Tag: knitting

Knitting

Do Over

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WHAT??

You mean to tell me that my blog pictures aren’t there?  Why can I see them when I post but they’re not there for anyone else.  A little slow on the uptake lately, me, especially when I have Flickr on my phone and it’s a million times easier to post from there.  My kids are always saying I’m always a day late and a dollar short when it comes to technology; give me a break, when I learned to type (back in the Dark Ages, 1974 or thereabouts), electric typewriters were on the cutting edge.

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Before and after pics of the French Market Bag

Before Felting

Untitled

After Felting

I hope these show!  It took about five trips through the washing machine before I was satisfied with the felting.  This was my first felting project and I was surprised at how much it shrank.  I think I might try a big bowl next.

BY THE BOOK

At the moment, I’m still listening to Part 5 of Stephen King‘s Dark Tower series, Wolves of the Calla.  I’m nearly finished and have a new book waiting in the wings, A Time to Love, by Barbara Cameron.  I think it’s part one of a series, Quilts of Lancaster County.  I should probably mention that this was a Free Friday Nook Book from Barnes and Noble.  Every Friday they offer a different free Nook Book and it has been a great way for me to break out of the “reading rut” I find myself in sometimes.

ON THE STOVE

Thanks to a friend at work, Mr. Iknead and I have enough fresh okra and tomatoes for at least a week.  I think I’m going to freeze the okra and do salsa with the tomatos.  Hurry up work week so I can get started!  Thanks C., Mr. Iknead and I appreciate you and your garden.

The art of a people is a true mirror to their minds.  Jawaharlal Nehru

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Knitting

Sunday night

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WHAT I DID

Ending up the weekend and this feels like the first time I’ve had more than a couple of minutes to put my thoughts in order.  I did some baking – made Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread yesterday and Chicken and Rice Casserole today.  Oh, and I went to the grocery store.  And knitted on Wingspan.  Besides that, I don’t have a clue where the time went.

ON THE NEEDLES

Wingspan is coming along nicely.  But, I keep reminding myself, while I’m getting a lot done on it, three (minimum) projects are languishing on the back burner and I seemingly have a low guilt threshold because I feel guilty when I see them and then once again pass them up.

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Yay, pictures of the French Market Bag, before and after:

I like the way it turned out.  My next felting project will be a big bowl, I think.  (See above regarding languishing projects).

The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.  Paul Valery

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday

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ON THE NEEDLES

Wingspan, in Araucania Huasco, Code Color: 7.

Every time I knit with Araucania, I fall a little more in love.  It’s definitely a splurge yarn for me, but sometimes I just can’t resist its charms!

BY THE BOOK

I just finished I Am In Here by Elizabeth M. Bonker, about her autistic daughter and her struggle to communicate.  It’s a book of hope, courage and commitment; I enjoyed it very much.

I’m rereading (for the nth time) Stephen King’s Dark Tower series.  Just started Wolves of the Calla this morning, fourth in the series.  No matter how many times I read or listen to this story, I find something new; it never gets old.

The measure of a man is what he does with power.  Pittacus

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Knitting

Now What?

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UPDATE

I got my haircut on Friday morning and since Babymama was feeling under the weather, I told her I’d go and help her out any way I could.  I think she mostly wanted me there so she could limit her contact with Babydiva, hoping that she wouldn’t catch whatever her mom had.  Between the salon and their house, I got rearended by some guy driving a Dodge Ram van.  I’m OK, not hurt as far as I can tell, just really aggravated because it was hot, we were standing in the middle of a really busy street and it took the cops 40 minutes to arrive and do the paperwork.  Fortunately, I held my temper in both hands, reminding myself over and over to just communicate at a minimum, exchange insurance info, making sure everyone was OK for the moment.  My car’s back bumper is probably going to have to be replaced, it’s plastic so it doesn’t take much of a hit to mess it up.  Things to be thankful for:  I was not hurt, my car is driveable and I have insurance.

ON THE NEEDLES

Here is the promised picture of the Nine to Five socks.  I think they’re going like gangbusters.  What do you think about them?

 

 Here’s a picture of the yarn for Wingspan.  It’s already been started and I’m planning to show off what I have on WIP Wednesday.  Here is a sneak peek at the yarn.It’s Araucania Huasco, Code Color 7.  I thinks it’s going to knit up really well.  The French Market bag is complete and I started the felting process yesterday.  I’ll have some before and after pics for all to enjoy.

