Of needles n' yarn...

"The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary." - Mary Kurtz

In the wake of finishing not only the Shipwreck Shawl and the Christening Gown, but also getting 3/4 of the way finished with the Hwaet! Old English socks, I've been experiencing some serious knitting lag (if I look at a knitting pattern that uses more than three knitting stitches, my brain might possibly melt).

Therefore, I've been finishing some smaller, easier projects that have been on the back-burner for several months now.

First is this Herringbone Neck Warmer. It's a little tricky to get the stitch right, but this promises to be a favorite go-to scarf.

 


Next is a repeat of my favorite sock pattern. These are going to be a Christmas present for someone.

Third is a repeat of my favorite knitted tea cozy, still under construction, which may also turn up as a Christmas present (hooray for relatively cheap, homemade Christmas gifts).

More knitting projects coming soon...

Autumnal Treats

"The leaves fall, the wind blows, and the farm country slowly changes from the summer cottons into its winter wools." - Henry Beston

Now that fall is upon us, the time is ripe for hearty, cold weather recipes.

• Crab Imperial Pretzels. Planning on making these to nibble on Halloween night in between fending off trick-or-treaters.
• Grown-up Butter Beer. The best thing to come out of the Harry Potter books. Rebecca Crump outdid herself in figuring out this recipe. It does involve alcohol: there are recipes out there that don't, but this is one just too good to pass up.
• Crock Pot Mulled Cider: very simple - just put a gallon of regular apple cider into a crock pot with some of these spices, and cook on low for 2 to 4 hours. Or if you can't get those spices, use multiple cinnamon sticks and some ground cloves instead.
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Need I say more? 

Enjoy!