Ribbon flowers

Dax, Katie, Kael, Dace

 At Christmas, some of the kidlettes came to visit me. (Their parents came too of course.)
Katie was sitting on my bed and we were having girl chat, when she threw back the bedspread. The back of it is charmeuse satin. It is very soft and cozy.
She said, "Oh Grandma, do you have any more of this material.  I want a blanket for my bed like this."

I don't have any more of it, but it gave me a great idea for her birthday in April. (More about that later)
So as part of the prize, I am making flowers out of satin ribbon.

7" piece of 2 1/2" ribbon

gathered and sinched tight

3 petals

 Flower Bud.  Take 3 pieces of 2 1/2" wide ribbon and hand gather in 1/4" long stitches curving up the side, across the top and curve the remaining side.

Pull the gathers tight and back-stitch to hold in place.


When you have 3 petals done, position them to look like a bud. Stitch through the bottoms to connect together. I also wrapped the doubled thread around the entire thing 2 or 3 times and back-stitch to secure.

                                                                                                                                     



When the bud is finished, I cover the ends with green ribbon to make the sepals and finish it off.


You can also do 2 colored petals and 2 green petals to make a bud just    starting to open.
I have been making lots of flowers for this prize. I is turning out even better than I imagined.

Rip-Fence

I have been building quite a few items.  I got myself a Kreg Jig.  Cannot even begin to tell you how much I love it.  Love the Screws!  They make such a nice tight fit.  Best tool I have ever bought.  It has made it so I can build lots of things I have wanted to.

Using Melamine can be tricky.  You get a really nice easy to clean surface, but your clamps slip.  Since I don't have a table saw and my other saws haven't made the move yet, I only have a circular saw.  I is a great one though.  To cut a nice 90 angle, you really need a table saw, but I had to use what I have.
I drew the line with my square, then cut a rubber glove to put under my "fence".

My saws table is 5" from the cut line, so using my quilting rulers, I found the 5" mark and clamped my "fence" (another ruler) to the stock.  My saw will only allow a max on 1/4" high because of the motor.  This ruler is perfect. Only 1/8" thick.  The rubber kept the fence from sliding so that all my cut came out close to perfect.

http://www.thinkinginshapes.com/2011/10/dream-studio.html You can see pictures here of shelves I built for Lynette.  She wanted to mount some "L" brackets on the walls and just put boards there.  I knew we could do better and then when she moves she can take them with her.  I did this for her Birthday in Nov.
We may have to do another section as she is collecting more fabric.

I liked these so well I may do the same thing if I ever get my own sewing room again.

Sloppy Couch

 We have had this sloppy couch that is annoying. When we got it, it looked firm, but within a short year, it was all slouchy and uncomfortable.


I have kept saying we need to do something about it, so I finally did.

Each back section can flip up and has a zipper on the bottom. I pulled out each of the "pillows" and was so disappointed at how skimpily they filled them. 
Where's the quality?   




                                                                                                                        
                                                           I slashed the side open and stuffed them tight. (There were actually a couple that were too tight)  

When I got them done, I put the pillows back in and zipped it back up.  You can see in the picture the difference between the one in the center the the 2 on either side. What a difference on my back!

Jeans 2

 

 Herschel likes some silly cartoon about evil super heros.  I think it's called the Venture Brothers.
Any how he has been having me make custom jeans with the logos from some of the cartoon.  I did a Dr. Killenger, and The Monarch.  This latest is The Guild of Calamitous Intent.  It was a chore.  It is a 3 color applique, then a 2 color embroidery over the top.

Here is a picture of the keyhole button hole.  I forgot to edit the picture of the jeans so they are right side up, but you get the idea. 
These are for Christmas.  I have another pair planned if I can find the time.  Working from 8-8 sort of takes it out of you.

JEANS

Recently, my boys, 30 and 21 have had me make Jeans for them.  One has a 36" inseam and the other is 35", so not real easy to find their sizes and they have had me do custom designs on the pockets.  James picked the Celtic Knot in red.  I talked him into the red stictching rather the black on the seams. That's actually part of the jean look to have the contrasting stitching.

 

 For a flatfelt seam, the easist way is to stitch the 5/8" seam like above.  I have found that jean thread only comes in a few colors. To match the applique color isn't always easy, so I came up with a good trick.  I use two shades of color and sew using a jean needle with the double thread.  I like using one shade lighter and one darker than the real color.  It gives the thread a little life.  The double thread is as strong as reagular jean thread and you aren't limited by the available choices.  

