parts is parts

Posted on Posted in designing, food and garden, projects

it’s been one of those days when i had to settle for accomplishing things in pieces. you know the kind—eventually, at some point, it all pulls together but for most of the day you are making small events happen with no final product.

but hey, i’ll take parts—they do eventually become something, right?

i knew we had quiche on the menu today, to use some of the chard i picked over the weekend, along with the farm eggs we have in the fridge. so while the coffee perked i made the crust and put it in the chiller.

then i went outside to see what needed picking from the garden

these will be for another meal; we have tomatoes that will be ready to pick tomorrow to with them. after a cup of coffee i blanched some more chard and put that in the freezer

then headed to the living room floor to see how my swatches were doing—all dry so i unpinned, measured, and took notes from them. these are slated for projects that will develop over the next couple of weeks so, again, just parts and preliminary work for something i’m not ready to get going on yet (well, maybe just one . . .)

i have a beautiful bamboo/merino/silk blend from lilith oldmaidenaunt.com in this gorgeous deep rose that she calls cinnamon, and i think it works up charmingly in this climbing rosebud pattern

then i have that briar rose grace i talked about the other day, another bamboo blend i have fallen hard for this summer.

i don’t know the name of this colorway, but it’s an herbal green with dashes of rose and plum. i knit it up in the stitch from the third panel of my shawl swatch, which several of you convinced me would make a lovely scarf . . . and it will. in fact (heh), i may have started this one already . . . i’m in need of a traveling project (more on that later)

i also swatched this wonderfully juicy yarn that i’ve had for a while from judy

it’s her artisan merino silk in colorway copper, and i just love it in this merry stitch pattern. i think i might have to call this one jester.

once i got those organized, i got more parts put together for the quiche by sautéing the chard, steaming the potato slices, preparing the egg filling, and grating the cheese. but i couldn’t cook it yet; everything went back into the fridge so we could go on to the doctor’s appointment we had.

on the way there and back i worked on the last of my caterpillar sock

getting all the way to the start of the toe, when i ran out of yarn. i was working with a smaller-than-normal skein (about 80 yds short, maybe?) when i started these, and i knew it was a gamble. any of you that have this yarn should have plenty for your socks. if my feet were a size smaller it would have been enough. so i’ll either find some on ravelry or use another yarn for the toe. another thing to put aside and finish later (but it will be so great when i do; only the toe to go).

so that gave me permission to start the scarf i was talking about; i can’t go anywhere without a take-along project can i?

after we got home i finally put the whole dinner together and it’s in the oven now. actually, it smells like it’s done, and i’m hungry, so i’m off to eat soon (can’t wait).

and after that? maybe a bike ride if it doesn’t rain, and certainly a date with this

at some point in the evening. it’s looking blobby now which is a sign of progress; from here on it will be like a big ball of dough rising—a little bigger each day. last night i got through another repeat of the motif, and checked the charts so now i’m ready to write the first half of the pattern.

while we caught up with the tour last night i didn’t spin as i should have (it’s always so late when we finally sit to watch TV), but worked on my new sock

see how pretty the yarn is? it makes lovely shadowy shapes across the fabric . . . really nice, thanks stephanie!

ok, now the quiches has cooled a bit and the aroma spreading through the house is about killing me, so off i go.

29 thoughts on “parts is parts

  1. Your vegetables look scrumptious. Almost as
    good as your knitting. I love your new shawl,
    the climbing rose bud. It is lovely. Since I
    saw Spritely Goods on your website, I ordered
    some sock yarn from her. She was very kind to me.

  2. Wow, it sure seems like you’re knitting rather fast there. Or maybe that’s just because I haven’t been…I feel like I’ve missed a post somewhere – is the new shawl another faroese?

  3. Oooh the purple sock is definitely pretty! I adore that color, and it shimmers to nicely!

    The first swatch with the rosebud patt is a gorgeous color. And that second one is going to be a pretty scarf! Can’t wait to see it.

  4. I love it all even the sound of the veggie quiche. I’m loving the look so far of the newest little sock too. You evil temptress, you. I’ve been taking stock of the yarn situation around here and I really am going to have to do something about some of it if you’re gonna keep showing all those pretties.

