Because the PDF's being stupid...

(http://screechingneedles.blogspot.com/2008/11/dazzlemeas-otk-japanese-legwarmers.html)

Materials
DazzleMea's OTK Japanese legwarmers
4 skeins BambooSpun in Cream
size 9 US straight needles
size H crochet hook
6 ¾” buttons
yarn needle

Gauge:
19.5 stitches & 24 rows = 4” in stockinette stitch (Haha! Figure that one out! Just kidding. Just go by 19)
or 5 stitches per inch

Pattern Notes:
1-Row Buttonhole: Work to where you want the buttonhole to begin.
Bring yarn to front. Slip 1 st purl-wise, bring yarn to back.
Slip 1 st purl-wise, pass first slipped st over second. Repeat this process 2 more times -- passing over 3 sts total for a 3-stitch buttonhole. Place last slipped st on left needle. Turn work.
Cast on 4 sts (for the three you bound off, plus one) using the cable cast-on method.
Turn work (so RS facing). Bring yarn to back. Slip first st on left needle onto right needle and pass last cast-on stitch over it. Work to next buttonhole.
You can view the video tutorial for this at Knittinghelp.com

You will not use up all four skeins. One leg warmer uses up over 1 1/2 skein. When I made these, I used one new skein for the beginning of each leg warmer. I felt it easier for me to use one skein, break into the second, then leave the leftovers behind. Then I repeated the process for the second leg warmer. Each leg warmer had it’s own leftover ball. You don’t have to do it this way if you don’t want to. I just felt like I would get “lost” in my knitting and forget to measure.
Instructions

CO 58 sts
First 6 rows: Work in K1P1 ribbing (you may want to use a smaller size needle for the ribbing...You can make this band longer if you wish, but be sure to measure properly so it fits or you can use it to make it more slouchy)
Rows 7+: Work in stockinette stitch until piece measures approximately 23-24”
Loosely bind off. Weave in ends. Cut tails, but set them to the side (or leave them and cutonce seamed).

Buttonhole Flap
CO 30 sts
Row 1-4: Work in stockinette stitch
Row 5: Knit 4. Make a 3 stitch one row button hole. Knit 5. Repeat buttonhole process. Knit
5. Repeat buttonhole
process
Knit 4.Row 6: Purl
Row 7: Knit
Row 8: Purl
Row 9: Knit
Row 10: Bind off in purl
Finishing
Sew buttonhole flap to bottom left-hand side of leg warmer. Pin it onto other side of leg warmer and carefully sew on buttons. Use yarn to cover thread over buttons.
Weave in ends.
Starting from top of leg warmer, sew seam , stopping at buttonhole flap.

To Make Ties
Cut tails (if you haven’t already) and tie them together to form a single strand. Crochet a
single row. Thread through leg warmer just below ribbing.
For second leg warmer, repeat process. Ta da!

Questions? Did I make a mistake? Email me at dazzleddb@hotmail.com or you can find me on Ravelry as DazzleMea


© 2008 Meagan Fischer. For personal use only. Not intended for sale or redistribution without prior permission

When something seems too good to be true

It usually is...

We've been trying for another baby for quite some time now.

I finally got a positive pregnancy test on 4.20.09. My EDD was December 26th.

"Nothing" about describes my self-worth about right now.

It took about a year to get this far, and now it's being taken away. Again.

Amazing how two pink lines can tear you down.

Last week, I started cramping mildly. Didn't think much of it as I know it's normal. But then it got severe and I started spotting, but only mildly. I went to the ER, they drew blood which has left me looking like a junkie. Waited three hours for a sonogram which turned up nothing but fluid and debris. They told me it was early so I held out hope.

But, inside, I realized something was wrong. I tried denying it as much as possible. Most of the symptoms I once had - albeit brief - were gone. Not much ignoring that one...

The stars, the sky, it's way too much for me
I sit and wait for what was once believed

I sit, I watch, I wait

Follow up, I get more blood work done. The doctor's projections aren't good. Blood work shows that my levels are decreasing (They're supposed to double every other day in the first trimester. If they increase at a normal rate, that's good. If they increase abnormally, it means ectopic. Decreases are bad news.)

Still, my body holds out hope although my mind does not. Still I wait for the inevitable. Reflecting on the things I did or could have done. I still don't understand it.

Nothing's in full swing yet. It's happening very slowly, much to my chagrin.

I feel like I'm going this alone. He's appeared to have gotten over it much more quickly than I. He doesn't have that constant reminder.



To answer any questions that anyone has:
How am I feeling? Like shit, naturally. I feel low, inadequate, and angry. Last time I cried this much was when I got pregnant with Dillinger and was unsure of his future. I'm also feeling a little crazy...Like it was all in my head. Last time, I got to see a heartbeat. This time, nothing other than a positive pregnancy test. I feel like my heart's been ripped from my chest and then replaced with only enough of it replaced so it can preform its basic function.

Am I ok? At times, no. But I've had a week and I have my two kids, so it makes things a bit easier. But the sporadic cramping and spotting makes it hard to get over this as quickly as I would like.

What's next/Do you know what's going on? I don't rightfully know. I have to get more blood drawn tomorrow, I believe, to find out what I already know. And then I imagine some testing to figure out why...which may or may not turn up anything.

Are you going to try again? At this point, my mind says I don't want to. I don't want to find out that something's wrong with me. I'm afraid of another miscarriage (which now my chances are at 40% chance of recurrence). I'm afraid of another frightening pregnancy. But my heart states otherwise. I know it's all worth it.

What I ask of you.

