I've been sewing this week. I finished this blouse for Mandy on Saturday:
I used this pattern. I found the pattern instructions easy to follow, although it's a fairly complicated design. I had a fat quarter of each. Here's the back.
Originally, I was going to use the green pinstripe for the skirt, but when I chose this pattern for the blouse, I changed my mind and switched them. I don't think the lines of the blouse would have shown up with the print. I think it's a good blouse to go under a cardigan.
Here's Mandy wearing the finished blouse and the skirt, which I made earlier in the week.
The skirt pattern is included in the free Cables and Herringbones Cardigan pattern. I've found some mistakes in the cardigan pattern and am working up a revision, but the mistakes are mostly in the written instructions, not the chart. The skirt fabric came from Connecting Threads. It has been in my stash for several years. I picked it because I liked it with the green stripe and the yarn.
I'm finishing up the body.
Then it will be on to the sleeves. It's for a St. Patrick's Day Knit-along on Ravelry in the Goetz Lovers group. I find this kind of sewing satisfies the same kind of creative urge that causes me to make quilts, but it's much less expensive, and the stories have sort of taken over my life otherwise. I like picking fabrics out to put together.
Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday. DH and I went to church for a Mardi Gras supper. We had Jambalaya. (There was a vegetarian version as well as a regular recipe.) After we ate, Father Jed brought all of last year's palm branches and crosses outside to where there was an outdoor fireplace of sorts for the purpose. He set them on fire to make the ashes for the Ash Wednesday services the next day. (That dark thing on his head is a Mardi Gras mask.)
We did FaceTime with DD and her family on Saturday. I got this screen shot.
The kids have been busy dancing, as well as doing things at school. While we were talking I got to see several of the dolls in their collections. We have a date to do this again in two weeks.
We will have to decide soon if we're going to the Rose City Yarn Crawl. There was a case of the NOVID-19 coronavirus identified very close to where DS2 and his family live. It's still an isolated case at this point, and we know how to protect ourselves. (See "What's my tip of the week," below.) Eventually, it will be here in Bend, and we will have to contend with it. We're stocking up on some non-perishable food items and cleaning supplies, just in case we are both sick and can't get out to the store.
What's on my needles: Maine Memories (no progress this week) and Mandy's St. Paddy's Day Outfit cardigan to go with her new skirt and blouse.
I used this pattern. I found the pattern instructions easy to follow, although it's a fairly complicated design. I had a fat quarter of each. Here's the back.
Originally, I was going to use the green pinstripe for the skirt, but when I chose this pattern for the blouse, I changed my mind and switched them. I don't think the lines of the blouse would have shown up with the print. I think it's a good blouse to go under a cardigan.
Here's Mandy wearing the finished blouse and the skirt, which I made earlier in the week.
The skirt pattern is included in the free Cables and Herringbones Cardigan pattern. I've found some mistakes in the cardigan pattern and am working up a revision, but the mistakes are mostly in the written instructions, not the chart. The skirt fabric came from Connecting Threads. It has been in my stash for several years. I picked it because I liked it with the green stripe and the yarn.
I'm finishing up the body.
Then it will be on to the sleeves. It's for a St. Patrick's Day Knit-along on Ravelry in the Goetz Lovers group. I find this kind of sewing satisfies the same kind of creative urge that causes me to make quilts, but it's much less expensive, and the stories have sort of taken over my life otherwise. I like picking fabrics out to put together.
Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday. DH and I went to church for a Mardi Gras supper. We had Jambalaya. (There was a vegetarian version as well as a regular recipe.) After we ate, Father Jed brought all of last year's palm branches and crosses outside to where there was an outdoor fireplace of sorts for the purpose. He set them on fire to make the ashes for the Ash Wednesday services the next day. (That dark thing on his head is a Mardi Gras mask.)
We did FaceTime with DD and her family on Saturday. I got this screen shot.
The kids have been busy dancing, as well as doing things at school. While we were talking I got to see several of the dolls in their collections. We have a date to do this again in two weeks.
We will have to decide soon if we're going to the Rose City Yarn Crawl. There was a case of the NOVID-19 coronavirus identified very close to where DS2 and his family live. It's still an isolated case at this point, and we know how to protect ourselves. (See "What's my tip of the week," below.) Eventually, it will be here in Bend, and we will have to contend with it. We're stocking up on some non-perishable food items and cleaning supplies, just in case we are both sick and can't get out to the store.
What's on my sewing machine: Just finished Mandy's blouse. I think it's time for oiling and cleaning.
What's in my hoop: Still the Whole Cloth Quilt. Another week with no progress.
What's in The Doll's Storybook: "Rules for Success." Mariah and Charlotte discuss a classmate's changing the rules for hopscotch in order to win.
What's in The Doll's Storybook: "Rules for Success." Mariah and Charlotte discuss a classmate's changing the rules for hopscotch in order to win.
