My first pattern!

Ok, so not technically, but it will be the first one I'm sharing on my blog. I made this little lady for a friend who had to undergo an emergency hysterectomy. She wanted me to make her something that would make her laugh & she has an amazing sense of humor. So I decided to make her a happy uterus to replace the very unhappy one she was losing. I called her Womb-y, but she renamed her. Introducing Ursula Uterus!



I made her out of some leftover baby yarn and a hook one size smaller than what is called for on the yarn label. She also has pipe cleaners in her Fallopian tubes to make them poseable. Once my friend saw her, she immediately asked me to make Ursula some friends, so I whipped up this little entourage to remind her of all the things she no longer needs to worry about: Sally Sanitary-Napkin, Tammy Tampon & Sid the Sperm.



I am happy to report, my friend loved them & they now live on her desk at work. I love the expression on Ursula's face; I think it makes her look like she has a secret. So now, on to the pattern. If you have any comments or corrections, just let me know & I'll fix them! :)


What you will need:

pink yarn (I used Bernat Softee Baby)
small amount of white yarn of the same weight (Again, I used Bernat SB)
small amount of black yarn for features
hook 1 size smaller than called for on the label (I used an F)
stitch marker
2 pink pipe cleaners
yarn needle
fiberfill


Abbreviations:

BO = Bind off
Ch = Chain
Ea = Each
Sc = Single crochet
St = Stitch
Sctog = Single crochet together, used as a decrease. You may use an invisible decrease if you prefer



Happy Uterus Pattern

This project is worked in the round throughout.

Using pink yarn, ch 2
6sc in first stitch (6 st)
(2sc in ea st) (12 st)
1sc in ea st around, using front loop only (12 st)
Work even for 1/2- 3/4" (mine was 3/4" to use as a reference)
(1sc, 2sc in same st) around (18 st)
Work even for 1 row
(1sc, 2sc in same st) around (27 st)
(2sc, 2sc in same st) around (36 st)
Work even for 1 row
(3sc, 2sc in same st) around (45 st)
Work even for 9 rows
(4sc, 2sc in same st) around (54 st)
(5sc, 2sc in same st) around (63 st)
Work even for 5 rows
(5sc, 2sctog) around (54 st)
(4sc, 2sctog) around (45 st)
(3sc, 2sctog) around (36 st)
***Stuff with fiberfill before continuing for a firmer finished result***
(2sc, 2sctog) around (27 st)
(1sc, 2sctog) around (18 st)
(2sctog) around (9 st)
***Stuff with fiberfill. Make sure it is as firm as you would like before you continue***
(1sc, 2sctog) around (6 st)
(2sctog) around (2 st)
BO & close hole


**I chose to embroider the features on her once she was stuffed, but if you would prefer you can put on the features before you stuff the main body of the project**



Fallopian Tube Pattern (Make 2)

Using pink yarn, ch 5
Sc in ea st around (5 st)
Work in the round for desired length (Mine are 4 3/4")
Thread pipe cleaner through center- this process can be eased by threaded pipe cleaner through yarn needle & using the yarn needle to help the pipe cleaner through the tube.
Weave in one end of loose yarn.
Use other loose yarn end to sew the tube onto the body of the uterus.
This is the tricky part & can be omitted or done differently if you would prefer: Attatch pink yarn to exposed end. Wrap yarn loosely up & around the stitched to create loops which form the Fimbriae of the Fallopian Tubes.



Ovaries (Make 2)

Using white yarn, ch 2
6sc in first st (6 st)
(2sc in ea st) around (12 st)
Work even for 1 row
(2sctog) around (6 st)
(2sctog) twice
Fasten off, stuff & close hole
Sew ovary in the middle of the loops created at the end of the tubes.


I hope you enjoy Ursula! I'll work on getting the accessories posted soon :)
Happy hooking!
)O( Heather

I AM really bad at blogging

Well hi there. Another pretty long period without blogging. I don't even really have an excuse for it. I'm still out of work, still applying for jobs, only issue is there are not many places that are hiring right now. Dish Network has decided not to override their 6 month return policy and indeed has upped it to 12 months. So now, I can't reapply until I have been gone for a year. I was devastated when I got that email, but I'm starting to spring back. I just don't know what I'm going to do now. You wouldn't ever think it would be so difficult for someone with a college education to be able to find a job, but it is.
The only two positive things that have come out of this are that I have been able to spend a lot more quality time with my nieces, and I have been able to craft more. But I can only craft with what is in my stash since I can't buy anything new. My newest little obsession is those origami puffy stars. I can use old magazine, junk mail, cards, colored printer paper, anything! Yesterday I made 183 of them. I know it sounds like it's a lot, but each one only takes about 30 seconds, if that.
I also was able to make some presents for my friend Michelle, who is expecting any week now. I made her a chocolate strawbaby blanket (it was pink, chocolate brown and cream) with two matching bibs in chocolate & pink. The pattern I used was the Modern Baby Bib and they turned out soooo cute!! They almost look like little purses.
My aunt & I have started a catering business called The Aunts Catering and we have had a couple of jobs so far. It's not a steady source of income yet, so I definitely am still searching for another job. This week I'm planning on applying to Verizon and the Roanoke County & City school systems. Hopefully one of those will work out, but I'm not so sure. I'm kind of losing faith at this point, but I'm trying to just hold my head up. I can't begin to tell you how embarrassing it is to have to tell people that I am unemployed. I know I am not alone in this economy but it feels like it.
Well, that is enough pity party for now. I'll update my projects list & post some pics I took with my camera phone. My digital camera is still in storage 3 hours away, so the pics are going to suck. Sorry about that. But at least you can see how cute these bibs are!! :)



This chocolate brown baby bib has a strawberry button closure & an assymetric cabled neck.



