stash busting Paulie

So I’ve finally finished my stash busting Paulie cardigan and I love it!

Well, it is minus buttons but that can wait until the perfect buttons show their face, and a lack of buttons has never stopped me wearing anything in the past!

I decided to do this project to use up a chunk of my left over sock yarn as well as having a new summer cardigan!
I gathered together a bunch of colours that I thought worked well together a basically worked the colours until they ran out,
you can see in the pictures the change in colour stripes as I went along but as I kept to a strick colour pattern I think it works.
Using the same three colours for the thinner stripes helped keep the pattern together.
I decided to do rib cuffs and bottom band as I personally prefer the rib to the garter stitch for the way it sits but I kept the garter stitch for the collar section.

I really wanted it to include a hood so I worked a bunch more short rows in garter stitch after the collar until I go my desired shape!

I think it will be well worn and my stash is tidy and organised with will a few remaining left overs to work those little baby booties and socks that are akways needed at short notice!

The best thing is that whenever I wear it I can look at the different yarn colours and fibres and think about the projects I made originally!!!!!!!

darling buds

Due to a delayed spring, the garden plants have been a bit slow this year however it was a relief today so see some lovely new buds and flowers on my favourite plants!!!

From the Lilac through the Honeysuckle to the Raspberry, there is life yet in what were weather battered pot plants!

I just had to grab a few photos and share!!!!!

I just hope the lovely weather keeps up into May so I can introduce my chillies, tomatoes and peppers!!
Fingers crossed!!!

ooooh I like that!!!

This week I’m totally loving stripes!

I go through phases of stripes versus polka dots but for a while now striped have been on top……

So this yarn is right up my street

Mind the Gap from Trailing Clouds

This week I’m also dreaming of sunshine and getting outside to begin painting my garden furniture.
My plan is to try and re-create this beauty from NeonVintageDesigns

My new kitchen tiles have to be on my love list this week, my dad spent the weekend creating this masterpiece

More on the kitchen next week………..

good ole ginger biscuits

One of me and my love’s favourite things to do is make and drink cocktails!

We have a bunch of staple favourites, one of which is a Ginger Beer cocktail ‘Shakey Pete’s Ginger Ale’ from the steak restaurant Hawksmoor’s recipe book. (The book is also our favourite recipe book ever! Think Mac and Cheese and all you could want to know about steak)

This cocktail calls for a ginger syrup made from real ginger pieces and this weekend it was time to make some more syrup.
So with the left over sweet ginger pieces I decided to make some Ginger Biscuits!!!

Spicy Ginger Biscuit Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 16 biscuits
100g self raising flour
50g butter (not too soft but not straight from the fridge)
50g light brown sugar
1 heaped tbsp golden syrup
1 heaped tbsp molasses
1 heaped tbsp sweetened ginger pieces (made using the Hawksmoor recipe) or candied ginger
1 tbsp ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp all spice
1/4 roughly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 180 Celsius
In a large mixing bowl, sift the sugar, spices, pepper and bicarbonate of soda, and mix well.

Using the tips of your fingers, mix in the butter so you end up with a breadcrumb texture.
Gently stir in the sugar.
Add the Golden Syrup and Molasses, then the ginger. (Dipping the spoon in boiling water before spooning the molasses makes life easier)

Mix together initially with a spoon…

then with your hands, and ball up into 16 balls.
Place these balls on a baking tray and gently press each one

Bake in the oven for 12-15 mins until cracked and golden brown

Enjoy!!!!

too many shawls?? – never!!

When I decided to knit my sister a shawl for her 30th birthday I didn’t think it would take me this long to pick one!

Her birthday was on 28th Feb!!

I knew I was leaving it late as I still hadn’t finished my brothers socks, (due 19th Jan! Still waiting to be posted!) but even though I’m never normally on time with knitted gifts, this is even late for me!

