Showing posts with label knitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label knitting. Show all posts

May 16, 2016

Monday, Monday

Monday, Monday, so good to me
Monday mornin', it was all I hoped it would be
Oh Monday mornin', Monday mornin' couldn't guarantee
That Monday evenin' you would still be here with me.

Oops, sorry--reminded me of the Mamas and Papas lyric.

So hope you had a good weekend.  It was fairly quiet around here though I did a bit of running around.  I had fasting lab to do ahead of my routine MD checkup this week and had just walked back in the door when Jane called to see if I wanted to run over to the Ashville House Quilt Shop with her and stop for a bite to eat.  Our friend Aline is laid up right now due to a recent accident so we stopped to see her on the way.  Well, on the way back too since she asked us to pick something up that the shop had set aside for her along with their block of the month patterns.  Aline has asked me to finish the assembly on her D9P for guild since she will be unable to sew for a bit.  Not my favorite pattern-- hers either now that she has done one, LOL--but I do want to help out my pal.  The blocks are done so just put them together and double border it .

I paired up some more block pairs for Charming Boxes on Friday but took a break from sewing for a couple of days.  Worked on my knitting-- I should be able to get this one finished and one more out of the ball.  I have ran errands, made some Taco Pasta Salad*** (recipe will be posted below though I didn't exactly follow it this time!) , balanced the checking account---some silly errors and omission of entries will mess you up every time, won't they?  Basic home stuff but no cleaning.  I'm still having a bit of trouble with the vertigo.  After looking for Oscar under the bed, I realized afresh that I should NOT do stuff like that right now!


Saturday the Postal Service had their annual "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive.  Since I was not sure I would catch the carrier, I took my donation stuff into the local post office instead.  Then on to the recycle bins on my way down to Golden Springs Baptist Church as they were having their bi-annual Car and Quilt Show.  Antique or classic cars for the guys out in the parking lot and quilts set up inside the gym area.  I've got some pictures on my camera that I'll probably post later.  Ran into some quilting buddies there, of course.  They were also having Lick Skillet Days in downtown Oxford and I think that guild was doing quilting demos but I passed on that.  Circled through Zaxby's on the way back and headed for home.

Yesterday afternoon I headed back to the sewing machine.   I had picked up a couple batik charm packs at the quilt shop the other day and said "this looks like the ones you used on your block, Jane."  She said she would let me use her leftovers and dropped them by the house so I used them in 3 more of the blocks and sort of a matching one to her block but down lower and reversed the block orientation.  When the dust settled, I found I only had 2 more blocks to make.  I was trying to decide on what colors to use in the last row and repositioned some more blocks so let it rest for a bit but later paired up what I needed.  Put those together this morning so this is the final layout.  I got them stacked in rows and pinned together so I am NOT going to be tempted to tweak this any further!!  I scattered the colors the best I could as there is quite a bit of blue in here as it turns out.  Purple in every row and a cream/yellow too, red/pink as well.  It will be fine.



I'll go back in the sewing room in a bit to get started.  Oscar is making going outside indications so I will heed the whining and stretch both of our legs.  THX for stopping by---------

****
Okay, this time making this instead of another dish was a last minute plan SOOO I had to used petite diced canned tomatoes instead of chopped fresh Roma ones.  I also did not have any shredded cheese so I chunked up a couple oz, of Velveeta instead and tossed that in with the warmed noodles.  I like that better as the cheese got all melt-y in the rotini swirls as it would when you make tuna mac salad.  I will do that again.  (There are two things from growing up that I still eat routinely--grilled cheese made with Velveeta and PBJ sandwiches)  I realized I had accidentally gotten chopped black olives instead of sliced.  I used some of the can but WON'T do that again, LOL.   It still makes a ton of it and I put half of it in the freezer.

Taco Pasta Salad

It makes a big recipe and even halved it made up about 12 cups of salad.  I added about a 1/2 can each of drained fire-roasted corn and black beans, rinsed as I like them--a lot.  I would also add some chopped green onion or recommend browning some diced onion with the ground beef.
This is for the larger amount.

