Knitting is Therapeutic!

It truly is. I can't tell you how calming and relaxing it is to sit on the couch or in bed with my knitting basket and the sound of the click click click of the needles as I work on a new project.

After the kids were asleep last night, I pulled out my yarn and needles and made a coffee mug cozy. I wasn't quite sure if it would turn out well or if I would be able to pull it off, but in one hour I had the cutest little cozy ever.

It's such a simple pattern too, I found it online a couple of weeks ago and set it aside, completely forgot about it until last night. Now I'm thinking, this would be the perfect addition to the teacher's gift sets.

This is the pattern I used for my mug, which will fit in a 10" round mug.

1. Cast on 60 stitches
2. K2P2 for about a 1/4 of an inch (I did 3 rows)).
3. Bind off 4 stitches and then K2P2 until the end of the row, in pattern.
4. K2P2 for about 2 3/4 inches (or until you have a "gap" about the length of the handle) You should have a piece of fabric a couple of inches long, with a small notch that sticks out at one side, on the bottom.
5. Cast on 4 stitches (or the same number of stitches you binded off earlier). This is best done at the end of a row.
6. K2P2 for about another 1/4 of an inch, including the bind off row.
7. Bind off in pattern (meaning K2P2). Be sure not to bind off too tightly, as you need some "stretch" in the final piece to pull it over the mug.
8. You should have a rectangle with two notches sticking out on the top and bottom edge of one side. Using the yarn tail, stitch the notch to the other end of the rectangle. Then, using the other tail attached to the other notch, seam that to the other side of the rectangle.
9. Weave in your ends.

I'm so happy with the way mine turned out and I love the yarn too, it's just my kind of colors. I have another started and will finish it later. For now I have to get into the Crayon Rolls and finish sewing them, I only have to turn them inside out and give the opening a quick stitch, add the crayons and they will be done.

My next project is going to be Bella's Mittens from Twilight....tell me you don't think they are the cutest things ever?

If you want to give them a try, click here for the pattern download. I'm holding out on these a bit, they look kind of complicated and intimidating but dagnabit I want them LOL

So that's what's going on with the crafting side of my life, on the cooking side there really isn't anything new or exciting right now but I do have some recipes to try and some old family favorites to post on the food blog, keep an eye out for those the next week or so.

I started a new book last night, "Remember Me?" by Sophie Kinsella. If you know the author you'll remember she's well known for her Shopaholic series which I absolutely loved, they were hilarious and so is this book. I'm liking it already, ok, there are one or two cuss words thrown in there, but I overlook those because the book itself is so funny and Ms. Kinsella is such a great writer, she has this knack for making you feel like you're right there with the characters. Listen to this:

Oh God. Was I mugged? That has to be it. Some teenager in a hoodie clonked me over the head and I fell down in the street, and they must have called an ambulance and ---- An even more horrendous thought grips me. What underwear was I wearing?
I can't help giving a small moan. This could be seriously bad. This could be the scaggy gray knickers and bra I only put on when the hamper is full. Or that faded lemon thong with the fraying edge and cartoon of Snoopy.

Wincing, I swivel my head from side to side -- but I can't see any clothes or anything. The doctors must have incinerated them in the special Hospital Incinerator for Scaggy Underwear.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha this is so funny because so often I remember having this conversation with my stepmom or grandmother. They always drilled into my head when I was growing up. You ALWAYS wear your best underwear because you never know what may happen and you don't want to be in an accident or have something happen to you and have people see you in torn or holey underwear LOL

Tell me I'm not the only girl who was ever told this growing up.

So anyway, this book is already cracking me up and I can't wait to read more, but now I have to go do one last load of laundry and then finish up the gifts for the kids, I guess I should also get hubby on the car.....well not ON the car, but I mean, working on fixing the car *snicker*

Have a Blessed day!