Monday, October 26, 2015

vintage sheet star quilt


So Saturday I made this quilt top!  It is entirely vintage sheets.  I had gotten a few last month at that rummage sale and there were two flat sheets exactly the same.  Initially I thought I'd sew them together with batting and use that as a couch quilt.  But! Then I remembered a tutorial I saw years (?) ago from Jeni at In Color Order blog that was a giant vintage sheet star quilt.  I have included the link, just click on those words and check out the tute or the blog as there are lots of great ideas.

But anyway! Saturday I intended to organize the craft house since that is a never ending project. Uggggggg.  I started to fold my vintage sheets and put them on the one shelf and pulled aside some bigger pieces.  And chopped them up.  And sewed them together and then there you go, a quilt top!  That's technically organizing, right?  ha! 

Yesterday I got the basting done and realized that I wouldn't have time to quilt it so will finish that up next weekend most likely.  Basting is not fun.  Mostly because it hurts my back to do it.  But!  It is so necessary so I do, but have to take a break afterwards.  For the back of this I actually didn't end up using the sheet I had set out to use because the top got to be bigger than that twin size, it's more like full size.  There were all sizes that I got at the rummage sale so it worked out fine.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

the baskets are the goodies

Rocky and I were quite early birds today, up before 6 am!  Usually I will try and snooze a bit more but decided to get up and get started.  I found this delicious holiday starbucks coffee last night at the store and could not wait to try it.  The last time I bought coffee I thought I'd try something new and less expensive and it has been soooooo grody.  Almost bad enough for me to drink the office coffee!!  You know that's bad.  Anyway.
This was like the complete opposite.  I added cinnamon to the grounds per usual and it was perfect.

Then!  It was still dark out so I decided to bring in my goodies from the car that I got last weekend in Chico.  Sunday Mom and I found this really cool pop up shop called Uptown Vintage and Shabby that she had found the day before.  I've been hearing all about pop up shops on instagram and blogs and whatnot but have not been to one myself.  So, after breakfast we checked it out.  It was super cool!  They had vintage and handmade items in booth set ups.  Every booth was festive for Fall and Halloween.  Very reasonable prices.

Now, when I first walked in the door I saw a wooden picnic basket.  But it wasn't priced.  So I did a loop around the store and as I was walking back to the front I spotted that wooden sewing basket! I have, of course, seen those all over the interwebs as well, but never in the "wild"!  I scooped it up and carried it around.
 I was telling Mom about the picnic basket and she said I think I have one of those at home!  Which she did!  Score!  So even though I was sort of on the fence about the sewing box, I knew that if I didn't buy it I'd be mad once I got home.  So I bought it.  It was very reasonably priced, $23!  I still don't know what I'm going to do with it.
The wire basket was another gem from Mom and it's already holding yarn out in the craft house.  She also found me some Vera napkins in purple crocuses and red poppies.  So, there are more zipper pouches in my future for those.  I also thought it would be cute to sew a few together to make a table runner.

So that's what's happening around here today.  I hope you're having a good Fall Saturday!

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

using the skills

Last weekend I had a bit of an adventure with my Mom.  It all started back in August at my high school reunion.  One of my good friends from school is a designer in a group called Chikoko.  I've known about the group but never been to one of their shows.  A couple weeks ago Michalyn contacted me to let me know that a show was Saturday and did I want to go?  

With life stress and all I just wasn't sure I wanted to make the drive.  But Friday, I called Mom and when I heard her voice I was like, okay I'll be there tomorrow!  Frankly, I was surprised Mom wanted to go with me, but I'm so glad she did! We had a blast!

I don't exactly know how to describe the show in a way that would do it justice.  It was cool.  Edgy, provocative, unabashed, sassy.  The models were all sizes.  They were unashamed of their bodies.  The clothes were wild!  It was like a couture show.  Some things, yes, were too wild.  But, there were also pieces that could be mixed into everyday wear.
I did not get good pictures at all, so disappointing.  But, check their website for a sampling.  There were elaborate headpieces that were so much fun.  The picture above you can see the lady in blue is wearing a ship on her head.  The lady next to her had wings.
In between each collection, there were 4, was a bit of entertainment.  In the section above the designers came out in the foil costume which lifted off by the balloons.  There was dancing, singing, performance art, circus performing.  Really so much going on!

This is a lady dressed as a badminton birdie.

There was an after party after the show.  I decided to go just until I got tired....which ended up being 3 am!  My friend Mikie, one of the designers, was dressed as a banana - an outfit she designed and made.  I wish I had gotten a picture of the whole outfit, the dress portion was like a banana peeled open.


We talked and talked for hours.  It's funny how even though we haven't been close all these years since school we're still the same basically.  The common ground - sewing, silliness - is still there.  We used to sew outfits together and we learned together and we both use our skills to this day albeit in differing ways.  

I will admit that I am NO spring chicken anymore!  I am still tired from staying up almost all night Saturday - ha!  



Sunday, October 11, 2015

just gotta cast on

I started a new shawl.  I figured I should cast on now while I'm excited about my last finish.  I picked the pattern called Duchess of Devonshire by Kay F Jones of the Bakery Bears podcast.  So far, so good!
Yesterday, Jan, Mya and I drove up to Bend to go shopping.  I wanted to check out the new Hobby Lobby.  I've been to that store before in other states but it's new to Oregon so hasn't been here very long.  It was definitely everything I remembered it to be and I came out a happy camper!  I bought this Strawberry Shortcake fabric there with the intention of making a new project bag.  
I've had this zipper for awhile, waiting for the right project and this was it!  I tried out a boxy pouch that is lined and I like it!  It's pretty roomy and I remembered to add a handle for easy carrying.
I added some beads and a cute cupcake charm for a zipper pull.

