Baby Doll Blanket

We have finally reached the beginning of the serious baby doll stage.  Now we have had a few babies over the past two years but in the past few months I have really started to notice a serious interest in taking care of those babies along with mimicking the natures of motherhood.

With that, I sent out to find her her first baby cradle.  I checked at Michaels and Joann's hoping for a raw wooden cradle that I could paint but ended up coming home empty handed.  Then while having a conversation with my mom over the phone I happened to mention it.  She amazingly had just found one while cleaning out the garage that she came across somewhere over the years and was about to put it in a yard sale.  

So a few weeks later it arrived in the mail from TN.  It was finished wood with a vine stenciled on one side and the initials of the woodsmen who handcrafted it on the bottom.  Ya!  Handmade. . . how lucky is that!

I was thrilled to no end and it was exactly how I picture it. . .with one exception.  I wanted white.  So off to the paint store I went for one of the small sample cans to bring home.  A couple of days later and several coats of paint later . . .and perfection was reached.  Just as I envisioned!

Well except that is was now missing a knitted blanket. . .

Ok off to the yarn odd ball bin. . .yes I had 6 skeins of left over Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino!  Woohoo!

Pattern:

Cash on 102 stitches on to a size 3 needle
Knit 8 rows (garter stitch)

Basket weave pattern set up:

K5, (P4, K4), across until 5 stitches remain, K5.

continue in the basket weave pattern for a total of 7 rows and then begin next row as follows:

K5, (K4, P4), across until 5 stitches remain, K5

continue in the basket weave pattern for a total of another 7 rows and then switch colors.

Repeat color change a total of 13 times (starting and ending with the same color) .  Remember to knit 8 row of garter at the end before binding off.

Simple, great use of scrap yarn.

Now. . .it needs bedding, a pillow, a pillow case, and a quilt. . . .oh am I in for it!

Runway Brooke - Lots and lots of SHORTS!!!

I am excited to say I have pulled of another project for Runway Brooke this month!  Actually, if you want to be technical. . .its 5!  I actually made 4 pairs of these shorts.  The pattern can be found here

If you don't already have this pattern in your library. . .I suggest adding it.  There are several sizes, its easy, there are many different style options, and it can be used for boys or girls.

Now because we are still in the mix of pull-up potty training for my 3 year old, I chose a size 4 to make sure there was plenty of pull-up room and so that I can get two years out of them rather than one.  I also chose the flat front elastic shorts.  These are flat in the front with an elastic gather in the back.  I did not put buttons on these but will for the next pair I have in mind.  Dress them up a little bit.

Plus my daughter is very tall, everyone thinks she is much much older.  But no, she is just going to be a tall bean just like mom.

The fabric is left over Kaufman corduroy scraps I used to make Brooke a dress a few years ago.  As always I buy a little extra . . .so glad I did!  These shorts were a great stash buster for me.  Every pair of shorts was made from left over fabric!  How cool is that!!!

I am so excited about these shorts. . .I am going to say it again!  These shorts are just perfect!  Really, no joke!  The pattern is well written, simple, . . .so simple that I made 4 pairs in one day!  One day!

Owl shorts - #1

Cherry shorts - #2

Tree love shorts - #3

Papa Camou shorts - #4

She loves them. . .and has worn them all.  Hence why some are wrinkled (fresh out of the wash).  Her response was - "I love them!  Mama you make me some shirts?"

Guess shirts are next!

Gwen's Cheddar Dill Bread

My favorite bread recipe is a cheddar dill recipe.  I made this recipe up while experimenting with my bread machine.  Since then I have made it on a regular basis and share it with several friends.  If you are interested in purchasing a bread machine I highly recommend the Zojirushi brand.  Great quality for a reasonable price.  I use mine at a minimum of twice a week but usually more.

My recipe is as follows:

1-1/3 cups of water (1 - 1/2 cups during the winter and less during the summer when its humid)
4 - 1/4 cups of KAF all purpose flour
2 Tbs of sugar

2 Tbs of Dried Dill Weed
2 Tbs of Cheddar Powder

1 - 1/2 tsp of KAF bread salt
2 tsp - Red SAF Yeast
2 Tbs of olive oil

Add ingredients to your bread pan in the order above and then place in your bread machine on the basic bread setting with medium crust.

The result is very YUMMY!  It makes great toast, sandwiches, and especially grill cheese!  Two slices of this with some Vermont Cabot herb cheese and a deli pickle . . . . heavenly!

Try it out!  You will love it :)

Runway Brooke: 4th of July skirt

Happy 4th of July!!!  

Hope yours was a nice and relaxing as ours . . .just less humid!  The entire east coast has been stuck for the past two weeks in this mix of hot humid weather that spikes dangerous thunderstorms that drop buckets of rain and wind.  Lots of sporadic flooding and damage.  Hard to plan any type of outside activity or event.

We did luck out yesterday though.  It was hot and humid but we only saw a short sprinkle all day.  

First I got up super early and sewed Brooke a quick skirt.  Took about 1 1/2 hours total I think since I was making coffee and starting laundry at the same time.  But it was quick enough to finish before we all headed to the 5k race in town.  She loved it!  

Race was good but very very humid.  My husband of course started out in the back with Brooke in the stroller and then breezed by me finishing in like 23 minutes (with a stroller) while I came in at 26:45.  Which is actually good considering how humid it was.  I was dripping sweat before I even ran a step.  

Blah!  Hoping for some cool dry weather soon.

We finished the day with a great dinner on the grill and some homemade strawberry ice cream.  Then lounged by the kiddie pool and off to fireworks at the school.  Brooke was so worn out that she fell asleep in my arms right before they started and slept through the entire display.  They were loud so she must have been beat!

The skirt if just quick and simple.  Kind of following the Lazy Day Skirt guide but not completely.  

Came out great though!  The pattern is free so it you don't have it downloaded.  Click on the link above and download to your library.  A great basic.

The fabric was actually given to me so I am not sure of the brand or where you can get it.  A friend of mine was cleaning out her fabric stash and gave me the left overs.  She had used it many years ago for her girls for the same purpose.  Some things never go out of style.  It just seems very Ralph Lauren to me.

All American.