Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Baby Mine Sweater

OMG this is my first finish of 2012!!!  This is a sweater I knit for my mom for a shower gift.  A woman she works with is a grandma to be.


This is the Baby Mine Sweater by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.


It is a simple, but beautiful lace pattern.  Which I managed to mess up by not reading the pattern stitch definitions, but doing what I thought they should be. Once I figured this out, I just continued on the sleeves with the incorrect method and changed over to the correct method on the body.  I don't think anyone would be the wiser if I didn't point it out.


I had some buttons, perfect for this project in my stash.


The yarn is Knit Picks Stroll Sport in Passionfruit (discontinued color).

This is a pattern I would knit again and again (hopefully correctly).

Friday, July 27, 2012

Friday Felines


I don't know where our other cat is, but as usual, they must check out all new additions to the house!!!

Monday, July 23, 2012

VideoCast Episode 26 - Really!?!?!



** Now available on iTunes!!! **


Episode 26
July 20, 2012

Updates & Housekeeping

  • Welcome newbies, if you are returning, thanks!!
  • Lighting
  • Bets - elizstitches on Ravelry - West Knits Mystery KAL
  • How to Train your Dragon Live Spectacular recap

Revelations
  • Baby Mine
  • Summer Solstice Mystery KAL
  • Spinning

String Theory
  • Loop Bump
  • Into the Whirled Shipment

Scrolls
  • I got nothin'

Heresy
  • I got nothin' again

Delusional Jabber
  • TV
    • Amazon Prime Video
      • Angel
    • Dallas
  • Reading
    • Dresden Files Book 2
    • How to Train your Dragon
    • Audible Sale - 3 for 2
  • "Finish Him"
  • Tai Chi
  • A work story - Really!?!?!

Closing
  • Ravelry: delusionalknitter
    • Ravelry Board: Revelations of a Delusional Knitter Podcast
  • Blogspot: delusionalknitter.blogspot.com
  • Gmail: delusionalknitter@gmail.com
  • Etsy Shop: etsy.com/shop/delusionalknitter

Thanks for watching!

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Friendly Visitors


We have some lovely, friendly visitors to our yard.  Now, we're not "lucky" that we get some of these beauties, we have specifically planted the right plants to attract them :o)


This is a beautiful specimen of a female Tiger Swallowtail.


She hung around this Echinacea for quite a while, I was happy to be able to run back in and grab the camera and get photos.  I also got some video footage I will have fun editing later.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

VideoCast Episode 25




Episode 24 
Friday, July 13, 2012 


 Updates & Housekeeping 
• Welcome newbies, if you are returning, thanks!!
• Dyeing
         o Socks
• How to Train your Dragon
         o How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 3D computer-animated fantasy film by DreamWorks
             Animation loosely based on the English 2003 book of the same name.
          o Audible book narrated by David Tennant
          o 23 flying, fire-shooting, smoke breathing dragons
          o 40 ft wingspan, as long as 50 feet, 20 feet tall
• Buttons

 Revelations
o Baby Mine – changed yarns, yardage
o Summer Solstice Mystery KAL
o Spinning
        Navajo Plying
        Bobbin String Theory
 o Red Heart Sashay

 Scrolls
 • Nothing

 Heresy
 • Stephen West KAL

 Delusional Jabber
 o TV
o Amazon Prime video
         Angel
o Reading
o Dresden Files Book 2

 Closing 
 • Ravelry: delusionalknitter
 o Ravelry Board: Revelations of a Delusional Knitter Podcast
• Blogspot: delusionalknitter.blogspot.com
• Gmail: delusionalknitter@gmail.com
• Etsy Shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/delusionalknitter

Navajo Plying

I am in love with this technique!


Navajo plying, or chain plying is so much fun and balances the yarn so nicely!  It keeps the color repeats together and makes a 3-ply yarn out of a single.


This was some left over bit from 2-plying from 2 bobbins.  I used it to try my hand at Navajo plying and I loved it!


I will most definitely be doing this technique again!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Blockin'


Baby Mine Sweater by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.  Done in Knit Picks Stroll Sport Passionfruit.  Blockin' out the lace!  Wove in the ends today, will add buttons once blocking is done.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Friday Felines



He is a strange, strange animal ...

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Belba's School of Cooking

An employee of mine is an excellent cook and when you ask her, "How did you do it?"  Her reply is, "Oh, you know, whatever I have in my kitchen."  Hear this with a thick Hispanic accent.

