Knitsational...or The Evolution of Yarn

What Are You Going To Do With That?

I purchased 4 ziplock gallon bags of these groovy flowers today at the Salvation Army. I just love them! Have no clue as to what I will do with them, but that's half the fun, right? Well, the cashier asked what I would do with them and I told her the same thing. So then the elderly lady in line behind me decided to give her input . I could make this and that and attach them to this and that. She was really thinking hard about it. So I thanked them and told them to have a nice day and she says, "Well now you have some ideas anyway". Thank you.

I also bought some great fabric today at the fabric store. 4 yds. of 4 different prints. When you have no idea how you'll use it 1 yd seems to be safe. As the cashier rang up each piece my mom says "What  are you going to do with that" I don't know, mom. I don't know, mom. LOOK LADY! Everything I am buying here, I don't know what I'll be using it for! " Well, what do mean you don't know what you'll do with it? You're just buying it just because?" Just because, mom. "Well what about the fabric paints? (they were just .25) You can't possibly be buying a color like THAT for no reason." I'll find a reason! I don't have to know what I'll be using it for. I'll find a use for it. When I need it there it will be.

This is the running "excuse" behind most of the items in my crafting room. Which is stuffed to brim and threatening to overflow. But when I need it, there it will be. There is no ryme or reason to art. It just is.

What I've Been Doing

Believe it or not but I have actually been knitting lately, not that you've been hearing about it. I finished the baby dress today. I finished knitting it ages ago but just haven't taken the time to sew it to the skirt. Scroll down a bit to see the photo from the pattern. I posted it a couple of weeks ago. A beautiful yellow number.  And here's my version, with the hat I made separately but happened to be in the same yarn and age range:

 

I have also been working on a pattern for these fingerless gloves. I just love these. I'm kinda obsessed with fingerless gloves anyway but I really love these! This stitch pattern is just so awesome! And when you take them off (though I can't see why you would want to) they kind of coil up on themselves. It's so neat. I found the stitch looking for patterns worked in the round. It's so easy to memorize. I've made these about 4 times and I don't even get out the book anymore. It's the first pattern I've ever written down, where anyone else could actually understand anyway. I've also posted the gloves themselves on my shop so they can be purchased by those of you who aren't handy with the needles. They are knit in a sumptuous cashmere blend, just makes you want to rub them all over your face!

So, that's what I've been working on!

Take 2 Muffins and Call Me in the Morning

I have been so dreadfully sick this weekend. On Saturday I was absolutely on death's door. I couldn't even knit. Now that's sick. But by Sunday (I know, a real lengthy illness, right?) I felt alot better. Still pretty gross but hey, I was nearly a gonner. I felt so much better I decided to whip up a batch of the awesome muffins for the fam. Gluten free, of course. But you can always substitute regular flour and omit the xantham gum. Actually, my recipes are free of alot of common allergins. My Kaiya has quite a few allergies so everything I make is free of gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts and shellfish. I know what you're thinking, "Darn,  and I was hoping she would give a recipe for Berry Shrimpy Muffins". All of the substitutions I use can be found in any well stocked health food store or  natural grocery store. Although soy milk and dairy free margarine can be found in most regular grocery stores. For margarine I use Smart Balance Light. If you are avoiding dairy you have to be careful to only buy the light or organic whipped. These are the only 2 that are completely dairy free. A couple of of the others were but they changed them just recently so be sure and read the label every time you buy. And the other good thing about Smart Balance is  there are no trans fats. Ok, enought of the butter commercial, right? I just think that when you have so many food restrictions you need to know the easiest way to get substitutes. You don't have to do without or get everthing at a heath food store.

So, here is the recipe for my muffins. And like most of my recipes tthis is an altered recipe from a "traditional" cookbook. When we first started elimanating these allergins I thought about just throwing all my old cookbooks out. But I'm really glad I didn't. I find that by simply altering a "regular" recipe to suit our needs, I got much better recipe than using gluten free recipes. I could go on andon so I'll just stop. Here ya go!

Berry Lemon Muffins

1/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg (Iuse Ener G egg replacer, 1 1/2 tsp to 2 Tbl. water)

2 tsp. lemon extract

1/4 cup sour cream (I use Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream)

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use Arrowhead Mills all-purpose gluten free mix)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp.  salt

1/4 cup ground flaxseed (optional)

1 tsp. xantham gum

1/3 cup milk (dairy, soy, rice or nut)

1 1/2-2 cups fresh or frozen berry mix

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the egg, sour cream and lemon extract: mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, flax and xantham gum; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in the berries.

Fill12 greased or paper- lined muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake at 400* for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpck comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

yields 1 dozen muffins

Enjoy!~

Mmmm....... Chai

I've been holding on to these spices to make chai for over a year now. Except for the cinnamon sticks (oooo so exotic), so I had Tait (hubby) pick me up last night cuz I was jonesing for some. I've never made it before. I've always used the premade. Celestial Seasons is good but I wanted to try it from scratch.

Sooo much better than premade.  The spices are so much more intense  and aromatic. Definately worth the extra effort. So give it a whirl!

This recipe comes from Food for Friends by Sally Pasley Vargas. It is written as a mix to give as a gift. It makes 24 servings. So if you want to scale it down you'll just have to do some fractions.

Chai Mix

5 Tbl. cardamom pods

2 Tbl. whole cloves

1 Tbl. coriander seeds

8 2 inch long sticks cinnamon, broken into pieces

2 whole star anis

1 tsp. ground ginger

Combine all of the ingredients except  the ginger in an ungreased heavy skillet. Stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant, to toast the spices.

Add the ginger and spoon the mixture into a mortar in managable batches.  Pound briefly , just enough to crush the spices coarsely. (You could also brak them up using a rolling pin or pulse them briefly in a spice grinder. Transfer to an airtight container for storage.

Directions For Making Chai for 2

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup milk with 2 rounded tsp Chai Mix. Heat just until the mixture bubbles at the edges. Turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Let steep for about 10 minutes while you make the tea.

Brew a pot of  Assam or Darjeeling tea using 2 cups water and 2 tps. tea. Reheat the spiced milk if necessary and strain it into 2 large teacups. Pour in the hot tea and sweeten as desired with honey.

Spring Fever

Regardlesss of what the calender (or the weatherman) says, I say out with the cold and dreary and in with the pastel! I love the cozy winter months as much as the next gal but I'm sooo over it already. I have moved on and am dreaming of flowers and warm days and going to the park and gardening. Wearing capris and straw hats and seeing my girls run around the yard in pretty sundresses. And of course this is reflected in my crafting.  The above photos are of a checkbook cover in progress (which is now finished and found a home in my mother's purse). This yarn is so great. It is a cotton/acrylic blend with rayon snags and squiggles. The acylic content gives the unyielding cotton a little give. Anyway, I'm working on some less than typical knitted projects for the warm months and beyond and I've been sewing quite a bit. Slings of course and I'm working on some toys. I can't wait to get in my garden though. There's nothing like the feel  of earth in your hands! And I think my girls are getting a little cabin fever. Every time I open the door they run out. Spring is calling!