Dill Pickled

Hi Knitters,

My 17 year-old son loves a good challenge and this one involves our garden cucumber harvest and his love of dill pickles. He studied how-tos and recipes, drove to the grocery shop and bought the jars and seasoning and went to town. Below is a pictorial post so you can see his pickling work in progress. He cut slices and spears. Why not live it up?

The finished and sealed jars are now sitting on a shelf in our pantry for at least two weeks before we can crack one open to try our first homegrown dill pickles.

Enjoy!

best, susie

p.s. I am pulling together a fun giveaway that I will post in a couple of days. There will be multiple prizes so be sure to check back to enter.







Yum!

Fiber Fiesta

Hi Knitters,

I haven't even touched my wheel since early June when I had just started spinning this Cloudlover Polwarth. Over the last couple of days I snuck in a moment here and there and at night to finish up the 4 oz. braid.
I was a little disappointed that I didn't get a a bit more yardage. I did a 2-ply at maybe a sport weight and got 264 yards in the hank above.
The colorway is called Wild Bunch and I really love it. It looked very different in the braid before being spun. By the way, I used a sample of Amy Butler's signature Soak when I washed the yarn and it smells so good you wouldn't believe it. I think this is my favorite Soak scent. I don't know if it is still available so I will have to look that up and get a big jug if it is still around.
I had a small amount of singles left on one bobbin when I was done with the other bobbin so I Navajo plied the leftover. I got a tiny 28 yard hank of probably a DK weight or so. You know, I over spin the twist when I ply using the Navajo technique. It did block out with the soaking and hanging with a light weight. I have to fiddle with this to figure out what I am doing wrong.
Here is my Door County Cherry sock. I bought a hank of Tosh Light Merino in this pinkish/reddish/purple-y and brown in spots color. I immediately named them my Door County Cherry socks because cherries are the claim to fame for Door County if you didn't know. I bought the yarn at Spin of Door County. They had lots of colorways at the shop.
That slight variation in the color holds my interest even though the contrasts are small. Madelinetosh is just a yummy, delicious yarn in every weight.
Here is the start of my second sock. I've had to set it aside since the trip due to other work knitting. I'll finish soon I hope.
Okay, here we are again with this beauty of a sock. I started this several years ago and I just finished the toe yesterday. I don't know what it is about this Watermelon Stripe sock but I couldn't seem to finish it for some reason.
The yarn is from Sunshine Yarn and it most likely isn't available any longer. There are wonderful new selections though. I love Dani's yarn. It is cute, right? I should immediately cast on the second sock, right? I didn't.
Here is another pair I started years ago. I finished the first sock at least three years ago. I have no idea why I didn't start the second sock right away. It is Vesper Striping Sock Yarn (I am a huge fan) and I own several more colorways of this hand-dyed yarn.

I finished up the Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn socks. The color number is S258. I love them. I knit them on US size 1 needles and they are dense, dense, dense.

Here is another hank of yarn I have been sitting on for a year or two. It is Sanguine Gryphon's Bugga sock yarn in the Yellow Dung Fly (not sure what that is but it sounds kind of gross) colorway. It is 20% cashmere and 70% wool and 10% nylon. It is a smooshy delight. I am doing a simple rib with cables running down the sides of the cuff, not sure yet whether I will continue the cables on the sides of the foot or not. We'll see how I feel after the heel.
I love the Bugga yarn and will collect more in the future.
Well, I am working away on my sock collection for the upcoming winter season. TC dipped into my handknit socks last winter and I don't mind that but if I'm sharing I definitely could use some new pairs. These socks were finished by knitting a round here and there and in the car or at a swim meet. This is proof that you can make some progress a little at a time.
TC picked out a ball of Mochi Chunky in Door County to make a baby hat. She made this over a few days.
I loved it because she made the entire thing herself including the double-pointed needles and the I-cord on top. Many times she likes me to do the top for her but she can actually do it herself. It's a very sweet hat. She will donate this to her knitting group that does charity knitting for local charities.
Late last night I started spinning some Fiber Optic Fiber that is 80% merino and 20% silk. It is one I picked up at the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival last May and the colorway is Gold-Fuschia Layered Gradient.
It starts with one color and slowly moves to several other colors to the other end. I am trying to spin it straight through, not dividing it at all. I will then Navajo ply it so the gradient color transitions stay intact. My only worry is not to overspin the plying. It could be really cool in the end and I am thinking about some kind of shawl with the yarn. Wish me luck.

Okay, it is getting late and I am very sleepy so I think I won't go back and put all of the links in tonight. If you are interested in any of the yarns or fiber you can always google the names of the yarn or fiber and shops and sites will pop up for you that way. If I get a chance I'll come back in and put the links in later.

I'll be back soon with a fun giveaway for you. I hope you are having fiber fiestas, too, Knitters.

Good night. I'm crawling into bed to dream about more knitting and spinning.....

best, susie

Spin of Door County

Hi Knitters,

When we were in Door County last week I discovered a fantastic knit shop. It is called Spin and it is owned by Terry. She is an energetic, fun yarn shop owner. She actually owns the old bank building in Sturgeon Bay where she opened Spin about five years ago. It is a gorgeous building inside and out and Terry has created one of the most charming and inviting knit shops I have ever seen. I am not exaggerating. I love it at Spin.
There is room after room chock full of top of the line yarns and accessories and books and magazines. The selection is so good and widespread. The shop was bustling with knitters the entire time we were there on several different occasions and days. I was impressed with how busy it was. That is a good sign. Spin is doing something right.
There is an upstairs where knitting groups meet with enough room to have multiple groups meeting at the same time. It is unusual to have several comfortable and spacious rooms in a knit shop but Spin has it!
Even the hallways are bubbling over with yarn. I love the detail on the windows. The building is really, really beautiful and nostalgic. I love this setting. These stairs lead up to the big lounging/teaching/knitting group rooms.
The other thing that impressed me was the amount of samples that were knit up in the shop. It was incredible. Sweaters, shawls, toys, baby items, mittens, blankets, scarves, vests, hats... you name, they had it.
TC and I had so much fun here. When my husband took my fisherman son off to fish at a pier nearby, TC and I hung out at a big table on the main floor and knitted for an hour or so. Terry has a bowl of candy on the table at all times so we helped ourselves to Jolly Ranchers and Starburst and knit away. Good times.

As we sat we met a few local knitters and watched people trickle in and out of the shop. There is such a sense of community happening at Spin. There were so many happy knitters coming in and out and people buying sweater amounts of yarn. Terry told me they have open knitting time in the morning one day a week and then one night a week and they get a large group for both of these times. She has lots of groups that meet at her shop as well.

TC told me she wished I worked there. I thought that was a big compliment.

I'll share TC's and my Door County knitting in the next post.
That is TC standing by the table we sat at one afternoon. She picked out some Noro Kochoron #81 for a scarf, mitten and hat set she wants to make. I am sure I will pitch in on this project (and maybe steal it to wear sometimes when we are done). This yarn is spectacular and has a little angora added.

Terry has a brand new site and she told me that very soon they will be selling all of their yarn and everything else online so check back for that if you are interested. For now you can stop by or give them a call and they will send your order right out.

Click here to find out more about Spin of Door County!

On a final side note, we stopped by the home of the Green Bay Packers on the way back to Madison. They were having a family day and scrimmage type thing so Lambeau was overtaken with enthusiastic Packer fans.

We had lunch at the stadium at a restaurant called, Curly's. (I know you are all jealous right now. lol.) All of the menu items had tricky football-Packer-referencing names. As we were having lunch the new recruits walked through the restaurant with their families and into a private room. My husband and sons were very excited about this.
Now, I want you to get a feel for what I go through with this whole thing. We had to stand in a large hallway for a long time while each new recruit had photographs taken with their families and we watched.

The guy on the left (above) in the white t-shirt was the number one draft pick for the Packers. I don't remember his name. His stature was impressive. Just to check, my husband casually walked by the new Packer while my oldest son took a photo to see who was taller/bigger. That's my husband in the gray t-shirt and baseball cap on the right. I have to say that they are pretty similar in size. The kids all laughed so hard when my husband was "casually" walking by. He was so awkward and obvious. Do you see that blonde lady in the Packer shirt looking at him?

I live with a goofy crew no doubt.

Here we all are on the big steps to the stadium. My husband explained to us why Lambeau is the perfect football stadium design. I was mesmerized (just kidding). I have zero interest in the Packers or football but if it makes my boys happy, I'm right there with them. It is harmless fun.

