~Knitted Penguins~

Knitted Penguins

It's the beginning of December.  You may have knitting needles in many sizes just waiting to be picked up and start clicking away.  You may have white or blue, green or red yarn sitting in your "yarn stash".  There may be even a skein of black yarn.  If you don't have black yarn, put it on your "must buy" list!  These adorable Penguins are just too cute to resist knitting, if you like to knit!!!

Last year I surprised my older two grandsons with these cute little guys.  One grandson likes anything and everything relating to Penguins.  I used a Red Heart yarn pattern that I had found on Twitter.

Click here for pattern.

JOANN's had the needed buttons to securely sew on the faces.  Using a small piece of Bias Tape the buttons were sewn on much easier.  They are also more secure!

Securely sew on buttons!

Each Penguin has a jersey body liner that's stuffed & then placed inside the knitted body.  This body liner prevents any stuffing from seeping out of the knitted body.

Stuffed Jersey Liner to place inside Penguin.

The Penguin body is knitted.  The flippers and scarves are knitted separately.  I tacked the scarf onto the Penguin, completely, so it will never move.

***Push in the bottom of the completed Penguin, if you want it to stand up.  

This amigurumi Penguin is a cute gift for some lucky recipient!  

For my complete post from last year on creating these adorable knitted Penguins, click here.  These little amigurumi are just so cute!!!

Happy Knitting!

    

Ah Yes, Color!

Welcome Sight!
Red Amaryllis

In the middle of January I was ready to work with the Amaryllis!  It was the potted bulb 2 of my cute grandsons gave us.  The color was a mystery.  Mysteries are good!  It was also a mystery if  I would see any beautiful anticipated flowers.  A YouTube video was very helpful. 

O.K., the lid was carefully removed from the pot.  The bulb was watered- not too much.  The pot was rotated:  90°- 180° every time.  The ever growing stem with a "bud" was staked- gently with yarn.  Suddenly the "bud" began to open & small red buds appeared.  I was on my way to see brilliant red color in the winter!  Woo hoo!

The buds opened.  The Amaryllis is watered.  The pot is rotated.  What a gorgeous sight in February!

Pollen & me have issues, so I also removed the pollen sacs.  I am planning on enjoying these bright red flowers for as long as  can!

After it flowers (with some TLC), I've learned that the bulb can be replanted at a later date.  Oh yes, brilliant red flowers again!  This is so similar to my Marigold plant!  Seeds are saved every year & planted the following spring!      

Enjoying the Amaryllis!

               

Knitted Penguins

Two Happy Penguins
Knitted- Directions: Red Heart Yarn

One day via Twitter, Red Heart Yarn had shared the pattern for an adorable black Penguin with a bright red scarf.  It was just so cute!  Taking a quick glance at the directions I bookmarked the pattern.  (Click here for pattern.)  Quickly, I made plans to make 2 of these little cuties- one for each grandson.

Much like my "fabric stash", I have a "yarn stash".  In this project, I used both!  I had red yarn & I had white yarn.  A quick trip to Michael's & I had black yarn.  I'd be knitting 2 penguins, so I decided to make each Penguin's scarf & sweater a different color!  In my "stash" was a blue tweed yarn.  It was leftover from my hubby's knitted rib winter hat.  That had been my project last year.  There's always the clicking of knitting needles going on here.  Knitting is a FuN hobby that my mom taught me back when I was a lot younger.  In other words, I've been knitting for- well- decades. 

These Penguins are just adorable!  2 sizes of  knitting needles are needed for this project:

• The Penguin body- double pointed US #3 knitting needles.

• The scarf is knitted with US #6 single point knitting needles.

• A Yarn Needle is also needed to stitch the seam & also attach the flippers.

After knitting the body & flippers of the Penguin, the eyes & mouth buttons were securely sewn on the face.  To sew them securely on the knitted face, a small piece of Bias Tape was placed on the back of the face- where each button would be sewed.

Eyes & Mouth sewed on-
using Bias Tape

Then, I sewed up 2/3 of the back seam of each Penguin starting at the bottom.  I placed it flat (on my ironing board) with the front facing me.

***Staring at the body I realized that after it was sewn together & stuffed, there could be an issue of the stuffing seeping out between the knitted stitches.  That was not good!  That led to making a body Liner.   

To make a body Liner to stuff:
The next step was tracing the knitted body on newsprint.  I then had a pattern to use while cutting the Liner from light weight jersey fabric.  Cut 2 liner body pieces for a Penguin.  Sew the 2 pieces together leaving the bottom open.

The next step? 
The body Liner was stuffed & the bottom seam stitched by hand.

