HOW TO BAKE A STOCKINETTE CRUST PIE

This is a blog post I wrote for the Mason Dixon Knitting blog. About pie.

Full circle: when your knitting inspires a pie, and a pie inspires your knitting.

I like to knit, I like to bake … and honestly, I like to play with food. A few times a year, I make annoyingly elaborate themed lunches for my kids to take to school. Heart-shaped strawberries, Harry Potter broomsticks made of pretzels and string cheese, and sandwiches that look like Emmet from The Lego Movie. I like finding ways to make baked goods look interesting too. 

A couple of years ago, I made a berry pie with a faux-knitted lattice crust for Pi Day (3/14.) Playing with pie crust was fun. I had done simple cut-out pie crust shapes before, but making a knitted crust was a totally new experiment. (Can you actually knit pie crust dough? I tried and failed, using chopsticks.) 

Earlier this year when I was collaborating with the MDK team for Field Guide No. 12, my raspberry/blackberry knitted pie became part of the theme, part of the story. The Brambleberry Cowl in Field Guide No. 12 is named after my pie. I had written the pattern for this cowl, but didn’t have a name for it yet. The stitch pattern in the cowl is called the cluster, blackberry, raspberry and/or brambleberry stitch. I was brainstorming pattern names with Field Guide Creative Director Melanie Falick, and we realized the name Brambleberry could not be more perfect. Knitting meets pie, pie meets knitting!

I can’t take credit for this faux knitted crust technique. The first time I saw a pie like this was on craftberry bush, and I had to try it. (Mine turned out differently but that is okay.) I’ve also seen cake bakers create this faux-knitted look with rolled fondant. It's not difficult ... it just takes a bit of time. But it’s totally worth it. We are knitters after all. We know all good things take time.

YOU WILL NEED

Two boxes of pre-rolled Trader Joe’s Pie Crusts (2 crusts per box)

- or - 

Pie crust recipe of your choice (I have suggestions below)

Blackberries (1 cup)

Raspberries (3 cups)

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

Cutting board

Pizza cutter

Pie pan

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lay one crust on your cutting board. Use a pizza cutter to slice crust into 1/2 inch wide strips. Place the other crust (uncut) in the bottom of your pie pan. Set aside the other two crusts in case you need them later.

Fold your strips in half, then roll into ‘yarn’. Pinch two rolled pieces together at the top, then twist, right over left. Take two more pieces and twist them left over right. (See photos.) These twists make a pair. Lay them side by side on a cutting board. They should look like a column of stockinette stitch.

Keep twisting your yarn in pairs until you have enough stockinette twists to cover your pie. Use an extra crust if you need to make more. 

Toss berries with the sugar and flour in a medium bowl, then add to pie pan. Lay the twists on top of the berries and gently press the ends onto the bottom crust. 

Use extra crust to make a larger twist and place around the outer edge of pie. (I used 1 1/2 inch strips.) Press this larger twist into crust below so it doesn’t end up falling off during baking. (This may have happened to me.)

My grandma Minnie taught me to brush a pie crust with milk and then sprinkle with sugar before it goes into the oven. 

Optional: Use a pie crust shield for the first 30 minutes of baking. Place a cookie sheet under your pie pan in the oven in case your filling runneth over.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 50-60 minutes, until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown. 

Your pie may have a mind of its own as it bakes. The stitches might sink, twist, turn and gap. The berries might bubble over your neat little dough twists. But pie doesn’t have to be perfect. Like knitting, it’s handmade. What matters is that it’s made with love. (And no matter what it looks like, it’s going to taste delicious anyway.)

Here is more pie inspiration from some of my personal favorite cookbooks. (Some of these crust recipes may be better suited for regular, non-decorative crusts … but I’m a pie lover and these deserve a share.)