The first point I was stuck at was picking the yarn. I gave Jen six options and she got it down to two……

Wollmeise Pure in Petite Poison

And

Madeleine Tosh, Tosh Sock in Moss

Eventually I decided to go with the Wollmeise as Amethyst is her birth stone and I wanted a shawl with more delicate drape than comfort squish.

Other than finishing Adams socks and picking a yarn, my main issue was that I couldn’t decide on a pattern. I had a few ideas in my head but wanted it to be special and perfect for her. So I took to Ravelry to see if it would help.

Looking through Ravelry just made it harder, there are so many amazing shawls out there, all pulling me in different directions!

So I decided to put together my favourite five shawls and compare them all together to help me decide.

The greatest thing about Ravelry is having the ability to see many knitters versions of patterns, it different yarns, weights and colours.

The pics shown are a mixture of the designers own and other Ravelry knitters projects.

I love the bold, determined style of Trilinear designed by Cindy Garland, but the thought of having to make another decision for the second colour has put me off this but has also put this at number eight in my Ravelry queue!

© Wild Prairie Knits

The delicate draping leaves of The Lonely Tree Shawl designed by Sylvia Bo Bilvia are just gorgeous and the border adds such a pretty finish but I didn’t want a block lace pattern for the entire shawl. (I think this would be awesome in another yarn in my stash too)

© Sylvia Bo Bilvia

The shape of Lazy Katie has me obsessed! Brigit Freyer has designed a work of art in this shawl but it needs a bold, colourful, variegated yarn to create the brilliant effect.

© BonnieRed

Semele Shawl designed by Asa Tricosa is practically perfect, it has a delicate drape a base of stockinette stitch and pretty lace border, I think it has made the final cut….

Knittimo

Whenever I think to knit a shawl my default designer will always be Susanna IC and Oslo Walk is fantastic. I love the dangling ice crystals and the yo’s breaking up the main section of the shawl. Susanna’s construction is always a winner for me so into the final it goes…

© OrangeLauren

The final decision has been hard but due to the weather at the moment being so cold and so icy I’ve made my choice…..

The winner is Oslo Walk!!

monsters for poang

My fabric arrived this weekend and after flying my Robert Kaufman Monster fabric around the living room trying to figure out how to use it, it landed on Poang the Ikea rocking chair and gave me the best idea!!

My own ikea hack!!

A Monster cover for Poang!!

I only ordered a yard so I searched and searched for a UK based seller who still has some in stock and thankfully eventually found Plush Addict

A meter more is on its way to me!
Can’t wait to get sewing this one!!!!

fruity cinnamon buns

We had a pang for Cinnamon Buns this weekend but as its not something that I make all the time I don’t really have a staple, tried and tested recipe so I set about putting one together!

I’m obviously a massive fan of Nigella Lawson so she was my first point of call but I’ve also made some really good bread dough recipes from Joy the Baker too so I checked their website to see if there was anything I could use.

The recipe that follows is a mix of both Nigella’s Norwegian Buns (the batter) and Joy the Bakers Cinnamon Rolls (the filling) with extra tweaking, fruit and spice I decided to add myself!

They turned out to be amazing!

Sunday Brunch Fruity Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients
makes 8 buns

Filling
100g Caster Sugar
50g Light Brown Sugar
100g Mixed Dried Fruit
2 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tbsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Sprinkle of Ground Cloves
2 tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Essence (preferably some made by Emmms using Indonesian vanilla pods and vodka! Look out for it in the pics!)

Dough
300g Strong White Bread Flour
50g Caster Sugar
Sprinkle of Salt
10g Dried Yeast Powder
50g Butter (melted and a little extra for brushing)
200ml Milk
1 Egg

Decoration
100g icing sugar
A little warm water

Method

Combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a bowl.

Beat the egg together with the melted butter and milk and add slowly to the dry ingredients.

This batter is quite sticky so make sure you keep your board well floured when kneading.
Knead for a good 10 mins adding more flour if necessary but not too much!
Have faith as it will get easier to knead as you go on.

