Alas, I haven't. My craft life is in chaos as it is so friends, I really think it's going to take retirement to get me to quilting. I have ONE quilting goal right now, and that is to put together a very basic Christmas Quilt because:
1) I love Christmas
2) I love a theme
So in the meantime I will continue to collect Christmas fabric remnants and eventually I'll work on cutting pieces. Then, and this is a big maybe I'll learn to use a sewing machine. LOL
My mother spent so much time telling me to be careful or I'd sew my finger when I was little (4?) I never wanted to be near one of those devil machines. I did love my Grandmother's sewing machine in Thailand. It was old fashioned with a pedal. It was absolutely beautiful and let me feel in control, but that was many decades ago...
Well I've been back on the garment sweater train and I'm struggling. I cannot work on this sweater very much because I need at least an hour at a time to address construction or more accurately said, errors. Ha!
My latest roadblock shows me I read the pattern wrong, probably ended a section on the wrong side and am now turned around w/not enough stitches to start the next section of Fisherman's rib.
So I am thinking I'm going to just hack it. I'm a little concerned that my gauge is off and it's going to be tiny, but so be it. If it is, I will give it to a girl child and move on.
I crave progress right now. Unfortunately it will probably have to wait until Sunday because I have a ton of things to do.
Before I go off and begin the weekend of stuff I will leave you with this most excellent brownie recipe. I left out the chocolate chips and frosting because, why gild the lily and it's sweet enough on it's own. If it's not, slap on some sweet cream ice cream or whipped cream. The boys were very pleased with this one. I plan on making a batch from my friend who is returning to work after a bit of medical leave.
What's been on your weekend agendas?
When it comes to quilting my ambition is much greater than my actual interest. I had to finish Daddio's for him but when it comes to actually making any for myself I seem to be in kit collecting mode rather than in action mode.
ReplyDeleteThose brownies are killing me. I HAVE to get in a nice dress for son's wedding in May so I am denying myself anything nice to eat until then. Brownies are my weakness.
I like to collect. I try to reign it in, but did you catch the part where I'm collecting fabric for a craft I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DO? Yeah insane in the membrane.
DeleteYou know... you can total get yourself a treadle machine like your grandmothers (my mother has three!). There are tonnes of them around and you can still get parts for them.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though...maybe when you were four your fingers might have fit under the foot and there was a danger of sewing yourself (not likely, but maybe) but it'd be extremely difficult to do now. There just no room for your fingers in there. The only thing I've heard of even close to that kind of mishap is women with extremely long nails sewing their nails to the fabric - even then, I think it's an urban myth
Wow that is awesome. Maybe when my parents finally settle I'll talk to my mother about getting her one. It's like exercise. hehe.
DeleteAlso thank you very much for the insight into how a sewing machine actually works. I would like to tell you that my fear is just childish stuff, but I really believed it until your comment!
I know they have classes you can take, but I might just ask my friend Clare to show me how to make some simple clean hem lines.
Garment knitting intimidates me. I'm envious of all who tackle the patterns and produce fabulous sweaters, etc. I wish I lived closer because I'd help you get started on your Christmas quilt.
ReplyDeleteGarment knitting intimidates me too. Interpreting patterns is not my strength, but it's something I want to keep at. There is such satisfaction with a finished item.
DeleteI wish we lived closer too. We would have such crafty times. I would bake you a nice cake with fresh fruit.
Glad to see your oven is up and running. The brownies look luscious!
ReplyDeleteI love that sweater. I haven't tried Fishermans Rib yet, but I want to. It makes such a gorgeous texture.
I'm glad my oven is up and running too. So many plans but not enough hours! The brownies get going pretty quick so that is nice.
DeleteI was hoping to try the fisherman's rib, but I'm worry i may need to abandon it this time around.
Sewing and knitting, waiting for Hubster to finish the wood base for my new ironing surface. And off to make brownies, which I was already craving, you evil person!!!
ReplyDeleteI saw the pictures Chris, what a cool little station he's been putting together for you. Brownies really are a crowd pleaser. I hope you enjoy them.
