TIAS Days 4&5, a surprise in the mail & canning

After I finished tatting Day 3, my motif cupped.  Sherry posted in response to several tatters that the motif should lay flat. I considered starting over, but was able to stretch the chains enough so the flower shape laid flat.
Tonight I was able to sit and catch up with Days 4 & 5

I have no idea yet what this is, but it sure is an interesting shape. 

Several weeks ago a package showed up in the mail, I wasn't expecting anything and when I opened it, a dear friend had sent me a very nice linen square with a pretty Prairie Rose embroidered on it.  The Prairie Rose is the state flower of North Dakota.  They grow wild in places on our farm and in uncultivated areas all over the state. 

As you can see it is about 8" square with raw edges.  I need to decide how to hem it, a plain hem, or one done with what is called Hem stitching, so there are holes to join to.  Also, do I leave it square, or trim it round or oval.

The thread in the corner is Perfect Quilter Prairie Sage

I think it is the perfect color for an edging, but what edging? simple and narrow? or intricate and wide?  Any and all opinions are welcome as to shape for the linen piece and also the type of edging.

what have a been doing this week?, not much tatting, but this is how I have spent my evenings.


Sunday night I started an 18qrt roaster of tomatoes, while that got started, I peeled and chopped 20 onions and 20 cloves of garlic added that to the roaster along with some parsley and basil.  I let it cook all night long.  I also had enough cucumbers picked to pack 4 half gal jars of refrigerator dill pickles.  I now have 5 half gal jars in my fridge.

Monday night I cubed 6lbs of venison and beef and browned the meat. I then ran all the tomato mix through a sieve to remove the skins. I put about 7 qrts of the tomato pulp/juice in with the meat and some more spices and let it cook for about 3 hours ~ Chili.  The rest of the tomatoes - 6 qrts went in the fridge to make tomato soup.

Tuesday night I canned 7 qrts of chili and put 2 qrts in the fridge for eating.  Farmguy had some for both noon meal and supper and said it was good. Yeah!

Tonight I canned 14 pints of Tomato soup base.  This is a really nice recipe from my grandmother. It is condensed and thickened so when you want to have tomato soup you heat a pint up to a boil, add 2 cups milk, then heat again to serving temp. 

This coming Sunday I will be demonstrating Tatting at Uff Da dayz in Rutland ND again. Eveyone is welcome to come and experience some good food, good crafts, sillyness - there are pig races - a parade and good times. The nearby Coteau des Prairies Lodge nearby is a wonderful place to stay.

Speaking of this coming Sunday the weather service has predicted a low of 30 degrees over night. If that is the case, and how can the National Weather Service be trusted when the gov has shut down??? But if they are telling the truth, then we will have to cover the tomatoes.  They have been bearing and ripening quite well this year as opposed to last year, so I don't think we will be putting up the hoop house.

Hanky Edging Progress

I have been working on the Edging for the hanky I won in Michelle's giveaway earlier this year.

I chose to do Mary Konior's Beauty Spots Edging from her book Tatting with Visual Patterns.
I also chose a HDT from Krystle, one of Dr VonThreadmore's pretty threads called Wisteria Lane in size 40.


I have been working on this edging on and off since May
well, here is what I have been able to get done in between other projects.
 

















as you can see, I am 1 repeat short of the 3rd corner. and I learned an interesting thing about this hanky,  it isn't square, it takes 13 repeats between corner elements on the left and right sides and 14 repeats on the top and bottom.  gave me a bit of a panic the first time I realized this, but decided that it wouldn't be that noticeable.

I have unfortunately run into a snag,

sorry for the shadows

the amount of thread that you can barely see on the shuttle is all that is left of a full skein of Krystle's thread.
I contacted Krystle, Dr VonThreadmore's associate to see if there was any of this thread still available, however, all of it is gone for the present.  There may be a new batch coming later this fall, so for now, this will go in the WIP section.

I cooked another 18qrt roaster full of apples again today.  the last batch made 16 pints of apple butter,  this roaster full should give us about 7 qrts of apple sauce.

The garden frosted 2 nights this past week.  only covered the tomatoes the 2nd night and the first wasn't supposed to get that cold.  I have been waiting for enough tomatoes to ripen to do some canning.  since they only got touched on the tops of the plants, I am hoping that they will recover enough to finish ripening the many tomatoes on the plants.  should be above freezing now for the next week or so, maybe I will get lucky.

I was able to can 26 pints of green beans, 7 qrts of dill pickles and did get 16 watermelon out of the garden, and will have to gather the squash tomorrow.  and the Carrots need digging.



hope you have all had a productive Saturday and will be having an enjoyable Sunday.