The Unraveled Librarian

Because all I think about is food.

2011-02-05T12:14:00.001-05:00

I would like to be one of those cooking show people with two ovens. Think about it. Thanksgiving: mom, sisters, and aunts swirling around the kitchen, fighting over if the brussels sprouts or pie should go into the oven. "The brussels sprouts are part of the meal, plus you don't want it smelling all turkey-fied." one says. "But the pie needs time to cool!" another argues. Then you step in and offer, "Put the pie in the lower oven and the brussels sprouts in the top." Aaahhhh. Peacekeeping int he kitchen has never been so easy.

Scout

2011-01-30T11:29:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, just sometimes, you catch your pets looking like total dorks. At the risk of turning this ito a photo blog, I bring you Scout. Scout is my 3 year old Sun Conure, and a couple days ago I caught her trying to imitate the cockatiels she loves to hang out with this "one feather up" feather 'do. And no, I definitely did not do this to her--I found her like this one morning, acting like everything was normal (clamoring for treats, of course).

Day 25: Merry Christmas!

2011-01-03T19:37:00.000-05:00

...and this was after one round of gifts had been opened!

We had a wonderful Christmas with J's family and my own. Pictured here is my sister's tree, after the second wave of gifts (from my parents and J and myself) ascended upon it. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and New Year!

Day 24: All is calm, all is bright

2011-01-03T19:35:00.000-05:00

J's parents' backyard. Nothing really says "sleep in heavenly peace" like this does in the winter.

Day 23: Spice

2011-01-03T19:33:00.000-05:00

Westerners may have holly and holly berries to symbolize the holidays, but we Thais have chili peppers.

Day 22: Tinsel and Foil

2011-01-03T19:32:00.000-05:00

These gifts won't wrap themselves.

Day 21: Pa rup pum pum pum

2011-01-03T19:29:00.000-05:00

J's relatives from New Orleans came up last Sunday to celebrate the holidays with the rest of us. His mother always puts together a beautiful tree complete with everyone's favorite ornaments and decorations. Here, you can see the drummer boy, which fascinated J as a child (and is ironic considering that "The Little Drummer Boy" is one of J's least favorite Christmas songs).

Day 20: Belle

2011-01-03T19:27:00.001-05:00

Belle likes to try to look sad and pitiful just so she can score more gifts. (Mom made her a new sweater--sssh.)

Day 19: Violet

2011-01-03T19:26:00.001-05:00

If parrots got excited about the holidays, they'd never tell.

Day 18: Ruffles and Shine

2011-01-03T19:22:00.002-05:00

I finally made it to my desktop computer, where there were no glitches uploading photos! Woohoo! It's been a busy, eventful, but fun couple of weeks, and without further adieu, I bring you the rest of my December photos. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Day 18: Getting ready for J's company's holiday party--bring on the feathers and glitz!

Delays, delays

2010-12-24T16:21:00.001-05:00

I've still been taking pictures every day, but have been having trouble uploading pictures as I was trying to catch up these past two days. Hopefully it'll all be resolved by tonight. If you've been keeping up with my photo project, sit tight!

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Day 17 - Leftovers

2010-12-17T23:52:00.001-05:00

We live on the sunnier side of the street, which means our snow always disappears first. I was so happy to see these remnants still hanging around this afternoon.

Day 16 - Mason

2010-12-16T23:58:00.001-05:00

When I got into work this morning, the roads were clear and there was not a drop of precipitation. 90 minutes later, this is what campus looked like. I have no windows in my office, so imagine my surprise when I walked out and past this window on the way to the bathroom.

Day 15 - Boxed

2010-12-16T23:53:00.001-05:00

Only one or two more things to go with Christmas shopping. Thank you interwebs.

Day 14 - Countdown

2010-12-16T23:49:00.001-05:00

Sorry again for the late updates--between visiting old friends 'til the wee hours of the night to just being plain ol' tired, I haven't been to my computer in the evenings these past few days. That said, this photo is from my office desk perspective--my calendar countdown (with a cheery bouquet of crocheted flowers) to winter break at work and a few days off to relax.

Day 13 - First Snow!

2010-12-13T23:56:00.001-05:00

Is it cheating if your sweet husband leaves some pictures on your camera because he knows you love your sleep so much you'll miss this first light dusting of snow? Courtesy of J.

Day 12 - Pho

2010-12-13T23:46:00.001-05:00

Another cell phone photo: Pho from a great place in the Eden shopping center, in celebration of not having a migraine and almost finishing our holiday shopping.

Day 11 - Migraine

2010-12-13T23:31:00.002-05:00

Sorry this is so late--I had a migraine this day and spend most of it in bed. The only photo I managed to snap was this one, on my cell, from my bedridden perspective: my conure Bartok attacking a piece of bread with jam on it. The darkness, blurriness, and overall disorganization of this shot encapsulates how my head felt pretty well.

Day 10 - Red and Green

2010-12-10T23:17:00.000-05:00

You know you're excited about Christmas when you start gathering everything you own into groups of red and green.

Day 9 - Sorry, Santa

2010-12-09T23:42:00.001-05:00

Sorry Santa, but this one's mine.

Day 8 - Wreath

2010-12-08T20:40:00.000-05:00

We're a little behind in decorations, so our wreath just went up last night. This weekend: tree!

