Pow! Bam! Right to the Moon Alice!

Who remembers Ralph Kramden from the Honeymooners? Thinking of moon voyages long before the space program, at least for Alice! ;) But when you can't get to the moon,  you can bring the moon to you.



 That's what we did last week by bringing the excavator ( this one would look sweet in my barn right next to Bob the Tractor.), over to dig up the front yard for footings.



 My own mini moonscape and unlikely visible from space. And it hasn't gotten any better. Over the weekend Gene ripped siding and flashing off where the deck will be bolted into the house. Cut away some wood that carpenter ants have damaged and in general made it look really, really bad. He has assured me this is about as awful as it will look. Hmmmm.

Should I ever decide to make a moon flight, I have just the thing to wear too.



 I finished up this fun top yesterday. I mean really, rocket ships, planets, friendly looking robots (they don't look like Daleks thankfully), moon and stars.  The plain sleeve got a horizontal pin tuck detail.



 I liked the idea of a double row of snaps instead of the 4 loops and buttons. I am not considering this as a jacket (Sewing Workshops San Diego Jacket pattern) but a shirt, so I needed a bit more closure, scaled it down a bit and added a simple pocket.



I'll admit Saturday afternoon and early evening was completely lost as to productivity. They had a Dr. Who marathon on and trotted out the first episode of the new season. Those Weeping Angels still give me the creeps though.

Along with the top, a fun pair of cargo pants for my Mom was completed. These pics were taken right after completion.



 They need a good press but you can at least see some of the details and those voile lined pockets I worked so hard on. It makes a lovely pocket lining, smooth, stabilizing and adds no bulk at all. For those that might be new, this pattern uses a greatly modified version of Sewing Workshop's Trio pant.



 I'll be whipping up something to complete the outfit although the pants in their deep olive color will go with many, many things.

Friday was the dreaded trip to the vet with Robin and Pogo. Robin was eager for the car ride and instead of putting him in the crate I harnessed him into the back seat with a special travel harness. He did get his medication for travel sickness and acquitted himself quite well on the trip. Pogo did too, but the treats he got at the vet arrived back up on the way home. Toenails were trimmed (muzzle and two experienced people needed), shots given and lots of fuss was made over both dogs. Fingers all intact when I left too. Checkbook not so much. :)

Parting shot: The long and winding road. ( Robin & Peter)

 

Bells and Whistles

 Maybe stupidity and despair might be a better title, but then folks would panic thinking someone got injured or died and none of those things happened. What did happen is that I took a perfectly good pattern and a rather nice clearance fabric, put the two together and goofed it up beyond belief. The fabric was woven which was one of the contributing factors since there is no "wrong" side and of course it was bright. It eat up any and all markings like crazy. So, I made the left side into a right side, attached all the right side plackets and such and started in on the left side which was really the right side piece. Let's just say after a lightweight woven is sewn and serged it's very hard to take apart. Can be done, but once some of those plackets distort, it's going to be a battle and this design counts on those curved plackets to provide interest. I paid $4. per yard for the fabric. I used 3 yards. If I had more fabric I would have gone for it, but nothing more than a few 3" scraps remain I was that tight on it. It sits hidden on a shelf in a ball. We may only need a short break from each other. We'll see.

But wait, there have been other more pleasing projects finished. In fact the Sewing Workshop San Diego jacket loves being made into a vest.



 This is my version in plain black linen. It should make a wonderful basic wardrobe piece don't you think? And there's more...Cindie, weaver extraordinaire (and just plain old nice and generous too!), sent me a little piece of a sample she had woven on her new mega multi shaft AVL loom when I had asked.



 It had been sitting around waiting for just the right moment.  Thank you Cindie, your lovely little woven hearts have turned this vest into something very special in a number of ways.



The state of the ranch report reads hot, dry and dusty.



 I'm ready to go out and do a rain dance. Now wouldn't THAT be entertaining! Well don't hold your breath. I suspect this Boston born 50 something transplant couldn't produce much more than a little spit and some tears of laughter. Oh if getting rain where that simple though....

The new fancy TOMCAT mouse trap has scored a fresh mouse two nights in a row. Not bad. The catch and release program is still in full swing. I'm wondering just how many mice are hanging out in Castle Runamuck. Robin has shown interest (doesn't he look interested?),



although it is unclear whether it is Mickey he is after or the peanut butter on a little biscuit bait!

