Flying off the needles

My sister is expecting her second child in just over a week, so I've been knitting frantically to get a few bits finished for her.

I made this little coffee bean cardigan in Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran, which is so soft and just right for a little baby.

This apple blossom cardigan was another free pattern (as was the one above) and I though yellow would be just right for the spring. It was supposed to be in worsted weight yarn, but I used DK which actually gave a better size, more like a real newborn size.

Finally for her I made this little cardigan, which I have made before for Evie and Leah, and I chose to use something other than pink. I think she likes it!

I also made something for leah that she actually doesn't mind wearing. The yarn is the yarn that I got from sirdar as a replacement, so the only cost to me was the pattern.

I think it turned out rather well.

What better to cook than cookies............

Leah's friend came over yesterday, so we baked some cookies together. You are supposed to use chocolate chips for the recipe, but I used mixed fruit instead.

Here is the recipe.

4oz butter or margarine

2oz caster sugar

3oz soft brown sugar

8oz plain flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp vanilla extract

1 egg, beaten

4oz of choc chips (white and brown) I used mixed fruit instead

set oven for 180 degrees and grease 2 baking sheets

cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

add egg a bit at a time, along with the vanilla extract.

sift the flour and baking powder together over the mixture and stir in with a metal spoon. Stir in the fruit.

using 2 spoons, place the mixture on the baking sheets, wide enough apart to allow for spreading whilst cooking. makes 15 cookies.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden, moving around in the over after 10 minutes for even cooking if necessary.

Leave on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack for cooling.

Enjoy!!

Look what I made!

It's not that often that I experiment with making something completely new, but last week I did.

I made some lovely bath bombs and I was so pleased with the results. I think that Leah aand I will be making some of these later in the year for Christmas presents, especially as she will be at school and everyone seems to give their teachers a gift these days.

Happy birthday Evie May!!

Who would have thunk it? Little Evie is a whole year old today.

We had a party for her on Saturday and today she's been with her sister to a friend's birthday party and had a great time. So great she's having a little nap now.....

She's changed so much, I really don't know where my little baby has gone. Doesn't time fly!

She's still no good as modelling her clothes, so I have had to post a photo of her latest cardigan without her wearing it. Not as cute, I must admit, but at least it shows what I've made.

A really nice easy pattern, although I didn't fancy embroidering the flowers as the pattern suggests.

Sorry about my absence...............

I don't know why, but everything has been going wrong lately. For some reason the laptop stopped working and had to be sent back to the manufacturer (which is why I haven't been around of late).

To top that off we have a dishwasher that isn't washing properly, a boiler that is leaking, the shower broke (and is now replaced thankfully) and lights on the hob cover which have a life of their own. All in all not a great start to 2011.

We are also trying to get Evie to go to sleep on her own at night, and a week on it's still as hard as ever. She screams so much, I'm hoping soon it will take less time, less effort and less stress!

I have been able to do some knitting despite less time in the evenings (due to the sleep - or lack of it - training).

I've started to make up the crochet hexagon blanket I have been working on, to see how the colours work out. I am running low on the cream for the outer hexagons, so will have to continue making the inners until my LYS has some more in stock, else I will have to resort to t'internet.

I made a slip over vest/tank top for Evie, but once it was finished I've realised that the 56cm chest will fit Leah, so she has adopted it instead. I'll make Evie some other kind of vest I think.

I made this cardigan for Evie and although it was for 3ply yarn I used 4ply and it turned out ok. I was running quite short when it came to the button border, so I used some cream yarn for it and knitted the last row and cast off in the main body colour instead. I think it turned out ok and I really like the little vintage shank buttons.

Lastly I finished off this bolero that I started when Leah was just two! I'm not over keen on the yarn but as it was such a bargain I thought I would use it up anyway as this only took 2 balls. it will fit Evie in a few months time, so she may be able to wear it in the summer.

That's about all for now, I am going to try and catch up on all my favourite blogs now - I may be some time!

Finished the hoodie

Do you remember the hoodie I was making Evie at the end of last year? Well I finished it just before Christmas and I am really pleased with the result. Evie seems to like it too.

The little button I bought really finishes it off nicely, although the picture doesn't really show off the colour as it should. The lighting is a real problem this time of year when you are trying to get photos taken.

It was a lovely simple knit and I am sure I will be making another at some point.

Evie is currently pulling herself up onto any piece of furniture she can find and I am sure she will be taking her first steps before long. I can't believe she is going to be one next month. Doesn't time fly!

New Year resolutions??

Have you made any new year resolutions?

I don't tend to make any that involve fitness or weight loss, as these ones usually go out the window within the first week.

Instead I tried to think of some that would actually mean something.

The first is to be more patient with the children, Easier said than done, but it is something I want to try. I think there will be plenty of counting to 10 before reacting!

Another is to make more time for my friends. Since having Evie I have rather sidelined my friends, more out of habit than anything else, so this year if i get asked to do anything with them I will be trying my hardest to go along.

A bit of a selfish one is for myself - to try and finish a project before srarting a new one. Or at least finishing all of my WIPs!

The last is to walk at every opportunity rather than taking the car. It may mean that I will have to get up earlier (!!) or get myself and the children more organised, but I will be giving it my best shot.