Sidney Sweatshirt

 Monday evening I took a class at a local fabric store.  The class was to make a Sidney Sweatshirt using a serger. 

The Sidney Sweatshirt is a pattern from Merchant and Mills.  It is an extremely oversized, boxy sweatshirt.

I took the class for several reasons.  First, it has been a few years since I've sewn a garment.  Second, it has been just as long, if not longer, since I used my serger.  Third, it sounded like a fun excuse to get out of the house for an evening.  Working from home, especially in the winter, does cause some cabin-fever symptoms.

My lovely friend Cindy, also refered to as my knitting enabler, took the class with me.  This time I was the enabler, suggesting she grab the last spot open for the class.  

After signing up for the class, Cindy and I met at the shop a couple weeks ago to pick out our fabric.  We both gravitated toward a wool boucle.  She liked the dark blue and I the green.  But after trying out several options for the ribbing, I decided to look for something else.  Cindy was able to find ribbing that matched.  In the end I settled on a quilted print in rose and burgundy.

During the class the teacher guided us through the steps she recommended for making the shirt.  Having already made one herself, she felt an alternative way for making the sleeves was easier.  By the end of the class everyone had a finished shirt. Trying it on at the end of class, I liked my sweatshirt, but was not completely thrilled with the neckline.  If I am going to wear it, I needed to do something about it.

Yesterday morning I pulled out my serger and made a slight adjustment to the neck opening.  It fits much better now.

I'm still working on my Felix Pullover.  I've started the first sleeve.  My hope is to get this done before a trip next month.

Another project I've started isn't fiber related.  A new batch of vanilla extract is in the works.  I bought a pack of Madagascar vanilla beans and a bottle of vodka.  After splitting the beans in half lengthwise, I popped them into the bottle.  The bottle is now stashed in the back corner of my pantry.  I just need to remember to give it a good shake every couple days.  By the time Christmas baking rolls around this year, I should have a wonderful jug of extract.

Old Man Winter

 I like winter.  I like the cold nights and cozy evenings in front of  a fire.  I always wish for a nice snowstorm over a weekend so I can just hunker down with my knitting and books and watch the snow fall.  Where I live we get some snow, but it's unusual to get more than one good snowfall a year.  And the odds are it isn't going to happen over a weekend.

This year my wish almost came true.  We did get a snowstorm, a very big snowstorm in fact.  And it came over a weekend.  But, as luck would have it, I was previously committed to babysitting the grandkids because my daughter and son-in-law were away on a cruise for their fifth wedding annivery.  Sitting and watching it snow was not in the cards.

Instead, I spent a very cold, snowy day trying to entertain a 3 and 1 year old.

Covering the wall with left over potty-training stickers kept them occupied for about an hour.  Other activities included playing in the basement play room, reading books, watching television, coloring, and eating snacks.

Things were getting a little precarious on this day.  Our area was at a Level 3 snow emergency.  I was with the kids at my daughter's house.  My husband was stuck at our house.  The food was getting low.  Besides allowing the kids to do somethings that weren't normally approved (said stickers and longer than allowed TV time) I had to be creative with feeding them.  I will neither confirm nor deny that cereal might have been served along with the chicken nuggets for dinner.

My daughter and son-in-law got home the next morning at 7:30 am.  Their flight landed at 1:30 am but they couldn't leave the airport because the roads were closed.  Ed picked them up in the morning and picked me up when he dropped them off.  After a hot shower, I crawled into bed for a few hours.  Omi was exhausted!

The snowstorm and following couple weeks were ones for the history books.

Temperatures never went above freezing for almost 3 weeks.  The pond behind our house was frozen solid.

I tried to keep the feeders full for the birds.  My most frequent visitors were juncos, finches, sparrows, and blue birds.

Things are melting now.  It looks like spring is going to be heading our way.

In the knitting world, I have one more finished object.  I made a small hat for my youngest grandson.

I used some leftover yarn from my stash and a couple patterns as a guide for the size.  I babysat the little guy the evening after I finished this.  I am a little disappointed that it just fits now.  He won't be able to wear it for very long.  I guess I'll just have to make another one soon.

I have a couple other knits in the works.  I'm make a Felix Pullover as part of a Knit to Fit class I'm taking from my LYS.  I'll post a few pictures after it is done.

I also have a Cumulus Blouse on the needles.  I need to put it on some barber cords and try it on.  I have a suspicion that it is going to be a bit too big.  Stay tuned for more details in a later post.

I also have a Pressed Flowers Shawl on the needles.  A couple friends and I are heading to the Nashville Yarn Fest in April.  This knit is a buddy knit for this yarn event.

Besides the knits, I have a crochet baby blanket in the works and a couple sewing projects. 

On Monday I'll be taking a sewing class to make the Sidney Sweatshirt.  I have been sewing clothes since I was young, but I decided to take this class since it's been a few years since I've used my sewing maching.  And this is stretchy fabric, which has given me issues in the past.

I am also making a leather bag for myself.  Back before Christmas I bought myself a Babylon Leather kit.  I'm slowly working my way through handsewing the bag.

As with all things, pictures of the finished products will be coming in the next few months.