I know I promised an FO post for yesterday, and it didn’t happen because I was too tired. Or maybe it was because I was too busy finishing up the holiday card layout and ordering a bazillion copies from Shutterfly. But I finished another pair of socks yesterday afternoon, and Joe took this picture of me wearing them. And maybe there is a cute baby modeling her Bavarian Twist sweater and general juicy cuteness.
I started these socks way back in early September, right before the trip to Eau Claire to see Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. These were back-burner emergency knitting, the kind that I save for knitting in public when I need to pick it up and put it down quickly and knit without paying any attention at all whatsoever. I totally love these colors, but it is cotton/wool/nylon blend, which is best for early fall and late spring in Minnesota so I don’t know how much I’ll wear them in the next few months. The yarn is Online Supersocke 100 Sortierung 64, and I knit it on size 0 Pony Pearl dpns over 64 stitches with my toe-up sock pattern. I used all but the last few yards of the yarn for them, although they are a teeny bit taller than my normal sock length, for no particular reason other than I was enjoying knitting them and didn’t want to stop. I think that covers it.
Yesterday, I took the girls for the annual Santa photo. We go to Steamworks Coffee every year for our Father Christmas photoshoot, and it is a great deal. For $30 you get a half hour appointment with no line, they take as many digital pictures as you want, and you take home one letter-sized page of prints of your choice plus a CD with all the photos and rights to use them as you like. Best of all, we know Aaron, the owner, who plays Father Christmas, because we see him every week when we go there for knitting. He is a very nice man, is great with kids, and has done this for long enough that he knows how to keep them happy and get a nice picture.
Sophie is wearing the Bavarian Twist sweater, and as the Julie-sized version is still sitting half finished in its basket, Julie is wearing her hanknit leggings. I am happy.
Finally, the Sweets part of the post – I don’t have pictures, but Julie and I made gingerbread cookies this afternoon, which was fun and frustrating at the same time. She is simply too little to do much of the cookie-baking successfully, and big enough to want to do it all. She *really* wanted to use the rolling pin, and of course the dough all stuck to it and made a big mess when I let her try. Even after that, I had a hard time convincing her that it was better that I do the rolling. Of course, even the cutting out part is hard for a three-year-old to understand. She wants to put the cutter smack in the middle of the circle with no attention to using all the dough, and then doesn’t push it down all the way so the shape won’t come out. I practiced my patience heartily, I tell you.
Then, I realized after dinner that tomorrow night is my last in a series of classes at the store, so I needed to bake some more treats for that. I am in no way required to bake treats for my last class, but I have made something of a tradition of it, and I enjoy sharing my baked goods with people who will actually enjoy them. It is sometimes very hard having a husband who doesn’t appreciate a good cookie when it is offered him warm from the oven with a glass of milk.
Now, I’m off for a little couch time – perhaps to knit on a Christmas gift project, perhaps to address a few card envelopes. I have so many things to do in the next two weeks I just can’t bear to think about it.
Oh boy – maybe I’ll get a cookie tonight, too. Shelly those pictures of the girls are amazing. I know where to go for my next pattern model. I dont’ know if I could ever capture the naughty smile, though.
Hi- I remember the frustration of baking cookies with my kids when they were small. Now I make a cookie variously known as Mexican Wedding Cakes, Russian Teacakes, or Pecan Sandies with my grandchildren. I scoop out measured amounts of dough, they get to roll them into balls prior to baking, and toss them in a ziploc with confectioner’s sugar after they’ve cooled. Also, try flavoring sugar cookie dough with peppermint, color half the dough red, roll out ropes of red and white and twist into candy cane or wreath shapes. Wilton also makes a great rolling cookie cutter that creates small cookies that are appropriately spaced. All of the above are life savers when baking with young children, and prevent Mom or Omi, as the case may be, from turning into Scrooge. If you need recipes, let me know.
Perhaps one way around the sticking is to use plastic wrap on the top and bottom and then peel off the top to cut out the cookies.
That is the most beautiful Santa with children photo I’ve ever seen!
I love the socks too.
Good for you for baking with your 3 -year old. One thing that would help is one of those cloth ’sleeves’ that go over a rolling pin. Sprinkle a little flour on it and yes, a 3 year old could roll out dough without it sticking. I never roll cookies out without it. And don’t forget to take photos of your kitchen escapades. I have photos of my kids standing on a chair at the counter holding their pan of Rice Krispie bars and looking so proud.