Shear Madness!

Rainbows

2011-03-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

It wouldn't be springtime without rainbows.

My beginning weaving skills were taken to new levels with a five-day weaving workshop with Judith Mackenzie.

Judith started off the beginners warping with different textured yarns including bouclé and mohair. We finished warping and weaving a scarf in one day. The goal of the exercise, besides producing a beautiful open gauzy scarf, was to show us that we could warp with just about any textured yarn.

Next up, another warp, and this time with 3/2 cotton. It was great to be able to practice warping the loom and so much fun to play around with different weave structures on this sampler.

And finally, back to that rainbow. It's actually a color study using strips of color on the warp and then weaving with those various colors to see the effects in plain weave and twills.

I'm amazed by what I was able to accomplish in the five days. I may even be ready to warp the loom on my own. :)

Weaving: starting out on a floor loom

2011-03-03T09:31:00.000-08:00

When I learned to weave on a rigid heddle loom last summer, I was hooked. I knew that sometime soon I'd learn to also weave on a floor loom. Well that dream was fulfilled when I found a semester-long weaving course. I'm about six weeks into the course and enjoying every minute.

First we learned how to wind a warp using a warping board. The first project we're working on is a three yard sampler using 5/2 cotton.

I was assigned my very own floor loom for the entire semester, a four-harness Dorset loom. What a beauty.

The next step was actually putting the warp on the loom.

I'll admit, putting the warp onto the loom and threading each individual strand through the heddles and sleying the reed was a bit on the tedious side, but I could see how some may consider it meditative.

On the sampler, we're weaving with light and dark colors of yarn, various weights and textures and trying the combinations on different weave structures.

I'm having great fun and it's also giving my brain a workout figuring out the many patterns and which treadles to press.

Oh, hey, I've also got a surprise. But I'll leave that for next time...

Yarn Bomb

2011-03-02T15:51:00.000-08:00

What do you do when you've made a pile of knitted hearts? Share the love, of course!

Cheekyattitude shared some of the love as well. Check hers out here and here.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T12:02:00.000-08:00

Plying

2011-02-09T14:19:00.000-08:00

2-ply, wool single plied with silk single

It's been over a year now since I got my spinning wheel and I've spun quite a bit, but I still feel like an absolute beginner at times. One step forward and another step back, and definitely learning something new all the time from my own experiences at the wheel and from other spinners.

One of the things I'm working on is my plying. I've noticed that I'm not always consistent with the level of twist when plying, mostly with not putting in enough twist.

In any case, I like the effect of my latest spinning efforts involving plying wool singles with silk singles.

3-ply, wool singles plied silk single

Notice how the silk pops, almost like it's been spun with gold.

2-ply wool and silk blend

Compare the first two skeins with this last one where I spun and plied a wool/silk blend fiber. There's an overall shimmer to the yarn rather than the silk standing out. I find the differences fascinating and I like both results.

I also realized that there's more twist in this last skein. Interesting, because I spun the first two skeins after this last one. I'm going to keep at it.

The best of intentions

2011-02-07T15:29:00.000-08:00

Buggin' Out sock

This time I planned ahead and gave myself a few weeks to knit a gift, a pair of socks. Wouldn't you know it, I got through the heel turn on the first sock and realized I made the sock much too small.

BMFA Socks that Rock Lightweight, Pining for Ewe

I had fallen in love with the sock by this time and couldn't possibly bring myself to frog it and start again in the bigger size. So what was the logical thing to do?

Tesserae sock

Start another sock, of course! By this time though, I was getting close to my deadline.

Wollmeise 100% Superwash Merino, Mitternacht

Fortunately I finished one sock so I had something to wrap instead of just a ball of yarn for the big day. My needles are clicking away trying to finish the second sock so I can turn the pair over to the anxious recipient.

What's going to happen to the other pair of socks you ask? Well, miraculously, they fit me. Wasn't that convenient?

Sweet hearts

2011-02-05T10:41:00.000-08:00

Fascinated by the yarn bombings we've seen online and on the streets, Cheeky Attitude and I decided we'd do a little of our own. But maybe not quite on the scale that the artist Olek favors.

Since Valentine's Day is coming up, naturally we thought sweet little hearts scattered here and there would be quite nice on the day of love.

Want to join us? We've found that the pattern from Jackie Z Crafts knits up beautifully.

Surprises

2011-02-04T16:12:00.000-08:00

100% Tussah Silk in Orange Crush

One of the most important things I've learned with my dyeing experiments is to welcome surprises, both good and bad.

It's not that I don't like what came out of the dye pot, because I absolutely love orange, it's that the color is not exactly what I had intended. I expected more yellow than red, but apparently the red won out.

I had envisioned some golden silk to blend in with the magenta/purpley/black fiber I was going to play around with on the drum carder. It could still work out. We'll see. I love surprises.

Good things come in large packages

2011-02-02T16:42:00.000-08:00

I can't even begin to describe how excited I was when the UPS man arrived this afternoon. He brought a giant box containing a Strauch Finest single-wide drum carder. I'd been eyeing this drum carder, but the cost of a new one wasn't in the budget. Luckily, a few days ago I found a seller online who was willing to part with her nearly-new one in my price range. What an angel!

What is a drum carder you ask? Well, I had no clue myself until a few months ago. If you don't know, it's a tool for making fiber batts for spinning.

Good thing this drum carder and I found each other because I was beginning to worry that I would have to card or comb a big bag full of dyed Polwarth fiber by hand.

Experiments in dyeing

2011-01-30T11:39:00.000-08:00

This is my dyeing arsenal. Not very sophisticated is it? I'm getting by though. I've been experimenting in the kitchen--I say "experimenting" because I only know enough about dyeing to be dangerous, very dangerous. But I've been banished to the garage by DH. I made the mistake of starting one of my experiments when he was home. Imagine the ~~stench~~ sweet aroma of wool mixed with hot water and a splash of vinegar...

I named this experiment "Creature from the Black Lagoon." It's so unlike me to play with blue, but I rather like it. I also added a touch of green.

The pink experiment started off with the best of intentions. What's not to like about pink and brown? I think I was a bit heavy-handed with the pink and little shy with the brown. I haven't figured out what to call this one. I'll be playing with this combo again. Edited to add: I've decided to call it "Never on a Saturday." Why? Guess who is home sniffing around during prime dyeing hours on a Saturday?

Being a relatively new spinner, it's still difficult for me to imagine what the dyed fiber will look like when it's spun. There are so many variables like the intensity of color, how the singles are spun, and the method of plying. I am anxious to see how these experiments turn out once they're spun. Stay tuned...

P.S. Yes, I know, three posts in three days. Being realistic, it will be nearly impossible for me to sustain this record. Going forward, I'm aiming for at least once a week. Yup, keeping the bar low so I can exceed my own expectations. :)

Spinning silk hankies

2011-01-29T10:31:00.000-08:00

My latest spinning project is learning how to spin silk hankies, silk cocoons that have been stretched into squares and layered one on top of the other. It's actually pretty easy to spin the silk in this form, even for a beginner. Go here for details on one spinning method.

