Resolutions and All Things Brioche

Resolutions, resolutions, resolutions.  I generally don't make them.  After all I live a fairly disciplined lifestyle already.  So when I think about resolutions, if I do, it's in terms of crafting goals. And last year I resolved to learn the brioche stitch.  Come hell or high water.  

It wasn't just because there were a number of shawls that I wanted to make that use this stitch.  It was also that I didn't feel I would be a complete knitter until I had mastered this stitch.  And it's not like I woke up last New Year's and decided I wanted to learn the brioche stitch either.  I had attempted it several times over the years and not succeeded.  For whatever reason this stitch befuddled me and simply watching free youtube videos and tutorials wasn't making it any clearer.

So in 2017 I bit the bullet and signed up for a paid Craftsy class!  You have to understand this was a huge mental shift for me.  If there's a free option online then I'm not interested in paying.  For example I would never pay to blog as I get the blogger platform for free.  I'm also not interested in making money from being online either so I guess there's some symmetry there. But as I mentioned I had already gone the free route with this stitch and that had gotten me nowhere.   I turned to the mega online craft class retailer Craftsy and settled on Explorations in Brioche Knitting with Nancy Marchant, who is a renown brioche guru.  And if you are going to learn anything it's best to learn from the best. Especially if you are going to be paying.  And I am delighted to report that this class did the trick for me.  I began with lesson one and worked through the modulus and wallah the brioche stitch wasn't nearly so complicated as it had previously seemed.  I guess sometimes it does pay to pay.

After all that I am particularly delighted to start 2018 by sharing my very first two color brioche shawl!  This pattern is a combination of both brioche and lace stitches and if you look at the picture below you can see the brioche portion is the purple segment which gives the fabric depth and a beautiful tonal effect.  I am not going to lie though the shape of this shawl is awkward and highly asymmetrical.  I would not consider it an everyday shawl but if you want a statement piece then this is the ticket.  All in all I'm thrilled to be wearing it and as a bonus I can call myself a master novice brioche knitter at last!

Particulars:  Parlour Shawl designed by Leslie Anne Robinson (Knit Graffiti Designs), la Bien Aimee skinny singles 1,100 yrds (yarn purchased as a kit); US 4 needles.  I only made a couple very small modifications to this pattern. Because I felt leaving the eyelet of the pattern repeats looked unfinished I closed that eyelet and to make up for the extra decrease I threw in another edging increase. The other modification was to the BO.  Three quarters of the way into the BO I realized that the edge was rolling and hiding the contrasting color so I ripped back and knit another row to create a garter stitch edge.  Then, instead of turning my work I simply slid the stitches to the other end of my circular needles (so the right side was still facing me) and BO in contracting color yarn.  This eliminated the rolling and emphasized the contrasting color.

To see a project that incorporates just a single color in the brioche stitch see my post with a photo of Stephen West's Marled Magic Shawl (the brioche is the grey portion) which also gives wonderful depth and texture to your fabric.

Incidentally I found baking brioche to be easier and oddly satisfying in light of having failed at the stitch.  I use Le Pain Quotident's Brioche recipe from their Cookbook.  They do have a free version of their brioche recipe online but it uses very different measurements from the book and I can not vouch for it (nor are the ratings for that version very high) but if you are interested here's the link brioche recipe.

SUNSETS IN SAN CLEMENTE ~

After the wildfires and a very stressful start to the holidays we were fortunate that things quickly turned around and returned to normal.  The Thursday before Christmas evacuation orders were lifted in Santa Barbara and my parents were allowed to return home and I joined them to help get the holidays back on track.  A few days of dashing about and decorating the tree, shopping, and hanging the lights and we were able to enjoy one of the nicest Christmases ever.  Afterward Steve and I headed to San Clemente to spend a few days relaxing at the beach as we always do the week between Christmas and New Year.  Watching the sun glide below the watery surface is so beautiful and relaxing and one of my favorite parts of staying at the beach.  Except when I'm not paying attention and a rogue wave wipes me out as it did while I was taking this picture.  Yet looking back at the picture I can say without hesitation worth it.  Even if I still have Sand in my Shoes.

Until next time be well, love well and may 2018 bring health and happiness and successful brioche knitting to all!  

Marley Shawl and Paper Mache Crafting

We've had an exceptionally nice summer this year in Southern California.  The temperatures are mild, the evenings are cool, and there are a few foggy days tossed in the mix.  Around this time of year (late July) there is always a pregnant pause when it feels like the warm days of summer will last forever.  And if the weather would stay like this I wouldn't mind one bit.  But summer won't last and change is coming.  And no one knows that better than retailers who roll out fall fashions almost before the 4th of July fireworks have faded into the night sky.  And that's okay with me because around about now I like to start thinking ahead to my fall projects.    

If you want to be wearing a new fabulously cozy shawl in a couple of months then you need to choose your project and get started now.  And I think the Marley shawl would be a great choice for this fall, winter and beyond because of the brioche stitch and the wonderfully squishy fabric it creates.

Another reason to love the brioche stitch is that it's a great way to convert an impulse purchase of shocking pink yarn into something actually wearable.  In public!  That's an under appreciated aspect of the brioche stitch.  How it magically tones down a bright yarn when paired with a neutral color.  This is important for anyone with a propensity for choosing bright and garish colors.  Like me!  I've always been drawn to bright colorful colors.  Anecdotally, for illustrative purposes, when I was a mere tadpole my grandmother taught me to crochet.  She turned me loose in a thrift store with the instructions to pick two colors of yarn.  I chose bright purple and bright yellow.  I proceeded to crocheted a blanket at a speed that left the grownups astonished.  A blanket that my mother, bless her heart, gifted to the family dog explaining that the colors did not go with my bedspread.   Thus ended my passion for crochet.  By not my love of garish colors.

