With August winding down, I'm ready to start thinking about what's coming up for Fall. After having the summer off, my knitting classes will be starting up again in September at Spirit Work on Titus Ave, where I teach.
Just recently I finished making the samples for the Snowflake Helmet class. The helmet coordinates with the Snowflake Mitten, a class I taught this past winter. I'm rather pleased with how the helmet turned out. Inspired by Elizabeth Zimmermann's Maltese Fisherman's Hat in Knitter's Almanac, I used similar shaping for the back and sides of the helmet to cover the neck and ears. The front of the helmet comes down to just above the eyebrows, and the upper part is shaped smoothly to the head - no silly nobs or tassles or pompons!
You will notice that there are two different versions of the colorwork pattern. When I made the black and red one, I decided that I preferred fewer panels (and "seamlines") because they seemed too busy for such dramatic colors, but the less contrasty one of 2 softer shades of grey-blue need the busy-ness of the 6 panels. Students may choose to make their helmets either way.
In addition to the Snowflake Helmet, I'm also teaching classes on Two-Color Mittens, Heirloom Christmas Stockings, Quick-Knit Christmas Stocking, Glad Hands Gloves using the pattern I sold to iKnitiative - style A07, and an Aran Vest.
A fellow teacher, Jeannine S, and I are jointly teaching a Design Your Own Cabled or Aran Sweater, which will run from September through May - plenty of time to make at least one sweater!
And now back to the needles!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Judging County Fair Entries
Sorry that it's been so long since I've blogged anything. It's very easy (for me) to procrastinate, thinking I'll have more time to do it or will have something more interesting to say later. Months go by, and nothing gets blogged! Shame on me!
This afternoon Jeannine S and I went to the Wayne County (NY)Fairgrounds to judge entries in Crochet, Knitting, and Handspinning. Sadly there were no Handspinning entries, but there were entries in Crochet and Knitting. There were quite a few Crochet doilies, so we spent a great deal of time on them. I have nothing but respect for anyone willing to work with thread! There were some lovely handknit lace shawls - I coveted all of them!
Deciding factors in which items got prizes were the workmanship, finishing and using all the same dyelot for the project. Tragically there was a vest which was knit out of 2 obviously different dyelots.
If you are considering entering one of your handknits in a competition, be careful of how you finish it. Careless finishing can make or break its presentation. Things to watch out for are:
1. Avoid slipping the edge stitch on sweater pieces which will be sewn together, unless it will be part of the design to have a row of faggoting (alternating holes!) going up the seamline. You had better have rows of faggoting in the main part of the project. Otherwise, the seams will detract from the overall effect.
2. When sewing a bound-off edge or knitting up along an edge (sometimes also called picking up and knitting), be sure to go through a whole stitch.
3. Be careful of entering a project that is incomplete. If you planned to make a sweater, but didn't get the sleeves done, some kind of an edging needs to be done around the armholes for it to transition successfully into a vest.
4. An unfelted stuffed toy, either knit or crochet, needs to have the stuffing in a case OR the toy should be lined with a coordinating fabric before being stuffed. Otherwise, polyester fiberfill will "beard," or work its way through the crochet or knit fabric.
5. Bags should be lined. Just a simple fabric pocket tacked down with needle and thread on the inside will do the trick.
6. Sewing embellishments onto a project is far superior to gluing them! What a thing to do to some little bit of crochet or tatting! You spent the time to make that little bit - have respect for it!
7. Be careful of how you block a finished project. For a doily do not iron the life out of it. You may press, but do not iron. By pressing I mean setting the iron down, then lifting it up and setting it down in another place. Do not drag the iron across the doily, nor use so much starch that the doily is as stiff as a board. Let people see those stitch patterns so that they can admire them!
Good luck!
This afternoon Jeannine S and I went to the Wayne County (NY)Fairgrounds to judge entries in Crochet, Knitting, and Handspinning. Sadly there were no Handspinning entries, but there were entries in Crochet and Knitting. There were quite a few Crochet doilies, so we spent a great deal of time on them. I have nothing but respect for anyone willing to work with thread! There were some lovely handknit lace shawls - I coveted all of them!
Deciding factors in which items got prizes were the workmanship, finishing and using all the same dyelot for the project. Tragically there was a vest which was knit out of 2 obviously different dyelots.
