Archive for the ‘Sewing’ Category

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It was Fun, But….

April 11, 2011

I’m glad to be home.  I had to stay until late Friday as I had something repaired and it wasn’t finished.  Then  I didn’t leave until Saturday morning due to the rain.  It was bad enough going out in it during the day.  I didn’t relish driving in the dark in the rain for two hours.

TWO DAYS LATER

I finally made it to DMV to renew my license.  I didn’t take all that crap with me so it’s not ‘federally compliant’.  It doesn’t have to be done until 2014, but my license is good until 2016.  Maybe I’ll find it by then.  Or maybe I won’t.  Having worked for the feds for 30 some years and several administrations, I’ll wait and see.  Oh.  One more thing.  I had to pay a late fee of $1.15.  One dollar and fifteen cents!

I just finished my Mermaid Scarf.  Sorry, but there will be no picture yet.  My laptop and good camera aren’t talking again. I still need to steam it so it will look better tomorrow anyway.   And I’ve started sewing my little quilt together.  I don’t know why sewing little squares together is so enjoyable. 

Tomorrow is Rue’s big day.  He’s going to be tutored.  The girls are all laughing at him.

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Still in Reisterstown

March 25, 2011

I was going to leave this morning, but my son wanted me to go shopping with him.  So I went to the Amish market.  I bought a stuffed pork chop for supper.  They are really big, so one if enough for two people.  I picked up some creamed spinach to go with it.  I also got ham spread, macaroni salad, cheese and cheese bread for Sweetums. 

Since it’s so cold out, I went on down to Jo Ann’s and bought a Lucy Neatby DVD.  I got ribbon feet from Viking.  They look like fun.  Darn.  Now I am thinking about sewing and wishing I had brought a machine with me.  I had just cut out a bunch of squares for a little quilt before I left home and I really want to get back to it. 

I do have my knitting.  I forgot to bring extra needles for the hat.  I am working on the decreases and finally had to stop.  So I am working on the mitered sweater.  Miters are fun to do and I’m about 3/4 finished on the body.  The pattern that I’m ‘kinda’ using has the sleeves worked separately, but I think I will work them from the shoulders down.  That will eliminate the seams.    

Still reading?  Well, I’m surprised.  I know this has been a pretty boring post so I’ll add some random pictures for you.

Spoiled cat.

Hanover Road, 2/2010.

My son’s girlfriend.

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I Haven’t Opened My Laptop in Days

March 22, 2011

I am definitely out of Standard mode and into Daylight Saving mode.  I wasn’t so sure it would happen last week.  I took me a few days to get cranked up.  I think Friday really did it for me.  It was in the upper 70s and I could sit outside and look over the water.  Even though it has cooled down and rained, I still feel good. 

I made two of these for our bedside tables.  Sweetums had asked for something for his, so I made a matching set.  It was a lot of fun, but it used a lot of embroidery thread, almost a 1000 meter spool.  I made these from a fat quarter bundle.  There’s still a lot left.  I could make runners for our dressers.  It would look better than what is there now.  Maybe.  The thing is– I’ve all ready started a small quilt.  It should cover the dining room table.

 This hat is going well.  I am almost ready to start decreasing which may get a little tricky.  I don’t want the decreases to look too obvious and still keep the same look.  I am going to need some quiet time.  I’m going to Reisterstown for a few days, so maybe then when my son is at work.  Who am I kidding?  I’ll probably go shopping.  I’ve all ready printed out the JoAnn’s coupon and am thinking about which yarn shops to visit.

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Going from Disorganized to Organized

February 25, 2011

I’m trying.  Really I am.  But, it’s so hard.  It’s just not in me.  Sweetums had Frank build me a big bookcase for my books and magazines.  And it is so nice to have them all in one place.  I even have them in some kind of order.  So now it’s on to the magazines.  I all ready have an old metal case full of semi-organized magazines, but that was filled over five years ago.  Yes, I know that I should get rid of some.  I probably will one of these days, but not yet.  I have managed to dispose of some of my needles and yarn.  I should count for something.  Right?  So.  I bought eight magazine holders today.  That’s enough for one day.

 I’ve been playing with my embroidery machine.  I bought this program last month for table runners made in the hoop.  It’s been a lot of fun.  This one is for Sweetums’ night table.

And here’s the back.   I bought a few other interesting items.

And, here’s another sock.  I like the Angora accent.

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I Made Mittens

February 1, 2011

It is amazing what you will find when you try to get organized.  I bought this kit from Beth Brown-Reisel about twenty years ago at Stitches.  I also bought some of her yarn for a tam.  She doesn’t sell yarn anymore, which is sad because the yarn was really lovely.  I made that tam right away and wore it for several years.  But now, I could not for the life of me, remember what happened to it. 

My daughter’s GPS case is finally starting to take shape.  The faux swede is a bitch to work with, but it will make a great lining.  I want to finish it by tomorrow so I can take it with me if I decide to go to Reisterstown on Thursday.  So, I guess I had better get back to work.

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Felting

January 27, 2011

A friend of mine asked me about felting yesterday.  She made a bag to hang on her spinning wheel.  Since I haven’t taken up spinning, I can’t really picture where it goes.   But it needed felting so I thought I would include what I said here.

‘I don’t bother with a pillowcase.  I’ve never put a towel in either.  I like man jeans.  You know, the heavy kind that take forever to dry.  Luckily, that’s what Win and Doug wear.  Tennis shoes are good, but your machine might not like them, especially if they are 13’s.  Speaking of machines, I hope you don’t have a front loader.  If you do, you’re screwed.  Anyway, I reset my machine twice for my bags for a total of about 40 minutes agitation.  I have had some things take as little as ten minutes so you’ve got to check it.  I use hot water and any detergent.  I also keep a heavy stick (like a plunger) and a mixing bowl handy.  When it’s the way I want it, I let the washer finish.  You may have to steam it some to reshape it.  I look around for something to put it on to dry–a vase, jar, glass head.  You can also stuff it with plastic bags to help keep its shape.  Have I said enough?  Have I said too much?  Oh!  And there’s always YouTube.’
 
My girl friend makes very nice yarn. It knits up beautifully and is very easy on your hands.  I made her a sweater with her yarn and she made me a very pretty triangular shawl that she wove.  Right now, it’s hanging over the door to keep the cats off it.   It is soft enough to wear on bare skin.  I even like the fuzzy fringe–which Rue especially likes.

Will I ever take up spinning?  I really don’t think so.  Do you have any idea how much yarn I have?  Why do you think I’ve making all these hats?  And do you know what spinning leads to?  Dyeing!  Weaving!  I make myself crazy enough with the knitting and the sewing.   I’d need another house.  Wait a minute.  I have another house.  But, it’s two hours away and I don’t like living there.  But my son is happy there.

I need to get some sewing done.  We had tossed a bunch of knitted items on my Sapphire while we were trying to organize the yarn.  I tried to put some things in a storage box, but Flo decided that it was a great place to nap.  Maybe tomorrow.

I came up with another idea for a hat last night using Colinette Point Five yarn.  I need to get the last hat written.  Pattern writing takes a lot of time and I don’t like having to explain everything little thing.  I feel like I’m saying the same thing over and over. 

Maybe over the summer I’ll make hats and try selling them on Etsy in the Fall.  I could make matching scaves and/or mittens.  I also have other things that were more fun to make than wear.  Hmm….

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Going to Loews

December 31, 2010

This store fascinates me.  I never seem to find what I want.  OK. I am rather particular.  I can see in my mind’s eye exactly what I want and I try to find something close, but I just can’t do it.  And, unfortunately, I think it’s rubbing off on Sweetums.  Poor baby.  So we looked at washing machines, gas cooktops and electric ovens.  I actually did find a washing machine that does just about everything that I want it to do.  There was a whole aisle of front loaders so I went to the next one.  I don’t see how a fiber person can put up with those things.  They seem to have more top loaders than last time and I saw more with a warm rinse.  I also require a variety of cycles.  I found a Maytag that would do and it wasn’t even the most expensive.  When the time comes, I’ll get it and whatever dryer goes with it.  I don’t use dryers that much anyway.  Now that we have propane, I can get a gas dryer.  Yeah!  The new set will have to go on the main floor or, at least, the garage, so that I can have easy access.  I have to wait for Sweetums to decide where. 

I invariably find something I can use.  This time it was clear plastic storage boxes.  I like the way the tops close, the size, the indented handles, the stackability(is that a word?), and the price.  They were $3.  What’s not to like?  I bought eight.  And, the next day, I went back and bought eight more.   Of course, now I have to fill them.  Ugh.  I think I’ll drag out the cardboard boxes and dump everything on the dining room table.  Anyone care to help?  You will be rewarded.  Who knows what untold treasures lie within?

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Leafprints Shawl 2

November 30, 2010

I had such a good time making the first one that I decided to make another.  This time I found a cotton/viscose blend in a DK weight in my stash.  I used my size 7 circular Signature Art Needle.  It worked great.  There was not the catching problem that usually goes with this type of yarn.   The needle was smooth.  The cable was smooth.  The join was smooth.  What more do you want?  Actually, what I want is more sizes.  But, I can wait.  They’re worth it.

I knit until I almost ran out of yarn.  Luckily, it was at the end of a leaf.  I had three small skeins that were 110 yards each.  Then I found four more in a beautiful aqua/turquoise/teal so I started another one. 

When I came to the end of the first skein I decided to stripe it, changing colors every other row.  I had two light and two dark skeins.  It’ll have to do.

I’ve been working on a personal tag for a bag I am giving my daughter.  I’ve had the front for a while and I finally got around to making the back with her first name.  I put magnetic snaps on the strap because I’ve never used them before.  If you’re lucky, I’ll have a picture of the completed project tomorrow.  Then, maybe, I can start a Christmas table runner.  I need to do something to get me in the mood. 

 Nothing gets Cora in the mood, except, maybe, food.  See that poor flower in the hanging basket outside?  They all died the other night when it got below freezing for the first time.  Can winter be far behind?  It is so hard to believe that I was in North Dakota a month ago.

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It’s Been a Week

November 22, 2010

I was busy.  I didn’t feel like it.  I had a little cold.  I was too grumpy.  Take your pick.  Or, pick them all.  And now for some good news.

The new kitchen cabinets have been fixed and reinstalled.  Sweetums has all ready taken all the hanging pots and pans down and put them away in drawers.   However, he needs to learn that the heaviest ones do not need to go in the bottom drawers.  He also took down the ugly, dirty rack.  No one is in danger of getting hit anymore.  The next thing on our list is taking down the wall.  I hope it is in Frank’s repertoire.

The tunic is finished.  I need to wash it again before sending it off.  I love this pattern.  It’s so great for winter.  I also loving having both my machines up and running at the same time.  Making this garment took so much less time than the others that I have made.  Sewing is fun again.

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“What’s for Supper?”

November 5, 2010

I really didn’t want to hear those words.  Was it that late?  “I don’t know.  I’m busy.”  When I’m working on something, I hate to stop in the middle.  It has never occurred to him that I might want to finish what I’m doing before doing what he wants.  So I ignore him and keep working.  I was almost finished anyway.  What’s an extra 15 or 20 minutes?  What was I doing?  I was making my tunic pattern in another size.  I was hoping to use the same facings, but they just refused to fit.  I managed to cut new ones out of some scraps.  I headed to the kitchen and started digging around.  I found some small red potatoes that I had bought at a vegetable stand that had closed about a month so I figured it was time to eat them.  I washed and scraped them and put them in the microwave.  I found some frozen scallops which I thawed in the sink.  What about veggies?  Well, there’s leftovers and corn(Doug’s favorite).  I sautéed the scallops with a little butter, parsley, dill, onion, garlic and bacon.  They were good.  Doug dumped salsa on his.  He dumps salsa on just about everything.  Sometimes I wonder.

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