In Progress

This is the fabric I'm using to make another dress for the warmer weather. It's Kaffe Fassett Paisley. At least I think it is...I'll check. Anyway, it's bright and cheery and I can't wait to wear it.

I may not have my knitting mojo back, but the sewing is coming along nicely. I like the fact that a project comes together much faster in dressmaking, than it does in knitting. And for me, the process of knitting is a sort of end in itself, whereas with dressmaking, although I enjoy the extra attention required when laying out pattern pieces, cutting, marking up and sewing (not to mention fitting), mostly I get lots of satisfaction out of wearing a dress I made myself. My knitting seems to be a bit more hit and miss.

My New Most Lovely Best Friend (who knew...?)


You know how it happens: you're supposed to be looking up something useful online, and suddenly you've come across at least ten relatively obscure items that you never knew you needed, but now absolutely cannot live without? In my case this usually applies to books, but just recently it could be anything. Like a Jaeger bag (don't ask....I didn't even know the site existed when I logged on that morning), a candy thermometer (like I make a lot of confectionary...NOT), and the list goes on.

The other day I was looking up something to do with Nigel Slater (my other new best friend) and quite by chance came across something he said about not needing many gadgets in his kitchen, but his ice-cream machine was (I'm paraphrasing terribly here) the love of his life and he could never be without it. I thought, if it's good enough for Nige, it's good enough for me. Before I knew it, I'd taken delivery of a Magimix Le Glacier!

I must say, it hasn't let me down. I LOVE it. And we're not even a big ice-cream family. I think we just like most things we've made ourselves, as much because of the sense of satisfaction at having made something edible, as the fact that it tastes so good. Also, we like knowing what has gone into it.

So far we have made Vanilla Iced Yogurt (very refreshing and zingy), Chocolate Ice-Cream (very rich, made with mostly cream instead of milk), and Raspberry Ice-Cream (nice with coulis). I have found I prefer the less rich ice-creams, made with more milk than cream, as they are much more refreshing and the flavour comes through more.

But good grief, I have to be organised...with strainers and ice-baths and ingredients all standing by. The custard-based ice-creams are quite time-consuming to make but they are worth it. On the other hand, you can't beat just chucking a few things into the churner and scooping them out as a delicious frozen dessert about fifteen minutes later. Like Greek yogurt, caster sugar and vanilla.

If I start to inflate over the next few months, you'll have a sneaking suspicion why!

After All These Years...

I can't believe it's been two years since I last posted here. I don't know why, but at that time I just lost my blogging mojo. And my knitting mojo too. Well, I have knitted a few things (another Ella shawl and floaty scarves for friends) but I just lost interest. Also, I think I was feeling the pressure to write something other people actually found interesting (which is crazy, but I do have a habit of making everything more complicated than it needs to be) and I was never that entertaining or witty anyway! So, I have decided to start again, but this time keeping the blog as a kind of diary for myself; an account of things.

I have been doing some sewing (down to having popped in at Jorth's - she always motivates me to do something...cool). But mostly I've been cooking. So, I'll be blogging about whatever I've been doing. It may not be very often. And it's good to see some of you lovely people are still out there and going strong. I admire people who can start something and stick at it.

Hope all you people are well, and enjoying the spring day, at least those of you in the UK. It's about blooming time, isn't it?!

BTW...because I changed my blog template, all my links disappeared so I have to start adding them all back. Grrr.

Watch This Space....I'll Be Back!