Karen's life and looming.......

Slow Cooker Moose Roast

2011-12-07T21:00:00.001-07:00

A few days ago my neighbor gave me a couple of moose roasts. My husband and I have always enjoyed moose, so I was thrilled. One problem..... I've eaten it, but never cooked it. I was pleased with my first attempt.

1 cup beef bouillion
1 Tbsp mustard
1 Tbsp horseradish
1 Tbsp herbes provinciale
2 Tbsp red wine (optional)

I placed the beef bouillion and half the herbes provinciale in the crock pot. I coated the roast with the rest of the ingredients and placed that into the slowcooker. Cooked on low for 8hrs (my roast was frozen when I put it in). It came out moist and super tender. I made biscuit shaped bannock to go with.

*I tried it with 1/4 cup of red wine. My husband and I aren't drinkers, so we found it a bit too strong. Next time I'll either leave out the wine all together or cut it in half. You can brown the roast on all sides if you want as well. I was pressed for time, so I didn't bother.

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

2011-12-07T20:24:00.001-07:00

1 tsp tandoori
1 tsp garam mascala
2.5 tsp curry
1 tsp ground ginger
2 cloves garlic
salt to taste
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 lrg can diced tomatoes (I pureed them, because my kids don't like 'lumps')
6 chicken thighs legs attached (because that's all I had) Place it all in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. 15mins prior to serving add 2-3 tbsp cream. Serve with rice or quinoa. I forgot to take a photo of the finished product. Sorry!

Beef barley quinoa soup

2011-11-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

I've recently discovered this type of Knorr boullion. It comes in chicken or beef. One little packet, 3 cups of water and voila!

I wanted something that would warm everyone up and 'stick to their ribs'. Homemade soup seemed the way to go. Here's what I did/used.....

2pkgs stir-fry beef
2 parsnips
3 carrots
1 zucchini
2 potatoes
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup pearl barley
2 cloves garlic
1tbsp oregano
1tbsp basil
9 cups water
3 knorr boullion (like in the picture)

I soaked my quinoa and barley in a dish off to the side while I prepped my veggies etc. Quinoa sometimes tastes bitter if it's not rinsed first, and I figured it wouldn't hurt the barley. :)
Make sure the fat is removed from the beef and then brown it in a skillet, put it off to the side when it's done. I have a Saladmaster so chopping the veggies after a quick scrub is super fast. If you don't have a saladmaster then chop everything thinly. I rinse my potatoes (after chopping) to remove some of the starch too :) In a large pot or crock pot add all the liquid *except for one cup*, the veggies and the seasoning. Strain quinoa and barley and add it as well (another quick rinse wouldn't hurt) Add your meat. Use the remaining one cup of water to scrape up any bits from the skillet you cooked the meat in... it's good for flavor. If it's a crock pot then cook on low for atleast 6-8 hrs. If you are using a SM pot then turn it to medium until it clicks then low for atleast 45mins to an hour.

Bannock

2011-11-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

Today was a blizzardy, blustery day. I thought that some homemade beef barley quinoa soup would hit the spot. When the children came home I asked them if they wanted to make bannock. A loud resounding 'YES'.........

3 cups flour
1/4 cup grapeseed oil or melted butter
1 tsp sea salt
1-1/2 cups water
2 TBSP baking powder

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center and add the liquids. Mix the dough. Knead on a floured surface about 10 times. Pat dough into a 'patty' 1/2" to 1" thick.
To cook it you have options....
preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake on a cookie sheet for 25-30 mins (line cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease it)
or
preheat oven to 400 degrees F and bake on a cookie sheet for 15 mins (line cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease it)
or
in a well greased skillet over medium heat for about 10 mins a side.

**My flour is a mixture of quinoa flour, oat flour and white flour. I feel that it's a healthier choice for my family. You can use whatever flour you want.
***Bannock is awesome with soup, stews, or in the morning with butter and jam.

Karen Ryder originally shared this post:What an incredible sunrise. Good morning!

