Another day and a winner.

Some days you do what you can do.
I coudn't get motivated to work on certain projects that I knew would be problematic, so I wound a warp.
Methodical, routine.  I could handle it.
Sometimes it is good to know your limitations.

These colors moved me.  They make me think of the wall paintings in  my favorite Mexican restaurant.

This is my halfassed hybrid way of putting a warp on from the warping board.
It works.
That's what matters.

 

It's March.  That means April is coming.  Just knowing that gives me hope.

Until it does, we're one day at a time, here in northeast NY.  Waiting for clear skies, sunshine, warmth.

Cats sleeping everywhere, inside and out.

 

The giveaway winner of the rug hooking frame and wool is LISA of  Ewes Crazy & So Is I

So email me Lisa, with your address, and I will let you know what shipping is.
Congrats!!!!!  Get HOOKING!!!

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Phooey.

Everyone kept telling me that yesterday was going to be clear and sunny, so I should look forward to it.  I didn't have much faith.
News bulletin:  my head is not impressed with 3 hours of partially sunny/clear/cloudy 40 degrees, followed by supreme overcast conditions almost immediately.
It doesn't work for me.
I need the skies to clear.  I need the clouds to move on out, and the sun to shine.  That's when my headache is doable.
Heard from the doctor's secretary, who said he JUST read the MRI on Monday, was out of the office on Tuesday.....so I am hopeful to hear sometime this week.
And tis true, if I was in DIRE condition, he might have called me on his day off. 
Imagine that.

My faith in people is somewhat suffering today.
On Sunday I found a dobby loom on Craigslist, close enough to go fetch, and reasonably priced.  I have always thought I should have one.
So I emailed the lady back and forth, told her I POSITIVELY wanted it, when could I pick it up?
She said Saturday.  I arranged to call her Monday evening to get directions and time and such.
Well, Monday was not a good headache day.  So at 10:30 that evening, I realized I had not called her.
In a panic, I emailed her at 10:36, apologized, said I would call her Tuesday evening, reiterated that I wanted the loom, offered to send her a check to hold it.
So Tuesday evening, I called.  No answer.
This morning, I get an email.

I received your phone call.  Unfortunately, I waited Monday until 9:00 pm for your call.  Since I didn't hear from you, (and I don't know you), I then went ahead and made arrangements with someone else for Saturday.  If for some reason this doesn't work out with her, I will contact you next week to see if you are still interested.

Best of luck.

Sorry.

Well, that just plain sucks.

 

Dogs don't do that to you.  Cats don't either.  You can depend on them being who they are, no games.
 

And while I am fuming on the one hand,because I was SO adamant that I wanted it, and since all my emails have my web address on the bottom, so I am easily identified as an "acquirer of looms" on the other I am trying to process the thought that it probably wasn't meant to happen, for one reason or another.

But she could have called me.  Or emailed me, and asked.

I just don't understand people.  I really, really don't. 

So I did errands, walked Roy, and went to get my overdue inspection taken care of.
And as I sat there knitting, waiting for it, the tech came out and said, "Can you come into the shop for a minute?"
I said, "This isn't going to be good, I can tell."
And it wasn't. 
It took $900  to pass inspection.  Four new tires and an alignment.
Phooey.
 I didn't need a loom anyway.
But boy, does my car ever ride nice.
 

 

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WIP Wed

 I've fallen hard for all the Marcelle Medallion quilts showing up on Instagram - #marcellemedallion

I pulled some fabrics over the weekend and was excited to see my book, Liberty Love, arrive today. I picked up a couple of pieces of Charleston Farmhouse at my local shop on Saturday and I love the organic look of the fabric. I'm going with that and trying to create an Anthropologie feel. Can't wait to start - maybe tonight?

Keeping up on my paper pieced Lucky Stars BOM...

And last night I finished piecing a stack of Hourglass blocks in a variety of Amy Butler lines. Oh, Amy, how I do love your fabrics!

Linking up with Freshly Pieced today!  . . . Cindy

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Baby Sewing...

We're all getting pretty excited about the new baby coming in about 7 weeks. (yes, we're counting) I've done a lot of sewing for my first grandson in the past few weeks. The inspiration fabric was a Moda line called Apple Jack. It has some beautiful colors and the girls are already having fun with the i-spy, ABC fabric.

