crochet, General

Sweet Friday

Leave a comment

Helloooo! It’s been pouring rain here, but thank goodness the temps have been above freezing. Spring is springing – today’s the solstice!

I’m trying to do a fabric de-stash but am getting nowhere locating places to donate some knits. I called the local school system, but have yet to hear back. Fingers crossed!

Aldi’s has stores here – hurray!! I’ve enjoyed their products and prices in several states. Just now they’re doing what appears to be a major overhaul of their online site. Is this only here in the U.S. I wonder? Are any of you lovely readers noticing anything? Do let me know!

A blanket update – Have almost finished the third row of single crochets (double crochet in U.K. terms) all around, and am going to try making a photo of the whole thing laid out flat to check proportions.

I’ve been a fan of Lucy at Attic24, and the way she lays out one of her newly-completed blanket is genius! Hopefully she won’t mind my copying.

Meanwhile, hope you Lovely Readers are having perfect weather wherever you are, and all your projects are progressing beautifully!

♥️ ♥️ ♥️

General, other, sewing

Spring cleaning

2 Comments
Image

Well, that’s what I’ll call it, and thereby hangs a bit of a tale.

Since moving into my current minuscule abode in 2023 I’ve been watching the veeery slow growth of something I’ve never experienced: A stretching carpet, supposed to be flatly fitted to the floor.

Now I’m not talking stretch, as in a little Lycra thrown in with the rest of the fibre. I’m talking looong hilly-type structures high enough to be seen and felt. As in high enough to need a higher step to avoid tripping.

Imagine a sleeping 2- or 3-foot anaconda stretched out underneath the rug. 😲

Which necessitated a rug stretcher be scheduled to come remove said bulge, and assorted other ripples. That required most of the furniture be removed to another room. And that’s what has “inspired” some cleaning.

Actually, a lot of cleaning. . .

But I wanted to pop in here with a teensy update, and thank you sooooooo much for your lovely comments on my previous post. Thank you!!!!!!!!!

other

Helloooo …

10 Comments

It’s been a while since my last post….

It was a looong, unusually hot & humid summer here in 2025, with the usual zapping effect on my productivity.  What to do without expending much energy?  Listening to an audiobook or two…. or maybe a season’s worth.  So I did. Come slightly cooler Autumnal temps, immeeediately dropping below 32 F, with sleet, freezing rain… you name it.

I’m not gonna do more than mention the Arctic blast we’ve just had. Single digit temps for days & days aren’t fun. But thank goodness the heating and power stayed on!!!

Which is why, after finally getting the last box from my moves unpacked, I hope to get past the “make-do whilst deciding what to sew” stage, and settle in for whatever else is coming weather-wise in March & April. Maybe even sew something…

Hope it’s more congenial weather where you are, Lovelies, and maaaany thanks to anyone still looking in to see if I’m still around.

❤️  ❤️  ❤️ 

Image

Hoar frost on living room window.

sewing

Hello again ~

7 Comments

Remember me? I know it’s been a while. I completely missed all the holidays in December and January… and February… and March.  But I’m still here and thinking about blogging and my fellow bloggers.

(The fact that WordPress refuses at least 95% of the time to allow me to “like “a post doesn’t help visibility.)

The past couple of years have been topsy-turvy with moving for an unexpectedly long stay without most of my possessions (read without sewing machine, fabric, most of my clothes and books). And now getting used to a much smaller space than my previous apartment. Which has involved a lot of de-cluttering. . .

Meanwhile, I’ve also been figuring out the weather. Shifting from the hot South back North has been very enjoyable! Natives I’ve talked to report my first two winters were fairly mild. This past winter, with more ice & snow, was more normal. So I’m glad I didn’t wade straight into wardrobe planning and sewing.

Image
Click pic to go to description

Amongst the perks of my current location is an indie fabric store, two craft supply donation shops, and a wonderful yarn shop. Between them all I’ve gotten some lovely yarns and fabrics, and have done quite a bit of crocheting.

As you can see from the above photo of my swatching a new-to-the-shop’s yarn supply – a hearty Scotch yarn I’m getting used to. Am thinking an outer garment, and have a pattern from Ravelry.

However, heeding the excellent advice to test out a skein, I’m re-thinking. Rather than a sweater, I’m thinking a cardi would be more useful – appropriate for outdoor and indoor wear. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!

