May Show & Tell/Get To Know You/Chat Thread

[beebluefern]

OMG, it's May already, so here we go....what's happening with you?

I know it's May because today was Kindergarten Registration at my school and I was tucked away for hours and hours reviewing entrant forms and then starting to input them into the system...it looks like I will have several weeks of entry and our Kindergarten population could break all records for our school. I'm predicting at least 12 classes of the wee ones!:eek:
In other breaking news....I'll be setting up my Etsy shop this weekend...Thistleknit! I'll be selling my handspun yarn and perhaps a few knitted items as well. I love spinning so much but I can only keep so much stash!!! Besides, it's nice to help out the non-spinning knitters! I'm using this experience as a "test flight" for something I might do (continue doing) after I retire. My Etsy address is listed below. Check it out when you have a sec....after the weekend...when there's something in it!:lol:
So now, I'm off to try to rest a bit after a really, really long day!

[Isabelle1]

Hey Pam, Love looking at your beautiful yarns! Just gorgeous. Good, good luck with your Etsy shop too!

I know you're gonna laugh, everybody is, at my post iin the May challenge, perhaps I should have posted it here instead, but, oh well, too late now! :p

Hope you rest well, I'm off too rest too, got a class tomorrow, can't wait till the semester's over! So I can paint and sew and all those good things! :wave:

[beebluefern]

Isabelle, I saw your project and I think it's great!!! It is great to have something to look foreward to isn't it? Time off in the Summer to do the fibery arts things!!! YEA!
Thanks for the good wishes. I appreciate your having a look!

[Rose Queen]

Great idea, Pam -- I can't wait until Monday to see what you've put up for sale!

[barbR]

Good luck on your etsy store Pam! Your yarn is really pretty.
Don't know how helpful this is but someone told me to use all 14 of your tags - seems impossible sometimes and I don't often do it, but I try to include some colors if I need more descriptions.

[beebluefern]

Wow...thanks for your kind words and for the tip Barb. Color is a great idea!!! Yeah, I'm hard pressed to come up with tags but I guess that's because I'm new at it! Maybe with some time behind me I'll get better at the whole thing...but, it's so much fun!

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

I've not much to show yet but to tell on the other hand. . . if any of you are new quilters you may agree that triangles are tricky! Well, I'm determined to be the queen of the triangle so I'm currently working on a small quilt that includes putting 288 of them together! They are half square triangles from 3 inch squares. I'm using lots of colors and using no fabric twice if I can help it. I've picked up a few scrap bags very inexpensively and so got a wide variety of fabrics in tiny pieces for a great price and this will put them to good use and provide lots of practice for me and lots of stress relief since when I'm working on quilting, which is a new skill for me, I don't have time to worry about the job hunting that I've been doing for months . . . I haven't decided what the border will consist of so that 288 will likely grow higher still! Stay tuned!

[Isabelle1]

Wow Martha! 288! Good luck! I just put about 16 of them together for the 2 pinwheels in this pad, and my back and neck are screaming for mercy, But I sure had fun making it!

This quilt I had cut in January I think, finally finished it, it's for my neighbors grandson who's due any day now. I also made a little pad thingy, it was supposed to be a pillow but I didn't have quite enough batting, so voila, pad it is! :D

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-May-2008/124762-boy_quilt_finishd_BFW.jpg
one side of the pad
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-May-2008/124762-boy_pad_finshd_BFW.jpg
and the other side
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-May-2008/124762-boypad_yellowside_BFW.jpg

[beebluefern]

Awww, how cute IsabellE!! Nicely done-I'm sure Mom and her little boy will love it!

[Isabelle1]

Thanks! I hope she likes it. I just love to make baby quilts.
Well, I'm off to a hot shower and bed now. :wave:

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Pretty Isabelle! I tell ya, when I get a job and can buy fabric off the bolt and not work in tiny little pieces from the strips in the scrap bags, it'll probably feel like an entirely new and different process! lol Still, this is good fabric and the price is amazing. Anyone who's done this and remembers what it was like to be a beginner will look at my end piece which'll probably be 30 inches with borders will know that small doesn't mean simple. I'm doing it for me - and it really helps with the stress - so the fact that someone else appreciates it is a side benefit! Benefits are good! lol Here's a peek at my WIP:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-May-2008/11269-IM002439.jpg

[Rose Queen]

288 triangles?!?! Whoa, you are seriously brave, Martha, is all I can say! Looks like you've made a good start, tho.

