2016-08-20 Personal Notes

This week, we learned from C. at RCBM that M’s cancer returned. She left work about 2 weeks ago. I sent her a text message, and hope that she will recover.

I’ll ask at the office if they can forward this hat to my friend. Or if necessary, I will donate it in her honor at the cancer center of the local hospital.

2016-11-26 Brim

Orange Brim:

I’m realizing that this orange yarn isn’t so orange in bright daylight. It’s almost a pinkish orange. I hope she likes it anyway.

1. Single crochet 1 round in contrast color. Slip stitch to join, then turn.
2. Work 11 rounds in dc grit stitch in turned and joined rounds (like hat, except using dc instead of hdc).
3. At last round of dc grit stitch, join, but do not turn.
4. The grit stitch rounds ended facing inside. The brim is folded up, so this becomes the outside.
5. Work reverse sc (crab st) very loosely, allowing fabric to stay soft and fluffy.

I added a lightweight plastic gold tone button. Attaching it with yarn to the outside brim only and trying to pad it so it doesn’t feel like a hard lump when worn.

I added black thread elastic on the outside grey hat band area under the brim, to help the soft alpaca hat to keep its size and shape. It’s not pulled tightly at all, just the same size and stretchability as the hat.

Instead of tacking the brim in place, I threaded a strand of the orange yarn in and out as a drawstring. It’s just under the reverse sc border, tied with a soft bow in between the brim and hat. This will allow my friend to tighten the brim into place if needed, keeping the folded height of the hat customized.

I think this came out really excellent and I hope she likes it. The Flicker yarn is very cushy and soft, yet alpaca is warm. So I hope she finds it useful as well for our Michigan winters.

I started this hat a long while ago, as a second orange hat gift for a friend. I’m glad I’ve gotten it completed.

2017-08-15 Update

In December, I left this hat at her office to be picked up. She wrote me a lovely letter, telling me how soft the hat was and how much she loved it, even as a sleeping cap, because it was warm, yet not too hot.

She did come back to work in the spring, and I got to see her a few times before she again had to stop working.

My friend Marie McMahon died August 2, 2017.

She was a beautiful woman of great intelligence and compassion, who was of tremendous comfort and help to me over the past decade.

I’m glad that I could also give her comfort and hope several years ago, when her mother lost her own battle with cancer.

I pray that Jehovah God may keep her in His memory, and that I may see her again in His paradise. Then neither of us will ever be sick again, and I will teach her more about the great love and mercy of our Sovereign in the heavens.

2017-09-17 My Annual Favorites List for 2016

I’m adding this to my annual favorites list that I share publicly and on Pinterest. I’m very happy with the way it turned out, and so glad that Marie got so much use out of it and enjoyed it.