Leafs Nation Beanie all done...#1 that is...

Leafs Nation Beanie #1 was completed last night.

Here's a picture of little man wearing it.

And here's what he thinks of it.

On a different note, here's what's slowly boiling on my stove right now.

A beef stock. Recently, because I didn't have any in my freezer, I had to resort to using some tetra version from the grocery store. To my horror, there were ingredients listed such as yeast and caramel colour. Yuck. Luckily I had saved the large beef bone from a roast (don't worry, it was in the freezer), and I had some veal bones and stew meat that I had frozen after a visit to the local butcher a couple of months ago. Together with lots of veggies -- I included mushrooms this time too -- my stock is happily boiling away and making the house smell lovely. After straining it later tonight, I'll have many one & two cup beef stock increments in plastic containers ready to freeze. Tetra/canned no more for a long while.

Leafs Nation Beanie

As soon as I finished the Amanda Hat, I started to contemplate the new hats I had promised to make the boys. Demetri asked for one first.

Well, on Saturday, I attended my crochet guild's monthly meeting where a member was selling some stash. I picked up a bag of discontinued Mondial Artico (8 balls navy and 2 balls dark charcoal) for $5. A sure deal. I figured the navy especially would be perfect to make things for the boys.



So, I quickly made use out of it by casting on a new London Beanie in the navy on Monday. Demetri suggested adding two white stripes to match his Toronto Maple Leafs scarf. I'm calling it the Leafs Nation Beanie. :)


The yarn is bulky weight and I'm using the 4.5 mm needle stated in the pattern hoping the tight stitches will make a nice warm hat. It is however it turns out that it fits Lucas (the almost 4-year old) to a T. It's too small for Demetri. Demetri is so good-natured that he's ok with me finishing this one for Lucas and then starting a new one for him. I'm starting on the decreases for the crown now. I love this pattern.

Winter blahs and other ramblings

You know it's February in Toronto when it's dreary outside, your one child has a low-grade fever that came back after a day of supposed recovery (and so you can't go anywhere), your other child doesn't feel like doing his homework and you don't feel the greatest either. The couch is just calling to you. Winter blahs at their best. And it was raining today to boot.

So, after humdrumming on the couch for a long while this afternoon, I decided to make us some fresh homemade chicken soup. With all the goodness of nothing artificial in it. Even the salt was sea salt. A chicken leg quarter, two whole chicken breasts and lots of veggies (onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery, green pepper, fresh parsley) were the makings for a yummy chicken stock. I kept around three cups for freezing and used the rest to make the soup. We ate a wonderful dinner and I had lots leftover for freezing. I'm stocked for a while. Lots of wholesome goodness for everyone, especially for the children.



Lucas is doing much better with the fever now...we shall see what tomorrow brings. Since it's Family Day tomorrow, we want to go to the ROM so we hope it will all be gone...whatever his little body is fighting. The poor thing also had chicken pox a couple of weeks ago, so he's hardly been able to recover fully. Oh, and had I known today that mushrooms contain Vitamin D, I would have included them in the chicken stock (I learned about it on a tv commercial tonight). Then I wouldn't have to think of the opinionated lady who just had to tell me yesterday that Lucas was looking quite gray and that he needs some Vitamin D. Yes, I bit my tongue, number one out of respect for the other ladies around me...number two because I didn't want my youngest to hear me arguing with someone. Of all the gall. She's practically a stranger to me but just couldn't help herself. To boot, the child was wearing a gray top & sweat pants, so of course he looked gray. Little children don't wear lipstick to boost their colour like grown women do. So unfortunately, he couldn't help but look gray. We all have this lovely gray pallor during the Canadian winters...what would make this any different for my 3 1/2 year-old son? But of course, she had to continue on by saying that changing his shirt colour wouldn't help...that she's raised (or raising) three and that she knows that he needs Vitamin D. Well lady, I assure you yet again, that no, my son doesn't have allergies and that yes, his Vitamin D intake is probably ok...most likely the same intake as the majority of the population. He's just had a few hard days in the past couple of weeks...and did I mention that he had a fever last night, but I brought him to the Guild meeting anyway, so would you like to watch him for me as I go to refill my coffee? I'm sure he'd love to spread his germs and any other "goodness" he has to offer... (Yeah, I'm still pissed at her, even if I do know that she's opinionated and self-righteous anyway and really shouldn't let it bother me. You just don't say that to a mom, and so openly in front of her child & others too!)



On another note, I finished an Amanda Hat tonight. I got inspired after roaming on Ravelry and on a friend's blog. It's made with Mission Falls 1824 Wool in Amethyst colour. It's so nice & soft. Very quick to make and I really got the hang of the lace pattern. The only thing that bugged me is that after I finished the garter stitch ribbing at the beginning, the wool was not so nice looking...it's like the plies "untwisted" themselves and so most of the first section of the lace pattern doesn't look the greatest. See pic below. It's ok though. I didn't feel like frogging the whole thing and starting again with the other skein. The rest of it turned out ok. Plus, I figured it's for me and no matter what it would look much better than anything else I bought. I will note that I am not a hat person. I just don't look good in them. So, I was really mulling over a variety of patterns for a long time and finally settled on this one. In general, this one looks good. It's the first hat I've made for myself and I'm darned proud of it. And thanks Jennifer from The Purple Purl for helping me with choosing the yarn!


And here I am wearing my new hat. I can't wait to wear it outside! My head and ears will be thanking me...I hope.