Away for the weekend ...

Now that the "Little Felt-Tea Farm" tea cozy is officialy at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn and entered into their teacozy contest, we'll be taking off for NH to visit family. But before I also finished my last pair of mittens for the Winter and for the Knittin' Mittens KAL. Whoopee, all done just in time...

Now we can take off ... oh ya, and before we do I want to tell you about a couple of more contests.

1. Go over to Shelley's and you just have to leave a comment to what you think her cat's name is to get your name into the drawing for a set of stitch marker's she made herself.

2. Then check out DebbieKnitter's contest, she explains it more on this post.


And, DebbieKnitter check out this book . You'll find my email address in my Profile under Contact which has a link to it. Drop me a line again so I'll have your email and we'll talk about Mr. Mann getting into needle felting. I would think he is too young [those needles are very, very sharp] but since he already knows about it, looking forward to trying it, and you'll be right with him, it wouldn't hurt ... well not unless one of you gets stuck with a needle. I've done it once so far ... and it hurt like H*!! ... but the kit you got should help. BTW, the clover needle is what I stuck myself with so even tho it has a guard it's still possible to do. ;-) We'll talk more in email okay?

Can you guess what these are for? I don't have any pets, so they're not for what they're orginally intended.

Well I'm running our of time so I'll tell you Monday!

And the Winner is ...

With only a slight change in the wording,

"Little Felt-Tea Farm" tea cosy.

So the prize goes to Jennifer from Jennhx.


Look at the prizes on my March 23rd post at the bottom of the page, Jennifer and let me know which one you would like.

Congratulations .... and stay tuned ... in two weeks we'll know who the winner to the teacosy contest is.

Keep your fingers crossed for me, okay?!

Traveling along, knitting a sock ...

time after time ...

As I commute into work by train, I have the good fortune of being able to knit. A great way to work on a gift or socks right? That's what I'm thinking and right now it's a sock ... one that looks like the Painted Desert. The yarn is "Trekking pro natura" ... 75% New Wool and 25% bamboo.

But I'm also contemplating how strange it is to think I'm knitting with a yarn made with animal hair and plant fibers. In my past life as a crocheter I almost always used Acrylic. But it's the fact that now, in this life, it's the natural renewal fibers that I'm knitting with that makes me feel good. I'm loving the way it feels in my hands as I knit. And the fact that it's from a renewable source.

I'm more into recycling than I ever thought possible. I also like to use paper bags or reusable bags for my shopping. Plastic is made with petroleum and I'm all for getting away from petroleum products as much as possible, if I can. So I've decided to either ask for paper at the grocery store OR bring my own canvas bags from now on. I wish more Stores would consider promoting this.

Well ... that's just what was going thru my head today ... as well as the "Name My Teacozy" contest. Which isn't even related to each other, LOL.

Well I've come up with the Top 10 List .... which, between 3 judges, we'll come up with a name by Friday or Saturday morning at the latest. Here's the list. Is there a preference to one over the others from anyone out there? Want to take a guess to which one I might pick? Frankly I do have a preference to one of these but can I convince the other 2 judges it's the right choice?

The names are in no particular order ...

Keeping Ewe and Tea Cozy
New England Haven
I felt like tea cozy
Will ewe pour? teacozy
My Little Felt-Tea World cozy
Tea and Sheepathy
Locus Amoemus
Crafter's Paradise Tea Cozy
A Knitter's Dream Cozy
Be-EWE-TEA-ful PastoraliTea cozy

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Oh and by the way, I have another announcement ...

I got a note from a friend in New Hampshire that works for the Southern New Hampshire Services and they need donations of yarn. Would you like to clean out some of the unwanted, don't know what you would make with, or have no time for Yarn? If you like to donate knitted or crocheted items to worthy causes, but haven't the time to do the work ... help the Seniors do it for you! Donate yarn! NOTE: Also need patterns, knitting needles, and crochet hooks too.

BTW, they like Acrylic the best due to easy & multiple washings.