If you are considering entering one of your handknits in a competition, be careful of how you finish it. Careless finishing can make or break its presentation. Things to watch out for are:
1. Avoid slipping the edge stitch on sweater pieces which will be sewn together, unless it will be part of the design to have a row of faggoting (alternating holes!) going up the seamline. You had better have rows of faggoting in the main part of the project. Otherwise, the seams will detract from the overall effect.
2. When sewing a bound-off edge or knitting up along an edge (sometimes also called picking up and knitting), be sure to go through a whole stitch.
3. Be careful of entering a project that is incomplete. If you planned to make a sweater, but didn't get the sleeves done, some kind of an edging needs to be done around the armholes for it to transition successfully into a vest.
4. An unfelted stuffed toy, either knit or crochet, needs to have the stuffing in a case OR the toy should be lined with a coordinating fabric before being stuffed. Otherwise, polyester fiberfill will "beard," or work its way through the crochet or knit fabric.
5. Bags should be lined. Just a simple fabric pocket tacked down with needle and thread on the inside will do the trick.
6. Sewing embellishments onto a project is far superior to gluing them! What a thing to do to some little bit of crochet or tatting! You spent the time to make that little bit - have respect for it!
7. Be careful of how you block a finished project. For a doily do not iron the life out of it. You may press, but do not iron. By pressing I mean setting the iron down, then lifting it up and setting it down in another place. Do not drag the iron across the doily, nor use so much starch that the doily is as stiff as a board. Let people see those stitch patterns so that they can admire them!
Good luck!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Candace Eisner-Strick in Rochester, NY
Candace Eisner-Strick is coming to Rochester, NY, the second weekend in November, the 9th through the 12th, to teach 4 days of workshops for Rochester Knitting Guild. There are openings still in all of the workshops except for the Traditional Shetland Scarf on Saturday morning, the 10th.
Candace will also be presenting a program at the Guild's regular meeting held the evening of the 12th.
For more information, go to the Guild's website at www.rochesterknitting.org.
I am posting this information on my blog because I think perhaps it will not be permitted to post on KnitU. I sent a message on the 5th, and the last digest with postings from the 5th and 6th did not have it. While I can understand that XRX, the sponsor of KnitU, would prefer that people go to Stitches East in Baltimore to take classes from Candace, all of her classes are sold out at Stitches.
It would be a shame for someone within a reasonable driving distance to Rochester to miss out on the opportunity, so I am posting here in the hopes that a few more people will see it.
Candace will also be presenting a program at the Guild's regular meeting held the evening of the 12th.
For more information, go to the Guild's website at www.rochesterknitting.org.
I am posting this information on my blog because I think perhaps it will not be permitted to post on KnitU. I sent a message on the 5th, and the last digest with postings from the 5th and 6th did not have it. While I can understand that XRX, the sponsor of KnitU, would prefer that people go to Stitches East in Baltimore to take classes from Candace, all of her classes are sold out at Stitches.
It would be a shame for someone within a reasonable driving distance to Rochester to miss out on the opportunity, so I am posting here in the hopes that a few more people will see it.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup
To celebrate the lovely cool, fallish weather yesterday, I made soup for dinner. Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup is hearty enough by itself for a meal with some grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and some fresh, crusty bread served on the side.
The soup takes about 2 hours to make, and serves at least 4 people, but my husband and I usually get 3 dinners out of one batch of soup: so 6 servings. If you are more generous with the ingredients, you may want to add another can of beef broth, which will enable it to feed more people.
Locally I can get poultry (chicken and turkey) Italian sausage in mild or hot, in link or patty. Since I do not have a particularly hot tooth, the mild version is fine for me, and I get links. The sausage needs to be parboiled first, so put the links in a Pyrex bowl or casserole, prick them with a fork, cover them with water, and cook them in the microwave for about 10 to 15 minutes. My microwave is old, so if you have a newer one, it may take less. You don't want to overcook the sausage because it will get dried-up looking even in water. You could boil the sausage in a pan on the stove, if you prefer.
When the sausage is cooked, pour out the hot water, and put in cold to cool off the sausage enough for you to handle it. Cut the links in half lengthwise, then slice across to make bite-size pieces.
Ingredients:
3/4 to 1 pound Italian sausage (3 or 4 links), parboiled and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Italian pepper (a mild, sweet pepper), deveined and seeded, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 (16-oz) can of diced tomatoes, with juice
2 (14.5-oz) cans of beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups of diced fresh red and green bell peppers
2 cups frozen cheese tortellini
Directions:
1. Put a 4-quart pot on the stove, pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set the heat to medium-high. When the oil shimmers, pour in the sausage and brown it.
