Sunday, July 29, 2007

The Knitting Cirle


Yesterday Judi and I met up at the Armchiar Book store and I bought a copy of The Knitting Circle (since the one we have been reading is borrowed). I had the author, Ann Hood, sign my copy. She was very nice. I think I overheard her tell Judi that she is working on another book and it has knitting in it :) Judi used her cell phone to get a picture of me with Ann Hood. I don't know how well it came out but I will post it when Judi sends it to me. I'm sorry you other Loopy Ewes weren't around to join us!

take care,
Dawn

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Judi's Party!!


Judi,
Thank you for such a wonderful Wednesday night knitting group Judi! You really went over the top and EVERYTHING was wonderful . Also, great to meet Lynn finally! What great hostesses... it was knitting cult meets knitting party! If anyone who won't be there next week is interested in an item from the Pampered Chef catalog...just let me know and I can order it. Otherwise, I will bring the catalog and order form next Wednesday! Hope everyone has a nice weekend!
Dawnelle


Also...because its so cute...i need to share a photo of Susan's little Izzy from her visit at our house!

Happy Birthday to our Loopy Lurker :)

Happy Birthday to Ewe
Happy Birthday to Ewe
Happy Birthday dear Beverly
Happy Birthday to Ewe

I hope these birthday wishes reach you all the way to North Carolina!!!

take care,
Dawn K

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Hi Beverly!!

Well, I am slowly but surely catching up with all of the comments, blogs, recipes, and the fashion statements. I am glad to know, Beverly, that you are not a knitting stalker! I hope you come along some week. I didn't mean to sound unwelcoming, I genuinely know know how blogs work.

I am looking forward to all of you coming here on Wed. I am adding directions below. Don't eat dinner, I am cooking up a storm. I love to cook for a group. I was really bummed to miss last week. Lynn is slowly on the mend, (she hurt her back lifting my bike onto the car rack) but on Friday I had to take the day off and rescue her, she couldn't drive home from a doctor's appointment. We left her car in Hyannis, and had to have her son help me retrieve it. She still can't drive. But she is looking forward to meeting all of you.

Edited to let you know that I sent Judi's address to you all in an email. Gotta be safe!!
Dawn K

Friday, July 20, 2007

There's no frost on this pumpkin!!!




I adapted the Apple Hat that Kathleen made and made this pumpkin hat. I made the leaves bigger and added some tendrils (that I crocheted). The model is Nancy Nurse. A doll I got in 1963. (Actually my doll has broken limbs...I picked this one up from ebay).
I want to make one more. I know two people having babies this fall :)
take care,
Dawn

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Orange cake recipe....and cheese dip


Doesn't sound like a good combination does it? Any way here are the recipes from last night. I found the recipe for the cake on line...I don't remember where though. I used 2 oranges to get the grated peel that I needed.



FRESH ORANGE CAKE

1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. grated orange rind
3 eggs
2 1/2 c. sifted cake flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 c. orange juice, fresh

Cream butter, sugar, shortening and orange rind. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice.
Pour batter into 3 greased and lined 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes. Fill layers with orange filling. Note: Use only fresh orange juice.


ORANGE FILLING:

2/3 c. sugar
3 tbsp. flour
1 c. orange juice
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 tbsp. butter

Mix sugar and flour in saucepan, add orange juice and egg yolks. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute. Add butter, stir well. Cool before using. Fill layers of cake with filling.


ORANGE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING:

8 tablespoons butter
4 cup confectioners sugar
4 tablespoon milk or water
4 tablespoon orange juice and a little grated rind

Cream butter and sugar well, add the flavoring and liquid until mixture is smooth.



Cheese Dip

(Ingrid gave me this recipe after one of our first loopy ewe meetings)

Layer a baking dish with :
8 oz of cream cheese
jar of salsa
package of shredded Mexican cheese

Bake at 350º for 30 minutes.

take care,
Dawn

Monday, July 16, 2007

A Scarf in July?


This little dog is already furry, so he doesn't mind wearing a scarf and booties in July. I finished this webkinz couture this past weekend, and here we have our model Tutu, who really prefers style over not sweating! LOL! The booties are made from the Bitty Baby Bootie pattern, courtesy of Dawn K. The scarf is something I made up as I went along. Next time, I think I'll make the booties the same color as the flower for more contrast, but Tutu's owner is all about pink, so it's all good for now. Kathleen

Sunday, July 15, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY INGRID!!


Let's have a group sing-along!
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Ingrid,
Happy Birthday to you!





I hope your birthday is a wonderful one and you are enjoying every minute of it!
take care,
Dawn

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Pam's Recipe

Delicous Indulgent Cheese Ball

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup salted butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 Tblsp brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 bag mini chocolate chips
Box of graham cracker sticks

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Add brown and powdered sugars and beat just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Shape into a ball, cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Roll in pecans and serve with graham cracker sticks.

Koo-Koo for Coconut!

Hello Loopy Ewes! Here's the recipe for the sweets I made the other night:

Coconut-Pecan Cereal Bars
(from Everyday Food magazine, July/August 2007)

1 package (7 oz) sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
nonstick cooking spray
1 package (10 oz) marshmallows
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups cornflakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on one side of a large rimmed baking sheet, and pecans on the other side, keeping them separate. Toast until fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Meanwhile, coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; line with a strip of waxed paper (leaving an overhang on two sides). Spray paper.