To show the "neutralizing" effect of the brioche stitch I have pictures showing both the neutral and the bright sides dominant.  In the picture above I am wearing it with the grey neutral dominant and in the picture below the bright pink is dominant.  But the real beauty of brioche is showcased when both sides are mingled as shown in the very top picture.  Your choice how you want to wear it my friend.

Learning the brioche stitch does take some effort.  But like riding a bicycle once learned you will have a skill for life that will bring endless pleasure.  For a beginner I highly recommend Nancy Marchant's online class, Explorations in Brioche Knitting.  She's a little hard to understand at first but if you slow the video down you can see the stitch formation better and once you understand that the rest is easy. Youtube has some great free tutorials too.

Particulars:  Marley Shawl designed by Andrea Mowry; US 4 circular needles; 2 skeins each Ella Rae Merino - DK (neutral color) and 2 skeins Qing Fibre Supersoft Sock (Miss Bim colorway).  My only modification was to knit a much narrower border as I thought my shawl was large enough without adding a bulky border.  Other designs I've knit by this designer include her Comfort Fade Cardi (where coincidentally I also made the border much more narrow).  My Comfort Fade Cardi is in this post Sweater Weather and Gnome Spotting.  Both Marley and the Comfort Fade Cardi are very wearable and make great wardrobe additions.  And as I had plenty of  leftover yarn from my Marley Shawl I knit myself a pair of basic socks with the remaining, you guessed it, pink yarn!

For additional brioche projects, see Parlour and Texture Time Shawls.

Pandemic Living 

The powers that be have advised us to learn a new hobby with all the time we  are spending at home "being safe."  Obviously they weren't aware of the state of my housekeeping.  Because initially all of my free time was spent reclaiming my house, cupboards and closets from years of benign neglect and don't even get me started on the chore it was to organize my recipes (a project that is still ongoing).  But after a mere six (6) months I am happy to report that I have advanced to the stage of learning a new hobby!  And I am happy to report that I have not one but two new hobbies, both of which I really enjoy and only one of which am I talking about in this post.

In this post I'm talking about crafting with paper mache.  I had lots of fun making these wee paper mache gnomes.  It's fascinating to me what you can make simply using bits of scrap papers, liquid starch, and craft acrylic paint.  I'll never toss out the cardboard center of a toilet roll again without pausing and reflecting on it's potential uses.  But I digress.  To learn to make these gnomes I went to a pro.  Knowing absolutely nothing about paper mache I went in search of a kit and was very happy to find the Gnome Head Paper Mache Starter kit put together by a "paper mache artist."   And the gnome pictured above is the first gnome I made using that kit and I couldn't be more happy with it.

My second project was this little June Bug.  I made him more or less with the supplies that came in my kit.  But I added antennas that I made out of soft wire (that came wrapped around the electric cord of my new vacuum) that I formed with small wire pliers and inserted deep into the paper mache while it was still soft.  I then used both glue and liquid starch to secure in place.   His facial features I made from bits of my own paper mache mulch (made with a combination of glossy magazine paper and blue craft paper agitated with water) combined with liquid starch as needed.  His "head form" and the napkin I used to make his hat (as well as the paper mache technique I used) came from the kit.  I painted him with craft acrylic paints that I had leftover from painting a birdhouse and/or other crafting projects.  For his glossy finish I coated him with Mod Podge (typically used to decoupage).  I am so pleased with him that I plan on making a whole series of insect gnomes, along with Christmas ornaments, and any other whimsical flights of fancy that may come to me.

If you are interested in learning paper mache (and who wouldn't be?) I recommend going on Youtube and searching for free tutorials and seeing which of the paper mache artists has a style that appeals to you.  There are tons of artists but I really like Rozani Designs Masquerade (who I bought my kit from) and she has a lot of free tutorials on making gnomes, dragons, and other animals.   Whether you have kids or still are a kid at heart (like me) you will find crafting with paper mache a fun creative hobby regardless of whether or not you are in a pandemic lockdown.

Farewell and until next time be well, love well, and be safe at home.  On the plus side I've found that staying at home has slowed the place of my life to a crawl and allowed me the leisure and luxury of time to relax and be more in touch with myself and my thoughts.  I've also been reading substantive books like I haven't had the time to do in years (possibly decades) and, as a christian, I am finding The Benedict Option- a strategy for Christians in a Post Christian Nation an interesting and timely read.  That being said I think anyone from any religion, or an agnostic point of view, will find it an enlightening examination of world history, religion, and politics and how we have arrived at the place we are today.  Of course during this time it's also important to relish simple pleasures like these delicious almond and chocolate biscotti made using a recipe from Sally's Baking Addition.

The beautiful pottery mug pictured above is made by WildChildClayWorks (on Etsy) and I simply adore using it.  It doesn't have a handle instead the mug walls are very thick and it has a buttery soft glaze making it a very delicious way to savor a cup of coffee ~

It's a Wrap - My Texture Time Shawl

It's been some time since I've felt like visiting this space.  Over the past six months I lost my father to Lou Gehrig's disease and my dear mother is currently in skilled nursing with a fractured pelvis.To be honest I debated abandoning my blog during this period as it seemed so trivial in comparison to what my family was going through. But I realized going through this sad process how important memories and pictures are as you get older.  I think one day I'll look back at my blog and the pictures and stories will make me smile as I remember all the things that I've made during my life.  And hopefully my knitting tips and recipes will have made other people's lives a little more enjoyable along the way too.

