The Photoless Edition...a blogging 'quickie'!

HEY! All my links in the side bar (well, just about all...) have disappeared! What's up with that? I need some serious help! Rocky, if you are reading this, are you able to check or fix my margins? I think that's why alot of stuff won't fit in the sidebar and don't show up.

I'm also thinking perhaps some of my other stuff somehow got erased when I was in that stupid "Edit Html" mode! (Thanks for the help on that, guys!)

OK, will post more later. I have the new fingerless Syvia Harding mitts nearly completed. No progress on the Count Clucks, as the progress seems to keep going backwards then forwards. You know, the ebb and flow effect?

Oh, and one other thing: if you are ever in Oakland-do NOT eat at Ozumo! I will fill you in on my horrible experience at that place later! Lucky for you, Dear Readers, that I have calmed down since and probably won't spout off and go on and on nearly as much as I might have a day ago...

Obsessive Knitting...that will make you GREEN with ENVY!!!

OK, so I just spoiled for anyone in the Seven Deadly Spins Club! It was a 50/50 chance we'd be getting Envy and not Lust, but I figured most of you know I'm not the blog to go to if avoiding spoilers. Besides, I think most of us have our kits anyway!

In case I have just spoiled and you don't want to see anymore, do not read further. I will do a little spacing inbetween this portion and the pic...



SPOILER WARNING!!!!



SPOILER WARNING!!!!




SPOILER WARNING!!!!


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I received my 7 Deadly Spins Kit yesterday morning. It is so gorgeous that I HAD to cast-on for this one immediately: fingerless beaded gloves! A Syvia Harding pattern paired with gorgeous "Houseblend" yarn for the Unique Sheep, dyed in a beautiful "Celedon Green" (that's how *I'm* describing it!) color!

This kit came complete with beads and hook. We also got a green pen and hand lotion!

So I have been obsessed with working on these and am having a hard time putting them down-and believe me, I need to since I need to be working on housework! But they are so addictive it's not even funny!


It is a DK weight yarn of alpaca, silk and I think merino. Very soft and very luscious!

And guess who's in town? It's my canine neice, Nico!!!

And a last picture to share of Lil' Emp's picture he took today...

He caught a pic of the squirrel we'd seen in the park today, after it had been scared up the tree. The Emp had fun using the camera at the aquarium today; we stopped by there for a couple of hours to check it out. We got in on our family pass, so it was a quick in and out for a short visit.

Where does the weekend go, I ask?!

The Leyburn Edition...

It's the LEYBURN EDITION!!!

But first, I have to ask you other eBloggers: when you add pics to your post, are you only seeing the coding rather than the pic in your draft post? I have to ask cuz I used to get a view of the pic, and I would cut and paste them around; now I'm getting the coding for the pic and I can't tell which it is (when I load more than one pic) without first previewing. Highly inconvenient for someone like me! So either I accidentally changed a setting, or Blogger has changed how we view our drafts!

And now, on to the post...So I finally finished my first pair of Leyburns, done in lightweight, cuff-down. I will confess to you that these do not match. At all. The cuffs on the second are a good 3/4" shorter than the first!

I think that what happened is when I was at Purlescence, I was so close to working on the heel flap, that I assumed I was up to that point and just forged through without double-checking it to my first sock! Either that, or when I checked the two, I hadn't aligned them properly.

Admittedly, I did notice half-way into the foot and even considered tearing back. But when I tried them on together, I decided they weren't that obviously different in length. So I plugged on. I ended up with a different number of stitches at the end and shaped the toe a tad differently, too. What can I say? I can be that way. Alot.




So I am happy to report that I also started my second pair of Leyburn! This pair is using medium weight (I assume all of you know these are both Socks that Rock, but I suppose I should say so...after all, *someone* may read this who doesn't know these are all about Socks that Rock since they are both being knit as part of our massive Ravelry Socks that Rawk Leyburn KAL...)Socks that Rock in the Count Cluckula colorway that I immediately fell in love with when it was first released!

I brought it to the zoo on Monday so that I could take a picture of it in the sunlight. The colors got a bit too bleached out by the daylight, but what the heck...



And progress-to-date, since I just took this pic this evening! Nartian can attest to the fact that these were further along this morning. I realized that perhaps the "norwegian heel" I was trying out was a bit too short and the gusset a bit too small. So I tore the puppy back. Torn back after a beautifully gorgeous heel turn that I was so proud of! And a lovely heel flap so nicely attached, too-now gone! But it goes to show that I'm not always so bad and lazy in the frogging department. I'm just a selective frogger is all...



