Sockblank

What is a sockblank and why would anybody bother?
A sockblank is a rectangular piece of knitting, made with two strands of sockweight yarn held together. You knit one (or buy one) so you can dye it, unravel it and then knit again, this time in the shape of a sock (or a shawl, or a pullover, ....)

Here, the knitted blank, after I soaked it for a couple of hours in water (not a good idea to dye a dry piece of fabric). I spread it out on cling film so the dye won't do funny things to my table.

Using various Kool-Aid packaged I painted the blank in various pattern. The color combination here is a bit wild, I admit, but as those were the only colors/flavors I had left, I didn't have much choice.

Next, I covered the blank with a second layer of cling film, rolled it up like a long sausage and placed in a glass dish. I put it in the microwave for 3 x 2min on full power, letting it set for a few minutes in between. Unlike my first experiment with Kool-Aid, I had no indicator if the colors have really set, but i think it might have been enough.

 Then I unraveled the blank and wound the two threads into skeins. This step is not really nesseccary, as you could knit directly of the blank if you want (doing two socks at the same time), but I wanted to see how the yarn looks, and, damn, it's pretty!

The first sock knitted from it. The pattern is froop loop, an older pattern from knitty. When I saw the skein, it sort of wanted to be that one, so who am I to protest.

As you can see, I started from the left of the blank (the orange section on the cuff) and ended about 2/3 through (before the next section of blue). Next time when I'm dying a blank, I will make less vertical stripes, as they lead to large stretches of just one color.
But over all I love the result. This is a lot of fun to do and I certainly will try again.

The Rhubarb-Banana Experiment

On Friday I was gifted with 2 kilos of rhubarb. Though I'v already made rhubarb jelly and rhubarb-strawberry jam two weeks ago, (after using about 1/2 kilo for a yummy cake) I decided again to make jam. But what to use to compliment the rhubarb flavor? I decided to try bananas and lemon juice/zest.
The result ... hmmmmmm, loving it!

As I made it up as I went, here my first attempt to write a recipe.

You need:
600-750 gr rhubarb
half again water
500 sugar for jams 1:2
3 bananas (depending on the ripeness - mine were just about ripe)
1 lemon (bio)
5 gr lemon acid

Clean the rhubarb and cut it into small pieces. Cook with water for 20 minutes, then filter through a kitchen towel. Your aim is to get about 500ml of juice. Wait for it to cool.
Peel the bananas and cut them into small pieces. Add them to the rhubarb juice and the sugar.
Let sit for 1 hr, then puree all with a hand blender. Cut thin stripes off the lemon (after washing very hot) and cut them to tiny slivers. Squeeze the lemon. Add the zest, the lemon juice and the lemon acid to the rhubarb-banana mix.
Cook for four minutes, never stop steering, then fill in to clean glasses.

Notes: While I was cooking the jam, I noticed something dark and sugary sticking to the tip of my cooking spoon. I looks like the sugar at the bottom of the pot actually caramelized (and burned a little). I don't know if this can be prevented (I never really stoped steering the pot), but actually I like the flavor, so no harm done.


I sort of call this jam the 'three-hit-wonder' as you'll have three distinct flavor experiences. First the banana is very dominant, then the rhubarb makes an apperance, only to end with a lemony note.
I don't really need rolls or bread for this, I could just eat it right out of the glass.

(and in case you wonder, I made also another batch of the jelly with the left over rhubarbs)

Odds and Ends

My vacation is coming to an end (sigh) and now a couple of things I've made in the last two weeks, but haven't blogged about.

I've made elder flowers gelée. I picked some of the flowers, then steept them in apple juice for 24hrs. I then cooked the resulting liquid with jam suger. To one half of the batch I added orange juice, the other half I left as is.

 Not having enough of the cooking I also made strawberry syrup (basically a watered down strawberry gelée). A spoon full of it to a glass of water and maybe some ice and lemon, and, voilá, you have a lovely refreshing drink. A little 250ml bottle of it goes a pretty long way.

I made a small neckless (presented here on some estonian lace I'm knitting right now). Not very good to see in the picture, but it's a collier of three steel wires.

And finally (well at least here) I used my new sewing machine (which I inhereted from my sister - thanks - and was brought over from Sweden by my parents - thanks again) to sew another project bag, using the left overs from my April project.