I have been busy knitting away this entire time and have finished many beautiful pieces that may never get their moment to shine.  But I wanted to return with a truly special piece of knitting and so I chose my Texture Time shawl which is Stephen West's 2018 mystery knit along (MKAL).  This piece is a knock out and attention grabber, especially when you turn around and people see it from the sides and back.

I loved knitting this project.  Like all Stephen West's designs it is well written and full of creativity.  Some might even say it's flamboyant.  And I say why not go for it.  That is why we knit after all, isn't it?  We want something that is uniquely ours and expresses our creativity.  Otherwise it would be cheaper and easier to simply buy something that is mass produced.  Speaking of which I should point out that I did make a few modifications to this design (detailed below). Whether it is color, fit, or a design element almost every knitting pattern can be improved with simple modifications and you are missing a wonderful part of the knitting experience if you fail to do so.  Before you begin any project and as you progress on a project you should always be asking yourself if there isn't a better option for the color, fit, or design that would better suit you and your tastes.  Admittedly it's harder to do this as a new knitter but with time and experience that thought process should be part of how you think about every project that you knit.

As for the actual knitting of this design I think the one major challenge is the back panel which is "syncopated" brioche.  If you are new to brioche knitting this, in my opinion, is not the starter project for you.  But if you are game or simply need a refresher course on brioche I highly recommend Craftsy's online brioche class to get you started.  If you do knit this shawl I guarantee that you'll have a one of a kind piece of knitted art.

Particulars:  Texture Time MKAL (2018); designed by Stephen West; US 5 needles; Spun Right Round (classic sock and mohair (held double)).  My only modifications were (a) I did not follow his suggested order of colors for the back center panel (i.e. light to dark) and instead I went in the order of colors that created contrast best (b) I substituted and/or added a bright acid green yarn (from stash) for the wavy contrast portion to help make that design element really pop (c) I added a single strand of mohair to the sides on pattern rows to create a striping effect (d) I substituted my main color for the tips rather than using the green contrasting color as suggested; and (e) I did not knit the tips as long as suggested as I felt that adding too much length to the sides would overwhelm the shawl.  I am very happy with my final shawl and can't wait for next year's MKAL adventure!  Previous MKALs by Stephen West that I've participated in include The Doodler shawl and Marled Magic Shanklet (post also includes my Striped Esjan shawl which is Stephen West design, but not a MKAL project).  If you are looking for a basic brioche project I recommend the Parlour Shawl, which was my first brioche project.

In Loving  Memory of my father, Vernon Bugh, Jr. ~

As I mentioned above my father recently passed away.  I don't want to dwell on the sadness of the disease that took him from us.  Instead I want to remember all the happy times we had as a family.   I specially love this picture of him that I took a few years back because he particularly loved Christmas.  He always went to great lengths to decorate the outside of our house and property with beautiful bold strands of Christmas lights.  It was important to him that he select the perfect Christmas tree for my Mom to decorate inside and he would drill holes in the base and nurture the tree with solutions to keep it fresh through New Years.  He also had fun with the holiday.  He was always the first to suggest it was time for eggnog spiked with whisky or rum.  He collected and set up a whole holiday village display in the living room complete with houses and shops that lit up and cars and carolers strolling the streets.  When I was little he had a neighbor dress up as Santa Claus and come to our house.  Santa gave my sister and me a candy cane and told us to watch for his sleigh leaving from our back window.  I still remember wearing my pajamas and bright blue fuzzy slippers standing in the living room watching for his sleigh out the back window and being puzzled how I could have missed it.  And every Christmas morning he captured all the chaos and fun of opening presents using an old fashion movie camera.  He was sentimental that way.  I hope to come across these old films when my sister and I go through the house.  I won't be able to watch them right away but hope that someday I can watch them and smile.

After my dad passed many of our neighbors wrote or told me what a wonderful neighbor he was and how much they will miss him and miss seeing his house beautifully lit for the holidays.  It was a hard Christmas this year as it was my first year without him.  And Christmases and my life won't ever be the same.  But I do have all my memories of him and I know that we will be together again in heaven as he is now with his mother, brother Cecil and sister Shirley and all his dearly loved friends and family that departed before him. 

My dad lived a remarkable life and only snippets have been included on the blog.  But there are a few posts that talk about my Dad include a post that shares his fabulous BBQ chicken rub recipe; his favorite Christmas cookie recipe; (which also includes a bit of his life history including his award of the Bronze Star for bravery in combat); his stint as a lumberjack; and his firm belief in the health benefits of drinking a daily glass of orange juice!  He also made a few cameo appearances on the blog helping me showcase some of my knits along the way, proving he was a good sport to the end.

Vernon Bugh, Jr.  ~ May 22, 1929 - November 30, 2018 ~

Until next time be well, love well and I hope that 2019 will be a happy and healthy year for all.

Why I Knit ~

This post should really be titled "Why I knit as Much as I Do."  Because I was a knitter for many years before I morphed into the somewhat prolific knitter that I've become.  There is a reason behind this. What happened about 10 years ago was I hit a really rough patch and for reasons that were unfathomable to me I was swamped with bad news on top of bad news.  Nothing life threatening but, upsetting nonetheless.  At the time I shopped for yarn in a traditional LYS using mass produced commercial yarns, but decided to treat myself to a splurge purchase and bought some gorgeous Noro silk garden yarn along with the pattern book to knit the Sursa shawl that I had seen made up as a store sample.  As I sat down and began to knit that shawl the beauty of the yarn and the soothing simple pattern was a healing balm to my soul.  It was the first time I had ever knit with a yarn like Noro that was handcrafted in beautiful colors and in a luxury fiber.  To this day I can remember how thrilled I was to see the gorgeous fabric the yarn created and I was happy when knitting despite everything else going on.  And that made that period of my life easier to bear.

