a caffeinated yarn

bluebeard

2012-03-06T08:31:00.001-06:00

I happily knit the last repeat and cast off my State Street Cowl last weekend. I was a little skeptical about how exactly this oversized, bulky-knit cowl would look on me, but the lace pattern was pretty, and the bird's egg Quince and Co. yarn was such a nice color.

Yeah, apparently I look like Bluebeard in it. Not exactly what I was going for...

Pattern: State Street Cowl, by Pam Allen

Yarn: Quince and Co. Puffin, bird's egg, 2.2 skeins

Needles: Clover US 13 and 15 bamboo circs

note to self:

Do not knit another humongous cowl.

I'm left with a conundrum -- what to knit with this yarn? So far it has been an Oatmeal Pullover (too bulky), a garter stitch blanket (not enough drape), and this cowl. Sigh...

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While flipping through the latest WEBS catalog I was pleasantly surprised by the really lovely and creative patterns written for their exclusive (i.e., affordable and competitive with Knit Picks) line of Valley Yarns. I'm still finishing my Aidez cardigan, but that doesn't mean a girl can't dream...

-- Valley Yarns 361 Teal Top-Down Cardigan
Cute pattern, with a decidedly un-cute name. This one looks great for layering or pairing with a denim skirt?

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-- Boothbay lace pullover (knit sideways!)

I think my mom would love this -- comfy but still rather elegant.

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-- Valley Yarns 450 Purlless Pullover

Another soulless name for a very attractive pattern. Looks like a versatile cotton knit for spring and fall, and the so-called "nalgar" ("raglan backwards") sleeves are intriguing (though slightly linebacker-y).

I'm usually not so big on spring knits, but WEBS actually has me inspired! Bravo.

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An Orla Kiely pear tablecloth found its way to my doorstep, and it's just begging to be turned into curtains for my re-vamped study!

lazy weekend morning

2012-02-12T12:21:00.001-06:00

Inspired by Alicia's recent post about counted cross stitch (and the darling sampler kit she has in the works), I dug out my cross stitch supplies and got to work.

Cross stitch is the first craft I really embraced. The summer that we were 10, my best friend and I took a very dorky (but apparently quite inspiring) class called "X Marks the Spot." For years we always had a project or two going. Now it falls by the wayside to knitting much of the time, but once in a blue moon there's a cross stitch renaissance chez Caffeinated Yarn.

Compared to my usual knitting and crochet, cross stitch is amazingly affordable, compact, and easy to store. I love the wide palette of colors. On the minus side, it's hard to know what exactly to do with the finished products, which are generally purely decorative. You can't exactly cuddle up in a cross stitch sampler on a cold, wintry day as you would with a cozy afghan or a handknit sweater.

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I'm making plans to spruce up our flat a bit. A paint color has been chosen for my study:

bird's egg, by benjamin moore

Some cute nesting boxes to organize office and craft supplies just arrived in the post:

Orla Kiely nesting boxes

to everything there is a season

2012-02-04T15:02:00.000-06:00

With a heavy heart I said a final farewell to my grandmother last week. She had been failing for a while, and we knew that her time was limited, so I booked a flight for last weekend to say good-bye. Sadly, this did not come to pass, and we ended up driving across the Wisconsin woods and Minnesota prairies for a funeral instead. I should have taken pictures of the fantastic icicles dripping down the bluffs along the Mississippi River, or the surreal image of hundreds of windmills dotting the prairie, or even the thick fog rolling across the snowy fields.

Seeing family and friends was a comfort, as was sharing favorite memories. Good-bye, Grandma Max -- we'll miss you, your ever-present smile, and the twinkle in your eye, but we know that you lived a good, long life.

She loved to make quilts, and she made a handmade quilt for each of her children, as well as her grandchildren. She also embroidered many towels. She enjoyed canning pickles. While a resident of Tuff Nursing Home, she enjoyed playing cards, especially “Kings in a Corner” with her daughter. She will be remembered by her family and friends for her delicious sugar cookies, as well as for her homemade lefse.

Grandma Max was a hard worker, as all farmers are -- driving tractor, cleaning the cream separator, butchering chickens, feeding the barn cats, crocheting slippers, and baking up a storm. Her sugar cookie recipe truly is legendary. These cookies are short and crisp -- quite unlike garden-variety sugar cookie cut-outs.

Grandma Maxine's Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup white (granulated) sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups + 1 tablespoon flour

- Cream sugars and butter; add eggs, then oil and vanilla.
- Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Chill overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll spoonfuls into small balls, then drop on cookie sheet, and press with a glass that has been dipped in white sugar.
- Baking time depends on thickness of cookies. Don't let them get brown, just a hint at the edges!
- Makes about 3 dozen.

in the works

2012-01-24T23:37:00.001-06:00

Another little design is in the works. I'm using a lovely shade of gold that has (sadly) been discontinued by Knit Picks. I'm off the semisolids and indie dyers lately... not sure what's up with that, but I'm loving the stitch definition of solid colored yarn, and I'm enjoying the soft, fuzzy heather blue-green of my Aidez cardigan.

Don't these shades of aqua, gold, and cream go beautifully together? I think this may be the perfect color palette for my study. Now to visit the paint store!

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Even though I'm spending more time wearing my editor hat rather than my researcher cap these days, I still get to work from home fairly often. Wow, is that great. I especially enjoy eating a healthy lunch at home while reading a good book. I tried this easy recipe for cornbread, and it is yummy. Basic, no frills, but delicious. Much better than the Jiffy corn muffin mixes of my childhood.

all wrapped up in handknits

2012-01-18T11:21:00.002-06:00

Last Valentine's Day I gave Paul the promise of a Doctor Who scarf, something he had been requesting for years.

Many, many rows of garter stitch and eight skeins of yarn later, it is complete! I selected a rather more subtle palette of colors than the original and didn't make it nearly as long, as I wanted it to be something Paul would actually wear rather than a costume piece.

Doctor Who scarf

needles: US 6 Clover bamboo straights

yarn: Knit Picks Swish Worsted

cobblestone heather

eggplant

garnet heather

gold

lemongrass heather

squirrel heather

truffle

my ravelry project page

notes:

I cast on 44 stitches and loosely followed this pattern until I ran out of yarn. One skein of each color, except for two skeins of squirrel heather. Paul's also sporting the Armando hat I knit for him.

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Rue kindly sent me a wee bit of ginger Madelintosh tosh merino light so that I can bind off my live oak shawlette. Hooray! Many thanks, Rue.

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- Inc. has a thought-provoking piece on entrepreneurs in Norway (a country near and dear to my heart)

winter at last

2012-01-12T18:35:00.002-06:00

Winter is finally here, blanketing Chicago in beautiful snow.

This afternoon I hung the suet feeder in my backyard, and I expect to be inundated with juncos, kinglets, siskens, tanagers, and titmice at any moment. These are just a few species of songbirds that Garfield's Energy Suet claims to attract.

Indeed. I'll keep you posted as to how that goes! One might guess that bird-watching and urban settings don't mix terribly well, but there are some pretty decent bird preserves along Lake Michigan (such as the Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary), and this has been a record year for snowy owl sightings in Chicago.

The back of my Aidez cardigan is complete, and I've just done the ribbing for the left front! I have visions of wearing Aidez while sipping a mug of coffee and peacefully gazing upon my snowy backyard full of cheerful tanagers and titmice. A girl can dream...

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in the kitchen

Alicia recently highlighted this curried lentil soup recipe, so I gave it a try. Delicious! Hearty and substantial, with plenty of flavor but not too spicy. This is one of those lentil soups that gets a little mushy (if you don't like that quality, you could substitute French lentils). I really appreciate that this is different from our standby curried lentil soup recipe, which has lots of tomatoes and balsamic vinegar to make it tangy. (I use chicken stock instead of water and add a couple of carrots, diced, to that recipe.)

Aidez

2012-01-09T11:44:00.005-06:00

I spent part of the weekend curled up with my knitting needles and many cups of coffee from my new bestie, the Nespresso machine. Blissful! Aidez is coming along quite nicely. The first few rows juggling the cable patterns were tough going, but it became easier with practice, as most things do. I *know* I'm doing one of the narrow cross-stitch cables wrong (they're supposed to be mirrored), but I wasn't about to change my methods midstream. I'm certainly not picky enough to rip way back and make them perfect (so not the point of knitting for me).

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in the kitchen

- Curried tofu with tomatoes, with coconut rice

- My buffalo chicken chili recipe is a part of Pottery Barn's latest theme party feature, Big Game Party!

hello, 2012!

2012-01-04T16:04:00.002-06:00

New year, fresh start. 2011 had its strikes and gutters, ups and downs, and I for one am very happy to be moving forward. Don't get me wrong -- there were good things about 2011, like my new position at the Press and our terrific new digs, but overall there was a certain too-muchness. We spent New Year's Eve with friends, the first time with little ones in tow, and it was delightful. I made Heidi's recipe for gougères, which were delicious but difficult to pronounce.

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2011's diagonal box-stitch afghan is still growing:

The stitch pattern has become second nature, and the superwash merino wool is soft and cushy (which is good, since I'm on my ninth skein of the stuff). If only the crochet hook hadn't fallen behind a heavy dresser yesterday! Note to self: must enlist Paul's help in moving that behemoth.

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There's a new project for 2012 in the works, too:

I cast on for Aidez at knit night, and the ribbing is going swimmingly. The cross-stitch cable instructions, however, aren't for the faint of heart, so I'm pleased that we're doing it as a knitalong

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I'm not really one for setting goals with my hobbies. For me the point is to relax and go with the flow. I get stressed out enough already -- no need for extra anxiety. I suppose one goal is to use the supplies I have! We're at maximum crafty storage capacity at the moment. I'd also like to finish my sadly neglected Shalder cardigan, knit Aidez in time to wear it this winter, finish a quilt that's been on the back burner far too long... oh wait, that's a whole bunch of goals. Onward and upward!

May health, happiness, and good times greet you each day of the new year.

post-Christmas caffeine rush

2011-12-30T11:22:00.000-06:00

Paul delighted me with a fancy Nespresso machine for Christmas. It's very quick and easy, and the espresso is fantastic! I have some lingering qualms about the wastefulness and expense of the little Nespresso capsules, but overall it's terrific and fun to use. The Nespresso booklets and website, however, are pretentious to the point that it's amusing (capsules can be couriered to you posthaste in case of a dire espresso shortage!). I have a feeling that T-Mos would love using this gizmo just before reciting lines from the Inferno in Italian.

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I've sweet-talked the girls in my knitting group into a knit-along for the new year:

Aidez, a free pattern by Cirilia Rose for Berroco

I rustled through my stash and rounded up some Cascade Eco Plus in a lovely shade of light blue:

#9452 Summer Sky Heather

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I've been on a reading kick lately, and my goal for this long weekend is to spend some more quality time with a good book (or four), sip espresso, and do some knitting.

Some recent recommendations:

Chosen by a Horse, by Susan Richards

I'm not usually one for nonfiction or "feel good" memoirs, but this book really spoke to me. Richards writes about adopting a neglected horse and how it helped her reconsider her own life and dare to trust and take risks. Rescuing horses is one of my dreams for "when my ship comes in," and I'm one of those who got hooked on horses after a childhood spent immersed in Misty of Chincoteague.

Bossypants, by Tina Fey

Fey is funny, warm, and genuine in this book about her path from Pennsylvania to 30 Rock. It's a book that seems very real -- not like something cooked up by a ghostwriter to cash in. Some parts are humorous, others talk candidly about being a woman, both in comedy and in society in general.

What I'm reading now:

Wildwood, by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis

So far it's charming, but wow, does Meloy love adjectives... this runs the risk of being overly precious, so we'll see how it goes...

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Back with crafty photos soon, I hope. Camera research is underway, though I may have to break down and start using Paul's tablet gizmo's camera feature in the meantime.

so drink your gin and tonica...

2011-12-21T11:32:00.003-06:00

It's time for Hannukah, Festivus, and all the other wintry holiday celebrations. Ah, the immortal words of Adam Sandler.

The tree is trimmed, the cards are (mostly) written, and cookies have been baked. Sadly, my digital camera just bit the dust so I have no tree or knitting photos to share. Time to start researching cameras!

We're hosting a second holiday family gathering at our place on the 26th. I'm going with a mostlyScandinavian theme -- gløgg, pickled herring, gjetost, Norwegian and Swedish baked goods. I couldn't bring myself to make lutefisk (dried cod treated with lye) though -- sogelatinous and disgusting. Now we just need some snow!

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Looking for some holiday music that's not run of the mill? We've now exhausted our steady rotation of Low, Vince Guaraldi, and Sarah McLachlan.

Check out all the mixes over at I Am Fuel, You are Friends, or listen to my wintry mix:

a wintry mix by Jodi Haraldson on Grooveshark

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No, this is not Capricha! A feline visitor bunked with us last week while her owner was away. Lewes is essentially Capricha's (thinner, longer-tailed) doppelgänger. Lewes occupied the front half of our flat, while Capricha stuck to the back -- they seemed surprisingly oblivious about each other's presence. (P.S. This is the last photo from my poor camera...)

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Last December Paul introduced me to one of his childhood holiday favorites, Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. It's pretty much the sweetest, funniest holiday special. The muppets are adorable and kind of primitive, the story is a thoughtful take on "The Gift of the Magi," and there's a lot of great (and hilarious) music. Apparently we're not alone in loving Emmet Otter! Here are some recent shout-outs from the folks at NPR and the Onion.

in which I exhibit some wisdom

2011-12-08T11:21:00.001-06:00

So, I resolved to be smart about unventing the scallop-edge garter stitch throw. Not only did I check my gauge, but I also did some math and took a long, careful look at the fabric I was getting with the lovely Quince & Co. Puffin yarn. And then I carefully wound up the yarn and shoved it back in my knitting basket. :( This was, however, a good learning experience:

a) I would have run out of yarn.
b) The fabric didn't have enough drape.
c) It was very, very heavy on the needles.

Some of the puffin yarn is destined to become a State Street Cowl (thanks, ifandany, for highlighting the pattern the other day!).

To make up for NOT knitting myself that cozy (but sure to be ill-fated) throw, I instead started crocheting like a madwoman. This is the easy-peasy diagonal box stitch, worked corner-to-corner, which I love, since one avoids making a foundation chain. (Mine are often too tight.) I'm using a very affordable superwash wool -- Knit Picks Bare Swish Worsted. Very soft and cozy, and the undyed version comes in nice long 220-yard skeins.