  5. The chard salad looks sooo good! What kind of dressing did you have on it? Mmmm. I am in love with the colorway of Chris’s yarn. I’ll have to check into that!

  6. Mmm…that quiche sounds delicious. And the shawl is looking so tempting!! Also, I’m loving that sock yarn. Time to put some of it on my list o’ things to get.

  7. The pattern you are thinking of calling jester I believe is apt. I can see the diamonds on the front of his/her tunic as well as the funny hat and shoes that complete the costume!

  8. The swatches & their colors are so gorgeous. It mus be great fun to work on these swatches & testing the different yarns. The quiche sound yummy.

  9. You have had an amazingly productive day — with beautifully colored things to show for it. All your photos are scrumptious. Lucky you — the bunnies didn’t munch your eggplants. Ours were nibbled to nothing right away — along with the zinnias.

  10. so, whattcha up to? wherrah goin? (grins) if you need a travelin’ project, it means you’re on the move, right? I hope its for something wonderfully fun.

    I am so totally in love with your eggplant – I have never managed to grow one to completion – always used to get blooms and then a big nuthin.
    what’s your secret?

  11. *sigh* such lovely things you always post of. All the produce looks absolutely delicious – it makes me yearn for the days when I had a garden. The swatches, also lovely. I’m adoring how your shawl is working up – loved that last post with the closeups on the dressform! And of course, I’m very very happy to see you’re liking the way that yarn is working up 🙂 I’m just going to have to beg you to draw it out a bit 😉 I need to make sure to dye more of that yarn, but I’m slammed for the next month! (I’m focusing on batts right now – did I mention, your spinning is making me try to spend more time with my own wheel and fiber pile?) 😀 I love how the whole blogosphere works – such inspiration to be found. If I could only capture that Chard of yours on a skein of yarn….hmm….

  12. How big do you let your eggplant get before you pick it. I am finally get the fruit but can’t remember how big to let it get.

  13. The swatches look great, such nice colours. Your vegetables are brilliant, my first ever cucumber is nearly ready to be picked!

  14. Wow! you get alot done, I’m almost finished with one of my caterpiller socks. If I have any yarn left over I’ll let you know. Your veggies look so good.

  15. I’ve never had chard. Does it taste anything like spinach? I really like all of your scarf swatches.

  16. Oh boy! If I had to choose one colorway and one colorway only to knit with for the rest of my life, it would probably be Judy’s Copper. WOW is that gorgeous! And I love the harlequin thing you’re doing with it. Very pretty, 🙂

  17. Such beautiful colors all through this post! Your photographs are amazing. Someone really should make a swiss chard yarn colorway, don’t you think?

  18. There’s nothing like some farm eggs and fresh produce. I made a strange quiche like substance with shredded zucchini, brown rice, eggs and roasted tomatoes last night, and it was oh so tasty.

    And I’d be glad to send you another skein Anne! I have been meaning to anyway, since I had to send you a shorted skein in the Wooly Bear color for your socks, so thanks for the reminder 🙂

  19. I’m eating lunch and your description of the quiche still made me hungry! I see that you work your socks top down and with KnitPicks Harmony dpns. So do I. I just love those needles so much I could eat them. After the quiche, of course.

  20. Ah, sigh, you have the most gorgeous things going!

    You know, that orangey yarn you called jester put me in mind of perhaps a scarf grouping? You know, Jester, Queen, King, Courtesan, Courtier, Prince, Princess, etc. Just an idea, although you probably have much more interesting ones yourself!

    (I think it was your mention of “tudor” yarn and then the jester. Made me get all 1300 English History-ish, lol!)

  21. Oh my…that copper colorway just gave me the chills…I TOTALLY adore autumn and I’m all excited that all those vibrant colors are coming back in. Thanks for the link! 🙂

  22. Wow. I think I have the answer to your amazing-ness! You live in an alternate dimension with more hours in the day. Right? And then you only visit here to blog? Cruel trick, that. 😉

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