Ask Me Anything!

Back in June, I mentioned that I was thankful, especially to a good friend who had given me a job. I also mentioned there that the job might be temporary, covering for a gal's maternity leave...and it will indeed be temporary. She will return to the office mid-September, and I am glad for her. A young family with a new baby girl and a solid job with a great boss...what a package!

What this means for Pretty is that I am hitting the pavement to find a new job, with my boss's help. Again, so thankful for Chuck...he is a State Farm agent, and since I have become licensed and have really started to understand the company software, he has reached out to a handful of other State Farm agents in the area with whom I have set up some interviews. As a matter of fact, between Tuesday and Thursday, I had 3 interviews...and I have one more scheduled this week! The interviews have gone well, and I have a good feeling about my future. 

Thank you, Chuck! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

In the course of my first three interviews, I answered a lot of questions. A. Lot. of. Questions. But that got me thinking... Here I am, answering lots of questions about who I am to perfect strangers. I wonder if the folks I know have any questions about Pretty? Since I tend toward over-sharing, TMI and "Wow! We really didn't need to know that much about your underwear size, Pretty!" (which is, in essence, why I blog), I don't know if there are any questions left even. 

Have you ever had a question about Pretty? About her knitting? About anything? Leave me a comment, or shoot me an email (prettyknittyjewelry at yahoo dot com) and if I know the answer, I'll blog it! Heck! I'll probably blog it even if I don't have an answer, because 1. I love research, so I am likely to find an answer that I don't have floating in my brain already; and 2. I like to talk - a lot. I like to talk a lot! :)

If there are no questions, I'll just blog about knitting. 

Speaking of knitting, I'll bet the first question that comes to mind for most knitting-blog readers is this: "What are you knitting, Pretty?" So, here you are:

A thank you scarf for a boss/friend who has poured wisdom and knowledge into me, even though I an a "temporary" hire. He saw me floundering about between jobs and, realizing he could help, called me and offered me a place. He also offered encouragement, company training, and much grace as I have started to learn the insurance industry. I don't possess enough words to express my appreciation for all of that, so I simply could not NOT knit for this guy (and there was a second for his son, who also works in his dad's office and was a tremendous encouragement to me)!

There is also some secret knitting...but I can show you this photo:

That doesn't give too much away, right? Oh, you know what it does give away? It's not really knitting...it is crochet! (Good eye, to those of you that caught that!!!) Sometime this fall, there will be more photos, and I'm sure there will be a fairly major reveal. Until then, I'll try to get some progress photos of a certain Hitofude to hold you over. 

So, there you have it. If you have a question, leave it below, or email me. If not, I will blog about knitting...and speaking of knitting (and crochet), I had better get back to it! Christmas is only 4 months away!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Hit me, Fude!

August is two-thirds over, I realized when I woke up this morning. I also realized that I have not started my Christmas knitting. I have not even started to plan my Christmas knitting. This is odd for me, and for many of the "I-have-to-have-a-plan" knitters I know! With handcrafts, you either start 6 moths early, or you stay up until the wee hours from Thanksgiving on, putting off sleep until January and begging Santa for more time on Christmas Eve at midnight! 

::What are you gonna do, Pretty?::

Well, that's a great question. I think I will go off script a bit, and forget about that revelation. There is a knit within my queue that I have longed to cast on for about 3 years. Last night, in front of the women's 4x1 on the Olympic track, I finally cast on that knit. (By the way, go United States Ladies! And go ME!) I am barely 3 rows into the knitting (the cast on was 2.5 bazillion stitches, by the way), but I am already loving the feel of this alpaca/silk blend!

The yarn is a discontinued* Knit Picks lace, called Shimmer, and the color is Happy Dance...how fun is that? I know, pretty fun!!! I have had 2 skeins of this yarn in my stash for about forever...well, about 9 years anyway, and it sings to me! I've known for some time that I wanted it to become this Hitofude (pronounced 'hit-oh-foo-day') lace cardigan, but two skeins was not enough...no way, no how! Well, after suggesting that a friend look for more yarn via the good folks at Ravelry, I kicked myself in the pants and did just that. Bonus, I got a really quick response from the first person I messaged, and my yarn is ON ITS WAY HERE - Yayyyyyy! I love Ravelry!!! I will have plenty of yarn for this knit, and I will do a Happy Dance in my new sweater when it is finished! I wonder when that will be?

Have you started to think about your holiday knitting? Have you started your holiday knitting? Or will you, like me, be begging Santa for more time on December 24th? lol!

Whatever your plans may be, thanks for stopping by today, and Knit in Good Health!

*Shimmer colorways have been discontinued for years, but if you are the dyeing kind (or you like off-white a lot), you can still get the base yarn in natural over at Knit Picks. 

I'm not pregnant...honest!

Lately I've been knitting booties. It's just become a thing. I promise that I am not "on the nest!"

But there are a few women who are expecting in my world lately, and there is so much joy in new life! After knitting booties for the twins a couple months ago, I decided that I loved that pattern so much that I would knit some more! So far, I've knit 5 pair, and already given two of those away...here are the remaining 3:

I started with two, gender-neutral pair, in gray, like this...

and then I started to go through some sock leftovers, looking for the softest and best yarns for booties! I'm starting with neutrals, waiting to hear the gender of a couple of the cuties I will meet in the next few months. I think the rainbow booties (in KP Felici) are neutral, but Sweetie doesn't agree. =/ Informal survey: What do you guys think? Neutral or girl only? 

There is also some secret knitting...it's always a secret when knitting gifts! Wanna know my secret? 

Hmmm, will she tell? Or won't she? I think she will...

I LOVE SECRET KNITTING!!! lol! Not that secret, I know, but I do. ;o)

That's all the secrets I can share today, but I've got to get back to the knitting! The weather people are all promising a washout...that means perfect knitting weather! Whatever your weather, I hope that you are doing something you enjoy today, too. 

Thanks for stopping by, and knit in good health!

Quiet Weekend

The girls left our house on Tuesday, and they left town to go home on Wednesday, which means that Pop Pop the Great

Pop Pop the Adored

has once again been relegated to the mere status of Sweetie the Very Loved. (Yes, I love him. But I don't climb all over him when he comes downstairs for work every morning! lol!)

This is not a bad thing, but it is a little lonely and very quiet in our house since Wednesday...which means there has been more time for knitting! Since I have finished the Black-and-White, Black-and-White sweaters,

complete with bright buttons (buttons of my choosing, not hers...Sweet Pea just wanted to eat the buttons!) for the little one,

now I can focus on some mindless knitting for a couple of good causes! Booties for babies yet to be born were first up on my needles, and they are so cute that even Black Cat is protective of them. 

There are other things almost on my needles, too, and I'm still working through the depression stuff, but I am doing ok. I think (and some studies have confirmed my suspicions) that knitting has benefitted me, both mentally and emotionally. Knitting that is mindless gives my hands something to do while I think and pray. Knitting that I have to think about gives me a break from all the deep thinking, replacing big decisions with "Knit, knit, purl, purl, knit 2 together,  yarn over, purl, purl...," well, you get the picture. So I have plans for some lace, some socks, maybe a couple hats and some baby gifts for babies that have barely let their mommies even know that they are coming. 

My life is not perfect, but I am content. I am content to live and to knit and to get through it all with a smile and a bit of kindness for those around me who also experience the love, joy, strife and sorrow that define the human experience. We're all in this together, let's do our best to get along, and we will all get through it together! (If you'd like to learn to knit your way through, I'd be happy to teach you...the calming, centering properties of this hobby far outweigh the frustration of learning a new skill!) Are you with me?

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