Showing posts with label Not Knitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Not Knitting. Show all posts

Saturday 24 April 2021

Pebble's Trip to the Vet: Dental Extractions, Abdominal X-Rays and an Unusual Amount of Sublumbar Muscles


It's been a busy week in cat care terms. 

Pebble had to see the vet for dental extractions (five teeth). Though she is a healthy, almost ten-year-old cat, her teeth appear to be a weak point. Following her first trip to the dentist back in 2019, this was the second dental she has had in as many years. She appears to be recovering well from the procedure and will hopefully feel the benefit of the extractions going forward.

During the course of Pebble's dental intervention, we decided to take advantage of the anaesthetic and had a small lump removed from her thigh, which thankfully turned out to be a lipoma and not a dreaded mast cell tumor. (Following Pickle's death from colorectal adenocarcinoma I was preparing myself for the worst.) 

We also had abdominal x-rays taken to see whether these would provide a clue as to why  Pebble appears to be constipated at times and has a tendency to scoot across the carpet after visiting the toilet for a number 2. 

After ruling out the obvious culprits, including parasites and anal gland issues, x-rays were the next logical step.

Abdominal X-Rays and Pebble's Sublumbar Muscles

I am now pleased to present the two most expensive images taken this year so far: 

Image no 1 of Pebble's abdominal x-rays:

Abdominal X-Ray Feline sublumbar muscle obscuring the view
Abdominal X-Ray Pebble (Feline) 

Saturday 5 December 2020

Audiobooks and Knitting: My 2020 Audiobook Round-Up Fantasy and Horror

Not having mastered the ability to knit and read at the same time (and doubting I ever will), I am continuing to turn to audiobooks to provide some additional stimulation when working on my knitting projects. As I have been knitting quite prolifically during the past year, the number of books I physically read in 2020 has plummeted, whilst my consumption of audiobooks appears to have increased quite significantly compared to previous years. 

Provided my count is correct, I seem to have listened my way through some 20 audiobooks between January 2020 and now. This group makes up a wide selection of genres, including literary fiction, historical fiction, fairy tales, young adult, fantasy, horror and, of course, some crime, mystery and suspense.

Thursday 12 December 2019

Finished Monster High Yarn Wig Projects

I have been busy creating yarn wigs from brushed acrylic yarn for Monster High Dolls and my instructions on how to make these are available here and here


As already mentioned in my previous posts, brushing out acrylic yarn creates a lot of waste. To minimise this waste, I wanted to experiment and make a wig, incorporating wefts made out of the waste acrylic.

When I recently completed another wig, I essentially followed the same steps, but utilised some of the brushed out waste acrylic yarn in the lower layers of the wig. Looking at the finished wig (photos below), I am quite pleased with the result. Whilst these 'waste wefts' are certainly not suitable for the top layers of the wig, they make for nice padding and add overall bulk to the appearance of the wig. 

Here are some images of my waste yarn wig: 

Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn)
Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn) 

Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn)
Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn) 

Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn)
Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn) 


Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn)
Monster High Wig (made from acrylic yarn, incorporating wefts made from waste acrylic yarn) 

Saturday 28 September 2019

Doll Customising: Easy Beginner Projects - Acrylic Yarn Wigs

Getting Into Doll Customising 

Regular readers of my blog will have noticed that I have been busy creating a number of custom outfits for Monster High and other dolls over the past months. I have to confess, by now my interest in doll customisation has become a bit of an obsession, judging by the time I spend marvelling at the many fantastic custom creations available on the web. 

Though I have been aware of the existence of custom or ooak (one of a kind) dolls for a number of years, especially since many Blythe doll collectors roaming the craft scene are very accomplished knitters and crocheters. Yet, I didn't feel confident enough to launch into my own custom projects for a long time. 

What's more, doll customising sounds like a bit of an obscure past time, especially for grown-ups. For this reason, I felt reluctant to admit to myself that I actually felt intrigued by it. So intrigued in fact, that I would want to give it a go myself.

Despite its growth over the past decade thanks to social media platforms such as Tumblr, Pinterest and Youtube, the community of doll customisers is still comparatively small and the number of  tutorials and readily available information on techniques, tools and materials is consequently rather limited, especially when compared to mainstream crafts such as sewing, knitting, or crocheting. Due to their familiarity with materials and tools in use by doll customisers, all those familiar with model-making are likely to have an advantage when branching into the custom doll sphere. For a knitter like me, doll customisation is entirely new territory.

Monster High Acrylic Yarn Doll Wig
Monster High Acrylic Yarn Doll Wig

Sunday 6 January 2019

Recquiescat in Pace


A Sad Farewell to Our Beloved Pickle


Some three weeks ago I was composing a blog post for an update on Pickle's health in my head. It would have been a cheerful post. At the onset of 2018 she was diagnosed with feline colorectal adenocarcinoma, a very aggressive, malignant cancer with the ability to rapidly progress. The average life expectancy following diagnosis lies between 8 weeks to 18 months. This January our beautiful Pickle was just about to turn a massive corner, completing her first year more or less without symptoms since the diagnosis. Things were looking good. 


Apart from minor skin issues, which didn't appear to bother her too greatly, she was doing fine with a good appetite and no litter tray disasters. Her coat had improved (not that it was too bad to begin with), her claws were in good condition and, especially during the final three months of her life, she appeared to be more active and playful. She was in a stable state and, as we were unable to determine the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis last year, she was not on any medication. 

She had her first follow-up examination in April 2018 and appeared to have recovered well from her dental surgery at the end of 2017, during which the cancerous polyp was removed from her anus. The polyp showed no sign of returning and her vet was not able to detect any obstructions when taking her temperature. Pickle would have been seeing her vet for her next check-up in early 2019 and we were keeping fingers and paws crossed for her. 


feline colorectal adenocarcinoma
RIP Pickle 2009 - 2019

Sadly, I never got round to writing my 12-month update on how well she was doing, as she started to rapidly decline around eight days ago. At this time  we noticed the first significant change in her behaviour. 

Instead of tucking into her dinner (a mix of home-cooked and raw food, which we introduced following her diagnosis) last Saturday, she walked away from her bowl after a few bites. Even though alarm bells started ringing loudly inside my head, I was only able to monitor and offer her a different variety of food, whilst hoping for the best throughout Sunday.


Sunday 25 November 2018

Vanillekipferl - Baking Recipe for Hazelnut Vanilla Shortbread

Vanillekipferl Recipe Viennese Hazelnut Shortbread Baking Recipe


Vegans, dieters and the health conscious should look away now. 

Though I can occasionally be found dabbling in vegan baking, in this weekend's ventures I made full use of butter, eggs, conventional flour and refined sugar to produce a batch of Vannillekipferl. These crescent-shaped, vanilla-flavoured shortbreads (originally an Austro-Hungarian import into the German cuisine) are a popular Christmas biscuit in German-speaking parts of Europe. Alongside the ubiquitous Stollen, they are synonymous with Christmas baking in Germany.


Vanilla Crescent Shortbread baking recipe
Vanillekipferl Baking Recipe



Vanillekipferl Baking Recipe
Vanillekipferl

Vanillekipferl are best described as a type of shortbread. With the inclusion of vanilla seeds  straight from a pod or vanilla extract / paste and chopped almonds or hazelnuts, the Vanillekipferl is a little more glamourous than the humble butter shortbread. 


Sunday 25 March 2018

Simple DIY Monster High Outfit - made from scraps

The Great Scarrier Reef edition of Clawdeen (Monster High)

The Great Scarrier Reef edition of Clawdeen moved in three months ago and I completely ignored her pleas for an outfit change. I'm pleased to report that I finally rectified this dire state of affairs and - after a brief outing into the world of hand sewing - here we have her in a prototype of a new stripy outfit, which was made from the sleeve of a an old top and the salvaged components of a retired bra. 



Clawdeen Wolf (Monster High) in custom stripy outfit

As a result of the fins on her hips and arms, and her mermaid-style stand, the scarrier reef version of Clawdeen poses certain challenges when it comes to creating clothes for her. 

The  design of this two-part (three-part, if you care to include her small scarf) outfit tries to work around these obstacles (arm fins, hip-fins and and tail-stand) rather than altering the doll.

Custom DIY Outfit for Monster High Great Scarrier Reef Clawdeen 

As I didn't have a suitable piece of velcro to hand, I resorted to cannibalising an old bra to salvage the metal fasteners and the elastic bands. The fabric scrap used for her sirrong-style skirt and drapey top is rather stretchy and wraps tightly around the elastics when sewing up the fasteners. The elastic top seams help adding drape to skirt and top, and ensure a good fit around hips (below the fin fasteners) and torso. 

