The First Lap Blanket of 2026

by Summer D Clemenson | Mar 30, 2026 | Community, Yarn

What do you do with the little balls of yarn that are too small for much? You make a Knotty Wares blanket. Karen G Clemenson had mentioned that Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1045 could use some lap blankets, not just baby blankets and since I had a bunch of small balls of yarn, I thought I would make a Knotty Wares blanket for the first lap blanket of 2026. What is a Knotty Wares blanket? Well, when I used to have a site at KnottyWares dot com that is what we called the items that were made out of leftovers. I liked to find one color of yarn that I have a lot of, in this case I had a lot of brown and so there is a brown thread through the entire blanket and I paired it with other colors. Some blankets were just random, where you blindly grabbed the first ball and just tied it on and kept going when the last one ended, but I had several of similar colors, so this one turned into blocks of colors. Karen enjoyed watching me make this one, this weekend.

If you would like to donate any yarn to me or any blankets to Living Ministries, I am the person to contact for that. You can also donate yarn or crocheted baby blankets at Wellness Works NW which is located inside Forever Fit Gym at 1211 18th Ave, Longview, WA.

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Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.

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The First Blanket of 2026

by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 2, 2026 | Community, Yarn

If you crochet you know you do it because you must. Just like anything you love, it is because you love it. Like my writing. I must do it. The other day, as I was finishing the first blanket of 2026, Karen G Clemenson asked me if I ever thought that I would be still doing this when I first learned how to crochet. I told her: I probably didn’t give it much thought because I was nine.

As I was weaving in the new yarn, I was thinking about that. I had started writing poetry at about the same time. But I started writing short stories before that. I told her that I had started writing stories when I was in first grade. One of my teachers had shown us how and I had kept doing it. I would illustrate them too. I am sure my mom has some of them. But I remember when I started writing poetry because Nana had bought me a journal for Christmas and that is what I was writing my poems in. I had had another teacher show us about poems. Eventually, after high school, I stopped writing short stories. I like poetry, nonfiction articles and editorials. I like to explore the truth.

I think that is why I like crochet. It lets me think about a lot of things while I work with the yarn. I have made a lot of blankets, booties, even a few sweaters, many hats, my favorite is bags…but it is hard to find my market. You can never sell anything for what it is worth. My work is good quality. I like better quality yarn. I create work that your grandmother doesn’t generally make. I put a lot of time into it. People are used to Walmart prices. They don’t mind if it breaks. They don’t care if you will mend it.

So, my needles are easy to put away. I have a few people that love my work and use the things I will make for them. It was fun to hear that the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1045 handmade baby blankets. They even give me yarn to create them. So now when I watch TV I have someone to create for. It makes me heart happy to think about a new person being wrapped in my gift of love.

If you would like to donate any yarn to me or any blankets to Living Ministries, I am the person to contact for that. You can also donate yarn or crocheted baby blankets at Wellness Works NW which is located inside Forever Fit Gym at 1211 18th Ave, Longview, WA.

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Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.

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The 2nd Baby Blanket of 2025

by Summer D Clemenson | Nov 19, 2025 | Community, Yarn

Announcing the 2nd Baby Blanket of 2025. This has been fun getting back into yarn art. Especially since I have not bought the yarn. It is a challenge to to work with yarn that is a surprise. In fact I ran out of yarn that was given to me and I had to choose from the 3 balls of yarn I had left over from old projects and the red won out. I think this blanket is fun and brilliant in color. I hope that whoever gets this feels the love.

I will continue to crochet these love blankets for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1045 and my beloved, Karen G Clemenson, just reminded me that she will be filling out the paperwork for us to become official auxiliary members.

If you would like to donate any yarn to me or any blankets to Living Ministries, I am still the person to contact for that and once it is in my hands, I can donate anything to any nonprofit I desire or I am told to by the donator. You can also donate yarn or crocheted baby blankets at Wellness Works NW which is located inside Forever Fit Gym at 1211 18th Ave, Longview, WA.

