Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Zakka Cooking: The Perfect Snack for a Spring Evening
Monday, April 5, 2010
Spring is Here: what I'm knitting that's not a sweater
Recently, I've been delving into some very serious fiber arts tasks. Reclaiming yarn is something I have some experience in; Zach and I sometimes search for sweaters in thrift stores to unravel. In fact, I have a whole sweater's worth of gorgeous brown tweed that someday will be a sweater again once I find the perfect pattern. This time, I am making my own yarn out of fabric. Its much thicker than I thought it would be, but I'm using it to create a lot of useful items.
He're a rug I've begun out of old t-shirts and some fabric I've had laying around for probably 10 years. I'd love to finish soon, but it REALLY hurts my hands to knit, its so huge. I should have probably got on board with some size 19 needles instead of the 15's I already had. The good news is, the cat ALREADY loves this small rug, he's sleeping on the unfinished project right now. I'm going to try to get this one done this week.
To make fabric yarn is pretty simple, but THIS is one of the best tutorials I've seen so far. There are a few things to consider: The t-shirt must have no thick paint printing and it also helps to not have side seams in the shirt you're using. For my rug, I included shirts with side seams, but its just a rug and you can barely tell. I've made some other yarn that is very smooth that I may use to make some kind of container. Its very thick and I think it would make a sturdy basket or storage box.
To make fabric yarn is pretty simple, but THIS is one of the best tutorials I've seen so far. There are a few things to consider: The t-shirt must have no thick paint printing and it also helps to not have side seams in the shirt you're using. For my rug, I included shirts with side seams, but its just a rug and you can barely tell. I've made some other yarn that is very smooth that I may use to make some kind of container. Its very thick and I think it would make a sturdy basket or storage box.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
UGH!
Recently I've had a bit of "knitters" block. I got the idea that making headbands, which are both short and very useful projects would be a good use of my time. I figured they'd be easy to complete even with knitter's block. Enter Maner. An easy buttoned headband with unique construction. Or so I thought. Along my knitting journey I frogged this...twice. The first time I completed it, despite measuring my head and checking gauge (which is looser than that of the pattern, but i thought some roominess would be good) it DID NOT even come close to fitting around my head. I have literally no idea what I did wrong. Second try: I added 20 stitches to the pattern, then finished it. It just now, after blocking it stretched out on the radiator all night, fits around my head, rather tightly. It looks nothing like the one in the picture, its much thinner. The seams end behind my head not near my ears. The best part though is the button, which came in a bag of assorted craft buttons. I do still recommend this project though. I'm sure I'm the only one that had this bad of a time with it. All this begs the question: What is WRONG with my knitting? Remember my Cilantro hat had to have 8 stitches added to it? I'm making gauge but things are still way too tight.
Addendum: many Ravelers, now that I read through the projects, seem to have found that adding 20 to the pattern was necessary. I don't feel as totally insane now.
At least cooking is going much better. Friday I made Alton Brown's Carrot Slaw with raisins and pineapples. Its GREAT. I highly recommend this dish, as its pretty healthy and the flavor is unique and delicious. We had fried shrimp and cocktail sauce with it.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Packing, Cooking and Failing
Ugh, lately it just seems like everything I try to start knitting just ends up a failure. I've tried to begin at least 2 shrugs to wear with spring dresses but I am so bad at lace for some reason that neither one is working very well. My $5 in Paris is about to hop off to the frog pond. Its nowhere near what I like in a sweater. I think I'm just going to stop for a while and maybe when i'm ready again, I can continue on with my afghan. Maybe I have much too much on my plate right now.
We began packing in earnest last weekend. The decorations in our bedroom have come down and into boxes. We're staring early so we can go s-l-o-w-l-y, deciding which of our beloved belongings are coming to Oregon, which are going to Goodwill and which can be safely thrown away. Its not always an easy decision. Do I take my favorite lotions and comfy old pajamas with holes, or do I simply expect that I will get new ones on the west coast? Next week our chairs go to friends, and we stop off at Goodwill to unload our THIRD car full of still-slightly-usable crap.
I haven't been taking many pictures of my cooking lately. I've been eating a lot of salads, and those don't make for interesting pictures, really. Today, I found a really nice recipe for a simple baked and breaded fish. Its easy and takes only a few ingredients that most people probably have around. Its great for Lenten meals or Good Friday. It tasted fantastic, it just didn't LOOK that interesting. Save a squirt of lemon juice for the finished fish.
