Frozen Ground, Frost, Ice on the Puddles, Sky full of Stars & NORTHERN LIGHTS!

I finally feel like winter might actually be about to arrive here!  Usually by now I have some Ks of skiing on my skis.  This year for what ever strange weather pattern we have been having we have no snow and hardly a frozen ground to stand firmly on.  This mornings dog walk finally feels like WINTER is near. Winter is a busy time of the year for us as we run a small ski/biathlon program out here in Unalakleet. Once winter arrives for us we are all about skiing!

I love to see the lights here in the mornings on the dog walk.  I have found over the years that the morning lights are mostly white, and occasionally blueish-green.  They shimmer, dance and shoot across the sky.  Often, large bands of light, like this morning are curving and curling slowly across our sky.  I love the Northern Lights!  They fascinate me!  Did you know if you whistle at them according to local custom they will sing for you?  There are many legends about the lights and I need to ask more questions about those before I write about them to make sure I get them correct.

Here is to WINTER in all its glory!

Unspun Wool from Iceland

  Icelandic Yarn from: Schoolhouse Press

I have no idea what I am going to knit with this wool. I do know once I get this post written I am going to cast-on and mess around with my unspun wool.  I am not a huge fan of that green so that will be the yarn I will play with as I think about what I might knit.  The two blues I just love.   For years, I have been wanting to knit with this unpsun wool. This was my birthday gift to myself this year.   

Schoolhouse Press has this to say about unspun Icelandic wool: 

"Un-Spun Icelandic— Extraordinary long-fibered fleece unique to Icelandic sheep produce the warmest wool we know."   The other wonderful item I ordered for myself was this pattern which is called Pools in the River.  I am really taken by the textured work in this design.   This pattern I am totally smitten with!  Elizabeth Zimmermann once again stuns me with her designs.  It is wonderful that her family keeps  sharing her work with us knitters.  This photo was taken with my iphone from Schoolhouse Press Pattern #45. One other thing I love about Schoolhouse Press is that they wrap their yarn in paper.  I feel like, I stepped back in time when ever I open a package from them . . . a time when everything moved slower.

Daylight: because someone will ask

I live in a rural Alaskan village.  This means you can not drive here but you can fly in, take a very long boat ride, come by dog sled like in the Iditarod Dog Sled Race, ski, ride a bike on the snow . . . but no matter what you can not drive here!  One of the most popular questions I would say most Alaskans get is "How can you stand the dark?"  First off it is not dark every where in Alaska during the winter months.  

Here in Unalakleet we live at approximately 63 degrees north and 160 degrees west. I enjoy many aspects of living this far north.  The light is always amazing with long wonderful shadows at certain times of the year. I appreciate how our daylight changes during the year and embrace the shorter hours of sunlight. One more reason I enjoy fall and winter so much is this change into the darker months.  The changing weather, storms, daylight, long hours of darkness are all very comforting.  


Here is a daylight chart for 2013 and you can make one for yourself at USNO

Fingerless Gloves

I was sent a wonderful pair of hand knit fingerless gloves as a birthday present.  Since these gloves have arrived they have been on every dog walk as I was told to use them!  As a knitter it is a great treat when you receive a hand knitted item!  As one knitter to the next gets it!  The work involved, the thought that went into the item, the yarn that was picked and used, the design, and of course the love that goes into a hand knitted item.

These were knitted with TOSK DK  100% superwash Merino, Antique Lace and Amber Tricket (don't you love that name) and the pattern is Gina's Wrister from Joseph's Coat in Missoula Montana.  This pattern is free and on Ravelry.  Thank you iusecreativejuices!

One of the things I like about these fingerless gloves is the design with two colors which gives a great feel to the glove.  The fit is spot on!

The first dog walk with winds clipping about 25 mph but no snow--ugh!

Winter and the lack of it is beginning to get to me a bit.  I have to admit I am tried of the rain and mud!  There I said it!  The temperatures need to drop and the ground needs to freeze up.  There have been years that I was skiing on my birthday.  The last few years no luck with that goal.   I really wish mother nature would do her job and push out this current weather pattern and get busy making winter!