Since I've also been experimenting with dyeing fiber, I thought I would give it a try with a little stack of undyed silk hankies. I used a combination of bright gold with some chartreuse -- you know, because the gold wasn't bright enough. The result was a bit shocking, but I found that it has a nice luminosity once spun up.

I've filled one bobbin and now working on spinning up more for another bobbin-full. I haven't decided yet whether I'll ply the silk together or mix it with another fiber. On the one hand, silk will add a nice sheen when plied with wool, but then a skein of 100% plied silk wouldn't be bad either. In either case, I've got lots more silk hanky layers to spin up before I need to decide.

Breakfast

2011-01-28T10:30:00.000-08:00

The blog hasn't been given much attention lately. I'm finding it more fun and convenient to use Twitter. It's so easy to tweet a few lines, include a photo, and follow others who are doing the same thing. That said, I haven't fully given up on the blogging thing, at least not yet.

Today's breakfast: fried egg over baked kale chips and whole wheat toast. I think this might even be healthy. (Thanks to hizknits for tweeting about baked kale chips. Try it. They're awesome.)

Last minute holiday knitting

2010-12-22T12:24:00.000-08:00

I went shopping for a holidy gift and wasn't inspired. So, I cast on a reversible cable scarf instead with some Merino/Cashmere sport weight. Will I finish in time?

Natural Dyeing with Cochineal

2010-12-21T16:47:00.000-08:00

While at SOAR this past fall, I took a Cochineal dyeing workshop with Demetrio Bautista, a master weaver from Oaxaca, Mexico. Cochineal dye is made from dried and ground Cochineal insects native to Mexico and South America.

Merino wool dyed with Cochineal

undyed grey Alpaca from Brookfarm Alpacas (above), grey Alpaca dyed with Cochineal (below)

Undyed fiber and yarn is first placed in a mordant bath of alum and cream of tartar to prepare fiber for dyeing.

The dye bath is prepared by mixing the powdered Cochineal with an acid such as lime juice.

Once yarn has been cooked in the mordant bath and then dried, it can be placed in the Cochineal dye bath.

The results varied from bright fuschia to deep purple depending on the type of yarn and fiber.

Demetrio Bautista with one of his handwoven rugs made with all natural dyes

Weaving

2010-09-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

I've been having a great time weaving on my Schacht rigid heddle loom and finally getting to use all the lovely hand-dyed yarn in my stash.

I like the effect of a multi-colored yarn for the warp and a solid/semi-solid yarn for the weft. The scarf above was made with Blue Moon Socks that Rock Lightweight colorway in Basan for the warp and a solid pumpkin color wool/silk blend sock yarn for the weft.

Sundara sock, navy blue semi-solid for weft, gray solid for weft

Blue Moon STR Lightweight Incredible Shrinking Violet for warp, gray solid for weft

My favorite scarf to weave so far has been the one above using my own hand-dyed, hand-painted yarn. I have been saving this yarn in the Blue Moon Geisha (Mohair/silk/nylon blend) base for the right project. Combined with a bright green superwash wool fingering weight yarn for the weft, the result is a wonderful drapey scarf or wrap. The best part is that I've only used less than half of the skein of Geisha. The wheels are spinning in my head thinking of the next project for this wonderful yarn.

The project currently on the loom may very well take over as my most favorite. Yes, it's another scarf, but in another one of my own hand-dyed yarns in a silk fingering! I'm thinking I may keep this one.

What's next for the loom? I've gotten some ideas and inspiration from fellow weaving study group friends: Ruth is make cloth for a tote bag and Heather has some dish towels on the loom.

Fiber here, fiber there, fiber everywhere

2010-08-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

I had to put my corporate hat back on these last few months working on hubby's new office. I was a bit rusty but got back into the swing of things pretty fast. I collaborated with another designer friend and we had lots of fun working on the project. I think it turned out pretty darn well, even on our limited budget.

Now that the project is over and everyone is moved in and happily working away in their new environment, I took the opportunity to get away for a week-long fiber intensive with the Golden Gate Fiber Institute. I had wonderful six full days in a rigid heddle weaving class and a fiber felting class.

The fiber felting class was taught by Sharon Costello who is known for her illuminated felted sculpture. This is my lampshade, wet felted (look, no seams Mom!) merino wool embedded with silk threads, bits of silk fiber, and strips of silk sateen fabric. The added bonus was that I learned how to wire a lamp.

With Syne Mitchell, I finally learned how to warp my rigid heddle loom all on my own as well as how to weave more complex patterns than good old plain weave. The sampler above shows just a few of the more complex weaves that can be done on the rigid heddle.

These are three bookmarks that are all woven on the same warp, but look very different when woven with different weft threads.

This scarf was my favorite project of the week. It's made with hand-painted sock yarn and it's so soft and drapey. I've got big plans for my rigid heddle loom and all the wonderful hand-painted sock yarn I've managed to ~~hoard~~ accumulate.

Handspun

2010-06-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

I'm having the best time with this whole spinning thing. I feel as if I've gone full circle, starting with knitting, now learning how yarn is made with spinning, and even dying my own fiber. The only piece that's missing is raising my own animals for the fiber. Good thing I don't live in an area zoned for farm animals or else I'd have a few cashmere goats grazing on my postage-size suburban lawn.

So the fiber I hand-dyed in the very first photo turned into this...

BFL, colorway "Not So Blue"

and this...

BFL, colorway "Fire Breathing Dragon"

Now to figure out what I can knit up or weave with my handspun.

Lace

2010-06-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would take to lace knitting, but I do have to say I enjoyed knitting my latest project, a Shetland Triangle shawl. One caveat on the lace knitting though: only with fingering weight or heavier yarn for me.

I started this project on a long plane flight to Europe and finished it on the plane ride back home. How amazing is that for a not-so-fast knitter?

And what's not to like about another use for all that pretty sock yarn stash?

Pattern: Shetland Triangle Shawl by Evelyn Clark
Yarn: Wollmeise 100% fingering weight
Colorway: Rhabarber
Modifications: 11 repeats of body lace chart with plenty of yarn to spare

Turkey Chili

2010-04-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

I love the turkey chili served at the Deer Valley ski resort in Utah. One could say I'm evangelical about this chili. I want to spread the word because I think everyone should try it. It's that good.

Since I only get to Deer Valley maybe once a year for skiing, I had to find a recipe so I could make it at home. I found one online at the reluctant gourmet that comes pretty close. In fact, I think it could be slightly better.

This recipe uses lots of fresh vegetables and roasted turkey breast so I don't feel like it's a huge splurge. I'm not a nutritionist, but I'm thinking it's practically guilt-free.

The actual cooking time is minimal--about 1/2 hour--but there is a lot of prep work involved in chopping the veggies and roasting the turkey breast ahead of time. It's all worth it, though.

