Motivation

There's a new gadget just added to my blog. Hoping to keep myself on-track and motivated :). A treadmill walking program I started in October had the added benefit of taking off 8 lbs !

A few weeks ago, I found an APP for counting calories. I downloaded it and found out that based on the data and goals you input, it would track calories, exercise and weightloss. It calculated my calorie count for my weightloss goal and I've managed to be consistent with entering everything I eat and any exercise time. 4 weeks later, as of this morning, I'm down another 9 lbs - Right now, I'm pretty motivated and while he's not giving up any of HIS goodies :-) DH is very supportive of my choices and my attempt at portion control. Surprisingly, some things were unexpected...I don't mind whole wheat bread after all and most measured portions were either just about or much more than my usual amounts so I actually don't feel like I have to eat less at my meals - just keeping an eye on my calorie count overall (and choosing different snacks !) is making all the difference.

My sewing will take some rethinking now. It has gotten warmer here in the last week or so and I've started wearing my skirts. In the last 7 work days I've worn 3 skirts that I've made and they're all too big - one of those was uncomfortable snug and it was LOOSE **happy dance** and yesterday I wore my pants BWOF 04-09-119 you know, the ones I couldn't sit down in after they were made LOL - now...THEY FIT !!!!!



These are my 'walking home' shoes, I wore real shoes at work, promise :-)
I lightened up the pics to show more detail.
I know the hems are even so maybe I'm standing funny - the back shot shows wrinkles in the left leg that weren't there before - at least I don't think they were. The close up of the seam shows it's pretty straight. They were really comfortable and I think I'm going to try another pair.

My 'planned' weekend sewing plans have fallen through - my SIL has exams for 3 days next week and will spend her weekend studying instead of sewing. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Definitely something, but exactly what, we'll see on Sunday.

I learned something new

...and finally conquered those pesky elastics ! This weekend I worked on the baby stuff. I got 3 crib sheets and 2 more receiving blankets done. I had decided not to do burp cloths but there was so much flannel left over that I made some after all - 8 in total. They're sewed up, one side printed flannel, one side white and turned RS out. They need to be pressed and I think I'll stitch around the outer edge with the same decorative stitches that I used for the receiving blankets. I'd like to have them all done tomorrow, but in reality, will probably only get a couple done each night this week. As soon as everything is done, I'll post a pic.

My SIL is supposed to come visit this weekend and I want her to take these home with her, they're all for her daughter. I haven't heard anything about the blankets that were ready for her shower, so I'm still flying blind as to whether she liked them or not. Oh, well.

SIL's visit this weekend is for Sewing ! She had asked me to help her with the things she wanted to make for her daughter and I agreed. I do have an extra machine or 5, after all LOL ! Anyway, after she bought her fabric we were talking and she mentioned the fleece. FLEECE !? what fleece ??? Oh, oh, I'm supposed to help her with fleece ? My one attempt at sewing fleece was a worse failure than my first attempts at attaching the darn elastic to the sheets !

Oh, I did finish knitting my string bag last Monday. I guess I need a pic of that too. It feels pretty good to finish a UFO :-)

It was all about colour

It was a draining 7-8 weeks at work and most weekends we had something or other to do. This weekend I didn't want to DO anything ! I wanted to sleep til I woke up and just do whatever I felt like. Well, today I did laundry and that was the only household chore I accomplished all weekend - no groceries, no cooking, nada.

Yesterday, I woke up at 4am and surprise, surprise I was actually awake and rested. There were hours of recorded shows on the PVR that needed to be cleaned up, including about 4 weeks of Coronation Street - yes, I'm addicted to 'Corrie' - my one and only soap. I grabbed my knitting bag and the remote and started playing episode after episode (8 total) while finishing up my latest pair of socks - SFFTU #8 Ribbed Ribbons socks.

