on to the next

Quilt is done.  Blues.  I really like it.  I knew I liked the fabric but you never know how it will all work together.

I even like the back!

I caught a cold and am feeling pretty bleah.  My main goal today is to see if I can find some dried elderberries to make elderberry cordial.  My best friend swears buy it for keeping colds at bay during the winter.  And since she makes films and there is never ANY down time, I will trust her.  I keep thinking I should plant some edible elderberry on the mountain.  There is inedible elderberry there.

There is another quilt to lay out.  The Tall Short Person needs a new one after thirty years.  She has changed a lot and deserves a quilted hug that more reflect who she is.  Maybe there will be energy to crawl around the floor later.

on request

I was requested to make a short sleeve workshirt.  Actually, workshirts.  So I went into my stash and saw what I could see.  This is what I came up with.  The black cotton is fairly heavy and the contrast was just some cool orange flowers I had.

It reminds me of Halloween which pleases me.  I am ready for autumn.  It does not help that the dress I am wearing is a chocolate brown linen.  I am ready for cooler and dryer.  The humidity has gotten to me.

I am thinking about going back into my stash this weekend and seeing if I can put another shirt together.  It uses what I already have.  That pleases me.  I am also hoping to rest this weekend, which means that if it comes from my stash I do not have to leave the house.  There are always the libraries though . . .

not quite climb every mountain

I was wandering around pinterest and saw the Climb Every Mountain sweater.  The sweater is a bit of a poncho and it was knitted.  Which I really do not enjoy.  I decided to give it a try converting it to crochet.  

Not half bad.  I think it is a little full from the picture but it does not feel that full on.  Koda Bear actually likes to wear it which is fairly odd.  I used Cascade yarn 220 sport in straw.  I did not even make the yarn.  How odd again!

If I were to do this again, I think I would use a lace weight yarn and maybe a smaller hook.  Maybe not as full but it is hard to lose the fullness and get the right shape.  I think I would put a long sleeve t-shirt on underneath it to wear as a mid layer when cool starts.  I think it would be good for driving because I can never figure out where my sleeves should be.

I will give it a try but I may end up ripping it out.  Decreasing the fullness may be needed.  Or it just may not be right.  But then I do not mind experimentation, obviously!  If I rip it out, I have a new crocheting project to keep my hands busy.

I am such a klutz today.  I just spilled my tea.  Sigh!

working on laminations

I have been playing with sourdough and dough laminations.  It is slightly obsessive.  The week before last I realized I did not need bread when I though I did but since the sourdough was already started, I was going to laminate some dough and play.  Not bad but not great.  I did get that was the first chocolate croissant that was actually liked.

This weekend, I did the same thing with intention.

I took my cornetti dough, which I like better then most croissants anyhow, and laminated it with about 40% by weight of butter.  I did three folds for the butter.  On the last, I added a couple tablespoons of sugar that had been mixed with a couple teaspoons of cinnamon.  There was enough sugar to cut the bitter of the cinnamon.  

I shaped the dough as squares with the corners pressed into the middle.  Two were just the dough and its added cinnamon sugar.  One had a center of chocolate.  The last, had chocolate and dark cherries added to the center.

The shapes failed on the bake.  I am going to need to do some more research about how to get those corners to hold.  I baked these yesterday, fairly late.  Today, there chocolate cherry is the only one left and I have been asked when I can make more.  Weekends.

But even though the shape opened up, look those layers.  And the flavor!  The flavor and smell were excellent.  

I am not sure that you can really say experimentation anymore but more play is surely needed.

with the help of laughter

The quilt top I was working on got basted and quilted on in record time.  I have to admit that part of that was due to me laughing.  I checked out Big Bang Theory from the library.  Laughing at the science jokes made this go much faster then normal.  And I did not have help from small hands.

This week has been fairly stressful at work.  I hope to bind this quilt off this weekend.  I may try to head to the beach tomorrow with a board if there are no thunderstorms.  Cook at the beach.  Drink tea.  Surf.  Sounds like great stress relief is there is actually surf.  I might head out anyhow.  I just need a break.  

Time for hand stitching and laughter.  I checked out the first season of Big Bang Theory from the library yesterday.  So I go them in the wrong order!  I still get to watch them.  Makes me smile.