But not to worry; I've issued myself a stern "Suck it up, Cupcake." I am all too aware that even if you love your job, you won't like it every day.

After all, tomorrow is another day.

Look how cute that is?  I have gotten birthday gifts wrapped with less care.  But that may just be saying more about the company I keep than the yarn package.

Anyway here, it is. So what did I do? I ordered some more, of course.

Welcome back for episode 4, in which I come to terms with the fact that I am completely addicted to yarn.  I go through some self analysis, which you may or may not find useful.  I confess to my recent yarn purchases, which includes three skiens from WoolGirl, which includes the Grape Nehi from Seacost Handpainted yarn, Plumeria from Mama Llama Dye Pot, and the Flocksock yarn in the BlackJack colorway from vanCalcar Acres, which I can't find on the woolgirl website since I got the last one (ha, victory is mine).  I also confess to some Loopy Ewe purchases - the lorna's laces in sport weight that just went up, and I got some yarn love (which you can't see anymore because it's sold out too - ha ha).  I got the lorna's laces sportweight in Aslan (I do love the Chronicles of Narnia), and Lakeview and the Yarn Love is in Latte Swirl, which just may be a tribute to my love of foofy coffee drinks.

And oh my - I didn't see this in time for the podcast, but look at these Poseidon socks - This is attention to detail.

Anyway, I spent some time with Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby, but I still haven't found a lace shawl I like more than the Shetland Lace shawl by Shirley Paden in the Vogue Knitting Fall 2005 issue.

We talk a little abut cooking and knitting, and how to pull it off.  Here is the recipe:

1 Package Tofu, sliced
2 cups brocolli florettes
1.5 cups sugar snap peas
Garlic, chopped
Ginger, grated
Stir fry sauce of your choice
1 Cup vegetable bullion (I use the bullion cubes and make some broth in the microwave)
2 tablespoons flour
Rice (Mmmm ricecooker rice is ideal)

Put the rice up to cook in the ricecooker.

Using a nonstick skillet I sautee up the garlic and ginger with a little olive oil, because it is a little healthier, but toasted sesame oil is really tasty. Then I throw in the tofu, and if you want to harder tofu, use more oil and really fry up the edges, I prefer it just steamed, so I just stir fry up the tofu slightly with very little oil and then throw in the vegetables (use whichever vegetable combination makes you happy) and the vegetable broth, cover and let the veggies and tofu steam for a minute or two, still keeping the veggies firm and the tofu intact.  Then uncover and let some of the vegetable broth evaporate.  Then mix in the two tablespoons of flour with the stir fry sauce, and then mix with the tofu and veggies. Keep stirring until sauce thickens.  Turn flame off and serve over rice.

Prep time : Depends; how fast can you chop?
Cooking time: Actual flame-under-skillet time is about 10 minutes.

Enjoy! (And it's kinda healthy too...)

Music this week comes from:

J.S. Bach Violin Concerto I: Allegro, as played by Lara St. John brings us into the show, as she did last week.

Alun Parry - You Are My Addiction from the podsafe music network (You can be my Ned Flanders - hee hee)

And I end the show with the Divine MAGgees - Riverlady  from the podsafe music network

Ok, so I spend about 20 minutes talking about jobs and what life would be like if we could get paid to knit. I start rambling and it's only by virtue of the fact that I got sick of my own voice and put on some music that I was even able to shut up. 

I played New Leaf - Magic Carpet, which can be found on the podsafe music network, music.podshow.com.

I finished my Monkey Socks in Cherry Tree Hill Gypsy Rose, which are so cute, I know that at some point I will make that pattern again.  I have always found the kitchener stitch to, well, not work, but the pictoral tutorial on knitty is the only one that i have found that is detailed enough to show me what I was doing wrong.  I will never kitchener again without this tutorial in hand.  I had nothing on my needles when I recorded last night, but I have since cast on Cookie's Twinkle Toes socks which she demonstrated on the DIY network's Knitty Gritty. I am using Lisa Souza's Hardtwist Merino in What a Melon.  They are coming out really cute and knitting up so fast!  They are knit from the toe up, but instead of using the figure eight cast on that is usually used (or so I hear since I have never tried it) I used the magic cast on found on the Knitty website.  I still plan to cast on for that sweater coat I have been wanting to knit, but I have to say that sock knitting is damn addictive.  Of course, I am knitting the socks two at a time, because it goes even faster that way, and any mistakes you make on one, at least match in both. 

