Archive for the ‘Sewing’ Category

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New Machine, New Software

December 30, 2007
Even though, I still feel crappy from a cold, I drove up to Dover and bought everything I wanted. I’m happy, but tired. If Doug hadn’t taken everything out of my van, it would still be there. He also took my new machine out of the box and set it on my cabinet. I didn’t even bother to tell him that that wasn’t where I wanted it, although I do to pull his chain whenever the occasion arises. My new machine has a longer bed for quilting and the sensor system like I am used to with my SE. The new software will have to wait until I feel better. I really could use a snot vampire right now.

I worked on my hat last night. Elvis was asleep in my lap which made taking pictures a bit difficult. Also, I decided I liked doing the SSK decrease rather than the SKPSSO in the directions.

Here is the first base triangle.

Here, I have completed the base triangles.

Since I am left handed, I usually pick up with my left needle and then knit them right handed.

Now would be a good time to learn to knit backwards so you wouldn’t continually be turning your work. I figured it out on my own. I tried watching closely while knitting and then trying to do it from the left. This isn’t knitting left handed. Some call it knitting back backwards. Since I grew up in a right handed world, it took me about two minutes to get it. Can you do it?

Beginning the first right sloping square.

Finishing the first square and starting on the second square.

The back . Pay no attention to the white threads on the left. Sometimes, cats can be a little too helpful.

First left sloping square.

Left sloping squares row is finished. Can you see Elvis? He loves it when I am making something big. He boroughs right in.

I will be doing the top section next. Don’t forget to make another row of right sloping squares.

 

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No Electrician

December 28, 2007
I got up early this morning so that I would at least be dressed when the electrician came. Of course, he called shortly after that. Someone called with an emergency and could we wait until Monday? Now I am wondering — will he come on New Years Eve? There was some early morning fog hanging over the creek. A Great Blue Heron flew in, a Bald Eagle flew over and a few ducks and geese were in the water. I love living here.

I haven’t done much of anything today. Doug gave me a cold and it has taken up residence in my chest. I talked to my friend, Linda. They have been sick, too, so we won’t be stepping out tonight. We are going to try for tomorrow. I hope I am not too tired. I have to take my SE up to Dover for the new upgrade and I am getting new software. I am also going to look at the Sapphire 830. They are $300 off. It would be nice to sew and embroider at the same time. Quilting would be easier, too.

My entrelac hat is coming along. I will try to post pictures next time.

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Santa is ready to go!

December 22, 2007

Santa, his sleigh, eight reindeer and Rudolph are finally finished.  And I didn’t go insane.  Maude helped me take pictures.

  Here she is positioning Rudolph.

  He’s about to take off.

  She approves.

  Zippo did his usual superior job with the gift wrapping.

Tomorrow, we make pies.  Gus promised to help.  I’m not sure what he means by that.

 

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It’s Very Sad

December 18, 2007

I was decorating the tree today when I discovered something. My son’s favorite Christmas ornament has died. For twenty years, it played Silent Night when it was squeezed. Today, not the slightest sound came from its bowels. Granted, it has been very difficult for it to do more than a few thin bars for the past several years, but at least we knew that it was still alive and kicking. It is very sad. My poor dear son will be heart broken.

On a happier note, I finished putting together Santa and his sleigh. I even bought a bunch of little presnts to put in with him. The tops of the reindeer are together and now I have to glue on their underbellies.

Last night, I sent out all my Christmas cards. And now, the house and tree are decorated. At least something is done. Here is my most cherished ornament. It is the last to go on the tree and the last to come off. And I am the only one allowed to handle it. It was made for me thirty-seven years ago. I can’t say anymore.

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The Mittens are in the Mail

December 14, 2007

I drove up to the post office this afternoon and deposited my package in the slot inside. Mercifully, it just fit. There was a long line at the window and I had more then enough stamps on it. The bridge over the river is out for two weeks so I had to drive out to the highway and come back in. It took about three times as long as usual.

The socks were a pair I started last summer, but forgot about until I was looking for yarn. The mittens were made from Lion Brand yarn that I think my mother had. It said machine washable and dryable on the label. It was the only kind she would use. They are thick and soft so I hope they make someone happy. Now I can get back to my daughter’s tunic. The reindeer are also about done, but I am not looking forward to putting them all together. It will be worth it. They really look good.

 

Here are my oldest and newest Haflingers. I love these shoes. They were made for me. The arch is perfect. I can put on a brand new pair and wear them all day like they were my oldest. That includes walking down to the horse farm with my goofy dog. I wonder how long I can go without scraping them. I bought two pair because that’s what they had on sale in my size.

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Mittens and Reindeer

December 11, 2007

I read this blog about this teacher wanting mittens and socks or slippers for the students at her school. Nearly all of the children come from very poor homes. I wish that I had known about it earlier, but I can’t read everything. So I am knitting mittens and socks. So far, I have made two pairs of mittens and one of socks. I figure I can send everything out by Thursday and it will get there on time. My reindeer are coming along slowly. The thread keeps breaking on this last spool and re-threading is wearing thin on my nerves. I just changed the needle so I know that isn’t it. Why is it always everything or nothing? I still have to finish my daughter’s tunic. I’ll be OK after Thursday. Well, maybe not. I just remembered I offered to knit a pair of gloves as a prize. Oh, wait. I said that I wouldn’t be able to start them until January. Wow. That was close.

I want to thank everyone for the comments. They make me feel like dancing. I will not be posting pictures today. Well, just one. Love ya.

He’s so helpful.

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Myuushi’s Turn

December 8, 2007

Myuushi has been a little snotty lately and he has been sneezing so I decided it was his turn to see the vet. Our little road was still snow covered and icy where the sun hadn’t reached. Main roads were OK, but my vet is also on a little road. We didn’t have to wait very long this time, probably due to the weather. That’s why I decided to go today. He doesn’t take appointments. You have to sign in between 10 and 12 and wait your turn. Some people can’t stand this, but when you have a cat that knows every hidey hole in and around your house, it’s good. The Myuush was very overdue for his distemper for this reason. At least he always got his rabies shots. They held clinics at various schools around the county every Spring. He got two shots and liquid to take. It was 2PM yesterday before he got his first dose. I have learned that it is better to just wait until he shows up. When we moved, it took my husband and son two hours to find him. For a short, fat, football shaped cat, he can certainly be elusive.

I have almost finished my daughter’s tunic. A couple of good movies should do it. I started on a FSL(free standing lace) Santa, sleigh, and nine reindeer. Rudolf will be there, too. I hope I can get it done by Christmas, but it may make me crazy before then. After the embroidery, there are pipe cleaners, wire, glue and a sparkly red nose to deal with. Wish me luck. I have some other sewing to do, but I hate to jump back and forth on projects. I’d never get anything done.

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Rain, Rain, Rain

November 20, 2007

I woke up late due to the rain.  It rained all morning so I decided to drive down to Salisbury to get a haircut.  Monday’s a good day to go, but I took some knitting just to be sure.  Well, I breezed right in.  Of course, if I hadn’t taken anything, I would have had to wait.  Then I went over to TSC for horse treats.  No, I don’t own a horse, but I do walk my dog around a horse farm.   Next stop was Michael’s Crafts.  I needed green pipe cleaners for a Christmas display I am hoping to make for my daughter for Christmas.  They don’t call them pipe cleaners any more. The sales person looked at me like I had three heads.  I found them on my own.  They are now called chenille stems.  That store gives me a headache, but I did find some tiny presents to put in Santa’s tiny sleigh and some cookie sheets.  I’ll post a picture if and when my husband finishes painting the wall and I dare open my sewing machine again.  Hopefully, I will get a chance to finish knitting the gloves tonight and start on the scarf.  I want to do something different, but my brain isn’t in creative mode currently.

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Pickle Run

November 16, 2007

Monday, Jenn and I went on our annual “Pickle Run”.  We didn’t get any pickles this time.  A friend of hers wanted some pickled beets and it seemed like a good excuse.  We also got chow chow, peaches and cranberry applesauce to fill up the case.  Allgyer’s in New Holland, PA make the best bread and butter pickles and pickled beets I have ever tasted.  When the local market stopped carrying them, my daughter wrote to the address on the label.   Mr. Allgyer replied with directions and asked that she call before coming.  He said to let it ring for a long time.  I assume the phone was in the basement where the business was and not in the house.  It was sold to the Smuckers a few years ago, but Mrs. Allgyer assured me that they would be using the same recipes.  And she was right.

We went to Gap to the Mennonite Thrift Store.  I got some Christmas fabric and Jenn got some decorations.  We always find something there.  Then we headed back to Intercourse.  I bought strawberry rhubarb preserves, red raspberry jam, black bean salsa, apricot scone mix, cranberry nut muffin mix and buckwheat pancake mix at the canning store.  We crossed the street and went to the meat market where I got dried beef, German bologna, Lebanon bologna, smoked turkey, Swiss cheese, smokey cheesers and pretzel crackers.  We decided it was time for lunch and went to a little restaurant nearby.   I had a hot turkey sandwich and Jenn had pork barbecue on a roll, our usual.  We stopped at two quilt stores, but I didn’t buy any fabric, just books.  We also did some antiquing.  I found an embroidered hankie which I will use on a blouse.  Jenn got an embroidered doily.  That’s it for now.  My cupcakes might burn.

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Girls Day Out

November 15, 2007

I went up to Hampstead to have lunch with some of the “girls” I used to work with.  We have been doing this for several years.  It started out with three and now it is up to seven of us.  We are mostly retired now except for Diana and she’s goingout at the end of the year.  We talked about all the usual bull crap that you would expect. 

I was a bit surprised when Joan talked about the one thing she would never forget about me.  A man from another division asked me if he might look at my files.  I told him, “I don’t give a shit.”  I don’t remember this incident, but it certainly sounds like me.  This was probably the last thing he ever expected to here from me.  I am sure I did it just to see his reaction.  It’s good to be remembered.

I made everyone key chins with “Girls Day Out” on the backs.  I was going to take pictures, but I forgot.  I guess I am becoming senile.  Here are pictures that I took earlier of the chains.  

 outside-koigu-keychains-012.jpg         outside-koigu-keychains-011.jpg      outside-koigu-keychains-010.jpg

I started this entry last Friday, but the computer I was using began to act weird.  Also, in order to add pictures, I would have had to climb under the desk, and I wasn’t about to do that.  I tried to call my friend, Deb, but no one was home.  I left a message, but she never called me back.  I think she is mad at me again.  She has been mad at everything and everyone lately.  She stopped seeing her shrink a few months ago and it has really started to show.  I can only take so much and I get depressed, too.  I have had depression and been through it with family and another friend.  I hope that her family and friends can help her.  On to more pleasant things—

I spent a lot of time with my son on Saturday and Sunday.  He has to take care of the house on his own now and there are a lot of little things that he needs to be aware of.  He has really grown up since he started college and I will be extremely happy to see him graduate this year.  We went to Cheeberger Cheeberger.  I had the best burger and the fries and onion rings were excellent!  I regretted it the next day, but what the hey.  We had a good time and we talked a lot. 

  

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