la primavera

With temperatures in the 80s the other week, Chicago seemed to have skipped spring and gone straight to summer.

Luckily the flowering trees and spring bulbs were there to remind us of the season.

My weekend away in Michigan with the knitting girls was amazing. So relaxing, and it felt like summer as we sat on the deck, knitting, chatting, soaking up the sun, and sipping Lady Sibyl cocktails. Blissful... (P.S. Don't you love that someone dreamed up Downtown Abbey-themed cocktails?  I want to try the Lady Mary next).

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Hmmm... lots on the knitting front, but not a ton of photos yet. Mostly I've been digging out old projects and finishing them off, though I did give in to temptation and cast on a sock:

Very... vibrant?!? OK, more like garish. The real reason I cast on was to try out my new 9 inch Hiya Hiya circular knitting needles. Yep, 9 inch circulars. It took a while to get used to them, but now that I've adjusted how my left hand holds the needle, the sock is flying along. We'll see if this pace holds up once I hit the heel. Then again, perhaps it's time to try an afterthought heel... I don't think these needles would work well with complex stitch patterns (especially cables), but for plain ol' stockinette or a basic rib pattern, they seem fine so far.

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What else have we been up to?

Brewing beer!  Here's Paul tending to our second batch of homebrew, a breakfast stout.

We got started with a kit from the Brooklyn Brew Shop. The grapefruit honey ale turned out quite well!  Not too sweet, with a nice citrusy finish. The kit is fairly easy, although make sure to read all directions very thoroughly before you start brewing. Keep in mind that not every ingredient is included, so make sure to pick up extras like grapefruit, honey, etc. first. Also, the kit leads you to believe that this is quick and easy and doesn't require much equipment. That's partly true. Much of the brewing time isn't terribly active, but you need to set aside a solid block of many hours. You can read a book, knit a few rounds on a sock, then check temperatures and stir. 

Also, you definitely need at least two very large pots and a mini auto-siphon. I highly recommend buying Star San so that you don't have to worry about rinsing all your equipment thoroughly after sanitizing it; also, it's easier to pick up bottles, caps, and a bottle capper from your local homebrew shop than it is to drink enough bottles of Grolsch (which have handy swing-tops).

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recipe round-up

- Chocolate Orange Cream Cheese Pound Cake, from Joy the Baker
- an incredibly decadent and addictive snack mix from Southern Living -- credit goes to Julie from my knitting group for discovering this recipe (NB: "honey graham cereal" is code for Golden Grahams)

pembroke

Clara Parkes recently revisited Imperial Stock Ranch yarns in Knitter's Review (an update to a previous glowing review from 2003), and it reminded me that I have an Imperial Stock Ranch project to share!

There's something amazing about using American yarn where you feel good not only about the yarn, but also about the producers, the history, the sheep, and the business model. In the words of Clara Parkes:

With so many wool yarns on the market, why should you bother going out of your way to find this one? For starters, it's a great knit that produces a spongy and succulent, home-grown fabric. But perhaps more important, when you've cast off that final stitch you'll be wearing a tale of Western expansion and the American dream.

You're wearing the story of how one man, equipped with just a saddle horse, pack horse, and six-gun, became the biggest landowner in the state of Oregon, running tens of thousands of sheep on the very same land as the sheep that produced your yarn today. And your garment will be physical proof that, while increasingly challenging, it's still possible to produce good domestic wool on a large scale while following ethical and sustainable business practices.

I stumbled across Imperial Stock Ranch's bulky 2-strand pencil roving at Loopy Yarns last fall, and I was intrigued. Soft, unspun roving in a gorgeous palette of colors. The yarn itself drew me in -- the pattern was really secondary here (unusual for me).

pattern: Pembroke Wrap, by Andrea Rangel

yarn: Imperial Stock Ranch bulky 2-strand pencil roving

wild iris, 1.5 skeins

needles: Clover US 11 bamboo circs

my ravelry project page

notes:

Pembroke was really fun to knit, and I love how soft and airy the yarn is. That said, it's a bit fragile since it's unspun, and the more natural feel of the wool comes with a few bits of vegetable matter sprinkled in. Loopy Yarns' owner warned me to be careful while knitting it, as it tends to break. You can easily felt it back together, but that's no one's favorite part of knitting.

My yarn only broke two or three times -- overall I had a great experience with it, no doubt because I am naturally a loose knitter. I suspect that a tight knitter might not enjoy the yarn as much. I was very careful when washing the finished shawl, as I feared felting; pinning it out to block it was no problem.