2011-09-23T07:26:00.000-06:00

Karen Ryder originally shared this post:What an incredible sunrise. Good morning!

Tabouleh

2011-06-07T19:34:00.002-06:00

This has quickly turned into one of my all time favorite salads. It's easy to make and very tasty!

1/2 cup quino, rinsed, cooked (with 1 cup water) and cooled
One sweet pepper chopped fine
2 tomatoes chopped fine
1/2 cucumber chopped fine
1-2 cloves garlic
4-6 green onions chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice (I prefer to use both)
1 tsp sea salt
pepper to taste

Mix well and let marinate in the fridge for a few hours before serving for best results.

Enjoy!

Peeeee-uuuuuuu!

2011-05-27T17:13:00.001-06:00

Adie, our German Pinscher is once again clean and sweet smelling. She has this love of rolling in stuff. Most of the time the 'stuff' doesn't smell strong enough for us mere humans to smell it. Sometimes she finds horse or moose dung, and we can certainly smell that. Today was something else! The children saw her rolling on something, that resembled poop of some kind. That didn't surprise me. What I was totally unprepared for was the smell. I don't normally have a weak stomach, but (OMG!) whatever she rolled in literally made us all start gagging and dry heaving. Once the dog survived the bath from us non-understanding humans, she was back in the window...... Plotting her revenge..... Be afraid, be very afraid! LOL

Dundee Pork Marinade

2011-05-24T20:52:00.003-06:00

This recipe really surprised me. I'm not fond of horseradish, and I wouldn't think putting honey with it would be a good idea, but this was AMAZING!! I marinaded a roast in this over night and it was so tender and flavorful!

2 tsp paprika
6 TBSP horseradish
1 TBSP + 1 tsp honey
1 TBSP + 1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I prefer grapeseed oil)

Mix really well and pour over meat making sure to coat well on all sides. I used a hand blender to mix and a large tupperware container and marinated it over night. A couple of hours would work as well.

I made a pork rib roast for the family. I did it the SM way..... Here's how:

Preheated my oil core skillet to 350 degrees F. Seared one side for 5mins and then flip to sear other side (3mins). Turn skillet down to 225 degrees F. After 45 minutes add your potatoes and carrots (or whatever veg you like) around the roast. Cook for another 40-45 minutes and serve.Dundee Pork Marinade

2011-04-10T23:21:00.000-06:00

My daugher's blanket is progressing quite nicely. I think I'm about halfway done now! :o) She continues to choose the colours and continues to tell me when she wants a colour change...... It's been a fun adventure so far.

Chemo Cap

2011-04-10T19:57:00.001-06:00

I lovely lady I know is going through chemo for cancer. I made her a couple of hats for when she lost her hair.... I've spoken to other cancer surviors that have said they used to get cold really easily and the hats helped..... Here is a picture of one of the hats.

I made sure the hat was very soft and had no seams that would irritate her sensitve scalp. I also made it a bit smaller/shorter than a regular hat so that it would fit her head and not be too long on the top. I received a call that she finds them comfy and helps her to stay warm.

Last minute soup

2011-04-10T19:51:00.000-06:00

Today I was having company and I wasn't sure if everyone would like hotdogs for lunch, so I decided to throw together a quick soup. It seemed to be enjoyed by everyone.

2 litres sodium reduced chicken broth
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
5 medium carrots
1/4 green cabbage
2 potatoes
1/4 onion
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp basil
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp paprika
one clove garlic
2 tsp parsley
sea salt and pepper to taste

I had two leftover chicken thighs, so I cooked them in the pot I was going to make the soup in. Once they were cooked I added some of the chicken broth and scrapped the bits off of the pan so the flavor would be in the soup and cut the chicken into small pieces. I added all the veggies and the seasoning put the lid on the pot turned the stove to medium and when it clicked turned it to low (SaladMaster). In other words, bring it to a boil and then simmer on a lower temperature until the veggies are tender.

