This corn tastes funny

The first time I used some of these tomatoes in my homemade chili, my husband said, "What a great idea, you put corn in here." My response, "I did?" Turns out he was seeing some of the Yellow Pears I added in with the other varieties of tomatoes.

One of my favorite things about gardening is being able to plant varieties of vegetables you can't find in the grocery store. These Yellow Pear tomatoes are deliciously tangy and I like using them in salads or for a colorful addition to relish trays. I will also throw a few into my chili to add a bit of color. I had only recently only harvested a few of these in my garden due to the drought, but we have received some good rains the last 2 weeks and the tomatoes especially took off.

Corinne

Bobbles without bobbling

I've never been a big fan of creating bobbles in my knitting. They take a lot of patience and concentration, something I seem to be in short supply of lately. A fellow knitter at my local knitting group recommended using a particular Joann Sensations yarn on smaller needles to get the look of bobbles. She produced a scarf she had made and I fell in love. Here's a picture of the yarn below. A new Daily Knitter exclusive pattern is in the works with this yarn, Sensations Bellissimo.

Jane

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More and More Yarn

I visited a large JoAnn store last night and was amazed at how large their yarn section has become. I believe the store is barely a year old and they have already tripled the number of aisles dedicated to yarn. They always had the "mass market" types of yarn in the lower to mid price range. A good selection, but not a lot of natural fibers. This has all changed. They now have a bunch of higher end yarns, including lots of 100% wools and wool mixes. I was really impressed. Actually, I was totally overwhelmed and it took me almost an hour to select two different kinds of yarn. Not a good place to be for someone who has trouble making decisions!

I had a similar experience at Meijer the week before. They have doubled their yarn section, now on both sides of one aisle. More of a lower end, all synthetic selection, but they do carry Lion Brand and even NY Yarns, which I am fond of.

It's makes me so happy that knitting has become popular and many stores now offer a full yarn selection. I still spend a lot of time (and money) in my local yarn shop, but sometimes I need something a little less expensive when I am making a gift or teaching. Choices are always good.

Corinne

Welcome to Wool2Dye4.com

Welcome to Wool2Dye4.com, the newest advertiser with the Daily Knitter, offering natural undyed yarns. Their ad can be found in the Yarn Shop Directory pages at the Daily Knitter. Check it out!

Abby

Knitting Does A Body Good

My sister had some surgery this past week and is staying with me for her recovery. I introduced her to knitting a few days ago with some Lamb's Pride wool yarn and a set of size 9 circular needles. She is already 8 inches into her first scarf.

I had to laugh at her comment, "Is that all there is to it?" Yep, you can create a nice scarf with just the knit stitch. This does bring back memories of when I first picked up a set of knitting needles. What a thrill it is to realize that something so lovely can be created from a simple ball of yarn. All it takes is a bit of time and being confined to a recliner for 23 hours a day helps, too.

Muggle Knitting Patterns

What's a Muggle? If you are a Harry Potter fan, no explanation is necessary. If not, Muggles are us non-magic folks. And while reading the new Harry Potter book yesterday I discovered the passage below from chapter 4 of the book.

'Oh, there you are, Albus,' he said. 'You've been a very long time. Upset stomach?''No, I was merely reading the Muggle magazines,' said Dumbledore. 'I do love knitting patterns.'

Looks like I'm not the only one who keeps knitting magazines in the loo.

There are plenty of references to knitting in the Harry Potter books. Mrs. Weasley knits sweaters for her entire family each year and I fondly remember when Harry received one his first Christmas at Hogwarts.

Anne