We spent the last week in the mountains.  Once the plane touched down, I had a this notion that I needed to knit something. right. away.  I decided on another tea leaves because I had the pattern on my computer.  But I hadn't brought any yarn or needles with me so I set out to visit the local yarn store.  I had a very difficult time finding a worsted weight yarn that I liked.  Get this:  the ones with enough yardage were all green.  Normally, I'd be doing cartwheels, but not when my other tea leaves is very green itself.  In the end, I settled on this sapphire blue.  It's Tupa by Mirasol Peru, color 812.  It might be a little smaller than worsted and I didn't swatch for gauge.  I also went down a size so in all reality, it may not work out so well.  Then again, it just may.

Friday night I made the dill pickles.  I used this recipe which I cut in half. I also cut my cukes into spears before I soaked them and then processed for 10 minutes at the end. I'll let you know how they turn out in a month or so.  Waiting is hard.

Saturday we spent the day at the final swim meet of the season and then at the school carnival that night.  Can you say tired?

Sunday I quilted some fabric for a project. It won't get finished for a few weeks as the machine needs to go into the shop.  It's not good when the little screwdriver and wrench icon shows up on the display.

Monday I baked a pie because the peaches were ripe and I like pie.  Good reasons if you ask me.

And because we are talking about food....there is a little feature on our everyday dinner tables over on The Stir.  If you are so inclined, please take a look.  There are many great table setting ideas in this series. Thanks for including me, Sheri.

I'm going to take a blog break of a week, maybe two.  I'll be back with news on a project that I have been working on behind the scenes since last fall.  I'm excited to share that with you. (It's not a book.)  Until then, take care.

Friday night I made the dill pickles.  I used this recipe which I cut in half. I also cut my cukes into spears before I soaked them and then processed for 10 minutes at the end. I'll let you know how they turn out in a month or so.  Waiting is hard.

Saturday we spent the day at the final swim meet of the season and then at the school carnival that night.  Can you say tired?

Sunday I quilted some fabric for a project. It won't get finished for a few weeks as the machine needs to go into the shop.  It's not good when the little screwdriver and wrench icon shows up on the display.

Monday I baked a pie because the peaches were ripe and I like pie.  Good reasons if you ask me.

And because we are talking about food....there is a little feature on our everyday dinner tables over on The Stir.  If you are so inclined, please take a look.  There are many great table setting ideas in this series. Thanks for including me, Sheri.

I'm going to take a blog break of a week, maybe two.  I'll be back with news on a project that I have been working on behind the scenes since last fall.  I'm excited to share that with you. (It's not a book.)  Until then, take care.

Thank you for all the good pickle recipes and links.  I've got the pickling cukes cut into spears, sitting in ice water so I can process them tonight.  I'll let you know how that goes.

The non-pickling cucumbers are getting their own chance to shine in the form of refrigerator or quick pickles.  There are lots of good recipes/links for this kind of pickle in the cucumber post, too.  Here's how I do it:

Peel and then slice your cucumbers to the desired thickness. You can slice them thinly or up to a 1/4 inch, whatever you desire.  Pack the slices tightly in jars.  Add a few peppercorns (maybe 6 or so?) and a couple slices of onion to each jar.  In a saucepan over high heat, combine a mixture of sugar and vinegar in a 1 to 2 ratio (for these 9 pint jars, I used 3 cups of sugar and 6 cups of vinegar).  Stir until the sugar dissolves. When the mixture comes to a boil, pour it over the cucumbers leaving about 1/2 inch headroom in each jar.  Put the lid and screw ring in place and move to the refrigerator.  They'll be ready to eat in about four hours and will keep for a week or so.

Have a great weekend. I hope to rip some stitches and maybe sew some, too.

Thank you for all the good pickle recipes and links.  I've got the pickling cukes cut into spears, sitting in ice water so I can process them tonight.  I'll let you know how that goes.

The non-pickling cucumbers are getting their own chance to shine in the form of refrigerator or quick pickles.  There are lots of good recipes/links for this kind of pickle in the cucumber post, too.  Here's how I do it:

Peel and then slice your cucumbers to the desired thickness. You can slice them thinly or up to a 1/4 inch, whatever you desire.  Pack the slices tightly in jars.  Add a few peppercorns (maybe 6 or so?) and a couple slices of onion to each jar.  In a saucepan over high heat, combine a mixture of sugar and vinegar in a 1 to 2 ratio (for these 9 pint jars, I used 3 cups of sugar and 6 cups of vinegar).  Stir until the sugar dissolves. When the mixture comes to a boil, pour it over the cucumbers leaving about 1/2 inch headroom in each jar.  Put the lid and screw ring in place and move to the refrigerator.  They'll be ready to eat in about four hours and will keep for a week or so.

Have a great weekend. I hope to rip some stitches and maybe sew some, too.

I've been out of sorts for the better part of two weeks.  Sewing is normally good therapy for me.  So, in an attempt to right myself, I made my version of Anna Maria's Museum Tunic.  I'd been thinking about it since I first saw her post.  Jennie went and made one for herself which further added to my desire to make this for myself.  I only had one panel of the square dance fabric so I opted for a longish shirt, something to wear with jeans or a straight skirt, instead of the dress.  I followed her diagram, but serged all the edges before I sewed thepanels together.  It came together fast - maybe about an hour and a half?  I sewed it between trips to the pool and making pickles so I can't say for sure how long it took.  Regardless, it was a quick and satisfying project.  Like Jennie, I tried it on as I went and adjusted the v-neck and sleeves accordingly.  In the end, though, it really doesn't fit me like I think it should.  There is something funky about the sleeves at my bust line which could be: a) my body; b) too tight elastic under the bust; c) the open sleeve style; d) elastic in the wrong place (too high or low); or e) none of the above.  Who knows?  I'm certainly stumped. It's really a shame because the fabric is dreamy.  So so soft and light - perfect for the heat wave going on around here.

I keep trying it on and thinking I might be able to figure out what to do, but I am at a loss.  It's either destined to sit in my closet or be taken apart.  I'm leaning towards taking the stitch ripper to the elastic and seeing if I can resurrect the shirt in some other fashion - maybe with elastic thread?  I know Anna Maria prefers the actual elastic, but I've been know to shirr a few things so why not?  If that doesn't work, those squares will look great in a quilt.

 

I've been out of sorts for the better part of two weeks.  Sewing is normally good therapy for me.  So, in an attempt to right myself, I made my version of Anna Maria's Museum Tunic.  I'd been thinking about it since I first saw her post.  Jennie went and made one for herself which further added to my desire to make this for myself.  I only had one panel of the square dance fabric so I opted for a longish shirt, something to wear with jeans or a straight skirt, instead of the dress.  I followed her diagram, but serged all the edges before I sewed thepanels together.  It came together fast - maybe about an hour and a half?  I sewed it between trips to the pool and making pickles so I can't say for sure how long it took.  Regardless, it was a quick and satisfying project.  Like Jennie, I tried it on as I went and adjusted the v-neck and sleeves accordingly.  In the end, though, it really doesn't fit me like I think it should.  There is something funky about the sleeves at my bust line which could be: a) my body; b) too tight elastic under the bust; c) the open sleeve style; d) elastic in the wrong place (too high or low); or e) none of the above.  Who knows?  I'm certainly stumped. It's really a shame because the fabric is dreamy.  So so soft and light - perfect for the heat wave going on around here.

I keep trying it on and thinking I might be able to figure out what to do, but I am at a loss.  It's either destined to sit in my closet or be taken apart.  I'm leaning towards taking the stitch ripper to the elastic and seeing if I can resurrect the shirt in some other fashion - maybe with elastic thread?  I know Anna Maria prefers the actual elastic, but I've been know to shirr a few things so why not?  If that doesn't work, those squares will look great in a quilt.

 

We are having a bumper crop of cucumbers this year and I'm in serious need of a good pickle recipe stat! If you have any that are tried and true and you don't mind sharing, I'd be extremely grateful.  Thanks!