Red and White

I work a little, now and then, on the red and white weaving I dressed the loom with on New Years Eve. Progress is slow since I'm not really drawn to this one, or to weaving at all at the moment.

I dutifully go in and put in some time when I can though. This warp ticks so many boxes off of a "to do" list that I just can't completely neglect it.

This warp serves several purposes:

 +For the Chilliwack Spinners and Weavers Guild year end challenge to create a project in the colours of the flag of the country of our origin. In my case that would be red and white, for Canada, since I was born here as were my parents and 2 of my grandparents.

+To have the loom “dressed” with a new warp to greet the new year.

+To meet a guild challenge to create something to donate to guild sales to go toward the guild budget.

+To make Christmas stockings to sell next Christmas.

+To use up some of my extensive stash of “odds ‘n’ sods” of this and that and not much of any one thing.

+To use the red handspun I spun at a Canada Day celebration/demonstration two years ago.

Gingerbread Girl

Another wee addition to the felt applique wreath. 

She was created during another 3 morning coffee periods. Today I started on a heart shaped cookie with a ridiculous number of individually applied stripes, each with the addition of a sequin and a bead. I'll get a photo up of that when it is completed -- but don't hold your breath. It will be a while!

Christmas in January?

I'm working on a felt applique wreath, not late for this past Christmas but perhaps way early for the next one? 

(Yes, it's the third week in January and my poinsettia is still healthy!)

This kit by Bucilla, called "Cookies & Candy Wreath", will be a long term project done leisurely over many months. I'll take a photo now and then to show you how it's coming along.

I cut the basic wreath shape from foam core board rather than the cardboard suggested. Then I had to embroider many many leaves. The embroidery on the leaves was time consuming but easy, just simple back stitch and straight stitch. Attaching all those leaves to the wreath form was a challenge! I ended up having to go out and buy a curved upholstery needle.

The curved needle was awkward to work with but it made attaching the leaves to the stiff background easier.

Now that the background leaves are done I'm on to the more interesting part, making all the items to go on the wreath. 

To give you some idea of the scope of this project, the little gingerbread boy is only the beginning. I estimate he took around 3 hours to create.

Silver Lining

There was a silver lining to that dismal cloud. After 3 days of intense research and comparisons, and a lot of contemplation about what would best serve my own particular needs, look what followed me home!

It's not the most expensive all bells and whistles machine, but it's also not a cheapie that is missing features that I find important. I'm really looking forward to getting to know this beauty better. She's a Janome 4120 QDC-B.

Now if you'll excuse me I have an instructional DVD to watch and then I'll go PLAY! The machine is actually quite intuitive to run, but I'm one of those rare people that actually go and read owners manuals from cover to cover before ever touching a new purchase. After all, I wouldn't want to break anything!

So No Sew

I could just weep! I've only had my beautifully renovated sewing room for about a month (and little time to sew during the Christmas period) and I just broke my cheap sewing machine. Now I have a sewing room and no sewing machine.

To add insult to injury, at the beginning of the renovation I gave away my reliable ol' 1979 Kenmore because it was in the way and I didn't really think I'd ever need a back up machine.

And another real kick in the pants? I only installed the awesome sewing machine LED strip light yesterday. I didn't even get to use it and now it will likely go along with the broken machine to the garbage dump because I made sure it was stuck on there really well.