News from the Nest, August 31

New on the Blog

Just in time for cooler baking weather, I’ve put together a full breakdown of How to Score Sourdough Bread: 5 Patterns From a Simple Ear to a Snowflake. If you’ve ever wondered how bakers get those gorgeous wheat stalks, vines, and even a full snowflake design on a loaf, this walks you through the tools, the technique, and the mistakes that trip up most beginners. Whether you want a simple ear or something a little more show-stopping, there’s a pattern here for you.

If your potholder drawer could use a little love, the Garter Stitch Trivet Pattern knits up in an evening using just cotton rope and needles you probably already have. A single spool of rope makes four trivets, so it’s an economical gift to have on hand. From reader Cathi, “Before Christmas I threw out all my old trivets and made 6 of your knitted cotton trivets! I love them and my family was impressed with them at Christmas dinner. My daughter asked me to make a couple for her and she was very happy to receive them. I love receiving your weekly posts and making some of your patterns and recipes. I have never been disappointed with anything I’ve tried!“

Looking for a stitch with a little more texture than your usual stockinette? How to Knit the Diagonal Basket Weave Stitch creates a woven-look fabric that’s denser and more visually interesting than a plain knit, perfect for a washcloth or a cozy blanket. I’ve included step-by-step photos for both the knit and purl sides, plus a video if you’re more of a visual learner.

After 30 years of knitting, I finally figured out a smart way to tackle my tangle of circular needles, and I’m sharing it in this Circular Knitting Needles Organization post. A magnetic board and a handful of strong magnet hooks turned my chaotic needles into something perfectly simple and effective. It’s such a simple fix that I fully expect some of you already knew this trick years ago!

From the Kitchen

If you need the loaf to go under that scoring, the Sourdough Bread Recipe is the one we rely on. I packed in everything I wish I’d known when I started baking sourdough, from levain to bulk fermentation to that all-important Dutch oven bake. It’s a long post, but don’t let that intimidate you, the schedule and photos make it easy to follow start to finish.

Start a pot of Authentic Bolognese Sauce (Ragù alla Bolognese) midday and let it simmer low and slow, and you’ll have the most satisfying bowl of pasta come dinnertime. This one leans traditional with white wine instead of red, plus a splash of milk to round everything out. It only takes about 30 minutes of hands-on time before it’s simmering away on its own for hours.

This Gorgonzola Cheese Spread came about because I needed an appetizer for last-minute cocktails with the neighbors and had to shop my own fridge. Turns out whipped cream cheese, goat cheese, and gorgonzola crumbles with a little chive make a spread that disappears fast. It’s become one of my go-to quick appetizers ever since.

I’ve been making this Savory Red Onion Jam for years, ever since I fell for a similar spread while working at Williams-Sonoma. One reader called it “dangerously good” on a charcuterie board, and I have to agree, it’s just as at home on a grilled cheese as it is next to a wedge of brie. It cans up beautifully, too, so it makes a wonderful food gift.

Running low on honey, or just trying to use what’s already in the pantry? Honey Substitutes breaks down 14 different swaps, from maple syrup to date syrup to plain old brown sugar and water, along with the flavor profile and price per ounce for each. It’s a handy one to bookmark for the next time a recipe calls for honey and you’re fresh out.

These Pecan Sandies happened thanks to a friend’s Facebook post about fresh-harvested pecans, proof that not everything on that app is bad! The dough chills overnight, which is the trick to that light, delicate crunch. I’ve dipped them in chocolate before for a little extra flair, but honestly, they don’t need it.

From the Arts + Crafts Studio

Would you believe this marble-look tray started life as a $5 acrylic frame? In this Faux Marble Tray tutorial, I share the feather-and-sponge technique that makes the whole thing look far more elegant than it has any right to. It’s wonderfully forgiving too, if you don’t love how a section turns out, you just paint right over it and try again.

Our home office desk started out as a salvaged old door that sat forgotten in the attic for over a decade. This Door to Desk post walks through how Terry and I paired it with an adjustable Ikea frame and a sliding keyboard tray to turn it into exactly the oversized workspace I’d been wanting. It’s proof that sometimes the best project supplies have been sitting right under your nose the whole time.

In the Garden

With summer winding down, now’s a good time to get ahead of fall garden chores. Garden Maintenance Tips, Printable Schedule, and Prune + Fertilize Log breaks down exactly what to tackle daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonally so nothing slips through the cracks. The free printable schedule and pruning log are both waiting for you to put to good use!

In the House + Home

As the last installment in the Declutter Challenge series, the Mental Clutter – Declutter Your Mind post tackles something a little different than the physical spaces we’ve been tidying. We share some simple ways to identify what’s actually cluttering your thoughts and a handful of prompts to help get it all out of your head and onto paper. It’s a good one if your to-do list has been living rent-free in your brain lately.

If your cutting boards are hiding in a cabinet, you might be missing out on some easy kitchen decor. How to Display Cutting Boards in a Kitchen rounds up ideas for hanging, shelving, and even using them as trays for your favorite kitchen knick-knacks. It’s a great way to turn a purely functional collection into something worth showing off.