Yum Yum Truffles

I know, I know. I promise to blog more and then I decide to take a two week vacation from blogging. I think the Sundara confused me. On the positive side, someone besides me actually cared that I got that Sundara yarn. I had a conversation with Sophy that went something like this:

Kitten: So, I got two skeins of Sundara sock yarn!
Sophy: Oh. My. God!
Kitten: Are you making fun of me? I don't even care if you are! I'm so thrilled!
Sophy: It's so pretty! I failed to get some myself and I've given up.

I've promised one of my two skeins to Sophy since I realize how sad it is to want Sundara and not have it.

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I've started a small knit hat for Nathan with this yarn.



It has an interesting cabled construction (the yarn, not the hat, which is done in simple two by two rib) but I'm not sure I love it knit as much as I loved it in the little yarn cake. Isn't that always the way? I've only knit an inch or two on it, since a stupid RPG for the PS2 has really taken over my life. In a bad way.

But that's partially a lie. I'm also sewing. I decided to make some spring-ish napkins for a dinner party we're having this weekend. I'm totally using this next picture without the permission of the copyright owner, but I hope that my friend will forgive me. Here is a picture of our last murder mystery get together:



Hopefully this next one will be just as much fun. I've got my tiara and pearls at the ready. I will show you pics of that (and my finished napkins, if I ever do finish them).

Okay, but here's the real deal, the crafting for this post. It's not sewing, it isn't knitting, it's not even card making. It's COOKING. I know! On the night before Valentine's day, Paul came home with four bars of chocolate and a plan. We were going to make truffles. At first, I groaned to myself because it sounded too ambitious for my Friday night plans, but after a bit, I got very involved with it.

The worst part of the whole deal was waiting for the stupid coconut and walnuts to brown for the coating toppings. I've learnt that about myself. One of the things I hate about cooking is doing all the small fiddly parts of it. I don't mind stirring, or measuring, or mixing. I hate waiting. I hate knowing that it takes five minutes to brown coconut and that during that time, we're just standing there waiting for it all to be done. It's why when I used to cook for myself to eat when I lived at my mom's, I used to just put a pot of one box meal on the stove, let it cook through and then forget about it while I went to work on the computer. By the time I got back to it, it would invariably be midnight, the food would be dried and cold, and then I'd eat it anyway. No wonder I never gained much weight -- the food I was eating was nearly inedible.

Anyway, so, Paul and I worked together to make some truffles from the America's Test Kitchen recipe and they are DELISH. They are the most fantastic homemade truffles ever. The coating is slightly crisp and shatters slightly when you bite into them. The dusting of cocoa on some of them is so delightful. If you have access to America's Test Kitchen recipes, you need to make some truffles. Hell, sprinkle some sea salt on some. Sprinkle nonpareils on others. Just make them. They are so wonderful. I plan on spiking the next set we make with some Kahlua.

If you'll excuse me, I've got to go eat some truffles.

(When did my knitting blog turn into a life blog? How did this happen?)

Sundara Sock Yarn

Holy crap, peeps. I managed to score two skeins of Sundara sock yarn since she did a 1 am EST yarn update. As those of you who follow indie sock yarn dyers know, this is nearly a miracle. I shouldn't be buying sock yarn, but this stuff is prime trading material, if nothing else.

And Just Where Have You Been?!

I was doing this imaginary interview in my mind, from an anonymous blog reader with me...

Blog Reader: So, why haven't you been posting?
Me: I'm super busy!
Blog Reader: With knitting?
Me: Well... no.
Blog Reader: With Nathan?
Me: No more than normal.
Blog Reader: Then what are you doing that you're so busy that you can't post?
Me: mumble, mumble
Blog Reader: What was that?
Me: I'm playing a videogame and reading FEEDS, okay? It takes time to read eight billion knitting blogs on a daily basis, you know! And my characters are not going to level themselves while I just sit around knitting and blogging, are they?
Blog Reader: You should be ashamed of yourself.

I have imaginary conversations between myself and others all the time, but this time I decided to take the advice of my imaginary harasser and post!

Anyway, since I have little knitting progress to speak of ("knit some more on the never ending Slytherin scarf, tried to pretend my socks dropped off the face of the Earth"), I thought I'd highlight four craft projects that have caught my eye over the last several months.

1) Sophy's Shalom: I love everything about this. The color is great. The stitches look so even and nice. The buttons are sweet. Sophy has stated that she does not wear it much, but I think it's a winner in the pictures, at least.

2) Jackie's Charade Socks: It's the last project on this post. I adore the pattern of this sock, but, it turns out that I only love it when combined with a darker sock yarn such as the Dream in Color Smooshy's November Muse. I've looked at the Ravelry project page for this pattern, and I would never have said I loved the pattern based on the majority of the results I found, but Jackie's socks inspired me to add the pattern to my queue.

3) Joli House's Dublin Bay Socks: This is a case where a blog I read introduced me to both a new sock pattern that I loved and a sock yarn that is both variegated and subtle. I've seen tons of socks using this pattern that I like, which is nice, but not rare. However, I rarely find sock yarns that are variegated and subtle. YAY!

4) The Yarniad's Simplicity 6197, View F: While I enjoy sewing, and I find that many people make stuff that looks okay, I do not often think to myself, "I wish I had that piece" when I see hand made items. This skirt, however, speaks to me. I love it. I found myself mentally checking my wardrobe to see what would go with it. I love the color, the way the pleats fall. I considered making myself my own version! A winner.

And that is it for today, folks. I'll get back to you soon, hopefully, with my own knitting results!

Friendship Fingerless Mitts

These are done and they took less than ten days! They are also super cute and warm.



Project: Burgundy Mitts (ravel it!)
Pattern: Friendship Fingerless Mitts
Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino
Needles: Size 4 DPNs.

Thank you for the pattern, Sophy! I ♥ it!



Now, normally I would show you some of my WIPs, but those are boring. Really, I can't show you my stupid Slytherin scarf everytime I add a new section. I'll just answer one of the comments I've received which requires a response.

ECB asked me to post a tutorial for my sewn Thanksgiving napkins. No need, ECB! I found a tutorial online before I made my own napkins. The Purl Bee's napkins are cuter than mine, for sure, but they appear to have better sewing skillz. Check out their other tutorials as well, if you like to sew. It's a wealth of knowledge and project advice!