I keep it in a jar on my desk.” It’s almost the same shape of jar. Only it’s filled with soft, pretty socks that have obviously been well-loved. Some a little more than others.
I found the jar somewhere like Michaels. It had a ball of scratchy, clown-barfy, rainbow-coloured acrylic yarn in it. The idea is you open the jar at the hinge, place your yarn inside, feed one end through the hole in the lid, and keep your skein safe. I’ve been using a similar trick for the skeins of Super Saver I’ve been knitting my Phoenix Blanket out of. I’m going to swap the basket for the jar, but first let’s see just what happened to these socks.
Going through the jar is almost like an excavation of socks long past. Most of what’s in the jar are made from boutique sock yarn of one sort or another. TOFUtsies, Mama E’s C*eye*ber Fiber merino tencel sock, Koigu, The Dyeing Arts, Scout’s Swag, Knitglobal Sock, and a self-striper from Three Ewes Twisted in Fiber. There are at least two pairs of Monkey socks, two Jaywalkers, and a couple of vanilla socks. There’s a striped pair with an afterthought heel, just for variety. All these socks need to be darned. One needs re-knitting.
A hole in the foot
I bought this yarn from 3 Ewes Twisted in Fiber as a treat to myself. I think Carin of Round the Twist had received a yarn-of-the-month shipment from them and was raving about the way it knit up.
She wasn’t wrong. It knit up wonderfully. The problem is that it’s just a little thin. This sock blew out under the ball of my foot, likely due to rubbing and stretching against the liner in my shoe.
This sock probably won’t be darned. I think I was trying to decide whether to attempt a patch, use some of the leftover yarn to re-knit the toe, or just scrap them. See, the sock is a self-striper. The only way we’re going to keep that aspect intact is to rip back to the black stripe below the hole (or a little further than that), and re-knit. I have a the little ball of leftover yarn that I saved.
A patch may or may not do the job, but just re-knitting leaves us open for the possibility of having the exact same problem occur again. I guess this quandary is the reason it’s still in the jar and not already darned.
Two holes in one sock
Again with the 2-ply merino base. These socks were made of Scout’s Swag, which were talked up by the Lime & Violet podcast many many years ago. The socks are a pair of monkeys. They also didn’t last long. They’re another pair that I’m considering just tossing. See…they don’t just have the one hole in the almost impossible-to-darn area right below the heel flap. There’s also a hole in the lace of the leg of the yarn. It’s not easy to see, but there’s a second hole. You can see the notched chunk just to the left of the blue block on my tablecloth.
Already darned socks
This is one of the most heartbreaking sights I’ve seen. Koigu, at least this vintage, tends to fade fairly quickly. I’m not sure if it’s a colour-fast issue or just the fibre, but it happens. I remember being pleasantly surprised when this sock started to stripe, and I wore them to one of our family Yule parties.
These socks are still pretty vibrant. There’s a pretty big hole in the bottom of one foot, which is obviously why the socks are in the jar. What actually takes a moment to notice is that these socks have already been darned (right). Both socks have darning patches on the bottom of the heel, under the flap. As much as I loved the look and feel of these socks, they wore out extremely quickly.
I think it has something to do with the base. I’ve noticed the same problem with Louet Gems (of a similar vintage). Beautiful, vibrant colours and a buttery-soft 2-ply merino yarn that just feels awesome to knit. I have a pair of Gems socks that lasted maybe two wearings before the toe blew out in a huge way. It was really upsetting.
Lesson learned? If you don’t want to constantly patch or toss your socks made out of 2-ply yarn, use some sturdy thread or yarn to reinforce the thinner areas. No, those areas won’t be elastic, but it will force the sock to find new and more elaborate ways to fall apart.
Oh Darn.
Socks with a short-row heel made of Knitglobal Sock. I worked on these at a Henry Rollins spoken word event.
I realize that these socks are all close to ten years old, if not older. Some of them are among the first socks I knit. There was a huge push in the knitting community to consume as much boutique hand-painted yarn as possible, and I went along with it. I had a good job that paid well, so I could afford it. The unfortunate down-side is that these socks have needed to be darned for more than five years. None of the pricey boutique yarns that were so lovely to knit with lasted more than a year or two at best.
I’ve since gravitated to more sturdy commercial sock yarn. No, it’s not as smooth on the fingers, but I can get a couple of years worth of washes out of them before they explode in little fraying patches of worn-away fibre.
The more I think about these socks…the holes in impossible places, the one TOFUtsies sock that I ripped back, intending to re-knit…these aren’t socks to be darned. They’re socks of the darned. Or maybe of the Damned. I’m thinking they may just need the age-old ritual of the Old Sock.
Hold thine sock over the garbage receptacle and chant with me:
I have a confession to make: I love to read and I like to share what I’ve read with others. Reading has been an avid hobby my whole life. However, I don’t look at reading as a ‘lifestyle’. So while I do love fuzzy socks and hot chocolate, I’m not in the habit of collecting decorative bookmarks.
There’s a part of me that wishes I could just put ten bookmarks down on the table and say, “Yay, I’m done!” Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way with me. As always, I like to make everything more complicated than it needs to be.
Turned corners and yarn tails
I’m a habitual corner-turner. At least I was until The Husbeast and I started dating and he found out…and gave me such a look of horror. So now, when I’m reading, my bookmarks are those of opportunity.
Obviously I’m not going to show my turned corners (that would be proof). I’m also not going to show the lengths of yarn that get clipped and tucked. They’re not fancy enough. Not that the rest of these solutions are! They do, however, count as my two first kinds of bookmark. On with the 8 others 😉
Mailers
The envelope your gas bill came in, the insert from the city’s electrical bill, and the little pads of paper advertising the local dentist or real estate agent are all valid bookmarks. Plus, you can write notes on them.
Yes, the piece of paper a yarn company winds around a skein of yarn is called a ball band. If you go through enough yarn, like me, you have plenty of bookmarks. As an added bonus, you can look at that bookmark and relive the joy (or horror) of working with that particular yarn!
Books pile up in our household. Sometimes the easiest thing to do is to reach over, grab another book, and just place it on top of the page you’re reading. This is particularly handy when you’re reading and need to get up for another cup of tea. Like I did here with The Fireman by Joe Hill.
Dishes
A habit formed by kids who read at the kitchen table: Using the edge of a plate or the handle of a mug to keep a page in place. Pictured here, Generation X by Douglas Coupland.
Sticky Bookmarks
3M actually makes bookmarks. They actually have a few varieties, from thin flags, to arrows, to thicker tabs. My cookbooks and music theory notebooks (not shown) are full of these. This cookbook is the wonderful Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan. The Chocolate Chili recipe is awesome. I make it in an uncovered slow-cooker. Tasty!
Magnetic Bookmarks
There are two kinds of these, it seems. There’s the bookmark you clip to the top of the page, and the kind you use as little tabs. I’ve used both here on CL Polk’s Witchmark. One of them came from a notebook, and it’s how I realized that they were A Thing.
Actual Cardstock Bookmarks
There are a couple of different varieties of these: Shown with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice are a couple of Jennifer Estep‘s bookmarks that I picked up at a writer’s convention. Because if someone’s giving out bookmarks, you should probably take them. They’re handy.
Also shown is a bookmark from Goulet Pens. I like getting bookmarks in the mail, with book-related purchases. It’s thoughtful and good advertising.
Not shown is the standard bookmark-with-inspirational-quote and a tassel made of yarn. I know I’ve had a few of them over the past 40-some-odd years, but they always go missing. They’re like socks (the machine-knit kind you put in the laundry, not the hand-knit ones you hand-wash).
The Flyleaf
Sometimes the book comes with a bookmark built right in. I may get called a heretic for this, but I don’t care. If you’re not going to tack down your book jackets (and I’ve done this…I worked in a high school library for a semester), I consider them fair game. The jacket from Doctor Sleep by Stephen King came in very handy while I was reading the book.
