To thank my gracious hosts, Tammy and Lora, I am bringing dessert: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies! They’re delicious and I thought it would be nice to share the recipe with all of you. It’s a modified version of the “Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies” printed inside the lid of each tube of Quaker Oats.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional; I happen to like cinnamon with chocolate)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups oats, uncooked
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F.

Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Beat together margarine (or butter) and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add flour mixture in portions, beating well and fully incorporating each portion before adding more. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, and walnuts and mix well.

Spread onto lightly greased 10″x15″ cookie sheet. Bake 20 – 28 minutes.

Cool on wire rack, then, cut into about 1-1/2″ squares. Makes 48 cookies.

Yummy!

Green, lacy fingerless gloves!

The gorgeous pattern, called “Cafe au Lait Mits”, was written by Paula McKeever. You can queue the pattern on Ravelry here, or see my project here.

So that I could complete Liz‘s HELP! scarf, which has tassels on both ends & is now finished!

I’ll be taking photos tomorrow morning, but I won’t post them on this blog until she gets her present. I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise of her seeing it for herself… though it is awfully tempting!

I’m proud of myself for the rate at which I’ve been making things, lately. I have been zipping through projects in much shorter amounts of time than I ever did before, which in turn inspires me to create more things. I had a slight setback this morning in a pair of fingerless gloves that I was making for myself, but rather than be upset about it, I learned from what I’d done wrong and will try to make it fit better tomorrow. Everything in due time. It feels so nice to not stress and worry over what I’m doing–even when I mess up, I am enjoying myself. It’s a relief.

A lovely, ruffly, keyhole scarf!

It’s funny–I’m not much of a scarf person, myself. I like that they keep my neck warm, but I never really get excited about the prospect of knitting a scarf. (Fingerless gloves, on the other hand, send me into another realm!) Yet there was something different about this honestly easy pattern that made me go, “Oooh, I really want to knit that!”

I found Armina Parnagian’s wonderful pattern on Ravelry (my project is here). The original used a brown yarn, which I liked, but I much prefer the yarn I used: Lion Brand Homespun, in the color “Ocean.” I think the way the colors flow through the scarf’s long length take it from simply nice to truly amazing. If you want to knit this “Ruffled Keyhole Scarf” too, here is the pattern.

Mom's Easter basket, filled with eggs!

MATERIALS

Approx. 25 yards worsted weight yarn, per egg – I recommend a variegated yarn so that the eggs appear decorated; I used Lily Sugar’n Creme Ombres & Prints in Country Side, Cool Breeze, and Faded Denim. Each egg takes about a quarter of a ball.
Set of 4 US Size 3 / 3.25 mm double-pointed needles (DPNs)
Tapestry needle
A small amount of fiberfil stuffing

 

Cast on 12 stitches, leaving a long tail (at least 6 inches); divide evenly over 3 DPNs and join in the round.

Round 1: [k1, kfb] x 6
Round 2: [k2, kfb] x 6
Round 3: knit
Round 4: [k3, kfb] x 6
Rounds 5, 6: knit
Round 7: [k4, kfb] x 6
Rounds 8 – 15: knit
Round 16: [k4, k2tog] x 6
Rounds 17, 18: knit
Round 19: [k3, k2tog] x 6
Rounds 20, 21: knit
Round 22: [k2, k2tog] x 6
Rounds 23, 24: knit
Round 25: [k1, k2tog] x 6

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail, and thread through remaining stitches. Sew the top of the egg together. Next, stuff the egg from the bottom, then use the tail left from casting on to sew the bottom of the egg shut. You’ve made an Easter egg!

Please let me know if you knit this yourself! I’d love to see finished works. If you use Ravelry, you can queue the pattern here.

If you find any errors in this pattern (I’ve tried my best to make sure it’s correct), feel free to leave a comment here, email me at prefab467 AT aol DOT com or contact me on Ravelry (I’m MercuryZelda). You may print out as many copies of this pattern as you like for personal use. You also may give the result of this pattern as a gift, but you do not have permission to sell either this pattern or any toys made from it.