Clawdeen should be much happier now, whilst I'm off improving the design. 

Clawdeen Wolf Monster High in Custom Outfit

Thursday 1 March 2018

An Update on Pickle: 8 Weeks Since Her Cancer Diagnosis

Thanks so much to all of you who have commented and left well-wishes for Pickle. Pickle and Team Pickle appreciate them very much. 

For all those, who don't know the back story: At the onset of January 2018, my cat Pickle (aged 8.5 years) was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, the colorectal type being most likely. A detailed account of the background to this, her conventional veterinary treatment to date and her diagnosis is available in this post. 

Today's post is a brief update on what we have been up to over the past eight weeks, discussing dietary changes, supplementation and some general information that helped me cope in the initial phase after receiving the sad news.

Colorectal Adenocarcinoma - Average Life Expectancy


According to available veterinary statistics on this type of cancer, Pickle was given an average life expectancy ranging from 8 weeks to 18 months from the point of diagnosis.

Today, Thursday, 1st March 2018, marks the eight-week point. 


Pickle -  8 weeks after her diagnosis with colorectal adenocarcinoma

Pickle - 8 Weeks after her Cancer Diagnosis


As I'm writing this, Pickle is lying curled up on a towel next to the laptop, having a digestive snooze after her lunch of turkey, pumpkin and turkey broth. Weekly weigh-ins confirm that she has maintained her weight and she continues to have a healthy appetite. The presence of both blood and mucous in combination with loose, smelly stools prompted us to seek veterinary assistance at the end of last year. Now, two months into the New Year, I'm pleased to say that her bowel movements have improved quite considerably. She is no longer passing loose stools accompanied by visible, bright red blood. Nevertheless, we are a long way away from optimum quality in the bowel movement department. 


Saturday 24 February 2018

Another Lentil Recipe: Red Lentil Curry with Pumpkin, Spinach, Brussels Sprouts...and whatever else I could find in the fridge

Unlike my baking experiment with red lentils, this was a rather more pleasant lentil experience...


Vegan Red Lentil and Pumpkin Curry

Red lentil stews are a failsafe, and during my three-week elimination diet, they were a staple. Stews are filling, flavoursome and suitable for all those with restrictive dietary requirements. In my case, this means gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free. 

Sunday 18 February 2018

Gluten-free Baking with Lentils: The Quest for a Recipe that Works

My quest to find wholesome, dairy, egg, gluten and soy-free recipes continues. This morning I once again tried to master the art of baking with soaked red lentils and, once again, I failed. 

Gluten-free baking with lentils - Savoury Lentil Muffins

Sunday 21 January 2018

Not Knitting ... due to Pickle's Cancer Diagnosis

Those of you who stop by to read this blog regularly will most probably be familiar with Pickle, my 8.5 year-old Tuxedo Cat, who frequently features on the blog in her capacity as knitting cupboard inspector, model and product tester extraordinaire.

In the pictures below, she can be seen 
The Knitted Cat Tunnel

  • modelling the Cat Leg Warmer (or a swatch of cartridge rib in the round)
Cat Leg Warmer or Cartridge Rib Stitch in the Round

Tidying up the Knitting Cupboard with Pickle

At the end of November 2017, I discovered blood in Pickle's stool. This prompted a visit to the vet's. During her initial examination she was found to require dental treatment (including extractions) and we were advised to change her diet to chicken in broth with rice. Despite the nutritional changes, her diarrhoea continued and every third to fourth bowel movement contained blood. At a subsequent consultation with her vet, she was deemed fit to undergo dental surgery despite her digestive issues. In fact, both the vet and us were guessing that her digestive issues might potentially be connected to the state of her teeth; and that by removing this inflammatory culprit, the issues around her digestion would resolve as a result. She was booked in for surgery just before the end of the year. 

In addition to her pre-op blood tests, I decided to take full advantage of her time under anaesthetic to obtain abdominal x-rays and to carry out histological tests on a small polyp, which I discovered on her rectum shortly before her dietary issues emerged. Even though I didn't like the look of the polyp, neither of the vets, who examined her, seemed particularly concerned about this small growth on her behind. Both advised that colorectal polyps were generally more common in uncastrated dogs and that polyps in this location were not commonly encountered amongst feline patients.

