I Can See Clearly Now. . .bonus post!

I know, it's not Wednesday OR Saturday, but. . .

Do you like my new glasses?
I picked them out in like 30 seconds, flat. . .and I was second-guessing myself a bit. . .

. . .but College Girl says they are really cute! I think I concur!

Now, back to the knitting!!!

Knit in Good Health!

I Need to Go to My Room

When my kids were small, and they whined, I told them to go to their room(s) until they were finished. I told them that most people don't like to hear whining, and neither did their mom. Sometimes a tantrum would follow, and I would shut the door until the screams, sniffles and stare-downs had been adequately stifled. My kids accused me of not understanding.

On Monday evening, my glasses broke. I have had them so long that I can't remember when or where I purchased them, and I love them. The thin strand of metal that held the right nose-pad in place just snapped right in two while I was wiping the lenses clean after my shower, and I just about cried. There is no fix for this kind of damage.

Then I remembered that I have a spare pair of glasses. My prescription has not changed significantly in several years, so I was in search of those spectacles. . .and I even found them!
Stylish, I know. . .like Grampa Jones!
(Hee Haw reference, hee-hee-hee-haw-haw. . .!)

Seriously, though, they were the first pair of glasses I ever owned that did not cover my entire face, and when I let the optician talk me into them, I thought they were sooooo tiny! Of course, when I put them on yesterday, it felt like the lenses were just HUGE! But I guess something has to be big on them, because the bridge on the frame isn't, and wearing them hurts my face, and makes me feel like I have a sinus headache coming on. . .whine, whine, whine. . .! Soooo, yesterday, I went shopping for new glasses. . .I looked for the places that will make the glasses for you in an hour, and I learned that there are only two stores that do that. . .and you pay dearly for that service! Finally, I went to Wally-World and ordered a pair of reasonably-priced specs that will be ready in a week or so. . .sigh! So, for the next week at least, I will wear ill-fitting goggles with a slightly off prescription, and I will try not to whine too much (more). So far, I am failing miserably in the "no-whine zone," and College Girl would be the first to agree. :o) She sent me to my room when I got home last night, and I went willingly.

Today I feel a little better, and I did knit a bit on a baby sweater this morning. I even tried my hand at steeking! Take a peek:

Yep, I cut into my first sweater. It's acrylic, Bernat Baby Coordinates Sweet Stripes yarn (like a thinner version of Lion Homespun in baby colors), and it's pretty fuzzy where I cut it, but I still have high hopes that it will all work out. . .

If you're the praying type, a couple of those here and there until I get the new glasses would be appreciated. And if you're somebody who sees me in person on a regular basis, please accept my advance apology for my general grumpiness these next few days (and the last few as well), I am working on it! :) And in the meantime, I think I am gonna try to knit myself some happy!

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

Plum Tuckered Out!

I am so tired tonight that I was just going to call this post "Speechless Saturday." You know, kinda like a Wordless Wednesday? But then I really got to thinking, and I realized how much Italian blood there is in my veins. . .speechless? I don't think so. So, here's why I am tired:

The day had a normal start, up fairly early, some Etsy shop stuff and laundry, and of course knitting. . .this is a sweet striped sweater for a baby girl. It's so fresh that it isn't even on Ravelry yet! But, after finishing the September socks, I just had to cast on something new!
Around lunchtime, some friends came over, and we all went to the park for a picnic lunch and some rock climbing!

Now, those of you who know Pretty know that she is not adventurous in the outdoor kinda way. Oh, you can give her some yarn and a coupla sticks, challenging her to make just about anything you can think of, and she will dive in and probably come up with something close to what you were thinking of. . .but take her outside, where the terrain is rugged, and lookout! Knitter down! Soooo not pretty!!! On the flip side, if her phone has a decent camera, she will take pictures of all of the adventure around her!

It must be a Mom thing, the picture taking. . .check out Family Gal, taking pictures of those cutie pies on the bridge over the river! She was a bit more adventurous than Pretty, climbing rocks with Sweetie, Family Guy, Boy 1 and Boy 2, AND she takes great pictures! I can't wait to see how this shot turns out! Of course, Family Gal does not knit. . .yet!

