Allow me to introduce to you the Seahawks 12 Knitted Beanie Pattern. This is my first published knitting pattern with more to come. It knits-up relatively quickly and the finished beanie would clearly, ;-) make a great gift for the holidays! This pattern is available for purchase in both my Ravelry and Etsy shops.

A couple of weeks ago social media and the Internet lit up due to a video produced by Vanity Fair that made several suggestions on what Hillary Clinton should do with her time other than run for president in 2020. Among those various suggestions included that she should take up knitting. That suggestion seems to be getting most of the attention, and also seems to be the “most offensive” suggestion, at least according to social media and the Internet at large. As a knitter, I’m rather offended that the Internet is offended by the knitting suggestion.

I started knitting in my early twenties, and I am now in my early fifties. I started knitting because of a memory that I had when I was about five years old visiting relatives on my mother’s side of the family in Germany. I remember my great aunt Elsa sitting in a garden with this colorful “ball of string” on her lap that was different shades of pink. She also had two “magic wands” that she was wrapping around the ball of string and was creating something that slowly took the form of a sweater. Ever since then I wanted to possess that same magical power that aunt Elsa had. It wasn’t until some fifteen years later that I learned how to knit. I found a class at a local yarn store for beginners. I ended up being the only one in the class, and that was just fine with me, because I had my own personal instructor. The first thing that I made, other than the beginning sample swatches was a sleeveless sweater for my little sister. It was ALMOST perfect, except that there was one row of stitches close to the top, by the shoulder that stood out because I purled when I should have knitted.

I have to admit, when I was younger and just learning to knit, I really didn’t want people who were not my close friends or family to know that I knitted. I was embarrassed, and “afraid” of what people would think. I guess I was right to feel that way, because even now, fast-forward 30 years from when I first started knitting, social media is shaming knitting. At that time, I definitely did NOT knit in public. NOW I have blue hair, and I don’t care, and I DO knit in public. But back then, I’m not sure what I was afraid of, because this new found magical talent that I had, I ABSOLUTELY loved. I loved making something essentially out of nothing, just with a “ball of string” and two “magic wands.” It gave me such pride to create something stitch-by-stitch with my hands that I could share or keep for myself. When I knit, I find solace. I find peace. I am relaxed. If I had a stressful day, that stress disappears. If I didn’t have a stressful day, my knitting is the whip cream and cherry on top of my day; except if something goes terribly wrong with my knitting and I need to rip out some rows, but that’s a whole other story.

It seems that knitting stereotypes still exists; among them, that knitting is something that just grannies do. News flash social media, women of different ages and backgrounds knit. Men knit. Like anything, knitting is not for everyone, and I'm not saying that it is. If knitting is not your thing, that’s cool. Don't knit, but don't hate either. One thing knitting is not, knitting is NOT demeaning. Knitting is Fashion. Knitting is Function. Knitting is pride. Knitting is Community. Knitting is Activism. I ask you, "Is knitting perceived to be an insult just because some uninformed people think knitting is “Women’s Work?” If that’s the case, that’s pretty ironic, don’t you think? Especially since the forecast is that 2018 will be the year of women. Do you know what I think? I think Hillary should knit. She should form and lead a Stitch 'n Bitch of women AND men to knit pussy hats for the Women’s Marches that will be taking place on January 20th and 21st across the US and make a statement that #NastyWomenKnit !

Do you Kip? It’s not a knitting stitch, to KIP is to Knit in Public. In the fall and winter when I KIP, I usually do it on my lunch break at work in the food court of the building that I work at in the center of Seattle. During the spring and summer I KIP outside of this wonderful public and iconic space. I like to KIP alone, to escape for about an hour by listening to the loud whispers of music coming from my earbuds as I sit and eat my lunch and industriously work on my current WIP. I do like to knit alone, whether on my lunch break or at home. I like to get in my knitting or crocheting zone and block out  everything and just focus on my project and watch as it slowly takes shape and transforms magically before me like a butterfly. Even though I enjoy this time by myself, I do feel at a certain level I need to connect with, and meet more knitters and crocheters too. So that is my New Year’s Resolution for 2018, to identify meet-ups or maybe even creating one on my own by connecting with people at work.

Getting back to the topic of knitting in public, it is actually a WORLD WIDE DAY. Danielle Landes founded World Wide Knit in Public Day in 2005, to encourage knitters to socialize with each other, rather than sitting and knitting at home alone. Taking place in the month of June every year, different groups and organizations around the world hold Knitting in Public events. The next one is taking place on June 9, 2018. Check with your LYS or the Internet, but of course you can also do it 365 days a year, either alone, with friends or with new friends!

Ugly Christmas Sweaters. It can’t be a Christmas party, especially an office Christmas party without them. And, in case you didn’t know, not only is today December 15th, which is ten days before Christmas, it’s also, (at least according to the Internet) National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day.

