Monday, November 28, 2011

Monday, Monday


Monday, Monday and back to work after the long weekend.

Successfully ordered a cable to hook up my Ipod shuffle to my stereo receiver. Now hours of music without a cd changer. All for about $7.00.

People are always shocked by my music mixes. The one playing tonight has Mozart symphonies, the entire Hell on Wheels album by the Pistol Annies, Peter Frampton, and selections from Paul Simon's Graceland, John Rutter carols and some Linda Rondstat Mexican songs.

Above is the Guernsey Wrap in the Knit Picks overspun wool in the Ash colourway.

I love ordering yarn from small outlets. Ordered a skein of Wensleydale from Blakesley Creek Farm in Oregon. It came with a lovely photo of Wenslelydale sheep and a note. I'll post a piccy of the yarn later (Toupie is being uncooperative tonight). But it is lovely stuff. I will be buying more.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Slow Cooker

I bought the smallest size with the highest recommendations on Amazon.com. Used A Taste of Thai's Thai Spicy Peanut Bake and two pork chops from Whole Foods plus 2.5 MacIntosh apples. Added water, which I now know is a mistake. I should have reread that bit in the instruction manual which reminds owners that there is no evaporation in a slower cooker. I'll remember that when making the soup later today. Cooking time: 4 hours on high

The pork chops and apples are delish. The apples are mushy; the pork is fall off the bone tender and moist. The whole infused with the flavors of the Thai Spicy Peanut Bake.

Measured out the Navy beans last night. How I managed to scoop exactly one cup, I'll never know. They've soaked overnight and plumped up quite nicely. Yesterday I bought some prepackaged soup things: 1 turnip; 2 carrots; 1 onion, 1 garlic and some thyme and other herbs. I also bought 3 small boiling potatoes and some bacon. These will go into the navy bean soup.

On the needles: I'm on row 54 of the second complete knit Chart A of the Guernsey Wrap using Knit Picks overspun wool in the Ash colorway. Piccy's later.

My Black Friday deal: Ottlite Folding Desk Lamp reg. 89.00; 19.99. Threw in a skein of Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool in Brown and size 8 Chiagoo circular needles to get free shipping.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

4 Days of Cooking and Knitting

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and the start of four days of not working. Except for accompanying my sister to a drs appointment on Friday morning. I have no plans...well I have plans but none that take me away from home.

Just had a wonderful mini-lunch courtsey of Starbucks Salami and Cheese Bistro Box. A bit pricey (but it is Starbucks), but delish!!! At the end of the box, I was wishing I'd had a glass of a crisp Pino Grigio. Next time...

I bought a small slow cooker. Bought two slower cooker cook books. The portions are huge; don't get the tapioca being added to a lot of the recipies as a thickener for sauce. In short the books aren't the Joy of Cooking, but they have given me jumping off points for experiements.

Went to Whole Foods and bought one-person portions of lentils, Bhutanese Red Rice, black rice and three scoops of Navy beans. These will be turned into soup. But the veg selection at the GW location was sadly lacking. Planning to pick up some leeks, parsnips, carrots, turnips and potatoes Friday morning. Tomorrow the slower cooker gets initiated with: pork chops with peanut sauce, Thai peppers, and basil.

Still waiting on my order for 62 Degrees North :( so the Guernsey Wrap in the Faroes Island wool is on hold. In the meantime, continuing the Ishobel shawl prezzie and started another Guernsey Wrap in the Knit Picks overspun Peruvian wool in the Ash colourway. I have ten skeins, so running out of yarn won't be an issue.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Interesting

I'm waiting on a new shipment of yarn from 62 Degrees North to continue the Gansey Wrap. Meanwhile, I'm knitting a neck warmer from the Faroe's Island wool using Knit Picks Options needles. The lanolin in the wool has coated the needles making the yarn move along very easily. The skein I'm working with has some vegetable matter. I've also noticed that this yarn makes my nails dirty.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

What a Difference A Yarn Makes

I'm knitting the Guernsey Wrap by Jared Flood. I started this in Knit Picks Merino Style. That yarn is being discontinued. Rather than invest more in another discontinued yarn line and colourway, I turned to 62 Degrees North Faroes Island wool 2ply light worsted in light brown. .


I'm loving the stitch definition and the general sheepiness of the yarn. It smells like sheep and after completing a few rows, there's the sheen of lanolin from the wool on my hands. I'm actually itching to get this off the needles to soak and block it, but I have another four skeins to knit.
Also on the needles is another Ishobel. This one has been commissioned and will be a gift. I'm knitting it using the same, now discontinued, KP Essential Sock Yarn. This is the third time I have knit this pattern and I have to say, I'm enjoying this knit immensely because of my increased ability to read my stitches. Still having the same stitch count issues, but I've got them under better control.