Bag--- finished!

Two nasty brides in a row, what are the odds of that? Last weeks bride was quite a surprise in her entitled ignorance for sure. Because we book out fairly far we normally have the opportunity to know our sweet girls in white over a period of time. Some girls you just know are going to be a pain in the drain on their wedding day----- but some you enjoy a lot and are MOST surprised when they turn out to be 'zillas. The one on Saturday was a complete and total surprise, she turned out to be most difficult from second one. I really do believe that every bride has her day, she should have things as she wants and should enjoy the moments she has looked forward to (sometimes for an entire lifetime). But when you are just mean to everyone, unreasonable, and commit the unpardonable, I'm off the fan list. The unpardonable? WHINING of course. Man I hate a whiner bride. When you are a mean whiner AND look like a bozo in your dress, well you deserve what the fates have for you I guess. Not only that but honey lambchop, you ain't holdin' my knittin' either!!!!!!! I'm still knitting the sleeves of Alexa, a slow plod.

I did give in and bought some new yarn to knit a new lil' sweater. Something quick and cute. My thinking is that not only do I stimulate the yarn economy (very important) but in getting something darling OFF the damn needles, perhaps it will break the 'log jam' of sorts and speed up the current state of the knit. Details to follow!

In between the madness I have managed to sneak away to my sewing room (ahhhhhhh) and got the latest bag done.


Cute, yes? Outside pocket fastened with velcro, zip top closure, cross body strap. It holds a small laptop as well. The strap has a layer of super mondo heavy interfacing and is wrapped in batting before being tucked inside the strap fabric. Nice and comfy to carry, sturdy and will tote heavier items with ease.

Inside view of the cute coordinating lining fabric, good pockets on both sides.


Being in the sewing room a bit has allowed me to finish the audid book "Big Stone G*ap". It was a great listen, such a good one in fact that I've downloaded the sequel and getting ready to enjoy "Big Cherry H*oller".
On to the next bag, also lusciously fabriced by "Patisserie", from Fig Tree Quilts. The rainy Memorial Day weather makes me tuck into my creative space guilt free!

Familiarity Breeds Contempt

Do these look familiar?


Yes, the sleeves for Alexi. Still, yes still. The fact that they are lounging on the end table with an *O* magazine tells you that I do other things when I sit. Sometimes I just drool on myself, that is okay and can be forgiven as I'm sure you understand these brides are going to be the death of me yet!

I told you, if I didn't go knit with group on Tuesday evenings I would get NOTHING done on this cabled cardi. I'll post the pic again for you (especially you Annie) because it has been so long in the making that I've almost forgotten myself! If I was able to manage to go knit on Sunday afternoon I might have a teensy bit more to show for myself!

I'm not knitting the scarf, although it does seem quite nice. I'm telling you, if I knew I had to knit the scarf I'd jump off the roof!

Onward I knit. I've told myself that I am going to set a really SUPER easy goal for myself just to make this sweater get going, even a bit. Four rows a day. Four rows! How hard can it be? Even if both sleeves are being knit at once and are increasing as they go, FOUR ROWS!!!! It is my fervent hope that 4 rows will lead to more, but if it doesn't at least there is something.

I've strictly forbidden myself to purchase anything else to knit and I mean anything. I'm sick to bloody death of the sweater and so desperately want to knit something fresh and frothy and wonderful. I had to go to the local lys where I purchased the yarn for Alexa (Knitorious) as the last gigundo skein needed to be caked up and I was far too lazy to punish myself in this way. It was great to see Annie (who I had not seen in forever!) who caked me up with a smile and a bit of chatter. I told her that I was lusting after some new yarn for a pair of simple socks that can travel with me as I wage the bride wars. Being the good friend she is, she pointed me to one of their new acquisitions of yumminess. I had to go look in the Sock Section, had to see what she spoke of with such reverence. Because I had to shade my eyes and dash from the store quickly so I did not succumb to the lure of the yarn I can't tell you what it was! Annie, help me out! The color was delicious and it was just a tiny bit sparkly. Fabulous I tell you! I left in a hurry knowing my resistance was weak having knit the proverbial ongoing boat cover in beeeeiiiiiigggggge Eco since Christmas. Sheesh. Annie told me that she wasn't sure that they had any left as it had been selling really well and that they Tweeted it. Tweeted it! Are you freakin' kidding me? I do not Tweet nor do I read the tweetliness. I can't, simply CAN'T!!! I live on my laptop, I write what seems like a million blogs and do 3 Facebook pages in addition to everything else. I am simply techno'ed out. To add Twitter would mean that I would never sleep, and might pass out twitching and kicking.

