phila*craft

2011-10-01T15:37:00.001-05:00

a felt rose

2011-09-25T08:36:00.003-05:00

needle felted saturn peach

perspective

2011-09-18T16:23:00.001-05:00

christmas crafting in september

hymn

2011-08-23T10:41:00.001-05:00

what to do with all those little sweater egg cosies

White Winter Hymnal from Sean Pecknold on Vimeo.

blue, blue summer

2011-08-22T08:47:00.005-05:00

though not on my own indigo dyed yarn for knitting kits to be sold at The Waldorf School of Philadelphia holiday fair

both sides of the Big Herringbone Cowl I knit with Blue Sky Worsted in Dungaree
close-up of the indigo dyed duvet my nephew, sisters and I made for his send-off to St. Olaf College (we wrapped marbles to create this effect)
skies above Lake Michigan
Fish Pie Indigo Dip Dyed (say it ten times fast)

a wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom

2011-07-04T09:10:00.000-05:00

happy Independence Day
Heidi Swanson's tutti-frutti crumble filling in a polka dot pie

lac

2011-07-01T07:58:00.002-05:00

Henry's Attic Mikado III dyed with lac extract

recent work at phila*craft gallery

2011-06-29T10:11:00.002-05:00

the boys' handwork including Bruno's spoon and sixth grade doll and a stairway fiber installation by Elio

talkoot

2011-04-14T18:54:00.014-05:00

gathering talents

Somewhere along the way, our barn raising quilt became something wildly unique thanks to the efforts of good sport newbies and experienced parent knitters alike and to the brilliantly scrappy inventiveness of Gretchen Wright, Ilka Cassidy, and Lucy Martinez-Zuviria.

This quilt is so much more than the sum of its parts: hand-knit sock yarn squares, repurposed sweater scraps embellished with embroidery and crochet, a cotton backing "tied" with crazy little crochet motifs. True alchemy.

My darling 7th grade students posing with the quilt are not up for raffle. They're all mine until June 2012. However, if you'd like a chance to win this marvelous quilt, get your tickets HERE.

Thanks to Kim Soles for sweater pickings and for these glamor shots! If you're in the Philadelphia area stop in at Wine Thief bistro in Mt. Airy to see Kim's latest series of nature photographs (and have dinner, too because it's the best place to eat in Mt. Airy/Chestnut Hill).

UPDATE: Many thanks to everyone who bought tickets! The winning ticket belonged to a neighbor of a school parent. Congratulations, Nancy H!!!

pastelio

2011-03-29T15:15:00.001-05:00

elio's pastel drawing

particolari

2011-03-21T20:36:00.002-05:00

embroidery and crochet details on our barn raising quilt

ruffled

2011-03-06T17:56:00.003-05:00

Jane!

This looks like Terhi's Garter Ruffle Shawl knit with worsted and made smaller.
Can't. Wait. For. Film. Release. Date.

cold comfort

2011-02-24T10:40:00.002-05:00

blackberry & spice tea

adapted from Moomins Cookbook: An Introduction to Finnish Cuisine by Tove Jansson and Sami Malila

a little less than 1/2 jar Bonne Maman blackberry preserves
1 t grated fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
2 1/2 c water
juice of one Meyer lemon
1 T slightly crushed cardamom pods

Simmer all ingredients gently for about half an hour and strain before serving. A little filtered water and honey to taste went into the boys' servings.

beaming

2011-02-19T09:55:00.003-05:00

our barnraising quilt coming together

mr micawber

2011-01-30T19:37:00.008-05:00

for True Brit knits

"Any man may be in good spirits and good temper when he’s well dressed. There ain’t much credit in that."
"I am a lone lorn creetur and everythink goes contrairy with me."
"With affection beaming out of one eye, and calculation shining out of the other."
'Ere's Elio in my copy of the feathered lace ladder wrap Belinda was wearing at my sighting of her last year. Cheerio!

fill in the blanks

2011-01-08T11:31:00.004-05:00

join our barn raising

Parent knitters at the Waldorf School of Philadelphia are making a Barn Raising Quilt to raffle at our May Fair.

UPDATE! We've got the squares we need!

thank you!

jingle

2010-12-19T16:13:00.002-05:00

eleventh hour elf hat

I just whipped this up out of an old handknit. Bruno requested something festive to wear tonight when he and some schoolmates play strings for patients at Shriners Hospital for Children.

Merry Christmas!

just right lace

2010-12-15T18:22:00.003-05:00

a not too big, not too small gift scarf

This is the Big Lace Scarf from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I used two hanks of Quince & Co Puffin in Bird's Egg, and knit it up on size 11 needles.

mangi!

2010-11-26T08:00:00.004-05:00

how to make gamberi al diavolo

My nephew (the chef) and a friend (the narrator) show you how to make this Italian classic . . . in Italian. His older brother (the critic) makes a guest appearance.

orbiting

2010-09-30T17:54:00.003-05:00

Ann Hartley's shop

After more than a handful of conversations, Ann and I settled on a plan for the gold hoop earrings I've been wanting for. . .ever. In the process, I learned a bit about the world of metalwork. This ring is one of my favorite things in her design collection. She knits, too.

(photo by hartleystudio)

equinox

2010-09-23T03:09:00.001-05:00

we ( ) autumn

snappy

2010-09-06T07:27:00.006-05:00

apple apricot cake with Snap
about 8 dried apricots (mine were Turkish)
about 2 shots of Snap

A) Macerate the apricots in the Snap for a few hours or overnight.

B) Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9" springform pan. Sift together the following:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

C) Whisk together the following in a second, bigger bowl:

1 cup safflower oil
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla

D) Stir the dry mix into the wet mix. Add the fruit:

3 cooking apples (mine were Gala), cut, cored, and diced into 1/2" pieces
the macerated apricots quartered and their soaking liquid

E) Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about one and a quarter hours. Let the cake cool completely. Store it in an airtight container. It's even better in the days after it's made.

chirpy

2010-09-05T09:10:00.003-05:00

a planner cover

my new Moleskin academic-year calendar covered in a Galbraith and Paul print

summer sampler

2010-08-17T17:11:00.008-05:00

eight feet of cotton and felted wool for a feathered ladder wrap

elio's wallaby all wapped up (sic)

humanist minuscule and cadel practice

the slouch hat from Knitting 24/7

indigo tie-dye with my sisters margie and amy who got some great skillz taking classes at Chicago's Lill Street Art Center

back to school with bells on

2010-08-14T08:23:00.003-05:00

handwork and cooking classes for children and art and handwork classes for adults offered by Waldorf School of Philadelphia faculty this academic year

After-School Handwork Lessons

Grades 1-3
Mondays 4.00 - 4.45 p.m. beginning Monday, 13th September 2010

This class is a wonderful introduction to knitting for your young child. Taught through poems and stories, every child will learn to use their hands to make beautiful things. Small projects introducing embroidery, felting and plant dyeing will also be presented.

35 classes taught over the course of the school year, September-June

All materials included $350

To register please contact Nicole Kielblock at nicolenicola@comcast.net

Grades 4-6
Tuesdays 4.00 - 4.45 p.m. beginning Wednesday, 15th September 2010

This class will introduce some intermediate/advanced skills for older students or those who have had a year or more of handwork experience. The main project this year will be a crocheted hat and/or knitted mittens, either of which will include a variety of stitches and skills. Smaller embroidery, felting and plant dyeing projects will also be presented.

35 classes taught over the course of the school year, September-June

All materials included $350

To register please contact Nicole Kielblock at nicolenicola@comcast.net

Children's Cooking Classes
Wednesdays 3.30 - 5.00 p.m. beginning Wednesday, 15th September 2010

Help your child discover the joy of cooking with these developmentally age-appropriate cookery classes. Your children will learn about food preparation, nutrition and kitchen safety while expanding their food horizons. This class is suitable for children ages 6-12.

Three six week programs are arranged around the following themes:

* Pack your Lunch! beginning Wednesday, September 15th 2010
* Festive Foods beginning Wednesday, November 10th 2010
* Winter Warm-ups beginning Wednesday, January 12th 2010

The cost of each six week session is $72

To register please contact Erin Semin at erinsemin@verizon.net

Color from the Inside Out - Drawing and Clay Modeling as a Path of Human Development
8 x 2 hour classes beginning Wednesday, 15th September at 7.00 p.m.

During the first part of this adult course, we will explore the qualities of color as they are experienced in nature. Through working with this "living" quality of color, which arises from the relationships between darkness and lightness, metaphors for our own development as thinking, feeling and willing beings can be drawn. During the second part of the course, we will work with the objective colors of form in similar ways and discover how and why certain forms "speak" to us. Through careful, caring instruction, even a least confident beginner will achieve beautiful results. For those with more experience, there is the possibility of appreciating color and form in new ways.

All materials included. $150

This class will be led by Nicole Kielblock

To register please contact Carrie Harris at philawaldorf@verizon.net

Doll Making - Make your own Waldorf "Pedagogical" Doll
8 x 2 hour classes beginning Tuesday, 9th November at 7.00 p.m.

In the Waldorf School, 6th graders often create a very special doll. Although not specifically made as a self-portrait, these lovingly created dolls inevitably take on qualities of their creators, allowing these budding adolescents to look at themselves in new ways. As adults, making a doll is often a loving gesture for a beloved child, but the process of creating one of these dolls is sure to be a soul-gift to the one creating this special soft sculpture.

