Tractor cake success! One happy boy, one yummy cake, another year passed!

Added 3/4 cup of pureed strawberries and 6 drops of Wild Strawberry Essence to the America's Test Kitchen (aka Cooks Illustrated) All-Purpose Buttery Yellow Cake.

Rather than icing, which would have obscured some of the "tractorness", I used a glaze made from milk, powdered sugar, and food coloring followed by sugar sprinkles.

When we asked Z what he wished for when he blew out the candles he said "Candles."
You're in luck little man!



Yarn of the Month - February Edition
(clockwise from bottom left)

Aurora 8 Spaced Dyed by Karabella
4.5 st/inch on US 8
100% Wool

Soft Tweed by RYC
3 st/inch on US 11
56% Wool, 20% Viscose, 14% Polymide, 10% Silk

Country by Rowan
2.5 st/inch on US 13
100% Wool

Smooth DK by King Cole
5.5 st/inch on US 6
100% Acrylic

with a pattern for a little XOXO cardigan. No newsletter this time.

I really love this club - I get to try yarns that I would have never on my own. This month has more range in terms of both composition, color, and gauge. Have a few gaps in my needle collection so off to the LYS today for some 11s (which I never had) and 13s (which the short one disassembled :-)

Swatches to follow shortly.

Check this out! One seriously DOOMED Sock of Doom. This is the sock that killed me in the Sock Wars tournament. I'm sad to have returned the favor (please no comments on the equally sad state of my rough heels :-)


Lots of WIPs - this the most recent. A sweet little shrug for a tiny new girl. Setsuko arrived on January 30 (the day before Z's bday) at 7 lb 9 oz. Can't wait to meet her in person!

This is a vintage pattern and so sweet and quick. All these photos make me realize that if I posted more regularly I could share incrementally.

Ah... another goal :-)