Category Archive: Sewing

2015
09/25

Category:
farming
Life
quilts
Sewing

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Fallen deer and ?sewing

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Last night at dusk, we found we had a dead deer by the driveway.   So this morning we made many phone calls while government departments passed the buck and gave us wrong phone numbers.  The wildlife people won’t come out unless it was poached.   Now how would I know that?  Well, they could come inspect and if was an attempted poach, they would take it, but if not, they would leave it.   Seemed like a waste of my tax dollars.

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We finally had someone tell us that while it is on our property, no one will touch it.  Move it off the property and they have to deal with it.  So DH took it up to the corner where the school bus turns around and another neighbor reported it.   They probably didn’t want school children seeing it as it was removed.

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So after a workout, cleaning, and making a meal, there wasn’t a lot of my day left.    I started to make this cute little quilt, but stopped when I couldn’t find my roll of double stick stuff that I just purchased.   I need it to do eyes, wings, etc.  And this is how UFOs happen.

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So I moved on and cut out 4 doll raincoats.   Once cut out, I should be able to get them all done in the coming week.  The plastic is really cute tweety bird fabric that I think was intended for children.   I am lining it with solid yellow.

Have a great Saturday and I’ll see you back here Sunday evening.

2015
09/21

Category:
farming
Life
Sewing
spinning

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Finding something fun to do

IMG_3232 After finishing the last quilt, I’m having a very difficult time, getting in the frame of mind to start another project.   I found this lovely wool and angora roving when we were cleaning out the closet, so  started spinning it.  It feels so soft and yummy.  I don’t even remember purchasing it, so it has been here for some time.

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DH wanted a small pillow – about 6 x 9 – with sleeping herbs for night time.   This is what I came up with.  So when he wakes in the middle of the night, hopefully, he will relax enough to go back to sleep. The pillow contains a combination of lemon balm, hops, skullcap, chamomile, mugwort, and peppermint.    I found the ingredient list in an old herb book and put them together awhile back, so don’t have the exact amounts right now.  ( the corner is just bent under – it really is rectangular.)

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And we can’t forget the sheep who love being under the maple tree when resting.  It must feel safe to them.

An easy, cute bag

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I  found a little bag called a “small flat tote” on the label.   In fact, it was a flat bag without the side seams sewn.   I embroidered this on one side.

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Here is the back side of it.

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Then I sewed up both sides and across the bottom corners and here is a cute small bag which measures 11″ square.    Another little gift ready when I need it.   And the embroidery took the longest.   If you don’t embroider, you might want to do some other thing such as paint, etc.

2015
08/27

Category:
Life
Sewing

COMMENTS:
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Another dress and time

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She is so happy to have this new dress.  It has been in the process for awhile.  Today while waiting on the phone (3 hours session) with Carbonite, getting all my info back, I was able to finish it.    I have a box of shoes somewhere, but need to look for it.

Does it bother you that other people seem to value their time much more than yours?   I agreed to sign for the coop delivery for someone camping this week.  Two people were each supposed to pick theirs up at a designated time.   One did and the other came nearly 2 hours late.  Her excuse was she woke up late because she was canning peaches until 2 a.m.   It didn’t appear to bother her in the least that I was waiting there all that time for her to pick up her items.

2015
08/06

Category:
Life
Sewing

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Patterns, patterns, and more patterns.

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I had to interrupt cleaning the desktop (no photos of before, because all you have seen were piles of paper) that I started last night to run to JoAnn’s and purchase some doll patterns because they were $.99 and every sewer knows that having too many patterns is not possible.

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Then it was back to putting a lot of these papers that have been in stacks and in envelopes, but cluttering the desk into notebooks where they can actually be viewed and used.   In cleaning I found that I have purchased another kit.   I had totally forgotten about this one.   So that makes the 4th.  2 of them are done, and these two are still not started.    Also I broke the punch that I was using to put them into the notebooks, so still have more to go and then find room for the notebooks.   I’ll get a new one tomorrow as I think this one has served for over 40 years.  It appears I need another bookcase, but there is no room for that, so will have to find plan B.

Maybe after all of this gets organized, I’ll be able to find patterns that I want to make and not spend so much time looking for them.   (I do have an apple box of discarded papers as well)

2015
08/05

Category:
Life
Sewing

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A package and a dress

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My cousin sent me another “care” package.    It’s always a surprise when she sends something as she will tell me something like “I’m sending you some fabric”   which doesn’t tell me anything.  Here is today’s package:   2 lovely pieces of flannel each 2 yards, a brocade type and a silky type fabric , each just over a yard plus some doll buttons and other misc., some ribbons, some pellon and a doll pattern with a dress from each of 4 countries.   What fun this will be!.    But this will go into my doll items and not be counted with my quilting fabrics.

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And after mopping the floors and watering the greenhouse etc. – just what has to be done – I don’t get carried away there, I have another little dress done.  I probably should go find some fabric to do a third one for gifting, but I’m anxious to try another pattern first.

2015
08/01

Category:
Life
Sewing

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Another very warm day

Thursday we exceeded the most days over 90 that have ever been recorded.  But that wasn’t enough, over 90 again, Friday and today and undoubtedly tomorrow    Somehow the heat really slows one down and I understand the need for siestas.

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This pot holder did get finished with the new walking foot.

2015
07/31

Category:
Life
Sewing
Shopping

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An interesting day

I was asked if I ever get bored.    I don’t even know the meaning of that word.   And my children knew better than to say they were bored, because I could always come up with a project for them.

Some days can only be called “interesting”    Today was one of them.   I went to get some 18″garden stakes.   That doesn’t sound too hard, does it.   Okay, I get to Lowe’s and the man says they don’t have any.   Me “you don’t have any, then what do people do or did you sell out?”    He looks over head and says they have some, but he will have to go find a ladder.  (good thing I wasn’t in a hurry)   Of course there was a ladder right there, but another salesperson was on it.   Instead of just waiting, he went off after another and came back to get down the stakes.  Oh, whoops, the box is too heavy for him, so calls someone to come help him.   Then he asks how many I want.   “just one package, thank you.”

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Okay, mission accomplished.   Now I needed some 4×4 posts and some 2x4s for a future project.   Since I always seem to need a 2×4,  I like to get some wood each time I have to go there.   I asked the cashier if there is someone who can help me.   She tells me to go get the fellow off the Hyster.  Back to the back of the store, I went again, to be told, “just buy them and they will be loaded as they are all outside”.    Did that, and waited another 5 minutes for someone to come out and see that I needed help.

Off to JoAnn’s for my quilting foot, I went.   I was greeted as I walked in the door – WOW, unusual and nice.   It helps to be the only customer.   I told the clerk what I wanted and she went right to where it was and we went to check out.   Now this really should have been simple, I had a coupon.   But she couldn’t make it work.   After about 15 minutes of trying, she tells me, it is because it is a machine accessory and they aren’t included on the coupons.

At home, I have a young man who is doing some odds and ends for me.   He had just finished the last project I gave him when I got back, so he unloaded the wood for me which was really nice.  He did another small job and left as he could only work a couple hours today.   It was too hot anyway.  Next week promises to be cooler.

Water!   Have you noticed with the heat, everything has to be water much more.  That takes plenty of time as well.

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Finally, I had some time to sew and this little girl insisted on a summer dress.   So she now has one.  I like how it turned out and only used 1/4 yard of fabric plus some left over rick rack.   This looks like a great choice to make for the Christmas dolls.

2015
07/30

Category:
Life
quilts
Sewing

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Some days are challenging

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Today was one of those days.   After breakfast, feeding the bees, and some watering, I wanted to work on a project for the blog.   I need a potholder for a gift so worked on that. . . . .until I was at the next to the last step and found that my walking foot no longer walks and tomorrow, I will go to JoAnn’s and purchase a new one.

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After that stall, I decided I should quilt another one of the quilt flimsies.   So I mounted it on the machine, realized that I want to do it manually and decided there wasn’t enough day left.   Project abandoned for another day.    I sandwiched the little Christmas quilt that I put together earlier this week and it is ready for the machine, which now has a different quilt on it.   There are days like this when nothing seems to get done (oh, yes, laundry is done, except for sheets).  Then there are the days where everything seems to come together, because there wasn’t much left to do on any one project.   Those are the days I love most.

I want to thank you who made mattress suggestions.   We are still at the debate between box springs and latex.

2015
07/29

Category:
Sewing
Shopping

COMMENTS:
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Christmas gift in July

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My cousin sent these books to me.  It was like Christmas had already arrived to receive them.   The patterns are delightful, though some have a bit more work in them.  The last one has 12 princess dresses that are beautiful.    I’m going to give in to temptation and make one or two for my dolls.    But these books have reminded me that the year is going rapidly and it is time to start making the clothes for the Christmas dolls we will be giving.

IMG_2836Today was spent shopping for a new mattress.    How do you select a new mattress and know that it will be more comfortable than the one you are now using.   We could have it a month and decide it really isn’t better and I don’t want to do that even if they will return/exchange it.   It seems like too much hassle.   So do any of you have any clues as to how we decide which is the right one?