Rolled oats white bread (bread machine)

2011-04-10T19:07:00.001-06:00

1 cup warm water
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp grapeseed oil (or the oil of your preference)
1/2 cup rolled oats
2-1/3 cup flour
2 tsp bread machine yeast

Place all the ingredients in the bread machine in the above order and select the dough cycle. Once cycle is complete place dough in bread pan, cover and let rise for 20 minutes. Set oven to 350 F and let bread rise another 10 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes.

Left-over meat Stew w/ Salad Master

2011-04-07T14:47:00.001-06:00

1 lb of left over meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey....)
6 medium potatoes washed, diced or grated and rinsed to remove starch
1 medium onion diced
6 carrots scrubbed and chopped
3 parsnips scrubbed and chopped
1 can diced tomato
1 can tomato paste
3 celery stalks
1 litre broth (beef, chick or veggie depending on the meat)
1 tsp basil
1tbsp oregano
2 tbsp chives
1/4 tsp thyme
Sea salt and pepper to taste.
** grated cheese

If the meat is raw, brown it first and then add a bit of water to scrape the browned meat particles from the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until vapo-valve clicks. Reduce to low and cook for 30- 45 minutes.

If you don't have Salad Master then bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Serve in bowls and top with fresh grated cheese. Enjoy!

Quinoa and veggie skillet

2011-04-07T14:36:00.002-06:00

1 tbsp grapeseed (or olive) oil
1 medium onion cut into 8ths
3 large carrots cut or diced
1/2 cup quinoa (rinsed)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup low sodium chicken or beef broth
--------------------------------------
In a pinch at this point I use whatever frozen veggies I have on hand ( asian stirfry veggies work great) I just make sure that it adds up to 4 cups.... or
3 small parsnips
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup mushroom
1 cup cauliflower
1/2 cup zucchini or cabbage
1/2 cup spinach or peppers

Experiment with the veggies to change the dish up. Have fun with it!

Pre-heat skillet to 350˚F Add oil onions and carrots, cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle quinoa over mixture, add garlic, lemon juice and toss to combine. Pour broth all over. Layer the rest of the veggies on top. Cover and cook for 2 minutes until steam escapes, then reduce heat to 200˚F. Cook covered for 15 to 18 minutes until quinoa is done and veggies are tender/crisp. Toss to combine and serve.

Quinoa Veggie Salad

2011-04-07T00:01:00.003-06:00

1 cup quinoa (rinsed)
2 cups water
Bring quinoa and water to a boil, simmer for 15mins and let cool.

1-2 medium carrots scrubbed and diced
1 medium zucchini washed and diced or grated
1/4 cabbage (purple or green) sliced
*** you can also add snow peas, beans, mushrooms, cranberries, peppers, green onions

Dressing:
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup grapeseed (or olive) oil
Pinch of garlic/ginger powder, salt and pepper to taste

or
Create your own with 3 parts oil to one part vinegar and the herbs and spices of your choice. I use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.

or any mild dressing that you may prefer.....

Hot Quinoa Breakfast Cereal

2011-04-06T23:33:00.002-06:00

I'm a huge fan of hot oatmeal for breakfast. I'm an even greater fan of hot quinoa as a breakfast cereal....

1/2 cup quinoa rinsed
1 cup water
** one banana cut or one apple diced or a handful of raisins.....
1/8 tsp cinnamon
After cooking add: Cereal cream or almond milk, brown sugar or honey to sweeten

To cook quinoa just add water and quinoa together, bring to a boil and simmer for 15mins. I like to add the fruit when it's almost done cooking a long with the cinnamon.

This is really versatile and you can add just about anything that strikes your fancy. I like apples, bananas, or raisins, but dried berries, apricots, peaches.... the list is endless would all work as well. Plain with brown sugar and cream or milk is fantastic too :o)

Cabbage Roll Soup

2011-04-06T22:29:00.000-06:00

1 lb. browned ground beef
1 onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 head cabbage shredded
14 oz. diced tomatoes with juice
1 can tomato paste
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1/2c rice or quinoa
4 cups (one litre) beef stock
1-1/2 tbsp white vinegar
**I like to add a pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of cinnamon too.

