Little Gray Dog

Over a Year With No Posts-But I'm Finally Finishing a Project!

2011-02-09T10:24:00.005-05:00

Wow that just won't do, will it? I haven't been doing much crafting...OK I haven't been doing any crafting since I started my new job, over a year ago. It's been a crazy year, but I think I'm finally ready to start crafting again.

Remember the quilt I started a million years ago and never finished? The one I planned to give to my best friend from college? Yes, the one that got married two years ago this summer...ekk. Well I'm finally finishing hand sewing on the binding and I should be done this weekend. You have 2 years to give a wedding gift right? Wrong, 1 year, so my sincere apologies my dear Mo, your gift is coming soon.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T10:00:00.002-05:00

I love January 1st! Probably for two reasons. First, it's my Birthday and Second, there's something invigorating about beginning "over". Making goals for a new year, challenging myself to try new things, and pushing myself to live a simpler and better life. 2009 was a challenging year in some respects, but I've learned and grown a lot and am excited to try some new projects and learn some new skills in 2010.

From Little Gray Dog to you: Peace, Love and Happiness and many successful new projects in the New Year!

While Visions of Dingos Danced in Their Heads

2009-12-17T23:32:00.003-05:00

If you have a dog I'm sure you're well aware of dingos. Little gray dog has already put in his order with santa (his grammy in maine, shh don't tell he still believes) for a bag or two.

Here's a shot of the tree this year. The theme is blue and silver. Little gray dog decided he (as always) needed to be the center of attention (even if he was asleep). Patrick the cat also decided to take part in the photo shoot. Don't mind the lack of tree skirt, the dog drinks the tree water and I decided putting presents under the tree wasn't a great idea, unless we wanted dog drool all over them.

Long Time No Post

2009-12-09T12:47:00.006-05:00

Where have I been...Well I've recently discovered coupon shopping and I have to admit that I'm hooked. Hooked is probably an understatement. A good friend of mine sent me a video clip about a woman in Massachusetts who buys thousands of dollars of groceries for only pennies. After watching I did a little research and discovered that there are tons of bloggers out there explaining step by step how to save money. I got so engrossed in my coupon shopping that I literally haven't done anything else for about a month. It's like crack, in credit card form (but luckily you're never spending much). For the month of November I spent about $93.53 (minus rebates and rewards that I have left to spend next month) and bought everything in the photos below (over $900.00 worth of product). Now I have a ton of stuff to give away for Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers (let's just say that everyone and their brother is getting a razor set this Christmas).

On a crafty note I did finish my bella mittens and my knitty cabled hat and will post those photos later today or tomorrow. Sorry for the long absence. I frequently get obsessed with things (be it crafts, or coupon shopping) and lose track of time.

K

"The Squirrels Will Never Recognize Me Now!"

2009-11-02T23:06:00.004-05:00

Said the little gray dog to E and I while we were walking him around on Howl-o-ween. His costume was actually a 3 month old baby costume that I picked up the night before Halloween and altered to fit him. It was a little beat up and missing eyes so I asked the manager for 1/2 off, he agreed and I only ended up paying $7 bucks.

I had the buttons on hand and used his lands end fleece jacket to measure fit. I think he was horribly embarrassed, but everyone else thought he was really cute. I thought the costume was especially appropriate since I'm originally from Maine. I thought about tying a sign around his neck that said Maine or Bust and sending a photo to my parents, but got sidetracked. Do I see a Christmas card in the works?...Am I turning into one of those people? EkkYes, even the kitties wanted to get in on the "action".

New Goodies

2009-10-27T08:28:00.005-04:00

This weekend I was cleaning when E took the little gray dog for his morning walk. He returned later with this adorable little quilt. It's all hand quilted and the woman selling it told E that it was made by her mother. It always amazes me that people can give away/sell handmade gifts. Perhaps it wasn't her style, but I guess I'm too much of a packrat and/or too sentimental to give away something that was made specifically for me. I often find myself purchasing handmade items (quilts, afghans etc) at thrift shops and garage sales even if their color scheme isn't my taste.
Maybe I'm crazy (ok I know I'm crazy), but I know how much time and love when into making them and I'd hate to think they'd get sent to the dump. So to save them from an uncertain fate...they come to my house, which is exactly why I need a bigger place. Something with a space for my craft workshop, so I can finally hang all of these "misfits". I'm not sure exactly what I will do with it yet, since I don't have a studio, but I'm happy to have it.
Here's a kona color card that I received in the mail from Karen. Her etsy shop North Country Quilts is here. She has a great selection of moda's precuts, some beautiful batiks, and a large selection of kona cotton solids. Now that I have the color card it will be much easier to purchase online and know the the "tangerine" I ordered from Hancock fabrics is WAY too bright to use on the front of the Halloween wall hanging that may or may not be finished in time for Halloween.

K-

Take This Job and Shove It!

2009-10-25T20:57:00.004-04:00

Let's just say that my week was absolutely miserable. The job I started Monday turned out to be a NIGHTMARE. The people (who only spoke Hebrew because they knew I couldn't understand what they were saying), the work itself (which was nothing related to HR, which was the job I was hired to do), and the office itself (which didn't even have a bathroom...think using a key for a public restroom in the hall. I was basically treated like a secretary/personal assistant to 15 people (which would be fine if the pay was much more and that was explained to me in the beginning). I should have known when I asked for a job description and there wasn't one, or when I realized they didn't ask me for references, or perhaps when I was offered the position an hour after interviewing (I guess I just thought "man they must recognize how uber talented I am and want to scoop me up"). Which of course is probably true in some respects since the job was so encompassing and complicated that they would need to hire 5 different people to handle all the crap they were delegating. But enough of that...it's all in the past. For the first time in my life and very happily I must confess, I resigned from a job (and after only 5 days).

In happier news, I took my licensing exam on Saturday and I PASSED!! woo hoo. Now I can officially add LMSW to my name. I wasn't planning on taking the exam since my major was social enterprise not clinical, but I think in this economy having another credential can't hurt, right?

So here's what I've been working on this week. Bella's mittens by subliminalrabbit. I found the pattern on ravelry and immediately fell in love. I have to admit I don't know anything about the Twilight movie they were inspired by, but I really love how quick they work up and how professional they look. I don't know how long the first one took since I didn't know very much over the week, but the second one is working up much faster. I always save the thumbs for last, I guess that's because it's the part I like the least, well that and weaving in ends.

One of These Things is Not like the Others

2009-10-19T20:41:00.011-04:00

Ok none of these these are like each other...In a logical time progression order, I give to you my weekend.

Banana Bread bought at a rest stop in upstate New York, delicious and moist, yum!
Artichokes (deep fried with blue cheese and buffalo dipping sauce and sauteed in garlic and butter with parmesan cheese) I waited in line for an hour and 20 minutes to get these delicious treats. Luckily there were some friendly ladies also enjoying the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival who kept me company. Shout out to Loraine if she's reading, and no my shih tzu is not a humper:)
Here are a few sheep at the sheep and wool festival. I wanted to take one home but had a strange suspicion my little gray dog wouldn't like them very much. He already has to show the kitties who's boss and doesn't need any more competition for mama's love.

And...a kangaroo! I saw kangaroo's last year at the festival and one of them had a joey, it was the most adorable thing I've ever seen. The owner of the kangaroo told me all about joeys and her farm last year, it was fascinating.
And on Sunday's trip to Fiesta Grill we drove by this adorable little hair salon selling...Doobies? Umm...it was right next to a police precinct so your guess is as good as mine. If anyone knows what a doobie is please please write me, I'm dying to know.
That's all for today. It was a long first day at the office, but I'm so thankful to have a job.

K-

Blogger's Quilt Festival

2009-10-15T23:32:00.007-04:00

So I've been looking at all the beautiful quilts listed on Park City Girl's Blogger's Quilt Festival for a few days now and just noticed that the deadline to take part in the festival is tomorrow. So without further ado... I give to you Mardi Gras
The pattern was based on bento box by Tracey Brookshire. I didn't actually have the pattern so I just made up my own measurements. I purchased all of the batiks for 40-50% off at a local quilt store when I was living in Boston. At first I wasn't really sure I liked them, but when I was finished I was really pleased with the result. Normally I would choose a much more subdued color palate, but I'm glad I stepped out of my comfort zone a little to make this quilt. It was my second "bed-size" quilt and was quilted on a long-arm machine by Debbie Allen in Utah. The quilting was done using an all over pano and variegated thread (the last photo shows the detail the best). When I first put the photos of this quilt on flickr another quilter said I should name it Mardi Gras because of all the bright colors, at the time it was unnamed, so the name stuck.

A big thank you to Amy for hosting such a wonderful festival. With so many talented and inspirational quilters, I look forward to looking through each of the entries.

K-

Ask and Ye Shall Receive...Good News and Finished Projects

2009-10-15T16:32:00.005-04:00

Finally, finally I have a job! Woo hoo I'm so thrilled to be among the gainfully employed again. I received an offer yesterday from a financial consulting company to be their Administrative and Human Resources Manager. I start Monday and I'm very excited about the possibilities.

Here are a couple of projects I've been working on. The first one you'll remember from a few months ago. I couldn't get a decent photo in color so here's one in black and white:
Pattern: Telemark Pullover by Erika Flory-a pdf can be found on ravelry for free! Modifications: Made the collar and arm and waist bands in seed stitch. Made the sweater short sleeve instead of long. It sort of reminds me of a polo shirt.
Yarn: Cotton Fleece in a chocolate brown colorway
Needle: Size 8
Other: I love how quick this knit up (despite the fact I put off the sleeves for months). It's a well written pattern and makes an adorable little sweater. I would say it runs a bit small though so I would recommend making at least one pattern size larger then you normally would need.

And a candle mat I made for my grandmother for Christmas

Pattern: Inspired by a pattern by Barri Sue Gaudet
Modifications: I didn't actually have the pattern, just saw one and decided to buy the materials to make one using my own guesstimates about how big the berries and flowers should be.
Materials: Wool Felt and embroidery floss
Other:I'm really pleased with how cute this came out. I think my grandma will really like this since her whole kitchen is strawberry themed. It took forever to stitch around every little piece, but it was a good project to do listening to tv on the couch.

Off to clean up the apartment a little, since next week I'll be working:)

K-

I won! I won!

2009-10-08T19:35:00.003-04:00

So today I sat on the couch for most of the day sort of feeling bad for myself. I'm getting frustrated since I still haven't had any luck in my job search. I know the economy is bad and yada yada, but I guess I was sort of hoping all the money Obama promised would go to social services would add some jobs in my field. Anyway...so I'm sitting on the couch pouting and all of the sudden I notice my phone is blinking...an e-mail... a slight glimmer of hope that perhaps an employer is contacting me to set up an interview, but no...even BETTER!

I won Karen's give away. I've been reading her blog for a while and admiring her "Dear Jane" quilt, so I decided that it couldn't hurt to enter, just in case. I'm not usually one to win contests or giveaways, so this is indeed a pleasant surprise, and perhaps a sign that things are going to get better. So, here's a shout out to any hiring managers in the greater NYC area who might be reading and have an job opening for me (who knows, maybe I'm on a lucky streak, right?)

And a BIG thanks to Karen for making my day!! Stop by her blog and check out her projects, you'll be glad you did.

Christmas Quilt is Complete!

2009-10-07T17:09:00.010-04:00

Overall I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I love the red and white combination and I was able to use up a bunch of fabric from my stash. The only think I needed to buy was the backing (Kona Cotton:Snow). Luckily I saw a post from a fellow craftster member who mentioned that Hancock Fabrics was having a huge sale on Kona Cotton (52% off to be exact). I purchased 10 yards of snow and a few yards of other colors to make use of this wonderful bargain. Unfortunately they were out of many popular colors (which I didn't find out until I placed my order and got a call from customer service ugg). What I really need is a color card so that I know what I'm buying and don't have to guess what papaya "really" looks like. The shipping took a long time too, but I guess for 52% off I should stop complaining. I only wish there were a Hancock fabrics closer than 150 miles away.

I didn't use a pattern for this quilt, but was inspired by this quilt that I saw on flickr (of course). The stars are just 5 inch squares cut into triangles and arranged accordingly.

All of the quilting was done on my juki using a walking food and straight lines. I used Signature cotton quilting thread in a variegated red/pink colorway. The stitches aren't as perfect as I'd like, but it wasn't too bad for my first try at more "complicated" quilting i.e. I didn't just use painters tape this time to make a grid. Batting of course is warm and natural, for that well worn crinkly look. Binding was a bit smaller (2.25")then I usually make since this is a smaller size quilt. I actually rather like the 2.25" and might start using it on all my quilts.

I haven't made a label yet (I know I said I'd be better about this...bad bad i know). I was so anxious to get it binded and in the washing machine I couldn't force myself to make up a label.

K-

Snow Mum Finished

2009-09-30T17:48:00.005-04:00

I've been wanting to make one of these for so long and even had the materials but for some reason couldn't get the motivation. So finally here it is finished and I think it's rather cute. Simple and Elegant at the same time. The pattern was really easy to follow and I only made a few substitutions.

Pattern: Amy Butler Snow Mum Pillow

Fabric Used: White Wool Felt Bought at Joann's with a 40% off coupon (wool felt is really expensive, I'd recommend saving your coupon)

Notions Used: WonderUnder, Interfacing and a button and embroidery floss from my stash.

Pattern Alterations: Used 16″ instead of 18″ pillow and needed to add several petals to the second and third "rings". Otherwise exactly as written.

Patrick gives it his Himalayan seal of approval (where's my lint roller?)

K-

Fabric Baskets and Snow Mum

2009-09-29T16:11:00.008-04:00

I've been wanting to make one of these since I saw them a week ago on flickr. I used a great tutorial by Pink Penguin that can be found her e. I adapted the size a little to make mine larger. The blue print is Bohemian Rhapsody by Blue Meadow Designs RJR fabrics and the brown used for the bottom and lining is scraps from a new brown flat sheet that I had from another project (oh the joy I get from up-cycling). I might make a few of these for Christmas gifts. All total with the cutting and sewing it probably only took me an hour and a half to make. They would be a nice little gift with a bottle of wine tucked in, or maybe coloring books and crayons for little ones.
I also started making the Snow Mum pillow (Free pattern from Amy Bulter) that I've been wanting to make for forever. It's a little tedious with all the cutting (in fact I had to stop several times because my thumb was going numb), but I think it's going to be really pretty when it's finished. I'm using 100% wool felt in a snowy white color.

K-

Apologies in Advance

2009-09-23T17:42:00.007-04:00

For...
A- the terrible photography of these gorgeous quilts
B- not having written down the titles of the quilts and names of the quilt makers
C- the horrible lighting in the auditorium (this one wasn't my fault, thankfully)

So as promised here are a few of the many photos I took at the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza.

The last two I believe were made based on patterns from Kaffe Fassett's books. I wish I could have taken a photo of every quilt there, such inspiration!

K-

Two down-Many to Go

2009-09-21T16:22:00.008-04:00

Here's Jack's Finished quilt. I quilted this one in a two inch diamond pattern. The quilting is a little heavier than I did on Quinn's quilt and I really like how it turned out. I also used green cotton fabric scrap for the embroidered label and I like how it stands out a little more on the backing fabric. I'm glad to have them both finished and feel quite accomplished.
This weekend E and I went to the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza. It was really amazing and the quilts there were absolutely gorgeous. I took a bunch of photos that I'll upload in the next couple of days. Now I have so many ideas for new quilts I want to start, I hardly know where to begin. I bought some beautiful batiks and some wool felt that I plan on making into a strawberry candle mat for my grandmum. I also saw some fancy longarms which was pretty neat. When I have an extra 15-30k lying around I know where I can put it to good use.

K-

Why Does it Take Me So Long to Take photos?

2009-09-18T22:45:00.004-04:00

Probably the same reason it takes me 2 months to sew buttons on an otherwise completed sweater. I finish the body and see what the sweater will look like and then the excitement is over. I make the first mitten or the first quilt block or figure out that complicated lace pattern and then I lose my attention span. One sock syndrome a fellow knitter once called it.

In any case they are finally finished (buttons and all). All 100% wool and all top down raglan variations. I'm pretty sure they were all done on size 8 needles. The last one with toggles was wool purchased by my dad when he was in Ireland. You would think there would be wool everywhere in Ireland given it is a country known for its farms and sheep, but apparently my he had a horrible time finding yarn. France was also a difficult place to find yarn he tells me.

Whenever he travels I ask him to bring back local yarn or fabric. It doesn't quite make up for the fact that he's traveling while I'm living the life of an impoverished grad student (even though I graduated in May and it's now almost halfway through September), but it is better than a crappy t-shirt or little knick nacks I'll never use.

K-

Quinnie Done, Jack to Go!

2009-09-16T14:46:00.006-04:00

This afternoon I finished up Quinnie Boo's quilt. I ever hand embroidered a little label to go on the back (this is the first quilt I've ever labeled, that's horrible, I know!). Sadly, if I had known how terribly simple it is to whip up one of this little labels I would have done it long ago. I just used a scrap of off white cotton and some red embroidery floss. I wrote the words on with a crayola washable marker and followed the lines.

The solid colored cottons are mostly Quilter's only cotton from Joanns and were scraps from previous projects. Some of the prints I used (in various colorways) include: Henry Glass Gardenia by Linda Lum Debono, Dots by Cranston Village, Maywood Studio Bee's Knees by Glenna Hailey, Peas and Carrots American Jane patterns by Sandy Klop and a few other 100% cotton polka dots and prints of unknown origins.
The batting is 80% cotton 20% poly. I typically use 100% cotton by warm and natural, but wanted to try something different to experiment with shrinkage. I love that wrinkly look on most of my quilts but would also like to find something that doesn't shrink for some of my bigger bed quilts. Wool perhaps?

Backing is a precut 100% cotton Ikea print with various zoo animals that I've had in my stash for a while. The one large piece was big enough to be the backing for both baby quilts and If I remember correctly I bought it for under 10 bucks, what a steal!

Quilting was done in straight lines with my walking food. This is the first quilt I've quilted with my new Juki and I am thrilled with the quality of the stitching. Now I just have to quilt and bind Jack's quilt and I can cross two Christmas gifts off my list (and it's only Mid-September). Maybe this terrible economy and lack of jobs does have some perks afterall :)

K-

People Like Me+Dual Purpose School Supplies

2009-09-14T20:29:00.006-04:00

Proof is here! Mrs. Messy has featured a photo of Jack's Quilt (and her other favorites) as part of her photo montage for the word of the week "quilt". How exciting, thanks Mrs. Messy, blog shout outs are super sweet!

The rest of this post brought to you by...Crayola Washable Markers and Elmer's Washable School Glue (Allow me to explain).

This afternoon I finished quilting Quinn's quilt with a simple "diamonds" pattern using straight lines and my walking foot. I did the first set of lines using 1.5 inch painters tape and tried to do the second set of lines...unfortunately the tape wasn't cooperating. I think the stickiness wore off too much and I was too lazy to tear off more tape, so I decided to draw on the lines using crayola washable markers and my clear ruler.Overall I think it was much easier. Although I like using tape because I don't go blind watching the drawn on lines, I think in the future I might just draw on my designs and not mess around with the tape. I've used these markers in the past and had no problem with them completely washing out (even after weeks of soaking into the fabric). I find them cheaper and easier to use then all of the traditional quilting pens that I've found a fabric stores.

I also sewed binding strips together and put them on the front of Quinn's quilt with my machine. In the past I've had horrible frustration (OK, temper tantrums following by yelling and cursing) attaching the "ends" of the binding together and onto my quilts. Either I have too much extra and I end up tucking fabric (which makes me nuts) or I cut the tails too short and then I have to sew on another piece (which makes me even more nuts).

Finally, thanks to this fabulous video on utube I made and attached a perfect binding! I'm so thrilled to have finally found such an easy solution (Elmer's glue to help attach binding, who knew?) I could dance around the room. Sharon Schamber's videos are excellent. If you haven't watched them yet, I highly highly recommend you take a gander.

Back to hand stitching the binding to the back

K-

9-12-09

2009-09-12T17:13:00.007-04:00

8 years and 1 day after a tragedy our country will never forget. Feels like just yesterday I was walking home to my dorm after an uneventful and rather boring 8am math class. It was my first year of college and I had only been away from home for a few weeks.

Still a little in shock about being alone and 6+ hours away from my family, September 11th felt like it was going to be a good day. The crisp fall air had warmed nicely by the time my class was over and the ocean's rhythmic pulse was soothing and reminiscent of home.

I was in my own world, contemplating stopping for a bowl of cereal before the tiny dining hall overcrowded, when another student came running towards me. "Odd", I thought to myself... college student are not up at 8am, unless they have to be, and they certainly aren't running in their street clothes. "A plane hit the world trade center, go turn on your tv", she gasped as she ran by. So I walked faster until I reached my dorm.

By the time I made it there everyone was awake and fixated on their TVs and computers as the mayhem unfolded. People were crying, cellphones wouldn't work, my roommate's dad was on a plane somewhere and we couldn't find out which flights crashed. It was a day, a week, a year I'll never forget. I'm thankful that President Obama has called for a day of service and hope that the compassion and love that people shared after 9/11/01 will be rekindled and remembered each 9/11 and throughout the year.

On a more upbeat note, I present two very bright baby quilt tops that I made for my Nephews for Christmas. Funky and happy polka dots, bright primary solids, and a mishmosh of blocks and patterns. They are exactly the brightness I needed on this dreary day. Please excuse the blurry photography, I still can't manage to find a time of day when the lighting is right to take photos inside the apartment.

Oh and the Ikea zoo fabric that the tops are lying on I plan to use as the backing. I wanted to make sure that the tops and backs were approximately the same size so I don't have to trim down the tops to fit on the back.
Little Gray dog loves to help his mummy organize her quilt blocks. Thankfully he has a good eye for color.

K-

Proof You Can BUY Happiness

2009-09-09T17:47:00.006-04:00

My new Juki arrived less than an hour ago and I am thrilled. I'm on the tail end of finishing up my second quilt for the nephews and so far have been able to control my impulsive need to rip the packaging open and fondle the 98q. I've waited for so long it seems to have this machine in my possession and now that it's here it's almost too fabulous to open (almost). I told myself I couldn't start using it until I finish quilt 2, but since it's almost complete I might have to do an all nighter so I can open the box.

E and I went to an arts and crafts festival this weekend in New Paltz (up state NY). Here are some of my purchases...

Unfortunately the third photo didn't come home with us. As much as I'd love to have an Alpaca, little gray dog and the himis say there isn't enough room in the apartment. Maybe someday when I buy that antique farmhouse I've been dreaming about.

K-

The Best Things in Life are Free

2009-09-05T19:07:00.013-04:00

Little Italy
Originally uploaded by Little Gray Dog

Or, $5 at Quickly. I actually had some crafty things to share last week and I totally forgot to blog about one of my favorite pastimes...wandering around Chinatown.

E and I use to go much more frequently, but have been pretty busy this summer and haven't had much time to hang out in the city. Someone told me when I moved to New York that most of my time would be spent in the 10 block radius surrounding my apartment and I laughed at them. Well it turns out they were right. Most of the things you need (food, laundry, takeout etc.) are within a 10 block radius and as a result I don't explore as much as I did when I first moved here.

So here is proof that I do actually leave my house...

The corner of Grand street where the most wonderful fresh watermelon slush bubble teas are made at Quickly (no I don't work for them, but if my current unemployment streak continues perhaps I should put in an application, no?)

The wax paper bag is filled with cream cakes. I usually buy them at quickly but decided to give the little stand beside Quickly a go. While waiting in line I asked E if I thought the health department inspected the vendor's stand, he shrugged. I'm not sure why I even bothered to ask given E had congee with preserved egg and pork, with a fresh raw egg mixed in for lunch. Frogs and snail and chicken feet were all on the menu, I had spring rolls and dumplings.

Progress on the boys' quilts will be posted soon

K-

C'est Fini

2009-09-01T21:06:00.005-04:00

Ziggy
Originally uploaded by Little Gray Dog

finally Ziggy is finished and photographed (albeit, poorly). I still can't manage to take a decent photograph with my camera inside, but I'm working on it. Inspired by Denyse Schmidt's Big Zig the chocolate brown fabric is Kona cotton and the florals are mostly Kaffe Fassett prints purchased at the Button Box in Wellesley, MA. The backing is hot pink Quilter's Only cotton from JoAnns.

The quilting is simple shadow quilting with Coats and Clark 100% cotton machine quilting thread and was sewn a quarter inch from the edge of the brown zigs. When the binding was finished I washed and dried and really like the wrinkly effect. The batting is warm and natural 100% that I picked up at JoAnns.

Now I'm working on a couple of Christmas Quilts for my nephews, photos to come soon.

K-

I Heart Organization...

2009-08-28T22:03:00.001-04:00

I heart organized Thread
Originally uploaded by Little Gray Dog

Organized thread is organization right? Here's a photo of my new thread holder, color coded of course, neutrals then brights. This is only half of my thread (the 100% cotton quilting), the rest is on the other side of the organizer. The best part is the little box snaps closed and has a handle so I can take it with me if I'm traveling somewhere to quilt and can't decide which color I want to use.

I also finished the quilting on Ziggy (unoriginal name for a zig zag quilt, I know). It's just basic shadowing of the pattern a quarter inch inside the brown zig zags. I used my walking foot and the whole process only took about 2 hours. This is the second quilt I've done using my new walking foot and I have to say the process is getting much quicker and much easier. My only complaint is I wish my machine had a setting that would automatically stop the needle in the down position. All those stops and starts and having to manually put the needle down was a huge pain in the butt. I also machine sewed on the front of the binding and have been hand sewing the back while watching TV. Photos to come tomorrow if the sun ever comes out. I'm afraid Hurricane Danny has ruined my hopes for a sunny beach weekend.

Social Justice is Still Alive

2009-08-27T13:26:00.004-04:00

"Every American should have the opportunity to receive a quality education, a job that respects their dignity and protects their safety, and health care that does not condemn those whose health is impaired to a lifetime of poverty and lost opportunity."

Sometimes it's easy to get discouraged and wonder why I do the work that I do. Being a social worker isn't glamorous, it isn't wealth building, and it isn't always gratifying. During graduate school I constantly debated whether I had made the right decision. Two years of an ivy league graduate program certainly puts a dent in your wallet and makes you a little cynical, "why am I paying thousands of dollars to an already wealthy institution, to surface in a horrible economy in a field that pays less then most entry level administrative assistant positions?", I should have just gone to law school I thought to myself.

But when we lose a true social justice icon, like Ted Kennedy, I remember why I do what I do. Because I too believe that every child should receive an excellent public education that sets them up for success in whatever profession they choose, that the color of one's skin shouldn't determine the opportunities that are available for him/her, and that every individual should receive high quality low cost healthcare, regardless of ability to pay.

Ted Kennedy got me my first paid job (well sort of). In 2002, an ear mark grant brought back to Massachusetts by senator Kennedy was given to the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. That grant funded my job and allowed the League to train entry level workers (those re-entering the workforce from welfare, layoffs, extended leaves from the workforce etc.) to work in administrative positions at health centers.

Fast Facts... (courtesy of the League's website)

The first health center was established in 1965 at Columbia Point in Dorchester, MA (now Geiger Gibson Community Health Center) and was/is the model of care that Sen. Kennedy supported from the start.
Ninety percent of health center patients have incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level or $41,300 in annual income for a family of four.
Nationally, health centers total more than 1,000 and serve 16 million people.

So a big thank you to Sen. Kennedy, not only for my job, but for your passion to social justice and the confidence to believe that the American dream can and does still exist, we just have to continue fighting for it!

Remember those Floral Blocks from a month ago?

2009-08-25T19:51:00.002-04:00

Well here they are (some of them at least). Today I worked on piecing them together into these blocks. They are just half square triangles arranged to make zig zags. Inspired by the plethora of zig zag quilts on flickr I decided to give this one a try.
Right now they are just strips but hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to finish the top. It will probably end up being a twin size, or maybe a little bigger depending on if I add borders or not. For now I like it without borders, but we'll see.

K-

Thunderstorms=Neurotic Puppy

2009-08-22T18:42:00.003-04:00

All of this hot sweaty weather combined with hurricane winds and intense thunderstorms has made my furry babies a little crazy lately.

I was sewing in my studio (i.e. the dining room table) yesterday afternoon when a massive thunderstorm rolled in. The wind was whipping, trees were bending and for a few minutes I thought the power might go out (which is really unusual here since all the powerlines are underground). Normally the dog shakes and tries to get into my lap, but I was being an inattentive mother because I was trying to finish up the 3rd Halloween runner's quilting. I only had about three lines left to quilt when...(The plaid fabric is my table cloth and the brown wood is the seat of my chair)
"Umm...hi it's me your baby, and and normally you hold me when it thunders because I'm scared". So of course I stopped what I was doing for 2 hours to hold the little gray dog until the rain stopped. He shook and panted and even refused his all time favorite treat, dingo rawhide bones.

Not a lot of crafting progress, but I was able to make a super yummy dinner including fresh corn on the cob and fennel from the farmer's market. My good friend Zack made a tasty fennel dish the last time I was in Boston and when I bought a bulb this week I begged him for the recipe. He laughed and me and said "cut it cup, drizzle with olive oil and lemon and put some shaved Parmesan cheese over the top when it's close to done". So I did... and 25 minutes later (in a 425 degree oven) it was done. I typically don't like anise or anything flavored like black licorice, but I promise you the baking, lemon and cheese totally tone down the anise flavor and the end result is caramelized and toasty, delish! A big thanks to Zack for sharing his secret recipe with me.

Halloween is Right Around the Corner

2009-08-19T17:24:00.007-04:00

Scary to think isn't it? It's hard to believe that it's almost September already. Fall is my favorite season and even though I love the cool crisp weather, brightly colored changing leaves, and sheep and wool festivals, it's hard to think that the warm lazy days of summer are almost over.

So in the spirit of the upcoming fall...Halloween table runners

The orange, white and black moons and stars fabric is Halloween Night by RJR and the green and black fabric with Owls is Halloween's Party by Thimbleberries. I used a disappearing nine patch pattern I found here. The backing is a solid orange batik-ish cotton that I got for $2.49 a yard on sale. I bought a half yard of each fabric and have made three of these so far. This is the first one that is complete, the other two need to be quilted and bound. I quilted the first one using diagonal lines across the top with my walking foot.

K-

Home Sweet Home

2009-08-17T21:44:00.003-04:00

After a relaxing/chaotic week at home in Maine, I'm back to the "big city". Things I've learned over the past week

A-never underestimate a 1-year old, Man my sisters have a lot of energy. I guess I'm definitely not ready to have children, because I can't imagine having the patience and energy that having a one year old involves. ~~(photos coming soon)~~

B-If I say I'm only going to use fabric from my stash and stop buying fabric...I'm only lying to myself. I had to stop at Mardens not once, but 3 times to buy more designer fabric at $2.99 a yard. In fact, knowing that I can purchase high quality quilting fabric for so cheap makes me want to stop buying from anywhere else. I mean why would you buy a hyundai when you could get a BMW for the same price?

C-Although I loved spending several days working on a funky halloween table runner with my grandmum, I'm glad to be back to having my own "tools". A vintage iron with no steam function is virtually useless to me. But on the upside my grammy showed me all of her stash including two huge old cookie tins completely filled with 100% cotton rick rack and trimmings in a rainbow of colors. She also has tins and tins of vintage buttons and two really old singers (like the ones that come in their own cabinets), so COOL!

Summer Cleaning

2009-08-07T22:56:00.002-04:00

Scrap Quilt Blocks WIP
Originally uploaded by Little Gray Dog

The past couple of days I have been on a cleaning tear. That includes reorganizing all of my fabric and craft supplies and making sure all of my scraps are sorted and ironed. Is this normal quilter behavior, probably not, but I've never been accused of being "normal".

While sorting I found a bunch of Heather Bailey and Amy Butler scraps. To make good use of them and clear out my stash a little I made up 6 12"by12" blocks. What I will do with them...not sure yet, but I'm thinking maybe add a thin green border around each of the blocks then line them up horizontally (across what would be the lower middle of my bed when the quilt is finished) and add solid cream above and below the row of scrappy blocks. I've seen a couple of these quilts and it really gives a chance for the quilting to shine. I wish I could find a photo because I just re-read that description and I'm not even sure I know what I'm taking about.

E, little gray dog and I are headed up to Maine for the weekend/week. Both of my sisters will be visiting and it will be the first time I've seen my one year old nephews since Christmas. I'm looking forward to a little relaxation, some tasty scallops and perhaps a few Sea Dog Blue Paw Wheat Ales.

Until next week (or access to the Internet, which is doubtful in DownEast Maine)!

K-

Baby Coin Quilt Finished

2009-08-06T21:41:00.006-04:00

Today I finally finished the baby coin quilt I started last summer. This quilt was made with scraps of amy butler's lotus collection that I had left over from the Brick Path Quilts that I made last Spring. The cream colored sashing is quilter's only cotton from Jo-Anns. The blue binding is also quilter's cotton. I really like quilter's cotton because it is reasonable priced and good quality. It washes well and holds up to lots of wear and tear. I wash and dry all of my quilts in my home machine so good quality cotton is key.
This is the first quilt I have quilted myself. I used masking tape to mark diagonal lines and quilting down both sides of the tape using a walking foot. I purchased the walking foot from a seller on e-bay before my old machine broke, and fortunately it also fits my new machine. The stitching was a little uneven but I think that was because I was fidgeting with the fabric too much. If I had just let the foot pull the fabric through without applying any resistance I think I would have had more even stitches, but live and learn right? I also wish I had remembered to back stitch a few stitches at the end and beginning of each quilting section. I'm a little worried that the stitches might pull out, but am hoping the binding will prevent that from happening. Overall, I'm pleased with this little quilt for a first go around at home quilting.

Back story for the Brick path quilts...One was for my grandmum before her heart surgery (which went perfectly) and one for me. Unfortunately she wasn't allowed to bring hers to the hospital (which was probably a good thing given all potential quilt spoilers at a hospital), but she uses it now around the house. Grandmum is a beautiful quilter and talented artist, and was thrilled to see and feel my craftiness while she was recovering. Ironically, she didn't quilt much while I was growing up so I never really learned any techniques from her, but I do have several of her beautiful quilts and a couple of antique quilts from her aunt that are some of my most prized possessions.

Feels good to finally finish a project, hopefully many more will follow (as long as the sewing machine gods cooperate).

k-

The sun is finally out

2009-08-04T20:36:00.004-04:00

Who knew that it would just be starting to feel like summer in August? Finally it is warm and sunny here and the little gray dog has stopped fighting me when I try to take him out. Feels like it rained everyday for a year.

Unfortunately, the company I purchased my 7470 from e-mailed me on Monday and let me know that they will not give me my money back. I can return the machine but have to pay for the original shipping because it was free shipping on my end and they have to cover their costs. I understand that they had to pay to ship it to me, but it's not my fault they sent me a broken machine.

They will issue me a store credit (gee thanks, that's just what I want, another broken machine from you that I have to pay to ship). The store credit will be good for one year. I have to admit I'm a little pissed. I purchased from them because they had the best price on the machine ($299) and they offered free shipping.

Unfortunately I failed to read their return policy which says they will NOT offer ANY refunds, even for defective merchandise. They also stated that refurbished machines are a better deal because they come directly from the factory and are more likely to be in working order since they have been thoroughly checked by a technician (yeah right!). I've never purchased anything that I could not return and I feel tricked. Yes I should have read the policy, but who doesn't allow you to return something and get your money back if you're unsatisfied?

What ever happened to "the customer is always right"? or even "if you're unsatisfied for any reason we will return your purchased price"? You sent me a broken machine I don't want to take my chances with you again, why is that unreasonable? That's why I'm a tried and true L.L Bean shopper. If at anytime (even 20 years later) you're ever unsatisfied you get your money back no questions asked. They have the best customer service I've ever experienced and I will be a loyal customer for life. When it comes to customer service, they really "get it"

Sometimes there are some major benefits to purchasing from a local dealer, unfortunately I learned that the hard way.

In more happy news I did purchase another singer locally. It's a precision 7444 and works like a charm. Quick bobbin winding, see through bobbin case so I can tell when I'm going to run out of bottom thread, and fast straight stitches. Everything worked so well I was able to sew together all of my blocks for the old red barn quilt in about 3 hours. It's slightly smaller then a queen size and I'm debating whether I want to add borders to make it big enough to go on a queen bed.

K-

Country Club Weddings

2009-08-02T21:35:00.010-04:00

E, the little gray dog and I just returned from my friend Maureen's Wedding and wow was it a busy weekend. Thursday afternoon we drove to MA for the rehersal dinner. Maureen's husband loves dirt bikes so his groom's cake had to have a dirt bike theme. When we returned to our hotel Maureen dropped of a cute little "welcome box" with snacks, tissues, aspirin, a cd, and a bottle of wine. It of course was tied with a pink ribbon since pink and green were her wedding colors.Friday we ran some errands and I got to relax a little and visit with Aidan before the big day. Saturday was crazy busy. I met Maureen and the bridesmaids at the salon for hair, then we went back to Maureen's mom's house for makeup, mimosas and a ton of photos. I swear my mouth ached at the end of the day from all the smiling. I didn't catch any of all of us as a group because I was in them, but I'm hoping Mo's mom took some. Then we drove to the church (where the bride's grandparents married almost 60 years ago!) for the ceremony. The ceremony was short and sweet (for a catholic wedding) and Mo and Josh looked really handsome together.

The reception was in the ballroom of the Quidnessett Country Club overlooking Narragansett Bay. The ballroom was beautiful and the photos should be really nice since it was a beautiful sunny day. E and I swapped meat at dinner since I don't eat red meat. He was pleased to have two filet mignons and I was just as happy with my chicken. The cake was a delicious chocolate tuxedo cake and Mo's signature strawberry margharitas weren't too shabby either.
All and all a happy and fun weekend. We even stopped in Mystic, Connecticut to have a seafood lunch at a cute little seafood shack right on the water.
Hopefully I'll be able to get my sewing machine drama straightened out this week. I'm sending the machine back, but it's still unclear whether I will get money back, or have to take store credit. I'm crossing my fingers for a refund, I e-mailed the owner, so we'll see how receptive he is.

Oh the Frustration

2009-07-29T21:52:00.004-04:00

My new singer 7470 arrived today and I am terribly disappointed. After many days of anxious waiting, the UPS man finally delivered my new machine. I promptly took it out of the box and noticed that the instruction manual was missing. That should have been my first indicator that things were not going to go as planned. I searched online and found the manual, but had to wait for E to bring it home from his work because there was no way I was printing 100+ pages (1/3 of which were in languages I can read) on my little home printer. When the downloaded manual arrived I immediately read it cover to cover and proceeded to begin winding my first bobbin when...disaster!!

I threaded the machine exactly as described in the instruction manual (and the same way I've threaded my old singer for years) and held the thread when I begin. Everything seemed easy as pie as I gently stepped on the foot control and waited for my bobbin to wind. Two seconds and about two rotations into "winding the bobbin" my new baby threw a fit. The machine beeped and the lcd screen went blank. I turned the machine off, re-threaded and re-read the instructions to make sure I was doing everything correctly, probably just a user error, right? WRONG! I can turn the machine off and turn it on again and the same thing happens (one or two rotations then the beep and the machine stops spinning the bobbin). I've looked everywhere on the internet, wrote both Singer and the company I purchased from and posted a "Please god help me" post on craftster in hopes that someone knows what I'm doing wrong. I'd like to think that someone else has experienced this and that it's just a little thing that I'm doing wrong, unfortunately I have a sad feeling that this is a computer problem and that I'm going to have to send the machine back. I'm trying to stay positive, but two weeks without my machine is just about enough to put me over the edge. I've already decided that if I have to send this puppy back I'm throwing caution (and good financial sense) to the wind and purchasing a Juki TL98 QE. I've heard nothing but good things about Jukis and I really don't need any of the fancy stitches or bells and whistles found on my machines these days.

Luckily tomorrow I'm headed up to Boston for the weekend for M's wedding so I'll have a little time to relax and cool off. I plan on working on my Telemark sweater which is taking me quite a bit longer then I anticipated. It's amazing the difference in how quickly fabric works up on a size 6 vs. size 8 needle. Yesterday I sewed the buttons on my orange baby raglan, so photos of that will be forthcoming.

K

Heirloom Tomatoes

2009-07-27T15:05:00.006-04:00

When I saw these beautiful tomatoes (I wish I could have taken a better photo, they are so vibrant in real life) at Fairway I just had to buy them. Sure they were a little more costly then the regular tomatoes, but they were just so pretty I had to buy them. I think they will be part of dinner tonight. My usual summer salad consists of tomatoes and avocados cut up in chunks with a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper. With fresh yummy ingredients you don't really need anything else. Sometimes I serve with hot french bread and some feta cheese, but most of the time I just eat it out of the bowl.
And here's a little sneak peak of my next project...as soon as my Singer 7470 arrives. I ordered from an online vendor last Friday and am anxiously waiting for the UPS man to ring my bell. I'm hoping it will arrive before I leave for Boston on Thursday for my dear friend M's wedding.

And lastly, here's a photo of the Telemark Sweater that I started on Saturday. I'm using Cotton Fleece yarn by the Brown Sheep Company. It's an 80%cotton 20% wool blend and I really love the stitch definition that it gets. I'm working on a size 6 needle which is one size larger then the pattern recommends. When finished it will be 12months size. So far it's working up pretty quickly and the pattern is really clearly written.

Back soothing the little gray dog. These thunderstorms make the poor little bugger shake like a leaf.

K

Zeppoles!!

2009-07-25T22:39:00.007-04:00

Finally a hot and sunny Saturday and a warm but breezy Saturday night. Perfect for wandering the streets of Hoboken eating rice balls, drinking beer and listening to Frankie Valley impersonators (one said his name was Bobby Valley, "Frankie's brother", but with all of the lying and corruption in NJ, you can never tell who's telling the truth, right?) at the Saint Ann's Feast.But my very favorite part of the night was...you guessed it Zeppoles. Made by the lovely ladies of Saint Ann’s Guild, we waited in line almost a half hour to get our paper bag of deep fried, sugary goodness.

Amazingly the average age of the women cooking these yummy heart attacks in a bag had to be 75 years old. I couldn't help myself from taking this photo of a lady dropping handfuls of batter into the boiling oil.They were like a little factory, dropping batter in, flipping, and pulling them out golden brown, a quick drop into a paper bag, a heaping spoonful of powdered sugar, 8 dollars please, next!

Oh how I love Feasts, Festivals, and Deep Fried goodness!

K

Broken Singer= Knitting Progress

2009-07-24T12:34:00.005-04:00

Finally got the sleeves on my orange baby raglan, now I just have to sew up the underarms and put on some buttons. Candy Cane Lane is coming along well too. I'm debating doing a little cap sleeve instead of full length sleeves. I've never left a sweater with short sleeves but I think it could be really cute. Only problem is a short sleeve sweater seems rather feminine and since I don't know who will be the recipient I'm a little nervous to limit it's gift-a-bility.

In other news, Inspired by all the beautiful and artistic shots on flickr, I need to learn how to properly use my camera. I've noticed that all of shots I've been posting are terribly dark. The outside shots are clear and bright, but anything shot in my apartment is SO dark. I have to admit I haven't read the instruction manual yet (despite the fact I've had the camera since February, sad I know), maybe that will help.

Off to find my manual

K

All the Free Time in the World

2009-07-23T14:12:00.008-04:00

And this is what happens to me...

A terribly broken sewing machine completely torn apart that I can't seem to fix. Everyone I know keeps telling me to just go out and buy another one but in the back of my head I can't help but think that it's a bad idea to make a big purchase when I'm not working. Of course I try to stay optimistic that a job will come soon, but you never know in this economy how long it will take. I was telling a fellow masters grad the other day how frustrating this process is and he sent me this text message, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about dancing in the rain". I think that means buy a new machine right?? I'm considering the Singer 7470 and the Singer 7469q. The 7470 has good reviews in consumer reports and seems to have a lot of options that would be nice upgrades. I've never worked on a computerized machine before so I don't know much about it, but am excited to learn.

My lovely mother told me to purchase a machine and put it on her credit card. Amusingly enough, my first machine (the one I'm currently using, or was using until it broke) was a Christmas gift from my her the year after I graduated from college. When I told her I wanted a sewing machine as my "big gift" she laughed and said ok, but asked several times if I was sure. "You'll never use it" was what she meant but never really fessed up to until recently. Well after 4 years she's changed her tune quite a bit hasn't she?
I think this cute little charm quilt made from Heather Bailey's beautiful Freshcut line might have put her over the edge:)

Off to read more sewing machine reviews

K

Dreary Tuesday

2009-07-21T11:50:00.005-04:00

What a gray day here in the Tri-State area. Even the little gray dog didn't want to go out for his morning walk. Since my sewing machine seems to have bitten the dust I've been spending my time looking at sewing machine reviews, checking craftster (for more projects I shouldn't begin before I finish all of my current projects), and uploading old photos to my new flickr page.

I recently finished making my first adult size pattern. It's view A from Simplicity 4589. Although there were a few bumps along the way (user inexperience), I found the pattern easy to make. I used a moss green linen/rayon blend that I got a Jo-Anns half off. I washed and dried the fabric before beginning and made a size 12 based on the envelope's bust recommendations. Unfortunately the top was much too wide, even for a chesty girl like myself. I ended up taking in about 3 inches total from both sizes of the top, but when I finally finished and tried it on it ended up looking like a maternity top.

Although I love the way it looks on the hanger and on my mother who ended up taking the top off my hands, I wouldn't recommend this top for anyone with a large chest and I would also encourage you to add a couple of inches to the bottom since it wears slightly shorter then I would prefer (but that's my personal preference). Overall an easy pattern that sews up quickly.

Off to walk my sleepy dog in the rain

K

A Week With Mom

2009-07-20T21:19:00.013-04:00

This past week my mom was in town visiting. Since she's a school teacher she has summers off and I convinced her to return to New York with me. We spent the week indulging in some of my favorites including Fondue, Pommes Frites, and delicious chocolaty goodness at Max Brenner's. Below is a photo of our fries complete with wasabi mayo, blue cheese and Parmesan dipping sauces, YUM!

