I suck at blogging...

But then again I suck at keeping in touch with my own family, so I shouldn't be surprised.  

Haiku Stress Relief - Night Coffee

I remember learning about haiku poems in a writing class when I still pretty young.  Back then they were challenging as I felt extremely limited and didn't, and still don't, enjoy following rules.  But lately I have become interested in them, thanks to NHK Haiku Masters.  Every now and then, when everyone is at school, I sit at home with my son and sister, doing household things while watching whatever programs NHK is featuring.  I find a sense of peace watching Japanese people talk about their culture and seeing how some of the older generations live their simple, yet rich, lives.  I don't know why, but I just want to write haiku about everything.  

I am going through a lot in my journey as a single mom, still healing after a very messy and painful marriage experience.  I suppose, rather than writing about my feelings with no limits, placing limits on myself help me channel my feelings to focus on the moments happening around the emotions swirling inside of me.  

Like this one.  I call it "Night Coffee".  I don't I'm a great poet, but it  makes me feel good and gives me a few minutes to focus on something else.

A chill in the air

I pull my cardigan tight

This deep, black coffee

It is transcient

Bold, bitter, and somehow sweet

Like this windy night

The curtains gently

Sway from the breeze, an empty

Cup, cold in my hands

Three Food Things That Became Normal After Moving to Egypt

Well, I've been living in Egypt for almost 5 years now.  There are things that I've had to get used to that were once strange and unusual, but are now very normal to me.  I decided, while chewing on a piece of over cooked pizza and simultaneously making my afternoon cup of coffee, that it was time to write them down.

1.  Ketchup as sauce on pizza.  When we first moved from Menoufiya to Cairo, we were anticipating some good, American style pizza.  We were silly to assume that just because Cairo catered to westerners didn't mean it had pizza to our liking.  In Egyptian owned pizzerias it's not common to have juicy, savory tomato sauce under the cheese.  In fact, it's dry, and if you ask for extra sauce they throw in a few ketchup packets inside the pizza box.  It took me a long time to accept that ketchup is sauce, and pickled carrots, onions, and turnips are the basic side dish to any pizza.

2. Viagra is seafood.  On just about any menu, seeing the word "viagra" is normal.  "Viagra pizza."  "Penne with viagra."  Being a typical American woman who grew up with those disturbing yet humorous Viagra commercials, my first thought is the creepy grin of Bob the Viagra guy.  It didn't take long to figure out that viagra is the word they use for seafood (shrimp, squid, clams and imitation crab meat).

3.  The food comes to you.  Yes, you read that right.  I'm not talking about take out, I'm talking about milk and fresh produce.  Every morning, without fail, the milk man rides around on his bike yelling "Laban." (Milk), nice and loud for everyone to hear, and sometimes "Zibda" (Butter).  If you're out of milk, or prefer fresh, straight off the truck, you can look out for "Laban Man".  All you have to do is call out to him from your window or balcony, tell him what you want and he pours fresh milk into a plastic bag for you, a kilo for a mere 7 junai.  A few days a week you can hear this sound, which sounds like a cow in labor, echoing through the neighborhood and you know the vegetable truck is coming.  There's also a garlic truck and orange truck.  These farmers drive around, vocally advertising their haul through a mega phone.  It's more than just food, actually.  If your ambooba (gas tank) runs out, just wait for the rhythmic tinkering drum of the ambooba man to make his round and he'll give you a new one.  Have some old stuff you want to get rid of?  No problem!  The bikkya man comes around several times to take, or even buy, unwanted furniture or household items.  It's a homebodies dream.

I'm pretty sure I can go on living without ketchup on pizza, even though I've done it a few times because the pizza was just so dry.  And the viagra thing just doesn't phase me anymore.  But if I ever had to live anywhere else and no one drove around offering their goods, I'd be pretty bummed out.  It's just so convenient, especially with kids.  Too tired, or lazy to get everyone dressed to run some errands?  Wait.  Either you can go out to meet the vendor, or you can send your oldest, in this case, my 9 year old step brother.

