Checking in

I am still here.  So I'm checking in in case I'm missed.   Since I have finished my Finnish towels, but haven't a photo to share I'll skip that.

Did I tell you I bought a new loom? And while I was there I bought a spinning wheel as well. Both used.

My loom is a Gilmore 40" 4 harness  which I bought at the Gilmore Loom Company in Stockton, CA. When they get one of their looms back in trade, they clean and repair them and sell them with all the equipment that they sell with a new loom.

The owners had just received several items in from someone who was getting rid of them. Some looms and a couple of spinning wheels.  So crazy me, I bought a wheel that looks old fashioned to use at the Gold Discovery Park where I am a docent.  My other wheel, the Schacht Sidekick is just too modern.

You see what I mean?













All these photos are from the internet.

Well, I am off now. I'm cutting out several patterns so I can sew without having to cut out for a while.

       Another beautiful gift from God right out my back door. I happily share it with you.

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.