The Sweaters of "The Bletchley Circle"

I watch most of the shows I really like via their respective channel websites, because no one else in the family wants to watch them, just me. I do this in the afternoons after lunch mostly, while waiting for the kids to get home from school.

So...I'm watching the first episode of The Bletchley Circle on the computer. It's on P.B.S. I really like the show, so far...it's kind of like Nancy Drew meets Criminal Minds. However, I found myself getting totally distracted by the SWEATERS!!!!! Most of them look handmade, and handmade in an expert way, not in a haphazardly shoddy way.

I'm going to have to watch it AGAIN (if I can) just for the sweaters. I'm sure I've missed some. I found myself getting distracted from the story with thoughts like "Yes, the story is interesting, it's too bad that poor girl dies, and I wonder who the killer is, but never mind that, just LOOK at that SWEATER!", or "O.M.G.! There's ANOTHER one!"

First, I saw one or two in the code-breaking room and I thought, "Wow, what a beautiful sweater!" It was the beaded mohair/angora one the character Lucy was wearing. Then I saw the one that Susan was wearing (more ooh's and aah's).

Then, in an absolutely UNFAIR move, it's 9 years later and the scene opens with Susan knitting a sweater pattern in a really interesting hairy mustardy-grey colored wool. I just got a brief glimpse of the  name of the pattern and I remember it begins W-r-vowel-x---- Jumper. (Jumper is British English for sweater.) I NEED to see that pattern! I think the actress was just doing straight stockinette, though, not actually following the pattern, but I could be wrong.

More gorgeous sweaters ensue! Susan's wearing a maroon/burgundy/dark red cabled thing, I think. When the kids come home from school, the boy's wearing an argyle vest!!!!! Then she's wearing a blue one in a leaf pattern, and when she goes to visit her friend, the creepy guy who runs the coffee shop is wearing yet ANOTHER drop dead gorgeous sweater with cables and all sorts of beautiful fancy    knit stitches!!!!

I'll have to watch the other two episodes, just to see the sweaters. Total drool-fest!

Herbed Chicken Strips

I made something ALL my kids and my husband absolutely LOVE! I've made them twice, now.

Here's what I did:

I sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts lengthwise into three strips.

Then, I made a mixture of salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, garlic, onion, and dill (about a tablespoon of the salt, and a teaspoon of the rest). The garlic and onion are powdered/granulated, not fresh and the other herbs are dried.

The first time I made this, I used my oven. The second time, I had my son grill them.

The first time, I sprinkled the mix on one side of the chicken in the pan and then put the pan in the oven at 350 degrees, until they were done. When something is in the oven, I go by smell. I think the oven took maybe half an hour.

The second time, I added two table spoons of water and two tablespoons of olive oil to the spices, poured it into a bag and put the chicken strips in the bag for about an hour or so, and then put them wet on the grill for about 5 minutes per side.

I think it would go better if I just put the chicken into the spices in a baggie without the water and oil.

We had some leftover tzatziki and coconut lentils and I made more rice and it was wonderful. (Two of the kids don't like the lentils, but I can live with that.

Next time, I'll take pictures and post them here.

"Perfect Crochet Cardigan" FINISHED!!!!!

I finished the cardigan for my daughter in time for her to wear for Easter!!!!! It took me about 3 or 4 days, maybe 4 to 5 hours a day to get it done! I think that's the fastest I've finished anything in a long time!

I really like this pattern. It works up quickly and it is an easy pattern to do. You don't have to sew anything! The sleeves are made by attaching the yarn at the underarm and continuing from there. I crocheted the sleeves in the round. The pattern, for some reason, says to do it back and forth.

If I were to do this pattern again, for the same person, I would change to a smaller hook to make it come in a bit at the waist. My daugher found it a little too boxy.

It would be interesting to try this with a fun fur.

Crochet Motif Dress--from the Interweave Crochet Summer 2012 issue

I have been working on this dress since last fall. I think it will be beautiful, but I am using crochet thread from my stash, so the colors aren't exactly the same. Some of the crochet thread was given to me by a friend a couple of years ago. She died recently, so it's kind of in her honor a little. I think about her sometimes when I'm working on this.

I'm also going to have to make adjustments to the pattern. I am using a smaller hook than was called for in the instructions and bedspread cotton (#10 crochet thread). My motifs are about 6 inches wide. The instructions called for a thicker yarn.The gauge is not the same and therefore each motif is about 3 to 6 inches smaller.

The pattern calls for 40 motifs, total, per side and is supposed to be mid-calf length. When I got to 40 motifs, it was slightly below my waist. I'm adding a couple of rows.

The way the magazine says to fasten/sew together the front and back does not make sense to me. The instructions say to crochet the two sides together using a chain stitch at the seam. Since the cloth of the dress is formed by crocheting the last row of a motif and connecting that to previously crocheted and connected motifs, I want to connect the front and back as I go, too. That way, when I finish the last motif, I'm DONE! I don't have to still sew it together.

I have joined the neck of the other side, so far. Next I am going to crochet the neckline and see how the armhole works or doesn't. I'm not sure of it. I think I might want to take out some motifs at the top. I may need to add a side panel to get the underarm right.