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Dana's Adventures in Knitting

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Haikus and walking sticks

Hello all, Haiku is coming along kind of slowly, mostly because it's kinda boring and too hot here. I just need to make sleeves. Here's my progress:
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I also am working halfheartedly on a Top Down raglan (TDR). I'm using that jumbo skein of selfstriping boucle and YOs for the raglan seam. I may do something fancy on the sleeves with the left over Haiku yarn and I think I'll put some shaping at the center or something.
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I think I figured out what to make one of my cousins for Christmas. It's from 05 Summer VK. I'm going to use some recycled hot pink chenille.
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While cleaning my room I found an old walking stick I made from a sapling in the back field. I used a wood burner on it with a dogwood motif and initials.
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Tuesday, August 23, 2005

A Haiku for you

Soft yarn on needles
For a friendly little one
It should not take long

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If you haven't guessed, I am making Haiku from Knitty. My boss is expecting a new baby, their fourth, and I wanted to make them something. I'll probably make a matching hat, too. I'm making it out of Caron Simply Soft in Autumn Red.

Check out this yarn I found. It's from JoAnns and the skein is huge, 853 yards. I took a picture of it next to my SP Noro. It's bulky weight and self striping. I'm going to make up a pattern for it.

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Notice no sewing updates... *whistles innocently*

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Medallion Cardigan finished

It's Done! YAY! There is one problem in the pattern. On the sleeve cap it says to dec1 stitch EOR 6 times, then dec1 stitch every row 6 times. Bind of all stitches (11). It should read dec 1 stitch at each end of EOR 6 times,then decrease 1 stitch each end every row 6 times. Other than that it finished easily. I even have pictures:
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I used four and a half skeins of LB Cotton Ease in popsical blue. I wish I could get more; it's an awesome color. The pattern is from Loop D Loop.

Enchilada's and seaming Woo Hoo!

The never ending sleeves, ended. OK, so they weren't never ending, but they sure seemed that way. I am seeming them now. Next, I'll sew on the buttons and make the medallion. If I hurry I could be done tomorrow or the next day. Yay. Never mind that it is way too hot to even think about wearing a sweater.

Mom and Dad's church is having a craft sale in October. Mom asked me to make dishcloths. She likes the round ones I did earlier.

I made my enchiladas last night. I would love to learn how to make that burrito red onion sauce someday. That's my absolute favorite, but enchilada's (and Tamales) are a close second. This really isn't a fast recipie, but it's good.

Chicken Enchiladas
Sauce:
1T olive Oil
2clove garlic, minced
1t minced onion
1/2t oregano
1/4t cumin
1/4c salsa
1 1/4c water or chicken stock
2 1/2t chili powder
1/2t basil
1/8t pepper
1/8t salt
1t parsley
6oz tomato sauce
1 Saute garlic and onion in olive oil
2 Add all but water and bring to a boil
3 Add water and simmer for 20 min
filling:
1 lg chicken breast (I mean those big ginormous ones)
3/4t Lowrys seasoning sauce
3T enchilada sauce
1/2t onion powder (or minced onion)
1/4t cumin
boil and shred chicken (or use leftovers. It doesn't even have to be chicken) The seasonings above are mostly a suggestion. Use what you like. Thoese canned peppers in the red sauce (I can't remember their name) are very nice.

1 Put a bit of the sauce in the bottom of a 8x8 pan
2 Stean 6-7 tortillas in the microwave for baout 30 sec.
3 Fill tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese
4 Roll tortillas and place in pan.
5 Cover tortillas with enchilada sauce and plenty of cheese
6 Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min

Friday, August 12, 2005

Mufflers and Shao Mai, Oh my!

We put a new muffler and pipes on the van today. It was $120, 48 of it was for the muffler. Pipes are expensive! It could have been worse, it could have been the cat. They're expensive *knock on wood*. It's step one to making the van legal again. On the bright side I knitted a couple of inches on the sleeves that won't end. They're at 14.5 inches, 3.5 more to go until I start the sleeve cap.

Tonight I made Shao Mai. They are little chinese pork dumplings. I make them in bulk and freeze them. That way I can just pull a few out of the freezer at a time and steam them. They are sooo good. Would you like the recipie? Sure you would...

Shao Mai
1lb ground pork
1T soy sauce
1T rice wine vinegar
1T seseme oil
1/2t garlic, minced
1T scallion, chopped
2t sugar
1t ginger, grated
2T cornstarch
1t coarse salt
1/2t blk pepper, ground
30 small wonton wrappers

1. Mix all ingredients except wrappers
2. place 1T pork in the middle of wrapper, wet edges of wrapper with a corn starch water mixture, and fold over sealing edges tightly.
3. Place dumplings 1/4" apart in a bamboo steamer lined with wet cheesecloth
4. Put steamer over a pot full of boiling water
5. Cook 20 min, swithing layers after 10 minutes.
Serve with dumpling sauce

Dumpling Sauce
1/4c soy sauce Note: I prefer to use tempura sauce and omit the sugar
1t sugar
1T rice wine vinegar
1/4c water
chopped scallions for garnish

I hope you enjoy them. Tomorrow I'll make Chicken Enchilladas Mmmmmm

Thursday, August 11, 2005

sleeves are boring

I'm 11" along on the sleeves of my Medallion cardi. *cue whiney voice* Soooo boring. I need 7 more inches before I can shape the sleeve cap.
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Every other project I can think of looks really good right now. But I must finish, if I stop I might never pick it up again and that would be a shame.

The next project is going to be a haiku made out of Autumn Red Caron Simply Soft. No twee pastels for me. It's for my boss' new baby, due in January. Pretty, pretty yarn
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I'll probably also make some booties or socks and a hat.

I found a new (to me anyway) yarn in pretty, pretty colorways. It's a brown sheep yarn called Wildfoote. I have one skein of bluegrass colorway that I will combine with some leftover green I have to make some half finger gloves. Sometime...eventually. I also scoped out the color selection at Great Yarns for the Turkish shawl in VK. I need 10 colors in sport weight! The frontrunner so far is Smart Superwash. I'd have bought them today, if I'd have actually had money. *shrug*
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Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Geek Code

-----BEGIN KNITTER'S GEEK CODE BLOCK-----

Version:1.1

KCR++(+++) Exp+>++ SPM++ Steel+ Wood@ Bam Pl- Cas? AddiT>++ Den? Boye? Syn Nov- Cot+ Wool++ Lux+ Hemp? Stash++ Scale++ Fin Ent? FI Int- Tex++ Lace++ Felt+ Flat- Circ++ DPN(+)() ML(+) Swatch++(+++) KIP++ Blog++ SNB EZ-() FO+ WIP(-) Gauge@ L F+ S+ DK+ W++ B ALT(sewing)

------END KNITTER'S GEEK CODE BLOCK------

That is all...

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

New Vogue Knits

I found the new Vogue at the Borders the other day. One word, Gorgeous.
I love the eyelet top, Anne Modesitt's round jacket, the colorful shawl, the stripey cardi, the men's fair isle pullover, the basketweave and ribbed vest, the cape from the ad section, and the fuzzy, pink hoodie . I also can see mom wearing the shawl collard, belted cardigan. Maybe I'll make her one for Christmas. He skirt is pretty, but I don't think knitted skirts are a good idea, even if they are Koigu. The yellow cardigan is nice too, but I'd rather just do a shorter version of the Cabled Riding jacket in LDL. The cables on it are way cooler.
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It's a real breath of freash air after the last couple lackluster knitting mags I have seen. Even Interweave's fall issue was mostly a dissapointment. Now, all I need is more time and money... *looks around hopefully*

Friday, August 05, 2005

washcloths

I finished the body of Medallion Cardi. It's even stitched up and the ends are woven in. I will start on the sleeves after I cut out my MIL's blouse pattern. Ugh. I am so not in the mood to sew. It's so tedious and I can't take it with me. Oh well, I promised.

I shipped my SP's last package out today I made her some washcloths. Very cute. Here's the pattern. One ball of Sugan and Cream will make like 2.25 cloths.
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We might be moving in the next 6-12 months. Hubby has been offered a job near Belhven on the coast. Unless plans change, he is to handle water treatment for a new community. It's all very exciting. It will mean a big raise in pay; I wish it were possible to move money back through time. Sigh, it would really help :/ Oh well, it's something to look forward to; a bend in the road, as Anne Shirley put it.

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Wocher wolvie

Had an HP art moment
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It's not my best work, but it was fun. Oh well, practice, practice, practice.

The Holey cardi

I finished the hole in the back of the Dreamcatcher Medallion Cardi. I am just so pleased. check it out.
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I really like Cotton Ease. It is knitting up so well and my abused swatch still looks good. Now if we can just get LB to not discontinue it and come out with better colors. I did write them about it; maybe if enough people complain they'll change their minds. There's always hope.

Here's one of the front bits, complete with button band and about 3/4 of the neck shaping complete.
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I should finish the bodice by tomorrow and then I can start the sleeves. I think I'll knit them both at once. Having 4 balls tied to my work at once makes only 2 seem easy. Ciao
 
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