Pretty Knitty Jewelry

All about U, Y? B-cause!

2012-02-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

Cryptic title, no? Well, not really, I suppose. . .here's what I've been knitting the past few days. . .the letter "U". . .

. . .which means that the vowels volume is now complete.

Well, unless you include "Y" as a vowel. Y would you do that? Well, it's just a silly rule of the language. The vowels are A, E, I, O and U. . .and sometimes Y. Sooo. . .

. . .the vowels are now complete, even if you include Y! B-cause I am (apparently) very ~~obsessed with~~ motivated to make a complete, 26-letter pot of Alphabet Soup! See?

The cats, they are not so impressed with the soup. . .

Whatever.

. . .but they are glad that the toys provide so many new "hiding places" when the dogs come over with the baby!

They'll NEVER see me HERE!

lolz, Cat!

What's your latest obsession? Is it craft related? Something else? Inquiring minds want to know everything! (see how I used all the vowels? haha!)

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (or whatever) in Good Health!

O Valentine!

2012-02-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, you may remember, was Valentine's Day. It's not a big deal at our house. . .never really has been. In fact, I worried a little that Mork might not "get" how important this Hallmark holiday is to some girls. . .however, over the weekend, Mindy brought Peanut, and their "Valentines from Daddy," to our house to show off a little! Take a look:
First, there were the "dozen roses"
(chocolate covered strawberries actually)

Then there was the bear and balloon for the baby

Follow that up with a Skype session from the best Daddy-Valentine ever

Then, well. . .YUMMM!!!

It was a good Valentine weekend for Mindy and Peanut! (Also for those around to "help" eat the strawberries!)

As a bonus, Pretty finished the letter O! The other vowels were not quite sure about this donut-shaped addition to the family. . .

But, hey!. . .it's a donut-shaped letter. . .who wouldn't learn to love that?

Another item in the "Finish Department" over the weekend is this hat:

It's a hat for Peanut, but you may notice that Peanut is not wearing it. That's because this is the hat with the unique distinction of being the first hand-knit that Peanut has absolutely, unequivocally and without any doubt, refused to wear. . .lol!

I put it on her several times, and it fits snugly (as it should, to keep her head and ears warm). Every time I do, she sticks her fingers up in the brim immediately, ripping it off and throwing it as far as her little arm can throw (I think she may be a fast-pitch superstar someday) grunting, making the face and slapping her thigh as the hat flies! Considering her opinion of the hat, I think I am gonna skip the mittens for now, and find another recipient for this stunning piece of purple-ness that I so lovingly knit. . .anyone have a baby girl who needs a hat?

So, there you have it. A new letter to love, and an new hat to hate. . .happy heart day to me! I hope that your holiday was everything you wanted it to be, and that chocolate was somehow involved.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

iBlog

2012-02-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

I know that this is not a shock to you, but iBlog.
I blog a lot...twice a week, in fact!
Also not a shock, iKnit!
As a matter of fact I knit the letter "I" this week!

Since I had already knit an "A" and an "E," it seemed only natural to knit an "I" next...can you keep a secret? Ok, then...would you like to buy an "O," round and neat? A nearly perfect circle, tidy and complete...it'll cost you just a nickle... Well, I'll be knitting an O soon, so look for me and my trench coat in a couple days. On second thought, I might keep the O. Who knows?

So, iBlog and iKnit. Oh, and iBuy too. My latest purchase involves evoL. You see, my friend Cozy makes bags that are good to hold knitting (or other things, they are very versatile that way!). Well, Cozy listed a bag last week that is supposed to say Love in beautiful batik...only it doesn't. Poor cozy doesn't have cats to help settle her brain between projects. That's ok, though, because now the bag she made is not just for Valentine's Day...take a look:

Yes! You are evoLy, indeed. So much so that I have already filled you with a project...a hat and mittens for Peanut!

With another winter holiday upon us, I feel the kneed to knit for that girl's knoggin, and here I go! In general, knitting is better for me than chocolate, so I am pretty happy to have a project going right now!

Don't forget that February is for Finishing, and go enter Jeanne's contest! (I finished an A, an E and an I this week!)

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Today's blog post is brought to you by Vintage Sesame Street.

Hmmm, I wonder what Gordon and Maria are up to these days...

Alphabet Soup!

2012-02-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have noticed many ambitious bloggers planning their posts alphabetically, with a new letter for each consecutive post, to the tune of 26 posts. That's ambition and commitment! Me, I'm not that committed...but I think I can get through the alphabet in this post...so, heee-eeere she goes!

A is for Alphabet Soup, my newest project on Ravelry. I have finished my first letter...

...and I am well on my way with the second! (I'm starting with the vowels.)

B is for Bubble. I like bubbles.
C is for Cookie. Are you with me?
D is for Dollface...you can see her profile here! (along with the rest of the fam!)
E is for E (see Alphabet Soup above) and Etsy.
F is for Friends, found on Facebook, Ravelry, Twitter...you name it!
G is for Gramma, I am one!
H is for Hat. See the hat?

I is for Indigo, and all of the colors that make knitting fun.
J is for Juggling, which I mostly do with time. With chainsaws, juggling gets messy.
K is for Keepsakes. Do you save them too?
L is for Love...and Valentine's Day is right around the corner!
M is for Mork AND Mindy! (By the way, I am so proud of Mindy...see "T" below!)
N is for Nosy, which is what I am on Facebook, Ravelry, Twitter...you name it.
O is for One & Only. There's only one Pretty!
P is for...say it with me...PEANUT, of course!

Q is for Quiet...something overrated and under-appreciated at the same time.
R is for Reality, which I sometimes need to check.
S is for Snake (see "D" above for details) and Sweetie!
T is for birthday Tutu, made for Peanut by Mindy, with nothing more than a picture and an online tutorial...I think her mother-in law may be rubbing off on her...and I am so proud of her crafty skillz!!!

U is for Under the gun...twice a week to get the blog out on time, and once a year to get the Christmas knitting done! lol!
V is Very, Very extraordinary...wait, that's a song, not a blog.
W is Wishy-Washy...or what I suddenly become when I try to pick a pattern.
X is for Xylophone. There are not many "X" words.
Y is for YOU! Thanks for reading my blog!!!
Z is for "Zap!," which is what the knitting super-hero says each time she kicks your butt at craftiness...right, Standby-Go?

There you have it. Alphabet Soup for a Wintry Wednesday! I hope that you enjoyed it, because I'm pretty impressed that I made it through all the letters!!! Oh, here's another spoonful, from typing class...

The quick, grey fox jumped over the lazy, brown dog.

Yeah, I totally rock. By the way, it totally took me two or three tries to type that, too...I am a fan of spell check!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (and spell) in Good Health!

You gonna finish that?

2012-02-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

I see by some of Wednesday's comments that February IS for FINISHING! Yay for every UFO that will become an FO this month! And YAY! for the knitters and quilters and crafters who will be freeing up some space for new WIPs! Casting on is so much more fun after you've finished an item or thirty!

Don't forget to head on over to Life in Cleveland to sign up and post your finished projects each week to enter the CONTEST! (See Jeanne's blog for details about the how, where and when...) I am extra excited for the first week's prize package because it will include some Pretty Knitty Jewelry! (I have something very special for the winner, but it's a surprise! Shhh!) Head on over to the shop to take a look around at my stuff, then GO ENTER JEANNE's CONTEST!!! It's gonna be so much fun!

Speaking of finishing AND the shop, I am not finished yet with my blog ch-ch-ch-changes yet...there's one more tab up there, to tell you a little bit about the Pretty Knitty Family, and I think my next page will feature my row counters and other Pretty Knitty Jewelry. I really wanted to have that done for today...but, you know what happens to the best laid plans, right? Right. They have a car accident that screws up much of their week. Well, at least that's what mine did. Not my fault, nobody hurt, and the other guy has good insurance (yay!), but the party car looks like this:

It's kindof a bummer, but the car is currently in the shop, and I am hoping that their plans include a "February is for Finishing" clause as well. Regardless of the inconvenience of the situation, I do have a rental and there has been knitting, so I am gonna call it "all good" in Pretty-Land. :o)

And speaking of the knitting, here's what I've started to finish this month:

Buttons on the Sheep Sweater (finished now!!!):

A hat to go with:

A new green hat to replace the green hat she said was too tight and pointy (?), this one more slouchy...BUT, I can't finish it until she brings me the old hat to pull out for more yarn...lol!:

Oh, and this one is not knitting, but I had a "skin" made for my new iPod...the company is called skinit, and although they have LOTS of designs, I used one of my own photos...I think it turned out pretty cool! (BTW, here's a 20% off coupon code, if you want to make a skin or two for your own stuff...FEB12):

All in all, it's been a week since last Saturday...ain't that always the way? I hope that you are on your way to finishing some things this month, and Good Luck in Jeanne's Contest!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope that your Saturday is great, and that you will find some time to Knit (and sew and craft and FINISH SOMETHING) in Good Health!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2012-02-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

There are changes afoot at the Pretty Knitty Blog, but they are not too major. I am taking a page from a friend's ~~book~~. . .errr blog (thank you, Life in Cleveland!). . .and I am trying out some of the things on blogger that I have not tried before. . .like Pages! Who knew that my blog could have pages? with tabs? You did? Good for you!!! I just realized that this was an option, and I am pretty stoked to play with it!

My first page is going to be (drumroll please. . .)

THE PATTERN PAGE!

. . .and the crowd goes wild!. . .

Because I now have three patterns up on Ravelry, and all are free! I had them in the side bar of the blog for a long time, but that side bar was getting pretty heavy. Sooo, without fanfare, pomp or circumstance, I moved them to this page (see the tab right under my blog banner?) last Saturday. After the move, I felt a little like this in my brain:

Dollface was so tired after her recent move to a new apartment!

Anyway, my brain was tired from the trial-and-error-and-finally-triumph, so I stopped there, and (of course) I picked up some knitting. I am so glad that I have knitting to rescue my occasionally over-burdened brain! There is just something so soothing about sheep. . .

. . .and the color PINK. . .

. . .and sheep. . .

. . .and knitting for Peanut! Even though it's not quite finished (still needs buttons, but I have those on hand!), I am pretty happy with how this turned out, and I have officially called it another finished object! Yay!!!

Speaking of finishing, some of my friends are embarking on a journey this month. They are committing that "February is for Finishing," and I am thinking of joining in. My brain, of late, is just flirting with frogging that bind off on the Abalone. And there are so many toys I would love to cast on. . .'course, if I choose Mochi-toys, I could call that finishing. . .(that project says "WIP," does it not?). In any case, whether February is for finishing or for finding freedom to cast-on some things, it should be a fine month!

What will you be finishing in February?

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (and finish) in Good Health!

Knitting Interrupted, kind of

2012-01-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

Lately, the knitting has been going slowly for me. My knitting time truly took a hit in the last few days, but please don't get me wrong...I am NOT complaining. You see, there's a really good reason that I have not been knitting much lately, and this is it:

(in a sing-song-y voice)
I got an iPod! I got an iPod!! No you can't touch it, 'cause it's my iPod...

That's right, folks! Step right up and take a look! I have a smart phone (Droid, not iPhone):

Aaaaand now I also have an iPod touch, 4th gen, gifted to me by a family member...YAY!!!

(That's right, folks! I managed to get pictures in of the technology
AND the baby, 'cause that's how this Gramma rolls...)

Anyway, the knitting took a hit so I could play with my new toy, and I had so much fun with the iPod, that it actually inspired new knitting! (That's right, folks! I cast on a new project with wild and reckless abandon...no concern whatsoever for the other projects floundering around on my needles...I am outta control!) Because, of course, every beloved technological device deserves a cozy, right?!? Right!

Yep, in my possession less than 24 hours, and it already had a cozy...isn't it pretty? Oh! I have more sock yarn scraps, I think I am gonna go make it another!!! Squeeee!!! See ya later!

Almost forgot, thanks for stopping by!, and Knit in Good Health for your technology!

...of FROGs* and laundry

2012-01-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have not started to FROG* the bind off on the Abalone.
However, I have ripped and started the re-knit on the sheep.

After that, I just stood there at the FROG* pond for the longest time, trying to decide how and where to jump in. Finally, I just gave up and did some laundry instead...after all, the new washer and dryer arrived on Saturday...look how white and shiny!

OK, so they're not that shiny...but they are brand new! I realized over the weekend that it's the first time we have bought a new washer and dryer...ever. Our old set was a second-hand deal, over 20 years ago. The ones the appliance store hauled off on Saturday weren't even a set, because the original washer went to the great appliance store in the sky 5 or 6 years ago, and it was replaced by a second-hand washer from a friend that was clunking as it cleaned for more than 18 months! So, while these are not fancy, schmancy, HE machines, they are brand new and working like champs...dirty clothes in, and clean clothes out, purring like a kitten during their cycles...it's like a dream come true! Yep, that's right...I dream big...lol!

In Knitting Knews, there has been much knitting. A rip and re-knit means that lots of time has been spent on sheep, but I have not taken photos. . .and I did re-start the hat for Dollface, but all I have of that so far is ribbing. . .and I finished and gifted socks to Mindy (formerly Wifey-Poo, see first January post for 2012), and she loves them! She (and I) actually jumped up and down when she opened them, and there were many "Yayyyys!" involved!

Oh, and I bought more patterns from KnitKnoodler (look for her links on Ravelry and in Etsy)...because you can never have too many knitted toys, and everyone absolutely NEEDS a knitted alphabet! Don't you agree? (Then go get some patterns for yourself!) These are just fantastic!

Well, I guess that's it. I just wish I had more time to knit every day. Right now, Thursday is my favorite day of the week. Thursday is the day that I get to spend 4 hours knitting, relatively uninterrupted, aaand I get to laugh with this bunch:

I love you girls! And I love that tomorrow is Thursday! Maybe a new day will give me the courage to head back to the FROG pond and work on that bind off. . .or maybe it will be a day to celebrate castonitis**, and knit a couple of toys!

In the meantime, thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

For my non-knitting friends, here is a key to some of the new vocabulary in this post:

*FROG - when you rip-it, rip-it, rip-it, pulling out your knitting failure

**castonitis - an illness that defies all knitting reason, causing the knitter to cast on multiple projects, even though she (or he) has many projects already in progress, and nowhere near completion.

Sometimes it's a Struggle

2012-01-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Most of the time, my life just goes along smoothly. I truly am blessed with a Sweetie who loves me and takes good care of me and our family. I have a good job, that is both a challenge and a joy (most days). To top it all off, I've got two great kids, a son-in-law and daughter-in-law that I adore, and a darling granddaughter who steals our hearts and never has to go "fishing" for attention!

Still, sometimes I struggle. I struggle to get everything done that I want to do. I struggle with eating right and exercising (she says, as she mainlines chocolate and peanut butter, as though she is helpless against it's power). Sometimes I even struggle in my stitching. . .