Day 7 - Inhale, exhale

2010-12-07T23:04:00.001-05:00

The air's been extra dray these past few days, and I keep forgetting to take my nighttime dose of my asthma/lung maintenance medicine. Definitely feeling the effects of my stupidity tonight, but at least I have the blanket my mom crocheted for me last Christmas to keep me cozy.

Day 6 - Little Things

2010-12-06T22:37:00.000-05:00

While searching for something to photograph today, I ran into (as I often do) this little gift from my oldest nephew. He gave it to me sometime last winter, and it always makes me smile to see it. Note the penguins on the pencil--this kid has me down pat.

Day 5 - My DC

2010-12-05T23:22:00.001-05:00

I love DC most in the winter. It's stunning in the spring and summer, sakura wrapping around the Tidal Basin, and festivals giving the city a bubbling exuberance. Fall is a beauty to behold as well, but wintertime just always felt right.

Because I can't just leave well enough alone, here are a few token federal buildings for your viewing pleasure:

The Capitol

Supreme Court at sunset

Library of Congress, Jefferson Building--a shout out to my librarian friends!

Day 4 - March of the Penguins

2010-12-04T21:36:00.000-05:00

Penguins are my favorite animal. Period. I've loved them all my life, before they were cool. My sister thinks I have a thing for Arctic animals; maybe she's right. Either way, I look forward to pulling out my cute and many times tacky collection of penguin socks when winter rolls around--gotta keep those feet cozy and stylish!

Day 3 - I'll be home for Christmas

2010-12-03T16:57:00.000-05:00

J has always been really close to his maternal grandmother. Everyone thinks their grandmother is a special lady, but J's grandma really was. Shortly after we began dating, I met this wonderful woman who would eventually become as much as a grandmother to me as any of my blood-related grandparents. This past April, we lost this amazing lady to cancer. As the weather grew more crisp this fall, and as the smell of chimney smoke wafted through the air, we worried about what this Christmas would be like without Grandma D here with us.

Grandma D was a lover of all things plant, her favorites being bonsais and orchids. When went to Louisiana for her funeral, all of those close to her selected a few of her precious plants to care for. We flew back solo, and J's parents brought back four healthy bonsais and two orchids for us via a rough two-day truck ride. The orchids were limp and wrinkled when they arrived, losing their beautiful flowers (among the last orchids Grandma D set her eyes on before falling into her eternal sleep) and we steeled ourselves for the worst. I enlisted the help of my mother, our resident "plant lady", who reluctantly performed triage on the dying plants. You see, while my mother has always kept orchids, none of them had bloomed in the last couple of years--she was doubtful she could do anything.

At the beginning of November, we noticed stems coming up from one of the plants. On Thanksgiving, one of the flowerbuds grew big and heavy, ready to bloom at any moment. Finally, on the first of December, the bud opened. Today, another flower bloomed. As you can see, there will be many more to come, just in time for Christmas.

Those who know me best know that I am not the most spiritual and am at best skeptical about the afterlife. I don't hope for or look for miracles. But this--this brings me some peace and comfort to know that in some way, Grandma D will be with us again this year for Christmas.

Day 2 - Schooooooool's out for the summer (winter)!

2010-12-02T21:17:00.001-05:00

Turned in my last project this morning, and I am free as a bird--until mid-January, that is. Now to sit back and enjoy some Thursday night television.

Day 1 - First Real Chill

2010-12-01T23:21:00.001-05:00

It's been getting colder, steadily, but today was our first real chill. We woke up this morning to a driving, soak-to-the-bone rain, and it kept getting colder and winder as the day went on. My cozy wool coat has officially come out of retirement for this year, and accompanying it is my newest favorite accessory--a thick plaid scarf with pleats instead of fringe.

Hello, hello, hello again!

2010-12-01T20:19:00.003-05:00

Summer flew right on by, and so did most of fall! I've been swamped with my coursework and work-work but still knitting. Just haven't had time to put my thoughts down into a blog yet.

My wonderful friend Jackie of Jackie Ranson Photography (check out her work! I'm not just plugging her because she's my friend, but she really is super talented) is doing a 25 Days of Christmas photo challenge on her blog, and I thought I should jump on the bandwagon. I've been thinking about participating in something like that for a couple years now, and thought it would be a great opportunity to get back into blogging after my hiatus.

I'm still finishing up a project for class, so my first picture will be up later today (or maybe tomorrow--I hope you don't mind me cheating just this once--I promise it'll be taken tonight though), but I won't leave you without new photos of a project I finished a couple months ago, Circe' Belle's Sixteen Cable Hat, as modeled by my very lovely sister. If said lovely sister looks weirdly drunkenly red, it's my fault--I went a little red-happy when using my photo editor for the first time, unaware that I could isolate areas of the photo to enhance instead of doing a blanket type thing.

Hat was knit up in Cascade Pure Alpaca, and the red in real live is really as luscious as I've enhanced it to look in this photo. The yarn was soft and I'll definitely be using it again in future projects.

Summer flies right on by...

2010-09-08T19:27:00.002-04:00

You ever have one of those days when you're feeling a little under the weather and just want to be left around to do work at your desk, but everyone needs you to do something for them? Today seemed like one of those days for everyone. I seriously considered plopping down a giant bag of chocolate on the main table in our office and sending a departmental message to let everyone know they could have a go at it if need be.

Anyhoo...

I'm settled back at home with a hot bowl of soup, excited that I finally got my act together and have some photos of a recently completed project to share. Hooray!

I've been working on a pair of socks, and decided to take a break and knit something big. Something big, but something at still reflected summer in its own way. Quite randomly, I ran across Summerflies by Donna Griffin. Though I had been looking for a new project, this quite possibly was the closest to an impulse knit as you could get. I couldn't get to my needles quickly enough, and almost instantly knew what I wanted to use from my stash. I'm so glad I had everything on hand, because it really was a fantastically fun knit!

As you can see, the shawl is constructed with differing sections (see the little butterfly eyelets in the 2nd and 4th sections? Squee!) and finished off with a lovely ruffle and picot bind off. Each section provided new interest, so it never got boring.

Close up of the picot bind off.

The completed shawl is light, but does keep bare shoulders warm in these last few summer nights. Alternatively, it's also long enough to be used as a scarf. I didn't photograph it that way because I kind of stink at styling things that way.

Update

2010-08-27T15:11:00.000-04:00

It’s been a long few weeks, but I’m still kicking, folks!

First, can you believe it’s almost the end of August? My parents are celebrating their 40^th anniversary today and the weather couldn’t be better for the occasion. They’ve taught me that not everything will be smooth sailing, but love, patience, and understanding can help you get through anything. Thanks, mom and dad!

It seems like not much and everything has been happening in the three weeks since I last wrote. I had a birthday at the beginning of the month(happy birthday to me!), and as always seems to happen with birthdays, we celebrated it over a week. A few days after my birthday, my mom went under the knife for total knee replacement surgery. The family’s been chipping in to help her out. Two weeks later, she is recovering nicely and her spirits are good, but it’s difficult to watch someone so strong and vibrant slowed down. We have to think on the bright side: once her knee heals, we won’t even be able to keep up with her!

In knitting news, I’m finishing up some projects, making some mitts for a bride, and planning out holiday projects. I also ordered a beginner’s spinning kit and am a little scared but mostly excited. I’ll let you know how that goes…

I haven’t posted any photos for a while, but I’m working on it. Hopefully I’ll have something in the next few days.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

More on Striping

2010-08-04T11:11:00.000-04:00

I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but it's been hot here. Hot! Work's been keeping me busy, and that along with the incessant heat have made it so that all I want to do is eat, knit, and sleep when I get home. Here's to hoping that things cool down soon, weather-wise and work-wise.

This past weekend did grant us somewhat of a reprieve: mid-80s weather and low humidity allowed J and I to spend a day with some friends walking about the city on Saturday. We had some incredible frozen yogurt at TangySweet during one of our rest stops, and I am certainly looking for another opportunity to visit again!

The blanket has been put on hold; I've decided to wait and see if my friend has a boy or a girl before continuing. Truth be told, I have horribly dry hands and using the yarn I was using turned into a complete snag-o-rama so I think I'm going to end up making a hat, baby mitts, and baby leg warmers (striped of course) for a series of smaller projects my poor construction worker feeling hands might be able to take more. The green-blue-teal color scheme doesn't quite work so well for baby girl clothing though, hence the wait. In any case, my nephews may be getting some embarassingly matched hats and mittens for Christmas this year. ;)

I've got a lot of projects to keep me occupied in the meantime. I need to finish up my pair of socks as well as the scarf I mentioned earlier, plus a wrap for a future wedding. Then comes all the holiday gift knitting, which I am really looking forward to!

One last little tidbit--I found another neat tool for striping while perusing some message boards. Check out the Random Stripe Generator for your next "freeform" striped project. I've had so much fun making different color combinations and seeing what the computer spits out.

Striping

2010-07-21T10:54:00.001-04:00

My dear college piano buddy R and her husband D are expecting their second child this September and we are just ecstatic. They are wonderful parents and any child in their family is a lucky child indeed.

R is an avid crocheter who lovingly stitches together baby blankets for moms-to-be in her home and church communities, so I of course wanted to knit something for her new bundle of joy. As with the last pregnancy, R and D are waiting until the baby arrives before they find out the gender, which means my blanket color choices are quite limited. Unless, of course, I wait until the baby comes to make the blanket, but what fun is that?

Since they were inundated by yellow items for their first son, I wanted to do something a little different. Stripes are usually pretty unisex depending on how they are done, so I bought a few skeins of Red HeartEco-Ways in Peacock (3518), Aquarium (3520), and Lichen (1615—I don’t think this color looks like lichen, and further, I don’t know why companies keep thinking that names like “lichen” sound appealing). The colors are boyish but are colors adult women like to wear. But looking back, I kind of wish I had added Misty Violet (3533) to the mix as it’s turning out to be a little more rough and tumble looking than I had intended. Oh well. I am el stinko with color coordination, so it is a miracle I was able to get this far to begin with.

So, I tried to carry the yarn up the side to avoid weaving but it wasn’t working out very well for my tastes. I didn’t like how the sides were not flexible, so I went searching for other options. Maybe I’m just slow in the game here, but I was overjoyed to find THIS beautifully photographed tutorial on how to weave in ends while knitting. Those as in the dark as I have been, enjoy!

