tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77974559348537439732024-03-13T02:33:00.095-04:00Thimbles, Threads, and NeedlesDressmaking projects plus tips, techniques, and tutorials. And occasional other random stuff, just to mix it up a bit.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.comBlogger266125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-66913064878166679532020-11-30T16:38:00.002-05:002020-11-30T16:43:43.982-05:00Heirloom Decorative Technique<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVwGQg8aaWnF1Y3hnfYmu1519pnoiEXvWYbezYn0bjHPyJX7HzZPqg11tJZp2z45Y-O1UADNkfi_SOF9xeEJBSWMoQ7QvIn_o3rahzirI1FEH_phAOzmiov8aShOnsPKBViAQXsCUWSk/s2048/IMG_20180918_162719113.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVwGQg8aaWnF1Y3hnfYmu1519pnoiEXvWYbezYn0bjHPyJX7HzZPqg11tJZp2z45Y-O1UADNkfi_SOF9xeEJBSWMoQ7QvIn_o3rahzirI1FEH_phAOzmiov8aShOnsPKBViAQXsCUWSk/s320/IMG_20180918_162719113.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> I found this on a vintage silk blouse last year, and I thought the technique was so cool, I wanted to try it. It's a narrow turned tube that's then looped around and stitched into place. The center pieces have me temporarily stumped, though. I'll be doing some extensive searching and asking around for guidance on this particular technique.<p></p><p>I have several books on decorative techniques, but this one doesn't seem to be in any of them.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Other than this, I'll be working on a vest for my daughter and one for myself. I've joined the Fabric Stash contest over at PatternReview.com and since all of my fabric is stash right now, I'm hoping to get lots sewn up over the coming months.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYVe5-hvJy9ErRiZNgBiqSS_GspJQBUuWiWib6Jxy-63QScSILd-C1RZW1itlS8773Rc6DAyCt6pfL2e87uqtAj6Byj18AAJxMuY_kgZZXmD1QyO0t5j6JRJLDJ8Ksx9dQI_V1xskxBY/s666/redVestFront2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="406" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYVe5-hvJy9ErRiZNgBiqSS_GspJQBUuWiWib6Jxy-63QScSILd-C1RZW1itlS8773Rc6DAyCt6pfL2e87uqtAj6Byj18AAJxMuY_kgZZXmD1QyO0t5j6JRJLDJ8Ksx9dQI_V1xskxBY/s320/redVestFront2.JPG" /></a></div><br />I've sewn the vest I want to make for myself once already in a wool suiting. I've reviewed it on Pattern Review way back in 2012. <a href="http://Butterick5534.">Butterick5534</a><p></p><p>The one for Daughter is McCall's 5186. I have also made this one before, but I never reviewed it. Besides, the last garments I made for her was when she was 11 years old, so this is a whole 'nother ball game. She is 17 now. With a very different set of fitting issues. So we'll see how it goes. <br /></p>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-81707025724704349322020-11-26T15:09:00.004-05:002020-11-26T15:09:58.518-05:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwvdw47w1sUSHnXvMz_n3zztw-srZJMXOr51bntwh-C0g1PNquFqZYcaAOP0aP6HdeXG4qmCfUulVDTftxuyZcS7Nmw-P1jCXeGaZZie9kEvjiWA-wxXNhyphenhyphend9NUhNZDVxqcEwmvHbJPk/s1008/20201002_230147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="756" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwvdw47w1sUSHnXvMz_n3zztw-srZJMXOr51bntwh-C0g1PNquFqZYcaAOP0aP6HdeXG4qmCfUulVDTftxuyZcS7Nmw-P1jCXeGaZZie9kEvjiWA-wxXNhyphenhyphend9NUhNZDVxqcEwmvHbJPk/s320/20201002_230147.jpg" /></a></div><br /> I've been struggling all week to find time to make more items for my Etsy store. Sigh. Sometimes it's just impossible. I'll get there. It's just that everything is taking longer than I'd like.<p></p><p>On a not-complaining note :o) Daughter and I spent a lot of time hiking this year. We went out almost every Saturday and tried to take a trail or go to a location we hadn't been before. There's a lot of hiking around here, so it wasn't that hard.</p><p>I also live on a dead end road, which turns into a nice walking path along side a creek. That one is a favorite of ours and all we have to do is walk out the front door.</p><p>On one of our many walks that way, we came across this little guy. Almost impossible to keep in your hand, Mr Jumpy didn't sit still for very long and I barely got a few good pictures in. I decided he's make a great sketch, and so here we are.</p><p>I haven't done any drawing for years, actually, so I wasn't sure I still had the touch. Nothing is quite as crisp in this drawing as I'd like, but that also might be the paper, which I've never used before. Anyway, it's kind of cute, so I thought I'd share.</p><p>In sewing land, I'm really enjoying my 1931 Singer. I've never taken such delight in sewing with any specific machine before, but I'm in love with this one. It's only a straight stitch, in fact does not even have a backstitch, but I'm absolutely hooked.<br /></p>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-47795062925979683832020-11-23T11:10:00.000-05:002020-11-23T11:10:15.476-05:00Newest Addition 1931 Singer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0WNq2FEEelMFSQvAZypIYnhZfHcoha5bB3w9DOEih70Nt2jQ-5XkgANaW9l9VITgRuiGGY0QyCc7jXExMnKp165U9dnHtjCe9zN717AlViv7j1J3DymLyOEF8-HhQ3-5sSLjcw435UY/s1008/20201120_221913.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1008" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0WNq2FEEelMFSQvAZypIYnhZfHcoha5bB3w9DOEih70Nt2jQ-5XkgANaW9l9VITgRuiGGY0QyCc7jXExMnKp165U9dnHtjCe9zN717AlViv7j1J3DymLyOEF8-HhQ3-5sSLjcw435UY/s320/20201120_221913.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My newest baby. A 1931 Singer in a beautiful bent wood case. I found this at my local Goodwill way back before COVID happened. It's taken me some time to get her into good shape, but she got her last oiling last night and I spent several hours sewing with her. Beautiful! And so quiet!<p></p><p>I was working yesterday on a new quilt. It's just random fabric scraps that I didn't try very hard to match or make a nice pattern with. I don't know. It's probably the ugliest quilt I've ever made. For some reason, I decided to do the piecing last year more out of duty to use up those scraps than any real desire to make a quilt or any real creativity. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ppGSL364d0wl07-fwhMeUGU-7FlJ97YEI_xTjg0Q3yE0T9TDMVKdBCrN-Z8QfoJyccXxAvdDnwEkHPTl-54dzbco3ZQbk7W9CRXwgz9awUCye7pVlgCFBNVNWWkwWUnELVVOm5LHngc/s1008/20201120_205115.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1008" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ppGSL364d0wl07-fwhMeUGU-7FlJ97YEI_xTjg0Q3yE0T9TDMVKdBCrN-Z8QfoJyccXxAvdDnwEkHPTl-54dzbco3ZQbk7W9CRXwgz9awUCye7pVlgCFBNVNWWkwWUnELVVOm5LHngc/s320/20201120_205115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />As a result, I could probably win the ugly quilt contest hands down. I suggest. No, I implore. Please don't ever do this to yourself. <p></p><p>I am however, determined to press on. I will free motion quilt the squares in sections that are 25"x25" and go ahead and make it anyway. This is the first time I've used Insulbright instead of cotton batting, so I will be curious as to whether or not it is actually warmer than a regular quilt. Any of you have experience using Insulbright?<br /></p>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-28571613495495776782020-11-21T10:27:00.004-05:002020-11-21T10:27:37.202-05:00Merino Wool Fingerless Gloves<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIUY5aNbm00Umo4yI1Y_CYIKUzmGhCzbDRVQCBb3hw-IsGSpBPRXmQ3dhzRtCDG9jz2IB1YyK0Lz9K_VNWGJvtlOM6wN42m5skK4GHc7OfUv0I8sIIK2GtuHdEwJnwtIevkjL-3sBrrg/s1008/20201118_101726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="756" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIUY5aNbm00Umo4yI1Y_CYIKUzmGhCzbDRVQCBb3hw-IsGSpBPRXmQ3dhzRtCDG9jz2IB1YyK0Lz9K_VNWGJvtlOM6wN42m5skK4GHc7OfUv0I8sIIK2GtuHdEwJnwtIevkjL-3sBrrg/s320/20201118_101726.jpg" /></a></div>Daughter has been looking for fingerless gloves for some months now, and everything she's found so far has had some deal breaking flaw. So I offered to make her something if she could find a yarn in my stash that she approved of. Turns out there was a single ball of this blue, green, purple variegated merino wool that she positively fell in love with at first sight.<p></p><p>It took me a couple of weeks, simply because I've been having a hard time finding project time. But persistence prevailed! I finished these a couple of days ago to an astonishing amount of excitement over how beautiful they were. I love making my girl happy!</p><p>These are done on a circular needle and if I'd had two balls of yarn I would have knitted them both at the same time. Alas, I had only the one and no idea where it came from. I would guess a clearance bin somewhere, but honestly, I keep my supplies for years sometimes before I get around to using them. I can almost always shop my stash and find something I didn't even know I had.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7InJeGe9EXzhApSyg5dvCNrC2spKq_fscuBjeG7VDscrnHoaMREhj0EgowmATmn6Z-mtVftbwNgGyJYE3oDZFvn0te1q4lF-jOPT0vUnZWcncrcNmihqlehVb7OIbWH3L7PelDnpD5o4/s300/KnitWOTears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7InJeGe9EXzhApSyg5dvCNrC2spKq_fscuBjeG7VDscrnHoaMREhj0EgowmATmn6Z-mtVftbwNgGyJYE3oDZFvn0te1q4lF-jOPT0vUnZWcncrcNmihqlehVb7OIbWH3L7PelDnpD5o4/s0/KnitWOTears.jpg" /></a></div><br />I've used the book Knitting Without Tears as my go to reference book for knitting techniques, so that's where the thumb design comes from. I have made countless fingerless gloves over the years, so my technique has morphed into something kind of my own, but that book is definitely my origin. I used it 30 years ago to teach myself how to knit. Left-handed. People tell me I knit backwards. I have no doubt they're right.<p></p><p>The wristband is your standard k2,p2 as is the finishing at the thumb and finger ends. The palms are a straight knit. The backs are a popcorn stitch. Alternating double rows of k2, p2. It's my favorite knitting stitch, for mysterious reasons of irrational personal preference.</p><p>Youngest Son is now clamoring for a pair like his sister's. I can't really blame him. Hers turned out really nice.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIUCI4u1EETK9qk2CfsdS9iUOGOiyAuXQayX-UauTff0hQOH8LJ7D0u4AgQBLbANxOlM95rCCu1BdGLIpuil4KLzqdWGBUPC2PxB-ZZl8kswi7l4sVUkfWtRkVdmCpy6W5XDYwHNnyOI/s807/20201119_105101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="807" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIUCI4u1EETK9qk2CfsdS9iUOGOiyAuXQayX-UauTff0hQOH8LJ7D0u4AgQBLbANxOlM95rCCu1BdGLIpuil4KLzqdWGBUPC2PxB-ZZl8kswi7l4sVUkfWtRkVdmCpy6W5XDYwHNnyOI/s320/20201119_105101.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I will, however, have to fix my knitting needles first. I thought it was cute when I saw my cat Gizmo carrying them around by the nylon part, with the bamboo needles hanging from either side of her mouth. Needless to say, I took them from her and put them away with my knitting things. Apparently, not away enough. She found them overnight. And chewed them. <p></p><p>Cats. Like husbands, can't live with 'em and can't live without 'em.<br /></p>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-30157974177823145612020-08-08T10:14:00.001-04:002020-08-08T10:14:31.215-04:00More Pattern De-Stashing! Wow! Definitely feeling nostalgic this morning as I go through some more patterns that I am looking for new homes for. I remember why I bought each and every one, and why I fell in love with them. Silly, I know. But for me, loving them is not enough. If they don't get used, then what's the point?<br />
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<br />
So, anyway, there's another dozen or so patterns listed on my Etsy store. Check them out and see if there's any you'd like to give a new home to.<br />
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https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheTrinityTreeShop<br />
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<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-54955815531524658922020-07-15T15:44:00.001-04:002020-07-15T15:45:21.746-04:00Pattern De-Stashing<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekuYVxoptOczhLyPw_Cl_tRUWvlHm00HzyTpSHMrXrXdkIAoGAM_XIq9JmhjTZ8CDn4PlPB2hyphenhyphen95DRN5aPSJn0Uh05xggXM5RuNUBGLuZgphoflRfKvk3wAJ88x78VacmgJUzChQNUvs/s2048/20200715_132155.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekuYVxoptOczhLyPw_Cl_tRUWvlHm00HzyTpSHMrXrXdkIAoGAM_XIq9JmhjTZ8CDn4PlPB2hyphenhyphen95DRN5aPSJn0Uh05xggXM5RuNUBGLuZgphoflRfKvk3wAJ88x78VacmgJUzChQNUvs/s320/20200715_132155.jpg" /></a></div>If you know me even a little, you know that I love sewing patterns. And not just a little, either. If it has some little tiny detail or embellishment that I like, I have been know to buy the pattern and do a happy dance. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>See that neckline? Must have that pattern. Look at the pocket! Must have that pattern. Those lines...that curve...that interesting design. All good reasons to buy that pattern.</div><div><br /></div><div> Did I mention that when I moved back in 2015, I moved to a smaller house? Some patterns I've owned or at least 25 years. Some I've only picked up recently. Either way, there are patterns I don't need, won't use, or used once and never will again. Hence, I have started populating my Etsy store with sewing patterns for sale.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some of these patterns I have very nostalgic memories of. If you're a PatternReview.com member, I reviewed this pattern for these jeans a million years ago <a href="https://sewing.patternreview.com/review/pattern/12354" id="PatternReview Jeans Review" name="PatternReview Jeans Review" target="_blank">Pattern Review Jeans Review</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Check back every few days. It takes a while to make those listings and I only have so much time to do them.</div><div><br /></div><div>This week it's a couple of vintage Burda's and some of those delightful old Kwik Sews on that heavy white paper that we all knew and loved and mourned its demise. I have more Kwik Sews and Big 4's to put up, but I probably won't get to them until next week.</div><div><br /></div><div>Take a look at the shop if you're in the market for a new-to-you pattern. And as a thank you to all my blog readers, you can get 10% off any patterns with the coupon code BLOG10</div><div><br /></div><div>https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheTrinityTreeShop<br /></div>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-85984559522724839632020-06-17T06:00:00.000-04:002020-06-17T06:00:04.591-04:00Mama's in the Kitchen--Aprons Galore!