bluestocking

open house: guest room

2012-01-31T08:30:00.000-05:00

open house: living room

2012-01-30T08:26:00.007-05:00

open house: mudroom

2012-01-29T08:24:00.000-05:00

penguin!

2012-01-28T16:31:00.000-05:00

As soon as I saw the Purl Bee's (free!) instructions for making fabulous stuffed penguins, I started assembling the necessary materials. This little guy was the work of an afternoon.

He perfectly matches the polka-dotty penguin quilt I made around Thanksgiving.

I still have enough material to make a small black-and-white army of them. I want to give one to every baby I know...and a few of the adults!

In case you were wondering...

2012-01-26T21:07:00.006-05:00

how many pies we made out of the fridge-full of apples,

The answer is 7.

2012-01-23T16:31:00.104-05:00

I had a whirlwind weekend full of travel, good friends, beautiful church services, and thoroughly delicious food. It began with an unexpected trip to Boston by way of Albany. I spent Friday night with Suzie. We watched a particularly satisfying episode of Downton Abbey, had a midnight feast of incredibly expensive cheeses from a local cheese shop, then went to bed far too late. Suzie's mother woke us up early with the news that the Kursk Root Icon would arrive momentarily. We leapt out of bed and tidied up frantically. After the blessing, we made our way to Trident Booksellers and Cafe for brunch.

(I cannot believe I forgot to snap a shot of my amazing challah french toast stuffed with lemon ricotta and drizzled with blueberry sauce...)

We feared we were too full to move, but somehow we managed to do some window shopping through the snow. Obviously, that led to a visit to a nearby yarn shop, Newbury Yarns, where I found the perfect yarn to add to Sugar Plum's shawl. (All of the time spent in the car had paid off and the lace trim was nearly finished, and with it, the Knitpicks sock yarn.) This new stuff is an almost identical color match, independently dyed in the Boston Area, and exclusively available at Newbury Yarns. Of course I lost the tag, but if it ever turns up, I'll let you know specifics.

We eventually meandered home, then set out for Vigil at Holy Epiphany--complete with a Metropolitan and the aforesaid wonderworking icon. After a hurried goodbye, I was off again to Albany, where I spent the night at my friend Greg's family's home. There was a beautiful Liturgy at the church where Pete and I met, followed by an AMAZING coffee hour complete with venison stew and homemade blueberry pie. I was invited to visit the farm where Greg and his mother work, and of course I jumped at the chance.

These goats produce cashmere and angora, respectively!

They sent me away laden with apples, which filled my crisper to the brim. I wonder how many pies I can get out of them...

Theophany in Jordanville

2012-01-19T12:10:00.001-05:00

St. Basil's Day in Rocky Hill

2012-01-14T11:00:00.000-05:00

Yarn Along: Little House

2012-01-11T10:22:00.005-05:00

I've begun a new project. The other day, I came home to an adorable message on my answering machine from my sister Emily's daugher, who is 5. "Hi Auntie Kate, it's me, Sugar Plum! Merry Christmas! I was wondering if you could please call me back. Love you! Say hi to Uncle Peter. Bye!" When I called, she sweetly asked me if I would please knit her a shawl so she could be like Laura in the Little House books. I found the perfect pattern: Joanna Johnson's Little House Shawl. Joanna has a little girl who also fell in love with the books and wanted to channel Laura. How could I resist using this pattern?

Sugar Plum and I talked it over, and settled on pinks and browns, which I already had in the stash. (Knit Picks Stroll Kettle Dyed Sock Yarn in Summer Blooms, a bright pink, and Berroco Sox in a self-striping brown and fuchsia combo.) I'll hold the yarn doubled and also up the needle size, in hopes of getting a larger shawl.

So though I am still monogamously reading Green Dolphin Street, I thought I'd share a quote from Little House on the Prairie:

Laura lay down, but her eyes would not shut. She knew that Pa was out in the dark, where that terrible howling was. The wild men were in the bluffs along the creek bottoms, and Pa would have to cross the creek bottoms in the dark. Jack growled. Then Ma began to sway gently in the comfortable rocking-chair. Fire-light ran up and down, up and down the barrel of Pa's pistol in her lap. And Ma sang, softly and sweetly:
"There is a happy land, Far, far away,Where saints in glory stand, Bright, bright as day.

"Oh, to hear the angels sing, Glory to the Lord, our King—"

Laura didn't know that she had gone to sleep. She thought the shining angels began to sing with Ma, and she lay listening to their heavenly singing until suddenly her eyes opened and she saw Pa standing by the fire.
She jumped out of bed, shouting, "Oh Pa! Pa!"Pa's boots were caked with frozen mud, his nose was red with cold, his hair wildly stood up on his head. He was so cold that coldness came through Laura's nightgown when she reached him."Wait!" he said. He wrapped Laura in Ma's big shawl, and then he hugged her. Everything was all right. The house was cozy with firelight, there was the warm, brown smell of coffee, Ma was smiling, and Pa was there.The shawl was so large that Mary wrapped the other end of it around her. Pa pulled off his stiff boots and warmed his stiff, cold hands. Then he sat on the bench and he took Mary on one knee and Laura on the other and he hugged them against him, all snuggled in the shawl. Their bare toes toasted in the heat from the fire."Ah!" Pa sighed. "I thought I never would get here."

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Little House on the Prairie

p 219-221

Join our Yarn Along at small things!

secret knitting

2012-01-10T21:14:00.004-05:00

Now that Christmas is over, I can show you the hat I was knitting on the sly for Pete. Apparently I wasn't sly enough, because he knew something was up. He said it was obvious because I wasn't knitting when he'd walk in. Note to self: Next year, cultivate a decoy project to snatch up.

(I used Sun May's Ultimate Hat pattern in black Cascade 220 Superwash, using slightly bigger needles than she called for. I also stopped knitting the body of the hat at about 10 inches, then followed her instructions for decreasing, but continued to k2tog until only a couple of stitches remained.)

Merry Christmas!

2012-01-07T00:00:00.022-05:00

For unto us a child is born,

unto us a son is given:

for the birds

2012-01-05T13:44:00.001-05:00

Yarn Along!

2012-01-04T10:49:00.000-05:00

The baby sweater is coming together slowly but surely. I'm still savoring Green Dolphin Street. As an added bonus, I thought I'd include progress on the actual baby, who can now taste and loves eavesdropping. At 23 weeks, this baby could live outside the womb, which is a terrifying relief. Keep on baking, baby.

Join our yarn along at small things!

2012-01-03T18:31:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Sugar Daddy Scrub

2011-12-22T10:34:00.000-05:00

My sister Anna is notoriously difficult to shop for. She has a birthday and nameday during late December, so all of us scramble to come up with three gift ideas. She has one big addiction--Lush Cosmetics. They make these luxurious bath bombs that I would love to attempt to knock off one day, but it seemed a little ambitious at this point. (For those of you interested, try this recipe.)

