socks again

I am loving these socks, my 13th pair. I am doing a heel flap again, once I have done the gusset, I’ll try them on to see if it goes over the heel.

I seem to have better luck getting the correct length with this kind of heel. The colours don’t repeat until the heel flap which I think is neat.

Sewing room update:

The floor is down and we are now waiting for baseboards to be painted and installed. We have bought all the electrical plugs, switches in white, a new ceiling light and bulbs and hopefully that won’t take too long to install. Then I will consider painting the desk and the tv stand.

Promises of Spring.

After a very wet March, rain 20 out of 23 days, it is finally sunny. Everyone was out walking yesterday and if they didn’t have a dog with them, they had a camera.

In one of the local gardens, not many daffs yet but I did find a camelia that wasn’t drowned by the rain. The rain ruins the blooms very quickly.

The skunk cabbage isn’t considered a garden plant here, but in England it is an exotic addition to the garden. Although it didn’t smell yesterday, little children were running around saying “yeuwie skunk cabbage”.

The first of the rhodos, delicate yellow. This garden is next to the grocery store and is a nice reward after picking up supplies.

On course for sewing

My sewing is progressing at a slow pace but on the other hand I have kept on track and have made one pair of pants, a skirt, 3 knit tops and 2 tanks. The tanks double as camisoles under the sheer knit top and completely change the look. See picture on the left. I am achieving much narrower edgings, it has only taken upteen years of sewing but I seem to be in a better space mentally to be sewing carefully. So the first mini “sewing with a plan” is done. I am going to plan the next wardrobe swap today, I am thinking of blues and greens, there is talk I might be going to Brazil, I am going to need new clothes!

The New Floss

One would think I was going to write about some fancy new thread. I’m not, nothing exciting like some fancy rayon, multi dyed cotton or some thing more exotic. I hate to say but it is about my teeth! I have a couple of annoying spots that the dental hygienist found again and rather than heavy duty dental tape or ribbon, she has suggested that I use yarn! Treking worked well last night, I am thinking that I should boil it first to make sure nothing is lurking in it.

I did finish my Treking socks last night. I am amazed at how well they match, it was accidental.

The muse is back

I have been feeling like a fraud. I am preparing a powerpoint presentation on dolls from my doll group and they have made some fabulous dolls. My problem was how to talk with enthusiasm, when I didn’t know if I would ever create another. I was having a good time sewing and knitting. Last week my muse came back, I quickly wrote up notes and am quite excited, I came up with an alternative way to make it today. I don’t really want to give too many or any details but it is the most complex I have designed, I picked up a wooden box which is shaped like a book and it will involve machine stitchery and beading, photography, painted and lettered background. I don’t have any space to work and can not get at my supplies.

The sewing room floor was deemed not level enough. So the flooring will have to wait another week. The leveling compound has now cured. Meanwhile all the stuff that was in this room has now been moved to the only spots left in the basement. I can get to the washer and dryer, the computer and the rec room. Mind you the narrow path to rec room requires sideways movement, I feel like I am trying to get out of an airplane seat, past a couple of people on the way to the washroom. I will be glad when anything goes back into the sewing room.

Painting is not a life sentence

Home decor is a challenge and a thrill for me. Once I have made up my mind, I want to start now. The aging body needs recovery time, from any burst of decorating effort. Even shopping and finding the right things needs a good cuppa, some comfort food and a rest to recuperate afterwards.
The sewing room is coming right along. The first day, I didn’t last long maybe half an hour of painting effort. The second day, wow a full hour, painting to Shakira cd, kept me moving, not just my roller arm but the knees and back as well with more enthusiastic stretching. When my hubby, the dear man, took a couple of days off, he started painting, I felt like I’d had a reprieve. I hadn’t realized that I was feeling so stressed. Certainly didn’t know I felt like I had a death or life sentence. Such joy, it is starting to look good.

Buying on line.

After a few months of drooling all over my keyboard, I decided to order fabric on line. My current favorite to look at is Emma One Sock. She fabric shops in New York and has lots of interesting and different fabrics. http://emmaonesock.com/

She mailed it to me last Monday and my package came yesterday. It was lovingly wrapped in tissue, in a plastic bag with her label. US postal service sure beats some long waiting periods I have had from Canada post. The colour turned out to be richer and darker than the online picture but her description was right on. My sons will look at this and think “Surprise paisley” what else is new. It is a drapey single span knit. ( I wondered what that was, now I know.) It will be some sort of T shirt I think .