Plug it!

No, don't plug THAT! I am talking about advertising, and the thing I have been busiest with these past couple days has been advertising. . .so I am going to shamelessly self-promote myself here today, as well! That's the disclaimer. If you don't want to know about Pretty Knitty Jewelry, here is your chance to move on to the next blog. . .but I hope you will stay! ;-)

Some All of you know that I am slightly obsessed with the knitting. Most of you know that I am just as obsessed with the computer. . .for things like Ravelry, Etsy, Facebook (where mostly I lurk) and blogging. Many of you might know that I am really enjoying learning some code and playing with photo-editing, which ties in nicely with promoting my Etsy shop (see right).

So, my newest blingy things are my newest advertisements for the shop! Look for them in the forums and also on your notebook pages on Ravelry. . .I got a Notebook ad! I got a Notebook ad! I got a Notebook ad!. . .starting in December! Yay!

More knitting next time, I promise! More knitting will be accomplished before I see you again, I am sure! So, until I see you again, Knit in Good Health!

Research and Development

One of my favorite parts of crafting is figuring out what it is that I want to make. When I knit a sweater, I ask myself what color?, what yarn?, what shape?, what size?, and many other questions. Especially if the sweater is not for me, I agonize over what the recipient of my knitting might most enjoy. My jewelry-making is no different, and over the past several months, I have found that I LOVE to do custom orders for people! Recently, I completed some row counters and stitch markers featuring the buyer's initials in polymer clay, with her name spelled out along the 9 beads of the counter! It was so much fun to work on!

And just this week, I created another for a returning customer that I am enjoying getting to know. I can't show you the whole thing...she is buying it as a gift...but I am happy to share the portion that I like the best! While working on this row counter, I wanted to remind my customer and her gift recipient to love well and laugh often. Even if you have struggles, you can find someone to love and something to laugh about, and I think my new found, faraway friend has figured this out! It's one of those things that helps to make this life more enjoyable, and too many people don't even try, it seems. I am a fan of those who do.

I guess you could say that I am also a fan of research and development. I like to sit at the computer and figure out what is out there, what people are buying, and what they might like, based on that information. Since I was a knitter before I was a seller of row counters, I start with the items I think I might like. . .that's how my very first row counter (partially pictured in the blog banner) came to be. . .I needed a way to count my rows without losing the counter when I put the project down.

After a few months of selling the knitting row counters, I realized that there was a gap in the market for crochet row counters. That could be because (in my opinion) crochet rows are not as difficult to count when looking back on the completed work, or it could simply be that it's not as clear-cut to figure out how to clip a counter onto a piece of crochet. So, I branched out to create crochet row counters and row markers, and I have sold a few of those.

Then, last month sometime, I came up with an idea. . .a wonderful, wooly idea! What if I could create a counter that would function for both crochet AND knitting? And I think I have done it! I have listed the first one in my Etsy shop, and I am excited to see if I receive some feedback on it. The counter can rest on the knitting needles, between stitches. . .OR. . .it attaches by the lanyard hook directly to a crochet piece, and the elastic markers slip past the numbered beads to count single rows and sets of ten. Here it is, shown on my Holly Cardigan!
And here it is on a Crochet piece (finished long ago, but nice for displaying crochet counters). So, what do you think?
So, I guess that's it for now. Research has been my "gig" this week. That cardigan is really coming along, and I am excited about starting the sleeves soon! And I hope I sell some counters this week!

Knit in Good Health!

Happy Halloween...again...

So, today is Halloween. Not feeling particularly Halloweeny. Tricks and Treats were on Thursday in our town...and you have already heard me rant and rave about that. ;-) Hold on, there's more...

We ran out of candy pretty early in the game. Apparently, when your town holds the "holiday" two days early, and yours is the only town doing this, kids from all the surrounding towns are trucked in to participate in the festivities for an extra boost of sugary goodness. Didn't think about that when we bought our candy...instead, we thought about how few kids have come by in the past few years, and we actually bought less candy than usual... Oh, well. It is what it is. Sorry kids. (rant finished)

Today was a pretty good day. Got an early start, got most everything done, had a nice lunch out with the Hubster, then went for a long walk in the park. The last of the leaves are still holding on, and some of the trees are still beautiful. Some are barely covered, and some looked downright chilly with no colorful blankets on their branches. The weather was cool, but the rain stopped this morning, and the whole walk took about two hours (out and back), which is pretty normal for us on this walk. I stopped to take that photo at the upper left when we reached the half-way point...winter sure is coming!

On a brighter note, here are the salt 'n pepper shakers I painted to go with the bowls...not too shabby! They are baked and boxed and put away with the bowls they now match, and I have purchased some anti-bac hand soaps to add into the gift presentation for these. Now all I need are a few pot scrubbies or dishcloths, and "Voila!," my Christmas "shopping" will be nearly complete! Of course, there are still gifts to buy for those nearest and dearest to my heart, and I am looking forward to that.

In Knitting Knews, you all know that I have taken a break from the stockings to work on a couple other projects, and my Cardigan and Socks are coming along nicely. I am also planning to cast on a hat and some gloves, and some little toys for more gifts. So, I will try to keep you posted without giving too much information away to my recipients!

Off now for a cuppa tea, and a nice sit down in front of the telly!

Knit in Good Health!

THURSDAY? Really????

So, Happy Halloween, Everybody! I would tell you that on Saturday, when it is actually Halloween, but it seems that I would be a little late for my home town if I waited...you see, the city I live in has decided that, since Halloween falls on a Saturday...which might make it convenient even for families to trick-or-treat without the rush of get-home-eat-dinner-get-costumes-on-go!...well...isn't it logical, then, to have Trick-or-Treat ON THURSDAY????

I mean, if Halloween falls on a Friday, and there is a home-town football game, well I could see that logic...although the kids that are affected by High School Football games are probably too old anyway, but they might be going with younger brothers and/or sisters...ok. But it falls ON SATURDAY this year! That means that even the folks worried about kids out after dark could be appeased by daytime trick-or-treats...that means that even if the event was scheduled for 6-7:30 (as it is every year that I have lived here), presumably there would be a greater percentage of parents who do not have to work, and perhaps the holiday tradition could be less rushed and more enjoyed...that means that those of us who are passing out candy would not have to feel rushed to get home from work and get the evening chores done before we could settle in to “oooh and ahhh!” and “That’s a great costume!” over the kids we know in the neighborhood.

I mean, I like Halloween...and I like trick-or-treat, even when it's rushed...and our kids went out for candy long after they were probably too old...and I have nothing against the tradition...but THURSDAY? Really???

OK - rant over. sorry. thanks for listening.

We now return you to the regularly scheduled blog...

In Knitting Knews, I finished one-and-a-half projects, and started two. The "a-half" project is pictured to the right, 3 of 5 stockings are finished. Well, technically, that one in the middle still needs some afterthought embroidery, but other than that....ummm, and the lining I plan to put in the stockings...these three are finished!

Originally I had only planned to do 3 of them, but now I am pretty sure I have to do at least two more...but the last two will be smaller and less complex, I think...and they may be gifts...so I may not be able to even post blog photos until after they are gifted. All-in-all, I am having a blast working on them, and I am even eager to sew the linings and get them completely together!

In other Knitting Knews, I also finished the Candy Cane Socks (more pix at my Ravelry Project Page) in Plymouth Happy Feet, color 4:
I started a pair of Thuja socks (but done in fingering weight, Plymouth Happy Feet, color 18): And I cast on the Holly Cardigan, designed by my friend Cheri or c2knits (Tamaty Tweed in Forrest, worsted, cotton):

Zoe Kitty likes it already!

Whew! I am tired now! I don't know if it was the rant or all the knitting, but I am gonna sign off! Knit in Good Health, people!

I Do!. . .

I like them, Sam-I-Am! Weddings, that is! One of the many hats I wear is Wedding Coordinator at the church I attend. Basically I make sure the heat/AC are on when needed, and that the chairs are arranged correctly (my Hubster helps with this - yay!). . .and I run around the building before the wedding, making sure the bride has what she needs, and the groom has what he needs. . .and that everyone has their flowers. . .and that everyone knows where to go and when to go there. . .it's a great hat to wear, and I think it fits well! I love weddings, and today's was another beautiful one, yay!

Before the wedding, when I got out of bed and started the laundry today, each time I returned to the sofa to knit and spend a little more time waking up, some version of this scene kept greeting me. . .

It's pretty difficult to wake up when you have sleeping cats to look at, and even more difficult if one (or BOTH!) of their warm little bodies makes it onto my lap! But today, they just curled up with each other. I thought it especially funny in this shot that the little cat was snuggled up to the big cat's butt. . . Silly Kitties!

