If I can make it there...

Well, I have been hoarding slightly, but I apologize. I went to NYC this past weekend and spent an hour knitting on the bus on the way down. I learned that planes are much more appropriate places to knit. The bus was very wobbly, as any clever person probably could have guessed.

In other news, I finally made it to the local/downtown fabric store, and got fabric to make more quilt squares and the mysterious interfacing. The people at the store were really helpful (and complimented the quilt squares I had brought in to check colors of the new fabric! Yay), and while the store was much smaller than the one I normally go to, it was also entirely focused on fabric and sewing notions, rather than random baskets and other crafty things. So probably about the same selection of fabric. I got there 30 minutes before closing today, so I'll have to go back and explore more leisurely some other time.

Now that I'm stocked up again, watch out!

6 hours, 50 minutes for me.

Catherine

Reality Sets In

The other day some people came by to see if they wanted to rent our house after we left. As I worked to pick things up around the house, I realized that I have a lot of hobby-related stuff. Lots of fabic, yarn, lots of random bits of things that I may or may not need. We've been looking for houses to rent in Houston and many of the ones we've been looking at were not built recently and don't have a lot of closet space. Even in a new house, we probably won't have all the storage space that we do in this house. I have a whole closet, that could fit all the kids' basement toys, full of my stuff. I don't want to move it all back to Houston.

Yesterday I decided to tackle the closet. Lucky for me, there's a group up here, Grandmothers to Grandmothers, that will take large remnants of fabric and do useful things with them. Out went the little scraps of things - the bits left over from making baby clothes, dresses for me, dresses for the girls, costumes and such - and I saved only the bits that I thought I could use in quilts in the future.

I have the fabric to make Catherine's quilt, and a pine tree block quilt for me, and that was saved as well. I saved my yard, but have resolved to use it for something soon. I also rediscovered the quilt tops I salvaged from cleaning out my mother-in-law's house (she was a hoarder) and there's one, with extra blocks in a tin, that Smallest loves and wants on her bed. Shouldn't be hard to finish that up.

I went from three full 3 ft. shelves to one cardboard box from Office Depot, one black garbage bag and three tall stacks of good remnants to give away. It was nice to look at something and say, "Nope, I'm never going to do anything with that" and get rid of it. Ahhh.

I went back and took a quick look through my projects as well and decided to do some of the quick sewing things. There are two checkerboards that I started (one with checkerboard fabric!), Middle's costume to fix for her dance recital, some long overdue mending, and some other bits here and there. I think I can finish a good portion this weekend. That would be cool.

Plus, Catherine's in NYC this weekend, so I can increase my commanding lead!

30 min. Thursday, 2.5 hours Friday, 18.75 total.

Margie

From the artiste!

I have not done any sewing today, but I did get the nomenclature cleared up by my mom, and she did tell me that interfacing is really required. So, to the store... 

Instead, I have been playing with Shrinky-Dinks, and am exceedingly pleased with the results. Please enjoy! I've included a pen for reference. 

Hee hee!!

Catherine

Official Rug Picture

Ta-Da! There it is, the happy needlepoint rug. All finished, with nice, uneven fringe and everything.

I realized that I should post a picture of the teddy bear wreath as well. I finished that over spring break. Tomorrow I will do it.

I have been working on another cross stitch (not on the official list). It's a Santa that pairs with a Santa I finished a while back and is now a pillow. When this one is finished, it will become a pillow too and they can hang out together at Christmas.

I am having great fun learning Mozart's Requiem. I find myself walking around singing the bits I can remember. Only a month until the concert.

Happy that the knit shawl was well received, and is useful. Useful is good! I just discovered that the woman who owns the barn where Middle has riding lessons is pregnant, so if I can finish the other little baby sweater that was intended for The Boy, perhaps she can use it for her little one.

The time for our move is fast approaching. Hard to believe it will be May soon, and before we know it, June will be over! I don't want to leave Calgary!

2.25 hours collected, 15.75 total.

