I can't get it out of my head, but for some reason Minnie from Rowan 39, reminds me of the Dilophosaur the did away with Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park (the original movie.) I tried to find a photo of that Dilophosaur but this was the best that I could do.
It just seems so wrong that a frilly Rowan cardigan should remind me of a frilly, spitting carnivorous dinosaur, but there you go.
Chinese New Year
Speaking of carnivorous activities, I thought that you might want to see the spare ribs that I made. I always try to make something red to go with the meal. These were really easy and perfect for 2. Well, we might had been a bit piggy because we ate them all.
Chinese Style Spare Ribs
Ingredients
8-10 oz Spare Ribs
1 carrot , cut in chunks
1 leek, cut in chunks
1 onion, halved
1 small piece ginger
pinch salt
1 jar Chinese roast pork Sauce
Boil the ribs for 20 minutes with salt, carrot, leek, onion and ginger. Leave to cool. You can stock for soup or for making pot stickers.
In a flat pan, marinate the the pork for at least 3 hours, the longer the better, using the Rib Sauce. If the ribs have curled a bit from the boiling, stick a skewer through it to force it to be more flat.
Heat oven to 175 C, place ribs in a foil-line a tray (If you do not foil line the tray, you will get a sticky messy tray that will be impossible to clean). Turn and baste using rib sauce every 15-20 minutes. The ribs will be done in 60-75 minutes. If you see them getting a bit burnt, you can cover with foil.
You can buy the roast pork sauce in most asian supermarkets. I used about 4-5 ounces. The roast pork sauce tends to have red food colouring. It's got a pretty high sugar content too. I would recommend avoiding any that has MSG. You can make the sauce yourself, but I didn't bother since I already had enough going on that night.
Yarn Count
Just when I thought that I was doing so well ...
I finished 3 pairs of socks in January, and gave away some yarn too, so that's
450g or 1241 meters out
But I also managed to acquire some yarn. Amongst the acquisitions...
Well, there's actually a bit more acquired, but this all that I'm confessing to at the moment.
Naturally, I wrote a little javascript to graphically represent my excesses, but I haven't had time to intergrate it yet. (This actually means that I made a few attempts unsuccessfully and have decided to not waste more time on it at the moment, since it does work stand-alone)
I would also like to point out that February will be a much better month, as I will have in the completed column, Saffron and the husband's Tuir Limbos. (who am I trying to kid? All the new books are out too and I am just itching to start something new)
I like that cardi... I think the hair is wrong or something... I dunno... I wouldn't make it in brown... prolly lavender or pink... not spitting dino color!
Posted by: tara nichole at February 10, 2006 05:06 PMI died laughing looking at your sweater-dinosaur comparison! They were definitely 'separated at birth'.
Posted by: Dana at February 9, 2006 03:43 AMHi, Polly. My Rowan 39 arrived yesterday and Minnie was the pattern that realy caught my eye (despite the model's terrifying hairdo!). I love the dinosaur comparison. :-)
Hope to see you at Liberty when I'm over in March. Happy stash-busting!
Carolyn
Posted by: Carolyn at February 8, 2006 05:13 PMYou and Dawn are terrifying with your accounting for yarn in and yarn out, this month. I've done really well, by finishing lots of things, but like you said, the new yarns and books are out and it is about to take an ugly turn...
Posted by: linda at February 8, 2006 09:36 AMOMG, I nearly wet myself when I saw those pictures. She DOES look like she might just about take someone throat out... but at least she would do it in something chic and trendy, n'est-ce pas? It's what the knitwear looks like that counts, not what you do when you are wearing it!
Posted by: Jay at February 8, 2006 04:03 AMHuahahaha!! Sorry, the pic of that ancient creature compared to a Rowan design just freaks me out ;)
Yum, I miss pork.
I think its the hair on the model that total aces the dinosaur thing. Too funny!
Posted by: Cassie at February 7, 2006 01:39 PMYour fuschia yarn is gorgeous! Looking forward to finding out what you'll make with it :) x
Posted by: Annarella at February 6, 2006 04:56 PMI don't suppose you know a way of ordering yarn from China?
Love the blog. Jean
Posted by: Jean at February 6, 2006 04:28 PMThat's a very good in and out, you should be feeling quite proud of yourself.....go on ask Dawn how much her "ins" came to for January ;) Be prepared to be shocked....bless her heart!
Posted by: Tracy at February 6, 2006 12:18 PMhehe, can't wait till i get my magazine now! also, can i come over for new year's next year? those spare ribs look delish!
Posted by: kris at February 6, 2006 12:10 PMYou're absolutely correct. I think that it's the combination of the sweater and the freaky model.
Posted by: Colleen at February 6, 2006 12:06 PMLOL about the dinosaur cardi! That was my favorite dinosaur in the movie--it was the one that made cute cuddly whirring sounds right before it attacked, right? I have always remembered it because New York is full of people like that! lol! xox Kay
Posted by: Kay at February 6, 2006 03:59 AMHow apt, your description about that frilly cardi! I can stop laughing!
Posted by: Siow Chin at February 6, 2006 01:26 AMHi Polly
Sad to say that my stash increased significantly last month! I *sort of* like Minnie, but it's in dk cotton and would weigh a tonne, and frankly, White Lies has stuff that is more appealing, better thought out and just as frilly.
Dawn:)
Posted by: dawn at February 5, 2006 11:42 PMDon't forget to factor in that February has fewer days than any other month! Fewer days to acquire yarn; conversely fewer days to knit up the outgoing yarn!!
Posted by: Meg at February 5, 2006 11:30 PMYou're so right about the Rowan cardigan and the dilophosaur! I never noticed it before, but when you show them side by side like that, the resemblance is undeniable.
Posted by: parikha at February 5, 2006 09:31 PMhahahahahahaha dying with laughter at that Rowan image... HOLY SCHMOLY did you hit it straight on :)
hahahahahaha, cause really that is what I want to make. WHAT is going WRONG with them at Rowan?? YIKES
Posted by: stinkerbell at February 5, 2006 08:03 PMSpot on with the dinosaur. I think there are some good things in the new mag but the styling is wild! I am knitting Carolina (lacy shrug).
Posted by: Brigid at February 5, 2006 07:56 PMHahaha ... I just couldn't stop laughing reading you comparison ... but it is so visually true! I am waiting for the Rowan new magazine to come. Having read a lot of criticism about this one, acatully I think there are quite a few good patterns. Of course the tribal section is a bit experimental to me, but these people are designers! They need to let their creative juices fly high a little bit from time to time. That's all good with me.
Your roasted spare ribs look really delicious!
Hi Polly!
Your comparison is very funny. I didn't know this dinosaur but now I think I will always see the girl instead of the dinosaur :D
I wonder what you are going to knit with your beautiful pink wool. A lace shawl maybe?
P.S. : We have just begun our knitalong on your pattern : http://frenchmarketbag.com/
Too funny Polly re Minnie - although I would love to see the jumper in the real. Hopefully JL or Liberty will have one on display. The Ribs look yummy - my son was looking over my shoulder as I was reading your blog and has asked me to make some for dinner tonight, so thanks for the recipe.
Posted by: Carol at February 5, 2006 03:20 PMThose ribs look sooooo yummy!
Posted by: Erica at February 5, 2006 03:05 PMLOL - she does really look scary..
But the ribs look yummy.
IDA
Heh - a lot of the pictures from that Rowan are reminding me of odd and somewhat alarming things!!
Well, your net gain for January was pretty small... right?! I wonder if tracking my yarn that way would help... Hmm.
Posted by: Chris at February 5, 2006 02:40 PM