Bye-Bye Bibs

 Today I decided that I am no longer making special needs bibs.  All the supplies are heading to Goodwill with the exception of the cut up bandannas which landed in a dog pillow.  I have been trying to get myself to use up the supplies for charity donations.  After 1 1/2 years of trying John and I talked it over and decided it was time to let go.  Unfortunately for John that means another trip to Goodwill since he brought in a car full yesterday. 

Projects 150 to 165

Including 1 scarf  for sale, 2 skeins of yarn for weaving. 3 hats for charity. Lastly 10 bibs for charity.

What It’s Not Sunday?

I spent most of the day going around as if it were Sunday. I spent the day cleaning and organizing the house.  I went through piles of paper. Found projects that were never going to be done and sent the fiber to the dog pillow bin. I now have 3 dog pillows to do the final seams on. I got the kitchen towels down that I can’t remember who gave them to me for bibs down. They are not Eric colors so the will go to The Flowing Wells SD Clothing Bank.  If you need the pattern for the bibs I.believe that I published it in October of 2009 or 2010 under the key word bibs.  I also got by with only doing 4 loads of laundry.

I finished another hat and cast the next one on. I am on the final rows of 2 of 3 A Shawl Study pattern.  Sadly this one is more fussy and will require blocking. Hopefully it will be done tomorrow.

Well tomorrow is going to be just as busy so it is time to call it a day.

A Long and Hilly Day

Today started out at 5 am with Eric wanting attention, T.V. and to have the covers put back on. Then I put last night's wash in the dryer and started the laundry for the day. I think it was about 5 loads, but don't quote me on that.

Eric supervised and napped while I worked on his new bibs. I only got 4 finished today. I have 6 more bibs to make. If you would like to make some of the bibs I make for Eric you can find the pattern here. Please remember that this pattern is for personal use. You may not use this pattern to sell these bibs. With that said, if you are in love with the pattern and want to make some to donate to a local special needs program or school please feel free to make as many as you like. Just send or post a picture or two before you send them off.

There was also a final goodbye to my friend Faye today. We need more people like Faye in this world. Faye was always kind and generous in spirit. A wonderful student who also brought a great question  or thought to the Torah Study group. Always had a kind word to say. Was always a lady in the classiest sense of the word.  I wish that everyone could have known Faye. She will always have a place in my heart.

Cleaning at a New Level

This morning I have taken my cleaning to a new level. Over the years I have ended up with bits and pieces of fiber left over from other spinning projects and samples that I just did not know what to do with.  So this morning I got out my Ashford Art Carder, so appetly named I think. I am taking many little bits and pieces and mixing them up together to make one of a kind mini batts to be spun up into you guessed it more art yarn.   Here is the batch of 7 batts that I made this morning.

I also managed to spin 1 art skein too.  It was a very crafty day around here.    I had friends over working on projects too.  Amber managed to make 2 bibs from scratch and appliqué Elmo's on 4 bibs.  Amber also finished a twin sized blanket for a gift. I taught Lisa how to use her new to her spinning wheel and she made some great art yarn. We will have to do this again.  

Help Needed

With the next phase of deep cleaning, I am going to need every ones help. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that I am constantly creating new things. I have been hiding all the finished work in bags. In closets and drawers all over the house. Well John found just some of them. He was not to happy with all my "clutter". After a very gentle conversation it was decided that I need to fill up my Etsy shop with everything.

I will be putting as many finished objects a day in my shop as possible. I will have hand spun yarn. Hand sewn project bags and bibs, both regular and special needs. A lot of hand knit items not suitable for donation to charity. Some hand woven scarfs, my newest obsession. So if you can visit my shop and share my shop with your friends maybe we can have this next phase of cleaning done by the end of the month.

I will also have a de-stash section with yarn that I was in love with and now that I know a lot more about knitting can't really see myself using. I just love lace knitting, but with my current lifestyle I can not see myself knitting lace. So that is some of the first yarn to go. There will be other yarns and things as the month progresses.

What you will get are some very nice presents and useful everyday objects. Did I mention that the holidays are just around the corner. You can shop in your P.J.'s and have everything dropped off at your door.  What I will get is a very happy husband and a lot of closet space back..hum more closet space to store things...well maybe not so much.

So here is where the sale will be, https://www.etsy.com/shop/skaro964 . Please feel free to pass this on to everyone.

