The arrow of my ways

I've checked several books and online videos and seems everyone has their arrows pointing in a different direction for the four sided stitch. The only thing I found consistent is the cross on the backside, which I didn't have.  Except for two stitches.  So I've been doing it wrong but it really doesn't look any different from the examples.   What I found written is this stitch is mostly used in openwork or embroidery when it is pulled tightly to create little holes.  Hell.  I do that all the time with my tension.

Did not find it (probably has another name) on Mary Corbet's site.  I've mentioned her many times before and still enjoy visiting.  This trip, I found her page of free embroidery drawings to print. 

http://www.needlenthread.com/patterns

And with her teaching videos and all other help she offers, you just can't find a better source.

http://www.needlenthread.com/videos

Not to mention her tips and techniques.

http://www.needlenthread.com/tips-techniques

In other words, you could spend hours on her comprehensive site.
 

Now about the linen.  I must drive readers nuts about this issue because I certainly do to myself. When several online sites state "Wichelt linen" as the description, whose is it?  Permin, right?  I am to assume that it is Permin since it is stated "manufactured" by Wichelt.  Yet the vast array of colors shown are the same as Cashel and Belfast and those are the softer Zweigart, right?   123Stitch has Belfast linen "by" Wichelt and also "by" Zweigart. So I am confused.  Permin (Wichelt) is stiffer, Zweigart softer (is it?), and showing Wichelt as the source doesn't clarify if it was imported by them, or made by them.  Is Belfast manufactured by both?  I want to know the feel of the linen I am ordering and the descriptions and sources have me totally confused. 

I can't believe how many times I have typed Permin and Wichelt.  My head is spinning.  Giving Spellcheck a run for the money, lit up the page in yellow!  Silly little things like this bug the crap out of me.  I just want to know what I'm buying, and knowing the texture and hand of each type/maker helps a great deal when ordering blind. 

Kelley asked about the history of my current project, 1739 by R&R Reproductions (http://dyeing2stitch.com/) so for anyone else interested, this is the information provided with the chart.

Still processing very sad and upsetting news within my family in CA.

March is beginning, Spring is arriving soon.  Live each day to the fullest.

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Four sides

 

 

The rest of the samplers is done in the four sided stitch.  I need to watch YouTube and check a few references.  Haven't done this one in a long while and I am all over the place. 

 

 

I think the threads would lay more evenly and not be as twisted if I followed the correct direction.  Normally I don't care, but I am irked that a simple square outline has me confused. 

 

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Grape salad requested recipe

Photo from Pinterest

Grape Salad

2# red grapes
2# green grapes

Wash and stem.  You can use all one type of grape if preferred.

Mix by hand
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Toss in grapes and stir to coat.

Mix 1 cup brown sugar and
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Sprinkle over top and refrigerate overnight.  If you can wait.

A few notes. 
Some use 4 oz Greek yogurt and 4 oz sour cream.
You can sprinkle half the nut mixture and toss, then top each serving with the remaining.
Easily cut in half for less grapes.
If they're as sour as mine are, sprinkle a little more brown sugar on top!

Mystery solved

 

As I put my iced tea gallon jug into the recycling container, I spotted the Jif jar.  How could I forget that I finished it?   Never dawned on me because I have a habit of carrying something, getting distracted, and setting it where it should not be.  The grapes are in the salad and almost gone.  Love this stuff. 

 

But I got tired of searching for the floss bag so I changed the color.  It looks just fine and I may like it better than the lost color.  I followed the sampler's misalignment but not all of the 1/2 and 3/4 stitches.  I'm not sure if they would be noticed on the higher count linen with pastel threads, so I just made the full cross.  I plan to age it with a spray and a few spots.

 

Many years ago, I made a shelf to hold wooden bowls (similar to this Pinterest photo) but never attached the front rails or painted it.  Since then, the number of bowls have increased and there is no way this item would be large enough. 

 

 

 

 

 

So we stained and sealed (yuck) and added the rails to the front of the shelves to create a lip.  My brother has an extensive collection of rare milk bottles so we gave it to him.  No way they will all fit, but his cat(Peanut) is a little devil and into everything so at least his favorites will be on the wall and protected from her mischief.  If not, his very early canning jars will fit.  These are filled with fixatives from 30 years ago when I made potpourri.  Time to get rid of them also.

 

70's today.  Then the cold returns.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

 

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Sour puss

I guess my only option is to make the grape salad with cream cheese, brown sugar and pecans.  Hmmm.  Not a bad option.

Why are there empty areas? 

Because the fricking floss color I need took a hike with the peanut butter.

 

Is it possible?  Can eating too many sour grapes make you sour?  Is a sourpuss worse than a crabass or comparable?  Maybe the brown sugar will help.

 

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Why are my red grapes sour

and where is my peanut butter?  Some days, everything becomes an issue.  I put by favorite Jif Natural into my vanilla yogurt every day.  So what happened to it?  Damn these things irritate me to no end.  I just can't seem to put things where they belong nor do I remember where I set them.  And.. two bags of red grapes, both sour. 

 

I went to Sally Beauty to see if they had a gray hair brightening shampoo for Carole and the sweet gal working (new employee I learned) asked me nicely if I wanted to become a member of their club to obtain a discount on all my purchases for hair care.  I said "look at me.  Do I look like I buy products for and take care of my hair?  I come in once a year for a stronger magnifier so I can pluck those wires on my lip."  She lost it.  Thought she was going to need a panty liner. 

The cheap person's selfie ...  a Canon digital camera and a mirror.

But still sharp enough to see my roots.  Wearing a hair band is my version of the male comb over.  The extra wide band hides the top roots and the rest of the hair comes forward to hide the side roots.  A brown Sharpie touchup above the bangs and I'm good to go.  I wonder if a swipe of my ink pad would work. 

 

Back to working on 1739 and loving the 35 count's look.  I'm sorry to say the ponies never made it to their feed sack.  I may tell you about it one day, but not until I find the peanut butter.

 

Join me in a Day of the Snark won't you?

 

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