The Echinacea has started blooming. It looks to be a sturdy plant. I’m hoping it will survive the winter in its pot. The last time I tried growing some in a pot it didn’t make it through. This pot is in a sunnier location so it may return in the spring. I will harvest seeds, though, just in case. I want to start a couple of plants in both the back bed and in front of the house.
FINALLY! I finished the quilt I began before I went to Portland. I have been working on quilting the quilt for the past week or so; I still had ten blocks left to quilt and got them all done this morning. I then added the binding and label. Finally that quilt is done – I’m ready to move on to a new idea.
It’s a two sided quilt – I hesitate to call one the front and the other back – although I did consider the blocks the “front” when I was constructing the quilt. However, I like the second side equally well – I was pleased with how the bright strips sashed with the royal blue tones down the very strong green fabric. The embroidery I created to quilt in the hoop had four elements – one down the sash on the left of the block, the small square, along the bottom sashing, then finally the large square. That left some sashing/small blocks to be embroidered along the outer edge and top – but those elements went quickly.
The third bolt of kimono silk arrived this morning – it is just like the picture I saw online. It will definitely work well with the pale fabric.
I just have to finish a second swimsuit, complete the quilt (made with the Kaffe Fassett fabrics), cut out the winter jacket that’s been sitting ony dining room table for four months, then I can begin making something from the kimono silk!
Two of the three “bolts” of kimono silk I ordered from Ichiroya in Japan arrived this morning. Now I’m just going to have to look at them for a while before I have any idea what to make from the silk. I ordered the silk after the visit to Ann Williamson’s studio in Portland. I will make some kind of pieced jacket like one of Ann’s. The bolt still to come is in navy which should go with either the brick or the pale blue.
The swimsuit fabric arrived yesterday! I ordered it from Spandex House in NYC (I have actually shopped there) on Sunday, they called for my credit card info Monday afternoon, the parcel arrived Wednesday morning.
I have made swimsuits for myself for more than thirty years. Lately it’s become very difficult to find interesting patterned Lycra/spandex fabric. The day I shopped at Spandex House I wasn’t looking for swimsuit fabric; I bought a black and silver sequin fabric to make a dressy top.
I took a chance on the weight of this fabric – it turned out to be a good mid-weight. Now to make the two suits I’ve cut from other fabric. I’m down to a single suit – the pool “eats” them – I’ve tossed out three suits this past week. Since I do water aerobics three times a week, I need two/three suits on hand.
Finally got this pair of socks completed – I started them before I went to Portland, took them with me but didn’t knit much while I was away, or on the plane for that matter. And when I got back I started on the lace shawl (which I figure will take me about three more weeks to finish – I’m at the point where each row takes 10-15 minutes and I have another 60 rows at least to go).
This pair of socks is for me – I needed another “black” pair (didn’t want a solid black) and this combination of dark colours will be fine with black chorus apparel.
The other day I came across instructions for an improvised air cooling device on Snapguide. Take a styrofoam cooler, cut a couple of holes on one side, insert some pieces of cardboard tubing, cut another larger hole on the lid, place a small fan on top of that hole, put a pop bottle, filled with frozen water, in the cooler. Turn the fan on and you get cool air.
My bedroom gets very hot when the outside temperature goes above 28 degrees C. It’s expected to be a scorcher today, so I’ve closed the windows, lowered the blind, and turned on my “air conditioner”.
And it cools the air! Probably not the entire room, but I put it on the dresser and in my chair about eight feet away I can feel the cool breeze. I expect my bottle of frozen water will last about four or five hours, so I’ve just put a second bottle in the freezer to have for this evening. I have several frozen ice packs as well. I’m good to go.
The best part is that I had all materials in the house: the cooler, the fan, a cardboard tube, and a bottle of frozen water in my freezer. It took me all of five minutes to assemble the device.
For some time I’ve been taken with sashiko embroidery. I have a book with ideas for using sashiko to make quilts. I came across a picture of a carry bag using sashiko designs. Made from sixteen squares, I embroidered sixteen squares of linen fabric with sixteen different sashiko designs, then made up the bag. The fittings to attach the handles I found in a notions store in NYC last year.
I sew for Morgan, daughter of my young friend, Katie. Katie had seen this dress in an expensive shop – I said I could make it for very little. So armed with Morgan’s chest measurement and height I modified a child’s dress pattern I had on hand, and made up the dress. What pleased me most, was how I managed to align the collar perfectly with the white panel on the front.
Morgan has since outgrown this dress – so I’ve asked Katie to send me her current measurements. I’ll come up with something for Morgan for Christmas.
It’s rained quite a bit the last ten days and my garden has run wild. Everything is in bloom, one plant pushing against another – in a container garden there isn’t much space to move plants around. And the weeds! I don’t usually get a weed crop but I sure have one right now. Maybe late this afternoon, when it cools down a bit I’ll have a go at weeding.
jmn 