First color of the day - lilac

Stats:
Knit Picks Stroll - Twinkle Heather (mauve/lilac)
Purchased online December 12, 2010
2.5 mm needle
CO Jan 10, 2011
JMCO 13 st each toe
inc to 66 st for foot
inc to 57 st at end of gusset
slip stitch under heel
eye of partridge heel (thanks g !)
leg knit at 68 st
CO JSSBO Mar 12, 2011

At 8am my day really got started, DH was up and made breakfast (I HAVE previously admitted to being spoiled *smile*)

Then I decided that since I hadn't painted my toes all winter, it was time. I don't do a great job, but who can tell that far down LOL !
Color #2 - deep green

BFF made an app't for us to have haircuts next weekend. Well, my ever-so-helpful DH has mentioned that my roots 'glow in the dark' and I like to have my color done before I get a cut. I grabbed a box from the cupboard and he was pressed into service. He has been doing my color for years, does a great job and for now I do NOT glow in the dark !
Color #3 - burgundy-ish, purple...oops, no pic

Rather than cast on another pair of socks right away, I found my string bag that I'd started way back in Sep 2998 hello? 2008 - I had done the bag up to starting the shaping for the strap and put it down...it's on my UFO list, but it was in a drawer, out of sight, out of mind. It's not yet completely finished but it should be done tomorrow.

Sometime Saturday afternoon, I decided my nails should also be done. No pedi without a mani ! In the summer generally all my nails match, or at least coordinate - in the winter, not so much...Color #4 - purple

Color #5 White - we had snow at the beginning of last week, right before we got LOTS of rain to wash it all away. After work Monday, I let the dogs out back and looked up. That snow is hanging off of the roof way more than a foot past the edge of the roof line.


and the garage - that one's a 2-foot drop !


After mild temps the rest of the week, the roof is almost completely clear. We still have a long way to go, the snow piles will hang around for a while yet, but it's nice to think we got 30 or more cm of snow and 5-6 days later, it is noticeably less. Spring is coming :-)

I had my restful weekend - back to the grind tomorrow. Hope you all had a good weekend !!!

Sewing - and knowing when enough is enough

Hmmm - I may have said recently that I had some baby sewing to do - DH's niece is due to be the mommy of a bouncing baby boy soon and in January I said I'd make some crib sheets and receiving blankets for her shower.

Her shower was Feb 26 - I managed to hem around the edges of 3 ! receiving blankets !
4 blankets and 4 crib sheets were in progress and yet that's all I got done. bad, bad Auntie :-(

Anyway, part of the problem is attaching the elastic to the sheets. It shouldn't be a difficult task - but it's killing me. I have a serger WITH and elastic attachment foot and multiple ZZ machines. Testing numerous times with every combination of machines and feet proved completely unsuccessful. It's definitely me and it's completely humbling to admit that for this simple task, I dug through my instruction books and on the Net for help. The instructions are understandable, it's the actual technique of doing that I'm having trouble with.

These NEED to get done and so I did a bit of sewing this weekend. I finished the 4th receiving blanket with a very pretty decorative stitch. I serged the raw edges of 2 of the sheets in preparation for the elastic.

The flannel is not quite wide enough and I've compensated by adding a lengthwise strip down one side of each sheet - didn't want to do this, but the seam probably won't show as it is just the amount needed for the sheet to tuck under the sides of the mattress.

I didn't do this on my first sheet and no way would it be wide enough so last night I undid 2 of the serged ends and added the required strip. No problem with this.

Except then I realized the darn thing was practically going to turn into a patchwork quilt because I needed to add a bit to 2 other short ends as well - thank goodness this is no longer going to be a wrapped gift !!!

DH asked if I wanted to watch a movie last night - I wasn't quite finished in the sewing room so I quickly (see the problem in the phrasing here ?) ran the 2 short pieces through the serger onto the sheet. Yup, they're both wrong - one is misplaced and the other is RS to WS. Actually, my mind in the light of day is telling me I misplaced the second one as well, but I can't check til I get home. In the meantime, everything is wadded up, in a pile on my ironing board where I left them in disgust....but I enjoyed the movie ! LOL

NO PICS of stupidity - only once everything is done.

Oh and there are still no elastics attached yet - if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears. I'm trying to gather the elastic to about 50% but just can't get the hang of starting the stitching then stretching the elastic but not the fabric - I suspect it's just practice.

and coming home

It was a good weekend - Dad had a family dinner yesterday so I saw a few of my nieces & nephews and a sister I don't see often. Friday was lunch with my BFF, visit with another sister and a visit with Mom. Mom is physically well, but bedridden or in a geri-chair of course. She looked well cared for, she was animated and laughing. There were times she looked right through me but a few times she looked like she was understanding me and trying to communicate. It was about the best it can be at this stage and as long as she looks well that's good.

My flight from Saint John NB to Montreal is by way of Halifax NS - yes, traveling backwards again LOL

Halifax had freezing rain last night and for the past couple of hours I've heard more delay announcements than I can count. My flight boards in an hour or so and so far it ought to be on time AND I should have my seat. There were a lot of double bookings earlier - people got bumped.

Please cross your fingers for me - I had a great weekend but now I want to be home on time - in the meantime I get to knit for a while ! I was prepared to pack my knitting but asked first and they let me bring it on board - even though it says plastic needles and I have metal (expensive Addi metal ! that I would rather check-in than lose LOL) BONUS - I'm happy ! ... especially if we're delayed :-)

and I'm off again

All packed and my flight leave at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon.

A quick (really quick !) weekend visit home - Dad, Mom and whichever siblings are around. Should be fun - tiring but fun :-)

Have a great weekend everyone !

A swift for g

A few weeks ago I had comments back and forth with gMarie and mentioned that I'd just made a yarn swift to wind the hanks I'd just received from KnitPicks. She asked to see the swift and I agreed, however that procrastination gene of mine kicked in and I've only just now taken a couple of pics - sorry g :-(

This is the link I used. I was missing a few pieces but made do.

The supplies - 4 coat hangers, 2 pieces of elastic, a bunch of clothespins and a 4x4" container. It also calls for a gripper pad and a lazy susan so it will spin while winding.

Tie the hangers together at the top and one corner (shown in the 1st pic), open them out and put them top first into the container (instructions called for a UPS box but my little rubbermaid container works great). Put 8 clothespins on the container one on each side of each hanger. The clothespins at each outer point of each hanger will sit just above and just below the hank once it's set on the swift.


And here is a hank of KnitPicks Tonal Stroll set up and ready to go (just as soon as I untie it LOL).

I don't have a lazy susan so I set it up on the floor and sit on a stool for height and unwind a few rounds at a time. So far it works ok, although slower. The whole contraption is sitting on a roll of packing tape just to raise it from the table for the picture. I'd like to find a small lazy susan (about 6") but haven't come across one yet - one of these days.

Some actual sewing ?

Nope, not yet, but soon.

I've wanted to sew since the year started and just haven't been able to make myself go into the sewing room much.

Sometime ago, I couldn't say exactly, maybe November, a friend asked me to hem some pants for her. I detest hemming pants, even mine, except hubby's (don't ask me why LOL). But if she asks, I will always do them for her - she's one of those friends that you go running for at any time and she will do the same for me. Hemming fits in there somewhere - even if it's 5 pairs. She made a major tactical error though, and told me they don't quite fit yet so 'no rush'. Yep, so 2 or 3 months later I'm still avoiding them. Since then I bought DH 2 pairs of pants and my friend's DH bought 2 pairs of jeans - all needing hemming. 9 freaking pairs of pants all ganging up on me and keeping me OUT of my sewing room. As of tonight they are all done and it's a load off my mind. Not even picture worthy, I didn't want any reminders !

Next in the queue of 'real' sewing is simple but at least more interesting. My niece is due to have a little boy in mid-April and I'm going to make crib sheets & receiving blanket for her shower at the end of Feb. So simple it may not count as actual sewing :-)

I started another pair of socks - hmmm, at the beginning of Jan maybe - only just started the gusset yesterday so there's still a long way to go, the rest of the gusset, the heel and leg.


