This 'n that!

First off--Here's Jon Stewart with his commentary on the latest trash talk!


On to other stuff--I've been somewhat unproductive this week. I'm coming down with something--just sort of dragging all week. Ems came home Monday night. We didn't see her all day and night on Tuesday then she hung around with us last night before going back to the Burgh. I had taken her sewing maching in to Sew Fair for repair as the needle arm wasn't going up and down. I was afraid that I would have to get her a new one. Her current machine is the Singer Athena 2000 which I purchased for $500 back in 1979. The Athena is the first computerized machine ever built. That machine served me quite well for a number of years and I used it to sew most of my contest entries back in the day. I replaced it with a top of the line Elna in 1992 which my parents got me for my birthday. I was thrilled that the repair to this machine ended up only being $100. I was also delighted to find that Sew Fair carries Kwik Sew patterns. G Street has discontinued them and since Hancock closed I haven't been able to find them! I picked up three:



The last one is perfect as a layering piece. I had been looking for a scoop neck knit top.

I also stocked up on McCall's patterns at the Joann's sale. First I got a bunch of jacket patterns. I love jackets since I turn the heat off in my classroom.




Here's my favorite:

My frustration is that I can't get enough of the fabric I want to use for that pattern! I had seen this fabric a couple of weeks ago and it stopped me in my tracks! At the time, I didn't have a pattern in mind so I didn't get any. I won't buy stash fabric because I never know how much to get. This fabric, for example is 60 inches wide and typically 2 yards would be enough to make a jacket, skirt or slacks. Unfortunately the pattern I now have in mind takes almost 3 yards. When I went back to get the fabric, it was gone. I called every Joann's in a 50 mile radius and only one which wasn't very far away had some of this fabric.

If you look at it carefully, you will see that it is not a typical houndstooth. I was able to get a yard and a half. A couple of stores have it on order so I will check back with them. If I can't get enough then I will make a skirt.

I also got a dress pattern and a couple of skirt patterns:



I will have a lot of sewing to keep me busy!

I've been working on the lace part of my sweater. I've decided that I will spend tomorrow night (TV night) plugging away at this sweater. I've totally lost my motivation and I really need to finish it. All I have to do is finish the lace. The seams have all been stitched and the ends woven in. Once I finish the lace and block it, I will weave ribbon through the eyelets.

The color looks a little washed out in the photo. It is sort of a light greenish gold. The yarn is Tahki Sedona which is a silk, linen, cotton blend. I want to finish it so I can start the SKC knit along. There are 3 choices and I want to make two of them. I already have the yarn (Malabrigo Silky Merino) for the Silken Scabbard. Here is the pattern:

I may change the sleeve either to a 3/4 length or a belled sleeve. The color I have is a lovely buttery gold. The other pattern which I like and just purchased is called "Baby Cables and Big Ones."

I really like this version that I found on Ravelry:

Note the belled sleeve. This style of sleeve is more flattering for me so if I get around to making this, I will make that modification. I've been looking a yarn and I found an apple green or a rust color that I like for this. I will wait until I'm almost finished the first one.

Last weekend I went to New York State to do some genealogical research. I left on Friday and spent Friday afternoon roaming some historic cemeteries taking photographs. Saturday I spent the day here:

This is an old courthouse built in 1841 which houses the Orange County Genealogical Society. I was able to get a lot of sources for births, marriages and deaths that I couldn't find anywhere else. New York is not a good place for research as they did not require vital records to be kept until the very late 1800's so you have to find things like deeds, wills, old newspapers, church records etc. Fortunately a lot of local records to the area were compiled by volunteers and are housed in the research room there which is open all day on the third Saturday of each month. We didn't have school on Friday so it worked out really well. I drove home Saturday night and got home around 11 pm. Now I have to catch up on stuff around the house!

Bushism of the day:
"Information is moving -- you know, nightly news is one way, of course, but it's also moving through the blogosphere and through the Internets." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 2, 2007

Kitty Cam: Chelsea and Mokey snuggle together.