Dear Jane progress, sort of

SO I do understand that I have swallowed a whole gigantic wad of crack in taking on this project but I am getting pretty excited about it and I look forward to the challenge. I am fully aware that it will probably take me a year or two to finish (assuming I CAN finish) but it will be a labor of love. A HUGE labor of love - a 80 1/4" square labor of love. I sat down last night and instead of Watching Chuck I Listened to Chuck and dug out Jake's colored pencils. I used the little template thing on the DJ blog and came up with my color scheme. Here it is:









I have collected quite a bit of scraps and a few quarters that will go into this. I am not using 225 different fabrics as some do, but I will use as much of what I have as I can, getting a lot out of each fabric piece. I am getting quite a bit of leftovers from my market bags, so thats a cool thing.

Here is my stack of partially sewn market bags, and in the center is my favorite find - I scored a remnant just big enough for this plus my center and corner DJ squares for about $1.20. Thrilled, let me tell ya!











I need to take a look at the DJ Blog and see where to start, and gather my backing fabric and get to cutting. First up though, I am taking the book to the printshop my MIL works at and get the book unbound. I am trying to decide if I should have it gbc bound (spiral bound) or just put each page in a protector in a notebook. I need easy access to the pages for tracing the patterns and the advantage to the protectors is that I can put finished blocks in them until its time to piece the thing together. Hrm.

And finally, in not DJ news, I have about a foot done on my Brothers Scarf and havent touched Mom's sweater or Cliffy's afghan. Once I get a block done and realize just how far I've gotten myself, I'll get back on track for Christmas. I did work on the little girls top a bit, but I am not sure if I'm in love with it yet. I still have some ideas with it so we'll see how it goes.

Oh, really finally this time - today is trampoline day!!! We are getting a trampoline delivered today at our house. A friend of my MIL sold it to her for $50 including delivery and setup and it's only a year or so old. I. Am. So. Excited!! Also, I got a haircut last night and maybe tomorrow if it behaves better I will show you a pic. Thats it. Have a great day.

Not better

Sean is up this morning after throwing up pedalyte not once but twice in the last 12 hours. Poor baby has not eaten hardly anything in a whole day plus some and kept down even less. Yesterday I kept putting off the idea of taking him to Dr. K because he was doing ok, just blah and pukey. Last night he started with a fever and rapid breathing and by the time I got to where I wanted to take him in it was too late, even for After Hours Pediatrics. But there is hope... Dr. K's office is open today. So, at 9, I will call and make an appt. He's been tugging at his year so it's probably that but I cant imagine that causing so much yak. Sean fell asleep at 7 and slept through until about 11, then he was up most the night, only sleeping inermittently. Boy am I sleepy!!

Last night I managed to cut fabric for 5 bags and 2 linings and crochet about half of an arm on the bolero. I actually figure to be done with it with about 2 hours of work, so I'm excited about that.

Well, back to watching Bunnytown I suppose. Have a good day.

TGIF

I had a crown decide to jump ship last night. Well, I was eating a milk dud at the time so I guess I sort of helped it along, but that crown has been there a good year at least and had many duddy friends in the past... so why now? To end my week on a high note? Yeah, that's it.

How about some progress. I "finished" the pink bag:













As you can see, it has rough edges. Apparently it is supposed to have rough edges, "it's utilitarian not beautiful". Whoopsy! I am going to try to put a faux-serger edging on it and see if that looks ok. I didn't put a pocket on the front of this one only because I don't think it really needs it, it can just fold nicely and not have to fold into a pocket if that makes sense?

I also got to the armhole portion of Mom's sweater. It's just back and forth on fewer stitches for 6 inches. We'll see how long until I start a sleeve or a front just to keep myself sane. I like it because it's pretty and I am completely in love with the yarn color (I'd say that even if I didn't do the dying) and it's an easy peasy 3x3 rib but sometimes easy = boring. I briefly thought about starting the other blue sock or even some stars for the flag afghan, but the thoughts were fleeting. Perhaps Monday when I need something small to take to the dentist, we'll see.

