Me, Myself and Memories

Updates from February, 2025 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Noreen 3:32 pm on February 11, 2025 Permalink  

  Tuesday the 11th of February 

  Yesterday I tidied up in the studio so as to not leave the church tables unwilling to host the next wild hair I get in my bonnet.  When I do visit the studio again, it will welcome me as a willing participant with all the bells and whistles as an annex to Joann Fabrics.

  I had mentioned in yesterday’s post that I had found some free patterns to download on the internet.  I may very well have found the solution to use some of the cork fabric from Amanda’s gift via the Creative Stitches in Bird Island.  I know I have everything needed in the studio, aka: Joann Fabrics annex including some zippers.  The zippers will be ready after I read the directions as to the length needed.  Some years ago, I bought some zippers by the yard.  They came with a packet of the zipper pulls.  This is all food for thought.

  Yesterday as I was searching on the HP laptop in my bedroom porch, I looked out the window at the driveway with the fresh fallen snow.  I can share with you, that as of today, the drive will be ready for some powerful sunshine to help clear it.  My plan for this forenoon was to suit-up and use my little plastic pusher to get the snow pushed to the south.  I did not do this without a lot of thought.  I had my heavy shoes on with thick socks, my stocking cap and heavy gloves, but not too heavy that I couldn’t manage the wooden handle of my little pusher.  Dennis had used the leaf blower for a path from the house to the garage.  After four intervals of about 15 minutes each, I can now look out of my bedroom porch window and see the powerful sun take its turn on the concrete of the driveway.  I admit, I crapped out on the last fifteen feet of the 90′ driveway to the street.  That last stint, when I came in, the jacket got hung up and the heavy shoes were traded in for my house slippers.  It felt good to get some safe exercise in and as one of Dennis’ favorite ditties . . . I got the stink blown off of me. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:52 pm on February 10, 2025 Permalink  

  Snow Showers 

  Snow showers come and go.

  It is going to be a good supper of chili out of the freezer.

  

  My curiosity got the best of me this forenoon.  I headed to the studio to see if my tote was indeed standing straight and tall.  Wonder of wonders . . . it was.  I spent a bit more time measuring the straps to see where they needed to be at.  I used some Wonder Clips to indicate what would need to be trimmed down for comfortable carrying ease.   That was enough to satisfy me for the studio time.  The air coming from the tile going around the perimeter was indeed chilly.

  I had some information I was seeking on YouTube.  That would be gotten off of the HP in my bedroom porch.  Sure enough.  I found some free download patterns to print off.  Isn’t the world wide web wonderful!  I could hear the printer working its magic.  That concluded any curiosity I may have had for today.

  Dennis just came in and confirmed that the outside air is really raw.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 3:06 pm on February 9, 2025 Permalink  

  Sunday the 9th of Feb. 

  Greetings from a balmy sunny Sunday.  As Dennis’ leaf blower’s battery is charged, he is taking swathe by swathe of the loose snow on the drive.  Whatever snow had landed on the front awning is going away drip by drip.

  I am taking the day off from turning the lights and the radio on in the studio.   I am bouncing from YouTube videos, to reading to hand stitching.

  Dennis’ daughter Denise stopped in.  Denise has the full week off from Casey’s.  She will be spending her week in Mankato with the two grandchildren and a fur baby while the parents are taking a vacation.  Denise is looking forward to the week away from the telephone and Casey’s.

  I have no idea when the Super Bowl will be happening today.  Dennis is deep into the posts on the Facebook Marketplace.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 3:05 pm on February 8, 2025 Permalink  

  Snow Has Moved On 

  The snow has moved onto and into Wisconsin.  We may have gotten a strong inch.  The sun is trying to break through the clouds.

  This forenoon, I worked in the studio on the tote.  Folding the tote in half length-wise, a square of the fabrics, 3 ” x 3″,was cut out of the bottom of the fold along the edges on both sides allowing for a box -like bottom in steps yet to come.  Then the work began on doing flat-felt seams on my tote.  The side seams were sewn with the lining fabric to the inside, right sides of the canvas going under the needle.  The tote was then pulled inside out . . . the lining on the outside.  The side seams that were just sewn were now flatten down and a seam allowance was sewn on each side encasing the raw edges of the first seam.  No raw edges showing on the outside on the sides of the tote and no raw edges showing on the side seams in the inside of the tote.  Flat-felt seams 101.  

  Here is where I caved.  I was to turn the bag right side out and sew a seam matching the raw edges of those 3″ x 3″ areas, then turn the bag inside out and doing the same flat-felt seam application.  Screw it!  Fighting the layers of the canvas, quilt batting and lining x 2, the inside of my tote’s box bottom finish is going to be a raw seam.  To secure threads from a raw seam, I got out my E6000 glue and put a line of glue on the raw seam on each side to squelch any way-ward threads. I made sure nothing was near the two glued edges and thankfully I walked around my church tables shutting off lights as I went.  Mission completion! 

  Tomorrow when I get some stamina back, I will go down into the studio and turn the tote right side out and see if the tote will stand tall and proud on it’s own box bottom.  All that will remain is the straps for the handles.

  This started out as embroidering a design I felt guilty for not stitching out.  I surely could have used some soft cotton and proceeded making a tote.  No . . . I had to find the stiffest bad-assed canvas to cross-hatch quilt it and then line the darn thing.  What had I been thinking?  I was thinking like the young farm wife of Boon Lake Township that could come in from throwing down frozen silage with a toddler strapped to her waist as they climbed the wrungs up the silo and . . . then came in and beat out yards and yards of carpetbag rugs.  Silly ole me.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:43 pm on February 7, 2025 Permalink  

  Friday 

  A new twist.  I am accustomed to checking the weather and seeing what the temp currently is and then how much colder it feels.  Today the temp is 26 degrees and it feels like 31 degrees.  That is one for the books.

  I felt very brave today as me and my cup of coffee headed for the studio.  The tote bag will soon be slimmed down in the width to put a box bottom on it.  While everything was still lying flat, I wanted to get the hardware on the front of the cross-hatch with which to work with the strap handles.  I had exactly four pieces of hardware for the front and four pieces of the clamps that hold the four prongs each once they come through from the front.  My trusty needle-nose plier then bent them pointing away from each other.

  

  I admit the first piece of gold hardware was not my finest work.  Each of the four prongs needed a slit cut in the canvas, the quilt batting and the lining to poke through to attach the clamp.  I cut the slits crosswise.  After the first one there was no turning back.  The first was the worst as I had spent my jitters on the first one.  The remaining three I cut the slit lengthwise as there was more real estate to cover the slits.  Live and learn.

  Once all four were secure, I shut down the studio for the day.  I was tuckered and thankful that I had not screwed up to the point that this project would end up being a mattress pad in the kitty box.  I have been satisfied doing one step each trip to the studio.  I went up to the grocer’s to pick up a few items in case the dumping of heavy snow occurs.  Even if we don’t get much snow, I don’t want Dennis firing up the Ahrens walk-behind snow blower.  Our John Deere neighbors to the north of us are leaving tomorrow for an eight day cruse.  My wish for them is that they get to the airport on Saturday safely for the 2:30 boarding.  If need be grandson Ryan will be called to help his grandpa Dennis with the drive.  

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 1:14 pm on February 6, 2025 Permalink  

  Early Bird 

  It is Thursday with the wind again whipping the wind chime outside my bedroom porch, taunting the dusting of snow we had last night.  The bright sun has cleared the drive and we are back to no covering.

  I am an early bird with my blog today.  Yesterday had been a day off of doing a blog until I got the all clear from my administrator.

  This morning, I was hell bent on getting to the studio as I had pondered the next step to my soon to be tote bag.  All the lights were on. KNUJ was giving me the latest news and I was standing next to one of the church tables ready to go.  I put in a new blade in the rotary cutter and the steam iron was heating up.

  As I said, I was standing next to the table with everything in front of me, but I was not moving.  I chose to work with some fabric to finish off the top of the canvas cross-hatched that was dimensional.  The fabric had script printed across the length of the weft. I knew I wanted the script to read correctly as if I would be standing the canvas bag in front of me.  The script fabric being cut in one piece would also be the backing of the top band.  Getting my head wrapped around the correct way to sew this script fabric on correctly, just stymied me for a bit.  This was not going to be a day of ripping out seams.  It does help to fixate.  The adage: you don’t have time to do it right, but you always have time to do it over was blazing across my forehead.

