Knits For Sanity

The Preemie Project: News

I had a fun get together at my house for the local Preemie Project volunteers on Sunday.  It was fun to hang out with Libby and Lin, and finally meet Debbie, Megan, and MJ.  It so great to finally be able to put some faces to names!  Go to The Preemie Project to see some of these lovely ladies and all about our day! 

We spent the afternoon sorting through all of the donations.  Everything had to be measured, sized and sorted in tubs.  I was SO happy to have so much help.  I think that the volunteers really enjoyed being able to see the donations in person.  The items are REALLY cute!

We're going to be dropping off our very first group hospital donation on Friday morning.  YEA!!  I'm very excited to see the nurse's reactions and take pictures with them and the items.  I hear that they really enjoy dressing the babies up.  I'm sure that the babies are going to look SO cute!

I received a very thoughtful gift in one of the donations.  Cindy sent me my very own Preemie Doll!  She was our model on Sunday for the 3-5lb items.  Now I just have to figure out what to name her.  I'm taking any suggestions.  What do you think I should name The Preemie Project baby?

Here I am with The Preemie Project Baby

(I was wearing glasses that day b/c I ripped my last pair of disposable contacts.)

Thank you Cindy for this very thoughtful gift.  You are one of a kind!

I will be posting all kinds of pictures, on The Preemie Project's website, of the donation delivery on Friday.  I am really excited!  Visit our Photo Album for pistures of most of the donations.  I still have to add in a few that I received most recently.  Here is a picture of the donations after the volunteers finished organizing them:  (there is a large laundry basket in the other room full of miscellaneous hats and booties.  There is probably at least 100 more items in the basket.)

Here is a picture of the Hat and Booties sets that my mom and I completed for thie donation.  We ended up with 30 sets.

We were also able to complete 27 blankets.  I wanted to have as many blankets as hat/bootie sets but I just didn't quite get there.  I don't have a picture of all of the blankets, but here is a sample of a few:

Here are 4 of the smaller blankets to be used in the isolettes.  They'll be placed underneath the babies to add some color.  We used flannel prints and fleece solids that we found REALLY cheap or in remnant bins.  The we put satin binding on the two short edges.

Here are two of the large blankets.  The large ones are for use in the cribs on the intermediate care unit.  I love these flannel prints!

I hope that the parents enjoy seeing their babies all dressed up.  My hope is that all of the parents of those tiny babies receive even the smallest amount of comfort from the hats, booties and blankets.  If we make their hospital stay even the tiniest bit better I feel that we've accomplish what we set out to.

Thank you to all of The Preemie Project's wonderful volunteers.  Without them this donation would not be possible.  I am so impressed with the amount of donations I've received.  I'm truly amazed by the generosity of others.  Thank you so much!

Busy and Well...Exhausted

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth.  I'm still here, just busy and exhausted.  My body just isn't what it was, a year ago, before the knee surgery that didn't turn out so well.  I get physically tired so easily that it's almost a bit disturbing to me.  Back in my old life, a year ago, I was a college student who spent her days running here to there.  I was a biochemistry student, so I was always studying.  I had to be right on top of things.  I also worked part time and had other things going on too.

Today I am stuck on a bump in the road that is my life.  I'm still waiting for my leg to fully recover.  Then I will finally be able to get over the bump and back to the life I used to have.  Besides my friends and family, The Preemie Project has become my life.  I enjoy working on this project and it is my passion.  It's really one of the main things that keeps me going.  I just ish that I had more stamina so that I could devote more time to it.  I just get tired SO easily. 

Recently things have really picked up for The Preemie Project.  Oh it's just SO exciting!  I really couldn't be happier.  I've spent the past month gearing up for the project's very first hospital donation on 9/1.  I've also been putting in a lot of hours towards gaining as much local support as I possibly can.  I'm working on many things at once trying to spread the word all over Iowa.

It's been very frustrating to experience more and more exhaustion in the past two weeks.  I feel like I'm hardly doing anything compared to what my life used to be.  Reality has pretty much blindsided me yet again.  I just cannot do what I used to.  It's a hard concept to accept.  I really have no choice in the matter.  I'm pretty sure that it's all the meds I'm on.  They all have drowsiness listed as a side-effect. 

