Warm Wishes and Greetings!

 All is quiet-----All is calm----resting peaceful in the house.  

Our Christmas Eve Eve began when the brown headed daughter arrived and she and her sister spent the day doing 'sisterly stuff"--don't have any idea what that means, but they have a giggly good time.

Christmas Eve is Texan Fajita night at blond headed daughter's ranch--son is grilling the meat (chicken and beef) as the other family members are bringing along sides---Oma is making her prize winning Tres Leche Cake with the aid of grandson, Waylon, who pokes holes in the cake before the magic milk ingredients are poured over.

Christmas Day--Celebration of all time--birthday party for Jesus!

Of course, a feast to rein on the table and thanks is given for our blessed year.  Little man, JD, is home from hospital--8 months of his 10 months life span is long enough!  

May your family receive many blessings for this holiday season

and

May your 2024 be blessed even more!

See you next year!

Here It Comes!

 There is fumbling going on!  So on track for days, then, the ball got dropped (like that football slang?!)  it just takes little distraction to take you off course—two, no, now three days behind on the advent scarf….this will not be worn Christmas morning; unless I take the piece and fling it around my neck along with needles and yarn attached!! Or stay up late a couple of nights playing catch up—NOT!  Sleep is a requirement! 

 Also, behind on the latest Bonnie Hunter mystery.  I decided to do only half of each step and that didn’t help…oh well, maybe, it will come together sometime in the future.  Think there is an older mystery in a file box, just ‘aging’!

There is pleasure in thumbing thru Instagram, finding solutions to my UFOS!  Just more to add to the pile to complete……..and now, here it comes…… new projects beginning in 2024!  Hi Ho, it’s off we go to leave UFOS in the dust and start a new UFO!

Here is #1 

Vintage Sunburst Quilt Along Pattern
Free PDF Fat Quarter Shop Exclusive

Civil War Quilt 2024 pieced blocks

From Riley Blake

Free! Block of the month begins January

AQuilting Life.com will also have another block of the month

Join Kim Diehl on Instagram to sew this beautiful top beginning February

Patterns by Jen

Okay, that's all I've got for now--which one or two or three or four of these projects will join your UFOS??

Wham--ed!!

WhamageddonWhamageddon Whamageddon

Have you heard about this crazy trend?  Not hearing Wham's Last Christmas is the object of the 'game"

What are the rules?  

1. go as long as possible without hearing and recognizing the song "Last Christmas by WHAM!
2. if you hear the song by another artist that's fine--just hearing the original song takes you out of the game.  Cover versions are okay.
3. It begins December 1 and runs till December 24 at Midnight
4. Losers must post on social media with hashtag #Whamageddon
5. Play fair, don't send the song to your friends

Don't worry--The above song is not the original--it's a cover!  So, if you are playing, you are safe. I'm OUT!  When we were walking through Wally World, THAT song came over the speaker and of course, my ears perked up--"it's that SONG and it was original by Wham!  So, here I am posting on social media --##whamageddon!!  Of course, my hubby, who was in a different department said he didn't hear it!  he is hard of hearing everything!!

Good Luck to you!

Soup’s On!

 As I’m knitting by the fire, on this rather chilly morning, the other resident of the house is trying to attach toilet paper holder to bathroom cabinet. There has been lots of moans and groans and then he stomps out of the house mumbling under his breath…..

Ok, he’s gone, I assume to hardware store, I’ll continue on my restful project at hand.  Earlier , I chopped head of cauliflower into flowerlets and placed in oven to roast, along with garlic cloves and half onion.  This will be our dinner—don’t shake your head and say not for me.  The roast veggies will turn into a delicious soup!  served in a small bread bowl—how, can you complain about that?  Here’s the recipe.  The house is smelling oh so good!

It’s that season of soups for us southerners getting only a few days of cool weather.  We were invited out Tuesday  for—you guessed it—soup! 

I was assigned starter to bring. Decided to take this quick and easy one—dried beef dip—yes, it’s that dried beef that comes in a jar.  Another gal is bringing dessert— https://www.berlyskitchen.com/cherry-fluff

Other soups this week: French onion ( think I’ll try Julia’s recipe), green chili stew and chicken noodle—my version!  Making soup makes me warm all over!  As Julia would say “Bon appetite” !  

Focus….

 As I’m knitting on one of the advent scarves, there is a focus problem!  The pattern is based on 80 stitches!! Yes, 80 in each repeat!  Thank goodness, I only cast on 240!  The first clue given was to cast on what you think would be a good width for a loop scarf—80 x ?  Some chose 400!! I’m having trouble with 240, can’t even fathom more than that—now, I’m thinking 80 would have been reallymanageable!  

