Summer in a Jar

I have my eyes on some classes... not knitting this time. I have yet to do any canning in a wet bath. I have all the tools. I have had them forever. I figured I would get around to it sometime. Well here is my chance...

We Can Pickle That

August 6th, 2013 5:30 PM   through   8:30 PM

Harmons City Creek
135 E 100 S
Cafe Level Cooking School
Salt Lake City, UT -UT

Relish Your Garden

August 27th, 2013 5:30 PM   through   8:30 PM

Harmons City Creek

135 E 100 S
Cafe Level Cooking School
Salt Lake City, UT -UT

Tomatoes Redux

September 24th, 2013 5:30 PM   through   8:30 PM

Harmons City Creek
135 E 100 S
Cafe Level Cooking School
Salt Lake City, UT -UT

Growth

Summer check-in. We have worked, planted, traveled, knit, baked, read, laughed, cried, and more. Doodle is saying so many words now I can't possibly list them all. His favorite word is blue.

I have 4 projects that are in my knitting bag. My main priority is a gift so no details. It is a big project and I have a fast approaching deadline. Second up is Insouciant. I still have a bit to do and the short sleeves. Then a shawl called Rushing Tide. It was a project from a class that had the best information about fixing mistakes in lace! And the fourth item is also a gift. It is sad how long it has taken me. Summer time is not a productive knitting time for me. I spend 99% of my time outside. This picture is from a bit ago, I am almost half way through the next lace section. Just trucking along slowly...

So that 99% outside has all been for good. The garden is not looking too shabby. Some of the raspberries, strawberries, snap peas, and lettuce that I have already harvested. Carrots, potatoes, collard, blueberries, aparagus, cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, pumpkins, and watermelons are all going strong. I cannot wait until we have everything ripe at the same time.

We have traveled north to my stomping grounds twice now. I love getting to visit with my gram and mom. Doodle does pretty good in the car even though it is a long drive. We have enjoyed pork chops, butterscotch malts, huckleberry smoothies, the best chai in the world at the Leaf & Bean, time for all of us at a really fun Children's Museum, and a much needed couple weekends of fun. And nothing beats the view of the Big Sky Mountains as you drive east on I-90 to Bozeman.

The 'hood is having a party this weekend. We decided that a ice cream social was in order. I am hoping to make maple ginger (the best recipe from Kate Zuckerman's The Sweet Life) and a double batch of milk chocolate (from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home) with mini marshmallows. We asked everyone to bring a pint and then we will have everything else. Candy, cookies, sprinkles, caramel, chocolate, everything! I am so excited!

Alan even made me these sweet acrylic cone stands for displaying treats. Totally DIY. $1.56 for a piece of acrylic and just drill holes to fit the cones. Then a heat gun to warm up and bend the edges. Sweet!

Vacation, all I ever wanted...

Wow, where does the time go?! I keep thinking I will get to 'that' tomorrow and well, weeks go by...

I have been up to just about everything. Knitting, baking, cooking, parties, visiting, road trippin', and loads of eating!

I started a sock class on Tuesday. It is an easy sock pattern and I decided on Madelinetosh Tosh Vintage in the William Morris colorway. As Morris is my last name it only seemed appropriate! This picture does not do the colorway justice, it is a lovely red-brown with notes of lavender and teal. I realized I have been knitting for 10 years and not once have I made socks. Yep, in 2003 I met a nice lady at my first job out of college and she sort of taught me to knit. Knit badly and she didn't know how to 'stop' or bind off as I later learned. I ended up righting myself with books, other classes, and many scarves later. :)

I also took a class on magic loop and it really is magic! I am working on these socks two at a time!!! When I finish one, I will finish the other!!! Sorry, the magics have overwhelmed me.

So the majority of my time as of late has been taken up by my wittle baby sissy coming to visit. She is not like me. She hunts with bow and arrow (not for sport but for actual food), she fishes, and has gun(s). I asked her what she wanted for her birthday one year and she said "a new pistol." I sent her flowers. She is the mother of my wonderful nephews and married to the coolest guy (EB).

They came to Salt Lake all the way from Ranchester, Wyoming and then we all went in one car to St. George. It was a hoot! Hikes, ribs, ice cream, and sun. Then we came back to SL for some more food and fun. Corned beef and cabbage, the zoo, and yogurt. The food was tasty and tiny guy had all his cousins in one place.

Picture bomb now and more on Mardi Gras in March later...

Seams, bits, and pieces

I have knit all the pieces of the sweater. All that is left is the class on Sunday where I think we will pick up stitches to knit the collar. YAY!!!!! It isn't perfect but it turned out pretty good.

I am working on seaming all the pieces together, this page on seaming is helpful.

I have a couple of classes coming up, magic loop and a sock class. I have a couple of hive hats and a gift on the needles still.

And in baking news, I think I will make a batch of Roma's cookies, I just got the cutest cookie cutter in the mail from Fancy Flours.

Row, row, row your... sweater

The second class for the sweater I'm working on is Sunday. I've 25 more rows and my home work is finished. I think we will be learning to graph the armholes or something on Sunday. The picture is of the back piece and the two front pieces.

It has been hard knitting because everyone in the house is under the weather. Coughing, sore throats, runny noses... Blah. Just when we were over the awful colds we had in December. Thank goodness for the weekend.

2013 and Off the Needles

I forgot to wish ya'll a happy new year! We managed to stay up and ring in the new year with hats, noise makers, and neighborhood fireworks. Frankie liked the fireworks but hated the noise makers.

Off the needles... I've finished a couple of fun projects. First is from a class I took at Blazing Needles, the City Creek Cowl. It was fun to work cables, I haven't in a while. I even tried cabling without a cable needle.
The yarn, Swans Island Natural Colors Merino Worsted, is organic, naturally dyed, and super squishy soft.The purple is my attempt to expand my wardrobe colors. It is the perfect accessory for the snow and cold weather we are experiencing.

The second project was just a quick knit to escape from the never ending baby sweater that I've been working on for Frankie. Alan got a new jacket for Christmas so I thought I would knit him a new hat. The Hive Hat looks fun, is quick, and I had yarn that would work in my stash. Plus, who doesn't love a free pattern! I love, love, love this hat and I plan on making one for myself and one for anyone who wants one!

Off the needles...

This project was so quick it was barely on the needles! This hat, Tuft Love, took less than 3 hours. I used 1 skein each of Shibui Knits Baby Alpaca Dk and Shibui Knits Baby Alpaca Dk in Blush. I love it and the best part is the huge pom! And doesn't it look like  recent item in the Anthropologie catalog?!

Off the needles

I finished this a while ago but still don't have very good pictures. I took a class at Blazing Needles for this and it was really fun. The sweater turned out really great. I'm sad that little man won't be able to wear it long because he is growing so fast.

This picture was taken at Brighton. We wandered around and even got to see a baby porcupine wander around too. It was super cute. 

The sweater pattern is Baby Sophisticate. The yarn is superb and I'd knit everything with it if I could, Tosh Vintage by madelinetosh in the colorway Cove. This took a skein and another quarter of one and it is the large size.

We are here just trying to get over a rash of colds. And we are also packing. Little man is about to fly for the first time. Alan and I are excited and nervous. We are packing for warmer weather. Scotty watch out, here we come!

Oh Martha...

I noticed this project in an old Martha Stewart magazine. I tore out the page so I can't be sure which month but I think it was last September. Anyway, here is what you need:

1. Spray the tiles the color you want your lace to be first. I chose Lagoon. Wait 20 or so minutes until dry. If you want your tile color to show through as your lace color then skip this step and proceed.

2. Spray the lace bit with spray adhesive and place on tile. Use tweezers to fiddle with lace to get it straight.

3. Spray over the lace with your next color. I went with matte gold. Wait at least 3 minutes before you remove your lace piece. I found I could reuse the lace with spray adhesive 4 times before it got 'blurry.' Let dry 20 or so minutes before moving.

4. I found some rubber feet to put on the bottom of the tiles so they won't scratch furniture. I am betting you could use cork or large felt pieces too.

Enjoy your new tiles!