To this day I rely on knitting to help me through stressful times.  I'll go back to the basics which is a simple garter stitch shawl paired with a wonderful yarn and that's exactly what the shawl I am wearing is.  It's the Stripe Study Shawl and I knit the majority of it over Christmas when I (along with my dad, sister and Steve) spent many days in the hospital with my Mom as she was recovering from an emergency surgery and during the weeks of ups and downs inevitable when someone is recovering from a serious operation such as she had.  Of course my mother who knit herself when she was young enjoyed seeing my progress.  There's no one who quite gives you the enthusiastic encouragement as a parent, bless her heart.  And I'm extremely happy to report that she's home now and recovering well and I feel once again able to tackle more challenging knitting.  But I'll always turn to a particular type of knitting as an escape during difficult times and I think in a way this also explains why I knit as much as I do even in the best of times.

Particulars:  Stripe Study Shawl designed by Veera Valimaki (Rain Knitwear Designs); US 6 needles; 2 skeins Plucky Knitter Snug (70% merino 20% cashmere 10% alpaca).  Yarn was purchased as part of a 3 skein "mystery kit."  I had less yarn than the pattern called for and only had enough of the Hudson (pink) to knit 10 instead of 12 repeats.  I had a fair about of the grey leftover and could have knit a longer border but felt the overall balance of the shawl worked best stopping when I did.  This yarn knits up beautifully and creates a beautiful shawl.

The Staff of Life  ~

I was happy to hear that Oprah Winfrey eats bread everyday.  I do too so I'm hoping this will help dispel the negative image it's gotten these past few years.  I think the key to eating bread, as with so much in life, is to eat it in moderation and as part of a well balanced diet.  Although as a caveat I am not eating brioche every morning.  Instead I have a slice of my homemade country sourdough loaf that has no butter or fat whatsoever as the wild yeast and long rising process gives it flavor and texture.  I also have along with my bread a bowl of steel cut oatmeal and fruit and a pot of tea.   But every once in a while I splurge and enjoy a treat such as freshly baked brioche on a Sunday morning as pictured above.  I made this petite brioche using the recipe from the Le Pain Quotidien cookbook (Amazon link) and I like them better than those they sell in the bakery.  Just wonderful and pairs perfectly with a tart cherry jam.

Until next time be well and love well and happy knitting.  May it help you through the difficulties you encounter in this life as it has me.

A Summery Scarf and Delicious Bread Pudding Recipe

It has recently occurred to me that for all the shawls that I've knit over the years happily thinking that I'm covering all possible basis for any outfit or color combination that I might own I have left a gaping hole in my wardrobe.  I have hardly any scarves.  And I'm not entirely sure why but all of a sudden all I want to wear are long flowing scarves.   

Maybe it has something to do with the desertification of California.  With the new arid desert climate it seems appropriate to wear more desert influenced fashion that is lightweight, streamlined and breezy such as my new Longshadow scarf designed by Anne Hanson.  Sadly California is suffering from an extreme and extended drought that is projected to last decades.  Residents are being asked (and in some areas like Topanga and Malibu residents are required) to reduce water usage by significant amounts.  Apparently some of us have been drafted to the front lines of the water wars. Pretty soon you'll know who lives in Topanga and Malibu because we'll be the ones taking sponge baths and using perfumes.  But we must learn to adapt to our new reality.  Note to self: read Arabian Nights.

In the past few years I've seen a lot of fabric scarfs being sold for summer but frankly I've never been a fan of fabric scarves.  And when lace is this easy to knit there's no reason not to create something unique and special that will make you stand out in the coming hot. sultry. desert. nights.  What are you waiting for!

Particulars:  Longshadows designed by Anne Hanson (Knitspot); US 4 needles; 1 skein Phydeaux Designs two-ply lace weight yarn (80% superfine merino wool, 20% silk) (875 yrds - 100 gm); colorway Grass.  This design like all of Anne Hanson's designs is superbly written. And because it has a resting row it was an enjoyable and surprisingly quick knit. You knit the scarf in two pieces and then graft together in the center so that the scarf is symmetrical with a scalloped edge on each end.I knit the small size but made it longer than the pattern directions as I wanted a long flowing scarf and ended up using approximately 675 yards.  Finished blocked dimensions 80" x 12."

Swallowtail butterfly alight on the wild sage growing on the Santa Monica mountains along the trails Simcha and I hike.


Bread Pudding Recipe

I'm not sure if you have noticed but lately I have been trying to focus more on healthy eating and lifestyle tips.  Truly I have.  But I believe that should also be tempered by the advice of my mother who at age 88 still enjoys life and is fond of saying "a little of what you fancy does you good." Personally I find occasionally eating something decadently wonderful does wonders for my outlook and one of my favorite indulgences is a special treat for breakfast on the weekend.  There's something about a special breakfast that sets the proper mood for the entire day.  And one of my favorite breakfast indulgences is bread pudding.  It's rather like gourmet french toast for grownups.

A bread pudding is an incredibly versatile and easy recipe.  You can add practically any combination of flavors to your bread and then simply pour over the egg custard.  Bake and wallah ~ a delicious breakfast treat.

