Knitting For The Wee Ones

 Pattern: Pinwheel Baby Blanket by Genia Planck

Yarn: Berroco Comfort in Angel Blue

Needles: size 8, DPNs & 40-in circular

One more blanket done. (Squeezed in between zipping up and down the highway and watching the movie crew in our yard.) Even finished it the day after this baby boy was born. Sometimes it's months later before I finish. This sweet pattern works up quickly (as blankets go.) I was delighted to find that Berroco had added this new shade of blue to their line. Not too light. Not too dark. It's just the perfect blue for a baby boy—now that folks hardly use the true baby pastels anymore. I should get this blanket delivered this week.

The pattern only gives the basics for knitting the circular blanket. Any edging is left up to the knitter. I "borrowed" this seed stitch border with an i-cord bind off from Missy in Tennessee. And according to her notes, she "borrowed" it from Paula in Illinois. That is one of the joys of the Ravelry community. So much information is put there, free for the rest of us to see and use. It surely makes knitting easier to have help. Help that is scattered across the country!

If you are choosing a pattern and need something to be made quickly, compare yardage of the patterns—not skeins of yarn. Not all skeins have the same yardage. This pinwheel blanket uses just under 600 yards of worsted yarn. The Sunny baby blanket that I have made several times takes about 800 yards of worsted yarn. That's 200 more yards of knitting when I make the Sunny blanket. I like both patterns. But the difference in knitting time is something to keep in mind.

 PATTERNS

 Bottom Left: Cosset by Jenny Raymond 

Top Left: Cabled Baby Hat & Mittens Set by Paulina Chin

Top Right: Baby Hat with Top Knot-Teagan by Julie Taylor

Bottom Right: Kid's Fruit Cap (knitted plain) by Ann Norling

If you need a baby gift in a hurry, make a hat! Most newborn baby hats take around 100 yards. And hats make adorable baby gifts, too. I love it when people send me photos of newborns wearing the hats I've knitted. 

Just be honest about your knitting time when you choose a pattern for a baby gift. Whether it's a blanket that takes weeks or a hat that takes a few hours, there is nothing like knitting something special for a new baby.

Knit Here, Knit There, Something To Knit Anywhere

Pattern: Coastal Walk, by Joji Locatelli

Yarn: Rowan Softyak DK, Colorway: Cream

Needles:  size 7

There is knitting. And there is knitting. I know a (very) few knitters who faithfully finish one project before they begin another. I know some knitters who love starting a project much more than they love finishing a project. They might have many works-in-progress. (Knitters call them WIPs.) So, what do I do? Here is what I'm working on right now:

Coastal Walk, pictured above, is my "I need to focus on this one" project. I started this one in early summer, then had to set it aside for weeks while I went to a Rocky Mountain wedding, had a big family gathering at the lake, visited a wedding venue, drove down to babysit, tagged along for wedding gown shopping...you get the idea. Keep good notes on one like this so you can find your starting place when you get back to it.

See that pattern for Coastal Walk? A chart. Written directions. Several sheets of paper. I like having a project like this one that needs focus. But it stays at home. Or it goes with me only when I know there is ample quiet time. I love a project like this that requires a little more of me. So much fun to knit, but I know when I need to put it down and find something simple.

If I had a project with three different colors of yarn, I would save that for knitting at home, too. Too easy to get everything tangled up.

Pattern: Boneyard Shawl, by Stephen West

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed, Colorway: Rage

Needles: size 8

My second knitting category is what I call " travel knitting" or "social knitting." This is a project that I can take to our knitting group and work on it while we chat with minimal danger of getting lost in the pattern. It might go along with me while I wait for a doctor or sit while Little Sister has dance practice. Boneyard Shawl falls into this category. It would be a good choice for car knitting. It's easy to stop and start anywhere along a row, without needing to counting every stitch. I do need to keep up with how many rows are between each ridge. But that's easy enough to do.

