Friday, April 22, 2016

dead women's notions

I stopped by an estate sale a few neighborhoods away from ours after class this noon. My friend Sharon Sikes refers to the sewing supplies we find at estate sales and thrift shops as "dead women's notions".
I find myself at these estate sales tidying up their sewing areas. Today I had the workers move the cams boxes from one machine to the correct one. I made sure the right bobbins were with each.

Mrs. Kahler was a woman who loved her neighbors--she had a Altoids tin filled with clippings of estate sales, real estate listings, and death notices of her neighbors. A Sucrets tin held her labels for projects beyond what she completed.
There were lots of spools and buttons and an iron I was interested in but when plugged, didn't work.

So I came away with just this beautiful little Wiss scissors.
Violet, I will take good care of them and use them well.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

circa 2016 sew-a-long--center completed

FINALLY, a chance to do a bit of sewing. Only knitting and some bindings have been worked on since February.
I stole away the morning to finish the center of the Temecula Quilts sew-a-long.
These blocks finish 2 1/4 inches. Instead of the instructed setting pieces, I cut the side triangles from 6 inch squares cut both ways diagonally, and the corner triangles from 4 1/4 inches squares cut diagonally once--but I should have cut those squares closer to 5 inches as they just barely fit. Then I squared it up to 14 inches and added the hourglass blocks.
I look forward to catching up on the 3 inch blocks.

Tulips are blooming and I'm wearing my new hand-knit socks.
Thanks, Janna for the bulbs, Seth for planting them, and Marcia for the socks!


Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Up in the roof--259 East Erie


Looking southeast.
Another in a series of rooftop views, this time from Green River restaurant.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

hand knit orange socks!


Over the past few weeks I did some wound dressing care for a friend and in gratitude she knit me some socks!

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

up on the roof--255 South Franklin

Looking northwest.
Another in a series of roof top parking garage views.

Friday, April 08, 2016

visiting my quilts--confirmed

Today I visited my friend Marcia who was our oldest son's confirmation teacher. I made this and a duplicate quilt for the students to give the teachers.
So nice to see it in a place of honor in their dining room.
Made 2002.

Tuesday, April 05, 2016

up on the roof--5145 N California


Looking southeast

Another in a series of parking garage roof views

Friday, April 01, 2016

childhood dresser

When I was 10 years old, my mother bought this oak dresser at an auction and refinished it. I have used it ever since and love the familiar sound the handles make when they are released.

The bottom drawer needed to be lifted to close as the runners were broken.
Every time I closed it a bit of me would wonder why mom never got around to fixing that.
Until it dawned on me recently--this dresser was in her house for about 11 years.
I moved it with me to my first apartment at age 21.
Which means I have had possession of it for 36 years.
It long ago should have become why did I not fix it.

So, off this week to Time Treasures furniture restoration.
They repaired the runner and several drawer bottoms that needed work.

Mom's refinishing work is still in great shape so nothing to do there.

And, now it is off to Eve's apartment!