Tension

I'm using this wonderfully soft yarn by Rowan and I'm 90% done with the newborn hat I'm knitting when I realized that the reason my knit stitch looks straight is due to one side of my tension being off. How sad! It's either the knit side or purl side so I've been told. However, the fact that it's being knit in the round is making me wonder how I would even go about fixing this problem. So I'm going to frog the whole damn hat and start over. Don't mind the tears!

Cabled Sack Hat

I've had this idea in my head for some time. I even sketched it out! Finally I got around to knitting it and I'm thinking it looked better in my head! I'm going to have to make a few changes and see if it looks any better.

It seems that since my uncle and great uncle are not doing well at the moment I've been occupying my mind with knitting. Crafts are my therapy! I went and visited with my great uncle Saturday morning early. After about an hour I encouraged him to take a nap since he looked tired. While he slept I knit; then a little after noon everyone else showed up.  He should be going home any day now! As for my uncle, I hope to visit him in Virginia this weekend if he's up to the company.

Blackberry Peach Hat

Ah! Finished! That was perfect!

I only have 3 jars left. Of course I had a commission prior to even cooking this batch! So happy! Ah but the smell! I just love blackberries and can I just say that every year I miss blackberry season. I almost missed it this year. And I was sad that I couldn't use my friends white peaches for this jam since they were too soft by time I got the blackberries. My belly liked them though! Num num num!

I'm thinking of altering the recipe slightly so that the peaches can stand out more and getting rid of the seeds so that Daniel can possibly eat them.

Then I also finished a lovely little baby hat. It's based off of the sack hat style but I added a wee bit of patchwork. Not any major alterations! Then I wove in a lovely whimsical silver ribbon.

 

Thanks to jam making I missed bike night! While everyone was out racing about Columbus I was home being a homemaker! Pfft such choices!



Strawberry Balsamic Jam

Heidi Knitting

Got my jam on with Heidi. After work on Thursday we went to my apartment to do some knitting and make some jam. I fully used her for stirring the goopy goodies whilst I poured in the sugar. But for the most part she was practicing her knitting.

It smelt so divine! For my first time making jam and without any instructional help I'd have to say we did a damn fine job. Didn't take all that long from start to finish. Which might have something to do with the fact that I already had the strawberries washed, cut and cleaned; so there was none of that to slow us down. All I had to do was measure out my ingredients, prep my jars and cook.

Strawberries in a pot!

We did run into a hitch when pouring them into jars. By that I mean we ran out. So while Heidi finished cleaning off the rims and putting lids on I quickly washed more in water that made my hands hurt it was so hot. See I have this thing with glass ... I fear it'll shatter. So I was so nervous on this step I'm surprised I didn't make a bigger mess. Once we got the jam into the jars we cleaned the pot and put the jars into a water bath. This freaked even Heidi and Daniel out because the jars were doing a jig in that damn pot.

And done! They sat in the post boiled water for a wee bit then Heidi used the tongs and placed then in my mitted hands to be set on the counter to cool. Once we made sure everything was turned off Daniel and I took Heidi home with a nice warm jar of jam. I could have driven her on my motorcycle but she didn't seem to want to hop on. Not sure why!

I left the jam sitting out all night and this morning made sure all the tops were compressed and stored them in the curio cabinet. Made myself some toast and slathered on some fresh, still slightly warm strawberry jam. It set up nicely.  A soft, creamy jell that just melts on your tongue. The strawberries are very prominent and the vinegar gives a nice depth to the jam.

Best Quote

"The motorcycle is what the horse used to be. It allows you to be part of your environment and experience it in a very intimate way." ~ Laurence Fishburne

Indignation

We have some new neighbors living below us. A college couple. They seem nice enough. However, when I went down to water my wee garden I noticed cigarette buts hidden beside the drain hole for my pot. Okay that's probably the wettest part of the whole mulched bed but still with this dry heat and lack of rain very stupid. And okay I can't really be sure it's them. Then again they're the only people we share the patio with. It would be quite awkward for someone to pop a squat beside two doors that are not theirs and smoke 3 whole cigarettes. They also cook with a small charcoal grill ... and don't tend to it after their food is done to make sure the coals cool before putting it in the mulch. I think they're trying to burn down the building. I wish I could just nock on their door and be like "I don't care if you smoke but please be responsible about it and put your buts in the trash not the flammable mulch. And please make sure your grill is cool before bringing it back up to the building. I'd really not like to have the building burn down!"

