My Creative Space_Bearing Gifts

You know, a question like Who doesn’t like to get presents? just a little while ago was … hmm… rhetorical. Now It’s turning realistic. The number of people warning their friends BEFOREHAND that they actually don’t want any presents seems to be growing. (Though I have to say, I’m never sure if they really don’t want any presents or it’s their idea of being nice and considerate, in the times of financial crisis. Whatever). But I simply can’t bear turning up at a birthday party or, even worse, a wedding party empty-handed. It just seems rude, to me, at least. Maybe I’m too old-fashioned? Or the people around really have it ALL? And then I remembered a discussion I had with an acquaintance of mine, about crafting some, say, 30-40  years ago and today. Before women used to knit/sew a lot often because it was cheaper or you simply couldn’t find what you wanted. Today we craft to get something UNIQUE, that stands out of the crowd (and it’s not necessarily cheaper than buying, but that’s another discussion altogether). So now, when I feel baffled with the choice of a perfect gift, I think about something handmade, original, at the same time practical, that will tickle the recipient or simply will brighten the day a bit.

I’m really happy I started sewing, as we’ve been experiencing rather tropical temperatures lately (though it has cooled off a bit now), and I’m not in the fan club, I am not. I don’t like cold, either, for me it’s all about moderation. I should have been born in Sweden – they have a WORD in Swedish, lagom, which means … well, just in the middle, moderate. You know, the magic  balance, not too much, not too little. But I’m deviating (as usual), let’s get back to gifts I’ve been laboriously creating lately :)
I was so blown away by these dishtowels from Purl Bee, that I decided to make my own, with coarse linen I bought at IKEA, and some trim band and lace – the last too were literally BREATHING Alpine charm. Let me tell you, I LOVE linen. Before I loved it in (store-bought) clothes, it’s simply indispensible for summer, but for home… a bit expensive. Especially dishtowels. Even for gifts.  The linen I’ve used is cheaper, as it’s the coarse variety (I’ve did some cross stitching on this kind of linen when I was young and my eyesight was better; not many years ago at all), and I actually have no idea whatsoever how absorbent it is, as I’ve cut it all up for the towels and haven’t left any scrap to test, but I think they will be used mostly as decoration by the recipient, anyway. But it is perfect if you are after  a somewhat rustic look for your kitchen. Ahh, they turned out lovely!
 
Here’s the trim/lace:

The hangers are in fact done with the help of a tutorial I’ve found some time ago, but I haven’t saved the link, alas! The idea is however very simple – you just tuck in the ends of the twill tape (or whatever you are using for a hanger) DIAGONALLY when you are hemming the towel, let’s say, top and left side. Very easy and very practical. I like in particular that there’s no hanger sticking out.

I’ve got so carried away by these towels, that I made another set, in lovely soft waffle fabric (actually I was planning just simple towels for myself, but so happy I changed my mind!):


And here is a small make-up bag, doubling as a present package in this case, made for my DB’s niece. She’s 15 now, and pretty often she gets money or a gift card, which is not that bad, at least she can choose what she really likes. But in the long run, it’s boring. Wouldn’t you be bored too? She has decorated her room recently, in trendy purple-green color combo, and I had a pale lilac linen and a sweet polka dot cotton in my stash already, so I guess it’s a rather practical item however it will be used… I love the green zipper!

I still have some fabric and bright yellow trim left, but I think these towels will be for me:

If you haven’t got enough of picture overload, more creative spaces you find here.

Alle gute Dingen sind DREI

I blog a lot, though mostly in my head, while my hands are busy with house work or knitting. So, while I was knitting away on my Clapotis, a blog post started to form in my head, a post on numerology. Why that, all of a sudden? Yes, sometimes the connections between my thoughts may seem far-fetched, but bear with me. The truth is, that this is already THIRD time around I start on this pattern, and only this time it seems it’s working. Third time is a charm, huh? And it dawned on me, that I’m surrounded my number 3, at least when it comes to all things creative:

• My favorite (and most frequently used) needle number is 3 (European), the same goes for crochet hook – the best knitting/crocheting results I’m getting with this number
• My favorite stitch length for sewing is, in fact, 3
• As I’ve already said, I’ve started a scarf 3 times, and on the third attempt the knitting gods most probably got so sick of me, that they let me go on with the project
• When I see fabric on sale and am not sure, how much I will need (having no particular project in mind), I buy (ya, you got it!) 3 meters
• I have several sets of glasses with only 3 pieces (they were more earlier, but broke…)
• Well, there’s one more thing, not related to crafting and private, but it’s also 3
• In fact, the list can go on for quite a while…

After a while I’ve got so wound up by curiosity, that I had to abandon dropping the stitches (I’m already on the straight rows section!) and go check the meaning of number 3. Imagine my surprise, when I found this (source: http://www.whats-your-sign.com/spiritual-meaning-of-numbers.html):

Three: The spiritual meaning of number Three deals with magic, intuition, fecundity, and advantage. The number Three invokes expression, versatility, and pure joy of creativity. Three is also a time identifier as it represents Past, Present and Future. Consecutive Threes in your life may symbolize the need to express yourself creatively, or consider your present directional path in relation to past events and future goals. Three may also represent promising new adventures, and assurance of cooperation from others whom you may require help. Three typically symbolizes reward and success in most undertakings.