My MIL is giving us our Birthday/Christmas gift early - a new mattress! I am so excited, mainly because I cannot ever remember having a new mattress, and also this mattress came with the husband 9 years ago, so I guess it's time to upgrade (the mattress, not the husband!) I just hope that my current Queen sheets will fit the new pillow top Queen because it would be just terrible to have to go out and buy all new bedding (It's really hard to convey sarcasm via the keyboard, but really it's there).

In very exciting news, today is bonus day. Yippee!! AND... I don't have to buy a new fridge with it because ours is currently doing ok. Ice cream doesn't freeze solid but its not soft serve any more either, so I'm happy with that. Besides I have moved the meat and bourbon into that freezer and all the other stuff to the big freezer. This has served the dual purpose of no soft ice cream + ease of getting meat out for supper. Wait, I forgot to get something out this morning. Whoops. Oh, it's leftover night. Crisis averted. So what am I going to do with my bonus? Pay off credit cards, and possibly Haaaavvvee to buy new bedding. I can live with that.

That's really it for now. BTW I got some Cal-Mag for Jake and melatonin for me, wish us luck. Have a great weekend. Wow, that was wordy. Are you impressed? I am.

The weekend.

I don't have much to report on sewing, crocheting or knitting except that Mom has put in her order for a sweater that is not the sweater she's getting for Christmas. More of a shrug or bolero really. It will be crocheted and it will be black. Beyond that I'm not terribly sure yet.

On the Christmas sweater, I have about 2 inches of k3p3 before I work on the armhole decreases. It's moving along nicely but my fingers aren't functioning well this morning so I'm not sure how much I can get done today. Last night I managed about 4 or 5 rows before I gave up.

Actually I did finish the green and white bag and noticed a mistake that is hidden inside a pocket (until you turn the pocket out when you fold it together. Sigh.). So, that will be my practice one! I took it shopping Saturday morning and it did its job well. I also cut the fabric to size for bag #2 and bought some new needles for my machine. But that's it, I swear!

I went to my Grandparents yesterday, Grandpa was doing yard work when I got there so he's doing MUCH better. Thank goodness! Grandma is doing well too, Cliffy is starting to get his taste back so all around good news.

I'm adding some video of Sean counting. Have a great day.

Show and tell

I have taken some pics to show off some projects. I have worked a little bit on Mom's sweater,here's what I have so far (imagine that this also shows the collar done). Of course, Mom... no peeking.

Here is the first market bag so far and the front and back of my quilted square!!! I know, my quilt corners are wonky and I dont know why that is. I guess before I take on a real quilted anything that I need to take that class. Add it to the list.




















Isn't it very exciting!! I will try to only work on Mom's sweater until it's done. I also need to figure out how to work in time to make a million market bags with no time to sew? Sigh.

Neglectful

Sorry about that! I dont really have the time or energy now to blog either, but I wanted to post a quick hi and update. I have gotten to the round and round bit of the 2nd Convention sock. I have half way added the border of the quilt square and now only have to stitch the back down. I did a few rows on the back of Mom's Christmas sweater but made no discernable progress.

My Big Christmas Project has started taking progress. I have taken Laurie's idea of buying cloth shopping bags for her friends/family and turned it into a sewing project. I have been buying fabric for the outside and lining from the remnant areas and have quite a bit amassed so far. I started working on one - green with white dots - and have gotten it 50% done. I need to figure out what the HECK they are talking about with the handles - then stitch up the sides and bottom. Add the pocket it folds up into and viola! Multiply by like 30 and we're set! I have not done the recipient list yet but I'd like to give each 3 or 4 of them. I have a few different patterns that I am trying at first, looking for the easiest and most usable one then repeating it. No pics as of now but I will try to remember to take some.

Back to work now, have a good one.