When in doubt, make a dishcloth

Well, I’ve had a pretty busy couple of days.  I’m finalizing our plans for Portland and making all sorts of lists.  I’m also getting back into my sewing groove…nothing major, just fixing some clothes.  It’s been nice to feel the pedal beneath my foot again.  

I have a few knitting projects going, but have been on a dishcloth bender for the past two days.  There never seems to be an explaination for the desire to make dishcloths.  Perhaps I need to make something immediately useful?  The ballband dishcloth, of Mason-Dixon fame, has a particularly addictive quality with it’s easy to memorize pattern.  I’m picking up the Bainbridge scarf to finish tonight and will maybe have time to start a pair of socks.  Last week, my husband came home from a thrift store with some cool sock yarn.  He works down the street from a thrift store and very sweetly checks there for yarn or fabric.  It’s pretty hit or miss with the yarn, but so thoughtful and I wind up with good stuff.  Like this sock yarn.  It looks like it will be a Fair Isle pattern, but that’s part of the surprise of thrifted yarn.  We’ll just have to wait and see.

It’s nice to see everyone’s crafting

Beaufort Hat

I love making hats.  I just do.  My winter hat got a bit frayed this year, so I decided to make a new one for next year.  I wanted it to be a little lighter, mostly because Portland winter is non-existent compared to Chicago death-snow.  I made the hat in large, but because I used 100% cotton yarn, I wish I had gone down a size.  It is just a bit loose.  I gently steam blocked it to open up the stitches a bit, but may try cold blocking it to improve the shape.  I really love the feel of this cotton, but I think I’d recommend using a less substantial yarn to show off the stitches more.  They get a bit lost in the thickness.  All in all, I’m happy with the outcome. 

yarn: approx. 100 yards Blue Sky Cotton in #622 pumpkin

needles: size 8 circular, 16 inch

pattern: Beaufort by Angela Hahn

time: one evening watching Lost and a few hours the next morning

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

These cookies are a perfect spin on a standard classic.  My husband loves anything with butterscotch, so I thought I’d try these out.  I usually get kind of bored making cookies, but these were good for a rainy day.  The recipe, from the Buttercup Bakeshop Cookbook, is almost exactly the same as the Quaker Oats recipe and just as easy.   I’m not in love with butterscotch, so I tried adding currants and Vosges Naga baking chips to some of them instead.  I was very happy with the result!  Also, the currants in one of the cookies made a face, which is awesome.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• 1 1/2 sticks butter
• 3/4 C sugar
• 3/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (the recipe calls for 1/4, but I always prefer more)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
• 1 package butterscotch chips

Whisk together in a medium bowl flour, baking soda, and salt.  In a large mixer bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).  Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.  Add in flour mixture and beat thoroughly.  Stir in the oats and chips until incorporated. 

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets (I line mine with recycled parchment), leaving enough room for expansion.  Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. 

Eat while warm…the butterscotch chips get all melty and, well, that’s delicious.

I love the library

All of my baking and cookbooks are in storage until we move to Portland, as are most of my craft books.  I miss scone recipes and vintage Scandinavian knitting patterns.  Oh, and I have this really rad book called, “How to Sew a Dinosaur.”  I really miss that. 

Today I remembered that I have an entire box of yarn in storage as well.  Probably a whole dresser’s worth.  I did it on purpose so I would appreciate everything more after a few months.  I’m really bored now that I’ve left my job…I’m thinking of digging it up and starting 500 new projects just because I can.  I love yarn so much.   Almost as much as the library. 

stripey hand warmers

This is a really good project for leftover yarn.  A friend of mine had made this basic pattern a few years ago and rather than using a solid color like she did, I chose to use a variety of colors.   Although it’s really, really basic, I always enjoy making things with my friends.

yarn: 5 assorted colors and textures, nothing too bulky.  Because I was using odds and ends, I didn’t really measure out how much I was using. 

needles: size 7 rosewood

Cast on 30 stitches, then work a random pattern in stockinette stitch (try random stripe generator, it’s really fun).  Continue until piece measures 7 inches, or more if you desire a longer look.  My friend Amber made some really fun elbow-length warmers, a good way to spice up 3/4 length sleeves in the winter.  Cast off, leaving an 8-inch tail.  Fold the completed piece in half.  You will begin to stitch the sides together using a darning needle and extra  yarn.  Use the 8-inch tail to stitch the top 1.5 inches together.  Then begin stitching the opposite end.  You will stitch 4 inches in toward the middle, leaving a 1.5 thumb hole.  

overall: Super easy project, knits up fast, fun to wear. I think if I were to make these again, I would knit in the round. 

cookies and cream cupcakes

Yesterday was my mother-in-law’s birthday, so I needed to whip up something easy yet substantial.  I headed over to my friend Natalie’s baking blog, Bake and Destroy, to find the perfect recipe.  The cookies and cream cupcakeswere a perfect fit.  Crushed oreos folded into white cake batter, more oreos mixed into the icing, and an oreo half baked into the cupcake (placed in the bottom of the liner before baking).  The only change I made was using double stuf oreos and keeping all of the icing on one side for the cookies in the bottom.  So delicious…they were gone in two days.