I plan to get together with Dee in April if anyone at M.I.T. or from Salem's Community Knitting group would like to send some yarn up with me I'll be happy to carry it along. I have some of my own to bring anyway. And remember the ladies knit and crochet for charities all year, so donate as often as you can.

Give Dee a call for pick up if you live in New England or send in your donation to ...

SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE SERVICES, INC.

The Community Action Agency for Hillsborough County

Dee Martin, Volunteer Services Director

40 Pine Street, Manchester, NH 03103

Telephone: (603) 668-8010 ext 6022 Fax: (603) 645-6734

dmartin (at) snhs (dot) org www.snhs.org

Who knew a skein of yarn could change the world?

In 2006, 84 RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) volunteers knitted over 3,000 goods such as hats, mittens, scarves, chemo hats, lap blankets and much more to be delivered to inner city schools, hospitals, nursing homes and the American Cancer Society. The total cash value was over $28,000, but the impact it made on the lives who needed help to stay warm was priceless.

Volunteers warm the hearts, hands and feet of many children and frail elders in the community. They are making a difference by knitting year round to keep up with the constant demand come the winter months.

Can you help these seniors change the world one stitch at a time?

We need skeins of yarn of all colors to keep these volunteer needles going. To donate yarn, please email dmartin (at) snhs (dot) org or call 1-800-322-1073 x 6022.

*********************************************************************************

If you write or call ... tell her that Rhonda the Stitchingnut sent you!

*****************************************************************************

Thanks for your help. Time to do my Spring Cleaning

(might take me a couple of weeks or more ... ask me why.)

p.s. don't pay any attention to the posting time ... I typed a draft early in the morning in order to post at Noon EST. ;-)

One foot in front of the other ...

I finished my Bird of Paradise socks from the Sundara Yarns Petals Collection. It has a slip-stitch rib all the way from cuff to toe. I love them a lot, but boy do they look different from Two Sharp Sticks! Hers are lovely and I love it even when stripping yarn pools, but the pools are wild on hers and only slight on mine (if at all). Really gives them a different look and color don't you think? I wonder why? Do you think it's the needles I used or the way the yarn was dyed? My gauge is different and I knit a different size maybe? It's a mystery to me that they could be SO different!!
This is how my skein started out, Eyeknit! Is it the same as yours started out in life?

I'm still just so amazed that the two pair could be so different from each other using the very same pattern. And I can see by your close ups that we did them the same.


A knitting mystery! Only the knitting gods know the answer.

Look who I went to see this weekend ...

It was her first birthday party! And here are some more of my favorite Munchikins ...

Or rather, the Girls!

And just days before, Jayden finally started to walk.
One foot in front of the other ... Go girl go!


And the contest is still on for "Name My Teacozy" ...
I'll pick out the best 10 by Thursday afternoon and have the judges pick from those on Friday.

Happy knitting!

Spring is here ... would you like a surprise?

Before I tell you about my suprise ... Did I tell you that Lily Chin will be at the Seed Stitch Fine Yarn Store in Salem? Originally she was going to be here the weekend of Mother's Day, but they didn't want to interfere with Mom's Day, so dates were changed. Here they are and of course I've signed up for a class. I'm taking the Reverse Cable class. How about joining me if you live in the area? I hope to also see you there for the book signing on Friday!

Lily Chin to visit

Seed Stitch in Salem MA.

May 4th,5th,6th
For times and prices call the store: 978.744.5557

This is a brief overview

May 4th-Reception and book signing.

May 5th-AM Workshop

Short Row Shirring: Sample the incredible textural possibilities of pop-out, 3-D forms short rowing.

May 5th- PM Workshop

Reversible Cables: Eliminate "wrong sides" when making cables. Learn how cables work and how to chart them.

May 6th-AM Workshop

Keeping "Trim": Learn different ways to rib and avoid puckering at lower edges.

May 6th-PM Workshop

Crocheted Tips, Tricks and Hints: Learn new ways to work a foundation chain, join new yarn and color,attach buttons as you work, create invisible circular joins and the list goes on.

Okay now for my surprise....

How about a Contest?

"Name My Teacozy" contest!

