Sewing again

After my test, I broke out my new sewing machine- the Singer Curvy from Costco. It's bigger and has more options than any machine I've ever owned before, and it's fun. I'm making pj pants for my nephews.


My sweetie bought me a pair of large heavy-duty Gingher shears as a present after passing my FNP exam. They are heavy, but fun to use. I have some wool coating to dive into that will make great use of these shears.

Finished

This is why I have been so quiet on the blog recently. Today I took my FNP certification exam. Now I am certified to treat patients of all ages (currently I am certified as an Adult NP). Wahoo. Back to my normal life...

A trial gift (well, a real gift- but I'm going to try to felt it to size)!

Bossy socks

Thanks for the lobster interest. For anyone who might need to know, it is perfectly ok to carry-on live lobsters. But no ice, of course, so we put our lobsters on a couple of packages of frozen peas. The security at the airport know me by now, they are used to me carrying on sewing machines, lobsters, whatever- and always with donuts. :)


It got cold in Chicago! Friday night it was down around 25F, which isn't that bad but after temps in the 40s and 50s, it was a bit of a system shock. I have a wide variety of warm clothes, but I was wearing these socks Friday night- wool, of course. I love that they have L and R printed on them. These are adult socks, just to clarify- when I feel rebellious I mix them up! ha ha!

Things from Maine

We had to borrow a larger carry-on from Mom & Dad. We brought back a lot of books (Mom & Dad both retire next year, want to get my stuff out before they recycle it!), and some treats.


Mrs. Dunster's donuts are imported (heehee) from New Brunswick. They have been a special treat for me for many years, and I try to bring at least one bag back with me every trip east.


On our way to Sunday dinner, we passed a lobsterman selling at the side of the road. At $4.50/pound, for very fresh lobster, it seemed wasteful to pass up the opportunity. We brought 6 back in our carry-on. Yep, Mrs. Dunsters and live lobsters, in an LL Bean tote bag. It was classic.


In another classic move, I finished the second mitt in Detroit's airport. Unfortunately they don't match...so I am making two more. Eventually they'll match something! :)

Back from Maine

And I came back to find I'd been awarded this by a lovely lady who has mad sewing skills.

People like us need to tell it like it is, and let the scraps fall where they will.

Now I am tasked with sharing 10 honest things about myself.

1. I've had patients complain (twice!) that I was "too honest" with them about their medical condition. I start each new visit by saying I will always tell them the truth and will expect they tell me the truth also, otherwise there is little point in continuing the visit.

2. I really really like to read, sew, and knit.

3. I love the results of cleaning but don't enjoy the process.

4. Cereal is not just a breakfast food.

5. Honesty has cost me a friendship in the past.

6. My best (non relative) friend is also very honest. We've been friends for 11 years now.

7. I loved the Red Sox in their bad years. When I moved to Chicago, they took the series. My relationship with them has been permanently scarred by that.

8. My sweetie just bought me a great present- fold-down split backseats for the Prism!

9. I have more fabric than logically I could sew up in one year.

10. #9 doesn't stop me from occasionally buying more. :)

Mom don't look! :)

This is what I've been working on- trying to finish the Cap'n Crunch neck wrap for my mom in time for Thanksgiving. We are flying on T-day, bummer, less time in Maine, but tickets were outrageous this year.

Sweetie finished projects!

So, here are our sandblasted and powdercoated radiators. It looks SO much nicer! And somehow the radiators look smaller than before. Hauling them down our three flights of back stairs wasn't fun (and I'm glad my sweetie got two guys from work to help haul them up while I was at work), but it was worth it.


This is what we peeled off the wall behind the living room radiator. With many coats of paint, it appears to be the original "wallpaper"- a burlap type fabric. I think the building is c. 1920, and the details we have uncovered are amazing (the trim in the bedroom was custom fit 16+ foot lengths). It's sad that most of the units in the building have fallen into some disrepair, but we certainly have some cool features in ours.


So, thank goodness for good sweeties who are handy and repair lots of things (like the floor that was rotted under the radiator in the living room). I wouldn't have been motivated to have the radiators redone by myself, but I love the finished effect!

Sock update

It seems to be time to start working on the gusset. Yay!

A new obsession?

Last week my sister and I were at the Sewing & Quilt Expo in Schaumburg, Illinois. I took several classes, and learned a few tips. Perhaps because I took introduction-level classes in Overlock sewing and machine-embroidery, I was a little disappointed in not learning more. In the machine embroidery class I did make these three neat little wallets/holders- a wallet, a cellphone holder, and a business card holder (or wallet, etc.).


But in the machine quilting class I truly was a beginner. And I had a lot of fun. I'm excited to start machine quilting, too.


The instructor suggested we label these samples with the date, and pull them out in a year to see progress. I'm looking forward to it!

Thumbed

Finished in time for my southern sister's visit to Chicago on Wednesday. It's forecasted to be warmish, but good to have these just in case she needs them!

I give these mittens two thumbs up!

Rather, I plan to give these mittens thumbs eventually. heehee


During yesterday's cleaning I found both mittens and was able to graft off the tops. It doesn't look fabulous, but they are almost finished.

