wee mittens

on the needles...

a bounty of wee mittens is in the works (pattern here):
What have I been up to? Another trip to Minnesota, lots of (unbloggable) gift knitting, cookie baking, and reading, both for research and for pleasure. Busy, busy. :-)

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in the kitchen...

Over the years I've learned that there are a few key ingredients that nearly always ensure culinary success chez Caffeinated Yarn. Leeks, shallots, almonds, pumpkin, goat cheese, and black beans are at the top of the list. Leeks and shallots are under-appreciated in the U.S. but absolutely phenomenal. They're like onions' more sophisticated older cousins. You know, the ones who can get by with wearing dramatic hats and actually impress you when they pull out the guitar (rather than send you scrambling for your earmuffs).

Shallots are more delicate than onions, with a slightly garlic-y and sweet flavor and an immensely satisfying deliciousness.

Rice Pilaf with Shallots and Parmesan

Serves 2-3 as a side dish ~ doubling this recipe works very well

2 tsp. butter
2 T. minced shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 C. basmati rice (can sub long-grain, but basmati has more flavor and aroma)
1 C. chicken broth
1/4 C. dry white wine (or sub more broth)
2 - 3 T. grated fresh Parmesan cheese (I use something halfway decent like Grana Padano)
2 T. minced fresh parsley
dash of salt freshly ground black pepper
dash of salt

Melt butter in a small saucepan over med-high heat. Add shallots & garlic, saute 1 min. Stir in rice; saute 1 min. Stir in broth and wine; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 min.

Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, parsley, pepper, and salt. Bon appetit!

happy hands

Keri and I organized a little trade. I sent her a couple skeins of Sundara sock yarn (I'm so slow at knitting socks), and she sent me these gorgeous Koigu Anemoi mittens that she had knit!
They're blue and beautiful, and the pattern has a Greek name (anemoi means "winds"), so they pretty much have "Jodi" written all over them. I'm thrilled, and I've already worn them on their maiden voyage (to the Irish Oak for a pint of cider, no less).

Keri also made me this, which I put to good use immediately:
Thank you, Keri! I hope you enjoy the yarn, especially since I feel like I ended up on the better end of this deal.

The textured shawl is coming along quite nicely, and the color is a cheerful contrast to the grey day. The rows are beginning to feel awfully long, which is usually the case with triangular shawls knit from the center top out.

trains and things

The whole movie thing was no April Fool's Day joke. Seriously, my block was a movie location all last week. I didn't get to see either Johnny Depp or Christian Bale up close (alas!). Instead, I slept poorly all week because a truck with about 5000 cables coming out of it ran all night long directly outside my bedroom window. Sigh...

Here's a pic of a scene they filmed using a vintage (or reproduction?) El car. If you look closely, you can see that the "riders" are actually mannequins dressed in 1930s garb.
Despite spring fever and lots of reading, some knitting has taken place:

Pattern: Cherry Red Handwarmers, by Creativeyarn

Yarn: Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK (sadly discontinued)
Needles: US 5 Lantern Moon rosewood straights

Notes:

DK-weight is the way to go with this pattern. The pattern's yarn specifications are slightly cryptic, because Creativeyarn lives in Italy and yarn is categorized differently there. The mesh pattern is slightly looser than the ribbing. The ribbing itself is slightly tight on my arms, so I would go up one needle size for the arm ribbing, then stick with the smaller needles for the lace pattern and hand ribbing. I'm a big fan of this yarn; it's too bad that it has been discontinued. It's very springy and soft.

An old FO that never received a proper post:

Not the best photo, I'm afraid, but it's all I have.

Pattern: Easy-and-Elegant Cabled Mittens for the Whole Family, by Marci Richardson
Source: 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders
Yarn: Mountain Colors, Mountain Goat, Lupine
Needles: US 3 bamboo DPNs

Notes:
What a great pattern! It's easy to follow and well-written. Plus it has a wide range of sizes. I had to go down a couple needle sizes, as usual. The yarn was very hard to photograph, and looks much nicer than the photo. The mohair made me itchy and sneezy though, which is a bummer.

