Two for the price of one!

Not only did we have the privilege and honor of celebrating Kathleen's birthday but Lyn was able to enjoy a little bit of the festivities tonight. Happy Birthday to you both!

Judi thanks for hosting. It was a fun evening. The food (as always) was very good! I love your chicken wings :) I am very pleased to see the progress of your sock. Nicely done!!

Kathleen, (our birthday girl), I really like the colors of that Noro yarn. It's very pretty. I will be happy to bring the swift and the winder next week for you. I hope you enjoyed your little celebration tonight!

Pam, it was good to see you again. The hat you made is just gorgeous and oh so soft! I also like the socks that you have made. They look great! Thank you for that cake. Talk about sinful!! :) :)

I have never seen a cake so big. Good thing you had Judi to help you carry it out :)

Dawn L (did you like that!) The colors on your Clapotis (sp?) are so beautiful. I know your mother will just love it! Your book should be here on Friday. I will call you when it comes in.

Ingrid we missed you, but completely understand wanting to be with those babies. I got to see them both and they are just beautiful children!!! You are a lucky grandma!!

I can't believe how forgetful I was tonight! I will return your needle next Wednesday Kathleen. I hope to finish my octopus and start the hooded sweater for Mackenzie this weekend.

I'm off to bed. Have a good night ladies.

take care,
Dawn K

Happy Birthday Kathleen!

Happy Birthday to Ewe

Happy Birthday to Ewe

Happy Birthday dear Kathleen

Happy Birthday to Ewe!!!!

Have a WONDERFUL day!!!!!

take care,

Dawn K

HAPPY SOCKIVERSERY!!!!

I know it's offically two days away but a Happy Sockiversery to you lovely ladies. It is our one year anniversary of meeting at the sock class. (Kathleen I know you were there in spirit because you were just starting to knit too!) Ewe guys are the best!!!

Thanks ladies for coming over here to knit. It makes it so much easier when you are doing snack not to have to pack it all up. If everyone is agreeable to it I would like to do it here on my week. Let me know if that's ok!

Ingrid, Ingrid, Ingrid....what can I say you are not a sock virgin anymore!!!! You did a great job on that sock. Then, to top it off you pulled out a sweater!!!!! I am in awe! I love that sweater and want to make one THIS WEEK LOL!!

I am looking forward to shopping with you tomorrow. I will have to line up some projects :)

Judi, I am proud of you for plugging away at that sock. It doesn't go quickly on those little needles. Thank you so much for taking the train house home to fix. You are a doll and it is greatly appreciated!!!! Make sure you get yourself to Ravelry. When you are there, look me up in the friends tab. My name is DawnK there. Yes, very original I know.

Kathleen, that yarn you showed me is scrumptious. I can almost close my eyes and see that blue yarn made into pillows on my couch!!!! Did your mom or sister get that for you? You have some fun projects ahead of you.

Dawnelle, I think the colors on the Clapotis are just beautiful!!! I want to watch you drop all those stitches :) :) . Your sock colors are so pretty and springy!! They will look lovely on your feet. Any time you need a photo shoot of them just let me know :)

Just an aside, Rich pitched in and helped with the dishes :) What a guy!

I am going to try to get my bunny stuffed and stitched tomorrow. I'll try to get a picture to post when I do. I caked my blue yarn so I'll be making one for Jack next.

Again, thanks for another fun night.

take care,
Dawn K

ITS FINISHED!!!!!!

Thanks to Dawn's help Saturday night at 8:15 PM the sweater is completed and is ON Don! I am so grateful to DK for all of your help and all of the Loopy Ewes for your encouragement!

Sock it to me!!!

Yay Ingrid and Judy. You go girls. I am impressed with your desire to actually commit yourself to doing this. I PROMISE you it will get easier!!!! Both of you may call me any time you need help this week. I am looking forward to seeing your progress next week.

Judi here's your ravelry status:

You are #85382 on the list.
3816 people are ahead of you in line.
2802 people are behind you in line.
89% of the list has been invited so far

Kathleen I hope your sweater is ready to be given this weekend. Who would have thought you would already be knitting sweaters :) :) I'm anxious to see the completed project or picture :) Thank you for the great snacks. I was a strawberry pig tonight! YUM YUM YUM!!!!! (sorry Ingrid)

Dawnelle I would be more than happy to help you stitch that masterpiece together! It is an amazing looking sweater. I did that little photoshop thing for you. It should be in your email. :)

I hope to be done with the blue yarn next time we meet :).

