Hello Invisible People! How’s it going out there? Did you have a nice Easter? Ours was quiet and somewhat marred by the fact that I had to spend the weekend doing MeMum and BigDaddy’s taxes. Oh well, it’s done now — Yay! I did manage to make a cake for our Easter dinner. I love lemon cakes in the spring, so I made Miette’s Lemon Debutante cake (I’ve posted about it here before, when I made it for Easter a few years ago). I forgot one crucial step, but it still tasted just fine. It’s a labor intensive cake, but well worth all the work, imho. Then, the recipe makes sort of enough cake and frosting for another little cake. I popped the extra stuff in the fridge for a few days, and then chose to make a little vanilla cake — all the work except putting it together was all done — what a treat!
Otherwise, things have been pretty boring here. Like sitting around watching paint dry, we’re just sitting around waiting for spring to pop up. It’s been raining the last few days and things are just barely starting to green up, so it won’t be long. In the meantime, I finished my Lopi sweater.
This is my third Lopi sweater and I looove them so much. They’re big and bulky and oh-so-comfy. Berglind and I decided to knit this together — if you can call it together, Berglind finished her version for her daughter several months ago. This one is late for the season, but we’ll still have some cool, blustery days and this sweater will be perfect to wear without a coat. And, hopefully, I’ll adjust to that neon green yarn — it looks radioactive to me. (Berglind was much more sensible and chose gray and white – I know I saw a picture of it but I can’t find it on her blog. Help Berglind!)
I used my very favorite tubular cast-off method for the neck. It gives a nice rolled edge to the collar. I looked for on-line tutorials for you, in case you’re an interested knitter, but none of them are just like the method I used. This one is very close, except that I do the set-up rows twice and I do all the work on the circular needle.
I was happy to see that the sweater fits nicely in my new knitting bag. The goal was to make a knitting bag that would be big enough for bigger, bulky knits — success!
Here are my leftovers. I didn’t have much blue yarn left, but I have quite a bit of the neon yarn. What to do, what to do. Maybe neon mittens or something. We’ll see.
Oooh, hey — while we’re on the subject of knitting, you should check out these adorable American Girl Doll clothes that Marsha has made.
Ohmygosh — I need a little girl in the family!!!
XOXO,
Anna
your knitting looks wonderful to me! and your bag too. Nice of you to do your mom and dad’s taxes, my DH finally got that chore done this week – he always does them so I am not about to take that job on now
I can imagine that the last days after a long winter must be very trying, you’re itching for a new season. We feel like that every year after a long hot summer. But you’ve been keeping busy – beautiful knitting AND cake!
Amalia
xo
The jumper looks fab, Anna. I’m wondering what crucial step you missed out in your Easter cake? I remember my Auntie once made a cake and forgot to add the eggs. My sister dropped it on her plate (by accident) and the cake was so hard, the plate fell off the table! Thankfully, my Auntie thought it was hilarious so we could all laugh about it! :oD
How can you say life is boring and then show that amazing sweater. Life could never be boring with a sweater like that around! Does it glow in the dark ? I vote you make neon mittens to match.
Oh yum! That cake looks delish! And your Lopi is lovely! What about knitting socks with the leftovers, or does it have to be sock wool? As you can see, I have no idea ;)!
I hope Spring is coming soon in your neck of the woods. We have the most gorgeous weather and it’s now much warmer. Perfect for moving. The first container is now unpacked and we’re waiting for our Singapore shipment which will come next week. Yay!!! I can’t wait to settle down again properly.
I am in love this with sweater – it is just beautiful – and I can just see how gorgeous you must look in it. Perfect!! Don’t be scared of the green :o) Can you knit some slippers with the leftovers? So you can be warm top to toe? Snuggling up with a good book in front of the fire. Next year. Because we are so DONE with it for this year. (ha! I think it was in the high 30s this morning!)
Love the sweater! Let’s see an action shot. :) It looks great in your new knitting bag too!
lets keep working on a knit night date!
Beautiful sweater, and a beautiful little cake….I like the sprinkles on the cake and the sprinkle effect of the stitches on your lovely knitting too.
Wishing you a happy weekend!
Helen xox
I love the sweater but I really LOVE the knitting bag. You’re amazing. We are still in full tax mode here. I haven’t seen B. for weeks. He is living at his office. And I had no idea it was possible to put cake that has been mixed in the fridge for baking later. Who knew? I’m going to try it.
I love that green with that blue! gorgeous! ;p
Cake looks so yummy, I miss having the the whole family over for dinner so I can take the time to bake something spectacular. I suppose I could for dh and me but that just seems like invitation to add even more pounds. the sweater is very cool, you’ll get used to the green and it will be easy for your companions to find you shopping! Sorry about winter hanging on but oh so glad the storms last night skipped by you.
I just love your knittin’. And that cake! Wow, is it pretty. And tasty?
Your sweater is beautiful—I think some felted mittens would be perfect out of the leftover yarn. Or some fair isle ones with black and gray. I have serious knitting bag envy. I just bought a pattern for a little project bag that is called, “Woolly, Woolly: a Knit or Crochet Bag.” It has so many pockets that it takes over 3 1/2 yards of fabric. (Yikes!) But I think it will be nice for sock knitting.
The sweater is gorgeous – I just love dark blue and bright green together! I made another one of those fabulous three layer chocolate cakes again yesterday. This time we put vanilla ice cream between the layers and frosted it with whipped cream and sprinkles. We had to go all out because there was another birthday in the house. I have to try the lemon cake next – lemon is my favorite – even more than chocolate. Thank you so much for the SHOUT OUT!!!
Wow! They’ll see you coming in that sweater… I love it!
Cute sweater! How sweet of you to include it in that gorgeous bag that you are sending me! :P I say knit some mittens with that yarn. DD made herself a pair and they are so sweet! Cheers! I may not be a spammer but I am a robot! ;) Gosh, I’m starting to sound like Sheldon! Do you watch the Big Bag? You must! if not grab yourself a Pepsi and watch away! So funny! Cheers!
Loving the lopi! The colous are fab. I am knitting Paper Dolls by Kate Davies for my friend’s little girl Beatriz…it’s 2 shades of blue (her favourite colour) and will, if I ever get to the yoke, have cream paper dolls.
Nice Easter here – at home with parents for a while then dinner with friends – we had lovely spring weather last week and we were able to eat outside…a real treat at any time of the year in Scotland!
that cake looks amazing. I LOVE lemon cakes so I will definitely try this one!
your sweater is absolutely stunning. I love how the stitches sprinkle down from the neckline.
that knitting bag looks like it really fit the bill with your project and is so cute.
Your cake looks scrumpdillyumptious! And that sweater? Neon and all, it’s gorgeous! You continually amaze. Seriously. Is there nothing you can’t do?
Yummy cake and even yummier jumper! What a cosy thought …. sitting in a warm hand-knitted jumper eating a divine slab of that cake! xCathy
as usual you put the rest of us to shame… i cooked for 2 wedding receptions this weekend and i feel like i need a spa day, or TWO.
your sweater is gorgeous, a bit bright for me, but it’s still quite lovely. (there, i sounded all british for you to make you swoon.)
have a fun week annabanana.
:waves madly
Fun stuff (except the taxes.) I knitted a sweater in the fall with tubular CO and BO – loved it. Haven’t been able to translate that to other projects, though :o/ Thanks for the link, I was just thinking I should make an American Doll project for a friend!
I have nothing to say about knitting but your jumper looks lovely and – hello!