The more tired I'm becoming the more I realize that I just need to slow down.  I haven't had as much time to relax, and knit as I would like.  I also haven't had the time, actually I just haven't had the energy to even think about my blog. 

I know that it's about time to take a week long vacation from my email, and my computer.  This is going to be very difficult for me.  Every morning, no scratch that, afternoon when I get up I think about working on The Preemie Project.  I'm so excited about this project that I just cannot help myself.  I need to take a step back and tell myself, "It will be there when I get back." 

Now that I have it in writing I have no choice but to take a little vacation.  Starting next Monday, and maybe sooner, I will be on vacation.  I am going to work on my Sockapal-two-za socks, and my mom's Clapotis.  I may sneak in some Preemie Project knitting while I'm at it.

Preemie Project Hospital Donation Coming Up

I've been meaning to share how my meeting with the nurse manager went.  I've just been so busy that it keeps slipping my mind.  Sorry!

Anyhow the meeting went really well.  I offered her a donation from The Preemie Project by 9/1/2005.  We discussed the types of items The Preemie Project could offer and what her units additional needs might be.  She was very enthusiastic about receiving a donation.  I'm so happy!  It's a go on 9/1.

I learned some interesting facts about the NICU at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.  The most surprising fact was that they have 800 babies in their unit a year.  Oh WOW!  I had no idea.  Supporting their unit year round is really going to be a challenge.  I'm very sure that it's something that can be done.

I asked for some totals for each item that they would need in each donation.  These totals give the group some goals to shoot for.  We will be donating every two months.  So here are our bi-monthly goals:

Hat/Bootie Sets:

1-3 lbs: 24 Sets            

3-5 lbs: 50 Sets            

6-8 lbs: 50 Sets

9-11 lbs: 12 Sets

TOTAL: 136 Sets                         

Blankets:

20" by 22" : 75 Blankets for isolettes

28" by 36" : 50 Blankets for cribs

TOTAL: 125 Blankets

That is A LOT of items to come up with every two months.  It's a challenge worth taking on.  I have faith in my volunteers that we can make these goals.  We will also be providing bereavement items to the NICU and labor and delivery unit.  I don't have the goals set for those items yet.

The Preemie Project will also be accepting holiday items year round.  Right now we're working on our "Pumpkin Push: Halloween 2005"

We would like to outfit the NICU at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA and Saint Joseph's Mercy in Ann Arbor, MI. in pumpkin hats.  We're also accepting orange booties, and pumpkin/halloween themed blankets.  Here are some great links to patterns for the hats:

-Knitted Hat

-Becky's Knitted Hat

-Bev's Crocheted Hat

-Crocheted Pumpkin Preemie Hat

We also have goals for Pumpkin Push: Halloween 2005.  We don't have the goals set for the MI hospital yet.  We will soon!  Here are the goals for the IA chapter:

Hat/Bootie Sets:

1-3 lbs: 10 Sets                        

3-5 lbs: 12 Sets                        

6-8 lbs: 40 Sets

9-11 lbs: 5 Sets

Blankets:
20" by 22" : 50 Blankets

28" by 36" : 5 Blankets

We could use all the help we can get with these items and the others.  You can knit/crochet/sew or whatever you want.  The items just need to be within the Preemie Measurement Guidelines.  The yarn or fabric you use must be REALLY soft too.  Caron Simply Soft has a suitable orange to use for the hat and booties. 

If you are interested in joining my volunteers and I in crafting for premature babies please visit The Preemie Project's current website: (the new site coming soon will be www.thepreemieproject.com)

We also have a yahoo group that is a lot of fun.  It's a great way to meet fellow volunteers and ask questions etc.  Click Here for the link to the yahoo group.  You will have to sign-up for a yahoo ID account first if you do not already have one.  Let me know if you have any questions.  I would love for you to join us! 