So, there was rock climbing and checking the depth of the river with long branches, while looking for crayfish or minnows in the water. And there was much laughter and fun!

Out of the woods, the fun continued as the two boys did their best to tire out their mom. . .

. . .and their dad. . .

. . .and everyone had fun on the playground!

And at the end of the afternoon, we were all ready for a nap!

But the Family Van had "Alternate" plans!

But by the end of the day, the van was ready to go, and everyone had a full tummy of spaghetti and chocolate cake, and we were all "Plum Tuckered Out," in the best kind of way! Now it's time to tuck everyone into a cozy bed for a good night's sleep, so we can all dream dreams of days like this one - nearly perfect!

I hope that your today was at least half as good as mine.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

That was fast!

The older I get, the faster the seasons seem to change. . .it seems like only yesterday that I took this picture of the blossoms on the crab apple tree outside my office, but I know that it was April.
It was nearly just yesterday (ok, the day before yesterday) that I took this photo of the ripe crab apples! Yikes!, where has the time gone?!?

Oh! That's right! The time has been spent knitting! (Ok, there was some playing and shopping and fun with family, too. . .summer is a pretty fun time for Pretty Knitty family and friends!) And now, as I feel the need to prove to you that my knitting has been more than just a "time suck," that something productive has come of the knitting, here is the proof:

Two more sock reviews!
Originally, I was just going to do the August Wickerware socks today (which I loved knitting, by the way). . .

. . .but then I also finished my September Squall socks on Monday, so I figured that I would just finish up the 2010 reviews right here and now!

First the Wickerware, which I knit with Serenity Sockweight yarn, color Denim. Once again, this yarn is really thin, and I had forgotten that since the last time I had used it, so I went with the 2.25mm needles (my faves, but a little too big for this yarn, in truth). I cast on and knit the cuff and leg as written, knit my fave eye of partridge heel. . .not even sure how the heel is written on Wickerware. . .and finishd up with texure on the instep, stockinette on the sole. As you can see in the photos, the basket-weave texture shows up very nicely, even in the striped yarn! All in all, I don't think I will buy the Serenity again for socks. . .I think that I am just about "over" the self-striping yarns, because I like to knit in patterns, but I would like to knit the Wickerware pattern again! :o) These are sock love!

And I could have waited until Saturday to review the Squall pattern, but I did finish them a couple days ago. . .and, since I am a project knitter and blogger (apparently), in that I like to finish what I start, and unfinished items make me twitch a little. . .I have to finish the sock reviews! I loved Squall! I knit these on 2mm needles (metal was all I had on hand in that size - owwie!) on 72 stitches with Zitron Trekking XL yarn in Storm, which was pretty thin. The pattern is a simple 2x2 rib, with a little "twist" thrown in every 6 rows, so it's not too complicated, and it was just a fun knit! I have used Trekking before, but it's been awhile. . .I would use it again. I am anxious to wear these! Double sock love!!!

Want more proof that I have been knitting the hours/days/months away this summer? Well, if you know me "in person," that knitting bag constantly over my arm is a good indication! Otherwise, here's another finished projet! A pair of fingerless gloves in 90/10 Alpaca/Merino from Charm at That'll Do Farm! These were a quick knit, and I love the silky-soft yarn. . .I have a big hank of it (over 250 yards, sport-weight) for I think a scarf. . .but these Charming Mitts have won my heart over to the Alpaca (and her yarn!) in the meantime!

Knit on size 5 needles, in a lace pattern stolen from the Knit 1, Breathe 1 shawl/stole/scarf (also a link in the side bar --->), these will be a staple in somebody's fall wardrobe for sure! Soooo soft. . .

As fast as the spring and summer have gone, I sure hope that fall sticks around for awhile! While this "mystery project" is now finished, I am not at all anxious to wear items of this nature, double-thick wool for warmth in the frigid winter. . .brrrr!!!

