I'm nearly out of Christmas Fabric

The above fact probably makes my regular blog readers happy.

I bought this remnant when I was at Joann last weekend (1/18). Hubby didn't think it was terribly festive (and I'll be sure to use it for his gift next Christmas). I think the snowflake ribbons are a nice touch, don't you?

I sewed these up on Thursday watching CSI and flipping between Private Practice and ER. Pictures were taken Saturday afternoon.

Close-up shot of the lettering. I love fabrics with letters on them.

I have been knitting, Saturday morning watching Pingu with Billy and a bit yesterday afternoon, watching Pingu again. Billy's aran grew a lot this weekend. I actually plan to just work on it tonight watching TV with Hubby.

I do want to get some sewing done this week as well. I have a couple of Birthday gift ideas for Billy (drawstring felt tic-tac-toe game and soccer backpack) and a friend at work is having a birthday and I'd like to whip something up for her. Tomorrow and Weds should be sewing days.

I'm also getting an extra craft day this week. My dryer, which was so recently repaired, has developed a new ill. It gets hot, but it doesn't tumble. Repairman is supposed to come on Wednesday (btn 1 and 5 pm). Please don't let it snow so hard B has a snow day or that the repairman can't come.

In other news, Yaz and working out seem to be working for me, mood-wise. I get grumpy and frustrated and still yell a bit, but no crazy rages. I worked out 2 days the first 2 weeks of January and three days this past week. I've been exhausted since Saturday morning (going to bed by 10 Friday and Saturday and by 9 last night). I think it's something viral, since my sinuses are acting up. But, mood is good most of the time. There are some things about Yaz I don't like, my cycle's not great and it's not on the formulary for our new insurance, but I'll take it.

actual phone conversation

N: Hi, it's me. You have to take the 5:17 tonight.

H: Hi, why?

N: I bet if you check your pockets, you'll find two sets of keys.

H: Let me check. pause Lo and behold, I have two sets of keys.

N: I'll see you on the 5:17.

H: See you.

(In the mornings, Hubby starts the car when he takes Molly for her constitutional. He uses my keys to lock the front door while I get B in the car. Yesterday, he didn't give me back my keys. This morning he did.)

sewing again

My latest completed sewing. More Christmas gift bags. This batch has nine. I think that brings me to 16 total. Most of these have been mostly completed for a while, but I needed more ribbon. The red on the poinsettia bags just didn't look right with the plaid or the reindeer.These poinsettia bags are pretty large. The background is actually more cream, but flash photos, what are you going to do?I think these reindeer bags are cute. I especially like the short, wide one. Perhaps, because I, too, am short and wide?

These are my favorites, though. The lines don't match up 100%, but they sure made it easier to sew a more rectangular shape. I love the gold ribbon. I've got a smidge left.

I definitely won't be sewing tonight, not sure if I'll even knit. I may want 100% of my attention on LOST!

teaberry

Thimbleberry 1 is getting it's heel. I realized yesterday it's a perfect match for the top I was wearing. This color way reminds me so much of teaberry gum. I used to chew it more for the color of the packaging than for the flavor (although I did like that).

I brought Laurie in for knitting today. I only did two rows. Too busy chatting (too many non-knitters and knitters without projects today). I did notice that the seed stitch inside the diamonds is off. I'm going to have to drop back and fix them all. (Easier to drop back 40 stitches or so than re-knit 8 rows.) Oddly, the color is more accurate in this flash photo. I did drop the brightness and up the contrast a bit.

Last night was more Christmas bag sewing. I've got about 7 more awaiting their ribbon handles. I'm going to go out Saturday after the dentist. B's going to spend Saturday with M-i-L and F-i-L. Hubby and I are heading into the city to see the Smithereens Saturday night. We'll pick B up after church. I need to pick up a few things Saturday:

green and/or gold ribbon
gray thread
cream thread
green thread
foam wreath form
plain t-shirts to make "5" shirts for B
maybe fabric for that jacket for my neighbor

I'm sure I'll pick up a lot more than that.

