My first sweater... the beginning

I'm so excited to finally be working on my first sweater, which I mentioned in my Yarn Sale INSANITY post. When you knit a sweater, you work it in separate pieces and then stitch them together. I'm starting on the back, and I'm really pleased with how it's going. The soft Peruvian cotton blend yarn I'm using feels so nice, and the fabric it's making has a really nice drape to it. It's the first time I bought yarn that was in hanks, rather than center-pull skeins, so I have to wind them into balls I've been updating my progress on it on my favorite Knit/Crochet website, Ravelry. It's a wonderful site that lets you track all of your projects, share them with friends, find great user-rated patterns, discuss anything under the sun in forums, and just enjoy a great community of yarn crafters! Here's a screenshot of my project page for this cardi/shrug I'm making:

Want to investigate further? GO AHEAD! Are you a Ravelry member? Add me as a friend! I'm TheHomeEconomist. :-)

Today's Muffins: Carrot-Ginger Bran Muffins

Here's today's muffin recipe from Women's Health:

1/4 can (3 oz) frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate
1/2 c wheat bran
1 1/4 c whole-wheat or other whole-grain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground dried ginger
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c yogurt (such as Dannon Activia)
1/2 c shredded carrots
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
3 Tbsp molasses
1/4 c pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Boil juice over high heat until it becomes syrupy. Set aside and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together wheat bran, flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and dried ginger.

4. In a separate bowl, combine reduced juice, egg, yogurt, carrot, fresh ginger, and molasses. Combine mixtures and then fold in pumpkin seeds.

5. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12. Per muffin: 109 cal, 3 g fat (0.5 g sat), 177 mg sodium, 20 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 4 g protein

They're cooling on the rack right now... they look pretty good, and I think they'll taste good, too! 

Yarn Sale INSANITY

Today Hubby and I trekked up to Northampton to visit the WEBS Annual Tent Sale and Fleece Market, hoping to get a good deal on some yarn, and maybe a set of needles. Friends, JoAnn and Michael's had not prepared me for the Mecca that is WEBS! Aisle after aisle of every texture and weight and color combination you could think of! I found everything from local organic, undyed wool to jewel-toned hanks of pure silk with beads and sequins woven in ($60 per hank, too!). As if the tents outside with deals on bulk buys and the store itself weren't enough, a whole warehouse in back waited with deals galore! The only thing more overwhelming than the overstock of variety was the huge crowd that came with the same idea I did. My dear saint of a hubby waited patiently with his crosswords and sudoku in a line that snaked around the store and moved at a dying snail's pace. (MAJOR THUMBS UP FOR HUBBY!) One woman said "And they say knitting is a dying art! HA!"

I kept my head though, even though I would have loved to push my cart up and down each aisle, merrily tossing in anything that should strike my fancy. I bought Berroco Weekend in Plum to make this adorable short sleeved shrug/cardigan.  It's a lovely, soft cotton blend that will feel cozy and look cute over a tank top.

Fraggle Rock Knitting!

A fun way to start the day... "Fraggle Rock" song about knitting!

Today's Muffins: Banana, Yogurt and Walnut

I made some really yummy muffins today, and I wanted to share the recipe. They're moist and de-lish, and they taste just like banana bread, but are made with healthier ingredients. I got it here.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 C oatmeal
• 1/2 C rice flour
• 1/4 C ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 C plain yogurt
• 3 medium, ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 C agave syrup
• 1/3 C grapeseed oil
• 1/4 C walnut pieces

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2.  In a large bowl, whisk together oatmeal, flour, flaxseed, baking powder, and baking soda.
3.  In a separate bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, bananas, syrup, and oil. Add flour mixture and fold in walnuts.
4.  Divide batter into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack.

If you don't have ground flaxseed, GET SOME! It's full of fiber, anti-oxidants, and omega-3s. It also tastes good! I sprinkle it on cereal and oatmeal, bake it into pancakes and muffins, mix it into smoothies and applesauce, and the list goes on! Also, try some Agave Syrup. It's got a nice, light taste, and it's a good natural sweetener. You can find it at the store with the honey.