Snapping Grey Turtle Skirt = Hexagon Math Goodness

Between the fantastic trip to New York with Double Vision, a sad going away party for close friends, and the madness that continues to call itself my house i have been finding bits of time here and there to … knit!  Not really much of a surprise as i have needed all of the relaxing and meditative activities that i could find to help keep me sane over the last few months, and weeks even more so.  What have i been working on?  Another skirt!!!  I am super excited about this one as it is six hexagons knit from the outside into the middle using spaced decreases and four rows high. It's a math skirt!

Here is a picture of the Turtle skirt keeping a park bench in Central Park warm a few weeks ago.  I am really enjoying the skirt as it is a fairly easy knit without a pattern to carry around, but it's not plain.  I am not just knitting back and forth, back and forth.  I am knitting hexagons that are 18 stitches wide on all sides to begin with and all of them end up as only a single stitch on the needles after all of the decreases.  I love you geometry.

Now that i have finished nearly the top two rows of hexagons i decided it was time for some dress form testing.  So far so good…  I was pleasantly surprised that the skirt seems to fit.  The hexagons are bubbling a bit in the centers, but nothing too weird that the blocking won't fix.  I love the Star Skirt that i knit a few years back and am looking forward to having more hand knit items for day to day wear.

House Week 10, 11, 12: Roof = Light at the End of the Tunnel

The last few weeks there has not been much progress made on the house between the problems with the contractor (who isn't even showing up anymore to complete work), me being in NYC with Double Vision, and all of the fantastic movies that i've seen so far this summer.  While i've been gone the house moved along at a slow, but steady pace.  We got the roof trusses onto the house which makes it actually start to look like a "house" again finally giving me a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.  Once the trusses were up sheets of plywood and these awesome little metal clips took over my roof.  I guess the clips help hold the sheets of plywood together where they are spaced over the different trusses so that when we have a tornado that my roof isn't pulled off.  Good to know in case tornado's pick up along the west coast ; )

 

  

At the beginning of week 12 i started getting actual shingles on the roof, see below.  Looks like for the first time ever we are on track with a schedule and the roof may be finished by the end of the day on Sunday.  I never thought back in February that it would take so long to do all of this, but i also had not idea what i was really getting myself into.  I still can't believe the problems that we found with the house when we got the walls and floor pulled out; fire damage, cast iron chemical laden water pipes, and so many other just evil things i never would have guessed were even possible in a house that is only 90 years old.  No matter how long and difficult the road i know that it will be worth it and i am starting to get SUPER excited!

Something about putting a roof on it makes it really feel like a house, not like a dream or some fantasy that is never going to come true.  I am still short a bathroom sink as it was the last thing to be returned due to being "cracked in half".  I never got to see it, but i was told it was pretty sad.  A new one has been working it's way across the united states for the last week.  I am hopeful that by the end of next week i will have all of my windows and exterior doors installed.  My Dad is being a bit more optimistic and including most (he says all sometimes) of the new siding installed around the house.  Once the siding is up ... drywall, tile, and move in party!!!

Inspiring Heat Wave

I am more then over Global warming. What's up with the crazy weather? Doesn't Berkeley know it's not supposed to be 80 degrees here ... ever! While I bake in my house I've decided I don't have nearly the appropriate amount of skirts of this weather so I pulled out a favorite skirt, cute stash fabric, and grabbed the dress form to fix this dilemma. So far I have a grey cherry blossom fabric lined with a creme colored bamboo blend since the main fabric was kind of thin.

Progress so far has been to drape and French seam the body and lining, which are two yards a piece of a circle skirt style. I've started to play with a center back zipper and the shirring for the waist. I'm thinking a flat waistband to help keep the fullness under control at the waist

Below is how far it's come...

House Week 8 & 9: New Beginnings

Over the last two weeks i have been more than waist deep in house.  Last week was the second where my parents and i took a week off from our lives and busted through as much as possible with the house.  For Mom and I this meant three FULL days of painting primer on to the back of the new siding for the house.  Who knew that we could burn out the motors on airless paint sprayers so quickly : )

My father decided he wanted a partner this trip and brought up the handyman that has been working with him on projects for their house for the last few years.  Together they got most of the electrical boxes wired, the water main replaced, most of the water piping placed/saudered, all of the gas mapped out and ready to go, and even a couple of windows in place!  Not bad for losing four of the seven days to "mis-communication" between the contractor and reality.

We spent the weekend trying to get caught up with the framing and i'm excited to say all of the exterior walls are up.  It looks tons bigger than before, which we only added 200 square feet so i guess it really is just the perception.  I really love how the house is turning out and how patience my father has been with me about all of the silly details during each phase of the project.

Wk 8: Framing for the New Foundation


Wk 9: The new West Side of the House


Wk 9: View out of the back bedroom

Next week ... Pictures of the new faucets, sinks, toilet, and more!!!

A little bit of Spare Time

I have managed to find ten minutes here and there over the last couple of weeks to work on a summer dress that's been kicking around since mid winter. Last night I was finally able to get past the basic setting of the facings, I hate facings. I wish everything just clean finished itself. Don't get me wrong...I understand their functional purpose...just hate edgestitching something that is only 2" wide. Oh well, it's nearly ready in time for my trip to NY! Here is the fabric, pics of the dress to come this week while it finally gets hemmed.

Things to do with Lemons: Lemon Poppyseed Bread

A new breakfast favorite and super quick is ... Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

I have modified this from one of my favorite baking books "The Joy of Vegan Baking" swapping the blueberries with poppy seeds and a couple of other small changes.  Don't get me wrong, blueberries rock!  But poppy seeds are scrumptious and i have a small stock pile of them that i've been using this recipe to wind through.

I prefer Almond Milk when baking over other non dairy milks like soy or rice milk as it's thick.  Much thicker and closer to the consistency of cows milk.  Also if you buy it unsweetened it has as little as 35 calories a cup!  Nearly a quarter of most milks and i find the flavor to be rich, yet not over powering.  I have successfully made this recipe with rice milk with complete success as well. I recommended that you experiment and find what is the best for your cooking style and flavor palette.

This can be made either as a single loaf, 12 regular muffins, or 24 mini muffins.  I lean towards the loaf and mini muffins to help with portion control, these are tasty and i have to watch i don't eat a batch in a night.  Please note that the cooking times will vary depending upon what you decide to go with, here are some approximates:

a) loaf = 55 minutes @ 385F (somewhere between the 375 and 400 marks)
b) regular muffins = 25 minutes @ 400F
c) mini muffins = 22 minutes (check these often to ensure they don't burn) @ 400F

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached flour
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Zest of 2 lemons
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 1/8 cup of almond milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tbl white distiller vinegar
3/4 cup poppy seeds

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven based on the type of item you are making and lightly grease your pans.  I use earth balance sticks and run them all over the inside of the pan or muffin trays.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in a bowl.  (I recommend buying a micro-planer is you like lemons, it will save you hours on tasks like these)
3. In a separate bowl combine sugar, milk, oil, lemon extract, and vinegar.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and add the poppy seeds.
5. Pour into your pan of choice.  If muffins only fill 2/3's of the way full as these grow!
6. Cook as per above chart.  They are ready when an inserted toothpick come out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 5 minutes to help the tops to not crack.
8. Remove from the pans and cool on wire racks
9. Enjoy!!!