Weaving!!!

No, not on a loom! I wish! I finally finished weaving in all the ends on my sister's Koigu scarf. Want to guess how many ends that was? 53! I did not do it as I was knitting so it was all left till the end. I have a very similar scarf that she knit for me. We used the same pattern and some of the Koigu colors were the same. Remember from previous post that it was from her left over Koigu after knitting the Koigu Keepsake Shawl. So, I had to do the same for her, my pleasure because I love her to pieces!! She has gifted me several times will beautiful handknits. If you want to see a huge close-up of the scarf just click on it! So close you can see the wood grain of my table! More important the chevron pattern and the COLORS. Anyway after all the knitting I've done lately with Koigu I still love the yarn and am ready for another Koigu project!

My First Mittens!

Looking good so far, huh? I know, I've just started but I'm impressed! I have never really done Fair Isle before. I did knit the bodice of a toddler dress some years ago and it had several colors but these mittens are different! The pattern is from Knitty's Corazon. I chose the recommended yarn, Debbie Bliss Merino DK and I love the colors grey and yellow together. I just need to make sure I get them finished before winter leaves us! If you want to see a gorgeous pair of mittens check these archivist on the edge and can you believe it? Snow in the background! I could only hope. Mine will probably have Daffodils!

A non-knitting post again but I know you like to eat!!!

This morning I baked some scrumptious muffins. The recipe is originally from the Jan/Feb 2003 issue of Country Woman magazine. I found it posted on a knitter's blog and I am so sorry that I don't know which. I tried to find it again to no avail. But I do have the full recipe to share and my little changes! It's true, I have to change most everything even knitting instructions! These muffins I must say are the moistest (is that a word?) and tastiest I have had in a long time and with such simple ingredients. Here you are:

Shoofly Muffins

4 cups all-purpose flour (I use bread flour)

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup cold butter

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups boiling water

1 cup molasses

Mix flour, sugar, and salt well.Cut in butter. Remove 1 cup of crumbs and set aside.

To remaining crumbs add baking soda, mixing well again. Stir in boiling water and molasses. Fill muffin liner 2/3 full. top each muffin with a spoonful of the set side crumbs. Bake 20 minutes at350 degrees F. Makes 2 dozen.

**My changes: I did cut the recipe in half. I added 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed, 1/4 cups bran making the flour 1 3/4 cups and I only used 3/4 cups brown sugar. They are plenty sweet! You can probably go to a half cup.

So you thought I didn't have one?

A cat of course! Don't the majority of knitters have cats? From the looks of a whole lot of blogs I think it might be true. It seems I must share pictures of them too. So may I introduce my furry darlings. Rosie is our Siamese. Her temperment and personality is well..... Siamese! She rules the roost. Esther our black and white lady is rather an introvert and just happy eating and sleeping. Rosie is almost 4 years old and Esther is approaching 7. They are quite pampered here. My family adore them. Should I mention our third pet in the same post? Nah, I'll leave all the glory to these ladies. Although our fairly new pet is very cool too. Shhhh! she's a dog!

Knit socks turned UGLY!

How can it be? When they get a huge hole in the heel! See that dark smudge at the top right? Yuk!! Can you believe I have about 5 pairs of socks in need of darning? I did buy some antique darning eggs off eBay a while back just to prepare. There are even great directions online to darn. I've made copies! Just haven't tackled the job yet. I'm not sure what happened that I acquired holes. These were knit a few years ago. Maybe I didn't use a wool/nylon blend. Of course I would now. If you are not using a yarn specified for socks that has nylon content always, always carry along nylon reinforcing thread. At one time I bought several colors from elann.com. It's called, Schoeller Esslinger Stopf-und Beilaufgarn. Somehow that means wool/nylon reinforcing thread!!I tried to give you a link but it just isn't working.
I think one of my favorite sock yarns for durability is Regia. I am wanting to try the Austermann Step. Has anyone knit with that yet and do you love it? I think Nanette gets my vote for a fabulous sock knitter! Her talent and eye for color has got to be my sock goal in life!!!

Yum, Yum! No, not yarn!!!