ETA: so I just looked at my post and see that the pictures I took of the Count Cluckula look quite similar in color!-lol! Go figure! OK, so they look much like that, I guess. Actually, I would say a tad darker, but maybe Nartian will comment on that, since she sees them in person often! ;)

I feel like this today!

And perhaps later I will have time to show my finished Leyburns!

It's ba-ack!...The Stinkin' Quick Crocheted Neckwarmer

So I previously posted my crocheted neckwarmer in the last post. It's not a big deal, but I'm so impressed with what a quick crochet it was and how lovely the stitch pattern crocheted up that I thought I'd share.

Ravelry doesn't want me putting the instructions in my notes section of the project, so I'm posting it here. Maybe you'd be interested, maybe not. But I thought I'd share anyway.


If it is illegal for me to post a stitch pattern, let me know. And there will be no more free pattern!



Here is my "pattern":

The Stinkin' Quick Crocheted Neckwarmer
I was delighted to find this stitch pattern out of a Crochet Dictionary I had lying around. It is the "pattern stitch 71, "Osier Stitch" found in "The New Crochet Dictionary" by Rhoda Ochser Goldberg, a Crown Trade Paperbacks publication copywrite 1986.





Chain 24 (Foundation chain row)
Row 1: Ch3, (1dc, ch2, 1sc) in first st, *skip 2 sts, (2dc, ch2, 1sc) in next st* rep *to*
Row 2: Ch2, *(2dc, ch2, 1sc) in ch space*, rep *to*
Repeat row 2 for pattern.

I just kept crocheting the pattern until I nearly ran out of yarn (or to desired length around), then used a single crochet to seam the ends together.

This was such a quick project! Only one repeatitive row and easy to memorize-this was completed in one day (2 spurts of very limited crocheting time!)

The Crochet Edition...

I am very pleased with myself. I started, well...an unknown project, supposedly a scarf. I started my project yesterday and I finished it TODAY! Due to lack of yarn, it really ended up being a neckwarmer, but I'm very happy with it!

You see, there is a woman on Ravelry who decided to sell a bunch of purple scarves to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer research. Thread is here. I offered to send her some purple yarn and in addition to snagging up purple yarn from generous souls at Purlescence Yarns Sunday, I thought it would be nice to perhaps make a scarf to contribute, as well. Among the purple castaways was a mohair-ish (yes, the stuff I'm allergic to!) nubby-light yarn, seemingly DK weight that someone threw at me as I stuffed the last of the purple yarn into a bag.

I decided that I would use it to make a scarf to include. It was just the one skein.

Faced with the prospect of starting yet another project, and seeking a 'quick fix', I decided to crochet a scarf with this skein.

Long story longer...the pattern I chose from Rav seemed to be missing a part of one of the rows in the instructions. I had to rip this glue-grip hold mohair back a few inches and dug through this crappy old crochet book I had picked up from some second-hand somesuch place.



Low and behold, a WONDERFUL crocheted stitch! See for yourselves...



Once you crochet the set-up row and knit the second, the rest is all a repeat of the same row 2! Gotta love that!

In the long-run, I didn't have nearly the amount necessary for a scarf. So I seamed it and made a neckwarmer! Ta-DUH!

I'm not so lazy afterall...

Because I not only finished that baby hat to send, but decided that yes, I would make some booties to go with.

The "Ruth's Perfect Baby Booties" was a great pattern to use , thougn it is knit flat and annoying to seam. Well, that is for me who seldom seams so each time seems like a grand adventure. Sure, I've learned seaming and oohed and ahhhhed at how wonderfully nice my seams look every time I have seamed swatches in various workshops and classes. Funny-seems that every TKGA class, no matter what the title, always touched on seaming!

Anyways, I seamed BOTH booties before realizing that-oops!-the cuff folds over and the seam is not showing! I seriously contemplated leaving it, but as if it isn't enough pressure making knit items for other knitters, this is for the baby of a very accomplished, amazing knitter! So I undid. And re-seamed. And it isn't an impressive seaming job, but at least it wasn't the crap that I had originally.

So now the big challenge is to get these sent out before the baby outgrows it!



And now to indulge Purple Rain Knitter...

I went to Article Pract and was so proud of myself since I only purchased some basic yarn to make a hat for my cousin-in-law. But as I was walking out of the store, this roving caught my eye. Those of you familiar with Pigeon Roof Studios would recognize her work straight-off, and I did...! And, of course, despite Nartian chanting, 'Sock camp, sock camp..." at me, I about-faced and brought it straight to the cash register and bought it! The colorway is "Harlequin"...



