sleeve fix

I have a blouse I made from a lovely linen/rayon combo fabric. From Jeff Rosenberg one time at Festival of Quilts.
I tried out something different for the style/pattern. Which works fine for the body, but the arms have been too tight.

So, I got the bright idea a little while ago to give myself some breathing space by adapting the sleeves to be the 'cold shoulder' style that is in current fashion.
I cut off the cuff (already cut in the above photo)
and pressed a crease where I wanted to cut.
Then I did a narrow hem on the edges of the cut.
I had measured my arm (again) and thought the bottom of the sleeve would still be tight. So I made some faux bow extensions.

I still had the 2 buttons from the cuffs, so those were sewn at the top of the slit to give a bit of security in case of situations like catching the sleeve on the door handle. Not that it would ever happen...

and then sewed the extensions in place.
Looks good.

Now to try it on.

Oh. Somehow now, it hits my 'elbow pit'. So, it is more than big enough.
In fact, I could just over lap the edges and stitch them down.

pinned here. Hard to do arm selfies.

So, I will. But, do I leave it at that or do I move the button down to that spot? If so, do I risk the top of the slit getting torn? or do I secure it in some way with something that blends in easier? I haven't got anymore of the buttons.
any ideas?

Bead on 19-25 August

week 34 - 2018

bead on fabric

about to turn the corner

Still thinking about the daily stitch idea.

 with the extra colours I bought from Institches at FOQ.

Perhaps going back to this to prime the pump?


Some possible ideas in this collection. There are around 18, but I have some already to go for making more. Can't remember if I was planning on doing 26 or 52. But it doesn't matter. I can break out of the rules and just do more of what I like! 😁

Something on Saturday

Cow 84



cow badge. It has one of those post closures like for tie pins.

finish

Finished the dark red dress I started before Festival of Quilts.

Somehow I just fell for the red sunflowers, if that is what they are.
Yes, I use the selvage on the back seam.
I hope I can wear it Sunday, even if it is with a cardigan. Just needs a press.

I had ideas of  other simple summer dresses, but today I am wrapped in my fleece because the temp has really dropped and it is raining.
So, I best get onto the Lacey blue one. It is lined and about the time I cut it out, the weather got Very Hot. I couldn't face the idea of wearing it. So, now is the time if I don't want to lose track of the idea by next summer. I think (hope) we might have a few somewhat warm days left, so, that should motivate me. I need to move it to get onto some big projects I need to start.

I like Thankful Thursday

I posted the other day that the cataract op was not Tuesday, but the very extensive testing and assessing was. So, having thought about it, although I am still seeing blurry, I am glad to know that they will be properly prepared for doing it right when it does happen.

I like things that have a bit of a funny side to them. I took this photo at the Festival of Quilts. The Quilt Police do exist!

One of the policemen at the NEC was invited to come see the Fly Me to the Moon exhibition. Susanne Jones' husband Todd had been chatting with him and got him interested in the project to commemorate the moon landings. Funny how many people immediately thought of the Quilt Police!

I recently read this book by Jenny Colgan. Somehow I thought I was looking on the shelves for crime fiction, but they had morphed into adult fiction. So, it was a lovely story and the character begins to believe in herself.


I have just read the next one, which, having become fond of the characters in the first one, does cause you to go through a little angst with them. But still, I think I like this format and will look for some of the others about a character starting up a business...especially a food business!


Speaking of baking...
 This photo shows how difficult it is to get a quick photo without being caught at it! Very blurry. Even to my eye!
As I write this, The Thoughtful Man is baking a gluten free and etc free cake! Coconut and Raspberry. Now there is a combination that should be interesting. We will have it tonight when friends come round...including one who is also trying to be gluten free.

I am trying to get back into making work. Most of the summer was too hot. Also, there was the Festival of Quilts and then trying to do things so I wasn't worrying about cataract surgery.

Presently, I have been spending time discovering things on my new phone.
I was already 'following' some artists on Instagram by saving the link on my computer and checking it like I would a blog. Now with a clever phone, I am able to follow properly and also post some of my own. My Instagram found here. I like that it is a lot quicker than downloading from my phone, then editing and sorting the size and then putting them on Blogger.

I can still do blogger by getting those photos and adding others here. I can say more here. But also, I can keep the blog a little more personal and the Instagram a little more professional. It seems there are more responses, too. Plus, I have found loads of art that interests me and I don't have to keep going back to a blog to check what I missed.
sandysnowden5 Yes, somehow I didn't catch that they added the 5. I could have done my middle initial or something. Still, SandySnowden5? at least it isn't something like sandysnowden138!

To see more likes from others, check out LeeAnna's blog.

Needle sorting

I bought 3 or 4 little bags of on sale needles from John James Needles when I was at the Festival of Quilts. It was interesting that though there were several packs of a kind, like sharps, there were no duplicates in size!

And since I do know I have plenty of needles already from them and Bohin, I thought I better do a bit of sorting.

(I do hope this doesn't come across as blurry to you. I don't know if it is my blurry eyes as I look now...
or my blurry eyes combined with not being able to see the image on the camera viewer so well when I take the photo.)

Now I can get out the little pile of sharps or the beading needles or milliners, or whatever, and then select the size I want.
OK, how to try to remember, when doing a project, the size I am working with so I can select another one when I need to?

Well and oh well

The appointment for my cataract surgery today was not, as I believed, the surgery. It was the assessment appointment to be put onto the waiting list. 😕

So, many drops, many tests, many lights shining later, this.