Deer Valley Turkey Chili (adapted from reluctantgourmet.com)

1 can black beans*, drained
1/2 c. unsalted butter
3 medium Anaheim chilies, seeded and chopped (don't forget to wear gloves when handling)
1 medium red onion, chopped
3 to 4 ribs of celery, chopped
2 medium, red or yellow bell peppers, seeded and chopped
3 medium leeks, white part only, chopped (rinse well to remove all traces of dirt)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 cup corn flour
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
2-1/2 tblsp. ground cumin
2 tblsp. ground coriander
salt and pepper, to taste
1/8 cup sugar
4-1/2 cups chicken stock
2-1/4 cups fresh or frozen corn
4 cups of diced cooked turkey or chicken (I prefer Empire turkey breast from Trader Joe's in the fresh meat section)
toppings: chopped red onions, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream (or try Fage yogurt), cilantro (if you roll that way, I don't)

Melt butter in a large pot. Add chopped chilies, red onion, celery, bell peppers, leeks, and oregano to the pot. Cook on medium heat until soft -- about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Add flour and spices. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add sugar and 4 cups of chicken stock. Bring to simmer.

Puree 1-1/4 cup of the corn with remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Add to mixture.

Add chopped turkey, black beans and remaining corn. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 25 minutes.

Serve with toppings.

*Dried black beans can be used in place of canned. Soak 2 cups of dried black beans in water overnight. The following day, drain beans and place in a pot with 10 cups of water and 1 tsp. of black pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Drain.

Enjoy!

What happened to spring?

2010-04-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

Actual knitting was completed at sock camp. I'm amazed by that. Somehow, inbetween all the great classes, camp antics, hanging out with old and new camp buddies, I finished a pair of Slip Jigs (ravelry.com link). It's another lovely pattern by that wild irishgirlie. (Yarn-eater wanted in on the photo shoot.)

Mom's 28-thirty sweater was also completed. I missed the Christmas deadline. Finished the knitting in time for her birthday last month, but didn't get the buttons sewed on until last week at camp. Can you say, "Mother's Day"?

While I'm showing off all the knitting FOs, thought I'd also add something else I'm pretty darn proud of producing.

My first hand-dyed fiber! Thank you depraved dyer for showing me the ropes.

p.s. click here if you want to see my camp homework :)

I'm published!

2010-03-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

Gotcha!

Well, I'm not published, but the handspun is mine. It's Wool Candy Blue Faced Leicester Top in "Cobbler".

I created this mock magazine cover for a photography class homework assignment. The assignment was to create a magazine cover shot properly lit and also composed to allow for text and all the other stuff that goes on those covers.

Here's the photo without the text. Not the composition I would ordinarily choose if it was just a photo.

Here's another mock cover with my new Bosworth spindle which I purchased at Madrona. This spindle will hold a special place in my heart. It's the spindle I was using in Amelia Garripoli's "Productive Spindle Spinning" class when I graduated from "park and draft". I didn't think I'd ever be able to draft as the spindle spun (Is there a technical term for this? "Spindle spinning", perhaps?). I think this breakthrough was a combination of Amelia's teaching skills and my nifty new spindle.

And in case you're wondering, the fiber is Blue Moon Sheep 2 Shoe in "Sam and Ella".

Spin on!

Limoncello

2010-03-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

I'd heard how it's possible to make your own limoncello, but I assumed it was too hard or time-consuming until I saw a recipe. Three ingredients: lemon zest, sugar and vodka. And it turns out that my little Meyer lemon tree (actually, more like a small scrawny bush) had enough ripe fruit to make two batches. I had no excuse not to try it.

If you don't have a Microplane zester, get one. Zesting the lemons is a breeze with it.

Look at all those bald lemons. :) Now I need to figure out what to do with all that Meyer lemon juice. Anyone have any ideas besides lemon curd?

I got all three ingredients mixed up in a jar (btw, who knew it was so hard to find a large wide-mouth jar?) and placed it in a dark place. Now it's time for some patience because it needs to sit in a dark place for a month.

I can't wait!

Yay! Another sock...

2010-03-10T13:15:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Neuroknitter'a suggestion, I now have another go-to sock pattern when I need something easy without charts, but still want it to be interesting. An added bonus is that it can be manly or girly.

Pattern: Tesserae by Anne Hanson

Yarn: Mama Blue Simple Merino, Bark colorway

Madrona, Part 1 - The Art

2010-03-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

Madrona was weeks ago and I haven't yet photographed the spoils. My lack of photographic motivation is due in large part to the gray rainy weather.

Speaking of gray and rainy, while in Tacoma, Sockdoc and I took a break from classes and resisted the lure of the Madrona marketplace to see the glass and art musuems. During our outing, we discovered that not only was the art indoors, it was also out-of-doors.

Glass artist and local guy, Dale Chihuly, had work displayed all over town.

If you're ever there, don't forget to look up.

His glasswork is so vibrant and rich in texture.

And then of course, no visit is complete without trying the local goods. Hello, cupcake... The red velvet was yummy, but the chocolate raspberry was to-die-for.

Calorimetry

2010-02-23T09:12:00.000-08:00

Knit hats are great for keeping your head and ears warm when it's chilly out. But they're not so great when you want (or need) to wear your hair in a ponytail. That's when the Calorimetry is perfect.

I knit mine up in some lovely handspun gifted to me by ilikecake. Isn't the yarn gorgeous? I made a few modifications to the pattern since I had read on Ravelry that the pattern comes out a bit on the larger side.

I cast on 96 stitches instead of 120 and repeated row 5 for a total of 10 times instead of 15. Even with the mods, I think it still comes out big because of the stretchiness of the rib. I'd cast on less stitches the next time.

Reasons to celebrate:

2010-02-07T22:02:00.000-08:00

I have my first pair of completed socks for the new year. Only thing is that I didn't start them this year. Turns out I started these over six months ago. Yes, six months to knit a pair of socks. You don't know how much that troubles me, given my sock yarn stash. I blame the dark yarn. Oh so beautiful, but so so dark and knit on itty bitty sock needles.

But back to reasons for celebration. I had a Kitchener stitch breakthrough. After years of having to look up the instructions for the stitch each and every time, my brain decided it was time to commit this bad-boy to memory. Don't know why my brain decided this time, since it had been six months since I last used the stitch. Best not to question, just going to go with it.

And since it took so long to knit this last pair, I'll most certainly be motivated to knit the next pair much faster. Right? Right?

Another reason for celebration? They're just plain pretty...

Pattern: Blackberry Brambles by Irishgirlieknits
Yarn: Wollmeise, Twin, Wild Thing, Poison Nr. 5

Evangelical spinning...

2010-02-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

I'm having the best time with my new spinning wheel. It's hard for me to keep it to myself because I'm so excited about my new discovery.

My non-fibery friends look bewildered, but then again, they have the same reaction to my excitement for knitting. My knitting only friends are either excited along with me and want to hear (and see) all about it or they want to stay the heck away from me, fearing that they'll catch the bug too. My spinning friends all welcome me to the club. And DH? He likes that I'm so wonderfully smitten with my new hobby. I think he doesn't realize yet that it's possible to have a fiber stash much like my yarn stash. Shhhh...

This pile of fluff, or if you want to get technical, Blue Face Leicester Top, turned into...

...this!

It's still so amazing to me that I can make yarn. I've obviously got a ways to go with my spinning technique, but I'm loving the imperfect thick and thin and kinkiness of my very first handspun. I'm waiting for it to tell me what it wants to become.

