(no subject)

[nny]

I do not understand how people can afford to knit. My mum offers it as an alternative to Christmas presents, as if that's cheaper!

Also: I dislike the lack of sloth love on Etsy.

Also: have realised over the course of a conversation that one of my problems with my writing is that I used to write with someone else and I got very used to the idea that they were the talent in the relationship. Hence my being willing to accept some extraordinary gumpf from my own writing, when editing wouldn't take much really. NOT ON, SELF.

Also: have finished sorting the living room except for the hoovering; now just need to sort the paperwork in the bedroom and the bottom drawer of all JUNK, and then my autumn cleaning will be done! YAY!

Also: does anyone know how to make chai tea goodly? My Bigger housemate used to do all this stuff with cinnamon and cardamom and vanilla and stuffs, and I miiiisss it. I can't afford chai lattes at Starbucks often enough.

Comments

[pennyplainknits.livejournal.com]

It really depends on what you're knitting with. If you only knit with squeaky acrylic from the pound shop it probably is cheaper :)

You can buy chai teabags- Asda probably has them.

[villainny.livejournal.com]

Heee, precisely! If I'm going to knit people something, I wanna knit people something nice. The scarf I made for my sister was reduced baby wool and some yarn I got in a bag full of random balls off ebay.

And I know there are chai teabags, that was where she always started, but then there were cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks, and milk and water boiling on the stove with the teabags in, and all sorts. It was amazing.

[pennyplainknits.livejournal.com]

Ah well then I fear I have exhausted my chai knowledge

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

They don't like hyenas on Etsy either. Boo to the fascists who do not recognise Fringe Furries. :P

[villainny.livejournal.com]

That's when I started looking for sloths, when I got frustrated with the lack of hyenas for you. At first I thought there was a little more love for sloths, but then it turned out that most of it was Sloth from the goonies. XD

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

Oh it's a rotten world when Sloth is more popular than sloths.

[spacedmonkey.livejournal.com]

I can't drink tea, it gives me headaches, but I found this recipe.

•Green Cardamom
•Ginger
•Cinnamon
•Vanilla
•Cloves
•Black Peppercorns
•Almond
•Nutmeg
•Bay Leaves
•Black Cardamom
•Anise/Fennel
•All Spice

Making the Chai
1.Bring water to a boil and add solid spices. Cover, reduce heat, and allow to simmer. Ten minutes is sufficient, but soaking the spices longer will continue to add to the flavor.
2.Bring the water back up to a rolling boil, then turn down the heat. Add tea, and allow to infuse according to the directions on the package (usually 3-5 minutes, covered). Remove the tea and spices.
3.Add milk, and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat, and add vanilla, other extracts, flavorings, and sugar or honey. Stir for thirty seconds, and then turn heat to low to keep tea warm while serving.
4.For presentation, top with whipped cream and/or powdered nutmeg and cinnamon.

[villainny.livejournal.com]

...wow. That's a lotta spicey things I'd have to buy. Possibly I will temporarily stick with BarStucks.

[havenstar.livejournal.com]

best chai discovery I have ever made, even if it is cheating: Tazo chai concentrate. this is what they use at Starbucks. my local grocery and Target stores sell it in one of those shelf-stable cartons (like chicken stock sort of thing) at about the price of a single latte for a container that'll make at least 6 cups. You just mix it in a glass or mug, half concentrate and half milk, hot or cold. It is unbelievably easy, delicious, and SO MUCH CHEAPER.

It isn't fancy, but if you like the Starbucks chai, this is entirely literally the exact same thing.

[villainny.livejournal.com]

They don't have it in UK shops, according to the internet, but possibly if I get birthday/christmas money I'll invest in some from the Internets. Thanks for the heads up!

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

I found crocheted meerkats on Etsy the other day. Available in themes as well, meerkat nativity of all things.

Other than using cheapy acrylic (though there are some very nice cut-price yarns out there) I suspect commited knitters have so much stash lying around it allows for scarves and gloves and socks from remnants quite happily.

Its the sheer *time* involved that gets me, I'm a slow knitter though. Sloths r us :)

[villainny.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm slow too - I do it while I'm catching up on my shows, it makes me feel slightly less guilty for spending so much time doing nothing. ;)

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

I always envy people who can do that. If I'm knitting, unless its straight rows of a scarf or something, I can't do anything else. Most frustraing.

[villainny.livejournal.com]

Oh, with me it's only straight lines right now, I've only just learned. I'm thinking, yeah, it's gonna be a while before I can knit proper like. XD

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

I have friends who can do lace, and socks on DPNs while chatting or watching a movie and they end up with lacy things or socks and not just a whole tangle of wool in need of a kitten as an excuse!

[schiarire.livejournal.com]

Check it (http://lucylou.livejournal.com/575537.html), hey!

[villainny.livejournal.com]

\o/! YOU ARE KING!

And also I owe you musics, I shall get on that shortly. ;)

[schiarire.livejournal.com]

No hurry!

[gramarye1971]

I know some knitters who go to thrift shops, look for pullovers and such made from 100% wool (no stretchy acrylic or anything in it), buy them for like £1.50 each, and frog them (there are several online tutorials on how to find machine-knitted items that can be unravelled). It's a more labour-intensive than just going to a shop and buying yarn, but if you do mostly small projects then it's one way to save a little bit on the yarn costs.

[villainny.livejournal.com]

That's an awesome suggestion, thank you!

[flyakate]

My sister makes an awesome chai using black tea and then letting a tea ball full of cardamon and ginger bits (I think?) sit in it for a while with part of a cinnamon stick. That is highly vague, I realize, and quite similar to the hilarious comic that schiarire posted, but if/when I get that recipe from her I will send it to you!

[villainny.livejournal.com]

You're a sweetheart, thank you!