Sunday, January 26, 2014

Grazing......


I received my first Graze Box this week.  So excited.  There are you many yummy choices and great for the afternoon at work.












Sock it to me.  LOL  
TheKnittingSarah has a group and they are doing Socks with Sarah.  

Join me in this KAL where we strive to get ourselves in the routine of incorporating sock knitting into our everyday lives. Knit as much or as little as you want each day, knit 1 pair of socks for the year or 12 - the goal here is not speed, but making sock knitting a daily presence in your life.
KAL dates: January 15, 2014 - January 14, 2015

So far, I have touched socks every day.  There was a day or two where it was only a row, but I did work on sock.  This week I finished my Lovin Lollipop Stripes.  A simple rib pattern.  And knitting with a friend at work during lunch working on stitch surfers.





We had a couple of inches of snow this week and some gorgeous weather into the 60's.  Expecting snow again next week.


Spinning class was awesome.  Homework last week was to make singles and we played with various ways to ply.  




The exciting tip of the week.....
When the bobbins stops spinning on the Lendrum when plying, twist the brake band.

Went to My Sister Knits for the Tiny Owl Trunk Show.  So Awesome




Then went over to Your Daily Fiber for a KAL.  We are making Forest Path Stole.  So exciting to see the various yarns the girls picked.  AND They have new yarn in...... I'm thinking colorwork.







Sunday, January 19, 2014

Tink, Tink, Tink

Spent as much time tinking as knitting this week.
Color affection - knit a row in the wrong color.
Stitch Surfers - went way past were heel should be
Pill Box Hat - too large, started over
Stripy sock - made a short row heel (no gusset) too short, so went back for afterthought.
Shawl Collard Cowl - Skipped a few repeats because running out of yarn = cowl too short.

It is good practice  :)


Stitch Surfer


Pill Box Hat







Shawl Collard Cowl



Not sure what pattern I will use for the Plucky Pink.  I really love the Shawl Collard Cowl, but 165 yard was just not quite enough (for me).  LOVE the color.  Back to the drawing board. 


I was very surprised and please that the hat with the handspun was turning out so well. The yarn is VERY thick and thin and less than perfect, but knitting really hides the imperfections.  It will become a Pill Box Hat knit from the top down (incase I start running out of yarn).

Spinning class this week was awesome.  My big takeaway (in my simplified words)...

Short staple length - Long draw
Long staple length - Short draw

We learned Long draw and English or double long draw.
We also played with cross lacing the bobbin for VERY fine yarn.

Homework for this week.  Spin singles for plying next week.


Cross lacing
Homework



Castonitis continues.....
Cast on a pair of socks in Lollipop Yarns - Gimme Some Lovin
and  
Endpaper Mitts by Eunny Jang with Koigu (and a little feline assistance)


 



















My son is so awesome.  He made the cutest salt and pepper shakers for me.
One is the cat Tori and the other is the dog Pumpkin.




Made two new recipes this week.
Browned boneless skinless chicken breast and poured Butter Chicken Sauce over it and simmered a bit to thicken sauce and poured over rice.  Fast and delicious.



Thank you Koren for the following recipe.   Delicious.

Spicy Delicious Chick Peas
5 Tbs vegetable oil 
2 medium brown onions, finely chopped 
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
1 Tbs ground coriander seeds 
2 tsp ground cumin seeds 
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 
1 tsp ground turmeric 
1 peeled and chopped tomato (fresh or tinned) 
2 1/2 15-oz tins chick peas (drained) or 1 1/2 lb home-cooked chick peas 
2 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds 
1 Tbs ground amchoor (I use a bit of extra lemon juice instead) 
1 tsp garam masala 
Salt to taste 
1 Tbs lemon juice 
1 fresh hot green chilli, finely chopped (use as much or little as you want) 
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
Heat the oil in a wide pot, and fry the onions and garlic on medium heat until they are a medium brown colour. Turn the heat down a bit and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne and turmeric. Stir for a few seconds and add the tomato. Stir and fry until the tomato is soft and well mixed with the spice mixture. Add the chick peas, 1c water and the remaining ingredients apart from the chilli and ginger. Bring to the simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the chilli and ginger and cook for another 30 seconds. Ready to eat (but even better the next day)!






