Just a couple more bag ideas

I made two larger holiday gift bags with fabric I purchased at huge discount. It was less than $3 a yard.

On the casings I played around with the fancy stitches on my Singer Simple machine. Those puppies use up a lot of thread. I don't like changing bobbins, so I doubt I will use these very often. I got it out of my system.

I think I will write the year in one of those light green polka dots.

Here's another idea. Make a fabric or paper label for the bag that will stay with the bag over the years. Write the recipient's name, date, and the gift on the tag. Wouldn't it be fun to have a whole list of names and years to look back on? What if your gift bags last for 50 or more Christmases? Ask children to write their own names and the date. It would be fun to see how their handwriting changes over the years.

After making these two bags I realized they look a lot like pillowcases. So why not purchase pillowcases on sale? I was stuck in Ohio in the snow before my meeting last week and ended up spending some time shopping at Kohl's. I found sets of sheets for around $22.00 (70% off). That's Queen Size, too: two pillowcases, bottom sheet, and top sheet. That is two ready-made bags plus lots of yardage to cut up for bags. The problem is that I've grown so fond of the sheets that I now want to put them on one of the guest beds next Christmas. Sigh.

The next post will be about Christmas knitting. I promise. I have finished quite a few projects.

Help! I am Out of Control with Fiber!

It is Anti-procrastination Month. I want to finish this cross-stitch map of Denmark that I began a long time ago. When you put a project aside, you don't expect it to be weeks, or months, or years until you pick it up again. You certainly do not expect it to be decades. In the meantime, eyesight isn't what it used to be and seeing the uneven threads on linen is more difficult than threading the needle. I can only work on it when the sun is shining into the sun porch. Even then, it gives me a headache.

The map is fairly large.

Can you see the date? That's right. It's been 18 years and that doesn't include the time I worked on it before that. It's quite an ambitious project and really all that is left is the border and marking a few towns. Why a map of Demark? The reason is that we were married there.

It seems I am totally out of control with fiber. I could fill my winter days with fiber arts, reading, and piping. This sewing tangent has a history.

It started with a simple yo-yo to finish off a child's hat.

Then the project bags that were in my last posting. One project bag has a top that is pieced together. Did that get it out of my system? No. It just added fuel to the fire.


Then I put together a little table runner from a tutorial called the Disappearing Nine-Patch by Rachel Griffith on P.S. I Quilt. Now I am going back to the School of You Tube to complete the quilting and binding. Not too shabby for a knitter, eh?

Home again

I have been away on business, and hence, no posting. The days prior to a trip are always hectic. The fact that my flight left at 6:05 a.m. last Wed meant that I had to be at the airport by 5 a.m.; which meant getting up an hour before that. What a long day that was! The older I become the harder I find it to be away from my own home. I miss my quiet time, my woods, my teapot and oh yes, my husband. When my children were small I rather enjoyed such a break, although I always missed them and was glad to get back home. When I am away I find that I enjoy going to sleep by mentally "walking through" my home sends me off to sleep in a pleasant way.

I have been knitting dishcloths and having a ball with them. Will take some photos tomorrow.

A few weeks ago I bought a sewing machine. We gave my old one to charity when we moved but I found that now and then I needed to run a hem or stitch something. This one is sooooo frustrating. It is a Singer "Simple". Oh boy. I have read the book, watched the video, threaded the machine and the bobbin. I began sewing a practice swatch and the needle got stuck. I am not a novice at sewing, having sewn many articles of clothing for both myself and my children. This reminds me why I prefer knitting. NO mechanical devices to deal with! My husband tried to help me and we finally decided to put it aside until tomorrow.