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in the kitchen

I hosted a low-key crafty afternoon for the girls from my knitting group this afternoon. Such a great, relaxing way to start off the holiday season! I tried not to go too overboard with the menu this time, but I did make a few things:

- brie en croute with brown sugar, bourbon, and pecans (holy smokes, this was awesome)

- my family's recipe for Norwegian cookies
- easy mulled wine (next time I'd fortify it with Cointreau or maybe brandy)
- "the best" pumpkin bread (pretty good, but not as terrific as my mom's recipe, which I need to track down)

sofa city, sweetheart

2011-12-05T12:09:00.001-06:00

I managed to catch a nasty cold while spending far too much time at doctor's offices last week. Blech! The upside? Lots of knitting/tv time, plus Paul tended to many of my (increasingly crazy) whims. As much as I am a homebody, too much time spent housebound makes me nuts. Paul does make a pretty terrific hot toddy (a family cold remedy on my mum's side).

Good thing that True Blood has strong healing properties. So trashy, but so addictive...

I knit two of these cozy Armando hats -- red for me, charcoal grey for Paul. I love the texture! The pattern is easy to follow. I knit 7.5 repeats of the "lace" pattern (manliest lace I've ever seen, btw, but it does feature yarnovers and thus does technically qualify, I suppose). Using smaller needles (US 7) was a good choice. I'll definitely knit more of these, especially since the holidays are just around the corner.

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The Oatmeal Pullover has been frogged, and these lovely balls of Puffin are ready for me to unvent the Pottery Barn scallop-knit throw.

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Capricha is taking over Kylie's old job as clean-laundry tester. So cute, but I'll have to rewash that towel...

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linkety

- knitting behind bars
- a bookshelf that's bigger on the inside

holidazed

2011-11-27T15:03:00.001-06:00

I found these sweet mercury glass owls at West Elm, and one is now perched at the top of our built-in bookcases, wisely surveying the living-room realm.

Don't they remind you a bit of Bubo from Clash of the Titans?

Very classy. And shiny. Because those two qualities go hand in hand.

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I'm also in love with these flannel sheets that my mum gave me for early Christmas:

What a cheery fair isle motif!

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I spotted this beautiful, cozy throw at Pottery Barn:

Now that's a pattern that I can unvent! A garter stitch blanket with a crochet shell edging? Easy as pie. I may frog my overly bulky (and unflattering) Oatmeal Pullover and use the beautiful bird's egg Quince & Co. yarn for this. The PB version is knit in acrylic, of course, so Quince & Co. wool would be about a thousand steps up.

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What did we spot on our drive back to Chicago?

In Wisconsin Dells, on a Jeep, of course. <3

Thanksgiving training

2011-11-23T12:22:00.001-06:00

We're slowly but surely getting settled into our new digs. I'm loving the built-in bookcases (especially since our bookshelves couldn't make it out of the basement in our last place -- yeah, that's an unexpected downside to assembling three tall bookcases in situ).

Most of my knitting supplies are still inaccessible. At first I was excited about the challenge of being creative about using the yarn I actually could reach. Then I finished the main section of this cozy crochet baby blanket, only to discover that I couldn't find the contrast yarn for the edging... Doh! Unpacking and organizing the craft stuff is on the agenda for after Thanksgiving.

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Speaking of Thanksgiving, I'm in training today -- savory pumpkin pie and cranberry juice for lunch. Yum! OK, it's really more like a quiche.

savory pumpkin and onion quiche

caramelized onions
1-2 T. olive or vegetable oil
4 C. thinly sliced onions
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dried thyme

9" pie crust -- I follow Martha's instructions, but you could easily use a premade crust
1 C. grated Gruyere cheese
1 C. milk
3 large eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground dry mustard
1 C. pumpkin puree (I use canned)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a dutch oven or heavy skillet, heat the oil on med-low heat. Add onions and saute for 15 min., stirring frequently. Stir in salt, sugar, and thyme. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook for about 15 more minutes, until the onions are caramelized --- they should be golden and sweet, nearly falling apart. Add the pepper and saute another 5 min.

Spread onions across bottom of pie crust. Sprinkle cheese on top of the onions. Whisk together milk through dry mustard. Blend in pumpkin. Pour mixture over cheese in crust.

Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and bake 45-50 min. more, or until pie filling has set and tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

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PSA for Chicago 'peeps

Wishing each and every one of you a very happy (and relaxing) Thanksgiving!

going great guns

2011-11-14T16:00:00.001-06:00

Oodles of knitting have taken place around these parts in the last few days -- partly because I did something funny to my foot and had to stay off of it for a little while, and partly because this chilly weather called for some serious sofa-tea-yarn-cat snuggling-tv time.

Finally blocked the Whirligig Shrug! This is a baby shower gift, though I'm a bit nervous that the yarn bled so much when I washed it. The pattern is very fun, and the finishing is fairly minimal, which I love. Without a model, the back looks a little cuter than the front, but all the modeled versions on Ravelry look absolutely adorable.

pattern: whirligig shrug, by Stefanie Japel

yarn: the plucky knitter mcn lite, "pretty pretty pola," 1 skein (230 yds)

needles: Clover US 5 bamboo circs

size: 6 months

my ravelry project page

Speaking of Stefanie Japel... she has a new pattern as a bonus in the Deep Fall 2011 issue of Knitty -- the shapely boyfriend cardigan. I'm not too fond of the name (as it sounds as if your boyfriend's the shapely one, which just seems wrong somehow), but the cardigan looks very versatile and practical. Plus it calls for O-Wool Classic, which I just happen to have in the stash (in a lovely shade of blue, to boot).

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The puerperium cardigan is not just off the needles, but already blocked!

Now to find the perfect buttons. I'm torn between bright red buttons that would make quite the impact and dark brown wooden buttons, the classier and more subtle option. I need 7 of them, so this necessitates a shopping trip, as there's no chance that my button jar is up for the task.

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Last night I joyfully knit the last row of the live oak shawlette only to discover that it's highly unlikely that I'll have enough yarn to bind off. Déjà vu...

We'll see how long it takes me to trek to a yarn store to find another skein of Tosh Merino Light in ginger... I predict that this will linger in ye olde knitting basket for a while, as these next couple of weeks are going to be busy.

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in the kitchen

Two recent recipe successes!

- pumpkin pie oatmeal

Yum! The perfect autumn breakfast. I threw in 1/4 C. of raisins and dried cranberries with the oats, and I put the whole batch into a medium-sized casserole dish and didn't bother with ramekins.

- leslie's snicker-doodle brownies
I upped the baking time and they were still a little underdone, but otherwise quite delicious and awesome.

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material world

I am seriously jonesing after the elton chair from West Elm. I'm not sure that it's practical (hello! haven't I learned any lessons from my cut velvet sofa?), but I love the lines, the tufted back, and how it manages to be whimsical yet casual yet sophisticated. Plus it comes in both peacock blue and light steel blue...

Anyone have experience with West Elm furniture? Is it fairly well made and durable? (I think Paul would be thrilled to hear you say that it's cheap, rickety crap, since this chair is more up my alley than his.)

cute winter hats from anthro:

katja cap

mixed stitch beanie

It may be time to "unvent" a pattern or two...

lazy Sunday

2011-11-06T16:26:00.001-06:00

"Falling back" has led to a day of perfect relaxation. I started off my lazy Sunday by casting off a puerperium cardigan (pictures soon!), then meeting friends for brunch at Milk & Honey Cafe, my favorite brunch spot in Chicago. Something about that place reminds me of Madison -- maybe it's the low-key vibe?

I just may have stopped by Nina and picked up a skein of this:

(madelinetosh merino light in ginger)

and the fall 2011 issue of knitscene to make one of these:

(live oak shawlette, by Romi Hill)

as well as some buttons for my mum's Shalom cardigan:

Not only that, but I'm in the midst of a blocking frenzy. I predict a plethora of FO posts in the near future...

Friday fluff -- no knitting involved

2011-11-04T13:12:00.000-05:00

Enjoy anthropologie's boho style but scoff at the "made in china" labels and the ridiculous price tags? Me too. Anthroparodie may be right up your alley, as well (tip o' the hat to better living through literature).

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I'm 100% not a member of the hair-and-nails set (nor do I "read" People or Us Weekly, ugh), but I've recently discovered a few things that drastically improve my everyday life. After the rough past month, I'm happy to take delight in whatever I can.

The Wet Brush is revolutionizing my morning routine. I have long, straight, tangle-prone hair -- it used to take me AGES to detangle in the morning. This brush is awesome -- it plows right through all the tangles in record time, leaving my hair shiny and bouncy. I suspect that the Wet Brush is the same as the Regency Magic Brush that Mindy Kaling blogged about recently -- just branded differently and priced more reasonably.

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Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener is amazing. I'm pretty low-maintenance, but I do usually wear some make-up, with the goal of looking like I'm not wearing make-up, but looking better than I would if I really didn't wear make-up. Most under-eye concealers have a yucky texture, irritate my sensitive skin, or look funny. Photo Op actually makes it looks as if I got a full night's sleep and am ready to take on the world! Smashbox's Photo Finish makeup primer is terrific, too -- it leaves your skin velvety and prevents make-up from caking or collecting in your laugh lines or eye crinkles.

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Whole Foods Pomegranate Orange lip balm moisturizes, smells great, and is incredibly affordable (under $2, I think). You know how some lip balms seem refreshing at first, but then dry out and leave your lips feeling even worse? This doesn't do that. It actually works!

S T T L

2011-10-27T07:56:00.001-05:00

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Since Kylie Cat first got sick last December, she was a real fighter.

We finally had to put Kylie Cat down, and we were heartbroken. It was the kind thing to do, as she had become pretty miserable, and we had foreseen it, but it's a gut-wrenching experience nonetheless. She will be missed. Every time I come home, I expect to see two sweet kitty faces at the door, happy to see me, and it's a very difficult adjustment to see just one. Such a funny little cat, full of personality.

sit tibi terra levis

may the earth rest lightly upon you

in Chaos' realm

2011-10-18T17:45:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the radio silence... Chaos has been reigning chez Caffeinated Yarn for the past few weeks. We moved into our new flat amidst many renovations. The kitchen floor tiling was just completed today, and I'm very excited about getting back into the swing of things!

It's really a great space -- I'll post more photos once all the boxes are unpacked and the spice racks are up. Sewing some jaunty red-and-white checked curtains is on my (mile-long) to-do list.

Not only did we move, but I also got a big promotion at the Press. Hooray! It's a fantastic opportunity for me, even if it does mean that dissertation progress is on hold for a little bit while I settle in. I have some sad news to share, too, but we'll save that for another post.

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A dear friend kindly sent me a photo of her cute little guy wearing a sweater vest that I knit:

This is the love letter baby vest that I posted about last spring. I'm not entirely thrilled with the neckline, so I'm not sharing the pattern, but it sure looks great on this sweet kid.

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I'm hooked on hexagons again...

Crochet has magical soothing properties for me (much more so than knitting... curious).

Most of my yarn and knitting projects are still hidden away in boxes that can't get unpacked until the workers finish up around here. I'm dreaming of finding just the right yarn in my stash to knit this friendly-looking big snowy owl from the Purl Bee:

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in the kitchen

My mum's quick and easy recipe for apple walnut torte -- especially tasty served warm with a hefty dollop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream!

Apple Walnut Torte

1 egg
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
dash nutmeg (optional)
1 C. chopped apples (they do not have to be peeled)
1/2 C. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat egg and sugar. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and (optional) spices, and beat again. Add apple and nuts. Bake in a greased 8" x 10" glass pan, or a 9" glass pie pan for 30-40 minutes.

P.S. Cattywampus posted a variation on the cream cheese ice cream recipe that sounds amazing -- she added cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla extract, along with some crumbled graham crackers at the end. Yum!

totally autumn

2011-09-25T16:39:00.001-05:00

Phew, last week was rough... my poor Jeep broke down on Lake Shore Drive and is still in the shop getting its transfer case rebuilt, autumn quarter's about to start, and there's still a lot of packing to do before we move on Saturday. Time to focus on the positive things, like this little baby sweater I finished:

pattern: Camilla Babe, by Carrie Bostick Hoge

size: 3 months

needles: US 6 Clover bamboo circs and US 7 DPNs

yarn: Quince and Co. Lark, pomegranate, ~2.3 skeins (300 yds.)

my Ravelry project page

notes:

Very fun to knit! I just love the pattern, and I'll definitely revisit it. The yarn is soft and springy, with a deeply saturated color. I used a little more yarn than the pattern specified, but my gauge was also a bit loose. I knit the 3-month size, but the final (blocked) measurements are more like the 6-month.

The yarn fluffed up a bit during the blocking process. Be forewarned that this isn't a smooth, silky merino -- it's lofty and wonderful, but not buttery soft. I'm curious how well it will hold up (I'm guessing quite well), as I'd love to knit a cardigan for myself using Lark.

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Other good things...

- Coastal Knits is available for pre-order! Such pretty patterns. Can't wait for this to arrive in my mailbox!

- Brooklyn Tweed's fall 2011 patterns are out! I absolutely love Tinder -- it looks so cozy.

- Loopy Yarns had a 6th anniversary party last Sunday, and I picked up some very intriguing Imperial Stock Ranch 2-ply pencil roving in a beautiful shade called wild iris.

It's very soft and lofty, and it will be interesting to knit, as it's unspun. This yarn is earmarked for the Pembroke Wrap from the latest issue of Interweave Knits.

- I concocted a new ice cream recipe in honor of the lovely autumn days:

pumpkin spice ice cream

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 C. pumpkin butter
1.25 C. half and half
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, or to taste (optional)

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Freeze mixture in ice cream maker (I use a basic Cuisinart ice cream maker and run it for 18-20 min.). Transfer to an airtight container and put in the freezer to harden, at least 3 hours (even longer is better).

P.S. Sorry to be so slow at replying to comments lately... it has been a little hectic around here.

cats + knitting + tea = bliss

2011-09-15T22:42:00.002-05:00

A certain someone doesn't seem to mind being surrounded by boxes. Me, I'm a little nuts from packing already, but it perhaps it's time to take a queue from Kylie and go with the flow.

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Best way to relax? Getting a head start on holiday knitting. It's never too early!

The pattern's High Line by Kirsten Kapur, and I'm using some vintage Knit Picks Andean Silk that has been marinating in my stash for quite some time. The yarn's a little thinner than recommended, so I'm using size 10 needles. Honestly, this will be a much more useful size, as it's going to be a super cozy, warm scarf which you can really wrap up in. I can't wear alpaca (it makes me so sneezy), but I can handle knitting with it in short bursts. I think this will block very nicely!

