Three Day Weekend

While the rest of the American world celebrated their Memorial holiday last weekend, I have mine this weekend. One of the joys of working in retail. So, I am relaxing and just doing what I have to do, but mostly relaxing. Made another batch of elderberry syrup, cooked some peasant caviar, scanned a few patterns and recipes out of library books so I could walk an hour in the heat and return them, mailed out yet another kombucha SCOBY to a loving home, and continued playing with both my Columbia wool fleece and my tatting. A little ADD here perhaps, but hey it's my holiday. I also managed to do the laundry, dishes, and clean the bathroom. Here's some gratuitous crafting shots:

From the looks of that chair corner I caught, I really should reupholster my two cane back chairs tomorrow....I even have the supplies....but I won't. I have other plans. Low pressure, no deadline crafty plans. Sleep well!

Seriously?!?

OK, I thought blogging daily might be hard, but I thought I could DO it. I lasted only two days? On a technicality?!?!? When you work retail, you tend to define the days not by the clock but by the time between getting up and going to bed. In my world it is still Thursday but the clock says otherwise. Phooey.

Pillowcase Swap

I have been joining a lot of swaps on the MaryJanesFarm Farmgirl Connection forum. It's just a great way to make new online friends, and a way to challenge myself to actually sit down and do the things I love to do. Isn't it funny how time can slip away from us? I have been making better use of all those little minutes throughout the day, now that I have more deadlines to meet LOL. One swap I just finished was a one-on-one pillowcase swap. My partner was Mary, a fellow fermentation fanatic (mmm....say THAT ten times fast!). She has a jewel-toned quilt her mom made her, so I made coordinating pillowcases for her. Sorry the picture is so crappy, but I had sent them out before I realized I didn't get a better shot. The ruffle and band are on the short end as you would expect, even if my pic makes it look like they are on the long end. I just adore the fabrics used here, and am happy as a clam that Mary liked them so much!

I have been making a lot of pillowcases lately, mostly simple with a contrasting band but in happy, bold fabrics. AllPeopleQuilt.com is hosting a challenge to American sewers and quilters to make and donate one million pillowcases this year. So far the donations just aren't where they need to be to reach that goal, so if you have some spare fabric, won't you consider this fine cause? The website will give you more info, as well as ideas of where to donate. They even have ready to use free patterns. So come on and get your machine at the ready!

Tatting Tasks

I have always admired the look of tatting. So, a few years ago I bought several books on tatting, which somehow managed to get placed on the bookcase and I never tatted. I thought about it once in a while, but never got to it. Till recently, it was one of those things I was going to do "someday." Then my recent discovery of all things MaryJaneFarms led me to watch a short video on needle tatting. Wow. None of that silly shuttle maneuvering, needle tatting is EASY. I knew how to make the tatted stitch in less than 5 minutes. Seriously! Of course, I already crochet and knit, which might help in visualizing it, but needle tatting is ridiculously easy for the beautifully lacy effects it produces. Here's a bookmark I made as my first project:
Took all of maybe an hour and a half? I have a new hobby here LOL. This bookmark was done in the ring and thread method. I have started a medallion in the ring and chain method and will share that soon!