Christmas in July 2019 - Week 1

Hi all - well, here we go!  I'm so glad that so many of you had a positive reaction to doing

Christmas in July

again this year.  Without further ado, let's get going, shall we?

Here is the prize for Week 1:

On the left, a tea bag carrier - yep, this little pouch lets you put up to three teabags inside, then you can zip it up and put it in your purse or your knitting bag, etc.  You always have the tea that *you* like with you!

On the right, the book Coffeehouse Knits - containing 20 patterns for all types of lovely things.  It really is a nice book, but I have looked through it several times, and I know that I'm unlikely to ever make any of the patterns.  So why not give it a good home?

If you are interested in this prize, please answer the questions below:

1.  Iced coffee or iced tea?

2.  Potato salad, macaroni salad, pasta salad, or green salad?

Let me know in the comments for this post only.  You have until midnight on Sunday, July 7, 2019, EDT.  I'll announce the winner on Monday, July 8.

Please note that this is open to anyone who wants to enter, but the questions must be answered in this post, so that they are all in one place.

*****

And, on a separate note altogether:

Happy Fourth of July!

This is one of my favorite photos, taken a few years ago, when I was walking around in the neighborhood on July 4th.  This is Delancey Street, where the houses are all lovely, large town homes, originally built for wealthy people who needed a place to live when they came to town for work, "the season," etc.  The houses are still extremely expensive, but also really pretty, and fun to look at (and look into at dusk when the lights are on).  I just loved how, when the flags were out, the street still looked as it may have looked in the 1900s on this day. 

Enjoy your holiday, and remember, in spite of things currently happening, we live in a pretty amazing country where, with work and determination, we can make things how we want them to be once again.

It's Back!

Christmas in July 2019!!

I had so much fun with this last year, I've decided to do it again.  

Every Thursday during July - beginning this week - I'll post a photo of the prize for that week.  You can have a chance to win the prize by posting your answer (in the comments) to a random question.    I'll give you the deadine and then choose a winner, using a random number generator.

Since the last Thursday of July is the 25th, I'll also do like I did last year and make that one the "Grand Prize" so to speak, since Christmas itself falls on the 25th of the month in December.

Please note:  You do not have to celebrate Christmas in order to participate.  You can celebrate whatever holiday you like, or no holiday at all, to be eligible.  The giveaways are called "Christmas in July" because I think it's a) a good name, b) it makes me think of cooler weather, c) it's a way to have a month of giveaways for things that are little gifts, and d) it's my blog, I can do what I want!

So stop by on July 4th or after to see how we are starting off, and to see what you might win.  Tell your friends!

I hope this will be a good time for all of us.  :-)

First of July and Last Project of June

Hello there - today is July 1, which is for some reason is a surprise to me, though it shouldn't be since it's eleventy billion degrees and a bazillion percent humidity, as one would expect in July.  Ugh.  But, as another month begins, there's a clean slate and that's always good.  June was a tough month in our house, but there were two good knitting-related things that happened.

First, I finished the socks and sent them off to their recipient.  Last week, I received one of the nicest thank-you notes ever - and a real one, sent via snail mail that the person took the time to write and send.  Such a nice surprise! 

Second, I finished my Crazytown Cowl.  Two projects in one month finished is a record for me!  Here is where I started:

Project:  Crazytown Cowl
Pattern:  The Shift, by Andrea Mowry
Yarn:  Stonehedge Fiber Mill Crazy - this yarn is made from mill ends, and no two are alike.  They also don't have colorway names, so I can't help you there.  ;-)
Needles:  Size 5US
Modifications:  Yeah, right.  It took me 5 tries to properly get it started!
Notes:  I LOVED knitting this!  I was inspired to try the pattern and the yarn when The Tim, Hamlet, and I stopped at Hidden River Yarns, and the owner, Lisa, was making one using this yarn.  Hers looked so pretty and so unique, I decided I wanted to try it.  I already had two skeins of Crazy in my stash, so I only had to buy one more (which pleases me, since I've been trying not to buy yarn). 

It's knit in seven sections - this is after Section 1.

I took it along while we were in WV for Memorial Day.  Every morning after taking Hamlet for a walk, we would sit on the front porch until everyone else got up, and I would knit on this project.  I managed to get halfway through Section 2 by the time we got home.  Jack approved.  :-)

Oh my sweetie, how we miss you! xoxo

Once you finish the first section, you are basically in the groove, so to speak, and just mixing different yarns at different times.  Each row is only one color, and the color patterns are created by slipping stitches.

Once I wove in the ends, it was time to block it.  With the humidity and rain in mid-June, it took 4 days to dry!  Then it was time to sew the back seams together, et voila!

The front:

The back:

I am SO excited with how it turned out!  Plus, I learned how to do the I-cord bindoff, which was much simpler than I was expecting.  When I saw that bindoff in the instructions, I was a little hesitant.  Then I remembered that one of the people who taught me to knit said that the best way to learn something was to follow the instructions and not think about it.  The instructions in the pattern were incredibly clear, and - it worked!

This is the only modeled photo you'll get at this point - I would have passed out even inside if I'd put it on and tried to have The Tim take photos.  Fortunately, the Molly hanger is happy to step in for now.

Now I'll put it away with the hats, gloves, etc. until the cooler weather arrives, when I know I'll wear it a lot.

I could see making another one down the line - every time you made one with different yarns, it would look completely different.  It is one of the most fun projects I have ever knit.  It would also be a good gift knit for someone special.  I can't recommend this pattern enough, really.  If you are at all interested, give it a try!

Thank goodness these good things came out of June, so it was not a total loss.  On to July knitting!  (And stay tuned for some developments ...)

Friday Funnies

QUESTION:  How hot is it???

ANSWERS:

and finally ... WOW

Have a good weekend, and try to keep cool!

In a Bridget-centric World ...

I often think that if only I could be in charge of things, the world would be a lot different.  For the better, of course ... well, for me.  But in a Bridget-centric world, who else matters????

Anyway, in said world, certain things would be required by law.  I decided that for Three on Thursday, I'd share three of them.

1.  All restaurants or places serving beverages would have lemon slices available all year round for your water, hot/iced tea, or any other beverage you purchased.  They wouldn't have to be large, just enough for the flavor in your drink.  And there would be no extra charge.

2.  All women's clothing would have pockets.  Period.

3.  Sidewalks would be divided like some highways are, but instead of HOV lanes, there would be a lane wide enough for a single person to walk at a reasonable pace, so that if you are behind someone or some group who is taking in the sights, or frail/disabled, or just lollygagging about, you could move into the other lane.  This would be strictly enforced.

I would try my best to be a benevolent despot, honest.

Oh please ... ;-)