So...
First I printed out the pattern.
I sewed over the lines to transfer, then tore off the paper. WAY too reminiscent of paper piecing.
An hour or so of embroidery later, a cat face for a pillow:
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Embroidery today
I saw a link to an embroidered cat pillow on Mark Lipinski's blog today.
So...
First I printed out the pattern.
I sewed over the lines to transfer, then tore off the paper. WAY too reminiscent of paper piecing.
An hour or so of embroidery later, a cat face for a pillow:
I also found a tan-brown almost-pillow that will likely get a cat face as well.
So...
First I printed out the pattern.
I sewed over the lines to transfer, then tore off the paper. WAY too reminiscent of paper piecing.
An hour or so of embroidery later, a cat face for a pillow:
Sunday, September 07, 2014
Laundry List check-in
It's been a little over a week since I posted the list, so time for a check-in...
1. Make ginger-peach jam and start basil vinegar this weekend. DONE! I need a funnel to get the vinegar back in its original bottle. And a local source for clear glass bottles.
2. Finish beret and start scarf to match. DONE! The scarf is about 6" long so far :)
3. Finish scrappy rose-pink quilt. PROGRESS! Prairie points are all done, I'm stitching the back down, and need to do a couple rounds of straight-line quilting after that.
4. Work on blue-yellow quilt. Nope.
5. Work on red-white-black quilt. Nope.
6. Start applique quilt. STARTED! About 5 blocks done, if I count the one that's more blue background than green background.
7. Make bib and burp cloths this weekend for upcoming baby shower. [The bib will be a test for a fair entry - I have the pattern drawn up but haven't made one yet.] Burp cloths are done! I still need to make the bibs.
8. Get back to menu planning. DONE. Even if I don't follow it all the time, it helps keep me on track.
9. Spend at least 5 minutes EVERY DAY going through crafty stuff. NOPE! Maybe a couple of days this got done.
10. Start t-shirt quilt. DONE
11. Keep working on hooked rug. DONE
12. Stay off computer games. I've managed this the past week, and have been able to get lots more done. YES! This is the biggest accomplishment by far.
1. Make ginger-peach jam and start basil vinegar this weekend. DONE! I need a funnel to get the vinegar back in its original bottle. And a local source for clear glass bottles.
2. Finish beret and start scarf to match. DONE! The scarf is about 6" long so far :)
3. Finish scrappy rose-pink quilt. PROGRESS! Prairie points are all done, I'm stitching the back down, and need to do a couple rounds of straight-line quilting after that.
4. Work on blue-yellow quilt. Nope.
5. Work on red-white-black quilt. Nope.
6. Start applique quilt. STARTED! About 5 blocks done, if I count the one that's more blue background than green background.
7. Make bib and burp cloths this weekend for upcoming baby shower. [The bib will be a test for a fair entry - I have the pattern drawn up but haven't made one yet.] Burp cloths are done! I still need to make the bibs.
8. Get back to menu planning. DONE. Even if I don't follow it all the time, it helps keep me on track.
9. Spend at least 5 minutes EVERY DAY going through crafty stuff. NOPE! Maybe a couple of days this got done.
10. Start t-shirt quilt. DONE
11. Keep working on hooked rug. DONE
12. Stay off computer games. I've managed this the past week, and have been able to get lots more done. YES! This is the biggest accomplishment by far.
I am Groot!
So, about a week ago, the Lovely Daughter posts this link to a baby Groot crochet tute on Facebook. She seemed to be completely gobsmacked that I would be willing to give it a try.
On Friday, I made it out to Michaels for tweedy brown yarn - Vanna's Choice in "Barley." I had some soft green crochet cotton from a thrift store trip for leaves already!
Although I've been crocheting for about 50 years, I have serious problems actually following patterns, so it was a crapshoot.
The hook I had was a size smaller than recommended, and when I counted up number of stitches I had for the head, it was about 4 more than I was supposed to have. And I crocheted a few extra rounds, but I still think his head could've been longer (and maybe thinner).
One upside of having a button obsession is that I was able to find buttons that made good eyes!
The body went really well, although I definitely made him taller than the tutorial.
The arms were a battle. No matter what I did, I could NOT get the pipe cleaner stuck into the arms if they were any longer than an inch or so. So I made the start of the arms bigger, then decreased a bit, and then stuck the pipe cleaner through and just crocheted AROUND the pipe cleaner to the end of the arms.
