Sheila Joynes

New designs in 60 Quick Knit Cowls.

My new designs in the 60 Quick Knit Cowls from 6th and Spring  books and Cascade yarns. 

These are two designs I knit and designed when I was going through breast Cancer Treatment in Fall 2014.  It was a challenge, but I finished them. :-)

 

I Can’t Believe I’m Fair Isle Knitting

 

 

Just arrived! $9 plus shipping for an Autographed copy! You can also order them from Heart2Heart shop in Poulsbo, WA

 

Espresso 9 months old!

Sometimes I can’t Sleep!

Photo credit: Tami Ruble / Alamy Stock Photo

I sometimes can’t sleep and find that counting backwards thinking of a peaceful place I remember helps me fall asleep. In 6th grade there was huge amount  of turmoil in my family. I walked past an old deserted building on the way home from school.  The grass was tall. I would walk to the back and lay down in the tall grass watching the clouds gently move through the blue sky and the grass and flowers sway in the slight breeze. I still remember the smell of the flowers and grass. It relaxes me and I find myself taking nice deep breaths. -- 

 

“ I Can’t Believe I Am Knitting Fair Isle”

If anyone needs this book, I have some available! Please PM me! I wrote this book as if I was teaching a class. It starts  with easy projects and moving to more advanced.  There is also a section explaining how to carry floats. Let me know if you have any questions. 

It is a two handed Fair Isle technique. These beautiful hats were knit by good friend, Melanie Williams

❤️ for her beautiful grandchildren.

Cardigan for a Clients grandson

✅ Done with buttons! Yarn Cascade Elysian purchased from Sock Peddlers and pattern is Bryons Cardigan from Ravelry

Knitting Too Tight or Too Loose!

I was thinking about knitting tight vs knitting loose. 

I have studied this and researched it several years ago. I have found that the “recommended” knitting technique is accomplished by using the tips (red) of the needles and as the stitch is formed  move it the right needle not stretching but gently right over the area (blue) where the needle starts to get bigger. (I hope this makes sense)

 

I have two examples that come to mind. 

1: one knitting student couldn’t get gauge ( it was always the same no matter what needle she used) and I said let me watch you knit. We discovered she was stretching the yarn the same amount as moved from the left to the right. So, the gauge was the stretch. 

 

2. Another student was a very loose knitter and I watched her and she was forming the stitch with the larger part of the needle instead of the tips. 

 

I am not saying that Knitting too loose or too tight is wrong, but this is just a skill or technique that I learned to help students through the years. 

 

Oncology appointment yesterday. 01/11-2018
Everything looks good! Recheck in 6 months. Cancer free 3 years!

Georgeanne's Hat

New hat pattern great for those quick holiday gifts. Knit with Cascade's Baby Alpaca Chunky makes it lovely knit and it will be happily received by the recipient. Knit with size 11 in a just a couple of hours.

Available on Ravelry

My design available in the Vogue Knitting as a download PDF

 

Summer August 2015

Beautiful garden this year. Zucchini, Swiss Chard, Kale, Potatoes, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Pumpkin, Winter Squash, Artichoke, Blueberries, Carrots, and Beets. We have had perfect weather and I used organic fish compost.
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Stamina "NOT Quite There"

I was so excited to complete my radiation treaments and get back to work full time. I was up and at "em early this morning. My excitement was contagious. Everyone was happy. I was feeling good and  ready to tackle the day.

Well, evidently my husband and doctor are wiser than I am. I hit rock bottom tonight. I AM SO TIRED.

My plans to work a nine hour day  tomorrow are gone by the way side. I will go in later, so I can make it until eight tomorrow evening.

 

Radiation Finished

I finished my last dose of radiation yesterday. I was emotional a good portion of the day. It felt like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I am so happy that I can  now start getting my stamina back. I am thankful for the caring staff at the Cancer Care Center and to my wonderful family and friends for their support.  

I had the idea to celebrate, but after a few errands we decided to wait a few days for the celebration.  I ran of of steam quickly. 

The most difficult of radiation is the lost of energy, burning and pain. I had  a total of 33 treatments. 

My sister, Tacey surprised me these beautiful carnations. 33 of them and the center seven are for the heavy contracted doses I received to last seven days. 

Cancer

 


What it means to me!

Cancer is a funny disease. It is an emotional and physical roller coaster ride, but through this journey, I have been given a gift!   I don’t know if it is because you have the fear of dying and leaving your loved ones and life that you love so dearly or what, but it has given me a new perspective about life. I value every little thing that before I took for granted. If something irritated you before,  it now becomes a blessing. You love everything from a rainy day to a smile. If someone is sad you want to touch their heart to bring them gladness. I am coming to the end of my treatment and feel joy that I can share this experience and I can do something to touch those around me with the gift of life.

 

Breast Assay Cancer test

Doctor appts today! Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Assay test ordered! This test will basically tell me if they need to do Chemo. Result consultation appt is Oct 9th 4:30pm. 

I am praying for it to come back low= no chemo.

It is wonderful test and it will let us know if the cancer will return. Radiology appt. next Monday along with Ortho. Did I say I feel like I am falling apart? I hardly needed to go to the doctor except for my yearly physical! In fact, I don't even get colds! What's up with this mess?

They will be looking at 21 genes

Step Two: Pathology Report
GREAT NEWS! Negative margins and Sentinel gland is free of cancer. I won't need chemo, radiation only! SOOOOOOO Happy!

Day 3

Dressing removed. I am covered in a painful red rash on the left side of my upper body. Possibly from the tape or the cleanser they used in surgery. I have been up and around the last two days. I feel lightheaded at times. I have quit taking my pain pills. It just feels uncomfortable and pressure in my breast. Refusing to take any pain pills. I dislike the way they make me feel when I take them.

 

Stitch & Sail with Debbie Macomber, Cascade Yarns, and Debbie Macomber's A Good Yarn Shop

Post Surgery Day 2

I slept well last night! No pain pills needed. Ice pack is definitely the way to keep the pain under control. No temp or drainage on dressing! I will be able to remove dressing this evening and take a shower. :-) I was up and around yesterday getting stronger day by day.

Blue Urine

"She out of surgery, it went well, she is in recovery right now. Now 5 to 7 days to see if surrounding tissue and lymph gland come back negative. Looks good though."

 

a post on facebook posted yesterday 08-25-14

 

Step one of this journey is complete and I am so happy. My anxiety of surgery and flying is that I have is fear of dying in surgery or the plane will crash.  I admit I couldn't tell anyone how afriad I was, especially my family because I didn't them to fret. I cried alot this last week and said lots of prayers. Thousands of people fly daily and have surgery and make it through just fine.

 

I am drinking lots of fluid to get ride of  this blue urine. It is from the radioactive dye they use to check out the sentinel lymph gland.  I will get the results in 5-7 days. Praying they are negative. It will make a difference if I have to do Chemo or just radiation , or do another surgery to remove more.

 

In the photo it looks green today, but last night it was a bright blue. 

 

 

 

I imagine a tatoo will be a piece of cake after this! Eight needles were inserted ito my nipple and areola and a needle to insert the marking wire into my tumor, They do this procedures for lumpectomy. But at this time I choose conservation instead of mastecomy. I am just waiting to go into surgery.