Margie

Paring down my squares...

I've had these quilt square pieces sitting on my desk for nearly 2 weeks now, so I tackled a few tonight, for a grand total of 1 hour 20 minutes. 

I also got out all this fabric that I want to make fabulous clothes with, and was just gearing up to make a shirt out of this cute blue bandanna-ish fabric when I realized that I'd bought the length of fabric that corresponded to a different particular piece in the same pattern group, so I am missing 1.5 yards of fabric. So stupid... I also need to refresh my sewing vocabulary - there's a 'glossary' section on the pattern that makes my head spin a bit. I may have to call my mom, the clothes champion, and get her to explain it all. This is one of the many times that it's frustrating to live 2004 (to be exact) miles away from my family.

5 hours, 50 minutes for me.

Catherine

Back in the saddle again...

Well, after a long hiatus in which I did some of the work I actually get paid for, and did my taxes, and generally mucked around, I am glad to have something to post.

First up: pictures of the fabulous shawl! I've included a shot of the beautiful yarn in the closeup, and how nicely it wraps around me in the second. I actually had a most frustrating week at work because our office is never the right temperature, so this is a wonderful gift. Thanks, Margie!

On my own stuff: today I wanted to do something mindless while I caught up on my silly TV shows, so I started my next knitting square, and got about halfway done. 2 hours for that.

In other fun news, the interwebs tell me that there is a great fabric store not far from me, so I hope to check that out soon (to get interfacing for a dress and new fabric for my quilt squares, as well as restocking sewing machine needles and some other stuff). Also, I'm going to join a local car share place here soon, so that will help me get to the fabric store I already know about (which is good but far, far away).

4.5 hours for me!

Catherine

More Fringe

Didn't accomplish anything over the weekend, but I did get about 3/4 of the remaining fringe finished while Smallest was at dance class. I meant to finish it up when I got home, but that just didn't happen. Oh well.

45 minutes for me Monday, 13.5 total.

Margie

Fringe

Not the creepy TV show, but the edge of the rug.

I noticed that the rugs my grandmother made for my dollhouse had fringe, so I'm putting it on the new rug. It also looks like they glued the canvas to the back of the rug, so hopefully that will work. I'm worried about the canvas unravelling, but I'll just have to be brave. I've already cut some corners off.

Tomorrow is Middle's 9th birthday. How is that possible? At any rate, we're having her friend party tonight, a sleepover with two lovely girls. Should be fun, with late night giggles to boot! The Boy has arranged to sleep over at his friend's house across the street. Too many girls in the house for his liking. One day...

Given the nature of late night supervision looming this evening, I should be able to finish the fringe and glue the back tonight, so I can post pictures.

Catherine received her present - a lovely shawl of varigated reddish-brown bouclé yarn - to keep her warm at work. She'll post a picture of it some day :) After tucking in the ends, I have about 8 inches of leftover yarn. It turned out well.

Smallest is sad, our Very Old Cat just scratched her. I could hear the cat making more and more unhappy meows and Smallest has yet to believe that the VOC might not want to be bothered. Off to tend the wounded.

45 minutes Friday, 12.75 hours total.

Margie

All Hail the Conquering Hero!

After nearly five years, I finished the dollhouse needlepoint rug!

I would post a picture, but I decided to block it before taking a picture so it will all pretty and square. Needlepoint has a tendency to get a little wonky and this one was no exception. So, it's damp and pinned to a cork board, being forced into submission. Bondage for the needlepoint?

So...what's next? I should probably finish the tree skirt, since I started that a month or so ago. Perhaps the baby sweater, with samplings of the checkerboard and labyrinth cross stitch. I think I have the front and back of the sweater done, so once I figure out which needles I was using (always write down in the pattern what size needles you're actually using!) it's just the sleeves to do. Shouldn't take too long, right? Famous last words.

