tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49810081039335641182024-02-08T00:49:02.455-05:00Dear KnitsLife is hectic and yarn runs amokTarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.comBlogger570125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-28963414375603931242013-07-07T21:10:00.002-04:002013-07-07T21:10:58.764-04:00InspiredI love food. I can't be as adventurous as I would like to be with 2 kids under 10 in the house (in my experience, that way leads to tears and misery), but I put a great deal of thought into the food I buy and the meals Phil and I prepare for our family. Preparing a meal I know my family enjoys, making something special for the kids' snacks, spending endless hours canning tomatoes in August... it's one of the ways I tell my family I love them. <br />
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I don't know whether I'd go so far as to call myself a Foodie or anything, but there you have it. I spend a good part of each day preparing/planning/thinking about food. And yet, in the almost 6 years I've been blogging, I don't think I've posted a single recipe here. <br />
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That ends today.<br />
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Last time I wrote about how the garden had gone nuclear and I had more garlic scapes than I knew what to do with. On Friday morning I harvested a bunch and put them in the fridge before I went to work, thinking inspiration would hit and I'd figure something out during the day. I HATE not using things comes from the garden. <br />
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Later that morning while scrolling through my Instagram feed (you can find me under <a href="http://www.iphoneogram.com/u/16900912">DearKnits</a>!), I came upon a picture of a pasta dish with red onions, garlic scapes, pistachios, cream and parmesan. And inspiration hit. <br />
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I used my scapes in a pasta dish, but added sauteed mushrooms and substituted pine nuts instead of pistachios. I also cut out the cream and added some cherry tomatoes for colour.<br />
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And holy JEEZ was it good. So, SO good. Even the kids loved it. And Phil, who isn't overly fond of pasta dishes that are too "noodle-ey" liked it too. <br />
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I made it again tonight, just so I could <strike>snarf it down</strike> photograph it and share the recipe. You're welcome.<br />
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<u>Pasta with sauteed mushrooms, garlic scapes and red onions</u><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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4 tbsp olive oil <br />
2 tbsp butter<br />
1 8oz (227 g) package of mushrooms (I used a blend of oyster, shitake and enoki mushroms), chopped.<br />
1/4 cup of red onions, sliced<br />
1/3 cup garlic scapes, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 5 scapes)<br />
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger<br />
1 sprig fresh thyme<br />
1 cup freshly grated parmesan<br />
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved<br />
250 g pasta (I used a mix of fusilli and penne rigate) <br />
5-6 slices smoked salmon (optional)<br />
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Instructions:<br />
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- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over med-high heat. Melt 2 tbsp butter and add mushrooms. Sautee for 3-4 minutes until mushrooms have softened and have begun to brown. Add red onions and sautee until softened.<br /><br />
- Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic scapes, ginger and thyme and continue to sautee 5-10 minutes.<br />
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- Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water until <i>al dente</i> (about 7 minutes). Drain, and return the pasta to the pot. <br />
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- Add remaining olive oil to pasta and stir to coat evenly. Add the mushroom/red onion/scapes mixture to the pasta and mix well. Add the grated parmesan and halved cherry tomatoes and stir.<br />
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- If vegetarian dishes aren't your thing, or if you want to add a bit more protein to this dish, throw in a few slices of smoked salmon before serving. <br />
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Personally, I found this dish to be absolutely delicious, and I hope you will too! If you give it a try, do let me know what you thought of it! :)<br />
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Happy Cooking, Everyone! Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-69605495873801622502013-07-03T20:54:00.002-04:002013-07-03T20:54:42.880-04:00The Bright SideI don't know what the weather has been like in your part of the world, friends, but up here it has been WET. Sure, we've had the occasional warm Spring Day (or now, technically Summer Day), but on the whole it's been rainy and grey and sometimes downright cold.<br />
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Now, in case you didn't know, Winter is a big deal in Canada. After enduring six months of ice, snow, sleet, and mind-numbing, soul-sucking cold, we're all a bit shell-shocked, you know? We <i>need</i> our oh-so-brief-but-glorious Spring and Summer to bring us back to life, to forget the horrors of Winter and remind us why anyone would ever choose to live in this God awful climate in the first place.<br />
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But this year, Spring just... didn't sprung. And thus far, Summer's interest in making an appearance seems to be casual at best. I'm not going to lie, it's been taking a toll on our moral. The first drop of rain,the slightest dip in the thermostat has us sighing in heavy exasperation and muttering to ourselves about the Gosh Dang Weather. I've been trying to make the best of it (Knitwear is still appropriate! Yay! Everything is green and lush! Super!), but this week I finally had to admit that the game was up and that the whole "It's good for the plants" spiel just wasn't going to cut it anymore.<br />
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The thing is though? All this rain we've been having? It really IS good for the plants.<br />
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The garden has EXPLODED, my friends. Seriously, it's like a Girls Gone Wild video out there, only for plants. The tomatoes I planted (that I grew from seed!!!) have gone berserk, the carrots are doing splendidly, I've got more garlic scapes than I know what to do with, and the basil, while tender, is fragrant and wonderful.<br />
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The only thing that hasn't been going crazy are the cucumbers (I suspect they aren't getting enough sun - Hah! Get in line, dudes!). I also had ZERO luck with my watermelon despite sowing the seeds twice, so I've changed plans for that raised bed and have planted spaghetti squash instead. They look teeny now, but I know the ways of squash. They'll be joining the veggie party, taking up all the room and making googly eyes at the green beans in no time.<br />
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So yeah... there's that. And for those doldrums that the garden can't cure? Well, there's always cross stitching.<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-83801676173166790922013-06-26T16:32:00.000-04:002013-06-26T16:33:11.121-04:00CitronWithout further ado (because I know the suspense has been killing you), it is with great pleasure that I give you <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/DearKnits/citron-grand">Citron</a>, aka the Big Red Blob of Doom:<br />
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Yes friends, I finished it. There were approximately eleventy-bajillion-zillion stitches on the needles at the end, and for a while I thought I had stumbled into some sort of blip in the time-space continuum, but binding off that final stitch was like attaining knitting nirvana. I experienced a singular, blissful moment of clarity... <br />
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... swiftly followed by an overwhelming wave of hostility and disgust. I couldn't get that f*$#ing shawl away from me fast enough.<br />
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It took me a full week before I could even look at it again, and another week to be able to sit down and weave in 6 little ends. And now it is finally and truly done.<br />
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I can't even begin to contemplate casting on for another shawl at this point, resolution be damned. Since finishing my Citron I have gone absolutely WILD and cast on not one but TWO socks (I KNOW! Get DOWN with your bad self!) and have been enjoying knitting on one or the other as strikes my fancy.<br />
