Wednesday, November 23, 2005

No knittin' here!

I thought I'd make a Thanksgiving post to let y'all know what I'm up to. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. I am having 20 people here for dinner. There's my family, the Knitizen family and her in-laws, T's best friend and wife, his brother and his wife, their mom and her new boyfriend and another good friend and her family. I have already made my cherry chutney and my sweet potatoes. Tomorrow I do the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. Everyone else is bringing the rest. Sound pretty easy to me. Friday, T's best friend's mom is babysitting so we can all go out, Saturday we are going to a Lobos NCAA Championship soccer game with a huge group of people and I think Sunday we might go out with Knitizen, her T. and her in-laws sans kids. Maybe I'll breathe again on Monday? It's all good. Oh yeah. I have a new job too. I agreed to watch my neighbor/friend's 9 & 12 year old for a few hours in the afternoon while she closes up her store. She's paying me really well and they are great kids. Can't beat that.

I'm posting this recipe again for anyone looking for a new sweet potato recipe. You must make this. That's an order. I promise it's a keeper.

The sweet potato recipe came from Aunt Bee's Mayberry Cookbook by Ken Beck and Jim Clark.

Robert E. Lee Natural Bridge Sweet 'Tater Pone
Alice and Jim Schwenke--Houston, Texas
"A special treat when made with sweet 'taters grown in the Darlings' garden near Old Man Kelsey's woods."

3 cups grated raw sweet 'taters (about 3 medium sized)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons butter (I used margarine)

Grease a 1-1/2 quart baking dish. In a mixing bowl combine the sweet 'taters, nutmeg, sugar and 1/2 cup of pecans. Add the milk and egg. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining pecans. Dot with butter. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6.

Oh wait! I've turned the heel and am working on the gusset on the sock. Woot!

Monday, November 21, 2005

Can we tawk?


I'm a newbie at this sock knitting. (I've knit forever but just not socks!) I've only made one pair and those were pretty basic. So basic in fact, that there wasn't anything fancy about the heel flap at all. I simply slipped the first stitch and knit across the row and slipped the next stitch and purled the next row. Nuttin' fancy about that at all. I had no idea that there were all kinds of different ways to even knit a heel flap. The sock I'm making right now is the basic Regia sock pattern and this heel is the Dutch heel:

Dutch Heel: Leaving the 30 instep stitches on needles and using CC , work heel flap back and forth over remaining 30 sts in heel stitch of your choice.

Regular heel stitch :Row 1 sl 1, * k1, sl 1* repeat from * across ending with k1

Row 2 sl 1, purl across

Work even in heel stitch until heel flap is about 2.25" long.


I know the reason behind this is to have a more durable heel that won't wear out. Got it. It's kind of a pain to purl the slipped stitches but it's doable. I don't know how much I love it though.

Can all of my kick-ass knitting friends tell me what heel flap technique you like the best? I'd appreciate it as I see many more socks in my future.....

Sunday, November 20, 2005

I'm in love.....

with this Opal Rainforest Collection! Last night Carole was over and as we cried our eyes out over The Notebook I was knitting. Every few rows I got more and more excited exclaiming, "Look how pretty! I love this yarn!"

Isn't it purty??? And yes, I know it's supposed to be a sock.


By the way, if you have yet to see that movie....get a box of Kleenex and watch it. We highly recommend it. Off to knit during nap time!

Friday, November 18, 2005

Haaaaaa!

Fun stuff! I'm such a dork!



Why I'm a Lustful Wench

I'm stuck. What do you do when you have something you are supposed to knit at the same time you have something you want to knit? Right now I'm torn. One of my very good friends is about to have a baby. The one I mentioned before. I am totally excited to knit this sweater from this summer's IK. Is that not the cutest thing you've ever seen? The problem is that I'm lusting after a knitting bag. One of my online girlfriends is amazingly talented and has been making these bags. I mean, look at this bag! And this one! Or even this one! Do you see my problem? I told her she's evil for making me so lustful.

I mean, what do I do? Oh I know. I must have the bag. The damn baby can wait for a sweater right? She won't even be able to complain about being cold anyway? I even bought the yarn already for my evilbagmaking friend. How have I not seen all the cool new Rainforest sock yarn from Opal? It's such cool stuff! I got some of this

to make her a pair of socks in exchange for a bag. Isn't it purty? I think it's funny to have knitting be such a magical skill to possess. Whenever another crafty friend can do something else I can't I always just say, "I want one! I'll knit you something!" Do you do that too? Or am I the only lustful wench out there like this? Maybe don't answer that.

