Chocolate cupcakes

Mmmmmmm.........

Granny square to Granny stripes...

A while ago now I decided to learn to crochet, and embarked on some granny stitch.

Well, I've decided it's finished. (ie. I don't want to do anymore.)

It's not very big, but I shall give it to Poppy for her dolly.

A few online friends have mentioned granny stripes, so I googled it and found Attic24.

I made a practise piece as suggested,

which came out pretty well.

And so, in a fit of optimism and confidence I made a foundation chain of 120 stitches (about single bed size) and began my very own granny stripe blanket!

It's only two stripes long at the moment, but I can't put it down; it's fab!!

Pecan Butter Rolls

For the dough;

1 egg, 150 ml milk, 50g soft butter, 50g sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 425g bread flour, 2 tsp dried yeast.

Mix into dough, I used the breadmaker as usual.

Allow to prove, then punch down and allow dough to rest for 5 minutes.

Divide into 2 pieces, then roll each piece into an 8" circle.

For the filling;

I spread pecan butter all over the 2 circles, then sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.

(If you have no pecan butter you can make some by mixing about 2 tbsp butter and 50g finely chopped pecans.)

Cut each circle into 8 pieces (like a pizza!) then loosely roll them up towards the point.

Stretch slightly and place on a greased baking tray.

Allow to rise for about an hour, then bake for 12-15 minutes at 190 degrees C.

Mama made Monday - slouchy hat

I have been productive this week!

This is knitted from some leftover self patterning aran procured from my mum's house.

I used 5mm needles, and cast on 60 stitches.

(It's quite roomy for my 2 year old dd so I could have got away with perhaps 55 stitches.)

The first 6 rows were 2x2 rib, then I switched to stocking stitch for 2 rows.

Then continuing in stocking stitch I increased on the knit rows as follows.

K2 (Kfb, K4 - repeat) K3 (72 stitches)

K3 (Kfb, K4 - repeat) K3 (86 stitches)

K3 (Kfb, K4 - repeat) K2 (103 stitches)

Then I carried on in stocking stitch until the knitting was 7cm long (not including the rib.)

Then more stocking stitch and decreased on knit rows as follows.

K3 (K2tog, K4 - repeat) K3

K3 (K2tog, K4 - repeat) K3

K2 (K2tog, K4 - repeat) K2 (back to 60 stitches)

K2 (K2tog, K4 - repeat) K2 (50 stitches)

K3 (K2tog, K4 - repeat) K3 (42 stitches)

K3 (K2tog, K3 - repeat) K2tog, K2 (34 stitches)

K2 (K2tog, K2 - repeat) (26 stitches)

K2 (K2tog, K2 - repeat) (20 stitches)

K2tog, repeat to end (10 stitches)

K2 tog, repeat to end (5 Stitches)

I cast off by pulling the yarn through the last five stitches and pulling tight, then sewed a seam down the back.

Poppy seems quite fond of it, wearing it for a very important game of fairy skittles.

Mama made Monday - stripey jumper.

It seems ages since I actually finished knitting something, but here is a little jumper I've made for Poppy.

The yarn is Sirdar Juicy DK, which is a bamboo viscose and cotton mix, lovely and soft.

The pattern is just one I made up as I went along; the front and back are basically both stocking stitch rectangles, with a few rows of garter stitch at the top and bottom.

I put 6 buttons and buttonholes at the top to hold the shoulders together.

The sleeves have garter stitch cuffs, then stocking stitch gradually increasing to end up wider at the top.

Strawberry ice cream; no ice cream maker required!

Pour one can of condensed milk and one 600ml pot of single cream in a large bowl. Whisk with electric mixer until frothy. (You can use double cream which will give you a richer ice cream; whisk until thickened, but be careful not to over-whisk.)

Open a tin of strawberries, squash strawberries up (reserve juice from can for smoothies) and add to cream mixture. Mix it all together with the whisk. (You can of course use fresh strawberries but I find tinned ones are squishier.)

Pour into a loaf tin which you have lined with cling-film.

Freeze and slice!

Mama made Monday - nappy soaker

Today I'd like to share one of the more useful things I have knitted - a wool soaker.

It was the first thing I knitted on a circular needle. (Actually it is the only thing!!)

Here is Poppy wearing it at around 6 months.

And here she is wearing it today at just over 2 years old!

I used this pattern.