Christmas creations

I didn't get to sew as much as I had wanted for Christmas gifts; but I did make a couple of things.

One was a yoga mat bag. I followed Simplicity 3683 "Yoga accessories." Ugh. The pattern. It was painfully obvious how long it had been since I had followed one of these types of patterns when I made this bag. I have high hopes that these pattern companies are going to start pushing themselves either into the digital and/or color photo age of patterns.

I honestly am lucky that I actually did take some sewing classes as a kid and have a base of knowledge on how to read these patterns. I am so used to magazine patterns now, or small company envelope patterns/books with color photos and where they must do a lot more testing and if there is a mistake it is a lot easier to find a correction online.



I might be a little bit bitter because of how long it took me to understand a basic pocket. :) The result was great though!



I also knitted a dress for a bunny I had knitted a few years ago. This pattern comes from the book Debbie Bliss "Toy Knits," and the pattern is "Farmer Rabbit." I think this is the 3rd article of clothing I have made for that bunny.

Curse of the baby sweater

FINALLY I finished this baby sweater...about 6 months past birth date. Thankfully, not only does it fit; but it is too big. Pattern is "robin hood jacket" from Zoe Mellor's "adorable knits for tots."

I thought that the worst thing that happened on this sweater was when I ran out of a yarn (Rowan cork is discontinued and I ultimately located it at Fine Points); but no, once I got the hood finished and the buttons bought...then I discovered my larger mistake. I forgot the buttonholes. Specifically I forgot 3 buttonholes. I actually made one of them; fortunately at the bottom of the garment and not in the middle.



SO. After a suggestion from my mom I went the strip o' snaps route and actually, it all turned out very well! I have to thank the particularly helpful woman at Pacific Fabrics for her almost afterthought comment of "I hope you have a zipper foot." I may not be particularly good at using it, but I do have one, and without her saying that I am not sure how long it would have taken me to remember on my own to use it.



You will note the strip of purple (or is that magenta? I believe it is called "very berry") on the hood...that wasn't an artistic decision. I actually ran out of the blue yarn I had ordered.

About 2 hours after the jacket was photographed outside a dark snow storm rolled in and blanketed the yard.

Card making

So this is sort of fun. Yesterday I went to Make an Impression in Issaquah. Not actually one of my more favorite stores, but the closet one. I was looking for maybe a new stamp for my last minute card making which means I won't actually get much done. I didn't find a new stamp, but I was fascinated by the use of tiny beads on cards.

Basically you have this super strong sheet of adhesive that you cut to shape, stick on the card and then sprinkle with these impossibly tiny and rambunctious beads. The process makes embossing seem controlled.

But, I liked the result. I don't know if the the photo will show it well.

First, just one ornament beaded so you can see what it looks like with and without beads:



Then, the all the ornaments beaded:



Lastly, and not related to beading, but rescue kitten had his neuter yesterday. I thought it meant that he would be slowed down for the day but no such luck. He weighed in at an impressive 8lbs (considering we could barely keep him at 2 lbs a couple of months ago this is amazing growth as the vet said) and while one of his teeth is still significantly offset it is still not a problem at this point.

Back to one dog

Today since the visiting shepherd was getting to go home we did one more hike to wear her out in the morning. It had snowed again yesterday and then over night. She really does love the snow.


She never did quite understand how seriously snuggling is regarded in this household, but the quilting doberman did get her just once:

Play like a Shepherd

The quilting doberman gets a lesson in how a shepherd plays in the snow.



Yesterday, right before the snow storm hit I went to a belly dance studio where they were having a benefit for woman with cancer. I got a henna design and then left as quickly as possible because of the incoming storm.

First real snow day

Starting yesterday afternoon and continuing all night we got a ton of snow. Pardon the frosty photos...I am learning that the camera has some limits in the extreme cold.



Visiting shepherd would like it if I left her out there in the snow indefinitely. When I bring her back in the house all she wants is to be back in the snow so she starts harassing everyone until they beg for her to be sent back out. Quilting doberman think she is crazy.

Visitor

The quilting doberman and his cats have a visitor for the next couple of weeks. When she isn't busy trying to get the quilting doberman to play with her she moves on to rescue kitten, which is the only one of the cats that actually seems to enjoy her.



You will note rescue kitten quickly figuring out that visiting shepherd will sit patiently for hours waiting for rescue kitten to come over the table and tease her.

Elder kitty was interested until visiting shepherd repeatedly swept her giant tail across elder kitty's head. Elder kitty has limits.

Rescue kitten says that since visiting shepherd came with large fluffy pillow that she is OK for now:

Otter Falls

Otter Falls is an impressive hike off the Middle Fork Road in North Bend. These falls are so high that you can't seen the entire falls from the base vantage where the beautiful lake is.