2. Add the onion, garlic, bell peppers, Italian pepper and celery, and saute' until soft.
3. Add the tomatoes, broth, and sugar.
4. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
5. Keeping the soup simmering in the pot, in another pot cook the tortellini according to package directions.
6. Stir the cooked tortellini into the soup.
7. Ladle the soup into soup plates or bowls to serve. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Buon appetito!
Adapted from a recipe in Peppers Hot & Sweet by Beth Dooley
A note about leftovers: the flavors are better-blended and more mellow after cooling and reheating, but the tortellini, or any pasta for that matter, tends to fall apart a bit, absorbing some liquid.
The soup takes about 2 hours to make, and serves at least 4 people, but my husband and I usually get 3 dinners out of one batch of soup: so 6 servings. If you are more generous with the ingredients, you may want to add another can of beef broth, which will enable it to feed more people.
Locally I can get poultry (chicken and turkey) Italian sausage in mild or hot, in link or patty. Since I do not have a particularly hot tooth, the mild version is fine for me, and I get links. The sausage needs to be parboiled first, so put the links in a Pyrex bowl or casserole, prick them with a fork, cover them with water, and cook them in the microwave for about 10 to 15 minutes. My microwave is old, so if you have a newer one, it may take less. You don't want to overcook the sausage because it will get dried-up looking even in water. You could boil the sausage in a pan on the stove, if you prefer.
When the sausage is cooked, pour out the hot water, and put in cold to cool off the sausage enough for you to handle it. Cut the links in half lengthwise, then slice across to make bite-size pieces.
Ingredients:
3/4 to 1 pound Italian sausage (3 or 4 links), parboiled and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Italian pepper (a mild, sweet pepper), deveined and seeded, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 (16-oz) can of diced tomatoes, with juice
2 (14.5-oz) cans of beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups of diced fresh red and green bell peppers
2 cups frozen cheese tortellini
Directions:
1. Put a 4-quart pot on the stove, pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set the heat to medium-high. When the oil shimmers, pour in the sausage and brown it.
2. Add the onion, garlic, bell peppers, Italian pepper and celery, and saute' until soft.
3. Add the tomatoes, broth, and sugar.
4. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
5. Keeping the soup simmering in the pot, in another pot cook the tortellini according to package directions.
6. Stir the cooked tortellini into the soup.
7. Ladle the soup into soup plates or bowls to serve. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Buon appetito!
Adapted from a recipe in Peppers Hot & Sweet by Beth Dooley
A note about leftovers: the flavors are better-blended and more mellow after cooling and reheating, but the tortellini, or any pasta for that matter, tends to fall apart a bit, absorbing some liquid.
Some people are crazier than others
Yesterday I went to the Finger Lakes Fiber Festival in Hemlock, NY. It was a breath of Fall, my favorite season. The air was cool and windy, the sky was sunny and cloudy, and at times, drizzly.
The Rochester Knitting Guild had a booth in a building with other fiber arts guilds on the Hemlock Fairgrounds. The focus of the RKG booth was the Biggest Sock in the World, to be entered into the Guinness Book World Records. Definitely some people are crazier than others.
The sock is being knit in the round with circular knitting needles used end-to-end to go all the way around the sock, which is about 12 feet around. (This is a guess - it may be bigger.) The sock was on two 8-foot long banquet tables pushed together, and knitters sat and knitted where the ends of the circular needles met. Passersby were encouraged to sit down and knit, then sign the log. Which a lot did; it wasn't just guild members who were doing it.
The sock's next port of call I hear is Toronto, you lucky Torontonians. Have a blast!
The Rochester Knitting Guild had a booth in a building with other fiber arts guilds on the Hemlock Fairgrounds. The focus of the RKG booth was the Biggest Sock in the World, to be entered into the Guinness Book World Records. Definitely some people are crazier than others.
The sock is being knit in the round with circular knitting needles used end-to-end to go all the way around the sock, which is about 12 feet around. (This is a guess - it may be bigger.) The sock was on two 8-foot long banquet tables pushed together, and knitters sat and knitted where the ends of the circular needles met. Passersby were encouraged to sit down and knit, then sign the log. Which a lot did; it wasn't just guild members who were doing it.
The sock's next port of call I hear is Toronto, you lucky Torontonians. Have a blast!