Recipe Round-Up
Rave reviews go to:
- Chewy Brownie Peanut Butter Chip Cookies over at Baking Bites
- Lemon Artichoke Pesto, by Kristi over at Fiber Fool
I tossed it with thin spaghetti and served it with grilled chicken breasts seasoned with Penzeys' Trinidad seasoning (a mixture of coarse salt, lemon peel, garlic, clove, and ginger).

relishing the red

Roses from my sweetie

Cheery red mittens
Pattern: Basic Mittens from Knitting for Peace
Yarn: Rowan Kid Classic
Needles: Brittany birch US 6 DPNs

Madison, where we're going for a mini-break next weekend
Red Pepper Relish
(slightly adapted from Jeanne Lemlin's Main-Course Vegetarian Pleasures)

1 T. olive oil
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 red bell peppers, finely diced
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar (I use a high-quality balsamic vinegar purchased at the Central Market in Florence, Italy)
salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet (preferably one with a lid) over med-high heat. Add onions and saute until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 min.

2. Stir in the red peppers and cook 10 more min., stirring often. Mix in the sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to med., cover the pan, and cook until the mixture is very soft and the juices are somewhat caramelized, about 20 more min. Stir occasionally.

I serve this relish with goat cheese on warm French bread.

flu-tastic + cocoa swap questionnaire

I was supposed to spend the whole weekend at an academic conference, learning and schmoozing. After two days at the conference, a nasty strain of the flu sent me home, and I instead did the following:

knitting
-Garter Stitch Cardigan, from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies (not yet photo-worthy)
-Tulip Baby Cardigan, still a WIP (kit ordered online from ThreadBear Fiber Arts, a shop I would love to visit in person)

inspired by Nicole's beautiful version quite a while ago

The i-cord bind-off is marvelous! What a great touch -- it looks very classy, and it's much more fun to work than a standard bind-off.

-Newfoundland Mitts, finally achieving FO status

Project Details
Pattern: Newfoundland Mitts, a free pattern by Creative Whimsy
Yarns: Noro Kureyon #156 (2 half-skeins) & Patons Classic Wool Merino
Needles: Brittany US4 birch DPNs

Notes: It's a great pattern, but I had some stress-related gauge issues that made these take much more time than I had anticipated. If you want the contrast colors to be consistent between the two mittens, you need two skeins of Noro. I ended up doing a lot of cutting because one skein had a knot in it that screwed up the color repeats.

reading
-Quartet in Autumn, by Barbara Pym
-Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books, by Maureen Corrigan
-Death in the Garden, by Elizabeth Ironside
-Not the End of the World, by Kate Atkinson

All great books; I highly recommend each one. Mini-reviews may be forthcoming, provided that the beginning of the quarter isn't too frantic. I'm in the midst of reading Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love, and I'm not terribly impressed so far. Kind of flaky and superficial while aiming for depth and enlightenment, perhaps?

watching
-Knocked Up (cute and funny, rather crass)
-Notting Hill
-Love Actually
-Gilmore Girls (a few episodes from season 4)
-The Office (a few episodes from seasons 3 & 4)

Good old flu... nothing beats chills, aches, pains, sniffling, sneezing, and a roiling stomach to increase one's appreciation of the finer things in life -- books, yarn, and the couch.

Mmm… Hot Cocoa Swap Questionnaire
(Unless you're my swap partner, the rest of this post is most likely not of much interest.)

1. What is your favorite way to drink cocoa? Prepared with milk? Water? from home made recipe or store bought?, In a tea cup, or big mug?
My favorite way is for someone else to make me homemade hot cocoa prepared with milk, served in a pottery mug! In reality, I make cocoa with milk and a store-bought mix. Lately I’ve been using Cadbury drinking chocolate or Serendipity 3 mix, but those are splurges.

2. Marshmallows or whipped cream?
Neither! If I had to choose one, I would go with whipped cream and a dash of cocoa powder. A real treat would involve a healthy dose of Bailey's.

