Working Out in Style

I ate the peeps. They were supposed to make it to Easter. They didn't. I'm not sorry.

Ms. G made me socks! You should all make something for a friend. It makes them feel so good! Just think of the joy you could spread!

On the subject of joy - you know how we all sweat the fact that our stash will more than likely live on well after we are gone? I have found a way to live with this - guilt free! I plan to have my stash bundled by a friend who knows what she's doing (The Great P) and given away as nice gift bags at my wake. That way it goes to people who know what it is, where it came from - and will know just patting it and never making a thing will be just fine. And now, I don't have a 'finish' line! I can stash on comfortably, knowing my stash has a purpose and a plan.

I have also decided to sew that stuff I keep thinking I should keep for good. Maybe someone I don't like will show up at the wake and get that piece. It's hard to plan these things. Who knows who may show up?  I'll want to be a good wake hostess and treat everyone well. I'm going to sew it if I want to!

So I therefore took a lovely piece of thick linen and some wonderful canvas and made a bag for the gym. I joined the local gym. With a great bag I am now obligated to go and work out. I'll also need new workout gear and a swim suit. Love it! More fabric that won't make the wake!

This bag was an amazing make! I was using thicker fabric than the quilt weight cotton called for and that caused problems for me, but first let's just talk bag. The Nora Doctor Bag from Swoon goes together just as she says it will! I love it when complex parts fit together and sew perfectly around curves. These patterns are always well drafted and work. The directions are very complete. Good pictures but you have to read the directions to get all the details. I hate reading directions, but I don't mind for Swoon. She doesn't waste words and chooses her words well.

She calls for several different stabilizers. I matched what she said and it gives the bag wonderful shape. I did remove interfacing from the handles. More info on that below.

I did add another strip of inner pockets. I needed a pocket for my locker lock. Now about the thick fabric! OMG! I had to experiment a lot with thread and needles and even then I had some skipped stitches and absolute refusal. My conclusions. Go slow, let your machine do what it can and don't force it. A jeans needle was best, but go as small as possible so the hole to be 'punched' is as small as possible. I used 30 wt Sulky cotton thread in bobbin and needle. The stitch looks more balanced that way. I didn't know I could do that! Thank you Lori.

I did end up stitching the last thing on my Singer treadle. I had to stitch across the straps - so 8 layers of tightly woven canvas. The treadle did it! No skipped stitches! However, It was a bit akin to drilling holes. I often had to literally punch my way through for some of the stitches. But the treadle was up to the challenge! Mostly, perhaps, because it doesn't have a motor to give you a hard time. It is my Super Hero.

One change I did make to the pattern. She calls for boning for the top bag channels. I tried boning and it wasn't as stiff as I liked, and kept shredding threads and such. In my corset class we used huge (28") zip ties from Home Depot. They were perfect! Very stiff, perfect size and slid into the channel beautifully. Also I moved the closing tab up from its back position to get it to close like the picture shows. However, look at my Actual doctor's bag. The closing edges overlap. Maybe that's what I should be aiming for. I'll ask Swoon.

I'll need a custom locker at the gym so my bag doesn't get crushed. They'll understand.

I'm off to Easter dinner with the sisters, et al. I'm taking frogs (Purl Soho freebie). They're stuffed with lentils or barley and most posable!

Peep Show

It's supposed to be spring, but I'm still cold. My fingers, my toes - all cold. The flannel sheets are still my best friends. I love them. So soft.

I promised pics of my stuffy phase. It seems to be slowing a bit. I haven't stuffed anything in a week. I do have Easter stuffy plans, but that seems a natural. I haven't added facial features. Can't say I miss them. What if you end up with a naughty expression? What then? This way, it's left to the imagination. I think of my stuffies as home dec items. They add a cuddly touch and colourful touch to any room. I need a few sausage dog neck pillows. I fell in the curling club parking lot and have a sore neck. And a bump where my hipbone used to be.

All but the elephants were free patterns from Purl Soho. It is a most generous site with excellent kits and patterns for sale. I used barley and lentils to stuff the frogs.  Makes posing much more fun.

This is a quilt I made to showcase some neat fabrics at the store. The Great P added some wonderful variegated thread for the quilting. She is getting quite particular and accomplished! You should see her pat gently as she guides the machine. Just like a mother duck! 

This a row of bunnies for a 'bed scarf'. It's such a quick project to try out a quilting idea. In this case the pattern came from a book All In A Row. It has a wonderful variety of row patterns and matching filler rows. I wanted to try appliqué with this bunny idea. You cut the bunny in pieces on tagboard and insert paper fasteners. Then you can pose your bunny as you like before tracing it on the appliqué fabric. I also used a fine fusible batting (Soft and Stable?) to back 2 of the appliquéd bunnies. It raised the fabric a bit and the bunny looks much better with the machine blanket edging. I'll do that again!

This is my Mixed Mutts quilt. It's a match to the cat quilt I made previously. I think the best part of this quilt was working with friends to get the blocks started. Sewing should always be social. Especially when puppies are involved.

 I have a few quilts in various states of completion right now, but I'm letting them percolate. I need to sew something for me. I therefore made myself a cozy knit dress. I am waiting for this phase of droopy hems and saggy pockets to pass, but in the meantime I am on that bandwagon. I also signed up for a pant drafting class on Craftsy. So far it looks good and makes sense. The proof will be in the rear end, and we don't get to that for a bit. Fingers crossed!

Yes, Easter is on its way! This calls for a Peep display, and these peepers are in the spotlight on my kitchen windowsill.

Love Your 'Hood

I was out walking in my 'hood and doing my 'once in a blue moon' pick up de crap. I had scouted things out the week before and came armed with a large clear bag. I decided to pre-sort and only collect recycled things today. In the 20 minutes I collected I overfilled that bag. Fortunately the mail carrier took it off in her truck for the Sea Cadets or I'd still be tugging that sucker home. Cheap vodka and Moose Dry are very popular.

If you love your 'hood, give it a try. Spread the love! I also know, from my scouting trip last week - that someone else is loving the 'hood, as several beer can piles were already picked up by today.

Do this on wash day. Beer spills. Strip at the door, clothes to the wash and a hot shower for you. Maybe some of that Moose Dry to follow.

Found an amazing tea house this weekend in Halifax down by the Split Crow. Sawadee Tea. They had an overwhelming selection of teas and adorable tea strainers. I got a deep sea diver with his own alert buoy. I told her what I liked and she made several excellent suggestions. Finally I found a source for Lapsang Souchong tea! Smoky and really amazing! Check them out on FaceBook.

I spent the weekend at NSCAD making a Chinese thread box. Google them. It was a lovely weekend with good people and a relaxed instructor. It's a very doable and repeatable project. I would like to try it out in other materials. I'm wondering about batik and a twin needle to mark the fold lines. I'd also think Tyvek would be interesting. They are holding a Japanese box building workshop soon. They also looked wonderful!

We made a 11 compartment box. About three 22"x30" pieces of heavy paper go into this wallet sized construction. It's like a paper swallowing black hole! I want to make a seed keeper. The twist pockets would work really well for that. The white box is a star box we made at the end. Most of us felt that it would be our first and last star box without very, very close supervision. The blue wallet is what unfolds in the next pictures.

 

The twist pockets fold to hold securely and lay flat.

The twist pockets are each on top of a box that are on top of this box.

A second rectangular box under the first.

I've been finishing up a few projects and I must mention my stuffed phase. I have had an insatiable urge to make stuffed toys. Not for children - for me! As items of decor, so to speak. There was even an emergency run to Walmart for more stuffing on a Sunday afternoon. I find Walmart a scary place. Scary people wearing scary outfits shop there.  

I made myself a curling suit. The fabric has a brushed warm inside and stretches. The men missed my quilted jacket. Those boys need more colour in their lives!

Finally finished the puppy quilt. It has a navy cotton  velvet binding. Another well aged scrap finds its purpose in life!

Lousy picture. I want a new phone. This was my amazing faux leather pants and silk shantung top destined to surprise my little sister on her birthday. The clan planned to fly up for her surprise party in Montreal. We even cleared security before they cancelled the flight. Major disappointment. It was the worst drive home ever, so you could accept the cancellation.  And Porter refunded our money with no fuss at all. The counter clerk even offered to have our picture taken with my hands at her throat! The family vetoed that. They really don't understand me.  But we had such a good plan! It would have been amazing! I'm pretty sure Mamie had made me fudge even. 

Can't find any stuffed pictures and all of them are at the store. I'll remedy this on Thursday when I am back at the salt mine. But if you also feel the urge, go to Purl Soho for patterns and ideas. It's a most generous web site with the freebies and the patterns work.  I love love love the weiner dog!

Fredericks of Hollywood

I fixed that bra with the stretch issue. It was wearable, but I was not adverse to experimentation. So, I flipped it over and stitched the lining (which was stable) to the outer fabric (which was stretchy). I covered the cups with lines about 3/8" apart. It now looks like one of those fab Fredericks of Hollywood bras from the 60's. And it worked! Looks better and lies smoother!

I found a good tutorial for rope bowls. I like the embellishments with fabric and yarn. Opens the door for all kind of fun, methinks! If I notice a lack of clothesline rope at the Home Depot I think we will confirm this as a new trend. Note the problem she has in the tutorial with her sewing direction. She needs to stop and flip as she turns the bowl up on its side. Just avoid that issue by starting the sewing in the right direction in the first place.

My nephew has given me the greatest present! He married a girl who wants to learn to sew! We spent 2 days together this last week and she is amazing! She has an analytical mind and good control over her stitches for a newby. We made a bowtie, the Colette Sorbetto top and a nursing cover for a friend. I am so happy! I'm trying real hard not to totally snow her down with emails and links. They have 3 children (perfect children!) under the age of 5. I think she'll be a perfect candidate for Nancy Zeiman's 10-20-30 minutes to sew approach. Sadly, they live in Calgary. It will be a long distance sewing partnership.

I was asked "Why underwear?". I know. It seems silly to sew undies when they can be bought so easily. Now with bras that doesn't work as easily for me. A good fit is not easy to buy and I enjoy making them. Then you need the matching bottoms, of course.

But more importantly I needed to do some 'me' sewing after Christmas. It seemed too long since I had done some selfish sewing. It felt good.

I hear from many that it's time to control the stash and sew only for the joy. I so agree. I'm trying to weed and bestow excess on others as I go. It seems easier to do that now and releases some of the pressure. Fabric without an immediate and joyous purpose can impose its own kind of pressure. Unfinished projects can also do that. I want to ignore what I think I should do and just do what I want to do.

For instance, today I started to quilt am embroidered puppy quilt I finished some time ago. I worked away all afternoon but took a few breaks as well. When DH came in from his play date in the garage (a friend and a suspension needed suspending) I joined him to vegetate for the evening. Now I had 3 more blocks to stipple, but they get to wait. I will find joy there tomorrow. Tonight it would be an obligation. Fine line? Indeed.

I will be eyeing my other UFO's with a joyous measurement stick. You got joy for me? Then you and I got a date! No joy? Maybe you will give someone else joy. Who knows. Its worth a try.

Hanging Out My Underwear

Finished my first book of the new year. I reread Persuasion by Jane Austen. I wanted to do it with the vision of the Bath locales fresh in my head. The only thing I don't like about Jane is that I have to slow down to milk her complicated speech patterns for what she wants to say. Of course, you can always ignore her wisdom and just whip ahead for the romance and happy endings.

Why do we all get on the bandwagon for new ways of doing things in the 'coming year'? Mind you, all that ruminating can be interesting, and defining.

I have rediscovered the joy of the bath. Small b bath. Got myself some Epson salts and a few bubbles. I think it could be the new jogging. Good for the mind and the pores with none of the joint pain. Excellent when snow is on the ground. We need more happy time to just relax and think happy thoughts.

I have too much stuff. I would like to do a better job of appreciating the things I love and disposing of the things I don't think earn their dusting. Do I love dusting this?That's the question.

I need to get real about my sewing room. There are a lot of things, fabrics, notions, etc not earning their space. I have a large sewing space (2 rooms and an attic), but I think things should earn their right to take up shelf space and management time. As Sewing on the Edge says, let's make room for new ideas and sewing we will love to do. Let's make my sewing more about me and less about guilt that I haven't done or used that yet.

Along that line I spent the last week on 'me' sewing.

First up - Jan Bones' Smoothie panties.  (Thanks to Hop Along for the pattern and fabric!) Now DH says they are grannie panties, and they are. But there are times when that is just what the outfit calls for. These are great panties for a flat bottom like mine. Nice fit, go together well. In answer to the grannie designation, the 'Welcome" glows in the dark.

The  I finally got around to making the Watson bra and panties by Cloth Habit. I am well endowed. This is not a bra for people like me but I can dream. Much to my surprise the fit was excellent! The fact that it isn't supportive is exactly what the pattern says in the first place, so I got just what I knew I would. It's comfy and cute. I love the wide band - just like wearing a hug! The instructions were good, but there is a Sew Along for even more detail. I love it when a designer does a sew along. It shows confidence in the design and you really get all the help anyone could need that way. The panties were not made for my flat bum, but they will do.

Flat bums. The bain of the little old lady. I'm not content with mine. Doing daily butt exercises to combat this scourge. Encouraging remarks welcome.

Also cut out and sewed a new bra. The Shelley Bra from Bra Makers Supply. I've been admiring that pattern for some time and was on a roll. I used a stretchy fabric and didn't get it stabilized well enough. Too bad. I love the bra and the fit wasn't bad at all. I need to move the front strap extension in a bit. TL has helped me do that on a different pattern, so I'll review what that looked like and try again.

After all this undie sewing I went off to check out local sources for fabric and fixings. Don't bother people. Just order online. It seems to be the best solution for a project that has some very specific requirements.

One complaint for all you underwear designers out there. Tell me what measurement to cut the elastic and give me a mark for matching seamlines. Yes, I can just stretch elastic into place but I like my 2 legs or armholes or whatever to match. It's good to have some measurements and lines to start with. It's a little thing, but it's a good thing.

Lucy Neatby has a free Sock Knit Along on Craftsy. I love Lucy! I got so many pearls just from the first session! If any of you locals would like to spend an occasional Monday afternoon knitting socks just let me know. I could knit.

Star Hot Pads

Here's the tutorial I used to make my star hot pads. I do have a few comments and suggestions.

First, notice her cutting of the first 2 layers. It's not accurate or straight. It doesn't need to be at that point. I'm all in favour of rough cuts.Trim it properly before you turn to the right side.

 Use a cardboard template and draw around it. I googled pentagrams, used my quilting ruler to add to each side and enlarged it.

She doesn't seem to pad hers. I made a template for the padding and added it after the star is turned right side out. Notice how she draws lines from the midpoint of each side to determine the star folds? That's the template and placement for the inside batting layers. I used one layer of quilt batting and one layer of heat resistant batting. Just wiggle them into place. The batting layers will be stitched in place as you top stitch the star shape in place.

Got scraps? Well there you go.

And speaking of going, Patch has a great sale this week, and I found lots to follow me home. Yum!

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner and a Movie?

So I'm lying on the couch, watching a good old movie when I see something brown waft by the basement window. I'm downstairs looking up at the window. I think little of it as it's windy and probably just some garbage blowing by - but I keep an eye out. And then the deer head pops in the window, nose to the pane - to get a better look.

           

Three of them at the side yard! A doe and I think her twins. They were smaller and she was a good size. They hung out in the wild shrubs, munching for a while. Long enough for the neighbours to call over in case we were missing it. The snowplow noise sent them on their way. However,  they're regular visitors. A month ago DH had the door to the workshop open and they considered climbing the stairs in before he discouraged them. He also was watching TV. I sense a pattern. I hope it's a milder winter. We lost a lot of shrubbery to them last year. This year we are armed with a bag of deer food if they get started.

Now, some words about the Christmas giving. As usual I made a bunch of things I liked and then gave them out to people and let them have their choice. As usual, this worked well. However I did make some stuffies for the growing collection of little ones the nieces and nephews are providing.

I do find people in general are happy to receive and I enjoy their pleasure. But NOTHING beats the sight of a little one going atomic when handed what seems to be just the right thing! I know from experience (both as a recipient and as a giver) that the receiver always appreciates, but there does come a few special times when the right note is hit and the little one bounces high with delight. I have no idea how I nailed it (with more than one of them!), but was that ever enough to hold me for a least 10 years, or more! It was a pure and perfect Christmas moment.

                 

These are terrible pictures, but here we have the proud new owner of a doll and her brother about to toss teddy just one more time. Got to love an a-frame ceiling! They held onto those stuffies all night.

I made a quilt for my brother. I was not happy with the result until we got the border right. It defines the pattern blocks and gives them some required 'gravitas', I think. The Great P did the quilting on he long arm as time was creeping up on me. Quilt sewn on my Singer 27VS treadle (circa 1893) and my Featherweight when I decided to clean my treadle, forgetting I was halfway through a quilt.

I made some Noodlehead Open Wide bags. Excellent free pattern (and her purchased patterns are even better!) and I finally like the way the zipper on a bag is put in place. 

I made some bowls from both twined fabric scraps and Home depot cotton clothesline rope (not in picture). They were easy to put together and you can really play with top and bottom thread colour. I plan to play with adding scraps and other embellishment to the bowls next. The family finds they make excellent hats as well. Creative family! 

I made some pentagonal folded star hot mats. If I remember (feel free to remind me) I'll post a tutorial. 

Pinterest twigged me to crochet a cord cosy for my phone charger. Not that was just plain fun! Do give it a try!