My knitting

My knitting has taken a back seat to my weaving right now.  Sunday evenings at Starbucks is about the only time I have to knit right now.  I am in the middle of two projects (only two? you ask).

An afghan – which I have been working on for about 3 years now and I figure I will be done in about a year or two.  No sense rushing these things.

And a pair of socks, which I have been working on for several months.  Usually I am quicker with the socks, but for some reason I am really going slow with this pair.

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The shawl

I finished the shawl.  I took pictures of the pattern as it appeared on the loom because I just love the way it changes after I wash the item.  I made no sample of this before I made it, I just followed the directions in Handwoven magazine (September/October 2009, p. 48; Budget Bamboo Shawl).

Bamboo shawl

The Shawl on the loom, a closeup

When I took it off the loom, it looked like this:

showing the off the loom pattern

Off the loom - half the width of the shawl

bamboo shawl close up

Close up

Then I washed it – WOW! I just love the feel of this shawl!  and the drape! and the heft of the fabric!

bamboo shawl weaving

One last picture!

I originally intended to make two and I forgot to wind a long enough warp for two, but I left the warp ends threaded after I cut off the shawl.  I am ready to attach the new warp directly onto this one.  I am going to change the treadling a little.  I can’t wait to see how this new one comes out…

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Progress

Fixed that problem and now I’m all threaded:

Threaded, tied on, and ready to go

Threaded, tied-on, and ready to go.

Started to weave:

Weaving shawl bamboo

about 10 inches into the shawl

Actually, I had started to weave and had finished about 4 inches when I realized that I was treadling it all wrong.  I was supposed to do: 1,3,1,3,1,2.  Instead I was happily treadling: 1,3,1,3,1,3,…   So, I painstakingly undid the every weft thread and started over again.  I’m glad I did.

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Grain-free, dairy free, and sugar free Pumpkin pie

Pumpkin Pie

I found this recipe here:

Allergen-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe: gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, sugar-free, dairy-free

This recipe comes from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

The pie crust was very easy to make.  I used the coconut oil for the crust.  Depending on how this tastes, I want to try the crust using butter instead of coconut oil  Also, I am looking for a good nut crust instead of the coconut crust.  But hey, I should give this a chance before I start planning new ways of making it.  Though in general I like nut crusts, I am going to miss the nice flaky crust that flour, butter, shortening, and water give.  But for the sake of my health, it is worth it.

Instead of honey I used 4 packages Truvia.  One tip, let the coconut milk get warm so that the coconut fat can be easily mixed into the liquid.

It seemed a bit weepy when I took it out of the oven.  I am counting on the fact that custard pies, like this pumpkin pie, actually continue to cook when they are taken out of the oven; at least for a while.

It is out of the oven, but the text says it tastes better the following day, after having been in the refrigerator all night.

I made the pie in a 10 inch pie plate because I always find that the recipe over-fills the 9 inch pie plate – and I mean that happens to me with all pumpkin pie recipes.

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My Thanksgiving challenge

I am going to try to make a pumpkin pie without dairy, grains, or sugar.  I intend to use coconut milk as a substitute for milk; grated unsweetened coconut and chopped pecans for the crust (and either coconut oil or butter to hold it together); and Truvia for the sweetener.

I found a great recipe for a mixture of root vegies that does not include any butter, milk, or sugar.  I can’t wait to try it out.

Off to the kitchen!

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Warping a loom has its setbacks

I was careful; very careful.  I counted and separated the yarn into groups of block repeats (6 threads each).  Then I counted out all the heddles I needed for that particular repeat of blocks (in this case there were 17 repeats of block B). This is a Bronson lace – 2,1,3,1,3,1.  I had already done a bit and I was picking up where I left off.

Right off the bat I ended up with an extra end.  I must have miscounted one of my bundles.  I easily rectified that as I went along.  However, I noticed, as I continued, that I had double sleyed some of the dents.  I had sleyed the warp 1 end per dent in a 15 dent reed – or so I thought. So I pulled the ‘second’ ends out and put them to the right.

I finished sleying – yeah! But why do I have an end left over?  I might have miscounted as I wound the warp.  As I went through the warp lining it up with the reed I noticed this:

Can you see the problem?

Right in the middle!  Nothing to do but to re-thread each and every heddle!  Arg.  Tea break first.

Well, I sucked it in and finished threading.  Now to tie on and wind on to the back beam.  Let’s see what further adventures I have going forward….

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