Part 2

I have a morbid fear of losing posts, so I gave the first one a test run and I am ready to continue. I also don't quite get the links function, not only is it not highlighting the links to click to, I cannot give them a new title. I will be so much more fun and informative if I can figure this out. Anyway, want to see some sewing?

First there was a pillowcase I sewed for the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge at the Houston Quilt Show. I got to choose my fabric combination,

cut and sew right there on their fabulous Bernina sergers:

Then I got to hang my pillowcase with the others at the show and they all went to the Houston Children's Charity:

What a great project and everyone was having a blast...truly a great interactive time at the quilt show! I saw some other awesome things there

White glove-handled Best in Show Winners, I believe this one was in the Best Machine Quilting Category...seriously, this was stupendous. I can't believe someone was so careful and so detailed with their quilting.

Beautiful Quilts embellished with Swarovski crystals. Shiny objects, oooh oooh!

A fantastic Volkswagen Bug Quilt! That's for me! I saw some great wearable art, test drove some Kai shears, saw all of my favorite quilting fabric companies, and took home some french silk pins and tweezers for ripped up seams...I love them and I don't know how I did without them for all of these years. This all happened months and months ago but it really was fun and I had a great time taking all the pictures.

One Year, and at Least 30 Garments Later

Hello! Whether or not anyone missed me, I have been feeling the need to document some of my work. Our house is coming together and it is definitely a comfortable home. I have got to say, it is CRAZY hot outside here in Texas- I do NOT go out unless I absolutely have to, as I am not a hot weather person. We have had a nice and quiet summer, no big trips or anything. I have been happy as a clam in the sewing room! I will go back as far as I can and put up the things worthy of a picture. Believe it or not, there was a TINY bit of knitting:

These are Saartje's Booties- made in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino -I made them for a neighbor's baby. I was sewing the buttons on while Rob drove me around the corner to the party. How's that for last minute?

Think of the Possiblities

Two weeks ago, my bad knee started feeling unhappy. From achy and sore one afternoon to unable to walk without pain or straighten by the next morning. A visit to the chiropractor confirmed the worst: time to go see an orthopedic surgeon. After removing the loose piece of cartilage from my knee joint, the surgeon found it appropriate to drill quite a few holes in the femur where the cartilage came off. It will require that am on crutches and do absolutely NO weight bearing activity for six weeks. No stepping or driving on that leg. Dragging myself around to do anything right now is exhausting. So, I am happy to do things that I can do sitting! I had brought my sewing projects downstairs to the dining room and I actually sewed left footed yesterday. It worked out fine and we set the ironing board up next to me super low so that I could easily turn and press my pieces; it worked so well I may incorporate this into my sewing routine forever! The Texas Renaissance Festival is coming up and I really need to get my friends' costumes completed -the last thing I want to do is stress them out. So those are going to be the first projects in the can. After that, I have a nice stack of dress fabric that I will be ready to turn into some great things. Rob and I also did a duct tape mannequin of myself so that I can fit my personal garments on that. I can't stand up straight right now, so fitting on myself is out. I have got some cute dotted swiss cotton that I am going to turn into Vintage Vogue 8728

I have seen some great versions of this dress and I am excited to give it a go! Also, I purchased some nice navy blue cotton pique, I was thinking it could turn into either Vintage Vogue 1084

or perhaps, Vintage Vogue 2902

That's a start! For this very moment I am looking forward to enjoying the gorgeous pork loin dinner that our neighbor brought over for us, while watching The Young Victoria and knitting my Good Bias Shrug by Lisa Daehlin from IK way back in 2005.

Life is great, in a way, even if I have been forced to slow down. I wouldn't be able to do it without my great family and friends to help out!

Joann Coupons...Energizing Lifeforce,or Just Comforting Ritualistic Behavior?

Today I went to Joann's. I also went yesterday, but I had to abandon everything and leave. I was on a mission of picking up every trinket on sale I thought I needed, and picking out some fabulous Red Tag clearance at half off of the regular price. Yesterday and today I looked at the wait at the cutting counter and I knew that there was no way I was even going to try it. No fabric for me this weekend, it was a mob. I am telling you, crafty ladies are crazy, y'all...we flock to that store with our coupons. And there are ALWAYS coupons. Last week I used every one that I had in my purse, my email and my phone,and all of a sudden I realized that I was going to have to wait almost an entire week to shop with a coupon and I actually felt a little bummed out. My behavior is a little obsessive, I was online plotting the ten McCall's Patterns I could select for a dollar apiece, and the ten Vogue Patterns I could get for $3.99 apiece when this Labor Day Sale begins. I always carry the mailer around in my purse so that I can look at it when I am bored and contemplate each item that I can get at a deep discount and what I can do with it. I scan the fabrics online and visualize where in the store it is located so I can find it easily when I get there. Who am I kidding, I need help. I did do pretty well for myself in the store otherwise, though. Two packs of scrapping cardstock for the boys and me, the correct Viking bobbins for sure this time, a cool pill organizer to organize my sewing machine feet, and candy for the boys who have been unbelievably cooperative and sweet this weekend! Also two dress patterns, a shirtwaist and a sheath, both McCall's. Sorry no numbers or links yet! I did feel inspired by both of them and I felt they could really work for me so I cannot wait to find out and I'll most likely show you then. Something weird that happened, I also bought a new tomato pincushion to replace my old one, it's strawberry emery was missing and it was pretty beat up, so when I unwrapped the new one I was tossing the old one and I thought, "I know there's a LOT of needles in there, I had better cut it open over the wastebasket (because I know it is full of sawdust) and get them out." I was not prepared for the number of needles I found in there. there were at least SIXTY of them, in all shapes and sizes. A lot of them were quilt betweens, very short and tiny, and ideal for disappearing. Back when I was hand quilting (before children), I would load up five or six needles at a time with thread so I could just quilt away with minimal interruptions, so it doesn't surprise me that some could disappear into the abyss of the tomato. Right now we are getting a little rain from the very edge of Tropical Storm Lee. It is very soft and calm and I am glad for it for now. The boys have two guests sleeping over and the house is nice and quiet in bed and I am just feeling lucky that it all turned out this way. I hope it stays rainy and mellow all weekend, that would make great sewing weather. My friend whom I am sewing the Renaissance costumes for is coming over tomorrow and I she is going to provide moral support while I construct. She doesn't sew but maybe she will by the time we are done! Cheers.

It's All About Texas, and Sewing

Hi friends, in the last year we have relocated to Texas and are into our second school year here. We love it! We have some wonderful neighbors and a beautiful new home. I feel very spoiled and undeserving of this awesome home and lifestyle, yet it is fun because it makes me feel like more of a real grown up and comforted that I keep a nice house like my mother did:) At any rate, my husband loves his new job and the kids are in a great school system that we have high hopes for them in. One great thing-I got a special sewing space of my own. My neighbor asked if I wanted her desk and matching craft table-turns out it was perfect for the space and my needs. Now I feel like I can spend the whole day up there sewing and crafting. I have been working on re-organizing my already fair system up there. I currently have two renaissance costumes I need to finish, five Halloween costumes, stacking roman shades for the whole house and exercise wear; but the only things I really want to make are dresses! We are currently awaiting Tropical Storm Lee. I really don't expect much of anything to happen to us, just some nice sewing and movie watching weather. I just hope we don't lose power.

Quilting, Sewing and Knitting Round-Up

Hey there!

There has been a lot of projects going on here since my last post. Boy it's been a long time...I am anxious to document what I have done right here.

I sandwiched and pinned my quilt:

There was lots of SEWING-

And then I started knitting:

There was the SOCK SUMMIT:

And now I am crocheting a ripple afghan, working on 3 cardigans, and have some new sock yarn that I can't wait to use. It is Mossay from Socks That Rock- lightweight. haven't decided if they will be more Zombie socks or Absinthe socks, i am not sure if I have the patience to practice another toe up (not like starting circular ribbing doesn't take patience, I just don't have to read carefully to get going. it's a simple matter of "How many stitches? Got it. What kind of ribbing? Got it. Get going!" The toe up really was easy so perhaps I will read it out sometime soon because I really do like the Absinthe Socks and the point is to build a new skill with every sock. I learned a lot of techniques in Laurel Coombs' Choosing Among Choices class at the Sock Summit, includung an elastic sewn cast off for toe ups, short row heels and hiding the wraps, also two needle cast on for toe ups. I did use that for Wendy's toe up pattern. I have a whole lot of socks to make but a sock break is OK since I have so many projects that are not finished at this point.

Ye Olde Quilt Top

Well, I am finally working a little more on the quilt top I pieced BEFORE I was pregnant with Jack. I cut and stitched all of these Dresden Plate wedges by hand on the oil tanker Rob was working on back in 1998. I sailed with them from LA to Portland, taking about 4 days. This is the closest I have been to a cruise, ever! Anyway, there was no rotary cutter, just a template. No sewing machine, just needles and thread. The only machine sewing that has gone into this quilt so far is the stitching done after these pictures, putting the white blocks together. I also took off these too-small circles (my middles were too wide and the raw edges of the wedges showed, not a good look. So I sucked it up and tore off all of the appliques I had completed, then I went and found a rusty red I liked. I also found a light sage-y green I need to do the center of the flowers and the vines that will encircle the borders. The green I had was more blue- boy, colors have come a long way, I couldn't find a hip green to save my life way back when! I would have done an apple green but none of those looked right with my other colors, this one was the best choice even if it isn't quite as exciting as I would have wanted. It was REALLY hard to decide, and I consider myself good with color sense. I really admire people with those definite and exact color editing skills. Anyway, here are a few shots for you to enjoy.

I am quite aware I am not knitting. I am almost ready again, got a little frustrated with the sock knitting, I tried a monkey but I don't know, the yarn was uninspiring or the fit was uncertain, I just got discouraged. I do hit a wall on things. Then I did nothing but Facebook and that was a huge time suck, so I rarely post on that anymore. It is always so extreme with me, pick one thing up, get really attached and rigid, use the energy up for it completely until I figuratively wad it in a ball and toss it in a mental wastebasket. Then many months later I will lovingly fish it out and smooth the wrinkles. I will try and complete my Monkey's before vacation, because I am attending the Sock Summit in Portland and I want to feel excited and inspired. I want to be in the perfect state of craft for that...