Actual Sewing

I finished cutting out the pieces of the skirt. I've got two sparkly on black, three green and three plain black. I've started zigzag stitching around the outside of the pieces and then I'll (finally) start sewing them together.
On the knitting front, I added up how many pairs of socks I'd like to knit between now and Christmas and it came to something like 14 of which I have three done. That's in addition to sweaters, mittens and various other knitted things. There may have to be a serious culling of the list or the relegation of some projects for after Christmas. Buddhist monks don't particularly care if they get anything right at Christmas so there's a couple of things I can put off right there. Meanwhile, I keep thinking of more things I want to make! Where does it ever end?!

So Much of Sewing Isn't Actually Sewing!

So, I've started to machine sew, something I've said I'd never do. It started out with two things. One, a friend gave me a sewing machine and, two, one of the monks at the zen center asked me to mend a badly torn work coat of his (apparently if you knit, people assume you can sew). I was going to hand sew the monk's coat but the tears were so extensive that I decided to try out my new machine. And, what do you know? I liked it! I'd done some machine sewing before but always on my mother's sewing machine in her apartment which was awkward and inconvenient and I never really got into it. Meanwhile, eight months ago, I'd volunteered to sew a belly dancing skirt for Doria for a birthday gift. We got all the fabric and trim and there it sat. Then along comes this sewing machine! Having my own machine somehow makes all the difference. So now I'm sewing. Well, not actually sewing.

Today, I ironed. First the pattern,

then the fabric.Then I laid out the fabric,(isn't it pretty?)
laid out the pattern,found the straight of the grain (very important),pinned it up, and finally,cut it out.
Now I just have to repeat this process for the other seven sections of the skirt and then I'll be able to sit down at the sewing machine and actually sew!

Poor neglected blog

I know, I have been sadly neglecting my blog of late. I'm sorry. I got sucked in by Facebook, oh, so very sucked in. I joined Twitter as I blogged about earlier but I really don't like it as much as Facebook. You can't comment on people's posts in the same way and the Twitter people seem to speak this strange language that I can't seem to fathom. Anyway, if you want to friend me on Facebook, my username is (big stretch) Lucy Lee. If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm at (another big stretch), mindseyeyarns.
Meanwhile, I've added up all the stuff I want to knit between now and Christmas and I'm afraid, very afraid.

Stage One Complete

Here's what I got done yesterday. Today, I put the first coat of paint on the crown molding and the first coat of poly on the floor. I thought I would get more painting done today but the crown molding took forever. Notice how the lights are on? The radio is too. I did the floor and forgot to turn them off. Now i can't get to them. Also, the windows are wide open. I'm going to have to see if I can tiptoe in there tonight to turn them off and close the windows. Hopefully, it will be dry enough for that. At least it is a nice breezy day, great for drying!
Tomorrow, I paint the ceiling, get the first coat on the walls and the second coat of poly on the floor. If I have time, I'll do the second coat of paint on the ceiling and walls and then I'll have Tuesday free!

DIY-my favorite

I'm working on painting the front room of the shop today. Big Nephew helped me move everything out of there and now I'm spackling, scraping and priming. Tomorrow, I sand and put on the first coat of paint. Hopefully, it won't take me too long. I haven't really given myself much time to get this project done. I leave for Maine on Wednesday and I'm going to try to touch up the polyeurethane on the floor as well. And I'm going for a bike ride with Stef tomorrow afternoon. And I'm taking the dog to the vet on Monday morning. I may be living in a fantasy world thinking I can get this all done but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try!
I'll have some pictures tomorrow.

I have succumb

I'm now on Twitter.

This brings me back!

To my college theory class!

Your result for Which musical mode are you?...

You are Mixolydian Mode

Mixolydian Mode. The darkest of the Major Modes. Characterized by the lowered 7th scale degree.

Your general outlook on life is positive. You see the good in the world and in people, and you cling to the hope that in the end the good will prevail, whatever that means. You feel like in any given situation, the best answer is to just have a good time. You don't like people who take things too seriously. Despite your fun-loving demeanor, you have an introspective side. You have strong opinions but don't particularly like getting into arguments.

Take Which musical mode are you? at HelloQuizzy

For those who don't know, yes, I was a music major.