Shalom

My new favorite sweater:


I had started this project mostly because I had yarn in my stash that would work, and I wanted a sweater as fast as possible (irrational emergencies arise when pregnant hormones are in play).  The yarn usage was happy, because it didn't feel like I'd spent anything on it, and the pure merino is wonderfully soft and squashy in the knit fabric.  Because it's a plied yarn, I hope that the pilling will be minimal with wear, but I'll report back on that later on.  Overall, I'm even more pleased with this than I thought I would be, and that's always a nice surprise.



One of my neighbors across from me was hanging out of her window, smoking, and openly staring at me as I did this shoot, so I was feeling a tiny bit uncomfortable (thus, the missing face from the first shot -- couldn't look normal, and couldn't bear to re-shoot).  I don't know why Germans do this, or why it makes my American sensibilities squirm so badly, but I just can't get used to the obvious staring in this country.  I've tried to ignore neighbors sometimes when they've done this, but then have gotten whistled at, like "Hey!  I'm staring at you here!  Let's have some proper eye-contact so that we all know what's going on!"  It really shouldn't matter, because in America we all spy on each other too...it's just that we like to play peek-a-boo (ever peeked out through some mini-blinds?), and somehow that's...better?  Yeah, I should probably not have a problem with this.  I'm being a true American Silly.


I love the texture of the twisted stitches on the yoke.  In it's entirety, the project was quick, simple, and will be easy to wear.  I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about the one button, but I'm very glad that I went with that now.  As it turns out, although my shoulders and arms are still small, if I'd put in more buttons with my current chest size there would have been a lot of unseemly stretching and gaping at the button band, and the bust-line numbers are only going up from here.  (They say that after the first 10 weeks or so of nursing a baby, your bust size goes back down a few inches towards normal.  Not so with me, until the baby is weaned.  It's ridiculous.)



PROJECT SPECS

Needles: 10-1/2 (yoke and body), 10 (sleeves)
Yarn: Handpaintedyarn.com Merino Bulky, 4 skeins, colorway unknown (from "Odd's 'n Ends" section of site)
Mods: Added sleeves (put sleeve stitches on hold while I knit the body then came back to them, going down one needle size).


For more details, check out the project page on Ravelry.

Thank you to those of you who responded to yesterday's post.  I dearly hope that I didn't offend anyone, or sound like I was criticizing in any way, and I didn't have anyone in mind when I wrote about it.  What you do on your blog is your deal, I'm just curious.  I

 should clarify that I don't generally block mittens and hats, although I do when they need it (Daisy's Rosebud set needed blocking -- the hat had these weird puckers from the short-rows, and the mittens felt stiff because of the tight gauge).  I totally understand the "no room to block" dilemma as well -- I guess my main thing is that I want to show each finished piece in it's most presentable form.  My Hemlock blanket, for instance, has been sitting amongst my stash since before summer because I haven't taken the time to block it yet.  If I show it to you now, I'm still going to want to re-show it after the blocking has taken place.  So I'm waiting (although, speaking of that one, I really don't know what's keeping me from blocking it, since we could use a blanket on the couch now that colder weather has begun to set in!  Must get on that.)

In my next post, I have an FO to show you that marks the completion of a project you've probably forgotten all about.  It's one of my favorite things I've ever finished, and I've been dying to show it to you all, but haven't been able to shoot it properly until now.  But you'll have to come back to see...

I've picked back up my February Lady Sweater (cast on the same day as Shalom and the latest purple version of Central Park Hoodie).  I'm just past the eyelet increases (which I did as "M1's", since I didn't think I'd enjoy holes in the middle of my garter stitch), and am now working the last few rounds before I can start the lace patterned rounds.  Hurrah for fly-away cardis and big bellies!

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Shalom is almost there...

The knitting of Shalom is complete, and this morning, a perfect button found (the lady at the button shop is a genius, and can always find me The Button in about 30 seconds flat).



It's currently blocking on a baby gate on the dining room table, so I might be able to get FO shots of it tomorrow once I get the button sewn on.

A question for you all: some people show their knitted things before blocking. I understand the urge to display hard work the moment after cast-off, but isn't blocking part of the whole process? To me, showcasing an unblocked piece would be like going out to run my errands in a sweater with the needles still in the edge, and ends not woven in. Feel free to disagree though. Any thoughts?

Angela asked me where she might find Vital Wheat Gluten for the bread recipe I posted last week. I know that in NY I can get it at almost any grocery store in the flour or organic or natural food section, but there are also places to get it online. The Urban Homemaker is one place you can order from, although I'm sure there's many others.

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33 weeks

I feel like I've never been bigger in my life, but in reality, I've still got 7 weeks to go. Apparently my skin knows how to stretch even further.


33 weeks

Last week, I went to a cupcake decorating class, and my children were thrilled with the results:



I've always been a horrible cake decorator, so I was relieved to find that with a little coaching and some lessons in technique, I was actually able to turn out some presentable little cakes.



I know, they're almost too cute. I let each of my children eat two, and then had Sparky and Max deliver the rest to neighbor families in our building with children.

The first two cupcakes made it without incident (the boys each only held one), but then the trouble arose when I sent Max down on a second trip with a paper plate full of 4. Admittedly, a terrible idea, but I thought I'd give the guy a chance. He and Sparky knocked on the second door, and in the space of time it took the family not to answer the door, Max said "whoops". I looked out to see, and sure enough, there he was, picking them up off of the welcome mat. I was a little miffed, but relieved that at least the family hadn't answered, so now they wouldn't see the ruined cakes. I told the boys to just come back up, intending to throw the cupcakes away.

Half-way back to our door, the dad of the family opened his door. I explained, also saying that they'd been dropped, and at that moment Max turned around to face the guy and dropped them at his feet. At this point the green swirled ones were actually flat.