I decided to start smaller and make a sugar scrub. I found two different recipes ( this very simple one and this one, complete with clip art) from Martha Stewart, which gave me a good idea of the ingredients I'd need. When it came to actually making it, I got a little creative and used what I had on hand. Adding glitter was an impulsive choice. It makes my sugar scrub more reminiscent of Lush products, which are often laced with unusual additions like pop rocks, biodegradable confetti, gold dust, and dried flowers.

You'll need:

a small glass container with a tight-fitting lid
enough brown sugar to fill the container
a small bottle (1 fl. oz) of scented bath oil (I used a travel-sized bottle of Burt's Bees body oil)
a few splashes of olive oil
loose body glitter (I used Wet n Wild)

Simply combine the sugar and some oil in a small bowl. Cream them together, adding splashes of the oils until the mixture resembles wet sand at the edge of the ocean. Add in a copious amount of glitter. Scrape into small glass container. Done!
BUT WAIT.

Don't forget to wrap it fabulously.

Yarn Along!

2011-12-21T16:45:00.000-05:00

Years ago, my friend Suzie gave me a copy of her favorite book, Green Dolphin Street, which is now out of print. She scours used book shops for it and rescues any volumes she finds. I've finally delved into it, and only wish I had done so sooner.

I've been working on two projects simultaneously--the Puerperium Cardigan and some baby booties for Juliana of A Stamp A Day. I carry the booties in my purse and knit them exclusively while at work, but the cardigan for my baby is my dessert knitting. I usually wind up knitting it in bed after we've washed the dishes, folded the laundry, and generally done our duty.

Every stitch is a total joy because of this gorgeous yarn:

[Photo curtesy of madelinetosh.com]

This particular skein is from a different era in my life--back when I would impulsively spend twenty dollars on a single skein of yarn without even an inkling of what it might become. It was enough to take it home and dream of the possibilities. Now that I live in the middle of nowhere, a trip to a yarn store is a rare pleasure, and that same twenty dollars is harder to come by. My stash full of beautiful yarn is all the more precious to me now. I am so glad I stocked up for leaner times. (My sister Emily did the same thing before her babies came, only it was a Coach handbag in her case.)

Join our Yarn Along at small things!

beanbags!

2011-12-20T22:35:00.000-05:00

Take me home tonight

2011-12-17T09:52:00.001-05:00

I cast on for the Puerperium Cardigan (a free pattern by Kelly Brooker) right before the guys got here for movie night, then knit throughout Rat Race. It calls for one skein of madelinetosh tosh dk, which I happened to have in a gorgeous shade called bloomsbury. Depending on the buttons I find, it would work beautifully for a boy or a girl.

The thought of bringing my baby home in this sweater made me instantly start belting out "Take Me Home Tonight," by Eddie Money. I just ignore the intended meaning of the song and imagine it's about Stormy:

Take me home tonight

I don't want to let you go til you see the light

Take me home tonight

Listen, honey, just like Ronnie sang:

Be my little baby

PS I strongly urge you to watch this video, keeping a sharp eye out for when he uses a saxophone as an air guitar, then rips off his shirt and...well, you'll have to see it to believe. It's so worth it.

Stormy

2011-12-13T09:58:00.016-05:00

Meet STORMAGEDDON. We got our first glimpse today. Alas, Stormy's legs were closed, so we don't know much more now. I think s/he looks like a turtle.

Why STORMAGEDDON? I'm glad you asked. We consulted the Doctor, who speaks fluent baby.

He told us that our baby has already picked out a name: STORMAGEDDON, DARK LORD OF ALL. Stormy for short.

I think we have a little nerdling on our hands.

2011-12-13T09:49:00.000-05:00

I made a second pair of maternity trousers from the same tutorial I used last time. These turned out even better, as the stretchy ribbed jersey matches these French walnut corduroys almost exactly. I can't wait to buy more wide elastic so I can try this technique out on a sad pair of black pants and some old skirts!

Boston

2011-12-11T22:35:00.003-05:00

ornaments!

2011-12-08T11:36:00.101-05:00

My kitchen table has been strewn with bright woolen felt, brassy glass beads, and scads of stuffing for days. I'm obsessed with making these star ornaments from the Purl Bee:

I keep intending to branch out, but they're so addictive. I think I'll make them until I run out of golden felt. That should get me about 25 stars. I'm halfway there.

But somewhere in there, I managed to lay the stars aside long enough to make a prototype of the little bird ornament from Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.

Though the instructions call for template plastic, I decided to make do with a scrap of swedish tracing paper and a postcard.

I sewed it by hand from a little muslin. I love the idea, but I need to work on the execution quite a bit. The poor thing looks like it's taking a nose dive when I hang it from the ribbon.
Here's a list of other ornament tutorials I'm hoping to try at some point:

2011-12-07T15:52:00.000-05:00

Today is my nameday, so I woke up early and went to Liturgy at the monastery with Pete. In the past, I've only been able to receive communion when it falls on a Sunday. Living next door to monks comes in handy sometimes...

Pete gave me this little booklet last night as an early present. I want to read the whole thing today. It begins with her life, which by now I'm quite familiar with, but I always seem to find something new to focus on whenever I read it again.

I also dug out this beautiful children's book I have about her life. I bought it at the Saint Herman's Conference years ago. I remember agonizing over whether or not I should spend the money, as I was an impoverished college senior and buying children's books was not exactly a priority. I just had to have it though.

It was written by a husband and wife, Dionysios and Egle-Ekaterine Potamitis. Egle-Ekaterine illustrated it in a beautiful iconographic style that's unlike any other I've seen. Yet while the illustrations are stunning throughout, I was also really impressed with the rich and detailed text. It includes every facet of Saint Katharine's life. Apparently they've done a number of other books, including the life of St. Christopher, the life of St. Dionysios, and a prayer book. They all come in either English or Greek.

And in honor of the Wednesday yarn along, here is my current knitting--a baby bootie. Just a few more days until I'm a full 5 months along!

Join our yarn along at small things!

An Orange for Frankie

2011-12-06T11:40:00.000-05:00

While subbing for an elementary school librarian, I came across this treasure of a book by Patricia Polacco. Like many of her stories, An Orange for Frankie is a tale from her own family history.

She begins by painting a picture of a large family that reminds me of my own--big and loving, yet poor. In spite of that, they find ways to share what they do have with others.

One of my favorite moments in the story was when Frankie secretly gives his Christmas sweater (which his sister knitted for him) to a shivering hobo.

As Christmas draws closer, the whole family worries for the father, who has gone off in search of Christmas oranges. Though I want to go on, I think it would be best if I just say that this book is lovely. I hope you can find it at a nearby library.

Under the Greenwood Tree

2011-12-05T11:21:00.000-05:00

At Muiche's recommendation, I put Under the Greenwood Tree on our netflix queue. It was absolutely charming. Give the first 10 minutes a try:

Movie Night!

2011-12-02T17:39:00.006-05:00

Though I'm not sure what we're going to watch this week, I know what we'll be eating!

Vegan chocolate chip cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar! The good news is that the recipe is available online. The one unusual ingredient is tapioca flour, which I happened to have, but if you don't, the website says cornstarch is a great substitute.

They are a.maz.ing...

pants!

2011-11-29T07:00:00.001-05:00

After a few depressing excursions to buy maternity pants, I decided to try my hand at a DIY version. Thanks to Modest Maven's Converted Maternity Pants Tutorial, I am now the proud owner of some stylish, comfortable, LONG ENOUGH maternity corduroy trousers! I began with some dark mahogany Lands' End slim leg cords. I love them so much that I own several pairs.

[Photo courtesy of landsend.com]

They were my teaching uniform, and thanks to a belly band I bought at Target, I prolonged their use. The problem was that the belly band made my pockets inaccessible, and it would slip and slide throughout the day. I constantly needed to hike it up or down--not really a classroom-friendly endeavor. I needed a permanent solution.

I went on a pilgrimage to Joann's with PB right before Thanksgiving, where I found the necessary wide elastic and cotton/lycra fabric. Bonus: it's ribbed just like the corduroy! Then out came the seam ripper and off came the waistband. Because I only have a basic sewing machine, I had to read up on how to sew knits without a serger. The zigzag stitch seemed to do just fine. Plus, the tutorial mentions how to reinforce the new stretchy waistband if you want it to be extra strong.

Now to do it all over again with a pair of my french walnut boot cut corduroys...

What's black and white and red all over?

2011-11-28T14:41:00.000-05:00

I just finished off the dotty little penguin blanket with red binding, thanks to my sister Anna's advice. She told me babies respond best to high contrast things because it helps their little eyes develop. Take that, sickly pink and powder blue! This color combination is so classic that it'll work for both boys and girls.

And yet I love it so much that I just might keep it for myself...

penguins!

2011-11-23T09:53:00.002-05:00

twist collective: winter 2011

2011-11-22T09:16:00.000-05:00

The new Twist Collective came out! While this issue is full of gorgeous knitting patterns, as always, I fell in love with the dramatic, luminous, jewel-toned skirts featured in the first few pages.

Just when I thought they couldn't get more gorgeous, this photo reveals the brilliant tulle beneath. It's so...juicy.

[All photos were stolen shamelessly from the winter 2011 issue of Twist Collective. They were all taken by Jane Heller and can be found in the original here.]

indecision

2011-11-18T15:18:00.001-05:00

I've been spinning up the 4 oz. of lovely deep blue merino roving I bought at A Verb for Keeping Warm on our trip to California. The colorway is called "Baltic."

I knit it right off the drop spindle, which I'm pretty sure is a no-no.

It was supposed to be a cowl, which I figured was the perfect way to use up every single bit of yarn.

But then I plopped it on my head and now I think it might be a hat.

Help me decide! And then I can spin up that bump of pink and make the opposite.

This is why...

2011-11-15T19:39:00.000-05:00

I never mind when seminarians stop by and wind up staying for dinner.

done!

2011-11-14T12:26:00.001-05:00

This weekend I attended two wonderful lectures by Fr. Irenei Steenberg during the OISM (Orthodox Inter-Seminary Movement) conference at Holy Trinity Seminary. Obviously, I knit the whole time. As a result, I've finished a pilot cap in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran for Juliana of A Stamp a Day's new baby girl.

I wanted an in-between size to fit a 17" head, so I knit the infant size on size 8 needles, which made it a bit bigger to begin with. Then I kept knitting on the back (making it 4.75" instead of 4") for a little extra coverage. We'll see if it works. I can't wait to see it on her!

Uptown Dowstairs Abbey

2011-11-13T12:32:00.003-05:00

It seems impossible to wait until January to see season two of Downton Abbey. Luckily, the BBC has put out a little something to tide us all over. (This spoof is FULL of spoilers. Don't watch unless you've seen all of season one!)

Seminarians, avert your eyes.

2011-11-13T09:25:00.004-05:00

My sister Emily loaned me tons of awesome clothes to get me through the freezing winter here. I fell in love with the beautiful detail on this shirt, but I'm afraid it might not work without a little layering.

I've noticed that most of my tank tops do a bad job, because they often aren't quite high enough. So with only about 3 minutes to spare before we walked to church this morning, I dug through my cotton jersey scrap bag from the Alabama Studio Store. (If you have any vintage handkerchieves lying around, I bet they'd do the trick...) Sure enough, there was a bit of winter white that was just the right size.

I folded it in half,

slipped it in,

tucking it into my bra,

which held it in place better than I expected,

and then promptly bragged about it to Pete.

He was duly impressed.

can't get this out of my head:

2011-11-09T18:57:00.002-05:00

Downton Abbey

2011-11-07T18:33:00.008-05:00

Every Friday night, we have a few of Pete's classmates over for a movie night. Dowton Abbey is our latest obsession. If you care to try it, you can watch it online on Netflix.

first snow...

2011-10-28T19:23:00.004-05:00

Rhinebeck!

2011-10-16T20:42:00.083-05:00

My friend PB and I spent Saturday at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY.

We made a beeline for the gyros stand, then walked to meet my friend Ann of The Adventures of Traveling Ann. She blogged about Rhinebeck here.

I am not going to lie. Most of my time at Rhinebeck was spent eating the amazing food that can be found there, ogling all the gorgeous things for sale in the booths, and stalking amazing knitted items worn by those attending. I came home with only a set of sock dpns on Saturday.

On Sunday, I arrived much too late to do any serious shopping, but my friend Emily and I milled around as everyone broke down their booths. We wandered into the Socks that Rock booth, where I attempted to buy a skein of yarn, only to have the woman behind the counter say, "Eh, it's too much trouble. Just stick it in your bag." I was incredulous, but she insisted that she liked to give a little away on the last day. I am still amazed at her generosity.

Part of the beauty of Rhinebeck was the knitting inspirations walking around everywhere. This orange cloche has been tormenting me. ~~I can't find it on Ravelry. If anyone knows where to find the pattern, let me know!~~ Good news--we found it: It's the Side Slip Cloche from Boutique Knits by Lauren Irwin.

This gorgeous sweater took my breath away. The woman wearing it told me it was a mash-up of the Autumn Rose Pullover by Eunny Jang and Alice Starmore's colorwork. You can find her project notes here.

This juicy color combo has stayed with me as well. No luck finding the pattern either...help!

When I saw this Swedish Heart-Warmer Shawl from Handknit Holidays, I immediately thought of Muiche, because it has been a project she intends to tackle one day.

This amazing woman knit the wrong side rows backwards in two-handed fair isle. She even posted a video of herself knitting left-handed, in case you're in the mood to have your mind blown.

Yarn Along: The Secret Garden

2011-10-12T15:31:00.000-05:00

When I was a little girl, a family friend took me to Papermill Playhouse's rendition of The Secret Garden. I remember it vividly. The music is so beautiful and timeless. A few days ago I rediscovered it and have been playing it over and over ever since. Maybe it's because I've been outside so much in the past few days.

Last night, while Pete and I did the dishes, I told him the entire plot of the story. I remembered it from a book on tape I borrowed from the library as a kid. That made me crave rereading it, so I snatched up this gorgeous copy my friend gave me as a gift.

