Giving Thanks and a Little Pattern Sale

 

I'm very thankful for many things. As we celebrated Thanksgiving in the US today, I was reminded of a few of those things for which I'm grateful:

The piles of dishes in the sink (which remind me of the bounty of food we have enjoyed). 

The mountain of laundry waiting to be washed, put off while I prepared for Thanksgiving (because it reminds me that we have ample clothing to provide for our needs).

The boisterous, occasionally annoying, wonderful relatives at large holiday gatherings (because it reminds me I have people in my life who care about me enough to spend time with me).

This year's cancer surgeries & chemotherapy treatments (because it reminds me that every day is a precious gift from God and we should love each other, forgive each other and live the day to the fullest). 

The alarmingly large pile of knitted and crocheted FO's awaiting blocking, like the fingerless mitts in the photo above (because it reminds me I have yarn and the physical capability to do something I love).  

I'm also very thankful for my friends, including the friends I've met through Ravelry and this blog! 

So, to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, I decided it might be nice to offer a discount on my Ravelry patterns. Starting today, and running through Sunday, November 30th, all individual patterns in my Ravelry store will automatically show a 20% savings off of the total in the shopping cart. No coupon code is necessary to receive the savings.

Thank you to everyone for stopping by my studio today, whether this is your first visit or you are a long-time friend, I am so happy you are here and I wish you happy stitching! 

Thankful for...

In a world where so many have so little, I am very thankful to have so much - the ability to love, to share, to comfort, to serve, to create and to give. On this day when Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, I wish you and yours much love and much to be thankful for this year. 

And - thank you - for being a part of my knitting and blogging world.

Thanksgiving Knitting & A Tasty Recipe

 

This year we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving, along with one of my sisters and her family, at my brother's home.

Although I love my family, hours spent in a bustling house full of people can be nerve-wracking, so an easy, on-the-go knitting project is a must for me to relax with while catching up with everyone after the dinner dishes are done.

I'm taking the project shown in the photo above, a simple scarf made from Fleece Artist's Nyoni wool/ silk/ kid mohair/ nylon fingering-weight yarn.   

Interestingly, the yarn feels both rough and smooth at the same time.  That is to say, it is smooth and lovely to knit with, but still has enough roughness and is not too soft.

The silk and mohair content add rich luster and grab the dye differently from the other fibers, and I love how it softens to a silky drape after blocking.  Yum!

And speaking of yum, my friend Mary is a super baker, and when I sampled her pecan praline-topped pumpkin pie, made from her mother's recipe, I knew she had another winner. 

I have my own favorite spicy custard cream pumpkin pie recipe, but I'm using Mary's idea for a pecan praline layer on top to make the pies for our Thanksgiving festivities.  If you like pecans or toffee, I think you will love it too.

If you are short on time this week (who isn't?) this topping could dress up a store-bought pie, and if you serve it from a glass pie dish, nobody will know you didn't make it if you don't tell them.

Serve it slightly warm with a little heavy whipping cream, or topped with vanilla ice cream for a swoon-worthy treat for your gathering.    

Pecan Praline Pie Topping Recipe

Makes enough topping to cover one pre-baked pie.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter, melted

2/3 cup brown sugar (I used dark brown)

3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecan pieces

1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400* F

In medium-sized bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar and vanilla, until thoroughly combined.  Stir in pecans, coat thoroughly. 

Spread topping evenly over your pre-baked pie, starting with the outer edges and working towards the center.  Be careful not to spread topping too close to the edge as it will melt and spread slightly during baking.

Place pie on a cookie sheet in the center of oven, bake 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.  Use caution when handling hot pie, praline topping is very hot and can easily burn bare skin.