And Purlescence was having a de-stash event yesterday. I of course had to go so I could spend 'quality time' with Nartian and see IrishGirlie who I'd not seen in a while! Well, ok, I was also on a quest to possibly get rid of some yarn and to snag up a skein of STR in Basan or Scaponia. When I first thought Basan was sold out, I reasoned with IrishGirlie that the Dream in Color semi-solid (this one, in "Cinnamon Girl")Nathania had tempted us with was all I needed and a wiser purchase (the reasoning being-it's worsted weight and would therefore have a better chance of getting knit up; if not for me, then as a quick gift knit...). Wouldn't you know-no sooner have I made the purchase, Irishgirlie says, "Look what I found!" Yeah...seriously. I was being called on the carpet. Afterall, was not a large part of my quest to acquire such fine colorway that is, Basan?...



Seriously, though...as if the colorways are not gorgeous enough in their skein form, once you see some of them knit-up, they become these incredible must-get yarns!

As for the destash yarn I came away with? Well...I will have to save that for another time. But I am being held accountable for the use of it, so I will definitely have to follow up on that!

Another decadent recipe-or so I am told...!

My cousin reported having read my blog and mustering up the nerve to try making the Turtle bars. She had success, so basically, me and my quilting buddies have forgotten to bake! Either that or we all have bad karma. Or maybe we are so into quilting/knitting that we lost the baking edge!

At any rate, she asked if I had any other recipes to pass on. I told her that she needed to send me some of the turtle bars so I could confirm they came out. I am yet to get them!

But alas, JustJen at Rav (and fellow Sock Camper) sent some reportedly decadent brownies to Blue Moon Fiber Arts. Tina blogged about it, which caused such a stir that Jen pasted it right into the comments. So here is Jen's recipe, in case you are not in the Rockin' Sock Club and/or do not read the blog...

Caramel-Pecan Brownies aka Eeeeeevil Brownies
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour (Yeah, I know. More sugar than flour.)
1 package (14 ounces) caramel squares*
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups pecan pieces, divided (walnuts work, too)
1 12-oz package (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
* You’re not s’posed to eat ‘em while you unwrap them. Really. (I buy ‘em in bulk and use my yarn scale to weigh out 14 oz.)
1. Preheat oven to 350 (325 for glass dish). Line 13×9 baking dish with foil extending over edges to form handles. Do NOT skip this step, because the caramel will try to meld with the side of the pan. You can peel the foil off of the caramel layer. It’s difficult to peel the pan off.
- Coat foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large microwave-safe bowl, microwave unsweetened chocolate and butter on High for 2 minutes, or until butter is melted.
- Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir sugar into chocolate mixture until well blended.
- Mix in eggs.
- Stir in flour.
- Spread half of batter into pan.
3. Bake 25 minutes, or until firm to touch. (It’s about 20 min., in my oven.)
- Meanwhile, in another microwave-safe bowl, microwave caramels and cream on High for 2 minutes, or until caramels begin to melt.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Stir in 1 cup nuts.
- Gently spread caramel mixture over baked brownie in pan.
- Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Pour remaining batter evenly over caramel mixture, sprinkle with remaining nuts (some caramel may peek through).
4. Bake 30 minutes or until firm to touch. (It’s about 35 min., in my oven)
- Cool in pan.
- Run knife around edge of pan.
- Lift from pan using foil as handles.
- Cut into squares and hide from everyone in the house!


So I promised Purple Rain Knitter a view of my recent purchases, since I was at Article Pract last week and happened to go to Purlescence, too! I need to take the pics and load them, then I shall indulge my dear Purple Rain Knitter!

Knitting in the New Year

Ha! I have started my Moebius of Peace! And when I think of peace lately, the Natalie Merchant version of Peace Train runs through my head. Oh...and the repetitive mass verbiage: "Go in Peace"... "Peace be with You" (and when Disco has said that, my automatic mental response was, "And also with you."!-lol! Sorry, some things just get pounded into memory and are rote responses that are trained into our brains in Catholic school!)

But here you have it...my first ever moebius...

This is a combination of Cotton Twist in an apple green, combined with some hand-painted nubby stuff of which I forget what it is called and what company dyed it. All I know is that I got it about a year and a half ago in Sacramento while up there for PTA convention at Rumplestelskein.

I think I had also mentioned gift knitting still in progress...