I enter my tea cozy in Seed Stitch's contest on March 31st. Voting will be by the customers that go into the store for the first 2 weeks of April. Their votes determine the winner. Cross your fingers for me okay? Well maybe I should show you my tea cozy first, huh?

I found out last night we can "name" our tea cozy too. So I need some help in that area. Since I got mine done this week and I've been promising to show it to you ... here's a slide show. Once you view the slide show, come on back and help me with a name. The one that I pick [with the help of my DH and DD], will get to pick from the prizes pictured below.

Presenting the Tea Cozy by Stitchingnut ...

see the Slide Show right here.

Leave a name for my tea cozy in the "Comments". We will pick the winner March 30th so you have until March 29th, Noon to leave a "teacozy name". I figure we'll need at least 24 hours to decide which name we like the best, LOL. I'd love to get a variety to choose from ...

So be clever, witty, or serious!

The prizes will be:

1. the felted heart pin not the wood sheep is one of the prizes to pick from or

2. the 3 in the second picture or

3. the book by Vicki Howell, New Knits on the Block.

And you know what? Just to sweeten the deal .... If I should win the design contest at Seed Stitch ... I'll put everyone's name in a hat that contributed to the "Name My Teacozy" contest and draw another winner in Celebration.

I might even draw TWO names!

p.s. I just found out that I was put in Yarnival on March 15th. Check here to read about the other entries as well.

Yippy, I'm on the World Wide Web!

Mail Call ... Whoohoo!

Hot diggidy dog, I got my sock from the Wee Tiny Sock Swap in the mail today! All the way from Michigan. Hand knit by Jan who's blog is tbd-dog lover, knitter, ...

It is the cutest! And of course it's in one of my very favorite colors too ... Orange ... what else?


And take a close look ... [click on a picture to enlarge it] ... it has a CABLE going right up the side of the leg. Jan, you are so clever! Thank you, thank you ... it's going to have a special spot right on the sock blocker attached to the zipper of my Sock Bag [which I carry everyday]. And there's a special spot by my knitting chair for your really cute little note card. Where did you find such a cute card? Oh ya, I see the contact name on the back and it's Major Knitter. I think I want to frame it!!

I got more mail ... a book from my friend, Cynthia. I sent her a book and she sent me, The Friday Night Knitting Club. Good for bedtime reading. Little did she know, but I was also her secret Wee Tiny Sock Pal and my little mini sock was in with the book I sent her. Yup, that's right Cindy ... I had a good chuckle over that one, LOL. And it was sure hard to keep the secret too!


And last but not least ... not by a long shot ... I finally bought some Cashmere! Whoohoo, I said Cashmere with a capital C. And the only reason I could afford such a luxury is because Lion Brand had this luscious Concerto hand-dyed cashmere yarn [that's right, 100% cashmere] on sale for only $19.95 ! So that was $27. 90 with the shipping cost but the original price was over $45 without shipping. Good gosh, normally I would only touch, brush a skein against my check, and put then put it back for someone else to splurge for the cost. But this time, considering the sale's price ... well you see why I got it and it's really is sooooo soft and luscious. I may just pet it for awhile before I make anything with it. But it's there for the knitting as soon as I find the right pattern. Which BTW, I want something that is worn against my neck... so maybe a cowl? It's 106 yards ... hope that's enough for something ... I'm open to suggests.

So now I'm off to pet my yarn!

Felt, felt ... I see more felt!

You're so easy to tease ...

and I know I'm such a teaser.


This is all that's going on right now, besides ...
knitting on the Bird of Paradise socks.

Stay tuned.

Shhhhh, don't tell anyone ...

You talked me into it Sammie ...
here's another sneak peek at what I'm working on this weekend ...



A few years ago my DH gave me this sweet little lavender teapot. I've been wanting a tea cozy ever since.


I think its going to feel nice and cosy when I'm done.

Do you think so?

Coming to a door near you!

Might it be your very own door that my Wee Tiny Sock will arrive at? Putting it in the mail today when I head out to lunch.
[update: in the mail right now]

All will be revealed next week ... so stay tuned.




And speaking of mail ...


