Monthly Archives: July 2015
The last bear and pattern trouble
This is the last of the bear blocks. So I cut out and put together as directed all the connecting units. Here’s where the pattern is wrong. The kit has 6 fabrics which are to be cut into 2 x 2 squares, which I did.
As you can see, 5 – 2″ squares do not equal 10″ The squares are to be cut 10 x 10. So next sewing time I will have to find a coordinating fabric to add to each of these pieces. And just when I was so ready to put the top mostly together and sit it to the side until baby is born. One block will have her name, birthday, etc on it, so can’t finish until she arrives. However do you think they got the idea that if I cut 5 – 2 squares that I would end up with 10″ after 1/2″ seam on each piece. If I had figured it out to begin with, I could have cut the pieces 1.5″ and it would have come out perfect. Then again, if a mistake had to be made, at least this is one I can fix by just adding another piece. 6 x 2 = 12 – 3 for seams will be 9 and I need 10. I’ll have to think on this overnight.
Meanwhile the fleece that didn’t get clean Friday is in the washing machine soaking – I’ll take it out so it doesn’t get agitated. But I think it can soak overnight and see if it can get cleaner. Tomorrow is another good day for drying a fleece. I may have to card it to get the ends open and then rewash.
I did finish spinning some wool that I purchased in roving years ago. Now I’m not sure if I want to ply it on itself or with another color. I’m really leaning to another color.
Hot day in the Pacific Northwest
91 degrees may not be hot in other parts of the US, especially in the south. But it is unusual here. It certainly keeps one from being energetic. One more hot day and then the weather will drop into the upper 70s which is very comfortable.
Here is one more block for the quilt. These little bears are turning out so cute.
Multitasking
The laundry is done, the fleece is soaking – actually rinsing, and it’s a bit late to dry today, but I’ll put it our and it will dry tomorrow. A quilt is on the long arm
and the embroidery machine is still at work. It’s just me that is wearing thin. I still have the hanging baskets to water and then I’ll just drop. I’m so glad tomorrow is a day of rest.
Sweet Dreams
I finished enough projects, I could justify starting a new project. I had so much almost done, but not finished, I would not allow myself to start before now. This is a baby quilt that I purchased as a kit a few years ago. The name is “Sweet Dreams“ I had intended to make it for a grandchild, but I am informed that will not be happening and there is too much involved to make it for a grand cat. So I am making it for an extended family member who is having a little girl the first of September. This is a kit from Sweden and it doesn’t appear to be available anymore. The company is “kitandcompany.eu” if you want to try to look it up.
There are 8 embroidered blocks and then other sewn blocks. These are the ones done so far.
Shopping, shopping, shopping!
Why is it necessary to shop – or for that matter to clean house or cook meals? All that just gets in the way of fun. Or maybe we are just mixed up – people used to work for food and it was a real treat if there was anything left for pleasure.
It’s Wednesday and time to plan. So I pulled out the stack of recipes I’ve printed from the internet that I wanted to try and put 7 meals for breakfast and about 10 for lunches and dinners, then made a grocery list from those plus things that one does get low on such as toilet paper. Oh, the things on which we must spend money!
no photo
Today it was off to Marlene’s, a health food and vitamin store, where they sell a few items I like and can’t find elsewhere.
Then Panera’s for a sandwich for lunch.
Costco has chocolate chips without dairy that we like as well as better prices on frozen corn, beans, broccoli.
And finally, the local grocery store which was advertising a number of organic foods on special this week. So we bought many items today and still – until I actually cook – the refrigerator is half empty. You probably understand this all too well. At least we stuck to the list I had made.
Fleece to clean
The morning was spent looking for a cooler large enough to wash the fleece. I had one for washing and needed one for rinsing. That took longer than expected because some of the stores were sold out. I finally found one and came home.
This is a very dirty “white” fleece from which I shook loose seconds cuts and took apart
to fit into these bags to keep it from felting while it is being washed and dried. By the time, I had accomplished this, it was too hot to be outside washing it. However, now that the parts are assembled and ready to go, I can do this on another warm day.
A birthday gift
Our birthday girl (birthday July 19) was having her car worked on locally and asked if we’d like to go out to dinner together along with her DH. Of course we would and since we won’t see her Sunday, we took the birthday gift. They both loved the gift.
When I got up this morning, I looked outside and decided it was a wonderful day to applique the ants to the napkins, especially since I was a bit sore from weeding yesterday. I thought I had until Sunday to get them done, so I was really ahead of the game. The invitation came as a surprise, but I was delighted to be ready.
Garden til you drop
The chicken coop was first on the list this morning. I am grateful to have had help on that one. The coop is large, probably 16′ square and desperately needed shavings changed. Then the larger babies were taken out of the cage
and the wee bantams were moved into the house. After a week or so in there, they will also be released and the cage removed.
The greenhouse was also in desperate need, so I spent time out there.
Seems the potatoes were much smaller than they should have been and the ground was very dry, but I’ll take whatever help I can get. Now the tomatoes, beets, and celery are all weeded.
Walking by the artichokes, I see we have two of them ready, so brought them in
And we dug up the elephant garlic. I didn’t get another garlic planted last fall.
It is just as well, we didn’t get a lot of the garden planted this year. It is just so dry out there and even our pond, which dried up in August last year, is dry. In the past it has had some water in it all year. The pond is the bit in the background that has some green.
Almost lost washcloth
