KnitPony

Some Bear and Bunny Friends

 
 

Years ago I made teddy bears and other assorted animals.  I stopped making them after almost everyone I knew had their own special animal.  I've started up again, playing with the mohair.
 
 

**I wrote this post over a week ago.  I forgot to add the photos and post until now.

I started reading the Deathly Hallows last Thursday afternoon and finished Friday evening around 5 pm.  I got the normal amount of sleep, talked on the phone and even cooked dinner on Thursday.  Reading the book helped me deal with Skippy's death - it took me out of myself.  Mel sobbed at first, then refused to think about it and finally over the weekend we could reminisce about Skippy and his adventures. 

Saturday I covered the boring office chairs in my sewing room.  I've been wanting to do that for a while but never found the right material - I never really thought about it much.  Then for some reason I went on a material buy spree with the intenetion of making aprons.  One of the fabrics I bought seemed like good choice but I looked around more on the internet.  I ended up buying fabric from Amy Bulter's Nigella collection.  I found it at Sarah's Fabrics.  I am so glad that I finally made my room cuter. 

After I covered the chairs, Mel asked me once again to redo her ottoman.  She's been asking me for a while.  During my fabric buying spree I had purchased some material to make her a saddle pad from Jennifer Paganelli's beautiful fabric.  OK, the saddle pad idea was totally inspired by Jennifer's friend, the purple was perfect for her eventing colors.  I ended up using the fabric for her ottoman, it's not complete yet, I need to add the ruffle which will happen next week.

Friday morning Mel, Stella and I are off to Tehachapi for a short Pony Club camp.  It will be so much cooler there, I'm looking forward to that.  I'll bring some knitting and my camera.  I'm aiming for relaxation.  We're coming home on Sunday afternoon then Mel leaves to visit our friends in Landrum, South Carolina. 

Unexpected

I had unexpected alone time last week.  AB is at the Paris Air Show with his father, staying with family friends in a 300 year old farm house.  He has instructions to buy me many fun things at the brocantes.  Last Tuesday, Mel was asked to “big girl sit” her trainer’s daughter at a horse show in Utah.  They both left on Thursday morning.  I decided to take Thursday off to be able see them off with no hurry AND to start my weekend alone. 

I cleaned out my linen closet, getting rid of many sheets, thinking about how other people in blogland might have used them.  I decided that giving them to a charity would net the charity a few dollars and give a chance to local crafters or someone who would just use them as sheets.  I also cleared out most of Mel’s old backpacks, old suitcases, bags, shoes, tons of Mel’s outgrown clothing.   It was fabulous and now I have extra space to put away my sheets, towels, extra blankets and quilts neatly.   I also feel like my head has cleared a little.

I spent the rest of the weekend crafting and sewing.  I will show pictures later because AB took my camera to France.  Friday and Saturday mornings I visited Whisper and Stella, then I spent the day making things.  I made a Fourth of July pennant banner, a Miss Liberty Angel from a very old Amy Butler pattern, cut out some blouses for me, thought about making Mel some stuff, watched movies, read books (Eat, Pray, Love and Chosen by a Horse) and played with paper.  I was hoping to get to playing with my soldering equipement and making some charms but I ran out of time. 

Poor Max was so sad.  He couldn’t understand why we were alone.  He watched out the front door for AB’s car and would run to the garage door and cock his head to listen.  Then he would drag himself back to the door to watch again.  I pulled his bed into my bedroom from Mel’s but he refused to sleep there.  He slept in the hall where he could watch the house.  He would insist on checking the garage when I came home from errands to make sure I wasn’t forgetting AB or Mel in the garage.  He was overjoyed when Mel came home on Sunday and has been sleeping soundly in her room since then. 

Breaking the Silence

There is no good reason why I haven’t blogged in FOREVER except for life.  I started this blog thing to inspire me to make more things.  I felt a dearth of creativity for the longest time – I couldn’t get started on anything exciting.  I just knit socks, socks and more socks.   

Since last August I’ve wanted to put together some sort of memory album for my friend’s daughter, Kira.  We all became great friends through Pony Club and when they moved away I just could not bear the process of saying goodbye.  So I put off starting any thing.  Since they were coming to Las Vegas for the World Cup, I decided to have her album complete when she got here.  Nothing like deadlines to get you started.  I got my basic idea from one of Teresa McFayden’s Silver Bella kits.  Using a 7 Gypsies portfolio, I glued in folders and covered everything with patterned paper.  I didn’t want to just stick photographs in there because Miss Shari is the camera queen.  I made a list of everything Kira had done in Las Vegas Pony Club, printed that on some mylar paper and that was the beginning.  I had bought some library pockets but they were too small for photos – so I ended up making my own pockets from card stock, again covering them with paper.  I glued the pockets on the inside of the folders for photos, labeling them “camp, rallies, meetings, shows, etc”.  Towards the back I put four black pockets with horses stamped on them and asked friends to write a little note to Kira, then stuck those notes in the pockets.  I put a report card in to grade her on her activities.  I printed a ton of tiny pictures and used a 1.5 inch circle punch on them and glued them through out the album.   I was pleased with how it turned out; Mel wanted to know why I had not made her anything like that.  Of course I didn’t take pictures of it but it was very well received.  Here's a picture of Kira and the gang looking at her album.

The point of this is that now I feel like my creativity has returned.  I’m making a list of things that I’d like to do.  I am planning to start making Mel some skirts from Sew What! Skirts – it’s a great book. 

Time Slips Away

I am supposed to be posting every day in November.  So far it hasn’t worked out so well.  I think about posting, I come up with topics – I just don’t get the computer time in.  My mind is bouncing all over the place like a ping pong ball.  Do I talk about crafting, what I want to do, what inspires me, the book I just finished, Christmas presents I want to make?   

I sometimes get so frustrated trying to fit in any crafting or sewing.  Knitting is rarely a problem, I usually eat lunch at my desk and then knit while reading a book or some blogs.  I can also always knit while Mel rides but sewing is a bit more difficult.  I like to have a chunk of time and really prefer daylight.  By the time I get home in the evening, there’s usually an errand to run, then dinner to figure out.  I can squeeze a bit in while dinner is cooking but it’s tough.

Trying to do anything crafty that requires pulling out equipment is something I have to save for days off.  I use my kitchen island for my craft area, so I really don’t like to clutter it up for extended periods of time since it is my kitchen island that I also use to prepare food on, fold clothes on, etc. 

I am trying to figure out how to block out time for myself and really make good use of that time.  I am thinking that I can assign myself tasks each evening so that time doesn’t slip away doing little fiddly things.   I also think that I have to organize the week’s dinners so that I don’t have to take time to figure out what the heck I am going to make each night. 

But what is it that I want to do?  Make some more exciting clothes.   Make things out of my Japanese craft books, purses, wallets and some little animal toys.  Make more quilts – I have tons of material.  Try soldering jewelry like Sally Jean’s and Ullabenulla.   Make Christmas decorations. 

Luckily, I have Friday off and should be done with horse stuff and home by 11 am.  That would give me hours to play and maybe even some time to post a few pictures. 

So here are some of the tasks I will attempt tonight:

Put together my “Give Thanks” banner

Felt Bilou’s Kitty Pi

Do some ironing – I know it’s boring but it’s taking up room in my studio and driving me crazy

Completed Projects

Last weekend was very productive - and I am finally getting around to posting photos of completed projects.  I finish ABs vest - but it came out huge.  I shrunk it a bit in the dryer while it was damp; however I am afraid to shrink it anymore.  I am going to use the Chic Knits method of downsizing your knits.  I hope it works because I'm not reknitting that vest. 

I finished another pair of Christmas socks, this pair is for Mel's jumping trainer.  The Univ of Mich colorway from Lorna's Laces just happen to be her barn colors.  This yarn was fabulous to work with.  I bought it from Thread Bear, they are so nice to work with.  Why can't there be more stores like that in Las Vegas?

I also have all the knitting complete on Mel's Ribby Cardi and just have to sew in the zipper. 

This weekend I hope to get my Fall decorations out.  I made a couple of dolls, Mel insists on playing with them.  I had a lot of fun making these dolls.  I've made others from this pattern but they a little on the plain side.  I tried to include more details.  The pictures were taken just as the sun was setting.  It's getting hard to find a good time to photograph.  I leave when the sun's coming up and once I get home, by the time I remember - the sun is setting.  In a few weeks I'll only be home when it's dark. 

Plans for the weekend include taking Mel and Whisper for a couple of lessons, dinner with friends on Saturday, sewing, decorating, baking, waiting for cooler weather.

 

KnitPony Seal

This is a fun toy that I found through Two Lime Leaves.  I have to agree with her that Ulla has a wonderful set of links.  Here is the seal that I made during lunch today. I have been trying each evening to work on some bit of a project.   I have things scattered all over my kitchen and sewing room.  I really liked this class that Ulla taught at Castle in the Air (I really wish I lived closer).  I tried to find some pine cones but then realized that I had papier mache pumpkins that I could use.  I have a few of those in process.  I remembered that when I was young, I made some Christmas ornaments from actual walnut halves, painted them and put tiny little figures in them.   I should probably look for them in my old Christmas ornaments.

I started a pair of socks for one of Mel's trainers using Lorna's Laces Univ. of Mich. colorway.  I love this yarn and I also loved the Cherry Tree Hill yarn I used for Shari's socks.  It is so wonderfully soft that I never want to stop knitting.   

I also started a couple of fall/Halloween dolls that I hope to complete before I put out my fall decorations.  I have Friday off this week but I don't know how much time I will get to play.  I have a couple of errands/appointments to take care of.   There will be pictures in the future. 

Dog Days of Summer

I started to write a post the other day but it was so negative.  It is truly the dog days of summer.  This is the time of year when I want time to speed up, just skip through August and maybe have double October.   That would be so nice.  Once when talking with a friend who’s from New England, I explained the longing for autumn here in Las Vegas is like the longing for spring in New Hampshire.  Summer is our harshest season as oposed to winter being the harshest elsewhere in the country.  One morning in September, we’re able to feel the season change, the mornings are suddenly cooler and there is a promise of pleasant days spent outdoors.  Our plants will start growing again, the roses will bloom again.  Until then, I am really sick of the heat.

I’ve been working on socks for gifts, AB’s sweater vest; I’ve put finishing Tilt on hold until the weather cools.   I have so many random projects that I’d like to work on that I’m going to have to start some kind of a list.   When I have some free time, I can refer to the list and pick something off of it.  I also want to use materials up. 

Here’s a start:

• Halloween runner made from yo-yos; inspired by Heather and StacyA (I don't know if she has a blog but I like her flicker photos.  This is Stacy's yo-yo runner. 

  

• Convert Mel’s too short shorts into a skirt for her.  I was going to donate them but the back pockets are very cute.
• Quilts, quilts, quilts – so much fabric, so little time - I have material for a halloween one, Amy Butler's Ginger Bliss collection in fat quarters and several more
• Aprons and oven mitts for Christmas presents
• Tea-dye a Provincial tablecloth that is too bright for our dining room.
• Make some teddy bears and animals from my mohair stash
• Start a top down sweater for me
• Make things – banners, shrines, paint and glue, cut and paste
• Jewelry - I want to use up some of my jewelry makings.  I just realized that I have a good bye gift I need to make for my friend's daughter. 

I’ve been reading quite a bit this summer.  I just finished “Peace like a River”.  I enjoyed reading it, and keep thinking about the characters and their actions.   

I got nothing

I had big crafting/sewing plans for the weekend.  I was sending Mel and Whisper off to Pony Club camp with my trusted friend, her daughter and their horse.  They were supposed to depart from Vegas at 8 am - they didn't leave the barn until 8:30 but that's still OK.  AB and I went home and hung around.  Around 9:40 I get a call from trusted friend, "Guess where we are?"  - Ummmmm, let's see you should be between Stateline and Baker - nope they are only a mile from the barn!  Miscommunication and a need for Starbucks delayed the family they were supposed to be caravaning with.  I was so upset, the poor horses stuck in a trailer for that time with no movement.  It was 97 degrees at 8 am for goodness sake.

Finally they get on the road, but I'm still worried about them, the horses, the heat.  I had scheduled a pedicure and was sitting in the chair when I get a call from Mel.  They had a tire blow out on the trailer.  Everyone was fine, the horses were fine and they had help to change the tire but that totally sent me over the edge.  I could not concentrate on anything at all until I knew they were in Moorpark and had safely arrived at camp. 

So my weekend was supposed to consist of Saturday; crafting/sewing, pedicure, more crafting/sewing, shopping and dinner with AB; Sunday; crafting/sewing, napping, looking at some work I brought home, doing anything I want.  I wasn't able to concentrate on Saturday so it consisting of nervous knitting and staring at the TV and I wasn't in the mood to go out.  Sunday I went to the barn to get my spare tire from the trailer to bring down to Moorpark with me on Wednesday, then kept my shopping date with AB (it was shopping for him not me) and lunch.  I thought I would get something done last night but realized that there were excessive heat warnings in California and decided to make neck coolers to bring to the kids at camp. 

So tomorrow, AB and I are leaving at 4 am to drive to Moorpark.  I'm hoping that I can catch Mel riding, I heard she and Whisper were great on cross county.  We'll deliver the neck coolers, ice, more drinks, say hi to everyone and then head on to Santa Barbara.  I hope to hit a fabric store, knitting store and many other stores in Santa Barbara, we'll eat out, sit on the porch, walk on the beach.  AB does have to do some work there, but I'll survive....

Finished

I haven't been writting because I've been frustrated because an old conflict has surfaced from the deep.  I guess it was never settled, but I thought feelings had mellowed.  I found out they have not.  It has affected my mood and my actions for many days.  Now I’m tired of dealing with it, tiptoeing around it and will just live my life again, going about my own business.  If someone wants to sully their life hanging on to a grudge, it’s their deal, I’m not going to be sucked into that.  And I feel much better for saying that.

My friend, Shari, has finished working on my bedroom wall.  She actually finished a couple of weeks ago but I’ve finally gotten around to taking photographs and noting it here.  My bedroom redo has been a couple of years in the making; I suddenly realized I did not like my bedroom, it felt unfinished.  I keep looking at magazines trying to figure out what I wanted.  Nothing felt right.  Suddenly one day I realized I wanted a brown and blue bedroom.  I started by covering a Pottery Barn headboard with brown ultrasuede, finding the right material for my duvet cover (it’s not finished – I never found the right lining fabric), then I found the pale silk pillows and matching sheet set, made more pillows.  Shari helped me pick the right shade for the walls and AB painted in March.   Shari then used the pattern on the duvet material to create a stencil and spent hours and hours pouncing the walls.  I love it.  Mel says it’s like being inside a box of chocolates. 

In crafting/making news I've cleared out a few projects.  I finally finished my Colinette Giotto tee, finished a linen blouse, made Mel a cute tee, put charms from last year's Seattle trip on Mel's and my charm bracelets.  I think my bracelet is now done.  I have a charm on every link and it weighs a ton.  Perhaps I should start a new one.  I've also started a new pair of socks to be gifted to someone out of Opal's Ladybug, started a vest for AB, cut out and started sewing a blouse from some pale blue silk from Michael's Fabrics that I've had in the stash for five years.  I spent the major part of yesterday afternoon watching Season 2 of Project Runway while playing in my studio.