Craft show sewing

One of the craft shows is this weekend, and of course I have to work. Siobhan is off, so I'll just send my stuff with her. I made some scarves yesterday, and Sat. and Sunday I made some cone ornaments. They were really easy, and very cute. I made them like a machine crazy quilt, and sewed trims to the seams. I tried to post pictures yesterday, but for some reason it wouldn't work, so I am trying again today.
I am making a Christmas dress for my Tiny Tears today, and if it turns out nice I'm going to list it on E-bay. I have a pair of overalls on there now, but with it getting closer to Christmas I am going to try and have 3-4 things minimum on there all the time. I saw a Saucy Walker doll today who was really cute, so when I get enough extra money in my paypal account I might bid on a new doll. I haven't had one in almost a year.

More craft show stuff

I didn't realize how close we are to the first craft show, I think it's next weekend and I will probably have to work. Oh well, I'll just send Sio with my stuff. I made some cute crazy quilt ornaments using the cone shape. I just sewed the fabrics straight to a muslin cone shape and then sewed trims over the seam. I then added a trim to the top, sewed up the back, added a hanger and stuffed it, and then tied the whole thing closed with a piece of cord or ribbon. I've used the same pattern for sachets, too; they are really easy and look nice. I'm making scarves today, too. I have some done but would like another half dozen or so. I guess I'll just have to sew all weekend!

Blackwork sachet cones

I took pictures of the sachet cone I started yesterday.I found the all over floral pattern on a website a long time ago, I saved the picture but not the site, so I don't remember where it was. Since I have 1/4 lb. of dried lavender, I decided to embroider the cone in a lavender thread. I am working it on 14 count white aida, although once I have the magnifying lamp I bought yesterday set up, I should be able to work on linen, which is so much nicer. There's so much work to an allover design that they make good gifts, but wouldn't be worth making to sell. However, just a small flower or star or something could be ok, it would still be hand embroidered and could still be sold reasonably.
I have to make 3 more fleece scarves today; they are sold already and I didn't even get the fabric for them til the other day.

New link

I have had a long, stressful 2 days at work, my boss has been gone and I've had to deal with his boss. Sometimes I get so short sighted that I forget that there are way more important things going on than whether or not I actually keep a low paying job at a national chain store that actually goes against most of what I think we should be doing about the coming energy crisis and other global/US concerns. I try and keep politics off of this site just because it's supposed to be a fun thing about needlework/crafts with the occasional foray into whatever music is inspiring me at the moment, but sometimes the other stuff is so much more important, so I have added a link to the energy clearinghouse. I like this site because it gathers all kinds of news from all over the internet and it's not just about Peak Oil, but also covers a lot of other energy related topics. I also have to admit that I have been thinking more about what to do about things. For me there always seems to be this tension between believing something and acting on it. It's very easy to sit and say I'm such a hypocrite because I work for a company that uses millions of gallons of oil a year to satisfy the wants of a bunch of suburban women who don't or won't know that the party will soon be over, and that unless we try and really conserve now there won't be a future for our children and grand children. And I am a hypocrite, I think about that every day. But on the other hand, it's really hard to know what to do.I should quit my job, and look for something else; I should tell other people that this is a real issue, the most important one that the human race has faced; but I just drift along and do nothing.

More blackwork

I have 5 more blackwork ornaments finished for a total of 6. They are really nice, I went to Hobby Lobby and got some tiny gold beads which I added to two of them. If I have time before work today I am going back to Hobby Lobby to buy some linen. Linen is so expensive, but I have my 40% off coupon that Hobby Lobby has so often. I found a holly and ivy black work border that I think I am going to do for a pillow inset. I am still working on the stained glass rug, too, although the ornaments are for the craft shows, so I'm spending more time on them.
I caught Siobhan listening to the Chieftains Christmas cd the other day. I had to invoke the no Christmas music before the middle of Nov. rule. I have to admit that I have been thinking about Christmas more and more though. I'd like us to Christmas carol this year, even if we don't really go house to house. We could just go to people we know or something. It's something we used to do when we were young. Too bad Melissa doesn't live close, she was in choir for years and she has a beautiful voice. We could sing Christmas carols that are popular, plus do some of the really older ones, like A Virgin Most Pure, or Gaudete or (my own favorite) Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day.
I bought 2 yards of PFD (prepared for dying) corduroy on E-bay, and 4 ozs. of lavender. I'll put the cord in my stash, and later on will dye it and turn it into a skirt. The lavender is for sachets; I'll embroider some and also make cone shaped ones. I have a bunch done that I filled with rose petals; I was thinking of doing some out of Christmas fabrics and filling them with some kind of Christmas potpourri. I think they would probably sell well, too.

Blackwork ornament

Ok, here is the blackwork ornament I made this morning. I guess I could call it blue and yellow work, since I did it in those colors. It isn't very big, just 3" x 3". I sewed it together on the machine and put in just a bit of stuffing to plump it out. I have so many blackwork designs that this could be a way to try them all out, and I can sell the finished ones at one of the craft shows I'm doing. I'd like to do a blackwork shirt some day, I think it would be really pretty. I have done collars and cuffs before, but never a whole shirt.
We are having some fall/wintery weather here, we had a bit of snow the other day. Nothing major, and it didn't stick, but it's kind of early for snow still. Today it's supposed to be near 50 so I might take a walk later and take some pictures.

Overalls and blackwork

I finally have the overalls finished, and when Siobhan wakes up I'm going to make her put them on so I can take pictures for E-bay. I hope they sell pretty quickly, I am going to start them at $30 and put a buy it now of $35. There was some prepared for dyeing corduroy on E-bay this morning, 2 yds. of it and I put in a bid of $7, I'm the only bidder so far, and I hope I win it, I'd like to dye some corduroy and use it in a skirt.
I have been going through my needlework files and I think I might make some blackwork ornaments or something. Maybe little cone shaped ones that can be rolled up and sewn and stuffed with lavender, like the sachets I made earlier. I could add a little lace at the top, and they would be really cute. I have so many blackwork patterns. I also have a lot of Palestinian and Israeli traditional cross stitch patterns. I need to print some of that stuff up and put it in my file cabinet. I back up my files every once in awhile, but probably not often enough and I would be so upset if I lost a lot of it.
I'll post pics of the overalls later.

Labor of Love

Here's an update on the stained glass rug. This is trully a labor of love for Siobhan, because I really don't like this rug much, which is part of the reason it's been taking so long. I am doing the next one with flowers and scrolls in the corners, and I am going to have a lot of fun doing dip dyes and shaded colors for the flowers and leaves. I have been keeping my eye open for a cutter on E-bay, I do so much rug hooking now that I am ruining my Olfa mat. I haven't had it that long, either, but it's already in pretty bad shape. If I had a cutter I wouldn't have to use the mat and rotary cutter.
I also am posting a pic of the applique on the overalls for E-bay. I hope I can get them posted tomorrow,all I have to do is sew in the patchwork side panels and then get Sio to model for me.

Nothing new in the needlework sphere

I still haven't been able to get back into the routine of things. I am almost finished with the other pair of overalls, and I've been working on the rug now and then, but I seem to be in a bit of a creative slump.There just seems to be way bigger things to worry about lately. I suppose I am really more worried about the political situation now than anything else. Melissa says John and I should do something, and she's right. I think we need to really look at where our involvement can do the most good, and then make a commitment. We used to be very active, and we haven't been in along time, and now is an excellent time to start.

Not much

I haven't been doing much because I've been so sick. Yesterday I felt a bit better and finished the applique I was working on for another pair of overalls. I have has the worst cold I can remember having for a long time, but the weird thing is that it kind of settled into my shoulder, or something, and it reaaly hurt. It still does, but it's better than before.
I also did a dye run with my new Cushings dyes and Maryanne Lincolns book. I wanted some true blue colors for Siobhan's rug, so I did a 5 swatch set , using the jar method. I like the jar method because it gives a nice range of shades of the same color.Actually the blues are more of a navy then I was looking for, or then they looked in the book. I'll try again when I get home tonight with a bit less black in the mix. I have started a dye record book with instructions and swatches, and I think it will be really helpful when it comes to repeating a color or colors.

Nothing New

I haven't posted for awhile because I have had the worst cold ever. I haven't done anything since Sunday. It settled into my arm and shoulder and it really hurt for a few days. I finally am feeling a bit better and am going to see about finishing the other pair of overalls tomorrow. I figured I would have sold them by now, but they aren't even finished yet. In the meantime I am posting pics of the ones I did sell. I got a bit more of Siobhan's rug done today while I was sitting in bed and watching MSNBC all day. I've also re-read Interview With the Vampire; Sio was watching it the other night and it's been so long since I've read it that I wanted to again. We don't seem to own a copy anymore so Sio went and bought one. I think I will re-read the Vampire Lestat now, but after that if I still am in the mood for more Anne Rice I think I'll move onto the Mayfair witches, they are more interesting anyway.