Today's tale is one of knitting struggles. There will be tinking, and possibly frogging to fix the fine mess this has turned into:

The sweater is Abalone, and it's supposed to hang openly, framing my frame and gracefully grazing my hips in back. However, just after finishing the I-cord binding (is that the longest-ever bind off, or what?), I slipped it on to check the fit. The bind off is too tight. It draws in at the corners in front, and rather than gracefully grazing my hips, it pulls and puckers in all the wrong places. . .sigh! I tried to block it into submission, but it's not submitting. . .I'm gonna have to rrrrrrip out that I-cord, and either re-do it with a GIANT needle, or using another type of bind off.

My other struggle is a little sweater that doesn't look like it's going to be big enough for the recipient. I got gauge (it's a miracle!), but it still looks too small. . .without the wearer close-by for try-ons, I guess I am just going to just keep going and see what happens. . .

Worst-case, I suppose that I'll re-knit, but maybe it will be fine. Still, it feels like a struggle. So, on this snowy Saturday of struggles, I am glad that I have some time to spend with my favorite Peanut! Here's a little snippet of the kind of Saturday sunshine she can bring if we'll only add a little chocolate ice cream.

I hope that your Saturday is full of joy and free of heartache, and I hope that your stitching is struggle-free. Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Wordless. . .

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

. . .both because it's Wednesday. . .aaaaand because this:

This is simply too cute for words!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

That ain't bad...

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Life is full of decisions.

Some decisions are easy, like Chocolate or Broccoli.

Some decisions require a little more thought, like "paper or plastic" for your groceries.

And some decisions are very difficult, requiring weeks of research...like whether to get a Nook or a Kindle!

I'm not sure which category today's decision should fall into. . .I mean, at the outset, it looks like it should be a no-brainer. . .then I start thinking. . .then I remember why I hate to make decisions!!!

Well, here. . .let me show you. This is my desk, without me. . .

I spend 40 hours each week at, or near, my desk. Without me, it looks lonely and sad. . .but look at this:

This is my Sofa, without me. . .

I probably spend 30-35 hours a week on, or near, my sofa. It looks pretty lonely and sad without me, too! But wait, there's more.

This is my current knitting. . .

I would estimate that I spend 20-25 hours a week knitting. . .most of that happens on my sofa (and some of that time might-or-might-not be at, or near, my desk. . .believe what you will about that).

So, what's the big decision? Well, here it is. . .

Every Friday afternoon, when I leave my desk, I agonize a little about the things that I didn't get done. It seems that there is always at least one. . .sometimes I even consider going back on Saturday to finish up, even though the "great, unfinished things" will surely wait until Monday. . .so, can I just let myself off the hook, and try again next week OR will I wonder and worry, all through the weekend, that I am not worthy of my great job. My perfectionist self says that my sofa and my knitting will understand if I stay later at the office to finish up on Friday (and other days occasionally), right?

However, my inner weekender says, "NOT!!!" Besides, if I make my Sofa and my Knitting happy, that's 2 outta 3. . .and I hear that 2 outta 3 ain't bad!

I hope that you are making your sofa and your knitting happy this weekend, and that you are Knitting in Good Health!

Take Your What Where?

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have unofficially declared today "Take Your Mochi to Work Day." If you haven't left the house yet, go grab your Mochi, and take it with you! If it's too late for today, do it tomorrow...this is a loose holiday at best, and its observance comes without a lot of "have to" rules and regulations...which is kindof nice in the work-a-day world!

I observed the new holiday yesterday, a day early, just to test my theory that this would be a good day to celebrate on a regular basis, and I believe the experiment to be a smashing success! After all, the bunny and the cupcake really love to be a part of the action...here they are, playing on my desk:

Looking at them up there, just having a grand time, it's hard to believe how rough the day started out yesterday...you see, I had just finished my first cup of coffee, when I noticed someone hiding behind my mug...

It was a tiny Mochi Easter Bunny, and he had a BIG question!

"Exscuse me, please! But, where did I come from?"

"Ummmm, it's 6:30...in the MORNING...!"

"I know that, but I really am curious...do you know where I came from?"

I was a bit taken aback by the question, but I figured that I would rather he get the right story from me than to hear some garbage on the street...we DO live in a pretty rough neighborhood. So, I sat him down, got another cup of coffee, and took a deep breath.

"Well, you see...ahem...it's like this. Sometimes, when yarn and knitting needles love each other verily, very muchly, they decide to work together to create a thing of beauty. Sometimes the thing is small, and sometimes it is big. Whether big or small, blue or pink, acrylic or wool, the thing they create is an expression of their love, and should feel very special to have been made. You know what else? The knitter loves the thing, too! Just like you, little Easter Bunny! I love you very much. You know that, right?"

"Yep. I know. What's that stuff...over there?"

"Well, that's yarn."

"My Mommy?"

"Kind of..."

"Can I touch it?"

"Sure..."

"Hmmmm...what's this? This cupcake looking thing?"

"Well, that's a tiny, Mochi Cupcake."

"Can I eat it?"

"Ummm, I'd rather you didn't. You know, it's kind of like your sister..."

"Ohhhhh! I get it now."

"Can Sissie and I come to work with you?"

"I think that could be arranged," I answered, after a short pause and a quiet declaration of the new holiday in the living room, sans audience. I did not want to wake Mr. Pretty with this particular announcement.

So the bunny and the cupcake spent the day in my office. They played a bit, and they napped a bit, and they spent more than enough time watching the clock and asking when it would be time to go home. Work wasn't as much fun as they thought it might be, but I think they enjoyed the day.

When we got home, they told me they want a little brother.
We'll see what we can do.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

What did you say?

2012-01-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I know just what to say.

Sometimes I have a lot to say, but I shouldn't say any of it.

Sometimes I say it anyway.

Sometimes I am too busy to say much of anything to anyone. I think that these are the times that God protects me from myself. Today is one of those days, so lets talk about knitting.

Today, as I turn the next page in my stitch-a-day calendar. . .

. . .I notice that it is yet one more variation of holey fabric. Sometimes it bugs me when I look for variety but find a bunch of the same-old, same-old. This year, I am hoping to not be so bugged by that. I have cast on a new sweater (but have not taken pics yet), and I am planning to knit toy after toy for my dear Peanut (she soooo loved those dolls!). I have two books of mochimochi patterns, and I just downloaded 7 patterns for jelly bums, so it seems that 2012 will be the year of the knitted toy at Pretty's house! After all, toys don't really care what you have to say, as long as you play with them. . .

I promise pictures, as soon as my life doesn't feel so full of holes! Today it just feels like time is slipping by so fast, and I am not getting much accomplished. . .but I hope to have some project progress sooner rather than later!

I hope that you are having knitting success so far this year! Is 2012 the "year of something" for you? Tell me what!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Hey there, 2012!

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Now that the holidays are but a blurry reflection in the mind's eye, it's time to move on to the changes that are sure to come for 2012. I have said before that I do not make resolutions to mark any new year, but that doesn't stop the changes! After all, just look at 2011!

Snake and Dollface got married, and joined the wall of fame at our house.

New knitters were "born" very late in the year,

and more "established" knitters knit for miles and miles!

Peanut was born, and is now nearly a year old. . .

and there was much knitting (my feet are soooo, soooo warm)!

There was good and bad, happy and sad, but overall, I think 2011 was a darn good year. I know that change will follow me as long as the world turns, and I think I am ready. Just for fun, I am also going to shake it up a bit with a little change of my own. . .

A short history of the Blog Names. . .

A while ago, I changed the DD and DSIL names to Snake and Dollface (College Girl and Boy-Friend just were not cutting it once that engagement ring hit her finger!). Over time, Mr. Pretty has also been known as Sweetie and Pop-Pop, depending on the photo and circumstance. Pretty has always been Pretty, because (of course) she is Pretty! There's also Beagle-face and Puggle-jumper, and the nameless cats, not much to worry about there!

Now it's time to address Army Boy and Wifey-Poo. . .who will not always be in the Army (although I am not sure when that change will come). Now that they are parents, and they get many more mentions in regard to Peanut, I think I have finally figured out what their permanent (shorter and easier-to-type) blog names should be (it's only taken me three years!).

Since they were small, I have thought that my kids are out of this world. . .for a short time, some of my boy's friends even called him an alien. (Truly, I think I may have missed something at the time, and I was never quite sure how to respond to that, but it was what it was.) With that in mind, I would like to reintroduce you to my son and daughter-in-law, the parents of Peanut, Mork and Mindy!

For you younger readers, I include this link. . .it's just the opening credits and theme song, but you can look up more (just Google Mork and Mindy), if you are into that kindof thing. Nano! Nano!

And now it's time for me to run off and knit. I would hate to start 2012 feeling as far behind as I felt when I said so-long to 2011! I know it's bound to happen, but I want to enjoy being "ahead of the game" while I can!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Turn out the lights, the party's over. . .

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

Wow! It's the last day of the year? When did that happen? Well, Peanut, it seems to happen every year about this time. . .resolution time sneaks up on us, and we plan a big party time to celebrate and indulge in all the stuff we're giving up "for the new year." (Or, at least for a couple of days, so that we can feel a little better about ourselves.)

Me? What are Pretty's resolutions? Oh, that's an easy one! A few years ago, I swore off resolutions for New Years. These days, when I think I should be doing something differently than I currently am, I try to just jump in there and start. . .like when I joined the gym a few months ago. I don't go every day, I shoot for three times a week. . .and sometimes I fail at that. But, I'm human, and I'm gonna mess up from time to time. Still, it's been a positive change, and I didn't even have to wait for January! :o)

What are my plans for tonight? Well, seeing as how I spent all of last night at the "first new year's eve party of the year" for the teens at our church, I'd say that I'm going to turn in pretty early tonight! (Heck! I'm probably sleeping right now. . .oh, the wondrous wonders of technology that allow me to write my blog and schedule it to post later!) I'll probably miss the ball dropping on TV, and I won't participate in a champagne toast or a midnight kiss, but I will probably wake up when the random gunfire starts "in the neighborhood." At that point, I will look at the clock, thank the Lord for another year to spend with family and friends, and go back to sleep. Oh, and I will look forward to a "Stitch-a-Day" from my new Vogue Knitting calendar (thanks again, Family, for the knitting gifts this year!).

2012, just like 2011, will likely bring lots of knitting and time with the family. I hope that you will enjoy similar blessings in your new year as well! Until then, and after the "big moment," I hope that you will find much happiness.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Broken Purse :(

2011-12-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here's the story, of a gal named Pretty

Who was saddened by a very broken purse...

So she went to buy a new one after Christmas,
Shopping for a purse can be the worst!

There are big ones, there are small ones, nice and pretty,
But the one that fits her stuff looks more like this:

Out of date and out of season, it's no beauty,
But all her stuff went right inside and it all fits...

So she bought it, she bought the purse,

Off the clearance rack she bought herself a purse!* (for $13.60)

*First she bought two purses at full, discounted prices for more than $30 each, which she returned yesterday morning, in a depressing ritual that's almost as bad as returning a too-small pair of jeans. Why, oh why, is it so hard to buy a purse?!?

In Knitting Knews, here is the secretChristmasknitting that I could not show you last week! Four hats for 3 nephews plus one girlfriend:

And one beard, for the nephew who mentioned it on Facebook, perhaps not realizing that his aunt was lurking:

Oh, and one little bulky hat for a beautiful girl!

Soooo, it was a five-hat, three-doll Christmas, and we had lots of fun! I hope that your holiday celebrations have been grand, and that you continue to enjoy yourself throughout the rest of this year.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

PS - What are you doing Saturday night?

We wish you a Merry Christmas...

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

You've heard the discussion.

You've seen and read the comments.

You know that I am not sending cards this year.

But I still want to say Merry Christmas, and I am not the only one:

Wherever you are, and whatever you are celebrating, we wish you and your loved ones the very best. :)

Thanks for stopping by! Knit, and celebrate, in Good Health!

Welcome to the Ginger-Hood!

2011-12-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I waxed poetic about Christmas cards...more specifically, the lack of Christmas cards coming from my mailbox. I think I am about over it now, so I spent the last few days immersed in the sights and smells of Christmas gingerbread! From baking the pieces. . .

. . .to assembling the"tools" I would need. . .

. . .to crushing the first candies, preparing to melt them into. . .

. . .stained "glass" windowpanes. . .

. . .to decorating and assembling the walls. . .

. . .and carefully placing the roof. . .

. . .to get both sides on "just so" takes patience and a steady hand!

After the initial icing and assembly, it's time to gather the girls for the decorating!

What's the most important part? Taste test!

It is a process. . .concentration and a steady hand are required. . .

. . .and more tasting!

Yummmmm!!!

All that hard work. . .and tasting. . .

Sure pay off in PRETTY!!!

Then it's time to knit!
(The password is KNITTINGFORCHRISTMAS. Shhhhh!)
I hope your holiday surprises are good and pretty and tasty!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (secretly) in Good Health!

Christmas Cards 2011

2011-12-17T09:00:00.002-05:00

I mentioned last Saturday that I had a dilemma. Would Pretty Knitty Christmas Cards go out for 2011? Should Pretty Knitty cards go out? If they don't go out this year, will they ever go out again?

I mean, I'm feeling really Christmas-y. . .

Check out the knitterly gifts I received at the

Knitter's Christmas-and-Bacon Extravaganza

. . .and I have enjoyed sending (and receiving!) annual Christmas cards for years. But, is my time for this tradition up? I mean, I love to come up with the words to share, and I love to play with the available technology to create and arrange photos for the annual correspondence. . .just look at the technology that hangs out on my desk each day!But with social networking (most of my card recipients are on Facebook these days), maybe my time for holiday cards is up. Don't get me wrong. . .I still love words (see the blog archives for reference, lol!), and I love to play with and share my photos. . .but there are so many avenues for that these days. I mean, gone are the days of only hearing from my cousins, Aunts and Uncles, and faraway friends only once a year. . .even my Army Boy "over there" communicates with me on a somewhat regular basis. . .by the way, if Army Boy were to send a Christmas card this year, it might look something like this:. . .because that's how his mom rolls. She photoshops Peanut into his friends' Facebook photos so it will feel like she and he are closer together. BTW, is she just the cutest, or what!?!

Thanks to all of you who weighed in on the options last Saturday, and thanks to all of you who are still sending me cards! I truly do love to receive them. :) But for now, I believe that my Christmas-card-sending days are through. Watch the blog for updates twice a week, and please comment or send an email anytime you like. :o) I'd love to hear from you, electronically or on paper.

Thanks for stopping by, Merry Merry!, and Knit in Good Health!

