Quick Project

I just had to share this picture of my new dishcloth. I was in the mood for a quick, instant gratification project, and found this pattern in one of my Lily Sugar 'n Cream booklets. It's just a simple variation on a granny square, and and a great way to use up cotton remnants. Yes, it looks a little old fashioned, but I love that. I crocheted it up in an hour, while sitting on the back porch with Morty this morning. I still have lots of cotton yarn, and I'll be making plenty more of these simple cloths.

Psalm 30:4-6 (King James Version)

Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.

Lord, you know I've had a very hard day. Please help me get past it...

Striped Scarf In Progress

I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I had browsed through the project pages on Ravelry, to see the work of others who'd knitted this scarf. Most Ravelers paired a bright colorway with a muted one. Since all I had was two muted ones, I was a little skeptical about the results. I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised. While my scarf may not have the striking contrasts of the others, I still like it. When I shop Woolie Ewe's annual year-end sale, I'm going to pay special attention to the Noro yarns. I want to make another scarf using colorways I pick out specifically to go together. It will be intersting to see which one is prettier.

I Feel Better

Well, I started a thread in the Remnants forum on Ravelry. I told of the goal I'd set for myself, and the new yarn purchased Sunday. According to my fellow Ravelers, I haven't failed, because technically the yarn was a gift...

"You have not failed. You said no, and your husband got you a gift. Don’t feel bad - kiss him a lot for supporting your desires!"-ps28vs7
(Yes, he has always supported my yarn habit with no complaints)

"Hell no! It’d be rude to refuse a gift…."-Maiasmummy
(Well, I wouldn't want to be rude...)

"I am knitting from stash this year as well. New yarn (for me) is okay as long as it is A) a gift, B) purchased to help finish (or make) a project using at least some of the stash or C) not often, because honestly going cold turkey for a year would be impossible for me..."-peanutknits
(Oh, good. Some guidelines. This will make my goal less painful, and more likely to succeed...)

"A wise knitter once said to me that a yarn diet is one thing, yarn starvation is a whole ‘nother matter."-zoec
(wise words, indeed)

"Hihi, if you failed I did too… I didn’t wanna buy any more fiber before the stash isn’t down by quite a bit. Yaaa, that’s why there’s half a pound of cashmere sitting next to me snugglesnuggle. I swear I only wanted an ounce to try it out as I had never spun cashmere before, it was my hubby’s idea that I needed more than that. I will not fight against gifts of cashmere, really not, I don’t have the willpower to refuse softness."-Asherra
(Ah, husbands are the biggest enablers...)

So I'm going to knit up my new bag free of guilt. Thanks, Ravelry, once again, for your help. :)
If you'd like to learn more about spinning yarn, click here to visit Asherra's website, written in both English and German. Caution: Fiber addiction is sure to occur...

Unachieved Goal :(

I enjoyed making my first Booga Bag so much that I just couldn’t wait to start another one. Today, while I was looking through Tuesday Morning’s craft section, I happen to spot this beautiful yarn from Ella Rae. There were only three balls of it, so I’m going to knit the bottom with some Cascade from my stash. Yes, I know I said I wasn't going to buy anymore yarn for the rest of the year, and I honestly started to walk away. Dave, never one to pass up a good bargain, wouldn't let me leave without it...so blame him....and tomorrow is my birthday after all...Yes, I know he already bought me a needle case, but...

Chalupa Recipe

Dave and I have a great recipe for chalupas. I just had some, and I enjoyed them so much, I wanted to pass the recipe on to my readers.

Chalupas
1 onion (or half onion if you prefer)
1 lb ground meat (Dave and I use turkey)
1 taco seasoning packet
1 can of refried beans (we use Rosarita fat free beans with cilantro and lime)
toppings of your choice (we use lettuce shreds, tomatos, cheese, salsa)
Brown ground meat and onions together. Add taco seasoning, and stir until completely mixed (you may have to add a bit of water). Add refried beans, and heat through. Assemble your chalupa, and enjoy.
If you'd like to make your own shells, here is Dave's recipe:
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, followed by a single layer of white corn tortillas (tortillas can touch, but not overlap). Give each on a shot of fat free cooking spray, and salt to taste. Bake in oven until golden brown (our oven takes about 10-12 minutes per panful).

The bean/meat mixture can be refrigerated, and reheated later for another meal. I like to use it to make nachos, a taco salad, or just as a dip.

Finished Booga Bag

My Booga Bag is complete, and I'm so proud of it. In fact, I've thoroughly enjoyed everything about this project. The pattern is very well written, it's a fast, easy knit, and the yarn was a dream to work with. Plus, I learned a new skill! The felting process was the scariest part, because this is the first time I've felted something bigger than a cat toy. It took three passes through the washer, about a day and a half to dry, but I did it! The only drawback (and it's really not a big drawback as far as I'm conserned) is that if you look closely, you can still see a little stitch definition. I suppose I could have run it though the wash again, but I chose not to. The more felting, the smaller the bag, and this bag is the perfect size for my needs. I highly recommend this project to anyone who wants to venture into felting, but feels intimidated by the process. If I can do it, trust me, you can do it, too.