Getting ready

I'm getting ready for spring, finally!
It's been super rainy and grey outside lately but still, days are getting longer and warmer. The community garden has open it's gate and even if I haven't started to clean my garden yet, I've been planning what I want to grow this year and starting some seeds inside. I'm particularly enthusiastic this spring, because the garden committee has acceded to my demand for a bigger plot. So this year, there will surely be some winter squashes alongside the many kinds of tomatoes and herbs that I normally grow. Last year I also did cabbages for the first time and it was a big success. I think I might plant some again. I'm also planning on sowing some peas on my balcony so they can climb on the railings and make them prettier. If I'm lucky, I might find some pretty planters at the thrift shop where I go many times a week (I'm totally addicted haha).

My baby tomatoes in used yogourt containers

Growing your own veggies and herbs is a fantastic hobby. Not only is it economic (especially if you grow from seeds), it's also very educational and therapeutic. When you take time for your garden, you take time for yourself! You're exercising, you learn about nature and about yourself, plus you give your family and yourself healthy, fresh and flavorful food! And if you don't have the place for a garden, grow on your balcony and windowsills! 
Many vegetables and herbs can produce in containers. Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, lettuce, strawberries, cilantro, parsley, basil and arugula are all good example. All you really need is containers (planters and pots are classics, but you can also reuse thing you don't use in the house, like old crockery, rain boots, tea cans, I've even seen a used golf bag. Take a look on Pinterest if you need inspiration!), some soil and seeds for your favourite veggies. I buy my seeds from different sources, but I particularly love this Etsy shop I've been buying from for a couple of years. It's a family business based in Ontario, the seeds are heirloom and organic and the service is always excellent. It's too late (at least for the Montreal region) to start tomatoes inside I would say, but if you are looking for root vegetables, herbs, greens or squash I would recommend you take a look : Cubit's Ethical Seeds for Edible Gardens

Happy spring everyone :D

Broderie gloves pattern

 I've finally published my new pattern on Ravelry! It's available for free for a limited time so you can download it and give it a try! You can even download it now and keep it for later ;)  If you do try it out, please let me know if you find anything missing or unclear. I've had a lot of fun making these and I hope some of you will like them as much as I do. I've knitted them in wool, but if you are lucky and live in a warmer place (we are still freezing this march!!) I think they would be really soft and comfy in a pastel cotton yarn.

A close-up of the "broderie" pattern.

Here is the pattern : http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/broderie-gloves

  Have a nice week my friends!

Upcoming new pattern: Broderie gloves

Broderie is the french word for embroidery. I find it well fitted for the stitch pattern you find on the back of these little gloves. I've been working on that project since early January and I'm thrilled to say that I hope to publish the pattern on Ravelry by the end of this week. I had to do a couple of retakes on the first glove before everything was to my liking but it really paid off on the long run. I'm fairly satisfied with their fit and look. Light, because of the little holes in the pattern and joyful with their dotted wrist edge, they are perfect for springtime. They're knitted in a superwash fingering wool yarn and have a long wrist so they can still keep you warm on chilly spring days. I bet they would make a classy accessory for tea time, knitted in cream or in a very light pink.

I will make a little post on my facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/sweetteasoftskeins ) as soon as I upload the pattern in my Ravelry shop.

Some lemons later... my blanket progress

Lemons! I see recipes with them everywhere these days. But I don't complain about it, they are a bit of sunshine in our long winter! Lemon and poppy seeds muffins, lemon meringue pie, lemon and ginger tea... but what about the salty side of lemons? I used to like lemon in savoury dish only on fish but I've discovered over the years, that they are fantastic with many other savoury food. I think about a whole roasted chicken with lemon slices and oregano or a couscous salad with a lot of parsley and lemon juice! So, while the lemons are in season, I made some salt preserved lemons and as it's crazy easy, I wanted to show you...

 

All you need is some lemons, a clean air-tight jar, and sea salt. First, you want to scrub your citruses (especially if they aren't organic) to get rid of the wax they put to make them last longer. Next, you need trim the ends and cut the fruits in quarters. You can either cut all the way through or if you have a big jar, you can only make deep slits in your lemons and  keep them whole. Then, pour a layer of sea salt in your jar and add a lemon. Pour some more salt on the lemon (taking time to fill the slits with salt) and add another lemon etc, squeezing as many lemons as possible in the jar. You want the jar as full as possible because it will help lemons to be covered in their juice later. Don't forget to add salt between each piece. When your jar is full, add some more salt on the last lemon and seal.

 

That's it, now you wait. I've left my little jars on the counter top for 3 days, shaking them a little every day, to give time to the lemons to render some juice. As they weren't totally covered at that point, I opened the jars and added a little juice from another lemon, re-closed the jars and put them in the fridge. I will wait at least 2 more weeks before tasting them, but I can't wait! I bet they will be delicious with barley or with roasted meat. Be warned though, they will be very salty, so you might want to give them a rinse before using them.

  

And while these macerate in the fridge, I'm working on the blanket I started in November (http://sweetteasoftskeins.blogspot.ca/2013/11/to-unravel-or-not-to-unravel.html). I'd like to finish it this winter... I'm at my 6th stripe, so probably half-way. As always, I'm super eager to start new projects but i've to many things lying around half done so I'll be trying to finish a couple before starting new any big project.

What is hand quilting?

What's this? What are you doing? People kept asking me this week, on my breaks and lunches. Hand quilting I said. What is it, why are you doing this?

                                   I'll probably use this fabric to make myself a little pouch to carry some of                                                my current patchwork project pieces, to sew a little on the go.

I started quilting a bit of printed cotton and synthetic felt together as a practice before making a real piece and I kind of got hooked haha. But really, what is quilting and what are it's uses?

Quilting is a sewing technique, that can be done by hand or by machine, that serves to join usually two or three layers of fabric. Generally, you would have a top layer of decorative fabric, sometimes a patchwork of colourful cottons, sometimes just a plain piece of fabric. Underneath this one, you would find a layer of insulating material called "batting" (it can be wool, cotton or synthetic material). Finally, there would be another layer of plain fabric to "sandwich" the batting.

These layers of fabric would be put one over the other and sewn together either by machine or by hand. If the piece is quilted by hand, it would be mounted on a quilting frame or hoop (this is what I'm using right now, because I have a really small piece). Lots of people seems to be hand-quilting using the "running stitch" method, which means that the stitching is worked by passing the needle in and out of the fabric (producing many stitches at a time). For the moment, I prefer the "stabbing" method. It takes longer, because it produces only one stitch at a time (you have to stab your needle down the fabric, pull the thread and start again but stabbing it up etc) but I prefer the look of it. It feels like I better control the size of my stitches and their direction.

Now, where would you use quilting? Often it is find in quilts, either whole cloth or patchwork blanket as I mentioned earlier. From middle age through 19th century quilting was used in clothing and bedding. Quilting is used to keep layers of fabric together. Instead of lets say, three thin blankets, you would have one thicker, warmer blanket  (easier to handle than three layers...). While quilting, one would often use patterns for the sewing lines. Instead of plain lines or waves you would find on a commercial bed cover, quilting can follow any design you'd like. So not only does it make you blanket warmer and sturdier, It also make it more elaborate and pretty. Finally, we could also say that it serve as an heritage. Passing on a quilt, to someone you love, is giving your time, love and efforts along with a beautiful and useful object.

8 things I'd like to knit in 2014

January is the time of resolutions for most people. Many won't keep them all year and many others won't even bother making any... Actually I don't make resolutions myself. Not because I think it's stupid or impossible. In fact, I absolutely believe you can take and keep as many resolutions as you want. Sure, one would need to be motivated, organized and disciplined to do so, but I do believe that people can do whatever they want if they really want it and if they trust them-selves. Why then, didn't I made any this time? Because this year I did something else. This year, instead of taking resolutions to change a habit, I decided I wanted to set myself some goals.

You know, I'm a lists person. Nearly everyday, I make lists. At work, at home, in the bus, I write lists. Often in my agenda, on my hand or on the hundred little bits of paper lying around my desk. Lists of movies to watch, recipes to test, vegetables I want to sow in the spring and all sorts of crafty ideas I want to try. You see me coming? I made myself a list of goals haha! Crafting, gardening, blogging objectives for the next 12 months to come. Like, to go buy myself a new camera, build a nursery box for my baby veggies plants and try myself at quilting.