All materials included. $150

This class will be led by Nicole Kielblock

To register please contact Carrie Harris at philawaldorf@verizon.net

Sheep to Shawl - A Fibers Block for Grown-ups
8 x 3 hour classes, plus a field trip! Beginning March 2011 (date to be determined) with 4 classes in Spring, then 4 more in the Fall

This special course begins with a trip to a beautiful sheep farm for a hands-on sheep shearing experience. Then, over the course of the workshop, wash card, plant dye and prepare the fleece for spinning. Several methods of spinning will be taught, including primitive and traditional drop spindles and, for those who are interested, the spinning wheel. Then, use the yarns that have been created to create a unique work of wearable art, such as a shawl or scarf.

All materials included. $300

This class will be led by Nicole Kielblock

To register please contact Carrie Harris at philawaldorf@verizon.net

All classes will be held at The Waldorf School of Philadelphia, Eagles II, 7500 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19119. Visit us at www.philadelphiawaldorf.org or at www.phillywaldorf.wordpress.com

compl i/e ments

2010-07-09T15:37:00.003-05:00

signing off for the summer

paints, yarn, pencils, and dyes packed

kantha & koo

2010-07-02T10:31:00.007-05:00

more inspiration

kantha

photographs by Bohnchang Koo

Thanks to Cheryl for taking me out of my usual orbit.

incoming

2010-06-29T17:06:00.005-05:00

inspiration for summer projects

embroidery by Takashi Iwasaki

watercolor by UnitedThread

dolly boy

2010-06-11T04:24:00.004-05:00

what I made in handwork class this year

Yes, that's a mini mr. boy.

raise high the roof beam

2010-05-17T18:42:00.003-05:00

a barn raising quilt

We're making the Barn Raising Quilt from Knitalong for next year's May Fair raffle to benefit The Waldorf School of Philadelphia.

sprouting talent

2010-05-09T18:50:00.001-05:00

looking up

2010-04-25T16:01:00.003-05:00

Happy Earth(birth)Day, Amy

Earth Day always makes me think of my sister Amy who was the first teacher in her school district to recycle. She's also one of the most supportive and encouraging people I know. She loves images of trees in silhouette and these are for her.

flipside

2010-04-23T19:57:00.004-05:00

mr boy is fully reversible

I've had no knitting time for weeks, so here's Elio's favorite sweater with the reverse side showing. Carefully finished, mr boy is a reversible garment. Just don't call it mr yob.

2010-04-08T14:21:00.002-05:00

The inspired plant-dye master who produced these samples is holding a series of shearing, carding, spinning, dyeing and knitting seminars in Philadelphia to begin on April 17. Her contact information is in the post below this one.

golden boy

2010-03-22T17:11:00.000-05:00

mr boy takes a bath

The wonderful women of twist sent back my samples and the smaller one went right into a bath with osage orange and a touch of logwood. Elio loves it. Kolláge recommends drycleaning Hope, but if you factor in some shrinkage (no, I didn't have the foresight to do before and after measurements), I think the yarn washes beautifully. I machine dried the sweater, too to weather the dye a little. The raised, slip stitch of the rib was a little more abraded in the dryer than the recessed rib. This little piece will wear and mellow very nicely.

golden opportunity
Nicole Kielblock, who got me started plant dyeing and who is our school's excellent handwork teacher, is offering a "Sheep to Shawl" course at the Roxborough farmhouse of fellow school parents John and Pat Fiorella. For eight Saturdays (one each month starting April 17, skipping July and August, and resuming in September) adults can take a course that includes shearing, plant dyeing fleece, carding, spinning with a drop spindle and knitting. The first session will take place at Rocky Top Farm. The cost of the course is $400 and includes lunches prepared by Pat, who's a professional caterer, mainly with produce from her own farm garden. Most importantly, you'll be in the hands of one of the most gifted teachers I've ever met. For more information about "Sheep to Shawl" email Nicole at nkielblock at comcast dot net.

rainbow over storm at sea

2010-03-20T07:22:00.002-05:00

a wallaby for elio

He was sitting on my lap as I checked the post from the purl bee and asked me to make him one. He checks its progress hourly and won't let me pick up any other knitting. Since I'm happily in the whirl of in-the-round knitting with lovely yarns, I won't be sending up a signal flare anytime soon.

only natural

2010-02-26T09:07:00.002-05:00

on the needles

Inspired by the whiteout outside, right now I have three off-white projects on needles. Citron in Malabrigo Lace...Mara in Calmer...and a swatch of feathered lace ladder in a bulky blend of cotton and felted wool (thanks for the inspiration and the yarn, Belinda).

