I hope you all had a happy Halloween. Here is a (not so great) pic of our pumpkins.ÂÂ
The night before I stayed up very, very late to make Bug’s vest for her cowgirl costume. It is loosely based on New Look 6336, but I had to make some modifications due to the fabric. I can honestly say I hate sewing with moleskin. It is a nice substitute for suede, so soft, has a very nice drape and I hate it. It won’t hold a crease.  I wanted to do a turn and stitch edge so I pulled out the iron and turned and pressed and pressed and pressed. Nothing, and that’s great if you a garment that’s wrinkle resistant, but not if you want a crease — on purpose. Ok, I winged it and it worked, for the most part (good enough for a costume). The other thing is that it ravels like crazy. Also not good for the turn and stitch edge. Oh well — costume!
This year we implemented a toy trade after trick or treating. We have put the kids on the Feingold Program, most of the candy from trick or treating has artificial dyes and flavorings.  I stopped by they grocery store and hit the health food section and picked out some “good candy” a then hit the toy store for a toy for each of them. They were both thrilled, Bug is a quite the little artist and loved the Spirograph and Bubba was thrilled with the wooden Firetruck (on sale for 60% off!).ÂÂ
A win-win in my opinion, they went trick or treating, still get some candy and they each got a toy to keep; and we don’t have to deal with the usual sugar overload.ÂÂ
Umm . . . don’t ask what happened to the candy from trick or treating. What?  No, that’s not chocolate on my face. It’s not, shut up!
A new month, full of possibilities.
Possible projects for September’s Project Spectrum Clean Sweep:
- seam up and finish ribbing Bug’s sweater - white (WIP from Aug)
- Crosspatch for Dulaan Project - grey & red (WIP from Aug)ÂÂ
- Lupine Lace socks (WIP from May)
- Swallowtail Shawl (WIP from Aug)
Other WIPs
Other projects in the queue:
ETA: Ok, just because there is a list doesn’t mean it will get knit up this month, or at all.
Posted in knitting, sewing, blogging on May 22nd, 2006
No, really, I used to sew - a lot. I sewed almost all of the kids clothes, I made baby quilts as gifts for friends, I sewed bags and purses, and accessories for the home. Now, not so much.
I was looking thru some things on the computer and found the backups for two old web sites I used to keep up, mostly they were a place to keep track of my sewing projects, but they have been long since deleted from the internet and only exist on my lowly computer.ÂÂ
I decided to add my old projects to this blog, and started doing so this morning. The ones added this morning were from 2004: January, February, March, April, May, and June.ÂÂ
There are gaps in the time line. Like between June of 2004 and October of the same year when I started my blog at Blogger.  I also found projects from 2002 and 2003, including my very first knitting projects. I will continue adding these early projects over the next week or so, we’ll see how it goes.
Yesterday after my MoRH(tm Brenda Dayne) I bought yarn, nothing like a little retail therapy. I needed some red cotton for the mid-May dishcloth for the Monthly Dishcloth Along. I hit Fred Meyer because they had a buy two get one free deal and they carry Lion Cotton, I picked up three balls, but no red. BTW, Fred Meyer carries a few colors of Lion Wool.ÂÂ
Still in search of red I headed over to JoAnn, where I went a little cotton crazy. I had stopped at Costco on my way to the Knit-in (sigh) and picked up Mason*Dixon Knitting and Inspired Cable Knits, while looking thru them I found that quite a few of the projects in Mason*Dixon were knit with kitchen cotton. I especially like the little baby kimono. So, I did a little stocking up on kitchen cotton, including some red, just in case, I also picked up a couple of patterns so I can get a start on my summer sewing for Daughter, Color-splash Dishcloths by Evelyn A. Clark and a piece of muslin for a doll.
When I got home I cast on for the Dishcloth Along and then finished it up today.
pattern: Go Red For Women by Sarah Wennagole
yarn: Lion Cotton - Poppy Red
cast-on: May 19th
cast-off: May 20th
notes: This pattern is to remind women that heart desease is the number one killer of women (and men). Find out more at www.goredforwomen.org.
Posted in sewing on Mar 12th, 2006
Over at Diary of a Sewing Fanatic it was asked: Are you ashamed of your fabric collection? She goes on to state that she doesn’t understand this or the possible thinking behind it. I do.  I understand.ÂÂ
This was my comment on her blog:
Yes, I am ashamed of my fabric stash.
Now, let me say I have no problem with other people’s fabric stash, heck, have at it. It’s your life, your money, your fabric.
I am frustrated because mine has gotten to the point that it has paralized me. I look and all this fabric and don’t know where to start.ÂÂ
I tend to be a perfectionist and instead of doing things and getting them done I get into the mindset of it has to be perfect. Can’t use this fabric because I don’t have the right pattern for it. Can’t use this fabric because I need to make a muslin first and I don’t have time to do it right. Can’t. Can’t. Can’t.ÂÂ
It is a horrible mindset to get into. Why do you think FlyLady has so many subscribers to her list?
I guess, just because you do not understand another’s feelings does not mean that they are not valid and shouldn’t be respected.
Let me just add that most of the time I appreciate my fabric stash. In 2005 I sewed very little from it, I think a actualy sewed two things. Two. All this fabric, which I will be showing for Flash Your Stash 2006 (I know FYS is originally for yarn stash but, hey, stash is stash) and I only made two items. To my thinking this is so wrong. I am trying to get back to sewing this year and will be using some of my fabric collection, and no, I have now plans on adding to my fabric stash in the near future.
Now, I am sure this will make quite a few people uncomfortable or defensive or just plain mad. I am sorry for that. I’m just another person comming to terms with the phrase ‘embarassment of riches’.
Posted in finished objects, sewing on Mar 4th, 2006
This morning I woke up and decided to make Daughter a dress for the Father - Daughter dance at her school tonight. This is what things looked like at 10:40.
I had finished cutting it all out by 11:30.
I finished sewing it up except for the hem and tried it on Daughter, umm, I had forgotten the first rule of sewing . . . MEASURE THE FLAT PATTERN! It was way too big. I took in the sides shortened the hem and it was better. The neckline still gapes a bit and I pinned her into the dress when she was getting ready so I could take up a bit of the fullness in the back. I think I will resew the back seam and neck facing so it will fit properly, I don’t think there is anything I can do about the front. I am not totally thrilled with the outcome, but most of my issues are with what I had to do to make it smaller, not necessarily the pattern it’s self. I do think she looked adorable going out the door to the tropical themed dance.
pattern: McCall’s 3134, view A
fabric: 1.5 yards cotton knit pique I received in a swap a year or two ago
start/finish: March 4th
notes: Always measure the pattern first! Saves a lot of frustration. I do like the pattern and I am sure I will make it again, I will fold out some of the fullness in the front and back next time, unless she has grown a LOT in the mean time.ÂÂ
Posted in sewing, blogging on Jan 31st, 2006
Did I mention I’m a joiner? I think I did, well, if not, here is more proof. I am joining a sew along for knitters.  I’m not sure if I’m a sewist (looks better than sewer) who knits or a knitter who sews. I started sewing first, so, I guess, that would make me the former. Oh, well, I hope they will let me in anyway.
The first project for the sew along is a skirt. I think I’ll pull out KwikSew 3276, an A-line skirt pattern I bought last summer(?) and give it a try.ÂÂ
Now, to sort thru the fabric stash . . . .