It's even more delightful than I imagined! There are all manner of interesting full-color illustrations throughout. The introduction alone is a treasure trove of information on Frances Hodgson Burnett. She wrote scads of books, and this one was not as popular as the others during her lifetime, but it is the only one that has stood the test of time.

At one point in her life, she lived in a house with a walled garden just like the one in the book. She used it as an outdoor study, where she would write her stories. She even had a tame robin to keep her company. In honor of her, I've been knitting this red hat entirely outdoors.

In case you want an instant fix, someone uploaded the entire 1993 movie onto youtube!

Join our Yarn Along at small things!

first etsy sale!

2011-10-12T12:52:00.000-05:00

I am about to bid farewell to this sweet little pumpkin hat, which is destined for Juliana of A Stamp A Day's new little one. Thank you, Juliana! I hope you like it!

Lost & Found

2011-10-12T12:36:00.000-05:00

I've been babysitting a friend's little boy for a few hours every day this week.

We've spent all our time exploring the garden, getting dirty, and pretending together.

One of our favorite games has been making soup out of anything we find on our walks. The four kittens that live in their yard entertained us to no end. This one can't resist our sand and twig broth.

I've found a moment here or there to knit a few stitches on a simple little hat. When I first brought it out, the little one asked excitedly, "For me?" How could I say no?

Today when we took a moment to eat a snack, I looked down and saw that the stone in my engagement ring had fallen out and been lost.

We searched everywhere, but I knew it was going to be impossible to find in the endless grass. The little boy didn't want to give up. He kept insisting, "We'll find it!" and gave me a stick to use to poke through the grass. But when I looked at the time and realized his mother would be home soon, I decided to stop the search and begin tidying up.

I bent down to pick up the books the kittens had knocked over onto the deck, and suddenly saw a glint of blue between two boards!

If it had fallen even an inch to the left, it would have been lost forever. I'm so relieved it all worked out.

recently read...

2011-10-04T13:23:00.000-05:00

sisters

2011-09-19T18:27:00.000-05:00

Summer in September

2011-09-17T12:32:00.000-05:00

tomatoes from a friend's garden

+ string cheese coins

+ salt & freshly ground black pepper

+ homemade salad dressing

= summer

inspiration

2011-09-15T11:03:00.000-05:00

A photo from a friend,

three yards of cotton jersey beckoning to become something,

and a snippet of a poem that kept echoing in my head

have somehow become the beginnings of a dress.

Lo! the most excellent sun, so calm and haughty;
The violet and purple morn, with just-felt breezes;
The gentle, soft-born, measureless light;
The miracle, spreading, bathing all—the fulfill’d noon;
The coming eve, delicious—the welcome night, and the stars,
Over my cities shining all, enveloping man and land. -Walt Whitman "When Lilacs Last in the Door-yard Bloom'd"

Yarn Along: Gothic Romance

2011-09-13T23:47:00.000-05:00

When Northanger Abbey arrived from Netflix, I watched it immediately. Pete came in just as it was ending and, once the credits rolled, said, "That was nice. Now let's start at the beginning." This is why I love him.

All the mentions of the scandalous novel The Mysteries of Udolpho, by Ann Radcliff made me curious. I decided to give it a try and downloaded the free Librivox audiobook.

But what to knit during this bleak tale?

A purpley-black stocking cap, obviously. It is just tragic enough.

I'm running out of yarn though...

Stripes it is, then!

Join our Yarn Along at small things!

sleeves!

2011-09-13T11:03:00.000-05:00

After I made Juliana an Alabama Studio Style dress, I was hooked. Yet it seemed like every time it occurred to me to share my latest versions with you, they were in the hamper because I wear them nearly every week.

This one is a by-the-book tank dress in red cotton jersey. While I'm really proud of it, I've found it's not as versatile as I thought it would be. You see, I live down the road from a monastery. Whenever I wear my red dress, there will most likely be a monk somewhere in the vicinity. That means I usually toss on a sweater to cover up all my hard work.

I was so inspired by Anna of Pleasant View Schoolhouse's adjustments to the pattern. (See them here and here.) She raised the neckline, lowered the hem, and added sleeves! It blew my mind. She just used the sleeve pattern from a different dress and simply tacked them on to her dress. I started hunting for a pattern for anything with sleeves meant for cotton jersey. Once I found it, I set to work.

This is the dress I made for myself out of the purple jersey PB brought me when she came to visit. We cut our purple dresses out together, and I lengthened mine by four inches, cut the neckline an inch higher, and borrowed some of her scraps to make my sleeves. (Since then, I've learned to economize whilst cutting...)

So there you go! It feels good to be the boss of my sewing!

2011-09-12T15:13:00.020-05:00

I suddenly had a hankering for Maeve Binchy's slice-of-Irish-life novels, so I checked these two out of the library and immersed myself in Dublin.

They were lovely and absorbing, but I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to read next.
Thoughts?

Yarn Along: Guernsey

2011-09-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows inspired my knitting this week. This book is entirely composed of letters between a writer named Juliet and the people of Guernsey, a small island off the coast of England that the Germans occupied during WWII. The book club they formed during the war gave them the strength to get through it.

This video of one of the authors, Annie Barrows, is a great introduction to the novel.

As for the knitting, I decided to begin a guernsey (or gansey) sweater for Pete. These sweaters originated in the very island the book describes. These garments were ideal for the fishermen of Guernsey because wool naturally repells the sea spray and keeps the wearer warm even when wet. Many have elaborate cable patterns that are passed down from generation to generation. I chose to make a plain stockinette sweater because of Pete's preference for simpler clothing.

My beginning here is an Elizabeth Zimmermann-esque swatch cap. I've always slogged through swatches, but knowing that this will be a functional piece has kept me going.

Join our Yarn Along at small things!

done!

2011-09-06T16:13:00.000-05:00

Yarn Along: Cranford

2011-08-31T00:01:00.001-05:00

I've been absorbed in Cranford.
The book by Elizabeth Gaskell (I enjoyed librivox.org's free audiobook too)

The miniseries, in spite of all the creative license they took. Pete was shocked when I told him that most of the compelling and memorable story lines were invented by Masterpiece.

The same is true of its sequel, Return to Cranford. Still lots of fun, though...

One of my favorite moments in the story has been especially inspiring. I thought I'd share the two versions:

When oranges came in, a curious proceeding was gone through. Miss Jenkyns did not like to cut the fruit; for, as she observed, the juice all ran out nobody knew where; sucking (only I think she used some more recondite word) was in fact the only way of enjoying oranges; but then there was the unpleasant association with a ceremony frequently gone through by little babies; and so, after dessert, in orange season, Miss Jenkyns and Miss Matty used to rise up, possess themselves each of an orange in silence, and withdraw to the privacy of their own rooms to indulge in sucking oranges. I had once or twice tried, on such occasions, to prevail on Miss Matty to stay, and had succeeded in her sister’s lifetime. I held up a screen, and did not look, and, as she said, she tried not to make the noise very offensive.

