YarnAngelKnits

about the essentials of life...knitting, designing knitting, yarn for knitting...you get the idea...

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I'm a knitter, knitting pattern designer, and spinner. I also dye yarn with both acid and natural dyes.

Friday, September 29, 2006

Socktoberfest Special, Special Yarn

This arrived yesterday and I'm so excited. Yes, I know, Socktoberfest was supposed to be a stash-busting experience, and heaven knows, I've the sock yarn stash to bust. But, you know how it is - every new project just needs, needs, a new yarn.

Actually, I've been waiting since July to order this special, special yarn. In July, I spent 4 days in El Rito, NM (up near Abiquiu, in Georgia O'Keefe country) participating in an intensive natural dyeing seminar at Northern New Mexico Community College. Liesel's (the instructor) web site in in the sidebar - Earth-Arts. I met some wonderful women at this class - weavers, spinners, a bride-to-be and one of her bridesmaids dyeing yarn for her wedding blanket, and the head of the Navajo-Churro Sheep Association. This woman provided all the yarn for our class and it was wonderful.

Living in New Mexico, of course I knew of churro. It's the fiber that the traditional rugs and embroideries are made of. You know, those Navajo rugs that are so prized and collected. Yep, churro. Those amazing colcha embroideries that you see in Santa Fe - churro. But it has kind of a bad rep here for knitting. Churro? You mean that scratchy stuff?

That's what I told Connie at El Rito. We were dyeing yarns meant to be used for the weaving classes at the school. I can't really knit with this, I said. It's kind of like lopi - you have to wear it over something else or you'd itch yourself crazy. Not so, she told me. Sure, the weaving weight is kind of stiff (those not so much after it's been cooked for a couple of days to dye it), but there is this finer stuff that you can knit socks out of. And she brought some in. "This is churro?" I marveled. It was much, much softer. Not exactly merino, you know, but perfectly wonderful for socks.

She showed me the natural colors is comes in - I love the idea of yarn that is the color of the sheep who grew it. She gave me some information about the breed. I knew I wanted to try this yarn!

So, Socktoberfest. It's a festival! Surely a festival deserves something truly, truly special. I started e-mailing back and forth (Connie is patient, patient) trying to determine the best weight for this festival sock. I finally ordered on Monday and the yarn arrived on Wednesday. Amazing - my rent check takes a week to get across town and it took 2 days for yarn from Ojo Caliente.

The package also included samples of other weights and colors.

Maybe next time I won't be such a pest in making a decision!

But, you ask, why am I so excited about this yarn?

I'm so glad you asked. First, look at this:


Isn't he great? I love the usual soft, cuddly looking white sheep you most often see. But this guy - why he has character. He is just so western, so wild and free looking. (Hmm...those look like babies beside him - maybe he is a she.) He/she looks just so right, so right for NM.

As well he should. Did you know that the sheep that the Spanish brought to the Americas back in the 1500's was a churro? This tough guy is the original American sheep! He has a long history of helping to sustain the culture and people in this part of the world.

He is also an endangered species. For a variety of social reasons, the churro very nearly became extinct. In the 1970's a few people set out to preserve the churro in New Mexico. Even today, true Navajo-Churro sheep are very, very few.

I'm going to dye this special, special yarn using some natural dyes I've been accumulating. I'm thinking either an light indigo blue or maybe a soft green. Either the color of the huge NM sky or that of the ubiquitous sage. I'll hold my breath the whole time I'm dyeing - I want so much for this to be perfect!

*for more information about Navajo-Churro sheep, click here.*

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

One down...

and one to go!


Once again, the colors are wonky. I wanted the navy rug in the hall as a background, but it's a cloudy day and there are no windows in the hall. But you can get the idea.

Look at those coral stripes! I love, love, love the way they turned out. And they are coral, not orange, I promise. They're bright, just not that bright.

A long, long, time ago, my older son started kindergarten. He was, shall we say, a challenging child, and kindergarten was extreme culture shock for him. They wanted him to color inside lines? Not draw? There was no fence around the playground? Didn't they know he could escape (his word) any time he wanted? (and he did, often) Why did they want him to stay in his class when they weren't doing anything interesting and that other class, over there, was doing something really cool?