No sewing (but other things done)

This morning I had a very fun brunch, trying a new-again restaurant with a dear friend. After that, well- I did not get any sewing done today. I did buy pj fabric for the northern nephews' pj pants for Christmas gifts, and then did laundry and housecleaning with my sweetie in the afternoon. 4/9ths of the windows in our apartment are clean. It's disconcerting to see how dirty they were.


And the little mittens are about 1/4 finished. I'm giving the vest a little break for now.

Boogie vest version 18 (almost)

Five inches into the front of the vest, I checked gauge and...well, it was way off. So I ripped out and went up 0.5mm needle size to size 7mm (US10.75). So far it's looking much better.


Tomorrow I've got some sewing lined up. After all, the Sewing Expo is next weekend and I've got to get my sewing brain limbered up! I was looking through my books tonight and found the best explanation of interfacing/underlining I've ever read.


In this book.


It's like my mom is explaining something about sewing to me- no drama, it's not hard, just do this and this. And it works! I'm looking forward to trying some of the more complicated sewing projects I've been avoiding.

What I am about to rip

Oops! The pattern says I'll make one cable twist over 15 rows. This is what I made in just 12 rows...


Er, it's not clear, but I have three cable twists so far. Back to the frog pond!

Little mittens go slowly

In something this small, the mistakes are more obvious. I ripped and reknit three times to get this:


In other news, I am deeply disappointed in the people of Maine. Human rights are equal rights. From the New York Times online:

Maine, with its libertarian leanings, had seemed to offer an excellent chance of reversing the national trend of voters rejecting marriage equality at the ballot box. Instead, it became the 31st state to block same-sex marriage through a public referendum.

3/3

Wow, three blogposts in a row...this is exciting! :) Somehow when the time changed and it's darker in the evenings, I have more energy. It's not supposed to work that way, but I'm enjoying it.


The Boogie Vest is coming along. I haven't worked on it much but wanted something easy to work on while we watched a bit of Red Dwarf film this evening. And my sweetie added his own touch to the roll-brim hat I've been wearing today...turned it inside out and added a little waste yarn. I like it this way a lot!

Mittens

Oh, my best intentions...how they go awry! I picked out this pretty blue RYC Extra Fine Merino DK from my stash, and cast on for a pair of very lovely mittens with all sorts of cool cables. About five rows into the cuff, I realized I didn't have a second ball of this yarn. I'd have to make fingerless mittens (not so much) or something else entirely. Or, perhaps, a pair of mittens for
our friends' baby boy due in January.

On the other end of the yarn scale (but still in blue!), this is the hat I was making for a nephew. It fits me perfectly, though, and since that means it will be too big for any of the northern nephews, it's my new hat!


(that's just my knitting bag in the background, don't be scared!)

A brave new knitting

When I first knit with Bernat baby jacquards, I loved the self-patterning yarn. So when I learned that there is a lot of self-patterning sock yarn, I bought some. And it lingered in my stash. Until now! Pattern is Toe-Up Socks with a Difference by Wendy Johnson.


In preparation for the fall/winter months, I've almost finished a pair of mittens- just need to add the thumbs (and find the other mitten).


And a little gray cowl....

New craft space

Today I reorganized my craft stuff. We put together a cheap Target bookcase, stuck it in the bedroom, and I put all my craft magazines and books in it. Now they are consolidated, and our "regular" bookcases have more room.


Then I put all my patterns into PatternFinder organizers. It seemed a bit over the top, but I'm glad I spent the money. I could have made them myself but clearly I wasn't going to, so... Things look better now- and I know what patterns I have and where they are.


In knitting news, I'm about 3/4 finished the second mitten of a pair I'm making for myself. Just an ordinary cover-my-fingers project, but timely given that it's dipping into freeze zones at night here soon!

Finished...a couple more

Malabrigo...chunky, for the scarf (not sure what the pattern is, it's knit two purl one and on the wrong side, purl one knit two). Soft, warm, and my dad's birthday present.


The cowl is finished- and destined for a friend. But I really do love the snuggly feeling of Malabrigo protecting my neck from the cold!

Knitting has been done

I had some Noro Garden Light (two skeins) that needed to be used up, but how? A quick Ravelry search and I found a short-row scarf pattern. One ARHP conference later, a scarf is born.


A similarly orphaned ball of Malabrigo worsted found a new form as a Ridged Lace Cowl. Almost done!


After this I need to get some sewing done. I want to finish that quilt, but more importantly get my sewing skills oiled up and ready for the Sewing Expo in November. My sister is coming up for the Expo- we're in a few classes together- and I am looking forward to a fun girls weekend!

A week away

I was in Maine, and stuff. Very busy. Very important. I had to wear a disguise.


Luckily, I had gorgeous handmade socks to wear with my new nose. My birthday present from a wonderful friend.

Wraplan updates

Half-length sleeves are starting to look like a great option...

Quick blanket

Today I learned about a feature on my sewing machine- it does this cool stitch! I'll look up it's name later but for now, it's a really nice edging to tack down a baby blanket.


I made this quick blanket from a kit from JoAnn's. I love that the fabric is all coordinated for me (something I have trouble with) and all I have to do is cut and sew.


My sweetie is making raspberry ice cream. Yay for late desserts!

Transformation

I have not given up on making a pair of felted slippers. But the first pair, well, I did decide they were not meant to be slippers.


Aren't these great potholders?