Adventures in fiber

2016
09/11

Category:
Garden
Life
quilts

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A few minutes

Just 10 – 15 minutes here and there can make a big difference in a project. Most of these blocks were made with minutes here and there. Here I have laid out the blocks that were on the board in the order that I wanted to sew them.

Then I gathered them into piles with each row kept separate to sew them together.

With just half an hour, I was able to put this strip of pale green down the sides and

here they are waiting on the ironing board to be pressed and cut apart when I have a few more minutes. In this way, I can get much more done, then if I have to set aside a larger space of time.

They are cut apart and are being put back up on the wall, waiting for the next step.

Yesterday the pumpkins were picked and some headed home with daughter and her husband. They don’t look all that big in this photo, but that post is an 8×8. There were 6 large, 6 medium, and 6 small. The plants did a great job of producing some of each.

Today. the hoop house received new skin and the vents were moved down low to better suit our needs. This has been an all day job, with two men working all day, another doing odd jobs and part of the day, I played go-fer.

2016
09/09

Category:
Life
quilts

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16 patch and mistakes

These 16 patch blocks were made as 4 patches and then put together as a larger 4 patch. Most of these fabrics were from left over pieces of other quilts. When I have leftovers, often I take time here and there to cut them into usable sizes. Sometimes, I do leave larger pieces for applique. However

I make mistakes, especially when I am in a hurry. Last night was one of those times. I was in a hurry to get the block made and instead of cutting 2 7/8″ blocks for the triangles, I merrily went my way cutting 2.5″ blocks. Then I realized that was not going to work. Not to worry however, now I have many dark green blocks cut for the next time I need 2.5″ blocks. Mistakes happen and when they do, I just try to make the best of them.

Have a blessed Sabbath tomorrow. We will have company joining us for lunch.

2016
09/08

Category:
farming
food
Life
quilts

COMMENTS:
1 Comment »

Christmas quilt etc

Today I want to share with you a new pattern that found it’s way into my mailbox. It is fairly easy and you might want to make it for Christmas. And while here, enjoy looking around her sight. You’ll find the complete pattern by Debbie Kratovil: http://debbykratovilquilts.blogspot.com/2016/09/christmas-in-september-free-pattern.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DebbyKratovilQuilts+%28Debby+Kratovil+Quilts%29

I’m making it in colors and animals for fall. If you do choose to make this quilt, make a note that “c” on the pieced block should be 6.5″ as it is incorrect on the pattern. Also just a reminder to mark the sewing lines on the light fabric to make the half square triangles.

Here is the photo I promised yesterday – of Juliette and her two lambs who are slightly bigger at 4 months than mom.

The sourdough bread turned out so good, that I made another batch today. Today’s dough was even better than yesterday’s so I’m anxious to see how that turns out. I have to wait because this rises 8-24 hrs in the refrigerator and is than baked.

Oh, and this is exciting to me. This is the first red pepper that I got to before the slugs.

2016
09/07

Category:
farming
food
Life
Shopping

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Fast days

After breakfast and feeding the sourdough culture, the gym was first on our list today. On our way home, we received a call to come look over some house papers.

Then it was time to make our first sourdough bread as the culture was ready. As I was finished kneading it, the hay arrived along with Juliette (sheep) and her 2 lambs. Photos will be tomorrow, because when I get busy, I forget the camera.

Lunch was a stir fry as the rice was cooked and the refrigerator is full of vegetables.

Dessert was thawed strawberries over zucchini bread. We often eat seasonally.

Then it was off to the bank and the grocery store. I needed olives to make olive bread. As we were leaving, we received another phone call about more papers, only these had to read to be signed. So we picked those up on the way out, went to the bank, where the machine ate some of our deposit,(bank official is taking care of that), then off to the grocery store for olives. Above is the bread, which the directions tell me to rise overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature in the morning before baking.

We signed the papers and returned them on the way home. Now the title search should be set in motion. I love these full days, but I feel like I’m watching life whiz by.

2016
09/06

Category:
food
Knitting
Life
Serger
Sewing
Shopping

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Socks and honey

Slowly, but surely, with little minutes here and there. The gussets are nearly done. I think I’m a slow knitter because it takes me 18-20 hours to do a pair of socks -time dependent on how much cuff and how many stitches I drop and have to pick up and how many times I have to lay the project down and pick it up again.

No photo, but I spent an hour in the dentist chair this afternoon having 2 small cavities filled.

On the way there, I stopped and bought 2 gallons of honey from a friend who has many hives of bees and has them at various people’s farms. I learned that our hardware store now sells food grade buckets for food. And guess what, their logo gets spread around. DH believes that everything one sells should have something to help sales. This qualifies.

The last thing to purchase was a storm door for the hoop house which will be recovered this weekend.

And here’s a HINT: for all these holidays coming up. Buy yardage, serge or hem the edge, pop it on your table to look all cheery and when the holiday is over, you can save it for next time, or make something else from it.

2016
09/05

Category:
Life
quilts

COMMENTS:
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GYM

It’s the first full week in September and time to get back to some things we didn’t take time for during the summer. So off we trotted to the gym for a good workout. I tried to pace myself as I really don’t enjoy being sore. However, I am not one to get more energy from going to the gym, in fact, I think it wears me out.

After lunch, I worked on my 9 patch and surprised myself by getting the quilting done. It has this school backing that you see on the right. I’m not sure what I want to use for binding. I’ll let it set a day or two and see what it tells me. It measures 52 x 52 which is perfect for a lap quilt.

By the way the Dreamweaver went this morning to a male neighbor who is having chemo right now.

2016
09/04

Category:
Garden

COMMENTS:
1 Comment »

Harvest Sept 4

I just love the bright orange among the green leaves in the garden.

And there are about a dozen of these pumpkins.

I was a bit late with many of the cucumbers that were supposed to be pickled, so we will just eat them as cucumbers. I was, however, able to get 3 quarts of pickles. That is a Delicata squash to the left and they are just ripening. This is a very mild tasting squash.

Oh, and we haven’t run out of zucchini yet, though with as many in the refrigerator as there are, I only left one plant in the garden.

We were also able to harvest 15 ears of corn today. I’m trying something new. I put 8 in the freezer still in their little jackets. I hope this will keep them until we get around to eating them. The ones we did eat were excellent.

And these green beans are now cleaned and ready for tomorrow’s lunch.

The grapes are ready yet, but there is an abundance of grape leaves. Do any of you have a vegan Dolma recipe that doesn’t use oil?

After all that, I did sit down and knit a bit on the socks. The hoop house has had more weeding done and is watered and now it is time to feed sheep and then relax.

2016
09/02

Category:
Life
quilts
Shopping

COMMENTS:
1 Comment »

Celebrate flimsy

And now I can show you the quilt that I worked on early summer. It is a BOM called “celebrate” in The Quilt Pattern Magazine. http://www.quiltpatternmagazine.com/index.html preview. I am quite happy with the results.

And since it was done ahead of time, I took the day to clean house including floors and countertops and went shopping.

2016
09/01

Category:
Life
Schedules
Serger

COMMENTS:
1 Comment »

September declutter

Today in serger foot class we practiced with the elastic foot both putting elastic on

and putting on a wire edge which would most likely be used on ribbon.

Then we used our bead foot for beads and

ribbons, yarn, or whatever would go through the machine for a pretty edge. The classes are fun with only 4 of us and the teacher having time to show us extra uses.

We are starting the first day of a new month and the first day of the last third of the year. It has once again come to my attention that we are not promised tomorrow. And I wish to leave areas that are easy for someone else to step into and take care of the disposal of items – or at least not leave them a mess. When hospitalized for 3 months several years ago, I was running a business and was very organized. Others were able to step in and dissolve the business. When Mother had to move to an assisted living, we were able to easily clean out the house. So it is possible. My goal for this month is to declutter and organize the sewing room and at least one other room. I usually keep like things in the same area which really helps. How about you – Do you have a room that could use attention? Would you like to join me?

2016
08/31

Category:
farming
quilts

COMMENTS:
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Dreamweaver finished

The Dreamweaver is finished as is August. Yeah! I have an August finish.

Without photos on this, but I spent two hours today going through the neighbors barn (soon to be our barn) with him, helping him decide what was really worth keeping, selling, and tossing. He has a lot of “treasures” in there. His wife is too ill to help . All the original stall sides and doors have been put to the side so he could easily use all the space to “treasures”.

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30

Just 10 – 15 minutes here and there can make a big difference in a project. Most of these blocks were made with minutes here and there. Here I have laid out the blocks that were on the board in the order that I wanted to sew them.

Then I gathered them into piles with each row kept separate to sew them together.

