Went to sleep and was woken up by my husband having a bad dream. I realized I forgot to blog. Now blogging from phone in bed

This will be quick, another dream. Last night I dreamed I was packing for a move. It had the feel of a semester end at college. But I didn’t know when my flight out of town was. The papers with that information were lost among the things I needed to pack. I had the feeling I’d already missed my flight. Then out of nowhere my dad showed up. I hugged him and cried and cried.

So what does it mean?

you threw your head back and laughed
easily
light bouncing off your curls
smile staying in the corner of your eyes

I hadn’t seen it in such a long time.

Well, I am 41 years old, thank you very much. In this new year of my life, I am resolved to blog every day, even if it is just one sentence. I want to write and make writing a priority.

This has been such a busy year, with me changing grades to third. Life has been hectic, but finding time to write really means taking time for myself and I am committed to giving that a shot.

Very soon, I’m going to be fancying up my blog and turning it into a wordpress blog. I am struggling to figure out how to move all my old posts over, so I hope that can happen. We’ll see.

I’m going to throw a little moving party to try to get back all of my faithful blog friends who got tired of waiting for me to post and found somthing else to read. At the moving party, I’m going to have some sort of fun contest and give away copies of the new Stitch ‘n Bitch book (they are sending me three copies!). I have also gotten a donation of Stitch Nation yarn that I will give away as well. I’ll keep you posted on that. I promise to have a fair and definitely not fixed contest.  Seriously, you can’t win just by sending me cupcakes and chocolate. Or, say, cinnamon sugar ring donuts. No, a latte will not get you yarn and a book. No sir, it will not. Ma’am.  

Thanks to my friends far and wide who sent birthday greetings yesterday. I hope to document an exciting (but not too exciting, right?) 41st year – thanks for being along to help me write the story.

Holla if you hear me!

Finally!

Ravelry folks, looky here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fertility-blanket

My “Fertility Blanket” — formerly known as “Georgia” — has just been published as of November 1, 2010. I’ll have three copies of the book to use for a giveaway contest on my blog. Details to follow.

Hooray!!!

Oh bloggy friends, are you still there?

I am loving my new role teaching third grade! What fun, but of course a lot of work starting off a new venture.

The boys have gotten off to a great start for the new year, except for Sam breaking his finger. (Sad Trombone.) He was all jazzed about his blue cast yesterday, but today he is completely over it and just wants it OFF.  The honest response to “How did he break his finger?” is simply “No more monkeys jumping on the bed.” Or wrestling on the bed to be more precise. Let’s face it, nerds should not wrestle.

And, yes, he really is that big.

Stitch ‘n Bitch Superstar Knitting is coming out November 1, just in time for my birthday! I am thinking of having a blog contest with a book giveaway, so spread the word…. more details on that to follow. I need to do something to re-kick-start my blog habit. Debbie Stoller’s taking the book on tour. She’ll be in Seattle on November 9th, so locals, let’s plan to meet up at the University Bookstore at 7pm, or maybe even before for a dinner event nearby… anyone want to come?

Getting on a plane tomorrow with just the kids to visit my sister and family back east. I just decided I was missing them so much, I had to pick up and go. Bought tickets yesterday, leaving tomorrow. Hooray, spontenaety!

Wondering who is still reading here. Working to migrate my blog to wordpress… anyone have any tips?

Happy getting started on a new year to everyone… lots of exciting projects going on and adventures to pursue. Whee!

Anyone knitting my new pattern, necking?

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am thrilled and delighted to offer you a new pattern for your fall knitting.  Necking is a tie-on neckwarmer that you can make from one skein of some incredibly decadent yarn. I love Cashmere Artyarns 5 and I’m now exploring some other delicious options. On the needles now: Silk Blend by Manos del Uruguay. Gorgeous colorways!

Find my new pattern on Ravelry http://bit.ly/cVirZT or in my pattern shop: http://bit.ly/bCYbOs.  At only $4 you’ll want to buy it twice. Thanks for spreading the word!

If you need some hand-holding I’m offering a class on this pattern on Sunday, September 12th, 3:30 to 5:30pm at our new local yarn shop, Serial Knitters. Bring a friend!

Hey Yo!  Sign up for my knitting classes!!