Bid early and often...see below. Among the fantastic things to bid on is a gift certificate for a meal at the best bistro in Philadelphia, The Wine Thief. Cheryl and I are about to join battle bidding for this.

boy on the block

2010-02-24T15:55:00.004-05:00

the auction block, that is

Bid on seven skeins of Knit Picks organic cotton in Ginger and a copy of my Mr Boy pattern among many wonderful things donated to benefit The Waldorf School of Philadelphia. Bidding opens February 25th. How about this for getting your 7.5 hours Nile-style, Ann?

the knitter

2010-02-21T21:34:00.003-05:00

a clay figure by Bruno

recess

2010-02-18T13:03:00.004-05:00

all of the below
starting an Ogee Tunic

sadly empty, a bottle of Root

crust waiting to be filled with apple/cranberry/currant filling (highly recommend Cook's Illustrated tip to replace half of the water in the pastry with 80 proof spirits)

Main Entry: 1re·cess
Pronunciation: \ˈrē-ˌses \
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin recessus, from recedere to recede
Date: 1531

1 : the action of receding : recession
2 : a hidden, secret, or secluded place or part
3 a : indentation, cleft "a deep recess in the hill" b : alcove "a recess lined with books"
4 : a suspension of business or procedure often for rest or relaxation "children playing at recess"

blowsy

2010-02-07T13:40:00.004-05:00

a full-blown woolen poppyThis is the Poppy by Nicky Epstein from Handknit Holidays. The yarn is Blue Moon Fiber Arts Leticia in Rose Quartz and Obsidian.

And because I missed St. Brigid's Day (again)...

Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

Freeze, freeze thou bitter sky,
That does not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As a friend remembered not.
Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

William Shakespeare

stordimento

2010-01-23T09:28:00.003-05:00

what I'll do with some leftover STR heavyweight

I like the alpine hat look of Sarah Dupuis' design and that, like a lot of other generous designers, she's donating part of the proceeds from her pattern sales to relief efforts in Haiti.

a thing with feathers

2010-01-18T20:29:00.002-05:00

craft hope for haiti

This is a print by Daily Colours donated to benefit Craft Hope.

happy new hat

2010-01-06T16:04:00.003-05:00

cabled chullo by mary jane

I substituted Lamb's Pride Worsted and made additions to suit the thinner yarn: two more ridges of garter stitch for the band at the bottom of the hat, two more cables (16 more stitches), and one more repeat of the stitch pattern. The hat measures 20.5" around for my five year old. Very happy.

twinkle

2009-12-18T18:44:00.004-05:00

a moebius cowl made with plant dyed yarn and handspun

Madam Kiri Bang*

2009-11-21T07:31:00.005-05:00

It That Cannot Be Finished

(Birch) in KSH Trance spent the last three years only loosely wrapped in a piece of cotton canvas in a basket on top of a cabinet. Moths devoured the kid but eschewed the silk--except in two places on the knitted piece making The Problem Ladies' excellent advice sadly pointless.

*I AM BARKING MAD.

fly agaric

2009-11-15T13:22:00.003-05:00

Bruno is studying Botany with his class and decided to make marzipan mushrooms (fatal ones, of course) to decorate his cake. Elio helped! Bruno asked for yellow cake with chocolate ganache. Happy 11 to my golden-hearted boy. (The moss is crushed green tea cookie.)

ready shades

2009-11-01T07:43:00.004-05:00

dish towel curtains

Add small hooks (to the window frame) and rings (to the towel)...or drape the towel over a branch your four year old brought into the house. (Towels from Atelier LZC and Isaac Mizrahi for Target)

sweet screams

2009-10-30T17:28:00.004-05:00

David Smith's Frankenstein-meets-Frank-Gehry jack o' lantern
*photo credit David Bernardi

You're arranging the cornucopia for Thanksgiving, David--I'll have the hot glue gun warmed up for you.

fun size

2009-10-28T18:48:00.003-05:00

maybe the news isn't ALL bad

All hail the kings of candy (and the pariahs, too). Thanks to bon appétit.

say it ain't s(c)o(ne)

2009-10-21T15:33:00.003-05:00

goodbye Gourmet

Have some tea and one of these even though they won't really make it better.

Marzipan and Poppyseed Scones

* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 package Odense marzipan (3/4 chopped, 1/4 sliced)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
* 1/4 cup poppyseeds

Preheat oven to 400. Mix the flour, salt, sugar, powder and soda in a big bowl. Cut the butter and chopped marzipan into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or your fingers. Stir the wet ingredients and poppyseeds in another bowl. Add the wet to the dry and mix with a scroon (see below) until combined. Knead the dough briefly. Roll it out on a floured surface to about 1" thickness and cut 12 scones. Arrange the scones on a lined baking sheet and top each one with a slice of marzipan before baking for about 20 minutes.

scroon

2009-10-11T16:14:00.005-05:00

what I made in woodworking class

Part scraper, part spoon, all business in the polenta pot.

Someone make me a matching dishrag.

piacere

2009-09-21T18:20:00.001-05:00

alchemy

2009-08-25T19:32:00.004-05:00

turning mediocre eating plums into a truly superb plum tart

I tossed seven or eight sliced plums with about one quarter cup sugar, the grated zest of one orange, and a few splashes of Grand Marnier and let them macerate for a half hour or so. I piled the plums into one recipe of Rough Puff Pastry and drizzled the whole thing with Two Gander Farm Buckwheat Honey. After about 35 minutes at 400 degrees F and five minutes under the broiler out came...

mr. boy

2009-06-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

my design in the just launched summer issue of twist collective

Here's Elio in the photograph that captivated the editors at twist. I owe so much to sunlight shining through blond hair.

