Long absence, new words

Haven't been updating for several years, but plan to try to pick up on this a bit.

I'll just jump right in. New canning statistics for this year--168 jars of jam and fruit preserves equaling over 16 gallons.

I've been traveling so much for work, but we have learned ways to schedule canning and preserving. This year we have so many pears--those tiny trees are beginning to yield fruit! We've put up 17 quarts of pears (each containing 6-9 pears, depending upon the size of the pears)!

Our fig trees, which we babied for many, many years, are also beginning to produce good crops. I was able to make 16 jars of jam and have many quarts of figs frozen as well. We also, of course, ate a bunch of them fresh!

Canning mania!

Last summer was busy - we were moving our school into a new building and we busy prepping and packing and then moving and unpacking. Canning took second place and I did not do nearly as much as usual. Luckily I had done so much canning the year before, and I had done a little bit last summer, that we still had lots of jam, enough to last the whole winter (and still leave some left over). This year I was determined to get back on the canning bandwagon. I started the summer by having my pressure canner gauge tested (it was fine) and by ordering a bulk supply of Pomona's pecin (my favorite). I also wanted to try out the Tattler reusable canning lids for a while. A friend has been using them for a few years and has had success, so I thought I'd buy some to try them out. I wound up ordering the bulk box of 200 - 100 each of regular and wide mouth. I began making jam on July 4 and as of August 12 have put up 123 jars. Most has been jam, but I also put up some peaches in quarts as well as some syrups and some zucchini relish (it is delicious and I'll make some more soon). The pressure canner has not been used yet, but green beans will be ready soon. We'll also put up some tomato-meat sauce and chili when the tomatoes are in full swing (unfortunately, just as school starts up again). I'll be canning, I'm sure, every weekend and in the evenings. Yesterday it was 16 jars of apricot jam and 16 jars of blueberry jam. Today it will be plum preserves - we have a bumper crop again this year!

Chicken tractors

People have asked for pictures of our chicken tractors. These are not great photos, but help you get some scale. This one is 8'x8'x18". Part of the top is wire mesh, and part has lightweight metal roofing for rain and sun protection. We use an automatic water-er that utilizes a separate bucket outside of the tractor with a tube which runs to the inside of the tractor. It is very easy to keep filled. They are moved to new grass each day.

Crackers - finally!

I've been wanting to make crackers for years but somehow have never gotten around to it.

We had a snowy day and our road was icy so we all spent the day at home - a perfect day for trying a fun and simple recipe. Cut with cute little cutters they seemed so intriguing that I simply could not wait to try them.

Such success!

2 cups (about 8.5 oz by weight) of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup whole wheat flour
a dash of garlic powder, paprika, and oregano

Blend the whole thing well in the food processor.

Add: 6 tablespoons of cold butter cut up.

Blend in the food processor until it forms a ball. You might need a tablespoon or two of cold water.

Chill (if you have the patience to wait).

Roll out on a lightly floured board to about 1/8" thick. Cut with tiny cookie cutters and place on parchment paper.

Cook in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes.

They puff up and are delicious.

You may want to experiment with the seasonings (more salt, perhaps, or some onion powder).

The first batch that came out of the oven disappeared in just a few minutes. The children had a great time and we all had fun eating.

Silly Pants

We raise Shetland sheep here at our farm. They are small and give lovely wool in lots of different natural colors. The climate of the Shetland islands is similar enough to our Pacific NW climate that the sheep don't need much in the way of special care.

Recently a relative visited the Shetland islands and brought me back a small bag of DK weight yarn. This is the real deal - Shetland yarn from Shetland sheep from the actual Shetland islands - not the Pacific NW. There were five balls of yarn, each 25g, and each a different color.

I wasn't sure what I could do with 125g of yarn in five different colors other than hats. Then I thought of Charlotte.

Charlotte is our friends not-quite-two-year-old and she is a hoot. She loves to wear outrageous outfits (her mom likes to dress her in them, too) and she is quite a ham. I've been wanting to make a pair of Elizabeth Zimmermann longies again (I've made one pair for my own daughter when she was a not-quite-two-year-old), and thought that I could make a silly pair with lots of fair-isle type patterns.

