Category Archives: Domestic Arts

Disconnected

I miss knitting. I picked up a project I began on Christmas Eve. It’s nearly finished, but it’s been hard to get to. This is a lame reason, I suppose. Knitting is so portable. But my new job requires so much time and that much more energy, that I’ve only been able to keep up with basic chores and do a bit of reading.

But now that the scarf is out again and nearly finished, all I need to do is keep it handy and work on it just a little bit each day. I don’t have to knit for hours and hours as I did when I first learned. Every inch, every row, is progress.

What I Did On My Day Off

Three day weekends are wonderful (mine was shifted because I worked on Saturday). Today I cleaned the kitchen, worked out for an hour, did two loads of laundry, made lamb stew, and knitted. See?

what i did on my day off: second hat

Practice makes perfect. I’m going to donate the hat to the Dulaan project. Time to give my hands a rest and delve into a book.

Yarn and Pattern: same as the previous post.

Hats On To Me

I am so so pleased and proud of myself. Today I went to Commuknity to sit and knit awhile. I brought along a hat I started in November but set aside when I dropped a stitch and couldn’t figure out how to pick it up. Today was the day to fix that. So I knit and knit (with occasional help with directions from Nathania and another customer). Voila!

first hat

I’ve graduated from scarf school!

Yarn: Rowan Big Wool, 100% merino wool, 1 ball (87 yards), colorway 35 – gingersnap, with size 13 circular needles

Pattern: Rowan Bigger Picture: Featuring Big Wool & Biggy Print, Design #16 – Mini, pattern by Kim Hargreaves.

Relatively Unscathed

I went to Stitches West today and, after wandering around the booths for several hours, I decided to buy something from my favorite local yarn store, Commuknity. It’s a fingering weight, hand-dyed merino wool by Claudia — colorway is Begonia.

claudia yarn, colorway begonia

There was so much yarn goodness that I’m amazed I didn’t spend more. Being there did kindle a yearning to get back into the last project that I’d set aside, and the wanting feels good.

Real Knitter

Happy new year! Husband and I worked diligently to put away Christmas. It always seems to go faster taking down the decorations. I feel a sense of deflation, but I also feel content that I have my living room returned to its ordinary state. Time to get on with the business of 2006.

The weather is appropriate for the day: rainy, blustery, with wind gusts up to 50 mph. It’s very dramatic and makes me want to stay inside, take a long hot bath, and light a fire tonight. The cats will be quite happy about the extra warmth.

By the way, we thoroughly cleaned the living room and there is still no sign of the missing knitting needle. It’s not a small needle either! It’s a mystery as to where Sophie hid it. I’m grateful I received a Michael’s gift card from my parents. I may need to buy another set. Guess this means I’m a “real” knitter, now that I’ve misplaced a needle!

Scarf For My Sister

My eldest sister expressed lust for a scarf of her own. We discussed her color preferences; she bought the yarn, but I chose the colorway and type of yarn. I was in the mood to knit last night, so I did almost non-stop. Eight hours later, here it is. It needs to finish drying after the gentle wash I gave it, and then I’ll send it to her. She lives in a frigid land, so this will arrive at an opportune time.

brown wool scarf

Combination of Debbie Bliss Cashmarino Aran, 55% merino wool/33% microfibre/12% cashmere, colorway 300008, two 90 meter balls + part of a third for fringe; Crystal Palace Merino Stripes, 85% merino wool/15% polyester, colorway 21, two 115 yard balls, size 13 needles.

Clever Dude

My husband has found a way to keep me from invading “his” room, where he spends most of his time with laptop and ginormous t.v. How has he managed this feat? He has warned me that my Christmas presents are unpacked and strewn all over the room, because he intends to wrap gifts tonight. He knows I will do everything I can to avoid jeopardizing a happy surprise.

I’m all alone downstairs, with the lamb stew stewing, and a glass of Shiraz warming my brain. So I guess I’m getting stewed, too.

In two days at this time my brother and sister-in-law will be landing from an Austin flight! Whee!

I still have to clean the house, at least a little. And work on menu-planning. There’s time, there’s time…

two more felted hotpads


Two more hotpads, felted.

‘Nother Scarf

This one is for me! Mine, all mine! You cannot have it. No!

second orange lacy mohair scarf

Rowan Kidsilk Haze, 70% super kid mohair/30% silk, colorway 596, one-half of a 229yd/210m ball; Rowan Kidsilk Haze, 70% super kid mohair/30% silk, colorway 578, one-half of a 229yd/210m ball; size 35 needles.

Very Specific Instructions

My brother makes a kick-ass stuffing. He and his wife are visiting over the holidays and he will make said stuffing. Today I received the following in an email from him:

Lest I forget, here’s what you’ll need to have on hand for stuffing:

One bag of herbed stuffing cubes (e.g., Pepperidge Farm) – not cornbread

One roll of sage pork sausage (e.g., Jimmy Dean silver label, which is apparently now gold with a small silver medallion on the front) – brand is not important, but sage is

one small bunch of celery

three or four yellow onions

three or four cans of chicken broth

one stick of butter-esque fatty substance

You must not vary from the path! I will feel the disturbance in the Force if you do.

