Many people don't like making New Year's resolutions but I do. Resolutions help get things started but I find they have to be specific goals or nothing gets done.
If the resolution is to use what we have before buying more supplies it wouldn't be specific enough for me. I would rewrite that one to say, use up the leftover knitting yarn stored in the main bedroom walk-in closet by making baby blankets and scarves to give to charity. Now that's more like it. And that's just what we did.
In 1987 I lived north of Seattle and worked in a store named Rumpelstiltskin. I was into the fiber arts then and it was a magical store. We sold yarn from all over the world and ribbons and thread and patterns and notions. I also taught some of the knitting classes.
We were doing well and making over our revenue projection each quarter so you can imagine our surprise when the men that owned the store decided to close it in favor of their home improvement stores. What were they thinking?
Well, I got so much yarn at our close out sale that it filled four large storage bins. I have used some and sold some on EBay but we still have two containers left plus some overflow.
So our resolution came out of the need to get rid of our thirty year plus stash of yarn. I say we, as Kirk waited for me to knit him a sweater back then but soon gave up and asked me to teach him how to knit. Turns out he has a knack for it and has made three or four beautiful sweaters since. The knitting lessons turned out a lot better than the sewing lessons but that's another story.
The first scarf I made is called a Baktus Scarf. It is wonderful to use up left over yarn. You weigh the yarn then using whatever needle the yarn calls for, you cast on 4. Row 1: Knit 1, YO and knit the rest of the row. Row 2: Knit all. Make sure to knit the YO in the back loop or it will make a hole. Row 3 and 4 knit.
Repeat 1-4 until you use up half your yarn by weight.
Then decrease 1 every 4th row:
Row 1: Knit, knit 2 together through the back loop, knit to the end.
Row 2,3,4: Knit
When you have 4 stitches left, bind off. This is a fantastic scarf to knit in front of the TV and it goes quickly.
The next pattern I started was a Ruffled Spiral Scarf and it was great fun to work on. It looks complicated but it is made with a simple pattern and some short row knitting. I love the way it came out.
My poor Cindi didn't know what to think when I used her as a scarf model. She looks a little worried don't you think?
I had a lot of cotton yarn in many colors so I talked Kirk into helping me. We drafted a pattern for a baby blanket and he is doing a great job.
I also found a entire bag of left over Sugar and Cream cotton yarn from making wash cloths for everyone for Christmas one year. I decided to make a receiving blanket and I love the way it is working up.
So to answer the question about what we do on a cold winter evening. Well, we knit.
Have a fantastic week!
Julie Panusis
It just so happens that our next door neighbor is also from Greece. Before our trip Kirk and Stelios were talking over the side fence, as they often do, and Stelios was bemoaning the fact that you can't get good Greek feta cheese in California. Then he told Kirk about a Greek settlement in Florida at a place called Tarpon Springs. The Greeks have been sponge fishing there for over 100 years.
Anyway, to make a long story even longer, after our a lovely day with Barbara Lewis in St Petersburg we headed north to Tarpon Springs. The first thing we did was to go to the old town and eat lunch at the Mykonos Restaurant; Greek Salad, Greek fried potatoes and chicken lemon soup, all our favorites. 
At the end of the day, before heading out to the Hampton Inn we decided to stop for Greek coffee and a sweet. 
I hope you are having a fantastic day as well. 