Yet another cowl out of a silk tweed aran, using the same lattice lace pattern as the "Green Cowl Gone Wrong" I had earlier made, based on the Cafe Latte mitts. Still a bit early to see the patterning.

And I told you about the Ravelry Cake and the Bring Back the Cake group? Well, there was a thread suggesting a cake KAL/CAL. I was planning on participating, then we got the cake back. I am still knitting up a cake to send to Casey-this time as a thank you, rather than a boo-hoo...

Yes, it is acrylic yarn! Vanna's Choice and as much as many don't like even Vanna's but for knitting, I am finding it pleasant to knit. Not like wool, but definitely not horrible for knitting.

And a little progress on the Leyburn KAL socks:

BMFA Socks that Rock lightweight in Seal Rock!

I finished this before Christmas, but left it at Lil' Emps' school in a cabinet. (Gads, I hate this ADA Upgrade project! The office and faculty lounge are in two separate bungalows and I forget things when they are spread out in two locations!) This is knit with some of the Malabrigo Privada I had gotten and grown to love! I should make matching booties, but I'm afraid they won't get done if I do!

A gift for a special baby that was born before Christmas.
I need to wrap it and send it out with some other goodies. (ETA: this is the Jester Hat found for free on Ravelry, written for Bulky yarn, but I knit in worsted to make it smaller) I lengthened the ribbing
and stockinette in hopes this will make for a more versatile had that can be worn longer.

And this concludes the current 'focus' projects for the time being! Thanks for stopping by to see what's up!

Knit in Peace!

So the wonderful Tina of Blue Moon Fiber Arts has put out a call to knit peace, and I want to pass on her message...

http://blog.bluemoonfiberarts.com/site/entry/a_call_to_knitpeace/

As we often sang in school..., "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me..."

We all take in the message and wish so hard for things to be better. Different. Acceptance of our diffferences; love and appreciation for all that is different. And an end to all things that are hurtful to others-including social injustices, judgemet, blame. And the wish that we could all strive to take the high road and do no harm.

So let's all work on this together! Or should I say 'knit' on this together? Collectively we can make a difference. Sometimes it is just stepping back and thinking before we 'react'. Often we do or say hurtful things as a reaction to something we found hurtful in some way. If we take a moment to think about how we want to approach things, we can somtimes do the positive- extend kindness-or even the courage to say 'sorry'. I know I have, and I have reaped positive from what would have otherwise been negative.

All I am saying..."is give peace a chance..."
Peace Out.
Peace, Man, Peace.
Knit, Man, Knit!

A New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2009 has begun and, as always, I never make resolutions. But in a way, an incidental resolution occurred since I was at a local "beauty" store yesterday, taking advantage of their 25% off coupon that expired yesterday. I ended up with a bag full of face products so I resolved that I would do my best to follow my aestheticians recommendations and USE this stuff DAILY, as prescribed!-lol! I'm really feeling my age cuz I have now moved up to serums for "aging skin", whiteners and other such treatments! Suffice to say I spent waaaay more than I intended-but saved a goodly amount! So what I saved in yarn, I spent in face product! But, as we used to say when I sold Mary Kay, 'good looks begin with good skin' ...or something along those lines!

Though my gift knitting continues, I started on the Leyburn STR KAL because I could no longer resist the gorgeous skein of Seal Rock that was calling out to me! If you want in on this, pop over to the Rav Socks That Rawk! group! The thread is stickied to the top, so you can't miss it! The Socks that Rawk group is a great group and I tend to prefer it over the "Rockin' Sock Club" group someone started over at Rav. It may be just cuz Nartian, Irish Girlie and I are all on the Socks that Rawk group more than the other. Or maybe cuz TurtleGirl is such an awesome Mod that we love! Anyways, there is no deadline to join the KAL and what is fun is we are all knitting the pattern using different colorways of STR! (YAY, STR!!!)



OH...and the cowl I started for my bro's gf is done! I named it "Southwestern Flair". I picked this CP yarn called "Kaya" because it looked like a yarn she'd like (she likes red); since it stripes, I thought the texture looked kinda southwestern (and she is from Albequerque), so I went with it! Her style is kinda mod and the reds she tends to go for are more true tomatoe red, so I hope she likes this anyway!-lol!

If anyone cares, I will write up this pattern and post later. Easy peasy but I would have probably made it a bit smaller than it ended up.

I hope that 2009 has started off well for all of you! I think that with the completion of one project yesterday and only starting the Leyburns, I am doing pretty well. And I'll be working on the dark age spots!-lol! ;)

I'm ready...

to be through with gift knitting, that is!

