Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Rain, books, and needlework

What a nice day. Rain and more rain. Even some thunder. After work tonight, I was able to enjoy a little sewing. I was struggling with the smocking on the daygown, but I remembered that there is a new blog, sewnso.blogspot.com that I've discovered where there are some wonderful smocking tutorials - videos, not just pictures and words.

So I sat down in front of the computer with my sad little rectangle and listened to Laurie's soothing voice tell me exactly what to do. It really helped. I think it was all math. I was trying to sneak in an extra stitch, and it was causing my diamonds to go all wonky.

I couldn't wait to finish working tonight so I could start anew. But then the rain was there and the thunder - and Dickens - and coffee. I'm about halfway through A Tale of Two Cities and beginning to sort out the characters and enjoy it, even though his descriptions of London in the 1700s are a little hard to take, so I didn't linger too long with him.

I finished listening to The Rottweiler last night, and it's funny how I miss those characters and their British accents. The reader was good, a lady who didn't feel compelled to read men's voices in a stern hoarse tone. Some do, and in those stories I never like the men.

To keep me company while I smocked, I got my next CD - Light on Snow by (of all people) Anita Shreve. I just finished her excellent book, A Wedding in December earlier this week. I think it's going to be sad. Told from a 12-year-old girl's perspective, and the reader is a young girl.

All of the above and eight hours of work made my day and no housework or anything worthwhile. I did answer a few more emails and deleted even more. Still behind though.

Tomorrow if the weather is good, Mama and I are going to venture out. I'm not sure where. Maybe to Hancock Fabrics and most likely Wal-Mart. It's good to do things like this because it makes coming home so nice.

I have a correction. On the post a couple of days ago, I called Gaby's new knitting project a scarf when it's actually a light sweater. I'm terribly sorry. Here she is modeling it. Wonderful for her first knitting attempt.

She says, "It was very easy to knit, just knit a rectangle (15 inches by 55 inches) and when it is finished just stitch the ends, like 10 inches per side and there is, a semi sweater for the summer. I hope you like it."

I do. She looks good in red.

Just now when I went to find these pictures, I saw an email from Mike waiting with the title TAX. I'm going to pretend I didn't see it.

I'm going to sneak a picture of the smocking in here just so I can look at it after I get good and laugh about it - grubby little frayed thing. I probably started too close to the top and am just kind of making up the pattern as I go. I should have put someting in the middle of the diamonds. I may if it's not too late.

4 comments:

  1. I'm so impressed with Gaby's sweater! You're right, she looks nice in red.
    Your smocking looks beautiful to me! I think we all have a hard time judging our own work. We are more critical than others would be.

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  2. Thank you so much for cheer me up!! Now I´m proud hahaha.
    I love how you sew this beautiful dress, my mom used to sew us (Dina and I) our dresses too, so many, many years ago!
    Now I want to see some work from Lydia too ok?
    Love G

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  3. Look back a few days, Gaby, to see those cute little boy outfits that Lydia made. But stay tuned for some REALLY special in the next few days. Also look to the right under "My favorite links" and click on Layne James Embroidery!

    And you should be proud of your knitting.

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  4. Oh there is nothing to laugh at with that smocking. It looks lovely. Don't be too hard on yourself. Can't wait to see it finished.

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