Author: mud&string

Mother, daughter, wife, grandma, friend, animal lover, potter, knitter, Catholic and finally, retiree. Will work for yarn and/or clay and tend to geek out on any and all the above at the drop of a hat, provoking glazed expressions from family and anyone I can buttonhole after hello.
Knitting

The one where the Scarf in

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a Scarf is ready for her close-up, Mr. DeMille.  This pic shows just one of the several ways this scarf can be worn, today, this one’s my favorite.  I have a feeling that this scarf is going to be getting a lot wear time.  I’ll try to remember to get pics posted of all the different ways this scarf can be worn, if I can figure them out.  Maybe I need to drop in at Yarn Mart for some suggestions – ooh, is that a new colorway over there and, look, there’s something sparkly over there.  Yeah, I think a trip to YM is in order.  These pics are not so great, my usual spot was out of commission and I had to wing it in my office.

The two scarves apart –

and together –

Simple garter stitch scarf with buttonholes every 18 rows or so.  Looks a lot more complicated than it really is.   I love that!

BTW, my prediction about the cinnamon rolls was right on.  When I got home from work this evening, Mr. Iknit was chowing down on the last one.  I’ll be baking these again, I have a feeling.

Knowledge is the only instrument of production that is not subject to diminishing returns.  John Maurice Clarke

B.

Knitting

The one where she figures out

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that she really doesn’t like using the dough hook on her Kitchenaid and doesn’t plan to ever use it again.  Here’s why:

I rely on how the dough I’m kneading feels to know when it’s ready to rest and rise.  Since using the dough hook instead of by hand took the “feel” away, the dough was way overkneaded and so the texture of the cinnamon rolls left something to be desired.  Fortunately, they’re delicious and since the family has never let a little think like texture stand in the way of enjoyment, they’ll probably be gone by tomorrow morning at the latest.  They’re also quite ugly, no food stylist here, but again, they’re tasty.  See what I mean?

I made lentil soup today.  I’d never had lentils, had just about every type of bean besides those, being from the south, but they were good.  It was a vegetarian recipe, which was a departure for me, but turned out well.  A keeper I’m pretty sure.

When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth.  George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950

B.

Knitting

The one where she shows off

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her first Friday FO – ta da!!!

Here’s one a little closer –

CEY Libery Wool color #7898, 5 skeins, Molly scarf.

Still plugging on with the Scarf in a Scarf, should be finished by tomorrow afternoon at the latest.  It’s taking longer than I thought it would, I didn’t figure in the “kind of boring” factor.  Row after row of knit stitch, interrupted every 17 rows by a buttonhole. 

I’m planning on making sourdough bread tomorrow.  I’ve gotten the starter out, warmed and fed.  Making sourdough is a two day project if you count the warming and feeding stages.  You can’t rush sourdough!

The test if a vocation is the love of the drudgery it involves.  Logan Pearsall Smith (1985 – 1946

B.

Knitting

The one where she

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posts her first WIP Wednesday project.  Looky looky – it’s half a leg warmer!

The people I work with can’t figure out why I keep taking pictures of knitting.  I think it just confirms their suspicion that I may be a little odd.  (something I cultivate).  YB normal, right?

Random Quote:  An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.  Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Knitting

The one where she makes good her threat

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to post a pic of the Lovely Leaf Lace scarf.  I ended up taking the camera with me to work today since I really don’t have a great place to take pictures.  At home, if my stash isn’t trying to ooze into the background, there’s a dustbunny just waiting in the wings for her big break.  So, the camera got a field trip today.  Here it is

About that resolution I made to blog everyday, I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen.  I obviously overestimated my desire to sit down at a computer after work and think of something to blog.  If it happens every day, fine; but if not, that’s fine too.  I’m pretty sure the world will continue spinning on it’s axis if I miss a day.

Quote:  The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious.  Albert Einstein

B,

Knitting

Running behind

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Didn’t get things posted as I planned.  Been doing some research about blogs – what makes a good blog, what doesn’t make a good blog and increasing my reader base.  I had no idea how much goes into a good blog.  How does Yarn Harlot do it?  I’m excited to be able to get into blogging, wanting to blog to the best of my ability.  It’s an adventure.  All these things to explore.

