To everything, there is a season...

...and a time for every purpose under Heaven.

(enter, dream-sequence-like, Pretty, dancing in a fragrant field of clover and wildflowers...enormous bell bottoms, empire-waist, rainbow tunic...ribbon and flowered headband with long, straighter-than-straight hair flowing down...the scene shot from under her platform shoes...turn, turn, turn)

I've made a difficult decision recently, which some of you already know...the shop, she is a-closing.  About a month ago, I made my first announcements - first to the girls in my knitting group, and then on the Pretty Knitty Jewelry page of this blog.  Right now, with all the busy-and-going-to-get-busier in my life, I am finding that I just don't have time for everything I want to do.  The shop was an add-on hobby, something to keep my mind from worrying during a stressful time for my family, and it has been a good thing.

A little "egg and pin" money for Pretty, but definitely not a replacement for the full-time employment that pays the bills.  A creative outlet or two, and something to think about other than my son being in a scary place, wearing a US Army uniform.  An occasional escape from the crazy-mad shower and wedding planning...something for just me in a time that I was crazy-busy doing so many things for other people.  The shop has been so good for me, and I love playing with clay and beads and jewelry stuff.

I suppose that I may bring it back someday, if I ever want to take the time to really devote to growing the shop into more than a hobby...but for now, I'm just not ready to make that kind of commitment to it.  So, thanks for the sales, thanks for the memories, and thanks for all the words of encouragement you've given me through this season!  I'll still be here, blogging and knitting and crafting, and maybe even making a row counter here and there, and I hope that you'll keep reading and knitting along.  I am definitely more passionate about knitting and writing, and sharing that with you, so the blog stays!  Yay!

Besides, to everything, there IS a season, and the current season (in sports anyway) is Baseball!  It's only appropriate, then, that the back of the Baseball Sweater is nearly finished!

Once I bind off the back, it's on to the fronts and sleeves, which should go pretty fast, even though a sweater is not an "instant gratification" project by any stretch of the imagination!  For instant knitting, I knit toys...like this letter P:

P is the 20th letter I have knit for my Alphabet Soup project, which (at 26 letters) is NOT instant gratification!  But, since each letter only takes a few hours to knit, sew and stuff, knitting the next letter is a good way to feel like I've accomplished something in my sometimes-limited knitting time.

If I only had a simple project that I could carry with me, I suppose I could increase my knitting time by making the most of the moments I spend in the passenger seat of the party car!  I used to keep a sock in my car ...just a plain, vanilla sock to pass the time while waiting on kids at sporting events and practices during the carpool years.  I have actually knit a LOT of socks that way!  But, I need something new...interesting but mindless...yarn in lovely colors that glides through my fingers like butter...a project I can pick up and put down frequently, without losing my place...I've got it!

Sweet Hitch-a-Hiker, you are all of those things, and I think I love you already!  (Several of my friends have knit this skinny shawl/scarf, and I have been infected with the hitchhiker love!)  After this, I don't know what kind of love I'll be infected with next...But for now, my Chroma yarn and I are going to enjoy the time we spend, hitchhiking together...thumbs up!!!

What are you working on?  Any plans for baseball season?  For the summer? I hope that you are doing the things that you love, and finding joy in the people who love you!  

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!