So there we go. My 10 different kinds of bookmarks. Do you go all-in for the fancy cross-stitched bookmark, or are you more a “rip a corner off a flyer” kind of reader? Please comment down below to let me know!
The clinical and economic burden of prostate cancer in Canada is substantial, and is rising. Studies indicate that 1 in 7 men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime, and another 1 in 27 will die because of it. It is estimated that 4300 Canadian men will die of prostate cancer in 2008. Age, family history, race and diet are all risks associated with the development of prostate cancer. A diagnosis of cancer carries a significant burden and like other cancers is a cause of significant anxiety and depression. Uncertainty regarding the value of screening for prostate cancer has been, and continues to be, a challenge for primary care physicians and urologists.
I used to joke that it’s a good thing the Husbeast is five years younger than me. After all, men often die an average of five years before their same-aged spouse, so I should have companionship all the way to the end, right?
Well, it’s not much of a joke. The reality is that men do die younger than their partners. Prostate cancer, testicular cancer and untreated mental health issues leading to suicide are all contributing factors.
Prostate cancer awareness and Movember
I became aware of the Movember movement through a former co-worker. His father was fighting prostate cancer. J went all-in. He shaved off his distinctive facial fuzz and walked around the office with an actual tin can, asking for donations. He even urged some of the other departments to create their own teams and compete for the most dollars earned.
I’ve been a Movember supporter in one way or another since 2012, at least. I participate in honour of my Grandfather.
On November 11th, I like to think of my Grandfather Don
RCAF Corporal Don S. (left) and friend, Rupert BC.
The handsome guy on the left in that sepia-toned photo is my Grandfather, Don. He was a WWII vet stationed in western Canada as an MP during the war years. He would have loved to fly, but his colour-blindness made that impossible.
My Grandfather was very proud of his service to our country, and was an enthusiastic supporter of the Canadian Legion. He also enjoyed fishing and amateur radio.
When I think of the places my own traits come from, my Grandfather is the one who accidentally fostered my affinity for computers. Amateur Radio in his time was more than just taking a license so you could talk on international frequencies. You also had to know a minimum words-per-minute of Morse code, and be able to complete some fairly complex electronics schematics. This is now arcane knowledge attributed to early computer nerds.
HAM Operators: Early computer nerds
I guess it makes sense as HAM Operators have also been early adopters of other electronic technologies. We may not have had an Apple computer growing up, but that’s only because Steve Wozniak didn’t build in a Morse code translator. My Grandfather purchased a Commodore Vic 20 purely because someone made a translation program. Then he gave another Vic 20 to my Mum (another HAM) with the hope that they could try the program together.
Well, the translation program was a lot slower than either my Grandfather or my Mum’s own code fluency. Instead, both computers became a way to entertain my brother and I. If we weren’t playing Frogger, we were plinking away at keys, trying to code music in BASIC. Unfortunately, our typing skill generated more syntax errors and frustrated tears than actual programs.
We’ve come a long way since 1993
My Grandfather in 1990
My Grandfather passed away in 1993. The doctors thought it was prostate cancer, but they couldn’t be sure since it moved very quickly. Many cancers at that time went undetected until the last minute. Cancer’s sneaky. It doesn’t always have recognizable symptoms.
We’ve come a long way since then. Like breast cancer screenings for women, men of a certain age are requested to come in for regular testing. In some cases, it’s extending their lives well over the five year mark. As my Grandmother passed on a full eight years after her husband, this would have made a phenomenal difference in her life.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve seen even more friends and family members affected by prostate cancer. The study abstract at the top of this post shows just how frequently it occurs. Do you know seven men? Chances are pretty good one of them, and/or one or more of their male relatives, has or will be affected by prostate cancer.
It’s also important to note that Movember isn’t just about the family jewels. Mental health, particularly for men, is often overlooked. Cancer treatment often includes or suggests some form of therapy as patients often see improvement with a postitive attitude.