He was also exposed to popular culture. This kid, that I'd dressed in polo shirts and khaki pants, fell in love with a Spiderman t-shirt. It had to be peeled off him. I mean it, he wore it until it was much too small and he had to struggle mightily to get it on or off.

Which led to the request that these socks remind me of (yes, really, there is a tie-in). Keep in mind that this was a first grandson on both sides. Christmases were huge. When Christmas came around that kindergarten year, and I asked the boy what he wanted - he wanted striped socks. That's it. And he stuck to it. Striped socks. Not plain white or blue or grey, striped.

Of course, he got them.

And now I have mine.

You know, if I thought he'd wear them, I'd knit him some like this, in memory of the small boy that was, er, challenging.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

First Socktoberfest Project

Last June, Scout, of Scout's Swag fame, taught a dyeing class at our LYS, and I was lucky enough to get in. She taught us how to dye our own sock yarn and, even better, our own self-striping sock yarn. It was the start of a whole new fiber obsession!

But, I never knitted up the yarn I dyed at that first class. Or any of the other yarns I've dyed since. It's not that I haven't wanted to - it just seemed that some deadline or other kept pushing other projects to the front of the line.

Now, however, I seem to have come down with the cold that never goes away. In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if this is some new and intense allergy thing. I should be feeling better by now, I tell myself. And cough some more.

Not that this is important, it's just by way of explaining that I need to do mindless knitting right now. After all, I sewed a button on yesterday and it took me several tries (and I was a 4-H leader in clothing construction). The first time, I carefully hid my knot, pulled the needle up through the first hole in the button and went over the edge of the button and back through the fabric. Completely missing the second hole and rendering the button unfastenable. Mindless knitting.

My sock-knitting stash is in a basket beside my bed. After last summer's trip, my stash overfloweth. As in, over, in, and around said basket. I even considered getting a larger basket, had one in my hand, but my New England heritage took over - did I really, really need it? A second indulgence to enable the first indulgence? No, no new basket. I would eliminate those errant balls (they just would keep rolling under the bed) by actually knitting up some of those socks.

I know a lot of sock knitters have a stock sock pattern memorized. They know the number of stitches they cast on, how many rows of ribbing they work, their heel and toe formulae. Not me. I can't bear to make the same thing twice. Round and round in stockinette? Heaven forbid! Thus, every new sock yarn means figuring out how I want the ribbing (or lack of) to look, what stitch patterns to use, what heel is best, etc, etc, etc. Not mindless knitting.

But I had this self-dyed, self-striping yarn and I wanted to see how the striping actually worked. How many actual knitted rows did each stripe yield? How did the color changes look? How about the heels? Did they pool? What could I play with for my next hand-dyed self striping yarn?

I knew when I dyed this yarn that I would want to answer these questions and that I'd have to knit a plain Jane sock to do it. Another reason that, even though I loved the colors, this yarn was still sitting in (and tumbling off of) the basket.

Mindless knitting - take a look-


The colors are pretty accurate - the coral is a tiny bit less so, and the lighter blue is actually a smidge more teal, but it's close.

I'm lovin' it.

I'm really, really loving the way the stripes and the wraps when dyeing it worked out. Lots and lots of ideas for future dyeing are percolating.








Check out this heel - it's my favorite one yet.
Absolutely no holes and really simple.

I tried to complicate it, though. Honestly, I did. I just couldn't handle any more stockinette, so I planned a cute design and knitted it into the heel. All complicated twisted stitches and stuff. Then I showed it to The Man Of The House. "What's that sh...?", he asked, ever so delicately. Needless to say, out it came.
Some other yarn, some other time.

So far, so good on the first Socktober project. So what if it's still September. If Mother Nature can be early, so can I!


The first snow of the season - in September - at Canjilon Lake in northern New Mexico. Isn't it beautiful?

Monday, September 25, 2006

Socktoberfest and other interesting net info

I was perusing over at Scout's blog today and noticed that she's added some new buttons to her sidebar. Socktoberfest? What's this? I'm Marie and I'm a sockaholic...so, I had to check it out. You can, too, here. I'll wait.

