by Kat | Apr 1, 2019 | General, In This Moment
The weekend was full of all kinds of selfish pursuits! There was sewing and reading (and not one stitch of knitting! What??? Really, not one single stitch!)
Perhaps the best thing was this lovely little dress for Genevieve!
But, today these words are filling my mind, the absolute truth of them echoing in my head!
“The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You’re one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
a cloud come over the sunlit arch,
And wind comes off a frozen peak,
And, you’re two months back in the middle of March.”
– Robert Frost, Two Tramps in Mud Time, 1926
So, silently I welcome April – hoping to not encourage the clouds and wind to blow us back into March!
by Kat | Mar 29, 2019 | General, In This Moment
Around here – it seems that March got the memo… it came roaring in like a lion and is making a very lamb-like exit. When I look at Dark Sky to see the forecast the days ahead are full of mild temperatures! Even this mornings rain that greeted me was welcoming – I took great deep breaths of very spring-smelling air. It smells so good outside! It was so mild this morning that rather than my usual hot coffee, I switched things up and made myself an iced coffee instead! And, that first iced coffee of the season? Well, it just tasted amazing!
Around here – new projects are buzzing around my mind, specifically I have been inspired by Mary’s marsa alam. I have a cone of Coast and this would be the perfect spring/summer cardigan. I will have to rewind it but that might happen soon so swatching can begin later today!
Around here – it’s basketball… all the basketball! My brackets – which got off to great start, were entirely blown by the end of last weekend and today I have just one pick remaining – so Go Duke! But brackets aside, this tournament has provided some of the best basketball I have seen is a long time! And, there is more watching to be done this weekend!
Around here – there was some binge watching of the new season of The OA that dropped this week on Netflix. There will be more binge watching today as I try and put together the puzzle pieces of self-printed patterns!
Around here – the quilting process continues. I have reached the milestone point of “making the quilt sandwich” with the quilt top, batting, and backing fabric. Before I tackle the big quilt, I am going to do some trial runs with these smaller place mats. I am a bit nervous about the big quilt – figuring out a place where I can lay it all out is going to be the biggest part of the challenge!
Around here – seeds are springing to life! I love how the beans look very jack-in-the-bean-stalk-ish next to the other tiny seedlings!
From left to right: Basil, egg plant, peppers, tomatoes, Chinese celery, and those giant beans!
That is all that is going on around here! I hope your weekend is full of all the good things and I will see you back here next week!
by Kat | Mar 28, 2019 | General, In This Moment
I am happily joining with Carole and everyone for this week’s installment of things! This week, it is all about the sewing… all.about.it!
I have been spending a good bit of time with my trusty old Bernina recently, and I am happy to say that I almost have my entire quilt top completed! I just have two side strips of fabric to seam on – then the sandwiching process, pinning, and getting it off to the machine quilter! All this cutting, piecing and sewing has really been fun! And, I am thinking about some smaller projects that I can try quilting myself! Which brings me to my things this week!
Thing One:
Via the Bernina Blog, I found this lovely little Spectacle Quilt. A trip to Joann’s yesterday was highly successful and I came home with this stack of fabrics that will soon be cut into the pieces to make the blocks! My goal is to get this done in time for Genevieve’s 4th birthday in July! Advance planning for.the.freaking.win!
Thing Two:
In the “make something to try and do some machine quilting” category, these place mats caught my eye this week. Fabric obtained. Sewing to begin shortly!
Thing Three:
Finally, some clothing sewing will be happening soon as well! This stack of fabrics will soon become a couple of Willow Tanks, a Willow Dress, and a Pillowcase Dress for Vivi!
Like I said… all.the.sewing! What about you? What things are you focused on this week?
P.S. I made one of these yesterday. And, while it is hard to photograph – it is TOO CUTE!!
by Kat | Mar 25, 2019 | General, In This Moment
Sometimes there are no words for Monday, but there are plenty of words to read.
I love these little interviews that The Guardian does!
Is Valium the new Soma?