 Next, you trim away half of the seam allowance on the side where you want the seam to lay.

Then you fold the remaining fabric over the top and fold down. 

I use black jean thread in the bobbin, so I have to topstitch face up.  It you had the same color in both, you could do your stitching from the back.  I use the black because I got a 25,000 yard spool for $2.00.  I sort of like doing it face up too, because you can see exactly how it is looking.

Use 1/8" edge (inside edge of presser foot) next to the stitched seam and then 1/4" (outside edge of foot) away from that. 

The zipper is a 4 step process.  You almost have to see it done and since I am not that good at taking pics, maybe later...

  The botton hole is a process as well. It is a keyhole shape.  My machine has an automated keyhole, but because of all the seam allowances from the pant and waistband, it doesn't do a good job in this case.  I first chalk on the shape, then straight stitch around the inside of the button hole.  Then with my darning foot, I use a 1.5 width zigzag set at 1/2 length.  Make sure you drop the feed dogs or you'll be hating life.  Then carefully stitch the button hole.  Start at the back and rotate the jeans around the key hole part. You will end up doing a 180.  Keep the left side of the zigzag stitch just barely over the edge of the straight stitching.  You start with the keyhole closest to you and stitch the right half first, make the turn and do the other side back to where you began.  As you get 1/4" from the end, you angle over the top of where you began like on store bought jeans. 

The zipper installation has even more instructions.  Maybe a part 2 at Thanksgiving when Jessica is here to help me sort the whole thing out.  I have a heck of a time just getting the pictures where I want them.

It has been a lot of fun to do.  I was especially pleased that taking the patterns off their favorite jeans worked so well.  It came out exact. No alterations needed.

Herschel has picked Venture Bros.  designs for his. 

I have started to iron on the wider parts of the designs, then do the accent stitching.  On James first pair, I did the entire knot on 2 pockets by machine applique.  Freehand no less.  It took over 4 hours, so the iron on method is much faster.  I thought about doing the fabric paint with the freezer paper stencil, but decided that being pockets and getting a lot of wear, it would be best to have fabric applique and stitching.  More permanent maybe.

Harvest

 We did the main harvest in mid-October.  These are the grapes we picked.  5-  5 gallon buckets and 1-  7 gallon bucket.
 These were also nearly the last of the raspberries.  About 1 1/2 gallons.  I think we just ate all the berries while we were doing grape juice. 

I don't like jellies, so just juice.  I finnally learned a few points about growing good grapes and the last few years have been very sweet, yummy juice. We got 72 quarts this year.

Nette's favorite part of the harvest is the pumpkins.  We grow several varieties.  One of my favorites is the Cinderella pumkin.  It really has a french name "Rouge" something.  They are the really red pumpkins.  They have a flatter wider shape.  We also grow Howden and Howden Biggie for jack-o-lanterns. Then there are the jack-be-littles and the sugar pie.  We love pumpkin bread, cookies, pie, cake etc.  The kidlettes all get to come pick out their favorite for jacks and I give loads away. 
Jess has recently roasted hers and it is a thicker meat like the canned kind rather than the boiling.  I will be trying that.  I used to can it all, but now I save the pumpkins in the garage off the floor and cook it when I need some.  I usually do a couple sugar pies at a time and freeze the leftovers in bags marked with the amount.  Easy to thaw when your ready to bake again.

Kael

This is Kael's version of smiling for the camera.  I was taking pictures and he said, "Inna picture."  I told him to smile and this is what I got. 

He scrunches his eyes everytime.  He He
Funny little guy.

Stretch Humvee Limo

Hershcel has a friend who made his first million at the age of 18.  This guy is in his late 20's now and his little brother like to BMX bike.  Recently they showed Hersh some tricks and found it very entertaining that a nearly blind kid could do so well.  Hersh was coming to SLC for a goalball practice (sport for the blind) and was trying to arrange a ride to the train etc. (Always a problem when your blind--transportation).  This friend said he would come pick him up at college.  This is a 4 hour roundtrip drive.  They wanted Hersh to do some biking with them again.  *It is actually illegal for Hersh to operate a bike or any other moterized vehicle on the streets.

So, Wayne called Hersh Friday morning to say that they would be there to get him at 9:00 P and to be waiting on the street in front of the building. 

Hersh lives across the street from the football stadium.  A big rivalry game was just getting over and people were milling all around when a big humvee stretch limo pulled up.  The driver got out and said, "Mr, Kelly, I'm sorry we're a little late."  He then opened the door for Hersh and took his bags. 

When he got in, there was Wayne and his brother.  They said, "We told you we had a surprise for you."