Brown beef. Add all ingredients to a large pot and cook until cabbage is tender. In my Salad Master cookware I add oregano to my beef and remove the fat in my steamer pot. I then add all my ingredients to my 7qt pot heat on medium until it clicks, then cook on low for 25 minutes.

Apple Zucchini Salad

2011-04-04T18:58:00.001-06:00

This is a very tasty, healthy salad. I like to add cooked quinoa to the salad to bump up the health factor a bit. :o)

Salad:

2 med apples chopped
1-2 med zucchini grated or diced
2 med carrots grated
(you could also add a bit of purple cabbage for color)

Dressing:

1/4 cup grapeseed oil
5 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
2 tsp parmesan cheese
1 small clove garlic minced
sea salt and pepper to taste

Chop the veggies and place in a bowl. Mix the dressing in a separate container and then pour over top the salad. Let chill for at least 30 minutes and then serve. I'm not happy with how the picture turned out but........

Quinoa

2011-03-31T19:45:00.001-06:00

Pronounced 'KEEN-WAH'

http://www.quinoa365.com/
http://www.quinoa-recipes.com/Quinoa_Pages/What_Is_Quinoa.html

Thanks to a very good friend of mine, I have recently discovered this versitile superfood. To date I've made a breakfast cereal, a cold salad and a veggie 'pilaf'. I've also added it to soups and stews with excellent results.... My next big quest is to try and find the flour and add it to my home-made breads.

Red quinoa cooked.

Red quinoa salad with home-made vinegrette.

Tasty Potatoes with Cabbage (Salad Master Version)

2011-03-31T11:21:00.002-06:00

These potatoes are really tasty and so easy to prepare!

I like to use the #2 cone.

2-3 medium potatoes shredded and rinsed to remove starch

1/2 green cabbage shredded

1/4 to 1/2 onion shredded

sea salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes in the steamer until tender. In another pot cook cabbage and onions. When both are done blend cabbage, onions and potatoes in a pot or dish and serve. If you want you can add a bit of melted butter.... As an option my kids like to top it with a bit of shredded cheese.

Tasty Caramelized Onions

2011-03-31T10:38:00.002-06:00

These onions taste great on steak or pork and are super easy to make.

2tbsp grapeseed oil
2med onions (red taste really good) thinly sliced
1tbsp honey
1tbsp red wine
sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat, add onions and cook for about 5 minutes. Drizzle onions with honey and red wine until softened and lightly caramelized... This takes about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve over the meat of your choice.

An old post that I never posted August 31 2010

2011-03-28T16:40:00.001-06:00

Our family vacation started with our Shih Tzu getting into a fight with a Rottie. The end result was his eye popping out of the socket. Off to the vet we go on Sunday evening.... If only the humans who knew better (all of us) had picked up the damn bone! There was a 90% chance that the eye could be saved, so we had it put back into the socket. The vet wanted the dog kept quiet so we took him to my SIL's to be baby sat while we went on our vacation. Leaving him was really hard, but we were assured that it was the right thing to do. I made sure that I was in constant contact with my SIL so we could keep tabs on how Harley (dog) was doing.

Our next stop was Calgary Alberta. We had friends, family and Calloway Park to see! The visit to Calgary was perfect. We had great visits with our family and friends and then decided to head to the mountains.... Revelstoke here we come!

On the way along our adventures we stopped at the Enchanted Forest. A must see for anyone with children, or anyone who wants to re-visit their childhood!

There was all the nursery rhyme characters that we all know so well as well as some other characters. Most of the Forest was interactive in that you could go into the various houses, get a picture taken in a giant tree, follow the yellow brick road.... and so much more!

We also stopped at the Bearsville Miniature Village. It was cute, and one could certainly appreciate all the hard work that went into making it. The children liked the interactive displays were they could make the train move, or various characters move. It was a bit pricey for what it was, but I am very glad we went.

