Optimism? Or lunacy?

I have just purchased yet another set of Sterilite plastic drawers for yarn storage. This one has 2 large bins, one of which is now filled with various shades of fingering weight yarn (mostly KnitPicks Palette) that I've purchased specifically to do colorwork projects.

I have yet to complete a single colorwork project in my entire life. 

There's just no logical explanation for this. I'm either incredibly optimistic (read: delusional) or just plain old insane.

Twinkle Toes

Looky, I'm off to a great start with my sock resolution: I finished a pair already.





Granted, I started them back in October, but still, they're finally done.


This is Through the Loops' Socktober 2010 Mystery Sock. I love doing these mystery sock-alongs, where a snippet of the pattern is posted each week. Unfortunately I usually finish the first sock in October/November, and then don't get the second one done until January. This happened for the 2009 sock as well.


Ooops.


Sometimes I wish a knew a one-legged person. Or one-footed person.  But then I remember that's a horrible fate to wish upon anyone just for the sake of knitting fewer socks.





The yarn, some of you may have already guessed, is Skinny Buggy in Blue-Arsed Fly. What a fantastic name. There just aren't enough colorways with the word "arse" in them.


There's just one wee problem with my adorable socks:





I seem to have inadvertently knit one toe longer than the other. The socks are the same length, but I carried on with the foot pattern about a half-inch more in one sock than the other. I swear I followed the directions for BOTH socks, but clearly I didn't.

I really hope no one stares at my toes enough to notice this.

If you're going to San-ti-ago . . .

be sure to  . . . not be a vegetarian. Otherwise, it was a fairly good trip (and I ate a lot of avocado, or palta as they call it, which was fantastic). Although spending so much time with family can be a bit taxing. But the wine was delicious, the weather was gorgeous, and the city is impressive.

This actually isn't Santiago, it's Vina del Mar

I didn't do a bit of knitting though, so I have nothing to show you.


Instead, here's a recipe for my famous breakfast burritos, just because:

1 8-inch flour tortilla
2 eggs (or 1 egg, 2 egg whites if you're healthy like that)
2 veggie sausage patties
2 tbs salsa, or to taste
1/4 cup shredded mexican cheese, or to taste - low fat is great, you won't notice much difference

Spray a skillet with cooking spray, and heat over med heat.
Warm the sausage patties in the microwave for 1 minute, then crumble with a fork. Dump into the skillet.
Beat eggs, then add as much salsa as you like. It's best to use a chunkier salsa, you don't want a lot of juice making your burrito drippy.
Dampen two paper towels; place one in the microwave, put the tortilla on top, then cover with the second towel.
Add the eggs to the pan and scramble. Even if you usually like softer eggs, make them pretty dry, because, again, drippy burrito = giant mess.
Heat the tortilla for 45 seconds. When it's nice and warm, put it on a large plate, add the egg/sausage/salsa mix, and top with cheese. Roll up and enjoy.
(For wrapping success, place the filling on the side of the tortilla closest to you, then roll away, pulling in the sides as you go.)

This is a very flexible recipe, and you can really improve on it depending on how much time you have and what you have on hand. This quick version I can do in 5 minutes before work. If I have more time, I might cut up some avocado or fresh cilantro to throw in with the cheese. If I have leftoever black beans or chopped tomatoes, those are good to add too. Also, specialty flavored wraps work well (I recommend the jalapeno cheese; the garden herb not so much). Also, be careful NOT to buy the maple-flavored sausage patties--they're delicious, but do not combine with this dish at all.

Next time, knitting, not cooking.

You say you want a resolution . . .

Wait, that's not right. Well, whatever, your resolution can be a revolution too.

Now, before we move on to the list of knitting-related promises I won't keep, let's see how I did with last year's resolutions.

3 adult sweaters: well, ok, I managed 2, plus a vest and a camisole-type deal, that's not terrible or anything.
2 pair of socks FOR ME, which can include finishing the 2 pair I have on the needles: That's all I finished for myself, unfortunately.
something stranded or doubleknit: I've started Eunny Jang's Deep V Argyle vest! But it's nowhere near done.
steek something for practice: I have my swatch from Eunny's vest, which I plan to steek, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
 
So, overall, meh. I certainly didn't exceed expectations, but I wasn't a total failure either.
 
So, what will I promise this year? How about this:
 

• 10 pair of socks FOR ME! Seriously. Which can include the 2 pair I have on the needles, so really, only 8 pair.
• Finish the Deep V Argyle vest
• Two adult sweaters PLUS two adult, um, "tops" for want of a better word--meaning summery-type floaty camisole things.
• Colorwork mittens of some kind for next winter.
• Design and publish TWO patterns (!!!) (I have no delusions, self-publishing will be just fine in my book)

 
So, there you have it, my goals for 2011. We shall see.