Northern Skies Mystery Shawl KAL

A mystery no more! The shawl that I am wearing was knit as part of a mystery KAL hosted by Christelle Nihoul, one of my new favorite designers.  It was an extremely well organized KAL that ran over the course of 4 weeks and the teaser clue at the start was that the design was inspired by her trip to Iceland and the dramatic cloud formations in the northern skies.

I was immediately intrigued with a cloudscape design as I spend so much time outdoors with Simcha under the canopy of clouds and skies.  I thought what a great idea it would be to take the clouds and sky with me indoors or wherever Simcha or I should happen to be.

I'm really taken with these mystery KALs.  There is of course the risk that you won't like the final design but if you are familiar with the designer it's more likely than not that you will both have fun and love the shawl you make. One of the best parts of a mystery KAL is discovering the design unfold as a group and sharing pictures and getting immediate feedback on any questions from the designer.  There is also the motivation to keep up with the clues being released and I like that because I tend to have a number of projects on the needles at the same time and that can result in UFOs simply because you loose interest over time.

Generally a mystery KAL project will be a straight forward knit but it may have some challenging elements. If you are a newer knitter this is a good opportunity to learn a new technique as the designer will provide links to helpful tutorials and the group as a whole is a wonderful resource for learning.  This particular shawl had a lot of stockinette but it did incorporate short rows to create the "clouds" and a lace border which kept the project interesting to knit and created a very artistic piece of knitting.

Particulars:  Northern Skies Mystery KAL by Christelle Nihoul (blogs as Christal Little Kitchen); 2 skeins Cephalopod Yarns (Skinny Bugga) and 1 skein Hedgehog Fibers Kidsilk Lace; US 6 and 8 needles.  This is a very easy and well written pattern that creates a stunning piece of art.  Finished (blocked) dimensions: 80" x 17."

A Favorite Cloudscape ~

This view is from my neighborhood in Topanga looking east toward Los Angeles as the sun rises.  It was taken late last summer and for some reason reminds me of Lana Del Rey's song Summertime Sadness.

Until next time be well, love well, and have fun with your summertime activities, mysterious or otherwise.

Easter Sweet Bun Recipe and Ishbel Shawl

Easter Sweet Bun Recipe ~

These are buns you will want to nibble on!  I have tried and tried to find the perfect sweet bun recipe, especially around Easter. But I was always disappointed.  Either the filling had spices that I didn't like or the glaze was not sweet enough.  But I have finally hit the jackpot.  I found an English recipe for iced sweet buns that was very close to what I wanted, but for the icing.  It also needed a firmer dough to stand up to a frosting instead of a glaze.  So I tweaked the recipe a bit and added a frosting with a touch of lemon for spring and there you have it.  It was exactly what I had mind for a Spring tea treat! I almost swooned with my first bite and I couldn't restrain myself from woofing down two with my afternoon tea.  They are too good to eat just one.

Sweet Bun Ingredients:
450g white bread flour (weight)  I prefer using King Arthur Bread flour
1 tsp table salt
75g white sugar (weight) I prefer extra fine baking sugar
7g dried yeast (weight)
5oz whole milk (volume)
5oz water (volume)
50g unsweetened butter (weight)

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups sifted confectionery sugar
1/2 cup sweet butter (room temperature)
1 tsp lemon extract
1 Tbs whole milk
Pinch table salt

Steps:

