SailingKnitter

While fiddling with the "Old Shale" aka "Feather and Fan" lace pattern the other day, I noticed how it formed a nice ruffle when I bunched it up. Hmmmm....think floral petals? So off I went - and this knit Hibiscus flower is the result!

Jonesy had said that one of the chemo caps I made recently was "blah" so I wanted to add a removable flower. The lovely hibiscus bushes around here inspired me to knit up a replica - I know, there aren't blue hibiscus, but it had to match the hat - or rather I'm still so conventional that I have to have things "match".

Whew! Last night we had a massive tropical storm complete with constant thunder and lightning. I had never seen lightning like that before, we were completely surrounded and there were no breaks in the action as the sky glowed and flashed and the rain pounded the boat decks. With these tall metal masts sticking up in the air all of us sailboats are like lightning rods. Thank goodness our Niki Wiki is a Gulfstar Sailmaster and, thus was built in Florida where they take special precautions against lightning damage from a strike in the near proximity. We are what they call a "bonded" boat. But a direct strike will still wipe out our electronics.

I got an email from our younger son yesterday and he wrote: "Thanks for writing! I feel like I'm the parents waiting to hear from my youngen traveling abroad..." When did we switch roles? But he's right. He's the one in this relationship who has the steady, responsible job and household, and waits for word. We're the ones out gallivanting in strange lands. Oh, and the term "youngen" he used is how they pronounce "young one, or youngster" in the American southern states. Our family spent 7 years in Georgia and had to learn the local dialect/accent. I remember going to a meeting at my sons' school and the speaker kept referring to the "chillins". I finally figured out that he meant "children".

Oh Look! There's a blue hibiscus! They DO have those! For those knitters who have braved my blogging babble here are the instructions for your own hibicus (come on Vanessa - go for it):

HIBISCUS
Cast on 62 stitches using long-tail cast on method Row 1: K1, [K2tog twice, (YO, K1) 4 times, K2tog twice] 5 times, K1
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: same as Row 1
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: Knit
Cut yarn with tail of about 12" long. Thread tail thru the stitches on needle. Sew side seam using mattress stitch method. Gather center by pulling tightly on yarn tail and secure with a knot on the back.
Center (stamen?) of flower: Cast on 5 stitches and knit an I-cord about 3/4" long. Bind off.
Sew I-cord center into hole in middle of flower.
I'm thinking maybe I'll sew a couple of seed beeds onto the center near the tip.