FYI Forever Fit Gym is hosting a food drive to benefit several nonprofits in the area, including Life Works. If you can help, please bring your nonperishable items there. In case you didn’t think about it, cooking oils and powdered milk are a God send for those cake mixes and mac and cheese mixes, as well as any herbs and spices to make things taste good…canned apple sauce can take the place of eggs. 🙂

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Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.

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The First Baby Blanket For 2025

by Summer D Clemenson | Nov 4, 2025 | Art, Community, Opinions, Yarn

I haven’t crocheted for a long time. In fact it has been about two years (except for the patch job I did on my nephew, Kaison’s baby blanket) since I made Kaison’s baby brother, Riyder’s baby blanket, because he just had his 2nd birthday. But Karen G Clemenson has been volunteering at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1045 when she has time. She isn’t a war veteran, but she is Army and once you are Army, I am told you are always Army. She enjoys visiting with her kind. Even though she is not a war vet, they have been talking about her becoming an auxiliary member and since they have been talking to her, and she talks a lot, they found out I crochet.

Apparently there is a shortage of auxiliary members that crochet, so now they are talking about me becoming an auxiliary member too. I haven’t begun that process at this point, but since someone sent a bag of yarn home with my wife, I decided to make use of it. Apparently there is a quota to be met and they are having trouble making it. I would hate to think that someone didn’t have a lovely, homemade blanket to wrap around their new baby. So here is the first baby blanket for 2025.

I don’t have all the information for how to do this. We are pretty sure you have to have a military affiliation to be part of the auxiliary, however, if you would like to donate any yarn to me or any blankets to Living Ministries, I am still the person to contact for that and once it is in my hands, I can donate anything to any nonprofit I desire or I am told to by the donator. You can also donate yarn or crocheted baby blankets at Wellness Works NW which is located inside Forever Fit Gym at 1211 18th Ave, Longview, WA.

FYI Forever Fit Gym is hosting a food drive to benefit several nonprofits in the area, including Life Works. If you can help, please bring your nonperishable items there. In case you didn’t think about it, cooking oils and powdered milk are a God send for those cake mixes and mac and cheese mixes, as well as any herbs and spices to make things take good…canned apple sauce can take the place of eggs. 🙂

~

Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.

~

Letting Things Go

by Summer D Clemenson | Nov 21, 2023 | About Summer, Yarn

I have been purging and letting things go that I don’t want to take care of anymore. After the loss of the second storage unit Karen and I have had together, I have learned that letting things go is a good thing. Some things we lost were valuable, even priceless maybe, but they are just things. Things can be acquired. What is important is relationships and time.

So as it has become time to renew domains, I am realizing that I no longer need KnottyWares.com. All my crochet items listed on the site, marketing gear and even most of my crochet hooks and bobbles were lost in the last storage unit and really I have never sold anything off the site. I sold a few custom items but usually I donated most of the items I made to other nonprofits. I have new crochet hooks and now I occasionally make things for my grand-nephews.

I have slowly changed my email over to summer at goodtimesalways.com because I would rather advertise my blog so even my doctor’s offices know this new address and the only emails I get at my old KW’s address are advertisements. I hate advertisements. So if you want to email me you can remember this email address or go over to the Contact page and send me an email through the form.

I deleted the Knotty Wares Facebook Page on Friday. I thought I would be more emotional about it. I had put so much time and devotion into this campaign; hours were spent on the logo itself. But it was really easy. This tells me that I am truly done with Knotty Wares, which was really started, hoping to have something fun with a friend that really never wanted to do this with me in the first place and eventually we let the friendship go too. That reminds me…I still need to take down Twitter and Etsy. I really tried but I wasn’t successful. I guess I was just meant to give these gifts out of love.

So this translates throughout life as well. We learn what we don’t need to carry around anymore and what is important to hold onto.

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Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.

For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Christian, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information.

If you are interested in becoming a Christian…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:

Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.

I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.

I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.