I realize that I have become powerless over my yarn purchasing at the Loopy Ewe, it's just that the yarn is delivered so nicely and it arrives in a day and a half, and I it gives me a delivery at my office to look forward to.  This time, I succumbed to the charm of some Lorna's Laces supersock and some Lorna's Laces Sport. Don't judge. 

I had no real yarn porn, well just a little yarn porn.  Mostly just some stuff that I saw on Etsy.

I dont' find any of the mass marketed tote bags especially cute or fun, so if you share my opinion, check out Janine King's designs.

I have been looking at some Amigurumi, and Amy Gaines has the cutest.  Check out the Garden Gnomes, pretty awesome.

And finally the only real yarn porn comes in the form of pairs of hand-dyed sock yarn. Epicurious $14- you can't beat that.

And I leave you with David Ippolito - Talk Louder from the Podsafe Music Network, music.podshow.com

Keep knitting, and until next week, Secret Squirrel is signing off and, finally, shutting up.

Apologies,

Squirrel

Welcome back to the Crafty Woman Podcast, or if this is your first time listening, just plain welcome!

This week we are taking a look at a world with an emphasis on luxury, is there such a thing as too luxurious, and in a city where affordable yarns are the rareity, is there any room anymore for acrylic? Ask yourself if you are a yarn snob; the answer may surpise and delight you.

On my needles: Cookie's Monkey Socks from Knitty winter 2006 in Cherry Tree Hill - Gypsy Rose, which I got from the Loopy Ewe

We will talk about some Koigu Cashmere and String, the yarnstore behind Luxury Knitting

We will look through Knits from a Painter's Palate by Maie Landra, the woman behind Koigu.

And then the Yarn Pr0n:

Have a look at the Citrus colorway from Fearless Fibers, the handdyed laceweight and Mohair Boucle from the Laughing Rat, the homegrown angora fibers from the little bunny herd at Wooly Wonka Fibers, and the tabby calico colorways from Spindle Cat Studios.

Once again, the music comes from the podsafe music network music.podshow.com

Rob Coslow - LA Passing By

Cassandra Kubinski - Lime Green Taxi

Brothers in Stereo - Your Voice

That's all I have for this week... Until next week, happy knitting!

Feel free to email me at TheCraftyWomanATgmailDOTcom

But if you love Cherry Tree Hill and roving check out the Cherry Tree Hill "Potluck" roving on the Yarn Market Website

So without further ado, here are the show notes:

I am working on my second sock, of the Metropolis socks in the Opal Rainforest in the Catapillar colorway.While the combination isn't quite working, these can be found at The Loopy Ewe.

As I mentioned, I am looking forward to knitting the Lava Flow sock from Sock Bug in the Peacock Colorway

The Loopy Ewe is one of the most amazing online yarn shops I have ever ordered from and Sheri is so incredibly nice to email.  After seeing Ms. Lime actually steeped in the loopy yarns, I have fantasies of wading through seas of brightly colored soft sock yarn...

If you see the Cherry Tree Hill Sock yarn at the Loopy Ewe (I bought the Gypsy Rose Colorway)  but socks are not your thing check out the other Cherry Hill yarn types in the same unique colorways, check out The Yarn Market.  They also have a lot of yarns that are pretty tough to find, like the yarns for the patterns in Rebecca.

Next week will have much more yarny goodness because I am expecting some serious yarn Pr0n through the mail in the plain brown wrappers. So stay tuned. If I can figure out how to put pictures up with this I will photograph my subrosa deliveries (yes, they are both being delivered to work) for you to have yarn fantasies about.

If you are looking for a few really great patterns to knit, check out Dawn Brocco's patterns.  She has one for a Watermelon Baby Blanket that is just so cute.  If knitting baby stuff is not your style, look at this cable handbag.  She also has some knitting that combines beading.  If you try it, tell me how it goes.  I am way too chicken to start something like that.

All of the music that has been played on this podcast have been courtesy of the artists on the podsafe music network.

The opening song is Fumitaka Anzai - Sad Sequence Part 1- 2

The song in the middle is Alun Parry - Life of Crime

And the song at the end is Rob Costlow - Bliss

I enjoy watching movies, hanging out with my roomates which consist of two bunnies and a siamese cat.  I also have a boyfriend with whom I spend most of my free time.  Of course, I always have some knitting on my needles, and I will usually be playing with that while I watch TV, or a movie, or while I ride the subway on the way to work.  Okay, and sometimes I will work out a row while at work. And sometimes I get the yarn shipped directly to me at work.

I buy yarn and squirrel it away, and I knit in secret. Which is why I am the Secret Squirrel. 

Stick with me... we're going places!