Linen.......again!

ADDED NOTE - Blogger has whacked out and showed me 5 times that this has published.  If you keep getting the same thing - sorry - don't know what's going on. 
Hi people.  Thanks for your kind words about my hand.  It's really not a big deal, but is continuing to put a damper on stitching.  Not because the healing is slow, but because the little brat mama is square dancing in and out of my legs and I tripped over her.  I didn't fall.  My right hand prevented that!  Back to the wrist brace for a few days. 

I started stitching a small and very easy project - Pennsylvania Redware from Carriage House.

Random Thoughts from Sheepish Designs was started too but I didn't like the colors and pulled others.   32 count was my choice for the project and I found that I hadn't bleached, dyed, bleached, dyed, bleached, dyed, or set on fire, that particular count in the cheaper linen.  So.  I did.  

Yes it is cheap, thick, and nubby.  For primitive pincushions and ornaments, it's great.  You can find it at Michael's craft store, and using their 40% or 50% off coupons from their website or flier, it's around $5-6 for a 20 x 27 piece.   It's not for a beautiful sampler.  You can see that this unbleached has a gray tone (also comes in ivory), and the piece beneath is after I worked on it.  It comes out of the dryer thick and soft, and 19" x 24 1/2".  Quite a bit of shrinkage.

Here's a better picture of how it is now.   A warm tan and a tighter weave compared to the original on the left.

I also did a few pieces of 26/27 count and here's an example of why I can't give a definitive answer when emailed about how long to leave fabric in the bleach water.

The 26 was dipped and squished for about 30 seconds and the 27 count was left in for 15 minutes and still didn't lighten.  Having the same selvage I thought they would be the same linen but obviously not.    I started putting the count in the edge with markers that won't fade or run.   I've only found one article on linen regarding thread thickness and such by name but I can't find it.  WHAT??  A decent article can be found here.  An article with old photos and wonderful drawings depicting  linen from seed to cloth is here.  

This was after the first bleach and dry of the 32 count, now a lighter gray.  The dryer's ball of edge threads are from 5 pieces of linen that will be saved and used to stitch edges closed or trims.   Sure some of the difference in size is because of losing a few raveling threads, but no where near even a 1/2", let alone 2" or more.     I mentioned before about using Rit's dark green liquid dye to take the pink tones out of linens, and this is the green in my sink.  All it takes is a drop or two of the green dye, and a quick dip or two and it tones the red to brown.

I wanted to mention last post about Vonna's fabulous creations that you've probably already seen, but in case you haven't check this out.  I have got to make the scissors holder for sure.  Now I remember why I have been visiting my craft store and wandering aimlessly.  The strong urge to recreate her design was pulling me there, but the brain wasn't on board.  I'll write it down.

 My hot flashes are continuing to change.  Instead of several small, a few massive, and constant mediums, I'm now having less, but it appears they have combined and are beauts.   The same thing is happening to my eyebrows, or what's left of them.    It seems the fine and medium hairs have left, banded together in a show of solidarity, and came back as one that can be seen from across a room and stab you if you get too close.  I have several of these now and could probably drill a hole in one end and use it as a needle.   Plucking these twigs is painful since I swear they are attached to the skull.

And here's the other kitty.  He (?) has damage to one of his beautiful eyes which doesn't seem to dilate at all.   I can pet him and was able to remove his filthy old flea collar.  He eats as fast as he can while turning his head constantly, looking for dad or Buddy as we call him now.  I can't tell if he still has his walnuts because of the long hair, but he is so afraid of being beat up and certainly not wanting to engage in territorial debates.  Mama shows affection, rubs my legs and hands, rolls and plays, and then draws blood.   Hub said he didn't know a young nursing mother could also be maniacal menopausal.

This wraps up the final episode of As the Linen Tweaks.  This time I really mean it.  I'm done.  There is one piece and a few scraps left to change but only if I plan to use them.   So have a great week, thanks for reading and commenting.....oh crap.  I hear him.  Woody Wood******.  We can't see him outside but hear the pecking so I think he may have somehow got into the chimney or attic.  On the bright side, I can get a lot of stitching done sitting around in a jail cell all day.  Are you allowed needles?  HEY!!  Those eyebrow twigs will come in handy.