We spent Friday afternoon at the Central Park Zoo

Monkey Butt:)

We also managed to do a little shopping at Borders in the Time Warner Center. My mom bought Kate Jacobs' new book and we're going to do a swap when she's finished reading. Knit Two will be sent to Maine and Comfort Food will be sent to New York. I loved the first two books so I'm eagerly anticipating Comfort Food. Doesn't the cover just make you want want whip up a batch of cupcakes? Or better yet eat a batch of batter? Not much crafting happened during mom's visit, but I did finish the body of Candy Cane Lane and will probably start the sleeves tomorrow. My sewing machine decided to break this afternoon (top knob will not turn) so it's sitting in about 10 pieces on my kitchen table while I try to figure out what the problem is. I'm thinking it has something to do with the belt. I was just sewing along on the Old Red Barn quilt and the needle motion got slower and slower and then stopped and I couldn't manually turn the knob anymore. I was thinking it was some thread caught up under the foot, but I cleaned out under the needle plate and it was clean (there was no caught thread is probably more accurate). I'm crossing my fingers I'll be able to fix it myself. This poor machine has been a work horse for the last 4 years (not bad for a hundred dollar machine) and although I'd love to splurge on a new one, my better judgment says I should wait until I find a job. Crossing my fingers this will be a quick and easy fix.

K

Back in Civilization

2009-07-15T22:23:00.009-04:00

Well, we made it back from Vacationland, and as you can tell the little gray dog was pretty relaxed. He loves being outside and especially loved that my parents live right on a pond and far away from neighbors. This means he didn't have the wear his leash and was free to roam around (or just lounge in "frog dog" position, see below).

but there wasn't much crafting done, unless you count fabric purchasing as progress. Although I'm trying to craft exclusively from my stash I couldn't help purchasing about 25 half yards of fabric when I was in Maine. There's a fabulous chain store in Maine (at various locations) called Marden's Surplus that sells designer fabrics, hardwood floors, and weird scents of Windex at unbelievable prices. When searching for an explaination of Marden's for those of you who are unfamiliar, I was totally shocked to see that they have a flyer and even a website. According to the site they buy lots of "stuff" from stores that are going out of business or that can't sell their products, which passes on wonderful buys for fabric lovers like me. Last time I was at Marden's I picked up 13 half yards of Lonni Rossi's "Cultivated Cottons" line by Andover for $2.99 a yard. I haven't used them yet as I am trying to think about a perfect project for them. This time I picked up a ton of civil war prints and some 1930's and feedsack reproductions. ~~Photos to come as soon as I can locate my photo cord~~.

I also picked up some of my stash at my parent's house. I didn't take all of my crafting supplies to New York when I moved to my tiny apartment for graduate school. Not only did I not have enough space to store my piles of fabric and yard, but I also didn't have enough time or energy to begin many new projects. Now that I'm out of school (and work) I have plenty of time to craft and have taken on far too many projects.

Speaking of UFO, this morning I began working on a baby raglan that I think I will call "Candy Cane Lane". I'm using up some Red and Cream Paton's wool. Next I'll have to find a use for the rest of the paton's wool in my stash. I guess I kept finding in on sale and couldn't resist. Right now I have about 10 skeins in various colors. I'm thinking of giving these fiber trends clogs a try.

K-

One Morning in Maine

2009-07-10T15:44:00.008-04:00

This adorable little book with wonderful illustrations use to be one of my favorite books as a child. As E, the little gray dog and I head off this weekend for two mornings in Maine I am excited to indulge in some of my favorites...lobster, family, and hours of lounging in the boat and on my parents' deck.

I will be taking along a raglan baby sweater that I've been working on. The pattern (by Rindy Carpenter) is really simple and I've made 3-4 of these in different variations. I'm not sure yet if this one is going to charity or if I'll keep it for my gift box. I like to keep a few simple baby sweaters on hand just in case someone I know is expecting and I don't have time to whip something up. I was caught off guard several times last year (thanks to both of my sisters) and between papers and classes really didn't have time to make the gifts I would have liked to.

The sweater is made of paton's classic wool on size 8 needles. I did a moss stitch border at the bottom last night because I like it better than the rib that the pattern called for. Other than that the sweater is worked up exactly as the pattern is written. I just need to make the sleeves and sew on some buttons. I already have some cute little wooden buttons that I picked up a Joanns for half price. I might do short sleeves cap sleeves, but haven't decided yet, so we'll see how the mood hits me when I start.

Off to the Pine Tree State!

K

Welcome

2009-07-09T10:08:00.022-04:00

So here I am in blogland. After several years of lurking and reading a number of inspirational craft blogs I decided that I will give into the madness and start my own. Most of my posts will be about the projects that I'm working on with a little bit of my little gray dog mixed in.

Here's what I've been working on this week...In no particular order. The Old R ed B a rn Q uilt-A-Long quilt. I came across this cute and easy pattern when I was searching imagines on flickr and immediately knew it would be a perfect project to use up some of my growing stash. Here's a photo of where I am so far. I'm using an assortment of 100% cotton fabrics in a variety of neutral tones. I decided to make the strips 3 inches instead of 2.5" which gives me a 15" completed block. I plan to make the quilt for a full/queen sized bed, so I estimate I'll need four blocks across for the width and five blocks down for the length. So far I have 15 complete and I plan on finishing up the remaining blocks this afternoon.

My second project for this week was embroidered onesies.
I've seen them everywhere on Etsy and finally decided to give one a go. I had some left over pink denim from a pair of baby pants that I made a few months back and decided that I would use that for the body of the owl. The other pieces are all scraps from my stash. I used an excellent tutorial that I found here on Sew, Mama, Sew! Overall the process was pretty easy, except for when I got frustrated that the owl body wouldn't fuse to the onsie (and then realized I hadn't taken off the backing paper), crisis averted. I'm a little worried that the beak portion might lift as it's not stitched, I might add a drop of fray guard just in case. The stitching is horribly uneven, but for a first attempt I won't beat myself up too much. Like everything it will get easier with practice.

And my last project (as of last night) was to give the little gray dog a trim. Inspired by several wonderful tutorial videos from via Sp anielmom93 I purchased a pair of Andis clippers on E-bay and started clipping. It seemed easy enough, just go slow and be careful right? My poor baby looks like a rat. The body isn't so bad, but the feet are pitiful. It was like the first time you pluck your eyebrows as a teen...I'll just clean them up a bit and several hours later you end up in tears with no eyebrows left. Thank goodness he's a dog and not a child or I think I would have thousands of dollars worth of therapist's bills on my hands. I keep telling him how cute he looks, but I think he sees right through that.

Before photo on left- After on right
...notice he's hiding his feet and won't look at me.

Well that's all for now, Thanks for reading my first post!

K-