Bláithín Sweater

My Bláithín sweater is coming right along.  I was able to get the provisional crochet cast-on easily mastered and on my needles.  I used a sock yarn for this as it would shed the least amount.  I did wonder if this crochet cast-on yarn should be the same gauge as my sweater yarn.  I went with the sock yarn as  it wouldn't shed, is very durable, as the only yarn in the same weight I was afraid might shed.

Provisional Crochet Cast-on in Opal Cotton Sock Yarn

Once I got the twisting out of the cast-on *****warning here you need to be patient with this step!   I am sailing along in circles for 17 inches.

I placed coil-less safety pins every 50 sts. so I only have to count this amount twice.   I casted on 214 sts. 6 sts are for the steek and 208 sts are for the body.

I am off to a good start.  I do place sts. markers for the front steek  and the side seam if there was to be a side seam.

My favorite yarn shoppe in Montana  Knit 'N Needle used one of my photos to show off some wonderful fall yarns.  I love the combination.  Today it is 43F here and I wish our snow was back pronto!

Cinnamon Rolls

I can not think of anything bad, or wrong about  cinnamon rolls !  I mean what is there not to love!  They smell wonderful, they taste great and the variety of cinnamon rolls out there in the world is endless. Sweden has a National Cinnamon Roll Day!

How can anyone not love a country that has a National Cinnamon Roll/Bun Day-----another reason to love Sweden in my books.  We even spent a whole summer bike touring around Sweden and Norway.  We were lucky to go back to Norway and ski one winter.  The Scandinavian part of the world is one of my favorite in the world.  No only is the land stunning, the people pleasant, but lets face it this culture can BAKE and let me add KNIT!  Back on topic . . .

Christian is our in house cinnamon roll baker and he makes my favorite rolls.  I am not a frosting fan but rather love the chewy brown sugar and nut topping, raisins, and abundance of cinnamon these rolls have----YUMMY! Below you will find Christian's Cinnamon Roll recipe that many people have asked for----pull out the floor, rollup your sleeves and bake away!

Brazil Nut/Walnut/Pecan Cinnamon Rolls clp2013
Enough for 12+ or so medium sized rolls on single med-large baking sheet. 
tsp = teaspoon; T = Tablespoon
MAKING DOUGH

2 pkg. (1⁄4 oz.) rapid rise yeast (~ 1 rounded T of yeast)

1T honey

1 T Brown or White Sugar 

2 tsp. salt

  2 cups lukewarm water

(warm to inside of wrist)
(Use extra 1⁄4 cup if high elevation, 4000+m)

