Queen Bee Knits

Knitting, Living, Loving, Baking, Tips, Tools and Idle Chatter

Monday Monday!

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Queen Bee Knits

I’m taking the time to blog today because we’ve been busy getting projects done and the sun came out! Today it was beautiful and sunny and the lake was calm for coffee on the porch. My mullein plant is getting really big and soon (maybe tomorrow) I’m going to pick a leaf or two to make a tincture. Mullein is supposed to be good for the respiratory system and anybody who knows me knows that my respiratory system is challenged by allergies and a chronic allergic cough.

This morning I cut the garlic scapes! And then I ran out to do a couple of errands and made a stop at the store to help with getting ready for the Maine Yarn Cruise to begin. Tickets for drawings, stamp and ink for the passports, a QR code for the digital guests, and just plain remembering what we need to have tomorrow. This is the 8th year and, woo doggies, it’s another challenge. The boss insists on water and snacks and free books which all sounds great until there is a crowd around the register and all the pieces need to be done which adds to the regular craziness that is a family business. It’ll be “fun” they said. Ha! Ha!

When I got home I started making some of the food I have been craving … lobsters were on sale yesterday so I had Hannaford steam two for me and I made lobster salad for lunch and while I was chopping celery for lobster salad, I chopped some for potato salad. Summer and potato salad just go together. My mom always added onion, hard boiled eggs, and mayo and mustard and a few spices. It’s in the fridge all ready for dinner. I also chopped a bunch of veggies for Ratatouille which will be ready for dinner, too. Yummm!

This weekend we bought veggie plants for our raised beds and the compost to amend the soil. The compost was added yesterday and tomorrow I’ll put the plants in when it’s a bit cooler in the morning. BUT I did get the flowers into the window box and the front porch pot and I also got two of my lemon trees (started from seeds) re-potted and settled in the dooryard for the summer months. I just have to give them a good trim to shape them up a bit.

We bought a pair of Adirondack chairs for our afternoons outside. We often have a good stiff breeze off the lake in the afternoon so we sit around back to get some calm. These chairs and the table that will go between them will be so comfortable after a busy day. I’m quite pleased with the way the dooryard is shaping up. I’d love to have a flagstone patio built next with a path to the garage when it gets built. So many projects!

And I have been knitting, too. I finished three dishcloths for our kitchen and put them in the rotation already. They’re quite cheery. I also have been working on Delores’s caftan outfit and yesterday I made it to the second shoulder. It’s a different way to build a caftan but it works. It does make me giggle when I think of knitting for a sheep (and a stuffed one at that.) She makes me happy. I’ve also made some good progress on my Big Love cardigan. I’m well into the button band decreases and pretty soon I will have the body done. The pattern makes a cropped cardigan and I think I’ll make mine a little bit longer than cropped. I’m not sure of cropped garments on me … my Bolin cardigan is cropped and I think I’ll have to be particular about what I wear it with but rest assured that there will be no midriff showing on this girl.

And last but not least, my hubby has been working away to create a gate on the end of our porch to keep little ones, both two-legged and four, safely on the porch. The lake is so close and kids move so quickly, I think this will make it possible for Sylvie to have some freedom this summer when they’re here. She will, of course, be reminded over and over, to stay off the dock and out of the water when she’s not with an adult, too. One can never be too careful around water. Hubby’s guest cottage bathroom project is almost complete, too. The new shower stall is built, the floor is in and the holes in the porch and the porch screens have been repaired. He’s working on the screen door now. Soon, we will get it all cleaned up and buy a bed for it and then it’ll be available for friends and family to use when they come to Maine. I think we’ll be putting it up on AirBnB or one of those apps next year as a weekend rental. See how it goes.

I’ve got a zoom meeting to attend so I’m off. Gone knitting.

Happy (Yucky) Saturday!

Posted on June 28, 2025 by Queen Bee Knits

And just like that we have nearly reached the end of yet another month. The year is zipping by! Today is like every other Saturday we’ve had for ages in Maine – yucky. It started out cool and breezy and right now it’s actually raining. The windows are all closed up and the lights are on in my atelier. Yuck! But we are making the best of another rainy, dreary, yucky (did I say it enough? day.

We had coffee inside this morning. When I got up my dear hubby was in the living room with a cap on his head. LOL. We chatted about taking best advantage of a rather dreary Saturday and going to pick strawberries but we opted to stay home and get our projects done and maybe tomorrow will be a better day. Even I don’t want to pick strawberries in the rain. So he went to the dump with the dog and I repotted two of my lemon trees that I’ve grown from seeds. They may never flower and fruit, or they might. For now I’m celebrating that I’ve kept them alive long enough that the biggest one now requires a pot that will be so heavy that I can’t lift it. We’ve got it outside for the summer and will have to find it a roller to get it in when fall arrives. It’s smaller sibling/cousin will still be pick-up-able but not for long. AND much like the book When You Give a Mouse a Cookie, I then had to pull the weeds that have grown up around the pot I used and into the garden and around the edge of the house … it never ends.