Aromatic Lamb-Shank Stew with Couscous

2010-01-28T15:58:00.000-08:00

I love it when a man cooks.

DH prefers cooking outdoors with a grill and a smoker, but he does have an indoor cooking repertoire. He's been known to make killer chocolate souffles, deliciously fluffy buttermilk pancakes (thanks to a sockdoc recipe), amazing latkes and Cincinnati chili--the last two his mother's recipes.

He also does stews very well. On one of the recent--and too many of late--cold, wet and rainy evenings, he made Nigella Lawson's aromatic lamb-shank stew with lentils served atop couscous. It was the perfect comfort meal.

The only downside is having to clean up after him in the kitchen. :)

Where have you been all my life?

2010-01-26T08:42:00.000-08:00

After months (maybe years, there is that Sleeping Beauty thing) of trying to resist the lure of the wheel, I broke down. Now I'm wondering why I didn't try spinning sooner.

The feeling of the fiber slipping between my fingers. It's meditative, peaceful, tactile, satisfying, addictive...I could go on...and on...

I'm a newbie with lots more to learn. I can't wait!

What's for dinner?

2010-01-23T17:32:00.000-08:00

I usually have a bag of frozen Trader Joe's turkey meatballs in the freezer for when I don't feel like cooking a meal from scratch. The TJ meatballs are pretty tasty and best of all, DH really likes them. But nothing compares to homemade.

I made Smitten Kitchen's baked chicken meatballs (substituting ground turkey thigh meat for the ground chicken). DH and I now have a new favorite. And those TJ ones we liked so much...well...they will never be the same.

The meatballs go well with this tomato sauce too.

Big Giant Head

2010-01-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

The Koolhaas hat for DH is finally done. The stitch pattern is amazing (and the decreases in pattern are genius!), but can I tell you...never again. Yep, once is enough. Especially since I had to make the large size because of DH's BGH (Big Giant Head).

The pattern calls for enough cable crossovers to last a knitting lifetime. I was fortunate that Irishgirlieknits had knit-up several of these and she taught me some tricks to cable without a cable needle. Lifesaver. Thank you, IGK.

Check out Disco's Koolhaas. Gorgeous! Despite how great the hat looks, she says she's not in a hurry to knit another one up soon. Those darn cables...

Pattern: Koolhaas by Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

Yarn: The Plucky Knitter, Cashmere Aran weight, colorway "Flipside"

On the cooking front, I made a tomato sauce I read about on Smitten Kitchen. Delicious and so super easy. Seriously, only three ingredients. Try it.

A New Year

2010-01-19T17:27:00.000-08:00

I went on a wintry vacation and remembered to bring the camera along. Only problem is I didn't take any photos. This is the best and only shot I got...with the camera phone. :)

Here's to taking more photos in 2010! Happy New Year!

Seasons Greetings

2009-12-24T12:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

hats and more hats...

2009-12-19T14:39:00.000-08:00

I've rediscovered the hat as a quick knit.

- Grace Lace Beret, The Plucky Knitter fingering merino in 'Hey Cupcake'

The slouchy hats/berets are so 'in' right now and I'm loving them.

- Grace Lace Beret, Sundara aran silky merino in 'Pink Pennies'

Seriously, I've knit two already and I'm more than half-way done with a third. All in one week.

- Slouchy Copy Cat Hat, Dream in Color Classy in 'In Vino Veritas'
Just a few more to go...

Wordless Wednesday (for Gail)

2009-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Pink Pennies from heaven

2009-12-14T11:49:00.000-08:00

Isn't it wonderful when the stars align and you find just the right pattern for just the right skein of yarn?

I'm in need of a new winter hat and I'm giving the whole beret thing a try. The pattern is going pretty quickly. If I look like a dork in it, I figure it will always look good on mom. :)

Pattern: Grace Lace Beret

Yarn: Sundara Aran Silky Merino

Colorway: Pink Pennies

(thanks IGK for the destash!)

BFF cravat

2009-11-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

My dear friend, Maggie, made me this lovely scarf for my birthday last month. I will treasure it.

Thank you, Maggie!

Pattern: Circle and Stripe Cravat by Leigh Radford

Yarn: Malabrigo worsted weight, Vetiver

Falling for orange...

2009-11-17T14:21:00.000-08:00

We're well into the last half of autumn and it's as if the season just started here.

I'm even wearing flip-flops today. :)

To keep autumn with me all winter long, I started a cozy cowl in one of my favorite colors.

Pattern: #12 Cabled Cowl, Vogue Knitting, Holiday 2009

Yarn: Plucky Knitter, Aran Cashmere, Pumpkin Latte

The Traveler

2009-10-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

The name of the pattern, Traveling Woman, was so appropriate since I knit most of this one-skein shawl on a long seven-hour coast to coast flight.

Yarn: The Plucky Knitter, merino/cashmere/nylon fingering in colorway Tracy Lord Haven

Modifications: added extra repeat of Chart A, total of three repeats

souvenir

2009-10-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

It's a skein of fingering weight Alpaca from Owl Brook Alpacas. I couldn't resist the colorway.

A couple of gorgeous alpacas that may have had a part in the souvenir.

There were other cuties there too.

Someone's a little upset about the whole bathing thing.

This suburbanite is so easily amused by nature. :)

can't get enough of autumn

2009-10-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

I finished my Shawl that Jazz just in time for my journey in search of fall. And by pure coincidence (or maybe just my color preferences), the BMFA LSS in Oregon Red Clover Honey was the perfect color for the season.

Of course there was a search for fiber. At The Fiber Studio--Mecca for fiber/spinning/knitting/weaving/beading enthusiasts--one of the vendors had a beautiful fiber ornament meant to be hung outdoors for birds to snatch pieces of fiber for their nests. How cute is that?

Then there was the apple cider doughnut snack at the apple farm. Yum!

eta: fixed link to The Fiber Studio

Leaf peeping

2009-10-09T17:28:00.000-07:00

I'm on a long weekend to see autumn.

Not much weather where I'm from, so it's fun to see the seasons.

I finally finished my Shawl that Jazz and it's so awesome. Photos to come soon.

I stopped into a yarn store during my search for autumn color. I escaped without more yarn, but a set of Addi clicks decided to come home with me. :)

Happy autumn!

vacation knitting

2009-09-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

Cowls were super popular with knitters last year and this season they've hit mainstream. (See cheekyattitude's post.) The trend was evident in the shop windows in Italy when I visited a couple weeks ago.

-cabled tube scarf spotted in Florence

- large thick cowl in Rome

-long chunky scarf wrapped round and round the neck in Rome

Thanks to cheekyattitude, I was inspired to cast on a new cowl before I left on my trip. It was perfect for vacation knitting. Compact and easy (3x1 rib) for the long hours on planes and trains.

And finished just in time for the crisp autumn days ahead. (Although, today is looking a bit like we skipped autumn and went straight into winter.)

celebrations

2009-09-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

-breakfast cupcake, Sprinkles strawberry

(don't worry sockdoc, I'll fit in my greens later today, and you have to admit that cupcake is pretty colorful)

What am I celebrating?

1) It's Friday. Happy Friday!

2) DH had his birthday yesterday. But of course I've got a few more days of birthday fun planned for him.

