Poor Gary

He's a diehard summer punk as I am.  Gary should be hunkered down in his hole by now, but he won't give in.  You go Gary!!

I was so wrong when I thought Paisley would be a walk in the park.  

All errors in the dress have been resolved and I started the second leg of the cross.  Got bored, decided to get the first cross completed on her face.  That outline was also off.  One thread only as were the dress errors, but since it was only the outline I removed and corrected.  The cheek is off.  And her right eye.  And nose.  Again, only a few stitches in each so not a big deal.  But I don't like her coloring.

Using the fluorescent light on the Dazor fooled me into believing the 3033 showed as a warm contrast.  In natural light on this linen, it is not.  Nope.  Nada.  Nee.  Non.  No.  I just saw this as I moved her beneath the LED lighting.  Will I remove and replace?  Or keep it and complain every time I see her?  A nice contrast in this photo, but that's deceiving.  The 3033 is very dull and lifeless, barely noticeable unless close.

You can see how different the light floss looks when checking a single strand to the linen compared to checking with a full skein.

The single strand is quite accurate when tossing floss, and I shouldn't have trusted the skein itself.  I will try 822 and when I find Ecru, that one also.  But only one strand!

We ventured out to a mall in Ohio, very nice selection of stores.  Only visited a few, just to browse and get fresh ideas of how to wear my sweats and jeans.  There were very few people which surprised me with the "sales" going on. The only place packed with people and long lines was Chick Fil A.  We are both impatient and left rather than be #10 car.  Same with every one we've ever passed from Cleveland to Pittsburgh.

The wind was brutal and very cold, teens tonight.  Forties next week and we plan to rip out the old damaged deck and replace those boards.   Probably making the trip to Carole tomorrow.  With the new chair elevating I can cut her hair without leaning forward which is terrible for my back.  Then her daily griping will end.  She always had a cut every 4-6 weeks, wears it very short, and refuses to use their salon.  It's been a few months since the last cut, and this will be so much easier than previous times when she was in the bed.

Arby's has the caramel cinnamon shakes again.  Surprised they weren't out sooner but regardless, making room in the freezer for those snack size yummies.

Hope your weekend is a good one.

Thanks for visiting.

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Continued good news

Results of Carole's echocardiogram showed her efficiency rate which was 25 during the cardiogenic shock and second TAVR, increased to 30 after the surgery, increased to 35 after two amputations, and today is 40.  Wow.  They told her that her body's tremendous stress of trying to heal and fight the damage was bringing her entire system to a breaking point.  With her legs gone, the fight for now is over and her body can return to functioning, not fighting.  Healing, not hurting.  We learned a lot from her nurses and always trust their input.

I took the final batch of elderberries out of the freezer, I doubt we will pick them again.  Do you think the size of that missing piece is a little piggish?  I thought it was good, husband tasted and said it is not, thought it had an odd taste.  Without saliva, my sense of taste is extremely sensitive.  Maybe not the best elderberry pie I've had, but not objectionable as he claims.  I have appointments tomorrow but I also have Immodium!!  I'm eating pie.

Elderberries are a beautiful color, not purple, not blue, not wine. 

Thank goodness for large handled pie plates,  Gave a load of standard rims to the woman's shelter.  Whenever you need to discard cookware, flatware, dinnerware, any kitchen or bath items, call the closest domestic violence center and donate to those starting over with nothing.

Still working on Paisley and decided to add one of these to the sampler rotation.  Winter Brew, Confederate Gray, or something with a greenish cast for the linen.  I got a piece of Marbled Pointer, very green, and dyed it shortly after receiving.  Too bad, would have been nice for these two.

Quite a few errors on Paisley's dress pattern which was difficult for me to see.  All corrected now.  I do love the Santa suits, houses, dresses, pastures, but I tire of the fill-in quickly.  It's that impatience thing.

It's dark and crappy, but another day closer to summer.

Have a good one!

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Good news for a change

 Hello hello!  I got the call from cardiology and I do not need any procedures.  What is causing abnormal results in testing is damage from a prior "event".  An old event.  I'm 71, how far back are we going?  Regardless, good news.  My lung scan is not until before Christmas, hoping that last scan was incorrect and there will not be bad news.

I haven't done much on Paisley but since I am using an overdyed thread, the first leg of the cross will be done first.  When it's filled in, the second leg being continuous will allow the variation to show.  I know a full cross should be completed before moving to the next stitch when using overdyed, but I rarely follow rules.  I do the sewing method whenever possible.  Ordinarily I would fill horizontal and follow with vertical rows on larger blocks of color, especially houses, which creates a perfectly neat finish for me.  My color blocks appear almost ribbed because of the tension in my stitches and going in two opposite directions locks the linen from distorting and also creates a solid block, no ribs. 