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My boss just returned from a 3-week holiday in Yorkshire, and she kindly brought me fancy teas from Bettys Café Tea Room in York. Now that's the way to a girl's heart...

shawlette + movies for the queue

2011-09-13T09:36:00.004-05:00

A friend of mine has a beautiful, peaceful urban garden, and yesterday seemed like a perfect opportunity for a photo shoot.

pattern: Berger shawlette, by Lisa Fliss

yarn: Orange Flower MCN fingering weight, "boysenberry"

~ 300 yds (2/3 skein)

needles: Clover US 7 bamboo circs

my ravelry project page

notes:

Easy, free pattern. Seriously, this knit up in an instant, as the stockinette body goes lightning fast. I absolutely love the yarn -- I used a different colorway for my Wandering the Moor shawlette, and it holds up beautifully and has a good balance of drape and body. Plus it's super soft. Overall, a win-win project. The pattern requires a small amount of yarn, so it's a great way to use a short-ish skein of fancy merino sock yarn.

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film recommendations

I'm always on the lookout for movies that are different and interesting (no Transformers for me, thank you very much), and these two fit the bill lately:

Trollhunter -- a Norwegian mock documentary about film students following a man they suspect of poaching. Surprise, he turns out to be a grizzled, slightly disgruntled government employee -- on the Troll Security Service.

Junebug -- a film that explores class and cultural conflicts, as a newly-married couple heads from Chicago to the husband's hometown not just to meet the family, but for the wife to convince an "outsider artist" into signing up with her gallery. It's a film that does a good job of showing rather than telling, and it's uncomfortable at times as it explores how people negotiate relationships, their day-to-day lives, and their anxieties. Paul wasn't too keen on this at first, but really came to appreciate it in hindsight. Junebug does a good job of building characters, which I (like Ebert) value.

Does anyone have film recommendations to share? I also saw Bridesmaids, which was a hoot (plus it was great to see Milwaukee on the silver screen), but everyone knows about that one already.

almost autumn

2011-09-07T18:23:00.002-05:00

There's a nip in the air and a spring in my step -- forsooth, autumn's just around the corner here in the upper midwest. We've been happily munching away on apples and pears from last Saturday's green city market.

I've been knitting away at f.pea's mossy jacket pattern. I'm using the specified yarn, Classic Elite Beatrice, now discontinued. This is a machine washable, heavy worsted weight merino wool with a neat construction -- 3 plies very lightly twisted together, which means that it's very easy to separate the plies (esp. with my pointy Knit Picks Harmony needles).

What's neat is that the 3 plies are different colors -- 1 tan, 1 beige, and 1 variegated. The yarn knits up into a very pleasant variegated, marled fabric -- not garish or awful like so many other commercial yarns. Each of these three plies seems to be a plied light fingering weight. Great stuff! Too bad it's no longer on the market.

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In August I instituted a no-new-yarn policy as we prepare to move, but this has already been bent a bit, as Quince and Co. restocked Lark in pomegranate. Not only did I order one more skein to finish Camilla Babe, but also a color book.

I'm contemplating colors for an Aidez cardigan using Quince's lofty aran-weight Osprey yarn. Frost? Peacock? Delft? So pretty!

Two small projects are blocking on my dining room table as I type, so I'll be back soon with FO posts.

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in the kitchen

-- I really want to make pumpkin ice cream -- I just saw this recipe, but it's definitely more complicated than I'd like. Any recipe suggestions? Otherwise I'll probably experiment (I'm thinking pumpkin butter + a slightly less cream-cheesy version of my cream cheese ice cream recipe).

-- Sour cream brown sugar ice cream was on the menu for a get-together last weekend! It was awfully yummy. I swirled fig butter through half of the batch, and that was especially tasty.

Sour Cream Brown Sugar Ice Cream

2 C. sour cream
1.5 C. half-and-half
1 C. brown sugar, firmly packed (preferably dark brown)
.5 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 T. bourbon
fig butter (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions (about 20 min.).

Optional: Pour half the ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Dot a few blobs of fig butter over the top; swirl with a knife. Add the rest of the ice cream. Add a bit more fig butter if desired.

Put in the freezer and allow to harden for at least 3 hours.

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A copy of Moosewood Restaurant New Classics has been sitting in my kitchen bookcase for a few months, sadly unopened and untested. I pulled it out to peruse at lunch today, and the recipes look fantastic! I'm getting very excited about veggies again. 25 tape flags now mark recipes that were calling my name. I'll keep you posted as to the successes.

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Jane Austen fans, the Los Angeles Review of Books features an interesting review article on two new books about Jane Austen.

movin' on up

2011-08-29T11:33:00.003-05:00

Much has been going on behind the scenes chez Caffeinated Yarn. First of all, we're moving! Again! Egads... change makes me anxious, and the process of moving is terrible, but there are some upsides.

Such as the back garden, a peaceful oasis in the middle of Chicago. Plus we're just moving half a mile east, near the heart of Lincoln Square, a charming German neighborhood. We started packing boxes of books this past weekend, fueled by thoughts of the floor-to-ceiling built-in bookcases in our new living room and master bedroom. :-) Not all bad, indeed.

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Hot off the hook:

Oh yes, at long last I'm done crocheting the rustic Noro giant granny! All the ends have been carefully tucked to the wrong side, ready for me to weave them in before blocking this bad boy. It's a fantastic feeling to have it almost complete, as I started it back in February of 2010. Full details forthcoming after it's blocked.

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a Monday miscellany

- interesting article on Trader Joe's

- tutorial on using paint to transform a ho-hum office organizer into something beautiful
- tutorial on crocheting a cute, vintage-inspired rag rug (I did some googling after spotting this gorgeous crocheted rag rug)

blue violet

2011-08-28T09:38:00.002-05:00

As I was knitting away on my Shalder cardigan and sipping my morning coffee, I was struck by the pleasing confluence of blue violet.

The lace yoke is well underway, and I can't wait to wear this cardigan this autumn. The nights are getting cooler and longer here in Chicago, so autumn is beginning to seem imminent and real. Plus Shalder needs to come off the needles before I can cast on for Levenwick or Aidez!

The pattern calls for Quince and Co.'s Lark yarn, but the blue-violet Rowan Pure Wool DK had been marinating in the stash for far too long. I did, however, order two skeins of Lark in Pomegranate just to see what it was like. Soft, springy, and what a beautiful, vibrant hue!

This is Camilla Babe in the smallest size. Gauge being the harsh mistress that she is, I have run out of yarn, and this color is on back order. Doh!

the nerdiness abounds

2011-08-22T10:00:00.005-05:00

So, The Fellowship of the Ring to the accompaniment of the CSO while picnicking at Ravinia on a beautiful night was pretty much awesome.

What made it even more awesome?

Lembas to sustain you on your journey. Recipe and mallorn leaf pattern here. Apparently the elves were actually big fans of lemon-flavored scones! The leaves are cut out of felt rather than foam, simply because there was already a plentiful cache of green felt in my craft supplies (why, I don't know, but I was happy to go with it). Sadly, we were forced to drink Crispin cider and Half Acre beer (brewed 1/2 mile from my house) in lieu of miruvor.

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I threw caloric considerations out the window and made that easy beer mac and cheese recipe on Saturday! I wasn't up for another trip to the market, so there was some improvising (i.e., cleaning out the cheese drawer and skipping the basil leaves). I used cheddar, gruyere, a wee bit of Parmesan, and Cotswold Double Gloucester (which just happens to make the best grilled cheese sandwiches ever). The bites with the Double Gloucester were AMAZING! Next time I'd zing up the recipe with a little bit of onion, cayenne pepper, and ground mustard.

ETA: I've found Cotswold Double Gloucester at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. I'm guessing that a good specialty cheese/wine shop might carry it, too.

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Another baby gift has not only been finished, but also given to its intended recipient! The new mom's a knitter, so I didn't want to post here until it was safely in her hands.

pattern: Baby Kina, by Muriela

yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, 1.75 skeins

needles: Clover US 4 bamboo circs

size: 6 months

my Ravelry project page

notes:

Fantastic little pattern! Very easy to knit, and not fiddly at all. I love the gathering at the yoke. The yarn is wonderful to knit, and I'm sad that my Baby Cashmerino stash is pretty much depleted now (although I suppose that's a good thing, as there's plenty more yarn marinating in the craft room).

I wonder a bit about the buttonhole placement. They seem a bit off center -- I might move them closer to the edge of the button band next time. I'll definitely knit this pattern again! There's even a version for grown-ups.

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linkety ~ projects I'd like to start right away but know I oughtn't

- free pattern for a colorful bull's eye crochet blanket at Tangled

- tutorial for making a very cute cable knit pillow cover at Craftastical

crochet heaven

2011-08-18T15:21:00.003-05:00

I moved the stripey crochet blanket out to the sofa, and the cats are absolutely enamored of it. They're oddly drawn to crochet blankets, much more so than their handknit counterparts. The mysterious inner workings of cats...

Kylie the tubecat, basking in a sunbeam

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Another round of new babies is upon us, so I quickly knit up this little jumper for a baby shower.

pattern: the Emma tunic, by Jennifer Alexander

yarn: Lion Brand Superwash Merino Cashmere, 2.5 skeins

needles: Clover US 6 and US 7 bamboo circs

size: 6 months

my ravelry project page

notes:

I love it! The pattern's very quick to knit, and it's pretty darn easy. The little tucks in front are a cute detail, and it was fun to figure out how they worked. Jennifer Alexander's instructions for them are pretty clear. The yarn is leftover from another baby shower gift, the butterfly baby cardigan, and I liked it much better knit at a slightly tighter gauge. The color is great, especially this is a gift for a mom-to-be who's very eco-friendly and not too much of a girly-girl.

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Busy, busy around here lately, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I did take a break, however, to meet a certain barefoot rooster in person last week! How fantastic to have blog friends turn out to be just as warm, wonderful, and friendly in person. We stopped by The Goddess and Grocer for delicious artichoke and prosciutto panini, definitely in the running for the yummiest quick sandwich in the Gold Coast.

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miscellaneous

- Have you heard about Coastal Knits, a pattern book collaboration by Hannah Fettig from Knitbot and Alana Dakos from Never Not Knitting? This looks absolutely fantastic! I'm immediately drawn to Alana's Gnarled Oak Cardigan (so pretty) and Wildflower Cardigan.

- This recipe for easy beer mac and cheese looks amazing.

- The state of Illinois is cracking down on Nice Cream, a local artisanal ice cream company, in a move that seems pretty ridiculous. I understand food safety concerns, but this seems so minor... This may have major implications for many of the small-scale local food makers here in Chicago.

- We're heading to what may be the nerdiest summer event in Chicago tomorrow night! The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is playing music from the Fellowship of the Rings at the Ravinia Festival. While the movie is shown on a jumbotron, thousands of fans will picnic on the lawn, sip champagne, and nibble on elven lembas bread. Egads... it should be legendary indeed.

chevre heaven

2011-08-08T15:52:00.004-05:00

After a very hectic and stressful week, I was delighted to spend some quality time in the kitchen yesterday. Not only did I make my first French tomato tart of the season (always delightful), but I also gave the ice cream maker a workout.

The flavor profiles in Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home are so inspiring and creative! I am less enchanted, however, by the number of steps in the recipes. What's a cook to do? Inspired by Jeni's recipe for goat cheese ice cream, I "unvented" my own version, using the fail-safe "technique" from my cream cheese ice cream recipe. I paired it with a baked rhubarb compote, again inspired by a Jeni's recipe, but jazzed up with some citrus and ginger.

chevre ice cream

7 oz. fresh chevre (goat's cheese), softened
2 C. half and half
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 C. sugar
1/4 C. tapioca syrup or light corn syrup
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Freeze mixture in ice cream maker (I use a basic Cuisinart ice cream maker) for abut 18-20 min. Transfer to an airtight container and put in the freezer to harden (at least 2 hours). Let ice cream soften for 5 min. before serving.

NB: Pop the airtight container you're going to use to store the finished product into the freezer before you start working on the ice cream. That way it will be nice and cold when the ice cream maker is done, and the ice cream won't melt when it hits a warm container. Makes for a better, more consistent texture!

baked rhubarb compote

12 oz. (trimmed and sliced) rhubarb
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 to 1/2 C. sugar (depending how sweet you like things)
3/4 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in an 8-inch square Pyrex baking dish, stirring to mix well. Bake for 45-60 min., stirring every once in a while, until the rhubarb begins to fall apart.

NB: You can use frozen chopped rhubarb, too. My local Whole Foods carries Stahlbush Island Farms frozen rhubarb year-round (at an affordable price, to boot), and it works great! Don't bother to thaw the rhubarb first, just up the baking time a bit.

framboise

2011-07-26T17:00:00.001-05:00

Done and dusted! I enjoyed knitting Hilary's beautiful Citron pattern. Miles of stockinette, perfect for knitting night or catching up on a boatload of Masterpiece Mystery episodes.

pattern: Citron, by Hilary Smith Calais

yarn: Sweet Georgia Yarns Superfudge, 1 skein (~550 yds)

needles: Clover US 7 bamboo circular

my ravelry project page

notes:
Easy, classic pattern that will be very wearable. I intended all along to give this shawlette to a friend, but parting with it will still be difficult. I didn't get to knit the whole ruffle -- 100% my own fault, as I substituted a fingering-weight yarn (for laceweight), upped the needle size, and blissfully ignored gauge issues. I'll definitely revisit this pattern for myself.

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So, back to Masterpiece Mystery... this is an addiction I've cultivated since childhood (credit the Edward Gorey intro for that one), and luckily I married someone who enjoys it, too.

The most recent Poirot episodes have been beautifully shot, and the wardrobes and sets are magnificent, but the actual stories... oy vey. I know that David Suchet would like to finish the entire Poirot catalog, but I get the impression that they're now scraping the bottom of the barrel (not the best Agatha Christie has to offer).

I'm also getting caught up on Wallander -- Kenneth Branagh is fantastic, and the whole milieu is evocative (plus that amazing theme song by Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo). That said, Scandinavian crime fiction and TV series seem particularly awful to read and watch given the terrible events in Norway this past week. My heart goes out to my family's homeland.

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On a more uplifting note, my friends are in the midst of a baby boom! So many opportunities to knit wee sweaters and the like.

I'm branching out and trying a new pattern, the little garter cardigan by Ragga Eiriksdottir (from Knitting Iceland). Don't worry -- the shocking pink yarn is all waste yarn -- there will be no gaudy contrast in the finished product. I absolutely love how Ragga incorporates an i-cord edge as you knit the body. It's very clever, and Elizabeth Zimmermann would highly approve! The pattern is pithy and expects you to use your noodle as you knit -- it would be very easy to miss the instructions for buttonholes. Susan B. Anderson just posted a very handy tutorial on how to do a crochet provisional cast-on that works well for this cardi.

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in other news...

- Spotify is now available in the U.S.! Are you using it? I am! It's pretty handy and user-friendly.

