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.