Martha trumped by NYT.
Forgot to mention that I did this with 1/3 whole wheat flour. It makes great crackling noises when you take it from the oven. Very festive.
1.23.2007
1.22.2007
Domestic Bliss
Oooh! So this is what a day "off" is like.
After checking email and dealing with a couple of work issues:
Bake the bread that had been rising since yesterday.
The Martha Stewart "No Knead Bread".
I had sworn her off following an unfortunate chestnut incident a couple years ago but was seduced by the simplicity.
Will report after dinner tonight. :-)
On to yogurt. Was given a yogurt maker by the ever marvelous (and often mentioned) Miss Julie. Making plain unsweetened but threw in a vanilla bean for kicks and giggles.
The Baby Bistro Cookbook has the world's best pancake recipe requiring plain yogurt. We're like chipmunks who made it into the house - never going back to the perilously bland world of uninspiring pancake mix.
I can't say enough good things about this cookbook. I attribute Z's dietary range to this resource. Yes, he goes through normal 3 yr old "I don't like broccoli" days but for the most part he does great.
One of my yogurt goals (yes, I'm just that special kind of cooking geek) is to make greek yogurt. Looked at recipes today and think I'll give it a shot later this week.
Finished another dishcloth for my swap with Karla. It's a little too big (and our deadline isn't until end of March) so I'm keeping this one. Good experiment. Like the pattern (King Charles Brocade) but need to scale down and pay better attention to the transitions. I've got a couple little holes from not keeping the yarn taut as I transititioned knit to purl and back.
Last, but certainly not least, a fantastic christmas present from my dear brother - three different fabrics for my crafting and sewing.
I really love so many things about this gift. Mostly I love it that it's from him, whom I hold so dear. I sent him sausage. Hope it's good.
There are bacon people and there are sausage people. We are sausage.
Ask yourself the same question between apple pie and peach pie and let me know on which side you fall.
In the end doesn't it all come down to pies and cured meat products?
After checking email and dealing with a couple of work issues:
Bake the bread that had been rising since yesterday.
The Martha Stewart "No Knead Bread".
I had sworn her off following an unfortunate chestnut incident a couple years ago but was seduced by the simplicity.
Will report after dinner tonight. :-)
On to yogurt. Was given a yogurt maker by the ever marvelous (and often mentioned) Miss Julie. Making plain unsweetened but threw in a vanilla bean for kicks and giggles.
The Baby Bistro Cookbook has the world's best pancake recipe requiring plain yogurt. We're like chipmunks who made it into the house - never going back to the perilously bland world of uninspiring pancake mix.
I can't say enough good things about this cookbook. I attribute Z's dietary range to this resource. Yes, he goes through normal 3 yr old "I don't like broccoli" days but for the most part he does great.
One of my yogurt goals (yes, I'm just that special kind of cooking geek) is to make greek yogurt. Looked at recipes today and think I'll give it a shot later this week.
Finished another dishcloth for my swap with Karla. It's a little too big (and our deadline isn't until end of March) so I'm keeping this one. Good experiment. Like the pattern (King Charles Brocade) but need to scale down and pay better attention to the transitions. I've got a couple little holes from not keeping the yarn taut as I transititioned knit to purl and back.
Last, but certainly not least, a fantastic christmas present from my dear brother - three different fabrics for my crafting and sewing.
I really love so many things about this gift. Mostly I love it that it's from him, whom I hold so dear. I sent him sausage. Hope it's good.
There are bacon people and there are sausage people. We are sausage.
Ask yourself the same question between apple pie and peach pie and let me know on which side you fall.
In the end doesn't it all come down to pies and cured meat products?
1.14.2007
Knitting away
Yarn of the month yarns for January all swatched out.
My favorite, by far, is the Bly Sky Alpaca Organic Cotton. Insanely soft. Hoping to make a stuffed animal for Z for his birthday out of that one. Projected gauge was 4 st/inch but I actually knit it at 3.5 st/inch on the recommended US 8 needles.
Next, in order of preference, is the O-Wool classic from Vermont Organic Fiber Co. Nice stictch definition and not itchy (by the hold the swatch against your neck method). If you're looking to stick with organics it's a the all-purpose flour. But nothing extraordinary.
The other two - 2ply by Imperial Stock Ranch and Worsted WEight by Carodan Farms - are admirable for their ethics but too brittle for my taste.
