Consummate V's published!

You can now dl your own copy of my Consummate V's Hat pattern on Ravelry!  This hat is knitted in worsted weight using US 7 and 9 needles.  It is a quick and easy project, that I hope you enjoy knitting as much as I will enjoy seeing your projects!  :o)

Consummate V's Hat

I finally have my pattern edited and ready for publishing!  It will be going live tomorrow, if I can get the pictures inserted and whatnot.  The minute details of publishing a pattern is what takes me forever.  :o)  I hope you guys enjoy my first hat pattern!

My Queue

Is it just me, or does everyone have a humongous queue on Ravelry??  I will never be able to knit everything on it, and it doesn't even represent the patterns I want to make in books I own or the future patterns to come... Here are a few of the patterns in my queue:

Labyrinth Lullaby Socks

Foxy Dress

Multnomah

Ease

Birthday Month!

I love October.  Some of the best weather happens in October.  You finally get that transition from summer into fall during October.  Even in my birth state of California, the evenings and mornings start to get a coolness to them, while the days stay nice and sunny.  Here in Texas, I thought summer was never going to end... and yet now, I'm leaving for work in the morning and I'm feeling the crispness in the air.  The humidity is starting to quiet down and the evenings are perfect for walking.  Yes, it is still 80s and 90s during the day, but it's not the overbearing heat that makes you dread being outside anymore.  October really does bring fall into play.

The other reason I love October is because it's my birthday month!  To celebrate this awesome month, I'm going to be selling my patterns at 50% off!  All you need to do is use the coupon code "october" when checking out.  And, as an extra bonus, I will be releasing a free pattern in the middle of the month!

Marisol Cowl

Sockie Sock

Bohemian Cowl (knitted)

Newly released patterns I am dying to make!

Sometimes I spend too much time on Ravelry... and by sometimes, I think I mean I spend a crazy amount of time on Ravelry.  ;o)  Sometimes I like to browse the patterns and see newly released patterns because I think there is so much talent to be found on there.  So, here are a few patterns I love:

Amigurumi Whale/Narwhal

Dagmar Sweater

Waterfall Shawl

Backshore

What do you think?  Like any of these?  Or any other new patterns that any of you are really into?

Mamboberry

Yesterday, as I was about to head out the door from work, it began to pour.  While I was excited that we are going to get some water for our plant-life, I was disappointed that it had to start right before I left. When it rains here, it mainly pours for about 15-20 minutes, then it lightens up and disappears.  Well, this time, it didn't lighten up and so I ran, but I was soaked by the time I got to my car!  To cheer me up, I went to Mamboberry and got a frozen yogurt!  

It was tart yogurt with raspberry topping.  :oD  It was great!!  They also had lots of regular food also, and I am very interested in heading back to check it out.  

September already??

Well, apparently, working an extra day a week for about 2 months can really put a drain on your desire to do anything but get to work, eat, knit, and sleep.  Yes, I definitely still knit, even when drained.  Except I haven't actually finished a single project in ages.  I've got a bunch of stuff I'm working on, but I think I'll save those posts for later.  For now, I'd like to share this with you:

What is this disgusting thing, you ask?  Kombucha!  Or rather, homemade kombucha.  That gross thing that you think should not be in something you consume is a mushroom that is commonly referred to as a SCOBY.  This is the tea in it's first fermentation state.  It has since been transferred into a sun tea jar; it is much easier to decant just the liquid from there.

Here are the quick steps to kombucha:
- Put sweetened tea with SCOBY.
- Ferment for 5-7 days
- Decant tea into another container and add fruit or other flavor enhancers, let ferment another day or two.  Add new sweetened tea back with the SCOBY to start a new 1st fermentation batch.
- When 2nd fermentation is ready, decant through a coffee filter into your drinking vessels (we use either old glass drink bottles or mason jars).  Let the drink sit for another day to get some fizziness.
- Refrigerate
- Drink

It's turning out pretty good so far... Flavors we've tried are:  mango/ginger, peach/ginger (friend made this one), and blueberry in green tea (the others were in black tea).  We are currently flavoring a green tea with nectarine jam (just wanted to see how it would work), a black tea with strawberry/ginger, and a black tea with apple/honey.  This is a fun experiment!

Oh, and, I am done with working the extra days, so hopefully I can get my energy back and post a bit more of my projects up here.  :o)