Tuesday, September 7, 2010

End of Summer

This weekend I tried to do some things I had hoped to do all summer. I made my own pasta sauce (from scratch!) on Friday which turned out delizioso, if I don't say so myself. I love pasta and tend to cook it once a week. Lately, however, I've gotten extremely tired of the jar sauce. It's all starting to taste the same. My sauce was much more flavorful than the jar stuff and I'm sure it had to do with the fresh basil. I plan on making more and promise to share the recipe with you when I do (if I can remember). It's really very simple. 

I also got some zucchini bread made this weekend. It turned out much better than my last loaf which, if I'm being really honest with myself and my readers, turned out too hard, too dry, and too not tasty. It was not moist at all. I'm thinking I may have forgotten to add the vegetable oil. Whoops. So I remembered this time. Much better. We're already halfway through the first loaf.

I also started knitting a new pair of socks. If you recall, I've only ever knit 3 socks: one is currently a duster and the pair I gave away.  This pair is for me. I really like the idea of handknit socks, but I guess I've felt like I'm not a good enough knitter, yet. I prefer dpns but then I get ladders. After I brought this up at knitting group a couple weeks ago, Amy gave me the "everyone gets ladders!" speech. This helped me to reevaluate the sock knitting and I cast on for a pair on Friday. I'm not a super speedy knitter but I knit on this sock all weekend and by Monday afternoon, I had one whole sock

and it fits perfect! I pulled as tight as I could between needles and there isn't too much laddering which makes me very happy. So now my next task is to make the second sock. I also joined the Sock Knitters Anonymous group on Ravelry with the idea that maybe this would give me some incentive to knit. They're just starting their Sockdown which I'm considering participating in. I like the idea of knitting one pair of socks a month for a year and having a drawerful of handknit socks at the end. But first, I still need to finish my swap project since the birthday swap is around the corner. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.  

12 comments:

  1. I hear ya about the pasta sauce. We made 14 pounds into sauce. So yummy. Some's in the freezer...

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  2. The sock looks great! I love the colors. The bread looks yummy.

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  3. love the colors of those socks! i have never made a pair of socks (yet). i have made several pairs of fingerless gloves and find it really helps to pull tightly before the second stitch on each dpn to avoid ladders.

    they look GREAT to me!!

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  4. Ooh, homemade pasta sauce. I'd love to know the recipe!

    That sock is lovely. I've only ever knit 4 socks. None of which turned into a matching set. I hope your sock adventures turn out better than mine. I think you're on the right track.

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  5. Nice sock! That bread looks pretty yummy too. Looks like somebody had a very productive weekend.

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  6. Homemade sauce is so much better than anything you can buy in a jar. I love the sock you've finished. What yarn is that?

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  7. The sock looks really good! Please contact me via e-mail. I have something for you.

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  8. Homemade sauce is the best! and I do think the fresh basil has a lot to do with it.
    Love your socks! And yes, your ladders will disappear as you knit more socks!! lol. I too love dpns (and 2nd love is the 9" circular). I noticed my ladders got less with each sock I knitted. So it is true, we get better with practice.

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  9. Love your sock, I am partial to the colors :)

    I just joined Sock Knitters Anonymous recently too! I am knitting the September Mock. Good luck and hope you join in!

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  10. I love the colors of sock! I'm glad it fits. When I get ladders with DPNS, they usually become way less noticeable after I give the project a good wash and block.

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  11. Your socks are beautiful! If you are going for speed, knit something else!

    I say:

    1 handknit pair of socks = 1 handknit sweater!

    The time and effort are the same!

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  12. what a great weekend! congrats on the sock - it certainly doesn't look like a 4th sock ever!! and you're right that joining a sock KAL group will definitely help your production - we started one in May and I've actually knit 3 pairs since then!

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