I finished "Fugitives and Refugees" by Chuck Palahniuk (Copyright 2003, Crown Journeys) today. It reminded me very much of the episode of "No Reservations" where Tony Bourdain visits Portland and has Chuck Palahniuk take him to all the best local places. (I'm a huge fan of the show, and i've seen most of the episodes more than once.) Most interesting to me were the "Postcards" sandwiched in between chapters. They are interesting autobiographical stories about the author, they will easily remind you that your life might never be as intersting as his, but they will make you laugh just the same. Some of them make me glad I'm boring...but eating a lady's fur coat at Laser Floyd is enough to make anyone howl. The later chapters get a bit boring, especially those about the antique trains and cars, which i'm just not interested in. I skimmed them, but I doubt I'd ever visit them personally.
Tomorrow is my party at Hillman Library. I plan on stopping by the [other] library for another Portland guide, or one of the other suggested readings (I'm thinking "Geek Love", mentioned several times in Portland guides). I know its crazy to think that reading these books will prepare me for moving to a city I've never been to, but with 53 days left until the move, its all I have.
We began packing in earnest last weekend. The decorations in our bedroom have come down and into boxes. We're staring early so we can go s-l-o-w-l-y, deciding which of our beloved belongings are coming to Oregon, which are going to Goodwill and which can be safely thrown away. Its not always an easy decision. Do I take my favorite lotions and comfy old pajamas with holes, or do I simply expect that I will get new ones on the west coast? Next week our chairs go to friends, and we stop off at Goodwill to unload our THIRD car full of still-slightly-usable crap.
I haven't been taking many pictures of my cooking lately. I've been eating a lot of salads, and those don't make for interesting pictures, really. Today, I found a really nice recipe for a simple baked and breaded fish. Its easy and takes only a few ingredients that most people probably have around. Its great for Lenten meals or Good Friday. It tasted fantastic, it just didn't LOOK that interesting. Save a squirt of lemon juice for the finished fish.
I finished "Fugitives and Refugees" by Chuck Palahniuk (Copyright 2003, Crown Journeys) today. It reminded me very much of the episode of "No Reservations" where Tony Bourdain visits Portland and has Chuck Palahniuk take him to all the best local places. (I'm a huge fan of the show, and i've seen most of the episodes more than once.) Most interesting to me were the "Postcards" sandwiched in between chapters. They are interesting autobiographical stories about the author, they will easily remind you that your life might never be as intersting as his, but they will make you laugh just the same. Some of them make me glad I'm boring...but eating a lady's fur coat at Laser Floyd is enough to make anyone howl. The later chapters get a bit boring, especially those about the antique trains and cars, which i'm just not interested in. I skimmed them, but I doubt I'd ever visit them personally.
Tomorrow is my party at Hillman Library. I plan on stopping by the [other] library for another Portland guide, or one of the other suggested readings (I'm thinking "Geek Love", mentioned several times in Portland guides). I know its crazy to think that reading these books will prepare me for moving to a city I've never been to, but with 53 days left until the move, its all I have.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
cilantro
Spring is almost here, time for a new hat! This is a pattern I discovered after finding a partially unwound skein of Wool-ease Thick and Quick in colorway "cilantro" on sale at Michael's for 1/2 price. I needed something to make with just one skein, and this hat did nicely.
The pattern is "Cordova" by Jen Lacroix. Easily the most fun knit I've had the pleasure of completing in a long time, the lace rows go fast and the resulting hat is light and fun to wear. While knitting it I considered that the pattern, doubled, would work extremely well in a worsted-weight cotton blend (I've got an extra skein of cotton-ease). That would be a fantastic springtime and early summer hat.
Zach has returned from APhA! I didn't cook the whole time he was gone, except for whipping up a batch of Cilantro Pesto before my bunch of fresh cilantro went bad. Cilantro pesto has easily been my favorite for years. As you may guess, its a little bit different from basil pesto. I think its better, but then I really don't like basil. It is still good on pasta of all sorts but I'd also consider it tasty enough to use as a dip for veggies, especially carrots. Its great on top of fish, as cilantro naturally chelates mercury from your body. The classic "cilantro" flavor disappears in the mix, so this recipe may even be suitable for cilantro haters. Its also vegan, depending on what you're eating it on top of.
Cilantro Pesto
Pine nuts (raw)
Cold-pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt (I used the Pink stuff)
Fresh Cilantro
Whole Garlic Cloves (start with one, go from there)
I never measure when I'm making this, sorry. I just put it in my food processor until its chunky and I've used up most or all of my ingredients. Too Liquid? Add more nuts? Too bland? Add more salt or garlic. Its really up to you!
I'm halfway through "Fugitives and Refugees". Great read.
The pattern is "Cordova" by Jen Lacroix. Easily the most fun knit I've had the pleasure of completing in a long time, the lace rows go fast and the resulting hat is light and fun to wear. While knitting it I considered that the pattern, doubled, would work extremely well in a worsted-weight cotton blend (I've got an extra skein of cotton-ease). That would be a fantastic springtime and early summer hat.