The entire exercize of knitting the watches was great and I look forward to future months. The goal is to actually use the yarns I like. With you as my witness, I will locate a pattern for the Blue Sky yarn and knit from it.
Finished a pair of the "International Socks of Doom" for myself out of the exquisite Lorna's Laces DK. Heaven.
A dishcloth for Karla, the first of three. I loved the one she sent me for our Swapbot Dishcloth Swap so much that I emailed asking if we could do a little mini-swap. Subsequently discovered she was, unfortunately, stiffed by her partner. Shame shame shame. I hope to make it up to her starting with my old standard. Plans to branch out and try some other patterns for the other two. Any suggestions?
1.05.2007
YOTM - January 2007
Containing (clockwise from bottom left):
1) O-Wool Classic by Vermont Organic Fiber Company
100% Organic Merino Wool
(198 yards, Color 2301, 4.5 sts/inch on US 8)
2) 2Ply by Imperial Stock Ranch
100% Columbia Wool
(200 yards, Color 65, 4.5 sts/inch on US 8)
3) Organic Cotton by Blue Sky Alpacas
100% Organic Cotton
(150 yards, Color 83, 4.5 sts/inch on US 8)
4) Worsted Weight by Carodan Farms
100% Wool
(200 yards, Color Bracken, 4 sts/inch on US 8)
And... a newsletter and pattern for a vest (which I won't make, but may take the pattern for a dishcloth :-)
Just enough to make 4 - 4x4" gauge swatches. Thanks Miss Julie!!!
BTW - Reading through these websites I've learned that
"Sheep evolved in the Pleistocene era!" Who knew?
1.04.2007
Unveiling
Welcome to the New Year.
There's a lot of debate about the "Resolutions" issue.
I am of two minds.
On one hand, it does diminish the potential for change on the remaining 364 days of the year.
On the other, removing day 1 from the 365 pool seems arbitrary and limiting.
Minds and hands aside, I resolve to:
1) Listen more
2) Consume less and more wisely
3) Take better care of the physical selves of my family and myself
4) Resolutely search for and adopt constructive resolutions
Voila! (or viola, as the case may be :-)
Illumination of some gifts that were created and given. Knit from a vintage mitten pattern, so fast and simple. A pair of snow white mittens for my lovely soon-to-be 3 year old.
One of his favorite books is "The Mitten" written by Jan Brett. Such a lovely story. Be sure to read her letter about making the book.
Whenever Z would see me knitting he would ask if I was making some snow white mittens for him "just like Nicky's". How could I not?
A love letter for his mitts. Keep toasty dear short one.
These are of the glorious Lorna's Laces Shepherds Socks.
A pair each for Z and his magnificent Miss Julie, godmother extraordinaire. They are knit from Camouflage - appropriate as she and I anticipate a little Turkey hunting this year. Gobble Gobble. We missed the registration deadline for Spring Season so we have plenty of time to get educated.
These fit so perfectly with the light ribbing across the top of the foot.
Also received some exceptionally fantastic gifties. More on that next time.
There's a lot of debate about the "Resolutions" issue.
I am of two minds.
On one hand, it does diminish the potential for change on the remaining 364 days of the year.
On the other, removing day 1 from the 365 pool seems arbitrary and limiting.
Minds and hands aside, I resolve to:
1) Listen more
2) Consume less and more wisely
3) Take better care of the physical selves of my family and myself
4) Resolutely search for and adopt constructive resolutions
Voila! (or viola, as the case may be :-)
Illumination of some gifts that were created and given. Knit from a vintage mitten pattern, so fast and simple. A pair of snow white mittens for my lovely soon-to-be 3 year old.
One of his favorite books is "The Mitten" written by Jan Brett. Such a lovely story. Be sure to read her letter about making the book.
Whenever Z would see me knitting he would ask if I was making some snow white mittens for him "just like Nicky's". How could I not?
A love letter for his mitts. Keep toasty dear short one.
These are of the glorious Lorna's Laces Shepherds Socks.
A pair each for Z and his magnificent Miss Julie, godmother extraordinaire. They are knit from Camouflage - appropriate as she and I anticipate a little Turkey hunting this year. Gobble Gobble. We missed the registration deadline for Spring Season so we have plenty of time to get educated.
These fit so perfectly with the light ribbing across the top of the foot.
Also received some exceptionally fantastic gifties. More on that next time.
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