Knitting In The North

Yarn Along

 

 

Now that I'm finished Multnomah, I can legally move on to another project that I've been wanting to knit for a long time - Shalom.  I'm using Twice Tweed, and while I expected to do a bunch of math to maneuver the gauge around, it seems like it's going to work just fine if I simply follow the pattern!  A couple of friends of mine are also knitting this pattern, and I look forward to seeing how they all look with different yarn choices.  I'm hoping this will be the perfect, comfy, pull-on-anytime cardi - my wardrobe is lacking in this department.

 

The book I'm reading, Better Off, is by a man who moved to an Amish-type community to try living without power.  It's extremely well written, and I'm zipping along with it.  It doesn't make me want to disconnect our electricity, but it is making me think about how much technology I do use in my daily life, and whether or not each use is actually needed or not.  Interesting, for sure!

 

This Yarn Along post is part of a great group of readers and fibre lovers - check it out over at Small Things!

FO: Multnomah

 

 

Some time last fall, I was overcome with the urge to knit a red (or reddish) scarf.  I went prowling around my LYS, and picked up this multi-coloured sock yarn that I liked.  I carried it around the store for awhile, as is my habit when a yarn has caught my eye, but ultimately went with something different (which I ended up not using at all, as I got busy with Christmas knitting - which I still haven't shown you - ridiculous).  A few weeks ago, I popped into the LYS for some other purpose, but that same yarn grabbed my fancy again, and this time made it into my bag.  I came home, sat down and cast on for this scarf (modeled by my beautiful, and younger than she looks, daughter).

 

 

 

Particulars:

Pattern - Multnomah

Yarn - Austerman Step, colourway 0134

Needle - 3.25mm

Notes/Modifications - After looking at many, many other Multnomahs on Ravelry, I chose to knit this with a one stitch centre column, instead of using five stitches as called for in the pattern.  I like it a lot like this, although I didn't think about slipping the stitch on the wrong sides until it was too late, which is kind of too bad - that would have looked sweet.  I also used a chart written up by another generous Raveler, which helped work the lace into the increases, and avoid blocks of garter stitch.  I like it, and I'm going to enjoy wearing it.  If I can get it away from my beautiful, and younger than she looks, daughter.

 

 

 

Happy Easter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh Bread

 

 

I'm sitting out the Yarn Along this week - I wrote a final exam last night, and am feeling wiped and a bit brain dead.  Lately, though, whenever I have a day at home, I've been whipping up a batch of bread, and it was the perfect therapy for this morning.

 

A few weeks ago I came across this post, which just makes bread making sound like the easiest thing ever (which it is, really).  It has a great recipe that I've been using, and I find something about the mixing and waiting to rise and the smell of the yeast and the kneading that is so soothing and affirming. 

 

Plus, eating a slice of fresh, warm bread, smothered in butter & honey, is just about the best thing in the whole world.  Yum.

 

Yarn Along: Making Plans

~Joining in with Ginny's weekly Yarn Along - you can, too!~

 

 

I have been enjoying the luxury of diving into a nice, long novel in the last few days.  I've seen many other Yarn Alongers reading this one, and so was excited to pick it up.  I'm not sure what I think quite yet, though.  It's not grabbing me the way I imagined it would, but I'm going to keep reading, and see where it takes me.

 

A friend of mine has asked me to test-knit a pattern.  I can't show you too much, but what I love about it is that it's designed to use up all those scraps of yarn left hanging around, and I was inspired by waldorf mama's amazing rainbow knits to see if I could find a rainbow in my stash.  I'm looking forward to getting knitting on this, but I have to finish my Multnomah, first.  I did end up ripping back the lace, but it was for the best, since I added another repeat of garter stitch to the body before beginning the feather & fan.  If I stay on task, I'll be able to wear this scarf/shawl this spring!

A Place

 

 

I went for a walk the other day with a good friend, and we realized as we were talking that we've been walking together on the same path in the same spot for the last 14 years.  For someone who had made about a dozen moves by the time I was a teenager, it's a little shocking to me that I've been in one place, geographically at least, for so long.  Even more strange to me is that my children have lived in this one community their whole lives - three of them have lived their whole lives in this one house!

 

Sometimes I forget that my children don't automatically absorb everything I know, all my memories and experiences by osmosis.  When I talk about moving house when I was a child, they look at me a little confused - they have nothing to compare that to.  (And Liam is convinced, to my utter horror, that eggs come from Costco, not chickens.  Sigh - we need to get some backyard chickens.  Badly.)

 

 

There is something special, though, about having a place of your own.  A spot.  When I walk my path along the river, I feel grounded.  I am mentally clear, refreshed, peaceful.  This is Liam's spot - it has been since he was a baby. 

 

This morning, he was owly and a bit fussy with me.  All on his own, he disappeared to his spot, and it gave him just what my spot gives me - he came out from behind the curtain happy, settled, and relaxed.  And thankfully, not so fussy anymore.