- Brooklyn Tweed's new Wool People pattern collaboration is just beautiful! It makes me long for autumn. Gudrun Johnston's Levenwick assymetrical cardigan pattern has captured my fancy. I'm not sure I'm ready to cough up the cash for Shelter, though. I wonder if some stashed Cascade 220 or Rowan tweed might do the trick?

- The fall 2011 issue of Knitscene is out, and some of the projects are just lovely! I've let my Interweave Knits subscription lapse (there's never anything in there that I want to knit anymore) -- perhaps it's time to switch to Knitscene.

winner + ginkgo

2011-07-17T15:01:00.001-05:00

The winner of the Larry Crowne movie pass giveaway is...

*drumroll*

Celtic Cast On!

Congrats! I'll be in touch with you about details.

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I finally dusted off the ol' blocking squares and set to work!

pattern: Ginkgo Shoulderette Shawl, by Maggie Magali

yarn: The March Hare Fingering Superwash Hand Paint, "pumpkin patch," 2/3 skein

needles: Clover US 5 bamboo circular

my ravelry project page

notes:

Another great free pattern! I'm so appreciative of the awesome knitters who post patterns gratis. I followed the directions to a T and made a small shoulderette. It's pretty tiny, but that's perfect for me, as I like to wear shawlettes as lacy little scarves. The pattern is clear, and you could knit the stockinette portion in your sleep. The lace edging, however, does not have a "rest" row, so it keeps you busy checking the chart. I'm not in love with the bind-off; it seems kind of hole-y and odd, but it is quite stretchy. I used larger needles to bind off, and I'm not sure that was a good idea.

The yarn is soft and lovely to knit. I had oodles of yarn leftover. Little to no dye came off while I was washing it, which is wonderful. I'd definitely use The March Hare's yarn again! The leaves of the lace pattern are organic and lovely.

giveaway

2011-07-12T08:22:00.001-05:00

Knitting is awesome, as everyone from your grandmother to Julia Roberts knows. While filming Larry Crowne, Tom Hanks played a pretty darn cute practical joke on Julia Roberts:

That's a lot of newbie knitters! Julia Roberts looks genuinely pleased, doesn't she? I've always loved Tom Hanks as bookstore mogul Joe Fox in You've Got Mail, opposite the ever-adorable Meg Ryan.

The folks behind Larry Crowne have generously offered a prize! Want to see the movie?

One (1) winner will receive:

· $25 Fandango Gift Card to see Larry Crowne
· Larry Crowne t-shirt and notebook

Prizing courtesy of Universal Pictures

Giveaway is open to US and Canadian mailing addresses only

To enter, leave a comment by this Friday (7/15). I'll draw a winner on Saturday morning!

more rhubarb goodness

2011-07-11T17:15:00.002-05:00

I made the most of rhubarb season this year. Not only did I make rhubarb compote (recipe here), a fantastic lemon rhubarb buttermilk bundt cake emerged from the kitchen yesterday.

Moist, tart, and delicious. I only wish it had a little more rhubarb! The recipe's originally from the cookbook Rustic Fruit Desserts, but you can also find it here.

The ice cream maker has been getting a workout, too. I tried Minnesota Locavore's recipe for strawberry rhubarb ice cream. It's yummy, tart, and very fruity! The high fruit-to-dairy ratio means that it tends to get a little icy and hard, so it's best to eat fairly quickly. The recipe makes a fairly big batch.

Jeni Britton Bauer, the genius behind Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, has a new cookbook out, and it's very charming. It emphasizes daring pairings of flavors, using local, high quality ingredients, and trying some new techniques. Cream cheese and a little corn syrup seem to be the key to many of the recipes. I have mixed feelings about corn syrup, but I'm willing to give it a try. I'm also intrigued by this elderflower ice cream recipe, but St. Germain is curiously absent from our liquor cabinet at the moment.

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My aunt kindly handed down my grandmother's china hutch to me last weekend, and it was a treat to move it into position and actually display some of my pottery. The arrangement could still use some tweaking, but I love having something sturdy and well-made that served at family dinners for seventy years.

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Knitting in air-conditioned splendor was a true highlight this past weekend (along with a couple of BBQs, the sidewalk cafe at Tiny Lounge, and a few choice episodes of Arrested Development), especially as the mercury kept rising.

I finally knit myself a star crossed slouchy beret. I love the pattern! I've made a couple of these as gifts, and they were very well received, so I'm thrilled to have my very own. Now I just need to block it.

This time the yarn is Malabrigo Rios in "teal feather" (which I picked up last spring at the grand opening of Windy Knitty, a very cute and well-stocked yarn shop in Andersonville). Full details are forthcoming...

I've also just joined the arms to the body of my Shalder cardigan and am about to embark upon the yoke's lace pattern! The cardigan's suspiciously covered in cat hair...

bears, yarn, and cats, oh my!

2011-07-09T09:43:00.001-05:00

Phew, I finally feel back to my usual self. Why do these short weeks sometimes seem like the longest? We headed to Minneapolis for the holiday weekend. Visiting family and friends was delightful, but the drive was, well, harrowing. A semi nearly ran us off the road on the way there, and on the return voyage, a car just a few ahead of us hit a bear.

Yes, a bear. In southern Wisconsin, crossing I-94, in broad daylight. Yikes! The people seemed fine, though their Subaru was quite a bit worse for the wear, and the bear looked decidedly no longer animate. I know that climate change has been affecting wildlife patterns in the Upper Midwest, and that wild animals are becoming increasingly comfortable in populated areas (e.g., coyotes now roam the city of Chicago), but this was quite the startling example.

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For car knitting, I tinkered around with a hybrid of Springtime Bandit, with a stockinette body à la brokeknits' gorgeous version.

I'm running out of yarn (as per usual), and need to either rip back or find a coordinating yarn to finish the bind-off. Then it can enter the basket of shawlettes in need of blocking!

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Kylie Cat made herself the cutest little nest out of clean laundry last night:

What a sweet pea.

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a few chuckles:

- Unhappy Hipsters, where we learn more about the maudlin hipsters who populate the pages of Dwell and ReadyMade
- Catalog Living, especially the post string theory

summertime

2011-06-24T14:17:00.003-05:00

Today's agenda includes time off from work and writing, huzzah, huzzah!

Ysolda Teague's new book, Little Red in the City, arrived on my doorstep yesterday, and it's just delightful! Charming, informative, and full of great patterns. The layout, font, and decorative details are just precious.

Summertime apparently puts me in the mood to knit shawlettes. This little ginkgo shoulderette shawl is ready for a bath and blocking. I liked the yarn quite a bit -- fingering superwash merino semi-solid by the March Hare in "pumpkin patch." The skein had oodles of yardage, so there's a good deal leftover.

Just like Ross and Rachel, the shawlette and I were on a break for a time. Knitting 10 in 2010 just felt like... well, a lot. Large shawls just aren't that useful for me. The little scarf-like ones, though... those are just the ticket, as they're very wearable and add a bit of cheer to my somber collection of black and dark brown coats (why I don't buy other colors of coats, I just don't know...).

I just may have cast on for another shawlette right after binding off the ginkgo one. This time it's Hilary's Citron pattern, made with some lovely SweetGeorgia Superfudge yarn (that I believe I received from creative and generous Mary Catharine of Warmth in the North). Great pattern, easy to follow, miles of stockinette. I'm using size 7 needles since I'm subbing a fingering weight yarn. I've been watching Doc Martin and dreaming of Cornwall while knitting away on this!

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Paul and I made some fantastic chicken and veggie kebabs on Tuesday night. Sadly it was too dark (and we were too hungry) to take photos, but I will share the recipe. This is adapted from The Around the World Cookbook (a fantastic cookbook, esp. the Middle East and India sections). It's a shame that the book is out of print. If you see it at a used bookstore, it's well worth picking up.

marinade:

1 large onion, cut into medium-large pieces
3 T. olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, crushed/pressed/minced

1 T. fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dried oregano)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

kebabs:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed (or boneless leg of lamb)

any of the following vegetables -- these are just suggestions:
     1 or 2 red or yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into squares
   8 baby onions, or 1 medium onion, cut into chunks
   8 oz. button mushrooms
12 cherry tomatoes
     1 zucchini or yellow squash, cut into chunks

1 T. melted butter

bulgur wheat, couscous, or rice, to serve

the night before:
1. Make the marinade. Put the onion pieces in the food processor and process until finely chopped (you'll need to stop and push everything down with a spatula a couple of times). Add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano; process a little longer to get everything nicely blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Place the chicken or lamb in shallow dish; pour the marinade over, cover, and let marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

when you're ready to eat:
3. Fire up the grill!

4. Thread the cubes of chicken or lamb onto skewers (remember to soak bamboo skewers in water in advance, or you may have a fiery experience!), alternating with vegetables. Grill the kebabs 10-12 minutes, basting with butter. Serve with bulgur wheat, couscous, or rice. I also like to serve:

yogurt with cucumber

1 C. plain yogurt -- I like nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cucumber, finely chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced or pressed or crushed
2 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika
mint leaves, to garnish

Lightly beat the yogurt. Add the cucumber, onion, garlic, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with paprika, and garnish with mint leaves. It's best if you let this chill for about an hour or so before serving, but I rarely think ahead to do this.

Midsommar rhubarb festival

2011-06-18T16:13:00.001-05:00

After a visit to the Green City Market on Saturday morning, Paul and I leisurely fixed a breakfast fit for kings. We smothered our Swedish pancakes with some homemade rhubarb compote. Yum!

rhubarb compote with ginger and orange

1.25 C. sugar
1 T. orange zest
juice of 1/2 orange
1 T. minced fresh ginger
4 C. fresh rhubarb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the sugar, zest, and juice in a heavy large saucepan over medium high heat. Stirring frequently, cook until it bubbles and begins to caramelize. Add the ginger, rhubarb, and vanilla, and cook at a simmer over medium for about 20 minutes, until the rhubarb is tender and beginning to fall apart.

Serve with Swedish pancakes, plain yogurt, vanilla ice cream... whatever floats your boat!

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Some pretty jewelry just arrived on my doorstep from Lillyella's etsy shop (the photo credits are all hers).

I'm very pleased with my order! I love that she lets you specify what length of necklace you'd like.

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Despite plenty of writing, editing, and summer activity, I have been squeezing in some knit and crochet time. I finished this baby blanket, but I'm unhappy with how it emerged from the washing machine.

pattern: basic granny square

hook: Clover Soft Touch H (5.00 mm)

yarn: Bernat Cottontots

colors: Lemon Berry

Little Boy Blue

Sun Shine

Wonder White

I usually skip the agitation cycle when I put things made with Cottontots in the washer. This time I tried it on the gentle cycle, which was a bad idea. This is a shame, as I was planning to give the blanket as a gift, but it looks a little pilly and worn already! Boo...

fire and ice

2011-06-13T15:48:00.002-05:00

Mmmm... I think the cream cheese ice cream recipe has been perfected!

cream cheese ice cream

6 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 C. milk (low-fat or skim is fine)
1/3 C. half and half
3/4 T. fresh lemon juice
2/3 C. sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Freeze cream cheese mixture in ice cream maker. I use a basic Cuisinart ice cream maker and run it for 18-20 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours. Let ice cream soften 5 minutes before serving. Delicious with berries!

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We headed up to Wisconsin for some R&R a couple of weekends ago. It ended up being a heat wave! We made it up to the Balanced Rock Trail at Devil's Lake State Park despite the heat, and had a great time.

We look pretty happy despite the heat and mosquitoes, don't we?

A quick stop in Madison on the way home, too, including a walk down the Lakeshore Path and through the Allen Centennial Gardens, one of the most peaceful spots on the UW campus.

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More knitting content soon, I promise, as well as another recipe. In the meantime may I recommend a lecture by Alain De Botton -- On Pessimism?

long weekend

2011-05-30T11:25:00.003-05:00

We kicked off some serious R and R with a party at Revolution Brewing Co. to celebrate the end of Chicago Craft Beer Week. Revolution's joint venture with 3 Floyds Brewery, barrel-aged Sodom (an imperial stout), was most definitely the highlight. We even managed to get up bright and early Saturday morning, hop into the Jeep (armed with homemade maple oat scones), pick up friends, and hit the Green City Market, one of the nicest parts of a Chicago summer. Arugula, rhubarb, and baby salad greens made it into our shopping bag, and fantastic crepes (mmm... rhubarb compote) made it into our tummies. :-)

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happy hexagons...

Still crocheting up a storm around here. I'm using leftover Lion Brand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton yarn for Nova's ingenious ruby hexagon pattern. Long-time readers may recognize this yarn from my awesome, 70s style stripey blanket. I'll definitely need to pick up more, but it still feels good to use up all the bits and bobs.

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I'm also powering through the first sleeve for my Shalder cardigan. There are so many fantastic cardigan patterns out there right now, including Chickadee and Cria from Ysolda's new book -- I really want to finish this before I give in to temptation and cast on for another... Plus I need to start thinking about the Big Lebowski cardigan for Paul.

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My ice cream maker has been seeing some use! I made some terrific lemon curd ice cream last weekend -- I used this recipe, but simplified it by using a jar of Trader Joe's lemon curd instead of making my own. So tart and yummy -- especially good paired with blackberries.

I loosely followed this recipe for cream cheese ice cream. It's good, but very solid -- the recipe could use a little tweaking. I'll post it once it has been perfected.

fantastic friday

2011-05-20T17:40:00.000-05:00

The end of the quarter is in sight! I submitted grades this morning, and I celebrated by doing all sorts of lovely things today.

1. wearing my new limited edition Liberty print Bensimon tennies.

Oooh la la, French tennies made with fancy British fabric! I heard about these from Kara at Knitting Lemonade and snatched them up when Piperlime had a big sale. Sadly, they're not available there anymore. I just may have picked up a second pair in another, equally cute Liberty pattern, too.

2. hitting the garden center and getting to work on my little balcony garden.

It may not look like much yet, as I followed my mother's advice and pinched the blooms off the annuals (which is very hard to make oneself do although it's a good idea). I predict that it will be a peaceful green oasis again this summer. I even have a some herbs, tomatoes, and peppers back there. Now to find a good climbing plant for my Eiffel tower!

3. resurrecting the Shalom cardigan for my mom.

Just one sleeve to finish, then the button hunt begins! I meant to finish this for Christmas. Oops... I never told her about it, so I think I'll just pack it away when it's done and save it until winter. I'm using some Cascade Eco+ that I bought on super closeout at WEBS a few years ago -- this shade of robin's egg blue is Mom's favorite. BTW, Eco+ is on sale at WEBS right now, too. Perhaps it's time to stock up... I'd like to make a Common Ground cardigan for myself.

