MY FAVORITE THINGS-A KNITTING HOLIDAY CONTEST!

Sadly, there's been some PC issues that Mike is trying to resolve in his free time so I'm unable to share with you any personal knitting photos. Needless to say, this little detail has given way to a bit of knitting photo posting withdrawal while I await resolution of this temporary inconvenience. The cute mittens photo is courtesy of Picapp and is probably from an advertisement. Love the colors!

Thinking another contest would be a nice antidote to my computer angst, I decided to base it on folks posting a comment naming their FAVORITE KNITTING THINGS!

Just post a comment naming one or more of your favorite knitting things and I will select a random winner from the group on January 2, 2010.

Oh, yes, the prize!

I'm putting together a nice little goodie box that will include a very lovely skein of sock yarn, among other knitting related items! So, why not try your luck?

I 'm including a list of my favorite knitting things that make knitting a joy for me and for which I am extremely grateful!

I tried to limit the list to 12 spots, which was very hard to do.

MY FAVORITE KNITTING THINGS:

1. My Knitting Amigas! Eileen, Jean, Nan, and Roberta, who share the joy and always provide hugs, laughs and inspiration in abundant doses! Also, my not so secret anymore pal, Maggie from Virginia, who I met through the Ample Knitters Digest in 2004(?). If I had never picked up the needles, I would have never blessed with their friendships! Or all those wacky unfinished projects.

1.5. My OLOM Knitting Ministry Members and My NACC Knitting Students. Both old and young folks dedicated to the art of handknitting.

2. My Yarn Room, a containment area that provides some sort of order and sanity to the stash.

2.5. My knitting stash. Beautiful. Diverse. Always singing the sirens song.

3. 40 % off coupons from Michael's, AC Moore, Joanne's, which enable me to stock up on acrylic yarns for my Knitting Ministry projects.

4. Knitting Pattern Central. Let's face it, if you need it quick, it's probably there! No offense, Ravelry, but I tend to take extremely looong trips on your site, verses the express line. Not always able to take the time to take the leisurely browse.

5. My local Barnes and Noble Bookseller for stocking all those great knitting magazines and knitting books that keep the knitting dreams alive!

6. Bethlehem Public Library, for their fabulous selection of new and old knitting books. No more buying the whole book just for one or two great patterns!

7. My home library of knitting books. Nothing beats curling up with a beautifully designed knitting book.

8. Anything Mason-Dixon Knitting Related. Anything at all.

8.5. The Ball Band Washcloth Knitting pattern. Bow your heads when you say this out loud.

9. Local Yarn Shoppes who get all my money and keep me in the knitting poorhouse. You all know who you are and my bank account and I do thank you!

9.5. WEBS and Elann. Lots of yarn bang for the buck!

10. The Feather and Fan Stitch Pattern. Beautiful in any yarn.

11. Noro Kureyon, Silk Garden, Cascade 220, Koigu, Balangor Angora, Patons Classic Wool, Rowan Cashsoft, Plymouth Encore Worsted, and Peaches and Cream Cotton. Sock Yarn. Any kind will do.

12. The many, MANY knitting blogs that provide the inspiration and their bloggers who are kind enough to drop by and comment on whatever I happen to be doing.

So, what are YOUR favorite things?

Hugs to you all, may all your knitting gauge always be spot on and your holidays as joyous as this found video!

THAT STITCHES IMPULSE...

Totally a last minute decision, and with the good fortune of finding a room cancellation at the Crown Plaza, we hurriedly packed the night before and set out for a very early morning ( 5 a.m. departure! ) four hour car ride to Hartford to attend Stitches East!
My travel companions, Roberta and Nan, enjoyed the ease with which we were able to travel about the downtown area near the Hartford Convention area by city shuttle. We ran into pals Jeanie, Eileen and Amanda, from The Knitter's Edge, on the Market Floor, and because of the extremely enforced rules prohibiting all photography on the Market Floor, there are sadly no pictures on site. Roberta had her new Jane Slicer Smith book signed by the designer. We had a lovely, relaxed and fun time, but didn't overdo in the spending this year. Translation: No Knitter's Guilt!

BARGAIN! Jo Sharp for $ 2 a ball. Fingerless mitts or a cowl anyone?


An enterprising young knitter and writer developed a comic book series featuring a super hero theme.

Knitting pattern in each issue! Purchased to support a budding writer.

Couldn't come home without buying some buttons. This vendor had a great selection.



Angora. For those never-ending baby gifts.


Limited myself to just one ball of sock yarn this year. Zauberball. Will look nice with jeans. I'm due for some sock knitting, BUT the next pair most likely will be knit with some Blue Moon that's been maturing in the sock dresser drawer.



Our only GROUP PROJECT purchase. (remember the Koigu mitered squares jacket of Stitches 2008? It sits, half of the back knit....sigh.) Planning to do a needle felting progressive get-together during the darkest, bleakest part of the winter months!

A beautiful Artyarns scarf kit. A gift for a friend who does so much for others.


Have been planning to knit a tea cozy for years and this one can be found in the book, "Knitter's Stash", which I've had forever and only just rediscovered, has terrific patterns in it! Didn't need to purchase the pattern, and Margi, shop owner and designer, was very nice.

Overall, the Market seemed to be very subdued when we were there on Friday and Saturday. Lots of vendors seem to be offering their patterns for sale only in kits with their yarn. I didn't think that folks were really buying a lot of yarn. Remember when you could buy sock yarn for around $13? Was it my imagination or did yarn prices seem higher? As also pattern prices?

I, personally, spent well under half of my usual amount this year on the Market floor. There were 11 rows of vendors and some vendors had multi booths. Some vendors offered some simple free patterns and candy. I noticed again that novelty yarn continues to be incorporated in many scarves and sweaters. Probably because folks still have so much of it lanquishing in their stashes. Like me! BTW, We saw many beautiful handknit sweaters, wraps and scarves worn by attendees this year. A few Clapotis. Lots of lace shawls and tasteful novelty scarves. A few February sweaters.

The lighting and climate control were great. For your convenience there was a coat check. The concession was fairly prices and run very efficiently. I liked the Connecticut venue, despite the travel time/distance. It was easy to catch the shuttle bus to eat at local places like The Hot Tomato (great Italian!) and City Steam Brewery Cafe. People were friendly and helpful. Yes, I'll probably go back next year.

Back at home...

I completed my knitted beaded bracelet after taking a class at Knitter's Edge. I made it more of a bangle, foregoing the toggle and ring closures. I'm happy with the appearance. Any kind of gold lame' or silver ropey yarn would work. My beads are 6mm amethysts.


I swear this is my last pair of pocket book slippers! They're just too addicting. Nan and Roberta are now knitting them too!

The legendary 2009 Knitting Ministry Afghan Project is complete! A labor of love.


Speaking of love...

Shelby has settled in nicely. She is very verbal, squeeks and likes to be near us. Her hangout is the bed in the yarn room, across from Kringle and his love seat.



Kringle remains content in his twilight years. Skin over bones, but, when awake, can be found sitting on the bathroom sink's edge, waiting for someone to turn on the faucet.

May you have a happy knitting week!

KNITTING WHAT I LOVE...

I recently took the big plunge and opened a wee Etsy shop, linked on my sidebar. It's fun to create with the colorful yarns I've collected! After many years of being a neutral tones loving gal, I've stepped away from playing it safe by playing with more color! We need color in our lives right now!!!

The hardest thing about knitting for sale is determining what the correct price point is for each item. One must take into consideration the economic recession and I, for one, am really picky these days about what I spend my money. Currently I'm working with chunky alpaca and really enjoying it's softness. Some cowls and a long scarf currently available.

I love purple. Would like to put it up for sale, but might need this for a gift!
The pattern mimics a crocheted look but it's a neat knit pattern.

Speaking of gifts! My Knitting Amiga, Nan, knit this beautiful bolero for me "just because." Just because she knows I'll never get around to knitting this pattern for myself! I love it so much I even wear it to bed! It really chases the chills away, especially when I loose the war of the thermostat to Mike! Made with Plymouth Alpaca Boucle. Yes, we're all fans of alpaca!

Birthday celebrations this month for Eileen, front row, middle, at Granny McCarthy's Tea Room in Bethlehem. She is flanked by Roberta and Jeannie, with myself and Nan in the back row. Our favorite place to lunch, knit and partake of large pots of tea.
I knit Eileen a apple dishcloth from Susan B. Anderson's Blog. A great free pattern to knit while finishing up the Six Feet Under series.

Believe it or not! A finished project finally! Purchased at Stitches East, circa 2003.

Shelby seems very cynical about my beginning Einstein Jacket. Yarn maturing since 2002!
I love these pocketbook slippers! One size fits most adults. After knitting this pair I'm making more for charity. Thanks to Knitwits Heaven and Hakucho for the inspiration!
Trying to finish this scarf for tonight's Knitting Ministry group. Combined 2 complementary colorways of Red Heart Kollage together. It's the mate to the hat knit a few weeks ago to be sold at our November Christmas Bazaar.

Here is my rather ambitious, loooong term project! Go here for the source of inspiration. Drooling permitted. One little ball of Noro K at time. Scroll down her blog for the details. Check out Ravelry for the Paintbox project knitalong too!

Up to my armpits on the Wallaby for Shaun, I begin knitting a sleeve. How many days until Christmas?

Happy knitting!

ISN'T SHE LOVELY...

Well, time has passed, and we felt we were ready to adopt a new feline member into our family. I had told everyone that the next cat would be 3 legged, one eyed and missing a tail. One out of three isn't too bad! Some caring soul had found her with a badly injured, infected eye. Her official name at the vet's was "Kaleidoscope", but, being a bit of a mouthful, I named her "Shelby" for her tortoise shell markings and after the Shelby series of Mustangs. She does motor around the house at top speed, but otherwise, a beautiful and delightful kitty!


MULTIPURPOSE KNITTING:
I knit a convertible cowl/hat with Knit One, Crochet Too's Geologee. I used 2 skeins of the same colorway, but alternated balls every two or so rows so my striping was completely random.
I worked an eyelet row near the end so I could run an i-cord through to pull it closed. I really like how it turned out. It seems I never really have too many knitted things of my own to were when the weather turns cold! I bet that's true for a lot of knitters, eh?


Here is a woman's hat for our Church Christmas bazaar, knit with 2 different variegated shades of Red Heart Collage. The colors separately seemed very muted and blah, but were more pleasing to me when knit together. It's a warm hat. Perhaps I can knit a pair of mittens to go with it.


Slowly and carefully I am piecing together each motif block for our knitting Ministry's group project. It will be a beautiful afghan! It's a Bernat pattern adapted from a very old ivory counterpane pattern that I believe is floating around free somewhere on line.


Just a simple Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth for a breast cancer survivor friend. I always try to send her a little something pink every October.

Some cloths for a very nice neighbor. Saving for Christmas. Three months away, don't you know!

My latest pair of socks. Knit with a very old ball of Opal that I purchased from Astrid's Sock Obsession years ago before the shipping for orders from the Netherlands got ridiculous IMHO! I'm swearing off the sock yarn for the remainder of the year because I possess two completely stuffed dresser drawers full of sock yarn! No brag, just fact. I'll be casting on pretty soon for a pair for Shaun for Christmas. I still knit away on his secret Wallaby with the hope that I'll be done by October 15, his birthday. With a knit and a prayer...

I decided to forgo Stitches East this year. Saddened that they changed the venue from Baltimore. And, really, I am having a real difficult time justifying any more yarn purchases when I have an actual Yarn Room chock full of the stuff. All the more reason for my start up Etsy Shop. I simply need to reduce the mother lode of yarn stash. Maybe make someone happy by creating something lovely with yarn that I love working with? Are folks buying anything this year with this awful recession?

My Beginners Knitting Class began a few weeks ago at our local community college and I adore all 11 of my students! They are true blue knitters in their souls! It gives me so much joy to be able to teach others the skills to do something that might bring them some happiness. I'm excited to see their homework next week!

Happy knitting!

WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION

This was a peculiar summer for me this year. I usually snap plenty of photos of things that interest me and post to my blog, but this year I seemed to be very neglectful in documenting my knittingcentric life. I don't know why. A busy life, perhaps? Nothing of interest to blog about?

I blame the rain. We certainly had plenty of it, and much more than I really needed to experience day in and day out this summer. Though not clinically depressed, am I the only one that will honestly admit to spending many a day indoors in my pajamas? Sunny days were cherished. And too few and far between the dreary ones.

Today I shamed myself into reviewing and posting those photos taken throughout this past spring/summer. It was good to see snippets of knitting days gone by, as well of those aspects of my world that I enjoy. Begging your indulgence of this heavy pictorial, hope you, Gentle Knitter, find some enjoyment!


HOME SWEET KNITTING:

SCRAPPY CLOTH- DISHCLOTH WAS INSPIRED BY A KINDRED SPIRIT BLOGGER......
I TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND KNIT AN OLD FASHION DISHTOWEL-SO VERSITILE IT DOUBLES AS A FINGERTIP IN THE BATH!

ANOTHER SCRAPPY TOWEL THAT DOES EXTRA DUTY AS A TANK COVER. MIKE EVEN NOTICED! HOW OFTEN DOES THAT HAPPEN?

A MASON-DIXON MOMENT....
WILL LET YOU KNOW IF THIS ADDS EXCITEMENT TO MY CLEANING DAYS!

HAVE I GONE TOO FAR? FLY SWATTERS NEED BALLBAND LOVE TOO, YOU KNOW!


GIFTS TO GIVE TO LITTLE ONES...

BIBS, BIBS, AND MORE BIBS.....MASON-DIXON INSPIRED.


MY "MISS THING" BABY BIB PATTEN. SURPRISINGLY A FEW FOLKS ON RAVELRY LIKED IT ENOUGH TO KNIT IT TOO. I FEEL HONORED.

I LOVE CAMO TOO-FOR BOYS AND GIRLS....



GIFTS GIVEN TO BIG GIRLS....
INSPIRED BY DEBBIE BLISS "HOME" AND JANE BROCKET OF "YARNSTORM" FAME. FOR NAN'S BIRTHDAY IN MAY.
GEDIFRA ANGORA MERINO AND ROWAN CASHSOFT DK.


BEAUTIFUL GIFTS RECEIVED FROM DEAR FRIENDS ...
MY FRIEND ROBERTA SURE SEWS A BEAUTIFUL BAG! VISIT HER ETSY SHOP AT GRAB THAT BAG

MY PAL, MAGGIE, SENT THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK YEARS AGO, BEFORE I WAS READY FOR BEAD KNITTING.....

AFTER KNITTING THIS AT KNITTERS EDGE, I THINK I'M READY FOR IT NOW!

ANOTHER PROJECT WORKING ON IN A KNITTERS EDGE CLASS-THE SWIRL SCARF. SLOW GOING.

AND, YET ANOTHER KNITTERS EDGE CLASS-THE WONDERFUL WALLABY SWEATER. FOR SHAUN. REMEMBER. IT TOOK 5 YEARS TO COMPLETE MIKE'S SWEATER. HENCE THE NEED TO COMMIT TO A WEEKLY CLASS. I NEED THE PEER PRESSURE.

