Neighborhood crafting on a humble mailbox post. Clearly the work of a family of folk art dog lovers. Enjoy!
Mr.. or Ms. Muscles, I think the collar looks like a necklace.
Wow Bow
Weiner Dog 1
Weiner Dog 2 with Good Night Moon Dog
Poodle Woo with Sausage Chain and Doggie Majorette with Bone Baton
Forever Plaid
Feed Me
I made some bibs for our friends Lisa and David’s twins Weston and Brennan. I think you can see that Weston, on the left, might have the size advantage, but Brennan has the moves!
Inspired by Mason Dixon Knitting, and Barbara Walker , and my own free pattern; these boys are well covered for now!
Taken with an iPhone through the sidelight of our front door.
Figured it out yet?
Colored mini-lights outside our house distorted through the obscure glass.
This book is a great inspiration.
Woke up on a Sunday morning to an email from friends Stephanie and Dan that now they are 5! Koah joined his 2 brothers Northern and Denver on May 26th! What a surprise!
Hey Steph and Dan, what’s going on there in Copenhagen?
For fun, I adapted the log cabin pattern from Mason-Dixon Knitting to bib proportions. I used a technique from Lucy Neatby’s – Knitting Gems 4,
to make a nice selvage edge on the garter stitch side which made it easy to pick-up the stitches when I made the turn for the log cabin strips.
All in all, lots of fun with color, and lots of ends to weave in.
I have been reading Nudge and I had to make my pitch for behavioral economics since I am taking a short break from knitting.
Here’s my nudge suggestion that I think would reduce and possibly mostly eliminate late credit card payment fees for consumers and provide a win for card issuers, too. (not that they need it!).
This is the first in a series of Beanie posts.
Noro Kureyon Beanie. Takes one skein. Knit in the round.
Get your gauge, then cast on the number of stitches based on your head circumference (make the number divisible by 8, more on that later) and how you want the hat to fit. If you want it tight fitting, subtract an inch. If you like it loose fitting, do not subtract.
Garter edge for 1 1/2 inches then stockinette stitch for the desired length (depends on your head size and how you like to wear your beanie: high on your forehead or low near your eyebrows. Measure a hat that you like the fit.)
Note: Garter stitch in the round is: knit a row, purl a row. Repeat these 2 rows for a garter "ridge" or 2 garter stitch rows. Be sure to mark the beginning or end of the round so you know where to change from knit to purl.
When it is time to begin the crown decrease, divide the total number of stitches by 8, (you will have 8 sections) then knit to the last 2 stitches in each section and knit 2 together. (k2 tog) for the entire round.
Knit the next round, no decreases.
Repeat these 2 rounds until you have 8 stitches remaining. Try the hat on to see if it fits. If so, cut the yarn, leaving about a 6" tail.
Thread a tapestry needle and thread the yarn through the open 8 loops. Pull tight to close hole. Weave in all ends, block as appropriate for your yarn, and enjoy! this website explains it really well.
Click to enlarge, the detail is delicious looking!
WILD RICE SALAD
1 lb wild rice, which is approximately 3 cups wild rice.
2 bay leaves
8 sprigs fresh thyme, tied in a bundle
Cook wild rice as follows: Rinse wild rice in a sieve/strainer under cold water. Combine 1 ¾ c. chicken stock with ¼ c. cold water to make 2 cups liquid for each cup of wild rice. So, for the pound of wild rice, 6 cups of the stock/water mixture is needed. Add 2 bay leaves, a bundle of fresh thyme (8 sprigs), 1 tsp salt.
In a heavy pot, bring to boil, and then simmer for 25 to 35 minutes until rice is chewy, but tender; individual grains plumped but still intact (start checking at 25 minutes). Drain any excess liquid. There will be excess liquid, possibly a few cups. Not to worry! (This method of cooking the rice is courtesy of Cook’s Illustrated Magazine which has been a favorite subscription for many years).
For vinaigrette
Puree all ingredients except olive oil in food processor or blender. With the food processor running, add olive oil in steady stream until olive oil is incorporated/emulsified. Make vinaigrette at least one day ahead for flavors to meld.
