I like making things: September 2018

Sunday, September 30, 2018

What I have been up to

I have been pretty busy these past few weeks. A couple of visits to the VA hospital for my husband and another coming up this week. A visit for myself to the doctor for my annual check up. She sent me off for xrays of knee and shoulders. Advanced joint disease apparently so she is setting up a consultation with an orthopedic specialist for me. Everything else was OK except I am now on the lower end of pre diabetes so I have to watch my diet. A1C was 6.1. Pre diabetes is 6.1 to 6.5. I am not too worried and I will mind my diet. One of the adverts on TV for diabetes meds strive for an A1C below 7.1 so I am thinking 6.1 isn't too bad. My husband's is 7.3 and his doctor isn't too concerned. He does take meds but not insulin.

I have been knitting up a storm for the 18' dolls.

Shoes for the twin dolls. I made up the pattern for these and am using up left over yarn from other projects.

A hat for one of the dolls made from a swatch knitted on my knitting machine.

And finally an entire ensemble for our grandaughter's Christmas present

I have stopped for the time being. I have really enjoyed knitting these clothes but I need to do some sewing next.

Saturday, September 8, 2018

For today, at least, it is cooler

Yeppers, for today at least, the high is going to be 65F. (18C) Sheer joy!!! It will be short lived but appreciated immensely. Back up into the 80's (26-32C) until the 22nd September then it should stay in the 70's (21-29C) for a while.

We have had a lot of rain and storms this past week and Maggie, our American bulldog, just hates storms. She didn't like the thunder coat we had for her as she didn't like putting her feet in the holes so I made her one that has velcro to attach the top to the bottom. She loves it and likes to wear it all the time. I am keeping it for the storms though and winter when it is cooler.

Need to get some more velcro to make it a little more snug.

I woke up a couple of days ago to a searing pain in my heel. I assume it is plantar fasciitus. I had it years ago and it is not fun. Had to change my orthotics and medication to be able to walk. Trying to keep off it as much as I can but that's not as easy as it sounds. Have to see the doc soon for annual check up so will ask about it then.

Meanwhile, still knitting. I have made a little jacket and panties for our grand daughter's 18" doll and am working on a skirt, then a hat.

Photos when the whole ensemble is made.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Glad you stopped by

I started this blog in 2011: Ever since my Mum taught me to knit at the age of about six or seven I have made things. Back then it was doll clothes. I was also inspired by Mrs Levitt an elderly lady who had a sewing room in a conservatory type room on the back of her house. I would sit and watch her in awe as she sewed.

When I was a child living in England the school system was such that you started at 5 years, did two years in Infant School, then four years in Primary School then five to seven years in Secondary School, depending on whether you chose to stay on after fifth form to get qualifications to go to University. I can't remember much of the Infant school other than making the standard square doily thingy from fabric that had holes in it so you could embroider patterns into it. A bit like the modern day cross stitch fabric but with bigger holes and spaces to make it easy for small hands to use. I also remember with great joy getting a toy sewing machine one Christmas which sewed only chain stitch but I did make doll clothes on it and that was before I started Primary school. I do have very vivid recollections of Primary school and having sewing and knitting lessons. In Primary school I knitted gloves and made a dress from scratch hand sewing it all.

Secondary school continued on with sewing by which time I had progressed to using full sized sewing machines and was making more intricate skirts and dresses. My parents bought me a proper sewing machine when I was thirteen. I used that same machine right up until I emigrated to Canada at age forty six years.

I have always had a fascination for sewing machines and knitting machines. I bought my first knitting machine at around age twenty one from an ad in a newspaper for twelve pounds. I had absolutely no idea what one was just that I wanted one. I trundled on the bus to the address in the advert and handed over my twelve pounds having absolutely no idea what I had really bought. Fortunately it came with a manual. It was an aged Knitmaster, very basic and I loved it. I wore it out. Next was a Brother push button one which I didn't keep because it was at a time in my life when things were difficult. Later on in my life, around forty, when things were better I bought a brand new Brother punchard machine with a ribber attachment. I loved it and made many things. Life took a different turn, I moved countries twice and along the way, regrettably I sold it.

Now, through the universe's blessing I now have another machine. It is a vintage one because they stopped making them early 90's but works perfectly and I love it. So I decided to make this blog to document my knitting progress and include sewing projects.

In 2013: we embarked on a new hobby, leather-work. My husband got started with it and it drew me in. It is something we can do together. We have a workshop so have plenty of room to work. We added another workbench for me to work on in 2013. We already had one but we were tripping over each other both trying to work at it. We only make things we want to make. It is strictly a hobby. We made some things for our good neighbours who help us out a lot. I am also working on Christmas presents. So this blog now incorporates the leather-work. Knitting and sewing will always be my first love though.

Fast forward to 2023 and now age almost 75 years. I have seven sewing machines, four knitting machines, several ribber attachments and a garter carriage for one of the machines. I am blessed beyond words, but I know that I have more than enough machines to keep me going in my lifetime so I don’t think I will be adding to my collection any time soon……….unless a nice embroidery machine manifests itself very cheaply.

I am a Brit living in the USA, sometimes I spell like a Brit and sometimes like an American. Sometimes I use slang and even make grammatical errors. I blog for the pleasure of it and to record my endeavours in the event that my memory fades, as I am sure it will with more age. I will be able to look back and remind myself of the things I have made along the way. So please forgive my mistakes when reading about my life making things here in the hinterlands and I hope you get as much enjoyment from my blog as I do from reading the blogs I follow.

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Sunday, September 30, 2018

What I have been up to

Saturday, September 8, 2018

For today, at least, it is cooler