One of the places we went that we will never go to again is the Canyon Hot Springs. What a rip off! Towels are $3.00 each, the locks are $2.00 (it was over $44.00 for all four of us), and we were asked to leave a credit card or our debit card as collateral for the locks and towels. The change rooms were filthy, and the pools were a disappointment! All they were were over chlorinated heated pools. Natural hot springs with that much chlorine?? I find it hard to believe. The only positive was that the children had a swim and played in the water. They were happy to be free from the van for awhile. One other person in the pool also said that after paying over $50.00 just to camp there, they were also charged full price for the 'hot springs'.

We stayed overnight at Valemount at the Monashee Inn. It wasn't the fanciest hotel by any means, but was really comfy and the staff were fantastic! It had THREE beds! One single and two doubles. That meant the girls had their own bed and it made for a great sleep!

It was off to Sicamose and Salmon Arm next! The beach was amazing! White sand with gold glitter, temperatures over 30 degrees celsius.

Bread

2011-03-28T16:26:00.001-06:00

The children have decided that they prefer homemade bread to store bought. I make the dough in the bread machine and then bake it in the oven. To prevent the loaves from sticking I line my pan with parchment paper.

WHITE BREAD
1 cup warm water
3 tbsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp grape-seed or olive oil
3 cups flour
2-1/4 tsp bread machine yeast
Select the dough setting on the bread machine and wait for the cycle to finish. Put bread in lined or greased bread pan and cover. Let rise for 20 minutes, turn on oven to 350̊F then let bread rise another 10 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes.

FRENCH BREAD
1-1/4cups warm water
1-1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp sugar
3-2/3 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
Select the dough setting on the bread machine and wait for the cycle to finish. Roll bread out onto floured counter service and roll the bread like a jelly-roll pinching ends. Make a few cuts along the top, brush with oil and cover. Let rise for 20 minutes, turn the oven on to 350̊F and let the bread rise for 10 minutes more. Prior to baking brush the top of the bread with 1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp water. Bake for 15 minutes, brush with the remaining egg mixture and bake another 15 minutes. Remove from Edmonton.

POLKA-DOT BREAD
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp grape-seed oil
1 med zucchini grated
1 small carrot grated
1 tsp salt
3-1/2 cups flour
2 tsp bread machine yeast
The baking method is the same as the white bread listed above. You can't taste the zucchini and the carrots, but you have the added nutrition and it looks neat.

OATS & HONEY BREAD (the family favorite)
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp grape-seed oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
2-1/3 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
The method is the same as the white bread above. This is a sweeter loaf that the whole family loves for lunches.

I use grape-seed oil and sea salt as a personal preference. They are healthier for you.

New Blanket in the Works

2011-03-20T22:44:00.001-06:00

Finally at long last I'm working on my daughter's blanket. She is choosing the colors and telling me when she wants them changed and I'm choosing the stitiches.... This blanket has been a fun adventure so far because I just never know what's coming next! I'll post pictures of the completed blanket :o)

The Smoke Outside

2010-08-19T16:58:00.001-06:00

This is the view outside my van heading down the highway today. I can't imagine what the people living close to the fires are experiencing! The smoke is so heavy right now. It's giving me a headache and burning my eyes. My thoughts and prayers go out to the people who live near the devastation

Where to start?

2010-08-19T00:36:00.001-06:00

So much has happened lately.

We moved into our 'new' home on May 28 2010. After spending hours upon hours making sure our old home was picture perfect for the new owners, we were hugely disappointed in the condition of the 'new' place. The old owners didn't do 'sweet-tweet'! I try very hard to stay positive, but let me tell you I was fuming! Floors, toilets, fridge, stove, carpets, sinks were filthy. The carpets were so bad that we camped in the living room while gutted the bedrooms. We were missing keys to most of the locks in the place and had to break into our own shed..... The new carpet is lovely, the paint devine... we are slowly making this place ours.