This pattern for a citrus-inspired shawlette and a skein of bright orange laceweight Malabrigo yarn demanded to be made into a tribute piece.

Here's the very beginning...

(Join our Yarn Along at small things!)

Yarn Along!

2011-08-24T08:27:00.002-05:00

Join in at small things!

My first sock is finished! I've been wearing it with pride. Now to cast on #2.

The colorway, Queen Anne, reminded me of Anne Shirley's nickname, so I dug out my old paperback and found this gem in Chapter 5:

"Oh, look, there's one little early wild rose out! Isn't it lovely? Don't you think it must be glad to be a rose? Wouldn't it be nice if roses could talk? I'm sure they could tell us such lovely things. And isn't pink the most bewitching color in the world? I love it, but I can't wear it. Redheaded people can't wear pink, not even in imagination. Did you ever know of anybody whose hair was red when she was young, but got to be another color when she grew up?"
"No, I don't know as I ever did, " said Marilla mercilessly, "and I shouldn't think it likely to happen in your case, either."
Anne sighed.
"Well, that is another hope gone. My life is a perfect graveyard of buried hopes. That's a sentence I read in a book once, and I say it over to comfort myself whenever I'm disappointed in anything."
"I don't see where the comforting comes in myself," said Marilla.
"Why, because it sounds so nice and romantic, just as if I were a heroine in a book, you know."

Anne, I think you would have looked stunning in these pink socks!

cast off/cast on

2011-08-19T09:03:00.001-05:00

Frankie Striped Socks from Vintage Baby Knits by Kristen Rengren in Oasis Aussi Sock Yarn in the Spanish Fiesta colorway, which I toned down with some grape kool aid.

The Knitmore Vanilla Sock by the Knitmore Girls in Knitpicks Stroll Tonal Handpainted Sock Yarn in the Queen Anne Tonal colorway.

Yarn Along!

2011-08-17T07:41:00.000-05:00

I am obsessed with sock yarn lately. I love how fine and bright and sprongy it is. I recently pulled out all the sock yarn I have in my stash and just gazed at it for a day, dreaming about all the possibilities. (This from a girl who has never made a pair of adult socks!)
My two sets of appropriate needles were being taken up with a languishing legwarmer

and a sock meant for a baby that is now 9 months old.

So with visions of some socks I want to knit for myself, I evaluated the misshapen baby sock and discovered where I had gone astray. I took a breath, ripped back to the heel, and picked up all the stitches that were waiting so calmly for me to do just that. I finished that sock in a rainy afternoon, and promptly cast on its mate.

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Without Tears has been my bedside reading for the last little while. I'm savoring it this time, whereas I scarfed her down upon the first reading.
Something she said about being frugal while not compromising quality stuck out to me in these lean times.

"If you prefer to economize and love to knit, make your sweaters with very fine wool and many stitches. A thin sweater weighs much less than a great heavy one, and, broadly speaking, wool sells by weight. Fine knitting gives you many hours of your favorite hobby before you have to sally forth and make another capital investment."

Oh, EZ, what would I do without you?

spinning!

2011-08-16T12:56:00.001-05:00

All this talking about souvenir fiber reminded me of some amazing roving I bought a couple of years ago in one of Toronto's amazing yarn shops, The Naked Sheep. Sadly, I've just discovered that it shut down.

I'm so glad I have this Painted Fleece to remember it by. Missy Westgate lives and works in Toronto. She hand dyes fiber from a local Canadian mill.

To make it go further, I plied it with some pencil roving I used to practice spinning back in the day.

As you can see, the pencil roving is nice and even, whereas the roving from Painted Fleece is thick and thin. That's just my own inconsistency--and absolutely not a reflection of Painted Fleece.

I'm finding the imperfection charming, thankfully.

After much reflection, I decided to crochet all my thick-and-thin handspun into a little woolen rug.

The beauty of this project is that it can continue to grow as I spin more. And it's a great way to commemorate my spinning progress. Each color is like a ring on a tree stump--the burgundy is my first handspun ever (and quite sad, I might add), followed by some very stiff turquoise. The improvement is already evident!

Right now, it's living on one of our kitchen chairs.

Souvenir Skeins!

2011-08-11T14:18:00.001-05:00

Whenever I visit a new place, I scour the internet for local yarn shops. During our recent trip to San Francisco, I got to visit two. Pete even popped in for a minute before retreating to the car to listen to the SF Giants game.

We started at Bluebird Yarn & Fiber Crafts in Sausalito, CA.

They arranged their roving in glass jars on a shelf. I snapped this picture to remind myself to steal this amazing idea. It was one of the first things I did once we returned home. Expect photos soon!

This little statue at the cash register embodied my purchase of a pattern by the owner of the shop. It's the Golden Gate Bridge Hat by Sophie Kurnik. To make it even more souvenir-y, I picked up some orange and black Cascade 220 superwash to knit it in. Go Giants!

The next stop was Oakland, CA. I have been intrigued by A Verb for Keeping Warm since I heard about it on the Knitmore Girls podcast. I read more about it in this post from the Knitting Kninja. This store was the quintessential souvenir yarn store, because nearly everything is a product of California. Not only do they grow their own organic dye garden in Oakland, they also make a point of using wool from American and Canadian farms.

I popped in right in the middle of two different classes, which was exciting to witness. All those knitters in one place! The patio out back had a drying rack strewn with drying, freshly-dyed yarn.

Unexpectedly, I walked out with two bundles of roving. I just couldn't take my eyes (or hands) off them. Stay tuned for some spinning attempts!

join in!

2011-08-09T23:25:00.001-05:00

I've decided to combine a meme I found on facebook with our Yarn Along:
It's National Book Week. The rules: grab the book closest to you. Go to p. 56. Copy the fifth sentence.

"Don't be frightened; there aren't many percentages, and they are simple ones."

-Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Without Tears
Let's play, fellow readers/knitters!

I just cast off on the Jayne Hat I started on our plan ride to San Francisco. Any Firefly fans out there? If you want to know why I knit such a wonky hat, here's an amazing video that explains the whole thing:

Now I'm stuck in the airport, because our return flight is delayed. Elizabeth Zimmermann has been keeping me company. I'm trying to decide how best to put my trusted wooden circs to use on the flight home. As EZ puts it, "It is perfectly possible and--in airplane seats, for instance--desirable, to use a circular needle for working back and forth. And one runs no risk of losing a needle." Wise words indeed.

Join our Yarn Along at Small Things!

Yarn Along!

2011-08-02T22:59:00.001-05:00

I'm making a simple stockinette hat whilst listening to more of Mma Ramotswe's adventures.
It's on my one pair of wooden needles in preparation for our plane ride tomorrow. If they take them away, I will be absolutely furious.
There's nothing like Berocco Ultra Alpaca! Just scroll through all those juicy colors...

Join our Yarn Along at Small Things!

Whitman

2011-08-02T10:25:00.000-05:00

Check out our new cat's beard.

Remind you of anyone?