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The pair on the left (which is not, in fact, as crazy neon orange as it appears in this photo) is the latest <br />
Cookie A Sock Club sock, knit with Sweet Georgia CashLuxe Fine. The pattern (inspired by Spock!) is fun and challenging and the yarn is absolutely divine. The pair on the right is my Soccer/Swimming/AutoPilot knitting of the moment, a pair of plain vanilla socks knit out of NightFall sock yarn.<br />
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I'm sure I'll be serving myself up another slice of crazy-pie within no time, but until then I'll be happily knitting away on these babies. Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-47544938468980177452013-06-10T20:57:00.000-04:002013-06-10T20:57:20.104-04:00SlogThere are a few reasons why I haven't written a blog post in a good long while. First (and I know this is going to come as a complete shock to those of you who still frequent this space (*Cough* Dad *Cough*): I'm not exactly the bestest blogger in the whole wide world. Second, well, I've been kept busy by other projects.<br />
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Like the garden...<br />
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I guess one could say I've dabbled in vegetable gardening since the kids were born, but this is my third year of "serious" gardening. The garlic is up, carrots are sprouting away, and the tomatoes (that I started from seed!!!!) seem to be managing fairly well despite the cool Spring we've been having up here. I even spotted a few baby tomatoes out there this morning!<br />
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As I mentioned last time, I've also gotten pretty obsessed with cross stitching over the past few weeks. Cross stitch is a bit of a vixen though. It beguiles you with it's seemingly manageable size and all-round cuteness, so that you don't immediately realize what a MASSIVE time-suck it can be. Stitching all those little x's takes TIME, my friends!<br />
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But if you really want to know what's been keeping me from posting to this knitting blog, I'll tell you: it's that I am absolutely bored to tears by the project I've been working on since, oh, forever. Friends, I give you the coma-inducing red blob of despair:<br />
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Also known as a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/citron-grand">Citron Grand</a>, which I'm knitting out of 1300 yards of laceweight. It's going to make a great Christmas gift, and goodness knows I knew what I was getting myself into when I pulled those 3 balls of Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace out of the stash, but MAN. I've been relying heavily on my runner training, trying to suck it up and keep slogging along, telling myself that each row is one row closer to the finish line, and you know what? <br />
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Not unlike 'round about the 15th kilometer in a half-marathon, my pep talks are starting to feel like total and complete bullsh*t. I'm never going to be done. This mind-numbing, soul-crushing torture is just going to go on (and on) (and ON) forever. <br />
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Happy <strike>pointless</strike> knitting <strike>that won't make the slightest dent in your WIP</strike> everyone! *Sigh*Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-83516253658223294542013-04-30T21:01:00.000-04:002013-04-30T21:01:59.658-04:00GulpI made some fairly ambitious knitting <a href="http://dearknits.blogspot.ca/2013/01/resolutions.html">resolutions</a> this year. I wanted to knit 12 shawls, 15 pairs of socks, and try to use up 15000 yards, primarily from the stash if possible. Ambitious, but totally doable, right? <br />
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By the end of March, I had knit 3 pairs of socks, 3 shawls, and about 3000 yards, all from stash. Not too shabby, eh? I had this Knitting Goals thing in the BAG, people.<br />
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And then this happened...<br />
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Yup. I totally drank the cross stitch Kool-Aid. I have become a cross stitching fool.<br />
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I signed up for <a href="http://www.thefrostedpumpkinstitchery.com/">The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery</a>'s Springtime Sampler. And the 2013 Woodland Sampler. Aaaaaaand I might maybe have bought another of their patterns too. So yeah... I didn't just <i>drink</i> the Kool-Aid, I gulped it down and wiped my chin off on the sleeve of my merino and silk cardigan. Knitting Goals? Pshaw! I've got plenty of time, right!?<br />
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Happy Stitching everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-59569054139516210112013-04-04T20:47:00.000-04:002013-04-04T20:47:37.914-04:00Pushed over the edgeI'm trying to knit from stash as much as possible this year. I wouldn't call it Cold Sheeping exactly. Maybe Tepid Sheeping? Anyway, as anyone who has developed a, um... <i>healthy</i> interest in knitting can attest, refraining from buying yarn can be... challenging. The colours, the fibers, the sales... it can be hard to resist. <br />
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Enter the yarn club. Pay your money up front at the beginning of the year, then receive shiny new yarn at regular intervals throughout the year. I'm not saying it CURES a knitter of her itch to buy yarn, but knowing you've got a shipment coming in a few weeks definitely takes the edge off, which can be pretty handy in a pinch.<br />
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Way back in February (you know... 'round about the last time I wrote a blog post? Ahem), I received the first shipment of the Cookie A Sock Club. It was a lovely skein of Indigodragonfly MCN sock, in the colourway E Pluribus Nom Nom Nom.<br />
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Lovely, isn't it? What a pretty thing. And as soft and squooshy as frolicking kittens on a Spring morning. Just perfect.<br />
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Only, well... there was a snag. Turns out I had remarkably similar yarn in the stash already. A few skeins of it. And here's the kicker: I was <i>embarrassed</i> that I had "So Much Yarn" in this colour in my stash. Really. I've been squirreling yarn away for YEARS, it's invaded practically every nook and cranny in my home, but THIS skein was pushing me out of my comfort zone. <br />
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There was only one thing to do, of course. I had to get that yarn out of the stash ASAP! <strike>Denial</strike> balance had to be restored at all costs!<br />
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The club yarn has been knit up into one of the 2 patterns for that shipment, the Ernie Socks, and they're now safely tucked away into the Gift Box.<br />
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The green Hazel Knits (top right) is being knit up into a lovely shawl by Corrina Ferguson, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/evadine">Evadine</a>. And the Springtree Road yarn (bottom left) will most likely be cast on with next.<br />
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Me? Too much yarn? Pshaw.<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-20581846173450077532013-02-12T20:43:00.000-05:002013-02-12T20:44:42.844-05:00But is it TOO perfect?Well, it finally happened. I hopped on Ye Olde Bandwagon and cast on for a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/color-affection">Color Affection</a> shawl of my very own. (Truth be told, I bought my ticket for that fun train months ago when my friend Marie-Michele and I spent about an hour debating colour combinations of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/grinninggargoyle">Grinning Gargoyle</a> Seda Sock at Rhinebeck, but I only jumped on 10 days ago.)<br />
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Anyway, it's charming. Utterly charming. Cushy and comforting. Like oatmeal on a cold winter morning. The soothing garter stitch is predictable, familiar, yet kept from being monotonous by the novelty of the colour changes. And it's flying off the needles! A friend remarked that it's a good thing I'm knitting with aluminum needles, because I'd be fixin' to set my knitting on FIRE I'm rubbing these here pointy sticks together so fast. All in all, I'd say it's perfect, perfect knitting.<br />
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Then last night, as I <strike>rolled my knitting into a ball and left it on the couch</strike> lovingly tucked my knitting away for the evening, I wondered at how swimmingly everything was going, and that's when it happened. A shadow of doubt. A wrinkle. A question... maybe this was going <i>too</i> well? Maybe it was <i>too</i> perfect? Maybe I'd done something wrong?<br />