Ingredients

Any bread that will easily absorb a liquid egg mixture (brioche or a similar bread that you would use for french toast or in a pinch even a store bought coffee cake for the ultimate in easy preparation).
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup whole milk - scant
+ additional milk to cover your bread filling

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1.  Select dish to bake your bread pudding.  You can use a pie dish or make mini-loafs (pictured below) or a glass bottom bowl (oven safe).

2.  Add torn bread pieces and toss with filling of choice.  Arrange filling so that it is roughly 2 to 3 inches deep.  Keep in mind the dish will rise as it bakes and then collapse as it cools.

3.  Whisk together custard ingredients (3 eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, scant 1/4 cup milk).  Pour custard ingredients over bread mixture.  Then add enough additional milk to just about cover bread filling.  Leave some areas of bread showing.

4.  Bake for approximately 1.5 hours at 350 degrees.  The time will vary depending on how deep your baking dish is.  The bread mixture should rise as it bakes and absorbs the custard and milk (it will then collapse as it cools).

5.  Serve slightly warm still from oven.

Examples of what to use for your bread filling are as follows:  in the first picture I used fresh brioche mixed with a few sliced strawberries and peaches and a few bittersweet chocolate chips scattered about (roughly 2 tablespoons or less).  I find that with fruit you don't want to use too much, but a few nice chunks work well or adding a few raspberries are wonderful too.

In the picture below I used homemade raisin bread.  While I love the raisins and cinnamon this version isn't nearly as light as it is if you use a soft rich bread such as brioche or a coffee cake.

Until next time be well and love well and this summer go ahead and treat yourself to something special for breakfast ~ everyone deserves an occasional treat!

Ripple Wave Socks, Binge Worthy TV and Nectarine Breakfast Bread

Aren't these fun socks! They are my Ripple Wave Socks and I feel like dancing a jig in these sprightly colors.  Just like the wonderful Irish folk song Uncle Benny "they've set my toes a tapping" hum hum hum.  Of late I've spent too much time in silence or listening to gloomy news reports with not enough time filling my home with music.  Listening to beautiful music makes my heart soar, feet tap and just makes me happy.  Growing up I listened to a lot of music.  On Saturday mornings my mother would often cook a full English breakfast (replete with fried egg, bacon, fried tomatoes, toast, marmalade and, of course, a pot of tea) and beautiful music would be playing in the background and our weekends began in this leisurely fashion.  When I got to choose the music I liked to listen to Irish folk music and I particularly liked Roger Whittaker who sings Uncle Benny on Danny Boy and other Classics.  To this day I enjoy hearing him sing these songs.

But enough about music and more about socks!  If you haven't yet been bitten by the sock bug the heat of summer is a perfect time to get hooked!  You'll love the endless choices of gorgeous sock yarns, how quickly a pair of socks knit up, and most importantly come fall you'll realize how wonderful it is to wear your own hand knit socks. You'll also be very popular with friends and family who vie for a pair of your socks!  If you are intimidated to get started, don't be.  You can find many free youtube videos to help you or you can sign up for a paid Crafty Class (I've been a fan of Crafty ever since they taught me the Brioche stitch and I breezed through my first Brioche Project).   And the choice of sock patterns is endless.  There are thousands of free sock patterns on Ravelry, including my Color Block Socks.  Who knows maybe you too have a sock pattern lurking within you.  In any event I encourage you this summer you give sock knitting a try or if you are already a sock knitter to store up a supply for next winter.

Particulars:  Ripple Wave Socks; designed by Kate Lore Designs; US 1 needles; Ritual Dyes sock yarn, i.e. Maiden (100gr, 400 yds of 80% superwash merino and 20% nylon. 2-ply twist) this is yarn leftover from my Sunset Highway Sweater (the blue/purple is the upper yoke colorway and the green is my contrasting color).  This is a wonderful pattern and a pleasure to knit.  I should also mention that all proceeds from the pattern are donated to Doctors without Borders which is no surprise to anyone who knows Kate Lore, a long time blogger and all round class act.  To link to more examples of socks that I've knit (I've knit many) would be too cumbersome so instead I'll link to a pair that has a particularly nice and intricate design that is perfect for slow indoor summer knitting ~ 50 Shades of Green. ~

BINGE WORTHY TV ~

Summer.  Yuck.  My least favorite season.  I'm clearly not a sun worshiper so when it's sweltering outside I like to be inside binging on TV shows.  And as I love hearing other people's favorite shows I thought I would share my list of binge worthy TV.  I didn't include the obvious (i.e. Game of Thrones and Outlander) and if I've missed a show that you love I want to hear your recommendations in the comments!  FYI we are "on-demand" TV watchers and obtain all of our programming through Amazon Prime's Fire Stick (best investment ever).  Many of these shows are free to Amazon Prime Members or are purchased through channels available on Amazon.  But as not everyone is an Amazon user the links below are to IMDb ("Internet Movie Database") where you can see reviews and read more about the shows and stars.  Be warned this is a very diverse list and there are shows on it that will not be everyone's cup of tea due to violence.

