Champagne Cocktail Party

Champagne Cocktail parties are the latest trend, forget about wine tastings it all about the Bubbles. We decided to host our very own Champagne Party in the backyard. Thanks to some Ikea table hacks we were able to create a long table to seat everyone. We actually set up a grazing table which ran down the middle.

Lychees were pureed to create a simple fruit syrup. I used pineapple juice and Coconut water for another. I had fruits to mix in and added lemonade and soda water for those who were not drinking.

For a DIY drinks stand, I converted a Potting table I picked up at my local hardware store. It gave it a nice rustic charm and of course, this table can be used for so many other party themes in the future. You may have seen my big black chalkboard before as it makes its appearance at most of my parties. When It is not being used for parties it is a sign in my Laundry. Love the versatility of it.

We had a DIY teepee in the garden too, whilst it looked lovely we never actually left the table to go and sit in it.

Here are some other great ways to serve drinks.

Punch bowl – It’s a little 80’s but get’s the job done.

Inflatable Ice trough – If you are serving individual drinks this is great for keeping them cool

Drink Dispenser with tap – Allows you to make your own drink recipes

Vintage Drink Dispenser – Decorative and saves the environment on the packaging.

Mason jars with straws – Great for on the go smoothies for school too.

Lighted Punch bowl – I have this exact same one and it is lot’s of fun, we use it for different occasions.

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time.

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring.

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row.

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves.

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body.

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy.

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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