Mostly today I did a bit of grocery shopping before the weather turns cold again...already the temperature has dropped 15 degrees and the wind has come up.
While I was out, I stopped at Hallmark and checked out the 75% off ornaments. One practically jumped off the rack into my hand!
The back story: My DS Shirley and BIL have several great-grandchildren but they've always been out of town. This past summer, their youngest great-grandchild was born and lives in Edmonton. For Christmas, Shirley received an ornament from the grands that was "Grandma's first Christmas ornament from Story".
So the minute I saw the Hallmark ornament "What happens at Grandma's....stays at Grandma's| I HAD to get it for Shirley!
After I got home, I transferred my attic project to the dining room table and took down the work table in the living room...all set to work on the attic in the next few days.
On another miniature note, Shirley is going to lend me her sewing machine (mine isn't working and needs major cleaning and hopefully minor repair) so I'll be able to work on some projects for the quilt shop.
Tomorrow night, Leanne and I are going to dinner with Joanne to plan our time in New York City after Chicago International. Don't know if I mentioned it before but after Chicago, I'm going to meet Leanne in NYC for four days!
Friday, January 18, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Great Tuesday!!
For the week leading up to Tuesday, I had been pretty overwhelmed with RL activities and lack of sleep from a couple bad bouts with insomnia.
Tuesday got off to a WONDERFUL start when I received an email from Bonnie (whom I've never met) who had taken the scan of the scanned picture of me, my sisters, Mom and my first dollhouse from Christmas 1957, cleaned it up and sent it back to me.
I cut two strips of styrofoam and used them as spacers to place the studs.
I did manage to get the studs in place on one wall. I'm actually glad I didn't get more done because later in the day Lorry voiced her concern that there wasn't a great deal of surface to glue the roof to so I'm going to make a change to address that. Will discuss/show that in a couple days.
Another concern I had was how I was going to put the siding on the front of the gable. If I put it under the window frame, the window wouldn't be flush on the inside but if I put it around the window, it gets really fiddly.
So Barb suggested that I reverse the window with the ledge inside! Which will work well.
So although I didn't accomplish much, the brainstorming was a great help and I think I'm ready to get back working on this project.
A few days before Barb S. had e-mailed me and said she had been able to pick up the red and silver glitter balls at Dollarama but would I do a swap for some of the gold ones.
Tina had been printing a quilt for a 1:48 house she was finishing and very generously also printed the quilt in 1:12 for me for the quilt shop.
Tuesday got off to a WONDERFUL start when I received an email from Bonnie (whom I've never met) who had taken the scan of the scanned picture of me, my sisters, Mom and my first dollhouse from Christmas 1957, cleaned it up and sent it back to me.
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| Left to right: Marie, Carol, Shirley, Mom and me. The dollhouse is on the piano behind Mom. |
What an incredible, thoughtful gift!
Around 10, Joanne, Lorry, Delores and Barb arrived to work on our club project attics. Before we got started, we spent a bit of time visiting and catching up. Lorry brought a file folder of faux miniature quilt pieces to share with us. I chose these pieces for the quilt shop.
Then down to work:
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| Joanne, Lorry and Delores |
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| Barb |
I cut two strips of styrofoam and used them as spacers to place the studs.
I did manage to get the studs in place on one wall. I'm actually glad I didn't get more done because later in the day Lorry voiced her concern that there wasn't a great deal of surface to glue the roof to so I'm going to make a change to address that. Will discuss/show that in a couple days.
Another concern I had was how I was going to put the siding on the front of the gable. If I put it under the window frame, the window wouldn't be flush on the inside but if I put it around the window, it gets really fiddly.
So Barb suggested that I reverse the window with the ledge inside! Which will work well.
So although I didn't accomplish much, the brainstorming was a great help and I think I'm ready to get back working on this project.
A few days before Barb S. had e-mailed me and said she had been able to pick up the red and silver glitter balls at Dollarama but would I do a swap for some of the gold ones.
I did manage to find them (now that took some doing - really need to clean up this workroom) and took them to the club meeting Tuesday night. Not only did Barb give me some of the red balls in exchange (and will give me some of the silver later), she gave me four of these wonderful German ornaments!
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| The largest is only 3/4" across! |
So other than the fact that I had forgotten to e-mail the MEE newsletter on Monday night, it was a darn near perfect day!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Quilting, fabric bolts finished, glue sheet
Joanne and I went to the quilt show put on by Quiltessential, the quilt shop just down the street from me. The show highlighted work from some of the 320 classes the shop holds each year.
Even if you're not into quilting, this is definite eye candy. The first two pictures are of the first place winner - a beautiful reversible quilt.
