Category: yarn

Christmas was good. I got some DVDs and CD’s, gift certificates, a cool book about food, a veggie cookbook, a pasta maker (now if only I could eat gluten…). Nothing super spoil-y, but I was glad to have a fairly quiet holiday. I made butternut squash and creamed spinach gratin and OH MY GOD it was so good. Seriously, make it now. It’s pretty damn rich, though, so share it with some people. And now I’m off dairy again (had a reaction) so I can’t even eat the leftovers!

Anyway, I didn’t get any knitty gifts but I did wear my new sweater at the big dinner on Christmas day. And I didn’t manage to take a photo of it. But, tomorrow I’m planning on having a nice quiet day at home (I don’t have nearly enough of them) doing crafty stuff and various stuff that just needs to get done, and a photo shoot is one of those things! Seriously, it’s a fabulous sweater.

Last week at the lettuce knit holiday party, I knit blissfully along on the back of the Bell-Sleeved Jacket only to come home and realize…

hey, that looks wayyyyy too small. Compared to quite a close-fitting t-shirt:

Yeeeeeah. I cast on for the smallest size to try and minimize the flare, but I forgot to not decrease so much for the waist. So I had to rip it back to before the decreases. I kept a few, and am now doing increases up to the biggest bust size – that means no cable crosses on the back, but I’m okay with that. It’s just ribbed – easy knitting, but not so easy as stockinette.

I worked the lettuce knit boxing day sale today and I’m just bagged. I bought lots of yummy yarn (really, lots) so perhaps I’ll get a photo of that in the morning. Nighty night!

Thanks for all the positive feedback on the blankie! I love it too :)
First, the knitting.

I’ve started the Bell Sleeve Jacket form Vogue (Holiday 2006) and I love it. Based on some recommendations made by Rose, I’m adjusting a few things – I cast on for the smallest size to try and control the flare, and increased up to the largest size (35″ – wtf?) for the bust. I also left out one of the leaves at the side, in the hopes the flare won’t be too crazy. I also lengthened the body by working an extra diamond pattern.

It’s a fast, fun knit – I’m using Knitpicks Andean Silk and I think it’s a good match. The yarn is nice, smooth and shows off the cables really well. And I finished the second front today!

So it’s on to the back, amidst a couple of different deadlines for other things. Bah.

Now, onto diet-related: I did three weeks of the elimination diet and then one week where I reintroduced dairy (no reaction – yay!) and wheat (iffy – will try again later). I’ve decided to keep going with the reintroduction through Christmas, rather than taking a break and having to do more elimination after.

The problem? Actual food isn’t so much trouble; I’ve been coming up with things to eat (lots of lentils). It’s the sweet treats. I NEED something sweet I can make! So very hard with all the restrictions.

Does anyone have suggestions of sites, books, or specific recipes? Mixes, even – so many I’ve found have corn or potato starch, or cane juice, or ask you to put in eggs. I can’t use powered egg replacer because of the corn and potato. Darn you potatoes! I’m desperate here!

OK:
– rice flours
– oil
– applesauce
– tapioca starch
– arrowroot (or I can use it to replace cornstarch)
– stevia
– nuts – almonds, walnuts, macadamia, hazelnut
– coconut
– dairy (butter! and cream and stuff)
– fruit (except bananas and citrus, lemon OK)
– carob
– buckwheat, quinoa, millet, amaranth

Not OK (so difficult):
– gluten (wheat, barley, oats, spelt, rye)
– sugar/honey/molasses/maple syrup/etc.
– potato starch
– corn products
– eggs
– peanuts, cashews
– bananas, citrus
– soy products/flours

I *think* that’s it. Any suggestions would be MUCH appreciated!

Today is nice.

I woke up late this morning, not needing to rush anywhere or really do anything. Played some Chopin (trying to learn to play the Fantasie Impromptu). Lunch – brown rice pasta (yup, pretty much got used to it) with broccoli and peas, and garlic basil olive oil. Patrick Dempsey was in Scream 3? Huh. Guess I had seen him before Grey’s Anatomy.

Sitting here now, full, house all to myself for the moment. It’s been flurrying off and on for most of the day, mainly on. I love just looking out the window and watching the wee flakes. I have my big ole log cabin in my lap, working on the final go-round of strips (I’m running out of yarn!). I even finished a paper ahead of my self-imposed schedule – unfortunately I’m running behind on the next assignment. Yikes.

I ripped out about three inches of 2×2 ribbing on a sweater body, out of the Briar Rose Tuscany from Rhinebeck. My ribbing kinda sucked, it was slow going, and I realized that I really don’t like wearing all-ribbed garments (too fat-looking-making). So I ripped some out and am going to go with the flow and do a saddle shoulder a la EZ.

Thanks for everyone that emailed me about the commissioned knitting thing. I’ve found someone; the internet is great.

Pictures to come once my camera’s batteries have recharged.