Off I went - changing colors and patterns at a whim. What fun! I did knit both legs simultaneously (using both ends of the balls - a bit of a challenge) as I do have a tendency to be a single-sock-knitter and I was afraid that if I didn't knit both legs at the same time then I'd get one done and put the project aside.

I started it around December 26th and finished them today, January 6th. I didn't work too much on them this week, just finished the cuffs. Charlotte's mom helped by weaving in the loose ends (I told her honestly that, faced with all of those loose ends, if I had to do them all then Charlotte might well be too big for them by the time they were all done). I offered to split the job, but she did them all (I wove in about four of them - not even a drop in the bucket).

After weaving the crotch the only part left is blocking. I'll do that tomorrow so that they will be dry by Monday.

The Ravelry link is here: Silly Pants

Rustina, the guard cow

Much moo-ing was taking place and we just knew something was up. A quick check outside and we found that "something" (probably one of our kitties) was attempting to get on top of our "outside" refrigerator (in the woodshed) to check out our cooling pates.

Thanks, Rustina!

Seven pounds, four ounces

We thought that this was the biggest chicken that we'd ever seen. It was chicken slaughter day and we were sure that we'd get the "big bird" trophy.

Our chicken co-op competitors, I mean friends, are the real winners. Their biggest chicken...

seven pounds, thirteen ounces :-0

I didn't even know that chickens got that big...

Successful meal planned week!

While meal planning is a great theory, the execution requires somewhat more self discipline than can usually be found in groups (at least in our group). This week, though, we've been pretty successful.

Monday - busy day with work/school followed by music lessons in nearby city until 6 pm. Well planned with a crock pot chili (meat browned Sunday night and beans soaked from Sunday afternoon).

Tuesday - school/work, home briefly, then two of us stayed home while the other two went off to soccer practice. Originally I had a meeting scheduled for later that evening and so planned a quick meal. Pork chops, brown rice and veggies (Rice made on Sunday night, added to the veggie dish right before serving).

Wednesday (today) - school/work and then an evening at home. Chicken pot pie (chicken and stock prepared on the unexpected Tuesday night off) with biscuit crust. Four small pies left over for the four of us to have for lunch at school tomorrow.

Thursday (tomorrow) - already put on the crock pot with the pork hocks (cured from Sunday night until tonight) to cook overnight. Tomorrow add sauteed onions and dried split peas for a pea soup and let it cook all day. Tomorrow is another soccer practice, but this time I have a meeting directly after school and the other three, plus two more, will be home briefly and then meet us (parent of the other two) at soccer practice after the meeting. No time to cook - will just get home and have dinner.

No school on Friday (in-service for the teachers, but the other two have play-dates scheduled). There are lots of leftovers - we'll probably finish them off that night.

From the farm:
Monday - ground pork
Tuesday - pork chops, broccoli, peas
Wednesday - chicken, peas, as well as butter, lard and milk in biscuit crust
Thursday - pork hocks, onions, butter for saute

A little heavy on the pork this week, but we're going to have one and a half *more* pigs in the freezer before the end of the month so we needed to make some room. We need to have more people over for dinner...

Some thoughts on cream...

These are some thoughts that you have when you have a cow and get three to four gallons of milk a day. The milk is strained into one gallon glass jars and put into the "milk 'fridge'" (yes, we have a refrigerator which is designated for the overabundance of dairy products). After a day or two the cream has risen to the top. The milk is skimmed and the cream is put into one of two categories in which the terminology and the science is contradictory.

The "heavy" cream is as the top. It is very thick on real, actual milk right from a cow. In contrast to its name it is actually "lighter" than the rest of the milk. That is why it floats on top.

The "light" cream is the next layer. There is no clearly defined demarcation, you just go by feel and experience. It is actually heavier than "heavy" cream, which is why it sinks below the "heavy" cream.

See the contradictions?