3) I got into mini-sock camp! And best of all, the girls are all coming along! Whoohoo!!!

It's here...

2009-09-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

-Chestnuts at the Campo de Fiori Market, Rome

Many have been anxiously awaiting the day. Only a few short hours away.

Happy Autumnal Equinox!

planes, trains and automobiles

2009-09-11T10:13:00.001-07:00

"On one's first visit to Florence, one must have a room with a view."

- the film A Room with a View, based on E.M. Forster's 1908 novel

An early morning flight, then a train followed by a short taxi ride and we have arrived. Buona Sera!

desayuno

2009-09-10T10:21:00.000-07:00

- toast with butter and jam with cafe con leche

I had another late breakfast (lingering effects of jet-lag or possibly the late nights--dinner isn't served until well after 9pm). No one is in a hurry here.

-kitty on a courtyard wall

I could get used to this... :)

brekkie en La Boqueria

2009-09-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to play business travel companion again and I'm back in Barcelona. Brekkie at Mercat de la Boqueria included tortilla patatas,

bocadillo con huevos y chorizo,

and of course, Coca Cola light (that's for IGK).

Afterwards, a nice long walk to the beach. (I figure to and from the beach is at least 2 points towards the smackdown.)

A stop along the way for a cerveza and some knitting on my newly cast on project, a ribby cowl (3x1 rib) done in Plucky cashmere 2-ply, colorway Tutu (love that name).

Stilettos and Socks

2009-09-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

I had heard so many great things about Signature needles that I had to try them for myself, even if it meant temporarily giving up my beloved circulars and the magic loop. (Signature needles come in straights and double points…for now. There’s a rumor that they’re coming out with circs.) To be completely honest, I had this overwhelming need to try them out because the needles have points that they call “stiletto”. I’m a sucker for anything shoe related.

I’ve been trying out my new dpns on the Blackberry Brambles socks and the stiletto points are pretty amazing. The sharp points come in really handy with the Wollmeise Twin I’m knitting with since I find Wollmeise to be splitty (love love the colors and the knitted fabric though, so I put up with splitty).

The only downside, aside from the whole dpn thing, is that the points are so sharp, I feel I need to be wearing body armor for fear that I’ll impale myself with them. It happens.

hot, hot, hot!

2009-09-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was a scorcher in Northern California with 100+ degree weather in some parts. But I still got some knitting done, poolside of course. I'm now on the home stretch (got through the ruffle increases and decreases) of my Shawl That Jazz. Yay! Isn't it the perfect color for autumn?

Hubby and I spent the weekend celebrating our wedding anniversary--a milestone one!--in the lovely Napa Valley. Lots of leisurely biking on cruisers.

We treated ourselves to some relaxing spa treatments.

Had lots of great meals paired with some excellent wines.

I love that many of the restaurants have their own kitchen gardens.

And the grapes are just about ready for the harvest.

Happy Anniversary to my DH! Looking forward to many many more to come.

Hello September!

more food pr0n

2009-08-19T13:35:00.001-07:00

Hubby is growing concerned that I now need to photograph the food before he's allowed to dig in. The food at Bar Tartine was that good and I had to immortalize in it photos.

See that up there? Looks like plain ole bread, but not. It's THE most amazing bread I--we, since hubby thought so too--have had. I never thought bread could get any better than Acme. We had no shame. We asked to take the leftover two slices home. (Made bruschetta with heirloom tomatoes the next day.)

-Bolinas brandade stuffed squash blossoms

-Santa Barbara sea urchin in corn custard

Yes, sea urchin is an acquired taste. It took a couple of tries for me, but now I can fully appreciate all those ocean flavors that explode in the mouth.

-potato gnocchi

We didn't have room for dessert. Maybe because we started off at Bi-Rite. :)

I scream, you scream...

2009-08-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was simply stunning in the city. If you know the city, we're just now heading into the best weather--late summer through early to mid-autumn.

Hubby and I, along with many many others thought it would be a great day for ice cream.

Pamela had told me about the truly amazing ice cream at Bi-Rite so I had to try it.

front to back: Salted Caramel on top of Toasted Banana, Brown Sugar with Ginger Caramel Swirl

Ice cream doesn't get any better. Salted Caramel was the winner with the three flavors we tried. Guess we'll have to come back and sample the others. :)

kinky singles at Sock Summit

2009-08-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to get into a few classes at Sock Summit and I learned so much. First up was a drop spindle class with Abby Franquemont and Denny McMillan (yes, that Denny). Abby has been spinning for about 30 years, since she was 5! And Denny, for not quite as long, but also an accomplished spinner.

We learned on a bottom whorl drop spindle. As you can see, I seem to be very good at spinning rope. :) I am happy to write that I did show some signs of improvement by the end of class.

I've been practicing since the class and getting more comfortable with the Blue Moon Sheep to Shoe kit I got at sock camp a few months ago.

Next up was a class on knitting with color by color gurus Anna Zilboorg and Tina Newton. We learned how to combine colors we love without worrying about all those rules imposed by color theory.

And last, but not least, a class on darning socks with Merike Saarniit. I had been looking forward to this class because I already had one blowout on a heel and a couple other pairs looking a bit thin, all at the heel. In just one hour we learned how to darn those holes--easier than I thought--and how to delay the inevitable.

Sock Summit was an incredible experience. I'm so hoping that there's another one...

brekkie in the city

2009-08-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

the breakfast project

- morning bun and caffe latte from Tartine Bakery and Cafe

I love Tartine in the city. I can never decide what to get: The croissants, breakfast bread pudding, quiche or the tasty looking breads. This time I chose the morning bun...yummo.

Sock Summit 2009: The Photos

2009-08-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

I think I've taken lots of photos and then I go to upload them and find I didn't take enough or they didn't come out the way I'd like. But I have my memories...

Sock Summit: The Loot

2009-08-11T17:44:00.000-07:00

It wouldn't be a knitting event without all the great stuff you get to take home with you. I think I did a pretty good job of sticking to a budget and picking up unique items that I wouldn't ordinarily find at my local LYS or are hard to get online.

the tools: Signature DPNs with stiletto tips, drop spindle, nosteppine (okay, I know, it looks a little um...hmm...lets just drop it...), Chrissy Gardiner's new book "Toe Up!"

I haven't had a chance to look at all the patterns yet in the Toe Up! book since I've been focused on all the beautiful photographs taken by neuroknitter. I'm so lucky because she let me shadow her for a couple of hours while she took photos at the Sock Summit marketplace. Thanks, Gail!

of course, the bags: Split Yarn box bags and small zippered pouches, and Queen Bee medium zippered pouch

I adore the vibrant colors and bold fabric designs on the Split Yarn bags. They're also well constructed.

l to r: Blue Moon Socks that Rock Lightweight Mill End (colors similar to The Claw), Wool Candy Blue Face Lester Top in Cobbler, The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga in Sharpshooter Leaf Hopper, Leili (wool/mohair blend for sock darning)

Last but not least....the yarn! I'm still finding it hard to believe I walked away from the biggest sock knitting event EVER with only three skeins of yarn and some fiber. It was so so overwhelming, in a very good way.

