Nervous Knitting is Productive Knitting

My sweet 6 year old niece had surgery on her foot on Thursday and I took the day off from work to provide moral support for everybody.  Two grownups managing a two-child family is great, but three grownups is even better.  Between the three of us, the princess always had 2 adults watching over her and my nephew always had someone with him too during his normal daily activities.  I am working on a pattern to be published later this year, and taking this project along helped get me through all the waiting.

Would you believe I knitted an entire skein of Lamb's Pride Bulky between about 10 am and 4 pm?  I haven't been able to spend such a large block on time on knitting in ages and it was definitely soothing to the nerves.  Our little princess came out of surgery fairly well, although we forgot that the anesthesia makes her naseous.  All Children's Hospital in St. Pete is in a new building and the rooms are practically suites, they are so big.  There's a pull out couch & a pull out chair for overnight guests (aka Momma & Aunt Ellen), another guest chair, 2 tv's and a mini fridge, in addition to all the usual things you'd find in a hospital room.  All their rooms are private rooms, which is a huge blessing and the nurses and staff were all amazing.  I've spent many days and nights in various hospitals on the East Coast (always as a visitor, never a patient) and I have to say they are top notch here.  The patient gets a 42 inch flat screen tv (which of course now she wants in her bedroom!) and they've got tons of movies to watch, an activities cart that comes around everyday with games and crafty things.  If you have to have a child in a hospital, this seems a good choice.

Anywhoo, the Lamb's Pride Bulky is great to work with, although there were some limey green fuzzies on my black tee but I presume that's from the mohair. No big deal though.  I used a neat trick I just learned where you knit a bit, then roll it and add one stitch from the cast on edge to each stitch - creates a very cool hem.  And do you like how I match the couch in the Princess Patient's room?  Too funny. 

 

 

Hmfph. Those pictures looked better on my phone.  I did finish the entire skein and really wished I'd had another.  It looks like this project will take 3 or perhaps even 4.  But its a secret project, so no more info here.  No sirree, not till its ready!  Her royal Patientness is now recovering at home, and luckily her pain is manageable with the drugs so far. Nothing breaks your heart like seeing a child you love in a hospital bed.  T minus 3 weeks till surgery number 2.  Insert a big sigh here.

Hope you had a great weekend!