knitting, nature and living with autism in the family
Well, the children are back home from their last day of school so our christmas break has just begun (and we even have a few inches of snow- very exciting!)
Here's wishing you a great Christmas / holiday season
see you in the new year x
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PS: a couple of people have asked about the mini stocking pattern – it's available on my free patterns page.
I must have been in a good mood when I decided earlier this week to make some sweets as teacher presents this year. It seemed good idea at the time but that was before I realised what a hugely messy and time consuming process it would be! The chocolate truffles were relatively painless but the marrons glace were a different story. My fingernails are now rather ragged and I have 2 sugar burns – I do hope that the teachers like them and it was all worth it!
First slit the chestnuts and simmer them. At the same time make a vanilla sugar syrup
peel the chestnuts (allow at least an hour for this and give up now if you need nice nails in the next few days!!)
poach the chestnuts in the vanilla syrup
and bring to the boil for 25 minutes
drain and dip into a second stronger sugar syrup then dry overnight on a rack
pack in twists of cellophane and bag up. Then have a very large glass of wine and make a mental note to do shop bought next year!
The weather here has yet to turn really cold but it has been a bit wet and wintry over the last few weeks and so I'm really pleased to have finished one of my pairs of mittens at last! I love this pattern and made these in Rowan Scottish tweed (not the softest of yarns but lovely and tweedy and warm). They've been keeping my hands snug when I nip out first thing in the morning to collect the eggs – the chickens seem to admire them too!
little cotton rabbits 