I don't live up to my son's gender expecations

Billy has told me in the past that he loves my skirts when I wear a skirt or a dress. Last night I was folding a fabric remnant and he only caught a glimpse of me and told me he loved my skirt. Then last night he saw some finger nail polish on my dresser and asked if it was for my finger nails. This morning he asked me if I would paint my finger nails and seemed disappointed when I said no. I think he'll be very happy when it warms up around here and mom is back in skirts, sandals and painted toe nails!

We've lost Billy's scarf. He never really wore it, but has wanted one recently when he sees me putting on mine. We had it over the holidays but I couldn't find it yesterday morning.




















So, I whipped out some fleece remnants and had a go (the remnant I was folding when Billy complimented my skirt).

The scarf's the only thing that really worked, and that didn't require any actual sewing! I will admit it was very hard to try to cut straight sides. The hat is way too small and the mittens are hard to get on. Apparently, I'm not good at improvised sewing of garments.

Billy was very happy and wore the scarf to school today.

nearly two weeks in

Well, we're nearly two weeks into the new year and I'm still sporadic with the posting. This is why I didn't resolve to post more.

I haven't been knitting much. My thimbleberry socks have been my commute knitting. I've started the toe decreases on sock one. I've put Billy's Laurie to the side; I'm not happy with the fabric. It's too drapey and holey. I washed and dried a swatch last night and will decide if I should change the needles. I barely knit at all over the weekend. Saturday was spent putting the Christmas stuff away.

Tonight's a sewing night. Hubby's out at a poker night, so it's me and my machine for the evening. I've nearly worked through my Christmas fabric. I've completed two more bags and have a few that need ribbons and top hems. I need to get to a store and get some appropriately green or gold ribbon. The red I have just doesn't work with these two prints. Tonight, I should be cutting into my favorite remnants. I should really take some pictures of it. I think it would have made a beautiful wrap if I'd had one piece. As it is, I'll probably give these bags away last.

I've got lots of garment sewing plans. More dresses for me (particularly a green dress like my red dress for St. Patty's day, again I should take a picture of the red dress) and maybe a jacket like the one I made B for our neigbor's little girl on her birthday (I have a great fabric in stash).

I'd like to stop buying fabric. I got a big package yesterday, 20 yards (enough for 4 dresses for me, a blouse, and 1 yd for toe bag/purse lining). Plus, I kind of ordered more yesterday; mostly Christmas 1/2 yards for more gift bags. I know sewing rut.

I did pretty well last year (compared to other years) with stashing yarn. A lot of what I bought, I at least cast on if I didn't finish the project (like my Manos vest). I only truly stashed 13 balls of Rowan Plaid, 9 skeins of Koigu Kersti, 7 balls of sirdar country style dk, 15 balls of merino for F-i-L's birthday sweater, sample pack of elann yarns (6 skeins) and 1 skein of sock yarn. Seemed like less before I spelled it out.

pictures, but no FOs

Here is the array of gift bags I've completed. Seven so far (4 red, two white, one blue). I think I'll knit tonight and watch the bowl game with Hubby, but I plan to sew up some more before I start a new big sewing project.

This is the start of B's green sweater (Laurie from Heartland Knitting). The green is more acid grass than minty fresh in real life. My camera is not so good with the vibrant colors.

I owe you some pictures

No new knitting FOs, but I've been cozied up to my sewing machine on migraine-less evenings and I've whipped out nearly 5 gift bags for next Christmas. I showed them to hubby last night. He thought they were cute, but asked me where I was going to store them until next Christmas. With the wrapping paper, silly man.

I've got a bunch more to make. I'll take pics tonight of what's done so far and do the whole magilla when they're all finished.

I'm not going 100% cloth right away. I think small children should have the joy of destruction on Christmas morning. When there are the smaller, more expensive presents under the tree for B, we'll go all cloth.

The only problem wiht so much sewing is I get no knitting done.

one and only

My one resolution for 2009: take more FO pictures.

I finished all of my holiday knitting and didn't take a single solitary picture.

