Catch as catch can.

I've still got that nasty cold - ugh and I'm spending every spare moment working on this.

I know, it's not even vaguely knitting or fibre related. I think it does cover the food portion though :)

I'm working on the Flame's socks (in PSpectrum colours of blue/grey/white + green) and I've just started test-knitting the MezzoDiva's Campanula socks (gorgeous).

I'll try to get some pictures of my finished Socka socks for y'all.

Menu for the week? I think it is going to be take-out soup, take-out sushi, take-out vietnamese beef noodle soup...

UFO roundup

The UFO Resurrection Challenge is a bit of a mixed blessing so far.

I've been working on my February UFO project, Pebbles (started the front neck decreases and I've started the armhole steeks). I think I can get the body done by the end of the month and start on the sleeves in March.


I've been working on my old Socka socks (January UFO project) and I've reached the ribbing on one (toe-up) and I'm about 20 rows away from the ribbing on the second sock.

I haven't been working on the Raku Suri Stole recently and I need to pick that up again before it becomes a UFO. It would be cheating to make it my March UFO project so I'll have to go diving in the yarn-room and see what's lingering in there. Something lighter to welcome Spring?


I have at least started on my stash additions from Madrona. This was a beautiful smidge (just over 2 ounces) of superwash merino and alpaca from the Artful Ewe. The Flame's winter hat is looking ratty and I think this will be just the ticket. Manly colours and a soft hand.

More menus on Monday

I'm going to have to come up with a better title for Mondays - maybe a numbering system would simplify things.

Tonight - I am thinking of going to my knitting group so I believe it's Perogies & Wieners for the Flame. Hopefully he will have some salad with that.

Tuesday - Ah-choo. Oh yes, Uh.... something quick and simple. Home-canned salmon sandwiches and tomato soup sounds soothing.

Wednesday - I'm planning on being better by then (ha-ha) so maybe I can finally make that saag paneer and the prawn dish from last week. (The end of last week was overtaken by CNY so my apologies to people I owe recipes to).

Thursday - leftovers - yeah!

Friday - I'm either going to be out of town, or we will be having a large amount of people over and I'm currently in no mood to cook for them.

Saturday - Resurrection of those balsamic chicken thighs and couscous. (Denise, I still have to re-test the recipe first)

Sunday - Roast chicken with potatoes. Yum.

Happy Chinese New Year's :)

In the pinks

Poor rabbit, here is Flopsy modelling a larger baby hat.


Project specs : Baby hat from One Skein by Leigh Radford

Yarn : All Seasons Cotton

Needles : 4.5 mm addis and 4.25 mm Crystal Palace dpns

Started : February 13, 2006
Finished : February 15, 2006

A quick and easy hat that looks great. I didn't start with a full skein of the ASC so I had to eliminate some of the plain rounds between the decrease rounds at the top. It made the top of the hat a bit bunchier than in the original but I'm fairly pleased as I didn't have to rip and re-knit and I had exactly this |------| much yarn left.


Next up, my Spin to Knit Swap package came a while back and I've been a bad blogger :( Many thanks to Jessica for her beautiful skein of burgundy wool (fibre from Rheinbeck, almost as good as going myself), my new blue Chibi (who would have believed that I didn't have a blue Chibi?) and Chocolate. Mmmmmmm.

This skein is so soft and lustrous. It is gorgeous and deserves a better photo. I think I'll knit it into a lace scarf. Hopefully I can get a start on that this weekend.

Yes Melanie, that is my mum in Truly :) Galway Highland Heather in that gorgeous Ruby colour. I should have made the sleeves a bit shorter for her though.

A little valentine.

For friends and family near and far. My nephew at Christmas with my mum.


A finished Trellis with shoes,


and hat, as kindly modeled by Flopsy and Jacques (he wants to go on vacation somewhere warm, but the best he could do was a felted lei).


Project specs : Trellis from Knitty, bootees from the 50 Baby Bootes to Knit book, Short-row hat (I just winged this)

Yarn : Dream by Marks and Kattens, a lovely blend of acrylic, nylon, rayon and angora (just a teeny bit)

Needles : 4.5mm KPs

Started : can't remember but it was mid-to-late December 2006
Finished : February 10, 2007

Project Notes : The yarn releases a lot of short fibres as you knit with it. I was initially very concerned about using this for a baby project but after washing and drying a swatch all of the loose fibres seem to have worked themselves out and the fabric is beautifully soft. I mirrored the travelling stitches on either side of the diamond (can't help myself) and I converted the shawl collar to a 5-stitch moss stitch band all the way around.

I'd happily use the Dream again for a project for myself and I think I will use the leftovers for Shedir if Pearl doesn't object (she went stash-diving for me so I would have enough to finish).

Mondays are for menus

Monday - Chicken stir-fry with rice.

Tuesday - Leftovers (I know, not very exciting)

Wednesday - Creamy salmon linguine

Thursday - Chicken thighs with Balsamic Orange Sauce on Couscous and vegetables

Friday - We'll be at my parents for the end of year dinner, one night early, but all the in-town kids can attend that evening.

Saturday or Sunday (depends on our visiting schedule) - Spinach/Arugula with Paneer and Prawns in Coconut & Saffron curry.

Inching along

I'm loving the buttons I found yesterday for Trellis. Still not completed, but I have less than 20 rows for the second sleeve, and then it's just the finishing.

Phew.

Men(o)u(t) Monday

The combination of an empty house and a busy week means that any cooking that occurs will have to wait until the weekend.

The Flame comes home Friday night and after a week of eating out (for each of us) I'll aim for something simple, comforting, and not too rich.

I'm thinking soup, a nice bread, some salad and cheese. I've just received recipes for both West African Peanut Soup and Gingered Apple-Carrot soup. I'll see what looks good produce wise on the weekend.

Saturday will either be a new recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala, or if I can defrost a whole chicken (we inherited it with the freezer), I'll roast it with some lemon, garlic and fennel-stewed lentils.

Sunday something that will work well with creme brulee. I'm leaning towards lamb, but who knows. It's hard to peek in the freezer and pantry when you're living in the wrong house.

Mixed blessings.

The Flame is in Waterloo, ON for the coming week and, as always, the quiet house is a mixed blessing.

I was very fortunate this weekend and had the pleasure of spending Sunday afternoon with some of my favourite people in Vancouver. Our friend Annette was kind enough to host us for a delicious lunch, knitting and spinning fun, and copious amounts of laughter. Her lovely husband shared some of his newest work with me.

Here is the knitbrarian contemplating her imminent departure for her Superbowl Date.


Mel is spindling silk from Heidi, I am regretting last weekend's restraint.


I have 1 sleeve left on Trellis, I'd love to finish it tomorrow night? There are lots of things that I want to knit and finish right now.

You may have noticed that I have joined the 2007 UFO Resurrection Challenge. The rules are simple. Each month you must add an UFO to your active knitting, or frog an UFO. My January choice was my travel knitting to Madrona, the very old Socka socks, and my February choice is Pebbles. I picked it because it is Fair Isle February and I really would like to wear it this Spring (I think I have said this before).


So many projects, so little time!

New Softy Swap

There are only a couple of participants, but I'm a soft (groan) touch when it comes to Softys.

A previous swap-mate is organizing.

Here's a little inspiration from Backtack 3.

My beautiful dog from Molly


The little rabbit I made as part of BackTack 3 for Kate.