If at first you don't succeed....

Thank you to my first commenter--you will always be appreciated.

This is the scarf I designed for my friend, Susan. It's made from Lion Brand Landscapes, Autumn Trails. The scarf took several tries to get right.

Here's a detailed shot.
And fading into the darkness, was the first experiment with the yarn. I was inspired by the Feather and Fan scarf in Scarf Style, page 51. I turned the pattern sideways to bring out the gradual changes in color, and it looked nice on the floor--you'll just have to trust me on that one--but it looked blah on someone's shoulders.

I also liked an old pattern I'd copied years ago from a now forgotten book, but decided to make some changes. I think it was called seashells. That was the one I finally adapted that became Susan's Scarf.

I'll plan on posting the pattern next week.

While I was going through different experiments and ripping out my work, my husband, Dan, was dismayed. I don't think he'd realized that (1) knitting does teach patience, and (2) revision is part of the process. I found that it didn't bother me much at all, not like when I have my heart set on duplicating something gorgeous I've seen and it's not working, or the instructions are badly written.

So, do y'all have any limits on how many times you'll rip something out?

Meanwhile, I have finished the design for my first amigurumi (see last post for explanation of amigurumi) doll. It was inspired by the wooden Japanese nesting dolls my father gave me as a child.

I had also seen a cute pair of dolls made by turniptopia, though she sewed little kimonos with sleeves on short little bodies, left out the mouths, and I had the idea of a nested doll inside. I did have some misgivings that they might be a little too similar to hers. Then I revisited my Ramona Peep pattern from Roxycraft, which reassured me. By the way, Ms. Roxy is an amigurumi queen.

My memory was given a boost the pictures I'd taken of my different attempts. My earlier pictures of the Japanese doll had extra widely spaced eyes like Ramona; they get closer together with each try, more like turniptopia's. Perhaps turniptopia was inspired by Ramona. And maybe I’m being a little too obsessive-compulsive. You'll hear that more than once from me.

I'd appreciate feedback--when is a design different enough from the inspiration to be your own? I'll be selling the pattern on my Etsy site, www.mesamismyfriends.etsy.com.

Medical Question of the Week--What's gastroenteritis and do I need to go to the doctor?

Medical disclaimer--The following information is meant to give general information, not to treat individual cases. There is some minor variation in medical opinions about the following topic, but this information is up to date as of today. If you have any questions or concerns, contact your doctor.

Where to find more medical information—There are several good books and Internet sites. One reputable source is from the American Academy of Family Physicians, called familydoctor.org.

Gastroenteritis is usually caused by a virus, sometimes bacteria, sometimes by food contaminated with bacteria (food poisoning). The symptoms are similar: repeated vomiting, possibly followed by diarrhea. A doctor can distinguish the two by the overall history, if you need to know. The virus is very contagious. All family members should wash their hands before eating.

In the U.S., this is generally a mild, non-fatal disease. Premature infants, babies, immunocompromised individuals, and those who are malnourished have fewer reserves and require more caution. The main danger is severe dehydration.

Whatever the cause, they are treated the same way, by staying hydrated and providing some nutrition while the GI tract heals. For babies, breastfeeding is encouraged, or continue formula, with greater frequency. If the child continues to have vomiting, the best hydration is from an Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) such as Pedialyte, though this is not always well tolerated. There are also ORS popsicles. (Or, make it yourself: 1 level teaspoon salt + 8 level teaspoons sugar in 1 liter of water. If possible, add juice of ½ of an orange or mashed banana for potassium and palatability).

The treatment is time-intensive. Start with a spoonful every other minute. If the child vomits, some of it will still stay in the stomach. You may want to wait 10 minutes if the child vomits again. If the break doesn’t help, though, just go back to sipping—vomiting on an empty stomach hurts. If he/she keeps it down for an hour, you can go to a sip every 5 minutes. If the child stops vomiting and wants to eat, that is fine.

Older kids who reject the ORS or adults can try water for a few hours, but then need to alternate it with other clear liquids—diluted Gatorade, diluted juice, tea, ginger ale, flat soda. It is not recommended to withhold food for more than 24 hours; this may make it take longer for the person to heal.

Drinking only water or one drink to exclusion like salty broth, sports drinks or juice can make dehydration worse, because we lose water and electrolytes from vomiting and diarrhea. Gatorade has twice the sugar of an ORS and half the salt and even less potassium, so it’s not recommended by itself. Apple juice has too much sugar and not nearly enough electrolytes for rehydration alone.

For older kids who eat foods, if the vomiting has stopped and they want to eat solid food, let them. Avoid high sugar or fatty foods. If the child wants juice, try diluting it with water.

For kids and adults, a good starting diet is called the BRAT diet—B for bananas, R for rice, A for applesauce, and T for toast. Advance diet as tolerated. You can go on to potatoes or other starches, cooked fruits and vegetables. Kids do better than adults when it comes to adding milk. I usually recommend adding everything else before milk in adults. Some people find adding yogurt or cheese before milk itself works better. If diarrhea gets worse, back up a bit on the diet.

There are no great medicines for gastroenteritis, and generally it’s not recommended to try to stop the diarrhea with medication—the body is trying to eliminate the virus or toxin. Traveler’s diarrhea is a different story, and the topic for another day.

For severe dehydration, people are treated with intravenous solutions.

RED FLAGS—Time to call your doctor or go to your nearest urgent care facility. If unavailable, go to nearest ER.

Dehydration—Signs include if you or your loved one cannot keep enough liquids down to still urinate every 8 hours, the mouth is dry, baby cries without tears, or has a sunken fontanel even when lying down. Try the rehydration technique mentioned above and if there’s no improvement in two hours, call the doctor.

Abdominal pain--other than mild ache from repeated vomiting

Baby loses interest--It’s okay if babies sleep a little more, and they may look slightly ill such as when they have a cold, but if it seems more than that, seek help.

Blood or green slime in stool. Enough said.

Blood or green slime in vomit

Fever greater than 101.4

Stiff neck. Go to ER, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Conclusion In mild-to-moderate dehydration, the low tech way (ORS) has been proven to be the best. It doesn’t stop the diarrhea--nature does that--but it prevents the dehydration in the meantime.