Just a few scarves for CFC

Granola
3 cups Quick Quaker Oats
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
¼ cup honey
¼ cup melted butter
1 ½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup raisins

Combine all ingredients except raisins in an ungreased 13 X9 “ pan. Mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in raisins. Cool thoroughly. Store in lightly covered container in a cool place.

Machine Knit
acrylic

Just back from a quick trip. Here is my favorite picture and I will post more later. This is the mothman statue in Pt. Pleasant W.V.

Here are some of my Crafting for a Cause projects. Stuffed bumble Bee, elephant finger puppet and a bag (now finished)

Shortbread Caramel cookies

Shortbread Caramel Cookies


Ingredients
35 unwrapped Kraft caramels
1/4 cup water
1 box Nabisco Lorna Doone shortbread
2 12 oz bags milk chocolate chips
Preparation
Combine the caramels with the water in a small pan and melt over low heat. Place the shortbread cookies side by side on an ungreased cookie sheet. Spoon a little of the caramel onto each cookie. Place all the cookies in the refrigerator until the caramel firms up. In a double boiler over low heat, melt the chocolate chips. You may also use the microwave for melting the chocolate. Just zap the chips for 1 minute on high, stir, then zap them for another minute. Remove the cookies from the refrigerator. Rest each one on a fork and dip it into the chocolate. Tap the fork on the side of the pan or bowl to release any excess chocolate.

Place each cookie on a sheet of waxed paper and let them cool at room temperature.

Pony Tails and knitting

My favorite flowers and what I have been knitting for Crafting for a Cause.

flower

Hats

Here are some machine knitted baby hats.

Captain Dusty

I decided that Dusty the Sailor dog needed a Captain's hat. Captain Dusty.

What I did today......

Here the three bags for Crafting for a Cause group August KAL. One book bag and two treasure bags.

It says: Write it on your heart that the ones you love are life's most precious gifts.

I finally put up my lettering above the window.

Book bag

This is a book bag for a Crafting for a Cause charity knit along. Machine knit, no pattern. I put some elastic thread in the opening under the flap and seamed the handle with cotton yarn for strength.

A beautiful afternoon

Dusty the Sailor Dog and I went for a little boat ride.

We took my little pedal boat around the lake.

Unfortunately, Dusty has not learned to pedal.

We had fun, but....

There were too many big boats out and we decided to go home.

Fox again

One of the foxes was back for a visit this morning. I wish I were a better photographer!

Silver Reed 860

Just another picture of my knitting machine.

Pecan Dessert

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks margarine, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
1 container (16 oz.) Cool Whip (or 2-8oz size )
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (lg.) instant chocolate pudding

Directions: Mix together flour, margarine and nuts. Press into a long cake pan and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Cool. Mix 1/2 container CoolWhip, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread over crust and refrigerate until cooled. Spread prepared chocolate pudding over pie. Cover with remaining 1/2 container Cool Whip. Chill.16 Servings

WHAT FUN

Yesterday I had such an exciting day. I drove about 50 miles to get private lessons on my Silver Reed 860 and especially help with DAK. I learned so much in the three hour session! If you have never heard of the Fine Line http://www.finelineca.org/ . What a great place. One room was full of knitting machines, another full of weaving looms. I will be trying some things out and then post pics.

Three More

Here are three more dish towels for Crafting for a Cause project:

I did the round one on my knitting machine and the other two by hand.

Visitor

We had three young foxes come for a visit. They are so cute. Their ears are almost as big as they are.

Crafting projects

These are my Crafting for a Cause project dishcloths so far:

This one is still on the needles and is a lacy butterfly from http://www.knitsbyrachel.com/

This one was from Lion brand yarn website

This one I did on my machine. It is still a little wet from steaming.

Sun Tea with Mango Syrup

6-8 regular teabags
gallon jar
pure water
Margie's Mango Syrup (all natural no sugar added)

Place the teabags in the gallon of water and place in the sun. Leave 3-5 hours depending on temperature. Cool immediately. Mix in the mango syrup when pouring in the glass. Add ice.

