SHAPE NECK: RS Row: Work 12 (14, 16, 18, 20) sts, BO center 24 (26, 30, 30, 38) sts, and work to the end of the row. Turn and work back across shoulder. Join a second ball of yarn for the other shoulder and work to the end of the row. Work both sides simultaneously using both balls of yarn. Decrease 1 st at each neck edge 5 times. Continue working remaining sts until back measures 16 (17, 18, 19, 21) inches from the beginning. Place shoulder stitches on holders.
FRONT: Work the same as for the back.
FINISHING: Join shoulders with the three-needle bind off. Work a border of single crochet around the neck and armhole edges. Sew in all loose ends.
Pattern courtesy of Lambspun of Colorado, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Kelly’s Eyelash Yarn Scarf
Usually one ball of eyelash or similar fringed yarn will produce a scarf approximately three inches wide when worked on U.S. size 15 needles (10 mm). This size needle gives a lacy appearance to the finished scarf.
Cast on ten stitches and knit entire scarf in garter stitch, finishing ball of yarn. Bind off and tuck ends.
If a tighter or looser stitch is desired, then adjust needle size accordingly.
Ruth’s Blueberry Pie
BUTTER CRUST PASTRY
3 level cups all-purpose flour 1 cup (2 sticks) regular butter, cold 2-3 teaspoons salt (as desired) 7-9 tablespoons cold water
Measure 3 level cups flour into a large mixing bowl and stir in salt. Mix well. Cut in cold butter with pastry blender or two knives. Add salt, if desired. Mixture should be coarse and crumbly. Sprinkle in tablespoons of cold water gradually, mixing well with fork, until all dry ingredients are moistened. Form pastry into two equal balls. Lightly flour rolling surface (pastry cloth, wax paper, or other) and rolling pin. Roll one ball into pastry for lower crust wider than glass pie plate, so there is at least a 1-2‘ overhang of crust. Fit crust into pie plate, leaving overhang on lower crust for completion of lattice top.
This recipe allows for an ample amount of pastry. Do not be concerned if pastry tears when trying to remove from rolling surface. Butter crust is light and delicate and tears easily, but is also easily repaired. Fit crust into pie plate and “seam” together the torn edges by dipping a finger in cold water and lightly brushing across the edges. Edges disappear when baked, and that same delicate, fragile quality of the pastry when handling is responsible for the melt-in-your-mouth flakiness of the butter crust.
Roll second ball of pastry into a circle for the lattice top (should be larger than pie plate). Cut pastry into strips approximately one-half inch wide, ready for completed pie filling.
BLUEBERRY PIE FILLING
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup regular white sugar
dash cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly-grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
4 cups fresh blueberries
2-3 tablespoons butter
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare butter crust pastry. Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon rind in medium bowl. Sprinkle lemon juice over blueberries and stir into mixture. Pour into pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with butter and cover with lattice pie crust top.
Lattice pie crust top: Place 6-8 strips across fruit-filling. Take cross strip and weave it through other strips, starting in center. Fold strips back as needed. Continue weaving lattice until desired result is obtained. Trim edges of strips on lattice crust and fold lower overhanging pastry crust edge up and over. Seal edges and flute with fork.
Cover edges with a 3‘ strip of baking foil to keep from burning (remove foil for the last 15 minutes of baking). Bake until crust is lightly browned and juices bubbling, approximately 35-45 minutes.
NOTE: Oven temperatures vary. Check pie after 30 minutes and continue accordingly.
Needled to Death Page 24