What's Off My Needles

Remember this post?  Well my project is done and this is what it looks like!  Isn't that color just stunning?!  I'm glad you can't see too close because they are far from perfect (like not exactly the same length) but I'm so very happy for my first attempt at anything this tricky.  If you click here it will take you to a link to the pattern I used and it's free!  Just in case you want to make your own pair of fingerless mitts.  The next pair is well underway for a Christmas present so I won't be able to show you.  This gorgeous yarn is what I'm using it is Malabrigo Rios a wonderful super wash 100% wool worsted weight yarn.  I have learned so much by taking the class to make the mitts, I've even started another project that works in a round for that one I'm using a 80% bamboo 20% wool yarn, it makes me smile to think of bamboo yarn I don't know why :)
What do you have on your needles?  Are you thinking of Christmas gifts yet?

This post is being submitted to Made by You Monday over at Skip to my Lou click on over and see what everyone else is making too!

We Love Pickles!

Last week was a little crazy here.  Poor Jeff had to leave for a week in San Diego for work so it was just the kids and I.  Luckily we have wonderful friends who helped keep us busy :)  Sunday we had a canning get together with our next door neighbor and we all made pickles, 57 pints and 6 half pints!  Without three of us working on the cutting and whatnot we would have been up to the wee hours of the morning I'm sure.  It is so nice to have friends to can with isn't it?  We tried a few different shapes this year hopefully they all turn out crisp and yummy. 
Here's the recipe we used for these babies (it's from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook).

Kosher Style Dill Pickles

2 1/4 lb. pickling cucumbers
3 3/4 C. water
3 3/4 C. cider vinegar
6 TBSP pickling salt
3 heads of dill per jar
1 clove of garlic, halved, per jar

Clean cucumbers.  Remove stems and slice off blossom end.  In a large sauce pan bring the water, vinegar, and pickling salt to a boil (be careful this gets friggin' hot!!!).  Pack cucumbers loosely into hot sterilized pint jars that have the garlic and dill already in them, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Pour the brine (water, vinegar, salt mixture) into the jars still leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Wipe jar rims and seals with lid and rings.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Let stand 1 week for the best flavor.

On my needles

This is one of the two projects I'm working on right now.  Molly has been taking knitting classes every Thursday all summer long.  She has learned to knit, purl and bind off.  I'm very proud of her.  One day while I was killing time I asked about one of the projects hanging up in the store and got myself scheduled for a class too.  This is the very first time I've ever used double ended needles or knitted in a round.  When this is done I should have a pair of fingerless reading mitts!  Isn't the yarn I'm using gorgeous?!  The color is called Rio and it is a super wash wool.  I can't wait to keep working on it and showing off how it progresses to you guys! 

Blue Weekend

We had a wonderful weekend!  Our good friend Heidi took the kids and myself blueberry picking for the first time ever.  Her son is Molly's age and all three of the kids get along like siblings (a little fighting a little getting along it all works out).  We picked 9.25 lbs of berries and the kids probably ate a few pounds themselves.  We all got home and cooled off it was a hot day.  Heidi and her son came back to our house and we had blueberry pancakes for dinner and then I got to show her how to make jam!  I love getting to show people things that I love so much.  We made a spiced blueberry jam and a cherry berry jam.  We still have a ton of blueberries left.  Many of them are going to be frozen for future use.  Heidi and I are also thinking of getting out the dehydrator and drying some.  Both of us have dehydrators but neither of us have used them, this might be the perfect opportunity to do so. 
I'm linking this post up the the Homestead Revival: Barn Hop #22 just click on the link below and and see what everyone has going on.