On the second page there is a picture of two casserole carriers. Back in the day, I would have loved to have one of these...not much call for them these days. But I did find a tutorial for them if you're interested. (That page only shows how to make the pocket for the rice bag but in the first paragraph she has a link back to her original tutorial.)
Wasn't feeling very perky (just tired) when I got home so I decided to finish the fabric bolts and feel like I had at least accomplished something lately. I started out with 89 fabric bolts but three of them were only 5/8" wide, rather than the 3/4" the rest were. So I was quite pleasantly surprised when it turned out that that my prepared fabric pieces and the 3/4" fabric bolts matched in number. THEN I came across 3 more prepared fabric pieces, used up the three narrow fabric bolts and I was FINISHED!!!
You may recall that back in December I posted a picture of a set of inexpensive cutting sheets that I picked up at Dollarama.
Barb, Cassandra and I used them as gluing sheets when we made the snowmen ornaments on Boxing Day.
I've been using them while I made the fabric bolts. They are wonderfully reuseable. Dried glue can be either peeled or scraped off then they can be washed and put away until the next time.
Much of the glue can just be peeled off but thinner layers may need to be scraped off with a straight blade. The red one is shown after being cleaned.
Even if you're not into quilting, this is definite eye candy. The first two pictures are of the first place winner - a beautiful reversible quilt.
On the second page there is a picture of two casserole carriers. Back in the day, I would have loved to have one of these...not much call for them these days. But I did find a tutorial for them if you're interested. (That page only shows how to make the pocket for the rice bag but in the first paragraph she has a link back to her original tutorial.)
Wasn't feeling very perky (just tired) when I got home so I decided to finish the fabric bolts and feel like I had at least accomplished something lately. I started out with 89 fabric bolts but three of them were only 5/8" wide, rather than the 3/4" the rest were. So I was quite pleasantly surprised when it turned out that that my prepared fabric pieces and the 3/4" fabric bolts matched in number. THEN I came across 3 more prepared fabric pieces, used up the three narrow fabric bolts and I was FINISHED!!!
You may recall that back in December I posted a picture of a set of inexpensive cutting sheets that I picked up at Dollarama.
Barb, Cassandra and I used them as gluing sheets when we made the snowmen ornaments on Boxing Day.
I've been using them while I made the fabric bolts. They are wonderfully reuseable. Dried glue can be either peeled or scraped off then they can be washed and put away until the next time.
Much of the glue can just be peeled off but thinner layers may need to be scraped off with a straight blade. The red one is shown after being cleaned.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
An AHA! moment - love these!
I was getting near the end of the pieces of fabric that I had pulled from my stash to make the fabric bolts. Not really a problem because (1) I could go through my stash again and find more; (2) a couple friends in the building who quilt have offered scraps for this; and (3) I know I could call on members of the miniature club to help out. But I just want to get this part of the project finished - and soon!
Then I realized that some of the fabrics I had pulled have very different right and wrong sides. So I cut two pieces of each and doubled my possibilities.
The difference in the purple isn't quite as obvious as the differences in the other three but all in all this is going to be a big help.
Then I realized that some of the fabrics I had pulled have very different right and wrong sides. So I cut two pieces of each and doubled my possibilities.
The difference in the purple isn't quite as obvious as the differences in the other three but all in all this is going to be a big help.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Bit more done for the quilt shop
I've been up to my eyeballs with condo business and the Christmas undecorating this morning. Managed to catch up on reading my e-mail but still haven't answered all the messages I need to answer.
I did get another 36 bolts made - and even got fabric on four of them. I need to finish the rest soon so I can get all my fabric put away before the ladies come on Tuesday to work on our attics.
At this point I was REALLY tired of fabric so I decided to make some plastic pieces to hold some lace and ribbons. (I know there's a word for them but can't for the life of me think of it!)
Took me a while but I found the 7 count plastic canvas that I knew was 'somewhere' in my stash LOL.
So I made a batch of trim holders. They're about 7/8" x 3/8".
Then I got out my ribbon and trim boxes.
I did get another 36 bolts made - and even got fabric on four of them. I need to finish the rest soon so I can get all my fabric put away before the ladies come on Tuesday to work on our attics.
At this point I was REALLY tired of fabric so I decided to make some plastic pieces to hold some lace and ribbons. (I know there's a word for them but can't for the life of me think of it!)
Took me a while but I found the 7 count plastic canvas that I knew was 'somewhere' in my stash LOL.
So I made a batch of trim holders. They're about 7/8" x 3/8".
Then I got out my ribbon and trim boxes.
Wrapped narrow pieces of ribbons and trims around the holders and Voila!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Busy, busy....
but unfortunately not so much with minis...
Although I managed to get another 20 bolts of fabric made for the quilt shop. Now up to 53! Used up all the styrofoam boards that I had cut so have to cut WAY more and cut WAY more fabric - still have lots of that left.
