Handmade | 365 Days Handmade

August 17, 2015
by FC5 2 Comments

Day 228/365: 4th Day in Florida, Last Day of The Trip

Hard to believe, but it was just this morning that Sean and I were waking up at the Hilton on Cocoa Beach and going out for breakfast at Bagel World in Cape Canaveral. Now it’s almost midnight, and we’re back in Ventura on the opposite coast, having just gotten home from LAX.

This afternoon, Aunt Georgia taught me how to knit the fish lips kiss heel. I wanted to take a photo for the blog and needed some sort of background for the sock. Then I spotted the antique spinning wheel in front of the fireplace.

Perfect way to display a sock.

At the gate and on the plane, I knit a few more rounds of ribbing for the cuff. It’s ready to be bound off, but that will have to wait for another day because now it’s time for bed.

August 16, 2015
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Day 227/365: 3rd Day of Florida

Today was another activity-filled day of catching up with family and friends. I did find some time this afternoon to add a few more inches to my sock. Tomorrow I hope to get the heel done.

This was the view out the hotel window while I sat comfortably in air-conditioning and knitted. Believe me, it felt a lot more pleasant indoors than it did outdoors that time of the day.

August 12, 2015
by FC5 10 Comments

Day 223/365: The Monday Before My Friday

This week I’m only working two 10-hour days because we’ll be flying to Florida on Thursday. Yesterday was my regular day off, today was my Monday, and tomorrow is my Friday. I stayed late at work today because I’m essentially cramming in a week’s worth of work in two days.

I have, however, found a new way to decompress and relax after spending all day in the state penitentiary. I color in a coloring book. Have you heard of these new coloring books for adults? I purchased mine last month at a local bookstore in Morro Bay and have been quietly filling in portions of pages, a little at a time. I thought about bringing it along on Thursday to pass the time at the airport and on the plane, but I may feel too self-conscious coloring in public. Knitting, on the other hand, I could do easily and not care if anyone stared at me.

August 9, 2015
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Day 220/365: Vintage Campers Pink Cocktail Napkins

I spent most of today cleaning the house and running errands, and then Sean and I drove down from Morro Bay to Ventura this afternoon. I did make some time to whip up three cocktail napkins, though.

This was a fairly quick project and a very satisfying way to use up a fabric remnant.

8.8.2015B

It’s also a fun way to enjoy a plain old glass of unsweetened iced tea.

August 7, 2015
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Day 218/365: Decisions, Decisions…

I got home from work this evening and found that the painter had finished painting the front exterior of the house. Now I have to decide on a color for the front door. I thought I would like either an aqua green or turquoise blue, but now I’m thinking that a bright pink shade will really pop. I’m having a hard time making up my mind.

In the meantime, we now have eight cans (one quart each) of paint samples in varying shades of coastal blues that I wanted to test for the exterior and door colors. Now I’ll have to find old wooden furniture to paint and make shabby chic.

August 6, 2015
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Day 217/365: Blue-Green Flowered Print Dinner Napkins, Completed

This particular fabric had a cool name, but I don’t remember it. I do remember that the remnant roll consisted of 1.22 yards, enough to make four dinner-sized napkins. Each one is approximately 18″ x 18″. I would have staged a better photo with a plate of food or some delicious-looking edible thing to go along with the napkins, except there’s nothing photogenic in the refrigerator right now. A slice of key lime pie would have looked beautiful next to one of these napkins.

August 5, 2015
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Day 216/365: The Start of a Fabric Napkin Phase

This past Christmas, Sean gave me a gift card to spend at Superbuzzy, my favorite local independent fabric shop in Ventura. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, I wasn’t able to get to the store to spend my gift card, and it was burning a hole in my wallet. So finally, while we were down in Ventura this weekend, I made time to go to the store. I spent an hour browsing while Sean read a book in the Husband Waiting Area, where there is a sofa and coffee table for that reason. I chose two yards of cute Japanese fabric and a handful of remnant rolls. Since I’ve been on a sewing kick lately, I thought I would turn those remnants into assorted sizes of napkins (cocktail, luncheon, and dinner).

After washing, drying, and pressing the fabric, I got to measuring and slicing with my trusty blue Olfa rotary cutter. Now I’ve got a pile of squares ready to be transformed into the best reusable napkins you could have on your dining table.

August 3, 2015
by FC5 2 Comments

Day 214/365: Set of 3 Quilted Placemats, Completed

We got back to Morro Bay this afternoon and I finished sewing the binding to the third placemat in the set of three that I’d been making for my cousin.

Here is a view of their backsides:

Reversible!

This was a fun little project and a good way to use up scrap fabric. I’ve been enjoying the sewing and quilting process. Now I’m thinking of sewing more napkins or making a quilted table runner.

August 2, 2015
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Day 213/365: Quilted Placemat #3, So Close to Done!

We’re at the Ventura homestead this weekend, and once again, the problem with keeping two residences has reared its ugly head. I was hand-sewing the binding on my third quilted placemat, and I ran out of thread. I hadn’t thought to bring more thread with me, and all of my sewing notions are up in the Morro Bay house. So I can’t finish the placemat until we drive back to Morro Bay tomorrow.

This isn’t the first time that Sean and I have been at one place and realized that something we needed was sitting at the other place, 150 miles and two counties away. Last week Sean brought his computer up to Morro Bay and discovered that he’d left the power cord back in Ventura.

But there are worse problems in the world.

In the meantime, I have this: