Spokescat Charlie Announces A Winner!Mrs. Belli's is Done!

"And the winner of our first $21 gift certificate is...Holly of HollYarns!"   

"Please email my person at adamsdebra AT sbcglobal DOT net and let her know from which store you would like your gift certificate! Online or your LYS is fine.

And donations are now up to $1733! Thank you everyone!

Our next drawing will be the last weekend in April, for another $21 gift certificate.  Our drawing for our $30 gift certificate, and the lovely lace yarn from Katie, will be on Memorial Day weekend. Stay tuned! If you're new to this blog and wondering what the GYGIG fuss is, you can read about it here.

Now I'm going back to my nap..."

Mrs. Belli's Diamond Edging

Pattern from: Lace from the Attic by Nancie Wiseman (Interweave)
Yarn/Thread: Coats Opera, 100% cotton, 1 1/3? balls used, Color #510
Needles: Brittany dpns size 2
Started: 2000? 2001? My oldest UFO is finally finished. My friend C was there when I bought the thread and needles, so she knows it was a really long time ago! Finished: March 30, 2007.
Mods: none

Finished size (unblocked): pillow cases (top and bottom), 35", queen sheet (middle) 104"

Finishing Mrs. Belli's means not only did I complete a blue Project Spectrum project just before the colors change (to pink and green -- oh the joy!!), but it also means I can cross off the second of three projects on the New Year's Knitting Resolutions list. This one has been on there for several years in a row!

My great-grandmother crocheted beautiful lace edgings for her sheets and towels, and I thought it would be fun to do some lace myself. I have taken this project on vacations, and to hospitals for visiting three of my family members, so now there is a lot of my own history knitted into these edgings. Last fall I had made up my mind to finish them in time for a new house, and now that they are done, they will be ready if and when we are able to find one.

This past week, I did look for sheets for the edgings, but didn't find anything I loved. Interestingly enough, the standard length for a queen size sheet is 102", but every manufacturer chooses their own length, and I've seen everything from 102'-108'. I knitted to 104", and decided to leave the lace unblocked for now. When I find the right sheets, I can block the lace to the right length.

In the meantime, I just had to get these (photo is sideways):

When I saw them at the local bed & bath store, I thought they'd be perfect for a new house. It probably isn't a good idea to shop for that yet, but if worse comes to worse, we can always hang them here.

Thank you for your suggestions and stories on coping with allergies. In the bizzareness that is life sometimes, I went to an allergist this morning, and discovered I'm allergic to exactly nothing! No weeds, no molds, no dust, no pets (thank goodness; but I've lived with cats since I was 12 and should be immune by now). Having eliminated that, it must be a case of chronic sinusitis. He gave me some new medicine to try, and if the symptoms do not improve, then I'll get me to the ENT that I went to when Chris and I were first married. I got sinus infections every fall like clockwork back then, and a few months after we were married, Chris took me to this doctor for the good antibiotics when I was really sick. After writing out the prescription, he looked at Chris and said, you know, "You're still in that 6-month window; you can trade her in for a healthier model..."

I think now that we've been married nearly 12 years, it's safe to go back!

Comments

[Beth]

The edging is beautiful! Congratulations on a great accomplishment. I know you must feel terrific to have it done!

[Chris]

Congrats to Holly!! Charlie, could you be any cuter? No? I didn't think so.

About the edging - WOW. And congrats to you.

Is chronic sinusitis aka nonallergic rhinitis? Amazing the different names they can come up with for the same thing.

[Meg]

Oh I'm so happy for you with finishing that edging - it is lovely and I know you will get such satisfaction out of using the sheets and pillowcases which become the lucky recipients of such gilding!

[2paw]

What a Herculean task, though I'm sure Hercules/Heracles never knitted!!! Charlie looks very well and hgappy in the photo. How very strange that you are un-allergic!! Good news though, as allergies are boogelly, and antibiotics could fix your sinus problem.

[Felicia]

Gotta love those funny doctors.

[kendra]

That is a lot of lace! It is really lovely. I hope you manage to find some sheets worthy of it!

[Julie]

Congratulations, Holly! And congratulations to you, Chris, and Charlie on your fundraising. Really impressive!

The lace edgings are beautiful! Now comes the fun part - sewing them onto the sheets; I think I'd have to pay someone to do that.

[Rachel]

What!! Twelve years later it's not too late to go back and deck that doctor. I mean, I know, I'm sure he was being funny, but still! You just had a sinus infection, for god's sake. (Not sure why this has annoyed me when it clearly isn't tormenting you.)

Way to go with the lace edging! I hope you find some worthy sheets to attach it to.

[Sonya]

Your edging is so pretty! Why do doctors try to be funny? A doctor once told me I had a deviated septum, then he looked at Kevin and said, "Did you know she's damaged goods?" Needless to say, we never went to that joker again.

[Jenn]

The edging is lovely - a project that beautiful deserves to have time taken with it. I think I'd be afraid to use it!

[Devorah]

Lovely edging, truly a work of love. Sinus problems are the pits, sorry you are suffering.

[Sydney]

Congrats to Holly! What a cute kitty face. Charlie is looking mighty good.

The edging is lovely. I'm impressed. There's something about knitting long skinny things that just bogs me down.

[Meredith]

Congrats on finishing the UFO! It will look lovely on the sheets.

[Sheepish Annie]

The edging is just beautiful! What a nice way to add a little "pop" to the linens.

I'm hoping that Charlie doesn't get snapped up by one of the major networks. He is just so darned good on-camera that I fear he will go all Hollywood on us!

[Elinor]

A trade-in! What an idea! Didn't that doctor know you could just get a haircut and Chris would have a whole new wife? That's what one of my friends says when his wife changes her hairstyle.

That is a %^$& ton of lace edging! Good for you for diving into the UFO pile!

[Jane]

Beautiful edging! Congrats on not having any allergies, and I hope the new meds help your non-allergy symptoms.

[Kristen]

How satisfying to finish a long-term UFO. The edging is beautiful and will be the perfect touch when you find just the right sheet set.

[Robin]

Allergies are the worst - I am starting to feel the beginning of "allergy season" (a/k/a spring through fall - anytime without snow on the ground) coming on. I assume you have tried Allegra, Claritin - the Rx drugs are the only ones that help me.

[Robin]

Allergies are the worst - I am starting to feel the beginning of "allergy season" (a/k/a spring through fall - anytime without snow on the ground) coming on. I assume you have tried Allegra, Claritin - the Rx drugs are the only ones that help me.

I love Spokescat Charlie too! Wish my cats were so talented!

[wendy g]

Charlie makes a handsome spokescat. Your lace edging is just beautiful too.

[Karen]

Wow, that is a lot of edging! I bet that was fun to knit. I have a hard time knitting the lace edging for a facecloth. :)

[Nancy]

Did Charlie go to Spokescat School? His paws are in just the perfect position. The edging is beautiful!

[Laura]

Yay! congratulations on finally finishing the Mrs. Belli! I can't wait to see it on the sheets that you choose.

[leslie]

I agree with everyone else, wow!! on the edging. That looks like a huge undertaking. It's amazing to think that women used to do that all the time for sheets, pillow cases, hand towels and so on. I hope you find the perfect linens to add to your beautiful work.