Sewing progress

Once I got over whining about lack of an oven for the next several days, I did actually get some sewing done.

  I’ve now got over half the blocks framed in either the blue/gold cross bars or the taupe colored ones.   It’s been a bit slow going because one framing section I stitched –  that has a two patch at each end – I somehow managed to cut the center piece 1/4″ too long.  Dagnabbit!

So I’ve been taking one two-patch of one end, trimming off a 1/4″ of the center patch and reattaching two patches.  I hate having to do putzy stuff like that.  Luckily on I only stitched a portion of what I need of those patches so I can fix the others BEFORE I add the two patches.  Oh so much quicker if you cut the pieces the correct size! LOL  Perhaps tomorrow I’ll get the rest of them done.  It’s knitting time now tho.

Why is it….

that when I actually do take a day off something around this apartment always messes with me.  Leaks  (okay – probably good that I’m home then), air conditioner not cooling, or heat not working (reminder – go turn on the heat to make sure it is working BEFORE it gets really cold) or the reroofing of the building just happens to occur the week I’m on vacation – or any number of other noisy or annoying things.  The management takes very good care of the building for which I’m grateful and they are always quick to respond and solve the problem …. but those biscuits I was going to be eating my jam/jelly on …. they are now headed to the garbage because they were only halfway cooked.

I opened up the oven to check them — bright white light (not red hot element light) shining out of a portion of my oven element.  Yep – it’s shot- has a crack in it so I quickly turned it off.   The part number has been retrieved and I’m told “they” whoever we get the part from — have been really quick so it should be here by Monday.   I use my oven a lot — to me the microwave is only for heating up my coffee when it’s gone cold in my cup.    My plans to make dinner for a friend tonight- cancelled.  My biscuits and jam – cancelled.

Of course you never know when a part will fail (for me it’s ALWAYS on a Friday or Saturday so replacements/repairmen are not easily obtained) and I’m just being whiney  because I do so appreciate the speedy service of the maintenance and managers here – hey are the best – but when you know you can’t use something…. you want to use it all the more.  I guess pizza delivery it will be tonight.

On the Needles – Friday, November 7, 2014

As usual – there are lots of things on the needles – too many things.   But I’m plugging along, switching back and forth on various projects. And today I hope to make some good progress on this sweater.  (Yes I have the day ahead of me to knit or sew or whatever — took a day off of work so THREE DAY WEEKEND!)  Thought about doing some cleaning first thing this a.m. but – no- it’s a “vacation” day and I just can’t be “working” on a vacation day. 🙂

These are the fronts of my CustomFit Featherweight KAL sweater.  I’ve done some changing from the original Featherweight pattern since I don’t want the fronts to hang open quilt as bit so hopefully I’ve figured all that out.  It won’t end up looking like the original Featherweight sweater since that was cropped at the waist – a style I can’t wear.  So this one is longer and the fronts will not gap open as much (or so I think). LOL

Anyway I love the way this yarn knits – a nice drape to it  and this color Blood Orange, is pretty true in this photo.  It’s not red – it’s more rust but sort of a red toned rust – whatever it is – it’s pretty.  The back to this sweater is already done and blocked even.

I also have been working on the Bamboo Pop top I started quite a while ago.

  The front is nearly done.  A few more rows on the one shoulder to add but I wanted to  cast on the sleeves one day so I had some “bus knitting” so put the shoulder on a holder to finish later so I could swipe the needles.  The sleeves to this are cast on – I’m doing both at the same time – and I nearly have the seed stitch trim at the hem of the sleeves finished.   The lace pattern is from Pine Forest Baby Blanket and I’m a little concerned that my gauge got looser on the lace (I seem to have that problem with lace) but will have to wait and see – I think I should have put a smaller panel of the lace down the front to help combat that but it’s been dragged here and there so things may “shrink” a bit when blocked.

I need to finish one of these because I have the swatch all finished for a lovely new V-necked pullover with a bit of drape and I so want to get started on it.  I keep wrapping the swatch around my wrist thinking how lovely it will look in a sweater (okay – maybe a bit obsessive about how much I love the look and feel of that yarn).   Then again – the blue sweater is a summer sweater so why finish it now?? (Yes I’m trying to convince my self to start the other sweater.  🙂

Not pictured – a cowl I’m nearly ready to cast off – just a few more rows.  The scarf I still need to add the fringe to so I can count it as complete, my Wiggle Wrap, that I recently pulled back out to work, and some mittens — those are all the things currently strewn around my living room or in the “currently working on basket”  and opposed to the “out of sight out of  mind – knitting in progress” basket.

So time to stop puttering and get this vacation day fun started.  First and foremost — no one brought me breakfast this morning!! Who was in charge of that??? It’s now 10:45 a.m…….. I’m waiting!……

Well friend Judy sort of brought me breakfast. 🙂  Look at these jars of yummy homemade goodness that survived the postal system and arrived at my door earlier this week. What a great surprise.

 Chocolate Raspberry Jam (raspberry anything is my most favorite thing in the world); Prickly Pear Jelly (I’m anxious to try that) and Prickly Pear Syrup (I will admit I  just stuck my finger in the syrup this a.m. and that is delicious!!!   But the only true way to test a good jam or jelly is on biscuits so I’ll just have to make them myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It ends tonight!

Are you planning ahead for Christmas?? — more importantly, your winter/winter holiday sewing?? There are only 47 days left until Christmas.  It doesn’t seem possible but October really flew by for me and November is as well.    But if you need some winter themed /holiday themed projects to stitch on, check out the sale of EQ Boutique products .      Remember, for EQ Boutique products you need to have Electric Quilt Software to use them. If you’ve never bought a Boutique collection – be sure to check the info on EQ’s website as to how it all works.  Among the products on sale, are my full quilt patterns for Deck the Halls, Poinsettia Starburst and Wreaths and Garlands.

If you’re looking for a simple to sew holiday quilt pattern, yes I’m biased, but Wreaths and Garlands is very beginner friendly and for an experienced quilter will stitch up quickly.  Somewhere in that closet I have to dig out the one that I need to finish – I “think” I’ve got all the blocks made but have to see where I left off last winter on it since it sadly got pushed aside for some other projects that had deadlines.     Whether hand applique, fusible applique, piecing or paperpiecing — there’s some great ideas from some great designers on sale.