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The instructions had seemed fairly straightforward, but what if I had made a mistake? The third section of the shawl has you knitting 3 stitches <i>past</i> a previously wrapped stitch. Had I been picking up too many stitches all along? Had I been over-thinking the directions and taken the instructions too literally? Had I inadvertently turned my perfect, winter comfort knitting into a pile of absolute drivel that I would need to rip back in quiet shame?<br />
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All night, it bothered me. I barely slept a wink. This morning, once I was caffeinated and the kids were safely off to school, I knew what I had to do. <br />
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Math.<br />
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Good news: it's going to be fine. My bad!<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-63238317356989587462013-02-05T20:30:00.000-05:002013-02-05T20:30:13.669-05:00Call me Mrs McMatchyPantsA few weeks ago I had dinner with a good friend of mine, who also happens to be a knitter. Knowing that she would appreciate them, I took special care when selecting my winter woolens. I had just completed the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/neon-ski-bonnet">Neon Ski Bonnet</a>, which I showed you a few posts ago, so naturally I grabbed that first. I paired the hat with my (yet-to-be-documented) <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/different-lines">Different Lines</a> shawl, and my (also yet-to-be-documented) <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wood-hollow-mittens">Wood Hollow Mittens</a>. The shawl is knit out of Sanguine Gryphon Bugga in a rich pink and black combo, and the mittens are in a pinkish/blueish/greyish wool. And, in case you missed it, my Neon Ski Bonnet is, well... cranberry. Bright red.<br />
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Being a knitter, my friend honed in on my new hat right away, and dutifully <i>ooh</i>ed and <i>aaah</i>ed. Being a <i>fashionable</i> knitter, she also remarked, albeit affectionately, that my accessories were somewhat<i> </i>lacking in the coordination department.<br />
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It was true. Despite my best intentions, I had fallen into the knitters' trap. There I was, proudly showing off each individual piece as testaments to my knitterly skill and general awesomeness, but I had completely forgotten the fact that they were no longer knitting projects but <i>articles of clothing</i>. If I had gone to work in an outfit as uncoordinated as that, I might have been mistaken for a patient in the psychiatric ward. Just sayin'.<br />
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I really did love that hat though. And I still had about 250 yards left of that <strike>never-ending</strike> Shelridge. So I set about knitting up some matching accessories.<br />
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Clockwise, from top left: Neon Ski Bonnet, Wood Hollow Mittens, and Ziyal Cowl.</div>
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I had knit the mittens before, and I figured the cables and twisted stitch border pattern would be a good match for the headband of the hat. I was wondering what I was going to do for a cowl when I happened upon the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ziyal">Ziyal</a> cowl, by Allison Goldthorpe, a free pattern on Ravelry. It uses the<i> same</i> smocked stitch pattern as the ski bonnet. Score!<br />
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Matching, coordinated winter accessories, using leftover yarn that's been marinating in the stash since 2008. I am living the dream, people.<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!<br />
Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-64172775229079604542013-01-31T20:36:00.000-05:002013-01-31T20:36:07.849-05:00LeftoversThanks for the kudos on my knitting goals, friends! I tell ya, there's nothing like hearing back from your peers to make you realize that you might <i>maybe</i> be serving yourself a nice big slice of crazy-pie, heh. 15,000 yards! 15 pairs of socks!! 12 shawls!!! Ooh, boy, this is going to be good!<br />
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One thing having a yardage goal has made me aware of is my leftovers. This is the first time I've kept track of the <i>amount</i> of yarn that actually gets knit up chez Dear. Before this, I tended to think of my output in terms of FOs rather than quantity of stash yarn actually USED. <br />
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Up until now, when a project was done, well... as far as I was concerned, so was the yarn. I didn't throw it out, of course, because it was still yarn after all. I don't think you can develop the kind of relationship we as Knitters have with yarn and just THROW IT OUT (unless we're talking about acrylic. But that's a debate for another day). No, I just put it in a bag and sort of, just... forgot about it. The project was finished, the yarn was done. Out of sight, out of mind, and <i>definitely</i> out of the stash.<br />
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Here's the thing though. That bag? Where yarn leftovers go to die? Turns out there's, um... a lot of yarn in there. Like, A LOT, a lot.<br />
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Does this count as stash?!? I'm already finding it challenging to find projects for the yarn in the stash, should I be trying to find projects for the leftovers as well? <br />
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What do you do with your leftovers?<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!<br />
<br />Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-11758158522726361252013-01-27T20:38:00.000-05:002013-01-27T20:38:00.446-05:00ResolutionsA couple of years ago I started this "Running for Rhinebeck" thing to save money for my annual <strike>pilgrimage</strike> trip to the <a href="http://www.sheepandwool.com/">New York Sheep and Wool festival</a>. The idea was that, for every kilometer I ran, I would put a dollar into my Rhinebeck Fund. So I created a little "Running for Rhinebeck" widget thingamabob and smacked it on the sidebar of the blog to keep track of my progress. Whenever I run, I boot up the blog, click on the widget to log onto <a href="http://tickerfactory.com/ezticker/ticker_designer.php">Ticker Factory</a>, and enter in my distance (and cash). Simple! I figured it would a) encourage me to keep up with my training, and b) give me a fair whack of guilt-free yarn money by the end of the year. Bingo, double-whammy.<br />
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Yeah... for the past month and a bit, logging the progress has been... shall we say... difficult? Embarrassing? Not because I haven't been running (I have. Not as much as I probably should, but I have). No, the problem is that I have to face The Blog to do it. The Blog. This space that I haven't contributed to for months. MONTHS. The SHAME. Ugh.<br />
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Here's the thing. My evenings are short and my ME time is precious. When faced with the choice between knitting and writing about knitting, I'm going to go with knitting, you know? Hence, no blogging.<br />
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But every now and again, I catch myself thinking about a project or a pattern, or hatching some crazy scheme, and I think "this would make a good blog post". So I guess I haven't really gotten this whole blogging thing out of my system after all. <br />
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I'll try to fit it in. Somehow. <br />
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So what have I been up to lately, you may ask? Well, I've been knitting. And thinking about knitting. And thinking about what I want to DO with my knitting this year. <br />
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I love setting <strike>myself up to fail</strike> goals for myself. They give me a real sense of momentum, of moving forward. Work is hectic (stupid money... grumble grumble), kids (God love 'em) are demanding, and time is in short supply. But making lists makes me feel like I'm <i>doing</i> the things I want to be doing, even if I never ultimately get around to it all.<br />
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So! Here are my goals for 2013:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Knit up (drum roll please) 15,000 yards in total. Yup. Just over 13km worth of yarn. I can totally do it. Right?</li>