4.  Send the kids.  Okay, this one is last minute, and isn't strictly about food, but this is one thing that you can definitely do here that you might get in trouble for in America (nowadays).  Send your kids to the souq (market) for some milk/bread/cucumbers.  Honestly, I love this!  At breakfast, and sometimes before dinner, you're in the middle of preparing food and, aw shucks, you're out of milk!  Oh snap, the cucumbers have gone bad!  When no present adult is mentally able to put on their shoes (or hijab) and walk a short distance down the street to the souq, we send the kids.  Seriously, greatest thing ever.  Give them a little pocket change for a bag of Shibsy (Chipsy - Egyptian Lays) and they're more than happy to do it.  Got a bag of trash that needs to go out?  Send the kids.  Delivery man locked outside the gate?  Send the kids.  Your friend dropping off something real quick?  Pff.  Send the kids.

Baby knits

I have been EXTREMELY lazy with my knitting.  Not to mention uninspired.  Winter is pretty much over, and aside from some seasonal windy days, it's pretty warm and nice, which means winter knitting just seems so pointless now.  I'm feeling ready to crochet some lacy, boho tops and shawls, and I have a mind to make a pair of classic crochet shorts for myself, although I would never be able to wear them freely because I live with my step father and that would be super awkward.

But then I got this idea.  Actually, it's not a very new idea, and it's not very original either.  But I'm thinking maybe knitting lots of cute, heart wrenching baby clothes would be a good idea.  Zak is pushing 18 months, and I'm wishing I had been able to knit him the flyest, cutest little boy knit wardrobe, but alas, Alhamdullilah.  I just want to make baby stuff.  My friend is expecting and I can't wait because I want to gift her with knits for the little bean.

Is your black strong enough?

Two hours before sunrise and I am sitting in my bed pondering over the use of the word black.  “Black coffee.”  “Black tea.”  “Black people.”  First of all, black coffee isn’t even black, it’s dark brown.  Black tea isn’t black, it’s deep red.  And black people are a range of reds, yellows and browns.  

And then I started thinking about how I relate as a “black woman”, and discovered that I don’t relate at all.  I consider myself African American, while acknowledging that I am mixed with Puerto Rican, Native American, and European ancestry, but I don’t relate to any of them.  I am just an American woman who was always plagued with the dread questions, “What are you?” and “Where are you from?”

I’ve come to resent these questions.  I’m tired of answering them, and I’m tired of the responses I get after I have answered them, especially from other African Americans.  “You don’t look black.”  “No, sweetie, you’re not black.”  It makes me feel like I don’t belong, like I’m not welcome to identify myself as something because I don’t look the part.  

Well, I am what I am, and I know who I am.  And I'm not sorry I don't meet your criteria.  

It's happening....

There is a pretty big possibility that I have become obsessed with my work.  Winter is almost over, or at least it feels like it, and pretty soon, Cairo will be welcoming the oncoming spring.  I recently finished a very large order that took me four months to complete, and I expected that once I was finished I would want to take some time off of knitting and focus my attention on something else.  Instead, I'm eager to start making other things, and I still have some items on my 'To Knit List" that need to be scratched off, like my moms request for several pairs of long gauntlets in different colors, my sons pants (because who doesn't love to see a toddler in knit pants?), and several ideas that are just waiting to be materialized.

It's a challenge.  Between mother hood, mommy time, and domestic responsibilities, plus, a few orders that just came in, I'm like......"Aah!  I want to make something for ME now!!!!  I want to try imitating this ridiculous sweater I found on Pinterest that I most likely won't even wear.  I just want to make it!"  But I should be pleased, which I am.  I'm just tired.  

Pools of Glitter

When I came across the Nako Angora Granit Sim yarns, I was spellbound.  I don't know anyone who can resist a delicate lace yarn with shimmery glitter threads and irresistible colors.  Without considering on what I'd make with it, I bought three skeins of over 500 meters each, but when I got home and realized that it was a quick color changing yarn, I was feeling less excited.  Quick color changing, more often than not, means pooling, and pooling is something I don't really care for.  But I was determined to find a pattern that would work well with the random color changes.4\

I decided to try knitting a scarf, and brainstormed over what stitches would be ideal and make the pooling minimal, or at least work with it.  In the end I chose Favorite Scarf Ever by Sunshine Walks, not really knowing how it would turn out, but very sure that it would work well with this type of yarn, and I think I was right.  I love the turn out so far and I can't wait to finish it.