More to come on the Sock Summit...

priorities

2009-08-08T08:06:00.001-07:00

Sock Summit has been everything I expected and more. But I had to take a little break from all that knitting goodness for a bit of Voodoo donut goodness. That's a chocolate, rice crispy and peanut butter yummy that I took a healthy bite out of. :)

Thanks to Christy (aka hearthead) for indulging us.

Of course there's knitting. Lots and lots of knitting. I was part of the attempt (hopefully a successful one) to break the world's record for number of knitters knitting simultaneously. The current record is at 250. We easily had three times as many yesterday. Woohoo!

brekkie

2009-08-05T16:57:00.000-07:00

the breakfast project

- Seabreaze Cafe turkey artichoke sausage scramble, fruit, cinnamon muffin (they call it that, but it's really a roll :)), coffee

I didn't eat it all in one sitting... but I could have. :)

Summer o' socks

2009-08-04T17:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right, another completed sock. I can't believe it either. I owe it all to Irishgirlieknits and her lovely Cotty sock pattern. IGK says I got my sock knitting mojo back. But to tell the truth, I don't know I ever had any of that kind of mojo, until now.

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Mediumweight

Colorway: Nodding Violet

And look, another one on the needles. It's Blackberry Brambles from IGK. That girl is turning out fabulous patterns left and right.

Yarn: Wollmeise, Wild Thing 80/20 Twin

Colorway: Poison Nr. 5

It's Wollmeise from my stash. I give thanks for my stash... (that was for you, my DH) :)

Lifestyle Change

2009-07-31T20:21:00.000-07:00

My recent yarn fast has been good for me. I'm happy to report that the stash enhancement craziness of the past is under control. Gone are the late nights of stalking updates...with an exception here and there :)

Here's one of my latest exceptions:

I just happened to be up at 1am my time and by chance caught one of the elusive Wollmeise updates. :) It's called Mon Cheri, one of her newest colors and even more stunning in person. How could I not resist?

And this I didn't have to stalk:

It's gorgeous handspun by ilikecake. She knew I loved these colors. What a sweetie and oh so talented! Hmmm...what shall I make with it?

Farewell July! Hello August!

brekkie

2009-07-30T22:41:00.001-07:00

the breakfast project

- chicken sausage and spinach strata and Peet's nonfat latte

Hubby made the strata. How sweet is that? And it was yummy!

better late than never...

2009-07-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

the breakfast project

- Hungarian coffee cake and a single nonfat latte at Main Street Coffee Roasting Company

Whoops! Breakfast was just about done before I realized I hadn't photographed it.

Would that be breakfast or lunch?

2009-07-23T12:01:00.001-07:00

the breakfast project

- medley of heirloom tomatoes with roasted chicken tossed in a light fig balsamic vinegrette :)

In knitting news, I started a second pair of Cotty socks done in Socks that Rock Mediumweight, colorway Nodding Violet.

It's hard for me to believe I may have two pairs of socks knitted this summer. Whoohoo!

coming unravelled...

2009-07-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

and not the knitting kind...

I have taken off on a new adventure with an online course, "Unravelling: Ways of Seeing My Self", taught by photographer and writer Susannah Conway. The course is about self-exploration as well as exploration of the world around me with photography and writing as the tools.

I had hopes that this course would help me to uncover some of that creativity buried deep down inside and provide opportunities to further develop my photography practice, but I'm finding that it's much more than that.

It's a bit scary to me. You know, getting to know myself better and peeling off a few of those layers. (Yikes!) We'll see how it goes...

good morning

2009-07-19T11:05:00.001-07:00

the breakfast project

- fruit, yogurt and good earth tea

It's been a while since I've posted any breakfast photos. This morning I remembered to snap a photo thanks to a sweet message I received from Sam.

sea beauties

2009-07-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

"...heads like horses, tails like monkeys and pouches like kangaroos..."

The Monterey Bay Aquarium's newest exhibit, "The Secret Lives of Seahorses" is stunning.

Did you know that seahorse males, not females, get pregnant? Awesome!

Yep, that yellow thing that looks like a plant is actually a seahorse.

A visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium is never complete without seeing the jellies.

They're mesmerizing.

I could sit and watch them all day...

There's something about Cotty...

2009-07-13T15:25:00.000-07:00

Could it be that it's a super cute pattern?

A quick knit?

An easy knit with enough lace to keep things interesting? (Assuming one reads ALL of the pattern instructions. :))

All of the above?

Thanks Irishgirlieknits for another wonderful pattern.

Yarn: Mama Blue, Troika sock

Colorway: Penny

Happy Monday! It's a gorgeous day out on the California coast.

it's a secret...

2009-07-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

My latest FO featuring Cat Bordhi's new sock architecture (can you believe this woman's genius?) All will be revealed at Sock Summit next month.

In the meantime, I can tell you it's the best fitting sock I've ever knit.

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Socks that Rock - Lightweight

Colorway: mill end

Needle: US 1 (2.25mm)

brekkie

2009-07-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

the breakfast project

- cinnamon raisin bagel, Rainier cherries, coffee

This post is dedicated to sockdoc, a dear close friend. Being the good friend and doc, she expressed some concern for my nutritional well-being as she noticed a lack of color in my breakfast meals. See, sockdoc? Fresh fruit this morning! And, there was that chopped salad at dinner last night. :)

brekkie

2009-07-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

the breakfast project

-Peet's cafe latte

On the knitting front: another FO (yay!) and a couple of new projects cast on. Photos coming soon...

brekkie... not so much

2009-06-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing a good job of documenting my breakfasts these past few days. There has definitely been eating, just not much photography. So instead, for today, I give you dinner.

I've been obsessed with fish tacos lately and decided I needed to try making them. I used the first recipe that I found online and it was delicious. Hubby told me so. :)

For a lower calorie version, grill the fish instead of pan-frying. It's the perfect summer dish.

brekkie on the go...

2009-06-26T07:06:00.000-07:00

the breakfast project

- fig breakfast bar and cafe latte from Coupa Cafe

it's wicked...

2009-06-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

It's done and I'm thrilled!

Pattern: Wicked

Yarn: Madelinetosh worsted, Lichen colorway

Yardage: 3.25 skeins or 730 yds. (approximately)

Needles: 7 US

You know what this means? I get to cast on for new projects. I'm thinking Shawl that Jazz and tackling a Habu sweater kit...

brekkie

2009-06-24T16:36:00.000-07:00

the breakfast project

- chilaquiles (my version, using whatever ingredients I had at the time) with roasted chicken and Peet's coffee

more brekkie...

2009-06-23T12:16:00.001-07:00

the breakfast project

- pancetta, mushroom and shallot scramble with Peet's Garuda Blend (my new favorite blend) coffee

I'm finding that this project is helping me develop my photography skills on many different levels. First of all, adjusting the settings for morning light (indoors and out) is challenging. Then when I think I have the lighting and composition all set, I realize that the arrangement of the food on the plate was not ideal and I'd already eaten breakfast :)

Not to worry, there's brekkie tomorrow...

brekkie

2009-06-22T17:51:00.001-07:00

the breakfast project

- olallieberry crimpy and nonfat latte

Could it be an FO?

