I made granola yesterday, and it turned out awesome! It's way better than the last batch I made. Not a sweet so it doesn't feel like I'm eating candy. It's really more of a cereal but I like it that way. Mods: I omitted raisins because I'm not a fan of them, sunflower oil instead of canola oil, Flax seed instead of sesame seed, dried apples for the fruit, and a smidge of sweetened coconut with the unsweetened stuff.
It's delicious, and you can find the recipe here: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=390
In knitting news, I started a cowl for my fiancé last night. It's white which is a little scary for me. I'm always afraid I'm going to get it dirty before I even give to her.
Oh, and I have a question for you folks; If you ask your significant other to give you their foot for measuring, do you think they'll guess that you're making them socks?
Me: Give me your foot
Him: Why?
Me: Just give me your foot!
Him: (gives me his foot) You're making me socks aren't you?
Me: No! (In a sarcastic tone) No, I'm not making you socks! Goddammit! lol
Him: Riiiight… It's kind of obvious…
Me: Dammit! I'm not making you socks!
*sigh* I lost didn't I? Happy Saturday everyone, one more day in the contest!
Keep the comments coming! Only 2 more days until the contests is closed. Thank you so much to everyone who has entered!
1. My stomach is full of yummy granola.
2. Cookies are what I ate the most of on Thursday.
3. The yard doesn't exist.
4. With loved ones is where I'd rather be at any given time.
5. The smell of grass reminds me of home.
6. Knitting is what I need right now!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to working on a christmas gift, tomorrow my plans include going to see one of my favourite bands, Ukrania, and Sunday, I want to bake bread!
I finished a hat for me yesterday! It's made from a crazy chunky yarn that Ikkleknitter (ravlink) gave me at the knit-night on Tuesday. It knit up really fast, and was the perfect thing for a bit of hat-improvisation. I didn't have a pattern, I just sort of did it. This is a new thing for me; knitting without a pattern. It can be a lot of fun, if you're not adverse to a bit of ripping. I love it, and I can't wait for it to get colder so I can wear it!
*****
I found some great tutorials over at Math4Knitters; how to do the duplicate stitch over different kinds of knitting. She has tutorials (with photos!) on how to do it with Stockinette, Garter Stitch, and Ribbing. I know this might be old news to most of you, but I was really struggling with how to do it with ribbing. Now I know :)
Whenever I find some useful bit of information, I stick in my side bar under "Knitting Techniques". Check it out! There's some really great tips there.
*****
Look what came in the mail today! Interweave Knits: Winter 2008.
Sometimes I'm lukewarm when it comes to some Interweave Knits issues, but not so with this one. There's lots I like about this issue!
I'm really excited about Blooming Cardigan, even if it does look like it's in need of some waist shaping. Personally, I don't think a sweater should call for BOTH buttons and a sash, but that's just me.
But that's not all for cardigans. There's also Ropes and Picots Cardigan and Marilyn's Bedjacket!
I am in love with Anne Kuo Lukito's Pfeiffer Falls Hooded Scarf. It's a scarf, a hood, and even has pockets! This one looks like a lot of fun ^__^
I've been eyeing Climbing Vines for awhile now, and I'm so happy it's in this issue!
But I think I'm even more likely to knit something as simple as the Dainty Pinstripes Pullover. Which really looks very pretty.
I'm not big on vests or pullovers with close necks, and there's also a pattern for some cabled pillow covers that look pretty nice. I had heard early on some criticism for this issue, but I'm pretty excited about it.
There have been two FO's since I last posted. I finished a scarf for my fiancé's brother, and also a pair of mittens for myself. The scarf took awhile, since it was knit the long way. I knit it using the Gulp pattern (free) by Donyale Grant. Yarn was: Knit Picks Essential Kettle Dyed and Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted Sock Yarn in Frog Prince. (rav link)
I also decided I needed mittens now that it's getting cold and my fingers need protection. I was at the LYS on Saturday and picked up some Mirasol Sulka to make some mittens. I did some embroidery on top so I could be sure to know which glove goes on which hand. This an improvised pattern.
There are still 5 more days left in the blogiversary contest! You have until Sunday at Midnight to get your comments in. Thank you so much for all of the support everyone!
I love how quickly I am getting through all of these gifts. I finished a cowl on Tuesday night for my fiancé's aunt (who I'm pretty sure doesn't read this XP) that turned out great. The pattern is the Quickie Cowl by Fawn Pea. The pattern is available for free on her website, and through ravelry. My ravelry project page is here. I loved this pattern. It was a quick as promised, knit flat and seamed (I did a 3-needle bind off because I'm lazy). It was easy to memorize and turned out really nice.
I just have to say that all of the comments have really helped me to keep up with the blogging, as well as the knitting. Not only that, but all of you that I've found your blogs, I have now started following you! Thank you for broadening my blogosphere :) We're at 145 entries. Keep 'em coming! I have a shout-out to Dogmommy4: Arbor is available for free here: http://indigomouse.net/?p=82
The next project will be a scarf for my FBIL to match the hat I knit for his birthday last week. The plan is to knit the Gulp Scarf by Donyale Grant. The pattern is available for free through her blog, as well as a free PDF download on ravelry. My project page is here (where you can see the yarn!) Oh, alright. Here is the yarn I'm using. Isn't it pretty?
I really should learn to read patterns before I start them. This scarf is knit the long way, not the short way. ((sigh)) This scarf has a confusing way of describing something as simple as dropped stitches, and it would have helped to clarify that before starting. ((sigh)) This scarf requires that you cast on 250 stitches. 250!!!!! ((sigh)) Overall, I still like how it’s turning out, but felt I should register that I’m annoyed with myself for not reading ahead.
I also finally managed to get some photos of the hat I knit for my fiancé back in October. I never thought I would want him out of the apartment so badly! I'm really happy with how it turned out too. Please ignore my spaced out look, I was having trouble getting a good angle on the hat lol. Pattern is loosely based on the Fibonacci pea cap (free pattern)
1. The last band I saw live was Ukrania!
2. What I looked forward to most on Thanksgiving was getting our apartment mostly unpacked, finally, after 6 months of living with boxes! (Thanksgiving is in October for Canadians)
3. My Christmas/holiday shopping is not applicable? I'm knitting for Christmas this year.
4. Thoughts of tea fill my head.
5. I wish I could wear corn based knits.
6. Bagpipes can be awesome.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Rin arriving from Toronto, tomorrow my plans include brunch, the LYS and a knitterly afternoon and Sunday, I want to make pancakes!
First I have to say how AMAZING all the comments have been. We are up to 137 entries. Keep 'em coming! You can enter up until November 30th. You were asking about my FO of the day? lol here ya go!
Alpaca/Bamboo Cowl (ravlink)
Recipient: It's a secret! Shh! (though I don't think she reads this blog)
Pattern: Zig Zag Cowl by Mandy Powers (free)
Occasion: Birthday December 1st
Finished: Nov 16/08
Notes: I started the Gemma Beret pattern first, but got so frustrated with how the pattern was written, and with how it was turning out, that I gave up and started this cowl instead.
I do have a minor complaint with the pattern though. When it tells you to cast on, it really should tell you to do a provisional cast on. I know there are people out there who hate prov. cast ons, but isn’t picking up stitches for a picot hem EVEN WORSE? Anyway, it was a really quick knit, and I love how it turned out.
ETA: I took a few more pics last night! See it in action :)
In case you're confused, the contest is still ongoing, so keep up with the comments. So far we have over 100 entries! Holy cow guys! But enough about me…
Georgi is having a 'just because' contest on her blog: To Knit and Write. To enter, comment on that post telling her your favourite yarn and your favourite project. For extra entries, comment on other posts on her blog, and link to the contest for another entry. You also get another entry for each person who sends you her way. First prize will go to she/he with the most comments, while second and third will be found via the random number generator. Good luck!
So I'm crazy and I decided I needed to knit a hat for my FBIL for his birthday. Um… his birthday is tomorrow! **headdesk**. The wool arrived YESTERDAY, and I just cast off now. I'm going to be weaving in ends on the car ride over, but it's DONE. Gah. I don't know what possessed me… I'm fast at hats but now my hands hurt lol I think I need a break from hats. I know it looks tiny, but it stretches a lot, soo it fits, promise ^_~
Gift Item: Wool Toque (ravlink)
Recipient: Mike (Fiancé's Brother)
Pattern: Hat Fit For a Boyfriend/relative? (free)
Occasion: Birthday
Finished: Nov 13/08
Wow guys, thank you so much for your input! Here are the votes:
1. Wicked (Worsted Weight Version)
First choice votes: 4
Total votes: 8
2. Opulent Raglan
First choice votes: 2
Total votes: 4
3. Bella Paquita WINNER! With a total of 16 votes, 8 of them first pick.
4. Sweater with Wide Collar
No votes
5. Textured Tunic with Side Buttons
No votes
6. Cropped Sweater
First choice votes: 0
Total votes: 1
7. Central Park Hoodie
First choice votes: 4
Total votes: 8
8. Sweater w/round yoke (by rebecca)
First choice votes: 0
Total votes: 6
Now if I were to go with total vote, I would end up knitting Bella Paquita, hands down. Even if I go with first votes, it still wins lol I guess it was only a difficult choice for me! You guys rock! Once I'm finished my christmas knitting, this will be the first thing on the needles for me. Thanks!
Last night my knit picks order arrived, which is great news, because now I can start on a new project. Tomorrow night is my fiancé's brother's birthday part (sssh! It's a secret!) and I had wanted to knit him a hat for a gift. I was getting really worried that the yarn wouldn't arrive in time, but it did. I've been knitting like mad, and this is my progress so far. Please excuse the crappy camera phone quality.
In October, I won the quarterly challenge prize through the (AWESOME) knit all year community blog that I'm part of. Part of what I won was 10 balls of some lovely merino from WEBS. I have been trying to decide what to make with it, and I think a sweater is in order, but I need help deciding what to make. Here's where you come in :)
I'm going to list the patterns that I'm thinking of, and I'll number them to make it easy. Just post a comment of your top 2 or 3 (in order) and I'll tally the votes and see if it will help me make a decision. OH, and I guess it's just a bonus that these comments are eligible for entries in my contest for November. All of these patterns I either own already, are free, or I don't mind purchasing, so don't let that be a factor.
Thank you so much to all of my readers, I had no idea there were so many of you out there. Happy knitting!
1. Wicked (Worsted Weight Version)
2. Opulent Raglan
3. Bella Paquita
4. Sweater with Wide Collar
5. Textured Tunic with Side Buttons
6. Cropped Sweater
7. Central Park Hoodie
8. Sweater w/round yoke (by rebecca)
I ordered this yarn through my LYS, Knit-knackers, a few weeks ago. Originally I had planned to reverse the colours for the original pattern; a blue hat, with brown fair isle. When the yarn arrived in the store, only the blue had come in. I really didn't want to wait, so instead, I used white for the colour work. I love how it turned out, and I love the tassels.
My only real change to the original pattern was to knit it in the round, instead of flat. I also decided to use both yarn colours in the tassels, instead of just the blue. This hat took no time at all. A real quick knit!
Gift Item: Fair isle Tassel Hat (ravlink)
Recipient: Kim (Fiancé's Sister)
Pattern: Emma Hat by Louisa Harding (not free)
Source: BOOK — Knitting Little Luxuries by Louisa Harding
Occasion: Christmas
Finished: Nov 9/08
My friend, Anna's birthday was last weekend, and a whole bunch of us are getting together tonight to celebrate. Being the knitter I am, I decided I wanted to knit her something. I bought some variegated yarn and tried to make a cowl, and I hated it. So I made a hat with it instead, and I really don't like how it turned out. Back to the yarn store I go, and I picked up some Louet Gems Chunky on sale and spent the last two days making a pair of mittens. ^_^ Love these! I'm sure she'll like them.
Everyone is doing well with the contest~! Thanks so much for the support everyone :)
1. My blueprint for success includes positive thinking.
2. Wintergreen Lifesavers was the last candy I ate.
3. The best facial moisturizer I've ever used is some brand that start with an 'N' lol
4. Pie can be good therapy.
5. I'd like to tell you about my emotional problems, but that would be boring, so I tell you about my knitting instead :)
6. p is my strongest characteristic.
7. And as for the weekend, last night I looked forward to a knit night, today my plans include celebrating Anna's birthday and Sunday, I want to relax!
