notice

I know, I am now a header hopper. I really appreciate all of your comments about that cookie/sock header I previously had (for a short while) above. And I did like it too. However, every time I looked at it, it reminded me of colder weather. Maybe it was all the red. And the ginger. But whatever it was, I decided I needed a little spring color. And since my littlest guy still makes me joyfully happy when he picks me dandelions, I decided that I needed a photo of his lastest pick up there. And a little bit of spring. Changing headers can be quite addictive too. You all do know about Picnik, right? Especially helpful to us blogger users.
Onto the knitting.  I am pretty close to finishing Ruby.  I have made little progress the last couple of days trying to figure out the welt.  I should have listened to Rebecca, knowing that she kept getting holes too.  The pattern reads y2rn = yarn round needle twice.  Isn't that just yarn over twice?  I checked books.  All of the on-line resources I knew. Isn't the point of a yarn over, a hole? Well, this sweater does not want holes!  Anyhow, I ended up doing my own thing which gave me the amount of stitches that I needed. Marking the location of the increases and increasing 4 in each location, by a M1 and an Inc into the f/b on the first row Increase.  On the second row increase, I increased into the f/b of each of the new stitches.  Have you seen Rebecca's?  Or Pax's?  They are both fabulous.  I am a bit nervous though because Rebecca used four extra balls.  Pax did not, however made her sleeves shorter.  I slimmed my sleeves down a bit, in hopes of not having to buy more yarn.  And what a bummer it would be if I needed more as I know my store does not have the same dyelot.  
I didn't intend to post this recipe, but when I cut a piece of this cookie/cake type thing for my breakfast, I noticed the heart.  Of course, I had to take a photo for Noticing project's be our guest week, and thought maybe you would like the recipe.
It is super easy.  During the months of April/May when the strawberries are so inexpensive I make this a lot.  Although, any fruit would do.  Really it takes two seconds to make.  Okay, maybe three.
Cream together 1 stick butter, 1 cup sugar :: add 2 eggs :: add 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder and  a pinch of salt :: spread in spring form pan that is coated with spray ::  top with sliced strawberries :: sprinkle with sugar :: bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

hidden treasures

I would love to be showing you something I have finished knitting, but the truth is, I have nothing.  I did take the sleeves of Ruby to Florida with me, and did finish one.  The other sleeve will hopefully be finished this weekend.  For some reason, I just haven't been knitting my usual 2-3 hours a day.  Maybe this summertime weather has something to do with it.  I found some newfound energy lurking within, motivating me to get some things accomplished around here. And our evenings have been long and slow enjoying a lot of time outside.
So, instead of something I have made, I would love to show you something my mother made, in 1967.
Yep, ever since I can remember, I have heard the clicking of my mothers knitting needles.  She gave me this issue of  fall/winter '67 Vogue Knitting a while ago. 
It in itself is a treasure. I really love these sketches,  showing you a few variations of how the dress on the cover could be made.
When my mother showed me this and asked me if I wanted it, you know my response!   And can you imagine, 20oo beads and 2000 palliates.  
I never saw her wear it. She said she wore it a few times to cocktail parties.  Oh, how I would love to have a photo of her in the dress, at a party.  I can only imagine how cute she must have looked.  Too bad she said she didn't make those matching earrings!
It probably won't get worn anytime soon, but I certainly won't part with it. 
I will be back to knitting, cookies and regular blog reading next week. 
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Ha.  I just looked closely at the photo.  I am wearing the dress backwards!!!  Oh well, you get the point.  

home

I guess all good things must end. Our spring break seemed to go by too quickly.  The same sort of things happened this year as did last year. We pretty much do the exact same things at my parents every year and  seriously they would all be a big blur if it wasn't for the children getting older.  And hence, things getting easier.
There were early morning sunrises.
Fishing on the dock. Charlie can now do the entire thing on his own.  Even the release using the needle nose pliers, a huge accomplishment.
Kayaking.  It was the first year Charlie took his own.
A lot of swimming.  In the ocean and the pool.
Knitting.  Of course there was knitting!
And our evening trips to the boardwalk for ice cream.
These are the moments I hope our children will always remember.
Now back to my laundry.

the giveaway and a getaway

I wish that I would have had more books, perhaps eighty four, to give away.  Really, I wish that I could send a book to everyone that wanted it.  Unfortunately, I had one book, and chose one name.  My sweet mother wrote everyones name on a piece of paper, and Libby chose the winner.  Amy, of My Zoe Bug, you are the recipient of I heart felt.
Yes, time for my favorite getaway.  Spring break.  The perfect time to leave the mundane tasks of everyday living.  And my favorite place to visit.  My parents.  
We arrived very late and tired Friday night, and will spend the week here.  
It may be a little quiet from these parts.  Maybe not.  But I do know, it is very good to hear the word break.  And spring.
Amy, congratulations, and I will send you the book when I return home.