2009-06-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

The Melody Shawl is done! It's an easy knit, however, not necessarily a quick one.

It involves knit stitch in the round. Endless rows of knitting in the round. At times a meditative experience, and others, tedious. But I've gotten to know this shawl stitch by stitch this past month.

I used two full skeins of The Plucky Knitter, cashmere two-ply, in the Madrone Lane colorway. I then bound-off all the stitches except for the few that would become the fringe. These few stitches are then unraveled--a scary and yet satisfying experience.

And then... cut the fringe.

I love it...

The breakfast project

2009-06-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

-wheat toast with peanut butter and blueberry preserves, and coffee with cream and sugar

One of the assignments in my photography class is a documentary project involving photographing my breakfasts over a period of time. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do this publicly since my choice of breakfasts (or lack of) could reveal too much about me and my bad habits. :) But with encouragement from neuroknitter (she's an excellent photographer--check out her photos), I'm going to give it a try... for the sake of improving my photography skills.

This breakfast project originated with various photographers. Take a look at Jen Causey and Jon Huck's projects.

Summer reading

2009-06-18T15:54:00.000-07:00

"...you can create something that will hold a piece of your soul."

I just started reading Kate Jacobs' "The Friday Night Knitting Club". I heard that it's being made into a movie--with Julia Roberts--so I thought it would be good to read it first before it comes out on the big screen. Have you read this yet?

I'm not far into it yet. I'll report back later.

Not so sunny California

2009-06-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

It's been unseasonably cool here in Northern California.

But some sun did come out for a visit along the coast.

The weekend was filled with lots of knitting...

lots of napping...

...and yummy eats. My favorite hole-in-the-wall for breakfast burritos.

Hope you had a great weekend. Happy Monday!

Not much news

2009-06-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, sadly, nothing is new on the knitting front. I'm still on a knitting treadmill, knitting away and not going anywhere. There is, however, some visible progress on the second secret sock and the Melody's shawl. As for the Wicked sweater...don't ask. I'll get there. I love the yarn and the promise of a casual pullover sweater too much to quit now.

On a much brighter side, cheekyattitude and I have been honing our photography skills in an excellent class. We're learning lots and whining about homework :)

Happy Friday, Happy Weekend!

The girls

2009-06-08T11:13:00.001-07:00

I paid a visit to my friend Madfitz (also a neighbor and an excellent knitter) to meet the new additions to her family.

They're very curious and quite playful. Right now they're still teenagers, but in a couple of months will be laying eggs. This suburban girl finds that so amazing!

You're probably wondering how she can have the chickies in the suburbs. Turns out we're allowed to keep up to three hens in our suburban paradise. I wonder if we're zoned for sheep? :)

Lucky Day (spoilers!)

2009-06-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

It's Friday and the summer season is upon us! Could it get any better than that? Well, yes it can!

It totally gets even better when a gorgeous "Jezebel" comes a knocking on your door. That's the June Plucky Classics shipment in MCN Fingering.

And if that wasn't enough, Jezebel was accompanied by the last Wollmeise sock club shipment. That Wollmeise outdid herself on this one. What a finale to an amazing year of Wollmeise.

"True Love" apparently takes the form of a combination of magenta and purple.

Last but not least is the lovely "Blue Bell." I'm not even a blue person and I'm smitten.

You're probably asking yourself, "isn't she on a yarn diet?" Silly goose... club shipments don't count. :)

Being in the moment

2009-06-04T16:19:00.000-07:00

Like many people, I have difficulty focusing on the present. I've been working on it though, appreciating what I have right in front of me now rather than dwelling on the past or daydreaming about the future.

It's not easy being in the "here and now." As I've mentioned before, I been working on a couple of projects in the round, all knit stitch, and not getting anywhere close to done. It's tedious, but I do love these projects, and yes, my mind tends to wander off when I'm knitting them. I think about what I will cast on next when I'm done.

I think about which colorway of Socks that Rock I'll use to make Irishgirlieknits' super cute sock pattern Cotty. Shall I choose "Nodding Violet" or one of three other mediumweight colorways I have? (btw, if you haven't already voted for the next Socks that Rawk Q3 sock knit-along on Ravelry, please cast your vote for Cotty here.)

I also think about that day when I'll be able to start Samro's Shawl that Jazz in Blue Moon Luscious Single Silk in the "Oregon Red Clover Honey" colorway.

Being present for today is definitely something I'll keep working on , but at the same time, I don't think there's anything wrong with being a dreamer either.

Bounty from the Farmers' Market

2009-06-02T08:40:00.000-07:00

Going to the farmers' market is like yarn shopping for me. I want to bring it ALL home. But of course, the whole point of the market is getting just picked fruits and vegetables at their peak, so you've got to prepare what you buy pretty much right away. I picked some favorites and promised to save the others for the next visit.

I couldn't resist the squash blossoms. They get stuffed with a bit of goat cheese, dipped in a light tempura batter (equal parts beer and flour, season with salt and whisk). And then fried up.

Eat immediately!

And then there were strawberries; they had to come home with me too. After I had my fill of just popping those juice bombs in my mouth, I needed to come up with a way to use up the rest of the half flat I bought.

Shortcake, of course. I made shortcake/biscuits from this recipe, then cut up the strawberries and mixed them with a little sugar and a drizzle of Grand Marnier. Top it off with some whipped cream.

On the knitting front, I'm still knitting around and around and not even close to finishing anything. But the good news is that I'm getting lots of practice with lever knitting on the Wicked sweater.

Happy June!

pink is the new black...

2009-05-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

(top to bottom: Socks that Rock in Lovers Leap, The Plucky Knitter aran cashmere in Doris VII)

Fuchsia, 'mangenta' or whichever you choose to call it, hot pink is the "in" color dictated by the fashion gurus. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, the bold vibrant color will also be showing up in everything from home interiors to electronics.

Are you ready for the color explosion coming our way? I am!

(super secret sock in Socks that Rock)

Fashion trend or not, I love this color and will continue to love it even when it becomes "so last season."

My pretties

2009-05-27T08:48:00.001-07:00

I've been knitting around and around and around these past few days, but all this knitting has yet to yield an FO. No matter, I've been enjoying the process. I could be a more efficient knitter based on what I learned in Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's class on efficient knitting, but with these two projects, I think I'll just enjoy the ride and not worry about the habits that slow me down.

(yes, those are cupcake stitch markers, aren't they super cute?)

It turns out that stopping to admire my knitting after every row slows me down. I'm also thinking that petting the knitting and nuzzling with it after every row also doesn't help. But how I could I not stop to rub the fabric against my cheek when I'm knitting Melody's shawl in 100% cashmere?

And how could I not stop to admire the color variation in the hand-dyed yarn?

I can't be the only one who has these habits--note that I don't call them "bad" habits. I know cheekyattitude stops knitting to pet her cupcake shawl, which by the way is the fraternal twin of my shawl. Do you practice this kind of indulgent knitting behavior?

Cake?

2009-05-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

There are many great cooking and baking blogs out there and one of my new favorites--thank you to Pamela for sending me the linky--is smitten kitchen. The raspberry buttermilk cake caught my eye this week.