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And now it's time to finish packing for my knitting group's annual getaway weekend. Michigan, here I come! We're slated to have glorious weather (80 degrees in the Upper Midwest in March?  madness!).

brought to you by the letters BSJ and X

Shockingly, this is my first time knitting a Baby Surprise Jacket! Love its unique construction and general cleverness, despite EZ's trademark "pithy" directions.

Clearly I ran out of hand-dyed yarn. Let's just call the solid pink border a "design element." Now to find the perfect buttons...

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The cross-stitch frenzy is continuing...

I finished the "plant kindness" sampler from Little House Needleworks the other day, and now need to frame it. For years my (precise and handy) father cheerfully took over this task for me, but it's probably time for me to man up, so to speak, and do it myself. There are a couple of handy guides to framing needlework here and here.

Another project is already underway, this time a kit from Blackbird Designs' Loose Feathers series:
Still primitive Americana, but a little more complicated. All the floss is overdyed, which means you need to do each x as you go (rather than my preferred Ford-factory-assembly-line method), plus evenweave linen instead of my usual Aida (so much more counting). There are a few crazy stitches like the eyelet stitch and Smyrna cross, plus a boatload of lazy daisies. Fun nonetheless, and a great break for the wrists. Lots of time on the computer at work lately has meant that the knitting pace had to slow down a bit.

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noteworthy:

- Joss Whedon's new film, The Cabin in the Woods, debuted at SXSW, and it sounds intriguing! 
- Orla Kiely's new line of bedding hits the shelves at Bed, Bath & Beyond in May.
- Posie Gets Cozy's online shop features a new whimsical and charming cross-stitch kit.

bluebeard

I happily knit the last repeat and cast off my State Street Cowl last weekend. I was a little skeptical about how exactly this oversized, bulky-knit cowl would look on me, but the lace pattern was pretty, and the bird's egg Quince and Co. yarn was such a nice color. 

Yeah, apparently I look like Bluebeard in it. Not exactly what I was going for...

Pattern: State Street Cowl, by Pam Allen

Yarn: Quince and Co. Puffin, bird's egg, 2.2 skeins

Needles: Clover US 13 and 15 bamboo circs

note to self:

Do not knit another humongous cowl.

I'm left with a conundrum -- what to knit with this yarn? So far it has been an Oatmeal Pullover (too bulky), a garter stitch blanket (not enough drape), and this cowl. Sigh...

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While flipping through the latest WEBS catalog I was pleasantly surprised by the really lovely and creative patterns written for their exclusive (i.e., affordable and competitive with Knit Picks) line of Valley Yarns. I'm still finishing my Aidez cardigan, but that doesn't mean a girl can't dream...

-- Valley Yarns 361 Teal Top-Down Cardigan
Cute pattern, with a decidedly un-cute name. This one looks great for layering or pairing with a denim skirt?

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-- Boothbay lace pullover (knit sideways!)

I think my mom would love this -- comfy but still rather elegant.

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-- Valley Yarns 450 Purlless Pullover

Another soulless name for a very attractive pattern. Looks like a versatile cotton knit for spring and fall, and the so-called "nalgar" ("raglan backwards") sleeves are intriguing (though slightly linebacker-y).

I'm usually not so big on spring knits, but WEBS actually has me inspired! Bravo.

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An Orla Kiely pear tablecloth found its way to my doorstep, and it's just begging to be turned into curtains for my re-vamped study!

lazy weekend morning

Inspired by Alicia's recent post about counted cross stitch (and the darling sampler kit she has in the works), I dug out my cross stitch supplies and got to work.

Cross stitch is the first craft I really embraced. The summer that we were 10, my best friend and I took a very dorky (but apparently quite inspiring) class called "X Marks the Spot." For years we always had a project or two going. Now it falls by the wayside to knitting much of the time, but once in a blue moon there's a cross stitch renaissance chez Caffeinated Yarn.

Compared to my usual knitting and crochet, cross stitch is amazingly affordable, compact, and easy to store. I love the wide palette of colors. On the minus side, it's hard to know what exactly to do with the finished products, which are generally purely decorative. You can't exactly cuddle up in a cross stitch sampler on a cold, wintry day as you would with a cozy afghan or a handknit sweater.

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I'm making plans to spruce up our flat a bit. A paint color has been chosen for my study:

bird's egg, by benjamin moore

Some cute nesting boxes to organize office and craft supplies just arrived in the post:

 Orla Kiely nesting boxes

to everything there is a season

With a heavy heart I said a final farewell to my grandmother last week. She had been failing for a while, and we knew that her time was limited, so I booked a flight for last weekend to say good-bye. Sadly, this did not come to pass, and we ended up driving across the Wisconsin woods and Minnesota prairies for a funeral instead. I should have taken pictures of the fantastic icicles dripping down the bluffs along the Mississippi River, or the surreal image of hundreds of windmills dotting the prairie, or even the thick fog rolling across the snowy fields.