Did you see all of those knitters already signed up? Can't you just imagine all of the creative socks we'll be seeing? Tutorials? Hmmm...I've been taking pictures of the basic Magic Loop sock I'm knitting now of the first self-striping yarn I dyed. Should I?

After you've signed up for Socktoberfest, take a minute and go over to Kristine's new blog. She's just started and it's already professional-looking. I've enjoyed her posts to one of the big knitting lists and am looking forward to seeing her knitting as well as reading about it.

There were two comments today about the Baked Oatmeal recipe I posted a couple of weeks ago ("and now for something completely different"). I forgot to include the amount of milk! Oops - that's what comes from typing the ingredients in a different order than I'd written them on my recipe card. Anyway, thanks to those who noticed and the correction had been made. Check it out if you've copied the recipe. It's perfect for our rather prematurely cool weather in ABQ.

Pics of the sock-in-progress and maybe the snow we drove through this weekend (yes, snow in NM in September) tomorrow.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Free Red Scarf Project Pattern, Part Deux


Well, I thought I was so smart - I wrote up the pattern in Blogger for Word, carefully inserted the pictures and hit publish. It posted so quickly, so much faster than usual.

Except none of the pictures were there.

Nor would Blogger let me put them back.

So, let's try again....


Red Scarf - finished






Stitch Pattern 1 - left
Stitch Pattern 2
- right












Stitch Pattern 3 (please excuse the weird color - it's red like the rest of the pictures)









Stitch Pattern 4

The seaman's style neck

I guess I'd better quit while I'm ahead. I'll keep working on getting the pics and the directions in the same post...wish me luck!

Free Red Scarf Project 2007 Pattern



Free Red Scarf Project 2007 Pattern

If you’re like me, you lose interest after a few repeats of a pattern. Sixty inches of just about any pattern will bore me to tears and deliver me from long stretches of stockinette! To keep me interested (and I hope you, too) I designed this scarf as a stitch sampler. Don’t let the length of the directions scare you off – it’s really easy. Oh, by the way – all of the stitches are reversible!

Knit a scarf for the Red Scarf Project 2007! See here for further information.

Materials:

3 skeins Lambs Pride Superwash, 100% wool, Color SW01 Red Wing, 200 yds ea. You’ll only need about ¼ of third skein

US 7 needles

Gauge: (not important, just for reference) 5 sts/in

Finished Dimensions: app. 7” x 62”

Note: for a pretty chained edge, sl all first sts pwise.

CO 45 sts loosely.

Border:
Rows 1-6: Sl 1, K across.

Stitch Pattern 1:
Knit rows 1-12 a total of 5 times.

Row 1:
Sl1, K3, (P4, K2) 6x; P1, K4.
Row 2:
Sl 1, K4, (P2, K4) 6x; K4
Row 3:
Sl 1, K3, (P3, K3) 6x; P1, K4
Row 4:
Sl1, K4, (P3, K3) 6x, K4
Row 5:
Sl 1, K3, (P2, K4) 6x; K4
Row 6:
Sl 1, K4, (P4, K2) 6x, K4
Row 7:
Sl 1, K3, P1, (K4, P2) 6x, K4
Row 8:
Sl1, K5, (P4, K2) 5x, P4, K5
Row 9:
Sl 1, K3, P1, (K3, P3) 6x, K4
Row 10:
Sl 1, K3, (K3, P3) 6x, K5
Row 11:
Sl 1, K3, P1, (K2, P4) 6x, K4
Row 12:
Sl 1, K7, (P2, K4) 5x, P2, K5

Repeat Border.

Stitch Pattern 2:

Row 1:
Sl1, K7, P4, K4, P4, K5, (P4, K4) 2x, K4
Row 2:
Sl 1, K3, (P4, K4) 2x, P5, K4, (P4, K4) 2x
Rows 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30: Repeat Row 1.
Rows 4, 7, 9, 12, 14, 17, 19, 22, 24, 27, 29: Repeat Row 2.

Repeat Border.

Stitch Pattern 3:
Knit Rows 1-24 twice.