Pattern: Sunny Baby Blanket by Lucie Sinkler

Yarn: Knitpicks Mighty Stitch, Colorway: Alfafa

Needles: size 8

I also have a bright green baby blanket that I've worked on since spring. There is no rush to finish this one, so I've been able to work on it and then put it down for a few weeks before I pick it up again. I like to work on it when I'm between other big projects. Choosing the next "big" project takes some thought to find a good match for yarn and pattern. But I can work on the blanket while I'm thinking.

The blanket has more happening in a single row than the Boneyard Shawl. But everything is even and once I get going, I only need to count the rows on the actual knitting to keep up with the pattern. No need for the written pattern or stitch counter. I use markers to remind me to change from knit to purl and back to knit. I've also made several of these, so it's a familiar pattern. I remember that the first one wasn't quite so simple.

Pattern: Grandmother's Favorite & Waffle Knit Dishcloth (bottom)

Yarn: Lily Sugar & Cream

Needles: size 7

And if there's nothing else to knit, or if I need a grab-and-go project as I run out the door, I make dishcloths. Don't need to find the pattern. It's useful when it's done. If I make a mistake along the way, it will still wash a dish! So what if I forgot a yarn over. The dishes won't care. They wear out so there is always a need for a new one.

What's your knitting style? One project? Lots of projects? We are all different. It's all good. There is no right way or wrong way. But I'd love to hear how you do it.

Keepers Of The Kids

Break out the apple juice! Get the graham crackers! There might even be jelly with the peanut butter (only a smidge.) The two oldest people in the family (that would be me and Daddy-O) are keeping the two youngest people in the family (Little Sister and Baby Girl, ages 4 and 14 months) for the next two weeks while their parents are doing "moving things."

Rest easy, Mommy, the juice will be watered down when we have it. Little Sister only got a half a graham cracker (two skinny sticks) for a bedtime snack last night. We haven't even done the jelly yet. Daddy-O is in charge of ice cream. I'm not taking responsibility for that one.

Our goal is to keep everyone happy and healthy, follow Mommy's rules (most of the time) and for us not to trip over any of the barriers that keep Baby Girl out of mischief.  I'm sure this is good exercise--stepping over this chair every time I go down the hall. I'm only 5'3" so it's a big step for me. Just think, it's much like the exercises I've done at the gym. And this time it's free.

We also are learning to walk the obstacle course that is now our den. We will try not to step on the little toys--those are the ones that will get you. It is imperative that we stay upright. No time for trips to the ER or broken body parts.

These little hands are super quick. I swear that Baby Girl has gotten taller in the few weeks they've been here. I have to remember to push things farther away from the edge of the table now.

We usually do lots of outdoor things with the little ones, but the summer temps are hovering right around 100 degrees now. It was 97 on the porch a couple of days last week. We now consider 90 degrees in the shade a cool day.

Plus, the fire ants have made more homes in the back yard. So far, only two ant bites. This means we might stay inside and see a few more episodes of Miss Spider's Sunny Patch and Curious George. Little Sister thinks that's a great idea! They have a nearly TV-free household. And I agree with Mommy that no television is a good thing for little ones. But these are desperate times. It is nice to be able to sit down for more than 14 seconds at a time.

Before Mommy left for the city, she spent some time cleaning out the closet of her old bedroom here. She was throwing out lots of things when she came across a packet of materials her first school gave to new teachers on how to handle the stress that comes with that job. Mommy left this "stress diet" plan for me. I think I already knew about this diet.

Yes, we expect to be very tired and probably frustrated (that's one of Little Sister's words) and maybe cranky as this time goes on. But we are also so happy to have this much time with these two precious little girls. It is a privilege to see them play and learn every day. We are thankful that we are healthy and able enough to keep up with them.

We will try to do you proud, Mommy. You take care of business there. We've got it covered here on the farm.

It's About The Yarn

The pie class last weekend in Atlanta wasn't the only thing we did on Saturday. After that, Jessica (also a knitter) took me to Eat.Sleep.Knit. in nearby Smyrna. Oh, my goodness. The yarn choices were overwhelming. There is no way photos can show how much yarn they stock. We had fun looking and wishing and, of course, buying. I had made a list ahead of time, so I did keep my new yarn acquisitions to a reasonable limit. (Pssst....you can order from them online, too.)