This gorgeous shade of red boiled wool was one of mom's favorite jackets.  Lightweight but very warm, large pockets, and although Carole claimed it, it is now mine.  The way the seams are finished I was able to sew another one half inch into the garment including the sleeves, all the way around.  It's still a little large and I don't care for dropped shoulders but it is MINE!!!  Long enough to cover tunics and those pockets are perfect for my eye drops and mouth gel.  It's annoying to keep going into my purse for these items when shopping so this is huge for me.  Carole will be upset, but she has mom's other jacket and this is too long for her now anyway.  I will cave in and cut her hair for her this week.  She refuses to use the salon there.  It will be much easier on my back now because her new chair raises, and I mean raises!!  To eye level with others standing and she can reach into top cabinets easily.  If I don't have to be bent over to cut, this won't be bad at all.

So fricking cold.  But feeling good and relieved!  Except when I see vavavoom.  There are a few well known people that I used to really like.  Why she nauseates me now, I don't know.  I feel the same about three others.

Have a great day folks.

Thanks for visiting.

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Those curtains my mom called rags

 I don't care for more formal curtains in our home.  Country Curtains basic rod pocket muslin with tiebacks have been hanging for close to 40 years.  The back room which had none at all, bothered my mom when she was here simply because in her time, everyone had a curtain of some sort.  So I did the simplest (and cheapest) no-sew valance and she asked why I hung perfectly good rags on those windows.  You never wasted a good rag, another idiosyncrasy I inherited.  One she did not have that I am guilty of, never throw out a good box.  

So to answer a few emails regarding my rags, here 'ya go.  

Years ago I used a coupon for a bolt of Osnaburg fabric, intending to sew new curtains in the same style as what I had.  Very easy to sew such a simple panel.  For thus valance, I ripped the 44" wide fabric in half to 22" and continued pulling the edge threads off to create a narrow fringe rather than a hem.  The selvage edge had the same.  Measured the width of my window and down the sides to the length I wanted.  Snipped and ripped, more fringe.  

Centered the strips on the trim, used brad nails to secure each end, a piece of jute around the center to cinch as much as I want. 

I pulled the jute bow tighter on the left side, you can adjust to a more "formal" swaggy valance or keep it low for more primitive. 

For a while they were not tied and hung straight across.  Even my husband thought this one looked like a rag.  Maybe a shorter version of 18" instead of 22" with a deeper fringe would be nicer.  

That's it!!

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The old vs. the new

 Having a number of old black label DMC requires a quick check with the latest sample book.

Visited Carole today.  Made the cottage cheese nalasnecki to share.  Yes her chair is amazing, but we were told it would be the same size as the motorized she was using.  It is not.  Three inches wider and we now need to have the door openings widened.  Plaster walls, and once the opening is expanded the header will lose its support and also not be the full width required.  That plaster needs to come down, new header installed, side 2x4 supports, new door unit, trim, and drywall.  Dammit.  My head feels like last night's exploding chestnut.  

Tomorrow, stew in the pressure cooker and the last garden peppers will be used for stuffed pepper soup.  Freezer space is limited so I plan to fill gallon freezer bags with soup and lay flat.  

Working on Paisley, a little on Ann.

Enjoy your week, hope it will be warmer than mine.  

It's quite fowl.

AUGH!!!!!

It's not easy to spell a scream.

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Fill me in

 And I will be absolutely adorable and in need of my buddy Whittaker.

The pattern within her dress was so difficult because of the very similar thread to linen color.  Very difficult.  But after counting over and over and aligning with the outline, I am fairly sure all is well.

Her dress trim in dark gold is done as are hands and feet.  So this little chubbo can be picked up and filled in at any time.  But I adore her and think she won't be sidelined for long.

My test was abnormal as expected, but I woke slightly off balance and knew that lying flat with my arms over my head for 25 minutes, twice, would develop into a dizzy tizzy.  I always carry the little tube of less drowsy Dramamine so had ONE HALF of a pill.  Being drug sensitive, it knocked me out.  Returning home at 1:30, I slept that day, that night, and half of Saturday morning. 

Rain and very cold temps for the next week will kill my mums for sure.

And just in case you are curious, a chestnut will explode, sound like a shotgun, and scatter tiny bits ten feet away if you miss cutting one before roasting.

Have a nice ...... what day is it?

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