Crack and Candy for Christmas

2011-12-14T09:00:00.007-05:00

So, in a previous post, I mentioned Bacon Crack, and someone asked me for the recipe. . .but first, a photo!Oh!, if only this were in person. . .if you could smell it or just have one little taste, you would know why we knitters were so excited about having bowls and bowls of bacon crack at our parties! Mmmmmmmm! I asked my friend The Queen's permission (it's her recipe), and here is how you can become addicted to one more bacon recipe. And as you are buying more and more bacon next week, just remember that I warned you. . .addictive!

Bacon Crackers
Ingredients:
---Club Crackers
---Bacon
---Garlic salt
---Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat oven to 250. Cut bacon into thirds and wrap around the cracker (like a belt). Lay them out on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with garlic salt and then parmesan cheese. Cook for 2.5 hours.

Time consuming, but so easy, and soooo addicting! Mmmmmmmmm!

As for the candy, since this seems to be a recipe blog lately, I thought I'd also share Mr. Pretty's Grandmother's recipe for homemade caramel. . .again I say, "Mmmmmmmmmm!"When Grammy could no longer make the caramel for the holiday turtles, as well as the other yummy Christmas candies, I took over. It's nearly time to get cracking on the candy around here this Christmas, and once again, I am feeling the pinch of time running out! But, there truly is no match for the smell of homemade candy and bakery in my kitchen for the holidays. . .or any day, I guess. . .It's the best!

Now for the Eye Candy, because I know that you will gladly indulge a grandma who got to take her dear Peanut to see the big man in the red suit this past weekend. . .they really sized each other up!I think Peanut is enjoying the holiday season, and I know that I am! I'd regale you with tales of the knitting, but it's all holiday related at this point. . .so mum's the word! I promise updates the first of the year, and perhaps there will even be some not-so-secret knitting in the next couple of weeks?

In the meantime, thanks for stopping by, and I hope that you are taking time to enjoy the season amidst the busy-ness! Oh, and I hope that you are Knitting in Good Health!

Christmas Dilemma

2011-12-10T09:00:00.006-05:00

"I have a dilemma."

If I were going to write a Pretty Knitty Speech in the month of December, that's how it would start. Today is December 10. . .just over two weeks until Christmas, and for the last few years, this time of year has thrown me right into a quandary.

Twenty years ago, or so, I started sending out Christmas newsletters. The first couple were rather long winded (like my blog posts?), and they chronicled every minuscule accomplishment of my way-above-average-I-was-sure-at-the-time family. Bragging? Maybe a little. Trying to prove to my friends and family that I was insanely happy in my hum-drum (sometimes boring, sometimes painful) little life? Yeah, that's probably closer to it.

As I sent (and received) letters each year, I started to realize that my friends and family didn't want the entire album of experiences every year, but really they just needed more of a snapshot. Over the years I got better and better at condensing, and I think some of my Christmas letters even bordered on entertaining and funny. At least I hope that's how they came across.

Then in 2009, something weird happened. I did not send out a Christmas letter, or even cards signed, "Love Mr. & Mrs. Pretty!" I tried, starting in November, but totally missed my Christmas deadline. Then I thought maybe I could get them out as "New Year" cards. . .but I failed again. . .Valentines? Easter Cards? Yeah, I was delusional at that point. Eventually, somewhere in June I think, I finally gave up on the dream and the dilemma.

I did manage to get cards out in 2010, and they went out before Christmas, and I think most of them even arrived at their destinations before the holidays were over. . .WIN!

This year, as I was setting up a decorative mantel for family photos at a church event,I revisited the dilemma. Am I gonna send out cards? Letters? Anything? Am I just too busy this year? If I gave up social media for the month (yeah, I know. . .who am I kidding with that one?), then could I find enough time to do the annual Christmas mailing? I mean, I still have the baking and the knitting and the shopping and the wrapping. . .maybe, just maybe I should let this go. . .but I can't pull the trigger. . .I don't know if that's my final answer or not.

What do you think? Do you send out cards? How many? Do you like to get Christmas cards? If you are on my list, will you miss a card from me this year? I don't know what I'm going to decide, but I do hope that you will leave me a comment with your thoughts.

Well, comment or not, thanks for stopping by!
Happy Christmas Season to you, and Knit in Good Health!

Three Weeks. . .

2011-12-07T09:00:00.005-05:00

Three weeks before Christmas, so I put on my Christmas socks!
Then I grabbed a couple knitters, and we went to a party that rocks!It rocks because of the food, there was fruit. . .. . .and meat,. . .and "Bacon Crack." (drool)

Honeycrisp with sweet, creamy dip. . .. . .and desserts from the front to the back!It rocks because of the guests, Joe was there with his toys. . .. . .and knitters (of course!), and we even had boys! (with video games)There was so much food that we all ate in rounds. . .And the knitters came to this party from all around "town"!As usual, we thank our angelic hostess. . .(?)Well, halo or not, she has hosted the mostest!

(Of all who attended, she has hosted the most Christmas parties, that I know of at least! But, here's a picture of "the Queen" in a more "natural" pose.)We wore festive clothes, with our best foots out strong. . .. . .and we knitted our hearts out, knitting 'til daylight was gone!But wait!, there's more! Are those gifties I see?Yay!, there are gifties for everyone under that tree!

(Sorry, but I can't show you all the stocking stuffers until next week. . .some bags are still unopened!)And then it was late, and time to go home. . .

(Wait, who said you could take this home? Weren't these meats a gift for the kitteh?)So we packed it all up, and then hit the road. :(

But before we left town, we stopped by this sight:Christmas house must be seen at the end of the night!

(Wow. Just Wow. And it's the whole cul-de-sac...not just that house. Wow.)

As we all headed home, and the party house grew less bright,We bid all, "Merry Christmas!," and, "See you Thursday night!"

It's good to have friends.

It's even better to have friends that like a good party.

But the best?

The best is knitting friends that LOVE to knit and have fun together!

Thanks again, to all my knitting friends, for all the wonderfulness of Sunday's party! See you Thursday!

And thank YOU, Dear Readers, for stopping by to see a little slice of the fun in pictures. I hope you are having a lovely (even if it's crazy) Holiday Season!

Knit in good Health!

Speechless Saturday

2011-12-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

Done. Yay.

"You know, deck them halls and all that stuff?"

2011-11-30T09:00:00.011-05:00

Lucy Van Pelt said it well, as she made her musical request of Schroeder for a simple rendition of Jingle Bells, and that's what we did at the Pretty Knitty House over the past few days. . .we decked them halls and all that stuff! Here's a look at how the process worked out for us:

1. Go into attic, and bring down tree and a few favorite decorations.
2. Assemble tree, and start stringing new LED lights, 200 total.
3. Sit Peanut in front of lighted tree, and seek approval. . .
4. Bask in aforementioned approval (!) for about two days.
5. Take down the rest of the boxes from the attic, and ask Dollface to help.
6. Do some decorating of your own, after taking ribbons from Dollface and cat.
7. Step back and admire completed tree.

It was so much fun to do this with Dollface last night! I think I even celebrated a little. . .I'm glad that no one had a camera to catch THAT on film! lol

Hmmmm. . .

Well, what can I say? I was really happy to finally have the tree done. I hope that you are achieving similar success with your holiday decorations.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

So Thankful

2011-11-26T09:00:00.002-05:00

I have so much to be thankful for. Even though I did not have turkey on Thursday, Peanut spent the night so Wifey-Poo could do some shopping for Black Friday!
And even though I cooked all day on Thursday and much of the day on Friday to have a late Thanksgiving feast last night, I did not take any photos of the meal. . .I was too busy taking photos of Peanut adoring her Pop-Pop. . .. . .and trying to get his hat! She loves to get Pop-Pop's hats! And even though my Army Boy is far away and couldn't eat turkey with us, or walk to the park with us yesterday, I know that he got to talk to his girls via Skype on Thursday. . .and this is a very good thing. :)

Yes, I might not always get everything I want in this life, but I did get to knit on some toys for Peanut's Christmas. . .do you recognize this pair of new parents?

They are a pretty handsome couple, if I do say so myself! And you can't tell from that picture, but soon they will have their own little Peanut doll, just like the real couple. . .I started on her today. . .and the real Peanut helped me knit a bit!

Well, she played with some yarn anyway. . .every knitter has to start somewhere!

As I get ready to decorate for Christmas, and "officially" move on to the next holiday season, I wish many blessings for you, and the time to count them every day, too.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Happy Turkey Day, Peeps!

2011-11-23T09:00:00.008-05:00

Because it is a holiday, I will not post tomorrow.
Because I will not post tomorrow,
I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving today!

We've made it through September, October and almost through November. . .go us!. . .and since today is the day for baking pies and cookies and breads for tomorrow. . .happy baking to you!

If you have any spare time, I hope that you will get to play with yarn (or read a book, or do something else you enjoy), since it is a long holiday weekend for most! As for me, I will rejoice that I have finished another scarf (Yay!!!), and I will keep those needles clicking. . .at least until I get up into the attic to pull down the tree and other Christmas decorations. . .oh, I may have to do that TODAY! Then turkey and knitting all the way through the weekend!

Knit (and enjoy your loved ones) in Good Health, Friends!

Where words are many. . .

2011-11-19T09:00:00.008-05:00

Yep. That would be here.

I just looked back at my last post, and I noticed that I started out by saying that I didn't have much to blog about. I then followed up with a 47-mile-long blog post. Hmmm, interesting.

Apparently I have a lot to say.
Or, maybe I was trying so hard to not talk about the secret baby shower we were planning. . .

. . .and the "super-secret" crochet?Well, that wasn't such a secret to my Facebook friends, but it was a secret here and on Ravelry. . .. . .we did not want the twins (or their mommy) to find out about these afghans before the Thursday party! So, while I was trying to keep my big mouth shut, I used a LOT of words on Wednesday!

But this post is different. I actually have a lot to blog about (and I am trying to bring the abridged version this time around). . .like the party, which was a big hit, and fun for all! Oh, and the boxes that the knitters all contributed to. . .there are three total (with some extra items I will send to Army Boy to share).On the inside, they are packed full of good things for some young men who are voluntarily serving their country by leaving it far behind for a year in the desert. Thanks Ladies for your generosity! I am sure the boys will enjoy all of the candy and snacks and toys! I had fun just packing it all up!

You know what else I had fun doing? I actually made some headway on a pair of socks that I have been meaning to start for some time. . .yay! The pattern is the same as these socks I did a couple months ago (that I love), and the yarn is Knit Picks Stroll tonal, I think I love it (and I know I am going to love the socks)!

Soooo, even though I have been a busy knitter, my words are much fewer today. It's hard to talk and Zumba at the same time, after all! As we head into the home stretch for Thanksgiving, I hope that you are finding the time to do what you love!

Knit in Good Health!

Plans for the Holiday?

2011-11-16T09:00:00.013-05:00

One of my favorite comedians, Bill Cosby, tells the tale of the worst spanking he ever received from his mom:

"And tired" always followed sick. Worst beating I ever got in my life, my mother said, "I am just sick..." And I said, "And tired." I don't remember anything after that.

Funny, right?! And so true. . .

Well, I am a different kind of "sick and tired" this week. Peanut has had the off-again, on-again cold in her system for the past few weeks, and up until this point, I've been lucky to not catch that bug. . .up until this week. Yep. So, for the last few days, I have been sneezing and coughing and blowing my nose until I look like Rudolph. Yep. It's my own fault, she's so cute that I just kept kissing her, germs and all. Yep.

So now, even though I am nearly over the worst of it, I realize that I have very little to blog about today. Almost no knitting, a tiny bit of crochet (but it's super-secret for-the-holiday-type-of-crochet), and a LOT of just resting. In fact, the most strenuous exercise I've done this week has been pressing buttons on the remote. . .and my shoulder is a little sore from that.

But Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and I promised a recipe.

Well, this is not an actual recipe for a dish. It's more of a recipe for The Feast, the few days before, and all the preparation that goes into a traditional turkey dinner. This is a picture of an article I clipped from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, back when I was a young wife, in 1987:

The actual date may change from year to year, but the plan remains, and I pull it out every year to help me remember when to do what so that my Thanksgiving dinner will be perfect (or nearly so) for my family.

As far as pictures of articles go, this one is pretty clear. Still, you can't see that back page, so here are the highlights. These are the things I try to get accomplished on a timeline the week before Turkey-Day (most are directly from the article, some are Pretty Knitty additions):

3-4 days before Thanksgiving:
Make room in the fridge to thaw the turkey. Figure 5 hours for every pound of weight, e.g. a 15 pounder will need 75 hours (3 days plus 3 hours) to defrost in the refrigerator. (This is the best and safest method, don't consider any other.)
Determine cooking time (at 325 degrees F) for your turkey. An unstuffed, thawed turkey takes 15-18 minutes per pound; for a stuffed, thawed turkey, allow 18-24 minutes per pound. **Pretty notes that a turkey cooked in an oven cooking bag takes significantly less time, consult the box for instructions, temperatures and times.
Prepare sauces and relishes that you can cover and refrigerate (cranberry sauce, for example). The flavors will develop and mingle nicely in the fridge while they wait for the holiday.

The day before Thanksgiving:
If using giblets in the gravy or stuffing, simmer them with the neck until well cooked; let cool and refrigerate. (It makes sense to get this done ahead of time.)
Bake cookies, pies and breads. **Pretty loves to make homemade breads and pies from scratch, and she likes to do that before the oven is all turkey-scented!
Added by Pretty - Put the giant tub of whipped topping in the fridge to thaw (because, while you CAN use it frozen, it's definitely better not frozen).

Thanksgiving Day
Wash the turkey inside and out, dry thoroughly. Do not let sit at room temperature for more than an hour.
Make the stuffing. You can do this later if you are cooking the stuffing in a casserole dish.
Preheat the oven. Stuff and place the turkey in the oven and start timing.
Set the table completely.
Pretty adds - plan what dishes go in which serving bowls and label each with a little slip of paper. . .this will help your family to help you later, trust me!
Cook any recipe that can be done completely or partially ahead (potatoes, casseroles, etc.). These can then be baked or reheated for serving when the turkey comes out.
Prepare any vegetables that need last minute attention.
When the turkey is cooked to 180 degrees, remove it from the oven and let rest for the most hectic 20-minutes of any cook's year.
While the turkey rests, it is vital to delegate responsibilities: bake the biscuits and casseroles, mash the potatoes, finish the vegetables, make the gravy, place everything in serving dishes and have serving utensils ready. Show off the turkey and then carve it.
Take a deep breath, give thanks for it all and eat.

Oh, and I have one little addition to the end of that list. . .

After you have eaten, and the table is semi-cleared, enjoy your family some more. The dishes and the laundry from the day will still be there when everyone goes home, so sit and play games and laugh. . .maybe even knit a little in between turns at Monopoly.

Are you ready for Turkey Day?

Knit in Good Health!

Well, It's About Time. . .

2011-11-12T09:00:00.003-05:00

Some time ago, I saw something that piqued my interest, and I added it to the sidebar of my blog. The Get the Crap Out Challenge is a necessary, but apparently not mandatory, challenge for Pretty to take, so she did. However, despite some early progress, the efforts have kind of fizzled. . .until last weekend. . .and really, it's about time that I get back to it!

