News from the Nest, September 14

From the Knit and Crochet Studio

This Knit Pumpkin Pattern comes together in three sizes with simple stitches, so it’s an easy project to knock out from leftover yarn. A neutral yarn gives a farmhouse look, while something variegated adds a little extra texture. Great for a mantel or gathered together as a centerpiece.

An applied i-cord stops a blanket or washcloth edge from rolling, and it gives any knit project a tidy, professional-looking border. The post walks through how to knit an applied i-cord, handle corners, and graft the ends together so the seam disappears. Handy to have bookmarked since it shows up in a couple of other patterns this week.

That applied i-cord technique gets a serious glow-up in this Half-Linen Stitch Knitted Blanket Pattern, with a buttery-soft faux fur edge wrapped around a chunky half-linen stitch blanket. It knits up fast on big needles, and you can swap in a seed stitch option if fur isn’t your vibe. It’s one of those projects that looks way harder than it is.

And while we are at it, a knit I-cord gets coiled into a sturdy, useful trivet in this I-Cord Trivet Pattern, and one budget-friendly spool of cotton rope makes three of them. These make great gifts, especially with an engraved leather tag added to the end. A nice, small project to keep your hands busy during your favorite tv binge.

Recipes from the Kitchen

This White Bean Soup with Ham and Vegetables is a brothier, smokier spin on traditional ham and bean soup, inspired by a bowl enjoyed at a local restaurant. It works on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or in an Instant Pot, so it fits whatever the day looks like. A few strips of bacon do a lot of the smoky flavor lifting. YUM! This sounds really good to me right now, perfect for an I-have-cold-and-nothing-really-sounds-good-to-me dinner.

A bottle of beer stands in for yeast in this Savory Quick Bread, so there’s no rise time involved. Chives and rosemary are the go-to herbs, but almost any favorite works. Make it to serve with that White Bean Soup 👆🏼. It also makes a welcome food gift when you package the dry ingredients in a jar with a tag.

This Shrimp and Grits Recipe comes straight from a Wilmington chef and uses country ham and green tomatoes to make a savory gravy over creamy, cheesy grits. It’s a great recipe to use those late-summer green tomatoes and a great recipe to lean on for company. Betsy gives this recipe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and writes, “I’ve made this twice, and it is the best! My husband’s not a big seafood eater, and even he loved it! Thanks for giving me a non-meat recipe I can work into my regular rotation.”

Chai spice runs through both the donut and the glaze in these Baked Pumpkin Donuts, so the whole house smells like fall while they bake. No donut pan? A muffin tin works just fine. A cozy breakfast or snack any time pumpkin season calls.

It’s always a good time for chai, but especially during the cooler months. This Masala Chai recipe is a bulk spice blend that grinds up six whole spices for a real cup of chai, not the watered-down kind. There’s a spice-forward version and a milder everyday version, so it suits whoever’s drinking it, and free printable gift tags make it easy to jar up for the holidays. It also keeps for months in an airtight container, so one batch goes a long way.

Fresh nutmeg in both the batter and the cinnamon-sugar coating gives this Apple Cider Doughnut Cake that classic apple cider donut flavor. It freezes beautifully, so it’s an easy one to make ahead for company. A great dessert-or-breakfast crossover.

Cardamom, cinnamon, and a splash of spiced rum turn ordinary pears into this Rum-Spiced Pear Jam with some serious warmth. It can be canned, frozen, or just kept in the fridge, whichever fits the day better. A lovely one to package up for neighbor and teacher gifts this season.

Learning to dehydrate apples without a dehydrator will help you salvage that bowl of apples that’s a day away from going soft. A slotted oven rack and a cracked door do the work of a dehydrator, turning out potato-chip-crisp slices with barely any hands-on time. A great way to use up those close-to-past-their-prime apples instead of losing them to the compost bin.

From the Arts and Crafts Studio

A ten-dollar metal tub from an antique store gets transformed with this faux copper finish, using just a primer and reactive metallic copper paint. The before-and-after is pretty cool. Now it holds firewood by the hearth, a couple pots of mums, or cozy blankets instead of gathering dust in a shop somewhere.

Plain white taper candles turn into hand-painted fall leaf art with these DIY Painted Candles, using just a few craft paints and a steady hand. The step-by-step covers how to fix mistakes along the way, so it’s forgiving for a first attempt. A pretty addition to a fall table or a thoughtful handmade gift.

In the House and Home

This Cluttered Garage and Attic checklist tackles the two rooms that tend to become dumping grounds, from expired paint to decorations nobody’s touched in years. There’s a free printable to turn the sorting into something closer to a scavenger hunt than a chore. It’s a great project to knock out before the holiday storage bins start coming down.

In the Garden

As the seasons change and the outdoor garden takes a break, this list of 17 plants that thrive in sunrooms is handy to have on hand. It breaks down which plants want bright, indirect light versus full direct sun, so there’s much less guesswork when choosing the right spot. A nice one to save for anyone looking to fill a sunroom, Florida room, or lanai before the weather turns.

A Few Fun Finds

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A darling and nicely priced pillow for Halloween decor.

In the totally unnecessary, but delightfully whimsical category.

For appliances without built-in cord management.