Bates Motel    Learn how Norman Bates became "Norman Bates."
Lost in Space (2018)  A fun and well done redo of this classic.
Berlin Station   Modern spy story of the CIA in Berlin
Peaky Blinders  Fascinating (but violent) story of gangs in England post WWI
Frankenstein Chronicles  Clever story of how Mary Shelley's Frankenstein came to exist
Counterpart  Modern sci-fi
Riverdale  See Archies Comics come to life in the small town of Riverdale
Ripper Street  Well done crime story set in the era of Jack the Ripper (stars Matthew Macfadyen)
Altered Carbon  Modern sci-fi
Goliath - Los Angeles lawyer fighting corruption (set in Santa Monica, California)
The Royals  See the British monarchy as you've never seen them before
Imposters  Fun romp with engaging actors
Westworld  Modern sci-fi
Animal Kingdom  Story of a small time crime family in California (stars Ellen Barkin)
Banshee  Violent but interesting story set in a midwest town
Ozark  "Normal" family moves to the Ozarks on the run from gangsters and the law
Billions  Wall Street schenigans
The Americans  Spy story set in the 70's
Da Vinci's Demons  See how fictional Leonardo Da Vinci's life evolved
Electric Dreams  Sci-fi (an updated Twilight Zone)
The Staircase  A fascinating story for true crime buffs
The Night Manager  Adaptation of a Le Carre Novel
Suburra  Crime and family drama set in Italy


NECTARINE BREAKFAST BREAD ~

This is a wonderful breakfast bread that is a new summer treat for me.  The sweetness of fresh nectarines are perfectly balanced with cornmeal, lemon, and thyme and it's quick to throw together so long as you have ripe nectarines on hand.  It's also a fun change from muffins in the morning.  I used a recipe from the latest Southern Cast Iron magazine which never fails to deliver recipes that I love.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Nectarine Breakfast Bread ~

Bread ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granular sugar
2 Tablespoons stone ground cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon finely ground salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large organic eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (I use Kerry Gold butter for all my baking)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lemon - zest used as follows: 3/4 zest for loaf and 1/4 zest for Lemon Thyme Syrup (see below)
1 cup chopped pitted nectarines
1 whole nectarine sliced into decorative wedges (for layering on top)

Lemon Thyme Syrup ingredients:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granular sugar
2 large sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 of lemon zest from a whole lemon


Steps:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Prepare a bread pan by rubbing with butter and coating lightly with flour.

2.  In a large bowl whisk together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon).  Set aside.

3.  In a medium bowl whisk together wet ingredients (eggs, milk, melted butter (add last), vanilla, and 3/4s zest from a whole lemon).

4.  Using a Swedish dough hook or wooden spoon quickly incorporate wet ingredients into dry.  Gently fold in chopped nectarines.  Pour batter into loaf pan and smooth top.  Place decorative nectarine wedges across the top, leaving 1 inch space between each slice.

6.  Bake 55 minutes and check if loaf is a nice golden brown and a tester comes away clean.  If the loaf needs additional time continue baking but cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning until tester comes away clean.  Baking time will vary depending on ingredients, humidity, etc.  I baked my loaf a total of 65 minutes with it covered in foil for the last 10 minutes.

7.  Allow loaf to cool in pan for 20 minutes.  Then turn out onto a cooling wire to cool completely.  While loaf is cooling prepare lemon thyme syrup.

8.  Prepare lemon thyme syrup by combining water and sugar in a small saucepan and bringing to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and add fresh thyme and lemon zest and let cool before using.  Slowly drizzle cooled syrup over cooled loaf allowing it to cover all surfaces but mainly focusing on the top.

This loaf freezes well, although like all baking it's best the day it is baked.

Recipe slightly adapted from Southern Cast Iron Magazine July/August 2018 issue.

I'm also a fan of muffins in the morning and my favorite morning muffin recipes are: Orange Muffins, Raisin Bran Muffins, and Espresso Banana Muffins.

Until next time be well, love well and this summer try beginning  your weekends with a cooked breakfast and listening to beautiful music while knitting away on a pair of socks!

Two Color Shawls and Fall Crafting ~

These days I'm addicted to knitting two color shawls.  And if you are going to be addicted to anything that is a good thing.  Right?  I love that two color shawls have a modern look, are a nice size, and the shaping is often long and flowy.  Which makes them perfect for wrapping around your neck as a voluptuous scarf or draped over your shoulder for a dramatic look.  And those happen to be a very wearable looks for me.  Perhaps if I lived in Iceland I would be more interested in knitting Lopi Sweaters but I don't.  Not that I have anything against lopi sweaters. Parenthetically my first large project was a lopi sweater.  It was gorgeous but impossibly warm and ended up tossed in the rubbish bin.  I'm a much more pragmatic knitter these days.

Because not everyone can afford or wants to buy yarn as a kit for a two color shawl project I thought I would share a few tips that I use for buying yarn that will work well together.  As a preface I purchase almost all my yarn online (there isn't a yarn shop convenient to where I live) and I also love the work of indie dyers so these tips are primarily geared toward the online shopper.

First, while it is not that exciting a purchase, you need to invest in a few skeins in solid or lightly speckled colors that are not designated for any particular project.  These skeins don't have to be in a traditional neutral color such as grey or black it can be any shade of solid color, although neons are in my experience hard to work with.  Once you have a few solid colors you can then shop for speckles and variegated yarns from indie dyers and you will be surprised how many gorgeous and unexpected combinations you can create this way.

The other tip is to be aware of what you are buying.  Not all fingering weight yarn is created equal.  You want to match a plied yarn with another plied yarn (versus yarn singles).  You also want to match the yardage as closely as possible (fingering weight skeins can vary anywhere from 400 yrds up to 500 yrds per skein).  More closely matched yardage will help achieve a more evenly weighted shawl, although some variation in yardage won't be too noticeable.  And lastly you want to pay attention to the composition of the yarn as a highly twisted sturdy wool yarn (more suited to socks) paired with a cashmere blend yarn (more suited to shawls) won't create as pleasing a fabric.

