Gift Yarn Hat and Scarf Patterns - Knit - Part 2 of 2

Good morning,

Here are the patterns for the scarf and hat that were discussed in yesterday's article.

These are super easy patterns and use precious yarn in gorgeous colors.  That's a Win/Win in my book.

I hope you have fun with these,

Lois

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Scarf

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Materials:

#9 circular needles

Yarn: Norwegian #4 wool, about 1.5 oz. each of 3 colors.

Finished size: 7" x 48"

Gauge: 14 st = 4", 24 rows = 4"

Pattern note: Scarf is worked lengthwise.  It is a basket weave pattern.  The "weaves" change (purl to knit, knit to purl) on the same row as color changes.

First color:

Cast on 195 stitches.

Row 1: K5, P5

Row 2: P5, K5

Repeat rows 1 and 2 of first color ending with row 2 until you run out of the first color yarn.

Second (middle) color:

Join second color at end of row and reverse the knit/purl pattern:

Row 1: P5, K5

Row 2: K5, P5

Repeat rows 1 and 2 of second color ending with row 2 until you run out of the second color yarn.

Third (last) color:

Join third color at end of row and reverse the knit/purl pattern:

Row 1: K5, P5

Row 2: P5, K5

Repeat rows 1 and 2 of third color ending with row 2 until you nearly run out of the third color yarn making sure you have enough to bind off the last row.

Bind off in pattern.

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Hat
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Materials:

#9 circular needles (24"), and #9 dp needles, yarn needle

Yarn: Norwegian #4 wool, about 1.5 oz. each of 2 colors.

Size: Adult Large

Finished size: 24" diameter stretched as worn x 12-1/2 " bottom to top.

Gauge: 14 st = 4", 24 rows = 4"

Pattern note: Hat is worked in the round. Change to dp needles when needed during decreases at top.

First color:

With circular needles, cast on 72 st.

Work in round being careful not to twist. Place marker to mark beginning of round

K4, P4 for 5-1/4" or until you run out of this color yarn

Second color:

Change color at beginning of round.

P4, K4 until you reach 11-1/2" from the beginning.

Begin decreases at top:

Round 1: *P1, P2tog, P1. K1, K2 tog, K1. Repeat from * around. (54 st.) (You now have ribs of 3 purl, 3 knit st.)

Round 2: Knit the knit st, Purl the purl st.

Round 3: *P1, P2 tog, K1, K2 tog. Repeat from * around.

Round 4: Repeat round 2.

Cut yarn 18 " from work, thread into yarn needle and pull thread through remaining st. Pull tight and make a few stitches to hold in place.

Using all the colors of remaining yarn from hat and scarf, make a pom pom and sew in place.

More of my hat and scarf patterns are here.

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Lion Brand Yarn 150-098F Fishermen's Wool Yarn, Natural 

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The Gift of Yarn - Knit and Crochet - Part 1 of 2

Good morning,

This hat and scarf were made from yarn given to me by the mother of a friend who works with my husband.  Tomorrow I will publish the pattern I designed for this special yarn;  today I'll tell you the story of how I received it.

Our friend and his mother are Norwegians so it was special at Christmas a couple of years ago that his mother was on board the ship with us where the guys work. Our Friend's Mom had brought her knitting and was making children's socks to donate to charities in Norway. I was busy making Christmas tree decorations out of #10 thread to give as gifts. I gave Friend's Mom some of the decorations I had made and showed her the other items I was making at the time: doll clothes for 18" and 11-1/2" dolls, sweaters, hats, household items, etc.

Before she left the ship, Mom gave me several balls of Norwegian yarn. Oh, what a gift! I love Norwegian yarn! She gave me five partially used balls of the same kind of wool: different amounts, no labels. My husband, also born in Norway, saw the yarn sitting in our stateroom and said, "I could use a new hat and scarf to wear at home while walking the dogs." What a perfect use for this yarn! The dog walking at home sometimes happens when it is dark outside so this was perfect. The scarf and hat patterns are totally ad lib. They fit perfectly because I measured, then held the items up/tried them on as I worked.

