Looking Back on September

Another month has gone by! Can't believe it. This month brought cooler weather for baking. I discovered European buttercream frosting, which I used to make two cakes last month. One was a chocolate cake covered in dark chocolate swiss meringue buttercream and glazed in chocolate ganache. The other was a simple vanilla butter cake swathed in vanilla swiss meringue buttercream. I will likely never, ever make American buttercream again!

Between cakes there were cinnamon rolls and chocolate crinkle cookies.

I also made challah, vanilla ice cream and the last smoothie of the summer.

And I finally perfected a recipe for a delicious, refreshing and filling smoothie:

• 1 cup ice
• 1 avocado
• 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk or honey
• 3/4 cup milk (I used 2 percent, but you can use any kind you want)
• 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice (to keep the avocado from discoloring.

Blend and enjoy! Depending on how much you love smoothies, this recipe serves between 1-2 people.

But there was more! I attended my first-ever yarn tasting!

I got to sample a dazzling array of luscious yarns at Sophie's Fine Yarn Shoppe. I even broke my diet to purchase a lovely ball of Berroco Boboli Lace.

Speaking of yarn, September also brought a flurry of finished knitting projects. So I guess it was a win -- one new skein of yarn for every four from my stash! I finished a sparkly shawl made from Lion Brand Trellis and a fluffy warm cowl knitted out of Patons Divine. That brings my total finished project count to 10 so far this year. I am making great progress on Christmas gifts! Just a couple more to go and I'll be done.

Eight months clean

My ball of Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy Socks spent plenty of time in my office yarn/popcorn/soup bowl. Below is the actual project.

The other day, I was reminded how long it's been since I bought a skein of yarn.

I'm 232 days clean!

It's also been months since I've set foot in a craft store. I know, it sounds depressing. But I've been making so much progress with my stash-busting efforts.

I'm well ahead on Christmas presents. I actually crocheted and knitted presents for Father's and Mother's Day. I've spent time with yarn I bought years ago and fell in love with it all over again.

Case in point: the cabled scarf I just finished. I bought the yarn when I was still in college. It was soft and I intended to make my mom some socks out of it. I cast on knit for a bit, then ripped it all out and stuffed what I could inside of the ball. Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy Socks is a pretty yarn --- smooth, silky and easy to knit with despite its sock yarn weight. The colorway I bought, Pansy, knit up in nice patches of shades of purple and green. You can find the pattern here. This project was well-traveled! I took it to L.A. with me and it made multiple trips to Milwaukee! The pattern is perfect for trips.

Next, I'm tackling a pair of bunny slippers. I was fascinated by this pattern from The Happy Hooker when the book first came out. I gathered the yarn, but never quite got to starting the foundation chain.

Vacation Day One: Jump Start Frenzy

Whenever I travel -- especially if I know I'll be sitting most of the time -- I bring a book and a project or two. I don't sleep on any form of transportation and I go nuts without something to do. So, after packing, I headed to the coffee shop to cast on a project to keep me busy.

This time, I'm off to L.A.! I am so excited. I've never been, and this is the first time I'm going on vacation with my boyfriend.

To commemorate the occasion, I'm casting on two Christmas presents: crocheted bunny slippers crocheted with a combo of Lamb's Pride Worsted and Classic Elite La Gran Mohair in gray for an aunt, and a cable scarf out of  Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dye in the pansy colorway for another aunt. I'm not expecting to finish them both on this trip, but I do want to make some headway on my holiday gift list. 

And the progress continues! While I'm casting on for those projects, I'm finishing off my California Spring Scarf. It turned out quite pretty, but I'm convinced the patter would have been easier to understand if it were in chart form. I still don't understand why most English-language crochet patterns, especially ones for lace, aren't written in that form. i had to keep watching designer's videos to understand the pattern's instructions.

The yarn I used, naturallycaron.com's Spa, was fun to crochet with. It was soft, silky and smooth. It was a bamboo acrylic blend. A pity it's discontinued. 

Anyway, all I've got left to do is weave in the end, and off it goes into the 'to block' pile. 

Splendid! It's barely fall, and I've got two Christmas presents done. Let the stash busting continue! 

Late night 'aha'

I've been staring at this pattern for months. I finally figured it out. It's a wonderful feeling. California Spring Scarf, you've been hooked. Fluffy Bunny Slippers and Reversible Cables Scarf beware. And one of you might end up on planes to and from L.A. Let the stash busting and Christmas present flurry continue!

Coffee shop hopping!

One of the best things about Louisville is the variety of coffee shops. Of course, there's always a Starbucks around the corner, but I love hanging out when I can at the locally-owned shops.

My absolute favorite is Java Brewing Co. on Bardstown Road. They've got a killer raspberry iced tea and delicious sweet and savory crepes. The baristas are quick but friendly. And I'm convinced that the place has a vibe that reminds me  of Florida. It's a roomy spot, which really isn't typical on Bardstown Road.

I recently stumbled upon Sunergos on Preston Street, near the University of Louisville. The shop probably makes the best-tasting coffee in town. The curious mocha shake (pictured above) could convert even the most fervent Frappucino lover. Sunergos has some pretty retro decor -- it's like walking straight into the 1970s. But the most amazing thing of all is that Sunergos is next door to Nord's Bakery, which I hear produces the most wonderful bacon doughnuts. I have yet to venture in, but I plan to.

There are endless options. I haven't even named a quarter of all the quirky, fun places my yarn and I have played at! 

It's a wrap!

I finished my first project of the year! It's wrapped and ready to ship to its new home in Chicago.

It's a beret crocheted from Lion Brand Glitterspun. I'd started it years and years ago, but put it down after getting frustrated with the pattern (which is also from Lion Brand). It's a remnant of my early stash expanding days, when I hoarded flashy textured yarns.

I hope my mom enjoys her birthday present! I had fun whipping it up.

The Diet Continues

I think ... it's working! No yarn purchases in roughly two months since my yarn purge/reorganization. I can look at yarn, touch it and not be compelled to own it. I've fondled hanks of luscious handspuns and cones of beautiful alpaca, but not once did I cave in. Amazing. Simply amazing. In fact, I've made great progress on two projects: a crocheted beret and knitted hand warmers. They are ready to block and finish!