well hello.
did you think i was in the corner making out with my applesauce, unable to compose a decent post? no, it's not that bad. tho, i did make another 19pints recently. used galas, golden delish., a wee bit of honey and a hint of cinnamon. mmmm. i used my presser cooker to cook the apples... in like 3 minutes. it's been a very happy autumn. i had a kick ass cooking day last sunday: hearty chicken noodle soup a la farmer's market veggies, apple crisp (with maple syrup), moist corn bread and brown-rice pudding made with rice milk. yeah! but, the noodles in the soup turned to mush and i hate mush in my food. the crisp was soo good i want to make another pan pronto! the cornbread was excellent. and the rice pudding was too sweet because i didn't really need to add honey or vanilla to the vanilla rice milk i used. it was a bit of trial and error. that's the thing with recipes: you gotta try 'em and then adjust to your own liking. i like maple syrup!

so in knitting news:


the rusted root is finally done. it had been done once before but it was too long and got bunchy. so i took out rows from the bottom pattern and reknit the rib band. i like it now and it's great for autumn. i wear it over the this b/w striped long sleeved shirt and i think it look rather artistic.


this is my autumn light picture inspired by SouleMama (one of my new favorite blogs. she posts about everyday and i still can't get enough. love her!)


this is the nursing shawl in alpaca i've been working on forever. i don't need it for nursing purposes at this point so it serves as a lovely, warm and soft scarf/shawl/wrap. it's really elegant.


my latest yarn love, er obsession, is Beaverslide Dry Goods McTaggert Tweed. It's so squishy and wooly! I also thoroughly enjoy supporting small farms that make an effort to keep the processing state side or in some cases just north of the border. i'm in love and if i could buy this yarn locally i'd been swimming through it and snuggling up in bed with it. I'm using it to make Tom an old-man style cardigan: shawl-ish collar, pocket and great wood buttons. Oh, i can just imagine the snowflakes flying and the smell of the wood fire.

I've been in a bit of finishing/starting funk lately-- thus the lack of interest to post anything. but i've finally got is squared away. I'm making a baby tomten in cascade eco wool (tho, for the life of me i can't figure out what makes it "eco") and a set of Big Snugs in Cascade 22o and Twisted Alpaca.

it's all good. now, off to that apple crisp!

the homemade home-front continues. earlier this week i found myself at a local farm stand asking the farm-stand helper, "how many pounds of apples are in a box?" he didn't really know, so he popped the whole box on the scale. "About 25, " he replied. "well, then. I want the whole box, " I told him. "Someone must like apples," he said.

why did i want a whole box of organic gala apples from the western slopes of colorado?

"I'm making applesauce."
"Someone must really like applesauce."
"Well there's three of us making applesauce," i quipped back, a little bothered that he comment on my whole box of apples. i don't believe for a moment that i am the first or last person to buy the entire box of apples.

We made fantastic, organic, local, applesauce. (i'm calling it local because most Colorado apples come from the western slope. and while we did try to make an appointment to pick our apples from a much more local {i.e. the next town to the north} farm, the farm did not return my requests in time. ) Nearly 17 pints full of tasty, fresh and smooth applesauce. and there's nothing else in it except good memories, friendship and homemade local taste.



(i might have a crush on my applesauce.)

it's scrumptious-- i i love that autumn is here!

i've just returned home from my friend's house in which we made our 1st and 2nd batches of fresh mozzarella cheese! our first batch, was not successful. we almost had ourselves some cheese; the curds separated from the whey, but it looked a lot more like ricotta cheese then mozzarella. so we went out to the health food store, baby and all, and bought some really, really good milk -- it's not local but came so highly recommended by the staff, who knew about cheese making, we thought it was worth the try. it's all in the milk people! it can't be ultra pasteurized. we came home with milk that hadn't been homogenized and was VAT pasteurized allowing to cook better and had cream on the top.

with the second batch looking much better, we congratulated ourselves on being Cheese Makers. this is exciting to me for 2 reasons: one, we made freakin' cheese! and number two, because the whey pulls the lactose out of the milk, my ain't-gonna-take-no-lactose body, don't mind this yummy homemade treat!

cheese, people, i made freakin' cheese!

so with my new job i've had lots more time for knitting and thus reflection.

here's what i've been thinking about: it's green

• i've finished reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.
• do i really want to be a Costco member any more? they carry a variety of organic foods and some eco cleaning products... but i just don't know.
  