Yesh! I can just imagine that going over well. The things they could do to my wee garden is horrid to think about. Not that it's yielding all that much. This dry heat sent my spinach to seed immediately, has dried my beets to stringy little husks, and is causing my tomatoes to rot on the vine. It's not looking like I'll have enough for tomato stew, let alone to jar. Oh and I completely forgot abut my poor little strawberries!  They didn't even make it past 2 inches before they shriveled and died. Man I hope we get a hard frost so that next year will yield better.

Even with my garden not yielding much this year I have my mothers to sustain all of us. She has some red peppers which I can use in all sorts of jarring fun. Like this roasted red pepper hummus I made over the weekend. De-lish! I gave 2 jars to friends and they seem to like as well. It definitely wasn't your average smooth hummus since I don't have an electric food processor but rather a hand crank one that just doesn't get things all that smooth. But the small chunks added a lovely texture to it that was most pleasing. Then she has the squash and zucchini for my breads, and plenty of tomatoes for my stew. The one thing my garden is producing in abundance is basil both garlic and lemon varieties so I made some pesto! I went to a local farmer and picked strawberries but I'm looking for a non reactive pot and pectin so I can make jam. I know I best hurry if I wish to make the blackberry lavender jam as well since blackberry season is almost done. Oh and I wanna make blackberry pie this year so I need to pick a lot of blackberries. The lavender flowers escape me as to ware to get them.

Granola bars for Daniel. He wants them smaller!

I still haven't done a photoshoot for my most recent costume. I feel quite lazy about that. However, since the costume is made to fit me I would need a model with my build or a photographer to take it and my friend is constantly busy. The only time she seems to have is when we go walking once a week. It's frustrating to no end! She has said that she would assist me in creating a modeling portfolio so I hold out hope. I'd have Daniel take the photos but he's constantly working. And my sister ... well she's have three wee bairns to deal with. Man aren't I just full of excuses!

I do have other crafts to speak of. The lucet I'm making is coming along. I got the wood picked out and the template drawn on. I'm just waiting for Daniel to cut it out for me so that I might begin carving. Then again if I get really bored today I might just cut them out myself the hard way. (with my wood carving chisel) I'm excited to start using it. However, since it might take some time I think I'll play with one of my hair pieces to see if I can create a cord without the proper lucet.

Then there's the 2 bracelets I made for Daniels mother. They're quite pretty. One's pearl and the other's Swarovski crystal. She didn't want any fancy patterns so it's just one bracelet of each type.

I've been knitting up a storm on my Gansey. I've been neglecting this sweater for far too long. Damn cables have just got me all flustered. But I prevail! I'm working on the last sleeve then it's just stitching up the sides and done! Another hour perhaps till completion. Here's hoping it still fits Ryan. >.> I do love the cables but I think after this is complete I might just take a break from them and make a sweater for myself in plain old stockinette.

I've been working on color works. With this little Christmas ornament. I was making them for a craft show this fall that I was to attend with a lady I met however it seems plans have changed. She now has a girl who make many a Christmas ornament and no longer needs me to share her booth. And I was looking forward to that experience. She says perhaps some fair shows in earlier months. We'll see if she sticks to. In the mean time I'll just make them for family and anyone online who would like one.

It would seem however that I'm out of luck this year for craft shows but I found a few that I'd like to attend next year. There's this all Ohio fair in Bath that seems fun. I'm going to attend and see what it's all about and if I like then I'll apply for a booth next season.

I still have my commissions keeping me busy though they seem to be slowing down at the moment. Which is fine really since I need to get a second job and continue my search for a home and now a car. Winter is right around the corner and my motorcycle just wont work with snow or ice on the ground.