Saturday 26 June 2010

Foodie Day


What better way to enjoy lunch than this? Pasty from up the road, quality ale, and my favourite paper in the seclusion of our back yard on one of the hottest days this year. We have had a bit of a foodie day today, having got up early to harvest our first potato crop of the year at the allotment. I can take very little credit for the produce from our plot. That is M's domain, and I have to say he works incredibly hard. He chronicles these adventures on his own site here. We are very fortunate with our plot, being in a beautiful location next to the river. I went down there this week to be greated by a majestic family of swans.

Here are a couple of pics of the plot itself. I am always pleased to see the broad beans come up, not only due to my love of the vegetable, but because the flowers are so pretty. Much underrated in my opinion.



We had a rather successful dinner today. We go to the End of the Road festival in North Dorset every year, and last year tucked into a cheesy lamb bourek. I thought I'd attempt to develop my own recipe, and have to say it went rather well. So lucky readers, here it is....

Lamb and Mozzarella Boureks (makes 2)

1 red onion, chopped
2 red chillis, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
250g minced lamb
1/2tsp coriander seeds
1/2tsp caraway seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds
3/4tsp sea salt
1/2tbsp tomato puree
2tbsp lemon juice
2 tinned chargrilled red peppers, chopped
1 ball mozzarella, grated
1tsp dried coriander leaves
6 sheets filo pastry (pre-prepared)
butter for brushing

Preheat oven Gas Mark 6/200C

Dry fry the spices and grind in a pestle and mortar with the salt.
Fry the onion, garlic, chilli until soft, add the meat and brown. Add the spices, cook for 2 min and stir in the tomato puree, lemon juice and chopped peppers. Once cooked, leave mixture to cool whilst you prepare the pastry.
Layer 3 sheets of filo, brushing with butter between layers, laying them directly on top of one another. Spoon half the meat mixture in the middle, approx 2in from one end. Top with half the cheese and half the coriander leaves. Brush the exposed pastry with butter, fold the sides into the middle and brush them with butter. Roll up the pastry into a parcel and place on a greased baking tray. Repeat to make the other bourek. You can scatter them with caraway/cumin to decorate if you like.
Bake for 25 min and serve with salad and a dollop of houmous. Enjoy!

All the time I am typing these blog posts, I am doing so with a kitten on my lap. The lovely Tilly was new to us at new year with her friend Pootle2 (M named her after our first, sadly departed cat as an homage to the Simpsons). They are pictured below on my Marmite quilt, crafted for me by my Mum when I was away at uni. Tilly in particular seems to have become rather attached to me over the past few months, and it is no exaggeration to say that she either sits on or watches me for the most of my time at home. Slightly oddly, she has adopted the printer as a bed, and seems to sleep quite deeply even when falling off...


Friends of mine will no doubt be surprised that it has taken me this long to blog about the kittens, and I haven't even mentioned my car yet (Fiat 500, i love love love it). Maybe another day.


I said I'd show you how the christening card went, so here it is. I mounted the fabric using spray adhesive 3M Display Mount. At more than £13 a pop it isn't cheap, but really can't be beaten for things like this. It's particularly good to mount fabrics or skeleton leaves on paper and card, avoiding ugly blobs of glue. Also stabilises the fabric at the same time as mounting it. I sprayed a piece of card and applied it to the back of the work whilst still taut in the frame, and cut to size once dry. I then sprayed the back of the cut card and applied to the main card.


I'm really pleased, and hopefully it will make a nice keepsake.

Thursday 24 June 2010

Quick note...

I just saw the new blog by Loop's JuJu, and she linked to a number of blogs including this one covering the opening party. The reason I pick out this particular one is M has been photo'd assuming the husband's bench outside. He's slightly horrified at being papped outside a knit shop! A few photos later, we are also seen looking through the books on the sofa. Definate proof I was there!

Tuesday 22 June 2010

I've been busy!


I have been full of knitting fervor since my inspirational visit to Loop, and have managed to not only finish socks for Mum (Christmas preparations starting early as always this year), but also had time to crochet the fanfare cowl from this months Inside Crochet. It was the only pattern that really appealled from

this issue unfortunately, and I'm not the only one to say the same via Ravelry. Although overall I prefer the feel of knitted fabric, being more durable than crochet, crochet really suits these types of project that benefit from a bit of structure and 3-dimensionality. The other benefit of crochet is how quickly the work grows - a real plus for those of us who appreciate a bit of instant gratification (this particular vice is properly tested when it comes to exercise...).
I am pleased with how this has turned out, and much prefer my version with hand-dyed yarn than the one in the mag. I used Malabrigo Worsted in Lettuce forthe body, and Malabrigo Twist in Teal for the trim.


I have made an outfit for my Goddaughter's christening, and this cowl will coordinate beautifully with the skirt. The skirt is a McCall pattern I've used a couple of times, and the fabric mainly from Fabrics Galore. The trim fabric that I have also used for the tunic is 'Hushabye by Tula Pink for Moda. I also made the fabric flower pin worn on the tunic, taken from an Amy Butler tunic pattern. The scarf and t-shirt are from this seasons White Stuff and the colours are a perfect match. I've feeling rather pleased with myself!
I've been thinking about what to do about a christening card, and had an idea to embellish a square of great fabric called 'Polly Goes to Paris' by Henry Glass. I bought this from The Eternal Maker last year at the Knit and Stitch Show at Ally Pally. I'll show you how it goes!












Next on the agenda has been inspired by yarnbombing, pictures of people holding up beautiful lace shawls that I'd love to knit but not wanting to shell out on lots of lace yarn (tight-wad), and a currently vacant window frame in our house just waiting to be filled! The other day I was looking at said space and commented to M that I'd love to commision a stained glass window for it, but can't afford it. I was also looking at lots of yarnbombing which filled me with an irresistable urge to knit and crochet every available bannister in the house. M was definately not up for this - it seems he has his limits! Ta da! Why not knit and crochet a 'stained-glass' panel? No, I can't think of a reason not to either, and it gives me oppertunity to use those gorgeous little balls of yarn that I couldn't buy before without an idea on how to use them.
By the by, the oil painting in the photo is one of mine, and as far as I'm concerned my best piece to date. The painting has taken a back seat while I move further into the world of textiles, but I'm sure I'll get back to it when the mood takes me.

For those of you who are unaware of yarnbombing and wondered what sort of explosive freakery I'm referring to, here are some particularly good examples:

(Phone box copyright KnitTheCity)


I think that's quite enough for today or I'll be blogging too long to get any more crafting done! Socks to knit, cards to make, etc, etc .......

Sunday 20 June 2010

Loop Opening 19th June 2010

Welcome to my first blog! I thought it would be a nice record to keep of my craft projects and musings, and maybe there's a remote possibility someone else might enjoy reading it too. I probably wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for the brilliant Ravelry website, and spurred on by meeting so many Ravellers at the opening party detailed below.


So, the day finally arrived that my favourite yarn shop moved to their new home in Camden Passage, Islington. We started early in order to join in the crush of over-excited knitters and crocheters, who were almost tipped into full-on mania by the luring combination of gorgeous yarn and vast amounts of tasty cake. Everything was stunning from the goods themselves to the charmingly understated shop-fit and even the pretty paper plates. They even had their own sweets commissioned for the event!

The man outside the shop was a typical sight of the day, and my husband spent approximately 1.5 hours assuming a similar position whilst waiting for me to pay for my obviously much needed stash.

I am proud to say that, despite journeying the 3 hours by train from Dorset, we were one of the first to get inside this crafters mecca. You can imagine my glee to be rewarded for my efforts with a rather lovely, and may I say generous, goodie bag pictured below left.
















I bought a mix of differing weight yarns for a few projects. I have seen a Fanfare Cowl crochet pattern in this months Inside Crochet I am going to make an approximation of, and I am busily working through the book "Knitted Socks, East and West". I couldn't resist the beautiful Misti Alpaca sock yarn with it's dizzying mix of colours, all evocative of summer fruits and picnics in the sun. I can see a pair of festival socks in the making!