It should be a quieter week than last and with the heat and smoke coming from fires in California, that's probably a good thing.

Parting shot: 6 in 1.

Teddy Bears for Grown-ups

That bear fabric spent about 4 hours on the stash shelf before being cut and I was determined to use a new to me pattern without doing a muslin first. That's usually a recipe for disaster, but Sewing Workshop patterns are pretty darn consistent with their sizing and drafting. It wasn't a sure thing, but it was close and there were no disappoints with the San Diego Jacket at all. 

The hardest thing about this pattern is the collar/shoulder point turn.

Mark your dots and circles carefully and follow the excellent instructions to the letter and you will be well rewarded.

 The pattern should be titled "Five Easy Pieces". The only thing this pattern lacks is pockets, which is unfortunate in a jacket pattern. I added my own and it would be easy enough to add side pockets on the seams. The button loops where fun to make and the buttons themselves are actually two buttons stacked from the loose button stash. 

 Pale (but bright), green corduroy kept the fabric from looking too Halloween. My first choice was navy but it didn't work as well.

 This pattern was such a hit, a second is already cut as a vest in some nice medium weight black linen. That will be "Three Easy Pieces" since I won't need the 2 piece sleeve.

The plaid jacket is almost done. The lining is in and it's all hemmed and ready to get the inside casing and waist elastic. You'll just have to wait for pictures on that one, but it came out JUST how I envisioned it.

Finally the window A/C is being put into daily service.  We usually cool off at night pretty well, but by the time that cooling rolls around the room is hot and overheated by my standards. Now, I just turn on the unit about two in the afternoon and when the temp inside and outside equalize, off it goes and up go the windows. 

Murphy the loom has his new prayer flag warp on and awaits threading. I have a dog on the (Hollandia) loom in those Celtic knot towels. I just am not feeling the love for them right now and have been playing with the ProWeave program looking for a new treadle tie up  for completion of that long 6 harness towel warp. It's good way to force me to work with the program.

For farm news, it's been pretty quiet. Dog walks are limited right now. The fox tails are out in full force along with devils claw and other things that stick, poke and attach to socks, pant legs and dogs. I did see a rattlesnake while I was stalking a wild turkey yesterday. Once in a while I just can't resist following the resident wildlife, not that I'm quiet or stealthy, but they seem to accept it as long as I follow a good distance behind. I found myself well away from our property and spied the snake sunning on some rocks. He slithered into a crevice and I turned tail and headed back to home ground. Another reason to limit walks to leash only, wide trails and dirt roads at this time of year. 

With August, I'm imagining every New Englander is thinking about late summer bounty.

Blueberries, fresh corn on the cob and lobsters. I know I am, but since I'm sitting here in Oregon and not Maine, I'm thinking of this years annual painting/home improvement project. Oh joy. I have a number to pick from. I'll gripe about that when I finally settle on one. Do curtains count?

Parting shot: Poetry in Motion? In any event, fitter donkeys than last year.

 

My Verona

And it's way over due to be starting in on the Sewing Workshop Verona coat pattern.

The pieces of both coat and lining have been cut out and hanging for weeks on pant hangers in my closet, taunting me. I'm wondering why I waited so long?

The coat itself has gone together beautifully. This is how I spent most of my sewing time this past weekend. As always the SW patterns are excellent to work with. You may not like a style, but you can be assured they are well drafted, all the register marks and dots match up perfectly and the directions will walk you through what looks like a difficult construction.

The two piece sleeve went in like a charm. Something I worried about with this heavy coat fabric. In fact I don't think I've had a sleeve set as nicely as these did ever. And it's a nice roomy sleeve, one that won't bunch up a sweater in it like a lot of ready to wear coats. I couldn't be happier at this pre-lining point!

My only headache with this so far has been, of all things, the pockets. The wool is thick.

It's double woven with a smooth lighter side and a darker boucle side. The boucle is meant to be the "right" side but either could be used. I'm doing this in the boucle side. After doing the pocket and seeing in person the effect that was called for, I realized I could have done it differently and cut down substantially on the bulk and lined those suckers too. Lesson learned for the next one. The Ambiance lining is the next challenge and I am hoping it's as clear and easy as the coat itself was. Fingers crossed.