I crocheted a few leaves and embroidered some greenery down the front, after adding vines (or just trunk texture?) with chain crochet sewed on.
Now he just needs a more proportional pot!
On Friday, I made it out to Michaels for tweedy brown yarn - Vanna's Choice in "Barley." I had some soft green crochet cotton from a thrift store trip for leaves already!
Although I've been crocheting for about 50 years, I have serious problems actually following patterns, so it was a crapshoot.
The hook I had was a size smaller than recommended, and when I counted up number of stitches I had for the head, it was about 4 more than I was supposed to have. And I crocheted a few extra rounds, but I still think his head could've been longer (and maybe thinner).
One upside of having a button obsession is that I was able to find buttons that made good eyes!
The body went really well, although I definitely made him taller than the tutorial.
The arms were a battle. No matter what I did, I could NOT get the pipe cleaner stuck into the arms if they were any longer than an inch or so. So I made the start of the arms bigger, then decreased a bit, and then stuck the pipe cleaner through and just crocheted AROUND the pipe cleaner to the end of the arms.
I crocheted a few leaves and embroidered some greenery down the front, after adding vines (or just trunk texture?) with chain crochet sewed on.
2014 Stash Report Week 36
Yards in:6 [not counting the sheet ~ still up in the air about that one]
Yards out: 0
Cumulative yards in: 30.4
Cumulative yards out: 23.35
Net gain/loss: 7.05 GAINED
Spending since last post: $16.59
Spending this year: $290.95
Thrift store fabric: 5.57 - 2 yards batik + cat fabric marked as "curtain" when actually I think it's a sheet. A poly-cotton blend, but it has a nice hand, and it's stinkin' cute.
Embroidery book: 2.12
Yarn for Groot: 2.65
OTHER thrift store fabric + goodies: 6.25 for 4 yards pink Laura Ashley, aida cloth, 4 patterns: 6.25
Yards out: 0
Cumulative yards in: 30.4
Cumulative yards out: 23.35
Net gain/loss: 7.05 GAINED
Spending since last post: $16.59
Spending this year: $290.95
Thrift store fabric: 5.57 - 2 yards batik + cat fabric marked as "curtain" when actually I think it's a sheet. A poly-cotton blend, but it has a nice hand, and it's stinkin' cute.
Embroidery book: 2.12
Yarn for Groot: 2.65
OTHER thrift store fabric + goodies: 6.25 for 4 yards pink Laura Ashley, aida cloth, 4 patterns: 6.25
Sunday, August 31, 2014
2014 Stash Report Week 35
Yards in: 1
Yards out: 0.5
Cumulative yards in: 24.4
Cumulative yards out: 23.35
Net gain/loss: 1.05 GAINED
Spending since last post: $64.21
Spending this year: $274.36
I got the center of a small scrappy quilt finished last night:
Ralph had no interest in helping.
But today I set up the ironing board and got it all pressed. That stripe in the middle isn't really a stripe - it's the length-wise borders cut to size.
Hopefully I can get to quilting tomorrow - the reality at my house is that my quilting machine often looks like this:
I also spent some time today shifting things around, so now it looks better:
Most of the spending was on batting :) Labor day sale at Jo-Ann netted 5 yards of Warm & White and a queen-size Pellon batt.
I also bought two spools of thread, a new rotary cutter, and two half-yard cuts of CUTE flannel:
I just don't remember fabric that cute being around when *my* kids were babies. I was able to make four burp cloths out of this so far, for the half-yard used ~ I used the tutorial here. The first ones I made were the pink owls, backed with a snow-died t-shirt I never wore because it was too tight for me, and I was cursing the advice to use the knit. The pink knit for the puppies worked much better for some reason.
And now the bib pattern I worked up has disappeared! I can re-do it, but that's just annoying.
Yards out: 0.5
Cumulative yards in: 24.4
Cumulative yards out: 23.35
Net gain/loss: 1.05 GAINED
Spending since last post: $64.21
Spending this year: $274.36
I got the center of a small scrappy quilt finished last night:
Ralph had no interest in helping.
But today I set up the ironing board and got it all pressed. That stripe in the middle isn't really a stripe - it's the length-wise borders cut to size.
