I tried a new egg dyeing method, adding the dye to the egg cooking water, and was rewarded with easy to color eggs. I only did two colors and I supplemented the dye with some Wilton's food coloring paste because the dye bath was very dilute. I used so much more water with this method than the traditional method. Of course, that meant there was a lot of color remaining in the pan. So, I threw in a few little skeins of pink lambswool that I have used in another yarn recycling project. Easter will live on in whatever I use these little bits of yarn for.
I've just finished another hat, this one in a cheerful spring green. It's made out of Elsawool, the most luscious, wonderous wool. American made. There really is an Elsa, Her shop ships yarn and already knitted clothing. I bought yarn. Cormo wool to be exact. Woolen Spun.
This hat is knit using her worsted weight, woolen spun yarn in white, held with a laceweight light blue merino, harvested from a sweater hunted down at one of my favorite thrift stores. I designed the hat on the needles, making it asymetrical. US6 for the hat, US 4 for the brim. The hat, once knitted, was dyed with Wilton's food coloring paste using kelly green and brown. Stovetop method. It ended up taking two trips through the dye to get good coverage. I thought the hat was too short so added a ribbed cuff after the fact, necessitating more dyed yardage. This time I did not add the blue merino and I dyed the yarn before knitting. I am so pleased with this hat, the end result is a cheerful spring accessory that will keep me warm and remind me of Elsa, the shepardess in Colorado.
Although not very many made a showing this year, the daffodils that did are instant smile makers. These were rescued from the front hedge, a wet heavy snow had them nearly flattened under the weight. The blooms brightened the kitchen every day and made it possible to believe that winter was losing the battle with spring. Daffodils make it easier to wait for the trees to leaf.
My next yarn rescue plan is well underway, a squishy extrafine merino trapped in a sweater that won't fit me. Sadly, the zip front was steeked and a total loss as yarn yardage. The back and sleeves are now harvested and the back made one large, unbroken hank. I'm thinking shawlette. It's been washed and is hanging to dry, but here is the beginning.
FOOD CHANNEL update...
The calendar says spring, but I am baking as though it were the middle of winter. Cinnamon rolls. From scratch. Mmmm.
Homemade chicken enchiladas, these were so good. The chicken was cooked in the crock pot with tex-mex seasoning and peppers and onions.
This hearty Japanese noodle dish turned out great. I added a bunch of portobello mushrooms and broccoli and garlic to a boxed Asian noodle dinner.
Banana bread, with extra banana. And cinnamon and ginger. The boys loved it.
Chicken (shredded), mushrooms and grape tomatoes added to a cheese pizza. Levi and I have been loading a bunch of different ingredients onto cheese pizzas picked up at the grocery store in the freezer section. We use them as bases for experimentation. Travis will still only eat the cheese pizza portion.
Pumpkin muffins with mashed banana. These were fantastic. I will be making more of these. I started with a pumpkin bread mix from Aldi and added a large banana and some extra ginger. If there are ever any left, I think they would freeze well.
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