BREAD!! I love to bake bread and used to do a lot more of it and I'm thinking I need to get back in gear. This bread is the "No Knead" bread that has been circulating the Internet since an article appeared in the NY Times last November. Here's where you can find the recipe:
Lahey's No Knead Bread
The bread is absolutely wonderful. Nice and crunchy on the outside and a soft inside. The trick is baking it in cast iron! It's so easy too. When that lovely loaf came out of my oven I felt like a pro!!! I've only made it twice so far. The first rise is 18 hours, Yikes! So, I keep forgetting to start it in time for the next evening. Give it a try. You really can't mess it up! Check out the NY Times video on the How To's: Bread Video Your family will be so impressed!

Before Knitting there was .....

Quilting! I was really into quilting at one time and that wasn't so long ago. Currently I am making a quilt for my sister's 25th wedding anniversary in May!! Will I get it done in time? Hopefully. If not I can just blame her! She's an avid knitter too and understands the addiction. Here are a couple quilts I won ribbons for in local shows. I think it was about 4 years ago. The first one is called, "Painting Africa" and the second, "Liberty". The Queen size idea came from or sort of as a tribute to friends of mine that had started an orphanage in Uganda. I also have an adopted son that's black and I wanted to do a quilt with the African patterns and colors. The award was for originality. The wall hanging is a dancer that I named "Liberty". You can't see it but she has beads on her ankle and wrist! Her award was second place for miniature's. Believe it or not I don't care for sewing! My sister's quilt is the same pattern as the "Painting Africa" all done in neutrals. Well, hope you don't mind that I was off topic!!!

On the hunt to spend....

Granted it wasn't vey much $$$$. I had a coupon for 50% off at AC Moore's and it was good only through last night. I went, I searched and I barely bought! My intention with such a nice coupon was a book. Couldn't find a single one that I wanted, I tried. So, after at least 45 minutes of wasted time I came home with a set of #2 DPN's. Sure, I can always use another set but I was so hoping for something more substantial. I was recently labeled a yarn snob by more than one person (!!yikes, it was a whole group of people!!) so I suspect that was the reason I didn't by any yarn. The only yarn there I do buy is Paton's for felting and I have a drawer full. When I got home I told my husband Larry that I had only spent $4. He said, "No, you spent a little more than that....... gas!"

Since I mentioned felting I'll post a picture of one of my favorite bags. The Market Squares bag. It's in the book, Bags, A Knitter's Dozen. Entrelac was not as hard as one would think. If you've been resisting, take the plunge. No matter how much it doesn't make sense just follow the directions and it will turn out. I actually did the Knitpicks Tote first for practice! Go for it!!!

Koigu, Koigu, Koigu!

If you haven't knit with Koigu I have to tell you that you will fall in love with it when you do. I knit the "Koigu Keepsake Shawl"and am now knitting a scarf with the left over yarn. It's for my sister as she did the same thing for me! I first saw her shawl last summer and of course fell in love with it. Then the following Christmas I received a scarf she knit from her left over Koigu! She was thrilled when I told her I wanted to knit the "Keepsake Shawl". She promptly ask, "I guess you know what to do with your little bits of left over Koigu?" So it seems I have been knitting for this sister of mine since before Christmas. I gifted her a beaded scarf of Sivia Harding's, Angel Pearls Beaded Scarf, http://siviaharding.com/patterns-beads.html for Christmas then started a chevron patterned scarf in the Koigu for her. I'll be sure to post my "To Knit" list for ME when I get this scarf finished. Here's a photo of my Keepsake Shawl and I have to say it is prettier than that!!!!

The First One!

I've wanted to start a blog for a while but have really been putting it off. There are so many great blogs out there. Mine will be mostly knitting related. I hope I can "measure-up" to so many fabulous knitters and writers out there! My photo is a gansey sweater I have been knitting on for over a year now. It's the Kinsale from Alice Starmore's, "Fishermen's Sweaters" book. I love this sweater but it is taking me forever! I have knit several things since starting it so I shouldn't be so discouraged. The design is actually vertical on the sweater not horizontal as in the pic!

More posts, pictures and such to come as I figure this thing out! I've listed some other blogs I read that are friends and knitters I admire although I don't know. I get such inspiration from these gals!