Stitch in Time - July 2012 - Page 4

blestlady · #46 07-19-2012, 07:34 PM

Debby, yes, Avast.......that would be us. We have used that for years. Glad it's all cleared up now.

We went to McD's for breakfast today and then to the senior service at our church (it's a special once a month service). Always enjoy that. Needed to go to WM but first wanted to look up "a" thrift store I had seen when we were out with friends a few weeks ago. Don't think we ever found it, but 5 other stores later, we finally got to WM and home. We are so tired! But it was fun! It was the best thrift store day I have had in one day since we got here!! Two were upscale ladies clothing consignment shops and I happened to have a large bag of clothes I had just cleaned out of my closet last week and was going to offer to anyone at church who wanted them, but I forgot to do it. So I asked at this shop about them, and they looked through them and took them all.

I will bring some more things to the 2nd consignment shop. The lady there has moved here from FL and we enjoyed talking about why we would never go back there! lol She was really nice. Everyone at all 5 stores was as nice as could be and we talked to them all at length.

The other 3 stores were thrift/anitque stores and had so much to look at, I only began today. At one of those, the lady gave Tom a Stephen King book he was looking at and he sat there and read it while I went to the last store.

We finally got to WM and then home. We are tired!

Hey! I made progress on the craft room yesterday!! 3 bins emptied and sorted. One day it just might be a real workable craft room!

**DrDebby** · #47 07-19-2012, 07:35 PM

Sigrun, good luck with your dying. I know it'll come out great. You do know what you're doing. Ah, every man may need to own an ax, but DH uses a chainsaw.

Eva, sounds like you did a lot of sewing and doll cleaning. You seem to have so much fun with the dolls. Were dolls your first love? When we first were on the forum you were doing the teddy bears.

Had an interesting day today. I found some sweats online for a price that I cannot make them for. I took a chance and ordered them.

that they fit. But, this morning I got an e-mail from UPS stating that my package has been delayed due to a train wreck.

So, I waited for DH to call from work. Only he didn't call. I was going to tell him my clothes had been in a train wreck.

But, the phones weren't working. Nor was the internet. Nor were cell phones working. This whole area was out of communication for several hours. (Obviously, things are fixed now.

) Word is that a fiber optic cable broke (was cut?) Very weird. Anyway, I've cut out a hat and have been sewing it together. Not sure it's right, but I have more scraps to play with if it's not.

Bonnie, you snuck in while I was typing.

Glad your thrift store explorations were so good.

EvaJ · #48 07-19-2012, 10:17 PM

Debby, I have always loved dolls and as a child played with dolls all the time. Can't remember what got me into doing bears, maybe the panda bear I got for our first son before he was born, but I didn't start making bears until our kids were all grown and away from the house. I made a ton of doll clothes for my daughters barbies dolls and her friends barbies. I have always wanted to do the recycle dolls but until 3 years ago when I could no longer sell bears and it was getting boring to be making them anyway, I decided I would give dolls a try and it has worked out pretty good. I still make a lot of clothing for customer dolls and that is just fine.

Bonnie, great to see you on here. Would love to hit a few more thrift stores but right now we have slowed down on going to the stores. I have got all the dolls I want or need maybe

I have lots of work to do on the ones I got.

Today was a not so good day for me and then I had to make panties for dolls and they are so boring to do. I cut out 12 pair and they are only about half done. I just couldn't keep at any thing today. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

poochemio · #49 07-20-2012, 04:48 PM

Everyone seems to be very busy sewing and dyeing.

I'm back to working on my boro style sewing and patching/mending. I've been sewing bits of ikat on a very cool jean jacket I thrifted. It was acid washed so of course the acid has caused whole to form. sewing the odd shapes of ikat down with embroidery thread and then kantha/quilting them very heavily with the same. It's almost a reweaving process and results in a very strong as well as a very interesting looking patch. It's been rather warm so sitting on the couch in front of the fan is a good thing. I have 3 bags tops finished with the heavy stitching on them, need to stitch and line them on the machine but the studio is just too warm for most of the day.

