I bought a faux tree and put it up. It needed a lot of fluffing, but now I have Christmas weeks earlier than before. I don't know how I feel about it yet. It looks fine, but faux. Decorating to follow soon. I do have an asthmatic cat. She hasn't sniffed it at all, so I assume it will be easier on her.

Yesterday I worked on a Little Black Dress with a group of like minded women. Mine is blue and yellow. It was most pleasant. At our first meeting we went through much fitting of patterns and muslins. This time we were working with the final fabric but still fitting and fitting again. What a difference it makes! People were really looking quite spectacular! The extra time is worth it. It's also wonderful to get feedback and help as you sew. We are all pretty experienced and just hummed along. I have a ridiculous number of seams and a very flexible silky jacquard fabric, so I seem to be fitting a moving target. But it's coming along and as I rarely make anything with a defined waist, I'm interested to see how it turns out. I have fabric planned for a little shrug like jacket to go over it, so I can cover up anything that is iffy, right?

DH and I are cleaning out the garage so he can work on the new race car. It's a Volkswagen Golf and is fully outfitted for Rally. It's so pretty! It requires a co driver and I am the designated CD. So far, that is. The race seats are so low I can't see over the dash. Pillows to the rescue! I also have to be able to read directions at exactly the right pace while not throwing up in my helmet as we round corners by sliding neatly into place at speed. Sounds doable, if I can just see where I'm going. We'll work on this in the winter and try it out with some tamer style non race rallies. Just have to replace those names on the side with ours and we're set. When you have been buckled in with a 6 point harness, going back to a lap belt seems really risky. Along with the whole idea of driving without a true roll cage. Today I proved myself crew worthy by asking what's that little part hanging down there for? It seems he had been looking for that part for 2 days. I truly have the knack.

Sid's Back!

The Kid is back, and he's scored a goal already! I can't believe I have to stream this on my iMac. Why isn't this on TV? It's worth it just to see the NYI's tiptoe around him so carefully. No one wants to be THAT guy ever again. Oh, it seems that CBC has just seen the light and preempted some poor Canadian sitcom.

Lace class again today. I was the only pupil, and I accidentally arrived 30 minutes early. Way too keen, right? I learned to 'cover a pin' and unpick. You unpick in the exact manner you laced - but in reverse, just like running a film backwards. That really isn't easy to do. Gives you a headache. Thank heavens for M! She has the amazing ability to hold back for the exact right moment to step in with help. Never too soon or too late. As a former teacher (is a teacher ever 'former'?) I am in awe of her talent. As her student I am grateful.

And this is the result of 2 hours work. Well, actually more, as I wound my bobbins before class. I also made my bobbins using lollypop sticks, paper scraps and beads. I McGyvered them. So as you can see I am still on my training threads, but I am to order real thread this week. Woohoo!

D dropped in today. So good to see her! She is retired as well and has just sprouted rug hooking and felting abilities. Amazing work! It's so good to have the time to see projects through. Tomorrow we hit Mahone Bay to look at supplies. That town is well stocked with supplies. I'm on a spending moratorium currently, as I try to adjust to my pension cheque coming once a month. A month is a long time! I may have to take a moratorium on the moratorium. Sock yarn is calling to me.

Can you hear it? Seductive, isn't it?

Out with the old...

I finally got around to sorting through my closet. Out with the summer, in with the winter. Now this also meant looking at my winter clothing and realizing that my work clothes no longer have a place in my life. I had a few things that were really 'teacher' clothes only and have now been voted off the rack. What an opportunity! I need new clothes, and they can be anything I want them to be! I have a HUGE fabric stash and I have been working on it - but I have at least 20 years worth saved up. Not all of it is well suited to me. Some of it is just pretty in its own right. I need to be selective. Just because I like it doesn't mean it's meant for me. I did have my colours done. I know what looks good on short curvaceous figures. If I can just keep on track and focus on these parameters. Meanwhile I need clothes. I don't have as much to wear anymore, as there are piles not meant to be reracked. I'm working on a Little Black Dress that isn't black. My undies are looking good. I need tops, and cozy stylish ones at that.

What suits me?

Lace Making

I had my first lace making lesson today. It's fascinating! Somewhat like basket weaving with a big touch of square dancing thrown in. I'm using big thread as befits my total amateur status. Training thread. I'll practice my 3 routines this weeks and try to get more bobbins made. It seems I need about 50 million of them, and they all need beads in a loop on the end for weight and corralling when in transit. I'm using a training kit from the instructor right now, but I need my own stuff, and it is surprisingly doable if you don't mind doing it yourself. I don't. I also have all this neat thread and crochet cotton I have collected over the years. It seems like destiny, don't you think? I'll post some lace pics if it ever gets longer than an inch.

This is my new coat. I love it. Imagine a soft most pattable 100% angora coating. I found it at Value Village for about $10 and it is gorgeous! It took me forever to get the courage to cut into it. I took it to a group of sewers I meet with. We call ourselves SINners for people who Sew It Now, instead of putting it off, like we usually do. I got excellent advice and one came up with the perfect pattern. It is a bias cut with an uneven plaid. Nightmare! But the fabric is lovely to work with and after much consulting and help - here it is. It's funny. I imagine what I look like when wearing it, and this picture doesn't match my image. I'm much more glamorous in my head. Taller, slimmer and my hair is amazing! The wrinkles under my chin certainly aren't there. Oh well.

I also sewed undies this month. It was my commitment for the SINning group. I also did a pink rosebud bra, but as it is completely transparent I couldn't post a picture. As BE would say, "Think of the children!". I went with high waisted panties this time. I think they work better under a dress and now I can test the theory. I have to get my 'me' projects finished by the end of the month. Then I go to work on Christmas. I'm just going to make lots of fun things and then let my favoured few pick their poison. Thankfully I have flexible friends and family. Beats the heck out of wondering what people will like, and really I just have fun making what I like without worrying about wether it's practical or if indeed I need any of this stuff personally.

Tomorrow I go to my first retired teacher lunch. We do lunch I guess. Should be interesting. For me and for them I bet. It's hard to know what to expect, and I hope I enjoy. It's never fun to go to something all hopeful and then come away with no intention of returning because it really didn't make your cup of tea. I ordered the eggs Benedict, so I'm off to a good start.

Ah ha! I just had a thought. A nice scarf would gently disguise those neck wrinkles! Not that I have any wrinkles. I don't. Only through the camera's lens, that's the only place, and scarves are lovely. I'll need lots.

I'm getting more aware of how my time flies by. You have to watch and track it carefully, as it is frighteningly easy to p... away a day. Without my calendar I am lost. Then only if I remember what day it is. Thankfully it also does that for me. Yes, I am still having a great time.

I am working on a new paper basket like the tote I seem to take everywhere. It is so strong and useful. This one is slightly smaller and has an integrated handle. Currently it looks like an octopus but I think I know where everything goes. I carefully wove to the top, only ripping out 1 side when it turned out I had not cornered as well as I thought. Then I turned the border and was so pleased - until J mentioned I now had to weave each strip into the basket, down the side and across the bottom. You double everything. I had forgotten that part. Not a problem. J also reminded me that I am supposed to be babying my neck muscles until my jaw returns to a more normal vise-like condition. These people with physios in the family are annoying at times.

I have finished THE socks and may launch them tomorrow. I am off sewing lingerie with a friend. I have 2 bras to complete and matching panties to plan. We had a group sew on the weekend. Another person was sewing bras and they were so lovely! However, she could make 3 bras from the scraps I have left over. Being well endowed has its price.

I also went to lace making guild for the first time. Amazing stuff! You take thread the size of a baby hair and carefully intertwine it until it looks like amazing things. I signed up for lessons. It certainly has 'me' written all over it. Now I need lollypop sticks so I can make lace bobbins. I borrowed a kit of supplies but I want my own things, and it seems it's possible to make them from paper, sticks and beads. Im thinking handmade paper scraps to liven things up. I brought some scraps of trim I had bought in junk bags to the meeting. Turns out much of it was hand made. It's so sad to think that people don't recognize the nature of these pieces and don't value them appropriately. My DH's grandmother introduced me to doily rescue. She made what she called fancy work from an early age right into her 101th year. She really appreciated the time and skill that went into it and would scoop up pieces at the local junk stores and Value Village. I follow in her footsteps there but I try to restrict myself to great or unusual pieces. I have a weakness for coloured pansy doilies though. Can never have too many of those!

DH is off looking at a potential race car. We had sold all of our race cars and equipment, but it looks like it's back. Just like Freddie Kruger. We do enjoy racing and we need another black hole to throw money, so this just hits all the high points. The one he's looking at today is parked at a Frenchy's and I couldn't go! Now that really doesn't seem right to me. Who knows what treasures I may have found?