Unfortunately, that is not the case! Instead of ticking items off my list, it seems I have continually added on: the failed cowl that prompted a second, mitts that I should have added on earlier, mitts promised and not completed, socks so badly begged for and I know I can get away without doing for a while...but I have lingering guilt over...

But the do-over cowl is complete:Caera Cowl knit with Claudia Handpainted Worsted Merino
(look familiar IrishGirlie?
This is from one of the first destash skeins I ever purchased from you!)

Then this conversation:

Mom: "so...do you have that hat dad gave to LE to use for Halloween?"
Me: "Yeah, it's around here. I'll find it and give it back."
Mom: "...or you can maybe just knit him one!"
Me: "ok...lemme see what yarn he might like a hat from..."

later that same day after dad has looked through the yarn and made his hat yarn choice...

Mom: "And you can use THIS one for a scarf for ME."
Me: "No, I'm not making you a scarf with that yarn. That's one of my 'men's' colors and I don't have many 'men's colros'."
Mom: "...just a short scarf to go around my neck-but not like the ones that are a loop that you pull over your head..."
Me: "I'll show you what other yarns I have that will be better colors for you..."

And so, my mom who very well knows how to knit got me to commit to making her a neck muffler, too! The hat? Only about 1.5" into it. And another cowl I started for my bro's GF is almost completed. ACK! What am I thinking? Will I ever start on my Leyburn socks for the KAL?

And lookie at some of my Christmas goodies (knitting related ones!):

Shibui alpaca/merino and...my first STR spirit! Thanks Nartian! love (1000)!

And from Little Shit Disturber (LSD), my bud at work, I got this!


And thought I'd treat myself to this for the BMFA sale! I FINALLY have sock blockers!
And STR Jabberwocky lightweight!

And since I had most of my BMFA stash out, I decided to take a What Color is Your STR Stash palette:alot of the kit yarns were not included in this pic and I have a few other stray skeins around that didn't make it in, but it was interesting to see most of it. It would be more interesting to take individual pics and mosaic them for an overall look, but I just didn't have that kind of time tonight! I also left out the 2 Silkie STR and the two Merino/Tencel skeins...

BTW...cake is back! And my Completely Pointless and Arbitarary Group CAKE shirt is on its way!

Another project to add to the Christmas knitting!

Here's a cowl I made for my cousin's daughter:


Yeah, too big. Wide and squatty.

I mean, it wouldn't be bad if it were kinda folded in an elegant way and secured or otherwise clasped with a stick pin. But it's for an 18 yo. I really think she would not be into that look. I was really going for the snugger fitting cowl-look for her.

So I cast on a new one and hope I get it done on time. I have a boy's hat to knit, too, but somehow I think I can get away with the promise of one and knit it later.

And I did it again! I forgot that our WoolGirl sock club (final shipment-boo hoo!!!) was sent out! Oh...lemme do a spoiler warning, in case someone might care...



SPOILER ALERT!!!...

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SPOILER ALERT!!!...



SPOILER ALERT!!!...



SPOILER ALERT!!!...



SPOILER ALERT!!!...



(I'm so proud I thought to do that! But then again, if you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know how I feel about spoilers...the more the merrier!)



Here it is-the final kit!

HazelKnits yarn in "Whispering Pine" colorway, "Pine Cone" pattern,
calendar, a case of awesome"Specially Made by" tags,
a cute, cute leaf stitch marker
...oh-and chocolate!

I love this leaf marker so much that I wanted to take a pic up-close...blurry and I was too lazy to back off for a clearer pic and crop. Oh well. Sue me!


So guess what I was compelled to make yesterday? Homemade eggnog!!! It came out a bit custardy taste-wise, but I think it just lacked that imitation rum flavor that is usually in the stuff I get. So later in the day, I added some rum to prove my theory. It was right.

I so heart eggnog! I forget that my bud, Purple Rain Knitter stalks my blog. And now that I'm on Facebook, she stalks me there! So she gives me an eggnog scone last week! DE-LISH! LOVE! I had forgotten that she actually does see some of the crazy things I 'say' out here in cyberland!

OH...And another item added to my 'to do' list? Knit or crochet a pink and white cake!

IrishGirlieKnits pointed me in the direction of the "Bring Back the Cake" group over at Ravelry. So I now have a Winter Break cause to work on, now that elections are over, there are no outstanding PTA or PPS (Parents for Public Schools)-though everyone's goal this year is 'Closing the Achievment Gap"..., etc...

