Fleece Blankets

Got fleece? Got blanket binding? Good! Let's make some blankets..
For a baby or child you can use 1 to 1 1/2 yards of fleece & 1- 2 packages of blanket binding.
For an adult 2 yards of fleece and 2 packages of binding will make a nice sized blanket. First, calculate how many yards of binding you'll need for your blanket & sew together enough binding to go all the way around plus another 12 inches for overlapping the ends and the seam allowance. Sew the beginning of one package of binding to the end of the other in order to match the fold in the binding. Press the matching ends open; sew a 1/2 inch seam. Press the seam open then re-press the fold where you joined the binding.

Trim any curling or undyed selveges from the sides of the fleece. Pin the binding onto the fleece along one side. Do not begin at a corner.

Zigzag stitch to the corner, backstitch a few stitches & break the thread.

Miter the corner & pin in place. Mitering is easy after you've sewn all the way to the corner. Start zigzag stitching a few inches before the corner and proceed to the next corner mitering each corner as before. When you reach where you started cut the binding leaving plenty to fold under & overlap ends. Pin in place & finish sewing, backstitching the last stitches. Finished...

I sure got a good reaction when this horse blanket was opened. :)

I made a total of four of these blankets (with binding) last week to give as gifts.

Latte anyone?

Go for a spin?

And I couldn't find blanket binding in a color that looked good with this one so I did blanket stitching around it using worsted weight yarn & a big-eyed needle. Have a great week, Y'all!

Linking with Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop,  The Art of Home-Making Mondays

Turtle Time in Tennessee

Happy Holidays, Y'all! Our weather roller coaster brought snow flurries over the weekend..at least we saw some snowflakes.

I thought I'd share my favorite holiday recipe with you today. These turtles are the best I've ever tasted. The pecans are full of anti-oxidants, the chocolate will make you a wonderful person to be around & the caramel is buttery soft and delicous. They're so tasty they have to be good for you. ;)

Turtles

2 pkgs. Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate chips

14 ozs. Kraft caramels

1 large tray of pecan halves

2 ozs. paraffin

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup heavy cream (hold back 1 tablespoon then add later if needed to thin caramel mixture)

Melt caramels with butter & milk over low heat. Place pecans on two buttered or wax papered cookie sheets in stacks of: 2 parallel on the bottom with 1 atop crosswise as in the picture.

Spoon small amount of the caramel mixture over the 3-stacked pecans and let cool.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips with the paraffin in a double boiler. Lift the cooled pecan stacks with a fork and dip into chocolate mixture. Place on waxed paper to cool. Store in air-tight containers.

The grandgals and I made these yesterday & one container is already nearly gone.

Have a wonderful holiday, Y'all!

Featured at Homegrown on the Hill

Shared at Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop, The Art of Homemaking Mondays

Sparkle Flake

Sparkle Flake
Materials:
Size 6 needles
Worsted weight cotton yarn

CO 41 stitches

Rows 1-6 knit
Row 7: k4, p16, k1, p16, k4
Row 8: knit across
Row 9: k4, p16, k1, p16, k4
Row 10: knit across
Row 11: k4, p16, k1, p16, k4
Row 12: k19, p1, k1, p1, k19
Row 13: k4, p16, k1, p16, k4
Row 14: knit across
Row 15: k4, p14, (k1, p1) x2, k1, p14, k4
Row 16: k19, p1, k1, p1, k19
Row 17: k4, p4, k1, p11, k1, p11, k1, p4, k4
Row 18: k9, p1, k21, p1, k9
Row 19: k4, p6, k1, p1, k1, p5, (k1, p1) x2, k1, p5, k1, p1, k1, p6, k4
Row 20: k11, p1, k7, p1, k1, p1, k7, p1, k11
Row 21: k4, p6, k1, p1, k1, p7, k1, p7, k1, p1, k1, p6, k4
Row 22: k13, p1, k1, p1, k9, p1, k1, p1, k13
Row 23: k4, p10, k1, p5, k1, p5, k1, p10, k4
Row 24: k13, p1, k1, p1, k3, p1, k1, p1, k3, p1, k1, p1, k13
Row 25: k4, p12, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p12, k4
Row 26: k17, p1, k5, p1, k17
Row 27: k4, p3, k1, p10, (k1, p1) x2, k1, p10, k1, p3, k4
Row 28: k8, p1, k3, p1, k15, p1, k3, p1, k8
Row 29: k 4, (p1, k1) x16, p1, k4
Rows 30-57 Repeat Rows 1-28 in descending order, i.e.; first Row 28, then Row 27, etc. until all rows are repeated.

Bind off & weave in ends.

Copyright © 2007 Toni in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, All Rights Reserved

The Knitting Protegé & Tennessee Valley Weather

Welcome to the Tennnessee Valley, Y'all, where snow is as scarce as frog teeth. We were all set for wintry weather last week, hoping for even a flake of illusive snow but, alas, we're now in the middle of a warming trend. Ah well, the sunsets are beautiful here.Our newest knitter, A is 8 years old. Big sister T has been knitting for about 2 years.

The scarf below was knit with Yarn Bee Frosting in Barely Iced Pink.

This yarn is buttery soft & warm.Another Fancy Fur Scarf that I was making to wear with my coat, but I don't think it's me at all. Get off my coat, you animal!

Whiles I should be knitting on the many projects I've started, here I'm charting a new pattern. It's not finished or blocked but any guesses?... 'cause if you can't tell what it is then I won't be posting the pattern.
We're snow-needy, send us some snow, Y'all!

Have a great weekend, Y'all and knitlikeyoumeanit!