4. seeing Death Cab for Cutie at Metro tonight! :-) I love you, Ben Gibbard.

Here's hoping you all have a lovely weekend, too.

seeing stars

2011-05-16T15:49:00.001-05:00

Finally some sunshine around here! I may have bundled up in a wool coat and cozy handknit scarf to ward off the cold temperatures and 30-mph gusts today, but I was pleased as punch to see the sun again (and to leave my umbrella at home).

Despite the unseasonably cool and rainy weather, Chicago's flowering trees and spring bulbs have been making a valiant effort to cheer us up.

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All that rain did lead to a cozy weekend spent mostly at home, petting the cats and wielding the crochet hook. I absolutely loved this project, and I can't wait to give this as a gift! That said, I'd also like to snuggle up with it myself, but somehow a star-shaped afghan just doesn't seem dignified for a grown-up.

pattern: granny star afghan, by Sami Jo Fitzgerald

yarn: Bernat Cottontots

lemon berry, blueberry, and wonder white

hook: 5.5 mm (I) Clover Soft Touch

notes:

So fun to make! This went super quickly. Like I said in my last post, the pattern leaves out a crucial step. In order for the star shaping to work, you need to skip working a 2 DC "cluster" at the inner angles of the star. Terrible name aside, the Cottontots yarn is very soft, cozy, and affordable.

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So, I loved making the yellow and blue star afghan to such a great extent that...

I started another one right away, using leftover yarn from my stash. I do need to pick up another ball of Lemon Berry (the darker yellow in the middle) to finish it up. It doesn't look lumpy in real life -- that's just the effect of spreading it out on the chesterfield.

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I'm finding crochet to be incredibly addictive. It goes more quickly than knitting, and it uses up oodles of yarn, so it's a great way to make a serious dent in my stash.

This tea scarf just needs to be blocked! I used some hand-dyed cormo (picked up at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival a few years ago) and a J hook. The pattern's very easy -- I made a few mods that I'll post after I block it and take a proper photo. Capricha certainly is quite taken with it. Side note: cat owners, do not select Schumacher cut velvet upholstery, no matter how much you may fancy it. Cat. hair. magnet.

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Speaking of things I'm hooked on, Tazo's Green Ginger tea makes absolutely fantastic iced tea, sweetened with just a few drops of honey. The ginger gives it a very nice spicy kick!

OK, back to the salt mines for me...

a spot of sunshine

2011-05-04T17:09:00.001-05:00

Remember how I claimed I wouldn't start a new crochet project until AFTER the big brown (boring) border on the Noro giant granny square was done? Yeah, right... I *know* there's one more skein of brown yarn hiding in my stash somewhere, but I haven't plucked up my courage to dig through and find it.

I couldn't resist any longer, plus a dear friend has a baby due to make his entry into this world quite soon. Enter the granny star afghan:

I'm mostly following this pattern (rav link), which is very cute and fun to make. Be forewarned, though, that the pattern leaves out a crucial step. In order for the star shaping to work, you need to skip working a 2 DC "cluster" at the inner angles of the star. I'm probably halfway done with this already -- it's going very quickly.

The yarn is Bernat Cottontots, an affordable 100% cotton yarn that comes in cheerful colors. I knit a baby blanket with this yarn years ago... it turned out beautifully, held up well, and received lots of love. The yarn is a little tough on the wrists to knit, but it's much easier to crochet.

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Sadly I haven't been knitting or crocheting nearly as much as I would like, as I've been swamped. Reading, cooking, and TV watching have also gone down the tubes, so pretty much any form of relaxing has been abandoned.

Somehow I did manage to squeeze in a baby sweater for (yet another) shower, though it took me over a month.

pattern: owlet, by Kate Davies

yarn: precious handspun yarn by Mia

needles: US 7 and 9

my Ravelry project page

notes:
What a great way to use Mia's beautiful handspun yarn! Truly a treat. Many thanks, Mia. :-)

I love the little owl cables, but I'm not a big fan of bottom-up sweaters. Attaching the sleeves was a pain, and I suspect that instructions for how to do the underarms are a bit wonky. You're supposed to leave the body's underarm stitches live to graft later, but there aren't any matching live stitches from the sleeves! I fiddled around a while until I just gave up, bound off the stitches, and seamed it up.

The short rows to raise the back of the neck don't look great when you do the owl yoke in a contrasting color, just fyi. They do the trick, but it looks a bit odd.

drive-by post

2011-04-28T16:42:00.000-05:00

- Who wouldn't want to recreate the upcoming royal nuptials in handknits? I love Telegraph reporter Cassandra Jardine's remark:

Perhaps whole families can work together, because otherwise I fear my balcony scene might end up with a naked Archbishop of Canterbury, as his cassock, chimere (cloak) and mitre all look fiddly.

As charming as Fiona Goble's book may be, the only pattern I might actually tackle is the corgi. Delightfully it is available for free at the Guardian's website here.

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- Alicia Paulson, one of my favorite bloggers, is now accepting pre-orders for her darling

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A fiery young headmistress Sarah Burton brings her modern ideas to the conservative girls' school in depression-era Yorkshire, sparking conflict — and attraction — with Robert Carne, a stubborn, brooding landowner mired in a troubled past.

Vaguely reminiscent of Gaskell's North & South, but without the dashingly brooding Richard Armitage. I haven't read the novel by Winifred Holtby, alas, but the Guardian has a nice piece here.

clog socks, part II

2011-04-12T13:17:00.001-05:00

The second pair of Turkish Bed Socks are off the needles and onto my feet! The weather has been surprisingly lovely for the past few days, though, so I suspect that not too many wool-sock wearing days are left this spring. Not that that's a problem. ;-)

Pattern: Turkish Bed Socks, by Churchmouse Yarns & Teas

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Sock, "Bearded Iris," 1/2 skein

Needles: US 2.5 (3.0mm) Harmony 6" DPNs

on Ravelry

Notes:

Great pattern! It's a bit fiddly, but they're quick to knit, and the resulting socks coordinate quite nicely with my Dansko clogs. I was disappointed that the yarn pooled so dramatically, but they're still cozy.

Knitter and blogger extraordinaire Kristi recently published Masala, a gorgeous slipper pattern that looks to have a somewhat similar shape (I think -- this is just judging from the photos, as I haven't purchased the pattern yet). Masala has the most eye-catching colorwork pattern, and she has knit them up in beautiful color combinations that really POP! Most definitely going to the top of my to-knit list once I've finished up a few more WIPs.

A certain someone always insists on helping me change sheets or make the bed. Oh cats! I'm still loving my crocheted blanket, btw, and am just dying to start a new crochet project. Must. finish. WIPs. first.

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I'm taking a night class on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next few weeks, so I'm adjusting my cooking habits -- easy larger batches that result in tasty leftovers. After looking at a few lasagne recipes and deeming them either too much work or too heavy, I dreamed up my own quick spinach lasagne recipe last night, and it turned out fantastic.

Spinach Lasagne

12 oven-ready (no-bake) lasagne noodles

24 oz (2.5 C.) Barilla Italian Baking Sauce

8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

2/3 C. Parmesan cheese, shredded ~ divided

15 oz. whole-milk ricotta cheese

dash nutmeg

1 clove garlic, pressed, or 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

freshly ground pepper

1 egg

2 T. fresh parsley, chopped, or 1 tsp. dried parsley

3 oz. baby spinach leaves (or more!)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray (or lightly coat with olive oil).

2. In a medium bowl, mix 1/3 C. Parmesan, ricotta, nutmeg, freshly ground pepper, garlic, and egg. Mix in parsley and spinach.

3. Spread 1/2 C. sauce on bottom of baking dish. Top with 4 lasagne noodles; top with half of the ricotta/spinach mixture, another 1/2 C. sauce, and 3/4 C. mozzarella. Repeat layers one more time. Do another layer of 4 noodles. Pour remaining sauce over lasagne; sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella and 1/3 C. Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil; bake 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and let it stand for 10 min. before cutting into it and serving.

Serves 6

FO: Xs and Os

2011-04-05T14:26:00.000-05:00

Remember how February was devoted to a Finishing Frenzy around here? This seems to be the theme for April, too. I dug out a little design that I had abandoned at least a year ago -- there wasn't much left to knit, so finishing really only took a couple of hours.

pattern: love letter baby vest, by yours truly

yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, 2 skeins

needles: US 5 and US 7 Clover bamboo 16" circs and DPNs

notes:

My favorite touch is the ribbed cable border at the hem. I'm not thrilled with the neckline, but this project had been languishing far too long, and I didn't have it in me to re-work the details. It should be cute and cozy on a little guy!

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The Noro giant granny square has also been unearthed. The natural brown border is deadly dull to work (I miss all the lovely Noro color changes), but it would be awesome to finish this up and actually use it! My fingers are just itching to start a new crochet project (ruby hexagon blanket, perhaps?), but I'll hold off for a while longer.

More baby showers are on the horizon, so expect a few wee projects as part of my April Finishing Frenzy. I seamed and blocked a little hooded cardigan early this morning!

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random whatnot

- Already made it to a Cubs game this season! A friend from my knitting circle had extra tickets to a luxury box with a great view. Oooo la la, now that's the way to watch the game. Plus the Cubs actually won. :-)

- The new Knitty is up! The Corinne cardigan is quite nice.

- Have you seen the show Party Down? It's quite the hoot, especially the second season. A motley crew of aspiring actors and writers pay the bills by working for a catering company. Each episode centers around a catered event, and some of them can be rather off color, so consider yourself forewarned if you have delicate sensibilities. You can stream it on Netflix.

- FYI: Cascade Eco Wool is on sale at Webs this month. I ordered enough for the Dude Sweater, ostensibly for Paul (but that doesn't mean a certain knitter can't borrow it from time to time).

progress

2011-03-29T18:15:00.000-05:00

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Ah, the immortal words of Ferris Bueller. Busy, busy, busy lately, but I have been knitting.

Paul's Dr. Who scarf is almost done. I'm in the midst of weaving in the ends (yes, my favorite part of any project!). The mercury is still hovering in the 30s F here in Chicago, so he should still get a chance to wear it this season!

The scarf was a great project for knitting night at the local coffee shop, but not exactly riveting. It's a loose interpretation of a Dr. Who scarf, as Paul would like to wear it in real life and not look like he's in costume. Hence the colors are a bit muted, and the scarf's not too long (but still a little longer than a regular scarf). Modeled pictures soon, I promise.

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My Koigu Turkish Bed Socks (aka Scandinavian clog socks, in my case) see plenty of wear, so I decided to make another pair. The pattern's quick and easy, and even I don't get second sock syndrome too badly in that case. I'm using Madelinetosh Sock in "Bearded Iris." It's pooling rather alarmingly:

Ah well, I'll still wear them. I'm not joking when I say that Capricha is quite the supermodel. As soon as I start snapping photos of knitting, she comes running and tries to get in on the action:

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See, here she is again! Capricha's checking out the Shalder cardigan that's on the needles:

Many thanks to everyone for the input on which cardigan to knit next. I think Aidez is the most "me," but I ended up wanting to use yarn from the stash.

This Rowan Pure Wool DK has been marinating for nearly 5 years -- time to put it to good use! Honestly, it doesn't really feel much nicer than the Knit Picks Swish DK that I use so often. The color might be more complex, but it still has that superwash feel, and every so often a weird fuzzy/fluffy bit pops up. We'll see how it holds up through washing and wearing -- that may be the true test of Rowan vs. Knit Picks quality.

march of the ladybugs

2011-03-11T16:36:00.000-06:00

Hooray for Friday! I have big weekend plans to watch The Social Network (pretty sure I'll be the last person in the country to see it), make Senegalese carrot soup, brunch at Milk & Honey Cafe, and work on ye olde dissertation (necessary, but not the fun part).

Another green baby gift is off the needles!

pattern: Colin Vest, by Doris Chang

yarn: Malabrigo Rios, "Lettuce," 1 skein

needles: Clover US 6 bamboo straights

size: 6-12 months

on Ravelry

notes:

I've been wanting to try Malabrigo's superwash Rios yarn for quite some time. The yarn is soft and very pretty, but a bit delicate. Even with blunt-tipped bamboo needles it splits every once in a while. It's much thinner than Malabrigo's regular Merino Worsted, and it seems like a good substitution for Madelinetosh Tosh DK.

I just had a few yards of yarn to spare at the end. More ladybug buttons, once again from JoAnn. I'd knit this pattern again, but I'd modify the pattern to knit the stockinette section in the round.

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fun on the interwebs

The British Museum buys ivory archaeological treasures cleaned by Agatha Christie.
A Norwegian reality show has put out a casting call for single Norwegian-Americans in Minnesota who are looking for love.

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decisions, decisions...

So I've (gasp) actually been wearing my handknit sweaters lately. There's no photographic evidence of this yet, but I'm feeling excited about knitting sweaters for me again. Now to decide which cardigan to knit next:

- The Dude. So awesome.

- Aidez (I saw a beautiful one being worn by a proud knitter at Lakeside Fibers last weekend)

- Lorna Suzanne

- Shalder (no tummy pockets, as that's not really an area I want to highlight)

Any opinions? I have enough Cascade 200 to knit Lorna Suzanne or Shalder (instead of the recommended Quince and Co. Lark, which I'd love to use), but I'd have to buy yarn for the other two.

the knitting of the green

2011-03-08T12:33:00.000-06:00

I spent five minutes decorating a wreath in honor of St. Patrick's Day. I suppose I'm not really Irish (though my Viking ancestors kept busy raiding and pillaging the Emerald Isle), but Paul is. Plus in a place like Chicago everyone's a little Irish on St. Paddy's.

Some little green projects are underway for upcoming baby showers! Here's the first one:

pattern: Butterfly Baby, by pyropagan knits

yarn: Lion Brand Superwash Merino Cashmere (2.5 skeins) ~ green tea

needles: Clover US 8 bamboo circs

on ravelry

notes:

Great little pattern! The butterfly details were easier to work than I expected. Next time I might switch to size 6 DPNs for the garter stitch cuffs, as they do flare out a bit, and there are no sleeve decreases. I found the ladybug buttons at JoAnn. The yarn's fine -- I wanted something superwash, and this was on clearance and quite affordable. A slightly thicker yarn would work better for this pattern, though (heavy worsted rather than light worsted).

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Paul and I zipped up to Madison over the weekend for an exciting (and victorious) Badgers hockey game. Protesters were out in full force at the Capitol on Saturday, peacefully assembling and speaking out against Scott Walker's draconian proposals.