1.  In a small saucepan gently melt butter with milk and water.  Allow mixture to cool to just above room temperature.  If it's too hot it will kill your yeast, but you do want it slightly warm to touch.
2.  Combine white bread flour, salt, sugar and dried yeast in a mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment mix in the wet ingredients (cooled mixture of butter, milk and water) until just combined.  Switch to a dough hook and kneed for a few minutes.  The dough should be a soft but not stick to the sides of your bowl. If the dough is very sticky then add a little more flour until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of your bowl.  If you prefer, you can knead by hand on a wooden board.  When the dough is ready it should feel smooth, soft and spring back slightly when squeezed (squeeze a portion about the size of an ear lobe between thumb and forefinger to test).
3.  Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl (I use canola or sesame oil) and cover with a warm damp cloth or use a bread rising bucket with a lid.  Let rise in a warm spot until double in bulk.  This rise takes approximately 1 hour.
4.  Place risen dough on a working surface and punch dough down to remove all air pockets.  Cut dough into 8 pieces (if you want smaller buns divide into 14 pieces) and using the palms of your hand roll each piece into a round ball.  Place balls onto a prepared cookie sheet (i.e. covered with silpat or parchment paper to prevent sticking).  Place buns roughly 1 to 2 inches apart to avoid sticking together as they rise.  Cover buns with a linen cloth saturated in rice flour (or bread flour if you don't have rice flour) or you can simply use an oiled piece of saran wrap.  Allow buns to rise 30 or 40 minutes (a partial rise) in a warm place.  15 minutes before this rise is complete preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Bake for 20 minutes (smaller buns bake more quickly start checking after 12 minutes) at 350 degree (Fahrenheit) or until cooked through.  Buns should feel firm to touch and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.  They should not be browned.  If they are browning on top cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent browning.
6.  Allow buns to cool completely on wire rack.  Frost after cooled completely or your frosting will melt.

Lemon Butter Cream Frosting:

1.  Using paddle attachment beat sweet butter until light and fluffy.
2.  Add sifted confectionery sugar, lemon extract, milk and a pinch of salt and beat until well combined.
3.  Using a table knife frost buns generously after they have cooled to room temperature.

These make a wonderful afternoon tea treat and are best eaten the day they are made.  They can easily be dressed up by adding sprinkles to make them more festive for an Easter tea but are nice just with the lemon frosting too. Freeze any left overs.

Ishbel Shawl ~

When I look at this red shawl I think of another red shawl and what it says about the community where I live. And to explain that I need to provide some background.  I'm not a "process knitter" which means that I wear the things that I knit and so it's more than just a soothing habit for me, although it is certainly also that. But wearing hand knits has certain risks including the risk of loosing something that you have worked very hard to make.

And that is exactly what happened to me.  I lost a red shawl that I had knit while out hiking. I didn't even realize it was lost until later that afternoon when I was going out whereupon I realized it wasn't where I normally put it; quickly followed by the realization that it was probably lost that morning somewhere along the trail.  Without much hope of ever seeing it again I returned to where I had hiked that morning and after parking my car I approached the gate and was stunned to see my red shawl draped over the gate patiently waiting me to come get it.  Someone had found my shawl and placed it where I was sure to pass again if I returned for it. Despite who knows how many people passed that way throughout the day it was left there for me.  I've always loved living in Topanga but seeing my shawl hanging there brought home how very special a place it is to live.  In contrast when I practiced law in South Bend Indiana I left a hand knit scarf at counsel's table in a courtroom and I returned 15 minutes later and it was gone to never be seen again.

I am wearing of course the hugely popular Ishbel shawl designed by Ysolda which is currently the second most knit shawl on Ravelry (12,930 projects).  I love how the design reminds me of a bird's wings and I repeated the final chart to emphasize that feathered look.  If you have a solid color yarn I think it makes the perfect choice for a transitional shawl to carry you from Winter into Spring. Oh, and before I forget, the red shawl that I almost lost was one of my Diamond Fantasy shawls which I still wear and enjoy.

Particulars:  Ishbel by Ysolda Teague; 1 skein skinny Bugga (colorway faithful beauty) by Sanguine Gryphon (now split into two yarn shops: Cephalopod Yarns and The Verdant Gryphon) ; US 6 circular needles.  I made the smaller size and my only modification was to repeat the final chart one extra time as I wanted to emphasize this design element.  This is a wonderful pattern and a pleasure to knit.   Other patterns by Ysolda that I've knit are:  Elijah (toy elephant), Mousie (small toy) and Ripley (winter hat).