After all of the cream has been skimmed off you have skim milk. I have heard that there are people who actually prefer to drink skim milk above all other kinds of milk. Interesting.

We give it to the pigs (living at a friend's house - they swing by after work and pick up five gallon buckets of it) or we make "curds and whey" (yes, just like Little Miss Muffet ate) and give it to the chickens.

I was surprised at how many people jumped right off of the "healthy" soy milk wagon when we recently brought a quart of heavy cream to work. Don't think we didn't notice how quickly that quart disappeared...

A waddling of ducks

There is a very large list of collective nouns for ducks, but the one that best describes what we have here on Haldan Farm is a waddling.

About a year and a half ago we bought several duckling from the local farm store. After spending some time in a confined space under lights getting adjusted we let them have their freedom around the farm. They did their job (eating slugs) and proved to be so funny and cute that we were shocked that we hadn't thought to get ducks years before.

Haldan Farm is, though, in a place which features many predator birds (owls, bald eagles, hawks and more) and we had some losses and got down to one clever female. We bought a few more ducklings from the farm store and the adult female literally took them under her wing and we had a new waddling. They always travel together and are such a joy when returning home from a late-night meeting. No matter the hour, they wake right up and come and greet at the driveway. No one can sneak onto our property at night! They are immediately assaulted with a cacophony of "quack, quack!"

Recently we acquired five more ducklings. These, like all of the others, were kept in a confined space for the first two weeks so that they could adjust to our place, but the adult ducks had access to view them and visited regularly.

Today is the ducklings first day out and about and those four ducks are taking them for a tour - really! They are waddling around and showing the littles the place, pausing when necessary so that everyone can catch up. I never knew ducks could be so wonderful, and now I can't imagine a farm without them!

Snow in August

What do you do on a hot summer day in the Pacific NW? You go "to the mountain" to walk on the snow! Saturday was one of our warmer days this summer. We had three adults and three children (various combinations of family, relatives, friends) and headed up around the back of Mt. Baker. We got to see the active craters (dirty snow lets us know where these are) and we got to play in the snow.

The flies were a bit beastly, but repellent helped. We'll do this hike again, but after a good, hard frost to eliminate the bulk of the buggies. A great day, a great hike, and lovely people!

Toffee Oat Cakes with Caramelized Bananas

This video features my friend, Tina, proprietor of Scratch Desserts here in NW Washington. She is a wonderful pastry chef! This is her entry for a cook off:


Enjoy!

Jam time!

While we have had a very wet and cool spring and summer, jam-making season has *finally* arrived! Reed picked a bit bucket of large ripe raspberries today, oldest child helped me to put them through the food mill to seed them, a little pectin (citrus pectin so that we can make very low sugar jam) and we now have 11 jars of jam (and oldest child got to eat the little bit we had extra).

Eating from the farm

Today we had chocolate cake to celebrate the 90th birthday of Reed's grandpa Tom. Grandpa Tom lived on our homestead as a child and played among some of trees which are still on our farm and still entertain the children.

After we made the cake we played the "what was from our farm" game and it was surprising that a chocolate cake could have so many ingredients from our farm. First, I need to admit that I bought a mix. The mix, though, was from a local baker who makes her own mixes (Scratch is the name of her bakery and she sells at the local farmers' market). We added, from our farm, eggs and milk to the mix. There was raspberry jam between the two layers, made from raspberries from our farm. The chocolate butter cream frosting was made with butter and milk from the farm.

Of course we also added to our plates, next to the cake, ice cream from the farm...

Noisiest farm on the block

That is how Reed described our place this morning. The baa-ing and moo-ing is quite impressive! The bovine spent the night, by their choice, out in the fields. This was the first time that Sir Loin and Rustina have been able to access each other fully since Sir Loin was just born. He's been drinking her milk from a bottle from the beginning, but only actually nursed for a day.

The sheep had been moved from pasture into the hay storage area of the cow barn (which is currently mostly empty) to protect them from the rain in preparation for shearing, which is happening today. They are not too happy in their new, though temporary, location and are baa-ing up a storm.

