podcasts

Episode 22

This week’s episode features the following segments: Ever-expanding Skill Set, A Little Bit of Learning, The Back Porch and The Front Porch.


Ever-expanding Skill Set

Thank you, everyone, for the enthusiastic comments and posts about the Bulk Bins Cook Along. I’m thrilled that you are as excited about the idea as I am.  Contribute your recipes, tips, and photos to the BULK BINS CAL thread on Ravelry.  There is already a great conversation and recipe exchange going on in this thread. Each month, one post will be selected at random to win a Ravelry pattern valued at $7 or less.  After announcing the idea in the last podcast episode, I spent a frigid Sunday afternoon cooking with French lentils for the first time.  This soup recipe from Carrie Vitt of Deliciously Organic was my inspiration.  I used pork kielbasa from Applegate Farms and some frozen turkey stock from my Thanksgiving bird. I also replaced the tomato products with 1/2 cup of finely diced sun-dried tomato.   Just before serving, I squeezed the juice from half a lemon into the pot and shaved some parmigiano-reggiano over each bowl.

A Little Bit of Learning

This week, I’m sharing some nutritional facts and culinary lore about lentils on the podcast.  I have found excellent information on The World’s Healthiest Foods website.

foliageThe Back Porch

This week, I completed several projects.  Here you see the Spring Foliage mitts by Alana Dakos.  I knit them in Berroco Ultra Alpaca Lite in peat to coordinate with my Batad. These mitts are beautifully patterned and wonderfully stretchy at the cuff.  Alana’s patterns are written so well that I end up taking on much greater challenges than I think I am capable.  For example, cables.  And working with dpns (double-pointed needles).  Whatever, the challenge, I feel confident that if I follow Alana’s pattern carefully, I will come out with a beautiful garment.

I also completed a fringed scarf (pictured at the top of the post) made entirely of scrap yarn in sport, DK, and worsted weight.  Changing yarns every four rows and using linen stitch creates a lot of visual interest in this scarf.  What a plus that you don’t have to weave in ends — you simply knot the ends of yarn together as you change colors and leave them hanging for a fun fringe on the side.  Ingenious.  I highly recommend this pattern, called Flickerl, from Simone Eich of WOLLWERK.

fellowesThe Front Porch

During the month of January, I’ll be working on some additional hat donations for Click for Babies.  I’ve completed three hats so far.

I’ve also begun working on my first-ever Amy Herzog pattern.  This is my entry in a knitalong for SSK retreat members.  That’s right, in July, I’ll be traveling to Nashville for the Super Summer Knitogether sponsored by theknitgirllls.   The pattern I chose for the Amy Herzog KAL is the Fellowes cloche.  It looks to me like something Lady Edith would wear when she leaves Downton Abbey for a few days in London.  I know, I know.  Lady Mary gets all the attention, but I really enjoying Lady Edith’s wardrobe — especially in this season of DA.  Edith’s character is more fashion-forward and less traditional, so she has some exciting pieces and playful colors in her wardrobe.  This pattern is a challenging one, featuring linen stitch and wraps and turns.

Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.” — Coco Chanel