For more info about volunteering please email me at: thepreemieproject AT yahoo DOT com

Here is a sneak peak at a couple of donations that have come in: (click on them for larger images)                                                                                                                            These are just a few chosen at random.  Great work ladies!  Keep it up.  I'm off to work on sewing blankets...

   

Knitting Group and Sockapal-2-za Progress

I've been looking forward to a local knitting group meeting for over a month.  I don't get out much.  Well let's be honest, I never get the chance to get out and socialize.  My poor mother has to listen to me go on and on when she gets home from work.  Thankfully for her she has the fine art of turning her children out down very well. 

Anyhow I missed the meeting last month because I was out of town.  So I was looking forward to this month's meeting even more.  I finally went this evening.  I was excited to go but nervous at the same time.  I've been to one knitting group that I didn't fit in with.  I was SO disappointed about it and was afraid that it would happen again.  I ended up having SO much fun.

I even got to meet a fellow knit blogger, Libby.  Libby is also one of the local volunteers for The Preemie Project.  It was so nice to finally meet not only one but two volunteers.  The other volunteer, Lin, organized the knitting group.  Thank you Lin!  On her blog Libby said that she was nervous about the meeting.  It's nice to know that I wasn't that only one.  I wouldn't have guessed that Libby was nervous at all.

Thank you ladies for my night out.  Oh and my mom's ear's are eternally grateful as well.  I had such a fun time discussing my obsession with other as obsessed as I am. It was also really neat to be able to discuss The Preemie Project with them face to face.  I have been corresponding with volunteers through email this whole time.  It's great to put some faces to names.

So what did I work on at the meeting?  I've been knitting my sockapal-2-za socks.  Here is my progress on sock #1:

I'm right at the start of the heel.  The pattern is Conwy from Knitting on the Road.  I really like the little twisting cables.  The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock.  It's so soft.  The dark purple looks a little blue in this pic.  It's much more purple in person.

I've been hurrying to get them finished thinking that I have to send them out by 9/1.  Well after checking The Blue Blog I now know that they're not due to be sent out until mid-sept.  Thank goodness! 

There is no way that I would have had the socks finished by 9/1. I am SO busy with the upcoming Preemie Project donation and the new website.  The donations are really coming in.  I'm so happy!  You can see them in the photo album.  There will be many more to come in the next couple of weeks. 

If you would like to volunteer for The Preemie Project, email me at: thepreemieproject AT yahoo DOT com    for more information.  We need all the help we can get.

GREAT news!

I received more great news about my leg today.  Well before I tell all about it I should probably explain for those new to my blog.  I'll try to make a long story short. 

I've spent the past year recovery from a nerve injury I sustained during knee surgery.  I went in for a pretty large knee operation on 8/13/2004 and came out with my sciatic nerve injured in my thigh.  For those of you who don't know, nerve damage is EXTREMELY painful.  Nerve pain is really unlike any other pain.  It's burning and electrical, literally.

So, once I got home from the hospital 5 days post-op I immediately noticed a difference,  My left calf was really uncomfortable.  Actually I was uncomfortable from my underneath my leg mid-thigh down to my toes.  I came home with a numb foot, that I could barely move, and I couldn't move my toes at all.  I felt for days like my calf was cramping.  When I tried to take my first shower I was sitting on a seat in the shower.  My mom propped my foot up on a trashcan turned upside down.  Even with that my leg was still hanging down and I bawled through the whole thing.  My calf hurt SO bad.

So anyway I can see that this is getting long.  My pain was so bad when my leg was hanging down that i could barely get to the bathroom.  My dad became very concerned when I couldn't get down the stairs of the house to go to a doctor's appt.  They had to hold my leg up while I went down on my butt.  My doctor couldn't figure out what was going on so he sent me to the pain clinic.  My doctor there diagnosed the nerve damage in my thigh.

Since then we have been waiting for the nerve to regenerate.  The only thing we've been able to do was control the pain with meds and wait.  I spent 6 months pretty much bed ridden.  Then once I was taking enough meds I was slowly able to get around.  The more they upped the meds the better I got around.  Now I'm walking with a cane in the house but I'm in a wheelchair out of the house.

