Thank you! And let's talk hot water bottles.

I meant to post on this earlier, but couldn't find an extra minute anywhere!  Thank you for participating in the Garment House Giveaway!  I got a hold of all the winners last week and the most amazing thing happened - almost every single one of them personally wrote back and thanked me!  It was such a kind gesture, and a fun way for me to participate in the excitement about their upcoming knitting project!  I get the same way before I cast on, and hope these patterns ignite the desire to knit a handful of great projects this fall and winter.  I can't wait to see how all these patterns knit up for you!

I myself have had to finish a bunch of Hot Water Bottle Covers and Teapot Cozies as gifts for various people over the last couple weeks, and as satisfying as these quick gifts can be, i'm really looking forward to starting a winter-long project for myself.  It will probably be a sweater, and preferably some one else's pattern!  Eventually, i'll knit another version of my Plowline Raglan, but for now, i'm happy with the one i've got.  And now that the giveaway is over, I can focus on sharing that pattern with all of you!

Now for the thrilling part of my post that I know you've all been on the edge of your seats to discuss - hot water bottles.  I've had some questions about which hot water bottles I buy.  This is an excellent thing to ask, since I'm still on a hunt for a favorite.  Out of the four I own, I was given one that I feel is quality worth buying again, but I haven't been able to track down where to get them.  Some i've purchased have been too thin, and I like them a little sturdier, a lot have had an awful plastic smell that only gets worse when hot water is poured into them, and a couple have a warning printed right on them not to use with boiled water! I don't know about you, but I like that bottle as hot as I can get it and want it to retain that heat all night if possible!  I've been reading Amazon reviews trying to find a bottle that is worth buying in bulk so that I can just have a stack on hand to avoid those crazy last minute treks to every pharmacy within a 50 mile radius whenever I need a get well or house warming gift.  Fashy has some good looking bottles that come in such great colors, but a lot of the reviews say they are children's size (What?!  They sell children's size bottles?!  Mini things!  I want them!).  Sänger has some great colors too and the quality looks good, but there are no reviews to be able to tell.  I recently bought two super cheap Mabis bottles locally, but I wasn't terribly impressed with their quality.  They weren't the ribbed ones Amazon sells, so maybe those are a bit better.  I'm holding out hope for these Graham Field bottles since you can in fact buy them in bulk!  I'll keep searching and pass on any info I find, and if you get a chance, I'd love it if anyone left their recommendations!

more patterns available

i finished another knitting pattern over the weekend!  it's a standard size teapot cozy, and I've just added it to the shop!  it's available for purchase in two different ways, alone or combined with the small teapot cozy pattern.

these teapot covers are a lot of fun to make, and they knit up so quickly.  i thoroughly enjoyed having a small project to work on this weekend, even though you'd figure i'd be tired of all this test knitting.  a couple weekends back, i took the time to organize all my yarns and i'm getting a lot of enjoyment out of using up whatever odds and ends are left over from other projects.  i'm even stretching myself a little to modify patterns slightly so that I avoid buying MORE YARN!  although i'm in no way going to set this challenge for myself, i could easily get away with not buying another skein for at least a year!

i've decided to keep the giveaway commenting open for just a little longer too, so make sure to click the post below if you want to add your name to the group.  and thank you to the people who just keep buying away!  the encouragement is helping me to keep pushing ahead!

another knitting pattern is ready for download!

First of all, thank you for buying the Garment House Hot Water Bottle Cover pattern!  Wow!  I'm so thrilled to have your business after such a long hiatus from the shop, and cannot wait to see everyone's hand-knit work!    

Can you tell by the patterns i'm uploading it's been cold?  Really, really cold?  As I sit in a frigid office, I find myself piling on every test knit item I have in my pack mule's worth of stuff I haul from the house to the office every day.  I even have a very hot water bottle in it's cover on my lap.  And another on my back!  It pays to be a knitter.  

Pattern download number two, Small Teapot Cozy, is ready and waiting in the shop!  I have been meaning to share this pattern for a while, and knowing full-time tea drinking weather is on it's way, now is the time!  This project is incredibly fast since it's knit with chunky yarn, which also makes it extra insulating for your teapot.  I use it with my ForLife "Stump" Teapot (which i highly recommend), but it will work with most two-cup (16-18 oz) teapots.  This pattern is perfect for beginners since it's knit flat in garter stitch, meaning you don't have to use one purl stitch to make it!  But really, what knitter doesn't like a simple and quick knitting project?

More patterns are on their way, but for now, i'm going to pile as many quilts and blankets I can find on top of me for the weekend, and catch up on some more knitting.  Thank you for your business, friends!

i'm experiencing k.m.w.

or knitting machine withdrawal.  i haven't been able to work on my machine for weeks or even test out my christmas presents of new machine knitting gear.  oh well, it gives me a chance to update my blog with m.k. projects i've finished.

i made these socks before christmas for my sister and brother-in-law, but only got around to sending them a couple weeks ago.  who doesn't like a little christmas in january?

rosemary wreaths

i've been down over the last week, recovering from my surgery.  things went even better than we hoped, but we're waiting on all the tests and my biopsy results to come back.  i can tell already that this is not going to be a traditional holiday year, and i'm going to have to take things at a different pace.  i thought i'd have plenty of couch time during my recovery to make christmas presents and do a little online shopping, but all i can seem to do is rest.  my parents are here taking such excellent care of me, and i feel so grateful to have their help.

before my surgery though, i made little rosemary wreaths for each door in our home in preparation for christmas and my parents arrival.  they were so simple to make, and smell wonderful, too.   all i did was wrap twenty-four gauge floral wire around a jar three times, secure the wire around the top of the wire circle, and start wrapping sprigs of rosemary to the frame.  each wreath took only two sprigs, but i could have used more.  i kind of made it up as i went, but this tutorial is an excellent reference.

next up, the rosemary olive oil bread recipe from my sister-in-law that everyone has been requesting!  i just need to clear it with her that it's not a secret!