The Old Fashioned, a pub on the Capital Square, wowed us with their amazing selection of draft beers from Wisconsin. I have a new favorite -- Ale Asylum's Madtown Nutbrown Ale. A hint of sweetness, and a smooth finish... We had an excellent dinner and cocktails at Graze (the new gastropub cousin of food critic-darling L'etoile). A delightful weekend! I'd move back to Madison in a heartbeat.

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- Have you seen this NYT piece on Edward Gorey? Apparently I'm not alone -- Gorey's quite the thing right now.

- I'm totally hooked on Holmes Inspection on HGTV. Mike Holmes is a god among men... he's just so capable! He and Damon save people from expensive disasters that their initial home inspection didn't catch. At times it's terrifying to watch!

February Finishing Frenzy

2011-02-28T18:26:00.002-06:00

Episode III: Attack of the Feline

Capricha downright insisted on taking part in the photos for my latest project. What a beautiful grand dame!

I started this blanket way back in May in the midst of preparations for our big move. Crochet is downright soothing to my senses, so it was just the ticket. The crochet part didn't take too long -- that was done in July. Weaving in the ends, however... Let's just say this blanket hibernated in a cozy corner of the rec room, waiting for hints of spring.

pattern: stripy dog blanket, by Nikki Trench

source: The Cool Girl's Guide to Crochet (terrible title, but some really cute patterns)

yarn: Lion Brand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton

dusty sage, dusty blue, strawberry, blueberry, almond, walnut, & pistachio

hook: Clover Soft Touch ~ "J"

on ravelry

notes:

Clearly this is no dog blanket! The foundation chain had 166 sts, and I should have used a larger hook for this, as it's a little tight. The pattern's essentially just half double crochet, changing colors every row. It’s super soft and cozy. The yarn is so fluffy that it’s almost like working with cotton balls, and curling up with the blanket is like snuggling with a cloud.

I kept running out of yarn and buying more. In the end it took something like 42 skeins (or maybe 49, but let's not go there). Just thinking about the quantity of yarn makes me shudder. It does, however, fit our queen-size bed. And I love it.

Capricha clearly loves it, too.

>^..^<

P.S. Think Charlie Sheen seems nuts lately? Me too! See cats quote Charlie Sheen.

February Finishing Frenzy

2011-02-26T10:16:00.003-06:00

Episode II: Revenge of the Crochet Hook

Not one, but two long-term crochet projects are done and dusted! I've been weaving in ends like a crazy person for the past couple of weeks (yep, I save the "best" for last). I'll just share one today:

pattern: basic granny square afghan

yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky

hook: Clover Soft Touch J Hook

on ravelry

I started this large-ish baby blanket to use up scraps from my beloved giant granny (best. project. ever.). As is the case with essentially all of my stashbusting endeavors, I soon ran out of yarn. Oddly enough, Cashmerino Chunky isn't that easy to find anymore, so I ended up buying bits and bobs from kind Ravelers to finish up this project. Gotta love the interwebs!

The blog Attic 24 features the loveliest and most colorful crochet projects and patterns. I followed her instructions for joining granny squares -- crochet them together using slip stitch. Fabulous and not at all difficult! Certainly far superior to sewing the squares together, imho.

I wanted to work a granny square border around the whole darn thing, and the areas by the joins were giving me headaches. The border was crinkly and floppy and looked terrible. After ripping it out, I did some "research" (AKA googling) and found this mini-tutorial. Worked like a charm, plus I learned something new to boot -- dc2tog (crochet double decrease). I'd love to add a contrasting scalloped edging, but alas, I'm out of yarn again, so I'm deeming this one good to go.

to pom or not to pom?

2011-02-20T18:55:00.000-06:00

I did go with the pom after all!

My new thing is to make custom cards to accompany handknit gifts. This one has a little image and a personal message on the front and care instructions on the back. The scalloped-edge cards are from Target, and I just print them out on my el cheapo HP color inkjet printer.

I enjoyed knitting Melissa Burt's baby sheep hat pattern so much that I cast on for a wee sheep yoke baby cardigan, too.

Seriously fun to knit. This is definitely going to be a go-to baby shower gift. I'm already dreaming up other color combinations. Stranded colorwork is one of my 2011 resolutions, and so far it's going swimmingly. Surprisingly enough the hard part is the duplicate stitching. Double ugh! If anyone has any suggestions, let me know, as I can use all the help I can get.

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in the kitchen

Mmmm... Dorie Greenspan's world peace (AKA Korova) cookies. Super delicious, with a sandy texture and lots of chocolately goodness. Especially great served warm with a very large glass of milk. I used fancy Sirius Icelandic bittersweet chocolate, which was a good move, and Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder (not the best choice -- I'd use better cocoa powder next time, but that's what was in the pantry).

People are obsessed with these cookies. They're yummy, but I wouldn't go that far...

a handknit valentine

2011-02-15T12:41:00.001-06:00

Here's my Valentine for Paul. Knit Picks was sold out of the colors I wanted for the longest time, so the yarn arrived just last week. Not enough time to knit a long garter stitch scarf... That's fine -- this way Paul can pick the length. Lucky for me he wants it to be wearable, not authentic!

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Kylie Cat truly is feeling much better. Can you spot her in the photo below?

Yep, she's the lump under the down throw. She's back to moderate jumping, and she's getting feisty enough that getting the liquid medicine down her gullet has become quite the struggle! Kylie's now very sticky, so I'm going to try giving her a sponge bath. I hope to jebus it doesn't come to a full-on bath or (the horror!) shaving her chest and chin.

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on the tube

Bored to Death is slow to start (the first two episodes are almost painful to watch) but quickly becomes pretty awesome. Jason Schwartzman plays a struggling novelist who procrastinates writing by placing an ad on Craigslist as an unlicensed private detective. He's clearly working off knowledge gleaned from old detective novels. Ted Danson is a hoot as his editor ("What's a Subaru?").

my heart belongs to the snow

2011-02-11T10:33:00.006-06:00

There's a distinct possibility that I've been the happiest person in Chicago for the past two weeks. The cold and the snow are delightful, and they remind me of my Minnesota childhood. Blue skies, the sun reflecting off the frozen tundra, steaming mugs of hot coffee... perfect.

my new coffee mug from Jennie the Potter

I credit my mother with my love of winter. She strapped me into ice skates when I was 2-1/2, took me sledding, helped me build snow forts, and always had hot cocoa waiting when I came into the warm house with my rosy cheeks. Mom grew up ice skating even on week nights; she was especially enamored of the aqua skating costume my grandmother made for her -- complete with her initials embroidered with pink pearl beads!

Anyway, here's a wintry mix to cheer you up. It's bookended by the Decemberists, with a little hint of spring at the end.

I would have included the Fairways' "Winter Song," too, but I couldn't find it on Grooveshark.

P.S. Apparently the jonquils are beginning to come up in London, as reported by a friend who's in the UK on holiday right now.

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Many of my fellow grad students at the university come from warmer climes, and they're miserable when winter hits. I think a lot of it has to do with not having proper winter gear (especially warm coats -- a cute wool coat from J. Crew just won't cut it, nor will cheap acrylic gloves). This post has some great ideas for how to keep warm; I would add a few things:

buckskin or elkskin chopper mittens

L.L. Bean carries some very posh choppers, but you can buy them at a substantial discount at almost any farm & fleet in the upper Midwest. Mine are 20 years old and still going strong.

down throws

So warm and cozy! We have some in pretty much every room in the house. The cats love snuggling up in them, too, and they're machine washable.

warm boots

Bogs and Sorels are my favorites. My Bogs are completely waterproof and warm, and the fit is great. The Sorels have great traction and are also toasty warm! Plus you can buy replacement liners if they wear out -- or just keep a spare pair to switch out.

P.S. I'd also add an automotive category: good tires, a decent battery, a real snow shovel to put in the trunk, a winter emergency kit, a big snow brush, and a serious ice scraper. In terms of more expensive investments, 4WD or AWD make life so much easier, as do antilock brakes and ESC/traction control. These aren't just silly add-ons dreamed up by greedy car company execs. Heated seats, while delightful, are an added bonus.

constant as a northern star

2011-02-08T09:31:00.001-06:00

The Packers' Super Bowl victory saw much rejoicing around here. We woke up to yet another winter wonderland scene on Sunday:

We donned Packers gear, braved the snow, and headed north to Milwaukee to watch the game with Paul's family. It was intense!

I'm not the biggest sports fan, but I love how the Packers are owned by the community, not by rich fancy-pants big wigs, and the enthusiasm from Green Bay fans is just amazing.

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Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so I'm listening to this:

The Magnetic Fields' alternately bittersweet and incongruous 3-disc magnum opus, 69 Love Songs.

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I'm knitting a Hap Blanket as a sample for Sarah. The yarn is just lovely -- The Plucky Knitter MCN Aran. It's light, lofty, and soft, and the colors are gorgeous. What more can you ask for?

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The weekend wasn't just filled with football (and plumbing problems, but this is not the place for woes). I spent Friday night at the Riviera Theatre with one of my favorite bands:

Great show, aside from a maddening avant-garde extended riff on "Chimbley Sweep"! Many songs from the new album, The King is Dead. For me the highlights were hauntingly spare versions of "January Hymn," and Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You."

snow day

2011-02-03T14:03:00.001-06:00

My wish for a snow day was most certainly granted! We saw about 20" of fluffy white stuff overnight on Tuesday, plus gale-force winds.

Home was delightfully warm and cozy. Paul and I braved the snow yesterday to dig out our Jeeps and go for a walk. I even made a snow angel! We also managed to find a pizzeria that was open (Frasca) and met up with a friend for a yummy dinner.

Being snowed in has made for plenty of knitting time. On the February Finishing Frenzy front, here's a little Tomten jacket that I started back in May 2010. I had run out of yarn (par for the course chez Caffeinated Yarn) and hadn't bothered to pick it back up after more Knit Picks Swish DK arrived. One sleeve to go!

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In addition to my virtuous work on the Tomten jacket, I also knit a wee little baby cap:

pattern: Baby Sheep Hat, by Melissa Burt of Indigo Mouse

yarn: Elann Peruvian Luxury Merino Superwash (DK)

needles: Clover US 5 bamboo 16" circs

my ravelry project page

notes:

Easy, cute little pattern! This was my first time actually completing a colorwork project (don't remind me about the two or three forlorn mitten projects languishing in a knitting basket somewhere), and my first time doing duplicate stitch. Surprisingly the colorwork wasn't bad at all (perhaps because I wasn't knitting at a tight gauge on DPNs as with the mittens?); the duplicate stitch was more of a challenge. Now to decide whether or not to add a fluffy white pompom! Note to self: use size 6 needles next time, as it truly is a tiny little hat. I most definitely want to knit a coordinating sheep yoke baby cardigan.

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in other news...

- The spring issue of Knitcircus is up! I was especially impressed by the book reviews.

- Use the force, Luke:

February Finishing Frenzy, part I

2011-02-01T12:27:00.000-06:00

The Chicago forecast calls for some serious snow! I'm hoping for a snow day tomorrow -- sipping hot cocoa, snuggling with kitties, and going for a walk across the Chicago River sound like just the ticket.

I hereby declare this month February Finishing Frenzy -- time to finish up languishing projects, weave in ends, sew on buttons, and clear out the knitting basket. I'm in the mood to be productive and revel in small victories.

February Finishing Frenzy, project #1

pattern: High Tide Baby Blanket (free!), by Heather Dixon

yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worsted

needles: US 9 Knit Picks Harmony interchangeable circular

my ravelry project page

notes:

The pattern was very fun to knit, as the chevron pattern is a great way to play with colors. It went quickly due to lots of knitting time in the car and while "watching" football. Weaving in all the ends was a huge pain and took a lot of time, so I'm not sure I'd knit it again.

The yarn was fine -- it's fairly soft and it's not as fragile as the organic cotton from Blue Sky Alpacas or Lion Brand. Simply Cotton falls on the thin side of worsted, unlike the other two. I used maybe 2/3 of each skein of yarn. Here are the colors:

marshmallow
dogwood heather
green tea heather
wave heather
golden heather
haze heather

good things

2011-01-28T08:50:00.002-06:00

Nothing beats a hearty and healthy bowl of soup on a cold winter's day:

Spicy mulligatawny soup is a tried-and-true favorite recipe from Cooking Light. I started making this soup back when I lived in Madison. My friend A and I took turns making dinner once a week, always making enough for leftovers for both of us to pack in our lunches. We were both working on master's degrees while teaching and were crazy busy -- it was such a treat just to relax, catch up, have a healthy meal, and know that you'd be all set for at least a couple more days. Fast forward a few years, and now she lives just a few blocks down the street (and across the river). We don't have the same set dinner schedule, but I still sometimes stop by her house with a tupperware of soup. :-)

NB: I skip the celery, substitute red bell pepper for green, and slightly up the amounts of carrots and bell pepper to make up for the missing celery.

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- One of my goals for 2011 is to make cheese! Here's a nice collection of links for easy soft cheeses to try.

- The Chrysanthemums mitten pattern in the new Knitty is just too cute. Chrysanthemums always remind me of my grandma Franzie, a true gardener. Her front yard was full of rose bushes, and the back yard was a lush, more casual flower garden (with chrysanthemums, of course). My grandparents joined up with their neighbors to grow a huge plot of vegetables in a co-op garden a short walk away. My mouth practically waters as I recall picking peas and eating them right there in the garden and as I remember the crunch of their amazing dill pickles.

- A little piece of Wisconsin in the West Village. Stuhlman's model for this place, the charming but now-closed Cafe Montmartre in Madison, was one of my old haunts.

- Wow, do I miss Wisconsin when I read a story like this. Here's a video:

Note this adorable guy's accent and the Bucky Badger pillow on his sofa. I do worry about how chubby that kitty will become on his high-cholesterol diet...

winter in the city

2011-01-19T16:22:00.001-06:00

Scenes from a wintry walk:

an unexpected pop of color.

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city streets frosted with snow

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A new knitting project on the needles (so many babies on the way this year!):

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Tasty orange and dark chocolate buttermilk scones fresh from the oven:

the best of what's around

2011-01-09T15:22:00.003-06:00

on the needles

In a fit of whimsy I cast on for my Oatmeal Pullover on Thursday. Inspired by Amanda Soule's gorgeous version, I'm using Quince & Co. Puffin in Bird's Egg. It's one of my all-time favorite colors, and the yarn is rustic yet cushy -- "a faux singles composed of two barely twisted strands of fiber that have been plied together into what appears to be a singles," according to Knitter's review guru Clara Parkes. So far it's knitting up very quickly! It may be a bit too bulky to be flattering, but I think I'll be happy just wearing it around home while curling up with a book or typing away at my Mac.