Now, please do not misunderstand. I did not blow through the Pretty Knitty house mercilessly de-stashing and getting rid of all my junk and unnecessary, knicky-knacky stuff like I had originally intended, but Sweetie and I did move some furniture in the basement. . .and, as long as I was already pretty sweaty and dirty, I figured that I'd re-organize my craft stuff. . .WOW!What you can't see in that picture is that most of my things are still stuffed-and-stashed into whatever space I could fit them into the last time I re-organized! It looks nicer, because the movement enabled me to stack similar sized storage bins, moving everything up, up and away, and off of the floor, creating the illusion of a neater room. . .and you know what? I am totally ok with that! And I'm kind of excited that my sewing machine has claimed a space where it is actually "out" and ready to use, rather than being stashed under stuff on a table tucked behind another piece of furniture. Actually, that's one of the most exciting highlights of my weekend cleaning!

The other is this, and it's also about time:It's a poem I found when I moved to a different room later in the week, and I started clearing some bookshelves. Written when the kids were in elementary school and our lives were a different kind of crazy busy, I leaked a little, and I laughed a lot when I read it.

It's kind of hard to read in the pic, but here is the poem:

Time With Mom
It won't be ready in time
And I'm sure it will cost more than a dime
Have you ever committed a crime?

It's getting fixed at the shop
Perhaps it's taken one too many a drop
Do we have any pop?

We know how much you like that watch of yours
much more than a bunch of wild boars
Our house has a broken door*

This way you won't have to depend on a clock
You won't have to listen to tick or to tock
We know a guy named Tak*

We appreciate the time you spend on us Mom
You're the greatestmom.com
Your love is more powerful than a bomb

It is signed "Dad," "Army Boy," and "Dollface S.", because of course there were several Dollfaces in her classes at school, and she always signed with her last initial! Taking the time to get some crap out last week sure did bring back a lovely, and slightly Seuss-like, memory. . .a birthday where they really thought about what I wanted, and they took my favorite watch to the jeweler's to have it repaired. They knew how much I loved that watch. . .I hope they know that I still love the poem more!

Now that I have reminisced about times past, I am looking forward to the future! Future knitting, and birthdays, and holidays, and memories. . .hey!, it's the holiday season. . .well, just about! I hope that you are enjoying time with those close to you, and that you are making memories of your own. Come back on Wednesday to hear a little bit about my plan for the upcoming holiday season! There may even be a recipe in it for you. . .!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

*We did, at the time, know a guy named Tak (pronounced "tock"), and there was a broken door in our house. . .good times!

Bright, Bright, Bright Sunshine-y Day

2011-11-09T09:00:00.002-05:00

Yep! I've got sunshine, alright! It may have been a bit chilly over the weekend, but that sun has really been making a good showing lately. . .yay! That means Peanut can ride her new toy!: Of course, it makes for less time to knit. . .but I did still manage to finish the pink stocking this weekend, too. . .It may have been sunny during the daylight hours, but with the recent time change, it's getting DARK very, very early. . .and dark-time = knitting-time! (Sometimes anyway!) Heck, even when it's dark, we still have a lot of sunshine in our lives. :) Who could argue, especially seeing this face?: And you know what nearly-8-month-old Peanut is reminding me of A LOT lately?She's reminding me of another little girl I knew and loved, and one of my favorite photos of her, when she was (quite coincidentally) about the same age! That seems so long ago and far away. . .especially now that she is all grown up and married-like. And this week we celebrate her birth, yay! When she was a baby, I loved her so much that I could not imagine ever loving her more. Even so, with every passing year, my love for her has grown by leaps and bounds. Now that she's "all grown up," she's even given us a Snake-In-Law to love as well, and we are so glad to have them in our lives.

I hope that you are blessed in your families, and that you find your sunshine every day, no matter what the weather may bring! Thanks for stopping by, and

Knit in Good Health!

Getting My Stockings On!

2011-11-05T09:00:00.001-04:00

When I was a little girl, I loved to wear stockings. Stockings (really more like leggings, with sturdy fabric for warmth under dressy dresses and skirts) meant that I was going someplace fancy, and I would most likely get to wear my "clicky shoes!" I loved my clicky shoes, the way they went tap-tap-tap on the kitchen floor, and how they were just slippery enough to slide a little when I would spin around fast, making my skirt flare out like the ballroom dancers on PBS (yes, it was a bit of a sheltered childhood). If my dress or skirt were shorter, I might pretend that I was an ice dancer at the Olympics, gliding over the "ice" gracefully...either way, I was so happy to wear stockings! (Sorry, Mom, for all those scuffs...the apology is better late than never...right?!?)

As I got older, stockings became a more delicate affair...there were runs to be dealt with (always carry clear nail polish), chafing "issues" because I would always lie to myself and buy the wrong size, and the ever present fear that I might have to...ahem...potty during the day, and that the stockings would not recover from the tugging and pulling involved in that operation.

Eventually, as an adult, I gave up on stockings. I still go to dressy events (very occasionally), and I am one of those women who will wear knee-highs under a very long skirt even though it's not cool (shhh!, don't tell). Mostly, though, I just skip the stockings altogether. I wore a pantsuit to my son's wedding, and went bare-legged to my daughter's wedding (gasp!, but it showed off my tattoo!), and no one seemed to notice my lack of stockings.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
I hereby declare that I officially never have to wear stockings again! Boo to all uncomfortable stockings!

Having made that declaration, I should confess that this is the time of year that my thoughts still turn to stockings, for sure...this kind:Festive receptacles for candy and small trinkets from the "Big Guy" in the red suit! And with new family members to think about, it was time to do some new stockings! Since Dollface just got married, and has set up her own housekeeping, she needs a new stocking:
Her loving husband Snake needs a new stocking as well!:And then there's Peanut! She is the newest of our new additions, and she's never had a stocking...let alone a hand-knit stocking from Gramma!

Wait. I don't see a stocking for Peanut. How can that be? Oh, I remember now...that's my weekend project for today and tomorrow...car knitting, TV knitting, and knitting whenever I can fit it in...and then I will have a Peanut stocking to show you! :o) Wow! I'd better get to work so I can show you a new stocking in the next post (or the post after that, whatever).

Thanks for stopping by, Friends!
Happy Holiday Knitting (in Good Health) to you!

Hats off to the Holidays!

2011-11-02T09:00:00.005-04:00

Hats Off to the Holidays. . .all of them!
Buuut. . .hats ON for the cooler weather!
Bulky hats with purple-y braided ear-flaps. . .
. . .hats originally made for Grampa. . .
Hats that fit into your costume plans (by the way, this IS his original uniform from back-in-the-day, and it DOES fit him!), even though I really didn't get to a costume for myself, which made the cats kindof angry. . .
. . .and hats with Hallow-Kitty ears on them (so cute!). . .

Oh, and then there is the yarn. . .yarn that isn't made into hats, but it's ready for the holidays. . .

. . .because all yarn everywhere aspires to sit in the candy bowl, waiting to be knit into these. . .

. . .right?!?

So, it was a busy weekend. Even though the party car was not transformed into a submarine, and I was not transformed into a mermaid, I did get to be married to a man in uniform for an evening. . .hubba! hubba! We had a LOT of fun this Halloween, and now I am looking forward to turkey-day, and then the BIG ONE! Peanut's first Christmas!!!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope that your needles are flying fast, especially if you are gifting your knitting in a couple of months, and I wish you happy shopping from here until it's over!

Oh, and Knit in Good Health!

Cat Interrupted

2011-10-29T09:00:00.004-04:00

Pretty: I am super busy again, guys. Would you be dear cats, and write me a blog post, puh-leazzze? Pretty Please, with a chocolate covered mouse on top...

Cat 1: Really?!? Can't you see that Crochet Dude is on? I mean, I DVR-ed this weeks ago, and I am just now sitting down to enjoy it. . .could you have picked a worse day?

Pretty: Hmmm, I guess not. What about you? I see that you're not watching TV, or really doing anything right now...and I really have to get going on my costume for Trunk or Treat at the church tonight...

Cat 2: Can't. Bath. Be gone with you.Pretty: (sigh!) Well, I guess that's that then. No blog today. (sigh!)

Cat 1: Ack! Why does she always do that? I can't take the guilt! Meooohhh! The GUILT!

Cat 2: I'm fine. You just do what you gotta do. (struts off, indignant)

Cat 1: Great...you're such a big help. Fine, I'll just do it myself. It'll be better that way anyhow.

Pretty: Thanks! You're the best. (turning to where Cat 2 was) You, notsomuch...(Pretty then runs off to goodness-knows-where, and the cats suspect that they won't see her for some time.)

Cat 1: OK, let's do this thing. This is what it looks like where we live. That Halloween thing is coming up, and it's cold. It's fun to watch the leaves fall outside the window, but the black cat...well, let's just say that she thinks this is her own personal holiday...yeah, she's (in air quotes with her little white paws) "SPECIAL" this time of year. Give me a break!

And over here, this is what Pretty came home with after her knitting group this week. Seriously? Like she needs more yarn...knitting is stupid... I mean, knitting just lays around all day, waiting to have it's picture taken...who has time for that?!? Oh, wait...I guess I just volunteered myself to have time for that. (bangs kitty-head against table, mumbling, "Stupid knitting...stupid knitting...")Now, as I previously told Pretty, it's time for my show. Be gone with you. Hello Drew...and your beautiful-and-non-demanding crochet...Mrrrowwww!Pretty (to Cat 1): Thanks! You are the best, my precious calico!

And to the rest of you, thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! (But try to keep the candy away from the cashmere and the cashmere away from the cats! Trust me...)

Autmn Days

2011-10-26T09:00:00.003-04:00

I'm finally starting to settle into the Autumn feel of things in my neck of the woods. So are Grampa and Peanut, seen here in a local park:That guy I love. . .he loves to be outside. He loves to be moving around. He loves to be with Peanut! (And she loves him, and being outside, and moving around, too!) Me? Notsomuch. I love knitting and crafts of all kinds. I need Grampa and Peanut in my life, to remind me to occasionally get my butt off the sofa, if I have any hope of maintaining my recent weight loss. I need to maintain (and continue) that weight loss if I have any hope of fitting into this new sweater for longer than a nano-second!It still needs buttons, but they are purchased and their positions carefully marked, while the sweater awaits a soak in wool-wash to soften it up a bit and block out that beautiful patterning. I absolutely love this new sweater, and I can't wait to wear it!...but I will not wear it when I am working with polymer clay. . .like when I made the bees! By the way, in case you were wondering, here's what I did with the bees and their hives:It's a special order (three counters and three sets of stitch markers), and I shipped it off to the UK yesterday. I love that Pretty Knitty Jewelry has gone international! I do not love that shipping overseas doesn't come with inexpensive shipping confirmation, so I always worry until I hear from the recipient that their items have arrived. . .while I wait and worry, I craft. You know about the knitting, and you also know about the clay. I know that I've talked about sewing as well, and here is my next sewing project:Shopping Cart Covers for Peanut, so that her mommy doesn't have to worry about the baby sucking on the cart when the two are shopping! Bonus! - they also cover restaurant high-chairs. :o) For a very active, and very social Peanut, these are going to come in very handy! But for today, she doesn't want to go shopping or out to eat. Today, Peanut wants to be outside, in the fresh-and-cool fall breezes!So that's where she is! Look at that happy baby! Look at those fall colors! Swing, Peanut! Higher! Yayyyy!

Thanks for stopping by! When you're not outside, enjoying good weather and being active, I hope that you will be Knitting in Good Health!

Underestimating Everything

2011-10-22T09:00:00.003-04:00

Underestimating how long it takes to read a magazine or knit a sweater. . .
. . .and also underestimating how long it takes to do just about everything else on my plate, including blogging! Here I am, just for a minute, to say hello and that I am still here and still crazy busy. . .I look forward to a longer post on Wednesday, but for now, this is about all I've got time for on this busy, busy Saturday.

Thanks for stopping by, and please feel free to stop into the shop to take a "looky-loo" at my funtimes in Polymer Clay. Oh, and Knit in Good Health, my Friends!

Like a Bad Penny?

2011-10-19T09:00:00.009-04:00

This seems to be the blog post of poor picture-taking. Just like a bad penny, my sub-standard self sometimes shows up to the shoot. The photographic-genius in me knows intuitively that good pictures are all about the lighting and inspiration for the shot. . .the rest of me knows that the sun is coming up later and later, and going down earlier and earlier. The timing of taking pictures does not always coincide with lovely light streaming in the windows, and with all the cloudy-rainy we have been experiencing lately, it's even worse. That explains this photo of my lovely DIL, Wifey-Poo:I mean, you have seen other photos of her, and you know that she is a lovely young lady. Even in the bad lighting here, she is lovely in her new hat. Please forgive me, DIL!. . .and I hope that the rest of you will please excuse my bad picture. (What was I thinking standing her in front of a bright window? I was thinking that I had better take the picture before I forgot!) So, there it is, another bulky hat, and I think there will be another pattern, but not this week.

This week, I am desperately knitting to finish a sweater that I want to wear soon, because it keeps getting colder and colder outside! On Sunday, I finished the fronts, and stitched up the shoulders and side seams, so sleeves are all I have left!You can see from the pictures (even though I used a flash that washed things out, and I am really bad at the cell-phone self-portraits that are so popular in social media) that this one is going to be a good fit, and I am pretty excited about that, especially since I didn't swatch! We talked about swatching at knit-night last week, and there are definitely two camps in the land of swatching. . .I do not generally swatch, but I don't hold it against anyone who does. After all, swatchers stitch more sweaters that actually fit, in general. . .and if I were teaching Peanut to knit, I would suggest swatching sweaters (do as I say, not as I do?).

Hats, on the other hand, may not require a swatch. Knit from the bottom up, the hats I knit usually fit the heads they are intended for, but I have had a few mishaps here and there (I actually cast on my first bulky hat 5 times to get the right circumference, and even then I didn't include gauge in the pattern at all. Swatching might have saved some time there, but I'm pretty stubborn.) On these hats, no swatch:These are hats for Sweetie and/or Snake. Sweetie has started wearing the gray one (Yay!, but no picture proof), and I don't know if he will really be interested in the tan one, but I know that Snake likes the hat I made him in 2009. . .perhaps it's time for him to have another? But I honestly don't know where I will find the time to knit more hats for the boys. The shop is taking off, and there's a lot of buzz over there these days! Wait, there IS a lot of buzzing. . .what could that be?!?Ohhhhh! It's the bees! I have been working on a custom order for a beekeeper who knits (a knitter who keeps bees?), and she requested bees and hives, but not the fat, yellow bumbles. . .please could she have bees that look more like honey bees, with a longer body, and more subdued colors? Apparently my answer was yes, because there are bees all over my house now (luckily, these are sting-free, polymer clay bees), waiting to be crafted into counters and markers! I had a lot of fun making these, and I think I will have a few extra to put into the shop - Yay!

