The Indie Designer Gift A Long is underway on Ravelry and you can follow along on Instagram, as well. This year I am highlighting some of the designers on my blog, as well as in my Instagram feed.

The designer I am showcasing this week is Christine Roy of La boutique de Jeanne. Her patterns can be found on Ravelry.

She is a delightful French designer, from Bretagne. Largely her designs are accessories, with lovely texture. She designs in a mix of both knitting and crochet. There is also a good mix of items for men and women, as well as babies and children. Here are some of my favorites from her portfolio.

Frimas Cowl

Passe-Partout Cowl

Creamy Guernsey Hat

Winterlude Baby Hat

Easy Daisy Doily

If these designs intrigue you, take a look at the rest of her portfolio. Her designs are often inspired by her regional traditions and local design. She creates beautiful textures and shapes and loves to help others succeed in their crafting.

Labels: Design, Giftalong, Homemaking, Knitting

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 11:57 PM 0 comments

Blessed feast! Today we remember that Christ is King as the Church year ends. It is a Western, relatively new (instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925), feast that we love. Even the older liturgical calendars emphasize His kingship on this day, so it is really a celebration of what was already remembered. In our world today, that is more important than ever.

This is what Pope Pius XI had to say about its importance:

“If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God.”

Pious tradition in the Catholic and Anglican worlds is to start preparations for your Christmas cake or pudding, too. Because the collect begins with "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord," and continues with "that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded," it serves both as a spiritual reminder and a fun one for Christmas preparations. We are plenteously rewarded when Christmas Day comes and our cake or pudding is ready. The fruits will be stirred up - we soak them in bourbon - and the cake itself will be mixed up and baked by the end of the week.

Advent in the West begins later than it does for the East. It is more a Saint Andrew's fast than a Saint Philip's fast. This year, it is even shorter because the Nativity is on a Wednesday, so the fourth Sunday of Advent is the day before Christmas Adam. Again, it is a grace from God that it is shorter. We have had so many challenges, so beginning the fasting season more easily, and with a shorter fast is a blessing. The Advent fast is a little lighter until the last week and a half of it, we are still permitted fish, wine and oil on most days, and we, as a family will be having dairy on the weekends to accomodate others and permit some shared hospitality with a culture that doesn't really observe any spiritual preparation or penitence before the Nativity.

Our meals this week are about clearing our fridge and making room in our freezers. The folks at church have graciously responded to my plea that they take over the meal today, so I can focus on Thanksgiving preparations and some preserving to make that room in our freezers. Because of our situation with church, we do not keep the fast as completely on Sundays, and so there will not only be fish on those days, but possibly meat. We will use the turkey carcass from this year to make a soup of our Thanksgiving leftovers next Sunday and that will wrap up Thanksgiving.

This is the first year in a long time that I have ceded some of my control over all of the Thanksgiving meal, and then two of the families that normally come won't be with us. However, we will have other families and friends, and that is exciting. So, our menu plan only reflects what I am making or know for sure is being brought by others. There will be more! For one more year, we will have all our kids around our table, which makes me rejoice. I know that will not always be the case.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Sour Milk Griddle Cakes, Lemon Curd, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Creamy Taco Soup, Salads, Sides and Desserts brought by Parishioners
• Monday - Feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
  Breakfast: Vegetable and Chorizo Hash, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pork Chile Verde, Red Chile Rice, Sautéed Zucchini, Peppers and Onions, Corn Tortillas, Sliced Oranges
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Blueberry Yogurt, Toast, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: French Onion Soup with Gratinéed Croutons and Gruyère Cheese, Green Salad, Sliced Apples
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Cashew Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Mejeddarah with Crisp Fried Onions, Marinated Cucumbers, Fruit Plate
• Thursday - Thanksgiving
  Breakfast: Farmer Breakfast Casserole, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Deviled Eggs, Chex Mix (some will be made Gluten Free), Relish Tray, Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Horseradish Relish, Sweet Potato Rolls, Pumpkin Pies, Cranberry Cherry Pies, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pies, Apple Pies, Pear Mincemeat Pies, Nantucket Cranberry Pies, Wine, Eggnog, Martinelli's Sparkling Cider
• Friday
  Breakfast: Pie and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers and Snack Tray
• Saturday - Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftover Casserole, Green Salad, Pies

