Category: Food & Wine

I started the Birch shawl, from Rowan #34.  I cast on 272 stitches last night before bed, before I just plain gave up for the evening.  I started the thing on an ebony circular needle:  bad mistake.  Don’t try to knit fine lace-weight yarn the color of old bordeaux on a black needle.  Switched to my Denise needles, and things went better.

I finished the rest of the 299 cast on stitches this morning after a couple of cups of industrial-strength coffee.  Then I counted, and re-counted, and counted again.  This hairy stuff just does not rip out; I did not want to get to the end of the first row and realize that I was a few stitches off.  Here is the thing after casting on; it looks like a hairy caterpillar.

And after a couple of rows:

It doesn’t look like much yet, does it?

I’m counting on suggestions by Ann of Mason-Dixon Knitting, posted on her blog after she completed this last fall.  She has a link to a nice chart as well that should make this a bit easier.  This is definitely not going to be the kind of project you do while engrossed in an interesting movie.  Or while drinking large quantities of alcohol.  Though it might drive me to drink; on that note I will leave you with the Drink of the Week recipe.

Brazen Hussy

Ice cubes
2 oz. vodka
2 oz. Triple Sec or Cointreau
1/2 oz. lemon juice

Shake in a cocktail shaker, strain into a cocktail glass.

As always, enjoy in moderation!

I think I need a doctor.  I’ve been in three yarn shops in the past few weeks, all with lovely stuff, and have bought NO yarn.  I bought a set of double point needles in one shop to finish the blue sweater, and that’s it.  What’s with that?  Buying something for a specific project, and nothing else??  Of course, it might have something to do with the embarrassing stash I already own.  I have so much yarn I almost need to hire a full-time Stash Manager to deal with it.  If you add in the knitting tools, books, and patterns, it really could be a full-time job.

So in an effort to get rehabilitated quickly, I went to Elann and bought enough Schachenmayr Aurora in Claret to make a sweater.  It might turn into a Sitcom Chic type of sweater.  I’ll have to swatch it up to see what it wants to be.

I did finally break down and buy a steamer.  It’s a Rowenta hand-held steamer; the kind you use to steam wrinkles out of your business suit.  This could make blocking almost fun!

On the knitting front, I am up to the increase section on the second piece for the Audrey sweater.  It looks just like the first piece, so no pictures.  This is just such nice yarn that I might have to get some more for another sweater.

We had a Bastille Day celebration at our house last night.  The neighbors came over, we listened to a lot of French music, and drank a lot of French wine.  The menu was as follows:

Gougeres

Cucumber Mint Salad

Roast Chicken

Steamed Green Beans with Fresh Marjoram

Potato Galettes

French Bread

Cheese course, with several lovely French and non-French cheeses

Strawberry Tart

One of my French cookbooks points out that although three courses technically makes it a Menu, no self-respecting French chef would serve only three courses, especially to company.  So we had five courses.  I got absolutely no knitting done yesterday, but we have some great leftovers!

I’ve done another 5 or 6 inches on the front of the blue cable sweater.  Actually I’ve done 10 or 12 inches, because I knit it once, didn’t like the cable, ripped it out, did it again.

Here is the first attempt:

I just did not like where that cable was headed.  For one thing, it doesn’t look like a cable.  It is also too skinny in proportion to the sweater front.  I slept on it last night (not literally, though the cable needle somehow ended up in bed with me).  Today, inspired by  Kerstin, I ripped.  I made the cable a couple of stitches wider, and substituted one that just twists one direction.  The color in this picture is closer to the real thing (taken outside).

I like the second one better, though I think I will knit something else and ruminate on this for a day.  I’m no longer a ripping virgin!

I’ve had a couple of requests for the gin drink recipe from my Peeps post a few days ago.  It’s gin and grapefruit juice.  The one in the picture was ruby red grapefruit juice, though I’ve used the regular.  If you use the calcium fortified variety, you can prevent osteoporosis as well as scurvy.  There is your unsolicited medical advice for the day.

Ice in tall glass
1 shot (more or less) gin
fill glass with juice
shove mint leaves/sprigs down the side of the glass
Stir and drink
Repeat as necessary

If I don’t have mint, I’ve used lime slices.  If you have ever made the mistake of planting mint in your garden, you are already aware that running out is  generally not an issue.

And here is the cat picture of the day; Willie, tiptoeing through the tulips: