Practice Makes Better

Okay, so I wrote last time that I was going to make Toria's Tea Party dress. But my skills with the sewing machine are awful. If my hands didn't hurt so much I would probably just do it by hand. But I have to use the machine. So, I have decided to practice. Little projects, easy projects, so I can get at least a little better at machine sewing.

I bought the current issue of Sew Simple Magazine. There is a pattern to make a billfold. I needed a new wallet so I chose it. First problem. They used laminated cotton. I've never heard of laminated cotton. It is supposed to be like oil cloth, but the local fabric store didn't have any. Since I want to stash bust anyway, I raided my stuff and chose a knit I bought a long time ago with a geisha pattern on it. I used fusible interfacing to stiffen it up and cut down on stretch. Then I used one of the scrap pieces I bought in Fort Bragg last month, a batik in blue with what looks like bamboo images on it. The blue was simialr to one in the knit and the bamboo fit with theme, so I gave it a shot. An interesting pairing I admit, but I like it. It didn't take too long to make, a couple of hours but that's because I spend a lot of time arguing with the machine. Here is the finished product.



Its not bad. Even though I missed the seam allowance in the pattern I got it right on a guess. I did however put the elastic on the wrong side when I sewed it. It's supposed to be beside the ribbon accents, but it isn't. It's also off center, so I put the button a little higher to even it out. May make the billfold slip off center, but oh well.



I've already filled it up and am using it, because I do like it. I even like the fabrics together.



But the sewing is questionable. Oh it will stay together, but take a look at those stitches. I used the wrong thread (rayon- it shredded every once in a while) an old needle (yes, I use needles until they break, which I am surprised didn't happen this time), the wrong size needle (It was really thick with the two fabics and the interfacing so the needle would slide too far and jam) and sometimes the wrong thread tension which I am still trying to figure out how to use. I'll figure it out.



My sis wants a bag to carry her MP3 player (and its accessories) in and wants the same geisha fabric too. So I have another practice item to work on. Hopefully, I'll figure out the things I did wrong this time. I really want Toria's dress to be nice, that includes and stitches that might show in the finished product. We'll see what happens with the bag.

Grandma's B-day, Oh And Easter Too

April 12, was Grandma's 91st B-day. So we took her out of the nursing home for the day to celebrate. It was Easter too, but really, for the most part, we were celebrating Grandma. I mean 91, come on, so much more worth the celebrating.

Grandma is my Dad's mom. She was living with us at Mom's house up until the end of January when a particularly frightening seizure made it clear we could no longer help her. She didn't care much for the home at first and sometimes forgets she lives there and wants to go home (the home she shared with grandpa in Chester more than a decade ago), but mostly she has adjusted.

She never wants anything as a gift, which we all hate because we love to give gifts. Up until Saturday night I hadn't gotten her anything except a plastic egg I decorated with flowers and ribbon and filled with Chocolate Kisses (I also made ones for Mom and my sister), but I really wanted to make her something, but with limited time and hurting hands I had to go small. Inspiration came in a book club catalog featuring a book of crocheted food. I thought about doing a slice of cake, but instead opted for a cupcake. I searched my stash for a suitable color combination and crocheted my first cupcake. It has its faults but Grandma liked it.





She only stayed a few hours. A really big meal, picture time, two kinds of dessert and warm weather (we were outside under an awning in the backyard) left her a little sleepy and she was ready to leave. By the time I got back from taking her home, I was ready to sleep as well.

It was a good day, we all enjoyed it, and so did Grandma, and that is the most important part.

Blessings,
Agate

No hooks required

Okay, so this post has little to nothing to do with crochet, but it is crafty.

My friend's daughter, Toria is having a fancy tea party for her birthday this year and guess who gets to create the fancy dress. Yes me. Now I am totally happy to do this, Toria is the child I never had and always get to send home when the temper tantrums start, but its sewing.

If I could do it all by hand, I would, but thanks to some issues at work I can barely hold a N hook, not so much a little needle. But my sewing machine and I have issues. I just want it to work, and it doesn't always want to. I am sure the tempermantal machine would blame me for our issues: I'm not threading it right or the tension is wrong, but that doesn't explain how it works for the first 75% of the project only to stubbornly bind up on the underside halfway through a line of stitching.

I will persevere though. I will make a lovely dress for Toria's seventh birthday come Hell or tangled thread.

The shopping trip for the fabric was an adventure. Not only my first trip to a big JoAnn's store (our store here in YC is very small and cramped and doesn't carry half of what I saw that day), but choosing fabric was somewhat difficult. First there were my rules to what fabric. Now Toria and her Mommy might think I am a crafting wiz and can work miracles, but I know my limits, especially when it comes to sewing. Nothing too stretchy (I haven't sewn stretchy fabrics yet and don't want to experiment on this project) and nothing that frays too much on the bolt. Oh and the pattern had to be simple, clothing doesn't always work out for me.

Here is the pattern she chose. She wants version D, the blue version.


I also picked out a pattern that I think I will do for her, either as a b-day gift, or a little later. I love the shape of the hem. Mom wants all three pieces for her.

Why would I make another dress if the first is such a big deal. Well, I've made her one other dress, a simple tank dress out of Tinkerbell cotton. I figure if I can manage the party dress, then I'll try the next which has a more difficult hem to it. I've decided I want to start making some of my own clothes anyway, miniature child versions seem like a good place to start.

Okay, so simple is done. Now the fabric. She wanted Leopard print (she calls it baby jaguar, but either way its animal print for a tea party, but its her party), not only leopard print, but true to color print. She had her heart set on a silky print, that I actually thought was pretty ugly, but then I am not partial to animal prints. Note however, I said a silky fabric, and silky (rayon) fabrics fray a lot. So we had to find a way to steer her away from it and still find something she liked. (Toria was somewhat disappointed in me at this point because I could not fulfill her fantasy of a silky leopard print)


Mom and I really liked a pink and purple fabric with silver threads in it, very light and pretty, but she was not excited. We ended up in the quilter's cotton section. Now this I can sew, if only we could find something she liked. There was a rainbow striped fabric she liked, and we even found leopard print, pink leopard print to be exact. So we had four fabrics in the cart to chose from.

Remember, this is a fancy party and plain cotton is not fancy even if it is pink leopard print or rainbows. We headed to the trim aisle and she began picking out a variety of trims.

Once we had a selection of lace, ribbons, sequins and fur we set about establishing which she liked better. In the end she chose the pink leopard (Yeah, no fray) some pink bead fringe on light pink ribbons and a strand of gold sequins.


From my own fabric stash I have included some gold mesh for the waistband (maybe) and I may need more sequins. Soon I will face off against the machine, but I swear I will create a lovely piece of seven year old fanciness, even if I have to sit down and finish by hand.

Blessings,
Agate

I have a new camera, a wonderful, new 13 megapixel camera that takes wonderful pictures see.



This is my first attempt at crocheting a labyrinth in the round.



See how close I can get.




See the detail.

I am very excited about this camera. Now maybe I will be able to keep up on these blogs since i can properly show off my work.

Heeere's Harley

Every time I get online I think I really should make an entry into one or both of my blogs. Do I? Not usually. I tell myself I ran out of time, but really I haven't. It's a case of pure laziness on my part. Which tends to also be the cause of most of my should-haves-but-didn't-get-to-its. So here I am getting to it.

I have more than enough time this weekend, which became a three day weekend when Grandma woke up with a seizure Thursday morning. My mother lately seems to be on the edge of a nervous breakdown, and given the last year she can hardly be blamed, so I stepped up and stayed home. Poor Grandma had four seizures by the end of the day and is right now sitting in the recliner (where she has been since after the first attack when she actually seemed to recover quickly) talking to people only she can see. I am hoping that she will be a little closer to recovery tomorrow, at least enough that she knows where she is and can walk (with our help) to the bathroom.

Anyway, I stayed up for 24 hours straight yesterday and it wasn't a complete sit around wasting time or dozing day. I crocheted. I am working on a teddy bear for Mother's day, but at one point I decided I wanted to make something quick and gratifying. Most of my projects have been large and slow to make since my hands don't let me crochet for long periods of time with out stopping often. So I made Harley.


Harley is the last bit of one ball of yarn and a furry yarn for hair. I think he's cute and I love the hair. He started out round on the bottom but is actually four sided (hence his cone head look). I needed a little instant gratification this weekend.

I am also playing with my digital camera. It's not a very good one, but I am trying to get it to take good pictures, at least until I can afford something better. My phone takes good ones, but they don't do well at a larger size. Here's what I've managed, I think they are good.


This is a picture from my Mom's eight foot rosebush. Its a little out of focus, but I think that is because of the breeze that day.


The Hydrangeas will be blooming soon and here is the proof. Ours blooms somewhere between green and lavender, although last year there seemed to be more purple.

I had one other picutre, but it didn't quite turn out the way I wanted. The wind moved the branches and I lost the image I really wanted, which was of the flowers framed by other flowers. I don't know if that makes sense, but it didn't work this time. I can try again now that I've cleared the pictures from my camera (no memory card).

Well, I guess that's it for now. I am hoping Grandma will go to sleep soon, but she says ahe's not tired and I suspect she'll start trying to get up out the chair. Maybe I'll sleep tonight. Wish me luck.

Hatin' on the Hook

I just don't get it. I don't understand why some knitters have such a passionate hate for crocheting. Okay, so you don't enjoy the craft but what is up with the animosity?

I receive Knitting Daily a newsletter by Interweave Press. They give tips and patterns for mostly knitting but also for crochet. Well, for one issue Kim Werker, the editor of Interweave Crochet wrote about crochet. The way some knitters reacted to an article about crochet you would have thought Kim was writing in favor of rape or something. It was mean and hateful and frankly rather childish. They were offended and angry that Knitting Daily would dare include crochet in its contents. Never mind this is a free newsletter and is basically meant to be an advertisement for all things Interweave Press, they were downright pissed off the the "C" word was even mentioned.

Okay, so you don't like a craft, so what. I don't particularly like knitting but I don't hate it, it is just not my thing. I am not going to demonize it or anyone who mentions it around me. I guess its part of a spoiled brat attitude to think that if you don't like something you should never have to hear about it or see it and if you do its okay to throw a temper tantrum.

I really have to stop reading the comment sections of blogs and articles. This is the second time I have written about the comment section. I constantly find myself disappointed in the intelligence levels of so many people who feel the need to leave comments. I realize not every knitter is a foolish as those I am speaking of, but its never the rational people who leave an impression.

Back on the Hook

I am back to crocheting again, not as much as I used to because my hands are hurting, but its something. I am working on a notepad cover out of Patons SWS that I am going to felt. Every once in a while I see an artists set that consists of a blank paper notepad, colored pencils, in a fabric cover of some sort. I am jealous and wonder why they don't make those kinds of goodies for writers? So I am making my own. It is striping nicely in colors that remind me of the ocean. I will probably line it as well. And since I rearranged my storage and can get to my yarn/fabric stash, I won't have to buy anything. I am hoping that two skeins of yarn will be enough because, much to my disappointment, I don't have enough money to buy more. I also hope I get more cash soon, I only have five 18-gallon tubs of yarn to last me in the meantime.

I am also working on designing a square for a contest that Red Heart and Crochet Today! magazine are having. I am having some issues with it so far. Including having to scrap my first idea because I can't do a gauge swatch to save my life. I went through the trouble of doing one, calculated sts per row and how many rows to get the size block I wanted. I was going to do a picture block, but when I started crocheting the block it was a good two inches too long! I decided to crochet another swatch right on top of the long piece and guess what? The short swatch is the same as the first one I did. So, evidently I crochet differently for a short piece than I do for a larger piece. I knew I hated doing swatches.

Anyway, I am doing a different block now. I've hit a few snags there, but I'm still at it.

I am also doing charity stuff again for preemie babies. I've finished a few pairs of booties and a hat and they are tragically adorable. So tiny. Even smaller than I thought they would be because the pattern I am working from is for the tiniest of the tiny.

I would like to introduce you to Toria, my best friend's daughter and my favorite five year old. Don't worry those are washable markers, but you should have seen the looks we got at the bookstore as Toria 'painted' her face. Sorry about the picture quality, I used my phone to take the picture.

Isn't she adorable? She doesn't always look like that, but I can't get any other pictures to upload today. Maybe next time. Until then,

Blessings
Agate