Quilting…hmmm….maybe I can after I’m home from the beach

I’m fascinated with quilting, especially on a day like today.  I’m at the beach for vacation, it’s raining (again) and I have a sinus headache from all those barometric changes.  But as I sit here killing time catching up on my blogs…I discovered over on the Jolly Jabber that Fig Tree quilts will be sponsoring a block of the month club that’s a bit different.  It’s smaller.  Now I have always liked the block of the month club idea because they pick out the fabric for you.  Not that I don’t like picking out fabric, I do that quite well thank you, but I get distracted and pick out way too much.  Have you seen the cute quilt cottons out there lately?  And Moda…just to die-for quality!  So the idea of a little quilt sounds doable…something I may just tackle.

Tomorrow we head home.  I did get in 4 hours of lovely beach time this morning.  We had a very relaxing vacation and I am anxious to see the kitty girls again.  Hopefully they are settling in to the new home more by now.

Here’s a few pictures of today:

Morning on the beach:

My little piece of the action…or perhaps non-action is a better description.  I watched the birds, the little sand crab (I think he said his name was Andy) the families playing in the surf and walking by and  read a book for 4 hours there this morning.

The clouds rolled in this afternoon.  After just a few minutes on the beach the raindrops just got to be too much and the lightening in the distance made it wise to bid farewell to my little beach haven.

Farewell for another year, I linger and peer back over the dunes as I climb the stairs and head for our little house to wait out the rain, knowing it will be dark by the time it’s over and I will not be visiting the beach again this trip.

View outside my window

Today is the second day of our annual golf/beach vacation.  Yesterday we played golf at Timber Trails golf course in beautiful Dauphne, AL.  After a long year of struggling with the knee I was able to play the front 9 and then chose to play just one 4 par and 2 3par holes on the back.  I got my usual poor score but enjoyed the time with DH, the beautiful course and a few good drives…some of my best ever.

Last night we arrived at our usual rental house in Kiva Dunes (Ft. Morgan).  We rent a pretty little 1 bedroom home on the 8th tee I believe it is.  We had a late night swim in the pool all by ourselves and DH was off early this morning to an Arnold Palmer course he was looking forward to playing for the first time.  I was off early to the beach where my lawn chairs and umbrella awaited.  But after a mere 45 minutes sprinkles began to fall.  I have waited out a shower or two under my umbrella on the beach before but a quick check of the radar on my iphone indicated this would be more than a quick shower.  I headed in.  This is the view outside my window just now.

But…not to fear, I am sitting here, making a quick blog entry, listening to music on my iphone and will tackle my knitting if it doesn’t clear soon.  But hopefully this afternoon I will be back enjoying the beach.  As for DH….well, he is not usually daunted by the rain so I am sure he going to finish at least 18 holes before I see him again.

Loretta

Like Fine Wine

When we first saw our new home we noticed the wine cellar that had been created under the stairway to the bonus room.  Dark, climate controlled and in my mind, just the absolute perfect place for storing fabric.  DH kindly removed the cross members which held the bottles.  I lined the wooden shelves so the wood, would not come into contact with my fabrics.  The wood had been sanded quite smooth and finished but I just can not risk some of my fabrics.  So, I began this afternoon to unpack boxes, refold and compartmentalize my fabrics, mostly by color.  It will be so easy to see what colors I have on hand and so nice to know that what is safely tucked away under our stairs is of a very fine vintage!

The rest of my much smaller sewing space is beginning to take shape.  All my machines are now moved into the room following a frantic search for the serger which had mistakenly been placed on a high shelf in the garage.  The double door closet will be transformed by DH from one hanging shelf to a full wall of shelves and he will build me a cutting/ironing table with storage there as well.  But in the meantime, I could sew.  You just never know when you will be overcome by an irresistible urge to whip up a new garment, or if the need for a quick bit of mending will arise.

It is a bit ironic, that I have left behind my drapery cutting table and now live in a home devoid of all window coverings…but I will manage.  I see lush drapes for the bedroom, simple pleated drapes for the living room and a relaxed roman or two on bathroom and office windows.  Undecided yet is what will grace the dining room, my sewing room and the guest bedroom.  I think at this time the sunroom windows will remain just what they are…glorious portals for sun or storm (and besides, they have sun film already applied.)

Ahh….it’s starting to feel like home!

Loretta

Technorati Tags: fabric storage sewing room

Boxes, and Pods, and Moving Vans

We have a pod in our driveway nearly half full of boxes, on Friday afternoon we will have a moving van.  In the meantime my life revolves around boxes.  On Saturday morning about 8am I will say farewell to the “sewing room” that came with a house attached that I purchased 11 years ago….has it really been that long?  I will be downsizing my sewing space but DH has promised me a wonderful table and I’ve been scouting for my favorite features on my favorite blogs.  Downsizing can be good…I will have to be more organized and as I packed away fabric for home showings I learned that less is more when it comes to my creativity.