I’ve written the store newsletter and updated the database with a few new contacts, and emptied the trash cans on the second floor of the house. I wrapped two gifts and put them downstairs to be given. And am preparing to clean out the “curiosities” cabinet in our stairway. It really needs a glass door to keep out the dust because after nearly 10 years, it’s really dusty. Ha! Ha! It needs it badly but we have cleaned it out before. AND I noticed that someone has spilled coffee on the stairs so they need to be swept and washed. If I can get those two things done today, I’ll be very happy to sit and knit for the rest of the afternoon.

I’ve been knitting like mad trying to finish my “summer” sweaters before summer is done. I’m doing really well with my Ankers Summer Shirt. I’m a few inches away from the bottom ribbing on the body and the sleeves aren’t long so they won’t take much time at all. I’m still loving the color of this top and I can’t wait to wear it with m white pants and a tanned face. I hope the sun will come out eventually this summer. The Hei Hei rooster needle tip protectors sure do make me smile!

I cast on the second outfit for Dolores. This one is a caftan designed by Franklin Habit. So far, it’s a breeze of stripes with one row that has a pair of eyelets. Yesterday I reached the point where I am going to divide for the neck/shoulders but I didn’t have any stitch holders or scrap yarn with me so I put it on hold and I’ll work on it again later today. I can’t imagine that it’ll take too much time to wrap this one up. It does make me giggle and I am thinking I may need to have some hangers to display her outfits near where she ends up living in my house. Time will tell. It’s a shame to put these fun and funny outfits away once they’re made, right? When the granddaughter gets older she’s going to love playing with her.

I’ve made a little progress on my Big Love but It’s not one that I can easily work on now that I’m going back and forth across the entire sweater AND decreasing at the button bands. Once I get settled into the new rhythm, I’ll be fine though. I do love this Pima 100 by Berroco. It’s the softest cotton and it’ll be really snuggly. I think I may have to knit a cotton blanket for the living room in the future sometime. In an orange? (Orange is my favorite color these days, go figure.)

What I am really loving about this cardigan and what surprised me about it when I started knitting it is the texture. I had thought it was just stockinette stitch. Ha! I was wrong. It’s a simple enough four-row repeat with a 1×1 ribbed button band that is knitted on from the collar down. I am assuming that somewhere in the pattern, they’re going to have me stitch together the two pieces of the collar where the whole sweater started. But it’s a really pretty sort-of-ribbing texture that is easy enough to remember. I’m readjusting my memorized stitch pattern now, though, since all the pieces are now combined with a false seam between them. I have a feeling that I will make another one of these one day in wool … and maybe a size larger so it’s really cozy to wrap up in. This one, I hope, will be a bit more tailored for summer.

I did make a delicious zucchini galette this week. I found the recipe online from the Smitten Kitchen and I happened to have a bunch of zucchini from my Costco shopping trip that needed to be cooked before it got really gross. We both liked the recipe very much. I liked it because it’s vegetarian for the most part and my hubby cooked himself a sausage to eat with it because he can’t miss meat at any meal. We served it with a salad and it was yummy. I’ll make it again.

I had a fun day on Wednesday with some of the women from my Friday morning knitting class. I headed up to St. Albans to “sew” for the day but I left my sewing at home by mistake. Thankfully, I did have my knitting. Next time I’ll remember the sewing stuff because they’re inspiring me to do more sewing. I learned how to make a disappearing 9-patch and we did a lot of laughing. A lot! It was a much needed mid-week break from the news of the world. I’m so grateful to have these women in my life.

I need to bake again. I have oodles of frozen Maine blueberries to use before blueberry season is here again. I think I’ll make a blueberry cobbler and some blueberry muffins to have in the freezer for our company that’s coming in July and we are going to have quite a bit of it. We are really looking forward to the family that’s coming up and the house is always fun when it’s filled up. (And a bit sad when it’s empty again; at least for a little bit.)

Gone knitting.

That’s a Wrap Wednesday

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Queen Bee Knits

It’s a beautiful sunny morning and a critter made tracks all the way along the shore as far as the eye can see. I’m guessing a fox. Living this close to nature is a daily thrill and we are so grateful to be able to be here on this lake in Maine!