DeleteOur oldest terrorized her sewing teacher by sewing through her finger, but both survived. Those brownies look yummy! Love your sweater and also wish you luck on the Christmas quilt. We spent the morning with our GK and then went grocery shopping on the way home.
ReplyDeleteKids. I'm telling you. Mine is 16 and thoroughly exhausting on a good day without crafts. Thank you Judy, I don't know how the sweater I produce is going to turn out, but it's worth a shot. Sounds like a lovely weekend.
DeleteYour deadly fear of the sewing machine made me LOL because I can so relate....I actually did have a sewing accident in home ec and have never recovered from it. Hope that you managed to get back on track with the sweater! Those brownies look yummy :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not alone in my fear. LOL It seems it's more manageable as we are older and our fingers are bigger. I'll find my way when I have some time. Unfortunately I did not have time to work on the sweater this weekend, but it is what it is. I'm not fretting, I'll get to it the following weekend.
DeleteHot damn girlfriend! Those brownies had me salivatin like a Saint Bernard. I can't wait to see you get into sewing! A simple quilt is on my list. How big of remnants are you collecting? I have some Christmas fabric from past project bags in my stash...XO
ReplyDeleteMake the brownies Stef, the texture is divine. You may be waiting a while till the sewing gets going, but I'm not too concerned. Fabric wise, enough to get a nice even block of 4x4. I know you can use smaller, but since I have limited experience cutting it's probably best not to go any smaller than that.
DeleteCollecting Christmas fabrics is a good start. Even in retirement I will not be a quilter because I can't sew or cut a straight line, like not at all, never ever and I believe you need those with quilting. If and when I ever retire I just plan to knit and crochet my life away, well that and maybe walk on the beach.
ReplyDeleteLOL I was laughing when I was reading this, because that is how I feel about drawing. Like NO, I can't. i can fuss, but I can't actually draw. Did I tell you, crochet has become painful for some reason? what is this aging thing? This body that changes into new experiences and feelings unfamiliar? OH well, as long as I can knit I'm happy.
DeleteI want to make another Christmas quilt--thanks for the reminder! lol
ReplyDeleteThe brownie looks delicious!
YES! I love looking at everyone's Christmas projects and I love a Christmas Quilt, such pretty things. You always do such a nice job showing us your project progressions too!
DeleteOh just frog it then!!! I'll never quilt. I don't have the patience, room or even a sewing machine! Brownies are looking good!
ReplyDeleteKathy you speak words of wisdom but it took me so long to get to where I am, I have to give it one more try.
DeleteBrownies are good but they are not french fries. I'm just sayin'
I love seeing basketball or soccer where you are close enough you can really get a sense of how fast they are running and how hard they are working! the bodies colliding etc. crazy stuff. The vibe for seeing a game in person is just incredible. I hope you guys had a brilliant time.
ReplyDeleteI hope a magical blocking will smooth out all the bumps and makes your project magically fit :) That usually happens for me!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen. I have had too long of a break from this project. I think even if this doesn't turn out right, I'll have some good takeaways. I really am happy to be working on sweaters again, even if it's frustrating at times. I love knitting, but I figure to grow any skill, there are going to be setbacks. Hopefully in a week or 2 I'll have some more progress :)
DeleteI am 48, have 3 children, 2 boys age 25 and 22 and a daughter of 11. My husband left me last year after 25 years of marriage (he turned 50). It has been the most difficult year of my life, but full of lessons about myself and what life and marriage are all about. I am passionate about marriage and i didn't give up on my husband. resides in USA, I entered online in search of advice on how i can amend my marriage while i was at work. I saw so many positive reviews and nice feed back about how a Doctor called Robinson.buckler@ yahoo. com has been wonderful with his work. I gave a shot to make contact with him via his Email and he assured me that my marriage will be peaceful and i believed in his words. 16 hours after he finished work, my husband came back home pleading and now, we are living peacefully again. Get in contact with him if you need any help.
ReplyDelete