A Little Yarn On The Side

Inspired by either the thrill of getting to do new projects or the horrifying realization that I do not have enough storage room for the new fabric, I have been churning out the sewing projects like someone training for the Amish Olympics. First, I finished Andy's fleece jacket which he has been wearing almost nonstop since I finished it, then I finally broke down & put a zipper in a skirt I started a couple months ago-- which in true Toni fashion, has been finished one month after it might have been practical to wear. Then Theo and I went to work on the Soup Night napkins then distracting Theo with a little decoy fleece I was able to get a jumper cut out and sewn relatively fur-free. The seam going down the back is the basting where the zipper would be right now if I had one. I actually keep zippers on-hand, buying them with the fabric (sometimes) and stocking up when they're on sale and not a single one is even close to the right color. It wouldn't have even done ...

I made it 9 months and 20 days without buying ANY new fabric. Yesterday....... There was a sale at Joann Fabrics. I actually new I was going to buy fabric, because I needed a couple things for Christmas gifts. What I was not ready for was the great apparel fabric on CLEARANCE--some for $2 a yard. Then I ran into this: which I thought would make a lovely addition to Soup Night. Then when I got into the clearance area...... Leaping off the wagon would be more accurate.......

I have 17 unfinished WIPS on the needles. I have finished 10 WIPS in a row. If I can just do 4 more, I will have finished more than half before starting something new. Just 4 more..... I REALLY WANT TO CAST ON SOMETHING NEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Surprisingly, I don't have an actual project in mind--just ANYTHING new. Finally last night I could stand it no longer, so I dragged out some fleece from the fabric stash, and finished this today: I'm thrilled because that makes 3 more yards of fabric used from the stash this year and frees up some space in the sewing room closet. Theo is also thrilled about the extra space in the closet. Calisto isn't too impressed either way. My need for a new project wasn't completely sated with the fleece jacket, so my trusty sewing sidekick and I started a fleece jacket for Andy. I guess that was finally a little too much estrogen for Theo, so he went out for some Testosterone Time while I worked on the sleeves for Ruched M...

So Theo and I have been working on the checkerboard baby blanket and using a joining foot and a zig zag, I sewed 6 strips of blocks together. As rectangular didn't require cutting more blocks and square did, we opted for the rectangular blanket. The problems started when I started trying to sew the strips together. If you haven't worked with fleece before, it doesn't stretch at all in one direction, and stretches like a maniac in the other. After several attempts using various setting on my sewing machine--not to mention lots of "quality time" with the seam ripper--I used my quilt basting spray to stick little bits of water soluble stabilizer to hold the blocks together, and zigzagged them together: It's still a bit puckered, but not nearly as bad as it was. The biggest problem is that there is no way to spray little strips of stabilizer with basting spray without getting basting spray all over one's hands. You can blame any typos on the fact that my ...

As the only thing more boring than sewing sweater seams is discussing sewing sweater seams, we'll be passing over Fleur for the evening. Progress is being made, and I get to work on the beaded edging as soon as I finish one more seam. I think it's best to admit the existence of one's inner child, and mine responds really well to bribery.... Last night Theo helped me wrap up a very belated birthday gift for shipping then we (meaning me, as I'm the one with the opposable thumbs) cut out fleece squares for a baby blanket. This shows it as just a little less than a yard on both sides, but I have enough blocks to do one more row on one side, which would make a rectangular blanket. Should baby blankets be square? I do have more fleece. When the size issue is resolved--so many jokes there, and I'm just going to pass right over them--I'm going to zigzag stitch the blocks together. I'm thinking a berry colored thread to match those dark pink moons--or maybe it ...

OK, that would have been much more effective if I knew how to add sounds to a blog--and didn't find them annoying. I have used over 100 balls of yarn this year!!!!! 101 to be precise, since I'm knitting the two sleeves simultaneously. They'll be shaped for a raglan-style sleeve, and why the designer didn't attach them at that point and finish as one piece is anyone's guess. I started this sweater--formerly known as the Glitterspun Sweater as I couldn't find the pattern & the actual name--long enough ago that I wouldn't necessarily have questioned the designer's directions. I know--it's hard to believe I ever had THAT problem. Oh well. I'm sure that somehow sewing seams is character building. I tried to convince Calisto that she should be the new knitting side-kick, but she's pretty shy about public appearances. Theo, like many celebrities who let fame go to their heads, may have developed a drug problem-- there was a little too much ...

My time this weekend is still being mostly consumed by those stupid tomatoes which seem to magically replenish themselves each night, but there have been occasional craft-related breaks. I finally washed and blocked Andy's sweater, without the help of Theo, who is now on strike for a bigger by-line, fame having completely gone to his head, and I found some sparkly red ribbon that looks much better with the gift bags-- even if it doesn't photograph very well. Then I spent a little time with the baby aran sweater, which will eventually be a gift for some close friends when they have their first child. They aren't actually expecting yet, but I find it best to get a jump on these things. I also assembled some wire shelving in the sewing room hoping that if I look organized I might actually be organized. It's a long shot, I grant you, but I find optimism much more inviting than realism. I have magic tomatoes, so anything is possible--at least in my world.