Shortly after Christmas we came home to the USA for vacation and our friend went home to Norway on vacation. A couple of months later we returned to the ship a week before our friend who arrived with a whole suitcase full of yarn for me from his Mom. Wow! There was soooo much yarn! She had cleaned out her stash and packed it into a suitcase that literally exploded with yarn popping out everywhere when we opened it. There were little partially used balls of yarn and whole hanks and skeins, some as many as 24 of the same dye lot!

I grouped all the small amounts of different colors and made this afghan; I supplied the black for the border. I sent the afghan home to Friend's Mom in the same suitcase that brought the yarn to me with a big THANK YOU for the treasured yarn she had sent to me. From the rest of the yarn that came in that suitcase I have made four sweaters, more scarves and hats than I can count, Christmas decorations, doll clothes, baby blankets.... Click here for the raised flower afghan pattern.

So, thanks again, Friend's Mom! You are a wonderfully generous lady.

Lois

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Dalebarn Dale of Norway Kids Book # 51

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Peanut Butter Bread - Recipe

Good morning,

Here is one the kids will love!

Enjoy,

Lois

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Peanut Butter Bread - Recipe

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Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups sourdough culture - If you don't have sourdough culture, use an additional 3/4 cup flour and 3/4 cup water in addition to the ingredients listed below. The dry yeast will cause your bread to rise, but you won't have the sourdough flavor.

1 egg

1/4 cup Jiff peanut butter - plain or crunchy

1 t salt

2 t brown sugar

1/ 3 cup yogurt - plain or vanilla

1/2 cup warm water

3-1/2 cups flour

2 rounded t dry yeast

1/2 cup chopped peanuts if desired

Place all ingredients except chopped peanuts in large capacity bread machine in order given. Set on dough cycle and turn on.

The first dough cycle on most machines is about 40 minutes. Watch the action to be sure a dough ball forms at least 1/3 way through the cycle. Add a little flour or water if necessary to get the correct consistency. When all but 5 minutes of the cycle is complete, add chopped peanuts if desired.

When first dough cycle finished, remove from machine and place in a greased bowl for first rise. Place the bowl in a warm place such as the oven with the light, but no heat turned on. If you place it out on the counter in a warm place, cover with a damp cloth. This batch required about one hour for the first rise. Keep in mind that the temperature in your kitchen and the mood of the yeast can change the time required for the dough to rise.

If you are using crockery or glass pans/bowls for baking, set the empty bread pans in a warm place, too. I use my second oven with the light turned on.

For this batch I used 6 small loaf-shaped dishes and a round dish. Grease bread pans/dishes.

After the first rise, knead the dough to remove bubbles.

Divide for number of baking dishes you are using, shape in loaf shapes, and place in bread pans.

When it is finished rising the second time, bake at 350 F for 35 mins.

Remove from oven, turn out to cooling racks immediately.

Toast and serve with grape or other berry jelly or jam.

The jam I am using in the image was made by a wonderful  neighbor.  I make the bread and she makes the jam, then we meet at the back fence to share with each other.

Fantastic!

Click here for more of my bread recipes.


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 Victorinox 10-1/4-Inch Wavy Bread Knife, Black Fibrox Handle

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Happy Easter, Happy Anniversary, Happy Birthday

Happy Easter!

 Today is not only an important Christian Observance, it is also the 46th wedding anniversary of our friends Harry and Doris.  My husband and I were having dinner with Harry and Doris last year on their anniversary, but this year we are not able to be with them.  Although we cannot be together to celebrate this year, we send them our very best wishes.

Last year while having dinner with Harry and Doris our newest little four-legged baby was born.  Our Erik is one year old today.  Harry and Doris, also lovers of four-legged babies, are Erik's honorary godparents.

Very best to all,

Lois

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Wedding Anniversary Gifts - Personalized Happily Ever Print

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Magnolia Blossoms

Good morning,

For the past couple of weeks every day or so I have taken images of the magnolia tree that graces the front of our home.  The images are a record the blossoms as they developed from buds to full bloom.