Okay, so let's talk yarn for a few.  Since I couldn't wait to start a new shawl I picked yarn from my stash.  Which is a good thing!  The only issue is that I usually am buying sock yarn that I just buy one skein at a time because it's plenty for socks with leftovers.  But, the shawl is like 600 yards and most of the skeins I have top out at 490.  So I didn't let it stop me, I picked this Misti alpaca in the colorway Bird of Paradise.  I love it!  The colors are so interesting as it works up.  So, while at Hobby Lobby in the yarn section I found these two skeins of lace weight for clearance!  I figured one of them might look nice as the edged border.  The more I look at them I think the dark pink one will be good.  It looks really red in the picture but it matches really closely to the pink in the variegated yarn.




Tuesday, October 6, 2015

the shawl bug has bitten

So I know that I already talked about this shawl a bunch here.  But!  It finished drying yesterday and I wore it today........and all I can say is that I heart shawls so much!!!  Before, yeah, I thought they were pretty.  Intricate, intimidating, cool.  But didn't really get it.  I didn't really understand how you wear one, do you wrap it around your shoulders all day???  I've seen people wear it bandana style on blogs and podcasts and what not but didn't really get it.  But today?  Today I am hooked!!  I used sock yarn so it is light and airy and just the right amount of warm - but not heavy or hot at all.  In fact, I wore it most of the day at the office where the thermostat thinks if it gets above 60 outside the air conditioning needs to be on!

So now I'm plotting.  I've been collecting patterns the past year -it's like somehow I knew!  I have lots of stash yarn to choose from.  I might even make like a gray one which is sort of shocking for me since I usually gravitate towards bright colors. hmmmmm

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Fall finishing


I have a few finishes to share.  First up: pickles!  Last weekend it dawned on me that Summer is officially over and I didn't make even one jar of pickles!  Last year I made a ton but I'm down to a couple pickles in the fridge and a jar of sliced pickles that I haven't opened.  So I thought, I guess I could buy pickles, no big deal.  Ugggggggg! but no homemade pickles for an entire year??? nope, it won't do! I found myself at farmer's market Saturday morning picking up any and all suitable cucumbers, which were very sparse.  So!  I have 3 jars that I will use sparingly this year.  

And then.  I'm back to cross stitching.  I got hung up on this frame for Peter Pan because the pattern did not have Tinkerbell in it!  What?  And there was a mermaid in the water next to Peter.  It just didn't feel right to me.  I know that there are mermaids in the story but to me the crocodile stood out more.  I saw a few people on Instagram also added a croc.  But Tink just wasn't as easy to figure out.  I finally just thought I'll add her even if she's tiny since she's a fairy anyways! So that's what I did.  And now I can move on :) I also changed Peter's hair to red and gave him blue eyes and a smirk.
 I'm not sure if I mentioned that I finished the Thunderstorm MKAL shawl?  I did!  And it is blocking right this minute!  I have it folded in half so it will be symmetrical and also so it would fit on the blocking mat.  It's pretty big, this thing!  I tried to stretch it as much as I could to open out the eyelets.
Here's a bit of a close up:
Oh yes!  Last weekend I rearranged my living room!  I'm really digging the set up now.  A small change, really, but a huge difference.  In this corner I used to have a plant stand.  I moved the plant stand into the kitchen and moved this bookshelf in it's place.  Now I have a little book nook corner.  It's so cozy I love it!
And, since I was rearranging I put out my Fall decorations.  I haven't really put up decorations for Fall since before my husband died.  But, the mood hit so I did it and I really like it.   

 Every year at the end of Summer there is a rummage sale that Jan and I always go to.  The second day of the sale, Saturday midday, they have a bag sale.  And we can usually split a bag and stuff a ton in there!!!  This year, this pile of sheets was my score.  I got all this for $2!!!  The bag was $4 and so we each paid half.  I must admit I came out better in the deal but I know Jan doesn't mind.

Now, I know you're wondering how many sheets does one person need?  ha!  So, vintage sheets have many uses.  The plain ones are going to be perfect to cover my couch so that Rocky can live there and shed his little short hairs and I don't lose my sanity :)  The others, I can use as quilt backs.  You get a ton of yardage for next to nothing.  I only buy sheets that don't have stains and are in very good shape.  The first thing I do is wash them all up and they are ready to use!  Also, I have found that they are great for making tote bags, reusable shopping bags, quilts.  That's just what I do.

The first thing I added to my bag was this little linen doily.  It is so sweet.  Not sure if you can tell but it's hand embroidered with little birds next to the flowers.

Oh my goodness!  Sorry for the photo overload!  But, I think I'm pretty caught up now.  Rocky and I are doing some serious chilling out this weekend.  Big plans today include painting my nails, cross stitching and maybe knitting on my socks.  Maybe if I get a wild hair I'll sew something!  I have to day I'm just really loving all the handmade things in my house right now.  It warms my heart.  Hopefully you're having a great, relaxing Fall weekend as well.