How to make Pistachio Icecream

Ingredients

100g of Pistachio Merino
1 bag of Pure Mulberry silk (white)
1 bag of raw Alpaca (white)

Method

First wash some white alpaca fleece and leave to dry.  The drying process can be aided by gentle teasing and fluffing especially during times of irritability, stress or absent-mindedness.

Next, on a drum carder, add a layer pistachio merino wool, followed by a layer of pure mulberry silk and finally the teased and fluffed alpaca.  Don't scrimp now, we want generous portions especially of the silk.  When you think you've added enough.....add a little more.
 
And finally, blend to a smooth consistency, about three times through the carder should do it.

Leave somewhere cool until ready to serve....

...with a glass of chilled white wine and a good dollop of sunshine.....Enjoy :0)

Yummy!

 

I'm also rather pleased to be able to add a picture of something finished and blocked.

Annis 

I'm quite pleased with it but the point is off-centre so it is a little botched but I still like it.  I'm pleased with the fine spinning and I love the colour.

 

 

It looks rather like the beginnings of a Cheshire Cat blocking on my living room wall. I may just have to leave it there.

Happy crafting ... X x X

Onwards and Upwards

As a general rule I try to resist the urge to cheer myself up by buying stuff*.  This is partly down to practicalities (we just don't have much money) and partly down to an unwillingness to accept that the worlds economic problems can be cured if we just spend, spend, spend.

But, I must admit, I have strayed from my path of righteousness and got myself a NEW PHONE.  My last one was over 2 yrs old (which in phone years makes it ancient) and I also wanted something that took good photos.  And yes I admit it,  I was totally seduced by the touch screen. Once it was in my sweaty little palm I wasn't going to leave the shop without it!  And of course, what's the first thing any like-minded person would do on purchasing a new phone......

Yep, knit it a little bag!!

The Annis Shawl is now at a more manageable stage as I'm onto good ol' stocking stitch...

I really struggled with the lace pattern at the beginning of this, it was relatively simple but I often thought I was decreasing in the wrong direction and that it would end up looking a mess.  Time will tell, I'll see how it blocks.

And finally, here is a bit more of the silk...

All these pics were taken with my new phone and I have to say, I do love it.

I shan't mention the assignment resubmission.  I haven't had a chance to meet with my tutor so for now its (hovering) on the back burner.  I have had a good attempt at getting my files in order though.  Today is my last full day to myself before my last placement beginnings.  As from Monday I shall be a Reception class full time for 7 weeks (just writing that makes me feel like I need a lie down!).  It remains to be seen whether I get any crafting in let alone the chance to blog about it.

So for now I shall just enjoy the peace and freedom and maybe get out into the sunshine.

TTFN X



* The obviously doesn't include wool, fibres, needles, spinning accessories etc which are just the necessities of life!

On Learning Life's Lessons

1). Its not easy....
2). It often hurts...
3). Its the only way to avoid more of the same!!

I'm gradually coming through the disappointment of failing my assignment and all that remains is the odd prick of embarrassment and shame when I remember it could have been avoided.

To set the scene....when submitting our final assignments for the course we could chose which level we wanted to submit at...Masters or Honours (to put it simply that's Brilliant or Good) and me in my vanity submitted at Masters.  With the benefit of hindsight I can see now that my effort was no way near Masters standard and was quite rightly a fail.  My vanity was in thinking I could go about my usual way (taking on too much, coping with girls, getting distracted by Facebook, Ravelry or wool on the web!!) and be able to bash out an essay at Masters level in between hanging out the washing and making the tea.  Maybe it was more naivety than vanity.

So the question I need to ask myself is Do I want a Masters? and if so how much?  Do I want to give up my crafting/knitting/spinning time to books, research, rewriting? Or do I accept that its not for me, I only need to re-submit at Honours (with a bit of tweaking) to pass?

And here's the learning bit....part of that decision could lie in me recognising I already have many other talents to value and celebrate, do I really need to go chasing after ones I don't?

Maybe if I had submitted at Honours in the first place I could have avoided the disappointment and the shame and all those other 'orrible feelings I like to avoid.....but where's the fun in that eh?

But this is primarily a knitting/crafting blog so here is the crafty content.  Ironically,  I've been having similar problems in the yarn world.  The Annis Shawl is being a bit of a beast, not least as it required casting on 300+ stitches!  I have frequently felt confused and lost with it and considered ripping it all out and starting again.  Then, when I take a bit of time to focus and concentrate I find that I was doing it right all along....Knitting imitating Life maybe?

If you got this far....thank you.  Hopefully, my next instalment shall be easier on the eye with some pictures of my latest projects.

TTFN x x



TTFN x x