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaNEZLiOkLsKvN3nw8wx44qNTKnVsiKQtG8fWoylf3b0Ept13K2O-MhPz5N_fX9hPrspk4ESxJmbzmcP1zs3duoj9yvQGwDcmKnboZv4wr1TzfMFX_AtW7WBtHauHJrCZc7al23bBhME/s3412/20200325_173340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3412" data-original-width="1369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaNEZLiOkLsKvN3nw8wx44qNTKnVsiKQtG8fWoylf3b0Ept13K2O-MhPz5N_fX9hPrspk4ESxJmbzmcP1zs3duoj9yvQGwDcmKnboZv4wr1TzfMFX_AtW7WBtHauHJrCZc7al23bBhME/s320/20200325_173340.jpg" /></a></div>Okay, so I've never met a jar of pasta sauce that didn't spill on my clothes at the first introduction. Or a hamburger that didn't spatter me with grease while cooking. Why haven't I made any aprons sooner? Good question. Wish I had a good answer. I could've saved myself a lot of money over the years on clothes I didn't have to replace.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There are so many cute aprons out there. And so much cute fabric. Heck! I should just make some.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I did.</div><div><br /></div><div>First I bought some lightweight canvas. Because quilting cotton makes great aprons, but the canvas was on sale and it had just the most pretty or adorable prints. This tropical flower print is easily my favorite of the lot.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Next, I drafted me up a pattern that looked like it would work. I tend to be a visual pattern drafter so I eyeball a lot of what I draw. The first draft wasn't perfect, but the second was pretty good, and the third even better. Then I added a pocket or three on the front. Because I love pockets, and I'm always looking for places to put things down. I even made some with contrasting binding around the edges. Extra work, but I think it looks really cool. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaI4Ud0AA-0WZrPClNEY1Wv-42cU9uLXTQ6goTSkWzXns0QdwbdF3SiVuZU0eUnMc7VAUFIcNEyEKb_jv06ogqEzLdJFP2kL9gnGVLJroTGZEcfbvS1cF3uTthv8T2lCjmMsA9zgsKGQ/s3724/20200325_173353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3724" data-original-width="1410" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaI4Ud0AA-0WZrPClNEY1Wv-42cU9uLXTQ6goTSkWzXns0QdwbdF3SiVuZU0eUnMc7VAUFIcNEyEKb_jv06ogqEzLdJFP2kL9gnGVLJroTGZEcfbvS1cF3uTthv8T2lCjmMsA9zgsKGQ/s320/20200325_173353.jpg" /></a></div>Then I said to myself, "Self, other people might like an apron, too. People who don't sew, or who don't have the time." Hence, my Etsy shop.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've got aprons on there, of course. But also tea towels and pot holders that match, because I do like it when the things in my kitchen match. So I figured other people might like that, too.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've also popped up some hand braided jewelry as well. Because it's fun to make, but some folks just don't have the time, or the patience, or they just don't consider themselves crafty enough to make things like that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Take a look, if you're so inclined. I'd love to have your feedback, sewing and crafting friends. I always love good feedback.</div><div><br /></div><div>https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheTrinityTreeShop</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-74840068694671063122020-06-16T07:00:00.000-04:002020-06-16T07:00:06.631-04:00I'm Stuck On You, Baby Clothes<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUT0SVIQX3jEt_FDcnBN9ShJtujNhbXSsQr-bAhODkvGebKYlPKFHd7bpuDPbomXOzAA8dxsqFfG-DuyJOpFSirMdIIPTX0qiCTVwUdajReivBv4Qx4tMayaBRTTsyT27mDeeBDuPvUc8/s4032/20200222_115731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUT0SVIQX3jEt_FDcnBN9ShJtujNhbXSsQr-bAhODkvGebKYlPKFHd7bpuDPbomXOzAA8dxsqFfG-DuyJOpFSirMdIIPTX0qiCTVwUdajReivBv4Qx4tMayaBRTTsyT27mDeeBDuPvUc8/s320/20200222_115731.jpg" /></a></div>Idly shopping at Michael's one evening after work (I was working as the costume designer for a 10 minute play festival) before COVID-19 made such window shopping impossible, I came across the cute yarn collection in the clearance aisle. 5 small balls of yarn in somewhat coordinating colors, intended for small projects and simple color patterning. In a merino wool/nylon blend. I am constitutionally incapable of passing up merino wool at a good price. I bought it. And then realized I needed a set of needles to go with it. So I bought those, too, and trundled my way home through the cold, blowing January winds.</div><div><br /></div><div>Aha! Granddaughter needs a hat, I said. Perfect.</div><div><br /></div><div>This was the final result. I had no real plan, I just kind of winged the patterning, just plain old striping really, as I went along. The whole hat is done in K1, P1 ribbing knit which made the decreases in the stitches for the hat shaping rather clumsy, but I think it turned out pretty cute nonetheless. DIL loved it. Granddaughter wasn't so sure she liked anything on her head. Alas, in the manner of all babies, she grew out of it very quickly. But still likes the tassel on the point, so the hat graduated from the hated (or at least disliked :o) hate is such a strong term) item of clothing to a coveted toy whose tassels she likes to hold in her hand and squish it in that delightfully squishy way that merino squishes. Win, win. And I have no doubt that Granddaughter will have a little brother or sister sometime in the next few years, so it's a good hat to pass on to the siblings.<br /></div>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-60049644160995374882020-06-15T08:00:00.000-04:002020-06-15T08:00:04.968-04:00Cute Baby Clothes<div>My oldest son and his wife had their first baby last August. I didn't get to make nearly enough baby clothes as I was busy working ridiculous hours as a theatre costume shop manager. This year will be different *evil grin* This kid will have so many clothes, her mother will only have to do laundry once a month.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHgkYf54NZYVVXn9GKPQ_IJBBZ30K1_Jqfg1Jv7DanKKnqoA0qOPzKyVhzkPKNY7ZLNl7gwnk7wqmWT32xFf0Bs5k80252naezxIJVWEJzGK9LMj-IykGUBwjCHhZGjoRf3q41EBX3So/s4032/20190109_112151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHgkYf54NZYVVXn9GKPQ_IJBBZ30K1_Jqfg1Jv7DanKKnqoA0qOPzKyVhzkPKNY7ZLNl7gwnk7wqmWT32xFf0Bs5k80252naezxIJVWEJzGK9LMj-IykGUBwjCHhZGjoRf3q41EBX3So/s320/20190109_112151.jpg" /></a></div>I did manage to make this batch early on before my work got beyond insane. They didn't find out she was a girl until she was actually born, so I made mixes of girl and boy clothes.</div><div><br /></div><div>I love footed pants for babies. I think they're so adorable and they eliminate the dreaded Lost Sock Syndrome. The tops are all onesies with binding around the neck and leg edges and long prong fasteners at the crotch.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>These were made from Big 4 patterns, and as we all know, the fit left a great deal to be desired. I used the newborn size and naturally they were all too big. And my granddaughter was not a particularly small baby. Let's just say she wore those footed pants with the narwhales for quite some time.