Neither her blood test, including complete blood count, nor her abdominal x-rays, which would have shown any obstructions or palpable internal tumours, gave us any cause for concern. Her vet appeared confident that, all being well with the histological tests, Pickle was either passing blood due to the ongoing issues with her teeth and / or she was exhibiting the classic signs of feline Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD). 

Following her operation, Pickle returned home in the early evening the same day. Within a matter of days she was back to her usual self. Probably as a result of her dental extractions, she even appeared more active than before. The bland diet, which we kept up, decreased the frequency of her bowel movements drastically. Despite this, she continued to harbour a healthy appetite. Sadly, she also continued to produce bloody stools, albeit at a reduced rate.

In the evening of 4th January, whilst I was in the middle of a chaotic commute home from London, I received the results of the histological tests from her vet over the phone. It was bad news. That was the night Cancer moved into my life and took hold of it. If you and a beloved pet are or have been affected by Cancer, my heart goes out to you.



Pickle (in one of her favourite places - in the midst of freshly laundered bed linen) on 19th January 2018, roughly two weeks after her cancer diagnosis.  

The mass examined was found to be malignant (Adenocarcinoma), most likely a colorectal Adenocarcinoma. Her vet admitted that he would not have expected this result when he relayed her 'very guarded prognosis'. Based on the medical statistics available for this type of cancer, which is relatively rare in cats, he indicated that her life expectancy could range from 8 weeks to 18 months.

In the midst of a packed train, I tried to keep a stiff upper lip, asked all the questions that appeared to be of immediate concern (Is she likely to be in pain? - No. Is there anything we need to do right now? - No.) and arranged another consultation to discuss Pickle's prognosis in more detail. I arrived home that night and couldn't even cry. Instead, I was in shock and at a complete loss, not knowing how to start tackling the problem. Even though I was fearful of the polyp being cancerous, I had never really contemplated this being a possible outcome. I had no Plan B.

The follow-up consultation with her vet was not until around 7 days later and I had to somehow bridge that gap. Whilst it's easy to get carried away emotionally when you are confronting this Goliath-type adversary, I somehow knew that I had to contain my emotions in order to concentrate all my waking energy on thinking clearly, gaining knowledge and making smart decisions on Pickle's behalf. And FAST. 

I soon found out that the presence of Cancer and a work life do not mix well, especially if you attempt to keep on functioning in the latter. I completely stopped eating and, as a result of sleepless nights and countless hours researching the web, I physically caved in halfway through the following week. By the time the vet appointment was upon us, I was on antibiotics for tonsillitis, full of cold and my GP was particularly concerned about my anxiety. I was not able to switch off and my brain was working at full capacity any time, all the time. Feeling physically shit was ok though. As long as I was able to do something constructive and, above all, spend time with Pickle, my anxiety was bearable. With a notebook full of questions, mainly concerning the histological report, cancer staging and treatment options, we returned to the vet's. 

During the consultation, her vet explained Pickle's further treatment options in more detail. Adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer that has the ability to move fast, affecting other organs as it spreads. In order to establish the stage of her cancer, we would either have to resort to invasive surgery or get her booked in for MRI scanning. Both procedures would require another anaesthetic, a lengthy journey to a clinic with appropriate facilities and, if opting for invasive surgery, an overnight stay at the vet's. 


Pickle on 19th January 2018, sporting a post-op shave on the right side of her neck

Ignoring the financial aspects (I would remortgage the house if I had to) considering the stress and impact on Pickle's emotional and physical health, neither of these options seemed appropriate. From a medical point of view, given the absence of a palpable tumour, the chances of successfully removing cancerous tissue during surgery are slim, especially as we don't know where and whether it has spread. Chemo - and radiotherapy are equally unsuitable. Unlike certain types of Lymphoma, Adenocarcinoma is not particularly responsive to either treatment options and both might do more harm than good, especially if, assuming best case scenario, we have nipped Pickle's cancer in the proverbial 'butt' with the removal of the polyp from her rectum.

