04 March 2008

Where did the time go?

Well, Saturday was a beautiful day in the neighborhood so I took a drive to Denver-town. Worked for a couple of hours in the condo and then went to visit Auntie for a couple of hours.

Sunday was one of those days, like today, where the wind rattles the windowpanes and make one think of Winnie the Pooh and the blustery day. I stayed in my sewing room the whole day. Ah, bliss!

I made half square triangle blocks. 70 of them to be exact since I needed 160 total or so I thought. I already had 90. I did some re-figuring and I didn't need quite that many so I have a start on another quilt. I'm in several challenges and swaps and these tiny blocks are for one of them. These blocks are components of a block that will finish at 4.5"

My small quilt group is making a string quilt as our charity quilt this year. It was my suggestion, since there are various levels of quilters in our group. And this type of quilt will guarantee success. Then I had to figure out how much of a focus fabric my small group will need to be able to make a string quilt using the Heart String blocks. You can see the sketches and figuring there just behind the start of a string block. Yes, I resorted to paper. I was too lazy to go upstairs to the computer when I had that one piece of graph paper just begging to be used. *g*

And the light bulb in my Bernina burned out as I was stitching. After moving my Ott-Lite over to illuminate the area around the needle, I decided that maybe I needed to take her into the spa. The list of fix-its on the machine was growing:
• replace the light bulb
• someone used my machine in a class and bent the upper thread guide so that needed to be replaced
• I was getting a bit of bobbin spin-back after stopping
• and the yearly tune-up is next month anyway.
So my baby is spending the week with Steve. Steve said that the person who dropped off her machine before was deathly afraid to touch the tension and then I come in and I'm just the opposite. In fact, I have an extra bobbin casing just for specialty thread work (bobbin work). I'm not afraid of messing with my tension.

And before you ask: the white and the green stuff is some of that rubbery shelf liner stuff. I found that putting it underneath my machine not only keeps it from walking but cuts down noise. I put a small bit of it beside the machine for the tools so they don't slip and slide either. Not fancy, but it works.

And I found my perfect knitting storm. Quite by accident I might add. I ordered some double pointed needles (dpn) from KnitPicks that are dark brown. The yarn is a dark red-purple. The light was dim and my eyes tired (plus old). I couldn't see those darn stitches to pass over, knit 2 together or even purl. I frogged that sock twice before I decided that maybe I should stick to a simple stitch (stockinette) that I could do by feel.

8 comments:

  1. String quilts are a great project for all levels! You guys should have a wonderful time. :)

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  2. 4.5" finished blocks -eh? Very interesting *s*

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  3. I like the no slip idea for the machine. Those are mighty tiny blocks your fooling with. What are you making? Hmmm...heheheee

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  4. Thanks for the ironing board tutorial.I have a big old sturdy Proctor & Gamble ironong board I'm going to use for this .

    Sheri

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  5. Great idea for putting that shelf stuff next to your machine also, my things are always slipping off on the floor. I am going to try it too!

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  6. Those are pretty colors for the hsts. I think I'll really like the quilt you make me for the spring swap. :) I hope your machine comes back from the vacation all good as new.

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  7. The sewing machine away is not that nice (guess how I know!) but at least you know it won´t be as expensive as my last repair!
    The no-slip idea for the machine is great.
    I was thinking of buying Knit-picks next week, are they OK apart from the dark colour? Take care.

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  8. good luck with the rest of your HST's.....not my favourite thing to be sewing up...especially so many of them! LOL

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