SEW: Bobbin winding

 I bought a bobbin winder last year on line through Joann Fabrics. It was over 25 bucks. The winder on the sewing machine has not worked in a few years and I finally had used the last of the collection of bobbins I had  in assorted colors. Not caring if anything matched. LOL Well at first it was a bitch to use because the instructions were minimal and in tiny print. I went to youtube and found a video dealing with the issues and all was fine ONCE. Then it would not shut off or wind evenly. So frustrating! I am considering buying pre-wound bobbins I will accept just black and white if necessary. Something else to research.

took me a long time to untangle that mess.

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April 28 

Finally got it to wind a bobbin neatly.  And found that the red button does not stop just start but the flipper by the bobbin stops the action. yay. I sure as heck did not want to buy another or the pre wound ones.

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YARN: Sock scarf

 Maybe 6 months ago I decided to tackle a project using all the leftover sock yarn and other small needle knits like triangle scarves and a couple of hats. After many attempts a 6 foot long scarf evolved. Sock yarn is not itchy so it is perfect for me. Included in this is 2 skeins I bought at St David's thrift shop 3 years ago. It was not enough to "make" anything so I used that too.

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tangled yarn on March

happened a lot in the making.

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SEW: DOLLS

 will I ever get going on this project. At least I opened the pattern and sorted out the pieces by size.

who the heck would make a 36 inch tall doll out of this. Some scary face on the pattern!

I hope to cut out one of these days! Just as a trial.

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YARN 2021 : tangles

 I have had this yarn in a tangled mass for decades . Little by little I tackle it- very frustrating and done in small ball batches because it would get so bad I had to cut it! But it is beautiful wool so I persisted.  I think it was end of March when I finally completed the process.

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March 25th

tangle undone!

I will incorporate these tiny balls of yarn into a medley of other fine wool purple yarns for a scarf.

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SEW: useful old skirts and dresses 2021

 ugh I swear none of my clothing fits anymore. I no longer donate my clothes as they are worn out to begin with. So I find a use for them.

March 2021

black corduroy skirt. too long and too tight at the waist BUT perfect for drafter dodgers at the base of my inside doors. Folded or rolled the material into a long tube and tied off in 4 spots with yarn to hold it together.

photos in no particular order LOL

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next the dress turned into  knit and walk storage

March 25

I loved this dress, Mom and I had the same dress. It was cotton long-sleeved and had mirrors in the bodice. I have tried it on every year for decades. Last year I couldn't even zipper it at all.  good grief. But did not want to part with it. Then I decided- yes need to make a bag out of it for my knit&walk projects each morning. It fits into a cart on wheels.

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August 4 2021

well that knit and walk bag is history. It kept slipping in the cart so I took it out and replaced it with an old laundry bag I had that I no longer use. Clothes pins hold that in place and it is a light color. But the other day a light bulb went on and I thought I can make a skirt out of that mirrored dress.  Working on it now.

Measured from the hem up to 29 inches and marked that with a white crayon. Then had to go to youtube and refresh my memory of how to do "gathering" by machine sewing 2 rows at the waistline.. Did that then wound a black bobbin and sewed near the gatherings. I needed it to measure about 39 inches. my waist ugh. Taking a break now- just so much leaning into the sewing machine that I can do each day.

we will see.

 well that went well NOT. Now I get to stitch rip the whole thing. It was a little too big in the waist and too much work to fix it. I tried it on anyhow and good grief. I am definitely will not wear a skirt ever again. It accentuates the Pillsbury Dough Boy waistline and makes me look even frumpier than I am if that is possible. It will make a great room darkening curtain at the kitchen door when it is already depressing out there and I want to block the light. ugh photos later.

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finished ripping out a hem which turned out to be one I did to shorten the dress for me. Because once I ripped it out there is another hem in there that is machine stitched TINY stitches. It will take me a week to undo!

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