I’ve been inspired to improve my cooking skills. I’ve never been a natural in the kitchen. I admire people who can look in the fridge, pick out a few ingredients and rustle up a magical dinner. So i’ve decided to take on the kitchen and whilst I don’t expect all of my forthcoming cooking attempts to be a outstanding success, I hope that I can make a few passable dinners through my efforts and hopefully learn some new skills on the way.
I started by looking online for some interesting recipes and found some good websites, for example www.goodfoodchannel.co.uk but the choices were a bit overwhelming for a complete beginner. Where to start?
Instead I decided to check out the cookery section in the local library. They have a good selection of cooking books here in Aberdeen so this is what I have decided to do….
Each month I will loan one cook book from the library and make a selection of recipes from it. I didn’t want to set myself a big challenge like Julia in ‘Julie & Julia’ the movie and attempt to make every recipe in each book. As much fun as that would be I don’t have enough time and would only be disappointed when I didn’t succeed. Instead I am going to pick a selection of recipes that I think we will like and give them a go.
Wish me luck!
A few weeks ago I started 2 new projects, a fern lace scarf and a crochet bag.
I’m not sure what happened with the scarf. I love the yarn and I love the pattern but I put it down and didn’t have any urge to pick it up again. Strange. So I have decided to frog it and find another project that will inspire me to do something with the yarn.
I do however still love the crochet bag but I haven’t made any progress on this either as it was packed for the move and I have only just managed to unpack the box it was in.
Instead I have started a new large project. I’ve only ever worked on small projects before and I don’t seem to have much luck getting started with bigger projects i.e. jumpers and cardigans etc normally. I find that I don’t have the right needle size or because I don’t have the same yarn that is used in the pattern I can’t get the gauge to work out with my substitute yarn. I have put this down to my knitting inexperience as i’m sure there are solutions to the hiccups i’ve been having.
Despite this, I tried again with a cardigan pattern I liked on Ravelry called Springtime in Paris. I’m knitting it with Denim with Wool (James C. Brett). It took a bit of swatching the get the gauge right’ish and so far it’s looking good.
I’ve finished the first sleeve and I blocked it on my new blocking station (ironing board) last night.
Now i’m working on the body of the cardigan which is constructed in brioche stitch. It’s a nice easy stitch which means I don’t have to concentrate too hard whilst knitting and watching TV with Mr Stitchitch.
We travelled out of town today to Banchory. We stopped for lunch at very nice tea house called the ‘Falls Of Feugh‘ overlooking the river. I am told that the river is normally calm, however due to all the rain we have been having this week and the melting snow it looks more suitable for white water rafting. Take a look at my video to see what I mean. It was unbelievably loud.
River in Banchory Video
Happy New Year!
Yay, we are finally fully unpacked and settled in our new home following our move back to the UK. It has taken a while to get sorted but we now have an internet connection and I have a fancy new desk for my computer and crafty goodness!
Progress on my craft projects has been slow as you can imagine but I do have some news to report.
I have a new sewing machine. Well it’s not just new but it’s also my first ever sewing machine (thanks mum!). I’m very excited. So far I have made 2 projects and i’ll show you some pictures very soon.
I have finished not one but two doilies from my new japanese doily book and I love them. I also have a third in progress at the moment. Again pictures to follow very soon just as soon as I take them.
I brought a new crochet book called ‘Contemporary Crochet‘. It has some very nice patterns in it and I have made a start on one of them, updates to follow.
Back soon. x
I’m not sure how it happened but i’ve started 2 new projects over the last week! You wouldn’t think it was possible with the majority of my stash in shipping at the moment but somehow I found a way! 
I’ve wanted to make a lace scarf for a while now. Whilst in the US I brought some lovely sock yarn by Lorna’s Laces. I did intend to use it for socks but it seemed a shame to use such a nice yarn to make something people won’t see very often. Instead I went online to Ravelry in search of an alternative project and came across this pretty pattern called Fern Lace Scarf.
I have only completed one repeat of the pattern so far so it’s difficult to see the detail from this picture but when I stretch it out by hand it looks like it is going to be really nice. I am really pleased with how well the colours are knitting up too.
I have also started making a crochet bag from a japanese crochet book I brought in New York. More pictures and details soon.
Sorry the pictures aren’t very good. I took them too late at night really and there wasn’t any natural light left. I will take some better pictures of my progress soon.