Meanwhile, the weather has again turned warm cold, but I’m trying to decide when to get my air conditioners put back in place. If last week was any indication of the summer temps, those units will get lots of use!

Signing off for now, and hope to see you more often this year. Take care & be safe, Lovely Readers!

PS/Isn’t that new hook lovely? Just got it as I was missing a 7 mm. It handles the yarn sooo smoothly & feels wonderfully smooth without being slippery. Made in Nepal of “the finest birchwood” by Lykke.

sewing

Just racing by …

12 Comments

We’ve been freezing in the single digits for the last few days, which means the couple inches of snow that fell is still around. Unfortunately, because it’s been so cold, all the slushy ice is also still around.

What better time to start fixing three turtleneck sweaters I didn’t wear at all last year because the necks were too tight. Maybe it’s the singer in me, but tight turtlenecks are very uncomfortable.

The first shirt I did was a test, to see if the bodice or shoulders were thrown off by the collar’s removal. It was also the lightest weight fabric and I easily cut around the t-neck’s connecting seam.

Image

This is the neckline all clipped & ready to be sewn. How have I lived without these great little clips?! They made this step so much faster & easier.

Then I single-folded the edge under once. (Fabric was a knit so no need to double-turn the seam.) After a nice steam press, it’s been just fine. Yep, have worn it several times and it’s just fine. Two more sweaters to go!

sewing

Whatever could this be?

7 Comments
Image

Anyone who purchases indie designer clothing patterns knows that you can choose to receive a file of several different PDF files: one for the Instructions, and several files of the pattern printed on different- sized paper, including home computer paper.

Some indie designers also offer already-printed patterns, generally on that flimsy paper you might recall from Simplicity and McCall’s.

The pre-printed patterns cost more, and have added postage charges. Consider that today’s indie designers are ALL OVER the world. This roll contains Australian and German dress patterns.

Now you understand the lure of electronic file delivery. And not having to print out and glue together 60 or more home computer-sized pages for just part of a typical dress pattern ! ! !

My local copy shop charges almost $8 US per page. That’s 3x$8=$24 just to print a typical dress pattern. That’s why I email them to a company several states away.

The company, who shall be nameless although they do a great job, has a firm policy of in-by-noon-mailed-back-that-day. You have a choice of paper weights (newsprint or heavier), but size is dictated by the pattern designer (although they’re pretty standard, worldwide). I always opt for the size similar to construction blueprints.

Now I’ve got some cutting to do.

A typical dress is generally 3 “blueprint-sized” pages – remember we’re talking all the innerds as well as what you see on the outside of the dress. At under $3 US per page it’s worth it to me to have them do the heavy lifting.

Can you imagine having 50-to-80 sheets of paper to tape or glue together? Times 3 ?!

😉

other, sewing

Whatever happened to August?

7 Comments

Hello there ~ remember me? Seems I took the last part of summer off from blogging and am just now trying to ease back, or at least catch up a bit.

Image

I did manage to finish and fringe this yummy yarn from my local craft thrift shop. The only problem now is either picking up my unfinished winter green blankey or finding more yarn for another scarf donation.

Weird things have been happening in the WordPress world this past month, which didn’t exactly make finding – let alone reading – blog posts very easy.

In case anyone’s wondering why they’ve suddenly gotten a slew of “Likes” from yours truly, it’s because marking them was possible today. Most days it’s not. The problem has been continuous for several years.

It doesn’t make my overall WP experience enjoyable.

Has anyone else had this problem? If so, for how long?! From time to time I’ve considered going to one of the paid accounts but am concerned the same problem will continue.

Meanwhile, wherever you are, get registered & VOTE!

other, sewing

Being neighbourly

1 Comment
Image

Popping by for a brief g’day, to show off a couple of new-to-me wooly skeins found at the local craft donations shop, and share my experience with the Canadian quarters as promised last February.

To recap — I’ve nothing against a Canadian quarter here or there, but the laundry machines down the basement spit them out audaciously. You should also know I visit a local bank monthly to purchase quarters for said machines. Last February there had been a problem . . .

One afternoon I was putting laundry into the dryers downstairs, and then began feeding quarters into those dryers. Key word being began.

After I had a pile of 15-ish rejected quarters, I went to find Maintenance

Gracious man, he came over and tried 15 more quarters before we realized they were Canadian.

