Thursday, March 24, 2011

HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS





IT'S THE RED COAT COMPLETION!





Okay, so it took a bit longer than I had anticipated and there are still a couple of things I'd like to change but the Amazing, Long Running, Will it EVeR Be Done, Red Coat Project is now pretty much wrapped up.




BEFORE




AFTER


The arrows are to point out some serious flaws in our master bedroom which are about to be rectified. It took close to a year to finally agree on two colors (and I admit to being a little iffy about one of them) but we are going to remodel. Finally, using some of the skills I acquired from a UC Berkeley extension course on Project Manglement I made up a flow sheet listing what needed to be done and in what order, supplies and all the whatnot's. By this time next year we should have the ceiling painted! Hopefully, we'll still be married and/or sleeping in the same room together.



Seriously, it's going to be beautiful though I am less than thrilled at the prospect of scraping off wallpaper though the cats helped with the bottom section.


ON TOP


Still to do on the coat: I'd like to make covers for the shoulder pads so they work better and find a better way to close the front. The hood, well, I am not likely to have it up so I think it's just going to stay funky.

Somewhat surprisingly I came out of this project eager to sew up another coat. Now that is amazing!

posted by Earin Marybird @ 5:06 PM 2 comments

Friday, March 04, 2011

TO CACTUS LAND!

I went to Cactus Land last weekend to help The Enabler celebrate her birthday. It's an annual ritual and one that I cherish - I mean, only your very bestest friend would endure airport security to come and drink champagne with you. There was also the eating of gelato birthday cake - I mean, it was a rough time but I was there for her 24/7. Another glass of bubbly? How could I say no?

Many wonderful things happened. There was only one "not so wonderful" which was learning that my drivers licence had expired. Interestingly, it was a skycap who pointed this out. Not security either going or coming or the second skycap. That said, it was an uneventful and easy set of flights. We like the less than two hours stuck in a small seat with crying children with nothing but appx. 12 stale peanuts and about 3 oz. of club soda.
Oh, and yeah, I spent 1 hour and 40 minutes at the DMV yesterday. Now I'm nice and legal again. Saying that it sucked pretty much sums it up.

ACTUAL SPINY THINGS

There were lots of cactus. I really only saw the domesticated variety not being interested in wandering around the desert. Too far away from the birthday cake.

There was the opening of presents.


The modeling of the Arrowhead shell. Stealth knitting right out in the open. She had no idea. Overall, a pretty good fit though the lace portion was a bit lower than any demure person would want to wear without some sort of shirt underneath.


WE TAKE A CLASS TOGETHER



The Enabler asked me if I'd be interested in taking a pants fitting class. Sure! I said. We both thought it would be a "bring a pattern and we'll fit it to you" type of class. Nope! Some New and Different. Keep those brains supple and active! We took each others measurements (only a dear friend of many years would do this) and measured out lines and connecting various dots or making curves while adding, dividing (our cell phone calculators got a workout) our measurements onto a piece of Swedish tracing paper laid over a grid. Then it was laid over cheap fabric and cut out. The whole shebang was basted together on the sewing machine and then the final fit was tweaked. It.Was.Amazing. Each and every one of us ended up with a pattern that fit us to perfection. Our instructor was easy going yet rigorous. No one was going to fall behind. Move it ladies! Heck, there was even a rather decent lunch included.


There were cats.



Max. A very high spirited ball of energy.




Puck, his brother. Not quite the hell raiser but still a ball of energy. Somehow I did not get a photo of Claire.
There was a museum visit where we saw an incredible show of designer clothes from the collection of the late Ann Bonfoey Taylor. Incredible fashion sense and taste. Lots of money. Just a wonderful collection.


KNITTING




The current shell is, well, just a bit on the large side. I haven't the heart to frog it. I think with a few tucks it will be something I'd wear around the house. When I bought the Rowen CA Cotton I was told that some of it was "sun dyed" which is evident about halfway down the garment. It will be interesting to see if it washes out. The label says the color will become "more vibrant" after washing. Hmmmm.
I'm now on the back of the uneven cable vest and am liking it a lot. Scattered around the house are various UFO's and I've also been churning out cotton dishcloths. When my brain is fried yet I still want to knit they're perfect.

SNOW STUFF




While I was away in Cactus Land (it rather chilly actually and rained one night) there was a good sized storm that dropped a lot of snow over the Grass Valley area. I missed the whole thing. Before I left though the Hubby and I strapped on our snowshoes and went out and played in the snow.
Upcoming in another entry.

The Red Coat is Done!

A pair of pants that fit (but with rather small pockets)!






posted by Earin Marybird @ 6:30 PM 2 comments

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