HOLIDAY CHEER theconnectionsnj.com PAGE 20 GREAT FOOD. GREAT DRINKS. YOUR NEXT NIGHT OUT Wood-Fired Flavor • 24 Beers on Tap • Kitchen Open Late STONE TAVERN BAR | GRILL | SEAFOOD | PIZZA From wood-fired steaks and fresh seafood to burgers, pizza, and Italian favorites, Stone Tavern is where friends, families, and neighbors come together to eat, drink, and unwind. VISIT US Bridgewater 1288 Route 22 | 908.936.2417 Phillipsburg 1304 Route 22 | 908.235.3796 HOURS: Sunday–Wednesday: 11 AM – 11 PM Thursday–Saturday: 11 AM – 12 AM MORE TO LOVE • Open THANKSGIVNG & CHRISTMAS • Open 7 Days a Week • Family Friendly JOIN US TODAY Good Food. Good Times. Stone Tavern. stonetavernnj.com Book Your Private Event WEEKLY REASONS TO VISIT •Happy Hour | Monday–Friday • 3–6 PM •Half-Priced Wine Bottles Every Tuesday •DJ & Dancing • Thursdays • 8pm-12am •Sunday Brunch | NFL Football HOST YOUR NEXT EVENT WITH US Private & Corporate Events Available Accommodates up to 100 guests ONE STOP. ENDLESS FLAVOR. Fresh Ingredients | Authentic Recipes | Passionately Prepared Whether you're grabbing lunch, picking up dinner, or shopping for authentic Italian favorites, Zio's Market is packed with fresh avors your family will love. Fresh Deli Favorites-Hot & Cold Sandwiches Prepared Family Meals Imported Italian Specialties Catering for Every Occasion Sit back, enjoy the day and let us do the work for you! Bring this ad in to receive20% offany catering order booked fromNovember 20 through December 30,2026. HOLIDAY CATERING SPECIAL 908-210-9007 27 W. Somerset Street • Raritan www.EatAtZios.com CREATIVECORNER Are You Inspector Gadget or Suzy Simple? By Carolyn Hanson Needle Stoppers- These adorable kitschy rubbery shapes cover the ends of knitting needles, so stitches don’t fall off. OR - Use a rubber band OR - Push your knitting away from the needle tips before putting it down. Barber Cord - This thin colorful tubing fits snugly onto the tip of your circular knitting needles. Once attached, you can easily push the stitches onto the cord and then try on your garment to check the size or hold all stitches while the needles can be used for another section of the garment/project. When ready to resume knitting, just slide the stitches back onto the needle. Quick and easy. OR - Thread a tapestry needle with a long piece of thin yarn, or dental floss, and transfer all stitches onto the scrap yarn. Later, carefully insert the needle back into each stitch. Takes a bit longer, but it works. Magic Ring Guide - And for the crocheters, this gadget aids in creating the notorious Magic Ring: the tight circle at the center of a circular motif or project, e.g., the crown of a hat. This rectangular gadget holds the yarn so the hook can grab it and then twist the yarn to start the double circle before beginning the first round of stitches. OR - Create your own using cardboard. OR - Keep watching YouTube videos and wrapping the yarn around your fingers until you get it. So, now the only question is...are you Inspector Gadget or Suzy Simple? Hmmmmm? olunteering in the Kitchen tent at the Atlantic Visiting Nurse Rummage sale has brought me much joy and the need to perpetually ask, “What is this thingy, and how would it be used?” We are truly a society that loves its gadgets. It had me thinking about the many gadgets used in knitting and crochet and why we do or don’t need them. Most are cost/no cost decisions. Here are a few favorites… Pompom Maker - These come in various sizes to create thick, dense pompoms great for hats, scarves and general trims. They are easy to use, and each pompom is the same size. OR - Make your own with a bit of cardboard from any cereal box, a quarter and a drinking glass. Make 2. To make the pompom, cut 10’ of yarn and sandwich it between the 2 cutouts. Fully cover the entire cutout starting at one edge of the “C” moving back and forth from one end to the other. Continue until the entire center is completely filled with yarn. With sharp scissors, cut between the 2 cardboard pieces on the outer edge without cutting the 10’ yarn. Tightly tie the center yarn. Remove the cardboard to reuse. Fluff the pompom and trim the ends so it’s dense and round. Row Counter - This gadget helps track the number of rows completed. Useful for counting rows between increases/decreases or cable turns. It can be a ring for your index finger, a barrel design on your knitting needle, or beads on a string. OR, use a pen and paper to track rows completed. With either method, if you forget to record the completed row, you’ve lost count. OR, learn to count the rows by reading your work. V
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