Distractions (Heather)

Rachel's comment on my last post made me laugh because I had indeed gone out and found more buttons... I want to keep those ten together for when I need them. We went to a little button store on Queen St. West (just buttons! the whole store!) and picked out these little gems. I had some grey abalone ones picked out, but they didn't have the smallest size in stock. These are slightly irridescent and slightly irregular and I am quite taken with them.



I bought an extra because I have a way of losing wee things.

I had some sewing to do last weekend, and instead of lending me her sewing machine like she had offered to, my aunt gave me a very early birthday present:



I have played around with scraps of sheet that I had lying around, and it works like a dream! I mean, I am no sewing machine expert by any measure, but I plugged it in, followed the simple threading instructions, and it sewed a seam. Compared to the ones I have tried before, this is nothing less than a miracle for me.

So now, what was a dull feeling that I would like to start sewing/quilting has turned into a raging itch. I decided that I couldn't wait for next week to get started, so I dragged my very good sport of a spouse to Fabricland.

Now, I work in a yarn store. I kind of expected that happy feeling of being around yarn to apply to shopping for fabric. Now, the only problem I have with yarn shopping is choosing from among all the wonderful ideas I have, choosing from all the yarns I want to take home. Instead, we wandered around, looking at everything, not really feeling excited about anything we saw. I asked for help twice, but was greeting with complete indifference. I figured out how to pick out a pattern (it's done in a different way than I have seen before), but the woman at the patterns desk was not very pleased to have been interrupted. We were about to leave altogether when I saw a neat flimsy sheer fabric. I had just so happened to bring along a pattern that Rosemary made for me last year, and one of the alternates is a lined skirt! I took the bolt and my pattern to the cutting desk, which happened to be manned by the only saleswoman who seemed inclined to provide customer service! She read the pattern requirements for me, she helped me pick out an appropriate lining (the blue... she and Mike outvoted me for it), and of course she cut my fabric.



Then of course we were met with more disdain and disinterest when we went to pay, but thank heavens for the cutting table lady! Honestly. If someone came into the yarn store and wanted nothing but a yarn suggestion, I would damn well help them. And do so encouragingly. Not the best of introductions to the world of sewing, that's all I'm saying. But now I have what I need, so I will give it a shot.

Still working away on Evie... there is really not that much left to do, this is a really quick knit, but I have been really busy this week with this and that, and have barely picked up the needles. I will finish the knitting tonight, block and sew tomorrow, then it's time for the DKC Knitter's Frolic! If you are going to the show, come on by and find us as Needles and Pins!