Socks, Stash, and Stockings- Oh My!

Happy Sunday- I hope it’s a scrappy one!

This week I finish four projects, share a massive stash enhancement, highlight food from a graduation party, and pray for a new church.

Finished Objects

As the end of the month approaches, I’ve got a finish objects parade! I plan a lot of my knitting and crochet by month. This year I’m starting a pair of socks at the beginning of the month and finishing them before the end of the same month. I’m also participating in the Down Cellar Studio #slaythestash2018 where you pick out one unopened skein from your stash and completely finish it before the end of the month.

My socks this month are Oblivate by Sarah Stevens. I love this Woolen Boon color- Robin Sparkles paired with Lolodidit‘s Princess Peach. I shortened the leg, did a FLK heel and changed the pattern spacing in the foot to match the leg. {That way I didn’t need to look at my pattern.} I love these socks and I wouldn’t be surprised if I knit them again!

The Flatiron Shawl by Toni Lipsey is another pattern I think I’ll make again- possibly soon. It’s a simple crochet triangle with maximum wear-ability! Mine blocked out wider than a queen bed, but with a depth of 27″, it’s perfect to wrap around your neck and stay put. I used a beautiful OOAK gradient from YOTH in a yummy merino/cashmere/nylon blend.

“Float Tote”- my crochet bag pattern made for colorwork.

I finished a second Float Tote- my crochet bag pattern that will be released in July {now available!}. This one is massive! It’s made to fit five different colors, along with a colorwork projects, in its depths. I’m pleased that the tote still stands up even with its size.

Finally, I made a few dishcloths as a wedding gift for my friend getting married next weekend. The Monogrammed Alphabet for Knitters pattern by Heather Kate is always my go-to for wedding dishcloths. For $16 you get the entire alphabet- so worth it! The second pattern I used is free- Gramma’s Dishcloth by PJ Allen. It’s the classic corner-to-corner cloth that includes a variation without yarnovers. I got the idea to stripe in scraps from the Yarn Hoarder.

WIP’s- Focus Projects

One of my goals this summer is to knit a Christmas stocking for myself and my husband. I came across the Steamer Train stocking on Instagram and fell in love. The designer, Ursula Almeida, had a second, similar design and I knew these were the right stockings for us!

Mountains developing on my “Steamer Train” by Ursula Almeida

I had Kent help me pick out colors of Knitpicks Palette. We settled on Clover for the green, Pimento for the red, and Cream for the white. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy knitting colorwork!

“Steamer Train” stocking in my “Float Tote”

I’m working on the Steamer Train out of my pink Float Tote– a crochet bag pattern that I plan to release on Ravelry July 10th, 2018 {now available!}.

Something New

I came home with beacoups of yarn from my Oregon trip. Some were gifts and many more were purchased. Here’s where I went and what I purchased!

These skeins are birthday gifts from my brother-in-law and his girlfriend. WHAT?! They went somewhere and picked out three beautiful skeins of Malabrigo Mechita for me. My stash was in desperate need of more single-ply. These skeins will likely become shawls.

SweetGeorgia superwash worsted and handspun wool!

My mother-in-law also had some surprises for me. She got me this beautiful hank of SweetGeorgia yarn and these handspun cakes on her spring break trip to Canada. I love receiving yarn from non-knitters, especially when they go out of their way to find me something special and local.

Spun Right Round SW Sock in “Dusty Roses”

Of course I had to do a little shopping while in Oregon. I really didn’t plan to go anywhere but the local shop in Eugene… but my husband {sweet, sweet Kent} had other plans! We flew into Portland, OR so he made sure we stopped at a shop on our way out of town- The Knitting Bee. It was a marvelous store- I had to really restrain myself to buy just the two skeins of Spun Right Round. I’m thinking about making a Tegna by Caitlin Hunter.

Alexandra’s Crafts in “Chocolate” and Knitted Wit in “Crater Lake”

A few days later we drove to Roseburg, OR to visit Knotty Lady Yarns. My mother-in-law picked a skein of Knitted Wit Victory Sock in the “Crater Lake” colorway for me to make her socks. {Knitted Wit has a whole line of National Park colorways.} I picked out two skeins of Alexandra’s Crafts merino/silk/yak blend for a sweater. Both are Oregon yarns!

The Yarn at Home Mom in “Kalmiopsis” and “Pictures of You”

The next day we journeyed to Corvallis, OR to Stash Local. There I got two skeins from The Yarn at Home Mom {another local dyer}. I think I might pair one of these colors with the chocolate above to make a Zweig by Caitlin Hunter.

Sunrise Fiber Co in “Briar Rose”, Knitted Wit in “Go Nuts for Donuts”, and Three Fates Yarns in “Manic Panic”

Lastly I went to my favorite local shop in Eugene- Cozy. I happened to go in on their knit night, so I stayed and worked on my Float Tote until they closed- it was so much fun! I got a sparkly pink skein of Three Fates Yarns. I might put it into a second Flatiron Shawl by Toni Lipsey. I bought another hank of Knitted Wit called “Go Nuts for Donuts”. I also got a stunning colorway called “Briar Rose” from Sunrise Fiber Co– sadly, I believe she is only dying for local stores right now.

What God’s Teaching Me

“Go back to church.”

This is the God whisper I’m getting as I sit on Sunday morning… not at church… again.

I can’t remember the last time I went to church, which makes me sad. This time a year ago I couldn’t remember the last time I missed church. What’s changed in the past year?

Moving. Marriage. New job. New house. A lot has changed, but I think my spirit towards church has disintegrated with the move.

I have talked about this before on the blog. I miss my church in Dallas immensely. There I felt needed. I felt community. I felt accountability.

The churches in our current neighborhood aren’t to blame. There are some amazing groups around here. My issue with finding a new church is me.

I’ve started praying for God to reconnect me with my desire to find a church. I’m praying for a community to meet Kent and me and embrace us. I’m praying for my God to rekindle my husband’s ambition to volunteer at a new church {he applied at one of the churches we tried and they never reached out to him}. Will you pray for me too?

What We’re Cooking

We traveled for my brother-in-law’s college graduation this week. Blessedly, I didn’t have to cook a thing. I’m kicking myself to not taking pictures of all the delicious meals we enjoyed out- we like to go to local places when we travel. We had everything from seafood to Asian to Italian to an iconic pizza place. Next time we take a trip I’ll be sure to get pictures!

What I do have is a few pictures of the graduation party spread. We journeyed all the way to Oregon to enjoy Texas barbecue. {I don’t try to keep it a secret that I’m a Memphis- BBQ-girl at heart, but brisket is growing on me.} The dessert table kept me coming back. Enjoy!

There is brisket, pulled pork, pasta salad, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, rolls and more under that foil!

What I’m Reading

I’m one night away from finishing See Me by Nicholas Sparks. Last night I stayed up until 2:00 AM trying to get to the end because it’s just that good. There are twists and turns and thrills that I didn’t expect from a Nicholas Sparks book… then again, I really should have. I would definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for something romantic, interesting, and easy to read.

I think I’m going to re-read Jurassic Park in the spirit of the movie coming out next weekend. I own an audio copy on Audible, but maybe I’ll try truly reading it… maybe.

What I really need is another series to get into. What would you recommend?

Check back next week for more going-ons in the Knitty Natty home!

Love in stitches,

Knitty Natty

Banana Bread and a Baby Sweater

We’re heading off to Oregon today for a graduation vacation!

This week I finish a baby sweater, work on my June socks, talk about a new discovery in crochet circles, feel mushy about summer, and bake a snack, meal, and dessert. Enjoy!

Finished Objects

This week I finished the super adorable Baby Vertebrae by Kelly van Niekerk. I made the smallest size out of Lolodidit‘s Everyday Sock in the colorway “Polyjuice Potion“. The best news is I have 58 grams left- so I can make a pair of socks for myself!

Up close look at the “Polyjuice Potion” colorway by Lolodidit.

I’ll admit that I was a bit lazy when making this cardigan. I didn’t bother to go down a needle size for the ribbing… and I might regret that now. But, no baby will care about loose ribbing. You can find my notes on Ravelry here.

WIP’s- Focus Projects

June socks- “Obliviate” by Sarah Stevens

I’ve been toting my June socks everywhere this past week. I’m knitting Obliviate by Sarah Stevens (also the dyer behind Gracelynn Wool). They are fun and memorizable! And, of course, “obliviate” is a Harry Potter reference.

I’m using a leftover skein from my So Faded sweater. I loved this blue, speckled colorway so much that I couldn’t put it into scrappy projects just yet! The yarn is “Robin Sparkles” by Woolen Boon in her Boon Classic base.

Something New

I shared the bag design I’m working on last week, and I learned something new along the way: how to crochet a flat circle. Now, I already knew how to crochet a circle, no pattern needed, but I ran into a problem with my design. My little bucket bases worked out just fine- as in they laid perfectly flat. Then once I started working on my big bucket bases I started to get a ripple.

So I went to Google {obviously} and ran across this Craftsy article. It turns out that crocheting a circle is not a guessing game. At the top of the page Craftsy gives us exactly how many stitches we should start our circles with depending on what stitch you are making- brilliant! Ripple = too many stitches in your first round. That seems pretty obvious now! I ripped back, adjusted my stitch count, and got a nice, flat circle in return.