<li>Knit 12 shawls. To this effect, I've joined the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/12-shawls-forever">12 Shawls Forever</a> group on Ravelry. 'Cause, you know... Peers are good :)</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFHWyZD6033qxLr3O47ScMokqA6NejFtZgdizzjKw560u9rqYiXeq2Hr1AS2S1eabZgrDZ2nymx25Fz7lzKO4fw0D7hERMH-TTlN1Pb5gLoGgnbor6sdGY8wndBitDPiFnuLStS974iaz/s1600/WendellHolmes5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFHWyZD6033qxLr3O47ScMokqA6NejFtZgdizzjKw560u9rqYiXeq2Hr1AS2S1eabZgrDZ2nymx25Fz7lzKO4fw0D7hERMH-TTlN1Pb5gLoGgnbor6sdGY8wndBitDPiFnuLStS974iaz/s320/WendellHolmes5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Shawl the First: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wendell-holmes">Wendell Holmes</a>, by Corrina Ferguson. </div>
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<li>Try to use some of the vintage stash. Also in the "Peers are Good" category, I'm participating in <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/stash-and-burn-listeners-group">Stash and Burn</a>'s Use It or Lose It project. </li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszDXXzLhX3raT4Ew0AsmYBu_r20lbWtE5yJ5hrHZWB6bdogU_IgwyhQWG3fHgm07c-KOwjHLp3K5OCw1JYvRc2IpI-o1xhnfcMTghX89vmwf8fF-69a77PTor4w6JssoRIWUPb2-7_9g6/s1600/SkiBonnet1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszDXXzLhX3raT4Ew0AsmYBu_r20lbWtE5yJ5hrHZWB6bdogU_IgwyhQWG3fHgm07c-KOwjHLp3K5OCw1JYvRc2IpI-o1xhnfcMTghX89vmwf8fF-69a77PTor4w6JssoRIWUPb2-7_9g6/s320/SkiBonnet1.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/neon-ski-bonnet">Neon Ski Bonnet</a>, by Lacey Volk. Knit with some Shelridge Farm W4 Soft Touch I purchased at Rhinebeck. In 2008!</div>
<ul>
<li>Knit all the shipments from the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/cookie-a-sock-club">Cookie A Sock Club</a> (oh yeah.. I signed up for the Cookie A sock club!)</li>
<li>Knit an additional 9 pairs of socks, for a total of 15 pairs in the year. </li>
</ul>
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I also have a few stash enhancement goals, but they're more "guidelines" than strict rules. Basically, I want to make sure that more yarn makes its way OUT of the stash than in, heh. 'Cause, yeah... I've got a lot of yarn. Ahem.<br />
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What are YOUR goals? How are you doing so far?<br />
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Happy Knitting, my friends!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-15362427540763280432012-11-04T20:23:00.000-05:002012-11-04T20:23:40.613-05:00It's comingI don't mean to alarm you, but... have you noticed anything particular in the past few weeks? Something's in the air, something is AFOOT, people. Something BIG.<br />
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At first it was subtle and - come to think of it - rather charming. Quaint, even. Something in the light, a welcome change of colours after an entire season of cheap fabrics and bright neons.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOg-5MPfSsiI1BGP8jaSssOxEhgjB2BooyQL1tAejfWm4DoF2l9cekztEbEaupLw_zoDGtY79mtnOHpRz8_Acxh5o1NcjWKNfUocmyEXAFpebTAw34_kQSqRh6Le6HvT_Qj3GybjkP9cJ/s1600/_DSC7386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOg-5MPfSsiI1BGP8jaSssOxEhgjB2BooyQL1tAejfWm4DoF2l9cekztEbEaupLw_zoDGtY79mtnOHpRz8_Acxh5o1NcjWKNfUocmyEXAFpebTAw34_kQSqRh6Le6HvT_Qj3GybjkP9cJ/s320/_DSC7386.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then it was more... insistent. Whatever it was, it wasn't going away, and I had to actually, you know... DO stuff. Like, for instance, get next year's garlic planted.<br />
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And THEN. Then, well... even at the grocery store, the truth was staring me in the face, and I couldn't deny it any longer. There was no espace.</div>
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Christmas is coming, my fellow knitters. It's only <a href="http://www.xmasclock.com/">50 days away</a>. For realz.<br />
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Luckily, I've been a good knitter and have been squirreling away gifts all year long. Victory will be MINE! Booyah!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83Ab7CvRo-U1ejie5cb_YEBc2B5hoKnzxHreHECJFQB_dEwNvH2z1wlk_QU-leHzz88jIjMfEls5oQTB77-KbPU2L7sNyoAlVyh_b3fXFv9HIpJL0Mqy97YmCpnlS-8EnhRf1MUlhf6S-/s1600/GiftBox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83Ab7CvRo-U1ejie5cb_YEBc2B5hoKnzxHreHECJFQB_dEwNvH2z1wlk_QU-leHzz88jIjMfEls5oQTB77-KbPU2L7sNyoAlVyh_b3fXFv9HIpJL0Mqy97YmCpnlS-8EnhRf1MUlhf6S-/s320/GiftBox.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Happy Knitting, Everyone.</div>
Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-19755218533461098112012-10-21T21:11:00.000-04:002012-10-21T21:11:04.194-04:00JourneyI just got back from Rhinebeck, and I want to tell you about how awesome it was. I mean, of <i>course</i> it was awesome because - duh - it's the freakin' <a href="http://www.sheepandwool.com/">New York Sheep and Wool Festival</a>, but I think that the fact that it has inspired me to decloak and actually <i>write something</i> really says something about what a fabulous time I had this year, don't you think?<br />
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I mean... first of all, there was the weather. The sun was shining, the trees were decked out in their finest colours... What can I say? It was absolutely magnificent. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqdeh-DqtEbTfdQkTIGQrceRDVeRhoqRgbwRIv8vW2gZA5UtG4sQyzQ67Ku39gFhWrukIBgWy04cgxpLQ5MiTnKiMvIDackJxQcsHJpZrsf-2tqgECFCsW5AnJQD10Dxl0Vqo1GYEAZOm/s1600/Beautiful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqdeh-DqtEbTfdQkTIGQrceRDVeRhoqRgbwRIv8vW2gZA5UtG4sQyzQ67Ku39gFhWrukIBgWy04cgxpLQ5MiTnKiMvIDackJxQcsHJpZrsf-2tqgECFCsW5AnJQD10Dxl0Vqo1GYEAZOm/s320/Beautiful.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then there was the excellent company. Sadly, my fabulous peep Kate the Enabler wasn't able to attend this year, but my good friend Marie-Michele graciously stepped in and - it has to be said - as a Rhibeneck newbie she did amazingly well. It probably had something to do with my finely tuned mentoring skills (hah!). The fact that she got stopped approximately every 11 minutes by someone who wanted to ogle her <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/color-affection">Color Affection</a> probably didn't hurt either. Sheesh.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBOID7NLTsKi-q5WV58jws8Vck_2sdk2vBBAP8mPYBRpIjN-qfnj4c77ZvJcAG880vj8UByJD5t78fxnpgv5nvMYnaOeicF5enKLS3RWQMrYXpY4kWhO4v9lgE3bVpEs4ofNp8-I2zRal/s1600/Yarnies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBOID7NLTsKi-q5WV58jws8Vck_2sdk2vBBAP8mPYBRpIjN-qfnj4c77ZvJcAG880vj8UByJD5t78fxnpgv5nvMYnaOeicF5enKLS3RWQMrYXpY4kWhO4v9lgE3bVpEs4ofNp8-I2zRal/s320/Yarnies.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Of course, it <i>is</i> the SHEEP and wool festival, so one musn't forget the animals.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIo6AdeFnKnikIx-TfwicnfJ-eJ1QOLs0QiVqlSJNLT_PypmJNSw4qAfwROZ5yl0W27fDt1oE3-8bffr-9TumRP8o-axywHwv-Uxek_CH4gLXIkFYI_m9N5m6aUaJD4U-mvH5Osi1zOea/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIo6AdeFnKnikIx-TfwicnfJ-eJ1QOLs0QiVqlSJNLT_PypmJNSw4qAfwROZ5yl0W27fDt1oE3-8bffr-9TumRP8o-axywHwv-Uxek_CH4gLXIkFYI_m9N5m6aUaJD4U-mvH5Osi1zOea/s320/photo.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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(I don't think this gent was enjoying his haircut too much!)</div>
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Especially when they make such yummy fiber.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7QRud7VFHxWe7a8S7R5piHNXfmZ-JI0nb_3VPPQRS2EIUsrwjWGmFMdVxHAWq8V3uvi9EfbMpwE2rkIdQVxRUXkORMtVnktfTjCXOxG_alvmiUjSVIrDv2R0JLg2Ws9n09FXgGtljlOh/s1600/Romney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7QRud7VFHxWe7a8S7R5piHNXfmZ-JI0nb_3VPPQRS2EIUsrwjWGmFMdVxHAWq8V3uvi9EfbMpwE2rkIdQVxRUXkORMtVnktfTjCXOxG_alvmiUjSVIrDv2R0JLg2Ws9n09FXgGtljlOh/s320/Romney.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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This was the first time I went to the fleece sale. Not to buy a fleece of course, since I'm pretty sure turning fiber into yarn is easier when one knows how to spin. But just to have a look at the different breeds and see/feel what different fibers they produce was pretty cool.</div>
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The rarest breed of all, of course, is the elusive knitwear designer. They're a famously shy breed, but with the right mix of patience and audacity, one can usually manage a sighting. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGYwvnIjJtkdUXOoA_ZErmoGMA4p1qxqhgzHrhErvZuYRJImK8gnzgy5Fpp8Bxgd-vBggAi9RoGxBX5qnJrwEZXrfsViQyfEoa9HKf8yL7lBWGG8DnE95QFciW5x7u5ob0ERuGCiCZeJ_/s1600/MeNStephen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGYwvnIjJtkdUXOoA_ZErmoGMA4p1qxqhgzHrhErvZuYRJImK8gnzgy5Fpp8Bxgd-vBggAi9RoGxBX5qnJrwEZXrfsViQyfEoa9HKf8yL7lBWGG8DnE95QFciW5x7u5ob0ERuGCiCZeJ_/s320/MeNStephen.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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(Yours truly and the fabulously stylish, friendly and gracious <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/stephen-west">Stephen West</a>.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvS8_SH4QNSp5_Lo1yUbqq0zI3UmsYA3Htlgzrqob-AAQFSW12B8aHqCpxqbx0ina-hAyOJthoHrxiC-MNFMOlPVBsygxNhOweX54pKXaPHv3O4n6o-41AzOowQYjI5WYlC8KFOfbGYgal/s1600/PhotoOp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
