Tawashi

I BROWSE the internet -- EVERY MORNING!

There is an endless list of things to learn, discover and then do-it-yourself!

I discovered TAWASHI on Saturday Morning.  These are scrubbie/wash cloths, depending on what you use to make them.  Basically Tawashi is the Japanese term for dishcloth, so it encompasses all sorts of designs and it just happens that these little round ones caught my eye.  I found the idea on the Ravelry (you have to sign up and be a member) and there is one free pattern but I sort of adjusted my project.  You can also check out  tipnut.com (http://tipnut.com/ ) and do a search on the site for the word/project tawashi, which is the pattern that I used for these.

To use them as a scrubbie for the kitchen, a "rough" acrylic type yarn is suggested because it will softly scrub your dishes, also the acrylic or nylon yarns are more antibacterial.  These ones though that I made I used a no name "overstock" cotton, that I purchased at Wal-Mart for $12 for two of those huge balls, not those piddly little ones that cost $1.50 each.  

These ones that I have made, will be my new face/bath cloth -- they feel really nice on the skin and hold lots of soap for a good scrub down.  They are simple -- infact an excellent beginner project, and fast and satisfying. 

I have some yucky blue acrylic yarn, that I plan to use to make another couple and see how they work as the kitchen wipe up cloth. 

I have let my hubby use one to wipe the counters in the kitchen -- he says he likes it because he doesn't have to be folding and refolding a plain square 'rag' to do any wiping up and it fits his hand nicely.

 (I cook, he cleans)

Too bad I have discovered these so late, I think they might have been close to ideal for my Mom's arthritic hands, not too big and heavy, like the square ones we are all used to.  Well, if she had tried them out, she would have given me her honest opinion as she was never one to hold back on her opinion of things...

Well, must get on with my day...

Patriotic Salvage

Is anyone up for doing a Mystery Quilt?  I hope so, after you hear some of the details, it may just entice you to take part!

Patriotic Salvage is what it is going to be called -- This year, July 1, the Canada Day celebration is on Thursday, and July 4th , Independence Day, is on Sunday so if you are going to stay home and enjoy your own back yard how about taking on a 4 day Mystery Project?   This will be a small quilt, with some fairly small pieces, but we will be using an interesting piecing technique that will keep your pieces accurate and inline.

Supplies that you will want to have on hand:
Fabric - cottons work best - as described in the next paragraph
about 1 meter/yard of light weight, non woven, fusible interfacing -- must be fusible!
Rotary Cutter, Cutting Mat, Acrylic Rulers of various sizes, but AT LEAST a 6 x 24 inch, works for everything, scissors, thread, sewing machine and all that goes with it.

As the name of this Mystery Project suggests, it will be somewhat Patriotic and the idea is to work from your stash.  If you are Canadian, you will want to check through your stash for REDS and Whites -- reds from pink to dark red, and Americans, I would suggest using light blues and dark reds or light reds and pinks with dark blues.  Of course if you do not want to follow those colour choices, you will be looking for lights and darks -- that is very light and medium to dark of any colour, so this is basically a two colour quilt -- or you could just use two colours, but using salvage fabrics from your stash will be part of the whole idea -- oh, and you will not need more than about 1 metre (a little over a yard) of light and  about the same of dark fabric choices...

The project will not take up more than a couple hours each of the days of the long weekend, starting on Thursday and ending with finishing details and suggestions of purposing this little quilt on Sunday, and that way, if you need you can use the Monday for final touch-up and finishing...  The Project will be appropriate for Beginner to more experienced sewer and you may just add to your repertoire of quilting knowlege.

Hows about that?
I sure would appreciate it if you leave a little comment on this post to let me know if you are interested and plan to work along on that weekend.  Thanks!

PS - there will be no charge for the pattern or tips that go along with this project but if you do not work along with the project, it may not be on this blog after about July 8...

Still on the Crochet Kick.

Just a quick update of the progress of the Quick? scarf.

This is the first 4 rows, or you could call them rounds, cause this doesn't go back and forth, it goes around, with the foundation chain being the very centre.  The foundation chain is 253 chains, the first 3 being the first dc, then dc to the end, in the last chain, dc three times, now without turning over make a dc on the other side of the previous chain, continue to dc in each chain til you get to the three chains that form the first dc, in the base of this dc, make 2 dc then slip stitch to the top of the first dc. 

 Next round change colour (white in this case) chain 4, this makes half of the "V" stitch, dc in top of previous round dc, skip 1 stitch, *dc ch1 dc in next dc* of the next round for 250 stitches now as you go around the curve you will make a "v" stitch in every dc of the previous round, then continue the "V" stitch for the 250 stitches around, again to form the curve, form the "V" stitch in every dc, join to first chain 4, in the 3rd chain with a slip stitch.  the fourth round is worked the same as the previous round, except at the ends, you will form 1 extra "v" stitch between the 3rd and 4th "v" stitch of the previous row...

TO BE CONTINUED...

Oh and as an afterthought, I decided I would mention Plan 52 -- it is not abandoned and is progressing along, not as quickly as hoped but it is going in the right direction -- I am considering a name change to Plan 38....

My Camera -- Out of Commission...

Good thing I have two!  The older camera has given up the ghost.  It is a Sony well made. I suspect the whole aspect of being digital and all the bits that go with being digital, makes for a shorter life span.   I guess it just doesn't have the capability to go on for an almost unlimited number of years.  I mean, I still have an Olympus Trip 35 purchased roundabout 1978.  When I am feeling old fashioned I can load it with 35 mm film and point and shoot and it works...  The sony digital is about 5 or maybe 6 years old, I am told that is a good life expectancy for that camera... Progress?

Long Thin Scarf

I am still working on the idea of long thin crochet scarfs.  The first one from the pattern link I gave in the previous post is an excellent example of quick and easy -- to create quick and easy is not so easy as one might think.   I took a hint from some of my Mile-A-Minute booklets that I have, but did not want to copy straight out of it.  I want to create something from my own brain.  I am sort of stuck though, I have five rows and am now stuck for a border or an edging. 