Float Tote is now available!

What God’s Teaching Me

I’ve been saying thank you to God many times this week.

I thank him that I get to sleep in {until 8- woohoo!}. I thank him that I have the time each day to work on my health and go to classes at our awesome gym. I thank him that teachers like me have the summers off; and that because of this, I’ve had the brain space to start designing patterns.

Being home in the summer has been the greatest gift.

I mentioned last week that I’m in a season of abundance. God is providing for me in endless ways. The key thing he has for a childless-20-something like me is time– and I don’t want to abuse it! I’m using my time this summer to invest in another gift he’s given me- the love and joy of knitting and crochet.

My husband works from home {therefore sees what I’m doing all day} and he keeps saying, “All you do is knit!” Yes, but that’s not all… I’m making Christmas gifts, I’m designing patterns, I’m working on my Instagram, writing on my blog, making friends in the online community… I feel good about what I produce each day!

Most importantly, I want to remember this season; because I know that difficult seasons will come. There will be many times in the future when I’m wondering why God is allowing all these bad things to happen to me. I want to remember this time, right now, when God is giving me SO MUCH; then I can get through the time when it feels like I have very little.

What season are you in? What season have you just come out of? Where do you hope God takes you next?

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)

What We’re Cooking

I rounded out my big freezer meal prep this week with Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Pesto Meatballs from New Leaf Wellness. These were prepped a bit differently than my other meals since they had to be formed and frozen in a casserole dish. They didn’t take much longer, but I decided to save them for another day since making meatballs is a different rhythm than dumping ingredients in a Ziploc.

I also decided to cook one of the meatball meals that night. I served it with spaghetti and red sauce. They were so good!

We had several friends over this past weekend and I wanted to make one of my favorite snacks- homemade Chex Mix. I used the original recipe right off the Chex Mix site. The thing I love so much about homemade Chex Mix is you can make it how you like it. I adore Gardetto’s Garlic Rye Chips– so I exchange the bagel chips for these. I’m not a fan of mixed nuts, so I just use peanuts instead. And there’s something about stick pretzels in a mix.

Delicious Chex Mix- roasted in the oven.

I made two batches of Chex Mix in the oven. Making it in the oven it key– don’t take the microwave shortcut! I’ve found that it’s best to prepare the seasoning and butter mix first. Then measure half the ingredients into a bowl and stir half the seasoning/butter with it. Dump this out onto a baking sheet {with sides!} and then repeat with other half. This is to make sure you get everything coated with that delicious butter and seasonings. The Chex Mix was a hit!

We had a few bananas getting real brown and then Smitten Kitchen suddenly posted her Double Chocolate Banana Bread recipe- done and done! {She’s a joy to follow on Instagram by the way.} She recommends using Dutch-process cocoa powder {which I’ve read is not as bitter as regular cocoa powder}, but all I had was regular ol’ Hershey’s– turns out I should have listened. My bread baked perfectly, but it has just the slightest bit of bitterness to it. I think that a quarter cup more sugar might combat this, but I haven’t tried it out yet. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still eating this bread {in massive quantities…}- this is one of those times were it pays to listen to the recipe!

What I’m Reading

I’m still loving See Me by Nicholas Sparks. It’s just the right level of engagement that I wanted in a book after reading Girl, Wash Your Face. The bad boy has already fallen for the good girl, who in turn is falling for him, duh. This book has another creepy, dangerous layer- though I won’t spoil it!

I’m open to suggestions of what to read next!

Check back next week for more going-ons in the Knitty Natty home!

Love in stitches,

Knitty Natty

Over the top and in the Freezer

Happy Friday, everyone!

This week I finish a knitted tee, crochet up a storm, get back to a bag design, cook up more freezer meals, and recap a meaningful interaction in the most unexpected place. Enjoy!

Finished Objects

I finished my “Over-the-top Top” by Purl Soho! It’s a free pattern and quite easy. The construction starts with the back hem. Then you knit up the back and make the shoulders. Then you literally knit over the top making a neck-hole, and finish by knitting the front. Side seam, sleeve hems, and neck hem- and you’re all done!

Another unique thing about this top is that the purl side is the right side. I think this is my very first garment that features reverse stockinette on the entire piece. My favorite detail is side seam which is created by knit stitches. I love the way it looks exposed.

This tee took me just over a month to complete. The only change I made was to make the body an inch longer (so that’s a extra inch in the front and the back). I wish I’d done just a few more inches. This version still looks great with a longer tank top underneath.

WIP’s- Focus Projects

After finishing my knit top, I’ve been all about that crochet this week. I started a new project for #slaythestash2018. This is a year-long knitalong hosted by BostenJen from the Down Cellar Studio podcast. The goal is to pick one brand-new, unused skein from your stash each month and knit, crochet, or weave it to its very end.

I declared this stunning gradient set from YOTH {Yarn On the House} that I *think* I bought at DFW Fiber Fest three years ago. It’s an 80/10/10 merino/cashmere/nylon and so, so soft.

The project I picked is the Flatiron Shawl by Toni Lipsey of TL Yarn Crafts. It’s a simple triangle made of single crochets. It’s going to be so cozy and warm! Toni’s original is designed for three full skeins of fingering weight {roughly 1,200+ yards}, but my gradient set only has 880 yards. So my version will be a bit smaller.

I’m also eliminating the fading feature of the pattern and color-blocking mine. I made this decision for two reasons. One, the maths are too hard to figure out how to save enough yarn of each color to save for fading each color {remember, I don’t have as much yardage as what’s called for in the pattern}. Two, I need to crochet each color down to the very end in order to follow the Slay the Stash rules!

Something New

Several weeks back I started working on a crochet bag design. During the last month of school, I just didn’t have the brain space to work on a design. I’m happy to say that the summer has restored me! I’ve been working diligently on this bag again.

The idea came from a need for a container that could carry my colorwork projects without tangling my balls of yarn. It needed to be lightweight and portable, but also function when I got to my destination. I think this tote is going to fit those needs perfectly!

You’re getting a sneak peek right now, but this is just the beginning. {Right, because it’s not even a bag yet, Natalie!} This is the small size that can hold up to three colors. I’ve also got plans for a larger size that will hold up to five balls of yarn. I’m super excited about this bag since I plan to start fair-isle Christmas stockings so soon!

The Float Tote is now available!

What God’s Teaching Me

This week God reached me through my server at Panda Express. You always need to be watching and listening… because God is everywhere. Dun-dun-dun! That sounded way more ominous than I intended.

—

“You’re so pretty,” That’s what this sweet server said to me when I made my order at Panda Express last night. “You’re so pretty and just so nice.”

Sorry, what?! All I said was, “I’ll have the three-entree plate with half noodles and half white rice.” How could she know if I was nice???

“You can just tell,” she continued. “When someone is genuinely nice. People come in here so grumpy all the time. You made my night.”

I’m paraphrasing a bit. But, you guys. I. Made. Her. Night. Just by acting in a minimally courteous way, I had put a smile on this server’s face.

To say I was floored is an understatement. Remember last week when I talked about how I’m actually the most judgmental person I know? I’m usually that grumpy person who’s huffing in line at Panda Express. I called my husband on the drive home {with our takeout} to tell him this unprecedented story. Then I had a quick prayer chat with God to sort out why this was such a meaningful experience.

What was it that made me exude enough positivity that a even stranger noticed? It clicked. I am in a place of great abundance. I am overflowing with time, health, funds, and creativity. I told the server {thank you, first, of course!} that I was just “very happy right now because I’m a teacher and it’s summer.”

Truly, I am in a season of life where I have endless resources. I am well, young, stable in relationships and finances, and very happy with my work and my passion. Since my “cup” is so full, I am able to give to others. At the very minimum, it should be apparent to others that I am a Christian in my actions.

I thanked God for giving me such an amazing interaction with a stranger. I prayed that he would continue to help me be a light whenever I interact with someone in a service environment {something that has been at the forefront of our work for many years}.

I’ve learned recently that being an introvert makes a person uniquely adept at connecting deeply with people, even in one-off circumstances like this one. I’m so grateful that God has given me this gift {of introversion}, and I’m encouraged to foster more meaningful interactions in the most unexpected places.

What We’re Cooking

This week I did my second big freezer meal prep. {Here’s the first one.} I used these recipes I got for free from New Leaf Wellness. This can be a bit of a daunting task, but let me tell you- it’s well worth the effort! I wanted to share my process with you. I’m a big fan of breaking things down into steps.

On Wednesday, I had my husband pick out the meals (four recipes doubled) and made my grocery list. I type my list into a word document while looking at my printed recipes. This makes things super easy for me. When I’ve typed in “2 lbs of ground turkey” for one recipe, and then need two more pounds for another, all I do is change that number to a 4. My list is sorted into the following categories making the shopping experience simple: Produce, Meat, Frozen, Cold/Dairy, Canned/Dried, and Spices/Seasonings.

Then I went to the store. It probably took me 45 minutes to shop- and I was getting other things too. In total I spent $126 and some change on these eight meals, plus quite a few other groceries. My guess is that the eight freezer meals were under $100. Each meal will last the two of us 2-3 nights making these cost effective!

