Warm Curtains

After visiting a clever friend I realized that I needed to make window coverings out of old quilts. This weekend I turned this bedspread into four curtains that seem to help keep out the cold. The pom poms were immediately recognized as cannon balls by my two resident pirate boys.

Several years ago I started to make a play quilt, but I put it aside when my littlest outgrew the idea before it was finished. Yesterday I cut it in half, finished adding scraps of cloth, and covered two more drafty windows.

-Polly

Oops

-Polly

A little Green in the Cold

With the Holidays finishing up, we can take a breath and look around. It is winter!

-Polly

A Christmas picture

I am not the only one in our family that enjoys taking photos. I particularly like this one. We had a wonderful Christmas. I hope you did as well. -Polly

Finally finished is the wool flannel robe! Tah Dah! The wool came from renaissance fabrics. It is some of the nicest fabric I have ever sewn with.

Also finished is the linen quilt. The inner layer is a piece of flannel. I could have quilted it together a little more, but it can safely be washed and enjoyed the way it is.

And also complete are two wool scarves. This one is not quite so shocking an orange in person. My camera seems to struggle with all reddish colors. The brother to the orange scarf is olive green. Today they are traveling together in a box with a fruit cake.

Joining the scarves and fruit cake are several cookies. I organized a little cookie swap this year. The only one here that I baked is the chocolate one with white patches on it. Lucky for me, I have some nice friends that like to bake.

-Polly

Progress with gifts of string

My family may not need any more textile creations from me, but they have no choice. These linen squares are now pieced together. There is still a lot left to do. One yard and a half of handwoven cloth was enough for 4 towels with loops. They are made of a varigated 8/2 cotton in a plain weave. I originally wove this cloth as a sample baby blanket. I wasn't happy with the color or weight of it, so I put it aside. For towels, it seems just right.

-Polly

Does this look warm or chilly? Well, here it is both. The fire did go out, which is bad, but now soon it will be warm again.

We are now feeling decidedly Christmasy. Our village is set up, and little hands have been rearranging it constantly. I have been sewing, knitting, and baking most every waking minute.

-Polly

Now, December

Hoppy is enjoying the plentiful supply of winter moths this year.

-Polly

Happy chairs

The chairs are looking festive in their new old pillow cover seats.

Thanksgiving week

This week while having the flu I knit this red scarf for a pleased little boy. Also, I spent many many hours preparing for Thanksgiving. This blog likely is of no interest to others, but it has already served it's purpose for me. I have been looking more carefully at the activities that take up my weaving time. I can see that I am choosing to do many things the hard (frugal) way most of the time. It is a real choice, and I am happy to see that I am not just squandering my time. I think. The day before Thanksgiving, our resident yard squirrels decided that the time had come to sample pumpkin. The pumpkin had rested here undisturbed for at least a month.

Last year's Thanksgiving tablecloth (a thrift store sheet) was not large enough this year. It is now 11 napkins.

This year a larger sheet was required. I needed to test a sheet as a visual aid to figure this out.

The sheet then needed to be billowed and flapped vigorously.

Several new projects.

Cranberry update.
10 and a half jars of cranberry sauce. One pound of frozen berries for later.
All socks and shoes are dry again.





I found three chairs like this one at my local thrift shop. Also two velvet pillow cases that ought to fit the seats.

These are just in time for Thanksgiving if I can manage to put the seats together. - Polly

Still no weaving!

Still, I have no new weaving progress to report. I did manage to complete another lunch bag. Our most recent hunter gather weekend provided a load of wood, about four pounds of cranberries, and eight wet socks.

The cropped photo

I have long been interested in the idea that a cropped picture might tell a very different story than the full image would have. I enjoy reading blogs, and looking at the way people carefully choose what to share. With this sharing in mind, I present my autumn decoration. Here now is my autumn display with the big yellow cord that powers our garage.

Now I will share a picture of a muslin curtain that I have handily sewn for our bathroom.

Here is the curtain, a cat tail, and a ratty foam pillow that the cat enjoys.

Sneaky kitty

I believe there is something in this mug. I won't look directly into it though.

I am not supposed to be here.

No one sees me.

Current Projects

Here is the scarf that is currently on the little loom. It is not getting much attention this week, but it seems to be waiting patiently to be finished.

I am trying to choose some colors to make a linen patchwork quilt for the nice person who owns this couch. This paint sample book helps, but I realize now that my jacket is the same color. I will wear it to the thrift store when I shop for cloth.

These are the linen squares that I am starting with.

-Polly

A satisfactory project

First, accept a bag of gathered apples.

Separate the tasty parts from the peels, cores, and worms.

Share the peels, cores, and worms. Trade for eggs.

Have breakfast. Have dessert.