Seeing family and friends was a comfort, as was sharing favorite memories. Good-bye, Grandma Max -- we'll miss you, your ever-present smile, and the twinkle in your eye, but we know that you lived a good, long life.

She loved to make quilts, and she made a handmade quilt for each of her children, as well as her grandchildren. She also embroidered many towels. She enjoyed canning pickles. While a resident of Tuff Nursing Home, she enjoyed playing cards, especially “Kings in a Corner” with her daughter. She will be remembered by her family and friends for her delicious sugar cookies, as well as for her homemade lefse. 

Grandma Max was a hard worker, as all farmers are -- driving tractor, cleaning the cream separator, butchering chickens, feeding the barn cats, crocheting slippers, and baking up a storm. Her sugar cookie recipe truly is legendary. These cookies are short and crisp -- quite unlike garden-variety sugar cookie cut-outs.

Grandma Maxine's Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup white (granulated) sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups + 1 tablespoon flour

- Cream sugars and butter; add eggs, then oil and vanilla.
- Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Chill overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll spoonfuls into small balls, then drop on cookie sheet, and press with a glass that has been dipped in white sugar.
- Baking time depends on thickness of cookies. Don't let them get brown, just a hint at the edges!
- Makes about 3 dozen.

in the works

Another little design is in the works. I'm using a lovely shade of gold that has (sadly) been discontinued by Knit Picks. I'm off the semisolids and indie dyers lately... not sure what's up with that, but I'm loving the stitch definition of solid colored yarn, and I'm enjoying the soft, fuzzy heather blue-green of my Aidez cardigan.

Don't these shades of aqua, gold, and cream go beautifully together? I think this may be the perfect color palette for my study. Now to visit the paint store!

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Even though I'm spending more time wearing my editor hat rather than my researcher cap these days, I still get to work from home fairly often. Wow, is that great. I especially enjoy eating a healthy lunch at home while reading a good book. I tried this easy recipe for cornbread, and it is yummy. Basic, no frills, but delicious. Much better than the Jiffy corn muffin mixes of my childhood.

all wrapped up in handknits

Last Valentine's Day I gave Paul the promise of a Doctor Who scarf, something he had been requesting for years.

Many, many rows of garter stitch and eight skeins of yarn later, it is complete! I selected a rather more subtle palette of colors than the original and didn't make it nearly as long, as I wanted it to be something Paul would actually wear rather than a costume piece.

Doctor Who scarf

needles: US 6 Clover bamboo straights

yarn: Knit Picks Swish Worsted

cobblestone heather 

eggplant 

garnet heather 

gold 

lemongrass heather 

squirrel heather

truffle

my ravelry project page

notes:

I cast on 44 stitches and loosely followed this pattern until I ran out of yarn. One skein of each color, except for two skeins of squirrel heather. Paul's also sporting the Armando hat I knit for him.

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Rue kindly sent me a wee bit of ginger Madelintosh tosh merino light  so that I can bind off my live oak shawlette. Hooray! Many thanks, Rue.

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- Inc. has a thought-provoking piece on entrepreneurs in Norway (a country near and dear to my heart)

winter at last

Winter is finally here, blanketing Chicago in beautiful snow.

This afternoon I hung the suet feeder in my backyard, and I expect to be inundated with juncos, kinglets, siskens, tanagers, and titmice at any moment. These are just a few species of songbirds that Garfield's Energy Suet claims to attract.

Indeed. I'll keep you posted as to how that goes! One might guess that bird-watching and urban settings don't mix terribly well, but there are some pretty decent bird preserves along Lake Michigan (such as the Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary), and this has been a record year for snowy owl sightings in Chicago.

The back of my Aidez cardigan is complete, and I've just done the ribbing for the left front! I have visions of wearing Aidez while sipping a mug of coffee and peacefully gazing upon my snowy backyard full of cheerful tanagers and titmice. A girl can dream...

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in the kitchen

Alicia recently highlighted this curried lentil soup recipe, so I gave it a try. Delicious! Hearty and substantial, with plenty of flavor but not too spicy. This is one of those lentil soups that gets a little mushy (if you don't like that quality, you could substitute French lentils). I really appreciate that this is different from our standby curried lentil soup recipe, which has lots of tomatoes and balsamic vinegar to make it tangy. (I use chicken stock instead of water and add a couple of carrots, diced, to that recipe.)

