Need a last minute present for a knitter? Ravelry has an awesome gift option where you can send a pattern to another Ravelry member! Of course I highly recommend gifting my patterns… but today is Christmas Eve, so I have a gift for you.

Use the coupon code “thanks” to get any single PicnicKnits pattern for free! Or, alternately you can use the code and get $6 off of Sideways Shawlettes, Seven Songs, or Blue Brim Hats.

I’ll leave you with my very favorite Muppet Christmas song – with apologies that I think I share this one every year. But the sentiment is worthwhile. I wish you a Merry Christmas, and a blessed and joyous New Year, and I hope that you are well and happy wherever you are and whatever you do.

I needed some new pieces for my Hiya interchangeable set – I love the new shorter length. And I needed a long wooden circular for a new project. I also got this fabulous Japanese stitch book. Some of the stitches in Japanese stitch dictionaries are not, shall we say, intuitive. And this handy guide, although still in Japanese, has step by step illustrations to help you work the sometimes complicated stitchwork. Plus the cute little knitting bear on the cover… squee! So… what did you do this weekend?

Door prize table at the Stitches South PJ Party thrown by Kimberly aka SomeBunnysLove. The blue stuffed bags in the back are PicnicKnits shawlette patterns with yarn to make ‘em in!

A very grainy group shot – did I mention I forgot my camera? This does not even begin to convey how many knitters were at the PJ party Saturday night. It was amazing!

The best bunny slippers in the history of the world forever amen. If you are this knitter, comment – I forgot to get your name!

White Peach Sangria (oh yes!) at the Scalini’s dinner party thrown by the Knit Witch. The food was to die for, the company beyond compare, and there were more door prizes! It was so much fun spending the day and evening with some of my imaginary internet friends. They’re real and they’re spectacular! *snicker*

I did not win a door prize. But my dear friend Kim (aka ContinentalKim) won four skeins of KnitWitch laceweight. And she gave two of them to me. I am in pale lavender heaven!

I got this amazing book from the Yarn Barn. It is a how-to/stitch dictionary/prepare to be amazed kind of book. But it has lots of nupps. I hate nupps. Nupps and bobbles are the work of the devil. But then Kristin reminded me that beads are lovely nupp substitutes. Because she is smarter than me. So I had to buy it!

You see where this is going right? Laceweight yarn from Miss Babs in Luna Granite and some amazing coordinating size 8 seed beads from Moss Hollow Pottery.

A Stitches South T-Shirt that is sadly too tight. But, I have been steadily losing weight so I see me wearing this in no time! Plus I’m a sucker for a ringer tee!

I could not resist this print. I was tempted by the larger bag, but it was just way out of my budget by the time Sunday rolled around. By Erin Lane.

One of the sweetest people I met all weekend was Noelle who works for the Sanguine Gryphon and makes Circus Girl Stitch Markers. Thanks so much Pam for making sure we met!

And it was Noelle who helped me pick out the absolutely draw-droppingly gorgeous Bugga that I will be knitting a new design up in – Strawberry Crab. *sigh* It’s even more beautiful in person. From the Sanguine Gryhpon of course.

And then it was home again, home again, jiggity jig. I arrived home to kisses and hugs from my menfolk, a tidy house, all the laundry done, and lunches ready for the next school day. I am spoiled rotten. They even bought my some lovely flowers because they missed me, and because they were “Easter egg colors”. Yep, I got it good.

But I have a lovely drink mix for me and my girlies. And I bought a brand new awesome sheepy/knitting t-shirt to wear to the PJ party on Friday night.

And I got this…

We had the teal and the black messenger bags at the LYS where I work once a week. And I didn’t care for the teal, but I thought the black was too plain. But then I remembered. I HAVE BUTTONS! So I decorated it up just fine and see that blank space on the right? That’s where the new buttons will go. Yay buttons!

So if you see me at Stitches South, come up and say hey! I will have a little something for everyone for does. Hope to see you there!

So the plans of the other day fell by the wayside. I spotted this gorgeous KnitWitch yarn in my stash and I realized that it needed to be the shawlette for Stitches South. Partly because I bought it last year at Stitches South, but mostly because it’s amazing and gorgeous. So now a new design is in progress. Must knit very fast to get it done in time though!

When I went to cast on for this new design today I realized I could not find a single pair of size 7 needles. This was a sadness. So I had to dig out all my needles and go searching and organizing.

I did find a pair of sevens. Actually I found about six different pairs of sevens! I did find out that the second size 7 from my Hiya interchangeable set is definitely gone for good. So I’m hoping that someone at Stitches will be selling those!

