Making pickles

Been a while since I blogged. It has been a crazy year. Now we are busy gardening when I should be finishing a sweater!

Dan and I decided to make pickles since we had such an over abundance of cukes.

 He loves to help me out

 Not even one tear shed!

 Brine process

 All sanitary

 rolling boil

 Pickle juice!

8 quarts!

Alpaca Bag Directions

Alpaca Bag

I have finally posted it!!

Finished size 8” x 11”

Knitting level: Intermediate

Knowledge of sewing is recommended.

This project is more of a formula rather than an exact pattern
I owe all my inspiration to

“Andean Folk Knits”

By Marcia Lewandowski

Needle:

US 4 - 3.5 mm circular and straight

Yarns:

 ~Alpaca hand spun

   Natural Dark Brown

   1 skeins= 330yds

~Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted

  1 skeins = 190.0 yards M02 / Wild Oak

~Cascade Yarns Pure Alpaca

  1 skeins = 220.0 yards

  3033 / hand dyed grey

~Reynolds Lite Lopi

 1 skeins = 109.0 yards

 Natural

Extras:

1 square of material to create insert

Sewing needle

1 form of closure (I used a snap button)

To download the graph pattern click HERE

This bag was knit on circular needles starting from the bottom up.

You will knit both sides at the same time. I added a stitch between each side so I could sew the strap onto it after and not sew over the pattern.

CO 98 stitches using what ever color you want to start with. (I used the Cascade – light grey)   

Follow the pattern from the bottom up using whatever colors you wish.

REMEMBER TO ADD THE EXTRA STITCH BETWEEN SIDES.

Last four rows should be purled.

Strap:

Use 15 feet of 3 colors of yarn

Taking each color separately, fold in half and twist. Keep twisted until all three are done.

I used the back of my kitchen chairs to keep them in place.

Tie all three twisted colors together on one end and braid together taking care to keep the unbraided lengths untangled.

Braid until you reach the other end.

Sew braid to sides and bottom leaving enough length for the straps.

The length of the straps is certainly your own preference.

If your braid ended up short, just start over with some new yarn and make a new length!

Lining:

There are several different patterns free online that will explain how to line your knitted bag. I used one from Ravelry. If you are not a member of Ravelry, you can check out this link:

http://www.box.net/shared/lz6r07j7go

And a big Thank you to Robin for the usurping of her pattern notes regarding how to line a bag.

 Please visit her website:

http://rockintheloom.wordpress.com/

Poolside knitting

What a beautiful day to be knitting! First I did some Yoga...

I love my pink mat. It doubles as a great place to lay down too!

Then I did some knitting in between snatches of sun bathing.

I figured it was too hot for wool so I worked on my Tinks Twirley skirt. I am about 3/4 done and ready for the next tier.

Then I got to (finally) get a picture of Dan fixing the edge of the pool. He hates to have his picture taken! 

He is so cute!!

Summer Knitting

These days have been wicked hot here in NH. I feel like I am living in Africa! But the cooler mornings and evenings are spent here

The teenagers remain indoors sleeping until noon, and my poor hubby is repairing a roof.  Looks like I may have to just suck up the heat to get this sweater finished by the time school gets back into session.

I love Cascade 220!

Max's Favorite Cowl

I made this cowl to actually be worn on humans! But since I had no models, Max gladly accepted to pose!

Needle
US 8 / 5.0 mm 16” circular needles
Yarn
Classic Elite Yarns: Montera

1 skeins = 127.0 yards (116.1m)
Color way 3818

A super easy cowl!!

This is knit in the round…
CO 90 stitches, Join to work in the round without twisting.
Row one = Knit
5-stitch pattern
Rows 2-6 = K5, P5* repeat * until you complete 5 rounds,
Rows 7-11 = P5, K5* repeat *until you complete 5 rounds
Continue in this pattern until you get to almost the end of the skein.
For this cowl I used an entire skein.
Save enough yarn to knit your last row as a CO row.
Make sure you CO loosely!

Has it really been that long??

Man, once school starts I don't have any time to play on the computer. I would love to be able to at least blog once a week. Maybe that will be my New years resolution!
First up, I am going to read everyones blog on my watch list to see whats been going on. Then I will take pictures of all my progress in the last two months and post them this afternoon.
Since I blogged last, my daughter has enrolled in Culinary Arts. I thought this was the cutest pic of her! Unfortunately I have been the taste tester for all of her pastries. Needless to say, my bottom has also suffered!

Never Forget 9-11

Here is to America

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Friday Fill in:

1. That's a pledge that should always be how is HAS to be.

2. Hey ; I'm over here!

3. The possibilities include: whatever you want as long as you put your all into it.

4. Pork roast is one of my favorite cool day recipes.

5. How will you know when you are ready to take a stand.

6. Lightening and a stormy sky.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to my mother in laws birthday, tomorrow my plans include going to my nephews Eagle Scout Ceremony and Sunday, I want to eat roast chicken!!!

Nothing new....

Haven't posted in a while. It has been a crazy week. I went back to school last Monday (the 31st)and haven't sat down since!!
I am continuing work on my entrelac stole, but haven't progressed very far. By the time I get home I want to take a nap! Can't very well knit when I am napping!
Then I still have housework to do, you know, laundry, dished, dogs, vacuuming, the works.
I want another 24 hours in day for myself!!