Row 1:
Sl1, K5, (P1, K1) 8x, K2, (P1, K1) 8x, K5
Row 2:
Sl1, K3, P2, (K1, P1) 8x, P2, (K1, P1) 8x, P1, K4
Row 3:
Sl1, K7, (P1, K1) 6x, K6, (P1, K1) 6x, K7
Row 4:
Sl1, K3, P4, (K1, P1), 6x, P6, (K1, P1) 6x, P3, K4
Row 5:
Sl1, K9, (P1, K1), 4x, K10, (P1, K1) 4x, K9
Row 6:
Sl1, K3, P6, (K1, P1), 4x, P10, (K1, P1), 4x, P5, K4
Row 7:
Sl1, K4, P1, (K6, P1, K1, P1) 3x, K6, P1, K5
Row 8:
Sl1, K3, (P1, K1, P1), P5, (K1, P1, K1, P6) 3x, K1, P1, K4
Row 9:
Sl1, K3, (K1, P1) 2x, K11, P1, (K1, P1) 3x, K11, P1, K1, P1, K5
Row 10:
Sl1, K3, (P1, K1) 2x, P11, (K1, P1) 4x, P10, (K1, P1) 2x, K4
Row 11:
Sl1, K3, (K1, P1) 3x, K7, (P1, K1) 2x, P1, (K1, P1) 3x, K7, (P1, K1) 3x, K4
Row 12:
Sl1, K3, (P1, K1) 3x, P7, (K1, P1) 6x, P6, (K1, P1) 3x, K4
Row 13:
Sl1, K3, (K1, P1) 4x, K3, (P1, K1) 3x, P1, (K1, P1) 4x, K3, (P1, K1) 4x, K4
Row 14:
Sl1, K3, (P1, K1) 4x, P3, (K1, P1) 8x, P2, (K1, P1) 4x, K4
Row 15:
Repeat Row 11
Row 16:
Repeat Row 12
Row 17:
Repeat Row 9
Row 18:
Repeat Row 10
Row 19:
Repeat Row 7
Row 20:
Repeat Row 8
Row 21:
Repeat Row 5
Row 22:
Repeat Row 6
Row 23, Repeat Row 3
Row 24:
Repeat Row 4.

Repeat Border.

Repeat Rows 1-15 of Stitch Pattern 2.

Repeat Border.

Stitch Pattern 4:

Row 1:
Sl1, K3, (P3, K3) 2x, (P3, K2) 2x, (P3, K3) 2x, P3, K4
Row 2:
Sl1, K3, (K3, P3) 2x, (K3, P2) 2x, (K3, P3) 2x, K7

Repeat these 2 rows for 2 inches, end after knitting Row 2.

Knit Row 2 again, then Row 1. Continue alternating 1 &2 for another 2 inches, ending after knitting Row 1.

Neck Ribbing:

Row 1:
Sl1, K1, (P2, K2) 5x, P1, (K2, P2) 5x, K2
Row 2:
Sl1, P1, (K2, P2) 5x, K1, (P2, K2) 5x, P2

Alternate Rows 1 & 2 for 7 inches, ending after knitting Row 2.

Now you’re going to reverse the stitch patterns for the second half of the scarf as follows:

Stitch Pattern 4, 2 inches of Row 2, Row 1, 2 inches of Row 1, Row 2.
Border.
Stitch Pattern 2, Rows 1-15.
Border.
Stitch Pattern 3 – 2 repeats.
Border.
Stitch Pattern 2 – Rows 1-30.
Border.
Stitch Pattern 1 – 5 repeats.
Border.
BO loosely.


© 2006 YarnAngelKnits
http://yarnangelknits.blogspot.com/
yarnangelknits@msn.com

You are welcome to make one copy for personal use. Please do not sell items made from this pattern.

Please send a scarf to the Red Scarf Project, http://www.orphan.org/!
Mail your scarf in January to:


Orphan Foundation of America
Red Scarf Project
21351 Gentry Drive, Unit 130
Sterling, VA 20166




Monday, September 18, 2006

Monday, Monday

Fall is here already. The nights are getting cool, the days are beautiful, with that I've-got-to-get-outdoors feeling. And, of course, I have a cold. Already.

