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Thursday, December 29

Christmas wrap up

For being the "slow" time between holidays at work, it hasn't been slow at all.  I'm feeling a little stretched thin at the moment, bit of a brain fog.  As much as I'd love to dive into my sewing room, it's not really in the cards.  I think I'll post, have a bath and head to bed.  Besides, it needs some cleaning before it's productive space again.

Christmas went well, better than I expected.  People mostly let me carry on in happy fantasy land where my SIL is not pregnant.  It made it all a whole lot easier on me.  Outside of a little melt down on the 24th, it was a tear free holiday.

I was spoiled.  Mr. Lina gave me the Colette book as mentioned, I've read through it already.  Certainly some food for thought in there, it's going to be a good resource.  I'm looking forward to trying Pastille and while I should start with Meringue because I need skirts, I'll probably be seduced by the Taffy blouse.

My parents gave me a few sewing related things.  I asked for a few specific things that I thought my mom would find easier to buy than anyone else in my life.  A narrow rolled hem foot being the primary hard to find item.  I also wanted some small scissors for delicate projects, she bought me two pairs.  One is the small cheap kind from the cash at Fabricland, probably useful for threads etc, but the other have a really nice feel.  They have springs and a cushy handle (see basket below).  We'll see how they do in practice.  I also mentioned that I had bought the heart chalk marker and I like it, refills would be a good stocking stuffer.  I'm well stocked now, they were on 2 for 1 apparently so I have two white refills and two blue refills.  I might have to buy a new heart for the blue chalk.

The best, however, was truly a joint project from my parents.

Mom saw the concept somewhere, web article maybe, and had Dad make it for me.  It's peg board in a picture frame, simple as that.  Add some hooks and a basket (holding my other new notions) and maybe I will be able to find my bias tape maker when I reach for it next.  In theory I do have a drawer for this kind of stuff, but it's getting full and I tend to forget to put things away mid-project and then they fall off the desk and I can't find them.  Being on the wall it might feel like it's not being put away exactly, just in a reachable spot.  I like it and I love the thought that went into it. 

The tea towels were very well received.  Completion of the red set was truly down to the wire, but I had time to wash and press them prior to wrapping.  Both of my SIL loved that the designs fit them well.  I gather they were put to use the very next day at Scot's house.  I did get a few pictures before wrapping them up.




I had quite a bit of extra tea towelling in the end.  This came in handy as I baked bread on Christmas Day, a sweet yeast bread that can be made into coffee cake or a tea loaf.  I rolled it with maraschino cherries, brown sugar and butter.  A small loaf each for my aunt and uncle and cousin and the rest went into a bundt pan I'll use for New Year's Eve.  Anyhow, I did a quick press and stitched up the side hems and wrapped the bread in the plain tea towel.  That puts me down to about enough to make one of each colour for myself if I so desire.

Time for me to curl up in the bath with a book and some throat coat tea with honey.  Mr. Lina has been fighting off a cold for a while now and thus far I've felt fine but today... I dunno.  This feels more run down than just tired.  Hopefully a good night sleep and more mandarin oranges will keep it at bay.

4 comments:

  1. The embroidery looks beautiful! Hard to believe you haven't been doing it for years.

    The peg board is a great idea for storage. I wouldn't mind something like that, but my sewing table is too wide and far away from the wall for it to be an easy reach -- conversely, my drawers are always right at hand. I do think I should put up some cork though, for push pins, because I'm always losing my pattern instructions -- or my place in the instructions -- and that would definitely help!

    Glad to hear your Christmas went well. I've been too distracted over the vacation to sew much; I'm working on a dress and it's taking forever.... The holidays make it too hard to focus. Hope your blahs were just fatigue like mine and you missed catching the cold!

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  2. Thanks. I did enjoy doing it, not sure when I'll pick up another project but I'm sure I will at some point.

    I haven't sewn either. NYE will be a post soon, today has been a lazy day to just... breathe. Tomorrow I'll tackle the sewing room I think.

    And fortunately I have stayed healthy, I think I just got really worn out tired.

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  3. My mom had/has a huge peg board in her sewing room, and I've always wanted to replicate it. Once I'm no longer a renter, I def will. Your embroidery is gorgeous! I dabble with it (Sublime Stitching!!!), but I just love what you've done.

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  4. Aw, thanks! Dabble would be the right word for myself. I didn't have a hoop when I got the idea.

    I'm liking the peg board now that it's in use. I find I am actually hanging up my scissors from time to time and my eye is going there to look for them. The downside of it being a picture frame is that the weight needs to be balanced. Things need to be put on both sides to keep the weight distributed evenly.

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