The First Change

Today I finished a 3 day sewing marathon that resulted in 35 bibs for the Taglit fundraiser at the Tucson JCC on Wednesday. We will be there from 8 am to 4 pm. The car wash will finish up at 1 pm. 

So this picture below is the 1st change made possible by clearing the clutter of someone Else's dream for me. That space use to hold the terry cloth towels and wash cloths necessary to make 35 bibs. I have to be honest the first 5 were fun to do. I still enjoyed the sewing yesterday, but my hands were absolutely useless for knitting last night. Today I wanted to avoid the project at all costs but forced my self to finish the remaining 15 bibs. I could not knit tonight either. The bottom picture is of 30 of the 35 bibs. I can say with out a doubt that this is not the business I want to be in. Even using production line techniques I maxed out at 15 bibs a day. I could not see myself sewing bibs day in and day out. 

I will continue to make all of Eric's bibs but I usually only have to do a dozen every year or so. Not such a bad task. I can get it done before I am tired of them.

So I was finally able to un-box the carding board I am going to make rolagaes on. I still have space left over. I got the carding board from Sheep Banks.  You can find her on Facebook.  

Well it is time to call it a day. 

Another Big Change

Today I spent the day making bibs. Most were baby or toddler size.  I have started clearing out others peoples dreams of what I should be doing with my life. Even others peoples dreams of the next big money maker. If it really was a big money maker why were they not doing it for themselves? Why did I need to do it? I will be finishing half done projects and clearing them out of the house. I will try to spend 1 day a week doing this.  In this new phase of my life I will only take on  new projects that I want to do. I want to spend time exploring my creative side. I can not accomplish this by doing unpaid work that other people think I should be doing. I will pick my own charity projects.

The upside of all of this is that I will have more space for the things I want. By sewing the bibs today I have cleared 1/2 of a shelf in the craft room.  Less is really more.  I will also have a lot of different things that can be used by the Taglit Day Program for fund raising at the Tucson JCC to benefit Eric and his friends.

So to sum up this change a succinctly as I can here goes. If your name is not Teri, John, Eric, Lisa or Matthew. If you are not the Taglit Day Program at the Tucson JCC. If you are not a charity near and dear to my heart. The answer to most unpaid inquires will be no. I will not buy the supplies. I will not drop everything to get your project done and fall behind on things that really need to get done. After so many decades on this earth I will not be every one's go to  person who always says yes.




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Doing Better

I am doing better today. I went to my Tuesday morning class and a lot of things got clarified for me. Then it was off to lunch at 5th Street Deli and as usual the food was good and service fast. A trip to Bookman's on the east side of town was good for zenning the house and John and Teri have $15 more to spend next time they go. A quick walk to Beyond Bread for an epi for dinner and then it was time to go home. Not bad for 3 hours of time.

When I got home I decided to go clean the sewing room. I started off by cleaning out 1 cabinet, don't worry it only had 2 shelves so I was not taxing my self too much. The end result was an overflowing Bookmans' bag and a place to put all my stitch marker supplies. So with that part of the room cleaned I went on to organize bib supplies. I did not realize that I had so many supplies. I had piled them all in one corner in little and not so little bags so it was hard to see just how much or what there was. I have a whole basket of bibs cut, prepped and ready to go. I also have another basket filled with a half and half combo of towels and bandanna's.  I have pulled 4 hand towels out that I just could not match the color of so don't tell anyone but I am sending them to Teri.  I have enough supplies to start a small business. By the way if you need adult size bibs let me know, they are custom made and go for $30.00 add another $10.00 if you want them monogrammed. There might be a little more to this being organized thing than I realized.

I then went through some more magazines and books and more went into the already flowing Bookmans bag. I guess it is going to be another trip to Bookman's tomorrow and maybe the consignment shop for some jewelry that I don't wear anymore. I am hoping that less stuff in the house will mean less clutter and a more organized house.

I wonder if 3 hours of cleaning would count towards any exercise time? Tell me what you think, please.

A big bonus is I have reclaimed the treadmill so I guess it is time to say goodnight and hit the treadmill. Enjoy your families.

Bibs

This is what I have been busy working on this week. This is what 3 dozen new bibs looks like.  Enough to fill a laundry basket.

If you would like a picture tutorial on how to make your own bibs let me know and I will find time to do it in January 2011.

Teri is home for winter break so I must spend time with her. Teri time is a very precious commodity around here. So have a nice evening and enjoy your families.