Sooooo....

February flew by way too fast. I can't believe I didn't post ONE blog post this past month. And to think I limited myself to that just to make it easier! Bad, bad girl! I deserve spankins!!! Well, maybe I wouldn't go that far, but still...yowza. Okay, now that I'm done berating myself, I can safely say that as far as knitting goes, I've kept up with my goal. Last month I finished knitting a pair http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifof socks - a pair of socks that I'd originally wanted to have done for Halloween 2011...but yeah, that flew right out the window when I moved. Pictures will, of course, be forthcoming! Proof is required! I also cast on for my very first sweater (no we're not counting the Talia of Doom. Not in a million years would I choose to remember that horror). So far, I really enjoy the look of it, love the color and even love knitting it! I think I might have to re-learn a bit of crochet though because I simply have to make these for myself and possibly for my swap partner in the Starbucks and Yarn swap I joined. I just think they're soo cute. Plus, I'm noticing that there are a LOT of pretty patterns out there for crochet, so while I'm sure knitting is always going to be my first love, I'm thinking of making crochet my dirty mistress. ;)


As far as life in the new apartment goes, it's great. The building is quiet, there's no pesky landlord bothering you on the phone, and there's the convenience of laundry facilities right outside my door. I do have a rather sensitive fire alarm though which can be a bit of a bother whenever I want to give a steak a nice sear, or fry ANYTHING on the stove top. but hey, it's better than having NO fire alarm which was what we had in the house we rented. Yes, it's back in New Bedford, but the section of New Bedford is peaceful, quiet and really close to Dartmouth so it's not too terribly bad. The apartment is bigger than the house we lived in too, and yet it's easier to keep clean - figure that one out. Plus it has a dishwasher so yay! No morhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife dishes by hand unless I want to!!!!!

Aaaaanyway, we'll move back to knitting so I can post pics of my FO and my WIP and then I think I'm going to go back to actually knitting on said WIP!

FO

[photo pending as I can't seem to locate my camera battery charger and the darned thing really needs it so I can take said photo!]



Pattern Name: Little Pumpkins [rav link]
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Tonal in Foliage Colorway
Yardage: About half the skein or maybe a little more. :D
Needles: Sizes US 1 (2.25) and US 2 (2.75)
Notes: The yarn is soft, squishy and blocks well. Yes, I said blocks. I've decided that blocked socks both fit better and look better so this is what I need to do with ALL socks from now on. :D Thank goodness for sock-blockers though I think I need to invest in slightly larger ones for DW's feet. :D I enjoyed knitting these socks too, the pattern was enough to keep me occupied without needing so much focus that I couldn't knit them and watch TV at the same time. Just make sure you read her notes on the ravelry pattern page, because without them the cable row could easily be confusing as it was for me. :D


WIP



Pattern Name: Montview Cardigan [rav link]
Yarn: Cascade 220 in Rainier Heather
Yardage: 8 skeins = 1760 yards
Needles US 9(5.5)
Notes: So far, I'm loving this pattern, the right side contains almost all the the purls so they're broken up by the cables and the WS is almost entirely knit...so it goes faster! :D Though, I must confess, as someone who knits a LOT of socks and lace , the needles are almost clumsy in my hands and the yarn feels soooo thick!

As far as cooking goes, I really have no new recipes to share, but I can say I've borrowed my MIL's dehydrator and am about to try my hand at making some beef jerky. I have steak strips marinating right now and if it works out as well as I think it will, I may post the recipe here. I've also been dehydrating a lot of lemon slices, and blood orange slices for tea. I drizzle honey on them first and then pop them in and let them dry up. For some reason, the dehydrated fruit imparts a delicate flavor rather than an overpowering flavor while brewing with the tea and you can really really taste that honey. :D

Anyway, since I sort of missed the deadline for the last post, I'm going to have to make up for it with another one later on in the month....so expect to hear from me again soon! :D <3 G'night!