international scarf exchange

(photo credit: Joni)

Joni received the scarf that I made for her, so now I can post a picture of the finished product! This was a great project for me. I learned two new techniques in the process: (1) short rows, and (2) fringe (OK, not hard, but it was a first for me). I love the Silk Garden yarn. I did mess up a bit while binding off, so I hope the fringe camouflages that.

christmas cross-stitch overload

I love stitching little ornament projects. The problem is that I only enjoy the stitching, not the finishing. Over the years this tendency has resulted in a boatload of little, tiny, unfinished WIPs. Last time I visited my parents my mother cleared all of these projects out of storage and told me to take them away.

So what did I do? I joined a couple holiday ornament swaps, hoping that this will provide me with the long-overdue impetus to finish these babies off.

Exhibit A: Wintry wonderland little blue ornaments


Exhibit B: Cute and cheery bird and Santas.
Exhibit C: Old-fashioned hearts. These are going to be awful to finish off because of their odd shape.

Exhibit D: At least this is a big one! The kitty needs to go into a frame or be made into a pillow. I started this MANY years ago; so long ago, in fact, that I no longer like it. Alas...

I find this highly unlikely

since I clearly exist, and I just don't think my name is that unusual. Silly quizzes.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 0 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

in the kitchen

The cinnamony aroma of fall baking is in the air this weekend. Yesterday it was Everyday Food's Ginger Pumpkin Bread. I was inspired to make this by Alicia. It is not only delicious, but also easy to make. Adding bits of crystallized ginger would improve the recipe. (NB: photo credit goes to Everyday Food and the Martha crew; I'm not too into food styling yet)

This afternoon my friend Suzy and I are having a joint baking session. The to-bake list includes:

- Lunch Box Apple Cake

• - Pumpkin Custard Bar Cookies

- Easy Baked Applesauce

I had to explain to my friend Bryan the other night what blondies are. He had never heard of them! Shocking, I tell you.

Recipes for the upcoming week include:

- Polenta Lasagna. I add sun-dried tomatoes, Tabasco sauce, and cayenne pepper.

- Leek and Goat Cheese Focaccia, from Jeanne Lemlin's Main Course Vegetarian Pleasures, a favorite cookbook (in spite of its awful title).

- Black-Bean Quesadillas with Goat Cheese. Once again, I add plenty of cayenne pepper!

another midwest knitting event

Midwest knitters, take note! This is right outside Madison, in Mt. Horeb, WI, and it would combine quite nicely with the EZ exhibit in Madison.

Blackberry Ridge's annual holiday open house is coming up at the Mill on
Saturday, November 18, from 10:00 until 4:00
and
Sunday, November 19, from noon until 4:00

a new scarf for me

My International Scarf Exchange package arrived in the mail this morning, and I absolutely adore my new scarf!
It's a beautiful dark blue, and it looks great with my blue and grey coat. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk, and it is divinely soft. The stitch pattern is beautiful. My pal, Joan, did such an excellent job on this! I have already worn it, and my best friend noticed it right away when we met for lunch.

Joan included other goodies as well: Cast-On magazine, fancy chocolate-covered Oreos, some yummy-smelling Savannah Bee Company honey hand lotion, a neat flower lollipop, and a skein of some beautiful and unusual yarn.Mango Moon Bali Sky, in 3302 Dawn.

So gorgeous! I think it's made from recycled sarongs.
It deserves a very special project!
Joan carries this yarn in her online yarn shop, The Local Needle.

One more pic of my new scarf

Rainy Thursday in the Windy City

This sign greeted me at the baggage claim at O'Hare when I arrived back in Chicago:

Very, very odd. This is the type of sign that doesn't get posted unless there's a history of such activities taking place. Who the h*#@ sleeps on the baggage carousel? How restful could that possibly be? I can see the appeal of sitting or standing if you're 5, but that's about it.

My friend gave me these darling almond bark/pretzel ghosts. So cute and clever!
I finally learned how to use DPNs properly at knitting group last night. Mittens, hats, SOCKS, here I come.

My brother's fabulous new (used) SUV! I absolutelly love it, despite its gas-hog tendencies. 4 wheel drive is a beautiful thing in the winter here in the Upper Midwest. Plus it's a gorgeous shade of blue! **car envy rears its ugly head**

Behold the power of poetry

Check out this post by Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert. Hat tip to my husband, Paul.

