Felt Like Knitting

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Ways to Lighten Your Mood

Hey there!  I keep meaning to blog but just haven't been able to get a post composed. But I'm up early this morning so I decided to sit down and write.  Especially since today is Ten on Tuesday - I don't have to think of a topic!

10 ways to lighten your mood...

1.  Pray - Praying helps when I am upset, sad, or worried.  It helps me to remember that I'm not alone and that I can turn things over to God. 

2.  Talk to a friend - Talking with a friend is great, too.  Especially when the friend has been through what I'm going through.

3.  Knitting - I guess any hobby can take one's mind off things, but knitting is the best for me.

4.  Movie - Watching a movie can transport me to another place and time. 

5.  Crying - Sometimes a good cry can help.  Combining #4 and #5 can be really effective.  When we first moved to Georgia, I was really down.  During a visit from my mom, we went to see Sense and Sensibility (the Emma Thompson one).  At the part in the end when Elinor is crying, I started crying and couldn't stop.  But I felt so much better afterward.  I think I just needed to get it out.

6.  Eating - Okay, I know it's not a good habit to eat to make oneself feel better, but how can you not feel better after eating a bowl of ice cream?  :)

7.  Get some things done - Many times when I'm not in a good mood, it's because I feel stress over things not being done.  Even completing one or two tasks can help me to feel better.

8.  Walk - Going for a walk helps me feel better, especially now that I'm listening to knitting podcasts while I'm out.  (I'm currently working my way through the first 40 episodes of Never Not Knitting.)

9.  Music - Whether it's singing a song, playing an instrument, or listening to some beautiful classical music, music can help, too.  

10.  Reading - I guess I'll say reading but sometimes I'm too distracted to read.  But if I can get into a book I can leave all my worries behind.

What lightens your mood?  To share with other folks, see Carole's blog.

Ten on Tuesday - 10 reasons to love bacon

Yikes, this is going to be a tough one!  I don't eat much bacon.  But here are some ways that some people enjoy it...

1.  Potato salad - That yummy lunch that I had the other day?  There was bacon in the potato salad.

2.  BLT - I love tomato sandwiches so usually I just have a T.  :)  But I would still eat a BLT.

3.  Breakfast - Goes well with eggs

4.  Spinach salad - I've had bacon in spinach salad before that was tasty.

5.  Breakfast casserole - The kind of casserole where you mix everything up, let it sit in the fridge overnight, then bake it the next day.

6.  Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball - This is one of my favorite cheese ball recipes.

Edited to add:  I've had several requests for the cheese ball recipe.  I can't claim this recipe and it's so old that I've forgotten where I found it.  Hope you like it!

Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball

2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 lb sharp Cheddar, grated

1/2 cup chopped green onions

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 clove minced garlic

3 tablespoons diced pimento

3 tablespoons minced parsley

chopped nuts or minced parsley to cover

Combine all ingredients except the last, blending well.  Form into a ball.  Cover with nuts or parsley, cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend.  Serve with crackers.

7.  Flavoring - I've never done this, but I know that cooking with bacon fat gives a good flavor to food.

8.  Topping for baked potatoes

9.  Cornbread - Don't some people crumble it up in cornbread?

10.  Quiche - I think it's sometimes an ingredient in quiche, too.

Whew!  Made it!

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My Friday

I've been wondering if knit blogging is decreasing in popularity.  It sure seems like it.  This morning I read an article from a couple of years ago.  One thing from the article that stuck with me is that people often post about a finished project but not the process.  Now, I don't know that anyone wants to read about my knitting process :) but I thought it might be fun to see what today was like for me.  There is knitting involved so it can't be that boring, right?

Last night I realized I hadn't cast on the right number of stitches for today's LYS KAL so as soon I got up I finagled the increases to get the right number of stitches.  Knowing the stitches aren't quite right bothers me a bit but not enough to rip it out and start over.

Then I did a little cleaning so one of Emma's friends could come over.  Her friend's mom and I went to lunch at another friend's house to discuss the drama program.  The lunch was fabulous!  (In fact, I think I used that word several times while we were eating.) We had barbecued beef sandwiches, potato salad made with red potatoes and bacon, make-your-own salads with wonderful toppings, and a terrific, still hot from the oven peach cobbler with homemade whipped cream.  Wow!  I'd like to eat lunch there every day!!!

After that I went to my LYS for the beginning of their latest KAL.  Since I had already cast on and worked a few repeats I already have something to show.  Wanna see?

The yarn is Malabrigo Sock in the Primavera colorway.  The pattern is Wendy Johnson's Double Eyelet Rib sock.  I really like how the yarn looks in stockinette better than in the eyelet rib pattern but I'm still happy with it.  The color changes are just a little too contrasting for me.  Mary is using a Pagewood Farm yarn - I think it may be Fruit Freeze.  Anyway...the subtle color differences in her yarn will really look nice in the socks.

Then I played with the dog and now it's back to cleaning.  We're having a 16th birthday party for Emma this weekend.  It's a pool party but rain is forecasted so that means the house needs to be ready as a backup plan.  Here's the first thing I'll tackle...

Most of my yarn is ready to go back into my room after going through the freeze-wait-freeze process.  Guess I'd better get to it.  I hope you've all had a fabulous Friday and are looking forward to a great weekend!

Too big?

After I knit Carole's lovely sock pattern, I was really excited to get another pair of socks on the needles.  I had purchased some Summer Sox on sale at my LYS in a shade of green that I love.  After starting the toes, I decided I didn't want to bother creating my own pattern so I found the Coralicious Socks pattern.  It was the right number of stitches for what I had already done, it was for a larger sized foot like mine, and the pattern gauge matched my gauge...until I started knitting more.  For some reason my gauge loosened up and the sock feels rather loose.  And I think I should have started the heel flap sooner.  When I pull up on the socks, it looks like this:

So my question is this:  Are these too big or will they shrink some if I wash them in warm water (ball band says to machine wash gentle, machine dry)?  I really don't want to rip the sock out but I also don't want to end up with a pair of socks that are too lose to wear comfortably.