tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70212341643651420612024-02-19T02:38:19.860-06:00Susan SewsRamblings about my life and my hobbies. I love to sew and knit and do cross stitch. My stash is huge, I have too many works in process to even think about. I'm working on finishing one project from the past for each new one I start. So far so good...Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.comBlogger640125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-18043449347664885062023-01-12T16:30:00.004-06:002023-01-12T16:30:29.469-06:00Happy 2023!<p>The holidays are over and I think I've recovered! Welcome to 2023. Who knew it was going to be this weird? This is still Wisconsin, it's still winter, and yesterday it was 47 degrees F. There is not a drop of snow in my yard or the surrounding community. People are talking about the 'snow drought'. Yes, it's a thing.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsHV8Mmv2Pm6IduB50Owexg-BtUR5uJykytqzFO2MbkNRhEZETZXLxF2b2tq5pka_pNReYlBcQbwS59-s90KAVG_dk3QZPrDHBMroGjp4nBpo4VDOtk12UXPAnQdM_VYprXCBw4nwxS8UpPZ1508-HZt-YKQhB_o4Y6IXa90bKfwxRC8WfVHJmiYV-A/s1602/paper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1602" data-original-width="1389" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsHV8Mmv2Pm6IduB50Owexg-BtUR5uJykytqzFO2MbkNRhEZETZXLxF2b2tq5pka_pNReYlBcQbwS59-s90KAVG_dk3QZPrDHBMroGjp4nBpo4VDOtk12UXPAnQdM_VYprXCBw4nwxS8UpPZ1508-HZt-YKQhB_o4Y6IXa90bKfwxRC8WfVHJmiYV-A/s320/paper.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br />Christmas was nice, the whole family was here. With my son's engagement we've gained another teenager. I think that makes 3 fifteen-year-olds! Dinner turned out well for once. Nothing burned and nothing forgotten in the fridge. We ended up with all the wrapping paper again, but that's to be expected if you host.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMi3cJG8vJ06oGQuDxEpEBCbNs5kCghxxrhMTft4vng2SPnBNIjSfFO_l-jd33vV9nVpxbb2gK50oW7MXDEguMXz6hgN6YKF-Ex0TN5AkN7TkChna-vofEncf54YnBb5D6gxDHVJyTg-l5VgXvdd1W_Tm7ZdyTqEQTZFFUdBWkHZjbkp8RDwLFdImkeg/s1643/IMG_20221225_204242_kindlephoto-632539312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1643" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMi3cJG8vJ06oGQuDxEpEBCbNs5kCghxxrhMTft4vng2SPnBNIjSfFO_l-jd33vV9nVpxbb2gK50oW7MXDEguMXz6hgN6YKF-Ex0TN5AkN7TkChna-vofEncf54YnBb5D6gxDHVJyTg-l5VgXvdd1W_Tm7ZdyTqEQTZFFUdBWkHZjbkp8RDwLFdImkeg/s320/IMG_20221225_204242_kindlephoto-632539312.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPv1R9Um0zJAoZrAjM9TD5WoFlboEwBcqjlSX1mq5QM6ReukHeguDG_2ebo6I1VKyIaECNUY3CvN7R98rFzNzk53Y7z0Ms1zaU-0k_dw8iIq1gH29TRhEF7j4cy5bB5O5Ni4TvY21zOUpkVE6eiG4SPR4Qt4F3gU68k5cTAWV-Ic3A3e6Jnky4QAKUw/s534/IMG_20221225_204349_kindlephoto-632460109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="490" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPv1R9Um0zJAoZrAjM9TD5WoFlboEwBcqjlSX1mq5QM6ReukHeguDG_2ebo6I1VKyIaECNUY3CvN7R98rFzNzk53Y7z0Ms1zaU-0k_dw8iIq1gH29TRhEF7j4cy5bB5O5Ni4TvY21zOUpkVE6eiG4SPR4Qt4F3gU68k5cTAWV-Ic3A3e6Jnky4QAKUw/s320/IMG_20221225_204349_kindlephoto-632460109.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><br /><p>I finally completed my middle granddaughter's birthday sweater, and she loves it. I was worried that it would be too cropped -- I don't want to be responsible for any needless exposure of certain young body parts. And I did make the sleeves long enough for this very tall girl.</p><p>After New Years, which for us was very quiet, I got re-energized to sew. DH gave me a nice gift card from Quilt-agious, so I signed up for the 2023 mystery quilt retreat at the end of January. So I thought I had better finish the one from last year!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kYCCdnOrXWxHBPMwfpFRfOWXU9bPRZBq1ETSEnvV13rYQTdAswiTb63XfV_zdg-gP9EYpGMNwzuhHyGuhGLmxg2T7uUuQxBUtypHZQsH-zLSYDGiNwalXfUFDt2ZXPKcVTlOY4DpPyBiBaW8eIkARbwLQeSj1JETWhbMRlfgOSD2J0F5sCfgG6x0iA/s2048/mystery%20part%202a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1229" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kYCCdnOrXWxHBPMwfpFRfOWXU9bPRZBq1ETSEnvV13rYQTdAswiTb63XfV_zdg-gP9EYpGMNwzuhHyGuhGLmxg2T7uUuQxBUtypHZQsH-zLSYDGiNwalXfUFDt2ZXPKcVTlOY4DpPyBiBaW8eIkARbwLQeSj1JETWhbMRlfgOSD2J0F5sCfgG6x0iA/w120-h200/mystery%20part%202a.jpg" width="120" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had a total of 48 blocks to assemble.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ohNmQGpf3n385tyN4mDlW5IJ5W54d8uAFirQ4BPKApxajMbmdjFzHJubkmmHmByYioIyNg0GmFiZAMbnrfbXJ5biE3eaZMh_eQOWMnBpyjG4Ud5JZNs5e7bx063MiN_XzIpxOc0MQ5gi-eWupSoKmJD2U58Sc5FUtkbPF5r-10Z8CZYS6C5tFe9RQQ/s2048/Mystery%20part%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1769" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ohNmQGpf3n385tyN4mDlW5IJ5W54d8uAFirQ4BPKApxajMbmdjFzHJubkmmHmByYioIyNg0GmFiZAMbnrfbXJ5biE3eaZMh_eQOWMnBpyjG4Ud5JZNs5e7bx063MiN_XzIpxOc0MQ5gi-eWupSoKmJD2U58Sc5FUtkbPF5r-10Z8CZYS6C5tFe9RQQ/w173-h200/Mystery%20part%202.jpg" width="173" /></a></div></div><p>There are two different blocks... one with a black center and the other with no black pieces at all. After I did the whole pile, there was ONE piece that I had to redo. The one on the lower right was wrong - I forgot to spin the center square of the nine patch. It should look like the one above.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAiwzSQvy8o4lht9hn4fCdQDbEWiGKm-kjTROHLWKMbeW0kdS3Vxj2Xb4ThZ3Xoj9qgUXACK-00teUEzRFdNEZngXCn5T42Dgy0g2GY75rIqs3e0d84Fizaqx9NCxHaemc71lvvQseQULUaRpGtu5pzeoEfoN-lDlrmoz0_jRR0vr6s4H_x0DK0wVQOQ/s2048/mystery%20part%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1109" data-original-width="2048" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAiwzSQvy8o4lht9hn4fCdQDbEWiGKm-kjTROHLWKMbeW0kdS3Vxj2Xb4ThZ3Xoj9qgUXACK-00teUEzRFdNEZngXCn5T42Dgy0g2GY75rIqs3e0d84Fizaqx9NCxHaemc71lvvQseQULUaRpGtu5pzeoEfoN-lDlrmoz0_jRR0vr6s4H_x0DK0wVQOQ/s320/mystery%20part%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>This is what the center should look like once I get all the blocks sewn together. Then there are a couple of different choices for borders. I'm working on some blocks that look like links in a chain. And I'm hoping that I have enough of the background fabric to complete it.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRvrJvQpHIGY_Ax_HlnoQuE19jVuJneijwqjBK3lDbYy-yBynYYJ0D-HwAQmABt0nAxNVb1beDzOAFCxplWLsYRm2MyCPUvj1dkoht7qVQVkrmfb05EPI8soCof1sx3q6Bl_khErLEsv8EcH07JPKa-BpUVR_pk-O84ZDxh_FsIio-IgiaP99h1xMbg/s1440/2022%20mystery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRvrJvQpHIGY_Ax_HlnoQuE19jVuJneijwqjBK3lDbYy-yBynYYJ0D-HwAQmABt0nAxNVb1beDzOAFCxplWLsYRm2MyCPUvj1dkoht7qVQVkrmfb05EPI8soCof1sx3q6Bl_khErLEsv8EcH07JPKa-BpUVR_pk-O84ZDxh_FsIio-IgiaP99h1xMbg/s320/2022%20mystery.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>For 2023 I'm going in a whole new color direction:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYTX1APqHyCYnrqLPsCrI5wtFTH1rE0I_vFdEtP0HhSqITesimnsSXzMbwttsOprCALbQffEguzn9VTjzf-BvM72rCO955CrjdB-l7YF1Iry4ZeqUyCWrynx9-7vYmWw5_4kmm630JLVxf-1482qn52fBNFSAtbkpOFGzkJlKhZ0RD0NaQD3YAn15Cw/s2048/2023%20fabrics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="901" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYTX1APqHyCYnrqLPsCrI5wtFTH1rE0I_vFdEtP0HhSqITesimnsSXzMbwttsOprCALbQffEguzn9VTjzf-BvM72rCO955CrjdB-l7YF1Iry4ZeqUyCWrynx9-7vYmWw5_4kmm630JLVxf-1482qn52fBNFSAtbkpOFGzkJlKhZ0RD0NaQD3YAn15Cw/w174-h395/2023%20fabrics.jpg" width="174" /></a></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Hoping that this scratchiness in my throat is just dryness... hope everyone out there is having the best January ever.</p><p><br /></p><p>Sew on...</p><p><br /></p><p> </p><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-77665279372298502182022-11-16T11:24:00.003-06:002022-11-16T11:24:44.986-06:00Good Intentions<p> As the saying goes, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions".</p><p>I may not be on that road, but this past couple of weeks has been a challenge. Today I just want to lay my head down for a tiny bit more after breakfast. I'm coughing and I lost my voice. My eyelids are drooping and my ribs hurt. A tiny nap...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGBZgw-h8thvlNPPv_LB-PtElCXG1sZ8T3Gch9_Ezb0msWRJxnvy8LljOnU2Xip-iUaFu9o_IMFRm6TLoPEDUjcPaeNK2GgEwXvN6V9aIZjK0k3a11S26OCBG13DktT-7WWH9s_2ZocGJJzDuR9OhbSOn-wVBeGDPbqVCkD4Cp7TKNpfoh1udT0tnEg/s512/Gestures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGBZgw-h8thvlNPPv_LB-PtElCXG1sZ8T3Gch9_Ezb0msWRJxnvy8LljOnU2Xip-iUaFu9o_IMFRm6TLoPEDUjcPaeNK2GgEwXvN6V9aIZjK0k3a11S26OCBG13DktT-7WWH9s_2ZocGJJzDuR9OhbSOn-wVBeGDPbqVCkD4Cp7TKNpfoh1udT0tnEg/s320/Gestures.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Things to do beckon. I have a sweater to finish for Miss K, hopefully by her birthday in three weeks. I'm on sleeve number 1, about halfway there. She's a tall girl with slender limbs and a pretty smile. I hope the calculations for the decreases to the wrist will fit her adequately. I might have to ask her to measure her wrist for me before I'm finished.<p></p><p>Our quilt guild from church is making angel gowns. They are flannel gowns used for babies who don't survive birth or who die in the NICU at the hospital. I ended up with the bag of extra small ones. Yesterday using the assembly line method, I got six to the point of setting in the sleeves and realized that when I dropped supplies off at church, I forgot to take out ribbon for my own use. Hopefully a short trip to pick up ribbon won't wear me out!</p><p><br />I also signed up for a knit-along at my local yarn shop. The cast on party is tonight. Of course, there are no penalties for not starting tonight, and I have NO business casting on another project at this point, but since it's for myself it won't be taking any type of priority in the works in process queue!</p><p>Yesterday it snowed all day in southeast Wisconsin. Today the remnants of that storm are covering the corners of the grass and the areas where the sun doesn't reach. We might have received an inch or two total, but since the ground isn't totally frozen due to the recent nice weather, it hasn't stuck.</p><p>This weekend there's a boatload of craft fairs in the area. Since next week is Thanksgiving the holiday shopping season has begun in earnest. I'm of course not ready for the holidays, although I DID make a Thanksgiving shopping list. The last few days were spent organizing the chaos in my craft room and getting ready for our condo's Homeowner's Association meeting. I'm secretary/treasurer, so I had a presentation to prepare. Less than half the owners showed up. <sigh> Lots of grumbling about things but no one ever volunteers to run for the board and do the work. Situation normal, I guess!!</p><p>Gotta get to work... things to do, places to go, people to see.</p><p>I'll just close my eyes for a second.😴</p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-23240733606699026652022-11-06T12:18:00.002-06:002022-11-06T12:18:15.033-06:00Well! There You Go~<p>This morning I was viewing blogs and I came across one whose author hasn't been posting on it for a long time.</p><p>You know, missing in action.</p><p>I thought, gee, I know this person is still around, I wonder why there are no recent postings. And then BAM! I had another thought -- gee, I haven't posted in a while, I wonder why THIS person hasn't done the same! </p><p>And then I looked at my blog. JULY??? Really?? OMG, what am I doing instead of blogging? I mostly use this blog as a diary to remember all my activities. But four months have gone by, and what have I done?</p><p>I used to blog about sewing. I did some sewing recently. I hemmed a couple of bridesmaids dresses for some people. Here's one I trimmed off by about 3 1/2 inches. The bottom of the skirt was eight yards wide!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlZ-4-m0ZR622dfoaNR4v-UH2O5lyBk_4VnDEl-ad06pnavG_d0_rmdNiad58dnEkNqdUUiOvMMf8AsLIRCrxhQPmRj0c5in4PvRevEPS0-MD07ULU_kVcbGG4ELUCO0larXsGIPHJ2N5WY7EuyIH3hG7sdxMaBI-vReBynW3_nnLz887pGU3l6_PEQ/s4032/20221101_154119.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlZ-4-m0ZR622dfoaNR4v-UH2O5lyBk_4VnDEl-ad06pnavG_d0_rmdNiad58dnEkNqdUUiOvMMf8AsLIRCrxhQPmRj0c5in4PvRevEPS0-MD07ULU_kVcbGG4ELUCO0larXsGIPHJ2N5WY7EuyIH3hG7sdxMaBI-vReBynW3_nnLz887pGU3l6_PEQ/s320/20221101_154119.heic" width="144" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPEww3P7w-m90-u60xaktmVM3ZIcZed_mnXcnJtrkSFQwf7Z6HHui94C0wNJd6_5MBD414dPyGYgUeqlbsBZ1rwRNs01OG9vRmAgsurUhxykB3OE7vhxAjD0HwTymUKgMJ88J2Rbl_GKwWfoxNDt0BRDnS3wMRNic1xhhE-NcwdvT8kMcj7QlvHMpTQ/s4032/20221101_154127.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPEww3P7w-m90-u60xaktmVM3ZIcZed_mnXcnJtrkSFQwf7Z6HHui94C0wNJd6_5MBD414dPyGYgUeqlbsBZ1rwRNs01OG9vRmAgsurUhxykB3OE7vhxAjD0HwTymUKgMJ88J2Rbl_GKwWfoxNDt0BRDnS3wMRNic1xhhE-NcwdvT8kMcj7QlvHMpTQ/s320/20221101_154127.heic" width="320" /></a></div><p>I used to blog about quilting. I did finish a quilt project that was on the five year plan... I was cleaning and pulled out a bin of UFOs and this one had one border that was missing about 10 inches on one side. I must have been looking for the rest of the fabric and never found it. It's going to the quilter very soon, as I found something very similar that will work. Why did it take so long?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRC6fpCYhyI3yFfg_CNxn5I8sOq6zp9bwcJEjt8Tr2KNS2vTUhaR-Vv-7jJmQFgr5vhrXViPtDfkFTlUx6Imj-hpFa1h3nYvMoT-tcFs9Yd8gKHMRPHz2R202ed_u-VJr7n9w-0WzlUND8Clt2_pyEbzfC5Su9nwc5zY91SWwVa_9qUQruqiuGLRjiKw/s4032/20221104_152028.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRC6fpCYhyI3yFfg_CNxn5I8sOq6zp9bwcJEjt8Tr2KNS2vTUhaR-Vv-7jJmQFgr5vhrXViPtDfkFTlUx6Imj-hpFa1h3nYvMoT-tcFs9Yd8gKHMRPHz2R202ed_u-VJr7n9w-0WzlUND8Clt2_pyEbzfC5Su9nwc5zY91SWwVa_9qUQruqiuGLRjiKw/s320/20221104_152028.heic" width="144" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_88AQb3u845GGt64_wgEauLgP_GXf-LNcVKU-UBs9UW7f7qppCW9dOvt1a0w20ua6hqO_qp_QDKulOjjfPwSeZ3ILnJQ8WjzC9d36fTDYuea3nnv-qRRxyhViqQT8TfIdXHy4DRPfL7ntpXLrabrGDQiQ3UHTYyMQdFU9yW296f3KcnQTSX0rlOaPDQ/s4032/20221104_152035.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_88AQb3u845GGt64_wgEauLgP_GXf-LNcVKU-UBs9UW7f7qppCW9dOvt1a0w20ua6hqO_qp_QDKulOjjfPwSeZ3ILnJQ8WjzC9d36fTDYuea3nnv-qRRxyhViqQT8TfIdXHy4DRPfL7ntpXLrabrGDQiQ3UHTYyMQdFU9yW296f3KcnQTSX0rlOaPDQ/s320/20221104_152035.heic" width="144" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGkXyHyErSmGJrjNHIWSscmkEguV59a8Suf1a8M2UXYVGkB3qzih6paj1VHZI3Pkt1DwwHpC1nk1c-6-WmCsQ5MK9MAc7atgKMQAIJtc7Emm077WfIn_FLrWYL4wJgO10D4wsTHN1oRWvZba5GbMLURBwmW6uNxJ4KhZsKaqU_oSXQj-t7_4HD-emXg/s4032/20221104_152057.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGkXyHyErSmGJrjNHIWSscmkEguV59a8Suf1a8M2UXYVGkB3qzih6paj1VHZI3Pkt1DwwHpC1nk1c-6-WmCsQ5MK9MAc7atgKMQAIJtc7Emm077WfIn_FLrWYL4wJgO10D4wsTHN1oRWvZba5GbMLURBwmW6uNxJ4KhZsKaqU_oSXQj-t7_4HD-emXg/s320/20221104_152057.heic" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I'm just so thankful that this one is finally out of the bin! I'm trying to decide what to back it with, and what color thread to ask my quilter to use. <div><br /></div><div>I've been knitting mostly I guess. I have tossed the stash (like a salad, where you mix up the ingredients, not the throw away kind of toss) and rearranged things. I did get rid of some yarn that I decided I wasn't going to use - donated some to a local hat project, put a bin together for the preschool, etc. Now I have a couple of sweaters I need to finish before the holidays.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, I also located several cakes of sock yarn that have lost their labels. The only thing I know about them is their colors... and that they ARE fingering weight yarns. And that I liked them when I bought them. I'm now on a mission to use them so I don't have to feel guilty about losing their ball bands. 😦</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlp8-XQ8vLSygERkiR0tQ8CUvBF5Rn3k2DgTeIvDkZd2S1Gs5xshZvk_X8BxLSMEeOfJIcZe8_6qBnM4E7KD-HTuxb3B4B2RlUeExD-bR3Dro20dEsWUJP7hotDm4Mh42H3_gayE375Zk-3z6krrUgKn42hHt-VTYfKaHlp4CxIHa1awxNVWH3YKCEnQ/s4032/20220806_133049.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlp8-XQ8vLSygERkiR0tQ8CUvBF5Rn3k2DgTeIvDkZd2S1Gs5xshZvk_X8BxLSMEeOfJIcZe8_6qBnM4E7KD-HTuxb3B4B2RlUeExD-bR3Dro20dEsWUJP7hotDm4Mh42H3_gayE375Zk-3z6krrUgKn42hHt-VTYfKaHlp4CxIHa1awxNVWH3YKCEnQ/s320/20220806_133049.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDyIohuh54fhEtCwEHoyxFQWFQI6A9mdu2zDbLI7Ej3-yWIttr71T3VTqRbtpqqP2_Xw4I1oFcv0Asd8u2bZ8M0lKGCywaVK-Oj3OuY8dLDP45c-h1Fg09wzUOFMm1a9gG2LEhG70o2kO3J4le2-ZUftj8dQ0iVlz8gEq1ykh2eW8UX4RAsWCmHYGhg/s4032/20220806_133058.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDyIohuh54fhEtCwEHoyxFQWFQI6A9mdu2zDbLI7Ej3-yWIttr71T3VTqRbtpqqP2_Xw4I1oFcv0Asd8u2bZ8M0lKGCywaVK-Oj3OuY8dLDP45c-h1Fg09wzUOFMm1a9gG2LEhG70o2kO3J4le2-ZUftj8dQ0iVlz8gEq1ykh2eW8UX4RAsWCmHYGhg/s320/20220806_133058.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qt5tOQeqYya4tiSy-N624CgTE1oEBXnxrerfx0AHe7nqtNZa9bGLiYm7TnYFPNvL4Tt6nESoUbQpZLKrQaKkHT0dcDMsZWCfpvBJkOoXKE42Fs360BpqKC40TQ6gicmUa6MOZwGvtCBm6VvpiyepRxQHWztSN4yJVm8wSlgpTdsyckTc1HE93UjBkQ/s4032/20220806_133114.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qt5tOQeqYya4tiSy-N624CgTE1oEBXnxrerfx0AHe7nqtNZa9bGLiYm7TnYFPNvL4Tt6nESoUbQpZLKrQaKkHT0dcDMsZWCfpvBJkOoXKE42Fs360BpqKC40TQ6gicmUa6MOZwGvtCBm6VvpiyepRxQHWztSN4yJVm8wSlgpTdsyckTc1HE93UjBkQ/s320/20220806_133114.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilIsxZieU8y3RacQilP3RahcCmySC6OteS6UeiXG7XkhsGgimpufPxdLjIiV_-u-WO6Fyzrln1pTNTAkxMkXLLw9tKxxDCW1G4QOc7SxSuMyfMjXhc5olnZMGJdCX6BMhaHhcDsB9T1CjJFRtKtemhAGhrHtEBy5Y0bNNvtRZYf53bcC41uNQmgpDpQ/s4032/20220806_133213.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilIsxZieU8y3RacQilP3RahcCmySC6OteS6UeiXG7XkhsGgimpufPxdLjIiV_-u-WO6Fyzrln1pTNTAkxMkXLLw9tKxxDCW1G4QOc7SxSuMyfMjXhc5olnZMGJdCX6BMhaHhcDsB9T1CjJFRtKtemhAGhrHtEBy5Y0bNNvtRZYf53bcC41uNQmgpDpQ/s320/20220806_133213.heic" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0C58k-fF_F35hphu4xW-XfJxNpCBatWdEYOZry3d41mfpJ0IaGwDAuB9idaw393ytEMaqhxe5vUYEnlYgalLIZa8_KBQMWtenU0bUE5-Puh09gvM0gzoDyGnfiGLZDHok29xHmR20oi0ezmlGeTI62yL6GIQV1pXW6inwHGftHilIJVwPVNahaBL6lg/s2003/20220807_195100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2003" data-original-width="1678" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0C58k-fF_F35hphu4xW-XfJxNpCBatWdEYOZry3d41mfpJ0IaGwDAuB9idaw393ytEMaqhxe5vUYEnlYgalLIZa8_KBQMWtenU0bUE5-Puh09gvM0gzoDyGnfiGLZDHok29xHmR20oi0ezmlGeTI62yL6GIQV1pXW6inwHGftHilIJVwPVNahaBL6lg/s320/20220807_195100.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div>Thanksgiving and birthdays are coming up for November. The weather is still nice in Wisconsin, although yesterday was a near thing. The wind was blowing so hard that our Condo sign went over, along with one of the outdoor lamp posts. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hope you didn't miss me too much, if at all. Maybe it won't be so long until next time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Blog on...<br /><p><br /></p></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-79481266291749877662022-07-06T20:16:00.000-05:002022-07-06T20:16:13.179-05:00July! How Can That Be??<p>Now that I've made the rounds of the rooms in my house and changed all the calendar pages from June (and in one case May!) to July, I think I've finally figured out the date and where I am in the summer.</p><p>It only took a month...</p><p>May and June went by in a blur. First came the end of the school year for the College Girl. She came back home just in time for Mother's Day in May and my birthday. Then Memorial Day. Followed quickly by Miss A's birthday and the last day of high school for the three younger kids. Then the beginning of summer school and Vacation Bible School, to be followed immediately by my attendance as alternate delegate to our church District's convention. </p><p>Whew! </p><p>Vacation Bible School was fun for a couple of reasons. 1. I was not teaching, just doing craft demonstrations in the Jerusalem Marketplace. 2. I was NOT acting as a crew leader and having to shuffle kids around in 94 degree heat! 3. My youngest grand spent the 3 days helping out and staying at my house so we had lots of Gramma time.</p><p>She's a joy to be around. No doom and gloom, no pouting, and she loves the little kids she was working with. We had lunch together all three days, did some shopping and some crafting, and she helped me plan out a sweater she's asked me to make. We took our first joint yarn store trip (buying yarn at Michael's doesn't count!)</p><p>Until this past weekend I hadn't been in my sewing room for nearly a month. Can you say withdrawal symptoms? LOL! I first had to clean up, since my room becomes a dumping ground for packages and things if I'm not careful. But just being down in that space makes me happy, and putting things away means handling fabric and notions, and who can say that's a bad thing?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgHFYRpObs7zJDb1McYd3Mlb87qYJ_-NAv2U1V2TzSDed0MrMGpel1T2K4SvqcRg_YrtQyPeI3aTPPSslxnDifU6vtm09botPs3uKcUqKb-sv89YZMQEDNexuGbSGGmVNMBvYj1FbRbKxcEqsnZ6JBDj-f-wHdmcXt6VB-pWrGFOHX2XgmxNi-Vh6gA/s1816/20220701_091644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1780" data-original-width="1816" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgHFYRpObs7zJDb1McYd3Mlb87qYJ_-NAv2U1V2TzSDed0MrMGpel1T2K4SvqcRg_YrtQyPeI3aTPPSslxnDifU6vtm09botPs3uKcUqKb-sv89YZMQEDNexuGbSGGmVNMBvYj1FbRbKxcEqsnZ6JBDj-f-wHdmcXt6VB-pWrGFOHX2XgmxNi-Vh6gA/w200-h197/20220701_091644.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p>So on July 3rd and 4th I was in the mood for some sewing, regardless of how mindfull or mindless it was going to be.</p><p>I seem to have inherited the job of piecing backings for the quilts for our church group, if they're wider than one fabric width. This makes me truly appreciate extra wide backings and even cotton blends in 54 inch widths. One quilt we had was 60x80 inches. We don't generally make them that big, but someone made a quilt top in a bunch of lovely blue fabrics and left it for us to finish. </p><p>There was one piece of a coordinating shade of blue fabric that I thought was large enough, but it missed the mark by about 4 inches in both width and length. Too bad because it was a pretty good color match, but there just was no way to supplement it and make it work. A second blue top fit better in size, so a swap was made between what was supposed to back it and the newly pieced back.</p><p>This time there was enough yardage, but it was in three sections. It was the same floral print in all three pieces but one of them looked to be from a different bolt of fabric. Either that or one was prewashed and the other was not... but nothing else was going to work and all the fabric shops near me were closed. So after some math and piecing worthy of a Puzzle Master, the blue monster had a backing large enough to go around, and all that remained was a 22-inch by 27-inch piece of that floral fabric.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN25BCDZ1OPLpv4UQbcC1I2cnXnOZcksOwADGfJNZ7wKQDSUh45y-5_uHOw726URLWZ1X7mrL13MoM4kOQzPTzeOKXoDPUK47ZS99egVCaU40EbTEerZ8JBmtPBZPQwFph9vmOJpFOy83mpIcWdQl-fouWNkZReAHaizDJCRRBzUd7sUW5ATUqN97sRw/s270/quilt%20backs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="193" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN25BCDZ1OPLpv4UQbcC1I2cnXnOZcksOwADGfJNZ7wKQDSUh45y-5_uHOw726URLWZ1X7mrL13MoM4kOQzPTzeOKXoDPUK47ZS99egVCaU40EbTEerZ8JBmtPBZPQwFph9vmOJpFOy83mpIcWdQl-fouWNkZReAHaizDJCRRBzUd7sUW5ATUqN97sRw/w229-h320/quilt%20backs.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good ideas, but my fabric wasn't cooperating!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Victory was sweet!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p>There are just two more backs to piece, and I'll be ready for the group to get back together in August.</p><p>Next thing I did was dig in the scrap bag and pick out a bunch of brightly colored 5 inch squares and sewed up some bean bags. After VBS marketplace ended we had bags of dried beans and lentils that needed a place to be. They made nice filling for the bean bags. I made a total of 8 bean bags, and filled a gallon sized ice cream container and took them to the church's preschool. Bean bag games are always fun no matter what your age.</p><p>Reading before I go to sleep has been a habit for many years. Even if I just read two paragraphs sometimes, it always helps. I always try to pray as I'm getting ready for bed, then find a good story to read, one that keeps my attention at least until my eyes start closing. Lately I've read books by Dana Stabenow, John Sandford, Ann Cleves and Archer Mayor, to name just a few.</p><p>These have been read since January 1...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6T_KtuZuSng7ArWexiYsAGQFd-x6N6ac5BHuMqAyjD5TqX9GdgE6w_dO9SXyxQ1pU7oS_f991mm5y8Of8_RhWD2uc7PJy7xc2AwTt6LYPdt42fxSSfb0L2CQuAg0SqgI_9q03nyQdAU92L0sEcQyXG-wkOBW7pYPYUbl_HQH55p8z1LrSRBBjcx7vxQ/s4032/20220706_195012.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6T_KtuZuSng7ArWexiYsAGQFd-x6N6ac5BHuMqAyjD5TqX9GdgE6w_dO9SXyxQ1pU7oS_f991mm5y8Of8_RhWD2uc7PJy7xc2AwTt6LYPdt42fxSSfb0L2CQuAg0SqgI_9q03nyQdAU92L0sEcQyXG-wkOBW7pYPYUbl_HQH55p8z1LrSRBBjcx7vxQ/s320/20220706_195012.heic" width="144" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXAPbXVy1RcPzqVXyTARgEyIdQLdchoEfdkinZEtjaYcnCRZPnnhQoMca9Fycuu5WlMpRHb43hoIUMH1l_afA64TnL40TB3D9U2-kRD6ypjZLOyhdhauBhxDJ7L0i2coOTSOI87vd1m3l5emeJb55WdDoepfuWEdw3G1rkG-tC-RpgcJHO6KMy1vlzQ/s4032/20220706_195019.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXAPbXVy1RcPzqVXyTARgEyIdQLdchoEfdkinZEtjaYcnCRZPnnhQoMca9Fycuu5WlMpRHb43hoIUMH1l_afA64TnL40TB3D9U2-kRD6ypjZLOyhdhauBhxDJ7L0i2coOTSOI87vd1m3l5emeJb55WdDoepfuWEdw3G1rkG-tC-RpgcJHO6KMy1vlzQ/s320/20220706_195019.heic" width="144" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4GMx9ScwYNsg9KAvDPzVPgTUZComOj-9_kaIuLulYgj4ODypyvbiJL-AN4jYbkjnaCsAduUxPKo7pyQrHvNHW5abCpCYuMoR3X9BX3KAVhmQoiWMrzk29oQLKadoFa5hhNUnjrO4-gjPiv-CicMOm2ZvQivwCZJpMFpuAcuob9e87WGjp62KCPddEA/s4032/20220706_195025.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4GMx9ScwYNsg9KAvDPzVPgTUZComOj-9_kaIuLulYgj4ODypyvbiJL-AN4jYbkjnaCsAduUxPKo7pyQrHvNHW5abCpCYuMoR3X9BX3KAVhmQoiWMrzk29oQLKadoFa5hhNUnjrO4-gjPiv-CicMOm2ZvQivwCZJpMFpuAcuob9e87WGjp62KCPddEA/s320/20220706_195025.heic" width="144" /></a></div></div><br />And these are the ones that are waiting to be read.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpwTVTgl-pihZ00EeO2IilrKkw3DiNDq7eToFte4p2C57V0H01oaMPWs0e61xEbmD54KIsqpmxlzah1S1JxefBd3MU4lfCrkzHX8N9Geui2XRB7I9EIRdHZdhfGMkGSScVvRwYzOVsY6lCKYtsL2KtUKLJTefmST9oj9K48rv0gs49UAWoACiO4fR6A/s4032/20220706_195033.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpwTVTgl-pihZ00EeO2IilrKkw3DiNDq7eToFte4p2C57V0H01oaMPWs0e61xEbmD54KIsqpmxlzah1S1JxefBd3MU4lfCrkzHX8N9Geui2XRB7I9EIRdHZdhfGMkGSScVvRwYzOVsY6lCKYtsL2KtUKLJTefmST9oj9K48rv0gs49UAWoACiO4fR6A/s320/20220706_195033.heic" width="144" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3JGiR7UFYFAoOdyNjtUhZCuCNFmvkA4P33erSxzyzREsfQD_mjf2pOvWZhXor-A4axSdPO0AvBvJO9xZqqSl7iPjA8zc4C5oPeaXtWcT9M5Ma_m2U9wCixppL-rJvJkvXy_RnZrKbX4QllAGhHtsiihFXAX2kv1F592mfgUo9uiNLjlvFuoinvqbAQ/s4032/20220706_195045.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3JGiR7UFYFAoOdyNjtUhZCuCNFmvkA4P33erSxzyzREsfQD_mjf2pOvWZhXor-A4axSdPO0AvBvJO9xZqqSl7iPjA8zc4C5oPeaXtWcT9M5Ma_m2U9wCixppL-rJvJkvXy_RnZrKbX4QllAGhHtsiihFXAX2kv1F592mfgUo9uiNLjlvFuoinvqbAQ/s320/20220706_195045.heic" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No judgments!! I buy most of my books at thrift stores or garage sales and some were gifts. And my comfort is that my children and grandchildren love books as much as I do. It comes down to us honestly from my mother and grandmother, so I can truly say it's a family tradition, and one I treasure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Many of the books I read that are on the lighter side get passed to aunties and cousins. Of course, the aunties don't want any swearing or graphic descriptions of amorousness if you know what I mean. Sex is OK if it's implied but not described. One of my cousins shares my love of mysteries and detective fiction - again, no hard core. My daughter loves nonfiction and history. although I'm getting her to branch out into well-written historical fiction and biographies of famous women like Eleanor Roosevelt and Julia Child. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I did buy her several cookbooks, but it doesn't appear to be working. LOL!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It appears to be time to close up the computer and put on jammies and find something fun and exciting to read tonight. And tomorrow after a class at the Y I might snag a few hours in the sewing room again. I think I might even like July this year!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sew on...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-80321404709167190752022-06-10T13:03:00.000-05:002022-06-10T13:03:26.488-05:00Time Flies...<p> I just checked to see when I posted last and it was in March! Oh well, they say time flies when you're having fun! Although they also say once you're over the hill you pick up speed. 👀</p><p>It seems like just last week it was Easter, and now here it is the middle of June. What have you been doing? I don't know about you but it doesn't seem like I've done much, until I start writing it down.</p><p>I joined the YMCA with Silver Sneakers and I'm going there three times a week. I found two classes that I really like and that aren't killing me (eye roll here if you like!). I'm doing senior yoga twice a week. There is no getting down on a mat, as many of us would need a crane to get back up. My knees will not tolerate much abuse anymore. But doing the exercises from a standing or sitting position gives me just enough stretching and balance to challenge the muscles without pain.</p><p>The second class is called Silver Sneakers Circuit. Why it's a circuit I'm not sure, but we work all the major muscle groups while moving to upbeat music. Our leader is great at keeping us moving without hurting anything. She always says 'do what you can do'. Great advice at any age! I already feel better and both classes are benefitting my left knee which had a meniscus repair three years ago, and my right that need something since it's nearly out of cartilage!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMps8yHleq0dj_6urNoH47TG-2EOqYtxY21d2sAgmqNMuMyUVR7Bk5a303v6Lh4EEpsMTcBc1ffueVYWlE6CNO-IlXicLFdHnk4xRb3yqjYUaI8kQ0rf0-SjVeiN1dZE6TjMIobNblIBqcE_A5pYcrUdsgdxKvKKp4ELU7j-LI-ExhQTHF38Q_xI7nCQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="300" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMps8yHleq0dj_6urNoH47TG-2EOqYtxY21d2sAgmqNMuMyUVR7Bk5a303v6Lh4EEpsMTcBc1ffueVYWlE6CNO-IlXicLFdHnk4xRb3yqjYUaI8kQ0rf0-SjVeiN1dZE6TjMIobNblIBqcE_A5pYcrUdsgdxKvKKp4ELU7j-LI-ExhQTHF38Q_xI7nCQ" width="320" /></a></div><br />The Y that I am frequenting is newer, large and very clean. There's a day care for parents who are working out, and multiple rooms and pools. I'm not yet brave enough to put on a bathing suit, so just floor exercises for me. It'll be interesting to see whether my A1C goes down... fingers crossed!<p></p><p>The knitting is going well. I am signed up to teach a class next week on a very cute baby sweater. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYZxYpkJVZa9pk5y430UiTdeY02AaqxTUPxdTWxhxbm-Us_wqjJ2zQoUbvNSpf1HZnnf4JPmh4NZQ2EBrPonoMA9z6ooz6-j9wWJqawLtysdu0LLNdfuep3yzsLgrl479D4hhIIX3saP3vNLb0QIfs3ahQ-BrBlcGjyQ2NqJR0NqMOx3qBx7lb5EH4g/s2559/20211209_194249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1757" data-original-width="2559" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYZxYpkJVZa9pk5y430UiTdeY02AaqxTUPxdTWxhxbm-Us_wqjJ2zQoUbvNSpf1HZnnf4JPmh4NZQ2EBrPonoMA9z6ooz6-j9wWJqawLtysdu0LLNdfuep3yzsLgrl479D4hhIIX3saP3vNLb0QIfs3ahQ-BrBlcGjyQ2NqJR0NqMOx3qBx7lb5EH4g/s320/20211209_194249.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdzU2TuwatoJH8beIWizMnYEI-XJrX0v492etSKvPkdwnKGv0RAASUFtJvyTE22srJeVYcaMezoeFP-1DJMef9hJEFMz88vGLcxLyLGYfrd47bOFfDG0fiDoqeztr6Rte6n03NOTMkR9z5a9q2bhRimsGX_u3Ls-OmxR3tzB9AJgQp7S2BJcDh59a1A/s4032/20211209_194230.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdzU2TuwatoJH8beIWizMnYEI-XJrX0v492etSKvPkdwnKGv0RAASUFtJvyTE22srJeVYcaMezoeFP-1DJMef9hJEFMz88vGLcxLyLGYfrd47bOFfDG0fiDoqeztr6Rte6n03NOTMkR9z5a9q2bhRimsGX_u3Ls-OmxR3tzB9AJgQp7S2BJcDh59a1A/s320/20211209_194230.heic" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>It's called Norwegian Fir. It's a paid-for pattern you can find on Ravelry. I was drawn in by the cute raglan increase rows that have the look of branches on a fir tree. It's not hard but the pattern is many, many, many pages due to the way it was written. It took me a bit to figure out the system the designer was using. I ended up making a spreadsheet instead of using the written directions. Good old Excel!! Never lets me down. That's my math brain speaking. I'm making another one in this lovely dark teal.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqAetZIegFCYMMEhGuzL-u-h7X8jv_8rXu4KEtHiznJrOMkxWD0cNYGl_YEqT6DNe6FYNb6wWdfTKslMTCBqygF9mRaNngOUZ0A9VGIrUkzVuYYrrHCVpwDBRYl9obZ21yexOd43yIIGeR2WHW9DuiajHPjVZ9wCvwNKdXCJu8Nn4OO5Q_vvNOdfyVQ/s4032/20220426_164426.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqAetZIegFCYMMEhGuzL-u-h7X8jv_8rXu4KEtHiznJrOMkxWD0cNYGl_YEqT6DNe6FYNb6wWdfTKslMTCBqygF9mRaNngOUZ0A9VGIrUkzVuYYrrHCVpwDBRYl9obZ21yexOd43yIIGeR2WHW9DuiajHPjVZ9wCvwNKdXCJu8Nn4OO5Q_vvNOdfyVQ/s320/20220426_164426.heic" width="144" /></a></div><p></p><p>I also made some knitted bangle bracelets. That's a free pattern on Ravelry. They take about 4-5 grams of yarn and are made on small double pointed needles, kind of like a sock. They're worked in stockinette stitch so they naturally roll up into a tube, and you can make them in about 18 1/2 minutes!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SaB8DApYDHFwE_pH84SJPPhBVJWcC_UBpGjNdhzbVhb3iyIA_vqRpribRulCmHo1MDSEDaqgkvLxTJdsVlfFTrcRm3JEzgg24D50blkjolvBy1aEZ8HkvmRHvA-1DlbAeWyt3cyHWefuugR4m3f60I8y5cIBkccA4K9645NVaODs_PExLAtb0A6j-g/s1600/IMG_2037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SaB8DApYDHFwE_pH84SJPPhBVJWcC_UBpGjNdhzbVhb3iyIA_vqRpribRulCmHo1MDSEDaqgkvLxTJdsVlfFTrcRm3JEzgg24D50blkjolvBy1aEZ8HkvmRHvA-1DlbAeWyt3cyHWefuugR4m3f60I8y5cIBkccA4K9645NVaODs_PExLAtb0A6j-g/w150-h200/IMG_2037.jpg" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53rA1ZDToV9u-beOPgLbOYBdfao7SpyafEjZLBtt8KYE8r0eJPyVSZwrDlGs7rgSuyPZBe9rKcgpmbmtt2HCSk-HFmEe7ZDY0BoE6W1crN6t2F8BhsbIMROLuqe3im0ENpLIDnIeTmscEF65Nr3OHPg29kATgOssJImRMJJlJltOXSnXps3vD_Hy5Pg/s1811/20220403_201150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1575" data-original-width="1811" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53rA1ZDToV9u-beOPgLbOYBdfao7SpyafEjZLBtt8KYE8r0eJPyVSZwrDlGs7rgSuyPZBe9rKcgpmbmtt2HCSk-HFmEe7ZDY0BoE6W1crN6t2F8BhsbIMROLuqe3im0ENpLIDnIeTmscEF65Nr3OHPg29kATgOssJImRMJJlJltOXSnXps3vD_Hy5Pg/w200-h174/20220403_201150.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /><br /></div><p>I found the pattern for this cute sailor sweater in an old knitting book from the early 1990s. I made it for a friend who's gifting it to a little girl who's just turned two. It was very fun to knit and I learned the technique for making that rolled sailor collar on a v-necked sweater. Also the color work was fun. Those are small anchors along the bottom.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNOg4lILsJU36a3_v0J9UqXh4t41iJbK6yxES0obZ7kVul3nENX-p0P4h006gn7UHhKEKQvNieITeGkxIAffJVT26fNHLKExZedUPOu1_QtF5F16gZfwZekLkiW-G2J9uDz2Xr7XhGIt92lIDToA-xEJFK_lx1-ah5hbkrbOuk58ky_yybww8my1yKQ/s960/FB_IMG_1652239644583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNOg4lILsJU36a3_v0J9UqXh4t41iJbK6yxES0obZ7kVul3nENX-p0P4h006gn7UHhKEKQvNieITeGkxIAffJVT26fNHLKExZedUPOu1_QtF5F16gZfwZekLkiW-G2J9uDz2Xr7XhGIt92lIDToA-xEJFK_lx1-ah5hbkrbOuk58ky_yybww8my1yKQ/w400-h300/FB_IMG_1652239644583.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our group at Church made two quilts for the preschool with their Letter Q handprint blocks. Every year the four-year-olds go through the alphabet and when they get to Q they make a hand print on muslin to be made into a quilt. I made the one on the left and my friend Gretchen made the one on the right. They get auctioned off for a special project for the school. They made the sign that calls us the famous Loving Hands Quilters. LOL! You can't miss with cute handprints!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiDMuReeMlztwSDt1Krvf_escPMwvpFYiHk7oQDkcqStwDn2jr6xwMW0gUji-WKsBJfgW5fbPHHXOaLtk46ZFDv1cKOPoj4N27CCGiyaa4xW39rrP4ZZOH0D6dLWVT26gThNV0ZBcFC-M3C0lePUxBOvkSusxYzfGy_1N4RSIz5S4DXCjXmn9VslqpQ/s2258/20220428_125306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2258" data-original-width="1731" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiDMuReeMlztwSDt1Krvf_escPMwvpFYiHk7oQDkcqStwDn2jr6xwMW0gUji-WKsBJfgW5fbPHHXOaLtk46ZFDv1cKOPoj4N27CCGiyaa4xW39rrP4ZZOH0D6dLWVT26gThNV0ZBcFC-M3C0lePUxBOvkSusxYzfGy_1N4RSIz5S4DXCjXmn9VslqpQ/s320/20220428_125306.jpg" width="245" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00x_I_c4Xe338YEiiD-piC4wl8jIwf52l6fWHvuGjj13_EQDE51zBA0tKiyYZ_ZYczEaQNROIyC-MSuA5rxlbxh9ANgMxcKqCecB2wPselxM9W0cbGsyROqnXzURsfMXTHBugC3tn_Rj1CK-uV5eSI6z6noOCGov-aI8lxeLUbm412i28bxwRqivU2g/s1743/20220428_125630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1743" data-original-width="1396" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00x_I_c4Xe338YEiiD-piC4wl8jIwf52l6fWHvuGjj13_EQDE51zBA0tKiyYZ_ZYczEaQNROIyC-MSuA5rxlbxh9ANgMxcKqCecB2wPselxM9W0cbGsyROqnXzURsfMXTHBugC3tn_Rj1CK-uV5eSI6z6noOCGov-aI8lxeLUbm412i28bxwRqivU2g/s320/20220428_125630.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qAwxju4qEu8OMlA1spQt26bhMK6YuUmaaY9yXDSqC1z-0TzOdU70NM_IIcOfsV-mVpOx-y3n7DMGQQl-6JacbjDNKfufonTXfCqbOvP8yxGoPMXiVvEyz7nQzSCuBCm_iRA9dPcYApbUMBN2Dg2BbDTlHVbgigzuGgImpRcdQh9jTs_EeHbh0q99sg/s1761/Cardinals%20Baby%20Quilt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1761" data-original-width="1729" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-qAwxju4qEu8OMlA1spQt26bhMK6YuUmaaY9yXDSqC1z-0TzOdU70NM_IIcOfsV-mVpOx-y3n7DMGQQl-6JacbjDNKfufonTXfCqbOvP8yxGoPMXiVvEyz7nQzSCuBCm_iRA9dPcYApbUMBN2Dg2BbDTlHVbgigzuGgImpRcdQh9jTs_EeHbh0q99sg/s320/Cardinals%20Baby%20Quilt.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgy7-gCvVSZaF_sSwqxZCMTf0LwEONDt0vuxdxFXks_DIF58GQI96yG-Mgyw0Y0LNgslHkG90Ze92Ra_EIyNTAIPLLK7HNm6zOlG1Pl7_JlCX4njrBkKw1n3JHR3rvD3YuPEvUqW8LQ1M--Qk-40XuOLaGdDgvpRpEGZgMem-kdhblImFqzVFMhBENXA/s2014/Peach%20&%20Green%20Baby%20Quilt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2014" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgy7-gCvVSZaF_sSwqxZCMTf0LwEONDt0vuxdxFXks_DIF58GQI96yG-Mgyw0Y0LNgslHkG90Ze92Ra_EIyNTAIPLLK7HNm6zOlG1Pl7_JlCX4njrBkKw1n3JHR3rvD3YuPEvUqW8LQ1M--Qk-40XuOLaGdDgvpRpEGZgMem-kdhblImFqzVFMhBENXA/s320/Peach%20&%20Green%20Baby%20Quilt.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The group also made many other quilts. We recently donated the four quilts above to the Silent Auction for Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. The proceeds benefit the synod mission efforts, planting and supporting churches and programs in many places around the world. The top two are adult sized and the bottom two are</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The auction starts on June 12 and can be viewed <a href="https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/80792/auctions/125334?r=1&t=all" target="_blank">HERE</a> if you'd like a peek. </div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In May I went to the grand opening party for the Nancy Zieman Productions Quilt Studio and Museum in Beaver Dam WI. I went specifically to see the evening presentation from the Midwest YaYa Sisters, Rita Farro and Mary Mulari. Unfortunately Mary had to miss as she and her husband had just been diagnosed with Covid, but Rhonda Pierce from Schmetz Needles was there to help. Here she is modeling some of Rita's Frankensewing, as she calls it when she makes a 'new to her' garment from several that may not fit her. Isn't this one fabulous!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBlauzFwsE6dXRAPreuR2KYE1h-N455qzG1M24JniS41w-V2DUNxmIA1nFjKgslJCPr9j-fGjLil0Uy0EsbN7nhfBvuZxLOnaHoHB1gA4HOfnZothIORYKzXkshr6c1F31m2dUB7i-az3yrUAr2sBlRYS1dYTROhjiwf181nkmWLvncB_n4LiKMrBNA/s4032/20220513_181200.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBlauzFwsE6dXRAPreuR2KYE1h-N455qzG1M24JniS41w-V2DUNxmIA1nFjKgslJCPr9j-fGjLil0Uy0EsbN7nhfBvuZxLOnaHoHB1gA4HOfnZothIORYKzXkshr6c1F31m2dUB7i-az3yrUAr2sBlRYS1dYTROhjiwf181nkmWLvncB_n4LiKMrBNA/s320/20220513_181200.heic" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rita's had a tough year. She was dealing with her husband's illness and planning a move to a more adaptive home when he died. She says sewing saved her life and sanity. It was good to see her again. She's in my prayers, as are many of my friends.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made a cute bug pillow for a local nonprofit group. It was a free pattern that required five fat quarters. I changed the pattern to have six legs instead of four, because bugs have six legs and some child with a literal mind or an interest in science might notice! It was fun to make, and I plan to make one or two more.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhRIv0-yEyZMLq9L1kjhcCDwJnZBGkNrX83rZUGZcszuFL5IuAON2vzDEolV0D1O3-WjHSBhfHfLmq0uzRcgx-SZBxknMSxvdgolmq9PY-sdXFd-SHBOQ4llruHPE8L-yUMj-t3mUawrFPY0NyXmUoIycCz06h2eEvYst49E04Ix4Q_fOOMkeJlLtUg/s2237/20220421_145151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2237" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhRIv0-yEyZMLq9L1kjhcCDwJnZBGkNrX83rZUGZcszuFL5IuAON2vzDEolV0D1O3-WjHSBhfHfLmq0uzRcgx-SZBxknMSxvdgolmq9PY-sdXFd-SHBOQ4llruHPE8L-yUMj-t3mUawrFPY0NyXmUoIycCz06h2eEvYst49E04Ix4Q_fOOMkeJlLtUg/s320/20220421_145151.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /></div>Wow, that's enough for now! It's time for lunch. Hope you're having a great summer.<div><br /></div><div>Craft on...<br /><p><br /></p></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-40394998110909897052022-03-21T15:56:00.005-05:002022-03-21T15:57:39.752-05:00First Day of Spring, or NOT?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjP18lGhuCSyQ6p2ccp3o2k5zM5OqNjunNyj2mSnugvnHo4XfmyanLwJTDpJ07CCLGatY9IbEDVRsiL9CCexJ9O3QZcLzVfroIoLhGzlZZiuOvKH2TpYxgitWooP_s5VjFX7hPMptf3FSbnyYjkIMyA_GOuOFmzLf4BDOpcu0xgriZkReyLPvFLw8UPg/s450/spring.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="450" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjP18lGhuCSyQ6p2ccp3o2k5zM5OqNjunNyj2mSnugvnHo4XfmyanLwJTDpJ07CCLGatY9IbEDVRsiL9CCexJ9O3QZcLzVfroIoLhGzlZZiuOvKH2TpYxgitWooP_s5VjFX7hPMptf3FSbnyYjkIMyA_GOuOFmzLf4BDOpcu0xgriZkReyLPvFLw8UPg/s320/spring.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It may be meteorological spring, but here in Wisconsin winter hasn't gone around the corner yet! We can still see Old Man Winter with our peripheral vision. That door doesn't close until Memorial Day... or maybe the 4th of July! </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrgul3EXVwQDvcdysANzljo1wifZ4_3aHIOYkC6O3xYM95QfIWH5DYf8GrDpuBNWpbg8-pN2aBtHCQkBcbHVXxFXIj7BZIbXTGDkC_wDcFEK98I54RZHwXtMiBrmiKzuMhxtFotI_HEr-n0zkknDIpeogZp0JtdkbSUZqREl34iGKNJyt6NyCsYWrKw/s1119/Summer%201950s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="1119" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrgul3EXVwQDvcdysANzljo1wifZ4_3aHIOYkC6O3xYM95QfIWH5DYf8GrDpuBNWpbg8-pN2aBtHCQkBcbHVXxFXIj7BZIbXTGDkC_wDcFEK98I54RZHwXtMiBrmiKzuMhxtFotI_HEr-n0zkknDIpeogZp0JtdkbSUZqREl34iGKNJyt6NyCsYWrKw/w320-h198/Summer%201950s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>This picture was from the June of 1957. I'm in the center sitting on the sidewalk. My sister is on my mom's lap, and her sister JoAnne is holding a light jacket on her lap so I know it was cool that day. You can see that my cousin Denise is wearing a hat and a sweater. It might have been a Sunday, since we're so dressed up and my brother David looks pretty clean. </p><p></p><p>I'm pretty sick of cold and snow right now. I was out last week on a couple of very windy, cold days. The dampness gets into your bones and makes live miserable sometimes. I can understand why people go to Florida or Arizona in the winter. But if you only go for a short vacation, doesn't it feel hard to come back to bleh?</p><p>My aunt and cousin went on a cruise in February. They were in the Caribbean, they visited Honduras and the Bahamas. They said it was wonderful until they got off the plane after returning and they didn't have their winter coats!</p><p>Snowbirds do it better I think, they leave just before it gets really cold and they come back just before it gets really nice. However, I wonder if I'd like living somewhere so warm in what should be winter. What excuse would there be to curl up on the couch with a book while the fireplace burns? Or to stay in for three days because the roads are all snow covered and slippery? Ha! </p><p>Nope. Winter in Wisconsin is not for sissies, so I guess I'll just tough it out until something better comes along.</p><p>First day of spring? Not at all... regardless of what the groundhog said last month, it ain't over until it's over!</p><p>Rock on...</p><br />Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-85131669554658693532022-03-09T11:04:00.000-06:002022-03-09T11:04:10.893-06:00Civic Duty and Other Things<p>Last week I had jury duty. I deeply believe that we should all be good citizens and do our civic duty.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5YDM7H4t55LTDwZ5BW9E9H55y2uYhrq6ZLzqmV2NeqJKpNN7yNKwTW5VNvBpztzCEb0jwmCWY6wf6q2ZedgJMDDsTfg-yhT_YIvRvgbvCGnzTaQs_ZijxYy5SlT2cqFj1J0H-8r9eVvhR3eMq4t6e0wyaGmFIWYFr-NNQ94EBymEEHxfEkrGyuRL38g=s154" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="139" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5YDM7H4t55LTDwZ5BW9E9H55y2uYhrq6ZLzqmV2NeqJKpNN7yNKwTW5VNvBpztzCEb0jwmCWY6wf6q2ZedgJMDDsTfg-yhT_YIvRvgbvCGnzTaQs_ZijxYy5SlT2cqFj1J0H-8r9eVvhR3eMq4t6e0wyaGmFIWYFr-NNQ94EBymEEHxfEkrGyuRL38g" width="139" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">But UGH! The experience was so awful!</span></div><p></p><p>I have to say my hubby may be right when he says the world is populated by idiots. Evidently a lot of them live in my area.</p><p>Criminals are not known as the most intelligent segment of the population. But honestly, half the people who were witnesses in the trial I was picked for were not much more erudite. And some people say the more intelligent you are, the better your excuses are to get out of jury duty! </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZ6pg7v1ZLxxQGXa6TLVulM9xieoEkPqUhL7sd4q66AcYh0bEEDQpvkHfv_yO5NuEMXWN84kcRr9EzoVj8ULkJSiyUwq404UFowhDUCUhy3XUl0P3Cg_5CfdZIdAMXF9Ovibzn2YsuI6zRj2qMu-ulJoTqRiepzwd8hwzs36bFSmJqLJLve7HWypYmyA=s337" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="337" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZ6pg7v1ZLxxQGXa6TLVulM9xieoEkPqUhL7sd4q66AcYh0bEEDQpvkHfv_yO5NuEMXWN84kcRr9EzoVj8ULkJSiyUwq404UFowhDUCUhy3XUl0P3Cg_5CfdZIdAMXF9Ovibzn2YsuI6zRj2qMu-ulJoTqRiepzwd8hwzs36bFSmJqLJLve7HWypYmyA=s320" width="320" /></a></p><p>Well, I didn't. Get out of serving, I mean.</p><p>Jury selection was interesting. Three dozen people showed up. We were numbered, in some mysterious order known only to the bailiffs. We lined up and the first 21 were seated in the jury box area.</p><p>I was number 22.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbrz1GDjpSlEqhdgH4WFup22mp7m1sDmAordAKaAZ23CqdhDKGk4f-81pqRRp_9trQQWFCEpnWvLkaFJokily6PDxIrmVMU2NCZ6QUu1NThLbAsy18zcQzWkSL6AexEKSFUInn89plBJnDiADiNItHhy3Fyg81A231uBdtDSSdIC_PhCXXDCYPA5mxcg=s453" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="453" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbrz1GDjpSlEqhdgH4WFup22mp7m1sDmAordAKaAZ23CqdhDKGk4f-81pqRRp_9trQQWFCEpnWvLkaFJokily6PDxIrmVMU2NCZ6QUu1NThLbAsy18zcQzWkSL6AexEKSFUInn89plBJnDiADiNItHhy3Fyg81A231uBdtDSSdIC_PhCXXDCYPA5mxcg=s320" width="320" /></a></p><p>Questions were asked and answered. One person stated that they were unable to set aside a prior experience to give a fair and impartial opinion. The judge excused that person.</p><p>The judge said "Number 22, please replace the excused juror." Or words to that effect.</p><p>OK, more questions asked and answered. The judge said "We will now do jury selection, or more like deselection. If your name is called, please stand."</p><p>My name was not called. Those standing left. Dismissed. For the next FOUR years.</p><p>So, on to testimony, witnesses, the whole nine yards. The rest of the day was very interesting. The defense attorney was a large, loud brutish-appearing man, but he didn't seem uneducated. The prosecutor bore a close resemblance to my oldest granddaughter. Smart and beautiful all at once!</p><p>Some of the witnesses though. Well, I have to give them a pass on total cluelessness, because the trial was for a crime committed in 2019. Bad covid! But really, would you not remember something as momentous as the theft of your property?</p><p>Oh, did I mention alcohol was involved?</p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">😲</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">So...</span></p><p>I guess this serves as a life lesson. Yes, there is bad out there. And a whole lot of dumb and dumber.</p><p>And at the end of a couple of hours of what passed for deliberation, one very rude and obnoxious 19 year old and a couple of whatever the current name is for the school of "oh, the poor thing wasn't raised like us in a nice house and how could they possibly know that it was a CRIME??" managed to skew the concept of reasonable doubt, emphasis on reasonable. I found myself in a minority. Of one.</p><p>I caved. I was unwilling to keep us all weekend, and unwilling to send back a no-verdict verdict and make the State do it all over again for the amount of money that was in question.</p><p>I believe right is right and wrong is wrong. Actions should have consequences. But I also believe in the Law of Diminishing Returns.</p><p>The defendant will be back in court I'm sure. And probably sooner rather than later. The cops will be waiting. And the prosecutor will be more ready next time.</p><p>Rock on...</p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-24948603321997750762022-02-07T14:57:00.001-06:002022-02-07T14:57:04.589-06:00Monday Morning Musings<p> As I'm typing this it's Monday morning and the sun is shining down furiously here in Southeast Wisconsin. Which means it is colder than a -- well, you supply the rest of the metaphor as you wish!</p><p>Yesterday the high temperature was 40 degrees F. It was almost balmy! My youngest granddaughter and I went shopping after church and neither of us could bear to have a coat on in the car. My car is dark gray with a black interior, and it heats up pretty nicely when the sun is shining.</p><p>The previous day the high was a single digit, but at least it was above zero. Below freezing but above zero...boy howdy it's WINTER!</p><p>Today it's 23 but feels like 13, according to the current forecast. </p><p>Brrrrrrrrrrrr!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKMzXwwIhm-LupkKqoNrZDKyshqkujTIXAzg1stws6gEzqYrBK5iOF7IyMzNsbrtDXJMY9cNAz8t07YyiTS0TUqVS-CuB13oE3zLXlND1ko8MZhU3pW1avD2k27P7cY__N_EaPyapPSixjquvx4OZ9KK4t-GT8444f0qUoyXxEQhNMOGBD5tQRPngDpg=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKMzXwwIhm-LupkKqoNrZDKyshqkujTIXAzg1stws6gEzqYrBK5iOF7IyMzNsbrtDXJMY9cNAz8t07YyiTS0TUqVS-CuB13oE3zLXlND1ko8MZhU3pW1avD2k27P7cY__N_EaPyapPSixjquvx4OZ9KK4t-GT8444f0qUoyXxEQhNMOGBD5tQRPngDpg=s320" width="180" /></a></div><p>Rock on...</p><p><br /></p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-65668118580481755502022-02-04T17:08:00.001-06:002022-02-04T17:08:08.435-06:00I Had An Idea...<p>But maybe I have Covid brain too! The other day I was sitting on the couch thinking about something that I wanted to tell the Blog, but now that I'm sitting here ready to write I can't remember what it was. Doesn't that happen more and more these days? </p><p>I attended a virtual quilting retreat last weekend. It was also a Mystery Sew-Along, where the clues were doled out one at a time and you had no idea what you were actually going to end up with for a quilt. This is the second year in a row that this particular quilt shop was holding such a retreat, and I have to say that I had a little less anxiety over this one than I did last year. I had a blast, and even though I made a few errors along the way, I think my blocks are coming out fine.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjH3YttAx5VLQ1fnlalQSMYdNMnUAR-hTY5vN8pNsCMsfgQ2ZroT_MIMSRlqFJR1elJ2rfylOdI7lqeIlW1qO11v8O3BF7jZdkC8S3XwodgtrH2VnDxyCpBKnk119Z3rlDhHM_MmRDqYZ2TjfjCB5mJkEjHzeqiTX2WtIaPjWj34uFcT8alGVpPCwaJBA=s1134" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="908" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjH3YttAx5VLQ1fnlalQSMYdNMnUAR-hTY5vN8pNsCMsfgQ2ZroT_MIMSRlqFJR1elJ2rfylOdI7lqeIlW1qO11v8O3BF7jZdkC8S3XwodgtrH2VnDxyCpBKnk119Z3rlDhHM_MmRDqYZ2TjfjCB5mJkEjHzeqiTX2WtIaPjWj34uFcT8alGVpPCwaJBA=s320" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcOJiOiZAX06Udz7IPK_mvki5PH-Um6baHhIh2rWSo58GR6XsplG6NXcLeHJtW4bg--V78xJP-_iVCQ_YTayr3elSAZYBs4DqbV7sG7xZUmf2pAl82fLUuSeF1O_CyaNBBWFsvAae2vqKg5lnQWIIWOQMsIXHKnoz5_K64LwlNfQxmkUbTqqsydAul7Q=s3051" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3051" data-original-width="1374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcOJiOiZAX06Udz7IPK_mvki5PH-Um6baHhIh2rWSo58GR6XsplG6NXcLeHJtW4bg--V78xJP-_iVCQ_YTayr3elSAZYBs4DqbV7sG7xZUmf2pAl82fLUuSeF1O_CyaNBBWFsvAae2vqKg5lnQWIIWOQMsIXHKnoz5_K64LwlNfQxmkUbTqqsydAul7Q=s320" width="144" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcNoGGl47QgG4u0cUnKbjLREuWz5ke9nmsktgVbMl4fJk0X1C6FzonauK6TQKeE6m8vTVP5WIFknwlELIuT5vnIbw1Y_qv0KehSZNik3VpGrJdqfcrvXpMH0yQbuArs8l5q6HGdp9fZwNSREMHShKG1kJQymaTjDissdT0CSudisBSmO-XHvj9o5RsCA=s3051" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3051" data-original-width="1374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcNoGGl47QgG4u0cUnKbjLREuWz5ke9nmsktgVbMl4fJk0X1C6FzonauK6TQKeE6m8vTVP5WIFknwlELIuT5vnIbw1Y_qv0KehSZNik3VpGrJdqfcrvXpMH0yQbuArs8l5q6HGdp9fZwNSREMHShKG1kJQymaTjDissdT0CSudisBSmO-XHvj9o5RsCA=s320" width="144" /></a></div><br /><p>There's plenty to do before I'm done, but it's not a race!! But I do think I'm stuck on blue quilt island for now, LOL!</p><p>I remembered what else I was going to write about! I came across a sticker from a book I bought from a <strike>used</strike> previously owned book site. Each book has a tag with a bar code and a 3-digit number. I've been buying books there for several years. If you spend $10 shipping is free, and every time you spend a certain amount you get a free book. So I've had lots of stickers.</p><p>Each number is different, and they don't appear in any order. I thought it might be fun to keep track of the numbers and use them for something - I have no idea what, but it might be interesting to see. I guess you have to be a numbers person to even think that would be fun. </p><p>Meanwhile back at the sewing studio, I need to get back to work. There's a long way to go on this mystery.</p><p>Sew on...</p><p><br /></p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-71456342924649914912022-01-22T11:35:00.003-06:002022-01-22T12:21:10.191-06:00Beginning a New Year<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you began, and let the Lord be all in all to you.”</span></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">― </span><span class="authorOrTitle" face="Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">Charles H. Spurgeon, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"></span><span id="quote_book_link_651271" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><a class="authorOrTitle" href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1592042" style="color: #333333; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">All of Grace</a></span><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Charles Spurgeon was a Calvinist preacher in England in the 1800s. All of Grace was a book written by Spurgeon and published in 1885. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I have heard and seen many times the statement above... begin as you mean to go on. Ha ha! I began this piece on New Year's Eve and now 22 days later I'm finally finishing it! I hope that doesn't mean the whole year will be filled with missed deadlines.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I started 2022 with some sewing projects and some knitting projects. I spent some time in my sewing studio, organizing and cleaning out some old stuff, and then sewing. I made a blue knit top and wore it later that week. It's good to be making garments again. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">After having my close encounter with hot chicken broth in November, I lost time on my knitting. I had intended to make small projects for holiday gifts for the family. I finished three pairs of fingerless mitts before the incident, one pair for my grandson with yarn that had a light reflective thread spun in. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Once those mitts were done I couldn't wait to make some more, and each pair that was begun made me wonder what other color they could appear in. They're like potato chips, you can't stop at one!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLg1N-f1CE0OX1TtfyFp_2E7_BBW7Nk8UwjeeHE-jWBF59SvqZNVGLM7P6Tyzgx7jzGpf8tIRsaQs3aCar8f7Ab3ebyVKJBtO4nyyvjpLuHrfo-Ew7dTLeTFGPk3o6k8orrqrGkimFZmHuf01rI-ZJs8QoM3AVa2e8WJGXDyvzn4F7Xoj87syR9h7gtA=s3051" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3051" data-original-width="1374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLg1N-f1CE0OX1TtfyFp_2E7_BBW7Nk8UwjeeHE-jWBF59SvqZNVGLM7P6Tyzgx7jzGpf8tIRsaQs3aCar8f7Ab3ebyVKJBtO4nyyvjpLuHrfo-Ew7dTLeTFGPk3o6k8orrqrGkimFZmHuf01rI-ZJs8QoM3AVa2e8WJGXDyvzn4F7Xoj87syR9h7gtA=s320" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is such an easy pattern! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And it's fee on ravelry.com.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBsiJ_hTRZwp64M23WcqCObUWP-o_vB0SwJeCmdvlbU2NqZBHA9pdFVpOz3fkueHANacOSzupLNZOFteB5PPzg9BFwZQ6GFMM6FmMS0Nry2tV2xFaJ1bqkPkDHCG8qCDFwohfxMqSdgaY9_xpkB0JmK5dp-9DWXQGJ_hGlYTpSkmj-IjGpyWxmtzlUoA=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="711" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBsiJ_hTRZwp64M23WcqCObUWP-o_vB0SwJeCmdvlbU2NqZBHA9pdFVpOz3fkueHANacOSzupLNZOFteB5PPzg9BFwZQ6GFMM6FmMS0Nry2tV2xFaJ1bqkPkDHCG8qCDFwohfxMqSdgaY9_xpkB0JmK5dp-9DWXQGJ_hGlYTpSkmj-IjGpyWxmtzlUoA=s320" width="237" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm1e3OFxoypKvd5whMs23mD8gjeygJxtGDKyL3YdtfeOav-aRFXqxIlxaVlsyGnhspv-Tc5OcEaWKbvwGTkMl1K6wC-TAnHOubtBquWpnwQIMiIZdoxm_XDGSoRYP4DtvA-HLxK9fce2zWtdBZyuxf_9-R4T9AB0rUEEapze6HC5Nv73lEirMHIEYKpg=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="605" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm1e3OFxoypKvd5whMs23mD8gjeygJxtGDKyL3YdtfeOav-aRFXqxIlxaVlsyGnhspv-Tc5OcEaWKbvwGTkMl1K6wC-TAnHOubtBquWpnwQIMiIZdoxm_XDGSoRYP4DtvA-HLxK9fce2zWtdBZyuxf_9-R4T9AB0rUEEapze6HC5Nv73lEirMHIEYKpg=s320" width="202" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The blue and gray pairs were gifted on Christmas Eve, and the purple are promised to my son's fiancé, Ms. A. Another blue pair are finished for her daughter, Miss L. </span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">But then I could NOT stop! Once the church ladies saw them, they said "oh, how much would I have to pay to get you to knit a pair for me?" Goodness! It's a good thing they're fast and fun, or that would be a chore.</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8ulaiSO_cnXzlb-aQS2jxOv76-OA6loDyJsttGgSyFSD5HVKVc-06DKFx7Ym5anrUfWJQve3ND9EdbBDwu4nVJcIhOPyKADzY-4tWqZOhjVn_W-dXrR_kw7K4HUc1IZyhaRV-Eku0wqCAcKXqFRf8dR-dp09OZgC-WFJsgXB-htHl34tuxiwprZBuPA=s1994" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1994" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8ulaiSO_cnXzlb-aQS2jxOv76-OA6loDyJsttGgSyFSD5HVKVc-06DKFx7Ym5anrUfWJQve3ND9EdbBDwu4nVJcIhOPyKADzY-4tWqZOhjVn_W-dXrR_kw7K4HUc1IZyhaRV-Eku0wqCAcKXqFRf8dR-dp09OZgC-WFJsgXB-htHl34tuxiwprZBuPA=s320" width="289" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">See what I mean? They pile up quickly! I am learning about the yarns I'm using by doing the same pattern over and over, using the same size needles. These are all DK weight yarns, and they are varying sizes depending upon the springiness of the yarn and the fiber content. So far, the best are merino wool and merino blends, followed by Superwash wool which has a little less bounce. For softness and shape retention they rate a 10 out of 10.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The yellow pair at the top of the stack is mystery yarn. I didn't do a burn test but I think it might be acrylic or poly. During blocking all of the others were easily shaped, but not the yellow. That was the first clue. The yarn was a gift, a partial skein with no ball band, and with it was a loose wad of eyelash yarn of the same color. The giver is not a knitter and had gotten it from someone else. Thus the mystery content. But it knit up nicely and they are pretty.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used one ball of silk and bamboo, which are very smooth and soft but tend to be loose and don't have a lot of shape retention. They're beautiful but not very practical. We'll see how warm they are too.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho1PDx6bzdzueq9AlbXxhe2Yy5Umxak-1VTbGok5JDugPcKPON6Hz7WfoT30bqkZhVD2KLMX3mbtsfhbGXAsUMDJTi11Y-C1B09cRxdrvIb5BF9X-IfFOjaWt1-xWCGAV0OWTI4bmliDNsKk9dbM7YODsSbTVkWi7Z0lNcsy5kgBgf6fLZjlEb13lFCA=s288" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="288" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho1PDx6bzdzueq9AlbXxhe2Yy5Umxak-1VTbGok5JDugPcKPON6Hz7WfoT30bqkZhVD2KLMX3mbtsfhbGXAsUMDJTi11Y-C1B09cRxdrvIb5BF9X-IfFOjaWt1-xWCGAV0OWTI4bmliDNsKk9dbM7YODsSbTVkWi7Z0lNcsy5kgBgf6fLZjlEb13lFCA" width="288" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">But for sheer brightness I think the winner is this neon yellow-green pair. The yarn is Manos de Uruguay in the color Highlighter. I bet you can't tell why!! I think this might be the pair I'm keeping for me...</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">So I guess I did start as I mean to go.</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">Knit on...</span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-17420723599644051352021-12-21T19:38:00.002-06:002021-12-21T19:38:30.814-06:00Baking For The Holidays<p>I love baking, and even though I'm not supposed to be eating too much sugar, I still enjoy it. This year my families will go home with a tray of homemade cookies as my gift. Since I have no idea what to buy people who want things and then go get them, it seems like the ideal solution. None of them has the time to bake, but I do!</p><p>I have the fun of doing it, and other people will eat them and then take them away to remove the temptation. Win win!</p><p>This year I've made six varieties so far: chocolate chip, peanut butter, shortbread, chocolate chocolate chunk, oatmeal with dried cherries instead of raisins, and pecan tassies. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUwZrdvTK7Ow4XobNtwYkbBqO7Qmda_5sYkJ_PisV-oOPex5NQak3l9AryjWYzHSzyDj04OdgUlM6Y4AWdk1-MANTaMxtzJ5nVHZHGXkkJrYwJgE1O15s4A0htjF5Src7NNdfnHVxJZe3Q1Q-RlI2c_RuxYnr5QfNg7-HfRRlOU7IWgmClcxSbMLZLLQ=s96" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="95" data-original-width="96" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUwZrdvTK7Ow4XobNtwYkbBqO7Qmda_5sYkJ_PisV-oOPex5NQak3l9AryjWYzHSzyDj04OdgUlM6Y4AWdk1-MANTaMxtzJ5nVHZHGXkkJrYwJgE1O15s4A0htjF5Src7NNdfnHVxJZe3Q1Q-RlI2c_RuxYnr5QfNg7-HfRRlOU7IWgmClcxSbMLZLLQ=w200-h198" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toll House Choc Chip</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDcnxPnLOXHtZ5WwHfwhgC2AXJBM_O7wews-iwgB2d9jY5T7kpUQJxu228NdobGs7VVxAO4yT0hrP5-KVdfax9pCfOlaJMDU27YJYskbMehU_CMXhmZj_oktT8oz7FC95aXddlT5xAwMj33u7M-HsZq4kVSziW-mhOzH21OOOuERJajBwiydDp3u7QJQ=s101" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="95" data-original-width="101" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDcnxPnLOXHtZ5WwHfwhgC2AXJBM_O7wews-iwgB2d9jY5T7kpUQJxu228NdobGs7VVxAO4yT0hrP5-KVdfax9pCfOlaJMDU27YJYskbMehU_CMXhmZj_oktT8oz7FC95aXddlT5xAwMj33u7M-HsZq4kVSziW-mhOzH21OOOuERJajBwiydDp3u7QJQ=w200-h188" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Choc Choc Chunk from a mix!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2DvgI-DbwJzLSxCBJ99H5gt5Sy2Cqg1UeKs_mskZge2z7HJPcAN4r5w8kqZbZPQmzh-DdYw6Nbx-BS4MK-NLMTHPb4rw7K5-DfTnR2qd-38bo-2WNAAFuG4zuPrJ0ZQtPVei54g5_CBeVswnnhbW6iVu4kzXpRYSE7LyVC03mgvodlRYrEIj39amCQA=s278" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="185" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2DvgI-DbwJzLSxCBJ99H5gt5Sy2Cqg1UeKs_mskZge2z7HJPcAN4r5w8kqZbZPQmzh-DdYw6Nbx-BS4MK-NLMTHPb4rw7K5-DfTnR2qd-38bo-2WNAAFuG4zuPrJ0ZQtPVei54g5_CBeVswnnhbW6iVu4kzXpRYSE7LyVC03mgvodlRYrEIj39amCQA=w213-h320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mrs. Fields peanut butter cookies</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Still to come are: Mexican wedding cakes, potato chip cookies, and sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles. Those will probably happen over the next two days. The sugar cookies are slated for the day Miss A starts her Christmas vacation, because she likes to decorate them.<p>Right now I have about two dozen cookie recipe books on the table. I've chosen just one or two recipes from each of my favorite books. My best ones look horrible... like my 1963 Betty Crocker Cookie Book.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBqd-M6iQJLcDOUuw91qCwYilvQB7BWWSgwLIyLZMjTMH27BEJHIeDxzKn5yf1V2xooqk5_2fJVg0OBK3xhKka3eCdcQt5vmqq0njJg8qHB099PWuM9tqzdD91LbEyf7YuCq0hO9W6R9Kcr9tvEo6uNsLHymXot8c02s26zkyHPObxyr2odU8bUevaKQ=s213" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="213" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBqd-M6iQJLcDOUuw91qCwYilvQB7BWWSgwLIyLZMjTMH27BEJHIeDxzKn5yf1V2xooqk5_2fJVg0OBK3xhKka3eCdcQt5vmqq0njJg8qHB099PWuM9tqzdD91LbEyf7YuCq0hO9W6R9Kcr9tvEo6uNsLHymXot8c02s26zkyHPObxyr2odU8bUevaKQ" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wish mine looked this good! It's pretty shabby after being hauled out every December since 1971!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHyqfLtTpHouNAPvv4o7zg1UEii82ggvrNGtIxPoCJJmcAjniakn-hINTOsFP80dEjklnWrxYBTiP4B1m7TKUdfev0uKaXeSvoEHLZ8FStixiAhNuF1tDDEaqQAzayNt0nxBHcfk1OokjTsD7FAU2wLGfi1sllpBfi7nq_Triyvkayje0h6BcHY9zcVQ=s234" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="183" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHyqfLtTpHouNAPvv4o7zg1UEii82ggvrNGtIxPoCJJmcAjniakn-hINTOsFP80dEjklnWrxYBTiP4B1m7TKUdfev0uKaXeSvoEHLZ8FStixiAhNuF1tDDEaqQAzayNt0nxBHcfk1OokjTsD7FAU2wLGfi1sllpBfi7nq_Triyvkayje0h6BcHY9zcVQ" width="183" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Then there's Mrs. Fields... our mall used to have a Mrs. Fields' shop, and when the kids were small we could buy a little cone of bite-sized cookies as a treat for behaving while shopping.<div><br /></div><div>I have a whole collection of cookbooks from Wisconsin Electric Company, or as it's called now, WE Energies.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_oqU6LKT2W0yUrrmU_ZSQTKv_SYJrQGkEwzGK9tWnD1L4Aqw-q3mc4MEck0fMBJlY4WZjTRDtqBMuo69XkHdR2WTdQ2ysYtFNrhj1iSELhfd5GQl1CD-K7KrnHnb5JGUW22rAZYichLCGD7wL_PifC6aUM7Y7_h2pQCng81D6YyaaqAaUCloShp9RNg=s211" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="185" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_oqU6LKT2W0yUrrmU_ZSQTKv_SYJrQGkEwzGK9tWnD1L4Aqw-q3mc4MEck0fMBJlY4WZjTRDtqBMuo69XkHdR2WTdQ2ysYtFNrhj1iSELhfd5GQl1CD-K7KrnHnb5JGUW22rAZYichLCGD7wL_PifC6aUM7Y7_h2pQCng81D6YyaaqAaUCloShp9RNg" width="185" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihO23ubFlSOsixH0QknYBBdY6uj7v2IzvYeTb9klAgP9VPtfYuL4QK0GDv9HIfkAkKbBhqn6I7MGDHOwDGh-kB3obRvaH0dtCSEPZjqkOsU54haPkD1cOF1iTIPSrw2ryQSZHLDBfKIuKag1k7tLVjRfxGa753-2DdsQiH3w91Upu22HQ-s1VfETix-g=s180" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="180" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihO23ubFlSOsixH0QknYBBdY6uj7v2IzvYeTb9klAgP9VPtfYuL4QK0GDv9HIfkAkKbBhqn6I7MGDHOwDGh-kB3obRvaH0dtCSEPZjqkOsU54haPkD1cOF1iTIPSrw2ryQSZHLDBfKIuKag1k7tLVjRfxGa753-2DdsQiH3w91Upu22HQ-s1VfETix-g" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They're distributed annually, free of charge, in WE Energies territory. Someone from our church picks up a stack every December and I make sure I get one. The potato chip crisps recipe is in the 2011 book. I think it might also be in the 1957 book, which in addition to cookies had appetizers, meals, all sorts of holiday goodies. I have many older books from my mother-in-law, who worked there before she retired.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can find them in pdf format on the internet for downloading, for 2021 here <a href="https://www.we-energies.com/recipes" target="_blank">WE Eng Cookie Book 2021</a> or for years past at this link <a href="https://www.we-energies.com/recipes/archive" target="_blank">WE Energies Cookie Book Archive</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bake on...</div><p><br /></p></div></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-86792509285247690682021-12-20T18:19:00.001-06:002021-12-20T18:19:27.254-06:00Things That Make Me Go Huh?!<p>My internet browser opens to the page where I access my email. As browsers like to do, it offers me a slideshow of 'news stories' from various media accounts, like Yahoo, CNN, Business Insider, Women & Home, etc. There are ads there for things I've looked at, like yarn and shoes.</p><p>Today I found this:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic11bSEvfEuDg2SAhMsbzSBZxMSjmPR0vMIZaepcvDfWTQ0mz_qHCHHmJdWXPjH58icNa9D_yfDhGFtmASLIQKHOmdslEx1Xu9W2WHGufW_-8PDLZfUY_KE4DrzX8hsza5VGilKxqBoXYc/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="704" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic11bSEvfEuDg2SAhMsbzSBZxMSjmPR0vMIZaepcvDfWTQ0mz_qHCHHmJdWXPjH58icNa9D_yfDhGFtmASLIQKHOmdslEx1Xu9W2WHGufW_-8PDLZfUY_KE4DrzX8hsza5VGilKxqBoXYc/" width="320" /></a></div><p>I gasped!!! I drink diet soda, when I drink soda at all. Since I've been diagnosed with diabetes I drink only water, unsweetened tea and diet beverages. My favorite drink right now is a tall glass filled with ice and water up to about an inch from the rim, then topped off with diet (sugarless) cranberry juice.</p><p>Why are diet drinks disappearing from stores, you ask?</p><p>Millenials.</p><p>Yup. Millennials evidently don't like the word 'diet'! According to this article, the term diet is OUT OF FASHION with millennials and GenZ. It has a negative connotation, and therefore the former diet sodas and other beverages are renamed Zero Sugar.</p><p>Huh.</p><p>The beverages will still be there, just named something non-offensive to young people. Political correctness has hit a new low.</p><p>😞</p> <p></p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-14219066157028005192021-12-10T16:23:00.006-06:002021-12-10T16:25:41.535-06:00Friday Frowns<p>Sometimes just living life is a challenge. Approaching holidays or none, things going well or not, it can turn on a dime.</p><p>I know that you can't change some things -- the only thing you can change is your reaction to those things. Who knew I was so philosophical? LOL!</p><p>A couple of months ago we had to get a new TV. We got a larger one than we had previously. It didn't fit on the old stand. In moving the old stand, Mr. Cranky Pants broke the doors off because he just HAD to do it before there was anyone here to assist. <sigh></p><p>He took my coffee table and used it to hold the TV. Because, you know, we couldn't have the TV sitting on the floor, and nothing else was wide enough.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXsjGZFzpvfgJ4ZBTSnM5zA_b0GVZ4RNi_N2bMWa7vjr1GbncYLRKPkyW4enb-o074-7oushu0CONiXqCen9QgsuV6GJZlT39x0AMqes_GQs2Y9JOYca3Rb27gsbv5xzICPGtgTwZeKwEvINKrjk26URTJxkbgfRRD3uoJ-vuS5WJuRpGRUKknOmn9SA=s480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXsjGZFzpvfgJ4ZBTSnM5zA_b0GVZ4RNi_N2bMWa7vjr1GbncYLRKPkyW4enb-o074-7oushu0CONiXqCen9QgsuV6GJZlT39x0AMqes_GQs2Y9JOYca3Rb27gsbv5xzICPGtgTwZeKwEvINKrjk26URTJxkbgfRRD3uoJ-vuS5WJuRpGRUKknOmn9SA=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not mine but the right color.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I've been looking for a coffee table and haven't been able to find one that went with the other tables n the room. NOT that it matters, because the bookcases don't match the end tables, and then there's the victrola cabinet that doesn't match anything, but the end tables DO resemble the fireplace mantle. So I would like just a LITTLE continuity. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8qsoJbWKLeE2bBNXtKHKQv248We2uVp9vTeR-yCnaaBvpLs2qDoQo8qnZml6yVYOjUIHhFje-QHmFd69Kcm9_NpPxthV0WVzQqqfiuVRWaQfjJC2sKzsqYNf0lbplfBa8bksV9app6bc7XIgMoHKAlGj5nlMplro9vMrJNq4p6Wo3DnQUGrTvFGPv1w=s480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8qsoJbWKLeE2bBNXtKHKQv248We2uVp9vTeR-yCnaaBvpLs2qDoQo8qnZml6yVYOjUIHhFje-QHmFd69Kcm9_NpPxthV0WVzQqqfiuVRWaQfjJC2sKzsqYNf0lbplfBa8bksV9app6bc7XIgMoHKAlGj5nlMplro9vMrJNq4p6Wo3DnQUGrTvFGPv1w=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have a bookcase like this.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Last week I saw a TV cabinet that resembled but did not match the end tables and fireplace. I almost bought it, but didn't. It was too big for my car and the 2nd hand store it was in doesn't deliver. 😒</p><p>Meanwhile after a discussion about why the ones on Amazon won't work, I guilted Mr. Cranky into going back to the shop where I saw the table. Turns out it won't fit in his truck either! It's just a small SUV, not intended for furniture deliveries. 😞</p><p>If you buy it you can pick it up later but it must be within 24 hours. Neither of my kids replied to my texts so we left the shop. We stopped at two other shops, but there were no good alternatives.</p><p>While having a late lunch we texted the kids again and Son is busy tomorrow but Son-In-Law replied that he will check the schedule and get back to us after discussion with Daughter. Things are looking up!</p><p>Now once they arrange a trip with the pickup truck, we have to hope that they haven't sold the item in question before the boys can get there. Fingers crossed! They're open tomorrow at 10 a.m. so I hope they can get there early enough to beat any other shoppers.</p><p>It's success tomorrow or it's back to the drawing board, and continuing to keep my feet on the wicker trunk while I'm knitting...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEht1RhIUZgXBes6LVU6O_QULwV87XWO-_18kDuLxfWmwuDLftH11DXBgKsuansJzECiBv_53P00Jr936U7RoT7ThsRGRRw6qdHfk434gO1kGR78AuApcmdXJiJCHy7CCfGX52Wnypuyto4ymKTHq5YeHB6EJsfPy4gQlsWTtgP5gMZnmuAU01Qcp3GzTw=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEht1RhIUZgXBes6LVU6O_QULwV87XWO-_18kDuLxfWmwuDLftH11DXBgKsuansJzECiBv_53P00Jr936U7RoT7ThsRGRRw6qdHfk434gO1kGR78AuApcmdXJiJCHy7CCfGX52Wnypuyto4ymKTHq5YeHB6EJsfPy4gQlsWTtgP5gMZnmuAU01Qcp3GzTw=w150-h200" width="150" /></a></div><p>Shop on...</p><p><br /></p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-7896829512279858642021-11-16T15:58:00.000-06:002021-11-16T15:58:31.082-06:00So Much To Do or Too Many Choices?<p> Since the pandemic began and we were all encouraged to stay away from public places and large groups of strangers, I've been in a kind of cleaning and purging mode... to compliment my on-line ordering madness, I guess! If UPS, FedEx, and USPS are always bringing me new things, I should clear out some of the old stuff and try to make room.</p><p>Also, after watching the million organizing videos on YouTube, I'm trying to keep only things I really need or that bring me the proverbial joy to own.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYjb_G3clbzOnFxsE3bs9JcvVd9axmc5QiptINqaQDGZ3-Zw9lw5rWo2V5ms6JJYnF9gqpmxR9kD9uYQg4Fir9ZLyjBHnt_RJD9Z4WkASdA8xbbxaoVTikI_DDXRmsR5cPS0IaeoAnp8S/s2048/20211116_132749.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1629" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYjb_G3clbzOnFxsE3bs9JcvVd9axmc5QiptINqaQDGZ3-Zw9lw5rWo2V5ms6JJYnF9gqpmxR9kD9uYQg4Fir9ZLyjBHnt_RJD9Z4WkASdA8xbbxaoVTikI_DDXRmsR5cPS0IaeoAnp8S/s320/20211116_132749.jpg" width="255" /></a></p><p>My yarn stash has grown. This is today's delivery - the Cascade came from an Etsy shop called HollyPKnits, and the Dishie is from Knit Picks. Even though I tried to purge many of those small end-of-project left-overs, sending them to good homes, it's still a net gain.. I've been trying to knit up a few dozen small projects and have gifted or sold some of those items. Still working on a sweater for my middle granddaughter for Christmas -- which is only a few short weeks away!</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDG1wUzJkvFwowsJDQ22qpLsSMvoXCV_XrxKoN35vlOYjw97s2hZMKIsB6OUjm7CHbA26JKvlZoB_boaGqSrug4rBcwkSFIzTkdtVK6YOxBPQc7pWhKlgc5cdsistgvkOHR9bivB0ka8fq/s1750/20211116_132740.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="1750" data-original-width="1703" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDG1wUzJkvFwowsJDQ22qpLsSMvoXCV_XrxKoN35vlOYjw97s2hZMKIsB6OUjm7CHbA26JKvlZoB_boaGqSrug4rBcwkSFIzTkdtVK6YOxBPQc7pWhKlgc5cdsistgvkOHR9bivB0ka8fq/w194-h200/20211116_132740.jpg" width="194" /></a> </p><p>These fun things came with the HollyPKnits order...along with five plastic knitting markers. She wrote a nice note... and sent a coupon for 15% off my next order of $75 or more. My only negative thought was that that little piece of paper was her receipt, and the print was so tiny. It's about the size of a charm square - 5 inches by maybe 5 1/2 inches, so the font is very small and then she wrote a note between the printing! Oh, my aching eyes!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_VLW7eAPFyJjci9bVMlFb_99QV5ls4jNjupQpYZXJoq54vGxhtioO-E_MKLjlsnLta2wgqYb_cymtd_qNQ9TGGFI9DhVWON2EPWl_4KjAUMgYCRKkthO29P_W2vc0DATqJrU5eWdfeT2/s2642/20211116_132734.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2642" data-original-width="1190" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_VLW7eAPFyJjci9bVMlFb_99QV5ls4jNjupQpYZXJoq54vGxhtioO-E_MKLjlsnLta2wgqYb_cymtd_qNQ9TGGFI9DhVWON2EPWl_4KjAUMgYCRKkthO29P_W2vc0DATqJrU5eWdfeT2/s320/20211116_132734.heic" width="144" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a nifty little baby drooling bib that I made using a free pattern from Yarnspirations. It's called the Dribble Bib. The pattern says you need a 2.5 oz ball of Lily Sugar and Cream, or the equivalent of any other cotton yarn that you might use for dish cloths. I had a skein of Dishie from the last order I got from Knit Picks. It's a 50 gram or 3.5 ounce skein, and I barely made a dent in it for one bib. I need to find my digital scale and find out how many grams it takes, it can't be much!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I did some clothing fixes this week too. My daughter texted and said she bought a black blouse for Miss A to wear to her concerts, where black is the required color, and lo and behold the buttons were white! Who puts white buttons on a black dress blouse? But since I sew, I can fix that!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ68UJv6AkPI8-2y5FaxEkdpp5ftuqNkMmYY1VNtzYSq7uQ5ESlnH5q01LtOyw-9ntvSGKgqNmbiEWS5H-a7mr7jM6wyb4lxatNZVU0jYWZdqhzT5ZiX2yMCgmJpRzSb2tRNYTGzNrHJTk/s1664/20211115_140453.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1474" data-original-width="1664" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ68UJv6AkPI8-2y5FaxEkdpp5ftuqNkMmYY1VNtzYSq7uQ5ESlnH5q01LtOyw-9ntvSGKgqNmbiEWS5H-a7mr7jM6wyb4lxatNZVU0jYWZdqhzT5ZiX2yMCgmJpRzSb2tRNYTGzNrHJTk/w200-h177/20211115_140453.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>After:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTxxvp_cryhjTSfwFbDD9nSR-4cRZXQ3Q8IskM3OvJuclF00RthLDgW-hJ5hBPaIW5avKT1k6rAIJ3go4r5steXjcsz8HxZyErVAawcfADozmFXArz8bunvuR7a1E7SNYbVEGqWqc6paL/s1403/20211115_140602.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="1403" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTxxvp_cryhjTSfwFbDD9nSR-4cRZXQ3Q8IskM3OvJuclF00RthLDgW-hJ5hBPaIW5avKT1k6rAIJ3go4r5steXjcsz8HxZyErVAawcfADozmFXArz8bunvuR7a1E7SNYbVEGqWqc6paL/w200-h160/20211115_140602.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div>All I can say is that this week I am very thankful for the invention of the needle threader!<div><br /></div><div>The first US patent for a needle threader is the one we all know from high school sewing class... you know, the one that was inside the package of assorted hand needles. It is of Victorian design, so post-Civil War. Two different patents were issued, first in 1924 and again in 1945.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5A3MnU3-oxXzJ1NkvdEZl-XUo6wsY3_CvAEpWeDF_2oxveuYBhaMjHDGuoK5IsAsPdcMsJLPbkWt-pEjkMATHAUxaS7CAQsfpIwjT4D3Lh54vNfCjj-TzKx2Roz4seczcgWFV1962ND6S/s170/threader.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="120" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5A3MnU3-oxXzJ1NkvdEZl-XUo6wsY3_CvAEpWeDF_2oxveuYBhaMjHDGuoK5IsAsPdcMsJLPbkWt-pEjkMATHAUxaS7CAQsfpIwjT4D3Lh54vNfCjj-TzKx2Roz4seczcgWFV1962ND6S/s0/threader.jpg" width="120" /></a></div><br />The world has moved SOOO beyond that era... the one I have is shaped like a ladybug, retracts and has a tiny lightbulb in the end of it. I paid about $5 but it was worth it and I am grateful every time I sew after dark!<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrEgZlGU1hhj9Smr2P7zXn1Mx2SWRJfqCsryO7qOW1Q7mvYdp2THn0BfKyrrcP3xVgM28Ubu5gtmc0MdzRVV7R_Of4KqdoA66PluQy9x0sY57ie9Qk_JjEI6ZmzQ_bl06XnxHPSJMlbHY/s1816/20211115_143238.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="1665" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrEgZlGU1hhj9Smr2P7zXn1Mx2SWRJfqCsryO7qOW1Q7mvYdp2THn0BfKyrrcP3xVgM28Ubu5gtmc0MdzRVV7R_Of4KqdoA66PluQy9x0sY57ie9Qk_JjEI6ZmzQ_bl06XnxHPSJMlbHY/s320/20211115_143238.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If I push the button all the way up, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the tiny lightbulb goes on!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yesterday was my oldest granddaughter's 20th birthday. Not sure how she got so old and I stayed the same! LOL!! She's a wonderful young lady, studying hard at college in a challenging program. She has decided to go into medicine... I'm amazed when I think about that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm helping a friend sew a large diaper-bag style tote this week. She's been quilting on a few big pieces of fabric, so tomorrow we'll be able to cut out the pieces that make up the outside and handles of the bag. Many people avoid making bags because there is so much prep work that goes into the process. Actually stitching up the bag is only about 25-30 percent of the work. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today was going to be spent in my sewing room but SQUIRREL happened and I started knitting that dribble bib, sewing some buttons on some baby sweaters, ate lunch, stopped to examine my packages, and started reading a new novel by Victoria Thompson. Now it's time to start dinner and I haven't really done much of anything, nothing of consequence anyway.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Such are the joys of retirement!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tomorrow's another day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Craft on...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-56435620109038475832021-11-11T13:30:00.001-06:002021-11-11T13:31:32.852-06:00And Now For Something Completely Different!<p>The last Sunday in October is Reformation Sunday in the Lutheran Church along with many other protestant religions. It is traditionally the commemoration of the day Martin Luther put his 95 Theses on the doors of a Catholic church in Germany. At the time the Catholic church was the only official religion of the Christian persuasion, but change was coming. Google ML or reformation and you can read all about it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In my home church, Reformation Sunday is traditionally Confirmation for the high school freshman class. My youngest grand was confirmed. It was a beautiful service and she did a great job at her little speech and during the ceremony. Gramps and I are so proud of her!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And boy what a difference a couple of years makes! Here she is with her mom and her big sister when she took her first communion in fifth grade.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhNY1pppV9_WH_joiyg4vI2wh35yfemuFjBkBhgsjR3gQagNi_Xa_6IXBZDg081RmUVTr4jJlMryBHStwMtA9FYJEIJ3PGZIZ22o67Gs_vEmLUIMw_-ivpw-wyqRi9C1ApcjxZe8ZAM0J/s2048/20180325_160947.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="2048" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhNY1pppV9_WH_joiyg4vI2wh35yfemuFjBkBhgsjR3gQagNi_Xa_6IXBZDg081RmUVTr4jJlMryBHStwMtA9FYJEIJ3PGZIZ22o67Gs_vEmLUIMw_-ivpw-wyqRi9C1ApcjxZe8ZAM0J/s320/20180325_160947.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is that same 'little girl' this year, now a freshman in high school! Taller than her grandma, and I think taller than her sister and mother!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-xPzRqhEBKxEAETClIheEOW6qtZ7UVIPkOnBzxy8DG24YsPtWqN2-c8irih2nJX0u9AQms8rDrK8v19wC-kQ2nmB-tp8QAzA3khgBtFxLtnzDp_TKy3dqp2sqMEuWVIryxm6P0ntiyLh/s960/Audrey+%2526+Pastor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="930" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-xPzRqhEBKxEAETClIheEOW6qtZ7UVIPkOnBzxy8DG24YsPtWqN2-c8irih2nJX0u9AQms8rDrK8v19wC-kQ2nmB-tp8QAzA3khgBtFxLtnzDp_TKy3dqp2sqMEuWVIryxm6P0ntiyLh/s320/Audrey+%2526+Pastor.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Love the fashion statement via the shoes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifw0fa_Ac8IWakxXCjl69ohgkIvK5ztu_zQbPk41EcHT_W8WuvM4boUdhQETNCtO_NTU5_J5hytw2qJdZBdeU60hmvcZVNwtYetuWslj6wUA-4gKmBkdRlqjUMV9nl-Dkrsppwp46-XuAI/s960/Sisters.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="726" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifw0fa_Ac8IWakxXCjl69ohgkIvK5ztu_zQbPk41EcHT_W8WuvM4boUdhQETNCtO_NTU5_J5hytw2qJdZBdeU60hmvcZVNwtYetuWslj6wUA-4gKmBkdRlqjUMV9nl-Dkrsppwp46-XuAI/s320/Sisters.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here she is with her big sister, a sophomore in college. Studying human medicine with an interest is pathology! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7_oVmj4HRPer0xmqmMSy0Hvqz8ehaOdOwvVQEuW28HP6UvwX5hkQl07VZfQgVIT6I7sXi_dF-Ij8Z_2BJhhWsFY2Ja_2GVyQAbX85-h7Hz4eN21aKXovp0mf2vCtooXS48wq4_kV1Swi/s2048/A+conf+group.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7_oVmj4HRPer0xmqmMSy0Hvqz8ehaOdOwvVQEuW28HP6UvwX5hkQl07VZfQgVIT6I7sXi_dF-Ij8Z_2BJhhWsFY2Ja_2GVyQAbX85-h7Hz4eN21aKXovp0mf2vCtooXS48wq4_kV1Swi/s320/A+conf+group.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Pastor has traditionally taken this pose with every class. I guess his didn't turn out as well as this one, taken by Miss A, smiling face right up front! I love this girl... and who wouldn't???</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another milestone passed, another child of God added to the adult family of my church (actually 7 more 😊).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Keep believing!!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-65417521153839911422021-10-19T17:21:00.001-05:002021-10-19T17:21:47.607-05:00Knitting, and The On-Line Auction<p> A friend asked me to knit a baby sweater for an expected grandchild... which I am happy to do, since it gives me an extra reason to do something which I enjoy anyway! </p><p>I gave her a pile of books and patterns to browse. I of course have my favorites, like the hooded sweater with the back zip that I've made probably a dozen or more times. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vPvGLh3woSNsx4ePW4uVarQuYBya_ecIDEbCvxA1R2ZXJzf_7w_z9Co8b6wOydGRPQe0F26Ba2lJcOdkVZx6g28EMfKTkiy2-_eYIMWeXf9qXEDRVnLNZdfSMUJoDt86w77CHk1xhWpt/s2048/IMG1080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vPvGLh3woSNsx4ePW4uVarQuYBya_ecIDEbCvxA1R2ZXJzf_7w_z9Co8b6wOydGRPQe0F26Ba2lJcOdkVZx6g28EMfKTkiy2-_eYIMWeXf9qXEDRVnLNZdfSMUJoDt86w77CHk1xhWpt/s320/IMG1080.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hoodie...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The picture on the pattern, which was copied from a 1986 knitting magazine that I bought, was horrible, so I think she didn't notice the sweater's adorable quotient. I made a copy so I could laminate it, without destroying the magazine. (I don't even know where the magazine is now!!) Maybe seeing the sweater in person would be better, or I need to replace the 40 year old black and white picture on the pattern!</p><p>My friend choose at least five patterns as favorites, and I started in on a couple of them. The one that was her number one is a new pattern for me. And a first time to knit using a provisional cast on. So in addition to knitting an adorable sweater, i am learning something!</p><p><br /></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0I1o8uT1L7JDGzt3qHmpcgO0X46AapU-O5SEeavGwuH4hOoSEwS8uJKsBBeX52CI7DQSvsQn49Vj6A-XB1JuXTB-nLzIsmgsO2PLD9F-0i_eUQuLKDRXqNpIl3N7NGVe8_0Dt_ZkIjED/s600/244789924_6579040728774445_5206860207220678251_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="600" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0I1o8uT1L7JDGzt3qHmpcgO0X46AapU-O5SEeavGwuH4hOoSEwS8uJKsBBeX52CI7DQSvsQn49Vj6A-XB1JuXTB-nLzIsmgsO2PLD9F-0i_eUQuLKDRXqNpIl3N7NGVe8_0Dt_ZkIjED/s320/244789924_6579040728774445_5206860207220678251_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p>The yellow row at the bottom is a crochet chain, and the first green row is a row of knits that are picked up into the back row of the crochet. The yoke is then knitted up to the neck, the sleeves are added, and then you go back to the chain.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpzuFsKArJknnF1aB3-lsWR-yoOK0p8O5aLk7xUcL3W-ASWjSAw2gmgOI9Oh-2-TckoMrkMRvrbyOBIh3GDpo12u3rde8rx8HiJEqBQJqmJxSnFqTxypTkk4CKmLnSIObIZO0k81mP0ht/s1388/244656016_6601477109864140_7631451986589362396_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1388" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpzuFsKArJknnF1aB3-lsWR-yoOK0p8O5aLk7xUcL3W-ASWjSAw2gmgOI9Oh-2-TckoMrkMRvrbyOBIh3GDpo12u3rde8rx8HiJEqBQJqmJxSnFqTxypTkk4CKmLnSIObIZO0k81mP0ht/s320/244656016_6601477109864140_7631451986589362396_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I ended up picking out the sleeve since I did the decreases too fast... every second row instead of every fourth row. That was complete inattention on my part. The taper should be much more gentle. Lucky me it's a small sleeve and I noticed it before I did BOTH of them!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6Brb8QfnutWW79yAhPzRT9gTADWKCaDpBoTiscx3WPb_VVMYu_J8EhvxLN0wZyWXhz2SnRKhC_YD2jdBxPckNw7pvMPeMSakujyqfcwP_NJmHuQKH0AlhO93G2cup82CoFepNBks2p-L/s960/244715026_6601477676530750_4669080326965277180_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="960" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6Brb8QfnutWW79yAhPzRT9gTADWKCaDpBoTiscx3WPb_VVMYu_J8EhvxLN0wZyWXhz2SnRKhC_YD2jdBxPckNw7pvMPeMSakujyqfcwP_NJmHuQKH0AlhO93G2cup82CoFepNBks2p-L/s320/244715026_6601477676530750_4669080326965277180_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So after the sleeves were corrected, it was back to the crochet chain. I pulled it out and put the stitches for the body back on the needles.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh73PS9uatyQtmYGQAWswM-BnOzdQY0XcTecD8XERJEZ8bi8pyOlkqVaCU-5Ui5t19KfiH3txZCA70Zcz7Mbnjia-VHWB-BuxOPz5n9gljHAwTAWXksat5_gO8-0KjS2gKx7xxAAORibsc/s960/244990273_6601477389864112_7667460358630006353_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="889" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh73PS9uatyQtmYGQAWswM-BnOzdQY0XcTecD8XERJEZ8bi8pyOlkqVaCU-5Ui5t19KfiH3txZCA70Zcz7Mbnjia-VHWB-BuxOPz5n9gljHAwTAWXksat5_gO8-0KjS2gKx7xxAAORibsc/s320/244990273_6601477389864112_7667460358630006353_n.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now all that is needed is to knit to the hem, bind off, add the button band and sew on come cute buttons!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-i8ov3Vq4wpR7Ohyphenhyphen0fH6W5zlphbHniCaapInobZd9cqe2XunOdiQTI-6YXFa47poeqNVCmONIS1RGdTgryRjc4suPqM5vcMI2Wgnm0G2OVwrgzmfXYbwo7BABNpDNGtMHQi2v5dsUx4t/s960/245250794_6649584981720019_4355570679943236162_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="960" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-i8ov3Vq4wpR7Ohyphenhyphen0fH6W5zlphbHniCaapInobZd9cqe2XunOdiQTI-6YXFa47poeqNVCmONIS1RGdTgryRjc4suPqM5vcMI2Wgnm0G2OVwrgzmfXYbwo7BABNpDNGtMHQi2v5dsUx4t/s320/245250794_6649584981720019_4355570679943236162_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The next project I cast on is called Norwegian Fir. You can see why that's what it is called...</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX10662GFQjzJX5e7_1CcN1iVZUTgt2HjhW4llKh31f7QQdyrbKVEPTlE6rrv-YcCPBnJ9VVkBisFVuFFAT5olanxsB9EwY1uUu7KWT2WA-qrPDcEPlrVpE5S7zdBiehiq2GXCBKBoweWS/s2048/20190214_142915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX10662GFQjzJX5e7_1CcN1iVZUTgt2HjhW4llKh31f7QQdyrbKVEPTlE6rrv-YcCPBnJ9VVkBisFVuFFAT5olanxsB9EwY1uUu7KWT2WA-qrPDcEPlrVpE5S7zdBiehiq2GXCBKBoweWS/s320/20190214_142915.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sample from Cream City Yarn.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I'm using a lovely warm beige called Parsnip in 220 Superwash Merino yarn. So far I've only knit the neckband, so not much to see here.</p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLU8asiiN6GhgSU4BJPRJO0sbxjUmwYPrgxFbCqulkW_5m2dFtNLZ8M92QT6ySP2CKoyE_pYJw5_twOm4mrbVhAmC7U1o7eetmQUs1_Nsts_VDJZ9RFiyzDAy1ZxxKBqcY1Wvp6FNgtQlj/s2016/Box+of+treasures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="908" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLU8asiiN6GhgSU4BJPRJO0sbxjUmwYPrgxFbCqulkW_5m2dFtNLZ8M92QT6ySP2CKoyE_pYJw5_twOm4mrbVhAmC7U1o7eetmQUs1_Nsts_VDJZ9RFiyzDAy1ZxxKBqcY1Wvp6FNgtQlj/w144-h219/Box+of+treasures.jpg" width="144" /></a> </p><p>I participated in an on-line auction from Iowa that was called The Art of Homemaking. The stuff for sale was from a collection of items belonging to Rita Farro. She and Mary Mulari, famous both in the home sewing industry, have written books and booklets about all kinds of project including aprons and bed linens. If you go to Rita's blog, link in my right panel, her banner includes a photo of some beautiful pillow cases with pink crocheted trim that now belong to me.</p><p>I also picked up a chenille bedspread in like-new condition, and a number of redwork pieces that I plan to use in a future quilting project. Also a few cross stitch items destined for gifts, and this one which is framed, which is probably my favorite:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2Xnf4_dQTwRHb5uYtuNsqZZ2NQ22YLEVy7jzMr9RUkPkMsa6akaAgCOFx7-lspuyCgUk65zBKEDKTGQqw3HQtFQ8nKJO1RSuxJl9bGgu3-0bqpJBTz5-fYUjS68jBedQcTWCmITV9XBG/s960/Murph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="960" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2Xnf4_dQTwRHb5uYtuNsqZZ2NQ22YLEVy7jzMr9RUkPkMsa6akaAgCOFx7-lspuyCgUk65zBKEDKTGQqw3HQtFQ8nKJO1RSuxJl9bGgu3-0bqpJBTz5-fYUjS68jBedQcTWCmITV9XBG/s320/Murph.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Was it a typo or did the maker intend it to be Murph's Law?? LOL!</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3x49uX-1HYso6c3Bk-qXSo-kdYtx4_H59xwson573vWhzhRfVZi7bLtReub1JM8EhuzIPPOR593sMOI32o-wTA4otf-pOPbuwDSKTNuo7u0DDtwg5eGtddxN_P-Pc2MLmvLeH1GvfPbMB/s2016/Spoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="896" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3x49uX-1HYso6c3Bk-qXSo-kdYtx4_H59xwson573vWhzhRfVZi7bLtReub1JM8EhuzIPPOR593sMOI32o-wTA4otf-pOPbuwDSKTNuo7u0DDtwg5eGtddxN_P-Pc2MLmvLeH1GvfPbMB/w178-h400/Spoon.jpg" width="178" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Spooner!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Additionally I bid on and won one cut glass 'spooner'. According to Rita, your grandma probably had a spooner full of teaspoons (what else?) on her table for guest to use for sugar for their coffee. I'd never heard the term spooner before, but my aunt says that my maternal grandmother had one on her table for years. I must not have noticed it... but then we moved away when I was in middle school, and I never did drink coffee. </p><p>Anyway, I'm so happy with my acquisitions that I can't bear to put them into drawers or cabinets yet. I'm letting them sit on the 1912 Singer sewing machine cabinet that's outside of the linen closet, and will enjoy stroking the pile for a while.</p><p>I hope you find joy this week in the things you have. <span> </span></p><p>Knit on...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-51784987718898250902021-10-08T14:06:00.004-05:002021-10-08T14:08:45.473-05:00Shopping, As A Pastime<p> Seems like all I did during the pandemic's worst months was shop on line.</p><p>Amazon. Target dot com. Walgreens dot com. Yarn shopping. Fabric shopping other than what I did where I worked. Toilet paper, aspirin, my prescriptions, whatever we needed could be delivered to my doorstep by any number of brown-clad or blue-clad delivery people in various types of vans and trucks. And let us not even begin to discuss books! ...and shoes! My 'granny vans' came from Zappos dot com. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPTc_-WFnYU90VKMzXvXQiTwDukkqSgNmIby4xGEHMAmUZyqfzb9XXKKP-U7c8mpVRh9zhN6xcBIu8d7J1wTp_9FrUd9dpWAXrywl2v6yC6GGR6K5ByjjnbKS86_A3EX-zRsWkGe7gz8L/s960/Taos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPTc_-WFnYU90VKMzXvXQiTwDukkqSgNmIby4xGEHMAmUZyqfzb9XXKKP-U7c8mpVRh9zhN6xcBIu8d7J1wTp_9FrUd9dpWAXrywl2v6yC6GGR6K5ByjjnbKS86_A3EX-zRsWkGe7gz8L/s320/Taos.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Groceries could be ordered on line and picked up without leaving the car. The mail carrier brought small packages and large ones. Some that could be tucked into my rather small mailbox and others that had to be dropped or tossed or thrown onto the porch. Or delivered by a couple of burly boys from one of those furniture places...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ztIhkZK1lZjb-QK0s0NW4YogJayD0f5_cm1qhCJHcD-BG03TkCaOjzwQ5-GoTsTpD6RXAvVFulgBJTmsR7PIHMGZTXMwX-Dsy58sgK75xo3TZHydQq3u1Dn6UskDKdMazlme65224ZAB/s960/Cabinet+arrived.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ztIhkZK1lZjb-QK0s0NW4YogJayD0f5_cm1qhCJHcD-BG03TkCaOjzwQ5-GoTsTpD6RXAvVFulgBJTmsR7PIHMGZTXMwX-Dsy58sgK75xo3TZHydQq3u1Dn6UskDKdMazlme65224ZAB/s320/Cabinet+arrived.jpg" width="222" /></a></div><p></p><p>My granddaughters love to shop. The oldest one is off to college now and is very adroit at Amazon's website. But the youngest is still here, and her favorite places are mine too -- Michaels, Target, and The Always Amazing Goodwill, Salvation Army, St Vincent DePaul.</p><p>Last week we spent some time together as the parental unit was out of town. On the one weekday and one weekend day when she didn't have school, we did actual shopping. In stores! I know, weird, right? But it turned out to be rather enjoyable. The weather was perfect and we paced ourselves.</p><p>Because I'm fully vaccinated I didn't have to wear a mask most places, even the ones where she did. Wisconsin allows the merchants to set their own rules, and it's a mixed bag. Some places 'suggest' or even 'recommend' masks whether you're vaxxed or not, and if they did, we complied. No biggie.</p><p>We set limits, and of course she blew through her own cash (what she brought with her, lol!) at a pretty fast clip. I told her it was for things she wanted if I didn't want to spend $$ on them, and she was fine with that. She had her gramma-sponsored budget and stuck to it, making choices along the way.</p><p>Not that I was in love with everything she picked out! She buys men's shirts to wear as 'layering pieces', and in my opinion they just don't always flatter. One was an unfortunate yellowy-beige that probably wouldn't flatter much of anybody, but what are you going to do with a teenager? Just love 'em I guess! That lovely purple in the blue bag is a pair of fleece pj bottoms she found, and that was a good choice for her so she was happy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bP8JnW4xZq2JB96HjY2wYvFSnMn70GXyeSXkr12joBWBOf-ONZFyaCoINK9qc4RRXQiGqp6EsbHkQpNM3by8mlaVajdj4fz-3gGIQiWqCQ624CrjyY0A2DcTHxfG2EkXr4hGwPclJM07/s960/haul.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="602" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bP8JnW4xZq2JB96HjY2wYvFSnMn70GXyeSXkr12joBWBOf-ONZFyaCoINK9qc4RRXQiGqp6EsbHkQpNM3by8mlaVajdj4fz-3gGIQiWqCQ624CrjyY0A2DcTHxfG2EkXr4hGwPclJM07/s320/haul.jpg" width="201" /></a></div><br /><p>Anyway, I managed to find a couple of nice higher-end sweaters at the Goodwill, bought some sale <span style="font-family: inherit;">fabric at a quilt shop, and about a dozen books at St. Vinney's for the outrageous price of $1.29 each! I picked up a copy of Ahab's Wife, by <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #444444;">Sena Jeter Naslund. It was on the NY Times best seller list when it came out in 1999. I also scored a Debbie Macomber and a Kristin Hannah that I hadn't read. Altogether a lovely time, and we didn't overspend anywhere.</span></span></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzf5ca7J_n8dKbHJiIiBEgtYSPz5SQEag6IysYh0UWCLwihWIW1J8-a6ie-zcipn2YKkvpQPzRZBL7xTPriAerW-SkRsGhPseVzwng5sV-sqoeodQlh83jjnDnwar0cdP89KUybU-fHe0/s293/ahabs+wife.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="195" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzf5ca7J_n8dKbHJiIiBEgtYSPz5SQEag6IysYh0UWCLwihWIW1J8-a6ie-zcipn2YKkvpQPzRZBL7xTPriAerW-SkRsGhPseVzwng5sV-sqoeodQlh83jjnDnwar0cdP89KUybU-fHe0/s0/ahabs+wife.webp" width="195" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSi2E0dn9brVkhqmAbh-uNnIAr8ZopzEWbxuqYA0ZVog3xA_aTngnm4qbOdCr4dpIJBpwIeD4zEWVshVQOq4an33HvKWfC0wpWZgf7S9cU-IVQky-lVIv-BNoV42Jg3BXVI3QK3_SN4m2/s960/books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="841" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSi2E0dn9brVkhqmAbh-uNnIAr8ZopzEWbxuqYA0ZVog3xA_aTngnm4qbOdCr4dpIJBpwIeD4zEWVshVQOq4an33HvKWfC0wpWZgf7S9cU-IVQky-lVIv-BNoV42Jg3BXVI3QK3_SN4m2/w249-h285/books.jpg" width="249" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Well, maybe on lunch... lol!</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7jUW-UzAOhxbSSRzNCF39srYQQn4HA95rJ9mNODr_KkwrK_uBxubvNkmhmJKH87KuL7HBIjYG7CrvX1f2bNigi2O0pchMYN69VhLOJHeSQiwnkw88YmZYQrgil5FeWJ-Fv6Z9ryC6Da2/s1167/choc+fact.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7jUW-UzAOhxbSSRzNCF39srYQQn4HA95rJ9mNODr_KkwrK_uBxubvNkmhmJKH87KuL7HBIjYG7CrvX1f2bNigi2O0pchMYN69VhLOJHeSQiwnkw88YmZYQrgil5FeWJ-Fv6Z9ryC6Da2/s320/choc+fact.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><p>Rock on...</p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-23945263982961989872021-09-16T15:52:00.001-05:002021-09-16T15:52:41.738-05:00Fall Is Here!<p>I love fall, or as it's also called more formally perhaps, autumn. I say a big yes to sweater weather!! Yes to cool nights and warm afternoons. Sleeping with the bedroom windows open. Trees changing colors and dropping leaves. The crisp crunch of those leaves after they've fallen and you step on them. Fresh vegetable stands with piles of apples and pumpkins!! Bring it!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWAO0IsVfm9zwByrvw3DSuLgq0rLjP8VojpX8t7rhf2PE2ds9ydsXhZs9KsyCV388s8NS1oJEuIeL-IwopnlG9Nsf3COcEXsxOPsLNxjniWTwYNiLWWLhJX3KzbuPRJTNHKQ1h6p_oaO4/s259/fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="259" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWAO0IsVfm9zwByrvw3DSuLgq0rLjP8VojpX8t7rhf2PE2ds9ydsXhZs9KsyCV388s8NS1oJEuIeL-IwopnlG9Nsf3COcEXsxOPsLNxjniWTwYNiLWWLhJX3KzbuPRJTNHKQ1h6p_oaO4/w320-h222/fall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUStp4PgF_AjLUuIwUGe9orqxw4iayC0_Nz7_EE55tbfJ6sQUbe5OC9V6fKtrLpXSARDUOyrgbsswVeNGABWTphAxuXbwSQdVvG8zMUpr1fe6hilUbZDgSk1QM7WkJtD7DmmIWXnbnbB4k/s269/leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="269" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUStp4PgF_AjLUuIwUGe9orqxw4iayC0_Nz7_EE55tbfJ6sQUbe5OC9V6fKtrLpXSARDUOyrgbsswVeNGABWTphAxuXbwSQdVvG8zMUpr1fe6hilUbZDgSk1QM7WkJtD7DmmIWXnbnbB4k/s0/leaves.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKgEgrIIfLtlOqfB6hIZMXSMS46Ytb6d1t2EkkUSb7-wTnjbA758C4ocBgd1LhNfa4cZ4aVGPNcu3V1PKSKJl-R7pozORXAB11YI3rkKIszEZ0-5cO0wt1PG3xEAMN1XGSwF8a_nY-q39/s300/pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKgEgrIIfLtlOqfB6hIZMXSMS46Ytb6d1t2EkkUSb7-wTnjbA758C4ocBgd1LhNfa4cZ4aVGPNcu3V1PKSKJl-R7pozORXAB11YI3rkKIszEZ0-5cO0wt1PG3xEAMN1XGSwF8a_nY-q39/w200-h200/pumpkin.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OkwF3rKI6FE-SENMk28CzaD4Jaufwx2tXzanE3Njzg7rPuuIlthV0ifQMbPUoGlWxiygPw81mN4IZJFtsQtyzJAbvOa_xstZi6Ve1dZkkaiCKphHlRvUaERmn5d3wrAvfTsAnFhqRWqw/s474/squash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="474" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OkwF3rKI6FE-SENMk28CzaD4Jaufwx2tXzanE3Njzg7rPuuIlthV0ifQMbPUoGlWxiygPw81mN4IZJFtsQtyzJAbvOa_xstZi6Ve1dZkkaiCKphHlRvUaERmn5d3wrAvfTsAnFhqRWqw/w200-h196/squash.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p>And squash! There is nothing like a butternut. It's got a big fat bulb that's thick when you cut it so you can scoop out seeds without losing all the flesh, but the best part is the skinny bit up to the stem. </p><p></p><p>Summer squash is good but autumn squash is awesome. By now I'm tired of zucchini and ready for a nice orange acorn squash.</p><p>And did I mention sweater weather? I'm not a fan of the turtleneck, but a nice big slouchy cowl style to keep you warm when the wind blows is just about the best thing in late fall.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkI9eUv9Cm5L-9vXJ36CxoFldnl0H9yWhNPGzxekxRAs5h8vNDzHOQfEMUUD-HHL-_35lTMBCki-PSRluodwT82CP8VY0RvIn3s863P8M_5EgtBRKfNR5_-k7X47QKyJegyHOI0TxYmUQ/s800/swancho.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkI9eUv9Cm5L-9vXJ36CxoFldnl0H9yWhNPGzxekxRAs5h8vNDzHOQfEMUUD-HHL-_35lTMBCki-PSRluodwT82CP8VY0RvIn3s863P8M_5EgtBRKfNR5_-k7X47QKyJegyHOI0TxYmUQ/s320/swancho.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">... and nothing ever beats the Argyle! I don't care if it's a golf vest or a cardigan or a nice pullover, they're so classic.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEias0tPF0x2D6R3SrDqscE3pGtCMOqShv46cmrgRUFCyQX2K7f5veJgWmv05cVQjqknNhaYsbu8z-b3UHogSiTGP_ZXLEuuLx-BzGywRsg9YiW7nx_H5YBoBSFZTYA_izFlfKUgbJ-2BtVO/s248/argyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="192" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEias0tPF0x2D6R3SrDqscE3pGtCMOqShv46cmrgRUFCyQX2K7f5veJgWmv05cVQjqknNhaYsbu8z-b3UHogSiTGP_ZXLEuuLx-BzGywRsg9YiW7nx_H5YBoBSFZTYA_izFlfKUgbJ-2BtVO/s0/argyle.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Fall in Wisconsin is great. Spring is wonderful too but fall is just so special. I guess it's because we're anticipating the long winters that start with the first snowfall (usually not 'measurable' until after Thanksgiving) and ends with the last frost in April or May. <sigh><p></p><p>Fall also means tons of apples. The Elegant Farmer orchard is a couple of miles from where I live, so I see the trees as I drive by. I see the people there on weekends, picking their own apples. And apple pies are a real fall treat. The bounty of nature in green and red, with a nice piecrust thrown in for good measure.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0H-LQ6SrTaf7ZHmFV3alZk_SdheSq1BI4MvQuashx2Sz0NHaXfpZcbGwdlK-YKnGtRZFzK9Odh92w5YfkjPQZxtbCeUehh6cyF-EVfWbvQI_tci-QUd1XZjypFnfqUi0a_yQpUjWhKy4/s282/apples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="282" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0H-LQ6SrTaf7ZHmFV3alZk_SdheSq1BI4MvQuashx2Sz0NHaXfpZcbGwdlK-YKnGtRZFzK9Odh92w5YfkjPQZxtbCeUehh6cyF-EVfWbvQI_tci-QUd1XZjypFnfqUi0a_yQpUjWhKy4/s0/apples.jpg" width="282" /></a></p><p>Today I'm sitting in the kitchen with the windows open, listening to birds chirp and loving the afternoon sunshine. Miss Kitty is sunning herself on her padded cat condo. Pretty soon I'll have to put the soup on the stove and make some rolls, but for now I'm just soaking up the pretty afternoon.</p><p>Life is good!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /> </p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-54499049605010748152021-09-11T10:00:00.001-05:002021-09-11T10:00:35.989-05:00Monogamous or Polygamous Knitting?<p><span> </span>Which are you? Which am I? Funny, the only place I'm monogamous is in my spousal relationship! Otherwise, not so much... let me explain.</p><p>One husband. Fifty years this September 25. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes not so much but I've never seriously contemplated anything else. </p><p>But in my crafting life? Totally poly! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEFYShRu-7X7QlnccVU_RPztfOlCOEVMrIxJuP1-j_qcx5F3-Cbge6zq0Y2IyBBqfeKvC3DhU80B13BuchF8kKUpjTpyMj3w-p0OdtnRLZ6pci9JKce9ykadtsFs6v-Y-XOi_wlZPxfgp/s198/boredom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="198" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEFYShRu-7X7QlnccVU_RPztfOlCOEVMrIxJuP1-j_qcx5F3-Cbge6zq0Y2IyBBqfeKvC3DhU80B13BuchF8kKUpjTpyMj3w-p0OdtnRLZ6pci9JKce9ykadtsFs6v-Y-XOi_wlZPxfgp/s0/boredom.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">One project at a time is deadly boring. I have posted in the past about Process vs Project people in sewing and quilting. I'm talking about where a person is either dedicated to finishing one project before they start another or is just in love with a portion of the process and wants to do it over and over again. Plan, sew, repeat. I am a Process person, and getting a project done is a bonus but not vital to my being. My sister, on the other hand, appears to be a project person, finishing one before she begins the next. Her philosophy: Buy what you need and get it done. Mine: Stash!! You might want to start something when the stores are closed!! What will you do then?? LOL!</span></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkdYS8mOWx1RbAF6XdLW28zwfgpTGeT4FxAKx5MlxQkp3S4E8eZY28a2GYV8Q8qv9bVjMnZSab2uURGuJNP1E6bvTX4-sn_8Gc325WME7TNZsk3NHgZih4-XfqZZlyMemTTF2FFWX6wvK/s180/boring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="128" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkdYS8mOWx1RbAF6XdLW28zwfgpTGeT4FxAKx5MlxQkp3S4E8eZY28a2GYV8Q8qv9bVjMnZSab2uURGuJNP1E6bvTX4-sn_8Gc325WME7TNZsk3NHgZih4-XfqZZlyMemTTF2FFWX6wvK/s0/boring.jpg" width="128" /></a></p><p>There's a YouTube channel by two sisters called Frugal & Frivolous and on a recent video they were discussing the fact that one of them is monogamous and the other is not. The mono sister was kind of lamenting her decision to do a year of monogamous knitting, because she likes to knit big projects and they can take a while. This results in weeks if not months of endless stockinette stitch on the body of a sweater or a shawl in garter that goes on for miles.</p><p>Not. Me.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3uSqy0fBzul4ZCUlf8H-xbRos4S_JK88mz-FAvYO6X53enS24fDjkR8pldO2J61356Zgh0xNTuQAwUN7vYV2hzn0RqeywKgN_mQk8L6KDdaXzFKMxw_gHZyw72K7MUp5H49pgz78AgrF/s960/93277962_4026112304067313_1654757054113382400_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3uSqy0fBzul4ZCUlf8H-xbRos4S_JK88mz-FAvYO6X53enS24fDjkR8pldO2J61356Zgh0xNTuQAwUN7vYV2hzn0RqeywKgN_mQk8L6KDdaXzFKMxw_gHZyw72K7MUp5H49pgz78AgrF/s320/93277962_4026112304067313_1654757054113382400_o.jpg" width="178" /></a></p><p>Other knitters talk about the 'bus sock' or the 'car shawl' or which project bag holds what current WIP (work in progress). Yes! I am that person! We don't do much traveling these days, and since I never really spent time on a bus commuting to work, I didn't have that project. But I did knit in the lunchroom at my job (eons ago!) and I sometimes carry small projects along to the dentist's office or the doctor's, in case there's a wait. Those projects are generally small items that have patterns that don't require huge amounts of concentration, so you may carry on a conversation while you're knitting.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHjxVsYGxxaJkLXX4j3sn4p2F8iykbWhYvGufXcxjifhnsGTks03JA_aR930TjXSywOn4Aw-U6mVpqglmnugJ1uZMcOef8CE8754JlUkS6kC1mQMdhrKD4-JJXzGSEq_R5wls_vsERmbq/s2048/20200727_131333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHjxVsYGxxaJkLXX4j3sn4p2F8iykbWhYvGufXcxjifhnsGTks03JA_aR930TjXSywOn4Aw-U6mVpqglmnugJ1uZMcOef8CE8754JlUkS6kC1mQMdhrKD4-JJXzGSEq_R5wls_vsERmbq/s320/20200727_131333.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I was making the Harry Styles sweater for my oldest grand, I carried it around with the pattern folded up in a project bag. It was relatively easy to do on the go. Bulky yarn, size 8 needles, cast on the same number of stitches for every row, knit until you have a square, change color and stitch, on you go. All the greens are the same stitch, all the orange are another, etc. Kind of a no-brainer. This one you can knit and visit simultaneously. But it's large, so therefore you must have a companion project to break up the boredom!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKV-b1u2H4CkZ-qUAA_8psc2e7vVqbwe85h2Z8bWxrPa2GFOQQsxe8IWC0iGhP00MvqXCyCd4OFevkw-reG7Ta2p9989mvsBNPDtlSalfo5mNw3hBggAm5T7V7Cgx3Dqc-wMWv-bC9QK3z/s960/91206153_3960164147328796_3023517493026095104_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKV-b1u2H4CkZ-qUAA_8psc2e7vVqbwe85h2Z8bWxrPa2GFOQQsxe8IWC0iGhP00MvqXCyCd4OFevkw-reG7Ta2p9989mvsBNPDtlSalfo5mNw3hBggAm5T7V7Cgx3Dqc-wMWv-bC9QK3z/s320/91206153_3960164147328796_3023517493026095104_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Enter the baby sweater. I had a specific baby in mind for this one, but that's not always necessary. You find out a friend is expecting or has just acquired a new grandbaby and you want to respond right away with a small token of congratulations, not wait until said grand is walking. I learned this from my aunt Clara. She knit fabulous layettes in various colors and stacked them in boxes in her closet. Someone having a baby? I have just the thing! And out popped a box of blue or pink or green or yellow. Her gifts were the hit of any baby shower. <div><br /></div><div>Besides, the knitting of a small item with no deadline becomes an exercise in pure pleasure for me. And a 'palate cleanser' when you're getting bored with endless garter stitch or looking at that same yarn for days!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmn5-Zp21fDkRpBWWUFoXNS6itCYoPk1sMjo26nr_flFJ5AXtdwYtZlj9HZTMJ-mzKs1lUlS5BjJ-vxOB6KaZbMOjniwQF0XETGDiTuJm8GTQvzTHX3o9B4iEzBNlEIjYR0wXVzqYgb1th/s960/Blue+short+sock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmn5-Zp21fDkRpBWWUFoXNS6itCYoPk1sMjo26nr_flFJ5AXtdwYtZlj9HZTMJ-mzKs1lUlS5BjJ-vxOB6KaZbMOjniwQF0XETGDiTuJm8GTQvzTHX3o9B4iEzBNlEIjYR0wXVzqYgb1th/s320/Blue+short+sock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>So yes, I am a polygamous. I will not apologize for having six sets of size 2.25mm dpn sock needles so I can have several going at the same time. I may need to knit a man's sock in some boring dark color but I can occasionally sneak a short date with a ball or even two of self-striping sock yarn to keep the magic alive.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny35Lh4eGMsEfERaP0LcQey9MFiZ-Dh8XyqayK39KXfY0wQ-uAERj-3h0esXIoxyeY2kofjWdX1s_JttG9Apa9QgbT-5kyqsrmcsFUHjbdRqjp9SSC5X0FsLLqmplDmCosbfmVH336Y9k/s1477/IMG_20181020_2129283_rewind_kindlephoto-43528781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="1088" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny35Lh4eGMsEfERaP0LcQey9MFiZ-Dh8XyqayK39KXfY0wQ-uAERj-3h0esXIoxyeY2kofjWdX1s_JttG9Apa9QgbT-5kyqsrmcsFUHjbdRqjp9SSC5X0FsLLqmplDmCosbfmVH336Y9k/s320/IMG_20181020_2129283_rewind_kindlephoto-43528781.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFgtYeDpLKceixNPBm3nY1KDIoQO_GJnTp1Bwy-5a2delCRpB0nkhibQ-t5RFAmf3C7r0AvtQ_nUN9a6CaVvCLFnWTtCH7kJRDq-DjyriSDm3V_a2BfDlc2cXrCvSiydgl72ajmssuDxh/s1409/Watermelon+sock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1409" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFgtYeDpLKceixNPBm3nY1KDIoQO_GJnTp1Bwy-5a2delCRpB0nkhibQ-t5RFAmf3C7r0AvtQ_nUN9a6CaVvCLFnWTtCH7kJRDq-DjyriSDm3V_a2BfDlc2cXrCvSiydgl72ajmssuDxh/s320/Watermelon+sock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><div>Knit on...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-44477976875462823582021-08-28T09:31:00.006-05:002021-08-28T09:40:39.246-05:00Knitting Needles - It's Personal!<p>Ask any random five knitters which needles are the best and you'll get five or more different answers.</p><p>For the non-knitters, needles come in a couple of styles, with different uses for various projects. The style people are most often introduced to first are straight needles. They come in various lengths and materials. The first needles I ever had were a gift from my Aunty June. They were metal and about 14 inches long. They were silver, shiny and slippery. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpppGSjGyekmjLLD4aOZm9hZuSCmmFWmFEO66k28W1cajnspgRXoGR_69ujFdVyfjm5EunadrUPtnHLwXyKOljqW2F3GaM-9tDQCzVQTrXa75Sa5pXgW1tUI1WJlgYIrQcaJUTt8CipwnQ/s196/straights.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="195" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpppGSjGyekmjLLD4aOZm9hZuSCmmFWmFEO66k28W1cajnspgRXoGR_69ujFdVyfjm5EunadrUPtnHLwXyKOljqW2F3GaM-9tDQCzVQTrXa75Sa5pXgW1tUI1WJlgYIrQcaJUTt8CipwnQ/s0/straights.jpg" width="195" /></a></p><p>In my 50's I developed arthritis in my hands. It got bad enough that I did some research to see what I could do to prevent the constant ache I got from doing various things. One thing I had noticed was that holding metal needles hurt, not because they were bad needles but they felt cool to the touch all the time. The fact that they were slippery made me grip things tighter, which caused aching later in the day. So bye-bye metal needles. Now I have bamboo straight needles, and a few sets of plastic needles.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnmzAYwar5RkGGb9p6bbHW52NBn4CL8wyxrUj85Q6OpnamWA5DWXUWUk5wtsxm5oN7a58HC9HfNGzkh2gNCz4fUY9Tyo8HbYWelGtFqueq1iTLHRpyFGdwIas2qTPM7KiunODwHiGDfdG/s2048/dpn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnmzAYwar5RkGGb9p6bbHW52NBn4CL8wyxrUj85Q6OpnamWA5DWXUWUk5wtsxm5oN7a58HC9HfNGzkh2gNCz4fUY9Tyo8HbYWelGtFqueq1iTLHRpyFGdwIas2qTPM7KiunODwHiGDfdG/s320/dpn.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd798N24R_igz1m-5kqVxQyRlI4q7w-l4pPekxy6y2rGVHLkElaUFAVXsZ4wtcdH6496IP07382k55Gi1zRoh60JVgzFXxRZbOq-YGiZxHFC6TRvx5vsrEEUzgDuoF2ox2DKj9p1mMYwH9/s190/capped+dpn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="190" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd798N24R_igz1m-5kqVxQyRlI4q7w-l4pPekxy6y2rGVHLkElaUFAVXsZ4wtcdH6496IP07382k55Gi1zRoh60JVgzFXxRZbOq-YGiZxHFC6TRvx5vsrEEUzgDuoF2ox2DKj9p1mMYwH9/s0/capped+dpn.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next come double pointed needles, or DPNs. These are great for knitting things in the round, like socks or sometimes sweater sleeves. They'll be in sets of four or five or six, and anywhere from four to seven inches long. The fancy type has a metal tip with a plastic or wooden barrel. I knit my socks on dpns,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">although I have flirted with other methods. Like magic loop, or two circs. But more on that later.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="308" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0QDaIJrbpvUyAIrJL7u3AG_F_5Cbb3GyCX_n_6_dNRuOSqMvYLpQuQWJZjV45eQS6zsqqkJgssNDC8GFoQKTpEqU6xKaDtJRX8N5ZGiVGoFass7IowJHvnaq-dzTJZ2G8QIIRI9ibeGD/s0/dpns.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="308" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sets of four plastic needles in various sizes.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0QDaIJrbpvUyAIrJL7u3AG_F_5Cbb3GyCX_n_6_dNRuOSqMvYLpQuQWJZjV45eQS6zsqqkJgssNDC8GFoQKTpEqU6xKaDtJRX8N5ZGiVGoFass7IowJHvnaq-dzTJZ2G8QIIRI9ibeGD/s308/dpns.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqhL95K3BpT8cODKrnYOlGHMOhJYAKv-2cm2GceOvcXA1Bg4gcmJZcDOURhRvSQ0M3EjuBK6UQhE3PXKTsC5hTC8Wo12_lC1axXN0Z-4jj97HRcs1opdCHKWtw2yJN0aq4Ov32XRwnlnS/s310/Mosaic+wood.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="249" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqhL95K3BpT8cODKrnYOlGHMOhJYAKv-2cm2GceOvcXA1Bg4gcmJZcDOURhRvSQ0M3EjuBK6UQhE3PXKTsC5hTC8Wo12_lC1axXN0Z-4jj97HRcs1opdCHKWtw2yJN0aq4Ov32XRwnlnS/s0/Mosaic+wood.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Knit Picks Wood Needles in colors that change by size. Fun!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last type of needle in my collection is the circular needle, also known as the curly needles by my grands. They are needles connected by cables, and come in lengths from nine inches to 40 inches, and can either be fixed or interchangeable. Fixed is as you would expect permanently connected.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEkXI09aAg4A0zQ2cYMo4UxAt1ydBOkjCYHuDgnMdpBaiitllV8R4rKDfwbtfhWIec_A79PdltpYYWFDVXgwxkII2vdbEz3-nJqUpzMpme-_GVKU8CMgd8wMf3OK_sbSHKJlUV7vB_GuP/s180/circs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="164" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEkXI09aAg4A0zQ2cYMo4UxAt1ydBOkjCYHuDgnMdpBaiitllV8R4rKDfwbtfhWIec_A79PdltpYYWFDVXgwxkII2vdbEz3-nJqUpzMpme-_GVKU8CMgd8wMf3OK_sbSHKJlUV7vB_GuP/s0/circs.jpg" width="164" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Interchangeable have ends that come off, and various cable lengths that can make any of a gazillion combinations of needle size. This shows what normally come with an interchangeable set: Ends, cord, caps and pins. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAhU-bPcU_kf2IZZhq9_d43wwF8X2E37GSk5A-_skLj2yp3M5kH3MEkTYBZq40QPhySX3TUb1BrCGOlY_ImpBrO1VOgGvHuiofdfdAv-UVx-AHfqS4YxRcAUO5MwONHiUJ_daKQTTREq1/s1000/interchangeable.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAhU-bPcU_kf2IZZhq9_d43wwF8X2E37GSk5A-_skLj2yp3M5kH3MEkTYBZq40QPhySX3TUb1BrCGOlY_ImpBrO1VOgGvHuiofdfdAv-UVx-AHfqS4YxRcAUO5MwONHiUJ_daKQTTREq1/s320/interchangeable.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The pins are little wires to tighten the ends of these interchangeables. That prevents the disaster of lost stitches when the end comes off because it was too loose! And the black circular items are caps that make the configuration of one end and one cord into the equivalent of a straight needle. They prevent lost stitches.<div><br /></div><div>Interchangeable needles are expensive when you buy the whole set, but probably cheaper than the total price of the equivalent number of fixed needles you'd have to buy to make everything you can make from the set.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have two interchangeable sets. One is bamboo from Clover. I like them and use them a lot. The one drawback as I see it is that they don't lock so the size five ends tend to unscrew and I have to tighten them periodically. Why only the fives is a mystery. I also have a set of Knit Picks wood needles with a longer end piece. Their longer length makes them reach out past the heel of my hands when I knit. This is more comfortable for me. They lock and stay secure. I love them and use them for nearly every sweater project I start.</div><div><br /></div><div>That is my dissertation on knitting needles! There are reasons to use each type for various projects, and every knitter has his or her preference. Some day I may tell this blog about my sock knitting adventures, but you can learn more from the experts than I could tell you. My advice? Take a little trip to your local yarn shop and stand in front of the needle display. Start a conversation with anyone who comes to visit you there. Listen, learn, absorb. Then try some!</div><div><br /></div><div>Knit on...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJn3AhcKdGHHMDB7PRQAvPsM0NEqbkV2JER9ZZPMD4783dQKwjNA1UHrrCszLzU1KWX9XeYBFK2z4T7xxiOoiRX6zOjKCDMwBDTUMOkOQzO0qeJz2R8b9in4LrtRKBBDNwIUrlvPEcgBf/s255/dpn+sets.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="255" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJn3AhcKdGHHMDB7PRQAvPsM0NEqbkV2JER9ZZPMD4783dQKwjNA1UHrrCszLzU1KWX9XeYBFK2z4T7xxiOoiRX6zOjKCDMwBDTUMOkOQzO0qeJz2R8b9in4LrtRKBBDNwIUrlvPEcgBf/w400-h300/dpn+sets.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-21601938904572699572021-08-27T12:51:00.009-05:002021-08-27T12:51:57.374-05:00Blame It On the Yarn Harlot...<p> Ha ha! Not really, but maybe...</p><p>So if you're reading this you know that I have all of the fiber addictions. Fabric. Yarn. Thread. Beads and buttons and patterns and rulers and all things crafty. Paper too. Cards and stationery dating back to when people used to write actual letters and send actual cards. </p><p>But as far as my yarn went, I shopped at the chain stores and bought the most inexpensive yarn I could find. My mother and I were Red Heart fans. NOT that there's anything wrong with that! It comes in lots of great colors, it feels nice in your hands, and it's readily available in all sorts of quantities.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigPqf82s939Y2WFC2ZRF0sTiOl_ZrCoS-V5LxiayHzKECFthAnJGgJqguMQijDoa_11uV_7FjN-9WD-jzvIcPW0OO6uMmUIKB22C4Ktb7nnLhArOogZTGUea3RHmVSWD-JJ_7cupU0yya/s794/red+heart.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="794" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigPqf82s939Y2WFC2ZRF0sTiOl_ZrCoS-V5LxiayHzKECFthAnJGgJqguMQijDoa_11uV_7FjN-9WD-jzvIcPW0OO6uMmUIKB22C4Ktb7nnLhArOogZTGUea3RHmVSWD-JJ_7cupU0yya/s320/red+heart.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>But when in my sewing life I came across American Sewing Guild and was introduced to the concept of using the best materials you can afford, and saw what a difference it made in the things I was making, well, that sort of life-altering concept can transform you.</p><p>I researched and found a local yarn shop or two in my area. A couple of them have since closed but my favorite one, Cream City Yarn, is still in business. It's a tiny little shop with lots of personality. It's also where I learned to knit socks the right way(s) and where I learned to do colorwork.</p><p>I cannot remember exactly how or when I stumbled across a blog called Yarnharlot.ca on the web. Probably more than a decade ago... but who's counting? Anyway, she is Stephanie McPhee, a Canadian knitter of famous proportions, who excels at explaining things to people in clear and concise language which in turn makes them better knitters. You can tell I'm a fan, right? </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUJ20U-C45GIFjs3PnnVB0JceWMfMMLNi6TRH6FiJVRXjLGemr7AUbjdL9_qLW_xM2syK4vbT6rEQa9YLJlNvl_4KucygeB_uI1SwioBfO_tlzkdLh4nW0O4E1Pzz_o1T814PRBhGu1Uv/s350/all+wound+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="249" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUJ20U-C45GIFjs3PnnVB0JceWMfMMLNi6TRH6FiJVRXjLGemr7AUbjdL9_qLW_xM2syK4vbT6rEQa9YLJlNvl_4KucygeB_uI1SwioBfO_tlzkdLh4nW0O4E1Pzz_o1T814PRBhGu1Uv/s320/all+wound+up.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>After discovering the blog, I also discovered she's a writer, and I bought and devoured many of her books. AND she teaches knitting!! I'll bet you could see that coming.</p><p>She has taught (before Covid) at knitting conferences, some of which she runs with friends in Canada. I narrowly missed getting into a class before I retired (not quick enough to react before they were full...) And now, she teachings via the Web on a site called Patreon, to which you can subscribe during this not-getting-together-too-much time. I subscribed. After all, what else was there to do besides watch bad TV and YouTube on any subject known to man and some unknown (and should remain so!)</p><p>Also about this same time I discovered Roxanne Richardson, who is a Master Knitter and very knowledgeable and who has a YouTube Channel and a Ravelry thread called Rox Rocks. Which led me to Clara Parkes and Suzanne Bryant and Barbara Knits and, well, you can see where this is going.</p><p>ANYWAY, back to blaming. These knitters have one thing in common. They know a LOT about yarn. Especially Stephanie and Clara. Clara may be the and I mean capital THE yarn expert. She now has a place called the Wool Channel. A. Maze. Ing.</p><p>Watching Patreon after reading the yarnharlot blog for years changed my yarn shopping a bit. I started buying better quality natural fiber yarn, and most of that yarn comes in hanks. This is a different sort of configuration than they have at the chains. You need EQUIPMENT! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSDBBfzpRT0WiajRPY4OV40nd7pj96yvlYKYPcec9r_VDE67PG0pFwdzVgeRD9aVLyEcALB_YO7e_aHSdj2ZpjhE-qSfFmwUvQsnwnLNzfJm2ds-IpPZw8i5dFmRnASKAZfWKGIr2j4Al/s400/Malabrigo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSDBBfzpRT0WiajRPY4OV40nd7pj96yvlYKYPcec9r_VDE67PG0pFwdzVgeRD9aVLyEcALB_YO7e_aHSdj2ZpjhE-qSfFmwUvQsnwnLNzfJm2ds-IpPZw8i5dFmRnASKAZfWKGIr2j4Al/w216-h216/Malabrigo.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">You can see that this nicely wound hank of Malabrigo yarn is lovely, but if you tried to knit directly from it, Tangle City. Take my word for it and don't even try.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You can untwist the hank and hang it over the back of a chair if you want. In the 'olden days', a child or spouse might be convinced to hold the skein while you wound the up to 500 yards of it into balls for knitting. Therefore, a yarn winder is required. Well, not required, but it speeds up the process. The winder creates what's called a cake (see the top of the picture, the blob in red) which can be used from the outside or from the inside. A cake tends not to roll away from you or attract your cat.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RLGt56lnWbClEIY6ZJEbYuqkBEYKrE11zyGRIezCMjaRD4z4yzh3QEYGduKQbOTtyK_bE672WxwX-Q2WPyhQjb0ERcNjaf7xPPV6kJyKPeFcM9dwAgvtYYF2X_UdPHyZwtilt4mo9f04/s213/winder+red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="213" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RLGt56lnWbClEIY6ZJEbYuqkBEYKrE11zyGRIezCMjaRD4z4yzh3QEYGduKQbOTtyK_bE672WxwX-Q2WPyhQjb0ERcNjaf7xPPV6kJyKPeFcM9dwAgvtYYF2X_UdPHyZwtilt4mo9f04/w320-h320/winder+red.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Using the winder from yarn slung over the back of a chair was somewhat challenging, although I did that for a while. I graduated to winding from chair to ball by hand, and then winding from ball to cake. (You put the ball in a box or a bowl to keep it from escaping.) That then, led to finding an alternative to the back of a chair, since my spouse/children/grandchildren were not available for the holding. My aunt had a yarn swift, made for her by my uncle, who was also unavailable for holding the yarn. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I searched sites for something manageable both in size and in price. I found this type. *It should be noted here that my local yarn shop will wind anything that I purchase there at no additional cost, and so will some on-line dealers although some have a winding fee and many do not choose to do that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbT2zitF2Dta07h9otYlLfQFCPxxVR0GoJ5KBt8wzo5caIIEoJdyKsmwnNKSrgfmHqsJauqsTaKUMZhScOTHd8NQRJ6lQ4Cpfonbrhm-y9UCrZzWhivUG5hOzDaMftjdVr8wGs8irCSiJ/s256/table+swift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="256" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbT2zitF2Dta07h9otYlLfQFCPxxVR0GoJ5KBt8wzo5caIIEoJdyKsmwnNKSrgfmHqsJauqsTaKUMZhScOTHd8NQRJ6lQ4Cpfonbrhm-y9UCrZzWhivUG5hOzDaMftjdVr8wGs8irCSiJ/s0/table+swift.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">My swift is easy to assemble, use and disassemble, and stores in a flat box in my closet.</div></div><p>The next thing I wanted was a yarn bowl. It holds a ball or a cake, and the yarn goes from the slit on the side to your needles. Control is gained, and cats are discouraged. I had my eye on this shape below for so long... and finally one Christmas my son bought me one. Until then, I'd used a number of things, including a plain old bowl, a flower pot and an orange juice carton with the side cut out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiRGy0vh7b-JQ-3n1YRPvD9LNqooGq3uXjOSFgx1UKMQQfaJjLuxHTWEXujk1NsonDgAL6RzBTWzbhcQB9Hvj-cDT64Vk2ux5iZQDXfGXbt519klMKrz60WKi_l6sgzoEZ_onMzJdkWRf/s180/yarn+bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="169" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiRGy0vh7b-JQ-3n1YRPvD9LNqooGq3uXjOSFgx1UKMQQfaJjLuxHTWEXujk1NsonDgAL6RzBTWzbhcQB9Hvj-cDT64Vk2ux5iZQDXfGXbt519klMKrz60WKi_l6sgzoEZ_onMzJdkWRf/s0/yarn+bowl.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><p>The bowl is nicer. But sometimes you're knitting more than one project. (What? You're a monogamous knitter? OK... skip this part.) So I became a collector of nice yarn bowls, and I now have, ummm, more than two.</p><p>So in my yarn collection I now have yarn, a winder (or two), alpaca yarn, one swift, a couple of bowls, wool yarn, many different types of needles (which might be a future post), also a million knitting markers of different types, cashmere yarn, knitting gauge tools, cotton yarn,, needles gauge tools, mohair yarn, patterns, a Ravelry account where I keep a stash list more or less current, and crochet hooks. I subscribe to several favorite YouTube channels and a have couple of Patreons I follow. </p><p>My youngest grand has taken a lot of my chain store yarn and is learning to crochet. She's doing great and her great-grandma would be very proud, as am I.</p><p>I also at some point bought a hand-made yarn spindle. It works fine for cakes but not for balls. As you knit from the outside of the cake, the spindle turns and viola! No yarn tangles!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijAYKZBQnMTpmM3CBArKGsvKatM__lI7feNKyQBzauxl2pltsv9sIdjr8fllWA-zrIzMihCnc8oJL4E85x9Fl2Qlq-CK0mpKVzBO_6UB1GSWvK1EIHQltx2LnQNbtQbYF2VzTINVjPvDpw/s1000/spindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijAYKZBQnMTpmM3CBArKGsvKatM__lI7feNKyQBzauxl2pltsv9sIdjr8fllWA-zrIzMihCnc8oJL4E85x9Fl2Qlq-CK0mpKVzBO_6UB1GSWvK1EIHQltx2LnQNbtQbYF2VzTINVjPvDpw/w200-h200/spindle.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p>If Stephanie McPhee hadn't explained to me the various types of things in her stash, and why to choose one fiber over another, would I have all of this stuff? Well, probably yes, but it would not have the quality or the value to my knitting that it does if I had not learned the whys and the wherefores. </p><p>So, Steph and Rox and Clara and all the rest, I'm not so much blaming you as showing you homage as I knit on wool and blends and yes, sometimes even my beloved Red Heart.</p><p>Knit on...</p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-55545320199254912262021-08-04T15:14:00.006-05:002021-08-04T15:17:56.941-05:00I Quilt By Checkbook<p> I always say that I quilt by checkbook. Yes, I mean I pay someone else to do it most of the time!</p><p>It does mean that I can't finish as many quilts as I'd like to finish, but it also means that the ones I do get finished are VERY well done!</p><p>My quilter lives in the next town over, in Waukesha County WI. She's good and fast and makes great decisions if you tell her to just do whatever she feels like doing. </p><p>I took two quilts over to her in July. I posted about them in June... I'm hardly ever in a rush, and I try to space them out so I an afford to pay for them without jeopardizing my lunch money.</p><p>These two were finished this week, and I picked them up on Tuesday. They are wonderful! </p><p>The first one was really old, as far as when it was started. But it was finished in 2021 so that's what will be going on the label. It's a Judy Hasheider design called Quodlibet. I love how it turned out!</p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVZOBibtFH4H3v49fk5ExuQWFbS1VEX842mv3_gKIKQWXt9hE9P27Htsd2gRTllxmkdEHt3GuGVHHDbKoUp4JXa4eeMUwZeDlFdcMkdwPqJC_6D5Y5bfM6DbwmsA7UltuzvGTL_TPIzYU/s1280/649181528.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVZOBibtFH4H3v49fk5ExuQWFbS1VEX842mv3_gKIKQWXt9hE9P27Htsd2gRTllxmkdEHt3GuGVHHDbKoUp4JXa4eeMUwZeDlFdcMkdwPqJC_6D5Y5bfM6DbwmsA7UltuzvGTL_TPIzYU/s320/649181528.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeqWWkuDsGebanBRkUsm2_tjVznkQnq2YtW5tcaOF4zRqScUNhnKI_dBmCIYiLj2rv0Y16hckiEvXzWDQzhKj3HSMa-hmtk2MmSlFVBRWG3DaiFzQKlgBYWRmhdcmvBliyrVLAfGXqPKL/s1440/Quod3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeqWWkuDsGebanBRkUsm2_tjVznkQnq2YtW5tcaOF4zRqScUNhnKI_dBmCIYiLj2rv0Y16hckiEvXzWDQzhKj3HSMa-hmtk2MmSlFVBRWG3DaiFzQKlgBYWRmhdcmvBliyrVLAfGXqPKL/s320/Quod3.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p>She sent me the first picture from her machine as she was starting it to let me know it was in the works. The picture does not do it justice. Here's a closeup of one of the flying geese. </p><p>Next is the Mystery Quilt from the February retreat. The designer called it Penny's Star. Penny is his sister and she owns the Quilt-Agious shop in Mukwonago WI where I used to work part time. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1m1Cxi6yHKrKITeqYesCrXjiNNwqqeLLldY3MfD9R51wj0qAi2fwt4AU8wJAa8boSfYHDY5U07sC7fbedeaLCWMRE6EUKodQadc04U3unH7fPyqpXQSFymjhEQ9DmnfuwZL7iojCgNJa5/s2642/Mystery+2.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2642" data-original-width="1190" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1m1Cxi6yHKrKITeqYesCrXjiNNwqqeLLldY3MfD9R51wj0qAi2fwt4AU8wJAa8boSfYHDY5U07sC7fbedeaLCWMRE6EUKodQadc04U3unH7fPyqpXQSFymjhEQ9DmnfuwZL7iojCgNJa5/s320/Mystery+2.heic" width="144" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisejMkJgyTFRMxbHJXAGBnP-ZuNcbzXoENAdzvFgaaKeVhw_H5-oTNYpVfbyMZaFg0i1JcbO9ZobuewBUYsw-9M_kP37pkGc0cdbfPfz29MwwVdaybmhMpI7WJVYNCvUiQGGQe2ZenOkx1/s1440/Mystery1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisejMkJgyTFRMxbHJXAGBnP-ZuNcbzXoENAdzvFgaaKeVhw_H5-oTNYpVfbyMZaFg0i1JcbO9ZobuewBUYsw-9M_kP37pkGc0cdbfPfz29MwwVdaybmhMpI7WJVYNCvUiQGGQe2ZenOkx1/s320/Mystery1.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p>The quilting on this one is also amazing... now to get to trimming and binding.</p><p>I appear to have a thing for blue quilts!</p><p>Sew on...</p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-16736294036034779752021-08-01T16:35:00.004-05:002021-08-01T16:35:37.900-05:00Sunday Snoozy<p>It's 3:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon and all I've managed to do today is make a sandwich for lunch. Well, I did get up, take a shower and go to church. I suppose that's why I'm feeling like I'd really like to take a nap!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuZ9sYLPnzSbNomjmbQmzJ-2B2CLIS7GB7D-37AufPcXwGA3bUbG75P4dEZ0TzZ7v5A-MgkrclAs0i1TjNM7jOi1GgyOYApjNwh8dM76JI2GVgLh3hj_E5C6BNKkXtTFGQsg28d24R0ZC/s675/sofa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="675" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuZ9sYLPnzSbNomjmbQmzJ-2B2CLIS7GB7D-37AufPcXwGA3bUbG75P4dEZ0TzZ7v5A-MgkrclAs0i1TjNM7jOi1GgyOYApjNwh8dM76JI2GVgLh3hj_E5C6BNKkXtTFGQsg28d24R0ZC/s320/sofa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>We're experiencing some bad air quality because of the wildfires in Canada, according to the weather girls. I guess the smoke from the California fires are stopped by the Rocky Mountains, but the ones in Canada are sending their smoke on the winds generated by high pressure/low pressure systems and the air is murky up high. Well, at least it's blocking the hottest rays of the sun and keeping the temperatures in the 70s. </p><p>There is some yarn sitting in a box on my table, airing out. It's some 100% wool yarn I bought to make a sweater but it smells! When I opened the box it was in a plastic bag, and when I opened the bag, whew!! It smelled pretty strong, kind of like petroleum. I left it out in the kitchen for a week, and every time I walked into the room I smelled it. Hubster didn't, even when he held it to his nose!</p><p>I wrote a note to customer service where I bought it, and they immediately answered with some suggestions for airing it out. They also offered a replacement or a refund at my pleasure. I laid it in the sun for a day but that really did nothing. I'm taking a refund. I don't have to send the yarn back, but really I'd like to just get it out of the kitchen! Is this what sheep smell like?? LOL! </p><p>I knit a swatch with it and washed it to see if that helped. The wet swatch smelled Hor.I.Ble! Nope, washing isn't the solution. And knitting it made my hands smell slightly.</p><p>Hubster still cannot smell it. I'm not saying where I got it because the vendor has never disappointed me before and I'm sure they told me the truth when they said they never had this problem before. It's either a bad batch or I'm too sensitive to smells.</p><p>Speaking of knitting, I'm making a sweater for my middle granddaughter. It's on small needles and in DK weight yarn so it's taking some time. Wednesday night I discovered a booboo and had to tink (knit backwards) about 8 rows, which took me up before the point where you split for the sleeves. It was over 2,100 stitches! I was crying the blues... literally!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYaRYsNatZOJTGHA-fbkyfzEjdsuKiR3xueJL7npfHCpAkRHjM51L2AiM2mFQjtlTH-GevFYi9UomqEod88f5CsUXTJ0boeuBcH33OcltQ_X9PTFsJfmoPo7vOcF0UiO1NTA1r_XnKeCx/s2048/20210725_232211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1141" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYaRYsNatZOJTGHA-fbkyfzEjdsuKiR3xueJL7npfHCpAkRHjM51L2AiM2mFQjtlTH-GevFYi9UomqEod88f5CsUXTJ0boeuBcH33OcltQ_X9PTFsJfmoPo7vOcF0UiO1NTA1r_XnKeCx/w111-h200/20210725_232211.jpg" width="111" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9GjkqO46Y-r6N1WVHYKns6dnEyNGa86f7sXovW2wgbifVxg52PKLm6en_Meqk-TPZtYzT7TMgHIKnAlQCMRG6BmviiMoaXu9DJEM6oUDk7qzKzAAOl4G8n-BfgJgUNtfMoybjSM4NzEZ/s2048/20210725_232228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1672" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9GjkqO46Y-r6N1WVHYKns6dnEyNGa86f7sXovW2wgbifVxg52PKLm6en_Meqk-TPZtYzT7TMgHIKnAlQCMRG6BmviiMoaXu9DJEM6oUDk7qzKzAAOl4G8n-BfgJgUNtfMoybjSM4NzEZ/w163-h200/20210725_232228.jpg" width="163" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpF-1-3et6vc2fhWoVHweFXIwqysS-8Mm8tpTfWfwamumZo5rDkOBbWBSboZgqIoGACbI5YQO5Z8xQ3OB362MvPSohiZ14XT2mNd-SRglEZnHRZkrQ2fvLeQnLtcdGPqydB0zi5OFQESjw/s2048/20210725_232113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1706" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpF-1-3et6vc2fhWoVHweFXIwqysS-8Mm8tpTfWfwamumZo5rDkOBbWBSboZgqIoGACbI5YQO5Z8xQ3OB362MvPSohiZ14XT2mNd-SRglEZnHRZkrQ2fvLeQnLtcdGPqydB0zi5OFQESjw/s320/20210725_232113.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><p>See those places in the center where the Vee pattern appears? I missed a couple and since it's the center front, it would have stuck out like a sore thumb. So rippit, rippit! Sad, it's so sad when that happens!</p><p>Quilting is going well for the most part. I'm working on two things, one is the bonus half square triangles left over from the mystery quilt from February. They're finally being made into flying geese for a second quilt.</p>These are the bonus half-square triangles... navy and white. I pressed the seams to the dark side, now I'm re-pressing them open, because they go better at the goose points that way. I wish I'd decided which bonus quilt to do earlier, and pressed them open originally! <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDW7lrDdNA3GB_aQyUQFKn-4QPXvkvwYe3iPv5dWBIFaf-xbLuk0MkfCW1tJdy2zj_nn7RKJSENyb4As-g2uO8sNjp1RGHRYLqlBWTjktYV4IvS8bIAjQh5Z3XjmP1PsBPpV77zjWrP4SV/s2642/20210727_125853.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2642" data-original-width="1190" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDW7lrDdNA3GB_aQyUQFKn-4QPXvkvwYe3iPv5dWBIFaf-xbLuk0MkfCW1tJdy2zj_nn7RKJSENyb4As-g2uO8sNjp1RGHRYLqlBWTjktYV4IvS8bIAjQh5Z3XjmP1PsBPpV77zjWrP4SV/s320/20210727_125853.heic" width="144" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_z50qG4Gd6Y-Qf7vQmCWg34sDiKkknLnyeLJsIO8V9O6vfROPvTh7Ge0u67SJdcIlAAFtnZzkC7KDUbEKGBr0xih2l62HWvt1YZFrDm6PSBIoZr7jl1vM1m4__Ia6NmpAYxU_sTAoJza/s2642/20210727_125939.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2642" data-original-width="1190" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_z50qG4Gd6Y-Qf7vQmCWg34sDiKkknLnyeLJsIO8V9O6vfROPvTh7Ge0u67SJdcIlAAFtnZzkC7KDUbEKGBr0xih2l62HWvt1YZFrDm6PSBIoZr7jl1vM1m4__Ia6NmpAYxU_sTAoJza/s320/20210727_125939.heic" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdcIK5rVWIce4QoC5TnSk5_putAsT00-3UCFvTZKnq-N3m5RwuMeFExLlapuGaofcDEK6fs84Y7Bi4lk1GRfpV0sDHIvOBuFvavgkmD3aZTuoLm2HwlCyMvJVr_9RGvzY2MWTfygItyIf/s2642/20210727_125836.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2642" data-original-width="1190" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdcIK5rVWIce4QoC5TnSk5_putAsT00-3UCFvTZKnq-N3m5RwuMeFExLlapuGaofcDEK6fs84Y7Bi4lk1GRfpV0sDHIvOBuFvavgkmD3aZTuoLm2HwlCyMvJVr_9RGvzY2MWTfygItyIf/s320/20210727_125836.heic" width="144" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jxY6eoPe7stxnBb02HhDc_qwYCIA363heS-yn03TGQEAN5I_wYZTQMthyphenhyphenhyphenhyphenCdtRTzkRHpTSDoOvJJEkYvmOmuSCjeQ-mg2nxpth9PNyhZ9NVFJLst_y70a5tLtBjIPTZl7u4Z7YPD0OS/s2642/20210727_125831.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2642" data-original-width="1190" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jxY6eoPe7stxnBb02HhDc_qwYCIA363heS-yn03TGQEAN5I_wYZTQMthyphenhyphenhyphenhyphenCdtRTzkRHpTSDoOvJJEkYvmOmuSCjeQ-mg2nxpth9PNyhZ9NVFJLst_y70a5tLtBjIPTZl7u4Z7YPD0OS/s320/20210727_125831.heic" width="144" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>I think my points look pretty good, in spite of the extra pressing! Four hsts make two geese, which when sewn togehter make a 6 1/2 inch block. I need 32 blocks. For you math wizards, that's 128 hst units! </div><div><br /></div><div>This could take a while.</div><div><br /></div><div>The other project I'm working on is Pat Sloan's Traffic Jam. You take all of your 2 1/2 inch scraps and make this block:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmsGfenvADAe60XpJVg2TXA2ihU5A3LiwPEEPk7bjqqPdyOfqJcVvmy8GrlJXi-XO2SM4D6ksjRl7pAeAQedSRTXQgkOtuO88ZEB-5ZF0llqNruAOQghxV0EkmQA14h3HMtZHsv0EBlwm/s2046/20210727_141845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmsGfenvADAe60XpJVg2TXA2ihU5A3LiwPEEPk7bjqqPdyOfqJcVvmy8GrlJXi-XO2SM4D6ksjRl7pAeAQedSRTXQgkOtuO88ZEB-5ZF0llqNruAOQghxV0EkmQA14h3HMtZHsv0EBlwm/s320/20210727_141845.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I auditioned two different greens for the background. I'm kind of liking this second selection, and I have enough to do green cornerstones with black sashing. This is also a long term project.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Fw8eU1ahiph0nfvKZRl30pap5YEuxM-cPDu89h-lSEgG-qIwuB0iwdl4yuZtlfQ4NezQZuq26KSzTcCOEyDx1zb5FVU1QpZ4HTbVMs1Qw5NLEay46w_nFeQ0xGhrnCkX0PZ6pCG-yPk4/s2048/20210727_151411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Fw8eU1ahiph0nfvKZRl30pap5YEuxM-cPDu89h-lSEgG-qIwuB0iwdl4yuZtlfQ4NezQZuq26KSzTcCOEyDx1zb5FVU1QpZ4HTbVMs1Qw5NLEay46w_nFeQ0xGhrnCkX0PZ6pCG-yPk4/s320/20210727_151411.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Hubby decided he was bored looking at my Escher quilt hanging on the stairs, so we 'redecorated'... I hung Twisted Bargello, a wall quilt I made 8 or 10 years ago. The making of this quilt was a pain. I called it the Bargello From Hell. The pattern had you making sections and taking some out, reversing the order, all sorts of foolishness, to make this twist in the center. The family quilt group did it at a retreat. I may have been the second to last person in the group to finish. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think it looks pretty good on the wall! With a distance of 10 years from the construction process, I can like it again. It goes really well with my living room!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqeM4_Rv4NYh7YDL935G6w1fD-IWdTGbMv5zH5sVlHuHBQ6yaYAbeSgoOPzRF9I5i9ULw0nCpcG9ZZUQni9H0Zwi52nPTrHTKAkcKydlAsQgAiszpvixZUwUnlWzxTVIDBlh1EyhT4CPO/s2048/20210731_134321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqeM4_Rv4NYh7YDL935G6w1fD-IWdTGbMv5zH5sVlHuHBQ6yaYAbeSgoOPzRF9I5i9ULw0nCpcG9ZZUQni9H0Zwi52nPTrHTKAkcKydlAsQgAiszpvixZUwUnlWzxTVIDBlh1EyhT4CPO/s320/20210731_134321.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><p>Sew on...</p><p><br /></p></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-73029138231672026832021-07-24T11:11:00.000-05:002021-07-24T11:11:30.478-05:00Saturday!<p> I used to love-love-love Saturdays! For the 40something years of raising a family and working full time I loved it that for one day I didn't have to leap out of bed, drag other butts out too, get kids off to wherever or get in my car and head for rush hour traffic.</p><p>But Saturday was sewing day. A whole day of no job-related work, especially after the kids grew up and left the house.</p><p>So now that I'm retired from all of my paying jobs, it's just another 'not Sunday' day... kind of a bummer! I wake up when I'm done sleeping (usually around 7 a.m.) and sometimes I stay in bed and read for a while. Sometimes I get up and get dressed right away, and make the bed and toss a load into the washing machine and come downstairs to make a cup of tea.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtT4tvqsofQbXU3-w-fJlQYY5LQ_qwtcENPJwOpVzwifPI4l2N3YsWYlY5ItU1XzaLeBVcoMQhrR9KdNgGnnln5NxLk_jo_sYDAKz0DsGSjonHVZhiv0h07ByaAoa98noeLCP9nUi_PiF/s2048/20180530_075409_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtT4tvqsofQbXU3-w-fJlQYY5LQ_qwtcENPJwOpVzwifPI4l2N3YsWYlY5ItU1XzaLeBVcoMQhrR9KdNgGnnln5NxLk_jo_sYDAKz0DsGSjonHVZhiv0h07ByaAoa98noeLCP9nUi_PiF/s320/20180530_075409_001.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since March of 2020 I've spent a lot of time in my sewing room. I've organized the bins and shelves, books and magazines. There were a couple of quilts that I finished, two of which are at the long armer right now. Two more are waiting for me to find backs for them so they also can be long-arm quilted. One is in pieces in a project bin, and several are waiting for me to cut the pieces of fabric.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">THEN I got into a garment sewing kick... well, after handling all of the non-quilting fabric I own, it seemed almost criminal not to sew something useful with the yardage.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the stash are a number of well designed patterns for tops. One is Vogue 1733, and while I did find many fabrics that were appropriate, none of the cuts I would have chosen were large enough for the asymmetrical hem unless they were pieced. It's a Marcy Tilton design. Wow, I'd forgotten I had actually met some of the Vogue designers when I was a member of American Sewing Guild! It's like going home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sooooo -- fabric shopping happened. I've always been attracted to stripes, and stripe with flowers strewn on them are a bonus. So top number one happened.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IPViY985nMORmt5kDMyc7jl88INmK8ekzOJZCzgRiC4p3e9aef8RoJkWTNHQakN3vrcWcPWrBGXLrF6q4Vazj-6rersbcC7i78wF8kOMuiDxsIbJKKgpjOSQEikDoOl0ZtOGR-I_NBQ7/s660/V1733_envelope_front__16499.1596140161.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IPViY985nMORmt5kDMyc7jl88INmK8ekzOJZCzgRiC4p3e9aef8RoJkWTNHQakN3vrcWcPWrBGXLrF6q4Vazj-6rersbcC7i78wF8kOMuiDxsIbJKKgpjOSQEikDoOl0ZtOGR-I_NBQ7/s320/V1733_envelope_front__16499.1596140161.webp" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqLeJwAGAY2iWfS7paC5bA6AY8SipYV75TSaotruYVAo0jgzr8QMZbSaLpQjFlchk-mv3gKVfggMPV0lo-7n1pf08_LF4N91kmJ82hjkttBa44zCHas81PFrMq-hYaqdhyphenhyphenbK0lCCkNOy6/s984/Vogue+Top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="449" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqLeJwAGAY2iWfS7paC5bA6AY8SipYV75TSaotruYVAo0jgzr8QMZbSaLpQjFlchk-mv3gKVfggMPV0lo-7n1pf08_LF4N91kmJ82hjkttBa44zCHas81PFrMq-hYaqdhyphenhyphenbK0lCCkNOy6/s320/Vogue+Top.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3CnFiwrTTYIy3JrjeX7gf3mwMBRdgXVwPrxUQzaZ-05Kaj-_60_Lhy49aggDw1KAQL3zEUHi9NqYYsa60dKuSKL5dADAuoLcO8EwANcSa876rAHUxeIAaNzym-Lvsul85b7vY3ja1EoLN/s960/Vogue+Top+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="497" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3CnFiwrTTYIy3JrjeX7gf3mwMBRdgXVwPrxUQzaZ-05Kaj-_60_Lhy49aggDw1KAQL3zEUHi9NqYYsa60dKuSKL5dADAuoLcO8EwANcSa876rAHUxeIAaNzym-Lvsul85b7vY3ja1EoLN/s320/Vogue+Top+Back.jpg" /></a></div></div><br />Here's me in the closet mirror trying to capture the whole top! Actually at my height I could have trimmed off a few inches at the hem. I guess that's why they put those 'lengthen-shorten' lines on the pattern. 😉😉 This one turned out so well, I made a second one with a red cotton knit, but the hem is a rounded shirt tail style. I also made two with woven fabrics, and found that I had to size up on those because when I sit down, the midriff area feels a little snug. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Next I tried a Sewing Workshop pattern. They're designed by Linda Lee. She names all of her patterns, as a lot of independent designers do... after friends maybe? Some a puns. There are a few with numbers. I digress.<div><br /></div><div>I tried the Eureka top. It says 'loose fitting'. That does not go anywhere near describing this top accurately. It should say 'swimmingly huge' or something.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyz7NlZexW432pqcOl-b9-rpxZm8lFzR-NyXyfRCrutUTZ73NzXxEHAKU88To3hW0qLisclzXLrwiqryqL6Yh15McGeQ9jHD5wCWMvMxVaRAdPx-1ZqO4b4pYWg8CMc7dN51LJSdfgyD9S/s700/Eureka+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyz7NlZexW432pqcOl-b9-rpxZm8lFzR-NyXyfRCrutUTZ73NzXxEHAKU88To3hW0qLisclzXLrwiqryqL6Yh15McGeQ9jHD5wCWMvMxVaRAdPx-1ZqO4b4pYWg8CMc7dN51LJSdfgyD9S/w200-h200/Eureka+top.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div>I had some rayon batik in a color that I love - turquoise with splashes of blue. I made it in an XL because those were the body measurements in their sizing on other patterns I've used. Big mistake! And when I say big, I mean BIG! </div><div><br /></div><div>First, it's too big. OK I can fix that. Secondly, those bands on the sleeves are double layered, so they stood out like cardboard. Thirdly, the fabric got stiff as I ironed it, so it had very little drape. I made it smaller, and hopefully it will soften up when I re-wash it this week. I didn't take a picture of me in it. Disappointing... but I had already cut out a second top with a different fabric.</div><div><br /></div><div>This time I used a blue floral print, a denim-colored background with navy flowers, what they're now calling 'painterly'. The fabric has lots of drape and a krinkly texture. I had some navy solid that I used for the sleeves and to bind the neck edge. That one turned out better, but I don't like the way the wide sleeve bands cut across my arms. Maybe if I were taller? So when I wore this one, I folded the bands up so they're only an inch wide. I like that better. I'll have to trim them down, though, because folded they're four layers thick. Sorry, again, no picture. I had cut this one in a size L. For a woven, it's OK but it could have probably been a bit smaller.</div><div><br /></div><div>I tried a third time in a knit. Again I cut a size L. I used a contrast trim on the neck edge using a variation on a bias binding. I think it's called French trim. This is from the web site Sewing Review:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: floralwhite; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, "sans serif"; font-size: 14px;"> "You apply the binding to the wrong side. Then fold over to the right side. (I recommend pressing at that point.) Then topstitch down on the front. Now why can't they just say that!"</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: floralwhite; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, "sans serif"; font-size: 14px;">You sew the binding into a circle... divide the binding and neckline into quarters, pin or wonder tape in place, then apply, as explained above.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: floralwhite; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, "sans serif"; font-size: 14px;">The length of the binding should be about 2/3 to 3/4 the neckline circumference, plus seam allowances. </span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: floralwhite; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, "sans serif"; font-size: 14px;">I first read about French Binding in </span><u style="background-color: floralwhite; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, "sans serif"; font-size: 14px;">High Fashion Sewing Secrets from the World's Best Designers</u><span style="background-color: floralwhite; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, "sans serif"; font-size: 14px;"> by Claire Schaeffer, p 45 - 48. But CS has you apply the binding to the RIGHT side first, wrap around to the back, then topstitch on the right side. </span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>That worked out fine, I also used Claire Schaeffer's method of sewing it on the right side and rolling it to the back. Since I was using a knit, I used a single layer instead of folding in half. I like the look, but I have decided that this neckline needs to be a bit deeper for me. It's almost crew-neck style, and for my face shape it's a bit high.</div><div><br /></div><div>No picture. It's too big again, I don't know what size I cut, but it's drowning big. It's back on the table for alteration.</div><div><br /></div><div><Sigh> So instead of spending today (Saturday) making something new, I'll be re-doing two tops I've already made. </div><div><br /></div><div>Some people say this is why they quilt!</div><div><br /></div><div>Hmmm...</div><div><br /></div><div>Sew on!<br /><p><br /></p></div>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7021234164365142061.post-87847499125044291332021-07-13T11:02:00.000-05:002021-07-13T11:02:19.886-05:00Almost Famous!<p> A few weeks ago I was working in the quilt shop and someone walked in who looked very familiar... </p><p>It took me a few seconds to place her, because you know how it is when you see someone outside of the normal venue? But the brain worked and I asked her if she wrote a blog called With Strings Attached, and she said yes! Immediately she asked how I knew her and I said because I'm a fan... I'm a follower of her blog both for the sewing and because she's a former librarian. That's our connection, fabric and books!</p><p>Her name is Nann and it was her birthday week. Here's a link to where she blogged about her trip and a picture of her in our shop (with me, that's how I'm almost famous!): <a href="https://withstringsattached.blogspot.com/2021/06/weekly-update-birthday-week-ala-fabric.html" target="_blank">withstringsattached</a></p><p>I love her book reviews, and I've checked out many of her recommendations at my local library. She also writes sometimes about good destinations to visit and learn something, and she travels a lot with her husband. </p><p>The day she was in the shop she left him in the car (or he volunteered to stay there) so I didn't meet Stevens, but he's also famous in the blogosphere via Nann's posts so I'm in good company!</p><p>Take a road trip some time, but be careful, you might learn something. 😁</p><p>Read on...</p>Sewing Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00907568309756938880noreply@blogger.com0