So I had NO IDEA the cake was gone! How long had it gone missing, I don't know...Apparently a 'bug' in the system, but Casey is our Ravelry God, and all things point to Casey!

Background:

For those of you non-Ravers (or maybe those who just plain weren't aware!), programmer/owner Casey (over at Ravelry, the Knitting and Crochet On-line Mecca) had programmed in these wonderful little icons that would pop up whenever a specific order of letters were posted. The first one I became aware of, and certainly quite the icon of icons (well, except that Killer Rabbit had me going for a bit...) was the cake. "Cake" is quite a cool word since it can also apply to yarn, not just food!

I LOVED that cake! I went crazy over finding out about that cake! Then I learned there were many more icons that would magically appear when the correct letters were put together: wedding cake, pinot noir, tea, hot chocolate, gingerbread, candy cane, hot dog, hamburger... Well, apparently the cake is gone and we can no longer phathom up that piece of cake! I;m so sad and so are many others. Enough so, that the Rav group aforementioned was created.

Thank you, IrishGirlieKnits for knowing I needed this support group!

And here is my current Ravatar:
Let's all hope that the cake returns because..."It's no party...without CAKE!!!"

So what of this new project added on? Glad you asked! I will be participating in the cake KAL/CAL and make a piece of cake to send to Casey! There is a "Let them Knit Cake" pattern and a "Birthday Cake" crocheted pattern to use. Not sure which I'll do. But definitely not til after Christmas...

Try this recipe...

if you get it to work, it is WONDERFUL! I think my friends and I are failing in the carmel making portion!

BUTTER PECAN TURTLE BARS

CRUST
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups pecan halves, coarsely chopped

CARAMEL
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup butter

TOPPING
2 cups milk chocolate chips (approx. a 11.5 oz. bag)
(standard semi-sweet chips should work, too)

Combine flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar and ½ cup butter. Blend until crumbly. Pat firmly onto bottom of ungreased 9 x 13-inch pan. Sprinkle pecan halves over unbaked crust. Set aside.

In small saucepan, combine caramel ingredients - brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Drizzle caramel over pecans and crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until caramel layer is bubbly and crust is light brown. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Spread chips evenly as they melt. Cool completely before cutting.

48 bars

NOTE: After sprinkling on the chocolate chips, I turned off the oven and put the pan back in for 1 minute to speed up melting.

And I neglected to mention...

I was just over at ChickenKnits and read about what she's been up to. Surprisingly, no yarn pr0n! What's up with that?!

But there were lots of cookies shown from her recent SnB Cookie Exchange. And her new haircut. And this meme that I thought I'd copy (yes, it had been a while since I'd had a chance to buzz by her blog...):

Things I've Done (In Bold)

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii (I even got to live there for a bit, since I attended summer school one session!)
5. Watched a meteor shower (I think...sad, I know..)
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain (not any kind of big one...)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo (see 41)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (knocked on wood with that one!)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables (Sadly, no. Even though my grandfather farmed fruit!)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill ("I call them mental health days!"-I agree with ChickenKnits on this one; not physically ill, but needing to not be at work!)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run (in case you haven't figured this out, I am NOT athletic. At all.)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (many time over with direct-sales: "Creative Circle" stitchery kits, Mary Kay...-and failed! )
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen (nope! but I used to deliver and help in the kitchen and Project Open Hands)
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (maybe...)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Pat Morita-you know-"Arnold" from Happy Days-grew up in the area where my grandfather farmed; all Asians out there knew each other! He was "Nori" to them back in the day...)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit (Does the PTA being sued count?-lol)
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant
So it appears that ChickenKnits says she needs to 'travel more'. I need to hit the important landmarks of my own country, I'd say! And I'm very East Coast illiterate!

So I neglected to mention that my quilt group had our big holiday party last week. I'll have to share what I got from my Secret Santa later on. But I had shared with ChickenKnits that fact that there is this wonderful turtle bar recipe one of the ladies in my quilt group makes. Funny thing is: out of the six of us who have attempted making these marvelous bars, NONE of us has been able to succeed! And it's not like we just aren't used of baking! Come on-you guys oughta know that baking and hand crafts go hand in hand and I don't know a hand crafter who can't bake!

So I'm gonna try and dig out that recipe and post it here! And then we'll see how many of you take a poke at it and succeed! (Then maybe you can explain what I did wrong!)

And some other goodies to share...

