Curtains

It's so nice to sit and type while listening to some great music.  Playing now is "Bistro" by Metronome Quintet.  Very 40'/50's French bistro music.  I love it. 

You may remember back in November I was working on costumes for Les Miserables.  I mentioned the fabric resources the thrift stores sometimes have.  During a crazy moment I took down my bedroom curtain and made a skirt.  Sorry I don't have a photo.  But I thought it was time I got a new curtain.

I live in the country and this is the view from my bedroom window. There's no real reason for a curtain for privacy, but this window faces East. Soon the summer sun will be waking me early and heating up the room.




This is what I used for a curtain all winter.  I'm a bit embarrassed to show you as all I did was throw the fabric up there and pin it.   Just lazy, no other word for it.

Pretty sad, but I do love the rayon batik fabric.  So I looked in my closet and found 2 more pieces.  None are the same, but I am only making a temporary curtain.  My goal for my room is shutters.  Ah, that's another story.

So with some help from my cat I started the new curtain.

Without Zeke.

Close-up.

 

Finished.

So it's just nice and kind of Bohemian.  There's fringe which I neglected to get a picture of.  I really love this.  No,  I mean that.  It's me.

Yesterday,  I had a class on corset making.  It was good fun with four other corset minded women including Jerrie the teacher.  We measured and cut and sewed up a sample.  Mine fit!  Hooray.  Next time we'll be making the real thing with boning, stays, satin and lace.   I look forward to it.

Until next time, joy!

Water heater

Good morning.  I am awaiting the arrival of my new water heater.  In 1996, I had to replace the one that was in the house when we bought it in 1984.  The propane guy said water heaters only last about 12-14 years, so I guess I'm doing okay.  Thankfully mine still heats the water so I did have a nice shower this morning. But it's leaking.  Water is just running out and down my back stairs.  All outside so it's okay no flooding.

 The propane people (I'm switching companies) will take out the old and put in the new and hook me up to the new tank.  I've had the same propane tank for 30 years so suddenly I'm nostalgic about it.

Do you see it there behind the Weber and the doggie yurt?









Does waiting for workmen make you edgy?  I understand why they can't give an exact time so I don't blame them for that. The time frame this morning was not before 8:30 but closer to 9:30.  I started expecting them at 7.  I know it's just nuts.  It's 8:25 now.  Come on guys, I'm ready.

They're here.  It's Jared. And it's 9:15.  Others are coming..  Things are wrong with the shut off to the water heater so Jared had to shut off all the water.  You know what that means.  No flushing!  So back to the sewing room.

There are many kinds of Quilting magazines and I have them.

The propane men are still at work.  It's 10:10. Here's what's happening now.

They were able to move the old tank a little bit,  it's full of propane and very heavy.  The old company owns the tank and the propane.



 Way over there barely visible is the new smaller tank.

And it's getting cloudier and cloudier.  We're supposed to have thunderstorms.  I'm praying they stay away until the work is done.  Okay,  it's back to sorting through magazines and trying to get the sewing room more user friendly.

There it is almost ready to go. And I have my new water heater.






It's now 3 days later. I'm reporting on Tax Time.  I owe again this year, but not as much as last year.  I made $50,000 worth of needed improvements on my 29 year house in 2013 for which I received a $500.00 deduction for energy efficient changes.  My wonderful tax preparer also found a little something related to my late husband's pension which helped a lot.  Thank you , Bruce.

Thanks also to the Lord who made heaven and earth and allows us to enjoy the beauty of them both.

      I'll be back,  perhaps with sewing news or sewing room news.  Bye.

See I did it

I changed the name of this blog from Finishing the Unfinished to . . . oh, you can see that.  So when someone comes along and reads the first few posts it might not make sense.  But I couldn't figure out how to just change the name starting with this post.

Cloudspotter wish list: Altocumulus lenticularis

 I did not take this picture.  I've never seen one of these clouds as far as I know. They are clouds which mainly appear over mountains.  I live near mountains so there maybe hope for me.  When I travel to Montana next year I'm going to be on the lookout for some altocumulus lenticularis.

I have been cleaning out the sewing room and discovered lots of magazines I no longer want.  Also I'm trying to make the sewing room just for sewing and quilting and move all the knitting and fiber related things to the blue room.  I'm looking for a photo of the lovely yellow room, but none show it well.  Only parts.  I'll take one when it's tidier.

It's Saturday morning. I've been awake a very long time, but that's okay.  I can take a nap later.  After I work on some important tax papers, I'm going back to the sewing room.  I want to pick out a project to start and finish this week  (okay, maybe just finish).

Let's see:

 Nice large bag in orange?

Finish one of my started quilts?

This wonderful bag in one of three sizes?












Oh, I don't know.  Choices and more choices.  Check back next time and see what happened.  Don't look tomorrow though. Non e possibile domani.  (This is Italian for "it's not possible tomorrow")

Closing today with a wonderful word of the Lord. Psalm 30:5b

" . . . weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

Changing the name

Hello, my name is Susan and I'm hopeless at finishing things.  Therefore  I am thinking seriously about changing the name of my blog to "Whatever".  Then I can write about whatever I want to and perhaps throw in some finished projects whenever.  Maybe it should be called  "Whatever Whenever"?

On March 9, I posted a picture of my next project.  Another baby dress, remember?

I took it out of the bag again and found I had it partially sewn, but today I wrapped it back up and am sending to the the Hospice thrift shop in hopes someone will make it up.  There are also two blouses I have cut out and they are going too.

I am sorry to say that I no longer have any interest in finishing those things.  There are some others I will finish.  Maybe.

I am so thankful to the Lord that we are given second (3rd,4th 5th etc.) chances.  The new goal is to clean and tidy my sewing room. Weed out and replant some of my fabric (it is the first day of Spring) and see what grows.

I belong to the Hangtown Fibers Guild and every month they have a raffle.  I'm donating yarn and knitting books to them to make room.
And you know what, I'm not going to buy any of it back.  Did you see the photo of my loom?

I bought this at the Guild campout auction 2 years ago.  Someone had donated it.  I'm thankful they did.  Perhaps others will be thankful for the things I donate.




The weather is so lovely now.  Chilly in the mornings and evenings, warm and pleasant in the afternoons.  I've been planting seeds and digging weeds so I can try once again to have veggies and potatoes. I haven't a photo of this year's efforts, but here are some from last year.

 I love my enclosed, raised bed garden built for me by Buddy Crook who is also the one who put the new siding on my house so the woodpeckers --who plagued us for years-- now leave us alone.  He also built my new deck to replace the 28 year old one dying of dry rot.  Mind you, he did not do it gratis.  Never-the-less, I am thankful to him.

My sister likes her socks. And I am needling along on my second yellow sock, here is the first one, which fits well and feels so good on my foot.

I love socks I only wish I could knit faster.  So I could make more socks.  Do you remember my sock post?  Well,  what can I say?  I love socks.




Here's what going on with the Finnish towels.

I've knotted the ends into bouts and tied the bouts onto the back apron bar.  Soon, maybe tonight, I'm going to wind on so I can get ready to weave those lovely (sigh) towels.  Stay tuned.

It's Spring and lambs are being born all over the place.  These were born at Meridian Jacobs and are darn cute.  They are too.  Photo credit to Robin Lynde, the owner of Meridian Jacobs.

For more great photos and other interesting stuff, go  here  for Robin's blog or here for the website.   That's all for today.  Happy Spring.

Monday Monday

Well, actually it's Sunday night. Ten-thirty PM. But most of you won't see this before tomorrow hence the title.

I like Monday.  Truthfully, I like every day.  I am blessed by the Lord and can't help but be thankful.  Are you going to talk about the challenge?  The Challenge.  Yes, I am.  Here we go.

Loom warping.                                                       DONE!

If I'm remembering right, the next step is to tie the ends into little bundles and then tie them onto the back beam.  That's the round wooden bar in the foreground. (3/11/14 that is the warp beam. I'm leaning on the back beam) I may/will need Pam for this.

Back and white Parisian bag.                                                DONE

Side one.

 Side one close up

                    Side two

  

Side two close up.                                           

It came out very cute and very roomy.

Next.

 

Another baby dress which I cut out a long time ago.  I hope all the parts are there.  The Provence bag I showed you before is missing it's pattern, but I will look for it.  When I find it I will finish that project.

Have you ever bought anything from a catalog or online and were so surprised when it arrived because it didn't look like what you thought it would be?  I just got a BIG surprise.

I thought I was ordering some batting for a project I have yet to start.  The pattern recommended "upholstery" batting.  I found it online and placed an order for enough for two of the items.

Here's what came.

The box is 18'' deep and it was stuffed so full it was bulging and had to be taped extra firmly.  See Sophie? She's so cute.

  Does this look like batting to you?  I am going to make it work anyway.

I have also finished my sister's socks and they are read for mailing.

      A fish cloud for you.  I did not take this photo. It's cool though.                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Warped

Ha!  Got you.  I'm not actually talking about my mental state, but about my loom.   Hey, I thought this was about sewing and knitting and stuff?  Oh, it is.  This is the stuff.  I started warping my loom many months ago and today it's done.  That is definitely finishing the unfinished.  So the next step is to go on and weave those lovely spring green dishtowels.

This  is the pattern.  I liked the photo so much I got the same colors. Once again I will apologize for the  picture quality. I used the 'close-up' setting, but it's still hard to see any detail.










Here is a photo just after I sleyed the reed.  That's putting the warp threads through the spaces on the reed.

Now I am here.

I will finish this today.  My only goal for this lovely Friday in green and beautiful El Dorado County California USA.  Toot toot. ( My Horn)

Here are some photos of my sewing project.  So far.

 This is as much as I had done whenever it was I started this.

 I didn't match the stripes at all.

I have ironed on the batting to the other fabric.

There is the other fabric sewn into a bag.   ( I messed up the color on the photo. The real color is in photo above.)




I should be back Sunday with the warping and the black and white bag finished.  Yay!     Things are looking up for the challenge.

Below see a wonderful creation I spotted at the California State Fair last year.  I don't know what it does or what it is, but I love it.

Ciao for now.

Baby dress

I did finish it.  The baby dress.  It didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped and I don't know who's going to wear it, but I'm glad I've finished an unfinished item.

I wish I had more of the yellow fabric.  I would have done 2 pockets on the skirt.  Or maybe even have done a yellow daisy-type flower.  Oh, well.  It's okay.  I think it would fit a two year old, but being far removed from youngsters, I'm not sure.











Here is my next project.  I think.

Another Amber Creation, but I've not made one of these before.  So let's see if i can pick up where I left off and don't mess it up.

Or maybe this one.

I like the Provincial fabric, but I guess I didn't include the pattern in the photo. It was a tote bag. Here goes.







Confession time.  I'm longing to make something I haven't already started.  A blouse or pair of pants for spring, or a great pattern I found on Craftsy. It's another bag.  See it here. Knotty Girl Boho Bag

The striped socks for my sister are nearly done and when they are, I have another pair I'm working on which you have seen in my sock post. Yellow-green.  After that I must finish my turquoise pull-over.

 

So that's it for this time.  Thanks for hanging in with me.

       Take a tip from my cat, Eddie.  Lie down, stretch out and relax.