• The Boulder Farmer's Market is hosting this good event: Save the date Septeber 15 (Saturday) EAT LOCAL! CELEBRATION. Come join us in a community celebration of our local foodshed! Speakers, demonstrations, tasting, music and more! Sponsored by Boulder County Farmers' Markets, BOULDER COUNTY GOING LOCAL!, Boulder Valley Relocalization, and Boulder County Independent Business Alliance. Inaugural publication release of Boulder County's EAT LOCAL! Resource Guide, a complete guide to the local foodshed! One Boulder Plaza (13th & Canyon), 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• i've been watching It's Not Easy Being Green. you really should watch all the video clips. i watch it at 10pm and then feel compelled to turn my entire balcony into a vegetable patch and hitch up a wind turbine.
  
• i've been lurking here, here, and here.
  
• and there is this going on too.
  
• i *heart* organic yarn.

and there you have it. i've wanted to share this for awhile, but couldn't organize it. this is simple.

so, how'd you like that whole week of completed projects... and daily posts? i thought it was heaps of fun, and bit of a show-off. Fun nonetheless.

Now on the needles: A Sweater for Tom.
and not just any sweater, ya'll, but The First sweater i have knit for him. It's going to be an Elizabeth Zimmermann seamless hybrid-- i'm hybriding right long, now that the sleeves have been added on the looooong circular needle.
i'm using Reynolds Candide: it's a natural color, with more vegetable matter in it than just about any other yarn i've used. it's 100% virgin wool, but i've been calling it 100% Itch.
Not really.
I think we've all become so used to highly processed wools.
The bits of vegetable matter make it real. and i have lovely thoughts of Sheepy in the pasture.

The sweater, in this photo, doesn't look like it's going to fit him.
But trust me.
he's been faithfully trying on all the pieces to confirm my measurments.
again and again.

another organic blanket
(can you tell i am starting a collection)
un-named organic cotton
color grown cream and sage
us size 8

my own design-- thanks to stitch pattern books.
this blanket was intended to be a donation item to the school auction at my group-care job. but since i don't work there anymore...
it's just gonna stay with me.
and of course, i love it!

**********

feather and fan scarf
di.ve autunno (100% fine merino wool)
us size 9

made for my Werner mother, Florence. she picked the yarn out while visiting us this summer.
**********
WOW! can you believe i've had a post for every day this week!
it's like i'm a regular now.
mostly it is because i have so many finished projects stocked up, but i hope to be a little more consistent in the future.

saartje's booties
debbie blisss cotton angora
us size 4
buttons to close booties have not yet been sewn on

these are the happiest garter stitch bootie-- so i made a few more pairs.

in other home-life news: yesterday was my first day at the new gig. it's going to take a little time to settle in, but i enjoyed it and i'm glad i made the switch.

garter stitch blanket
blue sky alpacas organic cotton: color grown sage
un-named organic cotton: color grown brown
us 8 needles


i've had this one on the needles for a long time-- it was just garter stitch. so it was the project i worked on when i wasn't feeling obsessed with any one project. but suddenly, this was the project i was obsessed with. i worked on it every moment i had. something about the simple garter stitch lent it's self perfectly to the simplicity i needed during the latest transition. i ran out of yarn before finishing the lace border. Tom took me up to Ft. Collins (~1 hr north) to get one more skein of precious organic yarn after work on a tuesdays night. it took up our entire evening. it's the only yarn store in the area that carries the un-named kind i was using.

i was a little crushed when it was done.
i bound off. admired it. washed it.
and then proceeded to pace around the house. nothing felt good to knit.
there was not ONE project in the house that was suitable.

tom took me to the yarn store to get a new project.
i'll post about it soon.

february sweater
cotton comfort: 80% wool, 20% organic cotton
us 6 needles
sans button, but i'll get them on there soon.

i've joined the ranks of so many neo-zimmermann's. but how can you not when it is so charming. i made mine a bit different from the pithy instructions. i reserved stitches at both the top and under arms for sleeves. then i proceeded to knit the entire body. Later i picked up the reserved arm stitches, used the magic loop method to knit the sleeves circular and established the lace pattern. Absolutely no seams!

