Old Patterns - Still Just As Good!

So my partner's mother gave me an old craft book from 1982 from Better Homes and Gardens. In it of course are some really dated patters (rainbow quilts anyone?) but it also contained a lovely pattern called "Storm at Sea". It claims that this is a common American pattern but I'd never seen it before.
So, after I get through "Japanese Quilt" I am thinking of starting either this pattern or my secret project.

The pattern is quite involved though. Makes me a bit nervous. Here is the layout.

So I finally grabbed a little time tonight to do some ironing. Usually I can't because my nutty little pup demands to be in the same room with me at all times so going downstairs is done in five minute intervals.

 

I've decided my ironing board needs more padding. I'm pressing and I can feel the metal frame of the ironing board. I though about getting a new cover but I'm thinking of just buying some extra padding and fitting it underneath. I LOVE this ironing cover and don't really want to replace it. Here's a nice little pile of freshly <re> ironed strips of fabric.

Here I start to layout the squares. I'm not completely sure of the pattern I'll use.

Lovely Japanese fabrics from my lovely sister Dawn! This is called "basic nine patch block".

I'm still thinking of putting a basic color square in between. It all depends on how large this ends up being with the squares I have going now. I purchased a blue fabric to use for this purpose but I'm still not sure of the color. I do kind of think it needs something to break it up. If I do add something it will be called "nine patch with divisions"

I still have many squares to finish!

Dressew Sale!

So excited! Dressew sale!
I have a quilt pattern I found in an old 70's craft book I want to try after the japanese quilt I'm working on. Time to hit up dressew and stock up on cheap fabrics and notions!

Prototype Dog Toy

After seeing a few of these advertised, I decided to try making up one of my own. My problem with purchased toys is my pup can ALWAYS destroy them.. as most dogs can.. pieces that stick out are meant to be gnawed on, and seams unravel in one pull.
Ugh. What a waste of money.

So here it is, dog crackle toy - prototype 1

and here is Levy, trying it out - she's odd though, she was kind of scared of the sound... much like she got upset the first time she squeaked a squeaky toy... then she thought it was her baby for the next month...

I need to work on the closure... should it be openable so the bottle can be replaced? Or should it be closed completely? I foresee putting a face on it as well, probably with felt so the eyes and nose etc can remain flat.

So there it is, prototype 1

Second Bag for Friend

So here is bag number two!

A totally different style then the first one, and in case you can't remember, here is the first one!

Yes it still needs to be ironed.

Pulling Threads

This was actually the first name I used when I did the craft show "pulling threads" - I felt like I did it a lot. I'm not patient enough I guess and rush things to many times. What does that give me? MISTAKES.
Like today, I realized I made the wrong choice while working on a quilt. It's my first time doing strip quilting and I guess I wasn't careful enough lining things up and then I made a choice that compounded the original mistake...

Well anyway, I'm being quite cryptic! In the end, what I'm trying to comment on is the wonderful tool my mother bought me from Lee Valley called the "pro-stitch picker"

http://www.leevalley.com/en/gifts/page.aspx?c=&p=58722&cat=4,104,53218

An amazing tool, like so many things at Lee Valley. 

A Few Old Photos

Back in my former life (a few odd years in Toronto) I joined a craft fair with my friend Jane in Kingston Ontario. She does delectable stained glass (amongst her many other talents such as knitting) and I had many of my bags there. It was interesting to say the least. I learned some important lessons. Where you're set up in a fair makes all the difference in sales. Also, bring lots of water if it's summer time!

Real Estate

After researching real estate in Mission.... wow! There is none!
There is not a lot of leasable space in Mission and I wonder if this isn't part of the issue with retail in Mission in the larger sense. There has been a lot of talk about new construction, new complexes, but nothing actually being built.
I've heard talk of a possible complex that includes a Walmart. I've heard talk of new construction in Silverdale and new construction up on Dewdney but nothing has actually been built or even under construction.
What is the deal? If Mission wants to grow, they'll have to start building! And not just the huge empty warehouse spaces that are available right now...

hmm.. maybe warehouse space is an option?

Small Bags for a Friend!

A friend of mine requested three small bags - two the size of playing cards, or a bit larger and one to hold a diamond shaped object. Hmm.... the possibilities were endless!

The first one I came up with was:

hmm. should probably iron it before mailing it out.