Stuffed Body Liners-
ready to insert

The stuffed Liner was placed inside the knitted Penguin.  The back seam on the Penguin was completed using the Yarn Needle & yarn.  Then, the flippers were sewed in place, too, using yarn. 

The plump little Penguin needed a scarf.  Tie the scarf just under the face & pull tightly.  I sewed it in place with yarn (using the scarf's color) and also tacked the long scarf in place.

To stand- push bottom of Penguin in.  

What cute little Penguins!  After the first Penguin was completed, I was on my way to finish off the second one- complete with a colorful scarf!  Soon, I'll be working on another!

This is a FuN project to keep or to give as a gift.  Again click here for the pattern.

Enjoy!
Happy Knitting!

                  

3rd Generation Marigolds

Marigold Blossoms!

Saving seeds from Marigold & Zinnia plants is always a FuN thing for me.  Two years ago when my 2 cute little grandsons gave me a beautiful flowering Marigold plant, I KNEW I'd be saving the seeds that Fall.  It would be the plant that kept on growing!

Saved Dried Marigold Seeds
(File Photo)

The saved seeds were planted last spring & guess what?  My new little plants grew & I saved seeds again in the Fall.  This spring the seeds sprouted in a planter & I've been patiently w- a- i- t- i- n- g  for the little plants to g- r- o- w.  Watering, sunshine & patience comes in handy here.  Today the first blossom started to open!
Woohoo!  What cute little plants!

Do you save seeds from annuals to plant the following spring?

I'll be Enjoying these special plants all summer into autumn!

  

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles - The remaining 4 for my photo op!

The Cinnamon/ Sugar coating smells so good as you bite into a soft delicious Snickerdoodle.  Yum!  These cookies are a fave of my fam.  I've also learned that it ranks tops with my next door neighbor who just graduated from our high school.  The graduation party was on Saturday.   Sunday, the Dads in our fam celebrated their day. What better dessert than Snickerdoodles for both occasions?  On Friday afternoon my 37 year old KitchenAid mixer was put to the test and my oven was in mass production mode.  A triple batch of these cinnamon flavored cookies covered my kitchen counters.

Over the years, Snickerdoodles have filled the role of birthday cakes for my sons after they moved out of our area and began their careers.  A box delivered to their doors containing homemade cookies is one special yummy gift!

When preparing these cookies, after the small balls of dough are formed, I place them quickly into the Cinnamon/ Sugar Topping mixture rather than roll the dough around and cover the entire ball.  

Snickerdoodles    printable recipe card  
Oven: 400°F    Yield:  About 3 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients 

½ Cup Butter or Margarine, softened
½ Cup Solid Shortening ( I use Crisco.)
1 and ½ Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
2 and ¾ Cups Flour
2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 tsp. Baking Soda
¼ tsp. Salt
* * * *
Topping:  2 tsp. Sugar + 1 tsp. Cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Using a mixer beat Butter/Margarine, Shortening + Sugar.
3. Add Eggs and beat.
4. Add Cream of Tartar, Baking Soda, Salt + ½ of the Flour and mix.
5. Add in remaining Flour + mix.
6. In a small bowl combine Topping Ingredients.
7. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls.
8. Place ball of dough into Cinnamon/Sugar Mixture.
9. Place ball of dough Mixture side up onto ungreased baking sheet, 12 balls/sheet.
10. Bake about 9 Minutes, underside of cookie will be lightly browned.
11. Remove from baking sheet and cool on rack.
12. Store in air tight container.

***Snickerdoodles do not freeze well.

The triple batch of cookies are g-o-n-e!  They were shared 3 ways and were totally enjoyed!

Yummy!

 

~August Fun Free Fridays~

Learning while having FuN is the best way to learn!  There are 5 more Fridays in the very generous gift from the Highland Street Foundation to residents who live in or tourists visiting Massachusetts!  Throughout the state there are specific places listed for each Friday this summer where there is FREE ADMISSION for visitors of all ages.

From the Berkshires to the Cape we have so many beautiful and family oriented places to visit.  If you have a Friday vacation day and are searching for a FuN family activity before school starts, check out the link for scheduled list of places to visit.  This is a wonderful summer program!

You just might learn something new while having FuN!      

Thank you Highland Street Foundation!
We will Enjoy!

Christmas Guest Towels

Who would guess that the new addition to my fabric scrap stash would come in handy so quickly?  It was the beginning of another quick and easy Christmas project.  The colorful fabric strips on my new bright Christmas Guest Towels is leftover fabric from my current project.  Two years ago I wanted Thanksgiving themed Guest Towels, but while searching in stores I never found any that suited my fancy.  So, I purchased colored towels and made them to order.  It worked so well!  The towels have endured many washings and remain a vibrant color.  While they were hanging in our bathroom this November it reminded me that another holiday was approaching and ideas started to flow - Christmas Guest Towels.

