It's Wednesday, I'm having a beer…it's noon

It really is noon here, just so you don't think I'm a lush.  Well, I am a lush, it runs in the family…and lately I've needed it .  Hey, isn't that one of the signs you have a problem?  I have a few problems, but I'm going to say drinking beer at noon isn't one of them.  t may be at some point, but today, no.

It rained all night and with the rain came the smell.   

The smell of 1970's and living in a house from the 1960's.  

I feel like my house smells like we have this van parked in the garage

and when you enter the house

it smells as if this is going on.

It is the combo of the rain, the 1970's carpet in the basement, and the multiple family pets who lived here before us.   It's lovely…it's a lovely odor….one which hangs in your nostrils like the odor of a college dorm toilet.   

I have given up trying to clean it.  If I steam it, it multiplies.  It really just needs to all be ripped out.  Pinterest has no section for disasters for following pinterest ideas….and what may happen.

I dream of the new basement, the  basement with a bathroom, guest room, and big screen TV.

Not the smell of animals past. 

Any suggestions

xo,

m

Monday Runs

Today is Monday and I will run.  Right after I finish this post.  I cannot run away, but I can run at a pitifully slow pace around the Lake.  Slow and steady, then so slow, it's actually walking, but as they say…it's one step ahead of the people still on the couch.  Unless they are in that "Fit" thing where they carry the couch around the lake, grunting and yelling kudos to each other.   If I see these people I am going to ask for a ride.

I basically sat around all weekend trying to finish a knitting project I started a year ago.  I hated it then and I hate it more now, but it will soon be complete and my life will move forward. 

My bones have been hurting like no ones business,  just laying in bed hurts.  it's weird.  I'm going to chalk it up to my 25 year old mattress.  I actually wouldn't even call it a mattress, its a case of mites and dead skin I'm sure. gross

Just made my self shiver.

Well

I better get to running my 3.2 miles around the lake, before I wander back up to the mite bed….and back to sleep.

xo, m

Finished projects woop woop

Today I finally completed 2 projects which have been sitting around.

First one was a light hat for Ilin's bald head.  It's my own pattern so nothing to link it to…just happy it's done.

 The kid loves purple and grey…so it is perfect.

Second project is the Alice and Wonderland Wristlets from VO Knits.  Check out those awesome buttons….so cute.  I can't wait to wear them this winter with my long sleeve black t shirts.

So nice to finish a few things…feels so good.  

Now I have one more fingerless mitt to finish and I'll have another project done!

happy knitting

xo

m

Alopecia Sucks: The Regrowth

The regrowth

It falls out….then grows back.  

some spots will not ever grow back, like the spot on the top and the ones on the sides.

You can see the baby hairs growing in where he might get a bit of warmth.  They grow in grey/white.

Weird huh?

So he may got enough hair for a while to feel a bit normal.

Then….

it falls out again.

I can't even imagine.

I'm guessing this time it will be because of Algebra 2

If you know someone with Alopecia.

show them the pics and tell them to stay strong.

Don't say

"it's only hair"

xo

m

DIY Interchangeable Knitting Needle Case

Labor day brought a day of nothing for me.  Isn't that how it should be?  Friday I received my new Knit Picks Zephyr interchangeable needles.  My knitting partner in crime had ordered herself the Addy's and they came in this adorable wallet.  it was perfect purse size, tidy, and classy.  When I got my needles they came in this god awful tacky plastic Walmart looking thing.  I was sad.  I didn't want to spend any more cash out of my budget so I decided to sew one up.  I used Miss Vonkysmeed's blog and a combo of others and set to work.
I had all the fabric in my cabinet but if you don't I would head to the fabric shob and use some scrap upholstery or cotton.  I used two different coordinating fabrics.  I'm wild like that.
Plug your iron in and get your ruler and pins and stitch remover (just in case)….and a lemonade or cocktail. ( I prefer the latter)
This is what you need:

Two 11 3/4" x 17" pieces of fabric for outside of case and for lining 

11 3/4" x 10 1/2" piece of fabric for cable pocket

11 3/4" x 9 1/2" piece of fabric for needles pocket

11 3/4" x 8" piece of fabric for pocket on bottom flap

2" x 4" piece of fabric for button loop

6" x 8" piece of fabric for zippered pocket lining

11 3/4" 17" piece of interfacing*

11 3/4" x 17" piece of batting*

7", or longer , zipper

button

I chose not to use interfacing or batting, the batting made it too bulky, so I used a piece of thicker cotton canvas (denim or old jeans) I had around to give it some form.