One step back: I had to give up on the hat I had started for Ann. The yarn I chose was simply too bulky for the pattern I’d liked. However, I found a new pattern that I think will be wonderful for the yarn; I have to get some larger knitting needles, but that won’t be hard to do. Also, once I have those needles in my possession, I will be able to make all sorts of lovely chunky-weight hats with the yarn that I so adore.

I promise that next entry I’ll have some pictures to post; I have all sorts of inspiration from browsing patterns on Ravelry, and I’m knitting quicker than ever!

…what I am not happy about, though, is the fact that I currently have one legwarmer here, while the other is at Tammy’s apartment. I need to have the two of them together before I can post a lovely photo of her modeling these! I’ll likely see her either this or next weekend, so she’ll receive her second legwarmer then; she liked the first, so I’m hoping the second one matches exactly. It ought to, anyway; I’m very meticulous about the notes I keep while I am knitting from a pattern. I like having the ability to accurately reproduce anything I have previously knitted–or, conversely, making sure I do not repeat the same mistake I made the previous time.

Currently I have three projects going for friends: a hat for Ann, a scarf for Liz, and slippers for Jaime. Hopefully they will be completed soon!

On Sunday evening I ordered a pair of support gloves from Lion Brand, to protect my apparently fragile wrists. I attempted to curb my knitting while I waited for them to arrive, but I simply could not resist starting a present for my friend Suzette. Today is a doubly wonderful day because my support gloves arrived for me and I finished a lovely pair of red fingerless gloves for her!

I love these fingerless gloves.

 My project made from the pattern is posted on Ravelry here. These “Cherry Red Handwarmers” by Creativeyarn – Zen and the Art of Handicraft were quick, wonderful and–best of all–gentle on my wrists. I hope that Suzette will like them as much as I do!

Now that I have my support gloves, I can continue knitting gifts for my friends and not need to worry about my wrists. I’m grateful for little things like this.

John-Paul the Walrus

MATERIALS

Less than 1/2 skein each of worsted weight:
Grey yarn
Black yarn
White yarn
(I used these colors to match John’s outfit in the “I Am the Walrus” video. You can use whatever colors tickle your fancy; you can even make his body, tail, fins, and head out of the same color and only contrast his eyes and tusks.)

Set of four US Size 4 / 3.5 mm double-pointed needles

Wide-eyed needle (for sewing seams)

A small amount of fiberfil stuffing

PATTERN

Abbreviations:

k# – knit # of stitches
p# – purl # of stitches
[...] x # – repeat instructions in the brackets # times
st / sts – stitch / stitches
kfb – knit into the front and back of the same stitch
m1 – make one stitch by inserting the needle into the “bar” between the last-knit stitch and the next stitch on the needle
k2tog – knit two together

Tail:

With grey yarn, cast on 5 stitches.

Row  1: k1, p1, k1, p1, k1
Row  2: p1, k1, p1, k1, p1
Row  3: as row 1
Row  4: as row 2
Row  5: kfb, p1, kfb, p1, kfb (8 sts)
Row  6: p2, k1, p2, k1, p2
Row  7: k2, p1, k2, p1, k2
Row  8: as row 6
Row  9: as row 7
Row 10: as row 6

Bind off in pattern.

Body:

With black yarn, cast on 12 stitches and distribute evenly on 3 DPNs; join in the round.

Rounds 1 – 5: Knit
Round  6: [k1, m1, k1, m1, k1, m1, k1] x 3 (21 sts)
Rounds 7 – 16: knit
Round 17: [k1, m1, k1, m1, k3, m1, k1, m1, k1] x 3 (33 sts)
Rounds 18 – 25: knit
Round 26: [k1, (k2tog) x 4, k2] x 3 (21 sts)
Rounds 27 – 29: knit
Round 30: [k1, k2tog, k4] x 3 (18 sts)
Round 31: knit
Round 32: [k2, k2tog, k2] x 3 (15 sts)
Round 33: knit
Round 34: [k1, k2tog twice] x 3 (9 sts)

Cut yarn, pulling tight through remaining stitches. Leave tail.
Stuff body with fiberfil, then sew the walrus’s tail to the bottom of the body (the cast-on edge) as you sew it closed.

