If sugar or salt doesn’t dissolve easily, warm the vinegar and water slightly before mixing, then cool before adding cucumbers. Avoid letting ribbons sit at room temperature after adding brine to keep them crisp. Thicker ribbons absorb less brine and thinner than 1/8 inch can get mushy quickly. Fresh dill is best but dried works if reduced by half. Variations include adding jalapeño for heat or swapping dill for mint or basil.