1/2 cup fresh orange juice or I have used OJ concentrate undiluted
6 tablespoons chopped shallot
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1-2 T sugar
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup jasmine or basmati white rice. Cook white rice as follows: Rinse rice according to package directions. Sauté rice for 2-3 minutes in melted butter and salt in sauce pan you are going to cook it in on low to medium heat. You are coating the grains of rice with the butter as (similar to risotto) and lightly toasting the rice. Add water and cook until rice is done, 10 minutes +/-. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
2 T unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups water, boiling!
½ t salt
3 cups hickory nuts (!) or chopped pecans, toasted
1 1/4 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (you can use more)
1 cup dried apricots, thinly sliced
1 cup dried cranberries or sour cherries (I chop them)
Assemble salad:
Stir together the rices, vinaigrette, nuts, parsley, dried fruit, and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve at room temperature.
Cooks’ note:
• Salad keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days.
• If making ahead of time, you can combine the rice and vinaigrette. Add the dried fruit, parsley and nuts up to an hour before serving for best flavor.
Serves 12 (I think it serves more than 12)
Gourmet
Gourmet Entertains, original recipe, see Epicurious: additions and revisions by CatKnitz
February 2000
Fine Cooking, simple ingredients.
From a John Ash recipe in a 2000 issue of Fine Cooking Magazine. (In my house a lot of cooking magazines have come and gone, this one remains.)
Sweet Potatoes with heavy cream and grated horseradish, plus salt and pepper. Sounds weird, but the taste is heavenly. The horseradish becomes sort of "nutty" in flavor but remains reminiscent of its origins, the heavy cream becomes somewhat cheese-y/sweet tasting and the sweet potatoes/yams bring it all together. YUM.
Use horseradish like this: Zakuson Gourmet Horseradish and a flat baking dish like this: CorningWare SimplyLite 2-Quart Oblong Baking Dish. My dish is vintage Corningware and any flat baking dish will do, but if you need something, Corningware is a workhorse which will not break the bank.
Other great cookbooks by this author which I refer to often:
From the Earth to the Table: John Ash’s Wine Country Cuisine
The Wine Lover’s Cookbook: Great Recipes for the Perfect Glass of Wine
Let someone else knit the sock.
Stray Sock Sewing: Making One of a Kind Creatures from Socks
Then make really cute sock toys. These are only a few. Simple, effective, creative results.
My version. A gift for a friend who made my shoulder better.
The view from the back.
Separates
This adorable bunny
(photo from the book)
from Simple Knits for Little Cherubs called the "Velvet Rabbit", by Erika Knight. The bunny pattern was pretty straightforward. All garter stitch. I knit both front and back pieces at the same time to ensure that they were the same size. Same strategy as for sweater sleeves. Also, when you are done, you are done, except for the arms, which are very quick. The ear shaping works quite well.
The instructions for sewing up the bunny don’t seem (no pun intended) as if they will work, but follow them and they do! I’m making another one in Cascade Ecological Wool (a gift for the son of one of my knitting friends).. This one was made using Cascade 220 Superwash since the recipients were busy parents.
Note: The pattern calls for Rowan Fine Chenille, which appears to be somewhere between fingering and DK weight yarn, using needles that are several sizes smaller than normally used for the yarn, (pattern calls for a US 1 needle, yarn recommends US 2-5 needles). So, where I am going with this is: Whatever yarn you choose to make this adorable bunny out of, go down several needle sizes from the recommended needle for the yarn. What this produces is a fabric that is denser and more "velvet-y" (especially if you are using a chenille yarn or cotton yarn), it keeps the stuffing from showing through and helps keep the garter stitch from stretching too much.
Enough said.
And of course, this bib (free pattern)
before photos on the "board". Blocking makes a big difference when you are sewing together pieces that are supposed to be the same size. I bought this one
and it makes all the difference. It folds in half for easy storage and well, you can read about on Webs. Enjoy.
Put them together and you get:
A caterpillar of bibs.
Made for my friends David and Lisa’s new twin boys from various yarns and patterns using my Button Knot Bib Pattern as a template. Some Fibonacci striping (bottom row on the left) going on and a Barbara Walker "String of Purls" pattern (middle row on the left) from A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns. You will recognize the first two patterns from Mason-Dixon Knitting: The Curious Knitters’ Guide: Stories, Patterns, Advice, Opinions, Questions, Answers, Jokes, and Pictures.