 But now I want to see how it turns out with the star stitch, which I'll be starting soon with another skein.

Introductions and a Free Knitting Pattern

I don't really know how people usually start their blogs since I haven't really followed anyone since their beginning.  But I figure offering a free pattern is a nice way to break the ice and get things moving.  

And as for the introduction to my blog, I'd like to start off by summing up who I am and what Hats & Threads is, or will be, all about.  For starts, I am the founder, owner, and sole employee behind Hats & Threads, which is a Facebook based local business, of sorts.  From within the noisy and sometimes chaotic confines of my eight-family member home in Cairo, Egypt, I juggle single-motherhood and knitting or crocheting hats and other accessories.  Business isn't booming, but for now that's a good thing.  

The purpose of his blog is for expanding so I can show how something was made, share one of my patterns, and potentially connect with other knitters and crocheters.  

And so, that free pattern I promised you...knit rabbit ears.  

I came up with this pattern after a customer placed an order for a hooded cowl with rabbit ears.  I wasn't too sure how to go about knitting rabbit ears, as I had never knit animal ears before, so I searched Pinterest, my clickable addiction, and found nothing that matched what I had in mind.  Everything was flat, but I wanted a color contrast, an inner and outer ear that will really intensify the cute effect I was going for.  

I worked the outer ear first, working bottom to top.  When I finished, instead of binding off, I joined the contrasting color for the inner ear and started working top down.  I did this because I didn't want a straight peak, but a rounded point that curled in out just a bit, like real rabbit ears.  Then the side edges were seamed and the bottom was attached to the hood.  

I'm really happy with the way they came out, although I feel that the pattern has a few kinks that may force other knitters to make a few adjustments, but because it's a very easy pattern and requires basic techniques, tweaks are easy to make since gauge isn't an issue.

Please feel free to share this pattern and use it for personal and sale products, and please include my blog or link for credit.  Thank you.

Knit Rabbit Ears

Materials:

4.5 mm needles

1 ball Oren Bayan Atlantis worsted weight yarn (outer ear)

1 ball Alize Superlana Klasik worsted weight yarn (inner ear)

Yarn needle

 Outer Ear

Cast on 10 stitches. 

Knit 4 rows in Stockinette stitch

INCREASES

Row 1 : K1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1

Row 2 - 4 : Purl

Row 3 : Knit

Repeat last 4 rows 3 more times.  (18 sts)

Knit 8 rows in stockinette stitch.

DECREASES

Row 1: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1

Rows 2 and 4: Purl

Row 3 : Knit

Repeat last 4 rows until 4 sts remain.

Don't bind off.  Work the next row with the new color.

Inner Ear

On the next row, K1, ssk, k1.

Work 3 rows in stockinette stitch.  

On the next row, k1, kfb, k1.  

Knit 3 more rows in stockinette.

Next row, k1, kfb, kfb, k1. 

Knit 3 more rows in stockinette.

For the remaining increases

Row 1: K1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1

Row 2 and 4: Purl

Row 3: Knit

Repeat last 4 rows until there are 18 sts on needle.

Decreases

Row 1: K1, ssk, k to last 3 st, k2tog, k1

Rows 2 and 4: purl

Row 3: knit

Repeat last 4 rows until 10 sts remain.  

Bind off with a long tail - long enough to seam both sides.  Seam the sides, starting from the bottom of the ears.  The inner ear may be slightly shorter than the outer, but that's okay because we want to outer ear to curl in just a bit.  Simply line up the bottom edges and seam the side until you get to the peak.  You may have to do some tweaking here to make up for an extra space or two on the outer ear.  Thread your needle through the last space and bring it through to the other side of the ear.  Now seam down to the bottom edge.

If you like, you can close up the bottom edge, or leave it open before you seam it to whatever you have waiting for it.