A Journey into the Unknown ~

Life is a mysterious journey for us all and there is no clear path but one thing is certain the journey is more enjoyable when traveled with good friends.  This is Simcha with his good friend Kona enjoying a morning hike as they pause to consider where their next adventure will take them.

Until next time, be well and love well and may this Spring bring sweetness and joy and color into your life as you travel onward on your life's journey perhaps wearing your own red shawl.

Hipster Hat and on the Trail with Simcha

Winter is a time to embrace the quiet that comes with the colder weather and shorter days.  Everything slows down after the holidays and winter takes hold.  There are also hot cups of coffee in the morning that taste better when it's cold outside; the getting bundled up for walks and returning to a warm cozy house; and the long evenings to spend reading or knitting. All of these activities lend themselves to quiet contemplation and being at peace with silence which is when we are best able to apprehend and know our true self.  And all these activities are even more fun when wearing a new hat!

In this post I'm wearing my new Ripley hat which is a cute hipster style hat designed by the very talented Ysolda.  Because I did not use the same gauge yarn that she did I had to modify the pattern to work with a worsted weight yarn (versus heavy worsted weight yarn) and smaller needles (US 8 versus US 10). I found the most challenging part of adjusting this pattern for a different weight yarn was figuring out how many stitches to work for the hat band because the hat band is knit length wise instead of the traditional in the round method.  To adjust the pattern what I did was find a hat that fits me the way I like it for my 21 inch noggin.  I then measured the hat band of that hat "relaxed" (i.e. laying on a flat surface) and found it was 9 inches across the base (i.e. 18 inches circumference).  I therefore proceeded to knit my band until it was 18 inches long without regard to how many slipped stitches there were.  Once I reached 18 inches in length I resumed following the pattern instructions and ended up with 85 stitches on my needles (after the (k1, kfb) round. The next round I increased (evenly) an extra 8 stitches with a M1 stitch for a total of 93 stitches on which to knit the hat body.
I also made other adjustments to make it a less slouchy hat style and I've explained those modifications below.

I'm really happy with this hat and it's a great example of how a simple but well thought out pattern with the right yarn will combine to make a very wearable accessory.

Project Particulars: Ripley from Whimsical Little Knits (Ysolda); US 8 needles; 2 skeins Road to China by The Fiber Company.  Due to using a different gauge yarn (worsted weight) I made the following modifications: I knit the band on 8 stitches versus 7; I knit the hat band as described above; I worked the first set of pleats over 16 stitches and the second set of pleats over 14 stitches and eliminated the final pleats; instead (after completing the second set of pleats) I worked the pattern instructions for the slouchier hat and then proceeded to the decreases; to account for my additional stitches my decreases were made every 15 stitches a total of 6 times (i.e. 15 x 6 = 90 stitches) (and I also on the first decreases used a K3TOG stitch (3 times) to reduce my stitches by an additional 3 stitches as I began with 93 stitches).       Previously I knit a toy elephant designed by Ysolda which is found in the post entitled Miss Elly, a Toy Elephant.

N. B. The above pictures are taken at the beach in San Clemente, California where we always spend a quiet week without TV or computers the week between Christmas and New Years.  It's one of the nicest times of the year for me.

Taking Pictures With Simcha ~

Over the past year photography has become an increasingly enjoyable hobby for me and the daily hikes I take with Simcha give me plenty of opportunities to practice taking pictures of nature and the wonderful scenery around us.  These pictures were taken in Topanga and are a few of my favorites from this past year.

The fun part of hiking with Simcha is that he is not just a fantastic model he's also a helpful photography assistant!  For example, I never would have caught these quail posed like this without his assistance.  He obligingly chased a covey of quail up onto a rock and then held their attention transfixed while I snapped away.  So helpful.  I really don't think I could have gotten this shot with out him. Incidentally, quail are California's state bird and we have a lot of them here in Topanga although I don't often see as many of the colorful males together as there were in this covey.