Take care,
The yarn whisperer! :)

So you think you are fast?

Check out this video! You need Quick Time to view it. It's the Yarn Harlot knitting fast, fast, fast! All I can say is WOW!

take care,
Dawn K

A Better Way to SSK?

Hello Loopy Ewes!  This evening I was trying to remember left slanting decreases vs. right slanting decreases, and I came upon this "improved version" of the SSK that helps it lay a little flatter.  Basically, you slip the first stitch as if to knit, slip the second stitch as if to purl, and then knit them through the back loop as you normally would.  You can check it out here, if you'd like! I always find little tidbits like this helpful, so I hope you do too.

Have a nice weekend!

K

What a fun relaxing evening

It's always nice getting together with friends and just relaxing, laughing, eating and oh yes, knitting.

Ingrid, thank you for the yummy food! Everything was very good. Thank you for hosting again. The bag you are knitting looks like it is almost done! I am glad you liked the green yarn. I was happy to pass it on! I hope to be able to go with Dawnelle to the Yarn Basket. Make your list :)

Dawnelle, I love the fetching in the Noro yarn. My goodness they are so pretty! You are making me want to make a pair...soon. I'm sure your friend will love them :)

Kathleen, I love your hat! The yarn you chose is so pretty!! I hope you take some pictures before you give the sweater away.

Judi, you are plugging away on that blanket. It will be done soon :) SO...did I hear right...you and Ingrid are knitting socks next week :) :) :)

Pam we missed you. I wanted to thank you for the gift certificate and show you what I bought at Adventures in Knitting. I hope to see you next week.

I'm glad to be done with the blanket. I'm sure I'll get the hat finished this weekend and then I'll start the Yoda Sweater.

take care,
Dawn

Hello Kitty!!

Who is the most excited loopy visitor? What an awesome hat DK!!!
Dawnelle

Potato Gratin

Here's the recipe for the potato dish that I made for our big bash.  I'm glad everyone liked it. :-)

Potato Gratin (slightly modified from "Potato-Fennel Gratin" from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook)

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoon butter, plus some for pan preparation

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 2.25 lbs.)

1 cup+1 tablespoon cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups gruyere, grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 350.  Butter the sides and bottom of baking dish.  In a large skillet over medium heat, heat butter and olive oil.  Add the sliced onions and saute 5 to 10 minutes until tender.  Combine onions, potatoes, 1 cup cream, 1 cup cheese in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Spoon in prepared dish in a somewhat even layer.  Mix remaining 1/2 cup gruyere with 1 tablespoon of cream.  Sprinkle evenly over the potatoes.  Bake 1 1/2 hours, or until golden and bubbly.  This dish can be cooked ahead of time and reheated at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy! Kathleen

What a party!!!!

Oh, we partied until the cows sheep came home! What a fun night. Even mother nature cooperated and gave us a little dusting of snow :). All of the food was so good!!! I am so stuffed. I think next week we need to have celery sticks and water!!! What a great assortment of gifts. I loved watching every one open what they got as much I as loved my gift from Pam.

Ingrid, thanks again for allowing us to use your home! You are always so gracious! It was good seeing you knit again. It seems like so long since we have all been together! Thank you also for the cute little sheep. It's adorable! The embroidered blanket looks so comfy and warm. The salad was very good. I love how "cool" it tasted! Nice and chilled. Just the way I like it.

Judi, whoda thought I'd leave before you LOL!!! The bag you made was just gorgeous. I think you might have a new calling. What do you think "sister" :) :) :) :) Thank you for the chicken. It was yummy. The sauce was tasty too!

Pam, the scarf is so beautiful!!! I love it. The colors are just divine!!! Thank you again for my gift certificate. There are several things I would like to get :) That rum cake was so tasty. A few ice cubes and diet coke would have been just like the old days with the Captain LOL!

Kathleen, I just loved those potatoes. I think Rich might actually eat those. Please share the recipe. Thank you also for the stitch markers. Not only are they great but the packaging was wonderful! The sheep ornament was so sweet! The stocking you made Ingrid was very cute. You did a terrific job on it. How festive!

Dawnelle I like those coasters. I think I may need to put them on my to do list. The way Kathleen "wore them" was just so pretty :) The mug made me smile...how cute! Thank you also for the tape measure. I adore it! I'm glad you liked the gifts. You were fun to "create" for.

Here is the link for the candy cane holders.

I hope I didn't leave anything out.

take care,
Dawn K