gnomes

I'm months late in posting this, but Erik's gnome Christmas stocking is one of my favorite knitting projects to date. I started it on a whim one night so that I'd have something to knit while watching Guardians of the Galaxy (so funny and cute), and ended up totally addicted to the colorwork and wee gnomes.

pattern: Drops no. U-614 + Jolly Stockings

yarn: Patons Classic Wool Worsted

needles: US 7 (4.5 mm) 16" circs and PNS

my Ravelry project page

notes:

I tweaked the Drops sock pattern to make a Christmas stocking. Love the little gnomes! I used worsted weight yarn and loosely followed the directions for the largest size. CO 60, 2x2 ribbing, didn’t decrease after the ribbing.

The heel and toe are from Bernat's Jolly Stockings pattern. I think they look more Christmas stocking-y than the regular ol' heel and toe from the Drops pattern.

This was a joy to knit, and I was so happy to hang this by the chimney with care! Now to knit two more with different colorwork designs for Paul and me by the time Christmas 2015 rolls around. Paul has requested candy canes and I'm inclined toward a sheep stocking.

happy solstice!

God jul, as my ancestors would say!The tree is up, cookies are baked, most of the shopping and wrapping is done, and it's officially winter break. Hurray! There's even a Yule party on my agenda for tonight. I still have at least two knitting projects to finish for Christmas, though, so it's not exactly smooth sailing, but close enough.

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With Paul's extended family we do a drawing for a holiday gift exchange. I managed to draw the name of a dear family friend who is a doctor and owns a villa in Italy. What do you buy a man who owns an Italian villa? I ended up putting together an odyssey of syrahs from around the world. Sigh...

The other challenge was a gift for a good friend who gave me a car last winter. Yes, she gave me her old Jeep. How do you possibly reciprocate? I ended up knitting her a hat. Small peanuts, but at least it took time, thought, and effort.

Pattern: Star Crossed Slouchy Beret, by Natalie Larson

Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Pagoda, .75 skein
Needles: US 9 and 10.5

Notes:
Super cute! I enjoyed knitting this, especially with the soft and cushy Malabrigo. It was looking a bit small and not so slouchy when I finished knitting. Then I blocked it on a dinner plate, and the plate may have been a bit too large. Time will tell if it fits properly -- I can always wash and re-block, I suppose. Great free pattern -- definitely give it a try.

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I found this at a used bookstore last week:
Fabulous illustrations by Edward Gorey may make this one of the best books ever.
I've determined that Kylie is a Gumbie Cat:

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she sits upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
And when all the family's in bed and asleep,
She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep.
She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice
Their behaviour's not good and their manners not nice;
So when she has got them lined up on the matting,
She teaches them music, crocheting and tatting.

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the warm and sunny spots.
All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

sunshine

Finally, a sunny day when I'm at home and can take pictures! I'm puttering around the house in my PJs when I should be reading books and articles on literary theory. Ah well, it's nearly Christmas.
I knit these slippers using Mission Falls 1824 wool last year, and they're holding up marvelously! The seaming's a bit of a pain, but they're cozy and snug. Plus I feel rather elven as I wear them. Not as elven as Pam's cute new Elf Shoes, though. ;-) Anyway, if you're looking to knit up a quick holiday gift, I do recommend the pattern.

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I'm using Knit Picks Palette for my wee mittens, and I'm quite taken by the color combination:

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The scent of fresh-baked cookies was in the air chez Caffeinated Yarn over the weekend.
I tried something new as well as an old favorite. The little circles are a variation on Sarah's peppermint cookies on the blog Handmade Homeschool (which I found via Mary Catharine's post). I substituted 1/4 C. Penzey's natural cocoa powder for 1/4 C. of the flour. Yum! I used my usual powdered sugar icing, adding a dash of mint flavoring.

A few years ago I tested many recipes in a quest for the perfect sugar cookie. The winner is from one of my mother's old church cookbooks -- Peaceful Pantry, from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, Minnesota.

Grandma's Sugar Cookies
~ Ilah Robbins

1 C. butter
1.5 C. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3.5 C. flour (sifted if you're feeling fancy)
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter; add sugar gradually, creaming until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sit in vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together; add gradually to creamed mixture. Chill thoroughly (at least 3 hours). Roll out on well-floured surface to 1/4" thickness. Cut in desired shapes. Bake on cookie sheet covered in baking parchment 6-8 minutes at 375 degrees.