This pretty little pink bib has the same cabled assymetric neck & a pastel pink button closure. Both are knit.


Blessed Be )O( Heather

The Adventures of the Unemployed

This whole being unemployed thing apparently only brings fulfillment if you are unemployed because you are a novelist, stay-at-home wife or mom. It is just not doing it for me.
It started out ok. As I think I mentioned before that I was trying to get back into school for the upcoming semester. At that time my unemployment had a definite end on the horizon and a purpose. At least, it had some upcoming event that gave me an excuse to content myself with the state of my life. Unfortunately, my financial aid did not come through in time and I was unable to return to school. I am now setting my sites on the fall semester at a cheaper school to finish out my bachelor's. I'll sink myself deeper in debt for my master's and go to a good school, even if it is far more expensive than the alternatives.
Normally, Echostar requires that a previous employee be gone for at least 6 months before they are eligible for rehire. I've been gone for a few weeks shy of 4 months, but am going to go ahead and reapply. They have made exceptions before and I left work on very good terms. In fact, the director of the center even sat down with me to try and figure out how he could save me as an employee. Unfortunately, my only concern is that none of the managers who have supervised my work (or know of my capabilities) are working there any longer. 2 have been reassigned to other centers and one was demoted. There are several of my peers and my direct supervisors who will probably go to bat for me, but one can never be sure of the perceptions of others.
On the positive side, since I've moved back in with my father I have been able to take care of him. He works so hard all the time and is not getting any younger. He doesn't have time to take care of himself. I've been cooking him 3 square a day and making little goodies for his lunch. And I've been able to take care of the animals; I'm there with them all day, so the dog gets lots of excercise and the cats get lots of love :) I've also been able to do some good knitting and writing but I don't have any income to be able to beef up my yarn stash. My digital camera is also in storage so I can't take or upload any pics. Boo to that. I'm working on the Monk's Travel Satchel right now in olive green, brown and a third undetermined accent color. Any ideas, ladies and gents?
Apart from that, everything is going ok. I have started my new diet. A week in and I lost 2.5 lbs. Not great, but every step forward, no matter how small, is at least not a step backward. I'll try and update more frequently but I have proven to be an inconsistent blogger at best. LOL. Hope is everyone is doing well. I'll post pics when I can.
Blessed be!

A short update

I will endeavor to keep this as short as I possibly can :) Last week, with DJ's help, I submitted my reaudition CD. I never got a straight answer on whether I needed a video format audition DVD or if an audio only CD would work. So, as a live accompanist was required & I knew none in the area who were free to help, I submitted an audio-only audition. Still live accompaniment, but they didn't have to see who it was :) Kinda sneaky I know, but if I hadn't done it that way, I never would have been able to get my audition in on time.

Now all that's left is to wait. And worry. This is the bad part about college... well this and the money worries. Haha. That comes after I know I'm accepted I suppose. We'll see how it goes. I may need to wait until next fall, but I hope I can get in this semester. I'll sign off now, more to come later. :)

Blessed be,
Heather

Still no new pictures I'm afraid

But I did submit my application & financial aid paperwork. It was a big step for me to do that all on my own. I became so reliant on the joint efforts that come as being part of a couple... now I'm starting to reinvent myself as a single & am learning to stand on my own two feet. Either once I'm back in school, or once I get a full time job if school falls through, I'll move out on my own & start that adventure.

I had my first performance in over 4 years on Sunday. It was a church choir performance, but any step toward a dream counts. On the 30th I'll have another small performance. I have also been given an open invitation to join a choir affiliated with my old college for the upcoming semester. Normally one would need to audition, but the director told me to "just register & come on out". Which is awesome, cause he's never heard me. He's working off of the word of my old professors & choir mates. It's a cool feeling to be remembered as a good choral voice. Even though I want to branch out & cut my teeth on solo performing, it's always been my passion. For pity's sake, I mean I want to be a choral conductor, of course choir would be my first vocal passion.

My fingers are starting to get back into shape on the piano front as well. Still not great, but working on getting better again. The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome keeps me from getting back to the level I was at before, but I'm becoming passably good once more. Now if only SU would call me & tell me they reaccepted me, and FAFSA could tell me how much aid I'll be getting, I could move on with everything else. I'm going to need to take out extra loans to live on when I go back, so I'd take them out this semester so I wouldn't have to take out extra for living expenses for the next semester. I dunno how that will work, I'll have to get with the loan people to see how much I will qualify for. I just hope financially I'll be able to make it all come together.

On a fun side, I went to a live show on Saturday night fell in love! With a band. The Dreamscapes Project. Kind of a folk rock kinda fusion band. They played a club in Vienna called Jammin' Java. It was an intimate performance that I thoroughly enjoyed. The lead singer/guitarist, Keith Center, is a charismatic & entertaining front man, while the bass & drum kit support the sound of the band nicely. The two musical "oddities" of the band add an interesting element to the overall sound of the group. The percussionist (bongo, cymbal, pretty much everything not the standard kit-already referenced in this post) added a depth of rhythmic structure to the set; while the cellist, Ben Guy (with whom I went to college ages ago), gives a beautiful, sometimes haunting, sometimes melodic, sometimes outright rocking additional point of melodic interest.

I went home & friended them on Facebook. I know, I'm becoming a Facebook junkie. But all is well if that is my only embarrassing vice :) For now, I'm signing off to vacuum.

@-v-- Heather