I guess this post has been my own little therapy session. My new mantra will be, "I will not feel guilty for knitting socks first."

Have a good weekend y'all!

Monday, November 14, 2005

My turn!

Okay. I know I'm not some huge blog with millions of readers but I'd still like to see where everyone is who checks me out. Even if you are just taking a quick peek will you add yourself with a picture to my map please!? Click the link and voila!

Check out our Frappr!

I'll love ya forever!

Saturday, November 12, 2005

I think I need to change the blog title...

To Scout's Knitted and Beaded Swag!

I have a new obsession. I've wanted to make jewelry for as long as I can remember. Lately I've been looking for certain things and can't find them or they are way too expensive. So, like always, I figured I could just make what I wanted. I went to Walmart to buy the basic things I'd need to make the necklaces and earrings myself. Today I also hit the bead shop. Um. Very. Dangerous.

I made these all in the last two days. I LOVE them. The swirls and red ones are for best girly Carole and the green ones are for another girlfriend. I'm wearing the purple earrings and the pretty purple necklace and I'm so happy to finally have some pieces I like. The pictures don't do the beadwork any justice. The colors are all so pretty. I already gave 3 ne
cklaces away that aren't pictured here. I'm such a freaking dork aren't I?

Not too shabby for my first pieces huh? Click on them to see the bigger pictures.




Then, a good friend came over last night and I let her pick out her own beads to make her a set of matching earrings and a necklace. She had a business meeting up in Santa Fe this morning and was going to wear them. I'm pretty happy with how they cam out.



My baby girl also picked out her own beads for a necklaces.



And finally, I just finished this purple, Classic Elite, Lou Lou scarf and made a necklace this morning when I woke up to match the earrings I made yesterday. Don't they all look good together?



It's soooo much fun. You can't tell I'm having fun with this can you?

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Schweet!

A big thanks to Noelle who suggested the sweater she made from Interweave Knits Summer 05'. Here is the one she made. And this is another one that peskyapostrophe made that I'm in love with because it's pink. It is totally perfect and I can't wait to start on it!

And, I actually can ask her questions if I don't understand what the hell the pattern is saying. *insert evil laugh*

SOS

Readers? Please help me. Someone on my Bloglines posted the cutest mohair baby booties recently and I want that pattern! Anyone know what it's out of. Oh wait..... Last Minute Gifts? Also, what is your most favorite, fairly easy, infant sweater pattern? I have a really good friend who is about to pop and since she's back East she needs warm clothes for her babe. Please? Help! I need some inspiration. I've hit some sort of knitting slump. I think all of those scarves sucked out my knitting creativity since they completely lacked creativity. Has anyone seen my knitting mojo? Send it back please. Thank you! I'm counting on you. Yes YOU!

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Okay....whatever

I don't know why this bothered me but it did. Yesterday I went to the Weems Artfest with a friend and while at a cool pottery booth I noticed a funky scarf on the saleswoman. I asked her if she made it and she said, "No, a friend did back a few years ago when this became popular." It was a pretty basic eyelash/ribbon scarf but it was a really cool ribbon yarn. I asked her if I could see it and she obliged. I was just trying to figure out what the yarn was exactly since I couldn't spot it right away. She then said, "Well this is very hard to knit with." This, of course, totally offended me. I know it shouldn't have really. But it did! What made her think I didn't know how to knit? I couldn't help but say, "Well, this is what I do." Implying, THIS IS MY LIFE. Even though it isn't really but I was annoyed with her. She then changed her tone and tried to explain what the yarn was but I was alreaday done paying attention to her. I even had a cool funky handmade scarf on too. The only credit I'll give her is that I think she was drunk. She was talking about how they had liquor in the back of their truck to keep things interesting......um.....okay.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Look!


I think the picture says it all. I can't wait to see who my secret pal is because I must have the best one out there!

Thank you so much again. I now need to felt up a cute bag so I can play with the needle felting! I got the bug when I saw them do it on Knitty Gritty. If you haven't seen this show it's a must. Vickie Howell is just so damn rockin'!

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Secret Pal!!!

You totally rock. Seriously. I will post more details tomorrow with pictures. Let's just say my best friend was here yesterday and was completely jealous of my rockstar secret pal!!'

Thank you!
Thank you!