I went home, put the groceries away, and said to myself “great job!”. That’s all I did in day one. I’d say that’s plenty of effort for one day!

—

Day two is cooking day. I decided to make just three of the recipes on this day, as the fourth was a little more involved (forming turkey into meatballs, stuffing with cheese, etc.). I prepped Chicken Tacos, Cheesy Tortellini with Ground Beef, and Turkey Black Bean Chili- all recipes can be found for free here.

>>>Here’s where I’ll break it down into even more steps. I even timed myself to see how long things really took. <<<

Step 1: Start with a clean kitchen (10 minutes). I make sure the trash is empty, dirty dishes put away {and a decently empty dishwasher too!}, empty the sink, and clear and wipe down most of the counter tops.

Step 2: Get your bags ready (5 minutes). I was making three different recipes, but two of each- so I have six meals total. I got my gallon-size freezer Ziplocs labeled with the meal title, ingredients to add later, and today’s date. I also set out three baking sheets on my stove top {you won’t need your stove top!} so that I could lay the completed Ziploc bags and freeze them flat. {After I freeze the bags I recover those baking sheets.} {Bag racks here!}

Step 3: Sort your ingredients (5 minutes). Now it’s time to get “cooking”! I set all my ingredients {expect the meat} in a nice little pile for each recipe.

Step 4: Chop veggies (30-90 minutes). Expect to spend the bulk of your time here. Depending on how many veggies you have and what state of “prepared” they are in, this time frame will vary. I’m a slow chopper- it took me 45 minutes to work through 1 large onion, 8 cloves of garlic, and 4 large carrots… so there you go. My strategy is to work through each ingredient across the recipes one at a time. So all the onions first, then all the garlic, then whatever else. I put the bags with the first recipe {this time it was Cheesy Tortellini with Ground Beef} in my ridiculously helpful bag clips. Then chop veggies, and add to bags. Then move to the next recipe and repeat. Rinse that cutting board and let it dry out for when it’s time to trim the meats.

Step 5: Add spices, canned goods, and sauces (15-30 minutes). This part is a breeze! Measure out those dry ingredients first, then proceed with wet ingredients. Why? To use fewer tools! I’m all about efficiency. Then rinse those measuring tools and put them in your empty dishwasher.

Step 6: Add the meats (5-15 minutes). Meat is last for two reasons. One, so that the meat isn’t sitting out and spoiling. Two, so it’s the first thing that hits your crockpot when you cook it. Trim or cut you meat and add it to the bags, one recipe at a time. Then squeeze out that air and seal them shut. I like to lay my bags on the baking sheets to freeze them so that they freeze flat.

All in all in, it took me 90 minutes to make six meals. That was with me cleaning up in between, pausing to add points to the blog, Googling “how to shred carrots” and consequently searching for the cheese grater. I could have definitely made some short cuts by purchasing minced garlic and shredded carrots. Garlic is my nemesis- so I think I will definitely buy the ready-to-go kind next freezer prep!

I can’t wait to share with you each meal as we eat them! I’ll prep the fourth meal {Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Pesto Meatballs} for next week’s blog post.

What I’m Reading

I’ve finished Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. It was a great read! I definitely learned some things about myself.

I started scrolling through my Goodreads “Want to Read” list late one night to choose my next book. Nothing sounded appealing. All the titles seemed too serious or involved. I wanted an easy read! One that takes me away from reality; and preferably from an author I’ve read before. Since I’m already listening to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, JK Rowling was out.

Nicholas Sparks! I thought. Brilliant. His older books are always available at the digital library. Sure enough, I had my pick. I decided to download the first title that was available- See Me.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I can’t get enough of Sparks’ Carolina settings and bad-boy tragic characters. His books are the perfect realistic fantasies that are romantic without being raunchy; and you know everything will be alright by the end. That’s exactly what I want to read at the moment!

Check back next week for more going-ons in the Knitty Natty home!

Love in stitches,

Knitty Natty

Hello, June and Judgement

It’s June- whoa! Bring on the summer months.

This week I finish nothing, but start a couple things. I share my growing polymer clay charm collection, confess my daily sin battle, and show off some summer eats.

(Not so) Finished Objects

Just a collar, sleeve bands, and a few ends to go!

Nothing to see here! My Over-the-Top Top by Purl Soho is dangerously close to being finished. I hope to have it done before next Friday.

WIP’s- Focus Projects

Back portion of the Canyon cardigan by Devin Ventre.

I started two things this past week. The first is my long awaited Canyon cardigan by Devin Ventre aka Knitty McPurly. At the lake last weekend I worked my way through a good third of the back portion. I’m using Suburban Stitcher Sock in her colorway “Cinder”. I’m loving it!

Wee little Baby Vertebrae by Kelly Van Niekerk

My second cast on was inspired by Lauren from Lolodidit. For the first time ever I won a knitting giveaway!!! I was so psyched to get some yarn from one of my favorite companies. You know I had to choose a Harry Potter colorway. My beautiful skein of “Polyjuice Potion” arrived so quickly! It didn’t even make it into the yarn closet before I decided to cast on a Baby Vertebrae. {You can never have to many baby gifts ready to go.} I’m making the newborn size so that I have enough of this skein left for a shortie pair of socks.

Something New

Coffee and Cinnamon Roll from Simply Serving {on Etsy}.

I’ve been quite naughty lately when it comes to progress keepers. I just swoon over those tiny bits of polymer clay. Do you have any idea how much work goes into each tiny charm?! I love watching the timelapse videos of artists making itsy little bits of food.

Chocolate Frog from Simply Serving {on Etsy}.

So I ordered from SucreSucre Miniatures… and Simply Serving… AND Sweet Cherry Shop… oops! Check out my cute goodies!

S’more and Strawberry Ice Cream from Sweet Cherry Shop {on Etsy}.

What God’s Teaching Me

This week’s lesson from God is brought to you in part from the book I started last week: Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis {her lifestyle site here}. Let’s dive into her chapter titled “The Lie: I’m Better Than You.” Hang on one second while I swallow my pride…

I am one of the most judgmental people I know. I’m sure there are people who criticize more than I do, but I’m the only one {besides God} who knows my own thoughts; therefore I’m the most judgy person I know about. My thoughts run like lines from Mean Girls. I’m constantly observing and comparing everything happening around me. “Her highlights are so streaky. How could her friends let her walk around like that?” “Wow, that guy works out way too much. I bet he’s completely self-absorbed.”

Who does that? More importantly, why? Why, why, why do these thoughts pop up in my mind? Even worse, I sometimes say them out loud without thinking. My husband tells me often that I need to stop being so judgy. Let me tell you something, honey. I want it to stop!

Back to Rachel’s book. Rachel shares a story of when she made fun of another girl in middle school for doing something that she {Rachel} totally did herself. Pot, meet Kettle. Rachel asks, “Why do we do it ladies… why do we rag on each other?” I’m wondering the same thing, Rachel- tell me why!

She asked three questions that I decided to answer.

Does it {judging} make us feel better about ourselves? My answer: yes, and then no. I feel superior in the moment and then a whole lot guilt.
Does it make us feel safer to mock someone who has stepped outside of the parameters we deem acceptable? My answer: the truth is yes, even if I’ve previously behaved in the same “unacceptable” way.
If we can point out their flaws, does doing so diminish our own? My answer: ouch… is that what I’m doing? I think yes.

Then here’s when Rachel’s words really hit me: “In so many instances judgment comes from a place of feeling as though you’ve somehow got it all figure out when they do not.” Ding, ding, ding- that’s my reason. This is why I am so quick to judge. I want people to think I’ve got it all figured out. That each and every intention I have is deliberate {it usually is!}. So haughty me thinks that what I’ve decided is what should be. I realize that this makes me a huge hypocrite. Hey! God and I are working on it, with a lot of help from my darling husband.

In so many instances judgment comes from a place of feeling as though you’ve somehow got it all figure out when they do not.

– Rachel Hollis in Girl, Wash Your Face

So this week I’ve tried Rachel’s tip: every time you find yourself judging someone, think about something positive about them instead. Mindset change. It’s a challenge.

I highly recommend her book for women in any stage of life. I recommended it at my local library and they bought it!

Also, Rachel, I shave my toes too.

What We’re Cooking

After the long weekend, I only needed to cook one meal this week. I went for one of my freezer-to-crockpot meals from Thirty Handmade Days- Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki.

On Tuesday we had it with baby carrots drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. I cooked them for ten minutes on 400 degrees, stirred them around a bit, then back into the oven for another ten minutes. Cooked… roasted? This left them still a little crunchy- which we enjoyed!

Wednesday was date night, so we ate our fill of chips and salsa at a local Mexican restaurant. On Thursday, there was still plenty of chicken teriyaki left. I sliced up some zucchini and cooked it in olive oil on the stove. Cooked… sautéed??? Can you tell that I still don’t know proper cooking terms?

I’ve also been enjoying lemon water this week. Just two lemons sliced fairly thin, add water, and keep in the fridge. It’s so refreshing!

For lunch I made this cucumber and tomato mix marinated in Zesty Italian dressing. I plan to add avocados for a yummy summer salad.

What I’m Reading

I’m still reading Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis {which you can read all about in the What God’s Teaching Me section above} and listening to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. But I’m looking for what I want to read next!

