Teenie Snowman

This is my original design, and copyrighted. Isn’t he so sweet? I’m creating a collection of small stuffed knits. He’s my very first.

Dreaming of chilly days ahead, icicles, and Christmas trees…

A close-up…

Another close up…

Maybe he needs a top hat?

Brown Coat and Mustard Scarf

My mother sewed me this brown coat a small while ago. The fabric is a brown tweed and the collar is a chocolate brown. One of my first crochet projects, a stitch sampler scarf, is seen in the photograph. The scarf and coat combo is so warm, I can’t go out without them (unless the snow falls, then a heavier coat is necessary).

Praise the Lord! Same-sex union Defeated in NYS

Thank God! Same-sex unions will not be legalized in New York State. The Senate vote was 38-24, in favor of keeping traditional marriage between one man and one woman.

Today, my mother and I prayed in church that God may shed his mercy on the government and that same-sex relations may not be legalized and we may not be taxed for it. Praise the Lord! God works in mysterious ways; never underestimate the power of the Lord! You can read more about this here.

Leviticus 20:13 If any man lie with a man as with a woman, both have committed an abomination, let them be put to death: their blood be upon them.

Onion Soup Custard

This recipe is fast to prepare and easy to make!

Recipe (1 serving):

1 1/2 – 2 large eggs

half of a ‘walla walla’ onion

fresh or dried herbs

1/2 C (or more, depending) of milk

cream for taste preference

salt, pepper, to taste

feta cheese

Mix the eggs, milk, onions, and cream together. Add the herbs. Pour into a soup crock (that makes one serving size) and place in a pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat water in a kettle on the stove (1/2 C). Put the crock (that is in the pan) into the oven. Pour the hot water into the pan so that the soup crock is surrounded by water. Bake this for 45 minutes.

Remove soup from the oven very carefully! Sprinkle feta cheese on top and enjoy.

Progress on knitting…

I’m getting there! I began fingerless mittens for my father (also a Rowan pattern) which I am knitting from dk 50% wool/ 50% mohair yarn. It’s a beautiful yarn, and knits smoothly! I’ll be putting up those pictures in the next post.

Also, while I’m working on my weebly website, I’m going to be fixing up things here, too.

Oh the joy of the coming of Christ! Welcome Advent!

100% Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Here’s the recipe I promised to post! Perhaps, if you start it in the morning, it can be ready by Thanksgiving dinner! What a treat!

100% Organic, Stone ground, Whole Wheat Bread Recipe:

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
1/4 C Warm Water
organic cane sugar for sprinkling over the yeast as it proofs

3-4 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp canola oil
2-2 1/4 C Warm Water

6 C Stone ground Whole Wheat Flour

Procedure:
Proof yeast by warming the 1/4 c of water just at room temperature, then gently mix in the yeast and sprinkle sugar on top. Let proof for five minutes until foamy.
Warm 2 C water to room temperature, in a separate bowl, combine the water with the oil, salt, and honey.
In a larger bowl, put in 6 cups of whole wheat flour. By this time, the yeast should be proofed. Gently mix the yeast mixture with the other wet ingredients. Pour this into the flour mixture, mix somewhat until kneading is necessary.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough. Add warm water if too dry and hard; add flour if too wet. The desired dough is soft and smooth.
Warm a ceramic bowl or crock pot before placing the dough in it. Put a damp towel over the dough, and let sit in a dark place away from any draft for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Punch down, knead dough again, let rise again for 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending. The second rising should have the dough larger than after the first rising. Punch down, knead. Divide the dough in two equal parts, knead them separately, then form into loaves.
If desired, with a knife, cut a slit down the center, this is optional.
Warm loaf pans, then grease them. Place loaves in pans and cover with damp towel, place in a “room temperature warm” oven, with door open a little, for 1 hour (or more depending if the dough will rise more).
Remove pans from oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bake breads for 45 minutes.

Happy Thanksgiving!

50 Therefore will I give thanks to thee.

O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name.

2 Kings 22

Two Projects and Homemade Bread

For my father’s birthday, I said I will make him a scarf. Well, his birthday was a month ago and he has been so patient with me, and finally–

his scarf is finished! It’s the same as the blue basket weave scarf, except without the fringe. It is hand crocheted, and took me three days of ceaseless crocheting with three skeins of brown yarn to complete this scarf.

Also, I’ve been working on Christmas gifts. This year, I want to make everyone something handmade instead of buying ready-made. There’s something heartwarming about handmade items.

Here’s the first of a few Christmas gifts I’m working on. It’s a knitted sweater for my grandfather. For this sweater, I used a Rowan men’s pattern, and 100% wool yarn. I love the feel and warmth of wool- well, of all natural fibers!

I’ll post the sweater when it is complete! I hope I get it done by Christmas!

Also, a little health info: we live on whole grains. Period. No whites. At all. We bake our own bread (I mean I bake our bread; it’s my job, really). The usual bread is 100% Stone ground Whole Wheat, made the old-fashioned way: by hand. It’s so tasty and delicious, why did we ever buy bread from the store?

I’ll share the recipe in the next post!

New Website

I’ve been absent for a while because I have been building a new website on Weebly.
Right now, it’s under construction, but you can check out the progress anyhow at:
http://knitgrace.weebly.com/

Soon, if business permits, I will have my own domain name. For now, however, the new site will do.
I can’t do much with WordPress. The style, the choices– all are limited. It’s extremely difficult to advertise, as well. I find weebly easier to manage.

Right now, I’m working on a Spring collection of patterns and ready-made knits and crochet items for a craft show in April or May!

New Blog

I have been very busy lately which is why I haven’t been posting. I am working, surprisingly enough, on a spring line of crochet and knit items and patterns. I figured I would not have much time to set up a Christmas Craft Show, but a spring one is definite.

I deleted my etsy shop because I am buying more than I am selling. I complained to them that I only see big sellers and donors on the cover of etsy, always being promoted, and never see the smaller and undiscovered shops. I see the same shops on the front of etsy so much I think, “yep, they’re there again”, and “same old sellers”. So etsy is not worth it. I am still going with business, and under a new name. Soon, when business goes well, I will have a domain name and shopping cart for online convenience.

My mother has a new blog as well, Adriennes Armoire, back on Blogger. It’s a ‘new beginning’ rather but very nice so far! Check it out!

Fiber Experiments

I recently experimented with milkweed (what I like to call “fly aways” from the inside of the seed pods) and tried to spin it. Nope, doesn’t work. The fibre is too short and oily to be spun! However, it is waterproof which is a huge plus and can be spun with the help of a stronger fiber such as cotton or wool.

I really want to grow my own fibers! And milkweed is so soft and silky, so what do I do? I came across an article, and decided to stick to stinging nettle. It is not very attractive growing perhaps up to six feet with hair-like prickles as an overgrown weed, but if it supplies me with a decent amount of yarn, I’ll do it. I read that stinging nettle is stronger than flax… correct? I can’t say for sure yet. But it is a linen, and if I can make thread and spin with the nettle thread the milkweed, I’d make some awesome cloth for a waterproof coat!

So now I have a garden plan: some land for milkweed, some land for nettle. See what happens– if my results are negative, I’ve learned my lesson. Has anyone done any of this before? Please, I’d like to hear your thoughts!

Stinging Nettle Yarn: Ongoing Post

I’m so fed up with the yarn in my local craft store, I decided not to pay for it much anymore! It’s all acrylic, and although acrylic may be all right for small projects, it is my opinion that the yarn is not suitable for long-lasting projects like afghans and sweaters. My acrylic sweaters pill… and it’s annoying. I love, love, love wool, silk, alpaca, cotton, and all those natural yarns! But I can’t keep livestock, because there’s not much room since most of our little farmland is for vegetables.
What about plants? Well, I can’t grow cotton in the Northeast. So I’ve been searching what other fibers are out there, and I found something rather interesting: stinging nettle. I never knew this plant, considered a weed, is used to make yarn, fabric, and thread. Why not try it? I have plenty of room to grow this plant!

If you have information on any other unusual fibers, let me know! I’ve got two big books on them from the library which I will be reading from today!
This is an ongoing post, which means that every so often there will be another post to add on to or continue the post.
Right now I’m on the look out for a spinning wheel. I’ve been drop spinning and I don’t want to pay a couple hundred dollars for a wheel. If I can find one in a thrift store or a flea market, which is in good condition and may have to be tweaked here and there, I’ll go for it. The only problem is that they’re so rarely seen used.