Labels: Christ the King, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen, Thanksgiving

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 7:17 AM 0 comments

The Indie Designer Gift A Long is underway on Ravelry and you can follow along on Instagram, as well. This year I am highlighting some of the designers on my blog, as well as in my Instagram feed.

One thing I enjoy about this event is getting to make projects from someone else's designs, that I do not have to work out or calculate or chart or anything. One of my projects this GAL is from Linette Grayum. I have made her designs before, but come back to them because of her intelligent and interesting construction and clear, lovely patterns. Her patterns can be found on both Ravelry and PayHip, and she has a sale bundle on Ravelry for the Gift A Long, as well.

Here are a few of the items I have made from her patterns over the years:

Scheelite Mitts

Acropolis

Togetherness Cowl

The project for this year's GAL is her Rock Skipper. I will be making it in a bright, electric purple Polwarth superwash wool, from a local dyer.

Her designs are usually inspired by nature and are really well written. I honestly believe her work is a hidden treasure, and I would like more people to know about it. She does a lot of traveling around the country (and sometimes around the world) and does so much outdoor activity and camping. She manages to capture nature, sometimes in obscure places, and amplify its beauty. The way she constructs her pieces is always so smart and creative, and usually as seamless as possible, which is a plus to me. She is not only a fantastic designer, but a friend. She is a homeschooling mother and a great baker, too! You can subscribe to her newsletter here, and follow her on Instagram, as well.

Labels: Design, FOs, Giftalong, Homemaking, Knitting

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 7:58 AM 0 comments

The baptismal gown will not dry! Curse you winter! In the meantime, I am working on this stocking, and hoping to have it finished before Thanksgiving. The color on this is more of. a reddish violet, it looks more maroon in the picture. Once the gown is finished, finished, finished, and the stocking is completed, then I will permit myself to cast on something new. There are a lot of deadline knits/crocheted projects that I am starting to get a little nervous about, but I have over a week to finish most of them.

And that something new is likely to be something chosen from the amazing 221 Gift A Long designers! I am participating as a designer again this year, and always look forward to and enjoy making other designers' patterns at the end of the year. Chatter has started on Ravelry already, and you can follow along on Instagram, as well. (Though, is anyone else frustrated that IG is getting rid of the ability to follow hashtags? Now, I will not be able to see all the posts regarding the GAL!) Please join us in the fun and camaraderie in whichever way you can. There are games and prizes, hundreds and hundreds of participants to chat with, learn from, and admire. You will have access to all the participating designers, who will be happy to answer any of your questions and help with your projects. Make a gift or two for the holidays, or make something for yourself!

As a participating designer, I have a bundle of 20 patterns on sale on Ravelry, beginning tomorrow at 5:00 pm / 1700 Eastern Standard Time (2:00 pm Pacific Standard Time) through the end of the day (EST) November 27, 2024, using the coupon code giftalong2024. Because I know some people have trouble using Ravelry, I also have the same bundle of patterns on sale at my PayHip store, with the coupon code giftknitting for the same duration.

We are getting closer with Emma, I have finished both Double Grudge Donuts Doughnuts and Lemon Tart and I've gotten a tiny bit of reading in on Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages. I'm not sure what I think of the Lemon Tart/Sadie culinary series. It is written by an LDS author, from an LDS publisher, and that is fine. However, it gets some non-LDS things, not quite wrong, but a little off. Also, I started the next book in the series, and she identifies American scones as a deep fried item, which is only true in Utah, and makes the main character say disparaging things about tea, rather than just drinking her peppermint tea and being happy.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

Labels: Books, Design, Giftalong, Homemaking, Knitting, Patterns, WIP, Yarn Along

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 7:55 AM 0 comments

It is almost the New Year in the Western Church! Next Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King and stir up Sunday, so I will be gathering ingredients to prepare for our Christmas cake.