Other than the trip to the zoo in Stuttgard, I pretty much stayed at home in my vacation. I had about a million things on my to-do list and managed to tick of quite a few of them. I finally managed to go see the King Tutanchamun exhibition in Frankfurt (before it closes), saw two movies ('Man In Black 3' and 'Snowwhite and the Huntsman'), went shopping, fixed a couple of things around the appartment, and had a good time.

Wilhelma

A couple of days ago we went to the zoo.

The Wilhelma in Stuttgard is one of the nicest zoos I've been to so far, and even the fact that it rained half of the time, didn't take much off of the enjoyment.
I made a ton of photos, so here a very small selection:

Large Projects

Within the last week I finished two larger projects.

First project is a Nuvem ('Wolke') made from Wollmeise Lace yarn in the color 'Nicole'. I used all but a small rest of maybe 2 gr from a large skein (they come normally in 300g skeins, but mine was slightly under weight). The finished shawl is big enough to wrap completely wround me so it's perfect for cooler summer nights.
I did change the border from the pattern, knitting 3 knit / 2 purl instead of all knit. This leads to a somewhat less ruffled border.

Second project is a smallish blanket (it turned out 135cm by 120cm, which is nice for a lapblanket). The original used thinner yarn, which would have made it even smaller (I think it's something like 90 by 90cm)
I used Lett Lopi for it and we had loads of fun picking out the right colors in my local yarn shop.
I used about 3 skeins each of the lighter colors and 4 of the darker ones. The border, which is knitted first outward, then inward to be sewed to the back of the blanket, uses up a lot of the yarn and I had to shop for more two times during the process of making it.
The border is also a bit on the biggish side, less stitches or smaller needles would have been better.

The little stray blue sheep was an idea I saw in another project for this blanket. I believe it lightens the whole thing up a little.

Schwabsburger Wollfest

Last weekend was a lovely little yarn (+ a couple of other things) market in the village of Schwabsburg, south of Mainz.

There was yarn, of course

 Some finished products (I covet the blanket there)

Though, what really made me drool was this loom. Not just the wrap on it (though it was totally drool worthy) but I would love to have a loom like this. Sadly (or maybe luckily) I don't have the space to store it.

 Still, WANT!!!

Even though I walked through the market muttering "I have enough wool, I don't need to buy any more wool", I brought two lovely beauties home with me. I was simply defenceless in the presence of so much yarn.

Creativity

The jewellery making is still ongoing.

But also the colunary art is not neglected.
I've made rhubarb jelly folloging this recipe: http://dieraumfee.blogspot.de/2012/05/rhabarbergelee-vanille-rhubarb-gelee.html
Next time, I would use less of the juice (maybe 750ml ~ 800ml instead of a full litre to the 500gr jam suger. The jelly simply didn't firm up enough and eating it involves keeping your bread perfectly level else the stuff drips off said bread.
With the rest of the juice and strawberries I've then made jam.

All very tasty.
I personally, don't eat much jams (I'm more for a hearty breakfast), so I gave most of the stuff away already.
You may ask though, why then I made it in the first place? The answer is simple: I have fun doing it!

Language Challenge

I've had two jewelery kits, which both have instructions written in a language I'm neither native to, or even speak (or read)

The first kit was a present from my sister and it's in Swedish. A bracelet made from leather and stainless steel cord.

The second kit was in Dutch and I bought is last year at a fair. It's a collier made with semi-precious stones, seed beads and crystals. In the end it was 43cm long.

Basically, I only had the pictures to go by (and a little bit of babylon translation). Considering this handicap, I'm really happy how those two projects turned out.

The knitting I used as the background is my finally finished 'Nuvem' in Wollmeise Lace. I'll see if I can make some nice photos of it the next couple of days. Stay tuned.

Assemble

My sewing addiction is still going strong.

Exhibit 1: A patchwork project bag. I got a pack of 20 different fabric squares (2 each) and pulled out as many of the rose themed ones I could find. I then had 24 squares I patchworked to make one piece of fabric and the made the bag from it.

The bag has a good size for a somewhat larger project and was well received by a friend of mine as a birthdy present.

 Exhibit 2: The second finished project is a combination of not only my sewing addiction, but includes also the new Avengers movie, which I have seen three times so far. Not hard to figure out that I did like the movie a lot.

I thought about putting the Avengers Logo on a bag almost right away after watching the movie the first time, but couldn't find a bag pattern that would have worked. So in the end, I reverse engineered my current favorite hand bag (well, some of it at least) and got this:

It did cost me a couple of pricked fingers, two sewing needles and I even broke one of the needles on the machine.