48 things

I've seen this meme all over the place, so here's another.

48 things you probably never wanted to know in the first place

1. FIRST NAME? Jodi

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? I can't make it through a movie (or a fight) without crying. I cried while watching The Horse Whisperer last Sat. night. Hey, the movie was my parents' choice.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes, it's neat and easy to read.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Very thinly sliced Boar's Head ham

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I certainly hope so!

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Just a blog.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No way, I'm afraid of heights.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Special K

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes, but I wear clogs and sandals as much as possible, so it's not always an issue.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I'm one tough broad. On a more serious note, I am strong emotionally and surprisingly strong physically as well.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Chocolate peanut butter. Oooh... Godiva Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, too. And Ben and Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie. I guess I like ice cream :-)

14. SHOE SIZE? US 9

15. RED OR PINK? Red! Either dark red or bright UW Badgers red.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I have a hard time with my weight.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? I'm not sure.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Not unless they feel like it.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black microfleece yoga pants (best Old Navy product ever!), black microfleece pullover, and black and grey striped socks. No shoes for me!

20. LAST THING YOU ATE? A little Mexican fiesta that I cooked up for dinner. Bean and chicken enchiladas, roasted corn and bell pepper salad, tortilla chips with guacamole and salsa, and margaritas.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? An old compilation CD -- MTV 120 Minutes Never Mind the Mainstream (Vol. 1). The current song is fabulous -- "Ana Ng" by They Might Be Giants.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? indigo

23. FAVORITE SMELL? Right now it's the White Barn Candle Company "Creamy Nutmeg" candle that's burning right next to me. Usually it's the smell of clean sheets!

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My best friend.

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Eyes! And smiles.

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? Well, I saw many knitbloggers doing this one.

27. FAVORITE DRINK? Gin and tonic, my friend Bryan's excellent margaritas, Green Mountain Coffee, Candy Cane Lane Tea (by Celestial Seasonings)

28. FAVORITE SPORT? Sports? Me? I think not. On second thought, I take that back. I love to ice skate.

29. EYE COLOR? Dark blue

30. HAT SIZE? large

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? about half the time.

32. FAVORITE FOOD? Pizza, my mom's Swedish Kringler Bars

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings. I'm a sucker for Sixteen Candles.

34. IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD THAT BE? Madison, Wisconsin or Boulder, Colorado

35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter all the way!

36. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs.

37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Tiramisu. Mom's Swedish Kringler Bars

38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? hmmm...

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? hmmm...

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Here Be Dragons, by Sharon Kay Penman; Senecan Drama and Stoic Cosmology, by Thomas Rosenmeyer; Against Depression, by Peter Kramer

41. WHAT’S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? a mouse

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Antiques Roadshow. Once again, please bear in mind that I was visiting my parents. I actually saw part of the Lawrence Welk Show with them on Saturday.

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Kylie Cat snoring.

44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles!

45. THE FURTHEST YOU’VE BEEN FROM HOME? Australia

46. WHAT’S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? Latin

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Edina, MN

48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Stolen from the knitblogging community, Karin in particular.

more on the EZ exhibit

There's more info on the UW-Madison EZ exhibit here. There's even a knitting workshop:

"25 Tricks of the Trade" workshop with Carol A. Anderson: Sunday, November 19, 1-5 p.m. in Rm. 178 in the School of Human Ecology. Carol Anderson will share techniques garnered from over 50 years of knitting experiences: teaching, attending workshops, designing and writing patterns. Carol will share a variety of tips, including yarn joins, calculating gauge, two-color yarn carries, row counting, cable tricks, tips for following Aran Isle patterns and much more. Workshop participants must have knitting experience and bring double-pointed needles, (#4 or #5), a small amount of light-colored worsted weight yarn, calculator, scissors, and a tapestry needle. Registration is limited to 25. The cost will be $20 for the general public, $15 for Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection members, and $10 for students. To registrer, mail a check made out to "Design Gallery Exhibitions Fund" to: Carol Anderson Workshop c/o Design Gallery, 1300 Linden Drive, Madison WI 53706. For more information, call 608-262-8815

Elizabeth Zimmermann exhibit

UW-Madison is featuring an Elizabeth Zimmermann exhibit :

"New School Knitting," composed of about 35 pieces, plus a selection of videos and other materials, will run through Sunday, Dec. 17, in the School of Human Ecology's Gallery of Design on Linden Drive. Swansen will attend the opening reception at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29, at the gallery. Greenfield will speak at 2 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session with Swansen.