Hopefully I can get to quilting tomorrow - the reality at my house is that my quilting machine often looks like this:
I also spent some time today shifting things around, so now it looks better:
Most of the spending was on batting :) Labor day sale at Jo-Ann netted 5 yards of Warm & White and a queen-size Pellon batt.
I also bought two spools of thread, a new rotary cutter, and two half-yard cuts of CUTE flannel:
I just don't remember fabric that cute being around when *my* kids were babies. I was able to make four burp cloths out of this so far, for the half-yard used ~ I used the tutorial here. The first ones I made were the pink owls, backed with a snow-died t-shirt I never wore because it was too tight for me, and I was cursing the advice to use the knit. The pink knit for the puppies worked much better for some reason.
And now the bib pattern I worked up has disappeared! I can re-do it, but that's just annoying.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Strawberry Freezer Jam
This is by far the family's favorite jam.
We start with a big clump of frozen strawberries. I think these are from the July trip to Florida, but it could've been an earlier trip.
Mash 'em up and measure out 4 cups. I only had about a cup left over. I'll probably mix with the leftover crushed peaches and make jam out of that as well.
Add 4 cups (!) sugar.
Heat the pectin with water, boil, add to berries, and stir until all your sugar dissolves. Ladle into jars.
They set for 24 hours at room temperature, then into the freezer. At least until the karate kid eats it all up!
We start with a big clump of frozen strawberries. I think these are from the July trip to Florida, but it could've been an earlier trip.
Mash 'em up and measure out 4 cups. I only had about a cup left over. I'll probably mix with the leftover crushed peaches and make jam out of that as well.
Add 4 cups (!) sugar.
Heat the pectin with water, boil, add to berries, and stir until all your sugar dissolves. Ladle into jars.
They set for 24 hours at room temperature, then into the freezer. At least until the karate kid eats it all up!
10 Quilty Little Secrets
Pointed to this via LeeAnna, so here are mine...
1. My seams don't always match up. Eh, so what?
2. I hate paper piecing. Yes, I know you can get really accurate, but it's just. not. worth. it.
3. I lose rotary cutters all the time. There must be 5 or 6 floating around the house now - but I just bought another one yesterday.
4. I've never sewed into a finger, and I've been sewing on machines since I was about 5. And now I'm desperately hoping this statement isn't a jinx.
5. My first quilt had half-inch seams.
6. I buy scraps, I love them so much.
7. I have a quilt my Memaw made out of...polyester double-knit! With a black-and-white cheetah print back!
8. I cannot use a thimble to save my life.
9. I hand-quilt without a frame or a hoop [or a thimble, see above]. I shove the quilt in a bag and drag it around to karate classes and quilt while waiting for boys.
10. If I get a tuck in the back, that's just a part that'll be extra warm.
Now, head over to the linky party at 13Spools to see everybody else's :)
1. My seams don't always match up. Eh, so what?
2. I hate paper piecing. Yes, I know you can get really accurate, but it's just. not. worth. it.
3. I lose rotary cutters all the time. There must be 5 or 6 floating around the house now - but I just bought another one yesterday.
4. I've never sewed into a finger, and I've been sewing on machines since I was about 5. And now I'm desperately hoping this statement isn't a jinx.
5. My first quilt had half-inch seams.
6. I buy scraps, I love them so much.
7. I have a quilt my Memaw made out of...polyester double-knit! With a black-and-white cheetah print back!
8. I cannot use a thimble to save my life.
9. I hand-quilt without a frame or a hoop [or a thimble, see above]. I shove the quilt in a bag and drag it around to karate classes and quilt while waiting for boys.
10. If I get a tuck in the back, that's just a part that'll be extra warm.
Now, head over to the linky party at 13Spools to see everybody else's :)
Ginger-Peach Jam
Since I hope to be entering this into next year's fair, I had to use a "tested recipe" - this is the one I picked: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_07/ginger_peach_jam.html
Toffee is still helping:
First, dump all the canning lids and bands into the sink.
Stick the recipe to the stove hood with a magnet:
Start prepping peaches! First, an X cut in the top and bottom.
Boiling water bath for a minute, then ice water bath, then rest on the counter. Cut into chunks. Chop with the immersion blender.
Add lemon juice and 7 cups (!!) sugar:
Dice up the crystallized ginger, stir it all up and start boiling!
In the meantime, sterilize your jars and lay out canning tools.
