Knitting and Learning!

There has been knitting! This is good, because this is a knitting blog. Last week, there was no blogging, but there was knitting! Would you like to see what I have been knitting? Well, lots of things. Like party favors (which are not linked on Ravelry - sorry girls, I know this fails you, but I totally made this one up):

There were some socks that I think I cast on in December, as Christmas socks:

There were some secret gifties, and some selfish knitting, too! The first selfish knit of 2017 is this sweater, which I mostly love...

...except for the sleeves. I think the sleeves should be longer, but I think I may be too lazy to rip out 28 rows of garter-stitch-in-the-round to add the extra length. I do have extra yarn, but I'm just not sure if I'm up for a rip and re-knit on them. Especially since I just did a little rip and re-knit on my second selfish knit of the year...this fingering-weight yarn sweater:

I just started this one, and I was only about 16 rounds in when I found a pretty big boo-boo in the knitting. As with most things, I am happy that I stopped to correct the error, and now I am loving this knit! I can't wait until it all comes together...there are 5 colors that I will stripe throughout, and this makes it so exciting!

Just like my knitting, I am finding that my life goes smoother if I stop to fix the mistakes right away. Sometimes mistakes cannot be fixed, like words that you cannot un-say (or sleeves you don't feel like un-knitting) but most of the time you can at least apologize. My sleeves could be fixed, but because I have woven in the ends, and blocked the "finished" sweater, it will be a job. I should have followed my instincts, stopped to measure and added more length before the garter border. An apology can be the same way. After you've said or done something that hurts another person, sometimes it's a job to even get your foot in the door so that you can apologize. And most of the time, I know that I shouldn't say or do that thing, even before it happens...the smarter choice would be to stop and measure those words and/or actions before they come out.

The Bible reminds me that I should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. (James 1:19) I'm working on that. Pretty wants to jump in and use ALL OF THE WORDS! She is learning, however, that it is often better to be quiet and consider a gentle answer, even when confronted with wrath. (Proverbs 15:1) So much to learn, every day. But I woke up this morning, so I'm going to keep learning.

I'm glad that you woke up this morning, too, and I'm glad that you stopped by. Never stop learning, and Knit in Good Health!

What a Day!

Today I realized something. This is a knitting blog. There should be knitting here. lol!

So, here you go - Remember the Hexipuffs?

Well, it's an afghan project I started along about 2013, and it is still not finished...but that's how I planned it. Each puff takes about 35-45 minutes to knit, stuff and sew shut. I estimate that I will need 400 hexipuffs to make the Beekeeper's Quilt, so I knew the project would be a multi-year adventure. My project page says that it has been 32 months since I updated it. lol!

As 2016 drew to a close, with me at another new office job, I got to thinking about the hexis again, and I picked them up as my lunchtime knitting. I can get just a bit more than 1 puff completed in my hour, taking bites of peanut-butter-and-jelly and baby carrots here and there. Huzzah! When I came to this realization, I checked the blog to see how many puffs I was up to, it said 186/400. Only 214 to go! Yesterday, before work, I counted up the ones that I have finished in the past week, and added them in...almost halfway!

Then, I got a "bee in my bonnet" that buzzed me into counting up all the finished puffs in storage, just to be sure that I was nearly to that halfway point like I thought I was. You know what? I was off...I HAVE 206 HEXIPUFFS!!! I have accidentally passed the halfway point, and I couldn't be gladder!!!

So, 2017 has started off strong, and I am happy about that. The new job is going well (and I'm not just saying that to convince myself this time). I'm writin' apps and takin' names for insurance coverage, and I am learning a LOT! Thank you to Cindy, Trina and Dick for believing in me and for passing on your knowledge and wisdom in the office. It's been great so far, and I look forward to all the future holds for me as I continue to learn!

How has your 2017 started? I hope it has been amazing, and I look forward to hearing all about it! Leave me a comment, if you have a minute!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Year in Review

Today is New Year's Eve, and it is most likely that I will not do anything particularly celebratory today, or as the new year turns over tonight. Still, this day does make me reflect. 2016 was some year. At the end of 2015, also a hard year, I was so hopeful that the new year would bring new hope, joy and peace. In review, 2016 brought new challenges, experiences and heartache. Still, there was hope, joy and (eventually) peace, and I am thankful that I have made it through. My obligatory reflection this year is focused on my faith, and it was prompted by a question posed to me this week...a question that really made me think. 

