How to make a COSY KNITTED SCARF

My daughters first scarf

Knitting is one of those things that most people percieve to be difficult, but in reality it's not difficult at all. My grandmother started teaching me to knit when I was about 6 years old. And I have taught my daughter to knit and she completed her first scarf last year at the age of 10.

I began with things like knitting scarves for my dolls etc and it was all just plain straight knitting. However, once you master the basics, harder things will come quite easily. But first, the basics...

Now even with plain straight knitting, you can accomplish some pretty useful and good looking things. Hats, blankets, bags to name a few, but since it's winter, we're going to start with a scarf that will be cheap, warm, look good and most importantly, you'll be able to brag about it because you made it YOURSELF!

If you've never knitted before, fear not about how slow you are in the beginning. This simple knitting project will help you to achieve your scarf in a short amount of time because we will be using chunky yarn and fat needles. This means that you will need fewer stitches, and every row you knit will increase the length of your scarf by at least 1cm.

As I've mentioned before, bargain shops are a great source of some very cheap, but very cool things and for this project, it will be no different. Stores like Reject Shop, Aldi, Golo and Chicken feed keep a pretty good variety of pretty yarns in the colder months that are ideal for your scarf. However, if you don't mind spending a little more money, Spotlight also has great yarns in a huge variety of colours and textures that will make a beautiful looking scarf.

You should look to get very chunky yarn that has lots of texture. Also something soft and comfortable that will not irritate the skin on your neck. Next, knitting needles. Get needles that are at least 8mm in diameter, I prefer 10mm.

SUPPLIES

~ 3 x balls of yarn (depending on how big the ball is and how long you want your scarf to be. 3 balls will give you and average length scarf that sits at your hips).

~ 1 pair knitting needles size 10mm.

GETTING STARTED - Casting on

1. Cast on 10-15 stitches. This will depend on how wide you want it to be, but 15 will be average. 10 will give you a slightly thinner scarf. You cast on like this: Take the end of your yarn and make a slip knot with a tail of about 2 - 3 inches. Slipthe loop over the end of one of your needles like this:

2. Next insert your needle into the "stitch" from the left so that needles  make a cross with the right needle behind the left needle, like this:

3. Wrap yarn around the right needle. This will start to create a new loop. Then ease the right needle down out of the loop it was through and push forward:

4. This loop will now become a new stitch by placing the loop on your right needle onto the left needle, like this:

5. Once you have placed the new loop onto the needle, you need to cast on another stitch. This time however, when you insert your needle to create the new stitch, place your needle BETWEEN the 2 loops, rather than inside the loop like before. This will make your edge neater upon completion.

Then wrap yarn around right hand needle as before, and then placing the new loop on the left needle again. By now you will have 3 stitches on your left needle. Continue on this way until you have the desired amount of stitches on your needle.

6. Now that you have cast on the amount of stitches you need (in my photos I have 16), you can now begin knitting. Insert your needle into the first stitch the same way you did when casting on your first stitch through the left side of the first stitch and crossing them right under left:

7. Wrap yarn around needle (as before) and easing needle down and then forward, only this time instead of putting the loop on your RIGHT needle back onto your LEFT NEEDLE, you will keep it on your right needle, and slip the stitch that you have been knitting into OFF your LEFT needle:

In this way you are essentially replacing the stitches from the LEFT needle with stitches onto the RIGHT needle. Continue on through all stitches on the left needle.

You have now completed your first "row" and it should look something like this above.

8. Now start your next row. Count your stitches to make sure you still have the same number as when you started. Beginners should practice doing this when they are just learning to make sure that they have not lost any stitches along the way, or gained any! As this will affect how your work looks at the end.

Switch your needles over and put the full needle back into your left hand, and start as before. Make sure that your yarn is hanging down like this:

This picture is WRONG:

After you have completed your second row, your work should have come along nicely already and will probably look like this:

9. As you can see, chunky yarn and chunky needles results in your work growing very rapidly. This picture shows how it looks after just 2 rows of knitting. Continue every row the same as the previous one until your scarf is as long as you wish it to be, or you can see that you are soon to run out of your yarn supply.

10. To finish off (cast off) is so simple, you won't even need photos. 

You begin casting off at the start of your last row. You knit 2 stitches like normal, and then when you have the 2 stitches on your RIGHT needle, you take the point of your LEFT needle and lift the stitch behind the front stitch and lift it over the top of the front stitch and drop it off the end. You then knit one more stitch so that you have 2 on your RIGHT needle again, and repeat by lifting the stitch behind over the front stitch and drop it off. Just keep repeating until you are left with just one stitch on your right hand needle. 

11. Cut off your yarn (if necessary) a couple of inches down, hold onto your last loop so as not to drop it, then pull the needle out. Put the cut end of your yarn through the loop and pull tight. 

CONGRATULATIONS, you have now completed your scarf! You can now add tassles if you like, or, if you wish to keep the ends plain, just take a darning needle and tidy up your work by threading the beginning and ending threads back through your work to disguise them and give you a neat edge on both ends. 

If you're feeling extra creative, you can also add felt cutout shapes to decorate, flowers, beads or whatever your imagination can think of. This looks especially cute for kids.

*TIP: When putting your knitting away for the day, or for the time being, always put it down at the END of a row, not in the middle. When you return to your work, this will help you to avoid confusing which way you were knitting when you put it down (especially helpful for beginners). Also push your knitting down to the bottom of the needle to ensure no stitches are dropped before you come back to it. 

It may also be a good idea to keep it away from children, dogs and cats who may find unravelling your beautiful knitting quite amusing....

Happy Knitting! AND after you've completed your masterpiece, please come brag about it by posting a photo of it on my Facebook page.

Cappuccino Cakes

When the kids come home from school and say, "We need to donate some cakes for the cake stall", it can be enough to send most mums into a frenzied panic! That's how I used to be.

But, also like most mums, I didn't want to let my kids down, and they were so excited about bringing something to school that THEIR mum made. So, I started practising (cake stalls, birthdays etc.) and before long, I was making some pretty good little cakes.

These little Cappuccino Cakes were a spur of the moment idea because (I was also put on the spot at the last minute) and they've turned out great. These particular ones could also be good for an afternoon tea, baby shower, bridal shower, Tupperware party etc. (Makes 12)  And this is how I did it:

SUPPLIES
~ Butter or Vanilla cake mix
~ Arnott's Marie biscuits
~ Orchard brand prepared white fondant icing (available at Coles or Woolworths)
~ Icing mixture
~ Round cutter or egg ring.
~ Zip lock bag.

WHAT TO DO
1. If you have a mini cupcake pan, this size is ideal. They will eventually be the coffee cup. Bigger ones make the saucer (Marie biscuits)  look too small. If you can source some bigger biscuits, then bigger cakes will work. Bake your cakes without cases straight into the pan. I spray my pan with canola cooking spray, and they will guarantee not stick in your pan. I like to bake them at 150 deg C for about 15 mins. This stops them from looking like mountain peaks. I also like to bake my cakes a day in advance (if you have the time). I put them in the fridge overnight because they don't seem to be as crumby the next day when you're trying to ice them.


2. Decorating: Open your fondant icing and cut off a small amount so that when rolled into a ball, it's about the size of a walnut. Cut the ball of fondant into 12 equal pieces. Store the fondant in a piece of plastic wrap after you've divided it as you work on each piece. Knead and roll your first piece into a ball and then into a sausage about an inch long. Then bend into a U shape and set aside to get hard. These will be your cup handles. Do each piece until you have 12.

3. Go back to your pack of fondant and cut off about half of what's left. Knead this until soft on a clean surface which has been dusted with cornflour. (I have a silicone pastry mat that is excellent to use) but the benchtop will be just fine. Begin rolling out your fondant with a rolling pin which is also rubbed with cornflour, and a little on top of the fondant where you are rolling. As you roll it out, be sure to keep moving your fondant so that it doesn't become stuck to your work surface. Roll it out until it is about 3-4mm thick.

4. Put down some greaseproof paper or a tray etc. to put your cups on as you go. Pop out your little cakes and have them ready.Open your packet of Marie biscuits and have them ready.

5. Take your round cutter which should be about the same size as your Marie biscuits. Cut out 1 circle at a time so your fondant doesn't become dry. Take your circle of fondant and smear the under side with water. I do this with a little brush but your finger dipped into some water and then smeared over will do the trick. This will make the fondant sticky and help adhere it to the cake. Place your little cake bottom down onto the middle of the wet fondant, then turn it upside down. Smooth the fondant over the bottom of the cake, stretching and smoothing with your fingers as you go so that it just covers the lip on the edge of the cake. When you're satisfied with it, set it onto your paper, fondant side down.

6. Now cut out another circle. This one is going to cover your Marie biscuit. Just like the cakes, wet the under side of the fondant and then place over the top of the biscuit. Smooth it down and around the edges.

7. Now wet the bottom of your "cup" and set it down in the middle of your "saucer". This will stick the two together. Now take one of your "handles" and with a sharp knife, cut a tiny bit off the ends to make a flat surface. Wet the ends a little to make sticky and place against the side of the cup. Now you should have a tiny little cup and saucer with nothing covering the top of your cake. Finishing off the top comes later.

8. Finish off the other 11 cups the same way.

9. Now make up a batch of butter icing following directions or recipe that you have. I flavoured my icing with coffee flavouring to add to the authenticity, but any flavour, or no flavour would be just fine too. Place the made up icing into your zip lock bag and seal up trying to get all the air out before sealing. Snip the corner off the bag so that you have roughly a 1 cm diameter hole. (I used a piping bag, but a zip lock bag works just as well and I have done it this way many time before.)

10. In a circular motion starting at the edge and working toward the centre, "pipe" your icing over the top of your cup being sure to cover any messy "cup" edges. Do this with all of them to look like the frothy top of a cappuccino. Then to further add to the effect, dust the tops with just a little cocoa powder or drinking chocolate. 


There you have it! 12 cute little cakes that are easy but look so cute they'll sell in a flash! And better still, you have now just become a HERO MUM in your children's eyes.

Coming soon!

How to knit (yes KNIT) your own cosy scarf for winter. Even if you've never knitted a stitch, I will show you how with simple explanations and step by step pictures.

My grandmother taught me to knit at age 6, and my own daughter completed her first scarf at age 10 and YOU CAN TOO! Stay tuned.

How to make a BALLOON TOPIARY

SUPPLIES

To make 4 you'll need:

~A pack of plastic takeaway style containers.
(These are available at supermarkets for about $4 for a pk of 4, but I recently got a 6 pk from Chicken Feed for $2. You will find something suitable at most bargain shops.)
~2 kg bag of rice.
(Choose a cheap generic brand.)
~1 length of 8mm wooden dowel.
(Available from the local hardware for a couple of dollars.)
~1 pack of water bomb balloons.
(Available from supermarket for a few dollars for 300 balloons.)
~Curling ribbon in desired colours.
(Best value ribbon can be bought from most bargain shops for $2 per spool.)
~Foil cellophane, tissue paper or other decorative paper to cover your containers.
(Again, bargain shops are cheapest for this.)
~Balloon pump* if you don't already have one.
(*This would be a tool I would suggest that you invest in. It's also great for blowing up pool inflatables and the like, and only costs a couple of dollars.)

What to do:
1. Plug in your hot glue gun to start heating up.
2. Cut your dowel into 4 x 50cm lengths. The easiest way I've found to do this is to use garden pruners suitable for small branches.
3. Take the lids of your containers and drill holes in the middle slightly smaller than the diameter of your dowel.
4. Open your rice and have it handy ready to fill your containers. Then poke your dowel through the hole in the lid from the bottom up until the amount of dowel on the under side is a little more than the depth of the container.
5. Squeeze some hot glue to the bottom of the stick and press it to the middle of the inside of the container. This will stop your stick from moving and keep your balloons from looking like The Leaning Tower of Pisa.
6. While holding the stick with one hand, pour your rice into the container until it's half filled. This may be awkward on your own so you might want to grab a helper. Then push the lid down the dowel and secure to the container. You can tape the lid down for extra security if necessary.
8. The next step is to cover your dowel. I like to cover mine with coordinating ribbon. Wide ribbon works best. Tape it at the top and wind it down the stick by holding it with one hand while twisting the stick with the other. Secure well at the bottom with tape.
9. Cut about a metre of ribbon in each colour you wish to use. Hold them all together and find the middle. Place the ribbon over the end of the dowel and secure all the way around with tape. This will also cover any rough spots that may have occurred from cutting the dowel so as not to bust your balloons.
10. Using your balloon pump, inflate your water bomb balloons. You will need about 9 per topiary. 3 colour combinations look best, so 3 of each colour works well.
11. Once inflated tie your balloons together with some fine thread. Fishing line or sewing thread is perfect and not easily seen. Tie them in colour pattern and not more than a couple of inches apart.
12. After tying, take the first balloon and thread and tape it to the top of your stick so that the end us covered by the balloon. Then wind it around the top until all balloons are against the stick. Where the last balloon touches the stick, push them up until they look bunched at the top. Then secure the last balloon and thread to the dowel with tape. If the colours don't look random, you will now be able to move them around until they look even. Cut off any extra thread.
13. Cut your sheet of cello into 4 equal sized pieces. Your sheet will be slightly rectangle. Place your container in the middle. Take the shorter sides and tape them to the top of the container. Then take the other sides and gather them around the stick, tying it in place with some curling ribbon. All that's left to do now is curl the ribbon hanging down your stick and then do the other 3!

*Tip - if making these for yourself, don't throw them away when you're done. You can use them over and over and save even more money.