Good Morning!
that's right. it's monday. and it's good
i'm knitting.
it's really good!


no work for me today. i've started my new job this week, and it allows me a whole lot more of this. that's right: sittin' and knittin'.

The new gig: i've accepted an offer to work for one family tending to their wee children, 20-25 hours a week, in their home. There is a long and involved story in which this all played out, but the details get me all worked up and irratated (mostly that piece involved the company i worked for, their lack of written policy, and lack of professionalism...blah, blah, blah) and i was happy to work for people who offered me the job saying, "we want to make this work, and we'll do what we have to get you. it's crazy that some people pay more money to have their house cleaned than to care for their children."

I'm so dang happy to be starting something new, to change, and to work in a home with one family. my heart is no longer in group care for the very young. not to mention a 16 step diaper change (of which i could do up to 20) and wearing vinyl gloves to serve food. in my new job i'll get to wear a baby, if that's what she and i need (something i fought for, but didn't win about 2 years ago while working in the infant room. ), i'll be able to use glass, mostly all natural foods and toys, and spend time going on walks.

so that's the news. it's new. and it makes me happy.

i have so much i want to share, i'm not sure where to start, how to tie it together or whether to put it into different posts entirely. nonetheless, i want to share the variety of completed knitting projects (really, i refuse to call them "F.O's", it's such a strange description to me.), how The Green Thing has a strong hold on me, and my new exciting job change (for you, my steady blog readers, who are also My Knitting Group, this is old news) and how, with all of it going on, i feel more in touch with how i want to live my life.

but tonight it is late. i have no pictures to share. my contacts feel dry from staring at this computer screen for too long searching out the latest in knitting goodness, tips for vegetables and composing emails.

goodnight.

OMG!! where is the knitting content in this blog? it's been days. weeks! months?! (lord i hope not!). there are batteries in the camera. the camera is near the knitting. why aren't the pictures happening? oh, i've had a few things going on:

• getting a new jobby-job set up
• working on leaving the old one
• what is insomnia?
  
• knitting to reduce stress
  
• visit from my werner parents (i.e lots of cleaning before hand while fighting off a cold)
• more knitting, feel sanity returning
• reading my new favorite book (no Potter here. I'm only on the third chapter, but i am smitten, sigh.)
  
• cast off. ponder new project(s).

knitting photos to come.

i'm sending this cooling thought out to Meike.
Lordy it's hot outside-- hey Winter, come visit us any time. this whole 100 degree thing is not for me.

we are back from our bicycle tour of colorado: steamboat springs, walden, winterpark, copper mountain, leadville and kremmling... and back to steamboat springs.

upon arriving in 'the boat' we visited Moots headquarters.

and this gentleman was making ice cream, powered by a bike, of course!

camping in steamboat springs the first night it became obvious in about two seconds that this was not going to be The Tour of Colorado, but rather, The Tour de 'Skeeto, as we all experienced about 10 more mosquito bites than preferred. i quickly searched for the bug repellent and anti-itch cream (i'm a total weenie when it come to itchy bites).

here is Gould (a tiny place 20 miles outside of Walden, also tiny): we got a million more bites.