But, before I got sick, I stopped by Village Wools and picked up the skein of red yarn that Scout had saved for me. Thank you again, Scout!

Here is the finished scarf for the Red Scarf Project 2007. (Whew, last time I linked to the Project, my whole blog went blooey and it took forever to unscramble it.)


I'm going to post this as a free pattern in support of the Project, so more detailed pictures and the instructions to come when my head clears up.

In the meantime, I also worked on the sari-silk purse.

Notice the knitted in corner.

And, once again, I ran out of yarn.

Kind of. I have enough to finish the body of the bag, but not the strap. I thought about using the almost full skein left from the Red Scarf, but unfelted yarn doesn't make the best strap. Too stretchy. The red yarn is superwash, so no can felt.

While at Village Wools on Saturday, I checked out their recycled yarns. They don't have the same brand as Espanola Fiber Arts, but I'm not sure it would matter. There isn't much consistency in this type fiber, anyway, so I went for contrast. What do you think?

So, Red Scarf finished, red purse waiting on a zipper...what's next?

Stay tuned...

Friday, September 15, 2006

Ho, hum...

This has been a draggy kind of week. Monday started out OK and I got a good start on my to-do list. It's been downhill from there, though.

I finally remembered yesterday that this always happens around my birthday. It's weird. Something goes on in my subconscious that has never made it to the surface. Since I was raised to be a human-doing rather than being, these periods are doubly confusing. The birthday was yesterday, so I sure hope this stuff will be over soon. Like today!

On the knitting front, thank you, Scout! I'm fortunate that Scout works at my LYS. She read my blog yesterday (about the yarn that ended before the project did) and offered to check for the final skein I needed. Yes! They did have it and it is on hold for me. Great!

But I had nothing to knit on last night.


So I spun. Almost a full bobbin.


And I still have a half bag of this roving!


Look at the label - I started out with 4 ounces. My bobbin is supposed to hold 3-4 ounces. Okay, not all fibers weigh the same, obviously. So, it seems that I should get two full bobbins out of 4 ounces on merino/silk. I'll measure it on my niddy-noddy to get the yardage, but I know already that it's more than I expected.

On the other hand, I've been investigating some churro yarn to dye. The recommended sock yarn is 1000 yards to the pound. That seems like a worsted weight to me. And when I compare to the merino/silk...how much difference is there between fibers?

I'm so impatient. I'll have to spin the other bobbin and ply and niddy-noddy (is that a verb?) and count and skein while I wait for the churro to arrive and then I guess I'll have to dye and knit each fiber to figure out how they compare and the yardage/pound thing. I want to know now!


I've also started on this. It's the recycled sari yarn that I bought at the Santa Fe Rag Rug Show from the Espanola Fiber Arts Center. I've been thinking about containers and their shapes for a while and how to get the shape purse I want out of this yarn. I know just how I would sew it, but I don't want to sew it, I want to knit it. (willfull, I know) Yesterday, I finally figured it out and it's so easy, it's embarrassing. Swatched, cast on, and...wait for it...after knitting this far, about, oh, 1/3 to 1/2 way...I'm looking at the ball...and...I pretty sure I'm going to have to figure a way to finish in another yarn. Will I never learn?


And, while I really like the fabric I'm knitting with this stuff, it's not particularly easy to work with. Each stitch must be quite deliberately knit. Somehow it's both overspun and unravelling at the same time. And, look at my fingers - is that the red dye coming off? Will it keep coming off - like on my clothes when I carry this purse? I had a purple fabric purse that I bought on Venice Beach years ago and it left the shoulders and hips of my shirts striped purple for quite a while. I finally soaked it in hot salt water and it stopped. Looks like this purse will need a similar trip through water before I use it.

Back to work...

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Oh, dear...






...here I go again. I've been working on my scarf for the Red Scarf Project. It's kind of a sampler stitch design with a seaman's scarf neck. It's been fun finding all the reversible stitches and making them fit into the stitch count.