Went into Santa Fe yesterday to pick up some paintings I had framed, hung out with my friend at his gallery. My fav restaurant is open again so lunched there. Bought a battery for my Eurovan and then back home to collapse into bed. I think I'm back to the couch and my jean jacket for the rest of the day, maybe a bit of drawing practice as well. Have a good day all.

**DrDebby** · #50 07-20-2012, 04:50 PM

Sorry about your not so good day, Eva. You make such darling doll clothing. I can tell you really like doing it.

Well, I haven't taken a picture of "Nessie" version 3, but it's a keeper. Even sewed the eyes on it.

My first try at a newsboy hat was close, but not quite there. Next version coming up.

Mom's been trying to get me to come out and do some more sewing. I've decided to compromise (since I really don't want to spend days and days at her house.) and told her I'd bring out the fabric and patterns to get them all cut out. (She has room and a huge dining table I can use.) I'll get everything cut out then bring it home here to sew. I was going to wait until DH could go too since he owes mom a tree cutting down chore. He could do that, I could cut patterns, mom's happy. No, mom's not happy, she wants me to come out sooner. I put it off today because I've got all my sewing stuff, fabric, patterns, thread, etc. in bags and boxes from the 2 weeks I spent out there while the bathroom was being done.

Every time I go to work on something, I'm spending half an hour finding what I need. So, instead of stressing about it and trying to find everything I needed this morning in the mess, I stayed home and cleaned up the mess.

Got the embroidery threads separated from the sewing threads. (They now live in different places.) I sorted all the patterns into dedicated envelopes instead of all thrown together. Since I was drafting my own patterns I didn't have pre-made envelopes to keep things in. Sorted the whole fabrics, slated to be garments, from the scraps. Then sorted the scraps into, worth saving, and it's too small - throw it out. If I was a quilter, or making doll clothes, I might have a use for the smaller scraps. But, I'm not, so out they go. Then, I put everything I'll need in one location to be loaded into the car to go to mom's. *whew* Now, back to the hat experiment.

EvaJ · #51 07-20-2012, 06:51 PM

Busy day Debby. You made me smile with the sorting. I use to save lots of scraps for quilting and now I just toss them. Too small for doll clothes and I don't have the room to save every little bit.

Margo, sounds like you are getting there on your bags. I have always wanted to see Santa Fe but just never got over there. Now I don't think I could walk it and see all I wanted to see.

Today was finishing up the 12 pair of doll panties. Whew that is done!. Then made a Chatty Cathy dress of white with black dots and black lace. Different but I wanted to see how the fabric worked up. Then have started on a red dress with yellow trim. I am not a yellow person and so always have problems with putting yellow on any thing. It may be okay when I finish. It all needs to be ironed so next is getting the iron out.

I am upset with myself too today. I always watch the gas in the car and don't let it drop below a 1/4 tank. I went up to the mailboxes a bit ago and my tank is on empty with the low fuel light on. I don't know how I missed that. Now will stop at the corner and get a couple dollars of gas so that I can make it up to the regular gas station. The corner is a mini mart and gas way to high priced.

Aral · #52 07-20-2012, 08:32 PM

Hi Margo wish I was there, Santa Fe, that is. Many of my silk friends are now gathering there for the SPIN Silk festival but I can not be in two places at the same time and the rugs need me now.

Sorry to hear of your petrol troubles Eva. If it makes you feel any better you are not alone

Debby right a chainsaw

I do not think I will tell him about that otherwise he could get ideas

He is fine with is little axe

Good luck with the sewing.

We have been getting our guest room ready and I took photos of it tonight at midnight so you can see how bright it still is. The little skylight window above the dbl. bed had to be darkened otherwise our guests would get the sunshine streaming in ca. two in the morning. That is not good if you are not used to it.
Anyway only needing to find some fabric for the curtains....

Edit photo

poochemio · #53 07-21-2012, 12:47 AM

Eva, the main portion of Santa Fe is uber small so I think you could walk it fine. Lots of benches in the plaza and many coffee shops etc to stop and take a break in. The museums are either around the plaza or on the hill up canyon road and right next to each other. I like yellow and red together quite a bit, so I think your red and yellow dress will be just fine.

Well Sigrun I wish you could be at the silk festival too. Maybe next year it will be on you itinerary again. I'm not sure I'd ever sleep if I were at your house in the summer! Kind of you to worry about curtains for your guests. I did curtains for my bedroom earlier this week. Now I can finally hang all the paintings in there. Good since we got quite a few more back from the framer yesterday.

I had a day off today, we ran into town in the afternoon, had lunch and played for a while. My hands needed a bit of a break, but I'm ready to stitch a bit more before bed. I had forgotton how addictive hand stitching is for me, the quilting or embellishing kind of stitching that is. I did find some embroidery needles I love, I ordered them online from Scarlet Today. The place owned by my quilting teachers daughter in law. Super sharp and lovely to stitch with even on denim. Well happy weekend all, it's time for another episode of Foyle's war and another patch to sew on.

**DrDebby** · #54 07-21-2012, 08:34 PM

Margo, that jean jacket sounds like it's going to be quite a show piece. I hear you about hand stitching. I prefer it to machine sewing when I can get away with it. I'm much happier with a needle in my hand.

Eva, oops on the gasoline. Done that myself a time or two. 12 pairs of panties. Well, a dolly needs her underthings.

Sigrun, curtains in your guest room is very considerate. Looks like a very nice room. Maybe I can come out and try it sometime.

Went out to mom's today as I promised. Got another jumper and shirt cut out. Then cut out a jean jacket. Mom was thrilled. Only thing was she was not putting on fans or AC because her house was only 75. That's a fine temperature if I'm sitting and working on the computer or the sewing machine. But, I was going round and round the table, pinning, measuring, pinning, cutting. My face was beet red by the time I left her house this afternoon. I was a touch overheated. I'm home now with my fans on, sitting at my computer, drinking yet another glass of water. Now, I have to sew everything up, but not today. And, I do still have to cut out the fleece lining for the jean jacket. But, that's for another time.

EvaJ · #55 07-21-2012, 09:10 PM

Debby, I had to smile that you get hot at 75. That would be cool for me. I sweat when I cut out fabric all the time. The cutting table is in front of a southwest facing window and the sun does shine in there and it gets very hot even with the air on.

Sigrun, love your guest room and yes I think I would need curtains for the nighttime sun. I have a very dear friend who lives back in Norway now and she use to tell us about the light at night. She only lived in the states 14 years. She will say that she does miss some of the California weather that she had whentshe lived in the bay area.

Margo, all that hand sewing. Just not my cup of tea. I am looking forward to seeing your work.

Today only got one outfit made for one doll. It still isn't quite right so may have to remake it. It is a fashion doll (doll with boobs) and I really don't like making clothes for this type of doll. The doll was given to me so I work on it

**DrDebby** · #56 07-22-2012, 06:04 PM

Eva, laugh if you want to.

I can imagine that making clothes for a fashion doll would be more difficult than a baby doll. Not just because of the boobs, but they are generally smaller dolls.

Not much going on today. I left my sewing stuff out in the car for DH to haul in. He only got to it this afternoon. It's getting hot here and I don't feel like sewing on the machine. I've been working on my money box again. I'm lining the backs of the panels. This, of course, has to be hand sewn. Not a big deal. Just takes time.

EvaJ · #57 07-22-2012, 07:23 PM

We had storms last night with wind, thunder, lightening and a couple short hard rains which got us both out of bed for a couple of hours. Needless to say we didn't get a full nights sleep.

Today have been working on two dresses for the regular 18 inch dolls. Maybe I will still get them done today and maybe not. Super tired. Should sleep good tonight if the storms don't hit us again. They are suppose too.

blestlady · #58 07-22-2012, 07:41 PM

I'm back.