In order of age I made the following:

1 slim felted black purse, with striped pink lining and zipper

1 pair of black felted mittens (1 of which had to be re-knitted from the thumb gore up on the 30th and then felted and dried and wrapped before we left on the 31st)

1 turquoise shawl

1 pair of green felted mittens

Also, I made 2 pairs of felted socks for my dad (one of which felted too small but will make a great handle cover for our grill pan). And I sewed a very pretty red dress for myself that I finished hemming in time to take a shower before Christmas eve services.

I've already started the above socks and a green cabled sweater for B.

My return to work went okay. The back at the computer screen after an extended break migraine aura waited until after I'd waded through my nearly 200 e-mails (kind of light since most of our authors and editors are academics and had extended breaks themselves). Fortunately, no pain, but still I was in bed at 9 last night.

Our office manager is getting me some blinds. Our office is an old factory in SoHo and we have walls of windows. Two of the four windows in my office do not have blinds. Even with northern exposure, I can still get some fierce glare.

Bill's scarf

This scarf was going to be for Operation Red Scarf, but, again this year, I never got around to sending my packages (the gift card requirement seems to be insurmountable to my inertia). Not only that, but I didn't think it was right for Red Scarf. Then it hit me, my assistant manager is retiring and it's perfect for him. He's really tall and can carry off this kind of thing.

I gave it to him this afternoon. He seemed to really like it.

Today's my last day in the office until the 5th. I think I've got all the loose ends tied up. I cannot believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I'm so happy all of my Christmas knitting isn't due until next week.

I do have Christmas sewing to do though. My red dress needs the sleeves put in and the hem done. Then I need to repair my choir robe (don't ask). Next year, we really need to see about fundraising for some new ones.

I think B wants to make cookies for Santa tomorrow. That will be fun.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I'll try to post from home, but who knows!

not just another boring sock post

I've stuck the boring sock picture at the bottom. I got these lovely flowers from one of my editors. He sends them every year.

I'm taking tomorrow off. They're forecasting 4-6 inches of snow tomorrow, with heaviest fall in the afternoon. I figure if the weather people are even close to right, daycare might close early. I can never get there in the time allotted, so I figure I've got left over days, I'll just stay home. I expect to get some sewing and knitting done.

Mitts for giving

Susan's mittens are done. The color's more red and bright IRL, but it's overcast today.

I hope she likes them. I just got a huge gift box from her. In it are a Scrabble page a day calendar, a lindt chocolate snowman, ornaments, a yankee candle gift basket (which is cable-knit on the outside) and a gift card. Mittens are just not enough.

I wish I had known it was a gift for me. I would have waited to open it; we're going out to lunch today. I thought it was more goodies for the team (she works for one of our vendors and they always send us cookies and chocolate and stuff).

one done another started

I finished Susan's mittens last night, hand felted them and overdyed them. Pics tomorrow once they are dry.

Started Dad's second pair of birthday socks (I cannot give just one pair in place of a sweater). I really, really love this color.

Two more gifts to start and finish by 12/31 when we pack up for VT (yes, I know I still have some finishing to do on two others...).

knittin' mittens

Mittens for my friend. I'm so not in love with this color. I'll be overdying them.

I'd be finished but the first mitten got past the thumb gore Friday night before I realized they'd be too big.

I'm hoping these take less than 1 skein of Cascade 220. I'd like to return the other (and I'm concerned about yarn in-house for my remaining gifts).

I am so definitely making myself a pair of this in red and black.

holiday plans

I've nearly finished Dad's second sock. All that's left is grafting the toe and knitting the heel. Last night's commute was pretty long. The rain always slows down the busses. I should have the heel done before TV time tonight. Then, I hope to start the mitts for my colleague.

Then, I've got another pair of birthday socks (worsted weight and felted this time) and two b-i-l gifts to knit. Fortunately, I've got an extra week (we're celebrating Christmas in VT on New Year's). Good thing, too. I need to do a lot of finishing work on one of my sisters' gifts. I'd also like to sew up some gift bags. Oh, and I need to make the gift tags I've got plannd.