The move will be good.  We are getting a wonderful house, near the grandchildren, with a fabulous floorplan nearly the same as the one we have now.  I’m giving up the bonus room.  I just can’t handle the stairs, and DH will use it as his “DEN”….no roaring from this man, he’s a sweetheart!  It will also double as a dormitory for grandchildren. 

I think not having to run upstairs to my space will result in more frequent use.  I’ll keep you posted on that one.  So…if I vanish for a few days while I unpack, just stay tuned….I’ll post pictures of the new space as it develops…and I have plans…lovely plans, now that I will have walls, rather than just slanty ceilings. 

Kwik Sew Jacket

Finished this jacket some time ago and never got a picture up.  It’s a mirror shot so leaves something to be desired.  But I love the jacket.  FBA and shortened the sleeves otherwise XL fits fine.  My topstitching with Gutterman Topstitch thread leaves something to be desired.  I think I prefer regular weight thread for this job. 

May have gotten a bit carried away with the FBA too, but I hate a jacket that gapes.

This is just a piece of white linen/cotton blend that’s been in the stash for ever.  Unlined is perfect for summer.

Kwik Sew 3529

Technorati Tags: Kwik Sew 3529 Sewing Jackets

Ottobre Pants

Just finished pant number 20 from the 4/2009 version of Ottobre magazine.  These will be for DGS for second grade.

. Pockets really have velcro under the buttons but the snap at the waist is real.  DH used tools from his workshop to hammer it on.  Hope he likes them!  Size 122.

Technorati Tags: Ottobre,Sewing for Chidren

It’s a Wild One!

This is my first Ottobre children’s garment.  I have been sewing with the women’s patterns for some time but just ventured into the children’s.  I have 3 DGS who are all 7…or just about one is just 3 weeks away.  I thought I would enjoy myself and save the mamma’s some money by making some school clothes.  But…I need to test sizes.  So..the boy who likes animals is going to get this shirt made from a cotton fabric from my stash that was very popular with sewing DGS for making pillows and bags.  The buttons were from the stash too so I think I get extra credit here.  Oh Pam…not quite competition for you yet, but I must say the excellent draft of Ottobre makes me look good, don’t you think?

On a side note, much of my sewing room is packed and stored because our house is on the market…you know what…I really am more productive with fewer choices and more room for the creative juices to flow so I don’t get all caught up in trying to choose something from the endless piles.  One thing I have noticed in the past is that some of my favorite garments were challenges from leftovers or too little fabric…I think I like problem solving as much as sewing.  I really do have to figure out how to manage the stash better.

Loretta

A Trip North

Two weeks ago I was in Madison, Wisconsin for work.  One evening we walked down to the student union along the lake and I snapped this photo with my iphone…not bad huh?  The sunset was beautiful but we didn’t stay too long as the lake was rather stinky.  And…we 50 somethings were a bit out of place at movie night on a college campus.

Sweet Nothings

Sweet Nothings published by Lark Books

Sweet Nothings

 

I made the cut.  Lark books will be releasing this book on creating lingerie in October.  I submitted a project and it was chosen!  My project was a cute camisole that is made of rib knit and stretch lace.  It looks great if you need to fill in an overexposed neckline.  I know it’s bragging, but I am sooo….excited!  It was fun to be published in Threads, but now I feel like a designer and an author!

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It’s the Cat’s Meow

I have taken a hiatus from sewing because life got in the way.  I went off to Little Rock to be with my nephew who just got a very successful kidney transplant.  I tell you, it was like a miracle unfolding before our very eyes and a young man now has a new lease on life.

But this week, I had to sew…actually I started this last weekend.  For some time now I have had a Simplicity pattern (now OOP)  for making a pet bed.  This is a round ball like cave…just the sort of thing that kitties crave.  As a matter of fact, both mine just love it.  Making the thing, on the other hand…was not such a fun project. 

The outer shell is an inexpensive, knit back faux fur.  The inner shell is a knit microfiber suede that is a lot more lime green than it appears in the photo.  It is cute.  You cut 2 layers of the inner shell…I cut 1 of green suede and 1 of muslin, and sew pockets to insert 3/4″ foam cut to shape.  That was not too bad until I tried to insert the curved pieces in the front sections….it is narrow at the fullest sides of the circle and even my tiny hands (size 4.5 ring) will not fit through…so it was shove and pull…one piece of foam is now 2 pieces, and I have NO fingernails.  You run a piece of 16 gauge wire in the channel of the front opening for support.  DH helped me manhandle the 18 gauge wire I found in the jewelry section of JoAnn’s and we got it done.

The best part…the lime microfiber is a wadder recycled….sometimes I skip the muslin and usually I am sorry….no muslin for the cat cave.  And it is adorable…at least the Kitties, DH and I think so….

On the cutting table now:  Hot Patterns 1002 and Simplicity 2697.  Hope to finish at least one of them tomorrow.

Technorati Tags: Simplicity,Hot Patterns,Sewing