Deb on the Web

Endings leave room for beginnings

As in I finished two projects and a book last night.  My wrists were sore from the vest edging so I decided to wait until this morning to share.
First up--the perfect buttons for this Baby Surprise Sweater I hope these show up (Peter Cottontail wearing a blue sweater gathering carrots--this is for a cook's child).  This is an adorable little sweater.  I'm planning on knitting some booties to gift along with it.
Next up on the finishing list is Marina While I loved knitting with Taiyo (cotton, wool, nylon and silk blend)  I just don't care for the end look on me (sorry about the photo).  It doesn't gather in the way a 100% wool yarn would in a rib pattern.  So that my medium feels like extra large.  This was mainly going to be something to wear in the yard for gardening this Summer (I like to be warm).  Now I doubt I will wear it anywhere else.  Oh well, lesson learned about cotton again.  One thing I would mention about the edging.  I had talked to Michelle about using the green for the front edging (it is around the arm holes).  In looking at the buttons I had picked out I decided the brown would be perfect with the brown rim of these cream colored buttons
I've gotta tell you it felt so good to finish two knitting projects (complete with seams and buttons) in one day.  My life for the last two years has been a work in progress and so my knitting life has been a shadow of that.  I am looking forward to pulling out a few old projects and getting them finished too.
However, I do have more babies on the way so the Slip Stitch blanket has begun The yarn is Debbie Bliss, pure cotton.  I have to say it changes my mind about 100% cotton.  I love how soft it is!  And the twist makes it hard to split the yarn (a problem with cotton yarn I hate).  I'm totally into knitting cotton blankets as you don't have the fitted problems.  Besides this is an August baby.
Also on the new knitting front is this Summer KAL I realize that the last time (as in last Summer) that I was trying to keep up with a mystery stole kal I failed miserably.  Part of that was my schedule part was that I didn't care for the way the design was working with the yarn I had chosen.  I still haven't decided what to do with that project, but with this one--I ordered the recommended yarn.  I love Brooklyn Handspun yarns --that was how I found the KAL.  Care to join in?  Michelle?  Tammy?

In other finishings--I finished reading Friday Night Knitting Club, by Kate Jacobs last night.   This isn't a usually genre for me, but I loved it.  Was totally unprepared for the ending though (won't ruin it if you haven't read it).  I don't know why knitting themed books have never interested me.  I guess they just seem like two separate subjects to me.  Who knows maybe I'll find another I like down the road.

The next book on the night stand is Three Cups of Tea.  Several people have told me they think I'll enjoy it.  I'm looking forward to diving in.

I'm not shopping but...

It doesn't mean you can't:)  I am trying to only buy yarn for specific projects that need to be knit right away (ie the baby blankets).  But I love some of the new finds out there!  So I thought I'd share them with you all:

The Plucky Knitter
Her colorways are great.  And I love all the cowls she knits.  You can really see her yarn in action.

Sunshine Yarns
I love fun colorways, but I am starting to be pulled back to more intricate patterns that look best on solids.  Here are some beautiful ones.
(I would add here that I am starting to think "Kettle Dyeing" for when the weather warms up).

Sundara
Yes, I think everyone knows her fabulous yarns.  All I can say is YUM!  But I haven't actually ever seen them in person much less knit any.  I do trust all the oohs and aaahs I here.  This may have to be a treat for me when I knit down some of the sock yarn in the bin...
You all can get some now though;)

There will be a picture post later today.  I got some adorable buttons for the BSS I need to sew on first.

A quick post before the drive in

Wednesday is work day.  But it is also catch up, run errands and knit day.
I am a guest diner for a cooking class at lunch today, then I have a few errands before heading to Twisted to meet up with Michelle, Tammy and Kim.  Of course I'll be at Gino's tonight for work. 
Tomorrow I'll be showing some finished photos of "Marina" and beginning photos of the "Slipstitch Baby Blanket".  I started it last night and I'm really pleased with the look.
Let's have a few other blog links today (as I'm not really saying much that is interesting):
PDX Knitbloggers now have a ring to surf!
Now that I'm back to my garden I'm back to Norma:)
Two random knit blogs from Knitting Friends.
One more chicken pic.  Not one that we ordered, but someday...heehee

Chickens on board!

These are my kind of babies:)
We ordered 25 chicks from Sand Hill Preservation Center this morning.  They will be hatching in a couple of weeks and then sent off to us.
Golden Campine
Americauna bantam
Black Australorp
We chose birds that were good layers of brown or colored eggs (our preference) and that were good foragers (they will be living in the orchard).  These varieties all have mild temperments and are good mothers.

In the food department the husband made a terrific salsa this weekend.  We bought a couple of every hot and mild pepper at the store and he roasted them all.  Adding to them some chopped tomato, red onion, shallot, cilantro and grapefruit juice (delivered by bil from his Palm Springs garden).

Did I mention that I have Summer house guests.  uh yea

In the gardening department--I really wish it would stop raining! 

Which leads to the spinning department--current project is merino from a Spunky Club  offering (February I think) named "Mud".  It was just too appropriated not to work on right now.

In knitting--I am just about finished with the Noro vest.  I hope to be wearing it tomorrow.  Baby blanket will be cast on soon after.

Baby on board

Well a Baby Surprise Sweater that is Elizabeth Zimmerman really is amazing!  It was really hard for me to see what this was going to look like until completely finished.  I love this pattern!  I will definitely be making more of these in the future.  Who can turn down a three day project.  ad the Cascade 220 Sperwash was a great yarn for this project.
Next up there are two baby blankets in the planning a very soft Debbie Bliss cotton for a slip stitch blanket.  This is for baby #2 which may be a girl or a boy.  None of my employees (at either restaurant) have had any girls.  And for the third babe arriving this Summer a stripey blanket is in order Heather had a great example of daughter's GGH Samoa blanket.  I'm going to be borrowing her idea (with permission of course).
I'm not usually a great lover of knitting with cotton.  But these yarns are so very soft I'm actually looking forward to these projects.

On this Memorial day I've been thinking about grandparents and old aunties.  I even found my Aunt Maureen's sweet green pickle recipe today.   I have memories of eating entire jars by myself as a child.
Yesterday I listened to several families reading tributes to members of the Armed Forces lost in the war.  I think it is so important to remember what these people have done for us.  It has nothing to do with agreeing or disagreeing with politics; this is being human (thank you Michelle).

Current projects

I started my first Baby Surprise Sweater (created by EZ and found in her Knitting Almanac) last night.  Yes, I am the last knitter to make one.  And actually this is not the first time I've started one.  Just the first time I am figuring out how to knit it correctly!  These BSS notes (I can not remember how I first found them) are amazingly helpful. 
It was brought to my attention yesterday that I have 3 (current and past) employees that have 3 ladies that will be having 3 babies (all boys presumably as that is all any of my employees have ever had while working for me) right in a close time frame this Summer.  I've got to get a move on (as in quit procrastinating!  One of those babes already has a knitting "auntie" that is working on a blankie so I thought a BSS would be fun with lots of booties and a Funky Monkey too.  For the other two I've got to get to AYD today and start looking at blanket yarns and patterns (from my library).

As I was packing in town this week I found a box of seeds from 2004!  I'm not quite sure what they were doing in town and not out at the farm.  But they will be the big Summer science experiment.  I'm going to plant most of them (no point in bothering with tomatoes at this point) just to see if I can germinate them and get some fresh seed produced.  Some seeds are ones I had saved from 2003 and there are lots of them!  Anyone else want to try out the sprouting experiment?  Lots of lettuce, kale and miscellaneous...

I received an Amazon order a few days ago--Cheese making!  Now I'm not getting crazy enough to go out and buy a goat, sheep or cow (but you know I want to!).  This book talks about making cheese with milk bought at the grocery store.  Yogurt too!  I do love me some yogurt with honey and warmed walnuts...

As I have a couple nights a week where I am home alone (whoopee! yahoo! weeee! ahem, I mean poor me....) I am getting creative with cooking for one.  Last night was all about roasted veggies and basmati rice.  I use a cast iron pan and start the veggies (baby turnips, golden beets, garlic shoots and mild garlic cloves) on the stove by sauteeing them a little with olive oil and salt.  When they have some color I pop them under the broiler to finish cooking.   Toasty brown in a bowl with rice and a little herb salt is a perfect meal.  It also cleaned out last week's veggies so I am ready for the Farmer's Market again this weekend.
Being home alone on a Friday night is a wonderous thing to a restaurant worker:)  It means watching Dracula movies with yarn and sewing (read sewing buttons back on DH pants) projects spread out.  Yeah, I'm not quite ready to go back to work full-time yet.

Blogs to read today..Claudia (yep still pimping her--as I have a very good friend with MS and this subject has become much more important to me), Spunky's auctions, Knitting Friends (I have found so many new (to me) and interesting blogs since I started paying attention to this site.  And wow!  I was mentioned yesterday and my readership soared.  Steph turned me on to this blog.  Really fun!  Give me some more blogs to read.

If you only read one post today...

...read this one about PippikneeSocks

When she was dying she produced some amazing colors!  This is one of those times when I know knitters (and spinners) will step up!

Photos from a rainy day

4 oz of Spunky club wool--I have lost the tag, but I think this is "Goblin" and I know it is 100% wool I just can't remember what kind.  errr  I need to figure it out.  This was a dream to spin with and will knit up into soft, warm socks!
This is a "Totally Tubular" kit I purchased from Carolina Homespun at Black Sheep Gathering and couple years ago.  It has been sitting on a shelf until I could decide how I wanted to spin it.  As you can see in the jar it has small batts piled on top of each other.  It gives you lots of options (too many to decide).  I finally spun them in order and plied them together.  I was considering plying a third bobbin of black merino (yet to be spun) since some of this is pretty bright.  But after looking at all the nubby pieces There is a lot of silk Noil in this mix.  I decided this will be great as is in some kind of fluffy scarf.  These kits do not tell you what the contents are, but I could feel the merino on some batts and others were definitely Coredale (sp.) It gave me some good ideas for batts I would like to create once I start dying this Summer.  And now I feel much more directed on what I will look for at BSG in June.
It is another rainy day here, but I know the sun will eventually come back for dining alfresco--

Revisiting Mission Possible

Now I know that I said yesterday we would be looking at spinning today.  But I am so close to being finished on my current project that I want to show the finished yarn.  Maybe later tonight.

I do think it is time for me to look at this list again (I'm feeling a little startitis coming on):

1. Knit second Lenore sock
2. Knit second Flower Power sock
3. Get sock yarn stash below 100 (ahem… I think I’ll have to knit or give away at least 10 skeins this year)--working on this
4. Finish knitting husband’s aran sweater (half body is finished, sleeves not yet designed)
5. Finish knitting Debbie Bliss silk shrug (back is finished)
6. Finish knitting MS3 (on second to last clue)--I've decided I will never wear this and I'm considering frogging.
7. Choose a pattern and knit another lace item to bring down the stash a notch--designing a table runner at the moment.
   
8. Keep up with 2008 RSC projects--working on this
9. Finish spinning current Yarn Wench fiber on wheel
10. Keep up with Spunky spinning club fiber--working on this
11. Choose a random skein from the “old bin” stash and knit something from current pattern collection
12. Knit knee highs from yarn I dyed in a class last year. --played with this yarn and decided it would be hideous as socks.  Maybe a baby sweater or socks?

Hmmm I am working on Spunky Club fiber spinning and I am knitting on 2008 RCS sock projects, but I still haven't touched 1, 2, 4 or 5. 
Okay, that is visited...Let's move on.

Need a little inspiration?

Photos from the forest floor.  Yes, I am back to green!  I have always loved the color green.  But living in the city brings out my urges for browns, blues and of course lots of black in the wardrobe.  Being up here (especially in Spring) I just can't get enough green in my life!!  So many different shades:) This is one of my herb beds before clean up.  It looks ever so lovely now (just way too rainy to show) I still love this photo for the varieties of color and texture.  I've planted some bronze fennel at this end to add to the textural variety (and my salad bowl).

If you know me personally then you know I had a blow out! 40th birthday party (thank you again Marc, Gina and Michael!).  A 3 day bbq at the farm with live music, great food and almost all my favorite people (I missed you Cyndi!).  I haven't known anyone to match the fun that we had on their 40th(it actually was a week with the pre-planning party added to it).  But the Harlot is doing it!  And in fabulous stlye:)  That is a party I would love to crash. 
You really need to read these posts today as well--Franklin, Claudia (yes, I will be bugging you all to visit her until she reaches her MS Ride goal) and Ysolda (because, really, who can pass up a post titled Brownies and Lace).
I'm off to town for some moving (yes I did move just me and my fiber room), some knitting (meeting up with Michelle and maybe Tammy and Kim) and then working at Gino's in the evening.  I am hoping by the time I get home tonight the rain clouds will have passed and I can enjoy a sunny day in the garden tomorrow.
Tomorrow's post will include the knitting and spinning progress of yesterday...