Along with the lengthening and warming days comes the thawing of my shoulder. Recently I noticed I couldn’t move my right arm, (my knitting arm!!) with the same range of motion as my other arm. I also was experiencing aching pain. I won’t go on and on but after a visit to my internist and a referral to a physical therapist the diagnosis was: Frozen Shoulder!!!! It turns out it is VERY COMMON in women of "my age"!
My first question to the physical therapist was, " Do I have to give up knitting?" Fortunately, no. But no "hunching" my shoulders so I have to hold my knitting way down in my lap.
All I can say to my fellow knitters is: beware! Read about frozen shoulder here and this book, The Frozen Shoulder Workbook and DVD, Frozen Shoulder are useful, too.
The therapy is slow but I am told the success rate is high and I haven’t stopped knitting!
;-D
First sock! I love the yarn.
This yarn… (click to see details)
I didn’t come to this lightly. I read Knitting Rules!. I watched, Knitting Sock Techniques 1, Lucy Neatby a Knitter’s Companion. Then I watched Knitting Sock Techniques 2, Lucy Neatby a Knitter’s Companion!
It was a cold and rainy afternoon with the fireplace cranked up and a husband working in the other room. (These videos are really good). Lucy Neatby has so many good ideas, tips, techniques, and the video is clear and easy to follow. Watching her use those blunt birch needles (I am a devotee to Knitpicks’ very pointy needles) was something else. And besides, anyone with raspberry and blue hair can’t be anything but GOOD!
It’s amazing how much fun it is to watch someone else knit!! I think my husband thought I was watching grass grow but it reminded me of watching cooking shows ;-D.
I also read Getting Started Knitting Socks, Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles, Socks 101, knitty’s tutorial socks101, and looked at lots of sock patterns.
I purchased the needles, I purchased the yarn, but I just couldn’t get started. Finally I started doing gauge swatches and that took an number of tries (this poor yarn probably got knitted 10 or 15 times before I was satisfied). And then I realized that I didn’t know how to do the long tail cast on (a-r-r-g-g-h) so I had to find a website with a video to show me how to do THAT!!
This one worked for me: http://www.knittingatknoon.com/longtail.html
So, after much reading and thinking and fiddling, I decided to stick with the basics and used Knitting Rules! (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, the Yarn Harlot) basic sock pattern and the fun began…
No knitting today, just laughing. Enjoy!
Medieval helpdesk with English subtitles
I am thinking of starting a new tradition: the Solstice Stocking. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere (especially here at the 47th parallel), we celebrate the winter solstice or midwinter. Midwinter is the day when we have the shortest number of daylight hours, but after that, the days start to get longer . I think we all need a stocking filled with goodies to celebrate the returning of the LIGHT!!! All in the Southern Hemisphere, how about a Summer Solstice Stocking?
Why a stocking, you say? Especially a striped one? Well, another tradition that goes along with this Solstice Stocking could be stash busting! Check out this fabulous looking example my friend Michelle made for her son, Grant, from pieces of Cascade 220 , Cascade Pastaza, and other mystery yarn from her stash and a pattern from the book, Christmas Stockings.
She brought this to our knitting group the other evening and we all went crazy. We couldn’t take our hands off it. It’s big enough to get your hand inside of it (!) and long enough but not tooooo long. Just right.
And, since I (and several others in our group) have yet to knit a sock (!!!) what a great way to learn sock basics than on a really big sock, that doesn’t have to fit and is going to be felted so that any minor mistakes will be somewhat obliterated!
A couple of interesting items to note:
Michelle tells me she knit all the stripes the same width/same number of rows.
As you can see, they didn’t felt the same. Which, actually, I think, adds to the visual interest of the stocking. If (no WHEN) I make my stocking, and if I use all the same yarn, I will vary the widths of the stripes so that the end result is like Michelle’s.
Shaving the finished product made a huge difference in the look. The consensus among the group (and most importantly, from Grant’s point of view) was the shaved look was superior to the fuzzy look. Here are the two sides, you decide.
The Wonder Washer. I just recently read about this product on Craft Gossip, a new site for me. I will be checking this site out for tips. Back to the Wonder Washer, it looks like it might be a good solution for those of us with front loaders that take forever to felt items.
He’s playing soccer now, but come December 21st, he will be looking in his stocking to see what the Solstice has brought him.