I went to the second hand store this morning to see if I could find some inspiration there and picked up three older knit and crochet magazines....  There is a border used on a sweater pattern in one magazine that I think might be just the right finishing touch on the current scarf.   I will get working on it later today.

Crochet Stitches Dilemna

Another place that I have looked for inspiration is an old instruction book that I have had forever; Mon Tricot Knitting and Crotchet Dictionary a french publication but printed in english.

 I have had this book for probably 30 years and until recently never thought too much about the descriptions of stitches!  Probably because I don' t refer back to much anymore.  It is the european system.  I always thought that the American compared to European was fairly simple, dc in american being tc in european.  I went to do the stitches according to the description in Mon Tricot, I found that a American/Canadian double crochet was not a triple crochet in European as I had previously thought (or is french crochet different than english?), it is actually a half triple crochet!  A triple in Euro, is another loop yet! 

Then, of course something simple like YO is not what it is called in the Mon Tricot book that I have, it is WRH meaning wrap round hook...  The book also has no single crochet stitch it is called a double...  I have concluded that this book is very difficult to use if I read the instructions.  If I look at the picture of a pattern I can fairly easily figure out the American/Canadian version of what it describes...

And still on the subject of differences -- using the diagram system for following a crochet pattern, which seems to becoming more and more popular, the stitch symbols used are also different. 

The American/Canadian symbol for a single crochet is a short up right stroke with a cross piece half way,  and as I said there is no sc in the euro system, or maybe it is a dc, which is symbolized as a single upright stroke.

So then the Am/Can double crochet has the same symbol as the Euro treble crochet, but as I said, a double crochet doesn't actually translate to be a treble, but a half treble, for which the symbol resembles a capital "T"-- then there is the double treble in euro but what do you think that might be in Am/Can??  Well at least the chain stitch is the same in both systems of crochet - a oval on its side...

Does any of this make any sense, to you? Me Neither!  I guess my gramma taught me the stitches and didn't really name them for me, so when I finally figured out what stitches were called I was following the Am/
Can language and not the Euro language of crochet.   It really makes the translations difficult as I said earlier, but for some strange reason after more than thirty years (maybe closer to 50 years?) of this old Mon Tricot Stitch Dictionary being in my possession, I am not ready to give it up, just yet.  It has some interesting pattern stitches that I have yet to tackle...

Give me a few more days to figure out a finishing round to my own long scarf...

Project Process - Processed Project

I have taken up another little challenge, you may notice a "button" near the bottom of this page on the left side, it is the Project Process Challenge.  Not really a challenge per se, but a pledge to show how a project progresses from idea to completion.  I will try to post some of the things that I do and how ideas percolate, get started and the road to completion.

But, not today.

The middle day of a long weekend.  I started and finished this scarf today. 

I saw this scarf on another blog yesterday -- and I am sorry I cannot point you to that blog, but I can point you to the instructions for this super quick crochet scarf. 

I often like to test out things with 'less' expensive yarns to see how well I like it -- I do like to crochet, but oddly, often I do not really like what I make for myself -- other than afghans, so a test with a acrylic yarn (worsted weight) - (the "super saver" size ball is more than enough) produced the above result.   This pretty, One Skein Crochet Scarf will probably be passed along or donated to my local Christmas bureau and I think, I may just make one for myself, now.  It is so long that it wraps around me little neck twice.  And still has rather long dangly loose ends. 

If this pattern interests you too, go to http://www.patonsyarns.com/data/pattern/pdf/instruction_1858.en_US.pdf

It is quick to crochet, especially on the middle day of a long weekend -- if you stay at home.  Well, we did go explore the Flea Market this Morning and the Veggie Market where we got the weekly supply of plant goodness...  And still, I got this whole scarf completed.  Yes, I think I will make another...

A thought that I did have while working on this scarf was that I thought perhaps, those Mile-A-Minute Afghan Patterns would also work well to create a quick scarf similar to this one today.  I am going to have to look up some of those to see how they might work as quick scarfs and maybe keeping it to one skein...

We'll get back to that idea in a day or two...

Spring Fever

I was mostly raised on a small hobby farm.  I think, because of that my nostalgia impels me to grow things come spring and summer.  The last few years my little town house yard has not been able to support life in any great abundance.  For two of those summers the complex I live in has been undergoing major exterior renovations and even the plants that I had, ended up trampled and destroyed by worker men...

Late last summer we decided to build a new deck, refurbish the old and create a step down system in our sloped yard.  Now we have no grass or exposed earth, so everything that I want to grow is done in containers except for the small back corners where a wild fern has sprung up and I planted some given-to-me Hostas.   Now, I am able to start to learn about Container Gardening, what works and what doesn't.

My yard now is not only 'earthless' but in past years has been very overshadowed by surrounding cedars that were long ago planted, they are in the 50+ years, I'm sure.   Recently though the owner of the cedars has had them trimmed up on his side so we also took the opportunity to trim back some branches on our side.  Now our yard is opened up and it can be considered partly sunny.  A few spots in the yard may even support sun loving plants.

So this is the beginning of my little garden.  I went so far as to create a name and a sign for my space.  I happened to have a piece of wood so painted it and then -- I don't know where this idea came from -- placed 4 left over blocks from a previous quilt onto the wood, wrote the garden name (THE PATCHWORK DOG GARDEN AND SANCTUARY) and with a sponge brush and a small can of Varathane paint, covered the whole piece with about 5 layers of Clear Gloss Varathane.

I certainly adds that quilt lovers element to my space!

A week early of the established and recommended planting date here in Canada (May 24, or Victoria Day Weekend) I have set out the seedlings that I started in doors -- BASIL and THYME, and planted some purchased starters.  Mostly Herbs will fill my container garden, SAGE, ROSEMARY, LAVENDER, and even CATNIP.   Now with the opened sky, I decided to try tomato and being sometimes a bit odd, I saw a do it yourself project to grow tomatoes upside down.