  Finishing off the cup of coffee I had brought to the studio and finding the correct color of sewing thread for this next step in sewing, gave me enough time for a step-away.  I was able to go back to the fabric decision, use my wonder-clips to hold everything in place and get the seam sewn.  Whew.

  Dennis checked in at noon as he had had the little red pickup out for a spin around town.  

  I had prepared an oven meal for last night and that automatically gives me gratis for tonight’s supper.  I will spike it up a bit by adding some cranberries. 

  All is well with my soul . . . as well as everything else on Stauffer Avenue. 

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 3:42 pm on February 2, 2025 Permalink  

  Watching 

  Today was a great day to watch some YouTube videos.

  With spending a fair amount of time in the studio, I wanted to check out some ideas in using cork fabric.  It’s been some time since I worked with it.  I was first introduced to it when I had had my Bernina sewing machine checked over at Kelly and Amanda’s in Bird Island.  So . . . why not try a piece.

  Cork fabric is durable and easy to work with.  Not much in the way of having special needles on the sewing machine.  I made a purse for Carrie using some white.  I did quite a few check-book sized wallets with zippers for special people.  It was fun and quite the diversion. 

  Some time later, on another six month check-up for the Bernina, I noticed Amanda was carrying the Accu-View product line that would cut various sizes of quilt block pieces.  It was much like the Cricut machine I would use to cut paper.  The Accu-View had different dyes for different shapes.  As it cut fabric, the Bird Island shop began offering an assortment of yard goods.  Before I left the Bird Island shop, Amanda sent home with me all of the remaining cork fabric inventory she had left.  My oh my.  I did use quite a bit of it.

  When I took the sewing machine in for the fall of 2024 before the roads could be a challenge, I noticed Amanda was full on with the KimberBell line of goodies.  No more Accu-View.

  I give Amanda credit for feeling out the market of what will fly in the sewing and Cricut world.  Her profit and loss sheet might get a work-out. 

  What better way of getting ideas than YouTube.  Today, I watched, listened and learned.  I will try my hand with various ideas and uses of the cork fabric.  Diversity 101.

  I did get the straps done for my soon-to-be tote bag.  I dug around in my stash of hardware to make sure the straps were of the size to slide through the rings that will be on the tote.  One step closer.

  Tomorrow is the final visit with Dennis’ surgeon to check on the x-rays of his hip replacement that were taken here last Friday.  A trip to the big town of Mankato for the 11:30 appointment.  I have no other stops for anything that I would need in the studio.  The opposite is true . . . just keep checking out YouTube.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 3:14 pm on February 1, 2025 Permalink  

  A Roar 

  The winds are making a roar outside my bedroom porch.  I had been in the studio and had not noticed it this morning.  The little USA flag we have had on a steel rod off of our front deck didn’t make it.  I went outside and took it in, realizing the shredding would not let it fly again,  I do have a brand new flag, but will wait until such time when the wind is calmer.  That might well be when the Easter Bunny comes.

  With coffee in hand, I went to the studio.  All was ready to power up the sewing machine.  I will say yesterday I was so thankful for the Husky table from Lowe’s.  Initially I had sent Kevin photos of tables recommended with no vibration when doing the embroidery.  The tables ranged from expensive to more expensive.  Keven recommended the Husky as he had bought one for his shop.

  Dennis and his friend Lyle had gone to Mankato after that and came home with a 42″ Husky already assembled from Lowe’s.  If I remember correctly it was $198.00 or there abouts.  It became my sewing table as fast as it could be gotten down the studio steps.  Not an easy matter as the table was very heavy.

  Yesterday while I was getting everything set up for today, it was easy pezy to crank the table up to a height that I could easily see to attach the walking foot and the measuring bar to do the cross-hatch on the  prepared project.  After said attachment was on, I cranked the table back down to the 21″ that I could sit at the table with my shoulders relaxed.

  As of this afternoon the project has been sewn in the cross-hatch design at 2.5 ” apart.  It was a bit of a challenge to wheel the stiff canvas with the batting and backing.  I did not hurry or rush things.  The completed step is on one of the church tables.

  I am a process stitcher, not a project stitcher.  I am in no rush to do a project and rush on to whip out another project.  I enjoy the process of achieving something I may never have done before and may never do again.  Such a huge difference.