Ack!

2010-07-16T14:19:00.000-04:00

Well, I've gone and disappeared again. I've been down with a freak summer cold and bronchitis all week. Luckily, I saw the doctor early enough that I didn't get to that horrible stage of bronchitis where I practically turn grey, but I've still been on another planet with all the cold meds and cough suppressants. As Sheri at The Loopy Ewe put it, I really have been Too Stupid to Knit!

Thankfully, I haven't been Too Stupid to Wind Balls of Yarn though, as I finally got a swift and ball winder this week. Knowing I'd do more damage than good to any of my projects but needing a fiber fix anyway, I spent most of this week winding everything in in my path. If I had any foresight, I'd have taken pictures of the yarn ball pyramid I've been building this week, but alas--I'm also Too Stupid to Plan at the moment, apparently.

I haven't forgotten Manly Friday though!

Mowhawk Hat by domiKNITrix.

Let your punk flag fly!

Star Wars Golf Club Covers by Katie LeComte

I think I know about twenty guys off the top of my head who would totally geek out over these.

Cargo by Brynne Sutton

Ok, so not a technical man, but a baby one. I thought these were too cute to pass up though. :)

Have a great weekend everyone, and keep your fingers crossed for me and hope I stop drowning in my own phlegm over here. Gross.

Knits for Men

2010-07-09T17:31:00.004-04:00

I just noticed that I'm up to my 30th post--wow!

Anyway, I've been thinking about men lately. Knits for men, that is. On my bus ride to the metro one day, I ran into a fellow knitting library friend, S. She casually mentioned that she had been working on a sweater for her boyfriend for, oh, 8 months now. I was surprised--S is a young, hip knitter who has been turning project after project for over half her life. When I asked why she kept getting sidetracked, she responded, "It's so boring!"

So, I thought I'd start a new feature here: Manly Fridays! Every Friday, I'll hunt out and highlight some fun patterns for men.

Men's Mod Sock. Photo by Jenna H.

Interesting pattern that deviates from the normal rib, but is simple enough not to be too flamboyant. Unless you knit it in neon yellow. Pattern available in toe-up and cuff-down versions.

Bias-Knit Tie. Photo copyright Interweave Knits.

The ultimate man-accessory: the tie. J has been interested in knitted ties for a while, because of their interesting texture and one-of-a-kind-ness. I guess I should probably get on that, huh?

Goomba Hat. Photo by FadeCrazy.

Throwback to Super Mario Brothers! Heck, I think I might make this one for myself.

What are your favorite manly knits?

Quick Alpaca Knit

2010-07-07T11:37:00.000-04:00

The week I put my last stitch into Stella, I wanted a fast project since Stella had taken me so long to complete. I decided to make an alpaca scarf for J since it was a worsted one-skein project--and since I've been neglecting making anything for him for a while. The yarn and pattern comes from a local spinner and alpaca owner, and is so squishy and soft that J should hide his new scarf before I decide to steal it for myself! Check her out: Ewesful Fiber Arts.

Summer tomatoes

2010-07-03T00:17:00.000-04:00

Summer always flies by so quickly with short trips and visiting family. J and I are traveling to visit some family in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan this holiday weekend. Not sure how the internet situation is, so for now, I bid you adieu for another few days. Coming with me is the Haruha Scarf, which I am knitting up in a fabulous fiery red-orange that Madelinetosh calls Tomato. How appropriate for the summer!

Have a safe and happy 4th, everyone!

Stella, completed

2010-07-02T12:12:00.000-04:00

I tried to do one of those fancy "scarf on a tree branch" photos everyone seems fond of, but was not successful.

More detail:

Guess who's on the blocking mat!

2010-07-01T14:03:00.000-04:00

...Stella! I FINALLY finished this long-lasting project--that'll teach me to have a separate "waiting room/waiting in general" project again and make me just sit down and do it.

I took some pictures after I blocked last night, but they didn't turn out very well, so you'll just have to wait until I get more pictures after Stella dries. Hooray!

I'm back!

2010-06-30T22:02:00.000-04:00

So, I really meant to update a few days ago, when we got back from Pittsburgh. Really. But then I got sick, and then I had to do the whole ALA (American Library Association) conference deal, and now here I am, finally taking a breath!

I'm finally getting the photos from our trip organized and ready to share, and am planning to spread it out over a couple entries. Boy did we have a good time!

Before we left, I finished my Vienna Shrug. I can't believe how soft the yarn is, and how incredible the color looks in the sun. Here's a look-see:

And before I go, here's a peek at our trip:

"Hello!"

Quick Update

2010-06-19T17:43:00.000-04:00

I haven't written in a bit, but for good reason--J and I are on vacation in Pittsburgh for a few days, seeing the sights, eating good things, lazing about, and petting penguin. We've been trying to get ahead with home things and work things, so there hasn't been much time for the internet, but I'll be back soon with a couple entries recapping our visit. Have a great weekend!

Giveaway on Wendy Knits!

2010-06-14T16:34:00.003-04:00

Wendy D. Johnson of Wendy Knits is having an awesome giveaway on her blog. She's offering a copy of her Gothic Spires store/scarf pattern, and two skeins of Zen Garden Serenity 20 yarn. Go check it out!

