The Healing Hat: 5,934 Stitches of Support

In late January, I found out a relative living a few states away just learned she had cancer. We exchanged a few emails, so I knew she was about to start chemo. I started to think about how I could help her from so far away.

Then she emailed me with a request. She had seen some of my knitted and crocheted hats posted online and asked if I could knit her a chemo cap to use when she loses her hair. 

I was so flattered that she remembered my work as it had been a long time since I posted any pictures. 

“Of course I will!” I said.

A Personal Choice

She had already received some hats, but most were not made just for her. She really wanted to choose the style and the color.

As it turns out, a few weeks earlier I had gotten some superwash Merino wool with no real project in mind. I knew it would be perfect for a chemo cap. But I had to give her a choice.

So I emailed pictures of a few different hats I have made, with a few different types of yarn that I have in my yarn stash… and with her choice of both, a project was born!

The “Before” picture

Using Malabrigo Rios 100% Merino superwash wool, I made a Seaman’s Cap from a design posted on Ravelry www.ravelry.com. The yarn is soft and warm, and because I knitted the hat in the round, there is no inside seam to irritate sensitive skin.

Support in Every Stitch

Each one of the 5,934 stitches was made with the hope that this hat brings comfort: the physical comfort of being warm, and the emotional comfort of being loved and supported.

I hope the hat does all of those things. 

The crown design resembles a flower.

#handmade #chemocap #malabrigorios #superwash #family #handmadewithlove #cancer #chemohats #hats #chemotherapyheadwear #chemohairloss #stylishhats #chemosideeffects #cancerhairloss #chemolife #nohairdontcare #cancerrecovery #nohairnoproblem #knithat #knitting #knittersofinstagram #handmade #handknit

Reader offers free Hershey’s Syrup…

… and leaves a great review!

On October 26^th, 2021, I received the following surprising response to my previous post about Hershey’s replacing their iconic chocolate syrup can with a pouch.

“This message is for Naomi Kall. Naomi, my name is J (name withheld by request). I’m an attorney and I live in Brownsville, Texas. Tonight I read an article you wrote in 2018 about a family cake recipe calling for the use of a can of Hershey’s chocolate syrup. This was written a few months after Hershey’s discontinued use of the aluminum can.

As a fan of both Hershey’s and a good hard-target search, I located and bought about 250 cans of Hershey’s syrup in December 2017. This supply will certainly last much longer than I will. If you agree, I would like to send you four cans, actual cans, of Hershey’s chocolate syrup.

I do not want anything in return from you. I just like the idea of helping someone bring an old family recipe back to life. And if it works, perhaps I can send you a few more cans sometime down the road. Full disclosure, the cans bear a best-by date of 2018. However as a regular user, I can tell you unreservedly that the cans are as good now as they were the day they were made, and will very likely remain so until you puncture or remove the lid of the cans. All I would need from you is a mailing address.

And if you do not care to accept my offer, I certainly understand. I mean, really, how weird is it to get an offer over the internet from a complete stranger of free chocolate syrup? LOL.

Best of luck to you, and I appreciate your good writing!”

I thanked him for the unbelievable offer and the great review. It’s nice to know my writing meant so much to him. It was the icing on the cake.

Sweet Symmetry!

It occurred to me that so many of the foods I enjoy making are round: pies, cakes, cookies, and muffins. Here are some of my favorites – from holiday faves, to treats made all year round.

This was one of my first attempts at using cut-outs with pie crust dough.

 

Fun with fluted pans and cut-out shapes: two apple cakes and an apple pie. They were really fun to make! 

Apple Walnut Cake – Sept. 2012

 

And these are cranberry orange shortbread cookies are really tasty. Great for the holidays!

 

Winner of the “most like cake” award: Kodiak Cakes dark chocolate banana muffins. These are absolutely to die for! (Plus they have 14g of protein in every serving. Can’t argue with that!)