I'm all about simple and easy for everyday cooking or baking, and it doesn't get any better than this recipe from the June 2009 Gourmet magazine.

Place the raspberries hole side down rather than pointy side down so they don't sink to the bottom. Or use any other favorite berry in season.

I'm thinking this won't be the only raspberry buttermilk cake baked this summer.

Hey, if I put "coffee" before "cake", then it's fine for brekkie! Not that anyone needs permission to have cake any time of day. :)

Happy Friday, happy holiday weekend!

danger Will Robinson...

2009-05-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

Who would suspect that having afternoon tea...

with scrumptious goodies in a lovely little complex...

home to a cafe, boutiques, artists' studios and a lovely garden would be dangerous...

for someone on a yarn diet?

Yes, one of the shops had hand-dyed yarn!

In case you were wondering, I fell down... but only one skein of a lovely red fingering MCN. You can't take me anywhere.

Do you think I can count that one skein as souvenir yarn? Maybe?

through salmon-colored glasses

2009-05-19T08:34:00.000-07:00

As part of my reconnection with joy, my fresh flower selection for the week was a bouquet of tulips. Apparently, I'm still in love with orange. From the entire tulip selection at the market, my eyes immediately focused in on the salmon-orange bouquet.

I also picked up ingredients to make cider glazed salmon, another great and easy recipe from "A Homemade Life."

The simple recipe involves poaching salmon fillets in apple cider. Watch the salmon as it's easily overcooked. Trust me, I know.

Once the salmon is done and removed from the pan, the apple cider liquid is reduced, a bit of cream is added and reduced further until thick and caramel colored.

I placed the salmon on a bed of sauteéd red Swiss chard and then drizzled lightly with the apple cider glaze. This is another keeper recipe. Even tastes good when the salmon is accidentally overcooked. :)

what friends are for...

2009-05-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

I'm allergic to knitting with lace weight--to me, it's like knitting with sewing thread--but when I saw ilikecake's Melody's Shawl, I made an exception, especially since she knit it with cashmere.

The scarf/shawl requires a cast on of what seems like a gazillion stitches (about 240+) and knit in the round on size 9 needles. Casting on was tricky, not only because of the number of stitches, but the lace weight yarn is so lightweight, I had to be careful not to twist when joining in the round. But as soon as the first round is completed, it's pretty smooth sailing.

Once the scarf/shawl is knit to the desired width, you bind off and then cut through the width of the scarf resulting in instant fringe. It sounds scary. I'll report back when I get to that point.

I'm using Plucky Knitter cashmere two-ply, colorway Madrone Lane, purchased on the way to Blue Moon sock camp at Churchmouse Yarns just before my self-imposed yarn diet/fast.

Thanks to ilikecake for the inspiration. She's such the trendsetter.

one skein wonder

2009-05-15T11:00:00.001-07:00

Meet Sophie. Soon she'll be wrapped and off to live with someone close to her own size.

Pattern: Sophie, by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: Mama Blue, Troika Sport

Colorways: Naked on a Tuesday (for body), Equestrian (eyes and nose)

Not only was she made with less than one skein, I used stash yarn!

Happy Friday, happy weekend!

joy

2009-05-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

I was invited to take a joy+ride this month by neuroknitter and I'm taking her up on it. I'm making a promise to reconnect with and practice joy.

In coming up with a list of three joyful things for this month, I realized that I'm already making time for joy, but not necessarily being present, conscious and thankful for those joys. So I've got the practice covered and need to work on reconnecting.

Here I go:

1. Weekly date nights with DH

2. Practicing my craft(s), guilt-free

3. Fresh flowers in the house

I've got a longer list, but one day (or month) at a time...

Coming along?

hand knitted fun

2009-05-13T17:27:00.000-07:00

Combine teenagers with mysterious superpowers fighting crime in handknits and a mom who owns a yarn shop and what you do you get? Well, you get "Handknit Heroes" the first ever comic book or graphic novel for knitters.

As an added bonus, there's a pattern on the back of each issue. So much fun!

lighter fare

2009-05-12T07:59:00.000-07:00

"Bikini season is upon us." I overheard that cruel statement the other day. Fortunately, the weather is getting warmer and I'm less inclined to crave heavier comfort food.

Yesterday's dinner menu included tabbouleh, which was actually super easy to make. The hardest part was chopping up the parsley, tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion.

Look at flesh of this lemon. It's some kind of hybrid that's yellow on the outside and pink on the inside. Tastes just like any other lemon, but it sure is pretty.

After all that chopping, mix the chopped ingredients with bulgar wheat, a few squeezes of lemon juice, a bit of olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste. Easy peasy. I added just a very tiny clove of chopped garlic for some punch.

Then it was time to grill up some artichokes, and rosemary lemon chicken breast.

(I haven't quite figured out how to adjust for the indoor light, so it looks a bit yellow. Any photography suggestions are welcome.)

Serve with a small dollop of nonfat greek yogurt and whole wheat pita.

Obviously I don't cook like this every day, although I'm sure hubby wished I did.

Fall Down Friday

2009-05-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

First of all, let's hope this kind of post is not a weekly occurrence. :)

I went to my LYS, Purlescence, yesterday to buy some needles. On the drive over I kept telling myself over and over again that I was only there for needles and definitely no yarn. If I saw a book or a pattern, that was fine, but no yarn!

Well, I was good, very very good, when it came to no yarn, but... This lovely orange Amy Butler bag caught my eye and it came home with me.

And look, it has pockets for the needles I bought.

But seriously, it would have been so much better for my budget had I bought yarn instead... I suppose I could think of it as my small contribution to the economic recovery. :)

Happy Friday!

Finally!

2009-05-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

It seems like f-o-r-e-v-e-r since I've finished a project. And it feels so good to complete something.

Yep, count 'em. Two socks! Yippee!

Pattern: Embossed Leaves

Cast on: Channel Islands (very stretchy and it gives a pretty picot-like edge)

Yarn: Mama Blue, Troika

Colorway: Apricot

Fasting (spoiler pic)

2009-05-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

I've been on a yarn fast for the last month and it's getting very old. So the Plucky Classics yarn club shipment that arrived today was a welcome surprise. (You see, club shipments are fine since I purchased those before the fast. And if anybody is counting, that vacation purchase didn't count either. Many people wrote to tell me that vacation yarn is a souvenir. Love them!)

This shipment is a Merino/Cashmere/Nylon fingering weight blend in colorway Leona Stevenson from the movie "Sorry Wrong Number" starring Barbara Stanwyck. It's primarily shades of gray with deep green streaks.

Not something I would have selected on my own, but still a keeper. I can totally see it as a pair of man socks.

Wine country

2009-05-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

The weekend in Sonoma (right next door to the more widely known Napa Valley) was perfect.

Even the rain didn't spoil the getaway. I hope you had a great weekend too.

Happy Monday!

under the weather

2009-05-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to find the world looking somewhat like this...

When that happens, it's a good idea to stay home, take the day slowly, cuddled under a warm blanket with a cup of tea and a comforting knitting project. The weather also befits my mood with an overcast sky and a gentle spring rain.

Hello Friday. Welcome May.