But, I would have KNOWN about that yarn................................... And you know I'd add another addiction. I suspect I'd never manage my four rows a day.

Three to go.

Something Creative in the Works!

The move almost killed me and then without warning full blown wedding season hit me hard. KerSplat. It's okay, it beats not being busy hands down!

I've longed to DO something in the sewing room besides unpack, organize and make beautiful. Not to say that this is not a very fabulous thing in its' own right!

You Know Who has been hankering for a cross body bag to haul between the house and work, a happy ten minute walk of loveliness. Because those wonderful little jump drives can take a whole weeks worth of work back and forth it wasn't necessary to make this bag haul a laptop (which causes a lot of harumphing and brow furrowing of course).

Fabric? That was tough. Nothing too plain, nothing that shows dirt, nothing too flowery, somewhat geometric, soft but not foofy. I found the perfect thing=== from the "Patisserie" collection from Joanna at Fig Tree Quilts, I used "filigree" in "frangelico" for the front and back cover of the bag---------

There is the front/back ready for some machine quilting before being cut into the separate parts.

Fig Tree has the yummiest colors, the prettiest patterns, LOVE them all!

With a loose allover stippling completed, the bag is ready to go together. I have NEVER been able to do a really big machine stipple. I quilt on my Berni*na, feed dogs down with an embroidery foot--------------- berZoop I go. Perhaps if I drove one of those big ole' quilting machines I' d get a looser pattern going. NOT, mind you, that this is a deal breaker, especially for this project. I'm just commenting on my lack of ability to do a 'hunkier' machine quilting.

The thread color is PERFECT isn't it? It was almost the cause of insanity. I had all the elements needed to make the bag. Except thread. NONE of the 'good' thread I had looked good, it was all too dark or too light. The perfect buttery color was on a spool I've had forever and a day. Because I am stubborn, I insisted on using it. Most women would have jumped in the car and gone in search of a good quality thread that matched. Not me. That stupid thread broke about a hundred-gazillion-million times on me! I was so glad that the panel I was machine quilting was not bigger.

All things considered it looks really great and I can't wait to get on with the bag!

No knitting bride from last week. There was a bride and I did manage some knitting but she was a 'difficult' thing and to be honest I did not want her cooties on my yarn.

So there!

Peaceful Stuff

How fabulous is it to get the house clean in a much shorter time, no stairs to deal with, get everything off the do me list, walk to work and take the dogs for a nice walk in the park? I think the new place is heaven, and very much home now that it is all 'done'.

The new sewing room is a wonderful and creative space that feels really GOOD. I have a couple things I'd like to run through the sewing machine pretty quick and it would be great to get the new quilt top finally bordered.


Do you remember the before? It was wall to wall boxes, the big gray double cart, the vacuum cleaner and carpet cleaner and various things stuffed there. I transported my previous space but added a few more cubbies just because. You will notice that I was savage when I pared down my fabric when I moved. The yarn stash is beyond minimal---- I need to go shopping! The table on the left of the photo folds out to cut fabric and for planning space, my sewing machine and serger are on a long table just to the right, off camera. The closet is almost finished and maximized for storage, organization and finding things easily.

My new favorite thing are the hanging shelves from C*loset M*aid. From the local big box hardware store they are under 13 dollars and don't require any hardware but just hang from the shelf above. You can hook several together and make tons of great storage! I think to date I've purchased 10 of them for use throughout the loft.
It's fair to say that at this point I have better storage than in the 'big house' and am far better organized. (The question becomes, will it last????)

I've always preferred to work in the kitchen, don't ask me why I just love it. My kitchen is finally conducive to such and the breakfast bar on the side is a great perch to toil away. It's come a LONG way too!

BEFORE (shudder) below:

and the much happier after follows


Knitting? Not much unless you count the 6 rows knocked back on the cabled cardi sleeves. Thank heavens for scheduled knitting with the girls on Tuesday night or I swear I would not have gotten that much done!

It's all good! :)

The coolest invitation ever!

You know, I wrangle brides for a living so I see a lot of w*edding in*vitations. A lot of them. I came across this one the other day and blogged about it on the biz site but had to share it here b/c you love creative things and people too.



I think it will set a new trend for invitations for many occasions----- bring on the creativity!

Happy Cinco de Mayo------