Friday, August 08, 2008

Knitting Meme (plus bonus ice cream recipe!)

I have a couple of things that are more interesting to post later this week, so I cast around for some content to post along with a fantastic ice cream recipe, and thought...meme! This meme, which String Bean posted, reminds me of a less-intoxicated, G-rated version of a popular drinking game. So, here it is, Knitter's I-Never:

Bold the things you have ever knit
Italicize the ones you plan to do sometime
Leave the rest

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Shawl
Knitting with metal wire
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Drop stitch patterns
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fibre yarn
Domino Knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting ***Do I even know what this is???
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting ***I have to look this one up, too
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publish a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) *** Hahahaha! Other tubular items.***
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cottonc
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Entrelac
Long Tail CO
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed Toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

If you read this and feel like doing a meme, consider yourself tagged. For extra fun, do a shot for every line you bold!

Other knitting: Still going on good ol' placket-neck. My dad has been here, so we've been busy. I did want to announce that I have switched from using cable cast-on for practically everything to the double cast-on. Is that what it's called, the one with the fiddly hand movements that uses both ends of the yarn? So much stretchier, yet still neat-looking. When I first started knitting, I could NOT get the hang of it, so I switched to the (much easier) cable cast-on. But it's often too firm, so I tried the double cast-on and I couldn't be happier. Well, I could if I had a million dollars, probably.

Reading: Lots of Joan Hess's Claire Malloy mysteries. Now I'm reading the last Jane Austen mystery by Stephanie Barron, which I've been hoarding. I might go on to a big pile of juvenile fiction, or I might switch to Jane Austen related fiction.

Writing: Nothing at all.

Cooking: At the totally dysfunctional place I used to work, another employee and I were once asked to leave so the artistic director and executive director could continue their "discussion" (read: shouting match) in our one-room, multi-person office. We ran a couple of work-related errands, then came back. We could hear the yelling down the hall, so we headed to the newly opened Ben & Jerry's. A flavor I liked every once in a while (that I don't recall ever seeing in pre-packed pints at the store) was a coconut ice cream with almonds and chocolate. Yum.

Coconut Ice Cream (Light-ish)

1 can coconut milk plus enough whole milk to make 4 cups
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped chocolate-covered almonds
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut*

Place first three ingredients in bowl of ice cream mixer (make sure they are chilled). Process until almost firm. Add remaining ingredients and process until well-mixed and desired consistency. This, like other light ice cream recipes, freezes rather solid. I just zap it for 30 seconds before serving, or set it out for a few minutes. I might try coconut-flavored rum in this next time, as that would make it a bit softer.

* I actually would leave this out last time. It's coconutty enough without it, and it's sort of chewy and dry. Maybe I could try letting it sit in hot coconut milk to absorb moisture, then chilling the whole thing, but that sounds excessive.

Notes: Use up to 1 cup whipping cream in place of the whole milk if your arteries are too healthy. I happened to have chocolate-covered almonds on hand, but chopped dark chocolate and roasted chopped almonds would be great, too.

And six years ago today:

6 comments:

Holly said...

Happy Anniversary!! :-)

Anonymous said...

Haha, I remember that game from college. Except...not knitting.

Happy anniversary to you guys!

YarnThrower said...

WOW - Happy 6th Anniversary!!

(Our 12-year was yesterday...too weird.)

I think the fiddly cast on is also known as the "long tail cast on"?...

I always love reading your ice cream recipes! You have so many good ideas regarding cooking!

I love the idea about drinking a shot for each bold-faced item, though I have a strict rule about drinking before 10:00am. :-)

String Bean said...

Thanks for doing the meme! If I had a shot for every bold line I wouldn't be able to see my stitches. :D

Happy Anniversary! That's such a cute picture of you and Matt.

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary! You two look so sweet.

Anonymous said...

Well said.