And finally a peaceful sunrise overlooking the Los Angeles basin before the morning fog lifts and floats away.

Until next time be well and love well and may these winter days bring a sense of peace, quiet and a better understanding of who you are and where you are going on your sojourn in this world. Hopefully wearing a new hat.

Amstel Hat and Hiking in Topanga

This is the Amstel Hat from the Fall 2012 Interweave Knits magazine.  I love it and it's going to be perfect for all the outdoor hikes that I go on.  I have to be honest and say that might not have chosen to knit this hat if I hadn't seen it in person in a LYS.  Some projects are like that.  They don't look all that wonderful in a magazine picture but are fabulous in person, probably because in a picture you can't really see the great texture or experience the tactile appeal.  As I don't have much to say about this project (other than I love it) instead I'm going to share a little about the hikes that Simcha and I take here in Topanga, California which is one reason why I need all the hats, mittens, and shawls that I'm constantly knitting.  

Particulars:  Amstel Hat designed by Kelbourne Woolens and published in (Interweave Knits Fall 2012); 2 skeins Road to China (The Fiber Company);  I made the following modifications to the pattern: 1)  I used the disappearing loop CO from techKnitting; 2) I used a twisted K rib for the brim; 3) I completed the pattern design twice and eliminated the final rows of pattern; 4) After completing the final row of patterning I purled a round and made the recommended decreases on that round with P2Together stitch; and 5) I used Jenny’s Surprisingly Stretchy BO from Knitty.  Love this hat!!!!

The Misadventures of Claudia and Simcha ~

I think I've mentioned before that Simcha and I go out on a hike every morning and sometimes again in the afternoons as well.   We both love being outdoors and we have tons of great trails all around us that we mostly have to ourselves.  Mostly.  We do share them with the local wildlife and that is primarily coyotes, deer and an occasional skunk.  

And, as can happen, the other evening when Simcha and I were out hiking I heard in the distance a pack of coyotes going crazy and yapping loudly.  I knew instantly that this was going to be too strong a temptation for Simcha to resist chase after them, which I obviously did not want him to do.  So I came up with a new command.  I call it the "Wait for Me" command and basically what you do is run after your dog calling out "Waaaaait for Meeee."  This should be interspersed with an occasional "I'mmmm Coming Tooooo."  Hopping up and down as if you have twisted your ankle adds a nice effect if combined with a sharp cry of pain for attention.  Thankfully the years of training and discipline have paid off because in the distance I could see Simcha turn his head to look back over his shoulder at me and then slow his pace as he waited for me to catch up.  Once I had his attention I picked up a stick and threw it for him to chase and thereby successfully diverted his attention away from the coyotes.  

I can't tell you what a pleasure it is to have a dog that is responsive to commands and is such a great hiking buddy.  He's been primarily trained to follow hand signals and I think that has fostered a strong bond that allows us the freedom to take the type of hikes that we do.  Which isn't saying that we don't have the occasional misadventure along the way. 

A Sweet Treat ~ Pumpkin Poppers

These fragrant pumpkin poppers are moist and spicy ~ a perfect Fall treat to enjoy with your coffee or tea.  I used the recipe from Domestically Speaking and modified it by using dark brown organic sugar (versus light brown) and whole milk versus low-fat.  I had tons of cinnamon sugar left over even when making less than the recipe called for.  I made my cinnamon sugar mix using 1/2 cup white sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.  As you can see in the picture I made some "poppers" and some small muffins.  If you don't have a mini muffin tin making small cupcake sized muffins is a great alternative you simply need to increase the cooking time.  I cooked my muffins approximately 22 minutes.  Instead of rolling mine in gobs of butter I melted 2 tablespoons of butter and applied that with a pastry brush and then liberally sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Simcha really enjoyed these, judging from the four (4) muffins missing from my kitchen counter (paper included).  Other sweet pumpkin treats I've shared in the past are a pumpkin bread and a pumpkin chocolate  chip cake ~ both very yummy.