I'm also sending out this book I just finished to a friend as a trade for another book I'd like to read. So I thought I'd tell you about the book ... Knitting: A Novel

Anne Bartlett's book is a story for women who love to knit and enjoy a story with it. It's about love, lose, healing and understanding along with the history of knitting and textiles.

The character Sandra is newly widowed and at loose ends after the death of her husband. She's self-centered, rigid, driven and uptight. She loves textiles such as knitted garments, but doesn't knit herself. She likes words, writing and organizing ... only the things that she thinks she is good at. A story of the fiber in many lives maybe?

The other main character is Martha, who has been widowed for many years and is a highly skilled knitter who struggles with her own demons [which she carries around in several suitcases wherever she goes]. She's an enigma. Outgoing, yet private at the same time. I think I feel a kinship to her!

After Sandra and Martha meet, Sandra persuades Martha to help her with a retro knitting exhibition. This is a match of opposites though. But over time, through a shared interest in things knitted, they develop an unlikely bond that in the end is healing to both of them.

Even though it got a little slow in the middle at times, it was still an enjoyable read and I recommend it to you.

Happy reading while you knit. Have a great weekend!

Sock, sock, who gets the sock?

I found out the The Wee Tiny Sock Swap is for only one sock and not a pair.

So that means I can keep one out of the first pair I knit for myself right? But then I also knit up another one last night.



1. Knit on size 000 needles.
2. Yarn is Scheepjes [bought while I was in Holland]
3. Using Emily's pattern!





1. Knit on size 0 needles.
2. Yarn is Fleece Artist [sent to me from a friend in Canada]
3. Using the pattern from the mini sock blocker.



So if you were expecting to get a mini sock, which one would you like to get?


I'm liking 'em both ... and
I might even knit a third and a fourth and a fifth ...

Heck I might knit up one in every left over sock yarn I have!

Beautifying my feet or neighborhood street.

Ah how do I love Sundara's 'Bird of Paradise' sock yarn!

So nice in my hands as I knit. Like knitting in luxury. And the pattern is simple but interesting ... an attention getter. I'm loving every minute that I knit on these socks. And I am going to love wearing these so much.


First sock is done ... so now I can show you the fit. What a perfect fit!
Altho ...
Do you see more raspberry sherbert than lime?

Hey, I'm loving 'em all the more!!



And of course I don't want to forget to show you the house ....



The siding is done and most of the clean up. Then of course we need to see Spring with the flowers coming up and the patio set up out back under the trees. Think SPRING!

And the color of our house is called Almond.

My sweet DH is telling everyone, "Well Rhonda has finally done it ........

Put me in a NUT house! Almond nut."

Just wait until he sees sheep in the backyard ...

Not only a knitty weekend ... I got some knitting books!

Oh ya? So what's new, huh? Does the Stitchingnut have a whole library already? Should she add more to it? Well ....

I did! And look at what I got from Nordic Fiber Arts ... ooooo, I love these!!

So I'm ready for next winter's Christmas knitting, LOL.

And I'm ready for this week's Mini Sock Swap with Yarn Miracle.

The mini sock blocker doesn't go with the sock in the mail, but I wanted you to see the size of that sock blocker. Isn't it the cutest? A mini sock pattern comes with it and they can be purchased from Felt Up ... I got a few for gifts a while back and just hadn't made the socks yet. But these socks were done in the pattern from Yarn Miracle. I'll use the other pattern next time.And do you want a sneak peek of my tea cozy? The one for the Seed Stitch Fine Yarn store contest. It's due March 31st so I'm still working on it. I need really good light when I work on it, so I work on it mostly over the weekends. But I better do some during the week now if I want to get everything on there that I envision.

Nope, nope you can't see anymore ... that's just a peek for ya!

Whoopee for another contest!

Do you read Aija's blog?

sock prØn

If not ... ya gotta go check out her little contest here ...
and then go visit her little Etsy store 'Zero Markers' also.

I love the markers I bought from her.

The Wee Tiny Sock Swap ...

I just signed up for a sock swap ... join me for what promises to be a fun swap.