We had a lovely surprise here today. A blizzard! Not a ton of snow, but it was blowing hard. The car was coated with ice when we got back from choir. I would say that perhaps this is the last one of spring, but I know that's not true. I just hope it melts so I don't have to shovel the driveway.

Big choir excitement! The older choir groups are singing Mozart's Requim and the parents are invited to sing too. It has been great fun. I am excited as I haven't been in a choir since 6th grade. The concert is May 15th. I hope I can learn it all by then.

It is tempting to skip the projects on my official list and work on some of the others sitting around (it's true, I didn't list EVERY project I have), but the point is to get the oldest things finished, so I should stick to the plan. After seeing how much I finished in the first quarter, I think I'll do well in this next quarter as well.

2.5 hours today, 12 hours total.

Margie

Returnin' On A Jet Plane

Well, the Horde is back in Calgary. A lovely, uneventful trip back. Always a good thing.

I feel crummy today, not sure if it's the lingering effects of evil Houston tree pollen, or just something I got on the plane. Hopefully it will pass soon.

No school today, nice to have a day for all to recover. Taking The Boy to the orthodontist as soon as he brushes his teeth.

2.5 hours Monday, 9.5 hours total.

Margie

Taco night!

Margie's logic is impeccable. I will aim for 2 hours a day, but am pretty psyched just to have done a little bit today. I cut out a bunch of squares (for an hour and 5 minutes), and now I REALLY need some new fabric. I also thought I'd get started on my next knitting square, and so spent 25 minutes putting that together, and then - about 5 rows in - realized I made a mistake, and spent 13 seconds tearing it apart. I'm still counting it, though. Grump.

I also got cheap tacos with my friends, one of whom is recently back from London. Thank goodness! I missed her.

2.5 hours for me.

Catherine

Full of Naturely Fun

We had a lovely Easter here. The Bunny found the kids down here, so there were eggs and candy and chocolate bunnies to be had. We got to see many of our old friends at church this morning, and had a lovely walk at the Houston Arboretum where Smallest said it was "very naturely".

I finished the purple band around the rug while watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and the white while we watched Fantastic Mr. Fox with Darling. I had started on the purple earlier today, and now I only have the blue remaining! Very exciting. If I refrain from watching movies on the plane, perhaps I can finish.

Lunch tomorrow with a fabulous friend, and then off to the airport in the afternoon. I'll have to remember to save enough American cash to pay for snacks and diversions at the airport.

2.5 hours today, 7 hours total.

Margie

The Law of Averages

I was thinking about Catherine's 150 hours. If you figure there were approximately 90 days in the quarter (I know, we could actually calculate it), but if one worked only two hours a day, then that would end up as 180 hours, which would crush Catherine!

So that's the plan, if I can just average two hours a day, I'll win!

One hour Friday, not sure how I'll get the time in this weekend, but there's always the airport and plane flight on Monday.

1 hour Friday, 4.5 hours total.

Margie

Starting Over

So, for April Fool's Day we all goofed around doing not too much and in the afternoon, while the kids watched TV and played on Middle's iPod I got to stitch.

I'm working the border on the needlepoint rug, which takes longer than I expected. There are 8 bands around and I've finished four, started on the 5th. I plan to finish this before we leave Houston on Monday, but then again, I just may not.

I did finish the Christmas Wreath cross stitch that I started back in January at a car wash, so that was cool. When we get home, I'll post a picture of it.

Looking forward to the next quarter here. Of course, now we're getting into outdoor soccer season, which both The Boy and Smallest are playing, the upcoming end of Choir in May, dance recital in June, with lots of rehearsals and such, the end of school in June, lots going on.

3.5 hours Wednesday (no foolin'), 3.5 hours total.

Margie

Knit 2, purl 0

That pesky long square has been nagging at me, but I couldn't fix it until I finished the 5th square (to free up the needles, you know). So, I did both. I also finished the second skein of yarn, and in going to get the next one realized I still have 4 more (just of this pink color)!! Augh!!!

I think my yarn box is secretly growing new yarn. 

1 hour.

Catherine