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in the kitchen

I used Williams-Sonoma store credit to buy an ice cream maker last weekend, and yesterday was the trial run! I made a super-basic vanilla ice cream from the Cuisinart manual and then sprinkled in some mint chips and mini chocolate chips near the end of the churning cycle. Yum! You can really taste the vanilla goodness. I did leave the ice cream in the freezer overnight to solidify a bit more -- straight out of the ice cream maker it was still a bit too soupy for my taste.

I'm really excited about trying creative pairings -- cheesecake ice cream, brown sugar-sour cream, goat cheese-fig, lime-basil sorbet, etc. Jeni (of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams fame) has a cookbook in the works that sounds awesome. Anyone have recipe recommendations?

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on the tube

Downton Abbey is coming to Masterpiece Theatre tonight. Hooray!

decemberists in january

2011-01-03T19:28:00.008-06:00

I came home today to find both kitties snuggling in the much-beloved heated cat bed. Kind of a tight squeeze, but what could be cuter? Many thanks for all the comments and well wishes for my sweet Kylie. She's walking a lot better these days.

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For those of you in the pro-Decemberists camp, here's a delightful array of links:

- The new album, The King is Dead, is streaming in its entirety here. Hear that jangly Rickenbacker on "Calamity Song"? Love!

- An interview with Colin Meloy here -- I don't love the interviewer, but Colin's charming (as usual), and the live songs are marvelous. I was thrilled to hear Colin to talk about R.E.M., another old favorite of mine.

We have tickets to the Feb. 4 show here in Chicago, huzzah, huzzah!

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A very pleasant Christmas was spent at home as our sweet Kylie recovered. We started off the day strong with gingerbread pancakes (yum!) for brunch. For dinner I cooked up what must be one of the healthiest Christmas feasts on record -- curried vegetable and chickpea stew (sans the cauliflower) with whole wheat couscous and goat cheese and leek focaccia.

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Not the most flattering photo of me, but I do want to share the scarf and slouchy beret I knit for my mum for Christmas.

Pattern: Star Crossed Slouchy Beret, by Natalie Larson (free!)

Yarn: The Plucky Knitter Merino Worsted, "Golightly," .7 skein

Needles: Clover US 9 and 10.5 16" bamboo circs and DPNs

my ravelry project page

Notes:

My mom's favorite color is aqua, and this yarn is so pretty and soft! It's just variegated enough to be interesting, and it's just as soft and cushy as Malabrigo Merino Worsted. This hat pattern is a delight to knit. It's the second one I've knit, and it's most definitely not the last (especially since I'd really like one for myself!).

Pattern: Chunky Ribs & Ruffles Scarf, by Nancy Kleiber (free!)

Yarn: The Plucky Knitter Merino Worsted, "Golightly," 1.3 skeins

Needles: Clover US 10 bamboo straights

my ravelry project page

Notes:

I cast on 124 stitches since I was working with a lighter-weight yarn than the Misti Alpaca Chunky specified in the pattern. Just fyi, the pattern repeat = (multiple of 4) + 3.

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I'm totally hooked on Freaks and Geeks, courtesy of the marathon on IFC over Christmas weekend.

What a great show! I didn't really appreciate it when it was new, even though a friend was very into it at the time. James Franco, Seth Rogan, Jason Segel, and John Francis Daley all in one show? John Francis Daley, the shrimpy little brother, looked so familiar to me, but I just couldn't place him for a while. Then it dawned on me... he's Lance Sweets on Bones now! Linda Cardellini is convincing as the former mathlete turned "freak." The only downside is that the adults are all a little wooden and not very finely drawn.

Anyway, I love the show -- it's less melodramatically angsty than My So-Called Life, and it captures just how awkward and painful high school can be, but also how it can be exciting and full of new experiences. Some of the geek storylines can be too painful for me -- I find myself cringing in the most visceral way. So far my favorite episodes are the keg party and the fake IDs.

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Happy 2011 to all! Here's to a fresh start.

peace and joy

2010-12-24T16:20:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas to those who are celebrating today! We had planned to trek to Minneapolis to celebrate Christmas with my family, but my sweet Kylie cat has had some health problems, so at the last minute we've decided to stay here in Chicago. The vet has prescribed three pills a day, and she needs to be kept quiet and monitored. Kylie's so happy to be home from the vet, and she's all curled up in a heated cat bed that was a thoughtful gift from a friend.

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I'm still chugging away on the handknit gifts. Spending Christmas in Chicago is actually giving me a bit of grace time here! Snow is gently falling, the tree is lit up, and cookies have been baked.

The cabled earflap hat is off the needles! I'm modeling it along with the Awbrey cowl in their unblocked states, as I'd like to wash them before giving them as gifts. I'll add braids to the earflaps, as per the pattern, post blocking. Details for the cabled cowl are here.

Pattern: Snowboarder Hat that Rocks, by irishgirlieknits

Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky, "Mariposa," ~ 1.5 skeins

Needles: Clover US 10.5 bamboo circs (16") + DPNs

my ravelry project page

Notes:

The yarn is just delightful to knit, and the pattern is clear and easy to follow. The cables are a bit complicated, so you can't just zone out, but they're not too tricky. I worked 3 pattern repeats rather than 4, and it's plenty big. I'll definitely be knitting this pattern again, as I want one for myself!

elvishness

2010-12-20T15:36:00.003-06:00

Lots of holiday cheer in the last few days! Now I must pay the piper and finish grading papers this afternoon and evening. Some highlights:

- knitting holiday gifts

Pattern: Acorns, by Melissa LaBarre

Yarn: Orange Flower Superwash Merino Worsted, in "Cadet" (3/4 skein)

Needles: US 5 and 7 bamboo circs + US 7 dpns

my ravelry project page

Notes:

Wonderful squishy yarn in beautiful blues! The pattern is very well-written, and seeing the acorns emerge is delightful. I still need to block this, but the next few days are going to be hectic, so I'd better document it now.

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Pattern: Awbrey (free!), by Stacey Simpson Duke

Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky in "Mariposa," 1 skein

Needles: Clover US 10.5 bamboo 16" circs

my ravelry project page

Notes:

This truly was a quick knit, and the thick cables are super cozy. The Russian lace bind-off that Stacey suggests is easy and very effective. The slightly flared shape is perfect -- it keeps the top (cast-on edge) from being saggy, and allows the bottom to flare out a bit where your neck meets your body.

My first time using Malabrigo Chunky! Wonderful stuff -- very soft and cozy, and less fragile and prone to pilliness than the worsted since it has more plies. I love this colorway in the skein, but I was afraid that it would look horrible knit up. As it turns out, it's still lovely!

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I'm knitting a cozy cabled hat with earflaps to match! These cables are more complicated, but they're fun to work. The pattern's another freebie -- Snowboarder Hat that Rocks by Irishgirlieknits. So cute! I was halfway through the fourth repeat of the cable pattern when I noticed that it was looking awfully tall; I ripped back a bit to do just three repeats before starting the decreases. I'll definitely knit this pattern again!

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- listening

Low's Christmas EP, a (post)modern classic. Low hails from Duluth, by the way.

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- watching

Paul watched Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas many times when he was a kid, but it was all-new to me this year! In a word, awesome. It's a Jim Henson piece, with plenty of Appalachian folksiness, mixed with a battle-of-the-bands with some super-psychedelic rockers. Very sweet, plus you can see forerunners of many Muppet Show characters.

We also watched The Holiday, which is a mixture of treacle and charm, with bad acting by Cameron Diaz in particular. That said, the set designers are geniuses I want to move into Kate Winslet's darling cottage in Surrey posthaste. Plus all the meta bits about movie-making were fun. I rather think that if casting had been done differently (Diaz and Jack Black), this could have been a great guilty-pleasure romantic comedy.

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- decking the halls

We decorated the tree while sipping fresh grapefruit juice & gin cocktails concocted by Paul and listening to the Magnetic Fields. A very hipster Christmas, I suppose.

P.S. Have you read Neil Gaiman's piece on persuading his parents to get a Christmas tree yet?

the christmas elf is hard at work

2010-12-14T14:54:00.002-06:00

knitting hats, night and day...

Pattern: Cranberry Sauce, by Brittany Tyler

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Chunky, 1 skein (~ 100 yds.)

Needles: Clover US 7 and 9 bamboo 16" circs + US 9 DPNs

my ravelry project page

Notes:

I switched to smaller needles than this time, and it worked perfectly! The cables are squooshier and cozier, and I managed to knit the whole pattern this time using just one skein of yarn.

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PSA
Melissa LaBarre, AKA knittingschooldropout, is having a pattern sale (25% off) through 12/20. It's just her self-published patterns (not ones in books or through yarn companies), and some very lovely ones are included. For example, I have a Crooked Paths hat underway:

The yarn is madelinetosh tosh merino (in "saffron") -- it is bleeding like crazy, not just on my needles while I knit, but all over my white shirt. Boo. :-( We’ll see how much good a wash with vinegar does… Great pattern, though -- very fun to knit.

Next I'm casting on for Acorns (which comes with instructions for both worsted-weight and chunky versions!). The Christmas budget is a bit leaner than usual this year (due to acquiring Jeep #2), so it's handknit hats for everyone!

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on the hi-fi

- Florence + the Machine ~ Lungs

- Arcade Fire ~ The Suburbs (definitely wins my vote for best album of the year)

- Vince Guaraldi Trio ~ A Charlie Brown Christmas

What are you listening to now?

progress

2010-12-10T08:33:00.002-06:00

A road trip to Minneapolis last weekend made for excellent crochet time. Three of the four granny squares are off the hook:

I'm still loving them, but the autumnal colors no longer seem quite so apropos after we saw 9" of snow fall while I was in MN. The snow was just beautiful, and I got to trim the tree, decorate the china hutch, and bake pfeffernüse with my mum.

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The new Johanna quilt is just perfect for winter.

Capricha has taken to spending every morning snuggled up in the down comforter at the end of the bed. Smart girl!

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Pattern designers seem to be reading my mind right now:

- Ysolda has put her Last-Minute Stockings pattern on sale. I'd *just* been thinking about knitting some stockings to hang over the fireplace.

- Jane Richmond is having a 50% off pattern sale. Hurray, as I've been eyeing the Oatmeal Pullover pattern for quite some time, and winter break seems like the perfect time to knit one.

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For all of the Jane Austen aficionados out there:

Delightful! Richard Armitage, be still my heart.

best peanut butter bonbons ever

2010-12-02T17:10:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure if the stars aligned correctly last year, or if I really concocted the best variation on buckeyes / peanut butter bonbons ever. These received RAVE reviews from everyone. People at parties asked who made them and then grilled me on my recipe. I received emails asking for the recipe.

The secret? They're vegan. Also, mix everything very thoroughly.

1 lb Earth Balance vegan margarine (sticks, not spread)
2 lbs creamy peanut butter (Skippy)
3 lbs powdered sugar
36 oz semisweet vegan chocolate chips (Whole Foods brand)
1/2 bar paraffin

Melt Earth Balance. Using a hand or stand mixer mix melted Earth Balance with peanut butter. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Roll into balls, chill 1 hour.

Melt chocolate and paraffin, dip balls into chocolate. Chill.

Makes about 150 or so.

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My new Johanna quilt from Garnet Hill arrived today! I love it. The prints are designed by Snow & Graham, a local Chicago company, and the mix of modern prints and black paired with a traditional design make for such a cute and different look.

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elf duties

- These super cute knitting-themed note cards at Papersheep would be a perfect gift for a knitter! I found these via Design*Sponge and immediately ordered some.

- Penzey's extracts gift box is a delight for the baker! I love Penzey's spices (based in Wisconsin, of course, as many good things are). I'm especially enamored of their vanilla sugar and natural cocoa powder. Also, the new baking mini gift box would make a lovely hostess gift.

Back soon with photos of a handknit scarf and beret for my mum.

harvest time

2010-11-23T08:31:00.000-06:00

I baked carrot cupcakes for a birthday gathering for Paul that we hosted last weekend.

The carrot cake recipe was unremarkable, but I do want to share one tip. I added 2 tsp. orange zest to the cream cheese frosting, and it was quite nice!

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I'm crocheting some autumnal-looking granny square covers for throw pillows for our downstairs den. The yarn is some long-stashed Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, and I'm using a D hook, which feels TINY! Usually I crochet with worsted or chunky weight yarn.

My Greenfield cardigan is in time-out right now, as the first sleeve turned out enormous. Crazy big. My gauge is spot-on, so I'm very annoyed. I'd love to wear this cardigan over winter break, though, so I'll have to rip way back and add a whole bunch of decreases.

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Cooking Light's recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta was delicious the other week!

I loved the contrast between the sweet roasted squash and the crispy bacon. Be forewarned, though, that this is a complicated recipe -- lots of dirty pots and pans, plus a rather odd recipe for white sauce. Lots of flour, no butter -- the sauce itself tasted a little weird and floury, but once incorporated into the recipe it was just fine.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

the mad hatter strikes again

2010-11-19T11:49:00.003-06:00

I took a quick break from my Greenfield Cardigan to knit a chunky cabled hat for my mum.

Pattern: Cranberry Sauce, by Brittany Tyler

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Chunky, #3317, 1 skein (~ 100 yds.)

Needles: Clover US 9 and 10.5 bamboo 16" circs

my ravelry project page

Notes:
This went very quickly, and I used a super cozy and squooshy yarn. Alpaca gives me both the sneezies and the itchies, but doesn't bother Mom. I didn’t check my gauge, and I ran out of yarn during the decreases as a result. I tweaked the pattern a bit to make it work, and it still looks great! Next time I’d use smaller needles, especially for the ribbing, and maybe have an extra skein of yarn on hand.

I've never really mastered the art of taking photos in the mirror, but here's a rough idea of what it looks like.

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Just in case you missed it, The Decemberists were on Conan last night!

Here's a link if they embedded video doesn't come through via a feedburner.

Colin's rocking the plaid flannel, of course. Takes me back to the 90s and my misspent youth. ;-)

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- Has anyone seen Guy and Madeline Sitting on a Park Bench? If so, what did you think? It's a recent indie film that's part documentary, part musical, but it had a very limited release and isn't on netflix yet. It sounds fascinating.

- Amazon has made it possible to give e-books as gifts. Huzzah, huzzah! More info here. Paul recently built 3 big bookcases for our downstairs den, and dealing with that has reaffirmed my desire to keep using my Kindle. Some books benefit immensely from physicality -- cookbooks, knitting books, art books, things you want to treasure forever or lend out to friends -- but half the books I read don't fall into those categories. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo simply doesn't deserve shelf space in my library for all time.

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new knitting patterns calling out my name

- Shalder, from The Shetland Trader Vol. 1. I'm jonesing after the Quince & Co. Lark yarn (perhaps glacier or peacock?) for this pattern, but I must resist until another sweater (or two) is off the needles.