</div><div><br /></div><div>When my contract with the theatre ended in October, I did some serious revamping of the onesie pattern and also made Granddaughter a few dresses. None of which I took pictures of, of course. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>However, she needs more, so I will definitely get pics of those. I've got three different kitty cotton knits (okay, one is tigers, but those are just big kitties, right?) that I've been just dying to cut in to.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've also got a red brocade to make her a Christmas dress (hey! can't prepare too early) but I'm going to wait on that for a bit. Guessing what her size will be six months from now is not likely to be accurate.<br /></div>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-84259900654086267222020-06-14T11:59:00.002-04:002020-06-14T15:34:53.196-04:00The Freshness of a Garden<div>I've always loved having a garden, but it hasn't always been practical. My house has no land, but it does have a nice deck.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-v93-UWczCCCKx_ajcZyYkUBTJPIqnDB43XqSPxkf44NKq8IZulWBzrzcflwtMW8qGfxbg3532h8i3CzcJxsEB__GVgKmYOR4SHI3ZT5WOVfvpSdmueqUkv-PEWOMTNOOwRq1xMvVJY/s4032/20200611_182525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-v93-UWczCCCKx_ajcZyYkUBTJPIqnDB43XqSPxkf44NKq8IZulWBzrzcflwtMW8qGfxbg3532h8i3CzcJxsEB__GVgKmYOR4SHI3ZT5WOVfvpSdmueqUkv-PEWOMTNOOwRq1xMvVJY/s320/20200611_182525.jpg" /></a></div><div>Garden solution? Raised beds, of course.</div><div><br /></div><div>My house is at 1600 feet elevation, and I don't like to work outside in the cold. So, I didn't get this started until the last week of May. But I talked to a local lady gardener who said she plants her pole beans every year on June 1st. I figured I'd give it a go, since it works for her.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wish I had pics of the construction process, but I didn't think that far ahead. The boxes are basically made of 2x12's with 2x4's as supports for the bottom. The bottom itself is hardware cloth to aid with drainage so my plants don't get "wet feet."</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBjdQ1Qn9Bqf6Dd890E8PA7TYM2LYG885ap-6BkKlERFKHwuQDKgBJctPIQ_494j9wvd93JKYsQxqtxBT6pZ0K0HjEyCSfbLXJq_mu5_DA1YIc5jEklWL7cRhL46T5Jhnj-WUNilzmF0/s4032/20200611_182536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBjdQ1Qn9Bqf6Dd890E8PA7TYM2LYG885ap-6BkKlERFKHwuQDKgBJctPIQ_494j9wvd93JKYsQxqtxBT6pZ0K0HjEyCSfbLXJq_mu5_DA1YIc5jEklWL7cRhL46T5Jhnj-WUNilzmF0/s320/20200611_182536.jpg" /></a></div>The bottom layer is discarded straw from my son's sheep and goat barn. Then a layer of topsoil, which, frankly, has way too much bark and twigs in it, but it was what I could get at the time. Then a layer of compost and a top layer of soil. Vermiculite has also been mixed in to select areas. Peat moss and soil from my son's farm will be added square by square. I'm not going to get an amazing yield the first year, but I'm a long term planner.</div><div><br /></div>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-57287449383550320402020-06-11T20:56:00.000-04:002020-06-11T20:57:00.428-04:00It's Great to Be Back! Diary of an Amateur Gone Pro And Returned<div>It's been a strange time these last six years. I remember when blogging and sewing were my two favorite things to do. And then life happened. Fast and furious, things radically changed for me. Things that I loved doing were replaced by things that I thought I would love doing more. In some instances, I was right. In others, dreadfully wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div>In June 2014, my kids were finally old enough that Mom could go out and get a job. I'd been a primarily stay-at-home mom for 24 years. It sounded like a good plan.</div><div><br /></div><div>I live in an area where theatre and the arts are the biggest thing happening in the summertime. There are world class museums, award-winning performance venues, famous names and faces everywhere. So it's no surprise that I ended up working in the arts.</div><div><br /></div><div>It came by a weird, roundabout way. A friend of my oldest children saw the dresses I made for my daughter and offered me a job as a stitcher in the costume shop she managed. The costume shop for an internationally traveling ballet company. Three days a week. Sew in the shop, they said. It'll be fun, they said.</div><div><br /></div><div>And it was. As three days a week gradually became five days a week, I suddenly had a full time job. Sewing. It was great.</div><div><br /></div><div>And before I knew it, I was asked to go on tour.</div><div><br /></div><div>It wasn't an easy decision. To go from stay-at-home mom to gone for two months was a radical move. But in the end, the family and I decided it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity too good to pass up. I got me a passport. I made myself a mountain of black clothes to wear backstage on tour. And I prepped my family to make it without me. It was a Christmas season tour. I would miss my daughter's and son's birthdays. I would miss Thanksgiving. I would miss Christmas. Hell! I missed Halloween. I was due to arrive home in time for New Year's Eve.</div><div><br /></div><div>Wardrobe Supervisor on a traveling tour is a challenging job. The days are long. The crises you have to solve can be constant. I went to 60 cities in 65 days and I didn't get to see much more than the theatre backstage in many of them. But it was one helluva trip!</div><div><br /></div><div>When I got back, I was asked to replace my sons' friend (who had become my friend, and still is) as costume shop manager. Which I did. Far cry from signing on as a stitcher for three days a week, huh?</div><div><br /></div><div>Somewhere in there, we bought a new house and moved about 40 minutes away from our old house. One of my sons moved to an urban environment for a new job, hated it, bought a house about a mile from our new one and moved back. Another son got his own apartment and moved out, then moved back into our old house after we moved into the new house. Whew!<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I also got my EMT certification, something I'd wanted to do for 20+ years. I now volunteer at my local fire department. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The gig at the ballet lasted for two and half years. There are costumes out there that I have made with my two hands that have been seen and appreciated by thousands, no millions of people. It is a thing I will always remember.</div><div><br /></div><div>After that ended, I went to work in the local theatre's costume shops, sometimes as a stitcher, sometimes a first hand, sometimes as shop manager. And I've been the costume designer on more than one occasion for entire shows. I love costume. I love theatre. But last year, I realized that's its not really for me.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was costume shop manager last year, with nine staff and four interns to manage. Most weeks I worked all seven days. During tech week, I worked sixteen hour days, seven days a week. I barely saw my family. I rarely made it home to Sunday night family dinner. What was I doing?