My morning view off the porch

My FIL has been in hospital for ages and is finally on the mend. It all started with an epidural abcess that made it impossible to walk.... When Dad had reached the 8 week anniversary of being in the hospital he had a massive heart attack. Prognosis was very grim at the time. Thank God Dad is a trooper and pulled through open heart surgery, and is on the mend. He has recently started to learn to walk again for second time. It has been one scary rollercoaster! He's been intubated, had a trach, was in ICU for weeks, had pnemonia, MRSA......It's such a blessing to see that Dad is recovering, and has his sense of humor still. When he was first admitted to the ICU my SIL and I were drinking a Timmies. Dad wasn't allowed any food or drink, so he sent us to the corner to drink our coffees! The fact that he had such a sense of humor at the time is nothing short of a miracle.

We babysat quite a few animals in July. We had 2 cats stay for a couple of weeks (Bob and Spook). They were outside cats and a delight to have. I miss our nightly chats at the van when I'm done work. We also had a couple of extra dogs (Steel and Chopper), but not at the same time. Both dogs have since passed away, so I am glad that we had the opportunity to share a portion of their lives. Both of the dogs will be truly missed. Rest in peace Steel and Chopper, we loved you both.

Chopper enjoying a snack

Harley, our dog decided to fight his doggie-Cousin Mr. Fish for a bone and lost. He suffered an eye injury as a result. The stitches come out tomorrow. His eye popped right out of the socket! The vet in Barrhead (Iliya Belosevic: Barrhead Veterinary Clinic) was AMAZING! I highly recommend him. He was not only great with our pet, but great with us as well. He had us totally at ease.

Harley and his optivisor

We went for holidays this year. First time in at least 3 years! Travelled to Calgary, Revelstoke, Sicamose, Salmon Arm, Kamloops, and Valemount. Booking hotels in Calgary, Revelstoke, and Salmon Arm.....

As I said lots has happened.

My First Prayer Shawl

2009-05-19T12:59:00.003-06:00

At long last I have a picture of Grandma and the Prayer Shawl I made her! I finished this for her during Canadian Thanksgiving 2008. In every stitch I put my love, thoughts and prayers for this wonderful lady. I was very pleased with my first ever shawl and have since had several requests to make more.......

My Mom's cat afgahn.

2009-02-20T20:10:00.003-07:00

This is another one of my latest projects. I honestly think that I have at least 5 on the go right now! LOL I used the bernat soft and am doing a mixture of e-wraps and the mock crochet. For the mock crochet I am trying it with the e-wrap instead of laying the yarn in front of the peg just to see the result. So far I am quite pleased with the result. I'll post pictures of the finished product hopefully in the next week or so.

Pom-pom yarn?

2009-01-31T10:14:00.003-07:00

Here is a picture of what I'm currently working on.... or rather a picture of one of the projects. This is a scarf for my daughter's principal at school. It's been taking longer than expected because work has been so very busy! This has been an interesting yarn to work with. As I'm knitting with it the piece doesn't 'shrink' on it's own. I have to sort of tug it into shape.

ARGYLE STITCH

2009-01-24T16:27:00.007-07:00

Noemi, a member of my facebook group suggested the name for this stitch. A big hearty thank you to her!! I think the name suits the look of the stitch. Here are the pictures of the wrapping pattern. Each stitch is alternated. There are two stitches that make up the Argyle Stitch. Pictures 3 and 2 are the first stitch and pictures 5 and 4 are the second stitch. Picture 1 is the end result of the combination. I've noticed that the pictures have sort of come up in the wrong order, but hopefully you get the idea. I was trying to illustrate how the loom looks as it's being wrapped. The pictures with every other peg wrapped are the first part of each of the two stitches and the pictures with the entire loom wrapped are what the stitch looks like completely wrapped. Everytime I try to fix the pictures and the layout something goes horribly wrong, so I'm leaving it. Sorry!

Wow!