This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body…
-Walt Whitman

purple prose

2011-08-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

This is Just to Say

by William Carlos Williams

I have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox

and which

you were probably

saving

for breakfast

Forgive me

they were delicious

so sweet

and so cold

When my friend PB came to visit, she came bearing 6 yards of plum cotton jersey, a few spools of blue Button and Craft thread, and her copy of Alabama Studio Style, by Natalie Chanin.

She gave half to me and saved the rest for herself. We labored over it for two days, and in the end, when we parted, she had a gorgeous plummy tank dress with stitches that both of our hands made, and I had its twin, waiting to be sewn up in her absence.

The Word Plum

Helen Chasin

The word plum is delicious

pout and push, luxury of
self-love, and savoring murmur

full in the mouth and falling
like fruit

taut skin
pierced, bitten, provoked into
juice, and tart flesh

question
and reply, lip and tongue
of pleasure.

2011-07-28T10:32:00.001-05:00

A visit from my friend

(with her uncanny knack for finding four leaf clovers)

was just what I needed.

Our rambling walks brought us through all the quiet, secret places of the monastery.

We went exploring, and even climbed, against all odds, to the cross that marks the highest point of the monastery grounds.

Just as the thunder began rolling in.

Yarn Along!

2011-07-28T10:09:00.000-05:00

I've been devouring Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I listen to the books on cd throughout the day, then read from the volumes before going to sleep.

At the moment, I'm on the fifth volume, The Full Cupboard of Life and knitting a soaker (diaper cover).

Join our yarn along at Small Things!

Millions of Peaches

2011-07-22T12:02:00.002-05:00

Lovely Locks

2011-07-21T09:49:00.000-05:00

http://www.locksoflove.org/

Reader Peter

2011-07-18T21:51:00.024-05:00

His first Epistle as a reader.

dikiri trikiri: the twined candles a bishop holds (and my new favorite phrase...)

This little church will always be home.

tying the knot

2011-07-10T23:49:00.016-05:00

My college roommate just married the guy who lived next door to us sophomore year. They are perfect for each other in every way. I feel so honored to have witnessed their love grow through the years. I know I'll continue to see it flourish.

Medea

2011-07-08T11:38:00.000-05:00

When you live in the country amongst cows, you don't expect a phone call from a friend asking if you'd like to go to the opera in half an hour. That means that when it happens, it's all the more thrilling.

leftovers

2011-07-08T08:51:00.003-05:00

I just thought of an amazing way to use up leftover chili. This is based on a family recipe for chili dip that is a staple at all family gatherings. I've just veganized it, so to speak. Instead of delicious cheese, I sprinkled corn on top.

CHILI REVIVAL

1 pkg softened Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese

2 cups (or so) of vegan chili

1 c cooked corn (I used 2 ears of steamed corn. It was AMAZING.)

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Spread the softened Better than Cream Cheese in a square glass baking dish. Pour the chili in and smooth it with a spatula. Sprinkle the corn on top. Bake for about 20 minutes.

We filled tortillas with it, topped with guacamole, salsa, and lettuce. It's also good as a dip.

NOM NOM NOM.

finished?

2011-07-07T10:00:00.005-05:00

handsewn Alabama Studio Style Tank Top

I wore it this morning, then, suddenly inspired, pulled it off and began embellishing.

Handsewing is such fun, I hope I never quite finish.

pancakes!

2011-07-07T10:00:00.002-05:00

These Easy Weekend Pancakes from veganyumyum are quite possibly the best lenten pancakes we have ever tried. We added fresh blueberries after pouring the batter out onto the pan.

The recipe provides directions for keeping them warm in the oven, but I've discovered that they are infinitely better straight from the skillet, piping hot.

curtains

2011-07-06T08:28:00.000-05:00

I dragged out the sewing machine the other day and I whipped these up in no time at all.

Pete says they remind him of the fog of San Francisco that always clung to his windows when he was growing up.

It's like having wisps of smoke hanging from our curtain rods.

Further Research: Men Knit!

2011-07-05T13:42:00.000-05:00

Kenneth knits a bikini for his grandma in 30 Rock.

Jim knits lace in Flight of the Conchords.

Have you sighted any guys knitting?

No Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-07-03T13:01:00.000-05:00

The jar of Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base I bought at my sister Emily's recommendation has already proven invaluable.

I was all set to improvise a lenten noodle soup with it, only to discover the recipe on the label.

I didn't follow it exactly, but it turned out to be absolutely delicious. Here's my version.

NO CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

makes about 10 servings

8 c boiling water combined with 3 T No Chicken Base

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 c frozen peas

1 block firm tofu, drained and cubed (I promise it's good. Just give it a chance.)

about 3 c dry no-yolk ribbon noodles

generous shake of dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Combine stock, carrot, and celery in large pot and simmer until vegetables are soft. Add peas, noodles, tofu, and seasoning. Cook until noodles are soft (about 10 mins). Serve & enjoy!

Research

2011-07-02T12:18:00.017-05:00

Whenever I watch a movie, I try to have my knitting in my hands. It makes me feel productive even when I'm watching something trashy. Whenever anyone (i.e. my husband) catches me watching something I'm mildly ashamed of, I justify it by saying I'm doing research.

Take Grey's Anatomy. It takes some courage to admit that I just spent the past couple of months watching every episode of that abominable show. But it was all in the name of research! What was I researching? Um...knitting, of course!

In one episode, when love doesn't go her way, Meredith swears off men and takes up knitting. Observe:

Stupid Grey's Anatomy. Knitting ≠ celibacy! Well, it did for the first 23 years of my life, but now things have changed. I assure you that sex and yarn can peacefully coexist.

Alex: You knitting like some Jane Austen prune because you screwed Bambi and you have a hidden sister?

Ooh, knitting and scrabble. Great combo.

But Izzy--you knit the guy you like a sweater in a day? And wore it for 3 hours? Yeah-freaking-right. Oh, and ever hear of the sweater curse? If you knit a guy a sweater, you two will break up. That's why Pete still doesn't have a sweater from me. I was waiting until we got married. You can't be too careful. No wonder Denny died! Oops, spoilers.

Expect more trashy knitting research soon!

dinner & a movie

2011-07-01T12:02:00.002-05:00

Cool Hand Luke, cornbread, and smokey-sweet baked beans. Chain gang fair.

If we weren't fasting, I'd have boiled 50 eggs to go with it.

lenten blueberry muffins

2011-06-30T10:55:00.010-05:00

When my sister drove over four hours on her day off to visit me, lugging all manner of nonsense I left behind, I felt I must reward her. Enter the vegan blueberry breakfast cakes from veganyumyum.com.

We didn't have any Ener-g Egg Replacer, so we combed through Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian for an alternative. Three tablespoons of silken tofu later, we had amazing lenten muffins.

If you want a taste, hop in the car and come visit! (yes, I'm resorting to bribery...)

2011-06-29T10:53:00.000-05:00

Though these pictures don't do it justice, I wanted to share.

Pete and I went for a walk last night just as the sky started threatening rain. Sure enough, we were caught in a tremendous thunderstorm. It let up after a while and we began walking back. The whole world had awakened with the returning sun. Everything, including us, was drenched entirely and the colors were intensified as a result.

