Mid-Week. Asthma 1, Otter 0

Guess what we are doing today? That's right, playing the Asthma Game! Otter has been fighting it for a couple of days as I've already mentioned, and yesterday I expected a call from school but she managed to make the day. Then last night she seemed to be ok with minor symptoms. She was ok when she got up, we had breakfast and I could tell she didn't feel the best but she seemed to be alright. Then while she was getting dressed, her lungs started to tighten up and she had to get her inhaler. After she used the inhaler, she did feel a little better but still had the tightness. So I decided that she needed to stay home. It was not the original plan, but we've learned that with asthma things can change in seconds.

So she's been using her inhaler as needed today, staying warm and taking it easy. She's also been drinking a lot of water, which helps. I think it's mostly seasonal allergies, but that doesn't mean that she's happy! Maggie has hardly left Otter's side today.

Here is what my yarn addiction forced me to do last night. I actually finished it up this morning, but I did most of it last night. It didn't take me too long, it's all done with a single stitch and a first row of chain stitches. It went really fast. It's actually a little big. I didn't measure but just guessed the size I needed. Now I don't have to worry about my glasses getting knocked off of the nightstand! The colors are a little brighter than the rest of the bedroom decor, but they will still work. And I like them, so I don't think it matters! Captions are below the pictures they describe.

Tools of the trade! I have a foam grip pad that fits over the hook, it makes it easier on my fingers. (This is also the yarn that will be used on Otter's quilt, which I might get to this weekend.) I can't remember without getting up and looking, but I think the hook is a size H or J. It's the one I use most often. I still have the hook I learned to crochet with, way back in 6th grade! And I also have Mom's hooks.

The finished piece, before sewing. The hook is in the picture to give you a size idea. Like I said, it's a little big! The corner was trying to curl up a little, so I had to hold it down. I decided against blocking this piece because it's not meant to be flat. Blocking can be done in a couple of different ways, the most common and easiest would involve a steaming iron. A piece of fabric, like a thin towel, would be placed on top of the crocheted piece and then the iron would be held closely over - but not touching!- the fabric with the crochet underneath, the iron would have to have a steam feature and be hot enough to steam. The steam/heat would help the piece to lie flat. But it depends on the type of yarn used, acrylic - which is what most yarn is these days - might not take much heat. Wool yarn is stronger, but I'm allergic to wool so I can't use it.

The bottom 3rd is flipped up and sewn on the sides. It's sewn with the same yarn. Then it was turned inside out so that the seam stiches don't show as much.

Then I attached velcro to the outside top of the opening and the inside top of the unsewn flap. It's all done! Except that I got the velcro off-center, but it doesn't show and it still works. The velcro was sticky-sew, which means that one piece has to be sewn on and the other piece is sticky backed. I sewed the piece on the bottom, the sticky back piece is stuck to the top flap. I don't know how well the sticky back will stay, and I might take a few more stitches in the sewn on piece. It would also work as a jewelry holder, or for whatever needed a place to be kept!

Now I just have to come up with another project! Well, I probably should finish up the other two I have started. One of them is nearly finished, it won't take me too long. The other project is ongoing. I'm eventually going to have all crochet covered clothes hangers, Mom used to make them and I've been making a few here and there. I have Mom's fabric piece she used for size and also an unfinished piece she crocheted. They are with my crochet stuff. (No Froggy, I haven't forgotten about making you pot holders! That is also a work in progress).