Category Archives: Christmas

Tomorrow Begins a New Year!

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What a busy time it’s been.  I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas.   The Christmas season was a busy one and it’s always a joy to have son John home for the holiday.  Today I will finish taking down all the Christmas things.  Tomorrow begins that frustrating thing of trying to remember to change the year as we write the checks.. ;o)

I must show you … I can hardly wait… My Sweet DH  found this online, picked it out himself and absolutely made me jump with joy when I opened  it on Christmas day!

A Viking Ship Golding Spindle… took my breath away!

That fiber I’m spinning is called Panda.. a blend of wool/silk/bamboo.  And does this spindle spin like a dream!

Now… that jacket that I said I would make… Well, I did make it that very day!  And here it is….

I love it… It’s just warm enough for all those “almost winter” days that we have here in North Texas.  I can wear this 90% of the time.  I love it!  Quite easy to make.  When I make another one… and I will make another one… I will do hand stitching around the inner edging since it’s difficult for me to “stitch in the ditch” and catch the bottom layer of fabric and make it look good… hmmm   Anyway.. I would definitely recommend this pattern for a quick and easy light jacket.. ;o)

After making this, the sewing machine bug grabbed hold of me, shook really hard and then refused to let go.   So I bought a pants pattern, some fabric and elastic and got with it!  Duh… phooey…bleehhhh…  Since I am truly pear-shaped and measured quite accurately…got the pattern that the measurements called for.. cut the pattern according to said measurements… I was truly disgusted when I found that the said pants looked like I had used Downey on a stovepipe and was trying to wear it… ;o(    So… not one to give up easily.. I cut up a pair of pants that I knew fit me well… drew the pieces off onto muslin with a pencil allowing for a 5/8″ hem and tried again..  Now this time was better but I was trying to use the same fabric from the previous pants… Let’s just say that it didn’t REALLY work…

I have given up… and ordered this book…  How to Make Sewing Patterns by Donald H. McGunn.  It should arrive sometime around the 6th of January.  I’ll let you know how this all turns out… ;o)

Would you like to do some small Block of the Month Quilts ?   I’m thinking this would be a good way for me to grow comfortable with some of the easier quilt block patterns.  What do you think?

Well.. must go.  I hope  your holidays have all been wonderful.  And that your endeavors throughout the coming New Year will all be successful!  ;o)

 

Spinning Again, Knitting Still and I’m Gonna Make Me a Jacket!

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I’ve been slowly working on a hat and some wristlets for a couple of weeks… Funny how other mundane things (like mopping and dinner.. ;o/ ) seem to intrude on the more important things in life.. (like knitting, sewing and spinning..;o)

Back in 2010, son Phil and my wonderful DIL Loretta traveled to Earth Guild in Asheville, NC.  They sent some wonderfully soft and fluffy merino wool that I immediately began to spin.  I knitted Phil a warm  hat to wear in the winter (and this one finally fit comfortably.. ;o) But the peach/orange has been spun, skeined, washed and finally wound into several center pull balls and have patiently waited until I could finally decide what to make from them. I took several pics of the hat when I finished it and I like that it can be worn a couple of different ways.  Just finished the wristlets last night.  If you’ve never used a pair of wristlets under your coat… you just don’t know what you are missing.  They keep the cold from worming it’s way up your coat sleeves.  I had never used them until my DDIL made me a pair.  I accepted them gracefully and thought… “I’ll never use these..hmmm”  And then we had an ice storm and had to go out in it.  Believe me, I seldom go out in the winter without them any more.

The Watch Cap is probably my favorite way to wear any cap.  That extra layer of warmth around the ears is like Christmas every day for me.. ;o)

It can also be worn as a small tam.  This would be good for a stylish college or high school day.  Since I personally look like The Creature From the Black Lagoon in almost any hat or cap, this would have to be for someone else to wear..lol

I have the pattern for the wristlets written down and will try to get them up as a free pattern in the next day or two… but don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t happen until after Christmas.. lol  I have wonderful intentions.. you do understand.. ;o)  Please bear in mind that the wristlets were just finished last night and have not been washed and blocked yet..

Finally decided to try my hand back at the spinning wheel.  Since the discovery of the labrum tear in my right hip (and the light bulb understanding of why it hurt to spin..duhhh)  I have been reluctant to spin very much since I have a single treadle wheel and use my right foot to spin.  Finally, following the several times given advice from my buddy Pat, I went to Serenity Day Spa and had Brian do his magic massage on my right shoulder and hip.  Amazing is the only way I can describe it.  Release from pain is a wonderful thing.  The labrum tear of the hip and the bursitis of the shoulder are still there, but the pain is so far diminished that it truly is like magic!  And it’s wonderful to be able to spin again.

Now.. I’m gonna make me a jacket.. today.  Pat and I spent some time yesterday at JoAnn’s and I found this pattern, this plush for the jacket and this print for the edging… I can’t wait to see it finished…

I’m really anxious to get my sewing machines out.  I guess that crafting cycle calling for sewing has hit once again…lol  We’ll see how long this one lasts.. ;o)

Must go now and get something done around here or none of my hobby’s will get done.. ;o)  So… if I’m not back on here before the Holidays…

I hope all of you have the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Years…. and may the Joy of the Season last all year for you!

Busy week… Great Refrigerator Cookie Recipe

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It rained yesterday evening.  A good, solid downpour for about 30 minutes and then a steady, softer rain until after I went to bed.   I do love the rain.

I’m still working on how to get my book covers to work with the cds.. ;o/  I’ve made several now and love the way all my cds are bound, but I really need a more solid binding.  Been looking into that and will deal with it a little more later.

Decided to do a little  cooking..  About a week ago the cranberries were calling my name.  And an orange.  And a cinnamon stick…  Cranberry sauce for the holidays!

Yesterday I decided to make some grape jelly.    I’ve made jelly many times over the last 45 years and it always came out wonderful.  I mean..really.. who could mess it up if you just follow the directions.. Well.. it never pays to think you will never forget..;o/ It seems that it’s been a bit longer than I thought..  I did almost everything wrong and I have no idea if it will really set up… but then I will not complain about having grape syrup for pancakes either.. ;o)

And then there’s the recipe for cookie dough that will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.. This recipe came from Judy over at   Apron Strings and Other Ties That Bind.   I love it.  I’ve made cookies 3 times over the last 8 days and still have cookie dough left!   This recipe will be a definite keeper in my recipe book.  Thank you, Judy!

I’m sure there’s more and I could go on and on, but since I’m posting at 3:30 in the morning, I think I’ll go sink back in my chair beside the fire and see if I can get a little more sleep.. ;o)  This is one of those things with me.   If I ever wake up, then I’m up for the rest of the night.. ;o)   Then again, there’s a lot to be said for sitting beside the fire and listening to a Kindle audio.. ;o)

Hope you have a great day…

My New Audio Book CD Holder… free almost tute… ;o)

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I decided that my quilted booklet would work… but not for what I really wanted.  So I totally revamped my idea.

Rummaged around my guest/craft/storage/junk room and came up with a smallish scrap piece of mat board that was left over from something else (you can use any kind of cardboard…i.e. cake mix box) , some white craft glue, a small piece of really cheap fabric, scissors ( I have both fabric and craft scissors) and a small piece of cardboard to spread the glue all around.  There’s an ice pick to stick a hole through the finished cover, a pencil to draw the pattern and of course the plastic sleeves I found at Office Depot.I first laid out the plastic cd cover on the mat board, drew around it.  Now that is a little misleading.  There has to be two pieces here or my book will not bend …therefore it would be difficult to get the cds to turn the page… So… I drew around the “CD Part”.. that is up to the dotted impressions.  Then drew another pattern around the flap that extends from the dotted impressions to the edge with the other dotted impressions.  The mat board was then cut using the heavy-duty craft scissors.  Now.. I know that this is as clear as mud… ;o/   So here’s a pic of the cut out pieces. Now I cut the fabric at least an inch larger all around and a little longer on the edge that has the flap. This fabric will have to cover both the flap and at least 1/2 inch onto the cd cover.

Once the fabric is cut, glue is applied to the side of the mat board that will be glued to the WRONG side of the fabric.  There is a scant 1/8 ” of separation between the cd part of the mat board and the flap part.  This scant 1/8″ is to be carefully guarded as the fabric is glued to the mat board.  This separation is what will allow your cds to fold and the book to open easily.  Spread the glue after it is applied and looks like this ( in the pic below). Now, using a small piece of cardboard or your finger, spread the glue until it is smooth and has as few clumps of glue as possible.  Then gently pull the fabric over the edges (both pieces of the flap and the cd back) and glue firmly, making sure that the space between the two is maintained.  Then glue the other side, then the top and bottom.  I cut a triangle of fabric from the edge folds so they would lie flat (in a similar fashion to the way we old folks used to cover our books at the beginning of the school year.. ;o) Now.. I got carried away and forgot to take the next picture… therefore this is called an “almost” tutorial.. ;o)  When all four sides are glued down, I cut a piece of colored paper (any kind will do) that would fit JUST THE CD SIDE OF THE COVER.  I glued this in place to cover all the edges of the fabric backing and to make the inside of the cover look good too.  ;o)  Now I know this pic is a little ahead of the tute.. ;o/  Anyway, everything about the front and back are now all “gluey” and must  be allowed to dry.  As impatient as I am, the two hours this took was like an eternity..lol  I let them dry just a bit and found that they were curling a bit, so I dug out some large, heavy books and tore off some wax paper, laid the front down on the wax paper, folded the wax paper over the top of that side and then laid the gluey side of the other half down on the was paper and weighted everything down with the large, heavy books..  (I hope that makes sense.. )   Because of the gap between the flap and cover, the pages open easily and can be flipped to easily get to the cds in the back.      While these were drying, I used a hole punch (forgot to mention that.. thirty lashes for me.. ;o/)  and punched holes in the plastic cd covers.  I lucked out and found a two hole punch that it really easy to do this.  You can do it with a one hole punch.. just punch your first one and use that one as a guide for all the rest.   I then used the two holes punched in the cd covers as a guide to punch holes in the flaps of the top and bottom using an ice pick.  I used some handspun yarn and a large needle to string from the front to the back beginning on the bottom of the front cover, go thru from the front to the back of all your cd covers, then through the back cover flap … then back up through everything on the other side.  I did this twice, wrapped the yarn under the first wrap, tied a knot and then a bow and then tied the bow in a knot..                                                                                                                                                                                Voila”   My new audio cd book cover..

I love this much more than the quilted one.  I will make many of these as each audio book will have to have one.  These will stand on the shelf.  I love it.. (Would make great Christmas gifts…  Can use this in any size to make your own scrapbooks… picture books… baby books… etc. )  Gifts, gifts, gifts.. ;o)

If you make one, please let me know.  Would love to see yours.. ;o)

xoxo… Linda

Tea Wallet .. Free Pattern at Is It Nap Time Yet?

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I have lost my tea wallet!!!   spfttt**##@fftt  smahsh splatt bang  shhhplt!!!

Yes, I’m having a tantrum..;o(

I really DO NOT like the coffee at our Golden Corral so I always take my tea wallet with me and just get a cup of hot water..

I made my tea wallet almost 3 years ago using the tutorial at Christie’s Creations.  She has since changed the name of her blog to Is it Naptime Yet?  but the wonderful tutorials she has are still there and still great.

 

I was in a bit of a panic.. Wonder if that tute is still there?  What if I can’t find it?   ( O Woe Is Me!!)  But it is still there.. ;o)  And it’s still called Tea Wallet Tutorial.  Now that I have ransomed my sewing machines from the shop where it cost $60.00 apiece to have them cleaned and oiled, this will be the first thing made.. today.. ;o)

I hope your preparations for the Christmas Holiday are going well.. This little easy project might just be great for a gift or stocking stuffer… hmmm.

Hugs… Linda    btw… these pics are of the one I made for my cousin back in 2009.. sigh

Loop Stitch Crocheted House Slippers… free pattern

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Last year Denese asked for my help finding a pattern for the looped stitch house slippers pattern.  Well… I just found it.   It’s over on Yahoo! Voices and was shared by Darlene Michaud.  Thank you so much, Darlene.   These would make wonderful Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers or just plain “warming the footsies” during the winter.  ;o)

Have fun!

Arbee Designs… Free Quilting Patterns and Tutorial

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I have so many sites in my favorites that our computer guy makes fun every time he has to do anything to our computers!  This morning I was going thru some of them and found just one of the sites I love to look back on every now and then.  Arbee Designs is a favorite site for learning applique quilting.  Here you can purchase patterns, take a quilting class or do the first quilt tutorial for a lovely quilt using 7 different patterns that are covered in the free tutorial.  You can also take a free applique class and pattern for a book cover when you register for their newsletter.   There is much more on this wonderful site to browse through and see…and use… ;o)

This small applique quilt is one that I put together for my granddaughter a couple of years ago.  The little snail and mushroom is a little ditty that I have drawn on everything from napkins to canvases for years.. ;o)  So I make it into a quilt… This is one of the things that the Arbee Designs site can help you achieve.   Design it yourself.. ;o)

Hope you enjoy the site.  I did.

Hugs and stay warm…

Make Your Own Olive Oil Lamp… Free Tutorial

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No.. it’s not a fabric lamp…lol   And I know this is a fabric/yarn/craft blog.  But… The temperatures are beginning to drop here in North Texas.  Real winter is popping up a little more frequently.  We’ve been having electricity flickers and outages more frequently lately… have no idea what’s happening.. ;o/   We keep flashlights handy, but the bad thing about a flashlight is the need for batteries.

When I saw this video by sockermidgit on YouTube… I had to do it.

I first gathered everything I would need.  Non-galvanized clothes hanger, needle nose pliers, 1/2 pint Mason jar, pure olive oil, hand spun flax and my triple twist fringe maker.  Please make sure that whatever wire you use is NOT GALVANIZED.   GALVANIZED WIRE WILL RELEASE TOXIC FUMES DURING THE BURNING PROCESS.  

Cut the wire at least 3 times the height of your container.   Now begin.  The pictures are clickable and download by right clicking the picture, scroll down and click  “save image as”  and then download to where ever you would like to save it.  The images have each step written on it and they  are each numbered.

The first step is gathering your supplies.  This is shown in Pic #1 to the left.

Picture #2 on the right shows how the wick holder is made.

 

Picture #3 shows the sizing of the wick  holder.

Picture #4 shows how I made the wick using hand spun flax (linen) by plying 2 threads together to make a thicker wick.  You can use almost any natural fiber to make a wick.. including a strip of denim or wool.

Picture #5 shows the placement of the wick in the wick holder.  It should be as close to center as you can make it.  This may mean bending your center coil to one side or the other so the flame itself is center.

Picture #6 shows the measurement of the wick.  There is no need for more wick than is shown.

Now that the wick is in place, fill to the bottom of the center coil with pure olive oil.

This pic just shows the handle I put on my wick holder.  I found that just having the holder lay flat at the top did not give enough to grip.  This is entirely optional.

Now we can light our candle.

And there it is… a lovely warm glow.  I can see several of these lined in a row down the center of the holiday table, surrounded by greenery and holly berries.

Now here is the absolute best part of this lamp.  Olive oil stays cool to the touch.  That is not say that the wick holder will stay cool.. but the olive oil will.  If it is knocked over and spilled, there will be NO FIRE.  Olive oil will suppress the flame.  The only part of the candle that can start a fire is the flame on the wick.. and that is enclosed in the container.   Also… NO SMOKE and NO ODOR…

I love everything about this candle.   It is safe to keep around all the time.  No fear of fire.  Very good emergency lighting or maybe a wonderful warm romantic glow on that anniversary table.. ;o)

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful.  ;o)

One Million Hits.. How Can I Ever Thank You? !

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A SALUTE TO YOU!

Sometime this evening or late tonight, this blog will have its ONE MILLIONth hit.  I have to say that I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all of you who have visited over the nearly 5 years I have been blogging here.  You have made all of the early morning, bleary eyed typing worth every minute.. ;o)

December 16, 2006 was the very first post on Fabric Follies Two.  Make Your Own Miniature Trees … This post was the first one carried over from my original blog Fabric Follies .  That one   was also a delight for me.  At the time of the change, I was very close to the limit for pictures that WordPress allowed, hence the new Fabric Follies Two.

How to say “Thank You!”..??

I have decided to put the names of everyone who comments between now and Tuesday the 29th of November  into a hat, have my husband draw 3 names out and each will receive a Secret Surprise Gift… but just so it’s not too big a secret, I will post a picture or two in a few days.. ;o)

Thanksgiving is almost upon us.  And what a wonderful time to be thankful for the joy you have brought me.  Thank you.

From our house to your house, may your Thanksgiving be filled with warmth and comfort.

 

 

Creative Little Daisy … Boot Socks Tute

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Winter is fast approaching here in North Texas.  It’s not really cold enough for a “coat”, but there have been days when a nice, warm sweater fit the bill.  Along with all this cooler weather comes lots of outdoor walking around and ..ta da… Christmas shopping.. ;o)   It seems that even with all the shirt, pants, coat, scarf, gloves.. I can’t really stay warm.  So.. I was doing one of my frequent pop overs to see what was happening with Autum at Creative Little Daisy  and found the perfect thing.  Boot socks that I don’t have to knit!  Very cool!  ;o)   (And yes, my kids do razz me a bit over using the word “cool”.) 

I think a pair of these will be the perfect things, even without boots, to slide over the pants legs.. or even under the pants legs if you’re nearing my age.. ;o)  And what a great recycling idea!

With Christmas around the corner, you might want to take a look at some of the other wonderful ideas she’s shared lately.   There’s the Super Easy Key Chain tute,  the Basic Purse tute, and the Patchwork Belt tute… among others.

Drop over and look around.  I think you’ll enjoy these every bit as much as I did.. ;o)

Have a great day today.. ;o)

Our House is wishing Your house a warm and comforting Thanksgiving.