Oh, hail! No 'skeeters here. This is atop Loveland pass-- after freezing rain and the biggest bolts of lighting i've ever seen (one mountain top away!) we had hail twice; the weather is crazy in The Rocky Mountains (use your best announcer voice for that!). Cyclist were seeking shelter everywhere, including port-o-johns (we saw three bicycles leaning against one, leading us to presume there were at least 3 people hiding out in there...ewwwwww).

i spent most of my week assuming the position: drive approx. 20 miles, park safely, knit, greet tom with water/heed mixture, and bug repellent, repeat.

alas, we reach the end after 6 days of riding (+ 1 rest day in Copper), 8 mountain passes, crossed the Continental Divide 6 times, countless itchy 'skeeto bites, one shoulder partially sunburned, 4 nights of camping and 3 nights with a roof over our heads, returning to Steamboat.

and just for grins, this is Mt. Werner; we'd like to think it is OURS!

next post: knitting projects in review.

soon, i'll be seeing the beautiful scenery that is mountainous colorado-- for a whole week. so i thought i would leave you with some artistic photographs.

here's my tribute to amelie. happy summer ya'll, it's cherry season.

my current knitting project: of course it's organic cotton... and of course it's a baby blanket.

and more summer goodness-- a boutique of flowers.

talk to ya in july!

late spring

i've got new greenery for the back patio waiting for planting. it's a variety of herbs, tomatoes, peppers, and flowers.

in addition to all the human babies being born (to the lovely mama's i call my friends) in the past months, i have also been the proud on-looker of baby birds. their nest in the tree outside our front door has been a flutter of activity. in fact, i saw them early this morning (this picture is from last weekend) stuffed into their little home, but upon returning from errands they had taken their first flight and were gone.

Knitting

my own fingers have been a flurry of activity trying to finish up the last of the moderne baby blankets for said arriving babies. unlike the other blankets knit, this one has a babe-in-waiting for it-- born a little before (my) schedule... and so, it must be done!

of course, there are other temptations lurking on the needles. i didn't have Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac added to my library for more than 24 hrs. before i had the wee February Sweater cast on (and crankin' along) using left over Cotton Comfort (i'm keeping this one for my own hope chest).

another batch of organic cotton has been purchased to make a baby blanket for the auction at my school/work later in the summer. my intentions were to knit it up in a garter-entrelac pattern, but the yarn camouflaged the pattern. needless to say, i'm going to use the same slip stitch i used for the previous organic cotton blanket. i guess i'm not done with the simplicity of the pattern yet.

and yet one more project cast on this week. using Lorna's Laces shepherd worsted in the sand ridge colorway, i'm making a lacy (like the easiest "lace" to knit: *k2tog, yo, repeat from * across. purl next row. repeat these two rows) scarf. it's part of a two-gal knit along (with rules: must use LL Shepherd worsted that was purchased while shopping together, must use same needle size, cast on same number of stitches, and must must must work on it ONLY when knitting with each other).

Organic-rama!

organic cotton baby blanket off to another babe (4th of 5th blanket to 2007 baby, tho i might just do a 6th for the school auction this summer. i'll keep ya "posted").

slip stitch pattern using 2 color-grown colors of Blue Sky Alpaca's Organic Cotton (i retained its chemical free nature by washing it in the machine with Boulder Laundry Detergent) on size US 8 needle. Garter stitch border. Used approx. 4 skeins of each color.

Cotton Comfort Sweater:

i'm simply in love

raglan/cap sleeve style from the neck down. picot-hem edges on sleeve, collar and bottom edge.

natural wood buttons along a garter stitch placet.

length to top of hip. gathered style waist in front and back.

fits like perfection.

did i mention this is my own design and pattern.

Cotton Comfort from Green Mountain Spinnery (and yes, i retained its chemical free nature by washing it in Soak before lighting blocking), approx. 8 skeins, size US 6 needles, and last but not least, i didn't write a damn thing down about it-- i figured it all out as i went knitting along.

here's a little meme i've seen around town. bold the ones you have done, italics the ones you plan to do, leave normal the ones you're not planning to do.

Afghan/Blanket (baby)

I-cord

Garter stitch

Knitting with metal wire

Shawl (wrap?)

Stockinette stitch

Socks: top-down

Socks: toe-up

Knitting with camel yarn (i even have it in my stash already)

Mittens: Cuff-up

Mittens: Tip-down

Hat

Knitting with silk

Moebius band knitting

Participating in a KAL

Sweater

Drop stitch patterns

Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn

Slip stitch patterns

Knitting with banana fiber yarn

Domino knitting (modular knitting)

Twisted stitch patterns

Knitting with bamboo yarn

Two end knitting

Charity knitting

Knitting with soy yarn

Cardigan

Toy/doll clothing

Knitting with circular needles

Knitting with your own handspun yarn (already have that in the stash too)

Slippers

Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)

Continental knitting

Designing knitted garments

Cable stitch patterns

Lace patterns

Publishing a knitting book (sure, why not?!)

Scarf

Teaching a child to knit

American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)

Knitting to make money

Button holes

Knitting with alpaca

Fair Isle knitting

Norwegian knitting

Dying with plant colors

Knitting items for a wedding (remember the tedious but lovely hush-hush?)

Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)

Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars

Olympic knitting

Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn

Knitting with DPNs

Holiday related knitting

Teaching a male how to knit

Bobbles

Knitting for a living

Knitting with cotton

Knitting smocking

Dying yarn

Steeks

Knitting art

Fulling/felting

Knitting with wool

Textured knitting

Kitchener BO

Purses/bags

Knitting with beads

Swatching

Long Tail CO

EntrelacKnitting and purling backward

Machine knitting

Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn

Stuffed toys

Baby items

Knitting with cashmere (because who won't want to?!)

Darning

Jewelry

Knitting with synthetic yarn

Writing a pattern

Gloves

Intarsia

Knitting with linen

Knitting for preemies

Tubular CO

Freeform knitting

Short rows

Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers

Pillows

Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine

Rug

Knitting on a loom

Thrummed knitting

Knitting a gift

Knitting for pets

Shrug/bolero/poncho

Knitting with dog/cat hair...

Hair accessories

Knitting in public

pass it along.

acquisitions:

Lorna's laces, shepherd worsted in color way Sand Ridge, 2 skeins. maggie and i went to a sale (danger, danger!) and we each got some; her's is the mother load color way. we decided we'll make the same project.

also at the sale: cotton comfort (the label speaks for it's self). i bought 10 skeins, and i'm dreaming up a cardigan sweater for myself (you know, the one you make and the one you love and the one you wear everyday). i've been scheming of the possibility to buy only organic or low-process yarns-- i don't know if i can hold to it because there are so many wonderful yarns out there. i do think i can make more projects with those yarns however.

close up on comfort cotton, silver

also new to the stash, is the 50% wool, 50%mohair custom spun yarn maggie gave me for my birthday (don't you just love when your birthday lasts a whole month?). she found it while on adventure in Taos, NM. It's so lovely, soft and special.


Progress Report:

after 3 attempts of starting (#1: sure it was fitted, a little too fitted. #2: dye lot issue with skein 2, pulled out 2 and started with another skein. #3: dye lot issue not resolved. thought. pondered. checked labels. ah ha! the first skein was the "odd man out". pulled the whole damn thing out and started again) Rusted Root, i'm finally making progress. the actual color is not as fushia, but rather deep red. many thanks to meike for her motivation to continue, because really, i was starting to think it wasn't meant to be.

the slip-stitch baby blanket is growing. i'm in love with this project-- partly because i am in love with organic yarn-- but you knew that already. i think i'm going to crochet a border around the edge when it reaches the proper length.

here's a picture of the Nursing Shawl-- i really need a new name for it because i'm not making it with the intent to use it for nursing a wee babe. made of beautiful baby alpaca from blue sky alpaca on size US 8 needles. the lace and cable pattern is the perfect combination of easy knitting without being mindless (and being one of tara's patterns, she would want me to be mindful while i work on it-- and i am.).

in other non-knitting news:
i'm looking really forward to planting in the gardens at school. i've become increasingly enthusiastic about biodegradable soaps, compact florescent bulbs, and collecting compost. ski season has ended and now i am thinking about hiking (because walking is really the only "exercise" i enjoy). i've got a few places in mind to go this spring (i've even got a hiking buddy), so i can be ready for a 14er (or 2) this summer. the babies, who i have spent many hours thinking of (and their mothers) while knitting for them, are starting to arrive (just as spring does) and that is rather exciting and happy.