Snowed In!

We had what consitutes a big snow here in Nashville on Friday...4"!!! It is beautiful and white everywhere and the roads are totally icy. The dvd player has seen more use in the last couple days than it has seen in MONTHS. Not to worry though, my hands have been busy.

I have been knitting since I was a child. My mother taught me as a way to occupy my time on a cross county trip. But being the craft obsessed woman that I am, I recently learned how to crochet. It took be about five tries to learn, I just couldn't wrap my mind around it! The hand movements didn't connect and I felt like I had two left hands. (I am right handed) Finally, on this last try things just clicked. I'm not sure what the person that taught me did differently, if anything, but whatever it was...it worked.

I had been been wanting to make a giant granny square blanket a la Purl since before I could crochet. In fact, I think it is what inspired me to try and learn AGAIN. I picked out some beautiful colors of malabrigo worsted and some noro worsted wool last week, and this snow was the perfect opportunity to start!

I followed the granny square tutorial on the purl bee and just kept going, and going, and going.

I am amazed at how much faster crochet is! This throw is going to be finished before I know it.

Reveal!

My partner safely rec'd her swap so here's a pic of what I sent!
A needlebook, some red and aqua fat quarters, a strawberry pincushion and some yummy goodies!

Swaps

Just packing a swap and getting it mailed! This is my second month swapping through a flickr group I recently joined called A little Fabric A little Chocolate.

Pickles!

I have been sewing like crazy, working on some things for Anna Maria Horner's booth at market but somehow I squeezed in some time for pickles! I picked up these cukes at the local farmers market last week and finally got around to pickling them on sunday. I made 'fridge cukes (no canning time around here!) so they are almost instant gratification. I tried one today and they are delish, spicy and salty. Yum.

Here's my no fuss recipe...

1lb pickle cucumbers

4 c water (2 c boiling and 2 c luke warm)

1 3/4 c white vinegar

2 tbl pickling spices

1 1/2 tbl kosher salt

6 cloves garlic

Some sprigs of fresh dill

Slice the cucumbers however you prefer-chips, spears etc...

In a large glass bowl mix the salt, pickling spices, dill and cucumbers. In a large glass measuring cup mix the white vinegar and boiling water. Pour this over the cucumber mixture, and then add the remaining lukewarm water. Stir and let rest for about 30 min at room temp. Once your water is no longer dangerous to transfer pour the batch into a large glass/plastic tupperware and place in the fridge.

This will keep, in my experience, for a couple weeks in the fridge.

If you want to make them a little spicier add a tbl of red pepper flakes.

Sewing Machine

A friend sent me this great animation of how a sewing machine works. It shows how the needle thread interacts with the bobbin and bobbin thread to make lockstitches. Too cool!