Knitters will be welcome for drop-in sessions starting at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Nov. 2, 9 and 16 in the gallery. Plans for a weekend knitting workshop also are in progress. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, or call (608) 262-8815.

Sounds like it's time to make a trek back to my alma mater.

knitting away in Minnesota

My plan was to knit up a swatch of my newly-acquired Plymouth Suri Merino, an absolutely lovely alpaca/wool blend that puts the Knitpicks Andean Silk to shame. Lo and behold, I now have another scarf on the needles. There should be plenty of yarn to make one of Grumperina's Odessa hats as well. Minus the beads, of course.

I absolutely love this easy, reversible stitch pattern. Just one row to remember! This is a blessing after the mess I made of my lattice scarf while watching The Horse Whisperer on Saturday night. Messing up on a bias knit scarf resulted in a very funky shape, much to my dismay. The movie was far better than I expected, though fairly predictable. The real star of the movie was Big Sky Country -- Montana. The cinematography was fabulous, and I longed for mountains and open spaces while I watched.

My mother is doing far better physically than I had anticipated. She actually has been cooking up wonderful meals for me in an exact role-reversal of what I envisioned. I did bake my dad a carrot cake for his birthday, though, when Mom needed a rest.

We did some thrifting yesterday and found a few goodies that, alas, cannot be mentioned publicly.

I joined the Holiday Ornament Swap, and I'm already planning my contributions. Maybe little knitted mittens or stockings? Or embroidered felt birds a la last year's Anthropologie catalog? I would love to find a pattern for knitted (*not crocheted*) ice skate ornaments. You know, those cute ones that use paper clips as blades. I have a yellow pair (with bright pink pompoms) that my grandmother made in about 1960 or so.

sweaters + 50 nifty united states

The Sienna Cardigan from the fall 2006 issue of Interweave Knits has also piqued my interest. Not in orange, but maybe in a lovely shade of blue Malabrigo. Heather (at All Things Heather, 10/1/06 post -- I can't get the link to work) knit a beautiful Sienna in Jaeger Shetland Aran. I just happen to have an abundance of navy Jaeger Shetland Aran, and this might be a great opportunity to use it.

Karin has reassured me that tackling a sweater for the first time isn't that intimidating. I may go with the Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, despite the abundance of mindless stockinette. I love the finished products that I have seen, and it would be great to learn about waist shaping, sleeves, etc. without having to worry about the stitch pattern. I have only knit baby sweaters, and you don't need to worry about waist shaping there! Babies look darn cute in just about anything. :-)

In other knitting news, frogging Andean Silk isn't all that fun. It gets a little fuzzy and icky. Not my favorite yarn, but I like it better than most acrylic blends.

Inspired by the other night's successful Rachael Ray meal, I chose the very next recipe on the page: Seaman's Potpie. Awful name, awful recipe. Gluey consistency due to excessive cornstarch, very little flavor, terrible aroma, and very expensive to make. The name alone should have warned me away!

Which of the 50 United States have I visited? This may help with trip planning! Apparently I have neglected the Pacific Northwest and New England. Sorry, the southwest and the south are both just too darn hot for a winter-loving Minnesota native like me.



create your own visited states map

check out these Google Hacks.

my latest fiery concoction

Rachael Ray's Buffalo Chicken Chili was a huge hit last night. I made a few modifications:

- I added 1 extra carrot (adding 2 extra carrots would be fine, too). I love to sneak more vegetables into recipes like this.

- I used lean ground chicken breast.

- I cut down on the butter and olive oil.

- I added a 15-oz. can of cannellini beans, with some (but not all) of the liquid drained off. This was a huge improvement over the original recipe.

- I crumbled blue cheese over the top of the chili and skipped making the blue-cheese corn pancakes. I served sourdough bread instead.

winter preview from Interweave Knits

I'm taking my cue from Fig & Plum and checking out the new sneak preview. I subscribe to Interweave Knits, but I never make much from it, probably because of my fear of committing to a whole, adult-sized sweater. Here's what caught my fancy:

The Nantucket Jacket -- very classy. I like its lines and shaping; however, I fear that the presence of so many cables may look too bulky on anyone who's not a size 4 (i.e., me).


