I’m In Sewing Mode Again

Yep - back to sewing for a bit.  I’ve been working on a bag this week - no surprise, I know!  This is a more complicated bag than I’ve made before, so it’s also keeping me in “learning” mode.  I am making a duffel bag for my hubby for those weekend trips hunting or fishing, and he knows it’s all practice and won’t be perfect.  Fortunately, I had some non-floral fabric, ha ha!

I’ve been looking at Craftsy classes, and have purchased a few now - I am a very visual learner, so even though I might have a pattern, it helps to SEE how it goes.  This particular class is for making 2 sizes of the “Weekend Duffel”.  The content is well worth the cost.

As in everything, the prep and clean up seems to take the longest.  (Makes me practice patience!) I’m not crazy about cutting everything out all at once, but it’s a necessary evil to keep all the pieces straight.  Definitely helpful to be able to grab pieces that are ready for construction, too.  I use a drying rack to store the pieces until I need them.

I’ve always been intimidated by the internal zipper pockets, so this was a great way to learn how to do it.  And realize it’s really quite simple!  Too bad my stitching was all crooked.  Oops.  It’s on the inside anyway.

I have also learned how easy it really is to add hardware like twist and magnetic closures, as well as metal rings to attach straps to.  I guess I didn’t think it could be that difficult, I had just never attempted to do it for fear of ruining a project.  Never thought about the difference between a “pleated” pocket and a “bellows” pocket either - both are easy to construct, and as I like lots of pockets, this will be helpful for future bags.

It’s coming together nicely - I should be able to finish this weekend.  It’s beginning to look like a duffel bag!

Organizing and Staying Warm!

I hope everyone is having wonderful holidays - and we still have the New Year to look forward to!  I LOVE New Year’s - even though we don’t really do anything.  I just love new calendars, new journals, organizing my “stuff” and putting away the past year.  It always feels like I have a chance to do better . . . at something?!  Yep - I’m an organizing Geek.

I have some time off from work, so I’m planning new sewing and tatting projects.  I should probably clean the house, but THAT won’t go anywhere.  I’m also trying to cram in getting a book read - all the hobbies that working prevents me from doing as much as I want to.  The job pays for the stash though, so it’s a necessary evil!  

It has been cold this week - below zero (-18F) and now hovering around 0 F for the next few days.  Once it’s this cold, it doesn’t really matter what the actual temperature number says.  It’s just COLD. 

Stay warm wherever you are - and enjoy these last few days of 2017!

On With DECEMBER!

Today we had our Twin Cities Tatters December gathering.  Historically we have avoided December gatherings because there’s just so much going on, but with our 2017 growth, we scheduled a gathering.  We had about 8 tatters join us today, so WOW - we HAVE grown!

We had a snowflake exchange for anyone that wanted to participate, and shook doubles with dice to select from the participants.  It was so fun to see all the different snowflakes -  I wish I’d gotten pictures of all of the snowflakes.  Maybe Michelle did?

In any case, I received this lovely pair of snowflakes when I FINALLY got doubles!

Aren’t they pretty?  It’s always so much fun to see what others come up with.  

We discussed how to stiffen tatting.  Some use Aleene’s Stiffener - there are a few kinds though, so be careful!  One is thicker and seems to be more for fabric, while another is thinner and perfect for tatting.  Some use equal parts Elmers Glue and water.  In the past, I have used liquid starch and water, and have found this easy to wash out and re-do if necessary.  

Another thing that came up today is protecting our crochet hook tips.  Use an earring stopper on those tiny hooks!  You know, those little rubber ends you put on your earrings to prevent them from slipping right out of your ear.  Perfect for those size 12 - 14 crochet hooks.  This is why we love to gather - so many great ideas for not just the tatting technicques, but the usage and storage of our supplies as well!  The ideas flow, and tatters are so wonderful to share.

After our tatting group, I made it to a local craft show.  Ruby ended up with some festive attire . . .

