Deja Blue.

This hat.  Again.  How is it I've knit the star-crosssed slouchy beret in this Malabrigo colorway three times but still don't have one to call my own?  Oh, right...this is how:  My first one was lifted (lovingly) by my mom.  My second one came out too small, more like a beanie despite aggressive blocking (no clue what happened; it is headed to my niece).  And most recently, I knit the one pictured above for my mother-in-law (she picked out the yarn and pattern while visiting at Christmastime). 

I would still like a hat to match my cowl.  But I honestly don't know if I can knit another one of these!  Hmn.......but it is a quick knit.  And goodness knows I have the pattern memorized.  And--incredibly--I still have yarn left.  This stuff is like the everlasting gobstopper of yarn.  So maybe.  Maybe... 

Sandra

Snow day.

         

Maybe you are enjoying a snow day today, too?  For us, it's one of those sloppy wet ones...rain boots worked better than snow boots as I toured the yard.

But at least the higher temperatures meant it wasn't too cold.  The boys enjoyed extended outdoor play and countless sledding runs on the small hill next to our house. 

Will doesn't like wet snow...he mostly just ran and ran on the cleared sidewalk, so happy to be out and about. 

And he kept pointing out things that he thought were pretty, asking me to take pictures of them.  He always wants to look in the LCD screen of my camera to see the shot--but as I have one of the first generation Canon SLRs, the screen is teeny tiny.  And in the bright sun, it's nearly impossible to see whether your shot is clear.  I am saving my pennies to upgrade.   

I hope you enjoy your day, too.  And whatever it brings.

Sandra

My Francis Revisted sweater.

My latest handknit sweater is the Francis Revisted pattern, by Beth Silverstein.  It has become my uniform of sorts--I've reached for it repeatedly these past few blustery days.  It is made from Berroco Ultra Alpaca, which is deliciously squishy, yet light and warm.

I was determined to upload some photos--so I ignored the harsh light coming through our front window as I took some shots.  I almost like the glare effect, though I know it makes the sweater harder to see, sorry.  But  I figured I'd better just post what I have because today and (most likely) tomorrow are snow days.  Soon I'll be wearing my alternate winter uniform of fleece and gortex, head-to-toe.  Our boys are counting on some sledding time.

     

The sweater knit up quick because it is mostly stockinette stitch with touches of moss stitch at the cuffs and hem.  It's a great pattern, knit top down and in the round.  I am not the best at moss stitch (a.k.a. seed stitch) because I purl much slower than I knit.  Here's a close-up, although it's hard to see on the dark colored yarn.  It's just enough detail for some interest, but not so complicated as to get in the way of TV knitting.     

 

My Ravelry notes are here.  I am now working on a small lace shawlette--the thin yarn, a silk and merino blend, feels odd and delicate compared to the worsted alpaca.  And the small needle size means it's a much slower project.  Not sure how it is sitting with me.  In case it's not obvious, I am not the most patient crafter.

Sandra

Easy savory biscuits.

I promised I would post my recipe for easy biscuits...it's basically the cream scone recipe tweaked to compliment savory flavors.  It's more biscuit-y than scone-y.  And the unbaked dough is pretty crumbly, just so you know.  I don't bother patting it into a disc and cutting (like I do with scones).  I just drop by generous spoonfuls...

12-15 minutes later, they hold together just fine while remaining tender.  They are so, so easy and even though I make them weekly, they are always a hit. 

Savory Biscuits

• 2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably a low-protein brand such as Gold Medal or Pillsbury
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 - 1 cup add-ins (I like shredded cheddar, crumbled cooked bacon, choped turkey or ham, etc.)
• 3/4 - 1 cup half and half

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425°F.

2. Place flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in large bowl.

3. Quickly cut in butter (using two knives, a pastry blender or your fingertips) until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few slightly larger butter lumps. Stir in add-ins.

4. Stir in half and half with a rubber spatula or fork until dough begins to form, about 30 seconds (stir until all the dry bits are incorporated but do NOT over mix).

5.  Drop by large spoonfuls onto a prepared baking sheet (either sprayed with Baker's Joy or lined with parchment paper/silicone baking mat).  You may need to use your hands to gently shape and lump the dough together.

6.  Bake until biscuit tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes (mine go 13 minutes).  Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Sandra

Fridays with littlest one.

