Thursday, November 08, 2007

Double Digits!

Baked Alaska!
Did you know that there is basically a Wikipedia article about everything under the sun, including Baked Alaska? My brother calls Wikipedia 'Master Plots for life', and he's right. Did you also know that in French, Baked Alaska is called 'une omelette norvégienne'? These things I know because Peeper-lou had her 10th birthday this week, and Baked Alaska was her humble dessert request. As reaching double digits was always a big deal in my family, we tried to give the kid a day to remember, although I can only dream of attaining Leslie's birthday planning and crafting acumen . The dessert was a hit, as were the presents, (although Tween Thing wasn't so thrilled, I'm sure those of us with siblings recall that particular grievance) which included not one but two One Skein Wonders, hand knit in transit recently by yours truly.

Making these little gems was a true delight as Peeper-lou not only has the smallest back of any 10 year old I know, but is the only person I've ever met who actually wears shrugs on a regular basis .
Lorna's Laces One Skein Wonder in Bucks Bar
The one pictured above was done in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted (colorway: Bucks Bar), a lovely yarn that I do my best to acquire lots of whenever I can. Luckily Chicago is where it's from, so I am very well provisioned at the moment. My only modification was doing the sleeve and hems in seed stitch rather than the called-for ribbing.
Lorna's Laces One Skein Wonder in Bucks Bar
Lorna's Laces One Skein Wonder in Bucks Bar
The shrug below was done in Malabrigo Chunky (colorway: Bobby Blue). It is my favorite for obvious reasons: the color is a dream and the softness....wow. I see what the hype is all about and I am a true believer now. Imagine knitting with cotton candy, but without the stickiness. Or if a cloud landed on earth and was spun into a substance that you could knit. I now want to sell off my entire stash of all other sweater yarns and go all Malabrigo, all of the time. *sigh*
Malabrigo Chunky One Skein Wonder (Bobby Blue)

Malabrigo Chunky One Skein Wonder (Bobby Blue)

39 comments:

Sarah said...

Happy birthday, Peeper-lou! You're right -- the kid was made to wear a shrug!

Lolly said...

Love the shrugs! that is a fun pattern - I need to make some more ;)

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Peeper Lou!!! I love that she will wear shrugs. And, oh, the Malabrigo! It's pretty easy to be seduced. I'm so impressed with the Baked Alaska. Wow.

YawnOver said...

Killer job on the dessert. Cute pics of the kid and shrugs - and of course the ubiquitous ipod cords :) I just picked up some mmmMalabrigo as a gift for a friend and selfishly considered keeping it. So. soft.

Anonymous said...

I'd have thought that une omelette norvégienne would be like an eggs benedict with smoked salmon. Yummmm.... hungry...

So, imagine the malabrigo only SOFTER! That's this misti alpaca stuff. OMG.

Happy Birthday to Peeper-Lou!!!

Anonymous said...

oooh fancy, baked alaska!
The shrugs look great. My 3 yo saw the pictures and said she wants the purple one.

Heather said...

Happy birthday, Peeper-lou! Beautiful shrugs, and what's even more beautiful is that she'll wear something her mother knit for her. Good girl.

Vicki said...

I've never had baked Alaska, it sure sounds tasty. Wikipedia knows everything...

Happy birthday Peeper-lou!

weezalana said...

Happy Birthday Peeper-lou!

Nicely done on the Baked Alaska and the Shrugs! I looooooove me some LLSW. I can't get enough of that stuff!

Amy said...

Happy birthday!!!!

YUM, baked alaska. Yum, yum, yum. :) Great shrugs, too!

sko_G knits said...

welcome to the land of malabrigo junkies!!

Melissa said...

You just made the pregnant chick hungry. :)
Love the shrugs. Aren't they a fun and easy knit?

Robin said...

Love the Baked Alaska pic, and wow! On the two one-skein wonders. I have to make one of these very soon!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday sweet girl! x

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday sweet girl! x

Octopus Knits said...

Happy birthday, Peeper-lou! What a great idea for a birthday dessert, and it looks delicious (mmmmm....). The one skein wonders are very cute, and it's great you know she'll wear them : )

~Kristie said...