Even more important is mental health on a daily basis. information from the Movember website indicate that men are more likely to commit suicide.
What can I do?
I really do boggle at folks who are hyper-organized like the Yarn Harlot. Her fund-raising skills for Tricoteuses sans Frontières and her annual bike rally are truly awesome. As a socially-awkward GenXer, I go into flail mode when someone asks me to organize anything more difficult than a birthday party. Even then, I’d rather be off in the kitchen baking the cake.
I have three patterns for sale through Ravelry. From now until the end of November, if you make a donation of $5 or more via my Movember fund-raising page, I will give you a code for one free pattern. That is, if you’re a knitter. All you need to do after you donate is leave a comment down below with your Ravelry name.
I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to raffle off any stashed or crafted items at this time. Some day in the future, perhaps, the Husbeast and I will finally get around to sorting through all our books and put aside a few of the less-battered duplicates that folks might actually want to receive. No promises until that actually happens 😉
If you’re not a crafter…make a suggestion? Is there a post you’d like me to write? A book you’d like me to read and share opinions on? I’m open to suggestion 🙂
FYI: If you want to take me up on that free pattern coupon, I can only track your contribution to Movember if you donate using my fundraising site. When you make a donation using that link, it sends me an email.
This week’s Sunday Post feels a little sparse to me. Or maybe repetitive. I’m just surprised it’s Sunday again!
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba at The Caffeinated Reviewer. You should check out her blog. And then check out the blogs of all the other awesome folks doing the Sunday Post. There are links. Lots and lots of links.
I know it’s not Caturday, but I give you a picture of our cat Mischief as tribute.
I can’t believe it’s Sunday again. The week feels like it flew by. The Husbeast’s vacation is almost over, and I’m just glad he had the time to be home. This has been a rough year for health issues in our family, and having the time away from work has really helped.
Thankfully, the two of us are feeling OK, so we can prop up the ones who aren’t. We just need a little offline time to recharge.
I’m using my reading and writing time to try and relax. The Alisha Rai books were a good choice this week. I’ve needed lighter fare and the romantic comedy in her Modern Love series has been just what I needed.
Does anyone else notice their Sunday Post getting repetitive? Do you guys finish everything you start in the week, or do you carry over projects (books, crafts, etc) the way I do?
Not sure what will be on the blog next week aside from memes. I’m going to be trying to stockpile some posts so I can get some Other Writing done this week.
Finished Objects
I read The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai. To be honest, it’s about the only thing I finished this week.
What I’m Reading, Listening to and Watching
I have a couple of books on the go. I immediately started Alisha Rai’s Girl Gone Viral after finishing The Right Swipe. Unfortunately, sleep made me put it down. I’m still working through Stitches and Witches and Save The Cat Writes a Novel. I didn’t do a lot of driving this week, so we’re still working on the same old audio book.
Confession: I’m a bit of a music nerd. I watch music theorists break down songs like Stairway to Heaven for fun and listen to hot takes on how David Bowie influenced current music. I am a huge fan of cover songs and style parody.
Ali Spagnola regularly style-parodies popular music, and shows all the steps she took to get the final product. I’m not familiar with this week’s song, but I’m definitely familiar with the style.
She’s channelling the Europop sound of the late 90’s in a weepy 4 chord song. The style parody is inspired by Aqua but I have a different vision in my head. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, aka The Pet Shop Boys, giggling while they remix Always On My Mind.
I wonder if they too looked up and said “My God, this is obnoxious!”
On the Needles
Granny Stripes afghan. Yarn is Caron Cakes Faerie Cake.
I’m plodding away at a pair of socks and added a foot onto a simple granny-stripe afghan. Next year I’m going to get my sock expectations done early so I can spend the winters snuggled up in blankies-in-progress.
Stash Acquisition
Being very frugal with the money this week, and no new ARCs. Time to work from the TBR list!
