January 31, 2005

I think I shall call it "The Cookie Collar".

Let me show you what I did last week while it was snowing outside:

[Click here for "Look, Ma! I'm keeping my neck warm!" shots.]

Ta-da! It's the quick 'n' easy neckband from VK's premiere issue of k.1, but I call it the Cookie Collar. Here's why:

1) Look out the window. Oops! It's snowing outside. Nix plans to go downtown. Better stay in and knit.

2) Cast on for neckband. Work a few rows. Ho-hum. Ribbing gets kinda boring. Wait...is that a case of Sweet Tooth I feel coming on?

3) Pull out bag of Hershey's chocolate chips, provided by sister who knows I frequently get Sweet Tooth. [And that is why my sister is a golden goddess.]

4) Leave butter out to soften.

5) Work some more rows. Hey! I bet that butter is nice and soft now. Why, it is! Make cookie dough. Taste cookie dough, just to make sure it came out okay. Tastes pretty good. Realize it may give energy for knitting the collar. Taste a few more times as I get first batch of cookies in oven. You know, for knitting energy.

6) Work on the collar as cookies bake.

7) Take cookies out. Put more in. Eat more cookie dough for energy. Taste one of the cookies fresh out of oven. Feel sugar rush coming on.

8) Complete collar in knitting frenzy brought on by sugar rush. Pull second batch of cookies out of oven. Eat a couple more cookies.

9) Try on collar. Oops! A bit too much ease at the top. Is my neck really that skinny? Eat a couple more cookies to plump up my neck. Rip out bind-off row and bind-off again, this time evenly decreasing purl stitches (using p2 tog) every 7 stitches or so as I bind-off.

10) Try on collar again. Woo hoo! It worked. Eat a couple more cookies to sustain my neck size. Work crochet edging, going down a couple of crochet hook sizes than called for in the pattern. Sew on buttons. Eat just one more cookie, to celebrate.

And that, my friends, is why I call it the Cookie Collar.

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63 comments to this entry:

A knitter, and a cookie chef too!! Nice cookies :) Oh, and nice collar :)

[Donna on 31 jan 05 @ 11:00 am]

Sounds like a great afternoon! I am impressed that some cookies actually survived long enough to have their picture taken. Nice collar!

[molly on 31 jan 05 @ 11:12 am]

love how you worked the decreases on the collar. i have a ribby neck that could have used that as it is now a cowl. great tip! looks wonderful and that's a pretty kool color (hee, hee).

[froggy on 31 jan 05 @ 11:16 am]

COOKIES! I hope you didn't get cookie crumbs all over the knitting! I love the neck warmer - very stylish :)

[jen on 31 jan 05 @ 12:19 pm]

Now I want cookies. I love the collar -- it looks like just what I need here in our ice and snow . . .

[Wendy on 31 jan 05 @ 12:56 pm]

Chocolate + Cookies = One of the best incentives out there! Thanks for the fun read!

[Rossana on 31 jan 05 @ 01:20 pm]

Very nice collar! Looks oh so warm, and I like the pattern. It looks far more elaborated than just ribbing!

[Maud on 31 jan 05 @ 01:37 pm]

Very nice collar! grrr..now I want it and the cookies too!

[marie on 31 jan 05 @ 01:44 pm]

cookies and knitting - what could be better? The collar is pretty darn cool!

[Shelby on 31 jan 05 @ 02:00 pm]

Fab neck warmer ! I refuse to believe that you eat cookies and maintain such a slim neck,and everything else ! Either you just sniff them,or there's no justice in this world. :0)

[Emma on 31 jan 05 @ 02:08 pm]

Cute collar. Fun story as always. :)

[Marie on 31 jan 05 @ 02:16 pm]

The cookie collar is very cool. I bet my neck is skinnier than your neck! Na na na na na na! Hey...do do have any cookies left? You know...to fatten up my neck a bit? I'll even settle for the raw dough...my fave!!! :-) Salina is looking beautiful. What a very pretty sweater and I love the color!

[Eilene on 31 jan 05 @ 02:17 pm]

Thanks, all! And guess what: Cookies are long gone. The family and I were cookie gluttons this week. But they don't plump up my neck as much as I'd like. Any weight I manage to gain drops right to my b-u-t-t, while everything else stays the same. Know how Helen Parr/Elastigirl's bottom looks, fifteen years later? And how she sighs as she looks at it in the mirror? That's me after a straight week of cookie gluttony.

[Becky at fluffa! on 31 jan 05 @ 02:34 pm]

What a great way to break up boring ribbing!! The cookies look delicious....break away cookies here I come!

[Amanda on 31 jan 05 @ 02:35 pm]

Very clever - I will have to try that method for my next knitting adventure. You have a way of making all your FOs a "must knit"! I'll have to restrain myself from churning out a cookie collar.

[Julia on 31 jan 05 @ 02:47 pm]

You had to show the cookies, didn't you?

[claudia on 31 jan 05 @ 02:49 pm]

What a great collar! Very useful, too. Will look very elegant, I think.

[Anne on 31 jan 05 @ 02:55 pm]

I hear you about the ribbing - I'm 12.5 inches into 2x2 on Tempting and fallin' asleep at the wheel. Just wanted to say that that collar is the sole reason I bought K1. It's such a hot little number! But where is your top hat??

[melanie on 31 jan 05 @ 03:02 pm]

Spats for your neck! Very interesting--what will you think of next? :o) Donna

[Miz Booshay on 31 jan 05 @ 03:06 pm]

Seems to be a part of being winter. That is, loading on carbohydrates even though the "trend" diet here in the States is low carbs. But that shall pass. I'm hooked on the Nutella monkey myself. Love the collar darlin'! Will have to remember the Cookie Collar trick the next time I'm doin' ribs.

[Shirley on 31 jan 05 @ 03:15 pm]

yes the joy of a sugar rush on knitting- I got throught cables of it thanks to the power of snickers :) I cant wait to have an oven again one day. Baking muffins and oh the love of a reeses peanutbutter cup thumbprint cookie....

[stinkerbell on 31 jan 05 @ 03:40 pm]

nothing beats a chic collar and a warm cookie (or two!) mmm. now I need a snack. very cute that cookie collar.

[heather on 31 jan 05 @ 03:41 pm]

To sustain your neck size! hahahahahaha! I love it. What a great idea! I bet it's warm. I LOVE those buttons.

[Jenny on 31 jan 05 @ 05:10 pm]

Tres adorable! You keep doing all the neat little projects that I want to do. Hmmmm.... now there's another booklet I need to find too. You're a dangerous enabler Ms. Dancing Rabbit ;-)

[Theresa on 31 jan 05 @ 05:13 pm]

Mmmmm, both look delicious, the soft yummy collar and those cookies.

[jackie on 31 jan 05 @ 05:16 pm]

Of course cookies make ribbing way less boring. Will have to remember that next time I am stranded on . Perfect collar for the cold wave !

[V�ronique on 31 jan 05 @ 05:28 pm]

Aw...where's the obligatory shot of the collar and the sassy hat like in the magazine? We'll wait. BTW: bad news, no Keanu at the screening...I was all excited to try to hound him for an autograph for you! :( I'm setting my mind to it and am sure I'll run into him somewhere in LaLa land...

[Christie on 31 jan 05 @ 06:15 pm]

Beautifully styled collar (love the buttons!)- simple, yet very elegant. And it's what I always say-- cookies and knitting go well together!

[yoko on 31 jan 05 @ 06:23 pm]

Very cute collar--I really like those buttons! Perhaps I should make one of these...

[Lolly on 31 jan 05 @ 06:36 pm]

Tres Chic! Looks very elegant.

[Chelee on 31 jan 05 @ 06:46 pm]

I really like your collar too. It looks better than the one in the book. I had thought about making it, because I *hate* the cold. Am thinking of doing mine in a brown. Toll house cookies are my absolute favorite. Maybe with pecans in them , otherwise just the plain old toll house recipe!