We had a good time and it was funny to see the crazy-devoted Packer fans in person. These people are Packer nuts! Wow, there is a whole world out there that is all Packers all of the time.

Have a good Friday, Knitters.

best, susie

Door County from the Outside

Hi Knitters,

Here is the outer view of our trip. Much of our time was spent at the beach on Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is so huge that it seems like you are on the ocean. Waves lap up to the shore and the water is so cold and clear.
Swimming for hours at a time kept TC very busy. We gave her the award for spending the most time in the water. My husband took a close second place because there was only one time she was in the lake without him. He is so much fun and always game for anything. I love that about him and so do the kids.
We were very lucky to have Miss Molly, my son's sweet girlfriend, stay with us for a night. Her family was in Door County at the same time and we got to spend some time with them. They left earlier than we did so she finished her trip with us at the Eco House. She is a treat and she brought her knitting, which I love. She is making her first sweater and her first pair of fingering weight socks. Seeing someone master first time projects, and doing it well, makes me happy.
The empty beach was beyond fantastic.
I went for daily runs on the beach and on the quiet, skinny lakeshore road. I loved it because it was so flat. I could run forever. It is hilly where I live and I am not good at running up hills. I am missing this shady flat road now that I am back to the hills of my Madison neighborhood.
A view from the beach...
Reading, knitting, swimming, football, sleeping and walking were the main beach activities. In front of the house the owner added a new abstract sculpture. I'm not so sure about it. The framework mimics the window panes and the curved part mimics the shape of the roof. It was made by a friend of the owner. We thought it looked like a lobster claw.

The owner stopped by briefly at one point and we asked him about the sculpture. When my husband asked if it was a lobster claw he got really quiet. We are still laughing about that. It's all subjective with abstract art, right?
Oh, Peachy. I love her.
I have a son with a love of fire...and fishing. This one spent a large amount of time fishing in various spots. He caught a few fish and a large fish was on his hook at one point but he didn't bring it in. My husband was his witness. I love his zest for things.
I had to laugh when I saw this photo my son took. This is the kind of thing my sons and my husband think is funny. This is the side of a restaurant called, Hot Tamales. We actually got carry out from here one night and it was surprisingly good. The actual restaurant looked a little questionable and when the boys saw the room air conditioner unit being held up by cement blocks they could not stop laughing about it. My son quickly added that they really needed 8 1/2 blocks.

Next up, the knitting and maybe a little Packers. You'll see.

best, susie

p.s. I have to tell you something funny real quickly. When I got back home my neighbor brought over a package they picked up for us. It was addressed to Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. I couldn't figure out what happened for awhile. I thought it was from Stephanie or maybe a new book from Stephanie but then inside it was a new book by Rachael Herron (which I am very excited about!). Then I realized it was a complimentary copy of Rachael's book sent from Chronicle Books to Stephanie Pearl-McPhee but with MY mailing address under her name. Isn't that the funniest thing? I don't even know how Chronicle got my address because I have never been in touch with them. I would love to keep my copy and review the book for Rachael. I should let Chronicle or Stephanie know about the mix up, I guess. Anyway, I thought you'd get a kick out of that.

Nooks and Crannies

Hi Knitters,

Well, we are back from a spur-of-the-moment trip up north to the always breathtaking Door County, Wisconsin. At the last minute my boys got off of their work duties at our pool and my husband found one of our favorite vacation homes open for the week. We scrambled our belongings together, shoved everything in our trusty van and headed north.

TC likes to write in the guest books left in the places we stay. We read her note from a couple of years ago and above is what she wrote this time. I love the innocence of her writing.
So the road led us once again to the fantastic Eco House, the same house I wrote about here awhile back. There were a few changes but not many. One of the main changes is that the prairie grass had been pulled from the front of the lot and has been replaced by a butterfly garden. The plants are all there to attract various species of butterflies and we saw a lot of them. TC loved the milkweed which of course was covered with the stripey caterpillars that will eventually become Monarch butterflies. We have two of them at home with us now and one is already turning into a chrysalis. She is very excited about it. TC will release the butterflies as soon as they hatch.

The best part of this house is that it is completely modern and designed to be sleek but it includes more nooks and crannies and comfy spots than you can use. Everywhere you turn there is some splash of color or texture or a pillow and a soft bench. It thrills me for whatever reason. I love the colors on the walls, the architecture, the beams, the kitchen, the red, the subtle green, the neutrals, the earthy counter tops, the lamps, the artwork, the lighting, the minimalistic modern lines paired with the chunky furniture... it keeps you looking and discovering the entire time.