Zach has returned from APhA! I didn't cook the whole time he was gone, except for whipping up a batch of Cilantro Pesto before my bunch of fresh cilantro went bad. Cilantro pesto has easily been my favorite for years. As you may guess, its a little bit different from basil pesto. I think its better, but then I really don't like basil. It is still good on pasta of all sorts but I'd also consider it tasty enough to use as a dip for veggies, especially carrots. Its great on top of fish, as cilantro naturally chelates mercury from your body. The classic "cilantro" flavor disappears in the mix, so this recipe may even be suitable for cilantro haters. Its also vegan, depending on what you're eating it on top of.
Cilantro Pesto
Pine nuts (raw)
Cold-pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt (I used the Pink stuff)
Fresh Cilantro
Whole Garlic Cloves (start with one, go from there)
I never measure when I'm making this, sorry. I just put it in my food processor until its chunky and I've used up most or all of my ingredients. Too Liquid? Add more nuts? Too bland? Add more salt or garlic. Its really up to you!
I'm halfway through "Fugitives and Refugees". Great read.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Good Food and Glove Love - This post is really long!
Since we have been spending less money on groceries, we have more money for fresh vegetables. Tonight for dinner I made my classic salsa fresca. Its extremely easy because of my Vidalia Chop Wizard. Its actually pretty quality for an "As Seen on TV" product. I'd recommend getting one directly at Target or Bed Bath and Beyond. They're great for salsa and veggie soup.
The recipe is very easy:
3 medium tomatoes
1 small onion
3/4 bell pepper (mine was yellow)
3 cloves of garlic
bunch of fresh cilantro
crushed red chili pepper flakes
can of corn
can of black beans (optional)
salt
pepper
Directions: Cut it up.
God I'm so bored. Yesterday I made dinner rolls:
Here's a link to the recipe: PW Dinner Rolls
They were good for my first attempt in making bread in a long time. The recipe is a lot sweeter than I would have liked, but Zach likes them, so they will be eaten.
Drumroll please:
Finally the moment [Dean] has been waiting for: The Toasty Mitts. Based on THIS version of the pattern, I made a pair in a larger size to fit a man. They are modeled here by the lovely Zachary.
Mods: Cast on 40 sts.
k2p2 for 3.5 inches.
knit stockinette for 3 inches.
cast on 7 stitches for the thumb.
knit 1.5 more inches of stockinette
finish with 3.5 more inches of k2 p2 rib.
Very easy, but they took a lot longer than the women's version. Adding 4 stitches really made a difference. I don't plan on knitting any more of these for a while, though I do think they'll make good Christmas presents next year.
What's next for knitting? I'm currently working on $5 in Paris. It will probably be my last (large) project for a few months. I'm getting ready to move, and additionally I'd like to get some reading in, mostly books about the Pacific Northwest in preparation for relocating. I've never been there and I have no idea what to expect.
I've been reading this book:
3 medium tomatoes
1 small onion
3/4 bell pepper (mine was yellow)
3 cloves of garlic
bunch of fresh cilantro
crushed red chili pepper flakes
can of corn
can of black beans (optional)
salt
pepper
Directions: Cut it up.
God I'm so bored. Yesterday I made dinner rolls:
Here's a link to the recipe: PW Dinner Rolls
They were good for my first attempt in making bread in a long time. The recipe is a lot sweeter than I would have liked, but Zach likes them, so they will be eaten.
Drumroll please:
Finally the moment [Dean] has been waiting for: The Toasty Mitts. Based on THIS version of the pattern, I made a pair in a larger size to fit a man. They are modeled here by the lovely Zachary.
Mods: Cast on 40 sts.
k2p2 for 3.5 inches.
knit stockinette for 3 inches.
cast on 7 stitches for the thumb.
knit 1.5 more inches of stockinette
finish with 3.5 more inches of k2 p2 rib.
Very easy, but they took a lot longer than the women's version. Adding 4 stitches really made a difference. I don't plan on knitting any more of these for a while, though I do think they'll make good Christmas presents next year.
What's next for knitting? I'm currently working on $5 in Paris. It will probably be my last (large) project for a few months. I'm getting ready to move, and additionally I'd like to get some reading in, mostly books about the Pacific Northwest in preparation for relocating. I've never been there and I have no idea what to expect.
I've been reading this book:
Northwest Basic Training: Essential Skills for Visitors, Newcomers and Native Northwesterners
By Greg Eiden / Illus. Kurt Holloman
Sasquatch Books, Paperback, 2001
Its a little out of date, but its a quick read and is really full of information for someone who doesn't know what to expect out of their next life adventure. Included inside are highly amusing tips like how to barter with hippies, how to order wacky coffee beverages and how to start a running for exercise. Very fun.
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