We, again, had some schedule shifts last week, so there are a couple repeats this week. Because our co-op is finished for the season, we have more time freed up, which I am honestly glad to have. Our week begins with a visit from the bishop of our diocese in the Anglican Church where Rich helps serve. We are really happy to have his support and visit with him.

This is our last week before Thanksgiving, and since I dry brine ours, I need to get one out of the freezer so we can do that with enough time for it to be properly seasoned and ready for roasting on Thanksgiving. I also will be roasting some of our own turkey parts (necks and so on) to turn into extra stock for gravy. Some of the preparation I can do this week includes making the sweet potato rolls up to shaping, then freeze them, so they only have to thaw and rise, then be baked after the turkey is out of the oven.

For those of you who have been praying for our family in our troubles, may I please offer great thanks? We have had some wonderful moments of hope and encourgement over these past few weeks. There is still a long road to travel, but it has been good to have some obvious improvement. Thank you.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Steak and Eggs, Sliced Apples, Milk, Leftover Hot Cocoa and Coffee
  Dinner: Fancy Take Out Pizza, Red Potato Salad, Salads and Desserts by Parishioners
• Monday
  Breakfast: Spiced Prune Cake (GF for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers
• Tuesday - Feast of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
  Breakfast: Vegetable and Chorizo Hash, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: French Onion Soup with Gratinéed Croutons and Gruyère Cheese, Green Salad, Fruit Plate
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Cashew Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Thai Mussels with Jasmine Rice, Stir Fried Zucchini, Peppers and Onions, Sliced Oranges
• Thursday - Feast of The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple (Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
  Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Toast, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Chicken Tikka Masala, Basmati Rice, Roasted Zucchini, Mandarin Oranges
• Friday - Feast of Saint Cecilia
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: White Bean and Squash Soup, Fruit Plate
• Saturday - Feast of Saint Clement of Rome
  Breakfast: Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches (GF for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pressure Cooker Greek Style Spare Ribs, Basmati Rice, Lemon Potatoes, Sautéed Mushrooms, Sliced Oranges

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Preserving the Harvest, Tales from the Kitchen

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 10:41 AM 0 comments

I am half way through the neck, then I need to crochet the button band and loops, weave in ends, block and sew on buttons. It's nearly finished!!!

There are two secret projects I am working on at the moment, though I suppose only one of them is really a secret. One is the Saint Nicholas stocking for Shawn (you can see the first few stitches up there), and the other project is a secret. Amelia's stocking is also on needles, and I would like to have it finished soon, but I have until a couple days before Saint Nicholas as a cushion.

I'm trying so hard not to cast on anything else, until I finish both the gown and the secret project. After that, I don't mind having a few items on needles or hooks.

We are two thirds of the way through Emma with two weeks to finish it. Tonight will probably be the night I finish Double Grudge Donuts Doughnuts. The next book in the series comes out Thanksgiving week, and I have it on hold, but I might get a chance to get back to Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages in those couple weeks.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

Labels: Books, Design, Homemaking, Knitting, Patterns, WIP, Yarn Along

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 5:02 PM 0 comments

We are in the countdown to the Feast of the Nativity now. It is three weeks from the New Year in the Western Calendar, and the beginning of the fast (at the end of this week) on the Eastern Calendar (unless you are Old Calendar). It is time. We need this time of prayer, self-examination, fasting, confession, and almsgiving. I don't know about you, but I don't think I do enough of any of that. Tomorrow is also the feast of Saint Martin of Tours, a Christian Roman soldier and, later, bishop. His charity and faith are inspiring.