Just one problem. The scarf (right) shows my progress. I've folded it in half at the neck. I have just one stitch pattern to go - and - do you see it?



Yeah, that's it. I'm out of yarn. Again. This always happens to me. I go to the LYS, project in mind, buy wayyy more yarn than I think I could possibly need and I run out. Unless, like last summer, I order online and figure, oh, simple lace top, sleeveless, how much can it take? How about 10 skeins? The yarn arrives, I knit the top and l0-and-behold- it takes 5 skeins. Huh? Is the yarn curse broken?

I bet not. That means I have 5 skeins left over. You know, I bet I could make a shrug to match that simple sleeveless lace top. Use the same stitch pattern for the sleeves, maybe a little cap thingy in the bodice pattern, add an eyelet ribbing - that'd work. How much you want to bet I run out of yarn on the second project. Now that the color has been discontinued.

Back to the scarf. I'm a little worried about this. My LYS is moving, so they had a big sale and last time I was in there (to buy my red scarf yarn), the inventory was pretty scanty. I think that they had one (1) skein left in this color. Last week. What are the odds that they have it still?

And you know, I already have a project in mind for the leftovers from the last red skein (the one I haven't found yet)!

Friday, September 08, 2006

Beret and Socks Finished!

This fall is turning into a clean-up the projects time. I've always been kind of turned around as far as the calendar goes. I guess I'm stuck in childhood - my year seems to start with the fall, rather than Jan. 1. Comes from the back to school thing and it doesn't help that I was a teacher. So, with the beginning of my new year, I'm finishing things up and starting new projects. Now, if I can just get around to the fall (spring for the rest of the world) cleaning!



I've finished the beret - or at least this version of it.
I love sock yarn - this is made in Opal Rainforest Zebra. It has matching socks. Why, you ask? Because when I showed the finished socks to The Man Of The House for effusive praise, he said they looked like a hat. Hmm...but the hat turned into a beret and the beret turned into a short row beret and...turned into an exercise in shortrow wrapping and picking up in pattern and ended with grafting, also in pattern. Actually, it's not hard. Once I figured it out. By the time you knit this pattern, you'll understand how short-rowing and grafting actually work and they'll never frighten you again.

Actually, I lied. This pattern isn't finished. Oh, the beret is. But not everyone likes to work in fingering yarn on size 0 needles. So, next, I need to adapt it for DK or worsted. Stay tuned...





Next kind- of- finished project. The lollipop socks. These have been submitted for publication, so I can only show the bottom at this time. The yarn is Lorna's Laces in Happy Valley. I used a new heel on these - or at least new to me. It's the Sherman Heel from Mary Lycan. It's a kind of finished project because I'm not certain of where her copyright ends and public use begins. I've e-mailed her for any objections.






Now, for the new. I've started my scarf for the Red Scarf Project. Several times. In fact, if I were to have to cast on yet again, I'd need to trim the yarn and start on a new part. I'm finally happy with this section...but ready for a new stitch pattern. Back to charting...

By the way, it actually is a beautiful red from Brown Sheep. The pillow it's resting on is a bright orange.The light around here is weird today, and with or without flash, I can't get even enough color to Photoshop.


Okay, I confess. I just included this photo because I wanted to play with writing on photos. It's not as easy as it should be.

I highlighted the border because it gave me fits. What looked great on paper looked awful in wool and so - back to the graph paper.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

And now for something completely different...

Three years ago, The Man Of The House and I went on what we call The Big Trip. We started in Houston, drove to LA, and then went up the Pacific Coast Highway to Seattle. From Seattle we headed across country to Montana, then went back south through Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, and finally back east to Houston. As I said, The Big Trip.

On said trip, we spent one night in Santa Cruz, CA. The Man had been there before, when he was working in the Bay Area. He remembered a place for breakfast that he just knew I would like. We had to drive around a bit, but we found it. And I did like it. A lot.

Last year, we were in the area again. The Man went to the motorcycle races and I explored. Once again, I drove around a little and finally found the restaurant. It was just as great as I remembered it.

This summer...yep, third visit. Why do I keep going back? This year we stayed in San Jose and I waiting until I got to Santa Cruz for breakfast. And I'm an out-of-bed-and-get-the-coffee kind of person.

Baked oatmeal. Wait, it's better than it sounds. I'm not much for oatmeal - that texture reminds me of old-time school paste, and I learned early on not to eat that. But baked oatmeal - well, to me it's kind of like bread pudding that I can have for breakfast. Without all that guilt.
I love this stuff. The restaurant knows they have a winner, and they aren't divulging their secret. But I've been thinking.

And I think I've arrived at something very, very, similar.

Try it, you'll like it.





Baked Oatmeal

1 C oatmeal
1/2 C brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
1 C flour
3 eggs
1/2 C raisins

3 cups milk

In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add cinnamon, vanilla and flour and stir to mix. In a large bowl, measure oatmeal and add sugar. Add egg mixture, stir lightly (don't overmix). Stir in raisins and milk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, spray 13 x 9 pan and pour in batter. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes. Serve in a soup bowl with a sprinkle of cinnamon and brown sugar and a drizzle of milk or cream.

Keep in mind that I'm in the high desert at 5000 feet. At a lower altitude, I'd add a smidge more flour, reduce the milk a little, lower the temp 25 degrees and shorten the baking time (start checking at 30 min.)

Bon appetit!

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

It's Here!







At last! A wheel of my own!

Such a little box...













So Many Parts...











This is Easy. The lazy kate's already together.









Here goes the flyer.


Uh,...what? Where are the words that go with these pictures?

The Man Of The House to the rescue.

Here is where the picture of the finished wheel will go when Blogger lets me put it there!

Friday, September 01, 2006

Tid Bits

Today is a day of waiting. Since I am a naturally impatient person, days like this are difficult. I like to get things done...now!

I'm waiting on my birthday present. Oh, it's not as bad as it sounds. I know what it is, I was there when it was ordered, it's not simply that I'm greedy. It came in today...Yay! But, I have to wait until tomorrow to go and pick it up. Oh, my, the hard life. You'll see why I'm having such a hard time waiting...tomorrow.

I'm also waiting on Fed-Ex. Now that we are a gated property, and I'm the designated gate-keeper, Fed-Ex can't deliver unless I let them in. They're supposed to be here 'guaranteed by 4:30' today. Since I've already bugged the shipper about this order, I'm feeling guilty about being here today, as in this afternoon, to let the poor guy in.

Next, I'm waiting on my top to dry. The one I've decided to submit to Interweave Knits. I washed it yesterday prior to photographing it for the submission package. The Man Of The House looked at the photo I have and declared that it must be true about the camera putting on 10 pounds, didn't I look heavy? Well, not going to use that photo. Not that model either. Any volunteers? If no one turns up, I guess I just put it on the wicker stand. Anyway, I washed it, blotted the moisture with a towel and left it on a rack to dry overnight. It didn't. It didn't appear to dry at all. It's cotton, and cotton knitted garments tend to grow, sooo...I threw it in the dryer.
(I hear a sharp intake of breath) Told you I'm impatient. I'm also still waiting. Forty minutes in the dryer and the skirt is bone dry. But the bodice...still damp.Waiting.

Waiting to go to restaurant suppliers tomorrow. I'm anxious to set up my dye kitchen. I miss the smell of wet wool, what can I tell you. I've e-mailed about some special yarn I can't wait to dye and- you guessed it- I'm waiting for an answer. In the meantime, I'm searching for some non-reactive 5 gallon pots. Yep, gallon, not quart. And a large strainer. And probably some sort of tarp or something since I sure can't lift 5 gallons of hot water, so plenty of bailing is likely to occur. And most likely, all that bailing will lead to at least some spilling, and thus the tarp.

You'd think that I could do something productive while I wait. Bake the baked oatmeal that I've been working out the recipe for (the restaurant in CA ignored my request for the recipe, so I decided I'd come up with my own). Finish the heel and foot on the second Lollipop sock. Write up the backlog of patterns that I've knitted and noted but not formatted so someone other that me can knit them. Clean house. Study some of the dye, spinning, knitting reference books that are multiplying around here. Nah...I'll just wait.