In a large nonstick pot over medium-low, heat marshmallows and butter until melted, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in cornflakes, coconut, and pecans. Transfer to a prepared pan; press in firmly with a metal spatula (coated with cooking spray to prevent sticking). Cool until firm, about 2 hours. Remove from pan; peel off paper. Using a serrated knife, cut into squares. Makes 16

I hope everyone has a nice weekend! Dawn, Judi and Dawnelle all are game so far for meeting on Tuesday instead of Thursday. (Thanks ladies!) I'll see you all then!

Kathleen

Friday, July 13, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAWNELLE!!!!!


You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too--yeah (well not really)
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.
Happy Birthday Dawn!! I hope you have a WONDERFUL day.
take care,
Dawn

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Judi's Post

Hey guys, great evening of knitting and laughing. I just got caught up on all the blogs I missed since last week. I can't figure out how a stranger (Beverly?) can post on here, don't we have to have a password?Anyway, I have bad news about the plan to meet at my house in 3 weeks (Aug 2nd)...I will be in California!! Sorry, I was not thinking ahead. Can I change it to another Thursday? Dawn K, are you hosting next week? and then Ingrid the week after? I could do the week that Ingrid is here, what do you think Ingrid? Let me know what you guys all think, I am looking forward to having you all over, and Lynn wants to meet the crazy ladies I hang with on Knitting nights. I'm off to bed, later. Judi

Monday, July 9, 2007

Felting Mania


Well...I did it!!! Completed and felted the slippers I needed finished by last night!!! One pair goes in the mail this morning and the other to a party Tuesday night! I have to say, I am somewhat satisfied with how this yarn felted!!! I combined it with the Wonderful Wood blend from the Yarn Basket!!! My hands are a little overworked...but I am pleased because they may even be dry by the time they reach their respective recipients!!!
Dawnelle

Apple Hat, Part 2

I guess it's good when the adrenaline kicks in and you end up burning the midnight oil to finish a project like I did with Apple Hat #1. I was knitting the leaves for hat #2 and realized that I created a design feature without that intention on the first hat. ;-) Look at the difference between the first leaf on the left that I knit according to my interpretation, and the leaf on the right, knitted the way the pattern intended:


The leaf on the left is from Apple Hat 1 and it's smaller than the leaf that I knit following the actual instructions for Apple Hat 2. The instructions for the leaf part of the hat, read as follows:

Leaves (make two of these)
With green cast on 3 sts and work two rows in garter st

Continue in garter st increase at each end of next and following alt row (7sts)

Work 5 rows straight decrease 1 st at each end of next and following alt rows (3 sts)

Next Row: sl1, k2tog, psso and fasten off

Sew leaves to hat at stem base

So what I ended up doing the first time around is I increased 1 stitch at the end of each row instead of at both ends of each row until I had 7 stitches. Then I decreased 1 stitch and the end of each row instead of at both ends until I had 3 stitches. The result is a smaller leaf. I made the stem shorter too on the first hat, which just goes to show me that I cannot rely on my brain in the wee hours of the morning.

Here are the two hats side by side. ( Apple Hat 1 on the bottom, Apple Hat 2 on the top) Looking on here, it's a little difficult to appreciate the difference, but it's there and the difference is much easier to see in person. I'm sending the hat with the little leaves off tomorrow, so this is the best comparison I can give you.



And here's the finished Apple Hat 2:




I guess you have the directions for smaller leaves if you want them! :-)

In other news, my girl made a picture for the group and I promised to post it, so here it is:


Isn't it cute? :-)

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Keychain



I was going to place an order to pick up one of these key chain sock holders. If you want to add to my order let me know. It was $2.99.

take care,
Dawn

Blue Jean Purse



Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band. (Look Ingrid I can still sing even on the blog...at least I picked an Elton John song for you :) )

I finished my blue jean purse yesterday. It was easier than I thought. The hardest part was weaving all those threads. Every time I switched colors I had a strand of yarn hanging. I might like to make another one of these sometime.

Click on the link above and then on custom kits and small projects if you would like to look at the company that sells this kit.

take care,
Dawn

Friday, July 6, 2007

Thinking of EWE!


Ingrid,
We are thinking of "ewe" today and hope all goes well.
take care,
Dawn K

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Rainy Day Red White & Blues

Well, I am so sorry to have to post this message, but the July 5th Sailing trip is officially cancelled.

Knitting group will be held at Ingrid's house at the regular time.

Perhaps we will get another chance to sail this summer, but for today we will meet on land!!!
See everyone this evening...minus Judi (so sad). We'll be thinking of you!!

Dawnelle

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Happy 4th of July!



I hope all of you ewes are having a great day!!!

take care,
Dawn K

Monday, July 2, 2007

And who said I couldn't knit a sock??????

I know that I really failed the socks class.... (even though I have tons of skeins of sock yarn :wink: ) I have no "real" sock to show for it 'yet' (hey, I have 3 different ones 'in progess' BUT.....


check this out!









notice that this itty-bitty sock is hanging off of my cordless phone (to give you an idea of just how small it is :)

Ok, it's not a 'real' sock, but heck - I did it! I made a sock and I am proud.... p.s. if you notice any knitting imperfections, please just look the other way LOL!

Sunday, July 1, 2007

July 5th Sailing Trip

I am so excited for this weeks Knitting Sail!! I think the best (most time saving) plan would be for everyone to meet at my house on Thursday at 4:30! I am right next to exit 12 on Route 6. So, if that works for every one....I will email directions to your email addresses! If possible, wear light or white soled shoes and definetely bring a sweatshirt or jacket! Other than that, just bring yourselves (and your knitting). Oh yes, one more thing...we have the weather to consider...if for some reason it looks sketchy on Thursday, perhaps we can take a vote and opt for someone's home...!!! Let me know what you thinkl!!
Dawnelle