1. Cut out all your pieces.  Extremely easy if you have a cutting wheel.   Don't worrry about being perfect.  Just cut and be happy.
2. Fold the pocket pieces together lengthwise.  WITH RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER.  Press and stitch a nice 3/4" hem ( or whatever size you like to hem…3/4" is standard so I will say that is what it is when I say hem.)   You should have 2 rectangular tubes. 11 3/4" x 5 1/4" & 11 3/4" x 4 3/4"  Now turn right sides out, trim seams, and press again.  Set to the side.

3.  Layer the large pieces together . Fabric lining then batting.  )Save the last piece of large fabric for the very end. Have your 2 layers nice and neat in front of you.

Now you want to take the smaller rectangle tube.  11 3/4"x4 3/4" and put it on your layers and pin it about 5 3/4" down from the top.  Mark the center with a little dot for reference.  

Stitch the bottom of the pocket across close to the edge.

This is going to be your needle pocket.  

After it is stitched down this is where you get to decide what you want to do.  

I chose to make incremently larger needle holders from left to right on my case.  Instead of measuring, dividing, doing long divison...I put my tiniest needles in,  marked top and bottom and sewed a line.***NOTE: sew from bottom hem where the pocket is stitched on so that you don't get bumpy.

You can look at Mrs. Vonkysmeed's if you want to do math.  I had too many cocktails by this point.

click pic to see bigger detail

So, take your time and sew your nice neat lines.  I think mine ended up having 12 needle compartments for "pairs of needles".
4.  Get the larger pocket and pin it neatly 1 1/2" DOWN and on top of pocket #1.  (oooh it's starting to look like something!)  This is your cable pocket.

Pin in place and stitch neatly, close to the bottom edge.  After it is stitched on the bottom I made one center stitch, which actually matched up with my needle pockets, so that I would have 2 cable pockets.
That's good for me.  Like I said, if you want to do math divide by 3 or something and remember !!!!STITCH FROM BOTTOM SEAM TO OPENING (TOP) so you don't get bumps.  If you do it wrong you will know, then just pull it out with the ripper. and do it over right.

Now have a drink, because I don't want you to be afraid of the stupid zipper.  You have Youtube and a few links.  it's easier than it looks.
5.  inner pocket tutorial  @ craftpassion and U-handbag tutorial  and please look at Vonkysmeed's…I used a combo of all three.  I like the way Vonkysmeed folds the pocket in half .
 YOU READY?  here we go
Go look at the tutorials, unless you know how to do it all ready.  We are going to draw the zipper box 2" from the top of the fabric and make it 6-6 1/2" long.  (Zipperbox is the drawing you are going to cut out.) ***I did not use interfacing, so when you look at the tutorials, just ignore the extra piece of fabric

click for larger view

When you draw the box only make the rectangle about 1 cm high.  I made mine too tall, which threw my zipper sewing off.  The closer the rectangle is to the zipper teeth the easier.

 U-handbag shows a great step by step on turning the pocket to the inside

once it is looking similar to this, press like no ones business!

put your zipper underneath as in tutorial, sew it in close to the edge…use a zipper foot…you must have one somewhere…and if you have NEVER ever sewn a zipper, refer to Youtube.  ( I swear by those videos)

Fold the bottom of the fabric up over the installed zipper and sew it all the way around (just on that  fabric) to make the pocket.   OOOOHHHH  very nice

except for my little pucker.

Look at this point you should be patting yourself on the back and doing the happy dance!

6.  Now easy stuff: the loop for the closure.  Get your 2"x4" fold in half length wise. Press. Unfold then press the raw edges in making a nice 4" thin, hemmed, piece of fabric.  Press again then sew close to the edge on the open seam to close it.  Got it?  now, pin it to the top, center, above where your new zipper is…on the edge.

8.  you should have another "pocket rectangle" there on your sewing table.  Fold it in half, WRONG sides together.  pin it with the raw edges lined up with the bottom of the project (opposite end of the zipper….) It's the last pocket , so it goes below the other pockets.  The folded side should be aiming north and the "raw edges" south.  layer the last big piece over the entire thing, right sides together, and pin together.  Capturing all the layers and loop enclosure.

7. Sew all the way around the edge BUT leave about 3 inches open on one side or bottom so that you can turn it right side out.  Turn right side out, press….stitch the last little section closed, either by hand or I just sew it together with the sewing machine, making sure I fold the seams inside and press.

When that is done press, admire your work…take a sip of cocktail, then I sewed all the way around the outside, close to the edge with a nice topstitch…. then add a button.  I had a button that I covered with matching fabric…but use whatever you like.

TA-DA!!!!!!

I'm so proud of you…..I hope it worked for you.

Thank you to all the other blogs which I found direction with…

Show me a pic…

send me a nice email….

But if it didn't work out….I'm gonna blame it on the fact you had too much cocktail.

xo,

m