Organic Baby Blanket

Juliette's baby blanket is FINALLY finished ! This was a serious feat. I started this blanket on July 18, 2012, just a week or so after I found out we were expecting our fourth child. This project was complete on December 10, 2014. Only two and half years later, no big deal. Of course I wasn't knitting the whole time, but still.

The pattern used is Umaro by Jared Flood. He has so many great patterns. The project was time consuming, though not really challenging. This was not a quick knit, you have to concentrate and take your time. Slow and steady. The result is amazing and totally worth the effort. An heirloom baby blanket is natural organic cotton is perfection!

I modified the pattern to use a worsted weight yarn and achieve a (generous) baby blanket size. You can find my project on Ravelry HERE or view the notes and modifications at the bottom of the page. Finished measurements before/after washing are included.

The yarn used was Organic Cotton Worsted from Knit Picks. I really like this yarn. It is an inexpensive cotton, still very soft, and washable. Our blanket has been through the washer and dryer just fine with some shrinkage (as expected).

She loves it!

Project notes :

making a smaller worsted version of this amazing blanket for our baby #4 due in March 2013!

aiming for a large baby blanket/small throw 
around 30-34” wide x 36-40” long AFTER wash/dry is my goal

Plans: 
CO 163 sts - four extra repeats of pattern 
1-2 additional chart repeat for length

11/2/12 - 2 balls of yarn down! Need to work on this for at least a few nights in between other projects 
1/29/13 - 4 balls down, 5 to go. Better get moving as baby is due in about 6 weeks! 
11/22/13 - yeah… haven’t worked on this in a long time. Maybe I’ll finish before her 1st birthday?! 
11/5/14 - Haven’t worked on this for an entire year, no big deal. Started when I found out I was pregnant and she’s 19m old now. I haven’t knit anything for about 6 months either. Holy smokes. Here we go!! Apparently November is the month I get in mode to knit this again. 
11/8/14 - 5 balls done. Don’t think I will need four more. Planning on two more since each ball knits up about 6”. 
12/10/14 - Blanket is DONE! I can hardly believe it! Ended up using 6.5 balls of yarn because that seemed to be plenty big.

Finished measurements before washing are : 41x39” 
Fresh out of the dryer approx. 37x36”

Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

A few nights ago we made the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction. They were seriously delicious! Quite often we bake something and I do not save the recipe. I am pretty picky about any recipe I add to the binder, especially when it comes to COOKIES (insert best Cookie Monster voice here). But this recipe was different. Both the kids and myself could not stop eating them. The cookies were still just as delicious two days later!

I followed the recipe exactly simply doubling the batch to make enough for a long weekend. I did leave the dough in the refriderator for a good 30 min even though waiting was so so hard. Removing the cookies from the oven when they are *just* cooked and allowing them to stay on the cookie sheet is key. That is one of my biggest cookie tips. DO NOT overbake your cookies!

Let's see if I can hold off at least another week or two without making these again.

I'm finally writing a first entry...

So I am starting a blog. This will be my attempt to share our busy, fun, and never boring little life. As I sit here just trying to write something (anything) for the first entry of a blog I put up over a month ago, there are four children screaming and stealing food from the pantry in the background. They are dropping pretzels on the floor, crushing them into the carpet, and eating in all the rooms they are not allowed to have food in. That's pretty normal at our house. You can expect a real picture of our real life here! I will likely post about homesteading, gardening, homeschooling, clean eating, fitness, family fun, travel, and mostly the zillion little things that seem to take up all of my free time.

Welcome to my little blog.