Ughhhh to OMG Where Have You Been This Past Year…

I have been having issues with Blogger this past week and I am sure I am not alone in this!!! One of the reasons why I haven’t blogged that much is the excessive amount of time that is wasted trying to get one’s pictures in just the right spot and formatted correctly. I have had difficulties with this since day one with posting on this blog but I had gotten use to the editor and working within the limitations of the program on the Blogger website.
Well this week I was at my whit's end…I spent three hours the other evening trying to get the pictures for my Felted Purse Revisited post in a certain order and arrangement. What transpired was a HORENDOUS mess that continued for several hours with pictures not lining up or not formatting correctly.  You want to talk about being frustrated…it was a darn nightmare!
To prevent myself from going insane and totally losing my mind while working with this new editor, I took periodic breaks to visit some of my favorite blogs. By doing so I stumbled upon a comment left on a post of a fellow blogger and OMG….Hallelujah…I was saved; or more to the point my sanity was saved!
In visiting Dawn at Two On, Two Off I came across several of her posts, one of them being “Blogger, You Annoy Me” where she had been having difficulty with the editor as well.  How apropos is that…I was having issues too! As luck would have it beangirl had left a suggestion on Dawn’s “My Sewing Plan for Fall” post. Having spent a ridiculous amount of time that evening I cut and pasted beangirl’s  comment into a word document for later reference and shut down the laptop for the evening. The next afternoon I sat down and ran a search on the Microsoft website and came across the program beangirl suggested and boy is this the ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS and I am sure the prayers of many other fellow bloggers.
You may be asking, “Mimi what is this miraculous program??”  It is called Window’s Live Writer and boy does it work just the nuts! I downloaded it off the website and was up and using it in minutes. WOW is all I have to say about it. No more being frustrated with using Blogger’s online editor!!! Yippie Skippie. Here is Microsoft’s Overview on their product:

Windows Live Writer makes it easy to share your photos and videos on almost any blog service. With Writer, you can preview everything you’re adding to your blog, and see exactly how the fonts, spacing, colors, and images will look, before you publish. It's fast and easy to make photos and videos look great on your blog. You can even create a photo album—just select the style you want and Writer takes care of the rest. Writer is already packed with useful features, but if you like to tinker, there are all sorts of plug-ins you can add to help you do even more.

I have used this for the previous two posts plus this one and it is heaven sent. Everything I put on the page ended up previewing as I wanted. If something isn’t quite right you can quickly correct it. Added bonus when you first start the program it allows you to set up an association with your blog and will import its’ theme/design so that you can work offline. What a time saver!!! It is great…write your post, insert photos and links offline then Publish directly to Blogger from within the program.  I haven’t had time to look at all of its’ features but am satisfied so far with the program. The only thing I’ve noticed is that if you need to work within your blogs design that needs to be done directly in Blogger but other than that using this program has been wonderful.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blogger I would suggest wandering over to the Microsoft website and checking it out to see if your system meets the programs requirements and downloading it. Give it a try you may become a convert like me.
~Good Luck and Happy Blogging~

Two-at-Once, Toe-Up Socks

I have finally finished those two-at-once, toe-up  socks that I started in August of 2009.  Nothing like taking over a year to finish one pair of socks!!! Yikes….
What prompted me to finally complete this pair???
It is the desire to participate in the “Through the Loops” 2010 Mystery Sock KAL.  I had every intention of being a participant last year; I had the yarn and had printed off each weeks clue but just couldn’t get myself motivated enough to work on two separate sock patterns at the same time.  This year was going to be different! I promised myself I would have these UFO socks completed prior to the start of the KAL and as luck would have it I have finished this project in time for the reveal of the first clue which will be this coming Friday, October 1st.
The only thing I am missing….some sock yarn.  I wasn’t overly fond of my choice for last years sock; it was cheap and readily available and I do still have it but…I’m desiring something new and softer in texture. I’m thinking a wool blend with Alpaca in a nice autumn color scheme.
How am I going to accomplish this task of finding the elusive sock yarn? Enter DH who has a training conference in Lake Placid on Saturday and it just so happens this is where one of my favorite yarn stores is located.  So…I am thinking I just might tag along for the ride and give Adirondack Yarns a visit to see if I can come across something more in line with my fall state of mind.
If you are of a mind to join in the fun here is a link to a discussion on Ravelry with pertinent information about the 2010 Mystery Sock KAL. Wander on over and you will discover that Ravelry  is a free, online community meant for people who love to knit and crochet. You have access to projects, patterns, yarns, discussion groups  along with being able to keep track of your own personal projects, stash, needle inventory, queues, friends and so much more. If you have a love for knitting or crocheting give it a try for I think you will enjoy what you find there!