Also, today is National Strawberry Shortcake Day. In honor of that, here is a recipe Serious Eats put out in honor of the occassion.

Photo from Serious Eats

Red Velvet Cocoa Strawberry Shortcake (Recipe from Serious Eats, found here)

Red Velvet Cocoa Strawberry Shortcake

- makes 8 shortcakes -

Adapted from The Taste of Home Cookbook

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/3 cup cold butter
red food coloring (optional)
1 cup milk (or split between 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup buttermilk)
2 pints strawberries, sliced
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 cups freshly whipped cream

Procedure

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually stir in the milk until a soft dough forms. Add food coloring and mix until incorporated.

2. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons into eight mounds on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, gently toss the strawberries, orange juice and remaining sugar. Split each cooled biscuit into two horizontal layers. Top the bottom layers with whipped cream and strawberries; place the biscuit halves on top. Serve immediately.

I'm a winner!

2010-06-13T13:09:00.002-04:00

A few weeks back, one of my favorite yarn people, Karida of Neighborhood Fiber Co., had a contest and drawing for her new colorways. I didn't win the naming contest, BUT...I won a skein of studio sock in the newly named Victorian Village!

My yarn came in the mail earlier last week, and the color is stunning. It's a deeper fuschia than what the photo shows. If you remember, I used Neighborhood Fiber Co.'s Studio Sock in Georgetown for my Citron Shawl and was quite pleased with how everything turned out.

So, any ideas on what I should make next (besides socks)? I've got 435 yards at my disposal. Hmm....

Thank you, Karida!!

Vienna Shrug

2010-06-12T11:49:00.000-04:00

The Vienna Shrug has been blocked and is now ready for its ribbed trim. At the moment, it may be put to the side in favor of charity projects, but I'm really chomping at the bit to finish it soon!

Craft Hope

2010-06-10T16:24:00.002-04:00

I recently came across a wonderful website that connects crafters with important causes that need their help.

Their current project is set to help clean off wildlife in the Gulf. Needed are people who sew, knit, or crochet, to make small hand towels. They don't need to be fancy because they will likely be thrown away after three or four uses, and can just be a piece of terrycloth with serged edges. Read more about it HERE! The project is due July 3rd, so get those needles busy!

And sorry for the lack of posting lately--I'm still tired from being under the weather this weekend, and haven't been working on as much as I had hoped. The Vienna Shrug body is ready to be blocked tonight though, and hopefully I'll have the sleeve cuffs and collar finished or close to finished by the end of the weekend. Can't wait to see the final product!

Wildlife in the Gulf

2010-06-08T15:12:00.000-04:00

The now famous pictures by AP photographer Charlie Reidel are sure to pull at the heartstrings. We all keep asking ourselves, what can I do? If you have a few extra dollars, or some extra time, please take a moment to donate to or volunteer with Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research HERE. BP is helping with the funding of these projects, but Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research could always use more resources.

I lived in Baton Rouge for two years, and my husband has close family who live in New Orleans. Brown pelicans and egrets became ordinary to the backdrop of our lives, and it is extremely jarring to see what these innocent creatures are struggling through now.

To see the photographs by Charlie Reidel, go to this article. The pictures are very sad and disturbing, so proceed at your own risk.

On the needles

2010-06-07T12:46:00.003-04:00

The husband and I had intended to go to my town's annual festival this weekend, but I was feeling miserable and the weather was in the 90s with 5000% humidity. We decided to stay in, he working on his shoot-'em-up video game, me working on a new shrug. We went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival last month, where I found a simple pattern for a nice summer shrug--the Vienna Shrug by Hannah Six. I've been waiting to get going on this pattern for some time now, so though I wasn't feeling well, it was really great to finally sit down and spend some quality time with it.

I'm about three quarters of the way through with the body; after that I'll have ribbed trim to finish around the body and the sleeve cuffs. The pattern has been really easy to memorize, and hopefully it will be finished by the end of the week. I'm using Shepherd's Wool worsted in Lime Green on size 8 needles, and am really pleased with the stitch definition and fluffiness of the yarn. Hopefully, I'll have something more complete to show off soon!

DPNs

2010-06-04T15:33:00.000-04:00

I love knitting on DPNs. For some reason, I feel like I'm doing something and getting stuff done; moreso than when I knit on circulars or straight needles.

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel the same?

Enjoy your weekend, everyone! And don't forget to take advantage of National Doughnut Day today!

Blackberry Peach Pie

2010-06-03T15:15:00.001-04:00

Last night, I was faced with making a dessert for a party we're holding for our student workers. Because I don't know the words "give up and go buy a dessert and stop torturing your poor husband with baked goods he can't eat" or "it's 9:00 pm, do you really want to bake?", I decided I'd make a blackberry peach pie.

You see, I'm a freak of nature late night baker, so this shouldn't be surprising. But, pie crust and I have always had a strained relationship. It's one of those things where we've always agreed to disagree and leave it at that. Until....I browsed the Pioneer Woman's site a few days ago and found a reader recipe for a Perfect Pie Crust--the title says it's perfect! It has a ton of pretty pictures! And it's on the Pioneer Woman! What could go wrong?

Unsuspecting looking filling

I usually tear my crust to bits before I can get it into any sort of pan. This is a good sign!

