The luchadors measure three inches tall, which should give you an idea of how much of this yarn I have left.
“Sean,” I said. “You know my luchador mascot for the blog? I ordered another one. So he’s going to have a brother.”
“Yeah,” Sean said, in all seriousness. “He looked like he was getting lonely.”
Hanging out happily on a large crocheted granny square. I also want to point out that the new addition to the family came with an outie bellybutton.
So I looked at all the yarn in the stash and pulled out these three little orphan balls that looked like they could go together, somewhat. Naturally they didn’t have their labels anymore (why? why didn’t I save the labels and stick them in the middle of the ball, like thinking people do?), but it was pretty clear that they were three different brands and dye lots. I figured they had the potential to be transformed into something cute.
I started with the multi-colored pastel ball and crocheted a few row of shells. Then it became pretty clear to me that I would end up with another small rectangle, like my most recent pink and yellow baby blankie. I decided I wanted to make something different this time, where I would start the piece at the center and work my way out. I could either crochet essentially what would be a round lace doily or a large granny square. I went with the granny square.
Here is my little Luchador mascot, who you will recognize from my blog header. We’re both trying to decide if we like how this granny square project is turning out.
Remember this fabric I purchased the day I was dismissed from jury duty? I made them into cocktail napkins!
Back in November, I took a napkin sewing class at Picking Daisies and learned how to sew fabric napkins with mitered corners. It was on a Saturday afternoon, and Sean drove out to meet me for lunch. He came into the classroom at the back of the shop just as I was finishing the second napkin.
“Look, Sean!” I held up the square of fabric to show him the neatly hemmed edges and mitered corners. “Check it out.”
He reached for the napkin and grinned. “How did you know? I was just feeling like I had to sneeze.”
We went to lunch, and you can guess who picked up the tab.
* * *
On a separate note, today’s adventure involved driving out to Los Osos to look for the County’s community toilet recycling center, to dispose of the old toilet that Sean replaced yesterday.
Here is a photo of Old Broken Wing, posing for the blog at my request. The broken elbow didn’t need to be set in a cast because it wasn’t a displaced bone, but he is supposed to be wearing a sling on that right arm. Then again, he is supposed to be resting that arm, and not doing things like changing out old toilets and lugging them to recycling centers.
Sean says, “Look at all these planters!”
I returned to the courtroom this morning for jury duty, just as the judge ordered last week Friday. He informed us that both parties had decided to settle out of court. So he was dismissing the case, and we were free to go. Hooray!
On the way home, I stopped at Picking Daisies to check out their fabric sale. I saw this pre-cut fabric and immediately thought of this fabulous placemat I recently made. Of course I had to bring these bad boys home with me. They’re the perfect size for napkins and will make for the most badass dining companions.
What’s this? They made a fabric with pictures of my family on it?
When Sean and I ran the Ventura Half Marathon back in September, we saw a guy running in bare feet and a Mexican wrestling mask. We had about half a mile left in the race, and I was tired. Seeing this guy effortlessly skim by in bare feet and wrestling mask, I was impressed. And inspired. We’d been running for two hours and thirty-five minutes at that point, and it was the half marathon. This guy’s race bib indicated that he was finishing up the marathon. That’s 26.2 miles, people. In bare feet and a Mexican wrestling mask. Finishing in under two hours and forty minutes. Sean and I looked at each other, and we were like, There goes a badass motherfucker. And then we started sprinting like crazy.
For part of my Christmas gift, Sean surprised me by choosing assorted yards of fabric from one of my favorite local independent shops. This Mexican wrestling mask print is one of those fabrics. I knew I had to make something that we’d use and see all the time. A dining table placemat made sense. Doesn’t everybody want to eat a meal with a badass motherfucker?
The easy part: You sew your blocks together and quilt them the fast and lazy way.
The harder part: Preparing the binding and then sewing it on.
Ta-da! Finished quilted placemat.
This guy says, “I like it.”
365 Days Handmade 