I'm really pleased with the variety of fabric so far.
Have to finish putting away the fabric that the bolts were cut from (about half finished doing that) then cut the rest of the fabric pieces so I can get all that cleared away.
I have a meeting tomorrow morning and the Christmas 'undecorating' Saturday morning then hopefully condo business can go on the back burner for a while.
Joanne and I are going to a quilting thing on Sunday. Tuesday five of us from St. Albert are getting together here for the day to work on our attics. (Monday was out as they're testing the building fire alarms that day and it is NOT a day to be in the building.) Then we have our MEE general meeting Tuesday night.
Hopefully I'll get enough done on the attic that I can get working on filling it.
We had about a week of wonderful 0 C. weather but today it was -15C with a wind. Took the pictures of Matt's curling win next door to Mom and was really glad I didn't have to be outside longer than that. It's now -20C and it's COLD. But it's supposed to warm up again by Tuesday.
Although I managed to get another 20 bolts of fabric made for the quilt shop. Now up to 53! Used up all the styrofoam boards that I had cut so have to cut WAY more and cut WAY more fabric - still have lots of that left.
I'm really pleased with the variety of fabric so far.
Have to finish putting away the fabric that the bolts were cut from (about half finished doing that) then cut the rest of the fabric pieces so I can get all that cleared away.
I have a meeting tomorrow morning and the Christmas 'undecorating' Saturday morning then hopefully condo business can go on the back burner for a while.
Joanne and I are going to a quilting thing on Sunday. Tuesday five of us from St. Albert are getting together here for the day to work on our attics. (Monday was out as they're testing the building fire alarms that day and it is NOT a day to be in the building.) Then we have our MEE general meeting Tuesday night.
Hopefully I'll get enough done on the attic that I can get working on filling it.
We had about a week of wonderful 0 C. weather but today it was -15C with a wind. Took the pictures of Matt's curling win next door to Mom and was really glad I didn't have to be outside longer than that. It's now -20C and it's COLD. But it's supposed to warm up again by Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
knitting, quilting
I'm totally in awe of the work that the women who attend Tuesday night "Stitch and Bitch" do. I'm really going to miss attending when MEE gets back to its normal schedule after our Christmas break.
They do the most incredible knitting, needlepoint and quilting in RL that I couldn't begin to think of doing.
I have never quilted or needlepointed and my knitting is incredibly limited to a couple stitches that work for me in miniature.
So I was extremely pleased last night to be able to explain this "pattern" to Catherine.
It is originally a dishcloth pattern - which was what she was looking for - but I knew it as a miniature pattern for a shawl - or a pattern for a square blanket - if that works for you.
They do the most incredible knitting, needlepoint and quilting in RL that I couldn't begin to think of doing.
I have never quilted or needlepointed and my knitting is incredibly limited to a couple stitches that work for me in miniature.
So I was extremely pleased last night to be able to explain this "pattern" to Catherine.
It is originally a dishcloth pattern - which was what she was looking for - but I knew it as a miniature pattern for a shawl - or a pattern for a square blanket - if that works for you.
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| This shawl is knit with thread and is 4" x 4" by 6" |
Here is the old diagonal knit dishcloth
pattern as a possible
pattern for a shawl. It is simple and looks nice, with an eyelet edging.
Cast on 4 stitches.
Knit 4.
Every row (increasing) thereafter: Knit 2, yarn over, knit to end.
If you are making a shawl, then when the widest part is the size you need it to be, cast off.
If you are making a blanket, remember this is done diagonally so you are knitting from a corner up to the midline, when one of the sides is as long as you wish the whole blanket to be, then begin the decrease rows -
Knit 1, Knit 2 together, yarn over, Knit 2 together. Continue this until there are 4 stitches left. Knit 2 tog 2 x and then bind off.
pattern for a shawl. It is simple and looks nice, with an eyelet edging.
Cast on 4 stitches.
Knit 4.
Every row (increasing) thereafter: Knit 2, yarn over, knit to end.
If you are making a shawl, then when the widest part is the size you need it to be, cast off.
If you are making a blanket, remember this is done diagonally so you are knitting from a corner up to the midline, when one of the sides is as long as you wish the whole blanket to be, then begin the decrease rows -
Knit 1, Knit 2 together, yarn over, Knit 2 together. Continue this until there are 4 stitches left. Knit 2 tog 2 x and then bind off.
One of my treasured pieces is this pieced quilt that I bought at the last Winnipeg MB Gathering.
I won't be using it in the Quilt Shop but I have some 'faux' pieces that I'll try.
These are three of the four "faux" quilt pieces that I will use. (The fourth is tucked away somewhere safe VBG).
I also hope to use copies of table runners and placemats that DS Carol and DF Pamela have made me as wall accents.
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