Kelis: My Life on a Plate 

Singer, mom and chef Kelis (also known for her song ‘Milkshake’) serves up a collection of recipes inspired by her Puerto Rican/Jamaican upbringing and world travels as a musician. Add this book to your collection and try her apple pie recipe and Butter Flaky Everything pie crust dough. (You also may want to try making her recipe for Cappuccino Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust. Just wow.) 

Sister Pie: The Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit

At Sister Pie, Lisa Ludwinski and her band of sister bakers are helping make Detroit sweeter one slice at a time from a little corner pie shop in a former beauty salon on the city’s east side. No one leaves without pie – those who don’t have money in their pockets can simply cash in a prepaid slice from the “pie it forward” clothesline strung across the window. This gorgeous book includes a whopping 75 pie recipes, sweet and savory (and totally unique.) Find the Sister Pie Crust recipe here.

Ms. American Pie

I can’t talk about pie without mentioning fellow Iowan Beth Howard. Beth knows about pie. She made pies at California’s Malibu Kitchen for Barbra Streisand, Dick Van Dyke and Steven Spielberg before moving back home to rural Iowa to live in the famous American Gothic House, the backdrop for Grant Wood’s famous painting. Beth Howard explains how a simple slice of pie can serve as a catalyst for healing. After suffering a personal tragedy, Beth discovered a new sense of purpose and hope while making pie. For her, giving away pie is a metaphor for giving of yourself. Read more about Beth here – scroll down to the Shaker Lemon Pie to find her pie crust recipe.

For some reason, knitting and pie just go together. Maybe it’s the season. Maybe it’s the joy of making things with our hands. Beth Howard says “Pie is comfort. Pie heals. Pie can change the world.” 

Knitting, too.

xo,
Jen

– Jen Geigley

www.jengeigley.com

It's here! MDK Field Guide No. 12: Big Joy

I’ve been so excited to share this news (and this collection) with you! My last post was an ode to Ann and Kay of Mason Dixon Knitting and for good reason – they’ve been a huge influence on my knitting journey over the years and a source of techniques, inspiration and so much more. Last January, Ann, Kay and I had a lunch date in NYC and I almost fell out of my chair when they proposed we do a Field Guide together. Excited is not the word. Ecstatic would be more accurate. So today I am thrilled to share the modern, giftable, super fun-to-knit projects we’ve been working on for the past several months behind the scenes for MDK Field Guide No. 12: Big Joy. (And what a joy it’s been!)

Open this awesome cover (illustrated by Jessie Pickren) and you’ll find chunky knits using Rowan Big Wool that come together fast, perfect for this season of knitting gifts for those we love. The five patterns in this field guide play with scale, texture and color and I made sure that everything comes in multiple sizes. Hats you can make for a baby, a tween or your dad (and everyone in between?) A cardigan in eleven sizes? Yes to all of this. Check out the designs (and gorgeous photos by Elysa Weitala) below.

And … oh yeah. That pie? (Everyone’s been talking about this pie!) More to come on the pie. This was inspired by a pie I made and blogged about a few years ago for Pi Day (March 14th). This pie has a faux knitted crust and became the inspiration behind the Brambleberry Cowl in the Field Guide.

Ready to get your own copy of MDK Field Guide No. 12: Big Joy? It’s available right here. Mason Dixon Knitting also has Rowan Big Wool in ALL the colors, and Addi Rockets to make your knitting extra, extra speedy. (Supporting MDK with your purchases means you’re supporting all that goes on at MDK, including their fantastic content, articles by their amazing contributors and these awesome little Field Guides.) If you’re local, stop by and knit with us at A Tangle of Yarn on September 14, 2019 from 12-4 for our MDK Field Guide launch party! Teresa will have lots of copies of Field Guide No. 12 on hand and I can sign yours if you want. (There will be pie.)

