just in time

We finished all that work I mentioned a couple of posts back and apparently just in time.  Phew. 

Can you guess who this is? 

If you said me then I am going to run to a hair stylist this afternoon and have some issues taken care of.  No it isn't me, it's my dog Spencer.  He just had to investigate with me. He's a snow loving dog that's for sure.  In the winter when his hair is long, little snow balls attach themselves to his belly region like burrs.  Nothing like the fresh smell of wet dog the outdoors during winter. 

PS.  I just wanted to welcome all the newcomers from the Quilt Festival to this little space.  I know things aren't 'sew-crafty' right now.  I'll explain a little more next week about where I've been and my lack of craft.  For now make yourselves at home in my archives and categories.  And if you get a chance, please do leave a comment, your input is very meaningful and a highlight in my day and I love knowing where everyone is coming from.

quilt festival time

Yay! It's that time again. My entry for the festival is going to be a quilt I made and finished up in June. I love this quilt for a number of reasons; it's simplicity, the way the white fabric (also vintage) breaks up the diamonds, the patterned fabric has loads of orange which is fast becoming a favorite color of mine, but mostly I love this quilt because it is made of re-purposed vintage sheets which not only makes me happy, but also the earth.



On their own the sheets probably wouldn't have made it to anyone's bed as a fabric of choice now that the 70's have long past, but incorporating the bright sheets in bits and spurts gives new life to something that would have otherwise made it's way to a landfill site. Given the age of the fabric, it is surprisingly sturdy and oh so very soft.



Right now I have the quilt on my sofa table as a decorative table cloth. It cheers up my day when I see it and gives me hope on those days when I feel like I am never going to finish a quilt(s), like the three sitting on my table right now, ahem.



The quilt pattern is the brain child of Rosebud's Cottage and was orginally published in the Quilts and More Magazine dated Spring 2009. If I could name this quilt it would be called "happy" because that's just how it makes me feel.

preparation

That's a good word to describe what is taking place here at our
end.  It started with the cool weather that has set in
overnight, literally.   It's sent me rapidly switching out our seasonal clothing and turning the heat on.  Weren't we just wearing summer shorts and skirts a week and a half ago?  Yikes! 

In addition to the "out with the summer and in with the warmer clothing" we also did the unspeakable and took down our beloved
summer room.  Soon our deck and back yard will be filled with heavy
white flakes and that is all too much for our simple sun room to bare. 
And so we say goodnight to it for a season. 

With all this winter preparation I've been thinking a lot about
soups.  Is there a better way to welcome the cool fall
days then with a big pot of soup?  A combination of leeks, yams, carrots,
and lentils all went together into a stock pot, simmering into this
delicious 'welcome fall' soup. I added one mystery ingredient for a little extra goodness and let me just say the yum factor was high. I was skeptical at first thinking it might be more than my kidlets could handle but there were no complaints on the kid front.  Bonus!

Bring it on fall, we are ready for you. 

one frogged, one not

Remember that sweater I yapped about here.  I was planning on frogging the sweater because it seemed to sag in the worst way.  After looking at my options and figuring out time frames, I opted to give it one more chance.  So I washed it, blocked it and then re-evaluated the situation.  Maybe with a little securing and vintage buttons I could fix the issue?  It would take away the option of opening the sweater but in the end that isn't so bad considering the two rambunctious girls that would be wearing them. 



The sweater was secured on the diagonal seams from the inside with yarn and then on the outside (diagonal) seam, buttons were added merely as an eye pleaser, cute and completely non-functional.  As for the green sweater, it was frogged as my original knit up was way too large, I'm not sure what happened.  I mentioned in my earlier post, my first attempt at a re-knit (after frogging) the yarn was too kinky to work with.  I tried steam ironing the yarn but the results were a flat, lifeless, yarn; in the end I soaked it, let it dry and wound the balls for the re-knit.  Second time was a charm in this case, I proceeded to secure the seems and add buttons as I did with the blue sweater. 



The girls have been wearing their sweaters all spring and summer and loving them.  They are so easy to please when you put something new on the shelf, it quickly becomes a favorite and is in constant use. 



It's been awhile since I knit anything and I'm starting to feel the urgings to pick up the needles.  Over the week I've been compiling a list of things I want to make and the sheer size of my list makes me so thankful that knitting is a transportable craft.  At the top of the list is the half-pipe hat, for the hubby whose birthday comes late in the month.  I'd also like to get some knucks done for the boys, a hat, scarf, fingerless mittens set for myself, socks for my mum, socks for ... well you get my drift.  There is always something to keep these hands busy.  How about you?  Do you knit?  and what are you working on?