Here is the beginning of the upside down tomato plant.  This is a small grape type tomato.  The do-it-yourself project that I read about used a two litre pop bottle but said that it did not produce very many tomatos possibly due to being root bound, so I decided to try it in a 4 litre milk jug.   Lots of time to go, to see what happens with this tomato plant...  I will try to keep you posted as to this WIP!

The Big Bang Theory

Another post with no pictures...

Did you ever have an idea pop into your head that you thought must be so funny that everytime you thought of it all through the day, you would smile or giggle to yourself?

Well, I had one of those the other day and had to send my son, who is somewhat of a science nut and definately into astromomy and other such things, an email to tell him about it -- fully expecting to get the usual Ha Ha Mom, response.  

So what I sent him was this question.  If there was nothing before The Big Bang , how big could the Bang have been?  It may have been so small that it couldn't even have been heard if there was anyone or anything to hear it, so it may not even have been a big bang.   This question seems so far out and so rediculous that I did giggle about it all day.

So my brilliant (well he thinks he is anyway) says, yeah, Mom that is quite likely, anything to start is always smaller than what comes after, cause everything expands or grows at it progresses...  Do you think the Big Bang was smaller than when your irritating neighbour starts up the lawn mower on Sunday Morning?  Mind you this all depends on whether you are privy to the idea of a Big Bang theory or if you go for the idea of everything being created by a specific entity...

And no, I don't ALWAYS write about quilting or crochet...

Quick organizing idea.

no pictures this time...

anyway, the other day I was making a fabric cover for a journal type book and somewhere in the back of my head I was thinking about what I call my Password Book...  The two ideas sort of melded.

I have a old notebook that I write down the username, web address and password to a multitude of websites.  I know they (who are they anyway?) say that you should memorize your password and not give it out to anyone.  BUT GEE, there are more websites that I visit that need some sort of password, so I have to write them down -- AND because I did have a computer crash a number of years back, I now also write down not just the web name but its "http://" address too.  It is amazing how hard it is to rebuild a Favourites list or the RSS Feeds list from memory.   So everytime I log on to a new site I put it into my little notebook.  Handy, but still has problems the main problem being finding where I wrote down which site...  So thats where the bright idea popped in.  REDO all those website addresses and passwords into a regular address book -- the kind with the A, B, C's with tabs on the sides.   I have now discovered I have more web sites that I visit than I have actual friends.... hmmmm...  Sure makes it easy to check the password for any particular site -- by the way, there are a couple of my websites that are not written down -- the bank, is the most important, it is easy to remember that password because it is different than any of the others.

Another tip to do with keeping your web pages and passwords relatively easy to get back into is that I only use about 4 different ones that I use over and over and over,  but never on financially sensitive sites -- I don't think anyone looking to steal from me will care that I have a password for Lion Brand Yarn, or for the Ravelry site....   And the last computering tip...  You know those sites that insist that you have a question and secret answer?  Well, I have the same secret answer no matter what the question is-- so, What High School did you attend?  twofoursix  or how about What is your Mothers Maiden Name? twofoursix  and maybe they might ask What is the name of your Pet?  twofoursix...   (by the way, twofoursix is not my actual answer for anything it is just an example in this case)

Hope these were a couple of useful ideas -- mind you if you have money sensitive sites or sites that can give away personal information, I would advise a more secure system, but for the web sites that really just want to know how often you visit using the same answer for everything should be fine... 

Next up -- part of the Challenge to Finish

I haven't been very attentive to the ongoing Challenge to Finish, but finally I have some progress to report on one of those old WIP's that has been around just a bit too long.  I have 80 some squares made up -- these were an exchange of blocks with a local group of friends, 5 of us exchanged completed blocks.  I think I am the only one who has not finished (this was about 2 or maybe 3 years ago we traded blocks!)  Well, I have pulled out the blocks and decided it is time to put them together -- though a bit differently than my friends.  I have decided to make 2 quilts from those blocks, so I sorted through and the first quilt is using all the red, brown, purple, yellow blocks and the second will be using all the greens, blue, and yellows...

So I can say I have finished up the red brown top...

Now just to get it layered and quilted...

Who's Quilt is That??

Do you make a label for each quilt that you finish?


And What do you put on the label? And how do you make the label?
Well, on the third question, I can offer a couple of suggestions to really SPIFF up the label.
Most Labels that I see are square and hand sewn on the back of the quilt. A few years back my friend Doris, who doesn't particularly like to hand sew -- but she does anyway... Came up with the idea of the triangle Quilt Label. The triangle Quilt Label means you only have to hand sew along one edge.
This is how we do it.Depending on how big of a label you need, cut a square between 6 inches to about 8 inches square. Fold over the square to make a triangle with a already "hemmed edge"

Next, SPIFF it UP. I (and Doris too, who does this part mostly freehand -- she is a good draw-er) like to include a motif of some sort on the label to grab your eye. Most of my motif's come from old iron on embroidery designs that I have collected over the years. The little design then is coloured -- thats my short cut anyway -- or you could actually embroider it!

I use coloured pencils, or sometimes regular wax crayons, or just as often pigma pens -- all need to be heat set with your iron.

So now you have a really nice label, I just write on it a date, and who made it or who it is for. This particular label is for the quilt that I finished up this morning and will be donated to my guild's charitable quilts program. I don't usually put my name on it, but the person in charge of the donated quilts has a numbering system so she can keep track of who made what quilt. Often the recipient of a quilt will write a thank-you letter to the guild and then it will be passed along to the quilt maker...

So, I made a little quilt, well, a nice lap size type of quilt -- 3 1/2 inch squares made into four-patch blocks and then the four patch blocks alternated with 6 1/2 squares. 

(and made an error in placement of the blocks, which I didn't notice until I started quilting down the middle of the light smaller squares!  Oh! Darn! )

Quick, Simple, Uses Up lots of SCRAPS....

