Saturday, March 13, 2021

About whitlow grass and other gripping matters

 I did more study on my whitlow grass, thinking it was maybe named for the discoverer, as plants often are. 

But I found it was once thought to be a remedy for whitlows, painful swellings on the sides of my fingers as a kid. Really miserable, painful even to try to handle anything. 

Turns out they're caused by one of the herpes viruses, the kind that cause blisters in your mouth. So I doubt whitlow grass could help, unless maybe reducing the pain.

Anyway, edible food is also appearing, hairy bittercress, lovely tangy addition to salads. Rabbits like this too, so I can't take too long before I pick my share.

And nonedible daffodil leaves are up, too. I'm told that the juice of daffodil stems is a good glue, though I haven't tested this assertion.




The weekend entertainment was meh. The Game of Kings came highly recommended by a friend, however the library yielded only print, which I requested anyway. Then found the font size is too small for me to read for more than a para or two. Oh well.

Then, another recommended book; all kinds of writers whose work I like thought Annabelle Gurwitch hilariously funny and on point. And I found her frantic rather than funny, self critical rather than rueful. I like a terser style. 

Not suggesting you don't read them, but just not my jam right now. You may love either or both, just sayin.


My DVD is a detective series set in Australia, wonderful scenery and sets and acting, witty dialog, the detective a former police detective who inherited enough money to enable her to leave the Force. The computer whiz sidekick is a young woman of color who can do indepth research while gaming at the same time, easy!

I do recommend this one. I watched the first episode, and was a bit exhausted by the pace. Nonetheless it's definitely worth watching if you haven't already.


Then here I am, smugly grinning in my lovely incredibly comfortable vest. It's become my go to. I was even glad it was colder today so I could wear it to the library.


There my friend the librarian from the knitting group admired it, having seen it when it was still being spun.

And presented me with a pack of linen samples she wasn't using. Since the vest was basically made from roving ends, same idea, using scraps of beautiful material to make something.

The pieces are about 3"x3", 60 in all, and have labels identifying colors on the backs. 

So I had a playtime setting them out, then sorting into color families, like kindergarten. 



And here's where I'm open to suggestions: what to make? I have some ideas, but blogistas may have better ones. Linen takes up dye so well, very evenly. And I'm familiar with the ins and outs of handling linen.

Let me know if you can suggest a project. This will be hand stitching as all my stitching is. It will probably need a quarter inch seam allowance all round, creating a 2 1/2" square. Times 60.

There! Ideas welcome.

17 comments:

  1. Beautiful vest, you do a good smug. :)
    At a loss what to do with the linen. I have been keen, though, on the strip quilt blocks another blogista has been making.

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    1. I'm wondering between making one item or trimming a bigger one with the linen.

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    2. Would you like to give a link to that blog? Sounds like someone I should follow.

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    3. I haven't found the strip quilt blog yet. I remember yellow fabrics. Check out, Crafts, Cavies and Cooking blog, the kite flower quilt.

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    4. Oh, yes, I'm familiar with her, maybe I need to follow her again. I was in it for the guinea pigs mainly.

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  2. Love your vest and your photo. Sorry I don’t have any ideas for you but I look forward to your creativity!

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  3. a quilted lap blanket or a jacket?

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  4. Great photo of you in your multicoloured vest, which looks marvelous set against that white sweater underneath. And as for your DVD viewing, so THAT'S what Lucy Lawless ("Xena, Warrior Princess") is up to these days!

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    1. Thank you for the nice words. And yes, she's great in this series.

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  5. You could make a lovely linen table topper, or a patchwork scarf to wear around your neck or over your head. Since they are already cut in a uniform size the options are endless. I love the picture of you wearing your gorgeous vest!

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  6. Just dropping in to say I also admire that white cotton sweater.

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  7. love the picture of you in the vest. you wear it well. I have dandelions in the yard and another spring weed whose name I can't call up now that is very useful.

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  8. Oh that vest! It sets off the sweater and your lovely face so well. Funny how with all the colors it's not LOUD - just immensely cheerful. Kind of like all the colors in nature that go so well together. You have a real eye for design. So you will have much fun with the linen squares.

    Chris from Boise

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    1. Thank you. The reason it's more cheerful than loud is that I plied contrasting singles to form a heathered effect. It knocks the noise down quite a bit. I'm pleased with the results.

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