Pared Up

And I la-la-la-love them.

Scout's Honor

My mother was getting rid of her childhood Girl Scout handbook, but I snagged it instead. I remember reading this as a preteen, utterly inspired by the take-charge/do-anything attitude presented. There was no way I'd allow this to get away; those drawings are classic.

Rethinking the Past

The first "real" thing I ever attempted to knit was a tank top in Red Heart variegated yarn. Prior to that, I'd knit scarves and hats, but no actual garments and was ready for a challenge.

I stood in front of the yarn department at WalMart, attempting to find something that fit both my undergraduate tastes and budget. Armed with a few internet tutorials and needles my Mom had shipped out to me, I cast on in my dorm room. I think I may have had some delusional visions of me sashaying around campus wearing the finished piece. Those visions were short lived.

Long story short, the tank top attempt demonstrated the fact that at the time I a) really didn't understand gauge or fit and b) really didn't understand the way 100% acrylic yarn feels against the skin.

However, I'm giving Red Heart another shot and liking it, this time around using their sock yarn. So far, so good and I'm on to sock #2.

In Between

My sister gave me this antique quilt for Christmas. Unfortunately, I couldn't fit it in my luggage flying home, so it stayed with her until the other week when my mother was able to fit it into her luggage following a recent visit. There's a few spots I'd like to patch up, so I've been reading up on quilt repair. But oh, those prints. Those colors. Those stitches. I'm infatuated.

I forced forsythia branches and they turned out nicely. I've never had much luck with this in the past; they just tend to shrivel up. A tip I read recommended slicing into the bark, allowing more water to be absorbed. This seems to have done the trick and it bloomed within a week or two. There's a quince bush outside that I'd like to have a shot at forcing next.

Lemon Goodness

I've checked Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook out of the library at least three times in the past year. Each of those times, I've renewed the book at least twice. I really should just break down and buy it, especially considering how tasty the lemon sugar snap cookies are. The only change I made was to add some lemon juice (instead of additional zest that I didn't have), while adding just a bit more flower to compensate.

Spring

I know the vernal equinox is a ways off, but in my book March 1st qualifies as Spring. The daffodils seem proof enough.