* I'm an atheist. Please don't ask me to pray.
* Be understanding if I don't seem as happy as you about your pregnancy. It's nothing personal, it just hurts.
* Forgive me if I show a lack of enthusiasm about something not pregnancy related. I'm probably lost in my thoughts and/or trying not to break down.
* Keep advice on what I "should do during my next pregnancy" at a minimum.
* If it appears I do not want to talk about it, please let's not. Sometimes I might though...Follow the clues/look at my body language.



This Christmas is going to suck...

Dillinger's First Haircut

Yeah. It's four minutes long. But it was his first true haircut. A big event in my book. Hell, Bucket's never had her hair cut.

Blog Doll

Perhaps you've seen her... Or maybe you've heard her while reading... In any case, that's my blog doll, -Nina-. Bucket helped me make her. She picked out the car, the doll, and the name. Please feed her (by clicking on the ice cream truck). She survives solely on ice cream. And if you fill up the yellow present (by feeding her), you can give her a gift. Don't feed her poop though! I think it eventually kills her...After all, it is poop.

Kitty Eared Bib

Skill level: Easy

Abbreviations:
sts = stitches
k2tog = knit to together
DPNs = double pointed needles

Materials:
Size 8 US straight needles
Size 7 US DPNs
Worsted weight cotton yarn

Guage: Not important

Instructions:
CO 30 sts
Knit every row until piece is squared

Neck
Knit 6 sts. BO 18 sts. Knit remaining 6.
Ignoring the first live 6 sts, turn work and knit the "kitty ear" as follows:
[*K 5 rows even
K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog*
Repeat * until you have 2 sts remaining.
Switch to DPNs and work an I-Cord for about 11-12 inches.]

Repeat [ ] for second "kitty ear"

Honey Wheat Bread - as requested (^_~)

• 1 1/2 c warm water (about 110 degrees F)
• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 2 Tablespoons & 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 1/2 c white bread flour
• 1 tablespoon and 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted
• 2 Tablespoons & 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
• olive oil for greasing
  

In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons honey. Add 2 1/2 cups white bread flour. It'll look a lot like thick pancake batter. Let set for 30 minutes or until big and bubbly.

Mix in 1 tablespoon melted butter, 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons honey, and salt. Stir in 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead the whole wheat flour for about 10 minutes, until it's not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter but still sticky to the thouch. This may take an extra 1 to 2 cups of whole wheat flour. This is why I usually add an extra 1/3 of a cup before kneading. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled (a stove with a warming plate is a good place).

I would suggest in not cleaning up the floured area...

Punch down dough. Lay it down on a floured surface. Form a flat rectangle (about double the size of the pan) and roll it up. Tuck the ends under and place in a greased bread pan. Allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until internal temp is 200 degrees F; do not over bake. Lightly brush with the top with 1 tablespoon of melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.

This is best suited for sandwich bread and makes wonderful toast. If you wish to use nothing but whole wheat flour, remember that you'll use less flour (by about a third). I used a fast rise yeast (rises 50% faster! so the package claims), and it took about three hours from prep time to finished loaf.

Yes, That's Right...

I'm making another bib. I had an idea for one and I want to see how it will look.

This time, I must keep notes!

I hope I can get it to work though.

Sometimes I don't particularly enjoy designing something. At least not in the beginning. It can get quite frustrating....what with the unraveling and all.

And it's never particularly easy to do things when there's an imp in your lap.

Another Happy FO

I finished the bib I was making for my friend. I'm quite pleased with it, naturally. I hope she likes it. She's having a girl and this bib is gender neutral...

I took pictures and had my son model it. Unfortunately, I'll have to upload the pictures tomorrow. The camera batteries need recharged. I'll post the pattern for it tomorrow as well.

I want to make her something else. But I'm not sure if I'll have the time to before the package gets sent off (by this weekend).

I'm in the process of making some delicious honey whole wheat bread. I've recently gotten into the habit of making our own bread. I don't use a bread machine, so it is a bit time consuming. But it's well worth it. Our tummy's had a bit of a difficult time adjusting to the lack of preservatives at first. Which, makes me all the more happy to be making our own.

Dia's also sick - again. She's been missing a lot of school because of it. She's missed yesterday and today...and probably won't go in tomorrow. :sigh: And of course, I have it now too. I also think I have a bit of the stomach virus again as well...Or either that, I ate something icky...I'm not sure.

Have to go check on my bread...

Oh me goodness

My, how I suck at updating...

We got our tax return. Which is our Christmas since we can't ever afford it during Christmas time. We spend most of our money on others and leave none for ourselves. Which I don't mind. I love buying for others.

Then the flu hit our house. Oh joy. That wasn't fun. And I think it's starting to circulate again.

I've managed to fix things at home.

And Dillinger's personality is really starting to blossom. It's crazy. However, he's also an imp. He antagonizes Dia like crazy. Pulls her hair, gets in her face when she's trying to play on the computer. He also absolutely loves to dump chips and whatnot on my floor. On average I'm vacuuming about 3 times a day. He also got into my stash while I was sick...I spent quite some time detangling everything. :sigh: I just vacuumed up a Cheetos mess 20 minutes ago. He got ahold of some Fritos I didn't know my husband gave to Dia. And now. They're on my floor.

Dillinger's mittens did not turn out so well. For some reason, the thumb was all wonky in the knuckle part. Luckily though (or maybe unlucky?), winter was over by the time I finished them. Ohio weather...

I'm now working on another bib. Yes. Another one. A friend in internet-land let me borrow some of her cloth diapers a while back. She's going to be having her second child soon. I figure the least I can do as a thank you is make some bibs for her little one. I love cotton bibs. The ones I made for Dillinger when he was a baby were my favorite. So absorbent. Hopefully, she likes them just as much.

I started it the other night and work on it in stints. I'm almost done with it. I just need to do the other tie.