And then, well... I can't quite explain this one. Let's just say it involved a scarf, a Robert Frost Poem, and a pretty <a href="http://bitchesgetstitches.net/">kickass blogger</a>. Um... you had to be there?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6j1Ji0v9nmIP_uo95eMAUQRRQWIKHAaPZ6yPvn9ut4PGsT9_mxSuiCC0jZ0mOh9jyUdoxgtIxmjxfZJ6ecPgqsjZKWzHN_JVVmgkN8LSoU2XX5iFgl8UHOn0GiU0Qr9ZVGmCknWGUl6mx/s1600/BitchesJamesonSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6j1Ji0v9nmIP_uo95eMAUQRRQWIKHAaPZ6yPvn9ut4PGsT9_mxSuiCC0jZ0mOh9jyUdoxgtIxmjxfZJ6ecPgqsjZKWzHN_JVVmgkN8LSoU2XX5iFgl8UHOn0GiU0Qr9ZVGmCknWGUl6mx/s320/BitchesJamesonSmall.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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Of course there was yarn, lots and lots of yarn. Some of it even came home with me. But ultimately, Rhibeneck wasn't really about the yarn for me at all. This year, it was all about the journey.<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-51382057328574829122012-09-11T21:03:00.001-04:002012-09-11T21:03:35.848-04:00Something completely differentThe last week of summer break, before the beginning of the new year and the craziness that ensues, I took a day off from work and had a girls' day with Émilie. Truth be told, I was a bit worried about what we were actually going to DO together. Around here, Dad is the "fun guy", and Mum is the one who buys the kids new shoes and takes them to get hair cuts. All well and good when your toes are feeling pinched and your hair is in your eyes, but not exactly fun city, you know? So what were we going to do for fun? Sure, there were things on the To Do list that we could tackle, but that really wasn't what I wanted our day to be about.<br />
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I made a few suggestions (movie? pedicure? crafts?), but nothing seemed to spark her interest. Finally I just asked her: what would you like to do today, Émilie? "I want to go to <a href="http://www.leccs.com/">Céramic Café</a>, Maman." <br />
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For those of you not in the Montreal area, Céramic Café is a café where you can paint your own ceramics, and they'll take care of the glazing, drying and (baking? cooking? whatever. They take your piece and make it all shiny and nice). Well alright-y then!<br />
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Émilie chose a frog figurine (I swear, the house is full of frogs and unicorns!), and I walked in fully expecting to paint a mug or a bowl or something, but... well... that was before I knew they had garden gnomes. <br />
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GNOMES!!! OhMyGah. Simply Had. To. Have. One. Honestly, is he not the cutest gnome EVER? So cheery and happy-looking. And puh-lease. Who could resist that face?<br />
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So yeah... I had a great day with my daughter, got to get my craft on, and got a gnome too. I wonder if Maxime would like to join us next time? After all, Gnomeo here needs a girlfriend :)<br />
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Wondering about this week's muffins? Here they are!<br />
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<a href="http://themessybakerblog.com/2012/08/27/peach-butter-muffins/">Peach Butter Muffins</a>, from the Messy Baker. Absolutely delicious, very light and fluffy, and a good way to use up my homemade vanilla peach butter, which nobody in my family seems to particularly enjoy but me. <br />
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Oh yeah... that's the stuff right there.<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-35098158932846378622012-09-03T21:28:00.000-04:002012-09-03T21:28:55.391-04:00Going RandomThis past Saturday night, I had one of those Bizarro World knitting moments where the knitting was just going super fast and I finished <i>everything</i>. OK, technically I only had 2 projects in active rotation, but STILL. These are projects I'd had on the needles for weeks. Evening after evening, I'd plunge into a thankless knitting abyss and <i>nothing</i> would get done, and then Saturday, *poof!* Both projects were finished. On Sunday, just as we were heading out to apple country for the day, Phil suggested I bring something to knit <i>and I had nothing I could bring with me.</i> Chew on <i>that</i>, my friends.<br />
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The first thing off the needles was the second of the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/eyelet-and-flame-chevron">Eyelet and Flame Chevron</a> socks. I finished these on September 1st, so technically I was a day late and a dollar short for the Solid Socks KAL, but that doesn't make these babies any less awesome.<br />
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Knit with Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in the Candlewick colourway. The stitch pattern is the Eyelet and Flame Chevron, on page 68 of Vogue Knitting's Ultimate Sock Book, and I sort of fudged the cuff, heel and toe to make a sock, heh.<br />
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I mentioned last post that I'd talk about how I came to settle upon this particular pattern for my next sock. WELL, here's the thing.<br />
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It recently came to my attention that I have... drumroll please... 446 sock patterns in my Ravelry library. That's <b>FOUR HUNDRED FOURTY SIX</b>, sock patterns that I've either bought (paper of electronic) or downloaded since I first joined Ravelry.<br />
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I've got 2 words for that: In. Sane. And the killer is that, when I want to knit a sock, more often than not I'll just download a <i>new</i> pattern rather than try to choose one from my books/PDF library, because honestly... How am I supposed to decide when I've got so many options? How do I choose?<br />
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There's just no way. The only solution was to bust out the random integer generator. And that's exactly what I did, and what I'll continue to do for the next little while. I've allowed myself a few outs (I don't have to knit it if I don't like the pattern; I have to use stash yarn), but this was the first one Mister Random Number Generator selected for me, and it's none too shabby, if I do say so myself.<br />
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In closing, lest you think I wussed out on my weekly muffin commitment, here are the muffins for week 2!<br />
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<a href="http://damndelicious.tumblr.com/post/30299705556/muffinmonday-strawberry-balsamic-jam-muffins">Strawberry Balsamic Jam</a> muffins. Not as "healthy" as last week's (who are we kidding at this point?), but really, truly delicious. Ask me how I know. <br />
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<br />Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-32295914458738900452012-08-28T21:00:00.000-04:002012-08-28T21:00:15.627-04:00TwoferIt's Back to School time chez Dear (or First Day of School Ever time, if you're Maxime), so the days are long and the evenings are... yeah. What evenings? *Sigh*<br />
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How about we look at some knitting?<br />
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These are the latest socks in progress, knit out of Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in the Candlewick colourway (I may have mentioned previously that I have a thing for yellow). The stitch pattern is the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/eyelet-and-flame-chevron">Eyelet and Flame Chevron</a> from Vogue Knitting : The Ultimate Sock book, and I'm sort of fudging the rest of the sock as I go along. I'll get into the process by which I came to select this particular pattern in another post, but for now the important thing to know is that I'm... <strike>totally fracking obsessed</strike> quite motivated to have these finished by August 31st, in order to qualify for the August Solid Socks KAL. The fact that it's *cough* highly unlikely that I'll achieve the goal is totally irrelevant. I am knitting like the WIND, people. <br />
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Yup, absolutely nothing gets me going like a potentially unrealistic objective. I find them <i>extremely</i> compelling. What can I say? I'm a complex woman.<br />
