Back to School

Fine, so the kiddos here have been back in school for over a month, but August was a bit much, so here we are.  The whole return to school is still more than a bit much, but I'm managing my anxiety about it a bit better than I was six weeks ago.  I still hold that the nieces and nephew could all come over to my house to learn arts and crafts, cook, play Big Brain Academy*, Wii Sports, Wii Fit Plus, and Wii Sports Resort and they would come through just fine.  Add in some Duolingo for the oldest niece to keep up with her foreign languages and we're soaring above the trees.  If we're feeling especially ambitious, we can add in the less glamorous home ec stuff and do a bit of cleaning and laundry, and there will always be yard work that needs doing.  

Ah, but that is not how we are doing things, and I understand why it is not.  My inability to take care of them all five days a week not being the least of it.  I'm mostly joking about keeping them all out of school, but with the way the world is going, I'm kind of not joking at all.  Anyway, I do what I can, and I can make masks.  I sewed a bunch and then sewed a bunch more for my older brother's friend's kid.

 

In the meantime, it's medical stuffs running amok, a bit.  We were in the hospital last month (non-COVID) and it was wild and they wanted us out of there as soon as possible.  I mean, he was admitted due to dehydration, and when they first got ready to discharge him he had unexpected vomiting, and if we could have found a way to get him to the car they would have had him go home, even though he couldn't even hold down a sip of water.  Did I mention that we were one room away from one of the plastic-ed-off COVID units?  The icing on the cake is that the unimportant (temporary--it was done and gone a day later) vomiting is now what some of the healthcare providers have seized upon as very important and they've changed up medicines and we have not had good results.  It's all a bit tiring, and healthcare folks are tired, too.  We're all just doing our best.  

Anyway, in spite of it all, I think were doing decently okily-dokily.  I'll be back soon, and I even have knitting.  I'm just as shocked as you are.  

*Did you see that their will be a Switch version of Big Brain Academy coming out in December?  I can't wait!           

Sew it All Away

Sew, I've been sewing a little bit.  It started out with a free pattern/tutorial for a sleeping bag for L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls.  Do you know what LOL Dolls are?  It really isn't important to this conversation.  What matters (wait, I'm pretty sure none of this matters, but we carry on, nonetheless) is that I decided to sew some for the two youngest nieces.  Of course, you see this is where the auntly dilemma begins, as I felt if I did that, I ought to sew something for the youngest nephew, and if I was going to do that, I ought to sew for others.  I decided that zippered pouches would be a good choice.  I found a few free patterns on the same site but ultimately decided upon one from a different site.  I started with the sleeping bags, and when that didn't kill me and I seemed to have something decent to show for my efforts, I moved on to the bags.  My first pouch turned out well, and so did the second, and then it was time to make the ones intended for gifts.  Then one of the first trial projects became a gift for my mom.  I sewed and sewed, and sewed and sewed some more.   

The pouches substituted for stockings and I filled them with random goodies like lip balm, tissues, hand sanitizer, and candy canes.  I meant to put the sleeping bags in the pouches too, but I forgot them in another pouch at home.  I also forgot to capture a photo of them before I gave them all away.   

Most people didn't realize I had sewn the pouches, but someone who did mentioned she could use some.  I knew I would be sewing more, and soon.  I just didn't realize how many more I would be sewing.  Next thing you know, I'm sewing goodie bags for brothers-and-sisters-in-law.  I made a few changes along the way.  I added a little handle.  I changed the placement of said handle.  I varied sizes.  Here you can see some of the bags I have sewn and some (I momentarily lost one) of the sleeping bags (small knit dog included for scale, I guess, but you probably don't know its size, either).  I think I made thirteen of the zippered pouches. 

I had fun.  Most all of the fabric came from the remnants bin, so it was a relatively inexpensive endeavor.  I scored a good deal on the zippers.  I learned.  I tried different types of fabrics.  I used special, prized fabric that had been waiting for its turn.  I mailed off a bag filled with treats that will arrive only one day late.  I gave gifts I did not have to wrap and that could continue to be of use once the contents were gone.  I did not burn myself on the iron.  I'm going to go ahead and call this a win.                        

No, You Cannot Have the Clothes I'm Wearing

Since I am not most excellent at the sewing machine, I am easily impressed when I do something and it turns out well, even if it is a simple sewing task.  For example, I recently altered the length of my husband's overalls.  I started with an old pair that he wears when working in the garage or when doing yard work, and when I didn't destroy those, I moved on to others.  I'm pleased to have accomplished this task, and he is pleased with the changes.  Not much of a story, is it?  Since you stuck through my saga of simple alteration, I'll give you a bonus "Tale from the VA" story.  

