Unfortunately, my camera ran out of batteries, so I have just this to show:
(Audrey in the center)Well, at least you can tell this: she looks cute in her leotard and is thrilled to pieces to be there!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
and the sweet gymnast
By good luck, Audrey had her year-end gymnastics show on the same weekend.
Unfortunately, my camera ran out of batteries, so I have just this to show:
(Audrey in the center)
Well, at least you can tell this: she looks cute in her leotard and is thrilled to pieces to be there!
Unfortunately, my camera ran out of batteries, so I have just this to show:
(Audrey in the center)Well, at least you can tell this: she looks cute in her leotard and is thrilled to pieces to be there!
goslings
May I mention why my mom came to town?A lovely ballet by the children of Laurel's Valley Studio: Charlotte's Web. Marian's class were the goslings.
"kool-aid, kool-aid, can't wait!"
After a year or so of wanting to try it, I took advantage of my mom's encouraging presence (a crafty friend!) to dye some wool with my girls. Sad to say, it doesn't come out smelling sweet and fruity, but 'twas good fun. The koolaid is good for kids and for kitchens because it is all non-toxic. And I had full chiquita participation!
My kool-aid selection:
For each mini dyeing batch, I filled a glass bowl or casserole half full of water, then added a "good glug" (as advised by my fiber muse, Miss Dotty we know from the pharmacy who runs the knitting club at the library and is a force behind the cohesion and continuance of the local fiber guild) of white vinegar. See, lovely fake fruitiness rather ruined from the beginning...sigh...
We used two packets of drink mix per batch. Dotty uses 4 in a big pickle jar, placed in the sun for heat. I used the microwave, lacking pickle jars and hours of sunlight. The girls chose to mix pink lemonade and cherry and pink lemonade and grape for their batches. The green is 2 green apples and the orange/yellow 2 mangos.
I chose to dye the uncarded, washed wool. Lots of my wool had tons of vegetable matter still in it after washing (primary washing interest is to remove the lanolin; since you can't agitate the wool or it will felt, the "dirt" comes out, but the plentiful bits of plants don't, though tons settles out wherever the wool sits for long. I shook my dry wool to get out lots of it), and I chose relatively clean chunks for this dyeing.
I first soaked the wool in tap water and more vinegar. I did this because Dotty told me to, but I think that getting it good and wet makes the dyeing more even. She recommended soaking an hour, which probably would have been more even. I just dunked it because I am exceedingly patient and because I like a bit of uneven dyeing. It's interesting. This wool is in the blue bucket.
The girls loaded the wet wool into their casseroles with the prepared kool-aid mix.
We gently pressed the wool into the dye to help it saturate, being careful not to agitate and felt it.
I covered and microwaved the casseroles in rotation, sort of a heat-then-soak-then-heat-again sort of thing. I zapped them for two minutes each, then moved them to the back of the line. Each got 3 or 4 microwave turns. The heat helps the dye transfer to the wool; it can be provided with sunlight or on the stove, too. You know your wool is "done" when the liquid portion is colorless.
I rinsed the wool in my kitchen sink dishdrainer, then worried I was agitating it too much with my spray and finished the rinsing by moving to my washer, doing the same washing and spinning dry method I used to wash the wool originally, minus the high (140') heat and detergent (Dawn original blue!): Fill the washer with water, add mesh bags of wool and allow to sink into the water. Allow to soak, stringently avoid agitation, and spin dry.
I spread it on a towel to finish drying, and:
Fruity wool!
Next: carding.
look at the pretty, fluffy wool! You've come a long way, baby...
Audrey is using dog brushes to card our washed wool: they're a nicer size for sweet little hands. Plus rather more economical and available!
My kool-aid selection:
For each mini dyeing batch, I filled a glass bowl or casserole half full of water, then added a "good glug" (as advised by my fiber muse, Miss Dotty we know from the pharmacy who runs the knitting club at the library and is a force behind the cohesion and continuance of the local fiber guild) of white vinegar. See, lovely fake fruitiness rather ruined from the beginning...sigh...We used two packets of drink mix per batch. Dotty uses 4 in a big pickle jar, placed in the sun for heat. I used the microwave, lacking pickle jars and hours of sunlight. The girls chose to mix pink lemonade and cherry and pink lemonade and grape for their batches. The green is 2 green apples and the orange/yellow 2 mangos.
I chose to dye the uncarded, washed wool. Lots of my wool had tons of vegetable matter still in it after washing (primary washing interest is to remove the lanolin; since you can't agitate the wool or it will felt, the "dirt" comes out, but the plentiful bits of plants don't, though tons settles out wherever the wool sits for long. I shook my dry wool to get out lots of it), and I chose relatively clean chunks for this dyeing.I first soaked the wool in tap water and more vinegar. I did this because Dotty told me to, but I think that getting it good and wet makes the dyeing more even. She recommended soaking an hour, which probably would have been more even. I just dunked it because I am exceedingly patient and because I like a bit of uneven dyeing. It's interesting. This wool is in the blue bucket.
The girls loaded the wet wool into their casseroles with the prepared kool-aid mix.
We gently pressed the wool into the dye to help it saturate, being careful not to agitate and felt it.
