Honeycomb recipe

 Honeycomb’s kinda my thing, I make it and bring it to shindigs, or pop it in a takeaway box if I want to make a quick gift. It’s very easy, except for one thing, which is catching it at the right moment – after the sugar melts but before it burns. If the sugar is even an eensy teensy bit caught, the honeycomb will go right over, because as it foams upon addition of the bicarb, it gets even hotter inside, or traps the heat or something.

I was at a wonderful studio warming party yesterday hosted by Renee Callahan (East London Knit). I brought some honeycomb and exclaimed how easy it was to make but failed to give  any details. Hey, it wasn’t the only bubbly stuff consumed that afternoon, ‘k?

So my apologies for teasing, and here it is:

200g white caster sugar (brown sugar won’t work)

50g golden syrup (measured by weight straight into the saucepan on a scales – spoons are kinda pointless with golden syrup)

2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

Important: silicon bakeware to put it in (it’ll just stick to tins and glass) do not butter or otherwise prepare

1) melt the sugar and syrup together over a medium to hot heat and until it all starts to bubble briskly – I don’t think you’re supposed to stir but I do anyway

2) turn the heat down so it’s still bubbling, but more slowly. Let it completely go to liquid, it should be a lovely clear golden colour by now. 

3) take it off the heat, rapidly stir in the bicarb, and get that stuff into the silicon bakeware as soon as possible

4) let it cool completely. Don’t prod or poke at it. Don’t even pick bits off the side. Go lick the spoon instead. (Seriously, it could collapse)

5) try to break it into chunks without touching it. Baking parchment rocks, plastic bags are bad (sticky!!!!)

6) eat same day or maybe day after, and don’t get it wet or feed it after midnight.
:) xxxxx e enjoy!

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Knitting Embellishments Workshop at Unravel 2015

WorkshopImageI will be hosting a workshop on Knitting Embellishments at Unravel in Farnham Maltings this year, I’d love if you could come join me.

Start: Saturday 21 February – 10:30
Estimated End: Saturday 21 February – 12:30
Auditorium: East Wing Dance Studio 2
Knitting Embellishments with Elanor King

Admission: £26 (including same day entry to unravel)

This workshop will explore what kinds of materials can be used as embellishments and where it’s appropriate to use them. We will consider the properties of the yarn, how the finished item will be used and what decorative effect the knitter wants to achieve.

Embellishments demonstrated will include knitted-in and sewn-on techniques e.g. thrums, loom bands, sequins and couching..”

Please bring 4mm needles and Dk yarn leftovers in your favourite colours OR a pattern you want to knit and decorate as well as yarn and needles appropriate to that pattern.

Unwind 2014 In Pictures

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Selfie on the train to Brighton, wearing my Undone Capelet
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The New Elegance Yarn from Blacker Yarns (80% Falkland Island Corriedale-style wool and 20% British alpaca). I heart. I may have swatched!
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Skein Queen Stand (Sorry, I seem to have had the shakes, this was Day 2… ahem.)
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The Eden Cottage Stand
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Easy Knits (suuuuuch deep colours)
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Old Maiden Aunt (Came away empty handed, but unwillingly. I wanted it ALLL)
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Pom Pom! Sombra was there! (WEIRD seeing a sample I made not on me) ((Saw another at the Knit Now bun fight!))
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Early morning volleyball game, chaps?
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The Pier herself
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Some of my Loot after Day 1, including a horde of buttons from Textile Garden. The reddish ones in the shadows are a PERFECT match for the Skein Queen DK
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My lovely, lovely Harrow Knitters, who came down on the Sunday.
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Little bit crazy-lookin’ there, Elanor! Next to Aimee from L’Oisive The. She has Koigu! Unicorn Tails! (I’m wearing my Biennial Sweater)

Ally pally elbow mining 2013

I’m on my way home from Alexandria Palace Knitting & Stitching Show 2013.

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I’ve actually only been here since 11am (it’s nearly 3 now), but I feel like I’ve managed to get a lot done.

– deep breath –

I have purchased some very interesting yarns and threads that I can’t wait to try out.

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Here I have silver lurex, retro reflective and glow in the dark!!!! I have such
plans for these! Last two from the hand weavers studio.

Textilegarden.com always have gorgeous buttons.
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The little square blue ones will be coming to a jumper in a certain mag near you in feb.

Some swatching yarn from handmade nest

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This gorgeous baby alpaca dk in steel grey from Eden cottage yarns, omg it’s soooo soft.
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Chiaogoo sticks and stoppers from tall yarns an tales. They don’t carry the spin cables yet, but they did write it down on the show notes so may stock ’em soon!

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And some odds and ends from here and there.
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Wow, that’s more than I had realised!

On top of all this, I deposited my offerings of honeycomb in strategic locations around the show; basically one at each yarnie who has generously sorted me out with yarn support during the year. I apologise to anyone who needs to go to the dentist next week!

I had a lovely chat with Victoria and David from Eden cottage yarns (oh! just realised! like posh and becks! bet they get that all the time…), Rachel from uk alpaca and Alex from coolree, all of whom shall be getting sketches of designs in the next couple of weeks! Phew! Busy busy! The children are getting quick and easy beans on toast for din for a few weeks…

Finally I have to mention sallyhewett.co.uk whose erotic art textile pieces were very dramatic. I thought they were gorgeous and I’d love a couple for the bedroom, or living room for that matter. Don’t think I’d be let, though!!!