The prototype mr. boy mr. boy is wearing is in Rowan All Seasons Cotton. These photos were taken in September '08 and by April '09, Elio outgrew the sweater. This summer I'll snip the bound off edges of the body and sleeves, rip them back and knit on a few inches so he can wear the sweater next school year, too.

I'm thinking of all kinds of ways to tweak the design...knitting the body from the sleeves down in stockinette and increasing to make it flare baby-doll style for a girl...working the neck and body portions in the RS of the stitch pattern, but working the sleeves in the WS (see the post below)...swapping in a different 3x3 rib pattern (this prototype's stitch pattern is slightly different from the one in the published pattern) or even baby cables...working it in wool or a linen blend...working it in fingering or sport weight yarns for baby sizes and in worsted and bulky yarns for roomier adult sizes. Mrs. Lear talks about using smocking on the ribs under the bustline of the version she made for herself. When the samples in Kolláge's undyed Hope come back to me in September they're definitely going into a pot with some black walnuts (and maybe some logwood). I have a mr. boy on needles right now for number one son Bruno. He's 10 (chest measurement 29") which is somewhere between the child and adult sizes I provide in the published pattern, so I cast on for the largest of the child sizes and I'll crank up the sleeve and underarm stitch counts by a multiple of six to make it all work out (hint!). I'll post a picture of B. in his back-to-school sweater in September. The blog's out for summer, but please leave comments and questions here or at ravelry and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Happy Summer!

peek-a-boy

2009-05-06T07:36:00.000-05:00

on the lookout for a looksie at my design mr. boy for the summer issue of twist collective

Here are both sides of one of my gauge swatches in Kolláge's organic, undyed Hope.

something blue

2009-04-27T12:31:00.000-05:00

Nefertiti's cornflowers from the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute

This recipe is my adaptation of J.N. Liles' Lye-Hydrosulfite Vat from The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing. If you're at all interested in natural dyeing, this is the book to get. I'm giving my basic recipe, but all the safety precautions and suggestions for troubleshooting I'll leave to Prof. Liles.

Thiox and Spectralite are names for thiourea dioxide. I don't know about their relative potencies, so I'm specifying my recipe for use with Thiox.

Lye-Thiox Indigo Vat

Stock Solution
Just about fill a quart Mason jar with hot tap water. I don't ever bother with a thermometer--the water is about as hot as my hand can tolerate. Add 1 3/4 teaspoons lye and stir until it dissolves. Add 3 teaspoons of natural indigo powder and mix for a few minutes. Add 1 teaspoon thiourea dioxide (Thiox) and stir for another minute. Screw the lid on and let the mixture stand in a larger bowl of hot water until the solution turns dark greenish yellow with a gold-blue slick on the surface.

Vat
Fill a five gallon storage bucket with hot tap water. I use a clear Rubbermaid container so that I can tell what color the solution is at any time. Wearing gloves and avoiding splashes, add 1/8 teaspoon lye dissolved in a little water. Add 1/2 teaspoon washing soda (soda ash) dissolved in a little water. (I use another Mason jar for all this dissolving and adding.) Add 1/2 teaspoon thiourea dioxide (Thiox) dissolved in a little water. Wait 15 to 30 minutes. Add the indigo stock and stir very gently. Allow up to an hour for the vat to "reduce." It should be a light greenish yellow. There might be some blue up around the edges and an opalescent film on the surface.

Now you're ready to dip anything: wool, cotton, linen, and silk yarns, and fabric and paper, and buttons made of natural materials, and leather. (I haven't dyed leather, yet.)

Prof. Liles gives suggestions for how long to keep different fibers submerged and how long to air them. He gives directions for adjusting the chemistry as you go. Thiox is a lot more potent than the hydrosulfite in Liles' recipe, so only add it a little at a time. Too much Thiox will mean you're stripping pigment every time you re-dip the fiber. Again, the whys and more hows (like rinsing and cleaning fibers, disposing of chemicals and using synthetics-free vats like "old sig" and yeast vats) are all in The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing.

2009-04-18T19:18:00.001-05:00

cakescape

2009-04-07T12:55:00.003-05:00

better than it looks

whole wheat apple prune cake

I replaced the white flour in our favorite apple cake recipe with whole wheat pastry flour and substituted prunes for the raisins and walnut oil for "vegetable oil." Pesach Shalom, Happy Easter.