What would you suggest?

Check back next week for more going-ons in the Knitty Natty home!

Love in stitches,

Knitty Natty

Test Knits and True Friends

It has been the busiest two work weeks- but SCHOOL’S OUT FOR THE SUMMER!!!

This week I finish FIVE THINGS {in different sections}, make some quick cooking decisions, work on a test knit, start a new book, bake something sweet, and continue to love and listen to Harry Potter.

Finished Objects

I have finished the very beautiful Half Moon Oracle shawl by Kristin Lehrer of Voolenvine Yarns. It was such a fun knit! The jury’s still out on whether a crescent-shaped shawl is wearable for me. I will have to test it when the weather gets colder… in about eight months. I did wear it to Medieval Times with a group of non-knitting and millennial-age friends (I emphasize because this is a shawl that I wore true granny-style) and they gave me so many compliments on it.

I had such trouble blocking this shawl. I couldn’t seem to figure out how to pin out the scalloped edge and I was a little worried I did the i-cord bind off too loosely. I gave it another soak and block and finally figured it out- whew!

WIP’s- Focus Projects

54_TwoPly_FullWorn — Fifty Four Cowl- 1×1 garter body, slip stitch dots border, and plain edge.

Introducing… the Fifty Four cowl! This is a just-released pattern by the classic and trendy Webster Street Knittery’s Jen Peck- Fifty-Four Cowl pattern here. Getting to test knit was one of my private knitting goals for the year, so I was thrilled to participate in this one. I was like an intimate KAL- so much fun! All details can be found on my Ravelry project page.

This pattern is a cowl that’s knit like a shawl. It’s designed to use up leftover fingering weight bits in interesting color variations. There are choices for the body, border and edge of the cowl- make 54 different combinations. The hardest {and most entertaining} part was choosing what design to use next!

54_SinglePly_Full — Single Ply- solid body, 2×2 garter stripe border, and i-cord edge.

They work up super quickly! I finished two between Sunday night and Friday morning of last week, and finished a third the following Monday. Granted, we had three state-mandated tests that I proctored last week. {Those are always great for simple knits!}

Cotton gradient- solid body, solid border, picot edge.

This is the perfect accessory for a gift- I’m giving one as a Christmas present. Amazing for scraps- I used up some of the leftovers from my Half Moon Oracle shawl. It’s ideal for someone like me who lives in a hot weather climate- the cotton gradient one went to one of my crochet club students. I will add the link when the pattern gets released on Ravelry! {Here it is!}

Something New

I also finished my project for #slaythestash2018. I had trouble with this one too! The yarn is variegated in such a way that intentional plans had to be made so it wouldn’t pool. I tried a hat- no luck. Then I tried a Honey Cowl- same problem! Then I came across planned pooling crochet.

IT WORKED! I used this tutorial to make a flat piece. Once I got the patterning started, I figured I would have enough yarn to turn the rectangle into a small cowl. I’m so happy with the results!

What God’s Teaching Me

Friendship. The power of prayer. God was teaching me some big things at knit group this week.

My friends and I gather each Thursday night at Whole Foods to knit and chat. Sometimes our conversations are light {like the latest episode of the Stranded Podcast} but sometimes the topics get deeper. We talk about family, religion, current events, work, and so on.

This week, my friend shared with us about an issue she’d been praying about. She had been praying and praying for years on this specific topic and she felt like God was finally answering her by giving her what she had prayed about. This conversation inspired me more than any church service could because I got to see how God had worked through my knitting friend and her family.

As the school year wraps up today, I’m taking to heart what my good friend showed me. Knitting companions will listen to your sorrows and tribulations, and they can give you great advice. However, God is the one who can change things in your heart and in others. My prayer life needs some serious nurturing this summer!

What We’re Cooking

I wanted to do some easy comfort, but not unhealthy, cooking last Sunday after we’d been at the lake all weekend. My dear husband went to the grocery store as he always does, but came home missing a key ingredient for our meal- pesto.

How cute are these?!

I’m not the kind of person who keeps extra things in the pantry for emergency moments {too clutter-y}. Maybe I should be- some pasta, a few sauces, maybe a Hamburger Helper or two. So, I went rummaging in our sad supply and found a packet of Ortego taco seasoning- bingo! We’d just bought these tiny street taco tortillas for no real reason (except that they’re adorable!); and it became taco night.

The following day I used the other half of the chicken to make my planned meal- pesto and penne. So easy and so good.

Still desiring the simple comfort of throw-together-and-heat meals, I found this recipe to make Sunday night- Cheesy Bacon and Spinach Tortellini Casserole. It was delicious!

In stressful times I turn to different things- sometimes exercise, often cleaning, but also baking. Oh man, it’s mostly because I have the taste for something sugary and chocolate filled- only homemade will do! I went with Loaded M&M and Oreo Cookie Bars. This was the easiest recipe. You don’t need many ingredients and you don’t need to pull out your mixer. {I cut the recipe in half because I only had half the brown sugar I needed at the moment.} My husband can’t wait for me to make them again. This time I used Oreo’s and Reese’s Pieces, but I think I’ll put the rest of my Tagalongs in them next- yum!

What I’m Reading

I’ve moved onto the third Harry Potter audiobook- Prisoner of Azkaban. I also discovered two new knitting podcasts this week that are worth sharing! Podcasts and audiobooks entertain me on my daily commute.

This week I discovered the Prairie Girls Knit and Spin podcast. They’ve been around for a while (126 episodes!), but I listened for the first time this week. I love how Susie and Danie banter back and forth. They talk about life and knitting.

A brand new podcast called The Knitting Hook Up {episode one} started recently with Melissa (@spicyhomemaker) and Ellie (who dyes Artistic Lilly yarns). They have a similar conversational style to the Prairie Girls, and even sound like they’ve been doing podcasts together forever. Have a listen!

I hit pause on At Home in Mitford since it got sucked back up into the digital library. We will see if I go back to it… but I started a new book. From the recommendation of someone {a podcast, Insta story, friend? Can’t remember!}, I’ve started a new self-help book called Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. The message of this book is that only YOU have control over your happiness and your life. The tone of this book is casual and really pumps you up. I’m excited to read the rest of this book!

Check back next week for more going-ons in the Knitty Natty home!

Love in stitches,

Knitty Natty

Summer Snacks and Silence

We’re off to the lake this weekend which means quality time with my knitting!

This week I finish my May socks, talk about a new-to-me provisional cast on technique, lay out my plans for summer snacking, and discuss hearing static from God.

Finished Objects

May Socks- Must Stash Yarns in “Lavender Apple Blossom”

My May socks practically knit themselves! I bought this Must Stash yarn at DFW Fiber Fest at the beginning of April. The color is “Lavender Apple Blossom” and was originally part of a kit with Tuft Woolens and The Nome Knitter. I’m so happy I was able to snag the yarn! It was short skein (67 grams) which was just enough to make ankle socks with 12 grams left to add to my scrappy blankets. I used Yarn Trekker Detour Sparkle for the heels. I purchased mine at a trunk show.

WIP’s- Focus Projects

The back of my Over-the-Top Top by Purl Soho.

I’ve made a ton of progress on my Over-the-Top Top by Purl Soho. I think the majority of this sweater has been knit at the movie theater. It’s seen Avengers, The Quiet Place, and I Feel Pretty in the last few weeks. I’m trying to get the shoulders done quickly so I can bring it to the lake this weekend. It will be something simple to knit on while we’re hanging out with friends.

Half Moon Oracle by Kristin of Voolenvine Yarns

I’ve also put some work into my Half Moon Oracle shawl by Kristin Lehrer. I’m so close to the bind off! I’m six rows into the last lace section. The trouble is that there are over 600 stitches at this point in the shawl. Can you imagine knitting the full-circle Oracle pattern?! I’m already eyeing the perfect bottle of wine to open when it’s time to sit down and i-cord bind off all 600+ of those little suckers. Perhaps it will be an FO by next week!

Something New

Close up of the hemmed edging on my Over-the-Top Top.

For years I have done a version of the provisional cast on in which you use a crochet hook to create stitches over your knitting needle. This is super awkward to do. When I learned that my Over-the-Top Top needed a provisional cast on, I decided it was time to refine my technique.

I used this tutorial from Tin Can Knits to guide me through the process. Essentially you create a crochet chain with more stitches than required, then go across with your knitting needles picking up stitches. It was easy! Time-consuming, as all provisional cast- ons can be, but simple. Since the top has a hemmed edge, I got to test out the provisional cast on pretty quickly. It unraveled perfectly. I would recommend this technique for your next provisional cast on project!

What God’s Teaching Me

I’ve been searching and searching for what God has been speaking to me about this week. You know what I hear? Silence. OMG! Do you ever feel like your communication with God has come to a halt? I feel this way occasionally, so I know that it is normal. I also know where to look for the problem… see, I am a sinful human and He is the Almighty and perfect God. So the issue is… me!

Looking back over the past week, I see nothing out of the ordinary. However, when I think about my mental state this last week I feel cluttered. I’ve been working my brain pretty hard thinking about testing, wrapping up knitting projects, new designs, the end of the school year, a weekend out of town, etc. Oh, and every waking moment I’ve got my headphones in listening to Harry Potter or a knitting podcast. There’s been so much in my brain that the Lord hasn’t had the space to speak!

