Pictures

Here's the tunic blouse (left) I made last week. You can see the neck detail better in the pattern illustration. I'm not quite sure what that aura around my head is supposed to mean, but there's nothing like a self-picture to drive you back to the gym! On the right is a blouse made out of LWI dyed muslin.



On the left is a blouse made out of a close weave with a raised thread every 1/4". This was white to start and I scoured and then using LWI dyed it a dark teal. It still needs buttons and the sleeves hemmed. The shell on the right was made with some marked down cotton to test the pattern. It has front darts which are open at the bottom for about 2". I need to hem the sleeves and bottom. I like this one, but I need to take the pattern in a little at the front neckline. It's still wearable, however.




Lastly, three pairs of Cruise Slacks.



More patterns arrived today. The machines are burning up!

Pictures

Here's the tunic blouse (left) I made last week. You can see the neck detail better in the pattern illustration. I'm not quite sure what that aura around my head is supposed to mean, but there's nothing like a self-picture to drive you back to the gym! On the right is a blouse made out of LWI dyed muslin.



On the left is a blouse made out of a close weave with a raised thread every 1/4". This was white to start and I scoured and then using LWI dyed it a dark teal. It still needs buttons and the sleeves hemmed. The shell on the right was made with some marked down cotton to test the pattern. It has front darts which are open at the bottom for about 2". I need to hem the sleeves and bottom. I like this one, but I need to take the pattern in a little at the front neckline. It's still wearable, however.




Lastly, three pairs of Cruise Slacks.



More patterns arrived today. The machines are burning up!

And Sew On

It's been a busy week, sewing and getting ready for school. Pictures are coming soon, Carolyn.

Someone sent the link to this comic to one of my lists today. Weaving humor, who knew?

Off to my spinning group. Good thing too, since I haven't spun since I picked up my paint brush a couple of weeks ago.

And Sew On

It's been a busy week, sewing and getting ready for school. Pictures are coming soon, Carolyn.

Someone sent the link to this comic to one of my lists today. Weaving humor, who knew?

Off to my spinning group. Good thing too, since I haven't spun since I picked up my paint brush a couple of weeks ago.

Catch Up

I've been back for a week, but the only thing I've done is yard work and sew! I made two more Cruise Pants and the Tunic Blouse. I'll take pictures once the buttons are on the blouse.

The light was finally good enough for a picture of the finished living room. I made a console table to go behind the sofa and I need to make some sort of cabinet for the cd player/receiver and my cds and dvds.



Now to straighten up the dining room, where everything was dumped while I was working on the living room. It's never ending.

Catch Up

I've been back for a week, but the only thing I've done is yard work and sew! I made two more Cruise Pants and the Tunic Blouse. I'll take pictures once the buttons are on the blouse.

The light was finally good enough for a picture of the finished living room. I made a console table to go behind the sofa and I need to make some sort of cabinet for the cd player/receiver and my cds and dvds.



Now to straighten up the dining room, where everything was dumped while I was working on the living room. It's never ending.

Road Trip

Tomorrow morning Laura and I are heading for Michigan. Drive Monday, visit Tuesday and Wedneday, and we're back in the car on Thursday. It will be quick, but I haven't seen my friend Karen in over a year and I haven't been back to Troy in four years.

I finished the living room. The pictures just don't do the colors justice, so I'll wait until I have better light and try without the flash. I've been fiber deprived as I did all my painting, but last night I cut out the Cruise Pants and this morning sewed them up. Black, cotton/linen blend, in the longer length, and they are great! I can't wait to make up a few more in the same blend for the first couple of weeks of school. So comfy, yet they look dressier than chinos or knit pants.

Road Trip

Tomorrow morning Laura and I are heading for Michigan. Drive Monday, visit Tuesday and Wedneday, and we're back in the car on Thursday. It will be quick, but I haven't seen my friend Karen in over a year and I haven't been back to Troy in four years.