Other than that, I also listed 8 knitting patterns that I'd really like to try this year! Here they are:


1- The fabulous Jeweled Cowl by Sachiko Uemura.
 I already bought some Shadow Lace Yarn from Knit Picks in Midnight and Vineyard and can't choose between the 2 super rich colors! I'll have to find assorted beads though.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jeweled-cowl    

2- The super cute Pink Lemonade Socks by Alyssa Lynough.
 Just to contradict the title, I might knit them in yellow (which is actually also a lemonade color! haha).
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pink-lemonade-socks

3- Stippers slippers by Ashley Knowlton.
They make my think of Robin Hood or maybe Peter Pan! Anyway, they look really comfy and would be a great addition to our slippers basket.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stippers

4- The Double Heelix socks by Jeny Staiman.
 They've facinated me for a while now... A good way to use 2 colors of the same yarn, when you can't choose only one!
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/double-heelix

5- The Woven Diamond Socks by Alexis Winslow.
Have I told you I like to knit socks? Haha! Actually I already tried this pattern but I gave the socks for Christmas. They did look great and I would like to have a pair for myself.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/woven-diamond-socks

6-The Hand Springs Fingerless Mitts by Micol Day. I must admit I've doubts about this one. They are absolutely cute, and I have some lace yarn in bright lime green that I could use for them but I don't wear fingerless gloves a lot... I will think about it, anyway they would be more of a spring time knitting project.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hand-springs-fingerless-mitts

I cheated a little... these last 2 are actually projects I already started but intend to finish this year.
 

7- The Boldly Colored Plaid Afghan by Patons, which I've been working a lot on lately, while watching my new favourite serie, Call The Midwife <3 !!
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/boldly-colored-plaid-afghan

8- And finally, I definitely want to knit more awesome Christmas Balls!!! From this book which I absolutely love:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/55-christmas-balls-to-knit
I made 8 different ones last December (5 for my Christmas decor and 3 as little gifts) and they are all pretty and fun to make.

So, this is my top 8 for the moment (more will certainly be added to my list as the months pass). Now, what do you wish to knit the year?


Pssst, you can now follow me on Facebook :)  www.facebook.com/sweetteasoftskeins

Warm socks for Christmas

Last night we've receive nearly 25 centimetres of snow. It makes me happy because every December, at least for a couple of years now, we are wondering if we'll have a white Christmas. But this year, I think we're good! All that snow shouldn't melt in 9 days ( Yes, only 9 days left before Christmas!!). Plus, there is still a light snow falling as I'm writing and looking through my office window full of lovely frost.

My Christmas projects have progressed a lot, but I've had a hard time taking pictures lately. I have an old and no-so-good camera (a situation that I should resolve in early 2014...) but the real problem is the light. I'm not yet equipped with a light box, and it's dark outside every week night when I come back from work. But hey, I'm here to learn and share my progress as I go, that's why I will post my pictures anyway!  :)

I don't know if I told you, but I love knitting socks! They're super useful, comfortable, make good gifts and aren't that long to knit, especially if you knit them in chunky yarn. Worsted yarn make really nice socks. If you've never knit socks, try with worsted first. They knit faster, are really cozy and warm.

I tried a new sock pattern recently and it's awesome! The socks look elaborated with they're diamond pattern, but aren't that complicated to knit. Plus, the extra wool from the yarn that goes in front of the slipped stitches makes them hot without being too thick. Perfect to wear in your boots!

Here is the link to the free pattern I used :
 http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/woven-diamond-socks

This is my take on the pattern, I used Knit Picks Swish in Bordeaux. I wish the diamond pattern would show more on the picture... I will give them to a friend of mine who I know walks a lot, even in winter.

Also, I've started a pair for Le Barbu. They are probably the simplest socks I have knitted so far. Still, I think he's going to love them. The colors that we've chose are pretty (Solstice and Dove heather in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Superwash) and the socks already feel nice and cozy. This way, when they are finished, he will have another option than his old, felted, nearly transparent cadet socks haha.

Again, the link to the pattern :
 http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/Boot_Socks_Pattern__D50529220.html

This is where I'm at so far. They knit really quickly.

It's the first time that I try knitting the two socks at a time. I've heard it's a fantastical method for those who have what is called the "second sock syndrome". This is when you like knitting the first sock and then don't feel like finishing the second one because there is no mystery in the pattern anymore. I've never really experience the syndrome, but still, it's nice to see the two socks growing at the same time. Another good thing with this technique is both socks have the exact same length. The only down side I see so far: you need to slit you yarn in half at the beginning of the project, and you have to carry twice as many balls of yarn. Personally, it's doesn't bother me.  I'm eager to see how it's going to be after the heel flap, with all the stitches on my 32 inches cord. I'll try to post a picture as soon as they are finished!