So I decided to devote one leg of my commute yesterday to SILENCE. Eep! It was weird. I tend to use podcasts and audiobooks as a calming element during my drives. To leave that time for my mind to wander and think and talk to God was hard! But it was soul-giving.

One of my favorite verses kept coming to mind. It’s from the book of Ecclesiastes which is thought to be written by King Solomon, a man of great wisdom. It certainly has a similar writing style to Song of Solomon, but thousands of years and translations later, how could we possibly know? I’ll share the scripture to close.

What We’re Cooking

Chicken Casserole along with the promised vegetables.

This week we ate a favorite that I’ve already included in the blog {Broccoli and Rice Casserole}. We’re going out of town this weekend, so that lasted us for days! As promised I made enough veggies for both my husband and me to eat for lunch. These turned out the best yet!

So I thought I would include my plan for summer food. This summer is a unique one as I have almost no plans. Since I’m a teacher, I’ll be home the whole summer putting around the house. Okay, really I’ll be knitting, exercising, cleaning, and using the pool as much as possible- try not to be jealous! I need a meal plan to keep me from going to the Sonic across the street every day.

Snacks. Snacks are extremely important as I could likely snack all day until dinner time. I love snacks! Here a list of my favorite snacks for the summer. {I try to avoid raw veggies as they make my stomach ache.}

Rinse and eat fruits: grapes, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, and blackberries
Chop and eat fruits: strawberries {with a little sugar!}, apples, bananas, and pears
Salty grab and go: pretzels, rice cakes, Cheez-its
A little protein: Babybel cheese and Wheat Thins; peanut butter and apples; Greek yogurt; rice cakes and almond butter; fruit smoothies {just a bit of yogurt, honey, and frozen fruit}
A little indulgent (salty): tortilla chips and salsa, Gardetto’s
A little indulgent (sweet): banana bread, zucchini bread {with chocolate chips!}
Very bad, bad, bad: Ruffles and sour cream and french onion dip, Cheetos, Oreos

Desserts. Coming in at a close second are desserts. I’m partial to baking, so I know this summer I’ll be making some of my favorite desserts! And let’s be honest, dessert is really best enjoyed {again} at breakfast- yum!

Grill. Now onto what I truly love about summer is grilled food. I don’t even know how to light our grill, but I know my husband can work it! So I’ll chop the veggies and he’ll cook them up. Here are some foods I can’t wait to grill.

Veggies: corn, zucchini, squash, carrots, peppers of all colors, mushrooms
Meats: burgers, brats, BBQ chicken, Chipotle chicken, lemon pepper chicken, really any chicken, steak, salmon, shrimp

I can’t wait to share what we’re cooking in the upcoming weeks!

What I’m Reading

I’m still cruising along through At Home in Mitford. Reading it feels like going home. Not to my home, but to my grandma’s place in history. Mitford is a town of simpler times and sincere people. This book is a like a cozy blanket.

I’m a slow reader when it comes to physical {or Kindle} books because I don’t commit much time to them. Just 5-10 minutes on week nights. That doesn’t get me far! Unfortunately, that means this book is about to get sucked back up into the virtual library from which I borrowed it. That’s okay, because I have some other books that just became available. So I’ll hit pause on At Home in Mitford and wait to pick it back up when the audiobook is loaned to me.

Listening to books has been my jam this past week. I’m nearly done with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The next book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban might be my favorite one. I’ve loved re-reading my favorite series!

Check back next week for more going-ons in the Knitty Natty home!

Love in stitches,

Knitty Natty

Granny Squares and Gratitude

It’s truly springtime in Texas- rain for days!

This week I finish a sweater {tee}, start my May socks, and try to exude some gratitude. I also add my first pattern to Ravelry!

Finished Objects

You voted and you got it! I completed my “So Faded” turned-Springtime sweater. Unfortunately, we’ve skipped springtime in Texas and dived straight into 85 degree weather; but I’ll definitely get more use out of a short-sleeve pullover this fall and winter than I would a long-sleeve.

I made a few simple modifications that majorly affected the look of this sweater. The most obvious is the cap sleeves. See my Ravelry notes for details. The second change was a split hem. Now, if you have the same body type as me, split hems are your best friend. My bust measurement is 12 whole inches smaller than my hip measurement… I think the technical term is “pear-shaped.”

Never fear! I know that I need either a top with 5+ inches of positive ease (think Boxy or Tegna) or an A-line silhouette to flatter my shape. Although the 36″ size in “So Faded” would give me some ease in the bust, it would absolutely sausage my hips– yikes! Since I didn’t want an over-size crew neck sweater, my only option was to make the sweater A-line. I know two ways to do this: increases (shaping) or a split hem. I’ll tell you that the easy way out it a split hem; and that’s what I did. No need to change the stitch count or you needle size, just stop knitting in the round half way through the row and you’ve done it! Details here.

WIP’s- Focus Projects

Last Friday I started the Over-the-Top Top by Purl Soho. It’s a summer tee with the nice clean lines that I love. Due to lots of movie watching over the past week {Infinity War and A Quiet Place}, I’m nearly finished with the back. Next up, going “over the top” and working the shoulders, neck, and front.

IMG_3784 (1) — Must Stash Yarns | Lavender Apple Blossom

I also got a great start on my May socks. {Thank you testing season.} I’m using the colorway “Lavender Apple Blossom” by Must Stash Yarns. It’s a beautiful purple with micro-stripes of rainbow in between. They will likely be finished next week, so I’ll just tease you with the yarn for now! Stacie is so talented that she creates her sock yarn with TWO MATCHING SKEINS. I typically use bulb-shaped locking stitch markers to count every 20 rows of my socks, as I do prefer them to be the same size. My stitch markers landed in the exact same color micro-stripe every time- incredible, Stacie!

Something New

Out of sheer desperation {ahem, #slaythestash2018}, I started a new scrappy blanket last week. I added notes on my Ravelry pattern page on how to create the small granny square, but I thought it would be more convenient to publish my notes for people to download. Now I have my first Ravelry pattern!

“Scrappy Granny”- my very first published pattern.

Meet: Scrappy Granny. I thought this was a funny name. Scrappy literally means you can use scrap sock yarn, but scrappy can also mean determined and argumentative. I imaged a scrappy grandmother ready to start a fight- “I’ll show you were you can stick your knitting needles!”

Now, a granny square is by no means my original idea. Heck, I bet most people who make granny squares have their own personal pattern memorized! I also didn’t have my pattern test-crocheted and I didn’t include detailed pattern features (like an abbreviation key or chart). Therefore, this a FREE PATTERN.

I would love to formally invite anyone who makes a granny square from this pattern to give me constructed feedback. {You can do that by visiting the contact page at the top of the blog.} Is it written too simply? Is the font too small? Does it make sense?! I hope to continue making patterns that I will get test knit or crocheted and offer as patterns for purchase. I just want to get my feet wet first!

What God’s Teaching Me

Gratitude. Hmph.

This week I’ve found myself exceedingly grumpy on more than one occasion. There is no specific reason for me to be unhappy. I think it’s the tension of a school year coming to a close along with our next three Saturdays being booked to the max that has me feeling anxious.

If you’re like me, you might try a variety of small things to boost your mood. Maybe it’s a special treat like chocolate or Starbucks. Perhaps it’s music or a podcast. You might need a good purge like exercising or cleaning to swing your mood in the right direction. While I was contemplating what I could try next, I got a God whisper… be grateful.

Eep! It’s true! I had so many things to be grateful for even in my crabbiest moment of the week.

Let’s list a few:

Ample knitting time.
An amazing husband.
A fabulous job that pays well.
A healthy body (and hands; hands are important, see 1)
Impending summer vacation.

There is even gratitude in the list of things I have to be grateful about. How many of those things are “bonuses” and not “necessities”? Yet, I didn’t spend time thanking God that we had the means to put food on the table this week.

So, I started a new plan on the Bible App called “Filled with Gratitude.” On the third day, the author asks us how many times we let people do things for us without saying “thank you”- waiters, cashiers, or customer service people to name a few. Then he drops the bomb, “Can you imagine how Jesus felt…?” We know how much a difference those two little words make when said to us- thank you.

I’m taking care this week to thank God for the smallest things.

What We’re Cooking

Sunday night we had a yummy Caprese Chicken and Quinoa Casserole. It was fairly quick and simple to make (even when I cooked and shredded my own chicken) and I think I”ll make it again soon. Next time I’ll use an entire bag of mozzarella though- yum!

I made more veggies for lunch this week. Kent said he wants to buy double the veggies next week so I can make him some for lunch. So I’d say they’re a hit. This time I shook the veggies with olive oil in a Ziploc {to distribute the oil more evenly} before spreading them on the baking sheets. I opted for salt, pepper, and thyme; but I think I miss that onion powder.

What I’m Reading

Thanks to a blog reader, I have a new book recommendation! I started At Home in Mitford this week, the first of a 14-book series by Jan Karon. I’m not sure how I feel about it yet as I’ve only read 50 pages. It is good and wholesome so far- the story of a church leader just doing his best. I sense that trouble is coming.

