Showing posts with label handspun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label handspun. Show all posts

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Pumpkin Seed Season...and Knitting

"Broken Finger Knitting" is I the season I was in while I wore in a cast and a brace after breaking three fingers on my left hand. Surprisingly, there was a LOT of broken finger knitting! It was surely a slower (and more painful) season of knitting, but I have three projects that I actually made good progress on during those 6 weeks, and now they are finished! 

One of the first things I realized when I started knitting in a cast, the day after I fell and broke my fingers, was that knitting was now difficult and painful. I realized that I would only be able to knit a few stitches at a time in the beginning, so I defaulted back to the good and faithful washcloth. These things are always in season! Some of you call them dishcloths, and they are good for dishes, but I really like them for washcloths, and so does my granddaughter! Knitting for her allows me to make them in fun colors to pass along to her for bathtime, and I actually managed to finish about 8 washcloths in this 6 weeks. There are only 6 are in pictures, however, because I gave two away before I was done. =D Washcloths are fun and quick (normally I can knit one in just a couple hours), so this was a no-brainer, and I'm excited to pass these along when I can!

The next thing I finished was a scarf of my own hand-spun yarn! It was fiber from That'll Do Farm that I bought over the summer, and I spun it very fine. It took me a little while to figure out what the finished yarn, soft and fuzzy, wanted to be...but eventually it decided that a lace scarf was just the ticket! I think it turned out very lovely, and I cannot wait until the season is cool enough that I need a lacy, alpaca scarf around my neck to make it through the day!

Lastly, but certainly not least, are my Stripe Therapy socks. You saw a photo of one of these on Wednesday, but they are obviously both done...see?

Yes, three broken fingers might stop some knitters, but not THIS knitter! It was a slower season in my knitting, but it turns out that I may be just a teensy, weensy bit addicted to the needle arts... Hmmm, I don't see that as a bad thing, do you? lol! You know what else is just a teensy, weensy bit addictive? Pumpkin seeds! It is certainly the right season for pumpkin seeds, and I can't resist 'em, so I'm gonna make some today!

Would you like to know how I get them so perfectly roasted? Here are my secrets...

Perfect Pumpkin Seeds
  1. After digging the seeds out of the pumpkin and rinsing them well, I put them in a sauce pan, cover with water add a bunch of salt (at least a couple tablespoons, maybe up to 1/4 cup), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. They will be gray, slimey and ugly, but the moisture is key!
  2. Drain on paper towels, in a single layer.
  3. Transfer to baking sheet(s), lined with foil and sprayed lightly with non-stick spray, and sprinkle with regular table salt. Use lots if you like your seeds salty, less if you like less. :)
  4. Bake at 300°F until all the seeds are white, stirring and flipping every 5 minutes or so.
  5. Cool on baking sheet and enjoy!
Oh, man, I look forward to these all year long! They usually don't last more than a day or two, but if you need to store yours longer, you can put them in an airtight container. :)

That's a LOT of blog for one Saturday afternoon, and there's still a bunch of day left, so I'm going to go roast some pumpkin seeds, and then I'll see what other trouble I can get into...maybe there will even be knitting! I hope you've got something fun and something yummy planned for your day today. :)

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!


Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Celebrating!!!

For those of you playing at home, I ran yesterday. I woke up early, and I ran by myself, on the sidewalks around my home, and I DID NOT FALL DOWN! This. This is cause to celebrate! You know what else I want to celebrate?

This. This is my knitting!

It's my second Hitchhiker Scarf...

It's lacy and lovely...

It's knit of my own handspun rainbow yarn...

It's my newest favorite knit!

Isn't it pretty?!?

I've knit this pattern before, and I was not in love with the first scarf like I am in love with this one. This one is nearly perfect, and I cannot wait until I feel a slight chill in the air so I can wear it!!!

Three reasons I do not love my first hitchhiker (this much, anyway)...
1. I am not a fan of straight garter stitch. I added some lacy holes to this one, as per my friend KnittingSM!
2. The yarn I used for the first one was a fluffy, fingering weight. This yarn is more light fingering to lace-weight...much lighter and drapey-er. 
3. I do not like the straight edge as the pattern is written. I added "teeth" to my bind off on this one, to mimic the toothy edge created along the long edge. Notes on my project page. :)

Are you knitting something you absolutely love? 
I'd love to hear about it in the comments!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!