i heart felt

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing i heart felt, by Kathleen Taylor, published by The Taunton Press.  I have had it for a while, and really felt as if I needed to set aside an hour or so to read it, in order to give it a fair review.  I have felted one time.  A bag whose measurements when knit were dead on, but when felted could not be achieved.  I sure wish I would have had this book residing with all of my other knitting books.  Kathleen's tips and techniques chapter is so helpful.  There are "how to's" for felting cabled knits, fair isle, and intarsia.  All of the patterns are easy to follow with explicit directions for finishing.
First of all, I of course was drawn to the bags.  Cabled bags!  I thought this one was so great.  
How about this big bag out of Noro Iro.  Can't you just see that holding your  knitting project?
And for those autumn lovers, like me, how about felting these cute little pumpkins, gourds, and squash for your fall decorations.
Check out the fair isle peppermint stick Christmas stocking, measuring 5 inches wide and about 15 inches long.
You can bet if my daughter was a little younger, I would have made her a cute magic wand!
There is even a pattern for a tiara.
These were just some of my favorite patterns.  In the book, there are beautiful patterns for sweaters, mittens, hats, belts, and much much more.

If you are interested in adding this wonderful book to your book collection, please let me know.  Leave me a comment by Sunday, April 13, and I will draw a name.  

just socks

To say these are just socks, is such an understatement.
These are actually socks made out of Sundara yarn, using a simple baby cable pattern.
I really had no idea just how much I had been missing out to have never worked with this yarn. It felt wonderful in my hands, and now on my feet. The funny thing is, I still would not have known how fantastic it was if Melana hadn't given me the yarn.  Thank you, Melana.
Yarn:  Sundara, 100% superwash merino wool, in Dahlia
Needles: size 2
Pattern: basic cast on of 64 stitches.  The baby cable is achieved by working a 4 row repeat.
Rows 1-3 knit 2 purl 2.  Row 4, * k2tog and leave st on needle, knit first st and slide both off needle, P2, rep from *
Notes:  Heather mentioned that perhaps I may want to reinforce the heel by knitting a piece of thread held together with the yarn, in order to prevent holes.  I did it on this pair, and will definitely do it on all my future sock projects.  I thought that was a great tip.  

cookies coffee and yarn, oh my!

My kids love those big molasses cookies from starbucks, and I have to admit, I do to. Unfortunately, whenever we go to starbucks they seem to be out. Maybe they stopped making them?  I did a little search through Martha, and found a recipe that I think tastes very similar. 
Let me tell you, they are big.  And chewy.  And absolutely delicious.
I put wax paper in between, just like the recipe said.  I also added the pepper (yes, pepper)  just like the recipe said.  If you make them, you won't be sorry.
Now this is my idea of the perfect afternoon.  Coffee, cookie and yarn.  Who could ask for anything more?
I plan on finishing those socks this weekend.  Poor Ruby is feeling quite neglected.
Enjoy your weekend everyone!

good morning day

Hey! We are back from our trip feeling refreshed yet tired. Don't know how five days can feel like we were gone for one month.
I was never so happy to see the sun come over the mountains as I was this particular morning.
We awoke in Vail at 4:30 am to 14 inches of snow on the ground, and an airplane in Denver to catch.  As we were on I-70, we contemplated stopping, but literally could not see the signs on the interstate or an exit, as they were covered in snow.  So much snow that it caused a 7o car pile up on I-70 later in the day.   We felt blessed to have escaped it. Crazy weather.  
It did however make for great ski conditions.  We had a few new experiences like snowshoeing and ski biking, which are both fantastic.   The children were not old enough to ski bike, but you certainly feel like a child doing it. Laughing all of the way down the mountain with a smile on your face the entire time.  
I finished one lonely sock on my trip, and that was actually finished during travel time. 
Trying to snap back into real life around here.  
Happy Thursday.  

dry cookies going to dry air

We are headed west tomorrow to go skiing.  I know it seems a little crazy this time of year, but it seemed like a fabulous idea back in December, when we booked it.  Actually, we are all really looking forward to it.  Sort of like our last hoorah to winter.
I wanted to make some sort of hearty cookie to take along with us.  Something healthy too.  I found a recipe for peanut butter trail mix cookies in one of my old books.  I thought they sounded pretty good.  Thought that I could use the goji berry trail mix that I have been loving.  I have been trying to get my family to love the goji berries.  Read a lot about their benefits, plus the cute guy at Whole Foods told me they were great for you.  All righty then.  I will put them in everything.
These were voted the worst cookie that I ever made by my family.  I actually love them.  I promise!  Everyone thinks they are a little dry.  Dry is good with my coffee.
So, if you are at all interested in making a dry, hearty, semi- healthy cookie, here you go:
2 cups uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats:: 1/2 cup packed brown sugar :: 3/4 cup butter, softened :: 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter :: 1 1/2 tsp vanilla :: 3/4 cup flour :: 1/2 cup mashed bananas :: 1 1/2 tsp baking powder :: 1/2 tsp salt :: 1 cup trail mix :: 1 cup chocolate chips
In a food processor or blender, process oats until finely ground.  In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, peanut butter and vanilla.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add oats, flour, banana, baking powder and salt.  Stir in trail mix.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.
The cookies are packed in the carry-on, along with my socks.  Can a sock and a half be knit over a long weekend? 
 