I’m continuing to listen to the Harry Potter series with Chamber of Secrets now on the earbuds. The first couple books are under 10 hours of listening time. Between walks and my work commute, I can “read” them easily in two weeks. I love listening to the familiar voice of Jim Dale.

Check back next week for more going-ons in the Knitty Natty home!

Love in stitches,

Knitty Natty

Cozy Memories and Change

Can you believe it’s almost May?

The springtime is flying by and summer knits are coming out soon! This week I finish a pair of socks, start working on a design, talk about dreaded change, and read a familiar book. Enjoy!

Finished Objects

I finished a second pair of socks this months-whew! I feel like I’ve been marathoning. These are vanilla with Fish Lips Kiss Heels and twisted 2×2 ribbing. {I finally figured out a stretchy bind off that works for me. See notes.} We’ve had so much testing this month that both these socks and my Jelly Rolls were knit exclusively at school. Not bad, eh?

Yarn: Lolodidit’s Everyday Sock in the “Honeydukes” colorway
Pattern: Ravelry notes here and Fish Lips Kiss Heel here

WIP’s- Focus Projects

Last week I profiled my granny stripe blanket so this week I thought I’d share my other scrappy blanket. This blanket goes by many names: cozy memories, mitered square, but the pattern I’m following is called “The Coziest Memory” by Kemper Wray. I liked this pattern the best because of how simply it’s written and how nicely it’s illustrated.

Cozy Memories Jar — Big jar of sock weight scraps collected over the years.

I’ve only got a base row {15 squares} so far, but plan to add to the second row this #scrappysunday. My squares are a bit different because they are only 30 stitches. Long ago when I started collecting scraps for this blanket, people would wind off yarn from their hand to elbow about 12 times and call it “enough”… well, that’s enough for a 2 1/4 inch square. That’s why I plan on making this a cozy lap blanket to use while I’m knitting in my chair.

Something New

Ever since I knit Weasley sweaters for Christmas I’ve been searching for a portable way to carry around colorwork projects. I mean, what really happens when those balls get in the bag together? No matter how careful I am they come out a tangled mess!

I figured out an at-home solution- I used a tray from Hobby Lobby along with some small buckets to keep all the yarn in line. But what to do when I wanted to take my project with me? I would need a bag that was light-weight and that could keep my balls of yarn separated in a specific order. And it would be most convenient if I could set the yarn on a table or in my lap in that same sequence.

Prototype of the buckets for colorwork bag.

So I decided to try my hand at designing such a bag. I’m still in the beginning stages. I’m working out the little buckets for inside the bag. They’ve got to be just the right amount of sturdy and still flexible. I want them to sit properly even when you pull yarn from them. Then I want the little buckets to transfer from the bag in a convenient way to the table or your lap. Stay tuned for the development of this bag!

What God’s Teaching Me

Change. Transition. Endings. Ah! These are all words that spike my heart rate.

There is always a bit of anxiety that comes with the end of a school year. Last year I knew that the summer months brought a job and campus change, a move to a different town, and our wedding- whew! This year doesn’t feel much different.

Although I don’t plan to change schools or roles, my workplace is seeing lots of transition. People I’ve become close to are leaving and we’re moving to a new building just across the street.

Kent and I knew that our current housing situation was temporary so now we’re trying to decide where to move next. Do root in our current suburban town and buy a house? Do we move back to the city and rent an apartment? Do we dare attempt to buy a house in the outrageous market that is Dallas?

I can feel my blood pulsing faster just as I type. Move school buildings. Move houses. New co-workers. New neighbors. New church? New church!

As I try to avoid thinking about these upcoming decisions, God is by my side. He’s telling me this week that it’s okay to ponder, get excited, get upset, discuss, argue, debate, and cry during this whole end-of-year transition as long as I make sure to pray. While my husband and I attempt to make these big decisions, we can’t lose sight of who will help us make the best ones- God.

What We’re Cooking

Sunday we had the last of this round of frozen crockpot meals- Chicken Teriyaki. You can find the recipe from New Leaf Wellness here in the free list of 25 five-ingredient freezer meals {I think I know where I’ll find my next freezer prep recipes!} Kent remarked that this meal tasted a lot like the Chinese Pepper Steak we had the week before. “No…” I thought. But sure enough, they have almost the same ingredients. While both are good, I prefer the beef and Kent loved the chicken. I forgot to take a single picture of the meal- so sorry!

We had one of my favorite ground beef casseroles over the weekend- Tamale Bake. It’s easy and delicious. Kent thinks it tastes better with taco sauce, but I like mine the way it is. You can change up the flavor with different types of salsa or kind of cornbread. My favorite is the good ol’ sweet cornbread, but Mexican cornbread is good too! I add a teaspoon of baking powder to the cornbread mix to make it fluffier. Also, I like to use half a can of corn in the Tamale Bake and dump the other half in some rice. Buen provecho!

I cooked up more veggies for lunch this week. While I wanted to take the easy route with some steamable veggies, there just aren’t that many that I love. So I bought broccoli florets, carrots, and zucchini (mmm my favorite!) and baked them with some olive oil, salt, pepper, onion powder, and lemon grill seasoning. They turned out great!

I’ve had a bit of a tea obsession lately. For Christmas, I gave Kent a three-month subscription to Plum Deluxe Tea. Well, guess who’s “enjoyed” it the most- me. Oops! So I decided I needed to order myself some tea before I drank his entire gift. I’m so pleased with their customer service. Andy, the founder, emailed me personally and answered my questions. It’s so hard to drink bagged tea now that I’ve had the flavorful taste of loose-leaf tea. I can’t wait for my first month’s tea to arrive!

Wednesday night I tried these Swiss Pan Burgers with Rosemary and Mushroom with limited success. This was the first time I’ve ever cooked with rosemary or shallots! While my burgers were flavorful, they turned out quite dry. Where did I go wrong? I could definitely improve on the shape and thickness of my burgers. The mushroom sauce was nice and thick before I added beef broth at the end, then it never thickened. I think I’ll leave burgers to our in-house grill master {Kent}.

What I’m Reading

So many books have been recommended to me lately- keep ’em coming! I try to go on my Overdrive app right away and put the Kindle book and audiobook on hold at the two libraries where I hold a membership.

I’m currently waiting on Letters of a Woman Homesteader, At Home in Mitford, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, and The Way of Kings. Hopefully they don’t all come in at once! Two of these books are the first in a series. Series make me so happy because I have something great to read next.

While I wait for those to be available I’ve started the Harry Potter series again. This is probably the tenth time for the first few books, but the later books in the series I’ve read far less. I’m right in the middle of the Sorcerer’s Stone. Boy, do I love these books! I’ve been going back and forth between reading the Kindle book at night and listening to my Audible app on drives and walks. I hope to read through the seven books {and maybe the “eighth” book} again by the end of the summer.

Check back next week for more going-ons in the Knitty Natty home!

Love in stitches,

Knitty Natty

Harry Potter and the Unfinished Object

I have the day off today {built in weather day} and I intend to knit and crochet as much as possible! Perhaps, I’ll work on my yarn closet as well.

This week I ripped out a hat, revived an old WIP, and relished in Scrappy Sunday. I review the cleaning products I made last week, discuss movie morality, and learn even more about introversion. It’s a word-heavy week- so take it in bits. Thanks for reading!

(Un)Finished Objects

I don’t have any FO’s this week, but I did frog a hat instead of letting it linger in project purgatory- which brings on a sense of completion, right? The “Infinity Crochet Whirl Slouchy” hat that was challenging me so much a few weeks ago has been terminated… indefinitely.

The promise of a fresh skein of yarn and pom poms.

First, let me say that the problem is me and not the designer or the pattern {although she could have made it a little easier, huh? I kid.} I think I chose the wrong yarn. My yarn was a beautiful lavender alpaca that my loving husband bought for me on a trip two summers ago. The yarn is great, but not right for this tricky pattern. It’s to flimsy and fuzzy to work cable stitches on a 5.0mm hook.

Second, I’m still pretty new to crochet. Having to work cables AND go into the row below AND link double crochets… it was all just too much! Some day I might get back to this project, but I don’t want to make any promises, especially not to myself. I don’t have any picture evidence of this project except the swatch I worked in a different yarn.

WIP’s- Focus Projects

“Half Moon Oracle” by Kristin Lehrer with a pup in the background.

I’ve revived my Half Moon Oracle shawl. I started this shawl on January 13th of this year, and I’m not quite sure what made me put it aside. Perhaps it was the desire to get all my 2017 WIP’s out of way first. Now I wish I hadn’t stopped!

I’m using all three of the sock yarn skeins I received in Gracelynn Wool’s Harry Potter Club last October/November/December. The pink is called “Yule Ball”, the purple “Pensieve Memory #21” and the neutral speckle “Happee Birthday Harry Potter”. They create such an interesting combination, and not one I would normally seek out. I really wanted to use these Harry Potter-themed skeins together and I’m loving the result.

The beginning of my scrappy “Granny Stripes” blanket.

Another WIP I’ve thoroughly been enjoying is my scrappy “Granny Stripes” by Lucy of Attic24. I went through quite of bit of swatching to get this blanket just right. I ended up using a size E hook to chain 302, then switched a D hook to work one row of sc through the back loop only. I followed the rest of the pattern with my D hook. {Full details on my project page.}

I’m mostly using leftovers, but I purchased some Diagon Alley-themed minis {more Harry Potter} from Teeny Button Studios at Fiber Fest and love the way they look in the blanket. Kent says that using new yarn goes “against the spirit of #scrappysunday,” but alas, I used them anyway.