These photos hardly do this area justice. It has been probably over three years since I have done this hike and I am impressed how much has changed along the way probably due to a couple of the larger storms.

We have had some freezing weather and snow out here which is probably why the falls weren't running as full as I have seen them in the past.

Along the hike to Otter Falls one of the other truly beautiful crossings is Marten Creek:


I have been in a knitting stage again right now but nothing to show yet. BUT, one of the more exciting things that happened last week is that I located a discontinued yarn that I have really been needing for months now at Fine Points Yarn Shop. Really helpful people and easy to use online ordering. I even called them to see if they could match my dye lot (which they couldn't; but at least they were willing to go through the store and check).

The quilting doberman, so well loved by one of our few, but regular hiking partners at Otter Falls:



As she likes to call it, it is the "Prom Picture." (Thanks Super)

The slowly going first applique project

Well the crow legs now have a body. Things are coming along well and I am glad I didn't wait too long after class to start on this pattern. There has been lots of places to practice everything I was taught. I have only had to pull a little bit back in a couple of places and that is because I have messed up which piece should have laid down first (for example the beak and the berry...I considered leaving the berry out).

Just some highlights and the eye to add now and hopefully it will really look like a crow then!

You will notice that on the beak I actually remember to use a complimenting thread as opposed to a contrasting thread like I accidentally did on the feet but then didn't want to have to entirely redo both of them. I decided I like them like that...

Cassette Jammed

So when the time came to disconnect and take everything apart I was bummed to see that the tape had jammed. If I am looking at it correctly; it jammed at the end, so it will just be a matter of whether or not they can read it. I have a request in to find out.

You can see the amazing amount of hair that came off when I took the tape and the electrodes off. It hurt me just to do it. You can't really pull it fast, you have to try and go slow with the dog's hair if at all possible.

Apparently the quilting doberman is done having his photos taken or he just was annoyed because he wouldn't look at me. You can see all the shaved boxes where the electrodes were attached.

Off topic, but I added a link to the Quilted Kat. I highly recommend it. Complete accident that I found it; but what I really like is that she also has a mix of animal, wilderness and quilting (glad I am not the only one). But her quilting is pretty much intimidating...and her photography; well, just look for yourself.

I can't remember entirely what I was looking for when I found her; but I think it was another blog that actually mentioned her an a Beartooth Llama Trek for Adventurous Quilters. I was so stunned at the thought of a quilting event involving hiking and llamas that I am at a loss for comment.

Wait! Now I remember how I found this blog. I was trying to research a story from a couple of years ago regarding Rachel Lake (the one in WA state). One of the links I got was this llama trek because they stopped at a Rachel Lake...wrong state; same lake name. How is that for a random stroke of luck in finding the Quilted Kat?

The Big Snuggle

This post is purely for my own entertainment (I know, as if the other ones aren't?). In the first place, some day, rescue kitten is going to learn that there are safer places to snuggle. How he ended up there I have no idea.

Notice younger kitty trying to join up (younger kitty is also a rescue and likes to snuggle with the quilting doberman although never as closely as the rescue kitten does).

You can see the look of concern in the quilting doberman: there was hissing and hitting and younger kitty left. Rescue kitten has yet to move. Amazingly the quilting doberman didn't move either.

You will note the recording device in the pocket. About one more hour to go and the entire mess gets taken off.

The Holter Hike

I was excited when I found out that I had an option to request the Holter Monitor from WSU and have it sent out to me to do it at home (compared to driving to Pullman and spending at a minimum over night out there). The reason being that I really wanted to run this 24 hour test in his environment.

Naturally I wanted part of his test to include one of his regular hikes. What I wasn't counting on was that it was really rainy today and the device can't get wet. Thankfully we had a break in the weather. Believe it or not, in the lower photo there is normally a beautiful view; including Mt. Si.; but the clouds were in thick by the time I got there.

I think the quilting doberman and I are both ready for this to be done. It wears too loose on him and so it moves around all the time. The device makes a recording noise (think the older, clunky tape recorders). I noticed he doesn't want to run as much which I think might be all the adhesive all over him that probably pulls when he moves.

That yellow sticking out is the vet wrap that slide off his chest. It was around the adhesive which is covering the 7 electrodes. I have a feeling a lot of hair will be coming off when I take this all off later tonight.

As promised...

I wanted to get a sewing photo up. This is one of the patterns I am working with on the stockings. I just think the fish are pretty funny. I think I am about burned out on stockings though. That is good; I have some quilts that need more work!