Because the bovine decided to spend their night in the fields they needed to be coaxed through the "lane" into the cow barn. Rustina was not thrilled about this, though she is usually quite ready to be milked in the morning. Hmm...

Then, after careful and tedious coaxing, when she was finally in her milking area, the baa-ing of the sheep was upsetting and "new." Cows don't like "new."

Finally in the stanchion the reason for her lack of enthusiasm for being milked was revealed. Apparently Sir Loin does not need a bottle this morning. He saw an opportunity and grabbed it. Instead of her usual 32# of milk (about 4 gallons), Rustina came in at 17#.

Oh, well. One less chore this morning...

Hopeful spring after a long winter!

After a very long and dreary-weather winter spring has finally emerged. With it has come some farm successes, including thinning our bursting-at-the-seams flock of sheep and creating some unbelievable Camembert-like cheese!

Recently we posted some sheep on Craig's list. The response was like nothing we've seen before and we quickly sold 12 sheep (8 ewes, 1 ram and 3 lambs).

Reed *finally* cut into one of our mold-ripened cheeses after what seemed like an eternity (but was actually only 60 days) and lo and behold, success! He made a real, live (literally) mold-ripened cheese that smelled right, looked right, and tasted better-than-right.

Hopefully we'll have some dry weather here so that we can get some planting done. Somehow, having a fire in the wood stove in mid-May just doesn't seem right...

The cheese making begins again...

With Rustina giving us 5 gallons of milk a day (yes, 5 gallons) we are in a constant quandary about what to do with all of the milk. Sir Loin, of course, currently drinks about 2 gallons of that milk and we consume about 2 quarts in a given day. Cheese making is on of our answers - it puts the milk in a form which we can consume months from now. Reed began cheese making during Rustina's last lactation and with the large influx of milk he is back at it again.

So far, this lactation, he has made a cracked pepper hard cheese and today has embarked on a journey toward soft mold-ripened cheeses, such as brie and Camembert. The cracked pepper cheese will age until this summer, awaiting Aunt Mina - a lover of a local cracked pepper cheese. We hope that ours will come close.

To help us on this journey we have finally purchased the special thermostat which will keep our designated cheese refrigerator at the proper 54 degree F temperature. The refrigerators built-in thermostat will never let it stay that warm - this new thermostat over-rides the built in thermostat.

Tomorrow we start on our butter and ice cream making...Yum!

Sir Loin

Our newest calf, Sir Loin, was born on March 5th. The birth was on a Saturday morning and Rustina was able to do it all herself. She is such a good mother and licked her baby very well. The baby was vigorous from the start and was up on his feet right away.

Sir Loin is half Angus and looks like an Angus. It is amazing the difference between him and Blossom (who was 15/16 Jersey). Blossom was much more delicate and angular. Sir Loin is very boxy and eats a whole lot more!

He is being fed Rustina milk via bottle and drinks almost 2 gallons a day! We worried that this was too much (a lot more than Blossom ate), but he seems to be thriving and has had no problems.

Solstice!

Our annual winter solstice celebration is about to begin. We'll be serving roast pork and hot spiced apple juice (both from our farm), along with the usual snack-y foods and other drinks. This is a potluck and the quality and amount of food that shows up is astounding! Our friends like to cook (and eat)!

This year we've raised our jersey heifer calf (pictured - now sold to the dairy farmer across the street as a present to his teen-age son), more than a dozen pigs (with our pork co-op), three "pet" ducks (now two, thanks to an eagle), twenty-five meat chickens, half-a-dozen new laying hens (just starting to lay!) and many, many sheep (I think we're up to 18). We just got our yarn back from the mill in two shades of fawn, as well as shaela and moorit. It is just beautiful! I've designed a hat to show it off (a picture will come soon).

Come back, Sun! Let the festivities begin!

An original knitting design

Here is an offering - an original knitting design (yes, designed by me) based on some classic dress designs for children and adapted for knitting (and my tastes). To be honest, I also had the urge to use up some yarn I had laying around and this seemed the perfect use of it.

Feel free to knit this design and to tell your friends about this blog so that they can print *one* copy for themselves.