Once you have a couple of solid colored skeins of yarn you simply have to take the plunge and buy that gorgeous skein of yarn you have been eying and wait for serendipity to take hold!  In the worse case scenario and you really don't think a skein of yarn will work with any of your solids then designate it for a pair of socks or consider its potential for a brioche pattern!  In any event this is how I go about buying my yarn online and incorporating yarns from various vendors.  And this is exactly the method that I used to come up with the yarn combination used in this shawl.

Particulars:  Pure Joy designed by Joji locatelli (website Joji Knits); US 6 needles; 1 skein Plucky Knitter, Snug Fingering (for The Love of Scum colorway: Strange Brew - 100g/389 yrds) and 1 skein Qing Fiber, BFL high twist (Shusui colorway - 100g/400 yrds).  This is a wonderful pattern and I made no modifications whatsoever.  As an aside Plucky Knitter is my favorite vendor for solid colored skeins.  Previous patterns that I've knit using Plucky Knitter yarn include my Stripe Study Shawl, Kelmscott Socks, and Breaking Bad shawl.

FALL CRAFTING ~

I want to quickly share this cute softie that I made using a kit sold by Posie Gets Cozy.  It's all hand sewn using wool felt and fabric scraps and it's a nice finished size at 13.5 inches tall.  I really love it and the only change I made was to use a different fabric for the inside of my rabbit's ears.  There's something that speaks to me about hand made toys and mostly I've knit them over the years but this wool felt rabbit came out so beautifully I might have to make another!

Like most knitters I enjoy and am drawn to a variety of crafts but today there is such a huge amount of DIY project ideas and inspiration on Pinterest and other social outlets it can be daunting trying to find project ideas without becoming overwhelmed by choices and to know which ones really are worth spending the time and effort on.  It's for this reason that Jodie founder of Crafty Like Granny has launched a new website that sorts through the fodder and highlights various knitting and crafting projects for you.  They have also complied a list of their top 100 knitting blogs which they have graciously included me on.  This blog list does not appear to be as focused on commercially oriented bloggers as some of the other lists of knitting bloggers that I've seen.  Which I like because those are the blogs that I enjoy reading.  Go have fun checking out their blog list for new bloggers or old favorites and be sure to also visit their list of Thanksgiving knitting and crafting inspiration!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST ~ FALL SOCKS

Because it's Socktober I couldn't let the month end without slipping in a pair of socks.  These were a super easy and fun knit and best of all the pattern is free!  I used the Easy Peasy Socks pattern designed by Nadine Tobish (blogs as Schibot Garne); 1 skein Makers Haven, Simple Sock (colorway The World is My Canvas) and US 1 needles.  My only modification, if you will, was to substitute my Colorbock Sock pattern for overall sock construction, i.e., for cuffs, heel and toe shaping and and I simply used the Easy Peasy Sock design for the pattern effect.

Until next time be well and love well and as the days shorten and the holidays approach enjoy quiet moments of relaxation as you craft and bake for your family and loved ones!

Malton Oolite Scarf and Simcha's Pumpkin Passion

It seems like I look forward to Fall forever and then it flies by in a remarkably short period of time.   And I never have the time to do everything I would like to do.  So instead of getting down on myself for things I would have liked to have done but haven't had the time for, I instead focus on doing just a few Fall activities that I really enjoy.  This year I've been having fun playing with and decorating with all sorts of pumpkins and gourds and they make me smile every day when I see them about my house and garden.  I display them on the first day of October and leave them up through Thanksgiving, which for me is the official end of Fall.  No matter that the calendar may say otherwise. Once Thanksgiving passes, then too Fall is gone like the leaf that falls into the river and floats downstream to disappear from view.  Immediately my thoughts turn to Winter and Christmas which loom large.

But whatever else is happening in my life you can count on the fact that I have also been doing some Fall knitting!  The lovely scarf I'm wearing is knit with yarn from Ysolda's 4th installment of her 2015 Shawl Club.  Note that I say it's knit with the yarn from her club, but not that it is her design.  I must confess that when this kit arrived I was not of the mind set to learn the brioche stitch so I (to my mind) adroitly substituted a pattern that maximized the beautiful colors and lofty yarn to make a fabulous long flowing scarf that I absolutely love wearing.

Because it's the colors and texture that makes this yarn special I did not think the pattern needed to be anything fancy.  And because it's all about the yarn, one of the many things that I have really enjoy about this club is hearing the backstory to the yarns that Ysolda includes with her kits.  In this shipment Ysolda describes the yarn and inspiration as follows:

Spun in Yorkshire from a blend of Lustrous British Longwool Titus was the first yarn from wonderful Leeds wool shop Baa Ram Ewe.  We had it dyed in the mustary gold Ilove so much and Joe from BRE took a third of the batch round to local dyer Victoria of Eden Cottage Yarns.  Inspired by the color combination of flowers over leaf Victoria overdyed the perfect partner for some welcome harvest time sunshine!

And this yarn really does create a fluffy fabulously cozy scarf to wear.  But it's definitely a cold weather scarf because of the alpaca and nature of the wool.

Particulars:  Light in Shadows by Nilija Uimonen; Baa Ram Ewe (Titus) yarn exclusive colorway (Malton Oolite set - Ysolda's 2015 shawl club) in collaboration with Eden Cottage Yarns who over dyed the coordinating color in tangerine; 475 yards combination British wool and UK Alpaca spun in Yorkshire; US 6 needles.  Only slightly modified by using the tangerine color on the border until I ran out and then switch back to the yellow for the final few rows. For previous 2015 Ysolda's shawl club projects see: Stac Shoaigh; Caer Idris; and Cockern Tor.

