Close enough

If you are unable to locate a particular color of linen for a project, you should be able to find a substitute that is so close you won't notice a difference.  The Affogato I received is very nice and I can't tell the difference from the Antique Lace.

This background is Oatmeal (Kitten Stitcher) as is the totally different Oatmeal (Hobby House) in the right corner.  So if a chart calls for it, which one would work with the threads?  The other two, Caramel Macchiato and Buttermilk, are no different at all from the Oatmeal.  But not the corner Oatmeal which matches my Prairie Grass.  There's no way to know which variation of a color was used for the model so close enough has to be good enough!  And it appears a completely different linen may be closer to what the model is stitched on.

I received two counts of Sand Dunes, expecting it to be tan, and I soaked both yellow pieces in bleach to remove color.  I'll play with them at some point and get the color I want.

Stayed in the car yesterday while Mark did the errands but did go into Kraynak's to see new offers.  I featured this store before, the largest Christmas shop ever.  So many string light options, theme bulbs, tabletop items, collectibles, artificial greens, ribbons, tiny to massive trees, yoi!   They opened the back area this year for more toys, which also fill the actual store.  The Christmas items are in the numerous greenhouses.  My knees were giving out so I got a few larger bells for the skimpy tree and left.   Between that and a shower, I was so exhausted.  Hard to understand when all else is so much better.  

 

This advent item was new.  I also saw cut glass trees lighted inside by battery which would be a nice sparkling decoration for Carole's tray table if she doesn't make it home in time for Christmas.

I very much like the shape and size of the shorter tree between the snowmen.  I don't know if it was my wobbly knees or not, but I swear a few of the gnomes and snow people tried to trip me.

I found two charts recently purchased that I didn't remember and they are NICE!  Hurry up Rachel Hyde!  Let's get your clusters hanging!

 High winds and rain, cold weekend.  Crapola.

Hope everyone took some time yesterday to honor our veterans.

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Another page down

Not looking forward to the right side border, or the over one, but hoping to continue without throwing in the towel.

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My greenie

 Better than orange or yellow, without this highlighter marking the completed stitches, a disaster would ensue.  I have trouble with motifs and especially meandering borders, even when one color.  The grapevine and curly cues of several color changes would have caused so much frustration that I may have stopped work on Rachel.  Why the other colors are not as helpful, don't know.  But I (and all other stitchers) are grateful for highlighters in any color!   Much less counting which usually ends in misplacement.  And surprisingly, just following the completed stitches has resulted in not one error of this PITA border.

I have used several colors to mark the chart and distinguish the color changes, and it helps also, but I found that just greening what I completed every time I need a new thread is (for me) a greater help.

We needed to get Carole a new TV for her room and I told husband that after a month, I wanted to check my stamina outside of home.  Don't have an answer as to why since home isn't that great, but ..... 'ya know.  He dropped me at the door, I grabbed a buggy as an aid and walked very slowly.  By the time he parked and came in my knees were rubber.  But we got the TV, she wants a haircut and wash, a shopping list filled, so I guess we will be making the drive Thursday and take care of this.  

Today we went to the Italian store in Youngstown, it's a very small shop, and I did OK.  Except for the pounds that will result from our purchases.  The frozen wrapped manicotti were gone, the only ravioli left were lobster and veal (I don't eat babies), as were the prepared cavatelli and other dishes I usually get.  The only place to get large frozen bags of washed and cut mixed greens for wedding soup, and their various size meatballs are fabulous.  When Carole made the soup she pressed the meat mixture into a cookie sheet and then cut into mini squares after roasting.  And oh my their home made sausage, mild, hot, briar hill.  Stop it.

It's sunny and a little warmer, but I can't push it so won't be removing summer items from the deck to be stored.  Maybe tomorrow, a little at a time.

Hope your day is swell!

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Your choice

 of 3860 looks pretty darn nice.  I really thought 451 was better but I trust you, and wasn't able to envision the entire piece with multiple clusters in either color.  So although I liked the softness of the lighter shade in one cluster, I just wasn't sure it would be enough throughout.  

I'm thinking about the larger charts I have with the "fancy" borders, and hoping they will not be as trying as this one.  The highlighter pen covering completed areas on the chart is very helpful, but still, a PITA for me.

Adding to the difficulty is the extreme dryness that has not lessened at all.  

Have a sunny Sunday!

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Cluster color

 Hi folks.  Another afternoon of a promise to sit and do nothing, but this time I am stitching.  Errors galore, but when expected, not as maddening as ones found later.  Three bottles of Similasan in three days, need to order more.

Rachel's clusters were to be 3022, I knew from the start that would be the one color definitely changed.  Trying to find a subdued grape color wasn't easy and after first thinking DMC 28 or 30 would be perfect, neither were.  Too much color which baffled me since others in the piece were somewhat bright.  Moved to 3041 and 3042, still not happy.

Then I remembered a pear design that was a sweet soft amethyst/lavender and tried it.  I think we have a winner.  Sampler Pear #10 was stitched with 451, an odd and blah color in skein that I never used before this.  But gorgeous when stitched.

In the same family is 3860, deeper and another beauty but may be too much.  3861 is a little lighter than 451 and also a contender but again, for some reason, I was still crabby.  All of them are beautiful, not too blue, not too red, not too stark.  

The 451 is on the right and the 3860 on left.

And in the big picture...

Hmmm.  The 3860 does look good, doesn't it?   This photo is of course different than in person, but I'm looking at both and making my still woozy head spin.  Damn.

Oh well.  I'll continue with surrounding stitches until I decide.

I didn't fill the white areas of the vine on the right to prevent soiling, but will soon and then roll the top down and baste it.  I'm anxious to try the frozen linen but there are too many orange sherberts and ice creams in the fridge freeze.  And some protective guy won't allow me to use the basement stairs to the big one.

Have a good day folks.

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A pressing matter

 Regarding pressing Rachel, I'm not careful.  Sometimes I would use a lightweight terry washcloth but most times do not.  Why?  My old linens pressed easily, today's do not.  At all.  The overall crinkle just doesn't change, with Best Press, diluted vinegar, and other tips you've offered me.  Pressing on a cloth does little to smooth them, and I don't mind them since I like a more aged primitive look.  But it annoys me when I can't get a crisp finish on anything.  To me, a light dampening or spritzing is important but I found for the first time, a few hand dyed linens can be ruined.  Rachel's linen I dyed myself after several attempts to remove an unwanted undertone.  Obviously PTP or ??? because I had no issue at all.  But the new colors (like the green Buttermilk) can't even take a spritz without bleeding let alone a full dip to tone the green.  So how do we press if there are fold or obvious creases?  Steam is not enough.  Dare I try a dampened pressing cloth?   Maybe that would work since the moisture is evening distributed.  Any suggestions?

Husband is exhausted. Every day, this is what he cleans up.  One of us would use the hand blower while the other had the push behind, the tractor if the yard wasn't wet, and a lot of hand raking.  Still a ridiculous amount of work but manageable when there are two old farts working together, but I am no help this year.  Chris has even more, all oak, on a very steep hill.  We have a few, but the back is mostly maples, red sunset maples on sides.

I did receive a notice about the book cancellation in my junk folder late yesterday, along with a ton of emails that should not be there.  FB claims I have messages to read, but there isn't anything showing.  I've switched from Google to Bing, many times testing a search showed more reliable and broader results.  But I'll also check into a few others to compare.  

Carole is having some concerning issues today, I'm waiting for the nurse to call.

Hope your day goes well.

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