 

And the most unusual dessert I ever made – pistachio pudding cake! Adding pistachio pudding to yellow cake mix gives the cake its distinctive color – inside and out. Great for your favorite late winter or springtime holiday!

 

“Life is short and unpredictable. Eat the dessert first.”
– Helen Keller

Sea Glass: Summer in a Bottle

Every summer for the last several years, my family has visited Skaneateles, NY. While at the lake, much of the beauty is out in front of us, but it is also right at our feet.

Perspective: Treasure Near and Far

In fact we often find ourselves searching the rocky shore for sea glass… And other treasures!

“Rocky” the Crayfish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each year we come home with a bag of colorful glass and small shells. It’s fun to see the mosaic of colors formed when they are all together. I’ve put them into containers that let everyone see what we’ve found, because we all had a hand in it.

Recently, I decided to consolidate the collection into one container… something that reflected “old glass” in its shape and purpose.

What luck! There’s room for more sea glass.

So for now, we will dream of our next visit with our family at the lake, which is a treasure in itself!

Can’t wait for the next time!

Hershey’s Canned the Can (of Syrup)

Photo courtesy of Target.com

Recently I offered to make an old family favorite: a Hershey’s Chocolate Cake (@Hersheys). The recipe has been in my mother’s family since the 1940s, if not longer. Most likely, my grandmother got it from a magazine. The original source is lost to time.

This recipe holds a magical place in family dessert lore: it’s one of those cakes that would slowly disappear as people would cut “slivers” of it while enjoying endless conversations around the table.

So imagine my surprise when I tried to find the key ingredient: Hershey’s chocolate syrup – in a can. I went to three different grocery store chains and could not find Hershey’s syrup in the can. But there were plenty of plastic bottles that had way more than I needed.

Then panic set in.
How much syrup was in the can?
How many ounces?

What do I do?

Of course, with a quick Google search, I found that the can held 16 ounces.

Then reality sank in. Times change.

Apparently, Hershey’s has “canned” the age-old aluminum can in favor of a plastic pouch with a spout.

This new pouch also has 16 ounces of syrup – the same amount as the can – which is less than the next larger size of their sturdy plastic bottle (that is, ironically, pictured on the pouch).

Problem solved! Let the baking begin!

In addition to the recipe card above, I found a couple similar recipes on the Hershey’s website that have a little more flour or use a larger pan to get either a “snacking cake” or a brownie. No matter. I’m sure they taste the same.

So if you love chocolate, this cake will not disappoint!

And if your kids love baking, this is a great “beginner” level recipe to make.

 

There are just a few notes from the recipe card above.
– 1/4 LB is actually 1 stick of butter.
– 35 minutes is a bare minimum for baking time. It’s best to wait until the top cracks a little and springs back when touched, and pulls away from the sides. You’ll need to watch it for the last 10 minutes.
– Sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top and serve with vanilla ice cream, or just eat it plain.

YUM!!
It never lasts long!

** UPDATE **

I made this with a 9″x13″ glass pan, baking it for 35 minutes. It turned out great! The key benefit was that it gives you a lot more servings. Enjoy!

If you or your kids would like to try some similar recipes, here they are:

One Bowl Syrup Cake recipe: One Bowl Syrup Cake

Snacking Brownies recipe: Snacking Brownies Recipe

Does your family have an age-old favorite dessert? How about your kids?
Leave a message and let me know!

Easy as Pie Crochet Pumpkin

What’s a crafter to do in the fall? Make pumpkins, of course!

I crocheted this pumpkin from a class I took at The Artful Yarn in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. The pattern is from Three Rustic Pumpkins by MegMade With Love. If you can crochet a hat, you can make this!

Supplies:
Super Bulky Yarn (can also be made with jute twine)
Size N (9.0 mm) Crochet Hook
Darning Needle
Small Stick
Hot Glue Gun

Time required: about 2 hours or less.
Level: Advanced Beginner

This pattern can easily be adapted into an apple, so if you need a teacher gift for your kids, this could  be a go-to item.