I’ve been busy this week. I worked for my friend Bette on Monday and it makes me laugh every time I work on a Monday my body and brain thinks it Thursday so my week is all thrown off. But this time I seem to have reclaimed the week and since I’m heading to New York for grandma duties on Friday, I had to get stuff accomplished before I leave …. like the laundry! 🙂

Anyway, I’ve been knitting away and am making some really good progress on my Bolin cardigan. It’s about nine inches of ribbing away from being finished. I even found buttons that I think will be perfect. With any luck, the ribbing will be finished today and I can block it and wear it this weekend. I’m excited. This sweater has been a lot of fun to knit. Not difficult at all and the fabric is amazingly soft and I imagine it will be very warm. Perfect for New York City spring?

On Monday evening I cast on a fun quick project with some “scrap” yarn, Rowan Felted Tweed, and made myself one of the Esther, Ernie & Enid Easter Chickens. I made mine in green and it’s really silly and totally makes me smile. I want to make a couple more so they can be friends in a group. I even made the little glasses for her. This one is Esther, I think. (They’re all the same.)

Yesterday I cast on a little pullover for my newest great-nephew. I got about half-way done with it yesterday and will finish it up this week or into the weekend. It’s a quick knit in worsted weight yarn in a tiny baby size. I am really liking the yarn that I bought for it. It’s a good colorway and the yarn is soft (and washable). While I’ve been knitting this one, I am reminded that I have to start knitting for our newest grandchild due in late August. I’m thinking a fall in Denver kind of sweater … it could be warm but the A/C could be cool. I’m pretty sure this little one will spend a lot of time outdoors!

I’ve turned the heel and decreased the gusset stitches for my On The Round socks. They’ll be done before we arrive in New York on Friday. Sock are good car knitting. I may have made the first sock a bit long for my foot so they may end up belonging to my hubby. He needs socks more than I do anyway! The yarn is lovely and I am glad I have more for future socks … or maybe a baby sweater to match Poppy’s socks? Hmm.

I got to the dentist yesterday and I’ve got a broken crown that will be replaced in the upcoming months. They do it in one day with an appointment in the morning and the afternoon. Wonderful! No temporary crown (mine have always gotten loose!) I’ve done the big load of laundry. Towels are today and tomorrow after work I’ll put one more load of wash in before we go to bed. I made a zucchini lasagna for dinner last night. It would have been wonderful but the noodles were a little bit over-cooked. Bummer but it will be dinner tonight, too, regardless. Dearest hubby, of course, made himself a sausage so he’s not meatless. I’ve had two and have one more Maine Arts Academy committee meeting today but between times, I’m running to school to pick up the board laptop and then dropping my car off for an oil change and tire rotation … I should have left it there last night … oops! Something always slips through the cracks but thankfully, I realized it early and can recover.

Gone knitting.

Fall – turning in

Posted on October 2, 2022 by Queen Bee Knits

The hydrangeas are wearing their fall colors and the temperatures are cooling. The sunrise is moving over into its fall position. Every morning it shines into our living room reminding me that I have yet to wash the big picture windows. The leaves are slowly but surely taking on the brighter reds and oranges and my favorite tree is about half-red.

I love the fall and I look forward to all of the lake work coming to an end or at least slowing down enough to give me some breathing space. And, I look forward to being able to breathe more easily – the fall allergies are horrible this year. I look forward to getting some inside work done and catching up on the projects that get put aside to sit on the porch and work in the gardens and yard. That work, if I’m honest, is getting more difficult as we get older. I have to remind myself that it’s ok to balance work and rest. It’s part of what I like about fall and winter, preparing to turn in … thinking about what is important and having time to rest awhile. And maybe a bit of knitting?!

I’ve been knitting away, as usual. It’s not a good day if no fiber has passed through my fingers. This week I’ve been working to get my Mini Advent Jumpers completed by the start of December. I have 14 knitted, two need their ends woven in and seams sewn, but that leaves another ten to go. I can do it if I stick to two per week. I just need to figure out how to hang them once finished. I’ll get there. And, frankly, I was reminded that I could do the 12 Days of Christmas if I don’t get them all finished.

I also finished and wore my Elton Cardigan this week. It will be worn to Rhinebeck in a couple of weeks. I’m excited to attend my first New York Sheep and Wool with my friend and co-worker, Glenda. I’ll have to get a photo of me wearing it one of these days … maybe at Rhinebeck! I realized, too, that one of my most favorite babysitters lives in North Hampton, Massachusetts and we’re getting a bus from WEBS there. I wonder if we’ll have time to see Tiki? It gives me a good reason to reach out to her after a lot of years.