On the machine needles

The colors are not too good in this picture, but I have a yellow loose-knit top that I am experimenting with on the needles. Bottom up, tension, adjusted down as I go. I hope it will be a loose short-sleeve top for over a cami. Tamm Estilo yarn.

Machine Knit Cardigan

This is a cardigan I am working on. It is just a plain cardigan with a simple lace band and 4 needle wrap edge. It is not going to be a masterpiece, but one more step in my learning process. I REALLY can't wait to take some lessons on my 860.

Snowing?

Had to share this photo. June and it's snowing?? No, it is just our cottonwood trees. Everyone hates them, but I think it is pretty.

I Felted!

Just had my first felted experiment. This is from Baby's Got a Brand New Bag from:


http://www.islandofmisfitpatterns.com/2006/09/08/baby%E2%80%99s-got-a-brand-new-big-bag/

Not a masterpiece, but a fun and fast project.

Camera Case

This is a little camera case that I made using the "Brick Stitch" with some cotton varigated yarn. No pattern except the brick stitch was from a Vogue Knitting book. Otherwise, I just improvised.

shawl kal

Yarn for the next shawl KAL

Surprise Shawl clue One

clue one done

starting over and over

I didn't like a design band I did on my husband's sweater so I started over. I also started over on the surprise spring shawl kal, gave up and quit, started over again and well, still going on it. Pictures to follow.

House is finally done completely and my machine is back up and running.

knitalong

I've joined a new knitalong. springshawlsurprice@yahoogroups.com We'll see how far I get. Already had to start over and use a heavier yarn.

Christmas

I wish you all a peaceful Christmas. To those missing a loved one no longer here, remember that our hope starts in Christmas and blossoms in Easter.

Ehren Michael Brandau

1976-2001

I guess it is time to start the other sleeve. The house is still a little torn up from some remodeling we were doing, so I just got the machine reconnected to the computer.

Husband's Sweater

OK it's only a sleeve, but it is a start.

Ravelry

Very happy to finally receive my Ravelry invitation!

http://www.ravelry.com/

Knitters Edge Pattern Sweater

My Knitters Edge P123 is finished.

This is the lacy sleeve pattern:

The e-wrap edge:

Why you should never knit while sleepy

I don't know if the extent of my mistakes show up on this picture, but it took quite a bit of frogging to fix it. This is one side of a vest that I am hand knitting. I think I was actually knitting while I was dozed off.

New project

I have started my new knitting machine project, which is P123 Ladies' Open Cardigan with Lace Trim from Knitters' Edge. I love the e-wrap placket for the front where just 4 needles are e-wrapped every row. Photos will follow.

This one is a little wonky at the seams. Ahhh, more of a learning experience! I tried a cut and sew without much planning :) I slid a piece of paper inbetween layers so that the lace would show.

machine knit top

Outstanding Book for Beginners

I found a great book for machine knitting beginners. It is The Machine Knitter's Handbook, an older one by Hazel Pope. I only wish I had it when I first got my machine. It would have saved me a lot of grief. I bought it used on Amazon.com for less than $3.00. Another good one is The Prolific Knitting Machine by Catherine Cartwright-Jones.

Sock project

Here are my latest socks. A very simple pattern, but I really like them. I made them with baby yarn from Hobby Lobby.

A belated note on another Mother's Day gone by. For those who have lost a child it is a bittersweet day. All the precious memories, all the devastating pain.

Liars and thieves

http://www.stopsylviabrowne.com/home/

This woman preys on the grieving.

Just a purse

OK, no laughing. My first sweater on the machine. Very basic, I know.

My new machine

My SilverReed 860

two color hat

First two color attempt

This is one panel from "Lace Up" sleeveless top from Cotton Knitting by Sally Harding. It has quite a few mistakes but I am not worried about it. This is a learning project and I got tired of frogging over and over. There is some ribbon that will run through it that will hide some of the mistakes.