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup walnut oil
3 large eggs
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon calvados or whisky
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Cortland, Empire or Gala apples, peeled, cored, and cut into
¼-inch dice
½ cup quartered prunes (please don't call them dried plums)

Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9” springform pan.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

Whisk together oil, eggs, sugars, spices, liquor and vanilla in a large bowl until just combined. Fold in flour mixture until just combined, then fold in apples and purnes. Spoon the very thick batter into prepared pan.

Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1½ hours. Cool cake in pan on rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.

*The cake can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days and tastes better as the flavors meld.

green (knitting) chair

2009-03-06T05:31:00.006-05:00

mind the glass of iced tea by the leg, honey, and sit yourself down

My husband Mark's internets debut just appeared on Front Porch Republic.

snow day

2009-03-02T14:26:00.003-05:00

so we made braided fugassa for snack

nesting

2009-02-19T14:30:00.003-05:00

one sock done, two birds by Bruno

they should make fabric that looks like this

2009-02-15T20:26:00.003-05:00

My friend Katie sent me a link to the Jean on Jean video directed by her cousin Liz Seklir and there appeared, in scenes that could inspire a Liberty print, purl patchwork's multifaceted Molly. Beautiful work all around.

sublime

2009-01-24T16:38:00.003-05:00

or, sublaaaaaaamb

the lamb Bruno made from yarn he spun and helped to shear

resolved

2009-01-06T09:06:00.003-05:00

to knit a pair of socks within one calendar year

We come bearing Misti Alpaca in colorway 04.

Happy Feast of the Epiphany!

humming along

2008-12-07T20:26:00.002-05:00

with Stella Schindler's Distant Hum

2008-10-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

puro lino

2008-09-04T16:09:00.000-05:00

or "I just got my advance copy and I can't hold back holding forth any longer."

and so, in Euroflax, two favorites from the new MDK book Here is Mrs Lear's Monteagle Bag that I embellished with beads. The droopy bead is a polished rock--not a good idea. This is a truly satisfying and skills-expanding project and a great bag to have on hand. I got a little carried away with the fun of making Horizontal stitches and did one more row than the pattern calls for. And, yes, that's knitting, not macramé.

Here's a peek at my Via Veneto table runner with the bowl (thrown and glazed by my friend Amy) that inspired my color choices. Now I want to make one all in cream that highlights the texture and weaving.

A beautiful and engaging book, Kay and Ann. (I just wish it came out during a school vacation.) xo, c.

margherita

2008-08-21T16:47:00.005-05:00

a daisy embroidered by my sister Margie

lassi, go home

2008-07-21T14:36:00.002-05:00

I'm in Chicago on a working vacation. My mom got it into her head to make her own yogurt. She doesn't actually like to eat yogurt, but making it sounded like fun to her (I come by that honestly) so what to do with several superfresh quarts? Make lassi! I look forward to this daily almost as much as my morning assam.

Blend 1/4 c coconut milk, 2 c cold water, the juice of two limes, 2 c plain yogurt and generous dashes of whatever spices you like (I like cardamom and coriander)and a few T(or to taste)of agave nectar or honey for two big servings.

green offerings

2008-06-26T14:08:00.005-05:00

Is anyone there? Late breaking news!

Today my brother's house was featured in the NYT Home section and my three pillows were stylin' in the great photos by Ethan Pines.

So Bruno thought it would be fun to give Uncle David something he made for the new house, too. He picked these unfired clay pieces. Bruno's teacher suggested the children return the clay to the earth eventually, so we're sending it to Los Angeles to melt into David's garden.

While Bruno and I were busy cooking up this scheme, my husband was in the kitchen whipping up his very own version of Green Tea Ice Cream.

1 cup milk
3 cups cream
2 Tablespoons matcha
1/3 cup agave nectar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix matcha with 2 Tablespoons of the milk to make a smooth paste. Add the remaining milk and the agave nectar and mix thoroughly. Add the vanilla and stir well. Add the cream and stir. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. This is like the Fior di Latte of Green Tea Ice Cream, if you know what I mean. Now I really am gone.

blue yonder

2008-06-18T07:02:00.002-05:00

blog's out for summer

See you again when MDK 2 is released in September. I have a few designs in the book and a personal favorite project by Mrs. Lear I got to test knit to show. Have a lovely summer!

(it's) a wrap (sort of)

2008-06-18T07:01:00.005-05:00

The Garter Ruffle Shawl

My shawl's border is less ruffled than Terhi's. I think I botched the increase ratio at the color change. She says she "increased one stitch for every two stitches," so I k, k, kf&b. That's every three stitches, isn't it? I should have k, k, m1 or k, kf&b, right? Guess I'll have to make another one!

all together now

2008-06-16T16:56:00.007-05:00

joining the chorus of praise for Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson

Denise had the book on her kitchen counter one day while I was visiting and I turned down kombucha so I could be compos mentis as I paged through it. Since that day a few months ago, I've cooked and baked from it a few times each week (last night's Big Curry Noodle Pot pictured here). It's one of THOSE books. Maybe three or four others on your kitchen shelf get spattered and cracked at the spine like this one will. Here are my other favorites: Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, The Gourmet Magazine Cookbook edited by Ruth Reichl, Deborah Madison's The Savory Way, and City Cuisine by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger.

go round

2008-06-14T13:17:00.003-05:00

green tea sweets and PIF

Mary Jane picked my name for the handworkers' "exchange" called Pay It Forward. So here's the deal for those of you who have a blog and want in:

"I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog."