Pattern: Sunny Baby Blanket

Yarn: Berroco Comfort ~ Turquoise

Needles: size 8

Before I let myself start with any of the luscious new yarns, I finished this baby blanket. So what if the baby is now six months old? When Baby Girl was born, I only lacked 8 more rows. And it took this long to finish it. Right in time for cold weather. Maybe my timing is just right after all. She is too little to know, but wrapping her in this blanket is like a big hug from me. We live so far apart and this is one way I can feel a little closer.

Pattern:  Sock Recipe: A Good Plain Sock (from Knitting Rules)

Yarn: Regia World Ball Colors (Italy)

Needles: Size 2

I know it isn't Halloween yet, but Christmas is showing up in the stores at an alarming rate. Which means it is time to think about starting any gift knitting. Daddy-O asked me for a pair of Christmas socks soon after I first learned to knit socks. It took me some time to find a "Christmas" yarn. Then it took me another year or so to start the sock. But he shall have Christmas socks this year!

Socks are great travel knitting. At least the leg and the foot parts are. I'm done with the heel, so this sock is ready to finish on a long car trip that starts soon. (I discovered after I started knitting that my Christmas yarn is really part of a series of world flag yarns. These are the colors of the flag of Italy.)

I came across this letter yesterday as I was cleaning out drawers. My Christmas gift last year was an almost-finished pair of mitts, along with the letter. And I understood. (She did it! She finished them. The mitts were indeed done before winter was over.) The best part of this gift—the letter and the mitts—was that my very busy granddaughter (she's in middle school) used her valuable time for me.

Bookmark this unfinished gift letter now. Just in case you need it. Remember that you really do need to finish the gift, though. <grin>

So, where are the recipes this week? I have been using things from my freezer. Dishes I cooked earlier and saved for a crazy week. This was that week.

In The Early Morning

It's 5:30 in the morning and there are three loaves of bread in the oven. Yes, it's that time of year when I have to stretch my days by getting up a little early. All of these loaves will be gifts later today. And let's be honest...about half the time I'm up this early anyway, so it's not so bad.

Pattern:  Sunny Baby Blanket

Yarn:  Berroco Comfort

Needles:  Size 8, 29-inch circular

On Sunday we had a chance to visit with family for a Christmas party. The newest baby in the family got a new blanket for her gift. I made a summer weight blanket for her when she was born. But she needed a warmer one for winter. 

Let's hope Baby Cousin enjoys the blanket as much as Baby Sister has enjoyed her bright green one--same pattern, same yarn, just a different shade of green. This yarn has washed and dried like a dream--a necessity for baby items.

It looks like Mommy and Daddy will get a "walking baby" for Christmas. These steps on Saturday still require a little holding on, but yesterday Mommy said Baby Sister took one step all by herself. We can't wait to see for ourselves. 

I had predicted she would be walking by Christmas. Looks like my prediction is going to be very close. Watch out, world.

The little tool bar that runs across the bottom of my computer screen has a calendar on it. I'm sitting here looking at a big number 14. Surely that doesn't mean I only have ten days to get everything done! So it's nice to have these minutes of quiet in the early morning. A moment to  calm my thoughts, to gather the stillness about me. While the bread bakes and I am enjoying the aroma, I get to read my Advent devotion. Today's devotion talked about "preparing the way for the Lord" and didn't say a word about preparing cookies, decorations or shopping and wrapping gifts. How easy it is to get that all turned around.  

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Baked Sausage Dip

What a weekend! It has rained non-stop for days now. As of this morning, we've had over 10 inches of rain in four days. (And it's still raining.) As bad as that has been, the midlands and low country parts of our state have had serious flooding. I keep seeing photos from family and friends of water standing in their houses, of tadpoles caught swimming through the house, of backyards deep under water.

While this weather is wreaking havoc on farm work, our house-on-a-hill has not been affected. When Daddy-O rode out in the truck this morning to check the creek and the river, he made a photo of the creek that runs through our pasture. Check last summer's photo against this morning's photo—that's the same spot in the creek. We've had a lot of water, but I think it's almost over.