Now, squint your eyes a bit - the next picture shows the backing and the label, I just described how to make -- the back is awfully bright!

Whew!  Can you believe that for a backing?!  Aw, Well it is flannelette and is warm and cosy.  And there you see how the label is attached to the quilt. 

 You simply match it to one one your corners -- on this quilt which corner doesn't matter, but on a directional quilt, you might want to think about which corner you want the label on. 

Align the label with the edge of the quilt and pin into place, after you have sewn the front side of your binding on the quilt. 

While you either hand or machine stitch your binding around the back, sew the binding onto the label but also make sure that you catch the backing underneath.  Once you have finished sewing your binding on, just go back to the label and tack down either with a hand stitch or a machine along that angle edge.  There.

You Are Done.

Remember, do the drawing and writing and heat setting on the label BEFORE you attach it to the quilt, because if you use a poly batting the heat will flatten the batting...  If you forget to heat set, it will not affect a cotton or wool batting like it will a poly...

Vanity Plates

These friendly announcements of a lifestyle makes me almost want to go and proclaim my connection to quilts and quilting, even though our procedure for putting this on BC plates is definately a high cost for vanity.



VCQ Plates 2010

***  PS.  I did pick up this little video from another blog,  but not everybody reads every blog, and hey, maybe someone in my town will be adventurous enough to announce that they too are quilters...
Do you have an idea for a 7 letter/number combination that proclaims your particular area of interest?

Too Much of a Good Thing

I am one lucky, lucky girl...

Late Monday afternoon a huge -- I mean HUGE box arrived for me.  It came from my aunt who lives in Manitoba.  I am not even going to question how much it must have cost for her to send this huge box  to me.   I am sure glad she did, though.  Now the whole box is not full of lace, some really interesting lengths of it, but sort of dawnting or since I am not sure how to spell that -- lets just call it overwhelming!  I am not one for frilly things or girly girl things so the lace was quite the dilemna.  But, being the creative and enquiring mind that I am, I just progressed an idea that I have been playing around with using the selvedges from fabrics and instead of selvedges I translated it into laces...

So, I sewed a selection of laces onto some of the fabric that also happened to be in the box - some solid colour poly cottons.  In fact the laces are easier to sew onto the fabric than the selvedges because the lace is wider and doesn't take quite so many -- the work goes faster.

And the next step was to make something with the newly created fabric.

Easy Peasy as Jamie Oliver is known to say.  I covered a dollar store address book and doesn't it look like just the prettiest address book you can want??  A perfect place to keep all your best girlfriends names and cell phone numbers and of course email addresses...

This one, though I am mailing off to-day to my aunt in winnipeg as a bit of a thank you for her thoughtfulness when it comes to clearing out her 'stash'...

Sewing and Craft Fair

A Sewing and Craft Fair is not the place for someone like me, who is overly frugal...  But then again, maybe it is.

I went to this "fair" that has been coming to my town for a few years now -- admittedly the entrance price is high, at least to me, it seems high, til you think about it.  The admittance charge is $10 for two days and since it is fairly close to where I live, this year I took advantage of attending both days. 

Day One, Saturday, I did a bit of wandering in mid afternoon before I went to a one hour seminar that I signed up for called Serger 911.  I have attended these little demo's or talks or even sometimes they teach a hands on techniqe and to be honest these classes usually leave me wanting.  This class, Serger 911 though was very excellent. Now, even though I have been sewing for 30+ years, I bought my first serger just this year and have barely touched it -- fear?  well a bit, cause I had wanted to sew a rolled edge and changed the tension, then not having written down the 'starting' settings, I could not find my way back to those nice even stitches.  And really, What the Hell is Differential Feed??   Well, I am happy to report within a few minutes Kathy Ruddy had pretty much clearly explained what I came to the class for -- everything else was a bonus.   There was alot packed into that little seminar and even though I wrote things down, MADLY, I tell you, MADLY, I know I didn't get everything.   Now, since I am still a very basic serger user, the info that I got is an excellent start for me.  Kathy had a booth in the Vendors Mall and so today, I went back to purchase some of the "guides" she had created to help us serger learners.  Now I can sit and fiddle and try to be patient and learn about my new machine.   If you are interested check out Unique Patterns-Live Guides Inc. she is based in Mukilteo, WA

Day Two - I also saw (you'd think I was a completely new sewer) a embroidery machine, that has like ten spools of yarn all going at the same time.  I stood and talked to the lady demoing the machine -- it was facinating, but I knew that it was not a machine for me, though I did enjoy her talk and now I know how they put those cool logos and mottos and such on baseball caps!

So many great shops and products, far too many for me to absorb -- I did go to the show specifically to find some thread that my Janome particularly likes, for piecing and even for quilting.  Aurafil threads.  And I found it and bought 3 - 5000 meter spools.  Two of White and one a Dark Grey, those three should last me close to a year!

It was a fun show, got to meet up with a few other quilting buddies from my area and got to catch up of their doings.  This years 'show' included a Scrapbookers section and it is amazing what that ART has grown into!  Years ago I had a beginning interest but with teenagers and work and other things in my life, I did not add that to my crafty stuff, now I sort of wish I had, it is facinating to see the embellishments and the artistry that goes into creating a photo album.   I just looked.

The few things that I bought totalled less than $40, but I am very happy with them...

Oh and one shop, Sew Sisters Quilt Shop came all the way from Toronto, ON, (I am a fan on theirs on Facebook)  I bought the panel you see in the photo above, it is about a half meter and has 8 different dolls with their changeable clothing.  I am not sure what I will be doing with it, making a quilt? or maybe just keep it in my collection -- I have always been partial to paper dolls...

Oh, by the way, one of the things about going to these type of shows, I most like going alone... I know it seems that most of us go in pairs or trios, but the way I shop, I just greatly dislike following someone else around to the things that they like.  So going alone, at least for me, is the most satisfying...