Bottom crust and filling...the kitchen is starting to smell good

Let's all say one last prayer before it goes into the oven...

Aaannnd, done!

Thankfully, not much went wrong. My coworkers enjoyed the pie (or so they said), and the crust was delightfully flaky. Pre-baking, dough was a lot sloppier than what I am used to because of the extra liquid used (5 T water, 1 T vinegar, 1 egg). Freezing helped, and I had to make sure I picked up the crust completely off the counter frequently when rolling it (thank you Martha Stewart), so it wouldn't stick and become a sloppy mess.

Sylvia's Perfect Pie Crust (On The Pioneer Woman, submitted by Sylvia)

Ingredients
1-½ cup Crisco (vegetable Shortening)
3 cups All-purpose Flour
1 whole Egg
5 Tablespoons Cold Water
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Salt
Preparation Instructions

In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

Separate the dough into thirds. Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it’s still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)

When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.

With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.

***

Blackberry Peach Filling (From Bobby Flay on the Food Network website; I omitted the alcohol in this recipe because it was about 10 pm before I got around to mixing it up and I didn't feel like going to the store. C'est la vie.)

3 pounds mixed yellow and white peaches, peeled, pitted, sliced about 1/2-inch thick
1/3 to 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground fresh nutmeg
2 tablespoons peach eau de vie
1/4 cup cornstarch or tapioca
1 cup fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons cassis
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 to 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Citron

2010-06-02T11:32:00.003-04:00

The Citron Shawl is complete!

It didn't come out as ruffly as it should have; I think I blocked it too tightly. Nevertheless, I love it. The pattern was detailed and easy to follow, and could be a good beginner project.

Citron was knitted on a size 4 24-inch circular, using Neighborhood Fiber Co.'s Studio Sock in Georgetown. I absolutely adore Neighborhood Fiber Co.'s colorways! While I do like earthy and neutral colors, some companies and dyers take it too far and their colors become frustratingly watery and pasty. Neighborhood Fiber Co.'s yarns are refreshingly bold and bright, and named for neighborhoods found in DC and Columbus, OH. You can't see it in this picture, but there are hints of a deep violet lurking in the yarn.

Enjoy the FREE pattern from Knitty here!

Unrelated but equally fun: my friend Kimberly has a fashion blog and is doing her first giveaway to celebrate her hundredth post. I hope to be able to do the same if there is enough interest in the future, so stay tuned! Check her out here, and enter to win a Merona zebra stripe clutch wallet: Fashion Momma

Have a great day, folks! Stay cool in this warm weather!

Crafty Clutch

2010-06-01T01:14:00.001-04:00

My sister, N, made me a clutch this week.

The best part about having a crafty sister is that she knows exactly what you want in a gift. For me, it is unexpected, colorful purse-linings.

In return, I am taking care of her dog while she is relaxing somewhere sunny and sandy. Really though--it's not that big of a chore. Who can resist this face?

In knitting news, not much has happened this weekend. Stella is still inching along. I sent the knitted gifts I mentioned earlier (which consisted of a modified feather and fan dishcloth, two potholders I stitched up quickly using the double seed stitch, and a soap sock), but was in such a hurry to gift them that I forgot to take photos. For now, you'll just have to contend with PupsterFace.

The end.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-05-30T12:50:00.000-04:00

Saturday brought a three-person birthday celebration, as well as a farewell dinner for my sister-in-law J, as she is moving to Shreveport, LA to be with C, her one and only. The drive is a hefty 10 hours a day over two days through heart attack-inducing roadways, and I do not envy them at all! I decided to bake J and C a batch of good ol' chocolate chip cookies to help make the trip a little more enjoyable. The recipe came to me in a Martha Stewart Cookie of the Day e-mail, and I just HAD to try it because it is a Jacques Torres (my TV husband) recipe.

I used the smaller ice cream scoop for the cookies, and was able to make exactly 61 cookies. 61 of the best looking and tasting chocolate chip cookies I've made so far!

The cookies are substantial, chewy, and taste wonderful. I think this recipe will definitely surface again for future care packages!

Jacques Torres's Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies (from the Martha Stewart website, click on link to see a video)

1 pound unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons pastry flour

3 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 pounds Jacques Torres House (60 percent cocoa) Chocolate or other best-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Knit Picks order has arrived!

2010-05-28T16:39:00.003-04:00

I'd like to thank everyone for the wonderful anniversary wishes. We had a wonderful day, and are looking forward to many more anniversaries to come.

When we got home, I found two packages waiting for me by the door. My Knit Picks order has arrived! This includes the Blocking Mat I posted about earlier and a few yarns.

I will post pictures of the Citron shawlette I blocked last night, but the light in our office has been so bad because of the storms we have been experiencing. Anyway, I love this mat--it gives such flexibility to add and remove panels as you see fit, even in the middle of blocking.

As for the yarn, I am uber excited! I have never ordered yarns online before because I am such a tactile person and a stickler for squishiness, but I've heard so many wonderful things about Knit Picks yarns that I thought I'd take a chance. Plus, with their great pricing, I didn't feel like I had much to lose.

I ended up ordering the Shine Sport Yarn, because I am a sucker for modal. I was really pleased when I received the yarns--the colors matched the swatches on the websites pretty well, and while the yarn definitely had that absorbent feeling cotton has, it is very soft and has a wonderful silk-like sheen to it.