On Halloween, Bruce had an appointment at the BVAMC.  Before we left the hospital to go home, we grabbed a water and a coffee for the drive.  Bruce is wearing overalls.  A man approached and said, "Let me ask you one question."  What followed was not what we expected, but instead was a series of brain teasers.  He then began to talk about the coat he was wearing and all the places in the world he had worn it.  Then he asked Bruce where he got his overalls.  Bruce told him the name of the store where he bought them.  Then he asked to borrow them.  He said he just really needed to borrow them.  We tried our best to just kind of laugh it off and make our way to the shuttle to the parking garage.  Guess who else got on the bus a couple of minutes later.  Usually, those buses are full and there is a line of people waiting for the next one.  This time there were only five passengers--Bruce and I, one man in front of us, and the brain teaser and a buddy toward the back.  Soon he started up again, asking to borrow Bruce's overalls.  He then began to complain a bit more loudly that he couldn't believe that Bruce would not lend him the overalls.  The man begins to make requests that the bus driver might drop him off somewhere besides the parking deck, which of course the driver cannot.  All the way there (it is a short drive, but seemed longer) he would again express his dismay and disbelief that Bruce would not lend him the overalls.  While having the bus nearly empty was not good in that he had almost nowhere else to direct his attention, it was good in that it allowed us a quick exit, and we did.  You just never know what kind of adventure awaits you at the VA.     

A Place for Everything

And everything in its place?  Well, it seems unlikely that I will ever be that organized, but I am making progress.  Today's proof is a new cabinet for my sewing machine.  Up until now, when I wanted to sew, I was using a tv tray as a table, and while I was able to make it work for some things, it was not ideal.  There is so much I like about this new piece.  It allows me to have a proper place to sew, it offers storage for various sewing tools and accessories, and it can close up and keep everything protected and out of sight.  


It might take me a little time to organize everything in it, but I am already using it for sewing.  I finished Eva's birthday blanket, and I love it.  


I first saw this blanket pattern over at Grumperina's, and I bookmarked it immediately.  I read the tutorial and thought it might be something I could make, so I bought some fabric.  I washed, ironed, and assembled, and then it was time to pack and move, so it sat.  One day I decided I had better get going on it, so I even managed to do most of the sewing on my old tv tray setup, including making the binding.  I finished the blanket the other day after I assembled my table, and I love it.  I think it is cute, and can see more of these in my future.     

Sew What?

Totally unimpressive to anyone else, massively impressive to me.  Yep, I sewed a little project bag.  I suppose that the bag itself is not much, but I am quite pleased that I was able to take an idea and turn it into what I wanted it to be.  

Years ago, I bought some little bags at a dollar store.  I really liked them because they are great for knitting on the go, but there were things I did not love.  The fabric is not so great, the strap is pretty bad, and the pictures on the front are ugly.  Anyway, I cut apart one of the bags and used it for a pattern, and after much more time and effort than it should have taken, I had a new bag.

There are a few other details about the bag that I love.  First, I made the double-fold bias tape myself.  As I am quite the beginner at sewing, I still get to have these moments where I try something new and it thrills me more than it probably should.  If I were five, I would want to hang my bias tape on the refrigerator.  The battle was hard-fought, but I won.  I made mistakes and when I rushed I had troubles, but I learned so much.  I also had a reminder to trust myself even though I am a beginner, because some of the problem was a defective bias tape tip that I have now exchanged, but that is neither here nor there.  Anyway, I used this great tutorial, and now have yards and yards of the stuff and will never hesitate to make my own whenever I need it.  

The other little handmade detail I love is the strap.  I wove it on my inkle loom, and it might please me even more than the bias tape.  I used some rayon crochet thread that I bought ages ago from a clearance pile at a craft store and have been trying to find a use for ever since.  It was one of those times where the "Oooh, Shiny!" and "Yay, Bargain!" collided and I could not stop myself.  Anyway, it is great for these straps, and I already have the loom set up to weave another.  I have also sewn another of these bags and it is just waiting for its strap.  Overall, I feel like I have done pretty well with 2012's National Sewing Month.  

