Saturday, January 12, 2008

Unravel

The scarf I was knitting with Koigu KPPPM made it to the turning point. I finished the first of the two skeins I have and just didn't like how it is turning out. It is too wide (24cm/9.5") for the estimated final length of 88cm/34.5".

It seemed too wide from beginning but I kept going thinking it might turn out long enough. Now I know better. And the pattern I've selected just doesn't come out as nicely as I would like it to with this multi-colored yarn. But I mastered K3 tog so am confident, once I find time to work on lace, I shouldn't have to many beginners issues.


I'm very slowly progressing on the quilt. I'm finally making stitches of same length and spacing. At least did so last night. One quilter already told me that it takes her to get into the rhythm every time she begins after a few hours pause. And she is an experienced quilter so I now I have to be very patient with my aspirations of perfection. Luckily, I'm doing yellow on yellow at the moment so all of this travail is not that visible. And am still busy with beginners problems: where to start and finish the tread so the end is not visible but it all still looks nice on both front and back.


But this is similar to my beginnings in crochet: in which part of the chain/stitch to stick the hook in. Basics which after some reading I resolved in crochet and will now resolve in quilting.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Holidays


They are almost over, these home-holidays. Neither my husband nor myself felt like going anyplace so we stayed home. And since my husband took this whole week free as well, it is not over yet.

We are injoying it to its fullest. I got my energy back just in time for baking for Christmas. So, I pulled copies of old recipes (some used by my grandmother) and made: granu (branch), punc snite (punch slices), salamu (salami), naldo snite (naldo slices), vanili kiflice (vanilli crescents), rusku pitu (russian pie, this is a very much litteral translation), makovnjacu (poppy seed roll) i Belinu pitu (Bela's pie). And as duch tradition dictates, on the 31st we made oliebollen (version of deepfried dough), two sets before the first one didn't comply with my husbands standards.


Of all these sweets there is not much left. We took a lot to my husband's family get-together on the second Christmas day. And a bit to the family with which we waited for the New Year to arrive. I've been doing some powerwalking, today will bike, so I don't believe I gained much weight.

And, another advantage of having my husband at home: he is cooking every day! That makes these holidays complete.


Also, these days we have great company during our meals.



On the craft front, I'm at the moment stuck knitting a scarf with Koigu KPPPM. With such thin yarn, progress is very slow, so I've turned to my quilt. As you can see, patchwork is complete, now to the hand quilting. Luckily, it is small (50cm/19,5" x 72cm/28") so I'm hoping to finish it in the next few months.