 
Mix yeast/honey/salt/sugar/water stock
& let all stand for 5-10 min. until foamy in a large bowl/pot. Stir a bit to break/mix yeast clumps. (Important to read ahead)
Add 5+ cups of sifted flour in portions.
Mix flour by wooden spoon, then by hand till not sticky, scrape bowl sides. Knead in same bowl or surface till firm & elastic with a bit sticky & satiny texture &bit of a moisture feeling on surface. (~5 min)
Transfer to new bowl, sprinkle 1 T of olive oil over the dough and spin/flip/roll in bowl to coat evenly. Let rest/rise till ~ double in size in warm place with damp cloth covering for 20+ min, then punch down, then let re-rise 10+ min or longer & use.
You can use the dough immediately if you can’t wait, for it will rise ok as you prep & bake.
MAKING TWO TOPPINGS
1) Cinnamon/Sugar Mix to sprinkle on rolled dough
Mix in small bowl, 1⁄2 cup white sugar + 1-2 T Cinnamon as you like. Set aside.
2) Cinnamon/Brown Sugar/Nut Topping to place beneath each roll (prepare as rising)
In med. pan, heat 1⁄2 cup butter, 1⁄2 cup brown sugar, 1⁄2 cup white sugar, 1-2 T cinnamon to taste, handful of Brasil nuts, walnuts, or pecans chopped. Stir until well mixed. DO NOT caramelize! Use low heat.
ROLL THE DOUGH
Roll out until 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch thick rectangle (~2–3x as long as wide) on a clean surface.
Coat rolled dough lightly with olive oil.
Sprinkle Cinnamon/Sugar Mix evenly over rolled surface. Spread by hand & leave far edge clear. Drop bits of 4–6 T of Cinnamon/Brown Sugar/Nut Topping about the surface (keep rest for topping). ALTERNATIVE Additions: Add sprinkle of raisins, craisins, or etc. if desired.
Now roll up on long side and seal when done on far edge with light pressure & “patch” if needed. Cut roll in half, then half again, & finally each into 3rds. Place 2-3 inch thick slices on oiled cookie sheet to give 12 rolls equally spaced.
BAKING
Coat baking sheet with generous layer of olive oil. Lay 1/12th of cinnamon/brown sugar/nut topping under equally spaced location of each roll (3x4 spacing). Place rolls on topping & lightly pat.
Dribble olive oil on top & lightly pat oil even.
Bake @ 375o F (~190oC) for 20-25 minutes (depends upon stove! Watch! Check @20 min.)
Swap ends at midpoint in time for equalized baking if needed.
Remove, cool for a minute, flip sheet onto another larger baking sheet to invert rolls before sticking. Scrape residual topping with wooden spoon and quickly place evenly on needy rolls
Share the cinnamon wealth, & Enjoy a few!
You can freeze cooked rolls paired, wrapped in foil & saran wrap in zip-lock bags. Just thaw in fridge and reheat 15 min. @350oF for “fresh” cinnamon effused morning.

Page 1 of 1 Cinnamon Rolls.docx Last printed 10/7/13 8:58 PM 

Casting On: Bláithín by Kate Davies

Kate Davies is one of my favorite designers in the knitting world today.  (I also love Kate's blog, writing/research and photos!)  Over a year ago she designed and published this pattern: Bláithín.  I instantly fell in love with the design and the techniques she used in this sweater.  Typical of me, I was quick to purchase the pattern, then I bought my yarn at my favorite local Montana Yarn shoppe: Knit n' Needle.  The yarn I picked for this sweater is New England Highland from Harrisville Design.  I love 100% wool, I love real traditional yarn, and I love supporting long standing wool companies. (Oh don't get me wrong I will purchase wool from more recent start up companies as well but I am a traditionalist when it comes to my yarn.)

New England Highland Yarn from Harrisville Design.

Typical of me I have not started this project yet.  I have of coursed knitted several pairs of socks, mittens, hats, finished a few sweaters, some smaller fletted projects, and bought more yarn for a Fair Isle vest as well . . . I just can not knit one project at a time, just like I can not read one book at a time.

I did knit up a swatch and I am spot on for the gauge--yahoo!  4.5 sts per inch.  I tend to like a nice dense knit but this swatch gives a lighter fabric.  I am happy with the feel of the swatch and I will be casting on today.  I first need to figure out the amount of sts. as I don't ever follow a pattern exactly as written.  I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Zimmermann and Elizabeth Percentage System (EPS) to find out more please visit Schoolhouse Press. This design also has a bit of a flare at the bottom and some shaping.  I will not follow this part of the sweater, nor will I add any pockets, other than that I will be following the techniques Kate has incorporated in her design.

Bláithín swatch which is actually a true navy blue.

Mystery Series by Ann Cleeves

I recently discovered author Ann Cleeves and just devoured her Shetland Quartet series.  I enjoyed the first and second book.  By her third book there was a great leap forward in Ms. Cleeves writing.  I found it difficult to figure out who the murderer was in each book.  Ms. Cleeves kept me guessing right up to the end of each book.  By the fourth book in the series Ms. Cleeves has become a sophisticated mystery writer and I highly recommend her books.

If you are a knitter you will find bits and pieces of fiber related content knitted into the fabric of her writing.  I enjoyed these bits of Shetland knitting history.

I enjoyed all four books in the Shetland Quartet.  My favorites were the last two: Red Bones and Blue Lighting.  I highly recommend reading them all in order.