Last week, Rich made sure I could go on a two day spiritual retreat to learn about women saints. It was fantastic! I was hosted by a couple families from the church, who fed me beautifully, and were so generous in their hospitality. I learned so much, had the time and space to pray well, and really gained a great deal.

Because of that absence, though, I had not prepared some of the things necessary for our Saturday dinner and forgot to ask the family to do it while I was away, so we just did it Saturday, switched dinners with tomorrow's, and we will have the pork belly tacos tomorrow night. The younger kids want to do the lantern walk again, and the weather isn't so frigid and windy, so I think we will do it.

I'm kind of trying to streamline breakfasts now. You will see a lot of repeats on breakfasts over the next few weeks and months. I'm mostly rotating through several easy, quick breakfasts. We are having more complex or interesting breakfasts on weekends, though. Our meals will be slowly turning into abstinent and fasting more frequently. Fortunately, fish is permitted during most of this fast. If you do not observe Advent or the Nativity Fast in advance of the feast of the Nativity, may I encourage you to dig a little into either Western or Eastern Tradition about it, and slowly start praying, fasting, offering alms, and putting that with the study of the Holy Family, the Incarnation, and prepare yourself for His coming? Then, you can celebrate fully for all of the Christmas season (which begins late Christmas Eve, and ends on February 2).

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Pancakes with Raspberry Syrup, Sausages, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Not Texas Chili, Jalapeño Cheddar Bread, Toppings/Sides/Salads/Desserts brought by Parishioners
• Monday - Feast of Saint Martin of Tours
  Breakfast: Fried Halloum, Saint Martin's Day Almond Crescents (GF for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Habanero Pork Belly Tacos, Ranchero Beans, Mexican Rice, Salsa, Mandarin Oranges
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam, Toast (GF for Jerome), Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Pressure Cooker Greek Style Spare Ribs, Basmati Rice, Lemon Potatoes, Sautéed Mushrooms, Sliced Apples
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Cashew Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Caponata and Pasta (GF for Jerome), Green Salad, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Cream of Jalapeño Soup, Crackers (GF for Jerome), Fruit Plate
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Mejeddarah, Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (GF for Jerome) with Cream Cheese Drizzle, Chorizo Patties, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Harvest Potluck - bringing Summer Squash Casserole (small one w/o crumbs for Jerome), Limoncello Zabaglione

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Preserving the Harvest, Tales from the Kitchen

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 12:45 PM 0 comments

The baptismal gown only needs one more repeat on the second sleeve, and the garter stitch cuff, then the neckband and buttons with crocheted loops. Hooray!!! I started Amelia's stocking, too, and am a bit further than this photo shows. I think I need six more repeats of the cable pattern to start the heel. Let's see how much progress I can get on both of these over the weekend. Also, I have a secret project that I am hoping to have finished before Thanksgiving. And some finishing work on two projects that are completely knit and crocheted.

Also, I have released TWO patterns this past week, and they are available on all of my sales platforms. These are great projects for gift giving, and are quick to make. The headband can make three from one 100 g skein of aran weight yarn! I hope you enjoy making these as much as I have.

H'ammaam is a five piece spa set and can be purchased on PayHip, LoveCrafts, and Ravelry.

Shallal is a quick to knit headband (I think it took me about four hours in total - including adjusting the pattern and so on - to make one), using simple short rows for shaping and flowing cables for interest. It can be found on PayHip, LoveCrafts, and Ravelry.

We are more than half way through Emma and, I think, on track for finishing before Thanksgiving. I have finished Deck the Donuts and Cinnamon Twisted, and started the next book in the series.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

Labels: Books, Design, FOs, Homemaking, Knitting, Patterns, WIP, Yarn Along

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 10:49 PM 0 comments

This was such a busy weekend for us. Between the feasts of All Saints and All Souls, a couple of our kids going to a teen retreat in Idaho, a memorial for a friend and neighbor, and going to liturgy at a church an hour and a half away this morning for a Saints Alive feast and celebration, we have been on the go in every direction you can imagine.

