Introducing… the Pasta Swift

So I’ve branched out a bit in the past six months or so, getting back into the kitchen more and more. Still knitting a lot, but balancing that with cooking. There’s a long, weird story there — feeling guilty about having the kitchen redone, it’s too nice, I didn’t need such a great kitchen, all that money, etc., etc. Very tiresome, and thankfully, now over. So I’m having a wonderful time following in the footsteps of my foodie friends and idols — Kay, Chris and Marc — you know who you are!

I got myself a nifty little hand-crank pasta machine after Christmas. It’s an Imperia – very basic, very solid, Italian-made. My very smart pal Jill was over for fresh pasta one night and hit upon the idea of using the yarn swift as a pasta dryer, instead of buying a purpose-built one.

Last week when I had a free morning, I made a batch of pasta and tried it out. Works like a dream! And holds a ton of noodles. Don’t worry, my knitties — I covered the arms with waxed paper so as not to get pasta dough on the yarn next time.

On the knitting front, the Ravelympics are now over and I did not complete my entry. (Ravelympics is an event in which knitters from all the world try to complete a challenging project during the timeframe of the Olympic Games.) I got only one panel done on a throw for Orestes (need 4 total, unless I can’t bear to go on and decide he’s skinny enough to warrant a 3-panel throw). Knitting a blanket is really amazingly boring. Last night I just couldn’t face another row of it, so I worked on my Bird-in-Hand mittens instead. Well, mitten — the first one. Much more satisfying. I also have a nice cozy scarf on the needles, made with the delightful but now sadly discontinued Big Kureyon that my knitting chica Trish gave me ages ago.

I’m glad to be mixing it up a bit with the knitting. Had gone through a lengthy period of making mitts. And mittens. And a very long stocking cap for my pal Janelle for Christmas. Oh, an a chullo for Jen, too.