 

What about you?  Do you have a place of your own?

Spring Goodness

 

 

Spring seems to have finally arrived here, although snow still lingers here and there, and is likely to show it's face again before the season is out.  Although nothing is blooming yet outside for me, I picked up some lovely yellow tulips to brighten my table.  It's amazing how fresh flowers can improve the feeling of a room.

 

 

 

The other day at the grocery store, I found cases of mangoes on sale, and so I spent my Sunday afternoon chopping and preparing while I mixed up a batch of mango chutney.  It's a favourite in my family, which means I need to start making double batches - out of the four jars that came out of the canner, only one gets to stay with us!  I'm glad everyone loves it so, though.  I couldn't lay my hands on my own recipe yesterday, so I used this one, which is pretty close.  I left the mango chunks bigger this time, because I think it looks prettier in the jar.  This might be kind of silly, since it doesn't seem to stay in the jar very long, but I don't care.

 

I used the last of my regular snap canning lids, and so now plan to try some of these reusable canning lids.  It's bugged me for years that I can't reuse my lids, and I hope these are going to work amazingly well.   Have you tried them?  I'm excited about the lack of waste, but I think I'm going to miss that delicious popping sound as the jars seal.  It's so satisfying...

Yarn Along: With Very Important Assistance

 

Every week, when I take my Yarn Along picture, Liam shadows me.  I snap a picture of the yarn, and then have to take one of Liam.  The yarn, "now me!"  This week, I figured I'd combine the two, and give you a modeled shot.  This is the face you get when you ask Liam, "Where's your smile,"  and he answers, "Right here!"  Sometimes it's difficult not to spend all day kissing his face.

 

After the slog of paper writing (the big one is finished, although I still have two little ones to do up this week), I needed a bit of brain candy.  Buttons and Bones, the latest in a Needlecraft Mystery series I have been enjoying, is just what I needed.  Light, but cute, and full of references to handcrafts, which makes me happy.

 

I'm still working on the Multnomah scarf, and have reached the garter feather and fan lace, which is nice.  (I think I may have messed it up, though, so this afternoon I'm going to have to sit down and take a look.)  This is my second attempt at the lace, which I find a little frustrating.  I seem to have so little time for knitting lately, that I get grumpy if I have to rip back and re-do something.  Which is maybe a little silly, since knitting is something I actually like to do.

FO: Clapotis

 

 

It seems almost silly showing this to you, and calling it a Finished Object, when it's been in use for the past two years!  Crazy how time goes by so quickly...  I've meant to take a picture of it for ages, and the other day, I had spring fever and cut all my hair off, and Katie thought it would be a good time to record both for posterity.

 

The yarn for this project was a gift from a knitting swap pal in Australia, and I love it dearly.  Soft, warm,  and beautifully heathered, every time I wear it I think of that continent far away...  some day, maybe I'll make it there myself.  In the meantime, I feel fortunate to have this little piece of it with me.

 

 

 

Particulars:

Pattern - Clapotis

Yarn - Bendigo Woolen Mills Rustic 8 Ply, Pink Opal, 2 balls

Notes - This pattern has become so famous in the knitting world, there's really not much left for me to say about.  A generous knitter on Ravelry offered up a spreadsheet to keep track of everything, which I found very handy.  I used the Rule of Fifths" while I knit, weighing the yarn as I worked to make sure I got the best size possible with the yarn I had and using one fifth for the increase section, three fifths for the length, and reserving the last fifth for the decreases.

Dropping the stitches was loads of fun, although it did require a bit of work - this yarn is a tad grabby, and the stitches had to be encouraged to run.  I wear this constantly:  as a scarf, a wrap, or a shawl.  It's useful, and you can see the yarn has held up amazingly well. 

 

 

 

Well.  I'm glad I put this up here.  Now I feel better.

 

One Left

 

 

You can always tell when a new cookie recipe is a hit in our house because the batch doesn't last until the next day.  Katie was inspired to do some baking yesterday afternoon, and when I went to sneak a cookie to enjoy with my morning tea, this lone specimen was all that remained (Liam snagged it right after I took the picture, so now I'm sadly cookie-less. Time to do some baking myself, I think.)

 

No matter how busy life is, we like to have a nice family meal together on Sunday, and last night I cooked up some of this amazing pudding for dessert.  While the pudding was still hot off the stove, I put one of these cookies in the bottom of each bowl, and then poured that chocolatey goodness over top.  Oh, Yum.  If you would like some of this richness in your own life, here is the cookie recipe, from one of my favourite cookbooks, Not Just Beans.

 

 

Walnut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter

6 Tbsp sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup walnuts

powdered sugar

 

Cream butter and sugar together.  Add flour, vanilla and nuts.  Roll into walnut-sized balls onto a greased cookie sheet and lightly flatten.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, place on waxed paper and sprinkle with or roll in powdered sugar.  Makes 3 dozen.