Until next time be well and love well and enjoy the colors, texture, and flavors of this season as we are fast approaching Winter!

Hootie the Felted Owl

Topanga is known for it's crows, rattlesnakes, and coyotes.  But there are a few other forms of wildlife including mountain lions (rare) and owls.  Most nights I can hear an owl hooting in the distance but I've never seen one during the day.  At least not until now.

This is Hootie the Owl and he's hand knit and machine felted.  I'm very pleased with how he came out and might just make him a friend.  I've always been fascinated by owls and when we lived in the Midwest many years ago one year for my birthday Steve bought me a owl house.  It was a large wooden box that had to be placed high up on a tree and it took ladders and a great deal of effort to hang.  Since we lived on the banks of the St. Joseph river surrounded by tall trees I was sure an owl would come and stay in my beautiful owl house in the woods.

But one never did. I was slightly mollified when Steve pointed out that they must be very fussy birds if they passed up that birdhouse.  Nonetheless the appeal and mystery of owls has never diminished for me.  And I just hope this little guy likes his home and doesn't decide to fly away.

Particulars:  Woolly Owls by Marie Mayhew Designs; US 10 1/2 needles; Nature Spun worsted yarn and Frog Tree Brushed Suri yarn (the yarns recommended in the pattern).  This is a great pattern and a fun knit and I made no modifications whatsoever.  He is knit and then felted in the washing machine.  I used handmade glass eyes (16 mm) by Artist JP that I glued on using clear silicone glue (at the artist's recommendation) and the glue seems to be holding well, but this is not a toy.  If it were going to be a toy I would not choose eyes requiring glue.

The MisAdventures of Simcha

As much as I kid (sorta) about Simcha being a difficult dog, he is without question at least well socialized.  Steve and I have both made a huge effort to take him out and about around Topanga so he can meet and greet other dogs and people.  He not only goes on daily hikes but is also out and about around town.  So I was very amused the other day when Steve took Simcha into a local gift shop where the clerk exclaimed "I know that dog"!  He's becoming so well known around town we might just have to nickname him Mr. Topanga!

Until next time, be well and love well and may you have a wonderful Spring filled with bird watching and time spent enjoying nature.

The Year of Handspun

My first post of the year was a handspun project so it is only fitting that my last post this year is also using handspun.  Curious because prior to this year I had never knit anything using handspun and then for whatever reason it suddenly captured my attention and I've knit four projects this year with it (Handspun Scarf, Pamuya Shawl, Fingerless Mittens and this scarf).  Now I'm hooked on handspun and of all the many things that I've knit over the years, these projects are my favorites.

Before I tell you about this scarf, I'll tell you about the above picture.  It is taken in front of an old ruined cabin where only the rough hewn stone chimney remains.  I "discovered" this ruin with Simcha on one of our morning hikes.  I had shimmied up a mountain slope following what I believed was a trail only to have misgivings about half way up when I began to suspect what I was following was actually a watershed.  Parenthetically, it's moments like this when you look around and realize it's a steep climb up or a slippery slope down that the thought crosses your mind that it might be a while before your body is found if something bad were to happen.  But I managed to work my way to the top (Simcha had no trouble as he climbs like a mountain goat and I appreciated when he worked his way back down to encourage me on - we were in this together) where we then picked up a trail along the ridge that lead to this ruin.   How cool is that?  I love our morning hikes.

I also love my morning hikes for another reason, namely, they provide me with an infinite number of excuses as to why I need more yarn!  I can always rationalize a purchase with "I really need this to make something to wear on my morning hike.  It is cold, you know, early in the day."  See how well that works?