PS.  I re read my blog and I realized that DAY ONE was actually Friday and Day TWO was Saturday -- I blame it on being a non- working person -- one day is just about the same as the next except I get to do what I want, when I want... I am thinking that, maybe it is time to find something to do to earn a few bucks...  It's just a thought though -- really "I'd rather be poor than work!"  Yes, I would make a great bum, hobo, lay-about, or whatever other interesting words there are for someone like me.... hahaha

I Do Like Free Stuff!

When I used to write the Miss Snips Notebook column for the Canadian Quilter Magazine, I also wrote a column called Check this Out! for a few years.  I aquired quite a list of interesting and most useful web pages that I wrote about in that column.  I came across a list of free patterns while searching through some of my computer files that I had luckily saved onto a USB thingy when I realized my old computer was developing little glitches.  Anyway, I thought I would pass along those links along with a few more recent ones that fit the "category".  I checked everyone this morning to make sure they were still functional and useful so, check them yourself with confidence that you are not going to end up with error pages...

Enjoy.

Free Quilt And Craft Patterns on the Internet.


You will be amazed at the number of free patterns that you can find by surfing around the different fabric manufacturing sites…

Someday You might not even have to buy a magazine or book to find the next quilt you want to make.

So here is a list of Fabric Company sites that have dozens of free patterns -- should keep you busy all summer!

http://www.andoverfabrics.com/QuiltDesigns/QuiltDesigns.asp

http://www.avlyn.com/collections/project/

http://www.blankquilting.com/freepatterns.aspx

http://www.clover-usa.com/Make+It/Project+Sheets/
Patterns for knitting and crochet, also some tote bags and other little projects

http://www.henryglassfabrics.com/
Click on Project Library at the top of the page for quilts and check out New Patterns also at the top of the page for NEW stuff for free…

http://hollyholderman.typepad.com/teatimefloral/
Click on the patterns along the side to get the instructions for the various quilts.

http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/community/freepattern.php
This company is well known for excellent variety of patterns -- the Sew Sweet Satchel was taught as a class by Therese Schwab a few years back and I have made it dozens of times now for my friends and relatives…

http://www.eeschenck.com/default.asp?SuperStore=348&s=348
Not only quilts but Christmas stocking patterns, too.

http://www.mccallsquilting.com/Block_Reference.html
A very long list of traditional blocks -- don’t have to worry about copyright here…

http://www.unitednotions.com/un_main.nsf/free_patterns!OpenPage
Lots of great patterns here, quilts, baby stuff, toys, and totes, click on the categories at the top of the page…

http://www.quiltinaday.com/eleanorandcompany/freepattern/
We all know Quilt in a Day, here are a whole stack of blocks and quilts -- all are in PDF format so you need to have acrobat reader on your computer -- if you don’t know what it is, just click on the pattern and your computer will tell you if you do or do not have it, if not, it is free to download onto your computer, just follow the prompts as they come up on your machine…

http://www.quiltingtreasures.com/quilting/projects.php %20literally    
literally dozens of patterns, just keep scrolling down…

http://www.redroosterfabrics.com/quilt/
some really nice ones here (Bread and Butter is on my to do list) from the intro page go to Current Patterns which will take you to the (obviously) current patterns. You can go also to the Retired Patterns, which simply means that the fabrics used in these are no longer available, but the pattern is, so you have to be creative and substitute your own colour combinations… and who doesn’t do that anyway?

http://www.rjrfabrics.com/patterns/patterns_search.cfm
Wonderful, Wonderful free patterns here, even organized into interesting sections, Cosmopolitan, Fat Quarters and Charms, Designers, and Collections -- click on each to discover exactly what they are…

http://www.southseaimports.com/projects.aspx
All the patterns are in PDF format, click on the link where it says “click here to download PDF” it does say, login at the top of the page, but I did not need to when I clicked on a few of the patterns…

http://www.ttfabrics.com/patterns/index.shtml
Some really nice patterns here, but read the small print as they are only free for a year and then become copyright the designers, so if you see something you are likely to make download it now, or make note of the designers name so that you can find it sometime in the future.

http://www.northcott.net/?sid=3&layout=2col&content=patterns some really nice patterns on this site, though not all are free and they all are pretty much under copyright so remember to contact the designer for permissions to display or sell…

http://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/MMF/DownLoad.cfm?Gid=1160 This is a great fabric company with a lot of designs and quilt patterns for free. Like a couple of others on this list, they download in the PDF format…

http://www.benartex.com/page/quilt-projects-85.htm
Not so many free projects, in fact I only found one, these are changed monthly, so you need to check back regularly -- it is a relatively new site so is still growing.

http://www.hoffmanfabrics.com/content/content-folder.asp?FolderID=7
 again, Lots and Lots of designs especially created for this companys product lines, click on the title to download the pattern instructions, and again, all in PDF format.

P.S.  Let me know if you have any difficulty with these links so I can correct them.

Odd Bits

My Wall of Fabric -- it is actually a bedroom closet, now the sewing room...

When I bring new or even thrifted fabric into the STASH, I usually wash it and then tear off the selveges from both sides.  I used to leave the selveges on, but now I have a use for them (saw a skirt made of sewn together selvedges on a web page)

The stack of torn off selvedges has grown, sometimes if I have no immediate use for the long strips, I will roll them into a ball -- but the problem with a ball is that then you have to unroll it to sew them together and you don't necessarily want all the same selvedge together, and long strips with no writing on it I usually elminate and that part of the selvedge is saved to tie young plants to a stake in the garden, or other things where you need soft but strong string -- even use it as a tie for gift wrap...

So, all those strips of selvedge gets sewn together with scraps of quilt batting (warm and natural seems to work the best for me) as the backing.  Then, in this case, just as we used to do with school books that we covered with brown paper to protect them, I have made fabric covers for empty, lined or unlined small journals.  You can get the journals at the Dollar Store or as I often do, get them at the thrift shops for even less than at the dollar store.

Not only are the selvedges useful for this kind of scrappy art, but all those odd bits that are left when you are cutting squares and triangles or rectangles and trapazoids from your larger pieces of yardage.  There always seems to be a couple of inches or even less than an inch when you trim... Bits that probably should go into the bin, recycle or garbage...  But no, when I get a stack of little bits I often will iron them on to light, non-woven fusible interfacing -- leaving the raw edges exposed -- sometimes the random bits just work out to be the perfect journal cover, and sometimes I will make a small cosmetic bag or tote or whatever strikes my fancy -- the more small scrappy bits, the more fun it is to try to fit them together to make larger fabric pieces and the more interesting.

Now, I must add that these little exercises in saving tiny bits is not an everyday thing (but the savings of the bits is). I have a couple of baskets under my cutting table that collects all those bits for a someday session of sorting. When I want to sew but have nothing particular in mind except that I just want to sew I can play around with those bits.  The sewn together selvedges may sit on a shelf for months until the inclination to actually use it up strikes my fancy,  or to get out the "fused" together tiny squares, triangles and rectangles and create something just a bit off beat...  Now, to find a way to make use of these PRODUCTS -- perhaps a online outlet to sell them?  Well, I will think on it...

A Week Away. . .

Really, I wasn't too far -- definately not to far to get to my computer fairly easily -- more like, I was pretty busy...

So, since I was so busy, I should explain my week long absence from blogland, or should I?

Cats and Hats and Unicorns

One of the things that took up my time was polishing my Brass Unicorn...  Mostly I don't get attached to THINGS.  Mostly Things are just THINGS and when they have no useful function, they don't stay in my house for long.  But my Brass Unicorn was a wanted THING long before I had him.  Large Brass ornaments were a "wanted" type of thing, way back in the early 1980s...  I used to go to a department store (Eatons that no longer exists) and wish to be an owner of a large brass floor ornament.  They cost way too much!  Then about 10 years ago or so -- I found mine...  Yes, FOUND it, not bought it, though I do believe it was meant to go to a local Salvation Army store...  Early in the day, in the days when I actually went to work, I was on my way to work and glanced out my driver side window and a bright reflection caught my eye -- no traffic, so I stopped and being the garbage picker that I am, there in the ditch lay my brass unicorn...  Mine, all mine!

I guess someone was taking a pile of things to the second hand store and perhaps got lazy...  There was a bag of clothing and a box of other little do dads -- all those I picked up too and did take them over to the Salvation Army drop box, but I kept the brass unicorn!  So this past week I spent a good couple of hours, shining him up with a newly purchased bottle of brass cleaner and now he happily gleams while standing in front of the stack of cd's cabinate...

  This definately was a week of shopping.  Just for the exercise, mind you, my hubby and I decided to go over to the local flea market and bought a few things that just happened to be there just waiting for us, cause we needed them...

My hubby has been trying to keep things in a falling apart wallet for a few months now, and mentioning now and then that he needs a new wallet.   Well, at one of the first tables in the flea market the vendor had dozens and dozens of wallets, leather ones, all for $10 or $15 each.  Hubby found just the right one for him and paid the man his $10...

Next we wandered along the aisles and when my husband gets behind I know he has stopped to look at stacks of cds...  There were ALOT of cds at this weeks flea market.  I even picked up one.  I am somewhat partial to blues and folk music, and there staring at me on one rack was a Robert Johnson cd -- I had never actually heard Robert Johnson but often heard of him -- take a chance and spent $5 -- so I carried home some new to me music -- my hubby also found a Eric Clapton that he at one time had on cassette tape, and a Huey Lewis that he had been hunting for for quite some time...  We thought we found all the treasures we needed...

For the longest time, the cat - ARCHIE has been needing a new post to scratch on -- he and his companion Fossie have been tearing apart the carpet (it is old) on the basement stairs... Now a new post made by a local fellow that makes and sells these stands at a much more reasonable price than the pet supply chain stores -- and not made in China or somewhere else...  $40 bucks and my ARCHIE is totally happy as you can see...

So those couple of things don't take a whole day or even everyday of the week, but truly there were things to keep me busy...

I did some sewing...

 I went to Bellingham, WA to pick up a few things -- particularly fabric and batting...

I had the usual Dr.  appointments, that always take longer than they should...

I absolutely had to go for a walk in the rain, at the park...

I bought topsoil and soil for my dozen or so containers for flowers and herbs on my back deck...

And I nagged my husband to sort out stuff in the basement attic... (most people call it the basement rafters)

So, yep, I was busy...

I'm a Sucker for Old Things of No Value

Yesterday, I had to go pick up a few groceries that I was not able to get a my regular store, so Me, being Me I also made a stop at my Local Value Village. Well, actually I made my husband stop the car there so I could go in... It is the only second hand store open on Sunday in this town...

I told my husband that I wasn't going to spend any money but if I did I would make sure to spend it on something I had no use for!

So, thats what I did. I spent 64 cents on two knitting books!

64 cents!

 They may seem valueless to most people, but at a glance I knew I had no need for them, but I surely was happy to have found them. I don't knit much, except I am trying to learn how to knit two socks on one circular needle (thats another story or another day). I am not very likely to make the more complicated items from these booklets, but you know that cardigan on the front cover will look as good today as it probably did in 1941 -- the year that top book was published... I'm gonna have to think on it. These two books are Canadian Publications, the first "Lux Knitting Book" was specifically aimed at knitting for Our Troops -- the men and women and children who were either fighting the war or who were displaced because of bombing or other distasters -- the ladies here at home were encouraged to knit these items for the benefit of others -- women here had a pretty cushy life compared to what what happening in England and France and the rest of Europe. The socks and vest that our ladies knitted for our soldiers were always welcomed -- a clean and warm pair of socks was probably something real special for a young man, tramping through the muddy fields of France in winter...

