So I couldn't resist, and I have guilty feelings about it....but I bought some Heather Ross fabric online and holy crap it arrived today! It took just under two weeks to arrive from Florida, so I was totally surprised to open my mailbox and find it stuffed full of fabric.
I found a great yarn outlet on Etsy of all places, and they answered all of my questions and don't seem to charge a lot for shipping to Canada. Here is the link in case anyone is interested.
I'm planning to make two Buttercup bags, and a sundress with this fabric. With leftovers.I also ventured out to a yarn store called Beehive Wool Shop that I noticed in downtown Victoria. Holy crap was it ever awesome! It was a huge store, and they had everything I wanted and even some yarns I was surprised to see there.
I restrained myself and only bought what I went for. I'm planning a hat with a big button for the 'teal' yarn. Two baby apple hats that will use the red and green yarns. The green yarn will also be used to make another hat with a pattern I'm afraid of, but want to try out. The grey yarn was bought at another shop (which was also awesome) and will be a hat for Brad. This frees up the yarn I have from my ripped out scarf for something else - likely a cable hat or some mittens.I'll get back to posting about Victoria and other random mentalness now. I promise.
1. Rithet's Bog
Yesterday we drove out to Rithet's Bog and did the walk around the perimeter. We love bogs, they are crazy and full of stunted trees and super cool plants. It's too bad there aren't boardwalks built into the bog, because that's where things get really interesting. Still, a cool place to go for a walk.
Along the way, we saw lots of these awful white "sacks" in the trees that I've seen before on the mainland with another friend, but I forget what the bug is called. I noticed one of the sacks was full of caterpillars. They were vibrating and seizing around in a really weird way. Not cool.
2. Another sewing project completed
I finished a pair of pajamas for my husband, but there are rules in this house and he would never allow me to post a picture of them.
3. A walk on the Harbour Causeway
We decided to see what Victoria's downtown was like today. We haven't been downtown much since the cruise ships have started to roll in. Holy crap was it ever different! Sidewalks packed. Tourists everywhere. Eating ice cream cones.
So, while we were down there I was on the look-out for this artist. His paintings are incredible, and I knew he might be down there because of Ben's blog.
Well, he was there, and it was great - we got to meet him and his wife and they are super friendly. We'll be getting in touch with them for sure, maybe even do some hiking later on.
Another thing that was hilarious was this:
As we were chatting with Martin, his wife made the connection and asked me "Wait, you have a blog? You moved here from Vancouver? Are you the one with the cat in the-", and she makes a motion around her like a tall box.
Oh God. Yes, the cat in the dryer. The Bad Room Mate. So crazy that she read my blog. Victoria is a small place.4. Eight DucklingsWe stopped in Oak Bay for a coffee after the walk through the bog. We found a little park and sat on a bench in the sun. As we were sitting there, I noticed a duck and her babies.
Holy crap - eight ducklings. Seriously, I couldn't handle it.
They all went over a little step where the water was flowing and I was worried they wouldn't be able to get back up. After the Mom jumped back up and realized the babies couldn't make it, she lead them over to the ramp and they all went up the ramp together. It was too much.
As requested by Chantoon, I'm posting the AutoCAD details I drew of the market bag.
I also did a section through the edge of another sewing project in AutoCAD. I can't help it! Doing this in CAD helps me think clearly. Well!? It is what I do for a living after all.....
I know. I know. This is the ultimate in nerdy behavior, and I still can't believe I'm putting this out there, but there you go.
Behold.
I know what you're thinking - didn't she just make a bag last week? Yes, yes I did. I'm a confessed bagaholic, but this one was a gift for one of my best buddies.
The Jane Market Bag! One of my favourite craft blogs Posie Gets Cozy (which is in my blogroll), gave me the inspiration and the pattern.
Since I'm also a certified nerd, I'm also including this photo which describes part of the process, well - for me anyway.
Lately my sewing projects include all the usual suspects: tape measure, chalk, Ziggy crowding the table, scissors...but I also include AutoCAD. I can't live without it! I have to draw the fabric pieces and then sketch out what I'll be cutting out. It makes me feel like I really know what I'm doing.In fact in one of my latest sewing projects, I actually did a section through the edge detail, just so I could get it straight in my mind before proceeding. Yeah, I think it's time to get back to work.
Right now I have two knitting projects on the needles that are worthy of the big rip out. A sweater (my first one) and a scarf. Last night I ripped one of them out - the scarf.
I apologize for the weirdness of the photo - I don't know what's going on with the colours. The yarn is more of a mellow teal-blue. I ripped out the scarf because I only bought two skeins of yarn and it was ending up too short. Nothing worse than a scarf that's too short. Too bad because I made this pattern up myself.
Now for the sweater.
I haven't made a sweater yet. From the pattern, it looked super easy so I thought I'd give it a go. I'm not sure if I'm alone in this opinion, but I find that the patterns the yarn companies give you are pretty unreliable. This pattern takes the cake.
I've already knit the sleeves three times longer (they roll up at the cuff) than they suggest. If I hadn't done this, the cuff would have been at my elbow. The other pieces of the sweater are rather hard to describe, but let's just say that there is no way they are coming close to fitting.
I'm tempted to keep on with the sweater and see how it works out - I've come this far. It might be good for a laugh if anything. What do you think?
So, I finally made the Buttercup Bag over the weekend and I love it! Although this fabric wasn't my first choice as you could tell by my previous post - it still turned out great. It's the perfect size for carrying my wallet, keys, ipod, lip gloss and cell phone.
So, as you can tell I'm a fairly creative person. In the past when I walk into shops like Fabricana, Urban Yarn, DeSerres, Dressew, The Papery and most recently Knotty By Nature my brain literally goes into hyper speed. My pupils dilate, my breathing quickens, and I get shaky with excitement and possibilities!*
While I was working on my purse, I went to FabricLand because I needed a magnetic snap. Surely they would have it and I can rely on them for sewing basics?? Nope.
This is the snap I needed:
All they had were 'hidden' magnetic snaps which meant I would have two square seams on the inside of the purse that I really didn't want. So I got around this by sewing in two squares of fabric overtop of the seams to hide them. You can see one of the squares in this photo.
I also was hugely disappointed in FabricLand's button selection. The two little green buttons worked on my purse, which was great but I was totally settling. What I wanted was one big button in the centre! These green buttons were also the exception to the mostly black, brown or white boring buttons the store had on display. Oh, is there nothing more you can offer? Really??
When I walk into FabricLand I'm so uninspired, it's unbelievable. I realize that the demographics here might demand a different type of merchandise, but come on! I will not go there again - not even for thread.
On Sunday we went downtown and happened to walk past one of my favourite stores in Victoria - The Button & Needlework Boutique. We went inside and holy crap did he have a gorgeous selection of unique buttons!! And guess what? I found this one and it's PERFECT!!
So I'll take the little ones off and pray that they haven't left big holes in the blue fabric that will show. I'm planning to buy my thread at Satin Moon, and my buttons from the guy downtown. This works out better in the end anyway, I would rather support the local shops than the big box stores anyway.*I know Rawbean can personally attest to this as she had to accompany me to Fabricana for some fabric selection - to keep me focused.
This afternoon I found out that after three months of eating no dairy and no wheat, I get to have yogurt on Tuesday. And not just once - I have to eat it with all three meals!
Do you realize the opportunities this opens up for me?! Instead of my usual one pear and instant oatmeal for breakfast, I can have yogurt! Or yogurt and granola. Or yogurt with frozen berries on top. Or....well, you get the idea.
So I drove over to the store, got out of the car and went inside. I turned left instead of right, and I became disoriented. I approached the Dairy aisle.
So. Many. Choices. So much is still forbidden but now an entire eight foot wide section of the store is mine again!
At first I hung back and glanced at the containers - ah, like meeting old friends again. Once I realized that I wasn't dreaming and this was okay, I approached the cooler. Ah, the feel of the cool plastic container! The weight of it.....I miss yogurt more than any other dairy product!
Five more days.
Last night while browsing the internet, I found this.
I cannot resist bags, it's already out of control. But a cute purse like this and a free pattern that looks easy?! I'm like a fly on....
If you are interested enough to click the link you will find your way to a Flickr site with about 100 variations of this purse that people have made. There are three of them on there that are making me mental.
I tossed and turned all night, imagining ways I would make it to suit me.
If I don't go out today and splurge on some fabric I will go mental.
I'll be hanging out with some Crush freezies, my ipod, the cryptic crosswords and our herb garden. It's perfect in the shade....
Mint always seems to grow like a weed, and I'm afraid it's crowding out the rosemary so we'll have to have some tea soon. We also really wanted Italian parsley because we can never seem to find it in the store.