- Leaving, from the new Twist Collective. What a great overall issue! I'm always a bit surprised by how expensive each pattern is, though. A $5/pattern limit is firmly entrenched in my brain; I wince at anything above that, especially since whole books full of fabulous knitting patterns are so affordable.

- Little Owls, by Susan B. Anderson. Just too cute! Plus you all know I'm an owl-addict.

- Holden Shawlette, by Mindy Wilkes (free).

what's ruffling my feathers

2010-11-14T14:38:00.000-06:00

Still way too much going on chez Caffeinated Yarn for my tastes... to borrow from brokeknits: blah, blah, dissertation, blah, blah, scholarship application, blah, blah, the sound of deadlines whizzing past me, blah, blah... Plus some serious family health issues and lots on the calendar, including good things like a rather posh wedding yesterday (huzzah for top-shelf open bars, btw). One thing at a time, I suppose.

I did, however, manage to photograph a shawlette. This was knit a while back but mysteriously hasn't appeared on the blog previously:

Pattern: Ruffle My Feathers, by Caryl Pierre

Yarn: Orange Flower MCN Fingering Weight, "Raindrop," 1 skein

Needles: Clover US 6 bamboo circs

my ravelry project page

Notes:

The yarn is soft and lovely, but perhaps a little more variegated than is ideal for this pattern. It was a pretty quick knit, although the feather-and-fan lace pattern is not handled in the most user-friendly way (cough, there may have been a wee bit of tinking, cough). The shape is great -- it really wraps around you nicely.

BTW, please don't think I'm too enamored of 1990s country-style oak furniture. We live in a world of hand-me-downs, as my in-laws have done a lot of redecorating in the past few years. The stuff's solid and dependable, though, so we're sticking with it until we can afford to replace it with furniture we really love. It's the "reuse" part of the "reduce, reuse, recycle" slogan ;-)

walking on sunshine

2010-11-09T16:22:00.002-06:00

Pattern: Whippoorwill, by Carina Spencer

Yarn: Yarntini Semi-Solid Sock (Honeytini, ~ 90 yds) &

Plucky Knitter Superwash Merino Wool Handpainted Fingering Weight

(Madeleine Elster, ~280 yds.)

Needles: Clover US 6 bamboo circs

Size: Small

my ravelry project page

Notes:

I love the finished project -- it's a great shape, a useful size, and the graceful curve of the border is delightful. That said, it wasn't that fun to knit. The pattern is definitely aimed at the perfectionist who wants all the details to be just so -- mirrored increases, special types of yarnovers, etc. I am just not that kind of knitter. My life provides me with enough small details to stress out about already! If I'm going to be super picky about details, there had better be some fancy lace in play, not basic-looking stockinette with a few yarnovers and garter rows.

The yarns were nice to knit but not remarkable -- both are springy merino wool with a fairly tight twist. The Yarntini might be a little thicker than the Plucky Knitter yarn. I wish that the grey were just a bit more even and less splotchy. The combination of the two colors makes me very happy, though -- sunshine on a cloudy day.

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Today has been unseasonably glorious for November in Chicago -- upper 60s, sunshine, a light breeze. Lo and behold, what did I see while driving home?

A city worker wearing a jaunty Santa hat while repaving our street.

Other terrifying signs that people are starting in on the holidays way too early:

- Christmas carols blasting from the outdoor speakers at the gas station

- Trader Joe's is pushing its specialty holiday goodies. The upshot, though, is that Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe Joe's are amazingly delicious.

a monday miscellany

2010-11-08T13:01:00.002-06:00

This past weekend had its ups and downs, so I'm doing my best to accentuate the positive. We sold the Malibu (hooray!), spent a great night in Lincoln Square with friends (love the Poor Man's Black Velvet at the Bad Apple -- Crispin cider + Left Hand Milk Stout), and Paul managed to find the elusive last bin of my winter sweaters in the storage closet. I felt like Rory Gilmore as she's reunited with her sock drawer after the big European backpacking trip ("Hello, boys!").

As soon as I popped up from my comfy reading chair to grab a mug of hot apple cider last night, Kylie Cat cozied up in my giant granny square afghan and promptly feel asleep. So sweet... it's the best time of year for cat snuggling. This afghan is my favorite project ever, hands down -- knitting, crochet, or otherwise.

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- Apartment Therapy's tips on "How to Clean Your House in 20 Minutes a Day for 30 Days"

Does anyone follow a schedule like this? If so, what do you think about it and how do you make it work? We tend to sacrifice huge blocks of valuable weekend time to cleaning, which is productive but not exactly fun.

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- Garnet Hill has some cute sheepie things that would make perfect holiday gifts for knitters:

Baa Humbug flannel bedding

Counting Sheep flannel PJ sets, robes, and flannel pants

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autumn's bounty

- Cooking Light's Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta is slated for tonight's menu (provided that I get enough done this afternoon). I'll let you know how it turns out!

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- These Owl Bootees are absolutely adorable, plus gingergooseberry graciously shares the pattern.

perseverance

2010-11-05T10:15:00.001-05:00

Hurray, it's Friday, a morning when I get to work at home in my PJs, sipping all the coffee I want from a real mug rather than spilling coffee from my travel mug all over my Jeep as I groggily trek to campus. :-)

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Perseverance used to be one of my strong suits. Now I'm not so sure... this quarter has been a little too busy for my tastes. Just as I'm slowly but surely chugging along on my research, I'm also making steady progress on my Greenfield cardigan. I'm to the leaf details just before the hem:

The bright color has become more and more appealing as the trees in my neighborhood are stripped of their foliage. I dazzled/repulsed one of the girls at knitting night on Wednesday as I spit-spliced the yarn. She'd never heard of spit-splicing before, which surprised me, as it's incredibly useful (in addition to being a little disgusting). So if you haven't tried it before either, now's the time to go for it! I don't think anyone likes weaving in ends. Just make sure you're using something that will felt -- no cotton, acrylic, superwash, etc.

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P.S. Design*Sponge has an interview with Carson Ellis today!

just a little something to brighten up a cold, grey November day

2010-11-03T14:05:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend Paul and I were reminiscing about the amazing Decemberists' show we saw two Halloweens ago. The band came onstage dressed as characters from The Shining, which was awesome, esp. since the show was (quite oddly, I might add) at the very-conservative Wheaton College in a chapel. They have a new album -- The King is Dead (perhaps homage to my beloved Smiths?) -- coming out in January, and you can download a free track here. Yes, that is Peter Buck playing the guitar. :-)

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T14:26:00.000-05:00

Capricha's enamored of my festive pumpkin cushions.

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in the kitchen ~ autumn edition

- pumpkin-chocolate-chip squares, always a hit

- apple rhubarb cake

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Here I am, standing on the bumper of my big brother's Jeep back in 1985 or so. It should have been a sign...

Yep, Paul and I just bought yet another black Jeep. Now we're very matchy-matchy. Wish me luck selling the old Malibu!

mmmm... peanut butter

2010-10-26T11:35:00.001-05:00

I'm back from another whirlwind trip to Minneapolis. My dad turned 70 (!!!), and we had a lovely family party. Sadly I forgot my camera, so no photos of the 2-layer devil's food cake that I frosted and decorated with candy corn and the like. There's something so festive about a fancy layer cake!

Most of the weekend was spent with family, but I did manage to meet some dear friends for Sunday brunch at Hell's Kitchen. Their peanut butter is just as amazing as everyone says. I bought a jar for my parents, and I'm planning to make it myself sometime soon (recipe here)!

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All that garter stitch for my Greenfield Cardigan is beginning to seem interminable:

I've divided for the arms, and am now chugging along on the increases after the waist. It's going to be cozy, but that's one heck of a lot of K stitches.

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Kylie tried out her new harness and leash recently! When I first put it on her, she melted into a kitty-cat puddle on the floor and refused to move. Once we got her out on the deck she was emboldened and did some exploring. Too cute. We haven't tried Capricha yet, as she's a bit faster and more curious.

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I'm a notorious over-packer when traveling, and while my new-ish Kindle has helped me carry fewer weighty tomes, I still need to change my ways. One thing that I thought might help was a smaller (cute!) carry-on bag that I'd feel motivated to use. While this Orla Kiely number was calling out my name, its high price tag didn't work with the budget. I found this Le Sportsac Weekender at Marshall's last week, and it worked like a charm for my Minneapolis trip.

My first time traveling with just a carry-on since 9/11!

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I try not to be too political here (hey, it's a knitting blog), but I can't resist pointing to this piece from James Fallows at the Atlantic in support of NPR.

busy, busy

2010-10-12T13:05:00.000-05:00

There are lots of baby showers on the horizon, so I'm back to knitting wee little sweaters and the like. This is my favorite kind of knitting -- baby knits go quickly, use small amounts of yarn, and let you try out new techniques, as well as styles that are just too twee for grown-ups. Here's a Pebbles baby vest in progress. Just a couple more ends to weave in, plus buttons and blocking.

This doesn't take much yarn at all! I'm using a skein of Brooklyn Handspun Instant Gratification DK-weight merino sock yarn that has been marinating in the stash for quite some time. The colorway is "slate." I actually think I could squeeze a second vest out of the skein, too! Really a neat little (free) pattern -- I like the garter stitch details. We'll see how well I like sewing on all the buttons, though.

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This is a busy week. The start of the quarter has seen me running around like crazy, including a few frantic, crabby days. Poor Paul... our suburban Ikea odyssey (to look at bookcases) was not our best Sunday. That said, almost every Ikea trip makes me nuts. I always feel a bit like a salmon swimming upstream, surrounded by all the carts, frantic people in decision-making mode, and cheaply-made goods.

The one upshot of our shopping trip? I'm very much looking forward to cracking open this bottle of Crispin hard cider, an artisanal reserve edition fermented with Trappist yeasts (called "The Saint"), on Friday night. Crispin is a Minneapolis-based business (short Star Trib blub here).

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The Elsie cardigan was hastily blocked and finished (with little white flower buttons), just in time for a certain someone's first birthday:

Yep, it's too big... and it was too darn hot to get good modeled shots of a baby in an overly large wool sweater on an 85-degree fall day. Hopefully her mom will send me a better photo this winter!

The details are on my Ravelry project page. I loved the pattern, and the crochet edging was very easy and quick. I'll definitely try more of Jane Richmond's designs. In fact, I'm already dreaming of an Oatmeal Pullover, just like Amanda Soule's. When I'm done with my Greenfield cardigan, of course...

autumnal

2010-10-05T13:00:00.002-05:00

Sweater-wearing season has begun here in Chicago (hurray!). What better time to cast on for a new cozy cardigan?

I'm making a Greenfield Cardigan from the book New England Knits:


photo from Interweave

The design reminds me a bit of the February Lady Sweater, without the lace, but with a bit of waist shaping, plus that cute leaf detail. The yarn is Kimmet Croft Softie, which is 25% angora and really neat (plus it's from Wisconsin). I think it's woollen spun? It has little bits of VM, which don't bother me, and the yarn really blooms and changes texture when you wash and block it. Yes, I actually did wash and block my swatch for once. Mia sent me the yarn a couple of years ago, and I'm so happy to be using it!

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knitting in unexpected places

- Design*Sponge with a pattern for a handknit lampshade. It's actually pretty cute, though it does strike me as a possible fire hazard.

- Apartment Therapy on knitting-inspired home decor

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recipe round-up

Apparently October's the time for comfort food! The greatest hits from the past two weeks are not exactly health food, but they're delicious:

- Squash, Bacon, & Goat Cheese Pasta with Basil from the kitchn
Sadly my fresh basil had gone south, so I had to settle for sprinkling in some dried basil. Fresh basil would elevate this from very good to awesome, in my book.

- Buffalo-Chicken Macaroni & Cheese
I made a half batch, since the original recipe seemed like it would feed an army. And indeed, the half batch made 6-8 servings rather than 3-4. I cut back on the butter a bit, and I cooked the chicken breasts myself, as rotisserie chicken is really high in salt (and as a former vegetarian I'm super grossed out by bones).

the wearing of the red

2010-09-30T08:43:00.002-05:00

Any idea where we went last weekend?

Yep, a quick weekend trip to Madison, where we watched the Badgers slaughter Austin Peay. Yikes, that was quite the game, not really fair (70-3).

Still, it was a beautiful fall day, full of Wisconsin spirit, Michael's frozen custard, and time spent with friends. My only regret is that we couldn't stay for Obama's speech on Library Mall in Madison.

Despite the craziness of the last couple of weeks (fall quarter has now started), I knit this little Elsie cardigan in Badger red (oops, I mean Knit Picks hollyberry). The crocheted loops at the hems are a cute detail, and they are very easy to do. Great, clear pattern by Jane Richmond. I just need to find buttons! Then I'll take better pictures. Our new apartment, while delightful in many other respects, doesn't have nearly as great of light as our old place, so photography is much more of a challenge now. On a related note, I have quite the knitting backlog to blog.

Besides being perfect for knitting, Badgers football, and long walks amidst the leaves, fall is perfect for tea. I found the Pumpkin Ginger Tea at World Market -- very nice, but best when made with 2 tea bags, especially if you're using a mug rather than a dainty tea cup (we're not really dainty people chez Caffeinated Yarn). The loose-leaf Bourbon Vanilla Kusmi tea, which I picked up in Paris, is absolutely amazing! Highly recommended -- I think there's a Kusmi tea shop in NYC here in the states, too.

sunshine on a cloudy day

2010-09-16T15:57:00.001-05:00

It must be fall -- there's a cool, crisp bite to the air, my Jeep's covered in leaves, and pumpkin spice lattes are back in season. I baked pumpkin cream cheese muffins yesterday afternoon, and they turned out quite well!

The recipe is here. I added some extra spices in addition to the cinnamon -- nutmeg and cardamom. Ginger would be nice, too, or substituting 1 T. pumpkin pie spice for the 2 tsp. cinnamon. These are pretty light on the cream cheese filling, so if that's your favorite part, I recommend making a 1.5 batch of the filling. What else... I used half olive oil and half canola oil, as my olive oil was perhaps a bit more full-flavored than would be ideal.

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other sunny things

A Whippoorwill shawlette (rav link), in the scarf size. I'm using the rest of the grey Plucky Knitter yarn from the contrast edging of my Damson, plus Yarntini in "honeytini" for a splash of accent color.

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These are from the Renegade Craft Fair here in Chicago last Sunday. Sofia Masri makes these lovely porcelain earrings and pendants. I picked up two pairs of her earrings at last year's Renegade, too!

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pumpkins growing in the vegetable garden at Chenonceau, an amazingly beautiful castle spanning the Cher River in France

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Capricha, looking as gorgeous as ever