Boom, Boom, Boom.....Muffins

Kiddo #3 loves muffins for breakfast, but I don't like buying mixes when I can homebake easily (and get a MUCH better result).

So last night I did a couple batches of Muffins for my Boys (the ones I gave birth to, AND the one I married).

Almond Poppyseed Muffins



And Banana Nut Muffins



Gonna have to make more of those Banana muffins - I only had enough bananas to make one batch. They have a touch of strong coffee in them and it seems to do a trick.

Now I need to find a pumpkin strusel muffin recipe that DOESN'T have cream cheese in the middle (what's up with that).

Charity Knitting holds a special place in the special place in my heart where my love of knitting dwells. I’ve always believed that knitting is a way of expressing love. I don’t knit for just anybody for any reason (although it is well known I need only the tiniest reason to knit something for someone). I knit socks for my husband to show how much I love him. I knit for my sons to surround them with warmth when I can’t be there with them. I knit for new babies to share the joy of their tiny lives with their parents. And, I knit socks for my Sister-in-law’s Mother just to make her happy (and keep her feet warm). But none of this is charity knitting. This is knitting to share my love with those that I love and care about.

But when I pick up my needles to knit socks or mittens or a blanket for Afghans for Afghans, it IS an expression of love, but not for individuals or for little babies. Charity Knitting expresses my love for my fellow humans, for those men, women and children for whom a warm pair of socks, or a blanket means their difficult life in a war torn country will be just a little more comfortable. Granted, pair of socks, or mittens, or a hat isn’t going to bring world peace, but the small comfort they bring may make someone start to believe that there may be hope for the future when there is a knitter far-far away who wanted to share a little bit of the love she shares with her family with someone they will never know.
A warm pair of socks may remind a tired Afghan woman that there is kindness in the world. A blanket may keep her son or daughter warm when they sleep. It may just bring them one day closer to a country at peace.


As I knit, I think about the woman or child who will wear what I’m knitting. How the work of my hands will make their lives just a little easier. With each stitch, I think about peace, justice and kindness, willing a little bit of kindness into each one.

Trying to keep up.

Well, in an effort to be more consistent with my blog, I thought I would post some FOs that I have completed in the last week or so.

My productivity has been spurred by the latest Afghans for Afghans campaign: socks, mittens and sweaters for women, children and teens. My oft mentioned Beardsley Memorial Stash is perfect for charity knitting, and the fact that it is almost all worsted wool, provides some pretty satisfying knitting pretty quickly.
These are my first and second pairs of mittens. And the first mittens I've ever knitted. I've made tons of socks, and nearly as many fingerless mitts, but never actual mittens. I think this is mostly because I wouldn't wear mittens on a bet, but that sure's heck not going to stop me from knitting them. The purple ones were finished during "Glee" last night.

Wanna know a secret? I designed these mittens, too! It's a heavily adapted version of the "Cigar" fingerless glove pattern. It's nothing earthshattering, and plain as hell, but the pattern works and the mittens WILL keep the hands of women and children I could never hope to meet warm.

I've also finished a graduation present for one of my "extra sons." OK, so it's nearly November and he graduated from high school in June, but I've been doing a lot of charity knitting, so other stuff has taken a back seat. But it's getting cold, and Alex needs his collegiate hat and gloves. They're in University of Oregon colors (insert nasty OU Duck commment here), other than that, Alex is a really nice kid. The gloves are the Cigar pattern from Knitty and the beanie is a pattern called Zports.


It apparently appeals to the collegiate set, because I've made nearly a half-dozen of them in the past year.

Back to charity knitting!!!

I SUCK!

I haven't posted since early JULY! I am a slug, a non-blogging slug. But I have been knitting. After my crazed sock phase, I entered a crazed shawl phase - that I am still in, I think. Witness my work (in no particular order):

A simple shawl in Kauni. Niiiiiice!

A bit more than 198 Yards of Heaven. The yarn is Berrocco Jenny (sorry folks, discontinued) from the Joan Beardsley Memorial Stash. Usually I don't make things for myself out of the Memorial stash, but this I couldn't resist. Also, the yarn is cotton and rayon, and I didn't think it was properly suited for charity knits (wool-less yarn is not helpful for cold folks).


And then two Mini Mochie Shawlettes, One for me (above) and one for an auction (below). The top one is made from Mini Mochie, and the bottomone is Wisdom Yarns Poems Sock. I love them both, but the one made out of Poems Sock is light, airy and awesome. I will be using this yarn again for shawls (not sold on it for socks, however).


So I suck as a blogger, but I STILL am a very dedicated knitter. Rabid, in fact. Some might say a little out of control. You see, I only post finished objects, my UFO pile is embarassingly large. And try as I might I can't resist a new project. Especially when Afghans for Afghans announces their Fall campaign, and they want more socks and mittens! (the Beardsley Stash is just perfect for pair after pair of mittens). Have I mentioned that I have three, no....four afghans started and NONE of them anywhere near completion? Oh, and the six pairs of socks I promised my husband in 2010 (I'm on pair #2). And the sweater I started for #2 son.....TWO YEARS AGO!

OK, so I have a problem, but I'm having a good time.

P.S. I could have linkied this post up the B-hind, but I really wanted to get something up and tracking down links takes time. BTW, all the shawl patterns are FREE and are available on Ravelry.com. (I love free!)