Can you believe it’s almost May?
The springtime is flying by and summer knits are coming out soon! This week I finish a pair of socks, start working on a design, talk about dreaded change, and read a familiar book. Enjoy!
Finished Objects
I finished a second pair of socks this months-whew! I feel like I’ve been marathoning. These are vanilla with Fish Lips Kiss Heels and twisted 2×2 ribbing. {I finally figured out a stretchy bind off that works for me. See notes.} We’ve had so much testing this month that both these socks and my Jelly Rolls were knit exclusively at school. Not bad, eh?
Yarn: Lolodidit’s Everyday Sock in the “Honeydukes” colorway
Pattern: Ravelry notes here and Fish Lips Kiss Heel here
WIP’s- Focus Projects
Last week I profiled my granny stripe blanket so this week I thought I’d share my other scrappy blanket. This blanket goes by many names: cozy memories, mitered square, but the pattern I’m following is called “The Coziest Memory” by Kemper Wray. I liked this pattern the best because of how simply it’s written and how nicely it’s illustrated.
I’ve only got a base row {15 squares} so far, but plan to add to the second row this #scrappysunday. My squares are a bit different because they are only 30 stitches. Long ago when I started collecting scraps for this blanket, people would wind off yarn from their hand to elbow about 12 times and call it “enough”… well, that’s enough for a 2 1/4 inch square. That’s why I plan on making this a cozy lap blanket to use while I’m knitting in my chair.
Something New
Ever since I knit Weasley sweaters for Christmas I’ve been searching for a portable way to carry around colorwork projects. I mean, what really happens when those balls get in the bag together? No matter how careful I am they come out a tangled mess!
I figured out an at-home solution- I used a tray from Hobby Lobby along with some small buckets to keep all the yarn in line. But what to do when I wanted to take my project with me? I would need a bag that was light-weight and that could keep my balls of yarn separated in a specific order. And it would be most convenient if I could set the yarn on a table or in my lap in that same sequence.
So I decided to try my hand at designing such a bag. I’m still in the beginning stages. I’m working out the little buckets for inside the bag. They’ve got to be just the right amount of sturdy and still flexible. I want them to sit properly even when you pull yarn from them. Then I want the little buckets to transfer from the bag in a convenient way to the table or your lap. Stay tuned for the development of this bag!
What God’s Teaching Me
Change. Transition. Endings. Ah! These are all words that spike my heart rate.
There is always a bit of anxiety that comes with the end of a school year. Last year I knew that the summer months brought a job and campus change, a move to a different town, and our wedding- whew! This year doesn’t feel much different.
Although I don’t plan to change schools or roles, my workplace is seeing lots of transition. People I’ve become close to are leaving and we’re moving to a new building just across the street.
Kent and I knew that our current housing situation was temporary so now we’re trying to decide where to move next. Do root in our current suburban town and buy a house? Do we move back to the city and rent an apartment? Do we dare attempt to buy a house in the outrageous market that is Dallas?
I can feel my blood pulsing faster just as I type. Move school buildings. Move houses. New co-workers. New neighbors. New church? New church!
As I try to avoid thinking about these upcoming decisions, God is by my side. He’s telling me this week that it’s okay to ponder, get excited, get upset, discuss, argue, debate, and cry during this whole end-of-year transition as long as I make sure to pray. While my husband and I attempt to make these big decisions, we can’t lose sight of who will help us make the best ones- God.
What We’re Cooking
Sunday we had the last of this round of frozen crockpot meals- Chicken Teriyaki. You can find the recipe from New Leaf Wellness here in the free list of 25 five-ingredient freezer meals {I think I know where I’ll find my next freezer prep recipes!} Kent remarked that this meal tasted a lot like the Chinese Pepper Steak we had the week before. “No…” I thought. But sure enough, they have almost the same ingredients. While both are good, I prefer the beef and Kent loved the chicken. I forgot to take a single picture of the meal- so sorry!
We had one of my favorite ground beef casseroles over the weekend- Tamale Bake. It’s easy and delicious. Kent thinks it tastes better with taco sauce, but I like mine the way it is. You can change up the flavor with different types of salsa or kind of cornbread. My favorite is the good ol’ sweet cornbread, but Mexican cornbread is good too! I add a teaspoon of baking powder to the cornbread mix to make it fluffier. Also, I like to use half a can of corn in the Tamale Bake and dump the other half in some rice. Buen provecho!
I cooked up more veggies for lunch this week. While I wanted to take the easy route with some steamable veggies, there just aren’t that many that I love. So I bought broccoli florets, carrots, and zucchini (mmm my favorite!) and baked them with some olive oil, salt, pepper, onion powder, and lemon grill seasoning. They turned out great!
I’ve had a bit of a tea obsession lately. For Christmas, I gave Kent a three-month subscription to Plum Deluxe Tea. Well, guess who’s “enjoyed” it the most- me. Oops! So I decided I needed to order myself some tea before I drank his entire gift. I’m so pleased with their customer service. Andy, the founder, emailed me personally and answered my questions. It’s so hard to drink bagged tea now that I’ve had the flavorful taste of loose-leaf tea. I can’t wait for my first month’s tea to arrive!
Wednesday night I tried these Swiss Pan Burgers with Rosemary and Mushroom with limited success. This was the first time I’ve ever cooked with rosemary or shallots! While my burgers were flavorful, they turned out quite dry. Where did I go wrong? I could definitely improve on the shape and thickness of my burgers. The mushroom sauce was nice and thick before I added beef broth at the end, then it never thickened. I think I’ll leave burgers to our in-house grill master {Kent}.
What I’m Reading
So many books have been recommended to me lately- keep ’em coming! I try to go on my Overdrive app right away and put the Kindle book and audiobook on hold at the two libraries where I hold a membership.
I’m currently waiting on Letters of a Woman Homesteader, At Home in Mitford, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, and The Way of Kings. Hopefully they don’t all come in at once! Two of these books are the first in a series. Series make me so happy because I have something great to read next.
While I wait for those to be available I’ve started the Harry Potter series again. This is probably the tenth time for the first few books, but the later books in the series I’ve read far less. I’m right in the middle of the Sorcerer’s Stone. Boy, do I love these books! I’ve been going back and forth between reading the Kindle book at night and listening to my Audible app on drives and walks. I hope to read through the seven books {and maybe the “eighth” book} again by the end of the summer.
One thought on “Cozy Memories and Change”