Silk Scarf Dyeing Project

I spent the day with my mom and friends dyeing silk scarves with Lanaset dyes.  I always have so much fun during our dyeing sessions.  Often I'll have an idea of colors I want to work with but usually end up doing something completely different.

I ove the bamboo scarf my mom painted - it's the second from the left in the first photo.  I did the one on the far left and the green one, second from the right.

These came out looking so beautiful.  My mom's is on the right, mine's on the left.  The floral pattern is rayon, so it doesn't take up the dye like the silk.  Love the effect.

Lots of pretty colors on the line.

Happy Mother's Day!

I finished my mom's Jeweled Cowl just in time.  Washed and blocked it yesterday and will give it to her this afternoon.  I love this pattern - it's so simple to make yet it looks so elegant.

I know I've mentioned repeatedly how much I adore Malabrigo Lace yarn, but here I go again...
This yarn is so soft and the subtle color variations are sublime.  Can't get enough of this stuff!

Neither of these photos reproduces the color accurately; it's actually somewhere between the two.  The second photo shows off the variegation nicely, though.

Hope mom likes it!

Handspun Hat Update

It's been a busy time at work lately, so I never got around to posting a photo of the finished hat.  I ended up changing the pattern to the Lock & Key Dreadlock Tam.

I really liked the cabled rib brim.  Wish I could have been there when it was given to the recipient so I could've gotten some photos of him wearing it.  Oh well!

Hand Spun Hat

I volunteered (or was I conscripted?) to knit a hat for a family friend using this beautiful hand spun Finn wool.

This yarn is so wonderfully soft I can't stop petting it.  I haven't decided whether to do a striped hat, maybe something like Amy Andersen's Oliver Jogless Stripes Beanie or Jared Flood's Turn a Square hat or perhaps something with slipped stitches or a fair isle pattern.  Any suggestions?

This Week's Canning Project

I finished up a batch of about 16 cups of grapefruit marmalade this weekend.

My mom's grapefruit tree has been excessively prolific this year so marmalade seemed a great way to use some of them.  Actually, this was more of a recanning process as I had made and canned it about a month ago but it didn't set up.  So, I opened up all the jars and added some pectin.  Success!  Perfectly set and delicious.

Mom gave me another couple of bags of fruit on Friday so today I'm making a batch of grapefruit-ginger granita.

What's your favorite grapefruit recipe?

Jeweled Again

I've started another Jeweled Cowl. 

This one is for my boss.  She loved the one I made for myself and since her birthday is next month I thought this would be the perfect gift.  I wanted to use Malabrigo Lace again and wanted to make it in red because that's her color.  Abuelita's just what I needed - Malabrigo Lace in Ravelry Red.  Perfect!

The beads are from Fusion Beads.  They're size 8 Japanese seed beads.  I like the play of the light amber beads against the red; it makes me think of a Bollywood production.  Hope she likes it!

Canning Day

Sterilized jars ready to be filled with Grandpa's barbecue sauce

When I was little there were only two occasions where I recall my paternal grandfather would spend any time in the kitchen (other than to get a can of Hamm's out of the fridge when my grandmother wasn't around to get it for him).  One was when he would make a pot of chili beans and the other was when he made barbecue sauce.  He wouldn't let anyone else in the kitchen when he was cooking up a batch of sauce and he wouldn't share his "recipe" with anyone.  Except his daughter-in-law - my mom.

My mom and I recently started making grandpa's sauce again.  Every few months we whip up a batch or two, can it, and share it with family.  I love spending time in the kitchen with my mom.  She's always been a great cook and, thanks to her, my brothers and I have always enjoyed cooking.

Mmmm...saucy

I enjoy the process of canning.  There's something so satisfying about hearing the "pop!" as the jars cool and the vacuum seal forms, and I love seeing the filled jars on the shelf ready for whenever I need them.  Most of all, I love that my grandfather's tradition lives on.