iMagiNe cReAtiVe nAme hERe

Fiberarts fieldtrip in the works...

How fabby is this... I'm going on a fiberarts fieldtrip to a friend's sheep farm! She's going to show me how to process wool. I am so excited to see spinning & weaving close up! She has an enormous loom that resides in this spectacular glass-walled room. I've been to her home before, but that was before I was a knitter so my appreciation for these things was not even a tenth of what it is now. Plans are in the works for Jan. 19 so dh can be home with the kiddos (he's off from work that day). One fussy baby has put a serious cramp in my knitting. Mr. Timothy is teething and wants mama to hold him non-stop. Help! I need reinforcements! (that's dh!) Can't wait for dance class tomorrow for my knitting time! Happy weekend knitting to all!

Overdue photo & BookCrossing...

Whoops, forgot all about posting the photo of my finished Rowan Cork WHO scarf!
I LOVE this scarf! It's from the Rowan: The Cork Collection which is loaded with other patterns I want to make (like the ELSIE Hat in a color to match the scarf). I used five colors instead of ten (originally got the yarn at 50% off too). I really enjoyed working with the cork yarn and have loved wearing this scarf.

Didn't get to knit a single stitch yesterday

. These three kiddos are keeping me hopping this week. I can't believe it's already Thursday!!! (Yes, Lydia keeps asking me if I've finished the legwarmers! I reply by asking if she likes to eat and have clean clothes...)

Amanda over at etc. is getting me back into BookCrossing again. She's sending me a book from her bookcrossing bookshelf. Thanks again, Amanda! I joined BookCrossing the summer of 2002 (yep , the same summer I learned to knit!) when I first heard about it and then found my first book that fall. As I told Amanda, I was fired up about going through my books and liberating a few for BookCrossing but, alas, a move and a new baby have intervened. Must get on this project again while the cleaning and organizing bug is here. Do I dare reveal my screen name? I bet Kerstin would like it! Any other knitblogging bookcrossers out there??

cleaning & organizing jag

The organizing bug hit this morning! The girls and I have been cleaning and going crazy with throwing stuff out-hurrah! When this particular bug hits (which is admittedly not often), I just have to go with it. Lots of interesting stuff shows up at times like this, such as the millions of broken crayons that we've found all over (and under!) the house. What to do with all these crayons??? Well, here's a neato idea: Molded Multi-colored Crayons. We're going to try this after we get all the paper wrappers off the darn things. I have some cute sunflower candy molds that we're going to use. These should be fun for the girls to use at their new easel that daddy made for them for Christmas.

Made multigrain waffles with blueberry syrup for lunch today-yummy! I always double the recipe and freeze the rest to reheat in the toaster for quickie breakfasts. I used strawberry yogurt instead of plain and the kiddos loved it! This is a "tried and true" recipe at our house. Another tried and true for dinner: Simply Sensational Skillet Lasagna (using turkey sausage). I swear I'm addicted to this recipe! I must make this every week. Glad the whole family likes it.

Knitting...
Finished the headband for the Mariko Wannabe Bucket last night. I started picking up the stitches but didn't get too far. That Fizz is the dickens to pick up! Hopefully I'll have time to work on it tonight while watching my gilmore girls!

Made some changes to the blog layout. Now I have my very own "real" blog roll! It's too much fun to go around blogrolling (easily amused here, no?) fellow knitbloggers.

edited 7/16/05 to note: The link to Multigrain Waffles is no longer valid so here is the recipe:

 

Multigrain Pancakes

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: March 1997 PAGE: 48

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup quick-cooking oats

2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup 2% milk

1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large egg

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

A high-carb, low-fat breakfast will give you plenty of energy to hit the

slopes without weighing you down like a fat-heavy meal of bacon and eggs.

(Recipe by Steven Petusevsky)

1. Combine first 7 ingredients; stir well. Combine remaining ingredients; stir

well. Add to flour mixture, stirring until smooth.  

2. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle or

nonstick skillet. Turn pancakes when tops are covered with bubbles and edges

look cooked. Serve with maple syrup and low-fat granola, if desired. Yield: 4

servings (serving size: 3 pancakes).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

CALORIES 82 (25% from fat); FAT 2.3g (sat 0.6g, mono 0.7g, poly 0.7g); PROTEIN

3.1g; CARB 12.7g; FIBER 1.1g; CHOL 20mg; IRON 0.7mg; SODIUM 118mg; CALC 75mg

 

Mariko Wannabe in progress...

I was able to start my Mariko Wannabe Bucket 'O Chic this weekend. I'm using Lamb's Pride in sun yellow and Fizz in floral as modeled by Taylor the cat below.

I swatched and started the headband on Friday night and then got to work on it more while waiting for the girls' at dance class (a whole hour of uninterrupted knitting!). I'm using US7 Denise circulars.
I'm almost done with the headband.
Here's a close up of the two together. I really like how it's turning out!

Finally settled on a legwarmer pattern for my little dancers. It's the pattern in Weekend Knits. I have some pink Plymouth Encore to use for it (at least the first pair). I'm going to use my Brittany Birch dpns US7 for these. Need to get started today so Lydia (4) will stop nagging me. ;) She loves her dance class and is excited about the leg warmers. She has no idea how very trendy she will be sporting them on her long legs (long for a 4 year old that is!). Thanks to Kerrie for reminding me about legwarmers when she blogged about her new pair a few days ago.

Knitblogs-R-Us...

I am so totally addicted to this knitblog ring! I love cruising around seeing all the cool projects that are being knit! My "want to knit this" list just keeps growing and growing with every click! During my first visit to Betsy's blog yesterday, I was reminded of Sally Melville's Einstein Coat that I want to knit someday. When I stopped at Alison's blog, I admired her new kitty and recalled the dim sum and eggroll patterns from knitty that I wanted to make for my kitties. Oh, that there were more hours in the day! Maybe when all the kids are in college, ehh?!

The small purse finished drying and still looks adorable. This photo doesn't do it justice. It's just too cute! I need to de-fuzz it a tad still.

In my effort to get some lingering WIPs out of the way, I finished up the Reverse Bloom Washcloth last night. The end result was fine but I flubbed a decrease somewhere (let’s blame them on the current illness, shall we?) which made the bloom part a bit wonky. After throwing it in the 'washndry', it did improve the wonkiness a tad but it still won't lay completely flat. My girls were both oohing and ahhing over it (remember they're 3 & 4 and are easily impressed). I really do like this pattern, enjoyed knitting it, and will definitely make more washcloths BUT I want to use Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille next time.

Finally got around to making the recipe for Cranberry Banana Bread that Loose Ends Melissa posted on her blog in November. I still can't taste a darn thing, but my girls said it was "the best you've ever made, Mama!" Thanks again for posting that recipe, Melissa!

Happy weekend knitting, everyone!

edited 7/16/05 to note: The link to the Cranberry Banana Bread is no longer valid, sp here is the recipe:

from Wilson's Farm in Lexington, MA

Cranberry Banana Bread

1/4 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C mashed banana
1 C coarsely chopped cranberries
1/4 C water
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs with an electric mixer. Stir in banana, cranberries, water and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir the dry ingredients into the batter. Place in greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 55 min or until done.

 

My first felted knit...

Ta da...

I am so excited about this purse!!!! I am so please with how it has turned out! The felting took about 20 minutes. My girls are clamoring for me to start their purses now. For anyone who hasn't felted yet, this is a very easy first project. It only takes one skein of Galway wool. You can find the pattern info here, & it's P285.

Here's a photo of Lydia modeling the Gusto 10 hat. She's got her new Hello Kitty jammies on too. My girls are big Hello Kitty fans with Grammy being their supplier.

That's all I've accomplished since my last entry. I've spent the majority of my time sleeping and taking it easy trying to rid myself of this sinus yuck. I missed the midnight revelry last night since I was asleep my 9 PM, but I am beginning to feel human again. I did finish reading Knitting Lessons (enjoyed it but liked Knit Lit better. Nargi's vignettes about her swatching weren't as compelling to me as the portions about the knitters she interviewed.), Auntie Mame (fabulous, darling!), & Stitch 'n Bitch (loved it!).

Happy 2004 everyone!