Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Teapot, Refrigerator Dills, and Claudia Scarf


Sometimes a girl just has to buy something she has wanted for ages. Years ago I saw this teapot in a gift catalog. Their picture showed a brown polka dot one. I spotted (no pun intended, lol) this one 3 weeks ago at Hobby Lobby and bought it. I think brown would have shown up better on my black stove top. What do you think?


Next, plenty of cucumbers from my brother Ralph and his wife Sharon. These are short-cut pickles and they are so good.


A package of Mrs. Wages Pickle Mix, mix the brine according to instructions on package. Let cool.


Use a mandolin to make uniform pickle slices.

 Clean jars, lids and rings.


Alternate, brine and then cucumber slices, repeat, remove any air bubbles.


 Make sure pickles are completely covered. Wipe rim of jar, place lid and screw on ring.


Store in fridge. The package of pickle brine says it can be stored in fridge for around 2 weeks. After 3 days I tasted the pickles and they were good, 5 days later they were even better. My daughter found a recipe on Pinterest for something similar, and she said hers turned out delicious. Kris from Simplify blog, found here, saves her dill pickle juice in it's original jars and adds her cucumber slices to that brine. She says the longer they set the better they taste. She blogged about it recently if you want to check it out. None of us needed to cook our pickles and so far so good. I've been canning and freezing for over 40 years and never poisoned anyone yet, never had any moldy food in a jar either. I always put clean, sliced pickles in hot sterilized jars with hot pickle brine and sealed with hot lids and rings. At first I used the open kettle method, but years later started doing the hot water bath processing. This method is completely new to me


Boy did I go nuts for several reasons over this scarf. The Claudia Scarf instructions can be found here. Instructions are in UK terns as well as US terms. Pattern called for fingering weight yarn, well guess what, this old gal used 6-3oz skeins of medium 4 weight of Lion Brand Vanna's Choice 100% Acrylic color Denim Mist 300, with a G hook. If I am going to make scarves for this cold Ohio winter weather than we better be talking something heavier than fingering yarn. The pattern is easy, so easy, in fact a one row repeat, same old, same old and it is fast. It says to chain 62 (54 for a narrower scarf). I started out with the 62, wow was that wide! So, I frogged the few rows and went down to 54 which was still quite wide and bulky.

 
Bulky is an under statement. This scarf can be used as a shawl if you so desire. To wear it around the neck you double it over length wise. No need for a hat, you can wear this wrapped around your head and then around the neck, so warm.


If I just drape the thing around my neck it will just about touch the floor (yeah, I went a bit over board with this). I was a happy hooker until I ran into some issues with the yarn. Several knots in the strand of yarn that had to be removed, so that meant rejoining yarn and extra yarn tails to weave in, grrrrrr! Then the thing that upset me the most was a flaw in the dyeing. Look closely, can you see it, carry on......


 right in the middle of the picture you can see where the yarn went from denim to blue. I'm obsessive about my yarn. There should be no breaks in a skein, no knots, no variance in the dye lot. They even tell you on the label to purchase enough of the dye lot to complete your item. I know by seeing it here in this pic it doesn't look so bad, but when you stand back it shows.....so scrap the idea that this one is going to anybody for Christmas. I'm keeping it for myself.


 Both end edges finish out like this and that is because the scarf is done in 2 sections. You make one side, then rejoin the yarn at the starting chain and work the desired length down the other side. The pattern says 85 rows complete one side (with the fingering weight). I made mine as long as I wanted. You can use your own judgement on length.


I liked this pattern so much I am making more. I started the second one in red for another sil. This one I did 38 chains for the base. It is the perfect width using the heavier yarn. Can't wait till it is done so I can show you . Until then, have a great week. Love you and God Bless You All ♥

4 comments:

  1. Beautiful scarf! This is one of my favorite patterns. I have made two so far, and kept them both for myself, Ha!

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  2. I love pickled cucumbers, I'm sure they will be yummy! I love you scarf and have just finished one similar but now I have seen this I must make it too. I think you teapot is so cute I love anything like that. :)

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  3. Even with the yarn imperfections this is a lovely scarf.
    Carol xx

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  4. The scarf turned out beautifully, it is going to be a perfect gift.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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