We had a lot of winners last week for dinner. The Colombian beans, Croatian soup, and Spanish farmer's rice are all going to be seen on our menus again later this year and into next year. However, I'm finding that we are needing quicker, simpler breakfasts even than what I have been planning, so I am streamlining it even more. Also, I am trying to plan for leftover uses to stretch the budget and make cooking time easier at night. For instance, we have roast pork on the menu for tomorrow, but I know there will be a little left, so it will go into the fried rice the next day. I tried to make enough rice this weekend that I wouldn't have to cook any Monday for the dinner Tuesday, but we went through it all pretty thoroughly. Soups, stews, and legumes are still showing up a lot, as they are warm and filling and good for the family purse. Speaking of which, our Grocery Outlet had these Spanish tuna burgers, made with real food, for less than $4.00 per pound, which is a screaming deal. Even considering that we are paying for the other ingredients at that rate, it also means that all we have to do is to heat it up in a skillet or in the oven, so that seems like a win to me. We bought a lot of them.

Since we had freshly butchered chicken, I used it for a meal this past week and that meal is going on next week's menu. This next weekend is the first (and maybe only) weekend since we last butchered. We have about seven muscovies on death row, destined for the freezer. I'm also trying to sell about 10 to 12 of them. If you live near us, let me know if you are interested. We do not want to be feeding this many all winter, so we are keeping a few for breeding and eggs, and the rest will become meat or get sold. The meat will be lovely in meals come January, though we may try a little this month, too. Thanksgiving will be taking up a lot of the menu at the end of this month, and then the Advent fast begins. We may slip in one muscovy dinner before all of that.

Because of our very busy weekend, it was a relief to us that the folks at church all pitched in to plan a wonderful dinner so we wouldn't have to do it tonight. In fact, one person explicitly told me that I could send recipes and assignments if ever I needed assistance. One person sent me a text less than a day from returning from Italy to ask what she could bring. We are so grateful for these people who are our church family.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: None (morning Liturgy)
  Dinner: Moroccan Lamb and Chickpea Stew, Rice, Homemade Bread, Cinnamon Rolls
• Monday
  Breakfast: Fried Halloum, Sliced Tomatoes, Toast (GF for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Roasted Garlic Herb Pork Loin, Roasted Broccoli, Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream and Scallions, Sliced Apples
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam, Toast (GF for Jerome), Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Fried Rice, Green Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing, Fruit Plate
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Cashew Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Persian Potato Curry, Basmati Rice, Tomato Salad, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Tuna Burgers, Pickles, Potato Wedges, Torta Dominguera
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Fruit, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Thai Mussels with Jasmine Rice to break the fast after Liturgy
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Pancakes (GF for Jerome) with Raspberry Syrup, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Habanero Pork Belly Tacos, Ranchero Beans, Mexican Rice, Salsa, Fruit

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Preserving the Harvest, Tales from the Kitchen

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 8:20 AM 0 comments

This is such a delicious and simple salad. For your cooked beets, you can boil or steam them, but I prefer roasting them. You can cook them in a pressure cooker. In any case, you want them cooled and peeled, and that can be done ahead of time. This makes a good quantity of salad, so you may wish to halve it, but it does hold in the refrigerator for at least a week and a half or more. You can serve it a few times over that week or so, and not have to make salad each time.

10 medium beets, scrubbed, cooked, cooled and peeled, diced into fine dice
1 large red onion, finely minced
1 bunch fresh, flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher, flake, salt (I use Diamond)
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice

In a large bowl, put the diced beets, minced onion, chopped parsley and cilantro, and toss a little.

In a small frying pan, toast the cumin seeds over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 2 - 3 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat once they start to smell toasty. You can grind them completely in a spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle and only roughly crack and grind them (which I prefer). Allow to cool.

Mix together the toasted cumin seeds, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice into a dressing. Pour over the vegetables and herbs in the bowl and mix well to coat everything. Chill until ready to serve.

Labels: Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 2:11 PM 0 comments