2008-12-10T13:32:00.006-07:00

I taught one of my co-workers how to knit on the long loom set. This is her first completed project. I think she did amazing!! You'd never know she was new to knitting. I was so happy that she gave me permission to post pictures of her throw on my blog! She is working on another throw right now and I can't wait to see how that one turns out!

2008-10-02T01:03:00.002-06:00

Well, my knitting season has begun full tilt! I've started with a prayer shawl for my dh's Grandma. I've just about completed the first panel..... once it's completely done I'll post pictures of it. During the summer rather than getting my own knitting done I've been showing others how to knit. I've also learned how to cro-hook. Once I start a project of cro-hooking I'll post pictures.

Been awhile........

2008-03-19T08:18:00.002-06:00

I haven't posted for quite awhile. I was busy with various life events as well as learning to cro-knit. What an interesting craft. When I have some time I'll take a picture of it and post it.

Cheers!

Eye Opener

2008-02-13T16:26:00.003-07:00

It never occurred to me to obtain permissions to post the pictures from the Analu Tear Manual site. The link is posted to the right of the blog. It's either Brazilian or Portuguese. It wasn't until one of the members from one of my loom knitting groups posted a comment about the use of the pictures. I've removed them and taken pictures of my own wrapping. Hoping not to step on any toes. :-) I also contacted the owner of the site that I saw the pictures and have asked for her permission. If I receive it then I'll feature her wrapping patterns again. If not then, I'll take my own pictures of wrapping patterns.

I meant no offense and ask for patience as I'm new to the thought of 'needing permissions to post a picture from a public site'. In the great grand scheme of things I'm sure it would bother me if someone posted my pictures without giving me proper credit. I'll wait and see what happens.

My new stitch :-)

2008-02-12T16:11:00.003-07:00

I start with this first stitch and knit for one row, for the second row I knit using the stitch in the third/fourth picture. I alternate each row and that is how I achieve the stitch. I hope that makes sense. Any ideas on what we should call it? I took a picture of the wrapping pattern going each way to show how it's supposed to look. I hope it make sense. There is an excellent diagram on the site mentioned below.

http://tearmanual.plugin.com.br/html/pontos.html (this is the site where I found the wrapping patterns and diagrams)

New Stitch?

2008-02-12T08:19:00.001-07:00

I was playing around with some wrapping patterns and this is what I came up with. I think it's quite pretty. Perhaps I even discovered something new? (lol) It's kind of like a ribbed stitch, but with the box/cross stitch look to it.

My First Patterned Dish Cloth

2008-02-03T16:34:00.001-07:00

I Finally made my first patterned dish cloth. It's the 'three crosses dishcloth'. I used my 100 peg fine gauge loom, because it's the only one with a fine enough gauge with enough pegs. It took a few days, but I'm really pleased with the end result. I should have probably used a solid cotton colour, but I only had this Bernat cotton at hand.

(original cloth made/copyright Ronda White, Converted with permission by Linda Perata copyrighted. For personal use only)

What's in a name.....

2008-01-23T15:53:00.002-07:00

The stitch that I've been having trouble naming, has come back with an answer from one of the ladies in the Kniftyknitter group. It turns out the site is in Portugese, not Spanish and means seed/rice stitch or K1P1, or K2P2 in the double. It's a nifty stitch. It really looks similar to the stockinette, but with a slant (someone pointed that out, I never noticed at first). It's tighter than the stockinette, which surprised me because the figure 8 (in it's basic form) is quite loose.

Cowl/Hoodie

2008-01-22T16:21:00.001-07:00

One of the ladies from one of my knitting groups had a marvelous idea! She suggested knitting cowls, or hoodies instead of scarves. They are quicker to make up and maybe more practical. If someone needs to sleep with it on to stay warm, it won't unravel like a scarf. It can be worn over the face or just covering the head, or just around the neck. I've made one so far and it's posted in my slideshow. For a first attempt it's not too bad. I think I made it a bit too thick though.........

I have also make a couple of neck warmers that are on my slideshow. The blue one was made on the yellow loom, and the pink one was made on the green loom.

