Little Girls' Knit Legwarmers {A Pattern}

So, little Miss Penelope started ballet last Fall.  She really loves it.  She looks forward to going to class every.single.week. and every Sunday as we are looking at the calendar and preparing for the upcoming week's schedule she asks, 'I have bah-yay 'morrow?' in her cutest little sing-songy voice.  She even has her very first recital this June set onstage at a local theater...I don't know whether to laugh or cry about that!  :-)

As we are slowly moving into Spring here in the midwest (painstakingly slow I might add) and the temps are hovering at a very brisk and windy 30 or 40 degrees, I thought I would knit Penelope some warm little legwarmers to wear over her tights as she goes to and from ballet class. 

I love this legwarmer pattern I created because I really love the ribbing I decided to add to both top and bottom.  Besides giving the legwarmers a bit of contrast in the stitchwork, the ribbing adds a nice elasticity to the ends for ease in getting them on and off of her foot as well as keeping them up on her legs.

{First Position}

I chose Bernat Softee Chunky yarn for this project because I liked the chunky look this yarn gives without being overly thick and stiff in such a tiny legwarmer.  It really is the perfect chunky yarn for a children's knit.

The color is True Grey...I thought it would be a good neutral color that would be wearable when she moves up to the next ballet class and they have to wear a different color leotard (which I think is going to be black).

Here's Penny's 'Marilyn Monroe' look...this girl loves to pose!

This is a fairly easy project, you need to know how to knit and purl as well as use circular knitting needles again!  Also, each legwarmer took me about 3 hours to do...not bad if you've got something good to watch on tv!

Little Girls' Knit Legwarmers 

You'll need:

16 inch US size 5 circular knitting needles

Yarn of your choice

Stitch marker

Stitch counter (not necessary but nice!)

Tapestry needle 

Scissors

Cast on 34 stitches.  

Knit 10 rows of 1 x 1 ribbing (knit one, purl one) 

Next you will knit one row and purl one row for the next 50 rows.  

The last 10 rows you will do 1 x 1 ribbing again (knit one, purl one)

Cast off loosely in knit stitch

Use your scissors to cut off an 8-10 inch tail.  Then with your tapestry needle, weave in the end of your yarn for a few stitches before cutting off your tail completely.  

Each legwarmer measure about 10 inches in length so I would say these should fit anywhere from 18 months to 4T depending on if you want to fold the tops down or not!

Here are what my 16 inch US size 5 circular knitting needles look like, I found mine at Michaels.  You definitely will need 16 inch needles for this as the more average 29 inch circular needles you find will be too long a cord for such a small-sized project.  

Well, I think it's safe to say that she likes them...a lot!

Time for some piqués, pliés, and arabesques :-)

Happy Knitting!!

XOXO,

Sassy Heart Tutu Giveaway...The Winner!

Was it you?  Are you number 27?  If your name is....

Then you are the lucky winner of a $20 gift certificate to Sassy Heart Tutus!!!  Please email me so I can get Nicole in touch with you about your gift certificate!!  

And remember, if you didn't win, you still have a chance to get Free Shipping from Sassy Heart Tutus until April 15, 2011...just click HERE to get the exclusive coupon code just for Smashed Peas and Carrots readers!!

XOXO,

A Box Full of Pretties

My momma loves to send out boxes of goodies for me and the kids every month or so.  We absolutely love getting them...but c'mon who doesn't love getting packages in the mail!  Last month she sent out a Valentine's themed box with all sorts of V-day fun inside but what I loved most about it was that she included a few knits that my Grandma (my Dad's momma) ever so carefully knit with alpaca for my siblings and I when we were just wee ones.  Dare I call them vintage?  Am I really that old?

This little red number is about a 2T/3T in size.  If fits Penelope like a glove, as if she was meant to wear it.  It couldn't be more perfect for her.

I love all the little detail that was put into this dress from the little flowers knitted onto the front, the sweet little eyelets across the skirt portion of the dress and then right down to that lovely reverse scalloped hem. 

There are even two tiny little buttons on the back enclosure...and they held up after all this time.  Good going Grandma, very well-made indeed!!

The box also included this cream dress, I'm guessing it's around 12-18 months in size.  Sorry for the wrinkles, I swear it didn't look this wrinkly when I was taking the pictures!  

As a knitter, I am just in awe over all the little details that she put into this dress.  I know how long something like this must have taken and I just smile knowing she knit these by hand just for me and my sisters.  

I love the scoop back of this dress...just beautiful :-)

And lastly, here is a sweet little boy's sweater.  I love how it has the Incan figure drawings knitted in the band across the top...so completely Peru in every way, I just love it!

Really, check out all that detail!  There is not one hiccup in all that knitting...crazy amazing.

I really wish I could have known my Grandma so much better than I did (she lived in Peru and I only met her once!) especially since I feel like we have so much in common.  We would have so much to talk about today. It would have been fun to knit together with her or talk about what project we were thinking of working on next.  For now getting to share these hand-made knits with my children will do, how lucky am I to have something like this to pass down in our family!

XOXO,  

Sassy Heart Tutus...Giveaway!

Ah gah!  Just when I thought Eloise couldn't get any cuter...

I receive the most adorable tutu and headband from Sassy Heart Tutus...swoon...and just check out my little Ellie Belly now!  

