Merry Christmas

No ice this Christmas
Kids versus Parents soccer
Of course the kids win

Merry Merry Christmas!

Christmas Haiku

A shocking pink tam
From flying silver needles
Happy Christmas gift

Inspired by Jungle Dream Pagoda.

Pink!

Pink! Nothing else needs to be said.

Invasion of the Thingies

With an almost eerie nonchalance, the thingies creep into the most innocent of projects: a baby cap. Alien thingies firmly sprout from the top. How does it happen? When does it happen? Most of all, why does it happen? My guess is it suits the recipient or in this case, his parents, who are, most definitely thingy people, (and I mean that in a good way) ... so when you're not really paying attention... there they are, on top.




Baby Thingy Cap

I used 1 ball of Samoa, from GGH, 50%cotton, 50% microfiber: 104 yds/50g, I think the color is 56 but I lost the ball band...Cambridge blue. It's a nice and springy yarn, but tends to show every pause in your knitting, don't sweat it, it'll even out with blocking and wearing.
Size: infant/toddler, 16" circumference.
Gauge: 16sts and 14 rows= 4"
Needles: 16" size 4 and 5 circular needles, 1 set size 5 double pointed needles and if you’re fussy 1 set smaller dp needles, say 4 or 3 for the thingies.
Notions: stitch markers, tapestry needle

With size 4 circular needles cast on 64 sts. Join w/o twisting. K in Pearl Stitch (Row 1:k1, p1; Row 2: p1, k1) for about and inch, 5 or 6 rows. Increase row; with size 5 needle, k, increasing 6 sts evenly around (70 sts). Continue in stockinet st (k every row) for about 3.25 inches. Set up for double decreases: * k13 Place Marker (PM) k1, PM*, repeat between *'s 4 more times. This marks off the stitches that you will be making double decreases on either side of, for a nice 5 pointed star top (reminding me of Dr.Seuss's Sneeches, with stars upon thars); as follows: ** k2 together, k to with in 2 sts of marker, slip slip knit; slip marker, k1, slip marker**, repeat between **'s 4 more times. K 2 rows, repeat Dec row, twice. K1 dec row, k1 row stockinet until 10 sts remain. Now I like the I cord for my thingies to be just 3 sts, and I just wanted 3 on this hat, so I knit 2 together and then k 2 (for 3 sts on needle) and launched into the first thingy. Make 2 more I cords with the remaining 6 sts. On this wee hat the I cords are about 1.5" long. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

After you make one why not make one to give away? Save the Children has an Action Kit which will tell you how. While you're in the true mood of the season, visit The Scent of Green Bananas, one of my favorite food blogs and follow the links for Menu For Hope.

Thingy Hat

This is the hat I traded for garlic. I love to trade. I don't really enjoy specific commands on my knitting, however. The garlic farmer wanted "thingies" on the top of his hat. I don't generally do thingies. Some people are thingy champion masters, constructing a whole career out of doing thingies, and doing it beautifully and artistically and interestingly.... I just don't really do them myself, I leave it to the Thingy Experts.....After all that, I do rather like my wee touch-of-thingy on this classic watch cap. I hope the farmer does.
The yarn is called Friendz Blendz. It is hand dyed, 50%mohair and 50%wool; 200yds/3.57 oz.; color TN-2; from Friends Folly Farm out of Monmouth, Maine. It is deliciously soft and machine washable to boot!

Fresh Shrimp

It is a happy day when the shrimp trucks are out. The cheery red lettered signs announce one of the most sweet and succulent gems of the sea: Fresh Maine Shrimp. In our family we cook them all kinds of ways, from gumbo to crepes, but by far everyone's favorite is the easiest to prepare.
We toss the whole shrimp in olive oil, salt and pepper. Let them soak while we fire up the grill and just put 'em on when its hot! Turn them once and serve.
Everyone peels their own. It is messy so provide dishtowels for napkins. A big bowl of shrimp, a bowl for shells, a salad and bread or rice, and voila! Dinner!
This year we're able to grill right in our kitchen, not a snowbank outside. Our Vermont Castings stove (Uncle Henry's free for the taking) opens right up front, making it easy to accommodate a grill. It's fun to tend the shrimp over the glowing coals, comfortably perched on a 3 legged stool.

Tools of the Trade

These are my tools. Sketch book, a graph paper book, a mini-graphpaper-Moleskine and a post-it note. Missing is a pencil with a good eraser.
This week all my spare time has been spent trying to figure out why I can't post from home anymore, or just occasionally. Hate'n it! My time would have been better spent knitting.