The First Snow and Miso Making

It snowed today!!  It was the first snow in this winter and snowed a lot!  It must have been 10cm.
So, we basically stayed home and made some miso for this year.

This is my 3rd year to make miso at home.  People usually make miso in Jan or Feb for the year and so do we!  We already ordered 5 kg of soybeans and 4 kg of koji and had them delivered the other day.  We saved them for today since I knew it would be a bad weather.
 

Take a look at the amount of soybeans and koji!

There are 2kg of rice-made koji and 2kg of wheat-made koji, and 5kg of soybeans.  I left 1kg of soybeans for making soy milk.


Soybeans are soaked in water overnight, and boiled them in a pressure-cooker for 15mins. Then, they are mashed.

Salt and koji are mixed well in a bowl.

Then, I mixed mashed soybeans and the koji mixture together and place them in a clean pot.  It needs to be rested at least for 4 months.

Now I can't wait for the miso!!

Happy New Year 2013!! And a Free Knitting Pattern

Hello,everyone! How did you spend your vacation? Went on a trip? Had a big party at home? Or spent nice quiet time?
We had a little busy days. My parents-in-law spent one night so that I cooked some speciality food for New Years. My kids were happy to meet their grandparents!
Then, we spent two nights at my parents' house, and had great meals.
I love new year holidays since we all get together and eat good food. It is like Thanksgiving in the States. Families get together and eat good food, right?

Today I love to share my pattern with you. These gloves fit 2-3 year olds. It's an easy work.


You'll need;

a circular needle     size 5 or 6 (either size is fine as long as you can obtain the gage.)

yarn (I used some leftover yarn.)

gauge     11sts x 17rows (stockinet)

Instruction

1) CO 32sts
2) 1x1 rib and knit in round.
3) keep knitting until 4cm from the beginning.
4) change to stockinet.  knit another 5cm

Leave a thumb
5) leave 6sts on a different needle and rest them.  26sts left
6) continue knitting for another 4cm.  total 12cm from the beg.

Decrease rows
7) (ssk, k9, k2tog) repeat.  18sts left
8) (ssk, k5, k2tog) repeat.  14sts left
9) (ssk, k3, k2tog) repeat.  10sts left
10) (ssk, k1, k2tog) repeat.  6sts left
11) (slip 2sts together, k1, put the 2sts over the k1, k2tog) repeat.  2sts left
12) break yarn and bind off.

Thumb
1) 6sts and pick up 6sts from the body.  12sts
2) knit stockinet in rnd for 4cm.
3) (ssk, k2, k2tog) rpt.  10sts  left
4) repeat 3) for 3 times.  4sts left
5) break yarn.

Knit one more.

Enjoy knitting and have a great year!!

by Sweet Snow Flakes

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