[patti on 31 jan 05 @ 06:51 pm]

A girl after my own heart....two of my favorite things, knitting and chocolate chip cookies.....the other favorites would be great coffee and red wine....not necessarily all together, if you understand! Nice collar, it is quite chic.

[michelle on 31 jan 05 @ 06:59 pm]

Gorgeous collar. Love those buttons, too. I will add knitting while eating cookie dough to my list of what goes with cookie dough. A partial list includes: standing, sitting, watching television, walking around the kitchen, listening to CDs, reading, etc.--I have added knitting. Thanks.

[Brenda on 31 jan 05 @ 07:25 pm]

How beautiful! ( I am talking about the neck warmer, but the cookies look mighty tasty on their own )

[Niki on 31 jan 05 @ 07:29 pm]

I'd be happy to contribute one of my extra chins to the neck-size-sustaining effort. hooty hoo, xoxo Kay

[Kay on 31 jan 05 @ 08:44 pm]

Becky! I LOVE that neckwarmer. I have the magazine and will have to take a second look.

[Ashlee on 31 jan 05 @ 09:06 pm]

very chic -- you are wearing that well! what did you think of the kool wool? now i have "c is for cookie, that's goos enough for me" in my head. :-)

[mrspilkington on 31 jan 05 @ 10:29 pm]

I'm wiping tears from my eyes. "Eat a couple more cookies to plump up my neck" - mwahahahahahahah!

[Leisl on 31 jan 05 @ 11:30 pm]

Ok, now I have to make cookies tonight when I get home from yoga!

[Vanessa on 31 jan 05 @ 11:49 pm]

So cute! I knew it would be cute on. I'm working on mine as I type, alas, no cookies, only Pringles. I do have a hat to match, a jaunty fedora with feathers no less. :)

[honeylove316 on 01 feb 05 @ 01:53 am]

ok, that is very cool.

[LauraA on 01 feb 05 @ 04:06 am]

Yum! Cookies look delicious! And I love that collar...it reminds me of the design Kate Gilbert has, which is knit with cashmere = yay! How do you like the collar? Would you like it better than a scarf?

[Anne-Caroline on 01 feb 05 @ 04:22 am]

Yayyyyyyyyyy! You posted the bee-utiful neck warmer! It looks great! I should do this project then I can finally say i've finished something. It's been way too long!

[rachel on 01 feb 05 @ 04:50 am]

my friends just asked me to suggest a pattern for making a knitted collar and this one of yours looks so pretty. I'll definitely let her know.

[marjorie on 01 feb 05 @ 05:15 am]

As a novice knitter, " where would I find this issue of Vogue k.1?" Is it still available? You have a fabulous site and your work is so so beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing it all.

[lindar on 01 feb 05 @ 06:03 am]

Just think of all the cookie calories you burned knitting! Well, it's worth a try.....

[Janet on 01 feb 05 @ 07:48 am]

Finally, proof that cookies are an important knitting aid! My husband didn't believe me.

[cari on 01 feb 05 @ 07:57 am]

"Eat a couple more cookies to plump up my neck." followed almost immediately by "Eat a couple more cookies to sustain my neck size". Wow you must have a fast metabolism! I tend to find the first batch of cookies both increase neck size AND sustain the increase.... maybe I should knit faster!!

[Sarah W. on 01 feb 05 @ 10:14 am]

now why are you always going off and knitting things that are just so cute i think i HAVE to have one? :) it's lovely, really. and now i'm thinking i need to make some cookies this weekend...

[melissa j on 01 feb 05 @ 02:43 pm]

Hey Becky, Love the cookie collar! Liz

[Liz on 01 feb 05 @ 04:21 pm]

LOVE.IT. Knit and Awe. Yep. That's what you are.

[elisabeth on 01 feb 05 @ 04:46 pm]

how fancy. where's the top hat like the model is wearing in K1? i have some left-over kool wool- this seems like an fast and easy project i could add to the list...

