Adios

I'm packing up and moving on to a new frontier. Please update your links/readers/whatever to wagon full of stars

Washing Up

With our new, wonderful, awesome apartment we lost our washer and dryer. I don't mind doing the laundromat. It's nice to get everything done at once. What wasn't nice was the ratty ziploc we kept our quarters in. So, since I have a lot of free time of late, I made a little bag.


It only took an afternoon and it's the first time I've ever lined anything. It would have been faster but the lining took a couple of tries. It's 3x4 inches, perfect for holding 10 dollars of quarters.

I should change this to The Longest Sewing/Upholstery/Embroidery blog, but I actually have been knitting. Slowly. In 100 degree heat.

What's Old is New Again

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p.s. This is my 200th post. Yay!

Loose Change

Baby Quilt for Beckett
Loosely based on the Stacked Coins pattern from Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts
(I love this version)

I have less striped rows, wider solid rows and I added little star quilted things at the bottom of each column. I originally, accidentally, bought tiny single fold binding and it took me a while to get the right kind. Between that and starting a new job, it took longer to finish than it needed to.

All of the fabric is from Hobby Lobby or Hancocks and it's 100% cotton, as is the thread. The batting is 50/50 and I think the binding is the same.

I love this quilt. I had a great time making it and I hope my new little second cousin loves it too.

I'm in Love

I got a new camera today! A Panasonic DMC-FS5. It is rocking my world.

I had a Panasonic that I loved about a year ago, but we got a Sony Cybershot as a gift and mine was a few years old so I passed it on to my little sister. I've missed it ever since.



A few of my favorite things:

• Leica Lens
• Awesome macro setting
• White balance!
  

Even in our yucky no natural light apartment, I was able to get these nice shots under a lamp with compact fluorescent bulb. AND I had to do little to no Photoshopping to get thee colors true. *does a little happy dance*


I am no Brooklyn Tweed, but I am so much happier about the way my yarn pr0n is turning out. (No one calls it yarn pron anymore, do they? I think that's probably a good thing. Genitals and yarn shouldn't mix, no matter how soft the yarn is.)

Also, now I have a bit of motivation to finish up a project or two, just so I can photograph it.

One in the Oven

It's been almost exactly a year since I started my green stripe-y quilt of goodness, so it's time to make another. (hopefully this won't take me months to finish, since I have a due date.)

This one is going to be crib sized and contain no log cabins but there will be plenty of stripes. I don't know why I love stripes so much, but I do. So much that I've worn a striped sweater with striped socks and scarf, all in different colors. It looked better than it sounds, I swear.

Anyway, I'm hoping that I will get this done and be shipped off to my cousin before she has her little boy.

Does anyone else feel slightly selfish for giving handmade gifts to people? I love my cousin and all, but I also am really loving an excuse to make another quilt.

This Counts as Yarn, Right?

*it's sprinkled with flour, not drugs*

S and I spent a pleasant Sunday afternoon making fresh pasta. He got a pasta machine and recipe book for his birthday (he's an excellent chef). Once you go fresh, you can't go back.

I thought Mario Batali was a little fanatical when he said in Heat that it's not about the sauce, it's about the pasta. But when you make it by hand, it's about the pasta. P.S. Read Heat. Read it. It's excellent and will give you an unquenchable desire for good noodles and good wine. (Our favorite under 10 is Menage a Trois. Despite the silly name, it is yummy.)

*I'm going to rename this blog "The Longest Noodle"*

But in all seriousness, this may be the most yarn-y thing around these parts for a while. The heat index was 102 and our air conditioner has been running non-stop trying to keep our 700 sq ft apartment at 80 degrees.

I need to finish my second purple sock before I forget the stitch pattern I made up and didn't write down and I want to re-knit the Lelah straps so I can wear it without worrying about my bra straps. But I can't imagine that it will happen anytime soon.

I do have some more heat-friendly craftiness up my sleeve and I have a week off, so who knows what will be next.

Oh, and if you're looking for a good recipe to try out, I highly recommend Orange Peel Tofu . I made mine with fried tofu and I think that chicken would be good with it too, if you are so inclined.