 I’m not sure she cares, but isn’t she fashionable?

One of my grand dogs will be sporting this very soon:

I’m not a huge sports fan, but one daughter and her husband are very big Minnesota Viking football fans.  Their little dog endures many game days, ha ha!  I will be sewing a few of these bandanas too - they just fit right over the collar.  Easy Peasy!

Here we go! Enjoy the Christmas Holiday season :) 

Ornament Testing

Well, now that it’s December (!!) I’m back to thinking about Christmas and ornaments and tatting and cards and gifts . . .  sheesh.  [You’d think the fact that Christmas comes every December wouldn’t be such a shock?]

I finally finished my testing of just one ornament pattern, and now I like the first one better anyway.  The ornament on the left was done with size 20 thread, the ornament on the right was done with size 30 thread.  Both are on a 80mm ball (slightly larger than 3”).

Originally, I wanted to see the bare thread that joins the top and bottom pieces onto the ball more - I liked that zig-zag look.  But seeing them side by side, I now like the look of the tatting that covers the ornament more completely much better.  Funny how the same pattern can look so different in two sizes of thread! Which do YOU like better?

I think I will use size 20 thread, and be sure to tat fairly tightly on the 80mm ornaments.  I will try the size 30 thread on the 70mm size.

Now that I’m done “testing” I should be able to complete an ornament or two!  No wonder it takes me so long to tat . . . anything.

November?

Holy Cow - I can’t believe it’s November already.  And we’ve had a few days of super cold weather here in Minnesota - only in the 20’s F, and a bit of snow.  Already.  Yuck - we have 6 more months of this!  But, one positive is all the tatting/sewing I can get done while indoors.  Ha.

I finally ordered a shuttle I’ve looked at many times.  Banyek on Etsy has such pretty wood shuttles - I love the wood inlay, though I don’t know how much I’ll use it.  I’m not a big shuttle collector, but I sure do like to have pretty shuttles! Fun to have from a shuttle maker in Hungary:

I’ve been working on the 3rd of my 4 quilts for the kids as they turn 30.  My son-in-law turns 30 in February, and to avoid the Christmas rush of quilting I have his lap quilt to the quilter!  Good timing, as I don’t need it until the first week of February.  His is flying geese, as he is a bird hunter.  More ducks than geese, but the fabric reminded me of him, and that’s the fun!  The backing is Labrador dogs, of which they have 2 for hunting.  So perfect!  I love making these simple lap quilts focused specifically on each one as they turn the “Dirty 30”!!  Son-in-law #1 was fish, Daughter was music, and Son-in-law #3 is bird hunting.  Just have Daugher #2 left, so I’m pondering her quilt already.  They probably think I’m nuts, but they’ll enjoy the personal quilts more as the years go by.

The bird hunting quilt, front of geese and backing of labradors.  I’m happy with how I was able to get the binding fabric of rust/black to pull together the front goose fabric and the back dog fabric.

Since sewing has been my main objective lately, my tatting has been on hold.  I’m making progress, albeit slow, on the tatted ornament.  We had our Twin Cities Tatters gathering today, so I got a little more done.  But my goal is to finish that ornament by tomorrow to see which ball the size 30 thread fits on best.  Time is getting away from me again as the holidays gradually sneak up.

Next Friday, Mom will come to stay for the week of Wisconsin deer hunting.  And you know what that means.  Eating out, shopping, eating out, and-did-I-mention-shopping?  Ha!  We have so much fun running around the cities to various stores and quilt shops.  And lunches all over town!  A fun, annual tradition for us.  By the time she goes home, it is December, and the holidays loom large.  I don’t have much to do for holiday preparation, but it just seems to come up so quickly.

Back to tatting on my ornament.  I’m using size 30 thread, and it’s looking like it will fit the large Christmas ball the way it’s supposed to.  I will know very soon . . .