I'm leaning toward the cowl/hoodie though. It takes a lot longer to knit a hat and scarf set. I'll still make some scarves as a way to practice new stitches that I've learned and I'll donate them as well.

:-)

Box/waffle/criss-cross stitch

2008-01-21T14:38:00.001-07:00

If you are a member of the yahoo group board knitters, you can find instructions on this stitch in files under KAL criss cross.

THEY ARE HERE!

2008-01-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

Both of my books are in. I picked up the primer yesterday and the knitting board one came in the mail today! I had no idea that there were so many different stitches that could be done on the knitting board! I can't wait to try them. The knitting board is strictly about stitches, casting on, binding off, increasing and decreasing. The primer is not only about stitches etc, but also has a lot of patterns to try out each new technique. Both books are very different from the other both in the method of teaching, illustrations, and even some of the stitch names vary slightly.

My only problem now is what to do first! :-)

Books

2008-01-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

I can't wait for my books to arrive!! I've ordered Isela's Knitting Primer and The Knitting Board Book. Here's a pic of the cover of each of the books :-) I ordered them about a week or so ago, so I'm hoping to have them in by the end of the month.

DOUBLE STOCKINETTE STITCH

2008-01-13T15:51:00.001-07:00

I learned a new stitch today. It's called (I think- double stockinette stitch). You wrap the pegs like a figure 8, but spaced like the stockinette stitch wrap. I took pics to help visualize what I mean. :-) You would wrap every other peg going one way and then every peg you missed on the return trip. HTH

Hats and Scarves for the Homeless

2008-01-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

I've just started on my hats and scarves for the homeless venture. I have a lot of knitting to get done! I'm not sure if I will have enough hats and scarves to donate for this winter, but if I work at it all summer, I should have a ton to give.

I joined the freecycle group on yahoo and some lovely people have emailed me to say that they have yarn to donate. What a blessing!! I can't wait to get the yarn and get started! The majority of the yarn that I have right now is very feminine in color, so I'm hoping some of the donations will include some more masculine colors. :-)

Mystery stitch/box stitch

2007-12-31T19:51:00.001-07:00

From what I've been told the mystery stitch is the 'figure 8' stitch. The 'box stitch' that I've posted I think looks about right. I'm working on a blue scarf with the box stitch and it looks different yet again. Who knows what I'm doing right/wrong. I'm pleased with the effect either way :-)

What is this stitch?

2007-12-28T12:40:00.001-07:00

This is the stitch that comes in the directions for the long loom set from Provo Craft. What is it called? It's looser then the stockinette and not quite the same as the zigzag. (the stockinette is on either side of the mystery stitch.

Box Stitch?

2007-12-28T12:38:00.002-07:00

I'm wondering if this is what the box stitch is supposed to look like. Did I do it right?

Cori's Hat

2007-12-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

I made this hat for one of the ladies I work with. I had to take a picture of it with my cell phone, so you can't really see the colors. It's a lovely gray and pink bernat soft wool. The gray and the pink both have the different tones running thru the yarn. This was my first time working with 100% wool, and my first time making pom-poms. I was really happy with the end result.

My home-made knitting board

2007-12-28T10:25:00.001-07:00

Before Christmas a friend of the family made me a loom, so that I could knit my mom a scarf for Christmas. I made the mistake of not purchasing the exact same length of cotter pins, but the difference in height is so small, that it worked wonderfully well!! My mom loved her scarf!

2007-12-27T19:51:00.001-07:00

This was my first a-symmetrical poncho that I made for my daughter

Knifty Knitter long loom set

2007-12-27T09:05:00.001-07:00

I am so excited!! One of the girls at work told me about the looms she received for Christmas. They were the KK long loom set! I've been trying to lay my hands on these looms for a year (or for as long as they have been out in the States). I've called Michael's and had them put a set on hold for me (calling so early that security answered the phone lol). Now all I have to do is try and be patient....... my girls are sick and there is no way I'm taking them outside. I have to either wait until my husband gets home or see if my parents are willing to pick them up for me.