What could I possibly have been working on at quilt group? Well, this is a quilt I made in my second quilt class (see 72 above...though this was my second...), "Beginning Machine Piecing" way back when ... Pre-Lil'Emp, maybe 10-12 years ago! (YIKES!) I machine pieced it; New Pieces in Berkeley machine quilted all but the large center house block. I left that area unquilted so that I could hand-quilt the remainder! HA! Years later, still unfinished! If I thought I was not so great at handquilting before, try doing it years later! And what I completed last week totalled maybe 12 inches?...

And I believe it is True Confessions time...
See the lovely bump of Grafton Fiber Arts fiber? Isn't it gorgeous?...yeah, I couldn't resist. So I had set out to purchase a couple of skeins of Merino 5 to finish Solly's hat and ensure I had enough of another colorway for another hat and ended up with this awesome fiber! And I caved and got AlleyOop afterall...and another Cookie Next Door...and a heavyweight Brick STR! (ps-a shout-out to Jasmin who I got to meet during my whirlwind drop-in to Purlescence! Isn't the Knitting World wonderful? And we just never know who's reading! I was glad to meet you and hope to see you there again! And BTW, the striped yarn was from the WoolGirl Peppermint Patty Kit: Miss Babs Sportweight! YUMMY!)

The plot thickens..

IrishGirlieKnits and I were discussing how I wanted to give the gift of STR to my cousin's GF who spins and now knits. I mean, doesn't it make sense to want to share STR with the uninitiated?

But what makes more sense when you are yarn-rich and cash-poor is to shop from the stash, right? WRONG! No way could I part with any of my stash!

So IGK and I discussed how Harlotty would be so perfect for the giftee, but how I didn't want to give it up. How I thought I MAY have a Harlotty mill end and how even a mill end would be ok to give, right? But if I gave the mill end, it may be more of a Rare Gem and I could never replicate it again! So I should just buy another Harlotty and give her mine for now, right?

Well, IGK says, "Open them up and compare them. If the Mill End is Harlotty, give her the mill end! A mill end is still a nice gift!"

"Yes!" I agreed.

So look at the two, side-by-side...





LOL! What the heck is wrong with me?! Clearly, I was not recalling my stash colors very well! Totally NOT Harlotty!-lol! (FYI, Harlotty is below; the mystery mill end is above it..)


So for kicks, what did I have in mill ends? Here are a few from the STR stash...

The second from the right is kind of a 'cousin' to the Rare Gem Iam knitting the Ampersands with.
..similar color patterning, I believe, though different colors used

Crazy, I know...and that other one wasn't even a Mill End! It IS a Rare Gem!

OK, so yet again, I got a bit carried away in my blogging! What else is new? So much to say! And I WILL post that turtle bar recipe (hopefully) next time!

Told ya I've been busy...

What started out as a hat for "Solly", became a hat for Benny...but it's done! "Design Element" and all! I decided this 'design element' was a bit too much to be smack-dab in the middle of the hat, but perhaps it will look kinda cute off to the side?

I hear Nartian's Monkey 1 insisting this is too girlie, but hey-it is, what it is! And I think this little rascal will look quite cute in it!

Benny holding still only for a short moment while his cousin holds him!

And I am pleased to say that the Mystery Sock Through the Loops KAL socks are completed! In time for Christmas, nonetheless! So hopefully they make it in the mail to my buddy in time for Christmas!

Mystery Socks for my bud, Dana--Koigu PPPM

I was taking a lot of time off to spend at Lil' Emp's school doing crafty things. No pics to share cuz I was too busy to get shots of any of it!

And immediately following the crafting extravaganza week, there was the field trip/craft FAIR week. Tuesday was the Symphony and to balance the craziness out, Muir Woods and the peacefulness of still, clear water...

Maybe not all that peaceful chaperoning 9 kids, but it wasn't all that bad, either...

And even a banana slug to look at...or kiss!
(NOT ME!!! NO WAY!...but some of the kids did!)

Oh, then on Sunday there was a shower...

complete with yummilicious cupcakes that Cupcakefaerie would appreciate! (Cara's Cupcakes-hadn't tried those before...)

After the shower, I was able to slip down to Purlescence Yarns to replenish my BMFA stash with a Cookie Next Door, Alley Ooops and a heavyweight Brick!

I made it home to retrieve Lil' Emp from his aunt and dragged him out for some late-evening shopping at the Sports Basement in the Presidio and look what we saw as we drove home...


...what appeared to be a full moon...


And did I mention another project is underway?

Another gift cowl, using the lace pattern featured in the Cafe Au Laite mitts! (Thanks, Nartian-I wouldn't have used this pattern had I not seen your mitts!)