Tip: fill each pan with the same shape so that the cookies bake evenly

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Frost with a basic powdered sugar/butter/milk/vanilla icing.

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!

snow day

struck brightly by the winter
when the snow falls thick and silent
i can only hear you breathing

i will follow a set of deep tracks
other people all stay hidden
as the cars rest under snow drifts

so clearly the dark sky
appears framed by cables
so clearly your breath's white
as you struggle to tell

that the people we have become
still lay awake hoping to hear airwaves
say snow day

~ matt pond PA, "Snow Day"

Matt Pond PA's "Winter Songs" has been the soundtrack chez Caffeinated Yarn this winter (read a review here).

Paul has been wearing his new owl hat proudly:

Project Details
Pattern: Owl Hat, by Ruthie Nussbaum (free!)
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino, Natural Mix, less than 1 skein
Needles: Clover US7 bamboo 16" circs and DPNs

Notes: I'm a loose knitter, so sticking with size 7 needles resulted in the perfect size for Paul's rather large head. Easy pattern, very fun to knit. The owls are a little high up on the head for my taste. I would adjust their placement next time. Now I want an owl hat, too!

Today truly was a snow day, albeit a wet, sloppy, and melty one. I slept in, did some knitting, breathed in the pine scent from the tree, and relaxed. I did trek out in the snow to pick up ingredients for baked mac & cheese from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites. It's still not exactly health food, but it's much better for you than the Paula Deen mac & cheese recipe that topped the Food Network's Top 100 Recipes of 2007 list. Here's the recipe, tweaked a bit:

Mac & Cheese

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 20 min.

Baking time: 45 min.

1.5 C. 1% lowfat cottage cheese

1.5 C. buttermilk or milk (skim is fine)

1 tsp. dried mustard

Pinch of cayenne pepper

.25 tsp. nutmeg

.5 tsp. salt

.25 tsp. ground black pepper

.25 C. grated onion (or less) ~ I often just zip this through the food processor

1 C. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (4 oz) ~ it's worth buying something decent*

.5 lb. uncooked elbow macaroni

2 T. finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese*

.25 C. bread crumbs

* NB: I sometimes cheat and add a little extra cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9- or 10-inch square baking pan with a light coating of cooking spray.

In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, skim milk or buttermilk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and puree until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the pureed mixture with the onions, Cheddar cheese, and uncooked macaroni. Stir well. Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into the baking pan. Combine the grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and the bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the topping is browned and the center is firm.

Easy-peasy, delicious comfort food!

It's coming on Christmas

They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on

~ Joni Mitchell, "River"

That's how I felt for much of December. Too many commitments, too many worries, not enough time, and not enough money to do things how I would like. But now I'm in the Christmas spirit, just in time. The shopping was finished yesterday, gifts are wrapped, the tree is decorated, and cookies are baked. Not many of my holiday knitting plans came to fruition, but my friends and family doubtless will appreciate receiving handknit items in January and February "just because."

I just returned from a lovely visit home to Minnesota to see my family. I even wished that I could have stayed longer, which probably means I stayed exactly the right length of time.

Pattern: Stockinette Watchcap from Charlene Schuch's Hats On
Needles: Knitpicks US5 16" metal circs, Clover US4 bamboo dpns
Yarn: Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran Tweed, 2 balls

The hat for my dad is finished, although I'm afraid it may be too large. Paul will have to try it on for fit. There's also an owl hat in the works, too. I'm still chugging along on the EZ and Newfoundland mittens.
Mia sent me a marvelous Christmas package, complete with a whole battalion of these cute gingerbread boy ornaments. All sorts of other goodies, too -- books, fabric, quilt kits, a baby sweater kit, German gingerbread cookies (YUM!) and fancy French jam. Now that woman sends a great parcel! I'm afraid her parcel won't make it out in the mail until the New Year, though.
A couple weeks ago Paul and I went on our annual Fugly Christmas Sweater Pub Crawl. 150 people were involved this year -- a new record! That many people clad in hideous holiday garments moving from one Wrigleyville bar to another is quite the sight. No one managed to pull off a fugly sweater nearly as well as Colin Firth in Bridget Jones' Diary, though.