As requested by smarty pants Karen, here are pictures of the projects for my classes at Serial Knitters…

See here for detailed descriptions of the classes: http://www.woolywonder.com/local/sk.pdf

 Thursday August 26^th – Knit Two at Once: Simple Fingerless Gloves

Sunday, September 12^th – Necking – A tie-on cashmere neckwarmer, the most delicious and useful thing I have EVER designed.

Thursday, September 23^rd – The “Fertility Blanket” as featured in Debbie Stoller’s newest Stitch ‘n Bitch book.  Learn the Norwegian Twisted Cast-On and a no-turn method for bobbles.

 Sunday, October 10^th — Knit Knucks

 Thursday, October 28^th – Carina Spencer’s Seamless Baby Kimono – Whip up a fast and lovely baby gift.

Sunday, November 14^th – Oh Honey! Hat and Scart set – Learn the “mystery stitch” – a variation of kniting in the stitch below. Great for gift knitting.  

So there is exciting knitting news o’plenty.

First: I’m going to be teaching local knitting classes at a new shop – http://www.serialknitters.com. See here: http://www.woolywonder.com/local/sk.pdf for my class schedule and some descriptions.

Second: After what seems like years I’m going to have a new pattern published in Debbie Stoller’s new Advanced Stitch ‘n Bitch book, Superstar Knitting. Can’t wait! That’s the baby blanket formally known as “Georgia” and now known as the Fertility Blanket!

Third: We’re re-vamping the woolywonder.com website, so there may be a little additional dust around here soon, followed by a fresh updated look. I’m planning to move to a wordpress blog over there. Don’t worry, I’ll leave a trail of breadcrumbs and you can always jump through via www.pamelamama.com.

Fourth: I’m finally going to be releasing some new patterns to be available online. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that I can finish the WonderDress and Necking and get them available for purchase by summer’s end.  

If you haven’t already, friend me on www.ravelry.com and let me know what youv’e been knitting.  It’s “pamelamama” of course!

Today’s Question: Suppose I need a loaf of bread TOMORROW morning?  We’re out of sandwich bread and I didn’t put in a no-knead blob last night.  So, I  could put a loaf in the bread machine and have it in a few hours.  But… the crust on the dutch oven bread is so yummy. 

Suppose I make just the dough in the bread machine (1 hour, 30 minutes) and then bake it in the dutch oven.  The experiment is underway. I’m using this resource here about baking regular bread in the dutch oven. I used this dough recipe here.  I was impressed with it’s self-assured claim to be the Best Bread Machine Recipe.  Plus, I had all the ingredients.  Now I am in the waiting phase as the dough is kneaded by the machine. I expect the dough will be done by 8:15pm; that’s the first rise. Then I’ll need to shape it and let it rise again?  Another hour? 9:15? I’ll need to preheat the dutch oven starting half an hour before that, so 8:45. Theoretically I should have the bread out of the oven by 9:30 or 9:45. Wish me luck.  

So I’ve been experimenting with the Mark Bittman/Jim Lahey No-Knead Bread recipe. The idea is you let the dough sit for about 18 hours and that does the work of kneading. Then you bake it in a dutch oven which simulates the effect of a professional steam-injection oven.  I bought this Lodge dutch oven which was way less expensive than the fancy Le Creuset one and seems to work wonderfully. I also bought a stainless steel Le Creuset knob to replace the plastic one on the Lodge — making it oven safe to much higher temperatures.  And now it says “Le Creuset” on top!  Fancy and sneaky, eh? It isn’t gorgeously purple, however. Le Sigh.  

I made one loaf yesterday, and it came out beautiful.  I didn’t let it cool enough before cutting into it so it was a little doughy and a bit on the bland side. 

The first really wet dough after 18 hours:

finished loaf:

a pretty slice:

For the second effort I used more yeast and more salt to improve the flavor. I also used this technique of letting it rise in parchment paper instead of in a cotton towel.  Then you use the parchment paper as a sling to get it from one place to another. See here, before rising:

Today’s bread, now cooling:

I am dedicated to letting this one cool for a reasonable amount of time.  It’s less rustic looking because I had an easier time transferring it to the dutch oven — using the parchment sling.  See it in the background there? It just peeled off, easy peasy.

If you’ve made this sort of bread, do let me know your insights on improving it.  I don’t actually mind kneading bread… but this is a fun experiment. Will let you know in an update how the tasting part works out. 

I’m going to go smell it now.  It actually crackles as it cools.  Pretty awesome.