</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, my first grandchild was born in August. And my priorities changed. And I decided that a professional career in the arts wasn't for me if I couldn't do it and have time for my husband, and kids, and now a granddaughter. It just wasn't the path I wanted to take in life. Besides, sewing in the shop made me uninterested in sewing for myself or anyone else when I got home.</div><div><br /></div><div>Aside from all that, being in quarantine helped me realize that I actually like the slower and more sedate pace of being at home. Granted, it didn't feel like that when the kids were small, but I look back on it nostalgically now (please don't throw tomatoes, all you moms of toddlers dealing with temper tantrums right now). My daughter is 16 now, and one of the most enjoyable people I know to spend time with. My sons are all adults.</div><div><br /></div><div>I spent six years in the arts. Wouldn't change it for the world. But I'm done now. Except for the occasional short term projects I might accept. Depending on my mood. That's not to say I haven't still got a full plate of work and family and volunteering and hobbies. Just not a career in the arts.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>If you've made it this far and you've had the patience to read my saga, I thank you for your kindness.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm glad to be back. And I expect to be blogging about sewing again. And gardening. And me cute grandbaby. And all the other projects I get wrapped up in.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-24956879856181407212017-02-07T17:41:00.000-05:002017-02-07T17:41:11.269-05:00Braided Rag Rug<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I think I mentioned that I made alot of clothes this year for the family out of some really nice wool knits. Some were interlock, some jersey, some ponte knit. All of them were very, very nice. And I decided I couldn't bear to throw a single scrap away.<br />
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What to do?<br />
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Well, a rag rug, of course. Isn't that the thought uppermost in everyone's mind. No? Well, I AM weirder than most, I suppose.<br />
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My mother always crocheted rugs. Where I grew up there were numerous textile factories, and there were always overruns of rolls and rolls of binding. Usually about 1 inch wide, they were perfect for crocheting rugs and my mom made big ones--one long hallway runner was probably about 4 feet wide and a good 8-10 feet long. <br />
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She showed me how when I was little, and I did make a few. But I never enjoyed crocheting as much as she did and it's one of the few textile arts that I just. don't. do.<br />
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But I do like throw rugs. Husband makes jokes about them being skateboards. I can't really argue--they do kind of have to be fastened down somehow or else they're hazardous to your health. But they're so pretty. And they keep the floor warm. And they're fun to make!<br />
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Husband will just have to learn to be more careful. :o)<br />
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Anyhow, I had all these scraps leftover from cutting out shirts and leggings and things. Alot of them were already in long strips, some of them had to be cut, though. And then I braided them together into a great long rope.<br />
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Initially, when I started stitching, I used the zigzag on my sewing machine. I thought I was so clever and that I was going to have a rug in no time. And I was right. Sort of. Right up until it came time to stitch the portion of the rope that I had braided some scraps of viscose/nylon/lycra ponte knit into. My machine revolted. My vintage machine rebelled. My computerized machine sat in the corner, sulking and wailing. My trusty compatriots abandoned me in my hour of need.<br />
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I broke down and handstitched it.<br />
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Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Didn't really enjoy crawling around on the floor for the 4 or 5 hours it took, but I didn't hate it either. <br />
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Now, I have a rug. Granted, it's a little wonky in the center portion. A rope made of wool knit stretches alot more than you think it might. So that center portion got a little stretched in construction, but I think it'll settle down after it's been walked on a bit.<br />
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I've been told the colors don't go together. My response?<br />
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It's like the forest. There's lots of rocks and dirt and dead leaves and bark that are gray and black and brown and bright green leaves overheard. And then there's flowers which are pink and purple and red.<br />
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Don't tell me my colors don't go together. If it works for Mother Nature, it works for me.<br />
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I haven't finished off the end yet. I still have dreams of making it bigger. I just ran out of scraps. But it's not like there won't be more in the future. Scraps, I mean.<br />
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And I'm patient.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-76843731717891458712017-02-05T16:14:00.000-05:002017-02-05T16:14:09.969-05:00Hand Embroidered AppliqueI think I've mentioned before how much I love <a href="http://www.michelecarragherembroidery.com/index.htm" target="_blank">Michelle Carragher's work</a> in embroidery. She uses not only thread, but beads, rings, crystals and other embellishments to make the most incredible designs. So I thought I'd give it a try myself.<br />
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I started with a quick sketch of an eagle in flight. After all, animals are easy, right? Wrong. Categorically wrong.<br />
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Then I fastened a piece of black organza over the top of the sketch to an empty cardboard box. I simply used straight pins and pushed them through the cardboard to hold the two layers together. Use lots of pins, because organza likes to slide around when you're tracing.<br />
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After that, I used a Fons & Porter chalk quilting pencil to trace the sketch onto the organza.<br />
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A really good pencil sharpener can put a nice point on a chalk pencil if you're careful not to break the chalk. Good thing I have a nice collection of sharpeners.<br />
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Once you have your pattern traced, you can put the organza into an embroidery hoop and get started. On this fabric, it helped if I put a black fabric on my lap so I could see the traced lines easier.<br />
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Here's the start of the wings.<br />