I think they made Herschel's year.  Needless to say he was beaming.

Thanks Waynerd

Better World

I love books.  I really love old books.  I have been collecting since I was 18. My dream is to someday have a room for a library.  Wood floor, rolling ladders with books from floor to ceiling, and nice cozy chairs or loungers with a large window for daytime and a good lamp for night.  It would have to have a small study table as well.

I have been getting alot of books from betterworld.com.  They have a sale that goes on until tomorrow night. 4 books for $10.  I always try to get hardback books.  When you click on a book, you get several options from used very good to not so great as well as new choices.  The new are always current retail.  I have found some great ones.

Quilt Update

Here is RJ's finished quilt/bedspread.  I ended up putting 20 planes on it.  They are about 12" long.  I quilted the lines for a sort of wind effect.  The hardest part was quilting around the planes that overlapped the fleece clouds.  It is very thick and the stitches are quite a bit longer than I would like.  I like to fit 7-9 stitches on a quilting needle.  Nice and tight.

RJ seemed excited to get his airplanes.  He will have a nice warm quilt that will be hard to kick off in the winter.  I used a 12 oz. bat, so it is pretty thick.  As I was binding the courderoy, I was even getting a little hot with it on my legs.  It was Aug and pretty hot, so should be pretty snuggley for him.

It took me a little longer than usual to quilt as we went to St. George for 3 days.  I should have been able to knock it out in 3 days, but it ended up being on for a week.  I really liked the wide chocolate binding.  I ended up cutting it 5" wide so that it would be 2" wide on each side.  I machine stitch to the back and then hand finish the front with mitered corners.  The 20" drop makes it so you curve the corner, so no mitered corner there. I sew the miters by machine before I turn it to the front.  It gives a nice clean line.  Love miters.  They finish it off nicely.  I think they are well worth the little bit of extra time.

Quilt

RJ's Bedspread

RJ loves planes, so I am doing a bedspread for him.  Jess sent some fabrics and I tee-died them to make them not so bright.  She sent this striped fabric as well to use which is where all the co-ordinating colors came from.  The clouds are fleece.  In the center section, the planes have names on. The grannies and mom. No "Memphis Bell", but I sort of like it.  Now for the quilting part....

Harvest

The harvest started in June.  These were the first pickings.  I water the lettuce, turnips and cucumbers daily so there is no bitter taste.   These turnips were very sweet and tender.  YUM!  Even the big giant one were good and no "wood" fiber.  This is the first year I have grown turnips and I think that I'll do it again.  So far I only like them fresh, but I bet I could find a recipe that I like somewhere.

This is the first cabbage for this year.  Just had to do a comparison shot.  It is HUGE!  Very tasty too.  Tender and sweet.  It is great for oriental salads and cole slaw.  It is pretty good by itself as well.  Love getting the vegies out of the garden.  They always taste sooo much better than from the store.

Paul's Himalayan Musk Rose

This one plant has grown up and over the top of the Pergola.  The description in the plant book said, "Must be grown on the sturdiest of trees or pergolas."  I can see why.  It is 9 feet to the top and then the plant goes another 30 feet accross and has completely covered the "room".  It has a faint rose scent and the blossoms are the "old" singles that look like apple blossoms.  Every morning it is humming with hundreds of big fat bumble bees.  Happy days.

Grocers Cabinet

Jessica makes all kinds of furniture from "knockoffwood".  I love this for a craft room or even as a buffet in a dining room.  Maybe someone can make some plans.

George Eastman House Rochester NY

Many years back I went to visit my sister in Rochester.  Her husband teaches at the Eastman College, so there are many social events at the Eastman house they attend.  Knowing how I love architecture and gardens she suggested that I visit it.

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This was my absolute favorite room in the house.  This huge bright conservatory that is 2 stories tall. This is in the center of the house.  Opposite the elephant is a great 5 foot wide staircase. (I think cherry or mahogany.)  I love natural wood as well.  I especially loved the palms.  All live and thriving.  The smell is great.

I have always wanted to have a library with the rolling ladder etc.  Huge window to lounge in front of and read.  This was my second favorite room in the house.

I spent a long time here.  This curved pergola was at the back of the property and was my inspiration for the pergola I built in my yard.  The round posts were 8" diameter.  Benches were positioned every 15 feet or so. 

If you ever get a chance to go to Rochester, don't pass up a tour of the house and gardens. You won't be disappointed.  This is about a 3 acre property and there is also a stone pergola on the side of the home with French doors coming from some room.