Ah, here's a pic. Of the four of us in this house, Skippy is the only who is liking all of this snow ... This was taken Wednesday after work. They called for 10cm, said afterwards that we got 20cm but you wouldn't know it from my deck or driveway what with all the drifting. And yesterday, another 10cm or so.

Socks !

3 pairs done but not yet blogged...in order of most recently completed...


SFTTU #7 - Trilobite Socks - I made these ones for me but finished them tonight at my SIL's - turns out they fit her perfectly & she likes them so I gave them to her !

My stats-
Cast on Nov 23, 2010
Cast off Jan 11, 2011 (counting as a 2010 project since on Jan 1, I only had 2" to finish!)
Zitron Trekking (XXL) Orange
Purchased at Ariadne Knits in Montreal, Quebec - February 12, 2010
2.5 mm needle
JMCO 28 stitches
inc to 66 st for pattern
Heel - sl st heel with the stitches offset by 1 - don’t know the name for it
JSSBO
Magic Loop - 2AAT

The only adjustment to the pattern was to make it 68 stitches on the calf - I added one stitch at the beginning of each needle and knit that one stitch all the way up



Plain Vanilla sock with 2x2 rib leg

My stats -
Cast on Oct 15
Cast off Oct 30
Patons Kroy Socks Jacquards - Denim Color
Purchased at Michaels in Saint John, New Brunswick - December 2008
2.5 mm needle
Judy’s magic cast on
SS foot (62 st)
regular gusset
slip stitch heel
2x2 rib leg (64 st)
JSSBO
Magic Loop 2AAT



SFTTU #6 - On-Hold Socks

My stats -
Cast on Sep 17
Cast off Oct 15
ONline Supersocke 100 - 1129 (Yellow/Orange mix)
Purchased at Romni Wools Ltd. in Toronto, August 2010
2.5mm needle
66 stitches
Magic Loop 2AAT
Judy's magic cast on (JMCO)
Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind off (JSSBO)

only adjustment to the pattern was to make it 68 stitches on the calf - I added one stitch at either end of the heel needle.

My Look Back on 2010

I spent a bit of time looking over my posts from this year. In no way was it a sewing year - in fact, the only piece I made completely during the year was my orange dress. That's not to say there was 'nothing' sewing - the absolute highlight was the 2010 PatternReview Weekend in June in Montreal !!! It was such a fabulous weekend, working with Connie, Kay and Anne-Marie to plan it and finally after months of anticipation, meeting all the sewists who were able to come and share the weekend with us.

Knitting was pretty productive this year - I finished 8 pairs of socks and 2 hats (socks take me about 6 weeks to do a pair - the exception being a stockinette foot and rib cuff, 2 weeks for those !) The 9th pair of the year is still on the needles with a couple of inches to go, they won't get finished before midnight tonight but in the next couple of days for sure. November and December were busy and I didn't post much at all *smile*. The 2 hats and 3 pairs of socks are still due to be pictured, posted and added to my logs.

Personally, the year improved somewhat - I got off the short week and was back on full time in April, thank goodness. Work is busier and that gives a bit of security. Our owners are very optimistic for an improved 2011.

In October, I got off my duff and started a treadmill walking program in addition to making a concerted effort to walk more often and longer. Took off a couple of pounds too - bonus !

New Year's resolutions and I don't usually get along - the quickest way for me to NOT do something is to SAY I will LOL. There are a few things though...I want to keep up the walking and exercise; make sure I get some sewing done (I've a capsule/collection in my head just waiting to be made) and finish some of the sewing and knitting UFO's. Both the yarn stash and the fabric collection have grown and need to be worked up.

2011 is a big year for DH & I as a couple. Come November we will have been together 25 years - our wedding anniversary is 11 years behind that though :-)

I want to thank everyone who checks in on my rambly posts and comments with such encouragement. It is much appreciated and truly makes me feel a part of a very welcoming community.

I wish you all a very happy, healthy, prosperous New Year !