Best Laid Plans and All That

So, I thought for sure that if I planned things just right, all would go according to plan. I wrote my posts, scheduled them to publish, and thought that I would keep up with it. That last part was the unreasonable expectation because last week was crazy busy--some days crazier, and some busier. We had family visiting from out-of-town. It is too bad that the whole thing was set up the way it was because it just meant a lot of busyness and not near enough good visiting time. It was what it was and will be what it will be.

I coped with some of it by sewing. Happy National Sewing Month! I made a bag for my Schacht Cricket loom. It is something I have wanted to do for a while, and then I saw a contest and that inspired me to get out the duck cloth and see what I could make. It is by no means an award-winning piece, but I like it and it is a great way to carry my little loom.

Speaking of the loom, I forgot to show you the rainbow scarf I made on it. This was what I had put on the loom for the weaving demo earlier this year. I like this cute little scarf and love its drape and bright colors.

Caps, Gowns, and More Caps

May has been a very busy month.  A major event was the daughter's graduation from college.  We are so proud of her.  Her hard work and accomplishments made it easy to look past the challenges involved in organizing her graduation party.  We survived the mixed-nuts-controversy, the panic over parking, and invitation indignation, all with our sense of humor intact.  None of it was actually anything to worry about, and as long as at least two people could keep that in mind at all times, it kept a relative calm over those who prefer to panic.  I stayed so busy keeping things flowing that I hardly had any time to socialize, and I kind of liked it that way.  

The weather jerks kept telling me about the heat, and I was starting to take it personally.  As this attitude was neither positive nor helpful, I decided that I needed to do something.  As I cannot control the weather, (not that it would be a good thing if I could) I figured that a sunhat was what I needed to put myself in a better frame of mind.   

In the past, I have looked at knitted summer hat patterns, never really found the right one, and I often freeze up when I begin to think about the millinery wire and starch.  Anyway, awhile back I thought about sewing a sunhat.  I looked at various patterns, and immediately discarded those sized for "average ladies' heads."  If that worked for me, I would have already bought one from the store.  Then there were the directions for those with more sewing experience wherein the designer throws out some guidelines, and you work out the pattern for yourself.  As my experience and skills are not there yet, my search continued.  Finally, I found a pattern that I liked, and filed it away for future reference.  Fast forward to this week, and I was ready to try.  

The pattern comes from Lorenna Buck, and I love it.  It fits, protects me from the sun, is comfortable, and I want to make more.  Even with my sub-par-sewing-skills and mistakes, it still looks pretty good.  I learned as I sewed, and think my next hat should be even better.  

With the need for air conditioning comes the need for a new hat for Harrison.  I love the pattern and the sizing options mean I could make these for everyone I know.  I seriously doubt that I will do that, but I will probably knit more of them for babies.     



            

These Dreams

You know--the ones that go on when I close my eyes. Well, they have not been so great, and their meanings are not so hidden. I had one where Cookie emailed me and asked why it had been so long since I had blogged. Of course, that was a reminder that I had missed Cookie's birthday. Then there was the one where people were yelling at me while I played ukulele. This is because I am musically horrible. The most disturbing was the dream where everyone was after my ginger root. They only came around when my ginger root had regenerated enough for a piece to be cut off, and it was all very stressful. I have that dream figured out, too.

Anyway, I have not been knitting, and I think I have worked why that is the case, but issues remain. However, I have been at the sewing machine some. Mostly that means I hemmed my nephew's pants, but I did make a pincushion, too. I made mistakes with it, but it is not completely terrible. Soon, I hope to sew an apron, and it will have cupcakes on it.

Speaking of cupcakes, I have been spinning my Leafy BFL/silk Cupcake Fiber Co (Happy 1st Birthday!) batts. The spinning experience was wonderful and even more comforting during this time of not knitting. I did pretty well, and am pleased with my efforts and results. I spun, plied, washed, and now have my big, squooshy skein of two-ply, laceweight yarn, (yardage undetermined) as well as my tiny, squooshy, mill-end skein of eleven yards. I finished it just before my new box of Cupcake batts arrived. I almost got the Mother of Pearl, but decided to get Royal because I have wanted it for so long.

Speaking of long, I have yammered on long enough, so, Happy Wednesday!

Pajama Pants and Peanuts

In something of a surprise, bringing my colder weather clothes into the rotation and putting the summer ones away for the year did not coincide with a burst of unseasonable warmness. Instead, it is still cold, and I get to wear the pajama pants I made for myself. Yeah, I have a sewing machine and play with it a little, but it is not getting much attention because knitting gets all of my free time right now. Speaking of that, I need to get back to that last seam.