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Wings, tail, and head finished. For the inside of the wings, I used one strand each of two different colored embroidery threads. Don't ask me which colors. These are vintage embroidery flosses that I've had for a lifetime.<br />
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Chest and feet complete the thread design.<br />
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Some seed beads added to the wings, chest, and tail. Seed beads make up the claws and the eye. Ideal? No, but it's what I had on hand. A trip to the bead store is a half hour and if I remember correctly, I was doing this at about 2am.<br />
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Then I coated the entire back side of the design with Alene's Jewel-It using a paintbrush. I don't know if you can even get this stuff anymore, but it is my favorite fabric glue. Stays soft and flexible, which is perfect for something like this. And then I cut away the organza. Very, very carefully.<br />
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And that's the finished applique. Ready to be stitched to your garment of choice. I haven't decided what to do with this one yet.<br />
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<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-67651898457196075542017-02-02T08:59:00.000-05:002017-02-02T08:59:01.796-05:00Wool Knits and Jalie PatternsSo back in November (maybe?) when <a href="http://fabricmartfabrics.com/">FabricMartFabrics.com</a> had their big sale on wool knits, I bought ....and astonishing amount of yardage from them. Which I then proceeded to make woolen warm clothes for the whole family. I got a combination of jerseys, interlocks, and ponte knits, all of them almost 100% wool. A little itchy, like all wools but the most cozy merinos, but for $8-$12 a yard, who's complaining?<br />
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I used mostly Jalie patterns, as I am in love with their fit and all those sizes. One of the first Jalie patterns I ever bought was <a href="https://jalie.com/jalie2328-mens-boys-thermal-underwear-pdf-pattern-427" target="_blank">2328</a>, their men's thermal underwear pattern. I've used it countless times for either my husband or one of my three boys. I've got the paper pattern which is no longer available. It's still available off the Jalie website as a download, however.<br />
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Here it is in a heathered gray wool ponte knit. I used the three yards I bought of this fabric for a pair of leggings for me, one for DD, and one for DIL as well as this pair of thermal pants for one of my sons.<br />
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I also made a whole lot of shirts for my sons and husband using <a href="https://jalie.com/jalie2918-men-s-t-shirts" target="_blank">Jalie 2918</a>. No pics of those, but there's only so much to see. It's a t-shirt. Nuff said.<br />
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For DIL, I made this matching set of leggings and <a href="https://jalie.com/jalie2806-gathered-scoopneck-tops" target="_blank">Jalie 2806</a> the gathered scoop neck top. I made a whole lot of these for myself a couple of years ago. These are made of wool/lycra jersey in a gorgeous periwinkle. Not my color, but it looks fabulous on her. The leggings I made from a pattern copied from a pair of leggings she already has that she likes the fit.<br />
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Apologies for the crummy pictures. Laying things out on the floor is not my preferred way of displaying my creations, but it's snowing and blowing outside and kinda dim and dreary inside.<br />
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All in all, since November, I made alot of tops and pants for all the members of the family. Good thing, too, 'cuz it's been coooold this year.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-84715933805085926802017-02-01T15:44:00.000-05:002017-02-01T15:44:06.988-05:00Silk Ribbon EmbroideryI've always loved silk ribbon embroidery, and that's another craft I've been working on this winter. Silk ribbons have gotten harder to find in the last couple of years, but I'm grateful to a couple of Etsy sellers who are still carrying them.<br />
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In any event, I really want to work on techniques for embroidering things other than flowers, but until then....<br />
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...here's a few embroidered flowers<br />
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<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-14609796053018675972017-01-31T08:00:00.000-05:002017-01-31T08:00:17.168-05:00Knitted Fingerless GlovesSo I made fingerless gloves for the whole family for Christmas this year and I'm a-kicking myself for not taking a pic of all the beautiful gloves laid out on the table. I also made a pair for my husband, which was not a part of the Christmas batch, and sadly, it is the only picture I have.<br />
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I've been collecting random (usually single) balls of yarn for years--a yarn store I used to go to had a "yarn orphanage" for the last couple leftover balls of a lot, usually sold for rock bottom clearance prices. So I went through all this yarn--mostly 100% wools--and found plenty for making fingerless gloves. Some was more suitable for gloves than others, so I used the cream of the crop to make each pair. I tried to make each knit pattern a little different so that each pair was unique. I had about two weeks to make up 5 pairs of gloves. <br />
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I was still hurriedly knitting up the last pair on Christmas eve. I made a pair for each of the kids (they're all teenagers and adults, but they humor their absolutely ridiculous mom) and stuck a little clue inside each one of them to show whose was whose. Then I had the kids take turns guessing which gloves belonged to who with the only rule being that that couldn't try to guess their own. Actually, it was quite fun and I'm wondering what I can make for them all next year and play the same game.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-21189741249687445972017-01-30T15:14:00.000-05:002017-01-30T15:17:47.062-05:00A New BlankieAll right then, let's get started.<br />
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This winter, I put alot of focus on knitting. Just before I moved at the end of 2015, I found two balls of this Bernat yarn on clearance, so I bought them with no plan whatsoever what I would do with them. I fell in love with the variegated earth tones in brick red, chocolate, cream, and blue, and this yarn is fluffy and spongy and just downright cuddly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaBWHYAXAG_PqzX0vt_qoqtKH2Gp4_1gwB0Y4n83ZiPinRHBhymYfO4FqzgujIT4NpxWLn4SroZmwa8jkbhfhPm4nmU29r1r9h0OaCO6VRfnfm9F-sP-k2YS5lHi3dnUif17ppdx8cMI/s1600/674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaBWHYAXAG_PqzX0vt_qoqtKH2Gp4_1gwB0Y4n83ZiPinRHBhymYfO4FqzgujIT4NpxWLn4SroZmwa8jkbhfhPm4nmU29r1r9h0OaCO6VRfnfm9F-sP-k2YS5lHi3dnUif17ppdx8cMI/s200/674.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bernat Blanket Yarn--Sailor's Delight</td></tr>