Once the dough is smooth and springy leave to rise in a warm area for 25 mins.

Whilst you are waiting for the dough to rise make the filling by adding all of the dry filling ingredients and dried fruit into a bowl.
Mix them together then mix in the maple syrup and vanilla essence.

Once the dough has risen, roll into a rectangle about 12 inches by 14 inches.

Now rub your filling all over the dough getting all into of the corners.

With the long side closest to you begin to roll the dough into a tube.
Now slice the tube into 8 equal sized pieces and place into a buttered baking tray.

Cover and leave to rise again for 10 mins.
Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees c.

Once the buns have risen, brush with the remaining butter and bake for 18-20 mins until golden brown.

Make up 100g of icing sugar mixed to required consistency with some warm water and drizzle over the buns.
Most people would suggest to wait until they have cooled but I prefer them straight out of the oven!

Serve for a sweet tasty breakfast with a good cup of coffee!

it’s chutney time – again

It’s chutney time again people!!!

I love this time of year, planning out all the Xmas gifts and goodies! One of my favourite parts is making Xmas Chutney.

I save chutney making to only once a year as if I made it any more than that I would be the size of my house due to over consumption of cheese and crackers!
It’s nice to know that for two weeks of the year, me and my love can sit on the living room floor with a tray full of cheese, meats, crackers, red wine and spicy fruit chutney!

I made a slight alteration to my recipe from last year, I added more chilli!!
We are on a crazy chilli kick at the moment and it had to be done!

I used red tomatoes instead of red and green and unfortunately they were bought from the grocers as my crop this year failed miserably :( I’ve put that down to the move as I dont think my veggies liked it too much.

I also added ground cloves, nutmeg and cider vinegar and the dried fruit was mixed rather than just sultana.

Anyway, my chutney is made, jarred and labeled and sitting waiting for the third week of December!

Roll on Christmas!!!

dooooooooooooooom

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I just found moth eggs in my hand-knit sock box. And three disgusting cocoons. They’ve chewed through two socks!!! Not badly, only a couple of stitches on each. The invasion could have been much MUCH worse. But still. There are sandy little revolting eggs everywhere.

It’s an airtight box, too, and there’s no dead moth, so I have no idea how they got in. We don’t have any moths in our house. (I make weekly checks of EVERYTHING — stashes, fabric and yarn, current projects, the mattress, the sofa, our closets, the airing cupboard, the kitchen — such is my fear of moths. There is no evidence anywhere, knock wood, spit over the shoulder, etc.)

Unless one of those stinking stinkers came in from the garden managed to lay the eggs while the socks were hanging to dry in the summer? Or maybe one made it into our other sock drawer? I found two pairs of hand-knits in there that Matthew must have put away instead of returning them to the sock box after they’d been washed. Have I been felled by Trojan socks? Trojan socks!

I can’t even bring myself to take pictures. You’ll just have to imagine the horror.

I’m boiling them all now as I type. I’m going to freeze them as soon as they dry. And then line my now-disinfected sock box with lavender, cedar and insecticide.

Let this be a lesson: check your socks!!

animals and caravans

I just wanted to share some of the fabric which is really doing it for me right now!!

Retro Lobsters by Blend Fabric
(dreaming of making oven gloves with this)

Penguins by Nancy Wolff for Kokka

Out ‘n’ About by Caleb Gray

Little Fishes also by Caleb Gray
(needs to become a shirt for a friend who loves fishes)

Urban Zoologie Turtles by Ann Kelle for Michael Miller

And this awesome lion fabric which I have completely forgotten everything about!
I’ll try and remember and edit this later!!

However this is my ultimate favourite,

Foxes by Monaluna Anika which was the inspiration for our ‘We Love Foxes’ post
(the fabric me and Emmms had has now been shared in half and my part is the front of a cushion in my spare room!)