Backache & Projects

I made a beanie type hat from a beautiful pattern by RubraC on Ravelry.  It is called Ten Times Beanie.  GREAT pattern, and I really love the way it worked up.  I used Jo-Ann's Sensations which is now discontinued.  Too bad as it was a good sport weight.

You can't get away without seeing some of my flowers.  This is a Rhododendron in the corner of the back yard.  The bush is huge and hasn't been trimmed properly over the years, so the thing sprawls all over….but it is beautiful! 

My purple clematis…don't know the name of it. This is the first year that it has really bloomed well.

This is the scarf I made for myself.  I made it a tad wider than I should have so wrapped it is more like a neck cowl and doesn't hang down much.  That's fine…it is warm and the color is outstanding! Malabrigo…Rios?  Can't remember.

It's a great yarn.  I wish I had got ahead and splurged on buying this years ago.

BACKACHE

I discovered something after coming back from the WA house.  I had to sit at the dining table to keep the dogs at bay while crocheting.  The set I have there is the tall bar stool height table and chairs, so my feet never hit the floor. I had to keep them on the rungs of the chair all the time.  

My back, due mostly to walking, improved greatly over a 5 month period.  What I didn't realize it how much sitting in that chair helped until I came back to my OR home.  I don't have the same setup here, so am sitting on regular chairs.  I always sit on pads since I am shorter in the body.

My back has really started bugging me again, and part is due to not walking as much, BUT I found this morning that it has a great deal to do with my body type and the chair.  It hurt when I'd get up or sit there.  

I found that from the back of my knee to the bottom of my foot I have 19 1/2 inches of length, from there to where my back hits the back of a chair (when you are sitting you are an L in the body),  I am 17 1/2 inches. That means at 64 1/2 inches tall, my body is the rest.

The problem is the knee to the foot…the chair is 21 1/2 inches from floor to the top of the seat. So I am bending 2 inches to make my feet hit the floor.  That puts me in the very position that bothers my back…sort of bending forward.  WHEN I PUT MY FEET UP FOUR INCHES ON THE TABLE LEGS MY PAIN GOES AWAY!!

I only mention this in case you, too, can't account for pain in your back.  I realized several years ago that looking for pretty rocks while I walked was one of the reasons my back hurt - when I thought I was helping by walking I made it worse by bending forward looking for rocks!

So, back to crochet, here is a beanie I am making based on the pattern for BackCountry Beanie.  I'm doing it a little different, but as I am using the pattern as a basis for what I am doing I won't list the steps.  I'm making it for a friend. I wanted to try two colors, one for the brim so that I could make beanies in college school colors.

Have a great end to the weekend, and a wonder new week! Happy May!