No Pain, No Gain

Posted on by Dan

So I’ve been confined to my house/chair for a week due to a, still to be explained, hip injury. There for a couple of days I wasn’t moving a whole lot, and between doses of vicodin and muscle relaxants there was a lot of time. I really had no excuse but to finish up some languishing projects.

After five years, I finally get to move this quilt from basket to bed top.

Anniversary Quilt

We decided for our third anniversary that we should put together a quilt. Well, we’re nearing our eighth and it’s finally done. Look closely, those stitches are all hand-quilted (but, don’t look too closely, my stitches per inch are probably best read as inches per stitch… ok, maybe not that bad).

Anniversary Quilt

The problem with taking this long to quilt a queen-sized blanket is that you don’t develop the calluses on your finger tips. So, along with a sore hip, I have a couple of sore fingers.

Anniversary Quilt

It sure is nice to have it done. The several quilt ideas we have in the cue are now this much closer to becoming reality.

Not only did I finish the quilt, I was also able to spin through the rest of my llama (injury on left hip, so right leg perfectly capable of treadling).

Handspun - Llama

This was a 14 oz. bat of dehaired llama. In total I spun 860 yards of 2-ply yarn. With the exception of spinning from a bat (a first for me), this acted pretty similarly like alpaca. It’s warm and soft like alpaca, too.

Handspun - Llama

I’m sure there will be more projects in the near future, as I’m still recovering and requested by the doctor to stay close to home… and there’s only so much bad, daytime TV one can watch.

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Cable Sweater

Posted on by Dan

Virginia loves Rowan’s Scottish Tweed Aran, and lucky for me she found a sweater pattern (from Rowan’s “Knitting for Him,” by Martin Storey) that provided ample opportunity to work with the yarn… both ample in time and yarn. I think she’d be able to make two sweaters for herself for every one she makes me. So I doubly appreciate it when she does make one for me.

Cable Sweater

This is also the start of her renewed goal of finishing a big project a month. This counts for January.

Cable Sweater

I love the cabley texture. It’s also the perfect weight for me–not too bulky, not too fine.

Cable Sweater

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Cookuits, revisited… again

Posted on by Dan

You are all probably tired of reading about my pursuit of the perfect, healthful cookuit (as mentioned in an earlier post, they’re not quite buscuits, they’re not quite cookies). Don’t despair, though, there is some knitting content at the tail end of this post.

Cookuits

The ingredients are fairly similar to my previous attempt, but with a couple of key differences–slightly more liquid, and the order in which ingredients are combined. These are definitely less dense, more cake-like.

Combine these ingredients in small bowl:
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup kefir
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped dates

Combine these ingredients in bowl:
3/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup chestnut flour
1/2 cup white flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup golden raisins

Mix dry and wet ingredients together, being careful to not overmix. For each cookuit, spoon about 1/2 cup batter onto baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes at 375º. Makes 9 cookuits.

Promised Knitting Content
Virginia finished a pair of socks for me, using some of her leftover Cestari yarn. I’m wearing these right now. I love how toasty these make my feet.

Sock #33 (52 Sock Challenge)

Bottling Day

Posted on by Dan

Bottling day is always an exciting time around these parts. The ale, having spent the better part of a month fermenting, resting and clarifying, is ready to go through the last stage before we can enjoy it.

Bottling Day

My most recent brew is a Kölsch. I brewed this same recipe last year, and it was, to say the least, a hit. I take advantage of our super-cold basement during the winter, the perfect condition for the yeast used in this ale.

Bottling Day

A quick gravity check, then taste for any off flavors, and then it’s time to bottle.

Bottling Day

I know kegging beer is a lot faster, and you don’t have to wait for three weeks while the beer conditions in the bottles. But, there’s just something about all those clean, amber-colored vessels all lined up.

Bottling Day

Bottling Day

And, there’s something satisfying about capping each bottle, creating a tasty 12 oz., effervescent package of goodness. I almost like beer as much as I like spinning. Fortunately, the two activities can be combined (in modest amounts).

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Rainy Day Fingerless Gloves + Mitts

Posted on by Dan

Rainy Day Fingerless Gloves

After making a pair of these fun hand-warmers for a friend, Virginia decided she had to have a pair herself. She modified the pattern to be a fingerless mitten (instead of glove) so she didn’t have to worry about her ring(s) getting caught up in the fabric.

Rainy Day Fingerless Gloves

Both pairs are made with bits of worsted-weight alpaca yarn (a few different brands). And, technically, these are more “cloudy” than “rainy” and the apple trees have all be picked clean. If you don’t know what I’m referring to, you’ll have to see the original pattern by Elli Stubenrauch (Elliphantom Knits).

Rainy Day Fingerless Gloves

Still plenty cute.

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