Summer is not my favorite season. Heat and humidity make Robbyn a grumpy girl and about the only exercise I get is longing for cooler weather. Summer does have, however, a seriously redeeming feature - the plentitude and proliferation of myriad kinds of fresh fruit. Peaches and nectarines and plums, cherries, blueberries and strawberries, grapes in nearly all colors and sizes and melon - watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew! Even bananas, plentiful and cheap all year ‘round take on a special glow in the summer.
Given my druthers, I’d probably eat nothing else from May to October - well, at least as long as my intestinal tract held out :)
Which brings me to this. I bought a half dozen nectarines yesterday - beautiful, firm pieces of fruit who’s skins look like a sunset in red and gold - each of which had a little numbered sticker on it. Know what happens if you don’t notice and leave the sticker there until the fruit is ripe enough to eat? You pull the skin off along with the sticker. Depending on the store and the kind of sticker used, you might anyway; I’ve run into stickers on tomatoes (also a fruit - a type of berry) that were so tenacious they had to be cut off! This may not matter much to some, but to me it’s sacrilege! So this morning, while I was having my coffee, I peeled all the stickers off the nectarines.
And I began to wonder how far this thing could go. I could see myself, a few years down the road, peeling little bitty stickers off a pound of cherries - it would be a morning’s job! No big deal with melons, but grapes would be tedious, strawberries difficult and blueberries almost impossible. Yes, I’m being facetious but if it isn’t a banana or an orange, I don’t want to have to peel it before I eat it.
The table center is coming along nicely and has just 7 or 8 rounds to go.
Rustic lace
The thread is curious stuff, somewhat coarse in feel and appearance, though not stiff or difficult to work with and it is certainly strong enough. There are odd, short fibers that show up every now and then, bits of flax I’m guessing, that can be pulled out of the thread with no ill effect.
Probably enough for a tablecloth or two!
This will probably be my main project for a while as I need to have it done by next Thursday. And after that I can allow myself the delicious contemplation of a new project!
Happy mid-week all :)
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How long does it take you to do a round on that? (well, say, at the point you are now, obviously it’ll take longer for each round as it gets bigger! :) )
your beautiful table-topper is really coming along nicely- it will be a most-appreciated gift i am sure-
and now, a question for you and your readers- i have an off-white tablecloth my mother made many years ago- it is composed of about a jillion hexagonal motifs made from size 20 thread- over the years time (and perhaps my slapdash housekeeping) have turned some areas very off-color- i’ve tried the standard remedies (lemon juice, sun-bleaching, oxy-clean, etc) but cannot remove the stains- before i resort to the dye pot, is there anything else to try?
the bounty of fresh summer goodies does somewhat compensate for the wretched weather doesn’t it! i do find it strange though to go to the store and buy lovely in-season produce and then get home and discover the little stickers saying ‘grown in honduras’- no offense to honduras (without their farmers our winter plates would look dull and unappetizing) but it seems ‘local produce’ is a thing of the past- see, heat and humidity make me grumpy too!
stay happy-
Natalie - At this point it probably takes about an hour and a half, given various distractions and all. If I could shut myself away in a closet, it might only take 50 minutes or so - but it wouldn’t be worth it :)
Barb - You know, I really don’t know what to suggest. If you know that it’s cotton, could you try regular chlorine bleach (in solution, of course)? I’ve had fair luck with that. I have, on other occassions, used strong tea to dye “white” laces that had aged badly. Tea will fade, over time, to a nice sort of ecru/taupe but will never entirely come out. Sorry, I’m not much help here…
I know what you mean about the fruit - our grapes often come from Chile :)
Yourlace is breathtaking! A beautiful heirloom to be sure. Can’t wait to see the finished product.
Marie - Thank you :) I will be very happy indeed if I can one day knit lace like I can crochet lace. Crocheted lace is simple. The idea of kniting lace this fine gives me the willies!
That table topper is gorgeous! I love crocheted lace, it just looks so dainty.
Have you started Deathstalker yet? I adore that series (as you know from my blog). He’s written a bunch of other great books, most of them are more fantasy than sci fi though.
Hey Sarra :) Thanks; I’m pleased with how it’s coming out. I’ve read the first 20 pages or so, but I’m saving it for a late summer treat - after I’ve finished my library books. It looks quite good, so far :)
Your lace is incredible. You are one very talented lady :)
So pretty - you definitely get an “atta girl” for that centerpiece. And it’s going to be finished on time! That’s a double “atta girl.” :::Grin:::
Can’t wait to hear what’s next up on your plate!
Love the table topper. It is a work of art. Check out this “Rainbow Doiley this lady is working on. It is just breathtaking. It is her August 5th entry http://wovenflame.blogspot.com/ .
Pam - Thanks, but I’ve been crocheting forever - it’s knitting that’s the challenge!
Bron - I used to do this kind of thing all the time so it’s really only a matter of getting the hands and eyes used to it again :) Thanks for the pat on the back - I appreciate it - especially from such an accomplished crocheter :)
Maureen - Thanks for that link - that’s a truly smashing piece. Gorgeous work and beautiful colors. We always think of this kind of piece as white or ecru - but the color treatment is just sensational!
Thanks, Robbyn. Although I’d argue I’m “obsessive” rather than “accomplished.” 
Bron - I think that’s a fair assessment of me too! 