Head:

With grey yarn, cast on 9 stitches and distribute evenly on 3 DPNs; join in the round.

Rounds 1 – 3: Knit
Round  4: [k1, m1, k1, m1, k1] x 3 (15 sts)
Round  5: knit
Round  6: [k1, m1, k3, m1, k1] x 3 (21 sts)
Round  7: knit
Round  8: [k1, m1, k5, m1, k1] x 3 (27 sts)
Round  9: knit
Round 10: [k1, m1, k7, m1, k1] x 3 (33 sts)
Round 11: knit
Round 12: [k1, m1, k9, m1, k1] x 3 (39 sts)
Round 13: knit
Round 14: [k1, k2tog, k7, k2tog, k1] x 3 (33 sts)
Round 15: knit
Round 16: [k1, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k1] x 3 (27 sts)
Round 17: knit
Round 18: [k1, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k1] x 3 (21 sts)
Round 19: knit
Round 20: [k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1] x 3 (15 sts)
Round 21: knit
Round 22: [k2tog, k1, k2tog] x 3 (9 sts)
Round 23: [k1, k2tog] x 3 (6 sts)
Round 24: k2tog x 3 (3 sts)

Cut yarn, pulling tight through remaining stitches.
Stuff head with fiberfil, then sew to body using yarn tail left over.

Fins (make 2):

With grey yarn, cast on 6 stitches.

Row  1-4: Work in Stockinette stitch, knitting odd rows and purling even rows.
Row  5: k2tog, k2, k2tog
Row  6: purl
Row  7: knit
Row  8: purl
Row  9: k2tog twice
Row 10: purl
Row 11: k2tog

Cut yarn and pull tight through last stitch.
Sew onto sides of body.

Mouth piece (borrowed from Knit Me!: How to Knit a Flat Circle):

With grey yarn, cast on 1 stitch.

Row 1: k1, p1, k1 in the same stitch
Row 2: purl
Row 3: kfb all stitches
Row 4: purl
Row 5: kfb all stitches
Row 6: purl

Bind off, leaving yarn tail. Sew onto head.

Tusks (you will work an I-cord to make both tusks in one fell swoop!):

With white yarn, cast on 1 stitch.
Row 1: kfb
Row 2: k1, kfb

Now work I-cord until 2 1/2 inches in length. Then…

next row: k2tog, k1
next row: k2tog

Cut yarn and thread through last st, leaving tail.
Lift up the bottom of the mouth piece, and thread the I-cord through a few stitches, forming two tusks. Cut yarn ends.

Finishing:
Using the wide-eyed needle, stitch some eyes with black yarn. Your walrus is done!

—–

Please let me know if you knit this yourself! I’d love to see finished works. If you use Ravelry, you can queue the pattern here.

If you find any errors in this pattern (I’ve tried my best to make sure it’s correct), feel free to leave a comment here, email me at prefab467 AT aol DOT com or contact me on Ravelry (I’m MercuryZelda). You may print out as many copies of this pattern as you like for personal use. You also may give the result of this pattern as a gift, but you do not have permission to sell either this pattern or any toys made from it.

Everything has been going smoothly in the process of writing his pattern, luckily! I write down what I want to do exactly as I’m about to do it, and if I change something I edit it right away. I have a hard time keeping track of what I’ve done without writing things down anyway, so this is just keeping me on my toes. I’m pleased with how clearly it’s coming out; I won’t have to edit much before I’m ready to post it online!

My right wrist is feeling better, but now my left one is acting up a little. (There wasn’t a loud alarming noise like there was with the other one, but it is sore.) When I knit, I look like a mummy with bandages on both hands! I will definitely invest in wrist support gloves for the future safety and support of my hands and wrists. They can’t take much more of the abuse that I am so fond of heaping upon them.