And that’s why it’s a kick-ass stuffing; because he’ll probably kick mine if I stray from the righteous path. šŸ˜‰

This, That, And The Other

It’s Monday. I am waiting, hoping to hear good news about a job I want. I’ll know sometime this week.

Meanwhile, I continue to play Santa. I dropped off more packages at the post office today. We’re all done ordering gifts for Husband’s family. I hope his mother’s package arrives today so I can wrap and ship it tomorrow.

Wrapping gifts at the volunteer project yesterday was quite a lot of fun. I felt good knowing the community cared enough that residents have some joy at this time of year. Most of the residents are profoundly retarded, but joy doesn’t require a high IQ to be appreciated.

On the creative front, not much is happening. I bought a mini-calendar for my purse that had a small mar on the cover. I put a cut-out of paper on the front cover, and it looks dandy. (I’ve given up on the idea of using my Palm device. I never got into it, and it takes up too much space in my purse.

Other than going to the bank and post office, I’m not doing much. So there’s not a great deal of scintillating material for this blog. Ah, well.

Happy countdown to Christmas!

Just More Cookin’

This morning has been a flurry of food creation. I’m on a toffee-making kick since I discovered how. Of course, I’m not making it for me, silly! Husband pleaded with me to make a toffee without the chocolate, but I refused. He pouted. So as a surprise I made him another Meyer lemon buttermilk pie; it’s now cooling on the rack.

Very shortly I’ll head out to participate in a volunteer event involving gift-wrap and goodies. I’ll be wrapping gifts for residents at the Agnews Developmental Center. Following that I plan to call my mom and then make something simple for dinner. (Or maybe I can persuade Husband to fetch some sandwiches.)

I did start another little knit project. I want to see if I can make felted hotpads.

Break Your Teeth Or Melt In Your Mouth?

I’m trying to make toffee for the first time ever. May I suggest something to you? Never ever use a plastic utensil to stir a pot full of cooking sugar and butter to 300 degrees F.

melted spoon

I decided to follow through just to see that I’d done it, even though I shouldn’t eat any. It looks good, and a tiny taste indicates that it tastes good. But it needs more chocolate, covering, I think.

first toffee ever

Want the recipe? Click here.

Getting Crafty

Holidays are approaching. Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love the lights, ornaments, Christmas trees, cookie-baking, cider-mulling, caroling, and gifting of the season. This year I decided to try again to make some gifts for my friends near and far. Last year was too hectic and I spent most of the month in Washington helping to care for my father-in-law.

Back in 1999 when I took a trip to Europe (the 14 countries in two weeks kind), I noticed many windows had lovely lace half-curtains. While in Innsbruck, Austria, I happened upon a store that sold these, so I bought many yards of various lace designs. I used them at home, but my husband wasn’t so fond of them when I moved in. So they went into my art supply storage. Last night I decided to make small sachets. I cut circles and used glitter glue to seal the edges. Then I put oil of lavender on cotton balls to wrap inside, tying the sachet with ribbon and affixing a small fabric ornament.

sachet grouping

Next up, making book thongs.

She’s On My (S)hit List

You know that lovely purple mohair scarf I made only two days ago? Well, look what happened tonight. I’d taken it off just for a moment and somehow it ended up on the floor. By the time I noticed…

scarf eaten

It was too late.

And this is the evil miscreant to committed such a dastardly deed. See?! Doesn’t she look possessed?

scarf eating cat

She knows I’m highly annoyed with her. I won’t let her near me, and I chase her off when she ambles over as if la-dee-da, nothing’s wrong. I mean, I know it wasn’t a work of art, but I liked it. It was pretty, just the right length, and I made it. Now it’s unmade. I got this yarn in San Francisco, so it’s unlikely I’ll be getting more soon. *sigh*

I know she’s just following her nature. I know the texture is much like a furry mouse and the fibers taste good. But damn. She’s a bad, baaaaaad cat.

Another Fuzzy Scarf

It’s intended more for dressiness than warmth. It’s a gift for someone (who doesn’t read this blog).

orange mohair scarf

Rowan Kidsilk Haze, 70% super kid mohair/30% silk, colorway 596, one-half of a 229yd/210m ball ; Crystal Palace Yarns Kid Merino, 28% kid mohair/28& merino wool/44% micro Nylon, colorway 9811, one-half of a 240 yd ball; size 35 needles.

Using Random Bits

I had nearly a full skein left from a scarf I made last month, so I decided to whip up a little dressy scarf. Perhaps scarves will become my “signature accessory” — if I make enough of them, they probably will in the cold months. Seems like the house is full of rectangular pieces of knitted fabric. But I’m okay with that. I’ve been busy with Art Everyday Month, and I can make plain old scarves as long as I want.

purple mohair scarf

Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Infusion kid mohair, 80% kid mohair, 5% wool, 15% polyamide, colorway 614, 1 (mostly) 95 yard ball, size 35 needles