I confess that someone else beat me to the punch on spreading the word on this cute pattern.

But hold on. I’m getting ahead of myself.

You’ve been doing for other people the past 4 weeks, including lots of cooking, baking, knitting, buying, wrapping, cleaning and more. It’s time to do a little something just for you. Around Thanksgiving, Beth and Staci said that we HAVE to include the French Press Slippers. They ARE darling. Just the thing to knit in the next few days and have ready to warm your feet for New Year’s Eve, the next snow/ice storm, bowl games and they are JUST FOR YOU!

Suggested yarns include good ol’ Ella Rae, Cascade 220, and Lamb’s Pride Worsted. The pattern is $7.50. You’ll need two buttons in addition to 300-330 yards of worsted weight yarn and size 15US needles. Wait. That’s just under TWO skeins of the suggested yarns. If you want to dive in your stash, you could make the bands in different colors, but I don’t know that effort will gain you too much yardage.

Never mind that the Yarn Harlot devoted her column to this on 10 December.  And one of her friends claims they can be knitted in 90 minutes. My feet are larger than your average woman, so I’ll guess mine would take about 110-120 minutes. How about you?

Here is a small sample of feltable wool available at the Studio to inspire you (and more has come in since this photo was taken):

Despite the weird weather today many attended the Sit N Knit today.  What a wonderful way to stay warm with friends.  Beth Schaffer made some delicious muffins.  Here’s the recipe.

Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins (With Cream Cheese Frosting)

Muffins:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 heaping cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until all incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Fold gently until mixture is just combined. Pour into greased muffin pan. Sprinkle generous amounts of cinnamon-sugar over the top of each unbaked muffin.
Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup softened butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 pound powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!

Store in fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature