by Kat | Feb 17, 2014 | General, Making
I recently got a Schacht Matchless and to say I adore it is an understatement. It is an amazing wheel and I am getting my spinning groove back.
In my box Spunky Eclectic had tucked some lovely fiber and so I divided the fiber in half with a goal of plying the yarn keeping each color separate with gentle gradient transitions between each color change.
I would say my results were very good and the process gave me a good refresher in spinning and plying. I had some thinner spots in spinning, but as I continued, my consistency got better and I achieved a move even single. My plying had some spots where I over spun a bit, but I did not let that deter me and I forged ahead working on applying just enough twist to balance out my yarn. I skeined it up and sent it off to the tub for a nice bath and I ended up with a 2-ply yarn that had 16 WPI.
I tweaked this lozenge stitch scarf pattern and cast on 122 stitches and joined in the round to make a cowl and my results were more than pleasing.
by Kat | Feb 3, 2014 | General
With Old Man Winter holding us firmly in his grasp, my thoughts turn to an array of comfort foods – ones that are warm, satisfying, and that might just conjure up distant memories of childhood past. Now, while my poor mother was not a spectacular cook by any stretch of the imagination, she would on occasion make some rice pudding. It was truly a superb treat to come home to on a cold winter’s day.
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by Kat | Jan 26, 2014 | General
For a great portion of North America the weather outside is indeed frightful. Yet, nestled away in my freezer were some frozen bits of summer. I pulled them out and baked them into some amazingly delicious muffins.
These are sure to brighten up a cold winter’s day.
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by Kat | Jan 15, 2014 | General
I am bringing the “year of making” to as many aspects of my life as I possibly can, and one very easy way for me to do this is through the meals I make. With some very simple ingredients – farm fresh eggs, milk, cheese, and some diced ham, you can have a very elegant but entirely satisfying dinner. I have based my recipe on Hubert Keller’s recipe for the same. Ham and Cheese Soufflé
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by Kat | Jan 10, 2014 | General
As 2013 wound down, I found myself ready for a new chapter in my life. I found work to be wholly unfulfilling and as I saw the company I worked for spiraling into disaster, I made a bold decision to say goodbye and control my destiny – rather than follow something I no longer believed in. My BFF had worked hard to find a house and he had success in October, so the decision seemed right to move to a new city and start a new chapter of life.
I gave my notice at work and began the process of sorting out my life – both materially and mentally. There was much sorting and shedding of things, and let me tell you how good that felt. I went through things I had not looked at in years and each day the piles grew – keep, donate, throw away. It was cathartic. I also shed the thought that I needed to be in West Michigan – a new adventure was in order. Each day, I felt better and better about my decision.
Having the stress of work removed from my life was so incredible. When you are in the midst of chaos, you do not notice how riotous it is – something that was unbelievably apparent in the days following my departure. I was sleeping better, eating better, and feeling better. Without a doubt, I had made the right decision about leaving. There was no looking back with regrets at all.
Now, gentle reader, I do not want you to think that there were not moments of panic – because there surely were. As with all change, even for a girl who embraces it whole-heartedly, there were moments of doubt. Nevertheless, as November 18 drew closer – I was ready for the movers to arrive. My life, in the sum of several dozen boxes, was packed and ready for a new home.
One thing I was not prepared for was how challenging it would be to be cohabitating with someone after being “on my own” for such a long time. It was a month of pure hell for both of us, I am afraid. I can honestly say I behaved like a spoiled brat. It took some introspection on changing the only thing I could control – me. I needed an attitude adjustment times ten! They say with age comes wisdom – well, let me tell you that is not always true. I had not an ounce of wisdom and was not even acting my age! However, the New Year found us walking together on the same path – baby steps, to be sure, but walking nonetheless.
I am so incredibly fortunate to be in this time and space with a person who is allowing me the freedom to figure out what I want to do. I have found a yarn shop I quite enjoy. I am making some new friends and I am spending my days doing new and comforting things. One thing I know is that there will be lots of “more” here – more cooking, more baking, more knitting, more photography, and as the days of the New Year unfold, you will find me writing again, spinning again, and perhaps doing a bit of weaving now and then.
Come along with me as my year unfolds. It is sure to be an interesting and fun journey.
