I hoard even the smallest scraps

A good friend of mine is about to have a baby girl and so I've been churning through knitting ideas. I could make a blanket, but they always take too long. I could make a cute hat because I love making hats. But I haven't made a baby sweater. Ever. I've started baby sweaters -- I have two nieces that have the beginnings of sweaters stuffed in a basket in my closet -- but never finished baby sweaters. What it really comes down to is the yarn, I tried to branch out to other fiber types and new brands. But what I really want to do is knit with wool. Hot. Pink. Wool.

In my mind there is no other yarn but #47 Cerise by Manos del Uruguay.

nobleknits.com

Bright and Clean and Ready for Spring

Before and after:



I didn't think our deck had weathered very much until I look at this photo. The left side of the deck is gray and dull. The right side is bright with rich tans and reds. We scrubbed it this weekend using Messmer's Wood and Deck Cleaner. The cleaner was easy to use, and all that's needed is a garden sprayer, hose and scrub brush. (A little sunshine doesn't hurt either.) Best of all, the cleaner is biodegradable and it does a great job.

messmers.com

Homemade Gyros

Last week we bought a boneless leg of lamb just because it sounded good. We stuck it in the oven and had a fabulous roast dinner on Thursday night. It wasn't until I was cleaning up and stowing away the leftovers that I realized we bought a giant hunk of meat for two people. So instead of having regular repeat leftover dinners, Thomas came up with gyros! Gyros are sort of a Greek "lamb sandwich" and whenever we have them they're hot, quick and fabulous. So we gave them a try.

It was simple. Shave thin slices from the leftover lamb and warm. Chop a tomato. Stuff it all in a warm pita and top with a simple yogurt sauce. We used this one from cooks.com.

Gyros Sauce
1/2 c grated cucumbers
1 c plain yogurt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Squeeze cucumbers after grating. Blend with yogurt and garlic powder. Refrigerate to cool.

They were so delicious we made them for lunch on Saturday and Sunday in between busy backyard projects. I hope there's enough in the fridge for another round for lunch today!

How To: Coordinating Needle Cases

Are you knitting needles shoved in baskets in your closet? Are your crochet hooks hiding at the bottom of tote bags? Then follow this tutorial on how to make a set of these Coordinating Needle Cases. They're fast, easy and can be made from scraps of fabric. Give them as a gift with a pair of needles tucked inside or keep them all for yourself.



Supplies
1/2 yard of cotton fabric in solid color (A)
1/2 yard of cotton fabric in coordinating print (B)
1.5 yards 1" velvet ribbon
1 spool thread
Scissors
Tape measure
Sewing gauge ruler
Pins
Needle
Iron and ironing board

You can choose to work on the cases individually or in tandem. Be sure all fabric is washed and ironed before you begin.

1. Cut - From Fabric A, cut two 16.5 x 15.75 inch pieces for exterior of knitting needle case and one 11 x 5.25 inch piece for crochet hook pocket. From Fabric B, cut one 16.5 x 9.25 inch piece for knitting needle pocket and two 11 x 9.5 inch pieces for exterior of crochet hook case. Cut ribbon into two 18" pieces for knitting needle case and two 9" pieces for crochet hook case.

2. Make Pockets - Fold and pin 1/2 along one long edge of pocket pieces. Iron flat.



Match the cut edges of the pocket to the matching edges of one of the exterior pieces with right sides facing you. Mark for pockets, with stitch gauge measure and pin 1.5" from left raw edge. For next pocket and following two pockets measure and pin 1" to the right from previous pin. Continue measuring and pinning increasing the measurement by 1/2" for larger pockets. If you have mostly small needles then make mostly 1" pockets, for a collection of larger needles create 1.5 to 2" pockets. Stitch at each pin from folded pocket edge to raw edge back-stitching at each end.



4. Attach ribbon - Match ribbon edge to right edge of exterior piece with top edge of ribbon. The top edge of the ribbon can be visually centered on the needle case. Pin with wrong side showing. Pin the second piece of ribbon, right side showing, with bottom edge 1/8" from the top edge of the first piece of ribbon. Stitch 1/4" seam back-stitching at both ends.



5. Sew case together - Pin exterior pieces with right sides together making sure not to catch ribbon in pins or stitching. Stitch 1/2" seam around perimeter leaving a 2" opening on left side being sure to pivot at corners and back-stitching at each end.



6. Turn, sew and iron - Trim corners. Turn work right side out. Stitch opening closed by hand with needle and thread. Press seams and edges flat.



7. Fill and enjoy!





I'd love to see yours, email me photos today!