Did I Mention?

 I had a major birthday this month and celebrated all month long?  This is 65!

And these are the lovely gifts I got from my knitting friends!

Now, let's bring on December and Advent Calendars!

Episode 85 - A Multi Podcast KAL!!

 Episode 85 is up on the pjknits You Tube Channel.

You can find it here

I hope you will join us casting on January 1st, the Burra Cowl, a multi podcast KAL.

Thanks for watching!

The Last Scrappy Sunday In November

 But first, I stayed at a wonderful Hotel n Cedar Rapids where the decor in the bathroom seemed to be created especially for me!

Then a side by side outfit I just had to share with you.  On the left, at almost 4 years old and on the right her sister wearing the same outfit in 2015.

And finally, the last square in November for scrappy Sunday!

Later this weekend, I think I am going to use at least one of my advents for a square a day for advent?!

Catch you on the purl side.

Finally Finished Friday

 I finished Ground Pepper #2, but totally forgot to blog about it here.  I have even wore it and I love it as much as I loved Ground Pepper #1.

I cast it on a year ago, and a year later bound it off, blocked it and voila.

Knit out of Dream in Color Cashmere this time, but since this is my second one, I could pretty much follow my mods from the first.

The yarn is a bit softer than the original, so it may grow a bit with wearing, but I am loving it and the feel of it against the bare skin so I will endure.

Happy Finished Friday, not just the Friday after Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Holiday

Does it seem to anyone else that the Thanksgiving Holiday starts earlier and earlier?  Back in the day, I never had the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off, and now schools are out everywhere.  I guess  they figured that half their students and teachers, would take the day off to get started on the traveling or the cooking.  When I worked, I would do the same thing or definitely cut out early as there was nothing much happening.

So, I decided to blog today instead of later in the week, when everyone is busy getting ready to go or do.

I am thankful for you all who keep coming back to the Blog, my podcast, my Ravelry group and Instagram!

Every year I bring this wall hanging out for Thanksgiving for my front door.  It was a gift from my dear friend Norma, who was as generous of a person that you would ever want to know.  In remembering her, I recall how similar our lives have been in retirement and also how she dealt with it.  I'm going to channel her going through the holidays.

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with friends or family whenever your holiday begins.  

Let's choose Joy!

Monday Mail Call

 Woohoo!  Mail from Schoolhouse Press came today.

I will podcast about it after the Thanksgiving holiday, but these are for a multi podcast KAL that kicks off January 1st.

A slew of podcasters did a double dog dare last Summer and the KAL is a result of that.  You know I am such a KAL addict, and PJKnits podcast is going to be a part of it.

Stay tuned for more info after this weekend!

My Knitting Is All Over The Place

 Anyone else?  I have went to absolutely no Christmas knitting to all of a sudden, several things I would love to knit for Christmas presents, going so far as to make a timeline in order to have a birthday knit done in two weeks to Christmas knitting.

Throw in two advent calendars that came in the mail - more about those in the coming weeks.

A test knit - that doesn't have to be done til January, but everyone else is motoring along, but mine is just going to have to wait.

Then, I think I need to knit more hats for me.  Whew.

Today, is nice and sunny here after have several days of cloudy and well, lets just say flurries every day and really cold temps, hence the thought of hats, which also make a nice travel project.

So, yesterday, was just a good day to kick back and evaluate my knitting and possible timelines for finishing.  And of course, a nice warm cuppa or two.  Despite the weather saying its Winter, my mug was saying it is still Fall!

This morning, I got up early and knit my Scrappy Sunday Square, despite telling myself it was ok to sleep in, it just didn't happen.

As long as I was up, I figured I might just as well start a little something in the kitchen.  The first in a really long time that I had to do it on my own, but I think it came out pretty good.

I guess today's topic really could be my daily life is all over the place today, maybe thats the result of too many cuppas, wink?

Hope you are having a great Sunday and a good start to a Thanksgiving week!

Episode 84 - Throw On and Go Sweaters

 Episode 84 is up on You Tube, you can find it here

I am starting a series of easy going, wear around the winter weather, throw on and go sweaters featured in my upcoming podcasts, I hope they inspire you to do so as well.

The weather here in Central Illinois is so right for this kind of sweater.

This Is What Happens

 When you don't blog for a bit.  There is so much to show and tell.

We had a Scrappy Sunday  last week.

We had a couple of really nice and warm days (70s), so there was a lot of knitting on the porch whenever I could and my roses were still blooming.

I made some progress on a new sweater for knitting at the yarn shop.

I got a new journal for my birthday, but I think I am going to save it until next porch knitting season.

I turned 65! Huh, what, how did that happen?  I had a good birthday, celebrating with lunch out after Hospice, and dinner with my local kids. 

 It was a pretty good day.  I'll post later this week all about the wonderful gifts and wishes I received.

The next day was Veterans Day, and of course I had to share a picture of my Dad in his uniform.  

Then, the return of the season's temp necessitated the closing of the porch for this knitting season.  It makes me a bit sad, as with it comes memories.

And finally, we are here, another Scrappy Sunday.

Hope you had a good week, I'll catch you on the purl side!

Knitting in the Dark

This may seem crazy, but some years ago, I practiced knitting with my eyes shut.  The ladies at hospice can't get over the fact that I knit without looking down.  I explained to them that I can feel the stitches with my hands as I move them along, and that I perfected it because two worries for a knitter are losing ones eyesight and their hands.

Something I love doing is sitting as the sun goes down, knitting, watching some t.v. without the light on, which helps to not have people looking in at me through the big window.

And then I turn on the light to see how I did.

Not bad. Practice is good.

This May Be It

 The end of leaves from my trees (hopefully).

It may be time for me to hire the guy to come take care of them.

But, I may need to wait until tomorrow's 45-50 mile per hour winds come through, maybe they will all blow away? LOL.

There are just a couple of more buds left on my two sets of bushes.

I decided one last bouquet of roses for the house was in order.

Everyday, I ask myself if this will be the last day of sitting on the porch?  This morning, early it was quite nice, just a slight breeze.

Until the wind kicked up a bit more, it wasn't as warm, or maybe it was just me.  

Hope you are enjoying some knitting and Fall weather this Friday!

November Knits

A few years back when I was still working, I chose November to pull out my knits and challenged myself to wear one every day.  This morning, I thought why not challenge myself again and get out and wear them somewhere.  

This week we are having some uncharacteristic warmer temps (70ish) for November.  It was the perfect day to pull out my Moduloncho by shanalines designs.  A poncho pattern that is all in garter with some welts that I had never knit before.

It's the perfect knit to throw on before heading out in the morning and pull off when the temps warm up.  Knit in finger weight yarn, the world is your palette as to what colors you want to do any or all of the sections.

Pull out your knits, wear them and take them somewhere and have a