Sigrun, the guest room is beautiful! I don't like light in my bedroom though, but that window is really gorgeous.

Eva, I can see where you get over-loaded with dolls now and then. You do find many good deal on them. I still have done nothing with the few I bought here.

Debby, wow, your clothes were in a train wreck.

That is an interesting story.

Margo, I wish I knew embroidery more. I do very basic stuff that I just try to do my way. Maybe someday.

I'm trying to finish a shrug I started in FL some time ago. Also started a new lighter one.

We did not have water from yesterday when we returned at 11 a.m. from Cracker Barrel till 4 p.m. It lasted 15 minutes and then we had to turn it off because a pipe broke and it was gushing under the house! Thankful that we bought that 2nd year of home warranty!! The plumber got it fixed at about 3:00 today and we quickly got showers and I washed a load of dishes in the dishwasher. I have lots of clothes to wash tomorrow. So thankful for good clean water, safe water, and flushing water!!

poochemio · #59 07-22-2012, 08:26 PM

Good clean water, something I admit to having once taken for granted! Not anymore, maybe by the end of the week that will be me as well. I do have water just don't use it for anything but dishwashing and showers. Bonnie, every single stitch was made up by someone at some time, so you create your own stitches, I for one think that is very cool. No fancy stitches here right now, more of a darning/quilting stitch, just using embroidery thread for the density and the look.

Today I went through the bag of knotted up mess of thread that came along with my more nicely kept thread, unwound knots and wound the skeins around clothes pins, nit picky stuff, sat in front of the fan and watched part of the series The Borgia's, definitely my time period and some super cool cloth in the clothes. Much easier to stay cool on a hot day sitting quietly in front of the fan.

Eva sounds like you're getting some of our monsoons. I must say the nights are much cooler here with them, I've had several 2 quilt nights, we're probably much further north than you though. I haven't made dresses for dolls with boobs since I was young enough to play with dolls. My daughter briefly liked cabbage patch dolls and those were enough of a pain to make clothes for. All what you are used to or enjoy doing though.

It's starting to cool off so I'm off to do the things it was too hot to get done earlier. Tomorrow is laundry day, which means I get zip done at home. Laters

flying rainbow · #60 07-22-2012, 09:31 PM

Hi again,

A busy weeknd with a local art show to attend which was a good opening night with champagne and canapes and lots of paintings sold. Heavy gardening the next day as I had to cut all the canna lilies down, felt as if there were hundreds of them but probably there were only about 80, but I was determined to get some textile work done and I finished a wall hanging and some brooches.
Sigrun I love your cosy spare room and I well remember travelling around the north of Finland and Norway wondering how I would ever sleep with no darkness but I found having a hot sauna soon put me to sleep regardless.. SO relaxing! Your dyed silk is lovely too and the colours are beautiful.

Margo the technique with the patching on the jacket sounds fascinating. Do you use Bohun needles? They are best ones I know of but you may have other really good brands that I have never heard of. Would love to see the finished results.

Sewing at your Mums Debby sounds both exhausting but productive and it hard for me to imagine all this heat you are going through while I am sitting at he computer with three layers of clothing on and a big woollen scarf wrapped around my neck and my hands look blue... What did we all ever do without heating and A/C?

I still haven't got the hang of loading pictures yet but I keep trying. This is part of the textile piece I have been doing and it is backed onto hessian
then a layer of with organza and some foiling added. Puff paste was combed on to it, heated and then painted and embroidered. The edges were machine stitched to blend it into the background before adding some more hand stitching. The finished piece is about 16 x 20 inches and looks a lot better now I have mounted it onto a hand painted backing board..

Not sure how these two brooches will look as they are only about two inches square but they are made on pelmet vilene, foiled, and bits of hand made felt were added and embroidered. They are very shiny and don't photograph at all well.

Time to leave to do office work up at the Arts Society so I had better pack a lunch and go. A least once there I can do some drawing for a project that is still in the back of my mind and needs a bit of TLC to get it out there!
Happy stitching!
Ruth

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