A Great Find

I found this great crochet book in the thrift store last week, it was published in 1989. Once I got past everyone's hair dos I noticed there are some really GREAT sweaters in there. The book was translated to English, so the patterns are going to take a little to figure out, but I think they will be well worth it. Of course all of their sweaters are made with such wonderful (expensive) yarns, that mine will probably never look like theirs, it's so hard for me to splurge on yarn and then worry that I'll ruin it, or worse never make anything with it.


So I thought I would try some sweaters out first with some yarn from my stash. This is some Bernat baby yarn, not fingering weight like they suggest, but I think it will work, and since it will be for my grandson who will be a size 4T next winter, it just may work. If not I don't think I'll be out a lot of $.
Here's the example of the "cable" as the book calls it for this sweater. There are so many cabled sweaters in here. So as soon as I finish knitting my socks (almost done), my sons afghan for his birthday, my moms slippers for mothers day, I think I'll start some sweaters. It's so hard not to start now, but I just don't dare start one more project without finishing up at least one of the others!

Spring Has Sprung, Tulip Throw

I made this throw for my sisters birthday. I used Bernat Softee Chunkee yarn, which I just love. But towards the end I ran out of yellow, and could not find any for weeks. I finally emailed Bernat and was told it was discontinued. I almost gave up on this, then I found 2 skeins in Canada through the internet. So I ordered both of them along with some red, and quickly went to the store and got the other colors so I could make another throw. This works up so fast and easy I can't wait to make another one. I'd like to do one in light and dark purples too, so I'll be on the look-out for another brand of chunky yarn.

It's cool how they really look like rows of tulips.

The pattern is from Moda Dea, which is another discontinued yarn (why do they do that!) But here is the link to the pattern: http://www.coatsandclark.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=58&page_id=12323072&query=tulip+throw&hiword=THROWN+THROWS+TULIPS+throw+tulip+

Hello, Cupcake!

2010 and this is my first post of the year..............where have I been?! Seems like I'm always working on a project, but I guess my blog wasn't one of those. I have a few things all coming together shortly. These cupcake hats I just finished. I was commissioned to make one for a woman's new grand daughter, while crocheting up the one I just got carried away, so now I have a variety of sizes. I changed the edge where the "icing" meets the cake, I like it a lot better now that it "drips" over the edge. When I was working on these I was thinking how cute this pattern would be as a potholder, but I need to finish a couple other projects first.

These are so cute on little girls, but I did make an adult size one too! Now I think I'll go bake.....

Autumns Baby Shower

I was glad to be here to help with Autumns shower, just wish I would have been set up in my own house prior.
Not a very good picture of the cupcakes, but they were chocolate with white ganache filling.

This was the first try at a diaper cake, really wasn't that hard, and I liked the results.

The baby blanket I crocheted, everytime I do squares I swear that will be the last time. And these were 3 inch ones, so it seemed like I had to make a million, but the results were worth it.

A few minutes

I've been so busy this summer, when I get a chance to sit and crochet or knit I have been working on my daughters baby blanket (sure hope we're having a girl), but when that gets boring and I want to whip out something quick I go for hats. I love this swirl design, while working on the hat I came up with the mitten idea, and while working on the mittens I came up with the bootie idea. I love these red hats and mittens, I think Kyler and Danny will look good in matching caps this winter.
Here's the bootie and hat one, I think I'll make more in brighter colors when I can get to some more yarn!

Mis-matched

Really, I've been knitting this summer, but I can't seem to make more then 1 sock, then I want to go on to another one! What's with that! I am making myself finish the footie sock though, it's for our friend Chase, man he has big feet! Slowly but surely! I love the blue stripped yarn and I'm planning on keeping this pair (if it's ever finished) for me!!!!

Scruffins?

I got this recipe from the Good Things Catered blog. I had been calling them Scruffins, then I went to make a copy of the recipe for a friend and Frank noticed that they are not Scruffins, but Scuffins! Makes more sense since they are a cross between a muffin and a scone, no "r" in there anywhere! Good Things Catered had them as lemon poppy seed, but I changed it to blueberry lemon. They all got great reviews from the customers on our charters last week, and from our friends over the week-end.
Not such a great picture, but here's the great recipe:

Lemon Poppy Seed Scuffins

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbsp butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 egg
1/4 c. yogurt
1/2 c. cream
1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tsp poppy seeds

powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment.
-In small bowl, combine egg, yogurt, cream, lemon juice, zest, extracts and whisk to combine thoroughly; set aside.
-In large bowl combine flour, sugar, powder, salt, poppy seeds and whisk to combine.
-Using pastry cutter or two knives, cut butter into flour until all pieces are smaller than pea-sized.
-Add wet ingredients to dry and mix in lightly with fork until dough just comes together.
-Using cookie scoop or hands, grab loose balls of dough and place onto prepared baking sheet.
-Place baking sheet in the oven.
-Bake until turn slightly brown, about 20-25 minutes.
-Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.
-Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
-Dust with powdered sugar and serve.