Stitch in Time May 2012

**BeyondTheNineSquares** · #1 05-01-2012, 12:14 PM

Greetings all. I hope y'all are meeting the challenges in life well. My own and those of my friends and family seem to be mounting lately with health, finance, and more, but I do still feel more hope and blessings than challenges. I am wrapping up my teaching job in the coming weeks, working on the final draft of a childrens' book, getting ready for a house guest who will stay 10 days, trying to get mom and i healthy, seeking income, and preparing for more eye surgery the day my guest leaves. Weeeee!

All that being said, I have many projects in motion which are getting good feedback from those reviewing them and may have some great news to share when the time is right. As to fiber art I am designing tee shirts, making little girl's dresses, doing a bit of quilting, and making purses and totes.
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I hope you are well and prospering. Happy "May Day."

EvaJ · #2 05-01-2012, 05:07 PM

Martha, sounds like you are on the right track with your projects and hope that the financial part comes along soon. You going to show us pictures of some of the things you are making?

I spent yesterday and today working on two fleece jacket and got them finished, pictures taken and on my website. Got all the clothes and jackets on there so now that part is up to date. One of the ladies on facebook wanted to know my website and I thought she wanted some of the clothes and she ended up buying a doll which is good for me.

Debby, did you sew your shirt back together yet?

Margo, are you over being tired from the Pow Wow?

Bonnie, what are you crocheting? I bet it isn't another blanket.

Jen, how is the chicken suit coming along?

Here are the two jackets I finished up and I also cut out four more in different colors of scrapes of fleece I had in stock.

**BeyondTheNineSquares** · #3 05-01-2012, 08:45 PM

Hi, Eva. Cute doll! Thanks, I am leaving no stone unturned and am likely to be eventually finding income in more than one direction. Patience. Wish I had more of it, you know? Gosh, I am still living without a camera though. I do have my cell phone's camera feature but it's so . . . . not what I am used to and on here it looks so fuzzy, but when I am able to at least borrow one, I'll do that for sure! The tee shirts i've been doing are designed on the computer and printed on those iron on sheet to fix onto a shirt, BUT for illustration I have been using photographs of quilts I've done and photographed before my camera fell apart and the words are often from something I've written. Trying to connect everything I do to everything else . . . I am fascinated by what y'all are up to just by your post alone Eva. Chicken suit? Pow wow? My goodness. I taught my class today and this was my younger students so I read my story to them to test reaction and for what it's worth they reacted exactly as I hoped. It's the sort of story that is intended to be fun and teach them something. Not a religious story, but a "lesson" wrapped up in ideally a colorful and fun package. We'll see where that goes. My book proposal has been in the managing editor's hands about a month now, so I'm trying to decide if now is the time to send a brief "hope you received it and were able to open the file attachment. If I can provide you with any further information, please . . . . " It seems a bit early in the process for me to do a followup, but I've never sent a book proposal (or even written one) before, so who knows? Not many know about it, but one friend who does seems to feel a month is long enough. Not sure if she knews any who've written and thus is speaking from direct and related events or simnply her take on it. I'm considering a very brief and "Not pushy" note though.

Hi to everyone.

**DrDebby** · #4 05-01-2012, 09:35 PM

Glad you were able to stop by and start the Stitch this month Martha. Sounds like you are working every angle. Hope you and your mom get back on track health-wise.

Eve, these fleece coats are as cute as the fur ones. Like the trim on the one, makes it look like a ski jacket.

No, the shirt did not get sewn back together today. Was at mom's all day. She has to have everything just so, and it has to be done right now! Some little and a couple of not so little pine trees died over winter along the new fence she had installed last summer. (I'm guessing the fence disturbed roots enough to cause the demise of the trees.) She wanted DH to bring his chainsaw and cut them down. Also, she came early this year so she could put in a couple of raised beds for a vegetable garden this summer and wanted our truck and DH to haul the lumber for them. We'd told her we'd come by today. Of course, just after we'd finished breakfast we get the phone call, "When should I expect you to show up?" The truck can seat 3, but not comfortably. So I opted not to go to the builder's supply for the lumber. Her parting comment was that I could start lunch.

She got her lumber and her lunch. DH cut down several, but not all of the dead trees. He's concerned that he cannot control the fall and they could wipe out a section of her fence. He told her he was going to check with some of his buddies with more experience. We just got home and we're both very tired.

blestlady · #5 05-01-2012, 11:34 PM

Happy May Day.........er, well, the end of it anyway.

Just stopping in.
Eva, I'm making a shrug that might be for my friend who was here recently or it might be for me. I'll decide when it's done.

You're doing a great job on those jackets!

Debby, sounds like you made mom happy. Maybe tomorrow for the shirt.

Hi Martha. Busy as usual I see.

I've reached the 20 lb mark for wt loss now. Or did I already say that??

There I go tooting my own horn again. I'm about at the halfway mark.

Going to bed, it will soon be midnight and last night did not get enough sleep for sure.

poochemio · #6 05-02-2012, 12:22 AM

Hi gang. Good to see you here Martha. I'm intrigued by your surprise and am sending good vibes your way.

Eva, all these coats fur and fleece are too cool, and you got your website up and filled! Bravo.

Bonnie, I think it's past time for you to make something for you, so if the shrug fits keep it! Congratulations on your weight loss! And toot your own horn for goodness sakes you deserve to!

And yes Eva I think I'm still tired from all the running about and of course I got a dose of some other sort of pollen. Nothing bad tho. I sewed buttons on the last three shirts on my pile today, and feeling rather virtuous that I have finished my mending and upcycling. Of course I found a skirt that needs the facing tacked down. I think it would look much more interesting with a bit of embroidery on it too, it's a swirly denim. I'll have to see how hard it is to sew on, it's pretty lightweight, so it might be easy enough to do. I certainly had heavily embellished jeans and all my jean shorts when I was a teenager, of course there wasn't a whole lot to the shorts I admit! That's a project for tomorrow though. I have groceries to put up, and my book and couch are calling rather loudly for me to join them. Laters!

EvaJ · #7 05-02-2012, 06:00 PM

Four more of the fleece jackets finished up this morning. Now it is on to a different kind of full length coat for a bigger doll. This time in pink.

Went to the Art Guild meeting at 11am and when it was over, one of my friends came up to me and gave me two little 8 inch porcelain dolls. She was going to make new clothes for them from crochet thread and didn't like how they turned out and wanted to just give me the dolls so that she didn't have to look at them any more.

After the meeting I went to the Goodwill down the street and picked up one doll and a little furry dog that barks and flops his ears. I am a sucker for animated animals. Well I can say the same thing about the dolls that talk and move and light up. I guess because there were not such things when I was a kid, I have to get them now.

That has been it for today. Don't know if I will get to sewing this afternoon or not. John didn't go with me today and he has cabin fever.

**DrDebby** · #8 05-02-2012, 09:53 PM

Congrats Bonnie, on the weight reduction. You can toot your own horn anytime you want.

Margo, there always seems to be something to fix, embellish or replace when it comes to clothing.

Eva, those fleece jackets are so cool. Nice on the porcelain dolls.

I will get back to sewing tomorrow. My knees are paying for yesterday and I had to spend my knee points doing laundry, grocery shopping and generally making sure everything was in place to send DH back to work tomorrow.

EvaJ · #9 05-03-2012, 06:32 PM

Well Debby, I did my laundry and grocery shopping this morning and now I am paying for all that lifting, bending and walking around. Been in a chair most of the afternoon but did get some pictures taken and things put on website. Also worked with one lady and ended up selling her some dolls at a good price we both decided on.

Someone mentioned yesterday that I should make those fleece jackets for bears. I asked what sizes were needed but no answer so guess I won't be doing them. That's okay because now am on to cloth coats, that is if I can stand to work at the sewing machine. They will have to be done a little different with the linings. More like people coats. With the fur I didn't have to worry about that.

Bonnie, it is cool you have dropped 20 pounds and I know you will get to your goal. I have backed away from losing right now but one of these days I will get back and lose that last 10 pounds I still want to take off.

Margo are we going to see some of the clothing that you have worked on?