I love the pad, Isabelle, and I just know your friend will, too -- who gets hand-made stuff for babies any more, right?

[beebluefern]

Brave, brave Martha!! It's going to be gorgeous!!

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Thanks Diana and Pam!

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Here's a WIP of my hardest challenge yet! Quilting is fun and I can't wait to find a job and then be able to take a class. It's really hard to self teach and I don't have any quilters around here (among the people I've met so far) to give me pointers. That being said, here's a WIP picture of my pinwheel small quilt. The main piece will be 36 pinwheel blocks which are 4 inches each including seam allowance. That'll give me a finished center of 21 inches square or so, if my tired brain does the math right. I will probably do a couple of borders around it but have no decision made yet as to how. I'm thinking it'll have a finished size of 30 inches or so. Sadly, this is full of mistakes but wait until I'm no longer unemployed and can take a class and really learn how to quilt! I can't wait!!! Meanwhile, I'll plug along and see how much I can continue to teach myself!

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/16-May-2008/11269-IM002452.jpg

[Isabelle1]

That's really pretty Martha!

I wish you luck with the job search too. Hope you find one soon!

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Thanks, Isabelle! Today, I wrapped up this part of the project. I now have a 21 1/2 inch block of 36 pinwheel blocks. In the picture it's looking droopy but it is pinned on a small board for it's picture taking and it sagged as I clicked!

Any thoughts anyone has on colors of border would be cool. I'm undecided. I'm thinking an inner border dark, outer one lighter/medium, then a binding with same fabric as inner border. Not sure.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/17-May-2008/11269-IM002461.jpg

[Isabelle1]

That's very pretty, and I agree with your color choices for the border. When I started, I got all different fabrics also, and I made up something much similar, but with more black in it. So I made a black border and the colors popped.
It never made it to a bed quilt size, and is now a little dingy, as it covers and prettifies my generator in the open carport :).

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-May-2008/124762-Multi_color_Q_BFW.jpg

[beebluefern]

It's lovely...I think you're right as well-darker color closer to the blocks will really pop them out!

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Thanks, Ladies! You have the prettiest generator cover I've ever seen!

[Helen]

Both are lovely... yup, prettiest generator cover I've ever seen. I'm not sure about a boarder color, I'd have to look at it awhile, my first reaction was one of the darker blues but that's probably because blue is my favorite color.

[beebluefern]

I've been swamped at school and trying to get some spinning and knitting done at night-but falling asleep "at the wheel" most nights! Tomorrow is the last day for the kids and my busiest time of the year follows thereafter, until the end of June, then finally, about a month's break for me. I hope to accomplish tons in those short weeks! Meanwhile, I'm still checking in. Y'all are doing great fiberey stuff! Keep up the good work!!! Now, off to school with me....

[Isabelle1]

Hello all :wave:, Pam, I can relate!

Classes here finish in May and start in August. So I've been taking finals.

Although I have A's in all my nursing and other classes, the Spanish I had a little difficulty with, but I think I pass with a B.

So my last final is today, at 7:00 pm and I would like to request prayers from all who read this. PRAY FOR ME pleeeese! Algebra, Geometry , Statistics!!!!

I'm fine with Geometry, Statistics, but the Algebra, not so good :crying:

Anyway , whatever happens, I'm just glad it's over for now, (I absolutely refuse to do summer classes) and I can put my home in order, finish up the sewing projects I started in January, and do some painting!

I also want to declutter the house as much as possible.
I need to see space! open space! :lol:

[beebluefern]

I can relate to yours too Isabelle!! Many prayers coming your way...you'll pass. As for Algebra, I struggled with it myself-until I went to the How To Do Algebra (not sure that is the name) website and I finally got an understanding of it (although I still think it's about as pointless as can be!!) Anyway, if I passed it in college, then you can too...I'm a total math dunce!:lol: My house needs a total de-clutter-which I will be doing the first week of July!!!
Hello all :wave:, Pam, I can relate!

Classes here finish in May and start in August. So I've been taking finals.

Although I have A's in all my nursing and other classes, the Spanish I had a little difficulty with, but I think I pass with a B.

So my last final is today, at 7:00 pm and I would like to request prayers from all who read this. PRAY FOR ME pleeeese! Algebra, Geometry , Statistics!!!!

I'm fine with Geometry, Statistics, but the Algebra, not so good :crying:

Anyway , whatever happens, I'm just glad it's over for now, (I absolutely refuse to do summer classes) and I can put my home in order, finish up the sewing projects I started in January, and do some painting!

I also want to declutter the house as much as possible.
I need to see space! open space! :lol:

[Isabelle1]

Thanks a million for the kind words! I also have gone to a very good math site for help. Because it's in English I understand it better. The professor teaches in spanish.

http://www.math.com/school/subject2/lessons/S2U2L3DP.html

Very good site. I recommend it.


(Beyond pointless! :lol: ) Back to the books!

[DrDebby]

Now, now, ladies. Algebra has it's place. I used it all the time when I worked as a mechanical designer. It's just that the average person outside of an engineering or science field has no use for it. But, schools will insist that you take some sort of math class to have a well rounded education. Now that's pointless, a well rounded education. It's much better to take the classes you're interested in and be done with it. Just my opinion.

Haven't been able to do much in the fiber world. Spring is in full swing, hiving the bees and planting the garden. However, I did get my mom's old Viking sewing/embroidery machine. Wow! Has it got a lot of bells and whistles! Mom decided she needed the latest model, so I got the old one. At some point, I need to sit down and learn how to use this thing.

[beebluefern]

Unfortunately the American Education system doesn't quite get the whole idea of teaching according to ones interests and talents...if so, we would all be making money being fiber artists!!:lol: But anyway, I am perfectly content with knowing how to add, subtract, multiply and divide-those still hold me in good stead with nary a trace of algebra invading my life (that I consciously know of)
The sewing/embroidery machine sounds like it could be fun with many creative hours ahead for you Debby! Be sure to let us see what you come up with once you learn the ins and outs of it!!:thumbsup:

[Isabelle1]

WelI, I took the test, The majority of the questions were algebra :(
About 7 were geometry, and 5 or so, statistics. I honestly don't know.
I'm hoping for at least a c, in order to pass. Have to wait till the prof. posts the results on the internet. He was a good professor, gave lots of encouragement and at least, if I have to take it over, I know what to expect. Going to bed now. :wave:

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Pulling for you Isabelle. Usually tests in Algebra are scored with partial credit if you show your work. Hopefully your prof does this. I was so afraid of it when I went to college. I'd been out of high school for a good while and gone to college at night. I pulled it off and wondered the very things said here about it's usedfulness. Funny, I'd never have thought so, but I did find it useful in some of the spreadsheets I've created in Excel since I was more easily able to get the formulas down and figure out how to get my spreadsheet to do what I wanted. In a FiberArts world (and wouldn't it be nice if I could get paid to play with my stash?) I've found it useful in afghan designing. Never would have believed it but all that "pattern conversion" stuff and the whole "chain a multiple of this plus that and then . . . " blah blah blah, was something I had a firm grasp on.

Hope you nailed it!

[Isabelle1]

Prof. posted the grades, and I passed, with a C ! :clap:. Thank you , thank you all for the prayers and well wishes. They did the job!

Martha, you sound like you've got total dominion over that matter! :lol:

Also I found this simple little interactive while researching Tumbling blocks.
I like tumbling blocks and I'm thinking of doing something in that pattern.

http://www.quiltbroker.com/tumbling_blocks.html

You can color the sections and the background.

[DrDebby]

Congrats Isabelle.

[beebluefern]

Well done Isabelle!!!:clap: :clap: :thumbsup:

[Isabelle1]

Thank you all, Dr. Debby, Beyond, Beeblue !

So, today it was raining all day and the grandkids were here, well, the boy decided he wanted to paint at the easel! So, set him up, and since I'd seen the posts on paper casts at the Cafe, thought I'd try it (or my version of it) with the girl.

Worked out good, blended paper, added white glue, had an old silicone mold of a Taino indian artifact called a Zemi, an old hearts mold from the candy making experiments, and we had some fun. Everything is drying to be painted tomorrow!

My grandson (7), said he was painting a "Magical Goddess in her garden", with magical powers that ward off all evil. What an imagination! :lol:

( I do have a red flower plant and a yellow one in exactly those positions .....hmmmmmmmm)

just wanted to show...
(I know it doesn't belong here, and feel free to move it. I promise it's the last time:D )

paper pulp hearts, making jewelry tomorrow!
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-May-2008/124762-Paper_pulp_hearts_in_mold_BFW.jpg
Zemi mold with pulp in it
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-May-2008/124762-Rubber_mold_of_Cemi_BFW.jpg
original (copy, not authentic)
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-May-2008/124762-Cemi_BFW.jpg
Magical Goddess (I did give him somewhat of a quick cloud tutorial :) )
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-May-2008/124762-Magical_Goddess_in_her_garden_BFW.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-May-2008/124762-GS_Painting_BFW.jpg
By the way, next to his saint's bracelet, (he's very religious), that's a pop top tab bracelet I had to make him also for recycle show and tell. He loves it!

Okay, I'm outta here!:wave:

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

I think your post is in the right forum! Paper is fiber! Aren't kids wonderful? What a nice day you had!

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

I've begun my first "big" quilt. Scary and a harder block than I've done yet. Here is the first one! This is 4 blocks 12 inches each (or I could have said a 24 inch block huh?) and I will be making 6 in total. Same block but 2 this color, 2 of color "b" and 2 of color "c" and then sashing and border and so forth. Much much larger than anything I've done and a leap above and beyond my comfort zone! I also finally found a beginners class that sounds interesting and have signed up. They know I've been unemployed for 6 months so they'll let me use my own fabric if I want to and not "make" me buy at their shop. The teacher even offered to help me adapt the design in the book we're using so I can do it as a "scrap quilt" if I want to. Very nice!
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-May-2008/11269-baby_bud.jpg

[beebluefern]

Isabelle, sounds like you had a very lovely day!!

Martha, I'm so pleased to hear this...your quilt square is lovely-can't wait to see the complete quilt!!!

[Isabelle1]

I've begun my first "big" quilt. Scary and a harder block than I've done yet. Here is the first one! This is 4 blocks 12 inches each (or I could have said a 24 inch block huh?) and I will be making 6 in total. Same block but 2 this color, 2 of color "b" and 2 of color "c" and then sashing and border and so forth. Much much larger than anything I've done and a leap above and beyond my comfort zone! I also finally found a beginners class that sounds interesting and have signed up. They know I've been unemployed for 6 months so they'll let me use my own fabric if I want to and not "make" me buy at their shop. The teacher even offered to help me adapt the design in the book we're using so I can do it as a "scrap quilt" if I want to. Very nice!
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-May-2008/11269-baby_bud.jpg

Pam, I did have a nice day ! They certainly keep me on my toes, never a dull moment with those two around!

Martha, that's veeeery nice! I know it's a star, but I don't know the particular name of it, there's a few different ones.
It is a big block, but you can do it! and it's going to be smashing when you finish it!
Keep posting the progress pics!

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Thanks, Ladies!

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Here's another WIP. This one's now finished but still needs more pressing and sandwiching, quiilting and binding. I have so many new things I want to try and presently have 3 WIPs going at once! That's not counting the graph paper sketches of things I want to try and the notebook of online ideas I printed out . . .
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/11269-IM002463.jpg

[beebluefern]

Nice one Martha! You really have a gift for quilting!