The other thing that made my heart sing today is Fall. We are nearly at the tail end of the peak of color that fall leaves brings to our corner of the world, and it has been spectacular this year. Some years, it seems the color is very mute, but this year, the colors are popping all over the place! Even the trees who have mostly shed their "coats-of-many-colors" are creating vivid, flaming pools at the base of their trunks. There was some strong wind this morning that has brought down many of the leaves, but these past 5 or 6 days have been beyond beautiful!

And then there's the knitting. . .here is stocking #3 (of 5). I have just started the heel, and I am having a good time adding all of the 5 colors that I bought for this project to this one! Forgive my "phone photo," which is still a bit dark, even after Photoshop, but I am happy with how this one is coming along. . .a little more "flashy" than the others. . .I hope she likes it!

When I finish three stockings (and I feel like I am within all my deadlines for the Christmas knitting), I plan to cast on another sweater for meeeeeeee! It will be Holly, by c2knits! She is a local designer I know, and her work is fantastic! I will be using Tamaty Tweed (cotton, worsted) in a deep green color.

The other item I will cast on is another pair of socks. . .they may be a gift, tho, so no details here until after the Holidays. . . ;-P I hope your Holiday Knitting (if you are doing any) is right on schedule!

Knit in Good Health!

It's in the Bowl!

Yes. I said, "It's in the Bowl." I did not say, "It's in the Bag," because I am not talking about bags. I mentioned last time that I need another hobby. . .so, well, I picked up another one last night (and Monday, too).

You see, I have these plain, white pieces of dinnerware in my basement. Serving Bowls and Platters, Salt and Pepper Shakers, Desert Plates and Cereal Bowls, and a couple of Mugs. They are from a project a couple years back, and I still have them. Every year I think to myself, "Those would make nice Christmas gifts, all painted and perhaps personalized. . ." And the thing is that I have the paint, and the brushes, and the paint pens, and all the supplies I need for the project. . .yet, still I had not actually done anything with them. . .just too many other things vying for my time, I guess.
Then, on Monday, I started to take inventory of my supplies, and I started the project. I finished painting 10 large-ish serving bowls last night, and I baked Monday's batch (to make the paint permanent and food-safe) this morning. I will bake the Tuesday batch tomorrow. . .what do you think of the finished results?My original idea for the serving bowls was to write on the bowl what might be inside, or to divide the bowl into quadrants with a season represented on each quarter. Kind of like a "bowl for all seasons" that you just turn so the appropriate food or picture is showing. Some of my paints were really thick, though, and the flow was tricky. . .so I opted to rely on the paint pens as much as I could. Over all, I am pretty happy with how they turned out. ;-P

In Knitting Knews, I am still plugging away at the Stockings. . .feels like they are taking forever, but I know in my head that it has only been a little over a week. The stranded knitting makes me crazy, but I think I am getting more used to it. I just cannot like the puckering, and I don't seem to be able to carry those strands loosely enough. sigh! Perhaps a little blocking will help? Not sure, tho. . .this is super-acrylic yarn!

Eventually, I will feel like I have mastered two-color knitting! Until then, I will keep on practicing, I guess!

By the way, Christmas is coming! I hope that you have started your Christmas Knitting and other projects (if you have any planned), and that you will Knit in Good Health!

I think I need another hobby...

So, I knit.

And I crochet.

And I needlepoint.

And I paint.

And I play with clay.

And I play with wire and metal.

And I write.

And I Scrapbook...which is what I did with some of my Scrappin' friends last night! And I got quite a bit accomplished! Yay! DD's album did not have some major "Senior Year" stuff in it, so that was Priority One...and I am proud to report that I was able to complete 4 2-page layouts (that's 8 pages!) in my 6-hours!

Another friend did 20 pages! (I think she may be an overachiever...shhhh!)

I can, of course, say that because I do not have a problem with the overachieving. I do not have several hobbies that are constantly competing for my time. I do not make myself crazy, trying to be perfect at every single one of them. I do not fill all my "free" time with little things so I won't fidget. I do not constantly bug my friends by fishing for compliments on the various craft projects I complete each week.

Yeah. Right.

Anyhoo...
I am plugging right along on the Christmas Stocking Project. This is just the first one, and I plan on making at least 3. Possibly 5, and maybe more! Yes! I will make stockings for EVERYONE! And they will all be stunningly beautiful! Bwahahahahahahaaaaaaaa!

Hmmmm, I seem to have gone a bit mad. Perhaps I need a hobby...

Knit (and craft and live and love) in good health!