And, no, I don't know.  So one day I figured I'd just do it.  I got an onion, 1 lb of hamburger, 1 lb of pasta and 45 oz of pasta sauce and I just, oh you know, did it, with what I had in my kitchen.  The result was a delicious pasta dish.  I re-did it today.  Now, its not the same as I don't know what I did the first time.  But I can tell you how to cook like Belba.

What I learned is this: use your senses.  Use your nose and your eyes.

Cut 1/2 the onion, a dash of olive oil in a frying pan and fry it up.

Add the hamburger and cook til brown.  Drain the grease.

Now start the water boiling for the pasta.


Add the sauce to the hamburger and onion.

Now go in your spice cabinet and pick a primary spice.  Since I am cooking pasta I choose oregano.  Dump some in (no I can't tell you how much).  Now pick other spices, and since oregano is green, use your eyes and choose green ones (yes I know most spices are green - its not rocket science, its cooking).

Now use your nose and smell your next spice ... does it work?  If yes, dump some in, if no, put it back and try again.  Choose 3 spices.  The fourth will be garlic, powder or salt, whatever you've got.  If you had garlic cloves then begin with it and saute with the onions.

Now turn down the heat and simmer this while you cook the pasta.  Don't forget to take a whiff.  Is it good? If its missing something (usually more garlic in my case, add some more).


Cook your pasta as directed.  Once the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pan.  Stop simmering the sauce and add it to the pasta.  Mix it up.  Voila (yeah that's French, I don't know the Spanish alternative)!


A delicious, wonderful dish you cooked up all on your own.  I'm pretty sure this is how recipes start in the first place.  You can't go wrong with this one.  Belba doesn't do pasta, this is my version of her method of cooking, but its enormously freeing and fun and no recipe is required.  I also did this with fish one day, when I do it again I'll post my unrecipe.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

VideoCast Episode 24


Episode 24
July 6, 2012


Updates & Housekeeping
  • Welcome newbies, if you are returning, thanks!
  • Dyeing
    • Self Striping
  • New camera adjusted settings for this episode
  • Saturday wedding
  • Shut down week at work


Revelations
  • Baby Mine
  • Knitting Class - Ebony Jewel-Wing Bag
  • Summer Solstice Mystery KAL
  • Spinning
    • Fall Fiber Study


String Theory
  • Designing lace


Delusional Jabber
  • TV
    • Falling Skies
  • Amazon Prime Video
    • Dresden Files
    • Angel
    • Red Dwarf
  • Reading
    • The Dresden Files Book 2


Closing
  • Ravelry: delusionalknitter  
    • Ravelry Board: Revelations of a Delusional Knitter Podcast
  • Blogspot: delusionalknitter.blogspot.com
  • Gmail: delusionalknitter@gmail.com
  • Etsy Shop: etsy.com/shop/delusionalknitter

Friday, July 6, 2012

Friday Felines


What's better than a hot summer day and an open window for a cat?

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Almost done


I recently took a knitting class at my LYS for this bag.  Monday I had off work and finished the knitting.  Once bound off I immediately started weaving in ends and blocked it (I knew if I didn't then it would sit forever).

Once it dries I'll line it and add handles.

This photo is of the initial blocking, its looking much better now, I've pressed out some of the wonky edges.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

VideoCast Episode 23




Episode 23
June 29, 2012


Updates & Housekeeping
  • Welcome newbies, if you are returning, thanks!
  • Dyeing
    • Dye Studio
    • Self Striping
    • New base yarn - Wool/Angora
  • New camera arrived!

Revelations
  • Bigger on the Inside
  • Achilles' HEAL
  • Baby Mine
  • Knitting Class - Ebony Jewel-Wing Bag
  • Summer Solstice Mystery KAL
  • Spinning
    • Quinn Fiber
      • Harvesting Angora Fiber
      • What he thought of it

String Theory
  • A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns

Heresy
  • West Knits Mystery KAL - July 13th 
  • Romi Hill - 7 Small Shawls Year 3

Delusional Jabber
  • Yardage Counter - it read 544 for 462 yds

Closing
  • Ravelry: delusionalknitter  
    • Ravelry Board: Revelations of a Delusional Knitter Podcast
  • Blogspot: delusionalknitter.blogspot.com
  • Gmail: delusionalknitter@gmail.com
  • Etsy Shop: etsy.com/shop/delusionalknitter