And below, a potpourri of sharing...

Cowl in progress, the new Solly Hat-almost done!, my KP blocking wires arrived!!!,
and...well...I ended up with the opportunity to help take a Peppermint Patty kit
off a fellow knitters hands-so I did!

So now to catch up on everything-and finally maybe get that shawl blocked?

I'm a big-A-- Dork!

Nartian and I were discussing the new yarn colorway from BMFA Rockin' Sock Club: "Muddy Autumn Rainbow", and how much we LOVE it! We also were discussing the various comments we'd read about the new colorway and references to it looking just like our last colorway.

Well...she and I were going to take pics of our skeins together, only I forgot mine and she and I will be missing each other at work. She'll soon be casting-on, so a side-by-side won't be happening afterall...

But look what I found-and forgot I even placed in Flickr!...

It's my side-by-side pic of Muddy Autumn Rainbow AND Tidepooling! Sorry, Folks...I really cannot see how my newest addtion is the same as Tidepooling. Yes, both contain lovely Fall-ish colors that are much to my color tastes, but no, I do not see them to be the same! I only see two lovely skeins and were I to be faced with both at a BMFA sale, I would not have the ability to pass either up!

But here is my other lack of comprehension on the argument that our new colorway is very close to Tidepooling...Tina wrote in her Dyer's Notes that "no two will be the same" and that these are somewhat "Rare Gems" since her 'swooshing' of the red into the skein cannot be done the same on each skein. So...if no two skeins of this one colorway cannot be the same, how can this colorway even be the same as Tidepooling? And where is the red in Tidepooling? Tell me: who's on drugs?

Mi Capitan!

I had missed adding this to the previous post as finished. A gift knit for ME! This is the Capitan hat I had knit for me when I lost my little crocheted hat I loved so much! No, I hadn't crocheted it. Possibly, I could make a new one, but I don't have the time to look one up or figure it out; nor do I have time to dig up similar yarn.

Capitan hat knit with Malabrigo worsted, doubled. I used the colorway
Pagoda-a gorgeous red with pink highlights. I added an extra row
to give just a tad bit more depth to the hat.
This awesome free pattern is by Rosie Garmandia.
Quick and Easy-the way I like it!

I actually blocked this, so it took a few days to dry before I could photograph it and post.

More Giftie FO's!

Well, only two...

El Capitan Hat knit with Aran tweed (a little over 3 50g. skeins), and Easy-cable knit Hat knit with Lamb's Pride Bulky (note: added an extra 4 rows and converted pattern to knit in the round)

But that makes two more than I had before!

And the "Solly hat" is now the "Benny hat", since I plan to give it to Benjamyn, instead. It's the green cabled hat that I has become a deviation from the Cabled Baby hat it was supposed to be. Unfortunately, I had copied down the cable pattern WRONG and discovered this, oh, 14 or so rows into it. Luckily, I can just tear down the 18 stitches of the cable pattern for the 14 rows and rebuild them. It's just that 'thinky' patterns take a bit longer to knit. You all know what I mean...

And in case you missed my Black Friday adventures reported on IrishGirlie's blog, let me briefly review for you...

Arriving at Purlescence Yarns between 6-7am rewarded you with the greatest savings: 35% off! (Sadly, BMFA is never included, nor are accessories-but what can we expect? Can't be too greedy, you know?)

And BMFA yarn there was! In addition to lots of gorgeous Socks that Rock in varying weights, there was also LSS (Luscious Silk Single) and WooBu!



There was a line, and sizable; but it moved fairly quickly and besides, I'm sure it is nothing compared to what other Black Friday shoppers were experiencing at the same time!



I was fairly good and left out of there with this...

(the purse was my 'treat'...Nartian had me pick up a coveted merino/cashmere Yarn Daze yarn for here and the rest of my purchases were a few balls of Aran tweed and some bulky yarns for quick gift-hats...I'm sure you will see them featured here soon!)

Irish Girlie was better. She was SO good, that she STILL snuck in a STR Hurdy Gurdy that I thought Cupcakefaerie and I had dissuaded her from purchasing!

Cupcakefaerie had left with a bag of gorgeous, red shades of yarn.

And even having had to be there early to open shop, Sandi and Cathy bid us adieu with smiles on their faces!

IrishGirlie, Cupcakefaerie and I left there content and ready to enjoy a nice breakfast together!

The only thing that would have made this a more perfect way to start our Black Friday is if Nartian had been able to join us!