THE GRANDS

 

Going in for the kiss.

Experience is not what happens to you, it is what you do with what happens to you.  Aldous Huxley

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Knitting

Back Home

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ON THE NEEDLES

The Maidenhair Fern socks have been reborn as Nicole Hindes’ Nine-To-Five Socks.  This picture is not the best, the stitch detail isn’t great, but tomorrow I’ll take the WIP sock outside, the lighting will be a million times better that it is at 8:35 p.m. in my bedroom.  I’m using size one circulars and am much happier with a tighter stitch and overall smaller size.

A better picture tomorrow, I promise.

A DUH MOMENT

I can’t believe that I spent an entire hour trying to figure out why pictures taken from my iPhone are on their sides when I e-mail them or try to post them.  Also, I can’t believe that the solution to that  problem is to turn the phone on its side horizontally first, then take the picture.  Duh.  Occam’s Razor once again proves correct: “when you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better”, also known as Keep It Simple.

HOME SWEET HOME

As much fun as the Girl Power 2012 get-together was, I was so happy to get home to Mr. Iknead and JosiePug yesterday.  A great time was had by all but when the Papoose (usually so happy-go-lucky and go with the flow) had three meltdowns in ten minutes, I knew it was time to pack it up and take it back on the road to Little Rock.  We rolled back into LR about 5 p.m.; Babydiva needed a bottle STAT and thankfully, we had called ahead and Babydaddy had one waiting.  Babydiva was getting ready to more than live up to her name by the time we got home.  Hell hath no fury and all that.

It is necessary for us to learn from others’ mistakes.  You will not live long enough to make them all yourself.  Hyman George Rickover

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Knitting

Girl Power 2012

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GOINGS ON
Just a quick post while the other girls are napping. Babymama, Babydiva and I just got in from a little shopping up on the square. Naturally, I ducked into Handheld and fed my addiction with some Araucania Huasco. It’s lovely and I’m thinking Wingspan shawl.

THE GRANDS
Are wonderful as always. The Papoose and Babydiva adore each other and we’ve got some really sweet pictures. Won’t even try to post them until I’m back in Little Rock.

WHAT’S FOR SUPPER
I think it’s to be catfish but that could change at any moment. Anything but fast food.

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There is only one boss: the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company, from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else. Sam Walton

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Knitting

Road Trip

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ON THE ROAD

Babydiva, Babymama and I are taking a road trip to Fayetteville to see the Papoose and family, to help amuse the Papoose while her mama is busy packing and sorting.  The plan at this moment is for us to leave for F’ville right after Babydiva’s morning feeding, hoping that she will take her usual nap while in the car, trying very hard to keep her regular schedule.  Yeah, yeah, the best laid plans and all, but 100% achievable I’m convinced.  For this very first girly road trip, Babydiva has splurged on a new bathing suit, modeled below.  She is really playing the diva on this one.

ON THE NEEDLES

I usually try to stay at least a little monogymous with my projects but at the moment I have a pair of socks,  a baby hat, a French Market Basket that has to be felted and a lacy wrap for when my arms get a little chilly, in church for example.  All going right along.  Sorry for no pics, in Fayetteville, strange computer and all, I just don’t want to spend time figuring out how to post them.

ON THE ROAD (continued)

Babydive was a great passenger.  We made one bathroom stop and we were quickly back on the road.  The eat/sleep plan worked like a charm.

OK, this unfamiliar keyboard is giving me fits, I’m wrapping it up quickly.  Tomorrow, there will be pictures.

Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.  John Updike

Knitting

Frogged

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ON THE NEEDLES

I did it.  I frogged the Maidenhair Fern socks, it took me until yesterday to  it, but I got it done.  I’m thinking Fa Fa Fa socks, a free Ravelry pattern that I saw on someone’s blog last week, I need to go back and look and I will, just not today.

THE GRANDS

I spent most of the day babysitting Babydiva and loving every second.  Really, there wasn’t much to do, feed her, play with her, nap with her and it was glorious!  She takes a long afternoon nap, so after lunch, she took a nap  and so did Bela (Divadog) and I.  Don’t know how long it’s been since I took an afternoon nap, I’m usually at work and they generally frown on that sort of thing and on my days off, I’m playing catchup with the things I put off during the work week.  I could get used to naps.  Here’s a new picture of Babydiva, big smile –

See why yesterday was so fun??

