Ripple Afghan

My step-son went to college this fall and I thought a great Christmas gift for him would be a handmade afghan.  My mother has made everyone she loves (and probably some people she didn't) an afghan.  Handmade blankets last forever.  They are warmer because they are full of love and sometimes swear words.  This one, has none of the latter.  It is a fantastically simple and quick afghan.  If you are knitting an afghan for the first time, I highly reccomend this one.

Ripple Afghan



What you need

7 skeins Vanna's Choice yarn in Taupe

6 skeins Vanna's Choice yarn in Cranberry

6 skeins Vanna's Choice yarn in Linen

What you do
*This afghan is knit holding 2 strands of yarn and working as if they are one*

Co 150 st

k 4 rows

Next row begins pattern

Row 1(RS): knit

Row 2: k3, p to last 3 st, k3

Row 3: k3, k2tog 3 times,*yo k1 6 times, k2tog six times, repeat from * to last 9 st, k2tog 3 times, k3

Row 4: knit

Work rows 1-4 3 times in Taupe, change to Cranberry and work rows 1-4 3 times, change to linen and work rows 1-4 3 times.

Repeat until desired length.  I did 6 reps so 72 rows in pattern.

Work rows 1-4 3 times more in Taupe.  Knit 4 rows and cast off

Chocolate Icebox Pudding

My plan is to post a group of my family recipes after the first of the year, but I couldn't wait on this one.  It is one of my grandmother's recipes and I made it to take to my dad's family's Christmas Eve get-together.  I have altered it a little but it is still pretty close to the original she made when my mom was little.  It is amazingly good and very easy to do.  No baking involved so it is a great summertime dessert.

Chocolate Icebox Pudding

Ingredients
8 oz. sweet German chocolate
2-1/2 Tbsp. water
3 Tbsp. sugar
4 eggs
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 pt. whipping cream
8 oz. vanilla wafers

Directions

This is what the chocolate you need should look like.  If you cannot find it I would use semi-sweet chocolate.  You do not want to use a milky or mild chocolate here.

Break chocolate into pieces and melt in a saucepan over low heat.

Beat eggs...

and add them to the melted chocolate.  It will look grainy and gross.  Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture smooths out and gets thick.

It will be the consistency of frosting.  Once it is there, let it cool to room temperature.

When the chocolate is cool, whip your cream.

Fold half of your cream into the chocolate mixture.

Now fold your chopped nuts into the chocolate mixture.

Spread the wafers in a single layer in the bottom of a 9"x13" pan.  Top with the chocolate mixture.

Then spread other half of whipped cream on top of the chocolate.  At this point, the pudding needs to be refrigerated overnight.  You want the moisture from the pudding and whipped cream to soften the cookies.  After it sits about 24 hours it is technically done, but I like to decorate so....

I threw a handful of the cookies in my food processor and pulverized them.  Then I sprinkled their remains on top.  What can I say?  The holidays make me a little homicidal.

Neck Warmer #2

I went on kind of a knitting bender this Christmas.  I think handmade items are the best gift you can give someone.  Buying a present takes what?  An afternoon?  If you have to go a couple of places because you can't find what you're looking for?  But making something.  That takes days.  Weeks even.  That's a gift. 

I am going to show some of the stuff I made for my lovies this year.  This pretty is a neckwarmer I made for my sister's girlfriend.  It is cozy and chunky and very glamorous.  I lined it using the same method I used on my Cabled Neckwarmer.  It knits up very quickly and easily.  Happy knitting!

Chunky Neckwarmer



You Will Need

2 skeins bulky yarn ( I used Lion Brand Jiffy in Dark Grey Heather)

3 large buttons (at least 1", but preferably larger)

size 13 needles

What to do

*THIS WARMER IS MADE USING 2 STRANDS OF YARN AND HOLDING AS ONE*

co 18 st

Row 1: k2, p2, k10, p2, k2

Row 2 (and all even rows): Knit the knits and purl the purls

Row 3: (button hole row): k2, p2, k2, p6, k2, yarn front to back, yo, p2 tog, k2

Row 5: k2, p2, k10, p2, k2

Row 7: k8, p2, k8

Row 9 (button hole row): p6, k2, p2, yarn front to back, yo, k2 tog, p6

Row 11: k8, p2, k8

Row 13: k2, p2, k10, p2, k2

Row 15 (button hole row): k2, p2, k2, p6, k2, yarn front to back, yo, p2tog, k2

Row 17: k2, p2, k10, p2, k2

Row 19: k8, p2, k8

Row 21: p6, k2, p2, k2, p6

Row 23: k8, p2, k8

Row 25: k2, p2, k10, p2, k2

Row 27: k2, p2, k2, p6, k2, p2, k2

Row 29: k2, p2, k10, p2, k2

Repeat rows 19-30 until warmer reaches desired length.  Mine is about 25".  Line if desired (see Cabled Neckwarmer for tutorial).  Sew on buttons and weave in ends.