Pop-Ups and Falling Back

I can't begin to tell you how much I dislike changing my clocks back and forth, spring and autumn.  Can't it just stay one way or another?



Anyway, fall offers up some beautiful lighting with her slanting rays, especially in the morning. They caught these trees one morning as the sun started cresting the mountains. They looked to be on fire as I drove by Tub Springs.



 I just had to get some pics.

Once in a great while, Fabric of Vision has a pop up after doing a little special fabric curating.
Needless to say, I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by. I added some beauties to me fabric stash.

Wool Challis

Cottons

Heavy painted stretch denim

Flannel Raccoons and Stretch Denim

There will be another pop-up shop this weekend with Out of the Blue, a store with the most AMAZING selection of buttons and beads and other small treasures. If you're in the area, its Friday through Sunday at 399 East Main Street.

Friend Cindie also added some wonderful fabric to my stash.



 She knows my love of all things foxy and gifted me with this fun fabric when we got together last Wednesday. Thank you Cindie!

I finished up the PJ run. Here are two bottoms and two tank tops. They aren't beautiful, but they are comfortable.




I also resurrected a pattern I hadn't used in a while. Indygo Junctions Retro Raglan. I love many things about this pattern but not the super wide neck. I made the collar higher and smaller and have found the love again.

Oh Look! A Fox!!

 It's been lengthen in both hem and sleeves. I liked it so much I went ahead and immediately cut another in a saved linen print. This one is a linen cotton blend and has a nice hand.

A bit of weaving has also gone on. This is the start of my Dad's prayer flag.



There just hasn't been a lot of time for this. Even an estate in good order takes a lot of time to mire through. Hopefully by early December the worst of it will be done with. Fingers crossed.

I did promise a pic of the towel warp off of the Louet Spring and here it is.



 Impressive huh?! Now I have to wash, cut apart and hem them all. And the birch bark runners need to be finished up since one of them is a gift. But hey, I gained an extra hour right? ;-)

Parting shot: Hazel dressing up as Stella on Halloween.

SaveSave

Developing New Habits

I think it is easier to develop new habits than change old ones, at least in my experience. In any case Spinzilla helped me to set a new good habit and that was to pull out my lovely spinning wheel and use and enjoy it every single day.



I started practicing a week or two before Spinzilla and now have continued a little daily spin time afterwards. I'm certainly more comfortable with my wheel and my spinning has improved too. Win win! I didn't spin as much as most of my fellow Team Web-ster'ers but I certainly met a personal best goal and I had a lot of fun with the two art batts I tried. Team totals come out next Monday when they announce the winners.

Tuesday night I took a class with Kris at the Websters too learn the magic loop method of knitting small stuff in the round. Much easier than all those double points to do socks and mitts and hats.
Magic!



In the sewing salon a couple of pretty and feminine makes are done. This is the second go at the Folkwear Middy Blouse pattern and it awaits closures and hemming.



The fabrics are all linen. The collar is a vintage linen bridge cloth I found at the huge Rogue Valley Manor annual flea market sale.



I think it was $2.00 and in pristine condition.



When I saw this white and gold linen fabric at Fabric of Vision, I knew I had to pair them together. The Middy blouse was the perfect choice.

Second up is a simple modified Mississippi Ave top.



 Both fabrics were leftovers saved from other projects and fine woven linen (blue) is such a perfect fabric for under garments.  It was a fast sew and almost too pretty to hide.

Lastly, I used this heavier rustic linen for a Sewing Workshop Liberty shirt.



This is a TNT pattern for me and I find I make at least one of them a year. I used up the last of some favorite ribbon on this too.



It will see a lot of wear; good color and good weight for colder weather.

A trio of books has made it up into the knitting/spinning book library.



It's been a while since I've added to it! And we couldn't leave the Web-sters without some Unicorn Tails!



I want to point EVERY dog owner who reads this blog to check out this article on Peanut Butter and xylitol. I use peanut butter every day as a vehicle for dog medications. This is showing up more and more in products so please, check your labels especially on human foods that might find their way into your best friends tummy!

Parting shot: Watching me watching you.

Hazel Rose and Charlotte

Head Slap

All the while I have been working on the Verona coat, I've been thinking about the version I wanted to get to. After all, the completed one was really just the muslin so to speak. I have two beautiful fabrics set aside for coats and this one just screams Spring to me.

I have been looking for a companion fabric for the contrast on the collar and pockets for a long time, before I even brought the piece of fabric home on the super January sale at Fabric of Vision. Of course nothing really worthy has been unearthed.

At least not until about 12:30am Friday morning when I literally sat up and gave myself a head slap. I am weaver for cripes sake! I can weave the dang contrast fabric just how I want. And better yet, I have the starting point yarn right in my stash!

My Friday morning foray into town started at Web-sters. I needed more of the Kraemer Silk and Sterling yarn. Sadly, this has been marinating in my stash for a while and is no longer available there. But, they have plenty of other good stuff! Louisa Hardings's Jasmine came home in a lovely spring green as did Staccato Sock by Shibui in the same soft cream of the Sterling yarn.

I can get the Sterling right from Kraemer and will order 2 additional skeins. I'm thinking a fairly dense sett at 18-20 epi, 24 inches in the reed and I'll do my mixing on the warping board. Plain weave. I only really need a yard or so, but will measure out about 2.5 yards, allowing for loom waste and sampling. The linen and fique place mats can wait a bit longer.

I was also gifted with a wonderful boutique beer. It was recommended for consumption with something sweet and chocolate, so yesterday I made some brownies. I'm not a baker, but once in a while I stretch myself. I can't think of a better dessert than an excellent smooth stout and brownies.

Can you? Thank YOU Sandi.

Up in the sewing room (besides petting my new coat and plotting the next), I'm trying to work through my cut out pile. Some stuff is summer, some stuff is still for cooler temps. I grabbed this fun corduroy and made it start to finish in a morning, counting interruptions.

What I am loving about this Burda pattern (7220), besides fit, is that it is very close to RTW. No facings or interfacing. It makes for a fast, straight forward construction process once you muddle through Burda's less than stellar directions once or twice. I have modified both versions to just have self fabric bias bindings.

On this top, I changed out the cuff. Instead of hemmed and tucked with a button and button hole, I gathered the sleeve and did a little bias binding cuff. It took a long time. It was a *really* tight fit on the free arm of my machine. I like the little feminine touch the gathered sleeve adds. This baby wale corduroy drapes in such a pretty way.

In farm news, an update on the hay feeders. They work great and are holding up well. We had one incident. Nick got his hoof stuck in one of the holes. Now, the problem was MY fault. I hung it too low and I know Nick tends to paw at things. The feeder came apart without breaking (it has a hinge on the back side) and did no damage what so ever to Nicks front leg. A little playing with which way to turn it to slide off his leg and over his hoof and we were back in business. I am sure he had himself a little panic attack with that on in the stall, but other than a lot of thumping as he walked it might have been a good lesson for him. He certainly held nice and still while I worked his release out at 5 in the morning. A number of weeks and feedings later we have had no repeat of the incident.

Parting shot: Snow Day the series. Perfect Light ( best biggified).