Yarn/Knitting/Crochet
1. What is your favorite type of yarn? In what colors?
Soft worsted weight wool in shades of blue. I also like wine, scarlet, plum, chocolate brown, aqua, lavender… Solid or heathered colors are my favorites right now, but I like some variegateds, too (usually ones that are more subtle). Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and Malabrigo are my favorites, but I also love Rowan 4 Ply Soft and just about anything by Fleece Artist or Hand Maiden.

2. Do you knit or crochet (or both)?
I mainly knit, but do some basic crocheting.

3. What are your favorite type of needles, would you like to try something new?
I like wood needles best. Bamboo runs a close second. My one pair of Lantern Moon straights is my favorite, but they’re too expensive! I always need more 16” circs for some reason (mostly US 5 and 6), and I like straight needles quite well. I don't like plastic or metal needles.

4. Do you have a healthy supply of notions?
Yes – too many fancy stitch markers (I only use plain ones with no dangly bits). I can always use more double ended stitch holders, though.

5. What one thing do you keep thinking you need to buy for your knitting habit (outside of yarn)?
Wooden or bamboo cable needles, like the Brittany Birch ones. I don’t like my Clover plastic ones very well.

6. What is your favorite 'quick knit/crochet' pattern (quick gratification)
Hats! I like Ruthie Nussbaum’s Owl Hat pattern (free on the net).

Miscellaneous
1. What is your favorite thing to do in the Winter?
Go for a long walk while it’s snowing and pet all the neighborhood dogs.

2. What is your favorite animal?
Bunnies! Followed closely by cats, hedgehogs, and puppies. Sheep are nice, too.

3. Do you get the 'winter blahs'?
Not too often. Chicago winters aren’t nearly as pleasant as Minneapolis or Madison winters.

4. What is your favorite way to beat the blahs?
Getting outside and enjoying the snow when it’s nice and sunny. Otherwise, snuggling up in front of my red wood-burning stove with a book or some knitting.

5. What is the thing you are most looking forward to this spring?
Watching all the spring flowers emerge, especially the crocuses.

6. What are your favorite treats?
Good chocolate (especially with mint or hazelnuts), biscotti, scones. Not too many treats, though – I’m trying to watch my waistline. I’m not a fan of gummy or hard candies. I love trying new recipes, too.

7. What is your favorite board game?
Taboo or Cribbage.

8. Do you have any children (furry or human)?
2 beloved tabby cats – Kylie and Capricha. No kids yet.

9. Do you have any allergies or special considerations you partner should know about?
I'm afraid I'm developing a sensitivity to some alpaca -- it can make me itchy. Some types of mohair make me sneeze! I don't enjoy knitting with cotton yarns -- too hard on the hands and wrists.

knitting things that aren't blue

Every once in a while it happens...
Leaf Lace Scarf is a free pattern from Twisted Knitter. I'm using the "Oak Creek Canyon" colorway of The Plucky Knitter's merino fingering weight yarn. The lace pattern would show up better in a semisolid yarn, but I like the effect of a pile of autumn leaves.

Newfoundland Mitts in progress:
Both of these patterns are Ravelry discoveries, and they're easy and fun to knit.

In other news, I received a wonderful and generous parcel from Tricotine for the Knitter's Coffee Swap 3 yesterday. Details here. Thanks again, Tricotine! Mia sent me an amazing package of books and yarn this week, too. I'm still sorting through all the quilting books. Photos over the weekend, I promise.

more mittens

I have made a good start on Elizabeth Zimmermann's Norwegian Mittens, and I certainly learned a good deal about the genius of EZ.

Please ignore the dreadful color combo (delft and delphinium)! This was the only Telemark around, and I couldn't wait for my new order to arrive to swatch.

So, EZ recommends using an i-cord cast-on for this (knitting 56 rows of i-cord, joining the ends, then picking up 56 stitches). Yeah, I thought that sounded like a pain in the a%&, so I used the long-tail cast-on, knit a couple ridges of garter stitch and began the colorwork. Bad plan! Look at the awful curling.

After my new yarn arrived (alpine frost and snow leopard -- nice wintry names!), I tried out her fancy cast-on.
Guess what? It rocks! No curling, there's a really neat, corded edge, and I'm thrilled with it. EZ was right, but I was right, too -- it was a pain in the a$% to do. It's worth it, though. Hmm... the color combos don't look too different on the computer, but they look quite different in real life.

In other news, a marvelous parcel from Allison arrived on my doorstep for the Knitter's Tea Swap (details on that blog). Thanks, Allison!

Happy Halloween!

I'm spending the evening at home in front of a roaring fire, knitting, and possibly watching season 1 of Angel. Oh yes, grading papers, too.

an ode to mittens

For many, socks are the comfort food of knitting. Not me! I like mittens.
They knit up so quickly, the shaping makes them interesting, and they're not too fussy in terms of fit. Since there's not too much yarn involved, it's a great way to experiment with new yarns, ones that would be too expensive for a larger project, or that ball or two you found in the clearance bin at the LYS. This is my first time knitting with Rowan Kid Classic, and I'm enjoying it immensely. The mohair gives it a nice fuzziness, and the lambswool reminds me of the sweaters I wore as a little kid during those freezing Minnesota winters. I want to knit a little Tomten jacket in this exact shade of cherry red.

BTW, does anyone know a good pattern for cabled mittens in worsted or aran weight? I haven't had much luck, even on Ravelry.

The Winter 2007 Interweave Knits preview site is up. There's not much of interest to me this time. All the photos and styling look rather dated or amateurish. The Sweater Girl Pullover, Refined Aran Jacket, and Gathered Pullover are OK.

parting is such sweet sorrow

Good-bye, my sweet squirrelly friend:
Alas, my hands are too big. I'm going to frog and reknit. This was knit on 3s using KP Wool of the Andes (worsted weight), and I can just barely squeeze my hand into it. Should I go up to 4s or head straight to 5s? Any opinions?

Still no FOs, but here's a sneak preview:
F. Pea's Super-Natural Stripes baby cardigan, knit up in Mission Falls 1824 Cotton (in need of a button and a bath). The 4-patch quilt top just needs a border.

More baby knits underway:
Sandy's Diagonal Baby Blanket, a free pattern from Jimmy Beans Wool. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran on size 9 needles.

I couldn't find my mom's tried-and-true pumpkin bread recipe last night, so I tried something new to bring to knitting group. This is based on a recipe from the Land O Lakes website (one of my favorite baking resources), with a few tasty additions. It's not the dark, rich, super-moist version that Mom makes, but it received rave reviews from the knitters. The crystallized ginger gives it a nice spicy kick! I used Penzey's crystallized ginger. Penzey's is just fabulous -- high quality and low prices. Adding walnuts or pecans to the recipe would be great, too. You can substitute 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices.

Pumpkin Bread

1-3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. canned pumpkin puree (not the same as pie filling)
3/4 C. firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 C. butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
dash of cardamom (optional)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
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1 T. crystallized ginger, minced
1/2 C. dried cranberries

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except last 2 (crystallized ginger and cranberries) in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Gently mix in ginger and dried cranberries.

Spoon batter into greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Bake 45-55 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan.

smitten with mittens

Heat and humidity have hindered further progress on my Tapestry shawl. Lap full of wool in 90% humidity = not my cup of tea. A smaller project was in order:

Basic Mittens

Source: Knitting for Peace
Size: Adult Medium
Needles: US 6 Brittany birch DPNs
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool

An odd hole is created in the ribbing when you begin to increase for the thumb gusset in the first stockinette round. Next time I would knit one round plain before beginning the increases. These are for the Favorites Fall Swap! I'm in a frenzy over all the awesome mitten patterns out there.

More mittens in progress:

wonderfully whimsical Squirrel and Oak mittens from Hello Yarn
Knit Picks Wool of the Andes (snickerdoodle & chocolate)

Hopefully they'll be done by the time I'm home from the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival this weekend!

My computer had a minor meltdown, so blogging has been light and will be so for the next few days, too.

still life with sock

Best. Colorway. Ever.

I followed a blog link to the Cider Moon website, and next think I knew I was entering my credit card number and rubbing my hands together with glee in anticipation of my lovely new yarn. Their customer service was great, and they even threw in a goody bag of little mini skeins of yarn to sample!