What's on my iPad/iPhone: Right now, a plastic sandwich bag, which I can carefully remove if someone touches my phone. I finished Scandal at Battersea by Mercedes Lackey and now listening to Amy Snow by Tracy Rees, which was a Daily Deal from Audible. So far, it reminds me a bit of Jane Eyre, but the story and premise are different.
What's in my wine glass: Kirkland Malbec 2018. Very nice.
What's my tip of the week: With NOVID-19 Coronavirus breathing down our necks, I thought I would devote a little space to what we can do to prevent the spread of the virus, now, while it's still fairly isolated in a few places across the US. We got this from Bend Fire & Rescue:
*Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. (Well, they said, "soup and water," but I edited. Eat the soup, though. It may be good for you.)
*Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
*Stay home if you are sick, or if you need to go out, please wear a mask. (See comment on masks, below.)
*Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
*If you have flu-like symptoms, contact your physician by phone for evaluation procedures they may want you to follow, especially if you have been in an area where there is a known occurrence of the virus.
*If you have severe shortness of breath, call 911.
I've done a little research over the last couple of days, and in addition to the above, I've read:
*Masks, like the ones they give you at urgent care, are good to use if you're actually sick, to keep you from infecting others, but wearing one won't keep you from being infected by someone else. If I understand correctly, when a sick person exhales, sneezes or coughs, the virus exits the body in tiny droplets of water. The tiny droplets of water are captured by the mask, keeping them and the virus they contain inside the mask. If the virus is already out in the air around you, any droplets of water they may be in are so small they can go right through those masks, so a special kind of mask is needed. If you are a strong, healthy person, you should not buy one of these special masks, because people with compromised immune systems need them. They are already becoming scarce.
*Hand sanitizers may work on this virus, because they work on other coronaviruses, like the kind that cause the common cold. At the time I'm writing this, however, they have not been tried on the NOVID-19. Don't be complacent and assume they will protect you.
*Smart phones and tablets can be a source of infection. Don't share your phone or tablet with anyone, and wash your hands after touching someone else's device.
*Don't share things like makeup, eye drops, inhalers, etc.
*Pass on passing the peace at church. Put your hands together as you would to say "Namaste," or bump elbows or otherwise acknowledge people, but no handshakes or hugs. Surprisingly, drinking communion wine from the common cup doesn't seem to be an issue, but don't dunk your bread in the cup, in case your fingers accidentally come into contact with the wine. (Communion wine is fortified, so it has a high alcohol content, and the wiping and turning of the cup dries the area where any germs might have been killing them.)
*Don't get overtired or do something that would otherwise create physical stress, like dieting or running a marathon. Pay extra attention to good nutrition.
*If you know you're physically compromised, stay out of crowded places, like movie theaters, concerts or campaign rallies.
Everyone stay well!
*Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. (Well, they said, "soup and water," but I edited. Eat the soup, though. It may be good for you.)
*Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
*Stay home if you are sick, or if you need to go out, please wear a mask. (See comment on masks, below.)
*Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
*If you have flu-like symptoms, contact your physician by phone for evaluation procedures they may want you to follow, especially if you have been in an area where there is a known occurrence of the virus.
*If you have severe shortness of breath, call 911.
I've done a little research over the last couple of days, and in addition to the above, I've read:
*Masks, like the ones they give you at urgent care, are good to use if you're actually sick, to keep you from infecting others, but wearing one won't keep you from being infected by someone else. If I understand correctly, when a sick person exhales, sneezes or coughs, the virus exits the body in tiny droplets of water. The tiny droplets of water are captured by the mask, keeping them and the virus they contain inside the mask. If the virus is already out in the air around you, any droplets of water they may be in are so small they can go right through those masks, so a special kind of mask is needed. If you are a strong, healthy person, you should not buy one of these special masks, because people with compromised immune systems need them. They are already becoming scarce.
*Hand sanitizers may work on this virus, because they work on other coronaviruses, like the kind that cause the common cold. At the time I'm writing this, however, they have not been tried on the NOVID-19. Don't be complacent and assume they will protect you.
*Smart phones and tablets can be a source of infection. Don't share your phone or tablet with anyone, and wash your hands after touching someone else's device.
*Don't share things like makeup, eye drops, inhalers, etc.
*Pass on passing the peace at church. Put your hands together as you would to say "Namaste," or bump elbows or otherwise acknowledge people, but no handshakes or hugs. Surprisingly, drinking communion wine from the common cup doesn't seem to be an issue, but don't dunk your bread in the cup, in case your fingers accidentally come into contact with the wine. (Communion wine is fortified, so it has a high alcohol content, and the wiping and turning of the cup dries the area where any germs might have been killing them.)
*Don't get overtired or do something that would otherwise create physical stress, like dieting or running a marathon. Pay extra attention to good nutrition.
*If you know you're physically compromised, stay out of crowded places, like movie theaters, concerts or campaign rallies.
Everyone stay well!
Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and the MacBook, using the iPhone for some photos and some photo processing. No other computer was used in any stage of composition or posting, and no Windows were opened, waited for, cleaned or broken. No animals or dolls were harmed during the production of this blog post.
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