Reuben Sandwich

I've always loved Reuben Sandwich's.  I did not have corned beef and cabbage on the 17th since I was expecting my sister, the Sky Goddess to be here to cook, but she didn't come in until today.  I cooked the corned beef by it's lonesome and got some Bubbies Sauerkraut, and some Swiss cheese.  For the bread, I decided to use that bread flour I've had in stash for a while. Of course this lead to shopping for the other items needed like rye flour. 

I used the recipe from the Smitten Kitchen.  Some of the recipes have pickle juice in them so I picked this one because it did not have any.  This was a fussy recipe which created a sponge, and was kneaded about 4 times. The author warns 8 hours is needed to make this.   The only modification I made besides grinding my caraway seeds,  was to bake it in a bread pan on 375 degrees for 45 mininues, instead of a round loaf on a pan sprinkled with cornmeal, with slashes in the top.  If I must say so myself it was  a big success, even with the puka (hole) that formed.

The Sky Goddess whipped up some easy Russian dressing for the inside.  This was the first time I'd tried the Bubbies Sauerkraut, and it was delish!  Mom whipped up a salad some Admiral Guiler's Turtle Soup to top off the meal.  On a side note, the Bubbies site says the Chinese invented sauerkraut!  Learn something new every day.

Crochet Bucket Hats

A friend tasked me with crocheting a hat for her grand daughter.  She had a sample which was too small.  The first one came out large enough for an adult.  I didn't use a pattern.  For the other I used a cute Japanese pattern.

Pattern:  210-24 Summer Hat, by Pierrot (Gosyo Co., Ltd)  Free!
Yarn:  Plymouth Jeanne DK.  The red is aran.
Hook:  F and H
Half the fun is making different flowers.  I experimented with my Crazy Daisy Winder in the bottom left corner.  I'm not happy with the  centers.  There are some good you tubes that I will follow next time.  I ordered the new improved Han-ami flower loom made by clover, so some more hats are sure to follow.  These are so fast to make!  I just wish I had more colors of the Jeannee DK.  The aran is a bit thick.
Mods:  I wasn't sure how to the lace so I just winged it from the picture.

Totoro eyeglass holder filled out the mosaic :)

Ravellenic 2014 Team Aloha

 I didn't make the deadline, but at least I finished:)

Pattern:  Aidez
Yarn:  Cascade 128 Superwash, about 8 skeins.
Needles:  10.5

Mods:  I wanted to make this as seamlessly as possible.   I knit the sleeves first and found I had stitch gauge but not row gauge.  I also read that the sleeves run small.  konasf and SageYarn had some helpful notes.  I knit the largest size sleeves. I had a couple of glitches in the crossed cables in the back which mostly block out.  The sweater really grew in length with blocking and is a bit too long.  It is certainly cushy and snugly to wear.

I don't this was the best project for this yarn with the needle size I chose.  It's a bit fuzzy on the cable stitch definition and stretched too much with blocking.  A tighter gauge may have helped.  I did learn that I will have to be more careful next time when joining the sleeves as I ended up with some very loose stitches...okay they are holes:( at the joins.  I've tried other raglan styles before and have come to the conclusion it is not the best arm style for me. 

I do love knitting cables!  Perhaps it's time to think about St. Brigid again.  It has been in my queue forever!

Now with Downton Abbey over for the season, there is a void and I'm sad to say I will frog my Downton Abbey Mystery KAL shawl.  After hibernating it and seeing the finished shawls, I decided the project is not for me. I'm so looking forward to Game of Thrones!

Perhaps I can practice on my new toy.  It spins very well. 

Tasmanian Devil - support spindle in Rose Sheoak and Dymondwood by Malcom Fielding.  I'm hoping for a Moosie in the next herd from Jonathan Bosworth.  A girl can dream.