As usual, my Pretty Knitty Life has been full of Love and Laughter in this season. I look forward to our visits each week, and and I hope that you are looking for (and finding) joy in each day.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Discoveries, New and Old

2011-10-15T09:00:00.002-04:00

I went into the attic this week. I was looking for holiday decorations, and I discovered this stuff:Pumpkins and a hay bale, made from leftover fleece for the Trunk-or-Treat event at church last year. Our car was a pun'kin patch last October. This year, well I have told a couple people, but I want it to be a little bit of a surprise this year, so I'm not sayin' here. wink! For now, these make great plush toys for Peanut!

I also discovered this week that I can create a bulky hat pretty quick if I hunker down and just do it. . .and here it is:A red hat for Wifey-Poo, to match (hopefully) the scarf she got last year from Old Navy. It went fast, even though I did some cables! I think it turned out pretty well, and (apparently) Dolly Draft Dodger agrees.By the way, Dolly Draft Dodger is an item that I crocheted long ago. . .I don't have any of the stats, it was before I was on Ravelry. I borrowed a crochet pattern book from a friend, and then I returned it. I searched the internets for a pattern or information to share with you, but unfortunately, I came up with very little.

Also unfortunate, while searching I came across some unsavory and unsafe websites! Who knew that "crochet pattern" was actually code for "I wanna find a new virus or trojan to infect my computer!"? Anyway, word to the wise, no matter what you are searching for, be cautious and surf safe on the world-wide web!

Something else I searched for this week was a toy company that I used to know and love. Home-based sales is generally how Discovery Toys distributes its quality products. I went looking for things for Peanut and her parents, based on my memories of the quality toys I had purchased from home parties when my own kids were small. This is what I ordered (and it arrived on Thursday!):Sounds Like Fun CD (with songs on it that I am currently singing from memory to Peanut every time she is over, so she needs this, right?); Measure Up Cups (this is mostly for a bath toy right now, as Gramma and Grampa don't yet have a lot of bath toys, but we are working on it!); and Boomerings Links (great for attaching toys to the stroller/carseat, now that she has learned how to play "drop-it-to-see-if-they-will-pick-it-up" quite proficiently!). The links were the reason I sought out Discovery Toys online, these were the best ones I ever had for our kids, and I want only the best for Peanut! Now that we have them, I can't wait to play! I'm a little bummed to find that I don't have a local consultant, I like to support good companies (and their home-based reps) when I can. . .for now, I suppose I will order online and just keep talking them up. They make great toys!

Lastly, I discovered on Thursday evening that I DO have a hope of finishing my Drift Cardigan at some point before the ice and sn*w start falling over our little corner of the world! Here is where I am on the fronts: Quite a bit further than I was the last time I blogged them! I have started my armhole and neckline shaping, and I have overcome a couple of good-sized errors, but I am finally feeling as though I may indeed finish this sweater! Yay! Of course, that is provided that I don't have to drop it before I discover that Christmas is upon us. . .wait. . .ACKKK!!! CHRISTMAS IS RIGHT AROUND MY KNITTING CORNER!

Well, apparently I just discovered that Christmas is coming, faster than we ever think it will, it always seems to be making it's way 'round the bend, so I better get to the knitting! Sorry to sign off so soon, but I'm sure glad you stopped by to say hello!

Knit (like-the-wind-for-Christmas) in Good Health!

Counting Sheep, and Writing Patterns

2011-10-12T09:00:00.006-04:00

Another busy week in the land of Pretty! There is a BIG ORDER in the shop, and I did not have enough inventory to fill it, so I was up late creating and counting sheep and birds (animosity abounds in Pretty's poly-clay!) for two nights already this week! (Now they are glazed and drying, waiting to be fit with their findings and made into beautimous knitting jewelry!)Pretty's birds were featured in a treasury last week (squee!), and business is picking up! There are plans afoot for more charms and beads and row counters for the winter and spring, so keep checking into the shop often!

In Knitting Knews, you have heard that there are Scarfies, and Mittens and Hats (oh, my!) in the making for the girls in Pretty's family, and I have been hard at work on those as well! Here is my latest cast on hat, to match a scarf Wifey-Poo already has in her wardrobe. I am knitting it on size 11 (8mm) DPNs that I have from my Grandma's stash of knitting tools! They are long, and a bit cumbersome, but I imagine her using them, and I just love them. . .so far, I like how the hat is working up as well! Maybe I will get around to writing up the pattern?
Maybe, Maybe not! Right, Corrie?After all, this hat and scarf turned out really well! Here it is on the intended recipient:I just LOVE that Dollface gets a knitted gift, and she runs right into the bathroom to try it on, adjust and primp, and admire it in the mirror! It does a knitting mom's heart good!And I even love it when she rolls her eyes at all the photo ops she is forced to endure, posing in a pout, just like the supermodel she is at heart!This pattern I did write up, and it is SUPER easy! I know there must be similar patterns out there, but why not add another to the mix? I hope that some of you can use it! Before I pass it along, let me just take a moment to say, as always:

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bulky Hat and Scarf in Northland Snowfall

Needles: 10.5 (6.5mm) for hat; 13 (9.0mm) for scarf
Yarn: Northland Snowfall, or similar bulky yarn
Gauge: I am a bad knitter, I did not really measure gauge, but my daughter's head is on the medium/large size, and this hat was made roomy, to accommodate lots of hair piled up in a bun on top of her noggin.

The HAT:
(Size 10.5 needles)

Cast on 48 sts (using a very stretchy cast on) and join to knit in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
K2, P2 around for 5 rounds.

Increase for body, or "making room for all that hair":
Knit one round, increasing 8 sts evenly around (56 sts).
Knit one round.
Knit one round, increasing 8 sts evenly around (64 sts).
Knit 22 rounds in Stockinette (knit every round). Hat should be approx. 6.5-6.75" long.
If you don't have a lot of hair, or you have a smaller head, you can get away with as few as 15-16 rounds of Stockinette, which is how I would knit this hat for myself, or for my DIL.

Decrease for crown:
Knit 6, K2tog around (56 sts).
Knit one round.
Knit 5, K2tog around (48 sts).
Knit one round.
Continue decreasing in this manner until you have 16 sts.

***K2tog around (8 sts).***
This round is optional. You can stop with 16 sts and finish off, if you like.

Draw yarn through remaining stitches twice, and fasten off, weaving ends to inside of hat at cast on edge and top of crown.
The hat pictured above took just about 1.25 balls of the Snowfall yarn, then I added a little tassel-thingie (after the photo shoot) at Dollface's request. Embellish at will!

Easy, no? The scarf is just as easy! Read on!

The SCARF:
(Size 13 needles)

Reversible Cable is worked over 4 sts, continuing the pattern of K1, P1 IN THE CABLE.
Step 1: Place two sts on cable needle held to the front
Step 2: Knit 1, Purl 1
Step 3: Working the two sts from the cable needle, Knit 1, Purl 1

Cast on 16 sts, and work K1, P1 rib for 6 rows.
Row 7: *Work reversible cable, (K1, P1)x2, and repeat from *
Rows 8-12: K1. P1 across
Row 13: *(K1, P1)x2, work reversible cable, and repeat from *
Rows 14-18: K1. P1 across
Repeat rows 7-18 until the scarf is as long as you like.

(I used two 50 gram balls of snowfall for my scarf, and it is approx 60" long.)

Bind off in K1, P1 pattern and weave in ends.

Now, put on your hat and scarf, and be warm!

Drifting Along. . .

2011-10-08T09:00:00.008-04:00

Adrift still, and really kind of enjoying it. I love this tormented teal colorway that I snatched from my dear friend at Woolapalooza last year, and I am not feeling at all guilty about it...well, maybe just a little? Still, it's mine! All mine! And I love the way the sweater is coming out!

I have finished the back, and despite a few slowdowns and interruptions along the way, I am now about halfway into the front pieces. I really prefer to knit sweaters in pieces. . .I know it's a little bizarre, but there is nothing more satisfying than a perfectly set in sleeve, and I love to set in sleeves and seam sweaters. So, while I could've knit this sweater in the round (and I have knit sweaters in the round, and I will probably knit my next sweater in the round), this one is knit in pieces. I like the way a seamed sweater maintains it's structure, even if the knitted fabric tends to stretch, the sweater does not (so much as it might if it were knit in the round).

Now, I don't think the pattern on Drift would be prone to much stretching, but you never know. . .I have never knit or worn a sweater of Lambs Pride before, so I am a newbie on that. . .we will see how it goes, and we will do our best to never even let this stuff be in the vicinity of the washing machine. Soak, Soak, Soak, all the way, or we will have a nice piece of felt with sleeves, or so I am told. . .and this knitting is way to pretty to felt!So, no felting for me in the near future. Check! It does leave one question, tho. . .what is in my near future? Well, probably another Hat for the Hubs! (BTW, I really did finish the gray/blue one...really, I did! There are no pictures because Sweetie is a little camera shy. Look back, when you see him here in the blog, it's either his back, OR he is just an accessory for Peanut! I'm still trying to get that shot, tho! Wish me luck!)

So that's where I am. . .adrift in a sea of yarn. . .in all weights and fibers. . .waiting to be made into all manner of garments and accessories. Watch this space for upcoming Christmas stockings, and lots of cold-weather gear! Winter is just waiting on the heels of lovely Autumn, so my needles are a'clickin' every day! I hope that you are planning warm and cozy things wherever you call home as well.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Hot to trot!

2011-10-05T09:00:00.004-04:00

Hmmm, maybe I should rethink that post title. . .but how can I?!? Check out my new socks, a friend's beautiful pattern (Lace Medallion Socks) in Destination Yarn, colorway Bonfire. . .they are HOT, HOT, HOT!!!, (and on my feet, they will trot, trot, trot!).But wait!, there's more! In the rush of finishing these socks, and crocheting an afghan for a friend's wedding last week, I also had a tiny breakdown in the yarn purchasing department of my brain. . .you know, the part of my brain that reminds me regularly how much yarn I currently have stashed about my tiny house. . .the same part of my brain that reminds me that yarn is not a good toy for a baby, and that yarn in-and-of-itself is not a "fine gift" for every single person I know. . . Yeah, that part was apparently broken, because I bought this: That's right, behold the giant box o'bulky, acrylic yarn!!! I needed an entire box of bulky acrylic yarn (really, no really, I DID!) because Dollface, Wifey-Poo and Peanut need warm hats and scarves for the cold that is surely coming to our corner of the world. Dollface was up first. . .she wanted a hat that was roomy enough to fit not only her ample idea-factory, but also that full bun she piles on her brain to keep the hair outta her face every day. . .but after I finished the hat (the first time), and she put it on, we all decided that it was too small. . . Sooo, we tried the hat on another noggin, just for kicks. . ."Take it off, Gramma! This hat is too big for Peanut!," said the smartest baby on the planet, my granddaughter.In true knitterly fashion, I took the hat from the baby, and I ripped back the crown (even the cutie-patootie, little bobble at the top), and I added more rows to contain the whole of her head and hair to make it a just right fit (I hope!). I haven't had the chance yet to try it on Dollface, but I did find a willing model for both the hat and the scarf this morning. . .what d'ya think?For the most part, I am pleased with this set, and I think my Dolly Draft Dodger is as well. (She says she needs a scarf and hat because dodging winter drafts is cold work!) Here are a couple of closer shots of the hat and the scarf to help you see the wonderful texture of the yarn (Northland Snowfall). It's a three ply, with one white chenille-y strand and two hairy brown strands. There is a slight halo, and both pieces are quite fluffy! If you look at the picture closely, you can see that I used different size needles for each piece. . .10.5US (6.5mm) for the hat, and 13US (9mm) for the scarf. I wanted the hat to be a tighter knit, to help keep some of the wind out, but to also still be pretty fluffy. . .the scarf is really fluffy! Overall, I am pleased with how both pieces turned out, and I even have a little yarn leftover! I think Dolly Draft Dodger likes them, too!
I wonder how I will pry them off to give them to Dollface. . .oh well, I guess that's a worry for another day. Also, for another day, I hope to write up the pattern for this hat and reversible cable scarf. . .but not today. This day is for knitting, and I hope that you get some knitting time today as well. :o)

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Finished, almost finished, and not even close...

2011-10-01T09:00:00.009-04:00

This has been a busy week. It's been a busy month. Heck, since I became a Gramma and a new mother-in-law in the past 6 months, it's been a busy year! Still, there is always a project begging for my attention! Like these socks, almost finished, and clearly destined to be one of my favorite pairs. . . . . .and this afghan, on which I worked diligently, determined to create a masterpiece in under a week. . .it's now finished!But my best, and favoritest project so far has to be this one. . .it's a knitter in the making! I mean really, just look at the way she is reaching out for that raw, natural fiber. . .hmmm, maybe she'll spin, too! And, since I just purchased this book:Well, I am sure that she will be knitting as soon as she can hold those pointy sticks (without fear of impaling something or someone. . .fine motor skills are of the utmost importance here)! This is the project I'm not even close to finishing, but I'm ok with that. She has time to learn, and I am pretty sure that our future will see us shopping for yarn and fiber together. . .I love the optimism born of time spent with a new baby. . .anything is possible!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

We now return you to the regularly scheduled knitting...kinda

2011-09-28T09:00:00.007-04:00

Back to the knitting today. . .err, I mean crochet!
My latest project is a crochet afghan. So far, here's where I am: This pile of 20 white squares, about 8 1/2 inches each, is just waiting for it's borders and the join. I have decided that I am only willing to do 20 squares for a 4x5 afghan, but I need the afghan to be a bit bigger when it's all said and done. I started in white, but then decided to work a lacy border around each square, and join with a crochet chain. I know I have seen this technique elsewhere, not sure just where. . .but crochet is in my blood, so I am sure I can figure it out. I worked on these squares last week at the farm, and Peanut came to visit Joey the llama. . .I know you want to see a picture of that!!!My biggest dilemma so far has been whether to work this all in white or to add color(s). I opted for the latter, in a subtle way. . .you can see that 12 of the squares have already received their first round of color (an off-white), and this will be followed by a tan round. After that, there is a chocolate brown in my stash that will edge them all once more before the joining round. I think it's going to be pretty fantastic, so I can't wiat until it all comes to pass and I can show off the finished product! That's the crochet update, and now. . .

We return you to the regularly scheduled knitting!. . .which has kind of taken a hiatus. . .there are a pair of socks, a hat, a scarf and a sweater on my needles, but there has not been (and will not be) much progress on these until the afghan is complete (hopefully this weekend?). Come to think of it, the girls (Dollface, Wifey-Poo and Peanut) have started to make their winter-wear knitting requests, so I'm not sure when those four projects willb ecompleted. . .but there should be knitting content in the blog every week, nonetheless! Love the knitting (and crochet)!!!

