...actually, it was rather good! I'm very proud of my first pumpkin pie, my ever trusty mini cheesecakes werent so great, but that's because I neglected to specially buy 2% milk instead of the skim milk DH prefers, so they didnt set so well, everyone was too full anyway to miss them ~ and the pumpkin pie was a hit.
Didnt really bother messing with the "black friday" deals...this is going to be a "light" Christmas with my family any way because of everyone's financial situation, so there really was no need to get bumped and bruised in order to save a few bucks - plus, I think most everyone is expecting handknits anyway ~at least they should be ;)
I am making incredible progress on child cardigan #1, this is my first major branching off from a pattern, I'm only very loosely following the structure of a cardigan shape I really liked, but changed the stitch pattern, I'm pretty excited about it, but the colors are "jumping" off it differently than I'd planned so now it looks more peach than pink. Then followed the debate whether to continue the striping pattern onto the sleeves, but I really wanted something to "pull" the pink back into attention, so I think I'm leaving the sleeves just pink stockinette, which I think will do the trick. Now to decide if child cardigan #2 will be purple, purple/white, purple/varigated, or purple/pink...tune in next time to find out :)
Nov 26, 2005
Nov 23, 2005
Easy as...Pumpkin Pie?
I decided to be industrious this year, and instead of buying the Pumpkin Pie I'm supposed to bring to the feast tomorrow, I would make one...easy enough right? Just follow the directions...
Well, I'm proud to say that I followed the filling directions to the "t" and it smells and looks quite yummy ~ I merely neglected to follow the pie crust suggestion (really should be a rule) to use a glass pie dish (because I wanted to be able to leave the pie at my SIL's if they want it - I'm making another one just for us...shh) So, I bought the ever trusty foil pie tins...now I should have caught on as I was pouring in the evaporated milk that this is a "soupy" situation, not to be entrusted in foil; but no, I have to learn the hard way...
Thankfully, I'm (and my floor/counter) only wearing a small portion of my pie filling, I was humble enough to admit defeat before complete disaster, and discovered that the foil tin fits snuggly inside my glass pie dish - disaster avoided and I'm doing my best to not cry over spilt pie filling ~ I'll just tell the "world" about it instead :)
The other good news is that I decided to wait to make the 2nd pie until after we saw the finished result of the 1st one (just in case I need backup). Also, the other dessert I'm making I can do in my sleep, so no worries there :yay: So, tonight I'll finish up my mini cheesecakes, and tomorrow morning I'll do the green bean casserole, and then put on some "big pants" and gorge ;)
I am pretty excited as this will be Gracie's 1st Thanksgiving where she gets to actually take part in the spoils (and not just get it 2nd hand through me), it should be fun watching how she responds to all the hub-bub.
On to knitting news, ***hold on, gotta put the foil around the crust ~ ouch!!! why didnt I understand how necessary a pie shield is? A good number of my fingers are now overly toasty from trying to figure out how to get the foil around the crust now that I'm using the stupid pie dish with handles...ugh, at least the mission is nearly accomplished and hopefully my crust wont get too burnt *** I got my latest issue of Creative Knitting in the mail yesterday and there are quite a few new additions to my "to-do" list thanks to their latest publication ;) The good news is I have enough yarn stashed away to get me started on quite a few of them before I need to go say "honey, ..."
I also have most of my Holiday knitting settled, I cant disclose who gets what yet because I have random family members who drop by here, but I may play a little "guess what I finished" and if they want to figure it out that's their problem ;) (I will do a final project break down- after the Holidays - and who got what ~ because I know you care)
I'll try to get some pictures up this weekend, I'm just not motivated right now to take pictures because I'm so darn busy knitting when the toddler's napping...and she is very demanding right now when she is awake (we have already entered tantrum mode and she's only 17 months) I think most of the problem is due to the fact that she doesnt speak (understandable) english yet, so we have a communication barrier.
Well, I'd better get back to one of my various UFO's (I truly have them scattered all about, in very random stages, and my sanity is basically being held together by the index cards each project is assigned (thanks Mel)).
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Well, I'm proud to say that I followed the filling directions to the "t" and it smells and looks quite yummy ~ I merely neglected to follow the pie crust suggestion (really should be a rule) to use a glass pie dish (because I wanted to be able to leave the pie at my SIL's if they want it - I'm making another one just for us...shh) So, I bought the ever trusty foil pie tins...now I should have caught on as I was pouring in the evaporated milk that this is a "soupy" situation, not to be entrusted in foil; but no, I have to learn the hard way...
Thankfully, I'm (and my floor/counter) only wearing a small portion of my pie filling, I was humble enough to admit defeat before complete disaster, and discovered that the foil tin fits snuggly inside my glass pie dish - disaster avoided and I'm doing my best to not cry over spilt pie filling ~ I'll just tell the "world" about it instead :)
The other good news is that I decided to wait to make the 2nd pie until after we saw the finished result of the 1st one (just in case I need backup). Also, the other dessert I'm making I can do in my sleep, so no worries there :yay: So, tonight I'll finish up my mini cheesecakes, and tomorrow morning I'll do the green bean casserole, and then put on some "big pants" and gorge ;)
I am pretty excited as this will be Gracie's 1st Thanksgiving where she gets to actually take part in the spoils (and not just get it 2nd hand through me), it should be fun watching how she responds to all the hub-bub.