And here's how Benjamin Franklin put it in a letter enclosed with some money for his friend Benjamin Webb:

"I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I only lend it to you. When you [...] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money."

I'm setting up an indigo vat on Wednesday, so I know your gift will probably be blue and that you're likely to get it pretty soon after it dries. I might be a Rapscallion, but I am no Knave.

Thanks to Mariko for posting the green tea sweets recipe link and to Maido! for being a local supplier of matcha and Meiji Almonds.

P.S. A gift will go out to a fourth commenter (whether or not you have a blog) who can guess why I chose to post at the time shown below. Hint: The PM doesn't matter.

alight

2008-06-13T06:08:00.001-05:00

table runner and napkins housewarming gift

It took me two years, but I finally decided what I wanted to do with this IKEA gull fabric I bought to make a housewarming gift for friends who moved to the Phila area a while ago. These took all of half an hour to press and stitch according to no particular pattern.

git along

2008-06-11T16:57:00.003-05:00

Bruno's final handwork project and his painting of a tipi

Last day of third grade today!

none

2008-06-09T16:13:00.004-05:00

none more black

The real question is how did black yarn get into my technicolor stash? This is Erika Knight's deep v sweater from Classic Knits just started. I made one for my mom substituting Jo Sharp DK Tweed for the Debbie Bliss Cathay called for in the pattern and the sweater turned out to be my mom's favorite garment this winter. I found some Cathay at a deep discount to make one for myself and now I know why test knitters are paid more when they knit up dark yarns. They should be paid more to work with cotton/silk blends, too. How more squinty and cranky can I be?

psa: upton tea and a flickr toy

2008-06-08T15:11:00.005-05:00

A whole world opened up for me the day a friend recommended Upton Tea Imports. I asked him, "Do they have Assam tea?" "Which estate?" he asked me back. My answer to that question, after lots of taste testing of their excellent samplers, ended up being Halmari. I've arranged a few photographers' images mosaic style from flickr that came up by searching tea.

clairvoyance

2008-06-04T10:17:00.004-05:00

a message from beyond
You are a Philadelphia-area crafter who makes things (or dyes, spins, otherwise produces yarn) for sale and you're interested in being at The Waldorf School of Philadelphia Holiday Fair in November. You will email me at cbshiffman (at) gmail (dot) com for more information and an application. I will email you back.

mighty

2008-06-02T19:13:00.004-05:00

Terhi's reinvention of the Wool Peddler's Shawl by Cheryl Oberle

Five balls of Felted Tweed on size 4s. All that garter stitch isn't quite so daunting when you're looking forward to this.

habitats

2008-05-30T09:00:00.003-05:00

Fritz Haeg's work for the Whitney Biennial and fellow parent Kim Sole's book Photographing Home have me thinking about native habitats. This is the last weekend of the Biennial--if you're in NYC, pop by the Whitney to see the eagle's nest over the entrance and peek down at the other "Animal Estates" installed in the sculpture garden that fronts the museum.

buzz

2008-05-28T08:57:00.002-05:00

the Honeycomb Henley

I tweaked Norah Gaughan's pattern from Knitting Nature to shorten the sleeves and by substituting Berroco Pure Merino. I started the sleeve cap shaping at fifteen inches rather than eighteen. Using "combination seaming" (invisible at ribbing and body sides and backstitch for the set-in sleeves and sleeve sides) kept the finishing sane. This was a fun knit. The yarn is smooth and springy and the texture stitch hummed along.

so fine

2008-05-27T16:22:00.005-05:00

a sewing kit

I never win anything, so until this arrived from elsie marley I didn't really believe my good luck having my name picked for Meg's 100th post contest. Isn't it unbelievably clever? And very well made and, well, encouraging. I will fix it myself, thanks.

wabi sabi

2008-05-23T10:49:00.005-05:00

and adventures in vicarious knitting

The Log Cabin Moderne blanket from the first Mason-Dixon Knitting book has been in my project queue for a few years, so I was really pleased when my friend Denise told me she was going to make one and invited me to help her pick out yarn (Blue Sky worsted cotton from loop). Here it is in glorious progress. Denise works on it at meetings and concerts and little league games contentedly unpicking and ripping (or not as she pleases) when heated exchanges or beautiful passages or wild pitches make her fingers skip a stitch. She's my icon of zen knitting.

undulate

2008-05-20T12:43:00.004-05:00

the LMKG Chevron Scarf

I had the black and brights Koigu in my stash for almost twenty years and picked out the second colorway at loop because it seemed to be the blah to my stashed yarn's juicy (cf. a psychedelic color theory primer). I ended up with 100 inches of knitting before I realized I was supposed to stop at 77 3/4 inches and I still have enough yarn for a wee something that will appear in here.

sensational, lone, toe-up purlwalker

2008-05-05T07:32:00.006-05:00

I really have to learn how to do that two-socks-at-a-time technique because this one has been done for months. Using Charlene Schurch's instructions in Sensational Knitted Socks, I adapted Grumperina's Jaywalkers for toe-up knitting. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Purl custom colors. I picked up the background fabric at spool.

lina

2008-04-29T15:32:00.004-05:00

a fabric covered album

I use a basic Paper-Source kit and bond lightweight interfacing to my print of choice to make fabric covered books. Scissors and acid-free glue are the only necessary tools.

proper

2008-04-26T06:44:00.002-05:00

muffins

The scene this morning about a half hour ago: a nine year old who wanted something other than every option offered to him for breakfast and a mother standing before an open refrigerator staring down about three cups of eight day old artisan bread dough. She puts the two-burner griddle on the stove and turns the heat up to medium. She slaps a cup each of the slack and cold dough onto the griddle in three roundish mounds. She turns each muffin after about seven minutes, turns the heat down to low and lets them cook another ten minutes. She fork splits. He butters. He eats.

breakfast of champion

2008-04-25T06:54:00.002-05:00

a sprouted garbanzo bean burger with crema mexicana and a slice of tomato

Thanks, Heidi. See here.

galbraith & paul

2008-04-23T17:00:00.003-05:00

a philadelphia printmaking outfit

I was looking this site up for a friend who has some decorating to do and these images are just so wonderfully springy, I wanted to share.

rocky top

2008-04-22T19:01:00.005-05:00

a sheep farm in Ottsville, PA

Today the whole family chaperoned the third grade to visit Mrs. Halstead's sheep at her farm in Bucks County. Each child (and parent) got a chance to cut fleece from patient and full-bodied Winifred. In the coming weeks the children will wash, card, spin, plant dye and work Winnie's wool as part of the fibers block.

tree hugger

2008-04-22T08:04:00.001-05:00

hugging trees

happy earth day.

silkroad

2008-04-21T06:57:00.005-05:00

a Jo Sharp cardigan

Just in time for that day of spring past which I can't tolerate wearing wool, I finished the Silkroad Cardigan (Interweave Knits, Fall 2004). I attached the sleeves and sewed the sleeve seams by hand and then did the rest by machine after careful pinning. Thanks to Elizabeth at The Knitting Garden for coming through with an extra ball of dk tweed (beyond the two called for in the pattern) for the collar. I needed the whole ball. The instructions don't take the full length of the collar piece into account.

phila*dance

2008-04-15T16:51:00.005-05:00

My friend and fellow third grade parent Joy Delaney Capponi is a gifted ballet instructor and an amazing choreographer. She has chosen author Jane Yolen's The Emperor and the Kite to adapt for a world premier performance of The Philadelphia Dance Theater. Illustrator Ed Young was a consultant for the sets, so this show will be a visual feast. If you're in the Philadelphia area, click on the poster above for details and don't miss it!

biased

2008-04-08T13:58:00.003-05:00

(yet) another bag

My mom requested this one that appeared in the June 2007 MSLiving. Here it is on the website. For the handles I cut two strips of fabric 2.5" x 30" that I folded in half and bound only on the open side.

she's got the button

2008-04-04T16:25:00.004-05:00

a birthday necklace for my mom

This button from Moving Mud made a lovely springtime necklace for my mom. I picked up the aqua with two crystal buttons with that color fused to to the inside. The rest is a strand of pearl glass seed beads with silver crimp beads holding the silver toggle clasp in place.

gilding the

2008-04-02T08:04:00.002-05:00

gifts to go with the new bag

I used fabric scraps to decorate a Moleskine notebook à la Last Minute Quilted and Patchwork Gifts and made a coordinating Bend the Rules Sewing Artsy Clutch to hold a pair of susyluxe earrings. I'll also tuck a Lyra pencil in for the sketching, notetaking, happy traveling college graduate.

lily

2008-04-01T16:10:00.003-05:00

another Amy Butler simple drawstring tote

I added a machine appliqued embellishment to the outside and a pocket to the inside.

vienna waits long enough for the coffee to brew

2008-03-29T12:56:00.005-05:00

roasted apple strudel from The Gourmet Cookbook edited by Ruth Reichl

This recipe alone is worth the price of the book, but we love everything I've made from it. I think collective wisdom comprehensive cookbooks are the best (like The Silver Spoon) and this one is probably my very favorite.

the dough stretched paper thin
ready to bake
just out of the oven