A cardigan for Arwen -- more my style, but awfully short. I like the cable details, as opposed to the allover cables.








Enid Cardigan -- gorgeous! I love the colorwork and the graceful neckline. It's definitely beyond my knitting capabilities at present, but maybe someday. :-)

BTW, the pumpkin knit up very quickly. All I need to do is make a trip to Joann for some stuffing and knit up a little green stem to attach.

autumnal stash-busting

I dug into the stash and pulled out a skein of chunky orange yarn to knit up a cute pumpkin in honor of autumn.

Pattern: Carol's Pumpkin Pattern, by Carol Sanders
Yarn: Lion Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Spice (a dark, heathered orange)
Needles: Clover US 11 24-inch circular

This is going to be a quick knit! I had forgotten how quickly bulky yarn knits up.


Here are a couple finished pumpkins on display.
I found the pattern online on a yarn store webpage, but I haven't been able to retrace my steps.

If you're interested in the pattern, leave me a comment and I'll send it to you as a Word file. It calls for worsted or DK yarn and 13-inch circs. I'm adapting the pattern to use the yarn I already have. :-)

Deep and mysterious? Really?

You Are Emerald Green

Deep and mysterious, it often seems like no one truly gets you. Inside, you are very emotional and moody - though you don't let it show. People usually have a strong reaction to you... profound love or deep hate. But you can even get those who hate you to come around. There's something naturally harmonious about you.

What Color Green Are You?

I took a trip out of the city on Friday afternoon to an apple orchard and pumpkin patch in Indiana. Here are some of the fruits of my trip. I picked up plenty of apples, cider, and cider donuts, too. Yum!

The Boy has been working awful hours at the office lately, so he missed out on the orchard and proceeded to spend all day at work on Saturday, as well. :-(

I added fringe to my noro scarf for the ISE, and it looks great. It just needs a steam block, then it's winging its away across the country. I also added another two feet to my red lattice scarf.

My mother was in the hospital last week, and I'm planning a trip to Minneapolis for the upcoming weekend to cheer her up and help out my dad. I'm gathering up hearty, healthy recipes so I can cook them some meals while I'm there. Hopefully I can freeze them a supply of dinners. This is a bit of a challenge for me, since I don't eat red meat and I love spicy food. They eat plenty of red meat (and pork) and they can't take anything too spicy.

I'm also putting together a little gift package for my mom. I think I'll hit Paper Source for some card-making supplies, make her some CDs,
and select a couple movies.

You can tell it's getting colder around here. The cats are getting fluffier and snugglier, just how I like them.

another scarf on the needles

This time it's a lattice scarf. I was inspired by this one over at Tea and Cakes.

Yarn: Knitpicks Andean Silk (alpaca/silk/merino), Hollyberry
Needles: Brittany birch US 7 single points

I have 3 skeins of yarn, so we'll see how long it gets. It's a pretty skinny scarf, so it might be very long. I think it will look great up against my charcoal wool coat.

At first I didn't like the feel of the Andean Silk. It seemed pretty solid, and it doesn't have much give or spring. I'm growing to like it over time, though. Too squishy a yarn would just stretch out with wear.

This would definitely look more lattice-like if I had used larger needles, but I'm fine with it. There's always next time...

Knitters Tea Swap bounty

Susah H. sent me two wonderful packages for the Knitters Tea Swap. They both arrived on my doorstep on Tuesday. What a lovely surprise after a long day on campus! All I can say is that Susan has exquisite taste.

A sampler of 6 flavored black teas from Adagio, Susan's favorite tea source. I'm drinking the cinnamon tea as I type, and it's delicious! The beautiful handpainted yarn is "Rhumba" from Dancing Leaf Farm. Not only are the colors wonderful, the yarn itself has a great hand and there's a ton of yardage (300+). And it's organic merino wool! I think it's the perfect yarn. Maybe mittens and a hat?

Also from Adagio is this clever infuser mug. Not only is it cool and mod looking, it has a lid to keep tea hot while it steeps. The mesh infuser doesn't leak tea leaves like my old mesh infuser spoons do. Plus the whole thing is dishwasher-safe! What could be better? Susan has also simplified my birthday and Christmas shopping this year. I'm going to buy a bunch of these great infuser mugs as presents for all the tea-drinkers I know.

This morning was perfect for drinking tea. There were a few snow flurries in the air here in Chi-town. Here's some evidence: