Tag Archives: Sewing

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Quickies

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What’s going on right now:

  • There’s 14 1/2 dozen eggs in my fridge right now.  It’s getting dire, people.  I am going to start doing egg drops on peoples’ doorsteps.
  • I’ve been reading 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C Mann and I am loving it.  There’s all kinds of great little – known facts about the impact that contact with the “New World” made globally. Did you know that at Columbus’ time (he was called Cristobal Colon then, btw) people had known for years the earth was round; Columbus (or Colon) insisted it was pear – shaped, with the very top resembling a woman’s nipple?  Did you know earthworms were unknown in the Americas before the Europeans arrived?  Or that Pocahontas’ name was actually “Mataoka”.  The name “Pocahontas” was a nickname which meant “Little Hellion”?
  • I’m working furiously on Wicked using the luscious Superfine Alpaca yarn Caroline and I bought from the Montpelier Fiber Festival in the fall.  It’s very slow going, and normally I would be ultra bored with it by now, but the yarn is just so wonderful I can’t put it down.
  • To assist with all that knitting – we got a new dvd player.  Okay, we got it because our old one broke.  Paul picked up a new one with all these crazy bells and whistles that I can barely figure out BUT.  I can access my Amazon Prime account through the dvd player so that I can watch any of the streaming shows and movies from my online account ON MY TV!!!  I know I am so late to the party on this but I am very much enjoying it!  Now I don’t have to rely on my laptop to watch Downton Abbey!!!  (And goodness, if you haven’t been watching Downton Abbey, please do.  It is so very good!)
  • I started working out every day back in January.  I’ve been alternating between a strength – training Pilates program with resistance bands and an “Ease into 5K” program on the elliptical.  I also gave up soda completely and have replaced it with green tea.  My favorite is The Republic of Tea’s Blueberry Green Tea.  I’m feeling pretty good.  My goal is to run on the beach this August during my book club beach weekend.  My super – fit friend Beth runs every morning while we are there, and this year I plan to join her.
  • Today I got my spinach and broccoli planted.  As last year, I am using all heritage non – GMO seeds from Baker Creek.  We’ve expanded the vegetable garden site and I am excited for all the fresh veg we’ll have this year!
  • Last but not least, I bought supplies to take to Juniper Moon Farm this weekend where I will get to meet Lizzy House! She’s giving a quilting workshop and I get to go sew with some of my favorite people (and meet Lizzy House!!!!!!)

What are you up to this week????

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Yesterday

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Yesterday was the kind of January day I need more often.  The kind where you get a surprise snow shower and have plenty of knitting and reading, and a full tank of propane to keep the fireplace lit all day.

The snow barely stuck and was over too quickly, but it was lovely while it lasted.  Oona kept begging to go play in it – but it was too wet and muddy out.

I did manage to block a sweater I finished back in November after we finished up school for the day, and installed our new National Geographic Complete Collection onto my computer (the girls will be using this for social studies).

Paul will be having back surgery soon (nothing to worry about – we are looking forward to some relief for his pain) and I am hoping for winter to finally show up in force afterwards since he will have a several week recovery at home (and we won’t have to go anywhere).   For now the kids are indignant that the sun is out and temperatures are hanging in the 50’s. So am I.

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Counting Down the Days

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As the days race toward Christmas it is getting more and more difficult to keep the kids focused on schoolwork.  They’ve got the proverbial “visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads”. 

Admittedly, I do as well.  If I weren’t so busy with the business of school, housework, grocery shopping and all the other mundane tasks that take up my time I would be spending my days on holiday crafts and making every corner of the house bright.

Today I relented somewhat, and after some perfunctory math and writing exercises we dove into some paper crafts.  Hand prints on brown paper became reindeer ornaments, colored construction paper became the backdrop for wintery tomten pictures.

I am quite taken with Scandinavian style and folklore, and the tomten is no exception.  I think I like him particularly because of his traditional connection to farmers.  On a lark I traced out a paper cut design to see if I could make a reasonable garland from red paper.

Well, it is reasonable.  I didn’t say I was making a stellar garland.  I wanted this for over the kitchen sink, and that is where these little fellows hang, for now.  The construction paper was a bit too something.  Not quite right for this project.  Tissue paper was too thin.  I am thinking I will re-do this not on paper, but perhaps on felt.  Much sturdier, no need for tape.  That way it can also be reused every year.  Perhaps some single appliques for pillows even?

This holiday season is going to fly by way too quickly for me to accomplish all of the blissfully fun things I want to do.  St. Lucia’s Day is coming up soon and there are buns to bake.  The solstice will be here not long after and there will be celebrating to be done then.  Before we know it SAnta will be making his yearly deliveries and just like that it will be over.

But, then I suppose the season wouldn’t be so special if it weren’t also so very fleeting.

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The Trouble With Sunday Sewing

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I’ve been desperately trying to follow the example of my friend Marie Grace and make Sundays all about sewing.  There always seems however, to be something going on that needs my attention and so yesterday was the first Sunday that I was able to throw down roots in the craft room and say “Sewing Only!”

It went more slowly than I would have liked.  This was mostly because I had to clean a path to the sewing machine and neaten up my space a bit.  This is problem numero uno with having your craft room in a corner of the playroom.

I managed to finish a dress I had started a month or so ago for Oona (pics later) and I started on a simple throw quilt for the couch in a christmas-y pattern that matches my tablecloth (who doesn’t love a nice red and white toile for christmas?).  All that it is composed of is two lengths of coordinating fabric with some wool batting sandwiched between and some top – stitching.  No piecing to do, no applique.  I am using an old “Favorite Things” pattern called “French Bedroom“.

Which brings me to my second problem with Sewing Sunday.  I always seem to have “help”.  Especially when working on a cozy wool – filled blanket.

See there in the background?  Occasionally a paw will reach forth and grab at my work, making for slow going.  Then, this happens:

He makes himself comfortable right where I need him NOT to be.

As “helpful” as all this is, it is still an improvement over his “help” earlier in the day.  You see, I started off Sewing Sunday with him knocking a full glass of water into my lap as I sat at my desk getting my sewing supplies in order.

Anyway I got a fair amount of work done on the quilt before retiring to bed, where the cat promptly deposited himself on my face for the night.

The end.

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Sewing Frenzy

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I’ve been spending most of the hot days lately inside the craft room, air conditioning on full blast, sewing.  I just can’t get myself to knit when it’s this brutal out.  I still have piles of unfinished sewing to get to, but this is what I’ve finished up this week.

First, an Oliver & S dress for Oona.

Next up I have been working on some new pj pants for everyone.  The pattern is from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross.  So far Oona and Neve’s are finished, using fabric sent to us by the always delightful Jellenp.

They’ve been wearing them non – stop and I can’t wait to finish mine so I can be all comfortable, too!

Lastly for now I am pleased to have finished my Traveler Dress from Sew Lisette.  I had to make some adjustments to the pattern for it to fit properly (the waist was far too low and I had a bit of trouble with the collar) but I am really happy with how it looks on me.  The fabric is from Anna Maria Horner and I just adore it.

I may have to make one in the orange version of this fabric, too.

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Staying Productive

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As I mentioned last time, the kids are away this week and so the pressure is on to get things done before they get back.  It’s actually more difficult than I would have thought, because with no one needing me every ten seconds I can lose myself in things for a lot longer than I probably should and before I know it I’ve spent far too long reading rather than cleaning.

It’s okay.  Relaxation is good for me, too.

Yesterday I spent the day with Susan and Caroline over at the farm working on sewing projects.  We had all been lusting after a dress made with  this pattern, and it just so happened that I have it.  We played with fabrics and zippers and sewing machines and in the end managed to finish a skirt from this Amy Butler pattern.  We’re not necessarily the most productive team when we’re having too much fun enjoying each others’ company.  But it was just what I needed to break up a week of sequestering myself for the purpose of house cleansing.  Being around the animals and hearing the sweet “baaahs” and “maaahs” is wonderfully rejuvenating.

And now, on to the BIG news.

I will be shortly giving away 3 skeins of Noro Silk Garden RIGHT HERE to one lucky reader.

Details to come!!!!!!

Gratuitous Wren picture.  Lord, I love that lamb!

 

 

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Busy Week

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This week the girls are staying with their grandparents in New York and the pressure is on to get things done!

Don’t worry, I am making sure to have plenty of relaxing down time as well.  Lots of Japser – cat cuddle time is happening, lots of knitting time with Gulliver in my lap, lots of catching up on the tv I can’t watch with kids around.

BUT.

Also lots of cleaning out, throwing away, packing up for storage, weeding, steam cleaning, etc.  You get the idea.

Even better, lots of knitting and sewing.  I am getting ready to put the finishing touches on a strip patchwork quilt using all of my precious discontinued  Heather Ross fabrics.

It’s looking better than I could have hoped, and I found a queen – sized flat sheet at WalMart that looks very similar to one of the Heather Ross polka dot fabrics.  It’s doing nicely as my quilt backing.

But it won’t get done tonight.

Tonight I am taking Maddie to PF Chang’s as a belated birthday gift.

Hooray!

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Serging Happiness

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Susan was kind enough to let me borrow her serger last week.  I had a pile of fabric scraps that were too small for any real projects and too big to throw away, so I thought “napkins”!  And “dishtowels”!

The serger sat for a week before I had time to use it (newborn lambies are much more fun to play with!) but last night I sat down a sewed up a whole big pile o’ cloth napkins.

There’s no real matching sets to speak of, they’re not all exactly the same size.  But I love, love, LOVE how they came out.  The serged edges look so much nicer than a plain fold – over hem would.

Now I am thinking about all of the cute clothing projects I could finish up with such lovely seams!

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Ooh La La!

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I finished sewing up Maddie’s Halloween costume last night and I am rather proud, if I do say so myself.  I wanted to get some pictures of her modeling it, but then I thought better of it.  She’s going as a “Ventriloquist Dummy”, but wanted me to make her a corset/bustier top.  I wasn’t sure how appropriate it would be to post her in it.

So, even though it doesn’t do the sewing justice, here’s what it looks like (and please look away from the liner fabric- it’s just a costume, afterall).

Still to be completed are Emily’s “Legend of Zelda” costume, Neve’s “Flamingo Princess” costume, and Oona’s Lamb costume.