[D R E W on 01 feb 05 @ 05:26 pm]

Oooh, I love it! On the mag it looks really goth-y, something I'd never wear, but it looks really nice on you! Classy!

[Amy on 01 feb 05 @ 06:30 pm]

Thanks, everyone :-) "Spats for my neck". I *love* that! Now I REALLY need a top hat. (And you all know that if I had one, I would have so taken a picture of myself wearing it to go with my Cookie Collar.) Re the issue of k.1: I have no idea where it can be obtained. I live in France and Amanda of clothesknit.com kindly picked out this mag and sent it over to me. I'm assuming it can be obtained at a yarn store or bookstore that stocks Vogue Knitting magazine? Re the Kool Wool: I liked working with it. It's a comfortable weight and gauge. Plus, 50 percent acrylic and 50 percent merino wool. Washable and warm. What's not to love? I'm glad I stocked up on it now. I've got purple, khaki, black, charcoal and beige. Next time I'm the States I'm heading straight for Hobby Lobby so I can clean out its selection of Kool Wool. Another thing I considered for this collar, and I may do it: Knitting the Kool Wool (or a similar yarn) coupled with a thin mohair yarn for extra softness. Want to really get edgy? Glittery glass buttons!

[Becky at fluffa! on 01 feb 05 @ 07:57 pm]

Mmmm...chocolate chocolate chip cookies and knitting...good times...

[Silvia on 02 feb 05 @ 04:19 am]

You are my Best inspirer! And this is my first poolover. http://www.livejournal.com/users/_calendula_/106265.html Thank you, my guru :)

[Helen on 02 feb 05 @ 04:59 pm]

Becky, your collar turned out beautifully, and you wear it so well! You make me really want to make one myself (even though I haven't seen my short little neck lately since it's covered w/ chins.) And your chocolate- chip cookies look very tasty-- do you have any tips you could pass along on how you get them so plump? (Whenever I make chocolate- chip cookies they fall flat & look like cowpatties!) Love your site; visiting is a little pick- me- up I allow myself while I'm at work. --Kathy-- P.S. I'm sorry if you've addressed this before, but did you find the lovely black buttons at La Droguerie?

[Kathy B on 02 feb 05 @ 08:21 pm]

Too funny! May you eat enough sweets to keep your collar up for years to come. (Funny, when I saw that pattern at first, I wasn't so sure it would look okay - but you've confirmed to me that it's great. Add another project to the growing list of my knitting dreams. . . .)

[Lori-Ann on 03 feb 05 @ 04:47 pm]

hello! wanted to say that i love visiting your blog and i enjoy seeing all your projects! how do you work so quickly? i'm a beginning knitter and hoping one day i can knit things that looks as great as yours. :)

[Sue on 07 feb 05 @ 12:35 am]

Hi Becky! So I started this last night during the Super Bowl, and will finish it tonight. I really like it. I am using an alpaca mix, so it will be really warm if Boston gets anymore blizzards!

[Ashlee on 07 feb 05 @ 04:17 pm]

Yum! what a fun day! may I have a cookie?

[Orli on 12 feb 05 @ 02:27 pm]

I love the cookie collar! Of course I smiled extra because I just made chocolate chip cookies with my 3 year old granddaughter. The best part was the mixing. She did not even care that we have to throw them out because they burned! I love your knitting ideas and references to books. I am itching to finish a baby angora scarf I am knitting. It is such a yummy yarn and the cable pattern, on 11 needles looks gorgeous!

[knitting maven on 21 feb 05 @ 01:42 pm]

gah! i love the cookie collar! it looks really nice. right now im knitting a mere hat for a friend. hope to finish it soon! (its going pretty fast, so im happy ^_^) i love your site, and all your ideas! i saw a picture of with a knitting magazine peeking out of the corner...i think its vogue knitting? how you can get a subscription to that? *laughs sheepishly*

[aMy! ^_^ on 13 mar 05 @ 03:41 am]

January 31, 2005

I think I shall call it "The Cookie Collar".

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