My brain has this knack of wandering....... never mind that I have this small problem with my brain, there is always the minor interruption-- like someone walking into the room and  talking to me!  Wait...I'm losing count!  Stop!  Right there!  bummer, I lost count and need to start all over!

I tried putting post notes across under the text (just can't follow charts either!) but that didn't work--lost where I was.  So, then I just put one postanote under where I was at the time of the stitch--that worked.

But, somehow, when I'm knitting, my brain starts thinking of something totally out of context!

It's like a 'squirrel" moment every few minutes!

I've got to FOCUS! FOCUS! FOCUS!

I WILL get through these 54 rows without a mistake--well, close to being perfect!

Oh no, breaking news just popped up while I was waiting this--

Yay! We’re Knitting!!

 For days, I just sat and thought about knitting—what do I want to knit, what yarn to use, needle size—of course, all those advent projects became available December 1—okay, old gal, just choose one and begin—that’s my brain giving me a pep talk.  But, did I begin with one of those Advent ones?  Nope!  I got myself a Stephen West pattern!  

It’s four yarns of varied contrast.  I already had a skein of Knit Picks Gloss Lace yarn—ordered three other skeins!  Again, I sat and thought about knitting…….

The pattern was printed off—you need to begin somewhere and some time!  Once I got started, I was back in my happy place!  We’re knitting!! And that’s all I wanted to do when I sit in my comfy chair! 

Just knitting away until I discovered that KAL doesn't begin until December 26!  Guess I"m well ahead of schedule on that project so I'll relax and turn my attention to one of the other Advent projects.

While looking in my fiber closet for something else, I found this assortment of handspun yarns==some are plied, most are not--looks to be angora bunny, wool, linen/wool blend==yary!  this will be perfect for Tricia Weatherston's Advent Mystery infinite loop!  So glad I had the yarn on hand and can use my handspun.

As I waited for December advent knitting to begin, I cast on with this bulky cotton yarn (also found in my forgotten fiber stash)

I needed some cotton hot pads and found this easy pattern from Purl Soho— and also from Purl Soho I found a hat pattern to knit for great grandsons

Now, I just need more hands and time to accomplish all this knitting!!

Wrapped in Warmth

The other day there were falling garments from the top shelf in the closet--gee whiz!

These falling garments were all hand knit or hand woven scarves, wraps, etc.  A couple of the scarves are felted projects from a workshop, held many many moons ago!

I tried to neatly stack the pieces up on the sofa so I could browse through them.  Of course, that took some time as I relished each piece and remembered why or when I completed.

Some are hand spun fibers, others are hand dyed purchased yarns.

I found some unique shaped ones -this one is knit with handspun silk--that was alot of fun to knit!

I remember this one as I plied it with a stainless steel yarn so the scarf could be twisted and shaped to wear--that was interesting to do

Here are a couple of scarves that were woven--the blue one is dyed warp with hand spun silk weft

One on the right was a yarn that was balled and spaced dyed--great fun to do

Couple of nuno felted pieces on cloth base

Handspun cotton--blue was dyed after knitted; other one is brown handspun natural cotton

Lace is my knitting passion and it is reflected in this grouping

Another lace scarf with handspun wool/silk blend

and more of lace!

What to do with all these scarves?  There is no way I can wear them—I just enjoyed knitting over the years. 

These will be Christmas gifts--I'll offer them to the family first, then to friends.

I'd love to see someone else wearing one of my creations.

 

11/27 And Beyond!

 Jen Daly. Gives us an opportunity to create a winter banner—free instructions begin 11/27. 

Isn’t this great!  I’ll be making this to add to brown headed daughter’s table runners or it could use it as a banner through January. 

Want to knit an Advent scarf?  Here is your opportunity presented by Wolhobby with this knitting event begins December 1 and runs through 24th

• Registration before December 1 is free, after that  it will be € 5 until December 12 and € 9.50 after that. This will also be the final sale price of the pattern. Everyone who is registered will receive the pattern in 1 file after Christmas, so you don't have to save all individual days.
• You can use any yarn with this shadow pattern
• You can join the Facebook page to keep up to date.

Advent socks!  Yay!  Join in this festive knitting project--find this group on Instagram

and beginning December 1

A different type of Advent count down is this Advent Wreath Sew Along--the pattern is free to print; each day you stitch one of the motifs with thread and stitch of your choice--find this on Instagram at stitchingdownto.Christmas

This is one of my favorite designers.  Think I've knit every Advent scarf she has offered.  You can find her on Ravelry--Tricia Weatherston

This years scarf is an infinity loop that can be knit according to the length you like best. The scarf is created in a variety of textured stitch patterns with a supporting staff of cables.

The scarf is free until Dec 26th, with the coupon code RORY. Be sure to download the clues even if you are not knitting immediately. On the 26th of December,  pattern will be inactive so that designer can amalgamate all the clues and add some pictures. When it returns to ravelry store it will be for a fee.