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This past weekend, I made muffins for the kids' school snacks. They eat hot lunches at the cafeteria, but we still have to pack about a zillion snacks for them every day. Needless to say, there can be no ding-dongs, ho hos or twinkies in their lunches (ho hos... *snicker*). But I still want to give them a <i>little</i> touch of sweetness. Hence, muffins. <br />
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As I took them out of the oven, I thought to myself "I know! I'll make them muffins <i>every week</i>! Not only that, but I'll try a <i>different</i> recipe every week and share it on the blog! Brilliant!!!"<br />
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So! Here are this week's muffins. <a href="http://www2.kelloggs.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?action=print&id=14088">Blueberry Bran Muffins</a>, the recipe is (how embarrasing) from Kellogg's. One week down! 39 to go.<br />
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What was I saying earlier about potentially realistic objectives?<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!<br />
Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-56899110904688920862012-08-20T21:33:00.000-04:002012-08-20T21:33:35.099-04:00Put a lid on itLet me begin by saying that this isn't the post I meant to write tonight. I had planned to show you the new sock in progress, and possibly to <strike>come clean</strike> share some recent stash enhancement, but well... this feels more relevant for now.<br />
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We are right in the thick of canning season chez Dear. As you may know if you've been reading for a while, over the past year, I've tried to put more thought into what our family eats, pay attention to where it comes from, and figure out what our relationship to food actually <i>is</i>. Eating local, enjoying the best of what's produced in our own backyards (literally or figuratively) is something I feel very strongly about. So in the spirit of "getting it while the getting is good", come August, I spend most of my weekends trying to freeze, can or otherwise process some of the local goodness that is in such abundant supply this time of year.<br />
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The "Eat Local" movement is by no means new, and most people in my area either do a bit of canning themselves or know someone who does. Even so, every so often, when the "what did you do this weekend?" topic comes up and I proudly answer that I processed 50 pounds of tomatoes and canned 12 quarts of dill pickles, I'll get a pause, a smirk and a "Oh, well, <i>I</i> certainly don't have time to do anything like <i>that</i>" remark.<br />
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And tonight I asked myself: how many times have knitters heard that kind of comment, right on the heels of a "My grandmother used to knit" remark, from Muggles? How many times has someone looked at what we're doing and passed a tiny wee perhaps-not-meant-to-be-condescending-even-though-it-kind-of-is judgment on how we spend our time?<br />
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Hey, this just in - everything we <i>do</i> takes time. Every time we choose to do one thing, that's time we're not spending doing any of a million <i>other</i> things. That's just the way it is.<br />
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Is canning (or knitting) time consuming? Absolutely. Are you allowed to feel like knitting or canning aren't your cup of tea and you'd prefer to spend your time doing something else? You're darn tootin'. But where I get off is when that assessment is followed by a judgment on the value of how I choose to spend my time. When it translates into "I wouldn't do what you're doing, because I have far more <i>important</i> things to do".<br />
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Yes, it takes time. But I know that for every hour on my feet, every neck spasm, and every dramatic complaint from the kids about how "it stinks in here!!!", there will be excitement and authoritative pronouncements that Mum's sauce is the Best Sauce Ever this Winter. And - to me - that makes the hours I spend canning well spent indeed.<br />
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Next time I get that kind of remark, I think I'm going to take a feather from my dear Grandma's cap and tell whomever that they can put a lid on it. I've got more important things to do.<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone! <br />
Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-19730964813040650072012-08-15T21:09:00.000-04:002012-08-15T21:09:54.628-04:00The Only SolutionThis may come as a shock to many of you, but, well…. I can be a bit of a smart ass (I swear, I can actually HEAR my father laughing out loud right now). Yes, it's true. I have been known, at times, to display a fair bit of the smug. Really. You’d be surprised at how often I suppress the urge to let out a loud and heartfelt “Well, DUH!”.<br />
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HAVING SAID THAT.<br />
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As you may or may not recall (see how I did that? Just <i>completely</i> glossed over the fact that I haven’t blogged in just shy of a month. Ahem.), a few weeks ago, I joined Stephen West’s Mystery KAL. I have plenty of sock yarn, and I do so love his designs, I figured this would be great fun. I didn’t bother to knit a gauge swatch thought because, duh. It’s a shawl, people. I’m pretty sure it’s going to fit your basic human shaped person, right? Nor did I concern myself too much with the fact that the yarn I had selected fell slightly short of the recommended yarns in the pattern because, duh-huuuuh. Everyone knows projects rarely require ALL the yardage that’s stated in the pattern. That’s just the designers’ way of <strike>messing with you</strike> covering their bases.<br />
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[The astute reader will at this point have noticed that, despite FULL knowledge of established Knitter Wisdom, this knitter flew RIGHT IN THE FACE of tested and true traditions and cast on without a care in the world.]<br />
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Everything was going swimmingly. I was enjoying myself, and for ONCE, was actually up to date with the clues as they were coming out. The first 3 clues were charming, and I was really looking forward to the final clue coming out and having a completed project to share with my awesome and loyal blog readers (see what I did again?)<br />
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The final clue has you knitting the edges of the shawl, decreasing from 83 stitches down to 9 at a rate of 2 stitches every 8 rows. Yeah, I know it's a bit technical. Anyway, the point is that there I was, happily knitting away, when it occurred to me that this last clue was somewhat <i>knit heavy</i>, and that my 2 balls of yarn were feeling, shall we say.... a little less than full? I started to think that I might <i>maybe</i> <b>perhaps</b> run out of yarn.<br />
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Total and utter shock, people. No idea how it could have happened.<br />
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This is hand dyed yarn, there's no way I can get any more. What to do? At first, I did what we all tend to do when we suspect we're going to run out of yarn: I knit faster. When that proved ineffective (as it often does), I decided there was nothing for it but to rip back to the beginning of the final clue and increase the rate of the decreases (from 2 stitches per repeat to 4. That would definitely work, but after about 5 pattern repeats, I started to feel like the edges of my shawl were looking a little too stumpy, and that maybe I should go back to the original decrease rate of 2 stitches every 8 rows.<br />
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Now I'm about to finish the first edge, and the balls of yarn that were disappearing faster than a teenager asked to empty the dishwasher appear to have as much yardage in them as they did when I first cast on. I think they may even have MORE yarn in them than when I ripped back. Which is making me wonder if I would have had enough yarn after all, and maybe I should rip back AGAIN and knit it the way Stephen West intended.<br />
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You know what this means, right? I mean... there's really only one option at this point.<br />
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I'm going to have to cast on a pair of socks.<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-75000657816651483622012-07-20T19:23:00.001-04:002012-07-20T19:23:34.164-04:00Garden updateI've made no progress on the Legends of the Shetland Seas shawl this week. I will say this about it though: when I got the pattern in the mail, at first I was a bit... well. I'm by no means an expert or anything, but the patterning didn't seem <i>that</i> advanced to me. Sure, there are no rest rows, but really, we're talking K2tog and yo's here. The decreases aren't symmetrical, so there isn't even an SSK to keep a knitter on her toes. I guess I was a bit... disappointed. There. I said it. I had thought this would be a challenge, a sigh that I had graduated to the holy status of the Advanced Knitter, and I was disappointed.<br />