I love it! I'm especially pleased on how the application for the logo turned out. Super easy, but very, very effective.

By the way, the bag is a dark blue, not black....

Sheep

My current main project is a little blanket, which is knit in the round and then steeked before adding a border to it.

Taking scissors to one's knitting is a nerve wrecking experience, but sometimes it can't be helped. What DID help was that the yarn I'm using is Lett Lopi, a yarn made in Iceland (I may, or may not, have bought copious amounts when I went there on vacation a couple of years back). Lett Lopi is also the yarn that is traditionally used for the lopapeysa, the famous Icelandic sweater. And, more often than not, those sweaters are also steeked. So, if they can do it, so can I.

After cutting through the steek it turned out to be 96 x 90 cm, without the border.

The stray blue sheep was an idea I saw in another project on Ravelry. I did work it in intarsia in the round, which is a very fiddly way of doing things, but it couldn't be helped. 

 I then picked up a gazillion stitches around the edge (okay, closer to 750) and started knitting the border, using all the colors again in an gradient from light to dark, and eventually back to light. In the end, the border is folded over and sewn to the other side of the steek and all is hidden.

The only issue I face now is that I'm going to run out of yarn (this border is eating up yarn, like there's no tomorrow). So, another trip to the yarn store is in order.

Oh, the hardship ;)

Wedding Bells

Friends of mine got married last weekend.
All the best to Sabine and Felix.

As they asked for money for their honeymoon, we got a little creative. We filled a glass bowl with coins, then poured sand and water with gelantine (well, technically, we used agar, as Felix is vegitarian, so gelantine was out) on top of it. Then some plastic palms and musle shells, some special beach towels and the happy couple represented by their lego counterparts. And finished is the wedding present.

I may have shocked those who know me at the wedding by actually wearing a dress. I have not worn a dress in the last five years. But as it was 30°C I thought I give it a try and actually found one I liked.

Actually, I think I was the one shocked the most.

And Now For Something Different

My sewing machine and I have a love hate relationship.
I'm not sure what my sewing machine is thinking, but convincing it to sew a straight line with the upper and lower tension exactly as it should be is a tricky proposal.
But then, last week, it decided to cooperate and so I made two bags.

The first one (here in a not quite finished stage - the shoulder strap is missing) used scaps of fabric I had sitting around for ages. The dark brown on the right hand side is actually leftovers from a pillow I'm not using anymore. The heavily patterned farbic left of this and on the straps, I bought in Japan a long time ago.
For a test ballon to see if I can make this work, I'm actually quite happy, though next time I would re-think my color choices.

The second bag fills me with loads of happiness. It was fairly easy to make, and I love how it came out (especially as I totally made a mistake when I worked out the sizing). This bag also marks the first time I made a buttonhole with my sewing machine. The bag is already in use as a project bag, and it's absolutely perfect for it.

 

This was super fun to make and I have the feeling there will by more bags in the (hopefully near) future.

Easter Menue

This year's menue starts with a terrine de salmon enveloped in zucchini, with horseradish/whipped cream and pomegranate sauce and seeds:
The main course is lamb with lemon in a bed of potatos, carots, leek and garlic (lots and lots of garlic)

For the desert we have strawberry panna cotta

Please be seated and enjoy.

Happy Easter

Great, it's Easter and I've got a cold. Nothing all winter and now it hits me.

Being the Lemming I am, I hopped (ey, cool, an Easter reverence ...) on the bandwagon for another project everybody else is knitting, and started a Nuvem from the lace yarn I picked up in Pfaffenhofen last weekend.
The Nuvem is basically a large hexagon shaped wrap that's knitted in the round.

And, in case knitting just plain stocking stitch is getting too boring, I also started on a pair of socks using some of the yarn I dyed two weeks ago.
Pattern is 'Drip Candle' and can be found in the book 'Think Outside the Sox'.
I'm using four different reds/purples I dyed plus some Wollmeise 'Brombeere'.

Zugsocking

'Zugsocking' is one of those new word creations that doesn't really make sense, but somehow still hits the nail on the head. Zugsocking is when a group of knitters come together, hop on a train and travel to a destination where they can buy yarn. And while on the train ('Zug' in german), they knit. It doesn't have to be socks, but as socks tend to be small and portable, this happens more often than not.

Well, a couple of friends and I traveled from Frankfurt to Pfaffenhofen to the holy grail of yarn stores:

Inside we found yarns of all colors (well, almost all colors - I was looking for a 'Regenbogen' but when I asked for it, I heard only loud laughter)

Still, I managed to find a skein or two ....