We were happy to stay indoors all weekend and watch football on television. Now, I had thought about snacks for TV viewing. I didn't have a huge plan, but I bought goat cheese for a Rosemary Goat Cheese Ball that is served with crackers and fig preserves. And it's delicious.

But this weekend, we had a young man in the house. A young man who cooks. I learned that "boy food" snacks are different than my snack ideas. He made a sausage dip that was delicious. Good enough that it could have been my supper. Jessica says every time he makes this, it's a hit with his guests.

It's early in the football season, so tuck this recipe away for future reference. It's a keeper.

BAKED SAUSAGE DIP

1 lb. spicy (or hot) breakfast sausage
8-oz. block of cream cheese, softened
10-oz. can original Rotel tomatoes, drained

Brown sausage and drain. Mix together with softened cream cheese and tomatoes. Put in a 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand a few minutes before serving. (So you don't burn your guests!)

Serve with sturdy crackers.


We enjoyed our weekend visitors and look forward to the next visit. Hopefully, on a sunny weekend!

On Duty

For the month of July, I am back on full time "grandmother duty," keeping both girls while Mommy teaches a grad class this summer. But just afternoons this time. That means I have time to make a dinner plan before I leave each day. Granddaddy gets real suppers in July!

I was home before 6:00 tonight. Supper took less than 15 minutes to put on the table. I made pasta salad this morning before I left, using up some of our garden produce. It's a huge recipe if you need to take food to someone. It will make enough for you and enough to share.



I cooked tilapia when I got home. Just sprinkle a couple of tilapia filets with Cajun seasoning and pan saute in a little oil. That's it. Super simple. Super good. Got this recipe from daughter Jessica on her blog.  She's a great cook.



Cajun Tilapia

2 tablespoons of cooking oil
2 tilapia filets
Cajun seasoning

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle seasoning generously and evenly over both sides of the filets. Cook about 4-5 minutes on each side (depending on thickness), until it reaches desired degree of doneness.

Sunny Baby Blanket

Berroco Comfort yarn

Size 8, 29-in. circular needles

Big Sister knows that one of Mimi's "rules" is to never say the words, "I'm bored." So today she spelled it out. "Mimi, I'm b-o-r-e-d." She had read. We had played Trouble. And both of us had played lots with the baby. It was too hot to go out. The heat here was in the mid-90s with humidity that was about 500%.

That made it a great time to pull out the knitting again. (While Baby Sister was napping.) Big Sister started a new dishcloth (and cleaned out her knitting bag) while I started a new baby blanket. Both projects are the easy kind. The kind you want to do when it's too hot to do anything. It's supposed to be even hotter as the week goes on. She and I may finish our projects if we need to stay in most of the week. Maybe we will find a winter movie to watch while Baby Sister naps and we knit.

Wishing we were back at the lake. Or even better---in the lake.

Rain Rain Go Away

A whole week of rain. The kind where friends were starting to make Noah jokes. But the rain stopped about bedtime last night. This morning the sun is blindingly bright. I might be forced to find an outside activity today.

The first part of the week was so warm (and wet) that the trees in our yard were really confused. Cherry blossoms in January? This morning it's 34 degrees and sunny. I think we had spring and winter all in one week. Only missed snow by a few hours. The rain moved out last night just before the cold temps arrived.

Another nice surprise this week was getting thank you notes in the mail. It's nice that our granddaughters are learning the importance of gratitude. We commented that Baby Sister surely had good handwriting for a 2-year-old on the snowman note. Her mommy said she dictated it. Although I'm pretty sure she didn't actually dictate the letter, Baby Sister IS talking a lot now. She was sick for a couple of days this week with a stomach virus. When we saw her the next day on Facetime, she couldn't wait to tell us she had been sick—"I spilled in the bed!" Toddler speak for "spitting up." A most accurate description of what happened. So glad she's better.

Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick

Pattern:  Sunny Baby Blanket

Yarn:  Berroco Comfort, Turquoise

Needles:  size 8

The two knits I've finished this week are both for new babies named Jack. What are the odds? Baby gifts comprise a sizable amount of my knitting. Sometimes the babies are new additions to our family. Sometimes the parents are dear friends. And sometimes I don't know the recipient at all. I've done many baby hats for Jessica's co-workers and for son-in-law's work mates and Mommy's friends. I have the cutest collection of baby photos from those office babies wearing hats I've knitted. So much fun!

The first baby Jack came a little early and was born on my birthday last week! (Remember? I gave his mom two-thirds of this blanket at her baby shower a few weeks ago.) His mother was at my house so much during her growing up years. She's like part of the family, so sharing a birthday with her baby Jack means a lot to me.

Pattern:  Kid's Fruit Hat by Ann Norling

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, Silver

Needles:  size 6

The second baby Jack is one of the babies I don't know. But when the text came, "Will you make another hat? And put it in the mail for us?" I picked up the needles and cast on a little hat and just after lunch the following day, that hat was on its way to Florida.

I love making these baby things. But please, family and friends....no more babies until after Christmas!

TGIT (Thank Goodness It's Tuesday)

For months now, we have been bombarded with information about the total solar eclipse of 2017. An eclipse that began yesterday morning in the Pacific Northwest and crossed the entire country until it reached our coastal state, the last state in its path, in mid-afternoon. An estimated one million people  were expected come to our state to view the eclipse somewhere along its path.

Yesterday was THE day. It was like a giant party for our state. We live in the center of the "path of totality" so we didn't have to search for hotel rooms or rent a spot in someone's yard to pitch a tent like hundreds of other folks. Our lake house, with it's unobstructed sky, was the perfect viewing spot. The only search that was bigger than the one to find a hotel room was the search to find eclipse glasses. We bought ours ages ago. But there were still people trying to buy them yesterday.

This was how the lake looked during the couple of minutes of totality. This was about 2:38 in the afternoon. Yes, it really did get dark. Not dark enough to see stars in the sky, but it was definitely dark. In a weird kind of way.

I turned around and looked up the hill at our lake house. Thank goodness I forgot to turn the lights off inside the house. And then in a very few minutes, it was sunny again.

Before darkness descended, we took a spin around the lake to see how many people were set to view the eclipse. The biggest boat gathering was at Camp Fellowship that is just down the lake from us. All 50 camp beds had been rented for the night before and they were expecting 400 people to come to the camp for the day.

How did I know about the camp eclipse plans? Because I was at the camp for a knitting retreat over the weekend. We knitters were leaving on Sunday as others were arriving for the eclipse "party."

Our retreat brought together knitters from three states. It's a weekend of visiting, making new friends and learning new knitting techniques. These colorful triangles are the beginning of a shawl that was this year's retreat project. We all started the same shawl pattern, but we got to choose the color of our yarn. So they will all be the same—but different.

Sometimes I wonder if our gathering is a knitting retreat where we snack, or if it's a snack retreat where we knit! This snack table was a popular spot the entire weekend. I'm sitting here this morning drinking lots of water as I'm in "recovery mode" from over indulging in the nibble food. I'll bet I'm not the only one.

On our last day we were surprised with retreat T-shirts. What a nice way to commemorate our 6th retreat It was an even bigger surprise for me because last year I had asked Jessica to design a logo for our retreat to use on the mailing and name tags. How cool it was to see her logo on the back of the shirt.

It was a weekend for the books. A once-in-a-lifetime eclipse. A wonderful retreat with friend. But goodness. I'm glad it's Tuesday.

Up And Down The Highway

Just popping in here for a couple of minutes during this very busy week while I'm home for a bit. We spent Easter with Mommy and her family. Jessica was there, too. It is the rare occasion when we are all together, so those are special times.

It was a big celebration. Baby Girl turns two this week, so she had a slightly early birthday cake.

And Jessica turned....well, more than two, just a few days before Easter. So there were two birthday cakes in addition to an Easter dinner.

We decided to make the weekend a little get away for us and we stayed at a lovely lake resort that is close to Mommy's house. Easter came early this year, and it was cool and rainy. We surely didn't expect a fire on Easter weekend, but it was a welcome sight when we walked into the hotel.

Maybe there will be another trip here one day when the weather is warm and sunny. I won't be heading back to the resort, but I will be zipping up and down the highway a couple more times this week, doing grandmother things. This is one of those weeks when I'm glad I've done my homework and filled the freezer with things to keep Daddy-O fed until I fed until I get home.

What's in the freezer? Things I know freeze well. One of Daddy-O's favorites is the Teriyaki Pineapple Beef. I freeze that in small portions, suitable for one generous serving. He can quickly cook rice and that's homemade dinner and one less fast-food meal for him. There is a new recipe that we loved, Unstuffed Cabbage Soup. It's so hardy that Daddy-O says he thinks it should be called something besides "soup."

There are a couple of bags of Pulled Pork. Easy to make a sandwich or to serve with a baked potato. I know there is a small baking dish of Baked Ziti and Chicken Pie, both ready to pop into the oven to finish baking.

I also put some small loaves of Banana Bread in the freezer a couple of weeks ago. Not exactly dessert, but it can either be a sweet treat or breakfast for him.

Now, one word of caution if you decide to fill up your freezer with cooked/almost cooked foods. Don't forget to use them! About three weeks ago, we had nearly emptied the freezer and I made a point of cooking things so that I could restock it.

This is NOT like money in the bank that you should leave untouched for as long as possible. Cooked foods that are frozen DO have a "best by" shelf life. I try to use the cooked things within a few months. I think the official recommendation is 1 month, but I know that the food is still okay a month or two past that date. But that container I found in the back of the freezer from last year? Not gonna eat that one.

So, wrap foods for the freezer properly. Label and date the packages. And then make a plan to use them within a reasonable time. I knew my schedule was going to be crazy for the next couple of weeks, so by the time things settle down, I think my freezer will be nearly empty and ready for another round of cooking.

Make Hay While The Sun Shines

Yesterday I saw a bumper sticker that said "No farmers. No food."  I know that some of you have gardens and produce some of your own food. But most people in this country depend on farmers to provide what they buy at the grocery store. Farm work is crucial to all of us.

Hay season is a busy time here on the farm. This afternoon Daddy-O is baling hay, while the blue tractor is raking hay ahead of him. That old saying "make hay while the sun shines" is more than a saying. It's truth. None of this heavy equipment can run on soft wet earth. And you can't bale wet hay.

So today while it is sunny and gorgeous, the work is done as quickly as possible. Over the next few weeks, hay will be baled and stored. Hopefully enough to feed the cattle over the winter months.

I am often asked what I do here on the farm. I don't drive the tractors, although there are wives on neighboring farms who can do that. My answer is always the same--I feed the farmer. It's a small contribution. But Daddy-O appreciates it.

Easter Weekend

What a full week we've had. Every week is busy but this one had a few extra events tucked in between the regular busy. One of the very best things was getting a chance to visit with family at a baby shower in anticipation of another baby girl.

Little cousins helping celebrate the coming of a new cousin.

I made a baby blanket for this baby-to-be. 

It's another Sunny Baby Blanket made from Berroco Comfort yarn.

Baby Sister enjoyed all of the party. 

And she enjoyed the opportunity to play with someone else's toys.

Back at the farm after the baby shower, there was time for outdoor play.

(Thank to Jessica for these, and the church photos.)

Easter Sunday is a high celebration. 

A celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Our annual "family in front of the flower cross" photos.

If I'd take the time to look, I could find these for each year 

since the two "big girls" were very little girls.

One of my greatest joys today was holding Baby Sister as the congregation sang "Christ The Lord Is Risen Today" with lots of allelulias. She watched and listened as we all sang together. She turned and watched the friends behind us. She leaned around to see our family seated all the way down the pew, taking it all in. She loved hearing the timpani play loudly. She also did a little "conducting" of the choir from our seats. 

And Easter always means a family dinner after church. 

Nothing fancy, just some favorites. I'll share the one new recipe soon.

Family together. 

What more could we want?