And since we were going for contrasts, this shirt was finished off Friday for spring and summer.

It's a whisper light voile in classic grey/white mini stripes. This is the second view from Burda 7220. I am so glad I tried this pattern. It is quickly becoming a favorite.

The blouse will be part of my wardrobe for the New England trip this spring. Since I loved the fabric and it's casual, I decided to use some of my last bits of tractor ribbon. It was only fitting that a red Bob like tractor be on the front. :)

Lastly before we head out of the sewing room, I must mention the batting is here for the little Stella fabric quilt. Who knew they had batting that has some stick and tack to it? I certainly didn't but here it is. an 80% cotton, 20 % poly. Not my favorite but not having to use safety pins or other means to hold the layers together made it more desirable for sure. Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 Fusible Cotton Blend. Well priced at about

$25.00 for a queen sized bat and heck, American made. They grow a lot of cotton in Texas.

In other news, I spent my weaving time riding. No apologies on that.. We had a beautiful sunny warm weekend and Cooper and I both were just itching to get out and enjoy a little change of scenery. And that we did. It was a slow careful ride in spots, but oh so good for the souls. Where there was still snow, I stopped and looked for tracks, old and new. Lots of rabbit and squirrels, fox, weasel in the deep woods around Tub Springs, possible coyote tracks, which isn't a stretch since I've heard them. No deer, no bear and no big cat. All good. Coop, always the gentleman, was the watchful patient one as I stopped him numerous times to hang over his side and peer down. He's smart too. He can tell from my weight and upper body position just were I'm looking (as most horses can), and skirts what I've targeted so the tracks don't get muddled with hoof prints. He never would have made an arena horse and when I got him as youngster someone made such a nasty comment to just that fact I've remembered it to this day. There was truth in it, I'll grant you that but it was the way it was couched. There is nothing so undervalued in the horse world than a trail horse or a lesson horse. Both do the grunt work and good ones do it with a certain kindness, always judging what their rider needs and wants, all the while keeping them both safe. Nope he's not show material, he's not a fancy horse, but when your butt is on the line, alone and miles from home out in a real wilderness, you can't go wrong with such a sensible, smart, sound and kind hearted animal.

Sunday night our spring weather ended with a storm that moved in and dumped about 12 inches by the end of yesterday. It always happens! Just when I'm starting to accept and look forward to spring, winter pops up again. I hope our storm has headed east on to Judy.

Parting shot: Snow Day the series. Peter, plain and simple.

The Industry of Elves

Have you ever thought about how hard an elf must work? I bet a lot of the wants of children are last minute. And imagine having to retool the Santa workroom for molded plastics. I bet THAT was a learning curve! I was watching one of the kids stations the other day. The Polar Express was on and I must catch it at least once (usually more) a season. Anyway, the commercials were plentiful and geared to a crowd much younger than myself. Imagine my surprise and total horror when I discovered they had actually made a small plastic dog that poops! It POOPS! What kind of toy is that? You put a peanut looking thing in the front, pump his tail I think and it comes out the back end. Good grief why would anyone waste their hard earned money on something like that? Dolls that wet were bad enough, what is next years toy going to be? Cat with Hairball? Bulimic Barbie? She throws up on cue. I was disgusted to say the least. This is the best toy makers can do? Does Santa's elves waste their time on such..crap?

I've been in elf mode myself although my efforts don't come close to Santa's. What needed to be sewn is sewn, bought is bought and only the wrapping and/or shipping awaits. The fate of a few peoples Christmas will soon lie in the hands of the USPS. Comforting I know. ;)

I played Santa yesterday to all my friends at the Web-sters. While my yarn buying has drastically reduced, it remains one of my favorite places and the staff is always first rate. This years little token was beautiful needle cases in fancy ribbon, satin and wool.

Easy to make once you get by the slippery satin and of course a perfect way to showcase a truly spectacular ribbon.

Since the staff there runs the gamut of knitters, crocheters, weavers and sewists I knew each could use it for a needle or two.

Other gift making can't be shown, but I have put in a few hours getting some already cut patterns made. Both shirts are Sewing Workshop Patterns, one Liberty with it's interesting side seams and the other, Zigzag with the nifty yoke/collar construction.