IN THE OVEN

It’s official – I love the silicone pans.  Love them an unhealthy amount, I think.  I (finally) got around to making the little Apple Cakes I’ve been talking about for at least a week and they turned out amazing.  When they were finished baking and cooled a little, I literally just popped them out of the pan.  Nothing stuck, they baked evenly and I’m so proud!  Here’s one for show.

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.  Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that  you, too, can become great.  Mark Twain

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday

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ON THE NEEDLES

French Market Bag from Knitty

The color doesn’t translate well in the picture, but it’s Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool and once again I’ve fallen victim to Lost Ball Band Syndrome, so my description of the color is heathery brown.  Oh, and can someone tell me why this photo rotated itself onto its side and how I can fix it?  Thanks in advance.

FROG?

I still haven’t decided what to do with the neglected Maidenhair Fern sock.  Here’s a pic showing the “girly” yarn.

And this one has decided to recline also.  Help.

Being powerful is like being a lady.  If you have to tell people you are — you aren’t.  Margaret Thatcher

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Knitting

Frog?

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ON THE NEEDLES

The Maidenhair Fern socks have been have been in time out for a week or so; I decided to try the first one on and it is enormous.  Enormous as in two feet at the same time.  You know that little voice inside your head (in mine at least) that always tries to give a heads up when something is going off track?  I finally decided to give it a short listen and by golly, these socks are way, way too big for me; so big that I know of no one that they would fit.   Now, should I frog or go around staring at people’s feet, hoping I’ll find a match, sort of like Cinderella?  I offered them to Mr. Iknead, but he says the yarn is too “girly” (it’s teal, pink and purple).

THE GRANDS

Here’s the latest pic of the Papoose at the pool.  Did I mention that she looooves the water?

IN THE OVEN

Look!  My fancy new silicone pans are here!  I’m totally making the cute apple cakes Friday.  I love them and think they’re very photogenic!

What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul.  Joseph Addison

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Knitting

Blackberries

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IN THE OVEN

Well, another weekend without baking the cute apple cakes but I have a good excuse, really, I do.  A friend called me out of the blue yesterday morning and asked me if I liked blackberries and did I know how to make a blackberry pie.  Of course, the answer to both those questions was an emphatic yes.  He had been looking around some property he had out in the country and had come across a patch of wild blackberry bushes.  He brought me a sack full of some the sweetest berries I’d had in a long, long time.  Here’s what I did with them:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picking blackberries is a pain, they grow on a kind of bushy, kind of viney thing that has wicked sharp thorns, and there are always wasps and bees flying around them, they like the sweet sticky juice.  To get these great berries with no fuss, no muss and no thorns, well, it was almost too good to be true. Thanks, D.  I used the simplest recipe ever for the pie, it let the berries shine.  I’ll share it here.

Simple Blackberry Pie

5 c. ripe blackberries

3/4 to 1 c. sugar

1/4 c. flour (as a thickener)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

crust for double crust pie

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix the first four ingredients together.  Lay one crust in the bottom of a pie dish, pour berry mix in, lay other crust on top and crimp edges.  Brush top with milk, sprinkle with sugar, make slits in top crust.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, remove from 0ven and cool on rack.

Enjoy!

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.  Henry David Thoreau

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday

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ON THE NEEDLES

Here is my WIP for this week.  I know it doesn’t really look like anything yet but you’ll just have to take my word for it,  it’s a Cat Hat for a baby, with little ears.  This is in anticipation of the Papoose’s new baby brother or sister, estimated arrival first week on October.

 Thanks to Adel’s Knit and Craft 2011 and Ravelry for the free pattern.

IN THE OVEN

Yesterday I got my first issue of The Baking Sheet, a King Arthur Flour publication, of recipes, both sweet and savory.  One that particularly piques my interest is Coconut Coffeecake.  Oops, I forgot about the apple cakes I never got around to doing over the holiday, with the eggs that were in and out of the revolving door (seemingly) of my fridge.  Maybe by Saturday, my new silicone pans will be here.  I hope so.  I’m excited to try them out.

Use  what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent of no birds sang there except those that sang best.  Henry Van Dyke

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