DHJ Design Studio

This is the cardigan that I used as a winter jacket this year. I made it as part of the Knit-Along (KAL) on the Ample Knitters List last winter (Jan. 2005). I decided this morning that I should take some photos (only six months after completion). It was really difficult to capture the patterning on the front and back.

I knit this sweater with some Bouquet 4 ply Polar bulky weight 100% wool yarn that was waiting patiently in my stash for the right project to come along. I followed the pattern pretty much as written except I increased along the sides to accommodate my larger hips. The finished measurements ended up being 59" at the bust and 65" at the hip. I fulled the completed sweater just a little to make it more wind and weather proof then took it to my favourite seamstress and had her put in a heavy-duty two-way zipper. When I'm sitting on my scooter I can zip it up all the way and unzip a little from the bottom so the sweater doesn't make a huge bulge in front. I've got enough tummy of my own I don't need to make it look larger and it also keeps my legs warmer when it lies flat.

I also made myself a felted hat to go with my sweater. You can see me in my ensemble as I ride the lift into the HandyDART bus on my way home from the pool. I go to the pool four times a week and spend an hour doing my exercises.

Well, time to go and knit on my socks and plan my next knitting adventure! I have some Butterfly Super 10 cotton in a pretty coral colour that might make a nice summer weight High Mesa Cardigan.

I completed the Streakers Shrug from the Spring 06 issue of Interweave Knits on Sunday and got some photos taken this morning. I used the end of the cone of yarn that I made my Fenna shawl with and had to finish up the cuffs and neck ribbing with another yarn from my stash. It even looks like I planned it that way! Anyway, I like it and it fits me well, looks pretty and keeps my arms and shoulders warm to boot. I think I'll make another one or two for this summer.

Ta-Da! My version of the Pocketbook Slippers! Worn with my new handknit socks. The actual colour of the slippers is in the photo with the ball of yarn in it. The 100g ball of Patons Decor yielded two pairs of slippers. The funny looking little "purse" at the top of the photo is what the slippers look like before you put them on your feet. They are very stretchy and fit a variety of foot sizes.

I used my new Bryspun 4.5mm circular needle to knit these slippers. I hadn't tried the Bryspun circular needles before although I've been using the dpn's for a couple of years now. I'm quite pleased with the feel and weight of them in my hands.

And for those that are wondering, the socks were made with Confetti sock yarn on 2mm bamboo double pointed needles; with my own toe-up pattern that I concocted to accommodate my ever changing swollen ankles. I'm going to try my hand at writing out the pattern and posting it as a pdf document very soon. I have enjoyed downloading the pdf patterns from other blogs so want to give it a try with my own pattern. I haven't created a pdf document before but it can't be that hard, right?

As you can tell from my previous post, I've been working very diligently this morning. Well, I have... just not strictly on my Business Abilities course. I'm working on Module Two, Developing Your Business Idea. I've pretty much got the business concept part completed and have started delving into the marketing section.

So I decided to do a little "market research" and check out some of the websites I've got bookmarked, then I checked out a few of my favourite blogs, found the Pirate Name thingy and got myself sidetracked.

Now I'm working on some Pocketbook Slippers, while I surf the net (ummm.... do some "market research"). I do like this little slipper pattern though, I've just about finished the first one now. I'll do a fibre report with photos either later today or tomorrow. I finished up the Streakers Shrug last night and will wash and block it today and I'm just about finished a pair of socks for me too.

I finished up my Fenna Shawl this weekend! This is the shawl from Myrna Stahman's Shawls and Scarves book and I actually followed her pattern without any deviations. A first for me! I always seem to change something in a pattern as I go along. So, here are some photos of me wearing my shawl after machine washing and drying, with no blocking.


I like it! It's really comfortable and soft.

The first two photos are front and back untied and the second two photos are front and back with the ends tied around my waist.

Yarn Details: A cone of fingering weight acrylic that has been lingering in my yarn stash for a while. I used a 3.75 mm circular needle to achieve the gauge called for in the pattern.

The cone started out at about 24 oz. and the shawl used about 16 oz., so that leaves me with about 8 oz. left to play with. I've decided to make the Streakers Shrug from the new Spring Interweave Knits magazine. I'm using the yarn doubled for this one with a 5 mm needle to achieve the gauge in the pattern.

The amount of yarn might be close on this one so I'll make the cuffs with a different yarn if need be. Well, I'm off to do a little knitting. Talk to you soon.

Volunteer work in my community has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid I always did the Y Walkathon every spring and sold raffle tickets and Girl Guide cookies too. When I was raising my children my volunteer work revolved around them and their activities.

I loved it when they were in the Nancy Greene Ski League and when they graduated to the local ski team as teenagers. I was the Race Secretary for the Downhill Event at Spring Break for a number of years, thus earning my "Downhill Junkie" nickname. Ahhhh, I do miss skiing!!

These days my volunteer passion is the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP). I am a Volunteer Program Leader and a Master Trainer and really enjoy working to promote this program.

Last summer I had the opportunity to create a presentation for a conference in September, 2005, the New Perspectives Conference. I created a poster entitled, "Nothing About Me Without Me - The Patient Voice". I've put a link to the pdf document of the poster in the links column if you'd like to read it. It is quite a large document, so be warned, it might take a while to download.

I want this blog to be a journal of my journey to self-employment. I got accepted into the Self-Employment Program for People with Disabilities through the BC Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance in the summer of 2005. It took a while to get my file underway as very few people have signed up for the program in this area.

Attending the local business startup classes in person was a problem for me so I was stalled again for a little while, not to mention I was committed to a lot of volunteer and family activities during the fall. By November I was getting pretty burned out and the weekend of my daughter's wedding on November 26, I came down with a huge dose of strep throat/pneumonia. It took most of December and January to recover from that and my energy levels are still very low.

Meanwhile, in one of the many email newsletters that I receive I found a link for the Business Abilities Website and checked it out. It seemed ideal for my situation so I applied and got the necessary approvals in place. I started the online Entrepreneurial Training for Persons With Disabilities course at the beginning of February.

The first week, as I was aquainting myself with the website and course material, I realized that I needed different glasses for working at the computer. My regular glasses are trifocals and work really well for my life in general but when staring at a computer monitor for any length of time I found that it was the narrow middle piece of the lenses that I was trying to look through to see the screen. So I checked with my Optical office about getting the middle prescription lenses put into my old frames. $150.00! And not covered by my medical....what to do... what to do...

Made a deal with the optician to pay $50.00 per month. Yes! So now I have computer glasses and no headache and only two payments to go.

Now I'm working through Modules One, Two and Three in bits and pieces until my payday at the end of March, when I can get some printer ink and paper, and print out some of the worksheets that I want to ponder over with pen and paper.

That's enough intro for today, more tomorrow...

I think I've got this figured out now! I've been playing with web design and blogging software the last couple of days and I should be working on my business plan. Oh well, the knowledge won't go to waste.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we might as well dance!!