[beebluefern]

Since tomorrow is a Holiday for us here in the USA, I have no school-yea-and I'm going to be working on my Etsy site as well as finishing up some knitting that has been sitting around waiting to be done.
Here are some skeins of wool that I've spun lately for the shop, a scarf I am making from my handspun called 12 Oaks and a pic of me at the International Night at my school...I'm Scotland (but of course!~)
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/34609-handspunsock2.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/34609-handspunsock.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/34609-handspunscarf.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/34609-spinningatschool.jpg

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Wow, lot of work Pam~love the "Scotland" shot! Thanks for the encouragement and support of my quilting. I can't wait to be able to do the really tricky stuff! Isabelle, the blue yellow and white block is one I made from four 12 inch blocks from the Quilter's Cache website and it was called "baby bud" but when you sew 4 of them together this way (turning each one clockwise) you end up with a 24 inch block that looks just like another block a friend of mine saw on that site. What he saw as a 12 inch version called, I think, "Union Square." They looked very much alike. It's so funny how many names the same block can have.

[Isabelle1]

Here's another WIP. This one's now finished but still needs more pressing and sandwiching, quiilting and binding. I have so many new things I want to try and presently have 3 WIPs going at once! That's not counting the graph paper sketches of things I want to try and the notebook of online ideas I printed out . . .
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/11269-IM002463.jpg

Beautiful! :clap:

[Isabelle1]

Since tomorrow is a Holiday for us here in the USA, I have no school-yea-and I'm going to be working on my Etsy site as well as finishing up some knitting that has been sitting around waiting to be done.
Here are some skeins of wool that I've spun lately for the shop, a scarf I am making from my handspun called 12 Oaks and a pic of me at the International Night at my school...I'm Scotland (but of course!~)
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/34609-handspunsock2.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/34609-handspunsock.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/34609-handspunscarf.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/34609-spinningatschool.jpg

That scarf is lovely, the colors as well as the stitch (not sure if stitch is the right word for knitting?)

By the way, the 'HeatherMist' at your Etsy shop is absolutely gorgeous! Everything is nice, but that's my favorite!

I like your choice of clothes for the pic! it looks very old world authentic, (in a good way! :) )

Unless there are many other spinners there, it must have been a real treat for the school to see you do your thing!

[Rose Queen]

Oh, you guys are just so inspiring! Alas, about the only fiber thing I've done lately is buy yarn from eBay! Yeah, I know, but there's a jacket I want to knit, way over my competency level (ain't that always the way?), and I didn't quite have enough yardage in the quantity I had to make the thing in my size. I was a little concerned, because it was so unlikely that I'd get the same dye lot, but what do you know? When it showed up at my door, it was the same dye lot! What are the odds of that happening? Anyway, I was really pleased! It's a lovely Italian Merino/acrylic blend:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/3199-Mondialsml.jpg

Sometime between now and cooler weather, I want to make my practically-hairless whippet mutt this cute sweater, because it looks like it would be easy to get on a squirming wiggly dog:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/3199-dog_sweater.JPG

Yesterday, I took a basic bead stringing class at a local bead shop and made a necklace I was so happy with that I came home and made two shorter ones to go with it! The longest one contains three of the lampwork beads I made in my one and only attempt at glass work.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/25-May-2008/3199-triplesm.jpg

[beebluefern]

gorgeous yarn Diana! And, how fortunate you got the same dye lot...that is a one in a million shot! Please post when you are through knitting your jacket-I would love to see it! The doggy sweater is so cute! It looks fairly simple to make but it's really adorable with those big buttons on it! Love the necklace-you are a lady of many talents for sure!!!

[beebluefern]

That scarf is lovely, the colors as well as the stitch (not sure if stitch is the right word for knitting?)

By the way, the 'HeatherMist' at your Etsy shop is absolutely gorgeous! Everything is nice, but that's my favorite!

I like your choice of clothes for the pic! it looks very old world authentic, (in a good way! :) )

Unless there are many other spinners there, it must have been a real treat for the school to see you do your thing!

Thanks! Glad you like that yarn-I was sort of worried about it not being on equal footing as the other yarns, but now I've had comparable hits too. It's one of my favorites and I have a lot of it still to be spun-thinking of making some larger skeins.
The outfit I am wearing was custom made..I used to participate in the Celtic festival here in Atlanta-it's authentic 18th century. I was the only spinner there so it was quite a popular spot. Kids don't see that sort of thing every day-they were really interested in how it worked.

[Isabelle1]

Thanks! Glad you like that yarn-I was sort of worried about it not being on equal footing as the other yarns, but now I've had comparable hits too. It's one of my favorites and I have a lot of it still to be spun-thinking of making some larger skeins.
The outfit I am wearing was custom made..I used to participate in the Celtic festival here in Atlanta-it's authentic 18th century. I was the only spinner there so it was quite a popular spot. Kids don't see that sort of thing every day-they were really interested in how it worked.

I thought so! By the look on your face I could tell you were being admired aplenty!

Good for you, showed them a thing or two! :clap:

[Isabelle1]

Diana, that's pretty, pretty wool, looks so sooooft! Anxious to see the jacket you make, and also, what a lucky dog!

The necklaces are lovely! Particularly intriguing is the rust color chain in the center, I can't tell if its metal or a fiber?... it's quite pretty!

[Rose Queen]

...The necklaces are lovely! Particularly intriguing is the rust color chain in the center, I can't tell if its metal or a fiber?... it's quite pretty!
It's a length of copper-colored chain, Isabelle -- I bought it a while back with no real idea what I might use it for, but with all that copper flying around, it seemed like a nice fit!

[Isabelle1]

Yes, it is a very nice fit! and copper and green together is ever so sharp!

I haven't seen any chain like that around here, but when I do, I'll get some, it's nice, different!

[Helen]

Lots going on here and I've been too busy with painting to stop in.... playing catch-up.

Isabelle... congrats on passing.... I understand your angst about algebra... it was the last required class I needed for my BA... I passed but sweated it the whole time. Yes, paper is fiber... no reason not to post here. Love the painting your grandson is doing and his bracelets are great.

Martha... your quilts are beautiful... I'm gathering fabric but haven't had the nerve to start one yet.

Pam... beautiful colors and you do look very authentic in your Scotland garb.

Rose... I love the necklace! Well done. And how great is it that you got the same dye-lot... chances of that happening are soooooo slim! Cute dog sweater too.

I've been working on an apron but haven't got it done... hopefully before the end of the month I'll be able to post.

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Thanks, Helen! Dive right in and play!

[Isabelle1]

Good morning all!

This would not be related to "show and tell" but more to the "get to know you/chat" part.

I've gotten it in my head to get chickens so I could have fresh eggs (and fresh chicken :evil: )

My problem is that I have no idea where to begin to build a coop of sorts!

I would like to make something simple and easy peasy. It would be my 2 sons would build it on weekends, as they live far.
Anyone here ever make one, and can me give ideas, tips?

I know chickens will lay eggs just about anywhere, because my neighbor's
would even lay them in my car if I left the windows open! :lol:

But I'm thinking the dogs might/will chase them. So I need to build and chain link off an area. Don't know how to start/go about it.... anybody have any information, or know of any good sites where I can get info?
Sure would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance! :wave:

[Rose Queen]

Isabelle, this looks like a fun place to start: http://www.backyardchickens.com/

I found a few others just Googling "build chicken coop"
http://www.buildeazy.com/chicken_coop_1.html
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Build-a-Chicken-Coop---6-Crucial-Elements-on-Building-a-Chicken-House&id=477219
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/poultry/factsheets/10.html

And there are plenty more links to be found!

[Helen]

Can't help you Isabelle... my sister-in-law has a couple chickens but they just live in her feed store and when she leaves them at night she puts them in a big cage like one uses for dogs.

Here's my May stitching project...
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/28-May-2008/998-new_apron.jpg

I took a pair of bib overalls and made an apron with 13 pockets, a loop to hold my glasses when they're not on my face and another loop that I have no idea what I'll ever use for but it's there. I saw an apron done from bib overalls in a magazine somewhere... complete with instructions. However, once I got around to doing it I had no idea what magazine I'd seen it in or even where so I was on my own. I can see a few things I'd do differently but it's servicable.... and it was fun figuring it out.

[Rose Queen]

Very cool apron, Helen, and useful for way more than just the kitchen!