Posthumous James Baldwin makes me want to read all his essays!
Hey, Kym! I think your Bunnies need some friends! (Psst, here are some Ready to Knit Kits)
This is a genius idea, and to start with French.Onion.Soup is brilliant!
Wait, what? Alcohol without the alcohol…
P.S. We had a rough weekend around my house – a grand-dog crossed the Rainbow Bridge. The tears have flowed heavily and consoling a 3-year-old who loves her Dolly seems impossible. And, my poor daughter has put her grief aside to comfort Genevieve – but it was just Heidi and Dolly for a long, long time.
If you could send some good thoughts (and prayers if you are so inclined) to my daughter today – they would be greatly appreciated.
by Kat | Mar 22, 2019 | General, In This Moment
This has been a very mixed bag week, but it is finally Friday, so I am setting the week aside and making room for the weekend!
Tracking my brackets!
This might be my best start of any bracket I have done in years! And, believe me there have been years that my bracket was blown on Day One, but this year I only missed two picks on the first day! And, there were some crazy good games yesterday!! You would think with all this basketball, I’d have some knitting to show for it… think again, lol.
Good plans, bad timing??
So, my plans for knitting yesterday somehow went by the wayside. There was a trip to Costco and then during dinner a conversation started about possibly moving the bedroom furniture around… which then morphed into moving the bedroom furniture around after dinner. Yes, we have completely and totally lost our minds. We managed to get things moved enough to go to bed – but it was not pretty. You know what I am doing today… more bedroom furniture moving!!
Inspired to Sew…
A few Bunny Bags to fill with treats for the kids and Genevieve! These were courtesy of the Bernina We All Sew Newsletter yesterday – and so timely. I would love to join Kym with her latest knitting obsession, but I think the sewing of bunnies might be easier (and quicker) than knitting an army of bunnies!
I also stumbled upon a new-to-me magazine yesterday which has FREE PATTERNS available on their website!
Fotograph Friday!
And, finally – I am joining kmkat again this week with a photograph from one year ago! Yes – we had a doozy of a snow storm and damned if we don’t have snow and gale-freaking-force winds in the forecast today. Spring!! I am looking at you! I am a wee bit concerned about my lilacs!!
That’s all I have for this week! Have a great weekend everyone!
by Kat | Mar 21, 2019 | General, In This Moment
I am joining with Carole to share some things today!
Thing One:
I believe in the “three strikes and you are out” theory. Because, generally if after three tries of doing something one way unsuccessfully, continued tries in the same manner means you are heading down the path to insanity. And, so yesterday Deschain and I sort of had it out – in a big way. I will spare you the gritty details, but I will tell you that cotton yarn and picking up stitches in a fabric knit at a loose gauge were beyond my capabilities. End result? I have taken out the side seams and I am knitting those blasted sleeves flat. Once done – I will seam it all together. All this has reinforced to me that I am a wool knitter. Period. If I want a cotton sweater – I will buy the damned thing! LOL
Thing Two:
A fun fact about Pugs – they are perpetual shedders. So, if you don’t like dog hair – you don’t want a Pug. However, a couple of times a year they go from being a perpetual shedder to an Oh My Gosh, How Can This Small Dog Have This Much Hair, Super Shedder! However, one of these Super Shedder phases always happens about now and so Sherman and I spend a good bit of time in the back yard where I attempt to defur him. I calculate the amount of hair removed in “Pug-sized” quantities and the past two mornings have reached the “three pugs worth” of hair. However, within 30 minutes every last bit of hair is gone from the yard – carried away by the nesting birds. I like knowing that this year’s baby bird crop will be snug in a nest lined with Sherman!
Thing Three:
There is some success in the seeds I planted! Beans and Basil and Atomic Cherry Tomatoes are spouting! Also – this hilarious photo my daughter sent yesterday! Genevieve all decked out in her “strawberry” clothes ready to start gardening! I am too, Vivi – I am too!
That is all I have for today! What about you? What things are on your list today?