Aidez

I spent part of the weekend curled up with my knitting needles and many cups of coffee from my new bestie, the Nespresso machine. Blissful! Aidez is coming along quite nicely. The first few rows juggling the cable patterns were tough going, but it became easier with practice, as most things do. I *know* I'm doing one of the narrow cross-stitch cables wrong (they're supposed to be mirrored), but I wasn't about to change my methods midstream. I'm certainly not picky enough to rip way back and make them perfect (so not the point of knitting for me).

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in the kitchen

- Curried tofu with tomatoes, with coconut rice

- My buffalo chicken chili recipe is a part of Pottery Barn's latest theme party feature, Big Game Party!

hello, 2012!

New year, fresh start. 2011 had its strikes and gutters, ups and downs, and I for one am very happy to be moving forward. Don't get me wrong -- there were good things about 2011, like my new position at the Press and our terrific new digs, but overall there was a certain too-muchness. We spent New Year's Eve with friends, the first time with little ones in tow, and it was delightful. I made Heidi's recipe for gougères, which were delicious but difficult to pronounce.

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2011's diagonal box-stitch afghan is still growing:

The stitch pattern has become second nature, and the superwash merino wool is soft and cushy (which is good, since I'm on my ninth skein of the stuff). If only the crochet hook hadn't fallen behind a heavy dresser yesterday! Note to self: must enlist Paul's help in moving that behemoth.

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There's a new project for 2012 in the works, too:

 

I cast on for Aidez at knit night, and the ribbing is going swimmingly. The cross-stitch cable instructions, however, aren't for the faint of heart, so I'm pleased that we're doing it as a knitalong

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I'm not really one for setting goals with my hobbies. For me the point is to relax and go with the flow. I get stressed out enough already -- no need for extra anxiety. I suppose one goal is to use the supplies I have! We're at maximum crafty storage capacity at the moment. I'd also like to finish my sadly neglected Shalder cardigan, knit Aidez in time to wear it this winter, finish a quilt that's been on the back burner far too long... oh wait, that's a whole bunch of goals. Onward and upward!

May health, happiness, and good times greet you each day of the new year.

post-Christmas caffeine rush

Paul delighted me with a fancy Nespresso machine for Christmas. It's very quick and easy, and the espresso is fantastic! I have some lingering qualms about the wastefulness and expense of the little Nespresso capsules, but overall it's terrific and fun to use. The Nespresso booklets and website, however, are pretentious to the point that it's amusing (capsules can be couriered to you posthaste in case of a dire espresso shortage!). I have a feeling that T-Mos would love using this gizmo just before reciting lines from the Inferno in Italian.

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I've sweet-talked the girls in my knitting group into a knit-along for the new year:

Aidez, a free pattern by Cirilia Rose for Berroco

I rustled through my stash and rounded up some Cascade Eco Plus in a lovely shade of light blue:

#9452 Summer Sky Heather

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I've been on a reading kick lately, and my goal for this long weekend is to spend some more quality time with a good book (or four), sip espresso, and do some knitting. 

Some recent recommendations:

 Chosen by a Horse, by Susan Richards 

I'm not usually one for nonfiction or "feel good" memoirs, but this book really spoke to me. Richards writes about adopting a neglected horse and how it helped her reconsider her own life and dare to trust and take risks. Rescuing horses is one of my dreams for "when my ship comes in," and I'm one of those who got hooked on horses after a childhood spent immersed in Misty of Chincoteague.

Bossypants, by Tina Fey

Fey is funny, warm, and genuine in this book about her path from Pennsylvania to 30 Rock. It's a book that seems very real -- not like something cooked up by a ghostwriter to cash in. Some parts are humorous, others talk candidly about being a woman, both in comedy and in society in general.

What I'm reading now:

Wildwood, by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis

So far it's charming, but wow, does Meloy love adjectives... this runs the risk of being overly precious, so we'll see how it goes...

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Back with crafty photos soon, I hope. Camera research is underway, though I may have to break down and start using Paul's tablet gizmo's camera feature in the meantime.

so drink your gin and tonica...

It's time for Hannukah, Festivus, and all the other wintry holiday celebrations. Ah, the immortal words of Adam Sandler.

The tree is trimmed, the cards are (mostly) written, and cookies have been baked. Sadly, my digital camera just bit the dust so I have no tree or knitting photos to share. Time to start researching cameras!

We're hosting a second holiday family gathering at our place on the 26th. I'm going with a mostly Scandinavian theme -- gløgg, pickled herring, gjetost, Norwegian and Swedish baked goods. I couldn't bring myself to make lutefisk (dried cod treated with lye) though -- so gelatinous and disgusting. Now we just need some snow!

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Looking for some holiday music that's not run of the mill? We've now exhausted our steady rotation of Low, Vince Guaraldi, and Sarah McLachlan.

Check out all the mixes over at I Am Fuel, You are Friends, or listen to my wintry mix:

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No, this is not Capricha! A feline visitor bunked with us last week while her owner was away. Lewes is essentially Capricha's (thinner, longer-tailed) doppelgänger. Lewes occupied the front half of our flat, while Capricha stuck to the back -- they seemed surprisingly oblivious about each other's presence. (P.S. This is the last photo from my poor camera...)

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 Last December Paul introduced me to one of his childhood holiday favorites, Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. It's pretty much the sweetest, funniest holiday special. The muppets are adorable and kind of primitive, the story is a thoughtful take on "The Gift of the Magi," and there's a lot of great (and hilarious) music.  Apparently we're not alone in loving Emmet Otter! Here are some recent shout-outs from the folks at NPR and the Onion.

in which I exhibit some wisdom

So, I resolved to be smart about unventing the scallop-edge garter stitch throw. Not only did I check my gauge, but I also did some math and took a long, careful look at the fabric I was getting with the lovely Quince & Co. Puffin yarn. And then I carefully wound up the yarn and shoved it back in my knitting basket. :( This was, however, a good learning experience:

a) I would have run out of yarn.
b) The fabric didn't have enough drape.
c) It was very, very heavy on the needles.

Some of the puffin yarn is destined to become a State Street Cowl (thanks, ifandany, for highlighting the pattern the other day!).

To make up for NOT knitting myself that cozy (but sure to be ill-fated) throw, I instead started crocheting like a madwoman. This is the easy-peasy diagonal box stitch, worked corner-to-corner, which I love, since one avoids making a foundation chain. (Mine are often too tight.) I'm using a very affordable superwash wool -- Knit Picks Bare Swish Worsted. Very soft and cozy, and the undyed version comes in nice long 220-yard skeins.

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in the kitchen

I hosted a low-key crafty afternoon for the girls from my knitting group this afternoon. Such a great, relaxing way to start off the holiday season! I tried not to go too overboard with the menu this time, but I did make a few things:

- brie en croute with brown sugar, bourbon, and pecans (holy smokes, this was awesome)

- my family's recipe for Norwegian cookies 
- easy mulled wine (next time I'd fortify it with Cointreau or maybe brandy)
- "the best" pumpkin bread (pretty good, but not as terrific as my mom's recipe, which I need to track down)

sofa city, sweetheart

I managed to catch a nasty cold while spending far too much time at doctor's offices last week. Blech! The upside? Lots of knitting/tv time, plus Paul tended to many of my (increasingly crazy) whims. As much as I am a homebody, too much time spent housebound makes me nuts. Paul does make a pretty terrific hot toddy (a family cold remedy on my mum's side).

Good thing that True Blood has strong healing properties. So trashy, but so addictive...

I knit two of these cozy Armando hats -- red for me, charcoal grey for Paul. I love the texture! The pattern is easy to follow. I knit 7.5 repeats of the "lace" pattern (manliest lace I've ever seen, btw, but it does feature yarnovers and thus does technically qualify, I suppose).  Using smaller needles (US 7)  was a good choice. I'll definitely knit more of these, especially since the holidays are just around the corner.

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The Oatmeal Pullover has been frogged, and these lovely balls of Puffin are ready for me to unvent the Pottery Barn scallop-knit throw.

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Capricha is taking over Kylie's old job as clean-laundry tester. So cute, but I'll have to rewash that towel...

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linkety

- knitting behind bars
- a bookshelf that's bigger on the inside

holidazed

I found these sweet mercury glass owls at West Elm, and one is now perched at the top of our built-in bookcases, wisely surveying the living-room realm.

Don't they remind you a bit of Bubo from Clash of the Titans?

Very classy. And shiny. Because those two qualities go hand in hand.

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I'm also in love with these flannel sheets that my mum gave me for early Christmas:

What a cheery fair isle motif!

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I spotted this beautiful, cozy throw at Pottery Barn:

Now that's a pattern that I can unvent! A garter stitch blanket with a crochet shell edging? Easy as pie. I may frog my overly bulky (and unflattering) Oatmeal Pullover and use the beautiful bird's egg Quince & Co. yarn for this. The PB version is knit in acrylic, of course, so Quince & Co. wool would be about a thousand steps up.

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What did we spot on our drive back to Chicago?

In Wisconsin Dells, on a Jeep, of course. <3