And this yarn was a splurge purchase where I used exactly that excuse.   It is a lushes heavy worsted alpaca in multi-color and it wasn't cheap but it's fabulous.  And, as is the case with most handspun yarns, they really rock in a simple design that focuses on texture.  You don't need to gild the lily here as the beauty is in the yarn.  A simple broken rib pattern with a fun ruffle edging and you have the perfect scarf to walk your dog any ole day of the week ~

Particulars:  1 skein Cherry Hill Alpaca, LLC (multi colored alpaca - dark) spun by Pam Wilkins, 6.5 oz 247 yards.  I used a free pattern (Misti International Ribs & Ruffles Scarf) as modified by using US 8 needles and fewer pattern repeats.  Finished scarf measures 4"x 64"

I threw in this last picture so you could see how the yarn looked still in a skein.  You can generally not tell from looking at a skein of handspun how it will look when knit up, and the bold blocks of color in this scarf just flowed naturally and were unexpected.

Peace on Earth

Mr. Puffy's Knitting Blog wishes everyone the gift of peace on earth this holiday season and all year long.

Decking the halls is exhausting work so follow Simcha's example and take plenty of time to relax and take naps.

I leave tomorrow and will be away through New Year, so until next time, be well and love well and have a happy and safe holiday season!  Steve, Claudia and Simcha xoxoxo

Welcome to the Blog Cafe!

Welcome to the Blog Cafe! Hi, I'm Claudia and it is my pleasure today to host the virtual Blog Cafe. That means I get to take you to a location of my choice and pick a topic for us to chat about.

I know no better place to chat than over a cup of coffee, so I'm taking you to my favorite coffee haunt Cafe Mimosa, located in Topanga, California.

Topanga is a small mountain community in Southern California located just outside Los Angeles. It is well know for it's eccentric populace and hippie culture that is still very prevalent today. For the Joni Mitchell fans, her album Ladies of the Canyon is referring to Topanga Canyon.

Cafe Mimosa has a rustic feel and a relaxed atmosphere; pillows are scattered about and the shelves have a sampling of local artist wares which range from $250 felted handbags to small beaded trinkets and coffee mugs. It's an interesting spot for people watching too.... as lots of locals flow through here in the mornings. I'm perfectly normal, of course, but I can not vouch for the rest of them. But looking at these pictures I can't understand why I am not wearing one of my handknit Victorian lace shawls. Whatever was I thinking?

My Topic: Organic Food ~ Is it All Hype?

I typically talk about knitting here on this blog, but today I'm going to talk about another subject near and dear to my heart. Food. Studies that have found that organic produce has no health benefits over ordinary foods, see BBC and other news outlets. I was surprised by these findings. Still, I think focusing on the measurable nutrients misses the whole point of why eating eating organic foods is more healthful. One of the primary reasons that I eat organic food is that it tastes better and it has the texture nature intended. Strawberries are tender and sweet; tomatoes are juicy and firm; and potatoes have thick skins that bake up crunchy and hard. How is this more healthful you wonder? Because when your produce has great natural flavor it only requires simple cooking and/or preparation, and that reduces calories and makes meals quick to fix and delicious. You also consume more ruffage which means you are more likely to feel satisfied until your next meal. At least that seems logical to me.

It's not cheap to eat organic produce, so I'm curious to know if you think eating organic food is more healthful ~ or are the benefits all in my mind ~ and I've bought into a scam?

Edit added May 18, 2010: To see this issue from the point of view of a fourth generation "conventional" farming family, I invite you to read Hilary's comment below. She raises some interesting points and dispels some notions that make me wonder anew about organic food. For those who take it for granted that organic farming is better for us and society I think it is a perspective you might find interesting. Thank you Hilary (The Yarniad) and to all of you who have left comments!

Thank you for visiting the Blog Cafe! If you'd like to host the Blog Cafe one Monday, please email: theblogcafe@yahoo.com. They'll put you on the list and give you a hosting date. You can also click on this image on my sidebar to visit the latest Blog Cafe posts.

Simcha Update ~ Graduation Day

I guess he's obedient now. He's got a certificate that says so.

Until next time, be well and love well and give organic produce a try ~ and see if you can taste the difference!