This national day is celebrated on the third Friday of December. Don’t feel too bad if you didn’t know that today is National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day since this national day has only been around since 2011. I’m not sure if Hallmark has a line of greeting cards yet for this day, but I do know that several airlines are offering early boarding today for those fashionable, or should I say unfashionable ugly-Christmas-sweater-wearing passengers. Also, if you haven’t got your ugly Christmas sweater yet, no need to fret, check out the thrift stores in your area.

Thrift stores have a lot of good options and clearly great prices too, and I’d say ugly Christmas sweaters are legitimately in fashion through the whole month of December. Also, many thrift stores support local and national charities, like Value Village, who support great organizations such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, YWCA, Easter Seals and many more worthy charities.

Check out to see which charities your local thrift stores support for your last minute funky fashion and holiday shopping, and, have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season!

P.S. Also today is the long awaited release date for STAR WARS, The Last Jedi! There are a lot of STAR WARS themed ugly Christmas sweaters out there, so if you are wearing one of those today, you are double winning! ;-)

They’re everywhere! On the subways, in meet-ups, at coffee shops, running a marathon, on the internet on Instagram, on Pinterest, on PBS and at your LYS! I’m talking about men who knit and crochet. From Louis Boria, the gentleman who went viral last week who was knitting on the train in New York. He has a handmade knitting business and is also giving back to the community; to Drew Emborsky, aka, The Crochet Dude who is a crochet and knit designer. He has a line of branded crochet hooks and tools; to Gregory Patrick, aka Mad Man Knitting. He is most notably known for his knitted teddy bears and animal knitting patterns. Even villains and Super Heroes are doing it too! You can't escape men with yarn, sticks and a hook if you tried! Just the other day, I did a search for Seattle area knitting meet-ups, and my search criteria was: “knitting meetups,” (I didn't even include the word man or men) and the first two knitting meet-ups in the Seattle area that appeared in my search results were for men! “The South Sound Men Who Knit,” in the Tacoma area, currently with 9 members; and the “Seattle Men Who Knit,” with 211 knitters strong! Just like women who are busting stereo types every day, men are doing the same, having NO SHAME in their knitting (and crocheting too) game!

It AIN'T just for grannies!

As I think of what to write today, that is knitting, crochet and/or yarn related, since after all, that's the theme of my blog, I can't help but to think of Donald Trump. Think about it. Without Donald Trump there would have no Women's March. There would have been no Pussy Hats or no Pussy Hat Project. Created by Krista Suh, a feminist, artist and a Hollywood screen writer, The Pussy Hat Project itself is a movement. For that, I thank you Donald Trump. 

This past year has been absolutely unimaginable. As they say, you can't make this stuff up. This week TIME Magazine named The Silence Breakers as the Person of the year. I can't help but think that if the Access Hollywood tapes would have not been excavated that the women who have come forward, would have not come forward against Donald Trump. The tapes gave them a voice with Donald Trump's own words. A believable voice, and opened up the flood gates for women who have experienced sexual harassment, especially against powerful men, the power to break their silence and to change the culture. They are ALL heroes. For that, I thank you Donald Trump. 

I also thank you, Donald Trump, for the really funny SNL skits too.

I don't presume anybody's like me, because, after all, we're all unique, but let's say for the sake of argument, you're like me, and "collect" bags. I'm not talking about high end bags or purses, (sorry) I'm talking about tote bags. Aka yarn bags, aka knitting bags, crochet bags and the smaller variety: project bags. I've found myself to be an accidental collector of bags, just like I have become an accidental collector of coffee mugs, which I have WAY too many of. (I'm also an inspiring collector of shoes, but that's a whole other story. Maybe a different post, we'll see.) But getting back to bags and mugs, I find myself buying one or the other because when I find "THE ONE" that COMPLETELY expresses my personality, of course I HAVE to have it! I try to justify my bag purchases in my mind by convincing myself at a certain level that even though I have too many bags, bags are FUNCTIONAL, so thus, they serve a purpose: to keep my knitting and crochets WIPs or UFOs mobile, so I can be "on the go" at a moments notice and have my current (or not-so-current) project ready to go where ever and when ever I want to go somewhere! So there! What could be more logical???

Same thing with mugs. If I'm at a random gift shop, or on vacation and I see a mug with a snarky comment or saying on it that totally speaks to me, I also have to have it! And what's more functional than a mug (besides a bag) to hold your favorite warm beverage as you relax with your knitting or crocheting bag at your side working on your current project?

So what's your bag? Or must have item? Or thing that you love to collect?

These are SOME of my favorite bags.

Hi There, This is my first blog post, and I think I am going to keep it short and sweet, but we'll see. It's after 1:00 a.m., and I just finished updating my pictures on this site, which I am sure will evolve as time goes by. This blog will be about ... wait for it ... knitting and crocheting! So if that's what you're into, your in the right place! I may also post other stuff too, like life in Seattle as a 50+ single woman (with boyfriend) and some of my other interests, and maybe a little bit about my son too. If I do, I hope I won't bore you, and you stick around! That's it for now. Good Night & Good Morning.

P.S. If my hair looks green, (it's really blue) it's bad lighting, and if you notice any roots, that's really ombre! ;-)