**DrDebby** · #10 05-03-2012, 09:34 PM

Eva, I feel for you and running out of energy after doing the chores.

I thought I had everything set for DH to go to work this morning, and I did. But, he had a rough night due to allergies and he refuses to take anything for them.

He actually called in sick today he was feeling so bad. So, I had DH underfoot today.

Still had some laundry to do. The kitchen was a mess again. (always!) and I had at least 2 more lunches to make. Well, after lunch today, I had to make 3 lunches for the rest of the work week because he ate the one I would have packed today and figured to put in his lunch tomorrow.

Anyway, I spent the afternoon making up those boxes of noodle side dishes and grilling chicken for his lunches. Plus cleaning dishes between each round. Then, I ended up making dinner tonight. When I'm by myself, it's a lot less involved.

Anyway, there was very little progress on the sewing. I got the bodice pieces cut to the new size and sewed the shoulder seams.

I'll get to the sewing again tomorrow. Also hoping DH is feeling better tomorrow. Not that it's a problem if he stays home, I'll just work around him.

poochemio · #11 05-03-2012, 09:34 PM

I didn't think there was anything that exciting about putting on new buttons and removing collars, sewing plackets on white shirts.

Today I cut a bunch of paper to make the next watercolor sketchbooks. All the paper is folded and under weights. Promise when they are actually done I will post an image of them and the previous incarnations.

I have a question, is it possible to just open a thread for everything I do with thread and post it all there? I have no desire to open a new thread every time I do a little something, that's time I could spend making something else.

Sorry you're feeling crummy Eva, I just managed to get a pot of chicken and dumplings going and now I think the hands and back have had enough for one day.

It just dawned on me the humor in you making dolly coats when it's already so hot there. Guess the dolls don't care and it's a nice inventory to have, and uses up some of your stash.

**rue d'oak** · #12 05-03-2012, 10:59 PM

Hi all! Just caught up with the reality that it is May~

WONDERFUL coats, Eva.

And I just updated the Chicken suit thread.

Here also is my latest madness

Socks for DD's boyfriend. After just healing from a broken collar bone, someone slammed into him while skiing and rebroke the bone. So I sent him a "prescription" from the Mountain Goat Sports Medicine Center: soft cozy slipper socks. I made a label, parody of a true medical prescription!

Oops dinner calls! Daughter and said boyfriend are home, and they are cooking....

Jen

poochemio · #13 05-04-2012, 03:14 PM

What a scream Jen, I love the prescription.

blestlady · #14 05-04-2012, 05:17 PM

Here's an easy bib I made the baby who the blanket I pitched was for.

I'm going to make him another bib by different pattern and I'm working on a burp pad/cloth now (also crocheted). Do 2 bibs and 1 burp pad equal 1 blanket???

Jen, great sock idea! How funny.

Debby, thanks for letting me toot my horn.

20 1/2 lbs now.

Margo, did you open that thread for thread?? I'll check it out.

Tom has been sick especially yesterday and today, but he got up around 2:30 today and dressed adn has been up since. He said he just had to fight it. He's feeling a little better now. Bad cold, feverish and achey. I've been airing out the house. I'm taking Airborne and pumping him full. He didn't start it soon enough to ward it off because he thought it was just the allergy that he has been sneezing from for weeks.

Here's the hay-baling they did in the property that joins ours. It belongs to the neighbor who sold us our house (you can see her house to the right in one picture). They just did this today (her uncle does it with someone else, maybe his son). I went out and waved at one of them and took some pictures.

You can see the red porch railing where I was standing on the porch taking the pictures.

poochemio · #15 05-04-2012, 06:21 PM

No camera play today, or any other play. Serious spring cleaning day. More stuff switched out of closets, all the boxes out from under the bed think king size girls, lots of boxes, sweeping, removing of the rest of the wood, putting winter shoes in boxes back under bed, vacuuming rugs so they can be stored, where I'm not sure yet. Mopping floors eek, lots of cleaning. Don't feel sorry for me though, it had to be done and I've been doing lots of things lately but cleaning...not so much! I'm am pleased to see clean and tidy areas!

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