12.30.06
Happy 2007!
It appears that the week has zipped by again! But before any more of it slips past, Brian and I would like to wish you all a happy, healthy 2007! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Ours was very nice. We had a small family gathering, but I always enjoy them no matter what size. The cooking was done by my sister and brother-in-law, and Brian and me. Practically everything was organic from the turkey and roast to the breads and desserts. Speaking of desserts!, 
my sister and brother-in-law made some yummy macrobiotic shortbread cookies! Ummmm! As you can see from the picture on the right, some of them were dipped in chocolate and decorated with an occasional pine nut. Not only were the cookies organic and macrobiotic, they were also gluten-free. I think they used either maple syrup or molasses in place of sugar, but I’ll have to find out. The person who came up with that recipe is a genius! I wish her my best! My tastebuds thank her, and so do my tummy, skin, and diabetic mother! Ha! I’m gonna have to get that recipe! My youngest son called them “antibiotic” cookies, ha! Eh, I’m still trying to figure that one out. . .
I was pleasantly surprised to find that the scarves I made were adopted into new homes at our Christmas gathering. And here I thought I might be stuck with eight scarves that no one wanted, but it turns out that I need to make another one for myself. But first. . . I remembered a couple special people who live in a much colder climate for whom I thought might like a warm scarf. So I stopped off at the yarn shop and inquired about their wool selection. I learned something new. I was told that “alpaca” is actually five times warmer than “wool.” 
So I picked up a few hanks of 50% wool and 50% alpaca. I found a conservative stitch and color. The stitch I found that I liked is called a brioche knit and is worked up in two colors. So I picked out two colors. The picture doesn’t really show the colors well as the darker one actually has some green hues but look more like dark brown in the picture. I have found that there are various versions of brioches, not all using two colors, but they are a thicker knit because it uses up more yarn to work up. So, I’m hoping that with the combination of thick knit and the wool and alpaca blend, this will be a nice warm scarf. What I like about the brioche stitch is that it is reversible so that both sides look good. There are a lot of knit stitches, especially if you use cabling where one side looks nice and decorative, but the back looks like, well. . . the back. But this stitch looks good on both sides and is not just the usual rib stitch, and the color even switches from one side to the other. 
Here’s a picture of what I’ve worked up so far in this yarn. I’ve flipped it so that both sides can be seen. Maybe you can tell that on one side the light color dominates, but on the other side, the darker color dominates. It looks almost like an ordinary rib stitch, but it actually has more depth to it. I’ll attach a close up of both side to get a better look at it. I’m holding it a little stretched out to show the stitching more. The first one has the darker color on the top of the rib while the second picture has the lighter color on the top of the rib.
All well, both sides look almost the same in these pictures, but I assure you the difference is much more noticeable in person, ha! I’ll see how these finish up, and maybe I’ll try making some matching caps to go along with these.
Oh, as a side note, I know the brioche knit looks simple, and it really is. . .once you get the hang of it! But when I first was trying to follow the instructions, I couldn’t believe what trouble I was having! UNTIL. . . I found a YouTube video showing how the brioche stitch is done. . . Whew! Gives me a new appreciation for the saying, “a picture is worth a 1000 words. . . “Okay! Happy New Year to all! May 2007 bring much joy and happiness!
Marlakins 
Kim said,
January 3, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Well! Hopefully, that recipe will be available to us all. Sounds like a organic cook book could be in the making! Any your knitting! Fabulous! I learned many years ago from my Grandma. Thank you for the tip on that neat brioche stitch, hmmm… I see a renewed hobby on the horizon.
Administrator said,
January 4, 2007 at 9:32 am
Hi Kim! Happy New Year! I’m gonna try to get the recipe from my sister. Turns out she took a macrobiotic cookie cooking class just before Christmas, and that is where she got the recipe. I’m thinking that maybe it wouldn’t be right for me to publish the recipe online, so when I get it, I can send it to you via private email (as well as any of the other ladies, who may be interested?)
Oh, boy. . . renewing a knitting hobby! Ha! Isn’t it addicting? Did you knit a lot before? What kinds of things did you make? I’m kind of a self-taught knitter and crocheter, so there’s plenty that I need to learn, yet. I sure am awed at all the talent I see out there, tho, and it inspires me to try more stuff. Let me know if you do get back into it! Just the other day I was looking for knitting festivals or conventions. There was something I found coming up in Estes Park in Colorado in June or July 2007. Now that one looks fun, but doubt I’ll be able to go. They actually bring the animals there and have competition of the quality of wool and feece they’ve grown, ha! The animals look so adorable! Bet they’ll also have raw materials to sell so that you can dye and spin your own yarns. I’ve hunted for something like that in Southern California, but so far, have not found anything like it. Will still continue to search it out. I would imagine up in Northern California might be more likely.
Okay! Take care!
Marla
Kim said,
January 6, 2007 at 10:51 am
Estes Park! I went there last year! It was probably one of the most enjoyable spots I have every visited! Land of the friendly Elk! Quaint little village, I know you would love to see this part of the U.S. And a knitting convention with the Alpaca’s too??? Wow!
Administrator said,
January 8, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Ah, I remember you telling me you went to Colorado last year! But since I’ve never been there and don’t know anything of the lay of the land, I had no idea it was Estes Park. I really liked the picture you sent me of Estes Park. I hope you don’t mind me sharing it here on my blog, but when I saw it, one of the first things I though of was what a wonderful world God has made for us. So much beauty in so many places! I reduced it 50% from the one you sent me. But I think you can still see it?
Thanks so much for sharing it, Kim!
Hugs!
Marla
Caroline said,
January 16, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Your scarves look great! Do you buy organic alpaca wool? Have you thought of knitting for a retail site? I have an online organic baby boutique and would like to have someone knit for me, like baby caps, blankets and sweaters. The site is http://www.susiejane.com. Let me know if you’re interested.
Caroline
patti said,
January 17, 2007 at 12:20 am
Is this Caroline of Canada fame???
patti