Since this is the second time around for these two patterns they went together easily, although the Liberty pattern paired with the lightweight wool suiting was a struggle in some ways.

To get this wool in particular to hold a crease for sewing and such, I spent a lot of time with the iron on steam and a press cloth. It made for getting nice miters a bit more time consuming but I am very happy with the results. An iron is a sewers best friend.

Elf Gene has been making progress on the horse shelter, although I wish it were done.

And there he is, working hard on the getting the metal roof on! I'm told while I spent

yesterday afternoon and evening in town, the other side of the roof was almost completed.

He has had a surprising amount of holiday orders and really has looked some days like a little elf himself in a very messy workroom. I'll spare you that picture. For those of you compulsively neat it is of nightmare proportions to even see it. I keep the door closed myself most times.

The horses have donned their beautiful curly coats and I delight in burying my fingers into those lush soft curls.

It has been perfect weather for riding and I have managed to slip in a few short ones during this past week. It's been cold, but oh so refreshing and the horses have all been playful and fun on their outings.

So now it's on to the time of last minute, be it shopping, wrapping or cooking. Holiday music reigns supreme, pine boughs grace our door and our mantle, clove studded oranges await hanging, cider needs mulling, stockings need filling and cheer abounds even if the blog may be a bit neglected. I hope each and everyone of you is savoring the season in some wonderful way.

Parting shots: 2 Chicas and an Amigo

EARWORM ALERT: (Hummed to the tune of the Little Drummer Boy)

Little Beggar Donks ..fa rump a dum dum

I have no gifts for you.. fa rump a dum dum

My finest hay I give ...rump a dum dum, rump a dum dum...

What's Black and White and Red All Over?

I'm sure everyone knows the answer to that elementary school yard standard. My answer is a bit different and not as clever but here it is anyway!

It could be a pirate thing, a goth thing or simply a whole lot of fun well done in this skull print.

I have been casting around for the right pattern from late summer onward and finally, a suitable one was found. I liked the brown tunic a lot and figured the same pattern could carry this very graphic print well even if black isn't always my best color.

Oh, and the red part is Sewing Workshop's classic Liberty Shirt Pattern.

There is a lot to love about this shirt but I'm going to start with the fabric. A fine soft wool, in a woven diamond twill. It has the appearance almost of a thermal waffle weave but it isn't. Drapey and very light in weight this will be a staple in my closet for almost the whole year and perfect for the holiday season now. The construction is quite different, the side seams run from the back of the armhole curving to the front hip.

During construction every seam is finished and most hidden in french seams. I learned to do a good miter on this blouse and like the comfortable fit and style very much.

For those that commented on the Turkey Day Apron there is a pattern for that! I was remiss at not including it with the post. Reet's Rags to Stitches No Hem Reversible Apron #RR125.

In general news, Greensprings Fire & Rescue got called out to a structure fire Friday night around 9:30 pm. The beautiful and unoccupied log cabin was fully involved even as the call came in. It was a total loss but the fire was kept contained to the cabin and didn't creep into the forest or move towards other homes. It was a long night for the crew of 3 volunteers (everyone else was visiting family elsewhere) and Gene made it back home a little after lunch time on Saturday.

Dandy got to be THE pony ride giving star Saturday. Children and grandchildren of a friend came up for a peek at the horses and donkeys. Dandy, as always, is the most willing of farm ambassadors. He is as much of a photo ham as Stella, gentle, loves kids, and knows they bring LOTS of treats. He was not disappointed and everyone is enjoying a few days of the bounty Cassidy and Finn brought. Thank you.

My Black Friday splurge consisted of bags of pine shavings bought at the Grange Co-op at half price. And the answer to how many bags of shavings can ft in the back of the Subaru Outback is 10. Oh and a little fabric shopping as there was a sale. Some of it is gift fabric and a fair amount of the next months sewing won't be shown here until after the holidays.

The weather has been very un-Oregon like. We have had some days of rain but we are looking at about a week of almost Indian Summer weather. Warm, dry and sunny.

The donkey's must be enjoying it. I caught them all playing yesterday. Running around, mock fighting and just being kinda silly. The horses were watching them fascinated. It was pretty cute.

And speaking of cute, I'll leave you with this parting shot: Pogo. I'm keeping this ball safe for Stella...honest.