lack

I've been plugging away on a few things, both knitting and personal. In the meantime I've been listening to the Punch Brothers pretty much nonstop and when I can't go see them play everywhere youtube is my best friend. I really wish I was this talented.

My handspun gloves

I'm not entirely sure what to say about these gloves. I made them from my handspun singles from Spunky Eclectic corriedale in the colorway claret. I used the fingerless glove calculator from an old issue of Interweave Knits Winter 03. I've made at least four or five pairs of gloves using that article. I mentioned this to my friend Ivy, who worked there for a few years, she knew exactly what I was talking about because she edited that article. Such an odd coincidence.

I like the combonation with my polka dot coat. Some people might find it too much, but I love them together. In New York no one notices, but elsewhere I fell like I must "stick out" a little.

February FOs

There are several things I finished during the blahs of February, including the two projects below.

The first is the Jess Hutch bunny, which I actually made two of. There was enought yarn and it just seemed like a good idea to make two so they could be friends. I had the Lamb's Pride hanging around from Rhinebeck and used less than one skein to make two bunnies.

I also made a multidirectional scarf in my own handspun. The scarf is so small it won't keep me very warm, but it sure is soft and pretty. It is sea otter BFL from sweetpea fibers. I really want some more cause I love these colors together.

And yes, there are even more FOs, but for another time.

another FO - Lucy cardigan

This is the Lucy in the Sky Cardigan, pattern by Cosmicpluto, but it would most aptly be named the Christmas sweater, since most of the knitting on this was done over Christmas vacation. That is the only reason it was done in about three months. But it is done and I am so pleased with it. I used knitpicks wool of the andes in saphire heather and leather buttons from M and J trimming. The yarn is slightly tweedy so it has a few shades in it which gives the color a nice depth. This was an incredibly enjoyable project and is a nice wearable sweater. I may make another one at some point. The only thing I would change would be to make the edging at the back neck a bit shorter so it doesn't gape open so much there. The ravelry link is here.

I have another two finished objects which I will try to post about in the next week.

FO:Vest

So I've been trying to finish a lot of things lately. I've been somewhat successful. First up is the tweedy vest from Knitscene Fall 2005.


Made with yarn from my grandparent's basement it made a nice stretchy vest. It fit me when I finished it, but I wasn't thrilled with the way it looked on me. However, someone else did like it, so I passed it on to her. Hopefully she can get a lot of lovely wear out of it.

recipe, no pictures yet

The lucy cardi is done now and I've even worn it, but there are no pictures yet to share. I hope to have one this weekend. In the meantime, I improvised a quick pasta dish that turned out pretty well, so I decided to write up a little recipe. I thought this up while walking to work one morning and jotted some ingredients down, which then became this dish. I think I will definitely be making this again.

Green Olive and Sun dried Tomato Pasta
10 - 12 sun dried tomatoes, dried package, not in oil
1 onion chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package button mushrooms chopped
1 jar pitted green salad olives, buy them chopped up if you can, and drain them before adding
1 cup white wine
zest of one lemon
1 pound pasta, I used spaghetti
1 cup pasta water

Place sun dried tomatoes in boiling water for 10 minutes, when they are soft, chop them up.

Put water with salt in large pot to boil for the pasta. Add pasta when water starts to boil. You can chop the rest of the ingredients when waiting. While it boils saute sun dried tomatoes, onion, mushrooms and olive oil in a wide skillet for 5 minutes. Then turn up heat up. When liquid is almost gone add the white wine. Let wine cook off for a couple minutes and then add the olives. Let the olives heat through and then add lemon zest. Add 1 cup pasta water to dilute the sauce.

Make sure to keep watch on pasta when doing this, so you can drain it (and reserve 1 cup pasta water) when it is cooked through. Toss pasta with the saute. You can add grated cheese or serve as is.

If you are like me you end up cooking for at least four people, so this becomes lunch for the next two days. So far it's been lunch a few times and I've yet to get sick of it.

food food food

I've had this chili recipe kicking around for a while and finally made it on Sunday. I don't care for beef so I substituted ground turkey for it. I wasn't feeling much like chili, but when it was done it was exceedingly yummy. And it was so easy!

I got a great idea for a pasta sauce while at the gym this morning. I think it should involve sundried tomatoes, green olives, mushrooms, white wine, lemon zest and parsley. Maybe I'll write it up if it turns out.