From left to right: 4x Nautilus, Wasserratz, Wolke, 47Ag, Cassis, NiP Amethyst dark, 2x natur, NiP Iris Sibirica, Am kalten Polar, Thriller and Single Malt.

We stayed over night in Pfaffenhofen, and after breakfast we just sat outside in the sun for a bit. We totally lucked out on the weather - the forecast was overcast and rainy, but even though it was not exactly warm, we had blue skies and sunshine.Later we moved on to Ingolstadt, where, after a long walk from the train station, we stopped at the Paradeplatz where an easter market took place. I loved this fountain which was covered with hollowed out eggs hand-painted in blue. An amazing piece of work.Later we hoped back on the train and knitted our way back home.

Great weekend, with great company and great yarn - what else can a woman want?

Ain't It Kool?

Dying wool with Kool-Aid is really, really easy (and, as it is using only approved food colors, it's also save)

I started with some Wollmeise Twin in the 'color' nature (aka undyed Wollmeise). I wound the yarn into five skeins of circa 20g each and put them in lukewarm water to soak for half an hour.


I used then a pickle jar and added about 200ml hot water (the marker is for me so I don't have to measure every time). Then I added the content of 1 package of KoolAid (here it's lemon lime)

In goes the yarn. I then placed the jar into my microwave and nuked it for about 2 min (if the water is clear the dye has all been absorbed by the yarn and it's basically finished)

I left the yarn in the water until it has cooled of, rinsed it and - voila - bright, colorful yarn.

From top to bottom:

- 1 pack of lemon lime
- 1 pack of blue berry
- 3 packs of grape (I did first one pack, but decided that it's too pale and repeated the process with two more - I think 1 more would has done it, too)
- 1 pack of cherry and then a second round with 1 pack dark cherry (the cherry alone was no different then the last skein)
- 1 pack tropical punch

The colors are bright and vivid and I'm looking forward to knitting something with them.

Only ... what to knit?

...And Off The Needles

Finished three of the four project from last week.

First one is the Castlegar Cardigan - and the problem is, I hate it. Well, maybe 'hate' is a little bit too harsh, but after I put it on yesterday the first time after washing, I looked at myself in the mirror and thought to myself I'll never wear this in public. For once it's not really my style - the model is sort of 'cutesy' and I don't exactly do cute. And, in the end the cardigan is a good two sizes too large, too.
So, I'm not going to show any pictures (sorry, but it's really for the best) and I will rip the whole thing up to reuse it for another project. I already may have an idea .....

What I finished and like and never will rip up, is my scrap yarn pillow. Perfect size (roughly 45 x 45 cm), I love the colors and it had been a load of fun making it.Hmm, lets see, what scrap yarns do I still have ....

Then I have a new pair of socks. They will stay with me for a change, even though it looks like the time I need woollen socks may be over soon.

Because it looks like spring finally has arrived.

On The Needles

Four projects in progress (though only three pictures - the socks, well, they are socks, nothing exciting or so)

Project A) A Crazy Patchwork Blanket.
I while ago I was suckered into buying acrylic yarn in 10 different colors. I'm no big fan of acrylic yarn, but, hey, it was cheap, so I actually bought some more, only to realize that if I want it out of my stash I have to do something with it one day.
Along comes this pattern from one of the blogs I follow.

This is maybe 15% into the project and currently I'm taking a break from it to knit ...

Project B)
This is the Castlegar Cardingan by Laure Chau in Wollmeise Twin 'Blaue Tinte'. It is knitted bottom-up and just yesterday I put everything on one needle (450 stitches) and started knitting the yoke.
This is good, fairly mindless knitting and I'm mostly working on it while watching 'Castle' on TV (I just bought the third season on DVD - love that show)
As this is sometimes mindnumbingly boring, I alternate with ...

Project C) Scrappy Yarn Pillow
I have a pile of leftover yarn in DKish weigth. I picked some colors I thought might harmonize, then cast on 200 stitches and make up the pattern as I go.
The size turns out ot be in the 43 ~ 45 cm width range. I gave it a bath (still on the needles) and blocked it lightly to see how much I still have to go. Answer is: not very much. So I've stopped for now and will see how the pillow fits (which, of course is a 'The Other Place' and not accessable until next Friday), then I will add a little bit more, just enough to sew in a zipper.