Two floor pillows for the sisters to sit on in the baby's room (although I'm wondering if there may be some migration into their own rooms). These take only 1 yard of fabric each and some piping. Free tutorial: Floor cushion

A divided storage basket....

There are tons of free tutorials for these, but this one is a nice size (easily holds diapers) and I like the divider. Pattern: Divided Basket by Noodlehead

This would look more interesting if I had a crib - but it's a simple pleated crib skirt. Free pattern: Pleated Crib Skirt

My daughter chose the BreathableBaby mesh crib liner. I spruced it up with fabric binding and ties.

The baby quilt...

And a lap quilt for the Mama to use on chilly nights. Thank you to all of you for your encouraging comments on my big mistake. I've embraced the imperfection and am so pleased with the quilt. The pattern is by Lee from Freshly Pieced and included in the new book Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe. I reduced the size a bit and added a little more negative space on each side. 

It's quilted with machine guided wiggly lines, backed in Simply Color Sprigs and bound in solid aqua.

 And last but not least the baby shoes. Pattern: Reversible Baby shoes

I'm thinking he may be one stylin' baby. We can't wait to meet him!!!    . . . Cindy

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Just a couple of things.

I can't wait to start posting picture of green and sunshine.  I have never longed for spring as badly as this year.
Thanks Peg, for the tip.......I tried to reply, but your email address didn't come up.  I appreciate hearing how other people do things.  Sometimes, you hear just what you need to hear.

 While I was weaving yesterday, I happened to notice that my "neighbor" was tapping out a tune on the tree next door.

 I got all the towels done, got them all on my web site, and TEN of them are gone already.
I am happy that they turned out so well.  And pleased that they are so well received.

 

 We have some bags of the small loopers, already chained together........50 lbs in all.  I'm going to do a newsletter.....but telling you all first.
$4.00/lb until they are gone.

 They are BRIGHT.

 They will make great rugs!!!


Still waiting for the doctor to call/skype/email/sendcarrierpigeon.  Anything.

But maybe no news is good  news?
I'm skeptical.

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Another giveaway????

Crazy, I know. 
But those nice people who brought me the rug hooking stuff a couple of weeks ago, came back.
And they brought MORE stuff.

Here is another lap frame, made by Appleton Krafts, a hooked rug in progress, and a large bag of wool pieces, some of them cut.

Yes, I could sell them, but I want to "pay it forward".  They were given to me, because these nice folks felt that if I couldn't use them, I would know someone who would.
So, one more time, I'm doing a giveaway.
All you have to do is comment and tell me what wonderful things you would do with this stuff, if your name were picked.  I will choose a winner on Thursday, the 7th.
You will have to pay shipping from 12839.

In addition to this stuff, they also brought a cutter, a really beautiful Rigby Model B cutter.  I decided to do something a little different with it, because I did some research, and was right about its value.

 It comes on a homemade stand, which is very handy to have right next to  you while you are hooking rugs.

It will make a lovely cutter for someone.

It comes with the blade that is on it, plus five extra blades, and three fingers.
It sells new for $200, and each blade sells for $33.  They are also hard to find new.

I am going to put the whole thing on Ebay starting at  $200, and then I am going to donate the money to Out of the Pits, the organization in the capital district here in New York state, that does incredible things saving pit bulls, like ROY.   Cause Roy is an Out of the Pits alumni!
If anyone is interested in it before I put it on Ebay, please let me know.
It really is a find for a rug hooker.

I think I am done with POINT TWILL for just a while........here is my finished warp....I counted FOURTEEN towels.
I got some cutting, hemming and washing to do.

Sydney says:
I can't help you right now.  I'm busy checking out the backs of my eyelids.

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Ugh.

I kept busy at the studio all week, trying to ignore the weather, and the headache.

These shuttles came in the mail.
I outdid myself this month.....bought a loom, an AVL wheel winder, and MORE shuttles.
Time to cool my heels and pay the taxes.
Gees Louise.

The weather is wearing thin...........gloominess, and gray, day after day.  We need some sunshine.  Please.

I try to get through one day at a time.   I have my methods.  Weaving, sewing, knitting, reading, scrabble online.  Those are my favorite ways to spend my time.  My least favorite is laying down  with my eyes closed with heat on my neck. 
It's sometimes a necessary evil.

Why can't I just do this all day????

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