Archive for the ‘Sewing’ Category

Quilting Along

September 10, 2008

We had quite a bit of rain this afternoon.  Is this rainstorm  the remnants of a hurricane also?  This one came rather quickly.  I was sitting out back, happily knitting, when it started to pour.  I have almost finished the contrast band and then it’s on to the dreaded thumb gusset.

I couldn’t decide where to begin on my quilt.  I laid it out flat so that I could get a good overall look at it.  All those diagonal blocks were a bit daunting.  After looking at it for a while, I came up with a plan.  It consists of seven parts.  The main design  is part one through four.  I finished part one last night.  It was the hardest and the most confusing.  I had to stop several times to get my bearings.  Currently, I am half way through part two and it’s easier than part one.  Part three will take a little longer, but should not be as confusing as part one.  Part four should be a piece of cake.  Part five is the inner border.  Part six is the other border which is all half squares and will probably take more time than the inner border.  Part seven is the final binding which will also drive me crazy.

I am sorry for forgetting to include a picture of Mary yesterday.  Thanks Christine.

Great Blue Heron

September 9, 2008
Michael

Michael

Both Mary and Michael showed up while I was outside knitting.  Michael came by in the morning and Mary came late in the afternoon.  I was sewing around noon so I don’t know if they saw each other.  Herons are pretty solitary so I don’t think they did.   

Sunny Sunday

September 8, 2008

Maude is much happier today.  She has been out all day terrorizing the neighborhood which certainly beats terrorizing the inside of my house.  She didn’t even come in to nap.  She was a happy girl.

 

 

 

Otherwise, the day was rather uneventful.  I went to knitting group this afternoon.  I did some quilting this evening.  I may have that sucker done in  a week or so.

Autumn

September 2, 2008

I forgot to mention that Autumn received her socks.  I sent along one of my sock patterns and enough yarn to make her own pair.  I hope it inspires her.   I also sent the rest of the yarn in case something happens.  In exchange, she is sending me something truly unique.  I forgot today is Labor Day hence there was no mail and no sock club kit.  Pook.

Poor Gus.  I had to lock him outside so I could work on pinning my quilt in peace.  You would think he was dying.  It was very nice out there, but he could see me and was not at all happy.  There is not much left to pin.  I should be able to start quilting in a day or two.  And then, I can do SOMETHING ELSE!! 

My first glove is almost done.  I worked on it some today.  I needed to get into a comfortable position for a while after all the pinning.  Can you see my little finger sticking out?

Quilt Police

September 1, 2008

I started pinning my quilt this afternoon.  I went about it all wrong.  The quilt police are probably gathering as we speak.  They’ll take it from me and give it to someone who will quilt it according to the rules and regulations set down by some prima donna two hundred years ago.  I did it in a way that made perfect sence to be.  It worked.  So there.   

Orange Crush Quilt

Orange Crush Quilt

I’m about 3/4 of the way up to the armholes on my sweater.  The sleeves are done so I really shouldn’t be thinking about another sweater yet.  Although I really do like the swatch I made with the yellow, orange, green yarn.  And I’ll be getting my next sock club soon.  AND I still have to make gloves to match my Noro socks.  Remember them?
 

No Sanquhar Glove Knitting

August 31, 2008

I didn’t work on my quilt either, and part 3 has been posted.  I copy them and throw them on my sewing

6 pieces of fabric and Vogue Knitting

6 pieces of fabric and Vogue Knitting

cabinet.  Speaking of sewing, I went to Dover this afternoon.  I bought 10 yards of Warm and Natural batting.  It was half price.  Then it broke the fabric reader, so the clerk had to write everything out by hand.  Here’s what I bought.  The stuff on the left is denim with a gold snakeskin design on it—-good for making “guy”containers.  Now that certain men in my life have figured out that I can make covers for pretty much anything, I have to keep appropriate fabric handy.  The cherries is going to be placemats and the rest is quilting projects. 

I buy Vogue Knitting once or twice a year.  Whenever I subscribe, the magazine gets awful so I just pick one up occasionally.

I did a little knitting.  I got out some hand spun yarn I bought at MD Sheep & Wool about 15 years ago and made swatches.  I am trying to decide which looks best.  It’s 100% wool in a soft yellow, green, orange combination.  I’ve looked at several patterns, but I haven’t settled on one thing yet.

Dr Pepper, What Happened?

August 29, 2008

Has it changed?  Or is it me?  I used to like Dr Pepper.  I’d get it when we stopped for fast food.  Since I retired, I have plenty of time to cook so I hadn’t tasted it much in the last few years.  A few weeks ago, we were out doing errands and I was rather tired so I stopped for burgers and I got Dr Pepper.  It seemed weak, but I thought it was from all the ice.  The other day, Doug picked up a case of Dr Pepper at the supermarket.  He has always been a Dr Pepper fan.  He said to try some.  Even straight from the can, it did not have the burst of flavor that I have come to expect.  It’s kind of—–boring.  What happened?

Be sure to get my good side.

Be sure to get my good side.

I decided to work on my quilt this afternoon.  I needed to lay it out on the floor so I folded up my cutting table so I would have plenty of room and light.  Zip took this as a sign for a photo op so here you are.  Maude could have cared less.

 

 

 

 

 

I forgot to take pictures of my gloves, not that I have gotten that much done on them anyway.

Finished Quilt Back

August 20, 2008
quilt back

quilt back

It was hot again today so I was able to finish my quilt back.  And it is the exactly right size.  Sometimes, I am so good, I can’t stand myself.  It isn’t even a 1/4 inch off anywhere.  Now, I have to sandwich it together, which sucks.  It means I’ll have to completely clean off my cutting table.  Trying to do it on the floor would kill me.  I also have to decide how I am going to quilt it.  I never done anything this big before.

I have got to take a better picture of the top

I have got to take a better picture of the top

Doug is not stomping on Gus.  He is about to rub his belly.  No wonder he follows him everywhere.

Only a Few Lines

August 19, 2008

It’s much hotter today.  We put the air conditioning on shortly after getting up this morning.  We took Gus down to the river and walked back through the woods in an effort to keep out of the sun.  I only did a few rows of knitting as it was too hot to sit outside until evening.  I did, however, work on my quilt back.  I may be able to put it together in a few days.  Don’t hold your breath.  That’s about it for today.

Cat Bed

Cat Bed

Day 2 of My New Teeth

July 25, 2008

I was going to post a picture, but I thought that may be a bit too gross.  The uppers are doing good.  The bottoms are so-so.  The bleeding has stopped which is great because it would pool under my tongue and I’m not supposed to spit.  So I lean over the sink and let it drain out.  Wait a minute.  That’s kind of gross, too, ain’t it?  I thought of sitting in front of Doug and letting it ooze out my mouth and watch his reaction, but he is so squeamish that I was afraid he would faint.  It sounded like great fun, but he would be pissed and he might hit his head.  So, I seem to have a sore place where my only three good teeth were located.  The dentist said it probably would be and he was right.  I have some stuff to put on it if I absolutely must, but tonight I get to take them out all night.  Big whoop.  I’ll see how it feels tomorrow.  I am getting used to eating with these things.  It only took me one hour to eat two soggy pieces of French toast and fifteen minutes to eat half a banana.  And you can forget the fresh peaches and blueberries I bought.   I got out some ground sirloin for supper.  Normally, I would make burgers, but not tonight.

I got new stuff today.  The Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric finally came.  It will make some child very happy.  The fabric is good quality.  I need to get it washed one day soon.  I wash all my fabric before sewing to get rid of the smell.  It gives me a headache.

And, my new camera came!  Yeah!  The battery is charging so maybe tomorrow I can play with it.