On to knitting news, ***hold on, gotta put the foil around the crust ~ ouch!!! why didnt I understand how necessary a pie shield is? A good number of my fingers are now overly toasty from trying to figure out how to get the foil around the crust now that I'm using the stupid pie dish with handles...ugh, at least the mission is nearly accomplished and hopefully my crust wont get too burnt *** I got my latest issue of Creative Knitting in the mail yesterday and there are quite a few new additions to my "to-do" list thanks to their latest publication ;) The good news is I have enough yarn stashed away to get me started on quite a few of them before I need to go say "honey, ..."
I also have most of my Holiday knitting settled, I cant disclose who gets what yet because I have random family members who drop by here, but I may play a little "guess what I finished" and if they want to figure it out that's their problem ;) (I will do a final project break down- after the Holidays - and who got what ~ because I know you care)
I'll try to get some pictures up this weekend, I'm just not motivated right now to take pictures because I'm so darn busy knitting when the toddler's napping...and she is very demanding right now when she is awake (we have already entered tantrum mode and she's only 17 months) I think most of the problem is due to the fact that she doesnt speak (understandable) english yet, so we have a communication barrier.
Well, I'd better get back to one of my various UFO's (I truly have them scattered all about, in very random stages, and my sanity is basically being held together by the index cards each project is assigned (thanks Mel)).
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Nov 8, 2005
I'm a Squib !?!
***to jump to knitting content, look for the bold print***
So, I came across one of the various "Sorting Hats" (from Harry Potter) and the one at okcupid declared me a Squib.
Squib
You scored 8% Slytherin, 44% Ravenclaw, 44% Gryffindor, and 28% Hufflepuff!
Are you sure that you belong at Hogwarts? You show no defined personal characteristics and therefore no house preference. Perhaps you should seriously consider a lucrative career in dentistry or tax preparation -- or allow the Sorting Hat to redetermine your place at a later date.
Once I recovered from my shock, and actually read the results...I find it hard to deny. I really do equally identify with Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, am ambivalent about Hufflepuff, and dont care much for Slytherin...and Hagrid's not too bad off, he still got to stay at Hogwarts ;) Although I dont get how a less than 50% identification with a house makes me a squib...
The funniest part is that just before I met DH, I had finally gotten my college career on track to be an accountant (which is on hold and/or I will pursue real estate once the kids are in school).
Later on, I came across another Sorting Hat, and it placed me in Gryffindor...so who knows. I am excited about the new movie, and my muggle hubby even said he wants to see this one ~ so I may not have to see it alone after all.
**********************************************************
On to knitting...well, I'm actually avoiding my knitting right now, I started working on Fall (05) Vogue #4 this afternoon, but felt guilty for not finishing the last mitten and seaming up the ensemble, so I finished the other sleeve/side seam during House, and then the poop hit the fan when I started seaming the first mitten. I tried to just backstitch the seam, but it looks HORRIBLE, and my efforts to pull out this seam ended in the mitten flying across the room and me escaping to the computer, hoping for a distraction while my blood pressure resumes normal levels. I used the blue yarn for the "finger-tip" portion of the mitten, and if you noticed in yesterday's pictures, the pink and blue are speckled with the cream color and now I cannot "find" the seam I just put in. So I'm going to either have to wait for better light tomorrow or just give up and redo what I did manage to pull out and figure no one else will notice the goofy seam anyway, Gracie moves too fast.
Well, I feel better now, I'm off to watch Beyond the Sea, and either work on mitten 2 or Vogue #4.
So, I came across one of the various "Sorting Hats" (from Harry Potter) and the one at okcupid declared me a Squib.
Squib
You scored 8% Slytherin, 44% Ravenclaw, 44% Gryffindor, and 28% Hufflepuff!
Are you sure that you belong at Hogwarts? You show no defined personal characteristics and therefore no house preference. Perhaps you should seriously consider a lucrative career in dentistry or tax preparation -- or allow the Sorting Hat to redetermine your place at a later date.
Once I recovered from my shock, and actually read the results...I find it hard to deny. I really do equally identify with Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, am ambivalent about Hufflepuff, and dont care much for Slytherin...and Hagrid's not too bad off, he still got to stay at Hogwarts ;) Although I dont get how a less than 50% identification with a house makes me a squib...
The funniest part is that just before I met DH, I had finally gotten my college career on track to be an accountant (which is on hold and/or I will pursue real estate once the kids are in school).
Later on, I came across another Sorting Hat, and it placed me in Gryffindor...so who knows. I am excited about the new movie, and my muggle hubby even said he wants to see this one ~ so I may not have to see it alone after all.