That's it for now. There's still a SALE IN THE SHOP, and this code is good for 10% off until the end of September: 10SEP11TEN. That's 10% off anything you order, even sale items (some as low as $5!).

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Thursday

2011-09-24T09:00:00.007-04:00

These "religious" posts are few and far between, but today I just need to tell you about something that happened at work this week. Mine is a pretty tame job, without much excitement on most days. But on some days. . .well, some days I just want to shout from the rooftops. . .read on!

(By the way, I do not mean to "thump" anything at anybody with this post. However, I am a church secretary and a Christian, I do share the opinions expressed in this blog, and I do believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. I also believe that God wants nothing more than to have a life-saving relationship with all of his children, no matter who they are or what they have done in this lifetime.)

A young man came into the church about 10:30am this past Thursday, and he asked if he could just pray. Knowing that the equipment on stage is not cheap stuff, after I let him into the worship center, I let our worship guy know he was in there, and I left all the doors open so I could hear any "funny business" that might happen. After a few minutes, Music Man walked by my office and went in to meet the young man (I’ll call him José for the blog).

For the next hour (at least), Music Man and José battled for the young man's soul. . .talking, praying, reading and discussing scripture. . .and I saw José leave through the front doors. Music Man came back and sat down in my office, and through his tears he told me some of José's story. . .

José had just been fired from his job. His involvement with spiritists, fortune tellers and other "spiritual" activities had left him unable to sleep for at least the last several days, and the reason he had lost his job was his inability to function on what little sleep he had gotten. He knew that he needed God, but wasn't sure what to do about it. As he drove past this church on this morning, he said God told him to pull in. (This is usually where the average con would make a request for money, or work boots or something, but Music Man never mentioned any such request. This was very genuine.)

Music Man said that, after I had told him about Jose's arrival, he heard God tell him to "go talk to that kid." Now, our Music Man has a full plate, and lots to do on Thursdays to prepare for a young-adult worship service he participates in each week on Thursday evenings. . .but he just went to talk to that kid anyway. While he was telling me the story, Music Man said that it was like a fist-fight with Satan. . .he was totally drained afterwards. . .and yet, he was also energized.

While they were talking and praying, José received a text message from a phone number he did not recognize. . .it said, "Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God," which is directly from the Old Testament in Leviticus 19:31. God had texted him (or He had someone text him) right when this young man needed a word from God most. He broke down. Music Man broke down. They prayed and eventually that young man accepted Christ, proclaiming that he was now, and finally, "safe" because of all that God had done for him.

Music Man said that it was in that moment of acceptance that he felt a presence in the room with them, and he watched this young man's face transformed from darkness to light. Weight was lifted from his shoulders, and when José left, he was a new man.

Well, a few minutes later, José returned. He was a new man, not the same José that had walked in earlier, face downcast, asking if he could just come in and pray. His face and his whole being were smiling brightly and proclaiming God's promise of new life! All he wanted now was to tell everyone he knew, but first he came back to thank Music Man. He and one of our ministers who was also in the office prayed with José and let him know how blessed they were that he had come in today.

This is soooo not my story to tell. . .still I must. I have Music Man's permission, and I have changed the names, but WOW!!! That's powerful stuff, and I just needed to share it. It's not something I see every day, or every week, month or year. What I normally see at my job is the average con, looking for a handout. . .churches are apparently pretty good marks. Thursday's interaction with José, even though I barely participated in it, sure does a lot to remind me what's at stake and why I am who I am. . .it's all about Him. Praise God!

Today, I will be knitting at the farm. I will be in the middle of God's amazing creation, and I will be praising Him and thanking Him for all that he has provided for his children, and I will be in constant prayer for those who don't know Him yet.

Oh, and I hope to finish another Hello Kitty Hat, too!
Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Hello, Kitty!

2011-09-21T09:00:00.002-04:00

I've said, "Hello, Kitty!," an awful lot this week! I've been spending some extra time visiting and laughing with a neighbor who is the owner of a very friendly, very playful, very fun tabby-cat kitten. In the morning, afternoon and evening, this cat is ready to go! It's fun to walk into my friend's living room, greeted by a short woof from the dog (who can barely be bothered to get off the sofa) and the kitty jingle-ing around the corner to say hello. One morning, he just about leaped into my arms, and he is so snuggly-soft and warm! Is there anything better than snuggly-soft and warm on a crisp fall morning?

While my neighbor's kitty is far from being my knitting "muse" on most days, today his little white face is the cat's meow of knitting muses! Well, both the kitten and the QueenOfTorts on Ravelry are my muses! The queen brought the cutest hat to knit-night last Thursday, and now I have to make one. . .. . .so, I cast on Monday night for the Hello Kitty Hat. There's where I am so far, but still the knitting has been upstaged lately by so many other good things. (Pause now to reflect on recent time spent with Peanut, Wifey-Poo, Dollface and Snake. . .exercise classes at the local gym. . .playtime with clay for the Etsy store. . .smile!) This hat will hopefully still fit Peanut when she gets it,and I will hopefully get some more knitting time in my near future! After all, I still have not progressed much on the blue sweater. . .you get my Drift? Ah, well. There are worse things than short knitting time. At least Stacy and Clinton have finally taught me, through countless episodes of "What Not to Wear," that Mom Jeans are not my only option. . .(no offense intended to my friends who embrace their Mom Jeans. . .they really can't be beat for comfort! Besides, if Mom Jeans are your worst lot in this life, you are blessed indeed.) Sooo, like the last picture says, wear what you like, and Knit in Good Health! Oh!, and thanks for stopping by!!!

It's all in the Jeans. . .

2011-09-17T09:00:00.003-04:00

Did you ever have "one of those days?" You know the kind. . .you need new jeans, so you decide to go to a store and get a pair. . .butt (pun intended) it's just not that simple. There are lots of jeans to choose from. Cute jeans that flare out at the bottom, look great with your favorite boots, and have lots of detail stitching around the pockets. . .. . .snug fitting jeans that hug your feminine curves, and look great with your favorite pink sweater for school. . .. . .or perhaps it's been more than a few years since you were in high school, and you're more a fan of the "Mom Jeans" style? A bit higher on the waist, and tapered at the bottom so you don't get them caught in the car door while you are running the endless carpools with the kids. . .Whatever your jeans-style is, there is likely to be a pair of jeans out there (somewhere) that you will love. I've looked for jeans at many, many stores, and I feel confident that there IS a pair for every body. However, finding that pair in just the right size. . .the size that produces neither camel-toe nor muffin-top. . .at a length that declares neither "FLOOD!" nor "we-need-a-new-pair-of-very-high-heeled-hurty-feet-styled-shoes-to-wear-with-these". . .well, there's the problem.

Through the years, I have hemmed many a jean cuff, and I have worn many long-and-loose-fitting tops to disguise a less-than-perfect fit below the waist and above the knee. . .and frankly, I'm sick of it! Sooo, I have finally designed my own line of blue jeans, and they will be the perfect fit for every knitter and crocheter. . .and you will never have to lay on the bed to zip them up (they are quite zipperless) they are also verymuch made of polymer clay!Jeans and sweaters by Pretty Knitty Jewelry are easy-care and affordable, aaaand they will help you keep track of your rows! Look for these beauties adorning combination knit/crochet row counters in the shop in just a couple of days. . .as soon as I can get them assembled. . .Yay!

In knitting knews, I am still plugging away at my friend-y socks and a couple other things. I am really pushing to get these done, tho. . .fall only lasts so long, and the campfires all go out eventually!So, there you have it. . .jeans shopping and knitting-for-stress-relief. They go together. I wish you all the best if you find yourself jeans shopping in the near future, and please remember to never let the number on a pair of pants tell you who you are. Pretty thinks that you are pretty amazing!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Unexpected Week So Far. . .

2011-09-14T09:00:00.002-04:00

Unexpected and NOT FUNNY. . .
This is what the computer screen sometimes looks like just before the infamous "blue-screen-of-death" (dum-dum-dummmm) screen. . .I was not amused.

Aaaaugh! WHAT?!? I don't want to see that! (Luckily, my blue screen was not "the" blue screen, but it did slow me down until I figured out the problem. . .ugh!)

Unexpected and PRETTY FUNNY. . .
Look what I found while cleaning out my dresser drawers for new, smaller clothes: Eye-glasses I bought (and wore) in the mid-nineties, before the technician at my current Optometrist's office vehemently refused to let me purchase another pair of "Granny Glasses."
Unexpected, but SUPER CUTE. . .
I knit Helena in the 0-3 month size, and I was pretty sure the gauge was on target. I kept wondering why Wifey-Poo never put it on Peanut. It could be that the sweater just fits NOW, when she is nearly 6 MONTHS OLD! lol
Unexpected, and KINDOF HILARIOUS. . .
Pretty puts on the old specs, and finds that she can still rock this look! Hahahaha! Well, I AM a Grandma now!!!

But seriously now, these are going to the Lions Club for recycling. . .my Rx and my style have changed since the mid-nineties!!!

So that's my week so far. . .unexpected. Not as much knitting as expected. Not as much work in the shop as expected. More ZUMBA than expected (I joined a gym, step-class tonight!). I'm having a good, but unexpected, time this week! I hope your week is also going well. . .even if there are twists and turns you didn't expect. :o)

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

And now, for the big reveal!

2011-09-10T09:00:00.002-04:00

So, Pretty has worked with clay. And she has created some counters. And she has spent hours photographing the counters, and admiring the counters, and listing the counters on Etsy. . .phew! Now, guess who gets a cookie? Why, all my blog readers, of course! Here's your cookie, in the form of a discount at the shop! Come Monday, this discount goes live to everyone in the world of Ravelry (where I do most of my advertising), but for now, it's all yours for the taking! And Pretty. . .well, Pretty's going to take a massive NAP! But first, she is gonna knit on this hat for the hubs!You know, I put four balls of yarn on the table in front of him, two tan and two grey, and I said, "Which color would you like?" He answered quite plainly, "The blue." Well, I guess "Flint" is kind of a blueish-grey. And besides, we are both kind of blinded by the cuteness of one little Peanut who lives very close to us now. . .She loves to read and to play with her Grampa! (and her Gramma!) And we love to play and visit with her, too. . .we are so blessed.I hope that you have had time to count your blessings this week.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Knitting it all together in The Shop

2011-09-07T09:00:00.002-04:00

It was a dark and stormy night. . . Well, it was a rainy couple of days, anyway! Still, despite the rain and the holiday, Sweetie and I walked in the park on on Monday. Then, feeling a little guilty because I had somewhat neglected the shop on Saturday and Sunday, I decided to cast on a new project. . . . . .something in cotton. . .a solid color, with lots of texture. . .good for photographs!. . .. . .and, when I was about halfway done, I stopped to take some pictures of my new pieces for the Etsy Store! (I promise that you will see some of those photos in the store by the end of the week, but I'm not going to spoil the surprise here today!) And, after the photos were taken and edited, and ready for listing, I went to bed.

Early this morning, I picked out yarn for a new hat for Sweetie, and he prefers the grey to the tan, so I may make two hats. . .but I will not cast on until I have started putting up listings in the shop! Yes, it's been a busy, rainy couple of days. . . . . .but I think it's finally all knitting itself together! Gotta love that! :)

Thanks for stopping by, and please stop by the shop in the next couple of days to see what all the excitement is about! (I will stop referencing the shop now, I think you get it.)

Knit in Good Health!

Home Sweet Home

2011-09-03T09:00:00.004-04:00

If you've been reading the blog regularly, you know that Army Boy has left for a major deployment, Wifey-Poo and Peanut have moved back to our "home" state, and Dollface was recently married to Snake. (If you have not been a regular reader until today, now you are pretty much caught up! Yay!)

All of these recent changes to Pretty's family, and to the status of "home" for many of the family's members, have led me to some comfort knitting. Here's where I am on the Drift cardigan, past all the decreases and straight waist knitting, ready to increase for the bust:I know, I am really not that much further along than I was last week at this time, am I? Well, there just hasn't been time for much knitting with all those changes! Even at knit night this week, I did not knit as much as usual. Again, if you've been a fan of Pretty for long, you know that there are major shop updates planned in Etsy world! There have been many long nights with polymer clay and jewelry supplies, and I have gotten much accomplished. . .but not as much as I had hoped would be done by September third (we did not expect that deployment to happen until later this month, and I lost some serious time on a cross-country goodbye).

Still, to prove to myself that I AM making headway on the shop overhaul, today I dumped all of my new beads (now made into charms and stitch markers) out onto a table to marvel a bit at my creativity, and I thought you might also enjoy a peek at some of the items that will be gracing new row counters at Pretty Knitty Jewelry this fall. . .I know! You're just speechless at my total lack of humility, right? Maybe you're thinking I'm some kind of TURKEY?Well, I suppose that sometimes I am a turkey. But at least I am not angry. . .Angry isn't an emotion that I do very well. Oh, I do just about every emotion on most days, but I'm better at some than I am at others. Lately, I have mastered feeling nostalgic. . .reminiscing about when I was a little kid, and my biggest worry was a test that I didn't study enough for. . .remembering when my children were small, and my biggest worry was a test that they didn't study enough for. . .recalling the days when we were all together, at home together, on a regular basis. . .oh, the joys of home-sweet-home!Yet, even though we don't all live together now that my family has grown, we are still family, and the love continues to grow! Our granddaughter and our new son-in-law are proof positive that the love in this Pretty Knitty Family cannot be contained. . .and so it spills out in joy, whether we are together or apart. . .love and joy that must be shared.

Home Sweet Home is more than a place, it's a state of mind and heart. Wherever life takes you, you will always carry a piece of home with you, if you so choose, and I hope that you do. Keep your loved ones close at heart, and always remember that "there's no place like home!"

Knit in Good Health!

Waiting. . .

2011-08-31T09:00:00.004-04:00

Doctors and dentists have rooms dedicated to waiting. All through life we wait. . .waiting for Christmas. . .waiting to go to school. . .waiting to get to summer. . .waiting to grow up. . .waiting, waiting, waiting. I've done a lot of waiting in my life.

When our kids were small, I did a lot of waiting on Sweetie. Sweetie was a sailor in the US Navy, and he was attached to a "big submarine boat" (as Army Boy and Dollface called it) that was deployed frequently and with little notice. Most of the "runs" on Daddy's big submarine boat were short (a few days to a couple weeks) and there were just a few days to prepare. That left us waiting for Daddy to leave, and then waiting for Daddy to come home.

There was always an awkwardness around the exchange of responsibility that must occur when the Navy wife's husband deploys or returns. . .waiting to be in-charge-of-everything, then waiting for him to come-home-and-take-over-the-dirty-and-strenuous-jobs again. These were tricky waters to navigate, and we had a couple times that we nearly drowned in the stress and strain on our marriage, but I am happy to report that we did survive!