I covered and microwaved the casseroles in rotation, sort of a heat-then-soak-then-heat-again sort of thing. I zapped them for two minutes each, then moved them to the back of the line. Each got 3 or 4 microwave turns. The heat helps the dye transfer to the wool; it can be provided with sunlight or on the stove, too. You know your wool is "done" when the liquid portion is colorless.
I rinsed the wool in my kitchen sink dishdrainer, then worried I was agitating it too much with my spray and finished the rinsing by moving to my washer, doing the same washing and spinning dry method I used to wash the wool originally, minus the high (140') heat and detergent (Dawn original blue!): Fill the washer with water, add mesh bags of wool and allow to sink into the water. Allow to soak, stringently avoid agitation, and spin dry.I spread it on a towel to finish drying, and:
Fruity wool!
Next: carding.
look at the pretty, fluffy wool! You've come a long way, baby...Audrey is using dog brushes to card our washed wool: they're a nicer size for sweet little hands. Plus rather more economical and available!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
winner!!
ANNOUNCEMENT!
The winner of my wee blue teacup, to celebrate my 100th etsy sale was liz r., who wrote:
Liz, if you're reading, you don't need to send me your address...I already have it ;).
Mailing on Monday!
Thanks to all who entered. I'll have to do it again!
The winner of my wee blue teacup, to celebrate my 100th etsy sale was liz r., who wrote:
Liz, if you're reading, you don't need to send me your address...I already have it ;).
Mailing on Monday!
Thanks to all who entered. I'll have to do it again!
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
quilting with the cuties
After doing a quilt project last semester that pretty much came down to the children doing a simple applique on a quilt that moms made and the student teacher designed, Audrey's teacher and I decided they were up for a little more. We just used the fabric left over from the last quilt (fun & bright but a little psychedelic for me, frankly!), and I helped each child design their own 6 1/2" block (for 6" finished). I spent a few mornings getting their fabric cut and helping them hand piece their squares, which ranged from a simple diagonal or four-square to 1" diagonal stripes. Both quilts were/will be donated to Project Linus. Since Marian received a quilt from a similar organization last month when she had surgery, she came into the classroom after kindergarten and told about how much it meant to her. Or, rather, Audrey told, while Marian hid behind the quilt being discussed and shyly whispered into her sister's ear on tiptoes.Today the last little sweetheart finished her block and I cut and sewed the blue bubble sashing, so the quilt top is done!
I'm featuring these two squares because the girls in question chose such detailed patterns. They sewed inside with me for a couple of recesses to finish up. Darlings! You've got to look up close at these to see the fantastic hand stitching--such variety! I love the wavy stripes they yielded. Figuring out the pieces for the diagonal block seemed like too much work, so I just had her stitch a larger straight-striped block, then cut it to size. Of course, carefully clipping threads so I could re-knot was just as much work as the original figuring would have been...
Audrey chose a classic four square, knowing that her sewing attention span is pretty limited. True to character, it's nicely symmetrical and matching and neat.
This young man had an ambitious design, but about died of boredom in completing it. I don't think he'll be taking on any sewing projects without duress in the near future!
My favorite part of the day was watching my most interested groupies arranging and rearranging their blocks to look "just right." I was rather proud of my restraint in giving them the power!
Proud & finished, the class showed off their blocks to one another, calling out their own name when the teacher pointed to their block.Next week: binding & quilting! I'm planning on letting them do some large stitches with black pearl cotton around their own blocks. My sister will be here to help :).
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
100! A celebration giveaway
My little etsy experiment this spring has gone fairly well & I'm happy to report that today I sold my 100th wee creation, either this lovely little vase or hedgehog (99 & 100 to the same customer). To celebrate, I'm hosting a giveaway. Since my blog has maybe 3 readers, your odds are awesome. To enter to win this lovely blue leaf teacup
I know, blue's a little quirky for a leaf, but it tickled my fancy. And is a very nice, smooth, lightly speckled glaze. To enter, just comment on this post before the month is up. On June 1st, I'll take the entries before midnight on May 31st (see how official I am?), and draw one randomly to choose the winner. Come back and read the blog on that day to see who won, and to send me your shipping address if it was lucky you! Thank you for your support!
grand find
Our local high school auctioned off some surplus ancient furniture this weekend. I didn't hear about the auction until it was over, but was delighted to see this fine desk for FREE! There were so many and so heavy (that means solid hardwood!) that no one bid on it. Or several others that matched. I switched a couple of drawers around, then my fine friends hauled it home for me and we sat it on the side porch for me to work on. To my husband's shock and awe, I sanded and cleaned and beeswaxed my little heart out yesterday, and AM ACTUALLY FINISHING (okay, starting is enough of a miracle with my "refinishing" projects) IT TODAY! I'm rather in love with it, my new craft studio table.And am supposed to be working on it right now. One before pic at the top of this post, and more below, showing the stack of drawers and a detail of the scuffed side.
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Oh my gosh, I am the 100th customer! Congratulations! I had not realized you signed up on Etsy so recently, but with such wonderful work I am not surprised you reached 100 sales so quickly. I can't wait to see the pieces I bought!