The MisAdventures of Simcha  ~

Simcha agrees with me that Fall IS the best season and he told me (with body language) that he also loves having pumpkins all over the property.

Although he does have some anxiety about those pumpkin stealing coyotes....

Until next time, be well, love well, and enjoy Fall in whatever fashion suits you best!

Sunset Highway Sweater and Baking Sweet Breads

This is my Sunset Highway Sweater.  It's a soft watercolor interpretation of the original design which in contrast has striking details and a palpable Viking Goddess vibe.  Not that I wouldn't have liked to have been a viking goddess or indeed that it wasn't my intention to have a viking goddess sweater.  But sometimes fates conspire and what comes to pass is not what you intend at all.  And yet.  This softer watercolor version of the Sunset Highway Sweater is more reflective of my personality and one that I'll actually wear more frequently.  I also haven't ruled out revisiting this pattern someday and knitting one more true to the design.  Then again I probably won't because there are so many beautiful sweater patterns that I want to knit and I rarely knit the same pattern twice.

I knew from the start this sweater probably would not come out the way I had expected.  As soon as the yarn arrived (it was sold as a kit) I could see that it was beautifully dyed but I had a suspicion that it wouldn't have the distinct color definition needed to make the yoke design pop.  And once I began knitting I knew that I wasn't going to get a distinct pattern definition using these colors.  So I considered frogging what I had knit and substituting in solid colors. And yet.  When Steve looked at what I had knit he was in love with the beautiful colors and how they intermingled.  And so I decided to throw the dice and let the colors unfold as they may.  And I'm really happy that I did because this is a very unique and beautiful sweater.  I suspect that those who are unfamiliar with the Sunset Highway Sweater design will love this sweater and those who are a fan of the design will not even recognize it as a Sunset Highway Sweater!  Who do you think I am most likely to encounter in the real world?

You can probably tell that while I love the sweater I am a bit ambivalent about it; because it didn't come out as I had hoped and planned. Which could be a metaphor for life. Sometimes our plans don't work out but over time we look back and realize it was actually better the way that it did.  I'm not at that stage yet.

This is obviously a stranded colorwork design and there is a lot of tacking down yarn floats.  I have seen some very complicated methods to do this on Youtube videos that left me discouraged.  But there is no need for this to be super complicated so I'm going to share with you a very simple method for tacking down yarn floats.  This method works works even if you carry both strands of yarn in your right hand, as I do.  I always carry the background color over my index finger and the pattern color over my third finger.  When I want to tack down the background color I use my left hand to lift the background yarn up and over the working needle; I then knit the stitch using the pattern color; and then lift the background color off the needle and drop the strand which I then pick up again with my right hand.  That probably sounds terribly confusing but it's not really.  Play around with it and I think you'll find this is a very easy method for tacking down floats.  I'm sorry I don't know what this method is called.  I'll call it ~ the lefty lifting method ~

If you are thinking about knitting a colorwork design there are now many beautiful and unique colorwork sweater patterns out there (particularly if you are willing to knit with a heavier than fingering weight yarn).  I am currently mulling over the following choices (these are all fingering weight) Threipmuir; Arrows Down; Alyeska; and Silver Frost.

Particulars:  Sunset Highway Sweater, designed by Caitlin Hunter (Boyland Knitworks); US 2 (ribbing) and 4 (body) needles; 5 skeins Ritual Dyes, Maiden (fingering 2 ply twist) 80/20 SW Merino/Nylon, 400 yrds/100 grams (colorways: Iron (main body color), Lady Lucky, Pyrite, and malachite;  I adore this dyer's work and the yarn base is a dream to work with and I have since ordered more of her yarn for other projects.  As far as the pattern itself I knit the extra small size and my only modifications were that I knit the yoke a little longer than the pattern called for (about an extra inch and a half) and I skipped the short rows at the bottom.  But I have a small build and I've heard some say the extra small runs tight on them so you probably need to check your gauge and pick your size carefully.

Incidentally my Kobuk hat in the previous post is also by this designer ~ when you're hot you're hot ~

The last couple of years I've knit primarily cardigans but these days I'm more in the mood to knit pullovers.  If you would like to see a other pullover sweaters here are a few that I've previously blogged: Not a Jersey Girl; Calm; Emily; Sideways Knitted Top; and Lily.  With my climate I don't have a lot of sweater wearing weather but there are days when they come in handy!

Baking Sweet Breads ~

Work has been demanding lately and I'm fighting a cold.  But I always make it a priority to have homemade baked goods in the house.  It's a quality of life issue and simple pleasure that I try hard not to forego. And I think during stressful periods all the more important.  I like variety so I'm always playing with new recipes.  Recently I discovered the very delicious Babka bread!  This is a versatile sweet bread (similar to a brioche loaf) that you can use with a million different fillings.  For your babka dough I recommend trying the one I use from Bake From Scratch Magazine they share the dough recipe online (albeit with a Pistachio filling).  I use Kerry Gold butter and only 9 gms of salt (1/2 tbs. versus 1 tbs) but other than that I follow this basis dough recipe (sans orange zest).  As I mentioned the choice of fillings are endless.  The loaf pictured below I made with a strawberry and coconut filling (found in Bake From Scratch's March/April issue)but a classic filling would be a chocolate filling.  I hope you have fun finding wonderful fillings for this delicious bread treat!

Until next time be well and love well.  Enjoy Spring and don't forget this is a great time to start planning sweaters to knit over the summer so you are ready for next Fall!