Now I love our neighbours to the North, and appreciate that we’re able to visit fairly freely back and forth. But whoever manufactured these machines clearly doesn’t share the same attitude.

Then Maintenance said another resident had had problems when their American quarters were laced with Canadian quarters. Occasionally I’d had a problem with one or two quarters, but hadn’t bothered to check what country they were from. This time the problem was massive, as in entire rolls. So . . .

When I was next in the bank I carefully dug out my rolls of Canadian quarters, explaining my experience to the nice bank teller.

She said the bank didn’t deal with Canadian quarters and therefore couldn’t accept or exchange them. “What?” I exclaimed, “You’ll hand them out but you won’t take them back if they don’t work?!”

The teller retired to an inner office, along with my rolls of quarters. After a while she came back and said she’d exchange the Canadian rolls for U.S., commenting that someone had evidentially handed in several rolls of Canadian quarters, carefully putting U.S. quarters on each easily visible end. Phew!

Since then I’ve come across a U.S. quarter with badly nicked/scarred edges, and sure enough the machines refused it. One to take-back, and as the teller examined it we both decided it deserved immediate retirement.

My latest discovery is two quarters that seem to be glued together.

other, photos, sewing

Quick crochet question:

5 Comments
Image

Is this a Tunisian crochet hook?

It’s what I’ve been using with this definitely-not Tunisian Summer scarf. The boomerang tail isn’t noticeable until the end of a row, and I was putting up with it, but it’s starting to get to me. 😵‍💫

Can I chop it off? Any other suggestions?

I bought it because it’s an M and I didn’t have that size in my collection. Plus, it’s well-balanced, and the wood feels good in my hand. Except for that tail . . .

The silver end/tip doesn’t seem to want to unscrew, and I haven’t wanted to force it. I want to be certain – if I just cut off the plastic bit – that it doesn’t leave a sharp edge to snag anything. I’m a bit stumped.

Image
music, other, sewing

Heat Waves

Trolling through the archives of this and my other blog has yielded some posts appropriate for this week’s weather here in the Northeastern US. Hope you find them useful!

Sewing. This post links to multiple earlier posts about making blackout curtains, and fabrics appropriate for them. Please note – I haven’t double-checked the references, so some links might be dodgy. My apologies.

Your voice. Extreme heat strains the human body, and one of the first things to show it is the human voice. As a classical singer and voice teacher I’ve spent decades reading, studying and sharing information on how to mitigate the worst effects. Below is more specific info.

Basics of sound

Background

References

Women’s Voices

other, sewing

Is it Summer yet?

2 Comments

Earlier this week the wonderful Canadian folks sent some deliciously cool air down here (58℉/13℃). HUGE thank you’s ! ! ! Unfortunately that’s about to change. By midweek, the “feels like” temps are supposed to be near 100. 😵‍💫 (Canadians – If you’ve got any coolness to spare, puh-leese send it south!)

In trying to figure out when Summer officially starts I found Wiki’s explanations. Basically, it seems to depend on where you live…

Image

Not a lick of sewing going on here just now. I stand corrected – there was. The last of the curtains finally got chopped off, hemmed and hung. It wasn’t as if I have a bazillion windows – I’ve only 4. It was a mental chore.

I really did not want to cut them. The generous maintenance crew that readied the place for me had left all the curtain hardware up for me to reuse.

However, those teensy little screws that keep the rods from sliding every time you pull the curtain seem to be tightly shut, which means No Access. Having to reconcile myself to not being able to use the hardware has taken taken time.

Adding to that is having to shorten the curtains both to keep them off the baseboard heating (management stipulated) and lighten the load on the tension rods. That meant four cuts to four curtains. Something I really didn’t want to have to do. Stubborn? Who, me?

The last time I moved it was across the street, into an almost identical layout, just on an upper floor. Although this current space has a similar layout, there’s much less of it! So I’m also having to reconsider my sewing space. And that’s taking time.

But some things haven’t changed, like crocheting in the evenings, updating my fabric stash, and reading.

I discovered Patrick Grant’s latest book, Less. But U.S. amazon doesn’t list it, and neither does Libby, the library app. However, I did watch an interesting interview online, so will let Mr. Grant have the last word.

del's sewing stuff

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started