Labor Day Weekend crafting

Since Chris and I aren't heading to West Virginia for some camping, rafting and visiting a friend this weekend, I'm going to take the opportunity to finish up my last summer project -- a skirt.

My grandma gave me a bunch of fabric from her stash lately, and besides the shorts I completed earlier this summer, I had plans to make a skirt.

I'm also in the process of teaching myself how to draft patterns. I'm excited to embark on this adventure and can't wait to see how the ideas in my head translate onto paper.

I'm using Rene Bergh's "How to make your own patterns: An easy step-by-step guide to making over 60 patterns." You can buy a copy here, although I have a different edition.

I haven't picked up a pencil and paper yet, but reading through the instructions gives me hope. I didn't realize how easy patterns can be made, just using various measurements of your body. I figured it would be much more complicated.

Besides basic skirt, shirt and trouser patterns, the book also gives you instructions on how to make different bodice details, such as tucking, darts, gathers and cowl, boat and v-necks.

I'll let you know how my new adventure goes into creating my own creations. The theme for my first designs is wild columbine . . . a beautiful wildflower you can find growing in rocks and crevices here in the mountains and elsewhere.

My favorite is the red columbine with a yellow center. Here's a good photo that shows you the color. It's so striking! I'm surprised such a color combination exists in real life.

Garden bounty no more

Chris and I planted two types of tomatoes (12 plants in all), green pepper, cayenne pepper, cabbage, cantaloupe, basil and oregano in our garden this year.

Everything has been taking off and looking wonderful. There were several dozen little green tomatoes and I couldn't wait until they ripened.

But, unfortunately, in one night deer ate every single on of the tomato plants, little tomatoes and green peppers. This was in despite of the fishing line strung with plastic bags that was supposed to scare the hoofed nuisances away from our 8' by 8' garden.


Man, I was looking forward to tomato sandwiches, homemade salsa and pasta sauce!

Luckily, we still have three green pepper plants we placed in pots inside. So we should still get some peppers.

For next year, Chris and I are planning fences that, hopefully, will be deer resistant. It's gonna have to be tall enough so the deer can't jump over it or reach over.




Although we've had some setbacks with the veggie garden, most of our other plants are doing fine, including this gladiola (left) and these purple cone flowers (right), shown here growing among Maximilian sunflowers.

Sweet goodness

Several years ago I had a subscription service to Easy Everyday Cooking, a service that mailed recipe cards to subscribers every few weeks. After a few months I cancelled the service, but I had already built up quite a collection.

Every once in awhile I get in the mood to flip through the various categories, 19 in all, including from "Snacks and Appetizers," "Soups and Stews," "Chicken from the Oven," "Beef from the Stove," "Pasta" and "Cookies for all Occasions."

This weekend the mood striked and I picked "Crumb-Topped Peach Pie" from "Pies, Cakes and Tarts" and "Thumbprint Cookies" from "Cookies for all Occasions."

I made the pie from six juicy peaches my dad bought from a local produce stand. He left them for Chris and I when he and my mom visited last weekend. I liked making this recipe because I didn't need to make or buy pie dough and it was a quick and easy way to use up fresh fruit.

The flavors were perfect. The use of almond extract complemented the peaches. The recipe also calls for brown sugar instead of regular granulated sugar in the crumb topping. It was an interesting and delicious change.

The filling, however, was a little runny. I don't know if I used too many peaches or not enough cornstarch. But, overall, the pie was wonderful, especially with ice cream.

The cookies were by far my favorite. I used real butter and almond extract and vanilla flavoring. Mmmmmmm, I was in dessert heaven!

Although the recipe called for raspberry preserves for the filling, I used a blackberry jelly a local woman gave Chris and I and blackberry jam that my grandmother gave us. Nothing like homemade jellies and jams. Much better than those store bought fruits loaded with sugar!

I can't wait to eat those cookies with a new hot mug of tea.

Crafty vacation week

My husband, Chris, and I couldn't quite agree on what to do for our vacation the week of June 29.

Chris wanted to go camping and give our new tent and supplies, which we received as Christmas gifts last year, a second time out of their bags. And, boy, was it beautiful weather! Perfect for camping. Chris imagined sleeping under the stars somewhere in the North Carolina mountains.

Although I like to camp, I really wanted to spend a week at home relaxing and crafting. With all the commuting I do on a weekly basis, I really longed to stay at home and enjoy the homestead.

Understanding of my feelings, Chris agreed to take a staycation. He worked in the yard, planting new shrubs and flowers while I happily got busy completing projects I've had laying around for weeks.

One of those projects was a pair of shorts I had cut out of a thin blue, yellow and pink plaid material my grandmother had given to me. Double lined with the same print, the project taught me the new skills of pocket making and belt carriers, or loops.

I quickly whipped them up, wanting to wear them for the upcoming July 4th weekend. Unfortunately, the waistband was too short. But, impatient me, I tucked and pulled at the shorts to make them fit, causing a pucker in the front right of the shorts. Pretty unsightly.

I also had trouble with the hems. I couldn't figure out what made the material pucker. With both problems, I couldn't bring myself to wear the shorts as is.

Consulting with Janice Saunders Maresh's "Sewing for Dummies," my trusty sewing Bible, I learned how to expand the waistband to make it fit better and learned to taper the leg seams so that the hems to prevent puckering. I haven't tackled either technique yet but am happy that the shorts aren't a total loss.

Another techinque I've been wanting to learn is knitting socks. The idea of knitting with five double-pointed needles scared me. How in the world would I be able to keep stitches from slipping off of the needles. That seemed like it would be a pretty common problem with a sock project. Using a size 4 set of double-pointed needles and Cindy Guggemos' "I Can't Believe I'm Knitting Socks," a Christmas gift from my mom, I decided to give it a go.

I was certain I'd be all thumbs, but so far it's been fairly easy. I've got a couple of holes here and there, but that's most likely from dropped or stretched stitches. I hope to soon graduate from the basic sock pattern to the basic chevron pattern, which I think is by far the prettiest pattern in the whole book.

I can't wait to get good enough to knit some socks for my mom and sister for Christmas. I'm thinking the little arrowhead socks in pink for Mom and the crest o' the waves, my second favorite pattern in the book, in a purple, red or black for my sister. Or maybe knitting them up with some verigated yarn would be nice.

So, lots of progress this week. There's nothing like getting some creative time in and catching up on some projects.

Cute Hoosier designer

Found this on Etsy's blog today and thought I'd share it.

Here's a young fashion designer from my husband's home state, Indiana.

Crocheted coral reefs

This is an amazing video sent to me by a friend via Facebook. Check it out!

Thank you, BurdaStyle!

It's not often I win anything, but today Alden Davis of BurdaStyle emailed me to say I'd won a year subscription to "Sew News" in a recent drawing.

I am so psyched! You have no idea!

I entered the drawing only halfheartedly. I mean, there are so many users on BurdaStyle, so what's the chance my name would be drawn. Plus there are many more users who are more active than I on the site. So, in my opinion, many other people could be considered more deserving. (Yes, this was a random drawing, so activity has no bearing, but still.)

Oh, but I actually won! And I'm so excited.

I can't wait to receive each issue and lovingly flip through the pages, taking in new sewing techniques, ideas and more.

After this, I've just got to make more time for my sewing machine. Damp basement or not.