Play Date Sunday – Jam Making – 1st Batch of the Year

The view from Qualicum Beach!

It has been a busy weekend – but a good one.  We went for a picnic at Qualicum Beach, the good kind, no fuss, no muss, pick-up what you want to eat and then through away the trash.  It was gorgeous on the lawn in front of the beach, lots of sun and a bit of a breeze to keep you cool!  Tremendous weather!  Lots of boats out in the Straight with the mountains and clouds forming stylized lines across the horizon.

Golden Plum or more correctly Pluot Jam!

Today I made a batch of Golden Plum Jam – Pluot jam to be precise.  I did not know what a Pluot was, so I went researching.  It is an Apricot/Plum hybrid, very sweet and nutritious.  The Pluot has only been available since 1989 and the most popular version of a Pluot is the Dinosaur Egg – I’ve seen those ones in grocery stores!  Who knew it was a Pluot?!

I love to make jam.  There is something about the making of it that is very satisfying.  I also love the colours of jam.  The colour is so clear and rich when the jam is finished and it looks so perfect in the jar.  Jam making is also something that I haven’t done lately.  Jam is now a forbidden substance, relegated to treat status, so, I haven’t made any for quite a while!  But this year I have decided to make a few batches, (I can hardly wait for the blackberries to be ready – they are my favorite!), mostly for gifts – and for the odd moment when I really, really, really want some!!

Knits are meant to be worn - they move as you move!

Amanda came over today and we played with some of my Painted Shawls.  Amanda is the young woman who I use for the model on most of my patterns.  We usually have lots of fun when I pull out the camera and she plays “dress-up”!  It is always better to see the shawls on a body and to watch them move as Amanda moves!

First Purple Baby Cap!

I knit a small purple cap for charity this weekend.  I’ll probably be knitting a few more before October.  Mad About Ewe has decided to join the Click for Babies purple cap campaign.  The program has been created to draw attention to shaken baby syndrome.  In November, Click for Babies will distribute the caps to birthing hospitals.  This is a fairly new program and is not available everywhere so check the site for programs in your area!  I used my own Baby Flap Cap pattern – it is a quick, chunky, knit, and it is a free pattern on Ravelry.

You may know that I love the colour purple and I have lots of it stashed, but nothing that I wanted to use for a baby cap so I had to buy some more yarn!

Center line cast-on and first diamond on the way!

I have finally decided on the techniques/projects for the retreat.  Reversible Entrelac combined with a Moebius or cowl shaping.  I have started the first of four possible projects, each one geared to a different level of knitting experience.  I am starting with the most difficult, a reversible entrelac Moebius.  It is knit with two hand-dyed yarns, both are DK, Fleece Artist Merino 3 in the Boreal colourway and Tosh DK in the Glazed Pecan colourway and I am loving the effect.  It reminds me of Parquet flooring – sooo…I’m going to call the pattern Parquetry.

This week, I’ve also picked the yarn for the Painted Ladies pattern sample.  The yarn for the regular sample will be knit with more easily accessible yarns.  For some reason not everyone like to paint their knitting!

Handmaiden hand-dyed Sea-Silk and Schulana Kid-Seta - waiting to be knit!

I picked Handmaiden Sea-Silk in the Smoke colourway and Schulana Kid-Seta in a steel grey.  I think that I will go for a mirrored bead or a clear one.  I will have to try out both and then decide which one will look better!

Happy Knitting

Lynette

6 thoughts on “Play Date Sunday – Jam Making – 1st Batch of the Year”

  1. Doug and I were in Qualicum Beach this afternoon too!! We went up to walk the beach but the tide was too high, so we just parked and walked the seawall. A picnic would have been a great idea!!

    1. Isn’t it great that something so simple can taste so good, even a year later! My friend, who got the first jar this year, opened it up and had to have 4 pieces of toast before she could stop! Plum/Pluot jam is her favorite!

      Happy Jam Making – Blackberry is next!

      Lynette

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