Other Stuff.

I did not start my day knitting today.  Our weather is changing from unusually warm to something more seasonal.  If it goes to unusually cold, I do not care.  I am not going anywhere!  What I do care is that the change messes with my hands.  So today, I will give my hands some love and care and will go easy.  There may be a little knitting later if things settle but no rush.  I feel pretty positive about getting the knitting done on time.  Foolish last words?  Perhaps but what will be will be.  

This morning I am doing something entirely different.  

Decades ago and I do means decades, I crocheted a little edging around some beads.  The pattern was from Leisure Arts magazine and I have not seen anything like it since.  I have even talked about it on this blog before.  It has been on almost every Christmas tree since the day it was made.  But it was never blocked.

Today, well really this season, I got the hare brained idea that I am going to really block it this year.  No one is coming and the tree doesn't have to be 'finished' for any date or time and well, why not.  My poor pretty beads deserve the love.

It isn't a hard job.  One pin to pull out the bottom point and one to open the top loop.  It is fussy work though.  I am just using a spray starch.  Stupidly, my iron won't allow me to turn off the steam option which means that the heat I can apply to set the starch is minimal.  Stupid iron. 

It turns out okay, with the starch holding the points nicely open and in the end that is what I want.  The worst thing is that it is going to take a long time.  This plus the length of the ironing board was yesterday's work.

And this is what remains to be blocked.

I am going to lay a nice thick towel underneath it as I go today.  That way, each section will only have to dry it's own starchy stuff.  

Later today, I am going to cut out some fabric for more pants.  My table is ready in my spare room and I am so looking forward to the fabric for this next batch.  It is a nice heavy joggers fleece so perfect for cozy winter wear.  I am going to try one pair using the pattern I used for the last couple I sewed and if the fabric doesn't have quite enough stretch, then I will give the Willandra Pants  a try with this fabric.  That little bit more sturcture will work fine.  And once this batch of pants is complete, I think it is time for some shirts.  Nice tunics in fabrics that were bought and prepared for sewing over two years ago.  

Time flies but only till you really need some clothes.  Then all of a sudden it is really nice to have the stockpile of fabrics you still love.