Scary?
What positive?
Ok, you normally don't see your eyes when they are fully dilated, because that is when it is dark and you can't see your eyes in the dark without light, which then makes them not dilated.
So, the photo.
I look like I have cartoon eyes. 😵

After a nap, both eyes a bit blurry round the edges, but I have nearly got the dark red dress done that I didn't finish before FOQ.
and I am trying something to alter a blouse with sleeves that are too tight.
If I have to wait, I will see what I can do to accomplish something sensible in the meanwhile.

Bead on 4-11 and 12-18 August

week 32 and 33 - 2018

I've caught up from being away, so this photo is from this last week and the week before.
Just the bead on fabric.


Progress on my daily bead project: this photo gives you an idea of how things are so far for the year.



Just a few thoughts about it.
I wanted something that didn’t take so much time (after the previous 5 years). But this project is so quick, I don’t get as much enjoyment. I do want to fill this length of cloth with the patterning that comes from marking each day of the week differently. So, already thinking 🤔 about what to change for next year. Inspired by Jean Williamson's Dates in a Life project.

No trims for a bit til after my eye recovers from Cataract Surgery on the 21st August. I do spend too much time on that! and looking very close.

Something on Saturday

cow 83

a cushion I made from a panel my mom sent me. I hand quilted the panel.

and for the back, I used some other cow fabric she gave me.

I like Thankful Thursday

Thankful today that I am beginning to get back to normal after the Festival of Quilts.
Loving the writing slope my son gave me for my birthday. It is just right for my breakfast time studies.


a few likes from the show
on the end of the Quilt Sandwich stall

helps to work out if the extra wide is affordable. i.e. how much do you actually get and can you get away with less metre-age (you know, meters as opposed to yardage!).

Bought the book from the Fly Me to the Moon exhibition. Taking advantage of a discount and no postage!

179 quilts in the exhibition - one of them mine! They will be exhibited at NASA in the coming months.

And how wonderful to see Ramshackle Suburb in the Fine Art Quilt Masters gallery! No, it didn't win, but there were over 100 entries, and 23 were selected. So, that works. A lot of prestigious artists for company.

The lighting really lifted it. Amazingly different than seeing it here in my studio, only a short distance across the room.
Quite a few people said to me that they really liked my quilt. Even a few men. 😊

and I really liked - Very Impressed - with the way the Fine Art Quilts Masters work was dealt with for repackaging.

deliberation over the best way...where does this layer of acid-free paper go?
(The Quilt with brown and white on the wall to the left is the one that won.)

Clean and Tidy. Professional.

Cloth over the floor, latex gloves, 2 people to keep it rolled straight.

To see more like from others, check out LeeAnna's blog.

home from FOQ

Starting to get a little back to normal after my return from Festival of Quilts. I was so weary yesterday, I needed much more rest than I expected.

One of the first galleries I visited (besides SAQA where I was working) was unFOLD: The Button Box.

I just had to take a photo of the stitches on this piece. I love the layering of stitch over stitch. Apologies, I forgot the artist.

I have a lot of other photos, but they are in my phone. Amazing how you suddenly find the phone to be easier to use to take photos! I hope to get them off and post some.

I haven't caught up on the daily bead project, but hopefully tomorrow.

Something on Saturday

Cow 82

a little painted terracotta pot I was given. It is too small for a plant, so I keep hair grips in it. (barrettes)

I love the little cow teddy!

I like Thankful Thursday

A few things I like!

Last week was our wedding anniversary. We went to the cinema to see Incredibles 2. I think there were about 10 people altogether watching it!

from Wikimedia

We enjoy kids films as much as anything.

The week before was my birthday as well. I have a clever phone now, so I have been busy trying to learn that. 📱

I haven't done anything too ambitious yet. But I did get the app for my favourite radio station.

As it is Thursday, I am currently at the Festival of Quilts. (I set this to post while I am there) I will find out today who the winner was in the Fine Arts Quilts Masters. (Nervous!)

 But I am very happy just to be shortlisted.
I love coming to the Festival of Quilts (Birmingham, UK) I catch up with a lot of friends I have made over the years.

I made up a pumpkin pie in my head in the early part of the week. Maple flavour!
I have been making some dietary changes in hopes they will help me not to continue to spiral down in my health. So, I made this with some of the 'good for me' ingredients the Thoughtful Man has brought home for me.

I already had the pie crust frozen, so I wanted to use that up. But I will just eat the pumpkiny bit, not the crust. I have written down what I did to make this so I can make it again! If I do, I will probably use a glass dish and bake it in a bain marie. Or something.

If you want to see more of the Likes from other people - check out LeeAnna's Blog.

red small flower dress

I got this simple summer dress finished on Tuesday. Plenty of time to take with me to wear at the Festival of Quilts!

Oh dear

and oh my. 😱

good thing for magnets! Only some of them had a very weak attraction to the magnet, so I still had to pick a lot up by hand.
Lets hope I got them all.

2 red dresses

being sewn assembly line style.

Almost done with one.

Bead on 29 July - 4 August

week 31 -  2018

bead on fabric

new month noted with the vertical bugle beads

trims

finished the pink lacy row along this trim. I like the 'frilly-ness'.

I am contemplating another row using small beads to make it even more frilly.
You can just see the pattern on the bit of thread left on the needle.

Something on Saturday

Cow 81

A slate coaster I use in my sewing room. I forgot about it when I was doing the other coasters.

I used to have 2 of them, but the other has gone missing.

Here is a photo to give a better idea of the scale.