Happy crafting!

 

Check Your Spices Before the Holidays!

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to check your spices to make sure they are still filled with flavor. I found the old cloves bottle on the left and decided it was time to get a new bottle (on the right).

Here are some suggestions on how to determine if your spices are worth keeping:

Sniff Test

If your spices don’t smell as strong as you think they should, replace them. I just tossed a bottle of coriander because it had absolutely no scent.

Expiration Date

Spices keep their full flavor for 6 months to 2 years. If the date on the bottom of the spice bottle is long gone, you know it’s time to refresh. And if there is no date on the bottom (like the bottle on the left), how old is it? Who knows?

For easy reference, I keep this 2014 ad from McCormick Spices (@mccormickspices) taped to the inside of my cupboard. It’s a great reference on spice expiration dates!

Packaging & Info Change

If you actually read the package and realize you’ve had it so long that there is no web site or phone number for customer service (see the bottle on the left, below), then it’s definitely time to pitch it!

And if all else fails, if you can’t remember the last time you used it, toss it! (Next time, write the date you opened it on the label.)

The best recipes start with fresh ingredients and fragrant spices. Start with great basics and you’ll be well on your way. Happy Thanksgiving!

Cable Knit Hat Project

Recently, I needed a small project with a little challenge, so I offered to make a hat for a family friend who runs. Out of three possible types of patterns, he chose the cable knit hat in orange, his school color.

The pattern’s name is “Lucky 7 Hat” because there are 7 cables across and 7 cables from top to bottom. I hope it helps him run his best!

The pattern is available on Revelry.com.

The hat is knit on size 7 circular needles (from Knit Picks) with worsted weight acrylic yarn from Red Heart, available at most major craft stores.

 

This is a fun hat to make, and I love the star burst pattern on the top!

The top has a great sunburst of pattern!

Questions or comments? I’d love to hear from you!

Creative Cabin Kitsch

Or How to Decorate on a “Pull String” Budget

On my family’s recent trip to upstate New York, we stayed in a log cabin in the town of  Tupper Lake, in the heart of the Adirondacks. This cabin had everything you would need on a trip filled with lake activities, mountain hiking, and exploring. It also had a few surprises that you wouldn’t expect in a cabin.

The family that owns the cabin must entertain a lot, and have a great sense of humor. They had plenty of room for friends and family. How else can you explain their choice of lights in the kitchen?

Yes, those are box graters used for shredding everything from cheese to zucchini!

Apparently, this is a thing online.

But wait – there’s more! There is also a coordinating “chandelier”.

It looks like an Ikea utensil holder with metal pull strings hanging down. While I couldn’t find an exact match online, I did find a site that shows other great lights made out of  kitchen items here. Now that is recycling taken to the next level!

Don’t Un-sell Your Work!

Your Work is Better Than You Think It Is.

Have you ever created something that looked great but downplayed its quality when someone complimented you on it? For example, you may hear, “What a great quiche you made!”

My first attempt at making quiche. Is this how it should look? Sure!

Then you start to say, “Thanks, but I realized I forgot to (whatever) and it came out too…”

Essentially, you’re “un-selling” your work. But what you don’t realize is that if you hadn’t said anything, they wouldn’t have known the difference.

Consider it this way:

Mistake? Or Product Feature?

That’s right – the art of “positioning” your creations is in your hands (literally), and your mind. You control what you tell people about it, which in turn shapes their opinion of the work. You can “spin” it however you want.

I Spy…

For example, looking at these hand-made hats and scarves, can you tell which one(s) had problems with the pattern? The wrong type of yarn? Came out too big or too small?

In their own way, all of these were perfect. Any errors in construction were minor and actually gave them more personality. In fact, they were all given to a charity. The goal was to make something people can use and feel good wearing.

Perfection or Reality?

So, you may have your own opinion of your work. But others won’t see the flaws. They’ll see the end result of your creativity and know-how. It’s perfect in their eyes.