This is Glacier, a DK-weight superwash sock yarn, in "Winter Twilight." So beautiful, and so quick to knit. I'm using a free pattern off the Cider Moon blog: Campfire Socks. At this stage I far prefer DK to fingering weight. Plus thick socks are great with all my clogs. I'm trying out different DPNs, too -- KA Unicorn bamboo. They come in a very convenient 6" length. Compared to my usual Clover bamboo needles, they are shinier, pointier, and slicker (but not in a bad way), and they have a much nicer feel. They are more pliable and less prone to dents and dings than Brittany birch DPNS, which I like to use in larger sizes.

So far Cider Moon gets two thumbs up from me. I'm really wishing I had ordered the June Carter and Casual Friday colorways, too.

Fleece Artist Soft Mitts are done! They are soft, fuzzy, and lovely. Fleece Artist is very generous with their yarn in this kit. I was able to get three adult size mittens out of the kit. I'm sure that you could use one kit to make matching adult and child mitts. The kit is a bit pricey, but if you tend to lose mitts or if you like to be matchy-matchy with a little one in your life, it doesn't seem quite so bad.

My cross-stitch project is coming along quite nicely, although I have run out of some of the fancy schmancy overdyed Crescent Colors floss already. Time for a little online needlework shopping!

Mitten

Upon realizing that my Fleece Artist Soft Mitt would fit only someone with serious Man Hands (alas, my husband is not into fluffy dark pink mohair mittens), I ripped away and quickly reknit on smaller needles (US 7 rather than 8). I also shortened the length of the mitt and the thumb by 1/2" each. The thumb is still f$%&in' huge, but I just didn't have it in me to rip it back. I would highly recommend doing some extra decreases at the base of the thumb.

I really love this yarn combo -- Fleece Artist Mo and Blue Face Leicester, so I wasn't even too crabby about reknitting. It's lovely to knit with.

My cross-stitch roots have been calling out to me. Cross-stitching is much easier on my wrists and hands than knitting, so it's a nice break. I especially like working on samplers that have some white space to them. I don't like the look or feel of projects that have every square covered.

Here's the start to "Forest Snowfall" by Nikki Leeman at Country Cottage Needleworks. I really like her designs. She brings a Shabby Chic aesthetic to samplers that often have a primitive aspect.
Here's a picture of what it should look like when done:

wild night in Big Mexiko (sic)

My first pair of socks is finally done and dusted. Here are the specs:

Pattern: Knitting Pure and Simple Beginner Socks #9728
Yarn: 2 skeins Schoeller & Stahl "Big Mexiko" #7592, worsted weight (93 yds/skein) + a little Cascade superwash for the toes
Needles: Clover US 5 DPNs

Notes: These are a little loose. I would go down to size 4 needles next time. The heel come out much better on the second sock when I added an extra stitch when picking up stitches, then knitted them together in the next round. Obviously I ran out of yarn, so I need to watch the yardage when I knit this pattern again.

My fabulous secret pal sent me this yarn way back in November. I was so lucky to have Jill spoiling me! She was so thoughtful, and I've really enjoyed getting to know her. We have a lot in common --Jill has lived in Illinois, she's back in grad school (while working full time as an academic librarian, whew), she likes winter, she's a voracious reader, and she loves animals. Dogs, rather than cats, but that's OK. Thanks again, Jill!

together at last

The temperatures have been below zero here in Chi-town. I don't mind it one bit. It feels like a real winter. Now we just need more snow. I started some mittens while snuggling in and watching DVDs with Paul on Friday night (Idiocracy -- hilarious and frighteningly possible; The Devil Wears Prada -- trite, predictable, and a little bit painful to watch).

This is a Fleece Artist Favourite Soft Mitts/Socks kit. I am just loving the yarn. You hold together one strand of Mohair and one strand of Blue Face Leicester. It's so soft, and the colors are gorgeous. This is the "Vineyard" colorway. I found this kit at Colorsong Yarns. Sheri at the Loopy Ewe just might be stocking these kits soon.