I've Been Knitting

For some reason I had an urge to knit. I found this pattern I really liked on a knitting blog I read (the only knitting blog I read) and I fell in love. Then I found this awesome yarn I liked. So, I've been knitting. I think part of the urge is to feel like I finish something - often with Dear Jane I feel like I don't get all that much accomplished in a couple hours - with the knitting, I can see a lot of progress in a few hours.

the basic layout of the scarf - not your usual shape

my progress to date

a close up of the yarn - it's not as pink as it looks in this picture

another close up - it feels very spring, which I've been craving

Design Wall Monday & A Clean(er) Sewing Room

Yesterday I set out with high hopes to clean and tidy my sewing room so I could be more efficient since everything would be organized and easy to find. That lasted about 2 hours yesterday and .5 today. Then I was tired of that and decided to just start sewing.
Here's the tidying progress:

a little better

the cardboard boxes are in clear bins and labelled - bottom left

I got back to Dear  Jane then. I had high hopes to do a ton of sewing this weekend - I ended up with 2 hours tonight; sometimes the best laid plans...

B5

 

And here is my (emptier) design wall:

Apr 1

It looks kinda sad and lonely - hopefully my tidying pays off with a little more efficiency in the sewing room.

I'm linking up to Patchworktimes too.

Cleaning Up

Yesterday I went to Hamilton to shop with my quilty friend C - we hit the fabric district cause I'm looking for drapes. I found something I liked - it was $8 more a meter at Fabricland than at the textile place - so I'll be purchasing it at the textile store. I don't have a picture of it handy though.

Then we hit a new quilt store called "Needlework". It was cute and had a lot of character and not a lot of inventory. What you see on the website is what you get.

Finally we hit Ann's - a store that sells almost all stretch fabric for dance/skating costumes. C purchased some fabric there to create something for a friend and I picked up a little stretch lace.

All in all, a good day.

Today I've been doing the  housework house blessings jobs. After the main floor was tackled, I moved up to the sewing room.

These are the befores:

from the door

from the door

from the sewing table

the floor

Then I started cleaning and putting away. You'll have to wait a day or two for the reveal.
Now that I see these photos again, I have to run over to see if it looks any better after an hour or two of cleaning/tidying: yep, better but not yet done.

It was a slow sewing week

I had a super busy week last week with work and life stuff. This week should be better and I'm really looking forward to Easter weekend.

I finished up I10 tonight. At first it was a frightening combination of paper/foundation piecing and applique - I was brave and it turned out great.

It's all that's on the design wall this week:

I10

My quilt guild is having a show in May and I really want to put something in. I'm going to take a stab at finishing the red and white Hunter's Star. This weekend will be the deciding factor in timing I think.

Wish me luck!

p.s.  I'm hooking up to Patchworktimes for Design Wall Monday.

Monday - Design Wall Update

This time last week I was on vacation, enjoying the sun and warmth. Today I was huddled by the fireplace and it's snowing - winter's not over in Ontario yet.

I sewed one block since last week - B12.

B12

the Dear Jane part of the design wall - 1 more block done

the whole design wall - no progress on the snowmen this week

I'm linking up to Patchworktimes to see what everyone else got done. Wonder who else was on spring break last week?

A & E Pharmacy, fabric, and appliace store

Today I went to the store the Martelli lady recommended. It's called A & E Pharmacy and doesn't have a website, so I was a little leery.

They have a lot of fabric! and most if it's on sale - sort of. I think it was definitely worth the visit. Here's some photos:



Kaffe Fasset / Amy Butler wall




I think this is Kate Spain




or maybe this is




the Kona solids section - they might just have every colour

 I need some notes for myself:
-everything brought in in the years before 2010 was 50% off
-everything from 2011-2012 was 20% off
but, there were a lot of restrictions - mostly everything I would want.
A lot of the fabric is a little dated - the newest things I could find were pearl bracelet and some Seuss - for sure the Seuss is restricted in the sale.
They won't cut fat 1/4s either - only skinny quarters or larger.

It's comparable at home to a Len's Mills store - the prices are decent but the stock a little dated.

I didn't buy anything. They didn't have what I really wanted and I'm not stash building right now. Everything I look at now looks like something else I need for my house - new floors, a new chimney, the garden, and so on - takes some of the joy out of shopping.

If I'm down here again I'd stop in again though - it's always worth a look.

Vacation Shopping

Today I hit a new store  - I thought it was a fabric store, but that's not what they really sell. It was the Martelli store and they sell their own line of rotary cutters, mats, and rulers. I was thrown off when I walked into the store and was asked if I knew about their products - I said no. Then someone came out to give me a full demonstration.
I'm sold - bought a cutter and blades. The cutters are supposed to allow you to be more accurate and I think will reduce cutting fatigue because it uses different muscles than the usual ones.

the rotary cutter and pack of 5 blades

close up of the package

I think I saw these people demonstrating at the Sewing Show last Spring. I'll let you know how it goes.

Tomorrow (or the next day) I'm going to a quilt shop called A & E Pharmacy - that's not a typo. The owner of Martelli Notions told me to go there. There is no website but I found a blog review.  There is one other place I might try - Magnolia Quilt Company - but it's a bit of a drive and there's no website and I haven't been able to find an online review either.

I hit Joann's today but nothing there that I wanted to buy.