I was only supposed to move home for 6 weeks to recover fromt he surgery.  Well six weeks turned into 5 months.  My parents moved my home permanently by christmas '04.  That was really difficult to accept.  I had to put college, work and my life on hold.  Since then it's been a waiting game.

Three months ago my pain doc said that the nerve had grown down to my knee.  This was great news.  That was the first time I had been told that the nerve was regenerating.  Today I went back for a check up.  More GREAT NEWS!  The nerve is half-way down my calf!  I don't feel any better and I can't be up for more than 1-2 minutes, but I'm still SO happy.  My hope is that the nerve will be in my ankle in 3-4 months and I can get back to my life.

I do have to be realistic.  They still cannot tell us if the pain will go away as the nerve comes back.  The do hope that it will be they cannot say indefinitely that it will.  That's hard to swallow but I'm staying positive.  There's just no other way to be.  For now I'm going to put all of my nervous energy into The Preemie Project and hope for the best. I still have faith...

Super Secret Project Revealed

Me and Mama, who is going to KILL me for this.  Sorry mom, I like this picture of you. 

This picture was taken a couple weeks ago at a wedding shower for my good friend Lisa.  I've recently cut about 3-4 inches off my hair and also added new blonde highlights.  So it's shorter and blonder.  You actually can't tell how long it really was in this pic b/c it's all behind my shoulders.

WOW!  How in the world did I go off on a tangent about my hair?!  Wierd. Back on track.  Thank you for all of your birthday wishes for my mom.  She says "thank you!" to you all. 

I can finally reveal my Super Secret Project.  I bet you've all been wondering, right?  Humor me.  I decided to knit a Clapotis as a birthday gift for my mom this year.  I decided to use Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb, because the colorways are so gorgeous.  Plus I've heard such great things about it and really wanted to have some in my possession, even if the project wasn't for me.  It is a wonderfully soft yarn.  This fall, if time and money permit, I will have to knit a Clapotis from the Lorna's as a Christmas gift.

I started my mom's Clapotis around the beginning of July, once the yarn arrived in the mail.  I really wanted to surprise my mom with it so I decided to knit it in secret.  That meant not being able to post about it on my blog.  Plus since I'm dependent on my parents, I had to work on it when my mom was either out of the house or asleep.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to get much knitting done on it on her days off or when she decided to stay up late.  In the end I really didn't get enough done.

So anyway I REALLY tried, but I was unable to complete it in time.  It's pretty sad actually because it's a bit shy of being half finished.

So here's how far I got.  Even though it wasn't finished I still decided to show it to my mom.  I was SO happy that she loved the colorway.  I picked it out online, thinking that it was perfect for her.  Then when it came in the mail the colors where much richer and darker than they had looked.  At first I was a little upset about the colorway but it really began to grow on me.  I really like it now.  All that really matters is that mom said she loves the color.  That's enough for me!

I do wish that I had finished it.  Oh well, right?  It's so hot here that she won't be able to wear it until the fall anyway.  Now I have to put it aside to finish my Sockapal-2-za socks and my Preemie Project donations.  I have SO MANY blankets to sew.  Our first hospital donation is just around the corner, on 9/1.  Exciting!

Happy Birthday Mama!

Today is Linda Aker's 49th birthday!  She sure doesn't look old enough to be 49 or have a 23 year old daughter.  She gets more gorgeous with every coming year. 

Happy birthday to you!  Happy birthday to you!  Happy birthday dear mama, Happy birthday to you! 

I love you mama.  I hope that the years to come just keep getting better.  My mom spent the day watching movies, knitting and eating whatever she wanted.  It doesn't get much better than that.

Off to my Meeting

I'm all packed up and ready to go.

I have all of my example items all packed and ready to go.  Oliver has been really interested in these bags.  He can't stand not being able to see what is inside a closed plastic bag.  I wont dare open these because he tends to crawl all of the way in along with everything that's in the bag.  He's such a nut. 