The guy generously took them anyway, and I found out the next day that they'd all eaten them, in spite of the extra seasoning. I mean, they're the ones who clean the stairs, so they know how clean/dirty they are, but...oh goodness.

I've cast off the body of Shalom, and will now be picking up the held stitches for the arms, as well as the 10 I cast on under each arm (and at least two in each corner to close up any gaps). According to Rachel, if I use smaller needles (I'm going down to size 10 from 10-1/2), and decrease at the rate of two stitches every 6 rows, I should end up with presentable arms. (I will, of course, be trying it on at different points along the way to make sure I don't go decrease too far.) I'll knit from two ends of a center-pull ball so that I can knit until I run out of yarn.

So, wanna see it?

Sorry, that's as good as it gets in the murky afternoon light we call "sunshine" now that it's fall. I've "sepia-ed" it, because there was no use even trying for the true colors.

Gotta run -- I've got a hot date with Patrick Dempsey in Made Of Honor. Oh yeah, baby. (Now available on iTunes for rental!)

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Honey Whole Wheat Bread

The nesting urge has taken over, and the funny thing about it is that it's entirely unpredictable. With each child there's been a different flavor to the madness, and this time, it's sweaters for myself. I'm entirely certain that the world could cave in if I don't complete as many sweaters as possible before the new person makes The Appearance, and there's no fighting it.


Yes, you'll notice a finished Liesl there under it all, but the official FO pic will have to wait until I can take a decent picture of it on me. Basically, during any moment I have to myself, I feel compelled to knit, not style a shot, so that's the story.



I haven't shared a recipe in a while, and since the Knitting Cook site is now officially down (oh yeah, I'm pretty sure that I forgot to mention that I just can't podcast anymore, so.... sorry 'bout that.), I decided to post my Honey Whole Wheat Bread here. Also, I made a tiny change in the flour balance, which I like even better, so here is the updated version.


Presenting: the recipe for the Honey Whole Wheat bread that I make several times a week. It's great plain fresh out of the oven, in a savory sandwich, as toast with butter, french toast, or whatever else you want to do with it. The bread is flavorful with honey and butter, but not so overtly that you can't use it in a good, hearty, BLT.

This is my version of my mom's original recipe. I am completely happy with this recipe, but feel free to vary it according to your own taste, adjusting the balance of whole wheat to white flour, etc.


Note: These directions assume that you are making this recipe by hand. If, instead, you are using a substantial stand mixer (like a Kitchen Aid) or a bread machine, add the liquid first, then the dry, and break the egg on top of it all. If you're using the bread machine, you will want to add both cups of whole wheat flour right away -- just check on it after it's been kneading for a little while to see if it needs more flour or a few more tablespoons of water.


Combine in large bowl:
1 cup whole wheat flour (you will need one more cup after liquid ingredients have been added)
1-1/2 cups white bread flour (very important that it's bread flour and not all purpose)
1/3 cup rolled oats (I use Old Fashioned Rolled Oats)
1 tsp salt
1 scant Tablespoon yeast
1 heaping Tablespoon Vital Wheat Gluten

Melt:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Add:
1/4 cup honey
1 cup water

Warm in microwave or stovetop to 110-120 degrees (it's almost too hot for my finger to stay in it for more than 2 or 3 seconds when it's this temp.)

Time and clean-up saving tip: melt the butter in a 2-cup glass measuring cup, add honey until it reaches the 1/2 cup mark, then add water to the 1-1/2 cup mark. Put all in microwave together -- in mine it takes 50 seconds to get to the right tempurature, and in my parent's microwave it takes just over a minute.

Add wet ingredients to dry, along with:
1 egg

Stir with wooden spoon until combined.

Add:
1 cup whole wheat flour

Tip out onto lightly floured surface, and knead for 5-8 minutes to build up gluten in flour, adding more flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Knead until smooth and elastic. (There are videos on YouTube that show you how to properly knead bread if you've never done it.)

Grease bowl and place ball of dough inside (I spray PAM on the the inside of the bowl, put the dough in, then spray the top of the dough to keep it from sticking). Put a piece of waxed paper over the bowl, then a kitchen towel to insulate.

Allow dough to rise until doubled (this may take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours depending on your house, your yeast, the weather outside, and many other factors I have yet to determine). You will know that it's ready when it looks like twice the original amount, and when you stick your fingers in the top about two inches down, the indentation stays and doesn't spring straight back up.

If you are having extra trouble getting your dough to rise, or are in a rush, turn on your oven to the very lowest setting. Place some boiling water in an oven proof bowl or pan in the bottom of the oven, and put your bowl of dough on one of the oven racks. Turn off oven when it gets fairly warm, and your dough should rise nicely. (Thanks to MA for that great tip!)

Pull dough out of bowl, and roll up into loaf shape, pulling a "skin" of dough around the whole thing to smooth it over. Place in greased loaf pan. Cover once again with waxed paper and kitchen towel, and leave to rise until doubled (this, once again, will vary in time, but expect at least an hour unless you have an especially "yeasty" house.)

Once the loaf is risen to your liking, put into a cold oven, and turn the heat on to 350 (you could pre-heat the oven, but putting it in cold gives it the extra punch to rise just a bit more). Bake until suitably golden on top -- in my oven this takes 35, and at my parent's house this took just under 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the loaf will read 200 when the bread is completely baked through.
Note: if you badly jar the loaf when putting it into the oven, it could deflate. If this happens, you will need to re-form the loaf and let it rise again in a re-greased pan.

Turn out immediately on to a cooling rack. This bread slices best when it's completely cooled, but seriously. Who wants to wait?

(Pictured here with mini-loaves of date-nut bread)

OK kids, I've got to get back to my knitting. I am helpless to resist.

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