And yes I am all Stitches all the time right now. Basically it’s my girl’s vacation. Me and two of my best friends set out at 5am for Atlanta. Why 5am? Because that’s when the Starbucks opens of course! And then we will drive up there with a van about half full of needles and yarn. We will knit and meet other internet friends and buy yarn and go to a PJ party and sleep in very comfy hotel beds and just really relax. And then we’ll drive home with a van completely full of needles and yarn. Admit it, you’re jealous. Well jealous or you think I’m crazy. I’m good with either.

Today it was kind a run around like a chicken with your head cut off sort of day. The big boy had his wilderness camping trip this weekend. We packed his bag last night.  So that tonight when it was time to drop him off at the Scout hut, he would be Ready. Yes, that capital R was on purpose. I looked at everything he had laid out and approved it, and it was good.

Tonight when we arrive at the Scout hut at 5:35 (five minutes late) he realizes he has forgotten his Scout book. So I ask him, “Is it that important? Did you remember your hoodie?” And no he did not remember his hoodie. And it’s gonna be cold this weekend. So I raced back home to get him his hoodie and his book. Then I raced back home to prepare this for a charity auction.

Forgive the shoddy picture. It was dark and this was too big to put in my lightbox. It’s the Ultimate Brownie Basket. I put in that nifty As Seen On TV brownie pan, two boxes of brownie mix, Reese’s chips, Andes Chips, and walnuts. All you need to make super delicious brownies. And the man wrapped it up all nifty for me.

But I’m exhausted and tomorrow brings more things to do so I’m to bed. Hopefully tomorrow will include more knitting and less running around.

But I can’t do it justice in a blog post so I won’t try. I will say that the last time I left my boys for more than one overnight that did not involve work for me was approximately ten years ago. So it was long overdue.

Friday we left at 5am. Why 5am? Because that’s when the Starbucks by my house opens. We arrived at the hotel around 11 or so, got an early check-in and headed to market. Market is completely overwhelming. It’s like 100 local yarn stores crammed into one big space. So many choices. Hence over the course of three days I bought too much!

From the top row by row:
Row 1: Bag from Sweet Shrub Designs, and minis from Miss Babs
Row 2: KnitWitch sock yarn, and raffle prize from Miss Babs
Row 3: Bugga & Little Traveler from Sanguine Gryphon
Row 4: Laceweight from Kitchen Sink Dyeworks, and an Ashford Competition Lazy Kate from Carolina Homespun

Friday night was a Ravelry pajama party in the lobby. Snacks and drinks and knitting and contests. It was fabulous fun. Saturday night was dinner at Scalini’s – a wonderful Italian restaurant owned by KnitWitch’s dad.

The beds were comfortable, the hotel was gorgeous, the company was sublime. And I got to knit as much as I wanted and spend time with friends new and old. I can promise you I will go back next year. And if you weren’t sure about going, you should go. Definitely.

Today I have a very long list of things to do. Cover up very grey roots, catch up on laundry, make sure house is tidy, pack all my stuff… We’re leaving at O’dark-thirty tomorrow morning. That way the man only has to take one day off of work to take care of the boys. I’m pretty sure what knitting I will be bringing. I also think I will bring my swift and winder, just in case I buy something that I cannot wait to play with.

Do you not *love* the cute Della Q pouch? It goes with my brand-new Della Q tote that I got to carry around at Stitches. I figured I needed something more tote-like and less purse-like. And the little pouch will hold my business cards and the cards for the LYS where I work.

Oh and I’m trying something new. I’ve been wearing makeup for nearly 25 years. And I’ve worn the same mascara the entire time. So when I hit the Publix yesterday and they had a sale on Great Lash I got very excited! But then I thought, I might branch out a bit, be adventurous, you know? So I got the Great Lash BIG. I imagine my eyelashes will look exactly the same as they have for the past 25 years, but I still feel very spontaneous.

If you’re gonna be at stitches, come say hey! I’ll be mooshing around wearing one of my shawlettes and carrying a big ole pink striped Della Q bag. Ooh, that reminds me, need to add finding my Ravelry name pin to my list of things to do today… Hope to see you there!

But I can’t imagine if my baby needed something healthcare-wise and I had to pay out of pocket and couldn’t do it. A knitting friend needs some help. Her daughter needs dental work that costs a bundle! She is doing a fundraiser – selling knitting project bags. A knitter can always use more bags, right? I bought an adorable one with a cute little knitting skull and crossbones on it!

Isn’t she sweet? So help a knitter/mama out and buy a bag. Ooh and to sweeten the deal if you buy one of her bags, shoot me an e-mail or comment here and I will send you any two PicnicKnits patterns you would like.