I'm right there with you regarding the Malabrigo. My lil sis bought me some for Christmas last year and honestly it was the best gift I received. I told her I was going to start knitting bras & undies out of the stuff! ;-)

Cute shrugs!

Sonya said...

Cute shrugs! Happy birthday to Peeper-lou! I'm pretty sure I didn't know about Baked Alaska when I was 10. It was all about mint chip ice cream back then.

Anonymous said...

You've just described Malabrigo perfectly. I feel the urge to run out and buy....A LOT of it. Very nice OSWs, and Happy 10th, Peeper-lou!!

Pheelya said...

Those shrugs are gorgeous!!

nicole said...

Ah yes, you've now been infected by the Malabrigo malady. It's a chronic condition that can only be controlled by applying soft merino compresses to the body daily.


Joyeux anniversaire Peepe-lou! Tu es très belle dans tes petits pulls adorables. Grosses bises!


Vraiment, une omelette norvégienne? Je n'avais aucune idée!

Anonymous said...

Great shrugs! Especially when worn with the universal accessory, white earphone cords :-)

a friend to knit with said...

baked alaska? and you made it? totally impressed!! (my kids would think that must be some kind of fish; we have NEVER had it)

love the shrugs!!! such a wonderful birthday gift! and an i-pod...did she get an ipod? :)

happy birthday pia!!!!

Anonymous said...

Happy happy birthday to your not-so-little-one! Cute projects!

Anonymous said...

You devilish tantalizer. When not the Koigu, it's the Omelette Norvégienne. Arg (drooling).

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday!

Now I want ice cream :)

Gingersnaps with Tea... said...

Yep, you've become just another Malabrigo junkie. It is a dream to knit with.

Happy double digits to your young miss.

I can't even imagine making a baked alaska.

Knittymuggins said...

Happy Birthday to Peeper Lou!!

And beautiful Baked Alaska!! I used to be entirely obsessed with that dessert when I was a kid (mostly because there was supposed to be serious flame-age accompanying it) but have actually never had it. Now I want to try it :)

The shrugs are great too! Oh dear, the Malabrigo sounds too lovely to resist. Good thing I don't live in Chicago or my visa would be on fi-yah!

knittymuggins

Veronique said...

Looks like the shrugs were a hit! Can I suggest "ile flottante" for next year's dessert? The "island" is whipped egg whites (briefly cooked), which taste like clouds and the "sea" is creme anglaise. Mmmmm.

...Sarah said...

I love that shrug. I can totally relate to your love of Malabrigo. It is exactly like a cloud. Speaking of shrugs if you watch Bones the lead character wore a shrug that had angled shoulders so that the back looked open. My descriptions aren;t the best but I am on the hunt for a pattern like it.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Pepper Lou! your shrugs are lovely, and the dessert looks deliciously amazing : )

KnitPastis said...

A big Happy Birthday shout out to your girl!
I love Lorna's Lace! Her shrugs look so beautiful!

Kirsten said...

Happy Belated Birthday Peeper Lou!
That Baked Alaska looks delicious!

Anonymous said...

Happy 10th birthday Peeper-lou! Baked Alaska is an excellent choice. Yum. I'm a huge fan of Wikepedia. How did I live my life before the interwebs. You're preaching to the choir about the Malabrigo.

WonderMike said...

Happy Birthday to Peeper-Lou!!! I never knew what Baked Alaska was. I thought it was some crazy lobster dish. I'm such a swamp boy...

Jessica said...

Wow! Looks like she hit double digits in serious style! :)

Jessica

Anonymous said...

Happy belated birthday, Peeper-Lou! You're doing the most beautiful knits, those shrugs look fantastic and they sure seem to have been the mega-hit! ;) Great!

Dove Knits said...

Happy birthday, Peeper-lou! Congrats on the nice new shrugs, too.

Is it embarrassing to admit that I like shrugs and wear them pretty regularly in warm weather?

Anonymous said...

Okay, you can tell that Peeper-lou is tiny because worsted weight looks like super-chunky yarn on that scale! Both shrugs are very sweet.

I definitely remember hitting double digits and what a big deal it was. Happy birthday, Peeper-lou!