I'm taking various sizes and types of the items with me today.  Some of the items volunteers made and some I made.  I don't have a lot of time to take a bunch of pictures right now.  So I'm just going to include the items that I haven't shown here yet.

Here are the latest blankets that we've finished.  I actually did most of these on my own.  The only thing my mom did was zig-zag the satin binding on.  The one on the top is fleece on fleece with the edging on two sides.  The other is while fleece on purple flannel with edging on two side.  We've decided that the flannel on fleece is the best combination.  It's so soft!

Actually, I think I just might be getting a hold on this sewing thing.  A couple days ago I felt really hopeless.  I know that I still have such a long way to go.  Still I think that I should be good to go on any future blankets.  This is a fact that I konw makes my mom jump for joy.  I know that she would much rather be knitting and relaxing than sewing with me.  Thank you for the sewing lessons mom!  Have I mentioned that you're the best?

Here's an angel pocket (bereavement wrap or fetal demise pouch) that my mom wipped up last night.  I wanted to have one to take in to the meeting today.  This item is a work in progress but I'm happy with the result.  This view is with it open.

Here's the view with it all tied up shut.  It looks like an angel, doesn't it?  I think that this is one of the most important items that The Preemie Project can provide.  The pocket is made with while satin on the outside and pink flannel on the inside.  Here is where we got the idea from: pattern

Well I'm off to my meeting.  I should have sockapal-2-za pics later.  I've actually made "some" progress.

I'm in Love

I had a lot of fun today.  This was in part because I spent the day out of the house and also because it involved a trip to my favorite LYS.  YEA Beads and Beyond!  I just hope that my mom had at least half as much fun as I did.

The day started out with an early physical therapy appointment.  I hate early appointments because it means that I have to get out of bed.  I still always love therapy.  The physical pain is never fun but I love my physical therapist.  She's like a second mother to me and we always have the best chats.  In a way she has also been my mental therapist throughout the past year.       

After my appointment we ran a quick errand.  Then it was off the Beads and Beyond.  YEA!!  One of the things I love about that place is that every time I visit I always find something new.  I love that!  This time I feel in love with this:

Bam Boo from Crystal Palace yarns.  I had heard about this yarn but had never seen it for myself.  I absolutely love it!  The store already had a scarf knit up from it.  I felt the scarf and I was hooked.  I had to get two skeins to make the scarf for myself.  Now I will have a brand new pink scarf for the fall.  I'm so excited!

I also picked up some size 1.25mm knitting needles for bead knitting.  Now I finally have all of the materials I need to knit this:

I think this pattern is so cute.  It's called Mary Ella, is from Knitty.com.  I purchased the Pearle Cotton and seed beads awhile back.  If I remember correctly mine is going to be in pink, lavendar and white.  It's been so long that I don't remember what color the seed beads were.  I hope to get to this sometime after The Preemie Project's 9/1 hospital donation.  I'm going to be pretty busy until then.

I also picked up some goodies for my Secret Pal for SP5.  I hope to get a package out by Saturday.  I probably drove Dawn, one of the owners of Beads and Beyond, absolutely nuts while I agonized over what to get my secret pal.  Someday I'm not going to worry so much.  Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it! 

The last thing I purchase was some beads to make stitch markers for a friend.  Of course I fogot something too.  I forgot to get the rings for the stitch markers.  Ahhh!  I might have to improvise.

As always, I had a great time in Beads and Beyond.  Dawn is always so much fun to chat with.  I'm already looking forward to my next visit.  Thanks again for all of your help Dawn.  I appreciate it!

After we finished at Beads and Beyond we headed to Walmart.  There we picked up materials to make more baby blankets and some satin to sew bereavement wraps/pouches.  I'll have more blankets, a bereavement wrap and sockapal-2-za progress to show tomorrow.  For now it's time for bed.  It's been a long day and I'm exhausted. (yawn)

Feelin' much better, thank you!

Thank you so much for all of the warm comments the past week.  I'm back among the living.  A swollen, sore throat is all that's left.  That virus really knocked the wind out of me.  I was so incredibly tired and weak.  My strength is back and I'm feeling so much better.  Thank you!