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Then I wound the yarn and <i>actually attempted to knit it. </i>And dudes. The pattern is sooOOOooOOOooo not the issue. It's the yarn, my friends. Gossamer weight yarn? Knitting with that frog hair is <i>intense</i>. 2 rows on regular old straights was all I could handle before I realized I was totally gossamer's bitch and ordered some Addis Turbo Lace needles. I even considered going Knitter Ninja and buying my first pair of <a href="http://www.signatureneedlearts.com/">Signatures</a>, but decided against it when I realized I couldn't choose the colour myself.<br />
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So. No Shetland goodness this week. How about a look at my <i>other</i> WIP this summer? Here's a peek at what's been going on in the vegetable patch.<br />
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My beloved tomatoes have started producing fruit. It's still way too
early for the Romas, of course, but the Cherry tomatoes are really
getting in gear. They're juicy and bursting with flavour, and have
become a favourite snack when I water the garden every evening.<br />
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The bees have been busy little... well... bees, heh. I was amazed to find
them in little swarms in my pumpkin flowers. Not swarms, really. They
were all just... chillin'. Like frat boys after a kegger. They're
obviously doing something right, because we've got 5 good sized
pumpkins out there this year. <br />
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Green beans. Too many green beans!!! I think I planted... oh... 12 plants? 16? Too many. Way too many. It's a green bean invasion over here!!!<br />
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The corn I planted at Maxime's request seemed to be doing pretty well, maybe too much so since some critter or other has gotten into the garden and chomped 2 of the 9 stalks. I don't know if I'll have enough to ensure cross pollination at this point, so I may well have a sad, corn-less little man in a few weeks. We'll see.<br />
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Garlic! I harvested my garlic last weekend! And, to quote <a href="http://fiftyshadesofgrey.wikia.com/wiki/Anastasia_Steele">Anastasia Steele</a>: Holy Crap! It has to be the strongest garlic EVAH! One clove is enough to get your eyes to tear up, I'm not even kidding. Vampires beware is all I'm saying. Phew!<br />
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And there you have it. I'm off to get my knit on. The Addis have arrived, friends, but so has the second clue of Stephen West's Mystery KAL. Decisions, decisions...<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-42784877235726647272012-07-15T20:45:00.004-04:002012-07-16T09:30:39.160-04:00Waiting has its rewardsAfter my last post, I was really hoping to have some Shetland pr0n to share with you, but it turns out that the pattern (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/legends-of-the-shetland-seas">Legends of the Shetland Seas</a> - even the name is epic) is only available in print. You'd think I would have figured that out after weeks of pattern stalking, but nope, not a clue. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I wanted went to buy the pattern and realized it wasn't available as a download. No download? You mean, I have to, like, wait? Seriously?<br />
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Having to wait to cast on had it's advantages, however. I finished the first of a languishing pair of stripey vanilla socks and am well on my way down the leg of the second.<br />
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<i>Yarn: Regia Design Line Kaffe Fassett, Landscape Jungle Colourway (4350)</i></div>
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<i>Pattern: 64 stitch vanilla socks, with a heel flap 'cause I like 'em better with flaps</i></div>
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I wove in the ends of the Wild Apple Bohus hat I finished in... oh... March of 2011. (There were about a MILLION of them. It would have taken you a long time too. Ahem.)</div>
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I even joined Stephen West's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mystery-shawl-2012-rockefeller">Mystery Shawl KAL</a> and got started on that.</div>
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<i>Yarn: String Theory Caper Sock in Brina (Brown) and Viola Fancy Sock in Moonlit Heather (Purple)</i></div>
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And once the pattern finally arrived and I realized I now had to order some seriously pointy needles if I ever wanted to have a chance in heck of knitting this beast of a pattern, I did something drastic. Something that, to be honest, I never thought I would<i> </i>do. Ever. </div>
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Dudes, I totally finished the green scarf.</div>
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This scarf is what you knit out of the leftover yarn for the Wild Apple Bohus hat. The whole pattern is written out in 4 lines. It's almost an afterthought. And that's what it looks like, if we're going to be completely honest here. An afterthought. A "Oh by the way, the hat comes with this matching scarf" scarf.</div>
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But here's the thing: that's 132 cm (roughly 52 inches) of alternating rib knit on <u>2.0 mm needles</u> you're looking at. I know it doesn't look like much, but trust me. It's a beast.</div>
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!</div>Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-5041587096182279552012-07-07T09:32:00.001-04:002012-07-07T09:32:48.535-04:00Knitter JargonAccording to Wikipedia (the librarian in me just cringed, I kid you not), jargon is defined as esoteric but precisely defined terminology used for ease of communication between specialists in a given field, whereas a buzzword (which often develops from the appropriation of technical jargon) is often used in a more general way, inaccurately or inappropriately. Whether you call it jargon or a buzzword, the point is that - as Knitters - there are words in our craft that carry a special weight, a special meaning. Kinnearing. Wildfire Patterns. Ravatar.<br />
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When I settled on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/legends-of-the-shetland-seas">my next project</a>, I realized it tapped into some of the MAJOR knitterly jargon. Words that MEAN something, you know?<br />
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Advanced. Shetland. <b>Gossamer </b>(!!!). <br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-86555783995815355442012-06-24T21:43:00.001-04:002012-06-24T21:43:43.103-04:00Impulse controlFirst things first: I think my knitting mojo is going to be making a much-anticipated return, my friends. I finished a long-standing project <strike>that was sucking my will to live</strike> this weekend, and now I feel as though a bevvy of wonderful opportunities are laid out before me.<br />
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Long-term project monogamish-ness had made knitting about as exciting as brushing my teeth, and now that the never-ending project of doom is getting the snot blocked out of it upstairs*, everything feels shiny and new. I'm stalking patterns on Ravelry, drooling over yarn, daydreaming about books... Heck, I may even put a few rows on the <a href="http://dearknits.blogspot.ca/2011/03/stamina.html">green scarf</a> tonight! My trust, faith and deep, deep devotion to knitting has been restored, people. <br />
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It was in that spirit that I went stash diving this afternoon. I know exactly what my next "big" project is going to be, but can't cast on just yet, so I was just having a wee look around. You know, a "I wonder if I have the yarn for that <i>other </i>thing that caught my eye this morning" gander, if you will.<br />
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Have you ever gone stash diving and come across yarn that you didn't remember you had? Didn't remember at all? And I'm not just talking about a solitary leftover hank of Cascade 220 or a stray skein of Colinette Jitterbug. No, I'm talking <i>sweater quantities</i> of yarn. Yarn that you were in such a frenzy to buy because you absolutely, positively <i>needed</i> that cardigan <i>right. frickin'. now</i> and it's just been sitting there? For <i>3 years???</i><br />
