Sunday, December 9, 2007

Day Nine: Holiday Martini Bar Towel

Holiday Martini Bar Towel

Cute, easy and happily giftable! What could be better? I’m gifting this cute Martini Glass bar towel with two oversized martini glasses and some red sugar to rim the glasses. I have some of that very fine red shreddy paper to line the box with and my giftee will be giggly happy! And that is before the martini-ing even begins to commence!

Every knitter knows that the best way to make simple look a bit more complex is to use variegated yarn, which is what the martini glass is worked in. even the stripe on the bottom of the towel looks a bit futzier!

  • Sugar & Cream: Red, one ball
  • Sugar & Cream: Variegated, one ball

Cast on 40 stitches with cable cast on*, US size 7 needles

*(Note: I think the cable cast on makes the nicest edge for the towel and it’s nice and elastic.)

Knit 10 rows in stockinette

Knit 4 rows with variegated yarn in stockinette

Knit 4 rows in stockinette

Work Martini Glass chart (below)

All wrong side (purl) rows, when you come to the martini glass, purl in same colors

Knit in stockinette until the towel measures 18” inches or until you just can’t stand it anymore.

My true confession is that I am a horrible crocheter, never have been able to wrap my fragile eggshell mind around it! I can manage to chain until the cows come home, and I can (if I really concentrate and hold my mouth just right) perform a simple row of single crochet around the edge of something like I just had to do on the last hat I finished. I think that a pretty little crocheted edge around the bottom of this bar towel would be super cute so if you can crochet, I say jump on it!

Get the towel good and wet and pin to block. When it is dry, weave in the ends and think about martini’s.

My current fave is the Peppermint Martini, created by those fine folks over at Van Gogh. It is the holidays for goodness sake, I think you can have two. If you have more, I simply can’t be held accountable and we both know that your knitting is going to suffer something awful!!!

Frangelica Peppermint Martini

  • 1/4 oz Peppermint Schnapps
  • 2 oz Van Gogh Regular Vodka

The recipe says to garnish with peppermint candy and to be honest I don't want peppermint candy in my martini! But life should be all about personal choice so I say if you want peppemint garnish you should just get down to it! I prefer to find some of that pretty red sugar.

Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker and add crushed ice. Let stand for five seconds. Shake vigorously for five seconds. Strain into martini glass. Serve on a pretty holiday tray with some peppermints tossed about in an oh so artsy way next to your pretty Martini Bar Towel. Fab!

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I was delighted to read a comment on the blog yesterday from Ruby who was going to take pictures of her family. Darn right Ruby! So often Moms' and Dads' don't want to be in the holiday photo, only the kids. After all, Mom might have gained 5 pounds and Dad didn't want to change out of his sweatshirt. Bah Humbug I say! Family photos aren't (shockingly) about you! They are for the kids who, believe it or not, really want photos of you. As much as it pains us to think about it, we won't be around forever, a photo of the family is a lovely and thoughtful gift to leave behind.

I stayed a bit late at the studio last night so I could do all of the pesky little things that needed to be done this afternoon and into tomorrow. What that means is that I cobbled a bit of time together to be able to stay home today and knit on that second Knitty hat. With any luck I can mail out my box to the east coast by the end of the week. We're in the middle of a widespread and scattered ice storm today, it is icy and cold and chilly. The luxury of staying inside with endless tea (and occasional eggnog) pleases me greatly! I hope you can be warm and safe and knitterly as well!

Don't forget to comment on the Haute Sock Knitting Bag, you might be the lucky winnah' next Saturday!

Please join me tomorrow for SHERI BERGER from The Loopy Ewe on Day 10! It's going to be a lot of fun!


1 comment:

Linda said...

Thank you so much for the cute martini towel pattern. I love it! Merry Contrissmas!