This shop has the sweetest tutus and hair accessories for the little girlie girl in your life :-)

To enter today's utterly adorable giveaway and grab yourself a coupon code just for Smashed Peas and Carrots readers click HERE now!

{Truly beautiful goodness awaits you, for reals!!}

XOXO, 

CSN Stores...A Review for You!

I did it!  

I finally chose an item to review from CSNstores!!

And let me tell ya, it's a good one...

It's a pretty teal blue, it's used in the kitchen and it's rockin' my socks :-)

If you wanna read my review click HERE now!!

XOXO,

Banoffee Pie {A Recipe}

Banoffee pie...ever heard of it?  If so, you know the deliciousness that I'm talkin' about!  :-)  If not, let me introduce you...ahem, Banoffee Pie meet my friends....friends meet Banoffee Pie.  Oh, Banoffee Pie what are you, really...why the wierd-o name?  Well, Banoffee Pie is an English dessert and it's name combines the names of the two major ingredients in it, Bananas + Toffee, which means it basically equals pure heaven.  

If you have been chit-chatting with me on good 'ol Facebook you know full well that I have been binging on pie this past week.  It's almost become a kind of sickness.  The husband is not happy as he is really trying to do the gym thing this year and, well, pie every night for dessert certainly can be a big fat negative to calorie burning gym work-outs.  Ahh, well.  You win some you lose some.

  

For as decadent as this pie tastes, it's actually rather simple to make...and you know how I feel about easy recipes, we're like BFF's if you can be BFF's with a recipe.  So, enjoy making this one...you won't be sorry.

Banoffee Pie -print this recipe HERE--

1 container of Milk Chocolate Hob Nobs ( or 1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers)

4 tbsp of butter, melted

3 ripe bananas

1 can sweetened condensed milk (or dulce de leche)

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

4 tbsp powdered sugar

1 bar of chocolate 

Fill a small saucepan 3/4 full with water and let water boil.  Once water is boiling, place the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in and cover with a lid.  Let the milk boil for 2 hours which will allow the milk to carmelize.  

In a tightly sealed ziploc bag, crush the Hob Nobs cookies with a rolling pin.  In a medium bowl, mix together the cookie crumbles with the melted butter and place in the bottom of a springform or pie pan, patting down to form a crust.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.  

Peel and slice the bananas and place on top of the cookie crust.  Then open the can of sweetened condensed milk and pour over top.  Place the pie in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.  While waiting, pour the whipping cream into the bowl of an electric mixer and whip until stiff peaks form.  Add powdered sugar to sweeten.  Place the whipped cream over top of the toffee layer and sprinkle shaved chocolate bits on top as garnish.  

Grab the goods...

First off (and you can do this days in advance too), fill a small saucepan with water and let boil.  Add your UNopened can (or cans if you want to make extras to have on hand for later!) of sweetened condensed milk and cover the pan with a lid.  You will probably need to add more water to your pan every 30-45 minutes or your water will evaporate so please don't leave it unattended for too long!! 

You will need to let the can of milk boil for 2 hours so take that into account when making this pie...or you could just buy a can of Dulce De Leche in the Mexican food aisle of your grocery store and just cut out this step completely.  I wouldn't blame you, I just think this part has such a cool end result...science nerd, I know, I'll own it.

Next up, making the crust.

Curious about what a Hob Nob is?  Only one of the most delicious cookies known to man!  They are a crunchy and slightly sweet English oat cookie...

And the milk chocolate ones are divine as they are dipped in chocolate on one side :-)

I have found Hob Nobs at my local grocery store in the 'ethnic' aisle, many times they are even on sale which is always weird to me.  If you can't find them or just plain don't want to you could always use graham crackers or fudge stripe cookies too.  Both make equally delicious pie crusts in my opinion.

Place the whole can of cookies in a large ziploc bag, let out all the air before sealing...

And crush 'em up nice and small with a rolling pin.

Pour the cookie crumbs into a bowl and add 4 tbsp of melted butter.  Mix well.

Then pat your cookie/butter mixture into a springform pan or a pie pan.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, remove from your oven and let cool.

Next peel and slice your bananas nice and thin...

And layer them over the crust. 

Now for the fun part.  

Once your can of sweetened condensed milk is boiled, you will ever so carefully take it out of the pan of boiling water and let it cool...tongs and an oven mitt work beautifully.  I usually run it under cold water for a bit and then place it in a cold water bath so I can get the pie finished faster though.  The label will usually fall off in all the steam and boiling water too.

Open up that can and WHOA!  Check it out...

Caramel-y toffee goodness!

Science is cool.

Pour the entire can over top of the banana layer...

And spread it all around, getting in to all the nooks and crannies.

Then put that pie in the fridge for about 20 minutes to let it set up for a bit.

While you are waiting you could tap your toes, clean your house or who are we kidding, whip up your whipping cream.   Be sure to add in your powdered sugar while your waiting for stiff peaks to form.

Now go on, spread the love all over the top of your pie :-)

Then grab your chocolate bar and either use your veggie peeler or a grate of some sort and make yourself some chocolate-y garnish...

And, BAM!  You have yourself a very English dessert to partake in after dinner.

Or before dinner...

It's your call!

Do you see those banana and toffee layers?

So good!!

Happy Friday!

XOXO,