We nearly missed this perfect, bold rainbow that careened over the entire eastern sky opposite the lowering sun. It's one of those moments I hope never to forget.

Juliana in Uganda

2011-06-29T10:36:00.001-05:00

wearing her Alabama Studio Style dress.

I miss her like crazy.

new project

2011-06-29T10:28:00.000-05:00

This portable herb garden enables me to escape all the aspects of gardening I don't like. The bugs, the sun, and the backbreaking labor.

So basically it's gardening without gardening. Awesome.

2011-06-22T10:18:00.001-05:00

I. just. saw. a. hummingbird.
That is all.

Trifecta

2011-06-21T11:39:00.016-05:00

June 20th: my 24th birthday, our 4 month-iversary, and the first day we woke up together knowing we'd never have to live apart again.
We spent it quietly. Took a walk, picked wildflowers, baked a pie. It was peaceful and perfect and I can't wait to do it again next year.

One last gem

2011-06-17T13:36:00.000-05:00

In honor of my last day of teaching 1st grade in the foreseeable future...

Me: Hey, Kid, where'd your hair go?
Kid: I got it cut yesterday.
Me: Oh, good. I was afraid someone was going around snatching hair.
Kid: Nope! I went with my mom. She got her hair painted.

I'm going to miss those little beasts.

Girls just want to have fun

2011-06-15T20:19:00.001-05:00

I've spent the last few evenings with my sister Anna. Mud masks, trashy tv, cheeseballs, chocolate, and knitting. Oh, I'm going to miss this...

Spelling test fail.

2011-06-15T20:08:00.002-05:00

Distopian overload...

2011-06-13T20:34:00.001-05:00

A Room of One's Own

2011-06-05T12:51:00.000-05:00

BHG

I'm a great believer in Virginia Woolf's advice to women to set aside a room for their creative pursuits. It may not always be practical, but I'm fascinated by the prospect.

Apartment Therapy

I've been daydreaming about carving out a creative space in our new home. Someplace to knit, sew, paint, write letters, and read. I've been inspired by a few different sources, many of which I've included here.

Country Living

I recently stumbled upon Eileen Spinelli's bio in I Like Noisy, Mom Likes Quiet, which stuck with me for obvious reasons.

She writes,

As a young child, I spent Saturdays at the Sellers Memorial Library in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was there that I fell in love with words and decided to become a writer.

Apartment Therapy
My father gave me his old black manual typewriter. The key of Z stuck. Fine. I would not write stories about zebras or zippers.

My father made me a desk from orange crates.

My mother filled a box with paper.

French Press Knits

And that's how I began.

French Press Knits

I love my writing life.

My office is on the second floor of our home. It's quite cozy. Plants at the windows. My desk, our old dining room table. A Teddy bear. Photos of my favorite people. An overstuffed chair. An electric typewriter. (No, I don't use a computer.)

Sometimes I'm so eager to get to work that I don't take the time to get dressed in the morning. I just run upstairs in my nightie, with a cup of tea and an idea or two.

BHG

Honeymoon!

2011-06-01T07:17:00.001-05:00

We finally found a honeymoon spot! It looks like we'll spend a week in the Catskills at Handsome Brook Farm. This bed and breakfast rivals the best hotels. My friend told me she had the most delicious bacon she has ever eaten there. They even let you explore their working farm and pitch in if you choose.

Check out this article in Time Out New York about it, or watch this episode of Good Morning, America that features it.

The funniest twist? It's right around the corner from yet another Orthodox monastery. That's how I knew we'd feel at home there!

Home is wherever I'm with you...

2011-05-23T17:58:00.001-05:00

It's been awhile since I found a song that expresses exactly what I'm feeling. I discovered this one today, when I was missing Pete acutely and dreading the coming two weeks without him.

I'd explain how it makes me feel to only be with my brand-new husband on weekends, but I simply can't sort it out. At least Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros can do it for me.

I am trying to remember that the strings of days full of bitter homesickness and the endless bus rides and train rides and car rides are drawing to a close. And though I love him for making a leaky blow-up mattress feel like home, I'm so relieved he won't have to do it for much longer.

Home, let me come home

Home is wherever I'm with you

Oh, home, yes, I am home

Home is when I'm alone with you

Alabama Studio Style

2011-05-18T11:55:00.004-05:00

When I received a Barnes and Noble gift card as a wedding gift, I knew I wanted to choose books that would improve my somewhat pathetic attempts at cobbling together a home.
This book is positively intoxicating. It's a veritable lifestyle guide, filled with sewing techniques, printmaking how-to's, recipes, methods for refurbishing ramshackle chairs, and, well, sheer gorgeousness. I have poured over it for weeks now. Though I intend to give all of the homemaking a try, the garment patterns are most exciting to me. My current project is a dark blue tank dress for Juliana to take with her to Africa. I'll post pictures as soon as I finish it.

The cotton jersey that is utilized in all the sewing patterns is pretty elusive in my neck of the woods, unfortunately. Juliana and I took a pilgrimage to a fabric store and bought some before I realized that the author, Natalie Chanin, sells her organic cotton jersey, which is grown, spun, and knit in the USA, on her DIY website. Everything you need to become a homespun Alabama fashionista can be found there.

Or, if you'd prefer, you can buy her handsewn couture garments readymade here. I prefer to oggle the designs and utter a fervent prayer that I can one day make a facsimile of some of these garments.

Room

2011-05-18T10:58:00.001-05:00

I tore through this book in less than 24 hours, snatching a few pages whenever I could. It is the story of 5-year old Jack, who has spent his entire life in an 11x11 foot room with his mother. "Room" is the whole world to him. We quickly become aware of what he does not yet comprehend--that his mother was kidnapped a few years before he was born and has been emprisoned in Room ever since. The horror of their hopeless situation is lost on Jack because his mother shelters him. I was fascinated by the ingenious ways Ma engages Jack endlessly with her limited resources. Though it is still a harrowing story, when told through the innocent voice of a child, it also becomes unexpectedly beautiful.

Dye!

2011-04-22T16:33:00.000-05:00

I began the egg dyeing process with such optimism. I decided I was going to do it the hard way--the natural way--and use onion skins instead of food coloring.

My mom found awesome instructions from the kitchn for dyeing eggs with onion skins. Traditionally, Russian people save all their onion skins all Lent long for this express purpose. I, however, had neither the forsight, nor the appetite for onions to do that. Also, I am not Russian. So I devised a plot. When my mother and I went to Wegmans, I hung around the onions, as an unsuspecting employee of that fine, overpriced establishment culled the loose skins from the shelf. I sidled up and began begging him to take pity on my skinless state and bestow upon me all the unwanted onion skins he was about to throw out. He consulted with his manager, which seemed a bit unnecessary to me, and finally granted me a huge bag of the coveted red and yellow skins.

I slaved over the vat of dye, carefully following the directions. And when they came out, my eggs were not rich shades of mahogany and russet. They were poopy, boring brown.