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for all the kind comments and sweet words of support this week. I’m really excited for this season of knitting and I hope you are too.

xo,
Jen

Dear Ann and Kay

Dear Ann and Kay,

Unbeknownst to you and before we ever met in real life, you were my knitting companions. Long distance, sure. Virtual, yes. But I heard your voices through your writing. You opened my world to many new knitters/dyers/designers and shared your lives through your stories and correspondence. I felt a certain comradery that I think is understood by many a knitter. This hobby is more than a hobby. And all the people who share your love for this hobby are extra special.

Hold up. Time for the back story. Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner are the women behind Mason Dixon Knitting, also known as MDK. You probably already knew this, but in case you didn’t let me explain. Kay lives in New York City. Ann lives in Nashville. They talk every day, as true knitting friends should. They have been blogging about knitting since 2003, back when knitting blogs were scarce if nonexistent. All these years, they’ve been writing each other letters on MDK. (They were internet pen pals who had originally met on the Rowan message boards.) In the beginning, they’d never met in person but that all changed when they ended up writing a book and turned MDK into the site it is today, which provides (fantastic) daily reads for knitters.

Anyway, Ann and Kay … back to you. For many years, I have been waking up to your stories and bits of knitting wisdom. I’ve been reading MDK since I started knitting in 2008 and I’ve learned so much about knitting from you and your contributors. MDK is often the first thing I read in the morning with a cup of coffee as I get my kids ready for school, and what a way to start the day.

Because you share so much more than just knitting tips. So much more.

Your blog has taken me on so many excellent adventures. I’ve devoured your ‘How to Rhinebeck: A Primer’ and though I’ve never been to Rhinebeck, I can almost taste the cider donuts. You’ve introduced me to the magic of Samantha Brunson/Bobble Club House – I pored over her post about the student knitwear at FIT, more than once – constant inspiration. Your book was one of the first knitting books I ever owned, which resulted in several extremely cute Ballband Dishcloths in my kitchen drawer. Years later, those dishcloths are still one of my most favorite projects to knit. Thanks to you I’ve had the chance to admire Dana Williams-Johnson’s work – her 200 sweaters and fantastic style edits. At my house, Saturday mornings with coffee, PJs and Snippets is a real thing. (I know I’m not the only one.) And the knitalongs! Oh, the knitalongs. I do love a good knitalong.

Why YES, I would like to have a Yo-Yo Ma musical marathon … the morning after I go to a Slipknot show. (#balance) I’d love to watch an Alexander McQueen documentary, listen to ‘LeVar Burton Reads’ or think about thinking in pictures with our beloved Temple Grandin while knitting a few rounds on my sweater on a Saturday afternoon.

Intarsia. Stitch Fiddle. The love of log cabin knitting. Knit to This. Sheet pan suppers. Lazy Sundays and Julia Child on PBS. Paul Simon/Obvious Child. Ballbands are liars. Laugh through the knitting. I’ve learned how to fudge. (A real, actual knitting technique that every knitter needs to know.)

Over the years, you’ve helped me see that we all do things our own way, learning as we go. No one’s the #1 expert at everything (except for maybe Patty Lyons, whose expertise is quite amazing) and there’s always a bunch of different ways to do something. (Just look in the comments!) It’s okay to improvise and make things our own. We are different. We are the same. Thank you for that.

Today you revealed that somehow, this girl from Iowa who loves a wearable, modern knit is the designer for the MDK Field Guide No. 12.

What’s the Theme? More will be revealed when this Field Guide launches on Friday, September 6. How did I get here? I do not know. But I am honored and 100% thrilled to be a tiny part of MDK. This is a dream. I have done several super embarrassing happy dances around my kitchen during this process and I have a feeling the best is yet to come. (After all, I follow MDK’s Rule No. 1: Knitting is supposed to be fun.)

xo,
Jen

Have you signed up for MDK’s weekly Saturday newsletter? You won’t regret it. Sign up here. (Plus you’ll get updates about this latest Field Guide, knitalongs and more!)

The Knitting Planner

I’m super excited to share something I’ve been working on for a long time. I’ve always wanted a knitting planner … a place for my sketches and knitting project planning, but a space to keep track of my daily life stuff too.