P.S. The scarf I am wearing is a quick knit using a fab yarn on large needles ~ that makes for a fast and fun knit and a cool way to express your knitterly style, as you dash out for your morning coffee! Scarf Designed by Murielle Knitwear; US 13 needles; Araucania Rehue Multi (Alpaca, silk, nylon)

P.S.S. We're leaving for China on Friday so I won't be in "my space" here for a few weeks. I'll looking forward to catching up with you when I get back!

A Simple Summer Tunic

Knitting does not have to be complicated to give dramatic results. You can achieve a designer look by simply using unique fibers in an unexpected way. The tunic that I'm wearing is a great example of a simple knit that creates a high impact look.



My tunic is knit with a unique fiber composed of stainless steel and cotton that is manufactured by Artfibers in San Fransisco, California. I first saw a shell top knit with this fiber by the other knitting Claudia (Claudia's Blog) and was inspired to give it a try myself. Parenthetically, besides a similar taste in knitting, the two of us share much in common including the profession of attorney at law.

The unique look to this tunic is achieved by knitting the yarn on larger needles than the recommended size to give it an open flowing look and keep the fabric lightweight. Due to the stainless steel content of this yarn I was concerned that a more dense fabric might prove uncomfortably heavy. As it is, I have a new appreciation for those medieval knights wearing metallic armor.


I love the way this tunic came out ~ it isn't really heavy ~ I was just kidding about that. In fact I feel rather swanky when wearing it. It puts me in mind of the time an opposing lawyer told me that she saw me sashaying about at the courthouse. Me? Sashay? Well, maybe once or twice. It's all about attitude, baby.



To knit yourself a simple summer tunic you simply have to find a beautiful yarn and swatch on over sized needles until you find a gauge that gives you the appearance you want. The tunic itself has only rudimentary shaping involved. The only knitting trick to working with an uneven yarn such as this is the need to iron the fabric pieces. Typically I just hand wash and flat block my knits. However, when using a yarn such as this, it is best to iron the pieces. Ironing will flattened out the fabric and gave it a nice, crisp, clean, finished look. When you use an iron don't forget to cover your knitting with a wet towel to protect the yarn and to first test a small scrap of yarn to make sure it won't felt with the heat.



By the by, these pictures were taken in Topanga, California. For those with an observing eye, the necklace and bracelet set I'm wearing is lapis lazuli which I purchased many years ago while visiting Santiago, Chile a region know for this stone which is mined in the Chilean Andes.

Particulars: 5 skeins Tesla (65% cotton/ 35% stainless steel) by Artfiber in San Franscisco; US 13 needles; Personal Tunic Pattern ~ details on my Ravelry page for those interested in the general construction and rough guidelines on how this is constructed.

Mr Puffy on the Importance of Relaxation

Last weekend we spent a few days in San Clemente, California. It was a little on the cool side but not too bad. I suggested to Mr Puffy that we ought to get out our boogie boards and go in the water. His response was "you're kidding, right? You know my nerves are still shot after the fire. I came down here to relax, not swim in shark infested waters."



I'm beginning to think he doesn't enjoy swimming in the ocean. He's always got an excuse. To put this in perspective, it's been over a year since the fatal shark attack in nearby Solano Beach. For myself, I hardly give it any thought at all. I would be perfectly happy to splash around in the water, dangle my legs over the edge of a boogie board, allow my legs to hang deep into the ocean's dark, murky, swirling and churning water. Besides, Solano beach is a vast distance away, all of 35 miles or so.

But, in the interest of being agreeable, I deferred to Mr Puffy's wishes. We sat out on the deck, relaxed, and just read and knit, or watched for shark fins in the water. I have to say, after a couple of days spent like this, we both felt much better for it.


The moral to this story is we all need to listen to Mr Puffy more. No, that's not it. The moral is that less really is more! This Summer don't over do it. Plan time just to relax with a book and soak in the sun. You, too, will feel better for it.