late is better than never...

A "Plus" quilt made from Castle Peeps fabrics by Lizzie House At last...I started this quilt for my nephew while he was a peanut, he turns one Tuesday. His birthday party was yesterday and apparently this was the catalyst I needed to get this sucker finished. I used this awesome tutorial. I love to sew but man, I just hate quilt backs - hate them. I feel like they need to have a little special feature and they are so bulky - I just run out of steam, stop. in. my. tracks... So little Ben had no quilt. Thankfully I made it over big for a baby quilt so perhaps it's just in time for a toddler bed. Lemons to lemonade! Now to tackle those other two quilt tops I have lingering...some day. Jasper, my 18-year-old scaredy cat road the quilt like a magic carpet with every pass of the quilting. He was really trying to warm up next to my sewing machine light. Sorry pal. I have also been knitting a lot lately - picking in-front-of-the-TV variety projects. This has been a saving grace - I can't scarcely relax enough to do just one thing at a time - so knitting, and polluting my brain with bad TV is about perfection. Textured Thermal Socks in The Plucky Knitter Plucky Feet - Aunt Hazel. I have several other socks in the works as well. I was thinking today I would like to pile up my too-many half done projects and light them on fire. I am anxious about all of these half-done things - but I am really enjoying simple - I have too many complicated things started that need undivided attention - I am not there right now. Lastly - a quick book recommendation - The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. It was a sweet read. I was wishing I could ruffle the hair of main character, Henry Skrimshander - his name is even cute. He reminded me of Edgar Sawtelle - just a neat kid with some real potential.

winner winner

This chicken dinner...



It's a simple a Kraft Foods recipe in my newly acquired LeCrueset pan - omg, I am in love with my new pan. I kinda think it inspired me to buy two cookbooks I don't need (Joy the Baker and Flour {I even ate there last sumer!}). It cleans up in a snap and things do taste better in the cast iron - or is it in my head? In any case - this was a relatively simple dinner item - and I struggle terribly to come up with simple stuff to feed my family after a long day at work. Don't you?

At our house, my husband and I nod and say "company" after the first bite to signify the dish is a winner we would feed guests. This was a "company" dish. I think tossing the potatoes and onions in the teeny bit of leftover bacon grease is the ticket. I had done that when I made Ina Garten's Country French Omelet and pretty much fell in love with the flavor. The omelet is also "company dish". And simple too! (win-win)

And because this is a knitting blog - I finished the pair of socks I had written about in my last post, in a record time of 4 days.



I like the garter heels but not really the "wrap & turn" method - I am not very good at it. Maybe I'll practice. But til then, I started a pair of textured thermal socks using some Plucky Knitter Feet sock yarn. The pattern can be found here - it is a basic make a sock recipe - very helpful if you have not tried socks before, it walks you through and allows a little fun pattern without complicating the process too much. And did I mention it is free?

Randomly - I watched Fargo today while I knit - and I loved it. I didn't like it when I saw it when I was 24 - Could enjoying a Cohen Brothers movie be a sign of maturity?? I think you get them or you don't, apparently waiting 16 years to try againwas the ticket.

Lastly, a book I liked - Girl in Translation - very charming read. Stiltsville, I liked a bit less but it filled the hole between books while waiting for The Art of Fielding to show up in my mailbox. So, any good book recommendations?

Happy Spring...

This little one is home with strep throat today - happy Spring!


n e s t superwash merino roving in Truffula Trees

Look at this beauty. Kind of makes you want to spin, right? Well, that is what I am hoping. I have had a super long hiatus from my wheel and need to decide what to do - keep the wheel as an expensive piece of modern art, actually spin on it OR sell it. It's such a tough choice. I really love how handspun yarn looks, and I think I have even spun some worthy yarns - yet - it is tough to take time out before actually knitting to spin. I saw nest fiber studio over at Ravelry, and it was love on sight. Jennifer has such a gift for saturated, jewel tones. Now, to spin or not to spin, that is the question. In any case, the roving makes for a gorgeous boa.

In other news - I have been knitting, and knitting in circles. I have successfully avoided complicated, thoughtful WIP's the past few weeks. After starting several sock mysteries and the Color Affection Shawl (of boredom), I just needed to get away to some total TV knitting. I have knit three pairs of stockinette socks on a row - well, I am on my 6th sock right now - adding a garter heel to jazz up the monotony and trying my hand at short row heels for something different. I kind of like the squooshy-ness of the garter. The pattern in the Handspun Show Off pattern, which I think works nicely to show up the super variegated-ness of this yarn.


All Things Heather in an unknown colorway

Using yarn that has been in my stash one month short of 5 years feels pretty darned good too. I am pretty sure All Things Heather isn't even available anymore, which makes this like a classic or something. It's been fun to knit - I imagine icees and cotton candy as I knit around to each new color.

Lastly, is anyone watching Game of Thrones on HBO this season? It is not too late, the second episode just aired. It is like total debauchery with a story...