The magic question, which came unexpectedly from a relatively new friend, was this: "Are you afraid of death?" 

My answer was quick and sure. No. Unlike poor Mr. Scrooge, I am not afraid of death. I am a bit fearful of the process of dying, and when that comes for me and those I love, I am hopeful that it will be quick and not uncomfortable. However, even if it is painful when my time comes to cross over, I will not be afraid, because I cling to God's promise that I will spend an eternity with him. Because I have accepted his Son, Jesus, as my Lord and Savior, God will look past my unworthiness, and he will welcome me to his heavenly kingdom as a beloved daughter. There will be no more tears or pain or heartache...only praise and love and joy and peace!

In 2016, I suffered a deep depression. I experienced the tragic death of loved ones and the destruction of relationships. There has been job loss and rejection, and the threat of divorce after 29 years of marriage. I stopped knitting. I lost myself this year, and I considered suicide in a very real way. But through it all, I clung to God, and he offered me hope. Hope in his promises. Hope in new relationships and jobs. Hope in healing for my marriage. (He also brought me hope through medical and psychological treatment, which are a very important part of my recovery...but this is not a medical or psychology blog. It's a Pretty blog...)

With my hope restored and my faith renewed, I was able to love again. Faith, hope and love are restored to me, and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13). With my faith and hope in tact, I can love God and his creation. I can love the lovely and the unlovely, and I can love myself again, because God loved me first. Thanks be to God!

If I had to pick one word to sum up 2016, I'd probably say that this year has been...interesting. I have grown as a person and as a Christian, but the road has been full of nasty potholes, and there has been some damage to my suspension. Even so, I will enter 2017 as a better and stronger person than I was when 2016 rolled around a year ago, and I am thankful for that. There is much to learn from tragedy, but I am ever hopeful that there will be less tragedy in the new year.

What's your word for 2016? And what are you hoping for 2017?

My hope is the same this year as last, that the new year will bring renewed hope, joy and peace to my life and the lives of my loved ones. Oh, and more knitting. I hope there will be even more knitting!

Thanks for stopping by today, dear readers. I wish you hope, joy and peace in 2017 and beyond.

Knit in Good Health!

I'm Not Sleeping Through Christmas!

Today. I. Am. Tired. I could sleep for a week! But I will not sleep through Christmas! You see, for the past week, we have had visitors. Wonderful visitors. Lovely visitors. Energetic visitors!

They have not spent the whole week at our house, but we have been blessed to spend LOTS of time with them, and I am so thankful. Getting to see these girlies so close to Christmas is one of the best presents I will receive this year!

There have been many terrific Christmas gifts already, like this set of mugs and dishes...

...and this blanket. Wow, Dollface! These are home runs!

The girls enjoyed their gifts, too. Look! They are all super heroes!

And there was gingerbread,

and snuggles...

...and so. much. FUN!!!

I hope that your Christmas is good! If you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope that you are celebrating something, and that all of your celebrations are good! It's the most wonderful time of the year in my home, and I wish all of you much love and joy to round out 2016.

Thanks for stopping by on Christmas Eve! Merry Christmas, and may you all Knit in Good Health!

PS - I've knit a pair of red mittens! There are few knits which bring such quick satisfaction as red mittens! Yay!

Dropped Call?

Sooo, I forgot to blog today, because this happened:

Yep, right out the gate, I dropped the phone, and whatever it fell on shattered my camera lens.  Other than that, the Galaxy S5 has been a great phone, and I would have kept it.  But with all my photos looking like this...

...and since I was due for an upgrade, I bit the bullet and moved on up to the S7, which I already love!  I'd take a picture to put here, but, you know, the other phone HAS NO CAMERA!

Other than the phone, the day has been good. Dollface and Friend took us to see "A Christmas Carol" downtown, and the girls have come to visit, so that makes the day very good!!!

But for now, I'm gonna wrap up this post and say, "Good night Gracie."

Good night Gracie!

Thanks for stopping by, and knit in good health!