[Isabelle1]

Diane, Thanks for the links. Went there but I dunno, I want something really simple, more along the lines of Helen's sister in law :D ! I have to think of something where not too much building is involved!

Oh Helen, what a way coool apron!
As far as painting, I can see brushes, chalk, pencils, spare rag, sponges, cellphone, magnifying glass, glasses, lot's of stuff in those pockets!

I like to have things close by when I paint, because when I put something down, ask me if I remember where! Specially the phone!

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Cool apron, Helen! Good luck with the chicken quest Isabelle! No clue here, but fresh eggs (and chicken!!!) sounds great!

[beebluefern]

Isabelle, what a cool thing to do but I think you're a brave one to take on chickens! Martha's right though-eggs, chicken-the prices for those in the market now are getting out of sight, so that'll be nice for you! My older sister has always wanted to have chickens for some reason-she's such a farm girl-a shame she's lived most of her life in the city. She's the one who wants the Baby Doll sheep too! Hope you get your coop plans straightened out and you get some good ones to build by!

Helen, that apron is too cute! It has a pocket for everything (I'd have at least two pockets designated for glasses-I'm always losing my readers-and others for yarn gauge, orifice hook, scissors, mints and of course the empty pocket or two to store flotsam and jetsam that gets picked up along the way.
Overalls were the perfect choice and you did a great job!

I'm spinning PITTY PAT tonight on my Elizabeth-bubblegum pink wool mixed with silk and getting some really pretty laceweight singles from it. I have 8 ounces of the roving so I should get a good amount of yardage from that. Just wound off a bobbin full (about 45 yards) of Jacob which I spun at the International night at school. Now, back to it....

[Elannie]

I haven't been around for a while. Involved in other things for the past few months that didn't leave much time for fiber arts or even regular art. Had to stop in, say hello and comment!

Pam ~ What gorgeous yarns you are spinning! I LOVE the pic of you in Scottish garb! I'll have to see if I can find a couple of me spinning in Scottish attire from past events.

Helen ~ What a great apron! Love it!

Martha ~ lovely quilts! I especially like the one with the greens!

Isabelle ~ Congrats on passing Algebra! I'm a fairly recent nursing grad ~ working as an RN for 1 1/2 years now. You'll use some of that algebra if you have to figure medication dosages. I used it all the time when I was doing drafting. I also used some simple algebra when I was weaving to figure out yardages of fiber needed to complete a project. It may seem useless, but it does have it's place!

I just stocked up on fleece a few weeks ago and need to get spinning again. Have a couple of projects to do for myself this time. Will post when I have something to show!

I was able to find a couple of pics of me spinning a few years ago. I think this one was back in the late 1990's in Estes Park, CO at the Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Highland Games and Festival. Sorry this isn't very good quality!
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-May-2008/29274-spinning_at_Scottish_Fest.jpg

This was 1999 at the same festival. Had lots of onlookers!
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-May-2008/29274-Spinning_Sep99.jpg

I love seeing pics of people spinning in period garb! Would love to see what others have been doing over the years!

[beebluefern]

Lisa, great pics!!! It's so much fun to share spinning with others-good that there are those interested and the art won't die out!! Looks like you were having a ball!!!

[BeyondTheNineSquares]

Thanks, Lisa! Love the pictures!

[Isabelle1]

Hi Elannie, that math is always handy and necessary isn't it!

I've been doing a little research and spinning is such an age old art! and so universal too!

I also like those dresses on the mannequins behind you! Can't wait to see what you spin and knit!

Do post! :wave:

[Isabelle1]

Here's what I've been up to, making a scrub top for my daughter. Saw this cute fabric, she okay'd it, so I'm cutting using another top as a pattern (dangerous :D ) but I hope it'll turn out!

This is the fabric and look I'm aiming for
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/31-May-2008/124762-The_look_BFW.jpg
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/31-May-2008/124762-Begin_cutting_BFW.jpg
top I'm cutting by :eek:, I'll post results when finished

I'll sew tomorrow. Bed time now! :D

[beebluefern]

Cute scrub top! I'm sure it will turn out perfectly and she'll love wearing it!