And B wants to make gingerbread cookies for Santa (thank goodness I took Christmas eve off).

I'd like to get some sewing for me done, too. I want to make this for Christmas Eve (B view with A's sleeves). In the red matte jersey below it. I cut out the fabric on Tuesday. I need to set aside some time for sewing it up.

something to blog about

A Christmas gift I can blog about. I ripped out the seam binding on Miss Jaime's little bag last night (very sharp embroidery scissors are a godsend) and re-sewed. Hubby thought it was cute. We're doing our shopping Saturday (Billy has ADVENTure at church and will go to the in-laws afterwards), so I'll pick up the toiletries and giftcard for it this weekend.

Then there are dad's socks. I am past the heel on sock two (well, I will have to go back and knit the heel). I figure about 40% done? I'd like to have these done tomorrow because I need to whip out some fingerless mitts for the woman who got this last year. We're having lunch on Wednesday. I have to knit her something because she wore the scarf yesterday.

a toe and a tree

If I hadn't screwed up the toe decreases, I could have spent yesterday finishing this sock instead of re-knitting the toe. Oh well. I'm sure I'll have this sock done and sock 2 started tonight.

I did start Billy's teacher's gift last night. Zipper install was lovely. The rest is awful. I'm going to rip out the seams and try again. I do not know how people manage to sew on really skinny binding tape.

We got the house decorated (well, at least the inside; we haven't had outside decorations since our giant inflatable snowman got a hole; oh, I did put up a wreath on the front door). Took the whole day Saturday. We started moving toys around after breakfast and I put up the last of the lights while Billy napped. Then we went out to dinner. I've told Billy, and I will keep telling him, that one day while we're on Christmas vacation, we're going through his toys and getting rid of some. My living room looks like a toy store exploded.

We do have about six feet of magazines to recycle. I'll take a pic when I've got them all tied up for the curb tomorrow.

sock it to me Friday

Dad's first birthday sock. These are sport weight. The piece on top is my swatch. I knitted it at lunch yesterday, soaked it in the bathroom sink and it dried on my old-fashioned radiator in less than an hour. I've got over 5" knitted up. The leg portion will be 7". Lucky for me, Dad's a short guy and he and I have about the same size feet!

If I manage to finish, Dad will also be getting a pair of worsted weight, felted sock things. He said a while back that he wanted socks like the mittens I made him a couple of years ago. Green, felted mittens. I'm trying.

In other news, all I want to do is sew. I found a bunch of fabric flower tutorials this morning.

gift for Billy's teacher

We've been a bit haphazard over the years with gifts for Billy's teachers. Mainly we'd give a card with cash; I know tres creative. This year, with my handmade holidays thing I've got going on for my sibs, I've been thinking about making something for his teacher this year. I was thinking of knitting some fingerless mitts, but, although I have 2 gifts with the knitting finished, I have 2 more Christmas gifts (brothers-in-law, although one's not married) and my dads birthday gifts to finish. I'm feeling a bit under the gun with the knitting, especially since I made a work friend a knitted gift last year and I feel like I should do something for her this year.*

I had a thought for Miss Jaimie today. A zippered bag a la this one. I'm going to mod it a bit. I'll make it deeper with rounded corners and a contrast binding tape inside. I'll fill it with a small hand cream, some purell and maybe tissues. I'll ask Hubby if he thinks we should add a gift card for DD or something (no starbucks in our town).

This is the fabric I'm going to use (you'll see it in another gift). I've got a yard and, since it's a home dec not quilting fabric, it's 54" wide. Plenty for lots of gifts.



*One sister's gift took 3 days to knit, with a migraine on Monday slowing me down. There's tons of finishing to do, but the knitting was cast on Monday morning and cast off last night.

finished jacket

The twerp wouldn't put it on until Friday. He liked it, just didn't want to wear it. He thought it made a great tunnel for his train. Now, that we're home, he can't wear it. Oh well, Spring and next Fall, hopefully.

This is his smart ass look.

Asking me how much knitting I got done. One project is complete. And I keep thinking of more people to knit for...