Archive for May, 2008

Felting the Bag

May 12, 2008

Set your machine on HOT.  Add a little soap or detergent.  Don’t let it fill too much.  Set it on Small or Medium.  Remember, you will be sticking your hand in there.  Set for at least 15 minutes.  Stop it before it changes cycle.  Pull it out and take a look.  It probably won’t be shrunk enough yet.  It usually takes my washer at least two cycles before it’s felted to where I want it.  I also put in the empty Downy ball to help knock it around.  I just stop the machine and reset it.  After 5 minutes into the second cycle, I’ll start pulling it out at 5 minute intervals until it gets to where I want it.  Then I let the machine do it’s thing.  I set mine on two rinses.  After the final spin, I shape it and stuff it with plastic bags to dry.  I also stick a pen in the buttonhole. 

And this

becomes this. 

Headache

May 11, 2008

I should have done this earlier, but I was busy sewing.  Now, I have a sinus headache and I don’t feel like it.  It’s almost 9PM and I haven’t done the dishes yet.

 

Playing with new Software

May 9, 2008

You know, you can fiddle with it just so long and then you have to do something else.  I downloaded more pictures and video this morning.  I had gotten into the habit of deleting pictures after I downloaded them, but now I don’t know how.  I am so blind that I needed a full size picture in order to decide.  I also need to figure out how to put videos into my blog.  I tried to get Maude screaming to go out, but she just looked at me like I was some kind of idiot.  I guess I will have to go get the manual and give up playing around, but not today.

  Here’s some of the goslings with Mama.  There are three families that come through.  It’s usually in the early morning or evening, but these were kind enough to stop by in the middle of the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

Here’s a young Great Blue Heron.  This was taken during low tide.  He was walking along the edge of our little island. 

Do you see why it is hard to get me to go anywhere?  

 

 

 

 

I think I should have made the flap a little bigger.  At least I remembered to put in a buttonhole.  I have the pattern about half written with the rest in scribbly note form.  I’ll have to work on that.  I also need to make a free pattern page.

New Camera

May 9, 2008

I was going along minding my own business, cleaning the toilets, scrubbing the shower, felting my shoulder bag, when my new camera came.  Well, new to me anyway.  So, of course I had to play with it.  Here’s some of what it can do.

The first is looking across two yards to the river.  The second are some white Irises that I thought was some trash.  It also takes video, but I haven’t played with it yet. 

Flower Mart Day?

May 7, 2008

PeonyPeoniesNasturismI’m not sure.  It’s always on Wednesday in May.  It’s around the Washington Monument in downtown Baltimore.  I went a few times when I was little with Nanny.  She was so much fun.  We were always taking buses and streetcars.  I had no idea where I was going most of the time.  Sometimes we went shopping, but often we looked at houses.  My mother said they moved a lot when she was growing up.  Nanny made me feel special.  She taught me how to embroider and how to sew.  She often cut things out for me because she said I always looked like I was in pain.  Actually, this was true because I am left-handed and I never had a pair of right-handed scissors until I was an adult.  She also tried to teach me how to crochet right-handed, but she gave up.  I finally learned left-handed when I was in my late twenties.  Nanny loved flowers.  These pictures are for her.  I felt loved and I loved her.

Purse Progress

May 7, 2008

I only have a few more ends to weave in and then I can start felting.  I hope it still looks good when that’s done.  Every time I do something like this, I cringe until it’s done.  Also, I have never felted anything in this washer.  This one does weird things.  I had hoped to felt at my other house, but I didn’t have much time to work on it.  I love my son, but I love my new house, too.  Did I say that before?  Another senior moment. Also, I managed to complete Clue #3 this evening.  It really didn’t take long at all.  I wasn’t about to leave my machines out with Doug walking around with a paintbrush in his hand. 

 

Home Again

May 6, 2008

vest to sweater The yarn to turn my vest kit into a sweater.  The black is for revitalizing an old old poncho.  The other is in case I ever decide to join a Red Hat club.  Two new patterns and some big clips.  And soap from Penn Oak Farms.  Not so much this year because Nancy sent me some that she made.  How cool is that.

Well, that’s it for today.  I’ve got things to do.  More pictures tomorrow.

MD Sheep & Wool

May 4, 2008

Oh, man.  Am I tired!  I made it through the whole show in 3 1/2 hours.  Am I good or what.  And I got what I came for.  I did buy a few extras.  I was able to get more yarn to turn the vest kit that I bought last year into a sweater.  She didn’t have the sweater pattern to sell separately, but she I could go directly to the designer for it.  After looking at the sweater, I decided that I didn’t need the sweater pattern.  I found the 47″ 000 needle that Stitches didn’t.  I also found finger weight black at a reasonable price.  Now I can fix my old poncho.  I bought a purse pattern, socks pattern and some markers.  The pins were disappointing so none were bought.  I also got a skein of red and purple in cotton and rayon.  I figure, if I ever join one of those Red Hat clubs, I can make a hat out of it.

It was a perfect day for being outside–sunny, upper 60s to 70 degrees, low humidity with a light breeze.  I bought a waffle cone.  It was yummy.

I have pictures tomorrow.

Girls Day Out

May 3, 2008

There was only three of us this time–Diana, Carolyn and me.  Suzette was supposed to come, but she didn’t show up.  I wanted to give her the baby sweater for Colette’s grandson.

Maybe I’ll call her tomorrow.  There won’t be any pictures for the next few days until I get back.

I’m hoping my battery lasts through Sheep & Wool.

Broken Battery Charger

May 1, 2008
I ordered another one, but it won’t be here in time. I’m leaving tomorrow morning. I have other batteries, but I don’t know if they are fully charged. I want to take it with to Sheep & Wool. Now I have to remember to not take so many pictures. I usually take a bunch and delete a good half of them. I also want to take pictures of the “girls” tomorrow. Poo!

I liked the band at the bottom, so I decided to separate the colors with bands. I know that I should have knitted the first band row, but it’s going to felted anyway, so just shut up. Excuse me. I’m in a mood.

Elvis sleeping in the sun.