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This past winter, I discovered this pattern of colors is still available. Bought 2 more balls at Michael's. And I started knitting a blanket.<br />
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Let me state that I hate large knitting projects. I almost never knit anything larger than a sock or a pair of gloves or a scarf or a hat. I just don't.<br />
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But this yarn called me. And I started knitting a blanket. I don't know. Temporary insanity perhaps.<br />
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I started with 100 stitches on a circular needle. I figure I'll make it in sections and then stitch them together. That way I won't get discouraged with trying to maneuver a big, old clumsy afghan around in my chair. I so I started on the biggest knitting project I've ever done. And the more I worked on it, the more I loved it. It's so spongey. And warm. And cuddly.<br />
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So I bought another 4 balls of yarn on Amazon. Because I wanted it to be a BIG blanket. Permanent insanity. I have no idea what possessed me.<br />
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But here it is. Judge for yourself. Is it worth it? <br />
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Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-12841495450809579892017-01-30T14:31:00.002-05:002017-01-30T14:36:24.926-05:00Long Time, No SeeWell, I've been all wrapped up for the past two and a half years and haven't done any blogging at all. But I have indeed still been up to no good :o) During this time, I've been a costume shop stitcher, a wardrobe supervisor, and a costume shop manager. I've bought and moved to a new house. And experienced alot of changes in my life. Now, though, I'm ready to get back to blogging my own projects again.<br />
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I've got numerous random projects going, from knitting gloves and blankets to stitching warm wool underwear to decorative embroidery to SCA related garb. I'm all over the map, as usual :o)<br />
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Hope you guys are still interested.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-64762826578931530142014-06-06T09:12:00.002-04:002014-06-06T09:12:12.124-04:00And Here's the Rest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I finally got around to putting black thread in the cover stitch machine, I hemmed everything at once, which took a surprisingly short amount of time. So here's the last two tank tops. Not glamorous, but I do love my tank tops and I wear them most days throughout the summer. As soon as Daughter wears her dress I'll take a pic of that too. We're all breathlessly waiting for weather warm enough to go swimming (and try out all our new swimsuits), but until then I'll just keep on sewing :o)Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-1129318295209999452014-06-05T11:55:00.000-04:002014-06-05T11:55:08.186-04:00Racerback Tanks in Jersey Print<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's summertime and time for some new tank tops. My old ones are pretty much worn out and recently I've had to throw several away. One got stained beyond rescue and in two others the lycra gave out and made the fabric all ripply and weird. <br />
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I love these two newest additions to my tank top stable. I spent many an hour developing this racerback tank top until I got the
pattern and every little curve of the straps just the way I wanted
them.<br />
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The yellow print is a cotton/lycra jersey several years old trimmed with the same print fabric in the black colorway. The binding is a tiny 1 inch wide before it is sewn on -- you have to be very, very careful with that one, there's no room at all for error.<br />
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The camouflage -- and I do love camo -- is a plain cotton jersey, kinda flimsy and I don't think this tank will make past this summer season before it starts to develop holes and such. But it was so cute, I couldn't resist. If you look closely, you can see the butterflies integrated into the camouflage pattern. Is that awesome or what?! I used a slightly wider binding on this one -- 1 1/2 inches unsewn. You wouldn't think that just a little bit of extra binding could change the look of a shirt so much, but it does. <br />
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I've got two more tanks tops to finish off and a knit dress for Daughter as well. As soon as those are done, it's off to a couple of simple ballet tops for me.<br />
Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-72967697224433501002014-05-23T09:00:00.000-04:002014-05-23T09:00:07.474-04:00Everything's Going SwimminglyHmmm. I can't really make a joke to save my life, can I?<br />
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Here's the newest project: A pair of board shorts for Youngest Son. Because we really want to be ready for summer swimming as soon as the water warms up.<br />
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The pattern is Kwik Sew 3430...one of the older ones that were still printed on heavy paper. I'm hoping I can use the pattern this year and next year yet, because after that I'll have to find a men's pattern for him. Boy's patterns are so much easier to find than men's that I'm not looking forward to the treasure hunt.<br />
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Anyway, these are made from microfiber purchased from fabricfairy.com. I only ordered 1/2 yard each of the print and the navy, not realizing how loooooong board shorts are. So those navy design details at the hems of each leg? Yeah, that's the extra length I needed for the pattern pieces. If I'd checked the pattern envelope for yardage needed, I would've known. I'm going to try not to make that mistake again. <br />
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In any event, these went together pretty nicely with no problems. Though I used 1 inch elastic for the waist instead of 2 pieces of 3/8 inch like the instructions call for. You can't really see the front tabs where the lacing goes through because of the crazy print fabric, but they're there.<br />
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I think when I make these again, I'll sew 1 inch hems. I think it would look better with deeper hems, but that's really the only thing I'd do differently. We'll have to see how they work in the water before I can make a final judgement, though.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-9253834947669460532014-05-22T12:53:00.000-04:002014-05-22T12:53:27.872-04:00Woo Hoo! New Jalie 3350 Swimsuit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1QTxYqf3_ZRUWerG1ZoKDFpn3YGU9b0I9v3-hTiuKWm6BDAQZERGJRtB_IfpRDFYTsdK1lKooxei7TIJye24vxrgAOVFefu3C55vszkQBYULFWJeSo373uLNrYgU3IO-h5jHj8Zful8/s1600/003+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1QTxYqf3_ZRUWerG1ZoKDFpn3YGU9b0I9v3-hTiuKWm6BDAQZERGJRtB_IfpRDFYTsdK1lKooxei7TIJye24vxrgAOVFefu3C55vszkQBYULFWJeSo373uLNrYgU3IO-h5jHj8Zful8/s1600/003+(3).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Doggone it! This thing is so cute. Even in the lousy picture with terrible lighting it looks cute. Okay the hot pink flowers accented with the black probably contributes to its cuteness, but really, I give alot of credit to the pattern.<br />