Here’s a peek at the Lovely Leaf Lace scarf stitch pattern up close –

Very nice in my opinion.

Question:  Who wrote the book of love?

B.

Knitting

Saturday Start

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Leaf Scarf blocking, looking good.  Started Cabled Legwarmers from Knitpicks, Plymouth Yarn Encore, color 0240, a soft gray.  Love the legwarmer look, I hope it loves me back.  Here’s a peek –

No baking done today, knitting and blocking instead.  Brownies tomorrow, along with getting ready for a home group meeting at 5 p.m. and hopefully going over some stepwork for my sponsee.  Can’t put those off any longer.  Neither one is difficult, I’ve just been procrastinating.  If I would get started, it would only take an hour at the most.  I’m doing them – tomorrow.

Busy hands are happy hands.

Knitting

Happy Friday

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Down to weaving in ends and kitchenering halves of scarf together, called, btw Lovely Leaf Lace Scarf by Joelle Hoverson.  After all is said and done, I have just enough of Twinkle left over to put it together.  Tomorrow I block and hopefully will get some pics up.  Even before blocking it’s really pretty, so I expect great things tomorrow.  I have a mild case of startitis and have decided that I cannot make it one more day without a pair of cabled legwarmers so tomorrow, I will commence the hunt for the perfect pattern and then the perfect yarn. 

Since the weather has turned so cold, I’ve been wanting to make soup; today I fixed a really tasty (if I do say so myself) chicken and corn with orzo.  Can’t beat hot soup on a cold day.

Tomorrow is baking day, probably something chocolate.  I’m thinking brownies, but cookies are a strong contender.  Who knows, maybe both.  

Heard at a meeting:  It’s either a lesson or a blessin’.  

B.

Knitting

Who Knew?

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Nearly finished with Leaf Lace Scarf.  It has a name, I got it off Rav, will look it  up tomorrow and post the real name.  It’s turned out well so far and the huge tragedy that I thought was going to happen didn’t.  This is what happened.  I thought I was going to run out of yarn (Twinkle Handknits, Cruise, color 36 – mauve), could have sworn I had more, but couldn’t find any.  I was about to bite the bullet and send out an APB on Ravelry to find enough to finish when, as I was cleaning out my bag today, I found a skein.  Who woulda thunk it, that it was actually where it should have been.  I jumped for joy – Yay bag, yay Twinkle.  Here’s what I have so far:

Close up:

Finding more Twinkle made my day and I’m off tomorrow so if it gets any better, I won’t be able to stand it.

B

Knitting

Mistake?

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I’m beginning to think I might have bitten off a little more than I can chew with my resolution to blog every day in 2011.  My life apparently is even more routine and boring than I thought.  Does this count as a post? 

B.

Knitting

More Susannah

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Another pic – Susannah in her Christmas clothes

How cute is that???
It’s really, really cold, 11 degrees F and we Arkies aren’t used to weather this cold.  So grateful for my warm house, warm bed and loving family.
Deep thought:  gratitude=attitude.
B.
Knitting

A Snow Day

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This lovely lady is my granddaughter, Susannah, on her very first Christmas morning.  She is the apple of everyone’s eye and the center of attention where she happens to be.  Seven months old and perfect.  Christmas was the best in a long time, babies have their own magic I think.
Arkansas is digging out of a snowstorm that started yesterday right on schedule according to the TV weather people.  They predicted snow would start falling around 3 pm and dang, if it didn’t.  Here in Little Rock we got 6 inches more or less.  When it snows this much, everything in the city pretty much grinds to a halt.  The day before winter weather is predicted, everyone heads to the grocery store, whether they need to or not.   By the time the weather arrives, the store shelves, especially bread and junk food, are bare.  Crazy.  Things should be getting back to normal tomorrow.
I started a Scarf -in-a-Scarf kit on Saturday and thought everything was going swimmingly until I reread the instructions and realized that I was totally off the count with the pattern, like knitting twice as many rows as I should have.  The upshot is that I frogged the entire thing and started all over again.  Note to self, always read through the pattern and keep referring to it as you go.  Duh. 
Today’s deep thought:  Keep seeing the magic in life.
B.