I cast on a Musselburgh hat by Ysolda Teague in black fingering weight yarn for my daughter, Libet. I must really love this kid to knit a black hat. Especially a fingering weight black hat. I thought the design was a great one, though and figured that my NYC kids would all likely wear this hat. This will be the first of several I think. I’m using Berroco Vintage Sock which is new to our store and I needed to give it a try. It’s got a very soft hand but it’s a little bit splitty. If the hat is a success, I’ll cast on another one in wool which I prefer to knit with. This one can be given away or kept. Wool is always warmer but I wanted to try the hat first with a less costly yarn to make sure of the fit.

I also knitted a couple of Bird BookMarks by Claire Garland. I need to seam them, stuff them and then add the string or cord so they can do their jobs. They’re very cute and will be cute stocking stuffers at Christmas time. I like them, in part, because they use up little bits of yarn that I have left over from other projects. I have a “problem” throwing away perfectly good bits and bobs of yarn and as a result, I have quite a bit of little bits. I keep thinking that I’ll use them in a blanket or something else that will use a lot of odd bits of yarn … so far, that hasn’t happened. And it may not … until I have to use it because I’ve knitted all the things that I want out of “new” yarn.

I added buttons on the Puerperium Cardigan for my future grandchild. She’s due in about 4 weeks time. To say that I am excited is an understatement. This little sweater is adorable. I had intended it to be for my great-nephew but it was too much pink so I’ve bought a new skein of yarn for his sweater and will cast on soon. This was a fun little sweater to knit and I’m glad that there’s a larger-sized version to knit for larger children. I’ll knit it again, I’m sure.

I’ve got a pair of mittens on the needles, too. Their the Peace de Resistance Mittens by Bristol Ivy. I have had some yellow and gray Jamieson & Smith yarn from one of the Arnall-Culliford “Year of Techniques” projects that I never knitted. I decided that since this election cycle may be a bit crazy (again) that I should knit these mittens. I need to get cracking so they’ll be ready ahead of all the craziness. I haven’t gotten very far along with these but they’re fun to knit.

I’ve cleaned my atelier today and organized the mess that I’ve let accumulate over the past few weeks or months. I spent time this morning writing the newsletter for work, and I’ve written this … it’s time to get downstairs to make some pie crusts. We have an overabundance of eggs at our house and we’re going to make some quiche to freeze for future eating. We both are tired when we come home from work and easy suppers are much appreciated. Today it’s veggie quiches and an apple pie on the cooking list – since we don’t have to work today, we can get some cooking ahead done. At least that’s the plan.

We took a nice little drive to Unity and Thorndike yesterday to visit the Amish Country Market, now newly rebuilt and get some Macoun apples and cider from Mueller Farm and some Christmas gifts from my friends at Over the Hill Lavender farm. It was a wonderful day for a drive and it was nice to be out and about. I think it’s time to get down to the kitchen, eat an apple for lunch and get some quiche or pie in the oven.

Gone knitting … well, after I cook!

Jam! That’s Good!

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Queen Bee Knits

Yesterday we went strawberry picking. (Yes, it’s the season here in Central Florida. Sorry all you Yanks!) We picked a bit more that twelve pounds of berries and at $2.50 per pound, they’re quite a bargain!

Pappy’s Fresh Florida Strawberries

And today, I made a little bit of jam … and used about half of what we picked to make ten jars of jam (and a little extra for our fridge for tomorrow morning!)

The process of making jam is a very simple one. I washed and chopped the berries (more than eight cups chopped) last night. They’re so sweet and the refrigerator smelled fabulous when I opened it for my milk this morning! This morning I got the jam put together – it’s simple!

Combine the following ingredients in a large pot on the stove

4 cups chopped or mashed berries (you can use any kind! I used strawberries and mashed them well)

4 cups sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice (I didn’t have fresh but that would be my first choice!)

Over low heat, mix ingredients until sugar has dissolved. Raise heat to bring jam mixture to a rolling boil (stirring constantly) until, using a candy thermometer, temperature reaches 220 degrees.

For the details of the process, please click here to go to the recipe that I use. And click here for good directions about processing your jam (so it won’t get all yucky in your pantry and make you sick when you eat it in six months!)

I don’t worry too much about skimming foam or anything fancy. I also don’t use any pectin because I can’t decide whether it’s gluten free (or not). So, the fewer ingredients, the better. This jam has been a fool-proof treat in my house for years and it never fails. And when the berries are sweet and at the height of their season, all the better! Nothing like it in the stores – even the berries had about ten times more flavor than the ones in the supermarket!

In season, fresh, local … can’t get much better than that! And the process is so centering. I feel more balanced, calm (well, mostly calm) and it’s a great feeling to make something like jam from fresh, local ingredients. We’ll enjoy it for months to come!

Gone knitting!