Once you've got them in the jars, process in the water bath.
This was made more complicated by my big pot that I usually use for the water bath blowing a hole in the bottom in the middle of the process!
All done! All but one had sealed already, plus a couple of extra in the fridge that didn't get processed.
It's quite tasty - not overpowering ginger; I might add a bit more the next time.
Toffee is still helping:
First, dump all the canning lids and bands into the sink.
Stick the recipe to the stove hood with a magnet:
Start prepping peaches! First, an X cut in the top and bottom.
Boiling water bath for a minute, then ice water bath, then rest on the counter. Cut into chunks. Chop with the immersion blender.
Add lemon juice and 7 cups (!!) sugar:
Dice up the crystallized ginger, stir it all up and start boiling!
In the meantime, sterilize your jars and lay out canning tools.
Once you've got them in the jars, process in the water bath.
This was made more complicated by my big pot that I usually use for the water bath blowing a hole in the bottom in the middle of the process!
All done! All but one had sealed already, plus a couple of extra in the fridge that didn't get processed.
It's quite tasty - not overpowering ginger; I might add a bit more the next time.
Basil vinegar
First step in preservation day: Clean off the stove!
The Indoor Electric Grill lives full-time on our stove-top, so the first step was to take it off. Which meant cleaning it out! A job worthy of Mike Rowe.
Toffee helps.
The next step is to collect the basil. No photos of the garden - TOO scary. I naively went out with my Classico pasta jar to fill it. HA! I cut maybe three quarters of our basil flowers and that filled the jar and the rest was all I could hold.
Washed and drying a bit.
I'm using a balsamic white vinegar from Trader Joe's for steeping.
Shockingly, I had just the right amount of basil flowers. Stripped stems and leaves are left over.
Steeping!
It already tastes lovely ~ once it cools, it steeps in the pantry for a week before tasting again. I do need to find clear glass bottles I can seal it up in. I see plenty of other herb vinegars in my future.
The Indoor Electric Grill lives full-time on our stove-top, so the first step was to take it off. Which meant cleaning it out! A job worthy of Mike Rowe.
Toffee helps.
The next step is to collect the basil. No photos of the garden - TOO scary. I naively went out with my Classico pasta jar to fill it. HA! I cut maybe three quarters of our basil flowers and that filled the jar and the rest was all I could hold.
Washed and drying a bit.
I'm using a balsamic white vinegar from Trader Joe's for steeping.
Shockingly, I had just the right amount of basil flowers. Stripped stems and leaves are left over.
Steeping!
It already tastes lovely ~ once it cools, it steeps in the pantry for a week before tasting again. I do need to find clear glass bottles I can seal it up in. I see plenty of other herb vinegars in my future.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Laundry List!
I'm joining in Kathy's linky party this month for the first time (found via Deb's blog).
Since I didn't start out last month, I don't have any goals to cross off my list (and that's what it's all about, right? crossing things OFF!). So I can consolidate my slips of paper here :)
I want to have a lot of stuff to enter into the county fair next year - my husband is enjoying my quest to become "queen of the fair." So most of the goals are related to that.
1. Make ginger-peach jam and start basil vinegar this weekend.
2. Finish beret and start scarf to match.
3. Finish scrappy rose-pink quilt.
4. Work on blue-yellow quilt.
5. Work on red-white-black quilt.
6. Start applique quilt.
7. Make bib and burp cloths this weekend for upcoming baby shower. [The bib will be a test for a fair entry - I have the pattern drawn up but haven't made one yet.]
8. Get back to menu planning.
9. Spend at least 5 minutes EVERY DAY going through crafty stuff.
10. Start t-shirt quilt
11. Keep working on hooked rug
12. Stay off computer games. I've managed this the past week, and have been able to get lots more done.
Since I didn't start out last month, I don't have any goals to cross off my list (and that's what it's all about, right? crossing things OFF!). So I can consolidate my slips of paper here :)
I want to have a lot of stuff to enter into the county fair next year - my husband is enjoying my quest to become "queen of the fair." So most of the goals are related to that.
1. Make ginger-peach jam and start basil vinegar this weekend.
2. Finish beret and start scarf to match.
3. Finish scrappy rose-pink quilt.
4. Work on blue-yellow quilt.
5. Work on red-white-black quilt.
6. Start applique quilt.
7. Make bib and burp cloths this weekend for upcoming baby shower. [The bib will be a test for a fair entry - I have the pattern drawn up but haven't made one yet.]