Something New

Last week I shared that I’m trying out my own household cleaners. I’ve been using them for nearly two weeks now and I’m happy with them. I do find myself a little worried about if they are working to kill germs- I never worried if my store-bought cleaners did their job, but I probably should have! So I did a little research.

All my new cleaners lined up and ready for action.

Vinegar uses its acidic properties to kill germs. The all-purpose cleaner I keep in the kitchen has vinegar, water, and lemon essential oil. At first, I was afraid to spray this concoction openly and only sprayed it on my cloth. Why the fear? I was openly spraying 409 on counter tops without a care where it was landing- yikes! So now I’m bolder with my spritzes and it’s working very nicely.

I also use this granite counter top cleaner that combines water, rubbing alcohol, and lemon essential oil to clean granite exclusively. I’ve read that vinegar can wear down stone, so I try not to use the all-purpose cleaner above every time I wipe down the counters. I definitely DO NOT spray this openly because rubbing alcohol is highly flammable. I spray it directly onto a cloth and never use it when my gas stove is burning. I also hide it under the sink instead of out on the counter {wear my pretty amber bottle of all-purpose spray sits} in case my husband tries to clean.

I love having the recipe right on the label.

For the bathroom, I chose a combination of castile soap, water, and tea tree oil. Castile soap is so gently effective that it can be used to clean open wound (ick!), but was it properly cleaning my toilet? I chose this formula because my bathroom counters look like marble; I learned vinegar can etch marble– better not risk it. Tea tree oil is naturally anti-microbial and has lots of other great uses too!

I realized that the toilet needed something a bit stronger than castile soap and tea tree oil when I noticed that our toilets were a little… ahem… smelly. They never smelled when I cleaned with Clorox wipes {and I only did that once a week}. The good news is that vinegar cuts odors in addition to killing germs; so I decided to whip up tea tree oil, water, and vinegar spray for the outside parts of the toilet. I’ve been using baking soda along with a few sprays of the castile cleaner on the toilet bowl. {I’m trying these toilet bombs next!} Now all is fresh and lovely on the porcelain throne!

So many cheese shakers, so many possibilities.

Remember how I ordered TWELVE cheese shakers for my baking soda… well now I’ve found spots in the house for four of them. I’ve got one in each of the bathrooms we use every day {for the toilet bowls}. The third is sitting next to my kitchen sink- any time I have a pot or pan with some extra stuck-on food, I sprinkle a little baking soda from my shaker and scrub away. The fourth I have on stand by for my couches because…

Next up is figuring out a way to eliminate dog odors from the upolstry- ugh!

What God’s Teaching Me

While I thought I’d be writing more about financial margin this week, the devotional I’m reading through the YouVersion Bible app took a hard left on two wheels into sexual sin. Whoa, weren’t prepared for that one were you? Me either. At this time I’m not going to dive any further into sexual sin than I have in my testimony. This is because I have far too much to write for this section and I can’t say it without sacrificing the privacy of others. {Quick note: If you’re in any type of relationship I highly recommend the “Guardrails” series by Andy Stanley.}

However, I’d love to touch on another point of morality, and one I faced this week– is that movie okay for me to watch? Let me first back up. Something happened to me in my first year of being a Christian, a change that I didn’t have a conscious effort making. See, God was waging war against the sinful part of me that loved watching “Scandal”* and adding colorful words to my sentences. Suddenly the violent show lost its appeal and curse words felt prickly on my tongue. I know this was God’s doing because I didn’t set out to purify my consumer habits, it just happened for me.

Nowadays, most movies or shows {or people} that include a lot of crude language, unnecessary sexual content (y’all know what I mean, it’s often laughable!), or disturbing crimes cause me to turn away instantly. There was even a moment last year that I nearly walked out of the theater because there were so many uncalled for sexual innuendos that did not add to the plot whatsoever. I know this is not an experience that happens to most people, but the things we surround ourselves with have a way of seeping deep into our souls.

So how can we make sure we’re protecting ourselves from the overly sexual and violent media in our theaters and Netflix feeds? When I find myself wondering if I should view a movie, I go to Plugged In. This site is awesome for screening movies for yourself or your kids. A movie rating (R, PG-13, etc.) only gives us so much information. Plugged In gives you a wealth of knowledge about the positive elements, spiritual content, sexual content, violent content, crude or profane language, drug and alcohol content, and other negative elements for all the Blockbusters. It also gives movies a content rating for kids, teens, and adult; this ranges from light to heavy.

For example, “Black Panther” {great movie!} is heavy for kids, medium for teens, and light for adults. It has a long section of positive elements and a small section for sexual content. Violence is the biggest reason that this movie is heavier for the kids and teens than it is for adults.

And now, the movie I’ve been debating is… “I Feel Pretty.” While you can’t review movies until the day they get released, I’ve felt God tugging at me on the decision to see this movie all week. The box office gives it a PG-13 rating, which is usually a-okay for me, but the Amy Schumer movies that I’ve seen before have been highly sexual.

After looking over the Plugged In review, I decided that the movie should be okay for me. They have it as a medium for adults- as expected, most of the negative content is sexual. The good news is that we have MoviePass; so if the movie becomes too inappropriate at any time, it doesn’t feel like a waste of money to walk out.

*Don’t worry, just because you watch “Scandal” does not make you a sinner. This show was a problem for me.

What We’re Cooking

Saturday night we enjoyed “Texas Toast Garlic Bread Pizza“- a super easy recipe that’s a little healthier than delivery pizza. All I’ve ever known is Pepperidge Farm frozen Texas Toast, but my husband {a native Texan} says that this is not true Texas Toast. Hmm, what do you think?

Frozen

Cooked

Sunday we had another delicious frozen meal from New Leaf Wellness. {We only have five more so I’ll have to plan another freezer prep session in about a month!} This meal was probably my favorite so far- Chinese Pepper Steak. Now it was the meal that took the longest to prep since it takes three bell peppers and two pounds of top sirloin- chopped, but it was well worth it. On Sunday, all I had to do was dump the contents of the bag in the crockpot; then four hours later, put some jasmine rice in the rice maker. God bless modern cooking technology.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken- be careful not to pour in too much oil like I did here. Oops!

Tuesday we had easy Tuscan Garlic Chicken. I love this recipe because it’s quick to prep and requires only a casserole dish and a cutting board. And let’s be honest, I could eat sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts all day long- yum!

For my work lunches this week I went heavy on the veggies with this “Quinoa and Roasted Vegetables” recipe. I didn’t mind all the chopping because there were only a couple of each type of vegetable. While the vegetables are in the oven, the recipe instructs you to make the quinoa AND they actually get finished about the same time. I love when recipes tell you exactly how to multi-task. The meal turned out great and I was able to get four lunches from it.

What I’m Reading

I’m still listening to “Quiet” by Susan Cain and I’ve had so many moments where I’ve been thought, “YES! That’s me!” If you are an introvert and you need validation, just read this book- you will no longer feel alone.

Here’s a quick test to see if you are mostly introverted: Do you often let your calls go to voice mail? Does the forced greeting of your pew-mates at the beginning of a church service make you cringe? When you’re away from home, do you fantasize about the things you will do once you’re back in your safe place? Do you often hold deep conversation with individuals at parties while your friend/spouse is gabbing in a group and having a “good time”? Do you prefer to take your lunch at work accompanied solely by YouTube and knitting? Welcome to the land of introversion.

I often feel guilty about the amount of time I need away from the busyness of the world. I don’t necessarily want to be alone I just want to be allowed to do my own thing {namely knit}. Then I want to get back out into the world again- go to work, go to a class at my gym, see my friends, and then cozy up back at home with my dog, husband, and my yarn. I thought this was a crime… that I’m “missing out”. But perhaps not.

Susan talks about building niches into your day that allow you to be your true self. For both introverts and extroverts there are aspects of their lives that require them to act like the other. So taking care to have moments alone or more time to talk with friends is not only appropriate, it’s necessary.

From the knowledge I’ve reaped in this book, I can say very confidently that my decision to go from a classroom teacher {of 25 kids} to an interventionist {only 3-5 students at one time} was a matter of staying true to myself. I could perform as a classroom teacher, but it exhausted me. I’m so much happier as an introvert in my current role when I’m able to be my authentic self with scholars- and they respond better to it.

I think that introverts can reach people in a way that extroverts cannot. In most situations you can trust that you’re getting a genuine emotion from an introvert {sorry, we really don’t want to shake your hand at church, stranger!} whether negative or positively-received. That allows introverts to connect deeply in the relationships that they choose to foster, keeping a few close friends.

This book has been absolutely fascinating and has changed my perspective of myself and others. I highly recommend it to anyone who is an introvert or is married to one.

Check back next week for more going-ons in the Knitty Natty home!

Love in stitches,

Knitty Natty

Fiber Fest and Finances

I had the absolute BEST time at DFW Fiber Fest last weekend with my friends!