I'd like some more time to wear my fingerless gloves and light sweaters before I start thinking about long underwear and leg warmers! ;-) But I guess, as always, I will take it as it comes, and I will be glad when I have needles and yarn close-by! I hope that you are making the most of every fleeting moment, and that you are stealing some quiet moments to find contentment, wherever your life has taken you in this season.

Thanks for stopping by, and thanks to Connie and Corrie for the Meatloaf recipes. I hope to try at least one of them on Saturday. ;o) Until then, I hope that we all will Knit in Good Health!

I Make Meat Mush

Ummm, what?

I said, "I make meat mush!"

Ohhh-Kaayyyy! Can you explain?

Well, it's like this:
The weather has changed, and I am really happy about that, because it means that I can wear newly finished wool sweaters (outside at least, at night and early in the AM)! I am also happy about the cooler weather because I like to cook, but I hate to heat up the house when it's hot outside! Knitting with wintry wool and cooking comfort foods make my life seem like a bowl of cherries!

However, even though I am good at many things, like knitting that sweater up there, and making a killer chicken soup, great chili and pretty nifty oven-fried potatoes, my family would absolutely love it if I would just make them a meatloaf. Yes, you read that correctly. . .the Hubster and College Girl are craving meatloaf. But, there's a small problem. I have never made a successful meatloaf. I make meat mush.

I have tried my mom's recipe, Betty Crocker's recipe, Dear Abby's recipe, and several recipes donated by friends. . .all with differing proportions of the same basic ingredients (ground meat, bread crumbs, eggs, spices). . .but, when it comes out of the oven, that first slice always turns into a "scoop" of cooked meat mush!

I really don't know what I am doing wrong. I mean, I have eaten other people's successful meatloaf, I have eaten frozen meatloaf (defrosted and cooked, thankyouverymuch), and I like meatloaf as much as the next mom. . .I just can't seem to make my meat meld together into the right form. sigh! Is there anyone who can point me in the right direction?

If you have a no-fail meatloaf recipe, please email me at PrettyKnittyJewelry[at]yahoo[dot]com to share, or (if it's not too long) just leave it in the comments at the end of this post. I like meatloaf, and I like making my family happy. . .I would love it if my readers could help me to overcome this hurdle in my kitchen. . .thanks! By the way, if I make your meatloaf work, there will be much happiness, and when Pretty gets happy, she likes to give things away. . .just sayin'!

In direct contrast to the meatloaf situation, in the knitting arena I have far fewer frustrations, for the most part! When I start out to make a sweater, I usually end up with a sweater. And when I cast on for a sock, I end up with a pair most of the time. I love knitting!

Sock Review Time!!!
(I remembered! I remembered!)

In July, I loved knitting these socks! They are Basic Cabled Socks, worked on 2.25mm bamboo dpns, in Knit Picks Stroll (African Violet). It was an easy pattern, mostly 2x2 ribs, with a cable at each side on the leg only. Barely any thinking, and I did the 6-stitch cable without a cable needle, so super quick! Plus, they look fabulous in a solid or tonal colorway!
Another bonus: this is a great pattern for unisex socks! Just enough interest to keep you from getting bored, but not too fussy for a male wearer. . .and you really want to do these handsome cables in a solid or slightly tonal yarn color in order to really see the texture well. These socks are a WILL DO AGAIN pattern, and I think I even have some more solid yarn to turn into spectacular socks with basic cables, once the Christmas knitting is done! Yay!

Speaking of the Christmas knitting, I have finished two projects, and I have two more still on the needles, 03Christmas 2010 Project (about 25% complete) and 02Christmas 2010 Project (about 75% complete). Of course, these are super secret (unless you're on Ravelry), so there will not be pictures until after December 25!

Well, now that I have blogged (quite early for me on a Saturday, so I feel like I have already accomplished something), I am gonna start a pot of chili for later, and then go knit! I look forward to your meat mush. . .errrr, meatloaf recipes!

Knit (and cook) in Good Health!