Beads, bread and a bottle

This post is a mish-mash of various topics. Still not much knitting but I did finish the Klein bottle Hat from the Schoolhouse Press Knitalong. I got really bored with knitting the handle and then grafting it to the 'hole' we left in the inner layer. I botched the grafting. I was trying to be clever but failed. I should have just removed the scrap yarn, transferred the stitches to needles and grafted (plan B). I thought I could follow the path of the waste yarn to graft in rib (plan A) but it didn't work. After struggling with one side, I went to plan B and the second side looked fine. Fortunately it is not very visible. I think the whole ribbed thing is a pain because I didn't like the increases/decreases for the top of the hat in rib and I didn't like the short rows (to make the handle curve) in rib either. But it is done and it will be a long time before I start knitting anything in navy yarn in rib. A question for the mathematicians. Something tells me I should sew up the outer layer to the handle to close the second 'hole'. Should I? These 'holes do not exist in mathematics. They are virtual. So they shouldn't exist but none of the instructions on any of the patterns I found say anything about this. The 'hole' in the inner layer no longer exists as it is where the handle joins the inner layer. But what about the 'hole' in the outer layer where the handle passes through it to join the inner layer? I think it should be sewn up around the handle but I don't know for sure. Any ideas would be welcome. I also baked more bread using a recipe from Artisan Bread in 5 mins a day. The recipe itself was reproduced in the NY Times. I haven't got the book yet but it is on hold in the library. I like to check books out before I buy them. I didn't have all the tools - no stone or peel. So I baked on a cookie sheet with a Silpat on it. The crust isn't anything like the one I got from the Jim Lahey's recipe but that might be because of the lack of a stone. But it looks OK and probably will taste fine. There is another half of the recipe sitting in the refrigerator. It keeps up to 2 weeks and one can bake at any time. I may try the other one in a loaf pan just for larks.I've been shopping for a stone but comments online say that buying from an online store seems to be risky. Many of them arrive broken or cracked. The local Bed Bath and Beyond and Linens 'N Things seem to only have the smaller thinner stones. So I will have to defer the purchase till I go somewhere near a Williams Sonoma or other specialty store. With gas prices being what they are, I don't want to do that just for a stone.

I also went to the bead store and bought the fixings for a necklace for my lovely bead. I am very happy with the results. I may sit down next weekend and make it. I didn't take photos of the fixings and I'm not sure I can do justice to them with the camera.

I've been reading a lot. More Brother Cadfael books and two bread baking books are on my reading shelf right now. I have The Bread Baker's Apprentice and The Village Baker from the library. The latter sells for lots of money as it is OOP. The former looks like a good basic book that explains the process of bread baking in a lot of detail.

If you are wondering why I'm suddenly obsessed with bread, I can't help you. I have no idea. I have been wondering the same thing myself. I haven't eaten bread in years. Especially white bread, which is what I'm baking. Somehow though, I feel like baking it.

Tortoise Knitting

Lately I've realized that I knit like a tortoise. Not in huge spurts like some folks but I knit regularly and inch along till I'm done. Since I only work on a few things at a time, I have enough FOs to compete with others.

I broke one of my rules this week. I started on a simple project while I still had one on the needles. But I really wanted to do a KAL with Debbie New and a hat seemed innocuous. Of course I started late - on Thursday when the KAL was to begin on a Monday. Oh well! I'll be caught up to the KAL by tomorrow when Debbie posts the next set of instructions on the Schoolhouse Press site. Oh no! She already posted Part 4. I'm behind again. This is why I don't do KALs.

Here's my Klein Bottle Hat so far, looking very much like a ribbed watch cap. That top-most contrast colored yarn is the exciting part - where the inside turns into the outside and becomes one surface. The other bits of colored yarn are just marking where I need to start counting from. I'm done with the inside and part-way done with the outside. I need to get the outside up to that little slit on the inside by tomorrow. It is very boring so far, lots of ribbing in navy. It looks narrow, I think, because of the ribbing.
In true tortoise fashion, I am moving along on the socks also. Or should I say sock? Here's the first one of a pair. I'm done with the heel and am moving steadily along on the leg.I did a little purling at the heel to maintain some interest and also to count. I was able to count the increases easily on the first gusset and when the purl sts are gone, the second gusset was done. This is the heel that I gave instructions for a while ago. The colors are a little overexposed as I took this by the window and I wantedto show the details. The actual sock is much darker in color - like boysenberry jam.Instead of knitting, I am still reading. I went through three Brother Cadfael books this week. Mehitabel, I also love Margery Allingham but not as much as I love Peter Wimsey and Brother Cadfael. In times of extended comfort needs, I have spent lots of time reading her books and Harry Kellerman (the author of the 'Rabbi' books).

No calorie comfort

Not much knitting last week. I've been feeling very tired. So I have taken to going to bed early with a book.

When I'm in need of comfort, I like to read familiar and favorite books. Dorothy Sayers is at the top of the list. Last week I read Busman's Honeymoon and Murder Must Advertise. Then I read Monique and the Mango Rains. We have an event to celebrate Women's History Month each year. Kris Holloway, author of Monique and the Mango Rains, was our speaker this year. She is a very impressive speaker, and I got a copy of the book and read it.

I also love the Brother Cadfael books, which are another source of comfort. I am currently reading Monk's Hood.

I did knit a little while riding to the airport on Saturday. I turned the heel of my purple Shibui sock and started on the leg.

Today I wore my red double knit headband while going for my lunch-time walk. It feels really nice, and is warm but not too warm. I am very motivated to knit a pair of fingerless mittens to match. I think I have enough yarn. I won't double knit them but put the same snowflake in black on a red background. This will be a good travel project over the summer.

I am going to knit along with Debbie New as she makes a Klein bottle hat. I've always wanted to make one and I have a bunch of worsted weight yarn that will make a lovely hat. But for now, I'm going to curl up with Brother Cadfael and try and get some rest.