Fiber Fool

On Sunday I hosted our annual (though belated this year) holiday tea. This year we added stash reduction to the list of activities. Or perhaps more stash shuffling. I didn’t have much time to really go through the stash, but I found several things to put out without too much digging. Much of it didn’t move as it seemed most of us were more interested in reducing the stash rather than trading. Also, much of what I put my hands on easily was fiber and we’re not all spinners. So, while I had it all out I photographed it and added it to my Ravelry stash and tagged it as for sale or trade. (If you’re not on ravelry just leave a comment if you’re interested in something and I’ll e-mail you the info.)

I have several cheap packages for some Brown Sheep Mill Ends that would be prefect for newer spinners who are afraid to spin with “good stuff.” Some of it is superwash. I have really enjoyed working with their superwash. I don’t find it difficult to spin, but if you are worried about spinning superwash this is your chance to give it a try without much expense.

I also have a few books/booklets I’m interested in parting with…

Exquisite Little Knits - $10 + Shipping
Magic Loop Booklet - I’ll throw it in free to first person who wants at least 2 skeins of the Wildfoote, otherwise $3
Cool Socks Warm Feet - $18 + Shipping

I’m open to trades or PayPal payments. I’ll combine shipping costs, so let me know what you’re interested in and I’ll get it packaged and weighed and get back to you with the postage costs. You can roughly estimate as the fiber weights are given and I’ll be shipping from CO (80526).

Also, I’m in search of handpaint sock yarn left overs for the purposes of swatching (so, probably enough to do a small wrist warmer at a minimum). I’d need it ASAP. I love handpaint so I hate the idea of sacrificing the yardage of any of it that I have in the stash for the purposes of swatching for proposals. But, I used up most of mine making sachets for Christmas last year. Ooops!

The 24 hour banishment to the basement is driving me batty. Especially when I’ll have company of my own tomorrow afternoon and could really be doing things upstairs to prepare. I could have stood sleeping in my own bed last night too. But the photos were kind of fun yesterday. Despite the much later start than optimum for outdoor shots with a built-in flash.

First off, DH did escape the pull of the black hole and in record time at that. But I was waiting in the car and observed no less than 15 men go in and only one other left the store besides DH. That was what prompted yesterday’s post.

Today I don’t have much time to blog. Just a quick note to mention that I get to play photographer to rock stars. Drew and Jessie did an album-a-day last May under the name Spandex Jellybeans. Well, they are going to do album two this weekend and this afternoon I am doing a photoshoot so they have some fun stuff to pull from for better cover art and to popular the soon to be opened web page!

This is going to be fun and a nice break for my wrists from the crazy-mad knitting I’ve been doing. I might even make a guest appearance or two on this second album!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

There is black hole in Fort Collins. Only men appear to be affected by its unusually strong gravitation pull.

Last night stream after stream of men were observed to enter this black hole and never come out again. Speculation is taking place as to how long this black hole can continue to suck in men at its current rate before it overtakes the neighboring Kohl’s department store.

Reporters spoke to those few males who escaped last night and they reported that there was much hunger inside the black hole and the men were praying that the gravitation field would soon be strong enough to pull in the near by Jackson’s Sports Bar and Grill so they could have wings and beer. Men were observed to be concentrated in the northeast corner of the black hole in hopes of pulling in Jackson’s before Kohl’s . Aside from the lack of beer and bar food it appears the men inside are quite content and most are not fighting to leave the black hole.

Single women in the Fort Collins area have been advised that this black hole represents the greatest concentration of not only men, but single men. Those women of strength seeking a man should skip the bars and head straight for the black hole. There is the largest selection of single men in the northern Colorado region found within the clutches of this gravity field.

Women be warned, however, it won’t be any easy fight to remove your man of interest from the black hole. Those women with confidence, conviction, and most notably sexy wiles are the most successful in removing men from the black hole. Bribery of alcohol and wide screen televisions with unlimited access to Guitar Hero III has also been rumored to help in the extraction process. Those who are wealthy and able to drop hundreds or even thousands dollars at a time have also been successful. Married women whose men have gone missing in the area are advised to contact authorities stationed at the black hole to see if your loved one has been consumed.

The black hole can be found on the south side of east Harmony and is marked with a large red sign calling itself “Guitar Center.” Males passing within a 2 mile radius may be at risk. Though distance alone will not protect. It is purported that this black hole is also using the Internet to lure in the men.

While it is odd to find a black hole in a suburban town, the biggest question on scientists’ minds right how is why women can enter and exit the gravity field of this black hole freely. Scientists speculate it will take at least another year of observations to answer their questions about this unusual phenomenon.

Just in case you haven’t had enough sweets with all the parties and family gatherings I thought I’d share one I came up with this last weekend - Rum Raisin Rolls! Yum! This is one to pull out if you have some lingering egg nog in the fridge and a few drops of rum left behind.

It is based off of the Cinnamon Roll recipe in The Swedish Table (yeah, I know you’re all surprised). There was one glaring error in the recipe - the temperature and bake times. So don’t just work off that recipe if you have this otherwise yummy cookbook. I got charcoal on the first run. Thankfully I had chosen to freeze half the batch figuring the two of us couldn’t/shouldn’t eat 12 cinnamon rolls the size of our heads.

Rum Raisin Rolls

• 1/3 c plus 1 T sugar
• 2 T warm water
• 2 1/4 t yeast
• 1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
• 3 eggs
• 1 C milk
• 4 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t salt
For Filling:
• 4 T unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/3 C sugar
• 1 T cinnamon
• 3/4 C golden raisins
• 3/4 C dark raisins
• 3 T rum
• 3 T warm water
• powdered sugar
• egg nog or milk
1. In a small bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and 1 T of sugar and let sit until foaming. Meanwhile, in an electric mixer cream together the softened butter and remaining sugar. Add in eggs until fully incorporated, one at a time.
2. Warm milk in microwave, keeping below 110 degrees F and add to yeast mixture. Then add this to the creamed mixture.
3. Switch the attachment to the dough hook and nn three parts add the remaining dry ingredients and knead in the mixer just until the dough comes together.
4. On a floured surface, knead dough for approximately one minute, just until it forms a smooth elastic exterior. Lightly oil a large bowl and coat dough and let rise in a warm location for 1 hour. While dough is rising, plump raisins with the rum and warm water.
5. Roll dough out on a floured surface into a roughly 18 X 15 inch rectangle. With a pastry brush, spread butter on the top, leaving 1/2 inch free of butter along one of the long sides of the rectangle. Then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, followed by the raisins. Again, keep that 1/2 inch clear of filling to allow for a secure seal.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll the covered dough lengthwise, towards the clean section. Brush fillingless dough with a bit of water if desired and seal the dough. Cut dough into twelve 1.5 inch sections and place on a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet. Cover and let rise in warm location for another 30 minutes.
7. Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-18 minutes.
8. Mix a standard powdered sugar glaze, but use egg nog in place of milk and extracts. If you wish to skip the egg nog be sure to use a bit of vanilla and almond extract. Once rolls are cool (or as cool as you will let them be) drizzle with the frosting/glaze and enjoy!

Note: This makes 12 rather large rolls. The bake time I stated was what worked for 6 rolls. If you bake all 12 at a time they will likely form into a solid mass and require a longer bake time. Just watch them closely. The formed dough can easily be frozen. Just freeze in a single layer before the second rise and then move to a baggie or smaller container once fully frozen. The rolls can then be removed from freezer as needed and left to sit at room temp roughly 1 hour before baking.