The second book, The New Lux Knitting book was published in 1952 and is a whole world of difference when you read the text and compare it to the 1941 version. In this version, style and quality are emphasized -- dressing your children so they look good at school or in public is a MUST according to this second booklet. The world was a completely different place in 1952!

What I really like is the photos, the people who model the items to knit are the average person - the lady down the block, the young dad who works in an office, and the kidlets on their way to school. They are not rail-thin like todays clothing models, their faces are clean and bright, not packed over with extra long eye lashes and unnaturally coloured cheeks. The flaws are not hidden. The lady above, just a bit over weight by todays standard, but trim and neat -- and no perkey implants to emphasize a too big breast, she is a 40ish woman with a shape that is not quite and perfect as her 20 year old counter part and yet she makes that knitted suit look very comfortable and stylish. If you had the talent and opportunity, wouldn't you like to have a suit as fine today?

Some patterns for the men of the family... again, wouldn't these patterns work for todays head of household? And those pipes! Have you seen a man with a pipe in recent years out in public? Well, it is not so acceptable any more is it -- today we know the possible consequences of those masculine pipes -- but you know, I always thought my Dad looked very handsome when he sat in his chair and lit up his pipe -- I remember an ash-tray my brother made for our Dad in his 'shops' class at school!

Just look at those Young Ones! Did your mom put those kind of clothes on you when you were in elementary school? Or maybe you were the Mom who took the extra time to make sure your kids were clean and neat with a ribbon or barrett in your hair. I don't remember my brothers wearing short pants like that, but my grandmother regularly knitted socks for us and I know I had a sweater or two from one gramma or the other, most of my growing up years.

When did the world change so much that now quite often, when you knit, crochet, or quilt for your children or grandchildren the item is looked upon as junk - what teen would be caught "dead" (as they say) with something home made! It takes so much time to create these items and the value of them have been down graded to the point where they are not even wanted anymore... What could show more love than your gramma making you socks for christmas, but now, even manufactured socks are not even to be considered a gift unless they have a movie logo or a tv characters face printed on them...

Some of the wonderfully interesting patterns in these books include socks with a double heel, "so that they provide extra comfort" tp the soldier on the field of battle, mitts for children on the "coldest days and the walk to school" even specially designed scarfs for the "brave airmen" and "seamen" who serve this country.

This was a great find and not a waste of that 64 cents (6 cents tax), in fact I am getting more value from these books than buying a new magazine off the grocery store shelf for 5.99 or 7.99 or even the outrageous price of 13.95! Maybe I will even try to knit one of those seaman scarfs!

Oh PS, the LUX is the name of the sponsor of the books, Lux was a brand of soap--both as a hand soap and a powdered soap for hand dishwashing -- their catch line "New Quick Lux saves you from housework hands . . . is fast -- thrifty "

Talking to Myself and Talking when the Wrong Person is Listening

I'm not talking about quilting or knitting or crochet here.  I'm talking to myself, or so I have come to strongly suspect.  Its like talking to my husband.  Even though I know he has heard me, he ignores me -- is that cause I talk to much? or is it because there are more important things occupying his mind -- but then what could be more important than me?

 Thats not the point of this blog either.

  I just wonder about things, mostly about truth and next about politeness and consideration...  It often keeps me awake at night.  How do you go about being a good friend, first is trust I would think--but it is a terrible sick feeling when a friend betrays that trust when you allowed her to hear a conversation with another friend, as a result it has caused repercussions between my young friend and her husband.  What went on?  A young woman I have known for a fairly short time came to me wanting to talk -- she recently had a baby and was feeling down, she has two other young children and her partner has two children, so my young friend is now the mother of 5 children between 2 months old and 6 years old.  I am well past my child rearing years and find it difficult to remember the energy and mental apptitude it  takes to be a mother, especially since I only had two children, not 5 To be attentive to every child every day along with the extra demands of a new baby is a herculean feat, I suspect.  So she wanted to talk -- I just listen and mostly make small suggestions, but I never make a judgement or tell her how to do things or what she should do -- I just LISTEN.  Well, another friend happened to drop in and though she mostly sat quietly and listened to my conversation with my young friend, I thought all was well.  Unfortunately not.  The second lady, who is an aunt to my young friend went home and phoned my young friend's husband and told him that his wife was whining about looking after the new baby, along with the four other children and how difficult she was finding it and was asking me for advice.  Oh, he was mad!  Not a me, but at my young friend...  I shall not go into detail as I was not there to hear or see. 

Now, I need to explain myself somewhat before I say what I did.  I have opinions, but I try very hard not to make judgements on the way others live their lives.  I believe things in my own way, but I don't try to make others believe what I do or do things the way I do.  I believe that I am not a vindictive or violent person -- violence makes me feel really bad.  So my way to deal with this is to close my mind to this other lady who betrayed my trust.  I have closed my mind to her and closed my home to her.   I have not actually told her that, but she will not be welcome in my home again, there will always be a polite excuse why I cannot spend time with her.  I suspect it may take time for her to get the message that I don't want her around anymore.  She may never get it, but I don't care.  I cannot leave myself open to this untrustworthy person ever again.  She did too much damage.   But I did learn a lesson.   When in a private conversation, keep that conversation private, you just never know who is wanting to cause trouble...

And talk about learning a lesson -- I talk to myself when I write this blog, so I am considering closing it down because it doesn't make sense to talk to myself publicly.  Perhaps just write a private blog in my own handwriting in my own paper journals with an old fashioned pen.  People seem to be disinclined to read personal journals, even if you leave them laying out on your front step on a summer afternoon...  Writing a public blog is disappointing.  Now how do I know I am talking to myself?  I wanted to try out a couple of things that have been questions in my mind.  The first question:  Does anyone read the quilting tips or ideas that I write here?  and secondly, Should I bother to consider giving information or should I just write my own quilting journal and not concern myself with who or how many read this.  I write a blog because I hope that those bits of info make it easier on someone who is working on a quilt, crochet or knit project.  I have come to suspect that no one is reading because no one leaves comments -- I know it takes an extra effort to leave a comment on a blog, but to me, it is a form of saying Thanks for writing this...  But very few do that so either no one reads or no one can be bothered to say thanks.  Either way, it seems like I am talking to the nail in the wall and the only thing that nail does is hope that someone will hang a picture on it so that it is not able to hear me cause it is covered up... Ho Hum...