Apart other meanings, isn’t creativity mentioned quite a lot here?


As for the Clapotis, every 8th row (out of 12) I’m getting my fair portion of fun, unraveling a single stitch all the way down. It’s a lovely pattern, indeed, and it’s mindless enough to be able to watch TV a bit more attentively (believe me, the last thing I’m seeking right now is excitement in knitting, I get so much of it (excitement, not knitting) somewhere else). And I’m really loving how it’s turning out! It’s working really well with self-striping yarn (do i really have to say here I’m knitting with nr 3 needles?)
And what’s YOUR magic number?
P.S. The title of the post is in German, as I simply couldn’t get this sentence out of my head. it just means Third time is a charm, or, more literally, All good things come in threes.

Eat Your Veggies Cottage Pie

Long time, no blogging. Though it was loooots of knitting, in the midst of all the chaos typical for moving house-situation. But knitting has to wait a bit, since most of the things are unblocked (perfectionist as I am, the project is a WIP until it has been blocked. I even weave in ends first time after blocking).

To get myself into a blogging modus after such a long hiatus, I’ll start with a recipe, kids- and adult friendly to boot – enter Cottage Pie. There are loads of recipes for it on the internet, in books and everywhere else, but I’d like to share my (highly unique?) version of it, packed with vegetables and pretty light. It was tested today by a 16-months old guy, and the verdict was – ya, Mum, you can do it again some time (well, that’s my free translation anyway).

Cottage pie as I know it is nothing else than a meat sauce covered with mashed potatoes and baked in the oven. Let’s start with the meat sauce:

500 g minced meat (I prefer beef only)

veggies: 1 onion, 2 carrots,1 zucchini,a celery stick

up to 0,5 l vegetable or beef broth

2-3 tbsp tomato puree

I start with sautéing the onion, then add the diced carrots and celery and let them melt a bit together, then tip the zucchini in. Add the meat, broth and tomato puree. Let the sauce boil up, then reduce the heat and leave it simmer gently for half an hour or so. (I use a similar sauce for lasagna too, often with some aubergines as well – yam!)

In the meanwhile, peel 1 kg potatoes and boil them until soft, then mash with a slab of butter and a few spoons of warm milk – just remember it shouldn’t get as creamy as regular mashed potatoes.

Get your oven warm, 180 °C.

Now the assembly: put the meat sauce at the bottom of an ovenproof dish and top with the mashed potatoes (in my case there was a certain mingling of meat and potatoes, but it didn’t spoil anything in the end; it helps to use the back of the spoon here). Pop your creation in the oven for some 20 min – pronto!

Quotation Wednesday_Thoughts Menu

Once again, I turned to Eat Pray Love - this time a random selection, I've just opened a dog-eared page (and they are MANY) and this is what I've got:

''I can choose my thoughts.''

Another smack on the head. What should I say - have you ever thought THAT possible? Well, it obviously IS possible, though right now it feels like trying to feel relaxed in a most complicated yoga position you take for the very first time after you've spent some months in total immobility (since I've never went too deep into that time-wasting activity, yoga, that is, I don't even know which position it is. I would suggest it has something to do with a dog).

Honestly, I've always had a suspicion that we can control our thoughts at least to a certain degree, though never tried. Laziness, I guess, and unwillingness to give up that little sweet habit so many of us have - feeling sorry for myself. It's like craving chocolate - you know it's not really good for you and barely healthy, but it brings comfort, however dubious. But now it's time to give up chocolate unhealthy thinking, since

''I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts anymore.''

Quotation Wednesday_On discontent

I'm still ploughing through Eat Pray Love right now (though ploughing refers to my lack of reading time and not the quality of the book, which is, by the way, superb). The book is already totally dog-eared (I'm prone to that, but only with my own books), but this sentence made me want to rip out the page completely and ... I donno, maybe eat it? So that is stays with me forever? Because otherwise I'm afraid I can occasionally forget it...

I don't mind anything these days. I can't imagine or remember discontent.

Imagine is not the biggest here. Remember is bigger. It's like when you want to quit smoking, or drinking coffee, or popping chocolate into your mouth while going up the hill with the pram with the 10-kg baby inside and thus reducing all your pram-pushing to mere nothingness. Not remembering what pleasure that bad habit of yours used to give you is pure bliss.