The Knitting Book

The Knitting Book
Author and consultant of these titles. Reviews: "When I saw The Knitting Book... I knew I had found the book I needed." "The Knitting Book” is one of those reference books you get when you’re serious about knitting"

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Working on a couple of new designs

Brushing up on my intarsia skills for one of these.  Planning to use Adriafil DK yarn on that one, and Sirdar recycled Aran the other. I really like the handle of the Recycled, and the colours are with a few exceptions very 'useable'. It knits up well, feels rather like a cotton yarn but has more texture.

Monday 9 September 2013

There is nothing like making a rich dark chocolate cake to celebrate a birthday brighten a cup of tea and sooth your soul in the process.
I made this darkly luscious one with layers of chocolate sponge and vanilla sponge cake, interspersed with chocolate fudge icing and cherry jam - subverting the idea of Black Forest Gateau - but not so sweet.
Making cakes is so rewarding, and although the produc is transitory, the effect goes on.
I suppose its like making anything, you don't get the full effect of the experience until you slap on the last decoration. Meanwhile there is triumph when the cake cooks perfectly (or desperation and a quick revision of your plans when it doesn't), then a moment of calm when the bare, undecorated cakes sit cooling.
Trawling my cake decorating books for icing recipes takes a pleasant ten minutes with a cup to tea. Then I realise I haven't got the correct ingredients debate whether to dash to the shops, or whether more improvisation will make this unnecessary. Cutting into the soft, but slightly resistant sponge to make the layers can be nerve wracking, one is always uneven, and of course I always eat the crumbs as they fall off - (but of course there are no calories in food eaten when standing up). Sorting through my collection of cake plates and stands for the right one for the cake design that is forming in my head is fun, but I am ultimately a sucker for this white glazed cake stand. Its an old M&S one, and I find most cakes look far more glamorous than they are when presented on this.
Spreading the icing in between the layers with a wide palette knife is soothing, but coating the cake in runny ganache is hectic, then there is the delicate manouevre of choosing the right moment to add the decorations - just before the ganache sets so that they stick, but not when its too runny or they slide elegantly down the sides instead of staying put on the top!
Finally I really love piping rosettes/stars (whatever they are called), with the star nozzle and a satifyingly plump, squidgy and sticky bag full of icing. Yes its childish, but they looks so pretty... I'm never sure when enough is enough, so have to discipline myself or the whole cake would be hidden under rosettes and stars. Not forgetting the chocolate buttons which have, as the children got older, replaced the Smarties.
So there you are - a cake fit for a sixteen year old!
Yum.



Saturday 29 June 2013

Retro at its best.

This charming segment shaped alarm clock caught my attention in a local shop window. The sun was so bright that sadly the photo is not brilliant. The shop was closed, so I plan to go back and buy it if its still there. 


Dr Vikki Haffenden 
Sent from my iPhone.

Tuesday 19 March 2013

Corrections to the Baby Blanket and Baby Jacket patterns in The Knitting Book.
Corrections

Sunday 17 March 2013

Saturday 2 February 2013

This is my Grandmother, Florence Watkins as she was then, on the right.

I did an audit of my 'collection' cupboard and decided some of the textiles needed to be shared. I inherited some of these from my Grandmother, but mostly these have been found in charity shops and bazaars. I shudder to think of the washing, starching and ironing these would have needed to be in use daily. I remember my Grandmother had a tray cloth (that I sadly don't have), that was embroidered with garden flowers and a lady in a poke bonnet. How I loved that tray cloth, and when I used to go and visit her it was always used on her tea tray. She was served separately from the rest of us as she was bedridden, so had her own tray.

Millenium scarf


This scarf was marked 'vintage' but it only feels like yesterday that we all feared the 'Millenium bug'.

White on white







Crochet finds