Favorite Thing Friday

My favorite thing this week is quite simple. This beautiful thing winged its way into my life today:

I'm too lazy to take my own picture. Plus it's dark here and I've had a beer so I'm slightly drunk. Yes, a beer. One beer. But it was a good beer.
Anyhoo, now I can start responding to comments again, and not seem like some ignorey-head. I call dibs on that term. I can so see how it's pronounced in my head. How one can see a pronunciation, I've no idea. Super powers?
Oh, also, it's my dad's birthday. He's like 1,001 or something.
Linking up to Shay's Favorite Thing Friday.

Oh hey, not to toot my own horn too much, but I've got a cool Second Blogaversary Giveaway going now. Check it out!

Happy Blogaversary Giveaway

The contest is now closed! Please check back tomorrow morning to see if you are the winner!

Happy second Blogaversary to me! On March 1, 2011, I wrote my first Blog post. To celebrate this event, I've teamed up with a couple of very cool local merchants, Ambrosia and Nell Van Vorst, to bring you what I think is my best giveaway yet!
Ambrosia is an amazing shop! They specialize in the coolest chocolates I have ever tried, in flavors such as Raspberry (dark chocolate,*coconut puree,*honey,*raspberries,*eau de vie), Peaches & Cream (milk chocolate,*peaches,*coconut puree,*honey caramel), and Quetzalli (dark chocolate,*coconut puree,*cocoa nibs,*chili blend,*vanilla,*cinnamon,*honey) plus many others. How sweet do those sound??
They not only make epic chocolates, but they make tea, yarn (!) and honey as well.
I present to you, donated by Ambrosia...the Knitter's Delight:

Included in this prize box is a skein of yarn, made on Nantucket. They shear and wind the yarn themselves! Also, you get Lemon Balm Tea, and a jar of local honey.
I know you're asking, 'but Natalie, what awesome cup can I drink that tea with?' Well, one of the things Nell Van Vorst does, and very well, is make artistic, unique, one of a kind teacups. (Plus plates and teapots and vases and tiles, her talent seems endless!)
She is donating a handmade, hand painted Winter Berry teacup. Dishwasher and microwave safe! Check out her Etsy here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/NellVanVorst
Need something to knit with that unique hand spun yarn? Included in the prizes is a copy of all of my patterns that normally have to be paid for, a total of four patterns. You can make a whale, a Happy Accident Toddler Hat, an elephant baby hat, or a soap holder!
Now, what happens if your hands get cold while knitting. We can't have that happening! You also get a pair of hand knit Simple Harm Warmers:

(Colors will be different than those pictured as each skein is different.)
Plus, chocolate!

Aren't those whales cute?!

All of the prizes are:
- hand spun yarn
- lemon balm tea
- a jar of local honey
- handmade hand painted Winter Berry teacup
- hand knit fingerless mitts
- four patterns
- chocolates

How do you win all this awesomeness? As usual, there are lots of ways to enter. (Being sure to leave a separate comment for each entry.)

- One, just leave a comment.
- Two, like Ambrosia, Nell Van Vorst AND Nantucket Knitter on Facebook, then leave a comment saying you've done so.
- Three, share this Blog post in some way, then leave a comment saying you've done so.
- Four, follow my Blog then leave a comment saying you've done so. If you're already a follower, just leave a comment saying that!

On March 8th around noon est, I will pick a winner with the random number generator from the folks at random.org.

Please leave some way to contact you in at least one of your comments! If you're an anonymous or no reply blogger, please leave an email or ravelry user name. If you don't feel comfortable doing this, please check back on march 8th to see if you're the winner!
The winner MUST contact me within fourty-eight hours or another winner will be chosen.
While the contest is open internationally, you must make certain I am allowed to send things such as tea, honey, and chocolate to your country.

2x2 Yoga Socks

Easy-peasy, no shaping required yoga socks! I couldn't find a pattern I liked so I designed my own.
Yarn: Fingering weight sock yarn. These are knit in the color way Elphaba by Storied Yarns. Needles: Size one DPNs or circulars long enough for magic loop (my preferred method.) plus size five needles for binding off.
Notions: Tapestry needle

Directions:
Using smaller needles, cast on 48 stitches. Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.
Working k2,p2 ribbing, knit for desired length of foot. If you're knitting with the magic loop method, you can try the sock on as you're knitting.
Once foot is desired length, bind off 24 stitches with size five needles. Finish round in pattern.
Cast on 24 stitches. Rejoin in round, being careful not to twist. Finish round in pattern.
Working in pattern, knit for desired length of heel.
Bind off with size five needles.
Weave in ends. Wear with pride!
Namaste.

Pattern & images copyright 2013, Natalie Gonzalez and Nantucket Knitter.
Do not reproduce and redistribute patterns or images. Pattern is for private, non-commercial use.
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Please email me at natalie@nantucketknitter.com

Favorite Things Friday

Wow I can not believe its already the end of the week!
This week, I have not been my best. I've been having what I'm fairly certain is a flare up of Lyme's Disease. I am achy and sore and depressed. I'm only 28, I shouldn't be having arthritis!
Ok ok enough of the self pity portion of the post. (Try saying that three times fast!) But my favorite thing right now does have everything to do with my health.
Mainly, that I'm healthier in general, current flare up notwithstanding. I have lost 23 pounds since Christmas. I have run three miles without stopping to walk. And my cholesterol has gone down 70 plus points. Not too shabby!
Christmas Eve I had some sort of epiphany. Both my father and his brother had major heart attacks in their early to mid forties. And while my father is still with us, they both did die. (My dad's heart stopped until the paramedics got there to restart it.)
Even if I did survive a major heart attack, I would not want to be on meds for the next forty or so years of my life. I don't want to take five pills a day and have to monitor my heart and go to a specialist every month. I just don't. I don't like pills. I have OCD and other issues which I have managed to keep in check through natural remedies. I don't want to change that!
And I realized, on Christmas Eve, that I was heading in the same direction as my father and his brother. And I changed it. I gotta say, it's easier to move with 23 pounds of less fluff to move around with.
Wow this is deeper than I intended it to be.
What are your favorite things this week? Linking up to Shay's Favorite Thing Friday. Thanks for lending me the iPad mom!

Bonus random picture of some mitts I made a few weeks ago. I wanted to add a different one but blogger is being weird and not letting me upload right now.

Thar She Blows!

I suppose it was only a matter of time. I mean, I am Nantucket Knitter.

A whale of a toy! I suppose I should make a white one, to be really proper. Moby Dick being based out of Nantucket and all that.

Pattern coming as soon as I can knit up a few more samples. And get to a computer to type it up.
And that designIs my favorite thing Friday! What about you??