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Um... yeah. Me neither. I mean... who does that? Right?<br />
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*Ahem*<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*More on that project once I've been to the button shop!</i></span>Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-59953237782759861272012-06-18T21:23:00.001-04:002012-06-18T21:23:27.283-04:00StokedOn the eve of a month-long hiatus, I decided it was high time I visited this sadly neglected space. How've you been, friends? Was Spring kind to you? Is everyone happy and healthy?<br />
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Things around Casa de Dear have been... well. Probably just as busy/hectic/crazy/stressful as they've been in all of your homes. Sure, we have some special issues that most families thankfully don't have to face. Even so, it's not like our family has the exclusive on stress/worry/exhaustion. <br />
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(STAND BACK! I'M GOING TO GET PHILOSOPHICAL!)<br />
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Sometimes I wonder about the pace we - as a society - live our lives by these days. Seems like we fill up a great deal of our time with "busy work" that, ultimately, don't really <i>mean </i>anything. But I digress...<br />
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My reaction to prolonged stress is to s-l-o-w down. I focus on the tasks at hand, but beyond that, things get very quiet in my head. Which translates to a total lack of blogging (but I'm guessing you're already figured that out, heh). Not much sewing. Not much of anything, truth be told. Lots of reading. Lots of gardening. Lots of <strike>wine</strike> tea drinking.<br />
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Sure, I've been knitting. A stitch here, a row there. The projects I worked on were irrelevant though. I mostly just knit because knitting is what I <i>do</i>, you know? And asking me to not knit would be like asking me to not breathe. But I can't say I've been stoked by the knitting lately.<br />
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Some things DO have me pretty excited though, and even though they're not knitting-related, I thought I'd share them with you. A list, in no particular order:<br />
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<li><b> Summer: </b>I am so, SO happy summer has arrived. Flip Flops, kids spending entire days in the pool, trips to the convenience store for Freezies, pre-bedtime fishing on the river... Yes please.</li>
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<li><b>My garden</b>: despite the setback of - ahem - inadvertently killing all my seedlings, all my plants are in the ground. This year we're growing: corn, pumpkin, tomatoes (cherry and roma), cucumber, basil, thyme, sugar snap peas, broccoli, green beans, carrots, garlic, lettuce and spinach. Yum!</li>
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<li><b>Eating from the garden</b>: it's still too early for the garden to really be producing anything (it will though! Boy, will it ever.), but so far we've enjoyed lots (and lots!) of fresh spinach in our salads and sandwiches (or straight from the ground, if you're Émilie), and this past weekend I fixed roasted potatoes with our garlic scapes. Nom.</li>
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<li><b>Garment sewing: </b>more specifically, I want to make a skirt for myself. I've got the fabric, the pattern, and the notions. All I need now is the time!</li>
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And there you have it, friends. No knitting news (yet), but I'm here, sharing things I'm excited about with you. And it's a start.<br />
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Happy Knitting, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-10851029517462643722012-05-19T07:41:00.000-04:002012-05-19T07:41:21.930-04:00MoreFor years now, I've been wanting to make a quilt. The fabrics, the designs... I was smitten. However, there was always something holding me back: I didn't *actually* know how to sew, which is sorta kinda important if you're going to make a quilt. So I've heard, anyway. Hah.<br />
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With Kate-the-Enabler's help and guidance, I eventually found my way around the basics. I say "found my way" because, no, I don't think I've mastered them. But I can thread my sewing machine and I can sew a straight line. I decided I was good to go.<br />
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I chose a relatively simple design for my first project, Alice by <a href="http://www.redpepperquilts.com/p/patterns.html">Red Pepper Quilts</a>. It features 2 traditional blocks, log cabins and four-patch blocks, and looked easy enough to my newbie eyes. I started sewing.<br />
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Here's the thing though: the finished size as stated by the pattern is 40.5 inches x 48.5 inches (about 1 meter x 1.3 meters). And that's... small, you know? Now... maybe it's my newbieness talking here, but when I think "Quilt", I think "Blanket". 40.5 in x 48.5 inches is a lap quilt. It's a decorative piece. It's not a blanket.<br />
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No worries, I thought. I'll just make it bigger by making more blocks! How hard can that be?<br />
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So that's what I did, my friends. I made more blocks.<br />
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Lots more.<br />
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Holy freaking crap.<br />
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Happy Sewing, Friends!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-62825741618643852682012-05-13T21:50:00.001-04:002012-05-13T21:52:15.937-04:00There Were BirdsOne thing that never fails to amaze me about the whole process of <i>making</i> things is how - <i>usually</i> - what you wind up with becomes so much more than what initially went into it. As knitters, we know all about that, don't we? We know that, given a little time (OK, sometimes a lot) and a whack of patience, a little string can become a sweater. Quilters know that scraps of fabric, thread, and time can turn into a blanket that will keep future generations feeling warm and safe. Bakers know that flour, milk and eggs can become a delicious dessert.<br />
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Well as of today, my friends, this Mum knows that - given enough time (six days, to be exact) - strips of newspaper, glue, and paint can make a newly minted 5-year old and his friends very, <i>very</i> happy.<br />
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Red Bird piñata, inspired by <a href="http://inguilin.blogspot.ca/2011/06/kais-angry-birds-birthday-party-dyi.html">this blog post</a>.</div>
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Now... chocolate cake mix, food dye, marshmallows and fondant? With a little time, they make EVERYONE happy!<br />
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You know, it has to be said: as much as I love it (and y'all know I do), knitting sweaters ain't got <i>nuthin'</i> on knowing <i>you</i> made something totally awesome for your son on his special day.<br />
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Happy 5th Birthday, Maxime. I love you.Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4981008103933564118.post-55331723752869341932012-05-08T21:49:00.000-04:002012-05-08T21:49:36.063-04:00SnagMost of the projects I've taken on lately, be they big or small, have hit one kind of wall or another and been somewhat frustrated by failure. It's as though my creativity and my Make-It drive keep getting snagged on something (Life? The Universe? Everything?), and whatever I do, I wind up with the same result: a FAIL.<br />
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To wit:<br />
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Pedicure? FAIL<br />
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Yellow looks fabulous! In the bottle, not on my toes<br />
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Putting the started plants for this year's vegetable garden outside so they can "soak up the sunshine and get stronger"? <u><b>FAIL.</b></u>
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Yeeeeaaah.... If it's 9 degrees Celcius out? Sun-schmun. The plants are DEAD. Sob!!!!<br />
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I really hope I have more luck with my current project! An Angry Bird piñata for Maxime's 5th birthday party on Sunday. (The irony that this project will ultimately end up being destroyed is not lost on me, my friends.)<br />
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Happy Making, Everyone!Tarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03449648133778226089noreply@blogger.com7