Better late than never

I'm going to blogging mainly on my other blog--The Far Side of Fifty. I have trouble keeping one blog going, let alone two.

Photos elude me

It seems the camera is missing its cable. Well, maybe missing is too strong a word. Misplaced is probably more accurate. So you all will just have to take my word for it that everything I make is absolutely gorgeous-lol!

I am finishing up the firefighter quilt. I enjoy the end of a quilt. Sewing the binding down on the back is very relaxing. And I just love how the binding gently rolls over from the front to the back. All in all this is an extremely colorful quilt.

I have been feeling sorry for myself lately. My husband is 1500 miles away in Kansas. I sure do miss him. Our lives are complicated--isn't that always the case?--and getting us back to living in the same house is slow going. I'm okay when I'm busy and when I'm at work with people around me needing my help. But sometimes at home, when it is quiet, I am awfully lonely.

Bad, bad blogger

Where have two months gone? I have been busy with work and various projects. Just haven't felt like posting. I finished the quilt and it is beautiful. It was going on a bed, but instead it is hanging in our entryway. I love looking at it and thinking about the different scraps that went into it. Yes, I need to take a photo.

I also finished up a "comforter" for our bed. It is made from Waverly samples in yellows and creams. Lots of flowers, of course, since that's what Waverly is famous for! I backed it with a berber fleece in a light olive and bound it with unbleached muslin. Then I made some plain pillowcases out of the muslin and machine stitched an olive scallop along the edge.

I am continuing to de-stash. I found a sheet with a light khaki floral print on a cream background. That became a summer robe for my daughter. I used up a lot of crocheted lace trimming on the cuffs, the pockets, and the neck-front binding. Turned out nice and is perfect for the hot summer weather.

My big project now is a small quilt for a raffle at the fire house my daughter belongs to. I found some great Kaufman firefighter fabric at Joann's on sale and have been slowly putting the top together. One of my friends, who also happens to be a co-worker at the fabric store, embroidered the name of the fire station and the founding date on four inner borders. Once it is all pieced, I'll quilt it to a piece of fire engine red fleece. It needs to be done mid September for the fire station's Fall Festival. I'm hoping to make some significant progress this coming week.

Okay. I need to get some photo lessons from one of my kids and get some pix posted.

How long does it take to finish a quilt?

In my case, 18 years. Yes folks, that is 18 years! I started a quilt that long ago and got it 3/4 finished and then for some reason packed it away and forgot about it. I unearthed it the other day and my son saw it. He wants it, so I picked up where I left off. I am lap-quilting it, ala Georgia Bonesteel and have only three sections left to quilt. I had forgotten how relaxing hand quilting is.

Being a technological idiot, there will be no photos of this quilt until my kids return from Kansas. They are helping my husband--their dad--move to Wichita where he has a new job. He was laid off 14 months ago and has been diligently searching since. At this point in time, the kids and I will remain in Albany. This is not my favorite way to live, though I've managed it before. At some point we will be back together. Living this way is preferable to being unemployed in your late 50's during an economic turn down and fearing your career is over. Lucky for me, I have two more unfinished quilts, the finishing of which will help keep me sane!

Still sewing

Yes, I'm still sewing. I scored big at the fabric store. The boss brought in rolls of interlock that had been in his basement--lots of nice solids and several cute prints. We measured off 3 yards lengths and marked them $3 for the 3 yard piece. So, naturally, I had to buy some! I bought two of the prints--bright pink and bright blue with white flowers--solid red, purple, and two drab greens (one was ribbed). Plus I got two shorter lengths of a red and a blue that were the ends of the rolls and were dirty. Hey, I can wash them... T-shirts, here I come!

Slow, slow, slow

I don't know why I am so slow to post. It's not like I'm not doing anything to post about. I think I am hung up on the photos--I just don't take any. I am working through my pile of to-do's. First up was a cover for my husband's leg pillow out of an old fleece throw--he has a bad back and feels best if his feet are elevated. The crummy thin poly cover was irritating and cold. The fleece is warm and cozy.

I also made cushions for a Shaker rocking chair. The chair is lovely--made from a kit by my husband about 30 years ago. Unfortunately, it is not very comfortable--very straight, hard back and stiff seat. So I used the rest of the shower curtain fabric (the brown flannel) and covered cushions--one for the seat and one for the back. So much more comfortable. And I coordinate with the chair when I wear my shirt!

I finally finished the pullover-to-cardigan sweater refashion. What a project--took much longer than I thought it would. I had a couple of false starts. First, I was going to pick up stitches and knit on button bands and an edging. That was a disaster! Then I thought about knitting separate strips that could later be sewn on--that just didn't seem too appealing. Finally, I settled on crocheting an edging. The above photo shows the sweater before I zigzagged down the center, around the neck, and just above the ribbing on the bottom edge. I used Paton's Kroy sock yarn which just happened to be the same blend of wool and nylon as the sweater. Below is the finished sweater! The crocheting took forever--I am not an expert crocheter and am slow. I thought I'd never finish. Once the crocheting was done, I blocked the edging so the sweater wouldn't look bunchy. Then, I finished it off with grosgrain ribbon over the picked up stitches to give a nice and neat inside appearance (See below). I sewed on buttons that had been in my stash for about 12 years and called it a day. I am very happy with the end result and should get lots of wear out of the "new" sweater.

I gave up on an unfinished shirt project. I redrafted the sleeves and reset them--they were fine. But the shirt is just plain too small. And I am out of fabric. Arrgh. I love sewing, but I hate fitting. Has anyone used Petite Plus Patterns? They sound wonderful and seem like they would fit me. I'm dithering about buying one or two.

In other news, we--I, my husband, son, and daughter--seem to finally have kicked the plague-like cold we had. Seems we were sick forever. We are having better weather which makes us feel better emotionally anyway! But winter in Albany is fickle--some days it is nice, sunny, and warmish--other days it is so cold and windy that my teeth ache when I go outside. I am so looking forward to spring.

Time flies

Oh my gosh, I can't believe February is almost over. I just wish winter was almost over, too! I have been busily sewing and knitting. I am grateful for my stash of fabric and yarn. We are on a tight budget here and I am avoiding new purchases--a challenge given I work in a fabric store. I unpacked a box the other day and found three unfinished projects! I finished up two of them--a polar fleece vest that only needed binding and jammie bottoms for Kate that were cut out. I have half a blouse to work on--though the thing fits bust and hips, the sleeves are really tight. It's odd, because the sleeves didn't appear to be that slim on the pattern package. I have extra fabric, so I'm going to redraft the armhole and sleeve, using a favorite blouse as a guide, and reset the sleeve. If it turns out ok, I'll use that as my master blouse pattern. I hope to get some photos soon.

I am also getting ready for the second meeting with the women's group. I finished up the baby quilt and have made several small quilts in different techniques to show them. Those little quilts will go to Petsmart for the shelter kitties.