I FINISHED THESE SOCKS SOME TIME AGO AND WEAR THEM OCCASIONALLY WITH MY NURSING SCRUBS. OPAL, I BELIEVE. I LOVE AN AFTERTHOUGHT HEEL, AND THESE WERE KNIT MAGIC LOOP, TOE UP, 2 AT A TIME.

WORKING ON THE LAST AFTERTHOUGHT HEEL NOW.
SOMETHING I'VE BEEN CONTEMPLATING FOR YEARS. A SOCK WEIGHT PATCHWORK THROW CONSISTING OF ROBIN'S EGG BLUE/ AQUA AND BROWN COLORWAYS. A TOTALLY TORTUROUS AND NUTTY PROJECT THAT I NEED TO GET OUT OF MY SYSTEM.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT MY YARN ROOM NO LONGER RESEMBLES A DISASTER AREA. PRETTY PICTURES TO FOLLOW AT ANOTHER TIME.

I FINALLY USED THE LEFTOVER EASTER EGG DYE. WASTE NOT, WANT NOT.
WILL BLOSSOM INTO A SCARF SOMEDAY.

SCENES FROM THE BACKYARD...
THIS IS MY OUTDOOR KNITTING OASIS.
AND SCOTTY IS MY LOVING COMPANION.
OCCASIONALLY, KRINGLE IS PERMITTED OUTSIDE TO SUNBATH. WITH SUPERVISION. BECAUSE...

REMEMBER THE DRAMA OF PEEP LAST SUMMER? HE'S BAAAAAAAAAAACK!

I ALSO PLAY HOSTESS TO A DOVE COUPLE. LOOKING OUT MY BACK DOOR.


LOOKING OUT MY FRONT DOOR...
WE HAD TO CUT DOWN OUR THREE VERY OLD, VERY DISEASED SYCAMORE TREES AFTER A VIOLENT STORM KNOCKED DOWN PART OF ONE IN OUR DRIVEWAY. A VERY CLOSE CALL. I LOVED THOSE TREES. TO APPEASE ME MIKE AND SHAUN CREATED THIS PERENNIAL BED. MOST OF THE PLANTS CAME FROM OUR BACKYARD.



KNITTING FOR A GOOD CAUSE...

THIS WAS A CHURCH PROJECT MY KNITTING MINISTRY UNDERTOOK.
SIX OF US EACH COMPLETED 4 SQUARES. I'LL SEW TOGETHER AND ANOTHER WILL KNIT THE OUTSIDE BORDER.
HERE ARE ALL THE HAND KNITS DONATED BY THE OUR LADY OF MERCY KNITTING MINISTRY IN APRIL TO THE SLATE BELT PREGNANCY CENTER.
WE'RE CURRENTLY KNITTING ITEMS FOR OUR OCTOBER DONATIONS PLUS FOR OUR NOVEMBER CHRISTMAS BAZAAR. BUSY, BUSY FINGERS!

MY FAVORITE THINGS...

READING AND KNITTING OUTDOORS ON SUNNY DAYS.


ZUCCHINI PIE MADE WITH BISQUICK.
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT. MY VERY FIRST HOMEGROWN ZUCCHINI EVER!
ABUNDANCE OF CHERRY TOMATOES PLANTED AROUND MY BACK PORCH.

MUG CAKE RECIPE. I THINK MICROWAVE FOR 3 MINUTES. IT'S INCREDIBLE.


FINALLY, TO WRAP IT UP, SOME BEAUTIFUL THINGS TO LOOK AT....







WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?
UM, AS MUCH AS I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE INTERWEAVE KNITS, I CAN FIND NOTHING KIND TO SAY ABOUT THIS PATTERN THEY ARE OFFERING IN "WEEKEND KNITS."

SERIOUSLY. YOU MUST CHECK THIS OUT.

I'M CALLING THIS "LOST WEEKEND KNIT".

UNTIL NEXT TIME, HAPPY KNITTING!