Anyway, here is the pattern. I call it Maemie after my great aunt Maemie, sister to my grandfather. Maemie's real name was Mary and she was born at the very, very end of the 19th century. She lived well into her 90s and I remember her well. She had been a modern girl in her time and was very fashionable. I think that this dress is reminiscent of those times, the teens and early twenties of the 20th century.

Maemie

With some extra yarn I had laying around the house and a little girl anxious for a new dress I designed this A-line jumper with simple color-pattern details and a matching tam. This is a fairly quick project which looks impressive but is easy to modify to suit your (or your child’s) tastes and moods. I like old-fashioned but timeless looking clothing for my daughter and have found that the best way to achieve this look is by designing and sewing and/or knitting the clothing myself. We live in the Pacific Northwest where it is damp and cool for a lot of the year. Wool is the fiber of choice for my outdoor girl – it can get damp, or even wet, and still feel warm. I only knit jumpers (versus dresses with sleeves) because while it is cool here it is rarely cold and I want to be able to choose her blouse or shirt to correspond with the weather or circumstances.

Photo credit [model/Samara, photographer/Ellen Lebitz]

SIZE

Children’s size 4[6, 8]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Jumper:

Chest: 24[26,28] inches
Length: 24.25[26.75, 29.25] inches

Tam:

To fit head sizes: 20.5[21, 21.5] inches

MATERIALS

[MC] Lion Brand Yarn Fishermen’s Wool [100% wool; 465 yd/425 m per 8 oz/227 g skein]; color: Nature’s Brown; 1 [2, 2] skeins
[CC1] Patons Classic Wool [100% wool; 223 yd/205 m per 3.5 oz/100g skein]; color: Natural mix; 1 [1, 1] skein

[CC2] Patons Classic Wool [100% wool; 223 yd/205 m per 3.5 oz/100g skein]; color: Cognac heather; 1 [1, 1] skein

1 set(s) US #3/3.25mm double-point needles

16-inch US #3/3.25mm circular needle

24-inch US #3/3.25mm circular needle

4 markers, one a different color

Stitch holders or contrasting yarn and yarn needle to hold stitches

Sharp yarn needle for weaving in loose ends

GAUGE

16 sts/23.5 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

This pattern has two optional features inspired by the designs of Elizabeth Zimmermann; the phoney seam and the afterthought pocket. The phoney seam is described at the appropriate place in the pattern and the afterthought pocket is described at the end.

The pattern also features applied I-cord trim, also described at the end of the pattern.

PATTERN

(color pattern charts will be added within the next few days. I need to change their format in order to upload them)

Jumper [beginning at the bottom of the main part]

With MC and circular needles CO 120[128, 136] sts and join being careful not to twist.

Rnds 1 – 2: With MC k.

Rnds 3 – 7: K pattern as indicated in chart A.

Rnds 8 – 11: With MC k, using markers to define front and bac with 3 “side seam” sts as follows:

(beginning of rnd)K2, marker, K57[61, 65] for back of garment, marker, k3, marker, k57[61, 65] for front of garment, marker, k1 (end of rnd)

For size 4:

Rnd 12 (and all future inc rnds): K2, pass marker, SSK, k to within two sts of marker, k2tog, pass marker, k3, pass marker, SSK, k to within two sts of marker, k2tog, k1 (116 sts).

Rnds 13 – 55: K every rnd, dec (as in rnd 12) in rnds 23, (112 sts), 34 (108 sts), 45 (104 sts).

For size 6:

Rnd 14 (and all future inc rnds): K2, pass marker, SSK, k to within two sts of marker, k2tog, pass marker, k3, pass marker, SSK, k to within two sts of marker, k2tog, k1 (124 sts).

Rnds 15 – 63: K every rnd, dec (as in rnd 14) in rnds 27, (112 sts), 39 (108 sts), 51 (112 sts).

For size 8:

Rnd 16 (and all future inc rnds): K2, pass marker, SSK, k to within two sts of marker, k2tog, pass marker, k3, pass marker, ssk, k to within two sts of marker, k2tog, k1 (132 sts).

Rnds 17 – 71: K every rnd, dec (as in rnd 16) in rnds 31, (112 sts), 45 (108 sts), 59(120 sts).

All sizes:

Note: Optional “phoney seam” is inserted at this point. See pattern notes. rnd 56[64, 72]: With CC1, k 1 rnd

Rnd 57[65, 73]: With CC1, k, dec as in rnd 12 (100[108, 116] sts).

Rnds 58 – 66[66 – 74, 74 – 82]: K in pattern indicated in chart B.

Rnds 67 – 68[75 – 76, 83 – 84]: With CC1, k.

Rnd 69[77, 83]: Change to MC, k, dec as in rnd 12[14, 16] (96[104, 112] sts).

Rnds 70 – 83[89,95]: K.

Rnd 84[90,96]: K90[98,106], p6.

Rnd 85[91,97]: P7, k35[39,43], p13, k41[45,49].

Rnd 86[92,98]: K89[97,105], p7.

Rnd 87[93,99]: P8, k33[37,41], p15, k40[44,48].

Rnd 88: K88[96,104], p4, p4 and put sts on holder.

Rnd 89: P5 and put sts on holder with previous for sts, p4, k31[35,39], p4, p9 and put on holder.

Beginning of back of bodice:

Right side facing and continuing is same direction as above:

Row 1: P4, k to end of row (39[43,47] sts), turn (you will now be working back and forth. The other 39[43,47] sts for the front of the bodice can be put on a thread or holder for later).

Row 2: (For first stitch of every remaining row worked back and forth slip with the yarn in front, move yarn to back and proceed with row) Slip 1, k2tog, k2, p to within 4 sts of end of row, k4, turn (38[42,46] sts).

Row 3: Slip 1, k2tog, k to end of row, turn (37[41,45] sts).

Row 4: Slip 1, k2tog, k to end of row, turn (36[40,44] sts).

Row 5: Slip 1, k2tog, k to end of row, turn (35[39,43] sts).

Row 6: Slip 1, k2tog, k to end of row, turn (34[38,42] sts).

Row 7: Slip 1, k2tog, k to end of row, turn (33[37,41] sts).

Row 8: Slip 1, k2tog, k7, k13[17,21] and put on holder, k10, turn.

Back strap

Now working back and forth on strap with right side facing knitter:

Row 1: Slip 1, k2tog, k7, turn (9 sts).

Row 2: Slip 1, k2tog, k6, turn (8 sts).

Rows 3 – 32: K every row with no shaping, remembering to slip the first stitch of every row.

Put sts on holder and work the second back strap similarly.

Front of bodice

Put the 39[43,37] sts for the front bodice from the holder onto a needle and with the right side facing the knitter:

Row 1: Slip 1, k2tog, k to end of row, turn (38[42,46] sts).

Row 2: Slip 1, k2tog, k2, p to within last 4 sts, k4, turn (37[41,45] sts).

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until 33[37,41] sts remain and then work even (without dec) for 7 more garter ridges (14 rows) ending with a right-side row.

Neck shaping:

Beginning with wrong side facing kter:

Row 1: Slip 1, k3, p4, k17[21,25], p4, k4, turn.

Row 2: Slip 1, k to end of row, turn.

Row 3: Slip 1, k3, p3, k19[23,27], p3, k4, turn.

Row 4: Slip 1, k to end of row, turn.

Row 5: Slip 1, k3, p2, k4, k13[17,21] and put on holder, k4, p2, k4, turn.

Front strap:

With right side facing knitter:

Row 1: Slip 1, k to end of row, turn (10 sts).

Row 2: Slip 1, k2tog, k2, p1, k4, turn (9 sts).

Row 3: Slip 1, k to end of row, turn.

Row 4: Slip 1, k2tog, k to end of row, turn (8 sts).

Rows 5 – 12: K every row with no shaping, remembering to slip the first stitch of every row.

Put sts on holder and work the second front strap similarly remembering to do the shaping only on the neck edge.

Bottom ruffle:

From bottom edge of skirt PU 120[128,136] of the CO sts and work back and forth as follows:

Row 1: [K2, m1] repeat to end, turn.

Rows 2 - 20: K, turn.

CO and use mattress stitch to sew seam.

FINISHING

Join the front and back straps using 3-needle cast off.

Finishing openings with applied I-cord:

Slipping the first stitch of each back and forth row with the yarn in front creates a pretty braided edge which conveniently supplies one “stitch” to be picked up for every two rows (every one garter row) which is perfect for applied I-cord. For the neck opening begin at the middle back and pick up 8 or so “live” stitches from the holder as well as a couple of edge stitches and make applied I-cord trim. Continue around opening picking up one thread of each braided edge stitch (one stitch every two rows or every one garter ridge). Continue around neck, picking up live stitches at front of neck opening and then up and down the next strap until you come to where you began. Graft the beginning and the end together.

Similarly finish the armholes beginning at the middle of the underarm. The I-cord keeps the straps from stretching too much from the weight of the dress.

Afterthought pocket:

Make an EZ afterthought pocket by snipping one stitch where you want the center of the top of the pocket to begin. I did my pocket 4 rows below and 12 stitches over from the side seam on the front of the dress. Unravel 8 stitches (for on each side of the snip) on top and bottom.

With the 8 stitches on the bottom of the opening knit a placket in garter stitch for 3 ridges. Cast off and tack down sides.

With the stitches from the top edge plus one stitch picked up from each edge of the opening (10 stitches total) knit in stockinette stitch keeping first 2 stitches in garter stitch and increasing 1 stitch at the beginning of each row 6 times (16 stitches). Knit for 2.5 inches total keeping first two stitches in garter stitch. Knit 3 ridges in garter stitch.

Tuck pocket to the inside of the dress and tack down edges and “live” bottom stitches.

Possible modifications:

Put the pocket on the front bodice. The placket can be knit in one of the contrast colors.

To lengthen the dress as your child grows, add length via the ruffle. Just pick up the cast off stitches and make a few more rows.

Tam

Beginning at bottom edge with 16 inch circular needle and CC1 CO 74[76, 78] sts. Knit back and forth in garter stitch for 3 ridges. With right sides facing join to knit around, being careful not to twist.

Knit 2 rows in CC1.

Next 9 rounds: With CC1 and CC2, knit pattern C.

Next: With CC1, knit 2 rounds.

Increase round:

Size 4: With MC, m1*k2, m1*37 times around (112 stitches).

Size 5: With MC, k2*k2, m1*36 times, k2 (112 stitches).

Size 6: With MC, m1, k1, m1, k1, m1*k2, m1*38 times (119 stitches).

For all sizes: With MC work even for 2[2, 2.5] inches.

Decreasing:

Rnd 1:*K15[15,16], k2tog* around (105[105, 112] sts).

Rnd 2: Knit.

Rnd 3: *K14[14,15], k2tog* around (98[98, 105] sts).

Rnd 4: Knit.

Rnd 5: *K13[13, 14], k2tog* around (91[91,98] sts).

Rnd 6: Knit.

Rnd 7: *K12[12, 13], k2tog* around (84[84, 91] sts).

Rnd 8: Knit.

Switch to double pointed needles when necessary, and decrease as above every remaining round until there are seven stitches remaining. Cut yarn, feed tail through remaining stitches and pull tight. Weave loose end in well.

Make pompom in MC and sew onto top.

Dampen and block over a plate or other circular base.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER
A friend in graduate school gave Ellen her first knitting lessons as a birthday gift over 20 years ago. Along with that gift came a used book discarded from the library on the topic of traditional knitting. Both gifts have been used on an almost daily basis ever since! When Ellen isn’t knitting (and sometimes even when she is) she can be found hanging out with her family on their farm in the Pacific NW.

copyright 2010 Ellen Lebitz, all rights reserved.

Permission is given to utilize the pattern for personal use only. If you are interested in using the pattern for a commercial use please contact Ellen Lebitz.