Sunday's walk in a high 70s, low humidity day was about wild snakeroot flowers still going,
tiny fungi appearing
Shoe for scale
and, home again, a tradescantia which had sprung from Gary's hanging plant which summered on my deck,
now with its own pot and no doubt planning to join its friends indoors. And another zinnia
They slow down then, when I think they're done, we get a couple more warm days, and they go right on.
Then there was a rummage around my small stash for possible hat material, which yielded a silk waistband saved from a skirt made from a sari piece, clearly wanting to be hatbands, enough for two.
And another happy find, a shibori-dyed length from an old pillowcase, already doubled and hemmed, for the side of the new hat.
I thought I'd better fit this part first, then add the crown and after that the brim. The crown part is tricky, stitching a straight piece around a circle, and needs a bit more energy than I had, so that's for another day.
All the pieces need to be double, so I'm thinking about that brown batik for inside the crown and the brim, to cast shade. I have various gauges of wire, no need to buy millinery wire for the brim.
One of the pleasures of upcycling is figuring out what parts are already done for you, so everything doesn't need to be from scratch.
Stoking the inner spy, the fish goes on and the broccoli. Different sauce each day keeps it interesting. Today it was some of that five alarm hot Indian condiment, mixed with yogurt and a splash of malt vinegar.
This is the heat level that needs you to dip your fork in, then pick up the food, not dip the entire piece in the sauce. Dessert was lime yogurt with blueberries.
I'm still (not) getting used to the loss of my friend. She used to watch me out walking, from her house overlooking my walking path, to see if I was doing well, and her house is close. Hard to accept she's not there, when I go to text her. I pass her house daily.
Happy day everyone, we got this.
"This is the heat level that needs you to dip your fork in, then pick up the food, not dip the entire piece in the sauce." You are a braver woman than I.
ReplyDeleteThat upcycled hatband makes such a difference. Quite the elegant spy...
There are such gaps when a good friend dies. It becomes less raw with time, but the hole remains. Glad you're walking nonetheless.
Chris from Boise
Without that friend, the street isn't the same. She'd been deteriorating for quite a while with various ailments before her last illness, but I had still hoped.
DeleteIsn't the hatband cool? Took less than a minute to stitch the ends together.
So hard when we lose a friend.
ReplyDeleteI like the hat ideas.
I think you like much spicier foods than I do--lol!
Have a great week! :)
I do like spice, not too much, just a touch, when it comes to fiery. It will be a while before I get used to this latest loss.
DeleteThe colourful band makes a world of difference to the grey hat!
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it? Surprising.
DeleteIt looks as if you had a lovely day, and I hope you have many more. I look forward to seeing the hat.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Thank you. I'm looking forward, too!
DeleteHat production is coming on apace. It's a real joy to discover part-finished projects and revive them.
ReplyDeleteThis is ongoing.
DeleteI LOVE your spy attire. That is YOU behind those Foster Grants, isn’t it? You look great in a hat and what fun that is with the beautiful hatband. Isn’t that volunteer plant tradescantia (aka Wandering Jew) and not sansevieria?
ReplyDeleteYes, I'd been thinking about those snake root flowers, then my devious mind produced snake plant name sansevieria instead of tradescantia. Fixed now, thank you. Good catch.
DeleteYou've got some lovely pieces of fabric in your stash. I wouldn't have the staying power to stitch a brim to a crown; fiddly twiddly stuff.
ReplyDeleteIt's a small stash but an interesting one. I don't really think of skilled work as fiddly, more as needing focus. Yesterday I wasn't up to it. We'll see how today goes.
DeleteYou found a great model for your hat. I am not a heat person so I would pass on the sauce. So sorry about the loss of your friend.
ReplyDeletecathy
I like a bit of heat to wake up bland food! Thank you for the nice words about H.
DeleteBeautiful photos and I love ❤️ the hat.
ReplyDeleteThe hat is fun. The new one will be too, at least that's the plan.
DeleteLove the up cycling. That hat will turn heads.
ReplyDeleteIt takes a long time before you stop looking for that person that was always there.
We miss them so much
That's so true about looking for people who've gone. Yes.
DeleteI'm sorry about the loss of your friend. One of my brunch bunch group died suddenly last April and we miss her stories and laughter each time we get together.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how you decide to put your hats together and it is good you have a nice stash of fabrics to choose from.
I certainly hear you on missing your friend.
DeleteThe thing about hats is they don't need much fabric, so I'm finding that scraps from earlier things will probably do it.
I bought a beautiful piece of silk sari cloth at a thrift store this summer and I am not sure what I'll do with it. It's long enough to make many curtains or...?
ReplyDeleteI hate to put scissors to it.
Love the hatband! You're looking quite sporty there! Like, perhaps you should be attending a golf tournament.
When I have a piece of fabric I haven't decided about, I hang it in a doorway like a portiere. That way I like seeing it without pressure -- it's already in use!
DeleteI like the sudden hatband, too!
Super to see the process of your hat making. Love the new hat band on the straw. I agree with everyone statements About missing someone that was part Of your daily walks. I always think of it like there’s a little hole now that shaped like them in my fabric of existence.
ReplyDeleteYes, that missing piece. Before, even if I didn't see her, I knew she was there. And she's the person I'd have laughed with about it.
DeleteThat international spy looks tricky! I am sorry, I know the hole left by someone you you've known and cared for. It's hard.
ReplyDeleteAt my age, people keep dying. I never get used to it. Thank you for getting it and not jollying me along.
DeleteThat spy is a bit of a character.
Again, so sorry about your friend. It's heartbreaking when they go.
ReplyDeleteThose little mushrooms. I've been shooting those too. I call them popcorn mushroom because they look similar to mushroom popcorn.
Very fun. Love this time of year.
Thank you for the nice words about H. At first I thought the fungi were popcorn, so small!
DeleteRight? So small. It's so funny. Have you ever had mushroom popcorn? It puffs real nice. I'm waiting for the local market to carry it again this year. Or, I'll have to get it online. Either way, it coats so well. Super fun.
DeleteWhat great photos. The mushrooms are awesome. Have a nice day.
ReplyDeleteLove the pic of the spy in the hat. Those "shades" are huge!
ReplyDeleteThey're great light blockers. Since I had cataract surgery I need more sun protection. And they're very mysterious..
DeleteYou've got the hat. Now just make yourself a trenchcoat.
ReplyDeleteComing right up.
DeleteIsn't it fun when your stash yields exactly the thing you need for a project. I'm always astounded when that happens. You're rocking the spy look!
ReplyDeleteEspecially considering the tiny size of my stash it's amazing.
Delete