**********************************************************
On to knitting...well, I'm actually avoiding my knitting right now, I started working on Fall (05) Vogue #4 this afternoon, but felt guilty for not finishing the last mitten and seaming up the ensemble, so I finished the other sleeve/side seam during House, and then the poop hit the fan when I started seaming the first mitten. I tried to just backstitch the seam, but it looks HORRIBLE, and my efforts to pull out this seam ended in the mitten flying across the room and me escaping to the computer, hoping for a distraction while my blood pressure resumes normal levels. I used the blue yarn for the "finger-tip" portion of the mitten, and if you noticed in yesterday's pictures, the pink and blue are speckled with the cream color and now I cannot "find" the seam I just put in. So I'm going to either have to wait for better light tomorrow or just give up and redo what I did manage to pull out and figure no one else will notice the goofy seam anyway, Gracie moves too fast.
Well, I feel better now, I'm off to watch Beyond the Sea, and either work on mitten 2 or Vogue #4.
Nov 7, 2005
Coordinating set in progress...
I am finally in the home stretch of finishing Grace's Cardigan/Hat/Mitten set...what started as just her new fall sweater has turned into an ensemble. This wasnt necessarily planned, the yarn just keeps stretching into each new project. I still cannot get over how I had 2 coordinating yarns in my stash...finally I have succeeded in knitting a project without having to run out to a store ~ oh shoot, I still have to go get a zipper for the cardigan (or I could alter the pattern, add a button band, and finally have a complete stash buster) ...hmm, I'll have to think on that one - if anyone who stops by has an opinion on this, please share.
I dont think I've shared the prospective stats on this project, I'm doing the Accordion pattern from knitty, with the yarn I was RAOK'd by Stephanie as the main color and stash busted my way through the contrasting colors (perfectly). As I realized there was going to be plenty of yarn left over, I began a hat from adorable knits for tots (earflap hat pg 120) and then flipped over a few pages (as there was still certainly a sufficient amount of yarn) to work up some mittens (pg 130). If there is still yarn left over, I may have to finish with a scarf, but I'm not counting on it.
Here are some [not very artistic] in progress photos:
1st The Ensemble
The "original" project
Her Earflap Hat
And, finally, one lonely nearly finished mitten
Well, I'm off to see what I can get done on the last mitten before my eyes/patience send me to bed ;) Hope your week is off to a good start!
I dont think I've shared the prospective stats on this project, I'm doing the Accordion pattern from knitty, with the yarn I was RAOK'd by Stephanie as the main color and stash busted my way through the contrasting colors (perfectly). As I realized there was going to be plenty of yarn left over, I began a hat from adorable knits for tots (earflap hat pg 120) and then flipped over a few pages (as there was still certainly a sufficient amount of yarn) to work up some mittens (pg 130). If there is still yarn left over, I may have to finish with a scarf, but I'm not counting on it.
Here are some [not very artistic] in progress photos:
1st The Ensemble
The "original" project
Her Earflap Hat
And, finally, one lonely nearly finished mitten
Well, I'm off to see what I can get done on the last mitten before my eyes/patience send me to bed ;) Hope your week is off to a good start!
Nov 3, 2005
Hoppy Halloween!
I know its not Halloween any more, but I can only use the computer (at night) on Thursday nights, when hubby is distracted at poker.
So...without further ado, here's my little baby bunny:
Here's her close-up:
A view from the rear:
Just the 2 of us:
And, not to be left out, our pumpkin:
Why yes, that is a hand knit bunny suit for my little girl. The pattern can be found here, because the yarn is discontinued, I used Lionbrand Woolease Thick & Quick in Pewter that I got on clearance at Joann's (can you say stash-buster?) It took me about 4 days to complete...its hard to say because I gave up multiple times worrying that the woolblend suit would be too warm and settled with leaving the arms off for ventilation (which worked quite well, and of course we had a cold spell which really helped). I also did not enclose the feet because we had considered actually trick-or-treating and I needed her feet to fit in her shoes. It ended up raining so that made up my mind to stay inside (she doesnt know any better).
The pumpkin was expertly carved by the hubby, he did a pretty darn good job. We did have 2 pumpkins, there was a baby one too, but it was too little for the candle and was trying to burn up so I blew it out before we got a pic.
Well, that's all for now :)
So...without further ado, here's my little baby bunny:
Here's her close-up:
A view from the rear:
Just the 2 of us:
And, not to be left out, our pumpkin:
Why yes, that is a hand knit bunny suit for my little girl. The pattern can be found here, because the yarn is discontinued, I used Lionbrand Woolease Thick & Quick in Pewter that I got on clearance at Joann's (can you say stash-buster?) It took me about 4 days to complete...its hard to say because I gave up multiple times worrying that the woolblend suit would be too warm and settled with leaving the arms off for ventilation (which worked quite well, and of course we had a cold spell which really helped). I also did not enclose the feet because we had considered actually trick-or-treating and I needed her feet to fit in her shoes. It ended up raining so that made up my mind to stay inside (she doesnt know any better).
The pumpkin was expertly carved by the hubby, he did a pretty darn good job. We did have 2 pumpkins, there was a baby one too, but it was too little for the candle and was trying to burn up so I blew it out before we got a pic.
Well, that's all for now :)
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