Knitting as a Metaphor for Life
It's been six years since planes flew into the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon. For most of four days I sat with my attention glued to the TV, knitting and thinking, wondering what would happen. We were reminded of how precious life is, and how harmful is hatred.
It is important to remember that one cannot know what is in another's heart by the color of their skin, the way they choose to dress, their religious beliefs, or their accent when they speak.
For months afterward, the events of September 11, 2001 were always at the back of my mind, while trying to get back to my normal routine. Much of daily life can seem trivial during a crisis, but that routine is also comforting, and imparts a sense of normalcy and control.
The knitting guild to which I belong had been gradually growing in membership, but after September 11th, that growth seemed to boom. Americans were reminded of the value of home, family, and friends, and wanted to do things more close to home. Increased interest in handwork was a natural outgrowth of these feelings.
If you work with your hands, then you know how keeping your hands busy can calm the mind. Knitting simple things lends itself well to being in company. You can knit and carry on a conversation at the same time, and if the company is made up of other knitters, it is even better.
The interconnected loops of yarn that are knitting, are also a metaphor for life. It stretches and eases back. It may wear thin, but it can be mended. It may be cut, but it can be sewn together. It may unravel, but it can be knitted up again. Knitting is a product of creative energy, and the act of creating expresses faith that life will continue, that life is good, that there is hope. While knitting, our hands can express our feelings. Express love.
Parts of the above appeared in an essay I wrote for the Rochester Knitting Guild's newsletter of October 2001. (C) 2001, 2007 by Jeanne Eaton Hoffman
It is important to remember that one cannot know what is in another's heart by the color of their skin, the way they choose to dress, their religious beliefs, or their accent when they speak.
For months afterward, the events of September 11, 2001 were always at the back of my mind, while trying to get back to my normal routine. Much of daily life can seem trivial during a crisis, but that routine is also comforting, and imparts a sense of normalcy and control.
The knitting guild to which I belong had been gradually growing in membership, but after September 11th, that growth seemed to boom. Americans were reminded of the value of home, family, and friends, and wanted to do things more close to home. Increased interest in handwork was a natural outgrowth of these feelings.
If you work with your hands, then you know how keeping your hands busy can calm the mind. Knitting simple things lends itself well to being in company. You can knit and carry on a conversation at the same time, and if the company is made up of other knitters, it is even better.
The interconnected loops of yarn that are knitting, are also a metaphor for life. It stretches and eases back. It may wear thin, but it can be mended. It may be cut, but it can be sewn together. It may unravel, but it can be knitted up again. Knitting is a product of creative energy, and the act of creating expresses faith that life will continue, that life is good, that there is hope. While knitting, our hands can express our feelings. Express love.
Parts of the above appeared in an essay I wrote for the Rochester Knitting Guild's newsletter of October 2001. (C) 2001, 2007 by Jeanne Eaton Hoffman
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Oven "Fried" Chicken
The other evening I decided it was cool enough to risk having the oven on to cook dinner, so we had Oven "Fried" Chicken.
Except for grilling in the summertime, this is my most frequently used method of cooking chicken. If you want baked potatoes also, then start baking them 15 to 30 minutes before the chicken.
Ingredients:
Skinless bone-in or boneless chicken pieces, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels
Olive oil
Fine dry breadcrumbs, seasoned or not
Italian seasoning (a prepared blend of marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, and basil; McCormick is available locally for me) or other herb seasoning of your choice
Equipment:
Glass baking dish large enough to hold the chicken pieces in a single layer
Tongs or a fork
Plastic bag for breadcrumbs
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Pour enough olive oil into the baking dish to coat the bottom and leave a shallow puddle.
3. Pour about ½ cup (or more) breadcrumbs into a gallon-size plastic bag, then put in a chicken piece and shake to coat it in breadcrumbs. Put the coated piece in the baking dish, underside up. When all of the chicken pieces are coated and arranged in the dish, sprinkle Italian seasoning over them all.
4. Put the dish into the oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
5. At the end of 30 minutes, remove the dish from the oven, and turn the chicken pieces. Sprinkle more Italian seasoning over the chicken.
6. Put the dish back into the oven and bake for 15 more minutes, or until done.
Lucky Puppy
We feed our dog at the same time we have dinner ourselves. He loves chicken, so we give him a little of it cut up into tiny pieces. If there are any juices left in the baking dish, we pour it over his dry food, put on the chicken pieces and mix it all up. Guaranteed clean bowl, and a happy dog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)