I was a little mortified to be starting Christmas related activities in October (that would be a personal recored) however, I noticed my neighbors had their reindeer lights on tonight...

Holter Monitor

I would hate for my readers to think I was never going to post about sewing or knitting again! So the quilting doberman has been photographed in front of one of my other larger quilts in progress.

For the next 24 hours the quilting doberman will be wearing what you see in the photo. The orange vest covers 7 electrodes that are reading his heart and recording it to a device in the vest pocket. This is called the holter monitor. Over the next 24 hours I will be recording activity so that the vet has a comparison when they read the tape.

You might wonder why I would bother to do this. When my vet suggested this about a year ago I put it off. The quilting doberman has shown no symptoms and he is in extremely good shape. From my point of view that was an expensive round of testing on a perfectly healthy dog. It took the sudden death of another dog I know from a tumor in the heart for me to commit to the initial testing which was an ultrasound.

Dobermans as a breed, and unfortunately in the quilting doberman's family (mom died of it) are prone to a cardiac disease called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) which affects the heart muscle. The main reason to bother with the heart tests is that there has been some success controlling this disease with heart medication. It is not a curable condition.

The quilting doberman was started on medication recently which he will take for the rest of his life due to inconclusive; but suggestive results from his ultrasound test.

I have a lot of stockings to finish before Saturday. Look for another post soon!

Defeated

The quilting doberman wishes I wasn't so quick with the camera...

The rescue kitten's jaw seems set but must be shifting as he is growing. I was horrified at how out of alignment the lower teeth are right now. Hopefully it won't cause any long term problems. It is the little ones in the very front, not the lower incisors. Time for another check up!

Someday this will return back to quilting...

I keep wanting to have something to talk about in my sewing but there isn't any measurable progress to report. Much to younger kitty's dismay; rescue kitten has figured out the rafter system in the house.

Rescue kitten is doing great and eating well. The jaw seems to have fortunately healed with the teeth more or less in line.

Must. Save. Energy.

Can you spot Rescue Kitten? He is resting up with the quilting doberman...he sleeps by day; gallops by night.

When in doubt, start another project

I had every intention of finishing this one cursed quilt before I started my stocking project. The quilt has been a source of frustration for about 2 years and it isn't even that big. I have learned a lot on this quilt - like what happens when you don't get enough fabric of one color and have to start substituting in other colors. Anyway, while trying to finish the quilting on it this weekend, I broke about 4 needles. SO I got frustrated and started the stocking project.

The nice thing about the stocking project is that it is relatively quick and you get finished results...which is not my strong suit.



As you can see, rescue kitten is improving. He is eating on his own and we are down to 2 of the 4 original medications. His broken jaw is setting up. He is getting VERY into exploring; especially while I sew.

Crow Legs

I am loving my first applique project. I sometimes have this feeling that years from now I will look back at it and maybe be embarrassed at the stitches, but for the time being it has been really fun to work with. I am trying hard to stick to the skills I was taught in class; but I can tell I am fudging things a bit as well.

Anyway, it made me think of this commercial about crab legs which I looked up on the Internet and of course it is on YouTube. Please tell me people remember: We've Got Crab Legs.



Rescue kitten continues to be a big challenge. He doesn't want to eat on his own, he has a fever, worms and is still healing his broken jaw. He does like hanging out with me when I sew. Even though he is still a bit under the weather I decided to introduce him and the quilting doberman. I don't know that they were thrilled about each other...sort of ambivalent. I think the quilting doberman is just horrified at the thought that rescue kitten might not leave.

6th Annual Duvall Outdoor Quilt Show

Part of the reason I only saw one Alpaca Farm was because I ended up getting side-tracked in Duvall. The Quilter's Garden in Duvall had mentioned there would be a quilt show in September; but not only did I forget about it, but I didn't realize what a really great show it would be. I love that the Tavern even participated:



It is a really fun, small town event. I am going to actually plan on attending when I have more time next year. According to the Web site; it is the last Saturday in September. The quilts were on display on the local shops on the street. This photo doesn't do this book store justice. It is a really neat building:



Duvall isn't the best location in terms of convenience if you need to leave; but it is a very cute town. I actually really enjoy the Quilter's Garden too; even if I don't get out there very often.



Anyone can submit their quilts and admission to the event is free. There was supposed to be some quilts inside that I wished I had seen; but honestly the street life was distracting enough. There was also a few different raffles going on.



River City Arcade Cafe actually had a really high wall with a lot of quilts on it. Unfortunately I couldn't get back enough for the full effect. There was another building adjacent to it and they had a grass alley between them which later because the spot for a band to set up.



For the Harry Potter fans: