More Mazes and Pumpkins

Pattern: aMAZEing Dice Hat by Wyvern Knits - Size: D - Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Bone and Yarn Bee Soft Secret in Navy - Needle: US 4

  I have been really liking the results I've been getting from the aMAZEing Dice Hat, but I was wondering if I could make the top seem flatter, so it would be easier to see if you can solve the maze.  I thought that working it from the top down might fix that.

  I worked the crown chart from the top down, but worked the rest of the charts from the bottom up.  I skipped the first two rows on the charts used for the first ones of the body since the last rows of the crown are main color rows.  I know I could have probably worked all the charts from the top down, but I didn't want to make it even more confusing than I already have with everything else going on.  I then added back the two main color rows before the ribbing.

Rolls I got for this hat: worked ~> and \/

  Chart number w/row for wraps for 12th row

  Crown w/17
2 w/4 - 6 w/6 - 5 w/6 - 5 w/12 - 2 w/8
5 w/2 - 2 w/12 - 2 w/6 - 6 w/6 - 6 w/2
3 w/2 - 3 w/2 - 6 w/8 - 4 w/4 - 5 w/2

1 w/12 - 5 w/8 - 5 w/8 - 2 w/2 - 1 w/2

6        - 5         - 6         - 4        - 4    
  Brim

  I used a M1L to do the increases.  They were pretty tight but I like how they looked.  I think I might try a yarn-over and knit it through the back loop on the next try.

  I also had to fudge the top because I was going to do size B, but didn't notice that I started with size US 4 needles and not the US 6 needles I had planned to use, so it was coming out pretty small.  I know I could have restarted it, but I really liked how the fabric of the hat was turning out.  I just added a few more rows from size D to the bottom to make it bigger.

  The brim also wants to flip, and I'm wondering if that is because I used the wrong size needle.  It might not do that if I had actually used the 6s for the body and 4s for the ribbing.

  I went back and tried to go to the post about The Best Damn Pumpkin Soup and found that the page no longer exists!  I used TheWayBackMachine and was able to get the recipe.  Since I had trouble finding it, I figured I would share it here.  I'm not going to put the entire post here, just the parts that matter to what I use.  Though to be fair, I usually use a smaller pumpkin and whatever soup ingredients I have on hand.  I also tend to eat it right out of the pumpkin instead of putting it into bowls.

The Best Damn Pumpkin Soup

Erin McDowell

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

One 3- to 4-pound cheese pumpkin

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 leek, halved and thinly sliced

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Using a paring knife, cut a tapered circle around the stem of the pumpkin (as if you were making a jack-o’-lantern). Remove the top of the pumpkin and trim any stringy bits. Scoop out the pumpkin seeds with a spoon and discard (or save, if desired).

3. Place the rosemary, thyme and sliced leek in the cavity of the pumpkin. Pour in the chicken stock and season with black pepper. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, then replace the top of the pumpkin.

4. Transfer the whole pumpkin to the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven until the exterior of the pumpkin is golden brown and shiny, and the flesh inside is very tender, 1½ to 2 hours. (If the exterior is browning too quickly, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.)

5. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and take off the top. To serve the soup, scoop several spoonfuls of pumpkin flesh from the inside, place in a bowl and top with a ladleful of broth. Finish with more pepper and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

  We did Christmas at the cabin this year.  It is the first Christmas where Tank got to be with us for opening presents.  In past years we have gone to my parent's house and came back once we were done with presents and food.  Since we weren't going to be down for a long while, my mom decorated one of our outside trees and then we just had a live stream of a tree on the TV to put the presents under.  I was worried that Tank's bright orange harness wasn't going to fit, but it does, even though the part around his neck isn't adjustable.  I like this new tradition.

  My mom and I also made a drop-off of mostly hats at Lebanon Springs House Ministries.  They were very impressed by the items we brought them.  We also all sat down and had some tea and just chatted.  They are very nice and it was great to actually meet them.