Progress on my knit scarf for COLD weather

All my sections are combined except one more ball of yarn to knit. I finished the third section, this end piece and it's 17 inches long by itself. I started with a pattern on a UTube I posted about in the last few posts Chunky Lace. It's really pretty when stretched out. I am going to duplicate another full skein/ball of this yarn to make and attach to the other end and both will be scalloped in the chunky lace pattern for 2 repeats then garter to finish out the ball.

The little silver in it really is girly and blingy but not too gaudy. I love it!

 

Yup, Miss Abbie is in her hoodie. She is a hoot when I put anything on her. For the first hour she just freezes. Always has been that way. She stayed on her blanket for about an hour and then moved on to nap on the sofa near the heat from the woodstove.

I hope to finish this last part of my big wide scarf by tomorrow night. Monday morning here in the North Ga mountains it's supposed to get to a low of ONE degree. I've never seen that since I've lived here since 2001. I've seen 8 degrees but not 1.
I'm hoping we get some snow. There is a prediction for some and I just have this feeling that we are going to be in for freezing snow weather for a couple of days.
I chatted with a friend in Alaska and today it's warmer there than it is here in Georgia. I can't believe that!!!!!

Mr. Darcy had a birthday yesterday! Strangely we both have birthdays on the 3rd of the month, his in January and mine in September. He wants a yellow cake with chocolate frosting tomorrow so that's on my to-do list for tomorrow after grocery shopping with the other million I'm sure preparing for the weather indoors.

What else am I up to ?????

Well I am doing a 30 day Bible study online with a book by the Unveiled Wife.
It's open for the public on FB and she posts videos each morning to prompt and further talk about different concepts of a Christian marriage. She had her book for one day only for 99cents and I think now it went back to the Kindle price of 7.77 or something to that nature. The book is great. She is so though provoking and I love to continually strive to be the best wife I can be. A relationship with God is most important and I'm challenged now in my life to totally depend on him, listen for his answers. The easiest part is that I know my husband is a true gift from God and appreciate that every single day. I know I am not perfect, but each day is a day to renew and remember the gift He gave me. And the closer a Christian couple are in reflecting the love of Christ for his church, the more Satan will try to lie, steal, and destroy. I don't want to sound like a sermon here, just wanted to share this 30 day study which has helped me and maybe it would help others too.
Even though we are on day four today, her videos stay up so you can catch up or go back to read the daily challenges.

If you are interested in joining, just go to UNVEILED WIFE on FB and it will lead you to the group study.  As we all I think, can learn more and more about marriage and our purpose in a Christian stance, I am loving to start out the New Year with this month of study. So come join this very large group and in reading through responses and prompts and listening to her each morning, it's just the best way to start a day!

Mr. Darcy has been chopping wood all day and making kindling to stack for the next few weeks. The homestead is always a busy but rewarding place to be. I am thankful for heat and a roof over our heads and to be able to enjoy each season in it's time here. In the Winter we hope for Spring and in the Spring we hope for Summer and on and on. Just taking the time to enjoy the season that is in the present makes a bunch of difference.

I can't wait for the first episode of Downton Abbey tomorrow night!!! This girl is going to be front and center for that TV show.

About to watch Saving Private Ryan. I've never seen that before but it looks long and intense. My best half is watching with me. Hope you all have a great Saturday evening and rest well.

Staying warm and sipping cidar,
Jennifer

Monday Musings--a compilation of home working

Monday started with Banana bread breakfast this morning.

 

I baked a DOUBLE recipe of Banana Bread Friday and here is how fast is flies.

Out of the oven

 

24 hours later

and 48 hours later...........it goes fast!  That's why I doubled the recipe. It is a simple one I found in a very vintage recipe book from 1979. The name of it is "Think Christmas" and was compiled and published by The Junior League of The City of Washington, Inc. I've had it for about 5 or 6 years now found in a junkin' store.

 

 I really needed a few more bananas but I made do with what I had.

 

The basic recipe is :    (remember to double if making it in a cake pan)

1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of butter, softened
2 eggs, well-beaten
3 large bananas, mashed or 6 small ones
1 tsp of baking soda
2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of chopped nuts (I used pecans)

If using for only this recipe and not doubled,

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Cream sugar and butter
Add eggs and bananas
Add sifted flour and soda
Add nuts and mix well
Pour in greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.

Now, when I doubled it, then I poured all this in a tube pan and baked at 300-325 instead for about 1 hour 10 minutes or so.

Makes great dessert, or a breakfast bread or a good midnight snack!!!! You can also freeze some of it.

On the stitching front, here is my progress on At Home with Jane Austen.............(designer, The Sampler Girl)

I finished the flower motifs and now on the last band of flowers at the end.

 

As for knitting, I have started and now have sections of a scarf I'm putting together with some serendipity.

 

I will combine all the sections. I found this wonderful FREE Chunky Lace Scarf pattern on You Tube over the weekend and it's a 6 row repeat.

 

Here is one section of the 6 rows. It makes a lovely scalloped pattern. I will do another row or two of this and decrease gradually to fit the gartered sections on each end.

 

 

I'm using straight needles for this because I don't have a 13 circular, I so wish I did!!!!!

I adjusted the pattern by decreasing by 10 cast on stitches and still this is a cramped fit on my 14 in straights.
I "unbunched" some stitches to show more of the lace pattern.

I would love to work this pattern on circulars in a shawl. This pattern practices ssk, ssk2p, YO, K, P.

You can find the pattern here  http://www.thecastingoncouch.com/ along with many others.
This is under freebies. It will also lead you to the You Tube tutorial. Please don't make the mistake of just Googling Cast on Couch as it also leads to some kind of porn videos.........wacko and not intended at all.

I like to follow her knitting as she knits like I do in English style.

Speaking of English style, there was a great replay of the last episode of Downton Abbey last night on PBS and another show for sneak season 4 previews. I LOVED IT. I didn't love watching the death of one of the main characters, Matthew, though. They said season 4 will start 6 months AFTER this happens, so next Sunday night we are glued to watch the new season start.

I hope by this time I am on to model stitching my Downton Abbey design. The colors I chose are so pretty. So, when I finish this band of flowers on At Home with Jane, I will be picking up my design of Downton Abbey pretty quickly. It's a large design. I plan to make some smaller designs from this series in between as well so stay tuned!

Keep calm and stitch on,
Jennifer