With just half an hour, I was able to put this strip of pale green down the sides and

here they are waiting on the ironing board to be pressed and cut apart when I have a few more minutes. In this way, I can get much more done, then if I have to set aside a larger space of time.

They are cut apart and are being put back up on the wall, waiting for the next step.

Yesterday the pumpkins were picked and some headed home with daughter and her husband. They don’t look all that big in this photo, but that post is an 8×8. There were 6 large, 6 medium, and 6 small. The plants did a great job of producing some of each.

Today. the hoop house received new skin and the vents were moved down low to better suit our needs. This has been an all day job, with two men working all day, another doing odd jobs and part of the day, I played go-fer.

These 16 patch blocks were made as 4 patches and then put together as a larger 4 patch. Most of these fabrics were from left over pieces of other quilts. When I have leftovers, often I take time here and there to cut them into usable sizes. Sometimes, I do leave larger pieces for applique. However

Have a blessed Sabbath tomorrow. We will have company joining us for lunch.

I’m making it in colors and animals for fall. If you do choose to make this quilt, make a note that “c” on the pieced block should be 6.5″ as it is incorrect on the pattern. Also just a reminder to mark the sewing lines on the light fabric to make the half square triangles.

Here is the photo I promised yesterday – of Juliette and her two lambs who are slightly bigger at 4 months than mom.

The sourdough bread turned out so good, that I made another batch today. Today’s dough was even better than yesterday’s so I’m anxious to see how that turns out. I have to wait because this rises 8-24 hrs in the refrigerator and is than baked.

Oh, and this is exciting to me. This is the first red pepper that I got to before the slugs.

After breakfast and feeding the sourdough culture, the gym was first on our list today. On our way home, we received a call to come look over some house papers.

Then it was time to make our first sourdough bread as the culture was ready. As I was finished kneading it, the hay arrived along with Juliette (sheep) and her 2 lambs. Photos will be tomorrow, because when I get busy, I forget the camera.

Lunch was a stir fry as the rice was cooked and the refrigerator is full of vegetables.

Dessert was thawed strawberries over zucchini bread. We often eat seasonally.

We signed the papers and returned them on the way home. Now the title search should be set in motion. I love these full days, but I feel like I’m watching life whiz by.

No photo, but I spent an hour in the dentist chair this afternoon having 2 small cavities filled.

The last thing to purchase was a storm door for the hoop house which will be recovered this weekend.

And here’s a HINT: for all these holidays coming up. Buy yardage, serge or hem the edge, pop it on your table to look all cheery and when the holiday is over, you can save it for next time, or make something else from it.

After lunch, I worked on my 9 patch and surprised myself by getting the quilting done. It has this school backing that you see on the right. I’m not sure what I want to use for binding. I’ll let it set a day or two and see what it tells me. It measures 52 x 52 which is perfect for a lap quilt.

By the way the Dreamweaver went this morning to a male neighbor who is having chemo right now.

I just love the bright orange among the green leaves in the garden.

And there are about a dozen of these pumpkins.

I was a bit late with many of the cucumbers that were supposed to be pickled, so we will just eat them as cucumbers. I was, however, able to get 3 quarts of pickles. That is a Delicata squash to the left and they are just ripening. This is a very mild tasting squash.

Oh, and we haven’t run out of zucchini yet, though with as many in the refrigerator as there are, I only left one plant in the garden.

We were also able to harvest 15 ears of corn today. I’m trying something new. I put 8 in the freezer still in their little jackets. I hope this will keep them until we get around to eating them. The ones we did eat were excellent.

And these green beans are now cleaned and ready for tomorrow’s lunch.

The grapes are ready yet, but there is an abundance of grape leaves. Do any of you have a vegan Dolma recipe that doesn’t use oil?

After all that, I did sit down and knit a bit on the socks. The hoop house has had more weeding done and is watered and now it is time to feed sheep and then relax.

And now I can show you the quilt that I worked on early summer. It is a BOM called “celebrate” in The Quilt Pattern Magazine. http://www.quiltpatternmagazine.com/index.html preview. I am quite happy with the results.

And since it was done ahead of time, I took the day to clean house including floors and countertops and went shopping.

Today in serger foot class we practiced with the elastic foot both putting elastic on

and putting on a wire edge which would most likely be used on ribbon.

Then we used our bead foot for beads and

ribbons, yarn, or whatever would go through the machine for a pretty edge. The classes are fun with only 4 of us and the teacher having time to show us extra uses.

The Dreamweaver is finished as is August. Yeah! I have an August finish.

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