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This is the View A front with the View B back. That front sweetheart neckline is so prettily shaped and the construction method is easy and straightforward. <br />
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I made this for Daughter using the size that corresponded to her girth measurement, so it turned out to be a little looser in the chest than ideal since she's pretty tall in proportion to her other measurements. It's no where near a problem, but I'll probably slim down the next one just a tiny bit. I thought the leg openings wouldn't fit since the elastic is only a teeny bit shorter than them, but that too was no problem. Fit perfectly.<br />
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I used a swimsuit fabric that was covered in dusty pink flowers (that I never liked) for the lining and I lined the back as well as the front.<br />
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All in all, from tracing to final stitch was about 3 hours. Awesome.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-13355699818199153872014-05-18T15:33:00.000-04:002014-05-18T15:33:04.014-04:00Mother/Daughter Swimsuit Set<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3pzueCjwUbhaf-kt4XGEJBRtxzx9-k0XqId1WXRTkkleUT9Ik5ZMLQtnXGLnW645CHDNxZJ-qbzvQxXjk8ZvSANH581V-hAXeFg_crxaxpvh3s62GbkAcN5P_Ye8ZggKDd80pYBJkAY/s1600/003+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3pzueCjwUbhaf-kt4XGEJBRtxzx9-k0XqId1WXRTkkleUT9Ik5ZMLQtnXGLnW645CHDNxZJ-qbzvQxXjk8ZvSANH581V-hAXeFg_crxaxpvh3s62GbkAcN5P_Ye8ZggKDd80pYBJkAY/s1600/003+(2).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I made this Jalie swimsuit pattern a couple of years ago and I found at the time that I had used the wrong size for both Daughter and myself. Neither suit was unwearable, but both were just a little too short in the torso. So I decided to revisit it to get the sizing right with a pattern that I'm already familiar with before I launched into the more (to me, anyway) complicated new swimsuit pattern. <br />
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The flowered fabric I got from Fabric.com last year and the purple came from JoAnn's. I ended up lining mine with what was left of the purple since I personally prefer my swimsuit to be on the heavier side and the cost of the lining fabric is the same as the cost of the fashion fabric. I also hate sewing that slippery, slinky lining fabric. Win, win.<br />
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At any rate, they both fit perfectly. And I didn't really intend to make matching swimsuits, it just sort of turned out that way.<i> </i>I have pink, purple, and orange fabrics for swimsuits. Daughter chose the purple. Okay. I don't look good in pink, and I'm saving the orange for my swimsuit from the new Jalie pattern, which means I ended up with purple, too. And as you can see, they're not <i>exactly alike</i>. Well, except the backs are identical.<br />
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So, now it's time for the new Jalie swimsuit pattern. Daughter wants one view and I want the other, so I've got my work cut out for me. I think I'll make Daughter's first, since she probably needs a second suit more than I doTrinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-75793667905292243522014-05-13T13:08:00.000-04:002014-05-13T13:08:16.854-04:00Summer Sewing Begun at Last!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here's my first bit of summer sewing: Daughter's new bathing suit. She's tried it on and is super happy with it.<br />
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The pattern is Jalie 3134 Racerback Swimsuit from the set of patterns that was put out in October 2011. I've made it before for both myself and for Daughter, but since I wasn't quite satisfied with the fit either time, I wanted to try it again. This one is absolutely perfect. And went together from start to finish in about 3 hours.<br />
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Remember, it's important to choose the size from the girth measurement. Anything else is kind of iffy.<br />
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Next up is a swimsuit for me. I traced out the pattern for my size last night at the same time I traced out Daughter's, so it's just a matter of laying out the fabric, cutting the pieces, and stitching my little heart out.<br />
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After that, I have Jalie's new swimsuit pattern to try out. Daughter wants the View A with the B back. I want the View B with the A back. And it'll be nice for us both to have a second suit to wear for a change.<br />
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Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797455934853743973.post-1861443701186903402014-05-11T11:44:00.000-04:002014-05-11T11:44:49.404-04:00What Do You Do......when <i>you're</i> frustrated?<br />
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I have a pretty piece of ivory colored poly/rayon burnout jersey. Not much stretch but lots of drape, as you can imagine with a poly/rayon. I had (notice the past tense) 3 yards of it. Until I totally wasted a yard on a shirt that doesn't fit, will never fit, can't make it fit, etc, etc, boo hoo hoo. I thought I'd make just a plain tee to wear over a white camisole top, but somehow I got my patterns mixed up or something, because what I just cut out and put together was a 100% fail. *sigh* I hate wasting pretty fabric. <br />
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So what did I do? You mean after I got done ranting, raving and shaking my fist at the sky? <br />
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I made a dress for Daughter instead. Isn't it pretty? It's the same boring button down pattern I've been using for a while now. I really need to get more creative with her dresses.<br />
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I have another one in the wings (ha! ha! that's a pun, there's birds all over that dress...my sense of humor is really hurting, isn't it?) but for some reason I decided it would be brilliant to put a gazillion buttons all the way down the front. The buttonholes are sewn and cut, so there's no going back, but I've been procrastinating sewing on the buttons for over a week. If I don't hurry up, she's going to grow out of the dress before she ever gets a chance to wear it. And that would be a shame, because it really is very pretty.<br />
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I've got my new Jalie swimsuit pattern, I've got some old nylon/lycra and some new, so I've got everything I need to make new swimsuits for both me and Daughter. I also got some microfiber to make board shorts for Youngest Son and I've had the Kwik Sew pattern for a couple of years now, so I've got everything I need for him, too. I'm so looking forward to the swimming/kayaking season and I want to be ready for that first perfect day.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10988537620055141341noreply@blogger.com0