Knitting

Completely Consumed

August 4, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

WHERE’VE I BEEN?

Since getting the sewing machine up and running a couple of weeks ago, I’ve had a difficult time staying away from it. There’s always a new project that beckons me to at least try it and once on that ride, I’m powerless to stop until I’ve a) mastered whatever it is or b) given up for the moment because I just. can’t. figure. it. out. and am frustrated nearly to tears. All this means that I’ve let a couple of things go in the last week or so, mainly stuff like sweeping or vacuuming, washing dishes or unloading the dishwasher. It’s now oozed over into blog time but I’m here this morning to change that. With that said, here’s a look at my newest ~~obsession~~ hobby,

Up until now, all my sewing stuff was thrown into a plastic bin, which was to be avoided at all costs. If I was to be serious about learning to sew, I needed to upgrade my kit and found these sweet baskets at Hobby Lobby yesterday. With everything sorted and untangled, I feel like a real, live seamstress!

My first FO on the machine –

Just don’t ask how long it took.

POTS

Tomorrow’s Monday which means pottery class. Yay! Raku tomorrow!

If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin. Ivan Turgenev

Knitting

FO Friday 07/19/13

July 19, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

I FINALLY finished the Papoose’s Olivia Petit sweater this week. If you will recall, I had intended to knit three (what was I thinking??) of these sweet sweaters, one for each grand, for Easter. Clearly, I must have been intoxicated from the heady fumes of possibility that this pattern was emitting at that particular point in time. Be that as it may, here’s the finished product, blocked, with buttons and ends woven in.

Front

Back

Remember this? My very first handspun and dyed yarn?

It went from this –

To a Cowl

OFF THE MACHINE

Here’s what I made yesterday – I’m getting more confident all the time on the sewing machine. I think I might make a trip to Jo-Ann today and brainstorm.

Lining

I have to admit I’m more than a little proud of myself. On Monday, I couldn’t even thread the machine! Still on a learning curve, but I can see the possibilities that knowing how to sew will open.

OK, enough already.

I’m linking up again with Tami and Frontier Dreams KCCO. Pay a visit, willya?

Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it. Leonardo da Vinci

Knitting

Look What I Made!!!

July 18, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

NEWEST OBSESSION

My new-to-me sewing machine is finally up and running and LOOK LOOK LOOK what I made!

Some saw a table runner, I saw a purse!

and

I originally had plans for a reversible bag but then remembered that I’m just learning to sew and really, I couldn’t wrap my brain around how to actually make something reversible. Scaled back my plan and I love it!

Not too shabby for my first ever sewing projects. I’m liking it.

ADVENTURES IN DYEING, PART 3

The yarn is I Love This Wool from Hobby Lobby, the color is Kool-aid Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade.

Meh. It’s OK, I guess.

Another trip through the land of Kool-aid, this time watermelon.

Now that’s what I’m talking about!

I’ll post it again when it’s dry and wound.

WANTS ON THE NEEDLES

Remember this?

It’s about to become something entrelac, not sure what, but entrelac for sure.

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. T.S. Elliot

Knitting

A Jump, Rule Change, Sad Plate

July 16, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

GETTING A JUMP

I’ve decided to try to get a jump on Mondays by getting a few things accomplished on Sunday night. Mondays have metamorphosed into a way crazy day – class from 9 to 12 in the mornings (which you can bet on winding up around 1 instead), laundry, errands that should have been taken care of over the weekend but didn’t and then the miscellaneous stuff that catches you by surprise – like trips to the vet, Hobby Lobby (which technically is a fun trip), phone calls, service calls, etc. Then you count the time that I spend totally obsessed with whatever I’m obsessing about on that particular day. Yesterday was the sewing machine. Got my little pocketbook made, all it needs is a shoulder strap and lining; will post when totally complete. As an aside – I think I’m going to really like this sewing thing. I plan to check out some patterns for crafty things on my next HL run.

MEANWHILE

I’m a little embarrassed that it has taken me three days to complete this post. I’ve made a decision to totally consign Mondays as Get Absolutely, Positively, Nothing Done Day. With pottery class really from 8:30 to 1:00, there’s just not a whole lot of day left to tackle anything larger than maybe loading and/or unloading the dishwasher or doing a load or two of laundry. This means I’m letting myself off the hook for things that can wait until another day or maybe even be scrubbed from the to-do list that I always have going. I think I’m going to reinstitute a rule I had when my kids were growing up, the rule that says unless there’s blood or vomit involved, I don’t want to know about it. Yes, there are exceptions, but that’s pretty much how it always went down. And ya know what? My kids survived and even thrived.

GOING POTTY

I’m calling this poor, sad, not round and not even oval, plate “The Plate Only A Mother Could Love”.

I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Lao Tzu

Knitting

Impulse Buy, Just Grands

July 13, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

REPURPOSE

I bought this table runner a few days ago at Hobby Lobby for 66% off, mostly because when I saw it, I didn’t see a table runner, I saw a purse. I love its colors and at $5.00 (give or take a quarter or two), I couldn’t pass it up. In my head, a seam up each side would make a really cool pocketbook and the flap can be trimmed with the already existing fringe, with enough fabric left over to make a strap. Super cool, super easy, right? Pay no attention to the fact that I don’t know how to sew, it’s two seams, how hard could it be? Right? Bigmommy is bringing a portable sewing machine when she comes to visit tonight and knowing me, I’ll be up all night, trying to make a purse from a table runner, using up all my best swear words in the process. Oooh, another trip to HL for purple thread, which I’ll need for the side seams that may be my Waterloo.

THE GRANDS

Mr. Iknead and I had some oh so precious one on one time with the Stuttgart grands last night, when they stayed with us overnight so Bigmommy and Bigdaddy could also have some precious one on one time with each other. These babies are pure gold, went down for the night without a whimper, slept through and I woke up to sweet snuggles this morning.

Pensive Papoose

Sprout and Pawpaw

Then, when I thought it couldn’t be any sweeter, I had some serious one on one time with the Sprout, while everyone else went to lunch. These special times seem few and far between, so we made the most of them. I fed her lunch – bananas and oatmeal if you’re interested – gave her a dry diaper, followed closely with a bottle and then put her down for a nap. So precious!

Copeland, if this dish looks familiar, it is, I have Aunt Veda’s dishes and use them every day. We’ve eaten a lot of beans and cornbread off these, haven’t we?