From Franklin Habit and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s creative insight to detailed stash enhancement, this is a jammed packed post. I also finished some socks, started a new sweater, and cooked up some cleaning supplies. I learned more about my introvert tendencies and how to have financial margin. Enjoy!

Finished Objects

I finished my first pair of April socks- Jelly Rolls by Mara Catherine Bryner. They were super quick since we’ve had so much testing going on at school. I just clipped my Erin.Lane sock sack on my belt loop and walked around knitting and knitting while I monitoring students. {I have a cute teacher bag with apples!}

I immediately cast on my second pair of socks for the month out of the same brilliant “Honeydukes” colorway by Lolodidit. I was planning on a second pair of Jelly Rolls, but I just don’t have it in me! These will likely stay vanilla.

I have sort of a secret goal for the year that I’ve been keeping to myself for the fear of not being able to complete it. I want to finish either one pair of tall socks or two pairs of short socks each month. In the months that I knit short socks I’ll make a pair for myself and a pair to gift my sister at Christmastime. In the months I make long socks, I’ll put them away for my mother-in-law and mom for Christmas. I’d love to get them a couple pairs each and then have the time to knit myself some festive socks in November and December!

WIP’s- Focus Projects

I’ve been working diligently on my “So Faded” sweater by Andrea Mowry. My goal was to get to part where you put the sleeves on hold {I tend to get stuck in raglan increase land} by the end of this week. But when I realized we were going to the movies on Wednesday I decided I must be on the body to knit in the dark! This sweater is simple enough to be quick, but it’s still fingering weight. I really should knit some sweaters in sport or dk.

I’m going to try something crazy with this sweater… I’m going to finish the sleeves before the body. WHAT?! Raise your hand if you hate sleeves! I’ve got both of my sleeveless arms in the air. I detest knitting sleeves. Knitting tiny rounds of stockinette on a sock? No sweat! Knitting tiny rounds of stockinette while attached to a giant sweater body? That’s just asking to be put in time out.

After I finish my second color on the body, I will be rocking and rolling on the sleeves. Fingers crossed that this will cure my sleeve aversion.

Something New

I got to learn from two different knitting-famous bloggers this past weekend at DFW Fiber Fest. Friday night Franklin Habit gave his talk titled: “Follow Your Bunny: The Creative Process from A to Q”. He was HILARIOUS! He used his own drawings and photographs to share what the life of a “creative person” is really like. I felt very inspired by him to follow my ideas on through their ups and downs and never to let failure stop me from sharing my process.

On Saturday morning I took a class from the one and only Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. The class was called “Knitting for Speed and Efficiency,” and boy was it so much more than that! We were treated to a history of how we came to knit the way we do, and why that might not be such a great thing. We learned that a neutral position is the most efficient and least injury-inducing way to knit {because you can’t knit much when you’re injured!}. We also got to sample lever knitting, the technique practiced by the quickest knitters in the world.

Add to all that knowledge Stephanie’s humor and wit, and I can say that this is the best knitting class I’ve ever taken. I’ve already been able to put into practice some of the tips and tricks she shared {especially pulling out lots of yarn from your ball so you don’t have to stop as often} and I intend to practice lever knitting a few times a week. I walked into class with the mindset, “Eh, I probably won’t change my knitting style, but meeting the Yarn Harlot will be awesome!” I totally got more than I bargained.

If you ever have the chance to hear Franklin Habit teach or take a class with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, I say do it! You will not be disappointed.

Voila! Behold, my new stash pets. There are plans for each of these… mostly socks.

McKinney Knittery T-shirt: “gettin’ knit done” | Plan: wear as much as possible
Suburban Stitcher Sock: “Cinder” colorway | Plan: “Canyon” by Devin Ventre
Brazen Stitchery Harmony Sock: “Hufflepuff” colorway | Plan: shorties
Erin.Lane Bags: Sweater bag in “Fantastic Beasts” and Twofer bag in “Balls”
Suburban Stitcher Glitter Sock: “Birthday Live” | Plan: Helen Stewart?
Mush Stash Perfect Self Striping Sock: “Lavender Apple”| Plan: socks
Night Owl Fibers Self-Striping: “Double Mint” colorway | Plan: socks
Teeny Button Studio Mini Skeins: “Diagon Alley” | Plan: scrappy blankets
Gynx Yarns Power Sock: “Black Hole” colorway | Plan: heels and toes
Purrfectly Catchy Designs Sock Blockers: Alpacas! | Plan: block all the socks

What God’s Teaching Me

This week we’ve been so busy testing at school that I haven’t had my usual 20-30 minutes to sit, knit, and watch my Margin devotional videos before the day starts. I’ve fallen shamefully behind. However, I start this section each week thinking I won’t have much to say and end up writing a novel. I hope to have more content from the message itself for next week.

These next few lessons are all about financial margin. When I was a single person, I did so well having financial margin with tithing. On one paycheck it was quite simple to set up my church offering to come out of my account a few days after my monthly paycheck cleared. Now that tithing is a two-person commitment, we’ve found our faithfulness wavering. We also lack a home church since we moved away from the city. I find it difficult to send so much money where my heart is not committed.

Isn’t that the truth though? You can only give where you have faith. Three years ago I would have thought it was crazy to give 10% of my income to the church. Every month? Did you know you could lease a car for that kind of money? A decent one too! Before I was saved, my heart was committed to ME… and I did lease that nice car. But once my heart was in Christ, I felt a strong commitment to my church to give that financial portion back to God.

My husband and I need to find our roots in a church again and revive our financial faith in God. Because when you can trust God with that much of your money, he can do miraculous things with your heart.

What We’re Cooking

The thing that I was most excited to “cook” this week was household cleaners! A month or so ago I decided that I was using too many paper towels and Clorox wipes wiping down the kitchen and bathrooms each day. So I order a massive quantity of red shop cloths from Amazon to use instead. {I bought red to signify that red towels are distinctly for dirty things, not for food or hands; but next time I would get white towels- too many red fibers!}

You don’t need much to make your own cleaners.

My next step in this cleaning process was to find cleaners that I felt comfortable using with the cloths and washing in my machine. I didn’t mind 409 so much, even though when I sprayed down the kitchen counters it made me cough, but I really struggled finding something to clean the toilets. So I went to Pinterest to discover my own cleaners.

I mostly wanted to know what was in my products and how exactly they were cleaning my home. I found my granite cleaner and all-purpose kitchen cleaner here. I found my bathroom cleaner {another all-purpose cleaner, but with castille soap} and mirror cleaner here. I ordered most of my ingredients on Amazon and found the rest at my grocery store. These took minutes to put together!

I chose glass bottles for three reasons: 1) One site said that essential oils can break down plastic bottles over time. 2) I know that glass washes well in the dishwasher when it comes time to change what’s in that bottle. 3) When another person picks up a bottle thinking the rubbing alcohol is water {even though it’s labeled} they are going to notice the weight of it and think twice! My kitchen bottles are amber and my bathroom bottles are clear.

And for the toilet bowl itself… baking soda! I ordered these red pepper shakers like you find at pizza joints so I can have a shaker of baking soda in each bathroom {I don’t have 12 bathrooms… but this was the cheapest option}. I’ll go into more detail next week in my “Something New” section on how each of these products are working.

On Sunday we had some food as well. Another freezer-to-crockpot meal from my big cooking day a few weeks ago- Chicken Quesadillas from New Leaf Wellness. I used canned jalapenos and boy was it spicy! We had black beans and rice on the side. We both enjoyed using the fresh tortillas from our local Kroger. {Sometimes it pays to live in Texas!}

Mid-week I made Stuffed Peppers from All Recipes. These are always a hit! This is the first time I used a recipe that didn’t use Mexican flavors. This recipe used spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning. The only changes I made were reducing the cook time to 45 minutes and adding mozzarella cheese on top. How can you have stuffed peppers without cheese?!

I also whipped up another of my go-to breakfasts- Energy Bites. I’ll throw in whatever treats I already have at home. This week it was Reese’s Pieces and Craisins. Pro tip– spray your measuring cup with Pam before you squeeze the honey inside and it will slide right off like a dream. Another helpful hint is to use only a 1/4 c. measuring tool. Scoop oatmeal first, honey {with Pam!} second, peanut butter third. Everything else I just eyeball. Then after refrigerating for an hour or so, I scoop mine out with a cookie scoop. You can’t exactly roll the batter because it will crumble, but squishing them into spherical form works well.

What I’m Reading

I finished “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle! It took me about 150 pages to really get into the book. While page 150 to almost the very end were great, but the ending disappointed me. I expected more! More action. More answers. I suppose that one would need to read the four subsequent books in the series to get the answers I was left wondering about… but I just didn’t enjoy it enough to keep going.

I started reading, well listening to, a really interesting book called “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain. I self-identify as an introvert, but I wanted to learn more! What makes me the way that I am? Why do I let calls go to voicemail instead of answering them?

I’ve learned a ton from the first chapter- like that introverts aren’t necessarily shy, but are often just over-stimulated {so me}. There’s a 20-question true/false quiz to help readers identify as more introverted or more extroverted. I was 17/20 introverted; my co-worker was 20/20 introverted (we work so well together!); and my husband was determined to be an ambivert at 10/20 introverted. How fascinating! I can’t wait to share more of what I learn in this book.