I know I wrote about this house before but there is enough material in this setting to write a lot more. I tried to take photos from different angles (but they do overlap quite a bit). Here are my thoughts for this trip in a nutshell.
The long expanse of the main room is broken up so keenly with furniture placement that creates a separateness of space out of one huge room.
Private spots are thrown into the openness in the most clever and inviting ways. You can't help but to sit and be quiet.
This telescope had everyone looking especially when some of us were at the beach or when a boat drifted by.
I adore these closet doors in the master bedroom with their slick gliding tracks. I have closet envy here for sure. You wouldn't believe how smooth these doors are.
Secret balconies and front porches were popular reading spots.
This nook is off the front entry way and it is the most inviting way to enter a house.
The loft bedroom windows proved to be entertaining once again, very Laugh-In style even though my kids don't even know what Laugh-In is. There is a wood burning stove with the longest exposed chimney I have seen.
Each rug is perfect in texture, size, color and print.
We were greeted with bundles of wood we used to make bonfires on the empty beach in front of our house. The nightly fires were magical.
In the early morning hours I knitted and watched the Cranford series (recommended by Paula of The Knitting Pipeline). I loved it so much that I was sad when it was over. There was no internet, three TV channels and no cell phone reception. Perfection. Everyone read and read and read books. Books were finished and started. I read The Help (on my Kindle) and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (hardback book).

By the way, the ladies in Cranford wore the cutest little knit shawls and fingerless mitts. I recommend this BBC series to the fullest.
I completed some socks that I'll share later and I am now on the sixth section of my Citron Shawl that I started way last summer, of 2010 that is. I am adding a couple of sections to make it a little bigger than the pattern calls for. I am making it out of Malabrigo Lace in the Sealing Wax colorway. This is my first project in lace weight and I am not really won over by it so far. I have a feeling though that once I block it and wear it I will be completely won over by lace weight. The jury is still out.
The kitchen counter top in this chunky dark finished cement is really one of my favorite things. I love cement for some reason and these counter tops drive me crazy with their coolness. The zucchini is from our garden at home. We are quite proud of our meager garden harvest so far.
The back splash is another feature that I can't get enough of. In fact, we were remodeling our kitchen when we came to the Eco House last time and I almost put this stone black splash in my own kitchen. In the end I didn't because I wasn't sure it fit in with our house but at the Eco House it is the best. I even like the green salt and pepper grinders.
This cranny looks out into the woods that surrounds the house in the back.
The handcrafted bird mirror is in the powder room off of the kitchen. I would have liked to take this mirror home with me. I keep looking for an identifying something or other on it so I can get one, too, but I can't find anything.

I love the wall color, such a deep rich red.
Of course, the most enviable room for me is the gigantic laundry room with more concrete counter tops, new front loaders, room to fold and hang things up.... room to breathe. One day I will have a decent laundry room. I probably won't get one until all of my kids are grown and gone and then I will wonder why I ever wanted such an extravagance. For now I just dream.
Darts were thrown and cheers were cheered on a daily basis.
I love this huge chunky coffee table, the oversized couches where many a nap was had, the two swiveling red chairs, and the striped rug against the cool tile floor.
The upstairs melts into the downstairs because the open windows keep everything as one space.
The dining table was filled with games, books, people, good homemade food (we cooked some fabulously yummy meals together) and storytelling. The geometric rug trimmed with the green border is thoughtful and excellent. It's all just so good together.
The master bedroom is spacious and clean. The chaise lounge is one of my favorite spots. The view is so inviting and I love the candle filled fireplace (never used but pretty to look at).
Yahtzee was the game of the trip. So many rounds of Yahtzee were played with different groups and even individually. It became such a contest between everyone. Occasionally poor sportsmanship was displayed and quitting occurred which evoked much deserved harassment and laughing. Who knew Yahtzee could be so much fun?

I am dividing my vacation journey into three sections. Today is the inside, the next will be the out-of-doors and then will come the knitting! I discovered the cutest knit shop in Sturgeon Bay that I can't wait to share with you. TC and I hung out there quite a bit.

I missed you all. What did you do last week?

Until next time....

best, susie