Until sometime next week, happy knitting, happy sewing, happy baking, happy hands!

a ruffle and a how to

For some reason, Easter weekend did not provide much knitting time for me.  And, can you believe that I forgot to put the birds in their baskets?  Yep.  I ended up putting them out on the kitchen table for the kids the day after.  A little anti-climactic if you ask me, but they did seem to love them.  
I finished the ruffle scarf.  It is probably a project that can be completed in a couple of hours.  I worked on it here and there, so not really sure exactly, but I do know it went fast.
Since it took me FOREVER to try to figure this out, I thought that I would  (try to) show you how it is made.
my assistant, andrew, working the remote 
The yarn is more like ribbon, than yarn.  When you cast on, you place your right finger under the needle held in your right hand, and insert the needle into the top few threads of the yarn.  I cast on 7 stitches.
This is where the directions became very confusing for me.  The directions have you holding your finger under the needle wrapping yarn, blah blah blah.  (They lost me there).  What I did was, insert the tip of the right hand needle into the stitches on the left as if to knit normally.
Insert the tip of the needle into the threads on the top of the yarn about an 1 1/4 down.  
Move it down your needle and knit the stitch normally.  
Those few threads on the top of the needle become the yarn.
Slide it down,
and off.  If you knit into the same color on every row then your scarf will be the same color on both sides.
If you reverse the color, that you knit into, every row, then your scarf will be reversible. (confused?)  I knit one row into the light pink.  Then at the end of that row, flipped the yarn and went into the dark pink.  This made it light pink on one side, dark pink on the other.
My yarn store suggested one ball for a shorter scarf and two for a longer scarf.
Yarn:  ONline Linie 194 Solo, 1 ball
Pattern: I can't believe that I just found this pattern!!!!!  This would have been easy to follow! 
Needles: size 6, cast on 7 stitches
For: Libby
Notes:: Although those hands appear to be about 104 years old, I promise I am not.  However, I will make a note to myself to manicure my nails and moisturize my hands before I attempt another tutorial such as this.

project spectrum

I started a couple of new projects last week being inspired and motivated by project spectrum.
I was lucky enough to receive yarn for both projects from a couple of dear friends.  Above is Sundara Yarn in dahlia, that I received from Melana back in December.  This yarn has been calling my name ever since.  I had never knit with sundara yarns, and wow is it ever lovely.  A basic cast on of 64 stitches with a baby cable pattern.   
Kim sent the ONline Linie 194 Solo yarn for a sweet scarf for Libby.  Oodles, and oodles of soft little ruffles.  
I had the hardest time getting started.  I still am not positive that I am doing it correctly, but there really is no more time to waste. The end of this month marks the end of  this triad of project spectrum.  The scarf should be easy to complete, but the socks?  I am going to give it my best shot.
The eggs are dyed, the chocolate bought, and we are expecting snow.  Now that  just doesn't seem right.

finally

Boxes of girl scout cookes meant time off from our Cookie of the Week.  We have a few thin mints hidden in the back of the freezer for a summer day, but for the most part they are gone.
It was a nice little break, but I really miss baking when I don't do it.  There is so much satisfaction for me in seeing a full cookie jar.  And then joy, in seeing it empty, knowing everyone enjoyed them, and I get to fill it again.
I was sort of burnt out on the whole Girl Scout Cookie flavor, so didn't try any of the recipes for the Homemade Girl Scout Cookies.  I still plan to, one day.
Sherri e-mailed me with a link to this recipe, and  I have been thinking about them ever since.  I decided not to tell the kids the name of them to see if they liked the flavor.
They are espresso-chocolate shortbread cookies.  I love the whole process of these.  Again, another slice and bake where the dough can be made ahead of time.  All three of my kids loved them.  My eight year old knew instantly that they were coffee flavored.  My twelve year old said he never tasted that flavor, but loved it.  Hmm. 
The recipe calls for instant espresso.  I didn't buy anything fancy, just Folgers, decaf.  It actually smelled so good I had to make myself a cup.  Really.  I used to drink Folgers instant coffee in my dorm my freshman year of college.  It tasted really great.  I don't know if it was the coffee or the memories.
Without a doubt, this was one of the best cookies.  The only problem is that it didn't make enough.  Next time I will definitely double the recipe.

for their baskets

First of all, I want to thank you for all the nice words on my sewing skills!  You sure know how to make a girl feel good, and I like how you let me know not to be so hard on myself.  Imperfections can be part of the handmade charm.  I know I need to work on that.  
I wanted to make something for my kids easter baskets and originally thought I might knit these.  However, I thought they may require too much time.  Precious time that should be spent working on Ruby.
Kim also made some of these cute little birds and mentioned they took an hour each.  Perfect.
The pattern is here, designed by curlypurly.
I used scraps of cotton yarn with the same gauge.  They are easy, quick and fun.  And,  guess what?  You still have time to make some before easter!