I finished the living room. The pictures just don't do the colors justice, so I'll wait until I have better light and try without the flash. I've been fiber deprived as I did all my painting, but last night I cut out the Cruise Pants and this morning sewed them up. Black, cotton/linen blend, in the longer length, and they are great! I can't wait to make up a few more in the same blend for the first couple of weeks of school. So comfy, yet they look dressier than chinos or knit pants.

Where Have I Been?

Here are a few before pictures to show you what I've been working on for the last 10 days. I have a few finishing things to do today (although Charley may keep me from working on the deck).



I think you can figure out the deck with no problem, but here's a little hint for the living room. And no, I'm not trying to paint spots on ceiling. Those are water stains KILZed before painting.

Where Have I Been?

Here are a few before pictures to show you what I've been working on for the last 10 days. I have a few finishing things to do today (although Charley may keep me from working on the deck).



I think you can figure out the deck with no problem, but here's a little hint for the living room. And no, I'm not trying to paint spots on ceiling. Those are water stains KILZed before painting.

Scrumble, Scrumble

I thought I'd lemming on to the crochet thing and try my hand at scrumbling. It's mostly single and half-double crochet, with a few bobbles and 3-D things thrown in. I'm going to keep going until I have enough for a little tote bag. It's a little thick and wild for anything else. There are actually several blues and greens in there, although the colors blend and look like one in the photo.

Off to school for inservice (oops! professional development) meetings. Grumble, Grumble.

PS Thanks to those who filled out the survey. I've received about 20 entries so far.

Scrumble, Scrumble

I thought I'd lemming on to the crochet thing and try my hand at scrumbling. It's mostly single and half-double crochet, with a few bobbles and 3-D things thrown in. I'm going to keep going until I have enough for a little tote bag. It's a little thick and wild for anything else. There are actually several blues and greens in there, although the colors blend and look like one in the photo.

Off to school for inservice (oops! professional development) meetings. Grumble, Grumble.

PS Thanks to those who filled out the survey. I've received about 20 entries so far.

Twistin' the Night Away

First I tried a little of Archie Bell and the Drells' advice to Tighten Up. I think these singles had Sam Cooke on their mind as they were Twistin' the Night Away!

As you can see, the skein in the middle has the most twist and is, in fact, the most energized! We're talking so much energy that I think I should weight this one over again (by itself). This was the last of my spinning, when I was super tired, so it has more twist (I was getting lazy) and didn't have the benefit of resting on the bobbin as long as the others.

I promised the family to get my dyeing stuff out of the garage by Friday. Yeah, yeah, yeah - just because I wanted the old cars out of the driveway doesn't necessarily mean that I think we should actually use a garage for parking our cars. Anyway that means that I've got to get winding those warps so I can paint them. After I clean up everything from the dye day, I'm going to make a 2' by 8' dyeing table from exterior plywood and folding legs from HD. I'll be able to keep it flat against the wall and pull it out for painting. I actually like dyeing in the basement with my oven roaster better than firing up the propane, it's just inertia that's keeping the equipment up there. I already put the dyes away where it's cool and dark (lots of places like that in a basement).

Note to Claudia: I'm sort of a geek-wannabe, but programming today is a far cry from my Basic and Assembler days when I played around with our TI and Commodore 64! (which is why I spend HOURS trying to do one simple task)

Twistin' the Night Away

First I tried a little of Archie Bell and the Drells' advice to Tighten Up. I think these singles had Sam Cooke on their mind as they were Twistin' the Night Away!

As you can see, the skein in the middle has the most twist and is, in fact, the most energized! We're talking so much energy that I think I should weight this one over again (by itself). This was the last of my spinning, when I was super tired, so it has more twist (I was getting lazy) and didn't have the benefit of resting on the bobbin as long as the others.

I promised the family to get my dyeing stuff out of the garage by Friday. Yeah, yeah, yeah - just because I wanted the old cars out of the driveway doesn't necessarily mean that I think we should actually use a garage for parking our cars. Anyway that means that I've got to get winding those warps so I can paint them. After I clean up everything from the dye day, I'm going to make a 2' by 8' dyeing table from exterior plywood and folding legs from HD. I'll be able to keep it flat against the wall and pull it out for painting. I actually like dyeing in the basement with my oven roaster better than firing up the propane, it's just inertia that's keeping the equipment up there. I already put the dyes away where it's cool and dark (lots of places like that in a basement).

