Hiya

Between the hot flashes and the humidity, I keep sweating the electrodes off and beeping like crazy.  Did a little shopping this morning at JCP (no incidents with mannequins or posts this time) and started beeping.  Reminded me of the time my cousin's dog swallowed the little squeaker after tearing into a toy, and started squeaking with every step.

 

Not getting much done, but did manage some larger boxes. They raised the price again, 75¢ each, so between the postage increase and that, they will be higher in price.  And I may use Etsy since I hope to have the berries offered too, along with a few other box sizes and labels.

 

Thunderstorms make these guys crawl on their bellies and howl to get in.  Once here, they decide to park near a register for the cool air.

 

 

August is half over.  Can't believe it.

Hope all is well with everyone.

Have a great weekend.

 

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Zucchini cakes

This is the recipe we use for wild mushrooms and call them pizzarelles.  Mark just changed the recipe to use zucchini instead.  I love them and devour as he is making them, and then grab a few from the fridge later.  They don't last very long.

 

The zucchini is shredded and must be drained and toweled or they are too soggy.  Adjust with more bread crumbs if too runny or start with one or two less eggs.  Mark makes them often and adjusts but I asked him to try measuring.

Recipe is .jpg file so you can click on, right click and print if you want to, or save.

 

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Third time

damn well better be a charm. 

 I was stitching last night when I noticed a very large slub running vertically.  As I always do, I try to pick the fuzz to the back.  This was that rottenrat linen with synthetic feel to its threads which I realized as soon as I tried to pick.  It wasn't a slub, just a piece of rope pretending to be a thread that immediately broke under a slight tug.  I removed it all and rewove another thread from the edge into the empty space, but it wasn't right.  That piece of rope left a space too vast to fill.  That's right.  Vast.  At midnight I was grabbing more linen and dyeing.  Sprayed with the darker solution after drying and it spit.  That's right.  Spit.  Several times.  Spit spit spit.  So I have larger spots mixed in with the fine.  I like it.

 

This piece is 12" wide and a lot longer than needed, so I will start on the rows and not worry about stitching the vertical border to make sure the length is proper.  That's right.  Proper. 

It's still not the warm happy golden brown of Sparrow, and very close to the first two failures. 

 

Tomorrow I am posting the recipe for the zucchini pizzarelles or pancakes that everyone loves.  And then I may be taking the rest of the month off.  Unplugging completely to enjoy the last few weeks of summer.  Still not feeling well and the monitor goes on Wednesday.  My cardiologist is on indefinite leave because of a sudden diagnosis and both Carole and I need to see someone else. 

 

Have a great day!

Save a big zuke for tomorrow's recipe.

 

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Thank you Lynda!

She hit the nail on the head.  She asked "is the fabric the right way up?".  Being upside down and sideways myself, I had no idea.  So I got out my trusty sewing gauge, and looky here.

Going horizontal, I have 29/30 count.

But going vertical, it's only 26.

233 stitches ÷ 13 would be 18" length.  That's still smaller than I would end up with, but explains the mystery.  But doesn't explain why the weave looks even while being 3 or 4 threads off per inch.

 

I started on another piece of linen that I dyed in that group of browns, and checked the count both ways before starting.  I should have enough and the colors I chose should be fine.  The linen is warmer and happier than the crabass I wanted but that's OK.  What will I do with this piece?  Wet it and throw it in the dryer.  Usually, it comes out smaller with a tighter weave, maybe it will correct this.  Maybe I caused it when dyeing.  Whatever, I would never have thought to check this had Lynda not mentioned it.  So thank you again!

 

Have a great day everyone.

 

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It doesn't take much

to turn a slump into a suspension for me.  After all the dyeing and adjusting to get the deep crabass brown shade I wanted, took the time to work out the best colors for it, even ran the red thread to make sure the border will be in line, and I'm screwed.  Maybe you can tell me why.

 

This is the chart and the count is correct. Using the 30 count fabric, it should be 16 1/4" and it states to cut the linen 18".  My piece is 19 1/2". 

The 233 stitch count ÷ 14 (28 count fabric) would be 16.6". 

For 30 count, 233 ÷ 15 would be 15.5". 

This is 30 count and I'm already at 17" and I have 26 rows to go!  What the hell?  What did I do?

I have counted over and over, have no more room, and (I'll say it again because I need it to sink into my brain) still have 24 rows to go.  Can anyone figure this out?  Do I have watermelon brain from eating too much of it?  It doesn't make sense.  I'm putting it aside and will try to figure this out tomorrow. 

Mark just told me that Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is on the tv.  The movie that makes me laugh until the tears come and the mascara runs.  Half over and I'm starting with the car rental so the best is yet to come.  After all the stitching issues, the day will be ending with laughter. 

 

Hope you're having the giggles too.

 

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Browning

 

Linen.  All started with Rit's Dark Brown (too reddish for me) and each took the color differently even though they were very similar to start.  After drying, I put the solution in a spray bottle, added a little more of the brown (and also a drop of yellow and orange) and sprayed the linen to create an almost invisible mottling.

 

I'm using pieces that I did not like for one reason or another but if any result in a great brown, I'll stitch with it.  I usually save the dye solution but didn't this time. I already have several jars in the basement.

 

The darkest piece I have right now is the Birds of a Feather Sparrow and I may end up using it for Nan's sampler.

Hours later...
here's what each piece looks like after the process.

    


Not as dark as the Sparrow, but plenty dark enough.

 

 This is a piece of unbleached linen which is what I usually grab for a sampler, and you can see the difference.  I may get another spray bottle with a touch of yellow to brighten the two outside pieces.   The Sparrow is really nice, REALLY dark, and I'm still not sure which I will use, but leaning toward the center piece.

Sparrow is a happy brown.  I want a crabass brown.  Can you imagine the color names if I sold hand dyed linen?

 Crabass Brown.  Bite me Blue.  Miserable Mauve.  Cranky Coral.  Whiny wine.  Grouchy Green.  Nasty Red.  Irascible Iris.  Peeved Pink.  MenoMelon.  Bitch Ball Gray.  For now, Crabass Brown sounds just perfect.

 

Enjoy your day - thanks for visiting.

 

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