8. Get back to menu planning.
9. Spend at least 5 minutes EVERY DAY going through crafty stuff.
10. Start t-shirt quilt
11. Keep working on hooked rug
12. Stay off computer games. I've managed this the past week, and have been able to get lots more done.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
2014 Stash Report- Week 34
Yards in: 3.75
Yards out: 0
Cumulative yards in: 23.4
Cumulative yards out: 22.85
Net gain/loss: 0.55 GAINED
Spending since last post: $24.70
Spending this year: $210.15
I did some thrift shopping while taking The Lovely Daughter back to Florida, and found a small 3-drawer organizer for $5, a cross-stitch kit for 0.20, and some yarn and a crochet hook for $3.50.
And then I stopped yesterday at the local thrift store that has crafty stuff...all for $16. So, a total of 24.70 over the past two weeks. Good thing I resisted the $2000 thread cabinet at the antique store on the drive back :)
Yards out: 0
Cumulative yards in: 23.4
Cumulative yards out: 22.85
Net gain/loss: 0.55 GAINED
Spending since last post: $24.70
Spending this year: $210.15
I did some thrift shopping while taking The Lovely Daughter back to Florida, and found a small 3-drawer organizer for $5, a cross-stitch kit for 0.20, and some yarn and a crochet hook for $3.50.
And then I stopped yesterday at the local thrift store that has crafty stuff...all for $16. So, a total of 24.70 over the past two weeks. Good thing I resisted the $2000 thread cabinet at the antique store on the drive back :)
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Long weekend
I took Friday off to recover from the road trip, and have actually gotten some stuff done so far this weekend.
1. I got a quilt top sewn together! I blogged before about taking some vintage blocks apart, and they're now resewn into this top:
I quite like it - the blue sashing is appropriate for the period; there's a blue in the vintage part that almost matches it exactly. A close-up:
Maybe tomorrow I can pull together a back for it, and press it.
2. I started crocheting a hat waiting for the Karate Kid at class last night.
3. I pulled the t-shirt rug back out to work on and cut some pink strips for polka-dots:
The pink is from a butt-ugly French bulldog t-shirt that was my mom's. Not a fan of Frenchies, but love that shade of pink!
4. T-shirts pulled for t-shirt quilts - these are all t-shirts my mom got from some wildlife charity. There are 12 altogether.
I also have a bunch of blood donation t-shirts from my brother that I'm looking forward to working on as well.
5. I stopped at the thrift store after karate today. It's one of the few in the area that ever have any sewing/crafting materials. The score is here:
There's 1.75 yards of flannel that'll make a nice back for a baby quilt:
A real assortment - some tiny seed beads in a nice bead container; beeswax for quilting; some small pieces; a yard of Christmas fabric; some yarn and thread; six smaller crochet hooks; sewing patterns; interfacing; acrylic paint [even if the paint is worthless, it's two very nice brushes for $1]; and (of course) buttons.
1. I got a quilt top sewn together! I blogged before about taking some vintage blocks apart, and they're now resewn into this top:
I quite like it - the blue sashing is appropriate for the period; there's a blue in the vintage part that almost matches it exactly. A close-up:
Maybe tomorrow I can pull together a back for it, and press it.
2. I started crocheting a hat waiting for the Karate Kid at class last night.
3. I pulled the t-shirt rug back out to work on and cut some pink strips for polka-dots:
The pink is from a butt-ugly French bulldog t-shirt that was my mom's. Not a fan of Frenchies, but love that shade of pink!
4. T-shirts pulled for t-shirt quilts - these are all t-shirts my mom got from some wildlife charity. There are 12 altogether.
I also have a bunch of blood donation t-shirts from my brother that I'm looking forward to working on as well.
5. I stopped at the thrift store after karate today. It's one of the few in the area that ever have any sewing/crafting materials. The score is here:
There's 1.75 yards of flannel that'll make a nice back for a baby quilt:
A real assortment - some tiny seed beads in a nice bead container; beeswax for quilting; some small pieces; a yard of Christmas fabric; some yarn and thread; six smaller crochet hooks; sewing patterns; interfacing; acrylic paint [even if the paint is worthless, it's two very nice brushes for $1]; and (of course) buttons.
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