Check it out! The best part about this swap is that you don't have to worry about whether it will fit anybody and it'll cost what ... 39 cents for a stamp? You even use just "left-over" sock yarn!

I'm so in with this one!

I told you I would tell you about my weekend mail right?

Well ...
adding to my stash, BUT already on the needles ...

sock yarn for more SOCKS!

The first delivery was Sundara Yarn and The Petals Collections Sock Club. This is the 2nd delivery and the yarn is called Bird of Paradise. I love it!

This yarn is so nice and the pattern looked so interesting and shouted out "SPRING!" that I cast on right away and have 'em in my "train knitting bag" right now. Already half done with the first sock ... really!

Isn't this just yummy looking? The colors could also be called Raspberry, Orange, Lemon & Lime Sherbert.


And then there was MORE sock yarn!




Spoiler Alert ~~ 2007 Rockin' Sock Club Kit pictures ~~
Don't Scroll if You Don't Want to See it ... remember I warned you!

:o ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo




The timing was right and I received Blue Moon's first of 2007's Socks that Rock Club yarn package ... I was a little underwhelmed with the colorway tho. Too dark for Spring ... and I'm wanting Spring here soon girls.

The colorway is called Monsoon and it is medium weight. Nice, but this yarn is beautiful in the sense that it is so wonderful to knit with but not so much to wear with Spring or Summer cheerful colors. So I'll be casting on with the idea I'll wear 'em next Fall maybe?


And then I got some St. Patrick's Day mail from my friend, Sammie in Georgia. One of her fabric postcards. I love getting these! Isn't it cute?

And what are those little white and black things falling out of another envelope? Right there on the counter top by the postcard?

Oooooo, sheep buttons!

Those were from Sammie also. Too cute. I will defiantly find something to do with those Sam. Thank you, thank you for the goodies. You are so kind and thoughtful and I love being spoiled. .....




Well I better get back to knitting my socks and spoiling my feet!

A call for help from all who read, knit or ... just breath!

Needle Exchange is looking for all genders to participate in a survey. And there's even a YARN fiber prize involved.

Check it out here! ... And tell Eve I sent ya, okay?


[get the DH or BF involved too ...
it's a study that could be right up his alley!]

Trying to do some Stash busting ...

Well almost ... I'm really trying to use up some left over yarns so I'm going thru what I have and seeing what I can do with it. So I knit another scarf out of some unusual yarn I got recently. It's not as long as I would have liked it because I only had two Noro Kujaku and found the perfect pattern to use from the book "One-Skein Wonders". My DH loves the way it ripples and I do also. It was a fast knit so I'll be making up more in other yarns. For the grandchildren maybe?

I had only two skeins because I helped take it off the hands of Cynthia when she was cleaning out her own stash. I just had to send up some squares for Warming Grace [used cotton yarn from MY stash] and I received these two very unique skeins along with a bunch for sweaters. I'll get into those later tho, once I decide to get them out of hiding. I'm thinking of giving one of the bundle of yarns to my daughter to knit up a sweater for our Jayden.... but I also want to help find the right pattern for her to do as a first time knitter. She's just learning and I don't want it to be too difficult.

Anyway, back to my Stash.... well I had a couple of mail deliveries in the past few days also [ yes I know, that ADDs to my stash] that I'll have to show you tomorrow. I have more work to do on my contest entry Tea Cozy before I go to bed tonight, so for now I'll leave you with a couple pictures of our house. We're finally having new siding put on. Yippy Kyhee! This house was built back in 1962 and shortly after they put on aluminum siding. Out-dated now of course and the color on it was turning to dust with the aluminum showing thru. We also hate the looks of those ugly metal awnings in front. Keeps the hot Summer sun out of the living room & rain off our heads at the front door, but we need a better look than these old things. So this weekend the work has been started. The 2nd picture is of the back after they started to take the aluminum off and showing us the original shingle siding for the first time.

We were surprised to see it was white AND in really good condition. Never more than the one coat of paint was ever on it before the siding was put up. Well I won't tell you yet what colors we've picked out. I'll surprise you with pictures later in the week ... they said it would only take a week.

I'm hoping our "new face" is a happy one!