Introducing … The Knitting Planner. A planner just for knitters!

Plan and organize your life … and your knit life! The Knitting Planner is a must-have for any knitter or knitwear designer and includes project planning pages, brainstorming pages, lists, knitter's graph paper and more. In addition to providing pages to plan and record projects, The Knitting Planner functions as a day-to-day planner with monthly and weekly pages with plenty of room for writing and/or bullet journaling.

The Knitting Planner will give you a place to record all your important knitting information, like the measurements of friends and family and yarn requirements for projects you want to knit. At 6 x 9", this planner is the perfect size to throw into your knitting bag and with 240 pages awaiting your notes, dreams and ideas, you'll fall in love with this planner and knitting companion.

You can find it here. (I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!)

Happy knitting!
xo - Jen

New favorite knitting gadget ... the Knitter's Pride Row Counter Ring

I love knitting gadgets, but I love them even more when they are super functional and help me be more productive. This is quite possibly my most favorite knitting tool ever – a row counter ring from Knitter’s Pride. You can wear it on any finger, but I find it very comfortable and easy to access on my thumb. (I got the size 7, which fits both my ring finger and my thumb.) It comes in four sizes so you can find the perfect fit for you.

I was working on my fleegle heel on my Flourite socks last night and this row counter ring was a lifesaver. I normally count rows in the most old-fashioned way possible … stopping after each row to make tally marks on a post-it note. I still forget to mark my rows down half the time, especially when I’m trying to zip through a bunch of short rows. But this ring made such a difference – it’s right there in front of me and it’s super easy to ‘click’ to the next number. And the numbers stay in place – they won’t accidentally slide around while you work. Just gently push inward toward the center to move to the next number. I love not having to set my work down. Just keep knitting!

I definitely think this should be on every knitter’s holiday wish list! Find more info about the Knitter’s Pride row counter ring here. Available from your local yarn shop or favorite online retailer.

---

Disclaimer: I received a free row counter ring from Knitter’s Pride and in return I wrote this honest review. All opinions are my own.

Love + Leche

A couple of years ago, I tried Love + Leche lotion bars and they quickly became one of my very favorite things. As a knitter/crafter/mom, lotion bars are the perfect daily solution for my dry hands. There are lots of things to love about Love + Leche, a farm fresh and woman-owned company that makes all-natural handmade moisturizing bars, so I was excited to try out their new Little Bee beeswax lotion bars. They are absolutely delightful (and adorable.)

Little Bee bars are the perfect size for travel, your knitting bag, your purse … they’ll even fit right into your pocket. I’m actually packing my weekend bag right now for a road trip, and yup - you guessed it. My Little Bee bar is definitely going into the bag.

(And also into my knitting bag.)

Little Bee lotion bars are available in Cedarwood, Lemongrass, Lavender-Mint, Citrus-Rose, Lavender, Lavender-Rosemary and Unscented. I have tried both the Cedarwood and Lavender scents, and they smell so lovely when they’re on your skin. I’m a big fan of essential oils, so natural scents plus a beeswax lotion bar are truly the best of both worlds. (Is it weird to deeply inhale and enjoy the smell of your hands all day? I don’t think so.)

I own the full-sized lotion bar in Lemongrass, which is also quite lovely. I’ve included a pic here of the original lotion bar (left) alongside the new Little Bee bars (right) so you can see the size difference. Each Little Bee bar comes with a reusable tin, which I love.

Take a look at the gorgeous hand-poured reliefs of these bars. I just love those little bee designs. They are truly a joy to hold in your hand and they radiate a gorgeous, natural golden honey color. Pure local beeswax, coconut oil, almond oil infused with locally-grown certified organic calendula flowers, essential oils are the only things that go into these products.

And they’re not just for hands! You can use Little Bee lotion bars on your lips, dry elbows and feet … wherever you need some extra TLC. Your body temperature softens the oils and beeswax and your skin will feel replenished and deeply moisturized. Need a cool gift for a knitter in your life, or anyone really? Check out their gift sets and other awesome products. Try them all, or share with a friend.