Back to my Two-at-Once, Toe-Up socks…
Pattern:  Two at Once, Toe-Up Socks by Kelley Petkun (this pattern is available on Knit Picks)
Yarn: Knit Picks Simple Stripes (discontinued)  or any Fingering / 4 ply (14 wpi)
Quantity: (2) 50g balls
Needles: (2) US 3 - 3.25 mm circular knitting needles
I wanted to try the technique of using (2) circular knitting needles to knit both of your socks on at once and this was the pattern and yarn I had chosen to give this technique a try.
Needles: (2) Size 3, 24" circular needles and two balls of sock yarn. Each sock requires a ball of its own to use this technique.
My thoughts on the pattern, it was fairly easy being as I have knitted socks previously on dp needles. Knitting both socks at once was rewarding at the end being as they were both complete at the same time. I didn't particularly like how the heel came out in the final product and would probably adjust that in the future being as I have a rather large foot for a lady (12.5N) and the direction were meant for a medium foot.
When knitting my socks it took me approximately an hour per color band so I completed the socks in 21 hours.  I made them a little longer than the pattern called for being as I wanted to have them "scrunched" as well as being able to cuff them if I wanted to.  I finished the socks by placing them on “sock-blockers” and sprits with some luke-warm water and allowed them to dry. It isn’t necessary to block your socks but it does give them a more finished look.
Would I knit these again?
Not too sure on that one; I'd have to give this technique another try but am leaning more towards sticking with the dp needles.  Not a fan of the toe-up method, top of the sock doesn't have as much of a give as if you knitted from the cuff down, but still a fun project to complete. Give it a try you may find you like it!

Felted Purse Revisited

 

Just a quick post on the completion of one of my latest projects; after having knit this purse for my daughter and her two college friends I finally had the opportunity to make one for myself.  I used “The Pink Lady” pattern by “Designs by Shelley” knit in Lamb’s Pride Worsted Wool in Royal Purple Flutter (M-270) and Kiwi (M-191). I previously posted about this pattern in Felted Purse~Pink Lady.

As always I feel a bag is not complete unless it is lined so I went through my stash and unearthed a silk crepe-back purple satin that had been used for a formal gown I made for myself for a wedding at the St. Regis in New York City. I knew saving those scarps from the gown would come in handy one day!

The finishing touch…a beautiful handcrafted glass button.

An enjoyable project to knit as well as sew!!

 

 

 

 

 

  

           Before Felting                                  After Felting

 

                 Installing Magnetic Clasp                                            Right Side

 

      Layering Lining for Inside Pocket                        Strap, Tab, Front & Back Lining

 

         Felted Purse with Lining Pieces                         Hand Sewing Lining into Purse

  

              Handcrafted Glass Button                                  Finished Project

 

                                                            Happy Sewing :-D

Summer's Bounty

Fall is upon us here in the Northeast even though today calls for sunny skies and 70 – 80 degree temperatures.  Many of us have taken advantage of a fairly nice summer to put up the fruits and vegetables from our gardens.  For those of us that don’t have gardens road-side farm stands offer numerous varieties of produce as well as great selections.  With this abundance from nature DH and I took the opportunity to include a little canning/freezing in with our regular pursuits; mine being sewing and knitting, his being woodworking. We didn’t accomplish as much as we had hoped for but there is always next year! We did put up strawberry, blueberry and mixed berry jams. Still on the list to be made are peach jam and orange marmalade.  We rediscovered an old family recipe for Winchester Sauce and canned 18 pints of that along with spaghetti sauce.  Of course there is always the never ending supply of zucchini which we froze along with 15 pounds of blueberries that were picked at a local farm. Up next a visit to the orchard to pick apples which means applesauce and canned spiced apples, DD’s favorite!!!  Hoping you are taking advantage of the Summer's Bounty and getting out there and enjoying the beautiful fall weather.

 

Hoping you have a wonderful Fall season!!!

Where have I been as of late? ”There and Back Again…”

DH and myself on Day 1...The Journey Begins

But mine was not the fantasy journey the likes of Bilbo Baggins in “A Hobbits Tale” running into the dragon, Smaug from the Lonely Mountain...

...my “There” turned out to be Ketchikan, Alaska and driving through the mountain ranges of the American and Canadian Rockies bumping into bear, elk, moose and other interesting wildlife, beautiful scenery and fascinating people along the way via an extended 26-day road trip. In essence this was a fantasy trip that slowly became reality as we progressed across the country and on into Canada.

For your enjoyment here a few pictures of the sights along the way. 

Glacier National Park, Montana

Columbia Icefield
Jasper National Park of Canada



Elk foraging along the way.



Ward's Cove
Ketchikan, Alaska





Ketchikan Harbor
Ketchikan, Alaska





DH & DD at Settlers Cove
Ketchikan, Alaska





DH, DD & Moi
Totem Bight Clan House
Ketchikan, Alaska



~Happy Sewing~

Mail Call...via Jo-Ann Fabrics

My goodness...it has been almost two months since my last post. I must say that I have not been too inspired as of late and just haven't felt in the mood to blog. Plus I think I kind of fell into one of those ruts that went along with the icky spring weather and it has taken me a while to dig myself out. Having climbed out of that hole I am now ready to get back to being artistically inclined and get my "MOJO" back on....

To aide me in my recovery I took a drive down to the Jo-Ann Fabric's store in Albany. My true goal was to see if perhaps, on the off chance, that this larger fabric outlet would carry Burda Magazine...it saddens me to report that NO, they did not. They of course had the Burda Knitting magazine but they didn't have the one that features sewing.  Kind of strange considering their main stock consists of fabrics, machines, notions and patterns. One would think the magazine featuring sewing would be a mainstay in their store. Go figure!@#$%. They had the usual Threads and Vogue but those really weren't of any interest to me.

My daughter and I wandered the store aimlessly for close to an hour trying to find something that would inspire us to part with our hard earned cash. Being as this was the last day of the "Daffodil Dash" sale and we each had a 50% off coupon finding something, of a hearts desire, was taking a monumental effort on both our parts. Nothing and I mean nothing caught our eyes. We circled with our shopping cart, a minimum of five times around the store and Nada....must be that we each had a set idea of what we wanted to purchase and weren't going to be satisfied by just anything!

Not wanting to circle one more time I finally gave up and had the clerk cut 20 yards of drapery cord to replace the frayed cording on one of my roman shades. We then wandered over to the notions wall where I came away with the WashAway Wonder Tape that I love so much when it comes to installing zippers. This was 50% off without a coupon, a great deal.  Turning around my eyes fell upon an end-cap of books that held a book that I wanted to purchase for a long time, "Making Trouser for Men & Women" by David Page Coffin. Yeah...finally an item worthy of my 50% off coupon.  With book in hand my daughter and I made a beeline to the checkout and paid for our purchases. Her major purchase of the day...a really cute iron-on for a onesie...bargain price with 50% off coupon...$1.80

My purchases...

• $ 33.00 One tank of gas
• Trip to Plato's Closet so daughter can shop
• $ 4.95 Two, Iced Vanilla Coffees (light & sweet)
• $23.25 Jo-Ann Fabrics
• $19.80 Lunch at the diner
   
• spending time with your 22 year old daughter...PRICELESS <3 <3 <3

Looking forward to getting the chance to sit down and read the book as well as review the DVD that came with it. There is more information on David Coffin's website DPC On Making Trousers that is helpful as well.

Happy Sewing.....

Mail Call…$3.99 sale at Vogue

Note: This post was created on 2/6/10 right after the online sale; I must say the past few weeks I just haven't felt like being on the computer so my lack of enthusiasm for technology has left me not wanting to go near the laptop being as I'm on the computer at work all day as well. This lack of enthusiasm probably has something to do with the winter dragging on too!!! So with a cup of coffee in hand and Martha Stewart on FLN I am finally getting the chance to get it up and posted...all be it a little late. Enjoy!

This week’s mail call comes to you courtesy of Vogue Patterns and their $3.99 sale that took place last Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I normally don’t order patterns through the mail unless they are for a company I can not access locally or it’s a good buy. For me ordering three patterns online from Vogue equated to what I would have spent in gas and sales tax if I had purchased the patterns at Joann’s considering I have a 30 minute drive to the nearest Joann Fabrics store. The patterns I selected were V8146, V8615 and V1160.

First up is the V8615 which I had seen in the December ‘09/January ‘10 issue of Vogue Patterns (pg. 65) but hadn’t really given much thought to until a post made on Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing blog made me rethink my ideas about this particular pattern. What drew me to the pattern was the fact that Vogue was introducing their new Custom Fit for A, B, C, D cup size collection but I believe my dislike originated with the fabric choice for the dress that was featured in this issue as well as the artwork on the front of the pattern envelope. Black and white houndstooth is not one of my favorites so seeing it on the model was basically a big turn off for me and in essence colored my vision towards this pattern. But through following Gertie’s blog my thinking on this pattern has been reversed for she made a lovely wine-colored silk shantung dress from this pattern.

Gertie also offered some very helpful video tutorials on tissue fitting and finally finishing off the dress with a circular hem. Please check her blog out for you will be pleasantly surprised by all of the helpful information and posts you will find there.

Left: Photo courtesy of Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing

Moving on to the V8146, a Very Easy Vogue, Misses Jacket and Dress; this pattern features a basic sleeveless, straight dress but it is the jacket on this pattern that I fell in love with. Made up in the right fabric it will be a great jacket to go with the V8615 dress for a night out on the town. I can’t wait to make that duo up. As for the sleeveless dress, I have future plans to utilize the basic pattern in making a knock-off of an L’Wren dress that I have just fallen for.

Last but not least is the V1160 pattern. This pattern I think is to die for because it has a very fun and flirty look to it for spring. It is a DKNY (Donna Karan New York) designer pattern for Vogue. I’m not totally into the black and white polka dot fabric but the dress itself is great and I have already purchased the chiffon fabric for it. I will approach this pattern with trepidation being as sewing on chiffon can present its’ own set of issues. Wish me luck on this one!

Well…those are my latest editions to my pattern gallery and I can’t wait to work on them once my Chanel jacket is complete.

As always….Happy Sewing!!!