Everything's New in the New Year

Yesterday I mentioned that I needed some extra yarn and needles (besides those for the socks I'm currently knitting) to take to Sock Knitting Club so I could learn something new. Well, the new things I learned were the magic cast-on for toe-up socks and knitting socks on 2 circular needles. It was just a beginning and I was all thumbs at first, but I think I'm going to like this method of knitting socks. Thus far, on my first pair I've been using 4 dpns and try as I might I keep getting ladders when I change from one needle to the next.

The ladders are difficult to see in this view, but, believe me, they are there!

I was inspired by my introduction to these new techniques to do some reading when I got home, so I got out a book I've had on my shelves for some time--Cat Bordhi's Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles. Her encouraging attitude and clear instructions made me feel like this is something I can do. I never had the confidence to actually try knitting socks before, let alone on 2 circs, but I am challenging myself to try new things in knitting and crocheting, and in life. My second pair of socks will definitely use the magic cast-on and will be done on 2 circular needles. I am so grateful to my fellow Sock Knitting Club members for their assistance and support in my quest to become a more adventurous knitter.

Speaking of new things, I have joined Ravelry and am profitting from it in so many ways. One of the groups I've joined is called READ KNIT COOK. Its description is: A book-of-the-month of sorts. Every month there's a new knitting or crochet themed book chosen to read, a knit- or crochet-along, and new recipe ideas to try! For the cooking portion this month we were offered 3 different recipes. I chose Buzzard's Breath BBQ Sauce and made it last night for dinner. Instead of processing it in a blender and canning it as the recipe calls for, I used it as is after the simmering and combined it with some cooked Anasazi Beans and left-over pork tenderloin. Cooked for about an hour in the oven at 400 degrees--delicious! My Texas-born husband loved the bite of the habanero pepper in the sauce and yet it wasn't too hot for me.