Kissing Cousins

Hello, Everyone,


It's windy, overcast and cool this afternoon in San Diego.  More like the central California coast than the Southland.   Let's all pretend we're in Solvang instead of San Diego.  I'm listening to 30 greatest hits from Elvis and drinking hot tea to keep warm. 

I'm working on the edging of the Kissing Cousins Shawl.    The edging is a quick way to bind off that provides a very narrow lace edging.  It is a straight  edging, but could easily be blocked out to points if desired.  

Here is how I am working it:

Eyelet bind off: 

Pithy version :
Row 1: Slip 1, K1, YO, K2tog, P2tog, turn
Row 2: Slip 1, K4 turn. Repeat rows 1 and 2 until all shawl stitches are consumed. Bind off 5 loosely.

In playing with this I came up with a version I did not use for the shawl because it caused the edging to fold over and flip back to the wrong side.  Eureka! This is not useful for this shawl, but it is perfect for many hemming situations... Here it is written up:


Eyelet hem

Row 1: Slip 1, K1, YO, K2tog x 2, turn
Row 2: Slip 1, K4, turn Repeat rows 1 and 2 until all shawl stitches are consumed. Bind off 5 loosely.  Let the edge curl to the backside and stitch it down to the main fabric, creating a neat hem.  It flips back on the second K2tog.

I like the eyelets on the inside of the hem because it is easy to insert the elastic or drawstring if one is being used.  There are eyelet holes everywhere to use.  Easy to replace the elastic, when needed, too.  

The house smells so good.  I'm cooking a vegan dish from Tibet for Curried Cauliflower (and some other veggies).  Last night I was watching a travel show on Tibet and it reminded me that I have this dish I like and some cauliflower in the fridge.   I'm not usually vegan, but I like this one.  So here we go.


Curried Cauliflower

Put 1/4 cup good EVVO in the crockpot and set to high.  (This can also be done in a regular large pot if you are careful to regulate the heat.)  Now, if we want to be really authentic we can use yak butter, but I thought the olive oil was easier to source at the local megamart, LOL. 
Cut up 1 head of cauliflower, including the stems, core and leaves.  Be careful to cut any woody stems thinly across the grain. Add to the pot.  The pot will be more than half full, but as is cooks a bit it cooks down, so you will be ok on volume by the time you get everything cut up and in the pot. 

Trim, chop up and add to the pot:
10 ounces Crimini mushrooms (the brown ones, but any mushrooms are good.  Never met a mushroom I did not like)
4 stalks celery
3 carrots
1 large onion
3 large cloves garlic
2 dried California Chili pepper pods
1 red bell pepper
2 large potatoes 
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
freshly ground black pepper to taste (Dan likes it so I add a lot)
Stir and let brown a bit.

Add in:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups water (more in a regular pot, the crock pot hold moisture in very well)
salt to taste


Let cook until soft (couple of hours in a crock pot) and enjoy the smells in the house!


Serve over rice.  Try not to spill the sauce on yourself, it stains bright yellow like the dickens.  Ask me how I know. 

Someone in my crochet group made this.

Cute, huh?

Lilo is hiding from the painter again.   She'll be back later. 

See ya,
Julie