This leaves us with the final option: shifting the focus from the cancer found in the tissue sample to concentrating our efforts on improving the symptoms of her IBD, whilst simultaneously boosting her immune system. Conventionally, severe cases of IBD are often treated with the help of corticosteroids, which - when managed carefully in conjunction with dietary intervention - can produce good results. Having lived with a Terrier, who spent the best part of his life on corticosteroids and made it to 13 years, I am not necessarily averse to their use. Yet, corticosteroids negatively affect other organs when used over a prolonged period and, by implication, will shorten the life expectancy of the patient. 

Considering Pickle's overall condition - she is not lethargic, shows no signs of pain, has not lost any weight and continues to display a healthy appetite even for the bland food we have served up over the past month - I had made my decision that 'Pickle on 'Roids'' wasn't an option, at least not until all other routes had been exhausted.

In the various consultations with Pickle's conventional vet, he must have sensed my reservations in respect of conventional treatments. From my comments on immunisation to microchipping and the application of parasite treatments such as Bayer's Advocate, he was probably expecting my next turn already. Thankfully, he appeared to back my approach: the holistic route. 

Having read many accounts of owner's grappling with their cat's cancer in recent weeks, I am aware that in many cases conventionally trained vets are often not supportive of this route. This comes as no surprise, and the recent spat between the  RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) and the BAHVS (the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons) serves as a timely reminder of the frictions between both 'camps'. (More here.)

Every case is, of course, unique and there may be valid reasons why a conventional approach should be favoured over holistic treatments. Yet, in Pickle's case, he backed the idea of getting a holistic vet on board, if only to delay the use of corticosteroids by exploring raw feeding, dietary supplementation and other holistic remedies.

And this is where we are right now. After more research and days spent discussing Pickle's case with various holistic vets across the country, 'Team Pickle' was joined by another member at the onset of last week. Meanwhile, the patient herself appears content. Her last two bowel movements contained no visible blood, she maintains a healthy appetite, has recovered from the upheaval of the vet visits and seems to enjoy life as before, maybe even more, bearing in mind that she is now rid of her painful teeth. By simply looking at her right now, no one would assume that she was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma. Further updates will follow.


Pickle on 19th January 2018, 2 weeks after her cancer diagnosis

Friday 24 November 2017

Crochet for Dollcena Dolls - Little Grey Hat

I literally have no idea how this little doll hat came together. It's a crochet hat and I can't crochet. I have some sort of mental block when it comes to crochet. 

I'm not entirely sure what I did and how it's constructed, I just used a crochet hook and it happened to turn out this way. By lucky coincidence, it happens to fit my Dollcena Doll. 

I'm afraid, I won't be able to write up project notes this time. But should I happen to attempt another crochet doll's hat, I promise to pay more attention to the process.

Dollcena Doll with Crochet Hat - Yarn: Stylecraft Kontiki


Dollcena Doll Crochet Hat (Doll by Takara Tomy, Yarn: Stylecraft Kontiki, Craft: Crochet)

Friday 17 July 2015

Just for a change...A Few Shots of Cycling Paraphernalia


Charity bike ride training weekend, Friends of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment

It happened to be a sunny day in Kent and I had the pleasure of meeting the Tigers during their training weekend in Canterbury. They appear to be rather fond of their kit. 

To find out more, follow them on Twitter: #Tigersr2r /  and here.

Here are my impressions of the day: 

Monday 25 May 2015

Kent Local Elections 2015: The Curious Case of the Missing Ballot Paper

Now that the dust on the UK General Elections 2015 is settling and we are slowly getting used to the idea of another five years of unfettered Tory rule, it's time to start turning our attention to the handling of election logistics in the county of Kent.


More here.

Friday 20 February 2015

Damson Jam Recipe

Damson Jam Recipe








Back in September, I promised to publish my recipe for damson jam. Nearly six months later, I finally managed to find the time to write it up: 




Saturday 31 January 2015

Beetroot, Carrot and Apple Salad

I fell in love with beetroot and carrot salad, when I tried this combination in a cafĂ© in Bloomsbury, just a short walk away from the British Library.


Beetroot, Apple and Carrot Salad


Sunday 11 January 2015

Tidying Up The Knitting Cupboard

Sifting through my yarn stash, organising knitting needles, taking stock of (un-) finished projects and being amused by my (neglected) collection of vintage knitting patterns... 

I am, of course, talking about tidying up the knitting cupboard - a vault of treasures.