almost there!

so near yet so far. will it get done in time for the weekend?

i hope so!

weekend dining

the weekend, a time to relax and entertain! we grabbed the last of the summer herbs to season roast potatoes and rack of lamb for a small dinner party.

set the table nicely for once, too!

and then ate everything up before we got photos. i did get a snap of dessert though - hazelnut pear cake with hazelnut creme anglaise.

roast rack of lamb and potatoes

rack of lamb
olive oil
mustard powder
rosemary
sage
parsley
potatoes
bacon fat
thyme

preheat oven to 450f.

arrange rack so it stands nicely in a snug roasting dish.

combine oil, mustard powder, and herbs into a paste. coat racks.

toss potatoes in melted bacon fat. sprinkle with thyme.

put both dishes in oven.

after 10 minutes, drop temperature to 325f.

after 30 minutes more, take out lamb. tent with foil and let rest.

after 10 minutes more, everything is ready to serve.

dna vest take two

so i ripped back the dna vest to re-do the dna cable pattern.

this time, the "strands" are two stitches wide, and the "rungs" are a bit farther apart, to make them more distinct.

better, i think?

i'm also up to the point on the acorn season cardigan where i need to join the sleeves - which means i need to knit the sleeves before i can go any further!

new pattern in embryonic form: dna

i have convinced my crabby son to try a sweater vest, by describing it as "a sweater with no sleeves." that's an idea he could appreciate!

starting with the top-down seamless vest tutorial, i thought i'd dress it up with a cable or something - and then got the idea that my science-minded kid might appreciate some dna!

(this may be the closest i get to anything cronenberg-inspired.)

so far, i am not super excited with how it's taking shape, so i'm going to rip back and re-work with strands 2 sts wide instead of 1. some other changes too. think i'll make it narrower.

luckily, it is going pretty quickly, so i am certain i will have it done in time for the event for which it is intended - a memorial service at the end of the month, outdoors (in a heated tent), north of montreal.

oaks and acorns

the pastry for the pumpkin pies is resting, the toffee sauce for the sticky toffee pudding is made, the pumpkins have been roasted, all that's left is some stirring, assembly, and baking.

and knitting.

i started both of these at the cottage, but only just finished the little oak hoodie this week! needed to get it done in time to give at thanksgiving, and before the baby outgrows it!

i wanted to get this one done in time too, but i think i'm out of luck. i lost the pattern i originally drew up, and then had to recreate it. today, of all days, i found the original pattern! sigh.

here are some finished acorns:

and a squirrel taking shape!