Thanksgiving Guest Towels

The chosen colors of the newly decorated hand towels go well with the fabric design and also with the colors in our bathroom.  A BIG + is that they were very simple to make.  After purchasing (via a good sale) 2 new towels I was ready to start. 

A strip of fabric was cut to fit into towel's recessed area near the bottom edge.  The strip is 2" longer than the towel's width.  That way I have an extra 1" on each side to play with when doing the finishing work and sewing. 

The height of the desired strip is measured 1/2" larger than needed,  so both the top and the bottom may be turned in 1/4" and pressed.  The raw edges on each side of the strip are turned in also, pressed and then turned in again and sewn in place. 

When sewing strip in place:  I like to wrap a very small portion of the colorful strip around the backside of the towel when attaching, so I allow for an extra 1/2" on each side.  Pin the strip onto the plain portion of the towel's front and sew in place.  Really easy!


Pinning strip in place.

These Guest Towels also make quick, small and festive Christmas gifts!  I am adding this post to my Threads with Taste Page (located below my header) above.
Enjoy!
Happy Sewing!

          

Strawberry Banana Bread, Yum!

In the past I’ve mentioned that Bananas are not a favorite fruit of mine. Well, that certainly is in the past. Yes, every day I do savor the sweet taste of a potassium filled Banana, because it is healthy. But somehow there usually is one remaining Banana in our fruit bowl that is spotted. That is a “Baking Banana”.

The Blueberry Banana Bread is a big hit with my family. Now, Strawberry season is here, but in our freezer there was one last remaining Ziploc Freezer bag containing halved Strawberries. And, lo and behold there were three overripe Bananas waiting!

You guessed it! I substituted the defrosted Strawberries that were cut into ¼’s and into the batter they went. Strawberry Banana Bread sure tastes mighty fine! Do you enjoy the combination of Strawberries and Bananas? Yummy!

Strawberry Banana Bread

Oven:  350ºF     Time:  55-60 minutes
Yield: 2 Loaves

Ingredients:
2 and 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup packed Brown Sugar (I used Brownulated.)
1 TBS. Baking Powder, plus
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
3 TBS. Olive Oil (for Sauteeing and Baking)
1/3 Cup Milk (I used Soy Milk.)
1 Egg
2 tsp. Vanilla
3 mashed Bananas
2 cups defrosted Strawberries cut into ¼’s

Method:

1. Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl and stir well.
2. Mash Bananas in small bowl. Add cut Strawberries to small bowl.
3. Beat Egg and add with liquid ingredients to Flour mixture.
4. Add in fruits.
5. Stir all until combined.
6. Spray 2 Bread Pans (8 and ½ “ or 9”) with PAM and pour in batter, evenly.
7. Bake 55 – 60 Minutes or until cake tester (toothpick) comes out clean.
8. Place pans on wire rack. Cool in pans 10 minutes.
9. Remove from pans and cool.
10. Enjoy after slicing!

While these breads were baking, the aroma in my kitchen floated out to our Family Room. The combination of Strawberries, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Bananas smelled so good! Yes, I did say Bananas.

I will surely be baking these again. Tonight, there are a few slices of this scrumptious treat left. The second wrapped bread will not last too long with Father’s Day tomorrow.

To all the Dads – Happy Father’s Day!!! 

Cooking Up A Storm

For me the expression “Cooking Up A Storm” does not always mean that my oven, my refrigerator or my herbs will be used. Yesterday afternoon a section of my dining room table was covered with colorful silk flowers along with a copper container and wire cutters. A day earlier my hubby had glued green foam into the bottom of the copper container. It would be the base for a silk flower arrangement gift that I was making for friends.

Making floral arrangements is a relaxing hobby. After sniping the stem of the first flower to the desired height, the stem is inserted into the center of the foam. Then, another floral stem is cut and put in place - sticking out of the end of the foam and side of the container. Another flower is placed on the other side. After that … desired colors and varieties of silk flowers are added. No green foam will be visible when the arrangement is completed. While listening to a Billy Joel CD, colorful sprigs were carefully cut and pushed into the foam. One here, another there… Before I knew it I was finished.

An advertised sale at Michael’s is as sweet as using coupons in the grocery store! Two weeks earlier I was able to purchase my silk flower supply for this project at a 50% discount.

This morning the finished product was sitting on my counter. Do you enjoy making silk flower arrangements? Other than using your oven, how do you enjoy “cooking up a storm”?