  The next step in the process will be to sew straps to attach to the tote bag I am working on.  Those straps will be sewn into and onto a 4″ wide border that will be sewn onto the top of this rectangle of cross-hatched material before it will resemble a bag.  I am still kicking around what the border will be.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 3:28 pm on January 31, 2025 Permalink  

  The Aromas 

  The aromas from the little kitchen on Stauffer Avenue would have been hard pressed to have been any better in a 5 star eatery.

  The last time I was at our grocer’s they were running a special on a lb. of bacon.  The kicker was that it was honey jalapeno flavored wide sliced bacon.  I thought what the heck.  It was too good of a price to let it go.  I used a cookie sheet covered with tin foil and lined the slices up.   I didn’t let them bake to crispness.  When we have eggs and bacon for supper, I will top them out in the microwave. 

  The second cookie sheet, I covered with parchment paper and put the frozen cinnamon rolls onto it.  I knew that with the Pam sprayed onto the cling free sheet over them, the heat from the yeast would have them ready for the oven in three hours.

  It was a continuation of good aromas in the kitchen.  Dennis sampled a piece of bacon on his way out to the medical clinic.  It passed mustard.  Both projects were easy clean up.  The coverings of both cookie sheets hit the trash can.

  The studio was visited in between.  I have the walking foot on the sewing machine and it is threaded to match the canvas of my soon to be tote.  I do use a basting spray with which to hold the canvas, the top, to the batting and the backing.  I have always had good success with it holding everything in place when it goes under the needle.  The best part about the spray I use, is that it doesn’t gum up the needle as it sews.  It sure beats a multitude of stick pins jabbing me in the fingers as the project is manipulated under the needle while everything is held in place.  It also takes away from sewing over a pin and having it jammed somewhere under the hood.  The machine is capable enough as Megan found out when she was doing a quilt for Nicholas.  The needle of the machine went straight through the thickest portion of a safety pin.  The needle didn’t break but it took some doing to get the needle out of the machine while leaving it in the safety pin.  No harm was done.  A new needle was put in and all was good.   

  The studio got a short visit as operating the nozzle of the spray can did a number on the index finger as well as my right hand.  Way back when . . . who knew the index finger of either hand would be handicapped.

  With that I will take my leave.  ♥

   
• 

  Noreen 2:25 pm on January 30, 2025 Permalink  

  Ready 

  My studio is ready to take on come what may.

  I do have a large selection of the Isacord thread colors.  I keep up with the master printed chart that has a color swab with the color number on it.  When I am in the process of deciding on a stitch out, I reference the number on the actual design chart to compare to my master print out.  It doesn’t take long for me to know if I can pull that spool of thread or if I need to find one that is in close color comparingly.

  I keep my threads in plastic cases, each hinged case holding 36 spools and filed by smallest to largest number.  That range is then written on a slip of paper lying on top of the spools.  At a quick glance my quest can be found.  The cases are not near sunlight.  The threads are an investment that should not be bleached by the sun or capturing dust that may be in the air.

  Today the 24 spools I had used yesterday were filed back where they belong for the next embroidered project. Years ago, I knew it would only be one brand of thread that I would have for embroidery.  For straight stitching, I have a collection of various brands.

  

  My project of yesterday had more attention today, as I pulled out some quilt batting as well as a fabric to line the tote bag I am planning.  That is all for another day.  I needed to turn my attention to my sewing machine.  I have oil that is in a syringe looking pen.  A new needle was at hand as well as various tweezers if I found a stray thread.  The sewing machine will thread the needle so that little ditty needed cleaning.  The sewing machine will cut the threads as I go on with the stitching.  That also called for attention to be given.  The threading of the needle and the cutting option were huge in deciding on this sewing machine.  It saves the arthritic hands and shoulders more than what can be imagined.

  After several hours in the studio, I was ready to attend to the first floor and check in with Dennis.  The sun is bright with little wind.

  Again, the county’s highway department is hauling trimmed trees to our tree dump north of us.  I am sure with no snow, or mud to contend with, this is hitting those projects that they have on a tick list.

  Checking the traffic from my bedroom porch while enjoying a cup of breakfast coffee, will wind down my afternoon until supper needs to be looked after.

  With that I will be taking my leave.  ♥