Just thought I'd pop in on this Thanksgiving Eve to wish my American readers a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope if you are hosting tomorrow that you are not feeling too stressed out! 

The pictures above are of my table set for eight for tomorrow's feast, and the three pictures below are of a small dinner party I had last night to reconnect with some friends visiting from out of town. The only time our schedules would cooperate was the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving!

How are you spending the day AFTER Thanksgiving? I really loathe calling that precious day, Black Friday. Ugh. 😒 The shopping hype on all forms of media has become unbearable to me. I am entirely ignorant of the shopping crowds first hand because I have always stayed home on the day after Thanksgiving. I sleep in and it's a good bet I'll be in my PJs ALL DAY. I have turkey stock bubbling on the stove and Christmas carols playing in the background. The fire is lit and I spend the laziest day of my year slowly decorating the house for Christmas. Bliss.

Thanksgiving gives us a day to remind ourselves of what we have to be thankful for throughout the year. In that spirit of thankfulness, I want to thank all of you for being so kind for allowing me into your home every week. From my house to your house I'm wishing you all the best during this holiday season.

We went on a Baltic cruise in October, and while we loved every single thing about the amazing cities we visited, as a knitter, I was truly in wooly heaven. At most ports our itineraries were fairly busy and we didn't have time to seek out knit shops, but at three stops we did have time to visit a knit store, sometimes two. Yarn souvenirs are about the only souvenirs I take home these days and is why my stash never seems under control!

In Helsinki we had an extra hour, thank heavens, because I really wanted to do some wool shopping there. I found two knitting shops downtown, both within walking distance of each other. Snurre was my favorite with a lovely selection of yarn; even my hubbie was impressed with this large and airy shop. In Helsinki I was looking for one specific yarn: Tukuwool. I don't think a knitter can visit Finland without coming home with Tukuwool, Finland's most famous yarn brand. I purchased a sweater's worth of an earthy fingering weight wool; a blend of Finnish bred Finnsheep and Finnsheep/Texel crossbreed. The yarn is also spun and dyed in Finland making it a truly 100% Finnish souvenir.  I can't wait to get my needles on it! 

If you have time to visit a second shop in Helsinki, I would visit FiinaNeule. It was only a 5-10 minute walk from Snurre. It's a tinier shop, but very charming and the salesgirl was a sweetie. I purchased some Norwegian fingering weight machine washable wool for a Christmas sweater for Carter. It's a Rowan flagship store and I thought their prices were comparable to what we expect to pay in the states.

The picture above was taken at the Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose where they have a retired fire truck the children can play in. Carter was in heaven! While walking around the museum, several mothers asked me where I got his sweater. When I told them I made it they asked if I did commissions! I do not! Well, it is a very handsome sweater and really does stand out, so I can see why they would want one. Lucky for you and me, we knit, so you can make one too. Here's how:

The pattern is the free Flax Light from Tin Can Knits. It comes in sizes from newborn to XLL adult. I made this with oddments of sock yarns and Madeline Tosh Unicorn Tails left over from an abandoned scarf project. 

Here's how I did the fade: Start by gathering colors and placing them in an order that is pleasing, allowing that you may have to abandon and/or add colors as the knitting progresses. Originally I had quite a few pale and medium pinks in the mix but I had to leave them out because the bolder colors were looking best. With your first color, knit until you are approximately two-thirds finished with it, or until you want to change colors. Then at the BOR, add color #2 alternating every other row with color #1 until color #1 is done. Knit with color #2 until it is two-thirds finished and then introduce color #3. Continue adding colors in this way. I did the sleeves last: take the remaining yarns and weigh each and divide them in half. In this way you'll be able to have matching sleeves. The two pictures below show the colors best. There are hot pinks, purples, reds, wines, burgundys, browns and grays. When I ran out of those I added gold at the sleeve cuffs. I think I used at least 18 colors with some having only a few yards. Lots of ends to weave in but I don't mind that.

Fades and stripes are a good way to use up wee bits of yarn and combined with the free Flax pattern, you'll end up with a free sweater! Even though this sweater thoroughly busted my Unicorn Tail collection I've still got some blacks and grays and gold fingering weights I'm playing with for my next toddler fade. Dramatic!

I made the size four for my two year old grandson and I feel this sweater runs a bit small. The neck is too wide for my taste and can look sloppy on a little one. I knew this from previous Flax experience and while I thought I made a correction this time by casting on for the next smaller size, it was not enough of a correction and could be smaller. If you do cast on less stitches to get a smaller neck, you will somehow have to get the stitches back. Here's how I added the stitches back: after the ribbing was finished, I knit a row, still with the smaller needles, and in this row I added them by using a M1 at even intervals. It's easy and as long as you don't have to add too many, it is not noticeable at all.  After the fact, if the neck is loose, you can always crochet an edging and that will tighten it up. I may do that with this sweater although it's not really that loose.

My Ravelry post

Free Flax Light pattern by TinCan Knits

Baking weather is here! My favorite never-fail go-to cookie recipe is the classic shortbread. Today's variation has the addition of almonds: almond flour, almond extract, and sliced almonds. I served it for guests this weekend and everyone raved and asked for the recipe. It's also a good one for baking with children. My two year old grandson had a lot of fun helping me with this batch. He helped me scoop, level off, count and mix.  He was also in charge of patting the shortbread into the pan, pricking it with a fork, and sprinkling the sugar. He also helped me eat them!

These are perfectly crumbly, buttery, and not-too-sweet with a lovely almond flavor. Add this one to your Christmas cookie repertoire, you'll be so glad you did, especially if you are pressed for time because this one is a quickie! It is easily doubled.

Almond Shortbread

10 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup almond meal or almond flour

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Prepare an 8-9 inch square or round pan by spraying with cooking spray. If the pan does not have a removable bottom, cut a piece of parchment paper to fit pan and spray with cooking spray.

In a mixer bowl beat butter, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, vanilla and almond extracts until fluffy.  Mix in flours, then sliced almonds.  Press into a buttered and floured 8" round cake tin or 8" sq. pan and sprinkle with additional 2 tablespoons sugar.  Pierce all over with fork tines. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned.  Let cool on rack for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and while it is still warm,  cut into wedges or squares.  Yields 16 2" squares.