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Lamb cake, that is-

Yep- another one 🙂
But trying a different recipe this time-lemon pound cake with blueberries, and with just a bit of vanilla glaze. Dressed up with mint sprigs and tiny violets from the garden. (yay Spring!)

Really pleased with how it worked out! The lemon cake is tender and moist, and the glaze gives it a nice finish without being overly sweet.

Don’t know if I mentioned it an earlier post, but I’m also incorporating a tip I found at https://griswoldcookware.com/2018/05/22/how-to-make-a-cake-to-the-brenda-standard-with-a-griswold-cast-iron-cake-mold/ -flipping the mold halfway through the bake.

What I’ve learned so far:
Mold preparation is key- well-seasoned cast-iron, plus crisco worked carefully into all recesses of mold, then floured.
Reinforce the neck and ears with chopstick and toothpicks placed in batter before baking.
Do not overfill mold. only fill face side of mold level with edge. Resist the urge to let batter mound in center (use extra batter to make some cupcakes)
Flip mold half-way through the bake (30 minutes)

Still haven’t hit upon the next knit project, so working another brioche cowl just to keep the hands busy. And doing a little spinning.

Did manage to get spring sheep stuff done this week, so that’s cool. Onwards to shearing!

We’re finally catching up on our rain.

2.78 inches in the past week.

I was thinking I’d do spring sheep stuff this weekend (CDT, deworming, hooves) but I wasn’t really up for handling soggy sheep.
I’ll try again next Saturday. 🙂

I just about finished up the fingerless mitts, but came up just a smidge short on the multicolor yarn, so will have to get creative…

But I’m really hankering to start another sweater project. I just haven’t figured out what yet.

Did a little spinning this weekend in an attempt to take the edge off, but I’ve still got itchy fingers.

:/

Been really enjoying working my Esther and Dottie yarn into a cowl-

It’s so soft and squooshy, and the round and round rhythm of the brioche stitch is very satisfying.

Also finally finished up the batch of zipped project bags that I started a few weeks back-

Making a few of these little guys has helped build me confidence in my zipper-installation skills.
I think maybe I’ll try one of her other bag patterns soon- like a tote or a backpack.

And I came across an interesting book the other day at a local bookshop-

Seemed like it might be right up my alley 🙂

Have a great week!

Now that the technicolor dream vest is done, I am a bit scattered, project-wise.

I’m shopping around for a pattern for my 1300 yds of sportweight Chone yarn, but until I hit upon the perfect thing, I’m
playing around with some new tiny circular needles (8 in length- super short tips) I picked up back in January.

It’s taken me a while to get a feel for working on them, but now that I’m getting the hang of it they sure are faster than working on doublepoints! Just finished my first sample mitt-

So I guess I’ve got to make another to match.

I’ve also gotten a smidge more shearing done on Esther-

It’s amazing how fresh and white she is underneath- and she really likes being able to get good neck rubs now 🙂
Her neck wool is so lovely-

Was also able to get a small amount of Dottie wool to blend it with to make some more of last week’s squishy two-ply yarn. I’m working it into a nice, simple garter stitch cowl. Dottie’s got so much wool on her- and she doesn’t appear to have felted over the winter, so that’s a nice surprise-

One other fun thing that I’m playing around with is making felted Peeps.

Here are my first two just after shaping/wet finishing

and now that they have little eyes

I’m pretty pleased with my first attempt. Don’t have any idea what I’ll do with them- but they are just so cute and fun.