March 29 – Craft scenes

I'm still not used to having a space that's dedicated to crafting. Sitting down at my desk to sew still seems really novel; it's best in the morning, when the light streams in.

Took a class in paper-template patchwork. Very interesting; lots of potential.

I've been thinking big thoughts about levels of skill, experience and experimentation, tools and materials, how we signal that we belong in a community, how those communities form and shift and change. I've got pages of scribbled notes all over my desk, but I'm having trouble getting the thoughts to coalesce.

Meanwhile, my mind has turned to sewing, as sure a sign as any that spring is on its way. 

I pulled out some springy skeins to inspire me. They last longer and require less upkeep than tulips.

Spring cleaned my knitting notions box. Doing that always makes me think of Amélie.

Needed a bit of whimsy in my knitting, so I'm making a sheep. Didn't encourage the month to go out like a lamb, though; I woke up to another 20 cm of snow on the ground this morning.

Took my table runner off the loom. Should have ironed it pre-photography, obviously. Pleased with my progress. Next up, a Noro scarf.

Took a look at the classics on my bookshelf.

What have you been up to?

June 3: Since last we met

Lately, my days have been full of words, my evenings full of stitches. I finished up three big projects recently – two were dictionaries; the third, this sweater. They were each challenging in their own way, and I won't prevaricate: I'm happy to have them done and dusted.

 Meanwhile, the weather finally turned to spring. The long-awaited cherry blossoms arrived and were promptly washed away. It's the first time in years I haven't made it out to High Park to see them in full bloom, but between deadlines and rainstorms there was no way.

 

My latest project: a crochet granny square throw. I have an uneasy relationship with crochet – you never forget your first love, and mine was knitting – but my hands are slowly coming around. The colours (and the lack of a deadline) make it easy to enjoy.

 

Speaking of the joy of crafting, I'm off to Squam tomorrow. My suitcase is packed with fabric and thread, yarn and needles; I'm set to take a sewing workshop and an embroidery class. I'm especially looking forward to the art fair on Saturday night. The weather looks warm: maybe this is the year I'll make it into the lake for a swim. 

 

No trip is complete without a special snack, so this afternoon I tried something new – a take on a snack I buy at Starbucks sometimes if I'm hungry but want something a bit more substantial than any of their infinite combinations of white flour and white sugar.

 

Super-Duper Trail Mix to Power Lakeside Crafting
(I winged it – wung it? – so these measurements are heavy on the -ish side of things. Do what feels right.)

Scant 1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp honey

1/4 tsp vanilla

Pinch cinnamon

1-1/2 cups almonds

1/3 cup pepitas

2 tbsp sesame seeds

Pinch sea salt 

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, vanilla and cinnamon. Add almonds, pepitas and sesame seeds; toss to coat. Spread on baking sheet; sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake for 25–30 min, stirring occasionally, until almonds are golden. Turn off heat and let sit in oven for 30 min more. Remove from oven and let cool on rack.

Transfer cooled nut mixture to clean bowl; add cranberries and chocolate chips. Toss to combine.

Lately

No big news here – just a collection of small things that I've been doing, watching, listening to and reading lately. A bit of a jimble-jamble, but that's all right.

The hot weather has arrived in earnest. In the evening, right around ice-cream time, light from the setting sun bounces off the balconies across the street and into my apartment, casting long shadows.

It's not a great photo, really, but for some reason I love the way the light falls on this little collection of precious-to-me things I've gathered over the years. Each one has a story.

Knitting-wise, I'm making good progress on my Audrey in Unst sweater, although I'll be pushing it to make the KAL deadline (July 1st, midnight), I think. The short-row set-in sleeves is like a magic trick, and I'm pretty pleased with how it's turning out. The pink (SweetGeorgia in Rosebud) is slightly less...violent...in real life.

I waited for weeks for my copy of Knit to Flatter to arrive, and it was well worth it. Thanks to what I learned in the book, I've got a good excuse to give my cardigan short sleeves – a good figure-flattering strategy for bottom-heavy types like me, it seems. Look better and have a better chance of making that KAL deadline? Works for me!

There's a lot to like about this book – it's got a friendly, no-nonsense tone; it's non-judgmental and very supportive of all shapes and sizes (I loved the range of models they used); the hints and tips work for all your outfits (not just the hand-knit ones); and in addition to the handful of attractive patterns designed with my shape in mind, each of the other patterns includes notes for figure-friendly modifications. (There's also help with the required math. Perfect!) This is a book I'll go back to again and again.  

I did a bit of spinning with my Moosie, and wow, what a difference a good tool makes! Unbelievable. I've been too preoccupied with my sweater to do much more, but I did splurge on a little incentive...a bit of fibre. Isn't it pretty?  

Polworth + Silk in "Coal Harbour," again from SweetGeorgia. I'm going to have to be careful that I don't end up with double the stash, it seems.

In non-fibre news, I've had this song on repeat; seen Much Ado About Nothing (loved it, and that's not just my appreciation of the theatre's air-conditioning talking); and spent an evening at Another Story Bookshop, where Marianne Elliott was reading from her new book.

Zen Under Fire is the story of her time as a UN employee in Afghanistan (to put it very, very simply), and it's a fascinating account of a place – and a set of circumstances – that I can barely imagine. If I was in a book club, this would be my pick for the year.

Tomorrow, I'll pop back to share the results of what might be the best culinary experiment I've done in a while (or might be an enormous failure). Cross your fingers!