Finally got my game on...

I wanted to actually participate in the Knitting Olympics this year but am off to a delayed start.  This will be a feather and fan lace shrug that I might wear at our wedding reception because it will match my flowers.  I'm using this pattern and have the exact yarn called for!  That is always exciting to me when I have the actual yarn in a pattern and not a weight substitute.  This is actually Einband yarn hand dyed by Gudrun from natural dye that my mother bought last year in Iceland.  She actually traded it with me for some Koigu-like sock yarn because she had second thoughts about the color.  It will go perfectly with my bouquet!  I didn't start until day 4 or 5 of the Olympics...

...Why you ask?  I had 5 days off last week in my run up to my weekend to work and spent the time working on a few things I meant to get around to like making a tomato au gratin that I've always wanted to try.  A few years ago in Scotland, I picked up a cookbook put out by The National Trust For Scotland.  Dave's parents provided me with some beautiful garden tomatoes and I set to work.  I have never canned anything before but I've read how it is done and I can't tell you how excited I was to blanch these tomatoes, quickly chill them and then peel them...and they did what they're supposed to do!

This dish is lightly seasoned with tarragon and was just delicious.  I never would have thought to au gratin tomatoes of all things.  Next time I won't use nearly as much cream as called for because it was quite soupy and almost a waste of cream--if there is such a thing!  As is often the case with au gratins, less is more.  Delish.

 I have also been going crazy sewing blankets!!!  Big beautiful bold batik blankets!  I had a stash of cotton queen size battings and I've been hoarding these gorgeous batiks.  I have seen some bee-YEW-tiful quilts made from batiks but I couldn't bear to cut these up because the fabric itself was just so pretty.  It is also worth pointing out that I don't have the patience to make quilts--these are simply blankets.  These 4 blankets represent 40 yards of fabric I have gotten out of this apartment.

These blankets turned out so well and I give all the credit to the batting.  Since it is cotton, I iron it before sandwiching it between the batik and the broadcloth base.  I pin it to death and then machine quilt seams lengthwise 6" apart.  Lastly you trim the batiks leaving a 2" broadcloth border, then turn under and stitch that border to seal your raw edges.  The batting is expensive though at $45 for a queen size.  They were 50% off at Joanns and I had an additional 25% off coupon so I got them at a steal!  I just can't decide which fabric I like the most!