Green Fingers/Basil Watch: Day 9

On Monday I was able to go out without the boys (Huzzah). I went to Wilkinsons and had a wander around their gardening section. After much perusing, I left with a grow your own sweet pepper and chilli pepper pots, a pack of mixed Caribbean chilli seeds, some potting soil and a sort of window box.
None of the seedlings have come through yet but I'm hoping to see something over the weekend.



Mixed Caribbean Chillies



Grow Your Own Peppers Sweet: California Wonder & Hot: De Cayenne

I'll have to start thinking about where I going to put all these plants that I'm growing. We don't have a garden and there aren't many places that receive enough light that the boys can't reach. I've already had to move the bookshelf in the kitchen to the window to try and prevent them from playing with the pots. Even so they still try to get to them by moving the dining chairs and using them as a step ladder. I guess the curiosity is just too much.

The basil plant is growing very well, as you can see from the picture there are a lot more seedlings coming through. I'm going to wait until the boys go back to nursery before getting pots to move them to.

Basil: Day 9

 

 

If my husband can borrow a drill from someone I'll ask the landlord if it's ok to put some shelves up. Hopefully he'll say yes and I can get to work on making space for my mini garden.

Basil Watch: Day 5

Despite being shaken about and turned upside down by my three little men, my basil are starting to produce seedlings. I'll wait until more emerge and then take the lid off. Then I'll have to get individual ports for them.
I'll then transfer them to the window ledge so that they won't be disturbed.

Nutty Bisccotti

Credit were it's due: I adapted this from a recipe by Stephanie Jaworski of www.joyofbaking.com

130g granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1tsp pure vanilla extract
1tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
230g plain flour
60g pistachio, unsalted shelled and coarsely chopped
40g hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
40g pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 177•C and prepare a baking tray

Whisk together the sugar and egg, when pale and fluffy add the vanilla extract.

Then in a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the egg and sugar mixture and beat tighter until combined, then fold in the nuts.

Flour a counter and pour the dough out onto it. Flour your hands if the dough is sticky and roll it into a log and flatten so that its is approx. 12"/30cm x 3 1/2" (9cm).

Place on a baking tray and into an oven for approx. 25mins or until firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 10mins

Reduce the oven to 165•C

Place the log on a chopping board and, using a serrated knife, cut into slices approx. 1/2" wide.

Place these flat on the baking tray and bake for 8-10 mins or until golden brown. Turn over and repeat for the other side.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Variation: As biscotti is hard and crunchy it may be difficult for children to eat. If you want a softer version they can be eaten after the first bake.

The picture shown is for a Cranberry and pistachio biscotti. I didn't realise that I didn't take a picture of the Nutty Biscotti. I will do when I make them again.

Mrs U Makes on YouTube

I've spent most of the day putting together a slide show of The Story Time Collection.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=rssBk5ptLfQ

I used the YouTube video editor which is good but limiting in terms of song, font, and transition selection. I tried to use the Windows movie maker on my laptop but this kept freezing. My laptop is pretty much on its last legs.

I'm hoping to make more of these slide shows for the other things I've made so watch this space.

Basil Watch: Day 1

A few weeks ago I bought a grow your own Basil pot from Tesco (though other stores are available). This morning I decided it was time to plant it. I've placed it on the window sill, and realised that I might as well get a window box to grow more herbs.

I'll wait and see how the Basil grows, but heres hoping that it goes well.

The picture isn't do great as there's a plastic lid on the pot. More pictures to come as seedlings emerge.

Bad Pattern Writting

I've just finished knitting the cabled bag featured in the spring 2011 bag supplement of Simply Knitting magazine. There were a few errors, excluding the error which I brought to the attention of the publishers, I've found two small errors which wouldn't effect the pattern but may cause confusion to someone who is new to knitting.

There is another error I found towards the end of the pattern (when working the top of the bag). You're instructed to pick up 64 st across the edge then work in rib for 4 Rows. Then you're told to cast off 24 st rib the next 12 and then cast off 24. Then to do the same for the other edge.

24 + 12 + 24 = 60 so what happens to the other 4 sts.

Instead I cast off 24 then ribbed 16 then cast off the remaining 24.

I'm so glad that I've finished and all I have to do is line it.
I'm also surprised that these issues haven't been brought up on the website. The error I reported to the magazine had not been mentioned on the site (the last time I looked) has no one else worked on this project, or have they also brought it up and nothing has been done or have they worked it out for themselves and not bothered to mention it.

This by far has been the most error riddled pattern I've ever worked on.

Gilet: Change of Plan

I've currently signed up to the Craftsy class 'Sizing Knitwear Patterns' by Faina Goberstein. It covers swatching and working out the gauge and also helps to work out the pattern for different sizes.

It's a great class and shows how much work goes into preparing a pattern.

Whilst watching this class I decided that it may be best to make the gilet as a pattern only and not sell the actual finished piece, at least not yet. I thought that if I focused on pattern writing it would give me a chance to improve as a designer and would mean that I would have the finished piece to wear myself without having to make another one.

I may also rip back the gilet, as my initial swatching was somewhat rushed. However, as it's a simple design I'm likely to continue.

When I start the next project which will be a knitted ruana or stole, I will definitely take the time to do things properly.