I can't find a helmet

so I have no progress.  You wondered what was wrong with the fricking impostor case, well I'll tell you.  First off, I have fusible fleece in two thicknesses.  The first case must have been the thinner one because this sucker was a beast.  The heavier fleece created excess interior fabric when folded.  IF you could fold it.  Damn thing would spring up like a baby goat.  I took it apart several times and could not unfuse the fleece so I just trimmed as much as I could and opened the side seams, tightened the interior.  After it was stitched close, I realized I forgot to slip the button loop into the seam.  Open again.  Close again.  Pinned the wool page inside, sewed down each side of the red binding strip to attach said bumhead wool, thinking the two rows would create a boxed edge on the fold and prevent the goat hop.  Didn't work. Removed that stitching and changed to red thread, sewed down the center.  Every bobbin I was using ran out of thread on my old machine, and as I slipped the "universal bobbins" onto the winding spindle, they wouldn't come off.  Needed pliers!  Sewed the cute red button to the back and ...... the damn leather lacing loop was too thick to fit beneath the vile button.  It was like a conspiracy.  So I gave up.

 

Today I went to pick up the chair, and, well, there's a lot of work to be done.  First thing was to add 1/4" to the bottom of one leg since it was shorter.  To say this is primitive is an understatement.  My husband is not at all impressed and hopes we can take down the rough spots (you would snag a sweater), soften sharp angles, and scrape off the paint drips. There's a back spindle that is hanging out a few inches beneath the seat and needs trimmed off.

This is the bottom which we saw as we loaded it into the car.  I didn't want to lose a deposit on what to me is an expensive chair, so we took it.  But I will love it.  After lots of work, sandpaper, and paint, it will be wonderful.  I just hope this pine seat will not split with time.

 

 

Wish me luck as I enter the sewing cave without protection.

 

Stay safe!  Thanks for visiting.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not every case is the same

Point in case...
case in point...

 

 

This fricking little piece that I planned to offer in a giveaway, has been like a finger poke in the eye.  My first needlecase came out so nice, no closure needed, soft yet firm, four pages inside.  My second attempt, this little impostor, has been three days of complete frustration and more new cuss words.  I am the leader in creation of compound word obscenities.  Usually I string three or four together.  While I was working on it with bleeding fingers, the mail came.  Pom poms.  A sign from God.  Rip that sucker apart and pom it!  Any seam allowance left?  I'll find out tonight.

 

 

This is the inside with a red wool heart flap and a red square on the back, two pages of soft thick wool, nice fabric.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the option for salvation.  I ordered petite and baby pom poms.  This red is the petite, which has a smaller and flatter pom on a looser and flatter flange, much easier to sew into a seam. 

The brown is the baby with the shorter and thicker flange, bigger poms.  I've not worked with these simple and innocent looking little bastards, but I plan on using my new vocabulary.  The petite can be sewn right up to the edge but I think the baby will show the edge of the flange.  I don't know this but will soon find out.  After these last three days, I'm going into the sewing room with a helmet, just in case something I throw ricochets.

 

Does anyone really want this after all it's been through?  Well.....if it survives.  If not, I'll think of something else. 

 

Happened to see The Green Mile again while channel surfing.  Just a powerfully moving movie.  Even though I have watched it many times, once the tears start they don't stop.  Michael Clarke Duncan's performance was so amazing and his death was a great loss.

 

Time to eat dinner and then search for a helmet.

 

Have a nice week!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunny Saturday

Hello people!  Mark is golfing, the sun is out, the herd is back.

There is a total of nine that come but one was out of view and the other has a broken front leg and was holding back.  If she was hit by a car, she may not survive.  It irritates me when people show videos of deer being struck and running away, thinking it's OK.  It's not.  They even run after being shot and it doesn't mean they are not mortally wounded, or have devastating internal injuries. 

 

When Mark's friend came to pick him up for golf, he peeked in to say hello and the look on his face changed drastically when he spotted this.  What did he think they were?  Even the feathers in the pouch gave him pause.  This guy has solid white rooms from floor to ceiling so I know he's clueless about dried gourds. Something tells me he will stay in the car and blow the horn next time.

 

I'll be sitting in the waiting room for several hours this week while my brother has tests so I need to pick another project to take with me.  I'll also be picking up a chair I saw last year at this time that was already sold. I reserved one this year.  Hand made brace back with claw arms and primitive paint.  Can't wait.

 

Enjoy your weekend my friends.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas to Valentine

Hey.  What's happening?  All good I hope.

 

Was going through old magazines for recycling and came across the one ornament I saved the mag for.  Just Cross Stitch December 1989 had this darling sampler on the cover.

 

 

 

 I changed to my own dyed linen, dark thread, gold for the crown, filled the hearts with red, and added the cupid arrow where initials should be.  I still like this design as they show it and plan to stitch it on a higher count linen with ivory thread.  This is 28 (?) count and measures around 4"x3".

It will almost certainly (almost being the key word) have the check for its backing. I need to add a stitch to each side of the arrow's heart and one more feather row.  Also changed Mi to My, left off extra stitches on the g.  Do you think this Christmas design turned into a Valentine?   Hope so because IF the finishing doesn't result in a flame being thrown out the window, this will be my next giveaway.  But when?  That depends on whether I order a mini pom pom to match (sight unseen) and learn to attach it, or reduce the possibility of flames and just sew into an ornament.  Am I feeling lucky?

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks Martha

You were an enjoyable stitch.  An easy chart, nice linen, single thread, small but sweet quick stitch.  The finish will be a small pillow with hanger but haven't decided on the back.  Simple?  Envelope?  Maybe sew all four sides and slit the back open, covering with a pocket or hand sewn heart. 

Whichever, this uncut corduroy fabric I bought a few years ago has been the perfect back for several projects.  It's not brown, it's not green, it's just ..... I can't describe it.  It worked for Robina's Sea Glass linen and also this Copper Penny, neither looked good with any browns or dark greens.

 

The rusty red check would look good on this dark back but until I know if I will use it, the finish won't be finished.

 

If you're looking for a small and easy sampler, check Needle Work Press Minerva & Friends' projects.  I used the wrong linen and wrong colors on them and they are very adaptable to these changes.

 

A little cat update.  The pretty gray cat with tight collar that keeps coming around for a rumble, must be someone's pet.  He is never here during the day and only shows once it's dark, leading me to believe he has a home.  Seems much more approachable than the other strays we've had. My brother started caring for another that showed up.  Small medium length white fluffy hair, gray mask and gray tail.  It only took two days for her to start running to him when he fed her.  His one cat is a very territorial female and becomes vicious with visitors.  Our shelter finally has room for felines and said white cats go quickly so she was taken to a spay clinic and will be up for adoption next week.  She was so sweet and affectionate to everyone.  I wish all these strays and suffering kittens could have the same future.

 

Have a good hump day - I miss that commercial.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A first!

Hello people!  For the first time ever, boxes are left after an evening sale.  From the comments when I first showed the red box, I thought it would be a hit.  Not so.  I even made two extra thinking they would go quickly.  Wrong again!   In case you forgot and wanted one, there are four of the eight left. 

Edited 11 am - sold out!  Thank you!

 

To Debra that requested the George w/flag box and is no-reply, I am still holding it for you.  Please contact me by email if you want it.  If I don't hear from you today, I will assume you don't.

 

In the high 40's today, 50's tomorrow with possible thunderstorm.  YAY!!!

 

Hope your day is a good one.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~