16 oz. container of rotini, cooked and drained
1 lb. of ground beef,  browned and drained 
1 envelope taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
8 oz. shredded Cheese---I used Mexican blend****
4 oz. sliced black olives, drained
1 chopped tomato
chopped green pepper
chopped onion---I cooked mine with the meat
chopped avocado might be good on this too but I used some corn and beans instead 
16 oz. bottle of Catalina dressing---I used Kraft Light and dialed it back a bit

Prepare the rotini--toss in a tad of the dressing to keep the noodles from sticking. Prepare the meat adding the taco seasoning and water till the liquid is reduced as you do in making tacos.  Combine the two and refrigerate for a hour or so.

I just mixed all the veggies and then added them to the rotini and beef.  Toss with the dressing.  Add the cheese before serving.   ****See my note about the Velveeta substitution.  





May 21, 2015

Thursday check-in


This probably says it all---"I'd Rather Be Quilting".  (The T is a needle and thread and does not show up so well.)  Alabama does not require a front and back license plate so the front is open to showing off your team spirit, hobbies, your grandkids, whatever. Naturally I want mine to say something about quilting or sewing.  For years I had a heavy plastic type "license" that read "Quilter on the Move" that I had gotten at Quiltmaker's Workshop in Trussville buying it with some birthday money.   When I sold the 2nd car after DJ's passing, it was showing some cracks and I taped it up with packing tape and continued to use it on the Pontiac.  Well, last month when I was going to pick up Janet at the ATL airport, I noticed only a few pieces of the plastic remained.  The car looked naked!  I found this at Cafe Press , aluminum and sturdy.  Back in business, so to speak.

Mostly I have just been thinking about quilting.  Oh, I have had the machine sitting out since the Belles meeting 9 days ago but did not touch it till yesterday---and then it was only to swap out to the one I quilt with.   The grandmother had called to make arrangements for me to drop off the quilt on Tuesday.  She decided that I needed to put a couple quilting lines through her embroidered piece after all.  I drug it back home but also came back with a robe she needed hemmed up.  She knows I hate to do mending and/or alterations but this time I agreed to do it.  I set up the room to quilt which took longer than it did to actually do those two lines.  Then un-did the process, put on a walking foot, knit needle and fixed the robe.    I met her halfway and handed off the quilt on Wednesday morning as she was going to her daughter's in the ATL area for the day.  Tomorrow, I'll hand off the robe.

I did one other thing last evening on the machine when I put a buttonhole in the little bag I haul around with me when I walk to accomodate headphone jack.  The bag is just big enough to hold my cell phone, my drivers license, a small container of Purell,  lip balm, whatever.  I have also attached a lap counter (really a Clover knitting counter re-purposed)  to a decorative button hiding the Velcro closure, dangling by a piece of matching rat-tail trim.  My ipod shuffle just died and I don't know if they even make them anymore with the prolieration of cell phones with music apps.  I'm going to miss that thing!  Phone service is not so realiable for streaming, I am finding.

This chromebook is acting up too.  Keeps shutting itself off, the F key sticks but always has.  Last night the cursor got stuck in place and I couldn't power down.  I had to let the power run down completely and then this morning I was able to start anew while it recharged.  Isn't technology fun?  I see replacement coming its way at this rate.  I love this tablet's features and barely turn on the desktop anymore but do not love the aggravations!

Now that the park is no longer a muddy, puddly mess I decided I better get my behind out walking.   I've been at it for a little over a week going 6 or 7 laps each time out in addition to the 3-4 times out walking the lane with Oscar.  The park is a little over a quarter mile meaning I am going 1.68 or 1.96 miles.  The lane measures 0.36 round trip so add another mile to the daily totals.  I better be seeing that scale needle making some movement downward!!  Lately it is up a pound or two, then down, then up---aggravating.   I drag out of bed, feed Skyler, put Oscar outside till I get back, walk and feed him, hit the shower, eat breakfast, do laundry if needed.  A routine is established.

Monday was routine checkup day at the doctor's.  He congratulated me on the strides in the weight department,  "I knew there was something different about you today", he says. Then he was teasing me about getting ready to find some male companionship.  Mentally I am not ready for that!  Not even if I dropped another 30 lbs would I be ready for that physically.  Sheesh.   His long time nurse commented on the new hair-do.   I told the Doctor that the haircut might be part of the change in appearance.

Tuesday was binge cook day.  And laundry.  I re-set my phone, updated the desktop.  I'm keeping busy, just not sewing much.   I have been knitting a bit on this Mary's Blanket that Susan T suggested to me some time back.  Not sure which baby might get this as I know my sister Janet is apt to make her grandbaby one.  I just piddle with this anyway.   She made a beautiful feather and fan one that I think went to my nephew's baby girl.   I helped her figure out the pattern awhile ago and she ran with it!   Here is the POST where I showed and told about it.



Day is half over and I am still not sure what I want to do today.  I'll figure it out, LOL.  Read, sew?  No errands to run.  I've done the Dead Red series of books on Kindle by RP Dahlke recently on my friend Gene's recommendation.  THX for that!

Mar 28, 2014

odds and ends

I've just been sort of piddling around the house today though a couple of errands were run as well.  Yesterday ended up being a bit of a paperwork day.  Actually I should be working on the guild newsletter now but I am waiting for a column that is always included.  I'll get started on the shell of it in a bit and then pop that part in when it shows up.



Today I got to play with the cordless drill.  DJ sort of "killed" the old Black and Decker one I had asked for years ago.  When it came time to replace it, I just told him to get what he wanted,  as I had not used it in years.  I wanted to move a few pictures around in his room and needed to drill for the hollow wall anchors.   The existing holes he had made were mostly not centered or in  goofy places so I made more after reviewing on you tube how to install one.

 Anyway, there is now a wall clock in there, what was in that spot is moved to an opposite wall and the winter snow scene picture that he always had above the coach is now above the bed.
 
Of course, this above is where the bed used to sit.  If  you are NOT going to sew then at least you can use the sewing machines as weights!  I am trying to get the fold marks out of the chair mat thing.  Between the heavy tote chocked full of Christmas fabric and three machines, I think it is coming around to my way of thinking.  The packaging said to give it 24-48 hours to let it acclimate to the room temperatures and something about putting it in the warm sun.  Well, I think that just crinkled it up more and I had a hard enough time getting it shoved under the desk legs to pull it out and try it again.  Some day, I'll actually use one of those machines for its intended purpose.

I had shared the next picture on Facebook.    Not long after I had returned from Illinois and DJ's funeral, I asked my friend and neighbor Glynda if she could possibly fashion me a wreath with some of the pieces from two of his floral arrangements.  I knew that she had done this sort of thing in the past as she had some arrangements she had made for sale in the previous beauty shop.  The blue silk flowers had been included in a large peace lily planting sent by a friend and her son.   The grapevine wreath material she mounted this two was in another stylized easel type arrangement of cut flowers from friends in my former quilt guild Hands All Around.  Some it remains for a future craft project if I cannot manage to get a shape made from the plentiful kudzu vines around here.  Glynda added the ivy and the yellow flowers as well as the J for our last name and the kitty.  She told me she was looking for a black and white cat like Skyler but had no luck.  I love it and isn't going to be lovely hanging for the spring and summer months?

Speaking of kitties:

We seem to have gotten ourselves a neighborhood cat.   Female, calico and she has 5 toes.  Sweet cat, very friendly but does she actually belong to some one??  She makes the rounds and seems to head out of the nearby subdivision.   Glynda thinks she might be pregnant and judging by the way she is wolfing down the dry food I put out for her she may be on to something.



I couldn't get her to stand still long enough to be a better picture of her little face.  Like Skyler, they move too quickly.   She doesn't seem to be too curious about Skyler though.  Glynda picked her up so they could sniff each other through the screen door and all she did was hiss at him.







He knows something is up.

Here he is trying to spot her as she is near the bushes on the driveway.   He is back to running from door to door to see if he can see anything, will lay for  hours in front of the door in the sun if the weather permits.   He cries and cries when he thinks she might be out there or if I am out there with her.   He used to do that same thing if DJ and I were out on the carport and he wanted us to come in where he was!!  He does NOT go out.

 Today it is not terribly cold but it has been raining off and on, a bit windy at times.  I emptied almost 2 inches from the rain gauge this morning.  I pulled some weeds while I was out there from the rock garden  area.  That same nettle stuff from the yard is trying to establish itself around the nandinas we have planted out there.  I'm getting out the Roundup once the I know it is going to be dry for a few days.

And lastly for pictures anyway, Susan asked how my knitting is coming.  She had pointed me to the pattern for Mary's blanket having done it up in a soft pretty yellow for a little one in her life.


Mine is actually called "almond".  I did a good bit of this in the car on the way up to Pigeon Forge last week.  Not so much on the way back since I told you I was beginning to get sick.   I've done a bit of my embroidery a few nights this week and have made some good progress on my piece.  Another day or two and I might be ready to continue on with the the pieced elements.  No, I cannot show you as it is for the "What is Your Superpower?" blog hop that is coming up in April.  The preliminary schedule has my featured day scheduled for April 17th.

I have been quite remiss in helping to promote the current blog hop which is Flags on a Stick!  Thearica of Pigtales and Quilts is head cheerleader and as always, this comes from the mind of our fearless leader Mdm. Samm of sewwequilt.  It started on the 25th so today is Day 4 and it will run through April 3rd.  We take the weekends off so you can catch up or catch the Pinterest page for the entrants pictures if you are short on time.  Each hop has its own board.  http://www.pinterest.com/mdmsamm/ will take you there.  I know I have some catching up to do myself!

Here is the entire schedule:

Meadowbrook

Jun 17, 2013

a little creativity this past weekend

Finish up with one hat and start another though a slightly different style to use up the rest of the skein.

Actually this morning I am sort of in a holding pattern.  I had run an errand on Saturday and once I loaded the car with the grocery items, the car would not start, just groaned a bit.  Battery light came on, etc.  I called DJ to come get me and give him time to see what to do next.  Of course, it is Saturday, the garage we use is closed.  I told the store manager that the car might have to set a bit.  At least it was out of the way of the prime parking spots at the side of the building.

We stopped to see if our neighbor Robert had any jumper cables.  He and Robert went back in Robert's truck, jumped it and DJ went off to Auto Zone with the now running vehicle, looking to replace the approximately 5 year old battery.  They plug it in---battery is fine and so is the alternator/generator (whatever the other part of the electrical system things is)  Odd?  It took a jump to get it there.  DJ drives it home.   No go.  He puts it on the charger, no go again.  Yesterday he buys some jumper cables so we won't have to pester the neighbor again.  He tries to jump it this morning so we can get it into the garage.  No go again.  The garage is sending out the tow truck.  Consensus theory with DJ, Robert and Robbie, Robert's son and across the lane neighbor is that it "sounds like the starter/solenoid."

Long story short---I don't want to get started with something and then have to leave to drive in with DJ.  So far we have been waiting about 90 minutes for the tow truck to come.  We just DID get the windshield washer mechanism fixed last week to the tune of 160 bucks not counting what he had invested in it trying to fix it ourselves.  He doesn't think the two things are connected.  Neither do I but an odd coincidence.  SIGH  Thank heavens, we have more than one car on days like this.

This is as far as I have gotten with the Snap  Happier purse.  I could be further along but I was distracted.  The green pin dot (left from the Spool Flowers project) is my lining.  At this point I need to box up the sides of it to match the cat exterior.  The green stripe is actually folded over and I THINK it goes over the cat exterior to form the casing there.  The handles pull up from inside the bag.  Then I am to cut lengths of the measuring tape to insert some how.  I am not understanding the directions on the first three instruction readings.  That is not unusual though as it normally takes me going through it sentence by sentence to follow just what I need to do.

I have already discovered TWO things.  My cat fabric is directional.  I should not have cut one long piece and folded it up for the exterior body of the purse.  It looks fine from this side but the poor kitties are upside down on the back.  I should have halved the length and added a quarter inch in length to both halves for seam allowance to seam the fabric to ensure that they were upright.  I did not have enough fusible fleece to start over and this is the prototype anyway.

The 2nd thing----either I did something wrong or I just hate the way they said to do the handles.  I tried it---too many seams required, who needs the padding anyway. I figured out how wide I need to cut them to sew them like I do the tabs on my Button Ups, only so they finish at about 1 inch in width ( 3 1/2 inches as it turns out)

Oh, one more thing-----I think it needed some exterior pockets.  I am used to digging my cell phone and sunglasses/readers out of an exterior pockets but it is too late for that.  It could also use another pocket on the interior.  Actually it is not too late to do that plus I could add a flap to the top of it even since the sides are not seamed yet.  For the checkbook, comb and extra pens, maybe?  Yep, that's what I am going to do.   Make it a little narrow in height maybe and add the flap at approximately the same distance from the top edge.  It was my idea to add the key fob thingie--- easy to track down the keys when they fall to the bottom of the purse,  just reel it in.  I put one in my version of Carol's Convertible Purse and love it!  That is also why I used the exterior color rather than the stripe or green dot so I can spot it right away!

Then I will still be puzzling about the measuring tape or emailing the designer---again.  It calls for an inch tape and I could only find a 3/4 inch one so I had asked where I should make the adjustments for the casing----divide the distance for the seaming lines or cut it smaller to start with.  I was told to divide the difference. 

I will want to make one or two wonder wallets to go with or possibly try a new to me pattern that I had misplaced for some time This & That Koin Keeper  .  (It was hiding out with another purse I have wanted to do for far longer.)  I will have to get a zipper for that one though but I would still like to try the pattern at some point.  Normally I have two wallets, one for MY money and one for the grocery/household fund money.  It helps if they look different when I am digging around in the purse, LOL.  My friend Pam got me started on that idea! 

And sew it goes-----Norma wanted me to be the pattern tester before she tried it so just doing my "job".  Meanwhile go see what the day 4 Tammy Bag ladies came up with.  Links in the previous post. 

Apr 5, 2013

break time/April Shower's Blog Hop 8-18th

Break from what I don't really know as I haven't done much today but look at stuff online! Wowie, just search Pinterest for "pom pom" and you will be on searching overload. 

This picture from bitchknits etsy store has got to be the oddest thing in the search!  She has three pages of such cats' hats and costumes!  There is even one that even looks like a mohawk.  Some may be done up in team colors, I'm guessing.  I know exactly what Skyler would do with those things hanging down, chew the living daylights out of it.  He loves strings, cords, bathrobe sashes, elastic.




I am sensing a red theme here.  I am wearing a red sweater and here is red yarn, a red cup of iced tea, red rick rack.  I was not sure what size I need for my bird hop item so I picked some up at the store yesterday.  The baby stuff was in my on-wall storage drawers and if I remember correctly, Maggie passed that on to me.  No, I cannot show you what I am working on or have planned---hop stuff.



After going on inspiration overload this morning, I put my fingers to better use and started on a knitting project. Yeah knitting project that needs a pom pom atop it.  The weird thing to me is that when you knit in the round, you knit every row to obtain stockinette stitch.  To do garter stitch you have to do knit a row, purl a row to get that ridged look---like an inside out sock or the backside of a sweater. On straight needles and flat knitting, it is just the opposite. 

The other part of the morning's search was trying to figure out what to make for supper----the age old thing of "what do you do with a lb. of ground beef?"  Tons of things really but I do NOT want to make another run to the store when I am probably getting groceries tomorrow.  It seems that anything I come up with I am missing an ingredient or we just had something similar last week.  Or for example,  it calls for corn tortillas and I have flour ones.  Mexican is out.  Or we already had a pasta meal---there goes Italian.  Ditto something with rice.  Had a form of soup too or we would go THAT route.   I have a feeling it is going to end up be something like "diner dinner":  meatloaf, mashed potatoes and a vegetable though I have been known to change my mind in the short time it takes to get out to the kitchen.   Enough to make you throw up your hands and fix something else entirely----like breakfast for supper, LOL.  Maybe I'll do the "what would you rather have?" game with the husband presenting him with two options and leave it up to him.   That may work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The April Showers Blog Hop will be coming up next week----April 8th through the 18th.  I think the badge button on Sew We Quilt says the 16th still but they must have added a few more days to accomodate the sign ups.  I am not participating in the hop this round but do plan to follow along.  Perhaps you will as a well?  Here is the schedule.

MONDAY, APRIL 8:
Erin @ Sew at Home Mummy
 Patty @ A Stitch in Time
Jenny @ Squawk That
Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt
Daryl @ Patchouli Moon Studio
Lisa @ In The Boon Docks
Julie @ Jolie Maxtin: the project girl
Beluah @ Sowing Stitches
Karen @ Bungalow Bay Quilts
Cyndi @ Stitch, Stitch, Stitch
DeAnna @ Georgia Girl Quilter




TUESDAY, APRIL 9th
Gina @ Sew Much and More
Sharon @ Vroomans Quilts
Theresa @ Bumbleberry Stitches
Jennet @ The Feathered Nest Studio
Patti @ A Yankee in Queen Liz's Court
Gene @ Gene Black - Alabama Artist
Susan @ Susan's Scrappy Domain
Bente @ I Like to Quiltblog
Deb @ Quilting & Other Craft Therapy
Megan @ AnnieOak Designs  



WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10th
Hayley @ Mrs. Pickles
Karen @ Sew Much 2 Luv
Mélanie @ Les passions de Cliodana
Cindy @ Quilt Doodle Doodles

Jamie @ Busy Bee Quilts
Judy @ That Other Blog
Regena @ The Distracted Domestic
Amy @ Domesticity and other Ponderous Things
Denise @ My Whittle Adventures
Heather @ a Reformed Heath'n
Marica @ ~Englating~



THURSDAY, APRIL 11th

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures
Jill @ Apple Avenue Quilts
Cathy @ Cathy's Chatter
Quilter Kathy @ Kathy's Quilts
Marsha @ Quilter in Motion
Pat @ Life in the Scrapatch
Connie @ Shepody Mountain Crafter
Vickey @ Gingersnaps Quilts
Danielle @ A Geeky Crafty Life
Gwen @ Get More Done...Today
Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After!



FRIDAY, APRIL 12th

Bobbie @ From This to That
Leslie @ Les Quilts
Kristen @ Meadowbrook
Lavonna @ ZellerWear
Lynn @ Thimblemouse & Spouse
Amy @ Sew Incredibly Crazy
Martha @ Living Life
Shawn @ Creative Inspiraciones
Rhonda @ Sunrise at Ravelly's!
Toye @ Quilting Adventures of a Ginger



MONDAY, APRIL 15th
Cathy @ Cate's Linens
Nicola @ Sunshine Reflections
Martina @ Sunshinequilting
Judith @ Frimart
Anita @ Anita's quilts en handwerken
Linda @ Sew Nicely
Kris @ krislovesfabric
Laura Ann @ The Fuzzy Hat Quilter
Carol @ Just let me Quilt
Selina @ Selina Quilts
Mary @ Crooked Gulley Art Quilts
Marisa @ Passion et Couture



TUESDAY, APRIL 16th
Cathi @ Quilt Obsession
Jane @ Jane's Fabrics and Quilts
Heidi @ Nutz4Redwork
Cherry @ Cherry'sPrairiePrimatives
Christine @ Quilt Monster in my Closet
Vickie @ More Stars in Comanche
Pauline @ Stekje
Jan @ Jan's Art Friendzy
Nissa @ Nissa Made Stuff
Robin @ As Sweet As Peaches
Lyndsey @ Sew Many Yarns
Eleni @ That Other Blog







Wednesday, April 17
Jen @ Quilter in the Closet
Marjorie @ Marjorie's Busy Corner
Elita @ A Pieceful Perspective
Green @ So Sew Green
Mara @ Greco Mara
Wendy @ Why Knot Kwilt?
Gmama Jane @ GrandMama's Stories
Debby @ Debby Kratovil Quilts
Britt-Inger @ Hill Valley Quilter
Connie @ Freemotion by the River
Beth @ Words and Stitches
Kathy @ iHeartSquishy

Thursday April 18
Merry Gay @ Merry Gay in Stitches
Mary @ Sew Maybe I Can
Joanne @ Everyone Deserves a Quilt
Linda @ Buzzing and Bumbling
Mary @ NeedledMom
Sherry @ Peanuts Patchwork
Fredrika @ Feltfree pÃ¥ Ã…sly 
Shauna @ Welcome to Shauna's World
Sharon @ Dancing thru Threads
Madame Samm @ !Sew WE Quilt!
 


Mar 16, 2013

Happy National Quilting Day!

Here we are---mid March, Ides of March actually.  St. Patrick's Day on Sunday.  Another couple of days and it is officially Spring by the calendar anyway.  Another month half over.  We get through St. Pat's and I am putting up a few Easter decorations in their place.

Our house guests were here for less than 24 hours and left this morning after we went out to breakfast.  They arrived about 1 pm and the guys immediately took off for the golf course.  Phyllis entertained herself by reading and enjoying the lovely weather we are having this weekend.  Open up those doors and windows!  Because I was ripping out a bad shamrock when they arrived, she told me to go do what I needed to do in the sewing room.   I printed off another block and cut some more fabric to re-do the boogered up block and switched gears.

The block measures 5 inches finished and I need 8 for the row though it is a substitution for the kites called for in the "Seasons in a Row" quilt.  (The shamrock pattern is from Sew Precise 1-2 software.)  I am already behind by NOT getting the shamrocks done by last Saturday's guild meeting.  I should be working on the bunnies with the pom pom or yo yo tails and dimensional ears.  All in due time, I guess.  Sewing does not get done when you are forced to take a few days off to clean up the house, etc.


Next up yesterday---since I threw up my hands on the other deal, LOL.  I sewed the 7 little aqua buttons on the challenge cupcake wall hanging. Deadline item:  due April 13.  I just pinned down the yo-yo cherry on the top as it will be in the way when I go to quilt it.  I intend to do the honors this afternoon but I need to make a binding decision right along with that intention.

Pattern is from Quilt Doodle Designs and the challenge fabrics are the border fabric choices.

BUT I have two packets of challenge fabrics---I had already pulled one but there was one left and I thought I would pass it on to one of my absent guild friends.  She baby sits her great grand-daughter several days a week (almost two) and is having a hard time carving out sewing time so I didn't even ask.


The picture is a little fuzzy but I think you can see what I was doing.  The two coordinating pieces were turned into this cute little basket using the tutorial from Buzzing and Bumbling's tutorial for snack tray or baskets.  Really you can make these about any size you want, use laminating stuff on the interior if you wish--add a handle even.   I used some binding that I initially had thought I would use on my sewing machine cover.  I did use it in a few select spots but now the cut strips won't go to a complete waste,  As you can see, the binding still needs to be hand stitched down before the little basket can be considered done.  That little peeps tin that you see atop the shelving unit fits in there perfectly but I have another spot in mind for it.


This is what I was piddling around with today.  I started some of the seaming on it last evening. making the fabric tube.  The pattern calls for a piece of fabric 11 x 21 and cutting an 11 x 14 rectangle with the leftover for cutting two matching 4 inch fabric circles.  I'm making a thread catcher out of some of the other shade of heart fabric I was challenged with.  It was not big enough so I decided to finish up the article with some of the machine cover leftovers---what I really DID use for binding  it.  It may not work as well as using a solid piece of the same fabric but we'll see.   This thread catcher is unique in that it collapses down for easy transport--twists somehow.  I want one for my embroidery bag and if it works out okay, maybe for my sewing away from home bag.

I used the pattern from Red Hen Fabrics craftsy site (free download and better pics than the one I had originally found on their own website)  but when I posted this on Facebook one of my guild pals said  this is also called an ORT jar (old ratty thread, old remaining thread for the acronym).  Shelia has made one and may be bailing me out if I can't figure out what is going on, LOL.  Melinda Quilts ETC has a good tutorial for this on her blog, slightly smaller.  (Hi, Melinda!)   FAB pal Pam saw the posting on Facebook and asked me this morning  "what holds this up".  Good question!!  I told her I may know more this afternoon when I work through the process.   You might be able to see this a little better in Melinda's relating post  http://melinful.blogspot.com/2009/02/piecemakers-and-ort-jars.html

The other pending thing---I got this hat up to the binding off point BUT I think I want to do one more row not called for in the pattern and knit two together across the remaining stitches as it will be easier to close up the top opening that way.

I am not crazy about this yarn as it twists up too easily and the ply wants to pull apart too easily.  It is nice and soft though and bulkier than worsted weight.  ( Lion Brand Baby's First)  Pattern source:
Knitting on the Net   Kid's Spiral Hat.  The pattern was fun and mixed it up a bit from what I had been working on though but I had to be watchful about what row I was on.  I have another skein of yarn so will make another like it.  Just not today, LOL.

Well, all this will keep me out of mischief for a few days anyway.  I'll be participating in the next blog hop "Stitch Me Up" so will be back to posting a daily schedule by mid week.  I can finally show you what I was so industriously embroidering for about 2 weeks!!

Hope you are having a good weekend---------