Well, that's pretty much it for now. I'll post pictures of the knitted gift I hinted at a few days ago and my shawlette soon. Have a happy 3-day weekend, everyone!

Colors pictured (L-R): Bison, Blush, Green Apple

Anniversary

2010-05-27T10:45:00.005-04:00

Today is my husband's and my fourth anniversary.

We are going to Maggiano's tonight (the destination of our first meal on our own as a married couple), where we will eat until our bellies explode. Linguine and clams, here I come!

Happy anniversary, sweetheart! I can't wait to spend another 4, 40, 400, etc. years with you. <3

Crochet FAIL, Baby robin love.

2010-05-26T16:31:00.001-04:00

Last night, I started crocheting a potholder with some cotton my sister-in-law gave me, as she is moving this week and I thought it might be nice to make her a few homey things for her new digs. I haven't crocheted in three years, but how bad could a potholder be?

Turns out the pattern I dug up was faulty, so I ended up going on the internet to try and find a similar pattern. While I didn't find exactly what I wanted, I ran across and fell in love with Interweave's Chanson en Crochet by Mari Lynn Patrick. This is reason enough for me to dust off my hooks and hone in my crochet skills. I love the mixture of textures and patterns Mari Lynn uses, and most of all how it doesn't seem matronly in the least. Best of all, it's free!

Photo from http://www.knittingdaily.com/media/p/14010.aspx

On the cute front, I've been so fixated with the return of the Canadian Geese that I forgot about all the baby robins that crop up around this time. Upon returning from work yesterday, I spotted from afar what I thought was a sick bird wedged in the vee of two tree branches. I went closer to see if the poor bird was injured, and soon realized that it was a fledgling waiting for its mother!

To get a scale of how small this baby was.

Cheeping quizzically

Look at that stubby baby tail!

Settling down

Butt fuzz! Oh the butt fuzz!

It's Geek Pride Day!

2010-05-25T15:36:00.002-04:00

Happy Geek Pride Day, all! Read about all the Rights and Responsibilities of Geekdom here. I'm not sure how I'm planning on celebrating, but it will probably involve some Carl Sagan and/or Star Trek with my husband and fellow Geek.

After months of trying to make do without, I have finally ordered a blocking board. I'm really excited about this because instead of coming in a large square or rectangle, the kit is composed of 9 12-inch squares that can be puzzled together into the size you need, or an odd shape your project may require. Knit Picks sells this mat at a very reasonable price, and I can't wait to report on it! I already have a shriveled up project to test out.

Knit Picks Blocking Mats, $19.99 plus s&h

In other news, I think I spotted the same pair of geese I blogged about earlier again today. I'm hoping they aren't planning a nest in the near vicinity, as my workplace has the habit of stealing their eggs and destroying their nests. Here they are, relaxing after a morning of foraging:

I would have taken a better photo of them, but I didn't want to disturb them from their siesta.

On the topic of water birds (great segue, huh?): Please go and donate to Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research. They've been helping clean up oiled animals since the oil spill in the gulf, and would appreciate either volunteers or donations. Did you know that the brown pelican, Louisiana's state bird, was just taken off the endangered species list? Go to that website and see how you can help, and what you can do to keep them from getting back on!

Store Review: Wendy's Knit Shop

2010-05-24T13:58:00.006-04:00

A hunt for the elusive 4" size 2-8 HiyaHiya interchangeable needle set took us out of our suburban surroundings and on into a lovely country drive over the Potomac to Brunswick, MD. Our destination was Wendy's Knit Shop. At first, I wasn't sure what to expect out of a knitting store in such a small town--I knew it was either going to be a gem or one of those questionable stores with a small selection of yarns and notions and several dozen baggy applique sweaters in the window display. But, as a vendor of HiyaHiya, how bad could they be?

I am pleased to say that Wendy's Knit Shop is definitely gem of a store. Located in a great Old Town/Downtown looking area (complete with railroad museum), the store carries yarns from Red Heart acrylics to Berocco to socially conscious Frog Tree Yarns. My favorite part of the yarn selection was their section of locally grown, spun, and dyed yarns, most notably those of Alpacas of Maryland. There were local wools, as well as a large assortment of alpaca yarns, and cashmere blend yarns, soft and silky to the touch. I couldn't resist walking out with two hanks of plush, irresistibly smooshable alpaca in aqua and a smoky charcoal (both from Alpacas of Maryland).

For spinners, 4 oz. bags of rovings are available.

The shop is run by two sisters, and the service was great. When I called to inquire about the HiyaHiya interchangeable needles, I was greeted jovially and the person at the end of the line even hand-measured the needles to ensure that I was getting what I wanted. Upon arrival, I met both sisters and was asked if I needed any help, but was not taken away from my browsing by too many offers of help or suggestions on what I might want to buy for x, y, or z project. When I did have questions, everyone was very friendly and knowledgeable. At the end of my visit, my yarn was wound for free (a service offered by many stores, but not always made obvious like it was here), which is always appreciated.

So, if you're in the area or even if you're not, make sure to stop by Wendy's Knit Shop for a personalized and satisfying experience.

Wendy's Knit Shop

Open Wednesday through Monday (see website for hours)

17 W Potomac St.

Brunswick, MD 21716

(240) 457-0410

Website: www.wendysknitshop.com

Sidetracked

2010-05-23T23:14:00.000-04:00

In the works for a birthday celebration coming up this Friday.....

Stay tuned for finished results!

Progress on Stella

2010-05-22T16:07:00.001-04:00

Sorry about the poor image quality. My camera's been strangely missing these past few days and I've only had my cell phone to rely on.

Stella is really starting to gain some momentum. I'm still making the same absentminded mistakes, but finally creeping toward the finish line.

Friday odds and ends, and a free pattern!

2010-05-21T14:31:00.003-04:00

On my way back from running some errands on campus this morning, I found this happy little pair nibbling on grass at the side of the library:

The geese are back! They are an annoyance to some, but to me, they mean only one thing: goslings! (Or, "goose babies", as I am apt to calling them when I am overly excited)

The excitement doesn't stop here: tonight, I am going to Jaleo to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday with a few other people. I've been wanting to try Jaleo for a while now, so expect some poorly photographed food pictures sometime in the next few days. Something tells me that there will be even bigger surprises than yummy tapas and free drinks in store for my sis-in-law tonight. Just a hunch.......

And speaking of food, have you seen Everybody Likes Sandwiches? I was browsing through these shortly before dinnertime the other day, which was probably a bad idea. Venture on over on a full stomach....or an empty one for tasty food ideas.

Last but not least, a free pattern. Twist Collective has posted a pattern of the Cabled Beret:

Photo from http://twistcollective.com/collection/blog_images/knitting247beret2.jpg

Scroll to the very bottom of the blog entry for the link to the .pdf file. It seems like the giveaway they were also holding is over now, but with a free pattern for such a lovely hat, I think everyone wins.

Amy Butler Giveaway!

2010-05-20T13:18:00.003-04:00

Head on over to one of my favorite bloggers' sites, Never Not Knitting for a great Amy Butler giveaway. Those of you who are familiar with Amy Butler know how wonderful her patterns, fabrics, and home decor products are.

Giveaway includes: Amy Butler's new Book, Midwest Modern Knits, and two skeins of Rowan by Amy Butler Belle Organic in dk and aran weights in a beautiful blue. The giveaway ends June 1.

Go for the giveaway, and stay to see all of Alana's beautiful designs and insightful posts. She even has a podcast!

Stella

2010-05-19T15:57:00.005-04:00

Meet Stella:

Stella is supposed to be a light summer scarf for me to wear in the office when it is too cold, or to punch up an otherwise "blah" outfit. It is knitted from Sirdar's "Snuggly Baby Bamboo DK", a soft bamboo/wool blend that I am just in love with. I mean really--I love this yarn. I would write more, but I'm planning on writing up a full review of the yarn later.

I found the pattern in Bev Galeska's Luxury One-Skein Wonders: 101 Small Indulgences , and I've been working on it since March. My original intention was to plow through it and finish it quickly, but there are oh so many knitted gifts I wanted to get out to people for their birthdays and special events that I just kept this project in my laptop bag as a "waiting for the doctor" type of project. Presently, the scarf is about a third of the way finished, but I'm becoming impatient with the lack of progress I've been making with it.

The pattern itself is short and quick to memorize, but also dangerous for that very fact. Finding myself too immersed in conversation or a television program to notice that the lace pattern is a couple stitches off happens more often than I would like, so I am forever going back to fix mistakes and re-count my stitches. Thankfully, the yarn takes well to my mental clumsiness and frogging, but again, more on that in another post.

Happy Birthday!

2010-05-19T11:10:00.000-04:00

Today is a wonderful day! My lovely sister is celebrating her birthday, and I couldn't be happier that she was born.

She is one of the funniest, goofiest, most creative people I know, and a world-class wife and mother to boot. I hope to be half the person she is, because if I am, then I know I've done well in life.

Happy birthday, N.!

The Obligatory Introduction Post

2010-05-18T23:49:00.000-04:00

"Sure...I gotcha. New York, third-wave feminist, college-educated, single and pretending to be happy about it, over-scheduled, undersexed, you buy any magazine that says 'healthy body image' on the cover, and every two years you take up knitting for... a week." --Jack Donaghy, 30 Rock

Though less than half of that quote describes me, the first time I heard it, I had to chuckle at the knitting part. I am not the traditional lifelong knitter--my mother taught me to knit and purl when I was 12, but I never made anything beyond the basic chunky scarf or practice square. The basement is littered with dozens of half-projects, dusty and still on their needles, birthday and Christmas gifts gone awry. College brought me a few months of renewed interest: some of my fraternity sisters were the unfortunate recipients of too-short scarves and ill-fitting hats, all mercifully received with smiles and encouragement. By the end of that winter back to knitting, the needles were once again banished to the basement and to the back of my closet, patiently waiting until I had another short spurt of inspiration.

I expected no differently this past winter when I decided to make a simple, chunky cowl for the unusually harsh winter the D.C. area was experiencing. But somehow, here I am, barrelling full-force into the thick heat of summer, experimenting with new yarns, planning out my first sweater--still knitting with every free moment I find.

I don't really know what I am planning for this blog yet--maybe it will flop like every other attempt I've made to record anything in my life, or maybe it will grow into something unexpected. Who knows. Either way, here I go....