Sunday, January 12, 2014

Off and Running

Spent a few hours and went through and organized some of my stash.  It is exciting and helpful.  Would like to organize the rest, but at least it is started.  

The year is off to an exciting start.  I signed up for a spinning 2 class with Maggie Casey.  The first class was awesome.  We were experimenting with spinning worsted and the affects of tension and ratios.  We also played with combs.  
Homework was to spin singles that were 
1) greater than 25 wpi 
2) 20 wpi and 
3) 10 wpi 

I must admit the 10 wpi was much harder than I was expecting and I was expecting it to be a challenge.







With practice and an art batt, finally achieved thick(er) yarn.  140 yards / 86 g / 2-ply




I also signed up for a knitting class in February and a weaving class in March.
The knitting class is on Orenburg lace.  Kadril Scarf with Galina Khmeleva which will be followed by The Lace Knitters of Orenburg and Their Craft trunk show.  
The weaving class is Forward with Four.  

Had a bit of cast-on-itis.  Finally cast on Girasole by Jared Flood.  I had the pattern printed and yarn purchased for more than two years.  I am loving it and wondering what took me so long to cast on.


I also cast on Shawl Collared Cowl by Alana Dakos
It was a super fast knit and is such an awesome color.  
It is currently waiting for a spa appointment. 


Spent some time reviewing my UFO's  I signed up for a Finish it or Frog it last January.
Started with 24 items.  
10 were frogged and 4 were finished.  There are still  10 items remaining.  

One of the items on the list was frogged and I restarted a new pattern.  A linen stitch really shows off the yarn.  (The first several attempts were less than successful)


Color Affection is a project I really want to make.  I have purchased several sets of yarn to make it and even fiber to spin for it.   I was able to grab two skeins of Plucky at the IG update.  After receiving the Noisette (rust) and a one hit wonder (grey) I went to the Ravelry group and found Technicolor Teal for destash.  It really is a fast knit since it is all garter.
 

Star Trekkie arrived and it is so pretty.
Also received November/December Bee Mice Elf Club.  It is a beautiful BFL/silk


 
 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy New Year

Wishing you all the best in the New Year.

In 2013 I had wonderful crafting adventures.  I was fortunate enough to go to Spring Fling in April and Taos in October.  Learned to weave in the fall.  Taught several spinning and knitting classes.  Took Maggie's beginning spinning and what a difference that made.  Participated in Tour de Fleece and Spinzilla.  The year end totals - Knit 13,572 yards and Spun 16,584 yards.  What a HUGE difference in my spinning.  I was also luck enough to get into three fiber clubs - BeeMiceElf, Southern Cross Fibre and Hello Yarn.

I had a goal of 12 stripy sock and completely failed.  Only made three pair, however, I was able to make 12 shawls.  Out of the Twelve shawls, four were handspun.  Maybe if I set the goal of 12 shawls this year, I will complete the socks.  LOL

I am so grateful for all my crafty and Ravelry friends.  They are truly awesome.  Thank you!!!

Kicking the new year off, Hung out with the Romi Studios group and the first FO of 2014 is the Fairy SnowCap by Rosemary (Romi) Hill in Malabrigo Worsted.  It is not blocked yet and I haven't made the PomPom, but it is bound off.  WooHoo.


This year I will be hosting the Designer SKAL in the Spin A Shawl group.  http://www.ravelry.com/groups/spin-a-shawl
I am very excited.  There are four AMAZING designers lined up.

We kicked off the January - March SKAL with Aquamarine by Ágnes Kutas-Keresztes
Her shawl is amazing


I knit the shawl with Handspun.  Southern Cross Fibre Polwarth in Timeless and Quarry.

 

After the epic fail for the last two years on goals, I decided not to set them this year.  For some reason, when there is a goal, I want to do everything except that.  So, I am going to be nice to myself and just enjoy crafting.


Hop your new year is filled with all the happiness life has to offer.