There was one deployment that lasted 6 months. Known as a "Med Run," Daddy's big submarine boat went into the Mediterranean Sea, and Daddy got a taste of real Italian pizza, real German beer, and a guided tour of parts of Israel. When it was time for the deployment to be over, and time for Daddy to come home, the kids and I made him a present:

You may be able to tell that this shirt saw a LOT of wear in it's day. This is one of my favorite pictures of him wearing that shirt. Dollface (just 2 years old here) and Army Boy (about 3-and-a-half) were so excited that he went to put that shirt on! They sat with him and told him all about how they dipped their hands in the paint, and Mommy let them put the paint on the shirt. . ."and-den we have to wa-a-a-shhhh (and she demonstrated, rubbing her tiny hands together furiously), so da house not get all paint!"That 6 months seemed like a really long wait to all of us! It seems like the best things are the hardest to wait for, aren't they? Like waiting for a wedding. . .or waiting for weight-loss success (plugging my 40 pound weight loss over the last year - go, Pretty! Psst!, anybody need any XL hangers? lol). . .But I still think the hardest thing to wait for is for a beloved Daddy to return home from a long deployment. The reunions will be sweet, the separation is difficult at best. . . . . .but the waiting is agonizing. Peanut is now officially waiting for her Daddy to come home. There should be a mid-tour leave for her birthday, then the deployment will end next fall. The waiting. . .oh, the waiting is the hardest part.As I wait, I will pray, and I will cry, and I will knit. You're welcome to join me on the journey, and to see what comes off my needles in the form of woolen therapy, as well as updates to the Etsy store. Even though I am waiting, the world still turns. It's best that I keep on keepin' on, or I might get dizzy and fall down!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Tormented Knitting. . .

2011-08-27T09:00:00.005-04:00

After last week's fun-times in polymer clay, this weekend is looking a little more somber in Pretty-ville. Not to worry anyone, but Pretty has been feeling a bit tormented, and her heart is just a-drift in a sea of emotion. . .so she cast on something in blue to get her through the weekend:

Drift cardigan in Lamb's Pride Worsted, Tormented Teal colorway. . .

I even tried to lift my spirits up by their bootstraps, casting on some instant gratification projects, like this little pouch for me to keep in the shower with my leftover bits o'soap tucked inside to be all used up:

Peaches and Cream yarn, stitch pattern from this cloth

Then there are these little cuties! Leftover sock yarn made into tiny socks for key chains, or just for fun. They're barely big enough to go onto my index finger, and I am thinking that they would make great Christmas ornaments (if I were to get my knitting-tush in gear and make like a gazillion of them before the tree goes up)!

Just a basic sock pattern, cast on 20sts, top-down

Of course, thinking about Christmas is sure to lift a Pretty's spirits! But thinking about Christmas also makes me think of the thing that is the (whisper it now) S-N-O-W...and that does NOT usually lift Pretty's spirits! Of course, any excuse for a new, lace scarf does lift the spirits, so I guess this was also a good project to work on a bit this week!

Mirabelle in hand-dyed yarn from Cozy Spirit on Etsy

Still, you may be wondering what has Pretty a little down-in-the-needles today. . .and this is it: Army Boy is still in the Army, and the Army is still sending Boys (and Girls) waaayyyyy far away from their families in service to their country. It's Army Boy's turn again in the very near future, and I am sad that I will not see a sight like this for many months:

Peanut loves her Daddy.

I am proud of my son's choice to be a member of the military, to defend the country where he was raised in freedom and wealth, without worry (in general) about his safety and health. I am thankful that we live in the age of accessible Internet, Skype, Facebook and Blogging. I am happy that we will be able to regularly keep in touch with just a few strokes of the keyboard on many days. But, just as Hurricane Irene weeps over the east coast of this great land, I have shed a tear or two in preparation for his departure, and I am sure that I will shed a few more in the coming days and months of his deployment.

To ease the heartache a bit (both mine and theirs, I hope), I have stuffed into these two tiny socks some photos of this beautiful family. My hope is that Army Boy, Wifey-Poo and Peanut will all be able to look at these photos regularly, wherever they are. I hope that they will smile at the memories of the first few months of their lives as parents, and I hope that they will grin in anticipation of their sweet times of reunion.

There's a little prayer in there, too.

All in all, this is not as bad as it could be. We will miss him, and he will miss his lovely wife and daughter, but I keep reminding myself how much God loves my Army Boy. Oh, how he loves us! And, if God loves him (and us) with such immeasurable love, then I have to trust that He will be watching over it all. . .holding us up when we need the support, and rejoicing with us at the reunions when they come.

So, don't be sad for Pretty. Say a prayer, if you are the praying kind, and take every opportunity to laugh and knit with Pretty! Life is for living, and I am glad that I can share it with you. :)

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

NOT ANGRY. . .

2011-08-24T09:00:00.001-04:00

You've met those people who are NOT ANGRY, haven't you? Oh, they have an axe to grind or a bad attitude to share, but just ask them. . .they will gladly tell you that they are NOT ANGRY!!! (I have added exclamation points for emphasis and embellishment, but please note that exclamation points are pretty standard when one states that one is NOT ANGRY.)

I will pause here to let you know that I have not had a bad week so far. As a matter of fact, I had quite a bit of fun over the weekend. . .I played with polymer clay for hours upon hours, and I came up with a bunch of fun stuff!
Besides playing with clay, I have also tried my hand recently at the wildly popular "Angry Birds" game on my smartphone. . .and let me tell you, it's just a tiny bit addictive!!! lol All this time with the birds has even inspired some new creations that will likely appear in the Pretty Knitty Jewelry shop soon!

But the more I looked at my birds, and the more I realized that they are close but not exactly like the birds in my favorite phone game, the more I got to thinking. . .these birds are NOTsomuch ANGRY. . .they are simply misunderstood. The red guy, he's NOT ANGRY. . .he is just incredibly frustrated at my lack of slingshot skills. The little blue one? He's NOT ANGRY either. . .he has a split personality disorder. . .that must be difficult! The blackbird is NOT ANGRY. . .he's a suicide bomber on a mission for his deity, and his religious conviction is startling. Last but not least, the yellow one. . .you know what? I think he IS angry! He may deny that fact in capital letters, and with exclamation points, but I think he (or she?) is angry. . .maybe because of the genderless depiction I have chosen for him (or her?).

At times like this, I am really thankful for the sheep!

There will always be more sheep in the shop, because the sheep just belong there. Sheep and yarn go together like rama-lama-lama-ke-dinga-de-dinga-dong! And, by the looks of things, we will also see some new friends at Pretty Knitty Jewelry. . .canine friends, home-sweet-home friends, and fall friends, too!!!

The new friends will likely keep their distance from the birds. . .no matter how NOT ANGRY the birds claim to be. Perhaps I will cage them, but then I might have to finally figure out why the caged bird sings. . .that might be too taxing for my Pretty Knitty brain these days. :)

I hope that you are not over-taxing your brain, or if you are, I hope that you are at least winding down with your favorite hobby. Thanks for stopping by, friends, and Knit in Good Health! (But please don't knit angry. . .it really messes up your gauge!)

The Recovery Process

2011-08-20T09:00:00.003-04:00

As sweet as the wedding was last Saturday (see "candy bar" preparations for reference):
. . .as sweet as it was, and as much fun as we all had at the rehearsal and wedding, the theme of this week seems to be RECOVERY. Recovery of the "hurty feet" which resulted from the too-high heels. . .recovery from the fog that has been my "wedding-brain" for the past 2 months. . .recovery from the flurry of activity that surrounds the days and moments just before (and during) the wedding and reception. . .recovery from EVERYTHING!

In the name of recovery, I have been putting my feet up and pampering them in handknit socks all week. Finally, a full week after 6-hours-in-heels, my feet are starting to feel normal again!

The brain is not so quick to recover. I have spent the better part of this week trying to remember if I have paid all of our regular, monthly, household bills on time. . .trying to figure out how much spending we actually did over the past 6 months on this fabulous (and totally worth it) party. . .and also trying to locate all of the things I had "put aside (somewhere?) until after the wedding!" Yes, I am still suffering slightly from wedding brain, but at least I can still calm my thoughts (and nerves) with knitting:

Medallion Lace Socks (designed by my friend Andrea),

knit in Destination Yarn (dyed by my friend Jeanne)

"What's next?," you ask? Well (with my feet up), I am planning some new pieces for the Pretty Knitty Jewelry shop, for starters!!! I am pretty excited about that, and the plan is to get some new pieces ready to list in September. Then I will DEEPLY DISCOUNT the pieces that have been there, to get a fresh new look in the shop!

Keep watching the blog for updates and information on special blog-reader discounts! Until then, thanks for stopping by! Oh, and Knit in Good Health!

Just Married. . .

2011-08-17T09:00:00.004-04:00

On Friday night, with one more wake up until the wedding, we went and set up the tables at the hall. We took the groom and several strong young men with us, and we got the tables in place and the linens and centerpieces looked lovely!

The bride and her family returned to the hall on Saturday afternoon to put out the cupcakes "just so" for display. . .

. . .and a bridesmaid helped Dollface with her dance moves!

Then off to the church, where she had her hair done, and flowers carefully placed. . .

. . .and the Flower Girl did the same! (That's the sweater I knitted for her!)

After one final check, she was ready. . .

. . .for her walk down the aisle! I think her dad was ready too, but the moment is always a little bittersweet for the father of the bride. . . Snake, however, was totally ready to see his dollfaced Bride walk down to join her groom!

And then they were man and wife! (Cue rose petals in the air!)

After the ceremony, we all danced the night away to celebrate love!

Thanks to all of the family and friends who had a hand in making this wedding happen. Thanks also to everyone who came to show their love and support for Mr. & Mrs. Snake. You mean so much to all of us!

A special thanks to all of the behind-the-scenes folks who went above and beyond for this wedding, in the name of friendship. Whether you were emotional support for the bride or her mom, or a key player in the planning, we could not have pulled off such a perfect day without you!

So, there are the pictures I have. More will come in the next week or so from the wonderful photographer we hired to capture the moments of the day (Harbor Light Photography), and I will share as I can.

As always, thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Today is The Day!

2011-08-13T09:00:00.005-04:00

Everyone is getting ready for a wedding, and I don't have much time to blog. . .but check out the cool thank yous (thanks for the perfect supplies, MotherTuckers) we put on the gift bags for the bridesmaids and flower girl:

Each bag got two tags, a thank you and a photo of the bride and groom!

Now, off to the hall to finish setting up, then into my dress and off to the church this afternoon. . .it's a good day for a wedding!

If I don't see you there, I hope that you will be Knitting in Good Health, wherever you are. Check back next week for pics of some of the fun!

3 More Wake Ups. . .!

2011-08-10T09:00:00.002-04:00

And since it's on the front of my brain, here's a sneak peek of the "goodie bags" for the reception!
I got the bags from FairestLJ on Etsy (paper goods and paper-crafting supplies, great shop!), and they are perfect in every way. Then Dollface let me make up the newspaper clipping to attach to the bag. . .edited to protect the innocent, of course! And the ribbon can be used to close up the bags once guests have added some sweet treats from the bar! It's gonna be fun. . .

So the favors are done, the bulletins are done, the dresses are done, the decisions are made, and we are ready for a wedding! It is all so exciting, and now we rest until cupcake day, known to most of you as Friday! lol

So, for the rest, I am casting on a KAL sock for The Knitting Like Crazy group on Ravelry. . .in Destination Yarn, Bonfire. . .so hot it sizzles!:
. . .and, while I'm at it, another pink hat for Peanut! It's the Baby Beret from a book called Baby Knits Heads & Toes, and isn't it just adorable?!?

Between stitches, I am fretting (a bit) about the head count. . .did I account for everyone?. . .and buying up all the eggs and butter and sugar for the cuppy-cakes. . .and charging all the batteries in the phones and cameras. . .and thanking all my friends for loaning me (or giving me) the little odds and ends that have made the planning so much smoother! I have good friends!

The next time I blog, I will be getting ready for a wedding!

Until then, and forevermore, Knit in Good Health!

Thanks for stopping by!

7 DAYS and counting. . .

2011-08-06T09:00:00.003-04:00

I will not post daily from here until the wedding. I will post today that there are 7 days more, and I will post on Wednesday, as usual. And next week, you know, on THE DAY OF THE WEDDING? Well, there will be a post, but it may be short! lol

Today has been good so far. :) I've only been moving for two hours or so, but the laundry is in, and I am going to the farm in a bit for my CSA. . .so far, so good! Other items on the list are picking up Sweetie's tux; helping Dollface and Snake get their new apartment "just so," so they have someplace to go after the honeymoon; maybe catching a movie later; cleaning up our house in the aftermath of the daughter's move. . .wow! If it weren't so close to the wedding, I'd consider climbing back in bed for a NAP!

But if I did that, I might forget to blog all the knitting that happened this week! Oh, and there was knitting!

Knitting for the wedding:

Even the wedding garter is eager!

It loved perching on my knee. . .

Knitting for the baby:

She is a cutie, and she keeps growing.

She must have a new hat!

Knitting for stress relief:

A little Christmas in July knitting therapy for me.

Started in July, finished Aug. 4th, in plenty of time

to wear them for Christmas!

Yes, there has been knitting, yay! And there will be more knitting this week(although it may not get blogged). After all, there are wedding rehearsals and dinners, and cupcakes to be made and iced, and gifts to be finalized and put together. . .it's gonna be a wild week! But truly, I cannot wait for the Big Day. . .I may be more excited than she is. . .seriously. . .not!

After all, she has her bestest friends around her. . .

. . .and there is just so much "bride stuff" for her to do in preparation for becoming Mrs. Snake! I think she is having fun, and I think she is looking forward to the celebration, but I also think she is looking forward to the days (and weeks) after the wedding, when all the crazy party planning can be put behind her! In all honesty, I'm looking forward to that, too!

Thanks for stopping by Wedding Central today, and Knit in Good Health!

Wedding Wishes Wednesday...

2011-08-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

Wow! Wednesday already!

It's Amazing that it is August already!

OMGosh! That wedding is weaseling it's way in here!

I am waaayyyyy busy, and so thankful that everything is coming together. . .as a matter of fact, I'm nearly giddy with excitement at the thought of the blessed event! Sure, there's a little stress. . .but you know what else there are?

Good friends who get it! Thank you to my beautiful neighbor-friend for this haul:
Wine and chocolate and chocolate cookies and tissues, wrapped in delicaate tissue and artfully arranged in a beautiful gift bag. . .yep, all the bases are covered for the mother of the bride for the next week-and-a-half! Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU, Karen!

Know what else I've got? Yep, the knitting! Knit night is tomorrow, and my knitting-friends will probably hear way more than you want to about this wedding (Jenifra, can you please bring the cage?), and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for listening to every detail along the way. . .Pretty haz fantastic friends!!!