In the aftermath my life is total chaos.  I had to make myself a list last night of the things to get finished.  Plus having a list always makes me feel better.  At least I shouldn't forget anything that way.  Here's my list:

#1 Stitch Marker Mania

I had wanted to get the markers I made for Stitch Markers Mania sent out last week.  Yeah that didn't happen.  I had previously two sets with one to go.  If all goes well these will hopefully go out in the mail tomorrow.

Here is Set #1.  I love that little sheep charm! 

Here is Set #2.  I had to include the yarn ball and needles charm.

This was my last sheep charm.  That calls for a trip to my LYS for more!  I'll use just about any excuse to go there.

Back to my list...

#2 Prepare for appointment with U of I Nurse Manager

I have an appointment on Thursday afternoon with the nurse manager of the NICU at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.  We are going to discuss the upcoming donation to their unit.  I need to prepare the things I would like to discuss.

One of the things I would like to do is to take in examples of the types of items that The Preemie Project can offer.  I also wanted to start this last week.  Being sick can really mess things up.

I've been making a list of the items we can offer and checking it off for the items I need examples of:

-Hats (I already have a couple in different sizes to show)

-Booties (I already have a couple in different sizes to show)

-Blankets: -crocheted/knitted example and sewn examples

I have some excellent crocheted examples that arrived about a week ago.  Thanks Cathy!

What I don't have is some sewn blankets.  I started working on sewing some blankets late this weekend.  The only time I've used the sewing machine was for a class in 8th grade.  That was along time ago!  Thankfully my mom has been giving me some basic sewing lessons.  It's beginning to come back.  We managed to finish 5 tiny blankets between the two of us.  I won't deny that my mom did do most of the work!

Four of the blankets will be for little boys and one is for a little girl. 

The boys blankets were made using two pieces of thin flannel.  My mom and I weren't quite satisfied with how they turned out.  Mom said, "they're not special enough" and I totally agree.  They'll make great burb blankets once the babies go home. 

The other blanket was made from two pieces of fleece and has satin edging all the way around.  I like putting two pieces of fleece back to back but all future blankets will probably only have the edging on two sides. 

Since we aren't crazy about putting the flannel back to back, we're going to try flannel and fleece together instead.  I think it'll work great.  We're going to put the satin edging on as many as we can.  We have a lot of fabric to use up.

Once I know enough to be able to work on the blankets by myself I should be able to get a lot more finished.  I plan to put a blanket with each hat and bootie set I've already knitted.  I would like to do more but we'll see how it goes.

-Bereavement and Burial items

I have examples of crocheted and knitted outfits.  I unfortunately do not have a good example of a boy outfit.  I also need examples of burial wraps and buntings.

I have to show off the gorgeous gown my mom just finished:

She really did such a great job. She used this pattern.  I think that it is one of the best knit gown patterns on the net.  At least it's the cutest one that I've found. There is a bonnet and booties to match but they are still in the works.  It's so pretty. 

I think she is going to change the ribbon to pink or purple for a little girl.  It's too feminine for a boy.

I didn't even come close to completing my goal for Internation Crafts Charity Week.  I started last week trying to find patterns that worked for a boy.  Then I became sick so early in the week that I was never able to get started.  Now I have too many other things to work on. 

The Preemie Project volunteers did an excellent job for the week.  I'm still working on totalinf up the items they completed but so far it is 31 items from only twelve people.  That's so fantastic!  I'm excited to see what the numbers add up to.  Great job everyone!

That's enough of my list for my nurse manager appointment.  If I continued this post would be extrememly long.

#3 Finish my Super Secret Project

I've been working on this project whenever I can.  It's starting to look like it will not be finished by the deadline.  Either way I should have some pics to show this weekend.  Can you stand the suspense?!\

#4 Work on Sockapal-2-za socks

I'm also behind on these. AHHH!  I won't take a progress pic because, well, my progress is pathetic.  It's going to be down to the wire with these. 

Seeing as I'm behind on everything, I better get knittin'.  I also have to catch up on my bloglines and email.  It's going to be a busy week.  Better busy than boring!