When you download the pdf has instructions for the cast on so that you can be ready for the first clue. 

One colour will show off the stitch patterns best but a gradient would look lovely as well. Lighter colours will show the textural stitches to their full effect.

The cast on number will vary according to the length you love. Some like a single loop to be cozy to their neck, and some like a loop much longer to wrap a few times around the neck.

The pattern repeat is 80 stitches and the gauge of 6 sts to the inch will produce the following.
160 sts= 26 inch loop
240 sts= 40 inch loop
320 sts= 53 inch loop
400 sts= 66 inch loop
You will need a circular needle long enough to hold the number of stitches cast on.

We will be knitting this year’s Advent scarf in Ravelry group, Zemy’s Deck Do join us there!

Here comes 12 days of Christmas!

This Twelve Days of Knitmas Mystery Knit-Along(MKAL) is our FIFTH annual let’s-spend-this-awkward-post-holiday-time-knitting-together-and-shaking-off-the-stress-of-the-season MKAL.

Simply put, it is a free twelve-day mystery knit-along full of fun and friendship, and at the end of it, you have a beautiful project to gift or keep.

How do we get the clues?


Since you’re already here, go ahead and grab this pattern - it’s free!

Next, click here to sign up for the emails. This is where all the magic happens, including tutorials, freebies, and discounts from Nomadic Knits and our collaborators.

Signing up for the emails is the best way to receive each day’s clue as soon as it is released. While the emails go out around 4 AM EST each day, clues are released daily on Ravelry around 7 or 8 AM EST. (It’s later than the email updates because it has to be released manually, which requires me to be awake)

Clues are released daily beginning on December 26th.

Where can I participate?

We’ll be hanging out in our Facebook group and would love for you to join us there! We have a wonderfully kind community where all are welcome.


Share posts on Instagram using #twelvedaysofknitmasmkal, and you’ll be eligible to win prizes there, too. (Your profile must be public for us to see the pictures.)

You can also join the fun in our Ravelry group!

Can you give us any hints?

Sure thing!

This year’s Knitmas project is a luxurious Moebius cowl full of textured motifs to keep your fingers happily knitting row after row!

Thanks—-Giving!

 When you look up Thanksgiving, you find all sorts of  searches on the Date of Thanksgiving, the story or history of Thanksgiving, recipes, decorations, traditions, etc.  have you ever given a thought of Why You Celebrate this special fourth Thursday of November each year! 

Oh yes, for some it’s the beginning of Christmas shopping—all those sale ads hit you in the face.  Our kids loved the catalogs that arrived in our mailbox (this was before social media bombarded us).  They would find the best pencil they could and begin to surf the pages to circle any toy or item that took their fancy.  

To others, it’s the Macy Thanksgiving parade with all the pomp and circumstance of music, dancing, floats, giant balloons!  To the guys, it’s football!  

For others, this day means family—to our family it is the one day we set aside to enjoy each others company—we might lack one or two members who are celebrating with the other family, but in spirit we are ONE!  

This year is no different—about a month ahead, we begin the conversation about who will host the day—who hosted last year—someone never remembers (that’s me) and there is the special one who does!  That’s decided—next comes the planning of the meal—who’ll bring what and it’s always their favorite dish.  Food is always good no matter if the seasoning is off, recipe is just not right, burnt, under done—we rejoice anyway and no one remembers what it was like last year!

2023 is our extra reason to be thankful on Thanksgiving—we have a new addition to our family.  It has been a tough year for him and his parents—our little CDH baby boy is growing up.  Now at 9 months, he weighs 20 lbs, hopefully he’ll be home soon from children hospital, after 8 months of his life spent there with caring hands of doctors and nurses.  He has endured 10 surgeries, spent several days in NICU or PICU, suffered heart stoppage and being resuscitated but still has that winning smile and demeanor every single day!  He is carried by many around the world in their hearts and prayers!  

Yes, we are thankful on this Thanksgiving Day for this miracle little boy—

He gives you that look and you melt! 

As we count our blessings, we say THANK YOU to our almighty GOD for this precious warrior! He makes us happy each day!!

Make your Bed?

Recentry there was news story on our local TV station--it was an interesting story, a departure from all the other sad and disturbing news items.  

" Making your bed everyday may sound like a tiresome task to some, but one company will pay you a $1,000 if you can commit to the chore for the next 30 days. Jewelry company Shane Co. created the bed-making contest to motivate others to start off their day a little more intentionally."

Do you make your bed every day when your feet first hit the floor?  That is the only task I complete some mornings before I begin other chores around the house.  Do I think I could earn this money---just for making my bed?  There are other things that go along with just making a bed--You must figure out why making a bed makes you a better person!  go here if you think you want to enter this contest!

This is the best speech every--all about what you can accomplish by simply beginning day by making your bed first thing in the morning!

1. Make your bed 2. Find someone to help you paddle 3. Measure a person by the size of their heart not by the size of their flippers 4. Get over being a “sugar cookie” and keep moving forward 5. Don’t be afraid of the circuses 6. Slide down the obstacles headfirst 7. Don’t back down form the sharks 8. Be your best in the darkest moments 9. Start singing when you are up to your neck in mud 10. Don’t ever, ever ring the bel

What do you learn from making your bed? 

Week Round-up

 Looking back on the week, I don’t think there was much accomplished!  Let’s recount our days—hubby spent one day at daughter’s ranch—mowed pasture, repaired the electric fence (horses keep rubbing against it);  he fixed the roll up door on the shed—he was gone all day!  That left me some quiet time.  What did I do with that time?  

 I decided on bindings for four quilts, cut the width, pressed in half and sewed them on quilt

Finished up this gift for a friend—just need to add a hanging sleeve

Made a horse comforter for great grandson, who loves horses—this will be one of his Christmas gifts

In the evenings, with my feet up and tv on our favorite show, my hands are busy stitching bindings on five quilts.  Still, have seven more to stitch. 

Cast on with hand-spun cotton for November gingerbread dish cloth.  

Of course, there was time searching for knitting patterns and dinner recipes.

Yes, as I reflect—didn’t do too bad!

Got The Blues!

No!  I don't have the Blues!  I'm looking forward to working with Blues!

Bonnie Hunter has invited us to sew with her on 2024 mystery!

I'm anxious to see how the Blues create indigo way.  I love blue fabrics so I ordered

the fabric that she recommended.  I don't usually do that.  With this quilt, I"ll be able to use some of my  own hand dyed indigo fabrics.

There were two color ways to order so I chose this one with strong, darker blues

Here is the fabric selection spread out--

here comes the day after Thanksgiving!

Gather your blues and be prepared for an exciting adventure into blues!

Round To It…

Do you ever have those “round to it” times?  Oh, yes!  I want to do that when “ I get round to it!”

The photo below shows all the patterns printed off that were

“ round to it”patterns!

And guess what, after months of saving these scraps of paper, I’ve not done a ONE of these patterns!  Just put them aside and think “I’ll get round to it” someday—that day hasn’t come, I guess!

Now, my tastes have changed and I’m onto some other “round to its”

Like—finishing hubby’s socks—oh goodness, these socks have been a “

round to it”

since early 2023.  

Nope—started—not finished and winter is a’comin’.

I’ll get “ round to it” soon!  Look how many needles are out of service just for this pair of socks—gee whiz.  

Each time I sit to knit, another reason pops up to place these socks back in the queue of “ round to it” projects. 

Maybe, today is the day………

Will be a good day to knit—oops, I didn’t get “ round to “ measuring the length of his foot—but, I could knit on the other sock’s heel-

I’ll get “round to it” soon! 

 

 

Soup On!! ETC, ETC, ETC

 Love this time of year!  There is a light chill in the air and we are thankful for it!!  So many reasons to enjoy this time of year—

Time to wear hand knit socks!!

• Time to cuddle up in a comfy chair and read a book
• 
  Recent birthday gift from brown headed daughter
  
  
  
  I love that if she has read the book, she includes a review on post it note! 
  
  
• And….. lots of soups! 

  
• First up--chicken sausage gumbo!  I take the easy way out with this gumbo mix--all the spices and thickening agents you need.  Just add cooked chicken (found half rotisserie chicken in freezer) and always have smoked sausage on hand!  Instead of rice, we use riced cauliflower--Yummy good!  Along side we have a nice loaf of French bread. 
• 
  
  
  Second night--split pea soup!  I know, most people don't like split pea but we do especially when we add smoked ham hocks as the seasoning meat
• 
  
• 
• We put the fresh ham hocks on the smoker for several hours, then bake them two hours and now added to the slow cooker
  
  Cooking on low while we do errands and tonight we will have a cooked soup ready for the table! Yum! Yum!
  
  
  Another soup—tomato basil soup!  One of my favorite from National known restaurant!  Instead of buying the ready made jar, I decided to try my hand at making this delicious mixture.  

  

  After all, our basil had been trimmed before first frost—let’s begin……..fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, vegetable broth, etc

  

  Look at this delish bowl of tomato basil soup! Served with toasted cheese sandwich on jalapeño cheese bread! Great meal!
  
  
• This weekend we are hosting family and friends for chili and veggie soup (hubby makes a great soup with beef stock and lots of fresh veggies)  I make the chili and will have lots of goodies accomplishing the soup night==of course, by Saturday night, the temperature will be near 80 again--down goes the AC for sure!  

What's on your soup agenda is for this week??