Opportunity

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

Doing the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month) has been a challenge to say the least. My postings have been few and far between for well over a year. When the opportunity to get back in the saddle came along, I decided to accept the challenge and post every day during November.

Todays post is about the Olive Oil Drip Catcher pattern I put in the My Designs page of this blog. This little pattern has been one of my most popular.

It’s a quick knit using a small amount of fingering yarn. Although I haven’t measured the amount of yarn, I do believe it is under 20 yards.

And it’s useful.

Want to learn how to knit with double-point needles but don’t want to commit to knitting a sock? Here’s your opportunity to try this pattern.

If you don’t like the ruffle edge, just bind off before the increases.

Are you planning on gifting anyone with a bottle of flavored dipping olive oil or vinegar for Christmas (or Holiday of your choice)? The Olive Oil Drip Catcher would be the perfect accompaniment, well, along with a loaf or two of great bread.

And while I’m at it, I’m taking the opportunity to plug one of my favorite stores: Olive My Heart in Hudson, Ohio. Yes, they do ship!

Not in the mood

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

I’m starting to panic. I just realized that it is almost the middle of November. Duh! I’ve spent most weekends cleaning, decluttering, and trying to get the house in some order so I can relax more in December.

The past several years I’ve done what I call Christmas Wishes. It’s the same thing as an Advent calendar where a person opens something everyday starting December 1st, be it a reflection, small token, ornament, or treat. It started out with anything under $1 such as a free pencil or emery board though sometimes I included a booklet of stamps or a gift card. It was fun for my adult children and their spouses.

Then grandkids came along so I included them. The adults got dropped like a hot potato.

Last year I gave each family a small artificial Christmas tree and each day was an ornament for the tree and a sweet treat. I made those “sour cream” packages for the ornaments. Cute but time-consuming.

Yes, it’s mid-November and I haven’t started on getting these put together. It take a long time to do this and I need to have them ready by Thanksgiving.

I was thinking of doing the same thing with the ornaments but also adding an ornament making craft every few days. Such as candy cane reindeer: