On How I Hate Change and Don't Deal Well with Uncertainity

As the tag line for this blog promises, I generally try to keep things mostly about knitting and crafting. Today is going to be an exception. I'm going to allow it to get personal. My life is filled with uncertainty just now. Three weeks ago The Boyfriend fell victim to a pretty huge lay-off, and as we are all well aware, the job market still pretty much sucks. This lay-off means a lot of economic uncertainty for our household, and it could also potentially mean a move out of Texas.

The bright-sunny way to spin this is as "an opportunity for change..." and "...exciting possibilities". I've tried that outlook on for size and sadly, it only sort of fits.

Mostly I don't deal well with change. I'm the kind of person who gets thrown completely off my game if my favorite brand of paper towels changes their packaging. I have a morning routine that happens in exactly the same order everyday. I have been drinking my morning coffee out of the same cup, and only that cup for close to 6 years. I like things to stay the same.

And I fair just as poorly with uncertainty. I'm a first-class worrier. I worry. I get it from my Dad, and I've always believed he is sorry he gave it to me.

The worrying makes it pretty darn near impossible for me to concentrate on anything for more than about 2 minutes. And this lack of concentration means not much knitting, a small pile of started but unfinished nuno felted projects, several half-sketched and half-baked design ideas, and the reading comprehension skills of a third grader.

It has also resulted (and this the bright side again) in a really really clean house, lots of random cooking and food preparation, and many loads of laundry.

I'd be a big fat liar if I tried to tell you or myself that I can shake the lack of concentration entirely and get on with the creative, thinking-required tasks at hand. I know that I can't. But a creative soul can not survive on laundry alone, and so today I have struggled and fought and spent the last 90 minutes wrestling these words together and this post into existence. It's a start, and it has at least kept me in one spot for better than an hour, and it feels productive in its own way. It's what I've got for now, but I'll keep you posted.

Sprouts!

Here's a really simple grow-your-own project with super fast, super delicious results. It's the perfect project for those long gray months of winter, or where I live the long hot months of summer, when you can't get outside in the garden, but crave something fresh and green that you grew yourself. With just the barest of ingredients and the simplest equipment, you can garden in your kitchen.

I encourage you to either follow the directions that come with the sprouting seeds, and do a little internet search for specific instructions and tips. But the basic idea is this: Find a clean old canning jar and a piece of cheesecloth. Add up to a 1/4 of cup of whatever organic seeds or dry legumes you have handy in the pantry. I've listed several options below. Add enough water to cover the seeds and soak them overnight. In the morning place the cheesecloth under the ring of the jar to act as a screen. Drain off the water, and shake lightly to loosen seeds. Keep your sprouting jar handy to the sink, so you can rinse and drain your sprouts 3-4 times per day, but out of direct sunlight. You should see your sprouts start to germinate in a day or two, and they will be ready to eat anywhere from three to fourteen days depending on what you've chosen to sprout. It's like a miniature garden in a jar.

Once they're fully sprouted expose them to a little more sunlight so they will green. Finally, remove them from the jar, rinse them thoroughly one final time in a colander, and let them dry a on a clean tea towel. Store the sprouts in an airtight container in the fridge, they'll stay fresh for several days.

Here's a list of just some of the seeds and legumes you can sprout. Legumes: Chickpeas, Lentils, Mung Beans. Seeds: Radish, Garlic, Chives, Broccoli, Alfalfa, Cress, Sunflowers, Fenugreek. Personally I love mung beans, and broccoli sprouts, and have never had much luck with cress.

I've seen fancy "sprouting kits" that involve several trays at the kitchen supply store and at my local organic gardening center. I also found the Sprout People online. They sell kits, supplies, and organic seeds, grains, and nuts for sprouting. They also have lots and lots of how-to info on their site. The kits seem like they might be fun to try and the variety of seeds is appealing, but a simple jar and what you have on-hand in the pantry could also be gratifying for its simplicity and ease.



Sprouts are good food! Experiment with the different flavors and textures to find the ones you like best. Radish and broccoli sprouts are a touch spicy, while fenugreek is slightly bitter. The sturdier varieties, like the lentils and chickpeas can be added to stir fries at the last minute. Add the more delicate, leafy seed sprouts raw to your salads, your sandwiches, and even your dog's kibble. Most of dogs love bean sprouts, and the fresh food is as good for them as it is for us.

Enjoy!

New Pattern - Ligneous Cable Knit Hat

This hat was designed to have an all-over cable pattern that would continue all the way through the decreases, rather than stop at the crown. Mathematically, this was a bit of a challenge, and just like my days in algebra class I can not show my work, I just got the right answer. I'm pretty sure my algebra teacher thought I was cheating - always the right answer, but some crazy nonsense where I was suppose to be showing my work. But no worries for the knitter, I did the math, and it all worked out just fine. The result is Ligneous.

Ligneous features a truly unique all-over cable texture, reminiscent of a deep barked tree. This texture is subtly supported by the slight variegation of the kettle-dyed yarn, Malabrigo in this case. This super soft merino wool makes this hat warm, lush, and sumptuous.


I owe a handful of gratitude to my friend Tracey, of Yarn Unravelled, for modeling the hat despite the 103 degree temperatures. She was a real trooper. I'm also grateful to several test knitters, recruited from Ravelry, who tested the pattern and offered their feedback.

The pattern is probably best suited to the intermediate knitter - someone comfortable with knitting in the round, decreases, and at least a little cable experience. The pattern calls for US size 9 needles, less than 200 yards of worsted weight wool, and offers yarn alternatives, clear instructions, and an explanantion of all abbreviations.

For Ravelry memebers the pattern is available as a PDF here. And it is also available as either a PDF or printed and mailed on my website.

Enjoy! and Happy Knitting!

Roasted Pepper Salsa

This salsa is a little labor intensive because you will be roasting a pile of peppers and the onion. It is also a cooked salsa. But the effort is well worth it. The roasted peppers and onions impart a rich, smoky flavor that can't be beat. The recipe as I have it here makes a very hot salsa - triple X (XXX) hot! That's how I like it. If you want to cool it off a touch leave out the Serrano. To cool it off even further leave out the Serrano and one of the jalapenos. But keep in mind that peppers vary greatly in their spiciness - sometimes the Serranos are hot, sometimes not as much.

Roasted Pepper Salsa
2 tablespoons of your everyday olive oil
1 medium yellow onion sliced and roasted (see instructions below)
4 cloves garlic put through a press
1 red bell pepper halved, seeded, and roasted (see instructions below for all the peppers)
1 poblano pepper whole and roasted
2 jalapeno peppers whole and roasted
1 Serrano pepper whole and roasted
2 tablespoons mild dried chile flakes
4 slicing tomatoes chopped
1 cup of vegetable broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt

To roast and prepare the peppers: Preheat your broiler to 525 degrees. Place all of the peppers in a roasting pan, or on a broiler rack and roast for about 8 minutes until the meat of the peppers in tender and the skin is blistered and slightly charred. Place them in a plastic bag and allow them to cool. Once they have cooled enough to be handled remove their skin - it should peel off easily. The exception is the Serranos, they are often too tender to peel, just leave them as they as are. Rough chop all of the peppers.

To prepare the onion: Once you have removed the peppers from the broiler, and while they are cooling, you can proceed with the onion. Spread your sliced onion on the same pan or rack and place them in the broiler for about 5 minutes until they are just starting to get tender and charred.

To make the salsa: In a medium saucepan heat the oil, roasted peppers, the onion, and the garlic. Add the tomatoes and heat until they start to break down, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and the chili flakes and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the salt, and let the salsa cool a bit. Once it has cooled puree in a blender until smooth.

Makes 4.5 cups

I use all organic ingredients, as always, and as much produce as I can from my own garden. I have a giant bag of dried chili flakes that I picked up at a little stand in Chimayo, New Mexico for next to nothing. They are really very mild, I include them in this recipe not for the heat, but for their deep chili flavor. I highly recommend you seek out the finest quality New Mexican chilies you can find. The flavor is worth the extra cost and effort.

Enjoy!

Workshops - Taking Some and Teaching Some

A few weekends back I took an all day workshop at the LYS with Cookie A. The class was based on her fabulous new book Sock Innovation: Knitting Techniques & Patterns for One-of-a-Kind Socks and the focus was to design your own pair of socks, based on a stitch from a stitch dictionary and custom fit to your measurements. We did a lot of math and a lot of knitting. The result is a great new sock design in progress. I'm working with a simple lace pattern and a bamboo and silk yarn that has just the slightest sheen. I'll be finishing the pair, making changes if necessary, and perhaps publishing the pattern in the near future.

This week I started the first of three classes at The Stitch Lab here in Austin - Artistic Embroidery with Kat McTee of Artcloth. I've been hand stitching on my felted pieces for some time, but my technique has always been a bit rogue. Now I've learned the proper way to execute the stitches, but without the tyranny of "the embroidery police". The next sessions of this class we will be using various transfer techniques - photo transfer, ink jet printable fabric, and iron on - to give ourselves a custom pattern for stitching. I've selected images, and planned a project that involves maps and photos from New Mexico and Minneapolis. I'll be sharing my progress and some photos soon.

And finally I'll be teaching a few workshops. I've scheduled some dates in September for both my "Get Your Knit On!" class and my "Knit This and Felt It!" class. "Get Your Knit On!" is designed for the true beginner, I'll be teaching all the basics from casting on to binding off, the knit and the purl stitch, simple increases and decreases, and knitting in the round. Students will complete two projects, and leave the third class ready to start a third project of their choosing.

In "Knit This and Felt It!" participants will knit, felt and embellish with needle felting either my Althea Bag or the Notorious Tam. The choice is theirs.

New Website Launched

I just launched a new website - www.elizabethcarls.com - The site was designed and built by The Boyfriend, and it looks darn nice if I don't say so myself.

On the site you'll find links to both of my blogs, information on a few of the workshops I offer, and my original knitting designs - a pattern store with designs for sale and free patterns available for immediate download.

The free patterns you'll find there include:

The Layla Classic Knit Tam

The Wide Rib Cowl for Him

And The Sylvia Lacy Cowl

In the pattern shop you'll find:

The Coy Felted Cloche (which is proving to be my most popular design)

The Notorious Felted Tam

And the River Rock Cowl

I've got other new patterns in the works, as well as several more workshops in the planning stage. I'll be adding to the new website on a fairly regular basis. It helps to have your own personal IT dept.

Back from Minneapolis

I've just returned from my trip North to Minneapolis. It was lovely. The weather was a welcome respite from the Texas heat, and the folks were as friendly and accommodating as ever.

I went North to teach a workshop on culinary herbs and making pesto. The workshops was hosted by the folks at Ripple River Gallery - a fabulous place to visit if your in Minnesota. You can read more about the workshop and see many photos of the gardens on In the Kitchen and the Garden.

In addition to the workshop I had an opportunity to visit with a whole plethora of creative people - weavers, knitters, gardeners, wood turners, singers, spinners, and dyers. It was a much needed shot in the arm, and I've returned with a renewed enthusiasm for fiber. I also saw family.

I had ample opportunity to experience some nature. I ran at the lake, walked the country roads, spent time in the garden. The air is clean and cool, something I miss here in Texas. The sky has billowy white clouds, something else I miss here in Texas. I saw Sand Hill Cranes - amazing. I saw a fox - with dinner in his mouth. I was buzzed by hummingbirds, and listened to the song birds.

I knit. Socks, of course. I completed the Stripey Eyelet Rib socks and started a pair of Tweedy Basket Rib Socks.

I visited the MN Textile Center, and The Fiber Studio. The Fiber Studio was new to me - the proprietor offers lots of fiber arts classes, and has a beautiful selection of roving, merino tops, some yarns, and fabric. I purchased a truly beautiful little collection of wool fibers, silk scraps, and cotton voile for nuno felting. If you are in the Minneapolis area, please make a stop at The Fiber Shop - times are tough all over, and she has wonderful selection of fiber-y goodness in a homey little shop.

It was a great trip - too short, very busy, inspiring, grounding, peaceful, lovely, and cool.

A Little Piece of Heaven in MN

I've just arrived back from my trip North to Minneapolis. It was fantastic: A welcome respite from the Texas heat, lots of socializing with creative folks, and of course, my Plethora of Pesto Workshop.

The workshop went well; the participants were enthusiastic and seemed genuinely inspired to go home and try the eight recipes they received in their materials packets. We started the workshop with a tour of the fabulous kitchen garden where the workshop was hosted (photos below). Then we retired to the porch where there was a demonstration of the basic technique for pesto making, and a tasting of the eight different pesto recipes. The conversation was very relaxed and informal, which is what I enjoy most about these kinds of events. I hope to offer this workshop again soon.

This is the garden, with the raspberry patch in the front. Raspberries were ripe while I was there - such a treat, to eat raspberries right off the vine.

The very creative use of containers to grow herbs and other edibles in a very small space. This area contained all the culinary herbs needed to make all of my recipes plus the nasturtiums.



A perennial border in the main kitchen garden. It is full of a smattering of culinary herbs, several medicinal herbs, and of course the flowers. You don't see perennials like this in Texas.

The main kitchen garden is L shaped, this is one leg. Those are blueberries under the hoops, strawberries and asparagus across the way, cucumbers are just out of frame, and tomatoes in the foreground and tomatillas in the back corner.

The other leg features lots of squash, tomatoes, peppers of many varieties, and a hedge of basil. Those are beans on the poles. There is also lots of self seeded dill and poppies.



Mr. Toad resides in the garden.

If you ever find yourself in Minnesota take the time to stop at Ripple River Gallery. In addition to the top-notch gallery, visitors are welcome to visit these lovely gardens. And the resident artists - Amy Sharpe (weaver) and Bob Carls (wood turner) are gracious hosts.

You can read about other aspects of my trip on Right Out Loud, my mostly knitting and crafting blog. And be sure to follow me on Twitter for more garden photos.

The Absurdity of Some Rules

I'm flying to Minneapolis tomorrow in the early-early AM to teach a workshop next weekend. As I checked in for my flight online today I discovered that it will cost me $15 to check a bag, even just one bag. I think this is absurd, of course. It means that like myself, all of my fellow passengers will be traveling with just carry-on luggage, and since it is human nature to push the boundaries of rules, and the limits of your luggage this means there will be aisles crowded with too many people, trying to cram their over-sized carry-on bags into the over-head compartments. The last time I flew home from Minneapolis someone was so over zealous in their efforts to make their over-sized bag fit that they broke the door of the overhead compartment. This delayed our departure by 45 minutes so that a maintenance team could come on board and mend the broken door with duck tape. (That is not a lie).

I will not push the boundaries of my luggage, I will pack light. Traveling with just my carry-on isn't a big deal really, and doesn't restrict me all that much. Except where sunscreen is concerned. Which is also slightly absurd. As most of you know, you can not pack more than 3 oz. of any liquid or gel in your carry-on, and 3 oz of sunscreen just isn't enough. If I have learned anything from living in Texas it is to both fear and loathe the sun. And I wear sunscreen. Always. I know they sell sunscreen in Minneapolis, and that I can just as easily buy some when I land. But that is not the point. The point is the absurdity of the rule which allows me to board an airplane with pointy metal knitting needles and a scissors, but limits my sunscreen to 3 oz.

I'm not a rule hater on principle. In fact I am mostly a rule follower, stickler even. But I can not help but be irritated by rules that seem both silly and even a little stupid.

Packing extra extra light means I'll be traveling with sock knitting - portable, compact, and pocket-able.

In other but somewhat related news; I have finished objects to share. Having deadlines - like the one to be prepared to teach my workshop - always puts me in "finisher mode". And so yesterday I finished my Waves of Lace Shell. Finally. It took me almost a year to finish - not because it was a difficult project, mostly I just didn't work on it that consistently, it sat for long stretches at a time. In fact as lace goes, it was fairly simple; easy to memorize repeats, and a beautifully written pattern.

I also finished yet another One Skein Wonder shrug. The first one I made over a year ago was so teeny-tiny I gave it to The Boyfriend's daughter. Then I made a second one for myself that fit, for awhile, but is now too big. A good problem to have I know. So I made a third. And it fits.


For those of you keeping score at home, this means my WIPs are down to three - The Waves of Lace Scarf, and the Branching Out Scarf, and socks. The lacy scarves will be sitting this trip out, they will stay home. I'll be off to Minneapolis tomorrow with a tiny carry-on, socks in my purse and on a mission to buy sunscreen when I land.

Thai Inspired Quinoa Salad

I've been in the kitchen experimenting with whole grains lately. I had cooked up a batch of quinoa and had it chilled in the fridge. When I decided to make a salad that used the quinoa, I had a real taste for something spicy. Based on what I had on hand, I created this Thai inspired salad. I fear it is probably a little high in both fat and calories, but it makes a high protein meal all by itself. It is also damn good.

The Quinoa

Quinoa is an ancient grain originating from South America. It is a staple of South American cuisine and is becoming increasingly popular here in the United States. It is similar to couscous in both its size and its flavor. It is however unique in that it is a complete protein, containing all 8 of the essential amino acids. To cook Quinoa place 1 cup of the grain in 2 cups of salted water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Thai Inspired Quinoa Salad

The Good Stuff
1 batch of quinoa cooked and chilled
4 organic scallions chopped
1 organic carrot grated
1 organic jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
1/3 cup unsalted organic peanuts chopped

Toss together all of the good stuff.

The Dressing
1/4 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 very juicy organic lime
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low sodium tamari
4 cloves organic garlic pressed
1 teaspoon chili oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili paste

Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together until well blended. Pour dressing over the good stuff and gentle toss again. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serves 6-8

Enjoy!