Enter the barefoot kitchen witch's instructions for colorful cracked eggs, or Chinese Tea Eggs, which are sold in China the way we sell hotdogs and pretzels on the street here. In a nutshell, you crack your hardboiled eggs a bunch, then let them sit in a glassful of food coloring and water in the fridge overnight. In the morning, you peel them and--behold! They are covered in gorgeous color fissures.

I also kept some of them whole and marinated them in various shades of food dye overnight.

Crisis averted. The end.

Prayer of Saint Basil the Great

2011-04-22T10:46:00.000-05:00

O God and Lord of Hosts, and Maker of all Creation, Who by the tender compassion of Thy mercy which transcendeth comprehension, didst send down Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of our race, and by His precious Cross didst tear asunder the handwriting of our sins, and thereby didst triumph over the principalities and powers of darkness: Do Thou Thyself, O Master, Lover of mankind, accept also from us sinners these prayers of thanksgiving and entreaty, and deliver us from every destructive and dark transgression, and from all enemies, both visible and invisible, that seek to do us evil. Nail down our flesh with the fear of Thee, and incline not our hearts unto words or thoughts of evil, but pierce our souls with longing for Thee, so that ever looking to Thee, and being guided by Thy Light as we behold Thee, the unapproachable and everlasting Light, we may send up unceasing praise and thanksgiving unto Thee, the Unoriginate Father, with Thine Only-begotten Son, and Thine All-holy and good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Wheat, Wine, and Oil

2011-04-21T15:41:00.006-05:00

The Wheat, Wine, and Oil podcast has been my constant companion in the kitchen over the past few days as I've dyed eggs and generally tried to prepare for Pascha (Easter).

Instead of trying to describe it, I'll let Ancient Faith Radio introduce you.

"Ancient Faith Radio now brings you the Wheat, Wine, and Oil podcast with Martha Condra. This helpful series of programs follows faith through the market to the kitchen and the family table. Martha is a freelance recipe developer and food writer for such magazines as Cooking Light and Heath Magazine. Here's Martha..."

Keep Calm...

2011-04-18T08:11:00.001-05:00

In the tumult that was working full time, going to school at night, and planning a wedding, I stumbled upon the "Keep Calm and Carry On" mantra.

It was originally meant to be used on British WWII motivational posters, but was abandoned before being distributed. Now you can find it gracing mugs, journals, postcards, posters, desktop wallpaper, etc.

I typed up my own poster and hung it on my classroom door, and would glance at it whenever my students tried my patience and I needed to be reminded to take a breath.

Passing teachers remarked on it, and requested one of their own, so I printed them up and distributed them.
It became a bit of a joke in our school, and I kept discovering funny knitting-related spoofs of the poster, like:

"Keep Calm and Cast On" originated on laylock.org, where you can download it for free in a multitude of colors.

I first discovered Keep Calm and Carry Yarn at Knitty City, a yarn store Pete and I visited after going to the Museum of Natural History in NYC. They sell brightly colored hand-dyed and screenprinted project bags with the slogan made by JennieGee. You can also buy them at her etsy store.

When I come across something like that, I usually talk myself out of buying it because I know I could make it myself. This was the first time I decided to give credit where credit is due and purchase an idea, rather than an object. The craftsmanship is impecable, and I'm glad I chose to support the artist who came up with this clever twist. It makes me smile every time I break out my knitting.

Kulich

2011-04-09T22:22:00.000-05:00

Now that I have a Russian last name, I feel it is my bounden duty to attempt the most daunting of all Russian cuisine-- kulich, or the cylindrical bread baked for Pascha (Easter) which takes two days to prepare.

Once it occurred to me that I would be faced with this momentous task, I began my research.

The library provided several different versions of kulich, some extremely complicated, while others seemed more doable. I poured over all the recipes I could get my hands on, trying to make sense of the process, which was more elaborate than any I had attempted.

The recipe from A Gift to Young Housewives (yes, it is really called that), by Elena Molokhovets, required 70 (count 'em) egg yolks.

I even found a recipe that would make use of my languishing bread machine, thus sparing me 45 minutes to an hour of kneading. Tempting, but I decided against it. And as it turns out, kneading the dough was the best part.

Kulich is baked in a coffee can so that it resembles the onion domes on Russian Orthodox churches. I found the perfect one at Cosco--and it even came with 6 pounds of tomato sauce, which will probably wind up sustaining us through Holy Week.

My friend Claudia provided all sorts of invaluable advice. She told me to coat the inside of the can with melted butter, then line it with buttery parchment paper.

That made popping the kulich out of the can absolutely easy.

It slid right out onto the towel-covered pillow. Yep, you read that right. They call it "putting the kulich to bed." We rolled the kulich around on the pillow for 20 minutes to prevent it from getting flat on one side.

Tada!

SMOOCH!

2011-04-01T12:51:00.003-05:00

I finally brought pictures from the wedding to show my class...and instantly regretted it. Observe--

Girl: Do you have any of you two kissing? I really would like to see that.

...yup.
So, just in case you're as curious (but not as brazen) as a first grader, I'll give you a peek. But this is as voyeuristic as it's going to get around here.

Thank you, Nick Kita, for this postcard-perfect photo!

"Ode to My Socks" by Pablo Neruda

2011-03-30T22:15:00.004-05:00

Mara Mori brought me
a pair of socks

which she knitted herself

with her sheepherder's hands,

two socks as soft as rabbits.

I slipped my feet into them

as if they were two cases

knitted with threads of twilight and goatskin,

Violent socks,

my feet were two fish made of wool,

two long sharks

sea blue, shot through

by one golden thread,

two immense blackbirds,

two cannons,

my feet were honored in this way

by these heavenly socks.

They were so handsome for the first time

my feet seemed to me unacceptable

like two decrepit firemen,

firemen unworthy of that woven fire,

of those glowing socks.

Nevertheless, I resisted the sharp temptation

to save them somewhere as schoolboys

keep fireflies,

as learned men collect

sacred texts,

I resisted the mad impulse to put them

in a golden cage and each day give them

birdseed and pieces of pink melon.

Like explorers in the jungle

who hand over the very rare green deer

to the spit and eat it with remorse,

I stretched out my feet and pulled on

the magnificent socks and then my shoes.

The moral of my ode is this:

beauty is twice beauty

and what is good is doubly good

when it is a matter of two socks

made of wool in winter.

translated by Robert Bly

Grammar matters, people.

2011-03-21T18:27:00.004-05:00

Something Pete just said reminded me of this gem:

A Conversation

Me: Pete, can we finally watch every existing episode of Doctor Who together?

Pete: Well, I can't promise I'll get into it, but I'll watch it with you.

Me: So if you don't like it, you'll still sit through every episode with me? Or will you say, "To hell with this, woman!"

Pete: I'll say, "To hell with this woman!"

Me: I didn't hear a pause there. Do you mean you'll abandon me or the show? That's a pretty essential comma...

Pete: Of course I meant, "To hell with this show COMMA woman." I'm surprised you couldn't hear it.

Me: I'm going to blog about this.

AND SO WE COME FULL CIRCLE! DONE!