The Giving Flower

New Blog!!

2005-06-24T21:34:00.000+02:00

Don't hang out here come to my new blog, which is under construction so please have patience with me.

http://www.thegivingflower.de

The My very hungry caterpillar stash

2005-06-24T12:45:00.000+02:00

One day a knitting needle lay alone on the kitchen table. He decided to look for something to knit.

On Monday he went to the yarn store and bought one ball of this… to make a headband.

On Tuesday he went to the yarn store and bought two balls of this… but he wasn’t quite sure what to make out of it.

On Wednesday he went to the yarn store and bought three balls of this… but he wasn’t sure what to make out of it(socks maybe?).

On Thursday he went to the yarn store and bought four balls of this… but he wasn’t sure what to make out of it.

On Friday he went to the yarn store and bought five balls of this... to make this cute little wrap around sweater.

On Saturday he went to the yarn store and bought six balls of this(on sale)... but he wasn’t sure what to make out of it.

That night he had a too-long-thinking-about-what-to-knit headache.

On Sunday he went to the yarn store and just looked through some knitting magazines to get some ideas which made him feel better.

But soon our little knitting needle wasn’t a lonely knitting needle anymore, he was surrounded by thousands of balls of stash and this stash wasn’t just a little stash he was a big fat two-rooms-full-of-yarn-stash.

For two weeks Stash hid away under the bed, behind the bookshelves, in the closet until one day those knitting needles came along and turned Stash into a beautiful…..

Things to be posted as they come to be!

a new haircut for the little man

2005-06-23T06:19:00.001+02:00

Yes, I've been busy. My scissors turned this head of hair
into this one.
Can you tell he's missing tons of hair? You should have seen the floor!
It's been very hot and sunny here and we've been out and about everyday since the weekend which means mom passes out at 9 O'clock every night and gets nothing done! Well, that's not totally true- I did finish my no-brainer-playground-project-headband, oh how I love cables!
Here it is
but I've been longing to knit some lace. My smoke ring has been very patiently waiting for me in my knitting bag. I miss him and am tempted to knit while cleaning, making breakfast, taking a shower and more, do you think it'll work? Oh well. Maybe I'll have some coffee tonight and knit. Until then let's enjoy the sun while we can. Can you believe it's 30 degrees and I'm knitting a wool headband? I'm one of those knitters just like the mailman- I can knit anything in all kinds of weather-rain or shine I must deliver the mail, I mean knit. How do you cross things out?? Can anyone tell me that?

gifts from Holland

2005-06-23T06:06:00.000+02:00

Look at this! Christina, my best buddy, went to Holland with her family and brought me back some good stuff- a playground toy bag, some chocolate pudding-notice it's been opened and if you could feel it you'd know it's almost gone, and best of all this little coin purse.

I just love this little purse. Oh there was a cookie too but that's long gone.
Thanks Christina!

red gingham shirt

2005-06-21T10:55:00.000+02:00

Here it is, my red shirt is finally done! I can't believe how well this turned out! I got the pattern from a sewing magazine and I'm very pleasantly surprised that it turned out the way I had planned. I have another shirt from this magazine on my to-sew list and I hope it looks this good, we'll see. Now, I've been sewing so much this weekend that I really need to get back to my knitting. Geeks unite!

the city-hipster

2005-06-21T09:59:00.000+02:00

Here it is my new city-hipster. Like you all know I live in the city with lots and lots of people with lots and lots of people who are out to get your goods. Well, let's just say friends of mine have been ripped off when I was with them so I count this as the whole world, exaggeration is not very good, is it? Well, anyway with all of this crime going on I tend to try to keep my valuables close at hand. This has been a real pain since having kids because with all the runny noses, mom, can you get me this, mom, can you get me that I've had to wear a backpack to keep both hands free. I'm sick of my back pack!
I have made so many bags lately that I absolutely love but I'm just not willing to put my money in them, so I've designed my city-hipster. Now I have my hands free, no backpack strap cutting through my boobs and making me look like an idiot. Well, maybe I still look like an idiot but now a different kind of idiot.
This is just a modified butt pack that is just big enough to hold my money, cell phone, keys and most importantly lipstick. I have this in front of me at all times and have both hands free to play slave to my kids. I can turn it around in large crowds so the zipper is against my jeans and no little wandering hands can get in. I love the fabric and it can be slid off the belt to be washed or changed depending on my mood. I wanted to test drive this baby before I make more in other styles but I think I'm going to like my new little city-hipster.

progress report

2005-06-19T10:39:00.000+02:00

I just thought I would let you know that my smoke ring is coming along however slowly, I've been sewing shirts and knitting my headband at the same time. We have a busy schedule this weekend, so I can only put in a short note to let you know my needles are busy-both knitting and machine! Here is Kitty trying to decide how she is going to wear this smoke ring thing, she really likes the color!

More pictures to come- I have some great sewing projects that I need to show but they are not quite finished.
Join and sew with us this summer.

If anyone can give me some advice on how to take good pictures of knitting it would be greatly appreciated!! I'm trying my best but I do need some tips.
It was also brought to my attention that my work in progress tends to override my writing when the browser window is made smaller. I'm trying to correct this problem but it will take a bit for me to get it right. Please open the browser window as big as you can and the left side should stay to the left.
Now, get back to your knitting! ;-)

Amerikaners Recipe

2005-06-16T15:54:00.000+02:00

Well, here it is. Unfortunately, most of the ingredients are weighed and not done by cups so I checked my chart and wrote down the approximate equivalents. I haven't baked them using cups so let me know how they turn out. My chart is usually very accurate.

Ingredients for 10 cookies:
125 gram soft butter (1/2 cup)
125 gram sugar (1/2 cup)
1 package vanilla sugar(you can leave it out and put a bit of bourbon vanilla in)
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
270 grams of flour (1 heaping cup)
1 Tablespoon of baking powder

For the icing:
120 grams of powdered sugar (1 cup)
2- 3 Tablespoons of hot water( I used lemon juice because I love lemon flavor)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put baking paper on a cookie sheet(I used 2). Beat the butter until it's creamy then slowly add sugar, vanilla, salt, eggs and lemon juice. Mix well.

Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl-the recipe says sift it, so if you have tons of free time to sit and sift your flour go ahead otherwise don't and they will come out fine-mine do! Pour the baking powder flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix well. The dough should be pretty stiff because you don't want the cookies to flatten out while they are cooking. If it isn't add a bit more flour. Drop the dough by spoonfuls on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until they are brown around the edges and light in the middle. Here is a picture of mine, I have no idea if I've done them correctly but they've passed the yummy test at my house. The two in the back left I turned over and that's the side that will be iced.

Now just mix the powdered sugar and water or juice and decorate your amerikaners. We like to sprinkle jimmies on them.
I hope you like them and once again, let me know how they turn out.

the kids are baking

2005-06-16T07:53:00.000+02:00

Look at this, Alida and Alexander are working hard in the kitchen. Alexander is making amerikaners (German yummy cookie things)
and Alida is making oatmeal (yes, the old fashion kind on the stove, remember we're in Germany and they don't have instant). You may be asking yourself what I'm doing, well, I'm sewing, can't you hear the rattle of my machine in the background? Yeah right, I'm taking pictures because I don't want to get my hands dirty. Hehe

Here are pictures of our amerikaners, those yummy German cookie things, and if you would like the recipe leave me a comment and I'll post it, I'm just fishing for comments you see.

Pip's got a girlfriend and she's pink

2005-06-12T19:10:00.001+02:00

I've been on maternity leave from teaching for the past 4 years, here in Germany you get 3 years unpaid maternity leave per child and Alida is 2 so when she turns 3 it's time for me to go back to work. Well, last week my director called me to tell me there is a Gala show performed by the students and parents at a Theater around the corner from me and he would like to invite me to come. Of course I jumped at the chance to see some of my students again and to see what the school has been doing the past 4 years. How could they do so well without me, I ask you?? The show was great.
I was quite sad that I hadn't taken Alexander with me, he would have loved it, the kids were sooo cute. Alexander started piano lessons, which he really likes, last week and one of the students, Mark Ehrenfried, played the piano and he was fabulous. Alexander would have been impressed. Oh well, it was nice to be out on my own without extra food and water in my purse. Imagine, I only had money and lipstick with me, I felt almost naked!! The mamas among us are feeling for me right now.

Back to knitting and my little bubble world. I carelessly let Pip pose with my lace yarn and look what happened!
He has a new girlfriend and won't let her go. Next thing you know he's in my knitting bag grabbing my #4's. Where will this lead?? I must stop allowing them to snuggle with my yarn. I think the he's been up late watching Wallace and Gromit and is a bit jealous of Gromit because he's allowed to knit in his room. Oh well. I've got to grab it and off to my next smoke ring. Gorgeous color! Have I said that before? hmmm

flared lace smoke ring is finished

2005-06-12T19:00:00.000+02:00

So, here it is my first lace project but by no means my last. I really like knitting lace, it's so much fun. I love how this came out it feels so soft and different than anything I've knit before. I still haven't blocked it because I'm not at all the blocking expert, well let's just say I've never really blocked anything before. Please don't tell anyone, I don't need the knitting police closing down my blog. I will reform and change my non-blocking ways.... tomorrow.
Anyway, it's done and I can even get it over my head.
Look at how long this thing is! I thought it would be too big but it feels great on and because it's so loose and light it doesn't bother your neck. Mom, yours is done, now I have to get working on my pink. I can't wait!!
I was kind of having fun taking picture, who knows when my next knitting project will be done so just humor me a bit.

I thought you might just want to see it from all views. Oh how I love a digital camera. How about the wool scarf and the tank top? Great match you say, well that just about describes how the weather is here; it's summer but it's freezing cold!

five bags are done

2005-06-09T06:31:00.000+02:00

So here they are, the first five bags are finished. I played around with the size and I think the bigger ones with the long handles are just perfect. I used exactly 1/2 meter of each fabric to get two bags with a small scrap left over. I think if I have time before August when I fly to the States to visit my parents I'm going to try to make wristlets or change purses to match. Don't tell them but the bags are for my mom, sister and two sisters-in-law. That's why I'm working so hard to get them done. The blue/yellow and pink material has been ironed and is waiting to be quilted.

The grey smoke ring is also for my mom and I'm 13 inches along with 5 to go. I see an end nearing! I can't wait to start my smoke ring in that gorgeous peppermint. Oh how I love pink. My headband is still warming up my knitting bag waiting for sunny weather so we can head to the playground, the weather has been jumping back and forth from summer to fall and we haven't seen the sun in a week which means no playground bench knitting for me.

Notice the purple vanilla plant in the first picture, if only blogs had noses! Yum, yum it smells as good as the plant lady promised.

my playground project

2005-06-05T17:48:00.000+02:00

I realized last week sitting at the playground watching the kids play that I didn't have anything to do with my hands. How could I sit there so idle?? It made me crazy, well, ok I did dig up a bit of sand and pushed Alida on the swing but the majority of the time I sat on the bench enjoying the harmony when all I could think of was, why am I not knitting right now?? I can't bring my lace smoke ring because I would have too many interruptions to be able work on it. I've been character free for the last few inches and I really want to keep it that way.

The only solution to this problem is to have a "playground project". This would mean being at the playground with my kids and knitting for me, could life be any better? So I went to one of my favorite sites Knitty.com and found an easy no-thinker headband pattern which would look great this winter in my dark pink. I bought some great merino washable wool which I've used for the kids' sweaters and I'm ready for the games to begin. I need another project like a hole in the head but I just can't stop. I'm also contemplating this great scarf from Loop D Loop in matching yarn. Wouldn't that be pretty in my dark pink with maybe two stripes of light pink down the middle? I think I'm going to try to make up the pattern myself. Another reason to head to the yarn shop next week.

Pip, our boy ragdoll cat just loves posing with yarn, can't you tell? He is just sooo cool. That flash sure is bright, where are those sun glasses when you need them?

Like mother, like son

2005-06-05T10:19:00.000+02:00

Alexander and Alida have been playing with the bags I've been sewing, pictures of those to be disclosed; when Alexander told me he needed one with long handles for his Teddy because it's so cool. Well, being the good mother I am, and jumping at the chance to go to the fabric store, I took him immediately to pick out his own material, how could I possibly let a moment of interest like this go ignored? He picked this pencil fabric and is absolutely excited and willing to sew the bag himself, he is very interested in sewing and knitting, so who am I to put a damper on that!! We will keep you updated on the progress of the pencil bag for Teddy.

2005-06-02T16:19:00.000+02:00

Hey 6 inches down 12 more to go. Sorry about the bad picture, I'm trying to figure out how to take good pictures of my knitting so that you can see that I'm actually making some sort of progress, I'm one of those slow right handed knitters, in Germany the majority of the people knit with their left hand which I think is much faster.

I really love knitting lace, I was a bit scared to try it because it looks so complicated but it's really quite fun. My mom sent me some gorgeous pink peppermint alpaca cloud from knit Picks and I can't wait to finish this grey one for her so I can start the next one for me. That's me, just started one projected and my mind is on the next.

2005-05-31T07:38:00.000+02:00

Here is the last thing I knitted before I started my smoke ring. It's called the sampler stitch purse and I got it from Frugal Knitting Haus Free Patterns. I made a big one in black and then one in red for Christina's birthday and then I needed a small blue one so here it is. I had to wait a long time for my smoke ring yarn from my mom to get here and I didn't want to start anything big. You know me and bags, you just need a lot to stay happy.

2005-05-30T18:31:00.000+02:00

Just one more picture of Alida in the dress I finished a week or so ago. I saw a similar dress in a store window for 59 EUROS and thought they have to be nuts, so I sewed one myself and I think it turned out really cute. I think I spent a total of 5 EUROS for the whole thing. It doesn't look it here but Alida likes it too. She is just too cool in her shades Miriam gave her.

2005-05-30T18:22:00.000+02:00

The tomato and lavender plants are growing madly. We love to watch the little yellow flowers turn into tomatoes, which Alexander just devours. My lavender was a bit neglected this winter but seems to be doing well now. Just had to show off my green babies.

2005-05-30T18:19:00.000+02:00

I think I'm growing a green thumb; here are my Hydrangea, tomato and lavender plants from my balcony. I can't believe this was a dried out twig this winter. Martin said it would never be anything. The flowers are just coming out in the back and they should be blue, I've been giving them hydrangea blue food for the last two months, if that doesn't work I don't know what will.

2005-05-29T19:34:00.000+02:00

I love the gingham dress with the smocking front

Oh how I love a yard sale!

2005-05-29T19:32:00.000+02:00

I filled my new bag with some great buys. I went to a yard sale and can you believe I bought all of this great stuff for about 20 EUROS? That's a bit more than $20 for all of you living on the other side of the lake. I just can't pass up a great bargain. What fun.

I've decided to try to knit my smoke ring only when I'm completely awake and alert. Today I sat down to work on it when I noticed how many little mistakes I had made in the rows I knit last night at 11 pm. I call any kind of mistake character but this little bit of character is just too much. Granted, I've never knit lace before but this is something I definitely need to have a clear head for, not that this is ever the case with two kids but I get so frustrated seeing so much character. Well, I've cleaned it up as much as possible and now I'm going to sit down and work some more, knitting lace can be quite addictive.

2005-05-28T07:59:00.000+02:00

The buggy bag-19"wide x 11 1/2" high x 4" deep - really big and roomy- great for two kids on the go

New Buggy Bag and Sick Babe

2005-05-28T07:42:00.000+02:00

Here it is the newest member of my ever expanding bag collection. I love the fabric I found at IKEA for 2 EURO! Can't beat that deal, lady bargain hunter. It was only 3/4 meter and I used every last piece of it to make a great big bag to hang over my buggy(an umbrella stroller) handles when we are out and about. It has two small pockets on the inside and I just love it. I worked diligently all night to get this baby done and now I can't wait to go shopping to fill it up. Unfortunately, Alexander had an ear ache at 2 this morning so we'll have to see what this weekend has in store for us. Oh how I hate ear aches because you can't do much for them but give them ibuprofen and hope the pain subsides. Poor little monster. I'll post some pics of my love babies as soon as I figure out how to get some photo albums going.

So much wasted time figuring out this blog thing!

2005-05-25T22:28:00.000+02:00

Man I must really be stupid, I just can't figure this whole blog thing out. Did it take you all this long to figure out how to make your blog look the way you want?? Unfortunately, this is getting really addictive and taking me away from my machine and needles. Although I made another bag tonight I feel I have to come back here and work on things and conquer this html stuff. Oh if only I had an html angel looking over my shoulder to tell me what to do and not to do before I really mess everything up. I'm just so impressed with the amazing blogs that I've been reading between working on mine, knitting and sewing-I have too much time anyway, congrats to all of you for your genius, send some my way. Enough of my complaining and back to work.

My newest addition

2005-05-24T08:42:00.001+02:00

Please have patience with me, this blog thing is not that easy yet. I'm still trying to figure out how to do it all. I just couldn't resist these fabrics and soon, when I find the time, they are going to transform into some great bags - you can't have too many bags, can you?

2005-05-24T08:42:00.000+02:00

I just couldn't resist

2005-05-24T08:41:00.000+02:00

Classic Province

2005-05-24T08:40:00.000+02:00

Province fabric- too cool! Someday these will be bags.

2005-05-22T09:23:00.000+02:00

Of course I had to wear a t-shirt with our flag. 10 K and I have a medal to prove it.

10K run

2005-05-22T06:48:00.000+02:00

I did it! I didn't think I would be in shape enough to make it but I ran the 22nd Berlin women's 10 Kilometer run smiling. My time was 8 minutes slower than my best time, but my goal yesterday was to run without stopping and to go over the finish with a smile on my face. Needless to say, I was exhausted when I got home and didn't get a stitch done. This smoke ring is going to take me forever and I am really itching to work on it. Today we are going to an open house at the police station with the kids and some friends and then to see Star Wars so I won't be getting much done again today, so many projects and so little time!!

2005-05-21T06:59:00.000+02:00

Freddy was knit with fake fur using two colors-white and a grey marble- Alida likes his button eyes

Freddy, my fox scarf

2005-05-21T06:44:00.000+02:00

I was putting my winter clothes away when I stumbled upon my last big knitting project from February, so I thought I'd put it here to see. I don't understand why I'm the only one who seems to love this scarf, isn't he just a little cutie? My friends say he's cute but they wouldn't wear him, I guess I have no shame. I worked him with that fake fur yarn which I really never liked until now but it worked out well. It was really hard to see my stitches which drove me crazy, so I don't know if I'll use it again. I always say that and then find something I can't live without and have to make.
My run is tonight, wish me luck!

2005-05-19T07:44:00.000+02:00

Flared Lace Smoke Ring row 8

Flared Lace Smoke Ring

2005-05-19T07:31:00.000+02:00

Here is the first picture of my smoke ring for my mom. She bought the pattern and yarn at knit Picks and sent it to me. I waited two months and then it finally came. I wasn't quite sure at first if I was knitting to gauge because it doesn't look at all like the picture but sure enough, after knitting a small gauge piece I'm right on. So, I'm still knitting. Can you believe I'm on the 8th row!!?? This will take a bit, it's slow knitting for me. I really like the result anyway.

2005-05-17T23:27:00.000+02:00

This bag is 9"x9"x2 3/4" with a chinese button I made out of covered cord

2005-05-17T22:41:00.000+02:00

I'm so excited to finally have my own blog. I hope you all find something interesting in the things I have to share. Thanks for coming to visit and to start with here is a picture of my latest creation-a bag out of french material-I love it!