This beautiful tree was here when I moved into this home 31 years ago. 

The images tell their own story.

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Magnolia Blossoms

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A beautiful Easter to all,

Lois

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Saucer Magnolia Vulcan Five Gallon Tree 

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Bread in the Bird Feeders and Daffodils in the Rain

Good morning,

I've been asked about all that bread I make:  Do you eat it all?  What do you do with what is left over? 

We certainly eat plenty of it, but no, we don't eat it all.  I generally give away about half of each batch I make to relatives, friends, and neighbors.  My daughter also takes some to her office and to meetings. 

What is left over at home when the next day's batch comes out of the oven goes into the bird feeder baskets in our front garden that you see in the picture above.  We get some beautiful birds and plenty of squirrels, too, that quickly finish off whatever we put out there.  We can watch the feeders from the front living room french doors and from the sitting room on the second floor. 

I haven't been able to get quality pictures through the windows, but my honey has said he will set up his camera to get some pictures of the action at the bird feeders.  When he does, I will share those images here. 

Today there was a gentle rain when I took the bread outside.  The daffodils were all leaning and dancing in the gentle wind:  a beautiful sight.

Enjoy,

Lois

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Sweet Corn Products B00302 Mesh Basket Feeder 

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Sour Dough Dinner Rolls and Bread (From the Same Batch) - Recipe

Good morning,

Often people tell me they would love to make bread at home, but they just don't have the time. Yes, it takes some time to make it, but you can multi-task and do other things between the various parts of bread making.

To be even more efficient, here is a recipe that allows you to make dinner rolls for dinner tonight and bread for tomorrow morning from the same batch.

Very best,
Lois

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Sour Dough Dinner Rolls and Bread from the Same Batch

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Ingredients:

1 Cup sourdough culture - If you don't have sourdough culture, use an additional 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water and an additional rounded teaspoon dry yeast to the ingredients listed below. The dry yeast will cause your bread to rise, but you won't have the sourdough flavor.

2 eggs

2 T butter softened

2 t salt

2 t sugar

1 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup warm water

3 cups flour

1 rounded teaspoon dry yeast (I'm in a hurry today. If you're not in a hurry, omit the dry yeast and the sourdough culture will do the job alone. It will just take longer to rise.)

Place all ingredients in large capacity bread machine in order given. Set on dough cycle and turn on.
 
The first dough cycle on most machines is about 40 minutes. Watch the action to be sure a dough ball forms at least 1/3 way through the cycle. Add a little flour or water if necessary to get the correct consistency.

When first dough cycle finished, remove from machine and place in a greased bowl for first rise. Place the bowl in a warm place such as the oven with the light, but no heat turned on. If you place it out on the counter in a warm place, cover with a damp cloth. This batch required about one and a half hours for the first rise. Keep in mind that the temperature in your kitchen and the mood of the yeast can change the time required for the dough to rise.

If you are using crockery or glass pans/dishes for baking, set the them in a warm place, too. I use my second oven with the light turned on.

This recipe will make two standard size loaves. For this batch, I'm using muffin tins for 12 dinner rolls and one standard size loaf pan. There will be four of us here to eat the dinner rolls tonight and the loaf will be consumed at breakfast tomorrow morning.  

After the first rise, knead the dough to remove bubbles.

Grease bread pan, muffin tins, and your hands.

When the first rise is finished (dough has doubled in size) remove from oven.
  
Divide into the number of parts as the number of pans you will use. Shape in loaf shapes, and place in bread pans. If you are making dinner rolls, shape slightly small than golf size balls of dough by rolling it between your hands; place two in each muffin tin.

Place the muffin tins back in the oven with the light, but no heat turned on.

When it is finished rising the second time, bake at 350 F for 45 mins. for the standard size loaf pan; bake the dinner rolls at 350 F for 30 mins. For this batch of bread, I put the larger loaf in one oven and the dinner rolls in my other oven.

When finished baking and golden brown, remove from oven, turn out to cooling racks immediately.

Click here for more of my bread recipes.

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Farberware Nonstick Bakeware 12-Cup Muffin Pan

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