spots of lots of things.

Wow, entering 2012 has been like being dropped onto a running treadmill… so far I am still upright and running, but I’m hoping for a second wind soon!  I’ve got lots of knitting news to share with you and then a little bit about my home life as well.

Photo © Knitscene

On the fiber front, January brought my first magazine published design, the launch of my self-published pattern line with Deep South Fibers, and the re-release of my self-published patterns with updated branding and layouts!  Nixie (pronounced nik-see) is a shawlette I designed for the Spring 2012 issue of Knitscene magazine.  It is a top-down, triangular shawlette worked in a stripe pattern with a decorative ribbed ruffle.  Nixie can be worn several ways as shown in the pages of the magazine, however, my favorite way to wear this design is backwards around the neck — bandana style with the ribbed ruffle sitting in front of the right shoulder. I shared some photos styled this way on Ravelry.

I have recently partnered with Deep South Fibers to make my patterns available to knitting shops worldwide.  All of my self-published designs are now available on their website so if you’d like to see them at your local yarn shop please send them to my website or to DSF!

Also, this month, I finished updating all patterns with the new look.  All known errata was corrected and some new options were added to some designs.  Charts were upgraded for readability and lots of new photography was added.  Pattern updates were sent automatically via Ravelry’s system.  If you have any trouble downloading your updated pattern, or if the link in the update notice takes you to the wrong pattern, please follow these directions:  Go to your Ravelry library, find the pattern you want to update under the PDF Files tab, click on the “UPDATE AVAILABLE” link below the pattern.  That will update the pattern in your library and automatically save it.  You can then download the file to your computer and print it if you like.

Zuzu's Petals

Before January comes to a close I will have a new pattern for you!  More details later, but for now here it is knit in The Plucky Knitter‘s MCN Aran in Bohemian Blue or in other words, my new favorite thing…

On the home front, I have a recipe to share.  In my home half of us deal with pretty significant food allergies.  The main three are gluten, eggs, and dairy, but there are at least a dozen more including cane sugar and almost all nuts.  All family meals are made so that everyone can eat them — as if mealtimes weren’t enough of a chore, right?

One especially challenging task has been coming up with a decent gluten, egg and dairy-free dinner roll — and by decent I just mean one that resembles food more than masonry. Lately, I have been doing baking trials to develop a good roll, and I’m really pleased with the ones we had this week!

Gluten, Egg, Dairy-Free Herbed Dinner Rolls

Gluten-Free Herbed Dinner Rolls – makes 12
3 1/2 cups GF Bread Flour ( I used Pamela’s Bread Mix & Flour Blend this time)
1 1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup flax seed egg replacer*
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon onion granules
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 packet or 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast

use an ice cream scoop to put the dough in the tin

Combine all ingredients in a heavy duty stand mixer and blend with whisk attachment on medium/high for 3 minutes.  Scoop by 1/4 cup (I use my ice cream scoop) into an oiled muffin tin.

after resting

Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and let rest for 1 hour in a warm, still place.  I set my oven to 120 degrees and let them rest in there.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the rolls are golden and crusty on top and sound hollow when tapped.  I leave the rolls in the oven and just turn the temp up — this makes the bottom nice and crusty.

*Flax seed egg replacer is made by cooking a 3:1 ratio of water:flax seed over med heat until it thickens to the consistency of raw egg.  Cool before using in baking.  I keep some in my fridge all the time — it last about 2 weeks.