Each Friday--during our normal weeks--William has a lunch date.  Many Fridays, it is with friends during a playdate.  But sometimes, it is just the two of us.  And I have really come to love our dates.

He leads a quick blessing... 

...in earnest, I might add...

...always ending with an exuberant, "Dig In!"  And then, in case I don't know what he means, he shows me how it's done...

Sometimes I just stare at him, marveling at how fast he's growing.  And I'll quiz him:

"Is that yummy, Will?"

"Oh yes.  Scrumptious.  I like it." 

"I like it too."

"I love it."

"I love it too."

"No momma.  You love coffee.  And me.  And my brothers.  And daddy.  And knitting."

-------------

He is right.  And I love Fridays, too.  Have a good one... 

Sandra

p.s.  I will share the recipe for these biscuits this weekend.  They are always in our breadbox because they are so versatile.  This batch was turkey and cheddar.  And I ate four.

Sanity knitting.

Quiet time became a bit of a necessity during our recent sickfest.  Usually, at least one person was napping at any given time throughout the day.  This prompted me to begin a new knitting project.  I actually have a few projects on the needles right now...a first for me.  I'm more of a start and toil away until it's finished kind of knitter. 

One of the projects I interrupted is a hat for my mother-in-law.  It's nearly done but I mistakenly left it at a friend's house during a playdate and have yet to retrieve it.  Hopefully, I will get my hands on it soon.  In the meantime, I impulsively cast on for something else.

Another sweater.  And once again, it's for me, me, all me.  In contrast to my sewing (which is almost always for others), it seems selfish knitting will continue into 2011.  And I love it.  I'll write details and share links shortly as I just finished it up, blocking and all.  Did I mention I love it?  Especially because knitting it was a life-saver last week--between all the sniffly noses and temperature checks, I also stressed as I worked on a report (67 pages!!) as a volunteer on a committee for our school board.  It involved a lot of maps and data.  And it made my brain hurt. 

Knitting, I discovered, is awfully therapeutic.  Especially mindless stockinette in the round...

  

Sandra

No really. Happy New Year.

"I feel pretty lucky, though, because it looks like no one else caught my Christmas cold."

And that, of course, was a foolish, foolish thing to say to a friend last week.  Because not twelve hours later, I got the dreaded phone call from the school nurse.  I will not bore you with the details; I'm sure you know how it is: kids fell like dominos...too much couch time, leading to sleepless nights...a home filled with heart-wrenching coughs and whimpering.  All of this delivered with a side of grumpy, because this particular virus lasted so very long. 

I should have seen it coming.  Last week was impossibly full, schedule-wise.  And if your life is anything like mine, the crazy weeks--when you don't have time for sick days, school delays, school closings, ice storms and power outages (because, yes, all those happened this past week)--are exactly when they'll pop up. 

So here it is, more than half way into January, and I am just now (!) taking down and packing away Christmas decor. 

Other than the nagging feeling of being behind schedule, I must admit that it's been rather nice having our decorations up longer than usual. 

I did a big purge last year and kept only the things I really love. 

But I have never been so excited to get back on track.  Knocking on wood...knocking on wood...

Sandra

Little moments.

We've taken it easy this winter break.  Mostly because I came down with a wicked cold over Christmas...the kind that stubbornly lingers.  But we're enjoying ourselves nevertheless.  I thought I'd share some shots of the last few days of the little ones and what they do to entertain themselves when I'm not up to it...

1.  Show their toys some love...

2.  Test out new Christmas toys, especially ones that zip about surprisingly-fall-off-your-seat fast when used on multi-level floor plans...

3.  Read together...

4.  Read alone...

5.  Rearrange furniture to make "bridges" and climb where they are not supposed to...

6.  Distract me from reacting to climbing infractions by giving adorable brotherly hugs...

7.  Pause without complaint for a shot that had great potential if it weren't for this slow-moving momma who forget to adjust the camera's aperture to get them all in focus (grrrr you, manual mode, I shake my fists at you!)...

And yes, pajamas have been worn all day, many days this vacation.  By me too.  But we're getting back to reality.  The boys head back to school this week.  And I have a rather large volunteer obligation that, for the most part, wraps on Jan. 10th.  So stay with me if you like...I will be back.  I'm sure all of you have hit the ground running as of January 1.  But FYI: January 11th is when I start looking at the New Year like it's a shiny, new plaything.

Sandra