Note to Claudia: I'm sort of a geek-wannabe, but programming today is a far cry from my Basic and Assembler days when I played around with our TI and Commodore 64! (which is why I spend HOURS trying to do one simple task)

School Clothes

I've been thinking about making a few things to add to my teaching wardrobe. I ordered three patterns from Tunic Blouse and Cruise Pants by Loes Hinse look like they'll be fast and easy. The The Sewing Place. The Cathay blouse byLois Ericson is a ripe for embellishment.

Just got my (tentative) teaching assignment. I'll be teaching 5 classes of psychology. I really didn't like it when I taught all 5 sections of world cultures - by the 5th class I felt I lost my zing, but with all of the additional paperwork that we need to turn in for each class and the emphasis on differentiation, I think I'll be happy (not that I have any choice in the matter). Next year I may be adding AP, so I need a little calm before the storm.

School Clothes

I've been thinking about making a few things to add to my teaching wardrobe. I ordered three patterns from Tunic Blouse and Cruise Pants by Loes Hinse look like they'll be fast and easy. The The Sewing Place. The Cathay blouse byLois Ericson is a ripe for embellishment.

Just got my (tentative) teaching assignment. I'll be teaching 5 classes of psychology. I really didn't like it when I taught all 5 sections of world cultures - by the 5th class I felt I lost my zing, but with all of the additional paperwork that we need to turn in for each class and the emphasis on differentiation, I think I'll be happy (not that I have any choice in the matter). Next year I may be adding AP, so I need a little calm before the storm.

Like I Have Nothing Better To Do With My Time

I cut my double drive off my new Schacht after a couple of days of frustration and have used Scotch tension for the last 18 months. Saturday I put on a double drive band and have been spinning away happily. I know that each camp has its advocates, but I'm wondering if there are advantages to using different drives for different fibers/types of spinning. I haven't plyed yet, so I can't tell if I find any differences in that.

Now this is where the trouble comes in. I can just not let go of something! I wanted to make a little survey to get an idea of spinners' preferences. I tried cgi, php, formmail, send mail. I worked until 2 in the morning and at 5:30 I woke up, went to the bathroom, and tried to go back to sleep. Script kept going through my head. Maybe if I change something in the cgi-bin, maybe, maybe - so I finally got up. There is no happy ending to this. I was able to finally come up with this survey. It's probably better to save responses to a .csv file, but damn it, it's not what I WANTED to do! Anyway, if you have a minute, answer the questions and I'll post a summary of responses. Feel free to send this link on to other spinners. The more responses, the better.

Back to spinning - I spun up one of the rovings I painted last week and I'm going to wind off the singles and set the twist. I want to test weaving with singles before I start the gorgeous silk that Carolyn and Kate gave me.

Like I Have Nothing Better To Do With My Time

I cut my double drive off my new Schacht after a couple of days of frustration and have used Scotch tension for the last 18 months. Saturday I put on a double drive band and have been spinning away happily. I know that each camp has its advocates, but I'm wondering if there are advantages to using different drives for different fibers/types of spinning. I haven't plyed yet, so I can't tell if I find any differences in that.

Now this is where the trouble comes in. I can just not let go of something! I wanted to make a little survey to get an idea of spinners' preferences. I tried cgi, php, formmail, send mail. I worked until 2 in the morning and at 5:30 I woke up, went to the bathroom, and tried to go back to sleep. Script kept going through my head. Maybe if I change something in the cgi-bin, maybe, maybe - so I finally got up. There is no happy ending to this. I was able to finally come up with this survey. It's probably better to save responses to a .csv file, but damn it, it's not what I WANTED to do! Anyway, if you have a minute, answer the questions and I'll post a summary of responses. Feel free to send this link on to other spinners. The more responses, the better.

Back to spinning - I spun up one of the rovings I painted last week and I'm going to wind off the singles and set the twist. I want to test weaving with singles before I start the gorgeous silk that Carolyn and Kate gave me.