Looking back through the summer, I notice that I have talked about me and my family a LOT, Tell me, dear readers, how have you been? I hope that you are finding yourself filling your days with fun times and friends. Oh, and knitting! Never forget the knitting!

Knit in Good Health!

TWO weeks, and counting. . .

2011-07-30T09:00:00.003-04:00

Two weeks?!? Yep, two weeks. I am sure. Not three weeks, not one week. . .two weeks until the wedding. Yay? Absolutely! Until yesterday, this was the scene at our house for the last couple of weeks:
Peanut with Grampa, and Peanut with Dollface! Look how high she is! But today she goes home.

sniff! sniff!

We should see her again in TWO WEEKS, for the wedding. . .yay!

Yep, there has been wedding talk, and there has been wedding prep, but mostly it's been cuddle-the-Peanut time at our house. This makes me smile!

The wedding plans are now all but final. The hall is all set, and we have a plan of attack for setting up and decorating, AAAAND we have all of the supplies we need for that on hand. The gifts for the attendants have been purchased, and are almost all put together. Everybody has a new dress (well, not the boys. . .THAT would be odd for this family. . .but they get to wear fancy suits!), and new shoes to boot! There are still a few checks to write and things to buy, oh and cupcakes to make, but we are almost there!

And just in case you really don't care too much about wedding plans, and in case the pictures of Dollface and Grampa don't make you smile, check out this video! If it doesn't make you laugh, you are made of stone, my friend. . .

Now, on this quiet Saturday, I am off to mold some chocolate, do some laundry, work on wedding crafts, and knit on some socks. I hope that your day will be what you want it to be.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Hi, I'm Pretty!

2011-07-27T09:00:00.002-04:00

Hello, my name is Pretty. I know that my name is Pretty, because that's what everyone calls me.

I like to knit. I know that I like to knit, because I have a LOT of yarn at my house, and I always seem to be knitting.

Hi, I'm Pretty.

I am planning a wedding. . .for my daughter. . .who still lives at my house. Sometimes she and I disagree, but overall I like her.

Hi, I'm Pretty.

I just finished knitting a sock. It's for Christmas. Right now it's July. I know that it is July because it is very hot outside, and everyone keeps saying how hot this July has been. I will not wear my Christmas sock in July.

Hi, I'm Pretty.

I also just finished knitting a wedding garter. I still need to add some ribbon and elastic, but so far I think it's pretty, well PRETTY!
Hi, I'm Pretty.

I like the movie Finding Nemo. My favorite character in that movie is Dory.

Hi, I'm Pretty.

So there you have it. Short term memory loss from an overburdened (but pretty) brain. My mind is mushy today, and you've just had a look. . .whad'dya think? On second thought, nevermind. I don't think I can take it, but you know what?

Hi, I'm Pretty.

And off I go to cuddle my pretty Peanut.

Who's your Daddy?

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Three Weeks and Counting. . .again!

2011-07-23T09:00:00.005-04:00

Yes, I said it was three weeks until the wedding last Saturday.
And Dollface called me on it sometime on Sunday. . .

"Mom? You do know that there are FOUR weeks until the wedding, don't you?"
"Four weeks? I thought it was three. . ."
"Nope. Four."
"Huh. OK, then I have one extra week to get everything done, right?!?"
"I guess so. . ."
"Saaa-WEET!"

Yes, the lady who needs a row counter in her knitting EVERY SINGLE TIME thankyouverymuch, apparently also needs a week counter to keep track of her planning! Not too surprising, I know. . .and now I say it again, Three Weeks and Counting until the Big Day! There is so much to keep track of. . .

I can keep track of a LOT of things on most days. For instance, we have a multitude of deliveries to the Pretty Knitty house each week. Between fix-it parts that Sweetie has delivered here for work, online craft and yarn orders, and our nearly-but-not-quite-out-of-control love of QVC shopping, it's quite unusual to not see a box on the front stoop or in the living room!
Even the cat knows that these boxes are to be expected. She does not appreciate the fact that they are sometimes stored so near to her favorite windowsill, but she doesn't get too worked up about it.

Seriously? More boxes. . .seriously?!?

Currently, I am the only one getting worked up, desperately trying to keep track of wedding-related appointments, and payments, and counts, and plans, and crafts-yet-to-be started. . .it's no wonder I am losing it! I can keep track of the boxes, but with so much in my brain and on my calendar lately, I have barely knit since my last post! Bu-uuut. . .

Right now Peanut is visiting. :o) It's so much more fun to feed and cuddle and play with Peanut than it is to stress about stuff I can't change or do faster anyway, so here are my gratuitous Gramma photos!

Peanut starting solid foods, and still trying to figure it out. . .

But Grampa, it's not in a bottle, and now it's all over my face!

So, there's the story of me losing count. And here's to three more weeks (again!) until the wedding, AND here's to visiting with Army Boy, Wifey-Poo and Peanut while they are in town. . .cheers!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Wednesday is for Winners!!!

2011-07-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

Because Wednesday is for winners, I will not leave you hanging! The winner, chosen by the random number generator, is Julie of the Twisted Strands blog! Congratulations, Julie! If you have not already received an email from me, please email me at PrettyKnittyJewelry [at] yahoo [dot] com as soon as you see this notice for instructions to receive your free counter from the shop! Or, if you would rather, I can send you a surprise prize! I can't wait to hear from you!!!

Thank you to everyone who entered, and best of luck next time. By the way, look for some major sales and updates in the Etsy store this fall. . .I hope to be clearing out and re-stocking the virtual shelves as soon as all the wedding madness is over!

You know who else has been a winner these days? Why Pretty is a winner, of course! She counts herself a winner for being able to finish a sweater (really a tank, but still. . .it is FINISHED!!!) - Yay!!!Aaaand, Pretty has also started some Christmas socks! After all, who doesn't like a little Christmas in July?My knitting pictures and photo sessions have been a little rushed this week, so the colors are not perfect, and I don't even think the tank is finished in that photo (it IS finished, but the color of the yarn shows so much better in this pic than in the one finished pic I managed to snap). . .that is NOT winning. . .but Charlie Sheen isn't here, so I suppose it's ok. :)

But then, even the knitting has been a little rushed and scarce this week. Grampa and I have more exciting things happening in our Pretty Knitty lives lately. It's bathtime for the Peanut, and we are just loving every minute of her visit! How could you not love clean baby smells and smiles?!?So that's where we are, and that's where we'll be for the next couple weeks. Still, in any spare moment, I am sure that I will be knitting!

Congratulations again to Julie, and thanks to you all for stopping by! I hope that you will all find some time this week to Knit in Good Health!

Contest Closed!!!

2011-07-16T23:59:00.002-04:00

Thanks for stopping by!

The contest is now closed. I hope that you were able to enter, and I wish you the best of luck!

The winner will be announced on Wed., July 20!

Knit in Good Health!

3 Weeks, and Counting. . .

2011-07-16T09:00:00.004-04:00

Three weeks until the wedding, and I am counting.

Counting the days until the wedding, for sure.
Counting up the pennies, nickles, fifties and hundreds spent on wedding things.
Counting the laughs we had at the bridal shower and through the years.
Counting up the brain cells I have left, which seem to be diminishing daily.
Counting the hours and minutes, treasuring the woman my daughter has become.

Six place settings at each table for the bridal shower, 6 sets of silverware, 6 party favors, 6 photos of the bride- and groom-to-be at each table for guests to enjoy.

12 pieces (or more?) of assorted clothing the bride dressed herself in for a crazy fun "wedding night" game! That Snake is a lucky man, I tell ya! (And Dollface is a good sport! Her new sisters-in-law did a great job with the games!)

Two moms that have grown to love Dollface through the years. One of these moms is new to her life, but I can see that the love is already there. I may be biased, but I think that both Snake and Dollface will be blessed with a pretty great mother-in-law!
Ninety-two pictures taken by the mother of the bride. What can I say? That's just who I am...the lady behind the camera! (Sigh! She's got the camera again...smile!)
Counting it up, treasuring it all in my heart, and still knitting in the stolen moments that I find in each day. Enough stolen moments to finish these warm, fall/winter socks for Snake (I took the pic with them on my feet. . .they are too big for me! lol!)

And enough stolen moments to get a good start on my Shapely Tank/Tee "redeux." I officially cast on the ripped-out-and-re-started sweater on July 5th, and I thought I was making fairly good progress until I made a mistake on the back on Wednesday evening(ugh!). . .I ripped out 18 rows before going to bed. And then, at knitting on Thursday, I made another mistake and ripped one row (oh well, what's one more row ripped?). And then, about 20 rows later, I found another mistake and ripped out twice on Friday morning, to the tune of 20-24 rows total that were ripped. . .(Aaaaargh!!!)
Now, I know that there are things in life that are much worse than ripping out my knitting. I just wish that I did not feel like my knitting had gone backwards after the 4-hour knit-a-thon that is our Thursday night knitting group time! But then, as always, it is what it is. . .and I will get back to the forward motion again soon enough.

But not right this minute, because guess who came to visit?
We are excited to see you, too, Peanut! And we are happy that Army Boy, Wifey-Poo, Puggle-Face and Beagle-Brains have come for a visit as well. It's a crazy time at Pretty's house for the next few weeks. . .but it's crazy GOOD, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

I hope that you are counting your blessings today.

And I hope that you will all Knit and Love, and Plan and Play, in Good Health!

Oh, and don't forget the contest!!!

Relaxing. . .Down on the Farm

2011-07-13T09:00:00.002-04:00

Last Saturday, amidst the preparations for the bridal shower (pictures of that in the next post, I promise!), I got to spend a little time on the farm. I love to spend time on the farm, because the farm is Where the Bees Are (and the bees make the hunny!). . .

. . .and the farm is where I sometimes knit with my friends, AND it's where I learned how to needle felt myself a pumpkin!. . .
. . .and a chicken! Because, you know, I neeeeed more hobbies. . .

The farm is also where Joey lives. I like Joey. So do the other knitters! But Joey is a fickle llama. . .hmmmm, this one is a little too shy. . .

. . .and this one? She's a little too bold!. . .

But this one. . .whoa! This one's Just Right!. . .Hey, Baby!

It's so pretty at That'll Do Farm! When Sweetie and I were there to pick up our produce, the farmer walked us around to soak up the totally organic beauty of the place! It's just amazing. . .

. . .and when I came home, there were beans, and cabbage, and cukes, and zukes, and chives to marvel at and enjoy, fresh from the friendly farm!

With so much going on in my life lately, I am barely even knitting, but I thoroughly enjoyed the respite of our visit to the farm. Thank you to the farmer who took time from her farming to show us around and to sit and enjoy a piece of the day with us! That's the kind of gift I can treasure in my heart forever.

Until next Saturday, I hope that you will all Knit in Good Health!

PS - Don't forget the CONTEST on my 250th Blog Post!!!

Four weeks, and counting. . .

2011-07-09T09:00:00.004-04:00

When you go to a fancy dress shop with your daughter, and you buy a fancy gown for her in this color. . .
Well, it is at this point that you can be fairly sure that a wedding is underfoot! Today we are at four weeks before the wedding, and there are many deadlines to check, and checks to write, and final plans to make. . .but I am putting all of that off because tomorrow is the day we will shower the bride-to-be with gifts for her new home. . .see the pretty favors?

It's gonna be a fun party, and I wish I could have all of you there to join in the food, fun and festivities. Unfortunately, time and travel and too little space have prevented me from inviting everysinglepersonIknow to come to the shower and grab a little favor to bring home, buu-uuut. . .

In honor of my 250th blog post (I know! Can you believe it?!?), I do have a special favor for one lucky blog reader! If you comment on the blog, or send me a message at PrettyKnittyJewelry(at)yahoo(dot)com, I will enter you into a drawing for your choice of 1 FREE item from the Etsy shop OR a nifty surprise gift from Pretty! The deadline for this contest is next Saturday (aka "3 weeks, and counting. . ."), and please remember to leave me an email so I can contact you if you win!

Thanks for stopping by! Good luck, and Knit in Good Health!

Reflection on the Fourth

2011-07-06T09:00:00.003-04:00

The Fourth of July, that is. But the fourth of any month could be cause for reflection, I suppose. The cable bill is due on the 4th of every month. . .did I pay the cable bill? I think I did. . .that's something to reflect on! But I'd rather reflect on the tadpoles in our Aunt and Uncle's pond at the annual 4th of July picnic, tho. :^)
. . .and watch "the boys" play corn hole (that's Sweetie with a couple of our nephews). . .

Of course, I could reflect on old friends, and NEW ones too! (A friend of Snake's came to visit from the Netherlands on Monday. . .yes, I said, "from the Netherlands!" They had gone to school together at Kent State, and Mr. Nether had returned to the US with his lady love to celebrate the nuptials of another friend and teammate from said school. . .the only address they had for Snake was ours, from the wedding invite, and we had a lovely time chatting over fresh iced tea and snickerdoodles!) Friends are good to reflect upon, and they are good subjects for photographs on the front porch, too!

Last, but certainly not least, is the yarn. Yarn is good for reflection. Reflecting on how much yarn I want, and on how much yarn I need, and on how much yarn I already have (which is "quite a bit," but I used some on an afghan recently. . .that's a good thing!)

Is it still called reflecting if I am lingering over thoughts of future knitting projects? Like, say, a new Shapely Tee? Because that's the next item I plan to cast on. . .I just printed a fresh copy of the pattern today, and that will be my "keep-me-sane-knitting" for the next couple weeks (I hope!), as the wedding plans and prep come together - Yay! I am using the same yarn (pulled out of the original tee) and knitting this in a smaller size - Super Yay! I can't wait until I have a progress report for you on that!

So, that was my Fourth of July weekend. . .relaxing, family picnic, wedding plans, and yarn. Happy Birthday, America! I hope that your holiday was just as much fun as mine was!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

5 weeks, and counting. . .

2011-07-02T09:00:00.003-04:00

And so begins the crazy (she says, as though it is a new development). . .it is 5 weeks until the Pretty Knitty Wedding of Snake and Dollface, and the Pretty Knitty Mom has started to spaz! Maybe it was the dress fitting that set me off (all those pins! yikes!). . .
. . .or perhaps it's the way the Father of the Bride is just rolling with all of the plans, refusing to get stressed out (doesn't he know that I need him to be crazy, too?!? on second thought, maybe this is better). . .

*Sigh!* At least there is the knitting. . .

One of Snake's newest socks is finished, and the other is well on it's way. Now, the trick is to actually sit down once in awhile and KNIT!

So, that's where I am these days! Look for more countdown, and more crazy, in my Pretty Knitty life in the next 5 weeks! You are a brave, brave soul to stop into Pretty's "Crazies," and I thank you for checking up on me. . .so far, still sober.

Knit in Good Health!