So, you're ready to give Love + Leche a try, right? Well, I have a super sweet deal for you!

Get a FREE Little Bee Lotion Bar ($8 value)
with a $25 minimum order when you enter
the coupon code 'JenGeigley' at checkout.
(Expires 7/31/18)

Awesome, right? Treat yourself to an all-natural lotion bar or balm and say goodbye to dry hands. Enter the coupon code above, hit the 'Apply Coupon' button and you're all set. Also, follow Love + Leche on Facebook if you have a sec. You'll love their beautiful photos.

also! click the button below to sign up for a
giveaway from Love + Leche! (Ends 7/31/18)

A huge thank you to Love + Leche for letting me try out the Little Bee lotion bars and for the awesome coupon for my blog friends. Enjoy!

(Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.)

Ra-Ra-Rafia from Wool and the Gang (and get 15% off!)

Have you seen the new Ra-Ra-Rafia yarn from Wool and the Gang? I'm completely obsessed. I need to make every single one of these projects.

There are about a million reasons to love Ra-Ra Raffia, our superstar yarn that's made of 100% long wood fibre. Biodegradable and vegan, Ra-Ra Raffia will add a little structure to your next project, making it the perfect fiber for summer hats, bags and home accessories. Plus, Ra-Ra Raffia is water-repellent and quick-drying, so you can even bring her to the beach for some sand-filled adventures.

Clutches, bags, hats, a plant hanger and more ... you've gotta see these project kits for yourself.  Ra-Ra Raffia yarn comes in 4 natural shades - Cinnamon Dust, Ivory White, Desert Palm and Midnight Blue.

Shop at WATG using my affiliate link to get 15% off your order!

Have fun!
xo - Jen

Happy Pi Day (a knitted pie crust)

Are you a knitting knerd like me? (Yes?) Then you might enjoy making a faux-knitted lattice pie crust on your next pie. It's not difficult ... it just takes a bit of time. And pie is always delicious. So what are we waiting for?

First off, this was based off a post I saw on craftberry bush. (And my pie turned out differently than hers, so be sure to check out her photos too.) I would personally recommend buying two boxes of Pilsbury Pie Crust (two crusts in each box) to be sure you have enough to work with. I'm sure a homemade crust made from scratch would be delicious but the Pilsbury crusts roll up very neatly and nicely. Use a pizza cutter to slice up one whole crust. Place the other one (uncut) in a pie plate. Save the other two in case you need them later.

Roll up your strips into 'snakes'. Take two snakes and twist them from top to bottom, right over left. Then take two more and twist them, left over right. These twists make a pair – lay them side by side on a cutting board.

Keep going until you have enough twist pairs to cover your pie. Use an extra crust if you need to make more.

Lay the twist pairs on top of your pie and gently smush the ends onto the bottom crust.

If you'd like, use part of the extra crust in the second box to make one more larger roll that you can place around the edge as a crust.

Bake it and you're done. The end. Happy Pi Day, and happy knitting.

The Gold Medal Hat (Chloe Kim's hat)

It's THE hat! The hat we all saw on the night the USA women's snowboarding team competed in PyeongChang, when Chloe Kim won the gold. It caught my attention right away, which is no surprise ... you all know I love the bulky knits! I saw this hat all over instagram and facebook because every knitter I knew loved it too. So of course, I wrote up a quick pattern and knitted this baby the very next day. (Scroll down to download it for FREE!)

Find the pattern on Ravelry here or click this link to download it for FREE.

AND! If you're interested in a custom USA patch to stitch onto your hat, check out this shop! They'll hook you up.

Happy Olympics, happy knitting. Go USA!

xo - Jen

Something cool is in the works ...

Coming soon ... a mini collection for Purl Soho using Shepherdess Alpaca. (I'll tell you more soon!)