the emotional life of sølje

I decided to make snail trail blocks for the WASIQ (Washington State Internet Quilters) swap this year. Well, my first problem was a bad cut with the original two fabrics I had… and I ran out of both. Searching the USA, I found the Washington State Rhododendron fabric (in Illinois I think!), but I wasn’t able to get a clear match on the Cherrywood fabric. It didn’t matter so much, but it’s very noticeable in my “rejects” top I am in the process of making right now. These blocks didn’t meet the 9.5″ unfinished size (13 of them!! grrrr), but at least I was able to do something constructive with them. I need to make three more blocks to have a 4×4 config. I may have enough of the Washington State Rhodie fabric to extend the outside blocks for a clean ending. We’ll see.

Needless to say, I think that a snail trail block is best created with paper piecing… this was the pits. In the end, I have made 33 of these puppies. 20 will be swapped, and I need to make 3 more for my “reject” top. 36 snail trails. ick. I did print off some snails on BJS treated fabric that I planned to add to the blocks, but I am not sure I want to do that or not. I may whip stitch them onto the back of the block for the receiver to decide.

Gracie approves.

Tags: Quilting by Solje
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After picking about 5cups of blackberries (Kevin has been eating the ones that border our fence, or I would have had more to work with!), I had enough for a dessert. I didn’t want to do a pie or cobbler, and just happened upon this recipe from one of my specialized books. It is delish!

From The Vanilla Chef(by Patricia Rain)

White Nectarine and Blackberry Upside-Down Cake

Any fresh stone fruits and berries can be used instead of nectarines. Pineapple or pears can also be substituted. The one constant is the lusciousness of the cake drenched in the caramelized juices and sugars from the fruits.

If possible, bake this cake in a ten-inch cast-iron skillet, as you can prepare the topping in the skillet, and then add the cake, thereby eliminating an extra pan. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, substitute a 9×3 inch round pan and increase baking time by 10-15 minutes.

Ingredients:
Topping
4TBS unsalted butter
¾ cup light brown sugar
4 nectarines, pitted and sliced
1 cup blackberries (or raspberries)
1 vanilla bean

Cake
1 ½ cup unbleached flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
3 TBS cornmeal
pinch of salt
8 TBS unsalted butter, room temp.
1 cup plus 2 TBS granulated sugar
4 eggs at room temp, separated
1 TBS vanilla extract
2/3 cup whole or 2% milk (soy or rice milk can be substituted)

Instructions:
Melt 4 TBS butter over medium heat; add brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 mins, swirling pan to distribute evenly. Cut vanilla bean open and scrape seeds into the mixture. Save bean for another use. Arrange fruit slices in concentric circles in the pan, then sprinkle berries over all, filling in any empty spaces.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, cornmeal and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar, beating until batter is light and fluffy. Beat in yolks and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl with a spatula. Reduce speed to low and add dry mixture and milk.

Beat egg whites in a large bowl at low speed until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high, beating to soft peaks. Gradually add 2 TBS sugar and continue to beat to stiff peaks.

Fold one-quarter of beaten egg whites into batter with spatula to lighten mixture. Fold in remaining whites until no white streaks remain. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly on top of fruit, being careful not to move fruit around.

Bake until top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean (not dipped into fruit), about 45-50 minutes.

Place cake on a cooling rack for about 2 minutes. Slide a paring knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it. Then, using pot-holder, place a serving platter over the skillet tightly. Invert the cake onto the platter. If any fruit sticks to the pan, remove it and position on top of the cake.

Serve warm with vanilla-whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Tags: A Family Affair by Solje
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I can’t wait to be done with this sweater–not to wear (it’s still summer!), but to get it off the needles. I am now done with the length for the back, and am on to finishing up the corners. As this yarn progresses, I am finding that there is such a variation in the dark/lightness of the dye, that I don’t think it will be as much of a problem as I first anticipated. Looking at the last few rows of the back, there is a lot of light colored yarn coming through. I may end up with a lot of dye release when I block.

The first picture shows my altered finished yoke (pictured from the front). I did 4 rounds with two decrease rounds. If the back was made the same as the front, I would have had to do more decreases to suit me. I tried it on to see how it sat… it felt really nice. I am glad that I reworked the back as I had. BTW, the yarn I used to finish the neckline edging is from the same skein that I used for the front.

Oh… and a cute little flat sheep courtesy of Daniel

We happened upon these painted sheep from the last time we were at the Seattle Center. Daniel took a picture of every single flat sheep we passed after I pointed out the first one! LOL! I don’t know the reason they were there… but we liked them.

I figured any knitter would enjoy seeing one… so here it is!

Tags: Knitting by Solje
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Just an update… first, a pic from the company picnic we went to on Sunday…
My future Washington State University Coug! Hey Nikki, isn’t he cute in his Lil’ Coug hat? hehee!

And an update on the Heartbeat Sweater progress. I have about 28 more rows before I am finished with the length, and then I just have to finish the rows to the corners. I am a little mixed on it. I am tired of the yarn, and I am upset with myself that I didn’t realize just “how” different the two skeins were. I wish I went with three other skeins in this apparent colorway, they were much paler but matched much better. I bought the skeins off eBay from an independent yarn dyer. I don’t remember who. But I am not exactly pleased… but I have invested so much time in this that the thought of ripping right now does not excite me. Maybe in a few years when I have forgotten.

Front, Revised back, And opened up (where you can really see the difference).

Tags: A Family Affair, Knitting by Solje
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A few days ago I wrote about my attempt to secure a copy of Alan Dart’s gnome pattern via the publisher. Well for goodness sake, if the pattern is so dang popular, why not put it out there as a downloadable purchase?? This morning I got a response about my (so I thought) purchase of the booklet that included the gnome pattern:

Dear Melissa

Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding the Bumper Book of Knitting, unfortunately your order has not been processed because the book is no longer available due to exhausted stock.
I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, however should you require any further assistance in the meantime please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards
DataEntry

This following one of my comments on my intial feeling irritated post below about how to find it:

I also found that I could order a booklet that is suppose to have the pattern in it. And of course right now I can’t find the link, but I think it is in “The Bumper Book of Knitting” http://www.simplyknitting.co.uk/page/simplyknitting?entry=alan_dart_s_gnomes1 (obviously just found the link!), or of course still mailing a check is optional. I haven’t received that booklet yet, but have ordered it.

If nothing else take the link down, Simply Knitting. So is the Christmas issue add-in that it originally came in also not available due to “exhausted stock”? Unfortunately does that mean we would have to wait for a check to make it’s round trip back over the Atlantic?

I have seen the free magazine add-in booklet that the gnome pattern originally came in on eBay.

Tags: Knitting by Solje
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Kevin has been trying to talk me into heading over to Edmonds for some sunset shots over the Olympics. Today after hitting Costco, I finally agreed. I’ve been having an off week, so even though most of my own shots really stunk (very grainy, didn’t have my settings right on some shots), it was nice to watch the sunset.

We had quite a long list of shipping methods pass us by while taking pics. A tug pulling a barge (my shots were grainy and sucked), two trains, a plane (granted, this wasn’t a cargo plane), and a fully stocked cargo ship heading north towards the Pacific Ocean. Quite a lesson in how we get our goods.

I like to take pictures with the idea in mind that a quilt or some great piece of fiber art will happen. So far, nothing has really grabbed me. I have a few other shots from tonight on my flickr site, but nothing that exciting, IMO. Click through one of the pics above.

Tags: Washington State by Solje
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