Now having said that, I am totally amazed at the number of comments I got in response to my offer of a prize (by drawing names) of those who leave comments on my post last week about Earth Hour.  So, quietly I shall state that EVERYONE who left a comment on that posting, up to this moment will receive a little treat in the mail.  It is just too hard to choose just one, so everyone gets something.  Watch your mail because if you send me your postal address I will have your treat out to you the very next day.... My email -- jswb4com at yahoo dot ca -- you know where the @ and . go, right?

It is rainy and rather gloomy out this morning and I have had a headache all night so after writing this gloomy post, I think I need to go cheer myself up with some sewing...  I am quilting a quilt, just a lap size one to donate to my local guild who will then pass it along to one of three organizations who look after women and their families when in need...

Maybe a picture later today...

Pork and Beans -- Plan 52

Yes, I am still working at and learning about this Plan 52 idea -- for those who have not been by here before -- Plan 52 is the name I have given this plan for loosing a few pounds...  Is it working?  What is .2 of a pound?  Sounds like I have alot to learn, yet!

Some of the foods that I am trying to restrict is the big carbs -- at least for awhile --- POTATOES, PASTA, RICE...  which ultimately means more, much more veggies. 

I don't follow plans very well, which means I don't follow recipes, but I do like ideas or suggestions.  So quite often I will, somewhat invent a stew, or soup, even rustic type pies and I love to add odd things into breads and quick breads.  

So the other day, after spending an hour or so reading through Kay Spicer's book Full of Beans (I've had it for years)  I came up with an improvised combination of a couple of her recipes...

I don't know what to call it except  Pork and Beans...   Now keeping in Mind that I am avoiding those big three carbs...  Oh and If you are like me and don't particularly like to follow a recipe, well go ahead and create your own variation...

Plan 52 Pork and Beans

1 can garbonza beans (chick peas to some)
1 medium large onion
2-3 stalks of celery
Pork -- I used a Pork Butt Steak, about  the size of both your hands together.
3-4 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried thyme
3 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste.
chicken stock --- home made prefered or the second choice is canned but if you use the powdered stuff, like OXO or BOVRIL leave out the salt until the pot is finished and let each person add salt to taste...
A glug or two of vegetable oil or canola oil.
A large can of canned tomatoes, I use diced, but if you like crushed or whole or any other variation, use it.  I am not giving can sizes cause here in Canada we use metric and in the US you use Ounces -- use the can that is way to big to get one hand around but if you use two hands it is easy to grab all the way around -- how's that for measuring size???  Good thing I don't quilt like this or my "points would never match up!


In a fairly large pot, put in veg or canola oil, turn heat on medium low.  Add diced onions and chopped celery -- they should be chopped up about the same size.  Cook on low until the onions just start to carmelize, this does take awhile, don't turn the heat up as you want the onions to carmelize not burn.  Be Patient, stir regulary -- if you get tired of waiting for the onions, get a cloth and wipe the top of the fridge and the window sills and maybe even take some stuff out of a cupboard and wipe the shelf and the dusty cans... (hahaha) but don't get too involved in the wiping stuff, cause you still have got the onions to keep your eye on.

Chop the Pork BUTT into about 1/2 cubes and add to the onions - you don't have to brown the meat.  Add the can of beans (chick peas) into the pot -- make sure you drain them well and rinse them before.  If you happen to be starting with dried beans, it is about a 1/2 cup dried beans soaked at least 6 hours, so overnight or close to.  Add the canned tomatoes, and about 4 cups of chicken stock (or 4 cups of water and you "flavouring powder" of choice.  Peel and chop the garlic -- not too fine...  Add the Bay Leaf and Thyme.  Put a lid on the pot and turn the heat to LOW.  Every 15 - 20 minutes go check the pot to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom or that the liquid has evaporated (if it has your heat is on too high) add liquid if needed -- plain water is fine.  Give the pot at least an hour but two is better.  When you are hungry, find the Bay Leafs and take them out of the pot and chuck in the garbage.  Eat all the rest of the Plan 52 Pork and Beans --- I find that about a cup and a half makes a nice warming and filling meal size.   If you are not following a weight loss system, a couple of pieces of buttered toast go beautifully with this soup/stew -- so my husband says...

Oh, PS -- a nice crunchy Gala or Fuji apple goes great with this as dessert!

REMINDER: check back to the Earth Day Entry and enter a comment for a chance at a small giveaway goodie...

Earth Hour 2010 - March 27, 8:30pm

Turn out your lights for one half hour on March 27. 

"Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The CN Tower in Toronto, The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour."

"In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative."

"Earth Hour 2010 takes place on Saturday 27 March at 8.30pm (local time) and is a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community throughout the world. It is a call to stand up, to take responsibility, to get involved and lead the way towards a sustainable future. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Europe to Asia to the Americas will stand in darkness. People across the world from all walks of life will turn off their lights and join together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet" quoted from the About Earth Hour Page at earthhour.org

Learn more about this movement to save our world by going to http://www.earthhour.org/ 

Check out the web page, and put your location on the supporters map -- http://www.earthhour.org/SupportersMap.aspx  put your town and home on the map...

While the lights are out, light a candle or two, or perhaps use a battery light and experience what it may have been like a hundred years ago, doing hand-sewing after all the other work of the day is complete...  slower - harder to see - quieter...

AND -- the best part -- leave me a promise in the comments that you will be turning out your lights for earth hour and I will draw a name on March 29 for a giveaway that you can use should your lights go out and you really really really need to do some hand- sewing....  (then check back on Monday to see if it was/is you!