Maccabags!

Inauguration Fun

My daughter sent me a link to this site where you can turn photos of yourself, your baby, your partner, your cat - whatever you like - into a poster which looks like the newly-legendary one from Shepard Fairey.

Below: my dearly-beloved-and-now-posterised-first-born. Try it - just for fun!

Knitting pattern: Faux-Lace Scarf (Quite Faux)

I have been MIA in the blogging space for the past two weeks and I have missed my happy, crafty little world. 

What have I been doing?

• knitting - see below
• working - things pile up when you are gone on holiday for over 2 weeks
• updating holiday photos
• catching up on missed posts from all of my favorites
• catching up on things recorded on the V+ box
• watching the goings on during the US presidential debate with mouth agog*
• wondering if I will have any retirement money
• trying to teach myself to crochet  (so far so messy! - but getting there slowly)

* I always said that I would make no political comment on my blog, but I have to say that I am breaking that self-vow. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT ANYONE  WOULD VOTE FOR THAT WOMAN AND PUT HER NEXT IN LINE TO LEAD A NATION WHICH HAS MAJOR IMPACT WORLD-WIDE. I think that makes me an Obama-mama. A seriously agitated Obama-mama. However, being Canadian and not 'Merican, I can but watch. Come on big bro to the south - get it together!

So - having got that off my chest, let's get on to the knitting! I decided I would like to knit a scarf - it's for my daughter and I wanted it to be like her: warm, but not heavy/thick. And I wanted it to be quick to knit and so I discounted several pretty, but intricate and time-consuming lace patterns. Also, I like scarfs with no "wrong side". So I made up my own pattern. This does knit up very quickly - it's kind of lacy, it's reversible, and it's beginner-easy.

Here's how:

Yarn - 200 g of DK (about 295 yards/ 300 metres)- mine is Stylecraft Special which knits with 4mm/US6 needles to about 30 stitches and 22 rows to 10cm (4 in), but near enough will do.

Needles - 4mm/US 6

Cast on 45 stitches (or your choice, just make the number of stitches divisible by 3.

First 4 rows: knit.

Row 5: K3, purl to last 3 stitches, K3.

Row 6: K3, *K1, YO, Slip 1 knit-wise, K1, PSSO. Repeat from * to last 3 stitches, K3.

Row 7, 9 and 11 :  K3, purl to last 3 stitches, K3.

Row 8, 10 and 12: Knit.

Row 13 : Knit (this reverses the pattern so the knit rows are on the "back" side - this will happen every time you come to a "Row 13" and is what makes the scarf have no wrong side).

Repeat rows 5 through 13 until the scarf  is as long as you want - I am making mine about 6 feet. Just remember to leave enough yarn to knit 4 last rows and cast off knit-wise.

Also made this weekend: 

  2 kids bags and 1 Easy-Peasy Bag for the upcoming craft table

And finally -

my lovely, but sleepy, Dylan!