...of laundry, even though there was a very sweet cat for company, I grabbed some yummy fabric I ordered from Banberry Place and sat myself on the floor.
...and I grabbed one of Sid's shirts...
...to use as a pattern...
...and made her a much-needed qaspaq...just in time for school pictures (if she chooses to wear it). Notice the mountain is still mighty. I'll soon cause it to tremble, but until then, there's more fabric staring me in the face and I'm staring back with a sly eye.
Today was the day for me to write a final paper for a class I'm taking. I, instead, grabbed the quilted fabric I ordered last week and started making a light parki. I've never made a parki. I've written lots of papers and I know how those go. I guess I'd rather sew.
The parki's for Sid and I told her right away, "I probably won't finish it today, just so you know." She was fine with that.
And after a few hours and not a word typed, she put it on.
I think she likes it. And I did finish the paper just a bit ago. The paper's not quite as colorful.
The juicy fabric used is from Alewives Fabrics. I highly recommend that place. Their fabric selection is gorgeous and they wrap the bundles with scraps that looks so cute you want to hug the bundles. Attention to detail = very luscious.
While I'm talking parki, let me say I'm currently on the market for liner material. The quilted double-faced stuff I used on the inside of Sid's is fine, but not as warm as I'd like. I'd appreciate ideas.
We try to find cool things to do. We work on the house, bake, sew, read, let the kids play Lego Star Wars on the computer, bake some more and make music. Sometimes being cooped up doesn't seem so cool when I don't want to do dishes or can't find another project and I think, "Man, I should be picking blueberries," and get bugged by the rain. Then one of the kids decides to play outside anyway and the air is charged with thoughts of dewey cheeks hugging kids with damp hair.
Yesterday was one of those exciting, sometimes boring rainy days. While the bread dough was rising, Fen made my week. First off, we started this project called "Building Our Home" in the summer of 2007. We moved in on October 16 just when it was getting cold (we were living in an Arctic Oven, a warm tent). We've lived in this place for nearly two years and the project is far from finished. Little steps and installments are celebrated. I celebrate lights.
I know it doesn't look like much. It looks pretty crappy actually, but look at those two yellow wires sticking out of the I-joists. They are for light bulbs. I now have light where I make bread and pie.
See? It still doesn't look like much but after nearly two years of an unlit quasi kitchen, I'm feeling really fancy with those coil sticking out of those 2x6s.
And we even have a working light switch for those coils. It's magic. I sure am happy Fen knows what he's doing.
So in the middle of all that magic, it's important to take some time for afternoon delight. And no you crazy-minded people, I'm not talking about THAT. We enjoyed some tea. Tea with ayuu, feeling very Little House on the Prairie meets Sinrock Mary.
And after tea, Sid and I found another tired t-shirt.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
We added a ruffly part straight on the middle. OK it's not straight, but it is mostly in the middle and it works. The base of the ruffle is a 5-inch wide panel cut from one of Joe's ripped up t's. I ruffled it, attached it to the shirt and sewed a 3-inch wide panel on top to smooth it out after realizing it needed more structure. We cut the sleeves and tied on tassles...skinny strips also from Joe's t. Sid likes playing her air guitar in it. And she ungas too. We call it her Unga Air Guitar T.
And before calling it a day, let's take a look at how the day started. After my morning cup of black tea, honey and milk, I made my way to the outhouse. I love going to the outhouse during rainy days. The greens are greener, the browns browner, the air crisp. This is what I saw and laughed:
We live in a special place. We live in a place where you can use your bicycle to the bathroom. While this project called, "Building Our Home" can seem messy, laboring and just plain crazy sometimes, I celebrate moments like this.
We sew. And work on the soffitting. Such was our activity tonight. I'm sewing and Fen's working on soffitting...just in case you were wondering. Let's get that straight right away. Ha.
Fen got to rent Roger Thompson's bucket truck for the day and I'm so happy. I can't imagine him doing the project with a ladder. YIKES! So the soffitting is up and it looks goooood. Yay for bucket trucks!
So while Fen was hydraulically soffitting and trimming, I was passionately sewing. OK. Not passionately sewing, but I was sewing.
BEFORE:
Sid had a tired t-shirt that went way up her belly when she raised her arms, so to keep her mile-long torso from exposure, she gave me some leftover fabric from a dress.
AFTER:
So happy. So it's not the most amazing sewing job, but it makes us happy. And it's simple and simple is good.
After making Sid a new, old shirt, I found a way to reuse a shrunken up scarf I found at a garage sale.
BEFORE:
Passionately sewing:
After:
To keep our hands warm and our drinks cold, I made wool beer cozies perfect for fall-time get-togethers. They'll be perfect for our beer of choice: the Golden Hammer of Justice, aka Hamm's. *smile. Yeah. We know we're classy. We're soffitted, trimmed and coozy.
This is Joe getting pumped to go to the bathroom. It's currently gusting to 40 and visibility is about 70 feet. It's a STORM! Sometimes it feels like they'll never stop their cycle. Fen just named this storm Gerald. Sidney laughed. I really hope I don't have to go to the outhouse today.
So I picked up one of those skirts that everyone's raving about and I liked it, but didn't love it. Now I LOVE it. Mom picked up the fabric more than six years ago and I've used it sparingly. I want to put the appliques on EVERYTHING after this project.
Like my pose?
Thread color.
Paint color. Please notice Sid's french manicure. *smile*
I ordered this yarn on Ebay. It was my first time ordering yarn on Ebay and I was a little nervous about it. I LOVE the color and am trying to imagine what kind of hat will form. There's a pattern on Purl Bee I've been eyeing, but will probably end up just going for it, hoping something cute will end up on someone's smart head.
This is the package the yarn came in. I know I've purchased a ton of products made in China, but not one directly from China.
I was suspicious whether or not the yarn was really wool, so I put a match to it and it smelled like burnt hair. YAY!
So we really love honey. So luscious. Add milk and chamomile and head to relaxation station.
